RIP John Wethered

Mon: 5.5K @ 6:30
Tue: 7K Run @ 6:30
Thu: 5 * 1K Intervals @ 4:50
Fri: 7K Run @ 6:15
Sat: 36K Ride @ 26kph
Sun: 15K Run @ 6:30
Mon: 5.5K @ 6:30
Tue: 10K @ 6:08
Thu: 7K @ 6:15
Sat: Coolrunning 5K Challenge 25:25
Sun: 17K @ 6:28 - messy
Mon: 5.5K Slow

On Sunday a cyclist was killed in a training accident at Engadine. That
cyclist was John Wethered, an Ironman triathlete and a really nice guy.

I worked with John for a couple of years before I really started getting
into running, but I was clued in enough to know he was serious about his
training the second I met him - Polar don't make wristwatches.

I still exchanged emails with John occasionally and at the odd social
gathering or race we would exchange training stories. John always took
an interest in how my running was going and I really appreciated it. The
world will be a poorer place without him.

My training has been solid in the aeons since my last blog entry. I've
been enjoying the slower training of the new approach, but I have
noticed that the two speedwork sessions I've done have been very slow. I
don't know if the new approach isn't working for me or I'm still just
digging myself out of the hole that I've been in for the last couple of
months, but I'll stick with it. KT's phrase that "we are all an
experiment of one" still rings true - the statistician in me does not
yet have enough data to draw a meaningful conclusion on the
effectiveness of the new approach.

Last weekend was a good one. I ran the CR Challenge with Deidre, who I
ran with last month. I stopped for a shoelace 1500m in and caught back
up with her, and we were on 25 minute pace 3K in. Unfortunately the
catch up had taken it's toll and after 3500 I told her to go on. I
limped in on 25:25. We have made tentative plans to attempt 24:45 next
month.

The highlight of the day for me was the fact that I was able to catch up
with The Owl, as we hadn't spoken for months. It turned out to be a
great day for catching up - I tracked down a uni friend I hadn't spoken
to for 5 years in Canada later in the day and we spent half an hour on
the phone.

My Sunday long run was a bit messy. I ran on the M7 bike path between
Elizabeth Drive and Wallgrove Road. I did some 6 minute K's early in the
piece, which is a bit quicker than I should be going. That shouldn't
have
Stuffed me, but stuff me it did. I was feeling well and truly buggered
by 17K and had some very ordinary kilometres late in the run, which
averaged to 6:28. It wiped me out for the rest of the day.

Oh, and I did buy the Skins. I'm wearing them after every session and I
think they are effective.