Lost in Thoughts - January 366km of Running

Its a nice feeling when you are running, not pushing the pace, and the miles to fly by. Not all of the time, but a vast majority of the time you are just lost in thought.

The past week or so I have really been thinking of mistakes that I have made, you know "life's lessons". I have made a few with running, racing, at work, in business, and in relationships. Some of them I dwell on more than others, wishing I had a time machine to go back and change the way things ended - or change my approach or reaction to certain events.

Some of these moments provide a catalyst for change, some of them I just realise they we were part of growing up and finding out what really matters. Friendships in particular are a common thought as I run along. I have lost touch with friends (as I assume most people have) for different reasons, and dont spend/talk to other friends as much as I used to.

As my family grow up, I am spending more quality time with them. Possibly thats the reason that some connections are being lost with friends. The boys go from needing someone to feed them and change a nappy to someone to talk to them and interact. Thinking of the past, I remember being in primary school wishing my dad didnt work so much and that we got to do more cool stuff together. By the time I was in high school, all I wanted to do is hang out with mates/girls. I want to make sure I dont make the same mistakes, that I am there to hang out with them, talk to them, do cool stuff that they are interested in. Just MAKE the time.

January provided me with a chance to test out what my body is capable of, and what the potential volume could be for me going forward. Chris my coach and I have been working on setting up Jan as another month of build, so we moved to 80km plus per week. I ended up having a few "holiday" runs as extras so my total volume was up for the month.

• My body is holding up really well.
• I can handle 82km over 5 runs quite easily.
• I am feeling mentally fresh, the runs arent taxing as they are base building, so I throw a few quicker k's in ever now and then.
• I am sleeping pretty well, although I am looking forward to cooler weather, starting a little later in the morning. The plan is to wake at 5am instead of 4.20am - which is when I have been getting up to avoid the sun!
• I am looking forward to some speed work! Which is weird to say, but I am really ready to start some harder running in March.
• I miss racing - I only ran 4 marathons last year, not really raced them as I wasnt fit - really looking forward to racing again now that I have some volume in my legs and lungs

Recently I did an interview for another blog - Sarah. She actually puts effort into her blog!
Check it out here http://dasherlife.com/marathon-minds-sean-p/

Pex

January Update and Training

For once my training over summer has been really solid. Through December I logged over 70km per week average and this month I am on track to average over 85km per week.

The most pleasing thing is that I have created some new running habbits and have built a real consistancy to what I am doing, no mega peaks then weeks off. I am on my 15th week of 70km+ with no weeks off or rest weeks.

At the moment I am running 6 sessions over 5 days, with a lot of room to build more volume. Mentally I wish I could bottle this feeling - I am super motivated and enjoying my running. Also possibly due to being really relaxed and running just lower HR stuff and not pushing too hard.

I have also signed up for my first race, the 5km at the Twilight Running Festival 22nd of March. I plan to have a real crack at breaking my 5km PB which is currently at 19.48 - although I set that with Ben in a training run and not in a race. My race PB is 20.20.

After twilight I will set my sights on the Noosa Festival and run the half marathon there. The plan is to go all out and run under 1.40 - again dependant on how my training is going, and use it as a solid prep for the GC Marathon.

My weight loss has also been pretty good, although being away from work and routine has slowed the loss. I didnt gain anything over the Xmas/New Year break, and I was away on the Sunshine Coast last week and didnt gain either. I have been pretty solid with my meal choices and snacks, having a few beers was always on the plan.

With regards to racing weight, I am focussed on getting to 69kg by the end of February. That will allow me to race in March at that weight, and apply speed work etc. to my lighter frame. Who knows if it will be low enough or too low. Once I am there, I plan to race from March through to October at that weight, not play around with anything until after the Melbourne Marathon.

Speaking of months, I made a little new years resolution to set monthly goals. For running, for work and personally. I have started this for January and are on track, its correlates with my new training plans I have been getting from my coach - just a chance to sit down and reassess the month, and what needs to be achieved for the next month. I like goals and what to make the process of ticking off the goals with more structure, that way if a race doesnt pan out - I dont go too crazy and want to change everything.

So really this is just an update blog, I am on track to have a big year, feeling focussed and in a great headspace to enjoy the running year.

2015 Family Running Work = Priorities

As promised I have thrown together a bit of race list for next year. More importantly though I feel a real sense of balance to my life, probably the first time in a long time.

In having both boys at school, and Bel doing regular days at work - our weekly routine is pretty solid. Which has allowed me to settle into a solid training pattern since the Melbourne Marathon. I currently have 2 days rest, so plenty of scope to ramp up, and zero impact on the family thus far.

The new training plan and volume, and probably more importantly quality sleep is allowing me to build up to a steady 70km+ per week. Which isnt spectacular, but running over 565km in the past 8 weeks injury free is really pleasing. Once the weather cools down and the marathon training starts, I really feel capable of running 100km a week given the current free time I have at the moment. But thats up to my new coach to plan out.

In planning out some races, I really wanted to run flat cool and fast. If the races don't fit that, then more than likely I will skip them.

A Races - Gold Coast Marathon & Melbourne Marathon
Both races are begging for me to set new marathon PB's, Gold Coast will also be a family holiday - which will be awesome. 

B Races - Noosa Half Marathon (May)
Lead into Gold Coast and chance for me to see where I am at 6 weeks out from GC. Will most likely set a Marathon goal time from this race. Super flat and fast course.

C Races - Twilight 5km and 10km
Going to run the Twilight 5km in March, which will be hot and isnt exactly fast, but it will just be a chance to test the lungs over a shorter distance, and you cant really screw up a 5km, so even a bad race is over in under 21 minutes.
Also looking for a 10km to race that is flat cool and fast, allowing me to have a crack at breaking my 10km PB...possibly in April sometime.

I have purposely not filled a race between GC and Melbourne, depending on what happens at GC it might be tricky to squeeze a race in, with taper etc.

As I head off on holidays from work, I am really looking forward to spending the 3 weeks playing with the boys, hitting the beach and generally just unwinding. I plan to ramp up a little volume so I can get close to race weight by January 31 - before my Marathon training kicks off.

Be safe over the Christmas break, especially if you are driving.

Pex

Racing Weight - An interesting 3 months

This isnt a blog to help you lose weight, or provide advice about weight loss. Just a post about what I have been doing.

Forgive me if this ends up sounding like an infomercial where I am trying to sell you 5 minute abs. This is not meant to be a blog about weight loss, but a running blog with some family stuff thrown in.

However one of the big changes I have made since Melbourne Marathon was to get to my racing weight.

So the background on my weight really is a long story. I wont go on about it too much, but I initially started running to lose weight. In January 2009 I commenced running to lose the weight I had gained after Joel was born. I was hovering around 82-83kg.

Once Jason and I started running, and training for our first marathon, the weight fell off and I ran Gold Coast (some 6 months later) at 77kg. I liked that weight, running was balancing out the food I was eating. After I tore my OP in September of 2009 and had 12 weeks off, my weight was back up to 81kg, I then worked hard, ran my 1/2 PB at 76.5kg in 2010 and my marathon time was 4.17 at Melbourne 2010.

I had a break over xmas, and in April 2011 ran Canberra Marathon injured, 4.39. I was 79kg. I then ramped up and had a good solid 18 months, and in 2012 ran a year of Personal Bests. 3.45 marathon, 43.55 10km, 19.48 5km. I raced my Marathon PB at 73kg. Again the weight snuck back on, and in 2013 I spent a lot of the time in the gym building power and putting on muscle for the 200m/400m. At the start of 2014 I was back at 78kg.

I raced all year at 77-78kg and as I sat on the plan coming home from Melbourne I knew I needed to lean up to really have a big dig at some personal bests in 2015.

Having read  Matt Fitzgeralds "Racing Weight" http://racingweight.com/ in 2012, I re-read it and made a commitment to find my racing weight, my ideal weight where I am seeing the full benefits of the training volume and effort.

So here I am about 12 weeks in. I have been watching with interest Brenden's weight loss by following a High Fat Low Carb diet, but I didnt go that way. Essentially I wanted to find a structure to my life/meals that would allow me to slowly lose the weight and re-build healthier eating habits. Habits that didnt impact negatively on our family meal time etc.

So what have I been doing?  I have been using the website and application called MyFitnessPal to track my calories, it is linked to my Garmin Connect. I have stopped drinking my calories, namely Iced Coffee drinks and have increased my lean protein to keep myself feeling full. Have dropped the chocolate/ice cream for dessert (swapped with a Greek yogurt) and stopped eating the kids chips in the cupboard.

Other than that I havent been too drastic. I have slowly increased my running to the point where I have run 70km+ for 7 weeks in a row, that all contributes to the numbers on the scales. Probably the hardest times are when I travel for work. Eating out is always an issue, had a couple of rough weeks whilst away.

So starting weight was 77.3kg on the 14th of October. I have slowly got myself to 71.7kg last week. Goal race weight at this stage is 69kg. I am basing that off a couple of different calculators. The first one from the Racing Weight website. The second one is off my known lean body mass estimate from using a Tanita scale to calculate muscle mass and body fat. The third one, is I can still grab a handful of fat on my love handles & I dont look like Jarrod Leto from Dallas Buyers Club!

I also am not sure how much improvement it will make to my marathon time next year. Trying to calculate that will be difficult as I will be lighter and have significantly more running volume under my belt. What I know for sure is that I expect big things of myself in 2015, and by laying down sensible base miles now, staying injury free by working in the gym and leaning up to racing weight I am giving myself every opportunity to do that.

Speaking of goals - all I want from 2015 is to PB at those 4 key race distances. 5,10, 21 and Marathon. I am choosing only to race at races that are flat cool and fast, so will be avoiding racing courses, and locations that I know dont suit me. What this means is probably also squeezing in all of my racing between April and October. Gives me a shot - on my calender at 2 marathons, 2 half marathons, 2 10kms and a few 5km.

If I get time next week I'll throw up my race plans for 2015, I have pretty much locked them in. I dont race a 10km until April - so its all about that base at the moment!

Stay Safe on the Run