Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

First days back at work after a 5 week break. I ditched the car and resumed running over Black Mountain on forest trails to and from work for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Until the daylight improves this will ensure I maintain volume and increase strength endurance despite winter weather. On Wednesday was my scheduled 6km maximum threshold run. I ran this again as a running commute over Black Mountain saddle on the ascent part of the course (3km) to and from work (140-170 metres vertical gain each direction). Next set is on Saturday Parkrun 5km.

Today back in Canberra waking to a frosty start and lovely sunny day around 16 degrees with no wind. Morning run was the ACT Masters XC 9km handicap on a very hilly and rough course. I had a solid run, as fast as not much sleep would allow having arrived back in Canberra hours earlier. The further it went the faster I ran. In the afternoon an easy recovery run on Mount Painter with Milli the border collie. All up 17km for the day. On Saturday Steve ran 3 x 2500m efforts at Stromlo XC circuit. Splits: 9:19,9:10,9:10, 9:13 average. On Saturday Gabe ran the Bush Capital 16km backing up again the ACT Masters XC 9km handicap. On Saturday Jen ran Parkrun 5km in 24:44 backing up in the Bush Capital Half Marathon in 128 minutes. I'll get back into the groove this week. For the next nine months I'll be in a build up phase again. I'll resume a 6km maximum threshold run on hilly XC course on most Wednesdays. On most Sundays I'll start building up my long run and include some ...

Morning run of 75 minutes from the airport hotel through Le Mesnil Amelot and Mauregard which are service towns for the airport. Something changes every visit to these towns. Last visit was an EV power station in Mauregard, this time a 2km bike path linking Mauregard with Le Mesnil Amelot, right under the flight path. That's it for this yearly visit to France. Next visit in April 2020 for Marathon de Paris. On late Saturday night I'll be home. On Sunday morning I'll be running ACT Masters XC Handicap at Little Black Mountain.

Morning run through Bois de Boulogne again. Another hot day in Paris, 40 degrees expected. I have now shifted to the airport for the final night. I'll be able to run tomorrow morning from the hotel before the flight back to Canberra. I've previously run up to 2 hours from here on the final day. New shoes for Marathon de Paris 2020

Out there very early this morning to get a run done in the shade of the forest again. Nothing more than a trot today with temperatures already climbing into the 30s, hotter tomorrow.

Early morning run through Bois de Boulogne including an 8km tempo effort in the middle. I used three laps of a triangular long hill XC section all with the added bonus of two prostitutes sitting by the track. They seemed happy just chatting the three times I passed by. Weather in the high 30s today, glad to get that run over. Nothing to do now except cook a veggie pizza for lunch and wait for the Tour de France to start. This will be the second last chance for Caleb Ewan to grab another win. He's my tip. Back in Canberra Steve ran the Runners Shop 10km race in 37:25. A solid run throughout during base training and one of his best races out of season. I have no access to results here, thanks for the update Steve. Also in Canberra Jen ran a 32km trail race. Backing up from her great run in the Gold Coast Half Marathon Jen broke the age race record by 37 minutes! Congratulations Jen.

Rest day for Tour de France today. Lucky Triathlon action from Canada is on TV. Weather is warming up fast. My strategy is stay in the forest and get my runs done early. Heat will peak over Paris on Thursday with 40 degrees, 30 degrees plus next two days. I've decided no sessions this week, just one longish run in the morning. I have a XC handicap back in Australia on Sunday morning, a few hours after I arrive home. I'll wake my legs up again there with a solid effort over the hills with my club friends. This morning I pushed the boundaries of what I know is Bois de Boulogne. New trails leading to unexpected places. Tour de France tomorrow is in Nimes. I spent a couple of very hot days there watching Tour de France in 2008 and 2014. It could be very hot and windy for the riders.

Cool this morning surprisingly. I kept it that way by running in the forest well away from the sun. An easy paced run trying out some new trails I hadn't run on yet. There are many. Nothing left to do now is eat, sleep and wait for Tour de France to start on the TV.

Parkrun this morning. Weather very warm, humid, some wind. I had a kid to chase today:-) He put on a small gap in the first 200m and I chased him the whole way. He was quicker on the down sections, me on the three climbs. Glanced at my splits on route, I knew I was having a good one, a consistent 2-3 seconds/km up on last week. Final kilometre 5 seconds up in response to the kid who ran 17:05. Splits: 3:24,3:24,3:37,3:30,3:19. Splits last week: 3:27,3:26,3:39,3:33,3:24 [17:30]. Splits from September 2018: 3:19,3:20,3:32,3:20,3:27 [16:59]. Put a pair of racing shoes on and I'm still behind pre-World Champs form last year, but not much. What I did on track this week closed the gap. All up 17km this morning, 120km for the week. A heatwave is building over France this week. I'll have to set the alarm to get the running in. Temperatures around mid-high 30s with 40 degrees in Paris on Thursday. Running plan may need some modification.

Morning run to track, just ran laps, not even strides. Just a slow hour jogging. I'll wake my legs up tomorrow at Parkrun. After the run I wandered to La Defense looking for running shorts and tops. Nothing there took my fancy in Nike, Adidas, Go Sport nor Decathlon stores. I'm stuck with my all black kit for another week (hot, don't get dirty, easy wash & dry, tossed before I get home). On TV was the double with Women's La Course and Tour de France Time Trial, both in Pau. Women equal top with the men for action as Amanda Spratt was chased down in the final few hundred metres by Vos. Great race. Final 20 starters in the TT was gripping to watch. Could the Tour de France be won with panache this year? May find out some answers tomorrow. Answer today: Panache 1st, Panache 2nd on top of Tourmalet. It holds for a while now...until the French Alps likely.

Morning track session. Weather overcast, cool to warm, light winds. The set: 6km warm up including 4 x 100m strides, 4 x 200m strides (36,34,33,32), 3 x 600m (1:53,1:51,1:51), warm down. An afternoon recovery run to make 19km for the day, 129km last 7 days. I'm now running at the same level over short intervals (200m-600m) as I was in my first two weeks of when I was here in August 2018. Next week I'll shift focus to some longer efforts to find out where I am at in preparation for City2Surf. I'm sure I am behind where I was at last year being World Championships ready. Only difference is the racing flats I was wearing last year, light trainers this year!? Tomorrow an easier day with a few strides on track. Saturday Parkrun where I'll see if I can better my time from last Saturday.

Morning set on track. Weather sunny, warm, light winds. The set: 5km warm up including 4 x 100m strides and 4 x 200m strides (38,36,34,33), 1000m 3:26, 2 x 600m (1:54,1:52), warm down. 13km for morning set, 4km recovery run later in the day.

This morning Steve ran 5 x 3 minute efforts. Splits: 3:31/km,3:32/km,3:34/km,3:34/km,3:41/km. A good set from Steve who is running a local 10km road race on the weekend. It's one of those races I never get to do as I'm always in France at this time of year. There should be some good competition there. No session for me this morning, strides on track only. 8km including 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m (final 2: 35,33), 600m 1:53. I was feeling much better today, starting to get there. After strides a change of shoes and longer run in the forest to make it 17km for the morning all up. Next set tomorrow with 1000m efforts.

Morning track session. Weather sunny, cool, light winds. My first set on a track in a while. The set: Warm up 5km including 5 x 100m strides, 4 x 200m strides (39,37,37,36), 4 x 600m with 1:30 jog recovery, warm down. Splits: 1:57,1:55,1:57,1:54. My first 600m set last September 2018 in Puteaux was 155,152,153,153,151 and that was with a longer recovery. I'm not far away. With enough sessions and enough rest this week I should be able to do some good sets next week. First step is to get the 200m strides in 35 seconds or better. Maybe later this week. All up 13km this morning, and easy recovery run in the afternoon to make 120km last 7 days.

Sleep in this morning, then a recovery run in Bois de Boulogne. Nice weather for running, cool, cloudy, not humid. Lots of jets flying overhead, it's Bastille Day. I may get out and watch the fireworks on Tour Eiffel if I haven't fallen asleep already. This week plan is to squeeze in 3 sessions aimed at 5km for the Parkrun next week. If I can find 5 seconds/km I'll be somewhere near where I was when last here in September 2019. I think I can do it. I'll start with some strides tomorrow and see if I can drop onto 3:10/km at the track, some shorter intervals.

Parkrun Bois de Boulogne this morning. Weather sunny, warm, no wind. Back to my home course in Paris. Lovely people, coffee after, can't think of anything better. I had my work cut out this morning. A runner I don't know. We were well matched and stayed together until the final 300m. He led first kilometre, I led the remainder trying to crack him. I wasn't good enough to do it. My PB on the course is 16:59 (twice) done as pre-World Masters Athletics Championships in Malaga, the latter only four days before the XC where I was very good. Today 32 seconds adrift with all pennies spent. This is where I am at. Splits: 3:27,3:26,3:39,3:33,3:24. Pre-WMA 25.08.2018(323,323,329,317,326),01.09.2018 (319,320,332,320,327). I'll have one more crack at a faster time next Saturday before I head home. I'll get 3 track sessions in before then. Following week I will do a time trial on track and two more sessions. I expect to be faster each week. It's been very cold and windy ...

Early morning run of 80 minutes with 10km tempo in the middle. Again faster than the previous day, felt good. Today I split the sets with a jog in the afternoon to check out my track in Puteaux. When I was here last training for Wold Masters Athletics in Malaga they were demolishing the grandstand. The track is still there and in good conditions. I ran 5km all up including 4 x 100m strides (20,20,19,19) with 300m jog and stretch recovery. Yesterday's stage in Tour de France finished on Planche des Belle Filles. They added a gravel section at 24% gradient at the end which looked very tough. Other than that the final 10km is the same as I ran a few times up and down in 2012 and 2014. My diary says it took 29 minutes or so to run up the 6km stretch. On one of those runs in 2012 I chased down a runner named Claude. We chatted all the way up in 'Frenglish'. On the way down I met Claude again walking with his partner Virginie. Her then baby Jadou was being minded by her mother a...