Michelle Leslie - Response to A Girl Running et al

As much as I think that what she did and how she did it was morally wrong, I actually think that she did very well to get out of a sticky situation. In contrast to the case of Shapelle, her defence was organised in a very calm, methodical and sensitive way so that it worked in with the conventions and sensitivities of the Indonesian justice system. In other words, she used the limited evidence and legal precedents in the most appropriate way without pissing the judges off. If I were in her position (which I wouldn't be, because I don't have any huge desire to go to Indonesia anytime soon), I would have done exactly the same thing.

On another point, I think she should take money for her story and then donate it all to charity - perhaps a drug rehabilitation clinic, an anti-drug lobby group or a youth at risk intervention program.

Finally, can you believe that after three months in a dirty prison cell, her hair and skin still look great. Some people have all the luck!

Off to Canberra

But before I head off, I have to prepare a whole heap of samples to take to the lab in Canberra, so I have been very busy for the last two weeks and will be busy right up until I leave on Monday morning. I've been back into the running too, running most days and doing a 20 ish km run on Sunday. Also ran home from work 6 km on Sunday night making a total of 26 km for the day. Legs were very sore and tired after that.

We had the Trailblazer presentation night on Friday night where we were presented with our trophies and a nice hydration pack each - donated by Paddy Pallin.

I'll be pretty much stuck in the lab while in Canberra, but hopefully I'll be able to get in a few trail runs and maybe the Black Mountain Challenge. Feeling fairly fit at the moment so it will be interesting to see how that goes if I do get to enter.

Interim post

Have been sick for the last week or so. Hopefully I'll be able to run home tonight.

DOMS

Went in the Blackhill Challenge on Sunday. Bettered the time from last year by about 40 seconds and got in under an hour. A quality field saw my placing drop from 9th last year to 10th this year. Felt pretty good after the race and all day Monday, but today I've been hit by a combination of a minor cold and pretty bad DOMS. I can't believe you can feel so good after a race and then days later feel so sore! I did a warm down run and stretching (sort of), but I don't think the half dozen beers I had on Sunday afternoon would have helped much. Won't be running for another couple of days I think.

Hoping to travel over to Canberra for work in the first two weeks of December, so I might try and work in a run in the Black Mountain Challenge.