Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

No much XC running in this handicap. Just the climb up and down to the summit on fire trail, maybe 1km of 6.3km. The rest on narrow bike path with a few 90 degree turns. Weather was cool with a stiff breeze. My run a near identical time to last year as M50. I felt very good out there. Splits: 3:54 (up), 3:15 (up and down), 3:23, 3:23 (flat), 3:49 (up), 4:47 (1.3km up). 22nd place across the line. Results later. Gary won the short course race on handicap with a belly minus some beer.

This morning at Stromlo with Helen, Roger and Emma, only Emma and myself doing set. Weather cloudy, just a breeze, cool. Nice for running. The set: 2500m warm up, 6 x 100m strides, 3 x 600m efforts with first effort as warm up (2:03, 1:44, 1:43), 3000m warm down. Emma splits: 2:06, 2:12, 2:08. Being fully tapered and with all the good nutrition the power has come back. My quickest set of this type, equal to late December and late September last year. Tomorrow a cross country / bike path handicap race of 6.3km. A track session 800m + 1500m speeds on Monday or Tuesday. Thursday racing over One Mile and 3000m, aiming for ACT M55 records for both. This afternoon an easy recovery run to make up 22km for the day, 95km last 7 days. Volume over next 4-5 weeks will be 110km/week with an easy day on Wednesday before track meet on Thursday. I will do one high volume week from April 1 (150km), then two weeks of preparation for another racing block. Keith in Bemboka 2000m 7:02, 1500m 5:27, 120...

Weather not as bad as it was earlier in the day. Started the run at 32 degrees light winds, I finished at 30 degrees no wind, very low humidity. I had Minnie handing me a bidon or cup of water every lap except the first lap. That got me around 25 laps in better shape than all the other competitors. Minnie said those who took no water totally cracked in the second half. One or two had the wobbles. I only got 3 laps in before I cooked. I found a steady rhythm at 85 second laps to get me home safely. Now the fun begins...a month of 1500m / 800m training and racing (unless I get injured in the process). Next week on track a Mile and a 3000m. Next set on grass at Stromlo. I'll see how I feel on day to decide set. I ran to work this morning, felt good. Lap sheet and results below.

Keith in Bemboka 3 x 1000m (3:27, 3:24, 3:19) on undulating dirt road plus warm up, warm down and strides. That's Keith's best set this build up. Jane has been chipping away at form while Steve has had a niggle in the shin. Yesterday Jane 5 x 3 minuet efforts average 4:10/km. Last week it was 4:17/km. Form comes back quick with Jane. Steve is possibly done for the summer with that shin. Of me: Final day of 10 day taper. 50 minutes run yesterday, 5km run today including some strides. 85km last 7 days. The legs should be good for Thursday evening and the 10000m even if the weather is not. Still 36 degrees and windy the forecast.

Weather sunny, windy and warm (not hot). It didn't quite go to plan this afternoon with mobs of kangaroos eating the grass and only me to scare them off. I broke stride during my first effort after 350m and ran up an embankment to avoid them all, then continued on with shorter intervals. The set (a short 10km): 2500m warm up, 5 x 100m hill strides with jog back recovery, 300m (50), 300m (52), 400m (71), 400m (71) all with short recovery, warm down to make up 10km. That's it until Thursday evening and the 10000m. 10km jog with a few strides tomorrow, 5km jog with a few strides on Wednesday. Thursday weather still looking like hot and 36 degrees, windy as well. It can't be as bad as that surely!!

This morning at Stromlo again, basically same set as yesterday and same two sets as used in taper for World Masters Athletics Championships in Perth. Rain yesterday has slowed the track up a little. Temperature cool and sunny, just a breeze, nice for running. The set: 2500m warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 2 x 1000m with 1000m jog recovery, 1000m warm down. 50 minutes easy scheduled for later this afternoon. Splits yesterday: 3:06, 3:00. Today: 3:01, 3:01. Weekend before Perth WMA: Saturday: 3:03, 2:58. Sunday: 3:03, 3:03. Not much difference there. All is good. Keith in Bemboka 20km this morning including 5 x 800m-1000m pickups during the run. Keith showing steady progress over the last couple of months. Key is to minimise the niggles and stay on track. Tomorrow morning on grass 3-4 x 600m and 10km all up. I'm looking for at least 1 effort in the low 1:40s. Then it's just jogging and strides until Thursday and the 10000m on track. Weather still says 35 degrees and maybe some win...

This morning at Stromlo mostly cloudy, some drizzle, some wind. Just a few of us there. The set: 3500m warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 2 x 1000m (3:06, 3:00) with 1000m jog recovery, 2500m warm down. Ann quickest of the others 4:06, 4:05. This afternoon an easy 25 minutes. Tomorrow at Stromlo again 17km including a 2000m effort.

I've entered a taper period of 10 days. Volume has come from a peak of 147km a couple of weeks ago, down to 120km, down again to 100km by Sunday, down to 85km by Wednesday (all calculations km in previous 7 days). Sessions this week will be of reduced volume while maintaining the same intensity. Last hard session was yesterday (5000m, 1500m double). Saturday will be 2 x 1000m on grass. Sunday will be 2000m on grass. Final semi-hard session on Monday with 3-4 x 600m at full gas. Just strides and easy running on Tuesday and Wednesday. A goal at the start of February was to break all club records in M55 from 800m to 10000m. They are easy to get from Mile to 10000m. 800m and 1500m will require a shift in training and good management in not getting injured. At the start of the month I began some core strength exercises daily. Along with that goes berocca, iron supplement by pills and liquid iron daily. First club championship race is 10000m on 23 February. Weather will be very hot an...

Weather hot and windy 32.8 degrees at 5000m race start. Not an end in sight to this hot summer with 37 degrees predicted next week for the 10000m. The 10000m will be run later in the evening so things might not be as bad as this week. In this weather I am enlisting a helper to provide water for tipping on the head every lap. I had signs of heat stress before the meet start (aching muscles) despite all the hydration. Too hot for posting times in full sun. I just try to get in some cruisy track runs until the weather cools down in coming weeks. All of my hard sessions are done in the cool of the morning. 5000m: Splits: 77, 78, 81, 81, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 85, 85, 84, 42 = 17:13. Wind picked up after 4 laps. The old M55 club record was 17:28. I made sure I was under that. 4 x 1500m: I ran the first leg in 4:55. Leg splits: Me 455, Roger 653, Ewen 651, Colin 510. There was no M55 club record, we established one. W65 team broke the old club record by 3 minutes. Helen was the water provide...

In the afternoon at Stromlo, very warm and some wind. Track all to myself until Helen arrived after I had run 11km. Pace was similar to the weekend, starting at 5:00/km, slowly increase speed to 4:20/km, incorporated 5 x 200m strides (37,36,34,32,31), last 8km with Helen, first 5km solid, last 3km slow jog. I'm still on track for 100km/wk or so by Sunday. Currently sitting on 120km last 7 days. Looking at 85km/wk by next Wednesday (next week). Weather for this Thursday track meet is windy and 35 degrees. Maybe worse than last week! I'll see how it pans out, might have to run hard in a mickey mouse event late in the evening. Keith spent the weekend in Melbourne watching the Usain Bolt Nitro meet. On Tuesday in Bega he ran 4 x 830m (2:54, 2:52, 2:50, 2:54) with 400m jog (on harness track), along with the usual warm up, warm down and strides.

It's not often the future box gets opened in an unexpected way but it did today. After a few days of rumours 2018 Tour de France will start in Vendee, possibly on the Passage du Gois. The rumours will be completely confirmed later in the month. What that means for me is a 3 month holiday in France, Spain and elsewhere again, for the first time since 2011. Instead of sulking at home in the freezing Canberra winter I'll be living a life out of the back of a Renault Kangoo. Using up all of the 90 days the Schengen Convention has to offer I'll leave Australia in mid-June and wind the holiday up with World Masters Athletics Championships in Malaga Spain, around 16th September. Tour de France 2018 is expected to run along similar lines to 2011, the year Cadel Evans won. From Vendee to Brittany to Massif Central to Pyrenees to Alps to Paris. I've still got my 10th consecutive Tour de France journey to get through in a few months. I've got to say I'm more looking f...

Weather cold 5.8 degrees, light winds, no sun (not up yet). In contrast to previous mornings where it's been hot, this morning too cold to go full gas. I reduced the recovery time and made the session a glue set. The set: 2km warm up, no strides (used first two efforts as warm up), 5 x 600m (2:09, 1:57, 1:54, 1:52, 1:51), 1km warm down. On track this afternoon 4 laps warm up, 4 x 100m strides (fastest 14.6), 4 x 200m strides (33, 32, 32, 31), warm down.

Very warm and humid this morning. A long run on grass before the sun came up. Started at 6 mins/km, slowly increased speed to 4:20/km after 16km, last 7km back to 6 mins/km again. 23km this morning, 3km loosener in the afternoon after a cold change and some rain came through. Currently sitting on 120km last 7 days, down from 147km six days ago. Volume will reduce to 100km this time next week, then 85km by a 10000m track race on 23 February. Next set tomorrow 5 x 600m efforts at Stromlo in the morning. Racing this week is a 5000m at 6pm. It will be my last hit out before the 10000m, I'll be looking for an even paced 16:40 or so depending on the weather...it will be hot again. We spent brunch by the lake with the dogs and Colour Run people.

At Stromlo 5:15am for a set before the heat came. There was a full moon, 21 degrees and warming fast, no wind. Warm up with Steve 7.5km. Steve has a niggle, no set. Set 1 solo: 5 x 100m strides, 3000m (342,336,337),600m 1:55,500m 1:42,500m 1:34,300m 58,200m 35,200m 38,300m 59 Set 2 with others: 4*600m (2:00,1:54,1:55,1:54) All up 24km this morning. A bit of a messy session. Set 2 done after 20km of running was good. Next set? Will see how the weather is tomorrow morning, it might be as today just to get the job done. Keith in Melbourne, ran 2 solid laps of the Tan and some strides.

Keith in Bega 600m 2:09, 500m 1:40, 400m 82, 300m 61, 200m 39, 100m 17 plus warm up, warm down and 5 x 100m strides in 19 seconds. It was very hot 35 degrees, humid and done in trainers. Hot here too this morning. 41 degrees expected, I ran at 5am and had my long run done by 7am. Next set Saturday 2000m, 1500m, 1200m, 600m, 300m, 300m. Recovery will be reduced to 60 seconds just to get the set done before it gets too hot.

Jack Pennington passed away a few months ago. A race series was named after him in 2000 as the club's best ever middle distance athlete. The races 800m, 1500m, 3000m on an age/sex adjusted handicap basis and by points 50,49,48...not time. I've had many chats with Jack over the years. He could tell a good yarn. The yarn I remember this evening was of a race he ran in the USA, a mile race. It was very hot. While everyone was warming up in the sun Jack took shelter in the shade of a tree. Jack won the race. This afternoon was very hot with some wind. Start was 6pm. It was over 35 degrees in the shade and baking hot in the sun. We all took shelter in the shade before the start. I enlisted Helen to provide water on the main straight to anyone who had a bidon or two. I had five bidons, one I took to the start line. The scenario: After the 800m and 1500m I (M55) was leading Steve (M45) by 1 point, 2 points in front of Kathy (W65). I train with both of them. I gave Kathy 2:24 head st...

Cool and windy at the track which was completely full of athletes. Steve and I did basically the same set except I ran from home. All we shared was my warm down, his warm up. My set: 4.5km warm up, 5 x 100m strides (fastest 14.5), 4 x 200m 150m recovery (32,31,31,31), 6.5km warm down. Steve's set: 4 x 200m (32,30,29,30) 90 seconds recovery. Keith in Bega: 3 x 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 3 minutes. Distances covered 810m,810m,800m,590m,770m,??m. Weather down there was similar to here. Some rain overnight, cool and windy. Only 13km for me today, down to 137km last 7 days. An easy run tomorrow of 12km. Track on Thursday is 3000m handicap and maybe something else.

Early at Stromlo this morning with Steve. Close to 100% humidity, warm and still. Rain overnight on the track slowed it a bit. The set: 2500m warm up, 6 x 100m strides, 4 x 600m efforts (1:49, 1:50, 1:48, 1:47), 2500m warm down. An easy run later in the day to make up 21km and 147km for last 7 days. Tomorrow 5 x 300m efforts on track. Wednesday an easier day. Thursday a handicap 3000m to decide the winner of the Pennington 800m, 1500m, 3000m handicap series.

I bumped into orienteering friends Jase and Rob not far from home this morning, joined them for a 2 hour mountain run. Lots of hills, some bush single track, two big climbs to Dairy Farmers Hill and the summit of Black Mountain. On the flat sections pace was fluent and faster. I lost a lot of fluid out there, weight was very low on the scales. That's enough long stuff for me. Weight is under control, I'm feeling good. This week tops out at 144km or 90 miles. I'll start a slow taper from now to reach under 100km/week in two weeks and 85km/wk a few days later, just before the 10000m club championships. Keith also did a long run of 18km today.

Warm to hot at Stromlo this morning. Two sets, first with Steve, second with others. Set 1: 2000m 6:52, 1500m 4:56, 1200m 4:00, 600m 1:47, 300m 54, 300m 49. First 3 efforts at 10000m pace, last 3 with kick down. I struggled through whole set. 140km for 2 weeks and a long run late yesterday. Steve was a second or so quicker in the 300s. Set 2: 4 x 600m. I ran at 3:20/km for all the efforts. That was even more of a struggle with the sun out. 18km for the morning including warm up and strides. An easy 6km planned to early evening. Tomorrow a long run in the forest. Next set on Monday with 600m, 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m on grass. On Tuesday 5 x 300m on track with longer recovery and all efforts in the high 40s. This will be my 3rd and final 140km week in this build up before going into a taper for a 10000m track and a racing block into March. Keith in Bemboka 14km including 6km at 4:15/km.

Weather OK for running. Light winds, warm not hot. Neither Steve (injury), nor Rohan (400m 65) ran the 1500m. It was a solo time trial. Warm up only 1km plus 4 x 100m strides (fastest 14.6). Through 800m in 2:23 then slow fade out to 4:42.2. That's disappointing but not far off Monday's prediction of 4:38. A little more conservative early and it may have been a few seconds quicker. Regardless 3 seconds quicker than a fortnight ago and off 140km for 2 weeks. As punishment I ran a solid 8km warm down. I have 3 weeks until a 10000m on track. That has been the focus last 2 months. I'll try to nail every session and then taper. See what that brings then load up for the next series of races. Tomorrow a long run 90 minutes. Next set Saturday 2000m, 1500m, 1200m, 600m, 300m, 300m. Keith in Bega 600m 2:03, 500m 1:41, 400m 83, 300m 59, 200m 37, 100m 16. Another step forward for Keith.