Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Warm, cloudy and humid for ACT Masters 6.5km XC handicap. Different start and finish, same course for the event. Beginning at the bottom of the course made the loop climb a tough 3.5km to a summit before winding it's way on a fast descent to the bottom, flattish finish. It was tough enough to give me a chance to catch most runners finishing 3rd across the line. Splits (500m): 3:30/km,3:33/km,3:36/km,3:39/km,3:46/km,3:48/km,4:17/km,4:20/km(summit),3:20/km,3:12/km,3:09/km,3:25/km,3:33/km. In the afternoon a recovery run. Next set on Monday morning with Steve at Stromlo XC circuits.

A wet Parkrun day all over Canberra, I picked what I thought would have the least puddles and safe for running (not out and back). There was a heavy shower minutes before the start, nothing during the run. Time 17:28, a couple of seconds behind winner Trent. Splits (500m): 1:43,1:40,1:48 (dead turn),1:42,1:44,1:41,1:43,1:45,1:47,1:44,0.06. Steve ran at Parkrun Coombs 18:12 1st. Sunday morning a long run including ACT Masters XC handicap at Curtin.

We are back to our mild wet summer again after a hot past week. Light drizzle all day and warm, it was pleasant for running easy. It will be wet for another week or more. I left it until after lunch running 17km on bike path bay the lake from home. Saturday morning Parkrun on the least wet course and a long run on Sunday is the plan. I am back to work on Monday.

The weather soggy and windy for ACT Masters Athletics track meet and 1500m championships. The meet was postponed until next week. I got out there with the ducks anyway and ran a 1500m time trial on my own. First 500m in 1:32, last 500m 1:35, the middle 500m very slow as the socks filled with water.

Wednesday lunchtime runs at BBQ Stakes, two laps of the 6km course, first with Milli the Border Collie, 2nd as back marker in the handicap, around 24 minutes steady. I have a 1500m race on Thursday evening at ACT Masters track meet, held back some energy today. Happy birthday to me today, aged 59. I had a lovely day. My age graded % will get a small boost:-) I ran 5km in the afternoon as a recovery run.

Tuesday pre-dawn session at Stromlo XC circuits with Steve. The set 1500m specific, we will be racing in the ACT Masters 1500m Championship on Thursday evening. The set: Warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 5 x 300m efforts with 100m jog recovery, warm down. Splits: 3:12/km,3:13/km,3:17/km,3:00/km,2:59/km. Third effort was up hill. Another afternoon recovery run this evening. Hot again today with rain expected in the afternoon bringing some relief. It was birthday party for Mia last evening. Fun, hard to get up at 5:00am for the set with Steve this morning though.

Mondy morning set of 6 x 500m intervals with 500m jog recovery. No running on Sunday, lots of driving all day. I was a bit rusty this morning, the speed all came back after a few efforts. 3:16/km working down to 2:42/km. Splits: 1:38,1:34,1:28,1:27,1:24,1:21. A very hot day expected again. My 10km recovery running will be done this evening.

Hot Saturday morning Parkrun at Moana Beach. No wind, no cloud. Warm up on the beach with Milli the Border Collie and 3km of the course again with her as warm down. I had someone to follow for 1000m, then on my own. Time 17:48, much slower than my not Parkrun 3 days ago due to heat and a slower start today. I set a new age graded % record for this course. I love the course with a hill start (easier to get free if I am running well), I don't love the two laps around a small park on grass at the end (I was spent). Post race spent in McLaren Vale watching the Santos Festival of Cycling and eating a lentil pie. I pity the riders in these conditions. Following that a long drive across the border to NSW, just in time to see Richie Porte win on top of Willunga Hill again (on PC). Splits from Not Parkrun Moana Beach 3 days ago:(500m): 1:39,1:43,1:43,1:45,1:49,1:49,1:49,1:49,1:42,1:35=17:28 Splits from Parkrun Moana Beach Today:(500m): 1:50(sitting in),1:49(sitting in),1:41,1:43,1:47,1:49,

Early Friday morning run along the Shiraz Trail of 15km including 12 x 1 minute efforts with 1 minute float recovery done after the turn around point at Willunga. Warm down and extended runs were done with Milli the Border Collie on Moana Beach all day. We have decided to spend the day at the beach in the comfort of the car, two parks away from the coffee cart, live coverage of Santos Cycling Classic on laptop. Another hot day ahead, not a cloud to be seen. We will run whenever we get hot. I expect to run well over 20km today. Saturday is Parkrun Moana, extremely hot day predicted at over 40 degrees. We may spend the day back here at the beach again.

Thursday morning trip to Tanunda in the wine making Barossa Valley. Too hot to run there, I left it until the evening running 11km through the vineyards on the Shiraz trail. High on the agenda in Tanunda was to get my day 5 Covid swab at the drive through testing, one stick up the nose, one down the throat again. It was a morning of eating bakery product, gelato to keep cool, shopping for wine, coffee to warm up again and lots of walking. In these smart phone days it's easy to watch both the male and female races almost live with an app. I could tell it was almost live when I watched the riders whiz past me and had 15 seconds until they whizzed past me on the smart phone. It was low key racing compared to the Covid cancelled Tour Down Under, a fun day all up.

Wednesday morning run along the beach with Milli the Border Collie as warm up and warm down runs for Not Moana Beach Parkrun. The beach is great running on low tide. One of the quirks of Adelaide is cars are permitted to park on the beach, it is very popular. Since I was there early I had the beach mostly to myself plus others walking their dogs. Moana Beach Parkrun is not on the beach but on walking/cycle path. It starts at sea level and is out 2.5km, back 2.5km. There is a solid climb in the first kilometre to a plateau along the sea cliffs. This morning it was very windy on the plateau, head/cross wind from the east, I couldn't run any faster than 3:38/km in that section. I was near flat out in the first kilometre. Splits (500m): 1:39,1:43,1:43,1:45,1:49,1:49,1:49,1:49,1:42,1:35=17:28 Yesterday evening I ran Not Shiraz Trail Parkrun as a gentle jog. It starts 100m from my camp for the week. The course is a twisting Y shape x 2 laps. Surface is bumpy and loose gravel in places

Tuesday morning run from McLaren Vale to Willinga and return using the Shiraz Trail Bike Path running straight through vineyards and olive groves. 7.5km warm up to Willunga return was 2000m, 2 minute float recovery, 2300m, 2 minute float recovery, 2000m all done at around 3:40/km. Course was mostly down to Willunga, mostly up for the intervals. In the afternoon a recovery run. On Tuesday some shorter intervals to get more speed out of my legs. Highlight for Monday was a stop at Australian of the Year Maggie Beer's farm cafe and cooking school.

Monday morning beach run from Henley to Glenelg and return 17km. It was much easier on the return with a tail wind and full low tide.

Sunday morning Parkrun at Nuriootpa (South Australia) solo (a day late) in 17:57. It was done at noon after sleeping overnight in the car with Milli the Border Collie. It was a beautiful morning, lots of Pelicans about. The drive to the border and Covid check in was mostly on gravel roads with loads of Emu on the road. Splits (500m):(1:47,1:46,1:45,1:45,1:53,1:53,1:48,1:50,1:51,1:33

Cool and very windy for Parkrun Ginninderra finishing 2nd in 17:26, a few steps behind Jono who forgot his barcode. I was in a rush post event to shower, rangle the dog and start the long road trip to the South Australian border. Splits: 1:39,1:44,1:41,1:42,1:47(deadturn),1:42,1:46,1:44,1:43,1:43,09