Saturday Long Run

Decided to meet up with Tess and the other running buddies at 6am after they had been running for an hour.
With the Canberra Marathon looming it was the weekend to get that last long long run in the training diary.

Got down to St Lucia Golf Club and saw a mob of runners coming in just a few minutes before 6. Wow the group is really starting to grow!
I was all geared up with Tess to do our run and then to follow in the footsteps of RayJames.... do the last 12km at race pace.
We ran for just over an hour along the river, passing lots of friends and generally having a great time chatting to everyone. Sargent Claire was out in full force to make sure we didn't linger at any water stops or stop talking for too long... Got to the gardens and was busting to go to the loo. As I didn't want to run with my fuel belt I had drank about 3litres of water since waking up. Found one eventually in the garden cafe and when I came out decided to have my gu thingy. First time I have had one of those. I didnt enjoy it overly much and quickly found a tap to drink enough water to wash it all down. Tess and the others were just running laps in the garden whilst waiting for me - how great were they. I was happy I didn't have to throw it up a gear to catch up to them.

After the first hour (TEss's second hour) we stopped for some water and for everyone else to have their gu/fuel. Lizzle discussed how she had made her special drink and that had us laughing. Being the chef she was keen to tell us exactly when to add 'a pinch of sea salt' etc. Guess you had to be there.

So it was here at the turn around I saw Tess head out and I thought this is where we are going to go faster. I caught up and we then ran together a fast 8km and left the other runners far behind. My gu thingy was really kicking in and I felt great.

Got to the marker on the track that said 4km (from the Regatta) and I threw a gear and did that km in 4:35, then we slowed to 4:45 for the next one then I did another 4:45 then a final 4:33. Got to the regatta tired and thirsty. We stopped for water and greeted the Regatta Runners who were just finishing their long run for the day.

Then Tess was keen to keep moving so we jogged on along back to our starting point at St Lucia. At this stage I had done 20km - with final 8km being fast - and I was exhausted. Tess had done an hour before me and had done 29km by now but had another 6 to do. So whilst I coached her and cheered she did a few large laps of a nearby sporting field as we waited for the rest of the group to catch up.

Soon enough they started to show and we hopped back on the bitumen and joined in.

Arrived back at the Golf Club in total two hours (of running) and finished with the others. Tess and Liz kept going so I spent a few minutes calling out words of wisdom as they took off to do another two kilometres (to get the 35+km for the final long run).

By the time I went into the cafe and ordered breakfast and sat down there was Tess arriving looking like she was on her way OUT for a run....not someone who had just finished 35km - with a racepace 8km thrown in there!!! Watch this space for some great runs from that little lady later this year.

ME - I feel tired and exhausted. I am going to sleep for seven days and then see what the week brings. Nonetheless I felt todays run was exactly what I needed and felt really good when I finished. Yesterdays' blisters from the orthotics didn't bother me so I was really pleased about that.

Gosh only three weeks to go.......