Sunday, April 17, 2011

20km out and back - monaco

20km today. Its a perfect day for a walk. Sunny, calm and mild temp of 14degs......

I had got up and read Tammy's blog and was on such a high for her. She had just completed a half marathon and had achieved a pb too!!! I headed out the door and struck out on my 20km. I was feeling good and not too tired. I suddenly realised that I had forgotten to take my iron tablets....for the last couple of weeks.....bugger..mental note to self .... set alarm on cell phone to remind you to take them!!!....... anyhow.....I was most surprised to see I had completed my first km in 6:17....I would think that is my fastest yet. I turned at the end of the track and zoomed down Beatson's Road. I reached the 5km mark in 29:27 and was pleased with that. I didnt take a drink with me today as I figured I would get a drink at the water tower. Well that didnt turn out how I planned. As I came up to the tower I noted it had been blocked off and that a new path had been made to divert around it. I decided to push on but that I would jump the fence when I came back as i really needed a drink. I got out to the 10km turn in 60:07 and stopped briefly to adjust my clothing and then I turned and started the journey home.

I spent the next couple of km's pondering my up coming races, thinking how I will try to get some sponsorship, wondering how Maryanne was getting on with her 50km race today and Sarah who was to be racing an hour race. But I was most pleased for my friend Tammy, I knew she needed a really good boost and today she well and truly got it.

Before I knew it I was back at the water tower. So I stopped my watch and found a gap in the fence....zipped in got a drink and zipped back out again. The new path that they have made is really steep. The is no way I could race walk up it.....it might only be 5 mtres long but it was a short sharp rise. It will be a shock for those doing the half marathon in a couple of weeks as I think the changes may shorten the course....only by 2 or 3 metres but still......for those that are very serious about distance etc....that is 2 or 3 metres too much. Plus that rise is going to feel like a mountain second time over it. It will be tough enough for me doing it just once.

I was really pleased to pass through the 15km mark in 1:30:44, hmmmm if I didnt have the 2km of rise to go back up I felt I would have got a 2hour 20km today....I almost spun around then and continued the 5km on the flat......BUT.... I am not meant to be worrying about time and pace for my long walks.......heart rate is more important!!!! so I carried on and headed up the hill and on to the walkway back to home.

I still managed to get home in my fastest time yet for training on that course or just 20km training full stop. 2:02:01 with an avg heart rate of 145

I felt really good about this walk.

20km out and back - monaco

1 comment:

Tammy said...

Very, very nice walk indeed! You are raising the bar yet again for me :). That's good - will keep me motivated!

Thank you for your text and for your nice comments in the blog :). I feel very encouraged! You're an awesome mate :).