Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

With only the XC events up for grabs tomorrow this flawless, friendly and wonderful athletics carnival will be finished. Today for distance runners it was 5000m day and there were some great performances out there in all ages, male and female with very favourable running weather, cool, some cloud, light winds after early fog and drizzle. In M60 5000m John Meagher claimed the 10000m/5000m double easily, winning in 17:05. Minor places were up for grabs with Craig 2nd in 17:45, myself 3rd in 17:57 having another great tussle, Mike just out of the medals in 18:06 although the commentary always let us know he was closing the gap. Tomorrow is the 8000m XC on a tricky course. My aim will be to stay upright and inside the top 3 in the M60s so I can place in every event I've contested and drive home safely. I am tired and sore already. Next year the championships will be in Adelaide, always a great place to visit, explore and compete.

A recovery day between events, next Race the 5000m tomorrow. This morning a jog to the track watching assorted events, then across the road to watch Parkrun Queens Domain start, food shopping, Salamanca Markets Tourist and back to the hotel to watch the track and field action on the live feed from bed. A new puppy Border Collie for me is coming soon. First glimpse...Steve on the coast ran 4 x 500m efforts today.

Australian Masters Athletics Championships M60 10000m 2nd 37:10, first event for the Championships. 1st John Meagher 37:01. My Splits(500m)(147,146,145,144,149,151,153,153,153,152,152,150,150,152,148,146,147,150,149,147,0.33). We did run a little over distance being mostly in lane 2 lapping runners. Next event 5000m in two days, just enough time to recover. Weather cool, sunny light winds.

Today a late start to the running, It's registration check in and BIB collection day. I'll run up to the track to be there when registration is up and running from 2pm. Another sunny morning currently, blue skies, cool, light winds.

Morning 13km run including my final hard session before the 10000m on Friday. The set: Warm up 2km, 1500m Hill Effort up to the track, Set: 5 x 3 minute efforts, 1 minute jog recovery, 2km warm down. Weather sunny, light winds, cool, great weather for running. That's it for me. Easy jogs with leg speed strides until race day. Weekly training volume is now 79km. It will continue to reduce to around 60km by the end of the racing.

Morning run up through the Domain and back, including elements of the XC course, return through Salamanca for sightseeing. Today I've dropped weekly volume below 85km/week from a high of 150km/week a couple of weeks ago. Just easy running and strides after tomorrow. I will register and collect the race bib in a couple of days, the day before the 10000m track.

This morning an easy jog down to Woolies and back for breakfast foraging. After Brekky a jog down to the docks, more sightseeing up in the Domain.

I spent the night in a popular bush paddock getaway, a lovely place, not so far from the beach. This morning I drove to the Venues for the AMA Championships  I ran the XC course, a few laps of the track including some harder efforts, then drove into town for a diversion before hotel check in opens. This week I'll run as normal until Wednesday. By then there will be nothing more than leg speed strides and light jogs until my first race, 10000m track on Friday.

Sunny and cool at Our Parkrun 1st in 18:41, 15 seconds quicker than last week. Splits(500m)1:49,1:52,1:53,1:47,1:53,1:52, 1:54,1:54,1:48,1:47. Now on my way to Hobart. Steve ran a set of 4 x 500m. Splits: 1:39,1:35,1:37,1:37. Like last week I ran the course twice before the start as a warm up. Weather very chilly, the usual wind off the bay.

I moved down the coast yesterday to be closer to Parkrun on Saturday and a little more sightseeing. This morning a 13km run mostly on the Golf Course including a set of 10 x Short hills with jog back recovery. This afternoon a very short jog. Saturday Parkrun. Only two more primitive nights until I am in soft hotel comfort again and for the duration of the Australian Masters Athletics Championships. It has been fun startling marsupials lying asleep next to the car.