It was great to see all those Aussie Gold's in the cycling over the past few weeks. I especially enjoyed the road cycling events. I think this sport is really going to take off in australia over the next five years. I even read an article about cycling as a sport that competes with Golf. In Golf the regular player does not want to get too much better or the handicapper will lower thier handicap and they will win nothing. In cycling thier is constant reward for extra effort. You can keep the wheel of that elite rider for a bit longer or make the sprint finish with friends on a pedestrian crossing somewhere on a group ride. You can join with a few of the guys who like to do a 'second lap' of the bay on a long saturday morning ride. Also it has to be said that you can play golf for many years and have your health and fitness get worse. Cycling is a sport that although social and relaxed in nature requires a lot from your body and results in strength and fitness. Its true that our cycling outfits don't leave much to the imagination, but if you have been cycling for a few years thats ok. Put all the golfers at the local club into lycra, and it may be a scary picture. So i say throw away those annoying clubs, swap the beer at the 19th with a coffee and join your local group ride. Sure a bike costs a lot, but if you give up the golf club and all the equipment you'll have the best bike in the bunch and enough change for a holiday. Get rid of the gut, enjoy some real fitness and energy, while meeting great people and seeing the beatiful sights of our area. Plus you'll have half your saturday back!!!

Get on your bike.

Steve

You call the shots

Our session times are open to your call. If you would like to request a particular time for a session or suggest a change of time [or venue] for any particular session, email or call: 3264 5555 and we can see what we can do. If you can organise a minimum of 3 people we can start a session and attract more punters.
It will take time to find the best times to attract the most people, so your input is welcome!

First evening run

Tonight is our first evening run: 7:30pm, leaves from the church car park. Our host is Gabriel.
Have fun!

Winning by Losing

Am I seeing things or since Australia's version of 'The Biggest Loser' aren't there a lot of of people out there pounding the pavement looking fairly determined to shed kilo's and get healthy?
The big test for any new resolution is whether we have the determination to push on and finish the task.
With the onset of winter and cold mornings/nights our resove will be sorely tested. I've found that by committing to particular events, I lock myself in and it helps me argue with myself on a cold winters morning. After teh alarm goes I usually lay in bed evaluating whether or not I can afford to sleep in.
When I have committed to an event it helps decide the argument. The most powerful tactic is to train/walk with others. That creates an accountability which helps you put aside the pathetic arguments your lazy side puts up just after the alarm has gone off.

Rain Policy

I awoke at 4:55am to get ready for my Tuesday session at Bullocky's Rest only for the sound of rain to fill my ears. I lay back in bed in two minds about whether to go or not. Running in the pelting rain, in the early morning murk, through mud, is not many people's cup of tea. I waited for the rain to finish but it got harder. After making the decision not to go, it promptly stopped at 5:27am.
To cut any confusion, here's the rain policy, which applies to runs, walks, rides:
If it is raining steadily, a session will be cancelled.
If it is raining at all, a cycling session will be cancelled.
If is only raining lightly and every now and then, a run/walk will go ahead.

As the sessions grow, and people get to now one another, mobile numbers can be exchanged and we can let each other know via SMS.

Striders Easy Riders Saturday Session 25 March

Easy Riders meet this Saturday morning, 6:30am in the church car park. Bikes will be loaded up and cyclists will head to Sandgate Pier, for a easy ride along the esplanade north, across the bridge and up to Woody Point and back again.
Expect to be back at the SPCC car park at 9:00am.
Hosts are George and Alan.

For more details ring ring SPCC on 3264 5555 or email striders@southpinechurch.com

Setting yourself some goals

Are you thinking about starting to walk or jog or ride? PErhaps you do already, but at a pedestrian pace? Why not set yourself a goal by entering a race? Once you've set the date and entered and paid your money, it provides extra incentive to actually train. Once you do that, and you experience the pain & pleasure of completing your chosen race, it becomes easier to set new goals and work hard towards them.
As you get fitter and start to enjoy a healthier lifestyle and buying clothes you've never fitted into before, it gets easier to mtoviate yourself.
If you are into running you have plenty of opportunities, ranging from weekend cross sountry races to the big events like the Brisbane Marathon [plus half marathon, 10km run/walk] and other major events which offer varying running and walking distances.
Check out the Striders webpage here for more info on the race calendar

August running

Augustine Choge broke Australian hearts tonight blowing a brave Craif Mottram away in the last 200m of the CMG 5000m. Craig looked all alone surrounded by 7 Africans for much of the race but broke away from the pack with 3 laps to go, taking Choge with him. Despite having legs twice the length of Choge, the little fella stayed with Craig and turned up the heat to take it with ease at the end.
Congratulations to Channel 9 for staying with the whole race!!! They must be learning!

Kerryn inspires us all!

Kerryn McCann won the womens marathon on Sunday in sensational style after being shadowed by her opponent for most of the race, and losing the lead entering the stadium.
Unfortunately Channel 9 decided to show swimmers getting their tracky dacks off in the heats instead of showing most of the marathon, and we all missed out on watching the whole race.

However, the footage that we have seen should surely inspire us all!

Be careful out there

As winter approaches some of you will be running early in the morning, and pitting yourself against the early morning traffic. People aren't all that awake on mornings, and unless you are wearing bright clothing and reflective gear it is hard for people to see you. Here's a sobering story from South Africa about two runners who were taken out by a motorist:
news article
On my early morning starts I am already wearing:

• reflective flashing belt
• flashing red lights
• white hat
• white singlet

I don't want to head out one morning and not come back, so I do everything possible to do what I can to make myself seen, and to use safe running tactics when running on a road.

Correction to Leaflet Advert

In the leaflets circulated around Eatons Hill, Warner & Cashmere Tues evenings 7:30pm session was wrongly advertised as 7:30am. Apologies for any confusion!
To be clear, there are two sessions on Tuesday, am & pm.
5:30am - Lake Samsonvale, Bullocky's Rest carpark 5:30am, walk and run [hosts Ben & Sue & Stan]
7:30pm - SPCC carpark, night run under streetlights [host Gabriel]

Website Update

Our session times are now available on our website, check it out here [and follow the links].
Sessions may be subject to change depending on demand and inclement weather. Up to date info will always be posted here on this blog.

Reach Your Pinnacle!

Are you up for a challenge? Then have I got the race for you?! I did this 2 years ago and it was an absolute classic. You can either run it or run/walk it. It's fairly challenging, and in a strange twisted way its fun!Here's the details:

The Pinnacles Classic will be run on Saturday 15 April.
Distance: 20km.
Event Time: 7:00 am.
Location of race: end of Gold Creek road,Gold Creek Resevoir Brookfield.
Race Address: Peter Holles 0429908339
Other details: Cost $25, All and I mean all proceeds to charity.A
challenging course in the tradition of six foot track. Not held last year due to
earth works at the dam wall. This year sees the course going clockwise with the
downs now the ups and vice versa. Sorry about last year but we're back.
Contact: peter holles. Email: paholles@hotmail.com.

A couple Striders folk will be heading that way, perhaps we can car pool and triple the fun! You need your own water for this race, either a hand held bottle or a bottle holder. You can buy them cheaply at any sports or running store.

Striders is set to go

We are just about ready to kick off with Striders. The session hosts are in place, and the funding for publicity has been obtained.
This week I am designing and printing the flyers for distribution, and a launch date will be chosen for a rn/walk/ride/bbq at Lake Samsonvale to help kcik us off.