September 28 will mark the second running of the Sri ChinmoyCanberra Trail Run, this year it’s 101km and I am toeing the line again for a
shot at a pb and another 100km ultra. I
have been keeping this race in mind since returning to full training and I am
again supported by Hammer Nutrition in my venture to the nations capital for
the event. When I was plotting my return I marked in key build up events and
three main “A” goal races for the end of the year. Those being Canberra, Egdell Jog and Big CoastRun. From there I planned my training to suit these events, which has been a
challenge considering they are quite diverse events indeed.
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| Fuelling the long run again. |
I have been back into full swing for around 6 weeks and my load and
mileage is back where I want it to be. Each week I can run longer, faster and
more efficiently as I have been focusing on making sure everything is done
right. I have also been super strict with my core and my new strength program,
which has included some balance work and plyometric work. I have also been
reading about various training methods including the use of HIT/Intervals (Seller & Tonnessen, 2009 & Finn, 2001), plyometric work (Ramirez-Campillo,
et al. 2014) and training methods to enhance physiological methods (Midgley, McNaughton1 and Jones, 2007) over the past few weeks and I have been gradually incorporating
aspects of this reading into my own training program.
My focus has been on endurance and speed during this block of
training. I am naturally going to go up and down hills because when I run at
Lithgow I love getting onto the trails around Hassan’s and there is only one
way and that is up! So I have been really focusing on short but intense
interval sessions, longer sustained intensity runs and getting the fast twitch
fibres activated. My long runs have been progressing weekly in both speed and
distance and I have been lucky to be able to include a couple of longer races
to help here too, my longest run for a while is planned for Sunday where I’m
aiming for around 50km in 4hrs.
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| Trying to hold form late on @ CPULTRA |
Only time will tell if my training is going to pay off but I have
been trying to milk every session for what’s its worth and each session will
give me some sort of adaptation for my planned races. My coach Brendan has
launched his UP Coaching business and we are continuing to work together but
now I’m more in control of setting my weekly schedule and using Brendan as a
mentor, someone who provides bigger picture feedback as opposed to the daily
reports. I am very interested in coaching and I see this, as an opportunity to
further improve my own knowledge through reading and experience and it’s
perfect as I have Brendan there if I require extra help.
CP ULTRA 50km pairs, 1st mixed pair home. Kel and I
ventured down to Sydney for the newly managed Mountain Sports Centennial Park
Ultra run. We planned to split the laps just off even and get our longest runs
in “at race pace”. It turns out we both probably bit off 1 lap too many but we
were able to hold onto 1st mixed pair, not that anyone was really
worrying about the race in the first place.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the event and ultimately I got a fair
bit of feedback intrinsically about where I was at from this run. Next year I
plan to return for a sub 8hr Aussie 100km qualifier.
Full results here
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| Glenbrook Podium |
Glenbrook is an area of the mountain I have visited but never ran in
other than at Knapsack Park. I entered the 25km option of the Running Wild
Glenbrook Marathon race and was planning a fast, well-executed race based on
the training I have completed of late.
My impressions of the course were mainly of smooth fire trail with some
single track, a few climbs and just over the 25km or around 26km, well I was
wrong. It was a race of two, up the Red
Hands Cave and then after to the finish. The first section was tough, plenty of
stairs, loads of single track and a couple of solid climbs with the section to
the finish once back onto the fire trail after the caves being much more
runnable and flowing. I was at the front early on and settled into 2nd
for most of the race, exchanging running partners along the way always aware of
the plan and conserving energy levels for a final assault on the quads into the
finish. All went to plan and when I came out of the single track I felt really
good and I was surprised with the trail in front of me, appearing far more
runnable than first expected. So I picked up the cadence and ran to the turn
point with purpose, rounding the corner it was all systems go into the finish,
where I ended up picking up 1st place with around a km to go. My
race had been carried out in a manner I had planned and I feel as though I’m
hitting form once again, just in time for the big races ahead.
My confidence is coming back and I am
setting my goals for the next few events ahead. I’m very much looking forward
to these races and if I can plan according to my training and form I will walk
away satisfied each time.
Looking Ahead
Edgell Jog – September 7 – 7.5km, pb 27:52 5th
male is my best result at my local race. My goal is always a pb and then a
strong run, but I am really keen to crack the podium and be first local home
again this year. I have been able to focus on the event a little more in
training and the 25min efforts in tempo, shorter more intense interval sessions
and course familiarisation hasn’t been occurring by accident. I am focusing on
the jog this year and aim to be ready to run come Father’s Day.
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| Tree Pose - area to improve |
Canberra Sri Chinmoy – September 29 – 101km, pb 11:39 8th
male and my debut hundred in 2013. Hammer Nutrition again supports me in this
event and I have been focusing my training for this one. My long runs are
increasing in length and I plan on racing up to 30km but no further up until
this event, the marathon at Mudgee really taxed me last year and I don’t want
to have to recover for too long after my long runs. In the event I have to be
able to run between the climbs and I am preparing accordingly with all sessions
trying to get the body ready for race day.
I would love a 10hr time and a top 3 finish and I really believe I’m
better prepared than last year, only time will tell.
SkyCamp 2015 is in October and I am going down as part of the UP Coaching team. I am really looking forward to camp and will post a blog when all the information and logistics are sorted. Rego opens for Buffalo 2015 on the 1st of September so I am super excited.
Photo Credits
Jo Brischetto and Alix Campbell.
Photo Credits
Jo Brischetto and Alix Campbell.
