Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Cloudy morning at Stromlo XC circuits for a set of 4 X 500m strides with 500m recovery. Grass is saturated with recent rain, more coming. The river crossing is open again to vehicles. Today my first set back to structured training. It won't be long until I am back to top speed again if I am cautious and patient. After training a road trip to the beach and return. Milli the Border Collie loved it.

Morning run down through Cork Oaks, Arboretum to the flooded river and return. Heavy rain overnight made everything saturated, two river crossings overflowing. I was a little too late to see the balloons land, quite deflating.

Wet track for Parkrun Coombs, just light drizzle after overnight rain. Not safe for running fast, I ran with the dog. We warmed down at Stromlo, grass circuits saturated, then coffee. Another warm down later in the day in heavy rain. Sunday long run. Steve ran a set of 2000m,1500m,1000m,500m in lieu of Parkrun.

Light misty rain during a 17km run mostly on forest trails through the cork oak plantation and Arboretum. More rain expected in the next week. Parkrun on Saturday, I expect the course to be wet, most likely I'll run with the dog again as I close in on my 100th Parkrun event in March. Last evening just before the rain Steve ran a windy 3000m track race in 10:22. Splits:3:27,3:27,3:27.

Morning session at Stromlo XC circuits of 17km including 2000m and 6 X 100m at 3:20/km. I bumped into more retiree friends and jumped into their set of 2 x 2000m after they had done 1. Coffee after again where we found retiree cyclists. Chore for the day was packing a bike into it's dusty bike box. This bike box made the journey to the Tour de France 2011 event, a 3 month trip which also included Switzerland, Italy, Andorra and Spain.

Cloudy, warm with light drizzle for a morning recovery run on grass at Stromlo XC circuits. Yes more retiree friends out there training hard. Some rain expected this week. Next set on Thursday, short XC intervals. Parkrun on Saturday.

Morning sets at Stromlo XC circuits. Weather cool, cloudy, some wind. Steve ran early 3 X 800m, 200m recovery. Splits:2:44, 2:41, 2:40. I was out there later with a similar set of 4 X 800m, by chance met and joined a couple of friends running 6 X 1000m, 90 seconds recovery, coffee after. All up 17km for the morning.

Morning 17km run at Stromlo XC circuits including 6 x 100m plus 1 x 200m strides at 3:20/km. That's about as fast as I need to run this week to ensure I don't get carried away and then injured. I'll repeat the strides every couple of days or so. Weather cloudy, cool, light winds. The mower machine was on the grass again keeping the surface in great shape. 110km this week including a a couple of low volume days. Steve ran 3 x 500m at a pace range 3:10/km to 3:20/km.

Morning run on forest trails down through the cork Oaks, Arboretum, pines, river and return. Weather full sun, light winds, warming up to hot quickly. Yesterday evening 7km on the grass at Stromlo XC circuits. Easy structured training will commence on Monday.

Cloudy, cool, light winds at Parkrun this morning. Steve ran at Tuggeranong 4th in 17:56 (9:04 out,8:52 back). I ran at my local Coombs event chatting while running with the dog. We had coffee and a warm down at Stromlo after. 17km for the day. I'm now training at full volume again without niggles. I will need to be cautious for the next few days before upping the intensity again. I felt great today.

Morning tempo run of 17km at Stromlo XC circuits. Weather hot, mostly sunny, no wind. The track was all but deserted. This run completes a fortnight of base training after reaching a peak performance at Parkrun Burley Griffin (17:02)on 5th February. Base training has allowed me to maintain fitness while sorting out any niggles. Over the remainder of February I'll slowly increase intensity and structured sessions. On March 1 I'll begin a final build up towards Australian Masters Athletics Championships to be held in Brisbane commencing on 1st April. Next effort a steady Parkrun on Saturday morning.

This morning on an undulating 1km course Steve ran 3:13. Splits(500m) 1:38,1:35. I ran at Stromlo again, a steady run as I continue this base building fortnight. Weather cool, cloudy, light winds.

Mid-morning run at Stromlo XC circuits of 17km. Weather full sun, warming fast, no wind. I met three retirees I know by chance. Retirees seem to get up later than working runners. I didn't chat to them long.

Morning tempo run at Stromlo XC circuits of 17km. Weather full sun and warming up fast. Temperature expected to be around 30 degrees for a week or so. Best time to run in the morning before it warms up even if it means sharing the grass with ducks. Steve ran the usual Tuesday set of 4 X 800m with 200m recovery. Splits:1:41,1:39,1:39,1:38, his best set of this type this season.

Delayed start to running today, Superbowl takes priority. After the coverage a flick to the winter olympics, then out for a run at Stromlo XC circuits before dusk, a hot sunny day, too hot for a session.

Morning run of 19km on forest trails through the cork oak plantation, Arboretum down to the river and return. Balloons up in the sky, nice day for running. Coffee after by the lake.

Sunny morning at Parkrun Coombs. I ran with the dog in 23:50. Steve finished 1st in 18:25. After Parkrun coffee at Stromlo.

Lunchtime run on forest trails through the Cork Oak plantation and return, 17km all up. It's happy retirement day for me, no longer a part of the workforce, now leisure :-) Champagne celebration this evening, easy trot at Parkrun on Saturday.

Morning run at Stromlo XC circuits testing the Nike ZoomX Streakfly on grass and bitumen, just 5km all up. In the evening evening if storms and rain skirted the track threatening bad weather. It held off for the 1500m, a three way sprint down the home straight, all three running around 4:44. I watched on as I cruised around in 6 minutes, saving myself for a better evening. In my warm up I ran in the Nike ZoomX Streakfly which were too soft on the Woden track for racing. Spikes a much better option.

Today two pair of Nike ZoomX Streakfly landed at the door. Already I've watched many YouTube reviews and read others prior to arrival. First thoughts...yes super light and roomy in the toes, well under 200 grams, comfortable to run in, great grip. Whether they are faster than other shoes I already have and whether they protect my feet like they do I'm yet to learn. They feel good so far. I'll take them for a fast run on a loop I have good stats for and compare times and feel. 

Foggy morning run at Stromlo XC circuits of 17km. Weather cool, no wind, nice weather for running. Next hard effort either Thursday 1500m on track or Saturday at Parkrun.

Pre-dawn set with Steve at Stromlo XC circuits of 2 X 800m, 1 X 500m. Steve ran the full set of 4 X 800m. Weather cold with some wind. My splits(through 500m): 1:40,1:34,1:33 with a closing 300m of 51 seconds. Next hard effort on Thursday, 1500m time trial.

Monday morning leg speed session at Stromlo XC circuits of 4 x 500m, 500m jog recovery to reset the cadence after a long run on Sunday. Weather cool to cold, 15km headwind from the south east making it difficult to hit the times I had in mind. I ran harder than I wanted to. Splits: 1:33,1:30,1:30,1:27. Steve ran a similar set earlier in the morning, splits in the mid-1:30s. An afternoon run in the forest to make 18km for the day, 131km for week 41 of this base building phase. Next set on Tuesday, 4 x 800m efforts, 200m recovery. I expect times to be slow with all but 200m into the wind. It will be windy for most of the week.

Morning run of 25km on forest trails. Weather cool, windy, mostly cloudy. This week more sessions 1500m specific. I should get in two 1500m and a Mile play race in coming weeks. In good weather I'll grab the club 1500m age record. Events Mile and above are much easier. Next set on Monday, short XC intervals on a flattish section of grass.

Cold and windy at Parkrun Burley Griffin. I had a small bunch to share up hill into the wind on the way out. Splits (500m):1:42,1:38,1:42,1:42,1:39,(dead turn,1:48)1:44,1:42,1:44,1:37. My new M60 course record is 1 second quicker than my M55 course record. Age graded 94.13% is an upgrade again on my own age graded record and my best ever age graded performance at Parkrun. My PB on the course 16:47 back in 2016. It was Leonore's 50th Parkrun. We had coffee to celebrate.

Yesterday I made entry in the Australian Masters Athletics Championships to be held in Brisbane commencing April 1st. I entered in the same events I normally do. 5000m track, 8000m XC, 1500m track, 10000m track. My club Championships will be held in coming weeks in all of those events except the cross country. 1500m next Thursday 10th February, 10000m 3rd March, 5000m 24th March. I'm also likely to race in a One Mile 17th February and 800m 10th March. Today it is still windy, cold and sunny...a blast from the south. I ran in the forest out of the wind for 17km. Saturday Parkrun. Photos: AMA Championship Races 2009-2019 inclusive + 1 ACT Championship (2008).