Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

A little warmer this morning for Steve's set of 4 X 500m. Splits: 1:35,1:31,1:29,1:27. Good signs for Steve coming into top form again. I waited for low tide, a set of 20 X 200m beach intervals.

Beach run at low tide including a set of 2 X 800m, 1 X 1500m with 200m jog recovery. Splits 800m (500m,300m): 1:37,60 ; 1:41,62. Splits 1500m(500m):1:39,1:41,1:38. 17km all up including warm up and warm down. It's slow progress, I'm seeing more and more splits at faster than 3:20/km in the key sessions in the last fortnight. Steve in Canberra ran again in minus 5 degrees. I did escape those winters for 12 consecutive years by travelling to France. Running on flat beaches in St Malo and here is contagious. In both places training is ruled by the tides. Milli the Border Collie has never been more happy.

It's less than 3 weeks until Sutherland2Surf 11km, my first goal race in a while. I'm already in great form. It's time for a lift in training volume and intensity to give a peak on 17th July. Sutherland2Surf will also be a big stepping stone towards City2Surf 14km in August. This morning a 70 minute hilly run. At low tide in the afternoon short beach intervals of 26 x 200m with short recovery, 20km for the day. On Wednesday afternoon at low tide long beach intervals. Short on time this morning Steve ran a tempo run. It was minus 6 degrees overnight in Canberra. Delightful down on the coast.

Lunch time 17km run including two tempo beach runs and finished with a 1500m hill tempo effort. Next set on Tuesday, 200m beach intervals.

Big trip to Kiama for the scenic trail runs of the Coastal Classic in the role of driver and support crew. While the event was on I managed to fit in a long run on the grass hills around Kiama, 16km for the day. 7 hours return trip driving.

Lovely morning at Parkrun, 2nd in 17:16. I started faster today aiming at another PB. I couldn't do it losing 5 seconds to the previous week in the final 1500m. Matt came past in the last 200m, finishing one second ahead. My splits:(500m) 1:37,1:40,1:41,1:41,1:43,1:46,1:46,1:44,1:41,1:40. Plenty of splits around 3:20/km. A couple of short time trials this week, then try again for something close to 17 minutes. Steve in Parkrun Wagga ran 2nd in 18:36. Splits:9:36,9:30, foggy.

Damaging winds (and snow in the mountains) this morning as a cold front passes through. No snow here, I waited until the winds abated a little, found somewhere sheltered to get a 10km run including 4 X 100m strides in. Next effort at Parkrun. Weather should be good by then.

Morning set of 17km down to the beach and return including 5 X 500m with dead turn practice. On the way back a 1500m maximum threshold hill effort. Easy day on Friday with 200m strides. Saturday Parkrun.

Pre-dawn 17km run including a set of 10 X 200m strides with 200m recovery. A stone bruise on left foot from yesterday, I wore Nike Alphafly 1s to avoid further damage. In the afternoon 3km at faster than Parkrun pace. Next set on Thursday morning. The tide will be low and going out, sand hard and fast. I'll run my favourite beach again, this time practicing my dead turns within the set. Parkrun Batemans Bay has four dead turns. It's an area I can technically improve on saving enough seconds to get a new PB on Saturday morning. Power into the turn, quick short steps around the turn, stay low, power out, stand up with high hips, back to maximum threshold.

Morning set for Steve of 2 X 2500m with 2 minutes recovery. Splits 9:30,9:23. I was out there also with a 10km beach run including 18 X 200m off short recovery at low tide. Next hard effort a short time trial.

Last evening I learned Gwen had passed away. Gwen travelled everywhere. I always seemed to bump into her at an Australian or International competition somewhere. Gwen was a sprinter who still holds club records as a Woman 90 years+ set in Mackay, far north Queensland in 2019. Some photos I took cheering her on as a long distance XC runner winning gold as a Woman 85 years+ in Perth for the World Masters Athletics Championships 2016.

Pre-dawn 17km run including a set of 15 x 200m intervals, 200m recovery, pace 3:10/km. I was joined late in the set by a mob of 7 kangaroos. They just stood on the waters edge looking at me, a couple put their legs in the ocean. The stand-off lasted 5 minutes. One of the rare times I didn't have my phone handy, left it on a rock. Back to the set: Pace at 3:10/km which is faster than Parkrun but not flat out. Next step to do some longer intervals or a time trial at that pace. I'll work on it all week alternating with more short intervals. On Saturday I'll have a better warm up, try to start a little faster and get close to or under 17 minutes.

Sunday morning 18km run down to the beach and return via scenic route. I climbed over a headland two a second beach I hadn't explored yet. A cemetery divides the two beaches. Monday long intervals.