Final long run for the year

Things have been pretty quiet around here. I haven't managed to do a lot of running over the past two weeks due to a sore knee, xmas stuff and a lack of resolve. So with today being the last day of the year and a Sunday, I went out and did one last long run for the year. 27km later I'm fairly tired and sore, but happy I got out for a good long run. My run took me up to the Marino Lighthouse and I got some good pics of the view back across Adelaide.

Finally a cool change and some rain

Probably not enough so even break the parched surface. But it feels nice.
Went for a nice run this morning with the Track Times lads (and girls). It was hot! 32 degrees at 6am! Then we all had a hard-earned (lol) breakfast at the usual place.

Week off

Ran 13km yesterday down to the beach along to Brighton jetty and back. The beach was packed with people walking and running. I took Addi and she only started to lag behind in the last 2-3 km. That was my first run since last Sunday. It took me all week to get over the sinus infection, but it seems to be gone now, so it was worth it. My left knee is still a little sore though. I'll have to monitor that. Looking forward to keeping running over xmas to work off all the extra food and alcohol consumed.

We had a small family house-warming party yesterday which was good. I still haven't posted any photos of the house, but I'll try and get some up in the next week. Just about everything inside the house is completed. We just need to get our fancy light fittings installed. Outside, there is still a lot of work to be done including in the following order: the driveway, paths around the house, a paved area out the back and of course the garden.

We now have broadband internet and Foxtel, so we should be kept busy at work and play. Of course I abused the novelty of having Foxtel by getting very little sleep on the weekend and watching all sorts of crap (and some good stuff). Watched some NFL on Friday night (49ers vs Seattle). I'd forgotten how much I liked American football. I used to watch it on the ABC hosted by Don Lane when I was a kid. Of course my team back then was the 49ers because they were the dominant team. Then they stopped showing it over here and then we didn't get pay TV, so it has been a long time since I've seen a whole game. NFL is the only American sport I've ever enjoyed. Baseball is too slow and Basketball should only be a 5 minute long game right?. I didn't even get ice hockey, even though I played field hockey my whole life. NFL just seems to be the right mix of tactical sophistication, ball handling skill and brute physical force. Anyway, enough of my love for the pointy-ball game. Hopefully I can catch a few more games over summer.

Km for Tibet

So far I've run 220 km for Tibet. You can dedicate your training km to a free Tibet by emailing them to Journeyman Phil each week or month. Check out his blog entry for a Million Km for Tibet and join up. Also, check out the Race for Tibet website and the Australia Tibet Council website.

I might need to take a few days off running to get rid of some knee soreness and a sinus infection that I can't seem to shake. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up my km for Tibet.

Pretty warm today

Make that hot! When I stepped out of the house this morning, I couldn't believe how hot it was already: 30 degrees and I had my tights on! I guess combination of the insulation and the AC in our new house is working. My left knee has been a bit sore over the last couple of days, but I made it into the city OK. The tights don't actually make me overheat too much, but anything over 25C is probably a little too high. Anyway, it's 40 degrees now and drier than a dead dingo's donger, so I can't complain too much.

I've been doing a fair bit of this today.

Evolution of a Mo - Epilogue

Well now that Movember is officially over, the Mo is gone. It was an interesting experience, and I'm very happy that I was able to raise a bit of money for men's health issues. Thankyou to everyone who donated and thanks for all the support and comments. Now it's back to the regular look for me.

Evolution of a Mo - Day 28

Kind of like Russell Hammond from Stillwater (band in Almost Famous) but with longer hair.

I got to looking at more images of Billy Crudup and I was amazed at how similar we look (except he has better teeth and a slight dimple in his chin). Then I found this image from Without Limits, a film about Steve Prefontaine. Freaky hey. Now if only I could run like Pre.

Evolution of a Mo - Day 27

Having a bit of fun with the Mo over the last couple of days of Movember. I think this one looks a bit more respectable than the chopper mo.
Ran home last night then ran into uni this morning to go for a 9 km run with Bay. So 31km in the last 13 hours has left me feeling a little sore and tired, but I didn't get to go on a long run on the weekend because I was digging trenches all weekend. All this hard physical work is building up the muscle in my arms and torso. I hope this isn't to the detriment of my running.

The price of bananas is coming down (apparently). The price will reportedly be down to around $2/kg by February. Woohoo!

Evolution of a Mo - Day 26

Tammy suggested that I was looking a bit like James Hetfield. I had to look him up though (not a huge Metallica fan). I think it looks a bit more like this guy below. Which is to say, Spark-Driver, I'm not that impressed with the the look, and I will be reverting back to the goatee at the end of Movember.


For the international readers, this is Mark "Chopper" Read, a notorious criminal and standover man in the Australian underworld. Yes, he has no ears. He chopped them off in prison. You do not want to cross this guy! He has reputedly turned away from crime - probably because he found that he could make heaps of dosh flogging his stories through other media - and is now an author of several dodgy books, had a film about him acted by Eric Bana (of Hulk fame), and wait for it, has written a children's book called "Hooky the Cripple".

Oh yeah, I really want to look like him!

Evolution of a Mo - Day 21

The hiker Mo. Had a postgaduate retreat at Morialta today, so I stayed at my parents place last night to walk around there the next day. Decided to walk up old Norton Summit Rd and then back down through the park to the place where the meeting was held. It was a bit foggy and drizzly this morning, but this is a shot of the city somewhere behind me. Looks like a bit of a bad hair day too.

Evolution of a Mo - Day 20

Getting some volume now. Looking pretty scary too. I'm still not used to it and I don't think I'm ready to maintain it past the end of Movember. The gala partè is on Friday, but I'm too busy to attend. Hopefully I can raise a little bit more by the end of the month. I'm impressed by the amount that the Mo-ray Eels have raised so far. If everybody did such a good job, we'd have a cure for this in no time!

This pic is post-run. Did 9km at lunch with Bay.

Evolution of a Mo - Day 16

This one is for Deege.

Evolution of a Mo - Day 14

Look Spark Driver, no hair on that chin!
Do I look a bit gaunt here?

Evolution of a Mo - Day 13

So I've been a bit slack with the Mo updates, but I have a good excuse. We moved into out new house! And I've been really busy doing all the little things you need to do to get yourself set in the new place, so I just haven't had time. I've only been for one run since Wednesday too! Anyway, here it is the 13 day old mo. Enjoy! Pictures of the new house will come soon, I just need to find the time to take them.

Evolution of a Mo - Day 7

Lookin good!
My mo spurred me on to a third place in today's invitation fun run for the corporate cup. My time for the event was two seconds slower than last fortnight, but it didn't count towards out team's points. I still feel pretty sore from digging etc on the weekend, so I'm pretty happy with that time. Everyone in the invitational got 1 free adult ticket on the the Kangaroo Island ferry which is nice, but I don't know that I'll be able to use it before it runs out at the end of March. It turns out that our team was 3rd fastest in the 4.5km event and 44th in the improvement points, so well done team!

Evolution of a Mo - Day 5

Can you see it now? I've put the details for my registration below. I'm in a team named the Mo-ray eels and my rego number is 39009.

Here's the spiel:

During Movember (the month formerly known as November) I’ll be growin a moustache. That’s right I’m bringing the Mo back because I’m passionate about changing the state of men’s health.
Male health is a major issue, did you know:
Men are far less healthy than women. The average life expectancy of males is 6 years less than females.
Every year in Australia 2,700 men die of prostate cancer – more than the number of women who die from breast cancer.
Depression affects 1 in 6 men…Most don’t seek help. Untreated depression is a leading risk factor for suicide. Rates of suicide are more than double the national road toll.
Help me change the face of men’s health by sponsoring my mo.
Please go to http://www.movember.com/au/sponsor/?action=sponsorlink&rego=39009, enter my Rego number which is 39009 and your credit card details. All donations of $2 and over are tax deductible.
The money raised by Movember will be used to change the face of men's health by creating awareness and funding research into prostate cancer and male depression.
Movember culminates at the end of the month at the Gala Partè where I’ll be parading my Mo on the cat walk for a chance to be crowned the Man of Movember. If you want to be part of this great night you’ll have to purchase a Gala Parte ticket for $33.00 (inc GST).
\nCheers\nDavid\nMore info is available at www.movember.com\nMovember is proudly grown by Motorola, Polaroid, Remington and VB.\nMovember is proud partners with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue - the national depression initiative.

Cheers
David

More info is available at http://www.movember.com/
Movember is proudly grown by Motorola, Polaroid, Remington and VB.
Movember is proud partners with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue - the national depression initiative.

Evolution of a Mo - Day 3

After a long hard day's work digging a sunken garden/retaining wall out the back of our new house.
Glad I didn't go in the Blackhill Challenge the next morning. Every muscle my body was aching! Went for a "long" run anyway (ca 13 km) and it took me 15 minutes to loosen up!

Evolution of a Mo - Day 2

Can you see it yet?

Not going in the Blackhill Challenge on Sunday. We've got too much to do on the house. Looking forward to racing in the invitational fun run for corporate cup next week instead. Next event after that is likely to be the SARRC Christmas Frolic.

A million kilometres for Tibet

Check out the Race for Tibet website and then pledge your training/racing kilometres to "A million kilometres for Tibet".

China, you cannot brutalise an entire nation and get away with it.

Evolution of a Mo - Day 1

Late starter, blank canvas.

I may be a day late, but I have decided to do the Mo thang for Movember. Here is a pic of the blank canvas (shaved last night, taken today) and a before photo for comparison (complaints about picture quality can be sent to Sony-Ericsson). I'll put up the details of my Mo crew soon, so you can donate your hard-earned to prostate cancer research and other men's health issues (no, not the mag). We have a history of prostate cancer in our family, so I really want them to find a cure.

So, what style of mo am I going for? You'll just have to wait and see!