Where is March gone to?

Runs since last post:

Monday, 26 March – Princes Park, 10 kms

Tuesday, 27 March - The Tan, 12 kms

This month: 139 kms

March, the third month of the year, is gone. Fold the page. Turn over and another sequence is about to unfold in predicted and unpredicted ways.

Where are the days and weeks of March gone to? I am not nostalgic about them disappearing so far but I am look forward to the days, weeks and months comfortably smoothing into our lives and bringing an array of excitement and new challenges.

Running has continued in the second half of this month although somewhat sporadic. Too many things going on.

Although I notice that this month is somewhat higher in kilometres than the previous one and, possibly higher than ever.

Retirement speech

Yesterday I ended up delivering a speech for a dear colleague who I have known for seventeen years Scary, if you ask me. (Knowing his invaluable skills, five years ago I recruited him to work with me in the department I set up, providing me with the backbone of knowledge management). He decided to take leave following a couple of years of health troubles. Whilst I prepared my speech notes I realised that many of the conversations I had with him greatly helped me to greatly develop my understanding of Australian society and its core values. Indeed there were many of those conversations, which took place at none other than a pub.

This was the first time I had to prepare a retirement speech and yet I am so far many y-e-a-r-s aways from possibly qualifying for retirement.

Australian Art Collector

I better finish this note now because I am dying to sit down and enjoy the latest edition of the Australian Art Collector (Issue 40, April 2007), this is a superb art market magazine, with interesting articles. Curious, check out the website:

www.artcollector.net.au

Buenas noches!

Oh what a feeling... a good run today!

Today: The Tan, 12 kms

Total March (progressive): 117 kms

I am very happy that I did have a very good run today at The Tan. Completed two laps at a very comfortable pace with my Tuesday running buddy and, then I did the last one and the extra bit to make it 12kms in less time than originally planned. Not only that, I tackle the hill for the third time at a very strong pace that it made me feel so good. Oh gosh! I felt so happy when I finished. It feels so good to be able to run and not have to contend with injuries or the idea that things are going so wrong.

I started my run just before seven PM and there were lots of people around. This morning I thought I would have trouble going out for a run because my legs were feeling a bit tired but to my surprise had a very good run tonite. I am not expecting to run now until Friday or Saturday this week. Time permitting I shall do a long runt this Sunday at either The Tan or The Coastal Path.

Continuing on from yesterday's ramblings

I spent an hour early this morning reading press reports from The New York Times that provide good details about how one of the most repressive governments in Guatemala was overthrown following a fraudulent election in 1982 and replaced by yet another repressive government that was so brutal in uprooting indigenous communities in the Guatemalan highlands during a period of 18 months. Not only these press reports provided good details how events unfolded but provided intriguing details that a senior member of the US Ambassy was observing how events unfolded outside the Presidential Palace in Guatemala City.

The original plotters of the coup were outdone by an Army general who unilaterally took control of the country and pushed an agenda of [indigenous] extermination in the name of God.

Monday night ramblings...

Runs since last post:

Monday, 19 March – Princes Park, 10 kms

Sunday, 18 March – Elwood-Sandringham-Elwood, 17 kms

Weds, 14 March - The Tan, 12 kms

Tuesday, 13 March – Brighton-Elwood-Brighton, 8 Kms

Monday, 12 March – Princess Park, 5 kms

March (progressive) Total: 105 kms

I have done lots of running since my last post. I also noticed that my last post was inadvertently incorrect in that one part of te entry went missing. There was additional run in the Barossa Valley, in Tunenda.

Run for the Kids

Unfortunately I missed the chance to enrol for the Run for the Kids. It is a bit of a disappointment because I was looking to catch up with other people there. However I will continue with my training and, I must say, I am very pleased that the additional Monoday evening run is going well. So in all, I am having four sessions per week – it is a bit unbalanced in that I do most of my running at the beginning of the week – this is the best I can do timewise.

Sunday Run

I was completely delighted with yesterday’s run which netted 17kms. This was not planned to happen that way. The original plan was to depart from Brighton Baths to Sandringham but at the insistence of one person we departed from Elwood, then this person texted me at midnight to say sorry I wont be running in the morning. Pardon me but I cannot express my frustration how petty people are sometimes. Calling things off at last minute after insisting on changes are not very pleasant things to do!!!!

Running blog

This running blog has become a bit of a casualty in recent weeks.I have not maintained too well since I have been focusing my little spare time in researching and making copious notes of my time growing up during those years of conflict. I have progressively tried to reconstruct events that occurred between the years 1976-1982. Then I am trying to reconstruct as much of daily activity that occurred from March 1982 to September 1982.

This is one of the biggest challenges I have ever handled. What I have started doing is maintaining a journal of the research/method process.

In a separate note but related to thi story is last night by accident I came across via a website the manuals used by the military in the Schools of the Americas (Panama Canal) to train military personnel in counter insurgency and fight the urban guerrillas in Central America in the 1980s.

That's life folks.

President Bush is sleeping in Guatemala tonight

I have returned from my South Australian interlude and I shall return to the normal routine t-o-m-o-r-r-o-w. Yuk! Since last post, there has been no running. I thought I would do at least one run over the week end but no chance.

Worldnews report of the visit to Latin America of Presidente Jorge W Bush (George Bush Jr). As I write this note he will be travelling from Colombia to Guatemala City, where he will be spending a night there.

This is the third time one of the US Presidents oficially visits Guatemala (Lyndon B. Johnson in July 1956, and Bill Clinton in March 1999). But this is the first time a US President stays overnight in Guatemala. For many decades, not one US President stayed overnight in the Americas soil. Apparently Presidents whilst travelling through the Americas had stayed at sea because of security concerns.

This week, Guatemala City has been overtaken by US security forces (unlike the time in 1954 when the CIA intervened in Guatemala to overthrow a democratic government) to warrant a secure visit of George Bush who will be spending a total of 23 hours.

There have been protests in different parts of Guatemala over Bush's visit. One of the concerns for many is the fact that prior to Bush's visit, more than 200 guatemalans were deported from the USA. Many people who to live n the USA seeking an improvement to their living conditions.

President Bush is expected to visit one Mayan community, Iximche, this Monday where a protest is expected to take place.

After a civil war that affected Guatemala for 36 years, this Central American country has become a port of traffic for drugs going to the USA. Security is a major issue in Guatemala.

Travelling through South Australia

Sunday, 4 March - Robe, South Australia - 11 kms

Ran along the coastline. It was an awesome ran because the scenery was spectacular. It was a sunny afternoon and the skies were relatively clear, not too hot. There were plenty of people around and I ran away from town and, as I entered into the beach I realised I was in a long stretch where vehicle were permitted. The sand felt due to the motor vehicles going across all day long.

I commenced running slowly and as I felt warmer I picked pace. Indeed I had a strong finish around town.

Today I travelled from Melbourne via Hamilton and Penola to Robe. Stopped for lunch in Penola. Visited one winery – Koonara, where I had a wonderful experience when I was there last November. Had a nice lunch at Irises Café, in the main street of town. After lunch I headed strait to Robe.

It was my first visit around this seaside town. There were plenty of cars around Robe with Victorian number plates.

Travelling through the supposedly wetlands of South Australia

Monday, 5 March – McLaren Vale, South Australia – 12 kms

Today I travelled from Robe via Kingston and Wellington to McLaren Vale. I stopped for lunch in Langhorne Creek. In Langhorne Creek I visited two wineries: Bleasdale and Rusticana Wines (where I had a nice platter for lunch – worth trying their frittata, which was superb).

When I got to McLaren in the afternoon I went for a run. I ran in the McLaren Vale Linear Trail, which goes from McLaren Vale to Willunga. It is a bitumen trail that travels through the vineyards. I had a false start because I could not find easily the trail so I run for about two kilometres trying to find it, but when I finally I did I had an enjoyable experience, because there were hardly any people around and it felt really running through the vineyards. I am beginning to wonder if there is any marathon anywhere in the world that goes through vineyards.

Another when I felt I had another strong finish; I ran the last two kilometres at a quick pace. I feel so happy that I am managing runs with good finish… Ah the beauty of not suffering from any injuries at this point in time.

Tuesday, 6 March – Barossa Vale, South Australia – 10 kms

After I booked in at the place where I would stay for the next two days, I decided to go out for a run to relieve from the stress of driving and going across the madness of Adelaide peak hour traffic.

I ran from the town of Tanunda to Nuriootpa in the walking trail alongside vineyards and the main road. Those two towns are even kilometre apart and the run walking trail is approx 4 kms long, mostly going alongside vineyards, and as I ran I went past Chateau Dorrien, Kaesler and Penfolds, just to mention a few.

I ran for about an hour at an easy pace. Feeling happy that I have run three consecutive days.

Wednesday, 7 March – Barossa Vale, South Australia – 11 kms

After spending most of the day in the Clare Vale and visiting some wineries and having a fabulous lunch at Skillogaee, I went for another run covering the same territory from Tuesday. The exception was that I increased the distance by one kilometre because the curiosity got the best of me to check a couple of interesting sites. Curiously, I completed the run in less time than the previous day. So I have figured I run at about 70-80% of race pace. There was very little wind in comparison to the previous day.

So, for the past four days I have run the equivalent of a marathon mostly through vineyards and along the coast.

Running – One year on!

Runs since last post:

Mon –26 Feb – Princess Park (3kms – 1 lap)

Tues – 27 Feb – Brighton-Elwood-Brighton (10 kms)

Thur – 1 Mar - Brighton-Elwood-Brighton (10 kms)

February Total: 113kms

This week: 23 kms

South Australia Interlude

I am so excited that my long delayed and treasured South Australian interlude is effective tomorrow. I am taking off as soon as I can in what is to be a break from the steadily pace of work-life and other banalities, so I can focus in progressing development of a manuscript to bring into perspective my upbringing in the ‘Land of the Eternal Spring’ and the diaspora that follows - years of exile, self exile and temerity of uncertainty.

Needless to say that the ambit where the writing is scheduled to take place is… surprise surprise surprise: Wineries. I am targeting visiting wineries around McClaren, Barossa and Clare valleys. Then, down to business, armed with notebooks and laptop, writing down memories and recalling historical events and moments of the years of conflict.

Made no concrete plans and no bookings at all. Follow the free spirit.

Life and other matters

Regular blogging has become a bit of a challenge in recent weeks but I have made extensive progress in all fronts, which this blog is intended to represent:

- Running – progressing well – I feel running 20 kms is soon to be a regular Sunday activity

- Cooking – planning a “Three Indigenous Dinner Party” for winter, with dishes from Mexico (Aztec), Guatemala (Maya) and Peru (Inca).

- Painting – done none yet but sketched a few.

- Life / Writing – progressing in a awesome fashion – feeling very much inspired. Have come across so much relevant material in recent weeks that is assisting me in firming manuscript direction.

Let’s focus in the running dimension for a minute… March represents to me the first anniversary of regular running. For the first time in my life I have run solidly for one whole year. This week I ran twice the Brighton-Elwood-Brighton course which a year ago was a struggle. Not only I run the course that a year ago felt so much that I finish very strong – this is what I call feeling confident.