Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Weather cool, some wind. The twisting two loop course boggy from thunderstorms over the last week with mud, wet grass and such. Also out there running were Minnie, Helen, Gabe, SK, Carolyne, Bob and many others. I've moved back up to the longer course in my last year as M50 to set some new course records as M50 and challenge my M45 records. The longer courses are generally double the distance of short course, up to 10km and more hilly. Thomas 6km: Splits: 2km 7:28, 5km 18:30, last km 3:22 = 21:52 (M50 course record) 29th place on handicap Age standard 93+. My old M45 (and all-time)record 6km 20:30 (2010) on a faster course version in dry conditions and 3km 10:30 (2011). On today's course version of 3km 10:55 (2015) about the same speed I ran today for 6km (two laps). Right achilles / calf still a little sore. I was at maximum threshold without toeing off on suspect leg. I wore ankle tape on left leg. This afternoon a 15km cruise to average 110km a week for the month of Jul...

Steve early 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 2000m 7:07, 1500m 5:09, 1200m 4:04, 800m 2:39, 400m 72 (times from my memory!). He looked strong throughout. Minnie same set as Steve, worked very hard and solid again. Helen, Emma and I went through the motions with a 2000m and 1500m effort. We all had niggles, just cruising. Kathy, Gabe and Tori arrived as others finished, ran 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts. Of me: The achilles niggle from hard track on Thursday evening. 7km on grass this morning, 12km around noon. I did some self physio in between to get me going again. I'm hoping to do today's set tomorrow, if not an easy long run. Keith is in Melbourne racing. He had a solid set mid-week. Race update Keith: 5000m 18:10 Splits 3:20, 7:07, 10:29, 18:10. It was 23 degrees, 24kph wind in home straight, run in daylight hours. Another good effort from Keith.

Weather warm, some wind in back straight (dry northerly, tailwind for the sprints), really not too bad for running up to middle distance. Back at the AIS again, the track is set for sprinters...hard as a rock. 3000m: Steve a win, bravo. Stuey and Steve shared the lead. I jogged until they caught me with 3 laps to go, did my best to pace them but I was a bit erratic. Steve around had a good kick at the end. Louise classy. Kathy, Helen and Minnie ran but times were slow understandably in the conditions. 800m: Steve another easy win, bravo and had it all on his own. It took me a lap to get on the rails, I wasn't willing to run quicker than 2:30 or so, had to wait for people to tire. Got a sit on Leanne until 100m to go, would have been happy to coast but a male put his nose in front with 30m to go. 2nd in 2:29. Steve 2:27 10000m: I felt fluent in the 800m and especially first 2000m of the 10km (almost all of it really)...that's a good sign. 2000m splits: 6:43,7:02,7:11,7:18:7:0...

16km this morning was all I needed to do for the day. Late afternoon I looked at the spikes I bought a year ago and decided they needed some 'wearing in'. The set: 2km warm up including 5 x 100m (19,18,17,16,15) with jog back recovery, 5 x 400m (72,72,72,72,69) with 90 seconds recovery when pulse was below 120bpm, 1km warm down. I didn't push either the strides or the 400s, no point two days out from a 10000m race. No damage done, the spikes felt OK and I set a low benchmark for similar sets in coming weeks. I hardly need to run tomorrow, something between 5-10km depending on how I feel and how much I eat this evening. I'll be sitting on 130km last 7 days in the 10000m. Weather forecast doesn't look good. It could get stormed out so I'll just see what happens. Storm brewing now, hail last evening.

Early at Stromlo XC circuit again with Steve. Weather cloudy, cool, no wind to speak of. Our first middle distance set of this training block. We'll move it to the track for future sessions. Today a small step in building up the form slowly without getting injured. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 1500m pace set: 600m 1:47,500m 1:33,400m 69,300m 53,200m 30 with 90 seconds recovery between efforts. 1000m jog to flush lactate. 800m set: 4 x 200m 33,32,33,32 with 90 seconds recovery. 1000m warm down. Being on an undulating XC circuit hard to gauge efforts on the 1500m set although it is the quickest cumulative set this season. The 200m set was flattish, one direction quicker than the other. We will get a better idea where we are at next week on track. Helen ran 3 x 1000m at Stromlo in 4:17, 4:15, 4:11. Minimal running for a month, is on the way back to good form again. Minnie the same short set Steve and I did earlier in the day. Keith also ran same short set with 800, 700m effor...

Late January - February 28 Target sessions for 800m - 10000m 800m specific : Initial season goal 1500m specific : Initial season goal 3000m-10000m : Initial season goal season best. Set 1: Long Step Down XC intervals, 60 seconds recovery. Set 2: Long Step Down XC or track intervals, 2000m-400m using beeping watch each 100m at goal pace, 4 minutes recovery. Set 3: Time trial efforts of 2000m. Long recovery (3-10 min). Additional: Track races, pacing sessions and Power Hills.

Late start this morning, temperature cool to warm, very high humidity again, track at Stromlo a little slower than it has been but not saturated at all after two days of storms., no wind to speak of. With Steve early, the usual set: 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts, 60 seconds recovery. Through 1000m on first effort in 3:13, last 400m in 70. All efforts at maximum threshold or just a little over (except 400m). Minnie did same set a little later. Next set with Emma and Helen. 800m,700m,600m,400m,300m,200m. All efforts at 4:00+/km except last two efforts. Last 200m 37. I did pacing. Myself and the girls coffee post session. Keith in Bemboka ran the same 6 (1610m),5 (1260m),4 (1060m),3 (730m),2 (560m =PB),1 (260m)minute efforts set. Very hot by the time he did it. Of me: That's six sessions of this type, I'm definitely stronger over the whole set and quicker at the end. I should be good for 6km or so in the 10000m on Thursday. No taper this week. I'll have an easier day on Wedn...

Weather 90% humidity, some lightning about and a brief deluge, in the 20s C, no wind to speak of....it will be like this for a week or so. 3000m: We filled top 3 places again, no surprise there, all ran well in the conditions. Roughly: Me 9:56, Steve 10:13, Keith 10:28 (3:24,3:30,3:34). Minnie ran a solid race 14:23, not very far off her best in 2015. 1500m: Steve backed up 1st 5:06, Leanne 5:13. Leanne is all class, did well to keep with Steve until 300m to go. Steve very strong last 300m. 1650m Spiral Handicap: I started off group 47 and was 7th across line, roughly 1650m at 3:18/km. Helen had her first run back in OZ after being on holidays at 4:31/km, Roget 4:40/km, Shane 3:40/km. Helen and I were both officiating all evening, given leave pass to do races. Summary: A good training session for all of us. Next set on Saturday, long XC step down intervals again. Next Thursday ACT Masters 10000m Championships. I will run that. The weather doesn't look great but things can chang...

I started this set again last week after a couple of months break. It's barely a session, just a one%er but it helps. The set: 20 minute warm up including some stretching, 4 x power hills on a steep incline (high hips, good form), slow jog back recovery, then jog back to the office. Last week and this week same times of 23, 20, 20, 18.4 seconds. The last effort full gas. This week was into a strong northerly wind. It was a better effort than the week before. PB is 17.1 seconds. I'm probably 3 weeks away from that effort. Tomorrow looks to be 36 degrees for track. Very hot. I will try to set up a water station for all of us. There may be some drizzle or a thunderstorm to cool things off. 3000m at 6pm, 1500 at 7:15pm, longer handicap event later in the evening. There is no electronic timing.

Up early this morning with Steve. Cool, no wind. Slight change to usual Monday set. Added an 800m and 700m effort, increased break to 90 seconds walk between efforts. Monitored pulse throughout session. Used the hilly 2000m loop. Kathy did same set later in morning. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 800m 2:39, 700m 2:28 (hill), 600m 1:58, 500m 1:33, 400m 81 (hill), 300m 57, 200m 34, 1000m warm down. 45 minute loosener later in the day. Same times for Steve and myself, we helped each other. Happy with the set. Able to reduce pulse down to below 120bpm inside 60 seconds rest on all but the up hill 400m effort. Track recommences on Thursday with a 3000m early in the heat at 6pm, 34 degrees expected. If I run quick enough it may be my last of the Geoff Moore 3000m series for the season so I can concentrate on shorter events. If Keith looks like threatening my lead in the 3000m series I may have to run another one. It will be just easy running until Thursday. Currently sitting on 130km t...

This morning up later than usual at Stromlo. It was cool and windy. I met Steve, Minnie turned up 30 minutes later. The set: Usual long interval set we have been doing. 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute intervals, 60 seconds jog recovery. Being cooler all the efforts were consistent today. The wind was stiff enough to slow things up when against it, could feel the pace lift when it was behind us. The usual 2500m warm up plus 4 x 100m strides, up hill today with the wind. Just as Steve and I finished Kathy, Alison and 21yo Norwegian girl arrived. We did a warm down (warm up for the girls), more strides and into the shorter set. I did the pace work in front of them starting at 3:14/km, speeding up through the set with a final 200m in 31. The set: 600m, 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m with 90 seconds walk recovery. We took pulses during recovery to ensure nobody was being overworked. Of me: Solid through the first set, running just over maximum threshold for most of it. Set two relaxed but quicker than I had ...

Very hot night here and not much better in the morning (39c yesterday,27c 2am,23c 6am, 28c 8am). Steve and I ran early. It was OK until the sun came up. The set: 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute intervals with 60 seconds jog recovery. I was through 1000m in 3:13 on first effort, within 20 metres of where I usually hit. Encouraging given my first day without aching legs, four days after the half marathon. Steve was close behind, led the last effort. We both suffered in the heat. I don't often take pulse during a set, today I did. On first three efforts pulse 210 bpm end of effort, 180 bpm 15 seconds after effort. On the final effort 210 bpm, 180 bpm again, 120 bpm after 60 seconds. I don't have anything to compare to in recent times but it will give a guide when we do some shorter efforts with 90 seconds recovery and not begin another effort unless pulse lowers to 120 bpm within 90 seconds. Keith in Bemboka found it too hot, ran a 20 minute tempo at 4:00/km. Next set on Saturday, same set...

Steve has continued his sessions after some time up north. Saturday was the usual long interval 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute step down session at Stromlo, Tuesday the shorter 600m,500m,400m,300m,200m step down session at the same venue. Tomorrow we will both repeat the session of Saturday. We have scheduled a change of training blocks after the club 10000m championships which I hope to run in. Keith raced 3000m on Saturday afternoon in Melbourne. Conditions weren't kind for the big field with heat and wind. Keith ran 10:34 (splits 3:17,6:43,10:34. Scott ran 10:41 and Mark 10:52 in the same race. His short step down session: 600m 1:57,500m 1:40,400m 83,300m 57,200m 35. We will all race again next Thursday (one week) over 3000m. If it goes well for me I won't need to race another 3000m this season at 6pm when it is almost always hot and windy.

My first road race for 2016 and first race over 3km since September 2015 is done. The weather ideal, almost still, cloudy, a little humid. The course changed slightly since I last ran in 2010. It must be quicker by a minute or two. I booked this trip back in September as a substitute for Xmas as Minnie has to work. It was more of a holiday thought bubble than a race initially although I hadn't run a half marathon in 2015 at all. Unless I race half marathon in World Masters Athletics Championships in Perth next November there probably won't be another in 2016. The race...well there were two. Liam Adams and everyone chasing him, then the Australian Masters Championships. That was pretty much the top 10 males. There were many fine age category racers both male and female behind that. I don't have their results as yet but Lavinia and Ron were in the field of around 60. Of me: Followed a small bunch of masters for 1km or so, 3:24. Second kilometre I moved to the front, ran an...

Today Keith ran 6 x 300m (54,54,53,51,52,51) + 200m in 33. All over NSW is was wet and windy but not as bad as previous days. At Stromlo I ran 10km including 3 x 1000m (3:06,3:07,3:02). Yesterday was a lazy 30 minutes on the cycle wind trainer...too wet and windy for me.

Too wet for Keith in Bemboka, 4 x 110 second efforts in prep for a 3000m race in Melbourne. Might be a chance of an ACT M55 record. Minnie 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts before realising Monday 4th was not a public holiday :-) Steve and I at Stromlo only a little wet, some wind. 600m, 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m efforts with 60 seconds jog recovery. Steve was as quick as he has been. I was 2-3 metres back on all efforts doing my best not to get injured in a taper week. The big wet continues today. Images from Keith.

Up very early this morning. Weather mild, cloudy, still. Steve, Minnie and I doing same set. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 6,5,4,3,2,1 min efforts, 60 seconds jog recovery. I was through 1000m in 3:11 and 3 seconds quicker than previous effort (which is quicker than anything I've done on that tough loop). Remaining efforts were solid and consistent. Last 400m in 69. Steve was close behind on all efforts, he's catching up fast and as always super strong last 400m. Minnie did set on own and very well. Keith in Bega on grass track did our short lactate set on 600m 1:55, 500m 1:38, 400m 76, 300m 57, 200m 37, 100m 15.The usual warm up and warm down. Keith is still flying along. Mia, Tori and Roget did the Killer from Cotter dam. It's a run many old farts have been doing for decades on or near New Years day. 20km+ depending on loop variation, two river crossings (one swimmable), super hilly. Pete was on mtb carrying drinks. We all met for brunch later in the morning. O...