Roll Over Beethoven

Geoff Barker at Oakey Hill

While the world goes crazy, obsessing over John Howard Tributes to Gay Marriage and everything in between, you and I are the sane ones who don't worry about such concerns but only obsess over running, which is different of course. But my passion / obsession for music is just as great if not greater than my passion for running. For a start, I am using every Beatles song title in my blog titles (work your way back and see!) until either I run out of Beatles songs or they just aren't relevant anymore. (Can someone please tell me they had to break into their house via a bathroom window?) Old stuff such as Beatles music is sometimes good (if you ignore the production quality) but I am not so sure about Beethoven - his lyrics were crap, for a start. But speaking of lyrics, good lyrics make the song, which is why I often reproduce lyrics here. From the Graceland days of Paul Simon, to the brilliant writing of Death Cab for Cutie, it's the combination of word and rhythm which grabs the attention. And I now own Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" (I haven't listened to it yet) which may be the next big thing; it will enter the Aria charts at number one next week; a fascinating article on its creation and on Coldplay is in today's Canberra Times. Also in the Canberra Times is a glowing review of Death Cab's "Narrow Stairs", where the reviewer raves about my favourite song "Vineyard Fires". Maybe that will be the single to follow-up "I Will Possess Your Heart".

The Canberra Times also has an interesting article on Pilates and its origin. I have often felt Pilates is pretty stupid and the article reinforces that feeling. Still, doing Pilates is possibly better than doing nothing at all.

But I am not letting journalists tell me what to think. Song-writers, that's different!

On a completely different subject


Here is my song-writing daughter Mon, at a sound desk the other day, and her two daughters. Her son is running around somewhere.

p.s. My review of "Grapevine Fires" was on 2 June in http://geoffmoore.blogspot.com/2008/06/all-things-must-pass.html. And you can still hear it on the playlist on my side-bar. (But not in the office; you had better wait until you get home)

p.p.s. Coincidentally, I have now just been informed that small samples of Mon's CD are on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mon-Hall/48723790243?ref=mf . Songs composed, played, and sung by Mon, with a little help from her friends.

Getting Better

At BBQ Stakes today, Roger ran ~29:05, meaning he is back on track for the Gold Coast marathon. Ruth says she's getting better too, and is also planning to run at Gold Coast. Cathy has also had the odd set-back and is also getting better and is also running Gold Coast. In case I don't find space later, I had better wish you all the best now: Fly, Golden Geese, Fly! (Honk Honk). I will be off to Sydney for a week that day or the next AND WILL HAVE MY MOBILE PHONE WITH ME. (Hint Hint)

As Roger was the only runner there today I will look elsewhere for more results. And I don't have to look very far. Bronwyn did the Black Mountain run-up yesterday and ran a PB by 16 seconds. Could this be due to having a mini-rest? Resting is good for anyone, after a lot of hard work. Remember the Sabbath Principle! (Six days shall ye labour .... ). Another goose getting better!

This Saturday's 8k cross country should be great! ALL the speediest M60s in the ACT are running the 8k, hurrah! So whatever place I end up (3rd, 4th or 5th are all possibilities), it will be a genuine result. And some say it is going to be four laps of 2k. I hope so. Seeing as the women share this race with the over 60 men, I also challenge any of the women in our training group to finish in front of me this Saturday. The way some of you have been training, anything is possible!


Ruth at Oakey Hill

A reminder of when the ACT Championships are on:
Stromlo 8k (Men M60+ & Women) 12:20pm Saturday
Stromlo 12k (Men under 60) 1:00pm

Helter Skelter

Charlie at Oakey Hill

At Monday night's training were Amanda, Christine G, Christopher, Emma, Ewen, me, Helen, Jill, Katie, Ken, Mick C, Mick H, Miranda and Neil. We ran our 20 x 100m up-hill sprints on 90 seconds. It was relatively mild for this time of year, and the hill was reasonably grassy too. But a little dark despite the moon being up: rather, if there were more cloud we could see better, from the reflection off the clouds of the city lights.

Official results from High Noon meets:
25 May
400m
Chris Gates 68.80

15 June
800m
Kathy Sims 3:00.53
3000m
Geoff Moore 11:23.26
Ken White 11:41.51
Katie Forestier 11:50.65
Ewen Thompson 12:24.39
Amanda Walker 12:40.69

Cooleman Ridge Cross Country Club result
22. Mick Horan 35:45
37. Charlie McCormack 37:32
39. Helen Larmour 38:00
50. Maria O'Reilly 40:44
64 finishers


Helen at Oakey Hill

we can work it out

Ken at Oakey Hill. Passing Brad? Impressive! Now for a sub-11 3k, Ken. You can do it.

My training progress
last week’s target: 80k
achieved: 82k
year 2008 total to date: 2049k in 24 weeks
this week's target: 100k including an 8k race on Saturday
weight: 63kg ▼
song of the week: "The Cure For Pain", by Jon Foreman. "It always goes down-hill". It's OK, Jon, not a problem, today we go uphill for the first time this year. See you at Parliament House tonight for the hill sprints. Well, maybe not Jon but everyone else.

There will be a couple of options for those more or less able to handle fast hills. And if you have entered the Gold Coast marathon and shouldn't be running hills at all (we don't want any tired legs and falls at this late stage!) there is a no-hills option too.

"I've spent ten years. Trying to sing these doubts away". Keep singing, Jon!

slow down

Moving so fast they are just a blur.


Katie at Oakey Hill. Katie, it looks as if your rival will receive the sharp end of your elbow if she doesn't slow down NOW and let you pass!

It will be interesting to see how slowly I can run today when I establish an M60 3000m pb, because I want to be able to keep improving! I don't want to run so fast that I cannot better it later on. Today this should be easy, there seems to be a cold breeze outside, I haven't ventured forth to investigate yet, the wood fire is much more appealing. But on the other hand, nothing will stop me from going as fast as possible under the circumstances, that is my nature.

So don't get in my way today. This is how my aggression is vented, by running it all out in a fast short race. Otherwise there might have been the odd Iguana incident in my life, but no, not in recent decades anyway, all is calm and relaxed and peaceful. Unless and until I am caught up in a serious racing scenario.

Thus it is good to see Katie & others following my example and letting it all out on the race track. Now to go and do likewise. As a start, I will try and slow myself down, until, eventually the race itself begins, then everyone, look out.

[In reality I will be at the back of a field of youngsters & it won't be that competitive for me! Oh well, it made a good story.]


FOOTNOTE
High Noon 3000m speedy-self 11:23.36 year's best by 4 seconds & a good start as an M60; Ken 11:41.51; Katie 11:50.65, life-time pb by 2 seconds (see I told you she was good!), Ewen was either the 12:22.01 or the 12:24.39 in the times list I saw, and Amanda 12:40.69 that's a good time too! In the 800m, Kathy ran 3:00 I think.

Things We Said Today

Rachelle & Miranda


I am told this was the time delicate negotiations took place. I am told Rachelle can be most persuasive. Photo taken at the Oakey hill handicap.


Notice of Meeting
There is a general meeting of club members on Sunday 29 June 2009, 10.30am, to elect a Secretary and a Treasurer for 2008-09.

Venue: Mt Ainslie Walking/Running Handicap Start Location, Phillip Avenue, Hackett

The Committee invites nominations for Secretary and Treasurer. Miranda Rawlinson has nominated for position of Secretary.

I should have known better

I should have known better than to have put up two posts in one day, but hey, I feel fine. And there are so many photos I haven't put up. So ...

Social events are fun, especially when you are 70 and fighting fit [tonight's little celebration at Cape Cod restaurant, Deakin],



and ...
Tony who has just turned 70 pouring it on at Oakey Hill

The Goose* on the Hill

Alan at Oakey Hill

How we trained: Colin, Mick H, Emma, Charlie, Bronwyn, Maria, David, Al, Jacqui, Tony, Andrea, Ruth, Jodie & I were at Dickson last night to run 3 x 1k on the grass, as hard as we could. And last week when I was away, there were Colin, Mick, Rachelle, Miranda, Jodie, Matt, Jacqui, Kally, Jeni & Bronwyn doing a similar session.

Some hill running instructions for the training group:
This coming Monday is our first up-hill speed session for the year. Because many of us are oldies, we should ensure we run up these hills with good form, else we risk injury. Rather than focusing on sheer speed, I would like us to develop a quick tempo with a short stride. Posture: a pulled-in tummy and flat back, running very tall, leaning slightly forward into the hill from the hips. Stride: short with quick steps. Relaxed, and after sufficient warm-up, lots of spring in the legs. I don't want to see anyone racing up the hill with a long stride. And none of that Lydiard-style bounding beloved by jumpers and sprinters, because we'll break.
Coming back down the hill, tall, relaxed, no forward lean (more upright) and a long stride is fine, letting gravity do the work.

*you know, like the Beatles' "Fool on the Hill"


Borrowed from Mike's Running With Lydiard blog:

I'll Cry Instead

Maria at Oakey Hill

Calendar of coming events
Sunday 15 June
ACTA HIGH NOON MEET AIS ATHLETICS FIELD - Raiders Game at 2pm so be early to get a parking spot.
12:00 noon sprint hurdles
12:15pm 60m
12:30pm 100m
12:50pm 800m
1:05pm 200m
1:15pm 3000m run and walk!
I plan to run the 3000m, but if there are too many walkers in the field, I might go for a run outside instead!

Saturday 21 June
ACTMA cross country championships
Stromlo
You can enter on the day for $5.00.
I will be running the 8k - now that I am 60, at last I don't have to run 12k!

Or do I? Here is the official event schedule ...


Yes folks, this looks like being yet another "memorable" collaboration between AACT and ACTMA. I hesitate to express my true feelings. I'll just cry instead. Needless to say, I am a 60 year old member of both organisations, and as such I am expected to run both the 8k and the 12k!!!!!!! Great.

BBQ Stakes results from yesterday
me 25:12 (another good run)
Roger (who is injured) ~33:50
I haven't had a "breakthrough" run yet, but, soon? Still, 25.12 is OK, given my preparation and the dampness of the course and the cool breezy weather.

Her Majesty

weight: 63.5kg ▲ not bad considering the feasting of the past week!!

No fireworks no rugby
On the Queens birthday holiday weekend, no fireworks in Adelaide! No mention of them! But here in Canberra I am told there were too many. This is not unusual. But one event worth setting off fireworks for was a good half marathon time by Colin Farlow, 1:23.46, well under 4 minutes per km.

lotsa footy
Actually what a great weekend to be in Adelaide. Not only did the Crows execute a 64 point turn-around after half time to win by 50 points, flogging Richmond in Melbourne, but back in Adelaide Sunday evening I sat down at Fasta Pasta Gawler to see the TV on at three-quarter time, Port ahead of Carlton 8.12 to 3.12 live (delayed) from Adelaide, only to enjoy a 7 goals to nil final quarter by Carlton with the end result 10.15 to 8.15. Bliss!

And TV sports coverage which doesn't mention rugby. More bliss!

and so, back to the land of bureaucrats

get back

We will be getting back tonight .... I ran a quickish 21k yesterday through Goolwa, I will post Garmin's map later. I haven't updated ACTVAC news for a couple of weeks, that will have to wait until I get back too. On other running related matters, I noticed that the Pichi Richi marathon is being held on the last Sunday in June; that would be an interesting run, partly dead flat but also partly run through a pass through the Flinders Ranges, which could be slightly undulating. It's Port Augusta to Quorn. Any takers?

edit: Goolwa 21k. from Goolwa Beach to the Scout Hall via Goolwa Railway Station and under Hindmarsh Island bridge, then back to the barrage via the bird reserve, and from there, getting back to where I started from.

Ob-la-di ob-la-da..

My training progress
last week’s target: 100k
achieved: 100k
year 2008 total to date: 1967k in 23 weeks
this week's target: 80k
song of the week: "Let Your Love Be Strong", by Switchfoot

Yes it rained all night but now it's clear. So it's off to Goolwa today.

I am not sure I will manage the 80k total this week, as I am travelling tomorrow... and I recall there is a 3k on Sunday so I might be tempted to run less..

But life goes on, see you at the Stakes on Wednesday, Dickson on Thursday, Stromlo Friday, the AIS Sunday, and/or Parliament house Monday!!!

Rain

Mentioning sun yesterday was premature. No blue sky has been seen since, and what passes for rain here in Adelaide is falling. That is, there are clouds in the sky, the wind is blowing, and there is a general vague feeling of coolth. And if you run for 60 minutes as I did just now, you return with a sight dampness on the outer clothing.

Yesterday Jenny and I attended the Ewers reunion, the reason we came here this weekend. 100 or so of the descendants of my mother's mother's father (D. A. Ewers) gathered in one place, being but a small proportion of the total were they all to assemble. Great fun; met many whose names I knew but not faces; met a couple who lived a couple of streets away in Holt for four years; met a mother and a grandfather of a friend whom I had forgotten was related. And so on.

Tonight we will probably go to Gawler (north) for Fasta Pasta; tomorrow we will probably go to Goolwa (South) for a picnic and a run overlooking the Southern Ocean. Rain permitting.

here comes the sun

There have been two days of sunshine, and an hour or two of warmth, here in Elizabeth. I ran a 22k run yesterday but the garmin decided to lose the satellite at 18k so I repeated the run today, in reverse, and it worked for the full 22k.
Despite the sun, a tiny bit of rain was blowing round in the breeze. We don't get "rain" like that in Canberra!

Birthday

This weekend is one of those big occasions - Tony Booth turns 70. Back when Tony was an M50 he approached me for some training advice, wanting to set a record or two in the age group. Now Tony was a runner who appeared to hold back the tiniest bit in races, but over the finishing stages he was unbeatable. But first I asked him what event he wanted to train for. 800m. and 1500m. and half marathons. and the monthly handicaps. and ... Well, I suggested he focus on one event and he decided the 800 was the right one. And knowing that if he focused solely on the 800m, the longer ones would suffer, I didn't restrict his longer training, which wasn't excessive, but got him onto the track to do some specific 800m training which I thought would help him most. For a few weeks prior to his go at the 800m record, which I think was held by Jack Pennington, our sessions were "only" 4 x 200m with quite a short standing recovery, at the desired race pace. This Tony did well at, and it was just a matter of him putting the four together, which he subsequently did and managed to break the record. You see, Tony needed to train himself to learn that he could push hard in the middle stages of the 800m, particularly in that third 200m when the whole field tends to slow; and I knew that if he were thereabouts toward the end he would still have his devastating finish. He just had to gain the confidence that he could do that, and be prepared to endure that final lack-of-oxygen pain a little earlier in the race. A by-product of this approach was that a 1500m race not long after was the only time I have seen Tony power through the whole of the race at that distance at his best pace, pushing hard through the middles stages too.

It's a trick I struggle with. Even in a 10km track race I find it really hard to pick up the pace with two laps to go, let alone from 3-5 laps out, where I probably should be starting to accelerate; it happens in the last lap but I struggle to go any earlier. I am not sure that a session of 4 x 2.5k would fix it. OR WOULD IT?

Ticket to Ride

The jetbus fare from Adelaide Airport to Elizabeth yesterday afternoon was only $2 per person seniors discount: not bad for a 90 minute trip! Entertaining too as it travelled along the O-Bahn north of the city, a novelty for Jenny and I who had a front seat view. And right on time. Oh for decent public transport in Canberra!

At yesterday lunch time's BBQ Stakes I led Terri around the course, as it was her first run there, so trotted around in about 44 minutes. Roger ran 26.23, Helen 27.28, and Charlie 27.55, all good times.

Today we toured around Angaston and region. So, until next time, bye-ee!

Drive My Car

Our future club secretary who here today shall remain nameless has already made herself useful by sending me this compelling little cartoon.


"Apparently greenhouse gas is not actually green"

I am off to Adelaide for six days. I should still be able to post each day. If I forget, there is plenty of good reading linked from the side-bar via google reader, and it gets updated automatically to show the newest posts in each category. And Ewen might even like to donate a picture or two, to keep happy those deterred by lots of words.

Or you could subscribe to ABC's Breaking News - Plenty of reading there, for example, Cyclists saving Govt $200m in health costs. I subscribe to a headlines feed, which has links to the stories if I want to read further.

With a Little Help From My Friends

Training at Parliament House on the still night of a cloudy sunless day was Alan, Amanda, Cathy, Christine, Emma, Ewen, Gary, Geoff B, me, Helen, Jill, Joel, Katie, Ken, Maria, Miranda, Rae, Ruth & Yelena. "After a couple of warm up loops the main session was 8 fast laps of the rectangular grassy bank in front of PH. We started at one corner of the rectangle and ran as fast as we could down the long edge, across the short edge, up the next long edge and across the short edge to the start, then a gentle jog to the next corner to start again on the whistle. Each time the whistle blew we started from a different corner. It was challenging but fun and certainly a good work-out." - words stolen from Strewth. Each interval may have been a little less than 400m; I didn't measure it. We took off every three minutes. A great time was had by all, and because it wasn't freezing cold despite winter having officially arrived, people stood around chatting for a long time afterwards!

After BBQ Stakes tomorrow I'm off to Adelaide for six days. Training Thursday will continue as usual at Dickson (unless this rain continues and floods happen) but for one Friday only I won't be at Stromlo, and next Monday is a holiday of some sort and there won't be official training at Parliament House, except I know of three or four people who plan to go anyway. The following Thursday (12 June) I will be back at Dickson for more interval work; Sunday 15 June is the next High Noon meet with a 3000m "race" programmed, hopefully without a hoard of walkers mixing it with the runners, then Monday 16th we start our hill sprints program at Parliament House, yay! Anyone running the Gold Coast marathon on 6 July is advised not to start the hill sprints until after the marathon, but there will be several of us meeting at 4:30pm for a longer warm-up run, and a few continuing on after 6:00pm to just run around while the rest of us do the hills. Don't you just love the session of 20 x 100m uphill, on 90 seconds? That's what we will be doing, with different hills to choose between from week to week, some easier, some less so.

The danger of close-up photography- I wouldn't click to enlarge this if I were you.

All Things Must Pass

My training progress
last week’s target: 100k
achieved: 101k
year 2008 total to date: 1867k in 22 weeks
this week's target: 100k
weight: 63kg ►◄

song of the week: “Grapevine Fires” Death Cab For Cutie, from “Narrow Stairs”

Grapevine Fires
And the wind picked up, the fire spread
And the grapevine seemed left for dead
And the northern sky looked like the end of days, the end of days.

The wake up call to a rented room
Sounded like an alarm of impending doom
To warn us it's only a matter of time. Before we all burn...

We bought some wine and some paper cups
Near your daughter’s school and we picked her up
And drove to a cemetery on a hill, on a hill.

And we watched the plumes paint the sky grey
As she laughed and danced through the field of graves
And there I knew we'd be alright. That everything. Would be alright...

And the news reports on the radio said it was getting worse
As the ocean air fanned the flames
But I couldn't think of anywhere where I would've rather been
To watch it all burn away. To burn away...

The firemen worked in double shifts
With prayers for rain on their lips
And they knew it was only a matter of time.

Listen to it from the player on the side-bar. There are a couple of quotes from “Grapevine Fires” in last Tuesday’s post. For a start, Tuesday’s post title is based on the last line from the song. And the lyrics contain a backward reference to an older DCfC song which I like very much called “Champagne from a Paper Cup”, mentioned because I was drinking same last Tuesday. And I live near a vineyard where fires swept through a few years ago. And the song is a metaphor for radical change, which we all need at times in our lives if we are not to be suffocated by who we are and what we do, but which for many people in many circumstances is a very painful experience. Some people would rather choke and die than allow old things to pass and new things to prevail, even if the new things bring life and strength and hope. And I love the ambiguity of the last line, it invites the question, what are you praying for? Very deep is this song, with levels of meaning ranging from real events in California, to the climate in general, and to the human condition. What are you hearing on the grapevine?

2008 Sprint-Marathon Relay - winning team


speedygoose Peter McDonald on the left, speedygoose Ken White holding the trophy. And four other ACT Masters runners making up the team.

[Edit:
STOP PRESS: Triumph and Tragedy for Benita Johnson.
http://news.smh.com.au/sport/aussie-johnson-wins-5km-run-in-new-york-20080601-2kf3.html ]

Tell me why

Usually we are highly motivated to run, run, run. Sometimes we are not and need telling why we do what we do. That's the benefit of a large friendly inclusive group! Mutual encouragement.

Today I am flying and am highly motivated. BUT:


I have reached my target already this week, so no running today! Better safe than sorry. As I have said before, feeling good is often a danger sign that we are about to overdo it!

I will be back in action tomorrow, I know that many new challenges lie ahead.

New challenges for a spry Ewen:
http://justyouraveragejoggler.com/top-10-craziest-stunt-marathon-runners/

I think you should start with "4. Barefoot marathon", then "3. Backwards marathon" and proceed from there. If you cannot set an ACT record with either of them, put them together and run a barefoot backwards marathon?

Marathon collage


ACT Masters runners in the 2008 Canberra Marathon

Caution! Political content follows!
According to Brendan Nelson, childhood obesity in Australia isn’t a problem. That’s a relief. Good to see the liberal party’s head-in-the-sand approach hasn’t changed. This follows his contention that petrol prices aren’t a problem, that indigenous housing isn’t a problem, that binge drinking by teenagers isn’t a problem, that his 9% approval rating isn’t a problem, and that Malcolm Turnbull isn’t a problem. and …. My goodness, I so miss irresponsible government. NOT!
End of political content. Normal service has been resumed.