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Fall (noun): another name for Autumn; the season which comes before winter and after summer.

Fall (verb): to perform disappointingly.

Fall (verb):  move downward, typically rapidly and freely without control.

Fall (verb): to tumble or trip

 

In a nutshell, the last month has involved all of the above.

 

Seasonally, autumn is one of my favourite times of year. Born and bred in the mountains, I always get a thrill when that bite returns to the morning air. I catch myself dawdling in sunny patches and sprinting across the shady parts of my runs. Somehow being hot and puffed but with skin that is still chilled to the touch.

 

Unfortunately, the past month has also involved some disappointment. Headed for the Olympic trials in Melbourne, I was hoping to pull out a 5000m PB to finish off my track season on a high. Although qualification was not at all my aim, I thought the event would be a great experience of elite competition. This race brought a rare occasion in which my coach and I had planned out a month of training directly focussed on one run. With all the sessions ticked off, a solid taper period and good preparation, I felt strong and excited to race. Most of all, I was keen to run fast. However, it wasn’t to be. Despite placing 4^th, I was more than 30 secs shy of my target time. Even more frustrating was the fact that I stepped off the track with no explanation for why. Needless to say it was a less-than-satisfying close to the season.

 

On the up-side, the end of track meant the start of cross country season. After a restless 2 weeks break from training, I have now hit the cross country trails once again. Of course, this involves seeking out some good hills and cranking up the effort. As they say, what goes up must come down, bringing me to definition number three. No-one likes the feeling of jelly legs after a sharp climb, so there have been some quite rapid, uncontrolled descents. When you combine this with wet, slippery trails from the persistent rain, it doesn’t end well…or cleanly! You know you’ve done a decent run when you return with muddy hands and knees.

 

This weekend brings the first of the long races. I’ll be a rookie in the Newcastle ‘Hill-to-Harbour’ challenge. Starting virtually at my front door, I couldn’t exactly miss out on the fun! 10km of scenic running (if you have time and energy to look), including some nasty hills and rapid ‘falls’. I’m also looking towards some longer stuff such as the SMH Half Marathon in May. Racing in Opens cross country this year will also mean a step up from 6km to 8km.

 

All in all, not a bad few months to look forward to. And of course, what better inspiration than watching the Aussies take on the world at the Olympics! It’s made it all the more exciting being familiar with the athletes trying to qualify, rather than just names you hear on the TV. Witnessing my coach’s attempt to qualify for the marathon, I now appreciate the huge effort involved in planning, training and staying healthy in the lead up to such an event.

 

For now, all I can do is hope the next month of training “falls” into place!

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6am Monday morning and its peak hour at Newcastle foreshore.

Joggers in colour-coordinated brand-name outfits, shufflers in baggy souvenir race shirts from the 90s and long socks, young guns trailing iPod cords and pumped-up music… all strut their stuff in the early dawn light. I even had to queue to use the surf club toilets!

It’s probably my favourite part of the day and one of the reasons I love the place I’ve been living over summer. There’s this real upbeat and positive vibe when you head out for a run in the morning, and you can’t help but feel refreshed as you get caught in the ocean spray and watch the sun come up. And as I dodge around packs of lycra-clad cyclists and old guys in speedos, I am reminded of why I drag myself out of bed to run. No stopwatches, no track markings, no one to notice your splits. Shuffler or superstar, we’re all out here doing the same thing.

2012 has started off pretty well for me. I finished off an 11-day stint at Falls at full training volume after a few weeks of light load due to injury. Back on the flat, I turned my attention to the 1500m at Hunter Track Classic on Jan 21^st. I was hoping to pick up some speed, having built a solid winter fitness base.

Training felt quite different for me as I tried to tap into my lactic system more. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed some of the sessions with my favourite being series of 200m sets at different paces and recoveries. Surrounded by the awesome atmosphere at Hunter, I had high expectations for myself to run a PB. However, I just did not seem to be able to find any leg speed despite the fast-paced race and ended up pretty disappointed with my time. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry the following week at training when I finished a tough threshold/ hill reps session with a 1500m along an undulating gravel track in roughly the same time as my track race! So much for my well-planned taper, spikes and race conditions!!

Over the next few months, I’m looking forward to watching and racing the track classics. I have decided to focus on the 5000m to hopefully race in Melbourne. Along the way, I will get a few track races in but I’m wary of doing too much on the synthetic surface as I tend to develop niggles quickly this way. Although I’m a cross country tragic at heart, there’s a certain sort of buzz at track meets which is unrivalled. It’s awesome to watch the tactical races play out and I admire the rapid turns of speed.

I’ve also just commenced work at a gym so I am stepping into an unfamiliar world of weight machines and group fitness.  Learning heaps every day and might even start to mix up my training with some more strength work and pilates. Perhaps even embarrass myself at zumba!

For now, I’m just enjoying soaking up the gorgeous summer sunrises and the feel of running barefoot on a grass track.

“Don't work towards freedom; let the work be the freedom." - Dogen Roshi

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•     Celia Sullohern (Distance, Cross-Country)
•     Eliza Curnow (800m/1500m)
•     Johnny Rayner (800m)

Celia Sullohern (NSW)

• Born: 05/07/1992
• Coach: Scott Westcott
• Personal Best's: 
  • 3000m - 9:30.26
  • 5000m - 16:14.47 (mix)
  • 6km CC - 20:02
• Major Achievements:
  • 21st - 2011 World Junior Cross Country Championships
  • 1st - 2011 World Junior Cross Country Trials
  • 1st - 2011 Australian Junior Cross Country Championships
  • 1st - 2011 NSW Cross Country Championships (U/20)
  • 1st - 2011 NSW Short Course Cross Country Championships (U/20)
  • 2nd - 2010 Australian All Schools Cross Country Championships
  • 2nd - 2010 Australian Junior and Youth Championships (3000m)
  • 3rd - 2010 Oceania Cross Country Championships

There is no doubt that Sullohern is an athlete on the rise, with her crowning moment coming at the 2011 World Junior Cross Country Championships. Only 10 Australian junior women have ever placed in the top-20 at the World Championships, so Sullohern's 21st placing was an outstanding result.

Sullohern has recently moved out of home to attend University in Newcastle (Bachelor of Physotherapy), and is now 100% focussed on a running career. Although she has raced sparingly on the track in the past, Sullohern will attempt to set PB's over 3000m and 5000m over the coming domestic season.

Overall Sullohern is a very talented athlete with a great future over the distance events, both on the track and in Cross Country events. Look out for even more big performances from the 19 year-old over the coming 12 months!

Eliza Curnow (VIC)

• Born: 03/03/1992
• Coach: Bruce Sriven
• Personal Bests:
  • 800m - 2.04.83
  • 1500m - 4.25.56
• Major Achievements:
  • 1st - 2011 Australian Junior Championships (800m)
  • 2nd - 2011 Australian Junior Championships (1500m)
  • 3rd - 2010 Australian Junior Championships (800m)
  • 3rd - 2010 Australian Junior Championships (1500m)
  • 2nd - 2009 Australian All-Schools Championships (800m)
  • 5th - 2011 Australian Open Championships (800m)

Curnow burst onto the scene in 2011 with an impressive win at the Australian Junior Championships, but more impressive was her 5th placing at the Australian Open Championships in Melbourne in April. Her time of 2.04.83 places her at no.10 on the Australian Junior all-time ranking list and more importantly it showed us that Eliza Curnow is a name to watch out for in 2012.

Expectations are high for the 19 year-old Victorian over the coming years, with a time around 2.02 over the coming domestic season definately on the cards. With Tamysn Manou likely to race many times over 800m throughout the domestic season (chasing an Olympic "A" qualifier) it will be a great opportunity for Curnow to step up into the senior ranks and race the likes of Manou and fellow Victorians, Kelly Hetherington and Katherine Katsanevakis on a regular basis.

Johnny Rayner (VIC)

• Born: 25/03/1991
• Coach: Gregor Gojzeweski
• Personal Bests:
  • 400m - 48.20sec (2010)
  • 800m - 1.47.98 (2011)
• Major Achievements:
  • 3rd - 2011 Australian Championships (800m)
  • 4th - 2010 Australian Junior Championships (400m)
  • Member of the 4x400m squad for 2010 World Junior Championships

In all honesty there would have been a few people at Olympic Park who were watching the men's 800m final at the 2011 Australian Championships saying Johnny who? Although Rayner represented Australia at the World Junior Championships in the 4x400m (although he didn't manage to run due to injury), many athletic fans wouldn't have known too much about Johnny Rayner prior to his bronze medal performance at the Australian Championships.

This is largely due to the fact that Rayner was almost lost to another sport entirely - AFL football. Therefore in 2008/09 we didn't see much of Rayner on the track, after previously running a 1.51.50 as a 16 year-old in 2007. Although a career in the AFL has eluded Rayner, we are now witnessing one of the next middle distance stars in Australia - specifically over the two laps. What can Rayner produce in 2012? Only time will tell, but we can tell you that there is much excitement surrounding this 'surprise' bronze medalist from the 2011 Australian championships!