Paris Marathon is being shown on the Eurosport channel on Foxtel while Rotterdam is streaming on www.universalsports.com (both on Sunday afternoon).
I am going to record Paris and watch Rotterdam. Both should be cracking races but I have loved the Rotterdam Marathon ever since Deek won back in the early 80s against Carlos Lopes and Alberto Salazar.
122.65km last week. Main runs were a 20 x 1 min on / 1 min off session on Monday, my regular medium long run on Tuesday (23km @ 4:11/km pace), another medium long run with Clown on Thursday (21km) and then a 32.7km long run with Simon Elliott on Saturday morning.
The Monday session was 4km warmup in 18 mins then 20 × 1 min on / 1 min off around the Kent Street Ovals before a short cooldown run home (1.37km)
I ran just short of 8 × 1.32km laps in the 40 mins so approx 10.4km which was good going on grass. Distance may be slightly over but it is what I measured it a while back on Map My Run.
Saturday's long run with Simon Elliott was out around Ascot park and then back via Maylands and East Perth and along to the big flag pole in South Perth. it's the same run as I did with Clown and Epi a fortnight ago but without the fast finish.
According to Simon’s Garmin we did most of the running together at around 4:15/km pace which felt surprisingly but nicely comfortable. A couple of quicker km with the wind behind us through Maylands.
Simon turned at the Fisheries building in South Perth to catch up with the BT RunClub and I carried on down to the flagpole. It was only just before I got to the flagpole that I remembered that the cooldown part of the run was back to the Fisheries building not to my turnoff and therefore back into what was now a pretty stiff easterly.
Also pretty hard going back past my turn off for the second time … it was very nice to turn and run back with the wind behind me for the last part.
Really happy with how comfortable this run felt. Only downside – my back stiffened up a bit when we stopped for our first gel (the low water tap doesn’t help) and when I stopped running it stiffened up considerably and has gone into spasm a bit. It is still a bit stiff and sore today (Wednesday) but doesn't seem to be affecting my running just standing and walking ...
Here is an interview with Craig Mottram. Great to see him back running injury free and I am really looking forward to seeing how he runs in the US and Europe over the next few months.
I have posted before about Running the Sahara http://biscuitmanruns.blogspot.com/2009/06/still-going-well.html
One of the runners was Charlie Engle. I have just finished reading an aricle he wrote for the US Runner's World magazine and the footnote to the article said that Charlie was (as of Feb 2011) serving 21 months in a federal prison for fraud offences (allegedly overstating his income on a loan application). I have found his blog which outlines what has happened and is happening. It makes for very interesting reading. I've certainly got my views about a justice system which lets the those responsible for the GFC get off scot free (or with a salary bonus) but pursues individuals because they are an easy target.
Anyway here is his blog:
http://charlieengle.com/
If you are interested in his story, I strongly recommend that you read this article from the New York Times:
Although it is almost the end of week 7 of my program, this is a quick post to note that I did 111km last week and with a solid first half of this week, got up over 500km for the month. My highest previous monthly total was 440km in December last year.
I feel like I have established a really good base to build on over the next 8 weeks before I commence a three week gradual taper for the marathon on June 19.
Significant runs last week were my regular medium long run on Tuesday (21km in just under 1:30 so approx 4:16/km pace) and a progressive tempo run with Clown on Thursday.
We were both feeling a bit flat so decided to go out at marathon pace and see what happened. Marathon pace felt pretty comfortable and we were still having a bit of a chat as we ran down to Maylands. I only took a split at halfway (4km) which was 15:58 so right on MP or 4min/km pace.
We picked it up a bit on the way back, particularly over the last 2km and especially the last km. 14:53 on the way back with the last km @ 3:26.
Very good and enjoyable run. Was still pretty humid but no wind which made things OK. Pleased to be able to keep up with Clown for a change :-)
Warm up 4.1km in 18:30
MP/tempo 8km in 30:52
Cooldown 5.4km in 24:00
Sunday's long run was just over 28km @ 4:34/km pace but it did include 4 x up the Mount Yokine hill. The "good" thing about this hill is that it makes the rest of the run seem relatively easy.
Training has gone well this week but I know I am right into marathon training now as I wake up tired and go to bed very tired ...
