Bluetts Forest 30 October Vets Handicap.

The rain cleared, but left the track in solid condition and firm underfoot.
Km rates were :- 5:51, 6:14, 5:08, 5:41, 7:06, 7:11, 6:29 and another 45 seconds added on at the end to make it overall measured at 7.1km.

Decided to go fast on the downhills and hang on as best as possible on the uphills.

1st, 3rd and 4th kms were downhill, and so was the last in a fashion.
2nd, 5th kms were uphill, while the last km was part downhill and part uphill with the steeper downhill in the first 400 m and the long gentle uphill in the last 600m.

Medallists today were all new, as distinct from previous months where people won successive medals.

John Macleod got his 200 runs T-Shirt and Lorna Burdon got her 150 runs T-Shirt. Some 50 run T-Shirts were also presented to Graham Delaney, Mick Charlton and Monika Short.

Until Next Time.

Brindabella Classic Relay Leg 4.

Yes it was downhill, except for the bit after Vanitys Crossing, which was wadable and not as deep as some talked about.

Also, Ma and Pa hill were uphill, but followed by lots of downhill after Pierces Creek, once was a forestry settlement. And I suppose it still is, with one of the original houses remaining.

The "Frying Panners" team did better than predicted, with Maree sizzling at 55 minutes, Nigel 1:55, Rad 2:03 and Friar bringing home the bacon in under 61 minutes.

Flash Duck collected a trophy for third placing in the Bulls Head Challenge. :-)

Until Next Time.

Tagged - but not like in a relay event

I've been tagged

Here are the rules:
1. Go into your archives.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Find the fifth sentence (or the closest one to it)
4. Post the text of your sentence in your blog along with these rules.
5. Tag five other people

"They were well behaved during the day, and come lunchtime there were large queues at the Canteen."

This was a schools carnival, which usually attract the entire school so there are hordes cheering on their house members. Staple fare at the Canteen seemed to be chips with liberal dollops of tomato sauce.

I tag:- Tuggeranong Don http://tuggrunner.blogspot.com/
Hannah http://hanabroom.blogspot.com/
Fox on the Run http://sfoxotherun.blogspot.com/
Wobbly Man http://wobblyman.blogspot.com/
Go Aussie http://goaussieblog.blogspot.com/

Weston Creek Fun Run 6km, 16th October 2005.

Weston Creek Fun Run 6km, 16th October 2005.

Yes, I pre-registered, by posting a cheque and entry form on 10th September. Now that is early. And had a lot of printed entry forms to give to the lunchtime running groups around Canberra.

About two days prior to the Event, I got a message saying I had been allocated chest number 1 (one). I replied with the indication that I was comfortable with the allocation.

It certainly made picking up the number at the pre-registration table, a very easy and quick task.

Before the event, I caught up with Carolyne K and Mick C to ask about their experiences in the Fitzroy Falls Marathon on the previous day, and Nick B went in the 10km event.

Then the usual antics of collecting race number, giving the timing equipment and starting pistol to Robbie C. Having a chat to various others waiting for the start.

Then to the Loo about 5 minutes before start time, and get back to find nobody near the rego areas. They had all disappeared down the track to the starting line.

Caught a glimpse of the lead cyclist, Robbie C and Mick C walking down the track, so followed them, but was not the last to arrive at the start as Robbie C was giving a bit of a spiel about the course.

Two caps in the starting pistol ensured we heard the gun, then we were off, in the middle of the pack, or more towards the back.

Beryl W and Kim N, were two of the Jogalong ladies I started with, and edged past after the finish line the first time, at the first little rise, then speeded up to catch a young lady with an MP3 player, and said I would have to get one to help me run faster. Then Mark W came striding past (he won the Race Walker category).
I caught Maria W just before the first underpass.

After 1km I decided to put the foot down a little, and caught Mark W and Linda M at the 2km marker, just after saying to them that we had nearly reached 2km.

Forerunner Man was on his mettle today, and paying attention to the goings on.
The run across from 2km to 3km was past the sports grounds where the young ladies were playing basketball, and those who were not in action were lining the track and high fiving Friar as he went past. There were a couple of young lads, so I guess they were the brothers of some of the young ladies.

Just after Trevs’ and Ian L’ drink station I caught a young fella, who immediately tried to put his foot down, and stay in front of me.

I told him to take it easy with another 2.5km to go.

Then caught Jamie M (the winner of the BBQ in the barrel draw), and passed him with just over 1.5km to go.

Another guy ran beside me for a while, he had done about 30 second faster than me in the Canberra Times, so we were set to have a real go towards the end, where he pulled away by about 5 seconds.

Good to see the Sweeney Clan around the 5km area doing marshalling duties, also good to see the Weston Creek Club members helping in the organization and running of the event.

Weston Creek is renowned for the amount and range of barrel draws at their fun run, and this year was no exception.

Then the awards were made to the category winners, ably worked out by Mick C, with help from Russell M and Debbie C.

Home by 12 noon for Bacon and Egg lunch.
Filled out the Certificate, and had a look at the splits, as follows:-

6:13, 5:52, 5:44, 5:24, 5:20, 5:45.

Yes the last km was a sloping uphill finish, but felt comfortable all the way.

Until Next Time

Don't Fence Me In

With the Vets' Bluetts Forest Handicaps coming up the last Sunday in October, this morning's run (in Red) was to check on the locks for the gates, and whether any of the tracks or access roads had been hampered by new fences.
Fortunately not, so the only hazards for runners/walkers will be lots of deposits on the tracks, which have been left by the grazing cows.
Look on the bright side though, if you are a keen gardener, you could collect lots of these deposits to take home for your garden.

For runners, there will be lots of weaving on the trails to avoid the deposits, and don't forget, that in places, the tracks are a little rocky, so watch out for the rocks.!!

Part of the course was used for the previous Coppins Crossing evnts, but that was dropped due to lack of parking around Coppins Crossing.

Until Next Time.

Lakes Stakes

As a recovery run from the Orroral Valley 20km run on Sunday, we (Friar and Rad) decided to travel to Lake Tuggeranong on Tuesday for the Lakes Stakes which starts near the HIC Building. This event is held weekly with the start time being 12:20 pm, and is conducted on a handicap basis. A fee of $1 goes towards a weekly prize - a Voucher fron The Runners Shop.

We, Friar and Rad, were expecting to run entirely around the lake, but were advised that the course is now, out and back, and has been marked at the kms with red paint, and the turn around point is just before the "third bridge."

It was blowing very strongly, so was somewhat like a headwind on the way out, at someplaces feeling like a cross-wind.

As with being close to workplaces, lots of walkers were taking their lunchtime stroll/exercise also on the bike/shared paths around the lake.

A few were taking their pets, but the path was generally clear.

Our km rate was less than 6 minutes per km, which showed that there were no ill effects from Orroral.

Until Next Time.

Orroral Valley 20km Trail Run

Just had dinner, and about to head for the shower, and then relax.
Results for Mental Health Week Fun Run have been sent to The Canberra Times by Ken Eynon.
It was Ken or me, and he got in first, as well as doing a lot of organising for the run as well as measuring and marking the course.
Dave Hobson, Bryan and Miriam McCarthy, Friar, Emma-Kate and Fletch, all helped with the run, and plenty of helpers were there to help with the registrations, and give out bags of goodies to the finishers, and serving fruit and drinks at the finish.

Friar left at 11:20am to run at Orroral Valley.

Until Next Time

How Good Is She ??

Mt Ainslie Run Up - Tuesday 4th October 2005.

Jackie Fairweather raced this event for the first time.

I believe she set a course record.

This was after an active weekend, when she ran in the SCT Golden Mile, and then the Handicapped Mile, on Saturday. b She had a long training run on Sunday. Then on Monday, she ran to the Sri Chinmoy Fun Run, and set a 10km course record of 36:29.

Meanwhile a field of about 30 runners, some new, ran the event on a great day.

Friar plodded on at the back of the field, after a similarly tough weekend, 16km on Saturday morning, then the Sri Chinmoy Fun Run on the Monday.

The event was conducted despite the Mt Ainslie road being closed due to a rock slip.

Tim Sawkins left early to run to the top with timing and recording equipment, and all finishers wrote their times on the recording sheet.


Until Next Time.

Sri Chinmoy Fun Run 3 Oct 2005

I didn't expect the last km to be that slow.
7:22

That's why I took more than sixty minutes.

The soreness on the bottom of my feet is a problem that remains unsolved. Despite numerous different shoes, socks and inserts, it rears it's ugliness over long runs.

Before the run, I drove up to the road at the top of the first hill just beyond the Underpass, and "planted" some 5 cent coins.

Some were there on the return trip of the 10km event and some had been picked up.

Wonder how long they will be there. ??

I also dropped some more 5 cent pieces along the way, as I ran, the last was dropped just after the road crossing at Black Mountain Peninsula. These would have been more visible than the planted pieces, and if the sun hit them at the right angle, they would stand out to any passers, probably not cyclists though.

Until Next Time.

5th INAS-FID World athletics Championships

5th INAS-FID World athletics Championships.

These were held in Canberra from 26th to 30th September 2005.

http://www.actathletics.org.au

This link provides links to more information, full results and photos of the action.

Murray Goldfinch of the local Weston Creek Athletic Club,, won two Gold Medals in the Shot Put and the Discus, and Paul Mitchell of Australia beat the World Record Holder to win the 10,000 metres track event.

Paul was in a great position in the 5,000 metres race coming in to the home straight, but tripped and fell, so was even more determined to win the 10,000 metres.

A team of six people, including Friar, were kept busy in the administrative area with photo-finish and results processing for the five days of the event.

Friar in fact managed to take leave from 11:30 am on Wednesday and Friday to particpate in the BBQ Stakes and the Customs Joggers events.

Until Next Time.

Lawn Mowing Day

With all the good weather, (rain included) we have had, and now sunshine to dry out the grass, which is now knee height, (knee high to a grasshopper saying), it's time to get the lawn mowed, but firstly petrol is needed, a fresh supply from the local service station.

The tank is nearly empty from last season, so either today or tomorrow it will happen.

Until Next Time