What marathon training? who cares!

I've done bugga all marathon training for Sydney, which i was ( AM? ) still really keen on! Maybe its just post Cities PB blues? Or maybe as i have been really busy with kids, work, other stuff. Probably a bit of both.

The week past:
Monday: stair reps - 5 X 16 flights
Tuesday - boxercise(jazzaxise...whatever... - focus on stomach muscles - ouch.
Wednesday - more stairs - same as before
Thursday - 4.5km run home from blacktown station
Friday - guess what...more stairs. same as monday.
Saturday - 12km run, with 3 rep of 8 min at about 4:30 pace - thats smokin for me! Followed by 19km run with rach, with a stop at my parents for 15 mins at 12km for a drink and chicken wing.
Sunday - 30km bike ride with Rach.

So, not a typical marathon training week, but plenty of stuff to keep me going. R's HIM is fast approaching, and the training is getting tough. But she has a few training partners now - time to lean on them for company and motivation i think. We cant wait to go away to cheer her on!!!

Also, managed to buy 2 good bikes off ebay for the girsl - both lightweight ladies MTB - simple shimano gears, good brakes, great value. There were about $80 each, and the girls love them! :-)

The sydney tower run up is on Friday - thank god! I will probably continue one stair session a week in training, but the three sessions play havoc with my mara training and flex time!

And remember....Troopy still rocks.

Evelators Rock

Having signed up for the Sydney Tower Run Up, i have done two stair work outs this week, and my calves are killing!!!! It is so hard. Its on the 29th August, so i only have 3 weeks to worry about it luckily!!!

I walked the CR West Sydney 5km challenge today - a really nice way to hang out with running friends and have the kids get active too. It is a great idea!!

I did do a nice 12km run with 4 x 1km intervals one early morning before work, and one session of boxing training ( boxercise, jazzacise, whatever...) at the PCYC, so despite a lack of distance running, i still feel like I had a good week.

Just finishing it off, having spend an arvo at Homebush relaxing, good food ( too much!!) and good company. Noice.

Running Rocks

Ian ELGEY

Quakers Hill (NSW)

Male

3:44:18

30-39

Thats what i achieved from 4 months of work!! And i am stoked!! I cracked sub 3:45 !! It was a great result from a tough and enjoyable build up!!! The training plan was doable ( well, i never did a full week !! ) , and the runs with friends were awesome ( lots of good long runs with Marls and BennyR ), and the support from Rach and the kids was critical and fantatic!!! All up, a great result i am proud of from solid work and support from many people!

I was very grateful to get some encouraging emails, phone calls and sms's the day before the race - all were very unexpected and most appreciated. :-)

I blogged i guess ( post race report ) on CR instead of here, but a week later, and just back from a run with Ben and Marls ) I thought i would update the blog, and try and get back in the habit, maybe weekly.

Rather then type, below are some photos from the marathon, one typical of a cold morning run from home, and a few from this mornings run around Homebush/Meadowbank (regular training route). I think together they show why i run better then i could put into words.