Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Cold front came through overnight, left the mountain for warmer weather, shopping and a motel. In Albertville, 6 x 8min, 1min recovery, approx half marathon pace. Legs a bit fatigued from yesterday's ascent of Alpe d'Huez.

Swapped shoes for bicycle, climbed the mythical Alpe d'Huez ascent 720m asl to 1815m asl, 21 switchbacks, hard, hard, hard, 74 minutes to Minnie 89. Exhausted, hopefully a warm down jog later.

Just saw a deer run up the altiport at alpe d huez wot ? Altitude training again, ran to a glacier this morning this afternoon washing the clothes at 2000 m asl

Kt 1713, sk 1744, gt 1810 on frylink h, psw 36 on thomas, both ast 80+ well done, l&p there also well done allxx

Wot!

Yesterday a cold front swept through Briancon, 100min jog on mountain bike track along a rushing river, finished jogging through the medieval cite of Vauban. Skies cleared late afternoon, drove 32km into Italy, night in Renault at Sestriere. Woke to clear skies, minus 2. This morning jog on last 8km of Giro d'Italia penultimate stage, forest road with deer and marmotte, snow everywhere, returned from 2335m asl, an ascent of 400m. I think we are hill fit now. Now to eat, drink, be merry, wait for lycra to come. Easy week was 108km. Knee niggle went away. Back up to 125km last 7 days.

Drove from Apt to Galibier with a stop at Embrun for coffee and frites. Ran from Col du Lautaret 2055m asl to Col du Galibier 2556m asl, almost exactly 500m ascent on a sunny afternoon. Spent some time at the kiosk at the top before descending back down the mountain. Awesome views, Glacier de Meije more spectacular than ever. Have been icing my left knee...yesterday with gelati pistachio, today with snow...not quite as delicious.

No, not really going to review them other than say that two bottles were consumed on successive nights,, one from Duflot's farmhouse, one from the chateau Russell Crowe inherits in the movie. Both were shiraz and grenache, Canorgue with carignan variety as well. Vintages 20007,2008. Smooth and delicate, similar, not surprising as they are located within a mile of each other, both grown with organic methods. Our journey to the Luberon is complete with a 12km jog to the market at Gargas this morning and back. In 2008 Tour de France came through the Luberon and past our hotel room. It took only an hour to visut before finishing the stage at Digne les Bains...where we were sitting under an oak tree 150m from the finish sipping ice cold nesquick offered repeatedly by a young man dressed in yellow. Happy to have had the chance to sit still for two weeks and taste how almonds, wheat, olives, figs, grapes, cherries, limestone etc can add colour and inspiration to so many people by artisans...

Just a gentle jog this morning around the lake, another similar when it cools off...32 today Rousillon is one of the last villages on our list. Walked that village today. Known for the ochre and a nice view of the Luberon as well. A market on the way home...the smell of paella, fruit of the sea.

On the velo way early, 6 x 6mins, 1min recovery, approx half marathon pace. Three easier days helped freshen the legs. A tub of gelati used on the knee (ice is so boring, the flavour framboise) has cured the inflamation of running lots of hills. Today the trip to Oppede, built into a cliff, mulberry in the ville square, cherry and vineyards in the valley below. Two days left in provence before we head back to Italy for a day trip to see the Giro d'Italia, penultimate stage in Sestriere.

Jbhifi quicker than last week 5th overall bravo l&p not the same level as last week Gold Coast the focus pink superwoman great run times later, not up yet H the course in reverse cheering on, handing out banana?

Started out from Pont Julien along the veloway until lost scent of it due to roadworks (must have been right), then through narrow lanes of vineyards and cherry trees (a 5 tree stop run) to the top of Lacoste and back. 80 minutes all up, a bit longer than planned.

Entered it an hour or so after entries opened, 5pm in France...relief...

Kt 19:57, sk 21:09, missy 23:20, richard 27:28 well done all , bkt is back

Back in the Luberon again after three nights hotel kangoo style just below the tree line on Mont Ventoux. More running and riding up hills, exploring the villages below, strolling the markets, waiting for the afternoon thunderstorm to roll in late in the day. A lovely 4 days. Now in Apt, the market here is the biggest I've seen, full of local produce and bargains. Strawberries and g-strings on sale today... After 3x120km weeks a recovery week scheduled. Something like 100km? When I am fresh and niggle free ramp it up again. Today's photo from Sault looking towards Ventoux, the lavender fields just starting to bloom.

Drove to sault for the market and pique nique then to camp ventoux a long run and pommy wash.

20 minute jog, market in Lacoste, cave a vin in Lourmarin, market in Cucaron (and the pond from A Good Year), 50 minute jog in Pertuis, Johnny Depp.

A ploddle warm up from the hotel yesterday, hefty man passes me on the bike path, "BON SOIR", he slows so much I have to walk to let him get away, keeps looking back to see if he has dropped me yet, i feel so bad to pass him.. finally I cave in to the slowness, turn around, 3 minute interval, that's it, I am back at etap. Today off to the market at Lacoste, a jog before, going bush for a few days..i miss those pommy wash...not sure where, not sure when

This morning a longish run of 75 minutes up to the perched village of Saignon, done from the hotel. Tried to follow an old roman road to the village, got stuck in thick bush, ended up in a newly ploughed wheat field and the sound of a vicious barking dog...the next time I will stick to the road. Grabbed a handful of cherries from a stray tree, they are now fully ripe and delicious.

Yesterday an afternoon jog along the velo path for 3km, tempo run back in 10 min.

Longish run from the ruins of chateau Lacoste owned by Piere Cardin. Through forest on small paths then towards Menerbes and back for brunch. Drove all the way to the perched village Menerbes for a stroll. Have now bagged most of the film locations from A good year. All to do now is taste the wine from Chateau Siroque (Canorgue). Last 2 weeks ave 123km + 50km velo

Long run from Bonnieux up to the top of the Luberon, past, around and inside a borrie, stop at a cherry tree, try to find a baguette in Bonnieux, a thunderstorm...75 minute forest run.

Stromlo 7.5km xc kt 31:18 3rd female sk 34:15 Arafura half marathon l&p jbhifi both 86mins well done all

Longish run of 70 mins this morning, up into the hills, vineyards, cherry orchards of the Luberon. The cherries are nearly ripe. Delicious. Finished off on the bike path with two solid efforts, 40 second recovery..about 10km race pace. The pique nique at the two perched towns of Lacoste and Bonnieux. Amazing part of the world. Almost no tourists at Lacost, a market in full swing at Bonnieux.

A slow morning ploddle, the legs are fatigued. Brunch at Gourdes in the 1000ad cite, honeycomb rocky chateau and tiny lanes all full of boutique shops and cafe. Magical place. A scene from Russell CRowe's A Good Year, his romantic interest was shot here. I remember the scene well, fight in background with man falling into the fountain.

Two days on the mountain.Day 1 drop Minnie 20km from the summit direction from Sault, I drive to summit @ 1920m asl, run down to 1450m asl (6.5km) escort her back to the summit taking video and photo of her ascent...forgot about my own climb..very hard getting ahead to take the good shit, then to surge back onto her wheel again. Almost a race for 40 min, 70 in total. Today roles reversed. I ride to summit from 1500m asl (6km) in time trial mode, could not hold 15kph in the last 2km when the gradient hit 8-9%. Minnie ran up while I wait at the top. Spent last night below the tree line at a pique nique rest area in the hotel Kangoo. Now in Provence, Luberon, Apt.

sk 1st m50-59 20:27 gt 2nd m50-59 20:35 missy 6th w40-49 23:48 richard 5rh m50-59 27:34 kt 1st w40-49 20:13 h 21:10 (time could be wrong) kj 20:59 batwoman 10km 40:51

Every location presents new terrain, often not suitable to do the sessions I'd like to. Today I was presented with a citadel above the town of Sisteron..wot to do? A. 8 x 20 sec power hills below the walls of the fort. MDCFR results: I only know kj did 20:59, others were close together.

We were here in 2008 for a Tour de France depart and 2009 quick visit en route to Monaco for the prologue...never once met the lake. Today a jog of the lake, shopping (Minnie pink Nike0 skirt, moi t-shirt) brunch and a pommy wash.

How do you describe ascending from 1850m asl to 2400m asl while running through snow, marsh, straight up the ski slopes of Montgenevre? I guess that's how! Wot a view...and we found 4 euro in coinage...how did all those marmotte not find them. 60 minutes all up, 30 minutes all down. Voila. The pique nique back in the resort, the usual baguette, fromage suisse, concombre, tomat, moutarde dijon, avocat and a special treat mother's day, tarte clafoutis cherises..delicious.

Up early this morning, climbing through the labyrinth of tunnels that connect the fort in the old cite perched above Briancon. Today a longer tempo, approx 20 minutes in honour of my friends who are mothers and did the classic today. Well done to l&p, jbhifi in the Arafura triathlon.

At the start waiting the first teams in the time trial. 90 minutes jog this morning. Yesterday on the bike up Galibier until the landslide stopped us.

Another cloudless sky, brisk in the morning warming to around 27 today. Off towards Italy soon. Over the border tnoz and on to Torino for the opening stage and team time trial of Giro d'Italia. This morning again laying a tempo base for later on. 6x 5-6 ninutes at threshold, 1 minute recovery. KM last 7 days=120 Bike last 7 days=123km Weight=¿¿

Dropped Minnie half way up the mountain (a long flattish one today), drove to Le Menuires leaving her 10km to ascend while I ran from 1730m asl to 2000m asl, back down, a bit more up (total tempo 25 mins), then the pique nique up the road further still at Val Thorens where they were still skiing. This climb adds to the list of Tour de France ascents we have been bagging over the years. Not many better things to do than climb a mountain and stroll through a village or have a pique nique at the top.

I remember when I first started researching how to do Tour de France, coming across a description of the bike path along the lake of Annecy. A beautiful lake and little Venice centre ville, the bike path was only 13km in length back in 2005. By the time we first came in 2008 it was about 30km long using the old rail line. Every year we come a bit more is added. Today's ride was 36.5km x 2, with pique nique in the park near the ville. Salad, fromage, artesan baguette, pastries x 2...delicious...mine bum is sore:-)

Along the river Isere again, 6 x 5-6 minutes, 1 minute recovery. Not too fast again. Will build up to 45 minute tempo interval session over the next 2-3 months. City2Surf entries open soon.

Dropped Minnie near the bottom of the switchback ascent to Meribel. I drove to the village, ran for 25 minutes up to about 1800m asl, turned around, down until I met Minnie just before she had ridden into the village, up again for another kilometre to the Kangoo. Drove across to Courchevel for the daily pique nique, then on to the medieval village of Conflans for a stroll.

50km in 2 hours, not ready for a duathlon yet...well conditioned for eating picnics.

Cold early morning run along the river Isere, someone has marked out 1.5km with 100m marks since I last ran here (was it you sk?). Not long enough for me, I kept on running. Snow on the hills all around, market vegetables just newly planted, very near to a frost today. Will warm to about 28 by lunch. The intervals 6 x 5 minutes with 1 minute jog between. Not too fast. About City2Surf pace. Soon shopping and to put the bicycle together so I can ride to Annecy and back. It looked very inviting on the drive in yesterday. Everyone wearing summer clothes, the lake and snow capped mountains as beautiful as ever.

Yesterday a 25 minute tempo run from Aubonne (start of Tour de Romandie time trial stage) all up to Signal de Bougy. In the afternoon another 15 minute tempo all up in the forest at 1100m asl...Camp Skippi. (Skippi joined us at our wild campsite, see image). Today a 55 minute run at 1500m asl from Col du Marchairuz (kom for stage 5) including more tempo hills. Looking forward to some flat runs and a bike ride tmoz in between Albertville and Annecy. Also good ro have some company for part of my runs as Minnie is on her feet again and running quite strongly.

Do they match gt? Wot?