Listening to women

I once had a conversation with a girl, or maybe she was a woman I can't be sure. It is important to listen to the girl you are with, especially if you are on a date. Many guys make the mistake of talking too much about themselves. The girl, probably a practiced active listener, will go along with this and appear interested. You would not know it, but it is up to the man to "lead" the conversation by letting the girl talk at least as much as you do. You can listen with your eyes, it's important to look at her. In my case, I think she was a 34B and I honestly have no idea what she said.

Another Number

There is still some rubber left on my sneakers, which is good because my Toyota Levin AE86 isn't finished. I have just signed up for much more pain. My second ever road race will be the Point to Pinnacle. It is a 21.4km run up Mt. Wellington, which is 1.2km high. 3 hours 20 minutes is the max time we are given, which will be easy to obtain unless I have to crawl or die.

I did a 20km run/walk yesterday. Someone wants me to run with them up the mountain this Saturday...

If I am still unfit after that, I may look at doing a duathlon in the distant future. There is a duathlon on this Sunday at Baskerville raceway, my home track.

Another idea to get fit for professional motor sport: Remove the rubber boot around your cars gearstick to allow hot air, fumes, and noise to enter the cabin. Turn the heater on full. Put all of your clothes on, and a helmet. Do the seat belt up really tight. Drive around in traffic really fast on a hot day for a few hours, with the windows closed.

I am joking of course (which does not rule out anything I may/may not have done), but I have found that dealing with heat is much easier with some basic fitness.

Burnie Ten - results

Jerome and myself before the race.

52:02 was my time difference between crossing the start and finish line. Computer says I crossed the line in position 931, but considering my actual time I probably placed 1000th. About 3600 people finished I think, some walked. One person cheated. Another used a electric wheelchair.

Me crossing the line

The run didn't feel very good or especially fast. But I must have pushed myself a bit, because I got a time better than in training, and I am feeling it a bit today. But unlike Jerome, I didn't collapse on the line, which means I should have gone faster. Oh well, there's always next year.

Medallions!

It was a good result, and even better to finish and walk around Burnie and get some lunch and coffee.

Burnie Ten - naming names

Burnie Ten > Sunday, October 19. 11:15am.

It's in Burnie, Tasmania. You have to run 10km!

People are asking me about this more and more. I will reiterate, that it's unlikely any one you know will win it. The event is about community fitness, and people achieving a PB with a verifiable result. (No cheating). And since there are a lot of people in "the community" a lot of people are going in it, maybe 3042. I have also talked about why some sectors of the community will be better represented than others, but that is a big topic.

However, I will be joined in the race by other Hobart celebrities making a bid to raise awareness and the profile of themselves:

Kate G.

Nick G.

Joel C.
Kerri C.

Jerome R.

Renae P.

Clare H. ?

Pray that none of us goes faster than another may think we are capable of, for pride is... something... oh I forgot the rest of it. It does not matter anyway.

After finishing, I will go to the car to get the camera for some crossing the finish line shots, for my next blog post.

Orange and Poppy Seed Muffins

These are almost too easy to make. This is my version:

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

200g butter or margarine

1 orange

3 cups self raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbs poppy seeds

I used the rind of the orange, using a grater. I then squeezed the orange for the juice and threw the rest away.

Secret ingredients:

ginger

cinnamon

sun flower seeds

salt

Bake for 35min at 180 degrees C.

Icing:

cream cheese

icing sugar

orange or lemon juice

poppy seeds

TGA

In Top Gear Australia last night they did a "Ford vs Holden" test. It was said that as Australian's, it is in our DNA to be either a Ford or Holden fan. But in the heavily scripted show, it was then Steve Pizzati's turn to say "but what if you vote green, drive a Toyota, and play soccer?"

Another cake

To mark the beginning of daylight-savings, I had to bake another cake. A carrot cake, with thirteen walnuts to signify the extra hour. Christoph added the mint leaves (clock hands), which he assures me will go well with the cream cheese icing. I am still not sure of this.

Waterfall

I went for a gentle walk into the countryside, and found this lovely spot. A fresh stream runs down the mountain among ferns and highland rain forest or whatever, creating some waterfalls over rocks and logs and stuff.

I bent down to refresh myself with the cool mountain spring water, almost like what you can buy at the store.