BOGOF run

Back from holidays in Qld and Ballina, and back at work too...

Today was my first ever "two races in a day" effort.

SMC #1: great new system with pre-rego and timechip meant a leisurely drive down to Smithfield and a wander over to the start. Remembering to step on the mat when starting and finishing, the rest was just running.

Settling into a steady pace after 1k, no-one overtook me other than the first four 1/2 runners. I said "go Dave!" to D Criniti. Surely left him motivated.

Good negative split with 5k 27:15 and 10k 52:50 with a final km of 4:40. Felt good. Relaxing warm shower then a shortish drive to the Regatta Centre for the free 5k Activate fun run, organised by Nepean Athletics as part of Penrith Council's Activate Day.

About 200 entries for this flat, one loop 5k run. Well organised, with three manned water stations, photographer, large electronic timer clock at the finish, and friendly helpers. And did I mention it's free?

Managed 23:51 (54th), so very happy with the time, even without having done a 10k beforehand. The secret was to take those pesky orthotics out beforehand.

Met KatieR who put me onto the run; nice to finally catch up!

The new iPod 160Gb is great, and there's only a few more CD's to go before having all our music on it. Talk about mobile. With the little aux cable attachment, there's no need for CD's in the car.

Kindle discussions have been pretty heated over where I read stuff, but for me I'd rather a real book. The current one is Six For Gold by Mary Reed & Eric Myer. Another entertaining John The Eunuch 6th century Constantinople sleuthy romp. Great fun and highly recommended. It's wonderful how the internet allows much greater interaction with one's favourite authors than years ago. It's also great that said authors are gracious in their responses.

Otium sine litteris mors est et hominis vivi sepultra.

"Exit, stage left"

A Tough Job But Someone...

Here we are at Buddina Beach on the Sunshine Coast, slumming it in the penthouse, thanks to the quirky gap between NSW/QLD school holidays. Everything is affordable this week.

Look, it's okay what with the spa, air con, DVD player, 2 TV's and about 20 squares of luxury, but I was disappointed to see they have only minor originals by Renoir on the walls.

Caught up with BB snr and the lovely Julia last night for a BBQ on our deck; a relaxing evening with a few cleansing ales followed by some Oyster Bay sav blanc. As I say, tough life...

Great spot for running. 15k today out to Mooloolaba (but don't start me on Mooloolaba runners - see CR post for details).This is just an ideal location. For a mature couple, Mooloolaba has to be given serious consideration as an "empty nest" option - for me, an apartment overlooking the water, with numerous cafes, bars and restaurants nearby, Maroochydore shops close by, brilliant running options, superb weather year round - it's hard to come up with better options.

I have one: Ballina. We'll be there later this week to rekindle the dream of moving there in not too many years..

Da mihi sis cerevisiam dilutam

"Exit, stage left"

SB for BB: FAB

Well the West Met season is over. I managed to get to a few more towards the end:
* #12 Cowells Lane 4k 21:20 in a very tough run for me and other bunnies
* #13 Greystanes 4k 19:53 just scraping under the 5 min. avg.
* non-points score Prospect 4k 19:12 in a season best performance!

I hadn't done the actual WM#10 Prospect run, as I was pretty sick with the flu in early July. I decided to run this course as mate Joe raved about it. Certainly Prospect Reservoir is a scenic spot and lovely place for a picnic.

The course changed! Instead of 2k out then return, they made it 2 x 1k out then return. So what? Well, that meant the hill in the first 400m was still there, but the nice flat bit from 1k to 2k wasn't!

The weather was quite warm (18) with heat off the bitumen bike path. With only 24 starters, I was guaranteed a higher finishing position than before, but surprised myself with my best run for possibly a few years, and finished in ninth spot!
Here's the split details:
1k 4:55 that's the lag effect from the hill!
2k 9:50 (4:55)
3k 14:45 (4:55)
3.5k 17:16
4k 19:12 meaning a final 500m at 1:56 pace! Yep, pretty happy. I enjoyed the Monkey Bay SB later on.

There are quite a few runs to look forward to over the next three months: SMC starts unofficially next weekend with rego and a group run trying out the new microchips; Orange Blossom 27/09 hosted by Hills Athletics; CR Twilight Runs start early with Thomo hosting Parramatta Park 16/10; and my favourite community fun run - St Marys South - is on again late October. I'm thinking of doing that and SMC #1 that day: SMC 5k 7:40am, jog to the car, drive along M4 to St Marys, run the 8k at 9am. Can't wait.

One thing I can wait for is AFL season 2010, after Carlton's disgraceful performance last night. I will still be hoping St Kilda and Geelong make the GF; if so, I'm happy but I would really like to see the Saints get up. I remember as a young boy listening to the 1966 GF and watching Football Inquest that night; my family was excited as mum was a Saints supporter as apparently was I. Followed them for a few years after that, but gave up somewhere in the late 70's and switched allegiance to the Blues, my grandfather's team.

I'm ready to switch again but maybe that's just a product of feeling let down by 29 minutes of hopeless positional play and crap coaching. Bitter? Nah!

Here's a great book to read if you like Historical Mysteries AND Pulp Fiction/Crime Noir (e.g. Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe):
"Nox Dormienda (A Long Night for Sleeping)" by Kelli Stanley

Think Marlowe in First century Roman England (Londinium). It's an excellent "Roman Noir" novel, and there will be a sequel.

And for more good news: Goon Show vol. 26 has just been released and yes, I have a copy. Maybe I'll be walking backwards for Christmas.

I'd love to see this bumper sticker more often:
Sona si Latine loqueris

"Exit, stage left"

West Met #11, make that BB #3

It's been a tough running year in 2009. The hamstring tendonosis from November 2008 hasn't gone away; although I've been running regularly, I don't have the speed and I can't do regular distance. Still, some running is better than none. Still doing the physio's exercises, and now I'm onto Plan B: orthotics. They're actually quite comfortable, and now I know I'm not a real suprinator. No doubt you suspected it all along. So it's moderate-support, neutral shoes for me, and hello Athlete's Foot once again.

Yesterday was West Met #11, and only my third this year. At Emu Plains on the banks of the Nepean River (foothills of the Blue Mountains), the weather was superb: sunny, a very light breeze and 17. The 5k course, however was rated 3.5/5 and that's probably optimistic. Part XC, part gravel path, it was hard to get any traction due to the hills, slope and terrain. Oh, and the tree some louts pushed across the track near 2k that we had to climb over.
Details for my record (at each km) : 5:11, 10:36, 13:20 (turn 2.5k), 16:10, 21:31, 26:54. That was one tough run.

Speaking of tough runs, we've recently had the usual flu go through the family in a pretty solid way, with me having eight days off running. That's a record, and then Mrs BB got it again, then YD a few days before term end, which saw her stay home from school.
Then on Thursday she went over ice skating, fracturing her wrist. Six weeks in a cast, no more netball, modified dancing and flute and a whole lot of adjustment at home.
Still, she is bearing up well. Here's a recent photo


The next school holidays are only ten weeks away. We're off to the Sunshine Coast where we'll see Mr BB snr and his wife, then drive south to Ballina for a few days. Driving via Brisbane, maybe we'll be able to catch up with Tesso?

Ten weeks: A posse ad esse

"Exit, stage left"

Suskwahana Hat Company sketch must be next

Back in the early 2000's, when Federal Labor was in a mess and we were all wondering who would be leading us in ten years, the joke going around was that it would be Abbott & Costello. Well, since late 2007 the Libs have done a pretty good political impression of "Who's On First", but now Peter's gone, it's all up to Tony.

Honestly, this man must genuinely believe that elections are no longer relevant to his lifestyle and that what's important in life is to give a bit of a helping hand to the languishing Private Eye businesses around the nation.

Otherwise, what on earth is this senior political figure doing, rolling out pathetic garbage that masquerades as policy or values?

Tony's big crusade is to roll back the 1975 Family Law Act. You know, no-fault divorce, ending decades of heartache for many. Sure, there are problems with the current system - I should know - but they're around Settlement and Child Support, not blame. I shudder to think what might have happened to me in 1995 if Doc Emmett Brown and his time machine were seconded to Tony's team.

I think former WA Premier Peter Dowding summed it up pretty well

"It's completely ludicrous to talk about making divorce harder at a time when people can separate easily. If you can separate easily, the question of making divorce harder or less hard is irrelevant.

"It's like Alice in Wonderland. It's like stepping through a looking glass into la-la land where Tony Abbott happily sits with his morality judging people while no-one's life gets harder or easier."

"I don't like people who are right-wing judgemental Catholics trying to bring their religious politics into Australian life," he said.

"We're not a bunch of Americans. We don't go round with our politicians pretending to be deeply religious and demanding that everyone else be while they go around committing adultery on the side, as they do in America.

"And we don't want to be in a position where people with right-wing and intolerant attitudes, like Tony Abbott, control what people believe.
If people separate because they're unhappy with each other and live their lives apart, is he suggesting we want to go back to the 1960s and before when private investigators jump through windows and photograph people in bed?"

Well said. Seriously, the Libs have a real issue with the female vote. Tony is no chick magnet and his retro proposal is more likely to repel even more. I know a couple of ladies who are keen to demagnetise him...

"Exit,stage left with a sense of bemusement"

Sella Bella Vista?

Si.

The house with the Beautiful View was sold, 14 years after ex-Mrs BB and I were no more. Now she has a new Duplex, and we have less of a mortgage. But a looming CGT after May 15, 2010. Still, money left over plus a new car for Mrs BB makes us happy.

Bellissimo!

Not much excitement on the running front. Plenty of 8-10k runs, managing to just stay ahead of the hamstring tendonosis. The weather here has been average, and the motivation less so, and therefore I have just the solitary West Met attendance to report.
West Met #5 at Ermington was windy and cool. I managed an even 20 min. for 4k, slightly down on previous year's 19:45. That's okay; I was cooling my heels at the 3.5k mark, waiting to egg on a younger runner, who subsequently slowed down. It was a good race against her, and I did overtake her at 3k, but that camaraderie cost me 15 seconds!

There's quite a decent few West Mets coming up, so hopefully more race reports.

BIG night tonight. It's the annual Trivia Night at YD's school. Parents only. Heroes & Villains theme. Our table has a Batman focus: we are Catwoman, and The Riddler. Perhaps photos will follow?

There is a photo to finish today's post: a proud father's moment. My eldest daughter at her graduation!



Well done AAC!

"Exit, stage left"

Long on-song? Stuff it, Buffett

You'll see there's been nil posts awhile
Guess just not enough hours on the dial
What with holidays a la Melbourne
It would seem that I seldom
via keyboard, a report do compile

Now SMC and West Met slipped away
Both Travel and Hamstring had their say
Still my training was bold -
Running 214k all told -
from April 5 up until today!