Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Only a short long run today but with the temperature back in the high 30s I had to get 18km of my 24km done before it gets too hot. From work down to the lake and then a lap. Started slow but it became a full blown threshold run in the last 7km. Saw KT out there running fast. Back to the Stromlo venue early tmoz, another hot day expected. The track is closed for a carnival in the heat. For me it will be the normal stromlo set done before it gets too hot. Next Thursday I have an 800m handicap to race. The leg speed is pretty good at the moment but a specific 800m set will need to be done at the track on Monday or Tuesday. February is a hard training month before taper again towards AMA Championships. There aren't many proper races on offer at the right time of evening. Just one 5000m eight days before the championships so all the others will be 'play' races, done just as hard as the last weeks.

33.6 degrees at the start, still 32.0 degrees at 9pm...that was one hot race. Before the start I pre-planned Minnie on the water stop instead of lap scoring and organised Helen to do the lap sheet. I needed a cup of water on the head every lap just to get through the heat. Lap splits below. The legs felt good, the form and motivation as well. Keith a huge life time PB 36:59 taking around 1:30 off his best. I guess there were around 25 runners on the track (including AACT). It didn't bother me as I was in lane 3 every lap to get the water. Although it cost me a second each lap in getting the water it saved me a whole lot of discomfort during the race and I was able to finish it off very well, especially in the last 2km. Lap Sheet

Despite the hot forecast I feel up for Thursday evening and the ACTVAC 10000m. Rarely do I approach the first 10km track of the summer with a good head (chubby) but by good will and fortune (except for the forecast) I am in great shape and this is how I will approach things. It was a struggle yesterday after the solid Sunday session (23km at lower threshold). I felt great this morning, I felt great this evening on my 6km run over the mountain again. I expect nothing will be different tmoz... No excuses. No time predictions, the result will stand on it's own. I won't leave anything in the tank...See what happens. In the meanwhile I have heard from Kathy, Keith, Steve and Jane...all are going great. Hopefully we all catch up on or near the weekend.

Perfect weather for a lap of the lake from home. 2km warm up followed by 23km @ 4:10/km average with nothing over 4:20 and a couple of 3:55. Felt really good out there. Minnie also did her long run around the lake but not including the 6km from home (3km down,3km up)...drove there and had to do extra to get to 20km...I didn't see her. Yesterday at the track a 6km jog with Keith followed by a session with Kathy and Karen. Kathy 3 x 1000m in 4:15. I paced Karen on 3 efforts at 4:00/km (1600m,1200m,1200m). Of me: On a diet of toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches with salad I reached my race weight of 55kg on Saturday. I'm feeling confident going into the 10000m on Thursday with a few recent races and some hard sessions in the legs. More important I've freshened up dropping the workload to 120km last week and around 100km this week. The weather forecast looks hot but still...see what happens.

Only the boys running tonight with Steve and Keith in the ACT 5000m and myself in a separate race the ACTVAC 3000m Championships. My race first on a wet track and not too much wind. Ran solo in 7th place from after 200m with all being males aged under 18, managed to pick up 2 places in the final 3 laps for 9:29 and an official season best. Next up the ACT 5000m Championships with Keith and Steve opting for the longer event having done so well last week. They didn't disappoint themselves with both setting new all time PBs. Steve 17:20 and Keith 17:34. Great running from both. Keith ran a perfect race and had help or was the help all the way. Steve posted some great early splits, through 3km in 10:19 and held it together to the finish despite losing count of the laps. Keith was through 3000m in 10:33 so the 14 second gap between Steve and Keith remained to the finish, Keith running the last lap in 76 seconds, Steve in 80.

This evening very warm and the usual afternoon wind. With another 3000m race lined up tomorrow evening the plan as it has been this season a run relaxed and around 10km pace. As it was this afternoon was 9:50 after running consistent 79 second laps and a little quicker in the home straight but no kick. Tomorrow has rain predicted so will see what happens. If cancelled I will make up for it on Saturday, Sunday or Monday on my own. Next Thursday the opposite is predicted for the 10000m with a very hot 37. It may all change and be fine...wait and see. This week another 120km in the bag. Depending on the weather forecast I will decide whether to taper or not...I didn't taper last year from memory and ran OK. Not so long until that Paris Marathon now. Will start my 32km runs this weekend all being well.

BEMBOKA runner Keith Law is reaching his prime at the ripe age of 56. Law has impressed in his first outing as an Australian Masters team representative. Law recently secured a silver medal at the Oceania Masters Athletics Championships in Bendigo. He completed the 5000-metre race in an impressive time of 17 minutes, 57 seconds to finish second in the 55-year men’s age group. The race winner was Ian Calder, who Law said is rated as “one of New Zealand’s top runners”. “I’d rather compete against the best and give myself a chance against the best,” he said. “I’m proud to come away with silver against some of the best in Oceania.” It’s an impressive start for Law, who has gained selection in national colours. There was no qualification – the athletes have to decide themselves if they are worthy. “I nominated myself, but I put on my own limitations,” Law said. “I don’t want to represent Australia if I’m running slower times. “I fee...

Steve, Garry and Emma for company today, just Steve and I the full set, Garry the rabbit in 200m bursts. The set: 6km warm up, 4 x 100m, 7 x 400m + 1 x 200m=3000m with 400m jog between efforts, 4 x 100m, jog with dog warm down. Of me: 8:47 or an average of 69. It got progressively more windy but early on there were a couple of 68s. Not super quick but I felt fluent. The last time I did this type of session (a series of 4-5 of them in 2012) the cumulative times started in the 8:40s and got down to the 8:20s. In 1986 (that was a long time ago) I was doing the set in the 7:30s and running 14:30s for 5000m.

AIS track on Saturday morning for some 1000m efforts. Quite a few there and I couldn't keep tabs on everyone. Steve and I 5 x 1000m at 5000m pace with 400m recovery (all in exactly 3:07 for me) followed by a fluffy 1000m in 3:47. KT did 2 efforts for 1500m, 4 efforts for 10000m. Ken did some strides and a 600m effort in preparation for an 800m at nationals in a month. Then it was off to River Cottage Australia and the beach.

Once again the day expected to reach 41 degrees so I got my running all done early with only a loosener when it cools off again tonight. The run of 20km over Mount Painter twice, into the bush at Aranda and along the bike path to finish, all at a brisk tempo. That's the best I've felt on any run for a long while and could have gone on for much longer but I need to get to work. It does take a while for the iron levels to lift again after a big block of training and I hit one of those periods today with the help of some liquid iron supplement and rest. I've only had three low volume week since my One Hour Run in October. Two weeks due to the broken ribs and one week for this last block of racing. The weeks go like this: 120km, 134km, 48km (chest), 61km (chest) , 135km, 132km, 133km, 130km, 170km, 142km, 77km (taper) , 140km. The final two weeks of January will be 150km+ and 120km+ with three easy days before the ACTVAC 10000m Championships in a fortnight.

On a day when it hit 40+ in Canberra we had scheduled a 3000m race in the lead up to next weeks ACT 3000m Championships. It remained hot well into the evening. The meet was over 30 minutes behind schedule thankfully allowing the wind to die down and the temperature to drop to spot on 30 degrees. Steve broke 10 minutes for the first time, taking 7 seconds off last week which was held in much better conditions. He will be better again next week so long as the weather cooperates. Keith had another great run. In fact all of his runs have been spot on. My splits: 3:11, 3:20, 3:10. I slipped into 3rd place (behind Luke) not long after the gun and stayed there comfortably until we slowed well off my schedule. I stayed tucked in out of the wind for 600m too long (until 1400m to go) and then got going again jumping out of the bunch but had no punch at all in the final 800m. I might have to punish myself on Saturday morning in training to compensate for my weak effort. Ken...

Location back to Stromlo in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat. Minnie out there early for a threshold session. Steve and I for the lactate intervals. The set: 4 x 100m ; 1000m (3:16), 800m (2:33), 600m (1:53), 400m (70), 200m (33) all with 400m jog between efforts.

It's been a while...the set: 4 x 100m with 100m jog, 10 x 200m with 200m jog and thanks for the sprinklers. It made the track slower but the heat bearable. All the splits in the 33-34 range except one 35. The quickest effort was in lane 3 outside the water. I waited until near dusk to get out again for a longer run to finish up. On the weekend Maria did the Oceania Masters Half Marathon in 98 minutes and a Gold W55+. A good time into a 20km/hr wind but it was cooler than I imagined it would be. Kathy continued to improve with a sliver medal 1500m W60+. Of me: I didn't venture down to Bendigo after all. The blister was a trouble yesterday but seems to have healed nicely. I am in full on race mode for the next three weeks with 2 x 3000m races and a 10000m race. All of them are scheduled at around 8pm which should make it as good as it could be for this time of year.

Having virtually reached his 3000m target of 10:00 (3:20/km) the new target for Steve was set to (3:10/km). That means we could do the same set today only I have to run a little longer on each effort. The set: 6km warm up, 4 x 100m, 200m, three efforts at 19 seconds/100m with the beeping watch as a guide, 2.5km warm down. Distances each effort at 76 second laps: Steve 1200m, 800m, 1000m. Me 1600m (5:00), 1200m (3:46), 1000m (3:06). I accelerated on the last lap of each effort slightly but no big kick in the final 100m. Of me: Some fatigue in the legs but not too bad. I could have run longer on all the efforts today but still considering whether or not to go to Bendigo for the half marathon. One thing not in favour of going is a new blister on my achilles tendon due to a loose sock. Will decide later in the day. OK so taped up the achilles blister to the max in the late afternoon, 2km jog, still the blister problem so no 14 hours in the car...thew!! Will still attempt 21.1km f...

First meet for 2014 and on the new track. 45 runners and one wheel chair lined up at the start. Steve and KT of 38 in the 3000m, me of 7 in the 5000m. Conditions were as good as they get in January. The only thing to slow me down was lapping the runners and a wheel chair (twice). Within 150m the race was sorted. I was on the rails alone looking ahead at a pack of 5 running away with it in the 3000m (two would break 9:00), and leading those who may have been able to run 76 second laps consistently. It stayed that way for 2400m with only two by now in tow who would go on to run 9:31-9:32 in the 3000m. I got to sit on them for a lap before they kicked away. My last 5 laps were slow once the track got deserted and cruised home in 16:39 trying to save myself for the half marathon in Bendigo. Steve set a new PB in the 3000m 10:06 and KT had a great run likewise 11:34. Of me: Two 5000m runs in a few days and similar times. I'm getting to 3000m on or around 15:50 pace and doing it al...

No soreness from yesterday so a trip out to the track. 5km warm up, 4 x 100m, 4 x 400m (72,72,70,70) with 400m jog between. 5km warm down. Not a lactate session, just a solid few laps of the track quicker than yesterday. Still planning to run a 5000m on Thursday evening. Just an easy run tomorrow and keeping the workload light.

Drove 7 hours to Bendigo on Sunday morning, arrived to weather very hot and windy. Bunkered down in hotel. Woke to weather very cold and windy. I watched the women race early. NZer Anne and SOz Lisa in tow ran together until last lap when Lisa took off. Kathy scratched ill and cold. Caroline Silver. Next race Vic Charles led start to finish, seemingly unaffected by the wind. ACTVAC Robbie won Gold. Rad also. Our race. I decided to hell with the wind and started bashing out a series of 76 second laps working triple hard down the home straight. I survived 6 times into the wind (Splits: 1km 311, 2km 620) and cracked on the 7th losing 2-3 seconds into an absolute gale but still on 930s pace for 3km. Past the winning post and I waited for the lap split of someone behind me? (was 5 seconds previous lap, now down to 2). I had a peek back on the next bend, yep local M50 Mike had been chasing me hard for almost 3km. I gave up thoughts of a time, slowed, moved into lane 1, allowed him to p...

For one week only the Saturday session moved back to the track. Some of us getting ready for Bendigo and some in full training. It started out as a breeze getting windier as the morning progressed. Set 1: 4 x 100m ; Myself pacing Steve through 3 efforts all at 3:20/km for as long as he could handle (maximum of 5 laps). Effort 1 2000m ; Effort 2 1200m ; Effort 3 1200m (3 seconds under schedule) ; Steve only 4 x 200m with 150m jog recovery (35 seconds reducing to 31seconds) Set 2: The girls 4 x 100m ; 4 x 1000m with KT the quickest of the day 3:39 Set 3: Kathy and SK 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m, 400m. Of me: That was 17km all up with 4 x 100m, 2000m, 1200m, 1200m all at 10km pace of

In the heat of the day 95 minutes through the bush tracks alone. Still 140km+ in the legs last 7 days but two low volume days to follow on the way to Bendigo. Tomorrow morning doing a light track session. I should be good for the 5000m on Monday but much fresher and more race fit for the half marathon six days after that.

This morning with Emma and Bella, a 45 minute loop in the bush. This afternoon some step down intervals on the new track surface. The set: 6x100m ; 2000m 621 ; 800m 227 ; 400m 69 ; 300m 50 with 300m recovery. Warm down on Mt Painter with Bella. The surface not as soft and bouncy as I expected or imagined. Very much like the old surface only flatter, slightly softer. My running technique very much like I've used on the old surface but not like I've used on the Albert Park track in Melbourne. On the session: The 2000m session I set the watch on 6:40 pace, started steady and got quicker each lap and especially on the last two. 12 seconds per kilometre quicker than at Stromlo with much less effort. The shorter efforts fluent but with lactate in the legs after the 800m. A confidence booster for Bendigo on Monday. I still have over 150km in the legs last 7 days.

Two runs today, similar to yesterday. The first with Bella (again) on the lush playing fields in the morning. After the warm up 4 x 15 seconds, 4 x 30 seconds, 4 x 45 seconds, all with Bella running fast beside me, a 15-30 second break between efforts, jog home. No 60 second efforts as Bella was stuffed from the session yesterday and wouldn't get out of a muddy puddle. The second run on the bush trails. Still 20km for the day but under 160km in the last 7 days. The slow taper begins. Tomorrow will be on the track for a see where I am at session. Probably a set of strides and some efforts at or below 3:10/km.