Thursday 2nd August

I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted.  Training is going well.  I have continued to do sprint sessions once or twice per week, with fartlek work (1 min @ 5% faster than marathon pace, 1 min off for an hr, 2:1 for 75 mins, 3:1 for 90 mins - gets tough).  I have added a slow run each week, giving me 4 runs per week - 2 lots of 2 consecutive days.  This is a big challenge to my mantra for the last 18 months of never running consecutive days, but I have held up well.  I have no injury concerns, and fewer niggles over time in general.  Some minor left hip niggle is the only one at the moment - not limiting, not specific, but it does tend to be my tighter hip anyway.

I did the 25 km Parklands loop a few weeks ago.  It was a tough morning - one where I really struggled with my head as I went along, bargaining with myself to keep going vs quitting from the second of 5 laps.  I headed out perhaps slightly fast, didn't bring any gels (despite meaning to), and really slowed down in the last lap.  My confidence took a bit of a hit, especially as I am heavier than I was last year.

I have done a training run with the SARRC group of the Adelaide marathon course.  It is going to be a very tough course.  Much up and down, especially considering we think of Adelaide as being flat.  Down to river level, up to road level, down to river level, back up to road level, and two laps of it.  I have done a long run out to St Kilda (not a scenic run along National Highway 1) to meet Charlie and the kids on a sunday morning.  I have run out to Pt Adelaide for a Sunday morning work breakfast.  Last week I competed in the Hills To Henley event - Athelstone primary school, along the Torrens, somewhat downhill to the beach.  30km, at race pace, where I actually managed to run 5:03 pace the whole way.  I was very pleased, running strongly throughout, passing lots of people in the last 5 km or so (in contrast to the parklands run), and actually achieving my goal pace.  It stands me in good stead in the lead up to the Adelaide marathon, now only 17 days away.

I also had some very exciting news today - I have confirmed entry for the Antarctica marathon in 2014.  It will happen less than 5 weeks after my 40th birthday, so guess how I am celebrating?  I am absolutely thrilled - check out the link.

I am also committed now to the Kilimanjaro Marathon next year - continent # 4.  We are all getting excited about that as we are making a family trip out of it, including taking my mum along.  I still need to decide on which races and when for continents 6+7, and we see how that shapes up in the next 6-12 months.

In the meantime - I just keep running.  Loving it.