Morning Stuff
On these long runs, especially starting early at 8 am as per usual I was up and out of bed at 6 am. I can't be long running and not have any breakfast. Breaky all done by about 6.30 and so heaps of time for digestion.
Since I had time on my hands I checked emails, Cool Running site and a Sunday ritual, have to check the Premier League Soccer results. For what it's worth Man U beat Aston Villa 2-0. I watched the first half last night which finished about 12.30 am (this morning). Because of the time I couldn't watch the second half, well I could but I would have been stuffed this morning.
Arrival
I arrived at the Newport Athletics Track car park about 7.45 am and quite a few turned up, some new CR faces and I think 2 runners from the Hobsons Bay Running Club.
Okay, here's the group photo(s). Had to be two as there was no independent person handy to take a single shot. I took one and Grasshopper took the
other (with me in it).
Roll Call: Left to Right - John, Morley, Hobsons Bay runner, Jo C & Pete, Grasshopper or Me (depends which photo), Wiseman (yellow six foot t-shirt), Hobsons Bay Runner (ultra marathoner), Stu Mac (Stuart from Hoppers), Tiger Boy (from Mooralbark) and Also Ran (Stephen from Hoppers).
We're off
After taking the group photo and putting the camera back in the car I turned around and they were off and running, “Hey guys, what about me?”
Before taking off most agreed that the run would be about 2 hours and that was fine by me.
I turned on Mr. Garmin and I was off, initially into catch-up mode and after 200 or so metres I was with the group.
Our track took us west initially though the heart of Williamstown and continued west with the bay on our left and running into a headwind. The headwind didn't bother me as it would be a tailwind on the return.
See you later Jo C & Pete
About the 7 km mark Jo C & Pete (the Welsh couple) turned around and headed back for a 14 km run. This is one of the best things about an out and back course, anybody can turn around at any point and still have a good run.
Decisions, decisions
We all continued on until we came across a foot bridge in Altona which was flooded a few centimetres. This was about the 10.7 km mark. It seemed like we held a committee meeting deciding whether to continue on and get our feet wet or call it the turn-around point.. Wiseman was not interested in the discussions and ran through, as he got to the other side the committee had decided and it wasn't good for Wiseman. We were not getting our feet wet and called him back. The only thing missing from this committee meeting was somebody saying “I second that motion”. I was easy either way. Maybe if I had followed Wiseman, maybe the others might have felt a little bit more compelled to run on. I think Morley wanted to.
On the return leg Stu Mac (Stuart) blitzed it. From the flooded bridge all we could see was smoke emanating from his runners and he was gone not be to seen until we finished. He told me he did the return leg in about 45 minutes.
Along the route there are heaps of water stops. I was the the only one wearing a fuel belt and had four bottles of water (800 ml) and home-made gel. I really didn't need to stop at the water stops but I did anyway as it's a group thing. Now I know there's heaps of water stops I might leave the fuel belt behind next time.
Stats of this run
Heart Rate
Of recent times my heart rate maximums have not really exceeded 150/160 bracket with averages around 130/140 bracket. Today, even though I felt good, my heart rate readings were
through the roof. I have Mr. Garmin set to beep at me when my heart rate exceeds 185 bpm. Early in the run, within 5 minutes, it beeped, I looked, it indicated 240. At this particular time it didn't bother me, I put it down to an erroneous reading, no way could it be 240. My heart rate did settle back down to a reasonable and believable figure.
Minutes later and continuously throughout the run I had high readings in the 190's and then return to normal readings. As I mentioned, I wasn't energy sapped and I wasn't really running an exerting pace.
The only time I exerted myself was the last kilometre where I paced out at 4:30 /km and during this section my heart rate maximum reached 160. The graph at the side clearly shows the weird readings.
I'm wondering how I can interpret these readings. A couple of things have come to mind. First, is this an early indication of problems to come (onset of flu or the like). Secondly, is this a sign of over-training (I have done a heap of running recently). I'm not sure, only time will tell. I don't want to talk myself into a problem (flu or whatever) just merely to prove myself right.
Next group runs
Well our group runs have come to an end for the year. We'll have a break over xmas and the new year and start up again on 22 January 2006 at Brimbank Park and two weeks later on 5 February back at Williamstown.
Morley will keep us posted via CR thread and Grasshopper will update the Run Guide on CR.
Stats as of 18 Dec 2005
Weight : 76.9 kg
Last 7 Days : 87.2 km
Last 28 Days : 315.0 km
December 2005 : 207.2 km
YTD : 2319.3 km
Weekly Avg (2005): 45.5 km
Monthly Avg (2005): 193.3 km
Yearly Avg (2001 on): 1531.3 km
Total (2001 on): 7656.7 km
I've decided to purposely include some hill running in my training, not sure how often but once a week or fortnight is in mind at the moment. I'm thinking probably on the off-week of my group run with the CR crew at Brimbank and Williamstown.
Aro
und home (Hoppers Crossing) and work (The Tan & Yarra) it's basically flat.
Well today, this morning, I ventured out to the You Yangs for a reconnaissance (couldn't spell that before - had to look it up - or was going to use the word - recky).
From home only takes 30 minutes to get there, not at all that far.
Entry to the park can be a bit confusing as you'll notice from the photo opposite. There's an 'Entry' sign on the left and on the right 'No Entry'. I bit the bullet and entered.
The main road circling the You Yangs is Great Circle Drive, most of it a dirt track. Only at the start and finish is it bitumen. It's a one-way road for traffic and most likely for my runs I'll run them against the traffic, not that there would be that much traffic.
GCD is a loop road starting and ending just past the Ranger Station. I drove around it and it measured about 13.1 km starting from the car park of the Ranger Station and return. Heaps of hills, the whole point as to why I was there today. Very hard to get lost if staying on the road.
The Ranger Station was closed. I was hoping to pick up some maps of the trails and get some local knowledge, but that wasn't to be.
I'm planning heading out there tomorrow for my first run. I'll be taking Glen (15 yr son) with me and he'll follow on his bike. While I thinking of it, he can carry my supplies.
Must go now, getting ready for another run, for something different (yeah right), to the Werribee River and return. Glen's tagging along on his bike.
