Chance of departure today, one hundred percent

- The race isn't always to the swiftest, but to those who keep on running. -- Unknown
- Vincit qui patitur: he conquers, who endures. -- Percy Cerutty


See you at Parliament House for training tomorrow. Don't be surprised if we get quite a few new starters! I will be there at 4:30pm for an easy run before training starts in earnest.

Today's title is the third from a particular movie. The following poem segment is also quoted in the movie....

The wretch, concentred all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonoured, and unsung.
- “Breathes There the Man...” From the Lay of the Last Minstrel by Sir Walter Scott

My years are not advancing as fast as you might think

No one identified yesterday’s title quote. So today I have included another one from the same source.

Thursday night’s results
I am having a break from running ‘cause I hit the wall this week. Meanwhile my Pennington 3000m predictions would have been exactly right except Mr Amalendu popped in ….. Here are our times.

60m
M55 Christopher Lang 9.57
M65 Michael Roche 10.17
W45 Sue Bourke 9.13
W55 Maureen Rossiter 10.15

1500m
M45 Rod Lynch 5:12
M45 Roger Pilkington 5:28
M65 Tony Booth 6:42
W35 Amanda Walker 6:12
W50 Charmaine Knobel 6:16

400m
M50 Neville Madden 61.12
M55 Geoff Sims 67.13
M65 Michael Roche 83.09
W45 Sue Bourke 71.20
W55 Maureen Rossiter 74.85

3000m
M45 Amalendu Edelsten 10:20
M45 Colin Farlow 10:27
M45 Rod Lynch 11:00
M45 Richard Faulks 11:11
M45 Roger Pilkington 11:30
M45 Gary Bowen 12:44
M50 Neville Madden 11:39
M50 Ken White 12:17
M55 Geoff Sims 13:12
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 11:45
M60 Geoff Barker 14:21
M65 Tony Booth 12:57
W40 Katie Forestier 12:10
W45 Cathy Newman 13:08
W50 Maria O'Reilly 12:12
W55 Kathy Sims 12:40
W55 Carol Baird 13:00
W55 Ruth Baussmann 14:58
W55 Barbara Tucker 15:15

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." -Oprah Winfrey


“Life is full of obstacle illusions.” - Grant Frazier

No white chocolate. No fudge.

third sub 12 in a month
Interclub results last Saturday: Kathy Southgate 10:51.35; yours truly 11:55.29. Great run by Kathy in windy conditions. I see my name is missing from the official results. Some other person is recorded with my time. It is the first time I have run there for 15 years. I am not impressed.

John Martin rules, OK
As a prolific reader, I have always read John Martin’s column in the Canberra Times. He had a wonderful column full of local interest. It was the only really good thing in the paper, other than the English cryptic crossword and the Sudoku puzzle. Now he has gone, and his replacement is some ditsy female who cares only for name dropping and gossip and celebrities. I am not impressed.

Fair Go for the ABC
The government has contrived to have "The Glass House" removed from television? Not a program I ever watched as I found it somewhat unsavoury. But removing satirical comedies from our air waves? We have finally lost the plot. I am not impressed.

Everything else is ALL GOOD.

I will see if I can dig out some of my favorite quotes to use as titles.... see if you can guess where the quotes originate.

In Praise of Naps

Naps

“…We are a culture that celebrates action, doing, achieving, an attitude that leads to a disdain for sleep in general. We stay up late and get up early. We pull all-nighters. We'll sleep when we're dead, and in the meantime there's always a Starbucks on the corner.

It's a misguided attitude. A good nap is one of life's great pleasures, and the ability to nap is the sign of a well-balanced life….”

Thought provoking articles at the Toronto Star: The modern world killed off the nap, and Is sleep obsolete

Pennington Preview

quote of the day: "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go." - T.S. Eliot

Thursday 2 Nov ACTVAC track program
6.00pm 3000m Pennington(& GM), Weight Throw, Pole Vault
6.15pm 60m
6.30pm 1000m/3000m Walk (Perry Handicap)
6.45pm Long Jump (QA)
7.00pm 1500m, Javelin, Discus
7.30pm 400m
7.45pm Triple Jump, Javelin, Discus, 200m Hurdles
8.00pm 4x200m Relay
8.15pm 5 lap Spiral

Pennington Preview
The Pennington 3000m to be run tomorrow features start groups handicapped on age and sex, based (allegedly) on world standards. Looking at the actual times the groups set off, I calculate that the outcome is simple really - if Kathy Southgate were to run she would blitz the field. In her likely absence, Elaine Cooper is the hot favourite and should easily hold out Trevor Jacobs. In the likely event that Trevor is not there, the places should be fought out by Paul Considine and Colin Farlow, somewhat behind the winner. Of course, none of this is certain....

"A child of five could understand this. Fetch me a child of five" – Groucho Marx

31 Oct

Q: Why do computer programmers confuse Halloween and Christmas?

A: Because 31 oct = 25 dec.

post number 744

Brindabella baton change



Deek's Drive. How you look if you start your watch as you start a race.



How to finish strong. Two feet off the ground. And fast green shoes.

Warning Sign

quote of the week: " Every winner has scars." - Herbert Casson

My training progress
last week's target: 80k, actual 80k

this week’s target: 85k
weight: 62.5kg and falling

I will have scars this week! The skin is being treated, and also I have had some (unrelated) blood tests, let's hope everything is alright. I have also run on the track at interclub for the first time for 15 or 16 years; a rather humbling experience. The 3000m time (under 12 mins) was OK for me as a 58 year old but no other similar runners were there: who wants to join me next time?

song of the week: Evermore – Know It’s True, from "Dreams"

Moonlight shines down in rays
Fire I see in your gaze

And I know it’s true, believe it too, can feel it too
And it’s clear to me, no fantasy, reality

As a child I had a dream
I saw a bird with broken wings
I woke up

And I know it’s true, believe it too, can feel it too
And I know it’s near, I’ve felt it here, ‘cause it’s in the air

Tonight, to feel alive
We try again
Tonight, to be alive, to live inside
We die again
A sign, in your eyes
Oh, a fire will rise again

It’ll take you over, and it’ll burn away tonight…


You have been warned


last word
“He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot” – Groucho Marx

Monthly Handicap results from Sunday

Speedy Geese running the Vets 8k handicap Sunday 29/10
12 Geoff Sims M55 39:36
19 Amanda Walker W35 38:29
22 Margaret McSpadden W55 43:51
28 Christopher Lang M55 41:58
30 Neville Madden M50 35:34
31 Jill Brown W55 46:33
33 Peter McDonald M50 40:19
34 Annette Sugden W40 38:12
35 Geoff Barker M60 40:26
36 Rod Lynch M45 31:27
40 Caroline Campbell W60 42:45
41 Mick Saunders M55 38:28
49 Cathy Newman W45 37:25
50 Alan Duus M60 38:51
56 Mick Horan M45 35:10
61 Charmaine Knobel W50 42:11
72 Maria O'Reilly W50 36:44
74 Colin Farlow M45 32:12
78 Ruth Baussmann W55 43:30
80 Graeme Small M65 48:45
91 Barbara Tucker W55 47:32
92 Tony Booth M65 46:19
93 Roger Pilkington M45 39:05
94 Kathy Sims W55 43:57

Speedy Geese running the Vets 4k handicap Sunday 29/10
8 Alice Scott W60 24:34
10 Maureen Rossiter W55 20:22 Gold Medal
14 Ken White M50 20:01
19 Geoff Moore M55 16:27
21 Carol Baird W55 18:45
32 Ken Gordon M40 15:54
36 Katie Forestier W40 17:25
42 Gary Bowen M45 17:30

Track Results from last Thursday

Speedy Geese Vets Track Results Thu 26/10/2006

200m
M55 Mick Saunders 34.66
M65 Michael Roche 34.98
M65 Tony Booth 37.68

3000m
M45 Colin Farlow 10:23.41
M55 Geoff Moore 11:31.50
M55 Trevor Cobbold 11:34.46 (pb)
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 11:38.30
M45 Gary Bowen 12:55.91
W45 Cathy Newman 12:56.86 (established pb)
M65 Tony Booth 13:02.28
M55 Mick Saunders 13:19.40
M55 Geoff Sims 13:22.09 (didn't run one last season)
M60 Geoff Barker 14:38.90
W55 Margaret McSpadden 14:49.49
W55 Ruth Baussmann 15:03.46
W60 Alice Scott 16:55.50

5000m
M65 Tony Booth 24:59.83 (didn't run one last season)

800m
M45 Mick Horan 2:18.97
M50 Neville Madden 2:24.68 (best last season 2:25)
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 2:33.90
M50 Ken White 2:36.57
W40 Katie Forestier 2:47.63
M55 Geoff Sims 2:50.33
M45 Gary Bowen 2:53.23
M65 Tony Booth 2:58.08
W55 Kathy Sims 3:04.20
W50 Charmaine Knobel 3:07.72
W55 Maureen Rossiter 3:13.16
W55 Jill Brown 3:16.75
W55 Ruth Baussmann 3:36.81 (established pb)
W55 Margaret McSpadden 3:40.22

3000m late
W40 Katie Forestier 12:27.97
M50 Ken White 12:53.40
W35 Amanda Walker 13:07.28 (didn't run one last season)
M55 Mick Saunders 13:36.46
M60 Geoff Barker 14:59.51

count the geese

“If you can't fly, then run.
If you can't run, then walk.
If you can't walk, then crawl.
But whatever you do, keep moving.” -- Martin Luther King, Jr.



ACTA Events
These are the races put on by ACT Athletics at the AIS.

Sunday 15 October (the come and try it day)
Kathy Southgate 3000m 10:50.02 – W50 record was 11:47.0, Kathy Sims’s
Katie Forestier 3000m 12:30.92
Roger Pilkington 3000m 11:36.01
Kevin Chamberlain 3000m 12:02.82
Kevin Chamberlain 800m 2:32.56
Roger Pilkington 800m 2:36.07
also Katie Forestier 800m 2:39.31 this appears to be a mistake!

Saturday 21 October (first week of interclub)
Kathy Southgate 1500m 5:15.75 – W50 record was 5:28.49, Maria O’Reilly’s

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." - Groucho Marx

count the geese in this picture

Three slow geese and a speedy gosling set a new hands-holding record of 4:49.42, while the previous record hand-holders can only look on in awe.

13 to 81

quote of the day: "What is to give light must endure burning." -- Victor Frankl

My favourite song, "Light Surrounding You" by Evermore, quoted under the banner, has entered the Australian charts at number 8 this week, so its video clip will be on "Rage" early tomorrow morning (as well as "Video Hits" etc. I guess). Can't wait to see the clip. (edit - about 7:20 am or so, on ABCTV)

On 24 July I said “you the reader range in years from 12 (I believe) to 76 (I believe)”. I can update that now! The lower number has moved from 12 to 13, ah how time does pass. The higher number would have moved by now to 77 except I forgot two who are regular readers and neither of them let on they were older! Keith, you’re now 80; but my mum wins the race; she turned 81 this month. So you the reader now range from 13 to 81. And happy birthday to speedyJarod, six years old tomorrow. Don't think Jarod's a reader yet though.

Another great track meet last night; colder and blusterier than the previous week, the weather didn't stop me from taking eight more seconds off my 3k time and run 11:31, with quite a big negative split. I have "only" 16 more seconds to improve to attain my target time, and two months to do it.

Great running from Katie winning her heat of the 800m in fine style, also Colin tearing away in the 3000m for clear second.

"Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?" - Groucho Marx

choices

Monday I said, after the umpteenth phone call about unrelated subjects, "I’ve got too many hats; in too many pies"

Still, it's my choice to do so much "when I am supposed to be retired".

Far far better to be busy than to be bored.

I always review my priorities at the end of the year (sort of akin to new year resolutions, although the only thing I really resolve is to "commit to less".)

On the training and competing front this year, to take the pressure off, a mid year decision was to treat many "races" as tempo runs. And when (if!) all the indicators are favorable (weight lower; training consistent; niggles at bay), pick an upcoming race and go for it.

It seems to be working; I have run two successive BBQ Stake 6k's both in 26.53, on days when most struggled with heat and/or breeze, I felt comfortable and still finished in the middle of the (handicapped) field. And I haven't succumbed to new injuries or aggravated old ones (yet!)

So I will continue taking the pressure off by running at 80-90% effort in all my races, and who knows, by January I may be in a position to loosen the reins.

Time for a mathematics joke.

At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual, later discovered to be a public school teacher, was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule, and a calculator.

At a morning press conference, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-Gebra movement.

He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

"Al-gebra is a fearsome cult, "Gonzales said. They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value.

They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as unknowns, but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, "There are three sides to every triangle."

When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes."

watch it buddy

running, not hiding

Speedy Geese results
Brindabella Classic Relay Teams
3. "Brindabella Mermaids" FFFF 4:21:30
10. "Three Slow Geese and a Speedy Gosling" FFFF 4:49:44
There were twenty relay teams.

Bulls Head Challenge
7. Cathy Newman W45 1:59:27
10. Roger Pilkington M45 2:09:00
12. Geoff Barker M60 2:13:16


Second track meet of the season,

Thursday October 26
at the AIS.


6.00 pm 3000m (GM), Hammer Throw
6.15 pm 100m (D)
6.30 pm 1500m Walk
6.45 pm High Jump
7.00 pm 800m, Shot, Discus (1st group)
7.30 pm 200m
7.45 pm Triple Jump (QA), Shot/Discus (2), Sprint Hurdles
8.00 pm 4x400m Relay
8.15 pm 3000/5000m

Admission is $3 at the gate, new members welcome. Vets is great fun and not at all scary, dear goslings.. We had a great time last week, lots of new faces. But you must have had a 30th birthday!

stupid cow jigsaw

don't count your goslings before they hatch

Australia's toughest downhill race

click on pictures to enlarge.





thanks to spud

captivated fascinated

The Brindabella Classic, "Australia's Premier downhill race", was on yesterday, see strewth’s blog for a write up. Strewth calls Aki the “Speedy Gosling”. Ha Ha HA. There are a few very sore bodies who won't be along to training tonight. However I will be there, early as usual.

My training progress
last week's target: n/a, actual 50k

this week’s target: 80k
weight: 64kg and steady

I was pretty slack last week. One new thing, I went out to track on Saturday afternoon to watch some of the interclub program. As expected the 1500s were quicker than at Vets. There are some kids I could be up with at the end. They all start too fast though and would be 100m ahead of me by half way. So when I can, I will run, maybe this Saturday is possible, and remember not to start too fast. And I like the design of the new Norths singlets, I will get one.

So this week I will run BBQ Stakes, Vets track, and ACTA track as well if I have time.

song of the week: 2+2=5 – Radiohead, from "Hail To The Thief". I have been listening to Radiohead, Keane, Evermore, Delirious and Chris Tomlin this week.

happy birthday: Colin Farlow turns 45 tomorrow. A tough new age group Col!

wedding bells: Joel and Yelena leave on Wednesday this week for Peru, to get married. The wedding date is 1pm in Lima 0n 4 November, which is 3am on the 5th our time . They will be back in Canberra on Sunday 12th November.

QT

A cutie to counter the terrors of the animal fruit of yesterday. OK?

Here is how the Speedy Geese went on Thursday the first night at track

3000m
M40 (1st in age group) Colin Farlow 10:31.36
M45 (2) Rod Lynch 11:00.03
M45 (3) Richard Faulks 11:18.29
M45 (4) Mick Horan 11:18.60
M60 (1) Kevin Chamberlain 11:35.04 (last season’s best was 12.01)
M55 (1) Geoff Moore 11:39.46
M45 (6) Roger Pilkington 11:41.98
M55 (2) Trevor Cobbold 11:52.58 (last season’s best was 12.07)
W50 (1) Maria O'Reilly 12:16.53
M50 (1) Ken White 12:18.13
W45 (2) Helen Larmour 12:20.52
W40 (1) Annette Sugden 12:42.90 (didn’t run last season)
W55 (1) Carol Baird 13:14.21
M55 (5) Mick Saunders 13:15.58
M65 (2) Tony Booth 13:22.56
W45 (3) Pam Faulks 14:52.94 (last season’s best was 15.17)
W55 (2) Margaret McSpadden 14:58.56
W55 (3) Ruth Baussmann 15:01.61 (established pb)

1500m
M45 (1) Rod Lynch 5:06.21
M50 (2) Neville Madden 5:10.58 (last season’s best was 5:35)
M55 (1) Trevor Cobbold 5:20.87 (didn’t run it last season)
M45 (2) Roger Pilkington 5:22.25
W40 (1) Katie Forestier 5:39.18 (pb was 5:40)
W50 (1) Maria O'Reilly 5:45.89
W45 (1) Helen Larmour 5:49.88 (pb was 5:53)
W55 (1) Kathy Sims 6:03.95
W50 (2) Charmaine Knobel 6:11.88
M55 (2) Mick Saunders 6:13.01
M65 (2) Tony Booth 6:13.07
W35 (1) Amanda Walker 6:16.91 (didn’t run last season)
W55 (2) Ruth Baussmann 7:08.38 (established pb)
W55 (3) Margaret McSpadden 7:19.78

400m
M45 Rod Lynch 65.84
W55 Maureen Rossiter 75.80
M50 Ken White 76.90
W40 Katie Forestier 77.46
W35 Amanda Walker 80.12
W55 Jill Brown 81.80
M65 Michael Roche 82.25
W50 Charmaine Knobel 83.76

4x100 relay
W55 64.67 ACT Record
Jill Brown, Kathy Sims, Margaret Taylor, Maureen Rossiter

Spiral 4
M45 Rod Lynch 5:59
M60 Kevin Chamberlain 6:00
M55 Geoff Moore 6:19
W45 Helen Larmour 6:37
W40 Katie Forestier 6:51
W50 Maria O'Reilly 6:57
W55 Kathy Sims 6:57
W50 Charmaine Knobel 7:01
M55 Mick Saunders 7:03
W35 Amanda Walker 7:20
M45 Roger Pilkington 7:50
M65 Tony Booth 7:52
W55 Maureen Rossiter 7:54
W55 Carol Baird 7:58
W55 Ruth Baussmann 8:05
W55 Margaret McSpadden 8:08

Global warming

Now we just have to find the same progression in running shorts...

Qs

Watch it. I am a venomous banana eater. Don't cross me when I am in a race!


I ask myself the following Qs: why do people intentionally run alongside one another in track races making it impossible to pass them? And why did I let myself get upset when I was charging around the track on Thursday night in the 4 lap spiral and, on three occasions, was expected to move out wide to pass people who were running two abreast who should know better?

If faster runners are coming through there is no need to move out; hugging the inside works fine. BUT courtesy dictates the need to at least run in single file except when passing.

All three pairs I passed were doing it deliberately.

I suppose it is inconsistent of me to ask them to mind their Ps and Qs while I don't. Well, I passed the first pair on the outside muttering "single file please!" I passed the second pair by pushing between them, saying "don't run next to each other!" And the third pair I ducked through on the inside, yelling "single file, PLEASE!"

Sorry, I will shut up next time.


Feeling cut?