A PB without flying the flag

Some decent running this past week, along with another emerging injury.
Sat 12/01 14k M7 along Kings Langley bike path to Blacktown Pool. When I'm really keen, I can make it a 25k by returning home via the Blacktown T-Way path.
Sun 13/01 10k Clean Streets in 28 degrees and I mean hot!
Mon,Tue,Wed,Fri all 8k before work around Clean Streets or Beaumont Hills. I must say those rabbits are fit fellows - I keep spotting a few each morning, out for their constitutional.
Sat 19/01 19k T-Way to Norwest, M7 to Sunnyholt, back home.
Three weights sessions during the week.
That leads us to today: SMC #5. With colleague Joe injured but keen to support the event, I headed out early and caught up with a few CR's. In particular, Hills Aths1 managed a PB 20:13 in the 5k. The secret was not going to a concert last night.
The start was heavy as we have had a spot of rain recently. So the going was hard for the first 150m, and this slow pace mesmerised me into cruising. First k: 5:05. Slow. Picked up the pace and turned around in 12:20. Can't remember the further splits but I do know I didn't have to stop for the T-Way bus this month. Sprinted home for a 23:54 finish and a technical PB (last month official 24 flat, but I took off 15 seconds waiting for the bus. It didn't even offer to stop).
What was especially pleasing was the negative split: 11:34 for the second 5k.
Of course, now I do need to head to the physio: some form of glute problem I think. I don't enjoy pain, no matter how mild, and slowly increasing pain is telling you to open your wallet and head on down...
I can do this comfortably this week, as annual leave is here until 31/01. Maybe the beach, certainly the movies, swimming with YD, and BB's Dad is here Wednesday, with tales to tell of his intrepid stay with our relos in Melbourne, that home of tennis aficionados and passionate crowd support.
So there's every chance I'll complete some more novels: I've struck gold with my current one: "The Chatelet Apprentice" by Jean-Francois Parot. At school, I studied German and Spanish but not French, so it's the translated version pour moi. An excellent historical mystery, set in Paris 1761, before La Guillotine had commenced work...
So the Aussies finally lost a test. Good. Too much pressure, and too much hubris. BUT.
Why the furore over their celebrating the Sydney win, but nothing about India's yesterday? Maybe the Aussies should have grabbed a few flags too, and wrapped themselves in them. Oh and I guess they'll be demanding the umpires be sacked for poor performance, after two LB's were incorrectly given out in Australia's second innings (Roy and Mr Cricket).No? Oh well, maybe the Aussie's aren't bad sportsmen always!

Mens regnum bona possidet

"Exit, stage left"

Follow That Whale!

As the new year gets firmly underway, it is pleasing to see that I have managed to stick to the new programme. As keen readers would know, this involves similar running (including various races), sprint training, and weights. No cycling. None. The bikes are soon to be cleaned, photographed and (hopefully) sold.

So far this year:
Wed 02 11k Beaumont Hills 6am
Thur 03 10k Clean Streets 7am
Fri 04 weights 6am, then an unplanned but thoroughly enjoyable 10k with NTR through Nurragingi. I think some heavy training sessions will be planned for Ian as the Six Foot Track gets nearer
Sat 05 15k Beaumont Hills/Smalls Creek Cycleway/Rouse Hill; weights later
Sun 06 8k Rouse Hill, to Hills Centenary Park, for the sprint training. This year is different: focus on 500m sprints; so far I've managed a warm up before, then two sets (with a gentlemanly break between). I measure every 250m, so can pace myself. Results: 1:04/1:04 (total 2:08), second set 0:55, 1:02 (total 1:57). Happy.

Mon 07 8k Clean Streets 6am
Tue 08 10k Beaumont Hills/New Rouse Hill
Wed 09 8k Clean Streets 6am then sprints later that evening, assisted by YD on bike and scooter, with Mrs BB swatting the flies away. A gentle 1k warm up, followed by the two efforts (and a 400m jog in between).
Results: 1:01/1:04 (total 2:05), second set 0:54, 0:58 (total 1:52). Happier.
Thur 10 REST DAY!
Fri 11 10k Clean Streets/The Ponds 5:50am, followed by weights after work (mid afternoon).

So all up, a good start, especially when I thought my achilles was about to make itself known on Monday. A quick rotation of shoes, stretching exercises and no concrete, and it seems to be okay. Upon reflection, this running caper requires dedication. The running part is generally easy. It's the warm ups/warm downs/stretches and manipulations that demand daily attention. Still, the bursitis seems to have disappeared (as do the problems with the teeth/jaw, thank you for enquiring).

Because it's holidays for most colleagues, I have found I've been able to get things done with minimal interruption, and have time over for reading. This has meant I've knocked off three books in the past 11 days: "The Elixir Of Death" by Bernard Knight, and an entertaining history book by Robert Lacy "Great Tales From English History" - the third in the series, taking us up to the 1950's. I hope he can finish the next volume and sort out his relationships. Leaving his wife halfway through writing the book made for an interesting year, in his words.The other history book was "Europe Transformed 1878-1919" by Norman Stone. Packed with detail and made me realize how much I don't know, especially about Europe 19th century politics. If in need of reference, I will generally consult BB senior.

Musically, I've been listening to "Spamalot" Broadway soundtrack (hope to see it if it moves from Melbourne to Sydney), and The Eagles newby "Long Road Out Of Eden". I expected more of the Python, and less from The Eagles. Strangely, I found MP a little formulaic, and The Eagles better than hoped for.

I find US politics quite serene at present. Why? Well, we're back in power Federally and generally starting off well. The Opposition is still in turmoil. I mean, even the former Environment Minister Ian Campbell is off balance: an arch conservative, he has now joined the (in his previous definition) Loony Left, through jumping onto the activist Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

I'm confident a Democrat will be President in early 2009, and believe Obama will be it, not The Femocrat. She just doesn't have the charisma of Bill...

In closing, it seems fellow running bloggers are losing the blogging passion. Not me. I hereby commit to ongoing blogging, at a consistent and regular interval. Your task is to mathematically identify that interval. Then let me know...


Magna res est vocis et silentii temperamentum

"Exit, stage left"