Me or the cat

“I'm never going to run this again.” - Grete Waitz after winning her first of nine New York City marathons.

CJ - the joy of marathons

Cross Country Club results
Few of us are running the cross country club events at present – that’s because track is on.

North Curtin 5k Tuesday 28 November
Women
11. Annette Sugden W40 22:56
Men
33. Mick Saunders M55 23:03

Women’s jogalong Sunday 3 December (155 finishers)
63. Helen Larmour W45 27:02
104. Julie Tzvetcoff W40 35:11

Acton 5k Tuesday 5 December
Women
39. Carolyne Kramar W40 31:38
Men
44. Mark Kethro M45 22:19

FOOTNOTES

1. The Pennington 800m last night was the closest of finishes – Colin just pipping Kevin with many others close behind. Nothing like a previous time when John Morton took it out by half the length of the straight. That puts Colin two points in front. But a second 800m is scheduled for 25 January.

2. The 6pm time slot for the 3000m once again proved to be too early, with the temperature still at 30 degrees. Later when a 2000m was run at 8:15, it was far cooler. Maybe I will write to the competition committee and try and get them to have the long races later. As I did last year. And the year before. Persistence must pay off, eventually.

3. Information has arrived from Tasmania about the National Track and Field next Easter. Something should appear on the ACTVAC news page later today. Entries will close on 4 March, no late entries accepted.

Christmas is coming

"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming." - Frank Shorter

"Marathoning is like cutting yourself unexpectedly. You dip into the pain so gradually that the damage is done before you are aware of it. Unfortunately, when awareness comes, it is excruciating." - John Farrington, Australian marathoner

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." - Emil Zatopek

“Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners” – Final Part

Article by Nic Bideau

Key elements
• Regular long runs
• Fast distance runs at around the anaerobic threshold
• Intervals or repetition work
• Speed work
• Recovery runs
• Gym sessions / Conclusion

GYM SESSIONS
The key aim for our gym sessions is to build a very strong core for the athletes. The workouts are focused very much around strength in all muscles from the legs to the neck. Female athletes usually make huge gains with this type of training because they are not as naturally strong in this area as male athletes. Often male athletes are naturally strong, and survive many years without working much on this area. So often though, injuries can be traced to poor running form, which can be related to weaknesses in the abdominal or lower back region.

I’m not going to list the type of exercises we use here as there as so many ways to improve strength in this area that virtually none of our athletes follow the same core strength routine. They all spend 30-45 minutes three to four times a week working on this aspect of their fitness. Workouts are usually done after a second recovery run of the day or in the afternoon after completing a long run in the morning.

CONCLUSION

In summarising, the key elements outlined in this article form the basis of my coaching program. Each element is important and contributes in different ways to achieving the ultimate goal of running faster.

Nic Bideau "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary" - Modern Athlete and Coach, Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006.

FOOTNOTES

1. Christmas is coming very fast. The geese are getting fat.



2. Australia’s all time favourite albums
A poll was recently conducted by the ABC. I voted! But the album I voted for (X&Y) did not make the top 100.

"My Favourite Album" will be repeated on ABC TV on January 7th 2007 at 3 pm.

The results were..
1. Pink Floyd — Dark Side Of The Moon - I own it. An excellent running album; haven’t listened to it for years.

2. Jeff Buckley — Grace - I pass on this one.

3. Radiohead — Ok Computer - I own it. Very exciting! This is brilliant and the only album in Australia’s top ten which is also in my personal top ten.

4. The Beatles — Abbey Road - I own it.

5. The Beatles — Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - I own it.

6. Nirvana — Nevermind - yes. nevermind. no idea why this is popular.

7. Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin 4 - I own it. It's a classic alright.

8. Red Hot Chili Peppers — Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Does nothing for me at all. Sorry.

9. Meat Loaf — Bat Out Of Hell - This one neither.

10. U2 — The Joshua Tree - I own it!

Beyond the first ten, I also own many more, specifically:
11. Pink Floyd — Wish You Were Here
12. The Beatles — White Album
13. The Beatles — Revolver
14. Pink Floyd — The Wall
15. Radiohead — The Bends
20. Fleetwood Mac — Rumours
23. Midnight Oil — 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
24. Silverchair — Diorama
30. Missy Higgins — The Sound Of White
31. Paul Simon — Graceland
33. U2 — Achtung Baby
35. Radiohead — Kid A
36. The Beatles — Rubber Soul
41. Coldplay — A Rush of Blood to the Head
42. Bob Dylan — Highway 61
48. The Eagles — Hotel California
52. Bob Dylan — Blonde On Blonde
58. R.E.M — Automatic For The People
64. Dire Straits — Brothers In Arms
68. The Who — Who's Next
79. U2 — Rattle and Hum
81. John Farnham — Whispering Jack
89. Mike Oldfield — Tubular Bells

My personal top ten at present?
1. Dreams – Evermore
2. Real Life – Evermore
3. Hail to the Thief – Radiohead
4. X&Y – Coldplay
5. Nothing is Sound – Switchfoot
6. The Bends – Radiohead
7. Ok Computer - Radiohead
8. A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay
9. Amnesiac – Radiohead
10. Kid A - Radiohead

3. Oh Gravity! by Switchfoot will be released on 26 December. I have it on pre-order ….. hoping it will arrive by Christmas.

IS5416

“I just run as hard as I can for 20 miles, and then race.” - Steve Jones

“Anyone can run 20 miles. It's the next six that count”. - Barry Magee, marathon bronze in Rome, 1960

“A marathon is like life with its ups and downs, but once you've done it you feel that you can do anything.”

Matrix screenshot

Trivia from "The Matrix" - The name of Agent Smith (played by Hugo Weaving) is explicitly attributed (on the license plate of Smith's car in Reloaded) to the Book of Isaiah 54:16 from the Old Testament: "Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy." - source, wikipedia. Now you know!

“Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners” – Part Six

Article by Nic Bideau

Key elements
• Regular long runs
• Fast distance runs at around the anaerobic threshold
• Intervals or repetition work
• Speed work
• Recovery runs
• Gym sessions

RECOVERY RUNS

These runs should generally run at a very comfortable pace — comfort is more relevant than speed here. They can be extremely slow or occasionally at a moderate pace but importantly, it is very comfortable and relaxed for the athlete. I prefer, in general, that these are around one hour in length on easy days with a second run each day of 30-35min, except on days when the main run is 90 minutes or more where just one run is completed. Marathon runners often do two runs of less than an hour but at least 40 minutes on easy recovery days due to the greater demand for recovery from longer workouts.

We’re often asked how it is effective for Mottram to do his recovery runs with Benita Johnson despite him being about to run almost two minutes faster than her for 5000m. They feel that if he races 5000m at close to 2.30 min per kilometre and Benita closer to 3 minutes per kilometre, why should her recovery runs be run a similarly slower pace? But it doesn’t actually work like that. Running at 4 minutes per kilometre is just as comfortable for Benita as it is for Craig. The key is that the pace is comfortable, and the pace is simply decided on how the athletes feel. There is often a need to tell athletes to try to run slowly on these runs, as it’s very difficult to run too slowly and quite easy to run too fast at a speed that doesn’t really challenge aerobic fitness and certainly doesn’t allow athletes to recover maximally between workouts. The key is to remember that these runs are for recovery and that there are another 2 or 3 days in the week where the focus is on building fitness.

Nic Bideau "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary" - Modern Athlete and Coach, Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006.

To be continued …

FOOTNOTES

1. I have been watching "The Young Ones" on DVD. Takes me back twenty years. I must remember not to emulate their lifestyle!

2. Caught up with former workmates at a workplace Christmas function. I tell you what, the only ones who look even half fit are the ones who have kept exercise up all their lives. Don't stop!

3. Looking forward to getting out to the track tomorrow. Although I might not run. Last Thursday my age percentage peaked at 78.6 in the 3000m, owing to a time of 11:28.11. "Moorescores" have been brought up to date - see http://www.actvac.com.au/Track/Moore/Moorescores.htm. I suppose 80% would be a target, one day soon. Next month, most likely.

Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real?

What if you were unable to wake from that dream?

How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?


“Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners” – Part Five

Article by Nic Bideau

Key elements
• Regular long runs
• Fast distance runs at around the anaerobic threshold
• Intervals or repetition work
• Speed work
• Recovery runs
• Gym sessions

SPEED WORK

Speed work should always be low in volume and at speeds relevant to up to 95% maximum speed (never 100%) to 3000m race pace in relation to current fitness and over short distances never more than 400m and rarely more than 150m with long periods for recovery between repetitions. All athletes I coach (even marathon runners) do 4-5 strides over 80—120m at least 3km race pace with easy jog or walk recovery after each repetition at least once a week. Mottram, being a 1500m runner as well as a 5000m runner goes to the track once a week to run even faster. Most of his training is focused on endurance but I recognise the need to maintain his ability to run fast. I regard this as specific speed work, which should not be a huge load of anaerobic work. A favoured workout would be 4 x 120m after an easy Monday evening run when he often feels good having run once for 90 minutes the day before and having done an easy 60 minutes that morning. Each repetition would involve gradually building to 95% of top speed coming off the bend and running smooth and relaxed down the straight with a minimum very easy 280m jog between repetitions. In my view, optimal speed work should (a) never involve more than 3 or 4 reps of a maximum of 15 seconds, (b) include long periods of rest in between, and (c) not be done when the athlete is very tired.

Nic Bideau "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary" - Modern Athlete and Coach, Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006.

To be continued …

FOOTNOTES

Thursday track program. More events than you can poke a stick at.
6.00 3000m, Hammer Throw
6.15 100m Daniels
6.30 1200/2000m Walk
6.45 High Jump
7.00 800m Higgins Handicap, Shot, Discus
7.30 200m Boag
7.45 Triple Jump, Shot, Discus, Long Hurdles
8.00 4 x 400m Relay
8.15 2000m

There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path

quote of the week: "If you've never failed at anything you’re not trying hard enough"

green spots

speedyjosiah with chicken pox

My training progress
last week's target: 100k, actual 91k
this week’s target: 90k
weight: 64kg

Reporting a week where I started feeling strong and ended feeling tired: in other words, a normal week!

song of the week: The Clock – Thom Yorke – from "The Eraser"

“Time is running out for us,
But you just move the hands upon the clock”

FOOTNOTES

1. So, what movie is today's title from? Hint: same as yesterday's.

2. For my training group, everyone is invited to the 12/12 dinner, rsvp 11/12

3. And Saturday training at Aranda starts in the new year (Join me there on 30/12 if you wish).

buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy, 'cause Kansas is going bye-bye

"The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat." - Bill Squires

Last Thursday night's track results:
3000m
M45 Amalendu Edelsten 10:03.31
M45 Rod Lynch 10:50.30
M45 Roger Pilkington 13:08.90
M55 Geoff Moore 11:28.11
M55 Mick Saunders 12:37.26
M65 Tony Booth 13:27.09
W45 Helen Larmour 12:19.19
W55 Carol Baird 13:42.67
W55 Margaret McSpadden 15:10.68

1500m
M45 Colin Farlow 4:40.28
M45 Mick Horan 4:47.43
M45 Rod Lynch 4:59.77
M50 Ken White 5:27.33
M55 Trevor Cobbold 5:02.48
M55 Neil Boden 6:00.08
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 5:09.10
M65 Tony Booth 6:08.39
W55 Margaret McSpadden 7:13.31

400m
M45 Rod Lynch 67.15
M50 Ken White 80.39
M55 Geoff Sims 61.25
W45 Sue Bourke 68.37
W55 Maureen Rossiter 73.23

Spiral 7
W35 Amanda Walker 12:41
M45 Roger Pilkington 12:50
W45 Kerry Boden 15:56
M55 Neil Boden 13:15
W45 Helen Larmour 12:17
W55 Maureen Rossiter 14:43
M65 Tony Booth 13:16
W55 Margaret McSpadden 15:20
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 11:58
W40 Katie Forestier 13:56
M50 Ken White 13:56





FOOTNOTES

1. I ran 20th at the Stromlo opening run yesterday. Out of 23. Including a dog.

2. Helen ran 27:00 at the jogalong this morning. This is a new pb.

3. Nic Bideau's article will resume Tuesday.

Kathy, Mick

red red wine

“Nobody said it would be easy, they just said it would be worth it.”

“Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners” – Part Four

Article by Nic Bideau

Key elements
• Regular long runs
• Fast distance runs at around the anaerobic threshold
• Intervals or repetition work
• Speed work
• Recovery runs
• Gym sessions

INTERVAL OR REPETITION TRAINING
I prefer high volumes of work when using intervals of 6-10k or running at various speeds relevant to the athletes current fitness level for 1500m, 3000m, 5000m or 10,000m with recovery bouts as required to maintain that pace. In the first stages of a training program these are initially focused on 10,000m race pace or even slower. Closer to the main target race faster speeds are introduced at the specific pace of the event the athlete is training for. I believe that too often athletes try to run too fast in track sessions relevant to their current fitness and are too anxious to focus on their cruising speeds for 1500m or 3000m races, whereas I prefer to set the bulk of these sessions at 5000m or 10000m cruising speeds over longer distance repetitions interspersed with shorter faster work. For example, when training for an event such as the World Cross Country in March, Benita Johnson may begin the preparation in November with 8-10 x 1km on a dirt path in around 3.20 with one minute rest. This develops into 3.10 and the next step is to speed up 2 of the reps, the 5th and 7th in 3.00. This may progress to 4 x 2km reps on the track with a lap jog recovery doing the first and third rep alternating laps in 70s (current 3k race pace) and 75s (half marathon race pace), the 2nd and 4th rep all even paced at 75s per lap (10k race pace).

There are a myriad of workouts that can be designed with this philosophy. The main aim is to always be doing enough high volume to continue building aerobic endurance while introducing some faster running that relates to shorter distance race paces and still avoid flooding the athlete’s muscles with lactate during the workout. So varied are the possible combinations that rarely do the athletes repeat the same workout. I see a couple of distinct advantages in this - they don’t go home to check their diary and compare workouts from week to week or year to year — too often athletes try to compare workouts from one period to another, which I regard as impossible to do for any real gain. You can never go to the track with all other elements of your life exactly duplicated from one day to the next so you will always fail to read into the effects of other situations whether they be weather, poor sleep the night before, harder training the week before, personal problems or whatever - and being different, the workouts always provide an interesting challenge to the athletes who don’t know exactly how they will feel not having done that exact workout before.

Benita did a workout of 13 x 400m at 5k race pace (72s) with one lap float (marathon race pace relevant to current fitness (82s)) recovery between laps while winning the national 10,000m title in 31.49 shortly before she won the World Cross Country in 2004. This year in her preparation for the Commonwealth Games she ran 3000m in 9.10 beginning with laps at 10,000m race pace for the 1st km, 5000m race pace for the 2nd km and 3000m race pace for the 3rd km, jogged a lap then did 4x200m at 1500m race pace with 200m jog recovery before repeating the effort with the 2nd 3000m in 9.05. For other complex reasons relative to another dimension of coaching that I won’t go into here, Benita was not able to produce that fitness during the Commonwealth Games 10,000m yet it was exactly that fitness that she was able to call on that enabled her to place 4th in both World Cross Country races just a week after the Melbourne Games this year.

Closer to the big race, these type of workouts often mimic planned strategies due to be employed in the race whilst surrounding it with volume to ensure aerobic fitness is still maintained. Before the Melbourne 5000m Mottram ran a series of 3x1600m. The first one was done in 4.20 (basically what we felt was around 10,000m race pace for him or more specifically the slowest we could imagine the Commonwealth 5000m race being run at inside the last 2km). The 2nd rep was to practice the tactic, which we hoped could take him clear of the Kenyans in the Melbourne 5000m. His training partner England’s 5000m runner at the Games, Mo Farah ran the 1st lap in 65 secs and Mottram went to the lead running the 2nd lap faster, the 3rd lap faster again and once more increasing the pace on the last lap. He ran those laps in 59, 58 and 57 for a final 1600m time of 3.59. He then eased back to 4.20 again for the 3rd rep and finished the workout by cruising 4 x 200m at 1500m race tempo with an easy 200m jog recovery. We felt he was ready for Ben Limo and he was. But, unfortunately for us, Augustine Choge had something else.

These sessions are usually only carried out once per week. If a second session of repetition running is used it is usually hill repetitions. Athletes usually begin with 6-8 repetitions of running up hill for three minutes at around 10,000m race pace or effort. Then shorten the distance to something that can be reached in one minute running at around 3000m race pace effort. Sometimes they alternate three minute efforts with one minute faster efforts in a series of 8 repetitions. I prefer the hills to be not so steep that the athlete can’t run up them smoothly for three minutes at 10,000m race pace. The recovery taken is as long as it takes to jog back down the hill easily and feel ready to go for the next repetition. I believe these workouts are fantastic for developing power and speed as well as running efficiency.

Nic Bideau "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary" - Modern Athlete and Coach, Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006.

To be continued …

prb, aki, speedygeoff, ewen, luckylegs at dinner at Belluci's Dickson last night

superchicks

“Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners” – Part Three

Article by Nic Bideau

Key elements
• Regular long runs
• Fast distance runs at around the anaerobic threshold
• Intervals or repetition work
• Speed work
• Recovery runs
• Gym sessions

FAST DISTANCE RUNS
These runs are usually called a tempo run or an anaerobic threshold pace run. In the 60s and 70s athletes regularly ran at this level unplanned in the 2nd half of training runs just by feel and were generally uncontrolled. These days I plan them as specific sessions and often ask the athletes to use a heart rate monitor to control them. After a warm up athletes will run for 20 minutes and up to 45 minutes and even longer for marathon runners at an intensity monitored pace by heart rate. The aim is to run at a level just below the point where any increase in effort will dramatically increase the anaerobic production of energy. We determine this as a result of physiological testing to determine at what heart rate their blood lactate content has reached around 4mmol of lactic acid. For most athletes this is normally the pace an athlete could run at for a half marathon or between 85 and 90% of the pace they can currently maintain for a 5000m track race.

These runs are one of the best indicators of performance level for events in which aerobic endurance is a factor. I could probably find several athletes in Australia who would be able to run shoulder to shoulder with Mottram during an interval track workout such as 10 x 400m with 2 minutes recovery. An ignorant bystander could be no better equipped with knowledge if asked which of such a group of athletes would win a 3000m race. But line the same athletes up for a 20 minute run and ask them to run at a pace equivalent to 85% of their 5000m race pace and Mottram would finish 400m ahead of most Australian athletes and it would be clear who has the superior fitness for a 3000m race. These fast continuous distances runs were ‘bread and butter’ training for much of the year for athletes such as Ron Clarke and John Walker, although they just did them by feel or intuition.

While I prefer athletes beginning this sort of training to control the work by heart rate, experienced athletes such as Mottram or Johnson have done so much of this type of work they are now very much in touch with how it should feel, and are able to do it just on feel without the aid of technical equipment such as heart rate monitors.

Nic Bideau "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary" - Modern Athlete and Coach, Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006.

To be continued …

FOOTNOTES

1. Highlights from last night’s track would be Trevor Cobbold running ~5:02, and Kevin Chamberlain ~5:08, in the 1500m.

2. I ran ~11:27 in the 3000m which is a season’s best and only 4 seconds slower than my best 2006 time. I did a 7km warm up because a hamstring cramped up all day. Thought it might be cooler but the sun came out for the 3000m, and the wind did not abate.

3. Nic Bideau's words on "fast distance runs" are timely as I have been experimenting with these "tempo runs" over the last few months and am finding them valuable. My plan is to try out the heart rate monitor next, as Nic suggests, to see if I can fine tune these runs that way. It won't hurt!

Superchicks. The female category winners of the 2006 Vets Half Marathon.
W30 far left, ascending left to right

30 days hath November

“Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners” – Part Two

Article by Nic Bideau

Key elements
• Regular long runs
• Fast distance runs at around the anaerobic threshold
• Intervals or repetition work
• Speed work
• Recovery runs
• Gym sessions

LONG RUNS
The long runs should be of 90 minutes to 2 hours duration — longer for marathon runners - and at least once per week, and in some periods twice a week. The key Lydiard principle of maintaining continuous pressure on your heart for long steady periods of aerobic activity builds a fantastic aerobic fitness base and it is aerobic fitness that is a key factor in the success of athletes in all events from 800m upwards. I’m often challenged on the importance of these long runs for 800m runners. Some athletes have even suggested to me that they are damaging, but I have no doubt they are relevant. It worked for Peter Snell. He ran 1.44.3 on a grass track off long aerobic runs. In later years much has been made of the Great British 800m and 1500m runner, Seb Coe’s speed, but Coe also possessed outstanding aerobic endurance. He demonstrated this when in 1978 the year before he first began setting world records at 800m and 1500m races, when he beat Eamon Coghlan, who was later to win a world 5000m title and Mike McLeod, who later won an Olympic 10000m medal in a 4 mile road race in Ireland. I’d be surprised if any of our current top 800m runners could get within a minute of Craig Mottram over 4 miles today; and I see our lack of success in this event as relative to a lack of aerobic endurance in the athletes doing these events. Mottram has run 1.46 for 800m in training two weeks after he won his world championships 5000m bronze medal so his regular long runs don’t appear to have greatly reduced his ability at 800m.

I prefer these long runs done in a group as that helps runners stay relaxed and enjoy them more. I also like them to run in nice scenic surroundings on soft surfaces and on hilly courses. Hills help build strength and maintain the pressure on the heart without requiring the athletes to run faster. Hills also require athletes to vary the requirements of the key working muscles whether they are going up or down. I like big challenging hills in the second half of these runs as I believe it helps an athlete develop efficient technique and rhythm running up these hills when they are already feeling fatigue. I tell athletes that the first 75 minutes of these long runs is to get them sufficiently tired so as they are in a position to really affect their fitness in the last 15 to 45 minutes when their glycogen stores are getting seriously depleted.

In any training program, the first time an athlete is able to achieve a milestone builds confidence and I’ve often seen that when an athlete completes their first 90 min run of a preparation, or their first 2 hour run. They soon notice a big step up in their aerobic fitness in the following weeks. This increased aerobic fitness needs to be constantly monitored with regular 90 min runs throughout the year. I don’t believe that these long runs necessarily leave residual fatigue in athletes’ legs harming athletes going into important races. I see many athletes run very well within a few days of a long run. Mottram ran a 90 min run seven days before setting his Australian 5000m record of 12.55.76 and Benita Johnson ran a 90 min run six days before she won the World Cross Country. Any time I look at an athlete’s diary and I see regular long runs it usually translates into consistent form. In contrast, when I see big gaps from one long run to the next recorded in an athlete’s diary it often corresponds with a gradual decline in form.

Nic Bideau "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary" - Modern Athlete and Coach, Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006.

To be continued …

FOOTNOTES

1. Thirty days dirty days. So today is 30 November. At the BBQ Stakes at lunch time yesterday it was about 30 degrees. My name on the starters' list had a "30" alongside it as I had completed 30 runs. So off I set with Roger; we started fairly slowly in the heat and built up momentum later. I sprinted at the end to pass Ted who had also built up momentum over the last downhill bit. The time on my watch read 30:30. What place tag was I given after I had crossed the line? Yes you are right. 30.

2. Thirty days hath September April June and November all the rest have 31 except blah blah blah blah blah. I cannot remember. A nifty mnemonic which gets very boring very quickly.

3. Thirty degrees. Welcome to summer tomorrow! Except that summer in Canberra lasts five months so we are already one month into it. Was it twelve days in a row with temperatures 30 degrees or more in November? That must be some sort of record.

“Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners” - Introduction

[Edit. The article in full can now be found at http://geoffmoore.blogspot.com/2007/07/article-by-nic-bideau.html]

Article by Nic Bideau

The training structure I use to coach athletes does not actually involve anything that hasn’t been used before. I would describe it as strongly influenced by the type of work used by many Australian, British and New Zealand athletes in the 60s and 70s involving running high volumes of over 160km per week with the primary focus on aerobic conditioning. This type of training yielded huge successes for amongst others, Ron Clarke, Brendan Foster and John Walker, yet for one reason or another has tended to be neglected today.

The one area where I would say we are much more advanced than athletes of that era is with recovery and the control of the workouts. Today athletes employ a host of techniques including ice baths, sports recovery drinks, regular massage and physiotherapy sessions that assist athletes to recover from bouts of hard work and allow them to maintain a more consistent high volume of good quality training for longer periods.

Hard running on the track or fast long distance runs are now more controlled to achieve very specific aims with the use of heart rate monitors and stopwatches to assist us to enforce the principles that Lydiard was teaching runners 40 years ago — to train mostly at levels of intensity that are aerobic and to limit or accurately control the amount of anaerobic activity in training.

The training is only one key element responsible for the success of, among others, our two leading Australian distance runners, Craig Mottram and Benita Johnson. But I would add that just as relevant is (a) the environment they train in, (b) the planning undertaken (including their competition program) and (c) the belief I have in them to run as well as they have. Getting fit in training is certainly critical but I have certainly seen cases where despite being incredibly fit, a lack of confidence and belief in their ability to compete well has cost an athlete in important races. The right training helps to build these elements but the structure of the training groups they exist in and the very carefully planned racing program they follow certainly enhances this confidence to take the athletes to a very high level. But that’s a whole other article. For now, I’ll stick to an explanation of the general training structure I advise athletes to carry out.

Key elements
• Regular long runs
• Fast distance runs at around the anaerobic threshold
• Intervals or repetition work
• Speed work
• Recovery runs
• Gym sessions

Nic Bideau "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary" - Modern Athlete and Coach, Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006.

To be continued …

This week - an article by Nic Bideau

"My whole feeling in terms of racing is that you have to be very bold. You sometimes have to be aggressive and gamble." - Bill Rodgers

advantage

ACTVAC this coming Thursday
6.00 3000m, Weight Throw, Pole Vault
6.15 60m
6.30 1000/5000m Walk
6.45 High Jump
7.00 1500m, Javelin, Shot
7.30 400m
7.45 Long Jump, Javelin, Shot, 200m Hurdles
8.00 4 x 200m Relay
8.15 Spiral 7

Over the next few days I will be publishing an article by Nic Bideau called "Coaching Middle and Long Distance Runners: A Commentary". The article appeared in “Modern Athlete and Coach” - Volume 44, Number 3, July 2006. I have permission to reproduce the article.

“Nic Bideau has become one of Australia’s most successful coaches. His involvement at the elite level in track and field has spanned more than two decades and his collective experiences as a sports journalist, manager, and coach have enabled him to mix with some of the greats in middle and long distance running. These experiences have assisted in shaping his views on coaching endurance athletes. Here he outlines some insights into his coaching philosophy.”

This is one of the very best articles I have read on the subject, I highly recommend you read it. For the rest of the week parts of the article will appear here.

FOOTNOTES

1. Running 18k this morning in the heat was hard. Next time I bring three bottles of drink, not two.

2. Alan Duus backed up from last night's training to run this morning. He said the 600m intervals and recoveries felt very long. Welcome back Charmaine to our Monday sessions, too.

3. Bloglines suddenly woke up and discovered my last nine posts. It discovered some other bloggers' posts too. So welcome back if you haven't visited for a while!

Annette's Golden Week

quote of the week: The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well. -- Pierre de Courbertin

My training progress
last week's target: 100k, actual 65k

this week’s target: 100k
weight: 63.5kg and falling. maybe. possibly.

Not the best week, the niggles won so 100k didn't happen, I pulled out of the BBQ Stakes run after 600m with calf pain but immediate treatment worked. An average 3000m on Thursday, days off Friday and Saturday, a "very average" Vets Handicap on Sunday. Poised to get back into it this week if the heat wave doesn't intervene?

song of the week: Nothing In My Way - Keane, from Under The Iron Sea.

“It seems to me that you're having such a nice time”

advantage!

Reconciliation Place 5k
Women
8. Kathy Sims W55 22:47
25. Caroline Campbell W60 26:54
29. Ruth Baussmann W55 27:46
42. Julie Tzvetcoff W40 31:15

Men
42. Mick Saunders M55 22:02
43. Roger Pilkington M45 22:04
65. Mick Charlton M50 28:01

ACTVAC track
4 x 800m relay W40 team Australian record
(Annette Sugden, Bernice Matthews, Gabrielle Brown, Charlie McCormack)
11:50.01

10,000m
M45 Amalendu Edelsten 37:23.84
M45 Mick Horan 42:50.82
M50 Thomas Lane 43:54.63
W35 Amanda Walker 45:46.52 pb
W50 Kathy Southgate 39:07.42 ACT W50 record
W55 Ruth Baussmann 53:46.51
W55 Margaret McSpadden 54:16.83

Sunday ACTVAC handicap results
Innabaanya 8k
2 Mark Kethro M45 36:49
3 Annette Sugden W40 37:41 gold!
8 Mick Saunders M55 38:45
10 David Baussman M45 38:51
16 Rod Lynch M45 32:21
21 Amanda Walker W35 40:04
29 Peter McDonald M50 41:49
30 John Alcock M60 41:05
35 Colin Farlow M45 32:33
37 Charmaine Knobel W50 43:05
39 Alan Duus M60 40:19
47 Graeme Small M65 49:22
48 Helen Larmour W45 37:58
52 Tony Booth M65 45:25
54 Barbara Tucker W55 46:11
64 Margaret McSpadden W55 48:40
67 Roger Pilkington M45 39:17
70 Ruth Baussmann W55 47:29
79 Mick Charlton M50 50:54

Innabaanya 4k
6 Julie Tzvetcoff W40 24:24
10 Michael Roche M65 23:49
17 Ken White M50 20:28
21 Kerry Boden W45 23:30
23 Carol Baird W55 19:39
24 Tony Bond M40 15:42
26 Geoff Moore M55 17:16
28 Gary Bowen M45 17:21
41 Neil Boden M55 20:10

FOOTNOTES

1. It was Annette's week - a member of the Australian record 4x800m team on Thursday, then winning the monthly handicap on Sunday. She will get faster, too!

2. Monday training is definitely on - although I may not be there for a Monday or two, being very busy at present. Trevor will take care of things.

3. I will re-start Saturday morning training at Aranda first week in January. And possibly 30 December? If you can make it then, let me know.

Annette

“I'm not stopping this construction site for a bunch of ducks... geese.... whatever.”

Big occasions and races which have been eagerly anticipated almost to the point of dread, are where great deeds can be accomplished. - Jack Lovelock

advantage
There were lots of Speedy Geese at today's monthly handicap, getting various awards. And great to have the new club hats available, strong UV protection. I bought two.

FOOTNOTES

1. Is that the ACT Veteran hurdler Conrad Burge prominent in beer ads during the TV cricket coverage? The one with the big fake moustache, not unlike his real moustache. Nearest to camera. It sure looks like him!

2. Some of the 4 x 800 splits from Thursday (very approximate)
Gary Bowen 74, 77
Amalendu Edelsten 67, 73
Tony Booth 91, 87
Kevin Chamberlain 70, 75
Charlie McCormack 84, 85
Annette Sugden 90, 91
Gabe Brown 88, 94

3. Life of Brian has been quoted a couple of times recently. Today's movie is pretty well about geese. I haven't seen it, is it any good?

Eight of the first eight!

Ten of the first eleven!

Kevin hits 80%!

Speedy Geese in the Pennington 3000m
1 M45 Colin Farlow 10:34
2 M60 Kevin Chamberlain 11:29
3 W50 Maria O'Reilly 12:17
4 W55 Kathy Sims 12:53
5 M55 Trevor Cobbold 11:32
6 M45 Richard Faulks 11:08
7 M55 Geoff Moore 11:44
8 M45 Roger Pilkington 11:21
10 M50 Neville Madden 11:42
11 M65 Tony Booth 12:52
15 M50 Ken White 12:20
19 W55 Ruth Baussmann 15:23
21 M55 Neil Boden 14:01

As usual for the Pennington, actual times would have been a second or two faster than the official times above.

Hiding from the wind and rain


Reminder - tomorrow's run start at 8:30am:
Date: Sunday 26 November 2006
Time: 8:30am
Venue: Innabaanya

"The final ACTVAC Handicap for the year is held at the end of November, followed by presentations and a barbecue. The venue has been changed to Innabaanya, located on Majura road, and the start time changed to 8:30am. Members & their families are invited to a sausage sizzle following the handicap. A gold coin donation is requested, with proceeds going to the cancer council. Some alcoholic beverages and soft drinks will be provided."

Day at the Races

Last night at Vets was a great day at the races.

First up, the Pennington 3000m race. This event has runners starting at different times in groups, handicapped on age and sex, not on individual times. So for example the W50 group starts before the M60s, then the W45s, then the M55s, then the M50s and so on. An M80 led out. The gaps between groups varies and seems quite large.

I will publish full results when they appear in a coupla days, but we took seven of the first seven places. I know, because I was seventh. Ahead of me was Colin (first), followed by Kevin, Kathy Sims, Maria, Trevor, and Richard. And we had more runners not that far back. Well done Speedy Geese!!

More amazing efforts in the 10k; Southy broke Rosemary Longstaff's W50 record by 2 to 3 minutes; Amanda ran a PB (being a mum is doing her good), and Strewth established a track 10k PB. Despite it being a bit warm for 10k. Strewth and Southy met "off-line" for the first time!

In the 4 x 800m relay, an ACT and Australian record to the W40 team including Charlie (a photo of Charlie appears at the bottom of Wednesday 22nd's post below!), Gabe and Annette. (Team captain Katie did not run and was replaced by yet another fast W40, newcomer Bernice). Charlie’s 2:49 in the relay was a new PB.

And in the 4 x 100m relay, the W55 team, which included Kathy Sims and Maureen, broke their own ACT record.

Fly Goose Fly!

Strewth, Aki, Margaret and Barbara at Brindabella

Improving our club's website

To describe the agony of a marathon to someone who's never run it is like trying to explain color to someone who was born blind - Jerome Drayton

The ACTVAC website is poised to become the club's main communication vehicle. I wonder how many ACT Vets are in the habit of using it?

Having discovered that otherwise well informed club members are still not accessing the ACTVAC web site, I have decided to acquaint readers with some of the features.

The news at http://www.actvac.com.au/mainframe/news.html is updated weekly if not more frequently.

All race results are at http://www.actvac.com.au/mainframe/results.html, and you can drill down and get your ARCHIVED TRACK AND FIELD RESULTS, which have not been available until now. Thursday night results seem to be up by Sunday. (I am not sure why the delay).

The latest Vetrunner is at http://www.actvac.com.au/mainframe/vetrunner.html, as of this moment it is still the November issue but the December version should appear any day now.

The website should be used by more members very soon, because the future of Vetrunner magazine is in doubt, with no guarantee there will be a January issue. In fact there won’t be one unless an editor is found. We have been searching for 18 months. The best Masters running magazine in Australia may be no more.

Improvements to the website are coming. Suggestions can be sent to me! So if it does become our main communication vehicle, how can we improve it? What should it contain? Please inform me and I will implement all good suggestions!

Bye for now, I am off to watch the cricket (on TV with the sound off) and listen to it (on the radio). As one does. Then I may struggle around a 3k tonight, but I felt some worrying niggles running yesterday, so this may not be possible.

What we don't want to see half way through a road race.

[Edit. bloglines seems not to have noticed me lately so I am editing a post to see if that can activate it.... a long shot I am sure]

Do you find it... wisible... when I say the name... Biggus...

No one knows the fear in a front runner's mind more than me. When you set off at a cracking pace for four or five laps and find that your main rivals are still breathing down your neck, that's when you start to panic. - Ron Clarke

SpeedyJarod. Just a blur. Yes there are other runners in his race.

track program tomorrow night
6.00 3000m (P & GM), Hammer Throw
6.30 100m (B)
6.45 1500m Walk (PH), Long Jump
7.00 4x800m Relay, Javelin/Discus
7.30 200m (D)
7.45 Triple Jump, Javelin/Discus
7.50 10,000m Run
8.00 Sprint Hurdles followed by 4x100m Relay.

FOOTNOTES

1. No one has guessed this movie yet.
2. Loosy the Goosy will be at the track tomorrow. (Spelling corrected!)
3. I just heard the new Switchfoot song "Oh Gravity" on the radio. So I'm off to JB Hi Fi to see if it's in yet!

Charlie:

"Done it! I've finished!

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat.

By popular request. Our new mascot.

"Alternate Route Tuggeranong"

I don’t know what the fuss is about. The sign is clear and unambiguous. Every second time you want to travel from Belconnen to Tuggeranong, you take the Coppins Crossing Route.

These "alternate route" instructions springing up around Canberra are obviously designed to split the traffic fifty-fifty, ensuring cars are spread evenly around our roads..

quote of the day "Cross-country. Finally a good use for golf courses."

Fruit Chutney Pork Chops

Article in the Canberra Times on 12 March 2003!

FOOTNOTES

1. Southy’s W50 record 1500m of 5:02 has certainly destroyed Maria's old and very good time of 5:28. Poor Maria! A little goosey tells me Southy is running the 10k this Thursday. Even if it reaches 40 degrees on the track, the existing W50 record, 41:04 held by Rosemary Longstaff, will be smashed!

2. We now have a team mascot, a soft toy named Loosey. (Yes, Loosey is a goosey)

3. It is hot out there now! Summer is here, for how long I do not know, but 100k weeks for me - who always sleeps in - will be a challenge.

Roger and Marion

Well, what are you doing creeping around a cow shed at two o'clock in the morning? That doesn't sound very wise to me.

quote of the week: "Those who say that I will lose and am finished will have to run over my body to beat me." - Said Aouita

My training progress
last week's target: 80k, actual 102k

this week’s target: 100k
weight: 64kg and holding

I am feeling 95% better. Now to get fit, again!

How Speedy Geese are going:

Long-Distance World Triathlon Championships
212 Bob Harlow 8:04.47
Way to go!

ACTA track Saturday
1500m
W50 Kathy Southgate 5:02.76 ACT W50 record
M55 Trevor Cobbold 5:04.84
Trevor, you took the lead and got swamped!

One Peak Challenge (15km)
Women
10 Charlie McCormack 1:24.44
19 Charmaine Knobel 1:34.31
The "Chars" have it.

ACTCCC Spring Series – Weston Park last Tuesday
Women 5k
24 Carolyn Campbell 26.15
Men 5k
36 Roger Pilkington 22:08
47 Geoff Moore 23.10
48 Mick Saunders 23:35
69 Mick Charlton 30:00
Surface Soft and "Springy" alright

Springing to Victory

FOOTNOTES

1. Temperatures of 30 and above are forecast all this week. Drink early drink often!

2. I went and watched the triathlon yesterday. After the freezing weather we had mid-week, so hot! The competitors were very inspiring. Well done to Bob Harlow for pushing through the pain and finishing. The Canberra Times has a one page coverage today, and all the final times.

3. song of the week: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Eric Idle. Sung at a recent celebrity funeral.

Soar like an Eagle, Spit like a Llama

The perfect run - the wind at your back, the sun in front of you, and your friends by your side. - Aaron Douglas Trimble

Results from Thursday night for our training group
3000m
M45 Colin Farlow 10:29.68
M45 Richard Faulks 10:57.80
M45 Ewen Thompson 14:08.14
M50 Ken White 12:08.90
M55 Geoff Moore 11:44.95
M55 Mick Saunders 12:32.94
M55 Geoff Sims 13:20.86
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 11:32.77
M65 Tony Booth 13:15.87
W40 Gabrielle Brown 14:19.19
W55 Kathy Sims 12:54.12
W55 Barbara Tucker 15:09.19

1500m
M45 Mick Horan 4:47.62
M55 Neil Boden 6:19.13
M65 Tony Booth 6:17.75
W35 Amanda Walker 6:04.49
W40 Katie Forestier 5:48.69
W40 Gabrielle Brown 6:37.54
W40 Carolyne Kramar 8:24.87
W50 Charmaine Knobel 6:21.23

400m
M45 Gary Bowen 66.70
M50 Ken White 68.68
M55 Geoff Sims 62.29
W40 Katie Forestier 77.50
W40 Gabrielle Brown 83.54
W45 Vicki Matthews 73.80
W50 Charmaine Knobel 83.40
W55 Maureen Rossiter 73.88

There was a little incident the other day, which made me wonder if one of the golden rules of running should be "look before you spit"?

It would have helped if the cyclist in question had rung his bell as he came up silently behind me. Well, that's one up for the runners I guess.

You self conscious ones, learn how to spit and some of your runs will be so much more comfortable. Watch out for sudden wind gusts though. And be prepared to say "sorry" occasionally.

FOOTNOTES

1. Kevin is poised to take some M60 track records very soon. The M60 800m record is 2:21, and the 1500m 4:43. Hmmm. They are very fast times for an M60. Come to think of it, "poised" is not the correct word. "A remote outside possibility" might be more accurate.

2. Southy said it was going to by difficult for her to break Maureen's W50 800m record of 2:35. Yesterday she went through the 800m mark of the 1500m in 2:37. It is only a matter of time...

3. Friday's movie was "Run Lola Run". More movies next week?

Overcoming Injury

Life is short... running makes it seem longer. - Baron Hansen


Ease those sore muscles. (reprise)

COLD WATER. Animals stand in cold streams straight after a long hard chase. You could too. Standing in cold water or sitting in a cold bath (brrrr!) could help recovery after a hard run.

WALKING. Long walks are an option when it hurts to run, whether tired from an exhausting race, or suffering muscle damage, blisters etc.

MASSAGE. Massages might assist recovery after races, but they may also be beneficial the week before a major event.

REST. "Putting the feet up" is a good strategy!

WARM-UP. As you get older and start carrying a few old injuries, a proper warm-up is essential.


FOOTNOTES

1. Don't forget to go out and watch the World Triathlon long-course championships, on in Canberra all Sunday.

2. Next Thursday is not only a Pennington 3000m, and a 10k, there is also a 4x800 relay.

3. Katie has already organised a W40 team for the relay. How about it, 800m runners in other age groups? Get your team together in advance and have a crack at the ACT records. Or even the Australian records!

on your marks...

The ball is round, a game lasts 90 minutes, everything else is pure theory. Off we go!

A medal for the 19:26 I ran in April; a 5km time I am unlikely to see repeated this year but you never know. I only did 11:45 for 3km last night and it is nearly December already!

"Run hard, be strong, think big!" - Percy Cerutty

FOOTNOTES
1. Maureen Rossiter: on the right in a relay team last April; Maureen has run only a handful of 800m runs, all very fast, holds the ACT W50 record of 2:35.2, and recently set a new W55 record of 2:47.


2. Yesterday was a quote from "Cars", a speedy movie indeed.

3. Today's title is a quote from the start of a movie which is about running, NOT about football! The last line of the movie is "What's in the bag?"

I'm a precision instrument built for speed and aromatics!

Warm-up! More important than you thought!
How important is a warm up? Whatever your answer, a warm up is more important than that!

You should always allow time to perform some type of warm-up routine for all racing, tempo runs, and speed work sessions. A warmer muscle moves faster, has a better range of motion, and is less prone to injury. Blood flow is improved and the strain on the heart is reduced. Sweating is initiated so over-heating is less likely.

A good warm up starts with light jogging, then adds some flexibility exercises after the jog. Then after a bit more jogging, proceeds to getting the legs moving at racing or training tempo but with shorter strides at first, and finally ends up with a couple of run-throughs at race or training speed, striding out but keeping the distance short at first.

Then you will be ready to work at your best...

Michael Roche is running well again

Running quote of the day: Big occasions and races which have been eagerly anticipated almost to the point of dread, are where great deeds can be accomplished. - Jack Lovelock

FOOTNOTES1. Barbara Tucker: a very keen walker and runner who would like to race regularly under 5 minutes per km – at least before turning 60 in 2009! And a Kiwi to boot.

2. More quotes from today's movie, which I have just acquired on DVD.
"Speed. I am speed."
"She just likes me for my body"
Yesterday's movie was "Men In Black" - in the list of ten movies with "The best use of sunglasses".

3. I am planning a slow 3000m at a cooler night tonight at Vets. See you there?

clear advantage

Congratulations, Reg, it's a . . . squid

quote of the day: The start of a World Cross Country event is like riding a horse in the middle of a buffalo stampede. It's a thrill if you keep up, but one slip and you're nothing but hoof prints - Ed Eyestone

REST.
There is nothing quite like putting the feet up after a long hard run.

1. Naps are ideal, but even ten minutes with your feet up is beneficial - promotes circulation, relaxes heart rate.

2. A bit of a break, even a whole day off, is best after after your longest day. More so than after your fastest day, from which you can expect recovery to be quicker!

3. So when you have run long, elevate your legs for recovery every chance you get.

4. “Putting your feet up” is not just a synonym for inactivity!

Now that I am here I might as well take a break.

Vets track program for Thursday 16 November
6.00 3000m, weight, pole vault
6.15 60m
6.30 1000/3000m walk
7.00 high jump
7.00 1500m, shot/discus
7.30 400m
7.45 triple jump, 200m hurdles, shot/discus
8.00 4 x 100m relay
8.15 spiral 6

FOOTNOTES

1. Annette Sugden has been running in the ACT since at least 1990, and has bursts of consistency- for example her half marathons are always around the 1:40 mark. Rumour has it she might be seen on the track this summer, running in some record threatening relay teams.

2. Yesterday's movie was Bruce Almighty. Many of the Jim Carrey movies crack me up; he is good too in straight roles. A different sort of comedy today.

3. It is supposed to snow today (in November!). No sign of it yet though. I will tempt fate & run the Stakes today. Although the sky is starting to get black out there.

That's the way the cookie crumbles.

running quote of the day: Runners just do it - they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first. (that just about sums it up for me)

hurdle champ

MASSAGE as an aid to recovery. I think everyone over 40 years old or 10,000kms, whichever comes first, could benefit by regular sports massage, as part of their serious training.

(a) Marathon preparation is a good example. After all those kms of training, it is good to loosen up the muscles as you start easing back for the big race.

(b) A good massage will help restore mobility in injured muscles.

(c) The question is whether massage is of most benefit after serious training or racing, or before.

Not many other runners can say they have been competing in athletics for 44 years; what keeps me going now is the massage.

I like to have a massage leading up to a big race; but muscles that are sore or overly relaxed from a massage do not perform as well, so the massage ought not be too soon before the race. I find a week before the race is optimal.

Likewise I think it helps to wait a few days after a big race before having a massage. I could be wrong, because I see masseurs busily working away at the finish line of marathons and fun runs. But I prefer to wait to see if I have sustained any injury, and if so, to give it time to start healing, before I let a masseur at it.

In summary I wait to have a massage leading up to a big race. Or when injuries have got the better of me and I am not doing much running.

FOOTNOTES
1. Amanda Walker: Coming up to her and Colin's second wedding anniversary next month. Their “baby’ Ben has turned one year old. By the time Ben is running in the under 6s in Little Athletics, breaking ACT records no doubt, Amanda will be in the W40s in big athletics, and still running fast 3ks. Good effort last Thursday Amanda to get under the 13 minutes!

2. OK, that movie title was too easy, "Fried Green Tomatos at the Whistle Stop Cafe". An oldie but a goodie. Sorry Ewen I haven't seen any Star Trek movies so I don't know any of those quotes, but I have watched the Star Trek satire, "Red Dwarf", many times over and will definitely be quoting them one day. But not today.

3. A great non-running blog I enjoy reading is crazymomcat. She has just taken up jogging! See finding-hidden-strengths for a motivating read. (If blogger is working!)

B-E-A-utiful. Now turn off your PC and go and help your wife with the photo album.

The secret of life? The secret's in the sauce.

My training progress
last week's target: 80k, actual 40k
this week’s target: 80k!
weight: 64kg and steady
comment: I am still not 100% so I have not been running too well or too often.

running quote: " Blink and you miss a sprint. The 10,000 meters is lap after lap of waiting. Theatrically, the mile is just the right length - beginning, middle, end: a story unfolding. ~Sebastian Coe

song of the week: U2 – With Or Without you. Some of my friends were at the U2 concert on Saturday night. They do a brilliant live version of the old song “With Or Without You”. I still remember using this as a warm-up track for aerobics classes I used to take, back in the 1980’s.

how myths start

recovery by walking
As you age, even after a short run your legs may refuse to recover for two or more days. Certainly they will not recover as well as they used to. So to speed up recovery without trying to keep on running, maybe a long walk is in order? One of my best marathon recoveries was walking around the streets of Perth after a national marathon. Though I do recall dropping into several pubs during the walk....

As long as you are doing some hard and intense training during the week, such recovery days are fine!

FOOTNOTES
1. Amalendu Edelsten has recently joined our training group, and has just entered the M45 age group, where he beat off Paul Considine and Colin Farlow to finish second to Elaine Cooper in the Pennington 3000. What other sport did Amalendu originally compete in, at the elite level?

2. Today’s movie is a classic "girls" movie which I also like! It has a longish name. And some great one liners.

"Face it, girls. I'm older and I have more insurance!"

"Oh, it don't make no kind of sense. A big old ox like Grady won't sit next to a coloured child, but he eats eggs which shoot right out of a chicken's ass."


3. Yesterday’s title is from the famous “aardvark” episode of Blackadder, where Dr Johnstone is writing his dictionary, and Blackadder & co try to write a replacement, producing definitions of “C” a wobbly thing that mermaids swim in, “Cat” Not a Dog, etc.