birthdays and parties

Happy Birthday Rod!

Rod turned 50 on Monday. Welcome to the M50's!

Happy birthday also to Joel, 26 on Monday.
Happy birthday also to Yelena, 28 today. Two years to go to the W30's!
Happy birthday also to Amanda, 42 today.

That's

Amanda will now disclose the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Meanwhile, my quotes will have to do. "The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again." - Erma Bombeck. Also Known As Amanda's slogan.

Coincidentally 42 is also the number of acceptances to our dinner on Tuesday. Sadly they can only fit in 36 of us, we are oversubscribed. Which means putting a few people on a waiting list. I am not sure how to go about that; "last in first out" doesn't seem quite fair. I will ponder it for a few days. Meanwhile, let's hope the restaurant has 5 or 6 cancellations. I have talked to the restaurant and we will get in if there are cancellations. I never expected 40+, it hasn't happened before!

Footnote: We are now down to 40.... so keep your fingers crossed everybody.

the best music of 2009

Each year I post my choices for the best new albums of the year. Running and music so go together; rhythm, you know. This year is interesting as I have in the latter half of the year finally regressed to listening to some of my favourites from the 60s and 70s, notably The Incredible String Band (I have purchased everything ever recorded by ISB except Earthspan and No Ruinous Feud, which I haven't managed to locate), Robin Williamson (from ISB), The Beatles, The Who, Country Joe and the Fish (I love the song “Janis” and many more). But there were also some excellent new recordings released this year. Here then are my top five.

My choices for the best new music of 2009

1. No Line On The Horizon – U2. This album contained the best song of the year, “Magnificent”.

2. Truth Of The World (Welcome To The Show) – Evermore. Arguably the best concept album ever recorded (yes, even better than Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”). Australian, too. (Or Kiwi, if you like)

3. The Recordings of The Middle East (EP) - The Middle East. A sensational new band from Townsville, Australia, they are yet to put down a full album. JJJ have been thrashing “Blood”, and rightly so.

4. Some songs you can download from a fabulous new band called “En Tout Cas”, pronounced On-Tu-Ka. From Melbourne, they don’t even have a record release yet, but their music can be found on http://www.myspace.com/entoutcasmusic. Check it out, so good.

5. New Moon soundtrack. Half a dozen of the tracks are the best music you will ever hear. I love DCfC anyway, and some of the other bands I haven’t heard before are outstanding. Not that I will be seeing the movie.

Training Monday
Present were Andrew, Bronwyn, Craig, Emily, Ewen, me, Helen, Jennifer, Jodie, Melanie, Mick H, Rachelle, Richard, Ruth, Tony, Warrick & Zac. We ran thirty minutes of zig-zag relays in teams of three, always fun and the obligatory frisbee players added to the occasion.

Today is the last chance for you to reply to the Ellacure dinner invitation. I just hope they allow another increase in numbers!

If there is no Canberra marathon in 2010
(a) What will Katy do?
(b) What will happen to the 50k?

spelling it out

As part of the 2010 Canberra Marathon negotiations, it has been pointed out that 2010 would be the 2500th anniversary of the battle of Marathon after which the marathon is named, and therefore we have to have a Canberra Marathon.

While we do have to have a Canberra marathon, the reasoning is spurious. 2010 is NOT the 2500th anniversary of Marathon

The anniversary is 2011, not 2010. Let's spell it out:
490 BC battle of marathon.
489 BC the 1st anniversary
488 BC the 2nd. Note - the two numbers add up to 490, when it's BC.
...
2 BC the 488th anniversary. Still adding up to 490.
1 BC the 489th
1 AD is therefore the 490th. The year after 1 BC is 1 AD.
2 AD the 491st
3 AD the 492nd. Note - when it's AD you add 489 to the year
...
2010 AD the 2499th anniversary. Still adding 489 to the year
2011 AD the 2500th.

So I don't know who is suggesting 2010 is the anniversary, but it would be stupid to "celebrate" in the wrong year, wouldn't it? Don't be confused by what year is what, changes to calendars, and so on. Regardless of what labels we may or may not put on the years, Marathon was 2498 years ago and it will be the year after next when the 2500th anniversary occurs.

Speaking of the Canberra marathon, its ownership has gone to court. What do you think about that? My thoughts are, I think we should recapture the spirit of amateur, volunteer, sport. That’s what I think. And I would like to think I practice what I preach, in this regard.

Coming up this week for the speedygeese:
Monday 7/12 4:30pm Parliament house early run; 5:30pm Parliament House interval training
Tuesday 8/12 6:15pm ACTCCC Christmas Relays Lennox Gardens 6:15 pm Teams of 8, or 10 for A Grade. 1.6km Leg for each runner
Wednesday 9/12 5:30pm BBQ Stakes Christmas relay, teams of 2 self-handicapped, closest to 40 minutes wins. Followed by a real BBQ and presentations. No lunch time race this week.
Thursday 10/12 6:00pm ACTVAC track; note several changes.
6:00pm 3000m
6:15pm short hurdles
7:00pm 400m
7:15pm 800m
7:40pm 100m
8:00pm 4 x 100m
8:15pm spiral 4
Saturday 12/12 8:00am Pialligo interval training

More shots from Weston Park

Look how high Ruth is off the ground! That's Ewen's bounding training, making a difference already!

Not only Charlie and Helen but also in the background Craig and Andrew.

"Life is short... running makes it seem longer."- Baron Hansen

the run goes that-a-way

ACTVAC RUN/WALK HANDICAP ANNUAL AWARDS - 2009

POINTSCORE COMPETITION
THOMAS SERIES
1. Bob Lowry (1103)
2. Anthony Kennedy (1066)
3. Troy Steinman (1064)

FRYLINK SERIES
1. Ray Bramwell (528)
2. Ken White (518)
3. Graeme Small (511)

WADDELL SERIES
1. John Busteed (285)
2. John Suiter (279)
3. Alan Burdon (275)

AGE STANDARD COMPETITION
THOMAS SERIES
1. Kent Williams (87.1%)
2. Bernie Millett (85.4 %)
3. Robbie Costmeyer (81.4%)

FRYLINK SERIES
1. Carol Baird (86.9%)
2. Mery Collins (81.0%)
2. Geoff Moore (81.0%)

WADDELL SERIES
1. John Suiter (87.6%)
2. Peter Kallio (81.7%)
3. Dave MacKenzie (80.8%)

MULLINS AWARDS
THOMAS SERIES
Alan Duus

FRYLINK SERIES
Geoff Moore

WADDELL SERIES
Bob Parker

ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD
Carol Baird

say dis-neee!

Bronwyn, Jodie

Stand up, Ruth!

Ruth, Ewen. Ewen was also lurking in the background of the first picture. Too tall!

Results Vets Track from Thursday:
3000 m
M50 Roger Pilkington 11:50.75 70.8%
M60 Geoff Moore 12:15.90 75.0
M50 Ewen Thompson 12:28.36 68.3
W50 Helen Larmour 12:34.05 78.0
W40 Bronwyn Calver 12:55.88 67.6
W30 Jodie Sims 13:47.51 60.8
W65 Caroline Campbell 15:10.35 82.5
W55 Ruth Baussmann 15:27.20 71.6
W60 Margaret McSpadden 16:12.35 71.4

800m handicap - actual times might have been a second or two faster than the official times below for most runners
4 Ken White M55 2:26 83.7%
5 Gary Bowen M50 2:29 79.4
6 Tony Booth M70 2:54 80.8
8 Kathy Sims W55 2:59 79.1
10 Katie Forestier W40 2:44 72.9
13 Amanda Walker W40 2:46 70.8
15 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee W35 2:44 69.1
19 Helen Larmour W50 3:11 66.5
20 Roger Pilkington M50 3:03 63.6
22 Caroline Campbell W65 3:54 71.6
26 Ruth Baussmann W55 3:44 64.1
27 Neil Boden M55 3:28 60.2
28 Margaret McSpadden W60 4:04 62.1
34 finishers

Pialligo training on Saturdays

I haven't yet had time to update my "Speedygeese training venue" link on the side-bar. We train at Pialligo at 8am on Saturdays instead of at Stromlo, which is closed.
Details are at http://geoffmoore.blogspot.com/2009/11/pialligo-training-on-saturdays.html.

White is not surrender: neither is purple emo

Things are much simpler than they appear. “Man has an uncontrollable urge to make things more complicated than they are. We constantly seek explanation, meaning, something more than things merely existing. And ultimately we create, we invent, we seek what is artificial but still somehow important to us.” - Karmin

During my last year in school I and many others sat for a state wide mathematics test. An advanced one: there were four mind-boggling questions to unravel in three hours. Afterwards I was unhappy because my peers were talking about the complicated and convoluted answers they had written, while I sadly reflected on my lack of understanding and the fact that my answers were fairly brief, in fact I couldn’t follow some of the post mortem discussion at all. When the results came out though, rather than getting a poor result, I ended up getting top marks in the state and winning a rather substantial prize. That taught me one thing; that in some things, mathematics at least, I could cut through the noise and see clearly the simple answers. In turn that gave me confidence to apply myself in other areas of life, knowing that my instinct and reasoning could be trusted even when others had different views.

Pattern recognition
Our brains are wired to be creative. And inventive. Creativity is the ability to put disparate things together in a new way; the ability to generate a new perspective from which inventiveness and inventions arise.

Someone who can both analyse AND synthesise does best; some people who get a small team together with complementary skills, ones who can work together; do even better. Rare; because people forming teams often invite/promote people who are the same as them! Big mistake if we are looking for innovation, creativity, and progress. Like geese, if we could overcome our competitive instincts and work together without fear or compromise, even more could be achieved.

Unfortunately, what I have seen of leadership teams, egos try to dominate, and along the way, agendas are formulated and pushed. Eagles and turkeys. Bad mixture. To nullify the egos, teams need to form and disband, in a fluid manner. A liquid society. Not afraid to wipe the slate clean and start over. Born again.

Who cares what people think? “Everyone has been and will be worrying about how themselves and how they look, so in truth people won't pay that much attention to people other than themselves, and so we shouldn't have a huge need to worry about what others will think because it is somehow, maybe, possible that they won't even be thinking about you”. - Karmin

Then when you run; be yourself, run like nobody’s watching, Sing like nobody’s listening. In fact, fly like a goose. I attended a grandchild’s concert yesterday. One child was self-conscious, declined to participate, and cried. The others all joined in at the top of their lungs. It’s sad when people miss the fun and freedom of living life to the full in the company of others. Does it have to be this way?

Australian politics
Probably the less said about our sad, reactionary, dysfunctional, parliament the better. You can skip this bit. But I will say, democracy rewards mediocrity, that’s what I think. I also think that compromise is failure. There are too many voices, and too much chaos, and too few incisive minds, and too few risks taken. And everything’s too complicated, from the tax systems, to planning processes, and everything in between. Including how to handle global warming, (“climate change”), with the apparent need to listen to the fools who believe there is no global warming happening. And it’s all coloured by personal ambition. Ah democracy. It all gets very boring, after a while.

I don’t know what that says about teams.

Come together. Right now. Over me.
Just my patchwork thoughts late on a Wednesday night and beyond.

Thanks Karmin for the quotes and ideas.

http://d-autumnrain.blogspot.com/2009/11/patchwork.html.

Never stop creating. And keep moving.

how do i look?

this photo by john Kennedy; I took the other three.

Results Tuesday’s Spring Series race #5: Weston Park 5k cross country.
26. Geoff Moore 21:48
27. Mick Horan 21:55
36. Heidi Johnston 23:00
46. Maria O'Reilly 24:01
49. Graeme Patrick 24:37
50. Janene Kingston 24:42
67. Ewen Thompson 27:01
74. Caroline Campbell 28:48
81. Margaret McSpadden 31:29
86 finishers

slow walkers

These days a PB is like a hen's tooth - it's hard to pull one out.

Jodie features in R4YL magazine this month:

There are many photos from Sunday's presentations (and our coffee time at Yarralumla) on my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/speedygeoff

Results BBQ Stakes
Wednesday 25/11
Gary 28:19
Roger 30:11
Helen 30:14
Victoria 34:26 (her pb is 30:27)

Wednesday 2/12
Gary 26:52 PB Well done Gary. He didn't know until later when he checked his watch.
Roger 27:30 Unhappily his bicycle was stolen during the run.
Me 29:54 Recovering from the Spring Series race etc etc.

Why are my family’s mixed metaphors connected with teeth! Two old ones: Jenny: He got through by the skin of his pants. Me: Today I bit the bull by the horns. And now a new one – Lisa: trying to describe how difficult it is to get Jackson to do something: 'It's like pulling hen's teeth'

Hot Spot

just say yes

Early on

Goose hug, Gary and Rachelle

Gary winning bronze and apparently the whole Gordon family winning gold and silver

Gary's crowd of admirers

Monday's training
Five trained early - Craig, Ewen, Helen, Ruth & me - and only four joined us later for a pleasant session of 3 by 950m in the cool - Bronwyn, Jodie, Rachelle & Richard. Some people must have been recovering from Sunday's racing, but I like the idea of running it out the next day with a solid if steady effort.

The weather was a bit crazy - the official minimum for the day was recorded at at 4:30pm, just as we first set out!

All in all an enjoyable session with good company.

Despite the cool last day in November, the average maximum temperature in November for Canberra was a new record, one whole degree above the previous record.

Song of the week: Rain, by Creed, from their new album "Full Circle". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qrp5JmejSE

Climate change deniers
Idiots.

drawing on every resource

"The best laid schemes o' geese an' men
Gang aft agley"
(whatever “Gang aft agley” means!)

Taken before the presentations. Carol won the short course age standard competition, she was well ahead and couldn't be beaten. Merv and I tied for second after an exciting see-sawing battle all year. I drew on every resource and clawed back enough points just to tie. Good result - I wanted to win but I didn't really want 80 year old Merv to lose! We couldn't have planned it better. We couldn't have planned it full stop.

29/11/09 - Weston Park 3.5k Vets handicap
5 Gary Bowen M50 15:00 75.0% bronze
7 Graeme Patrick M55 16:28 70.9
8 Noeline Burden W55 18:40 72.9
9 Geoff Moore M60 14:34 83.2
14 Rod Lynch M45 13:26 82.1
21 Ken White M55 14:23 80.5
23 Katie Forestier W40 14:29 80.4
24 Cathy Montalto W55 18:01 76.8
35 Neil Boden M55 18:00 66.2
49 Garry Maher M60 19:44 62.1
63 finishers

29/11/09 - Weston Park 7.0k Vets handicap
7 Ruth Baussmann W55 39:16 72.8% bronze
8 Charlie McCormack W40 32:53 72.4
15 Craig Davis M40 35:20 59.7
21 Margaret McSpadden W60 44:05 67.3
27 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee W35 33:01 69.1
28 Heidi Johnston W35 32:23 71.6
30 Maria O'Reilly W50 34:20 78.6
32 Bronwyn Calver W40 33:08 70.6
37 Alan Duus M60 36:31 68.9
39 Yili Zhu M45 33:24 66.1
40 Helen Larmour W50 32:51 79.4
47 Mick Horan M50 31:25 72.0
48 Miranda Rawlinson W55 39:07 70.5
49 Jodie Davis W40 44:22 53.2
56 Janene Kingston W45 35:18 67.7
70 Roger Pilkington M50 33:16 68.0
73 Troy Steinman M35 28:26 71.4
84 Ewen Thompson M50 42:08 54.8
93 Andrew Matthews M50 50:58 44.4
94 finishers

Vets annual awards:
Long course point score – Troy Steinman bronze
Short course point score - Ken White silver
Short course age standard – Geoff Moore silver
Short Course Mullins trophy – Geoff Moore winner! This is awarded to “runners finishing closest to the 50th percentile, as a fitting way to remember Reg Mullins, for although he was a talented long distance runner he rarely finished better than mid-field in most of his seventy-five handicap runs.” – quoted from the November Vetrunner. This supplements me being “officially statistically average” at BBQ Stakes. It’s a wonder I don’t have 2.3 children to round it out!

Just as it would have been impossible to contrive an age standard tie, there is no way a "Mullins" win could be contrived. It's a very random award! You'd have to know how many eligible runners there were in the final race, who of them were still in front of you, and then work out what place you needed to finish, and somehow factor out whoever were ineligible. Not possible. Even allrounder would have trouble figuring out this one!

This week
Monday 30/11 4:30pm Parliament house 8k jog; 5:30pm interval training
Tuesday 1/12 6:15pm Spring Series #5, Weston Park (again!)
Wednesday 2/12 12:15pm BBQ Stakes
Thursday 3/12 6:00pm vets Track
6:00pm 3000m
6:20pm 200m
7:00pm 60m
7:15pm 800m handicap
8:00pm Parlauf Relay
Saturday 5/12 8:00am Pialligo intervals

Note the changes to this Thursday night's program - there was a second 3000m scheduled but it has been cancelled. The Parlauf relay is teams of five totalling 5k altogether, probably with each runner covering 400, then 300, then 200, then 100. It will be a fun way to finish off the night.

had we but world enough, and time

Fly


Sit, Stand, Walk, Run
Had we but world enough, and time,
This coyness, lady, were no crime.
We would sit down and think which way
To walk, and pass our long love's day;
Thou by the Indian Ganges' side
Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide
Of Humber would complain. I would
Love you ten years before the Flood;
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews.
My vegetable love should grow
Vaster than empires, and more slow.
An hundred years should go to praise
Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze;
Two hundred to adore each breast,
But thirty thousand to the rest;
An age at least to every part,
And the last age should show your heart.
For, lady, you deserve this state,
Nor would I love at lower rate.

But at my back I always hear
Time's winged chariot hurrying near;
And yonder all before us lie
Deserts of vast eternity.
Thy beauty shall no more be found,
Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound
My echoing song; then worms shall try
That long preserv'd virginity,
And your quaint honour turn to dust,
And into ashes all my lust.
The grave's a fine and private place,
But none I think do there embrace.

Now therefore, while the youthful hue
Sits on thy skin like morning dew,
And while thy willing soul transpires
At every pore with instant fires,
Now let us sport us while we may;
And now, like am'rous birds of prey,
Rather at once our time devour,
Than languish in his slow-chapp'd power.
Let us roll all our strength, and all
Our sweetness, up into one ball;
And tear our pleasures with rough strife
Thorough the iron gates of life.
Thus, though we cannot make our sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.

- Andrew Marvell, To his Coy Mistress

legendary running

Out galloped they all from Brattingsborg,
As fast as they could speed ;
But Vitting bold came running behind,
Because he had no steed.
It was hardy Angel fyr,
To Grimselin he cried :
" O, he must on his bare legs run
Who has no horse to ride ! "
And still ran Vitting, and still ran he,
Till with wrath he nigh was wode ;
Then he struck a warrior from his horse
And sat himself on, and rode.

Vets speedygeese track results Thursday 26/11
4x400m Relay
M50 Gary Bowen, W50 Vicki Matthews, M45 Angel Marina, M45 Bruce Graham 4:27.23
M60 Greg Stretton, M60 Geoff Sims, M60 Garry Maher, M60 Jim White 4:45.15
W35 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee, M70 Tony Booth, W30 Vanessa Haverd, W30 Jodie Sims 4:49.33
[W60 Jill Brown. W60 Carol Baird, W60 Susan Archer, W60 Margaret Taylor 5:56.94]

2000m Steeple
M50 Gary Bowen 8:35.15

3000m
M35 Troy Steinman 10:40.58 71.1% PB by 8 seconds
W40 Katie Forestier 11:46.71 76.4
M55 Ken White 12:05.47 72.9
W40 Amanda Walker 12:13.51 72.2 PB by 4 seconds
W50 Helen Larmour 12:40.71 77.3
W40 Bronwyn Calver 13:01.89 67.1
W55 Kathy Sims 13:22.32 81.6
W35 Rachelle Ellis-Brownlee 13:28.57 63.5
W30 Jodie Sims 13:42.17 61.2 PB by 16 seconds
M55 Richard Frost 17:03.01 51.7 established PB

5000m
M50 Roger Pilkington 21:45.56 66.3%  20:44.27
M50 Ewen Thompson 22:44.74 64.5  21:59.36
M40 Craig Davis 22:45.47 59.1  22:44.27 established PB
M50 Andrew Matthews 23:22.60 61.7  22:45.47 established PB

A cool, humid night brought some excellent PBs, with Amanda continuing her purple patch, and Troy hanging in longer with faster runners. And it was good to see the newer speedygeese having their first runs on the track: Richard, Andrew. There are still more who could come along and give it a try!

Ode to Gary

starting again

Margaret at the start of the O'Connor Ridge monthly handicap

The final handicap for the year is this Sunday, 8:30am (note the earlier start...), Weston Park (...and note the change of venue). Looks like I will end up a close second in the short course age percentage point score (see yesterday's post for what I think of close seconds). I haven't had a single good run in the handicaps all year, and my training during the last month has fallen right away. Still, I can but try.

I resumed training at the gym this morning, feeling about 60% well, and will resume at Pialligo tomorrow to run out the cobwebs for Sunday. Pialligo is an 8am start, and we meet initially at the old Pialligo school (see Wednesday's post). Then next week, I hope I can start building up distance again.

Yesterday instead of training or going to track I watched my grand-daughter Kayleigh compete in Gymnastics. She had been selected to participate in the National Clubs IDP (International Development Program) Championships for levels 5 and 6. The event was at the AIS here in Canberra this week. It was a great experience for a ten year old to meet up with and compete with the best in Australia at her level, and a great privilege for her to be chosen to take part in the first place. She was all smiles as she had "stuck" her beam routine for the first time, on both days too.

go for the bronze

It should come as no surprise that Olympic bronze medallists are generally happier than Olympic silver medallists, according to a study a few years ago. Even though the silver medallists beat the bronze medallists, which means silver medallists ought to be happier, they tended to focus on the fact that they could have won a gold medal, while the bronze medallists tended to focus on the fact they almost didn't win any medal. Silver = frustration, bronze = gratitude.

Your focus determines your reality.

After your next "disappointing" performance, before you tell the world how bad you are feeling, stop and examine your focus. Is there a point of view from which you can be thankful and grateful?

Here are some good efforts from Tuesday
ACTCCC Spring Series #4: Boathouse East 5k
38. Heidi Johnston W35 21:31
50. Craig Davis M40 22:25
51. Thea Zimpel 22:30
64. Graeme Patrick M55 24:03
71. Caroline Campbell W65 24:59
74. Cathy Montalto W55 25:06
79. Ruth Baussmann W55 26:36
91. Margaret McSpadden W60 29:33
102 finishers

Well done everyone! A couple of excellent pbs in there.

Happy with my time?
To continue the theme, in recent years I have run 10ks in (a) 40:08, and (b) 40.59. Guess which one I was happier with at the time? You are right, the 40.59. Crazy, isn't it?

We should be happy that we are just out there doing it, I think.

Last Saturday training: At Pialligo were Heidi, Tony & I. We did 5 x ~650 with ~350m jog recovery and a bit of sitting in the shade. Then at Monday training, Parliament House, were Andrew, Bronwyn, Craig, Emily, Ewen, Garry, Gary, me, Helen, Jodie, Kathy, Neil, Rachelle, Richard, Ruth, Tony & Warwick, who ran 3 x 950 with a 950m jog.

Caroline at O'Connor Ridge

Caroline would be happy with her "sub 5 minute k" 24.59 at Boathouse East!

Pialligo training on Saturdays

Tony Booth has kindly offered to host our Saturday training, given that Stromlo is unavailable.

We park at the old Pialligo school (directions below) for our warm-up run, then we drive over to Tony & Chris's place for the interval training.

Warm-up: Park where indicated on the map. Unfortunately all the beautiful big trees visible on the google earth map have been inexplicably chopped down, so drive past where there used to be trees.

But first, to get there, come into Fairbairn Avenue from Pialligo Avenue, throw a left at the Richmond Fellowship sign, and another left.

In particular, if you are coming South down Fairbairn Avenue, which some of you will be, you cannot get in , because there's a no right turn off Fairbairn where you want it. So if you are coming South, you do a little circle: you throw a right off Fairbairn Avenue into Morshead drive, then left into Pialligo Avenue and left again back into Fairbairn Avenue.

It's all clear if you follow it on the map:

We meet here at 8:00am on Saturdays. You're welcome to join us.

Training. After the warm-up we drive across to Tony's place at 14 Beltana Rd, entering where you see the sign "The Pialligo Apple Yurt." It's pleasant and quite shady.

Thursday Track and Field
A reminder for Thursday track that everyone should bring a small plate of food for supper.

Stromlo Running Festival
Early-bird entries close 30 November. The link is on the side-bar.

handling the heat

It looks as if we are in for a long hot summer. There have been record high temperatures for November in many parts of the country, we are in the grip of a continuing drought, more hot days are forecast, it has been uncomfortably warm by 9am most days, 9am being my usual time of emerging from the house in the mornings. Not quite what I wanted for resuming serious marathon training. How can I complete effective distance training runs when the weather does not co-operate? I have a training plan, all well and good, but how to manage it when heat has not been factored in?

Here I am running in the heat. Why? The main reasons are, I am back in marathon training so need to keep the mileage up, I am not an early riser, I don’t have to rush off to work, and I have developed a set routine I don’t like to break. But also, I am running in the heat because it is possible to train in the heat and benefit from it.

I would do well to think about what I am are doing, and be prepared to make some adjustments to my approach to racing and training.

Rise at 5:00 in the morning you say? Not on, I need my sleep!

What do I need to counteract the heat? Shade. And being well hydrated. And a shady spot to cool off afterwards. And a cool shower after the sweating has stopped. And shade. A breeze to carry away the sweat and cool me down. Moisture wicking fabric, which best facilitates evaporation. Being prepared to change the plan and shorten the run on the hotter days. Shade. And thinking before running about where you I will run, and how fast.

Dry and dusty and hard surfaces are a pain in hot weather – some nice pine needles or tan bark are much more pleasant. And if I run in the coolest time of day – the dark – I will have to be careful about the possibility of missing my step and falling.

Summer also means long grass, and snakes. That possibility, and the chance of heat related fatigue, means that running in company, always recommended, is essential. Although the only signs of snakes I have seen so far are just that, signs. Saying “snakes live here”. I have seen the signs but I have not yet seen the snakes.

Who knows, I might even start carrying water if this heat keeps up. But I usually don’t, so planning ahead, sensible thinking ahead, involves running where there is water available, or if not available, planting water bottles in advance where I will need them. I have done that more than a few times for longer runs in the past.

Checklist: sunscreen; hat; big drink before I start out; drink(s) on the run; and a training pace which isn’t going to set any records. And shade.

What are the benefits of hot weather running? For a start, development of heat tolerance is very important for the marathon, whether race day is hot or cold. And it works both ways; a marathon-trained athlete tends to handle hot conditions, in shorter racing and training, better than does someone who runs short distances in training.

However I will still be seeking out shade.

Enjoy your running, and take care.

This article was prepared for the December "Vetrunner" but was not included owing to lack of space.

statistics prove that wearing a Kenyan vest makes you faster.

Catherine & Graeme at O'Connor Ridge

My plans this week
Monday 23/11 Parliament House: 4:30pm 8k jog, 5:30pm interval training.

Tuesday & Wednesday I will be away, but
Tuesday 24/11 Spring Series race #4 Boathouse West 2/5km Menindee Drive Parkes
Wednesday 25/11 12:15pm BBQ Stakes 6k handicap

Thursday 26/11 Vets Track
6:00pm 2k/3k steeplechase
7:00pm long hurdles
7:15pm 100m
7:40pm 4x400
8:00pm 3000/5000
I guess I will arrive by 8:00pm particularly if it is hot.

Saturday 28/11 8:00am interval training at Pialligo **new**
**note earlier start time and new venue. I will post more details this week**

Sunday 29/11 8:30am Vets handicap Weston Park 7k/3.5k**
**note earlier start time**

We will continue to run longish intervals tonight. Given that it's cooler today, does anyone have a preference for which Parliament House venue/session/format we use tonight?

does it snow in deep space?

Some years, but not this year. The deep space marathon held this morning would have been rather warm and muggy I imagine despite the 5:45am start.

Rain has started falling here this afternoon. Light rain, not yet the 53mm Melbourne received last night. We can only hope.

The games we play
I came across a fun little series of games. Have a go at
Haluz1 http://www.haluz.eu/
Haluz2 http://www.haluz2.net/
Alchemia http://www.alchemiagame.com/
These are not too hard. And if you have little patience you can always cheat by clicking on "walkthrough"!

Time for a photo

Katie, Ken, Amanda at the 30th anniversary dinner. Before they "glittered" each other.

grov'ling blog of dogg'rel

"What if the author is no bard,
But writes a dogg'rel song;
What if the muse her aid refuse,
While he doth creep along?
The squalling winds may clear the air,
And drive the fog away ;
My grov'ling rhymes may hit the times,
And truth and light convey.
A cobbler works, a quack would ride,
And noddies often dream ;
A clown will walk, a babbler talk,
And I pursue my theme.”
-John Peck

“morning runs might be the way to go.”
–allrounder

"You should have been here at 5:30am".
-Tony

I ran this morning at 9:00am at Tony's with Heidi. Killed me more than it was killing Heidi. Looks like my arm is being twist'd to start at 8:00am not 9:00am.

Thursday night official speedygeese results
Spiral 5 - 2,076k
2 Geoff Barker M65 13:50 (walking)
4 Kathy Sims W55 9:26
8 Roger Pilkington M50 8:16
9 Graeme Patrick M55 9:27
16 Katie Forestier W40 8:05
18 Amanda Walker W40 8:39
19 Helen Larmour W50 8:41
20 Ewen Thompson M50 12:23 (walking)
22 Gary Bowen M50 7:55
24 Bronwyn Calver W40 9:04
26 Ruth Baussmann W55 10:45
29 Cathy Montalto W55 10:11
33 Ken White M55 9:56
34 finishers

100m
M60 Garry Maher 14.34 83.1%
W55 Noeline Burden 16.13 80.8

300m Hurdles
M60 Garry Maher 55.61 77.7%

400m
M50 Gary Bowen 63.56 79.0%
M60 Garry Maher 65.37 82.4
M70 Tony Booth 74.61 80.6
M55 Graeme Patrick 76.82 67.5
W55 Noeline Burden 81.02 75.9

1500m
M55 Ken White 5:12.77 81.2%
W40 Katie Forestier 5:20.97 79.1
M50 Roger Pilkington 5:31.30 72.7
W40 Amanda Walker 5:44.33 72.1
W55 Kathy Sims 5:58.40 85.9
M50 Ewen Thompson 6:01.36 67.9
W50 Helen Larmour 6:02.64 76.3
W40 Bronwyn Calver 6:06.34 67.1
M55 Graeme Patrick 6:32.62 65.2
W55 Ruth Baussmann 7:26.36 70.0

3000m
W40 Bronwyn Calver 13:11.65 66.3%
W30 Jodie Sims 14:27.86 58.0
W55 Cathy Montalto 15:01.89 71.6
W65 Caroline Campbell 15:17.42 81.8
W55 Ruth Baussmann 15:34.62 71.1
W40 Jodie Davis 16:44.66 53.2

4x200m Relay
M60 Lawrie Kupkee, Geoff Sims, Jim White, Garry Maher 1:56.32
W55 Noeline Burden, Margaret Taylor, Maureen Rossiter, Kathy Sims 2:20.49

Twins