Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Very windy today. Left the run until later, the usual Aranda loop with the addition of 8 x 20 seconds and 2 x 40 seconds all up hill. The reason for the up hill...there is no flat, too steep to run down fast. Some of my friends may have done strides out there as well although I doubt it. Best to be in the gym of somewhere else today. I know one who did strides on the treadmill! I make my second debut into Athletics Victoria (the mecca of Australian Distance Running) this weekend in the Victorian Half Marathon Championships, running for Old Scotch Collegians. My friend and some time training partner Keith runs for the same combined APS team in M50+ during the XC season. They have been doing very well, locked in a battle with Keilor. It's been almost a decade since I last raced with Athletics Victoria. I did four partial cross country seasons and one full track season in the decade I lived in Melbourne. While the track season was memorable I'd rather forget the cross country ...

Tuesday session now a focus on the track season. Still too cold for very fast work. Today only about setting up the structure. 2000m, 3 x 800m all with 200m walk recovery. Strides and drills to start. A long warm up. A shorter warm down. 15km in total. Heidi (7:52,2:58,2:57,2:55), Maria, Julia and myself all well under pace set with a beeping watch. Roger a part session (jet lag). Helen elsewhere 10, 8, 6, 4 minute intervals from school (jet lag). Kathy and Geoff a later set. Of me: 2000m 6:29, 3 x 800m (2:35, 2:33, 2:32)

Today Mount Taylor the venue for the monthly handicap. A testing wind and hill to overcome as well as the usual pedestrian traffic and the odd stoney patch. The long course the more testing of the two. Short course basically all up, flat, then all down again. Frylink 3.5km: sb 89.3% ; heidze 75.8% ; gt 70.3%; kt 75.3% ; missy 69.35% ; richard 51.4%; sk 33.9% Taylor 7.0km: maria 84.5% ; pete 60.2% ;janene 68.0% ; mick 63.7% minnie 1 border collie ; kelley 2 border collie Of Charlie: 1st in age group ACT Duathlon Champs at Stromlo...well done Of me: Splits 3:53 ; 3:41 ; 2:59 ; 1:30 = 12:20 As an M50, 15 seconds faster than my M45 record. Seemed to have pulled up ok. The head cold at 85% better. Confident I can do OK in the half next weekend. The brunch in Braddon at Pronto, a table for 12.

This morning a 6km warm up followed by a set of sprinting, stretching and motion drills conducted by our good friend Garry. Following this were two sets of 4 x 100m. First set on the grass not timed. Second set on the track timed to be quicker each effort. Last set 2 x 200m, once again each effort quicker than the last, trying to take as much of that 100m speed into the 200m. Generally we all managed to be double our fastest 100m plus one second. The times were relatively slow even with a tail wind. The cold air and lack of real speed work over winter the blame. The speed will come back quickly. We will do the drills weekly from now on, taking small steps to avoid the niggles. A bit of a juggle with most doing the Melbourne half marathon in October and getting ready for the track. As I said yesterday my half will be done next weekend, a 10km road for me in Melbourne. Of me: 16.3, 15.6, 14.9, 14.8 then 32.2, 31.1...roughly one second for 200m slower than where I have been over the...

24th October 2012...I could just let this day pass and say nothing to offend those with a different view to mine but I won't. My view is hard work, systematic training, staying uninjured, supporting each other, being happy for the results of a friend or competitor no matter what the result and then having a coffee after...those things I believe in. Taking performance enhancing drugs systematically a definite NO. Of me: A difficult week with the bad weather and a lingering head cold. Every day I got out there in the mud, sleet, wind, whatever and just did an hour or so and kept the legs hard. I have a half marathon to run in 8.5 days time. Hopefully in the next few days I get a couple of sessions in and can run near my potential in Melbourne. 20 years, 6 months ago a 10 miler on Yarra Boulevarde Burnley (51 minutes). The venue next Sunday.

From the weekend: Performance Results - MEN Age % First Name Last Name 81.8 PETER JAMES 81.0 PETER CLARKE 80.0 GREG REGESTER 78.6 SCOTT IRONS 77.7 TREVOR JACOBS 76.7 NIGEL PEACOCK 75.4 JEFF GREY 75.1 MICHAEL LEAHEY 74.3 PAUL TILSE Performance Results - WOMEN Age % First Name Last Name 80.9 NORMA WALLETT 79.4 MARIA OREILLY 78.4 ANDINA FARAGHER 77.2 KATHY SIMS 76.1 KIM WILMSHURST 75.2 KERI VAUGHAN 75.0 DEBBIE COWELL 74.7 SALLY JEFFREY 74.5 CLARE WALL Well done all. This afternoon the first session since City2Surf. Those who did ACTVAC Half Marathon didn't take part. That left Julia and Heidze who both did some long intervals. As you would expect a session to blow away the cobwebs. The next will be better. Of me: Still a head cold. Pacing Heidze 2000m, 1600m, 1200m. Stiff breeze in the back straight. First effort a little under 4s. Last 2 efforts a little over 4s.

World Masters Track Rankings for 2012 have been posted as of today, 30% complete. As part 2 of 2012 has not even started we should be able to better some of our times. A few of us are very close to the cut-off and will add to the list. There are some times from earlier in the season that have not been submitted (including my 15:55.04 5000m, now just submitted). A few of us will slip down the rankings as more times are added. The girls: Well they beat the boys hands down. Kelley in the rankings for the first time. Of me: Barely made the cut-off in the 1500m (more work to do there), top 10 so far in the 5000m (sneaking just inside my tough competitor David Sweeney), well up in the 10000m with a run I should break twice before the end of 2012.

A longer run from home this morning, through the forest and down to the lake...Minnie, Heidi, Bella and myself...cheering on the many who did the ACTVAC Half Marathon. Jogged along the course between 4 & 6km to go, seeing friends from all three start groups (started 30 mins apart, each group). Looked like a perfect day for a fast time, the wind picking up just towards the end of the race. Early results received from Maria, Kathy, Geoff. Well done all, nice to see you out there. Of us: 70 minutes in total with another 20 minutes for me in the afternoon. That's 2 days of near normal volume, the head still foggy.

It didn't take long to catch the virus I had been trying to avoid in the week leading up to City2Surf...exactly 24 hours after the race. The race itself lowered my immune levels. I'm feeling relaxed about it and relieved. I've had two days off and today may well be another. Very important I don't let it get to my chest. If I do run today it will only be for 15 minutes. Double that every day until I am back to an hour, then start the speed again, probably next Tuesday. Next stop is Canberra Times 10km Fun Run on September 9th and another race on the Melbourne Marathon weekend October 14. Looking forward to seeing the track programs come out. Very keen for a 10000m race early in the season. Preparatory Period 2 August to October 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 ...

City2Surf results for my friends: Janene Kingston 72:35 Pete 79:51 Jimmy 8147 Michelle Wells 58:06 Julia 71:19 Minnie Masters 74:45 Elle 64:05 Maria 63:50 Mick 69:26 Jeff Grey 57:19 Kelley Flood 64:04 Heidi 62:18 Kathy 68:45 Geoff 73:08 ...well done all, must have missed someone?? me 47:46 and 47th place

Somehow most of our friends from Canberra managed to meet each other in City2Surf, and there were plenty. It was a testing day with the wind a major factor. The winner Liam Adams ran around 30 seconds slower than last year. Not a pretty day but a memorable one. A whole bunch of us managed to meet whether for dinner up there or lunch post race in Berrima of before and after the race or travel and stay together. A great weekend away for all. Performance wise we all raced great. I won't mention times until the results get posted but there were several PBs despite the wind...shows how fit we all are. Of me: 47:46...the dog tried to escape again through the window behind the tv and pulled out the antenna:-( Will tape when the coverage gets repeated on ONE. The run better than last year, would rank =2nd of my 4 runs since 2009. I was probably 2nd M50-59, Keith Bateman 15 seconds ahead.

Very windy this afternoon, gusts to 41kph while I was on track, moderating to 20kph later for the others. Kathy 2 x 1200m tempo ; Heidze 2000m 7:45 after a slow first lap Of me: 2000m 6:36, 1600m 5:12 Now to get to the start line in a good health, not easy with Minnie sick in bed, not easy for Minnie either.

Out to Mulligans Flat this morning, at times dull with a biting chilly wind and some drizzle, at times sunny and pleasant out of the wind...mostly it was cold and windy. All up an 80 minute out and back, a little quicker on the return...all of us doing City2Surf next weekend except for Tori. Headed off nearby for brunch and a coffee to warm us up.

A couple of us still missing in Europe, a couple ill, other than that most of us there today. A 6km warm up in the bush followed by our normal Tuesday session, kt and missy doing their own thing. We've come a long way with this session both mentally and physically. It's hard work but the results are there for all to see and will be even greater when we add another shorter and quicker session in the next block (which starts after City2Surf) Today all of us hitting our times despite a cold, biting wind in the back straight that got stronger as the session unfolded. Of me: 2000m 628 ; 1600m 508 ; 1200m 349 ; 800m 229 ; 400m 69. Had to work really hard in the 1200m due to the wind and made sure I didn't fall behind in the last 2 efforts. Cumulative identical to the session earlier in the week, the conditions worse. Felt a little more composed form wise, will look at some video Minnie took to see what I can improve. After the session brunch at Rocksalt, lingered there fo...