31 Oct

Q: Why do computer programmers confuse Halloween and Christmas?

A: Because 31 oct = 25 dec.

post number 744

Brindabella baton change



Deek's Drive. How you look if you start your watch as you start a race.



How to finish strong. Two feet off the ground. And fast green shoes.

Warning Sign

quote of the week: " Every winner has scars." - Herbert Casson

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

this week’s target: 85k
weight: 62.5kg and falling

I will have scars this week! The skin is being treated, and also I have had some (unrelated) blood tests, let's hope everything is alright. I have also run on the track at interclub for the first time for 15 or 16 years; a rather humbling experience. The 3000m time (under 12 mins) was OK for me as a 58 year old but no other similar runners were there: who wants to join me next time?

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…


You have been warned


last word
“He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot” – Groucho Marx

Monthly Handicap results from Sunday

Speedy Geese running the Vets 8k handicap Sunday 29/10
12 Geoff Sims M55 39:36
19 Amanda Walker W35 38:29
22 Margaret McSpadden W55 43:51
28 Christopher Lang M55 41:58
30 Neville Madden M50 35:34
31 Jill Brown W55 46:33
33 Peter McDonald M50 40:19
34 Annette Sugden W40 38:12
35 Geoff Barker M60 40:26
36 Rod Lynch M45 31:27
40 Caroline Campbell W60 42:45
41 Mick Saunders M55 38:28
49 Cathy Newman W45 37:25
50 Alan Duus M60 38:51
56 Mick Horan M45 35:10
61 Charmaine Knobel W50 42:11
72 Maria O'Reilly W50 36:44
74 Colin Farlow M45 32:12
78 Ruth Baussmann W55 43:30
80 Graeme Small M65 48:45
91 Barbara Tucker W55 47:32
92 Tony Booth M65 46:19
93 Roger Pilkington M45 39:05
94 Kathy Sims W55 43:57

Speedy Geese running the Vets 4k handicap Sunday 29/10
8 Alice Scott W60 24:34
10 Maureen Rossiter W55 20:22 Gold Medal
14 Ken White M50 20:01
19 Geoff Moore M55 16:27
21 Carol Baird W55 18:45
32 Ken Gordon M40 15:54
36 Katie Forestier W40 17:25
42 Gary Bowen M45 17:30

Track Results from last Thursday

Speedy Geese Vets Track Results Thu 26/10/2006

200m
M55 Mick Saunders 34.66
M65 Michael Roche 34.98
M65 Tony Booth 37.68

3000m
M45 Colin Farlow 10:23.41
M55 Geoff Moore 11:31.50
M55 Trevor Cobbold 11:34.46 (pb)
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 11:38.30
M45 Gary Bowen 12:55.91
W45 Cathy Newman 12:56.86 (established pb)
M65 Tony Booth 13:02.28
M55 Mick Saunders 13:19.40
M55 Geoff Sims 13:22.09 (didn't run one last season)
M60 Geoff Barker 14:38.90
W55 Margaret McSpadden 14:49.49
W55 Ruth Baussmann 15:03.46
W60 Alice Scott 16:55.50

5000m
M65 Tony Booth 24:59.83 (didn't run one last season)

800m
M45 Mick Horan 2:18.97
M50 Neville Madden 2:24.68 (best last season 2:25)
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 2:33.90
M50 Ken White 2:36.57
W40 Katie Forestier 2:47.63
M55 Geoff Sims 2:50.33
M45 Gary Bowen 2:53.23
M65 Tony Booth 2:58.08
W55 Kathy Sims 3:04.20
W50 Charmaine Knobel 3:07.72
W55 Maureen Rossiter 3:13.16
W55 Jill Brown 3:16.75
W55 Ruth Baussmann 3:36.81 (established pb)
W55 Margaret McSpadden 3:40.22

3000m late
W40 Katie Forestier 12:27.97
M50 Ken White 12:53.40
W35 Amanda Walker 13:07.28 (didn't run one last season)
M55 Mick Saunders 13:36.46
M60 Geoff Barker 14:59.51

count the geese

“If you can't fly, then run.
If you can't run, then walk.
If you can't walk, then crawl.
But whatever you do, keep moving.” -- Martin Luther King, Jr.



ACTA Events
These are the races put on by ACT Athletics at the AIS.

Sunday 15 October (the come and try it day)
Kathy Southgate 3000m 10:50.02 – W50 record was 11:47.0, Kathy Sims’s
Katie Forestier 3000m 12:30.92
Roger Pilkington 3000m 11:36.01
Kevin Chamberlain 3000m 12:02.82
Kevin Chamberlain 800m 2:32.56
Roger Pilkington 800m 2:36.07
also Katie Forestier 800m 2:39.31 this appears to be a mistake!

Saturday 21 October (first week of interclub)
Kathy Southgate 1500m 5:15.75 – W50 record was 5:28.49, Maria O’Reilly’s

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." - Groucho Marx

count the geese in this picture

Three slow geese and a speedy gosling set a new hands-holding record of 4:49.42, while the previous record hand-holders can only look on in awe.

13 to 81

quote of the day: "What is to give light must endure burning." -- Victor Frankl

My favourite song, "Light Surrounding You" by Evermore, quoted under the banner, has entered the Australian charts at number 8 this week, so its video clip will be on "Rage" early tomorrow morning (as well as "Video Hits" etc. I guess). Can't wait to see the clip. (edit - about 7:20 am or so, on ABCTV)

On 24 July I said “you the reader range in years from 12 (I believe) to 76 (I believe)”. I can update that now! The lower number has moved from 12 to 13, ah how time does pass. The higher number would have moved by now to 77 except I forgot two who are regular readers and neither of them let on they were older! Keith, you’re now 80; but my mum wins the race; she turned 81 this month. So you the reader now range from 13 to 81. And happy birthday to speedyJarod, six years old tomorrow. Don't think Jarod's a reader yet though.

Another great track meet last night; colder and blusterier than the previous week, the weather didn't stop me from taking eight more seconds off my 3k time and run 11:31, with quite a big negative split. I have "only" 16 more seconds to improve to attain my target time, and two months to do it.

Great running from Katie winning her heat of the 800m in fine style, also Colin tearing away in the 3000m for clear second.

"Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?" - Groucho Marx

choices

Monday I said, after the umpteenth phone call about unrelated subjects, "I’ve got too many hats; in too many pies"

Still, it's my choice to do so much "when I am supposed to be retired".

Far far better to be busy than to be bored.

I always review my priorities at the end of the year (sort of akin to new year resolutions, although the only thing I really resolve is to "commit to less".)

On the training and competing front this year, to take the pressure off, a mid year decision was to treat many "races" as tempo runs. And when (if!) all the indicators are favorable (weight lower; training consistent; niggles at bay), pick an upcoming race and go for it.

It seems to be working; I have run two successive BBQ Stake 6k's both in 26.53, on days when most struggled with heat and/or breeze, I felt comfortable and still finished in the middle of the (handicapped) field. And I haven't succumbed to new injuries or aggravated old ones (yet!)

So I will continue taking the pressure off by running at 80-90% effort in all my races, and who knows, by January I may be in a position to loosen the reins.

Time for a mathematics joke.

At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual, later discovered to be a public school teacher, was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule, and a calculator.

At a morning press conference, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-Gebra movement.

He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

"Al-gebra is a fearsome cult, "Gonzales said. They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value.

They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as unknowns, but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, "There are three sides to every triangle."

When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes."

watch it buddy

running, not hiding

Speedy Geese results
Brindabella Classic Relay Teams
3. "Brindabella Mermaids" FFFF 4:21:30
10. "Three Slow Geese and a Speedy Gosling" FFFF 4:49:44
There were twenty relay teams.

Bulls Head Challenge
7. Cathy Newman W45 1:59:27
10. Roger Pilkington M45 2:09:00
12. Geoff Barker M60 2:13:16


Second track meet of the season,

Thursday October 26
at the AIS.


6.00 pm 3000m (GM), Hammer Throw
6.15 pm 100m (D)
6.30 pm 1500m Walk
6.45 pm High Jump
7.00 pm 800m, Shot, Discus (1st group)
7.30 pm 200m
7.45 pm Triple Jump (QA), Shot/Discus (2), Sprint Hurdles
8.00 pm 4x400m Relay
8.15 pm 3000/5000m

Admission is $3 at the gate, new members welcome. Vets is great fun and not at all scary, dear goslings.. We had a great time last week, lots of new faces. But you must have had a 30th birthday!

stupid cow jigsaw

don't count your goslings before they hatch

Australia's toughest downhill race

click on pictures to enlarge.





thanks to spud

captivated fascinated

The Brindabella Classic, "Australia's Premier downhill race", was on yesterday, see strewth’s blog for a write up. Strewth calls Aki the “Speedy Gosling”. Ha Ha HA. There are a few very sore bodies who won't be along to training tonight. However I will be there, early as usual.

My training progress
last week's target: n/a, actual 50k

this week’s target: 80k
weight: 64kg and steady

I was pretty slack last week. One new thing, I went out to track on Saturday afternoon to watch some of the interclub program. As expected the 1500s were quicker than at Vets. There are some kids I could be up with at the end. They all start too fast though and would be 100m ahead of me by half way. So when I can, I will run, maybe this Saturday is possible, and remember not to start too fast. And I like the design of the new Norths singlets, I will get one.

So this week I will run BBQ Stakes, Vets track, and ACTA track as well if I have time.

song of the week: 2+2=5 – Radiohead, from "Hail To The Thief". I have been listening to Radiohead, Keane, Evermore, Delirious and Chris Tomlin this week.

happy birthday: Colin Farlow turns 45 tomorrow. A tough new age group Col!

wedding bells: Joel and Yelena leave on Wednesday this week for Peru, to get married. The wedding date is 1pm in Lima 0n 4 November, which is 3am on the 5th our time . They will be back in Canberra on Sunday 12th November.

QT

A cutie to counter the terrors of the animal fruit of yesterday. OK?

Here is how the Speedy Geese went on Thursday the first night at track

3000m
M40 (1st in age group) Colin Farlow 10:31.36
M45 (2) Rod Lynch 11:00.03
M45 (3) Richard Faulks 11:18.29
M45 (4) Mick Horan 11:18.60
M60 (1) Kevin Chamberlain 11:35.04 (last season’s best was 12.01)
M55 (1) Geoff Moore 11:39.46
M45 (6) Roger Pilkington 11:41.98
M55 (2) Trevor Cobbold 11:52.58 (last season’s best was 12.07)
W50 (1) Maria O'Reilly 12:16.53
M50 (1) Ken White 12:18.13
W45 (2) Helen Larmour 12:20.52
W40 (1) Annette Sugden 12:42.90 (didn’t run last season)
W55 (1) Carol Baird 13:14.21
M55 (5) Mick Saunders 13:15.58
M65 (2) Tony Booth 13:22.56
W45 (3) Pam Faulks 14:52.94 (last season’s best was 15.17)
W55 (2) Margaret McSpadden 14:58.56
W55 (3) Ruth Baussmann 15:01.61 (established pb)

1500m
M45 (1) Rod Lynch 5:06.21
M50 (2) Neville Madden 5:10.58 (last season’s best was 5:35)
M55 (1) Trevor Cobbold 5:20.87 (didn’t run it last season)
M45 (2) Roger Pilkington 5:22.25
W40 (1) Katie Forestier 5:39.18 (pb was 5:40)
W50 (1) Maria O'Reilly 5:45.89
W45 (1) Helen Larmour 5:49.88 (pb was 5:53)
W55 (1) Kathy Sims 6:03.95
W50 (2) Charmaine Knobel 6:11.88
M55 (2) Mick Saunders 6:13.01
M65 (2) Tony Booth 6:13.07
W35 (1) Amanda Walker 6:16.91 (didn’t run last season)
W55 (2) Ruth Baussmann 7:08.38 (established pb)
W55 (3) Margaret McSpadden 7:19.78

400m
M45 Rod Lynch 65.84
W55 Maureen Rossiter 75.80
M50 Ken White 76.90
W40 Katie Forestier 77.46
W35 Amanda Walker 80.12
W55 Jill Brown 81.80
M65 Michael Roche 82.25
W50 Charmaine Knobel 83.76

4x100 relay
W55 64.67 ACT Record
Jill Brown, Kathy Sims, Margaret Taylor, Maureen Rossiter

Spiral 4
M45 Rod Lynch 5:59
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 6:00
M55 Geoff Moore 6:19
W45 Helen Larmour 6:37
W40 Katie Forestier 6:51
W50 Maria O'Reilly 6:57
W55 Kathy Sims 6:57
W50 Charmaine Knobel 7:01
M55 Mick Saunders 7:03
W35 Amanda Walker 7:20
M45 Roger Pilkington 7:50
M65 Tony Booth 7:52
W55 Maureen Rossiter 7:54
W55 Carol Baird 7:58
W55 Ruth Baussmann 8:05
W55 Margaret McSpadden 8:08

Global warming

Now we just have to find the same progression in running shorts...

Qs

Watch it. I am a venomous banana eater. Don't cross me when I am in a race!


I ask myself the following Qs: why do people intentionally run alongside one another in track races making it impossible to pass them? And why did I let myself get upset when I was charging around the track on Thursday night in the 4 lap spiral and, on three occasions, was expected to move out wide to pass people who were running two abreast who should know better?

If faster runners are coming through there is no need to move out; hugging the inside works fine. BUT courtesy dictates the need to at least run in single file except when passing.

All three pairs I passed were doing it deliberately.

I suppose it is inconsistent of me to ask them to mind their Ps and Qs while I don't. Well, I passed the first pair on the outside muttering "single file please!" I passed the second pair by pushing between them, saying "don't run next to each other!" And the third pair I ducked through on the inside, yelling "single file, PLEASE!"

Sorry, I will shut up next time.


Feeling cut?

QR

on track
Last night I completed the 3000m in 11:39 taking it fairly easy. Only once last season did I run faster than that in any race (11.23). So a very good start, compares with a 12.29 first up 12 months ago. Looks like my 3000m target for 2006 (which I recently revised from 11:10 back to 11:15) is likely.

QR - Queensland Rail, off track.

Here’s where the Queensland tilt train tilted too far a couple of years back. Apparently it was moving at double the authorised speed for that section of track. It makes me wonder how fast you should try to run at the oval at Parliament House on Monday! Its circumference is 200m if you run within an arm’s length from the edge; according to Mr Flibble.

So the lesson to be learned here is, don't train too fast.

back on track
There were many brilliant performances last night, lots of people and many new faces. All time pbs included Pam, Helen and Katie in the 1500. I see the ACTVAC website is being prepared for the 06-07 season, so full details will be available very soon.

"train"; get it?

QP

metre reader
Wearing my *very bright* orange and black shirt today, I glanced out the window to see a young man on my front deck with the exact identical shirt except for the words "meter reader" in bold on the back, doing his thing. My first thought was that he had misspelt "metre". I must be writing too much about running.

bolt from the blue
from the Canberra Times: "An elderly man with a heart condition was shocked when a bolt from a Boeing jet flying overhead plunged through the roof of his Sydney home..."
I thought the story might have been about Carlton supporters deserting the club...

QP

no NO, not the doll, the quarter pounder. Symbol of all things fat. The obese species is taking over the world. Fortunately we can out-run them.

2 degrees
That's the latest minimum forecast for Sunday morning. It will be colder than that at the start of the Brindabella run. Good luck.

See you at the track today.

stepping into the great unknown

how we trained

Monday at Parliament House was the start of our summer season training. After the usual warm-up jog, I got the group to run a fast kilometre, including three chin-ups on the way round the loop; then 30 sit-ups on the oval, six 200 meter runs with only 100m recoveries, then we did some starting practice, which was a lot of fun. Observation - if runners wear watches to time themselves, they lose a lot of time at the start! So my wise advise was to hand your watch to a friend before the start. Actually I can just see runners this season starting their garmins so they can analyse later how far around the track is and how much the elevation varies.

After eight days non-enforced non-running I could not move! something akin to sciatica was killing my lower right calf right from the start, even though I commenced at a very slow jog.

I was 90% better yesterday and a few more days of light running should see the pain subside.

next a 3000m
And so to track tomorrow. Aki, I do plan to step into the great unknown and run at interclub occasionally. I don't mind "pacing" a 5k there at your pace if you want to try it too.

not a dog

p.s. Today it was 21 degrees at 8am, a strong north/west wind, with real rain! This is not the Canberra I know.

no bananas kept on these premises overnight

First track meet of the season,

Thursday October 19
at the AIS.



6.00pm 3000m, Weight Throw , Pole Vault
6.15pm 60m
6.30pm 1000m Walk
6.45pm High Jump
7.00pm 1500m, Shot Put
7.30pm 400m
7.45pm Long Jump, Shot Put (2), 200m Hurdles
8.00pm 4x100m Relay (age or mixed)
8.15pm 4 lap Spiral Handicap



Admission is $3 at the gate, new members welcome.

Vets is great fun and not at all scary.

back on track

My training progress

this week’s target: 80k or so, whatever I can manage
weight: 64kg and creeping upwards – only because I didn’t run last week, and had very large breakfasts. No worries there.

Consistent with persistent rumours, normal service has been resumed. I am back from holidays and looking forward to rediscovering my routine. (sleep in; breakfast; write a post for this blog; lunch; post lunch siesta; off for a run; dinner; a few wines; an episode of 'allo 'allo, and bed)

coming events
Mon 16 October 2006
5:30 pm Parliament House Team Moore weekly training, or 4:30 pm for early starters who would like a longer run. Meet at the underground car park; no cost.

Tue 17 October 2006
9:00 am Veterans weekly Tuesday group, Black Mountain Peninsula. Most participants walk, jog or run for about an hour. Morning tea, and celebrations of any birthdays, follow. A friendly and informal group.

Wed 18 October 2006
12:15 pm weekly BBQ Stakes 6k, Woden (park at Chappell Street Lyons). One of many good lunch time runs. Bring $1 entry and enjoy a hilly handicap race.

Thu 19 October 2006
6:00 pm AIS ACTVAC track program commences. Admission fee $3 per night for club members. Just for tonight, Team Moore will be going for a late dinner afterwards.

Fri 20 October 2006
12:10 pm weekly Customs 5k, Stage 88. A $1 entry fee, handicapped start, flat and fast 5km course.

final footy footnote. While in Adelaide, the SANFL had their grand final (a week after the AFL one). I was overjoyed that my beloved Eagles won the premiership. These Eagles are the West Torrens ones, not the West Coast ones that won the AFL the previous week. I have followed Torrens for 50 years now, and it is thirteen years since their last premiership and a long, long time since their previous one.
It was doubly satisfying as (a) Centrals were the hot favourites (b) Centrals had won the premiership the previous 3 years, flogging the Eagles for 2 of them and also in the minor rounds, and in the semis (c) staying where I was in Elizabeth I was in Centrals heartland.
It was a 17 goals to 7 victory. Up the Eagles!

The last 50 metres

Geoff's readers will be pleased to know he's returning to civilisation tomorrow.

I'm just home from the first track meeting of the season - the "Come and Try It" day out at Bruce. I was a bit neglectful in writing down times for all of Team Moore as my other job was to watch some of the kids from Calwell running. I guess Geoff will fill in the details.

In the 800m Roger ran about 2:40 while Katie was not far behind in 2:49. Roger also did well in the High Jump clearing at least 1.3 metres. Ken, Maria and Aki didn't run - they were all happy to provide moral support from the stands. Neil was busy as usual in his capacity as an official.

In the 3000m, Kathy ran within 5 seconds of the Australian Record for a W50 with 10:49.6. Not only that, she actually won the race outright, leaving such stars as Roger, Kevin and Katie far behind. Katie ran what I thought was a pretty good 3000m, unleashing her trademark 'last 50 metre' sprint to tie with Peter Strangman in about 12:30.

Aki was almost talked into running the 3000 but she had to leave early as the rent had expired on her borrowed car.

The conditions were quite good - not too hot and just a little swirling breeze to contend with. The meet was over in an hour and a half - how good is that!

speedy geese

my progress

last week ran 71k
this week plan - nil, holidays
weight - 63kg and steady.

target times
October-November-December 2006
3000 11:15
5000 19:10
10000 39:30

The 3k & 5k are "general" targets and there is no specific day I will try for those times. But I have only one shot at the 10k. I will still just "see how I go".

Pam reports on the Melbourne Marathon

Official times, which have only just been posted, are:
Richard Faulks: 3:09.18
Peter Kenna: 3:37.43 (debut marathon – now planning to run Canberra 2007)
Gabrielle Brown: 4:10:47
Pam Faulks: 4:20.19
Annemarie Calnan: 4:53.35 (debut marathon – says its her one and only!)

Unfortunately Alan Green, who had also planned to run, was kept out with an injury. However, he was a great support in the lead up and on the day. On Saturday he drove us over the course, sharing his experiences from previous Melbourne Marathon runs, and on Sunday he was on his bike cheering us on at different sections. Not only did I have him by my side for the whole of the approx. 4km climb up St Kilda Road to the finish line, but throughout the run I benefited from the drive on the previous day – knowing when to expect the hills etc.

I had originally planned to run with the 4hr 30min pacing group, but once the race started felt strong enough to run it alone. My hastily devised plan B was that if the pacing group caught me, I would then try to hang on and still make it in on target. I had a bad patch just after half way, but other than that had a dream run. Unlike the Canberra Marathon, when you kept me company during my walk/run/walk sections, I didn’t need to walk at all (apart from through the drink stations). I took gels every 45 minutes, and drank at every drink station but the last one, and this seemed to work well. I am sure the gels helped me mentally if nothing else – each time I tore another one off (they were pinned to my tights), I knew that I had completed another segment of the run and was that much closer to the finish line.

Melbourne was true to its reputation and turned on 4 seasons in one day, but mostly, to our advantage. They held us at the start line for about 15mins after the scheduled start time, during which time the sun vanished, the clouds came over, the wind came up, and the rain fell down. But after that we benefited from a tail wind for a lot of the time, with a head wind for only short bursts.

The crowd was great, with lots of encouragement and cheers. Some people were handing out snakes and jelly beans, while a Cool Running group, someone near St Kilda, gave me a lemonade ice block that, as it was heating up by then, was perfect!

See you on the track!
Cheers
Pam

Incentive to run fast

Here's another quick post with a cartoon from Scott Brown.

It reminded me of one of the better runs I had in America. We were staying at Ashland in Oregon. I was out doing an easy jog through one of the city parks which suddenly turned into a very fast run when I saw the following sign:

CAUTION!!

Bear Sighted in the Area

If you encounter a bear:

• Avoid direct eye contract [sic] with the bear.
• If a bear stands on its hind legs, it is trying to detect scents and is not neccessarily behaving aggressively.
• Give the bear a way to escape. Step off trail and slowly walk away.
• If you see bear cubs, steer clear and leave the area.
• Stay calm. Do not run or make sudden movements. Back away slowly as you face the bear.

Ashland Parks and Recreation - May 26, 2006.

On the road again

Geoff is on the road again and out of touch with civilisation. Yes, he's travelling without a laptop through one of those remote Australian locations that lacks internet access.

Sadly I can't give a report on Monday's training session at Parliament House because I wasn't there. My calf injury has returned. I was at Parly House the previous Monday along with three others. I think that's the smallest 'class' since that dismal day at North Lyneham when the rain bucketed down. I remember Trevor was already 'in it' so a few of us joined him for some slippery and 'fun' running on the muddy clay of the ridge.


I've borrowed this cartoon from Scott Brown's blog. I find myself saying that about every runner I see as inactivity has resulted in my carrying an extra 5 kilos to all training sessions.

speedyjarod

Jarod "Dash" Falconer, grandchild three of nine, this morning blitzed the under sixes at a regional Little Athletics carnival in Illawarra. He took home six medals, and set new records in the U6 100m and 300m, winning the 300m by 100. Looks like he is following in speedygrandad's footsteps. He has only been doing little athletics for about three weeks.

where shall I wander?

.. up hill and down dale and into the Barossa Valley.

We visited some wineries today, surprisingly little traffic on a lovely breezy 28 degree Saturday in Adelaide. We ended up with some great bargains! Everything seems to be on special here. None of the wineries we visited had we seen before, although we have dropped in occasionally to others in the past. Chateau Barrosa (note spelling) was irresistible with incredible extensive Rose Gardens complete with ponds and seven geese; plus motel, swimming pool, restaurant, antique museum and bargain basement cellar door meant we will be back there again next time! We restricted ourselves to a dozen mixed reds and some orange liqueur; next time the turkish delight version may win us over but they all looked good! Around the corner Yaldara Estate (of McGuigan wines, our favourite reds) meant more purchases, where we rested by a lake and I am obliged to mention another friendly goose who came up and made our acquaintance.

Tomorrow is the Melbourne marathon - good luck to Pam and Richard - I hope to hear a report of what the course was like in case I decide to run it in '08 or '09. I think though, a marathon any later than August is risking fate with the weather.

Go goose go gander.

eating out

Continuing the “speedy” theme: We went to my favourite SA restaurant last night, “Fasta Pasta” in Gawler. Even though we arrived at the tail end of a rush, we had a table, service, and food immediately. And no “fast food”, but an excellent Italian meal. Enhanced by local (ie Barossa Valley) wine, a bottle of delicious Wolf Blass red.

sub12sub20

Seen in Adelaide: A North Adelaide restaurant called "The Greedy Goose".

Towards sub 20: Let's have a group of us aiming for sub 20 this season for 5k.

A 12:00 for 3k is equivalent in effort to a 20:25.

11:45 for 3k is equivalent in effort to a 20:00

so first let's break 12:00 for 3k
then let's break 11:50 for 3k
then let's break 20:00 for 5k.

Are you in?

A group of us having a go, together in the same race, possibly with a pacer, brings a better chance of success than each of us going it alone.

Weather: Yesterday it was officially 38 degrees here in Elizabeth. But mid afternoon, the temperature dropped from 38 to 16 in about ten minutes flat. No dramas no gales not even any rain; just a simple shift from a northerly wind to a southerly.

This goose is cooked

It’s 37 degrees outside the office where I am typing this… I decided not to run today. That’s the best day to day plan I think, schedule something every day and when the weather turns fowl, have the day off.

This goose is cooked!

I would like to find a goose mascot for summer. I bought a soft toy pelican at Renmark and named him Murray the Pelican, he looks great, but we need a goose.

This heat brings back memories of track at 6pm in daylight saving time at Bruce, trying to race 3k with a hot northerly.

Playing it by ear seems (at my age) to be the best way to approach races now. I seem to have gotten overly anxious about achieving some of the targets I have set, and consequently have done a lot worse in “big” races recently compared with low key ones. This is so opposite to thirty years ago when I would always seem to lift for the big races! Maybe it’s because there have been too many big races on my calendar, but anyway for next season I would like to adopt the low key approach for everything, as many other runners seem to do and get away with.

Of course as a coach I have the challenge of bringing some of the runners “up” for their races, while others need calming down. In my own case the problem is having sufficient time to warm-up and mobilise ancient joints, muscles and tendons, while keeping the mind calm for all that time.

So for a change I will try an on-going low key approach and see if it helps. You will notice that (a) I will announce my goals to achieve during the season, while at the same time (b) when I race I will adopt a suck-it-and-see approach, no time goal.

And early in the season, softly softly.

not driving, resting

Adelaide continues to be fine and sunny, it will be 26 degrees today which probably means 28 degrees here in Elizabeth. I managed another 14k or so yesterday and again today, and when I get back to my home PC, I will get into the mapping software and post a map of where I am running.

I think I will run the 3000m the first night of track, all being well. Get there about 4:50pm, do my normal long slow warm-up, then run the 7.5 laps at a steady pace.

After that I might even run the 1500m at 3000m pace. Just to see what it feels like.

I think a plan would be to run fairly slowly the first few track races in case of injury on that unforgiving surface, and builds up to “top speed” later in the season.

I am also looking forward to joining a few of my running friends at della Rocca after the first night of track.

My training progress – weight unknown. distance last week - unknown but I will estimate it later. holiday – just fine.

By the way, petrol is as low as 1:09 per litre here in Elizabeth, or 1:05 with discount.

I try to chase you down

I ran 14k this morning, only one band-aid needed over the antiseptic so I AM ok. [How come the home, end, and delete keys are different on this keyboard? When I hit delete without looking, the cursor goes to the end of the line.] It was mild this morning with clouds rocking over, think it's going to be 26 degrees today and rain as well. So a 7am run was a good idea. Another dog this morning but it didn't attack (same kind of owner though), I tripped and failed to fall heavily; somehow; and no niggles; so perhaps October is better than September. No sign of magpies, I wonder where there are. Also hurray the Swans lost, and a one point loss is the best! If their thug forward hadn't tried to be tough and had played the ball, it would have been all different. I really like teams that play fair, like the Eagles (and the Crows of course).