quarterly report...

Running today at 8:00am: Zainab, Ewen, Ruth, Lucia, Abi, Amanda (new) and me. A great day to run the west basin circuit and beyond. This beautiful weather is predicted to continue...

Here is the run I did yesterday...

With one quarter of the year gone, I have so far run 1300k, which of course projects to 5200k for the year, well ahead of the 4200k target. Of course, the depths of winter are yet to come...

Speedygeese results, Final Vets Track Thursday 29 March
800m
M70 Tony Booth 3:06.83 77.6%

5000m Championships
W55 Maria O'Reilly 20.25
M50 Roger Pilkington 20.59
M40 Craig Davis 21.05
W50 Helen Larmour 21.20
M50 Ewen Thompson 22.14
W65 Caroline Campbell 24.58
M70 Tony Booth 27.01

Amanda ran with us today for the first time...

p.s. try these formulae. This probably only works in google chrome. (Can you create more like them?)...

sqrt(x*x+y*y)+3*cos(sqrt(x*x+y*y))+5 from -20 to 20

sqrt(x*x+y*y)+3*cos(sqrt(x*x+y*y))+5 from -40 to 4

parkrun comes to Canberra

A new running series, parkrun, will begin soon in Canberra.

"Parkrun started in the UK in 2004 when a small group of runners ran a 5k at Bushy Park – the Bushy Park time trial. The concept of free, timed, weekly 5k runs gained momentum and the first Australian parkrun was launched on the Gold Coast in April 2011. There are now parkruns in Australia in 5 locations with around 3000 runners and numerous volunteers involved. Canberra will soon be the 6th location.

"Parkrun is coming to Canberra, commencing 28 April 2012 from John Knight Park on Lake Ginninderra. We think the 5k is an attractive distance for new runners, a good hit out for mid-distance runners and a good complement to a long-distance runner’s training regime.

"Our focus is on building a community of runners and people who love running, we are not looking to divide the loyalty of your club members. Parkrun is open to everyone, is free, safe and easy to take part in. Some people run with prams, some to consolidate their Couch to 5K achievements, some as a tempo run and some run to take down the Parkrun Australia’s course record of 15:31 (!!).

"I’m seeking your assistance to get this great concept off the ground in Canberra by spreading the word to your group (and others). We’ll be running from John Knight Memorial Park each Saturday from 28 April. So come along and say hi. Here’s a link to the route http://www.strava.com/runs/5kilometers-4848750

"More information can be found at our website http://www.parkrun.com.au/home or join our facebook page ’Canberra Parkrun’."

The parkrun course

Happy Birthday Warrick, 42 today!

"Yes not Prime Minister"

March is wooshing past fast

Jill

Tony

me in green

Speedygeese at the Customs 5k Friday 23 March
Andrew Simpson 19:59
Miranda Rawlinson 27:01
Bill Arthur 29:25

Speedygeese who ran in the weekend track events
800m Championships 24 March
M50 Roger Pilkington 2:49.28 70.4%
M70 Tony Booth 3:08.09 77.1
W50 Helen Larmour 2:51.32 76.1
W55 Maria O'Reilly 2:52.14 81.0

400m Championships 25 March
M70 Tony Booth 1:22.71 75.5%

1500m Championships 25 March
M50 Roger Pilkington 5:41.56 72.4%
M70 Tony Booth 6:40.69 74.5
W55 Maria O'Reilly 5:45.67 87.8

Congratulations to Helen running a life-time pb for the 800m.

parliamentary square

This map of Monday night's training shows (a) the complete circle (square) of Parliament House that we do in our warm-up and cool-down, and (b) the many loops around the west-side oval we complete as we do our battle-camp circuit. The distance of the bigger circuit around Parliament House is 1.8k, and the distance around the oval's perimeter is 200m except that on Monday we were running around somewhat inside the perimeter.

Starting next Monday, 2 April, we finally return to doing some training on the hills around Parliament House. This will continue for five weeks.

And Thursday 5 April is the day we return to Dickson oval for training there under lights.

Nadine and Jen starting in the 8k Vets Handicap  at Stromlo Forest Park. Jen was first across the line at the finish.

head down

Happy Birthday Cherie 20 years old today.

Training at Parliament House last night: it was the last Monday before daylight saving ends, and we took advantage of the pleasant conditions to do a 20 minute battle-camp circuit, probably the last such training session until October. (See my April Vetrunner article on "strength training for distance runners".) Running early were Ewen, Miranda, Jen, Nadine & I, and running the main session were Andy, Christopher, Colin, Craig, Garry, Helen, Mick, Miranda, Ruth & Warrick. It was 20 minutes of sprints, crunches, squats, sit-ups and lunges.

Song of the week: The Shins: "Simple Song". From their new album “Port of Morrow”.



Andy starting off at the Stromlo 8k.

Head down, but Andy ran well, and only 7 days after a good half marathon.

photogenicity

Happy Wedding Anniversary Abi & Will, one year today!

Coming Events Week 13 of 2012:

Monday 26 March 4:30pm *Parliament House 8k jog
Monday 26 March 5:30pm *Parliament House speedygeese training
Tuesday 27 March 12:15pm Ginninderra 7k Handicap
Wednesday 28 March 12:15pm BBQ Stakes 6k Woden
Thursday 29 March 6:00pm *ACTVAC Track (including 5000m championships)
Friday 30 March 12:15pm Customs 5k Commonwealth Park
Saturday 31 March 8:00am *Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
Saturday 31 March 1:00pm *YCRC Regatta Point 5k
Sunday 1 April 9:00am *YCRC Women’s and Grils’ 5k Fun Run
* = I expect to attend

Stromlo Forest Park

Strewth at Stromlo. I hope this photo meets her approval. They all look good to me. She is so photogenic. It is the matching gear she always wears. Must be a deliberate ploy to ensure there are always lots of photos of Strewth taken each month. Which there are.


FOOTNOTES
1. About Sunday's 8k, I didn't run all that fast, I held back. The time wasn't quick.
2. I wasn't keen to push the pace having run 37k the day before.
3. The first 4k was at marathon pace, can I keep it up for another 46k?
4. The splits for the two laps were 18 minutes and 17 minutes. I would hope to be approaching 16 minutes per 4k in June for the Cross Country Championships.
5. The apparent "high" age percentage is more to do with age than with speed.

Best running venue ever

Why do geese honk when they are flying? Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Speedygeese results today:
Stromlo Forest Park 8k
1 Jennifer Bright W35 36:46 70.4%
5 Mick Charlton M60 43:55 64.9
13 Nadine Morrison W40 38:46 69.0
15 Christopher Lang M60 43:47 65.3
26 Ruth Baussmann W60 47:27 69.8
32 Andrew Matthews M50 36:43 71.3
42 Geoff Moore M60 35:05 82.1
47 Roger Pilkington M50 38:56 67.7
66 Rae Palmer W60 48:25 71.6
81 Caroline Campbell W65 52:07 73.7
89 finishers

Stromlo Forest Park 4k
31 Jill Pearson W50 22:32 66.4%
47 Tony Booth M70 24:09 66.3
47 finishers

A beautiful day and a fantastic venue. Best running venue ever.

Formal logic

Note that this implies you should NOT honk solely because I stopped for a pedestrian and you're behind me.

lots of Simon’s Cats

High Noon Meets in 2012.

The dates for this year’s High Noon meets have been announced. All High Noon meets are at the AIS Athletics track, commence on Sundays at 12 noon, and are over by 2:00pm. Programs of events will be available in due course. The dates are: 6 May, 20 May, 10 June, 24 June, 8 July, 22 July, 12 August, 2 September, 23 September.

The Lockyer Lake Eyre book was released yesterday. Go to the link at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-23/lockyer-lake-eyre-book-released/3908612. to see some fabulous photos from the book. Here is one of them:

And if you didn't watch the program about Lake Eyre on TV the other day, you missed something really special. I did tell you it was on.

I ran 37k this morning. Because I felt like it. Also running (various distances) from Acton Ferry Terminal were Susan, Suzie, Ruth, Zainab, Ewen, Andy, Abi, Lucia & Andrew.

grapefruit

Frank Woodley - my favourite comedian.

No running near the pool


"You cannot have Parliamentary debate without a speaker." My weekly fix of Aussie satire.

I have had a bit of a rethink about April's 50k, based on training and race times. I should be able to run under four hours and still be reasonably comfortable. There's no point in running it in five hours if I can do it in four and get it over with, is there?

waddle or fly?

C'mon speedygeese. Cooler weather is here, we can run further in training now. Also we'd better run early and get used to it, cold weather racing is on its way. No Vets track today, so an opportunity presents itself to have an easy long run.

Where I ran yesterday - out 8k following my nose, and back another 8k

The elevation chart. I gained quite a bit of height at the turn!

I turned at the Mount Rogers loop: next time I might do a lap or two as well, nice views from up there.

Later on I had a massage, the first for the year ... the masseur said I was the best he'd seen me in the nine years I have been going. Good!

More half marathon photos.

Roger

Caroline (early starter) finishing.

half marathon times

Speedygeese running the Weston Creek Half Marathon 18/3:
47 Geoff Moore 1:32.45
72 Andrew Matthews 1:39.05
100 Craig Davis 1:43.41
105 Warrick Howieson 1:44.10
116 Roger Pilkington 1:45.40
161 Katherine Sheppard 1:54.34
170 Zainab Farouk 1:57.39
178 Ruth Baussmann 2:01.41
180 Amanda Cook 2:03.32
195 Caroline Campbell 2:12.17
203 Bill Arthur 2:21.51
214 finishers (not counting relay teams)
My 5k splits: approx 21:50, 21:45, 22:30, 22:05

Cathy (running in a relay team)

speedy self

Ruth

Also Customs 5k results 16/3 Jen 21:50, Bill 29:23, Caroline 29:40

And Summer Series #8 Stromlo Forest Park 5k 20/3
27. Geoff Moore M60 21:27
30. Craig Davis M40 21:39
38. Ewen Thompson M50 22:48
39. Janene Kingston W45 23:21
42. Peter Fullagar M50 24:26
56. Ruth Baussmann W60 28:11
59. Caroline Campbell W65 28:24
65 finishers

sedentary penguins

Sedentary penguins do just stand and stare... And I don't care

Training last night at Parliament House: Ewen and I ran early, then we were joined for some long intervals by Abi, Alison, Cookie, Andy, Bronwyn, Christopher, Colin, Craig, Ruth & Warrick.

Song of the Week: "Stay Young Go Dancing", by Death Cab for Cutie.


"Stay young go running".

Weston Creek Half Marathon

Craig

Ruth

Katherine

self image

Coming Events Week 12 of 2012:

Monday 19 March 4:30pm *Parliament House 8k jog
Monday 19 March 5:30pm *Parliament House speedygeese training
Tuesday 20 March 6:15pm *Summer Series Race #8 Stromlo Forest Park 5k
Wednesday 21 March 12:15pm BBQ Stakes 6k Woden
Friday 23 March 12:15pm Customs 5k Commonwealth Park
Friday 23 – Sunday 25 March ACTVAC Track Championships
Saturday 24 March 8:00am *Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
Sunday 25 March 9:00am *ACTVAC Handicap, Stromlo Forest Park
* = I expect to attend

A gym session tomorrow, then no more until after the 50k. A massage or two in the next couple of weeks. But  keeping the 100k weeks going. I need every run I can fit in. Four weeks to go!

28 days to go.

Weston Creek Half Marathon approximate time - 1:32.38. I don't usually run quite that fast on this course. So I am happy enough. I still think I should be able to run much faster though. But anyway it was a dress rehearsal for the 50k in 4 weeks time, as far as running gear goes, and no injuries. All good.

St Patrick's day

Today at Acton Ferry Terminal, Susan and Suzie ran early, then Suzie and Abi ran long, I joined them for the first 10k. I am looking forward to the Weston Creek Half Marathon tomorrow. It used to start and finish at the Irish Club, and I have Irish ancestors....

A wally of segways

speedygeese at the Vets Track 15 March
800m
W50 Helen Larmour 2:57.13 73.6%
M70 Tony Booth 3:04.84 78.5

3000m
M50 Rod Lynch 11:44.17 72.6%
W55 Maria O'Reilly 12:15.83 87.7
M50 Roger Pilkington 12:16.02 70.0
W60 Ruth Baussmann 16:50.64 67.7

Congratulations to Kathy Southgate running 11:12.51 in the 3000m, breaking the Australian W55 record by 2 seconds.

Spiral 7
4 Tony Booth M70 14:58
7 Roger Pilkington M50 12:31
8 Helen Larmour W50 12:37
12 Rod Lynch M50 12:08
14 Ruth Baussmann W60 15:39

Two weeks until the final Vets Track night, 29 March. There is an ACTVAC 5000m track championship that night. You enter at the track on the night; entries close 30 minutes before the start.

Then the following Thursday, 5 April, training resumes at Dickson oval, 5:30pm, with an option to come along at 4:00pm for a longer run.

A veritable WALL-E of segways

Seems there are a lot of disabled people standing around by the lake these days

shelf life

YCRC Summer Series 5k Black Mountain Peninsula 13 March
To celebrate 50 years running I ran this 5k. Long grass; holes; twists and turns; great fun. My lap splits were approximately 7:25, 7:25. 7:20.
Speedygeese:
16. Geoff Moore M60 22:10
25. Ewen Thompson M50 24:39
33. Maria O'Reilly W55 25:57
44. Caroline Campbell W65 29:14
46. Ruth Baussmann W60 29:33
50 finishers

What I have been reading: finally finished Perdido Street Station, now reading Iron Council. I have a huge backlog of books to read!

What I have been listening to: amongst many others, Pete Murray’s “Blue Sky Blue”, surprisingly good. Also Triple J’s hot 100 volume 19, quite disappointing. I thought there just might be some good tracks other than the two I already have (Lotus Flower; Feeding Line). Not so. It seems Triple J is not for me, I will stick to the music I like. And some 80s music, which I "never" listen to. 1987. First track I played, He's Gonna Step On You Again, that was a good one. Then, Star Trekkin'. AAARRGH. So it is back to contemporary alternative music, thank you very much. And not Triple J.

speedygeese 2012 form guide

Speedygeese form guide.
Abi Fargher: married less than a year and hasn’t stop running!!!!
Amanda Cook: goes by an alias to confuse the punter.
Andrew Simpson: has children aged 6, 4 and 2: the sequence has stopped, he now runs.
Andy Matthews: cooks up a storm just to feed his daughter. Or so he tells us.
Bronwyn Calver: runs downhill marathons. Why didn’t we think of that, they all count.
Caroline Campbell: races daily, up mountains or in triathlons, and flogs all other W65s.
Cathy Montalto: longest running current member of the speedygeese.
Cherie Parkes: will take over the speedygeese when she grows up and the rest of us get too old.
Christopher Lang: would like to take over the speedygeese, but is older than he looks.
Colin Farlow: is training to improve his training times.
Craig Davis: does 90 minute warm-ups for his speed sessions. Beatable in his speed sessions.
Ewen Thompson: writer extraordinaire; good source of training ideas and blogging ideas.
Geoff Moore: I attend every training session, only so that I can record who attended.
Havillah Correira: proof that you can run in every corner of the globe.
Helen Larmour: the only runner in the group who can chat away during the 20th hill sprint.
Janene Kingston: multi-talented: able to care both for Vets and for animals.
Jeni Greenland: gave a talk at the last Stromlo Running Festival. Good at talking.
Jen Bright: good at talking.
Jill Pearson: mother in law of Yelena. I’m jealous.
Joel Pearson: son of mother-in-law of Yelena. I’m very jealous.
Katherine Sheppard: last seen running off into the distance when warming up for training.
Kym Chisholm: will smash 20 minutes for 5k before I do, I’d bet on it.
Lauren Johnstone: so excited at joining the speedygeese, has left the country for six months.
Lincoln Hawkins: rubs shoulders with people who rub shoulders with sport stars.
Lucia Pietropaoli: keen to break 20:40 for 5k by 2040. Her maths is a worry.
Margaret McSpadden: keeps Ruth honest when they race
Maria O'Reilly: nice car!
Mick Charlton: worried that we might soon start doing footy training every week.
Miranda Rawlinson: would like the next speedygeese dinner to be at Kiama.
Nadine Morrison: could have beaten me to a sub 20 5k if not for a strategically placed pine cone.
Neil Boden: famous for having the most talented daughter.
Roger Pilkington: it’s good to have one other Crows supporter to talk to.
Ruth Baussmann: reliable supplier of jelly beans after training sessions.
Susan Sturgeon: only runs on the track in winter at Dickson.
Suzie Gye: specialty is staying upright until a race is over.
Tim Calver: someone else has done pole to pole; Tim could be the first to run the equator.
Warrick Howieson: has children and runs. See “Andrew” above.
Yelena Pearson: pocket rocket.
Zainab Farouk: source of the next wave of new speedygeese.

Note - to view previous form guides, you can click on "form guides" under "labels" in the right hand column.

restless

Speedygeese training last night - it was a holiday in Canberra, but that didn't stop ten of us running at Parliament House. Running early were Andrew, Bronwyn and me. Training at 5:30pm doing kilometre intervals with one or two sets of exercises were Alison (new), Cookie, Andy, Bronwyn, Colin, Craig, me, Ruth & Tim. This month the plan is to continue using the exercise stations around the west side of Parliament House. Next month it will be too dark, given that daylight aving will have finished by then.

Speedygeese at the Customs 5k on Friday 9 March:
Jen Bright 21.53
Caroline Campbell 30.17
Bill Arthur 31.00

Song of the week
Fifty years ago when I started running, Bobby Darin’s “multiplication”  was the number one song in Australia. No it is not my song of the week. It is typical of the absolutely awful music that was popular just before the Beatles came along, bringing with them the music revolution. “When you see a gentleman bee Around a lady bee buzzing" etc. AAARRRGH!

Real song of the week: Restless. One of many great songs on the latest album by the brilliant Switchfoot.'



"I’ll be waiting
"Anticipating
"All that I aim for
"What I was made for
"With every heartbeat
"All of my blood bleeds
"Running inside me
"Looking for you"

A powerful song with which to celebrate 50 years of running.

Where I ran today

After a great gym session focusing on upper body, a 7k jogette around Dunlop, feeling very good. Now for the next run - tonight's summer series 5k at Black Mountain Peninsula.

fifty years running

Today marks 50 years of running.

I started a diary in January 1961, the year I started High School. The entry for 13 March 1962 reads: “Today I threw away my tennis racket and took up running.” Fifty years later, 13 March 2012, I am still running. I don’t suppose there are many athletes who can boast membership of an athletic club for fifty years in a row; and having run all that time, nearly, without a break.

A few years ago I wrote three tongue in cheek Vetrunner articles entitled “my lesser known career highlights.” Now might be the opportunity to mention some better known highlights!
• May 1965 – winner SA Schools one mile track championships, 4:32.2, just before my 17th birthday.
• July 1978 – seventh in the National Marathon in 2:30.05 in “steam-bath” conditions, Caboolture, Queensland.
• November 1978 – winner Canberra Marathon, 2:26.58, a new ACT open record at the time.
• 1979 – ACT Distance Runner of the year.
• January 1984 – 3000m in 8:47.3, still the AMA M35 Australian record to this day.

In all this time, what have I learnt? Let’s just sum this up in a few short sentences.
The three C's of running.
• Commitment. When you decide you should run regularly, do you really commit to it? Or do you drift off to something else after a few days?
• Consistency. Far more important than speed, or effort, or what training group you join, is consistency. Have you established a routine where you frequently and regularly do the exercise you know you should do?
• Common Sense. Yes you can miss the occasional day. When circumstances warrant it, have that day off.
 Three C's to avoid
• Cockatoos. A good night's sleep is vital for any runner. If you are tired and cranky, you don't necessarily need to cut back your exercising. Sleep in instead, if the cockies let you!
• Cars. Canberra drivers are feral. You don't want to become a statistic. Stay off the roads. There are plenty of places to run where it is quiet, shady, and away from it all.
• Coffee. I have given up coffee so many times I am an expert. Coffee gives you a boost in the short term but destroys you, one way or another, in the long term, and it is addictive. I am running a lot better without coffee.

I still set annual goals. Which shows I still like to achieve things and I am still not satisfied with the way things are! These were my personal goals for 2012:
• Run 4k or more every day - so far, done! This is day 74 of a streak.
• Run many 100k weeks - so far, 7 of the first 10 weeks have been 100k or more.
• Do at least 4200k for the year - well on track.
• Break 20:12 for a 5k race - done, on 6 March.
• Break 90:18 for a Half Marathon - yet to attempt, this Sunday is the first go. Though I don't expect to get close on this course. Later in the year is more likely.
• Complete a 50k ultra-marathon - will do soon 15 April, have plans to retry later in the year if  I fail to complete this one.
• Two gym sessions per week - I have done 15 one hour sessions so far this year.
• Two exercise circuits per week - no, have only done a few of these, will pick up on these I hope.
• Ten reverse chin-ups; ten normal chin-ups. - so far, managed six reverse but my shoulders haven't allowed the normal kind yet.
• Flexible enough to wrap fingers around toes without bending knees of course. - getting there!
• Three minute plank - haven't started on this specifically yet.
• Stay coffee free - so far, no coffee at all this year!
• Weight in the low 60’s - getting there, down to 64 from 67.
• Don’t get injured - so far no injuries this year despite all the running.
• Watch every Coen Brothers movie - so far two down, thirteen to go.
• Turn 64 - bound to happen in May!

So I say from fifty years worth of experience: keep challenging yourself. Have the attitude that there is no finish line. You’ll do OK.

Ewen the bearded one's streak of 100 days was celebrated on Sunday 11 March. I plan to get there on Sunday 8 April. Coincidentally the same day my wife turns 64. So much to celebrate!

Stromlo doesn't look like this any more

Week 11 of 2012:

Monday 12 March 8:00am AMRA Stromlo Stomp
Monday 12 March 4:30pm *Parliament House 8k jog
Monday 12 March 5:30pm *Parliament House speedygeese training
Tuesday 13 March 6:15pm *Summer Series Race #7 Black Mountain Peninsula 5k
Wednesday 14 March 12:15pm BBQ Stakes 6k Woden
Thursday 15 March 6:00pm *ACTVAC Track & Field – 3000m, 800m, spiral 7
Friday 16 March 12:15pm Customs 5k Commonwealth Park
Saturday 17 March 8:00am *Metro Runners Acton Ferry Terminal
Sunday 18 March 7:30am *Weston Creek Half Marathon, Black Mountain Peninsula
* = I expect to attend

Because today happens to be a Canberra holiday, there may be more of us able to make the 4:30pm session. Let's make the most of our short autumn and get some extra training in before our five month long winter sets in!

See where I run: km intervals yesterday at Stromlo Forest Park

Multiple laps; the inner circuit is the 1k loop. Stromlo doesn't look anything like this any more: the satellite image is three years old.

Pearson! Looking good!

"Australia's Sally Pearson replicated the form that bagged her the world outdoor high hurdles title to scoop gold in the world indoor 60m hurdles in Istanbul." See the full article at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-11/pearson-nails-world-indoor-title/3882000

Who ran this morning: we went over to Stromlo Forest Park to run some kilometres: Andrew ran three averaging under 3:40, and Lucia ran three averaging under 4:10. Ewen, Ruth & I just ran.

2012 Sprint Marathon Relay - the write-up.

Jim White race organiser of the Annual Sprint Marathon asked me if I would run in this year's event. In fact, pen in hand, he asked everyone he saw. Jim organises a fascinating and friendly event every February, which I will attempt to describe further down. Although I am usually not much of a km-interval runner these days, and I hate risking injury and letting the team down by pushing too fast in a relay of any kind, particularly a continuous relay, I thought it would fun to be a part of this unique event for another year so I agreed I would run.

•          Training partners told I won’t be at Stromlo today. Check!
•          Brightly coloured green racing singlet. Check!.
•          Brightly coloured green racing shoes. Check!.
•          Full change of clothes and towel in case of rain. Check!
•          Alarm set for 5:30am so I can get to Dunrossil Drive by 7:15am. Check!

At the race venue … who is in my team? Are they sprinters or distance runners? Sprinters would give us a potential challenge: keeping them going at the end; distance runners would mean a potential challenge for ME to keep going at the end. Where along the course do I start? Where am I when I have to chase down the baton? Who from the other teams are in my group, those I will be racing each time and hanging around the change over points with? 

There were eight teams: there were eight batons of various colours and the teams were named after the batons. There were six runners in each team and two or three others not participating. We could make up to fifty new friends all in one day!

Luckily rain never came and it stayed mild and pleasant. Perfect conditions for short sharp intervals with a long standing-around recovery. Drinks at each change-over point were provided. Had it turned out warm and sunny we would have been OK. I got picked number 2 in the team which meant I started at the furthest point of the course; runner 6 who is the team’s slowest goes first and runner 1 who is the fastest goes second. Plenty of time to get there. I looked around at the group of number 2 runners. It appeared that I may be the slowest in the group but that did not matter; it would be balanced out by the rest of the team, in theory anyway.

Here comes the baton! We are in the lead! John and Stuart have run blinders first up. I take over and set off like a scared rabbit. After 500m up a slight hill I am passed by one, two, three runners. After 1km I hand over in fourth place. Then I wait while my five team mates complete six kilometres before I have to run again. And again. And again. After an hour of the relay we are not leading; we are running last. But towards the end of the relay we are fighting two other teams for fourth place. We end up fourth. Great effort, guys! Finally as each of us finishes and hands the baton on, we must keep running to catch the baton again. We all make it and cross the line hand-in-hand. I seem to have forgotten that I didn’t want to run too hard, it was an all out effort at the end, for all of us.

Then the presentation. Jim has done a wonderful job organising it all; John Suiter and Stuart Reid have done a wonderful job recording results and timing the teams at the end of each lap. Trophies are given to the winning team and attractive “wooden spoon” trophies to the last team as well. Everyone goes away happy!

How it works: relay teams comprise six members. The course is six kilometre around. There are five 1k legs and a 2k leg, although runner 6 starts the relay with the second half of the 2k leg, this runner not doing the first half until the finishing sprint. The total distance is 36k; not a marathon then. Nor is it a sprint of course. At the end as each runner passes on the baton for the last time, they keep going as best they can along the rest of the course until they reach the finish line, when all team members must cross together holding hands.

See the club website for full results and photos!

self respect

Crows demolish Pies. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/adelaide-belts-collingwood-by-77-points-in-nab-cup/story-e6freck3-1226295516058. An excellent start to this year's footy. Go the Crows!

Today's long run: the 28k loop from Acton Ferry Terminal of Lake Burley Griffin. I took a slight detour up onto the road to avoid the missing section of path, a second  detour at Kingston where some of the foreshore was blocked off. I can extend this run in future by adding the museum peninsula and/or Black Mountain Peninsula. Running with me for all or part of the way were Craig, Ewen, Riki, Michael (new), Suzie, Zainab, Miranda, Lucia & Andy. We also saw Richard, Jen & Ruth coming in the opposite direction at one stage. Susan ran early. Here is today's route.

Creative writing. Now I must go and write an article for the April Vetrunner. I haven't quite decided on the topic yet. I have already submitted a write-up on the Sprint Marathon Relay, but still have my normal coaching article to do. Craig suggested I could write on strength training for marathons; Lucia suggested the article could say what to do when your big race is cancelled (as today was to have been the Six Foot Track). Perhaps seeing as April is marathon month I could follow Craig's suggestion. A bit late for training advice though. Funnily, very often when I sit down to compose something after deciding on a suitable topic, something very different gets written.

Or I could just go and play with my friends.

rain clearing

"The ABC isn't for sale"

YCRC Summer Series #6 Acton Ferry Terminal 5k 6 March.
21. Geoff Moore M60 20:11
30. Robert Ey M50 21:26
37. Mick Horan M50 22:11
40. Carol Ey W50 22:47
48. Peter Fullagar M50 23:55
50. Geoff Sims M60 24:11
60. Mick Charlton M60 26:39
63. Ruth Baussmann W60 27:11
68 finishers

Last night's 3000m track handicap
1 Kathy Southgate W55 11:17 92.8%
3 Kathy Sims W60 12:09 92.4
4 Katie Forestier W45 11:29 81.2
6 Kelley Flood W50 12:36 78.8
11 Tony Booth M70 14:30 71.9
12 Roger Pilkington M50 12:39 67.9
13 Amanda Walker W40 13:08 69.3
14 Ruth Baussmann W60 15:38 72.9
15 Mick Horan M50 13:05 65.1
16 finishers

I just managed to complete a 4k run last night which means I had a legal run to extend my streak. Hopefully the weather will be kinder from now on and I can run a bit further again. Today is day 70. But first, a hard gym session which doesn’t count. Obviously it is paying dividends; Tuesday’s was a much faster 5k than I have done for a while. Since February 2009 to be precise.

Today's 18k run after a good hour in the gym:

feeling good now that the rain has stopped and the sun is shining

care-free

YCRC Summer Series #5 Weston Park 5k 28 January
15. Robert Ey M50 22:57
18. Carol Ey W50 23:21
19. Ewen Thompson M50 23:41
22. Geoff Sims M60 24:52
24 finishers

Customs Joggers 5k 2 March
Jen Bright 21.53
Bill Arthur 33.57

YCRC Women’s 6k Jogalong 4 March cancelled

Sprint Marathon relay

beautifully timed

GOAL! "break 20:12 for a 5000m race in 2012" - DONE. I completed last night's Acton 5k run in 20:11.74, according to Ewen, who was in charge of one of the timing devices. Beautifully timed indeed. Achieved despite wind, water on the track, even a woman running towards me with a stroller who swerved out in front of me when she encountered the water. I arrived at the halfway turn in 9:49, and struggled back into the wind in 10:23, surging as I do when tired as I try to sustain the early pace. Footnote: the other timer got me at 20:11.64. So it was a genuine sub 20:12 then, and it will be rounded up to exactly 20:12 in the official results. Maybe I can improve on that in the ACTVAC track championships in three weeks, if conditions are favourable, but the priority is to run a fast half marathon in two weeks time and then complete my preparations for the 50k on 15 April.

The ball that gives you bounce.
Here's some input from Liz Bennett taken from the SMH. “With a med ball at home you don’t have that psychological block of ‘I have to go somewhere to get fit’ – and unlike dumb bells and barbells, they’re a familiar, friendly shape and easy to work with. My emphasis is on using simple equipment and your own body weight to build strength. I don’t think people need a gym to train effectively,” says Bennett. Read more at http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/blogs/chew-on-this/the-ball-that-gives-you-bounce-20120305-1ucgh.html.

Scary cats

Sprint Marathon Relay - Ruth and Cathy