Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

A continuation of the iron study Minnie and I contributed to last year commenced while I was at the track today. Some new faces and a couple of old faces in various roles. For me it was a similar session as last two sessions at the track. 3200m @ 10km pace except I set the watch at 20 seconds per 100m and stayed just under for the whole journey (10:36) instead of just running by feel. The effort much quicker than last efforts and just as comfortable. After a 200m walk recovery I ran another 800m at the same pace just to take it up to 4000m. I could run much further at that pace except it would become a tearing down instead of building up session. I'll save those efforts for the races. Helen arrived late, still with a slight head cold. No track today for Helen, just a run in the bush.

I knew I was in trouble on the warm up with a trot on the 5km out and back and felt very fatigued. I gave the handicap everything I had as usual but was 50 seconds slower than last year and barely caught anyone. That's the price for some very hard sessions, four high mileage weeks and a Half Marathon straight after nationals. I'd better take it easier tmoz. Just a run to work and back over the mountain.

APS UNITED WIN ROUND 1 M40, M50 (by 3 minutes) :-)

The set 4 x 2000m with 1 minute recovery all done around half marathon pace. Steve: all efforts just over and under 4 minutes. Me: 722,716,728,729, much easier and quicker than last week,  not as quick as the week before the half marathon. Earlier in the week a 12km threshold run starting at 4:50/km and reducing to 4:10/km in wind on grass. Also another 3.2km on track. More wind than Tuesday, a little slower. Did not look at watch, took splits. 81,83,83,83,83,83,83 Concentration on technique and relaxation. Have almost completed week 2 of 120km+

For me 2012 was an abnormal year. Turning 50 in January was an opportunity to grab a few ACT and one Australian record. I was keenly aware of placing high in the world rankings lists as well. 2012 was the lowest volume year since I started running again in 2007 at an average of 97km per week. Most of the previous weekly averages in that period were around 100km per week. The only month I didn't race was July when I was away in France. Consequently July was my highest monthly average kilometres run per week (118km). Sessions during 2012 were based more around 5000m and below rather than 10000m and above which statistically are my best events. However if you look at my results for 2012 the results are among my best since running again despite the low volume...or are they? December 2011 I averaged 130km per week for the month in anticipation of turning 50 on January 27th. I started my taper on January 28th (131km for that week). In the 30 days following my birthday I posted ...

Yes I could be skinnier, run more kilometres per week, fine tune the sessions I do, pick the people I help or train with better and be more selfish and have more time for giving and have more dedicated time and resources to chase competition. A cynic would say chasing marginal gains is an excuse for something else. There is a work, life, sport, self, sense of community, other balance. Knowing me I will do most of these things to my limit all the while planning for the days when I don't compete in much and have more time for other tasty indulgences...I'm not lying down yet.

From the outset I've chosen to measure performance on the track by time and place and on cross country or road by the same measure but a lesser degree on time. A track is a track 400m, the weather, altitude, level of competition or not a distraction...the only true measure is time if all is equal. 2012/13 marked a big change for me in chasing competition interstate. Athletics ACT this season was a basket case. One male (slower than me) from Athletics ACT ran the 10000m championships and not one female, the 5000m championships was a joke. I joined an Athletics Victoria Club late in 2012...I was fortunate to share in an M50 AthsVic XCR team premiership. The Victorian C Grade 5000m Championships gave me a 15:57, the Zatopek 10000m B grade championships gave me a 33:18 and an M50 top 3 world ranking for 2012. No matter how hard I try on my own I need competition to reach my full potential. On the road I've put my body and ego on the line in Sydney (City2Surf, Run4Fun), Melbou...

I can reveal here that my nature is to be a hermit, someone who just goes about their business but when I have been part of a group or even a leader for the most part I have enjoyed it. Within running groups it is almost always self driven, determined people who succeed. There are always people in running groups who only run for social reasons. Many would have a foot in both camps...it's not black or white, it's often both. Only the degree varies. For me ACTVAC has been the best club or group I've been associated with. Having access to track competition on a weekly basis for six months a year and cross country as well has been a bonus. The friendships and support has been great. Supporting others has been fruitful and their performances bring me much joy. Like all close communities there have been some soap opera dramas...such is life, I do my best to avoid them if they conflict with my own morality. Life is too short to have time for the drama of others. Occasionally t...

Changing my training structure was by far the biggest change I made as a Masters athlete. The structure is well embedded within this blog so I won't say any more except a reminder. I looked for the best and most current training regime I could find, tested and proven by Olympic Gold Medalists and World Record holders (including Hicham El Guerrouj), transcribed it as best I could and tried to stay as true as I could to the program. The key reasons for the change were to keep myself motivated year long, to always be at my best for the Australian Masters Athletic Championships and to be versatile enough to do well on track and cross country, not necessarily on the road. Another reason was to allow my aging body to have recovery days, weeks and months built in. I haven't failed to get to the line in good shape yet. My old structure could best be described as boom and bust (thanks for that line Steve). It was effective at everything from 800m to the marathon. I never achieved an...

It has been seven years since I began athletics again as a Masters runner. As I look back 30 years to when I was last running this fast I wonder what are the factors that have enabled me to be consistently at this level for the past seven years? Looking beyond 1993 what could I be doing better now to enable me to run even faster today? Factor #1: Weight Between 1993 and 2007 I rarely looked at the scales...you will see why. My race weight pre:1990 was around 49-51kg . Between 1990 and 1992 it fluctuated between 55-59kg. During the late 1990s it was between 60-65kg. When I began running again in 2007 it was 71kg. For the last seven years I have maintained a weight of between 55-58kg and have only ever been slightly under 55kg for a matter of 1-2 weeks each year to coincide with the Australian Masters Athletics Championships. So even at my lightest during the last seven years I am still carrying an extra 5kg to what I was when I achieved my best performances on time. On the flip si...

Yesterday another run over the mountain means clocking up my first base building 120km week of the new cycle. Today at Stromlo Steve & I early with 4 x 2000m (7:31, 7:31, 7:37, 7:49) with 1 minute recovery. It was very windy and cold out there wearing full arms and legs cover during the session. The winter lergies are around with Kathy and now Helen ill. Maria still with calf issues her first jog for a week. All up there were 20-30 runners out there this morning in several groups of all ages. KT showed she has recovered well from her half last week. I'm still not there yet. No coffee today, straight back to bed...bbrrrr

To save the knees I had to punish the shins on the bitumen today. 17km of easy running, felt better in the last half with a reasonable technique made me think I could do a session on Saturday. The plan in the next months very simple...until July: Tuesday 2000m, 1600m, 1200m, 800m, 400m with 200m walk recovery ; Thursday 5 x 1000m 3:00-3:10 with 200m walk recovery ; Saturday 4-8 x 2000m in  around 7:00

The parking inspectors decided to ditch yellow chalk and do video style today. Lucky for me I got hungry and drove home at lunch, then running back to work for a couple of hours again and return...I win Mr Parking Inspector...saved on an $80 fine, lunch in the fridge vs sushi...cop that! 19km for the day, possibly my slowest return over the mountain, will be days before I have recovered from the half marathon. With my free afternoon time cleaned out the tomato patch in the back garden and picked some autumn raspberries for tomorrow morning to go with the daily tub of yoghurt Bella so loves to lick out. Today Helen got within 6 seconds of her all time best at BBQ Stakes while doing intervals with 30 seconds jog recovery. Her PB was set in 2006.

The weather is starting to turn and the chill will soon be here. Today a session for Helen as Kathy sick and Maria in Mexico. 2000m 8:38, 5 minute break, 1000m 4:07 with 4 x 100m to start and finish and a 2.5km warm up and warm down. Deliberately not too fast this evening as Helen had raced 10km on Saturday. For me pacing duties was enough. I will start training tmoz for my next half marathon on the Gold Coast. It will be much quicker than my effort on Sunday with all things going to plan. Really looking forward to some great training with few races.

74:10, 6th overall, 1st in M50-59. I can only compare to last year in similar conditions and form. I was 40 seconds slower today than in 2012. All of that time loss came when I ran solo from the 11th km to race end where as in 2012 I was able to run with the marathon runners between kilometres 11-15. Both today and last year I started too fast. I actually felt better today than last year. While I was sitting in with the lead marathon runners I was very comfortable but once dropped from the bunch during a drink stop debacle I struggled for form...clearly I was on my limit. There were 4 marathon runners in that pack. Rowan Walker went on to win in 2:24, two faded significantly from the pace we were running at, one pulled out.  The last 5km I ran flat out, moved from 6th up to 4th, but slipped back to 6th again with 500m to go despite running 3:19 for the last km. The competition was a step up from last years race. Sitting at brunch in Manuka were the cheer squad along with KT...

Minnie, Bella and I out at Manuka this morning with the sole purpose of cheering on Helen in the 10km. The result 43:00, 12th female, 1st W50-59. Her time within 2 seconds of a lifetime PB continuing the great form from Australian Masters Athletics Championships. Later in the day Keith 2nd overall & 1st M50-59 in 10km fun run 39:28 (not the dash), Steve 1st M40-49 in 5km fun run 18:20...3 category winners on the day. There were plenty of other ACTVAC members and friends out there, most running great in the perfect weather.

The last two days have been the same...run to work and back over Black Mountain. As a result I still have 120km in my legs with days to go until the half marathon. Looks like Saturday will be my only light day as I cheer Helen and others on in the 10km dash. No real desire to smash myself on Sunday although I expect to run similar to last year, something around 73 minutes but done a little slower at the start and a little faster at the finish. The weather looks perfect...bring it on:-)

Kathy in jog mode, Maria sore calf, Helen and I a set of 3 x 1000m with 200m walk recovery. Set started and finished with 4 x 100m. Helen  4:05, 3:58, 3:57...Me 3:10, 3:10, 3:09

Through the arboretum this morning, 18km in just over 80 minutes including a commuter race to finish up the Bindubi Street hill with four men on mtb. In the afternoon 5km

Perfect morning, three of us there, three different sets. Steve 2000m, 1500m, 1200m, 800m, 400m with 5 minute recovery. Me 4 x 2000m with 1 minute recovery 7:17, 7:07, 7:08, 7:06. Me and Helen 2000m 8:35, 1000m 4:05, 1000m 3:54 with 200m walk recovery. 18km this morning 5km this evening.

Still with heavy legs a session to flush out some cobwebs. 3 * 2000m at Stromlo with 1 min jog recovery,  the speed well under maximum threshold xc (7:32, 7:26, 7:17). 12km for the day.

Only 2km with Bella yesterday on my recovery from Championships day. Today straight back into it with a 20km run over the mountain to work and back. It will be normal base building 101 tomorrow with a long intervals session either on track or at Stromlo. In 11 days the Australian Running Festival Half Marathon…I get an extra week of recovery this year. I am entered for the Gold Coast Half Marathon in July so it will be interesting to see if I can improve with some specific half marathon training. Looking way forward I will adjust the competition blocks back to make good for the Australian Masters Athletics Championships at Hobart in early March (non-Easter). Only three days competition so 10000m, 5000m, Cross Country for me on consecutive days. Prior to that there is Oceania Championships in hot January Bendigo (5000m & 800m), Australian Masters Games in cool October Geelong (5000m & 1500m). Zatopek B Grade 10000m and Victorian 5000m Championships will also slot in t...

A cool morning and not much wind about at Stromlo for the cross country. Four circuits of the relentless 2000m loop for both male and female. The female race had lots of depth again with some great tussles to fight out the medals. Lisa Davis pulled away from Robyn Basman mid-race to be first over the line. Of us: Helen a silver in W50 and Maria a bronze in W55. Our friends Michelle, Kym and Katie all in the medals. The men similar in depth with all of the younger ages competing in the same race. Darren Peacock (M35) and I had a very quick first loop with lots of surges. 3:03 for the first km, 6:15 at 2km had the finish order sorted and not anything I could do but chase for the next 6km. In the end Darren had 90 metres on me (26:53) and I had put in my biggest effort all weekend by a long way...100% commitment (although my ast was only marginally my best...the fatigue of three big races). My time of 27:12 was the quickest I had ever run the cross country at AMA championships by 20 s...