JENOLAN CAVES or bust

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After a relatively easy week I am feeling confident that I will finish the 6ft Track 46km Marathon next Saturday. Last week was easy and this week will be easy too. I'm not as fit as my last 6 foot in 2001 but I have some quality miles under the belt and knowledge of the course. This should get me through.

My preparation races will prepare me well for the Comrades 89km Marathon in June.


PREPARATION RACES
20-Feb-05 Maroondah 50km (DONE)
13-Mar-05 6 foot track 46km (This weekend)
10-Apr-05 Canberra Marathon 50km option
24-Apr-05 Brisbane Marathon
8-May-05 Wahalla 55
22-May-05 Williamstown Marathon

If nothing else is achieved I will have seen a good bit of Australia as a result of this race program. It's looking increasingly likely that the last event will be dropped in favour of a 65km training run. The big question here is whether a 65km run as my longest training run will adequately prepare me for an 89km event.???

I managed to finish February with 309km of training. As a reference point January was about 270km. Also I focussed on weight reduction. In February I lost 3kg, very happy with the training and the weight reduction last month.

The upcoming March training Program has been posted on the Comrades web site. Here it is if you are interested... The Don Oliver quote that grabbed me was:

"Welcome to the heavy training period. This next two and a half months training will decide for you if you are going to make it or not. It is a time of no excuses and total dedication as you run week after week feeling tired. Tiredness is your constant companion. Only the type of tiredness varies"

Here was last week's training working from yesterday backwards..

Sunday 6/3 23km
OK I know that I'm not supposed to do more than 15-20km the week before the 6 foot track but I did take it easy and the weather was perfect. I got into a trance and just kept going. Just like Forest Gump. I was training down on the pointy bit of the Mornington Peninsular and felt good. For those that know the terrain... Started at Blairgowrie, back towards Rye on the old Melbourne Rd. Then along the point Nepean Hwy along the front beaches to Sorrento and Portsea (Percy Cerruty's old training grounds) and back along the old Melb road again.

I did run into Rod, from Shepisi's group, along Pt Nepean Hwy and ran back with him for 10mins or so which broke the trance for a while. Rod is much faster and my pace seemed to pick up for the remaining 14km or so as a result of the 10min I spent with him. He seems to well prepared for the Paris marathon being held on the 10th April (Same day as Canberra).

Saturday 5/3 9km
Did the most fantastic trail run in the evening along the hils that line the ocean beaches along Sorrento and Portsea. This was at an easy pace. The weather was cool and the evening condidtions made for perfect running. I was a bit concerned about my ability to back up for the long run on Sunday morning but as you can see above the Saturday evening run didn't seem to affect me at all. the next morning.

Friday 4/3 0km
Day off. Moving into new place. Plenty of lifting and carrying but no running.

Thursday 3/3 0km
Slack and disapointing. Business trip to Sydney and ran out of hours in the day for training.

Wednesday 2/3 12km
Absolutely awesome speed test. Strapped on the Garmin 301 and did a time trial out to Middle Brighton and back. The 1st 6km was done at 5:19 min/km pace (3:45 marathon pace) and the second 6km was run at 4:58min/km pace (3hr 30 marathon pace). Given that I have done zero speed work I am thrilled with this result.

Tuesday 1/3 10km
Easy run to work

Monday 28/2 10km
Easy run along the bay past St Kilda and Albert Park. Yes, I know I'm supposed to be having a day off but I felt good..

Cheers, Brendan