Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Sunday morning recovery run of 18km, mostly on bike path. Weather sunny, windy, cool. A cold front is rolling through over the next couple of days bringing winds and showers. Next set on Monday morning, a short time trial and 500m efforts. This morning Keith ran a virtual Parkrun in 19:24 on a challenging course.

Saturday morning group session at Stromlo XC circuits. Six of us there for the set, 11 and a dog for coffee after. Weather foggy (pea soup),no wind,cold to cool, grass wet with misty dew. The set: Warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 2000m,1500m,1000m,500m with 2 minutes recovery jog, warm down. All efforts included hills except final 500m. Splits(500m): 2000m(1:35,1:38,1:54,1:43),1500m(1:31,1:39,1:35),1000m(1:31,1:43),500m 1:25. Steve earlier ran a 10km tempo run that included a 4km section at 3:49/km. A short afternoon recovery run after the fog had lifted to maintain 120km for the week. Sunday morning an 18km run on forest trails. Next set on Monday morning with a short time trial and some 500m efforts.

Lunch time hilly 17km run on trails. Weather gorgeous with full sun and light winds. I didn't see anyone on the trails. Next set Saturday morning, the usual group session running long XC intervals at Stromlo.

Lunch time set at Stromlo XC circuits. Weather full sun, cool to warm, light head wind. Same set as yesterday. The set: Warm up, 5 x 500m efforts, 500m jog recovery, warm down. Splits: 1:29,1:26,1:26,1:25,1:24. All efforts under 3:00/km and quicker than yesterday except final effort +1sec. That's my best set of this type on record by 9 seconds cumulative. Steve ran a 12.3km tempo run in the morning including 2 x 3 minute efforts at 3:35/km Keith ran 8 x 150m strides as a set of 2 x 4 efforts. Times were 25 seconds working down to 23 seconds. Next up for Keith is a 5km time trial on undulating terrain. An afternoon run with Milli the Border Collie to maintain 120km for the week. Next set on Saturday at Stromlo, long XC intervals. It could be the last good weather day before another cold front rolls through.

Wednesday morning session at Stromlo XC circuits. Weather cool, partly cloudy, no wind. The set: Warm up, 5 x 500m efforts with 500m jog recovery, warm down. Splits: 1:31,1:30,1:28,1:27,1:23. Surprisingly quick given no hard efforts in a week. Final effort my best on record. An afternoon recovery run to maintain 120km for the week. Next set on Thursday, similar session as today.

Tuesday morning session for Steve of 4 x 3 minute efforts. It was very windy with one direction much faster than the other. I ran to work and back to get my 17km in for the day. For me running mostly downhill to work was into the wind, the return leg up hill and with a nice tailwind. We will now have around 4 days of light winds with crisp mornings and sunny days. That will allow me to get in a couple of strides sessions and one decent workout before the next cold front rolls in on Sunday.

Lunch time run around the lake from work. Weather very windy, cool, sun was out. Hard to get into a rhythm with the wind swirling. I added on an extra loop at the end to ensure I didn't have to go out in the weather again and maintain 120km for the week. It was my first day at work for months due to Covid-19. Now I have a spare set of clothes and some food at work I can commute from home and back tomorrow. I'm only spending two days a week in the office, the remainder working from home. Next set on Wednesday, short XC intervals (500m-800m).

Sunday morning recovery run of 18km. Milli the Border Collie only wanted to run 2km, I took her to a picnic table to wait for me an hour later. Lovely day, full sun, light winds, chilly. I am returning to work for two days this week, the remainder from home. I'll shift to lunch time running on work days, a run around the lake should get the job done.

Rolling on from the European Masters Athletics 5km Virtual Challenge...I now have the 10km challenge to train for and post a time on any date in June 2020. I'm into my 16th week of a high volume (120km+) base building block and about to commence direct preparation block for my own virtual World Masters Athletics Championships which was cancelled. I will run 8000m XC, 5000m and 10000m in the last week of July. The EMA Masters 10km Challenge will slot in nicely into that direct prep block. This week I'll do a mix of long recovery runs on forest trails and short interval sessions (500m-800m) to burn some fat and get my leg speed happening again. The following weeks I'll begin longer intervals, tempo runs and short time trials. When I'm happy with my form I'll look to posting a good 10km time trial or two. I'll mix in grass and bitumen surfaces throughout.

Saturday morning group session at Stromlo XC circuits. A cold, dreary day with low cloud and drizzle, no wind. five of us there for the set, nine for coffee at same venue. The set: Long warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 5 x 3 minute efforts with 1 minute float recovery on the hilly 2.5km loop, warm down. All up 14km for the morning, an easy recovery run in the afternoon, 120km for the week. Sunday morning a long recovery run on forest trails. Elsewhere Steve ran the set 6,5,4,3,3 minute efforts. Splits: 3:49,3:43,3:38,3:35,3:41/km

The Open European Masters 5km Virtual Challenge was completed today. I finished 1st M55, 4th Age Grade Overall 95.1%. We had from the 9th-21st May to complete a 5km and provide evidence through Garmin or Strava. Eight of my friends completed the 5km, some a couple of times. In the end there were 346 finishers, mainly from Europe. The talent pool was extremely deep with many world champions and ex-Olympians competing. It was a great event to be a part of, I had several overseas friends and competitors competing. My closest age competitor was Steve Watmough, only 6 seconds back. When the Covid-19 panic hit and all running events stopped I continued training and racing by myself or with friends. In all I had 15 time trial over 1500m-5000m. During the Open European Masters 5km Virtual Challenge I had 6 time trials over 1500m-5000m with my final 5000m 16:31 being my best performance. Results for my friends: Steve 17:44, Jeff 18:43, Helen 22:32. Jen,Gabe and Clare didn't submit times. ...

Thursday morning virtual Parkrun at Ginninderra pacing Clare W65 23:45ish, Gabe W55 25+mins and Jen W65 24:45ish, Carol solo W55 28+mins. Weather cool, foggy, no wind. Goal to establish times for the girls in the Open European Masters 5km Virtual Challenge. All the girls did well. 10km for me in the morning, 7km at lunch, 120km this week marking the end or week 15 of this high volume (125km/week) base building block. Tomorrow begins a new training block to focus on direct preparation (8 weeks) for a competition period of one week (virtual World Masters Athletics Championships 8000m XC, 5000m, 10km road) to be held from 20th July.

Wednesday morning Virtual Parkrun 5000m at Stromlo, pacing Helen for a time in the Open European Masters 5k Virtual Challenge. Weather chilly, very windy, drizzle and rainbows. Helen's last 5km outing was with perfect weather on grass in 22:32. With the weather against us today we moved to the adjacent bitumen criterium track. Result on that surface was an identical 22:32. Both her runs were outstanding. Had conditions been OK today Helen could have lopped off 10 seconds or more from that time. I had a lengthy warm up before Helen arrived. 17km for the day, 120km for the week.

Tuesday morning Virtual Parkrun 5000m at Stromlo. Weather +4 degrees, no wind, foggy. Both Steve (17:44) and I there. We were using this run as a time for the Open European Masters 5k Virtual Challenge. Splits: 1:36.7,1:36.1,1:37.5,1:38.0,1:39.9,1:39.9,1:41.7,1:41.5,1:42.1,1:38.1=16:31.4 Like yesterday I had no bad splits although I was relatively slower in the final 2km. That's my fastest 5km since January 2018 when I ran the same time at Parkrun Gungahlin and 16:29 in Oceania Masters Athletics Championships a couple of weeks later. 15 weeks of solid training at high volume (125km/week) and numerous time trials to get my speed endurance up. Biggest difference today was mental...I was up for it knowing it was my last time trial in this training block. I can rest mentally for a few days now.

Monday morning 3000m time trial around Holdens Creek Pond in 10:01. Weather cold +2 degrees, light winds, sun not up yet. Focus was starting conservative, holding speed and having no bad splits as I have had in some of my recent time trials. On this circuit one 500m sector is slightly faster (1 second) than the other on the almost 1km loop due to 70m of loose gravel on the bitumen path. I need a broom! Splits: 1:40.6,1:41.7,1:40.6,1:41.7,1:42.3,1:34.9=10:01.8 Result no bad splits. First 1km was identical splits to the 2nd kilometre. I had enough left to run under 3:10/km for the final 500m. Almost a perfect run pace wise. A lunch time recovery run to make 17km for the day, 126km this week. It's exactly 9 weeks until my virtual World Masters Athletics Championships which was to be held in Toronto Canada. My focus will now be preparing for those events. 20th July 8000m XC, 22nd July 5000m, 26th July 10000m. There won't be much change to my training sessions. Recovery days will ...