snail statistics

Last Reminder - Cross Country Championships, 18 June:
no late entries.
The ACTVAC races are 8k for all women and for men 60+, and 12k for men 30-59. I will be running in the 8k at 10:40am, while the 12k starts at 11:10am well before I have finished!
On Line Entries for ACTVAC (only) can be made at http://tiny.cc/qzk7d
Closing Date for entries is Thursday June 16th, late entries will NOT be accepted.

Results Customs 5k 10 June
Caroline Campbell 28:03
Geoff Barker 35:27
I had intended to run this but I took a sick day… I was not too well.

Snail statistics
"Warriorwomen running" has a blog post where she talks about her training partner crushing snails on the run. Her run summary goes:

Day 12 Tally
Snails squished: 6
Runs: 9/12
Run Distance: 2.08k/19.7k
Alcohol Free Days: 4/12

So I suggest that when the snails emerge after the next lot of rain (which we have been promised but which never seems to happen) I want to see a "snails squished" tally in your statistics too. Thank you.

contact

I saw Phil Essam out near the zoo judging the walkers in the LBG 20 mile race on Sunday. We hadn't met before despite being "facebook friends".

Monday's Training
We ran under the lights of the Western and South-Western side of Parliament House a double pyramid of 200m 400 600 400 200 400 600 400 200 on go-2 minutes 6 12 16 18 22 28 32 finish on 34. If the whistle for the next sprint blew before any runner had returned to the start point, they were allowed to turn around early on the whistle and run shorter. On this occasion no-one completed the full session: Warrick was the closest, getting back on time (just!) every time but simply being unable to complete the last 200m. A good hard session designed to test the better runners! Along with all but Warrick & Craig, I bombed out on the very first interval and it was all downhill from there.

Running early were Craig, Ewen & I, and we were joined for the main session by Andy, Jill, Neil, Warrick & Yelena. Numbers were down as it was a public holiday in Canberra. Next week we will repeat the session, or something like it. Because it's hard and it's a challenge and it's the best track there for running fast intervals.

Jill: a surprise attendee at last night's training session.

Reminder - Cross Country Championships, 18 June: no late entries.
The ACTVAC races are 8k for all women and for men 60+, and 12k for men 30-59. I will be running in the 8k at 10:40am, while the 12k starts at 11:10am well before I have finished!
On Line Entries for ACTVAC (only) can be made at http://tiny.cc/qzk7d
Closing Date for entries is Thursday June 16th, late entries will NOT be accepted.

Demons Run when a good man goes to war

What I am viewing: The 2011 Doctor Who series has been brilliant, none better than the "Demons Run" episode, providing you had been following the story to that point. The series is now on pause but continues later this year.

What am I reading: Embassytown, by China Miéville. This 2011 novel is simply amazing. It is going to take me a long time to achieve item#21 on my bucket list, "Read every book written by China Miéville", if he keeps churning out novels faster than I can read them. I am going to enjoy the challenge.

What I am hearing: new CDs by The Middle East and by Death Cab for Cutie.

Coming Events, week 24 of year 2011:

Mon 13/6	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Wed 15/6	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k handicap
Thu 16/6	4:00pm	Dickson Oval long run
	5:30pm	Dickson Oval speedygeese training
Fri 17/6	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 18/6	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
	10:00am	8k/12k Cross Country Stromlo Forest Park
Sun 19/6	8:00am	speedygeese training Stromlo Forest Park
	12:00noon	High Noon Meet 800m, 3000m

Results YCRC Hackett 5k Saturday 11 June
18. Katie Forestier 20:34
32. Ken White 22:38
33. Maria O'Reilly 23:12
39. Peter McDonald 27:32
45 finishers


Thursday's Clarke & Dawe from http://youtu.be/eqKc8yunNu0

It's magic

Good to see speedygoose Kathy Sims featuring strongly in this ad. Video at http://youtu.be/ryMBgFLwdgg

on the road again

Training at Dickson last Thursday: Running long first were Bronwyn, Craig, Nadine, Tori & I; we were joined at Dickson Oval by Abi, Amanda, Colin, Janene, Maria, Neil & Rod. A session of 330m fast/220m jog in teams of three for 30 minutes was followed by Brownies to celebrate a certain 47th birthday during the week. Janene along with everyone else was delighted with Bronwyn's cooking prowess.

Bronwyn

Mary was farewelled at breakfast at Urban Food Cafe this morning and flies home to Singapore today. She has been a great Saturday morning running companion for the first half of this year.

馨文 (Mary)

The girls at the farewell

Geese on a Seattle highway, from http://youtu.be/COm7CNhh8V4

Misty Ginninderra Creek

Doubt

Jimmy

Marathon

The anti-taper

There are times when the runner needs to ease back on training distances and/or training intensity. Leading up to major races is possibly not one of those times. I feel that the idea of tapering before important races is over-rated.

Conventional wisdom says that a reduction in training before a major event will produce the best results. Many runners have been known to follow religiously this idea every time they race, regardless of relevant circumstances such as how their training is progressing and how much training they actually do and how fast that training is.

Some runners start to reduce their training volume as early as three weeks before their event; way too soon in most circumstances.

There are all sorts of reasons to ignore the “taper” idea and “train through” instead. Here are some for your consideration.

1. You are in a phase where you are building up distance following injury, illness, slackness, or busy-ness. As a result you are gaining in fitness. Therefore don’t be tempted to ease back: continue the build-up phase even if you are still running an important race. Want convincing of this? Look back through your training diary and see how many of your best times were run “unexpectedly” at the end of your longest and/or hardest weeks.

2. You have built up your training and are now running as far and as fast as your plans suggest you should. All is going well, the training pattern is such that easier days or rest days allow you sufficient recovery to repeat the efforts of the hard days. Why ease off? You have learned to handle fatigue and to recover properly between sessions, why ease back the training?

3. Your important run coming up this weekend is only one of a series culminating in “the big one” later in the year. Take the long term view: train through this one and see how you go. You might do worse, you might do better. How will you know if you don’t give it a try?

4. Is your running routine important to you? Some people can feel out of sorts when they follow a taper program, as it throws them out of routine. You’ll feel flat, you’ll feel sluggish, you won’t warm up properly because you are not used to the change to less running that you have had to endure. The literature will suggest you are somehow addicted to lots of running and desperately afraid of losing fitness, however don’t be fooled and don’t let the “experts” make you feel guilty about being reluctant to run less than usual. Ignore those thoughts, what you’re feeling is actually true; all that running is in fact doing you good. Sticking to your normal schedule may your best way of preparing for races.

5. How important is the long term? If you forever go through a cycle of taper/race/recover, you are compromising long term fitness goals. Learn how much racing is good for you and fit it into a schedule where you can train on, train through.

I predict that the tapering obsession will go the way of the built-up running-shoe obsession. People are now moving towards running barefoot because they have discovered that decades of running shoe wisdom was not so wise after all. Similarly in the future it may be discovered that tapering is not required when weekly, fortnightly, or monthly patterns of training include appropriate built-in rest and recovery segments.

If you have to taper, presumably because you are suffering from fatigue through over-training or over-racing, or because your knowledgeable friends would be aghast if you didn’t, or because you believe in the “science” which advises you to do so, or you are feeling mentally stressed and need to relax a bit more than usual, I wouldn’t worry too much about reducing the speed of your training, but you might reduce the distances by a small margin. Three weeks out seems crazy however; cutting distance down by 20-30% in the last week should suffice in most cases.

And after a very hard race, something different, I’d advise keeping the distances up, but cutting the speed back a little until recovery is complete. Too many people stop running after a hard long race, but after such a race, resting delays recovery, while easy running promotes recovery and allows a return to full training much sooner.

Would I have done any worse if I had not eased off for my major races? Perhaps not, because often my best times came in minor races after long, hard weeks when I didn’t ease off.

But here’s a word of caution. If you have been training hard and you have picked up an injury, or have been feeling altogether unwell, or are feeling mentally exhausted for whatever reason, you had better taper, as you certainly won’t perform under those circumstances by training through. Or, heaven forbid, you could do the sensible thing and skip that particular race and rest up until you feel well enough to resume full training. It’s up to you. Actually, it’s all up to you, as always.

Comments and feedback welcome!

fit for publication

An article on tapering is coming very soon, it needs a bit more work and then it will be fit for publication.

Meanwhile here is a picture of an owl to go on with.

This rather imposing Owl streetartwork, commissioned by the ACT Government no less, guards the corner of Belconnen Way and Benjamin Way. Jon Stanhope's last stand?

Boys Week is over

Happy Birthday Janene 47 today!

Yes “Boys Week is over”. The girls returned to Parliament House last night. One of the girls was Rae Palmer, returning after a long time away, it was great to see her again, with brother David Webster what's more.
Craig & I ran early then just jogged covering 16.5k altogether. The main group consisting of Abi, Andy, Cathy M, Christopher, David W, Helen, Neil, Rae & Warrick who ran in teams of three, 30 minutes of lower flagpole sprints (each time running the diagonal then up along the flags), our first speed-endurance interval session in the June series. It was cold but as there was no breeze to speak of we soon warmed up. More (different) speed-endurance sessions coming up, at both Parliament House and at Dickson.

Australia Story
I don’t often watch the ABC production "Australia Story" but last night’s was terrific. Australia Story is repeated on Saturdays at 12:30pm.

Cross Country Championships:
The ACTVAC races are 8k for all women and for men 60+, and 12k for men 30-59.
On Line Entries for ACTVAC (only) can be made at http://tiny.cc/qzk7d
Closing Date for entries is Thursday June 16th, late entries will NOT be accepted, and events take place on June 18th.
I am going out to the venue at noon today for a practice run over the 8k course.

.

fog

Coming Events week 23 of 2011

Mon 6 June	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Wed 8 June	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k handicap
Thu 9 June	4:00pm	Dickson Oval long run
	5:30pm	Dickson Oval speedygeese training
Fri 10 June	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 11 June	1:00pm	YCRC Watson (note change of venue)
Sun 12 June	8:00am	speedygeese training Stromlo Forest Park

Results from the Pennington 12k Saturday 4 June

27. Ken White M55 1:00:29

28 finishers

 

Results from the Longstaff 8k Saturday 4 June

6. Katie Forestier W45 34:23   

14. Geoff Moore M60 36:24    

18. Maria O'Reilly W55 37:58  

23. Ewen Thompson M50 40:16          

31 finishers

 

Results from the Women’s 6k Jogalong Sunday 5 June

Michelle Wells 25:01  

Kerrie Bremner 28:05  

Michelle Greenwood 31:28

Cathy Montalto 31:57

Alison Sims 35:41       

Kris Davis 42:42         

93 runners

 

Bike cage with token tree in the Canberra winter fog

 

 

Every Teardrop is a Waterfall

Song of the week: Coldplay's new song, fom http://youtu.be/1Kf_6BWcOOg



I ran the Longstaff 8k yesterday, results not yet available but it was a good run, 40 seconds slower than two years ago, but very hard going on the clumpy grass.

Next will be the Vets Cross Country championships, just two weeks way, which I must remember to enter in advance, as they are not taking entries on the day. I plan to taper and try to win the M60s. No tapering this week: it was 110k including three races.

The course at Stromlo Forest Park is interesting: the grass is now all white and dead but the surface is firm. Of course, one has to contend with the wind as there is no shelter. No wind this morning when I ran there but pea soup fog and a temperature in the minuses made it quite painful.

Just a note on this coming Saturday's race: the venue has been changed to Watson instead of Goorooyaroo. After the cull they may rename it Gooya (i.e. no more roos.) Surprised they don't close Stromlo Forest Park as there were hundreds of roos there this morning, enough to satisfy every shooter's bloodlust.

back by now

Speedygeese running the Customs 5k on Friday 3 June
Andrew Simpson 19:06
Geoff Moore 22:07
Kerrie Bremner 22:22
Caroline Campbell 27:04

The goal now is to keep training for the half marathon while working towards a sub 20minute 5k. I am not sure though if there are going to be any 5k races until September or October except for this Customs run, which varies a little from week to week and can be a tad short of 5k but "is" 5k taking into account its degree of difficulty.

I am back on track running my third 100km week in a row.

Today the Metro runners and I jogged around the lake with Mary, having her last run with us before returning home to Singapore. As well as Mary there was Ann, Alison, Leanne, Jeanette, Bon and Laura. "Thanks for the company" ♥ ♥ ♥

A diversity of views

Last night's Clarke&Dawe, from http://youtu.be/fZWX39oB5nU



Dickson Training: Bronwyn, Craig, Miranda, Tori & I ran early, 13k or so. Then at 5:30pm the main session consisted of 10 x 200m with 200m jog as a continuous relay; others present for that were Amanda (new), Colin, Dale, David (new), Janene, Joel, Maria & Neil. On this occasion the Bilbys well and truly out-numbered us. They train after we do; and another group, Gerard Ryan's group of young athletes, trained before we did, having moved down from Southwell Park which is apparently closed for renovations for the rest of winter if not longer.

New Moore baby

Samuel Jordan Moore, dob 1 June 2011

Boys ‘R Us

This is boys' week. Our twelfth grandchild arrived safe and well last night just before midnight 1 June - Samuel Jordan Moore, a brother for Jackson, Tyler and Charlie. So now we have eight grandsons and four granddaughters.

Samuel was born in Brisbane, and the flags are flying here in Canberra in celebration.

telstra glow

Meanwhile, we are waiting for grandchild #12 to arrive in this world. Waiting, waiting...

It's raining men

Training last night at Parliament House: for a while there we thought only guys were going to show, then finally two women turned up, both newcomers! After all the pro-women posts this week, that’s rather surprising! I was most apologetic that they had seemed to join an all male group. Craig, Ewen & I ran an early 8k, then we were joined by Andrew, Andy, Christopher, Colin, Dale, Kerrie B (new), Michelle G (new), Mick C, Neil & Warrick. We ran a hills session on our favourite 100m hill, 20 x 100m on 90 seconds. Another great night for training under the stars in Canberra. A bit cold, and the Vets Handicap on Sunday was a bit tough so many were reluctant to back up.

Vets Handicap results
29/05/11 - West Stromlo (Out & Back) 7.5k
1 Carolyne Kramar W45 51:09 52.5%
10 Alan Duus M65 40:40 69.1
19 Roger Pilkington M50 35:48 71.4
23 Jeni Greenland W35 43:30 57.9
27 Alan Williams M60 41:41 66.9
28 Mick Saunders M60 39:38 70.4
31 Christopher Lang M60 40:30 68.2
35 Mick Charlton M55 44:47 61.0
37 Ewen Thompson M50 45:29 57.3
38 Kathy Southgate W55 33:12 90.4
40 Geoff Barker M65 54:38 52.5
41 Maria O'Reilly W55 36:08 83.9
47 Kerrie Tanner W50 39:10 73.8
50 Caroline Campbell W65 42:44 85.1
53 Craig Davis M40 38:54 60.6
57 Bob Harlow M60 35:42 78.2
65 Rae Palmer W60 43:33 76.0
67 Ruth Baussmann W60 45:01 71.3
87 Debbie Cowell W50 37:40 76.8
88 Helen Larmour W50 36:01 80.3
91 Brett Morrison M40 46:14 51.0
93 finishers

29/05/11 - West Stromlo 4.0k
1 Peter Hogan M60 21:46 65.6%
8 Katie Forestier W45 17:15 79.4
9 Noeline Burden W55 22:51 68.5
18 Ken White M55 17:35 77.3
24 Gary Bowen M50 18:14 72.6
33 Jill Pearson W50 21:46 68.6
36 Garry Maher M60 24:28 58.4
37 Peter McDonald M55 25:03 54.2
38 finishers

Volunteers for Cross Country Championships
Volunteers are needed to help at Cross Country Championships on Saturday June 18th. This will only be for a few hours. Please contact Janene Kingston at j.k.kingston@bigpond.com if you can help.

Note that entries for the cross country championships CLOSE on June 16th. No late entries will be accepted and there are no entries on the day of the event. ACTVAC: On Line Entries http://tiny.cc/qzk7d.

At the 29 May High Noon Meet an M60 relay team consisting of John Lamb (ACT), Alan Carey (NSW), Geoff Sims (ACT) and Stuart Haywood (NSW) set a new Australian record for the 4x400m relay, breaking the previous M60 Australian record by 1.5 seconds. They ran 3:59.26, the old time was 4:00.86 set in Durban in 1996

Canberra Swans

comrades conquest

Congratulations Kelley - The first speedygoose to have run the Comrades (86k) - 9 hours 45 minutes. Brilliant running, what an achievement!

Coming Events, week 22 of year 2011:

Mon 30 May	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Tue 31 May	12:15pm	Lake Ginninderra 7k handicap
Wed 1 June	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k handicap
Thu 2 June	4:00pm	Dickson Oval long run
	5:30pm	Dickson Oval speedygeese training
Fri 3 June	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 4 June	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
	1:00pm	YCRC 12k/8k Weston Park
Sun 5 June	8:00am	speedygeese training Stromlo Forest Park
	9:00am	YCRC Women’s Jogalong, Weston Park

We are certainly a gaggle. With one hundred geese, we are a very gaggly gaggle.

for the girls part #2

Click to enlarge (if you really want to) and read the writing.

Around the 4-5km mark in last week's Half Marathon

Peter Clarke (first M60), Stephen Richardson, me (second M60), a relay runner, Kym Chisholm, Sarah Richardson, Michelle Wells.

At the finish

Craig Wisdom pipping me on the line. Our chip times were 1:32.03 and 1:32.04 respectively.

Photos (well the last two anyway) by Jim White.

for the girls part #1

Results Customs 20/5
Bob Harlow 24:43
Caroline Campbell 28:18
Carolyne Kramar 32:37

Results Customs 27/5
Bob Harlow 21:54
Me 24:29 (jogging)
Caroline Campbell 27:20
Peter Hogan 27:32
Carolyne Kramar 34:04
Geoff Barker 35:10.

Today I ran 30.5k, the most comfortable long run yet this year. And it was the most perfect morning. I ran the first 12k with Leanne & Jeanette of Metro, then joined in with Martin Fryer & Kerrie Bremner for the last 18k. So, no problems after last Sunday's Half, in contrast to how I went after the previous Half Marathon six week earlier when it took me five full weeks to get going again..

Thursday's Clarke & Dawe, from http://youtu.be/_K5psV0UUF4

We do it on grass under lights.

Dickson Training
Last night at Dickson, Craig, Miranda, Bronwyn & I went on the early run, then the group met at 5:30pm to run 10x300 in teams of two. The teams were Rod & Colin, Joel & Dale, Tori & Roger, Bronwyn & Craig, Neil & Janene, Gary & Noeline.

Today I resume running at Customs after a break of a couple of months. The knee seems to have recovered but this will test it out. And I need the speed if sub 90 half marathon pace is to feel comfortable. Just 20 weeks to go to the AMG Half!

Song of the week: Switchfoot - "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" at http://youtu.be/mNQgABsUfK8



This was the first song Switchfoot peformed at the gig I went to in Sydney last month.

don't ask

Rachelle

Former ACTVAC President, now Vice-President.

Post Run Planking

Mary's favourite

Run, sleep, eat. All good!

plankers and hooters

But first, the new ACTVAC Committee, elected at last night's AGM:
Jeff Grey - President
Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee - Vice President
Graham Burke - Secretary
Nick Blackaby - Treasurer
Plus Craig Wisdom, Kathy Sims, Paul Archer, Jan Banens, Fran Harris

That's only two speedygeeses, and only three with facebook links.
But once again, it's a very good committee.

Plankers:

Snoopy, the original planker.

Hooters:
I have a little toy hooter I shall bring along to training tomorrow night, instead of my usual whistle. It makes a bit of a goose-like noise. Should be fun.

upgrade

The ACTVAC AGM is tonight! This one is particularly important for the future of the club with many positions coming vacant, including President and Secretary. Please consider whether you would like to stand or nominate somebody else for a position. Here are the details:
7.30pm Tuesday 24 May
Belconnen Soccer Club
Cnr Belconnen Way and Springvale Drive
Hawker ACT

Many other events of interest are coming up:
"High Noon" (12 noon at the athletics track) meets start Sunday 29 May; the second one is Sunday 19 June.The program for these two meets is now available. The first date includes a 1500m and a 3000m, the second date an 800m and a 3000m.
The ACT Cross Country championships, which include ACTVAC races, are only four weeks away. These must be entered in advance. See the ACTVAC website and enter today.

Speedygeese training: as well as Mondays at Parliament House and Thursdays at Dickson, everyone is invited to our regular training sessions at Acton Ferry Terminal Saturday mornings, and at Stromlo Forest Park Sunday mornings when no major races are on. At Stromlo starting 5 June we will be meeting at 8:00am each week and running on grass as an easier recovery day, although if you want to run intervals there you could do that as well. The Saturday Acton runs also start at 8:00am and we run mostly on cycle path for any distance you like ranging from a few kilometres for beginners to 20 or 30kms for me! All are welcome to any of the venues.

At Parliament House last night we ran twenty intervals over about 85m on an easier hill (the fourth one along the western side). Running early were Craig, Ewen & myself, then we were joined by Abi, Colin, Dale, Garry, Helen, Neil, Ruth & Warrick for the warm-up and hill sprints. The rain stayed away and it was a good session.

Janene needs this to complete her upgrade from a snail to a tortoise.

Happy Birthday Ruth, 61 today!

light at the end of the tunnel

...or in words, I think I have a chance of meeting my running objectives this year. So far so good.

speedygeese results from the weekend. Great performances all round!
YCRC Half Marathon Eve 5k, Saturday
18. Katie Forestier W45 19:58
24. Ken White M55 21:10
35. Ewen Thompson M50 23:06
39. Amanda Walker W40 23:23
49. Susan Sturgeon W35 25:09
70. Carolyne Kramar W45 32:26
77 finishers

YCRC Half Marathon 21k, Sunday
57 Geoff Moore 1:32:04 M60-64 2
58 Michelle Wells 1:32:17 F00-39 8
59 Kym Chisholm 1:32:29 F00-39 9
67 Fiona Hedgecoe 1:34:43 F00-39 11
75 Bob Harlow 1:35:40 M60-64 3
96 Maria O'Reilly 1:39:27 F55-59 1
103 Bronia Rowe 1:40:07 F00-39 16
104 Roger Pilkington 1:40:13 M50-54 9
108 Craig Davis 1:40:39 M40-44 13
125 Warrick Howieson 1:43:14 M40-44 14
140 Graeme Patrick 1:45:19 M55-59 4
152 Katherine Sheppard 1:47:34 F40-44 7
154 Sarah Pau 1:47:37 F00-39 28
167 Kerrie Tanner 1:50:06 F50-54 6
209 Caroline Campbell 1:57:16 F65-69 1
216 Zainab Farouk 1:58:05 F00-39 53
223 Ruth Baussmann 1:58:52 F60-64 1
247 Bill Arthur 2:02.53 M60-64 8
317 Geoff Barker 2:33:18 M65-69 8
327 finishers

Coming Events, week 21 of year 2011: 

Mon 23 May	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Wed 25 May	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k handicap
Thu 26 May	4:00pm	Dickson Oval long run
	5:30pm	Dickson Oval speedygeese training
Fri 27 May	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 28 May	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
	1:00pm	YCRC Campbell Park
Sun 29 May	9:00am	ACTVAC Handicap West Stromlo

1 + 41 = 42

Nice, but I really hate that journalists can't do basic arithmetic.

It's like, you run from one mile post to the next, then because you encountered two separate mile posts, you claim to have run two miles.

Adds a new meaning to the term "extra mile".
Anyway...

So there.

I had a good run with the Metro runners yesteday, an easy 10k. It was minus 3 degrees when we headed off! Regular runner Ann was with me, also Leanne and Alison, who hadn't rejoined us this year until now. No sign of Mary, Bon, or Andy H though! The Metro run will be a regular event from next Saturday on, we always meet at 8:00am at Acton Ferry Terminal, I always do a run with the Metro guys then continue on by myself up to 30k in total. So anyone/everyone is most welcome to join us, please do, and bail out when you have run far enough! I am trying to encourage everyone training for longer races to join us so that we can encourage each other and support the newbies..

Clarke & Dawe (http://youtu.be/gHDDjJQzEa8)

Welcome to the W60's Kathy Sims!

Here's my advice to Kathy now that she has entered the humbling age group of W60-64:

p.s. In regard to my entry in tomorrow's half marathon race, it was nice to get a mention in today's Canberra Times. Now I shall have to run tomorrow whether I feel like it or not!

No "Y"

Dickson training, The session was a set of six 400s with a 400m jog, in teams of three, and participating were Bill, Bronwyn, Colin, Craig, Deb, Garry, me, Janene, Jenny, Maria, Noeline, Rod & Roger. And we sighted Trevor Jacobs cycling by. Also, Craig, Bronwyn & I enjoyed a long run before the session.

Results Customs 5k 13 May:
Caroline Campbell 28:10
Geoff Barker 34:52

Geoff Barker running at Stromlo. That's Jill behind him.

Canberra Reflections, May 2011

Fog in the mornings...

Clear and sunny in the afternoons...

No rain yet in May 2011, but that will all change when we are trying to run a half marathon this Sunday morning!

Life on the edge in the National Capital. And there's no better place to be.

one speedy gosling is engaged

And yes it all happened a few months ago but we didn't learn about it until April and I didn't blog about it until May. So then, congratulations to Thea on her engagement this year.

Looking good.

Looking gooder.

be bold with bananas

Spicks and Specks used this book last week in their Substitute game, and yes, we have it! But we haven't had it long, we acquired it from the mother-in-law when she moved to her new unit this year.

Bananas of course continue to be extremely expensive but I always have bananas with my breakfast and have limited myself to one every two days, at present.

Training at Parliament House yesterday: attending were Andrew, Andy, Caroline, Christopher, Colin, Craig, Dale (new), Emma P, Ewen, me, Joel, Kym, Mick C, Nadine, Neil, Ruth & Warrick. Some ran early, but the main session was a series of sprints for less than 100m up the south-east hill on Parliament House itself. Those training were delighted to be visited by Jen B with baby Daniel.

Song of the week: "You Are A Tourist", by Death Cab for Cutie, from "CODES and KEYS", the new album due out at the end of May.


... found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkk5wViJo-I&feature=youtu.be. This is an amazing song and I am looking forward to purchasing the album.

villanelle

Coming Events, week 20 of year 2011:

Mon 16 May	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Wed 18 May	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k handicap
Thu 19 May	12:30pm	ABS Fun Run, John Knight Park
	4:00pm	Dickson Oval long run
	5:30pm	Dickson Oval speedygeese training
Fri 20 May	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 21 May	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
	3:00pm	YCRC Half Marathon Eve 5k
Sun 22 May	9:00am	YCRC Rex Foulkes Half Marathon

The YCRC events this weekend are at Lennox Gardens. See you there Sunday morning! I have now entered, at last. But I feel I may be slow, as my fitness has not returned since the last Half Marathon, five weeks ago. Also it has been so coooooold in the mornings of late.

Autumn colours a few weeks ago. Now they are nearly gone.

WOULDST thou not be content to die
When low-hung fruit is hardly clinging,
And golden Autumn passes by?

Beneath this delicate rose-gray sky,
While sunset bells are faintly ringing,
Wouldst thou not be content to die?

For wintry webs of mist on high
Out of the muffled earth are springing,
And golden Autumn passes by.

O now when pleasures fade and fly,
And Hope her southward flight is winging,
Wouldst thou not be content to die?

Lest Winter come, with wailing cry
His cruel icy bondage bringing,
When golden Autumn hath passed by.

And thou, with many a tear and sigh,
While life her wasted hands is wringing,
Shalt pray in vain for leave to die
When golden Autumn hath passed by.

- Villanelle, by Edmund William Gosse

I like this quote

"What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers" - Logan Pearsall Smith.

Clarke&Dawe of Thu 12th, from http://youtu.be/itbC7KwQ1Co



Results
YCRC 7.5k Stromlo Forest Park
21. Katie Forestier W45 31:18
27. Kym Chisholm 33:50
29. Ken White M55 34:15
34. Caroline Campbell W65 40:58
37 finishers

Mothers Day 10k
31 Michelle WELLS 40:51
219 Katherine SHEPPARD 49:02
368 Rae PALMER 52:49
390 Thea ZIMPEL 53:18
460 Michelle STUCKEY 54:42

Mothers Day 5k
28 Katie FORESTIER 20:13
32 Ken WHITE 20:27
35 Gary BOWEN 20:35
92 Amanda WALKER 23:48
216 Noeline BURDEN 27:12
267 Yelena PEARSON 27:58

Foundations of Running #5: anaerobic endurance

I wonder, how fast can you run when your energy supplies are almost depleted? I am not so much thinking about the marathon runner who “hits the wall”, i.e. has run out of muscle glycogen and is starting to utilise less efficient energy systems, as I am thinking about the track runner who has run at maximum speed and has no “energy in the tank” to continue at top speed any longer. Any of us who have run track know the feeling. Such as one’s first attempt at 400m, discovering the total inability to sprint down the straight. Or one’s first attempt at 800m, having in mind to “sit” for 600m then put in an all out sprint for the last 200m and win the race, only to discover that at 650m the calf muscles cramp and unaccustomed pain is experienced. We all know, or at least all of us who have (or used to have) the ability to run really fast know, that extending one’s maximum speed beyond normal distances causes unique muscular pain, described as “lactic” or more simply as “tying up at the end of the race”. The excruciating look on the face of the 400m or 800m runner as they slow up in the home straight isn’t their resolve wilting; it isn’t through lack of willpower, or a symptom of insufficient guts and determination; it’s the result of a genuinely muscular/biochemical phenomenon which we all can experience if we run fast enough for long enough.

It’s all due to the anaerobic system coming into play when the aerobic system cannot deliver enough energy. And it hurts, because the anaerobic system leaves waste products in the muscles, which hurt.

Anaerobic means "without oxygen". During anaerobic work, involving maximum effort, the body is working so hard that the demands for oxygen and fuel exceed the rate of supply. Waste products accumulate, the chief one being lactic acid. The muscles, being starved of oxygen, take the body into a state known as “oxygen debt”. The body's stored fuel soon runs out and activity ceases, painfully. Once into oxygen debt, it takes only a few seconds at maximum effort for the fuel stored in the muscles to run out. Fortunately the body can resume limited activity after even only a small proportion of the oxygen debt has been repaid.

What can we do to overcome this? We can train the body to get rid of lactic acid more efficiently, to handle higher intensities, and to run at a higher heart rate, all of which means we can train to run continuously at a faster pace. To achieve this, setting out on regular training runs at “threshold intensity” is the best approach for Masters athletes. On some of your longish runs, pick the pace up for just a few minutes at a time, rest for a bit then repeat. You want to find out where your anaerobic threshold is: the point at which lactic acid is being removed at the same rate it is being formed. The “talk test” comes into play here. Most training is aerobic and you can talk; at the anaerobic threshold you can just about talk but with few words at a time; beyond the anaerobic threshold you can hardly talk at all!

The other approach is to do specific anaerobic workouts, such as very fast intervals of between 100m and 400m with a very short recovery in between, just enough recovery to get your breath back. These are risky because they are so exhausting. And after such a session, racing or speed-work shouldn’t recur for 3 or 4 days, even for the fittest athletes. So these days, I don’t recommend this kind of intense session for Masters. There are plenty of effective alternatives which are kinder to our bodies.