TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2008

Bit of a crazy morning. Heading out for my usual warm up around Tunks Park, I came across a dead body directly under the Northbridge Bridge. Initially I thought it was a sack of fertiliser or woodchips left by the grounds keeper, however as I got closer the face jumped out at me. Asked if he was ok, but then realised he definitely wasn't. His spine was twisted up around his crumpled body, and the pools of blood around his head and from his nose and ears shocked me into action. Ran back to the carpark to where my mobile phone was and called the police. They were there within 5 mins and we jogged over to the scene. They confirmed that he was indeed dead, and after taping off the area they took a statement ("so... you were RUNNING down here? This early?"). Don't think I am a suspect.

One of the officers said that this was actually quite a common area for suicides, which shed some clarity on the remnants of police tape that I have occasionally seen whilst running by. Definitely left me in a bit of a daze, and probably gave the ERS athletes a bit of a scare, entering the carpark to see 6 police cars strewn over the lot.

Anyway... back to the training. The initial plan for the session was a 40min fartlek run around the circumference of all three ovals, however I thought it best to steer clear of the western side of the park and concentrate on the top oval. We ended up doing 6 x 6 min runs (1min easy, 1min hard x 3), with the guys tapering for Canberra HIM performing 4-5 reps. I myself performed 4 reps as my quads were still bloody sore (probably a little worse as the true effects of DOMS kicked in), my back was tightening up (must book in to see osteo Dave and physio Jobe) and I really wasn't in a good head space. The 1 min easy was taken at marathon race pace (3:40-4:00/km) and the 1 min hard was taken at ideal 10k race pace (at 2:50-3:05/km I was being optimistic!). Tried to keep it smooth and fluent, but it was a real struggle.

Luke H was running very well today, latching onto the Pete F and Steve B group. He should have a good run in Canberra. Rachel G popped along to the session and was working well with Scott A (who was training the house down as usual). With his willingness to push his body to its max again and again, it is easy to see how Scott gets his results so quickly. Nicola P made her ERS debut and was running very well, demonstrating that she still has the running ability that took her to representative honours in Cross Country as a school girl. The performance of the day went to Tim B who, returning from a 3 week absence from training, was motoring around the oval in close pursuit of Adam L. A few more ERS sessions like that and he will be in sub 40min 10k form for February Striders.

TRAINING:

AM: ERS Track Session
1) 5min progressive warm up (5:00/km down to 3:30/km). Drills (2 x knee lift #1, 2 x knee lift #2).
2) 4 x 6min fartlek runs (1min easy, 1min hard) (1min walk recovery b/ween efforts)
3) 5 min c/down. 10km total for session.

4 x 6min fartlek runs (1min easy, 1min hard)
1) 1.86km (3:14/km)
2) 1.78km (3:22/km)
3) 1.84km (3:15/km)
4) 1.81km (3:18/km)