Results - Forsooth

The results are in. I came 58 of 66 in the Challenge section of the Duathlon. The winner did it in 1:02:06. The last person did it in 1:39.10 and I did it in 1:27:22. Two people in my age group came in after me. I was 9th but there was a 10th and an 11th. For some reason, I don't know why, the male 40 - 44 age group is the largest group in these events.

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The Tempest - Forsooth!

Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout
Till you you have drench'd our steeples, drown'd the cocks!
You sulphurous and thought-executing fires,
Vaunt-couriers to oak-cleaving thunderbolts,
Singe my white head! And thou all-shaking thunder
Smite flat the thick rotundity o' the world!

(Willy Shakespeare, but most likely some other guy with the education who could have written such stuff)

And yea, it did come to pass that Harvey did completeth the City to Bay Fun Run and decide to compete in the following week’s Duathlon in the beautiferous city of Adelaide next to the lake that is named the Torrens.

On the night before said race, he didst go to bed early and listen to the wind howl and the rain pelteth down. In the morning, as the shade of dark lifted and the light of day did encroach, it didst reveal a story of bleakness - rain, tempest and blight.

Upon reflection, and thought most thorough, Harvey didst decide to take part in the day’s Duathlon, as he had already paid for it and was thus too cheap to stay in bed where it was not wet, windy, cold or blighted.

He did get ready for the said Duathlon and his crew, the honourable David, didst help him prepare for the arduous venture ahead.

Initially, upon arrival at the place where the day’s said adventuring was to take place, the weather did appear magnanimous. However, within a short time didst the heavens reveal their true portents and the veritable dams of the sky let loose and plunge down a Noah’s fill of precipitation.

But hark, through yonder cloud break didst the sun burst. Our adventure couldst begin amidst relative calm and happiness.

And so the Duathlon didst begin with Harvey running with the esteemed over 40’th group. His fellow competitors were to the frail likes of Harvey blocks of concrete and towers of steel - Amazonians!

Harvey didst start at the back of the pack and there he didst stay for the whole of the said opus - for the run of 5km, for the cycle of 20.5km whereupon he was graced with a lashing of God’s blessed pelting rain, and the finale of a 3.5km run to the line. Neither did he forge ahead against others but neither did he lag. He just ran his own race. And when it was finished he didst win a Brooks bag in the lucky number prize.

Photos: Harvey before the start but after the inundation. Harvey running off behind the big guys (lots of them). Harvey in transtition -going from the run to get on the bike. Harvey finishing. Pictures of planes that David took while not being engrossed being the support crew.

City to Bay Result

I completed the City to Bay Fun Run in a time of 1:07:51. I came in at 3451 but there are multiples at each time so I'd have no idea of the actual placing. The results list 7425 runners. Mr Stephen Provis came last in a time of 2:56:14. In contrast the winner, Mr Martin Dent ran the 12km in 0:35:05.

Below is a scan of the race results as publised in one of Mr Murdoch's finest journals, The Advertiser and a picture of me about to cross the finishing line from that most august of journal's website. I'm the one circled. As I've stated in a previous entry - I'm less fuzzy in real life.

Wonderful Wisteria

David spotted this most glorious wisteria arbour just a few kms down the road in Parkside. I took a heap of photos. Full bloom - just beautiful. And the scent - belissimo.

City to Bay Fun Run

Today I completed my first ever City to Bay Fun Run. It's a 12km event that starts in the city next to the Festival Centre and finishes at Colley Reserve in Glenelg on the coast. 24,000 people took part - by far the largest race I've ever been a part of.

I almost didn't end up as a starter.

About a month back I entered and received my number, sure that nothing would go wrong. Then David got a flu-like virus. 'Eeek', I thought. But is was three weeks from the race. I stayed well up until about two weeks ago, then I started to feel unwell too. I stopped all exercising. I had already completed four 12.5km runs and tried to think 'well thoughts'. It didn't work. I felt crap but I didn't get the fluey thing as bad as David.

And the night before the race we went out to a special dinner at our favourite restaurant, the Tin Cat Cafe in Kent Town. I didn't have any alcohol but it was a late night with a lot of food - about 20 courses, all canape-sized. Great food. But we didn't get home until midnight and I needed to get up at 6.30am to get to the 7.30am assembly. Of course, the food kept me awake. So, I think I ran it on five and a half hours sleep and with a very mild case of whatever that current virus is that's going around.

Next year I plan not to get sick prior to the event.

I don't know what time I completed the event in - but it should be about an hour and 10 minutes or less. All the times will be published in the local daily paper on Tuesday. I might even be able to download footage of me crossing the line too. I will keep you posted.

The pictures: Me before the start; the race begins; after escaping the finishing line chaos.

Orchards

Our Australian orchards, 'Dendrobiums', are flowering. Little white flowers with dots of pink. They used to be pure white but I think some orchard alien pollen blew in one season and hybridised them. They are now distinctly spotty. They have a delightful perfume at various times of the day. They last a long time and can stand up to rain so they're great value. And they're virtually indestructible. Vote one 'Dendrobium'.

Film Debut

Recently our swimming coach, Kathy, was asked to present a talk on coaching adults and the work she does with our 'Swim4Life' swimming group. As part of the presentation Kathy taped one of our Friday swimming sessions. Apparently the presentation went well and the mostly young listeners were suitably impressed that people as old as their parents, and in some cases their grand parents, could cross the waters with such skill, ease and grace. (Ahem, cough, ahem) The film was edited by Graham, the group's founder. It is 7.50 minutes long - perhaps let it download completely and then use the fast forward control to search out the highlights. I'm wearing a yellow swimming cap - but so is Betty. You'll find me. The butterfly at the end is quite impressive.

Here's the link and below is a picture of what the page on You Tube looks like. That's me doing butterfly - I'm less blurry in real life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkITKA8I7cc

(You will need to copy and paste it into your browser.)

Encore. Voila!

If one stages a show one should always ensure one has an encore ready in case it is needed.

Our kitchen renovation has an encore.

Yes, you thought that the last set of pictures had shown you everything. But no, wait. There's more!

We have one more trick up our sleeve and it's quite a graphic one that can be shown in all its glory bit by bit. See below and be amazed as a simple drawer magically and majestically reveals it's true nature and inate versatility.

Mysterious Illuminated Door

We've always had a sliding door on the kitchen. But we haven't had a mysterious one before. You see, depending on the lighting behind the door, and we have several options, the door appears in turn transparent, foggy, and like the depths of a vast, cold and unwelcoming void. It is an interesting effect. It's much more dramatic than we had hoped for. The door is a bit Star Trek. You feel a bit 'beam me up Scotty' when you pass through it. It may take a bit of getting used to.

The kitchen is pretty much finished. The walls and ceiling needs to be repainted. We need to seal the concrete floor again and the window frame needs to be repainted too. But apart from that it's pretty much done.

Now all we have to do is pack everything we took out of the kitchen for the renovation back in. That will be an interesting experience. Will we have more storage space? Or did we create a flash kitchen that is completely useless. The next week will reveal all.