Tim’s Blog 2010
Wednesday 28th July 2010Next week our youngest boy has a school cross country event. I found out about it on Monday evening when he told me he was going for a run after dinner. Needless to say I wasn’t enthused about a young child going for a run after dark alone, so I offered to go out with him. Before heading off we worked out the distance he needed to run and set out a route.
Our first run together was alright, perhaps a taking off a little too fast, but all up, pretty satisfying for father and son. Tuesday evening I arrived home about 7pm and before I literally had the chance to hang up my coat the question came “Could we go for a run again”?
This time we kept a sustainable pace and after a couple of kilometres as we turned the final corner for an uphill run home, our ten year old put on a sprint that had me striding out to keep up.
We’re not talking marathons next week; it’s a junior school cross country event, but for one young man on his second training run, I reckon it was a pretty fine effort.
I’m impressed that my son decided to train for his event and has already given himself the confidence to know he can run the distance, I’m pleased that I’m fit enough to run beside and encourage him when he trains, but most of all I’m thankful that he wanted his dad to come along.
Exercise often, be curious, enjoy life.
Friday 16th July 2010There’s joy in exercise. If the initial prospect of getting up pre-dawn for a showery hour of stair climbing circuit work was daunting to either myself or my training partners it was soon forgotten.
From a finger numbing cold start to the post sunrise sun shower, the pleasure of being up and active was rewarded by one of nature’s most beautiful spectacles, I’ve posted a photo below, enough said.
There are occasions when the fitness routine loses its gloss, boredom sets in and motivation dwindles. When this happens, shake up the program, make some subtle adjustments and push through the barrier.
Personally I like variety, changing things around; my philosophy is to be less concerned with what I’m doing and more concerned with just doing something.
I try to keep my exercise mentally interesting as much as physically challenging, this last fortnight I’ve spent a few hours visiting one of my favourite spots, a sand dune lookout at the top of a forty seven step staircase. Running up and down a set of steps can be mentally challenging, so I invent games to go with it. My last few visits I devised a prime number workout, ascent and descent by prime numbers. For example two ascent & descents then one exercise of thirteen repetitions, three ascents and descents then another exercise with thirteen repetitions… 5,7,11 ascent and descents then taper back down 7,5,3,2. Much easier to keep running up and down those steps when you’ve got something to think about, as an added bonus the exercise sets break it all up.
Amazing how quickly an hour of intense exercise can go by when it’s broken down into manageable chunks. Cardio mixed with strength mixed with mental acuity, all good for mind, body and soul.
I calculated my last tally at something over 650metres up and back down, to keep in with the prime number theme let’s call it 653metres. More than two times up and down Australia’s tallest building stopping at the odd floor for a bit of a workout.
Keep it interesting, keep it fun and keep it going.
Monday 28th June 2010Cycling on the roads, it was only a matter of time, but I finally had a close encounter of the worst kind.
Sunday morning seemed like the perfect day to get out for a ride, following the coastal roads and enjoying the fresh air and relatively light traffic. On the homeward leg and benefiting from a consistent tailwind, the bike purred along at somewhere over thirty kilometres per hour.
Approaching a “T” Junction, and riding along the continuing road; I could see several cars with indicators on, approaching to turn across my path. From the left nearing the junction were several more cars and a quick glance behind showed nothing approaching. As I got to the intersection, I kept a close watch on the nearest approaching car, indicator on to turn, it should be slowing to a stop as I rode through, something was wrong. I could clearly see the driver, there was no recognition, they hadn’t seen me, weren’t slowing to stop and had started turning. I hit the brakes hard; a touch of slip on the wheels told me they were at their limit. Within an instant a tonne of metal whizzed past my front wheel, the passenger wing mirror within centimetres of clipping the handlebars.
It all happened in a moment and yet with a sense of slowness that gave the instant an incredible detached clarity. I suspect the driver whose attention I got by screaming a few terse words as they passed was just as shaken as I was. If I’d arrived a fraction of a second earlier; I’d have been road kill.
I’ll continue to get out there and ride, I also stack everything in my favour, and I wear high visibility gear, don’t underestimate risk, obey the road rules, and most importantly keep my eyes wide open. Circumstances can always conspire to nail you, but that’s the exception, not the rule. Don’t let the low probability of the exception stop you from enjoying life (and that’s the rule).
Sunday 30th May 2010There’s a particular time of year where the season’s pause, in balance, days on end when the breeze drops to a whisper and the sun still burns through a patchy, translucent cloud base to warm the cheek. With little difference in temperature between air and a crystal clear ocean I can sit on my board watching the swell lines pulsing in from a cold front far to the south.
Crowds have thinned with the onset of cooler weather; bigger swells are pummelling the beach and only the more committed and confident surfers are out in the line up. Two hours Saturday, not much less on Sunday morning. Enough time to settle the soul, punish the shoulders and release enough adrenalin to return from the beach with a post exercise high still surging though me.
Here’s hoping that your weekend was similarly satisfying.
Inspiration can come from many places, today it came from a dear friend. Congratulations to Maureen who ran “Run for a Reason” this morning. There might be many sources of motivation, but fitness health and longevity seem like enough for me. From a pedestrian with foot trouble, to a committed to 14km runner, wow!
Goal setting, focus and determination, win through yet again… Maureen, I’m inspired.
Saturday 15th May 2010With sunlight streaming through the window, a soft offshore breeze outside and air that held a crisp autumn chill, the toughest decision this morning (apart from throwing the doona off), was choosing my preferred form of exercise. I adore Saturday mornings and with no training sessions until later in the day, I’d already decided that it was going to be a cardio morning, board, bike or runners, whichever appealed most.
The bike won, but as a compromise I decided to cycle along the coast, if surf conditions looked good I could always cut the ride short, pick up a board and get in the water for an hour or so. For a good ninety minutes I cycled along coastal roads and tracks mingling with pedestrians, runners and cyclists all taking advantage of the best time of the week. I rode past sporting fields filled with football (the aussie variety), soccer (football of the round variety), rugby, hockey and netball players. Near boat ramps, I deviated out onto the road proper to avoid vehicles and trailers parked nose to tail, their owners fishing somewhere out to sea. Passing cafe’s I slowed to take in the aroma of coffee and the buzz of conversation. Offshore, a small clean was swell breaking on reef, but cycling conditions were perfect, perhaps an early Sunday surf then.
I could have stayed in bed and I’d have missed it all, instead I chose to get up, get some exercise and enjoy life. This evening feeling relaxed and fulfilled I’ll pull the doona up and sleep well.
Sunday 2nd May 2010The intense flash of lightning was followed almost immediately by a crack of thunder that could be heard clearly in the cockpit, rain on the windshield and a heavy grey overcast making it difficult to see the mountain peaks surrounding and towering above us. My ten year old son in the jump seat behind Chris my First Officer was oblivious to the inclement weather outside and the tight, demanding circuit we were required to take coming into Queenstown airport. An hour or so earlier I’d made my first touch and go approaches in pretty benign conditions at Wellington New Zealand, at the time he’d been quite forthcoming with constructive criticism, but now other than trying to spot sheep on the hillsides, he was more interested in fiddling with my i-phone.
I was still coming to terms with the aircraft and the short lag in response time as 50 or 60 tonnes of metal was being manoeuvred through the figure eight approach to Queenstown’s single runway.
Chris called the checklist as we set up for our turn onto final, “gear down”, I reached across, set the lever and watched as the lights on the panel blinked on confirming the gear was down and locked. With my eyes darting from the view outside to the instrument displays in front of me, I made slight adjustments to the pitch of the aircraft keeping it straight and level in preparation for our final turn and descent onto the runway, “flaps 15″ came the next instruction, I reached down to the right and made the necessary adjustment, another flash of lightning, rain streaking the windshield.
Chris had already briefed me on landmarks to look out for and as the hills in front of the aircraft loomed worryingly closer I put the jet into a tight right bank to follow the river along to the runway. “Flaps 25″, I glanced down at the panel, a quick look at airspeed, altitude and pitch, “watch your pitch, down two and a half, a little left, you’re not lined up”, I responded to Chris’s comments with subtle adjustments, the jets flying characteristics starting to feel slightly more natural to me. Whilst I visually lined up on the runway, he made the call to air traffic control, “556 on final”.
“Flaps 40″, I made the change, “nose down a little, and keep it straight”. I’d already been informed that there was no Instrument Landing System to assist me on this approach; it was going to be visual only. It appeared time was accelerating, as was the ground beneath us, with airspeed four or five knots faster than optimum, I throttled the two engines back a touch, as we rushed towards the runway another slight adjustment to the throttle, pitch good, runway lined up, my heart thumping, “nose up, nose up, 50 feet, power off, let it settle”. Now time appeared to slow as the jet lazily settled onto the runway, damn! left of the centre line, a little bit of right steer through the rudder pedals, reverse thrust and a touch on the brakes, the jet slowed and I decided to breathe again.
Fifteen minutes later, my son and I stepped into the warm and sunny streets of Perth Western Australia, time to get some lunch.
As an airline passenger, have you ever wondered what happens on the other side of those closed doors? I’m glad I got to find out a little more thanks to an awesome Boeing 737 flight simulator, Chris and the guys at Flight Experience in Northbridge.
Years ago I did an apprenticeship as a sign-writer, a trade where prior to the widespread use of computer cut graphics, the skills of a superb tradesperson were typified by brushwork, accuracy and attention to detail. I always found it difficult to be satisfied with the standard of my own signs, but an outstanding writer once told me to squint at my work, because that’s about as much detail as people are ever likely to take in. It’s true, up close we can spend too much time focussing on detail and seeing imperfection, when we really should be looking at the bigger picture.
For instance, do you ever take the time to play tourist in your own town? That’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the last three weeks or so, catching up with family we haven’t seen for a couple of years and showing them around our part of the world. Where through jaded familiarity I can see flaws and imperfections in my home town, they, on holiday saw only a freshness and vibrancy.
Pay attention to the detail; try to get it right and always put in 100%. But if the result isn’t perfect don’t get caught up focussing on the negative. Step back occasionally and try to visualise your world through fresh eyes, if that doesn’t work and you’re caught up on the little things, just squint, sometimes all you need to see are the broad strokes.
The wisest minds are often those of young children. Last week our ten year old was invested as a Scout, making him the third generation in our family. My dad was a Queen’s Scout back in the UK, and in the early 1970’s I joined Cubs before moving on to what was then Boy Scouts. Over thirty five years later, we can both remember how to tie a reef knot or bowline and pitch a tent.
When our youngest decided to join Scouts of his own volition, we were pretty impressed that he was going to continue the tradition; naturally we went along to the induction ceremony. There were other families there and our son was third in line to receive his scarf and woggle. As the first two completed their oath, the scoutmaster invited a parent to place the scarf around their child’s neck and attach the woggle, our worldly young man turned to me and whispered “dad, I’d like grandad to do mine”. It was a beautiful gesture, I nodded and stepped back.
What a proud moment it was for all of us, on the way home we told our boy how impressed we were with the honour he’d bestowed on his grandad, he acknowledged our comments with a big smile and a thank you. I wasn’t sure where that thoughtfulness, respect for tradition and maturity had bubbled up from so I asked him what made him think of his grandad, without pause he replied “I didn’t want you or mum to make a mess of it, I knew grandad would get it right”… wise, caring and ever so pragmatic.
There might be a heat wave happening around these parts, but it makes for perfect evenings.
It was another late summer century day, beckoning to be finished off with a BBQ and a glass of good Australian red wine. As the moon rose above the hills and the magnificent pink hued Mars made itself known in the cloudless darkening sky, we settled down for dinner. Kangaroo meat on the menu today, marinated with herbs and garlic.
How could we eat part of the coat of arms you ask, simple, kangaroo meat is particularly low in cholesterol and fats whilst high in protein and minerals. Perhaps that’s not everybody’s idea of the perfect meal, but in moderation not a bad component for a balanced diet.
It’ll be another day in the high thirties tomorrow (it seems so bizarre to watch blizzards and Winter Olympic highlights on the six o’clock news), so I’ll get out in the cool of the morning, the perfect time to exercise, perhaps I’ll see you out on the track.
One of the great things about getting out for a long ride (or perhaps a run), is the opportunity to crank up the iPod and really drift away with the music. This morning I took the bike out for a two and a half hour spin, light winds and a flat track taking me well out to the foot of the Darling Scarp.
My goal was to increase both average speed and endurance over the ride, so I picked a new album & put it on loop, hoping that I wouldn’t need to stop for the duration of the ride. A long ride without breaks was a guarantee that my new album and I were going to become good friends.
I chose Peter Gabriel’s new release: “scratch my back”, a purchase I made forty eight hours earlier based on a review in the local paper. I’d played the CD a couple of times in the car and quite frankly wasn’t sold on it, quiet, moody with subtle orchestral arrangements that didn’t translate well over a wind and road noise accompaniment.
The CD blurb describes “scratch my back” as “an intense album of unique cover versions” , that’s exactly what it is and after three back to back loops on the bike with ear buds in and volume high, this CD shoots to the top of my favourites.
I’m blown away, great song choices, beautifully interpreted vocals and clever arrangements (the blurb says no drums or guitar) make this album a welcome addition to my collection. From the opening cover of David Bowie’s Heroes to the closing track, Radiohead’s Street Spirit (Fade Out), there’s something new, fresh and memorable with every song.
Not the pumping beat I’d normally load up for a run or ride, but thoroughly recommended in its own right, it certainly didn’t hinder my efforts, a new PB for average speed over distance.
It was a Valentine opportunity too good to refuse. An invitation for my wife and I to spend the weekend nearly 3000km from home, staying at the beautiful Intercontinental hotel in Melbourne being wined, dined and entertained throughout Saturday and Sunday.
The invitation was from Hyundai and headlined “re-imagine”, an event with three themes: inspiration, design and experience. From my perspective as a director of a fleet management company (rather than as a personal trainer), it was an opportunity to preview the ix35, a stunning new all wheel drive vehicle priced to win a big slice of the compact SUV market in Australia. Hyundai are doing well, if the cover story on last week’s Fortune magazine in North America was titled “The toughest car company of them all” it’s a fair bet they’ve got the formula right. Their invitation was compelling: A Valentine’s Day weekend, please bring your partner and join us.
We took a morning flight out of Perth arriving late afternoon into Melbourne. Quickly ushered to waiting chauffeured transport we got to the Intercontinental in Melbourne with just enough time for a change into evening wear, before joining the other guests at one of Melbourne’s top restaurants. As we enjoyed food, wine and company, Hyundai executives mingled and handed out tickets to our “surprise entertainment”, Jersey Boys (The Frankie Valli story) at the magnificent Princess Theatre. After the show, rather than take transport back to the hotel, Linda and I decided to walk across town and work off a little bit of that dinner, cutting through Chinatown the vibe was electric as Chinese New Year celebrations kept the huge crowds entertained. On a warm evening we made our way through streets filled with theatre goers, revellers and thousands of ACDC fans returning from their nearby concert.
Sunday morning was about business for many of us, an early pickup from the hotel to the Docklands area, where within a glowing white cube constructed inside a huge soundstage, we were supplied with coffee and armchair seating for our business briefing. Shortly afterward a drive program commenced and participants received the safety conscious equivalent of rally pace notes, before jumping into an impressive convoy of ix35’s that set off from the Melbourne CBD through farmlands to the magnificent Mt Macedon area. Some 160km from the starting point, we finished at Rupertswood Mansion, birthplace of “The Ashes” (enough said if you’re familiar with the sport of cricket). In the meantime, our partners had been enjoying the delights of in room spa treatments (or in the case of someone I know, the great Melbourne shopping experience), before being transported to meet us at the mansion for lunch. In beautiful surroundings, we were treated to a memorable meal prepared by Justine Schofield from Australia’s “Masterchef” 2009 competition, another little treat planned and executed superbly by Hyundai and their marketing team.
Late Sunday evening, back in Perth and some thirty six hours after setting out, we looked back on a truly memorable Valentine’s Day, provided by an organisation that took the adversity of tough global economic times and made it an opportunity to set records, grow and improve. The themes of “re-imagine” and “Inspiration” strike a chord, we do indeed live in interesting times and we need leaders with the imagination to take courageous decisions that inspire their peers. Whether it’s achieved on a massive global scale like Hyundai, or more modestly by you and I within our own communities and at home, it all counts… “exercise often, be curious, enjoy life”.
It was a challenge measured in equal parts, physical endurance and mental attitude, something I felt woefully unprepared for forty eight hours ago.
I’ve owned a road bike for almost three months; I am a late convert to the sport of cycling and until Saturday morning my longest ride was around 70km. That’s a distance that ensures I’m pedalling for more than two hours, great exercise by any standard.
A few weeks ago, a friend and work colleague invited me to accompany him on a somewhat longer ride, as he phrased it, “I thought you’re the sort that’d be up for a challenge”. Gauntlet thrown, it was a compelling argument shrewdly followed up with website links and a thoughtfully print prepared application form; there was no room for me to manoeuvre. At 215km this was more than my usual step up in training and with the preparation I’d had, it seemed to me to be the equivalent of doing a couple of social fun runs and then declaring myself fit for a marathon.
Leading up to Saturday morning I had big concerns regarding whether was I physically and mentally tough enough. I’d never ridden with a group, what was that going to be like, what’s the etiquette? The latter two might be silly concerns in retrospect, but for a first timer unfamiliarity can be daunting. As Saturday morning approached, the likelihood of me declaring an illness, injury or emergency increased dramatically; nevertheless when the morning arrived, I got to the start line.
Five minutes after we set out it was apparent that my latter two concerns were non-issues, some relaxed conversation with the other riders, a little observation and using common sense immediately put me at ease.
I’d previously been told that there’d be plenty of stops, breakfast at the 65km mark, lunch at the 135km mark etc. and several checkpoints to load up on depleted energy stores. By my reckoning I would be pedalling for somewhere between eight and ten hours with checkpoint stops adding at least another hour to the ride. At some stage this was going to hurt, but without any experience I had no idea when. The body can’t hold the glycogen stores necessary to exercise at high intensity for such an extended period of time, food and drink were critical and I had no argument with that.
The first leg (as part of the larger group) got me to breakfast feeling relatively confident, the second stage taking me through to around 95km felt much the same. The third leg changed that, a breakup of the group into three separate sub-events taking different routes meant that I was now part of a much smaller ride. With an extended section through cleared farmlands, even the moderate breeze became hard work. At around 130km and roughly 6km from the next checkpoint, we turned onto a major highway, the breeze was now head on and I hit a literal and proverbial wall. After riding just over 135km, I slowly and painfully cranked my way into the country town designated as the next checkpoint.
Prior to the event I’d been given some good advice on fluids, electrolytes and energy foods and in the time spent at the lunchtime checkpoint I did everything I could to re-fuel and re-set mentally.
After lunch and down to three riders on our route, we set off on the return journey. For the first thirty minutes and pedalling into a moderate breeze it was tough and it would have been easy to capitulate. Shortly thereafter something changed, no doubt the replenished energy stores started to kick in, more importantly my mental attitude shifted. In the local vernacular, I adopted the “head down arse up” attitude, that is, get stuck in and don’t complain.
By the time I reached the 150km mark, it was no longer whether I would get there, it was when. When I reached the final checkpoint stop with 30 kilometres to go it felt like an optional indulgence, the last few kilometres a euphoric warm down.
Without encouragement and some cajoling, it’s unlikely I’d have taken up the challenge and without further encouragement and support during the early stages of the ride I may not have had the confidence to continue. I considered myself ill prepared for the event and perhaps I was, certainly I’d have written a better training programme for a client.
My bike computer tells me I spent eight hours and six minutes pedalling on Saturday; I covered in excess of 219km at an average speed of 27.1kmh. More importantly I also discovered that a daunting challenge is surmountable when broken down into achievable milestones and that there are reserves of physical and mental strength within me that have not been uncovered for some time (if at all).
Most important of all, those capacities exist within each of us… exercise often, be curious, enjoy life.
What was a small community nestled behind the dunes on an almost deserted stretch of coastline is now blending into a growing city landscape and, what once was enjoyed by a few is now shared by many.
On a hot Saturday morning towards the end of summer holidays, a small swell and a light off shore breeze brings big numbers of families to the beach. Outside of the swimming flags each wave is guaranteed to attract multiple riders, body boarders and swimmers and as the crowd grows, sharing and respect keeps acrimony to a minimum. Two young teens in tow, I paddled out to the largest gap I could find in the crowd and sat astride my board facing the Indian Ocean, looking for some suggestion that the infrequent waist high sets of waves were approaching.
Two takeoffs, two slow leisurely righthanders and both rides curtailed by the same board rider “dropping in”. The “drop- in” rule is pretty simple, first on the wave, closest to the inside (breaking part of the wave) has right of way, it’s about courtesy and safety and on a busy day where experience levels vary considerably,often ignored. The second time it happened I pulled up next to the other board rider who was working very hard to look the other way and politely requested a little more attention to the traffic on the waves. “Days like this you have to share the waves” was the response, I agreed, but noted that you also need to look over your shoulder, it’s like pulling out from a stop sign without looking either way, at some stage you’re going to get cleaned up. After the short exchange it was clear that we agreed to disagree.
Fortuitously my next waves broke left and at one stage as I negotiated the layers of surfers, body boarders and swimmers a young rider in front of me dived off his board and under the wave, causing our boards to collide lightly as I passed. As I paddled back out he called a quick apology for placing his board in harm’s way… it was no problem at all and after a couple of acknowledging words and an exchange of smiles we were both looking for the next waves.
In my experience nothing raises blood pressure like a lack of acknowledgement and blatant disregard for others, and nothing defuses tension like a smile.
I ask you, how uplifting is a shared smile and a few kind words?
I’m sitting at the gate in Sydney airport waiting to board on the flight back to Perth, reflecting on the basic rationale’ for Training Secrets, “exercise often, be curious, enjoy life”. For the last five days, my family have done just that, walk, walk and if the opportunity came up, walk some more, in my opinion there’s no better way to get to know a city. Yes, we’ve ferried, trained, bussed and used the monorail to get around town, but the whole premise of being fit enough to do what we wanted when we wanted was thoroughly tested. Apart from a few initial groans about walking on day one and the realisation that we were sans game consoles for the week, our boys took it all literally in their stride, credit to them.
Perth has a reputation for being a windy city and this afternoon’s sea breeze well and truly vindicated that. Less a breeze than a full on southerly wind that turned local sand dunes into a stinging and scouring mist of fine grit. This evening typing on my laptop keyboard has the abrasive effect of fine sandpaper to the fingertips even though the study window has been open but a crack. It’s great weather for a late afternoon cycle, 40 minutes into the wind at whatever speed I could manage, then a twenty minute return, spinnaker up, hitting 50kmh or more on the straight Yee ha!
Saturday 9th January 2010It’s the second week of January and yet the lifestyle pitfalls of Christmas and New Year still linger around this house. My personal nemesis is the stack of airtight plastic containers cleverly screen printed with an image of Santa on one side and a snowman on the other. Small, medium, large, spin them around and mix up the image, snowman bottom with a Santa head, open them up and there’s a seemingly endless supply of caramels, chocolate and liquorice allsorts, peanuts and cashews. Placed strategically in the family room you must walk past this brightly coloured sugar and calorie trap whichever way you enter or leave the room.
Watch the treats; the simple equation is energy in = energy out. By now, your exercise program should be in full swing and your meals regular and healthy (perhaps I do you a disservice and your discipline remained throughout the holidays). It doesn’t take much to create an imbalance in the equation, the occasional sweet treat is hard to track and can be a cumulative problem, if you struggle with a little self indulgent temptation, perhaps it’s best to remove the enticement.
Yes, in my case, relegating plastic Santa to the back of cupboard for another year is well overdue.
When I got out for an early ride at 6:30am it was already warm, a strong easterly blowing, there was little doubt it was going to be a 40c stinker… I Cycled 40km, an average speed 28 kmh with a strong wind in my face for the first 20km. My reward, cruising home with the wind at my back. The iphone app I use said I’d burned 1440 calories, not sure about that, I’ll do my own calculations. After the ride I decided to cool off at the beach before the sea breeze hit, another 90 odd minutes of exercise paddling in the surf, the swell had picked up a little so some rideable waves to be had, unfortunately at 40c everybody else had the same idea , take off and weave through the obstacle course was the name of the game. Three days into the new year and the exercise program has kicked back in… how are you going?
