Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

Tour de France is coming to a close this week with a hilly time trial possibly deciding the winner. There are a couple of huge stages before Stage 21, the Monaco to Nice Time Trial. I was there for the Tour de France in 2009. I got the chance to run the complete time trial course back then, after staying high above Monaco near Tete de Chien (Head of the Dog) Amazing views. There are similarities between the 2009 and 2024 courses.

Morning run at Glasshouse Rocks Beaches with Munchkin the Border Collie. Weather chilly, warming quickly after the sun rose, lovely day.

Morning set of Long Beach Intervals Chasing Munchkin the Border Collie, starting at Glasshouse Rocks Beach (1 x 2.5km) before moving over the Cemetery headland to Surf Beach 1 x 1km. Weather sunny, no wind. Long Recovery run from home, 2 x One Mile Hill efforts in the afternoon. Steve ran a 30 minute Tempo run from his patch at around 4min 25 sec/km.

High tide and huge waves on mushy sand made it a run for the brave or silly this morning. Both Cemetery and Surf beaches run on, had to be very aware of the creeping tide. Munchkin and I ran 6km before driving home to do an 11km recovery run

Stage 17 2024 Tour de France passes through Gap and finishes at Superdévoluy after a descent off Col du Noyer and final climb to hilltop finish with depart in Gap the following morning. I've been there a few times, camping for a couple of nights each visit at Col de Manse and moving down the mountain for the following day's depart in Gap and visit the Decathlon store. It's always been exciting with great atmosphere, sometimes pivotal in the final TDF result. In 2012 in snowed on the Cols after drizzling for much of the afternoon. There is a decent forest trail to run from Col de Manse through to Gap.

Tour de France Stage 17 starts in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux. I spent 24 hours in the Village in 2012 including morning and afternoon runs. In 2012 I was following Tour de France to Agde. This year it's heading to Gap.

Lots of rain overnight, a delayed start to the running until safe to drive south to my favourite beaches. The set of Long Beach Efforts: Cemetery Beach 3.5km ; Surf Beach 1.4km all at near full gas with Munchkin the Border Collie and long recovery between efforts. We stopped off at the jetty for a short walk on the way home. In the afternoon a long recovery run. In windy conditions Steve ran 5 x 200m, 3 x 600m on 1 minute recovery.

Cool to cold Beach Intervals at Glasshouse Rocks Beach 2.5km and Surf Beach 1km with Munchkin the Border Collie. A Cold spell in Eastern Australia with frost at sea level making it unusually chilly, although full sun warming things up a little. A long warm down back at home. 2 X One Mile Hill efforts in the afternoon.