Week 17 - Session 1 - 6.4km

Once around Cruikshank Park in muggy conditions. I took this one real easy after last weekends 32km. Apart from some tightness in my upper hamstrings I felt OK. By the time I'd finished any residual soreness from the long run had disappeared.

Route: Cruickshank Park
Actual Distance - 6.4km
Time - 0:50:15
Pace - 7:51 min/km
HR/&/Zone: 126/65%/1.0
RPE: 3
Temp:  21C
Total for week: 6.4 km
Cumulative Total: 499.5 km

Week 16 - Session 4 - 4km Recovery Walk

Apart from some residual soreness in my quads, I'm almost fully recovered from the 32km two days ago. I had none of the calf soreness of the previous week. After a rest day yesterday, I walked to the train station and back to further aid the recovery process (4km). I also had a sports massage in the afternoon which provided additional relief.

Route: Seddon
Actual Distance - 3.94km
Time - 0:39:35
Pace - 9:58 min/km
HR/&/Zone: 107/60%/1.4
RPE: 3
Temp:  17C
Total for week: 49 km
Cumulative Total: 493.1 km 

The longest run - Week 16 - Session 3 - 32km Long Run

With two weeks before the Melbourne Marathon today was make or break for making it to the start line. I had to run 32km or pull the pin on a year of training. I made it out the door at 8:30am wearing my race day singlet for the first time. A quiet sense of anticipation and a tingle of fear of the unknown gripped me.

The relentless SE breeze that had been blowing an average of 30kmh the day before and keeping the temperature down had dropped right away. It was a warmish 22C by the time I finished. I maintained a 3:1 ratio all the way to Canning Reserve and felt good at the turn around point (16km). By the time I'd made it back to Essendon (21km), I was starting to feel both the heat and the distance. To counter the heat I poured water over my head at every drinking fountain I encountered. To counter the tyranny of the distance I repeated the following mantra:

"I am the tortoise - I can run all day."

When I made it home it home, I jumped straight into an ice bath. There was no hesitation to jump in this time. I spent the afternoon with Sonia and Angus taking a gentle stroll around Footscray Park feeding the duck.

I now have two weeks to prepare for the marathon itself.


Route: Maribrynong River
Actual Distance - 32km
Time - 3:53:22
Pace - 7:11 min/km
HR/&/Zone: 156/81%/3.5
RPE: 8
Temp:  22C
Total for week: 45 km
Cumulative Total: 489.1 km

Week 16 - Session 2 - 6.5km

Another run around Cruikshank Park. Ran some faster intervals to shake out some of the cobwebs. The extra weight I'd put on during my illness has gone. I attribute the weight loss to the interval style training of the run/walk method.

Read this great article from Runners World on the benefits of the R/W method.

Route: Cruickshank park

Actual Distance - 6.5 km
Time - 0:48:03
Pace - 7:23 min/km
HR/&/Zone: 129/67%/1.5
RPE: 4
Temp:  12C
Total for week: 13 km
Cumulative Total: 457.1 km

The name of the bug - Week 16 - Session 1- 6.5km

 I went back to the Dr on Monday morning for a follow up visit. It turns out that I did indeed have a bacterial infection. Moraxella catarrhlis is a nasty little critter that can cause respiratory infections and is resistant to some antibiotics. M. catarrhlis is an opportunistic pulmonary invader. This would explain the complications with my asthma and the ineffectiveness of the first two courses of antibiotics.

fortunately I am now clear of the bug having been given a third antibiotic. I checked in with a sports medicine Dr and he had no reservations for me to continue with my marathon training. The question is do I now shoot for the Melbourne Marathon underdone or defer until the Marysville Marathon at the end November fully fit. I'm going to see what happens with this weekends long run.

In the meantime on Wednesday and I ran around Cruikshank Park two days after Sunday's 21km. I pulled up OK and later that day had a sports massage. My calves were definitely sore after the massage but it was all for a good cause.

The downward curve of my average HR continues, which is a good sign that I am returning to full fitness.

Route: Cruicshank park
Actual Distance - 6.5 km
Time - 0:49:03
Pace - 7:30 min/km
HR/&/Zone: 128/66%/1.8
RPE: 4
Temp:  12C
Total for week: 6.5 km
Cumulative Total: 450.6 km

Back in the saddle - Week 15 - Session 3 - 21km

After this weeks tentative forays back in to running, the real gauge of whether I will make it to the starting line on 9 October hinged on how well I handled yesterday's long run of 21km. After a breakfast of porridge and a cup of coffee I set out for the Maribrynong River at 9am. I was carrying two water bottles, one with Endura, and three energy gels for the anticipated 2 1/2 hours that I would be gone. Using the 3:1 ratio, I calculated that thirty-five intervals plus five minutes warm up and cool down would get me there and back.

It felt good to be venturing out once more into the unknown - would I make it? would I get injured? would I recover? The temperature was about 21C with a high cloud cover and slight breeze. It didn't take long to settle into a rhythm. I was concerned that that the beeping from the watch to make each interval would be annoying. But instead I found the reminder reassuring and allowed me to concentrate on the running and enjoy the constantly changing river scenery glide past.

At the turnaround point near the bridge at Riverside Park I was still feeling strong. Beyond this point lay the trail to Canning Reserve the turnaround point for next weeks 32km run. The return trip settled into a similar rhythm and at no stage did I feel as I'd pushed myself to far.

Route: Maribynong River
Actual Distance - 21 km
Time - 2:29:20
Pace - 7:17 min/km
HR/&/Zone: 141/73%/2.4
RPE: 5
Temp:  21C
Total for week: 33.8 km
Cumulative Total: 444.1 km

I am the tortoise - Week 15 - Session 2 - 6.2km

Another comeback session today, once around Cruickshank Park using a 3:1 run/walk ratio. Felt really good all the way today, definitely an improvement from Wednesday. Heart rate is still not fully recovered, but better than Wednesday as was the pace and the distance. I have a new mantra:

"I am the tortoise - I can finish this"

As long as I recover well tomorrow I will aim to run 8-12miles on Sunday, or about 2 hours, using the 3:1 per minute run/walk strategy.

Route: Cruickshank Park
Actual Distance - 6.2 km
Time - 0.49:02
Pace - 7:53
HR/&/Zone: 136/70%/2.0
RPE: 4
Temp:  18C
Total for week: 11.8 km
Cumulative Total: 423.1 km

Baby steps - Week 15 - Session 1 - 5.6 km

At last, I managed to put one foot in front of the other. It's the first baby steps back into running. I gained some inspiration during my recuperation from Dean Karnazes account of running 50 marathons in 50 days. In his book he talks about taking baby steps when confronted by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Just put one foot in front of the other. At this stage I'm not sure if I will front up to the marathon or not. I'm just glad to be running.

Not surprisingly my pace was turtle like and my heart rate higher than it was two weeks ago. But this is to be expected. I'll continue to monitor my HR as a gague of how I'm recovering.

Having missed 2 1/2 weeks of running I've reset my goal to finish the marathon using a run/walk strategy. The Melbourne Marathon has a generous 7 hour cutoff time. This week I'm going to run on three days with the longest run on Sunday of 8 miles.


The pattern is to run 4min/Walk 1min midweek and run 5min/Walk 1 min for the long runs. Depending on how I recover this week, I will run 20miles on on Sunday 18/9/11 using the run walk method. If I can mange that, then I will front up to the marathon on October 9.

If I can't, then at least I've given myself a chance today.

Route: Cruickshank Park
Actual Distance - 5.61 km
Time - 0.50:01
Pace - 8:54
HR/&/Zone: 130/67%/1.8
RPE: 4
Temp:  17C
Total for week: 5.61 km
Cumulative Total: 415.91 km

Last day of meds - Week 14 - Session 4 - X-Train - 0mins

Sat this one out, last day of meds.

Not today - Week 14 - Session 3 - 0km

Despite my plans, today was another no show due to the bronchitis.

I finish all the meds on Monday, so the new plan is to get back into running on Wednesday.

Fingers crossed...

This is getting serious - Week 14 - Sesion 3 -0km

It's been two weeks now since my last Friday run in Week 12. Despite all my best efforts and medications I can't shake the asthmatic bronchitis that's been laying me low. I'm hoping now for a miracle as the marathon is now only four weeks away. If I can't get back on the road by Sunday then I'm going to have to seriously look for an alternative. I'm hoping to at least get out for a walk this afternoon just to keep moving.

I've done a lot of research on the Web regarding recovery from bronchitis and the marathon. The best I've come across is this article from Running Times Magaizine:

Fight or flight  

"McMillan points out, however, that in the case of layoffs during the last 3-6 weeks of training, a normal taper is not optimal. "The body/mind needs to remember what it is like to be a runner. In this case, I have the athlete maintain the normal training rhythm, reducing the long run seven days prior but only significantly cutting back on the volume the last 3-4 days before the race.""

I figure that with the two weeks I've had off and based on McMillan's advice above,  my muscles will have recovered so that a normal taper will not be required.  

Based on the article my current plan is this:

Sunday 11 September - Run (3-5km - anything)
Sunday 18 September - 16km
Sunday 25 September - 21km (Sri Chinmoy Yarra Boulevard 1/2 Marathon)
Saturday 2 October - 30km (eight days out - make or break)
Sunday 9 October - Marathon

I've also taken inspiration from LBTEPA's blog:

Now the plan is this...

Rattle and clunk - Week 14 - Session 1 - 0km

It's the first session of Week 14 and I'd hoped to be back running by now. But it's not to be I've still got a rattle in my chest. I did venture out for a walk to the local shops this morning but to no avail. I managed to hack my way there and back but that was all. By the afternoon I was back in bed sleeping it off.

Can't shake the lurgy - Week 13 - X- Train - 0mins

No cross training today, still laid low by the bug. Went to see the Dr again today as I've been coughing up copious amounts of phlegm, some of it blood streaked (to much information?). Seems the inflammation in my lungs has not been responding to the medication as anticipated. Dr decided to extend predisone treatment by another five days and bump up the Symbicort to 400mcg.

Doing my best to stay optimistic about getting to the starting line on October 9 and finding a way to at finish without been hauled off the course under the cuttoff time.

All I can do for now is rest.

Sitting this one out too - Week 13 Session 4 - 0km

I'd hope to get back to running at least some of this long run but the flu and secondary chest infection have put paid to those plans.

Best laid plans - Week 13 - Session 3 - 0km

Still laid low with the flu, if anything I'm feeling worse today than at any other time this week. It's been a week now since my last run, the way I'm feeling now it's hard to see me getting back by the weekend. I've begun drawing up contingency plans if I am unable to get back running by Wednesday next week.

Here are my alternatives:

Option 1 -  begin running on Wednesday (Week 14) but cut mileage back by 50% for a week and then Week 15 midweek runs at 75% but attempt the peak 32km at 100%.

Option 2 - If I am unable to complete the peak run then I will consider attempting the same distance in week 16 with only a two week taper and hope for the best come marathon day.

Option 3 - Alternatively I will err on the side of caution, keep my powder dry and consider one of the following upcoming alternate marathons: 

- 30 October 2011 - Portland 3-Bays Portland, Portland, Victoria - Pros - Only 3 weeks after Melbourne Marathon. Cons - Hilly course about 4hours drive from Melbourne.
- 27 November 2011 - Marysville Marathon, Marysville, Victoria - Pros - Only 100km from Melbourne. Cons - Getting late in the year could be hot (30c+ degrees in 2009)
- 8 January 2012 - Cadbury Marathon, Hobart, Tasmania - Pros - Would allow me to recover completely and build up again slowly. Cons - Would involve a weekend away in Tassie, can I keep myself motivated for a second crack so far down the track?

Not today - Week 13 - Session 2 - 0km

Another no show due to lingering flu and aggravated asthma.