PW = PW

Isn't it funny? PW = Personal Worst and also something similar - synonymously speaking - to watered down urea.

SMC #2 for the season produced a PW: 54:08 for the 10k, with a final K in 5:03. Much slower than before, but a glimmer of hope. Excuses? Yes: in the middle of the Christmas festivities, indeed straight after the family get together. Sluggish. Plus, now the right leg is causing concern with strained calf and chronic soreness around the hip/glute/hammy.

Fear not, all will be well. I visited my chiro yesterday for my regular donation, so felt lighter on my feet and in my wallet.

So, since last post, 120k in 13 runs, plus weights. Highlight: work in Melbourne gave me the chance to do a couple of Tan laps. What a superb course. At this time of year, you just have to make your way through the crowd, even at 6am.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas/New Year (of course I'll be seeing some of you anyway). Better get to bed soon: Santa's on the way!

Vere, Virginia, Sanctus Nicolaus Est!

"Exit, stage left"

Reverse reminiscing is better than it used to be

Hosted a wonderful reunion last weekend: by coincidence, 30 years since we got together at my 21st.

Here I am referring to the sterling Alumni from Dunmore Lang College, a residential college of Macquarie University.

After some detective work by me and another colleague, we were able to get a handful together. One friend from the Snowy region couldn't make it, although we have kept in regular touch. I'm hoping we can expand the group and make it a regular thing.

All looked well: fit, healthy and enjoying life. A few photos from now and then. Can you pick who is and was who?

message to Roozendaal: there's no M in Vaccuum

I've had just about enough of this state Labor government. There are many reasons for feeling this way, and Roads is one of them. Pathetic. I foolishly assumed 1 hour 30 min would be adequate to get from home to Rozelle for the CR Twilight Run #5. Wrong. Try 1 hour 40 min, with all sorts of traffic snarls and problems. Off peak, it takes 35 minutes. In peak against the traffic, see above.

So I missed the run. Apparently it was "challenging". This means hilly. Joestat didn't really enjoy it, and the CR feedback confirmed it was tough. As I missed the start, I did a lap of the Bay Run instead; much more enjoyable. After that, our two families enjoyed an evening picnic with a small glass of white to sooth away the anger and/or weariness.

Next CR Twilight I'll be at will be #7 on New Year's Day, although my last race this year will be SMC #3 20/12/09.

Since last post, 114k in 12 runs, so getting dangerously close to the 10k average I used to hit before Hamstring Tendonosis. It's manageable, but frustrating. I can do the usual training stuff, and the regular race, but I'm not where I want to be. So - 2010: back to sprints, although easing into it. Squash may get a look in too, depending on several factors.

The great satirist Tom Lehrer once said that satire became obsolete when Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This week, satire took on a whole new meaning with the unexpected election of Tony Abbott to Opposition Leader. Naturally the MSM RW columnists - notably Ackerman and Shanahan - have been cheering him on. I just wonder what on earth makes the Australian Right fly in the face of world opinion and fact. And it's not a debate. I'd like to think there's a world left for my children to grow up in, and even their children. So, I'm sorry, but Abbott isn't amusing, he's dangerous and I don't want to consider the possibility that his hardline Catholic misogynistic DLP-style views get any traction. When the next election is called, I'll be fighting the good fight. And it will be against him, Minchin and their troglodyte cronies. Here endeth the sermon.

A final word from my old friend Marcus Tullius Cicero:
Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.

"Exit, stage left"