HNY07

...and the very best for the year ahead...

Christmas worked its wonders for the BB household, especially for YD who was pleased that Santa listened attentively. Even the reindeer enjoyed their carrots.
Mrs BB is well over her health problem mentioned previously, but now has shin splints, which are proving to be pretty painful and have prevented her exercising the past week. Any really good cures would be much appreciated.
NYE was spent at friends' house at Mosman. Our first ever experience of seeing the fireworks live, not just on TV.From the large upstairs balcony, the view was spectacular and all the kids were excited. What a house: over 100 years old, with some sympathetic modernisation eg gas heated pool. I'm sure it's worth $6m - a shame the friends are just housesitting!
So, a late night for the BB's, although made longer by the trip home. Normally about 45 min, we left at 1:15am and made it home at 3:00am. You could say there were a few cars along Military Rd and associated areas. Still, the crawl home enabled us to observe younger members of the community still heavily intent on continued celebrations. Others were simply attempting to walk straight. Fond memories...

2007 holds the promise of challenge and the excitement of potential. Personally, it will be a prelude to 2008 which has some Big Ticket items: Son's 18th and HSC, ED's 21st and maybe final year of Uni, my 50th.
These are all milestones, and while important, should not detract from the real purpose which is to get on and live. Don't worry, no major philosophical or metaphysical statements loom in this blog - for this, please see my other one...

Shamelessly copying my thoughts from CR (it's not plagiarising when they're your words), here are my plans for 2007

Plans for 2007 are - for me - radically different:
1. don't focus on k's!
2. complete SMC 1/2 series
3. do 1k reps weekly at the newly-marked-out Rouse Hill sports complex
4. complete the monthly Hills 3k t/t (Steve, here is my commitment!)
5. continue weights programme
6. dust off the bike and do a decent 40k ride weekly (Windsor return is looking good when the road is completed)
7. lose 5 kg, thereby hitting 65kg, my ideal weight. This involves much pain via chocolate exclusion and some other sensible choices
A few other plans, and I'm unsure about the WestMet series as I may need to be chauffeur for soccer on Saturdays. Still, apart from the SMC, there are few other races I'd like to try in 2007.Other? Keep reading and enjoying CRs blogs (perhaps unfairly singling out Miners, 2P, RobertSong, Tesso, GoGirl and Don Juan). A source of motivation, entertainment and enlightenment...

So you'll see the change in emphasis - 2006 was all about breaking my k's record, which I did (3,440 vs 3,198) and beating each month except Feb, when I ran less due to a cold.

Now, I plan to improve the quality. Hills Centenary Park in Kellyville is the newest and largest sporting complex in the area, and has a bike/walking path, marked every 50m, to 870m. With a little extension, this easily becomes a great 1k time trial. I did it Saturday, as part of a 13k run. Managed 4:26 min, so pretty pleased with that. I'm looking to do this once a week. Unsure if I'll run there and do 2 x reps, or drive and do a couple of laps warm up, 2 x reps and a couple of laps warm down. As always, it depends on family and priorities. My aim is to get to 4:00 min flat.
Assisting in this endeavour will be the 3k time trials every month at Roxborough Park. I've done a total of one, in 1993, so HillsAths1 may be pleased to see my overdue return.

I'm keen to do the SMC runs (but not longer than 21.1k) as I've heard good reports. They sound well supported, and good value.

Add the weights, bike riding and diet improvements, and 2007 is planned to be a step up in fitness and health.

Aside from any raves about injustices in the world, global warming, the Howard Govt and the price of books, I don't plan to use this as a soapbox.

I'd like to hope that we can all get through this year a little healthier, happier, more experienced, and certainly older. Oh, and it's only 20 more child support payments to go. That's reason to celebrate (note to all CSA lurkers: I still support my older kids financially well beyond the minimum required. Note to Howard Govt: I'd just like a little more control over how my compulsory payment is spent. Please inform all ex wives that, in Australia, child support is not alimony).

Best wishes to everyone and I hope you have the right plans for you, and that they work out; just don't take it all too seriously. You may recall Mark Twain's advice:
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."