Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

5 days before 10000m on track a 12km hilly recovery run to the Arboretum and return, mostly on forest trails. A glorious morning typical of autumn which is tomorrow. Balloons were up early in the morning. It was so nice I returned for brunch with Milli the Border Collie. Next set on Monday morning, a couple of 1000m efforts.

Parkrun Coombs on a cool morning with light winds, partly cloudy, nice for running. I ran solo start to finish with 17:25 and another small boost to my age graded record for the event now standing at 91.29%. When I am fully tapered there should be a bigger boost to that record. I felt great out there again. My hips are high, form is good as a result of being at race weight again. Steve had Anthony and Tim for company at times, was a couple of seconds ahead of Anthony at the finish. Our splits: Me: 3:21,3:21,(dead turn)3:31,3:31,(dead turn)3:31,0:01. Steve: 3:32,3:40(dead turn),3:47,3:36,(dead turn)3:32,0:04 After Parkrun I headed out to Stromlo for a warm down and 5 x 100m strides plus coffee. All up 15km for the day.

Friday afternoon recovery run of 16km to the shaded pine forest along the river and back. Very warm, sunny and windy made it best choice to hide from the elements. I was very dehydrated when I arrived home. Saturday morning at Parkrun Coombs for my final very hard effort before Thursday's 10000m on track. Weekly volume is now heading down from 148km/week to 144km today, 80km/week by next Thursday. I will head to Stromlo after Parkrun

With exactly a week to go until ACT Masters 10000m Championships I was at Woden track to get a feel for the hard surface and find some 10000m tempo. Even though my training volume is reducing today was 18km (with 13 km warm up in the cemetary) and weekly volume peaked today at 148km last 7 days. I had also run flat out at BBQ Stakes day before with a great run. I wasn't as tired as I thought I'd be. Weather was warm, windy in the back straight, some welcome shade at around 180m to go. The 3000m started a little late. When the start gun beeped I went to the front and ran at a 10000m tempo speed that would give me 34 minutes something. Steve wasn't far behind for most of the run, I was listening to the race commentary. In the end I ran 10:15, Steve a solid 10:26. My splits(500m): 1:40,1:37,1:42,1:42,1:40,1:37,(0:14,extra distance from lapping the runners). Promising for next week if I get good weather. Friday 16km steady run, Saturday either Parkrun as a final hitout or Str...

Lunch time run at BBQ Stakes 6km XC community handicap in 21:57, 1st. My first win on handicap in a couple of years and took 18 seconds off my previous best time in 2021 and my fastest time since October 2019. Weather was OK with light winds, cloudy, cool to warm. Nice for running. It's no coincidence such a good run today. On Thursday evening after the track 5000m in 17:21 I watched my race video. I noticed how heavy I looked when running. On Friday I changed my eating habits completely, removed all the bad food and replaced it with healthy food. In the last 6 days I ran 120km and did 3 really good speed sessions and upped the core strength sessions. As a result I slimmed down to race weight and felt like I was flying around today. I am now in taper mode for a 10000m next Thursday and 5000m following Thursday. Next sets tomorrow with a 3000m at track and Saturday, either at Parkrun or Stromlo XC circuits. Days in between will be easy running while reducing volume from 140km/week...

Tuesday pre-dawn session at Stromlo XC circuits of 2 x 1000m efforts with Steve. All the warm up, 100m and 200m strides and some of the set was done with headlamps. Weather cool, misty, wind from the south east was against us for the set. Splits (500m): Effort 1(2)=3:17(1:35,1:4done in dark); Effort 2(1:30,1:38)=3:08(light OK). Steve ran 3 efforts, all in the 3:20s. This Thursdsay at ACT Masters track is a 3000m. If the weather is OK I will do this. The following Thursday is the ACT Masters 10000m Championship. I will be tapering for this and the 5000m Championhsip the following Thursday.

Monday afternoon recovery run from home and along the river near the Zoo. I found a shady 2km out and back stretch and used it to stay out of the sun...A little boring but the best I could come up with on a hot day. Next set on Tuesday morning at Stromlo with Steve, some 1000m efforts. Not much light in the early morning now, I will be restricted to a couple of efforts.

Sunday morning running Sprint Marathon Relay in the Fadden Pine Forest on a cross country course. The event has been held since 1984. A good way to meet runners of all speeds. There were 8 teams of six runners. The event took 3 hours to complete. I ran 25km for the morning including lots of warming up and warming down. Intervals covered were 4 x 1km efforts, 1 x 2km effort and a 5km tempo run as we all reformed into our complete team to cross the finish line. Speed varied with the terrain, much quicker than I would normally run in an interval session having around 20 minutes between efforts. Images from my first SMR in 2010.

Saturday morning runs at Parkrun Coombs followed by a group session at Stromlo XC Circuits. Weather warm to hot, humid, full sun, no wind. Steve Parkrun splits: 3:32,3:40,3:43,3:35,3:35,0:07. I ran with Milli the Border Collie same event in 25 minutes. Stromlo XC hill intervals followed with 5 x 1070m efforts on the creek loop which was undulating with a big hill to finish each loop. 150m walk recovery between efforts. My splits: 3:26/km,3:38/km,3:34/km,3:37/km,3:40/km. Coffee followed the session.

Afternoon run from home, mostly on forest trails of 20km out and back. Return segment was a struggle with the sun still up and running low on fluid. All will be good with some sleep and hydration. Sunday is a peculiar event called Sprint Marathon Relay which will comprise for me 7 x 1km intervals plus a 2km effort and lots of rest in between. It's not a sprint, nor a marathon, lots of fun.

Thursday evening 5000m in 17:21 with ACT Masters Athletics at the Woden track. It was combined with a 3000m, only 5 did the 5000m. Weather warm, humid, some wind in the home straight. Splits (500m): 1:41,1:39,1:40,1:43,1:44,1:43,1:45,1:46,1:47,1:39,+0:09 extra distance lapping runners. Thursday morning Steve ran 3 x 1000m. Weather windy. Splits: 3:32,3:28,3:27.

Lunch time run with Milli the Border Collie at BBQ Stakes 6km XC community run. We did a 2km warm down to make 8km for the day. Time was slow as Milli did many pee and sniffing stops on course. Bonus was her not chasing the kangaroos. A light day of running, saving energy for running 5000m on track Thursday evening.

Pre-dawn session with Steve at Stromlo XC circuits of 3 x 1000m. Weather cool with a stiff breeze from the south. Splits: 3:22/km,3:09/km,3:01/km. All up 10km for the session including warm up, 100m strides and warm down. Many kangaroos on the side of the track, dangerous for running fast until we could see them at the break of dawn.

Monday afternoon session at Australian Institute of Sport track. Weather full sun, windy, warm. The set: 5km warm up, 10 x 300m with 100m jog recovery, 5km warm down. Splits: Untimed,60,57,56,56,55,56,55,54,51. Goal pace was 57 seconds or 3:10/km. I felt good throughout, the best I've felt all summer. 1500m and 800m races last 2 weeks have helped find good form. A short recovery run in the evening to loosen up. This week is a 5000m track race with ACT Masters around dusk. It should be good conditions. While my volume will still be 120km for the week I will run only 6km on Wednesday. Next Monday I'll start my taper down to 80km/week to freshen up for 10000m track on 5th March and 5000m on 11th March, my final 2 track races for the 2020/2021 season. Next set tomorrow morning with Steve or 2-3 x 1000m efforts at Stromlo XC circuits. We are running low on light in the morning making it difficult to fit in the set before work. Daylight savings doesn't end until April 4th, afte...

Sunday morning 20km run through the Arboretum and back. Weather very nice for running, cool with light winds and full sun...autumn like. I guess we are only a couple of weeks away. This week, Thursday on track is a 5000m. Weather for it looks OK, more impostrantly it's later in the evening. I'll do a couple of sessions in preparation for that and have an easy day on Wednesday, just 6km at lunch time run BBQ Stakes.

Parkrun Coombs after overnight rain and very humid conditions, slight breeze. I led almost the whole way until the final kilometre with no idea who was on my tail. I felt good throughout always holding a little in reserve. We had a full gas sprint for the win and couldn't be separated. I drew the short straw 2nd place token in 17:25. It was good enough to raise my age graded record to 91.2%, I've held it since event 1 back in March 2018 and upgraded it a few times. After that it was off to Stromlo XC circuits for coffee and a group session which included a 2500m tempo at 3:45/km and some 100m strides. 17km all up in the morning, 20km for the day after a short recovery run. Steve ran a 5km time trial on the Parkrun Tuggernong course in 18:10.

Lunch time recovery run from home into the Arboretum, mostly on forest trails, it was raining for most of the run, quite pleasant and warm. Next set on Saturday morning at either Stromlo XC circuits or Coombs Parkrun, depending on rain and state of grass. Long intervals of 5 x 1km or Parkrun.

Morning set for Steve of 3 x 1000m efforts. Splits: 3:21,3:23,3:24. Weather good for running and a solid set for Steve. No morning set for me with ACT Masters 800m Championship on this evening at 7pm. I did do an extended warm up including 100m and 200m intervals prior to the 800m and turned it into one of my faster sessions so as not to waste the day. Weather for the 800m good with light winds and very low humidity. For me that 800m cough was there post run and I was fully extended into the final 100m. I felt good throughout. Very enjoyable aside from the lactate. Next set at Stromlo XC circuits, long intervals as I prepare for the finl races of the 2020/2021 track season. Below are the 800m Championships video by Ewen, and his video from the 1500m chmpionships last week.(thanks muchly Ewen)

Lunch time run at BBQ Stakes 6km XC run in 22:58. Time a little slower than previous weeks, I wasn't committed today with ACT Masters 800m Championships on Thursday evening. I've done enough speed work to run OK, not quick though. It will be a good tume up run. The real racing season begins the following Thursdays on track with 5000m, 3000m or Parkrun, 10000m Championships and 5000m Championships to finish. The last 2 races should be my best runs for 2021 so far. Taper will begin a week or so before the 10000m. Cadbury Hobart Half Marathon is 3 weeks after the 5000m Championships.

Pre-dawn session at Stromlo XC circuits with Steve. Weather humid, no wind, soft, lush and slow track due to weekend deluge. We rae at the end of our training cycle and into race period over the next few weeks. A taper is coming soon. First some short time trials at race pace to find our best form. The set: Long warm up, 5 x 100m strides, 100m recovery, 3 x 200m strides, 100m recovery, 1000m 3:07/km, 200m walk recovery, 1000m 3:04/km, warm down. Splits (500m): 1st 1000m: 1:31,1:36 2nd 1000m: 1:29,1:34. In the afternoon a jog to the track for a set of 4 200m intervals (38,36,34,33) with 200m jog recovery, 400m (70) in preparation for an 800m on Thursday. 22km for the day.

Afternoon run of 17km, all on bike path. Today I entered the Cadbury Hobart Half Marathon to be held on April 4th, after I finish my track races. I entered in 2020 before fires, hail and Covid hit. I had a dehydration cramp in my calf muscle a week or so before that event and didn't make more than a few kilometres when it popped again. Next set Tuesday morning with Steve, long XC intervals. I may do a strides set in the afternoon to prepare for the ACT Masters 800m championships on Thursday evening.

Perfect weather for running with full sun, cool, light winds. Almost good enough to get balloons into the sky this morning. I ran 20km on forest trails and single track as a recovery run. Steve ran a 5km time trial on the Tuggeranong Parkrun course in 18:09. Splits: 3:32,3:35,3:41,3:43,3:35. This week on ACT Masters Track program is the 800m club championship. I'll run a couple of sessions 800m specific to prepare for that, mixed in with long intervals.

Our warm, wet summer continues with heavy overnight rain. Too wet for Stromlo XC circuits. Ginninderra Parkrun went ahead on a course variation due to flooding and continuing rain. Three saturated Canberra Parkrun events were cancelled on the day. The variation course was also heavily waterlogged with huge puddles everywhere. Having got my shoes soaked in the first 200m nothing really mattered after that. It was fun despite the puddles and pouring rain. I started slow, moved through the field until I caught the leader staying with him until the last 500m. Splits: 1:48,1:50,1:41,1:49(dead turn),1:44,1:43,1:45,1:49,2:00(dead turn),1:31.

Lunch time run on forest trails to loosen up after the 1500m previous evening on track. I started a bit stiff and definitely couldn't keep up with Milli the Border Collie. I put her back at home on the couch and completed the run solo. By the end of the run I was feeling good again although aware I have some residual fatigue from the 6km XC on Wednesday that I carried into the 1500m already. Next set on Saturday morning at Stromlo XC circuits. If the rain is too heavy overnight I may do my set at Parkrun Coombs before heading to Stromlo for a group set or coffee. It all depends on the weather. Results from last night 1500m and a spotto the garden pet blue toungue lizard below.