omg ! that's 3 words, my most often used atm - and that's another 3, making ... ... 18 ... hmm (19)
I was going to write about pain, which I've experienced in detail lately. I might yet.
I've been busy house-sitting and moving house, to the detriment of my recreational activities. no running, no swimming, no physical activity whatsoever :/
let me explain the virtue of omg ! it fits into the 'bow wow' part of language - it sounds like what it portrays. the vocalised exhalation of stress. I've been saying it when moving stuff. say it and life is easier.
I've been living with dogs ! curs ! a cursive curse ? dog everything everywhere . Grr
these dogs have taken me, inversely, to the beach, 3-4 times in the past week. we have an old girl, Tiki, happy to have me distract Zen, a 2 year old zappy happy speedster, a largely unsocialised girl. They are both asleep on my rug on the floor. not that I am too prudish about dog hair, just a bit. my prudish levels are next to zero, for dogs. woof ! (bow wow!)
looking for word count, it isn't on this program. my guess is 357.
357 ???? how close is that to 356 !!!!! creeeeepy :/
I had a me-ish day today. I went to the dentist, shopping, lunch, bought a blender, a coat-hanger, now I'm writing to you.
omg - reaching for the remote. looking forward to a crows game - 'it's not there !' only some Victorian stuff. it could be much worse..
I might become alliterative soon, spoonerific even. tomorrow. maybe
Friday 15 August 2014
Tuesday 24 June 2014
Ole! Ole! Ole Ole Ole !
I'm watching the world cup. Soccer.
I'm actually in bed organising a trip to Thailand, waiting for an email.
I don't like watching soccer much. Australian Rules Football is a much better game - more goals, more skills, more spectacular.
What's to say about the world cup ?
It's a commercial proposition, as it stands, a rip-off. Coca Cola owns the world cup is the main economic beneficiary. One of the reasons your coke is so cheap is that it's more expensive at the world cup. Coke's operation in India is another reason your coke is so cheap.
I have no idea about the money that changes hands over the world cup, the cost to media, merchandise... I'm guessing trillions.
I don't really want to go into the social cost but I guess it's worth more than the economic cost.
Soccer is the ultimate in 'intermittent reinforcement', meaning mostly it's boring, sometimes excruciating, and once in a while it's brilliant.
I played soccer from the age of 8 to around 45. mostly 2 practices a week and a game on the weekend.
at one stage, over a few years, I was playing up to 6 times a week - in one outdoor team and 3 indoor competitions. our indoor team stayed together for a decade or more. we had a playing area and goal set up in the 100 acre backyard of the Montacute Chapman's, now of Chappies track fame. our goal had terraces behind it, and a dog - Jamus, to retrieve the ball, often out of blackberries. we were an academic bunch, the team were variously known as 'aliens' 'nads' (Gonads!) and 'illuminati'. one of our numbers was .08, the legal drinking limit, pi was another.
Interesting how skills develop. I started playing when I moved into a tenement building in the Hilltown of Dundee, Scotland. Technically the place was not a slum, but it was pretty close to it. heaps of condemned buildings and bomb shelters with people living in them. local groups picked kids up off the streets, me included, and took them for meals, dropping them off later. we had a game of jumping across the tops of bomb shelters, not so much scarey as frightening, as my father would say. free rides on coal trucks, hanging on the back, legs up, bum inches above cobblestone roads... whee ! I got into a game kicking tin cans around the entrance to our building. a bit noisy according to the neighbours. later I joined a game with a ball. In those days violence was endemic, so when I broached the subject with my mother, of 3 kids attacking me with sticks, the recommendation, delivered physically, was to go back and return the same. yeah right ! (I didn't.)
Coming to Oz, I was a shoe-in to the school team and local kid games. the kids in my street were Greek. I didn't have a clue what they were saying, e.g. vrai, and bhutsa mallaca, but I caught on quickly enough. Apart from Scottish people, not many others understood me either. I was speaking a language called Lallans. I had to enunciate slowly and clearly.
Position wise, I started at left back, moved to centre-half, sweeper, then to left wing.
The centre-half was usually the biggest toughest meanest kid on the team. I wasn't that mean but pre-emptive, and fast. the opposition usually bailed out of tackles. I used professional fouls, tripping up kids who got past me.
Sweeping is a heap of fun. the idea is that someone goes in for a tackle and as the opposition kicks the ball past the initial tackler, the sweeper comes in to kick the ball away. Soccer has a rule - 'if in doubt, kick it out', thus stopping the attack and giving the rest of the team time to catch up. In those days slide-tackling was permissible and I'd often have to sprint 20 metres to take the ball from a winger with a big slide, fun on a slippery pitch. only once did I injure a guy. he was huge and a monster kick. I slid in at speed, he kicked the ball slightly before my foot got to it and I blocked the ball on his foot. he came off with an ankle injury. I had blocked the ball with the underside of my foot, illegal in soccer. oops !
As a winger I really enjoyed scoring goals against clubs I had played against as a kid. The trick here was, during opposite corners, to leave your opponent standing in the 6 yard box. You would sneak away to 5 metres, then come running in, past your opponent. with that momentum your opponent couldn't catch up, leaving you with free space to take a shot.
My skills picked up playing indoor soccer. a much smaller playing area, and more scoring opportunities. I was a playmaker, very accurate with passes, and was happy to play back. Once, right before the end of a game, an opposition player ran past me from behind and kicked my knee. The game ended and he was gone. I had scored 5 goals in a previous game against this team. So the next time we played he was playing on the other wing. I decided not to bail him up re kicking me. But, going for the same ball, he crossed over and was travelling at speed to take me out. we were right next to a wall. I stopped a micro-second before him and 'helped' him into the wall. He crumpled, nobody said boo - we knew he got what was coming to him. He left me alone after that.
I was slightly dangerous in those days, mainly from rampant speed, racing into corners, being last to hit the brakes. I didn't intentionally foul people but was sent off 3 games in a row, maybe the umpire was trying to tell me something...
I gave up soccer when I started hobbling for a couple of days after the game. I didn't like the connotations of being an old man - time to look after my body. Plus my skills were such that I was being taken out. someone injured my knee and hip with a kung fu kick to the leg, which took a year before I could run again. my hip seized up in a wrong position, a chiro freed it and physios kept putting it back in place. I had an arthroscopy after I decided to start running again.
the last time I played, my opponent, a wrestler, put me into an arm lock and slammed it into the ground. there was a massive crack - my elbow I think, but nothing broken, just pain and a few days to recover. we were playing against Scotland !
I had a ball playing soccer. I won my share of trophies - cups, best and fairest and endeavour medals, I played 1st division amateurs, and against the national indoor soccer team. I was head hunted and played under a false name for a while. I coached for a few years. When I went back to Scotland, after 5 years of swimming, my extra lung capacity had me running rings around opponents in our school staff indoor games.
There's more I could write but that's enough for 1 post. I'm still waiting for an email...
Take-away ? Soccer is probably politically incorrect, a form of de-natured violence, a substitute for killing the opposition.
cheers dears !
I'm actually in bed organising a trip to Thailand, waiting for an email.
I don't like watching soccer much. Australian Rules Football is a much better game - more goals, more skills, more spectacular.
What's to say about the world cup ?
It's a commercial proposition, as it stands, a rip-off. Coca Cola owns the world cup is the main economic beneficiary. One of the reasons your coke is so cheap is that it's more expensive at the world cup. Coke's operation in India is another reason your coke is so cheap.
I have no idea about the money that changes hands over the world cup, the cost to media, merchandise... I'm guessing trillions.
I don't really want to go into the social cost but I guess it's worth more than the economic cost.
Soccer is the ultimate in 'intermittent reinforcement', meaning mostly it's boring, sometimes excruciating, and once in a while it's brilliant.
I played soccer from the age of 8 to around 45. mostly 2 practices a week and a game on the weekend.
at one stage, over a few years, I was playing up to 6 times a week - in one outdoor team and 3 indoor competitions. our indoor team stayed together for a decade or more. we had a playing area and goal set up in the 100 acre backyard of the Montacute Chapman's, now of Chappies track fame. our goal had terraces behind it, and a dog - Jamus, to retrieve the ball, often out of blackberries. we were an academic bunch, the team were variously known as 'aliens' 'nads' (Gonads!) and 'illuminati'. one of our numbers was .08, the legal drinking limit, pi was another.
Interesting how skills develop. I started playing when I moved into a tenement building in the Hilltown of Dundee, Scotland. Technically the place was not a slum, but it was pretty close to it. heaps of condemned buildings and bomb shelters with people living in them. local groups picked kids up off the streets, me included, and took them for meals, dropping them off later. we had a game of jumping across the tops of bomb shelters, not so much scarey as frightening, as my father would say. free rides on coal trucks, hanging on the back, legs up, bum inches above cobblestone roads... whee ! I got into a game kicking tin cans around the entrance to our building. a bit noisy according to the neighbours. later I joined a game with a ball. In those days violence was endemic, so when I broached the subject with my mother, of 3 kids attacking me with sticks, the recommendation, delivered physically, was to go back and return the same. yeah right ! (I didn't.)
Coming to Oz, I was a shoe-in to the school team and local kid games. the kids in my street were Greek. I didn't have a clue what they were saying, e.g. vrai, and bhutsa mallaca, but I caught on quickly enough. Apart from Scottish people, not many others understood me either. I was speaking a language called Lallans. I had to enunciate slowly and clearly.
Position wise, I started at left back, moved to centre-half, sweeper, then to left wing.
The centre-half was usually the biggest toughest meanest kid on the team. I wasn't that mean but pre-emptive, and fast. the opposition usually bailed out of tackles. I used professional fouls, tripping up kids who got past me.
Sweeping is a heap of fun. the idea is that someone goes in for a tackle and as the opposition kicks the ball past the initial tackler, the sweeper comes in to kick the ball away. Soccer has a rule - 'if in doubt, kick it out', thus stopping the attack and giving the rest of the team time to catch up. In those days slide-tackling was permissible and I'd often have to sprint 20 metres to take the ball from a winger with a big slide, fun on a slippery pitch. only once did I injure a guy. he was huge and a monster kick. I slid in at speed, he kicked the ball slightly before my foot got to it and I blocked the ball on his foot. he came off with an ankle injury. I had blocked the ball with the underside of my foot, illegal in soccer. oops !
As a winger I really enjoyed scoring goals against clubs I had played against as a kid. The trick here was, during opposite corners, to leave your opponent standing in the 6 yard box. You would sneak away to 5 metres, then come running in, past your opponent. with that momentum your opponent couldn't catch up, leaving you with free space to take a shot.
My skills picked up playing indoor soccer. a much smaller playing area, and more scoring opportunities. I was a playmaker, very accurate with passes, and was happy to play back. Once, right before the end of a game, an opposition player ran past me from behind and kicked my knee. The game ended and he was gone. I had scored 5 goals in a previous game against this team. So the next time we played he was playing on the other wing. I decided not to bail him up re kicking me. But, going for the same ball, he crossed over and was travelling at speed to take me out. we were right next to a wall. I stopped a micro-second before him and 'helped' him into the wall. He crumpled, nobody said boo - we knew he got what was coming to him. He left me alone after that.
I was slightly dangerous in those days, mainly from rampant speed, racing into corners, being last to hit the brakes. I didn't intentionally foul people but was sent off 3 games in a row, maybe the umpire was trying to tell me something...
I gave up soccer when I started hobbling for a couple of days after the game. I didn't like the connotations of being an old man - time to look after my body. Plus my skills were such that I was being taken out. someone injured my knee and hip with a kung fu kick to the leg, which took a year before I could run again. my hip seized up in a wrong position, a chiro freed it and physios kept putting it back in place. I had an arthroscopy after I decided to start running again.
the last time I played, my opponent, a wrestler, put me into an arm lock and slammed it into the ground. there was a massive crack - my elbow I think, but nothing broken, just pain and a few days to recover. we were playing against Scotland !
I had a ball playing soccer. I won my share of trophies - cups, best and fairest and endeavour medals, I played 1st division amateurs, and against the national indoor soccer team. I was head hunted and played under a false name for a while. I coached for a few years. When I went back to Scotland, after 5 years of swimming, my extra lung capacity had me running rings around opponents in our school staff indoor games.
There's more I could write but that's enough for 1 post. I'm still waiting for an email...
Take-away ? Soccer is probably politically incorrect, a form of de-natured violence, a substitute for killing the opposition.
cheers dears !
Monday 23 June 2014
'it's not the time in your life, it's the life in your time...'
hi guys,
I have a bit more time than usual atm, ergo this post, last updated 24/12/11.
I try to squeeze as much as I can into my life. I doubt I will have another opportunity.
I've been so sick of facebook being slow, at least here I can write at a comfortable speed, rather than have to put up with a frozen screen. aka 'negative reinforcemen't, I'm doing something to remove a negative.
These days I've picked up a few extra recreational activities - kayak fishing mainly.
There's a squid in that box, the largest I've caught yet. These little animals squirt die when they break the surface. I've been sprayed a few times but no direct hits yet !
I'm into my third year of kayaking. it fits in well with the Adelaide aquatic lifestyle - beaches, swimming, fishing, crabbing, snorkelling, sight-seeing ... yabbying - Yum !
We would like to turn our Dreams to Reality right ?
My kayak dream is to put a fish finder on it in order to start exploring reefs. there's a further idea to obtain a scuba diving licence - my yak is known as a 'stable dive platform', for scuba diving. the bee's knees is to put an air compressor on it and dive to 12 metres. there is a compressor that floats and has 3 hours air in it, which I'll find out about at an up and coming boating exhibition.
To bring you up to speed on my 'log of fitness activities', I try to do something every day - run one day, swim the next, with a recovery day before a swimming competition I'm doing. The competition is the Vorgee Aerobic Swimming Award, it's a national competition of 62 timed swims and an optional 1500 metre butterfly swim. I came 8th in Oz one year, in my age-group. I have completed all swims 5 times, and took last year off. Last week I swam 400 'fly, taking 1.30 off my previous time. This week I'm attempting an 800 'fly. It will be arduous but do-able. Part of the reason I'm doing it is to eventually, in November, set state records in 400 and 800 'fly.
Running is an interesting thing. I'm not quite sure which events I'm aiming for, masters games comes to mind. I managed 94 metres in 13 seconds, reaching 32 kph. I had to give up to work on selling my house. Now that it's sold I've been able to start again.
Otherwise I'm in 4 bands, 3 on bass and on sousa in a marching band. that keeps me busy several times a week, and I get to learn and play some amazing music.
That might do for today. Take-away message ? Dream big and work on it.
Cheers dears !
I have a bit more time than usual atm, ergo this post, last updated 24/12/11.
I try to squeeze as much as I can into my life. I doubt I will have another opportunity.
I've been so sick of facebook being slow, at least here I can write at a comfortable speed, rather than have to put up with a frozen screen. aka 'negative reinforcemen't, I'm doing something to remove a negative.
These days I've picked up a few extra recreational activities - kayak fishing mainly.
There's a squid in that box, the largest I've caught yet. These little animals squirt die when they break the surface. I've been sprayed a few times but no direct hits yet !
I'm into my third year of kayaking. it fits in well with the Adelaide aquatic lifestyle - beaches, swimming, fishing, crabbing, snorkelling, sight-seeing ... yabbying - Yum !
We would like to turn our Dreams to Reality right ?
My kayak dream is to put a fish finder on it in order to start exploring reefs. there's a further idea to obtain a scuba diving licence - my yak is known as a 'stable dive platform', for scuba diving. the bee's knees is to put an air compressor on it and dive to 12 metres. there is a compressor that floats and has 3 hours air in it, which I'll find out about at an up and coming boating exhibition.
To bring you up to speed on my 'log of fitness activities', I try to do something every day - run one day, swim the next, with a recovery day before a swimming competition I'm doing. The competition is the Vorgee Aerobic Swimming Award, it's a national competition of 62 timed swims and an optional 1500 metre butterfly swim. I came 8th in Oz one year, in my age-group. I have completed all swims 5 times, and took last year off. Last week I swam 400 'fly, taking 1.30 off my previous time. This week I'm attempting an 800 'fly. It will be arduous but do-able. Part of the reason I'm doing it is to eventually, in November, set state records in 400 and 800 'fly.
Running is an interesting thing. I'm not quite sure which events I'm aiming for, masters games comes to mind. I managed 94 metres in 13 seconds, reaching 32 kph. I had to give up to work on selling my house. Now that it's sold I've been able to start again.
Otherwise I'm in 4 bands, 3 on bass and on sousa in a marching band. that keeps me busy several times a week, and I get to learn and play some amazing music.
That might do for today. Take-away message ? Dream big and work on it.
Cheers dears !
Sunday 25 December 2011
Bill's Amazing Little Adventures: my friend John. r.i.p.
Bill's Amazing Little Adventures: my friend John. r.i.p.: It is with regret that I deal with the passing of my friend John McGuiness. He died on christmas eve 2011, a few days after his 60th birthd...
my friend John. r.i.p.
It is with regret that I deal with the passing of my friend John McGuiness.
He died on christmas eve 2011, a few days after his 60th birthday.
He will be long remembered by me as my closest of friends.
I met John around 1974, a sociable, bright spirited, interested fellow.
We met via the local university social groups, at parties mainly.
John worked as a social worker, a job that was unrelenting in it's cost on his health. His job requirements included removing children from abusive homes. He had to write 30 page court reports. His mental health collapsed and he left work with an invalid pension at 48.
John and I were closest from 1984 to 1994. During that time I lived in the country and stayed overnight at his house when I came to town.
We would discuss current events, and play chess. John had a strong interest in visual and performing arts. I thought he had a great skill as a film and theatre critic. I remember he invited myself and my two boys to a children's movie - 'fantasia'.
In 1997 I moved to near John's area and we started to go to films and plays together. We had long phone conversations.
For the past year it has been increasingly apparent that John was not going to recover from his disease. We spoke about alternatives and motivation, but he wasn't convinced. John died of his own accord.
His wife Gail helped him to remain comfortable until he passed away. It is to Gail that my sympathies go.
I'm going to remember John as a thoughtful and friendly guy. He and Gail loved each other so much that they made the marraige vow. He was honest and loyal.
He bailed out, happy to die at 60, from alcohol related symptoms.
John told me 20 + years ago that I was mad to have dreams and goals - I was setting myself up for failure.
I spoke to a counsellor last week. her hat was on protecting me. her comments were, 'some people focus so much on their problems that they can't see the good things in their life'. 'the best thing you can do is provide support'.
I'm talking to you now. don't focus on problems, and thanks for your contribution to my life !
christmas night tonight ! bbq next door, according to my nose. skippy on my hotplate.
Rest in Peace John !
He died on christmas eve 2011, a few days after his 60th birthday.
He will be long remembered by me as my closest of friends.
I met John around 1974, a sociable, bright spirited, interested fellow.
We met via the local university social groups, at parties mainly.
John worked as a social worker, a job that was unrelenting in it's cost on his health. His job requirements included removing children from abusive homes. He had to write 30 page court reports. His mental health collapsed and he left work with an invalid pension at 48.
John and I were closest from 1984 to 1994. During that time I lived in the country and stayed overnight at his house when I came to town.
We would discuss current events, and play chess. John had a strong interest in visual and performing arts. I thought he had a great skill as a film and theatre critic. I remember he invited myself and my two boys to a children's movie - 'fantasia'.
In 1997 I moved to near John's area and we started to go to films and plays together. We had long phone conversations.
For the past year it has been increasingly apparent that John was not going to recover from his disease. We spoke about alternatives and motivation, but he wasn't convinced. John died of his own accord.
His wife Gail helped him to remain comfortable until he passed away. It is to Gail that my sympathies go.
I'm going to remember John as a thoughtful and friendly guy. He and Gail loved each other so much that they made the marraige vow. He was honest and loyal.
He bailed out, happy to die at 60, from alcohol related symptoms.
John told me 20 + years ago that I was mad to have dreams and goals - I was setting myself up for failure.
I spoke to a counsellor last week. her hat was on protecting me. her comments were, 'some people focus so much on their problems that they can't see the good things in their life'. 'the best thing you can do is provide support'.
I'm talking to you now. don't focus on problems, and thanks for your contribution to my life !
christmas night tonight ! bbq next door, according to my nose. skippy on my hotplate.
Rest in Peace John !
Tuesday 18 October 2011
speed writing 4 - adventures in music.
Hi guys,
how are you all ? busy with your amazing little adventures ? I am.
my lip is recovering !! ergo I have time to write.
funny how most of this blog was written when my legs were recovering.
I am on a crash course for playing sousaphone. 'wood-shedding'.
It's been a good year for me - quit work - retired, ran hundreds of kilometres inc a marathon, joined another 3 bands, started teaching music in a Korean Community - 12 - 15 children and 10 adults.
I have 3 practises today - small jazz ensemble - I'm playing sousa, bass, and piano. I've had to pick the piano skills up for teaching - fits in well whilst resting the lip.
I was intending to study this year but wasn't sure what. now I know - sousa.
What's to say ? it's a brass instrument. therefore music is made from within the body - our temple ! I look forward to it.
I can practise 3 x 45 mins a day. the lip prevents much more than that - it becomes tired.
I have my first ucb marching band practise this afternoon. there's a slight adrenalin buzz involved. we start playing at pageants in 3 weeks. something like 10 charts, maybe 10 opportunities to play them. I'm told it's a good way to learn.
A slight digression - maybe to the largest tv audience I've played to - around 2 million.
In the early days of unley concert band we scored a marching gig for a dutch reality tv show. about 12 of us marched in single file on to the unley oval. we had to snake around various mud patches and ended up in an arc formation in front of the stadium and tv cameras. a helicopter landed on the oval and out jumped three tv celebs. they had to take turns to sing 'waltzing matilda', to our backing. I was playing bass drum. the highlight for me was marching around the mud patches - like something out of a beatles movie - the trombone leading the way, bass drum next, and an assortment of brass and wind behind.
it was a fun gig!
here's a segue to the sousa - in the beatle's 'yellow submarine' movie, animated sousa's fly accross the landscape with a menacing demeanor. they are huge instruments but light, mine is made from metal and plastic. it has a great tone - warm and deep. can be very loud and brash.
I'm just speculating where playing brass might take me - I also have a tuba and an invitation or 2 to play in bands. playing sousa opens the door for other brass instruments - eupho - trombone - french horn ... where do I want to go? rio !
I have some great gigs coming up, notably turning on the xmas treelights in the city square, and at arguably the number 3 hall in adelaide - norwood concert hall.
I played 8 gigs in 6 days last week, most to sights unseen.
amazing !
I need to clean up a bit before some visitors arrive !
cheers dears !
have a great christmas :)
go Santa !
how are you all ? busy with your amazing little adventures ? I am.
my lip is recovering !! ergo I have time to write.
funny how most of this blog was written when my legs were recovering.
I am on a crash course for playing sousaphone. 'wood-shedding'.
It's been a good year for me - quit work - retired, ran hundreds of kilometres inc a marathon, joined another 3 bands, started teaching music in a Korean Community - 12 - 15 children and 10 adults.
I have 3 practises today - small jazz ensemble - I'm playing sousa, bass, and piano. I've had to pick the piano skills up for teaching - fits in well whilst resting the lip.
I was intending to study this year but wasn't sure what. now I know - sousa.
What's to say ? it's a brass instrument. therefore music is made from within the body - our temple ! I look forward to it.
I can practise 3 x 45 mins a day. the lip prevents much more than that - it becomes tired.
I have my first ucb marching band practise this afternoon. there's a slight adrenalin buzz involved. we start playing at pageants in 3 weeks. something like 10 charts, maybe 10 opportunities to play them. I'm told it's a good way to learn.
A slight digression - maybe to the largest tv audience I've played to - around 2 million.
In the early days of unley concert band we scored a marching gig for a dutch reality tv show. about 12 of us marched in single file on to the unley oval. we had to snake around various mud patches and ended up in an arc formation in front of the stadium and tv cameras. a helicopter landed on the oval and out jumped three tv celebs. they had to take turns to sing 'waltzing matilda', to our backing. I was playing bass drum. the highlight for me was marching around the mud patches - like something out of a beatles movie - the trombone leading the way, bass drum next, and an assortment of brass and wind behind.
it was a fun gig!
here's a segue to the sousa - in the beatle's 'yellow submarine' movie, animated sousa's fly accross the landscape with a menacing demeanor. they are huge instruments but light, mine is made from metal and plastic. it has a great tone - warm and deep. can be very loud and brash.
I'm just speculating where playing brass might take me - I also have a tuba and an invitation or 2 to play in bands. playing sousa opens the door for other brass instruments - eupho - trombone - french horn ... where do I want to go? rio !
I have some great gigs coming up, notably turning on the xmas treelights in the city square, and at arguably the number 3 hall in adelaide - norwood concert hall.
I played 8 gigs in 6 days last week, most to sights unseen.
amazing !
I need to clean up a bit before some visitors arrive !
cheers dears !
have a great christmas :)
go Santa !
Monday 29 August 2011
my first marathon - with reflections
Hi guys !
Woo hoo ! I ran my first marathon ! 42 kilometres in ... pleasure and pain !
I ran in the Adelaide Marathon - what a great name for a marathon !
I love Adelaide like you wouldn't believe. Having lived here since I was nine, I have a lot of history here.
Adelaide has one of the highest standards of living in the world, principally because of it's climate, which allows for the growth of massive amounts of food, and probably also because it's a stable and well settled society, very safe, no wars, and has huge mineral wealth.
Given this blog is about adventures, running a marathon certainly qualifies. I managed to meet all two requirements - distance within time. I achieved my whimsical dreamy goal, with help.
So, alarm set for 5.00 , 5.15 and 5.30 a.m, I didn't get to sleep until 2.00. fortunately this was my fourth race and I wasn't as excited as in the past. I knew what to expect and had been catching up on sleep in the week before.
ditto running gear was well set out, I was totally primed with hydration, carbs, and dietary suppliments.
I parked my motor bike at adelaide uni free bike park and jogged to the marshalling spot at adelaide oval. 15 mins of hello's, turn on the garmin gps monitor, leave clothes in backpack in truck, take a quick photo, and get into the mob of participants. 200 and some individuals jammed into a tight space, we moved off at 6.45. I remembered to set the garmin.
we progressed like a snake winding around traffic cones, following directions from marshalls, to war memorial drive, which runs alongside the river torrens lake, where I go kayaking. we ran past the north adelaide golf courses (3 of them), where I play golf. I chatted to a few people for a while, totally enjoying the day. the weather was almost perfect - maybe a tad sunny. mainly the sun was behind us, so not a burning proposition. I had forgotten to put on sunscreen.
we ran past my swimming club's pool.
at around the 5 k mark I can feel some chafing on my crotch. thinking that I'll stop at the next loo, I decide to make adjustments then. at 8 ks I'm feeling the need to pee ! so we continue on, the legs feel good, the only niggle is the need to pee ! my abdomen is getting bigger and it seems to slow me down.
10 k mark and one hour has passed, I'm going well, if not a bit fast.
We are running down a road and I'm sure I can see the sea a few kilometres in front of us. I say so to the woman that I've been running with, Erika, and she assures me I'm wrong ! the sea turns out to be a murel on a building !
On we go and I run past my swimming buddy Steve, and his wife. I tell him I'm looking for a loo and he suggests I go into some bushes.
Finally at the 15 k mark, we get to a loo ! phew !!! I 'went' for 2 minutes. what a relief! pissing is definitely the 2nd best feeling in my world ! the best on this occassion!
On we go, stopping at a drink station. I have a camel back-pack so don't need to drink, but up-end a cup of water on top of my head and let it trickle down over me. we are near the west lakes lake, another fine spot for everything ! inc. fishing, swimming and kayaking, nearly always a bit windy for parts of the day.
So we are running past these nice houses with private little jetties when my left hams start playing up and begin to affect my running rhythm, I'm having trouble pushing off my left leg. this is new to me. by the 20 k mark my left foot has had enough and becomes sore ! of course I'm a bit worried but press on, thinking the hams and foot might recover. the alternative is to slow down, but hey! I'm experimenting with running through pain.
At the half way mark there is still no sign of recovery so, somewhat perturbed, I decide to walk for a minute or two.
21 ks has taken me 2 hours 15 mins. I'm happy with that. Let's face it, I am a marathon newby, not well prepared, and being careful. I'm calculating how much time I have left to finish the race. so at 8 minutes a kilometre, how much time do I have? this is the question...
Off again, and I come to another loo (phew!). any excuse to stop (recovery) will do. I've already spent 1400 calories and it's time to start force-feeding. I pull out an energy gel and a protein bar from the camel back. I've also taken some creotine and have fat burning and Q10 pills to help me out.
My legs feel a bit better as I shuffle off again. I'm thinking that it is by no means assured that I am going to finish the race, and I will have to 'dig deep' to do so. My feet are sore, but what choice do I have ? I shuffle on, taking the energy gel and a piece of protein bar. I shuffle past a house that I painted the facia boards on 30 years ago. I took a photo of it. the facia boards are 3 floors above the ground and I had to climb up one skinny ladder to paint them - very frightening and dangerous. when I was at the bottom of the ladder the wind started to blow it over. luckily I was able to grab it and stop it from falling. the tradies inside the house thought I was on it and falling !
We move on to the esplanade which runs alongside the beach at Grange. I have a great view to enjoy. people are swimming, the local dragon boats are out. I'm wishing I was in one of those boats !
There is a woman who has just overtaken me and I speed up a bit to keep pace with her. on we go for another few ks. I meet swimming buddy Steve and his wife again, he says he'll go get a beer for me, I take a picture of him and tell him to get the car!
The woman in front of me starts to walk. this is good enough for me so I walk too. she starts, I start. we are moving at a slow jog pace, towards my surf-lifesaving club and the fabulous Henley Beach jetty. there's a group of spectators waving placards cheering us on, cool ! the marshals and other volunteers along the whole track are so encouraging, it really helps a lot!
We continue on. the road camber is making my feet hurt more so I move on to flatter surfaces. concrete is harder to run on than ashfelt (bitumin) so I avoid concrete. grass is too soft and uneven so I stick to the ashfelt. occassionally we run on spongy racetrack material which feels a bit soft.
We meet the river torrens at the 28 k mark. I'm moving okay, jogged 7 k's and walked for less than 5 minutes of that time. my legs are fine, no pain, just tired. the compression tights I'm wearing are supporting my legs really well. most of me is feeling good, it's just my feet that are sore, the left one more so. I'm walking only to relieve my feet. it takes less than a minute for the feet to recover enough to start jogging again.
By this time I've figured that I will have enough time and endurance to finish the race. I walk under a road bridge, enjoying the first real shade in 28 k's (notwithstanding 2 loo stops). I have been mildly sun and windburnt. more gels, I take one and a half of them, washed down with a few mouthfuls of drink, and another piece of protein bar, wondering how much this might improve my performance.
The river has a bitumin bike track running alongside it, good shadey trees, and I begin to pick up pace. after a while I can feel my calves swelling so slow down. my foot becomes sore so I walk for a while. jogging along, I come accross another loo. I don't actually need to 'go' but go in anyway. more water over the head, pull out more gels, and have a drink.
I move on and settle into a jog pace - faster than a slow jog. I actually catch up to a few others who are jogging or walking. the course is undulating and it makes sense to walk up the rises.
At about the 32 k mark, I run out of endurance drink. 600 millilitres is not quite enough, must bring 1 litre next time! There is a group of 5 of us slowly wending our way along the river. we come to a view of the city about 10 k's away. I can see a building near our destination. I am struck by how far away it looks, but then understand that it's only 2 of my local 5 k loop, which I normally run in an hour.
Jogging along, I lift my head to see a course photographer some 15 metres ahead. I'm glad I'm not walking and have the chance to smile at him and exchange a few words. interesting that in spite of how my body feels, I am very happy to be saying hello to people. I can quite happily bear pain !
Jogging along, a sign collector rides his bike up behind me. we chat as I jog. he tells me that his job is to pick up the sign posts indicating direction and distance. I ask him how much time is left and we work out I should be able to finish on time. I'm not last and there are still some people behind me. I increase my speed up to a fast jog. this guy was helping me to jog faster.
at 6 k's to go we came accross another drink station. more water on the head, one cup of gatorade down the throat, I avoided the temptation to drink more.
A young couple caught up to me, the guy was having difficulties and his girlfriend was encouraging him. she had told him to catch up to me then have a rest (by walking). we spoke about how much time was left and that we would probably make it. she started encouraging me too and we took off at a fast jog.
At 4 k's to go we ran alongside a graveyard, near where I used to play as an eleven year old, so I took a photo. At eleven I was in the cubs and would wrap my scarf around my head in the ninja fashion. we had steel offcuts from a factory that we used as throwing knives, and became quite good at throwing them into trees. we played in the river for hours, eating the fennel which grew there, and ripping our shorts from sliding down concrete, grass and mud banks. what fun!
At 2 k's I took a photo of a weir where we used to go fishing and swimming. I had to save my cousin Tommy, who was out of his depth. of course he tried to climb up me, and I went under, and a bigger kid had to rescue the both of us !
so then we are running along torrens lake at elder park, accross the river from adelaide oval, past my old school rowing shed, and the festival theatre. whilst I've been here hundreds of times, never before as a marathon runner. we walked up the last rise to King William Road and turned to see people cheering us on.
We ran the last 600 metres accross the bridge and into the oval, finally to the finish line with 10 minutes to spare! total time 5 hours 35 minutes !
Slow, but I did it !
cheers dears !
PS. I should continue the story - some speed writing coming up.
Having finished the marathon, picked up the finisher's medal and recovery pack (apples, orange juice, oatbars), had several drinks of water, I moved off, picked up my backpack and sat down, started changing, undoing shoelaces, drinking and such like.
My legs went into free-fall and just totally relaxed. lucky my tights stopped them from swelling right up - those compression tights are brilliant for recovery.
5 minutes later I was ready to move on, however legs were not ! No way do I want to walk to my bike - I catch a taxi home.
Into a salted spa, I discover more pain. chafing has taken skin off my crutch, behind and thighs. a smallish pain which dissipates in a few minutes.
compression gear back on and into bed, legs continue to relax. the left hams are close to cramping, my ankle is sore accross the top and stuck in a tip toe position, whatever that's called.
I'm saying 'ow' about 10 times a minute!
I have 3 facebook messages from friends wishing me well, and reply to them. this marathon running would not occur without the well wishes of others, and I am very grateful for them.
I boost up on elasticity pills, paracetemol, and go to sleep.
2 hours later, the ow's still predominating, I make it to the car. no way can I walk anywhere so I drive to a hungry jack's drive-through.
home again, legs going nowhere fast, an early night.
in the morning, the now cold spa relieves feet and legs. legs are okay, no pain just fatigued. I spent the day typing the first bit of this posting. ankle still sore.
next morning I cancel my swimming appointment and continue working on this, go into town, speaking to a few friends about the marathon. band at night.
this morning I notice that I've lost muscle from my legs ! grr ! oh well ! the marathon was beyond my fitness level but that's life. the legs have recovered pretty well really and I might do a light run in a few days.
I have a 30 minute swim tomorrow where I'll lightly shake them out.
the next running event is the 10 - 11 km City to Bay Fun Run, in about 3 weeks.
In summary, running a marathon was a large goal for me. I achieved that goal by basically following a program of 3 runs a week for about 8 months.
I learned a lot about distance running, especially that preparation and recovery are much more important than I first realised.
I ran in 4 events, a 26 km, a 32 km, a 31 km, and a 42 km. The 26 was good, in the 32 I injured my foot from ill-fitting shoes, the 31 was good, in the 42 I hadn't recovered from the 31 and was under-prepared.
I'm going to continue marathon running, but will choose those that coincide with better preparations.
the Adelaide Marathon was a great marathon to begin with and I'm really happy to have done it.
cheers dears !
Woo hoo ! I ran my first marathon ! 42 kilometres in ... pleasure and pain !
I ran in the Adelaide Marathon - what a great name for a marathon !
I love Adelaide like you wouldn't believe. Having lived here since I was nine, I have a lot of history here.
Adelaide has one of the highest standards of living in the world, principally because of it's climate, which allows for the growth of massive amounts of food, and probably also because it's a stable and well settled society, very safe, no wars, and has huge mineral wealth.
Given this blog is about adventures, running a marathon certainly qualifies. I managed to meet all two requirements - distance within time. I achieved my whimsical dreamy goal, with help.
So, alarm set for 5.00 , 5.15 and 5.30 a.m, I didn't get to sleep until 2.00. fortunately this was my fourth race and I wasn't as excited as in the past. I knew what to expect and had been catching up on sleep in the week before.
ditto running gear was well set out, I was totally primed with hydration, carbs, and dietary suppliments.
I parked my motor bike at adelaide uni free bike park and jogged to the marshalling spot at adelaide oval. 15 mins of hello's, turn on the garmin gps monitor, leave clothes in backpack in truck, take a quick photo, and get into the mob of participants. 200 and some individuals jammed into a tight space, we moved off at 6.45. I remembered to set the garmin.
we progressed like a snake winding around traffic cones, following directions from marshalls, to war memorial drive, which runs alongside the river torrens lake, where I go kayaking. we ran past the north adelaide golf courses (3 of them), where I play golf. I chatted to a few people for a while, totally enjoying the day. the weather was almost perfect - maybe a tad sunny. mainly the sun was behind us, so not a burning proposition. I had forgotten to put on sunscreen.
we ran past my swimming club's pool.
at around the 5 k mark I can feel some chafing on my crotch. thinking that I'll stop at the next loo, I decide to make adjustments then. at 8 ks I'm feeling the need to pee ! so we continue on, the legs feel good, the only niggle is the need to pee ! my abdomen is getting bigger and it seems to slow me down.
10 k mark and one hour has passed, I'm going well, if not a bit fast.
We are running down a road and I'm sure I can see the sea a few kilometres in front of us. I say so to the woman that I've been running with, Erika, and she assures me I'm wrong ! the sea turns out to be a murel on a building !
On we go and I run past my swimming buddy Steve, and his wife. I tell him I'm looking for a loo and he suggests I go into some bushes.
Finally at the 15 k mark, we get to a loo ! phew !!! I 'went' for 2 minutes. what a relief! pissing is definitely the 2nd best feeling in my world ! the best on this occassion!
On we go, stopping at a drink station. I have a camel back-pack so don't need to drink, but up-end a cup of water on top of my head and let it trickle down over me. we are near the west lakes lake, another fine spot for everything ! inc. fishing, swimming and kayaking, nearly always a bit windy for parts of the day.
So we are running past these nice houses with private little jetties when my left hams start playing up and begin to affect my running rhythm, I'm having trouble pushing off my left leg. this is new to me. by the 20 k mark my left foot has had enough and becomes sore ! of course I'm a bit worried but press on, thinking the hams and foot might recover. the alternative is to slow down, but hey! I'm experimenting with running through pain.
At the half way mark there is still no sign of recovery so, somewhat perturbed, I decide to walk for a minute or two.
21 ks has taken me 2 hours 15 mins. I'm happy with that. Let's face it, I am a marathon newby, not well prepared, and being careful. I'm calculating how much time I have left to finish the race. so at 8 minutes a kilometre, how much time do I have? this is the question...
Off again, and I come to another loo (phew!). any excuse to stop (recovery) will do. I've already spent 1400 calories and it's time to start force-feeding. I pull out an energy gel and a protein bar from the camel back. I've also taken some creotine and have fat burning and Q10 pills to help me out.
My legs feel a bit better as I shuffle off again. I'm thinking that it is by no means assured that I am going to finish the race, and I will have to 'dig deep' to do so. My feet are sore, but what choice do I have ? I shuffle on, taking the energy gel and a piece of protein bar. I shuffle past a house that I painted the facia boards on 30 years ago. I took a photo of it. the facia boards are 3 floors above the ground and I had to climb up one skinny ladder to paint them - very frightening and dangerous. when I was at the bottom of the ladder the wind started to blow it over. luckily I was able to grab it and stop it from falling. the tradies inside the house thought I was on it and falling !
We move on to the esplanade which runs alongside the beach at Grange. I have a great view to enjoy. people are swimming, the local dragon boats are out. I'm wishing I was in one of those boats !
There is a woman who has just overtaken me and I speed up a bit to keep pace with her. on we go for another few ks. I meet swimming buddy Steve and his wife again, he says he'll go get a beer for me, I take a picture of him and tell him to get the car!
The woman in front of me starts to walk. this is good enough for me so I walk too. she starts, I start. we are moving at a slow jog pace, towards my surf-lifesaving club and the fabulous Henley Beach jetty. there's a group of spectators waving placards cheering us on, cool ! the marshals and other volunteers along the whole track are so encouraging, it really helps a lot!
We continue on. the road camber is making my feet hurt more so I move on to flatter surfaces. concrete is harder to run on than ashfelt (bitumin) so I avoid concrete. grass is too soft and uneven so I stick to the ashfelt. occassionally we run on spongy racetrack material which feels a bit soft.
We meet the river torrens at the 28 k mark. I'm moving okay, jogged 7 k's and walked for less than 5 minutes of that time. my legs are fine, no pain, just tired. the compression tights I'm wearing are supporting my legs really well. most of me is feeling good, it's just my feet that are sore, the left one more so. I'm walking only to relieve my feet. it takes less than a minute for the feet to recover enough to start jogging again.
By this time I've figured that I will have enough time and endurance to finish the race. I walk under a road bridge, enjoying the first real shade in 28 k's (notwithstanding 2 loo stops). I have been mildly sun and windburnt. more gels, I take one and a half of them, washed down with a few mouthfuls of drink, and another piece of protein bar, wondering how much this might improve my performance.
The river has a bitumin bike track running alongside it, good shadey trees, and I begin to pick up pace. after a while I can feel my calves swelling so slow down. my foot becomes sore so I walk for a while. jogging along, I come accross another loo. I don't actually need to 'go' but go in anyway. more water over the head, pull out more gels, and have a drink.
I move on and settle into a jog pace - faster than a slow jog. I actually catch up to a few others who are jogging or walking. the course is undulating and it makes sense to walk up the rises.
At about the 32 k mark, I run out of endurance drink. 600 millilitres is not quite enough, must bring 1 litre next time! There is a group of 5 of us slowly wending our way along the river. we come to a view of the city about 10 k's away. I can see a building near our destination. I am struck by how far away it looks, but then understand that it's only 2 of my local 5 k loop, which I normally run in an hour.
Jogging along, I lift my head to see a course photographer some 15 metres ahead. I'm glad I'm not walking and have the chance to smile at him and exchange a few words. interesting that in spite of how my body feels, I am very happy to be saying hello to people. I can quite happily bear pain !
Jogging along, a sign collector rides his bike up behind me. we chat as I jog. he tells me that his job is to pick up the sign posts indicating direction and distance. I ask him how much time is left and we work out I should be able to finish on time. I'm not last and there are still some people behind me. I increase my speed up to a fast jog. this guy was helping me to jog faster.
at 6 k's to go we came accross another drink station. more water on the head, one cup of gatorade down the throat, I avoided the temptation to drink more.
A young couple caught up to me, the guy was having difficulties and his girlfriend was encouraging him. she had told him to catch up to me then have a rest (by walking). we spoke about how much time was left and that we would probably make it. she started encouraging me too and we took off at a fast jog.
At 4 k's to go we ran alongside a graveyard, near where I used to play as an eleven year old, so I took a photo. At eleven I was in the cubs and would wrap my scarf around my head in the ninja fashion. we had steel offcuts from a factory that we used as throwing knives, and became quite good at throwing them into trees. we played in the river for hours, eating the fennel which grew there, and ripping our shorts from sliding down concrete, grass and mud banks. what fun!
At 2 k's I took a photo of a weir where we used to go fishing and swimming. I had to save my cousin Tommy, who was out of his depth. of course he tried to climb up me, and I went under, and a bigger kid had to rescue the both of us !
so then we are running along torrens lake at elder park, accross the river from adelaide oval, past my old school rowing shed, and the festival theatre. whilst I've been here hundreds of times, never before as a marathon runner. we walked up the last rise to King William Road and turned to see people cheering us on.
We ran the last 600 metres accross the bridge and into the oval, finally to the finish line with 10 minutes to spare! total time 5 hours 35 minutes !
Slow, but I did it !
cheers dears !
PS. I should continue the story - some speed writing coming up.
Having finished the marathon, picked up the finisher's medal and recovery pack (apples, orange juice, oatbars), had several drinks of water, I moved off, picked up my backpack and sat down, started changing, undoing shoelaces, drinking and such like.
My legs went into free-fall and just totally relaxed. lucky my tights stopped them from swelling right up - those compression tights are brilliant for recovery.
5 minutes later I was ready to move on, however legs were not ! No way do I want to walk to my bike - I catch a taxi home.
Into a salted spa, I discover more pain. chafing has taken skin off my crutch, behind and thighs. a smallish pain which dissipates in a few minutes.
compression gear back on and into bed, legs continue to relax. the left hams are close to cramping, my ankle is sore accross the top and stuck in a tip toe position, whatever that's called.
I'm saying 'ow' about 10 times a minute!
I have 3 facebook messages from friends wishing me well, and reply to them. this marathon running would not occur without the well wishes of others, and I am very grateful for them.
I boost up on elasticity pills, paracetemol, and go to sleep.
2 hours later, the ow's still predominating, I make it to the car. no way can I walk anywhere so I drive to a hungry jack's drive-through.
home again, legs going nowhere fast, an early night.
in the morning, the now cold spa relieves feet and legs. legs are okay, no pain just fatigued. I spent the day typing the first bit of this posting. ankle still sore.
next morning I cancel my swimming appointment and continue working on this, go into town, speaking to a few friends about the marathon. band at night.
this morning I notice that I've lost muscle from my legs ! grr ! oh well ! the marathon was beyond my fitness level but that's life. the legs have recovered pretty well really and I might do a light run in a few days.
I have a 30 minute swim tomorrow where I'll lightly shake them out.
the next running event is the 10 - 11 km City to Bay Fun Run, in about 3 weeks.
In summary, running a marathon was a large goal for me. I achieved that goal by basically following a program of 3 runs a week for about 8 months.
I learned a lot about distance running, especially that preparation and recovery are much more important than I first realised.
I ran in 4 events, a 26 km, a 32 km, a 31 km, and a 42 km. The 26 was good, in the 32 I injured my foot from ill-fitting shoes, the 31 was good, in the 42 I hadn't recovered from the 31 and was under-prepared.
I'm going to continue marathon running, but will choose those that coincide with better preparations.
the Adelaide Marathon was a great marathon to begin with and I'm really happy to have done it.
cheers dears !
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