The Heat Is On: absolutely freying

I toyed with the title of this post. Perhaps
"hot in the city - some idle thoughts"
or how about
"browned off - running on empty"
Yesterday was a shocker: 42C and 33C while I was running after 8am. Not one other runner in sight, most people were indoors and I was wondering why I hadn't got up at 4am, run and gone back to bed with the air on.

BB senior is staying with us for a few days, a kind of pause in his peripatetic peregrinations from Sunshine Coast to Melbourne return. Another family wedding was the original impetus; the directly-related Buffetts have managed eight weddings amongst the three of them. The general consensus is that this has led to the development of enviable relationship skills, fast twitch reflexes and a seasoned grip on finances. Other, more caustic family members suggest a lack of application and weak moral fibre. Cads.

Running continues to improve, with 159k covered in 17 outings, including last week's SMC where I covered the 5k in 25:06, slower than last time but with a negative split which bodes well. And the last k in 4:40. I am finding that I am about 10% slower in times per run than pre-November, but am able to run comfortably at that pace, around 5:40/k.

Next week's calendar, pleasingly, shows five days annual leave, so it's movies, swimming and return to school for YD. Oh, and start marketing Chez BB/ex-Mrs BB's house at Bella Vista. Now don't be shy: if you feel $779k is too little to pay for a place of such obvious merit, note that we have not set an upper ceiling on offers.

The new CR singlet and car stickers arrived. One sticker is on my car; Mrs BB suggested other places to locate her planned car sticker, and mate Joestat will be the lucky recipient of the third.

For any 70's/80's music tragics, I received my eBay-won LP of Animalympics by Graham Gouldman. Now to burn to CD. I just wish I hadn't thrown out my own LP about 15 years ago, assuming it would appear on CD. It hasn't yet.

Books? Yes, currently I'm reading Laurence Bergreen's fascinating biography "Marco Polo: from Venice To Xanadu". Great book, but no mention anywhere of Olivia Newton John, Gene Kelly or Jeff Lynn. An obvious gap in knowledge.

This week in politics had many chuckle-duck moments, but I must give the award to Tony Abbott, who provides a wonderful definition of true courage under fire, both in his own words and, because of his own words, through them about himself. Meanwhile, the Young Libs want to link Uni Graduation to National Service. With these two examples of progressive, quantum-leap thinking, we can understand why Truffles Turnbull is standing proud. Plod on.

diligentia maximum etiam mediocris ingeni subsidium

"Exit, stage left"

Where Hitchcock and MHT conjoin

Where? Obviously Here In The Twilight.

Great run at The Bay on Friday evening, CR Twilight #3. With a large field of 55 runners across 5k and 10k, Sook decided on a staggered start, with my 5k group getting away 5 minutes after the 10k, at 7:05pm. Managed 25:20 and had hoped for sub 25, however there was a bit of a swirling headwind on the return leg, plus I'd done 11k earlier in the day, so I was just happy my hamstring help up.

CR Joestat and I were accompanied by our families, who enjoyed the fresh evening air and company. Sook and helpers co-ordinated and catered extremely well; with the BBQ fired up and Sook's son's famous home brew, it felt like a Friday outdoor BBQ.
Caught up with a few runners, including a long chat with JD, who informed me Tesso will be here in a few weeks. Now I wonder if we'll see her anywhere, perhaps even for a (slow) run. Maybe we'll see her at the evening outdoor Boomers' cinema festival, featuring Circus Boy, Space Angel and Jet Jackson...

The training is going according to plan, the plan in question calling for plenty of slow running. While frustrating, it's good to be "on the road again" and I have no real complaints. Statistically, I'm getting closer to previous averages, with 125k covered in 13 runs. I've also managed five gym visits, ostensibly to do weights, but really to not watch the cricket.

More stats: 2008 saw 2,915k in 297 runs (avg 9.81k/run). This should have been 3,000k for the year, but for November's injury. And 99 visits to the gym...

A few days holidays have arrived. We're off to a Central Coast beach later today, followed by the promise of Fish 'n' Chips on the waterfront at Woy Woy. Then tomorrow it's off to see Madagasca 2; on Wednesday I'm chauffeuring Mrs BB and YD to/from the city for them to see the HSM stage show at Capitol Theatre. Might wander over to Centennial Park while waiting for the return leg. I was tempted to do a lap or two, but I see the forecast is 35, so the smarter idea is to run early and read a book at CP.

A work colleague - and friend - has just left my company. She and her husband are touring SE Asia before returning to her home town of Roma. That's the one in Italy, not Queensland. I know we'll keep in touch, and I also know she's too scared to post a comment on here even though she reads the posts, so Barbara: ciao, bona fortuna and no wucks...

So the Most Popular Baby Names for 2008 have been published. Number 1 Boys: Jack. Boring, unless number 1 girls is Jill. It isn't. It's Mia. Thanks Lleyton and Bec. I had hoped we wouldn't have anymore reminders of Rosemary's Baby or The Great Gatsby, but maybe at least one of these girls will learn to act better than a litter of piglets ...

"Exit, stage left"