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Our training group results Thomas Series 10k at Mt Majura
2 Tony Booth M65 49:39 gold medal
16 Pam Faulks W45 57:01
23 Helen Larmour W45 45:04
33 Richard Faulks M45 41:01
39 Colin Farlow M45 39:33
42 Maria O'Reilly W50 45:04
44 Geoff Barker M60 52:25
45 Amanda Walker W35 46:11
48 Graeme Small M65 61:45
50 Rod Lynch M45 39:12
54 Christopher Lang M55 53:02
59 Alan Duus M60 49:40
69 Peter Hogan M60 52:52
75 David Baussman M45 49:38
77 Geoff Sims M55 53:32
82 Kathy Sims W55 52:32
91 Michael Freer M75 60:45
97 Peter McDonald M50 54:36
98 Margaret McSpadden W60 61:54
105 Roger Pilkington M45 49:55
109 finishers

Frylink Series 5k at Mt Majura
11 Katie Forestier W40 20:55
12 Geoff Moore M55 20:27
16 Ken White M50 20:49
43 finishers

Monday Morning Monitor
last week's target: 120k
achieved: 122k
year total to date: 1,749k in 17 weeks
this week’s target: 120k
weight: 63kg ▼

Yesterday I was running so fast my hair went white. (how does that happen?)

click to enlarge for a photo of the beautiful eucalypt forest on Mt Majura that we ran through yesterday. Photo taken by Kerry Boden as I was struggling up the hill to the turn of the 5k race. You can also see John Lamb down the hill a bit fighting his way through the pack of walkers .

Adam strikes

One in a million


Adam, one innings per series is good enough. Come again!

Today's Vets handicap
Tony Booth was todays speediest goose - he blitzed the field in the Majura 10k handicap this morning. Welcome back Tony!

Very fast runs in the 10k from Colin, Richard, Maria, Helen, Amanda. Very fast runs in the 5k from me (fastest in the field!!), Ken, Katie. Full results soon.

Climbing molehills without sweating?

Watching Video Hits this morning, I noticed that none of the good songs need to use sex to sell themselves - and all the crummy ones do. An example of a good song is the Silverchair one which went to the top of the charts despite the video showing nothing more than the band playing. While not a huge Silverchair fan, I think they are quite OK, and I had quoted this latest song under my blog heading until the quote there now took my fancy.

Rage, too, this morning played the old "Let it Be"; made effective by simply focusing on the four Beatles performing the song in the studio. (Plus Yoko; point made?) And a demure Missy Higgins sang her latest song; no fuss no nonsense.

Anything of great worth doesn't need gimmicks to promote itself.

Pagan and Christian
A "good Christian boy" listens to what!!?? you may ask.

Well, my favourites I listen to all the time include:

Pagan groups - The Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Snow Patrol, Pink Floyd.

Christian groups - Switchfoot, Lifehouse, The Fray, Hillsong United (whose newest album, "All of the Above", is on the album charts and is just brilliant), The Henrys (a Brisbane super-group).

Middle-of-the-road groups: none. Never. Not at all. "Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." - Rev 3:16. So there.

Footnote: I don't quite know where "Evermore" and "Coldplay" fit in, my other current favourites. Any thoughts? They are certainly not bland! Perhaps they are covertly Christian.

Neither Hot Nor Cold
"I have a horror of not rising above mediocrity" - Robert Baldwin

"Media, the plural of mediocrity." - Jimmy Breslin

"There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment." - Norman Vincent Peale


Canberra Half Marathon
Recovery proceeding on schedule, I have now entered both the Queensland Half Marathon (Doomben, June 3), and the Canberra Half Marathon (May 13).

Ken Eynon's latest email:

"The 2007 Instant Colour Press Canberra Half Marathon Weekend is fast approaching.

"Last year those of you receiving this email were kind enough to assist us with the ICP Canberra Half Marathon. If you are available to help this year could you please let me know. Of course if you have already contacted me thank you and sorry for the duplication.

"Like all volunteers most help or assist for no reward. I do however like to give our much needed volunteers something. Volunteers working on the half marathon will receive a Canberra Half Marathon 2007 Running T-shirt, made from a Coolmax type material. I hope to have a photograph of the running t-shirt on our website in the next few days. I think it is by far the best t-shirt provided to volunteers. The t-shirt is to run in and not wear on the day. On the day ACTCCC Safety Vests will suffice. There will also be a draw for two, $100 Runners Shop Gift Vouchers. Those helping at the 1k Mini Jog and 5k Fun Run will be included in these draws. Coffee and a finishers pack will also be given to each volunteer on the Sunday.

"Cheers and thank you, Ken"

"Mediocrity is climbing molehills without sweating." - Proverb-Icelandic

Nothing significant here, please move on.

Anzac Relays
Wednesday at Campbell Park I ran my relay leg in 14:52, Aki 15:36, and Graeme 21:23. We were each a bit slower than our best times on the course. Mick ran 13:17.

Thursday BBQ Stakes
I ran about 26:15, Helen about 26:40, Roger ran too, around 27 something I think. We are all slowly recovering from the marathon (more or less!) and getting faster again.

Thursday training report
A good turnout, a bit cool until the wind eased. We ran three intervals of 1km, with surges of 200, 400, 200 floating the 100 between the surges and jogging 600 between the ks. Participating were me, Roger, Ken, Charlie, Katie, Maria, Neil, Tony, Matthew, Margaret, Ruth, Colin, Mick, Joel and Yelena. Next week, the 2k time trial.

A very simple game!
Here is another diversion - a fun game with cool sound effects, Zelda And The Lampshade Of No Real Significance. (It is not actually point-and-click, it's arrow keys and space bar)

Why the “Gang aft agley” quote?
My long term marathon goal was to run Canberra 2009 fast. But I have been told that the week before, Easter 2009, Masters Track and Field will be in my original home town (Adelaide), where it would be good to have my first track championships as an M60. There is no way I could run both. So Canberra 2009 is off the list, instead I will target Gold Coast; 2008 is the plan, if I am ready, else 2009.

I hadn't planned to run Canberra 2008 as I want to do well in Sydney at the track, but the dates are favourable, so maybe.

For the record, dates for Easter v the Canberra Marathon:
2008
Easter 23 March (Sydney)
Marathon 13 April - I could do both

2009
Easter 12 April (Adelaide)
Marathon 19 April - I wouldn't double up

2010
Easter 4 April (location?)
Marathon 11 April - I wouldn't want to do both.

14 May group dinner

Instead of training at Parliament House on Monday 14 May (the day after the Canberra Half Marathon), how about a training group dinner? After due consideration I thought the Banana Leaf in civic might be a good venue. Feedback before I book?

Training tonight on the track at Dickson will be km intervals (three) incorporating hard surges.

How To Write Good Posts (Part three)

• Be more or less specific.
• Understatement is always best.
• Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
• One-word sentences? Eliminate.
• Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
• The passive voice is to be avoided.
• Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
• Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
• Who needs rhetorical questions?

These were sourced from Frank Visco.

Y Knot

How To Write Good Posts (Part Two)

• Contractions aren't necessary.
• Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
• One should never generalise.
• Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
• Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
• Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
• Profanity sucks.

What's up?

• Anzac Relays 1:00pm today at Campbell Park.
• BBQ Stakes tomorrow lunch time. Why not?
• Dickson training as usual tomorrow afternoon.

My shoes are wearing thin

As long as my jokes are not wearing thin as well..

Maths Test Part Three

click to enlarge

Monday training saw Alan, Amanda, Caroline, Ewen, Geoff B, me, Joel, Kathy, Katie, Ken, Maria, Mick, Neil, Peter, Ruth, Sonia, Trevor and Yelena run multi laps of the flagpoles, seven two minutes surges with two minute recovery jogs. It felt very cold but it was nothing like this time last year when it was minus 4. What is real winter going to feel like? I think it is time to turn our heaters on.

My weight won't drop when it is so cold! Must eat!!!!!

Monday Morning Monitor

My training progress
last week's target: 80k
achieved: 100k
year total to date: 1,627k in 16 weeks
this week’s target: 120k
weight: 63.5kg ▼

There are only three weeks until the Canberra Half Marathon. I have decided that, since my recovery from the marathon has been speedy (naturally), I will have a go at a fast time.

footnote: Ewen's fiftieth birthday is this Thursday 26 April.

footnote 2: in deference to Ewen, this is an exclamation mark free post.

Blogger help: How to write good posts

• Always avoid alliteration.
• Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
• Avoid cliches like the plague. They're old hat.
• Employ the vernacular.
• Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
• Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
• It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.

Maths Test Part Two

Charlie and Griffin

... you can now order from an incredible range of marathon pictures: choose from these and many similar photos at Global Pix: here are my photos on that website, just enter chest number or surname to find others.

Bits 'n Pieces

Right now we are busy entertaining four grandchildren. I am still planning to run about 50k more over the next three days to finish off the week. Yesterday I felt very tired trying to jog 15k. No races this weekend, but next week I am in a Life Member's team in the Anzac Relays, no pressure there, and the Vets Handicap is on at the end of the week, I will be well behind the others there. Another tempo run at BBQ Stakes too, which next week has been moved to Thursday because of the Anzac Day holiday on Wednesday.

Shoes - Tesso asked if I always wear DS Trainers. Yes I do; a few years ago I wore only DS Racers (training and racing) but a change in model design to one which was too narrow for me brought a switch to trainers. DS Trainers seem more a blend of trainer/racer with their relatively light weight. The poor old feet don't seem to be able to tolerate any other shoe at present.

Shoe sizes have changed over time. The manufacturers over the years gradually reduce the sizes of shoes, to give the impression that their shoes are light; the weight benchmark used to be size seven, I suppose that is still the case. And feet shapes change; rumour has it our feet increase in size; I suppose that's a side effect of gravity pulling our height down as we age. Oh! Gravity. And those little callouses and bruises and mangled toes need room to breathe.

I used to wear size seven thirty years ago; now I can happily wear size nine.

Photos - marathon photos at The Canberra Times photo sales, also at Global Pix, Bib Numbers to look up individual runners in Global Pix are still at the Canberra Marathon website or in the race program of course.

If Not for Charmaine

A few weeks ago I bought some new DS trainers at the Runners Shop. These were intended for use after the marathon. About ready to purchase, I was advised by Charmaine to wear half a size larger, "they are too tight!" Not really agreeing, I tried the larger ones on, and Charmaine persisted, so I finally decided to take them. Later jogging around in them they seemed a little large. Anyway, last Wednesday (before the marathon) I wore the shoes I had set aside for the marathon just to make sure they were going to be OK, and they hurt my feet. So I made a last minute decision to wear the shoes Charmaine had sold me. Towards the end of the marathon I realised I could feel my toes just starting to pinch, and sure enough, there were a few toenails with blisters starting to form. Up until then, they were remarkably comfortable.

Boy am I glad I did not wear the shoes I had intended to! Charmaine, you saved my life!

speedygeese in the marathon eve 10km Fun Run:
54 Bob Harlow M ACT 59 41:21
201 Caroline Campbell F ACT 64 51:59
209 Mick Charlton M ACT 55 52:28
270 Carolyne Kramar F ACT 42 57:01
381 finishers

marathon eve 5k
23 Kathy Southgate F ACT 50 19:03
220 finishers

In the BBQ Stakes yesterday I ran ~26:55, Helen ~28.10. Tempo runs as we are in recovery mode.

CJ, the lady in pink, running a wonderful sub 3:28

Maths Test Part One

Marathons are not what they used to be.

Canberra - see http://www.canberramarathon.com.au/images/cm2007marathon.html

speedygeese in the Canberra marathon
79 Richard Faulks M ACT 47 3:03:31
189 Geoff Moore M ACT 58 3:21:24
217 Emma Adams F ACT 38 3:26:17
244 Cathy Newman F ACT 46 3:27:59
303 Maria O'Reilly F ACT 52 3:34:04
349 Roger Pilkington M ACT 48 3:39:01
406 Gary Bowen M ACT 50 3:43:59
429 Charlie McCormack F NSW 42 3:46:51
636 Ruth Baussmann F ACT 56 4:07:10
940 finishers

I cannot believe my recovery, usually by the second day I am struggling to jog 5k. Last night I ran a comfortable 9k and this morning an easy 16k. Excellent.

Katy the Greaty - the most excitement seen in the parliamentary triangle since Dame Nellie Melba sang God Save the King at the opening of the Houses of Parliament.
So who was the amazing one-woman-band performer down by the lake?
Well, here is her husband's post about the event - http://oscar065.blogspot.com/2007/04/lady-by-lake.html
- and here is hers - http://ihatetoast.typepad.com/katythegreaty/2007/04/the_tocks_rock.html.

Both posts have pictures, Katy's even has a movie that Ewen took.

50k ultra
41 Roger Pilkington M ACT 48 4:25:52
95 finishers

Rotterdam: Heat halts Rotterdam marathon
The Rotterdam marathon was abandoned on Sunday afternoon after at least 26 runners were taken to hospital because of the heat, news agency ANP said. The official race had ended earlier in the day. Fourteen people were actually admitted to hospital, two with heart complaints, ANP said. Marathon director Mario Kadiks said the measure was 'purely preventative'. Observers had noticed people getting into difficulty because of the heat and it was decided on the advice of medical experts to cancel the race at 14.30pm, Kadiks said. Criticism by some runners that there was not enough water was nonsense, Kadiks said. He said in total, 200,000 beakers of water and 200,000 wet sponges were handed out - the equivalent of 15 glasses per runner.
The official race was won by Kenya's Joshua Chelanga in a time of two hours, eight minutes and 21 seconds.

Boston: Don Smith 3:22.3 - see http://tuggrunner.blogspot.com/

Head Goose #6

Monday Morning Monitor

Gary ran the marathon in 3:43.59
Roger ran 3:39.01 and kicked on to finish the 50k in ~4:25
Photo by John Kennedy

Not all the marathon results are available yet, I will publish our group's times tomorrow.

My training progress
last week's target: 80k
achieved: 92k
year total to date: 1,527k in 15 weeks
this week’s target: 80k or so recovery
weight: 64kg ▼

I am actually walking down steps unaided - like new marathon legend Maria - but am pretty tired. Three toenails have blood blisters, one of them is quite sore. Otherwise, the fallout from the marathon is mild. There is no secret to all of this - simply more, consistent, running as preparation. Having said that, the longest training runs this year have been 20 to 24k, with one of about 28k and an attempt at 32k which was less than successful. Hence the fact that I was able to run the whole way at spot on 4:45 per km was somewhat surprising. I kept myself cool by squeezing water sachets over my head and body at every drink station, I didn't do a lot of talking but did cheer on the geese whenever I saw them, and I just tried to keep relaxed. I will definitely attempt one or two more marathons in future years.

short post on marathon #33

Mission accomplished, done, signed, sealed, delivered, been there, done that, got the racing singlet. My marathon time 3:21.24, splits 1:40.00 exactly to halfway, then 1:41.24. Only two toenails in trouble; no niggles. But what about the rest of the geese??? Brilliant performances all round: Richard ~3:03, Emma ~3:26 (34 minute pb), CJ ~3:28, Maria 3:34 debut; Charlie ~3:45 debut, Gary & Roger up there with them, not sure of their times, Roger ran the 50k; Ruth ~4:08. I will post correct details soonest. Now for some Italian food.

My marathon time was 5 1/2 minutes faster than my target. That's the first goal achieved for the year!

How To Say How I Feel

chasing lead cars
I'll run it all
Every K
On my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would someone just pick me up
Take me to the finish line

The forty second kilometre song
Slow down
Don't move too fast
You got to make this marathon last.
Kicking down the dusty roads
Looking for gel, and feelin' hungry

99 Luftballons
Aloft in the April sky
99 balloons go by

Good Form, Cold Feet, No Joke

Despite all the niggles and hobbles and sorenesses, I have been in good form lately, but given that I am trying to shake off a bit of a cold, I am getting cold feet about this marathon. All for the best I suppose; I am determined to run conservatively. Although if I am packing death at the start line, I might panic and misjudge the pace.... we'll see.

Someone requested I tell no jokes in the marathon. That is a shame, I was tuning up with my "Wenceslas" joke (is that the right spelling? The spell checker thinks it's right but wants to change "sorenesses" to "sorceresses". That could be right too!).

Someone else in very good form at this time is Helen, she ran another BBQ Stakes pb on Wednesday, this time the time was 26:10. She will be under 26 minutes in no time.

Time is of no concern to me in the marathon but I will be carrying a "do-not-run-faster-than-this" pacing guide.

Thursday training saw only six join me for km intervals with surges. Watch out speedy geese - Matthew, Caroline, Rod, Kathy, Neil and Tony have a head start on you as far as winter track training is concerned. They will be improving in no time. Good to see Tony back on track - he will be turning 69 this year!

Annie (who has moved from France to Kiwiland), in town for the folk festival, was going to join us but didn't make it, so I have missed seeing her.

Other visitors around at present are Langty & Greg, I will be catching up with them tonight, but I don't see either name among the marathon entries, perhaps Greg is entering late! Perhaps not.

Wasting Time
Here is a very simple point-and-click escape game to play! Jail Escape.

p.s. I have updated my family album blog with pictures of my Auntie, whose funeral is this morning.

Goose spotting

I've heard worse
Good King Wenceslas went out to the pizza parlour and ordered a pizza. The assistant asked Do you want your usual? Deep pan, crisp and even?
..but not often.

Southy & Ewen

one of these two runners has been smashing records lately

I want to wake up kicking and screaming

"Awakening"

"Awakening" is the new single by Switchfoot, from "Oh! Gravity".
"I want to know that my heart is still beating ...".

I will go and run my favorite lunchtime run today, BBQ Stakes, then three more days of jogging until the marathon. Sunday's forecast has been revised upwards: Fine and sunny, 9 minumum, 26 maximum. Very hot for running a marathon!