Week 16 A little Sore

Learning from Experience For Molly & JD



Rollers ...my new best friend

There is a certain enjoyment in running that I have come to experience only recently and it is down to the way the programme has been crafted by Zach .80% of the running has been on the basis of taking it slow and easy. No demands , just run easy and run for time on the feet .This seems to be working but has really made me slow down and even walk but more importantly I am breathing and enjoying the run. See the piece by Sarah Russel   Why Run an Ultra on the Runners Connect Website 

Quite the opposite to running with my dog , Molly , it is fast and furious for the first few miles and then a trot before it sadly ends in a lie down in the sand . The unbridled love and joy of first being out on the run gives way to the dreaded distance and misjudged pace which is the kill switch for a great run. But after all she is a dog not an ultra runner.

The week started with the usual Distance of Choice and with a hard 4 days behind I was feeling a little sore in the left calf .Unfortunately on Monday  I ran an easy 10km but by 8km the left calf was pulsating and hurting .I got home but the leg was stiff and the muscle really sore . The next 3 days were just trying to recover .I had a good massage from Adele and that helped but decided against running for 3 days. On Friday I ran an easy 75 minutes or 10.6kms and it felt OK but I could feel a tightness at the base of the tendon in the left calf  at the Achilles tendon . I also got some anti inflammatory cream and tablets and that helped.

Saturday's run was a lot better .I ran for an hour at Trigg and felt it but there was no pain . In the afternoon we did a short cross fit session with just bench press up to 52.5kgs for me and then practicing some kipping moves .



Sunday a long 3 hour run at Kings park with the pack .As it was overcast and drizzling we all got to wear our rain jackets . I also tested out my nutrition.I had 600 calories of Tail wind for the 3 hour run but I was only starting to take in Nutrition at about 90 minutes into the run. I also had a Vespa Concentrate which I made up with lemon cordial and drank half at the start and the rest at the half way mark. I did feel a little faint at the hour mark but that soon passed. I kept a very slow pace and after about 50 minutes of running round Kings Park ended at the Kokoda Trail and with the 10 or so walkers and runners at Kokoda  I did 5 repeats or 325 metres , then it was on to the  DNA tower and I ran up and down the grassed area of the tower before 5 repeats or about 150 metres of elevation. Finally  I hit the 2 hour mark and ran to Mount Street and ran down the street and ran partially up the hill walking the rest for 5 repeats of 325metres before running back to where we started .19.6km and I estimate about 900m of elevation although Garmin is showing less .

A very short running week with under 50kms of running but the leg was holding up and no speed work this week .

Week 15 The last Push

Friday 8 April Evening Run along the Swan River

Saturday Trigg Beach

Short Clip of the trails in Trigg

Molly with her Toy Bear (Recovery Expert)

This was a great fairly easy week after the previous week with the Monday long run.

Monday , did a short 7 km run in the morning and a 5km run in the evening at easy pace which was between 6.30 and 7 min per km. On Tuesday it was a 6km easy run and then rode to cross fit via Subiaco so was a long 45km ride and then a 30minute session of cross fit.

Wednesday fast session running to work (see below ) and managed a 15 minute warm up (approximately) then 8 minutes hard  x 3 with a 5 minute recovery between . I managed to keep the pace at 4.40 and then 4.36 and the final 8 km was about 5 minute pace .With the last 15 minutes a cool down into the city . Ran 10.7km in 61 minutes.

    

 Wednesday morning run

Thursday I ran an easy 7km and then in the evening a short cross fit session with 30 minutes .  On Friday a run a round Kings Park and then along the river and up Kokoda to finish with 12 km in 85 minutes .

On Saturday ,I  ran the trails behind Trigg . I ran late morning as the others ran earlier but we met up for coffee at Kailis after the run. The weather was nice and cool and enjoyed the run . Ran a total of 11.25km in 80 minutes.

On Sunday did the same course but we ran 2 hours and again I ran on my own but finished up in Trigg with about 16.5kms done

The legs were a bit tired bit managed a reasonable week of training . I ran about 76kms and just under 9 hours with 1 hour of Cross fit and 2 hours of cycling. The start of the last few weeks of training before tapering for the Ultra. The crucial issue is to focus and try to remain fit and injury free. The weight remains down and hovering between 68 and 69 kgs.

WEEK 14 ULTRA TRAIL AUSTRALIA 100 ...I see the light

 Long As I Can See the Light

Friday's Run on the coast as the Sun sets

Is it the end of the tunnel or the lights of a train and train wreck about to happen? That is the question after 14 weeks of training , some big weeks of mileage a real big change in my diet and eating habits a near 10 kg drop in weight and 7 kg since December 2015.These are the the questions and the dilemma after a hard Easter Monday run which was sub optimum. I did learn a few things and a few facts about the training I have been doing.

After 3 months I have surpassed the number of kilometers of running I have done for the whole campaign leading up to North Face 100 last year . Last year I ran about 800 km and this year I have already done close to 950km and I have 6 weeks to go.

Most of the runs have been at a pace to ensure I was maximizing my fat burning capacity and I was below 65% max VO2 . In the 40 miler as I tried to increase my pace to ensure I did not miss the 5 hr/46km cut off I was unfortunately burning more Carbohydrates and pushing my HR up as well and combined with the fatigue I was already carrying from the 33 km run the previous Wednesday , I was really just going to suffer and never quite become the efficient running machine and not just bonk or tire . I didn't quite bonk but I did get the legs pretty fatigued and felt tired which was not the case the previous several long sessions.Interestingly despite a sore knee I felt find a day later , I did rest on Tuesday and only ran a short 7km on Wednesday but the legs were fine with a little fatigue but a year ago I was hobbling after any long run

On Thursday I rested again .Friday a double easy run with 7km in the morning and 8km in the evening .Saturday a 70 minutes run on the trails around Trigg with about 9km and On Sunday similarly about 66minute run at Reabold with 28 minute at between 5 minute and 6 minute pace  with the last 2km a bit slower as I ran up the inclines .I managed 10.2km and had coffee at Georges wishing him Bon Voyage as he headed to Morocco for the Marathon De Sables  .

Saturday's Cross Fit Work Out

An easy recovery week and with Mondays run covered about 87 km for the week in about 9.5 hours and 30 minutes of cross fit.

After a 1000km

Week 13 Easter Week

The Alternate Easter Bunny

   A video of the NorthFace100 2015 Part 1

"I love that if it weren't for the slow guys like me getting our butts kicked  , how would the fast people know they were fast ?The world needs us!" Bob Babbitt from his article in Triathlete Magazine June's issue 2012 "Life in a Bubble".

The week ending with Easter Long weekend is a timely reminder of what I am training for.The video above is a really good look at the NorthFace 100 now Ultra trail Australia 100. And the quote is just how I feel about racing  .

WAMC Mt Helena 40 miler.  Pics by Debbie Omersher

This week was a much easier week with the 40 miler on Monday ,28 March 2016 as a test .Unfortunately , didn't quite make the cut off at 5 hrs which was at the 46 kms and so only managed 46 kms.Found the race a little hard on the legs with the hard gravel and possibly going  faster than I was comfortable with to try and make the cut off .The left knee was a little sore but I was able to run .I think there was some fatigue in the legs from a long run on Wednesday (33kms )which was not on the programme .Lesson learnt don't overdo the training as it leads to possible injuries and sub optimal results.

Monday had a rest day .Tuesday again I just ran an easy 7.5km.

     

Wednesday runs in the morning and evening .

Wednesday I did a hard session with 20 minutes warm up and then 20minutes x 2 at 5.15 pace with a 10 minute recovery between and then 25 minutes cool down.Managed 95 minutes and 15kms.In the evening I ran  to a meeting and then home covering another 18kms( which was not on the training prog.) .

After Saturday's Run with Molly

Thursday I rode my bike along the freeway bike path 36kms in under 90 minutes .On Friday I did a short session with 20 minutes warm up then 20seconds hard and 40 seconds recovery jog x 10 before a slow jog for recovery .Total about 7.5 kms .Saturday I ran an easy 70 minutes with Molly in the rain and we covered about 8kms , then did a 30minute work out at Cross fit in the afternoon and on Sunday just a short run of 5kms before the race on Monday .

Easter Monday's run was the WAMC 40 Miler as indicated above it was a training run to try and run the 40 miles steady .Unfortunately with the cut off of 5 hours at the 46 km mark that was difficult and I took 6 minutes at the 32km mark to get more water and food which I thought was more important overall . I would have liked to have been able to continue but I think the body was also feeling the fatigue from a few heavy weeks of training and so it was fortunate I could not run the full 64kms . A day after the race the legs are tired  but no lingering soreness or discomfort .

Total for the week was about 62kms . And with the 46kms on Monday nearly 108kms in the 7 days.In the past 3 weeks I have had one rest day and run over 280 kms .Weight is now hovering between 67 and 69 kgs. Time for an easy week to recover.

Week 12 Celebrate.

Busselton Ironman ...where it all began

Beyond the half way mark. I am now at the pointy end of training.There are I suspect a  few big weeks then it will be time to taper and then race.

Kona Bound

The week was marked by only one important piece of news .I finally got my Legacy spot to Kona . It arrived just pass midnight as I slept and I read the email as I was getting ready to run to work on Wednesday and complete a 16km training run.

It simply said:

Aloha JOHN COOKE!                                                                                                         

We wanted to formally congratulate you on being selected as a 2016 IRONMAN Legacy Program athlete! As a 2016 Legacy winner, you are cordially invited to compete at the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship in beautiful Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i on October 8, 2016. We admire you for your dedication to not only IRONMAN but to the sport of triathlon, and we cannot wait to support you as you work to cross the finish line on Ali`i Drive at the IRONMAN World Championship.
You are not officially registered until you complete the online registration process. You will receive your official invitation and registration instructions on Friday, April 1, 2016. Please keep a lookout for the email in your inbox. As a reminder, you will be required to pay the entry fee of $890.00 USD (total price including Hawai`i GE Tax 4.167%) plus online processing fees at the time of registration.
If you have any questions regarding the information above, please feel free to contact legacy@ironman.com.
Once again, congratulations on all your hard work, and we look forward to seeing you in Kona!
With aloha,

IRONMAN `Ohana

But it has been a 10 year journey getting there and lots of races , training hours , some tears and laughter and knocks along the way . Not the smartest or quickest way to get a slot  but  the only way for me. After Ultra trail Australia 2016 I start my preparation for Ironman Kona with a change in the Blog Banner ....but it will always be the iwantakonaspot.blogspot web address for me.

Monday: A little stiff from the weekend runs and a really sore neck and shoulders from the Saturday Cross fit session even though it was a seven minute workout  only . I ran 10kms , 7 kms on the tread mill and the rest on the footpath. I also did a recovery ride on the wind trainer for 30 minutes.

Tuesday:An easy run of 8kms at lunch time.In the evening rode to cross fit but did not actually do a work out and then rode home . 90 minutes of spinning the legs for 35kms.

Wednesday:

Wednesday: The hard work out with 90 minutes of which 50 minutes were approximately 12 minute blocks going at 5 minute pace with 4 minutes recovery between . I ran the 12 minute blocks at between 4.41 and 5.07 pace . Completely done after the run but happy with the progress and 16.4kms . Did a recovery ride on the wind trainer for 30 minutes as well in the evening.

Thursday: Another easy run day with 7kms and did do 15 minutes of cross fit .Friday: An easy run which I did at Lunchtime running 7.5kms and then in the evening I ran with Molly for 3 kms .

Saturday :

I was planning on riding and then running but got up late...I needed the sleep and just went for a run along the coast by myself.I started with a 20 min warm up and then for 50 minutes maintained a pace between 5.41 and 5.55 minutes per km and then did a 10 min recovery to the end. Ran 12.61 kms in 78 mins. Felt pretty good and did not really have to push too hard.The heart rate remained in the 130s and crept up to 140-145 at points on the short climbs.

In the afternoon , I did the Cross fit scaled 16.4 WOD and it was hard . I managed to get 3 of the 4 exercises done in the 13 min cut off. Still was hard going on the arms and legs . I paced myself and didn't get too stuffed.

16.4 WOD

View from the Southern Ledge on the run

The Kalgoorlie Pipeline at the Mundaring Weir Hotel

Michelle and Al at the Camel farm after a slight detour

     Sunday morning's run from the Camel Farm to Mundaring Weir Hotel

Sunday: We started off at about 6.30am .It was nice and cool and the trails were firmer with the rain the day before and puddles of water . This time just a short 3 minute warm up walk and then we were off . I managed to get a fairly quick pace to get the legs warm and we headed on the same trail as last week . Michelle followed and we got to Mundaring Weir Road fairly quick ,just about the hour and then ran up the weir and I got as far as the hotel before Turning back at about 1.10 hr . Then it was the run back to the Camel Farm. At the Southern Ledge where we had stopped to take pictures on the run out , I seemed to have lost Michelle and ran back to find Al coming up . I went back to look for her as Al continued.Fortunately she rang me and seemed to have got round us and was in the front somewhere but she found Al and they continued on. I then turned back to head for the Camel farm . I did take a turn into the Kalamunda MTB Circuit but knew I had made the wrong turn and went back onto the Bibbulman Track meeting up with everyone else . Safely got back to the Camel Farm in just under 2.20 hr with 19.61kms and about 550 metres of elevation.

 Total training for the week  : 12.5 hrs

Monday         10.0 km 70 mins

Tuesday         7.98 km 53 mins

Wednesday 16.43 km  97 mins

Thursday       7.10 km  53 mins

Friday         10.44 km  76 mins

Saturday     12.42 km   78 mins

Sunday       19.61 km 140 mins

                  83.98 km  9.5hrs

Cycling : 2hr 30mins

Cross fit : 30 mins

Week 11 March 7 -14 : Midway Point

Camel Farm run on Sunday

Coldplay: Hymn for the Weekend....run in the hills

This was a big week in mileage and running everyday .The legs were feeling it with a few sore muscles and joints but thankfully no injuries . I reach 100kms which was a first ever.The week's training ended with a  run in Kalamunda  and a short easy run in the evening.

But comparatively not as big as others .( Zach Bitter February training )

Yet it is a major milestone for me again. The weight is remaining steady and still under 70kgs and holding . The debate on LCHF diets continues with varying views as always and AIS undertaking a study on LCHF ( low Carb High Fat diets) Outside Magazine : the latest on Low Carb High fat diets



Monday's Labour Day Run   The week started with a Public Holiday and a new weeks programme which I don't get till the Sunday before . Monday is always a DOC day (distance of choice) and today I ran a longer period 98 minutes along the coast and the Star swamp area behind Trigg . Completed 12.6kms with a fast finish trying to keep up with Michele.                                                                                                                                       




Tuesday .A speed session  .70 plus minutes with 20 min warm up and 4 x 8mins at 5km pace (90% effort)
I did about 65 mins and had a short 15 min warm up and the 4 x 8mins with 2.5 min between  each effort .I knocked the first one in 4.52 average pace then 5 min , 5.05 and 5.15 pace for the last one.It was pretty hot at 35C and found this the hardest session for the week.Finished with 10.5kms and had to walk the first minute after each effort to recover. This was by far the hardest session of the week trying to get to 90% of max heart rate.




Wednesday , I had to back up again and do another hard run or progressive run with a 20 min warm up and then 50 minutes starting a minute faster and dropping 5 seconds every 10 minutes then a cool down of 20 minutes. I had a  warm up of 20 minutes and then went fast with a 5.30 to 5.47 minute per km pace for the 50 minutes . I didn't quite drop down evenly but managed to be within a range . Then a slow recovery jog back .13.4km in 85 minutes. The heart rate remained consistent at about 139 to 141 .

Thursday .An easy run day with 45 minutes and  7km just along the river at lunch time.


Friday .Another easy run in the evening 70 minutes and 10km.I had felt good and was doing a really easy slow run but still managed about 6.5 minutes pace to 7 minute pace .Even chatted with a cyclist riding slowly around the river without getting tired.Probably the best run this week as far as feeling good .

Saturday : a long run along the coast and then to Star Swamp and back to Sorrento for breakfast.Fortunately a 7 am start and we finished at about 9.30 .I ran 19km and felt pretty good although it was getting warm and I had only 200 calories of tailwind. In the afternoon I did the cross fit scaled 16.3 WOD which was 25kgs snatches x 10 and 5 chest to bar repeated as many times in 7 minutes . I managed to do 5 rounds and 6 snatches for 81 points . Got a really sore shoulder /neck from the quick snatch reps .

 

Trail Running at Camel Farm to Mundaring Weir

Sunday was a very early start as there were road closures to the hills for the UCI Grand Fondo to Kalamunda. We started off at about 5.30 am from the Camel Farm which meant getting up at 4.30am . It was dark for about 20 minutes so I got to use the headlamp and it was working fine . Once the light was up we could start running properly and made reasonable pace covering about 10km to the turnaround at Mundaring Weir  . Then it was just retracing the steps back to the start .Not as much elevation , just 600m but a good work out and glad we started early as it was pretty warm at the end. Finished with 20.5km .

In the evening I did an easy run of 6.5 km to round of the biggest week of running ever at 100km.

Total for the week :
Monday ;       12.6km  96 mins
Tuesday :       10.6 km 65 mins
Wednesday :  13.4 km 85 mins
Thursday :        7   km 45mins
Friday :          10.1km 70 mins
Saturday        19.4km 135 mins
Sunday          20.5 km  180 mins
                        6.5 km    50 mins
Total:            100.1 km Time 12 hours of running  and 7 minutes of Cross fit.

Week 10

The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face

The programme for the week looked relatively easy with no back to back long runs but it was deceptively easy. As it turned out it was a reasonably hard week of training . As they say it all helps .  I am acutely aware of the fine balance needed between training and recovery. It can all go pear shape with over training and injury  . After the drop in mileage last week , it was back up to a full week of training.

Mandatory Gear Check Done 

Monday .DOC . (Distance of choice) meant I picked what I wanted to run. I ran an easy 7.5km in Kings Park in the evening and even did 2 repeats of Mount Street below , our regular training haunt from last years North Face campaign.

Again nothing hard , just kept the Heart Rate low.

Tuesday . I ran for an about 65 minutes with a 15 minute warm up and then 1 minute very hard @95% of max HR and 2-3 minutes recovery jog , done 10 times with a 15 minute cool down . Total distance 10km.In the evening , it was a ride to Cross fit and the start of the Cross fit Games. Tried the 16.1 scaled challenge below:

16.1 Scaled
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes of:
25-ft. front rack walking lunge
8 burpees
25-ft. front rack walking lunge
8 jumping chin-over-bar pull-ups
Men lunge 45 lb.
Women lunge 35 lb.

 I found it quite hard even though it was only 20 minutes .The 25 feet front rack walking lunge was pretty hard on the legs .Managed 7 and a bit rounds for about 197 points .Rode home spinning in the small gear as the legs were still sore.

Wednesday : A run in the evening as I was still trying to recover from the session on Tuesday but rode to work . In the evening I did a hard run session which was a 15 minute warm up and then 60 minutes at 5.30 pace . I kept between 5.16 minutes per km and 5.34 minutes per km for the 1 hour and then a cool down of 15 minutes for about 90 minutes and 14.55 km.I was pretty shattered and the legs felt it.

Thursday , an easy recovery run of 1 hour in the evening . Similarly on Friday , just an easy run of 45 minutes on the treadmill covering 7.5km .

Saturday's WOD 16.2 attempt

Saturday. A late start with a 90minute run for 13 km and then 30 minutes on the wind trainer with an easy recovery .In the afternoon Cross fit with a short 16.2 attempt managed the scaled version but with the clean squats at 43 kg for the first round I only just got through to the 2nd round where I managed one clean squat at 52kgs  and was out.

Sunday . Run in the Hills . we ran to the Camel farm and back and managed 20kms in 3 hours. Started off slow with a walk and then picked up the speed and finished pretty comfortable and strong. The down hill sections were slower then the uphills . I think we had about 750metres of elevation.

Overall a huge week not so much in mileage but in intensity and a tiring week but came out through the week feeling stronger .

Start of run Kalamunda

Garmin Links to the runs this week

Kings Park Running: 7.51 km • 54:03 • 7:12 min/km • 8.3 km/h • 0 m
Perth Running: 10.00 km • 1:03:45 • 6:23 min/km • 9.4 km/h • 0 m
Perth Running: 14.55 km • 1:26:20 • 5:56 min/km • 10.1 km/h • 0 m

Noranda Running: 8.22 km • 59:49 • 7:16 min/km • 8.2 km/h • 0 m

Noranda Running: 12.95 km • 1:33:23 • 7:13 min/km • 8.3 km/h • 0 m

Kalamunda Running: 20.14 km • 3:00:06 • 8:56 min/km • 6.7 km/h • 608 m


Summary

Running : 81.33km /  11.33 hrs
Cycling 3hrs
Cross fit  30mins ( but a hard 30mins)