Man that was hard....

Sunday's run was harder than the average run.... My third week of a 2hr run and I really struggled from 45 minutes on... last week I did the long run in the afternoon. This came after an hour of football umpiring for the Parky JFC and an easy 3 miler. This week I went straight from umpiring to Helena for the long run so I guess I was actually running for 3 hours. Regardless it was 2 hours of head games over an undulating, wet , muddy and heavy track.

The evening was a very, very, very lazy 3 miler from my burrow.

Over the next two weeks I will build the run up to 2hr15minutes and then ultimately sit on 2 1/2 hours there after however I don't expect to be up to this stage for another 3-4 weeks. I am hoping also that by this stage I should be into the full swing of the new program and locked into the good old repetition that so many runners find hard to do....

Barrel on Wombats....

Solid week.......

This week has been a tough one which saw me clock 70miles for the week (approx 112km).... A big chunk being quality in comparison to the week before. I also had to be careful as I broke the 10% rule this week with a leap from 53+ miles last week.

Sunday started out well and I ran for 2hr through Helena Valley (18 miles) this was done after an easy 3 miles in the morning which came on top of an hour of Junior football umpiring. Starting the run at 3.30pm meant that I was coming home on dusk and in some places the footing got a little dodgy.

Monday was a solid 10 miles , the majority of it being done around Hyde Park and I made sure that I was coming home solid over the last 2 miles.

Tuesday (8miles) was another late run this time from Steel Blue oval in Bassendean. It rained hard for most of the run which I did not start until 7.30pm and by the time I got home I was smashed. This run incorporated a slightly modified mona session and I felt strong throughout.

Wednesday was a junior football meeting so again it was a late start from Steel Blue oval and again in the rain. I started out easy and soon established a good pace which I managed to sustain throughout the run. (10miles).

Thursday (10miles) was back at Yokine with a large group and after a good warm up we hit our straps with a solid session for the evening. Pleasantly smashed for the night and spent it chasing the younger runners.

Friday (3miles) was a little week but as I left the burrow I noticed that I was rooted. Already well up on last week in terms of mileage I backed off significantly and just ran through Kangaroo rise..

Saturday was a bastard, left the run late and stepped out the door into torrential rain and wind. Ran 8 laps of the block ( just over 1700 per lap) The block is an undulating loop and I worked the pace from steady even to solid. Initially 7 minutes per lap, this was down to 6min 20sec by the last lap as they steadily got faster. I felt strong throughout and left the run with a great sense of achievement.

This is my biggest mileage for a long time but the hard bit now will be to maintain it. I am hoping that my strength will develop through the program which will compensate slightly for what I have lost in speed over the years. I am constantly telling myself that it does not have to happen over night and this is something that I need to be wary of so as not to get into injury trouble....

Barrel on wombats...

Long Distance Runners...Long is the key word

I have been asked a number of times about the necessity of doing a log run and how far is far enough? Should a 10km runner run for 2 hrs should a 1500m runner run for 2 hrs?

My answer to this is, and will always, be yes..

Sebastian Coe a brilliant miler, 1500m and 800m runner in his book talks about doing long runs. Herb Elliott did long runs and ended his career undefeated over the 1500m distance. Ron Clarke did long runs and set world records for 5ooom and 10000m , his Australian records have only , in the last decade been broken by runner who do long runs. Emil Zatopek did long runs Lasse Viren did long runs. I could go on for hours with the names of runners both middle and long who do and did long runs.

You see the wombat believes that it is no good being the fastest in the field if you are not strong enough to be there at the end. The long run builds strength it builds endurance... Just ask Courtney Carter, Mona, Deek, Birmingham, Tucker, Troop and Mottram. Not only do some of these runners have good marathon times (those that have run them) but they have bloody fast 1500m/5000m and 10000m times too.

The long run(and I am not talking about just plodding along but rather running at a steady even sustainable pace) and the tempo run help to build a solid foundation on which to run fast times. Simple example. Lets say that I am a runner who can run fast over 1500m along with another runner who can run just as fast over 1500m. When we step up to 2000m or 3000m both our times drop off. In other words neither of us can sustain the pace that we need to hold . Its not that I can't run fast its simply that I can't run fast for a long time... How do I get stronger then...? Easy I run further so that I can develop the strength to maintain this speed for longer.....

by running longer the body learns to be efficient, it learns to burn fuel , it learns to function under fatigue put simply it learns.... When I took my big break its not that I got any slower I could still run as fast as I used to only I could only do it for 30m before I feel into a hole... I got on the track the other day and guess what ????? I managed a 60second lap. It killed me.... 4 months ago this would not have been possible...why? no strength or fitness. as I get fitter I get stronger as I get stronger I can run further for longer at a faster rate.

Again two weeks ago I ran for 2hours and it smashed me... I ran for 2hrs this week and it felt easier because I am getting stronger, fitter, the body is learning to cope with the strain.....

No there is an argument that you wont get any faster by running for 2hrs and doing tempo runs . This is correct to a point... if you run 3minutes for 1km and that is as fast as you go then you wont get any faster however if you can run 3minutes for a km why do you run 6m20 second for 2km and 36minutes for 10km???? because you are not strong enough to run 3 minutes for 10km.. It is a very real possibility that someone who can run 3minutes for 1km could potentially run 30 minutes or at the very least 31 minutes for 10km.....

That's the wombats thoughts anyway....

Barrel on Wombats...

State Half marathon....

Courtney Carter ran a massive solo Pb in the state half marathon championships.... 67m20s, negative split and well over 2 minutes clear of second. Well done Courtney.

The wombat warrior didn't get to the start line due to a communication break down with the minister for housing so instead went for a solo 2 hour run through Helena valley following the lower pipeline gong out and coming back along, eventually the upper pipe... Pretty pleased actually due to the fact that I got out to the turn around point that I sued to get to as a young wombat.... Moved well and felt good for my second two hour run this year and for many years before... covered a lazy 3 miles this morning after junior football umpiring and then helping the young wombat peddle up to Chidlow with the local cub group. Set out for the 2 hrs at 3.10pm from the Helena school.. Cold and a little wet under foot but a nice run at all the same....

Barrel on wombats....

Sunday Long Run...

Man it was tough mentally and the head games were on after 45minutes.. In some ways the two hours this Sunday was tougher than last weeks hour and a half.. My legs actually felt a lot stronger than last week (May have had something to do with the fact that I had not done an hour of junior football umpiring prior) but I was weary and a part of me kept shouting to turn back every 5 minutes. Ultimately I did make it out to the hour turn around point and got back but the bitch of a hill was ugly running.. not pretty at all I mean parents were pulling their kids off the streets.. This run for me marked the start of the week and tonight's surge session already puts the wombat at 28 miles for the week so it looks to be a heavy week of training to come if I can maintain the effort,,

Last week was solid with Sunday long run sessions on Monday, Thursday and Saturday despite a bout of a stomach wog and I finished the week on 50 miles.. Again this is a long way from my target but its heading up and that's important.

The wisest of wombats has provided the paving stones for my journey and I am sure I will get there but his words of wisdom call for 4 months of base building prior to any significant changes. In this time my long runs will build and be sustained at 2hr 30min and I will need to pay considerable attention to my tempo but one must be patient to be a good warrior... For the time being I am happy to be still on my feet and moving quicker than three months ago

Anyway gang i hope your journeys are going in the right direction and remember not to be to hard on yourself when things get tough .. just take a big breathe and plough on in...

Don Brooker you are a legend.... Anima Sana In Corpore Sano.... Only time will tell.

Barrel on Wombats...

The winds of change bring a new smell...

Us Wombats like to sleep and eat and in my case run.... Sibo not Berlin 1990 try looking back a little further to 1976 and 1980 and you can probably work it out from there...(There is you hint)

My new program looks good on paper and my legs are telling me that looks can be deceiving but I am sure they will adapt... It is funny how when someone tells you to do something or helps you are more likely to do it than if you suggested it to yourself, especially if you respect the person who is providing the information in the first place.

last night was solid but even at Hyde Park and tonight looks tougher due in part to the fact that I have to do it from my burrow. This means running down the bitch to warm up and then ultimately coming back up her to cool down..not something I enjoy doing for a laugh...Still what does not kill you makes you stronger... time will tell... Stay tuned and I will let you know how the week panned out.

By the way Courtney Carter ran a solid 30m15sec 10km Road Race at Sandown in Victoria for a fantastic PB...This young buck could be the one to watch in the West if he can keep a calm head and continue to build on what appears to be a good base....

Barrel on Wombats....

A tough week nearly gone...

That "I'm rooted" feeling never seems to take long to come back once you begin to establish a routine... This week has been pretty solid by comparison for the wombat and although the distance is down the quality went up.....


I am finding the hardest thing to do is get back to the stage where I can cover the ground quickly and efficiently. I know it will eventually come but boy oh boy I can't wait until it does. on any and all of my runs at the moment if I come to a hill, which is not hard to do up here in Wombatsville, I am lifting the pace to get up and over.

Sunday: 6 miles around Wedgetail Loop and Kangaroo Rise.
Monday: am 3 miles along Kangaroo Rise
pm Hyde Park Session 3xfigure 8s moving from half marathon pace to 5km pace then 3 x hill sprints. Ran 2 sets of these with a 90sec recovery in between the two sets (3m55s) (3m52s)(3m54s)(3m52s)(3m53s)(3m50s).
Tuesday:1 mile
Wednesday:3miles cold wet and windy.
Thursday: 8 miles at yokine W/U then 3x1.3km circuit involving 120m hill climb, 340m hill climb and 25om surge broken up with float in between x 2 sets. (Absolutely smashed)
Friday: 6 miles Along Wedgetail loop and Kangaroo Rise
Saturday : am 6 miles Along Wedgetail loop and Kangaroo Rise
pm 3 miles

Weight is fluctuating between 66kg and 67.5kg. But I think this will flatten out once the routine is well and truly established. On Monday I put the feelers out for some help from a very wise and crusty old Wombat Warrior and was stoked this Friday when he responded that he would help give me some more direction in terms of building up and stabilising my program.... Its a long and winding road but he aint heavy he's my brother... Time will tell if I am worthy of the old wombats words of wisdom..

Barrel on wombats