Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Weather warm, sunny, still. Grass lush, surface slowing, no magpie swooping. In attendance Mia, Helen, Emma, Gabe, myself. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m strides, 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts with 3 minute re-group jog and hydrate between efforts, 1500m warm down. Pace was around 4:00/km with pacing by myself, Emma quickest on the early efforts and everyone quicker on the later efforts. Not much spread between everyone. Keith in Bega on harness track. Strong winds. 3000m warm up and warm down, 5 x 100m (16,16,16,17,18), 5 x 600m (1:54, 1:54, 1:58, 1:56, 2:01). Very steamy. Steve on the coast this weekend, did his 5 x 600m set yesterday, his quickest set of that type this summer. Of me: Extended warm up this morning followed by all of the set with the girls. My new shoes arrived yesterday, wore those in the session. 17km all up, no loosener this afternoon as I attend to some niggles over the next fortnight. I had an erratic month but still managed to average over 110km for the 10th ...

Very good conditions at track around 6pm. Sunny, warm, an easterly breeze from the sea just rolling in. For various reasons I decided to do the pace work in the 3000m, help Keith on the way hopefully to an ACT Masters M55 record of 10:15 or so. It wasn't to be for Keith on the evening but held onto pace for 1600m. Another lap or so at that pace and he would have been able to get home. I set a constant pace at 10:10 for 3000m. When I noticed both Anthony and Keith had dropped off with 600m to go I ran a little quicker finishing in 10:03, Anthony 10:10, Keith 10:28, Helen 13:00, Kathy 13:15, Minnie 14:30. Most ran a season best. Gabe turned up for an 800m and ran in the race with Helen (3:05). I had an appointment so couldn't stay to watch. A letter in the mail yesterday means I will have to perform service to the community for 4 weeks beginning in a fortnight. Such is life! I've decided to end this part of the season, switch focus and start training for the Cadbury Half Ma...

Monday is speed and lactate day during track season. Two days of recovery runs follow allowing a very hard session on the Monday of no more than 2000m of efforts before racing on Thursday evening. All of us did the sets today in different locations and slightly different sets but we all got the job done and showed some progress towards what is a very long 7 months of potential track racing. Of course we don't race every week. Today windy, warm to hot and sunny. Steve on wet grass in morning: 8 x 200m, six in 32 seconds, two in 31 seconds. Quickest set this season Keith on undulating dirt: 4 x 100m (16.6, 16.7, 16.5, 16.3); 5 x 400m (74, 75, 76, 77, 77) Helen on grass with swooping magpie: 5 x 300m all in 3:50s/km Minnie, Kathy and I on track 4 x 100m, 5 x 300m: Minnie best set this season, Kathy best set this season (63-65s) Of me: 4 x 100m (16,15,14, 14.26 ), 5 x 300m,(47.97,47.71,47.25, 47.22 ,48.09). Best set this season. Too many infants on track for safety, will revert t...

Weather cool, no wind to speak of, partly cloudy, nice weather for running. The grass is lush from recent rain, surface losing speed. The magpie is no longer swooping. Early lactate set with Steve. Later step down set with Gabe (birthday girl), Kathy, Helen and Minnie. Set 1: 2600m warm up, 4 x 100m, 5 x 600m with 60 second standing recovery on out and back undulating section. 2nd and 4th efforts more up than down, 1st, 3rd and 5th efforts more down than up. Warm down 4 x 100m strides 4000m jog. Steve was very close to me today, a sign he is getting in great shape again. My splits: 1:48, 2:00, 1:47, 2:00, 1:46. That's my best set of this type ever, same for Steve. Set 2: 3000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts, first 3 efforts near maximum threshold (4:10/km for Helen), last 3 efforts above maximum threshold (3:40-3:50/km for Kathy). Jogging in between to regroup. 1500m warm down. All the girls ran well. First set of this type for Minnie. This afternoon an easy reco...

Same 20% gradient hill on cycle path I have used for last 6 years 4 x Power Hills. As always 20 minute warm up, first three efforts increase speed, last effort full gas. Splits: 22, 19, 18, 17.22 (0.07 slower than PB, second best ever). I've hit a plateau with this set. The 100m, 200m and 300m are still getting quicker on a weekly basis.

Weather cool, windy, track dry (drizzle all day). Main event for me Pennington Handicap 1500m, big pot (trophy) on offer for 3 event series (800m, 1500m, 3000m) plus crystal silver goblet. Results scored by points, not times, winning is everything. 4km warm up, 8 x 100m strides (quickest 14.2 not even trying, big tail wind), jogging on spot (cold). Race: My only thought, catch Kathy, I need to catch 100m per lap. Through 200m 33, head wind in home straight...caught Kathy with 400m to go (lungs busting, usually 300m to go), not so quick last lap. Kathy just held off Anthony in home straight for 2nd, less than 2 metres in it. Colin 4th. Last two series races in 2016. 3000m: Started drizzling just before the start, still windy. Helen 13:08, Kathy 14+, Minnie 14+, Roget 5000m 24+. Shane ran and tossed and jumped almost everything. Results later. Keith 4 x 1500m continuous on undulating dirt road earlier in the day. Time 23:29 plus warm up. Steve 5 x 300m on grass (rough track) 51, ...

Back to the Woden track for a second Monday. Not as windy, just as warm, no white fluff falling out of trees. Just Minnie, Kathy and myself. The set: Warm up 20 minutes, 4 x 100m, 5 x 300m, 100m recovery. Kathy 65 lowering to 63 with walk recovery (quicker than last week), Minnie in the 70s with float recovery. It makes a difference an extra 60 seconds break. Basically one a full lactate set (Minnie, short break), Kathy longer break a speed endurance set. Of me: I took the Kathy option. I also shortened the set due to warm up in old shoes which gave me a sore knee. Once I got the spikes on pain went away but I didn't take any risks with it. New shoes on the way Wiggle? My splits: 4 x 100m (16, 15, 14, 14.41), 3 x 300m (49.01, 48.39, 47.13). Last week with 100m jog it was in the 53s, one minute extra recovery in the 40s. That's more like it although more of an 800m set than a 1500m set. My splits as good as they have been for 5-6 years. Two days easy running now, 1500m handi...

Long run this morning incorporating a track session for 800m / 1500m as I have in past weeks. Cool change moved through last evening, still cloudy with light winds. The set: 4.5km warm up, 4 x 100m (18, 16, 15, 14.65) with jog back recovery, 800m jog to flush lactate, 1500m @ 3:00/km in 3 efforts (900m 2:42, 300m 56, 300m 50=4:28) with 60 second standing recovery), 800m to flush lactate, 4 x 200m (31.52, 31.97, 31.71, 31.54=2:06.74) with 200m float recovery in 60 seconds, 6km warm down. All up 83 minutes. The 800m set another improvement although fastest effort hasn't improved, splits consistent. I'm more confident I can run around 2:12 without breaking. The 1500m set I had the wobbles on first 300m effort, came good again with another 60 second stoppage. I'm probably around 4:34-35 shape on my own. I've still got some work to do. This Thursday is a handicap Pennington series race over 1500m (800m and 3000m in New Year). Kathy will be my biggest threat as I give her ...

Up early and out to Stromlo for a set with Steve followed by same set with Kathy, SK, KT, Gabe. It was warm to hot, sunny and no wind. The set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 5 x 600m with 60 seconds standing recovery, 2000m warm down, 4 x 100m. We've done the same set for a few weeks now. All on grass, undulating. Wind makes a difference to the times in either direction, no wind today. It's more down than up going out, the opposite coming back. Steve: Average 1:53 going out, over 2 minutes coming back. That's a big improvement on his set last week. Me: Splits 1:49, 2:00, 1:46, 2:00, 1:47. That's my best set so far. I have run faster going out with a big wind behind me but it was much slower coming back. Set 2: KT average 3:40/km with Kathy, Gabe and SK not so far behind and all running strongly. SK had a very quick final 600m. It was much hotter for the second set. This afternoon an easy run to loosen up. If I feel good tomorrow I'll do a long run via track and bac...

Steve up early, grass still wet from dew. Set 5 x 300m with 55.25 average. First evening back on track in the 2015/2016 season. First time at newly re-surfaced Woden. I last ran on the track when it was grass in 1984...that's a long time ago. Back then we were using Canberra Stadium for athletics as well and the current AIS track was only a warm up facility. A big turnout for first night. Maybe Woden is closer for a few people or they just want to try a new track. It was windy early and very warm and sunny. White fluff was still blowing out of the trees although not as much as on Monday. The air was very dry making it possible to get an 800m cough in a 3000m race. Geoff Moore 3000m Series (I need to run 5 races of 9 and have better ast than Keith. Kathy will win women's if she does 5 races): Like I've done all year I started fast and just tried to hold on. There is never anyone to race. I was lapping people before 800m, in lane 2 for the duration. I held under 9:30 pace ...

Again the same 20% gradient hill on cycle path I have used for last 6 years 4 x Power Hills. As always 20 minute warm up (passed Janene mid-point), first three efforts increase speed, last effort full gas. Splits: 21, 19, 19, 17.25 (0.09 slower than last week, second best ever). I ran 60 minutes after work, last 5 minutes with the dog. No more long hills for a while, track will replace that. The power hills remain in the weekly schedule, will only not be there if injured or in a taper period. I will move the bike intervals to Sunday, either my PM session or a warm down after a sneaky track session. I didn't do much yesterday in volume, I won't do much tomorrow but will still run 110km this week (ending Sunday).

All similar sessions a few days before track starts. Steve early on wet grass 8 x 200m (34,34,33,33,33,33,33,33). Keith 4 x 400m just before some rain hit (79,77,77,77). Woden track reccy: It was windy blowing down back straight, white fluff falling out of trees made running very unhealthy. 5 x 300m with 100m either jog or walk recovery with Kathy, Minnie, Helen and myself. Kathy was flying around at 3:40/km with walk recovery. Helen ran/walked for six hours on Saturday, still managed 3:50s/km high, jog recovery. Minnie also looked very good with jog recovery. Of me: 20 minute warm up, 4 x 100m (16,15,14,14), 5 x 300m, 100m jog recovery (53,53,54,54,55=4:29), 20 minute warm down. The track? Surface is great, seems fast to me. Still need some facilities, not sure how that will work out? It's not up to Olympic spex with bends slightly longer than straights but only by a couple of metres. There is no 1500m start line, took me a while to work our where to start 300s from. It shoul...

Out on a longish run this morning via track. Warm, no wind, almost nobody at track. The set: 4.5km warm up, 4 x 100m (18,16,15,14.72) with jog back recovery, 800m jog, 1200m 3:46, 800m jog, 4 x 200m (32.64, 32.99, 31.47, 31.33=2:08.43) with 200m float 60 seconds, 6km warm down. Similar to last week warmed up well so as not to risk injury, 14 seconds for last 100m, tempo for 1200m, flush lactate then into set. I would only need a couple of 200m sets improving on today to run a decent 800m in around 2:12-2:13. Tomorrow back the the track again at Woden, a newish surface which our club will use most of the summer. I was thinking 4 x 400m but will run my favourite 1500m predictive lactate set 5 x 300m with 100m jog 45 seconds. Something under 4:10 cumulative would be a good start. A 35 minute jog to loosen up a little later. Having a French afternoon / evening to wind down. 130km last 7 days.

Warm, no wind, some dew on the grass from overnight storms. Small group today, training first time with Steve since June. Magpie swooping on lower part of circuit. Set 1: (Steve and myself) 2km warm up, 4 x 100m, 5 x 600m XC intervals undulating out and back. Out quicker than back. Splits: Steve all in 1:50s out. Myself: 1:48, 1:58, 1:48, 1:59, 1:49, 4 x 100m, 1000m warm down. Set 2: (Kathy and Alison, same set) Splits all 2:20-2:45. Alison slightly quicker than Kathy. KT, SK, Gabe doing own thing, started a little later. This afternoon 10km easy. Tomorrow long easy run, may visit via track some 200m strides. Monday afternoon a harder session on track, some 400s? Keith a ParkRun 5km tempo in 18:13. Splits: 3:44, 3:36, 3:39, 3:36, 3:36.

Little Changed from previous years. Shift back to how I originally trained in 2009/2010 with more emphasis on power and speed for shorter races 800m-3000m. Direct Preparatory Period 1 October 1-30 Aims to develop: Aerobic endurance, race pace, specific speed, power. Special focus on speeds for 800m-3000m. Training Goal: Aim to fit in no more than 3-4 of the sessions below each week according to body fatigue Race Pace Lactate intervals: short (or step down) intervals at race pace, effort=9/10, weekly once-twice Key sessions/goals: 800m: 4 x 200m, 200m float, total time Long intervals, long recovery: 1000-2000m with long recovery at race pace, effort= 9/10, weekly once Race Conditioning: Track races including One Hour, fun run, BBQ stakes, monthly handicap, effort =9/10, weekly to monthly Power: 150m hills on slight to moderate incline, jog back recovery, high hips, effort=9/10, weekly once All sessions begin and conclude with stretching and 4 x 100m strides Competition...

On same 20% gradient hill on cycle path I have used for last 6 years 4 x Power Hills. As always 20 minute warm up, first three efforts increase speed, last effort full gas. Splits: 22, 20, 19, 17.16!! Another PB (formerly 17.79). I can definitely say I am improving sprinting up steep hills. Only useful if I can convert that into running faster of flat (track). 25 minutes for this session leaves me 55-60 minutes after work.

It's a long haul to Malaga, Spain, World Masters Athletics Championships 2018. My head is going there. It's less than three years away! Roughly every six months there is a world level meet northern hemisphere / southern hemisphere worth attempting. Toss in Tour de France cycling (every year since 2008, not stopping any time soon), maybe La Vuelta and some simple lifestyle choices can be made. 2016 : Australian Masters Half Marathon January, Australian Masters Athletics Championships Adelaide April, World Masters Athletics Championships Perth October 2017 : Australian Masters Athletics Championships ?? April, World Masters Games Auckland NZ May 2018 : Oceania Masters Championships Dunedin NZ January, Australian Masters Athletics Championships ?? April, World Masters Athletics Championships Malaga Spain September From this periodisation becomes six monthly rather than annually. Same structure, shorter cycles, I already tested this year. More in the next post.

Steve this morning 6 x 400m efforts with 60 seconds recovery. Average 77, spread 73-79. Still getting a feel for it again I imagine after Half Marathon recovery. Keith 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts on undulating terrain and some wind. The set today quicker than previous week. Distances covered 1670m, 1320m, 1080m, 760m, 550m, 290m. The fifth and final set of 3 x 1090m on the same hill loop used for six years. Kathy, Julia, Helen, Jack, Minnie and myself. Jack had a fall during the week was cruising. Kathy had no lunch, starving. Julia was solid, Melbourne Half Marathon in just over a week. Minnie ran a PB on second effort, not far behind the girls now. Helen her best set overall ever with all efforts in the 4:50s. Of me: 3:43, 3:44, 3:43. Second best set ever behind the set of last week. I didn't have any spark today but very strong again. That's it with the longer hills for a while. The short power hills and power cycling indoors will continue. Next set on Saturday 5 x 600m ...

It is hot and windy everywhere, a cooler day tomorrow. Keith Secret Set #3 : 2.5km warm up, 5 x 100m in 17 seconds, 2 x 1200m + 600m (3:55, 3:57, 1:59). PM session on treadmill. Another good set. ACT M55 3000m record looking probable if the rate of progress continues. Steve back into it after two weeks easier post-half marathon. Set of 200m lactate efforts: 8 x 200m with 30 seconds recovery, range 37.0-35.8. Set of 400s probable next set. Of me: Longer run at lunch 75 minutes including 4 x power hills (22,20,20,18.1). Into the wind today, 2nd fastest ever on last effort. This afternoon an easy jog warm up, on Indoor Bike Trainer 4 x 15 second full gas efforts, 3 minute TT, 4 x 15 second efforts with easy spinning warm up and in between. Next set: Final 3 x 1090m hill loops for this build up. Track will commence following Thursday. First few weeks will be finding my track feet again. Unlike previous seasons I will be starting fast and trying to hold on rather than cruise at tempo p...

Off to the track this morning. Tired from yesterday so a short set with focus on 800m, 1500m speed. The weather overcast, cool, not much wind. The set: 4.5km warm up, 4 x 100m (19,17,16,15), 1000m 3:09, 800m 2:33, 400m 71, 4 x 200m (32,32,32,31), 2 x 100m strides, 5.5km warm down. Early intervals to get me fully warmed up, as a result 200m efforts were quicker than last week. I almost feel like I can do a 4 x 200m lactate set without breaking something all in 31 or better. I still need a couple of sets to get my confidence up and body ready to race 1500m or less. That will be in 2-3 weeks. This afternoon an easy 50 minutes. Tomorrow a long recovery run unless I get a better offer. It's a public holiday Monday. I'm sitting on 130km/week again and on the grass with Bella.

Gorgeous day, no wind, sunny, warm. Kathy, Helen, Jack, Mia, KT, SK, Consie, Minnie and myself. The same 600m stretch we used previous weeks of undulating grass, one direction quicker than the other. The set: 2000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 5 x 600m with 60 seconds standing recovery, 2000m warm down. Everyone looked good today. Jack 3:30/km or better and KT very close. Kathy much better than Thursday was very good today under 4:00/km as was Mia and Helen. Consie W85 paced us over the last 100m and did lots of strides and drills. Of me: 1:48, 1:55, 1:49, 1:56, 1:50. Quicker in total than last week when it was extremely windy. Post race coffee at Aranda. Bob is back from 6 months living in Italy...such a life! This afternoon an easy recovery run. Tomorrow I may back up and run on track but only if feeling good and it's not too windy. Keith ran Bega Parkrun as tempo in 18:25. A long run for him tomorrow.

Still catching up on August in France. Our last day in Saint Malo, spent eight great nights there. Will be back again soon.

The fourth of five weeks on the same hill loop for our little group. Today it was Mia, Kathy, Helen, Jack, Tori, Julia, Minnie and myself. Weather was ideal...warm, slight breeze, sunny skies. The set: 5km warm up, 4 x 100m hill strides, 3 x 1090m hill loops, 4km warm down. Jack was equal or slightly better than his PB last week with a 4:30 and 4:20. Helen 4:52 on her last effort. Julia, Minnie and Tori around 5:30. Mia and Kathy both feeling a bit off colour. Of me: 3:44, 3:41 and 3:40. PBs on 2nd and 3rd efforts, easily my best ever set. I'm a long way under my best efforts of the last 5 years on the same loop when I only cracked 3:50 once (3:49) and next best was a couple of 3:52s. Down by the coast it was hot and windy. Keith ran 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts. Distances covered were 1540m, 1360m, 1040m, 810m, 520m and 280m. Keith was working very hard judging by his heart rate. Next set on Saturday with 5 x 600m XC intervals, 60 seconds standing recovery. Track starts in a f...