1984 Part 2 of 4 : A Running Life in Canberra
I've covered the 1984 Canberra Marathon before which doubled as the Olympic trial. It was unprecedented in the depth of a marathon held in Australia almost entirely to to Deek being the best marathon runner and world record holder. Many locals ran their long Sunday run with Deek in the old Stromlo forest hills. The period 1984-1987 was a golden period in Canberra. ACT Masters records still exist in the distance events. It was normal for many of these Masters athletes to be clocking up 160km+ weeks regularly. AIS was at it's peak for distance scholarships. Across all the middle and long distance races scholarship holders and visitors were racing. 1984 Olympic in LA were coming up, as was the World Cup event held in Canberra in 1985. More on that later.
Of me: I settled into a training routine of 140km or 10 hour per week soon after arriving in Canberra. I joined North Canberra Athletics Club which gave me access to a training group run on a Wednesday of 16-20km at around 3:40-4:10/km with some of Australia's best runners. I only once did a long group run with Deek through Stromlo forest on a Sunday. I was poor and had no car. Typical sessions in the week were 3 minute intervals, hill intervals, shorter intervals and long slow runs. I mixed in some low key orienteering events as well and rode a bicycle sometimes. I seldom raced. The results were good or bad. My only trip for the year (other than to Sydney) was to Tasmania for the Easter 3 Day Orienteering Championships near Bronte Park. I didn't do well. In Sutherland2Surf after 7 months hard training splits of 8:27 3km, 14:27 5km , 30:10 10km on the way to 33:50 11km, my best run to that point.
Some images, press clippings and such up to City2Surf 1984 as well as current ACT masters records. Check the records in the period 1984-1987..
Of me: I settled into a training routine of 140km or 10 hour per week soon after arriving in Canberra. I joined North Canberra Athletics Club which gave me access to a training group run on a Wednesday of 16-20km at around 3:40-4:10/km with some of Australia's best runners. I only once did a long group run with Deek through Stromlo forest on a Sunday. I was poor and had no car. Typical sessions in the week were 3 minute intervals, hill intervals, shorter intervals and long slow runs. I mixed in some low key orienteering events as well and rode a bicycle sometimes. I seldom raced. The results were good or bad. My only trip for the year (other than to Sydney) was to Tasmania for the Easter 3 Day Orienteering Championships near Bronte Park. I didn't do well. In Sutherland2Surf after 7 months hard training splits of 8:27 3km, 14:27 5km , 30:10 10km on the way to 33:50 11km, my best run to that point.
Some images, press clippings and such up to City2Surf 1984 as well as current ACT masters records. Check the records in the period 1984-1987..
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