yesterday, today, and forever

Yesterday
Lake Ginninderra 7k Tuesday 30 August
Geoff Moore 29:49
Bob Harlow 30:53
Miranda Rawlinson 36:02

Today
Rest. Unless you count an hour in the gym as training.

This Saturday
I want to highlight that the YCRC ten mile starts at 8:00am

Future
Running in the last three days has been surprisingly easy, and quicker than usual,  so I am going for it: it's only five-six weeks until the Masters Games.

Next month
The Vets Handicap in September is scheduled for O'Connor, I got confused about what month it was when advising some people last Monday.

Wherethehellismatt?
14 months in the making. From http://youtu.be/zlfKdbWwruY 

lots of fun, well worth watching right through

400m hurdles semis 7:00pm today

Our Lauren Boden made the semis of the women's 400m hurdles at the World Athletic Championships. There are 24 in the three semi-finals; she was 12th fastest in the heats. You might like to tune into SBS-2 tonight at 7:00pm and cheer Lauren on.

Last night at Parliament House the speedygeese commenced a month of hill sprint sessions. First of all Craig, Ewen, Jen, Nadine & I ran 8k easy, then the main group of Andrew, Andy, Bronwyn, Caroline, Colin, Craig, David, me, Helen, Larissa, Nadine, Neil, Ruth & Warrick did 12 x 100m on a steepish hill, followed by 8 x 85m on an easier hill. Next week we plan to do something similar.

Customs 5k Friday 26 August: Floriade course.
Gary Bowen 22:19
Bob Harlow 22:26
Yili Zhu 22:59
Miranda Rawlinson 26:41
Caroline Campbell 32:33
Geoff Barker 35:42
I am hoping to get there this Friday.

Springing into spring

Song of the week. “Featherstone” – The Paper Kites – “Woodland” EP. From http://youtu.be/M0IDiVQxZYg



The Paper Kites are an emerging band from Melbourne, Victoria. Their awesome sound is very similar to that of the brilliant The Middle East from Townsville, Queensland. I wish them every success in the future.

foreign tourist

email from Maria

Hi everyone

Our US experience is over and we are currently in Madrid. Our 2 week plus stay in NY allowed us to relax at times rather than feeling the pressure to spend every waking hour seeing the sights! We became familiar with many of the boroughs of NY, did many different runs through Central park and along the Hudson river. We  cycled much of the length of Manhattan and even had to ride on the road for a short distance- not very relaxing for someone with my limited cycle skills and nerves! The cab drivers don't mind using the bus and cycle lanes so there was the odd time that I felt uncomfortably close to moving vehicles!needless to say, Peter had to help satisfy my addiction to visit the many shops here. We bought a NY City Pass and visited the many famous museums here and sites such as the Empire State building. We were in the Rockafella building ready to go up the lift when the earth tremors hit NY. We spoilt ourselves and went to 3 broadway shows and a couple of excellent Jazz shows. We initially stayed on the east side in mid town and for the last week. We moved to the upper west side. Both places were very close to Central park and Peter navigated the subway system with ease. Even I with my total lack of direction managed to negotiate the very logical street numbering system in NY. I only wish every city used such a system and I could then develop some confidence in my spatial sense!

Luckily, we flew out of NY just before the hurricane weather arrived. We were both in Madrid 30 years ago and love this city! We have some good spanish friends, Ana and Carlos, who suggested a hotel very close to an excellent public park that has a 1200m running track- every 100m is marked.There's a huge pool in the middles of the track, 2 beautiful synthetic soccer fields and a mini golf course. It's fully lit and the surface of the track is great. Peter and I joined the many other runners this morning on the track. I even attempted a couple of 1k intervals and then collapsed! It's pretty warm here and the Spanish are  very lively and with Ana and Carlos to help us we have already fitted in very well with their typical meal times – late lunch( 3ish followed by rest and then very late supper(10ish)! The metro or subway system here is really excellent- clean, fast and very efficient. Much easier to use then the one in NY.Hoards of people in the streets everywhere you go and of course shops open every day till late! We leave madrid on Tuesday and will catch a train to Barcelona and then the metro to a small coastal resort called Sitges, we'll stay there about 7 days before we make our way to Burgundy for our cycling tour through the vineyards. Julia, our elder daughter and her partner Marc will join us there. We haven't seen julia since last November so we are both delighted that they can come!  

Peter has taken some fabulous photos and I'm sure when we get back, we will look forward to catching up with all of you! Congratulations to all those who ran the City to Surf and good luck in the Canberra times run! We hope you are all well and the worst of the Canberra winter is over and that work is going as smoothly as it can!

Adios 

Maria and Peter( Pedro while in Spain!!)

Coming Events week 35 of year 2011:

Mon 29 Aug	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Tue 30 Aug	12:15pm	Ginninderra 7k handicap
Wed 31 Aug	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k handicap
Thu 1 Sep	4:00pm	Dickson Oval long run
	5:30pm	Dickson Oval speedygeese training
Fri 2 Sep	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 3 Sep	8:00am	YCRC 10 mile Black Mountain Peninsula
Sun 4 Sep	9:00am	YCRC Jogalong, Weston Park
	12:00	AACT High Noon Meet

FOOTNOTES
1. I will be running this Saturday's ten mile race at ten minute mile pace or slower, with some of the Metro runners - four so far. A couple of speedygeese said they might join in. The more the merrier!

2. This Sunday's High Noon meet is an opportunity to cheer on Kathy Southgate in a 3000m, or even join in. I plan to be there in time for her race.

3. The Canberra Times Fun Run is another week away, Sunday 11 September.

Vets Handicap results

All speedygeese who ran today:
Mt Taylor 7k
6 Jeni Greenland W35 37:52 61.2% **bronze**
12 Alan Duus M65 36:46 70.4
13 David Webster M55 32:19 77.9
19 Helen Larmour W50 32:32 82.6
20 Nadine Morrison W40 33:55 70.5
23 Geoff Moore M60 31:31 81.5
26 Ewen Thompson M50 41:51 57.3
30 Kathy Southgate W55 29:54 92.4
33 Roger Pilkington M50 33:10 71.0
35 Damian Rutledge M40 30:44 72.1
51 Christopher Lang M60 39:18 64.6
59 Alan Williams M60 40:39 63.4
63 Kerrie Tanner W50 38:47 68.6
64 Janene Kingston W45 38:51 64.8
65 Geoff Barker M65 52:48 50.0
66 Charles Freer M50 38:54 59.4
71 Rod Lynch M50 32:21 72.0
75 Ruth Baussmann W60 44:41 66.2
76 Debbie Cowell W50 34:32 77.0
80 Emma Adams W40 36:05 66.3
85 Mick Horan M50 37:57 62.0
87 Margaret McSpadden W60 54:17 57.1
89 finishers

Mt Taylor 3.5k
5 Amanda Walker W40 17:10 68.1% **bronze**
12 Ken White M55 15:36 74.8
13 Jill Pearson W50 19:05 67.1
14 Noeline Burden W55 20:26 65.8
18 Heidi Johnston W40 15:59 72.2
19 Gary Bowen M50 16:08 70.3
24 Katie Forestier W45 15:05 78.2
30 Tony Booth M70 22:10 62.9
35 Garry Maher M60 20:45 59.3
38 finishers

spring is in the air

Big birthday: My mother-in-law is 90 years old today. We are celebrating.

Half An Hour

Happy Birthday Brett, 43 today!

Dickson Training last night, we ran our last session of longer intervals for a while, a two lap timed run followed by three more two lap runs, with handicap starts. Tori & I ran 12k early, then in the main session we had Colin, Joel, Roger, Nadine, Suzie, Neil, Jeni, Miranda, Janene & Ruth. I usually keep the intense part of our sessions to half an hour...

... which brings us to last night's Clarke&Dawe, from http://youtu.be/U4ZJjKX7zSk

Susan & Suzie

On 9 October 2011 Susan Sturgeon & Suzie Gye are running the Melbourne marathon to raise money for the Wessex MS Therapy Centre in the UK in memory of Suzie’s Dad who passed away in June 2011. If you would like to sponsor them please use this link :)

coming home

Welcome back Carolyne after your holiday at the Gold Coast for the last few months. Spring is definitely on the way here in Canberra.

It's always someone's birthday... so,

Happy Birthday Kris Davis, Craig's wife.

bucket list ultra

As regular readers will know I have a bucket list, created in February, at http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=501585320915. Only 40 items long, I will have to extend it in twenty years time, or so, won't I? Numbers 22 & 29 have been crossed off, number 18 is to be crossed off in October this year. So far so good. Number 8 on the list is to run an ultramarathon, and it might be an idea to get that one out of the way sooner rather than later. Therefore I have decided, once my crazy attempts to get fitter and faster in 2011 have succeeded or failed, to run an ultra in 2012. 15 March 2012 is the 50th anniversary of me becoming a runner: the best ultra after that would be the Canberra marathon/50k on 15 April.

So I announce that I have tentatively decided to celebrate 50 years of running by completing the Canberra 50k in April 2012.

I don't look like much of a runner, do I? Well that will change if all goes to plan, and I will coast around this ultra course on 15 April, no sweat.

An ultra? You goose!

outside the crowds

Training at Parliament House last night: Ewen, Nadine & I ran 8k early, then the main group consisting of Andrew, Andy, Colin, David, Garry, me, Helen, Jen, Larissa (new), Neil, Rae, Ruth, Warrick & Yelena ran up to 8 x 400m with a 400m jog under lights on the west side of the House. Must say I didn't feel the cold after a couple of the intervals despite wearing only t-shirt, shorts and cap; no gloves, beanie or long sleeves. It is good to think that the days are getting longer and spring is around the corner.

Coming up on Saturday 3 September one or more of the Metro Runners and I will be running in the YCRC ten mile event at 8:00am from Black Mountain Peninsula. Please join us if you would like a nice easy training or tempo run; we won't be travelling any faster than ten minute miles. But as the saying goes, ten miles at ten minute miles is the same distance as ten miles at six minute miles.

Coming up on Sunday 4 September is the next High Noon meet, and Kathy Southgate would very much appreciate company for the 3000m being run on that day. Whether or not you would be able to run the 90 second laps she would surely be aiming at, or would be making up the field, it doesn't matter; the more people there the better for her. As a matter of interest, the National W55 3000m record is just under 11:15 - exactly 90 seconds per lap.

Song of the week: Dark Horses - Switchfoot - from Vice Verses, at http://youtu.be/iiNmS-ix43M.



Dark Horses
I’ve made my mistakes
I’ve seen my heart cave in
I’ve got my scars
I’ve been to hell and back again

Born for the blue skies
We’ll survive the rain
Born for the sunrise
We’ll survive the pain

- Chorus -
We’re singing…
Hey, You can’t count us out
We’ve been living up against the crowd
Yeah, we are the Dark Horses
We’re singing…
Hey! It’s not over now
We’ve been down but we’ve never been out
Yeah, we are the Dark Horses

We found a way out
The city takes everything it can
But outside the crowds
I can feel my lungs again

We’re singing…

We don’t care what they say
We know we’ll find a way
Yeah!… We are the Dark Horses

Vice Verses will be released soon. I am holding my breath but it's taking forever. Switchfoot and Anberlin are currently/soon touring together in the US. A double act to die for!

41 years

Today Jenny and I have been married for 41 years - to each other!
41 down, 39 to go, because last year a friend said "40 down 40 to go".

On 22 08 1970 at Ainslie ACT -



Meanwhile here is what is happening this week, week 34 of year 2011:

Mon 22 Aug	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Wed 24 Aug	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k handicap
Thu 25 Aug	4:00pm	Dickson Oval long run
	5:30pm	Dickson Oval speedygeese training
Fri 26 Aug	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 27 Aug	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry terminal
Sun 28 Aug	9:00am	ACTVAC Handicap, Mt Taylor

color: blue

Today's "Vets" Half Marathon
David Webster M55 1:36:54 73.4% gold
Warrick Howieson M40 1:39:35 61.8
Graeme Patrick M55 1:43:37 68.0 bronze
Roger Pilkington M50 1:44:14 64.2 bronze
Damian Rutledge M40 1:44:15 60.4
Suzi Gye W35 1:50:44 59.4 silver
Alan Duus M65 1:53:46 66.3
Mick Horan M50 1:54:53 58.3
Ruth Baussmann W60 2:06:40 65.4 bronze
Peter Hogan M60 2:10:32 57.2
Caroline Campbell W65 2:11:49 69.4 gold

Tomorrow's training at Parliament House:
Just in case there's any problem parking, allow yourselves an extra ten minutes.

More City to Surf pictures

Bob Harlow

Fiona Hedgecoe

Alison Sims

Kathy Sims

Geoff Sims

Rae Palmer

Happy Birthday Fiona Hedgecoe 39 today.
Happy Birthday Amanda Cook 34 today
Happy Birthday son-in-law Scotty Hall, 36 today

Customs Jogger 5k 19 August “Floriade” course.
Gary Bowen 22:02
Yili Zhu 22:40
Yelena Pearson 26:31
Geoff Moore 26:31
Caroline Campbell 32:16

"no signal"

Last night's Clarke&Dawe at http://youtu.be/FZnYjx0vbcQ



Goorooyaroo 8k 13 August
9. Damian Rutledge M40 33:37
19. Caroline Campbell W65 48:14
19 finishers

Goorooyaroo 4k 13 August
8. Heidi Johnston W40 17:06
18. Geoff Barker M65 22:38
22 finishers

BBQ Stakes 6k 17 August
Gary Bowen 27:43
Jen Bright 31:57
Andy Matthews 31:58
Helen Larmour 32:39
Roger Pilkington 32:41
Caroline Campbell 38:29

Happy Birthday Helen 52 today!

Dickson training 18 August
Wet and cold - Bronwyn, Tori & I did the early run without getting too damp, but the weather closed in and the lights stayed off as Craig, Neil, Suzi, Jenny Langton & I ran ~5k on the track before heading home. Jenny is visiting for a few days following a short skiing holiday. The weather here has been worse for running but not often, she'll be glad to get home to Brisbane.

Finishing the City to Surf

Bronia Rowe

Charlie McCormack

Craig Davis

David Webster

Jen Lee

Kelley Flood

Noeline Burden

Ruth Baussmann

Warrick Howieson

Yili Zhu

City to Surf results

Net times for speedygeese and friends who ran in the 2011 City to Surf.
Martin Dent 41.39 3rd
Emily Brichacek 47.59 2nd F
Bruce Graham 48.38 5th M40-49
Keith Bateman 48.43 1st M50-59
Jim Dawes 50.06
Lance Purdon 56.16
Jodie Barker 56.24
Richard Faulks 58.55
Jen Lee 61.56
David Webster 62.50
Bob Harlow 62.53 5th M60-69
Craig Davis 63.25
Fiona Hedgecoe 63.37
Charlie McCormack 65.34
Elle Knight 66.07
Warrick Howieson 66.54
Kelley Flood 67.29
Carol Masters 67.59
Bronia Rowe 68.54
Yili Zhu 69.08
Lynda van Dyke 70.15  
David Baussmann 71.17
Greg Polson 73.35
Jim White 74.29
Alison Sims 74.30
Jess Faulks 74.45
Alan Towill 75.24
Adam Robinson 75.47
Katherine Sheppard 76.03
Kathy Sims 76.11 8th W60-69
Roy Jones 77.22
Rae Palmer 77.32 10th W60-69
Geoff Sims 77.48
Karen Daniels 79.36
Joseph Ting 80.02 metro runner
Pam Faulks 80.12
Leanne Lee 85.12 metro runner
Ruth Baussmann 85.24
Noeline Burden 87.00
Carol Robinson 87.07
Alison Chua 89.26 metro runner
Stephanie Sims 90.22
Amanda Baussmann 92.21
Wanda Stewart 95.59
Emma Baussmann 96.18
Kris Davis 102.53
Hazel Tan 123:39 metro

... via http://www.city2surf.com.au/. I shall add more names if I learn of more who ran.

 Katherine finishing the City to Surf

City to Surf running fail

City to Surf: The results are at http://www.city2surf.com.au/. I shall put together a list of speedygeese net times asap. It will take me a while. Meanwhile here is a video near the finish; check out what happens to the spectator in the beanie. Justice, I say.


From http://youtu.be/AP0H5JxG5m0

Thanks to Pat Carroll for the video; we knew Pat years ago when he lived and trained in Canberra; he coaches friends in Brisbane; Pat is celebrating his 50th birthday today!

Industrial Revolutions. After that video, now for something completely different: skill! It doesn’t get any better than this!


From http://youtu.be/ShbC5yVqOdI

re-move

...because my Song of the week is "Move" again, but a different one from last week. You have seen me wear the “hungry” t-shirt and you have commented on it. This is the band “Hungry” who produced several albums, the one t-shirt, and this one video clip just twelve years ago. A band of five, the keyboard player is my daughter Mon Hall, and the bass player is my son-in-law (Mon's brother-in-law) Wes Falconer.

Move – Hungry. From http://youtu.be/KpBTg7239Fg



Training at Parliament House last night: Nadine & I ran early (Separately: I took a different route, up through Yarralumla) and we were joined for the training session by Andrew, Andy, Caroline, Cathy, Christopher, Colin, Craig, Garry, Helen, Jen, Jill, Joel, Neil, Rae, Warrick & Yelena. The session was the same as last week's, a set of hard runs over ~860m with the same jog recovery, for 30 minutes. The number of laps completed varied from five to eight. We finished the session with a jog up the main Parliament House hill to admire the view of the city at night.

Early daze

From Bryan Thomas's book

week 33

Coming Events week 33 of year 2011:

Mon 15 Aug	4:30pm	Parliament House 8k jog
	5:30pm	Parliament House speedygeese training
Wed 17 Aug	12:15pm	BBQ Stakes 6k handicap
Thu 18 Aug	4:00pm	Dickson Oval long run
	5:30pm	Dickson Oval speedygeese training
Fri 19 Aug	12:15pm	Customs Joggers 5k handicap
Sat 20 Aug	8:00am	Metro Runners Acton Ferry terminal
		National Cross Country, Stromlo
Sun 21 Aug		ACTVAC Half Marathon

Also, for all you retirees, I am going on a run from Stromlo Forest Park at 11am on Tuesday, when I might even attempt a run over the Blewitts course again.

Cathy at Blewitts

The national cross-country events on Saturday, after boys' & girls' races in the morning, include
12:50pm 6k men under 18
1:20pm 4k women under 18
1:40pm 8k men under 20
2:05pm 6k women under 20
2:35pm 8k open women
3:10pm 12k open men
The ACT are fielding a strong open men's team this year and should do well in the team's category.

 

Some recent speedygeese results:
Liz Bennett ran the tan (Melbourne) ultra 50k and was fourth female in 4:23

Kathy Southgate ran yesterday's High Noon 1500m in 5:23, taking more than 20 seconds off the ACT W55 record.

Kathy at Mt Ainslie

City to Surf

Metro runners after the City to Surf

Leanne Lee, Joseph Ting, Alison Chua

A beautiful sunny day in Canberra today; but the sun didn't quite make it to Sydney for the 84,000 strong field in the annual Sydney City to Surf. Nice looking conditions all the same. Many friends ran and I shall dig out their times in due course.

Jogalong 7 August
A few speedygeese ran in this month's women's 6k jogalong
Michelle Wells     25:08
Nadine Morrison 28:02
Cathy Montalto     33:57

Letter 2 from Maria and Peter.

Hi all

Since we last emailed we have flown from SF to Toronto and are now in NY.  We both really enjoyed SF and stayed in a very good location away from the hustle and bustle of Union Sq but within walking distance of lots of interesting places provided you don't mind hills! Before we left SF we went to a jazz bar to catch some live music with a very good singer.  He introduced us to his wife who was from Oz, she had a sister that lived in Cook in Canberra near where I lived and whose family had immigrated to Oz on the same boat as my family. Small world! In Sf our regular run was down towards Fisherman's Wharf, along the water front past Alcatraz and up and over the Golden Gate bridge and back.  A distance of about 18K in total. We also did a bike ride out over the bridge to Sausalito and Tiburon then caught the ferry back across the bay.  Before we left SF we met up with Kathy (now the 4x400m W60 world masters record holder) and Geoff (an exceptional athlete himself and now spouse of the 4x400m W60 world record holder) and enjoyable dinner. 

In Toronto we stayed with my cousin Eugene and his wife Rosanna and daughter Rosin, pronounced Rochine- Gaelic for Rose!  It was good to catch up with them and to move out of the tourist zone and into suburbia in a new town.  The first thing that surprised us was Toronto was hot and humid.  Not what we were expecting.  Secondly, Eugene was kind enough to drive us down to see Niagara Falls before taking us to a BBQ put on by Rosanna's cousin and we were entertained with good food, wine and company. Toronto was also a time to adjust to yet another earlier time zone (3 hours ahead of SF) and running in the heat (30 degrees +) and humidity.  Still it was very nice running down to and along lake Ontario. 

Monday we arriver in NY and immediately commenced getting familiar with Manhattan.  For those google map inclined we are staying on 58 East St between 2nd and 3rd Ave not far from Central Park.  This is in easy walking distance to a number of sights including museums, galleries  and Time Sq.The first few days here we have been exploring the various parts of Manhattan - uptown, down town and took the ferry to Staten island to get a good look at ms liberty.  Yesterday we did our first run – in Central park of course and  last night we went to our first Broadway production - Avenue Q – the first of a few we intend to see.  Neither of us were familiar with it before hand but while lining up to get cancellation tickets to the Book of Mormon (which is sold out months in advance) we got talking to some people from NY who recommended it.  So we bought tickets and thoroughly enjoyed it.  

Tis hot and sticky here and almost like a sauna especially down in the subway- by far the most efficient way of getting around this dense and frenetically busy place. I rang another irish cousin today who we have never met before as my dad's older brother moved to NY  about the same time my family came to Australia. We hope to meet up with Gerard next Wednesday. And of course … I hit the shops for the 1st time today- pretty good for me a many of you know  what I'm like!! Poor Peter! Anyway must be off- we hope all is well with all of you, need to reenergise as peter plans a bike trip for me in the next couple of days to ride around Manhattan Is.

PS – Did you know that Maria can navigate around by remembering the location of where stores and sales are and it is extremely more reliable than her sense of direction! The things you learn.

Maria & Peter

peddling like ducks

Clarke&Dawe from http://youtu.be/mJsceMyM_fA


...and problems with small screens. How do they manage to keep a straight face?

Customs 5k results 12 August
Andrew Simpson 18:42
Geoff Moore 21:16
Bronwyn Calver 23:38
Yelena Pearson 25:39
Miranda Rawlinson 25:43
Caroline Campbell 29:57

Another good night for running at ****son Oval

Don't worry, I typed the asterisks. Blogger doesn't have the same problem with "blue" words that ShoutMix has.

Looking for consistency.
Last night it was only me for the early run; I stayed off the mountain trails and ran mainly on the roads, as the rain which had just stopped had left everything quite muddy and slippery. Back at the oval, the first real test of the new drainage system passed with flying colours, the surface, in lanes four and five, was no different from usual. Running there for our two-lap handicapped interval training were Charlie (new), Colin, Craig, Neil, Susan & Suzie. They ran four of the intervals with an very slow lap's jog in between. Colin was not only the speediest but also the most consistent, with only three seconds separating his four runs. Consistency at a fast pace is what we want to develop in these sessions, although a faster last effort is always possible and is a good confidence booster for next time, an indicator that you can push just that little bit harder in the earlier efforts.

Ewen (in patriotic colours) charging up the hill at Stromlo. That's Michael, Charlie (new)'s dad in the foreground he's trying to catch.