ACTVAC XC Handicap : Blewitts

Frylink 3.5km out and back, virtually all down going out, all up coming home. After a fast start caught gt then sk inside the last km. Pushed very hard by sk in the last 400m. My ast of 88.9% weak in comparison to previous runs this year. Fatigued from yesterday. Good news is I should be in group 46 next handicap.
kt 3rd 81.7%, sb 88.9%, sk 76.6%, gt 71.0%, r 58.5%, missy 67.2%

Taylor 7.2km lollipop
E 75.1%, l&p 57.9%, h 66.3%, k 65.9%

Training Period : Preparatory Period 2

Last 3 months an average of 120km+ per week. Terrain not conducive to all the sessions, although a PB power hill yesterday and today's effort demonstrate some of the good elements are there. Tomorrow at the xc handicap and in a fortnight at City2Surf should reveal the truth of where I am really at. Power and race pace I think are the missing elements.

Mistakes made last yearly cycle...
power hills deeper into the cycle (ankle stopped that in 2010-11)
and do regular 400s on track along with the hills (ankle stopped that in 2010-11)
train more on soft surfaces and wear nicer shoes
don't put water on the head in a 10km race
be at optimal race weight for longer periods
race more 800s and 1500s (ankle stopped that in 2010-11)
keep the base, maintain the km output
stretch, warm-up, plank

Preparatory Period 2
August to September

Aims to develop: Aerobic endurance, race pace, speed, strength, power

Training Goal: Aim to fit in no more than 3-4 of the sessions below each week according to body fatigue

LT Runs: steady runs comfortably hard of 20-50 mins at lower threshold, effort =3/10, weekly once

Long intervals: 6,5,4,3,2,1 min, 2 minute recovery jog at upper mid threshold, effort=7/10, weekly once

or on track

1200m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 30sec-1 minute recovery jog at upper mid threshold, effort= 8/10, weekly once

Race Conditioning: XC races, fun run, BBQ stakes, monthly handicap, effort =8/10, monthly

Power: 300m hills on moderate incline, jog back recovery, high hips, effort=7/10, weekly once

150m hills on slight to moderate incline, jog back recovery, high hips, effort=7/10, weekly once (alternate with 300m hills, either weekly)

All sessions begin and conclude with stretching and 4 x 100m strides

Plyometrics, strength training, core stability, yoga optional

Bush Capital 16km

Almost to plan, 30min (before event)+5min during event) warm up, 10 min x 3 with 1 minute recovery, healthy lead, then start passing places 5 to 15 (they all took accidental 1.5km short cut missing toughest hill on the course). Last 22 minutes flat out in order to beat those who all took the short cut. Caught them all with 1km to go. Should have known better, this organiser slack with the signage since the year 2000. I almost took the same wrong turn. Easy to do when the sign is not in the 'optimal' spot (on a different track). Several others on the longer courses same problem. Finish time 60 minutes.

Of my friends: cat woman 2nd female, H 80?, Charlie 80, Minnie 81, GT with friend. YBHIFI & Kelley the 25km, Roger the 42km.

Long Intervals : Bush Capital 6km

Entered the Bush Capital 16km this afternoon. Mostly a good chance to catch up with some well missed friends. I will be repeating a similar session to that I did in Ugine last week, that is after a warm up 10,10,10,10,2:30,2:30 min intervals with 1 min trot recovery between. I should still be able to place highly with that session and avoid smashing myself. City2Surf in a fortnight...smashing myself then.

The event is on this Saturday morning.

Power Hills

Morning trot with Bella, usual loop in the bush with stoppage for a doggie swim in the creek.

Afternoon on the bike path, 6 x 1 minute power hills.

Bella

Bella has a new toy named cadel, i have a new old toy named bella, only a lazy forty today, so tired{-§

Coming home

Just some easy running today from the airport hotel and the village of Le Mesnil Amelot. 90 minutes all up. Then the long journey home and back to reality.
Three months away is a long time. I already know the car doesn't start. I imagine Bella is quite chubby. Life at the beach, trying to play with a pocket sized dog with a heart problem named Basil must be tough. Wait until Bella finds out she is on a diet of pumpkin (we have 14 in the garage from last crop) and running 120km a week. I can already see the smile on her face:-) See you all soon xx

Paris : champs elysees

Here we are, nice seat, big screen, surrounded by aussies, cadel wins tour de france ... Woo hoo. Thirty minutes jogging along the seine this morning, looks like another lazy hour this evening to calm me down. Go cadel, allez cadel, you look good in yellow cadel.

Victoire Cadel

Only 33 mins done today...out I go for a lazy hour. 6 hours driving from Albertville to Paris today to be in a position to both watch Cadel win Tour de France (on tv) and live on the Champs tmoz...bravo Cadel

Rock like Cadel

10km Runner's Shop
kt new pb bkt rlc 40:51
sk 44:30 ; missy 49:10
5km richard new big pb 4 planker extraordinaire 26low
well done all...bubbles on the way i owe you from cheering ama 10km pique nique...thanx so much for that

Go Cadel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIIvsNBXhac

Paris bound : Go Cadel

A quick jog in the morning, then 7 hours on the peage to Hotel Roissy CDG Paris, in time to watch brave Cadel on tv in the time trial. Save a calamity Cadel will be on the podium in Paris for the third time. On top the podium? I believe, I hope, proud of your process Cadel...bravo Cadel...

Cadel Appreciation Day

How is today going to play out today? I have no clue. Just looking at the paper, remembering that all the riders will want to conserve or take a maillot today with the climb over Galibier and final ascent up Alpe d'Huez, here are some thoughts.
Garmin lead Leopard and AG2R by 10 minutes. They will want to get as many over Gaibier as possible. Also Hushovd needs points at the late intermediate sprint. Joining him will be Rojas and Gilbert (points).
Vanendert and Sanchez will attack on Galibier to get maillot point rouge.
Basso and Cunego will be marking each other to be best Italian.
F Schleck will attack today on Alpe d'Huez. A.Schleck will mark Cadel and attack if he makes a mistake. Cadel will mark everybody.
Voeckler will clng like a limpit.
Wot about me...one hour jog, easy 30 later...heart will be pumping...racing starts soon:-) The weather is fine, maybe a shower later.
Go Cadel

Galibier : Long Intervals

Before watching the Galibier stage on the tv some long intervals on the bike path at Ugine. 10,10,2:30,2:30,10,10 minute intervals (45:00 all up) with 1 minute recovery, approx 18km covered in the 65min session.
Raining in the valley, warmish, 6 degrees on Galibier, no chance of snow settling...glad to be on the bed in the motel.
Big day for Cadel, he has two riders in the early break, a strong man and a climber...it will be on for them all today. Cadel will need all the help he can ger. Let's hope it is into a headwind to keep them all bunched together.
12 weeks covered on this journey in France so far 11000km in the car and 1500km on shoes. 130km this week.
Back to the tv...village deparr on France3 has just finished...en direct after the publicity:-)

Gap depart

More snow and thunderstorms overnight, rolled down the hill to watch the depart and collect some free munchies. Only a lazy 30 min jog, more after the tour on tv.
After the depart a drive to Bourg d'Oissans, considered the options, then on to Albertville, etap hotel.
Earlier in the trip we spent some time at Galibier and Alp d'Huez to give us the option of skipping some stages to get us to Paris without rush. We have reserved seats at the finish in Paris on the Champs.
No more camping in the car:-)

Powder hills : power hills

This morning an hour run with 8 x 30 sec, 30 sec off power hills, later a quick passing cold front dumped white stuff all around, back to sun again well before the caravan and riders come through.

Gap

Camped high above gap on col de manse today a long hilly run on a tour rest day, they climb this summit tmoz. If you remember lance ride through a field when beloki crashed in 2003 this is that hill.

Montpellier : Long Intervals

Woke early in Montgailhard, night spent in a quiet pique nique stop, near quiet lane, undulating, only 3 houses, 2.5km long, cows, mountains, forest, neglected pastures...same lane 4 years straight...a favourite. The intervals 6,5,4,3,6 minutes on, 30 sec off.
Then drive to Montpellier, the tour finish, will watch live and on tv just out of the city, in the vineyards.
Today my friends the pancake run at stromlo 5km kt 2nd overall, sk 4th overall, genie back running quite fast...see you all in a week or two:-)

World Masters W60 1500m ks 4th 5:56...great running ks

Plateau de beille part two

Yesterday and today a run three km up the mountain to the summit, then along an undulating xc ski trail to a more peaceful summit, this one the sound of cow bells, not a rock concert. That is the way of summit finishes in the tour. The most exciting, noisy, dramatic, colourful of all the stages and if you choose there is always somewhere more quiet and peaceful.

Plateau de beille

Pique nique

La Mongie : Hills : 621

Twice climbing Tourmalet yesterday, 4 times in 2 days. Felt great to have a 20 minute warm down near sea level just before dark.
Fun day watching the tour yesterday. Tried to get on tv but I did not succeed. Broke the rule of heading off the mountain same day...took 4 hours to go 17km, some walkers beat us down.,.no regrets really...pizza made up for it even if dinner was at 10pm
Today miss the stage, watch on tv. Road closes up the next mountain of Plateau de Beille later so no other choice.
The run today near Foix. 6,5,4,3,2,1 min intervals 30 sec recovery.

Wot?

La mongie : col du tourmalet

Made it up the mountain, no worse weather up here, rain or mist or some alof sky temperature wot is expected of 2100m asl. Last four tours have included tourmalet, easy watching with plenty of atmosphere. Today watching the stage live on the car tv, lying in the back. One run done up the mountain already, another after the tour. Same run every time, 3.5km up with 300m climb to the summit.

Carmaux : Thunderstorms

Watched the finish of the tour in Carmaux then headed off for La Mongie high in the Pyrenee but never got there...thunderstorms, rain, spent the night in a roadside rest area watching 4 hours of 'Almost the perfect dinner'. No second run.
Today hoping the weather clears off enough to go up the mountain...if not I am afraid it is more shopping and coffee.

Kolobnev : Do not dope : Are you an Idiot?

Mende : 7 x 2:30 with 30sec recovery

Rest day for Tour de France. From the finish yesterday an hours drive to Mende. Stayed here last year during the tour. Good shopping, tranquil camp ground, McDonalds for internet, excellent sports store...I need more shoes.
This morning along the most quiet and flat road I know in Mende...and that was undulating.
Tomorrow off to Carmaux for the stage finish and if the weather is fine in the mountains on to La Mongie to pick up the tour there when they come through.

Saint flour

Another hill top finish for the tour another hill to climb during the morning hour run. A steep one, should be am exciting finish. I expect some crashes and the break not to get caught today as roads are wet and tricky.

Big Screen Saint Flour

It is possible to live off Tour de France if your diet includes lollies, biscuit, chips, cake, nesquick and beer shandy...all is free, just keeps getting thrown at you

Super besse : power hill

Run off mountain to lac pavin, rond du lac, ascent of final climb in tour stage in time trial mode, 7:20. Now to wait, will cadel be in yellow tonight? Go cadel!

Flashback

Stage 6 in 2008 @ Super Besse I chase Cadel up the hill around 500m to go yelling 'go cadel'....first time I make the tv...see if you can find me in this grab from the SBS dvd.

Camping cars

At Super Besse, still 40 hours until the stage finish, how many camping cars?

Super Besse

After watching the riders pass Mont St Michel a 7 hour drive to Super Besse, broken only by watching the riders finish in Lisieux on the car tv. Arrival time was 845, a short run (only 40 min yesterday), a pizza, some tv and wine.
This morning long run off the mountain to Lac Pavin, volcanic lake, around the lake and back up the mountain. All up 80 min, another 40 this afternoon.
Tour finish in Chateauroux today, will watch on tv, finishes here tmoz, plenty of time to check out the shops.

Bootie

The jelly beans and St Michel cakes didn't make the shot, delicious:-)

Mont St Michel

On stage at base of the famous Mont this morning. Warm up jog to the Mont and return earlier. Big day travelling after the caravanne and peloton pass, driving to Super Besse, missing the stage to Chateauroux, a sprinter's stage we have been to before.

Vittel

Water

Cap frehel

Le plage

Frehel

Yesterday more hills up the mur de bretagne from both sides. Today at the beach at frehel waiting for stage five to finish. Two nights here. Run this morning along the beach never wanted to end. Every corner a new sight, the town a postcard.

Mur de bretagne

This evening a time trial up the hill me brittany, 2km 10% first km 4% 2nd km, from start kid on bike decides to race me very close but kid smoked me in finish straight me straight to hospital :-D

Camp redon stage 3

Long Intervals : 2 x 1600m

Found a rough as guts, sand based athletics track at Redon, 2 x 1600m, 1 lap jog recovery, about 5:20-5:30...
Long day. Woke up right in the middle of Les Essarts, camping cars everywhere, concert in town evening before, then fireworks (remember the sun doesn't go down until 11), then the ones who drink with a bugle in their mouth wander home, then the sun comes up at 4...not much sleep for one inside a petit camping car.
Running at 6am, the workers a still putting the barricades up, queue outside the boulanger for baguettes, one man carried 20 home in a basket, 62 min before I have the location sussed....yoghurt and baguette with cheese tomato mustard and loads of pepper is brekky.
Next for a nanny nap. Get the blue sun hootchie and pillow, put it under a tree on the course, watch the people and riders warming up on course, a team time trial.
Then the caravan...all I want is snacks...instead I get 2 t shirts, hat and magazine. More baguette for brunch...
Back to the car, get tv on the netbook, start recording before the tour, then the race itself. Teams take off at 7 minute intervals. I have more than eniugh time to watch them start on tv, lock the car jog 30m, watch them come past, back to the car, 20 odd teams, lots of jogging.
The race is over...need to move quickly or huge traffic jam, I take a risk on a couple of small roads, drive 12km more than I needed to, saved an hour. On the freeway, get past the big scary city of Nantes on the ring road, on the next freeway McDonalds...blogging and coffee...more driving, follow the yellow course route signs, somewhere to put the Kangoo...just past the finish a picnic area, only 5 vehicles in it including a huge truck that supplies bottled water for the race vittel, have own picnic table, go for jog find athletics track, tip water on head, eat picnic, drink wine, try to get some sleep, do it all again tmoz.

A couple of easy days running, backed off the kms, all I need is some sleep and I might start feeling good. Such hard work chasing this crazy tour. Easily the biggest crowds so far of the last 4 years...madness totally.