2005

Age 44
29/10/05 3000 10;01 QMA 2nd 2nd M40
12/11/05 1500 4;45  QMA 4th
19/11/05 5000 17;22 QMA 2nd
26/11/05 3000 9;58 QMA 2nd 1st
17/12/05 3000 9;50 QMA 3rd1st M40
5 Races

1982

Age 20
19/5/82 1500 3;56.2 Loughborough V Midlands V Civil Service 3rd PB
2/6/82 1500 3;57.5 TVH Open Meet West London 4th
10/7/82 800 2;01.9 Kinnaird Trophy Meet West London 4th PB
22/7/82 3000 8;35.7 Highgate Open Meet Parliament Hill 8th
29/7/82 1500 4;01.5 Copthall Open Meet 10th
26/8/82 3000 8;29.8 Copthall Open Meet 13th
1/9/82 3000 8;24.5 TVHOpen Meet + BMC West London 6th
7 races.

1992

Age 31
26/7/92 3000 8;49.9  Old Gaytonians Open Meet Bannister Stadium 3rd
29/7/90 1500 4;04.4 Copthall Open Meet 3rd
26/8/92 3000 8;41.0 Copthall Open Meet 6th
3 Races
I did not race track again till I was 44 years old, when I ran , what else ! 3000m in 10;01 from memory 2nd place at my first Queensland Masters race, got beaten on the line by Kenty :-)

1991

0 Races.

1990

Age 29
5/5/90 5000 14;48.5 Southern League Copthall 1st
19/5/90 5000 14;38.4 Middlesex Champs 5th
26/5/90 1500 4;01.6 Southern League Parliament Hill 4th
10/6/90 5000 14;39.4 British League Div 1 Crystal Palace 8th
7/7/90 5000 15;01.12 British League Div 1 Birmingham 11th
25/7/90 1500 4;01.4 Copthall Open Meet 6th
29/7/90 5000 14;57.6 Old Gaytonians Open Meet Bannister Stadium 1st
7 races.

1987 1988 1989

0 Races

1986

13/8/86 5000 14;46.5 Luton Open Meet 1st
20/8/86 3000 8;35.1 Highgate Open Meet Parliament Hill 3rd
23/8/86 3000 8;29.2 Haringey Open Meet New River Stadium 4th
3/9/86 3000 8;35.5 TVH Open Meet West London Stadium
20/9/86 5000 14;52.0  London Champs Haringey 2nd
24/9/86 1500 4;04.5 Copthall Open Meet
6 Races.

1983 1984 1985

No races.

1981

I'm tracking Steve Hunter in the 5000m  Southern League Meet at Copthall 25th July 1981.

Age 19
25/4/81 3000 8;44.6 Loughborough V RAF etc 5th
2/5/81 1500 4;06.9 Southern League Copthall 4th
3/5/81 10000 31;09.4 University Athletics Union Champs 3rd PB
5/5/81 1500 4;04.8 Loughborough V Cambridge University 3rd
20/5/81 3000 8;33.0 Loughborough V North/Midlands/RAF (indoors ?)
6/6/81 5000 15;38 Southern League Cambridge 3rd
26/6/81 5000 14;59.4 Southern League Copthall 3rd
11/7/81 5000 14;44.3 British League Div 1 Edinburgh 5th
25/7/81 5000 15;31.3 Southern League Copthall
9/8/81 1500 4;11.9 Inter Borough Bromley 2nd
15/8/81 5000 15;33.0 Southern League Kent 4th
5/9/81 5000 14;42.9 Greater London Council Champs West London 2nd
6/9/81 5000 15;00.6 London Borough Champs Crystal Palace 3rd
16/9/81 3000 8;32.0 Southern Counties Open Meet Crystal Palace 5th
30/9/81 5000 14;55.8 Copthall Open Meet 3rd
15 races.

1980

Age 18
31/4/80 1500 4;01.6 Copthall Open Meet 2nd
3/5/80 5000 14;46.4 British League Div 1 3rd
8/5/80 5000 14;33.6 Barnet Schools Champs Copthall 1st
14/5/80 1500 4;00.4 Barnet Schools Champs Copthall 1st
28/5/80 3000 8;33.5 Copthall Open Meet 5th
14/6/80 5000 15;05.8 Middlesex Schools Champs Copthall 1st
12/7/80 5000 15;15.0 English Schools Champs 9th
19/7/80 1500 4;08.2 Southern League 2nd
30/7/80 1500 4;01.6 Copthall Open Meet
9 Races

1979

Age 17
12/5/79 3000 8;48.0 Middlesex Junior Championship 2nd
19/5/79 1500 4;09.0 Southern League 2nd Seniors
30/5/79 5000 15;12.2 Copthall Open Meet 1st
9/6/79 5000 15;11.0 Middlesex Schools Champs 1st
17/6/79 3000 8;57.2 Inter Counties Junior 13th
23/6/79 1500 4;02.5 Southern League 2nd PB
27/6/79 3000 8;23.7 Copthall Open Meet 3rd Senior PB
7/7/79 5000 14;44.4 English Schools Champs Nottingham? 4th PB
18/7/79 1500 4;02.5 Highgate Open Meet Parliament Hill =PB
25/7/79 1500 3;57.7 Copthall Open Meet 3;57.7 2nd Senior PB
28/7/79 1500 4;06.0 Southern League 1st
4/8/79 1500 3;59.6 Southern League 4th Senior
5/8/79 3000 8;27.0 London Youth Champs 2nd
18/8/79 3000 8;33.8 Standards Race Crystal Palace 7th
29/8/79 3000 8;39.9 Copthall Open Meet
5/9/79 3000 8;30.8 TVH Open Meet West London
12/9/79 5000 14;31.4 Southern Counties Open Meet Crystal Palace PB
16/9/79 3000 8;39.9 Junior Inter Area 7th
18 races

1978

Age 16
22/4/78 1500 4;12.8 Open Meet 1st PB
30/4/78 3000 8;59.6 YAL Copthall 1st
10/5/78 1500 4;12.3 Barnet Schools Champs Copthall 1st PB
13/5/78 3000 8;54 Middlesex Championship 2nd
28/5/78 1500 4;10.9 YAL Southend 1st PB
10/6/78 3000 8;58.6 Middlesex Schools Champs Copthall 1st
23/6/78 3000 8;50.2 AAA Youths Championship 8th
25/6/78 1500 4;12.1 Lotinga Trophy Parliament Hill 1st
2/7/78 3000 8;57.0 YAL Woodford 1st
8/7/78 3000 9;04.0 English Schools Championship 9th
16/7/78 3000 8;57.8 Southern Counties Championship 10th
26/7/78 3000 8;39.0 Copthall Open Meet  PB
6/8/78 1500 4;06.3 Middlesex League Finals 1st PB
12/8/78 800 2;03.2 Barnet Open Meet 2nd PB
20/8/78 3000 8;41.2 Southern Counties Invitation Crystal Palace 8;41.2 2nd
23/8/78 1500 4;03.3 Woodford Open Meet 3rd PB
30/8/78 MILE 4;30.0 Shaftesbury Open Meet PB
6/9/78 3000 8;40.2 TVH Open Meet West London
13/9/78 1500 4;03.3 BMC Invitation Crystal Palace =PB
17/9/78 3000 8;39.6 YAL Final Crystal Palace 1st
27/9/78 5000 14;59.0 Copthall Open Meet PB
21 races

1977

Age 15
24/4/77 3000m 9;21.7  Young Athletes League YAL Woking
24/4/77 1500m 4;29 YAL Woking
14/5/77 1500m 4;18.5 Middlesex Champs Copthall
18/5/77 30000m 9;25 Barnet Trials grass track
29/5/77 3000m 9;08 YAL Aldershot
1/6/77 3000m 8;51.2 TVH Open Meet West London
7/6/77 3000m 9;06.8 Southern Champs Crystal Palace
12/6/77 800m 2;11 YAL Wimbledon
12/6/77 1500m 4;25 YAL Wimbledon
18/6/77 3000m 9;04.6 Middlesex Schools Champs Copthall
26/6/77 1500m 4;15.0 Lotinga Trophy Parliament Hill
3/7/77 3000 9;16 YAL
8/7/77 3000 9;04.8 English Schools Championship Copthall
10/7/77 3000 9;16 Inter Borough
16/7/77 1500h 4;16.9 Southern Counties Championship Crystal Palace
17/7/77 1500f 4;14.5 Southern Counties Championship Crystal Palace
19/7/77 3000 9;11.5 Barnet Championship Copthall
23/7/77 3000 9;18 AAA Youth Championship
24/7/77 1500s/c 5;06 YAL Guilford
27/7/77 3000 8;50.2 Shaftesbury Open Meet Copthall
3/8/77 3000 8;48.4 TVH Open Meet West London
7/8/77 3000 8;59 Barnet youth Games Copthall
17/8/77 3000 8;58 Highgate Open Meet Parliament Hill
31/8/77 800 2;06.0 Shaftesbury Open Meet Copthall
4/9/77 3000 9;17 Inter Borough
10/9/77 3000 9;14 Inter County
14/9/77 3000 8;44.6 BMC Invitation Crystal Palace
17/9/77 3000 9;09 Southern Counties Invitation Crystal Palace
28/09/77 800 2;08.8 Shaftesbury Open Meet Copthall
29 Races

Mammas and Pappas

What's your heart do when your sleeping?
I've tried this before , wearing the heart rate monitor to bed;
An average HR of 51 for my 5 hours sleep with peaks and troughs that must play out my dreams.

Here is the other funny bit, the GPS tracking has me roaming from my bed out into the bush and into my neighbours house!

I covered 1.24km in my sleep!

Still making very steady progress keep telling myself to keep things easy and wait till I am a long way along the road before attempting anything other than steady running. I am managing the heel and running on the edge with my Achilles.
After doing lots of 30K cycles 5.6K run days I have started steady 10.6K run days. I have loved cycling and don't really want to give it away but I no their is a world of difference for me between a run and a cycle.
Here is the last fortnights running and cycling; Click on to large up;

During Movember I grew a Mo and did my best to make it look as silly as possible. I think I succeeded but started getting self conscious  towards the end of the month and got rid of it Saturday morning. It is far to warm to have fur on your face here in Brissy, temps at the weekend for my runs were 30 O C and tomorrow it is forecast to get to 39 O C. Needless to say in the mornings when humidity is up into the 90% I get back from a run and flop straight into the pool.

Nearly forgot Mammas and Pappas reference was for Monday Monday but in the end decided to put up a Benny Bennassi cover because I like it more;

Afternoon delight

Here is the training block from 6th Nov to 18th November.

Saw the movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy over the weekend. 2004 ! 

I heard Will Ferrell may be revisiting the role again soon. Check out the Mo's

A funny bit in the parkrun newsletter this week, all I can say is what a plonker this chap must be!


As many of you know last Saturday was also the inaugural International Day of Running Naked in which we urged you to leave your iPod, GPS and watch at home and try the ‘naked’ experience. Unfortunately however it seems one of you may have taken this all a bit too literally as I received the below email from one of our Event Directors on Sunday afternoon:
“Hi Tim. Unfortunately one of the male runners at parkrun today was running in very short shorts with no underwear and as a result his male anatomy was hanging out for all to see as he came into the finish line. The worst part was the parkrun photographer, who was oblivious to it took a photo which showed it all hanging out which was then posted on Facebook this morning. I was sent a text message from one of the volunteers informing me of the photo late this afternoon so I immediately removed the photos from the Facebook page. I have no idea who he was because he was a first time runner and I have no idea how many people saw the photo or him running like that today. I think it was unintentional and he finished near the top so not too many people were back yet.”
Just when I thought I had heard it all…

Giorgio Moroder

Running and cycling this past fortnight. Cycling 30K's in the morning and running 5.6k in the evening.
This weekend it was two runs, 10.6k roo+lake yesterday and today 11.7k ventured to the other side of the golf course but hated it and though I will perhaps look at an alteration to the 'lake' section of my run so that I don't have to double back on myself, I will do some scouting work on the bike first.
I am taking things very easy as the right Achilles's and the left pf heel are not 100%.
At least I am running some!

It has been hard maintaining this ridiculous Mo but I suppose only two weeks to go. At the end of the month we are having a Giorgio Moroder Appreciation Day so another reason to stick with it!

Grecian 2000

I got out last night for a 5kRoo with the Achilles still a little sore so back on the bike this morning for 30k at 29kph.

Josh Jones

With 19 runs and a 140km under my belt running since 1st April I thought I'd give the inaugural North Lakes parkrun a bash. parkrun is a magnificent running movement that is spreading across the World and encouraging people to run in a timed event every Saturday morning and it is free. It makes the best use of the digital era getting results up with in hours rather than days and gives mature runners an age percentage score to allow them to compete with the youngsters. 
Till now my local event was New Farm in the city (about an hour away) and with a 7.00am start, that event requires an early departure. So I was  my excited to read that some local enthusiasts had committed to organising this event on MY running course!
In the preceding weeks I'd found it hard going getting much under 4m30 K's so thought the stimulation of race conditions would be interesting to see just how much I have lost and far I have to go to get back on track and into shape. 
A 2km jog from home to the start line!!
At the start I fell behind a triathlete (shaved legs and wearing nicks), and felt my heart rate soaring up to where it has not been for 6 months. 
I covered the first KM in a way too fast for my level of fitness 3m12. And the young triathlete Josh Jones had not broken clear but I was hanging on by a rapidly thinning thread of elastic.
The course was 3 laps around my lake (Eden) - when I run Roo+Lake which I must have run around at least a 1000 times (8years I've been running that course). It felt mighty uncomfortable with the heart rate pushing the max though we had slowed to mid 3m 20's. About midway I felt my left Achilles starting to hurt. On the last lap Josh came back to me (I think he was playing cat and mouse) I took the lead briefly and then he charged past me and I thought that was that as far as the race was concerned but again I came back to him in the last 400m and again he let me lead out. Knowing the course I took full advantage and decided if he was going to beat me he'd have to work for it as I went for home. I managed to hold him off and ran through the funnel for Victory and of course a course record! I'm not sure if the running community will count these as 'races' but I will ;-)
17m18 was far faster than I was expecting - I couldn't see how I was going to break 20m during the preceding training runs. Only about 38secs slower than my New Farm parkrun where I was just winding down (with the heel injury). So even though I am 6kg heavier than I was at the start of the year (now 71kg) I was pleased that I have not got too far to go to get back.
My Achilles seized up after the run and I have spent the last two weeks on the bike, getting swooped daily even though I have changed my course to stay away from the real ba$tard birds that guard their patch like Sentinels and SHRIEK like Banshees in your ear! You gotta understand this is wild country.


 I am hanging on (just) to Young Josh Jones with 2 laps to go!


Victory is mine!

Here is my last fortnights 'training' click on image for larger readable view.

'I should have been a fu##ing cyclist'

'Doped up Fu*king Cheats!'

VINDICATION

I took another week off as my Achilles still wasn't right. Went for an easy 5k yesterday and did not get a reaction so will attempt a very steady progression. Managed a few laps in the pool after my run, a sure sign that Summer is coming if a pansy like me can get in the pool!
This last week has been huge in the cycling world and I am fascinated about the details and have enjoyed reading story after story. I was a Lance fan up to about 2008, but back then I only watched the sport on TV and had no idea about the pervasiveness of drugs in the culture other than the news when cheats failed tests. My opinion was swayed by Liggett and Sherwin, and they hardly ever discussed the matter. About 2008 I was reading Pete Magills former blog Younger legs for older runners where he implicated a number of drug cheats  including Lance. I commented 'say it ain't so' and Pete confirmed the suspicion surrounding LA. I bought the books Lance to Landis /Rough Ride/Breaking the chain and started to read the stories on Cycling News. It made me wonder just how many Track guys doped , there was always the suspicion about Spanish guys like Cacho and certain Italians and of course Bauman from Germany (who did get caught).
It has been a massive vindication for the likes Bassons who was pilloried by the whole Peleton for NOT taking drugs ! And for Simeoni for speaking out, for Betsy Andreu for telling the truth and for Kimmage and Walsh for leading the crusade in journalism.
The fallout seems to be ongoing and any former Postal rider who says they are 'shocked' by the revelations need to be investigated and banned if implicated for continuing the lie. I'm all for truth and reconciliation and accept those who hold up their hands be dealt with more leniently than those who continue to lie. It was good to see Matty White come clean but sad that he had to be outed first.
Let's hope this time the UCI actually does something about it rather than continue down the current path. Drug testing needs to be taken out of their hands.

51

We got back from Bali during the week and I got back into some running on my regular runs Roo+Lake and Roo. The heel seems more capable of sustaining a run so I am optimistic things are heading in the right direction. Inevitably a few further hurdles are slowing me down. I have put on about 4 or 5kg currently about 69kg, for me 65kg is good racing weight and the  lowest I have been is about 62.5 in 2008 (I was flying). Hope to gradually pick up some mileage over the next few months and with that drop the weight and pick up the fitness though I'm hopeful the cycling will have kept me up to a certain level. I hope that I might be able to get back on the track before the end our season.

The treadmill session smashed my legs and may have contributed to some slight Achilles tendinitis in the right foot.

Also yesterday I swept down the stencilcrete around our pool area with chlorine in my bare feet (our stencilcrete is yellow but algae growth tends to turn it a dirty black - and using a water jet tends to blast off the stencilcrete ) this resulted in burn blisters on my feet, so today is a rest day and tomorrow will get back on the bike in the morning to further give the Achilles and feet a break.

During the week Nat turned 46 and I turned 51.We celebrated last night with friends and I got a 6 pack of Bintang as a gift (thanks Gazza!) to relive the Bali Hai memories.

 Sunset over Kuta beach

 Recent training log - click to expand

Running Indoors

It took me a week to find the Gym in this place but found the time this morning to make use.
I have never before run on a treadmill (that I can remember as maybe at Loughborough for exercise physiology we did?) Also not really ever exercised in a gym (even though I managed one in the mid 1980's in Hammersmith!
So did not know how to operate or Gym eticate, jumped on and pushed quick start, ramped up walking pace to running and got sweating!
Pushed up the pace from about 5min K's to 3:30 at the end of 30mins.
By which time the machine looked as if a bucket of water had been thrown on it!
noticed a couple then enter the gym and place towels on all the handel's etc prior to their walk:-)

I realized that my pain free run a few days ago was the result of the cocktail of drugs I had taken for Bali Flu as on easing back the drugs the slight pain represented itself.
We are back to BrisVegas in the early hours of  Thursday, till then Sayonara as my many companions from last nights clifftop Cultural Dancing thing here would say.

Running in Asia

I had 2 bad days one laid up in bed which I put down to flu Bali Flu Man Flu I don't know what but it was like being hit with a sucker punch . I was out for the count barely able to get out of bed, whole body ache sensitive I city to light and sound and a sore throat. Saw a nurse got some anti biotics and about 4 other types of medicine dosed myself to the eyeballs and next day started to come through.
Did the Elephant Park Monkey Forest Volcano Bali tourist thing on a bus which the kids absolutely loved:-)
Today had another two lengths in the pool (watch out Tommy and Young Timmy for that matter!), had a full body massage (next to my wife) out by the beach and thought such exotic indulgence required some balance and decided to go for a run:-)
Unfortunately the beach path I chose petered out immediately and then I was forced onto soft sandy beach dodging parasailers and tow lines for boats, so got up onto the road and ran through slum alley as I dodged mopeds dogs and unrunable (at pace ) roads. The heat, humidity and my poor condition combined to have me close to wretching! Ran the other way towards Nusa Dua (where Obama stayed last year) and was able to open up a little going from 5:30 K's on the beach to 4:30's on the better paths. All up 7.77km for 4:54 ave and the heel did not hurt one bit:-) Celebrating now with my first Bintang in 3 days!!!! :-) 

Bintang

Miserable not being able to exercise! I took my cycling gear cos I heard bikes were available to hire but both the roads and bikes are not worth it.
I tried to swim in the pool but two lengths put my heart rate up to 180bpm  and the lifeguard was on standby. Lily looked at me in my trunks and said I really need to exercise daily!
Nat and the kids are having a fabulous time which is really what it is all about, I may yet put in a token effort run as I enjoy getting exotic map locations on Garmin Connect, plus the chance to sweat out some beer would be mighty fine :-)

The Secret Race

I have only been out on the bike this week including an epic (for me) climb up Mount Mee last Sunday which was 2 hours, 50km and 800m climb.
Leaving for Bali in a few hours on a family holiday.

Here are the details from the Mount Mee ride.I love the Mountain profile and corresponding heart rate and speed graphs.Click on the image to make it readable.

Public Service

Out early for a run but was limping by my return and through the day :-(
Back to the drawing board for a cure!



Interestingly whilst I have been out on the bike I have managed to get my average heart beat up on a par with mine on a steady run.
If I did twice the distance on the bike, I might be able to stop the weight gain.

No Country for Old Men

5th Wed. 12.44pm Cycle 27.95km  3 X Cadel 58:08 140bpm - 
Got Swooped on two of the three laps, same ba$tard Bird, I need a gun!
4th Sep Tue.5.52pm Ran 10.60km Roo+Lake 48:28 (4.34K's) 140bpm
3rd Sep Mon. Rest
2nd Sep Sun. 4.03pm Ran 5.74km Roo 24:22 (4.15 K's) 153bpm
1st Sep Sat. 12.39pm Ran 10.57km Roo+Lake 48:11 4.34 K's 148bpm
31st Aug Fri.
30th Aug Thur. 5.04am Cycle 28.16km 3X Cadel 1:00:01 28.2kph 127bpm
29th Aug Wed. 5.06am Ran 10.28km Cadel 49:24 (4.48 K's) 142bpm
28th Aug Tue.4.57am 28.18km Cycle 3 X Cadel 59:42 127bpm
27th Aug Mon. Rest
26th Aug Sun. 4.04pm Ran 5.70km Roo 23:37 (4.09 K's) 155bpm - 
Saw an obese gentleman out walking on the path ('Obese' used to be such an extreme way of describing someone but I'll use it now it is such common parlance).

He'd stopped and appeared to be looking up into the trees (the bush), as I run past I said 'Koala?', a woman's voice calls out from the bush 'You what love?' - needless to say I didn't look to where the voice emanated as I fear I'd have been floored by the sight of an obese 'lady' taking a pi$$ au naturel!

I saw a marvellous film on SBS on Saturday, 'No Country for Old Men', if you get the chance watch it.

Swooping Season

Spring in Oz is a time when every runner and every cyclist must be vigilant!
It is swooping season!

I can't ever recall being swooped in the UK so I wonder is it just an Australian phenomenon a learned behavior past on from Mother to chick in the nest?
Every spring we fear for our ears and scalp as they come under attack like something from Hitchcock's The Bird's!
Attacked by hormonal birds mainly Magpies but also Miner birds and Pluver's.
They protect their nesting territories and have a particular desire to inflict GBH!
I have been swooped  on three occasions already whilst out on the bike.
As a deterrent I have put a red flashing light on the back of my helmet, it stopped the bastards attacking from the rear but did not deter side on attacks!
Many people try coating their helmets with 'ties', like a crown of thorns.
Today I tried the tactic or drawing eyes on the back of my running cap as I labored around 10k, oh my calves are just not used to running again yet and they scream in pain so much so that I don't even think about the heel.
Anyhow the eyes on the back may have worked as I was not troubled today.
Friday was a rest day Thursday Wednesday were cycle days and Tuesday I crawled around 10k Cadel.
I have got a long way to go and I'm not even sure if I'm out of the woods yet with the heel.