Planned run 90 minutes

Date: 28 June 2009
Time: 89 minutes 52 seconds
Distance: 18.14km
Approx Speed: 12.11 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 157
Google Ped: Meh

This was the last long run before my race on Sunday July 5th. I think I have prepared well for my very first half marathon, having run the distance a few times now. The pace I did for this run would have me doing the full 21.0975km
in 1 hour 44 minutes 31 seconds if I was able to do 12.11km/h. The fact is that the last few km's I was fading badly , only managing 5min 25sec - 5min 37sec per kilometer.

The race course is almost completely flat so I _should_ be able to go quicker than 12.11km/h, and thus get 1 hour 40's pace.

I no longer need to record the route on Google ped now, since I have a Garmin Forerunner GPS watch/training computer now.

The best thing about the watch is it gives me instant feedback on my current pace during a run. It also traces and records the route, with lap data and heartrate, and all sorts of interesting data. Eventually I will work out a way to drop routes onto google ped, and graph/present data in this blog for geeky gratification.

Planned run 60 minutes

Date: 24 June 2009
Time: 61 minutes 8 seconds
Distance: 12.897km
Approx Speed: 12.65 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 156
Google Ped: route


Reasonably quick run, managed a good average speed. Heart rate was elevated too. This is the second last long run before the race in a week and a half. Right knee held up ok this time, but it is still aching.

Seems like I will have the carry this knee problem. I think it is definitely overuse related, rest and gradual distance/workload build up should overcome it. Hopefully the 'taper' training schedule will allow me to run the half marathon race without breaking down. My goal of 100 minutes is probably out of reach now, but I usually run much faster in the road races, and I am getting faster. SO we shall see.

Another speed run on 26th, and a long 80 minute run on 28th.

Planned run 100 minutes

Took off fast, and broke down at minute 47, right knee gave a big twinge!! I was running on a flat, the pain is one I am familiar with, it has happened a few times.

My assumption is that the combined hill running - The scheduled 15 hills session, and the 2 long runs I have done that used a route with lots of hills - has caused a bit of damage.

So, I pulled up in the 100 minute run after 47 minutes, and I limped home. Am writing this two days later, and th knee is slowly getting better, it still aches and there is a hint of the pain at times. I have a speed session today so will see how I go with that.

Missed 15 minute 'effort' run

Friday night, 19 June, I missed my 15 minute 'effort' run. I was going to do it Saturday, but felt too tired/ill. Rather annoying that given all this training and sensible diet, abstaining from alcohol results in still feeling crap occasionally !! Actually make that more regularly.. Maybe the training is lowering my immune system?

I have had aches in my legs and knees, I assume that my recent hill runs have contributed to that.

Yargh, and 15 days to go before the race

So, it turns out I have not had beer since 1 May. A total of 81 days. I get frustrated on weekends, as it is my habit to have a few on Friday and Saturday.

Also it is only 15 days to go till the race. I think I can hold out till then. I am feeling a bit fluey right now, as is Christine. So we are taking it easy this weekend. I missed my Friday run ( yesterday). It is a 15 minute effort run, shall do that this afternoon. It will b interesting to see how fast I can go now, I haven't done a speed run like this for a while.

Planned run 60 minutes

Date: 17 June 2009
Time: 61 minutes 12 seconds
Distance: 12.45km
Approx Speed: 12.2 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 156
Google Ped: route

I took a pretty random looking route for this run, just so I could include some hills. Had plenty of them, many quite hard. Managed a good pace of 12.2km/h average, and a slightly higher heart rate than the usual of 156.

No specific aches or pains, slightly sore right knee in the usual place, heals are good. I seem to be able to hit hills hard and maintain a good pace so I am getting faster. Pretty good shape with 3 weeks training left

Planned run 15 hill reps

Date: June 16 2009
Time: meh
Distance: meh
Approx Speed: meh
Average Heart Rate: Max 173
Google Ped: meh

Did longer hill at about the same incline as last hills session. Did then really hard again too. Managed to get the heart rate up to 173, I don't recall any session where my heart rate was that high.

I was _very_ sore after the 2 hour run on SUnday, but legs recovered quite well so I had no real problems. My heals are suddenly quite good now, and my knees are not troubling me either. I am feeling quite optimistic that I will be injury free on the race day.

Planned run 120 minutes

Date: 1 June 2009
Time: 122 minutes 28 seconds
Distance: 24.2522km
Approx Speed: 11.88 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 158
Google Ped: route PLUS this route

I stuffed up the timing again today. Started off from the end of our street, and when I got to the waterfront I reached around to get my water bottle. I managed to push the buttons that start/restart the timer recording function on my watch losing the initial part of the run!! This is the third time I have done this, and am getting a bit annoyed about it. It far too easy to press buttons by accident with this watch.

As a result, I only managed to time one section accurately in the middle of the run. I did the route twice, a distance of 14.2982km in 72 minutes. This a little bit slow, at 11.91km/h but I had a few hard hills in there.

The overall distance, and time was 22.3956 + 1.8566 = 24.2522km with average speed 11.88km/h. This too slow to get a 100 minute half marathon time. I am quite a bit sore after this 'speed week', and my muscles were burning only 7-10km into the run. I am hoping that if I am fresh and not sore I might be able to run faster.

I have three training weeks left until the race. Two distance runs, a 100 minute run and a 80 minute run. And a few speed runs during those weeks. Looks like the training is 'tapering' :)

Planned run 10x1min speed with 30 jog recovery

Did this run during the day at work in the city. Pushed very hard, with legs very sore from a hard 'speed week'.

Planned run 50 minutes

Date: 11 June 2009
Time: 48 minutes 35 seconds
Distance: meh
Approx Speed: fast
Average Heart Rate: meh
Google Ped: meh


I ran during the day in the city today. I had planned to run _yesterday_ but was just too worn out and sore from the hill sprints I did on Tuesday. I did not record the route or heart rate today.

I went fast for the whole session, much faster than usual. Shame I could not record the distance and speed. Tomorrow I have another speed session, shall hit that one harder than ever before too.

Planned run 15 hill reps

Date: June 9 2009
Time: meh
Distance: meh
Approx Speed: meh
Average Heart Rate: Max 161
Google Ped: meh

Chose a bigger hill than last time, and also sprinted much harder than last time. Ended up only managing to get heart rate to peak at around 161 or so. This is a little weird as I was able to get heart rate much higher last time I did hills.

Worked my legs very hard, and pushed for every one of the 15 reps. I ended up quite sore in slightly different areas to my usual.

Planned run 120 minutes

Date: 7 June 2009
Time: 118 minutes 57 seconds
Distance: 22.3956km
Approx Speed: 11.3 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 150
Google Ped: route


I took a very different route to my usual for this long run. It is the first 2 hour run I have ever done, and I completed a distance that I had never run before, just over 22km. I stopped several times for water and twice to go to the toilet, so my pace was perhaps slightly faster than the calculated 11.3km/h.

The route included several difficult hills - I did this deliberately to give me a bit more of a strength workout - and it worked quite well. The hills in the beginning are Lithgow and Hannam streets, plus the longer hill in Wynnum North Road. They were a good beginning, making me work hard initially, with the rest of the route quite flat and easy. On the return lap, I had done nearly 20km when I hit the hills again. After running that far the hills are a huge challenge, and I had to push very hard just to keep moving.

I pulled up extremely tired, which is no surprise. The hills slowed me down substantially, but I deliberately took it easy too, maintaining a slow pace anyway. I get the feeling that it won't matter whether I go faster early in a longer distance run like this, I will always hit the wall and begin to hurt and slow down just the same.

I have no specific injuries to talk about, just slight aches. Both heals are tender but seem to be no problem once I warm up in a run. I also tooka small pack of 'Goo' a carbo/electrolyte supplement. It seems to work remarcably well, so I will get a few packs and use them in a longer run.

Planned run 60 minutes

Date: 5 June 2009
Time: 63 minutes 24 seconds
Distance: 12.33km
Approx Speed: 12.03 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 146
Google Ped: route

Again I took this run very easy, and still managed a good pace. Heart rate is way down, which is a good sign. I picked up the pace at the end, and managed to return in a negative split - ie faster than I went out. Actual time was more like 61min flat as I was delayed waiting at a railway crossing for two trains to pass.

Left heal is giving me trouble but at the moment I am able to run through it. Once warmed up it is no problem so hopefully it will resolve itself.

I have a big 120 minute run on Sunday morning and that will test me. I expect to do about 24km's if I am able to hold a decent pace.

Planned run 40 minutes

Date: 3 June 2009
Time: 40 minutes 39 seconds
Distance: 8.1399km
Approx Speed: 12.03 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 149
Google Ped: route

Very eeasy run, managed a reasonable pace and kept heart rate low. This week is a high load, low speed one.

Only one problem - niggling left heal pain. Once warmed up it is gone.

Planned run 50 minutes

Date: 2 June 2009
Time: 54 minutes 18 seconds
Distance: 10.8922km
Approx Speed: 12.04 kmh
Average Heart Rate: 151
Google Ped: route

I am running three days on the week days this week, plus a 2 hour run Sunday:

Tuesday 50min
Wednesday 40min
Friday 60min
Sunday 120min

This is up from what my schedule says to do, it said to to three 40 min runs. But I did only 1hour 10 on Sunday instead of the planned 2hr run, so I am stacking up the distance this week to make up for it.

I took it really easy this run, the heart rate at 151 illustrated that perfectly. No injuries, and I feel remarkably good after the 15km race. I hit the gym Monday, did heavier weights than usual, and pushed hard on the leg presses to help improve leg strength.

The route I did was done twice (out and back) plus about another 300m so that is about 10.8922km and I did it at a leisurely 12km/h or so.