Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Well that's it for 2013. Two runs today. The first with Bella on the lush playing fields in the morning. After the warm up 4 x 15 seconds, 4 x 30 seconds, 4 x 45 seconds, 4 x 60 seconds all with Bella running fast beside me, a 15-30 second break between efforts, jog home. The second run in the heat of the day on the bike path and 6km. Just went out for a run but felt very good. Despite a half volume day I still finish the week with well over 100 miles in the legs last 7 days and an average of 133km+ per week for the month, easily my best training month since the 1990s. Almost a blessing they closed the track so we couldn't race. Some stats: Average kilometres per week, year bests for 5km, 10km, Half Marathon, Marathon or One Hour 1986 124.9                         14:51 ; 30:10 ; 65:45 1992 122.5          ...

In a normal year the major competition (Australian Masters Athletics Championships) is in late March or April to coincide with Easter. This year the major focus comes in the first weekend in March and the structure is brought forward by a month or so. The second direct prep block for track will be merged with the second competition block. We have been without a track since early November. I had broken ribs only days after the track closed. The Australian Masters Athletics Championships is conducted over three consecutive days instead of four, leaving no day off for me. As the program stands I will run 10000m, 5000m and 8000m XC on consecutive days. By necessity I will run the races tactically and not as time trials. That basically means start slowish, find maximum threshold and work a little below that with the help of other runners, save a kick for the last 2000m and last 400m if needed. All year we do sessions that mimic that so little will change. Another factor for me is run...

Too much wind for a trip out to Stromlo. Instead a run from home, down to the lake, out 10km, back 10km. First km warm up, 18km at lower threshold (4:00s on flat, 4:20s in wind and hills, 4:30s back up the 200m elevation from the lake), 1km warm down. All done on the bitumen to get the legs ready for the half marathon in a fortnight. This afternoon an easy run with Bella. 170km in the legs this week and will average well over 30km for the month. December will be my best month since returning to running in 2007. On New Years Day the load will lighten and hopefully the leg speed will improve, especially with access to a track again, a new one at that.

This morning with a 645am start, just Steve and I. The track had the sprinklers so lush, wet and very humid. The usual set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 2000m (645), 1500m (452), 1200m (355), 800m (229), 400m (74) with Steve just behind and in front on the last two efforts (another equal best ever set for Steve). 2000m warm down. 8am for the next group. By this time very warm. The set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 1500m (5:48), 4 x 500m (1:40), 2000m warm down. The girls and SK running very quick. Minnie also a recent best effort on her threshold run. Gets better each week despite the odd setback. Of me: Very similar splits to last week. I worked to my maximum on all the efforts. The fatigue of six very hard weeks and 170km this week has dulled the speed a wee bit. Hopefully I get a whole lot quicker when the taper kicks in next week. A usual a loosener this afternoon and a long lower threshold run early tomorrow morning.

21km at Stromlo. 2km warm up, 14km at Lower Threshold, 5km jog warm down for long run #14. Resumed pushups today, first set since the broken ribs. 100 done at double the normal effort. 100 days to Marathon de Paris. :-)

Yesterday 23km all up in two runs done very slowly. This morning just Steve and I: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 2000m threshold 7:13, 5 x 500m (95,87,87,87,87) with Steve 1-2 seconds quicker on each. This afternoon an easy recovery run. A week from now the track opens again and I will get a chance to find out where I am at before the 5000m at the Oceania Masters Games in Bendigo. I will fit in two track sessions before the 5000m. I expect to be very strong but on the slow side.

Cool and still at Stromlo for a 6.45am session, just Steve and myself. Same session as last week (done with Keith as well). The set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m strides, 5000m on the hilly 2.5km circuit in 2 parts: 3300m staying all together (mid-threshold or 3:32/km for me) ; final 1700m at maximum threshold (3:25/km for me). 2000m warm down. Final times: Me 17:34, Steve 17:49 Splits while together: 2km 6:58, 2.5km 8:59, 3km 10:34, 3.3km 11:41 Similar splits to last week with Steve able to come home quicker.

Another hot one, over 36 expected again so an early start. At Stromlo only on the 2000m XC circuit a 2km warm up, 80 minutes continuous at lower threshold (4:00-4:07/km), 1000m warm down. A short loosener later to make it 28km for the day. That's long run #12 since the ribs thing and week weeks average of 130km. One more week of hard work and then an easy week or so coinciding with the Oceania Masters Athletics Championships 5000m and Half Marathon.

Up very early this morning with a 6am start, just Steve and I. The usual set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 2000m (647), 1500m (452), 1200m (353), 800m (229), 400m (71) with Steve just behind and in front on the last effort (another best ever set for Steve). 2000m warm down. 8am for the next group. By this time very warm. The set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 2000m max threshold (7:49), 3 x 500m (1:40), 2000m warm down. After all this running a brunch close by. Of me: Once again not warmed up enough and probably too fatigued for the first 2000m, then a best ever set following. I can say now that I've regained all that I lost from the rib injury (which are still sore to touch after almost 6 weeks). Glad that is out of the way. A long run tmoz with some threshold intervals.

With the weather in Canberra hitting over 37 degrees I am so glad I got out there in the cool this morning and did my 18km lap of the lake+ There is now way I would be contemplating it now.

Cool and still at Stromlo for a 6am session and all the boys present (Steve, Keith and myself). The set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m strides, 5000m on the hilly 2.5km circuit in 2 parts: 3300m staying all together (mid-threshold or 3:32/km for me) ; final 1700m at maximum threshold (3:25/km for me). 2000m warm down. Final times: Me 17:31, Steve 17:52, Keith 17:59.  Splits while together: 2km 7:02, 2.5km 8:57, 3km 10:43, 3.3km 11:42

Very hot and still...that's summer for you. Just Steve and I, 4 x 700m mostly up hill and into the tiny breeze that was. We couldn't maintain 3:10km pace but were always under 3:20/km...the effort was there. Once again Steve pushing me the whole way if not in front. Saw Tush post training on velo...it's been quite a while. Kathy and Maria (with some help from KT over last weeks) have both been training hard. Keith had his best short session today. We are gearing up for the new track. First opportunity to train there will be January 2 in the afternoon.

Thunder and lightning cut short the Monday session. A 10km jog with Bella on trails and a 5000m mid-threshold run on grass in 18:29 (splits: 3:40, 3:45, 3:42, 3:43, 3:36). I just ran by feel, no peeking at the splits along the way so I wouldn't run too hard.

With the Canberra Half Ironman on getting to and from Stromlo wasn't easy. In the end I parked 5km away and did an extended warm up and warm down to the grass track. The set: 7000m at just under 3:40/km (mid-threshold), rolling into 8000m at just over 3:50/km (quicker than lower threshold). Most of my work was done on the more undulating and slower 2000m circuit. I did the last 2000m on the 1km loop in 7:40. 25km was just starting to test my energy stores which is something I haven't felt in a long time. This afternoon the loosener will only be 20 minutes with the dog.

Cloudy, not much wind, a little humid and warm this morning. Not too bad for running. As usual with Steve on the early set: 4x100m, 2000m,1500m,1200m,800m,400m Splits: 645,454,354,231,75 Second set pacing the girls: 4 x 100m, 5x800m all in 257-2:58 or just under 3:50/km The first set one of my quickest, the only disappointment being the first effort. I'm pretty close be being at my best again but to be honest I didn't feel great out there this morning. It was a best ever cumulative for Steve. Even at my best he is pressing me on every effort. The girls were great too. Very impressive the last four weeks and I can see they are all coming into form. Yesterday was my 11th 90 minute+ run in four weeks. All but one have been long recovery runs. Tomorrow will be another marathon specific session at Stromlo. A little faster and further on both threshold efforts and a little further in total distance is the plan. The track: They were putting the railings in late yesterday....

Only Steve, Maria and myself this afternoon. Kathy later. 5km for all of us on the 2km x 2 and 1km loops. For Steve and myself intervals @ 3:20/km with 100-200m recovery (60 seconds). Total time for me (including recovery)(I went back for some bits to help Steve) 19:25, Steve 19:41. Maria a steady threshold in 23:30. It was hot and windy. Of me: That's 3 weeks average 125km+ since starting running after the rib thing (and it still hurts).

Another 90 minute+ run knocked off in the bush. More important to look and see that the track now has all lines painted on. Just some trim like the inside railings and so on to complete. Hard to believe it will be shut for another 3 weeks. Keith continues to train the house down on the coast. We get our chance and Stromlo tomorrow.

Very windy in the morning. Minnie a 10km threshold effort. Steve and I lactate intervals. The set: 4 x 100m. 3 x (400m, 200m, 300m, 100m with 30 seconds jog recovery) and 700m jog recovery between the 3 sets. The splits: 76,37,54,18...76,35,54,18...74.35,53,17. Yesterday Keith the Stromlo set on the coast. All the times still looking good. Me yesterday a lazy 75 minutes in the bush. The track is finished except for the line marking. My ribs? I can stop whinging now. No pain on the harder sessions. Still sore to touch or breathe very deeply. The only pain is when I sleep on my side so that story is over.

All the other sessions I do will go towards Marathon de Paris as well. The session today was my first of around ten sessions to get me there mentally. I used possible shoes for marathon and started testing nutrition. The session at Stromlo again, hot, sunny, black snake, not much wind, all on either the 1km or 2km loops as the 2.5km is short. The set: jog 2km 10:00, mid-threshold 5km 18:15 , jog 2km 10:00 ; lower threshold 12.1km 49:25 (last 2km 8:00); warm down to 90 minutes. Split at 21.1km 87:50 Minnie was out there as well, covered 15km in the same time. This afternoon a loosener of 8km to take the day to 30km.

Perfect morning, cool and next to no wind. Set 1 (with Steve): 4 x 100m, 2000m,1500m,1200m,800m,400m (650,459,358,235,72) Much better than last week but found it tough going. I am probably one week off training at my normal level. The chest is stiff and the breathing laboured. Not getting enough sleep from lying on my back. Steve is pressing me on every effort and always beats me on the last. Set 2 (pacing the girls): 4x100m, 5x1000m (343,343,348,349,359) All the girls were really quick, a big step up over the last few weeks. Minnie continued her progress, an incredible 89 second improvement this week during the last 8km of a 10km threshold run at the same venue. Ken and Karen did an extra 4 x 100m and 4 x 200m strides, missed some 1km efforts.

Yesterday a long run in the heat of 90 minutes+. Today with Steve at Stromlo: 4 x 100m, 4 x 800m on a cold and windy day. The times identical for both of us: 2:32, 2:28, 2:28, 2:26. Felt a bit like the old me again and looked very much like the new Steve. The chest still store and with some fluid in the left lung, not getting much sleep, but that's the best I've felt while running since the fall. On the coast Keith a short session, cut even shorter by the weather. The track was almost fully surfaced as of yesterday. I doubt much if anything got done today. It was 8.1 degrees here mid-afternoon.

  Because of me who jumped the gun minus 3 seconds each from those times...so sorry. An improvement from last week and felt good until I cracked after 2.3km. It was hot out there. My splits:8:21, 8:47. In training I would normally do 6:37 which is about what I went through 2km in. In a race a normal split is 8:05 on a first lap. I have run a tick over 16 for 5km on the course. Any way you look at it I am still a minute or less off a good run. The chest not a problem during the race. After quite sore...will have to do some breathing exercises and harder training to right it. The left lung is not filling up to capacity and can't hold it for as long. Steve 17:59 by his watch. Kathy very similar to last week...everybody suffered in the heat. Back to a new normal routine for me. 140km in a week, three hard sessions, next one on Thursday. Yesterday I did 83 minutes and looked at the track. They should be finished before the rain sets in tmoz save for marking the li...

My fifth 90min+ run in eight days leaves me with 90 miles for the last 7 days in old terms. Bella was with me, four swims and a little slow in the last 3km...I was relentless. Finally the chest pain is diminished on long runs so as to need no drugs, no compression tops, no tape and no pain. As for sleep deprivation, fast paced work and timid of pointy stones that might take a bit longer. Keith ran in the 17:40s in Albury yesterday, hot and lonely...well done. From what I have seen the boys (except me) are in great shape.