Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Half way through the warm up in the bush a squally cool change came through just to make life tough for us. On the track: With Heidze, 5 x 100m (16, 15, 15, 14, 16) followed by 5 x 200m (33.3, 32.5, 32.1, 32.2. 32.1) with 1 minute jog between each effort. The 100s with the wind, the 200s into the wind first 80m. Kathy, Maria, Missy same set, the 200s all 40 seconds or better, some as fast as 37. All up for the day 11km, still 110 km for the week, will be 90km by Thursday and 65km by Sunday. Probably doing a 3000m tempo on Thursday, no promises I won't go on to 5000m though. See how I feel.

A fresh morning turned to warm and sticky for the first Vets handicap for the month. A few have returned from the coast especially for the event. The watermelon was refreshing. Thomas 6km: 1. Minnie, Roget, Mick, Emma, Maria, Helen, Pete, L&P and Janene all ran. Minnie first across the line and very ineligible to claim a medal. Janene very eligible took the silver not the bronze:-) Frylink 3km: Heidze the gold, big difference between the winter and summer form for her. sb 4th. Both will be punished severely by the handicappers. gt slower than normal after another week off at baywatch. After brunch at Jammo. Below, Bella on a cooler day at the 1.3km mark.

1000m: sb 3:15 ; michelle 3:31 ; janene 3:55 3000m: sb 9:47 ; l&p 11:54 ; kathy 12:38 ; janene 13:42 5000m: Maria 20:51 (ACT W55 record, sb) ; Helen 20:59 (sb) ; roget 21:14 (sb) ; minnie 22:23 (sb) Pennington Place ID Age Group Gross Time Start Net Time Age % Points 1 1787 Geoff Sims M60 2:52 0:25 2:27 87.9 50 2 3603 Kathy Sims W60 2:54 0:00 2:54 83.8 49 3 1431 Kathy SouthgatW55 2:54 0:11 2:43 83.2 48 4 3501 Damian RutledgeM45 2:55 0:36 2:19 80.1 47 5 4841 Bruce Graham M45 2:55 0:36 2:19 82.9 46 6 2293 Ken White M55 2:58 0:29 2:29 83.4 45 7 5916 Jeff Grey M45 3:04 0:36 2:28 77.2 44 8 4209 Roger Hollis M55 3:05 0:29 2:36 79.6 43 9 3456 Rod Lynch M50 3:06 0:32 2:34 76.8 42 10 5416 Ian McDonaldM45 3:09 0:36 2:33 75.3 41

Brumbies on the track today, all over it...rast test, beep test, running fast on the grass test (warming up for rast?), eye candy for the girls. Having blocked the entire back straight we opted for some 200s, lactate style. Helen and Maria 4 x 200m @ 40sec or better with 1 minute jog recovery. Heidze and sb 4 x 200m (32.8, 32.8, 32.5, 32.6) with 1 minute jog recovery. Finished with a 5 minute progressive tempo run. Circulating off track Tori, Janene, Kirsten some longer tempo intervals. Outside the track Minnie 4 x 6 minutes tempo intervals. In the city Delicioso, a long brunch. Tmoz the ACTVAC handicap 3km or 6km.

Huge night at the track for the girls. On the program: 1000m ; Pennington handicap 800m ; 3000m / 5000m. 1000m most used as a warm up. Michelle 3:31 Pennington 800m: Huge race up front with Geoff Sims taking the win, incredible tussle between the two Kathys. Only the Kathys can now win the series to be decided in the 3000m later in the season. Missy the form improving. sk back from injury. 3000m / 5000m: Maria, Helen, Roger and Minnie chased each other in the 5000m. Over the last 4 laps the gaps grew but the places remained unchanged. Maria and Helen both broke 21, Roger 21, Minnie 22. Season bests for all, Maria a new W55 ACT record on the day of her 57th birthday and a world ranked time for 2012, 20 odd seconds quicker than her 2011 ranking tome done at nationals in Brisbane. L&P second cruise for the night. Of me: I didn't mean it to be a fun night but it was. 1000m got in a boy race with L&P and Macca with 350m to go. 800m dragged around by Damian another boy ra...

Similar session and pace as yesterday, this time only with Heidze. 4 x 100m (16,15,15,16) then 5 x 300m all in 60 seconds, 40 seconds jog recovery. Hard on the heart, easy on the legs. Longish warm up and down. About 13k for the day.

At the track, racing on Wednesday the Pennington handicap 800m, 3 groups + sk@aranda, all a similar set. Of me: 3km warm up, 4x100m (16,15,15,14), 5 x 200m (32.3, 31.1, 31.4, 31.0, 31.3), 45sec jog recovery. Last 800m=2:04.8 After that Maria+Helen 4 x 100m, 5 x 200m in 40, 1 minute jog recovery a 6km warm down Then Kathy 4 x 100m, 5 x 200m in 40, 1 minute jog recovery a 3km warm down, about 17km for the day. sk should have been 5 x 1 minute, 1 minute recovery on the grass.

Back at Majura again, a lap of the mountain, through the saddle. Attacked on the first climb accompanied by Bella, caught Heidze and kt, kept on going. Kelley bridged the gap, gt joined us briefly. Kelley and I battled it out over the next 30 minutes, Bella getting tired. When Kelley stopped talking I knew I had her. Caught and passed Minnie (who had taken a short cut) with 4 km to go. Bella caught between the 3 of us. Bella put in a huge surge to bridge the 300m in 20 seconds, joined us with a km to go. Kelley kicked hard down the hill, won in 69:59. Mia and Mick came in after Minnie, then the girls who got lost while talking. Roget came in with gt who was very tired. In the end Pete claimed victory. Didn't realise he was sitting in the car already when we got back. An afternoon ploddle after the Tour Down Under will give 25km for the day and my last 120km week for a month...taper land:-) Wednesday is the handicap Pennington 800m....I need some luck and help to catch the girls. ...

Isaacs Ridge again, 4 x 5-6 minute intervals, a minute of so recovery between efforts. 18 and 2 dogs made the coffee and biddles, a couple less for the training. After a big night for the birthday girls a little hard to get started on time. Nothing like a hard session and brunch to wash down the seediness. Serivce was great, they even let us do feet painting:-)

Not so much a session today, just a reason to catch up and keep the legs ticking over. 4 x 100m then 5 x 40 sec on, 60 sec off, only at 80% on the grass. Nice happy group plus Zena and Bella chasing ball, sun, warm, nice...Heidze similar session earlier in the day. Of me: Ran to work and back today making 22km for the day and 122km for the week. Last 10 weeks an average of 120km+. Took a while to lose the Xmas cheescake on the tummy but happily hit my number on Sunday. 5 more days until I taper for Oceania. Will be nice to have some fresh legs again.

Stopped off at the track on the way home from work for a quick, lazy session. 6 x 100m, first 2 on grass, last 4 on track, all in 14 seconds. 4 x 200m with 150m recovery (diagonal on the grass jogged). Not as intense as last week, last 100m into the wind. Total time for 800m=2:07 Saw the entry list for Oceania in Tauranga this morning. Brendan Whelan favourite for the 5000m with combined age groups, Andrew Stark a clear favourite in the M50 800m, see what happens in the crossy...it is hilly.

Out at the AIS, a little breeze, cool and cloudy. The set: 3-5 x 1000m with either long or short recovery, several groups, at 1500m, 3000m or 5000m pace. Everybody running at 4min/km or well below that. Very impressive running. Steady improvement in the times for the group over the last 3 weeks. Can expect a few more weeks improvement until we hit our first series of goal events for 2012. Minnie on the outside 4 x 6 minute intervals. Goal events: Oceania Masters Championships 5th-12th February...ACT 10000m 16th February...ACT 5000m 24th February...series of 1500m starting next Thursday...series of 800m events starting in February...depends on the individual. There will be loads of season bests and some startling results... Of me: 3 x 1000m running at 3 speeds, all with acceleration in the last 100m. 3:20 pace, did 3:17 (paced Heidze)...3:10 pace, did 3:05...3:00 pace, did 2:58...Finished off with 1600m at 3:10 pace, did 5:04 (after 4sec too slow 1st km, kicked with 200m to go). ...

100m Emma 14.44 400m Emma 67.99 Mile Kathy 1st, Roget 3rd, SK httm (no times understandable) 3000m sb 9:34, Roget 12:26, Heidze 11:26 (PB), KT 11:35 (3rd Best All Time), Maria 12:08 (Only 10 seconds off lifetime PB done in 2005), Helen 12:18, Missy 13:02 (Miscount the laps), Minnie 13:06

If we go back through the blog and see how hard we trained in the last weeks, how disciplined, and how now how the times tumble...the harder and smarter we work, the faster we get...very inspiring to watch such strong talented women (and a few men) run so well...we are all good...we try to believe in ourselves...sometimes we never see how good we really are... Packed house tonight, could barely get a park, combined meet. Events 100m, 400m, handicap mile, 3000m. Earlier in the week some down at Thredbo for running week, making snow people, maybe again next year...haven't done for over a decade. Well done all who did or made. Tonight: 100m Emma through the field, sb this year, no wind assistance, nabbed it on the line 400m Emma again looking good, not sure the time Mile handicapped...sk handicapped to the moon, kathy wins $50...Angel $50...Marty Dent a bit more than fiffy 3000m As with the other events, wait for the results to get posted...I didn't get lapped by Marty Dent (wh...

An easier session this afternoon...very windy...200s and a freshener for maybe better weather and a faster 3000m or Mile or 400m on Thursday. The session 5 x 200m with 1 minute recovery jogged. A few groups doing the same session spread over 2 hours. Always there was someone to support or pace. Everyone completed the session with poise and grace except me. Only three efforts before a groin niggle. 29.3,30.01, 29.6. Normally I could say how happy to run under 30 for 200m in a set as I haven't run that quick for a couple of decades. Well I am happy, however my 65 year old pacing rabbit finished a good second ahead on efforts 1 & 3. Legend Garry. Snow tmoz down to 1400m. Where is the blanky?

On track, humid, wet, windy. The session: 1000m warm up at 3km-5km pace. 2000m at 3km-5km pace. Only 5 of us on track. Everybody quicker than Thursday's 3km or 5km effort. Minnie on the outside some longer intervals, the dog tied up crying. Brunch at Black Pepper. Need to practice our coffee ordering. Of me: 1000m 6:09, 2000m 6:21...all nice and relaxed, working hard into the wind.

Isaacs Ridge has become the popular choice this month to escape the morning sun. Manuka has become the popular coffee destination as most else is shut...and they can cater for 12 without a booking no probs... The session, most still recovering from Thursday at the track, 4 x 5-6 minute tempo intervals with 1-3 minutes break between efforts, the garmins say 10.6km done. In the afternoon a ploddle to aid the recovery. All up 20km for the day. Tmoz a more intense track session, some pace intervals or km reps.

Combined meet with Athletics ACT, the first of two to start the year. On the program an 800m and either 3000m or 5000m. 800m: Emma 2:30.96 (34,71,79), sk 2:28.95 (72,76), Geoff 2:26.52, Kathy 2:56.47, (85,91...one second slower than ACT age record), Roget 2:48.72 ...all times approx 3000m: Emma (2nd run of night)12:29.46, Maria 12:26.68, Kathy 12:36.27 (2nd run of night), Missy 12:57.11 5000m: kt 19:59.64, roget 21:30.09, helen 21:31.85, minnie 22:56.12, sb 16:26.15 Warm up: Heidze x 4-5...thigh muscle niggle Of me: Week 7 concluded, only 115km for the week off a high of 148km a few days before. Very tired for the 5km after the Tuesday session. I think Helen also suffered from a hard Tuesday in the heat. At some point I have to taper properly. For the moment no more 148km weeks but keep doing all the sessions at 115-120km per week. Still need to lose 1-2kg. My first race as a 50yo will be my first all in effort with full taper for the season. Shortly after or on 27 January....

Too hot, far too hot but with the aid of some ice and water we got through. 37 degrees and a warm wind in the back straight...full sun. Cast of plenty today including a couple of sprinters who played rabbit and helped me to my best session for the summer. Set 1: (garry,geoff,kathy,emma*,helen*) 200,200,300,300,200,200 helped pace me on my set....*=did extra Set 2: (just me) 7x400m+200m=3000m total time=8:23 (even managed a couple of 65s...thanx for the help then Set 3: (sk,missy,heidze,maria and just me doing the pacing) 5x400m (75,74,74,73,73) omg I couldn't even see before I started set 3. Two showers to cool down the core, ice and loads of water got us through. All of us amazing.

35 degrees today, out early, back to Isaacs Ridge for some shade and the nice surface with the view on the pines aquaduct trail. 4 x 5-6 minute intervals with a couple of minutes to regroup between each effort. Post training coffee binge at Manuka My Cafe. Of me: Only exercise yesterday was a cycle home with Minnie from the NYE festivities at 2am. 8.5km@17.5kph