Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

My first interval session on track in quite a few weeks. 4 laps jog bends, 20,19,18 second 100m on straights. 2 * 1000m 314, 315. 200m 33, 300m, 400m. To be honest I didn't feel great with heavy legs from all the hard training and not running at this speed for a while. It is always a rush to get up to speed again for City2Surf after the European break. I am very fit, weight is good but not very fast. Things should be better next week and I stand by my mid to high 47s prediction for race day all being well.

Arrived home after midnight on Sunday so Monday was always going to be about sleep and unpacking, I did two runs total of 19km to get the body moving again. Bella who had a sore eye also did 2 runs. Today feeling much better so a session in the afternoon during a longer run will be the plan. I've already scoped next year and the Tour de France. It looks like I can do Gold Coast Half Marathon again and repeat the journey from Brisbane to the Normandy coast where the grande boucle starts the lap of France. I will miss the first 3 days of the race in England and see it to the penultimate stage somewhere near Bordeaux I expect...will find out in October although the race rumours have already mapped out a clockwise loop of France.

I only know from Keith and Steve their results and they both did great. Both trained really hard while I was away so no surprise that they continue to improve.  Keith especially with 37:15 aged 55+ was outstanding. I wonder how that will compare with the 10km in Albert Park. Both have raised the bar in terms of volume this winter and we just started some shorter work in preparation of the spring and summer events. In reality both owe their success to some longer type intervals which have both improved the speed they run at threshold or steady state and how long they can do that. Both claimed some scalps today as well. Steve overtook two, one from the ACT Championships and the week before that who had previously had the better of him just. I'm sure the girls did well too, although I know one has been patchy, three have been on holidays and one has a sore foot. Of me: At gate in Paris Charles de Gaulle. 35 minutes this morning and 22km yesterday. Looking forward to being back hom...

Up early doing loops around the hotel (roughly 800m, hilly). A morning shower prior made things very humid and warm. The loop wasn't long enough to fit 3 minutes so the terrain varied slightly each lap but always included a long up and long down, no flat. Looks like another hot day and very happy my afternoon loosener will not be as long as yesterday as it was very draining running in the afternoon sun. That's another 20km for the day and 144km for the week.

I can predict my probable result in City2Surf by my work ethic in the few months before the race and my luck or bad management inside the last few weeks and during the race itself. Looking back: 2008 Poor work ethic, was away for the race in Europe, result would have been not good 2009 Good work ethic, caught swine flu at beginning of Europe and cold immediately on return, worked hard in between illness, 47:23, best I could hope for 2010 Great work ethic, caught swine flu in middle of Europe trip but incredibly had only 2 light days during illness, ran some weeks during holiday up to 140km, 46:43, best I could hope for 2011 Great work ethic, no illness, 48:38, started too fast, tore stomach muscle in rain, deserved a great result, poor race management 2012 Good work ethic, no illness, 47:46, no excuses, best I could hope for 2013 Good work ethic, no illness (cross fingers), no excuses, best I could hope for is mid-high 47s In reality the hardest I worked in kilometres ru...

Two runs today, first in Beaune 45 minutes including 4 x 2minute intervals and second 45 minutes in Chalons en Champagne. The first run would have been longer and with more intervals but the fierce hail storm and flooding of yesterday afternoon had all the vineyard staff checking the damage. In truth most were just standing there with arms folded...not much they could do really except count their losses. We are almost finished here in France. Just a few days to shop and sort out the car, pack again and head home. I will be up early tomorrow before the sun gets too hot to do those intervals I missed. Staying here for two nights before the final night at Paris CDG airport to ensure we get in a decent run on Saturday morning before boarding the aircraft at noon. Good luck to all doing the Runners Shop 10km...I always seem to miss it.

Two nights, three days in Beaune. 38 degrees two days straight with thunderstorms brewing by mid-morning. All my runs have been done in the vineyards that make the best pinot noir. I did 85 minutes this morning and even then it was too hot. All the vines were being trimmed and sprayed. I only saw one plot still using a horse with hoe. Lots of machinery. Still running 20km every day. Next stop Epernay and champagne before heading home.

On the morning of the tour finale a drive back into Annecy for a run and swim in the lake. Already 31 degrees here and not a cloud. The run 60 minutes all up including 35 minutes at threshold before I hit the water. This afternoon another 45 minutes as a loosener before the tour coverage starts on tv (although it is already on tv six hours before the start:-)

So ends the live 'at race' Tour de France watching for 2013. With road blockages in force parked the car 10km from the stage depart which made a 20km return run along the velotrail from the 'other' end. The pace for me was quite brisk. With the path marked every 500m I was rattling off even 4:00 km splits or a little better after a very slow start to warm up with. 82 minutes all up. The last few days I've been feeling very good on the runs even with 130km for the week in my legs. In fact the last 5 weeks I've averaged well over 120km per week despite having a taper week before the half and a couple of easy days after. I had a swim at Annecy and at the end of the run and made it back just in time to watch the caravan pass.

Back out to the Ugine velo trail this morning after minimal sleep. The same out and back course, the intervals changed slightly. 10 minute warm up, 20 minute at maximum threshold, 1 minute jog, 7 x 2 minutes slightly above maximum threshold with 30 seconds recovery, jog back to car. Now watching the tour on tv in the motel. Will jog to the riders on course when I see them near the approach of ascent Col de Tamie. In 2010 we slept on the col next to Fort de Tamie...looks like we drank a bottle of wine as well!!

Had to scramble a run in yesterday with a huge day on the mountain starting at 5:00am and finishing at 2:00am next day. The run on the flat along the river and then through town Bourg d'Oisans. Following that a very long walk up the mountain and back down again. I included some hill intervals while we waited for the tour to come and visit us twice. 45 minutes all up running including 3 x 300m hills. 180 minutes of walking not included. We met Claude, Virginie and Chloe and spent the entire day with our French friends. Coffee in Bourg to start and finish as well as the mountain festivities. Today the tour comes to us near the hotel in Albertville. Looking forward to some rest and maybe a session later on the bike path.

A short drive to Ugine this morning to run my first flat session since the half marathon. As a converted train track the trail is mega wide and mostly very flat. Total length is in excess of 40km long making it a nice ride all the way into Annecy and back, much of which is on the western shore of the pristine waters of the lake. The session really unplanned...I knew I had to unpack my legs from all the travel and kilometres of running before I attempted anything hard. 10 minute warm up, 5 minutes at lower threshold, 2.5 minutes at 10km pace, 12 minutes at 10km pace, 7 x 2 minutes at 5000m pace all with 30 seconds between efforts, warm down back to the car and 60 minutes all up. The temperature 30 degrees, eyes stinging with sweat at the finish followed by a bottle of water over the head. Now back at the motel waiting for tour coverage to commence. There were thunderstorms in the alps last evening, even more expected today for the late riders.

Drove to Col de Manse for the stage today. An early run of 65 minutes around Puy de Manse on mtb trails and a late 25 minute run at Albertville as a loosener. That keeps the kilometres high for this week. Hoping to do a session tmoz as we are watching the time trial on the tv from the hotel room. A goal of ours since 2008 has been to get ourselves on the tv coverage. Yesterday I told a friend exactly where we would be and what we would be wearing...we didn't disappoint!! For the sixth year straight we made the tv coverage:-) Twice today both of us. As I have for the last 3 years I record onto laptop the tv coverage live in the car. Today I had to jog 300m to the 10km kite, a quick break from watching the race on the tv.

Something chasing Tour de France does is make you completely forget the day before and the day before that...So I forgot I ran Gold Coast Half Marathon only a week ago. In the last 7 days I am well over 130km for the week. On Saturday and Sunday I made the summit of Mont Ventoux my daily run. Camped at altitude of 1350m at Mont Serein the run included 560m climb and descent. Each day I ran an extra 20 minutes late in the day to shake out the sore spots from the legs. Now in Albertville which will be base camp for the next 5 nights. All the stages are within commuting distance of here including the stage on Friday which comes past the hotel. Really looking forward to some flat running on the bike path in coming days.

This morning a quick run around Fougeres to the TDF depart and back. Caught up in the route barriers also watched the riders depart as well as the caravan. Then caught in a traffic block again saw the riders again 50km down the road, finally saw the riders and the caravan for a second time at the finish. Huge day including a second run at Tours. Now on the way to Chateauroux, another traffic jam leaving Tours. Lucky the sun sets at 10:30p.

In the small village Courtils this morning after sleeping in the Citroen C3 Picasso roadside on course for the Tour de France 33km individual time trial between Avranches and Mont Saint Michel. Courtils is 9km from the finish. There is a tourist park opposite our car which allows me to have my first proper shower since before the half marathon. I no longer stink. The training days have gradually increased in distance since the GCHM…6km, 15km, 17km. The run today was 3 laps around the village on quiet roads and hamlets with a laden cherry tree as break from the scenery of corn and wheat. My second lap was at threshold, not much slower than the GCHM. Wash up from the Gold Coast Half Marathon. Once I got into rhythm my speed was almost exact the pace I had been training at around Stromlo doing those 2km and 2.5km loops. My early kilometres were similar to the Tuesday session at 10km pace or around 3:20 per km. My experience of doing these long intervals is that if I do enough...

Straight from running the Gold Coast Half to Brisbane Airport to Paris to Saint Malo. Spent the last two days here including the finish today. We camped in the Citroen C3 Picasso about 3km from the finish. Did lots of running on the beach and promenade,into the old fortress and boutique shops. Day after the half only 7km. Today 17km. Now on the wat to the time trial stage between Avranches and Mont Saint Michel. No idea where we will put the car this evening.

Gold Coast Half Marathon 73:52 net, 73:56 gun, 40th male, 42nd place, 1st M50 Very cool start almost still in darkness with no wind to speak of, a slight breeze last 5km. My first look at the course,very quick except two dead turns and a few bridges. The camber of the road means the quickest route is not always the straightest. I started slower than normal, very easy in traffic on the first 2km, pushed harder until I ran out of people to catch easily after 5km, helped form a bunch of three, then slipped into consistent 3:30-31 km splits. There is a 2km split where my small bunch of three started to slow [12-14km]. I pushed hard solo for 14-15km and a runner came from behind running at a good tempo. We worked all the way to the line together although he had a big kick chasing the next guy up the road. I couldn't match that. I had really good running form from 5km-21km, once I stopped pushing hard and settled in. Helped me run out the race much better than I did in Canberra o...

Another 80 minute run with Bella in the arboretum. I avoided many of the big hills to make things a little easier in taper week. I tried to run slower but I had to run fast enough to keep warm. Only 10km planned for tmoz and not much leading up to the half marathon. Traveling to the Gold Coast on Friday.

The cloud and fog didn't lift today and the temperature barely got above 8 all day. 7.6 degrees when I started my session at 4pm. I really struggled in the cold on the first effort, was faster in the second, faster again in the third but felt my thigh seize up so bailed on the interval before I did any damage. The set: 1600m 5:19 ; 1200m 3:57, 200m 38 with 200m walk recovery between efforts. 15km for the day, 125km still in the legs. None of my friends trained fast today, far too cold. Helen, Kathy and I ran in the bush after my set. Helen feeling fatigued from a tough session on Saturday and a great 86.9% ast in the Vets Handicap on Sunday.

Back into the arboretum at lunch with Bella. Another 2 minutes fell off my long run without trying. I only ran 10km yesterday due to house duties. It's amazing what a lighter day does for the energy levels, even more so with 132km in the legs. Tmoz will be my last session before the half. 3200m tempo at 10km pace. Then it's easy running and gradually reducing length of runs until Sunday.