Stromlo XC : 2000m step down ; Pennington XC
It was a choice between racing the Pennington 8km or 16km xc OR doing a session today. Both were at the same venue at the same time. It was extremely foggy, cold and frosty.
Keith, Maria, Kathy, Gabe and Roger all ran in the 8km race. Steve, Jane, Helen and I cheered them on (along with many others including Marty Dent). They all looked to be running well. Maria had a lace problem. Keith improved his time from a fortnight ago on a tougher course today.
Steve, Jane and I did our Training Block 2 Saturday set. 2000m, 1500m, 1200m, 800m, 400m with 200-400m jog between efforts. Like the Tuesday set on track we hold maximum threshold for the first three efforts, accelerate in the fourth and again in the fifth.
The set establishes good race practice by not starting too fast and finishing very strong. I must admit most of my races aren't run like this (more of a steady time trial). The 5000m AMA race in Hobart was one of those times I needed it. I had raced 10000m the day before at maximum effort, damaged my achilles in the process, and 5000m race day was windy. I was able to sit off a very slow pace (17 minutes) for most of the race and accelerate with RS at 2000m to go, then 800m, then 400m but not again at 300m. That sit and kick saved me for the XC the following day. I still ran 16:22 off that slow early pace.
So today Jane like us put in a good, steady first three efforts, had a quicker and quicker again in the 400m (with Steve and I along side to encourage.
Steve and I had identical times: 2000m 7:01, 1500m 5:13, 1200m 4:12, 800m 2:38, 400m 74. Roughly 3:30/km first three efforts, 3:17/km then 3:06/km. Not quick but not too bad on a cold and frosty -2 degrees.
Tomorrow a long run, the coming week looks horrid for training with wind, rain and cold...I may not even make it to the track.
Keith, Maria, Kathy, Gabe and Roger all ran in the 8km race. Steve, Jane, Helen and I cheered them on (along with many others including Marty Dent). They all looked to be running well. Maria had a lace problem. Keith improved his time from a fortnight ago on a tougher course today.
Steve, Jane and I did our Training Block 2 Saturday set. 2000m, 1500m, 1200m, 800m, 400m with 200-400m jog between efforts. Like the Tuesday set on track we hold maximum threshold for the first three efforts, accelerate in the fourth and again in the fifth.
The set establishes good race practice by not starting too fast and finishing very strong. I must admit most of my races aren't run like this (more of a steady time trial). The 5000m AMA race in Hobart was one of those times I needed it. I had raced 10000m the day before at maximum effort, damaged my achilles in the process, and 5000m race day was windy. I was able to sit off a very slow pace (17 minutes) for most of the race and accelerate with RS at 2000m to go, then 800m, then 400m but not again at 300m. That sit and kick saved me for the XC the following day. I still ran 16:22 off that slow early pace.
So today Jane like us put in a good, steady first three efforts, had a quicker and quicker again in the 400m (with Steve and I along side to encourage.
Steve and I had identical times: 2000m 7:01, 1500m 5:13, 1200m 4:12, 800m 2:38, 400m 74. Roughly 3:30/km first three efforts, 3:17/km then 3:06/km. Not quick but not too bad on a cold and frosty -2 degrees.
Tomorrow a long run, the coming week looks horrid for training with wind, rain and cold...I may not even make it to the track.
Comments