Running Start

"A coach can be like an oasis in the desert of a runner's lost enthusiasm." - Ken Doherty

The major races of 2007
Having decided how I am going to maintain or (hopefully) improve my fitness, the next task is to decide what events I am going to target.

Track season 06/07 - play it by ear, run some short races, try and peak for the 5km ACT Vets championships at the beginning of March. I cannot get to Hobart for the nationals, so I will make the 5k here my main goal.

Winter 07 - I am thinking of running the Canberra Marathon; I will certainly enter it; an entry form is in the mail. Will I try for around 3.30? Whatever, I will have a go at several half marathons again: I can make Weston Creek in March, Canberra in May, Doomben in June, and the Vets in August. I cannot get to Gold Coast in July, so I will target Doomben as a potential M55 pb.

Masters Games - this is the big one, the Australasian Masters Games in Adelaide in October. A fast 5km on the track; and a fast half marathon at the end. So after I run Doomben, I will get into serious 5k training.

Track season 07/08 - if I can come through all that unscathed, perhaps I can run some 800m races next season? Dream on.

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

10. Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.

FOOTNOTES

1. You can register an “expression of interest” for the Australasian Masters Games, in Adelaide in October 2007,at http://www.australianmastersgames.com.

2. Congratulations to Peter and Maria's daughter Juanita McDonald, there was an article about her hockey successes in yesterday's Canberra Times.

3. BBQ Stakes is on today I assume. It's cooler; I will see what I can do! Then it's off to the airport to collect speedygreatgrandmother, who arrives today for two weeks holiday!

The Busy Season

“The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability, with brain and heart to master himself and his emotions.” - Glenn Cunningham

Five Australian records
After checking eligibility of all runners involved, it is confirmed that five Australian records were set in our 4 x 1500m relays last Thursday night; by the M45, M55, M65, W65 and W70 teams. Congratulations!

Novelty events in the final track night for 2006
6.00 2000m & 3000m Steeplechase
6.15 Lord Burley Hurdles
6.30 10 x 100m Walk Relay
6.45 100m President's Handicap
7.00 1000m Turkey Handicap, Standing Triple Jump
7.30 300m
7.45 Left Hand/Right Hand Shotput
8.00 Parlauf Relay - Free Format
8.15 Twosome 2k

Christmas should be a time of reflection....Yeah right! In the last couple of weeks every parent has been to a variety of plays, dinners, graduations, awards, performances and special excursions. Then the barbeques for departing friends, staff parties and the looming presence of the day we give something to most people in our worlds thus shopping and searching ...... Add to this the constant demand of watching cricket....Let's get to boxing day quick....

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

9. Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I'm sorry, but I don't see a light bulb!





Speedy Geese seen Touring d' Mountain (19k)
47. Mick Horan M45 1:45:38
48. Cathy Newman W45 1:46:09
56. Emma Adams W35 1:51:57
57. Carol Baird W55 1:52:11
60. John Alcock M60 1:56:12
62. Charmaine Knobel W50 1:56:48





FOOTNOTES

1. “You” are Time magazine’s “Person of the Year”. “You” have been named for “seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game”. “The creators and consumers of user-generated internet sites showed a community and collaboration on a scale never seen before.” “It’s about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but change the way the world changes”.

2. If you are getting a feed error in bloglines for this site, you could try deleting the entry and subscribing to http://geoffmoore.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/full. It worked for me.

3. Commiserations to my old friend, and Mountain Running Guru, John Harding, who fell on a run around Mt Ainslie last Wednesday, fracturing his hip. Please be careful on rough surfaces!!!! There have been far too many falls lately.

"Have a very goosy Christmas"

unique

quote of the week: "A lot of people don't realise that about 98 percent of the running I put in is anything but glamorous: 2 percent joyful participation, 98 percent dedication! It's a tough formula. Getting out in the forest in the biting cold and the flattening heat, and putting in kilometer after kilometer." - Rob de Castella

My training progress
last week's target: 90k, actual 106k

this week’s target: 90k
weight: 63kg and falling

A better week; partly because the temperature dropped enough to make running relatively comfortable. And on Tuesday I had my first run in the Parliamentary relays for many many years, then on Thursday I assisted a team of old 55s to break a relay record. Now I am planning next year.

Even if I do all the training I plan to do, and remain injury free, there are still some obstacles to overcome if I am going to attain my goals. I think a significant obstacle is the immobility creeping into my lower back and hips. Plan A will be to research some ways of becoming more mobile while continuing to train. Any ideas from you the reader are welcome!

song of the week: Evermore – Know It’s True, from "Dreams"

Moonlight shines down in rays
Fire I see in your gaze

And I know it’s true, believe it too, can feel it too
And it’s clear to me, no fantasy, reality

As a child I had a dream
I saw a bird with broken wings
I woke up

And I know it’s true, believe it too, can feel it too
And I know it’s near, I’ve felt it here, ‘cause it’s in the air

Tonight, to feel alive
We try again
Tonight, to be alive, to live inside
We die again
A sign, in your eyes
Oh, a fire will rise again

It’ll take you over, and it’ll burn away tonight…

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

8. Jack Russell Terrier: I'll just pop it in while I'm bouncing off the walls and furniture.

FOOTNOTES

1. Aki cannot stop smiling. Why is this so? See Aki’s post, enjoy the yuptypng.

2. At interclub on Saturday, in the 800m Kathy Southgate ran 2:31.40, an ACT W50 record, breaking Maureen’s time by 3.8 seconds. Also in the 800m Roger Pilkington ran 2:37.97, and in the 3000m Roger ran 11:24.07. And I noticed in the 800m John Lamb ran 2:18.19 – just 2 seconds outside Kevin’s ACT M55 record.

3. Happy Birthdays to Roger - yesterday - and Katie - today.

"I have no favourites. Everyone's my favourite!"

Humilty

"Marathon running is a terrible experience: monotonous, heavy, and exhausting." - Veikko Karvonen, 1954 European and Boston Marathon Champ

"I definitely want to show how beautiful the marathon can be. I am the opponent of all those who find the marathon bad: the psychologists, the physiologists, the doubters. I make the marathon beautiful for myself and for others. That's why I'm here." - Uta Pippig

"I was unable to walk for a whole week after that, so much did the race take out of me. But it was the most pleasant exhaustion I have ever known." - Emil Zatopek's description of the Olympic Marathon win in Helsinki

Louise Silver winning the 1990 Canberra marathon in her pb of 2:54

Same marathon, my only recent fast time, 5th at the age of 41.
Note the band-aids!

How will I achieve the goals I published yesterday?
Some readers are interested in how I structure my week. I plan to run weeks of 100, 110, and 120k as follows:
Mon 15k including longish intervals at Parliament House
Tue 18k easy at Vets Tuesday group
Wed 15k including a 6k tempo run at BBQ Stakes
Thu 15k including a race at Vets track
Fri 20k run from home, or possibly including a 5k tempo run at Customs
Sat 12k including short sprints at Aranda
Sun 5k, 15k, or 25k easy, to make up the distance to 100k, 110k, or 120k.

Humility: Rabbi Rafael of Barshad (19th century Europe) summed it up as follows: "When I get to heaven, they'll ask me, why didn't you learn more Torah? And I'll tell them that I'm slow-witted. Then they'll ask me, why didn't you do more kindness for others? And I'll tell them that I'm physically weak. Then they'll ask me, why didn't you give more Tzedakah? And I'll tell them that I didn't have enough money. But then they'll ask me: If you were so stupid, weak and poor, why were you so arrogant? And for that I won't have an answer."

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?
7. German Shepherd: I'll change it as soon as I've led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven't missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.

FOOTNOTES

1. I ran into Louise the other day at the shops, then she came out and had a look at Vets track. Maybe she will start jogging again? She looks very fit.

2. Louise and I trained together for that marathon. There are not many people who ran the Cotter 18 miler as hard as she did!

3. That 1990 marathon was a comeback race for me, and followed a win in the Weston Creek Half marathon in March that year. If I run another comeback race in the April 2007 marathon, I don't think it will be quite as fast!

three feet

Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. — Escher

Anybody can do just about anything with himself that he really wants to and makes up his mind to do. We are capable of greater things than we realize. - Norman Vincent Peale

No one knows what he can do until he tries. - Publilius Syrus

Start of plans for 2007
I will not be racing again in 2006. So it is time for a re-valuation and re-setting of goals. Looking at my 2006 targets for specific distances, none of my goals for 1500m thru Half Marathon were achieved! But the goals needed to be there to give me something to work towards.

I am setting new targets to March 2007. My races in January thru March will be 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, and possibly a 10000m. The targets are faster, because I am expecting (hoping on reasonable evidence) that I will get fitter and not fatter.

1500m was aiming at 5:20; now aiming at 5:17
3000m was 11.15 now 11.09
5000m was 19.10 now 19.00
10000m was 39.30 now 39.15

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

6. Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!

FOOTNOTES

1. full results of the 4 x 1500m relay
M45 Colin Farlow
M45 Amalendu Edelsten
M45 Mick Horan
M45 Paul Considine 18:53.20

M50 Trevor Jacobs 5:03
M35 Chris Newton 4:58
M50 Ken White 5:23 (error fixed)
M55 Geoff Sims 5:38 (error fixed) 21:01.34

M55 Paul Archer 5:28
M55 John Lamb 5:09
M55 Trevor Cobbold 5:08
M55 Geoff Moore 5:32 21:14.88

M45 John Parker
M45 Don Smith
M45 Roger Pilkington
M45 Dave McClelland 23:05.99

M65 Roger Abbott 6:20
M65 Bryan Thomas 6:10
M65 Richard Hilhorst 6:16
M65 Tony Booth 6:06 24:49.77

W65 Val Chesterton
W65 Francis Harris
W65 Sue Counsel
W65 Jennifer Odgers 34:09.33

W70 Cory Collins 7:53
W70 Anne Young 9:28
W70 Alison Ide 8:50
W70 Consie Larmour 8:05 34:20.42

2. The official results are incomplete and don't show all individual times or who set records. Obviously the M50 team didn't set a record, because there is an M35 runner in the team. The first M45 team smashed their national record; as did we old 55s and I believe the M65s as well. The W65 and W70 runners would have established national records I expect. I am surprised no M60 team ran; that age group is quite strong now. If they had Kevin Chamberlain, Des Brown, Kent Williams, and Garry Hand, for example, they would have beaten the M55s! No younger women's teams too is a bit disappointing.

3. Other Team Moore results from Thursday night:

400m
W40 Katie Forestier 74.07

3000m
M45 Amalendu Edelsten 10:24.39
M45 Roger Pilkington 12:12.67
M65 Tony Booth 15:04.74
W40 Katie Forestier 12:12.41
W55 Margaret McSpadden 15:11.94

triple jump advantage

postscript: spiral 8
2 Katie Forestier W40 15:14
3 Ken White M50 15:14
4 Ruth Baussmann W55 17:14
5 Margaret McSpadden W55 17:36
8 Roger Pilkington M45 14:59
11 Amalendu Edelsten M45 12:29
12 Geoff Moore M55 14:12
14 Amanda Walker W35 15:08
18 Tony Booth M65 16:49
20 Kathy Sims W55 16:38

New Australian record - ACHIEVED!

"People don't know why we run, but it's the hard work you put into practice, and the reward you get from the race." - Courtney Parsons

"I run because it's my passion, and not just a sport. Every time I walk out the door, I know why I'm going where I'm going and I'm already focused on that special place where I find my peace and solitude. Running, to me, is more than just a physical exercise... it's a consistent reward for victory!" - Sasha Azevedo

"People ask why I run. I say, "If you have to ask, you will never understand". It is something only those select few know. Those who put themselves through pain, but know, deep down, how good it really feels." - Erin Leonard

Another dinner photo

Mark and Barbara Tucker at our Christmas dinner.

Mission accomplished! Our M55 team managed to break the National 4 x 1500m record by about 18 seconds. Conditions were not as hot as expected; but it was warm, humid, and smoky from all the bushfires, with a strong breeze from the west. Nevertheless we ran about 21:23: Trevor Cobbold around 5:07. Paul Archer 5:26, speedygeoff 5:31, and John Lamb 5:08. Each runner ran above themselves considering each individual circumstance!

Other age group teams in the same race may also have broken or established Australian records. I think the M45 and the M50 teams broke their records by a considerably larger margin than we did; and overshadowing all these great performances was the run by the W70 team; yes a team of women aged 70 and over completed the race and established an amazing National record which other states will surely find hard to beat.

I will publish the full official results when they become available.

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

5. Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.











FOOTNOTES

1. Zatopek men 10k some good pbs here!
1, Galen Rupp, USA, 28:28.18.
2, Bret Schoolmeester, USA, 28:46.26.
3, Lee Troop, VIS, 28:53.31.
4, David McNeill, VIC, 29:05.32.
5, Kim Gillard, TAS, 29:11.49.
6, Russell Dessaix-Chin, NSW, 29:15.59.
7, Michael Chettle, VIC, 29:22.61.
8, David Ruschena, VIC, 29:25.61.
9, Jason Woolhouse, NZL, 29:32.08.
10, Jeffrey Hunt, NSW, 29:32.24.
11, Liam Adams, VIC, 29:35.58.
12, Rees Buck, ACT, 29:48.99.
13, Erwin McRae, ACT, 29:49.41.
14, Anthony Haber, ACT, 29:51.01.
15, Scott McTaggart, ACT, 29:52.60.
16, Brian Livingstone, QLD, 29:57.54.
17, Andrew White, VIC, 30:02.35.
18, Matthew McDonough, VIC, 30:14.94.
19, Scott Rantall, VIC, 30:17.09.
20, Ryan Jackson, VIC, 31:23.59.
21, Linton Gloster, VIC, 32:06.16.
--, Youcef Abdi, NSWIS, DNF.
--, Mark Tucker, VIC, DNF.

2. Zatopek women 10k
1, Jessica Ruthe, NZL, 33:04.52.
2, Lisa Jane Weightman, VIC, 33:25.90.
3, Lauren Shelley, WAIS, 33:59.61.
4, Kristy Villis, SA, 34:29.83.
5, Eliza Stewart, NSW, 34:36.79.
6, Jennifer Gillard, TAS, 35:29.39.
7, Robyn Millard, VIC, 36:18.28.
8, Jenny Truscott, NSW, 36:20.90.
9, Sarah Grahame, VIC, 36:55.57.
10, Lisa Dick, VIC, 37:07.88.
11, Greta Truscott, NSW, 37:16.63.
--, Sarah Salmon, ACT, DNF.

3. Back to the 4 x 1500m relay. Trevor Jacobs turns 55 in a couple of weeks. So our record should last until 1 February 2007 the day we run another set of 4 x 1500m relays. Yesterday Trevor ran a time close to 5 minutes running with the M50 team. My challenge will be to improve enough to stay in the M55 team!

Trevor Jacobs

Australian record attempt

"Don't underestimate the importance of easy days. Easy days help you beat fatigue, to keep fatigue from beating you." - Bob Glover

Another dinner photo.



speedy geese times for Tuesday's Parliamentary Relays:
9. Mick Horan M45 5:47
31. Richard Faulks M45 6:24
48. Geoff Moore M55 7:00
54. Maria O'Reilly W50 7:11
60. Ken Eynon M60 7:38 (corrected 15/12)
61. Mark Tucker M50 7:44
62. Carol Baird W55 7:45
64. Ewen Thompson M45 7:57
78. Ruth Baussmann W55 8:40
79. Margaret McSpadden W55 8:45
81. Roy Jones M60 8:50
85. Barbara Tucker W55 9:52
88. Graeme Small M65 10:12


How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

4. Rottweiler: Make me.

FOOTNOTES

1. With much apprehension I join the team tonight who will try for a fast 4 x 1500m relay time, and hopefully a new Australian record. This is the M55 age group we are talking about here, you must understand. This would give me a lifetime total of three Australian records: there is in my possession a previous 4 x 1500m record certificate for a time which was subsequently broken; and more significantly, the 3000m M35 individual record, which still stands after 22 years.

2. My 1500m times in the last few years are “very average”; I could run anything from 5:20 thru 5:50 tonight. Or even slower. A 5:50 might not be good enough to get the team through, though.

3. All the same, the current Australian Record for M55 is held by the ACT, set in 2005, the team consisting of Garry Maher, Kevin Chamberlain, Trevor Cobbold and Geoff Sims. They ran 21:42. An average time of "only" 5:25 is all we need to break it.

Save Our Schools

Team Moore dinner

Lots of Italian food was enjoyed last night, and wine, at della Rocca where the speedy geese met for a Christmas get together. The only problem was that my car wouldn't start before we left home, so speedyJenny drove me there in hers. Probably a blessing.



How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

3. Dachshund: You know I can't reach that stupid lamp!

FOOTNOTES

1. Thursday night’s track program:
6.00 3000m, heavy weight, pole vault
6.15 60m
6.30 1500m walk
6.45 long jump
7.00 4 x 1500m relay, javelin, discus
7.30 400m
7.45 triple jump, javelin, discus, 200m hurdles
8.00 4 x 200m relay
8.15 spiral 8

2. OK. At last night’s Parliament house relays, I ran well enough to be confident that I can run a reasonable 1500m tomorrow. So the team of Trevor Cobbold, John Lamb, Paul Archer, and myself, has a chance of an M55 relay record. I am the weakest link! My time yesterday wasn’t all that “flash” but “OK” will be good enough on Thursday.

3. Politics rarely gets a mention in this blog because it is so boring boring boring and because of massive overkill elsewhere in the blogosphere. Nevertheless, today is the day our "leaders" in the ACT will be announcing which schools will close forever from 2007 or 2008. The reason for mentioning this is, Team Moore's very own Trevor Cobbold is the fearless leader of the resistance; heading the SOS (the "Save Our Schools") organisation. Boy has he been busy lately, with radio interviews, press releases, meeting etc etc. Go Trevor, you rock! Just get to tomorrow's relay on time, OK?

The next "the next generation" generation

"Catch the person in front of you. Stay in front of the person behind you. Beat the shadow next to you!"

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

2. Border Collie: Just one. And then I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.




Geese seen flying up Black Mountain last Sunday:
16. Richard Faulks M45 22:55
20. Bob Harlow M55 23:11
25. Roger Pilkington M45 24:03
29. John Kennedy M55 24:15
42. Emma Adams W35 25:43
44. Maria O'Reilly W50 25:58
45. Mick Horan M45 26:00
46. Mark Kethro M45 26:12
52. Carol Baird W55 27:13
68. Charmaine Knobel W50 29:20
76. Mick Charlton M50 30:27
91. Barbara Tucker W55 32:04
97. Peter Hogan M55 32:50
106. Margaret McSpadden W55 34:18
112. Rod Gilchrist M60 35:46





FOOTNOTES

1. Cool weather in Canberra today, hurray. Even if only for one day. No rain but.

2. There have been lots of visitors to this blog looking at Nic Bideau's article, or trying out the superhero quiz. Welcome!

3. Dogs will have their day until Christmas.

speedyKayleigh at the races. Not the next generation; the one after that.

What cool change?

quote of the week: " "Believe in yourself, know yourself, deny yourself, and be humble." - John Treacy's four principles of training

My training progress
last week's target: 90k, actual 34k

this week’s target: 90k
weight: 64kg and steady

A combination of feeling unwell, and stinking hot weather, means I have been running very little of late. Reading the blogs of other runners around Australia I see that there has been respite from the heat in most capitals; not here in Canberra though; not yet. Here the maximum temperature has been consistently mid thirties, with smoke from the Victorian bushfires adding to our discomfort.

song of the week: Radiohead - Paranoid Android, from "Ok Computer"

"Rain down, rain down, come on rain down on me
"From a great height, from a great height, height"

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

1. Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?

FOOTNOTES

1. We are back to normal training tonight at Parliament House. "Normal" might mean running in steamy heat. Or avoiding large raindrops. Or both at the same time.

2. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully I can get a good run in at the Parliament House relays before meeting up with everyone at della Rocca, for our training group dinner, tomorrow evening. But for now, today is your last chance to rsvp for the dinner.

3. If you can start the day without a cigarette,
If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
If you can honestly say that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color, religion or politics,
Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog.

-Author unknown

Kvack Kvack

"Man imposes his own limitations, don't set any." - Anthony Bailey

Speedygeese results from last Thursday:

800m Pennington
1 Colin Farlow M45 2:12
2 Kevin Chamberlain M60 2:23
3 Mick Horan M45 2:13
7 Amalendu Edelsten M45 2:16
10 Ken White M50 2:29
12 Rod Lynch M45 2:29
13 Geoff Sims M55 2:39
17 Maria O'Reilly W50 2:57
18 Helen Larmour W45 2:55
23 Neil Boden M55 3:09
25 Roger Pilkington M45 3:11

2000m
M45 Amalendu Edelsten 6:48.61
M45 Rod Lynch 7:07.87
M50 Ken White 8:10.20
M55 Neil Boden 8:35.35
W40 Katie Forestier 8:15.91

3000m
M45 Roger Pilkington 12:27.72
W35 Amanda Walker 13:08.17
W40 Katie Forestier 12:27.60

FOOTNOTES


Hägar cartoons remind me of my days at the ABS. But I won’t explain why. Let's just say that "Helga lives". As does Lucky Eddie.

Which Superhero are you?

My results: I am The Flash

The Flash 85%
Spider-Man 70%
Supergirl 63%
Robin 55%
Hulk 55%
Green Lantern 55%
Iron Man 55%
Wonder Woman 43%
Superman 35%
Catwoman 30%
Batman 20%

The Flash - "Fast, athletic and flirtatious"


Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

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