coming up this week

Mon 31st	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Tue 1st	6:15pm	YCRC Summer Series 5k Stromlo Forest Park
Wed 2nd	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k
Thu 3rd	6:00pm	ACTVAC T&F
Fri 4th	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 5th	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
Sun 6th	8:00am	speedygeese training Stromlo Forest Park
	9:00am	YCRC 6k Women’s Jogalong Weston Park

Thursday 3 February ACTVAC track events (postal relays day):

6:00pm 3000m

6:20pm 4 x 800m walk relay

6:50pm 4 x 100m relay

7:00pm 4 x 800m relay

7:30pm 200m

7:50pm 4 x 400m relay

8:05pm 3000m/5000m.
I plan to target the 5000m.

HEAT

Candid Canberra #50 - Controlled burn at Dunlop yesterday

photo by “Gerry Built”

According to the BOM website, this week's temperature figures for the next six days starting Monday are: 37, 37, 34, 33, 35, 33. The ACT government has issued an OFFICIAL HEAT WARNING. So please everyone, take care training and racing this week. Tuesday's Summer Series will be cancelled if the temperature is above 35 at the time of the run.

2011 Summer Series events, 6:15pm
Tue 1 Feb Stromlo Forest Park 2/5k cc Uriarra Rd
Tue 8 Feb Boathouse East 2/5k r (Molonglo Reach) Menindee Dr ParkesMap 59 P13
Tue 15 Feb North Curtin 2/5k cc/r Dunstan St CurtinMap 68 D3
Tue 22Feb Barrenjoey Dr 2/5k gr Off Lady Denman DrMap 58 D7
Tue 1 Mar Weston Park 2/5k r/cc Weston Park Yarralumla Map 58 H8
Tue 8 Mar Acton Ferry Terminal 2/5k r Barrine Dr Acton Map 59 E5
Tue 15 Mar Lake Ginninderra 2/7.1k r Macdermott Pl Belconnen Map 37 N10
Tue 22 Mar Stromlo Forest Park 2/5k cc Uriarra Rd Just off NW corner of Map 67

Today's ACTVAC Handicap results
30/01/11 - Campbell Park (High Course) 6.0k
1 Katherine Sheppard W40 33:31
6 Geoff Barker M65 43:34 bronze
8 Geoff Moore M60 27:33
11 Maria O'Reilly W55 29:16
12 Christopher Lang M55 33:20
16 Heidi Johnston W40 28:44
23 Roger Pilkington M50 28:31
25 Michelle Wells W35 26:24
34 Kathy Southgate W50 25:31
36 David Baussmann M60 29:53
38 Mick Horan M50 29:23
40 Mick Charlton M55 35:27
43 Nadine Morrison W40 29:05
47 Peter McDonald M55 39:27
56 Caroline Campbell W65 35:28
75 Brett Morrison M40 28:14
87 Alan Williams M60 34:55
88 Ruth Baussmann W60 35:28
96 Ewen Thompson M50 38:33
98 Janene Kingston W45 32:52
115 finishers

30/01/11 - Campbell Park (High Course) 3.0k
8 Troy Steinman M35 12:48
10 Katie Forestier W45 12:34
15 Leanne Steinman W35 17:45
16 Tony Booth M70 16:41
17 Ken White M55 13:28
18 Noeline Burden W55 16:59
21 Gary Bowen M50 13:12
28 Graeme Patrick M55 15:01
40 Jennifer Bright W35 18:11
45 Carolyne Kramar W45 22:28
48 Cathy Montalto W55 19:11
49 Garry Maher M60 16:51
54 finishers

100k week

Thanks to 30k this morning, looks like another week around 100k coming up. That's four in a row.

Our Vets results from Thursday night.
60m
M60 Garry Maher 9.16 86.7%
M50 Rod Lynch 9.54 76.2
W35 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee 9.63 72.7

1000m
M40 Brett Morrison 3:34.08 65.7%
W40 Nadine Morrison 3:42.36 68.9
M70 Tony Booth 4:36.51 66.9

1500m
M40 Damian Rutledge 4:54.61 77.4%
M50 Rod Lynch 5:03.64 80.1
M50 Gary Bowen 5:15.95 78.3
W35 Michelle Wells 5:30.13 73.8
M40 Brett Morrison 5:31.60 67.4
W40 Heidi Johnston 5:45.26 71.2
M50 Andrew Matthews 5:51.27 69.2
W40 Nadine Morrison 5:56.64 69.6
M50 Roger Pilkington 5:59.79 68.2
M70 Tony Booth 7:39.85 63.9

spiral 4 lap
1 Damian Rutledge M40 6:16
3 Tony Booth M70 9:08
4 Rod Lynch M50 5:41
8 Andrew Matthews M50 6:38
13 Gary Bowen M50 6:06
14 Brett Morrison M40 6:26
16 Roger Pilkington M50 6:18
19 Graeme Patrick M55 7:00
21 Nadine Morrison W40 6:28
22 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee W35 6:54
23 Ruth Baussmann W60 8:09
30 finishers

Orroral Valley 20 kms (Australia Day):
Males:
20 Roger Pilkington 52 1.57.20
25 Geoff Barker 66 2.20.40
26 male finishers

Females:
3 Kym Chisholm 29 1.39.07
11 female finishers

Candid Canberra #49. Storm water tunnel at Kippax.

ice ice baby

Candid Canberra #48: ice circles

This picture is a reminder how lovely and cold it was only a few months ago. Now it is stinking hot, making it difficult to stick to a training schedule!

Today's Customs 5k Joggers speedygeese times
Geoff Moore 21.45
Bob Harlow 22:04

Thea Zimpel 28.41

Carolyne Campbell 29.31
Carolyne Kramer 34.38
I felt flat today. And it was too hot. But it was still half a minute faster than last time.

The Box


Keith Bateman, on his facebook page: "Brilliant! Keith to guy handing out Fitness First Free-Trial cards: "If you can beat me around the block, I'll join", "Really? (excitedly)", "Yes, well any distance really; 5Km, 3Km, take your pick". "can you come back tomorrow?", "sure but you'll need to be quicker than 8:56 for 3k ... look here's my card ...". I don't expect him to be there tomorrow :-)"

World Cross Country

The Australian Team for the World Cross Country has been announced. Victorians dominate; no surprise, as Victoria has always been the top distance running state in Australia, and still is. In the men's team, only Ben St Lawrence is a non-Victorian.

Men 12k
Craig Mottram
Collis Birmingham
Ben St Lawrence
Liam Adams
Clint Perrett
David McNeill
Toby Rayner (reserve)

Women 8k
Benita Willis
Lara Tamsett
Anna Thompson
Kaila McKnight
Eloise Wellings

Junior men 8k
Hugh Williams
Joshua Johnson
Ethan Heywood
Glen Yarham

Junior women 6k
Celia Sullohern

Cross Country Trial

Michael Shelley and Collis Birmingham battling out the 12k cross country trial in Canberra last Sunday. Birmingham defeated the Commonwealth Games marathon silver medallist by three seconds. Michael Shelley is unavailable for the Cross Country team, running London instead.

Foundations of Running #3: Aerobic Endurance. Running slower to race faster.

Aerobic means "with oxygen". Training aerobically means running slowly enough so that the oxygen breathed in and the fuel drawn from the muscles will be sufficient to meet the body’s energy demands, causing no "debt". Faster running puts extra demands on the body which exhaust the body’s ability to perform. With aerobic running, everything is steady state, the only waste products formed are carbon dioxide and water, which are removed by sweating and breathing out.

There are indicators you can use to tell if a run is aerobic, e.g. heart rate no more than 65% maximum. A simpler rule of thumb is, can you hold a conversation? If so, you are running aerobically. If not you are probably running too fast.

Aerobic Threshold: the aerobic threshold is the point at which anything faster is starting to get into the anaerobic (without oxygen) range, roughly 65% maximum heart rate, or if you like, where you are starting to breathe a bit heavier and find talking more difficult.

Here are two kinds of Aerobic Endurance:

• Continuous aerobic running
• Aerobic interval training

Continuous aerobic running will increase your VO2 Max, which is your ability to take up oxygen. Therefore continuous aerobic running is essential as a major part of training for anyone wanting to excel from 800m and up. Continuous aerobic runs can be short (up to ten minutes), medium (up to 30 minutes) or long (more than 30 minutes).

Aerobic interval training is useful when you want to focus on pace while staying within the aerobic range. Intervals of 1km, for example, with a good active recovery in between, can be run at about your best current 10k race pace, and probably no faster, if they are to be wholly aerobic.

An advantage of training within the aerobic range is that recovery is immediate, muscle injury is minimal, and energy demands are tolerable. The ability to run long distances comfortably is progressively developed over time. Each session builds on the previous session. Debilitating fatigue does not occur.

It is so important to learn that running slower does in fact make you faster. I took twenty minutes off my marathon time and a minute off my 5k time back in the 1970's by running slower, while developing the ability to run longer. The further I ran in training, the quicker my race times were, and the easier running felt. In hindsight, I ran my weekly kilometer interval session too fast when the emphasis should have been on aerobic endurance, but the bulk of my running was still continuous aerobic endurance training.

This year we plan as a group to focus on aerobic endurance during February, June, and October. [correction: April, August, December. Not a change of plan: I just mis-remembered the plan.] And beginners who join our group at any time will be encouraged to start with this phase of running from the first day they meet with us.

Previously in the "Foundations" series:
#1 Variety
#2 Endurance

first day at school

Happy Birthday Maria, 56 today.

Song of the week. "Hey Boys and Girls", by Evermore. This is a different video from the one shown here when the song was first released a couple of years ago. You can see the original at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwb3M7WACPs&feature=channel



Another grandchild starts school!
“Tyler's first ever day of school. He was fine at drop off, and when I picked him up and asked him if he enjoyed his first day of school, his response was "No, it was boring." And then he proceeded to tell his teacher just precisely what was boring about it....with Tyler there is no holding back!” – Tyler’s mom.

Tyler on the left, Jackson on the right

Cyclone Tyler about to hit McDowall State School.

Training at Parliament House: Last night Nadine, Ewen & I ran early; Nadine didn’t stay, joining us for hill sprints were Andy, Caroline, Cathy N, Colin, Colleen, Joel, Kym, Mick, Neil, Ruth, Susan, Suzie, Tim, Warrick & Yelena. Last week’s dusty hill was covered with new grass but we couldn’t run on it as the sprinklers were going and there was some suspicion the water may have been of the recycled variety. So we ran four circuits which included the steepest hill; then we ran a series of attrition sprints. After ten sprints, with the last runner(s) being eliminated on each sprint, the eventual winners were (in order) Joel, Colin and Tim. Something new, we finished with a repêchage won narrowly by Kym over Andy, with Warrick third.

Customs 5k result Friday 21 January:
Bronwyn Calver 23.36
Tim Calver 23.37
Carolyne Kramar 36.07

CapitalSummer Triathlon Result
32 David Baussmann 1:25.43, first M60+
39 Bob Harlow 1:28.20, second M60+
73 finishers
An historic victory for David? It's possibly his first win over Bob.

coming up this week

Mon 24th	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese hill training
Wed 26th	7:00am	Orroral Valley Classic
Thu 27th	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k
	6:00pm	ACTVAC T&F
Fri 28th	12:15pm	Customs 5k handicap
Sat 29th	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
Sun 30th	8:30am	ACTVAC Handicap Campbell Park

Maui results
Bronwyn Calver 21k 1:54:43
Jodie Davis 15k 1:43:38

Metro runners
While some of us ran in Saturday's Half Marathon, the Metro runners still met at Acton Ferry Terminal for their regular training run. Present were Susan, Ann, Mary, Caleb, Bon, Chuan, and Amanda H I think. Some of them are training up for a Half Marathon on 10 April at the Australia Running Festival in Canberra.

In Melbourne today my wife Jenny is participating in a memorial service for Gordon Stirling. Gordon was a strong positive role model for Jenny in Jenny's teenage years and played a major part in making her the beautiful young woman she became. Also attending the funeral are Rod and Brett L: it just so happens that Brett is Gordon's great-grandson.

Note: As Wednesday is the Australia Day holiday, the BBQ Stakes has been shifted to Thursday. And Sunday's 4k/8k handicap events start at 8:30am, not 9:00am, to avoid the heat.

Racing a half marathon, blazing sun, humidity, and much of the run on concrete.

Photo by Miranda. Concrete is not the best surface to race on, so I was pleased with the lunar racers I wore, they provided just enough cushioning at my slowish pace. My feet can get very sore, and I might try something better for the next road race, Saucony Kinvaras perhaps?

one tree many branches

CapitalSummer Half Marathon
31. 1:39:56 Tim Calver
33. 1:40:08 Geoff Moore
37. 1:42:46 Bronia Rowe
45. 1:46:55 Warrick Howieson
46. 1:47:04 Colleen Koh
92. 2:11:58 Caroline Campbell
103 finishers

CapitalSummer 10k
18 44.27 Abigail Clark
85 finishers

Candid Canberra #47. Neighbour's 40 year old eucalypt tree falls.
I was packing the car at 5:50am today ready to head out to Stromlo to train when I heard an ominous cracking sound, like a tree branch about to fall. Turns out it was the whole tree at the front of one of my neighbours, Chris Davey. I was watching as the tree hit the ground. These photos are taken in late afternoon after much of the cleanup had been completed, including the unblocking of their immediate neighbour's driveway. A demolished mailbox seems to be the only serious casualty. The tree would have destroyed any car, person, or animal in its path had there been any there. Luckily, no.

We have a tree out the front, larger, of the same vintage.

Footnote: just three days earlier Chris, concerned about the way the tree was leaning, had consulted a "tree expert:" who assured Chris the tree was "sturdy", would "never fall", and "only a trim is needed".

Our tree is about to get a trim, we have decided.

We've poured you a beer. Where the ... ... ARE you?

Track results for speedygeese at Vets, Thursday 20 January
100m
W55 Noeline Burden 16.44 80.0%

400m
M40 Damian Rutledge 56.80 83.6%
M55 Ken White 66.93 77.5
W55 Noeline Burden 84.59 73.4
W60 Maureen Rossiter 84.75 75.3

800m
M55 Ken White 2:21.76 86.9%
M50 Rod Lynch 2:32.00 77.2
W40 Amanda Walker 2:39.39 75.0
W40 Heidi Johnston 2:39.51 73.0
M50 Gary Bowen 2:39.79 74.6
W45 Janene Kingston 2:57.59 69.1
W55 Maria O'Reilly 2:58.75 75.8
M50 Andrew Matthews 3:01.46 64.6
W55 Kathy Sims 3:07.43 76.6

3000m early event
W50 Kathy Southgate 11:14.92 91.8%
M50 Rod Lynch 11:28.10 73.7
W35 Michelle Wells 11:39.34 74.5
M60 Geoff Moore 13:00.80 71.3
W40 Bronwyn Calver 13:36.08 64.9
W65 Caroline Campbell 15:19.64 83.0

3000m late event
M50 Gary Bowen 11:54.70 72.1%
M65 Geoff Barker 17:00.53 56.6

5000m
M60 Geoff Moore 21:39.24 73.7%

I had a confidence boosting run in the CapitalSummer Half Marathon this morning, enjoying tagging along with Bronia and Warrick for about seven kms while I loosened up, then picking up the pace a little. But the speedygeese highlight was Tim, running with a 10kg pack, and still getting under the 1:40 barrier.

Caroline was there too, as was Colleen on her last day in Canberra before she and William move away from Canberra to live in Mollymook.

I THINK the first two place-getters in today's Half Marathon were women. If so, I am delighted to have completed my first ever major race in fifty years of running when this has been the case, women running one and two. Go the girls!

Meanwhile that other Half Marathon is on tomorrow...

Go Bronwyn!

Foundations of Running #2: Endurance

In 2011, for the speedygeese training group, I shall be trying out a four month cycle instead of the six months or twelve months cycles we have followed in the past. We are going to devote a month at a time focusing on each of four phases. This allows for more variety: we don't want to get stuck on one training phase for months at a time. And we would like to cater for new runners who can arrive at any time during the year. These new runners will be encouraged to start off doing basic aerobic endurance work, if they so wish, until in no more than three months the group will catch up and the new runners will be in sync.

These are the four types of endurance running which comprise the phases of our four month training cycle:

• Aerobic endurance
• Anaerobic endurance
• Speed endurance
• Strength endurance

Aerobic and anaerobic are important in varying degrees depending on the distance being raced. If you specialise in a particular distance you may be interested in this table:

Distance / Event	% Aerobic	% Anaerobic
200 metres	5	95
400 metres	17	83
800 metres	34	66
1,500 metres	55	45
5,000 metres	80	20
10,000 metres	90	10
Marathon	98	2

Keep in mind however that very few members in the training group want to specialise. Also, I don't know how well the table translates to non-elite folks like us.

Our speedygeese aerobic endurance phase starts in February (and again in June and October). In future posts I will explain more and provide information about the training we do in each monthly phase of the cycle.

All running develops endurance of some kind or another. When you "go for a run", you could ask yourself, "Which type of endurance am I developing today"?

Result from the Pro-Am meet 15 January:
800m
Damian Rutledge 2:11.12

Report from last night's track meet:
Damian had a very good run in the 400m, about 56 seconds, which shows his 800m can improve significantly. I ran both the 3000m and the 5000m, something I "never do". So we shall see if I suffer this time! I am finding 4:20 pace comfortable, which is what I averaged in both races, but may delay by a couple of weeks any attempt to run faster. I don't want to focus on racing quite yet. And I might have to back off after tomorrow's "easy" half marathon run, we shall see.

Good luck to Bronwyn and Jodie, off to run in the Maui Oceanfront Marathon this Sunday. Actually Bronwyn is running the half marathon, and Jodie the 15k. Website: http://www.mauioceanfrontmarathon.com/.

There'll be a half marathon in Canberra in May.

More from the YCRC as it swings into operation:
The YCRC is likely to commence a “Novice Half Marathon Training Group” on the second or third Saturday in February, with a half marathon incorporating the 42nd Rex Foulkes Half Marathon on Sunday 22nd May. Details and application forms within the next two weeks.

Granddaughter Liana's 8th birthday back on the 5th of January

They went rock climbing. No worries!

quick update

Thursday 20 January 6:00pm ACTVAC Track events
6:00pm 3000m
6:20pm 1k/3k/5k walk
6:50pm 100m
7:00pm 800m
7:30pm 400m
7:50pm 4x200m relay
8:05pm 3000/5000

Wednesday 19 January speedygeese BBQ Stakes times
Geoff Moore 27:14
Gary Bowen 27:51
Helen Larmour 28:15
Kerry Tanner 29:39
Caroline Campbell 37:31

Note - next week's BBQ Stakes will be held on Thursday 27th instead of Wednesday.

From the YCRC

1. The Australian Running Festival, April 9-10, including the Canberra Times Canberra Marathon:

The YMCA of Canberra Runners Club (YCRC) is supporting Fairfax Events’ conduct of the Australian Running Festival (ARF), including the Canberra Times Canberra Marathon. The new club’s offer of support was made in late December after discussion and a series of communications with Fairfax Events, after which the club was satisfied that Fairfax Events is committed to maintaining a cooperative and fair relationship with the Canberra running community.

Detailed negotiations in February will establish a formal relationship between YCRC and Fairfax Events for the Australian Running Festival. However, on a matter of great interest to a number of Canberra marathon runners, we can say that Fairfax Events is reviewing its original decision to not support the Griffins program. The ACT Cross Country Club had already passed its ownership of the ‘Griffins’ program to the YCRC, which has made representations to Fairfax Events about its continuation within the Canberra Times Canberra Marathon.

YCRC understands that Cundy Sports Marketing (CSM) will have no involvement with the ARF, and they have also indicated that they will not be involved with anyfuture marathon events in Canberra (as reported in The Canberra Times, 24 December 2010).

The YCRC encourages members to support the Australian Running Festival, including the Canberra Times Canberra Marathon, as either competitors of volunteers (or both).
Please find information regarding the event at http://runningfestival.com.au/

Geoff Sims, President
YMCA of Canberra Runners Club

2. The YMCA of Canberra Runners Club's Summer Series:
Edit: these events commence at 6:15pm

Tue 1 Feb Stromlo Forest Park 2/5k cc Uriarra Rd
Tue 8 Feb Boathouse East 2/5k r (Molonglo Reach) Menindee Dr Parkes. Map 59 P13
Tue 15 Feb North Curtin 2/5k cc/r Dunstan St Curtin. Map 68 D3
Tue 22Feb Barrenjoey Dr 2/5k gr Off Lady Denman Dr. Map 58 D7
Tue 1 Mar Weston Park 2/5k r/cc Weston Park Yarralumla. Map 58 H8
Tue 8 Mar Acton Ferry Terminal 2/5k r Barrine Dr Acton. Map 59 E5
Tue 15 Mar Lake Ginninderra 2/7.1k r Macdermott Pl Belconnen. Map 37 N10
Tue 22 Mar Stromlo Forest Park 2/5k cc Uriarra Rd. Just off NW corner of Map 67

cc stands for cross country, gr for gravel and r for road (or more commonly bike path).

Foundations of Running #1: Variety is the Spice Of Life

I like to vary my running from day to day. How else could I have taken up the sport in 1962 and still be doing it in 2011? Next year will be my fifty years running anniversary. That is quite a marathon effort!

Some of the tactics I use to overcome staleness and to keep myself motivated:

• meeting other people to run with
• running with music
• putting a weekly plan on the office wall
• having achievable short, medium, and long term goals
• starting with a fresh outlook each year
• looking forward to competing in the next five year age group
• connecting with like-minded runners around the world
• writing about running
• mixing with enthusiastic beginners who are new to running

What are the strategies you employ to keep your running experiences fresh and alive?

At Parliament House last night, nineteen runners enjoyed twenty soft sandy uphill 100m sprints: I ran 8k+ early, while Ewen & Ruth ran 6k early. Then we were joined by Abi, Andy, Brett, Caroline, Colleen, Craig, Jochen, Joel, Kym, Mick, Nadine, Neil, Susan, Suzie, Warrick & Yelena. Welcome back Susan & Suzie! It was hot but, because the recent humidity had finally gone away, didn't seem overly oppressive.

Song of the week: "Impossible", by Anberlin, from the album "Dark is the Way, Light is a Place". Yet another album that didn't make my top five albums of 2010 but came close
.


Birds of a Feather

now for a half marathon tempo run...

Very low numbers for the Kosciuszko Classic on Saturday 15 January, perfect weather conditions. As well as Brett and Nadine, running were two other good friends, Nick & Ruth Hearnshaw.
Males: 7 Brett Morrison 31.49: 12 finishers
Females: 2 Nadine Morrison 32.13; 5 finishers

Lining up at the start; the run is 4.8 kms uphill on the summit track from Snowy River Bridge to Mt Kosciuszko summit

Coming up this week:

Mon 17th	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese hill training
Wed 19th	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k
Thu 20th	6:00pm	ACTVAC T&F
Fri 21st	12:15pm	Customs 5k handicap
Sat 22nd	7:00am	CapitalSummer Half Marathon
	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
Sun 23rd	6:30am	Stromlo Stomp, followed by
	7:30am	World Cross Country Selection Trials

Sunday's selection trials are followed by a 5k Fun Run at 9:15am.

Additional; There's an AACT track meet on Friday evening as well. See http://www.athleticsact.org.au/about-us.

I won't be there as I have entered Saturday's Half Marathon. The first of the year 2011, of many, I hope. I have no intention of running it fast, not this one anyway.

click on logo for website!

It feels like a "Simon's Cat" kind of day.

At training today at Stromlo F.P. were Emma P and me. Yay, company! Trevor was there too, for the third week in a row, jogging around then actually doing some speed work, with Kathy, Ann, and other elite runners. I finished the week with 95k, happy enough with that and will try for another 100k next week. It was hot out there this morning!

Leanne at Weston Park.

invasion of the speedygeese

My two running groups merged today with speedygeese descending in numbers to join Metro runners for their 6.5k run, before mostly continuing on for a longer (and not necessarily faster) run. Speedygeese: Emma P, Susan, Andy, Ruth, Christopher, me, Ewen. Metro Runners: Mary, Ann, Caleb, Josh, Chuan, Alex, Amanda H, Amanda J. Did I miss anyone? I managed 24k again and am feeling the effects; 8am tomorrow at Stromlo Forest Park it continues and I may make it to the 100k target, or close anyway.

Thursday's ACTVAC Track results
800m Handicap (Net Times)
        Joel Pearson 2:12
M55 Ken White 2.23
M40 Damian Rutledge 2.26
M50 Rod Lynch 2.32
W40 Amanda Walker 2.37 *PB*
W40 Heidi Johnston 2.40 *PB*
W35 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee 2.41
W45 Katie Forestier 2.41
        Brett Lynch 2:52
M50 Roger Pilkington 3.06

3000m Heat 1
M50 Rod Lynch 11:00.45 76.8%
W50 Kathy Southgate 11:23.25 90.7
        Brett Lynch 12:28.95
M50 Roger Pilkington 12:45.34 66.8
M70 Tony Booth 14:53.72 69.0

3000m Heat 2
W45 Katie Forestier 11:52.49 77.6%
M55 Ken White 12:23.92 71.7
W40 Bronwyn Calver 13:10.55
        Yelena Pearson 14:52.49
W60 Ruth Baussmann 14:53.21 75.5 *PB*

5000m
M50 Roger Pilkington 22:15.49 65.9%
M60 Geoff Moore 22:39.88 70.4
M50 Ewen Thompson 24:14.19 61.0

The Lynch mob are doing well, not only running good times in the 3000m and 800m, they also ran in a 4x400m team with Joel and Angel.

Friday's Customs 5k result
me 22:16
Yili Zhu 23:47
Bronwyn Calver 25:00
Hot, humid, windy! But not wet.

The Pearson mob

At Brooke and Toby's wedding.

high and dry

A member of the speedygeese who lives in Brisbane, Jenny Langton, with husband Greg Cox and their children, are safe and sound after being evacuated from her home in Fairfield, on the Brisbane River. Here is what she has been posting on Facebook:

"A massive thank you to all those people who helped us move stuff out of the house yesterday you all went above and beyond!! We are camped at the Begleys until the water goes down but best of all we now have internet access!"

Her flood photos:

I was told that her house has escaped any flood damage, with the water rising to just below her floorboards.

Track highlights from last night: It was a humid night but many good times were run. For example (a) Heidi running 2:40 for the 800m, and (b) Ruthie smashing her 3000m pb she set last week by a few tenths of a second.

Next Week we are back to normal Vets Track; a shame in some ways, as it's different racing the youngsters, and it's good having 3000m races on as late as 8:00pm when it's a lot cooler and the wind has died down. This coming Thursday there is no long event scheduled, other than the early 3000m and a walking event mid program. However an early night could be good, as the following weekend 22-23 January is very busy with a Half Marathon run on Saturday morning, the Pro-Am carnival including some open scratch events on Saturday afternoon, and major events at Stromlo on Sunday 23rd including a 5k Fun Run.

I have entered Stromlo Running Festival’s "Australian Age-Sex Adjusted (ASA) Cross Country Championships" (7.5km), on in February. I have a pig’s hope in hell of getting in the top ten amongst the prize money. Would other slow runners like to enter so I’m not alone at the back at the finish? As an example, Kathy Southgate will finish up to 8 minutes in front of me, as she will be 5 or 6 minutes faster than me over that distance, and I give her 2:13 start. Calculations for other quick runners give similar outcomes: I won’t be up there at the finish but it will be a good finish to watch if you prefer not to run!

I haven't entered the Canberra Half Marathon in April yet, as there is no incentive to enter early, as there is only $6 difference in entry fee effectively, and I may as well until the last moment.

The one race I shall have to enter a bit in advance is the Australian Masters Games Half Marathon, the date of which has finally been published - 15 October, a Saturday, and not Sunday the 16th as I had thought.

Today it's off to run the Customs 5k and see if I can improve on last week's time. And stay dry!

Rad

... click to expand... it's a fascinating article.

Plan B
I guess with all this rain there is slim a chance track won't be on tonight. That being the case I shall still turn up at the advertised time and head off for a long run in the rain, starting from the track. If you wish to join me, look out for me there. What time? We will have to play it by ear but I would prefer to be heading off earlier rather than later.

Track runner at Weston Park cross country

Noeline. Flies over the sprint distances but can still run a quick 4k in the rain. Note the umbrella in the background. Remember that day, 28 November? That is the day when all this rain began here in Canberra.

not slow down

Song of the week: "Savannah" by Relient K, off their album "Forget and not slow down". Here is a version recorded live.



This Relient K album nearly made my top five albums of 2010.

Plan A
Weather permitting, I shall pace tomorrow's 8:00pm 3000m at 1:58 per lap. Then carry on to 5000m and not slow down. If someone were trying to run around 23 minutes the challenge would be to catch them. Although, to run 23 minutes would involve picking up the pace from 4:55 per k to 4:07 per k. Challenge indeed.

"someone"

Pro-Am this Saturday

speedygeese at the Australian National Sprint Triathlon Championships 9 January 2011
750m swim / 20km ride / 5km run
133 Bob Harlow 1:21:03 2nd M60
140 David Baussmann 1:21:30 3rd M60
193 Geoff Barker 1:37:38 3rd M65
207 Caroline Campbell 1:49:34 2nd W65
214 finishers

Novice Race - 250m swim / 10km ride / 2.5km run
27 Charlie McCormack 41:35 1st W45
98 finishers

At Parliament House last night four of us ran early - Ewen, me, Katherine & Ruth. For the main training session we were joined by Andy, Caroline, Colleen, Emma P (new), Jochen, Joel, Kym, Mick C, Neil, Warrick, William & Yelena. A set of 12 100m hill sprints on 90 seconds was followed by a set of attrition sprints won by Joel; Andy, Jochen, Kym & Emma rounded out the final five left standing.

Always game to try and vary what we do, for Monday training I have been thinking how I used to follow a one year cycle, and a couple of years ago changed to two six month cycles. I think this could be modified to three cycles of four months each. For example, I have been starting each cycle with hill sprints, and instead of having six weeks of hill sprints in January and then again in July, there could be four weeks in each of January, May, and September. So that's the plan, folks.

==========================

DRAFT PROGRAM

NSW ATHLETIC LEAGUE and ATHLETICS ACT
CANBERRA PRO-AM TRACK CARNIVAL

featuring the Ken Lorraway Memorial Gift
AIS ATHLETIC STADIUM
Saturday 15 January 2011
2.00 pm to 8.00 pm

==========================

  HEATS

2.00 pm           Novice-Vets Handicap                            120m            Heats

2.20 pm           Sprint Handicap                                        70m            Heats

3.00 pm           AACT scratch races (seeded on times)     100m           Races

3.20 pm           Canberra Women’s Gift                          120m            Heats

3.40 pm           Ken Lorraway Memorial Gift                  120m            Heats

4.15 pm           AACT scratch races (seeded on times)    800m           Races

  SEMI-FINALS

4.35 pm           Sprint Handicap                                     70m    Semis

4.50 pm           Canberra Women’s Gift                         120m           Semis

5.00 pm           Ken Lorraway Memorial Gift                 120m           Semis

5.15 pm           AACT scratch races (seeded on times)  200m           Races

5.30 pm           Open 300m Handicap                            300m            Heats

  FINALS

5.50 pm           AACT scratch race                                3000m          1 Race

6.10 pm           Novice – Vets Handicap                         120m             $500

6.20 pm           CANBERRA WOMENS GIFT               120m          $1,500

6.30 pm           KEN LORRAWAY MEMORIAL GIFT 120m          $3,500

6.40 pm           Open Skins – Preliminaries                        70m

6.45 pm           Open 300m Handicap                              300m          $1,000

6.55 pm           Sprint Handicap                                          70m           $500

7.05 pm           Invitation Back-Markers Handicap            100m            $500

7.15 pm           Open Skins                                        70m by 4             $500

==========================

Notes:

• Gate entry fee is $6.00 and payable in the Commonwealth Room
• Athletes can enter scratch rates on the day – entry lists will be available in the Commonwealth Room
• Scratch races are open to all non-professional runners over the age of 12
• All queries to Neil Boden (Athletics ACT) on 6242 4038 (h) or e-mail at nboden@iprimus.com.au