Starts 1 November - the 30 day challenge

I will post here in my blog the day's exercises each day. Today, the full table.


Click to enlarge

You can follow how we all go. The hashtag on both Facebook and Instagram will be #SpeedyGeoff30DayChallenge. As you progress, copy and paste the hashtag with your feedback on either platform!

Some tips for the five exercises:
Squats: Best to use just bodyweight. Slow not fast. Legs shoulder width apart. Torso upright, sit back as if about to sit in a chair. Halfway down, pause and back up again.

Plank: On floor, resting on forearms is easiest. Keep body straight, avoid sticking bottom up in the air. Hold still and breathe normally.

Crunches: many variations possible, could mix in one session. Ensure neck is not strained, don't arch back. A good beginner's option is table top with legs, pointing skyward with arms, raise upper body off ground, hold for a few seconds, and lower slowly.

Push-ups: On floor or to make them easier on an incline. The larger the angle to the floor the easier they are.

Lunges: In place or stepping forward. The knee shouldn't go past the foot of the same leg. Count however you like.

A bit of a warmup first is a good idea, and some stretching of tight bits afterwards.

None of these exercises require equipment!

Note: this is aimed primarily at runners in my training group who generally have found these exercises not that easy. I will be doing them too. They are of course good for anyone.

"Strawberry Fields Forever" parody

Let me run around ‘cause I’m going to
Athletic Fields
Compression socks
Spikes which are a little long
Athletic Fields Forever

Jogging is easy with eyes closed
Been running faster all my life
It’s getting hard to set the pace in a fast work out
A rabbit gets in so much strife

Let me run some more ‘cause I’m going to
Athletic Fields
Masters Games nears
Gold medals reward months of pain
Athletic Fields Forever

Nothing I think is ever free
I mean a Garmin’s price ‘aint low
Food, drink, and shoes you know cost more but it’s alright
And doctors’ bills are not too bad

Let me run each day ‘cause I’m getting fit
Athletic Fields
Six months of the year
I’m hoping this year’s niggle free
Athletic Fields Forever

Maria Rod Kathy and Helen too
Even CJ’s catching on
Round and round and round and round and round we go
Wear earphones and sing a song

Let me tune back in to the best music
Strawberry Fields
Track is unreal
Dawdle or just hang about
Athletic Fields Forever
Athletic Fields Forever
Athletic Fields Forever

The original at http://youtu.be/nehRB1FTeTo

Training report

On Saturday Tomoko, Andy, Miranda and I ran from Acton Ferry Terminal; Sunday Andrew and I ran at Stromlo amidst hundreds of long distance road cyclists; Monday I ran a solid 8k before the session; then Andy, Bron, Garry, Isaac, Jen, Kathy, Maria, Mick, Ruth & Warrick ran a session similar to the one two weeks earlier. On Monday evening 21 people attended our low key dinner at the Yacht Club.

Coming up THIS SATURDAY at Acton Ferry Terminal will be starting 30 minutes earlier at 8:30am to avoid some of the heat.

speedygeese race results

Tuesday 7 October AMRA Mt Ainslie Run-Up 2.2k
6. Peter Burke 14:45
13. Bron Sparkes 19:15 **third female
18 finishers

Tuesday 21 October AMRA Black Mountain Run-Up 2.6k
14 Peter Burke 15.25
22 Bron Sparkes 19.32 **third female
27 finishers

Thursday 23 October ACTVAC Track
1500m Pennington
2 Kathy Sims W60 6:06 90.5%
3 Colin Farlow M50 5:05 80.4
6 Helen Larmour W55 6:12 79.4
9 David Clarke M55 5:43 74.0
11 Roger Pilkington M55 6:25 65.4
13 Ruth Baussmann W60 7:35 74.0
16 finishers

400m
M65 Garry Maher 1:13.77 76.3%
M55 David Clarke 1:15.78 68.0

3000m
M55 David Clarke 12:36.79 69.8%
W55 Helen Larmour 12:57.49 80.8
M65 Geoff Moore 13:20.68 72.1
W60 Kathy Sims 14:02.78 83.6
W60 Ruth Baussmann 16:16.36 73.3

5000m
M55 Roger Pilkington 23:03.14 65.2%

Friday 24 October Customs 5k
Bronwyn Calver 26:34
Bill Arthur 27:20
23 finishers

Saturday 25 October 5k Ginninderra Parkrun #131
84 Ruth Baussmann 28:52 W60
112 Margaret McSpadden 31:02 W65
176 finishers

Saturday 25 October 5k Tuggeranong Parkrun #88
27 David Clarke 21:01 M55
95 Ewen Thompson 26:03 M55
274 finishers

Saturday 25 October 5k Gungahlin Parkrun #54
182 finishers

Sunday 26 October ACTVAC Handicap Goorooyarroo 10k
5 Cathy Newman W50 59:10 65.7%
20 William Arthur M60 58:21 63.4
24 Rod Lynch M50 41:37 81.4
28 Ruth Baussmann W60 65:12 67.5
34 Marilyn Banfield W65 67:55 65.6
39 David Clarke M55 49:43 69.5
41 Maria O'Reilly W55 50:01 82.8
59 Mick Charlton M60 62:33 58.8
62 Margaret McSpadden W65 74:09 63.0
65 Christopher Lang M60 68:37 53.7
69 Mick Horan M55 58:23 58.4
70 finishers

Sunday 26 October ACTVAC Handicap Goorooyarroo 5k
1 Nadine Morrison W45 25:27 66.9%
33 Brett Morrison M45 36:07 42.9
33 finishers

space oddity

Song of the week:
Space Oddity, Mitty mix (David Bowie + Kristen Wiig)
http://youtu.be/ZrZlhD0Oeto


Great version, great movie.

30 day challenge

Starting on Saturday 1 November - only 6 days' time - I will be doing the thirty day challenge and so will quite a few of you. I post it here so you can plan to start then too.


Click to enlarge

You can follow how we all go. The hashtag on both Facebook and Instagram will be #SpeedyGeoff30DayChallenge. As you progress, copy and paste it for your feedback on either platform!

this is true

Who is training

On Saturday at Acton Ferry Terminal, Tomoko joined us for the first time for a long time and ran 11k; Miranda, Andy & I completed 16k, the best I have felt this year in a run that long.

On Sunday I was otherwise occupied and we did not meet at Stromlo Forest Park. I will be going there this Sunday though.

Monday I ran early, then I was joined by Andy, Bron, Garry, Isaac, Jen, Mick & Warrick for 6 x ~450m loop, including a sharp hill, and exercises, repeated every 5 minutes.

This coming Monday we will be kicking on at the Southern Cross Club/Yacht Club after our training session for one of our occasional social get-togethers and meals.

As well as running training I have been building up the intensity of my gym work and can report that my heart rate considerably exceeds 220 - 66 at the peak of these sessions.

And while this week's 3000m race was quicker all round than last week's, both weeks my heart rate was a consistent steady 160 bpm from the 500m mark to the end.

• Last week - splits 4:30, 4:36, 4:39 = 13:45
• This week - splits 4:22, 4:28, 4:30 = 13:20

Now I know that's not fast but with a heart rate of 160 and breathing quite hard, it's fast enough. And progress is progress.

See you at the Southern Cross Club if not before

"When I'm 64" parody

"Heart rate 64"

Now that I’m older, losing my hair
Slower all the time
Ruth will still be sending me a card on my
Birthday with a bottle of wine
I can still run for 2 hours or 3
Sometimes even 4
Miranda runs with me, Andy stays by me
Heart rate 64.

Ewen’s older too
And if you just run slow
I could stay with you

Checking my smartphone, reading the news
Am I still alive
Jen can make our singlets by her fireside
Monday evenings join us outside
Forget the garden let there be weeds
They can grow some more
Peter runs past me, Colin speeds by me
Heart rate 64

Every winter we can fix a lantern on our hats or heads
If it’s not too cold
We shall jog along
Grandchildren racing past
Isaac Brett and Dom

Send me a postcard, when you’re away
For the speedygeese
Mick and Chris and Bron and Dave and Rod and Rae
Too much food not wasting away
Warrick is quite fit Garry quite fast
Bronwyn so much more
Marilyn runs well Caroline keeps up
Heart rate 64

Haven’t a care not stuck in a chair
Til I’m 94

speedygeese race results

Sunday 5 October YCRC Women’s 6k Jogalong
Marilyn Banfield W65 37:26
Caroline Campbell W70 39:27
62 finishers

Thursday 16 October ACTVAC Track
3000m
M50 Rod Lynch 10:58.34 79.0%
M50 Colin Farlow 11:12.79 76.0
M55 David Clarke 12:55.08 68.2
W60 Kathy Sims 13:32.86 86.7
M65 Geoff Moore 13:45.07 70.0

800m
M50 Rod Lynch 2:33.61 78.3%
M55 David Clarke 2:57.96 68.7

Spiral 4
7 Rod Lynch M50 6:14
9 David Clarke M55 6:52

Friday 17 October Customs 5k
Bron Sparkes 24:24
Bronwyn Calver 25:41
Bill Arthur 26:53
Miranda Rawlinson 27:31

Saturday 18 October YCRC Goorooyaroo Half Marathon
12. Jennifer Bright W35 1:36:29
13. Peter Burke M40 1:36:39
38. Cathy Montalto W60 1:59:50
39. Roger Pilkington M55 2:02:21
53 finishers

Saturday 18 October 5k Ginninderra Parkrun #130
83 Thea Zimpel 30:24 W30
150 finishers

Saturday 18 October 5k Tuggeranong Parkrun #87
17 David Webster 20:40 M60 New PB!
28 David Clarke 22:20 M55
75 Ewen Thompson 26:07 M55
263 finishers

Saturday 18 October 5k Gungahlin Parkrun #53
164 Margaret McSpadden 31:02 W65
256 finishers


Less than a year to go - better start training!

It's Time

Gough Whitlam 1916-2014

song of the week

Tea Party – The Ocean at the End. From http://youtu.be/H7OlKlDG7V0

more speedygeese tops

I am going to start ordering more speedy geese tops in the next month or so for anyone that missed out last time.
I am going to order 3 for myself and need 7 more to put a order in. This time instead of getting tops and trying to work out sizing etc I'm going to get people to provide their own tops and just give me money for the printing. Much easier. Only criteria for tops is they obviously have to be plain to allow space for our geese on the front. Currently I have one small blue under armour top that is available for printing (male top and is new and free for anyone interested in just paying for the printing) - also have one remaining blue female singlet that I would think would suit a size 12 female - $42.
So let me or Geoff know if you are interested in either getting one of your own tops printed on ($22 needed for printing) or wish to buy remaining blue female singlet ($42) or wanted male size small under armour blue tshirt with speedy geese printing ($22 - only one avail)
I'm going to get a little one printed for my gosling -- Jen Bright.




NO!

Jennifer sets a mean standard

We have a group of youngsters running with us at present, but here's someone unbeatable. "A marathon fever", made in 1978. From http://youtu.be/WUuH7AbvHyM


Jennifer trained with the speedygeese when she was 30, many will remember her when she was here in Canberra. Hindsight makes this video of her childhood performances most interesting. Her marathon times are still world records to this day, as far as I know.

self-referential

Being trained in pure mathematics, I do like this.



Mathematics is tops



Though I did take Philosophy with mathematics for the last two years of my degree.



and although Mathematics was 75% of my mark, and Philosophy 25%, it was Philosophy which took 90% of my time. Sometimes though it was hard to tell them apart.



Actually 25% of the mark was my favourite, pure mathematics, 25% was statistics (ho-hum), and 25% applied mathematics (ughh!)



Now you know more about me than I am willing to admit.

inspiration

Heather has run a hilly 60k : "Kaimai Killer 60km" The Xterra Waihi Kaimi Killer is a tough 60km trail run with 2200m of climbing. There are 7 river crossings and a plethora of smaller side streams. I had been down 7 weeks earlier for a reconnaissance run, scoping out the first 40km loop. Back in 2011 the long course (20km) had been one of my first big trail races so it was quite nice to return to the event. ... read on at http://waitakathlete.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/kaimai-killer-60km.html.



Not all runners are heartless."Very little has been said about this…..On December 2, Basque athlete Iván Fernández Anaya was competing in a cross-country race in Burlada, Navarre. He was running second, some distance behind race leader Abel Mutai - bronze medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the London Olympics. As they entered the finishing straight, he saw the Kenyan runner - the certain winner of the race - mistakenly pull up about 10 meters before the finish, thinking he had already crossed the line.

Fernández Anaya quickly caught up with him, but instead of exploiting Mutai’s mistake to speed past and claim an unlikely victory, he stayed behind and, using gestures, guided the Kenyan to the line and let him cross first.

Ivan Fernandez Anaya, a Basque runner of 24 years who is considered an athlete with a big future (champion of Spain of 5,000 meters in promise category two years ago) said after the test:

“But even if they had told me that winning would have earned me a place in the Spanish team for the European championships, I wouldn’t have done it either. I also think that I have earned more of a name having done what I did than if I had won. And that is very important, because today, with the way things are in all circles, in soccer, in society, in politics, where it seems anything goes, a gesture of honesty goes down well.”

He said at the beginning: “unfortunately, very little has been said of the gesture. And it’s a shame. In my opinion, it would be nice to explain to children, so they do not think that sport is only what they see on TV: violent kicks in abundance, posh statements, fingers in the eyes of the enemy ..."



Now to run track. Unless it is very cold I will run track tonight. I can do it: an 800m is two laps and I could run 30 laps so it is just a matter of stopping after two, isn't it? And yes I shall try and run as slowly as possible so that I can improve next time. Another reason for running slowly is so that I don't get asked to run in any M65 relay teams for a while....


better days

one day at a time

I am finding it hard to plan ahead so I shall let things be for a while and take it as it comes. Have seen floods, fires, childishness from alleged leaders of our nation, feral magpies, all too much. I shall just post here one day at a time and try to ignore it all. At least "Chaser" is back on tonight to bring some sanity to everything.

Comic relief


So here I am posting one day at a time. The report on Monday’s training: I ran 5k early, then the group of speedygeese who showed up for training included Andrew, Andy, Christopher, Colin, Garry, me, Jen, Peter, and Warrick. So, unusually, eight guys and only one girl, and she had raced 20k on mountains on Saturday. No excuse for the rest then! We ran on the grass oval because the tracks were a little damp and slippery. 5 x 80m jogging back, then 12 x 200m with 200m recovery, 5 x 80m again, and 3 x 400m with 200m in between each. The young boys weren't there either so if they come next week I have a modified version of that session for them. The surface was excellent and there was no rain at all between 4:30pm and 7:00pm. Can't say the same for earlier in the day nor later that evening.


The start of Saturday's 20k vineyard run. Finishers get a bottle of wine each, although not the swooping version above. What a lovely warm sunny day it was on Saturday. Whatever happened after that? I finally gave up and re-lit the fire yesterday morning, the outside temperature in Holt was 7 degrees all day.

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself: sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Jesus said that. Not those exact words but you get the idea.

last week's speedygeese race results

Saturday 4 October 5k Shellharbour Parkrun # 17
45 Miranda Rawlinson 29:54 W60
86 finishers

Friday 10 October Customs 5k
Bronwyn Calver 25:34
Bill Arthur 27:32
Dom Sparkes 29:01
Bron Sparkes 29:01

Saturday 11 October AMRA Mt Majura Vineyard two peaks 20k
47 Roger Pilkington 2:13:55
56 male finishers

8 Jen Bright 1:59:31
11 Kelley Flood 2:05:19
31 female finishers

Saturday 11 October 5k Ginninderra Parkrun #129
36 Janene Kingston 23:42 W50
83 Dom Sparkes 27:47 M10
169 finishers

Saturday 11 October 5k Tuggeranong Parkrun #86
18 David Clarke 21:08 M55
19 David Webster 21:09 M60
239 finishers

Saturday 11 October 5k Gungahlin Parkrun #52
60 Amanda Cook 26:02 W35
118 Margaret McSpadden 32:42 W65
168 finishers

Saturday 11 October Alice Springs Masters Games Half Marathon
Suzie Gye 1:45.21 W35 **gold**

Sunday 12 October Melbourne Half Marathon
1551 Liz Bennett 1:43.56
6386 Ruth Baussmann 2:10.04

Sunday 12 October Melbourne 10k
880 Ewen Thompson 49:25

Jen running Two Peaks

Suzie with her Half Marathon gold medal

Don't forget this Thursday is the first ACTVAC track meet for 2014-15!

sad lonely and blue?

Jen is away for a few days - I dreamt last night she had returned! Anyway here is this week's song of the week: Boy & Bear with "Old Town Blues" from http://youtu.be/M9lBF2OWPR0

ancient times

front and back

Three speedygeese looking GOOD after a 12k run in the sun this morning. Photos by Tomoko.

"Garmins"

Today I felt like being creative:

"Garmins"
Lately I've found
When I start to run around
Just to cover lots of ground
It's as dark as can be
At nighttime I leave
For a place I can't yet see
It's occurring now to me
I'm not as fit as I should be

We never used to run on our own
But now that we are getting old
Our weight is building up much more
We should find ourselves on the road

On we trot
With a running song
We will light our way
With our garmins on
On we trot
Till we meet the dawn
We will light our way
With our garmins on

Based on "Lanterns": http://youtu.be/mbJ3vacGOhw. This and other blatant rip-offs can be or will be found via the category "the muse": http://geoffmoore.blogspot.com.au/search/label/the%20muse.

getting back to the track

just one week to the track season ... just one year to the Australian Masters Games.


"HOW MANY LAPS TO GO???!!!"

Why am I doing this?

I don't quite remember.

I plan to attend track this season. We will see how it goes. If there is a most unimproved prize, I am up for it.

the swing of things

Speedygeese training on a holiday Monday: daylight Saving, hurray! I ran 8k early and it was warm at 4:30pm, very nice. Dom & Bron completed 5k. Then for the main session Peter, Colin, Jen & Bron ran 12 x 150 with a 50 or 100m alternating recovery; Dom, Isaac and William (new) ran some 50ms with 100m recoveries plus rest. Garry joined in with sprints and rests. I trotted around supervising. I still managed to total 18k for the day and my maximum heart-rate was 150bpm towards the end of the 8k and 135bpm later. Every run with normal heart-rates gives me added confidence. Sadly my hip was sore Tuesday and I rested but I will be back into the swing of things soon I hope.



Then today one hour solid in the gym and I feel a lot better. But it was hard going!

speedygeese race results

Tuesday 1 July AMRA Mt Ainslie Run-Up 2.2k
23. Leonie Doyle W40 18:08
32. Caroline Campbell W70 21:55
34 finishers

Tuesday 15 July AMRA Black Mountain Run-Up 2.6k
20. Leonie Doyle W40 18:05
21. Caroline Campbell W70 23:17
22 finishers

Tuesday 5 August AMRA Mt Ainslie Run-Up 2.2k
14. Peter Burke M40 15:57
26. Bill Arthur M60 20:26
30 finishers

Tuesday 19 August AMRA Black Mountain Run-Up 2.6k
26. Leonie Doyle W40 17:57
37 finishers

Tuesday 2 September AMRA Mt Ainslie Run-Up 2.2k
12. Peter Burke M40 15:27
29 finishers

Tuesday 16 September AMRA Black Mountain Run-Up 2.6k
10. Peter Burke M40 16:07
18. Leonie Doyle W40 18:03
28 finishers

Friday 3 October Customs 5k
Jennifer Bright 23:41
Bronwyn Calver 25:56
Bron Sparkes 27:11
Dom Sparkes 27:56
Caroline Campbell 34:55
23 finishers

Saturday 4 October 5k Ginninderra Parkrun #128
13 Jen Bright 20:16 W35
97 Bron Sparkes 27:29 W35
107 Dom Sparkes 27:49 M10
114 Ruth Baussmann 28:26 W60
208 finishers

Saturday 4 October 5k Tuggeranong Parkrun #85
8 Peter Burke 18:45 M40 New PB!
24 David Clarke 21:14 M55
43 Ewen Thompson 22:54 M55
83 Catherine Montalto 25:47 W60
320 finishers

Saturday 4 October 5k Gungahlin Parkrun #51
46 Janene Kingston 24:21 W50
69 Amanda Cook 26:06 W35
136 Margaret McSpadden 34:01 W65
183 finishers

Sunday 5 October Goulburn Fun Run95 finishers in the 10k, 118 finishers in the 5k

Monday 6 October Labour Day 10k
Ewen Thompson 52:54

Monday 6 October Labour Day 4k
Dom Sparkes 21:40

 Bron @ the Ginninderra Parkrun on 4 October. A record number of runners completed the three Canberra parkruns that day: 711 in all.

stay alive

Song of the week: "Stay Alive", by José González
From http://youtu.be/NucJk8TxyRg
From "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"



The movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” has everything: romance, excitement, mystery, the best music, the best scenery, great acting, a brilliant story line. It is my favourite movie, I see it as absolute genius in every respect. And like my OTHER favourite movie, Amelie, it leaves me inspired to escape the mundane and try for the extraordinary. And like my OTHER favourite movie where you take the red pill, you know the one. And like my OTHER favourite movie where you follow the white rabbit, ditto.  And like Total Recall. These are movies about choosing Excitement, and knowing Reality! I wonder if there are more movies in the same vein?

saving daylight

At last we have daylight saving. I have been waking up too early the last few weeks. And Monday afternoon's training will no longer be completed in the dark.

Good beach weather is coming: photos from the Shellharbour parkrun, with Miranda.





Daylight saving brings happiness, but when it ends, depression.

runners galore around the lake today

Safety in numbers - not a magpie in sight. Plenty of talented looking runners zooming past though.

Canberra Runners Club's 2015 plans

Over the last few days I have published

• the Vets 2014-15 Track and Field program, 
• the Mountain Running Association's major events this year and next; 
• ACT Athletic's Track and Field program for 2014-15, and 
• the Labour Day Fun Runs on this  Monday. 

Now it is the turn of the Canberra Runners Club who have released information about next year's programming.

"Planning is well underway for the 2015 program. The summer series dates have been set and will be on the website shortly. We have also locked in dates for the Women and Girls Fun Run (Sunday 1 March) and the Canberra Half Marathon weekend (24/25 May). Negotiations with other associations have been taking place around the timing of other events, and once these are finalised we will be sending around a draft program for comment.

"Our intention is to start the winter season on 2 May with the Kingston Physio 10 miler and finish on 29 August. This is a shorter season than in previous years as we have found that September gets crowded with the fun run season starting up. If you have any comments about the winter series program please send them to Carol Ey.  In particular we would like feedback on any particular courses that you did or didn’t like, and how you found the Trail Run format if you participated in one of those."

YCRC Spring Series 2014 – First event Tuesday 4th Nov
"This popular series of 2k/5k events will start at Weston Park at 6.15pm on Tuesday 4th Nov. (Melbourne Cup Day).
The club had produced a Promotional Flyer in the A5 size to promote our upcoming spring 2014 Series and on the reverse our summer 2015 Series.

"In the Spring Series we conduct on Tuesday evenings at 6.15pm over a period of 5 weeks a 2k run and a 5k run from various locations normally close to Civic. The first events are on Tuesday 4th Nov (Melbourne Cup Day). We finish on Tuesday 9th Dec with the Christmas Relays on the lawns in between Questacon and Old Parliament House. Relay teams of 8 runners with each runner running a 2k leg.

"We understand that many cannot make Tuesdays at 6.15pm, but many can and it is a great time to run and finish the day. We ask that our club members grab a few flyers and distribute or stick them up at their place of work. These short distance events provide a great introduction to running."

See where we went part 7: Powerscourt, County Wicklow

The morning of 27 May: Our cruise ship arrived in Dublin Bay and we entered the mouth of the River Liffey. Disembarking we boarded a coach and travelled into Ireland’s Wicklow Mountains to visit the Powerscourt mansion and gardens. My ancestors came from County Wicklow, and I can safely guess they did not live here!


Where the Garmin said I walked that morning


And Powerscourt (the green marker) relative to Dublin


We drove out through Dublin


Please keep off the grass. Noooo. Everything is so green.


Gardens


Steps


Fountains


It is I


Very much more gardens


Tree


Flowers flowers everywhere


Wifey


On location for a movie


Foliage

This has been but a small selection of my photos from the morning of the 27th. The afternoon photos at another location, are still to come. Jenny took many photos too, I haven't seen them yet. The evening's photos, back in Dublin, have already been put up on this blog. To see them and all other posts of this trip, past posts and future posts later on, check the label "see where we went".