What a relief!!
The last gasp of Perth’s summer (even though its Autumn) today with 37C. Today was the State 40km Individual Time Trial Championship and there was a veritable truckload of very fast cyclists out there. I was very happy to not only get over the magic 36kph but to up the ante a little for 37.2kph average over the 40km distance. My last of 4 laps was a good 20secs quicker than the first 3 so was very happy with what amounted to a hard-earned negative split.
Congrats to Matt Illingworth on breaking the event and course record with a blistering 46.5kph average. There was an unbelieveable number of riders out there today with averages over 40kph including a large percentage of them in the ‘veterans’ category. This gives me no excuse and, interestingly, a great deal of heart that there is room for improvement and that I am improving.
I haven’t heard how the Australian OD Championship triathlon at Perth went today but Annabel Luxford and Erin Densham there among the females with Kate Bevilaqua using this as a training hitout before her assault on IMOZ at Pt Macquarie.
A lot of the Front Runners squad did a ‘reccy’ of the half marathon course yesterday for in preparation for next Sunday’s Darlington Half Marathon over the 21.1km distance. Yesterday, I had a good hitout with the Bikeforce Southern River crew for the usual 60km ride. Not sure what time we finished in but we had some Veterans riders along with us along Mt Pleasant Esplanade and Shelley foreshore run.
They peeled off left over Riverton Bridge. The BFSR riders finished off at Dome at Canning Vale and we made plans to form our Cyclosportif team for the first event at Margaret River on 5 April. This is a 99km distance and there is a social ride on the Sunday between Augusta and Margaret River. Should be an interesting start to the season.
On the sporting scene (and this will be understandably brief) the Blues went down to the Dockers (makes me sad just typing it!) however the Gunners had a solid 4-0 win over Blackburn and Liverpool were good enough to beat Man Utd 3-1.
To those of you doing the Freeway Bike Hike on Sunday 22 March, ride safely and be prepared for sudden slowdowns if riding in a big pack. Also, to those of you doing your first triathlon at the annual Freo Corporate Triathlon on the same date, best of luck. Enjoy the day!!
I have to comment on the day I had yesterday after the morning bike ride. i sat down and watched the Foxtel ‘Sound Relief’ concert in aid of both the Queensland floods and the Victorian bushfires. So many memorable moments. Where to begin? I thought there were many, many highlights…..so I’ll highlight them. Coldplay and John Farnham together for ‘You’re the Voice’, Kylie Minogue’s version of ‘I Still Call Australia Home’, the Hunters and Collectors punchy sound after all these years, the Split Enz reunion featuring a couple of my faves in ‘Shark Attack’ and ‘I See Red’ (complete with a cameo of Red Symons walking across stage. Fantastic!), The Presets ‘ All of my People’ was an absolute showstopper with the young fans heaving in rapturous synchronicity, The Hoodoo Gurus ‘Whats my Scene’, Colplay’s Chris Martin’s amazing random run into the audience literally disappearing under all the fans, the Bliss and Eso specatular hiphop (’hell yeah’), the special address from Princes Harry and William, the $300000 earned by the little koala. As a self-avowed Midnight Oil fanatic, I have to admit to doing a few dances to the Oils at the end. As happy as I was to see them, I am realistic enough to know I may never seem them perform again. As a young 16 to 17yo I went to many Uni gigs, the Astor Theatre, etc nearly catching a few of Rob Hirst’s drumsticks. Simply a great, great band. King of the mountain really resonated.
It’s been a great weekend but I have to get some running in this week and some swimming. I am still hopeful of a sub 1hr40m half marathon but its a challenging course heading out.
I have my AFL Fantasy team selected and on March 28, two fabulous events: the end of daylight saving and the beginning of the AFL season proper.
I have to share with you a very funny game show called ‘Human Tetris’ in Japan. Check out the Friggin’ Loon website for some very funny video footage. Crazy Japanese, just crazy.
Well, thats it - I’m spent! What a weekend! A real overload of the senses but ecstatically so. Let’s have so many more concerts like Sound Relief. Train hard, eat well, sleep well.
Reservoir
CHRISTO