107.5 NOT OUT

The last couple of weeks (OK 8 of them) I have been trying to reach 100km and falling short for what ever reason. (OK I did have a couple of easy weeks were I didn't really what 100.) Now the last 3 weeks I have not had a long run, in fact I haven't been over 23km since Red Hill 36.2km back in January! With a 30km race on Sunday this week I had every chance to get the mileage back up there and get a much needed 30km in...

So let's have a look at the week:

Monday: Always like to start the week off easy, and after a gentle run in the forest, I headed onto the track for a couple of km's, but stopped at 1, so that gave me 11 for the day. (1km short of the master plan, but no sleep lost.

Tuesday: and I had a meeting in the evening, so I had to run in the morning. The alarm rudely awakened me at 05h00 so I could cover the miles before work... I was missing the evenings speed session of 6-8 x 1000m, so I need a little work on this run... HILLs, but not reps, just my hills morning route.
Tuesday evening... and yes I had a meeting, well 2 meetings, the first I organized because of the 2nd, so after leaving work at 16h00 (normal time) I popped over to meet the guys at MOBII to learn a bit about their GPS, sound like fun and something I want to get my hands on...
Meeting 2 was with the Guys from Contego!!! I like these guys, they gave me all this gear and said go run...

I had better start running

OK I need a hair cut...

Coming home it was like Christmas and Dawn said: you are going to have to make room for the new stuff, So I climbed into the cupboard and tossed out a couple of old t-shirts...

They are all going to the club for development Athletes

Wednesday: was a public holiday and Durbanville had a half marathon to go with WP 10km champs... knowing I didn't (should) have a chance of a medal and wanting the extra mileage I lined up for the half.

Quick report:
Wasn't planing on racing, just wanted a hard run. (OK I don't think I would have gone any faster if I had raced!!!) So I set out at a comfortable pace and hit 5km in 18:20, and it didn't feel to bad. 10km and I was still running with William 36:10, he had pushed a couple of the downs and I had pulled a couple of the ups. We then turned and headed back the way we had come...
On that first hill I dropped William and was on my own, he pushed the down and almost caught me but the next up... 15km 55:37 I had struggled for the last 2km but with the last 6 only having one 'easy' hill I would be OK to the end. I though I had buried William, but with 2km to go he flew past me... I let him go. Not that I could go anything about it, and finished strong.
78:57 placed me 6th and 2nd 40+ (field was week because of 10km champs, and it think 1 guy got lost in the last 5km as we joind the slow 10km guys.)

Thursday: track, nothing to hard as I had run a good half the day before... So we took to the track with fast slow 200s! I aimed at fast at 3km pace and slow at half pace. I think I was on target knocking off fasts at 36-38sec and slows at 56-59 sec (240m, our track in long).

Friday: needed a rest, so I went short and flat in the morning... 7.4km

Saturday: I slept in before heading out for a little run! Just 18km up the mountain.

Sunday: Yes the 30km race, let's get this right from the start... I wasn't racing. But when you hear that gun, and you are alone without your friends to hold you back... The William I was running with in Wednesday's race was there and he set a nice pace, way to fast, but a nice pace, 5km in 19:09 I had wanted 20! I didn't know which of the 40+ guys were there, but I had seen Grahamn and Johnny, and then one of the twins were just ahead, was I in 4th?
10km in 37:40, No I cried, too fast, The Twin had blown, so we past him... Dawn was in the car with the puppies watching the race and chatting to me as the flat start to the race ended!!!  It isn't till 13km that the really hill starts and and by then I was alone having dropped William and 2 other guys running with us. Dawn drove past telling me I was 4th 40+ and the 1st guy was leading the race!!! Good no more pressure, I still caught a couple of guys on the hill, and even stopped for Coke at the top. (15km 58:41) But we were a long way from the finish and I had to run on. 21km 82:30, The Owen past me, another 40+ guy... Oh Dear!!! 4th place is nothing, but... I climbed the hill and past him, so much for an easy 30... the last 5km were down hill and I had to stretch the legs 3:40  3:38  3:23  3:40  3:33...

I finished with a 1h56:56 22nd place and 4th 40+ (a 40+ Best)

107.5km for the week, nicely done. 1 more week of hard training then it's time to back off and race!!!