Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Some rain overnight, the track was mostly dry. Weather still, warm, humid. Large group this morning (nine of us), set recovery interval long enough so we could re-group after each effort. A large difference in running speed. We used the hilly 2500m loop now track has stopped. Loads of athletes out there including Deek with some young indigenous running athletes. The set: 3000m warm up, 4 x 100m strides, 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts with 2 minutes jog recovery to re-group (fastest jogs back, slowest jogs forward, everyone meets in the middle), 1500m warm down. Of me: My first effort was spot on 3:20/km, maintained that through to the final two efforts an increase in speed, the last 1 minute full gas. This afternoon another run to take volume last 7 days to 120km and an average of 111km per week for April (including taper for AMA Championships). It's my 16th consecutive month of average 110km+. Tomorrow a long recovery run. Next set on Tuesday with short XC intervals at 5000m pace. ...

Entries opened for City2Surf this week and I've entered after missing last year due to World Masters Athletics Championships in Lyon, held at the same time. I'll be posting a series of articles in coming months based on three topics of inspiration for me: 1. City2Surf -- 2. Robert de Castella -- 3. The rivalry between Seb Coe and Steve Ovett My first ever race was City2Surf in 1978 at the age of 16. I can't even recall training for it...just front up and run. I covered the hilly 14km distance in 72:42 and placed 6122nd. 1979 after some training 53:28 and 376th. I didn't run in 1980 or 1981 (not sure why?). In 1982 I ran 45:32 and 31st. By sheer luck I was the first 20 year old and won an all expenses trip to Tokyo, Japan for a week or so. I was inspired forever. I was inspired by the race itself, especially by the winners, a little afraid of having my name printed in the newspaper for all to see. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Long run from home incorporating my first hill session in a while. 4.5km warm up, 5 x 450m hills (1:49, 1:45, 1:42, 1:40, 1:37) with jog down recovery in 2 minutes, 9km warm down. Just completed the session before the evening light was gone. The weather is still very warm for late autumn, sadly not enough light to do anything much with it. Next set on Saturday, long step down cross country intervals. Next race on 19th May, I have to hand back the trophies I won last year in the ABS Fun Run 7km+.

Perfect day with no wind, warm to cool. Great weather for running. Just Helen and I today. The set: 5000m warm up, 4 x 100m, 4 x 600m efforts on undulating surface, 400m jog recovery (1000m loop), 2500m warm down. Both used a beeping watch and 100m posts for a guide. Goal for Helen 24 or 4:00/km, achieved 3:53-4:00/km. Goal for me 20 or 3:20/km, achieved 3:08-3:20/km. Both still fatigued since hilly 10km race 2 days ago. Next set in 2 days, something longer, probably on XC surface again.

This morning a long run of 85 minutes in the Arboretum, a beautiful day, cold at 9am but warmed up nicely. This afternoon a romantic picnic of sorts.

Weather sunny, cool to warm, a breeze. The course an out and back 300m up hill start followed by flat to undulating gravel fire trails with a few very long up hill sections. I last raced this course in 2009, seven years ago. Looking back I was in very good form then and the race was a few weeks after AMA Championships (also) in Adelaide, not a few days after. I had around 3km kilometres of encountering returning runners before the traffic of both oncoming and passing runners became more frequent. Splits: 3:49,3:27,3:25,3:56,3:53 (18:32 5km),3:56,3:38,4:07,3:45,3:43=37:43 (around a minute slower than in 2009). No course record (I already had that), new M50 course record. Felt like I was going well for first 5km, a real struggle in the last 5km. That's fatigue for you. This afternoon an easy 5km loosener to make 20km for the day, 120km last 7 days. Next session on Tuesday, probably some long XC intervals. In the King and Queen on the Mountain KT, Kathy, Helen and Maria well in co...

Weather windy, sunny, cool. Two months into autumn and we finally have autumn weather. Tomorrow a 10km XC handicap event so today a loosener with some short XC intervals. With us Helen, Maria, Gabe, Kathy, Tori and Minnie. The set: 2500m warm up, 4 x 100m hill strides, 600m, 5 x 60 seconds with 60 seconds jog and re-group, 400m to finish off, 2500m warm down. I paced the set, all between 3:50-4:00/km. I will do another run later in the day to make up 20km. Tomorrow the course out and back in dirt fire trail, undulating to flat with a couple of long testing hills. I set the course record of 36:35 as an M45 in 2009. It's possible I can better that if the wind dies down overnight. I'll find out tomorrow. It is a King or Queen of the Mountain event so there will be no holding back.

Yesterday 17km in two runs. Today a jog to track and a couple of track intervals to begin the new training block. Weather warm, cloudy, light winds. The set: 4.5km warm up, 4 x 100m (18,16,15,14.8), 2 x 800m (2:31, 2:29) using beeping watch every 100m set at 19 seconds), 5.5km warm down. There is still deep tissue damage in the calves, everything else is fine just two days after the cross country. Below a set of sequential images from the Australian Masters Athletics Championships Cross Country even over 8000m, 4 x 2000m laps. I think the images are from laps 1,2 and 3 and I only chose mostly the leading bunches plus Steve and Will fighting out silver in M45. My assessment after looking at that is I should have kept pushing from the front in the early part of the 3rd lap and all the way to the finish. If only I had eyes in the back of my head.