Archive
28-Apr-2013 Weekend Sport
On Friday, still on day off from work, I did a longish swim in preparation for Sunday’s Shark Island 2.3km swim at Cronulla, then I ran for an hour then went to Newtown with the Advanced yoga folk and did a Jivamukti class. It was a great workout and I felt sore and tired afterwards. There were 6 of us and we had a Thai meal in Enmore afterwards. Home at 11.30pm
Saturday was soccer for Chelsea and Kody and we left home at something like 10am and got back at 3.30pm. It was hot so we were all tired. Both kids lost like 10-0 and 10-2. wow. In the evening when it was dark I went out and ran approx 90mins in the dark with a torch thru the bush as part of my 100km training, only 3 weeks to go.
Sunday I woke up and felt sick so skipped the swim and went to watch Jazmin play for the Cronulla Seagulls. She played very well and we were very proud of her. Back home and feeling better I swam a decent swim then went for a run. Then felt buggered but it was ok as we had a family meal together.
25-Apr-2013 Anzac Day
Today is Anzac Day so it’s a public holiday. Maybe as I wasn’t brought up in Australia, but I am not into Anzac Day. Maybe I am just not into “war stuff”. I am kind of ok that in this modern age people have to look after the security of the world and to push back on aggressive countries but I don’t really see why Australia was fighting in Turkey in 1917 other than to support the Poms.
Anyway if it’s a day off, I’ll take it.
I met with Mikey from work at Garie Beach at 6.30am for a 26km run (measurement courtesy of his doo-dad), time was approx 4hrs or a touch less. A glorious day for running, although he struggled the last few km with shoes rubbing his ankle and I felt like vomiting sick, but luckily wasn’t. Had a great cool down dip in the sea which was rough-as as always. There were lots of others out training for trailwalker or, like us, the North Face 100km which is scarily soon (18 May).
In the afternoon I read the paper and dozed on the back deck. Wonderful in the sun!
Later on I picked up Chelsea from Kurnell as she was going to the footy (Dragons v Roosters). The in the evening we took to soccer training at Wooloware.
At home, we put the gas fire on for the first time this winter (actually its not winter until 1st June) – it was 12C outside and not a lot more inside. The fire pushed it up to 19C which felt comfortable.
17-Mar-2013 Weekend Activities
It was a busy weekend. On Saturday morning I ran for 4h 30m with Mikey from work. We started at Garie Beach at 06.30 – it was still dark when we arrived but got light almost instantly. It was a long run to Helensburgh and back in a big loop (map here) and we didn’t kill ourselves with speed. I felt ok but tired at the end when it was very warm. (Photo is of us both at Six Foot Track Marathon in the Blue Mountains).
At home, I had a quick 30min doze on the sofa and a strong coffee, then had to go out and buy Kody school shoes, soccer boots etc and then take Jaz out driving to get her hours up in the evening (taking Dawn to work).
On Sunday I ran down to Burning Palms as I was on Patrol but the beach was closed, grrr, although it was really rough. In the afternoon I ran back up, then went running with Dawn later. Unfortunately as so often happens, we went fast and I was knackered when I got home. A swim in cooler water afterwards was lovely.
I am considering using Instagram to publish photos on my Bangla-Dash run, so was fiddling around with that – here are some I took:
My Instagram page is here: http://instagram.com/kevintiller
15-Mar-2013 Setting a huge scary goal
I just posted this note to LinkedIn :
Setting a huge scary goal – running 290km in Bangladesh
As Linkedin is a professional, career orientated website I thought I would start this discussion off with how setting sporting goals and working towards them can provide valuable lessons for your professional life. They are probably not separate – you are one person with a family, a career and various outside hobbies. So the way you approach GOALS in your hobbies should mimic how you set goals in your career. Yes ? No ? Maybe ? Well I want aim to be consistent, I am no different at work than how I am with my friends or my family – just an ordinary bloke doing his best.
I came across a great training goal that made me shiver a little bit. Its crazy, it won’t work! Impossible ! You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Then I ran the numbers and though .. maybe .. just maybe .. it might be possible. I discussed it with a few close friends who promptly said I was insane. I committed myself to the idea and my wife said I was CLEARLY having a midlife crisis. She wanted to slap me. Work colleagues thought I would kill myself !
Anyway I told everyone my plan so I was committed. They thought I was either totally insane or very impressive. But the cat was out of the bag – I am now in deep – too far to back out now.
The I began to doubt myself … maybe I can’t do it, maybe I can. Who knows? Why DID I open my big fat mouth. But I started training, hard, in the heat and especially when I didn’t want to. I hadn’t been so tired in years. I still have my doubts – THIS MAY NOT WORK AND I MIGHT FALL FLAT ON MY FACE. But sometimes that is exactly what’s required – a goal to push you further than you ever dreamt of pushing yourself ever before. Ever.
It’s so scary that it almost makes you feel physically agitated, but on the other hand, so scared that you just want to do that thing, for better or worse, knowing it will just be a memorable adventure, again for better or worse.
One week away from departure it’s almost too late to do any more training to actually help, its just hunkering down to go through the logistics one more time. What if this happens ? or this, or this or this ? What’s the worst possible scenario ? Failing to plan is planning to fail – that’s not me.
Ivan Turgenev summed up a good point “If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin”. We just have to make enough plans but then we have to start, that’s the key – not thinking, not talking, but starting, then keep pushing through. We should not quit.
So my challenge is to run 290km from Kolkata India to Dhaka Bangladesh. It will be hot, but flat. Two Australian teachers ran it last year, so I KNOW it’s possible.
14-Mar-2013 Six Foot Track Marathon Photos
The Six Foot Track Marathon photos are up now.
The best two I think are these ..
1) taken at the Cox’s River Crossing approx 15.5km in the run. It was very deep with quite a current running.
2) taken at the mini-mini saddle area approx 19km. It is the top of a hill so I am running so slow it looks like a walk !
3) Obviously the further into the run, the worse the photos!! however all mine are listed here : http://www.supersportimages.com/products/showbib.php?xs=970&s1=635
10-Mar-2013 Breakfast of champions
Having got back from the Blue Mountains quite late last night, I had a bath and sorted the kids out as Dawn was at work, then went to bed. In the morning I was starved but wanted something clean and healthy so made my breakfast of champions .. I often have this during the week : bananas, almonds, pepitas, raspberries ground into porridge with a dash of hot water out of the kettle. We make it with our Champion Juicer.
Before:
After:
9-Mar-2013 Six Foot Track!
Finished my 11th Six Foot Track Marathon today. Very happy with HOW I ran – Picked up from Pluviometer (26km) and screamed thru deviation and on to the finish (45km) overtaking all those people who went past me earlier. However my time was not great due to a slow section between the Cox’s River (15km) to Pluviometer (26km). 6:24.56 total. A good workout test for my Bangladesh run in a few weeks (distance & comfort if not much speed).
Saw lots of people from CoolRunning which was great, so many old friends. Stayed at Sean & Mel’s at Wentworth Falls the night before, with Colin as an extra guest.
Heaps more discussions & comments at the Coolrunning forums, only 2 went to hospital!
Below photo from my phone:
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.
23-Dec-2012 Not much
After a busy day yesterday, today I took it a lot slower. Up late, lots of chores including dropping the kids at Sutherland and picking them up, and cleaning out the garage of ants nests and stuff. Very hot, sticky & dusty so great to cool off in the sea with Dan afterwards, then a killer run maybe 12km+ to Big Marley with Dawn so was very fast for me. In the evening she went to work so I watched a video about anti-rascist skinheads and fell asleep on the floor till 2.30am.
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.
16-Dec-2012 Weekend update
Saturday by the time I got up (late – gone 9am) and did a heap of chores, it was approx 12 noon by the time I went for a run. 2hrs. to the burnt steps at the top of little marley beach and back. with a swim at Hordern’s beach. Was very tired & dehydrated, just like the old days !! Had a relaxing afternoon and went for a surf ski a bit later on (approx 5pm). I am getting much better and went around the buoy at the north end of Jibbon Beach. There was a biggish swell running so that was a new challenge !
In the evening I had put myself down as a parent volunteer at the primary scgool movie under the stars night – the Christmas Grinch movie. Its good to do the right thing sometimes.
Sunday I was on Surf Life Saving patrol at Burning Palms (10am-4pm). It was a hot & sunny day and I caught the sun. Went out on the boards a few times, and did a run-swim-run to keep a guy company AND was a rescue dummy for his proficiency. No real rescues though. I was well sweating by the time I got back to the car after the climb out. Lucky Jaz and Ko were going swimming just as I got home so that cooled me down.
16-Oct-2012 After school activities
I have written before that I take kody to after-school Netball in Caringbah which always seem to be a real pain as I have to leave work VERY early. This week the game was at 4.40pm but I managed to get Chelsea to meet her off the ferry and get there by train and walking so I just had to be there by about 5.15pm to take them home afterwards. This still meant I had to leave work very early, by 3.45pm. Luckily all went smooth and to plan, other than Ko’s team losing yet again!
When we got home just past 6pm I went for a run to Jibbon beach and then ran along it in barefeet and went for a swim at the far end (I can go for shorter swims in the sea without goggles now). It was a gorgeous day and the water was very clear. I felt very priveleged to live here AND that my foot is now good enough to run again.
Back home I just had time to wash off the sweat and sand in the shower before going to bikram yoga. A great class, home at 1030pm totally stuffed!
7-Oct-2012 Sunday
Daylight Saving kicked in last night, so I lost an hours sleep. I was surf lifesaving again and needed to leave by 9.15 but didn’t get up until about 8.50 so rushed around getting ready. It was a sunny morning and I dashed to Burning Palms to find monster swells and a closed beach. It was also quite cold in a string wind. It didn’t change all day but approx high tide at 1.30pm the water was up and under the Boatshed.
(Note the fantastic blue skies !!)
The good news is that as the beach was closed we got off quite early. I went home and immediately went out for a bit of a jog/walk along Bonnie Vale beach and picked up some rubbish. It was my first run of any kind for more than a month so it was a watershed moment and it made me very happy, even though I took it very very gently!
Afterwards I went for a swim at Horderns Beach where the water was warm enough but very rough with a huge rip running westwards. Luckily I made it out in one piece !
Very tired in the evening….. corn thins, homous and chili sauce to eat.
Reading this : AMANDA PALMER’S ACCIDENTAL EXPERIMENT WITH REAL COMMUNISM a fascinating read about music, the music biz, crowd sourcing etc.
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 !
19-May-2012 Saturday long-ish run (at last!)
Today (Saturday) was a gloriously sunny day. It was a shame we had to leave at 7.20am for Kody’ s soccer at Barden Ridge as I would sorely have loved a lie-in. It was a bit nippy, so wore my fave hoodie underneath my face black “gorilla” jumper. She lost 5-1. However I love that “sunny but nippy” feeling.
We stopped off at Audley to check out the new cafe that has been open for 2mths and I have only driven past it 100 times without going in! It was great, and despite my initial misgivings about closing the old place, it is probably a welcome improvement.
So by the time I got home I was keen to go out for a longer run, my longest since just before Six Foot when I got injured. I ran to Big Marley and back. Very Gloriously Sunny, but no whales. Thankfully my foot was ok. I enjoyed the run and even went quite quickly. I have to pull my finger out as the Mt Solitary Marathon is rescheduled for early August and having 6 weeks in India probably won’t help. Anyway it probably wasn’t TAHT long – maybe 1hr 20mins.
After I got back I went for a swim at Hordern’s Beach. Whilst it was cold to get in, it was still probably 19C and felt great. VERY exhilarating once I got out again. An 20 pushups first!
In the afternoon, I helped Dawn with some of her work documents & letters.
19-Feb-2012 Busy weekend
I think I can safely say that this weekend I did exactly the sort of things I love.
- Advanced Bikram Yoga on Friday night – am improving (from a low base!)
- 3hr run on Saturday from Bundeena to Wattamolla & return. Hot. With Ipod and cool down dip in the sea afterwards.
- Dinner out with the family (Japanese, Hurstville)
- Surf Lifesaving patrol on Sunday at Burning Palms. Lots of dolphins. Crystal clear water, board riding, run on beach and swimming “after work”. Short bushwalk there & back.
- Totally cactus in the evening
Saw this video. I like it:
22-Jan-2012 Ran Well!
I got up at 10am (still recovering from going back to work) and as Dawn is working later she’ll be getting up late, so I did a load of chores – washing up, sweeping the floors, feeding rabbits, pop to shop, sort the kids out (Chelsea & Jazmin had friends sleepover so we had 5 teenagers in the house, counting Kody who is almost a teenager!). Then sorted out the new wifi modem for Dawn who wants to take the laptop to work, then helped her do her coursework.
We finally went running together approx 3.30pm which is quite rare for us to go together. I wanted to do a time trial of “gate to gate” (Marley Trig point gate to the Bundeena gate). I ran 1h 18m back in July and wanted to try again. I took my iPod with The Clash and The Specials. I usually start quicker than Dawn then slow up, and she is better on firetrail than me. Anyway, it was quite hot/sticky humid and I set a “cracking” pace. She didn’t catchup and I came in 1h 02m and Dawn in 1h 03m. However I think Nick Galvin did 1h 01m (although that was in the winter – summer is definitely harder). Very pleased with that.
Had a dip in the sea afterwards which felt like total heaven. In the evening I watched the DVD of the North Face 100km race. It was a very good video and I wouldn’t mind running it myself.
19-Dec-2011 at home day
Monday is the first proper day of the holidays was got up late 10am, Dawn was up at 11am – amazingly the kids are well trained and no one was up any earlier than 09.30am. Posted approx 10 pairs of shoes in the Loco Closing Down Sale. Took the older 2 (Jaz and Chel) and Peter up to Sutherland as they were going to the city as the weather was raining. They were going Xmas shopping. Then I went swimming in the rain – the water was pretty warm, maybe 19C. Did some work work (refer here) and cooked dinner, then picked up the kids. Then went running along Bonnie Vale, went for a quick swim at the end, then picked up rubbish on the way back (in the pouring rain). In the evening watched the CrossFit every second counts movie. Nice end to the day.
18-Dec-2011 Sunday before Xmas
We were all up a little late today as yesterday was late to bed (ralatively speaking – gone midnight) and we’d been up since early. I was up first to do washing up, tidying, walk the dog, feed the rabbits etc. The kids went cycling to the basin for a swim and I went running with Dawn to Yenabilli Point, and got massively dropped on the climb up the steep road in Maianbar. Clearly I need to pull my finger out with Six Foot coming. I veered off at Yenabilli and waded/ swam across to Maianbar flats then went across to the spit and along Bonnie Vale and finished off with a swim at Hordern’s beach. In the afternoon me and Dawn finished off some Xmas shopping at Miranda then went to Yoga afterwards, with Cameron. It was good to hang around and chat to him afterwards.
20-Aug-2011 Sutherland Half Marathon
We picked up Kody from a friend’s in Maianbar where she had a sleepover then we went to Audley for the Sutherland Half Marathon. I mentioned a couple of weeks back to the kids that it was on and they were all mad keen to run – Kody 1km and her friend, Chelsea the 2km, and Jaz the 5km with me doing the half (21.1km). The weather on Friday night was really bad, very stormy with a lot of rain. I figured it would be cancelled but Saturday was bright and shiny. The weir was flooded and I thought it would affect their numbers but it was still quite busy.
Kody and friend came 3rd and 4th in a dead heat, Chelsea came approx halfway down the field as did Jaz. I came 97th from 135 for 2hrs 3min 19s which sounds very slow but tis a tough little course and was very muddy. I ran well and beat Gary Keir (Loneranger on CoolRunning) and Bob Fickel which hasn’t happened for a while so have not lost much fitness. I really enjoyed it. Just rocked up and ran – I really hate setting expectations. In fact all the kids enjoyed it.
We popped back home then picked up a friend of Chelsea’s for a sleepover.
Kevin Tiller 
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