Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Warm and sunny at Stromlo XC circuit, light winds. Steve ran at 6am, would have been cool then. His set 4 x 600m efforts, all in 1:55. Helen and I started 2 hours later. Our set included 6,7,4,3,1 minute efforts with 2 minutes recovery. All up 14km in the morning, 6km recovery run in the afternoon to maintain 125km last 7 days. Track on Thursday will be a 3000m. It will be hot and windy.

My first longer maximum threshold run in many weeks. I was a bit rusty early, warmed into it. The course undulating throughout, included a 1km hill with average gradient 10% 10km in the afternoon (after picnic with dog) to make 20km for the day and 125km last 7 days. Tomorrow a long recovery run. Tuesday XC intervals. Thursday 3000m tempo on track. My 4th consecutive 120km+ week.

This morning at Stromlo XC circuit 5x600m(224,217,217,217,141). I was pacing the girls first four efforts before a quick final effort of 1:41, a life time PB on the circuit. Best of the girls was Emma, closely followed by KT and Helen. All were in recent best form. Steve in Parkrun 5km Eastern Gardens ran 18:32. Splits: 3:34,3:51,3:35,3:43,3:37. It's regarded as one of the slower courses. Tomorrow ACT Masters XC handicap 7km. It's an undulating to hill course.

Weather windy, a little cooler this week. Again running the early race in the worst conditions. It's 6 months until Australian Masters Athletics Championships. Nothing important on the near horizon. Field for the 3000m was very good, especially in the females. KT, Leanne, another KT. I was late on the warm up leaving from work rushed. 15 minute warm up, 5 x 100m strides (last two timed, 16.2,15.2). 3000m first kilometre 3:17, 10:10 to finish. Felt good. Steve ran 3 x 600m efforts in the morning at Stromlo. Splits: 1:55,1:52,1:53. Recovering from last weeks hilly 10km Run With The Wind. Busy weekend of running with Stromlo session tomorrow, ACT Masters XC 7km handicap on Sunday. It will be my first longer effort since World Masters Athletics Championships. I've now run 3 weeks at 120km+ average. It's usually 6 weeks until I'm running really well again...half way there. Last 7 days 125km. Way back in 1990 I was in Norway and on my way to Sweden in Goteborg, site of t...

Tomorrow at track 800m and 3000m on schedule. It should be warm and windy again. Thanx to Ewen for last weeks 1500m video.

Faster set planned for tomorrow. Today 6 x 3 minute maximum threshold intervals with 60 seconds float recovery. 8.5km including recovery plus warm up, 8.5km warm down. 120km last 7 days. On track this Thursday is an 800m. I'll use a 3000m early as warm up plus the usual 100m and 200m strides.

I am back a month at home now and three weeks into a new training experience. To keep my focus and motivation I'm looking forward as far as Gothenburg 2022 when I will be newly in the M60 age group. My only visit to Canada was in August 1990 for orienteering races between Vancouver and Calgary, never in Toronto. I've made visits to Sweden in 1986, 1990 and 2000, also for orienteering races. During 1986 and 1990 I spent some time in Gothenburg. Big Picture Training Plan: 2018 remainder: Focus on 800m and 1500m races and training, only local events. 2019: April Australian Masters Athletics Championships Melbourne. 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 8000m XC. I will ditch the 10000m on track if 800m form is OK. May-July 10 weeks in France, no racing except Parkruns. August Sydney City2Surf 14km road. September Adelaide City2Bay road. October Adelaide Australian Masters Games?? 2020: Australian Masters Athletics Championships Brisbane 20 July-1 August World Masters Athletics Championships To...

This morning a longish run of 20km from home, solid and relaxed in the middle, all on forest trails. Some of my friends were out of town doing 'Run with the wind' 10km out at Woodlawn tip and wind farm. It's a very hilly course, often windy as the name suggests. A bit too tough on the body for my liking, I skipped it even though there is some money on offer. Brief results: Steve 1st M40-49 40:38, Toby 2nd M12-14 42:57, Jane 3rd female 44:28, Jack 3rd M15-19 48:46, Helen 2nd W50-59 51:20, Emma and Rob out there enjoying it too. Congratulations. While they were doing it tough Milli was having her first picnic at the Arboretum. Kids and kites there also.

Warm with no wind at Stromlo XC circuit this morning. Four of us there. Helen racing a hilly 10km tomorrow so light training. The set: Warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 2 x 200m strides, 5 x 600m (2:23,2:17,2:17,1:46,1:44) warm down. I was pacing KT on the first three efforts, warming up in the process. Thunderstorms about in the afternoon. I ran a recovery run after the lightning cleared. 21km for the day, 120km last 7 days. Long run tomorrow, may include some speed work.

Yesterday a long recovery run of 17km. I was worried the rain would wash it out but no such thing as it passed by home to the west and east. Today was warm and sunny. Track season began today. With the fire damage the meet was a low key 'çome and try it' night. No proper timing, race clock and such. I used as a training session. The set: Warm up, 4 x 100m strides (18,17,16,15), 2 x 200m strides (33,32), 1500m 4:46, warm down. Weather warm and windy blowing Kapoc tree fluff all over the track. This phenomenon usually lasts a week or two in October every year. Not healthy for running lungs. I wore a hat and sunglasses to protect the eyes. Nothing I could do about the lungs. Times were on the very slow side. Steve ran 3 x 1500m at Stromlo, all in 5:14. Splits through 500m were 1:39,1:42,1:43. I'll step the training up this weekend. I may even get out to the track on Sunday for a sneaky session on my own.

Early morning session at Stromlo XC circuit with Steve. Just a short set for me. The set: Warm up, 6 x 100m strides, 2 x 600m, 400m recovery. Splits: 1:54,1:45.( Steve 1:54,1:49,1:51,1:53...best 600m set this prep). Warm down. Afternoon recovery run to make 17km for the day, 125km last 7 days. It looks like track season will begin on Thursday despite the arson at the track last week. 1500m is first race on the program. I'll do a full warm up and strides then run the 1500m. Rain is expected next two days. Let's hope it clears off before track.

Stromlo XC circuit today for a lunch time session. Weather warm and windy. Just me and Helen. The set: Warm up, 5 x 3 minute efforts on hilly loops, 60 seconds float recovery, warm down. All up 10km for the session, 7km in the afternoon as recovery, 125km last 7 days.

This morning a 90 minute run from home including 20 minutes at maximum threshold on hilly out and back forest trails. I was gate crashing KT's set. 125km last 7 days. In Melbourne Jen and Maria were running. Jen ran 3:59:15 2nd W60-64 in the marathon. Maria ran 1:54:13 2nd W60-64 in the half marathon. Congratulations. Conditions were hot and windy.

Stromlo XC intervals this morning. Weather cool to warm, misty to sunny, light winds. Five of us there. The set: Warm up, 4 x 100m strides, 3 x 200m hills, 1200m 3:45, 1000m 3:04, 600m 1:47, warm down. KT was best of the girls with all efforts sub-4:00/km. All up 10km for the morning, recovery run in the afternoon to make 125km last 7 days. My set: Surprisingly quick! I wasn't expecting that given a few light weeks and not much else. Very similar to the speeds I was running at WMA Championships in Malaga. Steve also at Stromlo ran 3 x 1500m efforts. Splits: 5:14,5:08,5:15. No sign of the magpie from any of us. The family of birds that has terrorised us for a decade seems to have been removed again. The Woden track storage shed was burnt down by arson this week. Start of track season may be delayed. It was expected this Thursday. Regardless of when it starts I should be ready to resume soon. Tomorrow an easy run including a short maximum threshold effort.

At noon a long recovery run of 75 minutes on mountain forest trails. 125km last 7 days. Tomorrow XC intervals at Stromlo. Conditions should be Ok early. Time to start thinking about training for track in the 2018-2019 season. I'll begin again from scratch as I did in Paris a couple of months ago. This is what I did there over 18 days. I'll begin to build up leg speed using 100m and 200m strides. Speed endurance with intervals ranging from 400m to 2000m, a mix of sessions using 4-5 different speeds. Racing aimed at 800m to 5000m. Track 4*100m, 5*400m(76,75,74,71,69); Recovery Run 40 minutes Track 4*100m, 5*600m(155,152,153,153,151);Puteaux33 minutes Track 4*100m, 6*200m(38,37,36,34,34,33);Puteaux40 Parkrun Bois de Boulogne 5km 1st 17:22([323lost]333,330,329,318,330);Puteaux20 minutes Long recovery run 100 minutes Track 4*100m, 4*200m(35,35,34,32)4*800m(232,231,232,231); Recovery Run 25 minutes Track 4*100m, 4*200m(34,33,33,32)3*1000m(307,309,312);Recovery Run 25 minutes ...

This morning Steve ran a 6km maximum threshold run. Splits: 3:55,3:52,3:51,3:51,3:57,3:52. Very consistent. Yesterday Helen did her 6km maximum threshold at BBQ Stakes, just over 30 minutes. Today Helen and I ran 3 x 600m hills at Stromlo. Splits for me: 2:22,2:04,2:01. Helen was 2:45-2:35. This afternoon an easy recovery run to make 17km for the day. Photo credit: Gwenael from a couple of days ago.

An afternoon run avoiding much of the wind. It's gone cold and wintery again here. No doubt I'll be complaining of the heat in a week. That's spring for you. Out and back on mostly soft surfaces. At the turn point I ran 5 x 200m hill strides. Splits: 42,42,41,38,36. Tomorrow I'll run my first set at Stromlo for a while. It will be cold and windy again. The set will be short and not too fast. I'll spend the next 10 days or so trying to find my race legs again through some more short sets, not too quick. 110km last 7 days. I'll hit 120km last 7 days tomorrow. It was French movie night with friends, Saint Amour.

Steve this morning ran 4 x 600m XC efforts at Stromlo, success in avoiding the swooping magpie. Splits: 1:54,1:54,1:52,1:53. A decent lift in form and volume from last week. I've had 4 days at normal volume and things are looking better. This afternoon 5 x 100m strides included in a 17km run. Tomorrow I may try myself on a 6km XC course at BBQ Stakes.

This morning a long run on my normal out and back course on forest trails, finishing on grass at Stromlo. It wasn't fast. Glad to get that done and ready to move forward again. I had two weeks at only 30km per week. In a few days I'll be on 120km for the week. It will take 6 weeks to get back into good form. I'll start a full load of sessions in a fortnight if all goes well. I spent the afternoon having coffee, tending to some plants and playing with Milli the border collie. I'll be on dog minding duties next weekend.

Steve this morning 3 x 1500m efforts at Stromlo XC Circuit, all un-timed. Warm down was done at a near by Parkrun. I ran easy for 65 minutes including 5 x 100m strides. An easy run later in the day made it 17km. I should be back at normal volume of 120km this week. Still around two weeks until I start structured training. Tomorrow a longer run of 85 minutes. Took a while to extract and compile videos from Facebook. Shot using camera phone in portrait, finish straight only. Heat 2 and final. Also some great semi final 1500m photos from Shaggy. I remember back to arriving in Paris and discovering my training track only a short jog from the apartment. I was excited I could train for 1500m and 5000m events. I was surprised the running form and fitness came back so quick. It was an awful winter in Canberra. It was a perfect autumn in Paris. Looking back the running feeling I had in the 5000m and 1500m semi-final was the best I had during the championships. Looking forward to running mor...

This morning Steve ran a 50 minute run including 6km at maximum threshold, average 3:50/km. It's cloudy with drizzle here in Canberra, light if any wind. I'm still jogging, slowly increasing daily volume. I hope to do my first longer run on the weekend.

This week Steve is getting back into it again. His first set 3 x 600m efforts, all in the 1:50s. Track season begins in a couple of weeks. All meets will be held on the south side of town at Woden. Schedule until Christmas has been posted. Of me: I've resumed jogging without pain. I'm keeping to my three week schedule to resume structured training.

I will be out of action for 3 weeks or so due to recent ITB issues. Honestly I deserve a break, not fussed. Stromlo XC circuit the venue for the Saturday session. My ITB issues a problem. I did run 8km after warming up. Helen ran 1200m solid plus strides as Maria and I followed. Sunday was ACT Masters XC handicap at O'Connor Ridge. A very tough course and the final race to decide Queen and King of the Mountain. I was in contention but did not participate. Helen had her best race in 5 years winning the 8km course and claiming the Queen on the Mountain title. Roger was 3rd on the same course. On the 4km course Gary 2nd from KT 3rd. KT finished 2nd in Queen on the Mountain short course title. After the cross country we all headed off to the bush for a gathering, a very nice afternoon on a lovely day.