Rob Schwerkolt set a new M45 1500m Australian Record 4m00.2

Fri 5.34am 10.49km Roo+Lake 44m30  (4m14 K's)
Thurs 5.27am 10.55km Roo+Lake 44m40 (4m14 K's)
Wed 5.37am 10.52km Roo+Lake 42m53 (4m05 K's)
Tues 5.42am 10.54km Roo+Lake 43m53 (4m10 K's)


A good week of steady running in very very humid conditions. It is really staying dark a lot later these days and soon alas I will need to revert to my 10K Cadel route which has street lights.
Still not close to 100% but shall try some interval work this weekend before making the decision on whether to enter the Nationals.
Thanks Scott for the news that Victorian Rob Schwerkolt set a new M45 1500m Australian Record 4m00.2
The previous record had stood since 1989 Keith Wheeler 4m02.1

That's Rob #1126  ; Very impressive.

The Brisbane Roar

Mon 6.00pm 6km 23m57 Struggled with hip!
Sun 5.12pm 10.61km 39m19  3m42 K's Worked Hard
Sat 5.50pm 10.66km  42m19  3m58 K's Felt strong
Fri 5.34am 10.61km  46m 03  4m21 K's Took it easy
Thur 5.19am 10.63km 46m41  4m21 K's Struggled
Wed  3.35pm  10.58km  41m06  3m53 K's - Pushed it

It goes without saying that events in Japan put your life in perspective and though it seems perverse -  life carries on and as such ,might as well carry on blogging.


Did you hear Pete Magill ran 5000m in 14m 45.88  !!
He is 49.9 , it is a WR for a 49 y.o , Pete's real focus is breaking the M50 WR which stands at 14m53.2, Pete is 50 in June. He is a phenomenon! 


Good running at Queensland Masters on Sat, below are the results of the 3000m;
Would have been a good race between Shane and Geoff  and I'd have thought that Anne Ryan had Performance of the Day, that is before I saw M57  Peter Reeves  9m52  89.91% age grade!!


The Brisbane Roar ? - well that was me on Sun arvo watching my local side clinch the Australian Major Prem /Grand Final after being 0 -2 down into the second half of extra time.
Two late late goals had me screaming like it was Arsenal and the whole family was transfixed by the penalties and there could only be won winner - well actually Australian Football and Brisbane Football have all won from this famous Roar Victory.
Like Arsenal Roar have gone undefeated this whole season ! ( though Arsenal had to play 38 games in their season with Roar only having to play 28).



QMA Brisbane Metropolitan - 12/03/2011 
  South Qld Championships Day 1 
  State Athletics Facility Nathan 
  Results - Saturday 12th March
  

  Event 1  W45 3000 Metre Run 
========================
    Name     Age Team      Finals       Age-Grading 
======================
  1 Banaghan, Glenda   W47 Metro Central   10:41.79  9:28.25 88.24%   
   
  Event 1  W55 3000 Metre Run 
=========================
    Name    Age Team     Finals       Age-Grading 
=======================
  1 Ryan, Anne    W55 Metro Central    11:41.94    9:20.43 89.47%      
  Event 1  M40 3000 Metre Run 
===========================
    Name      Age Team     Finals       Age-Grading 
==========================
  1 Berkeley, Geoff   M42 Metro Central    9:13.28    8:35.11 85.42% 
  2 Wood, Neil     M44 Metro South     11:35.27   10:37.50 69.02%   
   
  Event 1  M45 3000 Metre Run 
==========================
    Name     Age Team    Finals    Age-Grading 
=========================
  1 George, Shane   M45 South Queensland   9:11.08    8:21.43 87.75% 
  2 Daly, Gerard   M49 Metro North     11:15.50    9:55.59 73.88%   
   
  Event 1  M50 3000 Metre Run 
============================
    Name  Age Team   Finals    Age-Grading 
=========================
  1 Davies, Phil M53 Metro Central   10:17.80    8:47.36 83.43% 
  2 Dimauro, Con   M52 Metro South  10:26.80    8:59.43 81.57% 
  3 Coulter, Greg  M53 Metro South 10:38.80  9:05.30 80.69%   
   
  Event 1  M55 3000 Metre Run 
=========================
    Name   Age Team    Finals  Age-Grading 
=========================
  1 Reeves, Peter   M57 South Queensland  9:52.89 8:09.38 89.91%      
  Event 1  M60 3000 Metre Run 
=======================
    Name   Age Team  Finals  Age-Grading 
=====================
  1 Sheer, John   M63 Metro Central  11:29.65  9:00.14 81.46% 
  2 Chippendale, Paul   M64 Metro South  18:18.49 14:12.54 51.61%   
   
  Event 1  M65 3000 Metre Run 
=========================
    Name Age Team    Finals   Age-Grading 
=======================
  1 Ryhanen, Erkki  M65 Coastal North  13:26.25  10:20.09 70.96% 
  2 Dominish, Rod   M66 Metro North   13:47.20   10:30.33 69.81% 
  3 Nixon_Smith, Derek  M65 Unatta  14:01.23   10:46.99 68.01% 

Derezzed

Wed 3.35pm 10.58km Roo+Lake 41m06  (3m53 K's)


Lily was sick for the second day which meant it was my turn to stay home to look after her, hence got out this arvo for a spin around the usual. 




Barca V Arsenal left me distinctly 'derezzed' this morning. Couldn't take it after Robin got sent off, had to take the dog out for a long walk. Still hopeful when I got back, I might see a smile on  my son's or wife's face but no !
It was a look of pity - damn it! I wish it didn't mean that much to me!



Derez (also spelled as "Derezz", short for "Deresolution") is a term to describe someone or something disappearing or dissolving, essentially resulting in deletion. It is a program's equivalent of death. The opposite of derez is resolution, the program equivalent of birth, or loading/starting a program in the system; and reresolution, or rebirth.
= Arsenal's Cup chances this year.

Barca in the morning

Mon 5.51pm 5.66km Roo 23m26 4m09 K's
Tues  5.21am 10.59km Roo+Lake 46m06  4m21 K's


On Saturday I woke up with a sore throat it developed into full man flu as the congestion plus running nose sneezing took hold through Sunday. Still had it Monday but today it is on the wain.
Late night Sunday (Liverpool V Manu = great game for a Gooner!) so Monday was evening run and no time as Natalie was off to Soccer training and what with the cold =  just a short run.
I have gone through some ups and downs with the hip thinking it is coming good and then suffering relapses but I'm hanging in there for the moment.
Barca in the morning , I'm not too optimistic but hey! we have a chance and how many teams even get the opportunity to play the Worlds best team? Come on you Gooners!

Level 42

Sun 4.07pm 10.45km Roo+Lake 41m31 3m58 K's
Sat 2.21pm 10.58km Roo+Lake 43m28 4m07 K's

Happy 8th Birthday Lily Nicole x

5.00am Roo+Lake 45m24 Roo+Lake 10.6km  4m17 K's

Up at 3.45am

I got up at 3.45am for my run this morning! 
Somehow the Garmin has jumped forward an hour so rather than getting the alarm at 4.45am, 
I was up, stretching, watching the news when I noticed the time! Couldn't go back to bed and risk waking the Mrs so had 30mins kip on the sofa before getting out the door eventually at 5.15am. (Only just getting light).


It has been fantastically humid over the last few days, it really was a morning for running without a top but I wore my Salford Harriers vest the whole way (I joined Salford for a year in 2008 when I was going to run British Masters Road Relay with former Shaftesbury club mate Paul Simons team - The Pelvic stress fracture put paid to those plans).
I find when I top and tail runs that I invariably suffer and this morning was no exception a combination of last nights run, early morning stiffness, the humidity and the hip but actually 46m12 for 10.58KM and 4m22 K's is OK! Jumped in the pool to cool down after.
The night before (Weds) I was woken at 3.00am as the wind picked up preceding a storm. I had to get up as I had left our shade umbrella up and I needed to get it down before the wind destroyed it.This was no simple task as the locking pin is missing so it is no simple 'wined in' task , more like get pavers off lay whole assemblage on ground, gather shade then wind in! Anyhow I couldn't get back to sleep for an hour and when my alarm went 45mins later the lack of sleep meant I changed plans and went for a run after work. 
As I have said before I run better in the evening, and even though it was again humid I was able to push the pace around Roo+Lake to sub 4min K's with a 41m54.
Tues morning was a 46m20 sec effort around Roo+Lake 10.55km for 4m24s K's
Mon 6.00pm 10.46km Roo+Lake 43m23 for 4m09 K's

Queen-Misfire

It's only a game!

Thurs 5.22am 10.53km Roo+Lake 46m04 (4m22 K's)
Fri 5.22am 10.52km Roo+Lake 46m18 (4m24 K's)
Sat eve 10.69km Roo+Lake 43m42 (No Garmin)
Sun 5.43pm 10.33km Roo+Lake 42m16 (4m05 K's) 


Still feeling my way back into it. 
Not sure if I'm recovered from the hip thing as it is hanging in there.
More steady running for the time being.
Much howling heard into the early hours this morning at the Sweeney household due to Gooners misfiring!
Still it's only a game!

Life in a Northern Town

Sun 6.00pm  10.52km Roo+Lake 43m40 (4m09 K's)
Mon 6.23pm 5.74km Roo 24m30 (4m16 K's)
Tue 5.27am 5.70km Roo 25m30 (4m28 K's)
Wed 5.15am 10.44km Roo+Lake 44m03 (4m13 K's)

A hot one

5.24pm 10.56km Roo+Lake 39m30 (3m44 K's)


3m56, 3m52, 3m38, 3m46, 3m44, 3m47, 3m41, 3m40, 3m43, 3m46, 1m56 (3m28 pace 560m)


It was still pretty hot at 5.30pm yesterday, the sun was just setting, 29 O C (84 O F) and humidity about 60%. 
I had spent the day limbering up (Whipper Snipped the whole garden! and swam) . I started out fast but with no real intention other than to run Roo+Lake.
Having had two weeks off and a very easy week I wanted to test the hip and see how much fitness I'd lost. 
The hip was still niggling but I could cope with it.
It was a pretty mental thing to push myself so soon (sorry Jim!!) but I enjoyed the feeling of pushing myself and was rewarded with equal 11th fastest time over Roo+Lake, going through 10K in 37m34.
If things hold together over the next month I'll be racing the National Masters Champs in Brisbane at the end of April, probably 10K, 5K and 8K XC

Arsenal 2 - 1 Barcelona

Thurs 5.21am 5.69km Roo 24m27  (4m18 K's)
Fri 5.29am 10.59 Roo+Lake 44m52 (4m14 K's)


Still sore but runable so I'll see how I go!

Still getting over yesterday's game - what magic!

Mon 5.19am 5.69km Roo 25m37 (4m30 Ks)
Tues 5.29am 5.69km Roo 25m23 (4m28 Ks)
Wed 5.36am 5.59km Roo 24m04 (4m18 Ks)

Contador is cleared. A Verdict, not a proposal...

Contador is cleared. A Verdict, not a proposal...

Peter Magill, 1st Place Masters - 2011 USATF Cross Country Championships

Watch more Videos on Flotrack

I love how they seem to shove a mike at Pete as he is coming down the finishing tunnel/shoot. Pete just having won the overall Masters Title (M40+) at age 49 is still lucid enough to give fellow Masters some good advice about training/racing, states his only aim this year when he turns 50 is to run 5K on the road in sub 15m and he is able to answer what his does for a living!
Mens Results
Womens Results


I've had a week off running feeling sorry for myself I eventually did a few core session, swam, and went out on the bike for an hour. I can just about still feel the hip so will take another week off and see how it is - fingers crossed!

Out of Action

Monday morning at 5.00am trotted around Roo with more than the acceptable level of pain in my hip so cut run short. The rest of the day I was limping around and again this morning in quite some discomfort as I walked the dog. This injury has slowly built up since I think 3rd Jan when I did the 2hour trail run at Mount Mee. It has got worse and the only thing for it is rest. It is an undefined pain somewhere around the ball and socket joint. I have weakness in bearing weight on that side. My suspicion is that it could be another stressie. I'll take some time off see if it's still there and if so seek consultation.
Bummer!

finding my equilibrium

Sun 2.00pm Nudgee 8 X 1000m 200m jog recovery
Hip was noticeable during session , started cautiously,
in pretty windy conditions with a 3m18 very comfortable,
thought Id get upset with times and only decided to
time every other one, 3m12, 3m10, and 3m07
Considering the wind & the hip I was satisfied with the session.
I haven't downloaded the Garmin data yet but I saw my heart rate
up at 179bpm towards end of session, really working hard. It is
exactly the type of training I felt I had been lacking
during recent races where that feeling of the heart
racing (uncomfortable) has led me to dropping down the
pace to find equilibrium.

The Go-Betweens - Streets Of Your Town Version 2

Life in Tokyo - Japan

Sat  5.56pm  Roo+Lake 10.57km  40m42   (3m51 K's)
Fri  5.32am  Roo+Lake  10.67km  46m43  (4m23 K's)
Thur 5.00am Roo+Lake  10.6km  46m11

Very windy all last night and all today, perhaps it is the two cyclones up North .
I thought about going to the track and running 200's (to stay out of the wind) but in the end decided 
just to go for a steady run this evening and see what conditions are like tomorrow for speed endurance session .
Left hip still giving jip.
63kg after tonights run.
Listening to my ipod during the week I heard Quite Life by Japan and thought I must check out Life in Tokyo but found I didn't have it ! So here courtesy of  YouTube is a Giorgio Moroder (The King of Disco) Remix.
Just read the comments and saddened to hear the brilliant base player Mick Khan died of cancer recently.

8 X 800m

Wed 8.29am Nudgee  8 X 800m  400m Jog recovery in 3m30


2m26;94 153bpm,  71.94 (141bpm) 75.00 (166bpm)
2m28;43 159bpm, 73.01 (149bpm) 75.42 (169bpm)
2m30;28 161bpm
2m27;68  163bpm,  72.04 (155bpm) 75.64 (173bpm)
2m28;79  163bpm,  72.99 (154bpm) 75.80 (173bpm)
2m29;75  165bpm,  73.46 (156bpm) 76.29 (174bpm)
2m28;06  166bpm, 72.31 (157bpm) 75.75 (175bpm)
2m25;38  168bpm, 72.34 (160bpm) 73.04 (177bpm)

Shane George

Sun 4.41pm Roo+Lake 10.65km 42m53  (4m01 K's) Ave BPM 144 Max BPM 160
Mon 5.18am Roo+Lake 10.66km 48m45 (4m34 K's)
Tue 5.19am Roo+Lake 10.63km 45m45 (4m18 K's)


Running at Queensland Masters last Sat in my M45-49 Cat, Shane George ran 9m23;37.
He must have just turned 45 and is another one in the mix for Nationals in April.
I heard he is aiming to run sub 9 by Feb so he might be running by himself.

Queensland Open 3000m Championship 2011

Sat 8.30pm Qld Open 3000m Champs. 2nd Heat 4th 9m19.33
Fri 6.45pm Roo 5.70km 24m25  (4m16 K's)
Thurs 5.00am Roo+Lake 10.68km 47m51 (4m28 K's)


At 7.00am Sat I looked outside and saw we had beautiful conditions; No wind,and 24 O C. However, I had decided to race with the kids in the Queensland 3000m Open Champs. By 9.00am the wind was up and gusting very strong and I thought 'bollocks I've made the wrong choice!' 
The Q'land Champs were due to take place at 7.30pm , I had seen the pre entry numbers and thought there was a very good chance that they would need to split the race. 
They were going to split the field into three races but in the end they made it two mens races and as I had seeded myself with my seasons best 9m18. I was in the second heat following the Mens A and Womens A.
It was really good to see the Championship race. 
Nick Toohey who ran 3m40sec for 1500m (waving and cavorting at the finish!!) at the Zatopecks a month ago was the standout competitor. 
After a slow start 70secs and 3mins for the first K , Nick kicked and decimated the field gaining an 80m lead in the next K. He looked strong confident and unbeatable. 
Of course you can guess what happened!
He died and two lads Jayden Russ and Daniel Bulmer caught him and these two had an almighty battle over the last lap (someone said a 53 !!), the winner (Bulmer)crossing the line in 8m24;49. Now forgive me for blowing my own trumpet in a way but as a 17 year old I ran 8m23. It seems inconceivable today that had I raced at my best  I might have ever been up there with them.
After the Womens race the second heat of the Mens Open started an hour later than the scheduled start time!
The 20 strong field went flying from the gun. The kids went though 200m in 31/32 me at 33 thinking 'this is too  fast but I got to stay with these kids!'
Inevitably there was a slow down as matters sorted themselves out . 
Do I run first lane or second lane? 
Do I overtake or do I run their pace? 
These questions don't normally arise at Masters as after 100m I'm in the lead and pulling away. So the first few laps was quite competitive real racing, at one stage I overtook a lad and  he overtook me on the next lap and then I had to overtake him again within 200m! A group of 3 kids had broken away and I was next in 4th chasing. We were soon lapping the real kids. 
I had the impression from the times I heard at the finish line that I was running OK . 
I thought I got to the bell in 7m58 which I thought meant I might run 9m10, however, as I crossed the line I thought I heard the call 9m18. 
Don't get me wrong 9m18 is OK -  it equals my best for 2010, however, I thought I could run sub 9m10. It turns out I ran 9m19;33. I nearly caught 3rd place on the line.
My Garmin had again buggered up (battery read 0% charge when it should have been 100%) so I did not clock my own time.
The Results are below and yes they put the age that your going to turn this year down as your age ! I'm not 50 yet! See what I mean about racing the kids?;



Men 3000 Meter Run QLD CHAMPS
================================================================
    Name                     Age Team                    Finals
================================================================
Section  1
  1   508 Bulmer, Daniel      21 GCV                    8:24.49
  2  1114 Russ, Jayden        26 QE2                    8:24.51
  3   646 Crook, Daryl        23 ASR                    8:31.19
  4   106 Toohey, Nicholas    23 PAC                    8:34.36
  5   876 Crew, Andrew        31 MAR                    8:37.81
  6   335 Nispel, Patrick     31 UNQ                    8:42.84
  7   875 Bock, Peter         29 MAR                    8:45.40
  8   333 Nankivell, Dylan    16 GLD                    8:47.82
  9   110 Twist, Jay          23 UNQ                    8:48.91
 10   222 Chambers, Charles   18 GCV                    8:49.43
 11  2312 Carlsson, Matt      20 UNQ                    8:55.67
 12   379 Thomas, Jordan      19 QE2                    8:58.10
 13   767 Schofield, Sam      19 UNQ                    9:04.70
 14   202 Barton, David       20 QE2                    9:12.27
 15   397 Watkins, Julian     17 JIM                    9:15.93
Section  2
  1   975 Gebre, Mesele       16 QE2                    9:09.19
  2   925 Hagan, Patrick      18 QE2                    9:09.71
  3  1076 Fox, Loughlin       17 UNQ                    9:18.91
  4  1015 Sweeney, David      50 UNQ                    9:19.33
  5   803 Bruce, Jack         17 UNQ                    9:27.12
  6  1101 Kianga, Skene       24 QE2                    9:35.58
  7   223 Tucker, John        32 UNQ                    9:38.00
  8   194 Allen, Max          15 GCV                    9:52.62
  9   496 Healy, Matthew      21 RNB                    9:58.21
 10   354 Saleh, Osman        19 ASR                   10:04.72
 11   526 Stanbrook, Mitchel  15 GCV                   10:08.02

Men 3000 Meter Run QLD CHAMPS....
 12   829 Hong, Seunggil      32 INT                   10:29.23
 13   846 Litfin, Tony        48 RNB                   10:36.04
 14   962 Cossettini, Thomas  15 QE2                   10:41.68
 15   805 Cook, Hugo          15 UNQ                   10:43.63
 16   797 Gallagher, John     14 QE2                   10:50.49
 17   995 Waldron, Jayden     14 DEC                   11:18.97
 18   499 Healy, Michael      16 RNB                   12:01.80
 19   970 Early, Michael      21 QE2                   12:02.11
 20   215 Purcell, John       43 ASR                   12:04.05

Saturation Point

Tues 5.00am 10.77km Roo+Lake 45m59 (4m16 K's)
Wed 5.00am 10.6?km Roo+Lake 45m59 (4m 16 K's)


Back to morning runs . Just steady stuff , well that was all I was capable of - not sure if 
it was just normal reaction to track session on Sat, early mornings, the various niggles I'm carrying or the conditions.
Brisbane humidity levels have been sky high. 94% this morning at 5.00am and 25 O C. The weight of my singlet(vest) alone from the sweat might have contributed to slower times. It is saturating. 
I do enjoy it though because most of my running life was spent running in  freezing muddy $hitehouse conditions and I'll take the warm over cold any day. 
Interestingly the organisers of the National Masters  T & F Champs in April are going to pander to the out of towner's by putting on the 10,000m at 6.00pm when it will be dark and the humidity levels at their lowest for the day. This is for the best if we are to run fast times (and I do!) but it isn't offering the true Queensland experience!
This morning my Garmin's battery had dropped down to 8% battery so I left it at home and took the old stopwatch - how skinny and light does that feel by comparison! 
I managed to run exactly the same time today as yesterday!
The rest of the week will remain just steady stuff as I want to race on Saturday maybe 3000m at Masters in the morning or 3000m Queensland Open Champs with the kids in the evening.

St Lucia

Mon 6.12pm 10.54km Roo+Lake 44m38  (4m14 K's)
Sun 5.30pm 10.64km Roo+Lake 44m43 (4m12 K's)


Two slow recovery runs, suffering aches and pains from Saturday's session.


I joined the University of Queensland Athletics Club in order to participate in QA event this Summer.
They had laid a brand new track which had never been raced on! 
They were waiting for the rain to stop before putting down the lane markings. Unfortunately it never stopped raining! Today was the first day they were going to try and shift the mud, I hope the water hasn't got in under the surface. 
Click on the image for a larger photo.

Joe Begley

Nudgee 5.46pm 10 X 400m 115m Jog Recovery (75secs?) > 68:60


67:96 (146bpm), 70:85 (152), 70:13 (154), 68:53 (156)
67:73 (155), 67:73 (156), 68:72 (156), 68:47 (157),
69:00 (157), 66:95 (159)


Just felt like I needed to do the shorter speed intervals again today though realize longer ones are required next time. Conditions were warm 28 O C (82 O F) same old wind down the finishing straight but not too bad.
There were a few athletes around today and I think that sometimes influences my performance (makes me go faster!). Again this week not feeling that fluid during 2K warm up but knuckled down and perhaps over did it with a 67.96 opener!. 
After that I did more normal settling in few reps 70 followed by 70 and then started to pick things up, a 68 followed by two 67's on reps 5 and 6. 
I was dead on the track and 4 to go! 
My mind was saying well see if you can get to 8 and call it quits.
7 & 8 were both 68's and I told myself just two more! But of course I was mentally weak and cruised 9 in 69.
I tried my best to remained composed on 10, concentrate on fast start, high leg turnover, remaining smooth, not straining, then I got to 200m and told myself only 200 to go, hold it together, high leg turnover, don't strain.
Blessed relief across the line, flop to the grass, 66:95 for a session average 68:60, very happy with that.
After my warm down I had a word with a Master who had been running sprints on the infield trailing a weight sled. He introduced himself as Joe Begley, he is in the M55 - M59 Cat. He told me he'd been timing me and said I appeared to be running 68's like a metronome! (look at reps 5 & 6!) 
Little did he know the gut busting mental and physical  turmoil I went through! He's a sprinter though he was wearing the Gold Coast Half Marathon Tee Shirt from the year when I did it in 2008! 
Turns out he's a very useful performer and should be interesting to see how he goes in the Nationals though he was telling me he is up against two fast guys who turn 55 just before the Champs! 
I just checked out the last Queensland Masters Results in Brisbane and he ran a 95% age graded performance in the 60m and a 91% Age graded performance in the 100m. A 95% performance is up there with Keith Bateman in comparative performances!

1111.11

Thurs 6.13pm 10.68km Roo+Lake 39m49  (3m45 K's)
Fri 6.38pm 10.62km Roo+Lake 43m19  (4m05 K's)


Yesterdays tempo run made up for Wednesday's slightly disappointing run. I felt OK from the start and if I run an opening K in 4mins I know it is going to be a fast one. I tried to run fast but without effort. That was not accomplished as I really pushed it over the last 2 or 3 K's. My reward was a rare sub 40min clocking (went through 10K in just over 37m30), the Garmin had the K's;
4m00, 3m44, 3m44, 3m49, 3m43, 3m48, 3m42, 3m38, 3m40, 3m42, 2m13 (3m17 pace)


By contrast todays run was an effort the whole way. Stiff right hammy, concern over left knee and hip but ploughed on and was happy enough with 43m10 following a fast two days. K's went;
4m17, 4m07, 3m58, 4m04, 4m01, 4m01, 4m10, 4m01, 4m08, 4m04, 2m24 (3m52 pace).


Amazingly I checked my total K's run since 27th Sept when I got the Garmin and the total K's I have recorded are 1111.11km Freaky!


I went back to work today. Only 5 people made it to the office when the normal total would be 50 or 60.
It was understandably rather surreal. Many shops on the Queen Street Mall still shut, only one train per hour going into the city (rather than say 10) and the train only had 3 carriages so by the time it got to the city it was heaving! Plenty of streets were closed off to traffic. The clean up has begun, in the city it meant pumping out many of the building basements and cleaning up the gloopy mud silt from the streets.
Many areas have had their power cut so police were on hand to direct the traffic. I took a look at the river at lunchtime, still flowing with incredible power the level had dropped considerably from yesterdays high but it was still an amazing site. I heard a body was found 80km from where the person had gone missing!

I took this photo this arvo from my desk, it shows the normally very busy intersection of George and Margaret at 2.50pm today, not a car, not a person in site! The Brisbane river runs around immediately behind our office and snakes around the Botanical Gardens and back in front on this photo, the building in the center of the photo is the Stamford Plaza Hotel and thence further in the center distance is a raised section of the Highway just before the Storey Bridge. The second photo is from Brisbane Times showing the scene further down Margaret St corner with Albert St.

The Day after Yesterday

Wed 6.23pm 10.61km Roo+Lake 41m06  (3m53 K's)

A Tempo run in very humid conditions. This left hip niggle is more of a hindrance after a run than during. Hopefully it is just 'old man' syndrome.

Below are some random photos I took on my phone on my way home on Tuesday. The 4th photo with the Yellow Sign is a Park in Strathpine next to St Paul's School where they held the Queensland XC Championships this year!

Here is phenomenal footage to Natures fury in Toowoomba on Tuesday.You can see why there was loss of life.

A grim day for Brisbane

Mon Rest
Tues 5.48pm Roo+Lake 10.65km 45m10  (4m15s K's)


Today is a very grim day for Brisbane, the torrential rain over the past few days has worked its way into our river system and all rivers are flooding. 
The Brisbane river which snakes through the city is set to rise to record levels causing major inundation of homes and business throughout the city the peak flow will come on Thurs arvo. 
Yesterday afternoon the call went out to 'evacuate' the CBD and I left work early to get home. Major problems as flooded rivers closed roads and the rail network shut down and I had to complete my journey via a very circuitous route to pick up my car in Petrie. The flooding that I witnessed from the train yesterday was unbelievable, where there were once green fields and parks was inland sea!
Where we live is fine, we are not close to any river systems/flood plains. Thousands are not so fortunate and there will be major damage in Brisbane and Ipswich. Travel to the CBD is not advised so I'm off work today and tomorrow.
After last weeks 2hour trail run I got a niggle in the left hip region, I have been taking it relatively easy since. Though it didn't seem to affect me during the track session, it has been giving me some cause for concern. I will monitor the situation.