MARATHON PLAN

After much deliberation I've come up with something that looks like I really haven't given it much thought. That's the way I like things-simple and effective-sort of like my love making, but I digress! What I do know is that all plans must adapt to the personality of their executioners otherwise they won't work.

So this plan is very much like me simple on first observation, or maybe 2nd or 3rd, but genius in the way it combines "Donkey work" and tweaks it with ideas borrowed/stolen from others. The secret of most success!

The following is an example week in a 12 week program that will take me under 2:40 at the August 2010 Townsville marathon. I'll back off this mileage a little one week in every month.

Week One: I'll build up to this mileage, in the process now.

Monday
Morning 1 hour
Night 1 hour
Usually done at between 4:30 ~5:00 min per K
Days total 22 to 25K

Tuesday
Morning 1 hour broken up into 30 mins warm up, 30 warm down
in between that I'll do 7x1K down hill fast 3:10~320 per K and in between these efforts run back uphill for a total of 7K @ 4:00~4:15min pace. "Hosaka Hills"
Days total about 24K

Wednesday
Morning 1 and a half hours in morning jog @ 4:30 ~5:00 min per K
Night 1 hour same pace
Days total about 28K

Thursday
Morning 30k @ 4:30 ~5:00 min per K
Night 1 hour same pace
Days total about 40K

Friday
Morning 10x1k on the flat 3:10~320 per K pace rest in between
Night 12K 4:30 ~5:00 min per K
Days total about 24K

Saturday
Morning 1 hour
Night 1 hour
Usually done at between 4:30 ~5:00 min per K
Days total 22 to 25K

Sunday
Morning long run @sub 4:37 pace getting up to sub 4:oo min pace in the last 5 to 10K
Night 10K
Days total 40 to 50K

TOTAL WEEKLY MILEAGE 200~210 KMS

I won't race at all in the 12 week build up but will run regular 5K TTs, twice a month, and try to make them all under 17:30. Basically I will try to get fit, go into Townsville under 58kgs was 61kgs for my last marathon. I simply want to be fit enough to run at 3:40 pace comfortably. I can do 4:10 pace now and feel comfortable I want to have the same comfort level running at 3:40 pace by August. While I'm willing to suffer in the marathon to PB I don't do suffering real well so I need to be as fit as I can at least to get me to 35K in reasonably good shape.

I know I can do this and if things work out and I can go around 2:35 in Townsville I'm considering making a sub 2:30 run in Fukuoka in December of this year. But that may have to wait until 2011.

Fuuuudge!

Only I didn't said "Fudge" I said fuck! Rick just cleaned my dial!!!
What smells like "Shart?"

COP A FEEL

Been away for a few days with the family. We went to a few family based attractions which I had to spoil by taking the whole thing literally (see photo "Feeling Area")

Anyway, because of a few too many days off I've put on 5kgs in the last 3 weeks so I've decided to, as from Monday, give up the booze for a month. Never been done before but I'm going to have to take drastic measures if I'm going to get the weight down and get back to running fast.

Wish me luck. Next post I'll outline the plan for my next full marathon.

"HE RAN"

The ups and downs of our running lives may very well inspire a movie one day. We just have to work it into the following thematic pattern of Hollywood success.

Out of wind in the wind.

Just came back after running a 10K race. I came about 10th overall and third in my age group so you'd think I'd be pretty pleased with that. But no! Didn't get much joy today.

Like I saw with Rick's race the wind was blowing all over the place. No kidding we've been having gale force winds this last 36 hours and it made for a bloody tough race. The first hill we ran up is about 1K long and the wind was blowing down that sucker almost bringing us to a stop, I never recovered from that as it took everything out of me to keep on pace and I had little energy to race the rest after that. I know I don't have to make excuses but I'm good at it and for the record I also came into the race with one of my trade mark migraine headaches and 3kgs over what I wanted to race this in.

I was disappointed sure but just going to have to do better going in and pick my days a bit better. One thing that is saving me from too much regret is that even though my time was 2 minutes slower than the same race last year, the 1st and 2nd place getters were the same fellas as last year and similarly ran slow in comparision.

Still, when it comes down to it, excuses or not, every race counts so I'm going to have to make some changes, and run faster next time.

My boys also raced today the 1.5K in their age groups and the wife did a 5K race. They enjoyed their races and apart from the wind it was generally a nice day out.

Time to get fit again!

"How to lose friends and infuriate people"

Having a few problems with the wife of late. Don't get me wrong I love her dearly but she has the ability to take me from calm to t-minus losing it in 30 seconds.

I suppose she'd say the say the same about me and she'd be right I can be bloody annoying when I put my mind to it or even when I don't.

I remember my high school history teacher telling me I had an exceptional ability to get under people's skin. She was also right and it was around that time that I penned my first essay entitled "How to Lose Friends and Infuriate People." I was, of course,being facetious, but I did think that if I set out a list of things that would piss people off it could be used as a guide to doing good. That is, by simply not doing these things it would put one on a path to popularity.

I outlined a list of ten things that would annoy the shit out of almost everyone.

I'll share a few.

#1 When someone falls over near you don't offer to help them up. Rush over to them and while standing over them with a stupid smirk clap slowly at least 10 times. This never fails to boil their potatoes.

#2 About 15 minutes after meeting someone tell them they look so much like either a "Terry" or "Ruth" that you used to know and that is what you are going to call them from now on!

#3 Instead of complementing someone on their dress sense ask them if their mother will buy you the same shirt when she's at Walmart next time!

The list goes on and if you'd like to get punched in he head I'll be happy to send you the complete first chapter.

TWEET

Did I ever tell you I hate "Facebook." It just seems too shallow, you know people posting about inane stuff and others giving the thumbs up to it.

Wait a minute, that sounds like a better description of my blog! No, the reason I hate Facebook so much is because I've lost so many friends to it (fairweather friends maybe, but I'll take them anyway I can get them these days) and I'm kind of jealous.

So what do I, someone with few friends on their own blog, do in the face of losing people to the more vacuous Facebooks?

Yes, I open a "TWITTER" account!!!

You ain't seen shallow until you've read my tweets.

See the bottom (pun intended) of my blog for my latest adventures.

Care to follow?

CITY RUN

Out for a run in the city this morning. After, had all you can eat Yum Cha and had all I could eat. Totally stuffed !

Walkman out Ipod in

I just bought an Ipod Touch to replace my Sony Walkman (Yes, welcome to the 80s) What can I say I'm a "late adapter". Do they even use that term anymore?

The clip will show you how my runs used to go!

If you switched on dudes know of any good applications for the Ipod Touch please let me know. I've uploaded "RunGeek" and a "Running Log" program that seem to be the bomb! And an application called "Sushi Guru" that tells me what fish has the most mercury, "Life's Good" (LG). Definitely too good to get mercury poisoning!

RUNNER'S TRIBE

The article I wrote has been put up at the "Runner's Tribe" web site. Very happy to be associated with such a great site.

Thanks to everyone.

Like I said, runners are a good group of people.

The article I wrote for "Younger Legs For Older Runners" is still there so take a look if you haven't seen it. Scroll down a bit and you'll find in under "Guest Blogger."

Grand Funk

I'm going to write about running again from now. I have lost a bit of focus in the last 3 weeks. Still the whole experience has sort of helped me. I pretty much know that running is meaningless in the grand scheme of things but that is why it is so important to me and why I love it so much. Not since I was a surfer have I done something for the pure joy of it. Not to make money, not to please anyone just because it felt good.

I'm not telling you anything you don't know, I'm sure but this has helped to pull me out of the funk (The depression kind) I've been in and back to the training.

I've got a 10K on the 21st of this month I'm going to regain focus train well and get a new PB. That's what it's all about!



This is the only "Funk" I want to be around for a while, thanks very much ;)