reading glasses found at Stromlo

On Sunday I found a pair of reading glasses left on a table at Stromlo. If they are yours please contact me.

training update

Saturdays the speedyducks run at Acton Ferry Terminal.
28 September Caleb, Elspeth, Daisy and I ran a few kms up and around the National Museum and the National University.

Sundays the speedygeese train at Stromlo forest Park. I start at 7:00am and others have tended to join me later, although once the weather improves they will be happy to start at 7.
29 September SFP Jed (new), Ewen and I ran 3 x 1km on a new course which I like - from the start line, up and around the hilly 500m circuit and back, finishing 100m past the start line to complete each km.

Mondays we run at Parliament House come rain, hail, shine, or coups d'état.
30 September Ewen and I ran 8k at 4:30pm as is our custom, then the main group of Andy, Craig, me, Jen, Peter and Ruth started out at 5:30pm for warm-and-chin-ups, 15 circuits of a 330m loop which consisted of a 100m uphill sprint and a 230m return recovery, on 2 minutes, and a cool-down-and-jelly-beans. It was a nice evening but numbers were down as it was a public holiday in Canberra - a silly "Family and Community Day".

Tuesdays I am going to start meeting anyone who wants to at Kippax for a medium-longish run. So far it's only me and my music-playing-android. Next one of these is 15 October.

how we are racing

Latest race results of the speedygeese
Friday 27 September Customs 5k Handicap
Peter Burke 20.20
Caroline Campbell 30:41

Saturday 28 September Ginninderra Parkrun #75
56 Thea ZIMPEL 25:13 W30
99 Margaret MCSPADDEN 29:48 W65
132 finishers

Saturday 28 September Tuggeranong Parkrun #32
50 Catherine MONTALTO 25:31 W60
52 Ewen THOMPSON 25:39 M55 New PB!
137 finishers

Saturday 28 September Albert-Melbourne Parkrun #96
55 Bronwyn Calver 22:42

Sunday 29 September ACTVAC Handicap
O`Connor Ridge 8k
2 Tori Hennig W55 41:39 78.6%
8 Caroline Campbell W70 47:44 87.2
36 Craig Davis M40 39.48 65.9
37 Rod Lynch M50 33:11 83.9
38 Helen Larmour W50 37:43 85.8
45 Marilyn Banfield W60 55:33 65.5
55 Andrew Matthews M50 41:44 67.1
60 Margaret McSpadden W65 55:30 67.9
70 finishers

O`Connor Ridge 4k
33 Cathy Montalto W60 22:01 75.5%
39 finishers

Bronwyn running Albert

Polycephaly

Song of the week: Boy and Bear - Three Headed Woman
from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1G-SpNilKA

to fb or not to fb, that is the question.

A good week, didn't run much but I am "tapering", if you can call it that considering how little I am already doing. Life consists of balancing the niggles with the work-outs. And fitting in social media time.

If you're not my FB friend yet, why not???

The insanity of your training

"...Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results..."

Challenging you to examine your training to see if there is a missing component. Full article at http://running.competitor.com/2013/04/training/the-insanity-of-your-training-2_1378.

Quest For Gold

Coming up is our trip to Geelong for the Australian Masters Games. We are staying at the Geelong Conference Centre, which is in Eastern Park where the Cross Country is being held, and just a stone's throw from the Track and the Half Marathon venue. These Masters Games are conducted every two years, and in recent times have been in Adelaide or Geelong. I have attended quite a few AMGs as I like both cities, and last time, Adelaide, I managed the "full set" of medals, one gold (half marathon), one silver (5000m track), and one bronze (8k cross country). Previously in Geelong I managed two silvers, in a quick 8k Cross Country, and a 20:01 (rounded up I am sure) 5000m track. I didn't run the Half that year. Never having competed in the M65 age group before, I am hoping for even better results this time, as the rest of the competition has fallen away somewhat. Unluckily my times have fallen away as well. But three golds is not impossible, although I will be rapt to bring back just one medal.

Here is the program, with the track race first for a change.
11:00am Tuesday 8 Oct 5000m track M55, M60, M65, M70, M75
8:00am Thursday 10 Oct 8k Cross Country (one combined race)
8:00am 7:30am Saturday 12 Oct Half Marathon (ditto) + last minute change of venue?

I am packing three pairs of racing shoes, one pair for each event. And some spares. It is a good thing we are going by car!

Where we are staying, the Geelong Conference Centre

The Half Marathon course.[Edit: Or nearby as it looks like a last minute change?]

The track, too, is shown near "START".

Then on Sunday 13 Oct I hope to watch the Melbourne Marathon/Half Marathon, on St Kilda Rd, right at the 5k/32k mark of the marathon, with camera in hand. Runners, watch out for me there, it will be difficult for me to see everyone in the crowd!

Sunday's Melbourne Marathon starts at 7:00am and the Half Marathon soon after at 8:00am. I hope to be there early enough to watch the marathoners come through! Then a bit of a wait while I go for a run, then there will be marathoners and half marathoners in all directions.

All is now ready. Let's GO!

speedyducks

https://www.facebook.com/groups/speedyducks/

We have launched the new Saturday morning running group - the speedyducks. We have nuked the old Metro Runners group and the ducks have grown from the ashes. The new group is for beginners, and when I am there I will always tag along and encourage them, going for a longer run before and/or afterwards.

Details: Acton Ferry Terminal, 9:00am every Saturday morning.

Admittedly I am away both 5 October and 12 October but I am hoping the group will still meet then. I have made the Facebook group an open group so if you know anyone who might be interested, but is rather deterred from joining the speedygeese because of our alleged speed, point them at the FB page https://www.facebook.com/groups/speedyducks/ and tell them they are welcome to join.

By the way, the speedygeese facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/speedygeese/. I like the fact that we can give names, not just numbers, to groups on Facebook now.

The name "speedyducks" was inspired by the big Floriade duck, which we visited last Saturday on our detour through the Floriade flower gardens.

Short Circuit

Training
Saturday 21 September Acton Ferry Terminal Caleb, Elspeth, Daisy, me. We are the speedyducks!
Sunday 22 September Stromlo Forest Park (7:00am) Kym, me, then Lucia, Andrew, running 6 x 500m loop. We are of course still the speedygeese!
Monday 23 September Parliament House. We started our spring chin-up challenge. I managed three, quite a surprise. Ewen and I ran early, then for the main session a short 400m circuit including steepest west side hill each lap. We had Cookie, Andrew, Andy, Bronwyn, Caroline, Craig, Kym, Rae, Ruth, Stewart, Tori & Warrick running for 30 minutes on the circuit, alternating fast and slow laps. The steep uphill towards the end of the circuit meant you couldn't really "jog" that bit.

Some of my solo training trains in the last week
See where I run: 11k 18 September

See where I run: 10k 24 September

See where I don't run

Magpies are particularly aggro this year. I have been swooped three times so far. That's three times more than the whole of last spring.

It's another record for the pupil

Speedygeese race results
Wednesday 4 September BBQ Stakes 6k Handicap
Times not recorded; Kerrie Tanner, Helen Larmour, Caroline Campbell ran
59 finishers

Wednesday 11 September BBQ Stakes 6k Handicap
Times not recorded; Jennifer Bright, Kerrie Tanner, Caroline Campbell ran
60 finishers

Wednesday 18 September BBQ Stakes 6k Handicap
25. Caroline Campbell 37:09
29. Jennifer Bright 26:26
40. Kerrie Tanner 52:56
55 finishers

Friday 20 September Customs 5k Handicap
Peter Burke 20:37
Geoff Moore 23:12
Bronwyn Calver 23:54
Caroline Campbell 30:40

Saturday 21 September Ginninderra Parkrun #74
54 Jill PEARSON 26:12 W55
81 Margaret MCSPADDEN 28:46 W65
139 finishers

Saturday 21 September Tuggeranong Parkrun #31
134 finishers

Saturday 21 September Centenary 100k
15th – Craig Davis 2:28.08 for leg #4
46th – Cathy Montalto 2:47.34 for leg #1
53rd – Jen Bright 2:29.15 for leg #3
The placings are for teams + individuals combined.

Sunday 22 September Sydney Half Marathon
Ewen Thompson 1:52.27

Way back when:
I coached Kevin Chamberlain to quite a few M50 and M55 ACT records, mainly over 800m and 1500m,  It was a very rare occasion when I beat him in a race over those distances

From March 2003 Vetrunner - 

"It's another record for the pupil".
"Above left, is the teacher, Geoff Moore, leading by example in a heat of the 800m at the track. Behind Geoff is Kevin Chamberlain, also in Geoff's training group. [In fact it was a 1500m]
For interest, in the 1500m I ran 5:10.0 that day, and Kevin 5:10.3.

"Above right, is Geoff's pupil, Maureen Rossiter, who has been doing a fair bit of strengthening work with Geoff.

"She has also been with Roger Stewart in his sprint training classes which has improved her performances so well that she has broken W50 records in both the 400 and 800m."

The headline about records referred to Maureen. 

Bad habit

Song of the Week - Bad Habit, by Foals.
From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khQG7t9pzmo

Birth Day

Happy Birthday to
 Bronwyn Calver
 Caleb Liaw
 Neil Boden and
 Brad Osborn!
All on the one day!

speedyducks
It is also the birth day of the new Saturday morning running group. Formerly Metro runners, that name no longer applies so today I launch the speedyducks.

Reinventing the Fun Run.
As described yesterday, we toured Floriade on our latest run. Pictured are Qiuqi Dai (Daisy) and Elspeth Richardson, with the Floriade duck looking on admiringly.

If you feel the Floriade ducks are the team for you, you are welcome to join us, 9:00am at the Acton Ferry Terminal Saturday mornings.

excellent day for a run

Although only a short run this morning, Caleb, Elspeth, Daisy and I kept bumping into people I knew so it took a good while! At the start, Lucia and Andrew were just finishing their run, then I had a chat with Liz ditto. Then Warrick was coming the other way as we were admiring the finishing chute for today's 100k Canberra Centenary race straight up the steepest side of Regatta point (since the 100k started this morning we doubted that we would see any finishers); Justine coming through fast in the other direction; Scott and Adele walking up to the Alzheimer Fun Run, Susan there warming up, and more I cannot remember. A highlight of our run was going through Floriade where we kept stopping for large rubber ducks, organ music, chickens, dogs, and of course flowers. But the big highlight was coming out of Aspen Island where we met two ‎Carillonneurs heading up towards their Carillon with music in hand, and we stopped and chatted to them about their music and the nature of a Carillon. all in all a lovely spring morning in Canberra and thousands of people out enjoying our lakeside.

 

Aspen Island and the Carillon

wind chill factor

Brrrr it is one of those cold mornings again.

Coming events, longer term
12 October Fitzroy Falls Fire Trail Marathon
12 October Mt Majura Vineyard One Peak & Two Peaks
*19 October YCRC Mulligans Goorooyaroo Half Marathon
*26 October Run Y'ass Off Half Marathon
*Spring Series starts 5 November 2013, first event Stirling Ridge 5k
10 November Deep Space Marathon
15 December Tour de Ridges
*12 January AMA Half Marathon Bendigo
Women and Girls Fun Run 6 April 2014
Australian Running Festival 12–13 April 2014
*YMCA Half Marathon 18 May 2014

*= The ones I plan to run, if fit and well

Never fear, warm weather coming, means we we will be able to increase our training.

Maybe.

invisible substance

Democracy? Apparently the majority are always right. With our "new" government busy dismantling sensible environmental policy, I was going to write something about great moral, economic and social challenges, but I shall resist that temptation and stop right here. I guess along with CO2, "fitness" could be described as an invisible substance; most people inaction would tell us so. After all, it is "my right" to believe whatever I want to, truth doesn't come into it any more. With science no longer favoured, maybe sport can save us. Sorry about this incoherent rant, but it is all too depressing this morning to think straight. Arrrrgh. The majority is NOT always right. Maybe the following states it clearer.

Footnote - they have abolished the climate commission. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-shuts-down-climate-commission-20130919-2u185.html. I am speechless. http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratbag

stepping up the pace

Last seven days training sessions:
On Thursday 12 September at Kaleen, Margaret, Colin, Rod, Kathy, Ruth and I ran 3 x 1km. This is our final Kaleen session, the ovals are scheduled for maintenance and Vets track starts on Thursday 10 October.

Saturday 14 September at Acton Ferry Terminal Elspeth, Daisy and I ran a few km before I headed off to watch the grandson's footy final grand at Ainslie, which his team won.

On Sunday 15 September at Stromlo Forest Park, we ran 4 x 1km. Attending were Stewart, Jason, Andrew, Joel, Lucia, Kym and me.
My km times, the slowest of the group I might add, were 4:27, 4:18, 4:18, 4:14. This compares rather favourably with the times two weeks earlier: on 01 September I managed 4:28, 4:34, 4:41, and 4:36. Training in the last two weeks has included sessions of 20 minute step climbs on the machine at the gym, which I am certain has made a huge difference to my fitness and strength; I am amazed nobody else at the gym uses this machine, but that suits me just fine.

From next Sunday, 22 September and on, we will be meeting there an hour earlier, 7:00am. If that is too early for you, you could arrive later as the first 30 minutes is our warm-up.

On Monday 16 September it was back to Parliament House, despite unbroken rain which necessitated two changes of clothes for Jen and I who ran early. The main group consisting of Peter, Jen, Craig and Ruth ran east side 200m (up-slope) x 12, jogging back, in the wet, and I ran some of them too. Assuming drier conditions next week, we will head back to the hills.

Just a theory

Speedygeese results
Sunday 1 September Dubbo Stampede “Zebra Zoom” Half Marathon
57. Kym Chisholm 1:39.15
76. Liz Bennett 1:42.43 first W50

Friday 13 September Customs 5k Handicap
Peter Burke 20:22
Bronwyn Calver 23:19
Caroline Campbell 30:48

Saturday 14 September Ginninderra 5k Parkrun #73
53 Thea ZIMPEL 25:28 W3
82 Ruth BAUSSMANN 28:45 W60
87 Margaret MCSPADDEN 29:43 W65
107 finishers

Saturday 14 September Tuggeranong 5k Parkrun #30
118 finishers

I am hoping to get to Customs this week; last week I felt "under the weather" and didn't go.

Speaking of the weather...

No science portfolio in the new government's ministry? Can't be having those nasty scientists telling us what we don't want to hear?

Reflektor

Song of the week. Arcade Fire – Reflektor.
From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E0fVfectDo

This week's top story

This week's top story would have to be about my grandson Josiah, whose team won the U14 Grand Final! Go Tiges!

wanted - nice long steady grassy downhill to train on.

I am quite keen to try some downhill training this year. The following is a really interesting article which has whetted my appetite.

"Damaging muscle fibers with eccentric contractions makes them heal back stronger, protecting them from future damage. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 1985 found that just a single 30-minute run downhill at 10 percent grade had a prophylactic effect on muscle damage and soreness for up to six weeks. Therefore, while you can expect your muscles to be sore after the first time running downhill, subsequent downhill workouts will cause less soreness. Add downhills to your training a little at a time. Start with a short, gradual slope of about two to three percent grade, and progress to steeper and longer descents".

Read on at http://running.competitor.com/2013/04/training/downill-running-workouts_70437


If downhill running isn't your thing, you could try walking 5k every day.