Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Rain two days ago and a heavy dew last evening softened up the surface to slow the circuit down a touch. It is usually fastest in the dead of winter when there is no grass and again in late summer when there is no rain. Emma was there before us running a 35km in prep for the glow worm trail event in a couple of weeks. The early set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 4 x 2500m with 1:40 jog recovery. 2000m warm down. Only Steve and I today. The splits: 838,835,843,840. I was able to stay with Steve throughout the whole session so we have the same splits. There were moments that tested my head and body but on the whole I was stronger than previous weeks. A large crew for set two: 3 x 2500m. I had to leave after their warm up so nothing to report. That's the longest session we will do in this block. A new training block begins on June 16 where the emphasis will be on preparing us for work on the track while still building the base. Next week some of us will do a play race. There will b...

Both Keith and I did a similar session today in different parts of the country. In Bega (Keith) 5 x 800m (2:45,2:41,2:37,2:37,2:35) At AIS (Me) 4 x 800m (2:37,2:37,2:38,2:38) So not very much between us at the moment, Keith is going well. Of me: Roughly 4 seconds quicker each effort than last week but had faster shoes. I did feel much better and right in the middle of my target zone. Next week the aim will be for all of them 2:35 or better. Still sitting on 120km per week and almost finished my third week at that level. Another 3 weeks to go before I give myself an easier week if all goes well.

With rain predicted running to and from work was the go today. In made the runs in both directions as threshold efforts around 4:00/km...I had new shoes to wear in. On the return it was raining and miserable. I ran all the hills hard which varied between 20-100 seconds, threshold in between. Minimal ankle favouring today especially when it warmed up. The total from both directions was 74 minutes. Next session will be Thursday on track, 5 x 800m with 1-2 minutes jog recovery. Looking for all the efforts between 2:35-2:39.

Keith in Merimbula got to race the likes of Marty, Joshua and Sarah over 10km. There must have been some money on offer to attract the stars. Keith posted 38:18 just to finish in front of Sarah. That's a pretty good result for Keith, first M50 plus and another great duel between the two. Up here in Canberra a beautiful morning, even a little warm. I posted a whole minute slower than this time last year, losing most of my time on the rutted track on the 2km descent. I just couldn't get myself into a risk taking mood and even on the climb back up the mountain I was cautious so as not to damage the achilles. It was my first run in racing flats which is a positive. No damage done and I should be able to use them in training at Stromlo next week. I couldn't catch either Ken or KT back did manage to catch GT for 15th across the line. AST was 86% and probably reflects where I am at. A month ago it was 83%. That left me with lots of running to do this afternoon. A long recovery r...

A slight change to previous weeks. The wind was up in the morning making comparison to previous weeks difficult. Like last year we switched from 2000m intervals to 2500m intervals and chose today instead of next week to do it. The set: 2000m warm up, 4*100m, 3*2500m plus 500m with 1:45 jog recovery, 2000m warm down. The splits: Me: 8:32, 8:40, 8:44, 1:40 Steve: 8:32, 8:35, 8:35, 1:40 Jane: 9:36, 9:39, 9:42, 1:46 By comparison, on this day last year the set: Stromlo 4x100m, 2*2500m(8:38,8:28) 60sec rec, 2*1000m(3:14,3:12). So Steve is quicker than then, I am roughly the same. Jane wasn't running. All three of us this week substantially quicker than last week with Jane the big improver. I was still dropped on the hill by Steve on the last two efforts, but much closer than last week. He is moving nicely. After our session group two arrived (Maria, Kathy, Gabe, Roger, Tori, Helen). All did the same session we did with all shining on at least one effort. Not much between ...

Having started my long runs a fortnight ago at 76 minutes I've slowly added a few minutes each run until today 85 minutes...that's very close to the 90 minute maximum I've set myself going into 2015. Likewise the volume has been sneaking up from a few very low weeks post-marathon. I don't need to go past an average of 120km which is what I've had for a fortnight. There may be some weeks bigger and some smaller but I am where I need to be. Tomorrow the tough Saturday session 4 x 2000m xc intervals on 1:30 second jog recovery. Sunday 4km ACT Masters XC Handicap. In the handicap 14:18 2012, 14:13 2013...see if I can break 14:30 and I will be happy. In 6 weeks I'll be on the Gold Coast:-) Three days later in France :-):-)

Finally got to the track to do a session only to find school camp groups hogging lane one on mass. They all politely moved aside but clearly not hardened trackies who know to stay clear while jogging, chatting and strutting. The session: 3km warm up, 4 x 800m with 1 minute jog recovery, 6km warm down. No strides today. I should have but was keen to get things done before the track traffic got worse. The efforts: As planned, nothing under 2:40 and in training shoes to give the achilles more time to recover. 2:43, 2:40, 2:42, 2:40. As I said there was some shouting 'track'. I held my ground in lane one but the shouting didn't help my lactate levels. I did notice how weak the left ankle and thigh is to my right. The form was good but not great. It was hard to believe that was my 10km pace less than three months ago. It was not easy. That's session is a start and will feed in nicely to my core Saturday session. I get to do ACT Masters Athletic Club XC Handicap at Majura ...

A big improvement on last week for Keith after slowing down the first effort. 2000m efforts in 7:32, 7:29, 7:28, 7:28s...no blowout to 7:50 and did it comfortably. An easier day for me, nothing to report. I don't mind autumn and nil racing. No pressure with the key objective to set things up for later on. Just 15km today but relatively quick, in the low 4s and twice up the mountain.

Ran to work and back today. 17km all up and 124km in last 7 days. On the way home (much of the last 5km up anyway), 2 x 60 second plus 2 x 90 second power hills, effort both controlled and forceful. Long recovery jog between efforts and fully extended the right ankle, no force with the left at this point so allow it more healing time. Next hard session will definitely be on the track with 5 x 800m in no quicker than 2:40, 1 minute jog recovery and still is training shoes. Every week gets better fitness and injury wise. With that comes more confidence.

I lay in bed watching final 20km of the Giro this morning on big screen (recorded on computer). So it was a late run down to the lake and out onto the Canberra Half Marathon course to cheer on. I pulled onto the course with runners travelling in the mid-4s so really had to work to catch some of my friends. Luckily there was a loop through Black Mtn Peninsula so I could catch up. After cheering on KT, Elle, Maria and so on (all were doing well) I ran the course further to less than 1km remaining, more cheering on for Elle and Maria, then made the reverse trip home. Not a half marathon for me but close, 19km with some surging efforts in the mid-3s, start and finish in the 4s and 81 minutes. I need to do a loosener this afternoon, 3km will do to give me 120km for the last 7 days, my first since the end of January. If I do race Gold Coast Half Marathon I will have 7 big weeks and one easier week in my legs. I estimate I am another 4 weeks until I get back on top of form again and los...

The set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 4 x 2000m with 1:30 jog recovery, 4000m warm down on the xc circuit. All of us an improvement on last week. The averages per 2000m Steve 7:00, Jane 8:05, Me 7:08. Jane with four consistent efforts this week, Steve again a big improvement (wearing xc spikes this week helped him show true potential), Me under 6:59 on first effort with Steve then chasing Steve on the next three efforts with the last two efforts my slowest at 7:15 (lactate over the top in the first two efforts trying to keep up with Steve). Jane and Steve have hit their targets this week, I need at least one more week. So next week again 4 x 2000m, the following week 4 x 2500m all being well. Will do a loosener this afternoon of 6km. Tomorrow a long run, probably out and back on the Canberra Half Marathon course which starts at 9am and do some cheering.

I've redefined my definition of a long run from here on. For me it is as short as 75 minutes and I won't aim for anything over 90 minutes. The minimum of 75 minutes equates to a half marathon which is the longest I will race. So today was the same out and back to the Arboretum I did a week or two ago. Same minimum time of 76 minutes except I had to run out 800m further to turnaround (1600m extra). Tomorrow is Stromlo 4 x 2000m again. Hoping the next two Saturday sessions I get the times from last week [Stromlo 4x2000m 1:30j(715,717,715,712)] to similar I did in mid-May last year [Stromlo 4*2000m 60j(705,656,659,656)]. Depending on the condition of Stromlo circuit, where the course is cut, hills and twists it is around 10-15 seconds slower per km than on track. Steve is almost there and running quicker than me, I have some catching up to do. My weight mid-week blew out to 59.4kg  That was enough to scare me into taking some action. Back down to 57.8kg now.

Down in Bega Keith continues with the similar sessions we do here, although on different days. Today it was 4 x 2000m (7:17,7:24,7:34,7:50). Bear in mind Keith is 5 years older than us, he is in very good shape for the off season. For two days straight I have run to work and back. That is normal for winter on a few days each week as the light gets shorter and the temperature colder. At this rate I will be near 120km for the week, so long as the niggles stay away. I still have a 5 x 800m session to do on the way home. It's been two months since damaging my achilles by wearing middle distance spikes in the 10000m in Hobart. I can now say it is 95% better and some other niggle can soon take its place. As well as all the stretching, ice and so on I've invested in some more of the same I already have 'light marathon' shoes with ample cushioning. In those I'll be doing all of my speed work until the spring to minimise the risk to injury. 

I didn't mean to do this session. Unfortunately I got stuck on the bike path on dusk at commuter o'çlock, had to turn around (too dark, too dangerous), hitched a ride on the back of a commuter and ran a 1km hill in 3:40:-) That means my 5 x 800m on Thursday and I am back on plan as of today. Still sitting on just over 100km per week. Next week will be 110km and the following 120km. On Mothers Day I did note Helen did 23:04 for 5km 1st W50. Among others KT 19:56 for 5th overall, SK finding some form again and Michelle 42 minutes in the 10km. Not much depth in the men which is good...after all it was mothers day. Meanwhile down in Bega Keith did his 5 x 800m on the grass (2:44, 2:42, 2:41, 2:45, 2:45) and an improvement on last weeks already good effort.

Exactly five weeks after the marathon I think I am getting back on track. Today a pain free 76 minutes to the Arboretum and back, mostly on stable, soft and undulating surfaces. That takes the total over 100km for the week, the first in a long time it seems. I am also at the point where I can add another session mid-week. I will try 5 x 800m with 1-2 minutes recovery on track but only wearing training shoes and nothing faster than 2:40 or 3:20/km. I'm very happy with my progress since starting the new training cycle 11 days ago and can see it is highly possible my first race could be Gold Coast Half and not City2Surf. Will see how it all goes. In Melbourne Keith, also 11 days into the new cycle, ran a 10km in 39 minutes. Keith, like me, is a few kilo overweight. Judging by his speed session mid-week it is only the weight that is holding him back. I expect we will all be running strongly by the end of June.

The second Saturday session in this year long cycle, a chance to progress from where we were last week. The aim in this first training block is to progress from the 6km (3x2km) of work we did last week, aiming for 14km of work (say 4km + 4 x 2.5km intervals) at true 10km pace by the end of June. That should lay a base for some upcoming xc and road races like Gold Coast Half Marathon, City2Surf, ACT XC Championships. All sessions will be done on the Stromlo XC circuits. From July on the session will change to step down intervals (like 2km, 1.5km, 1.2km, 800m, 400m) to start developing a race discipline It is based on maintaining maximum threshold for the majority of the race with a 2km kick down at the end of the race. This block is important to develop the speed and endurance of that maximum threshold over the next 8 weeks and drive down our 10km potential in little steps on a weekly basis. Today the session was divided into 2 groups with 7am starters and 8am starters, all doing a ...

One session we carry all the way through the year is our Saturday session. It evolves through the training blocks in a well disciplined process. If you take any championship race and break it down, where there are more than 2-3 at a similar level, we see the end game played out time and time again...and it is trainable if you know how. If you have time then watch this link in full. When you have finished watching it then ask yourself...how is this possible to do without structured training? Haile, Mo, Kenenisa 21.1km Next post: The Saturday sessions in detail.

Of me: 17km yesterday in two runs, a test of the achilles to see how it copes. I have slowly worked up to 10km a day no problems, still just the one key session on Saturday, 80km per week. I think I am back to where I was just after I injured during 10km at AMA wearing spikes. I am able to train and even race but doing everything in moderation to allow the body time to repair. As it gets better I will slowly add more volume and another key session In Bega: Keith 5 x 800m in 2:47, 2:48, 2:48, 2:46, 2:45 on grass oval with 200m jog recovery...not a dog in sight and almost summer form. An excerpt from an excerpt on ''inrng''. One of the many great articles on this site. ""A day in the life Michael Hutchinson’s book “Faster ” details a discussion with Team Sky’s coach Tim Kerrison about a training session on Tenerife for Bradley Wiggins during his 2012 approach to the Tour de France: “The details of a session would cover an A4 page… A big day. Six hou...

Day one of the next training cycle for all of us at Stromlo. 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 3 x 2000m at with 1:30 jog recovery. Jane 8:12,8:20:8:30 found it cold...it was and wet as well. Steve and I 7:21,7:19,7:23 Me 7:12 Steve. That's a big improvement over last year for Steve, especially first up. He left me for dead with 900m to go on the last effort. Helen did 4 x 1000m after us. Also getting better each week. Keith in Bega 4 x 100m, 2 x 2000m 7:17 (337,340),7:24 (340,344) + 1000m (335)...almost assaulted by dog. Of me: Very happy with that session. Faster than my comparable session last year by 10 seconds per effort. I was able to get all the efforts under 7:00 after a month last year so that is the goal again. The achilles not fully healed but manageable. Will keep to just one hard session per week and otherwise steady running until I see some more improvement.