Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

It was all about Pentathlon this evening. Other races had to fit in where opportunities arose. I chose the 1500m at 6:15pm, possibly the 3000m two hours later, something was wrong in the warm up. BBQ Steaks has been key in my winter build-up. A tough 6km mostly XC loop, low key, often done as an interval session. It's perfect in winter, a tough ask in summer. I tried it yesterday in full sun, very near my best of 2017 and failed to come up good next day. It was my 4th session in 4 days...little wonder! The set: 1200m warm up, 4 x 100m strides (18,17,16,15.7...normally I don't start a set in summer until 14.?). The result 1500m 4:57, felt awful. Only 10 minutes jogging on Friday. It's a shame, Jacob M30 ran 4:29 and I could have used his youth to drag me through to something special. Not to be. My biggest month in volume since June 2015, my fastest sessions also, eventually something has to give. My final race of 2017 next Thursday, an 800m handicap on reduced volume and...

Sunny, very warm and some wind today for BBQ Steaks 6km low key lunchtime handicap. With track in full swing I haven't run a full 6km BBQ at maximum threshold for a few weeks. No warm up except for a few strides. I used the first minute of so to warm into it until I found my threshold. I caught the starters before me much earlier than last week when I turned off the gas with 2km to go. Helen started late and had too much CIT food previous evening. I caught her much earlier too. I kept the flow going all the way home, could have run quicker in the last 1500m except for the people traffic. A nice workout, very sweaty at the end. Too hot for running fast, glad I did it. 21:40 is similar to other threshold sessions. 21:05 is full gas after decent warm up and nice conditions. 1500m track tomorrow. Having run fastish today pressure is off for doing the 3000m or 5000m late in the evening. I'll see how I feel.

This morning Part B of yesterday afternoon's session of 3 x 600m. With Helen I set myself up for a very quick 600m effort at the end of session (1:41). This morning with Steve shorter recovery, an extra effort and the set at a slightly more controlled dose of speed. There was dew on the grass and no wind. The set: Warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 4 x 600m efforts, warm down. Splits: Steve 1:54, 1:54, 1:54, 1:53. Me: 1:47, 1:47, 1:43, 1:49. My peak effort was the third. In the final 600m effort I slowed down the first 400m and was full gas the last 200m. Another great set for me. I haven't done any of the sets I'd normally do to prepare for 800m and 1500m as yet. I'm saving that for March and April 2018. If the weather is kind I'll run 1500m on Thursday, maybe 5000m as well. On the following Thursday it will be an 800m handicap. I'd love to win that race as it's one of the club's big events. Afternoon warm down slash recovery jog was at Stromlo watching the...

This afternoon at Stromlo 3 x 600m efforts, the final effort almost full gas. The set: Warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 3 x 600m efforts with 400m recovery, warm down. Splits: 2:33 (pacing Helen), 1:47, 1:41. Helen splits: 2:33, 2:28, 2:26. My final effort of 1:41 was my quickest ever, equal to my last effort in a set I had done exactly a year ago. Tomorrow I'll repeat the set with Steve, 4 efforts in total. I'll aim for all efforts under 1:48, the last effort around 1:43. Yesterday was the final race in the ACT Masters XC Handicap series. I was on start duty, just socialising and collecting prizes. It was a fun day. I managed to fit in two steady runs total 22km, 120km last 7 days.

This morning at Stromlo XC a repeat of last week with 22km including two near identical sets, first with Steve, second with KT. The set: Warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 6 x 2 minute efforts with 30 seconds float recovery, warm down. My pace was similar in both sets with lift in pace on the final 2 efforts of each set. Both Steve and KT were moving well. It was very warm by the end of the set with KT. My track racing for 2017 should be over in a fortnight. This week I'll look to run 5000m, the following week an 800m handicap I'd like to win. I'll be changing sets a little to include 800m specific training and see how that goes. I'd like to do some fast sets on track.

Keith today broke the ACT M60 3000m record in 10:31.02, his second record in a week following the One Hour Track. I had to work hard to keep him at bay on age standard terms. There was some wind today with late rain. No as good conditions in the previous 3000m race a few weeks ago. My evening included 3000m 9:47.93, 800m 2:25 and 2500m handicap in 3:19/km. All were fastest of the night or wins. There was less than an hour between events. I was most exposed in the 800m when Bob ran 68 for the first lap but had him under control with 200m to go. All up 15km for the day. Thanx to Ewen for the 300om video.

At Stromlo this morning, cloudy, warm, light winds. The set: 3000m warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 4 x 600m efforts with 400m jog recovery, warm down. This is a tough set for me now with all efforts in the 1:40s and the 4th effort is not always my quickest with the legs full of lactate. I can run some good 5000m races off this set if I get in the right race. I'll have to wait until 2018 for that. Splits: Me: 1:49, 1:47, 1:44, 1:44. Steve: 1:51, 1:50, 1:54, 1:53. Afternoon set at Stromlo 4 x 400m efforts. Splits:Me: 72, 66, 62, 63. Helen: 95, 93, 91, 88. All up 15km for the day. At track this week a 3000m, 800m and 6 lap handicap. I'll run all three events, the last two as training. I'll have to work very hard in the 3000m to better Keith M60 on age adjusted terms. Keith today some short intervals on gravel road. 300m 55,200m 36,500m 98 ; 400m 82,100m 18,500m 102.

This morning at Stromlo XC 27km including two near identical sets, first with Steve, second with the girls. The set: Warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 6 x 2 minute efforts with 30 seconds float recovery, warm down. My pace was similar in both sets. Steve was moving nicely, KT best of the girls today. I did extra running in between sets, not showing any sign of injury or fatigue following the One Hour Track Run on Thursday.

Wet track for the One Hour Time Trial with ACT Masters Athletics Club. The weather cleared off just before the start with light winds. I was chasing the World record of 17394 metres and risked everything to give that a crack. Keith and I would be running in lane 2 for much of the race. I was still on target for 10000m before posting some 87 second laps later in the race. I thought I had the Australian record of 17186 metres (set in 1974 by John Gilmour) under control until I tried to lift with 3 laps to go and all I could post was 84,84 and 350 metres very quick but not quick enough. 17152 metres was further than my first M50 Australian Hour record but not further than my current Australian M50 record of 17357.9 metres I set in 2013. It was a new ACT record by more than a kilometre. Keith Law ran 15702m, breaking the joint M60 ACT record of Keith Perroux and Bernie Millett set in 1986 & 2003, also by more than a kilometre. My preparation for the event went horribly wrong two day...

Over the last two days a couple of 600m sets now the magpie has stopped swooping that sector of the track. Monday with Helen: 3 x 600m efforts with 400m jog recovery. Splits: untimed (tractor) ; 1:46 ; 1:43 (fastest split since May 2017). Helen splits: 2:37, 2:32, 2:26. Tuesday with Steve: 4 x 600m efforts with 400m jog recovery. Splits: 1:48 ; 1:46 ; 1:45 ; 1:44 (fastest set of four efforts since November 2016, after World Masters Athletics Championships). Steve ran all efforts between 1:50-1:53, very solid. All efforts and sets with Helen and Steve constructed in the same way. All splits in each set are quicker. All splits are constructed as kick down with first 200m solid, second 200m increase in pace, final 200m accelerate 2-3 times until full gas. Same structure for final 600m I began using at World Masters Athletics Championships 2016 M50+ XC race. Today 30km all up including set with Steve this morning. I locked myself out of house and car, had to run to work in jeans! 6k...

This morning at Stromlo 5 x 4 minute efforts with 60 seconds float recovery (to regroup) plus 2 x 500m hill efforts to finish off. The girls were in a tight bunch with KT ahead for most of the session. I had to work hard in between efforts running in reverse to round them up again. My pace was 3:10-3:20/km. We used the 2500m loop with the magpie no longer swooping. That opens up future training to some key sets now we can use all of the circuit safely. The set included warm up, warm down and 5 x 100m strides. Keith in Bega ran a tempo Parkrun, working it hard in the middle three kilometres. Splits: 3:50,3:35,3:34,3:40,3:51. Steve 5km as 2 minute intervals with 30 seconds jog recovery. Splits: 9:06, 9:22 = 18:28, 13 seconds quicker than week before. Friday a long run of 20km in 90 minutes. Saturday afternoon an easy recovery run. Sunday long run of 17km on grass, 5km hilly in the evening. Track this week will be One Hour time trial. I'll have a couple of easy days mid-week to fre...

Decent weather for the 1500m, first of three races in the Pennington handicap series (800m,1500m,3000m). I had to give Kathy (W65) 1:33 head start (almost a lap). The result is always close and Kathy trained strongly with us last Saturday. I knew she would be tough to catch. I executed the same 1500m race plan I've used since April 2017 in The World Masters Games in Auckland, again in Australian Masters Athletics Championships in Darwin again in the Australian Masters Games in Tasmania, all were wins. I start strong and relaxed for the first 300m, increase pace after that point, holding until final lap or so, final lap increasing pace but always saving something for the final 100m. It's very scary in a handicap race with Kathy such a fast starter, I backed myself to get the job done. The race is handicap by points (50,49,48...) and time doesn't matter. 4:37 was as quick as I ran in Darwin and Auckland earlier this year and this run done on mostly base training and high vol...

Looks like we are all on a similar page this week. Keith ran 1500m on grass in 5:08 followed by 5 x 300m with splits increasing in speed. Splits: 57.9,56.5,56.1,54.2,53.7. That's a good set. Steve ran 4 x 3 minute efforts. Splits: 3:41/km,3:38/km,3:41/km,3:29/km. A couple of days later a 4 x 600m set. Splits: 1:54,1:53,1:52,1:50. Steve looks ready to resume racing. Next step is all of us race the same way we train with a start strong, increase pace and hold, last 400m or so staged kick down, always relaxed. I get another chance at it tonight with 1500m handicap on track.

At Stromlo this afternoon almost perfect weather with light winds, sunny and warm. Cycling criteriums were on the adjacent bitumen track as a diversion. I was alone on the grass of Stromlo which had been cut the day before but not close to race line. I had done this set a month ago, it's nothing more than a bunch of strides to maintain leg speed. The set today was almost identical splits to the last set except today was much easier and not full gas. I'll be racing tomorrow in a 1500m. The set: 2000m warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 3 x 500m with 500m jog recovery, 2000m warm down. I had run 6km XC at lunch. Splits: 1:29, 1:26, 1:23. Keith in Bega yesterday ran a mixed set. 600m,200m,700m ; 500m,100m,900m ; 300m,800m,400m at 3:20-3:30/km average. Set was done on grass that needs mowing. The 1500m handicap tomorrow is part of a 3 race series in the name of Jack Pennington. It is age and sex adjusted over 800m,1500m and 3000m events. I'm in good enough form to win tomorrow, the ...

Pouring today at Stromlo for a short set to prepare for a 1500m on Thursday. The set: 3000m warm up, 5 x 100m hill strides, 3 x 400m Hills with jog back recovery, 3000m warm down. Splits: (Myself)72, 70, 69. (Helen) 105, 94, 92. Helen weighed her shoes and wet clothes at 2kg 876 grams after the session. This afternoon a short recovery run.

Today a long run of 90 minutes out and back in the countryside along the Molonglo River. Middle section of 20 minutes included a threshold run. It was very peaceful out there until I ran through a pack of triathletes out for their run on the same track. Big rains expected tomorrow here. I have a session scheduled in the morning. Will have to see when the rain is coming. I've revised the Prep 1 training block from last summer. Only changes are to beefing up threshold runs and power hills being incorporated into long interval sessions. Dates will be revised when I see a track program for 2018. I can't begin this block until the magpie stops swooping which should be in a fortnight. Preparatory Period 1 mid December to late January 2017 Training goal: Aim to fit in no more than 3-4 of the sessions below each week, weekly volume 110km to 140km 10000m Set: Long intervals: 6,6,5,4,3,2,1 min, 1-2 minute recovery jog at or just below maximum threshold OR Long Step Down Interv...

This morning at Stromlo cool with light winds. Grass is lush and slowing by the day. KT with a cameo effort today gave the girls someone to chase. Everyone ran well today. The set: 6km warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 2 x 1250m hilly efforts (1 hill 3:52,2 hills reverse 4:08, girls 5:00+ and 5:20+), 2 x 600m hill efforts (all up) (1:52,1:51, girls 2:30+), warm down. That was my best set this season cumulative. This afternoon and easy recovery run to make 20km for the day, 136km last 7 days. Tomorrow a long recovery run. We all went for brunch at the usual venue making it another great morning. Steve on the local Parkrun 5km course 18:40 as 7 intervals with 30 seconds recovery float. That's pretty snappy and another great set.

Final day of competition for me was the half marathon. Highlight was a string of Kenyans towing the front group along and finally getting on top of a couple to bag an unexpected individual silver medal and teams gold.