Adios 2006 ! Welcome 2007!

At the stroke of midnight on Sunday we farewell 2006... and we embrace the new year.

As we shall raise our glasses to welcome the new year we make ourselves promises and resolutions that the year ahead is going to be better than the one we just left.

Whatever are our goals - I would like to wish everyone a prosperous and happy new year.

As for me 2006 has been an interesting and clearly a defining year. I accomplished many things I set to achieve and I look forward to 2007. Different challenges and some will continue from 2006, but above all, 2007 will be further travelling along the highway - a year that promises so much from what was accomplished in the immediate past.

A huge cyber hug and a kiss !

Ps - Past ten days have been time to rest, read, listen to good music, watch films, take things easy and above all, feel happy...

Running...

Let's make it clear and not painful... there is no way I can do the LA marathon. I should be doing by now 20+ kms. I am far far far away from this significant milestone right now.

So, I have to revise my goals...

However, other things are progressing better than running. In balance, a happy camper.

Playing with Words - You at 9.15

I stared at you
Longer than expected
Shorter than the passing of the dreariest season.

Glanced directly at your eyes
Reading your life
Parading it in front of me
Tun tun !

You dreading:
He is processing fast.
She is assimilating slowly.

Tun tun !
Somewhere wide open
Wish you turn your attention to
Open space nowhere to be seen.

Reality is sinking in
Deeper
Superficially;
Take your pick.

Everyone reacts differently
City Strangers
Souls searching .

Nothing projects.
Passion and interest
Go easy;
Console yourself
find your mantra.

I sail away.
Next parade.

Inevitability of change...

Running

I am happy to say that I am beginning tor un more regularly now although I am consolidating runs of around 6-8kms to defer or minimise any potential injury. I shall be able to continue a thrice a week routine, but I envisage I will incorporate cycling to/from work once a week so I stay more physically active.

Books

I just started reading Helen Garner's "Joe Cinque's Consolation". It is an interesting story and one that I think I will have delight in reading. This book was recommended by a South African, who read it with caution but got into the story after five pages of it.

Should I say that during the break I look forward to reading A Lover of Unreason: The Biography of Assia Wevill, written by Yehuda Koren and Eilat Negev? That's the sort of fatal attraction that gets you on your running gear.

Further, I dearly hope I will be reading hundreds and hundreds of pages of material that cover the years of conflict in Guatemala - a country that has not evolved economically and politically as fast as other Latin American countries.

All things considered 2007 promise to be a year of action, a different kind from previous year... there is an inevitability of rightward change.


Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo!

Life and Reconstructions

I

Seconds

Minutes

Hours…

Childhood

Days

Weeks

Months…

Youth

Seasons

Years…

Adulthood

Time goes by

Time flies

Time disappears

We feel time

We feel idle

We idle time

There is a time for design, construction

Accomplishing

Enjoying

Nurturing

All those things

Life brings about

And there is a time for

Things to turn around

Inside out

Upside down

Sideways

Then there is a time for reconstruction

Take stock of your past

And from your life cycle

Nurture time

There is a time for a journey of discovery

Revisiting and returning to the former self

Swinging to the left of the pendulum

Invariably avoiding it shifts upwardly right

II

Once we crossed paths

Preterite

Optional to make it a fond memory

Shall we find it enduring

It is a matter of choice

Endurance of one, two lives, a collective

A matter of destiny

Within one’s confines

Invariably one’s life

Placed within an era

It’s a matter of choice

How one makes life

Lasts longer than a plethora of time.

III

The leaves are turning brown

Imaginary

Autumn follows

Capture the joy of the previous season

Make it last and travel further beyond the seasons.

IV

Visualise spring and what follows

Intrigue

Tenderness

Life continues.

Feels like an eternity...

... five minutes walking!

Here we go again... another try this evening at The Tan. I started by walking for five minutes (gosh... sounds like I am an obedient boy - NOT!), then I ran at an easy pace.

Whilst I can say I had a good run, fitness has vanished - gone away. I struggled to complete the second lap and ended up walking a bit. I figured a combination of factors come into play - insufficient sleep, inadequate food intake during the day, humidity... could keep going and making excuses. I am certainly not pressuring myself to regain form.

Certainly going up the Anderson St hill for the first time was harder than the second time, but then again I was warmer.

I completed the second lap by walking... followed by ten minute stretching.

Progress so far so good. It's a question of patience and perseverance to build to mid-distance.

A happy runner

In the early evening of yesterday I ventured to run around The Tan... it was immediately after the temperature dropped zillions, so it was a bit unsettling but it was an overall rewarding experience, because running at an easy pace, I managed to complete two laps in about 44 mins... mind you I had to stop for drinking water more than usual.

The good news is that there is no pain in my leg today.... So obviously I feel positive about this development.

The tricky bit now is to start a training plan to warrant a relative uncomplicated return to regular running. I am particularly interested in returning to the long Sunday morning runs!

Yes, I ventured for a run and no pain today

Running
Yes, there was one lap and a bit around The Tan yesterday evening... Lower leg was not as bad today as I anticipated. As a warm up, I walked for five minutes and then started to run, only to realise that I was going to fast - never mind, I completed my 4kms run as I anticipated, followed by ten minutes of stretching.
This is the critical bit... my leg does not seem to be acheing today unlike two weeks ago, so I feel happy that I am making progress. The bad news is that I have lost so much fitness (agggggggggh!). Never mind, if my recovery continues as planned, by Christmas time I shall be able to enjoy cruising for a nice run, then I shall start building kilometres.

Last infamous words: I will be very strict with stretching.

Mole

It is a concoction or sauce. The most common description of mole is that it is a chocolate sauce. This sauce is made out of dried chiles, nuts, seeds, vegetables, spices and chocolate (preferably toasted cacao beans).

As far as i know the word mole is derived from the Aztec "molli". For most of us, mole is the stuff or sauce that we put on enchiladas, meat dishes and so forth.

Considering 2007...

Running
None yet... but I will start doing progressive stretching and following advice if I wish to continue running: So when it comes to new year's resolutions (what!@?) it will be pretty much a formality...

Recently I thought if I will do a marathon abroad which one I shall attempt to do.
I checked the website that listed the World's Top 10 marathons, and discovered that the London Marathon's registration / lottery is now closed. Then I checked the other ones but these happen much later in 2007, but have found that the Los Angeles happens in early March, which may suit me from a number of different reasons - mainly family.
I have even discovered that there is a marathon near by in February - too soon though. The Buller Marathon happens on February 10.
Let's see what happens in coming weeks. Alternatively, GOR in May 2007 -either as a half or full - is very appealing to me.
For later in the year, there are a few around which are very attractive: Berlin and Paris. Needless to say that doing the Melbourne again is a must.

Research plan
The research plan has not been shelved... time has been very scarce lately.

USA delivery
A package posted in California on 28/11 arrived home yesterday, containing mole and pepian (yummy food) and awesome music...