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Taper Day Run 16km ; 12 x 200m : Steve 8 x 200m

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Warm, cloudy, rough seas for my 16km run on the first day of my taper off towards my first race at Australian Masters Athletics Championships in the 10000m. Having run just under 150km in the last week I'll reduce training volume by 1 km each day until the Championships begin. I won't drop intensity of my key sessions until the final week. This morning the key session was 12 x 200m, short recovery. Any easy recovery run later in the day. Steve ran 8 x 200m on a criterium track earlier in the morning at good pace.

Long Run 17km incl 10 x 200m Beach Intervals at low tide

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Early morning 17 km run including a set of 10 x 200m Beach Intervals at low tide on fast sand. In the afternoon a short recovery run. I am camping at the beach until I leave for Parkrun on Friday. My 10 day taper for Australian Masters Athletics Championships starts tomorrow.

Taper Time Tuesday

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I am back in St Helens having just completed my Sunday Long Run of 21 km. My weekly volume peaked four days ago at 151km for the week, now sitting at 143km after an easy day to lighten up for Parkrun. Taper officially commences in two days time, 10 days before my first race at Australian Masters Athletics Championhips with the 10000m track. This week lower volume but maintaining intensity with Parkrun again on Saturday, my final hitout before the Championships. Today cool and cloudy, not much wind.

Our Park Parkrun 1st 18:56

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Cold and Windy at Our Park Parkrun 1st in 18:56. I ran the course a few days ago. This morning to test shoes for grip, then reverted to the original pair. Warm up 1 extended past the turn point on an out and back twice course, 3.4km(well past the turn), into the wind coming back. Warm up 2, one out and back at a solid pace in 11min 54sec. Most important is to stay upright and uninjured. Not long until Australian Masters Athletics Championships. Splits(500m):1:49,1:50,1:54,1:51,1:55,1:56,1:53,1:55,1:53,1:50. The course was safe, I backed off for runners going the other way. I may run here again next weekend on my way to Hobart.

Short Hill Intervals; Long Recovery Run

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Cool morning jog along the beach warming up for a set of 10 x short, steep Grass Hill Intervals with walk back recovery. After Breakfast a long, easy recovery run. Parkrun on Saturday.

Steve 2 x 1km ; 22km Tempo Run, 100-400m Strides ; Parkrun Course Rec

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This morning Steve ran 2 x 1km efforts. I ran another long tempo run with a set of 100m - 400m Strides to finish (a repeat of yesterday). Tomorrow an easier day, Saturday Parkrun. I ran a course Rec in the afternoon.

Morning Run 22km incl Strides100m-400m

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The cold wind of yesterday is gone, partly cloudy, still and cool. The morning run along the bay and return plus 100m-400m leg seed strides, 22km all up, 150km last 7 days. My Taper starts in 6 days for Australian Masters Athletics Championships. This Saturday Parkrun, along with the following Saturday.

Steve Short Intervals, 1km effort ; St Helens Solid 17km incl 3 x 500m, 1 x 1km Intervals

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Steve a step up on the previous week, a set of short Intervals progressively quicker followed by a 1km effort in 3:27. I ran a solid 17km out and back along the bay and return followed by a set of 3 x 500m intervals with a 1km effort to finish. Windy, cloud, some very light drizzle here. A good day to catch up with chores and planning for the week ahead. Meanwhile my friend is enjoying a sunny European Winter.

Not St Helens Parkrun 17km : Training Update

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Morning 17km Run out and Back beside the bay taking the compressed gravel track to it's end and return plus a set of steep hill efforts and 500m grass intervals to finish. Last evening I was free camping along with many others out near the bay of fires. My sleep completely undisturbed until the alarm I set went off for the Tottenham Aston Villa Premier league match, 4nil to Tottenham :-) Training update: 17 days to go until my first race at Australian Masters Athletics Chamionships in Hobart. My program: 10000m track, rest day, 5000m Track, 8000m Cross Country. The training simple full gas 1km Intervals leading up to Parkrun this Saturday and likely the following Saturday (although not flat out, I will have started to taper the volume already, 10 days before the 10000m). In the evening back to Jeanneret Beach Camping Area, beaches both sides of the crushed granite road, great sundowns, both sides. Many people left their camps, back to work after the long weekend.

Not Parkrun Launceston 1 x 5km, 2 x 500m, 2km Warm Down ; St Helens(O'Connors Beach) Not Parkrun 9.8km

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Morning session on the Parkrun Launceston Course as 1 x 5km ( the course) with 2 x 500m out and back from the start, return to the finish (on the flood levee). I was 9 hours on the ferry yesterday, spent the night in Penguin and drove to Launceston for the session and say hello to the Japanese Macaque monkeys in the gardens. Then off to St Helens on the East Coast where I ran on their PR Course (O'Connors Beach) total 9.8km as a jog/loosener from another long drive. 

Night Pre- Spirit of Tasmania Boarding Run 15km

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I wasn't banking on fitting a run in today. Very lucky things were on my side and I got in 15km before departure to Tassie. I've done this same trip as a night journey a few years ago. The dog didn't like being put in a stainless steel kennel for the journey. I wouldn't put a dog through it again. On the other side of Bass Straight there is a heat wave today. I will have to be on the alert to bush fires for a day or two. No Parkrun today. Balyang is the closest PR to the spirit. Nearly impossible to do both. I did run Balyang PR in 2017.

Pre-Dawn Intervals 10 x 1km

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Up early for a session of 10x 1km in the car park when no cars are there (gate locked). After the session I grabbed at hot shower from the swim centre. I'll be able to fit in a run tomorrow morning before I head off to catch the Spirit of Tasmania at 8am. 

Early Morning 17km Tempo Run

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I arrived in Geelong last evening and slept like a log having driven the journey a day quicker than I had planned. This morning lots of stretching to shake out the niggles from driving 9 hours. The run was in the dark on a hotdog loop in a car park until there was good light. 17km for the morning run. I'll run again in the afternoon. I watched the Spirit of Tasmania dock this morning on a night journey. I leave Geelong on Saturday morning on a day trip meaning I will arrive in Tasmania on Saturday night.