Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

My head cold broke this morning with general aches and pains gone, the usual symptoms remain. I began training again with the monthly XC handicap with my club over an undulating rather than hilly course on fire trails. All up 18km for the morning including 10km in just over 40 minutes. It was a delightful morning for running. This week I'll build up towards 140km with not much in the way of sessions, maybe next weekend something hard.

This morning Steve ran a 5km time trial in 18:29. Jane is up to 40 minutes running including 5 x 2 minute efforts. Both are making a return to structured training after a break. My virus looks like it is a common head cold. I'll take things day by day. No running for today. I'll go pick some pumpkins instead.

Next event on the horizon is the Australian Masters Athletics Championships in Darwin. Events on consecutive days commencing June 9th are: 10000m ; 1500m ; 5000m ; 8000m XC. I'll allow a week or so to recovery from this virus (whatever it is) and take things day by day. Working back from the Championships the usual full ten day taper will be preceded by some high volume weeks peaking at 140km+. I should be able to slot in three good weeks of training by then. Too early to think about sessions. I'll be looking to take the same approach with 600m intervals that feed into the 1500m and the 5000m. The longer events will take care of themselves and some other sessions or races to support that. Track is conveniently located near the airport and the entries are flooding in with a couple of days to go.

Fastest run of the day all ages wasn't enough to break 34 minutes as I hoped. On 33:20 pace for 4000m I slowed markedly when the midday sun came out from the clouds and the wind picked up. Like the 5000m I lapped all but one competitor. Happy enough with my three runs. Michael Capper won M50 35:26. M55 had the same podium as 5000m with David Riches 2nd, Peter Richards 3rd. 2nd fastest run of the day was Rick Tombling M40 34:21. Rick's race was on before ours. I noted all his splits. They were very similar to mine, slowing mid-race and coming home strong. Alison was a close 2nd in a tactical W30-34 800m. A great way to finish her campaign also. As things would have it I came down with a virus last evening. I'll be taking it easy until I feel better.

Another train ride out to the track for a 7km jog and 5 x 100m strides on grass. I managed to catch some 400m finals action men and women. Also had a chat to club mates Mark (100m,200m) and Alison(400m). On the train ride home I decided to skip the cross country on Sunday and come home Friday. Our club has a 10km XC on Sunday and the weather in Oz will be much better (Oz weather is coming to NZ Friday through Monday...it's not good). Tomorrow I am committed to 10000m 100%. No 800m for me although it would be much more fun. I need a crack at sub-34 10km here or I have to try in the heat of Darwin in June at Noon or chase a 10km somewhere else. It's a yearly constant goal. So tomorrow 10000m M50-59 on track around Noon in 22 degrees, wind possibly freshening from the north.

Perfect weather today for 1500m events. 1st in M55-59 today. 2nd Vadim Ankudinov (Russia) 3rd Ian Calder (New Zealand). Fellow club mates were Alison Sims 5:54 2nd W30-34 and Robbie Costmeyer 5:34 2nd M70-74. The great John Walker presented medals My race was slow through 300m (60-61) as I ran alongside Ian with Vadim behind Ian. There was no way of getting on the rails so I executed a 1200m kick down, getting faster each lap and full gas down the home straight. Rough splits were: 61(300m),76,73,66. I gapped Ian on the second lap and Vadim on the third, never letting him back onto my heels although he got very close with 400-200m to go. I had plenty left for the final 100m. Images from start, 340m, 760m, 1100m and finish Next race 10000m on Thursday. If it's very windy I'll consider doing the 800m heat and final a couple of hours either side of the 10000m. An easy recovery run of 11km tomorrow with a few 100m strides.

No heats for M55-59 today, goes to a straight final with 8 competitors tomorrow. Today 7km jog and 5 x 100m strides in 16 seconds on track. Also watched the orienteering sprint style across the road from the hotel.My friend Tash won Women 45-49 age group.

World Masters Games M55 5000m 16:45. I ran the first 1500m as I would the 1500m heat tomorrow (an even paced 4:45) just in case the M55 1500m goes straight to final the following day. It was windy in the home straight and blew harder as the race progressed. David Riches 2nd chased me for a few laps. He goes into M60 in May as a hot contender for the new age group.

Today the half marathon and 10km road races on a basically flat course with little wind. Times were quick among the top places. Sally Gibbs 36min+ in the women. I watched, relaxed and ran 25 minutes in the afternoon with some faster bursts. Nothing taxing. Minnie and Robyn B ran in the Auckland Parkrun. Steve and Jane are continuing their slow build up to form in Oz. Racing begins for me tomorrow in the 5000m track.

Long run of 17km from home to the airport very early in the morning. I spent the rest of the day in transit arriving at the Auckland Airport hotel of my choice. Two days to go until the 5000m track, my first race. Tomorrow is registration day and a very short run of 5km with strides and stretching. Schedule is Sunday 5000m, Monday 1500m heat (possibly not, 19 entered and 16 make a final), Tuesday 1500m final, Thursday 10000m track, Sunday 8000m XC. 800m heat and final are immediately before and after 10000m. Rain is expected that day. I will consider overnight if I keep the 800m in play.

Perfect weather again for a low key lunch time handicap race over 6km on a hilly, mostly XC course. 21:36 my quickest of this year, felt like my slowest after a very hard week of sessions. Helen also posted a recent best, back under 30 minutes again. That's it for me until World Masters Games in Auckland. Just jogging every day mixed in with a couple of sets of strides.

At Stromlo XC circuit for a lunch time session of 4 x 4 minute efforts with 60 seconds jog recovery. Warm up and 5 x 100m strides plus warm down made it 10km. A 4km jog in the afternoon leaves me with 120km last 7 days, down from 140km five days ago. Weather was perfect again. Next set on Thursday, a short fast session without taking any risks.

At Stromlo XC Circuit this morning, weather perfect again. Set of 3 x 600m efforts with 400m jog recovery. Splits: 1:45, 1:44, 1:45. Times were 2 seconds quicker for each effort than the set three days ago and very near my best set of this type. The taper for World Masters Games in Auckland is working nicely. The usual warm up, warm down and 5 x 100m strides. A 9km loosener this afternoon to make it 16km for the day. Next set on Wednesday, it will be short and fast again. City2Surf entries open on Wednesday.

This morning a long recovery run of 17km. It was cold, the first morning I've had to wear gloves. Warmed up for a lovely autumn day picnic. Volume is now down from 140km two days ago to 125km last 7 days. It will only reduce slowly until mid-week and then quickly reduce to 85km by next Sunday, 5000m race in World Masters Games, Auckland. Next set tomorrow 1500m specific 4-5 x 600m XC efforts at Stromlo. The Stawell Gift pro athletics carnival is on TV in the afternoon.

At Stromlo XC circuit 5 x 3 Minute efforts with 60 seconds jog recovery. Weather was cool to cold and perfect for running, the pace was snappy. Just Helen, Roger and myself. Tomorrow a long recovery run of 17km. Next set will be 1500m specific. I'm confident in the 5000m-10000m training and feeling good. Things will only improve as I taper. Bob and Carolyne escape to Italy for the cold Canberra months. We will see them again for coffee in October.

At Stromlo XC circuit 5 x 600m efforts with 400m jog recovery in 2 minutes. Splits: 1:51, 1:49, 1:47, 1:46, 1:47. 10km all up including 5 x 100m strides. This afternoon 11km jog recovery. 140km last 7 days. Taper for World Masters Games in Auckland begins tomorrow.

At lunch another maximum threshold run on the tough cross country course over 6km. Slightly slower than last week (in the reverse direction) but I felt much stronger today. 15th on handicap last week, 12th today. I still need to get a 1500m specific session done, it will have to be tomorrow afternoon on track. 10 day taper will start on Friday, still sitting on 135km last 7 days.

At Stromlo XC circuit 4 x 4 minute efforts with 60 seconds jog recovery. Session done in the middle of the day, just myself and Helen. The weather sunny, warm and windy. Volume is currently 135km last 7 days. I'll begin my 10 day taper for World Masters Games on Friday, reducing volume to 85km and maintaining intensity. Next set 1500m specific when the weather is good, probably Thursday. This afternoon's recovery run was on Mount Painter.

John Clarke was some guy I met on Royal Park golf course in Melbourne. He toted a Channel 9 golf bag and played with us for three holes. I knew he was the guy in the movie 'Death in Brunswick', we were playing golf in the next suburb to Brunswick. We were sure he was famous, we weren't famous. He whacked the ball a long way, very much to the right, a cricketer's slice. He went looking for his ball on a different fairway and never returned. That's the last we saw of him. I miss him.

Long tempo run of 28km this morning cheering on runners along the Canberra Marathon and Half Marathon course. It was drizzle turning to rain with no wind. Most of the run was steady with some long efforts around 3:40/km. There were plenty of runners out there to cheer including Jeff and Anthony in a tussle, both breaking 3 hours comfortably. Next set 1500m paced efforts on track or grass at Stromlo, depending on the weather.

Parkrun Gunghalin 5km in 16:45 this morning with Minnie 26:22 and Helen 23:36. Weather was good for running. I was very good through 3000m, not the same intensity last 2000m. Happy with that result. I ran one 5km lap of course as warm up plus strides and anther kilometre, warmed down 2km. Another run later this afternoon to loosen up. In good company on the age grade table.