Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Short morning set at Surf Beach to keep the leg speed going for Parkrun on Saturday. Lots going on at the beach including fitness classes, swimming and photographers. 

Pre-dawn 17km run from home including an undulating 1500m Time Trial to continue preparation for Parkrun on Saturday. Weather cool with some wind, rain overnight. I'll get out there again later in the day for a recovery run. Tomorrow some 100m strides and another short Time Trial. I've completed all my sessions this week unlike the week before, all done while maintaining high volume training for 20 weeks and feeling great. I hope the weather is good for Saturday morning.

Deserted Beach at low tide, a sea fog, great weather for running. The set: 3km warm up, 4 x 800m with 200m jog recovery, long warm down, 17km all up. Next effort on Thursday, a short time trial.

Drizzle turning to rain for a set of intervals at a completely deserted Surf Beach. The set: 3km warm up, 5 x 3 minute efforts with 1 minute float recovery, 1km warm down. A second run later in the day of 11km solid tempo. Next set on Wednesday or Thursday, 4 x 800m, 150 metres recovery.

Morning Beach Interval set of 10 x 500m at low tide. Weather cloudy after morning rain, cool to warm, breeze from the South. In the afternoon a recovery run. Next set tomorrow morning, 5 x 3 minutes, 1 minute float recovery.

A welcome relief from the heat and sticky humidity of recent days, cloud, a breeze and some occasional light drizzle this morning. Perfect weather for running followed by an ocean beach swim to cool the muscles down in post run. 31km for the day. Tides are on my side this week with low tide early in the morning as opposed to last week high tides. I'll be able to take more steps forward with some structured training sets followed by Parkrun next Saturday. In the afternoon an 11km hill loop from home. It was straight after finish of the Tour Down Under Cycling and I was feeling up for a few hills. I also entered Australian Masters Athletics Championships to be held in Hobart Tasmania from March 29th to April 1st. I'm now absolutely clear on what events I have to train for and set sessions to get me there in good shape.

A warm to Hot sunny morning at Parkrun Panboola Wetlands. The Course dried out nicely during the week, still some water off the course (That's why it's a Wetlands) 1st in 18:03. My Splits(500m); 1:45,1:45,1:43,1:46,1:45,(dead turn,1:50),1:51,1:52, 1:52,1:44. 3 seconds slower than last week. I ran 8km as warm up including multiple 100m strides. Not much to do for the rest of the day except hide from the heat. Tomorrow morning a trot with the local running group.    

Warm, sunny morning for a 17km beach run including 10 x 150 metre Strides. An easier day to freshen up for Parkrun on Saturday. 

It's almost a year since the wonderful and grueling World Athletics Cross Country Championships held in Bathurst 2023. Everything about that weekend was tough, expecially the weather, course and the level of Competition. When I look back I realise how difficult it was to recover from the event and the Australian Masters Athletics Championships which was just 3 weeks later. To add even more self inflicted pain I had the Sydney 10km Road Race and Canberra Half Marathon booked in soon after that. It wasn't until after July and the Sutherland2Surf Road Race I could allow myself a proper winter training period to recover slowly and begin the rebuild of which I've just completed. But first some quick Stats. Body weight at World Athletics Cross Country Championships 53kg. Body weight at resumption of base training Week 1, 10th September 58kg. Week 1 Training volume 95km, Week 2. 114km, Week 3. 116km, Week 4. 140km, Week 5. 138km, Week 6. 122km, Week 7. 127km, Week 8. 120km, Week 9...

Grey sea mist morning run out to Bar Beach for a dip and return including 4 x 500m hill efforts. Almost a repeat of yesterday except much cooler. Great weather for running. In the afternoon a short recovery run.

Cool, sunny morning warming up quickly. The run start and finish at surf beach. No running on that beach, high tide and fishermen. Instead through the golf course to Cemetery Beach then retrace steps and on to Bar Beach including 2 x 500m efforts up the steepest hill in town. A dip in the water and run home. This afternoon a second run as warm down at North Dalmeny Beach where Emu sightings are possible.

Morning 16km run down to the beaches and return. Early high tide not ideal for fast running, just an easy trot. I split the day in two with a short interval set at lunch on the deserted north beach at Dalmeny.