Tuesday

...and the last day of June.

I was busy today. I went to the gym, then went to the ceremony of the naming of Dave McInnes Road, then wandered around Civic. I rarely visit Civic. The only other time I did so this year I bumped into Geoff Sims. This time I bumped into no fewer than three speedy geese: Miranda, Cathy, and Rod. It must be a small world after all, as the "song" goes..

Last night we ran a session up the SE corner of the main hills at Parliament house. 20 intervals of 90m except for one which was 140m. Rachelle decided she didn't want to do the sprints so ran up and down the same course at her own pace, and ended up with 27 intervals instead of 20! Which gives me an idea for next time... for which the others can thank Rachelle.

Present were Alan, Bronwyn, Cathy, Christopher, me, Graeme, Jennifer, Kathy, Katie, Ken, Rachelle, Tony, Troy & Yili.

Happy new financial year, everybody.

Postcard from Gary

who with Patricia has been in South Korea and now Japan.

If they turned out alright, the Dave McInnes event photos I took today will go up on a separate blog.

Plans for the coming week

Monday 29 June 5:30pm Parliament House Training: Hill sprints.
Tuesday 30 June 11:00am Stromlo Forest Park: "Dave McInnes Road" naming ceremony.
Wednesday 1 July 12:15pm BBQ Stakes 6k handicap.
Thursday 2 July 5:30pm Dickson training: 600m intervals.
Saturday 4 July ACT Cross Country championships, Weston Park
... at 11:10am the 8k (Women 20+ and Men 60+: I will run the 8k)
... at 11:40am the 12k (Men 20-59)
Sunday 5 July is the Gold Coast marathon
Good luck Heidi in the 10k,
Good luck Bronwyn, Alan & Ewen in the Half,
Good luck Roger & Graeme in the marathon.
[edit: Graeme Patrick, Cathy Montalto's partner, is running his first marathon]

Kangaroo Valley East Timor Fundraiser: This looks interesting. via "Trek For Timor"

• When: 19th September 2009
• What: The challenge is to walk 50 kms (or 14 kms) in 24 hours.
• Where: The trail is through National Park & State Forest in beautiful Kangaroo Valley and Southern Highlands.

There are teams of four; would anyone like to be part of a team?

Today's Handicap Results

Mt Ainslie 4.5k
9 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee W35 20:50 66.7%
14 Geoff Moore M60 19:18 80.1
17 Cathy Montalto W55 22:58 75.1
21 Ken White M55 19:36 75.4
24 Noeline Burden W55 24:39 68.9
26 Amanda Walker W40 21:04 69.6
44 Garry Maher M60 23:15 66.9
58 finishers

Mt Ainslie 9.3k
10 Heidi Johnston W35 45:35 68.8%
16 Carol-Ann Schenk W40 57:03 56.2
18 Brett Morrison M40 44:30 63.4
19 Kathy Sims W55 46:13 82.5
26 Troy Steinman M35 39:19 69.3
30 Geoff Sims M60 47:02 72.0
33 Bronwyn Calver W35 45:35 69.3
36 Kelley Flood W45 44:00 77.3
41 Rod Lynch M45 37:27 81.3
49 Janene Kingston W45 49:00 65.8
50 Christopher Lang M55 49:58 66.4
52 Roger Pilkington M50 39:52 76.8
62 Alan Duus M60 49:46 68.6
64 Margaret McSpadden W60 1:01:42 64.9
73 Caroline Campbell W65 53:38 79.6
80 Jodie Davis W40 1:02:11 51.4
81 Tony Booth M70 58:08 65.3
95 Adam Robinson M35 55:47 48.8
96 Mick Horan M45 49:02 62.1
101 Nadine Thomlinson W35 1:00:16 52.4
103 finishers

I had a terrible run: more than a minute slower than last year, I even had to stop to tie up my shoe laces. I need just one outstanding run this year to wrap up the short-course-male-age-percentage-point-score competition, but so far I am only just in front and feeling the pressure.

Commiserations to Nadine who hurt her hammie while racing the long course, and is out of action, hopefully for only a few days.

Nadine and Brett, from Nadine's facebook page.

What is success?

I have often posted about success. Here is another general definition: success is doing the best you can with what you have where you are.

IF we don't define success, then by default, we let our culture define success for us. And all too often it boils down to this: whoever has the most toys at the end of the game wins.

We all have lots of goals and big dreams. The generation I am part of sees usually success in terms of personal gain, or if beyond personal, at the most, family. The emphasis is on, why should I do that, what is in it for me?

Doing the best shouldn’t just be the best for me, but the best for my school, my workplace, my neighbourhood, my peer group and beyond.

With what I have should include the resources that I can access but also the resources others can access: what’s in my hand and what’s in others’ hands; my gifts and talents in connection with others’ gifts and talents, both similar and complementary

Where you are being not only my circumstances but also the circumstances of those around me.

In deciding our personal definitions of success, we should look beyond ourselves to the communities, and generations, around us.

That’s my latest take on success…

Gold medals?
Since this is a running blog, here is one of the most successful runners of all time, writing on what is success?
I have been asked what my idea of success is. It’s such a difficult question to answer because it depends where you are in your life. When you are a baby, success is getting everything that comes near you into your mouth. A little later it might be getting the toy that you have wanted for your birthday. And then it can be getting into the sport team at school and later getting the girl that appeals to you to recognise that you exist and then take an interest in you. As life goes on you want the car, house and then a wife and family. So far all of these interests and goals have been self focussed. What I want for me. Even the family is tightly focussed. Your life is pretty well absorbed striving for happiness, well being and success for your spouse and kids.
Then the kids grow up and leave you. Up to this time in your life you are very close to totally financially broke. But after a few years without the kids you start to get a bit in front. The mortgage is gone and there is enough money to buy a few things and go on hols to places you have read about in magazines. It’s about this time that your idea of success can go through a very radical change.
A change from self focus to something much bigger. A change to community focus. You have become aware that you are more than half way through your life and questions start to come to mind about what good you are going to leave behind you in the world? What is going to be your contribution? It’s almost like emerging from a bunker and looking around and seeing to every horizon thousands of community matters that scream for help. All of a sudden instead of looking for someone else to do it, you start to accept challenge and responsibility for issues in the community around you.
This to my mind is part of the path to maturity.
- Olympic Gold Medallist Herb Elliot

Bush Capital Bush Marathon

The events take place on Saturday 25th July 2009.

The web address is http://www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au/events/bmarathon
You can enter on-line at https://commerce34.pair.com/tzone/events/amra/bcm2009/
You should enter by 11 July; after that, late entry fees apply.

Program:
7.30am Early bird start for slow runners in 60km ultra and 42km marathon
8.30am Bush marathon; marathon relay; 60km ultra; 25km bush walk
9.00am 25km bush run
9.10am 16km bush run and 16km bush walk
12.00pm 5km run and walk
12.40pm Under 13 years 2km children’s run
1.00pm 10km run and walk

Map of the courses (click to enlarge or view at website):

Helen in last year's Bush Capital 16k

where she ran a creditable 5th place.

I rate the Bush Capital Bush Marathon amongst the very best events available anywhere in Australia.

Last night's training: Noelene, Caroline, Susan, Yelena, Carol, Suzie, Janene, Bronwyn, Nadene, Garry, Brett M, & Roger ran 4 lots of ~850m, handicapped starts, with me supervising.

Roger is fleeing Canberra for the Gold Coast to run in the marathon; his form is good and we wish him well. Ewen is going to be up there too to run in the 10k half marathon hopefully, and Bronwyn the half marathon as well. Please let me know if you are also going up or have a speedy goosey friend who is...

Something was bound to go right sometime today

BBQ Stakes results from yesterday
Roger 25:22
Katie 25:38
Ken 26:31
Me 26:35
Helen 27:45
Amanda 28:50
Brett 28:52
This was Brett's first run at BBQ Stakes; Amanda's second. All the speedygeese were under 29 minutes again; a great effort all round.

I have a cold! Rats. It came on after the Stakes, and explains my lack of energy in the run.

Breathing v Legs
"You should be able to talk when going on your easy runs” I read. No worries. Half the speedygeese talk on their hard runs! Is that saying we are running too easily? Not necessarily: this rule of thumb works well for beginner runners whose limitation is their breathing, but well trained ("highly tuned?") runners like the speedygeese are more likely to find that their legs are their limitation; they cannot run hard enough to run out of puff.
Which is why I say "I ran out of legs" when I fade in a race. It's not my respiration that is usually the problem.

People going away
Following on from yesterday's post, one more goose has fled the cold of Canberra. Helen is off to Perth for a month! Fortunately, we have many new geese (goslings?) joining us. I love variety and change.

Emma's gift
Emma is living, for now, in Vancouver, Canada, and planning to return to Canberra. Emma sent me a Kajaks shirt - Kajaks is her athletic club - and a photo book of Vancouver; they arrived yesterday. Thanks Emma! You are a delight. I will wear the shirt tonight, and in a couple of weeks publish the email and photos you also sent over.

Finally, Wise words

Where in the World are the Speedy Geese?

Many Geese have flown away from Canberra's cold winter.
David and Ruth are touring the USA; see http://baussmann2.blogspot.com/ for great reports and many excellent photos as well.

Gary and Patricia are enjoying a South Korean holiday: Here's a card they sent of the Gwaneumsa Valley of Mt Hallasan.

Andy and Miranda are sight-seeing in Australia's North, and

Neil Boden is off on a European holiday, to join daughter Lauren. Lauren is competing in the "European Athletics Promotion" (EAP) series of meets.

From the EAP website (http://www.eap-circuit.org/):
Boden wins athlete of the meet at Namur
World University Games representative Lauren Boden had a commanding win in the women's 400m hurdles at the EAP meet in Namur, Belgium on Saturday. Her time of 56.59s, was her third fastest ever and a new meet record.
"It was a much cleaner race than Geneva last week," said Boden who also won 1000 Euros for being named Athlete of the Meet.
"I still think I need one more competition to get race fit but I am really happy where I am at the moment."

The local write-up:
Conditions idéales, vent bien mis pour le sprint, de bons résultats.
...La meilleure performance du meeting international est celle de Lauren BODEN, en 400 haies, 56.59 avec 1138 points. (1000 euros)

Lauren, and fellow 400m hurdle runner Brendan Cole, who has won a couple of his races, then headed to Celle Ligure, Italy on June 23 for the next meet in the EAP series. That result might be up by now.

As well as David, Ruth, Gary, Miranda & Neil, other geese have been seen flying in all directions; if and when you are away, please send a card or post some photos on your blog/facebook/whatever, and I will give you a mention here... next time.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em

"... know when to walk away and know when to run"

Training last night: our little group of speedygeese in damp foggy conditions took flight on the lower grassed area adjacent to Old Parliament House. We ran up the slope, 15 intervals each of about 135m, jogging back down in between, on 2 minutes. On a gentler slope, this was an easier hill sprint session than usual, as most of us had raced hard on Sunday, except the extra few metres meant it wasn't that much easier. Present were Alan, Andrew, Bronwyn, Christopher, me, Helen, Jasmina, Jennifer, Kathy, Katie, Ken, Maria, Mick C, Neil, Suzie, Tony, Troy & Yelena. There was a lot of activity up at Parliament House. A certain ambitious politician obviously doesn't know when to "fold 'em".

Do you? Here are some scenarios.

1. Are you getting enough rest? Athlete A is training harder than ever but finds that her times in every distance she runs are slowing. She is determined to train even harder so that she will get faster.

NO NO NO! Athlete A should have more rest days, then she will find that only with sensible rest periods will she gain the benefit from her harder training.

2. An elite tennis player has the biggest event of his life a week away. But he has an injury that he has not been able to shake, and playing only seems to make it worse. Does he decide to risk all for the sake of the prize money and the accolades?

NO NO NO. He is far too sensible for that; he knows that for the sake of having an on-going career, he must withdraw from this tournament and let the injury heal.

3. You have entered a big event which has been your goal for the last twelve months. But a fairly serious problem has hampered your training and now threatens to slow you down in the big event. With pain-killers and a few unwelcome days off, you think you can still pull off a good performance.

NO NO NO! You surprise everyone by, shock horror, withdrawing from the event. You have realised that to recover from the injury you will have to stop racing, or else you risk making the injury much worse, or at best you risk prolonging recovery.

You see, the only way that days of hard training are to be of ANY benefit is if you also plan, schedule, and practice, easy days and days off where proper rest and recovery can take place.

Always on duty

You don't "always" have to be working hard. Ten years ago I needed two rest days after each running day. One year ago I needed only one day off a week. Right now I need two days off running a week, although one of those I go to the gym. Know what you need; know what strengthens you and what weakens you. Plan, schedule, and implement, a sensible program.

Murphy was a runner

"Your chances of an injury rise proportionally with the amount of the entry fee you just paid".
"If a race brochure says “no dogs or strollers,” you will see a dog get hit by a stroller".
...continued at http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/07/20/murphy-was-a-runner/

This week's plans:
Monday 22nd 5:30pm Parliament House Hill Sprints. Easier than last week's because we all raced yesterday. Not much easier though.
Wednesday 24th 12:15pm BBQ Stakes 6k
Thursday 25th 5:30pm Dickson interval session. Longish.
Sunday 28th 9:00am Masters Handicap, Mt Ainslie.

Speedy Sunday results

Here is how the speedygeese went today .... Please advise additions and corrections; I will change this post as they come in.

Canada Day Fun Run 5k
Women
11. Amanda 22:30
12. Thea 22:31
13. Rachelle 23:01
21. Kelley 24:22

Canada Day Fun Run 10k
me ~42:35
Roger 45:41
Helen 45:42, 18th woman
Bronwyn ~46:50 23rd woman
Heidi 47:49 25th woman
Suzie ~50:17
Mick C ~52:20
Tony ~52:59
Caroline ~53:06
Mick H ~53:09
Yelena ~55:33 10k pb
Jodie ~60:34

Canada Day Fun Run conditions were very wet for the warm-up an hour before, but cleared nicely by 10:00 am for the run. Obviously humid, a little slippery underfoot in places, and casual water here and there, but pleasantly cool and no breeze.

I ran quickish but sensibly and at the end didn't feel that I had been in a race.

There was casual water on the AIS track too for the 800m & 3000m.

High Noon 800m
Geoff S ~2:31 74/77
Kathy S ~2:56 83/93

High Noon 3000m
Katie ~11:51 3:51/4:01/3:59
Ken ~11:59 4:02/4:03/3:56

Miranda

Miranda has been in Kakadu and the Kimberleys; she says "Amazing country ... but HOT!!"
She sent this card.

Magpie Geese .. Top End Australia

Coming Events – also see ACTVAC News
21 June Canada Day Fun Run (5k/10k)
21 June High Noon Meet (3000m at ~1:15)
27 June ACTCCC Chris Cook Memorial 1k/4k/8k Molonglo Gorge
28 June Mt Ainslie ACTVAC Monthly Handicap
30 June Naming of the Dave McInnes Road at Stromlo Forest Park. 11am, all invited
4 July ACTVAC Cross Country Weston Park (changed venue)
5 July ACTCCC Women’s Jogalong
11 July Googong Half Marathon (changed start time 11am)
18 July ACTCCC Goorooyaroo
19 July High Noon Meet (changed date)
25 July Bush Capital Marathon races
26 July ACTVAC Handicap Bluetts Pines
1 August ACTCCC Running Shop 10k
2 August High Noon Meet
2 August Women’s Jogalong
Also the ACTCCC have moved their 22 AUGUST event to Mt Majura, and their 29 AUGUST relays to Yarralumla Bay.

Annette

Last night's training: Garry & Susan, Roger & Yelena, Troy & Patrick, Mick H & Suzie, Brett M & Neil, Janene & Nadine, Bronwyn & Heidi, Rod & Brett L; ran 4 x 850m each, with a lap jog, in teams of two. I subbed for Garry on the third and Yelena on the fourth repetition. Another excellent session and a good turn-out, with new people still arriving which is good for the group. Under lights at Dickson is GOOD too.

This is what we look like Monday nights at Parliament House where the light is poor and the wisest of us wear lamps on our heads!

Message from Annette: Annette sent me this email
I’m not competing at the moment but not for want of trying – I’ve been out of town a lot of late and flat out when i’m here. However, I am getting in some training.

Dale and I have joined a Tuesday night training group along the foreshore in Wynnum. They work us hard! Last week was 2k warm up, 5 x run throughs, 3 x 2k, 1k warm down. This week was 2k warm up, 5 x run throughs, 6 x 800m FAST, and 1k warm down. The conditions have been idyllic – no wind and temperatures of around 16 degrees with a lovely water view to look at as we slog through the reps. There are about 14 in that group.

I’ve joined Gale Force Running Team and have been training with them on Thursday nights from Southbank. That’s more a running group than interval training group and we usually do about 9k around the Brisbane River and out to New Farm or Kangaroo Point or environs. Unfortunately our coach is injured so we’re having a break for a couple of weeks. We meet at the Active Stride running shop at southbank which is very convenient to the train and it’s easy to get home from there.

So far I haven’t made it to any of the cross country runs this year but did one last year over 5k and came dead last. I’m sure after all this training that will have changed. Maybe second last now !

At lunchtimes I go to the gym, or shopping or go running with a group of men from the Qld Department of Health who do a circuit of hills, pushups, situps etc and long sprints on the grass and around the riverstage. We also do a lot of step training. There are usually four to six of us doing that and it’s very social.

We’re still having magnificent running weather up here – most days I run in a singlet and shorts and occasionally venture into a t-shirt. You’ll remember that I was always first to don the gloves in Canberra and I certainly feel the cold now when I make my short trips back to see my family.

I often think of your running group and all the masters and cross country events and really miss the great network down there and the wonderful dirt trails.

I’d be very happy to run with any of your team who want to do something a bit different on their next trip to Brisbane. My weekend run is in Wynnum through a mangrove boardwalk, through a series of parks and around some bird sanctuary areas – all with a wonderful view of the local refinery. Sometimes I go the other direction and do a real estate run up and down the hills in Wynnum and Manly. There are five boat clubs here and a lot of good cafes so there is no shortage of places to enjoy after the run.

Hope your running is continuing to improve all the time. I am guessing the games in Sydney will be your next run, if not the gold coast half.

All the best
Annette

It's Summer in the States

Facebook has recently implemented nicknames! So now you can find me there at http://www.facebook.com/speedygeoff

BBQ Stakes times from yesterday
Katie 25.35 clock-wise pb by one second on her 10th run.
Me 25.50 2009 year’s best and my 90th run… 10 to go for a 100 tee.
Ken 26.40 finished ahead of the rest of us and missed out on “winning” the handicap as he was too fast!
Roger 28.07
Helen 28.22
Amanda 28.57 first run at the BBQ Stakes so established a pb.
A good result; everyone of us under 29 minutes.
And Rob Ey made a surprise appearance, 26.49, in future will only get faster & become hard to beat

Running

Not running

Strewth and Mr Strewth. 
See http://baussmann2.blogspot.com/ for their US travel photos and stories.

Fame

What I Am Reading - I am re-reading "Anansi Boys", then I plan to re-read "The Book Thief".

Cold Play
This site referenced this blog!!!

Cold Day Race

Mick Horan

Yili finishing strong

Bruce & Roger

Gary

Shorts and Gloves

Monday night training: Parliament House hill sprints were on the menu. We ran 12 intervals on 90 seconds, then the last 8 on 80 seconds. This was a tough but a good session. Again, cold but the wind was light and so we survived reasonably well. There was a good turn-out: Alan, Andrew, Bronwyn, Ewen, me, Jennifer, Kathy, Katie, Ken, Helen, Maria, Neil, Rachelle, Tony, Troy & Yelena.

My song of the week: Newsboys, "Glorious". I am liking the latest Newsboys album; all new but very like their old stuff, some of the lyrics even refer to the very beginnings and history of the band.

More photos from West Stromlo.

Ruth

Caroline

Christopher

Alan, Andrew

Saturday's race results

6.1k
45. Yili Zhu M45 28:12
51. Ewen Thompson M50 29:05
52. Heidi Johnston W35 29:13
72 finishers.

3k
28. Heidi Johnston W35 14:40
40. Ewen Thompson M50 16:20
44. Geoff Barker M60 17:25
49 finishers.

On aggregate, Heidi is so much the winner here. Ewen, not.

Why the old Jogalong became 6.1k instead of 6k is the unsolvable mystery. But it keeps my 19:33 record intact.

Plans for the coming week

Where I plan to be
Monday 15th 5:30pm Parliament House training - hill sprints
Wednesday 17th 12:15pm BBQ Stakes 6k
Thursday 18th 5:30pm Dickson interval training, either relays or in start groups, depending on numbers.
Sunday 21st 10:00am Canada Fun Run 5k/10k or more likely
Sunday 21st 12:00 noon High Noon meet 3000m track.

Some of the runners last Monday at the Half Marathon.

Foot behind the line?

Today's run

Just for interest, the elevation.

Brett

Nadine

Heidi

Cold June Nights.

I got a song been on my mind
And the tune can be sung, and the words all rhyme
Deedle-ee deet deet deet deet deet deet deedle-ee dee

Another crunchy frost this morning. Yesterday morning was minus 6. Lower, actually, here in Holt.

Thursday night training consisted of four intervals of two laps each in lane four: possibly about 860m; on about 8 minutes or so. We used handicap starts so that runners finished more or less together. Present were Amanda, Brett M, Bronwyn, me, Heidi, Maria, Nadine, Neil, Rod, Roger, Susan, Suzie, Troy & Yelena. It was cold but it would have been much colder if the wind had not dropped.

For interest, and as an indicator of just how these runners are going, below are the start groups for the fourth interval. Note - I adjust start groups each interval so that at least first and last are moved each time. Also - Brett just tipped out five other runners when we used the following starts.
Go ---
0.10 Susan
0.20 Yelena
0.30 Suzie, Neil
0.40 Maria
0.50 Bronwyn, Brett, Heidi, Amanda, Nadine
1.00 ---
1.10 Roger, Troy
1.20 Rod

Caroline at West Stromlo

Tony at West Stromlo

What the last 2km looked like. All uphill.

Stop it

Thea running the Half Marathon on Monday this week.

Noelene and Garry who joined us for training at Dickson last week

Margaret and Ruth warming up at West Stromlo last month.

Andrew and Alan racing at West Stromlo last month.

Snow? Not so!

Gary and Katie at West Stromlo

Blue skies albeit with a cold wind off some snow on the ranges meant the conditions were OK for the BBQ Stakes today after all. However, no-one beat their handicap "par", i.e. no-one grossed under 40 minutes, as most seemed to feel the cold anyway, and running into the wind for the first 2 kms of the race didn't help. But what all this meant was, despite an average run I managed a close third on handicap, only 7 seconds off winning, and my best 2009 time so far. Finishing fast and not that far behind me, Katie ran her best time ever for the "normal direction".

Speedygeese BBQ times today
Katie 25:37
Me 26:15
Roger 26:21
Ken 27:45
Helen 28:14

Last week (no wind!)
Roger 25:44
Helen 27:42

Monday - Sri Chinmoy 5 mile Heidi 37:20
Half Marathon Thea 1:45.34

Helen at West Stromlo

If sleet, then sleep

My web browser
Not long ago I switched from IE to Opera because I wanted Opera's backup options for my blog. Once I started using Opera I really liked its look and feel, particularly speed dial. However there were a few things I needed to do which Opera failed to do, and I had to revert to IE on occasion. BUT now I have changed to Chrome, which has the same look and feel as Opera AND does not have its shortcomings. Chrome also has other features I really like too.
This table documents my perceptions. Note- these are partly subjective. You may have different needs and preferences. Of course.

web browser:	Internet Explorer	Opera	Google Chrome
copying links	OK	not OK	OK
copying pictures	OK	not OK	OK
copying tables	OK	not OK	OK
full webpage backup	not OK	OK	OK
editing webpage	OK	work-around	work-around
speed dial	not OK	OK	OK
ease of use etc	not OK	OK	OK
copying blank lines in spreadsheets	OK	not OK	OK
Norton download	OK	not OK	OK
Facebook hiccups	OK	not OK	OK

The Facebook problems were the last straw; I use Facebook every day.

Song of the week. U2: "Magnificent." Just so.


Monday training
Andrew, Brett M, Bronwyn, Christopher, me, Joel, Nadine, Neil, Sheona, Tim, Tony & Yelena braved the cold and ran at Parliament house last night. The highlight was probably the massive full moon rising, on the horizon. We improvised a few run-throughs on the grass oval, some 200m laps of the oval practicing tempo, and some laps of a longer hilly circuit ditto. It is only going to get colder; this was our first real taste of winter. At least the rain held off while we were out there.

Change of program
This Saturday's cross country event is not at Stromlo Forest Park, it has been moved to the (old) Deeks Forest Park location on Uriarra Road. Which means I will not be attending after all, as I had planned to have a shower at Stromlo immediately after the run and go straight to a meeting.

I will run BBQ Stakes tomorrow as planned. Even though it might just snow.

Speaking of Facebook as I was, I became a fan of "sleeping while its raining outside", despite its missing apostrophe. It is so, so tempting to curl up with a good book in bed with the fire on.... and hibernate through this cold spell. Just wake me in August.

Public Nonsense Number 2.

Plans this week.
Monday 8 Parliament House training 5:30pm as usual. I will meet at 4:30pm for a longer run first.
Wednesday 10 BBQ Stakes 12:15pm.
Thursday 11 5:30pm Dickson oval training as usual. Again, I plan to start at 4:30pm for a longer run.
Saturday 13 1:00pm The ACT Cross Country Club has a race at Stromlo Forest Park. Changed: to Deeks Forest Park, Uriarra Road.

Public Nonsense Number 2
Following on from my “pavement rehabilitation” post recently, here is another example of public nonsense.
Road signs saying "signalisation of Yamba Dr and Mawson Dr". Turns out traffic lights are being installed.
... and 3.
Signs in a building saying “This program will deliver the most modern vertical transportation system available”. Apparently the lifts are being upgraded.

Footy
Here is a rare mention of the weekend footy. Down in Melbourne: Crows 21.4 (130) to Bombers 18.6 (114). Both Roger (Crows supporter) and Graeme (Bombers supporter) were there. I wish I had been. One of our better wins.

Cup

The trophy I was awarded for having run the first and the fortieth Canberra Half Marathon. It is unique; no-one else has one, nor is eligible.

Backyard Birds

Holt is very pleasant at this time of year. Many delightful birds visit our back yard to feed. These Crimson Rosellas visit in numbers, and only fly off when Cockatoos arrive in even bigger numbers.

Don’t let it get away.

Yesterday's speedygeese results at Weston Park.
Longstaff 8k
17. Geoff Moore M60 35:43
21. Michelle Wells W35 36:43
26. Heidi Johnston W35 38:51
35. Margaret McSpadden W60 51:40
38 finishers

Pennington 12k
30. Ken White M55 57:48
33. Yili Zhu M45 59:46
36 finishers
Not the easiest cross country course but one I quite enjoy. My race over 8k was a very even effort, averaging just under 4:30 per km, ending up with 35.43, which is eight seconds slower than I ran in mud and cold last year, so not particularly brilliant. In fact I felt quite unwell from the start to the finish but managed to hold on, just. As it was a 4k loop, and as the 8k and the 12k were combined, some runners in the 12k claimed an 8k time on the way round, which inflates the 8k finishing statistics slightly.

It's a beautiful day. Don’t let it get away. Janene, happy birthday.

A Lotus Bay photo

An advantage of officiating is you can avoid the worst courses, and take photos. Although according to Jack Pennington, we are all wimps. "In my day", he said, "cross country was real cross country, and there was a rule that every course had to include ploughed fields".  This one only has steep hills and treacherous rocks. "Where's the mud?" asks Jack.

resolve

1. I don't have time to waste on things that don't matter. I have plenty of time for the things that count.
2. I don't have time to get moody, self-centered, and irritable. I do have time to love my wife and children and grandchildren.
3. I don't have time to wallow in the past at what might have been. I do have time to focus on the wonderful things that can happen today.
4. I don't have time to play self-importance games (Who do you know? What kind of house do you live in? What have your kids accomplished? What are you driving?) I do have time to build up others and forget myself.
5. I don't have time to coddle immature people whose idea of life is getting their own way. I have plenty of time to build relationships with friendly, positive people who may have various opinions about life.
6. I don't have time to be a peace-monger (doing whatever it takes to keep others from getting upset). I do have time to be a peacemaker (helping and caring about people no matter what).
7. I don't have time to play it safe. My life will be over all too soon in any case. I do have time to take risks.
8. I don't have time to blame others for being obstacles. I do have time to take responsibility for my own actions and behaviour.
9. I don't have time to complain and focus on the negative. I do have time to speak a word of hope to people who may be in need of encouragement.
10. I don't have time to settle for the mediocre. I do have time to be passionate about what matters most.

And we thought Canberra winters were cold!

A photo of Kiwi Barbara runnning in freezing condtions in a team marathon relay last Sunday.....It snowed while she was running!

Last night, training in perfect conditions were Brett M, Bronwyn, Garry M, me, Jennifer, Kirsten, Noelene, Rod & Roger. I had decided on 2 lap efforts over 660m. but as that does not compute, we ran 1 1/2 lap efforts over 660m with 220m slow recovery. If you weren't there you missed an excellent session so we will continue sessions like it. For training run handicapping purposes, the start groups should start settling down as people become more consistent.

Late news from West Stromlo: in the 7.5k, Roger has been promoted from bronze to silver.

Training in the Fog, Rain and Mud?

Today I will set off for my long run at Dickson (fog and/or rain notwithstanding) at 3:50pm sharp; would anyone like to join me; alternatively a walkman will keep me company. Then we will run our two lap intervals after a warm-up at 5:30pm. Should be fun, but rug up. Older shoes preferred but not essential. A towel and a change of clothes might be a plan?

Skins Sandown Classic, Victoria. 30 May 2009.


M45 Steve Moneghetti was in the field – 30:05 for 10k at the age of 46. An age grade of 98.9%. 34 runners went sub 32 minutes.

Hey Dude

The Runners Shop (Canberra) has its June Sale happening.
The following shoes are on special. Plenty of options, plenty of choice, all good.
ASICS
Gel Kayano 14 mens sizes 7, 8, 8½, 9, 10, 11½, 12½ 249 199
Gel Nimbus 9 mens sizes 7½-10, 11-13 229 169
Gel Landreth 4 mens sizes 8½-11 175 139
Gel Hyperspeed 2 unisex racer sizes 4-5½, 7 only 125 89
GT 2130 womens sizes 7½-10 189 149

BROOKS
Adrenaline GTS 8 mens & womens 189 149
Adrenaline ASR mens & womens 189 149
Axiom mens & womens 179 139
Beast 2E/4E mens 239 179
Ariel womens (no size 9 or 9½) 239 179
Cascadia 3 mens & womens (no mens size 8½) 189 149
Defyance mens & womens (no mens 8½ - no womens 6½ or 8½) 175 129
Ghost mens & womens 189 149
Glycerin 7 mens & womens 229 179
Trance 8 mens & womens 249 189
Vapor 8 mens & womens 155 119
Liberty 5 XT mens & womens (mens size 9-12 only) 149 109
Maximus XT 5 mens size 9½ -12 175 129

NIKE
Air Structure Triax 11 mens & womens 189 149
Air Zoom Elite 4 mens & womens 189 149

NEW BALANCE
1063 mens & womens 209 159
1224 mens & womens 209 169
769 mens & womens 169 129
904 mens & womens 169 129

ADIDAS
adistar Salvation mens & womens 209 159
Supernova Sequence mens & womens 169 129
Supernova Glide womens 169 129

"It’s that time of year again. As usual, we are giving all our regulars notice of what’s on offer in our June Sale.

"We have only listed the models in which we have a good size run. There are several other models in which we have bits and pieces. Most of these specials are now in store but the Nike, New Balance and some of the Brooks models won’t be arriving until early next week. If you wish to reserve a pair of listed shoes, please give us a call. We may also be receiving a few more models but these are still being negotiated and we wanted to give you as much advance notice as possible.

"Most of the shoe companies have advised that their new models will be increasing in price, some significantly, for the second half of 2009. This is just another reason to get in now while there is plenty of stock".
-Brian Wenn.

What I am reading: "Pet Peeve", by Piers Anthony. Partway through. This is number 29 in the Xanth series. Have I read 1-28? Yes. Have I read 30+? Not yet.
The first "trilogy" went for 27 books. "Currant Events" was the first book of the second "trilogy". "Pet Peeve" is the second .

What I am viewing: The Big Lebowski, by the Coen Brothers. Partway through. A classic, very funny, and I have seen it before of course. Typical Coens.

Although I am not so sure about the poster ...

Rocket. Rock-it.

Monday training. Another mild evening; a training set equivalent to 8 x 400m on 3 minutes, run from corners of the grassy square in front of Parliament house, a group of  16 speedygeese namely Alan, Anthony, Bronwyn, Cathy, Christopher, Ewen, me, Helen, Jennifer, Maria, MickC, Rachelle, Ruth, Tony, Yelena, Yili; a slightly longer warm-up than we have been doing, a shorter cool-down which took us up a slope of Parliament House itself to look over the lights of North Canberra.

My song of the week. Snow Patrol: "If There’s a Rocket Tie Me To It". This song is getting some airplay at the moment. I like Snow Patrol and this is one of their very best songs ever. The official video can be viewed at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K06sxih7pls and here is a screen capture I have taken from the video:

.

The ACTVAC dustbunnies*

ACTVAC Handicap West Stromlo 7.5k
6 Roger Pilkington M50 33:14 73.9% bronze
8 Kelley Flood W45 36:11 75.6
9 Brett Morrison M40 37:11 60.9
20 Mick Charlton M55 41:10 63.8
27 Christopher Lang M55 40:39 65.3
29 Margaret McSpadden W60 49:00 65.6
38 David Baussmann M55 38:59 68.1
41 Rod Lynch M45 30:46 79.4
48 Alan Duus M60 40:05 68.2
50 Yili Zhu M45 38:06 62.9
60 Nadine Thomlinson W35 37:08 67.9
65 Jodie Davis W40 49:14 52.0
68 Ruth Baussmann W55 45:52 67.5
75 Heidi Johnston W35 38:41 64.7
76 Helen Larmour W45 38:07 73.0
79 Bronwyn Calver W35 39:42 63.5
81 Mick Horan M45 36:33 66.8
82 Caroline Campbell W65 44:56 76.3
87 Tony Booth M70 48:13 63.0
94 finishers

West Stromlo 4k
5 Katie Forestier W40 16:56 79.7% bronze
8 Ken White M55 17:13 77.7
24 Geoff Moore M60 18:01 77.9
26 Gary Bowen M50 18:56 69.1
31 Neil Boden M55 20:43 66.3
34 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee W35 20:56 60.2
50 finishers

*The ACTVAC dustbunnies: as suggested by an interstate person amused by our name: "ACTVAC sounds like a machine to suck up dust bunnies." Yes it does, and the dustbunny seems like a suitable club mascot. Thanks Katy.