Category: Running (Page 1 of 6)

After a very successful 2021/22 the plans to push on with 400m training through the winter and chase the Australian M50 400m record did not work out. The combination of a couple of injuries, changing work and laziness restricted my training. Seeing the results from the WMA Champs in Finland did not help either, but they went and I didn’t.

With some very wet months my local grass track nearly unusable and the lower body did not like the couple of times I went to the synthetic track at Mingara. Even at Mingara all warm ups had to be done on the track as the infield was closed due to water saturation.

However the worse part of the break was the poor eating habits on top of limited exercise. Weight wise I went from 88kg to 95 kg in 6-7 months.

So what about 2022 / 23?

For a while I was doubting I would have much of a season at all and said as much on a message to my coach. It has been in helping the LOC for the 2023 Australian Masters Athletics Championships in building the event website and setting up the registration system that started to get me going. The meet is in Match and I could now count the months on 1 hand.

A few random training sessions and a couple of races at my local club in November gave me enough confidence to try a more competitive couple of races in Sydney at Olympic Park. Usually I would have run in opens but for first runs I stayed in the 50+ age group. This went as well as could be expected: 100m 11.96 (-0.7) and 200m 23.93 (0.1). I was stiff and sore the next day but the body held up.

The Plan

1. Improve the eating. I have started by cutting out the added sugar. Flavoured milk gone, mid morning and afternoon snacks gone. There is a minimum of 6 kg but potentially 8 or 9 kg to be dropped.
2. Consistent training. The grass track in Gosford is in reasonable condition so I will start there before moving back to some sessions on synthetic. It really depends on the legs. Alternatives like pool sessions might be needed.

Aims

1. Win sprint Champions race at Australian Masters. 3 places in last 3 times held is annoying me. So many damn good male masters sprinters will not make it easy.
2. Lower the 60 and 100m M50 records. Especially the 60m record (7.35) can go lower.
3. Break the 400m record (51.81).

Other Meets

There is the World Masters Indoors in March (Poland) and Oceania Masters (Northern Marianas) for June but its unlikely I will go to either.