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6-Sep-2014 Coastal Classic run
Today was the annual Coastal Classic race, approx 30km from Otford to Bundeena. It’s about the 5th time the race has been on, but of course about another 5 years before that it was a Fat Ass race, free and under-the-radar.
I came 469th from 638 total finishers in a time of 4hrs 18mins about 2 mins faster than last year. I was fairly happy with that given I was just jogging and not pushing too hard – just wanted to make sure I finished in one piece and did not stack it.
It was quite cool and REALLY muddy with some drizzle in places. Last year was HOT and sunny.
Michael came to my place about 7am and we drove to Otford then Jaz drove back. He’d already gone by the time I finished, he was almost an hour ahead. I came home and had a hot relaxing bath and send Kody out to get a Lentil pie from the Passionfruit cafe. Then I had that “with sauce”. Needless to say I was stuffed for the rest of the day (lucky Dawn was at work) but I did spend most of the time clearing up and doing chores.
A good day!
24-Aug-2014 Marking the Coastal Classic course
I had pretty much allocated (dedicated ?) the complete day to completing my tasks for the Coastal Classic race. I had laminated some signs that are to be put up at various places by the car parks through the national park. I then printed up both sets of residents letters (Bundeena and Otford) then set off to post them and put up the signs. Luckily it had been raining all yesterday and earlier today but when I went out … just perfect. The photo below was taken at the Otford lookout.
My other main task was coordinating Billy’s Bushies volunteers which was mainly a lot of phone calls with Billy himself (now 80 yrs old, no email and no mobile phone) and this year “Gymea John” who helped get an initial list of names.
16-Feb-2013 Saturday – now a routine?
For someone who struggles to not get caught in routines, Saturday has become a bit routine. I got up late 1030am so waaaay too late to run with the Bushies on their survival run at Maianbar. It’s just so hard to get up early after a long week of getting up as early as possible – still I am not going to beat myself up over it.
Did a few chores then got ready to go out for a long run 2hrs+ decided I would do Lady Carrington Drive out and back – as I haven’t been for a long time – but would try to go faster. The temp was still warm/humid. Most of mmy runs have been without an ipod as I won’t use one in Bangladesh as I need to keep my wits about me as it’s so dangerous. I ran out ok (its about a 10km out and then 10km back again) but on the way back I caught up with a girl and passed her but she then caught me back and stayed with me chatting. Ultimately the pace was too much and I crashed about 3km from the finish.
I got home and went for a swim at the beach, had a coffee then at 5pm jaz drove dawn to work at st Leonard’s. Jaz is on her learner plates and needs 120hrs driving but only has about 50hrs in almost a year (!)
Back home I pottered about a bit and went to bed early-ish as I felt totally stuffed.
22-Dec-2012 first day of the holidays!
I am off work for 3 weeks as of today and boy I really feel as though I made the most of it on the first day.
First up I ran 15km with Billy’s Bushies in Bundeena at 7am-8.30am then had a swift icy cold gatorade in preparation for one of annual highlights – the Bundeena to Cronulla swim (Sough Cronulla beach) – 3.5km starting at 9am. There was about 62 swimmers this year, no entry no names, just like a running fat ass! I came in approx middle of the pack – swam very well for my best result ever although I did think I was going to vomit at The Point but it was a very gassy burp. Took $20 in my speedos to catch the ferry back, although I probably looked a bit weird walking thru Cronulla Mall and catching the ferry in my speedos.
At home I bit of a snooze on the hammock in the garden, reading the paper etc. Just what I’d like to do on holiday. There was a good letter on the letters page of the Guardian weekly which really resonated with me (from Jerry Schaefer, Long Beach California):
“Capitalism itself isn’t necessarily bad. The people involved in it aren’t automatically evil. But the actions they’re taking are foolhardy They are putting the planet at risk. Our addiction to commerce makes us willing collaborators in their folly. Worse than crimes against humanity, these are crimes against the planet itself”.
In the afternoon I went for a swim with my daughter.
On facebook there is a really good meme on “The uprising of women in the arab world” – I especially liked “I’m with the uprising of women in the Arab world because for 20 years i wasn’t allowed to feel the wind in my hair and my body” and “I’m with the uprising of women in the Arab world because for 20 years i was not born to be oppressed just like birds were not meant to be caged“.
I should clarify I support muslims and do not think “the west or anyone has the answers to life”, I support anyone, but I believe most in people and their ability to determine their own lives.
18-Aug-2012 Audley half marathon
I guess I don’t do many running races each year, and even fewer are ones that I make an effort to do each year, as I don’t like routine. However the Sutherland Half Marathon held as an out’n’back of Lady Carrington Drive is one I usually try to make, mainly as its my local run, and it’s held at the old skool time of approx 2pm and is very lo-key volunteer led affair. This year was the same, even handwritten results and out up on the website as a pdf.
I ran a controlled race and was very happy to run 1hr 55m and 39s probably the fastest I have run for a few years. It’s actually a very tough course and worth 10-15mins over a road time I suspect/hope !
13-Dec-2011 Swim to Cronulla coming up
Its funny how everyone in the Shire is connected in some way. I was wondering about the pre-Xmas swim from Bundeena to Cronulla (best part of 4k) would be – well I got emailed the Bushies newsletter today :
Christmas Eve run: Saturday 24 December is Christmas Eve and the run will begin at Bundeena Wharf. After the run a number of Bushies will join some others for a swim from Bundeena across the bay to Cronulla Beach. A highlight of this swim is watching Kevin Tiller battle his way across the bay. People would pay good money for the entertainment that Kevin provides, but we get to watch if free of charge. Any kayak paddlers who would like to escort a swimmer, just bring along your boat and after the run you can help them out. I’m sure any assistance would be appreciated. However, if you want to follow Kevin Tiller, you had better bring some lunch.
Well I will be there for sure on Xmas Eve!
6-Aug-2011 Reboot
I had a quick read of coolrunning this evening, must have been the first time in ages, like a month or so.I feel like I have just dropped right out of the running scene since Six Foot back in March. But even before then. I don’t regularly run with any one, or even a group (although I pin the Bushies colours on when I do run a race). Being injured doesn’t help.
But overall, I feel like I need a reboot – take a year or 2 off, get out of the scene and re-find myself & re-charge my batteries. I am refining my diet and my training and feel a lot better for it. My injury is not totally healed but good enough to run enough without any issues. So much so that I am actually enjoying it.
Just need to ensure that I don’t go off and over-commit in my usual way and go and spoil it.
I am particularly enjoying just getting up and doing what strikes my fancy (running, swimming, yoga, paddling, stand-up paddling, surfing, cross fit) and depending on what the weather / conditions best suit – no expectations, no promises, just go with the flow.
Ultimately I have been running for 30 years, 27 since my first marathon, so the running habit runs very deep, and I will always come back and do more but I think that as an exercise routine running alone is not enough- you need to do other activites for all over fitness.
Today I did an 8km run, with fully-clothed and shod swim. 50 pushups, 50 kettlebell swings (16kg), 50 medicine ball wall throws (9kg) and 2 pull ups.
Last night I did 90mins advanced bikram yoga. I am still shite but at least my core is getting a bit stronger.
5-Apr-2011 Mentioned in Bushies Newsletter
I got a mention in today’s newsletter from the Billes Bushies :
Heard on the run: Last week at the start of the Bundeena run Kevin Tiller said to Crack, “You’ll have to take them this week. I’m carrying a bit of extra weight at the moment.” Kevin is now the front runner for the Bushies Understatement of the Year Award. Later on during the run, Kevin said something along the lines of: “I’m stuffed! If I collapse out here you’ll just have to bury me beside the track.” The same thought immediately went through the minds of everyone within earshot, “Shovels will be no use: we’ll need something big and mechanical.”
Praise: Things are not all bad for Kevin T. During discussions about the Six Foot Track someone mentioned that the race organisation is just not the same since Kevin retired. Everyone present agreed.
I assume all of it was a joke!
27-Oct-2009 Weekend
So after my last post (Thurs evening), it’s been interesting.
Late Thurs night (12:20am) I went for a run. I wanted a good hit out without risk of tripping in the dark, so decided to run along Bundeena Drive to Maianbar turn and into Maianbar – not really advisable during the day as a fair few cars and no pavement. But at night running on the road is ok. Most of the way was in the middle of the road with torch turned off. I went quite quick. Its about 5km up hill to the turn then about 3-4km down to Maianbar. I felt like I pushed most the way, plus the sheer adrenaline of running in the dark, looking over the hills. Very still and beautiful – luckily a warm night so just in singlet & shorts. At Maianbar I went down to the beach and crossed the water to Bonnie Vale. It was half tide so was waist deep. The torch shone into the water which was crystal clear and was warm and it was very surreal. Then a good dash back into bundeena arriving at 1.40am, a quick shower and hop into bed. Some nights you feel like you could just go on forever and its a shame to actually stop. Needless to say I was very sore on Friday.
Yoga in Darlinghurst on Fri evening, then a $8 masala dosa at Jaipur Sweets on the way home. Yoga generally makes me float down the street afterwards – the high is probably even better than running:
“It is the only subject where the subject is not also the object.”
The yoga posture (the “object”) is the subject of the class, but the yoga posture is not the POINT of the class. The point of the class is what happens to you, in your body and mind, when you do the yoga. I think it’s to remind people that the purpose of coming to yoga is to heal your body and your mind, instead of just trying to do a really great standing head to knee pose. You still need to work on standing head to knee pose, and study standing head to knee pose, and try to do it better every time you do it! But at the end of the day, the pose ITSELF is almost irrelevant. What matters is the process… and of course, the results of that process.
On Saturday I ran with the bushies at Helensburgh. Great photo of the Bushies in their new tops, but I only managed running 10-15mins before I went over on my ankle. I would say it wasn’t my fault – some people were talking and I was paying more attention to what they were saying than watching the crappy boulder-strewn track we were running on. My fault I guess.
I hobbled back to the start and went home, and went for a swim instead. Actually 2 swims (one with the missus). Then in the afternoon we went to yoga in Caringbah. On Sunday I did 2km swim in the pouring rain at Sutherland pool and then went in the sea again in the late afternoon.
Monday I was cactus, stiff and tired and of course the weather was shit-house.
a lifetime serving one machine
is ten times worse than prison
28-May-2009 Last Weekend
oh boy – I am really getting into this running lark:
Saturday. The weather looked shite when I woke up so thought it would just be a hard core few at bushies. there were loads of people. From wattamolla there are only a few options and we headed towards killer gorge. some new guys running and I was going well so figured I would clean them up later. I came stone last from our group even though I ran well. Even Six Bricks beat me. Billy listed me under the females for being so slow. Still I had a good run. Saw Lynda coming back close to Wattamolla (she’s on CR too). Heard about the bishops race (ssshhh…) I put it down as 16km. felt like it anyway. pretty pooped for the rest of the day, can’t even remember what I did, running is always the best part of the day.
Sunday. SMC 25km. I wanted to go to top up the kms and have a hit out as I run mainly by myself I wanted to see how I’d go. Answer was shithouse time although I was fairly happy with my time (2:25) equivalent to a 4:04 marathon. Jeezus, I need to sort myself out if I am going to run sub-3 anytime soon! I started off midway thru the pack then slowly drifted to the back. SMC need to be congratulated on putting on a top event – just how I like it – well run but no bullshit. Same as Striders. Compared to SMH, C2S and Blackmore’s then its not hard to see why I don’t worry about the big end of town. Good to catch up with everyone afterwards (briefly) – had to dash home to take a tiddler to swimming lessons. I also dropped off approx 100 pairs of recycled runners. Totally cactus in afternoon.
Went running early morning on Tues and weds, need to put in some hard yards. Loving it. the best.
Been listening to the new manic street preachers album. t’is good. I read some of this book – Thick Face, Black Heart but chucked it in the recycle bin. total shite. waste of money. I am waiting for the road to wigan pier to arrive by post, but if not then I will start on the sid vicious book.
This was originally posted to my blog on CoolRunning. It attracted one comment:
Tim: so let me get this straight. you are a ferral bush runner who shuns main events yet you are talking about a sub 3 marathon 
22-May-2009 This Weekend & Kortenray
This saturday I plan to run with the bushies from Wattamolla (be there 6.50am) they will do approx 16km. then on sunday I plan to run the 25km (on road!) with the sydney marathon clinic. we’ll see how I do. During april I was on target for my 2000km this year but I am approx 100km adrift now so need to pick up some decent runs.
I was going thru some archives – am trying to scan in everything and reduce amount of paper I have when I found this. back in the late 1980s I clipped this out from a superb running mag that is no longer around.
You need to know that at the time I also used to run around Richmond Park like a crazy man. If you go to London then look it up – Richmond is a nice place and only a short train ride from the city. It is about 16km all round and has some excellent running paths – undulating hills, lots of trees but easy to find your way. There are paths criss-crossing the park but also lots of long grass you can run on. I have seen seb coe running here, and hugh jones (old guys that gen y won’t have heard of). The last time we were here we saw a pack of african runners running in peloton fashion – very beautiful.
Mike Kortenray – one of my inspirations:
I have just finished the Garbageland book. Good. But it didn’t really grab me. I will add it to the list of books I have to swap or sell.
ps I bought the lucky man song in previous post when the verve first released it, but was reminded of it in the film my kids just watched – marley & me – great if you are a dog owner. anyway there is a great scene there where they play the song. worth seeing the film just for that.
As this post appeared on my coolrunning blog, I did have a couple of comments:
Brick – Great article Kev.
Serena – Kevin I used to work in Twickenham (and later Teddington) for a car magazine in the v. early 90s – I used to see Seb Coe wandering about the place; he was so skinny. Also used to see Benny Hill wandering around. I wonder if the two of them were mates?
29-Apr-2009 Stopping, Starting, Wtf
No sooner had I started than I stopped again.
A week last Saturday I was leading the Billies Bushies run in my hometown of Bundeena. (I was The Ranger so I get to set the course and am meant to lead it, as in lead from the front). I found some new-ish tracks, and followed Billy’s instructions for where he wanted me to take the runners. But very close to the end, when I must have been tired and too worried about keeping up the speed and not looking where I was going too closely (a good sign of tiredness) I went over on my ankle. It was pretty bad but it was less than a km from the finish so jogged limped it back in.
There is a map here:
I got a write-up in the newsletter:
JoggerKev was guest ranger and promptly blew his pack apart. Hicky was dropped well before Jibbon Beach and by the time Kevin reached the end of the sand track, he had only four other runners still with him. The remaining runners gathered like a flock of headless chickens on the tar road and then, after someone glimpsed a white shirt away in the scrub, headed after them. As usual, Shirts lost the track and some runners followed him. You would think by now that every Bushie would know to never follow Shirts anywhere. Eventually, Kevin and his four mates were seen again in the distance and after much chasing, the pack regrouped – just in time for Kevin to duck back into the scrub again. However, this is where karma prevailed. When Kevin finally said ‘GO!’ he had nothing left in the tank. He was last in and as he was running along the final straight to the cars, he was practically running on the spot, covering more distance vertically than he was horizontally.
my response:
I think you were a bit harsh on me. I checked with someone reliable – Brian P – and he said the pace was ok. I totally ignored cracks as Billy said not to trust him at all – he wanted an even faster pace AND was telling jokes about you. As proof, I got dropped by the group going up the Sandy Track and this included even Fat Phil going past me ! It was only when I pulled a stroke of pure brilliance and did a circuit which included a bush bash and a dry creek crossing did I get to re-lead the pack, only to then get dropped again heading to the road. I added a couple of great bush sections and swamp – a shame you missed them – but with 100m to the “go” I tripped and twisted my ankle, which is why I went so slow when you saw me from the comfy seats at the cafe.
Even now, a week and a half later, my foot is still bruised even by the toes, so have not been running. But been walking the dog on the beach most mornings and done some leisurely strolls.
I did a great walk at Bonnie Vale the day afterwards, when I could only go very slow. I was paddling in the (cold) water and it started tipping down, by the time I got home I was like a drowned dog.
Unfortunately it meant I missed going to SMC, shame as I wanted to run AND I had about 80 pairs of shoes to drop off, and more coming I think.
17-Nov-2008 SMC
On Saturday we all went out for dinner – the missus got a new job at Sutherland and it was our 17th wedding anniversary. we went to an indian restaurant in liverpool. it was great. Was most impressed that the kids all tucked into the food also. I love indian food and so my plan is working (ie get the rest of the tiller clan to love indian also).
On Sunday I ran at the sydney marathon clinic for the 1st time. I was keen to see how my training would stack up to a flat fast road run and a half marathon is about as standard as you can get. 1.47 was the answer. I had no real pre-conceived idea but figured whilst running that sub-1.50 would be good. clearly I am going in the right direction. the course was good, aid and markings good. I will probably try to go more regularly as its a good hit out. lots of people I knew there, so it made it worthwhile. I won’t list them for fear of missing anyone off. It was pretty much exactly one hour from home so a lot closer than striders.
This week the bushies are running at garie beach Garie Beach carpark (flat beach run – suitable for newcomers) – Bill Hicks really cracks me up (there are mountainous hills on 3 sides of garie and the 4th is the sea). I will probably go as I feel bad to have been such a rarity there. Suspect they will start approx 6.45am Saturday if anyone is feeling foolish.
Last week I went out twice socially. Makes a change from being a pariah. Friday was at a pub at cockle bay. lots of coolrunners. some new some old and some in between. Couldn’t drink much as I had to drive home and late at night its 90mins or so. met miners and brewer and tfive for the 1st time. I am sure tim said he was going but he missed it, or maybe I dreamt it.
Weds was a coolrunning film night in cremorne. Saw the marathon de sables video for this year. Have never been keen on that run – sounds like a lot of money, but I was quite impressed. if time/money were unlimited then I could do this, but they are so I won’t. the spirit of the marathon was a strange film. I really liked the build up and quality and bit of history but in my mind it was spoilt by focussing too much on virgin marathon runners and their over-complicating the training, and carrying gear etc. jesus just go out and bloody run. ignore all the crap and run. it annoyed me and speaking to some others it annoyed them too. having said that it was great to see a fillum about running and great to see 200+ runners go along.
I enjoyed meeting the Simon boys who organised the evening. Having met them a couple of times, there is something I like about them. I bought the room to read book they were flogging. As you know I am a sucker for a book. Particularly about quitting your job to work for people in the 3rd world. I would have done that if I’d had the guts. there I said it.
As this was posted to my old blog on coolrunning, it had these comments attached :
Comment by “John Stevens” a pseudonym from a well-known fun runner in NSW, or his wife 😉 : Haven’t read the book, either. But is it a question of “guts”, as to whether to down tools here, and go physically to where people are struggling, for enormously complex reasons, to live? (Sorry, I’m not having a good afternoon with words, again). I think of the problems in the poor areas, in two loose categories – those of geography/climate – drought, poor soil, isolation – just a darned hard slog, on and on for generations. Then there are the cultural/political/social problems – health, exploitation of people and resources, fighting over tribal and racial issues, -> too many issues to list.
Anyway, what I’m saying is, seems to me you are in a good position to help, living in a well-resourced nation, with a good education, technology at your fingertips, and relatively speaking, the income to contribute to other people’s lives. Not to mention the political freedom to act as you choose. If you leave all that, plus your own children’s upbringing in the mix, to “go” to a poor area, so you can feel you are “there” making a difference, I wonder if that just serves to lessen the juxtaposition of your “wealth” against their poverty? Yeah, I would agree, there is a need for people with expertise and willingness to live under the hard conditions, to help communities work towards survival, safety and freedom. And it is satisfying to physically exert an effort towards something you want to see achieved. But whenever someone is added to the community, the local resources are stretched that bit further. That is, not all of us who are unhappy about the continuing poverty of 50% of the world’s children, can physically go to them. Supporting the NGOs with your $ is not as immediate or exciting, but on the ground, maybe it’s a pretty effective contribution after all? Book review of “Leaving Microsoft” when you are finished it?
ETA – Sorry, I know that is a simplistic view, and not battling out the issues of the World Bank, globalisation. I am too frustrated by the enormity of the big picture to think of where it begins and ends. But unless you can take down some of the world’s biggest corporations, and share the market more evenly, then I can’t think how else to make a difference as one person, than to share my own income and resources. In that, I am willing to stand alongside you, and say that it takes guts to do what you can, and how can I ever be satisfied with my efforts, if I know I could do more, if I tried harder?
My own comment back: john – arrrgh, jedi mind tricks! At a certain point in time I realised I could do anything I wanted in the whole world, and I wanted to travel and not get a job and DO SOMETHING. So I got a job and sat in the office -> that’s what I meant by I didn’t have the guts to do what I wanted. Which path was most effective in the long run wasn’t a question that I asked. But that decision taken 20-odd years ago sees me here sitting at a pc at bedtime – middle aged, middle class and middle of the road old fart living on past glories.
ps nice blog, and no not everyone uses facebook 😉
11-Sep-2008 Slow … And Late
I am trying to slow my life down and enjoy it a bit more – hence I have not been so active on cr recently. been reading more. I work from home one day a week, and often walk to the post office to post some shoes (loco). We have a no-driving rule for the village we live in so usually walk or cycle. Luckily the most direct route to the post office is along the beach, so I pick up litter or just listen to the waves. yesterday I saw a diving mask tangled up in seaweed and so recovered it and spent some time scraping off the barnacles. slow is good. even when running, although I am getting faster. I took the missus out at the weekend and had to stop a hundred times for her ! success !
Although my running is going well, work is a total shit for lots of reasons and I rarely get time to run during the week, so I figured I should do what I used to – get up at 6am. but I just can’t. probably because I go to bed too late. I reckon up a 6am for an hour run till 7am which is when I usually get up would be just the trick. sounds easy but its hard to break a habit. that’s why I don’t do striders or bushies these days – afraid of early mornings ! the weird thing is I have been going to bed earlier in general, maybe I am just in catch up mode. we’ll see how it goes, will report back here.
15-Jun-2008 Moderation, Pink & Running
Note- this was posted to my old blog and I am just moving to over here.
The rudi stuff quietened down after we merged a couple of threads and closed it to posting, in theory allowing people to calm down and cool off. it’s open again now. We were between a rock and a hard place. Thomo was vehemently for rudi and spammed the moderators every time someone posted something negative. RonnieRennen did the same (but in public) any time there was a positive post. arrrggghh.
Thomo made it clear to me that all moderators should be sacked for failing to do their duty. I received a bunch of emails from moderators who wondered if they should quit or what, given they often leave nasty stuff for me. Colin (The Colin) has also – often – expressed his opinion that the moderators (likely just me) are inconsistent and not up to scratch. I spend a lot of mental energy worrying, thinking and analysing these sorts of jedi-mind games and it gets me down. I like thomo and colin, and suspect if we were face to face all would be ok, but I don’t feel it’s been said like that. It feels like a lot of needle & aggro. I am only venting here as its prime position in my mind.
I don’t think we do a bad job (given my overall lack of qualifications) and as its meant to be a part time hobby!
I went to the Wild Endurance Awards night on Thurs as Sean was MC. It was a good evening. Sean did a good job. I felt a bit of a fraud for going to the awards drinks but not competing in the event! Saw a few CRs, most commented that shutting the thread off was the best thing to do.
I am sitting here watching Pink Floyd’s The Wall. If you remember the scene with a burnt out Pink in a hotel room – that’s how I feel about CR, Six Foot etc and most people don’t realise I am not some megalomaniac I am just a little boy trying to offload this monkey (or plural) that jumped on my back. I would like to disappear back into obscurity. Maybe I shouldn’t post to CR, but if I continue to moderate I will be seen as a faceless nazi wanker if I just edit but not give any reasons why.
On the running front, my mind was also occupied with the upcoming running of the billy bushies run in Bundeena, where I had had been dobbed in as ranger for the run ie set the course and lead it (like AT THE FRONT). I did a decent route round Maianbar and back to Bundeena last weekend – took 3 tries to really get it right. I ran most of it with Dawn on Monday. Anyway we did the run today – bit of bush, bit of road, some very narrow, wet, gorse stuff, some firetrail and then some sand. the tide didn’t work quite as the website suggested so it was with some horror that the tide was much higher than expected. We waded / ran / walked round from Red Jacks to Yenabilli point, where everyone just said – we either swim for it or go on the trail the long way. 90% opted for the swim – the bushies are very hardcore. I was told to say Go so everyone races back and I was left for dead. A Great 2h 15m run. VERY cold at the finish though. The swim was only about 10metres, but approx 50+ metres of wading, in parts waist deep. A great honour to set the route and most people seemed to like the route. I was impressed that I stayed at the front until we said Go without embarrassing myself and collapsing in a heap halfway round and going short back home. I should go out more frequently with them. The contrast with Striders is quite stark ie at bushies you get extra credits if you lose everyone else. I contemplated taking a map of the route but figured that was against the rules (you betcha!).
Unfortunately it meant that I missed the Poor Man’s Comrade’s that was also on today.
Next up – keep the training going, Cities Marathon and 12foot hopefully.
As this was on my old blog I did receive some comments:
Plu – Hi Kevin, I can only just imagine the emails/PMs you would have got. I got my own fair share as well after my blogs posts on the issue. Many were distressed Cool Runners. Also there are a lot of CR who did not what – if anything had happened. Perhaps having a monkey is not necessarily a bad thing. If it is not Cool Running it would be something else – at least now you have the lifestyle you love. Having said that you can stop if you want I feel the same way with some of the professional things I do like web pages that no one has the skills nor inclination to do anything about. cheers Plu
Me – plu – quick response – ta. I made it clear to the missus that WHEN I am not RD of 6ft or chief janitor @ CR then it would be replaced with other stuff. I am still doing the running shoe recycling, and would love to spend more time on the australian running guide and …. yes there will be other monkeys for sure.
Loubee – I think you do a great job.
Tynomite – Not collapsing in a heap, either on CR or the run. Five stars!
MissZ – Hi Kevin, As a silent observer of the recent fracus, I just wanted to say that I really, really appreciate the work you and the other moderators do on CR. Its not easy and you are only human, you can’t be perfect. No one should expect that. I love CR and it brings a lot of pleasure to my life. Thank you very much for that.
StellaBella – Kev, Miss Z pretty much summed up what I wanted to say. Things have gotten ridiculous and ppl are being unreasonable and I think you moderators are doing a great job under the circumstances so thank you
AMK – I agree with the girls you guys do an amazing job keeping this site going. This site helps so many ppl it would be a disaster to lose it because of a few.
Ellie80 – Seconded! (seventhed?) Many times I have started typings posts and deleted because I am not truly sure what my problem with those few threads is. I think it is mostly my discomfort with the level of aggression. You don’t deserve to be copping both sides of it so I hope it dies down soon. And I think you would be well within your rights to shut those threads down permanently. And then wait for the cries of censorship?
WhippetGal – All I want to say is thank you for CR. You (and the other moderators) do a good job. I really appreciate this site and depend on it, not only for information, race calendars etc., but for motivation and encouragement. Don’t get disillusioned by the sh*t fights – your job is damn hard.
Didge – I agree. I’m a relatively new runner and most of the advice I have received is from CR. I don’t know if i would have improved as much as i have already without CR. Keep up the great work Kev & Co. Don’t let the minority spoil it for the majority.
Serena – This is a great site, Kev. You and the other moderators do a sterling job. I know being a moderator is an often thankless, unpleasant job. SJ
Colsy – You guys do a great job here, without CR I would have accomplished half of what I have so far…if that! It can sometimes be draining enough just reading negative posts or getting caught up in controversies, let alone the job that you and the Mods do. Well done.
3-Jun-2008 Weekend Of Sporting Excess
Before it slips by – just an update on what I got up to over the weekend – this would be pretty normal for me these weekends.
Fri night – home from work and spent evening with the family chatting or watching a movie – almost nil looking at a computer.
Sat am – up early to run with the bushies. very rare for me as I normally get up approx 9am and then go running for 2-3hrs. this morning up at 6am as they were running from bundeena trig and figured there was no excuse. ran with the wannabes and got dropped halfway so took a short cut back to the start. out for approx 2hrs – maybe 15km. no matter how good i think I’m getting – I am just dreaming. got my ass kicked on the hills and road. Bushies advice is useless:
The Goodies: Are extremists and are pretty quick. Unless you are a running junkie then I wouldn’t recommend running with them
The Wannabes: As the name suggests, this group are wannabe “Goodies”. They run relatively quick and I would recommend running 3 times a week if you want to keep up with them. Also be prepared for some interesting conversations…and be prepared to be left behind if you aren’t quick enough!! (I speak from experience)
The Has Beens: Also, as the name suggests, these guys run at a relatively good pace, but are in it to have fun and you don’t have to train too much to keep up. They stop a little more than the Wannabes and usually don’t leave people behind! If you are starting out running then this is the group I recommend you run with! They are very nice and are always looking out for new people, so just let one of them know you are new
Went swimming in the sea when I got home.
Sat pm – we all cycled to maianbar via the basin & bush, parked the bikes and walked thru the bush to the rope swing. cool as. cooked rice & chick peas with tofu for dinner.
Sun am – pissing down with rain but I really enjoy that, reminds me of the uk. ran with dawn to maianbar. found a good little track Red Jacks. Saw some deer. almost decided to wade / swim back but had visions for getting delayed so ran back up some killer hills. Dawn kicked ass here. only caught up with her when she fell over – it’s always her. Maybe 15km again. Back home I went swimming – water warmer – really beautiful. zonked out with coffee, vegemite toast and newspaper.
Sun pm – took 12yr and 10yr to the trig and cycled to Marley, parked bikes and walked in. kids loved the sand dunes – we climbed the highest one ! I felt like a 10yr old again. Was raining and cycling back it got dark. Little’un did good with no brakes and no gears – it was hard yakka. got home in dark. my legs shot in evening, hence no running today (Monday). I think the kids learnt a valuable lesson – just the 3 of us with 3 bikes. car was parked miles away. raining. dark, but no complaining, they knew what they had to do and just did it. 12yr old biked then walked till we caught her then she took of again. I cycled next to the little’un and helped push her bike (no gears) up the big hills. very proud of them both. they will be tough kids in a few years when they run 6ft. ha ha.
Got the Billy’s Bushies email today :
Crack changed the run and headed from Marley beach out to the Bundeena Road and then back through Deer Pools before finishing up the Trig Hill (20.3km on Chappo’s GPS). Billy screamed, ranted and raved at Crack for going onto the Bundeena Road (the locals use it as their own private racing circuit and complain whenever anyone else uses it). Billy was still carrying on about it the next day, unaware that it was at Hicky’s suggestion that Crack took that route. Crack has been sacked (again). Pinky is ranger next week and Kevin Tiller the following week. Kevin finally made it to another Bushie run, and true to form, lost sight of the pack and finished up back at the cars wondering where everyone else was.
Billy said I would be the ranger (set the course). Man I am pissed off, but will try to find a suitable route. Bastards. The Wannabe’s will be pissed also as I am the slowest by a long shot.
Just flicked thru CR a bit, didn’t do much at all. Still well behind on 6ft stuff, my to-do lists are getting very long now.
This was posted on my old blog and I had some comments:
sook54: Wow you must be so healthy! I’m impressed with the kids’ behaviour I must say. Would be interested in the tofu and chickpea recipe, tell me about it sometime!
tim: don’t eat tofu it will kill you 
31-May-2008 Coolrunning Nerve Centre – Actually Nah
I was thinking of posting about the coolrunning nerve centre, and even took some photos, but the reality is we moved house last year, and my office had moved from a bedroom to another room to another room etc and most of the work was done during lunchtimes and coffee breaks at my day job so there isn’t really A nerve centre.
the desk – we downsized and therefore “the office” also got downsized to “a desk”
another view (mainly of the kitchen!)
I also do a lot of work now on the kids pc’s given that most of my stuff is now in the cloud.
I often take my laptop to work and work on the train (40mins each way) with a next-g card or even sneak of to a small cafe etc to work there. if truth be told, I still do some coolrunning stuff at work, but not much other than posting to the forums, as the wingnuts have locked out a bunch of stuff. however I often sink $10 every month or so into everywhere internet down between central and town hall somewhere, and my trusty standby, kinkos near australia square. I lash out $10 on a ticket and that lasts me a couple of weeks of lunchtime work.
I plan to run with billies bushies tomorrow as they are running from bundeena trig.
Last weekend I did this awesome bike/run/ swim. Biked thru my village, out on some trails to marley beach, dumped my bike in the bush and started running (felt like the old days, legs all heavy), ran like a star to wattamolla – actually went past as I wanted to check a rope going over the cliffs (someone has moved it bugger), then ran back to marley, cycled like crazy back home then swam in the sea in my shorts/topless. (not bad for winter – everyone here thinks am a total fruitcake). I was out for approx 2hrs 40mins, and was well stuffed.
obscure link for today – was listening to bauhaus for the first time for a while – bela lugosi’s dead in fact. I never realised they got released on small wonder. Small wonder was a relatively obscure punk record store in walthamstow that had a huge impact on the london punk scene.
13-May-2008 Back Again
Back blogging again. i doubt anyone missed it, and anyway its more for me than anyone else. lots of changes since i last posted back last july. actually that weekend away at avoca was the genesis of us deciding we were in a rut and needed a move. cut lots of anguish – we sold our house and moved in october to sydney’s best kept secret, down in a hidy hole in sutherland-shire. it’s hard work as we have no family in the country so we had to do it all from scratch by ourselves, move kids’ schools etc, bought a 2nd car. i took 3 weeks off over xmas where we went swimming (4 beaches within walking distance – closest one only 50m from my front door), went kayaking (we have 4 now), cycling (we have 10 bikes in our garage – TEN!!) and the running, oh boy, its great. still haven’t been on half the tracks and we do quite a lot of running. most weekends i run with the missus nearly 2hrs saturday AND 2hrs sunday, finishing with a swim at OUR beach both times. been running with billy’s bushies, THE most underrated running club around – most highly recommended.
maybe that’s why i feel like a burnt out case as far as races go – i just can’t be arsed. i am happy at home exploring new trails by myself or with my wife. maybe that’s why i don’t feel like running many/any races and don’t even feel motivated to organise many/any. of course whilst i am running a fair amount, racing wise i am probably slow and i don’t want to sped good money (that i don’t have) to run slowly.
maybe its like a sabbatical and i will feel better next year ?
ps I am watching this (59m 13s) – not really vegan but WELL WORTH the watch – The whole philosophy boils down to seven words: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
This was on my old blog and I received some comments:
Twopennys: Sounds like a great spot Kevin – hear what you say about TNF and enthusiasm – something will eventually capture your imagination.
PlodBod: Welcome back Kevin! Your new lifestyle sounds absolutely idyllic. Well done on making difficult decisions to change… The sigh of relief in your post is almost palpable. 
tim: it all sounds pretty cool to me.
Sook54: Trail running is something I’ve only had a taste of so far (in NZ in Jan) and really enjoyed – am looking forward to getting into it sometime and your area sounds like a great place to do so. Good food blog – I’ve just had an enormous selection of ‘delicacies’ at banquets in China and am really looking forward to some plain old oats tomorrow!
superflake: Sounds like the move has been fantastic for your health Kev. Ten bikes! What are you doing? Ebay, Ebay….
Kevin Tiller 
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