Scott's Jog Blog

The Age Run to the G

2005-05-21T09:19:00.000+10:00

The Age Run to the G
This is my first race since the marathon. I haven't been training tto much but hopefully this will get me back into it

4 hours 7 mins 49 seconds

2004-10-12T18:03:00.000+10:00

Well I did it. It's over. I am now a marathon runner.

My preparation in the week leading up to the race was good. I went out for a couple of runs but made sure I stayed rested and got loaded on the carbs. On the morning of the race I woke up feeling confident and ready to go, I didn't have any niggling injuries to worry about. Getting up at 5:45am felt easy for me but not for my race support of Graeme and Kim who had been late out the previous night. Thanks guys for your loyalty it was much appreciated on the day. Sarah was of course a great support too making sure I had warmed up properly and greased my nipples thoroughly.

As the race started my body filled with adrenaline and I felt great. The first 10 km just breezed by, so did the next 10. I passed the halfway point at 1 hr 51 mins and was well on target for my 4 hr marathon. As the weather warmed though it started to get harder. A few weeks ago I became really dehydrated on a training run, so I made sure on this run it wasn't going to happen, so I made the most of every drink station. I was still feeling good at 30km although was hanging out for every drink station. By about 32 km I was hot and the km markers seemed to be getting further and further apart. It got hotter too and reached 24c towards the end of the run. I started to struggle and at 38km I Hit The Wall. I started walking, my body felt like nothing was left and the last four kms were agony. I tried to pick up the pace every time a runner passed but didn't last long before I walked. Seeing the 500m sign gave me the last burst of adrenaline and I ran to the finish line. With great relief it was over and I had acheived on of my lifetime goals!

I had mixed emotions of joy of completing the marathon but disappointment of not reaching my 4 hour target. But listening to reports and lots of stories from other runners of struggling in the relative heat I realised I had done really well considering the circumstances.

This is the first of many more marathons, I will definitely be going for another one, maybe not today, maybe not tommorrow maybe not even next year, but eventually. For now I will be happy to rest for a couple of weeks (still aching) and indulge in my acheivement.

Tapering..

2004-09-25T20:19:00.000+10:00

Went out for a 23km run today which felt quite easy compared to the last couple of weekend runs. I didn't think I'd be saying that 3 months ago. My muscle felt a bit tight on the run, it might have been the 3 beers I had last night after work. With 2 weeks to go I getting excited although my wife could be having our baby at any moment and I am hoping the marathon and labour aren't too close too one another.

Not long now

2004-09-21T20:59:00.000+10:00

I know I have been slack and haven't posted for a month, I wish I had now as so much has happened. A week after the half-marathon I pulled up with a bad knee pain about 17kms into a 25km run and for the week after this my training was agonising. I then got a flu, which in a way was a good thing for my running. I didn't train for 12 days because of it, and this gave my knee a good rest. I thought it would be tough getting back into training and was considering not even registering for the marathon due to my lack of training. But I have got back on track with no trouble running, with 32km and 36km runs over the past two weekends, I am now in my taper, which means cutting down the k's to get the body rested. So with less than three weeks to go I feel I will be ready providing I stick to the training plan. There is also the other factor of my wife, Sarah, having a baby at any moment!

Pictures from the Half Marathon

2004-08-21T12:13:00.000+10:00

Warming up for the race

The dude in action

Inspiration from a retiring legend

2004-08-21T08:22:00.000+10:00

Inspiration from a retiring legend

Cool Running :: Pace calculator

2004-08-10T20:49:00.000+10:00

Cool Running :: Pace calculator
This web tool is great for working out the pace km pace you need to run to accheive your time. To run my 4hr marathon I need to run a pace of 5mins 40 sec per km. This is great to integrate into my training leading up to the race.

1hr 44mins 35secs

2004-08-08T19:03:00.000+10:00

I was well chuffed with my time today in the half marathon at Princes Park. My aim was for 1hr 50. I am feeling it now though, my legs are feeling like lead. I had some great support from Sarah who was also my official photographer (photos coming soon).

Hal Higdon's MARATHON TRAINING GUIDE

2004-08-06T18:58:00.000+10:00

Hal Higdon's MARATHON TRAINING GUIDE

I will be using this training plan in my final two months of training for the marathon

Attack of the Nazgul

2004-08-02T19:29:00.000+10:00

I am looking forward to my half marathon this Sunday around Princes Park, I will be able to find out if I am on track for the big one, which is only two months later.

Tonight I went out for a short run along the river. The path was pretty dark and just as I ran under a overhanging tree, something that sounded like the screech of the nazgul swooped down to attack me! Well, it didn't really swoop down, or attack me, but it made a nazgul type sound and turned my gentle jog into the sprint of my life. After a few seconds my mind made sense of things to realise it must have been a demented possum. After all, Frodo and Sam got rid of the Nazgul when they threw the ring into the fires of Mount Doom, so it definitely wasn't them.

Heavy Going

2004-08-01T19:00:00.000+10:00

It's been one of those weeks where my feet fely like they were made of lead! I went out three times and all felt really heavy going. Today though I went out for an hour and a half and it felt good. My knee is still a bit stiff, but recovered quickly. As long as I have a good stretch before and after my run I keep the injuries at bay.

Feeling Good Now

2004-07-25T18:10:00.000+10:00

Last weekend was a bugger, having to stop 10 km into a 20km training run with a sharp knee pain. I was unsure about going out running after this, as the pain continued for a few days. Towards the end of the week though I did get out and then yesterday ran 15km in 1h 16mins, which I was well pleased with. Runs like this really motivate me, especially after my disapointment of last weekend.

I have a half marathon in two weeks time and the run yesterday made me fell ready for it. I would hope to get sub 1hr 50min, but would be satisfied with a sub 2hr run.

Holiday Legs

2004-07-16T17:00:00.000+10:00

When I went on holiday to Queensland last week I had great intentions of running along the beach every morning. I got off to a great start and on the first moring a ran at a good pace along the shoreline bare foot. It felt good to be out of the city breathing in the fresh sea air. The next day the soles of my feet were a bit stiff so I decided to have a rest day. But after this my legs told me that they were also on holiday and refused to go for any more runs. A couple of days later I took them out but they resisted every stride and after 20 minutes I gave up.
With all that rest I am paying for it now and will take a while to get back into the routine of training.

Reaching a big milestone

2004-07-05T21:26:00.000+10:00

On Saturday I finally did it, I run further than I have ever run before (without stopping), 20km! I just have to double that in the next three months to complete the marathon! Every two weeks from now I will be breaking lifetime records. I ran at a comfortable pace and completed the distance in 1hr 52mins - I was aiming for about 2 hrs. This encouraged me, as my goal for a sub 4hr marathon feels very realistic. I was a bit stiff in the afternoon but fully recovered by Sunday.

I am off on holidays tomorrow to sunny QLD. It would be nice to have a few runs in the sunny weather.

Boy Wonder gets PB for 10km

2004-06-27T10:48:00.000+10:00

OK, so I only beat my previous 10 km time by 12 seconds, but I am heading in the right direction! My finish time was 46:30. The race was on my home turf, just down the road. It is a course I have run a few times along the river. At least now I know the distances along the river and can use this in training. I guess I would have liked to go a bit faster but time is not as important as endurance at this stage in my running career.

It's too bloody cold...

2004-06-26T12:51:00.000+10:00

...is my latest excuse to Sarah if I don't go out running. This week I have only been out three times and one of them was in the gym on the treadmill. Being a pommie I didn't think Melbourne weather would affect me, but I reckon this week was the coldest I have had in nearly three years of living here. I picked up a calf strain on the treadmill last Monday, I was wearing my old trainers and wonder if it was the cause. Today when I went out on a run my calf was really tight and I had to stop at about 10kms. Hoping it recovers today as I have a 10k fun run tomorrow and I really wanted to beat my Run to the G time.

I am still here!

2004-06-15T20:52:00.000+10:00

I haven't blogged for a while, but I haven't stopped running. Last weekend I went away to Phillip Island so it was great to run in fresh clean air as well as different scenery. I ran for a solid hour and a half and reckon I clocked up about 15kms. I haven't stayed strictly to the training plan but feel as though I am still on schedule for running the half marathon in good pace. I am looking forward to the 10k race from Como Park and looking to get a better time than the Run to the G.

10, 10, 10

2004-06-07T21:16:00.000+10:00

Went for a bit of speedwork tonight, 10 minutes slow run, 10 minutes fast run, then 10 minutes recovery slow run, although I only lasted about 8 1/2 minutes recovering before a collapsed.

Training for Success

2004-06-06T17:52:00.000+10:00

Now my half marathon is in sight I have decided to be a bit stricter in training. With the assistance my expert coach (who has many years of experience in the field of running - albeit on a treadmill), devised a comprehensive training regime which has been plagairised from a book called "A Beginner's Guide to Long Distance Running".

Yesterday I went on a 16k slow run I feel pretty good today so I definitely feel on track for the half marathon in August.

Running on a beautiful Autumn morning

2004-05-29T20:04:00.000+10:00

Hadn't been out running since last Sunday, no excuses, I have just been a lazy bastard. It's very easy to break the momentum when training, if I miss a couple of days then its easy to miss a few more. But on the other hand, when I get back out and pound the pavement, I realise how much I have missed it, and it's so easy to get back into it. I ran for about an hour and a half, must have been about 14-15km, it was a lovely sunny autumn day, ideal running conditions. Over the next few weeks I need to get back into a strict training regime (I am reminded of that scene from Rocky IV when he has to train in the Russian mountains) for the Sandy Point half in July. Sarah (my wife and coach) told me she will devise a training plan for me to help me stay focussed.

Run to the G Results

2004-05-26T18:50:00.000+10:00

I was happy with my 10km time of 46:42 and I came 520th out of about 2200 runners.

A great morning for Run to the G

2004-05-23T12:32:00.000+10:00

Well done Simon, Graeme and Chris, they came, they saw, they ran their 4k. From what I heard Si went away like a bullet from the other boys and Graeme came in a dead heat with Steve Mongetti (even though they were running different races), that's still a great acheivement that Graeme can tell his grandkids in years to come. And Chris, well his sweaty red face told the story. I hope this has been a good motivator for you guys to keep running. It would be good to add your comments about the race.

I was well please with my 10k time of 46:43, I was aiming for a sub 50min time and got it. It has encouraged me to keep going for the Big One and made me feel that my 4hr target is achievable.

Photos of the day to follow soon.

My Fun Run Schedule leading up to the Marathon

2004-05-22T18:22:00.001+10:00

To stay motivated my aim is to run one fun run a month leading up to the Big One in October:
23/05/2004, Run to the G, 10km
27/06/2004, Como Park 10km, (on my home turf!)
11/07/2004, Sandy Point Half Marathon, 21km (the little Big One)
8/08/2004, Half on the Park,15km
19/09/2004, Princes Park, 10km or 21km (don't know which one yet)
10/10/2004, Melbourne Marathon, 42km
So if anyone wamts to join me, let me know.

Out of "The Zone"

2004-05-22T11:13:00.000+10:00

I went for a run this morning, for the first time since Tuesday. We have had some busy evenings so I haven't had time to go out and eat Tarmac. I always find that when I haven't run for more than a couple of days, it is really hard to get going again. This morning I felt really sluggish, my body was telling me it would rather be sitting on the couch watching Video Hits. I thought I would go for a 50 minute run, as this is my target time for the fun run tomorrow. I made it. The last 15 minutes or so my body surrendered to my will and started to enjoy it. So I am nice and loosened up for tomorrow. Good luck Graeme, Simon and Chris - Game On!

A short and sweet 5k

2004-05-18T19:53:00.000+10:00

Tonight I ran about 5 kms, with fast intervals. I give it all I've got until my legs start to fall off, then a light jog to recover, by the end of it my recovery jogs are almost at walking pace! There were a lot of joggers out tonight, along my usual route of the Yarra River, must be in prep for the Run to the G on Sunday. Came home from my run to a great lamb curry with poppadums (cooked by my wonderful wife).

It's a No Go Run tonight

2004-05-17T18:31:00.000+10:00

Here I was all looking forward to going for a good run tonight but I am still stuck here at work. By the time I get home I will be too hungry to go out and just be thinking about my dinner - I can never run on empty stomach, but I can never run after a meal either. But there's always tomorrow.

Illotibial Band Syndrome

2004-05-16T17:57:00.000+10:00

I have just found a name for my injury! Or it is simply called Runners Knee (wow I really feel like a proper runner now) Click on the title above to find out more about it. To make it better I have to follow R.I.C.E. Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Also lots of stretching and massage should help. I also read that I am not supposed to be applying Deep Heat!

Injuries and Running

2004-05-15T12:14:00.000+10:00

Because of a couple of injuries over the past couple of months I haven't been running long distances. My first pain was in my calf, it was hurting within a couple of minutes of running. After buying a new pair of running shoes, the pain went away within a couple of days. Great. But a few days after this I got a pain around my knee and I had to pull up in a couple of training runs (which also turned out to be a pain in the arse!)Up until a couple of months ago my long runs at the weekend were about 14 to 18 kms. With my bad knee the most I could manage was 8k. I think it came about through not warming up properly and being too eager to get out and run. So over the past few weeks I have been taking more rest days and warming up thoroughly. I now spend at least 20 mins warming up, then slapping a bit of deep heat around my joints and it does the trick. Today I managed a 13-14k run and my knee held up! It's good to be back on track.

Run to the G

2004-05-13T20:19:00.000+10:00

To find out more information about Run to the G click on the link above.

Running with a mate

2004-05-13T19:31:00.000+10:00

Mostly I go out running on my own, but tonight I went out running with my mate Graeme. I have persuaded him, along with a couple of other mates, Chris and Simon, to enter into RUN TO THE G, which is on 23 May. They are going into the 4km run but being a running veteran of 4 months I am going into the 10km run.Tonight I showed Graeme that it is possible to run 4km without stopping! I think he was quite proud of his acheivement and this has put him in good stead for the race against Chris and Simon.

Piccy of Scott

2004-05-12T21:25:00.000+10:00

Scott in a hot air balloon with Melbourne waking up below

The ups and downs of training for the Big One

2004-05-12T20:27:00.000+10:00

To motivate myself in training for a marathon, and maybe motivate others, I thought I would record my training experience in the lead up to the Melbourne Marathon on 10 October 2004. I have been training since January and entered a couple of short fun runs. The last few weeks I have had a bit of a knee injury,so have not been able to get out as much as I'd like too and with it getting a bit nippy and dark in the evenings its even harder. My knee is getting better as I have been running alternate days to rest it. Ideally I want to get out about 5 times a week. I have really been enjoying running over the last few months, it is a great way to unwind at the end of a stressful day and always sleep well after a run.