That’s great about the large improvements and PB’s recently… You’ve made HUGE strides in your training, I’ve been keeping track… Keep up the great work! 
Lol!!! Great work on pbs, today was a great day for pbs as well in chch. Get your 200m time down so maybe we can race some time
Thanks guys your encouragement is very much appreciated.
So Rap, you wanna kick my ass huh! I don’t need to race you to get that done over 200m there are plenty of young bucks here who can do that thanks 
I have rest and test next week (starting Wednesday) so will be interested to see how it goes. Will do 150m & 400m on Friday then 200m, 300m & max weights on Sunday.
I’ll see about taking some vids next week in the meantime you’ll have to be satisfied with these golf ones I took today
Just booked my flights to and from Brisbane for CF seminar
Hi John,
So what do You put those PBs down to? It’s important that you know the answer(s) because then you will understand much more about how to reproduce such excellence again. That’s what our sport is about at the sharp end: the ability to produce a performance on demand (you demand or someone else’s demand, eg: national championships date & time-tabling). There is raely only one reason for such a breakthrough, so check your diary, diet, rehab, rest, sequence of training, warm-up, weather/wind circumstances, training environment etc. … oh and Bloody Well Done! kk
Good question. In all honesty it really is a combination of things which I’ll try and list in order.
Consistent well structured training
This isn’t a suck up but the template has worked well for me. I have made very minor modifications (tempo instead of long runs in GPP and then 3 x long hills for some track work due to calf). That said I have at times alteredthings if I felt I really needed to, that has only been dropping a couple of weights sessions though. The benefit of the GPP work is starting to show in that I am not so nervous and hesitant about going for broke from the start. My confidence right now is pretty high (consistently smashing PBs does that 
)
Staying / getting healthy
I had a few hassles with my calf in particular but this is now 100% in fact it is the best it has been for 12 months My left knee has a tendency to be a bit stiff and sore but that too has improved the last few weeks. I have also maanged to avoid any colds or other bugs lurking around which meant I could train as I wanted.
Right now health wise I feel great. In part that is related to the next thing.
Improved diet.
First off my diet wasn’t bad and if you look at the outline on the previous page the only big change is at breakfast where I have changed from oatmeal with PP to a fruit smoothie most days. The rest is pretty much the same. I wasn’t getting enough fruit so all that in the smoothie is new.
I thought long and hard about your comments after the last vid I posted, in particular the bit about
Then again, as you say, it’s nothing 20 years and/or 20lbs reduction wouldn’t fix I can’t turn back the clock but I can make a difference re my weight. 20lbs (9kg) might be a bit dramatic and possibly too much but I needed to get leaner!
It will be interesting to see what I weigh next week when I next get on the scales but since the beginning of July (around the time you made that comment) I have lost 7.3lbs (3.3 kg). I feel a lot better for it
At Raps advice I have added glutamine to my diet. That and the other changes has improved my recovery. This means I can train harder. I wasn’t slacking before but the quality is at a higher level.
Transition phase
The increased focus on improving max speed has made a big difference both physically and psycologically. In GPP (as it was all new) I kept thinking, I need to work on my max speed, I am inherintly slow, how can I get faster over 400m if my top speed is so slow? 
Now that I have worked through that once I wont be so concerned in future.
Been more aggressive
Although I knew I needed to I had been reluctant to go too hard from the start on my longer reps for fear of blowing up. I still have a long way to go on it but am getting better.
Got stronger
The weight room numbers still aren’t great (esp Power clean) but my squat in particular has stayed pretty much the same despite the weight reduction so my strength to bodyweight has improved.
Improved technique
I’m not underestimating this but without all the above I doubt this would ever have happened. Wednesday’s workout may turn out to have been a turning point. I know I am still pretty slow and have a long way to go but I now feel like I am starting to sprint rather than simply running.
Improved weather
There will still be another cold snap (it is part of or weather pattern) and Dunners will never be tropical but it has been a lot more pleasant the last few weeks I possibly could have trained in shorts yesterday.
Sorry for the long answer but you did ask. Although they are listed in order in most cases they could be equal and are interrelated as in without that I couldn’t have done that.
I always ask “my” athletes to keep their own diary which I check on any given day. It helps them to be able to look back and see how they have improved (psychologically uplifting), but more importantly it helps them understand how to control their performance peak - the sequence leading up to it. It’s about Performance on Demand.
Sleep
6 solid hours
Track
Race Modelling: 4 x 100 finishing at water jump
300m walk recovery between reps
Rest 15 mins
- = 2 mins rest
200m @ 33.06 + 200m @ 30.43 (last week 33.6 + 30.69)
rest 30 mins
200m @ 32.81 + 31.19 (last week 34.78 + 30.03)
Total time this week was 127.49 sec, last week 129.01, and the week before 128.59 secs. Not surprisingly I was a bit flat following yesterdays effort. Was cool with wet track & a light breeze (headwind on first 200m)
Recovery
will have bath and use foam roller later.
Rating
7.5
Bought the new Ben Harper album “Both sides of the gun” today me likey
Sleep
7 1/2 solid hours
Bench
180 sec rest
60 x 3, 65 x 3, 70 x 3, 75 x 3, 80 x 1
Hang power clean
60 sec rest
37 x 2s x 3r
43 x 2s x 3r
50 x 2s x 3r
55 x 1s x 3r
60 x 1s x 3r
Olympic squat
90 sec rest
75 x 3s x 8r
Chins
90 sec rest
2s x 5r
Overhead squat
90 sec rest
32 x 2s x 5r
Tempo
- = 30 sec rest
100+100+100++
100+100+200+100++
100+100+200+200++
100+100+200+100++
100+100+100++
Abs
10 mins x various exercises 30 sec on / 30 sec off
prones 2 mins
Rating
7
Below is my plan for the next 3 weeks starting this coming Wednesday. At the end of this I’ll do another rest and test week. That will leave me approx 2 ½ weeks (still to be confirmed) till the first race of season. I have resisted the urge to do block work till that last 2 ½ weeks.
Comments?
Week 1
Wednesday
Med ball dive to mat 2s x 5r
Hills 2s x 5r x 10m
Ins & outs x 4 (40-20-20 10 mins rest between)
Rest 15 mins
3 sets walkback between reps 5 mins between sets
Tire drag 2 x 22m
Skips 2 x 50m
Thursday
3 x 4 x 150m fast relaxed (straight 150m in flats on grass 1 min between reps. 10 mins between sets)
- weights
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Med ball dive to mat 2s x 5r
Hills 2s x 5r x 10m
Ins & Outs x 3r (40-20-20 10 mins rest between)
Rest 15 mins
300+60,50,40,30; 200+60,50,40,30; 150+60,50,40,30 (30sec rest between long rep and first short rep, 10 mins between sets)
- weights
Sunday
Long Hills x 4 15 mins between
Monday
Weights + tempo
Tuesday
Rest
Week 2
Wednesday
Med ball dive to mat 2s x 5r
Hills 2s x 5r x 10m
Skips 2 x 50m
Ins & outs x 3r (40-20-20 10 mins rest between)
Rest 10 mins
(In Sequence: 3 point, standing, Flying)
Walkback between reps 5 mins between methods.
3 x 30m, 3 x 40m, 3 x 60m
Thursday
2 x 200m + 200m (2mins between 200m reps 30 mins between sets)
1st 200m fast relaxed smooth at approx 90%
Two minutes recovery.
2nd 200m at 100%
- weights
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Med ball dive to mat 2s x 5r
Hills 2s x 5r x 10m
Skips 2 x 50m
Ins & Outs x 3r (40-20-20 10 mins rest between)
Rest 15 mins
2 x 300+150 (30 sec between long and short rep, 30 mins between sets)
- weights
Sunday
5 x 200 fast relaxed (straight 200m in flats on grass 2 mins between reps)
Monday
Weights + tempo
Tuesday
Rest
Week 3
Wednesday
Med ball dive to mat 2s x 5r
Hills 2s x 5r x 10m
Skips 2 x 50m
Ins & outs x 3r (40-20-20 10 mins rest between)
Rest 10 mins
(In Sequence: push up, 3 point, standing)
Walkback between reps 5 mins between methods.
3 x 30m
Thursday
Long hills x 3 15 mins between
- weights
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Med ball dive to mat 2s x 5r
Hills 2s x 5r x 10m
Skips 2 x 50m
Ins & Outs x 3r (40-20-20 10 mins rest between)
Rest 15 mins
300m, 250m, 200m, 150m, 100m. walk start 10 mins between sets
- weights
Sunday
Race Modelling: 4 x 100 (down backstraight and into the turn through the 200m start area, finishing at the waterjump).
2 x 200m + 200m (2mins between 200m reps 30 mins between sets)
1st 200m fast relaxed smooth at approx 90%
Two minutes recovery.
2nd 200m at 100%
Monday
Weights + tempo
Tuesday
Rest
I’m testing tomorrow and Sunday and am undecided whether to go
a) 150 rest 30 minutes 400m
or
b) 400m rest 30 minutes 150m
I can see advantages to both. Sunday isn’t so much an issue as doing 300m & 200m so will do 300m first.
Would appreciate views.
John, if was only testing the 400, then the (b) session would be good. If you want to test your speed and 400, I would do test (a).
Your (b) test will suffer in the 150 for top speed. Perhaps if you did it this way, you could do a 400 time trail, wait 2 minutes and do a 150? Test your acidity? Improve in that and you 400 will surly improve! The only hard thing about that is not to save yourself for the 150 during the 400m.
I would like to see your (a) sample myself!
(a) was the way I am tending towards.
Your (b) test will suffer in the 150 for top speed. Perhaps if you did it this way, you could do a 400 time trail, wait 2 minutes and do a 150? That is why I have the 300 + 150, and 2 x 200m with 2 mins between in training.
Thurs 24 Aug
Sleep
5 1/2 hours 
warm up, warm down
Recovery
bath and foam roller
In the past I have made pretty accurate predictions on my time trials this time I’m not so sure but expect PB’s on 150, 400 & 300.
I’ll go out on a limb and say
150 @ 19
400 @ 62 (30 & 32) this would be an almost 4 sec PB
300 @ 45 which would be an almost 1 sec PB from last Saturday.
I’ll weigh myself on Sunday…I hate to think what that will be :rolleyes:
Sleep
6 hours
Although not long felt ok and lazed in bed for 90 mins before getting up.
Time Trials
80m @ 11.37 last 2 times were 11.41 & 11.47 so minimal improvement but at least not backwards
Rest 15 mins
400m @ 66.66 (32.06 & 34.6) versus time on 25 July which was 66.12 (31.89 & 34.23)
Rating
6
BUGGER!!! :mad:
Made a last morning change to plan and did above, will do 300 & 150 on Sunday. Conditions were fantastic and felt really good so no excuses. Decided 80m was better indication of speed which I know is a critical issue it also left me fresher for the 400m ….damn can’t use that as an excuse
I have to keep in mind this is still only the 3rd 400m I have ever run and still have 6 weeks till the season STARTS. My main meet pre Christmas is in mid November so still a fair bit of time. I feel good and strong just need to get faster (gee you need to be arocket scientist to figure that out :rolleyes: ).
Will be interesting to see how Sunday goes.
is that meet the one in the gold coast, Pan pacific games?
seems i am now old enough for that. 30-34 yr age group.
too bad about the times. one thing you will find with doing 400’s for the 1st time. is pace judgement. sometimes when is windy, you think, man, ill have to push that 1st 200 a bit harder due to the head wind. then when the conditions are great, you go, well, this will be a bit easier, so you go a bit more easier in the 1st 200, yet slow down the same anyway!
I would like to see you push out a 30 or 29.8 1st 200 in good conditions. And compair your 2nd 200 agaist say todays 2nd 200.
Considering your 35-300, we know you can do it. Toughen up and run the 400 like your doing a 300, and just continue that last 100! Are you going to slow 6 seconds in 100m? perhaps, i have in a 800m! or perhaps only 3 seconds?
Perhaps try on sunday? i have found 400’s hit your energy systems more than you CNS. backing up by sunday should be more than doable.
No South Island Masters Track and Field. This is my last year in the 40-45 age groupas I turn 45 in June : .
Thanks for the input it is much appreciated.
You’ll get no argument from me re needing to man up, grow some balls and go for death that first 200 :eek: I may back up on Sunday as a comparison good call, especially as 300’s are a staple of my training.
Hmmm what to do? What to do?
On reflection perhaps I was over optimistic about yesterday. I had run a 300m PB the previous Saturday of 45.97 which by extension is a 61.3 400m but we know that it is damn near impossible to maintain that same pace so my 62 was pretty ‘out there’ and based upon my premise that the 300m time was the last week of Transition and by yesterday I would be more recovered.
Perhaps I under rated my general recovery and it was higher last Sat than I thought By this I mean last week I thought I was at 6.5 on recovery scale of 1-10 (10 highest) and expected to be at 9 yesterday when in fact it was more like 7.5 and 8
Or maybe more simply it was as above and I didn’t go hard enough over that first 200m. This could be due to being a nancy boy wimp but I sure as well went for it over the whole 400m and felt like shit after it. which I took as a good sign I would be more concerned if I felt ok post 400m.
I still haven’t decided what I’ll do tomorrow and will probably decide when I get there dependent upon a few factor such as the conditions and who else is there. I am thinking of (in order)
NOTE all done with a 100m then rest 30 minutes before the below options.
a) doing another 400m and getting someone to pace me even through that first 200m. Unfortunately my son isn’t suitable and my daughter is busy. Damn its sad when I need paced by my 12 year old daughter who runs 800m & 1500m .
b) doing another 400m with the sole purpose of ‘blowing up’ and getting ugly :eek: in other words do that first 200m at 200m pace and then having a differential of at least 5 seconds so it would be a success even if I run 67 again if it is 29.5 + 37.5. That may be hard to do on my own.
c) 200m, I do plenty of 300’s in training so testing those may not be so critical, I don’t do many fresh 200’s and that first 200m hard is criucial.
sounds good john. having back up plans depending on things like the weather and such is great. Plan C, sounds good, if not done on sunday, some time soon would be interesting.
John,
I’m not sure what day you ran your 400 trial, but if as I suspect it was only on Friday then you really don’t want to be running another 400 on Sunday. Two maximum efort 400 in a week is enough for the best, much less 2 x 400 in 3 days. That might bury you and you’ll stay buried for weeks.
Do a 300 and then come back 30 to 40 mins later and do a flying 200. Speed maintenance is the biggst issue for 400 folk.
When next you trial at 400m, dispense with everything else on that day. You do not blow your quads out with an 80m time trial or anything else before trialling over 400m. You only have so much in your envelope. The 400m for anyone is an exacting event when done 100%, so you need full tanks and fresh legs coming in or you’ll go out backwards.
If your legs are not too bad, you might consider doing some race modelling into and out of the turns, just maybe 5 runs over 80m building up and easing out.
Then you might want to race a 400m on Monday or Tuesday - with fresh legs.
It’s just my opinion. You should respect the event (400m). It’s a bitch and a half if you don’t save everything you’ve got for it. It’s a very jealous lover
KitKat,
would the third option be a good one -under the circumstances (i.e., no need for another 400 m/more lactic work)- in order to “test” the 200 m and plan accordingly for the future (e.g., first half of the race)? From the options he presented, I would go with the 3rd one, hence my question. Thanks!
Thanks for the input guys, as always it is very much appreciated
I guess a big part of my reasoning for considering the 2nd 400m today (Sunday) was as self punishment I hadn’t originally planned on 2 x 400m in 3 days a bit annoyed at Fridays result and thought …HA I’ll teach you a lesson ya
lazy bastard!!!..ANOTHER 400m for you on Sunday :eek:
Not sure what the day will be like (it is 5.20am) but I wont be running aother 400 today. I haven’t decided which option yet and probably won’t till I get there and see what the situation is like. My legs feel pretty good and I will do something today as Monday I am out of town all day doing job interviews, Tuesday I am flat out with meetings / catch up from Monday then Wednesday out of town most of the day for a meeting
I’ll keep that in mind re the next 400m which will be in 4 weeks.
Good win for the ABs in SA