Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

5am run from home of 22km to avoid this weekend's heat wave. I started in the dark before entering the forest with cool temperatures until the sun popped up. I was on duty helping at ACT Masters XC handicap a short drive away. Helen ran her 100th XC handicap event and was presented with a red t-shirt. I ran a short run in the afternoon to loosen up. Next set on Tuesday morning with 800m efforts, 200m jog recovery. Thursday track racing with ACT Masters. I've resumed full training volume again, 120km+/week. I'll sit on that level until February including all the sessions and Parkrun events. There is no point sleeping in now. Get the running started before the sun comes up. It's not even December.

Saturday morning sessions including Parkrun Coombs followed by group session at Stromlo XC circuits. Weather hot, light winds getting stronger through the morning. Parkrun Coombs splits (500m): 1:42,1:47,1:44,1:41,1:44,1:51,1:48,1:42,1:50,1:44,0:06. Starting only 12 hours after the 3000m last evening I felt strong, splits show I was a little tired throughout. Group session at Stromlo XC circuits was only 10 minutes after I finished Parkrun. Session included 5 x 100m strides and 4 x 500m with 500m jog recovery and lots of water on head and consumed. It was very hot and later windy, full sun. Helen and Emma best of the girls. Helen started at 4:05/km working down to 3:58/km. I didn't time my efforts, around 3:20/km. Steve ran a faux Parkrun on his own early in the morning, just over 18 minutes, an improvement on last week now showing solid form. Next week my final track race for 2020 on Thursday night with 3000m/5000m or 800m handicap. I'll prepare with a full set of 800m eff...

Friday evening 3000m ACT Championship races. Weather was hot, no wind, low humidity. Fields were packed with class of all ages (12-58yo). I was the oldest runner there. The races were great to watch and run in. More than a few from over the border New South Wales. All the races followed the same plot with fast early pace, field splits up especially when the body core temperature peaked out. My splits (500m): 1:35,1:35,1:39,1:44,1:46,1:39. I had two very bad splits when my core temp over-cooked, otherwise OK. Saturday morning Parkrun Coombs again. I'll see how I pull up, I'm not sore this evening. I only need to get one more Parkrun closer to my 50th event. I may run hard anyway. Stromlo group session warm down after that.

Thursday morning set with Steve before sunrise. A short set to prepare for the ACT Masters 3000m Championships on Friday evening. The set: Warm up including 5 x 100m strides plus a 200m stride, 2 x 800m efforts with 200m jog recovery. Pace was 3:20/km or better. On December 3rd a 3000m/5000m is late on the program. I may run an 800m as warm up prior to the 3000m/5000m. It will be my last track race for 2020. Following that I'll commence my second build up phase of high volume and all the sessions. I'll resume running track races again in February with a peak at the Australian Masters Athletic Championships in March, assuming they go ahead. We have no Covid in Canberra. It will only be interstate outbreaks that stop the Championships.

Wednesday lunch time low key handicap run at BBQ Stakes. I ran before my handicapped time and had a steady run around the course chatting to folk along the route. In a couple of weeks is the BBQ Stakes Relay on the same course in pairs (half distance each). I'll have to lock in a partner for that to get my hands on a winning prize (it's guess your team time, no watch). After the event is pizza and cool beverages. Next set for me on Thursday morning with 2 x 800m strides, 1:30 jog recovery. Friday evening is ACT Masters 3000m Championship. I'll run Parkrun Coombs again on Saturday morning get get one run closer to a lifetime 50 run t-shirt this year.

Tuesday morning set for Steve of 4 x 500m. Splits: 1:35,1:34,1:33,1:31. I ran my set in the afternoon allowing for more recovery time. I was still a little sore in the afternoon, good enough to do the set with a slow first effort to warm up. My splits: 1:34,1:27,1:25,1:22. I may be even more sore tomorrow. I'll wait and see. This week will be about recovering enough to race on Friday evening in the ACT Masters 3000m Championships while still keeping my good race form. I'll do a couple of 800m strides on Wednesday or Thursday morning if I am feeling OK. Not much volume.

I woke a little sore from all the fast down hill running in Stromlo Trail Running Festival 10km. I did some stretching, long walks and a couple of jogs just to keep things ticking over. I won't resume full training until I feel OK, it may be tomorrow! I have entered ACT Masters 3000m Championships on Friday evening...I am hopeful. Summer is here soon, heat wave coming Thursday through Sunday, only in the mid-30s but a big shock from recent weather. I've already adjusted to running early mornings when I can. Last evening we had a birthday party for Leonor. Always fun when only runners (and partners/friends) are at the party. Runners are special:-)

Sunday morning 10km event in the Stromlo Trail Running Festival. A brutal course when done full gas, up or down with 250m vertical of climbing, on rough, wide forest trails aside from the criterium track start and finish. Pre-race I had thoughts of sitting in and enjoying the run. Those thoughts changed in the first 100m when the eventual winner took off crazy fast. I chased him the entire course with around 20-30 second gap hoping he would crack. He was slow on the late climbs but never slow enough to let me back in the game. My heart rate stayed at 171bpm for 31 minutes of the race, less on the long fast down hill descent to the finish. The great Robert De Castella was there to call the race. Splits (500m, min/km): 3:58,3:55,3:27,4:30,4:44,4;07,3:34,3:45,3:49,4:32,3:23,5:06,3:55,4:42,3:07,3:27,3:15,3:25,3:25,3:15

Hot and sunny Saturday morning for assorted local running events. I ran Parkrun Coombs on a new course, designed to avoid conflicts with horses. It was Coombs first Parkrun since the Covid pause back on 14th March. The new course on a mix of grass, bitumen and gravel. It will be a 15 second quicker course when a second dead turn near the finish is removed in the future. My run a win start to finish. Splits (500m): 1:36,1:42,1:40,1:38,1:43,(dead turn)1:49,1:48,1:42,(dead turn)1:51,1:43,0:04. I was running at 16:40 pace in the first half without dead turns. I did improve my age graded record for the event. Helen and Minnie also did Parkrun Coombs. We then went a short drive to Stromlo to watch cheering on friends run the Stromlo Trail Running Festival 30km event (and have two coffees). Steve ran a faux Parkrun 5km in 18 minutes+. Keith ran 2000m (7:15), 1500m (untimed)on undulating gravel road. Tomorrow at 6am Stromlo Trail Running Festival 10km event for me. The event has been condu...

Thursday morning set with Steve at Stromlo XC circuits. Weather cool, no wind, sun not up yet, dew and angry ducks on grass. The set: Warm up, 4 x 100m and 1 x 200m strides, 4 x 800m efforts with 200m jog recovery (1:40), warm down. Both Steve and myself running well in this set again. We can push on to even faster times without fear of faltering mid-set. I am good for a sub-16:40 5km somewhere soon. On Wednesday evening a 17km recovery run. Still maintaining 120km+/week into my 7th week. I'm on top of things again. Parkrun Coombs on Saturday, full gas. Sunday Stromlo Trail Running Festival 10km, non-competitive run to justify wearing the event t-shirt. Weather expected to be warm. I start in 6am wave. It will still be cool then. Keith ran 4 x 3 minute efforts with 1 minute jog recovery on undulating gravel road. Distance covered approx. 730m-770m

Tuesday morning set with Steve at Stromlo XC circuits of 4 x 500m. Weather crisp, light winds, dew on grass. All up 10km for the morning including 100m strides. Steve was running well, efforts in the low 1:30s. I had to work hard to get the legs moving quickly. My splits: 1:31,1:27,1:26,1:24. Next set on Thursday, 800m efforts with 200m recovery. Keith ran his 4 x 500m efforts on an undulating gravel road. Splits: 1:42,1:49,1:50,1:47

Living very close to Coombs Parkrun and able to find gaps in the restraining infrastructure (whatever that means...fences) I have been training on the Coombs Parkrun course for a few months, albeit unknown to me until this week...anyhoo!! I ran 18km today, out and back. Feeling very fatigued after six weeks of high volume (120km+/week). I've started taking the odd rest/easy day to stop from topping out. Next set on Tuesday morning with Steve, 500m leg speed intervals which will set up for 800m intervals on Thursday. Weekend at Stromlo is all about trails and such with the Stromlo Running Festival in the 10km trails, most popular the 30km trails. Insane the 50km trails. Most of us will be running, me for the expensive t-shirt. There will be cheering on and cheese and spaghetti toasties in between. How quickly time passes!! We had not done smoke, bushfires or Covid a year ago. Recent trips on the coast illustrate not has changed much. Struggling, some re-building almost a year on...

Late afternoon recovery run from home, mainly on forest trails. Recently back from the coast, more beaches and touristing in the morning, full sun and warm down there. No ACT Masters track this Thursday. On Saturday I will run Parkrun Coombs. I'm a good chance of breaking my own age graded record for the course. Sunday I am running Stromlo Trail Running Festival 10km. I won't run this event hard, just enjoy the vibe. Next set on Monday or Tuesday (leg speed intervals of 500m) and on Wednesday or Thursday (800m efforts, 200m recovery).

Saturday morning set of Long Intervals 2000m, 1500m, 1000m, 500m. Steve and I both ran the same set hudreds of kilometres apart. My set was into a strong southerly wind for the set and with a nice tailwind on return warm down. 14km for the morning, 4km run on the beach mid-afternoon. I didn't record my splits, just ran hard. On Friday I ran 7km in the morning before driving down to the coast, 10km in the afternoon along the coast. Steve splits: 2000m 7:16, 1500m 5:16, 1000m 3:23, 500m 1:31, all done at Stromlo XC circuits. Leonor ran a PB at Parkrun Burley Griffin in 28:48.