Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Very early at Stromlo XC circuit with Steve. Dark to begin (no sun yet), weather cloudy, warm, no wind. Track in good shape. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 1500m pace set: 600m 1:47,500m 1:30,300m 51,300m 51,200m 30 with 90 seconds recovery between efforts. 1500m warm down. 600m slower than last week, the 300s quicker.

Weather sunny, warm to hot, no wind. Course on mix of gravel, grass, concrete and bitumen path. The usual handicap scenario played out. I start off group 45, 30 minutes behind scratch, don't see anyone until the final 2km and pass 40 people inside the last km. 15th across the line in 22:29 (old course record 23:53 held by Rod). Splits: 1km 4:07 (all up on concrete/gravel), 2:50 (all down on grass), 3:09 (flat bitumen, 3km 10:06), 5km 17:54 (all up bitumen concrete), final 1.3km 4:35 (3:31/km pace, up with one flat stretch on bitumen, grass to overtake). I ran 5km warm up, 1km warm down, did run another hour later in the day when the weather cooled down. Next set tomorrow: 600m, 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m with 90 seconds recovery. Probably 800m race on Thursday, will do 200m set on Wednesday in preparation. Results of my friends and course records for long and short course below. Keith in Bega 5 x 5km loops followed by soak in river.

Weather cool to warm, a breeze, cloudy. Track recently cut, not looking too bad given the very hot days we've had. The set: (1.Steve, Keith and myself ; 2.Minnie on own ; 3.Kathy on own ; 4.Helen and Gabe paced by me in my second set ; 5.Jane on own) 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 2000m 6:38 (Steve 6:58, Keith 7:18), 1500m 4:49 (Steve 4:59, Keith 5:22), 1200m 3:53 (Steve 4:02, Keith 4:20), 800m 2:28 (Steve 2:27, Keith 2:45), 400m 67 (Steve 65, Keith 75). Keith was 27 seconds cumulative quicker than 13 February. Steve was 14 seconds quicker than last week. Helen and Gabe in the 4:20s/km on longer efforts, quicker last 2 efforts. Of me: I didn't look at watch going through 1000m on first effort, 6:38 is my best effort on this hilly loop in training. I was 27 seconds quicker than last week. I thought it would take 3 weeks to get to this level, it took me just one rest day mid-week. I'm now as quick as I was last session of this type before Australian Masters Championships and Worl...

March - Mid-April Target sessions for 800m - 10000m 800m specific: Initial season goal 1500m specific: Initial season goal 5000m-10000m: Goal season best. Set 1: 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). Racing Preparation and Racing: ACT Masters Championships in March, Australian Masters Championships in April. Club Racing and specific sessions in between. Seven weeks to go until Australian Masters Athletics Championships. Can't make a mistake now but we are in a good place...

Weather hot, some wind, 38 degrees dropping to 30 degrees by end of 5000m. 3000m: Steve 10:01 (SB), Me 10:16, Kathy 13:08, Helen 13:51. 5000m: Keith 18:44. Despite the heat everyone seemed to run OK. It was Pentathlon night so we had to fit in races around their schedule. Our race started 10 minutes early, less warm up needed in the heat anyway. Thoughts: I was impressed with everyone. Steve in those conditions a great run, wish I could have helped him in the last km, he seems to run best when in front at the right time. Everything is coming together. Kathy also great, is coming into form still with weeks to go. Keith another top effort solo. Helen has had some niggles since coming back from OS, no speed work for a fortnight. All is good. Next set on Saturday. We should have Keith on deck again. Sunday is ACT Masters XC handicap 6km+. I'll be running flat out.

In the high 30s all day, no much cooler now, I'm having a rare day off. Next installment of the Canberra Times Retro I'll be doing all year. Some clippings from the Sunday paper. Deek favourite for LA Olympics, Canberra Times Family Fun Run win a Ford Laser, does running affect your sex drive?

Very early at Stromlo XC circuit with Steve. Dark to begin (no sun yet), weather cloudy, warm, no wind to speak of. Track was soft and lush, dew overnight. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 1500m pace set: 600m 1:44,500m 1:30,300m 53,300m 52,200m 30 with 90 seconds recovery between efforts. 1000m jog to flush lactate. 800m set: 4 x 200m 32,32,32,31 with 90 seconds recovery. 1000m warm down. That's the quickest set of this type this season on XC surface. Set was solid throughout. Of me: Probably running the MILE at track this Thursday. It is expected to be very hot all week. Keith did some 400s while testing hrm. This week bad for anything with a motor!

Keith in Bemboka 2000m 7:07, 1600m 5:55, 1300m 4:55, 800m 2:51, 400m 83 on undulating dirt road. We expect to see Keith in Canberra to race on Thursday. This weekend a chance to get out of town, stay in a nice house, eat nice food, drink nice wine, no electronic distractions with nice people. We did run for 70 minutes in a forest park, go on walks and so on. There were some leeches, photos show us picking them off post run. I managed 70 minutes in the morning frolic (20 minutes at threshold) and a 40 minute loosener after the drive home.

Weather very warm, slight breeze, thankfully the sun didn't appear for very long, stayed behind clouds. Track recently cut, irrigation broken, no puddles today. The set: (Steve and I) 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 2000m 6:49 (Steve 7:08), 1500m 4:52 (Steve 5:01), 1200m 3:59, 800m 2:32 (Steve 2:30), 400m 69 (Steve 67), 3000m warm down. We were both well up on last week, both in good form. It will take three weeks to get into great form. Kathy and Roger turned up as we finished. Kathy ran 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute intervals. Of me: Not much sleep last night, very tired this morning. Sitting on 120km last 7 days. It's going to be a hot week for the last days of summer. Next set on Monday morning, long run tomorrow.

Weather very warm, windy in back straight, sunny at 6pm. I had the series wrapped up, 2nd place was still up for grabs with Colin M50 95 leading Kathy W60 93 by 2 places (series by points not time, 50 for win each race, 49,48. I was on 100 after 800m and 1500m) I gave Kathy 700m head start, Steve M45 gave me a big head start. I ran 2:30 first 800m, held 3:10/km for the first 1600m before the wind cracked me. I caught Kathy with 500m to go and turned off the gas, finished in 9:59. Steve ran 10:08 just catching Kathy 12:57 before the line. Colin finished two places back to tie with Kathy in the series, goes to count back, oldest in their age (I think Kathy, May turns 65). Yesterday Keith ran 15km, massage in the afternoon. Today Keith 2000m 6:57, 500m 1:40 before all the lawn mowing got the better of him.

Keith in Bega 9 x 400m. Slowest 82. 2nd, 5th and 9th 77,76,76. Other efforts somewhere in between. Nice set Keith. Of me: A lazy run through the Arboretum and back, the usual mid-week run of 80 minutes, same run tomorrow. The rankings, nothing to say.

Very early at Stromlo XC circuit with Steve. Dark to begin (no sun yet), weather cloudy, cool, some wind from the east. Track was soft and lush, sprinklers on overnight. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 1500m pace set: 600m 1:48,500m 1:33,400m 69,300m 53,200m 31 with 90 seconds recovery between efforts. 1000m jog to flush lactate. 800m set: 4 x 200m 32,32,32,32 with 90 seconds recovery. 1000m warm down. Steve and I were both cumulative 1 second up on the sets (last done 25 January). Wind affected the 600m, 400m and 200m efforts, would have assisted the 500m and 300m efforts. Cross wind on the 200m efforts. Of me: Fatigued from the long run yesterday. I had to work very hard to keep with Steve. 50 minute slow recovery run this afternoon. 120km last 7 days. Achilles no trouble again, have to be consistent with the neural stretches. 3000m on track Thursday will test it.

Yesterday lots of neural stretches on back and legs has got me going again without pain. Today 110 minutes through the Arboretum, most on single track and fire trail, undulating to hilly. I was motoring along in the middle 50 minutes with a big negative split on the way back. It was hot and sunny out there a little windy. I lost 1.6kg of fluid on the run weighing in at 54.4kg run finish. Racing the week is the final Pennington handicap 3000m in 800m, 1500m, 3000m series. The event is on at 6pm, usually warm and windy. I'll train harder on Monday than I have been doing while keeping the short speed ticking along.

Weather sunny, still, humid and very hot. Keith, Steve and I trained together, Minnie on her own, Roget, Tori and Kathy trained together later. All did same set. Helen jogged 40 minutes, recovering from a niggle. The set: 2500m warm up, 2000m, 1500m, 1200m, 800m, 400m with 4 minute recovery, 9km warm down with Helen. Splits for Keith: 2000m 7:24, 1500m 5:29, 1200m 4:27, 800m 2:51, 400m 74 Splits for Me: 2000m 6:56, 1500m 5:02, 1200m 4:02, 800m 2:33, 400m 70 Steve was just behind me on first three efforts. 2:30 for 800m, 68 for 400m. The others worked very hard in the heat. It was far too hot for running fast. After two weeks since the 10000m I am still suffering from achilles pain on right leg after speed sessions. I ran yesterday and tried the same neural stretch I used with same problem on my left leg in 2014 (also after a 10000m). It worked. I ran in training flat on right leg today, slowed the splits down a little. I'll have to run speed sessions in training flats for a w...

Big thunderstorms in the region with hail, thunder and lightning. The track meet was cancelled just as the weather cleared up, before the scheduled start at 6pm. As the officials headed home the athletes arrived in droves and we all got in an impromptu training / racing session. Of us: 3000m. Track was wet, walkers had started their faux race just before us, the sprinters were warming up. It was windy, maybe only 2 seconds/lap lost due to track (wet shoes, lane 2) and wind. Lightning in the distance. None of us did a normal warm up, gates closing was imminent. It didn't rain or hail again all night. Times: Me 10:11, Steve 10:19, Keith 10:40, Roget 13:30, Minnie 15:20. Next session on Saturday. Keith will be there with us.

Ewen has been busy. Thanks Ewen.

Track intervals, weather warm to hot, some wind (not much), Kathy, Steve and myself. Week 2 into 12 week program to peak at Australian Masters Athletic Championships. We are still working on our leg speed so looks like an 800m set until we up the distance of the intervals and can't do that until we go through a few sessions. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m (19,17,16,15.02), 4 x 200m, 90 sec recovery (31.8,31.4,31.1,30.4...Steve identical times)10 minute break, 1000m time trial Kathy 4:09, Steve 3:09, Me 3:03. 3500m warm down. Kathy ran 100m strides 19 the quickest, 4 x 200m 40,42,42,42. That's a big improvement on last week. 100m is almost under 15 seconds without straining, quickest 200m last week was slowest today and very near sub-30 without straining, managed to take last weeks handicap 800m effort another 200m or thereabouts. We were well under 3:00 pace to 700m, bit of a fade to 900m finished off OK. Racing this week is a 3000m and 1500m. I will only race 1500m, run ...

Weather cool to warm, light winds, grass fresh cut, surface a little softer than normal due to weeks of rain. Set 1 (with Steve): 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m, 2000m 6:53, 1500m 4:52, 1200m 3:54, 800m 2:29, 400m 67, 2500m warm down. Steve a little behind on longer intervals, a little ahead on 800m 2:28 and 400m. Set 2 (with Roget, Emma, Tori, Kathy, Gabe): 4 x 100m, fartlek session with equal time recovery, 14 efforts all up of 90 seconds down to 15 seconds, I did the pacing. 2500m warm down. Of me: Basically same times as one month before World Masters Athletic Championships in Lyon (July 2015) and Australian Masters Athletic Championships (March 2015). More than two months to Australian Masters Athletics Championships in Adelaide (April 2016). I've still got plenty of improvement left before then and some racing to do. Achilles still a little stiff but getting better each day. February will be mostly 800m and 1500m races on track. I'll fit in a 3000m and 6km XC race as well. M...

Very windy all night, reverse of normal, a head wind in the home straight. It was cool to warm. I turned up very early to satisfy myself I was OK to race. 20 minute jog, 5 x 100m (21,17,16,15,15), 4 x 200m (33,33,33,32.1), 800m warm down. I got better with each stride, the achilles a little tight after set. 3000m: Steve had a strong run with the wind. Stuey was always 20-30m down but never threatened. Steve 10:12 roughly.I skipped the 3000m. I did a second and third warm up, some strides again and waited for the Pennington 800m handicap. I had already won the 1500m late last year, the 3000m in a fortnight. 800m has sometimes been a stumbling block. Pennington 800m: Kathy 30 seconds head start, I started with a bunch of five including Colin, Leanne 1 second in front, Steve 4 seconds back. Colin decided he wanted to lead, first 250m tail wind, next 150m into block headwind. I just sat there as he did all the work gathering in the field. I knew Steve would be coming so I pounced with...

I'm going to unpack distance running in Canberra for the period April 8 1984 to roughly April 9 1985 over the next year. I'm going to start with my post on this blog from 2012 but from here on in I'm going to use The Canberra Times as my reference and sometimes my feeble memory. It will be a regular posting over the next 14 months or so, maybe I will be a little early chronologically before April 9. 1984 Canberra Marathon I remember the day of the 1984 Canberra Marathon was windy with drizzle, cool, bleak...not unlike yesterday. I was watching from the sidelines. It was the Olympic trial for Los Angeles. Of the leaders, those who tried to leave the safety of the pack suffered later. Garry Hand aged 38 was one of those who tried. Lisa Martin cruised through in 2:35 to qualify. The real story is that 434 people broke 3 hours that day...another 20 or so finished just over a minute later. Even though Deek didn't run that day he was mainly responsible. He inspired the nat...

Steve and I on Monday at AIS track. Some rain about and race walkers undergoing lactate testing made things a little difficult at times. I still have calf / achilles issue from the 10000m, ran only part of set. Kathy did hills in the bush instead as walkers were still in progress. The set: 6 x 100m (first 4 on grass, last 2 efforts 16 & 15), 4 x 200m with 90 seconds recovery (I missed this bit jogging with a couple of strides on grass, Steve's first effort 31.8 was his quickest), 400m 66.7 (I paced this, walkers everywhere, was supposed to be 600m so we were nowhere near flat out). It will take a few weeks to build the speed up. Racing on Thursday may just be an 800m handicap for me. I may not even be flat out, depending on niggles. Time doesn't matter, placing does for Pennington series of 800m, 1500m, 3000m. Top 3 and finishing ahead of Kathy would keep me in lead for series. Keith 800m 2:44, 700m 2:21, 500m 1:38, 400m 80....shoe fell off in 600m. It was windy. The us...