Monday 22nd August - Up bright and early for a sprint session.  I am trialling the early run vs the lunchtime session, both because I need to stay back at work a bit longer so won't have time at lunchtime and would rather not do it at 7 pm after an 11 hour work day, and because I didn't feel good doing my long sprints last monday at lunchtime.  So, a 6 am session it was, a bit chilly around the edges, 5 x 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off, so a lower volume session.  It was still pretty hard to sprint for that long, and it took longer for the HR to get up, but certainly more comfortable early in the day vs later.

The Adelaide half marathon is this weekend, so I will probably modify my program a little for my midweek run - I am meant to do 11km at tempo, but I think my marathon will cover a lot of that, so I may just do a 13 km or so slower run.  That way I keep the km the same, and I think the HR work over the week will be the same as my 21 km on Sunday will be higher intensity than I would normally do my weekend run.

Tuesday - no training

Wednesday - I was going to do my run this afternoon, but decided some rest time was in order - I am so tired after such a busy week and weekend, so took the opportunity for a little couch and novel time with the sun streaming in the windows.  Good for the soul.

Thursday - and off for my run.  The timing is good, however, given the half marathon is on sunday morning, so this staggers my sessions better.  13 km, at 5.15 pace rather than the 4.40 programmed - I'll run hard on sunday, I promise!!

Friday - a short foam roller session.  Must do better.

Saturday - busy day with kids, but I did sneak in some quality couch reading time and I got out to do yoga.  Yay.

Sunday - Adelaide half marathon.  I think about 3-400 people were assembled at Henley High School at 8 this morning for the half distance trot up to Westlakes, onto the esplanade, past Grange SLSC, Henley square and down to West Beach then along the linearp ark uphill to Adelaide Oval.  I started out with the pack, moving much faster than I planned.  Last run (in early may) was 1hr 44, a 4.52 pace or so which was setting a pretty high benchmark, so I was actually pretty nervous.  I did the first 10km today in 46 mins 20 - only 25 secs slower than my 10k PB, so  I was already a little concerned about how the second half of the run would go.  But I was feeling good, chatting a little to the people around me, and stayed in contact with a small group, at least until the last little bit.

I lost some pace as we got towards town - from the brewery was pretty tough, the last 4 km or so.  I was doing all sorts of bargaining with myself - just keep it at 5.00 splits and you won't be losing any time.  Then it became - just keep it faster than 5.30 splits - you're ok.  Once I had made that bargain, my watched beeped for another lap and I had managed to keep that km at 5.00, so I told myself I was doing well - just another km or so left.  I still mnaged to increase the pace for the last little bit into the oval, and managed a wave for Charlie and the kids as I approached the finish.

I finished in 1 hour 41, grateful for the water stops every 4 km or so (I decided to stop and actually drink the cupful each time) and the few lollies from the lululemon girls at Henley Square.  I collected a couple of snakes later on, but they were too sticky in my hand so I tossed them after eating a head.  No sugar available in the last 10km, although powerade was available at every drink stop.  Well organised, and a happy crowd.  Apparently the best marathon finishers came in just under 3 hours - so well done to them!  I had perhaps 20 marathoners go past me in the last few km.

Tired now, with somewhat heavy legs several hours later, so we'll see how we go to have a quiet afternoon (having already done the supermarket rounds), or a walk up to town with the kids.