Aussie slang. While I am an Aussie (not “from Aussie” as Kiwis will have it) I probably don’t use enough Aussie words. Maybe (a) I do without realising it, but only those words that are true blue Aussie, i.e. woven into our language. When I look at lists of Aussie slang I wonder how reliable they are. Are terms like “on the blink”, “as scarce as hen’s teeth”, “down the gurgler” and many more, truly Aussie or are they more wide spread? Or maybe (b) I don’t use Aussie slang in the blog because, while recognisable, much of it is rarely heard and rarely used, or much of it pops out in conversation rather than in writing. Like “good on yer mate”, “fair dinkum” “she’ll be apples". Or (c) I don’t tend to use what people call “Aussie Slang” because it is made up, and never heard. We make up phrases and words to con the gullible, and heaps of them turn up in our guides to Australia. As a result, sometimes they enter the language, but they still come across as contrived. I might use such terms in self-parody. I see in one list “coming the raw prawn”, “crikey”, “dry as a dead dingo’s donger” (you’re kidding, right?), “throw another prawn on the barbie” (what’s this fascination with prawns? Beats me), “fair crack of the whip”. There are plenty more: people using these phrases are self-consciously masquerading as “Aussie”, or are being funny. Should I redress the balance and use more supposedly Australian words and phrases? No worries.
My Transformation
It won't be a transformation into an ocker Aussie.
To practise what I have been preaching about transformation, I think the only way I am going to transform into someone fitter is (a) to get my weight to my ideal fitness weight and keep it there; (b) to get mobility back into my hips, and strength into my abdomen and quads and ankles, so I can get up off the ground. And achieve this by (c) doing bounding and stepper work and other drills yet to be realised, and (d) by appreciating that the pattern of training I am currently following, while being very good, may not be the best possible.
Marathon recovery tips
Back in the old days when I ran all my marathons in tiger G9s, the running was fast and the footfall was light and I ran with a very fast tempo “on my toes” for the entire marathon and I picked up my feet very quickly from the ground for each step… and I would be recovered enough in four days to resume normal training distances. But there was usually some calf soreness and tightness, although surprisingly little for a toes distance runner. I found the best recovery methods were (a) Running every day after the marathon. I would always schedule about 12k on day one, 8k day 2, and 12k day 3, at a slow pace, and by day 4 I could run long again. (b) Walking long distances on the day of the marathon and subsequent days. One of the best recoveries I ever had was in Perth where I walked around the pubs after running the marathon, and around the shops the next day. (c) Spa. My best recovery was in New Zealand, when I ran the Hamilton marathon then was driven to Rotorua and stood in the spa pools. There was also a lot of walking and hilly running too, as part of that recovery! (d) fluid fluid fluid. In Perth, because it was hot, for some hours I drank anything and everything I could lay my hands on. From water to coffee to liquid yogurt to beer. Memories!
*I'm not crook. No worries. She'll be right, mate. By the way, my mother is just back from Kiwiland (huh!) and had a great time.
My Transformation
It won't be a transformation into an ocker Aussie.
To practise what I have been preaching about transformation, I think the only way I am going to transform into someone fitter is (a) to get my weight to my ideal fitness weight and keep it there; (b) to get mobility back into my hips, and strength into my abdomen and quads and ankles, so I can get up off the ground. And achieve this by (c) doing bounding and stepper work and other drills yet to be realised, and (d) by appreciating that the pattern of training I am currently following, while being very good, may not be the best possible.
Marathon recovery tips
Back in the old days when I ran all my marathons in tiger G9s, the running was fast and the footfall was light and I ran with a very fast tempo “on my toes” for the entire marathon and I picked up my feet very quickly from the ground for each step… and I would be recovered enough in four days to resume normal training distances. But there was usually some calf soreness and tightness, although surprisingly little for a toes distance runner. I found the best recovery methods were (a) Running every day after the marathon. I would always schedule about 12k on day one, 8k day 2, and 12k day 3, at a slow pace, and by day 4 I could run long again. (b) Walking long distances on the day of the marathon and subsequent days. One of the best recoveries I ever had was in Perth where I walked around the pubs after running the marathon, and around the shops the next day. (c) Spa. My best recovery was in New Zealand, when I ran the Hamilton marathon then was driven to Rotorua and stood in the spa pools. There was also a lot of walking and hilly running too, as part of that recovery! (d) fluid fluid fluid. In Perth, because it was hot, for some hours I drank anything and everything I could lay my hands on. From water to coffee to liquid yogurt to beer. Memories!
*I'm not crook. No worries. She'll be right, mate. By the way, my mother is just back from Kiwiland (huh!) and had a great time.
