Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

On Friday night I was at a party. Saturday morning Parkrun Burley Griffin by the lake to farewell Garry and Pat to sunny Queensland. Weather cool to warm, sunny, no wind. Course a twisting bike path out and back with a long climb up and down from the lake in the 2nd and 4th kilometres. I continued my progress back to good form with 17:03 2nd place. I have a PB on the course of 16:47 set a few years ago. I'm not far away from great form now. My time was fast enough to set a new age graded record for the course. I now hold six age graded records in Canberra and surrounds Parkruns. At some point I'd like to have all 7-8 of them. Splits: 3:15,3:29,3:28,3:28,3:20. I led for the first 3km, lost the lead as we ran through oncoming runners, prams and dogs after the dead turn. I started too fast in the first kilometre. I met the girls at Stromlo XC circuits immediately after Parkrun (10 minute drive). We did 5 x 100m strides and 4 x 1000m in the creek loop (hilly). Coffee after. An ea...

A chilly morning for running, I ran an out and back along the lake before work. I started slow before finding a rhythm, saving my fastest splits from the lake back up the 4km climb to the start. I'm feeling stronger every day. An afternoon recovery run up and down a mountain to make 18km for the day. I'm into week 4 now, still ticking along at 130km+ for the week. Next hard effort tomorrow at Parkrun Burley.

Early morning set at Stromlo XC circuits. Warm up in the dark again. First effort in half light, then OK to run fast. The set: Warm up 2.5km, 4 x 600m efforts with 400m float (2:00) recovery, warm down. Splits: 2:02,1:56,1:54,1:49. I'm back on track again. I don't need to run any faster than this. Next set I'll step it up to 800m efforts in 2:32 or less and reduce the recovery back to 200m in 1:30. Today at lunch a recovery run by the lake. 132km this week. Next set will be at Parkrun Burley. Friends are moving north to Queensland, a fitting send off with all their running pals.

Weather very windy and warm for a tempo run around the lake at lunch. It was gale force across the bridge coming back to work, lucky to save my hat from the drink. As usual I started at around 5:00/km working down to 4:13/km just before the bridge. Next set tomorrow morning, early again. I'll be warming up in the dark. Set either 600m or 800m efforts depending on how I feel. This weekend continues to final fling of summer and beginning of autumn. Noodle markets, buildings lit up in colour at night, balloons at dawn. We might even get a visit at training from the balloons again.

Pre-dawn session at Stromlo XC circuit. Weather cool, no wind. I did a 15 minute warm up in the dark prior to the set. My first 600m effort also dark. The set: Warm up, 4 x 600m efforts, 400m recovery float (2:00), short warm down. Splits: 2:25, 2:08, 2:04, 2:00. Set was done in Nike Vaporfly Flynit Next% (my potential marathon shoe). I felt great during the set. I should be able to make quick progress to top form again from here. It's only about getting some running done at the right speed. Steve was out there too running 4 x 800m (2:46,2:42,2:40,2:41). In the afternoon a recovery run to make 17km for the day, 132km for the week, my 3rd high volume week. Next set on Thursday morning, something similar to this morning. Balloons are aloft.

Lunchtime tempo runs are becoming common for me now as I settle into a marathon training routine. Weather very warm, sunny, light winds. Pace started at a sluggish pace of 4:50/km working down to 4:11/km by the end of the run. I was tired from a hard weekend. 132km last 7 days. Next set Tuesday morning with Steve if we can wrangle it. I'll be doing 3 x 800m efforts with 1:30 jog recovery.

Morning long run at Isaac Pines incorporating ACT Masters 7km XC handicap. Warmed up for 11km, 7km XC, 12km warm down. Course was an out and back 7km section of an aquaduct, mostly flat with a few steep pinches to change the level of the sandy clay trail, all sheltered mostly by pine trees. I've trained in this forest many times in the past. A nice place to run on a hot day, almost all in shade before noon. The XC handicap was run as back marker and with a moderate start until I reached maximum threshold, held that throughout until the final kilometre when I could see I could win and kicked down to the finish, passing the final runner metres from the line. In between the long warm up and XC I consumed a sports drink that included 60 grams of carbohydrate. It was enough to get me through the 7km XC with no upset tummy. Pace of the warm up was 4:50-4:20/km. Pace of the XC was 3:30s/km on the flat topping out at 3:12/km in the final kilometre. Next sets on Tuesday and Thursday, both...

This morning Saturday Parkrun at Coombs which is very near Stromlo XC trails and where I live. Only my 3rd outing at Coombs. The course is slow, half XC half bike path and hilly. My PB at Coombs is 17:13. At Ginninderra where I have been running my PB is 16:45. Gungahlin PB is 15 seconds faster than that (16:30). Splits: 3:28,3:28,3:33,3:38,3:21. I improved my age graded record for this Parkrun by 0.07%, 90.10% :-) which I set at the run's inaugural event, 98 runs ago. Straight after Coombs I drove to Stromlo to meet up with my Stromlo group for a 13km warm down, 10km with Gabe.Helen ran 4 x 600m efforts. Steve ran 2000m,1500m,1200m,800m,400m. After warm down coffee at the Handle Bar cafe at Stromlo. Tomorrow a long run of 26km or more including ACT Masters XC handicap.

Tempo run at lunch around the lake on bike path from work. An exact repeat of last week, this time 9 minutes quicker, less effort. Pace was just over 4:10/km. Weather warm and sunny, light winds, a nice day to be out. 128km last 7 days. Up north Steve ran 4 x 200m, 5 x 300m efforts on a Parkrun course. Splits for the 200m: 37-38. Splits for the 300m: 52,52,51,52,51

Lunch time set on grass of 6,5,4,3,2,1 minute efforts with 1 minute jog recovery. Weather cloudy, cool to warm, windy. First three efforts at 10km pace, final three efforts working down to 3:10/km. An afternoon recovery run to make 17km for the day, 128km for this week. Last week was 123km. I'm normally very good after 6 weeks with all the sessions at 120km+/week, 4 weeks to go. Next set on Saturday, either Parkrun or long XC intervals at Stromlo XC circuit.

Morning 16km hilly tempo run on bike path from work to home and back...I forgot my access pass. Weather cloudy, warm and very humid. Pace was my quickest of the five tempo runs I've done in the last fortnight, between 3:50-4:10/km for much of it. I felt really good out there. Next set tomorrow on grass, short XC efforts.

Lunchtime set of 5 x 600m XC intervals with 1:30 seconds jog, stretch recovery on soft grass surface. The set done 10 seconds/km quicker than last week. Weather warm, very humid, light winds. Next set on Wednesday or Thursday. It's too dark to run before work now. Sessions fit in when I can, best at lunchtime or going to work late. This afternoon a recovery run to make 18km for the day, 125km last 7 days. Up north Steve ran 4 x 800m efforts. Splits: 2:46,2:42,2:40,2:41

Sunday morning 26km run on forest trails. With thunderstorms all night I thought the forest trails would be a muddy mess, not to be. They were compact (sandy clay) and fast to run on. Pace was mostly 4:30-4:40/km. The longer I went the more fluent the running form. Very enjoyable. Weather was warm, no wind, some cloud, nice for running. Post run coffee was at Little Oink with Milli the Border Collie and friends. I am confident I can now resume intervals on grass at race speed. I'll give myself 3 weeks (6 sessions) on grass to find some good 5km form again.

Parkrun Ginninderra this morning. Weather no wind, cloudy, warm, very humid. My 4th effort at the event in four weeks. Times 23:34,18:34,17:47 and 17:32 today. Splits: 3:23,3:26,3:37,3:37,3:25. No pain in the calf. I struggled after 2km, finished off OK. With some more interval sessions mid-week I'll start aiming at a sub-17 minute run in the next month. Steve at Stromlo ran 5 x 600m xc intervals. Splits: 1:57,1:57,1:56,1:53,1:51 Also at Stromlo a little later Alison, Kathy, Helen, Gabe and Maria were there. Alison led others through 4 x 600m xc intervals. Gabe and Maria opted for longer efforts. This afternoon a recovery run on bush tracks. Tomorrow a long recovery run of 21km+. Yesterday was a running commute to work and back, 16km all up. 124km last 7 days.

Untimely rain in the morning, at lunch and at knock off work time left me with no option but an 18km run on bike path after work. It was peak bike commuter time which meant speeding up to get right of way through the puddles at times. Splits much quicker than two days ago starting at 4:50/km working down to low 4:00s/km. I felt comfortable throughout, just a hint of a niggle in the calf. Tomorrow an easy running day. Saturday Parkrun. If i have no niggles I should run low 17 minutes.

A short XC session at lunch on a soft grass surface, my first short intervals set in 3 months. Weather cloudy, warm and humid, some wind. The set: Warm up, 5 x 600m efforts, 1:30 jog and stretch recovery, warm down. I started very slow and warmed into it aiming just to get through the session with no pain. Splits: 4:35/km,3:59/km,3:48/km,3:40/km,3:30/km. I pulled up well. An afternoon recovery run to make it 17km for the day, 123km last 7 days. Tomorrow if all is well I'll run a short interval session prior to a 3000m tempo run on track with ACT Masters Athletics.

Today a commute to work and back on foot. 8km each direction, mostly down to work, mostly up from work. Journey to work included 2500m,1000m,1000m,500m efforts with 1 minute jog recovery. Splits started at 3:55/km working down to 3:30/km. Return journey included a 2km strength climb over Black Mountain on trails. Weather here is wet all week. All the grass ovals are saturated, too wet for running today. Fires in eastern Australia are expected to be extinguished by the end of the week. That will ensure good air quality going forward. Next set on Thursday, it may be incorporated with the ACT Masters track meet. Steve this morning ran 5 x 300m efforts. Splits: 52,52,51,52,51. Weather for Steve was hot and very humid.

At noon a lunchtime tempo run around the lake near work of 17km. Pace started at 5:30/km working down to low 4mins/km. Weather was warm, air quality good, cloudy, some wind and high humidity. It had poured rain most of the night, stopping around 9am this morning. Puddles everywhere on the bike path. I've been adding in a few runs in the last 3 weeks to harden the legs up for Marathon de Paris. I won't do more than two runs on a hard surface each week. It's time to begin structured training again. I'll begin with two long interval sessions this week and see how the body holds up. Parkrun again on Saturday.

This morning an out and back half marathon from home through the forests of the Arboretum on single track. Weather very windy, good air quality, cool to warm with drizzle, nice conditions for running. That's my longest run in over three months having gone through a left thigh tear and right calf tear in that time. I can now start to think about running Marathon de Paris again, exactly eight weeks away. Lots of rain about this weekend. One of the fires (the Currowan fire on the south coast) which destroyed or damaged over 500 homes with loss of life (people and wild) is now listed as out. There are many still burning that aren't. This rain will help them get under control. This week I'll add in two long interval sessions on grass and continue with Parkrun next Saturday. I'll continue with high volume of 120km per week.

Saturday morning Parkrun at Lake Ginninderra. Weather cool to warm, windy, some drizzle at times. Air quality was good although I found it a little asthmatic at the usual spot on the far side of the bridge. It sometimes happens in weather like this with wind disturbing muck in the reeds. Splits: 3:30,3:23,3:33,3:35,3:34. My fastest split was with the wind. As I have been the last few weeks I started at a moderate pace to let my calf warm up and not regress the rehab. After the first kilometre there was minimal pain. I still didn't push it. I'll stick with Parkrun over the next few weeks and attempt some long interval sessions mid-week. Nothing too fast. I should be down to low 17mins by next Saturday. After Parkrun I ran around the lake with Jen to make 15km for the morning. This afternoon a short recovery run. Sunday morning a long hilly recovery run. Steve was at Stromlo XC circuit this morning running 2000m, 4 x 600m efforts. It was windy there too, a soft track I expect. S...