Hodie mihi, cras tibi

A somewhat irregular approach to blogging has left regular viewers distraught and in need of distraction. Fortunately that has been provided in the form of the final Harry Potter book. It's hard to imagine that a novel could generate such excitement; generally this level of frenzied anticipation is reserved for a movie release, or - in Sydney - the newest Starlet.


I plead the Busy Man Defence: I reckon 20 hours/day sounds right.

However, my lack of application hides a solid running programme since last blog: 137k in 13 runs, so slightly better average than normal, and some decent k's and courses.

Highlights:
* Scotchman's Creek in Melbourne - cool morning with only the gentle babbling brook for company and the occasional Melbournian who of course always avoids eye contact.
* an M7 lunchtime 8k PB 37:05 min (with a 18:20 negative split)
* 14k run through Crestwood while waiting for Son's coached soccer team to lose (they won)
* next day, 12k along the Parramatta Riverfront to Homebush Bay Wharf while waiting for Son's coached soccer team to get thrashed in a postponed game (they just lost to the top side, with 9 players)
* 12k run to Riverstone library, via the Bush, or so it seemed, meeting various dogs, sheep and goats along the way
* 14k to YD's netball match Saturday, via the Small's Creek cycleway (they won)
* 15k along the Parramatta T-Way yesterday to Son's soccer match at Toongabbie (he lost)

I have also managed four weights sessions since LP. But no cycling. I'd probably need to get the front tyre fixed first.

There are a few things that need action, now that the Blog has been updated. I need to :
PM Tesso and start the Brady Bunch quiz (adjudicator: Mrs BB).
I would like to pay for an analyst and help Marcia with her cow and typeface fixations. Plus understand why she has been absent from blogging for so long. Excuses such as having a real life are unacceptable.
Sunday I plan to support the CR gang especially the newly-engaged NTR in the Cities marathon.
It's close to home and I don't mind the early start - it might motivate me to do a solid run later, at a more civilised hour.
I should also try to organise some sort of social run now that KR/Stanhope appears to be home to the single largest concentration of coolrunners per suburb demographic in Sydney: me, Go Girl, Princess Odette, maruska, Lauren.
Must ring Go Girl and have a run if she's free - hopefully she's just about into her new home, and not the perpetual "four weeks away from moving in"...

I like to briefly scan the internet for stories of people doing stupid things: you know, those who go on to win Darwin Awards. Sometimes I wish to myself that some of the people who do stupid things would win one year. But no, they just seem to get re-elected to Federal Government. Maybe not this year??!!

All noise lately has been around Dr Haneef, and the Fed Govt's attempt to make the Keystone Kops look like Perry Mason by comparison. I mean, the Gold Coast target for goodness sake?

The best and most witty response has been posted on Road To Surfdom. Love this piece of advice to visitors: "Provide full particulars of all contacts with funny foreign names."

If Caesar could advise Honest John today, he might well say
Cave ne ante ullas catapultas ambules

"Exit, stage left"

Tyred

Great week for running; lousy week for cycling.

75k in 6 runs, with two 18k efforts along the M7. Last Sunday, I did the 18k home/work route, followed by a lift back from Mrs BB. The weather actually turned out okay, after a few lousy days on and off.
Monday 8k M7 lunchtime, Tuesday 9k lunchtime but through Nurragingi Reserve, Wednesday scheduled day off (lucky, I had a full day in Melbourne - one of those early/late flight days).
Thursday was an annual leave day, so I managed 12k home to Castle Hill Showground, followed by a lift from Mrs BB and YD, then shopping at The Towers.

Friday ramped up, with 18k late afternoon, in a loop run : home/M7/Quakers Hill/home.
Sunday was an easy 10k. Oh, and weights on Thursday & Saturday.

"What about Saturday?" I hear you ask, as you clamour for clarification.

Saturday was the first planned bike ride since March. Plan: easy 25k up Windsor Rd to Vineyard and back. Even had the new cycle shorts and wind jacket off eBay to wear.

First part went well - turned around in 42 min. After that, well, it was fortunate I had my mobile. About 47 min, I was horrified to see a 16 inch long piece of thin wire twirling around my front tyre. I must have picked it up off the bike path; there's still flotsam and jetsam floating in the puddles left from the rain (probably technically flotsam). I stopped, removed the offending and offensive object and pressed on, hoping for the best. The best turned out to be 3 min, and I found myself at BP Vineyard. From there I phoned Mrs BB, and started walking south. About 20 minutes later, the two of them arrived, delayed by roadworks on Windsor Rd closer to home. I realised then how fate had conspired against me, and resigned myself to a light workout day.
Possibly the most entertaining part of the recovery exercise was seeing me squashed in the backseat, hidden behind the bike wheel.

The bike remains silently at ease against the side of the house. I imagine I'll need a new inner tube...

This week will see another work trip to Melbourne, but unfortunately I'll be staying closer to Head Office, so will be running around Glen Waverley, probably the Scotchman's Creek Trail early in the morning.

I may even have to run early in the morning at home for the first few days this week, given my workload around lunchtimes ( I mean meetings booked by others).

Still, come the weekend I'll have the opportunity to try a couple of different courses Sat/Sun as I wait for Son's U9/6 soccer team to get hammered. Crestwood and Rydalmere, and the trails there are pretty darn good.

Only a few weeks until the Cities Marathon on the M7. I hope to get a good vantage point and cheer on a few CR's, like NTR. Might head to Woodley Cres to see runners coming and going. Maybe then head to the finish at the Olympic Stadium. Perhaps I'll be inspired to do a long run afterwards...

With all the concern about Australia's Health System and not having enough qualified GPs, and having to turn to overseas for them (and who knows if they have terrorist sympathies?), I've found a new superstar. A little green, but then what were you like at your first appendectomy in high school?

Omne initium est difficile.

"exit, stage left"