North Face 100 WEEK 11

A 360 degree view from DNA Tower at the end of Friday's session

Its now 7 weeks to the Race and just a solid 5 more weeks of training before we start to taper for the North Face 100. My first ultra marathon and so it will be interesting and a huge learning experience.


Pity Molly can't come  but I don't think she would be pleased to go for a 100km walk in the Blue Mountains somehow.

Molly after Monday evening's run

Backing up Monday wasn't too difficult with a 15 km run and I ran 7.5km on the treadmill at lunchtime and the other 7.5km in the evening with Molly.She was pretty tired at the end. The first bit I did in 45minutes and the rest in under an hour just going pretty slow. I was suppose to run with the pack but didn't .



Tuesday . I again opted for just a spin session on the wind trainer with a 70 minutes session following some videos and then following mainly the CGN video above. I managed about 28 km doing various  climbs.

Wednesday . Did a longish run with a 10 minute walk/march and then 7 minutes easy , 7 minutes fast , 7 minutes easy followed by 3 minutes of recovery walking and then 2 x 7 minutes hard , then easy and then hard with the 3 minutes recovery walk between . I then walked about 10 minutes back. I think it was about 1.20 and I ran/walked  about 13 km.

Extreme Fat Burning Workout - 50 Minute Indoor Cycling Class

In the evening , I did a short wind trainer session of 40 minutes with a CGN video and managed about 15 km. A lot of getting out the seat and riding which was good for the tired legs . I had a new wind-trainer with the electronic control box that was showing the wattage and the resistance . Still trying to work out the optimum levels and it was a little harder working with the resistance I had set it at . Still tinkering with the optimum levels when working on the trainer.

Thursday . Rode to cross fit and it was an overcast evening with some drizzle. We had a good session of exercises and a 50 minute cut off. I arrived a few minutes late and did only about 40 minutes but it was enough. I rode home just spinning but riding in the big crank and it was pretty dark and wet by the time I got home.

On Friday morning I rode to work a short 11km ride and in the evening , I has a 5 minute warm up and then for the next 1.05 I ran up and down the DNA Tower and 50m sprints for every one climb up the tower. It did raise the Heart rate a fair bit . I covered about 4.25 km and with 30 climbs up DNA Tower managed 450m.

At the end at the DNA Tower

Saturday's WOD

Saturday , A bit of a recovery day I got a massage from Adele at  and then cross fit in the afternoon.Today was cross fit games 15.5 with the scaled version being 27, 21 , 15, 9 thrusters and the same in rowing calories for time. I finished in 15.33 and that was  hard with a 30kg bar.The next day I was pretty sore in the quads.

Astrid's Birthday Cake at the end of the Run

Coffee break at Guildford Cafe on Sunday afternoon's ride

Crossing the old Guildford Bridge

On Sunday morning we met at Kings Park at 6am a late start compared to the previous 10 weeks and ran/walked for 3 hours down to Claremont and back along Birwood and the river to the start in King's Park. We ran /walked about 21km .The legs were stiff and sore after Friday's and Saturday's workout.

After the run , we all relaxed at the park with Astrid's birthday .just a bit of a change from the usual end of run session. In the afternoon despite the stiffness I managed to ride the mountain bike with JJ round the river to Guildford , a relaxing 18km ride . Monday is supposed to be an easy run but I have decided to just let the legs rest .


A much easier week .
Run:  7.15 or 53.5 km altitude 450-550 m
Bike: 105km or 4.50 hr
Cross fit : 1 hr
Total : 13 hrs

And it isn't all about the training. Northface like Ironman training is a paradigm of life. It is a  challenge and what you make of it. The good thing is it isn't life or death but the approach we have to the challenge. Sometimes through that pain and discomfort we find the joy of life. It is really enjoying and appreciating the simplicity of life . I don't remember much of my work but I remember lots of moments and they are mainly with family , friends and people who have touched my life. I have attached a short piece on 10 Life lessons from a Navy Seal .