Saturday 28 February 2009

Lakeside - anticipation, excitement, trepidation

Lakeside – Saturday 28 February 2008.

Emotions – anticipation, excitement, trepidation.

WHY

Anticipation and excitement.

Lakeside is the Hamilton Club’s home circuit however I have only raced their once before.

It has recently been upgraded and re-surfaced so I was looking forward to seeing what it was like.

Lakeside is also a very different circuit to Nundah it that it is twice the distance, has a much, much longer straight and ridden clockwise, is usually into the wind. There also 2 distinct hills to challenge the legs.

My other interest in Lakeside is linked to being a part time motor sport fan. Lakeside was for many years the premier Queensland venue for motor sport and a place where legends were born. It would be great to do well there.

Trepidation

I have had a fairly heavy exercise schedule this week involving harder than usual week day rides, and a particularly hard Friday ride. I also added some swimming sessions to my schedule so I was not sure how my legs would be under pressure.

Also, my one race at Lakeside in March 2007 was a rather inglorious affair in that I was blown out the back after about 15 minutes.

The Race

It was tough and the field worked pretty hard. As the race progressed, the rises became hills, the hills became climbs and the climbs became mountains. And the pace remained constant.

At about the 20 minute mark I was thinking I would see breakfast for the second time and talking to other riders after the event, others had the same feeling at about the same time.

I did manage to do ok and walked away with the win in a 3 up sprint.

I was absolutely spent – and absolutely delighted.

On Tuesday I have a full heart review including stress test with the Cardiologist. Hopefully I will be allowed to go up a grade next week.

Now for some training at Mt Coot-tha in the morning.

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Awesome

Sometimes, sometimes, it all comes together in a sporting performance.

It may be a game of football or hockey and the rest of the game seems to be in slow motion to you. Every move you make works and your ball handling or control is perfect.

All too often in cycling, be it training or racing we are either struggling for oxygen or struggling to clear the lactic acid from our legs. When our legs are great, the lungs struggle or visa versa, but when it all comes together and everything works as one, it is awesome.

I had such an experience this morning at the Nundah circuit in what was one of the most exciting rides of the last 4 years. An average heart rate of 121 over 62 minutes delivered 37 k’s.

It is often said the most important component of sports performance is mental preparation. I assume the difference between the professionals and us strugglers is the pros have the ability to put themselves in the frame of mind that allows them to replicate maximum performance levels day after day, session after session.

If only I knew how to put myself in the fame of mind to replicate this mornings ride.

Just as a birdie on the 18th hole will sustain me for many more rounds of golf, the ride the morning will keep me coming back looking for the thrill once more of legs and lungs coming together as one.

It was awesome.

Monday 23 February 2009

Political Deceit and Scrutiny Avoidance

The Queensland State Premier Anna Bligh visited the Governor this morning asking that Parliament be dissolved and an election be held on 21 March 2009.

This action is totally within the rules and part of the strong democratic system we are privileged to operate under in this State and in this Country.

But, is it morally corrupt?

Premier Anna Bligh took over the top job from Peter Beattie about 20 months ago so this will be her first time facing the election as Premier.

Premier Bligh has for 20 months been repeating over and over her commitment to run a full term. A full term would see an election in September.

Now, I am sure there are many who would point out that her words have more often than not been “an intention to run a full term”.

In my opinion, Anna Bligh has treated the electorate like brainless idiots. There is no doubt in my mind that she has wanted us to believe she will run full turn.

However, things are tough and are to get tougher. For one, unemployment will almost certainly rise and rising unemployment affects a Government electoral chances. As Prime Minister, her Labour colleague Bob Hawke was successfully re-elected on several occasions despite a severe unemployment. He didn’t run from the issue, he addressed it and communicated with the electorate. Among other things he restructured the automotive industry and manufacturing in general. He developed a compulsory savings system via superannuation and kept wage inflation to a competitive level via a structured arbitration system that kept lost work days to a respectable level.

In Queensland, we will go into a period of political inaction due to an election we should not be having yet. Government freezes during an election, decisions cannot be made and implemented at a time we need a Government actively with its hands on the levers supporting and communicating with business and employees. We do not need 5 weeks of political rhetoric and game playing.

And one other thing, Parliament was due to sit next week and now wont be.

Last Thursday, the state Treasurer Andrew Fraser together with Anna Bligh announced that the State was to have an estimated deficit of over $1 billion for the 2008/09 financial year. When you consider the original estimate was for a surplus of $800 million, revised in December to $54 million, this is a drastic turn around. By calling the election now, the Government is avoiding Parliamentary scrutiny.

The calling of an early election after leading the electorate to believe she will go full term together with avoiding the scrutiny of Parliament over the deficit leads me to have severe doubts about the credibility, leadership skills and courage of Premier Anna Bligh.

The question I therefore have to address is – “Is this the type of person I want to trust this State too during a period of tough economic circumstances?”

Right now, I am inclined to think she lacks the character to do the job.

Friday 20 February 2009

Anonymous Heroes

OK, so South East Queensland is still in the grips of a severe drought and we all actually welcome the rain, any rain. However, how many of us morning cyclists can honestly say we were disappointed to wake this morning to find damp, but not wet roads, no rain and an encouraging, if not totally clear sky. I for one was secretly pleased the conditions were good for cycling, and in fact were ideal.

I was out on the well known Nudgee Beach ride.

Exiting the bike path on to Nudgee Road, I noticed another cyclist about 50 metres or so behind me on a TT or tri bike. My mental note to self was to keep riding my own cadence, speed and heart rate and forget about trying to prevent the catch (refer Ego post) and I'm pleased to say I maintained my discipline this time.

He caught me after a few minutes and I then tucked into his slipstream and had a fabulous tow to the beach. (40 kph, 100 cadence, 130 – 135 HR)

At the turn around, I thanked him for the tow and he invited me to tuck in again on the way back.

We got talking and instead of tucking in, he rode side by side.

He said he is a finance executive with a local “all finanz” organisation and we chatted about the financial crisis and the employment down turn. I asked him if he raced triathlons and he said he did. Talk came around to training and he revealed he is preparing for the Port Macquarie Iron Man.

This guy holds down a full time executive job and is married with a child.

He went onto outline his current weekly programme and it was nothing short of an extraordinary commitment.

His training for this weekend is something like this:

Saturday 200 k bike and 3 k swim
Sunday 100 k bike and 20 k run


He mentioned he normally is “just” a cyclist and loves racing and it turns out we belong to the same club. His forays into triathlons are infrequent.

What is amazing about this guy is the incredible commitment and passion he has for his sport. Other than simply doing it, there is no glory, no prize money, no photo or article in the paper or vision on TV. He just does it and loves it.

There are thousands of anonymous, but totally dedicated athletes out there, working extraordinarily hard to make the start line of extreme endurance events and I was privileged to meet one this morning.

Finally, the support provided by the partners and families of these people is also heroic and receives even less recognition than the athlete.
On behalf of all unknown athletes everywhere, thank you.

Wednesday 18 February 2009

Economic Crisis, Stimulus Packages and Politics

I have struggled to come to grips with the concept of Government economic stimulus packages.

In November 08, the Australian Government announced a package worth around $10 billion dollars encouraging people to spend, spend and spend.

During the previous 24 months, the Reserve Bank of Australia progressively increased interest rates to try and lower our spending and reduce inflationary pressure. The interest rate issue was a major election issue and the new Government continued to talk down the economy and criticize the inflationary practices of the previous Government.

A subsequent package of $42 billion was announced a few weeks ago. At the Senate enquiry, the head of Treasury admitted there is no way of knowing if it will work and in fact no way of measuring if it works.

So who has got it all wrong? Are such packages the answer?

In the USA, banks have been bailed out and in doing so, have effectively become nationalized. Same in the UK.

Our economy is holding up comparatively well and the reasons given are the strength of our banking system and the central system of regulatory control our banks are subjected too including the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA)

However, the same Regulator is responsible for the regulation of the Financial Planning Industry and we have seen thousands of people collectively lose millions of dollars including their houses as a result of the seemingly questionable practices of a well known, high profile Financial Planning Firm – it is a veritable destructive financial Storm.

If APRA is given credit for the strength of the banks, does it also receive credit for the millions lost by investors in the collapse of the Financial Planning firm in question? Perhaps, our Bank Boards and Executives are actually very capable banking professionals running relatively good lending books backed by sound and disciplined risk management protocols? Are we giving credit, where credit is due?

A good friend of mine (and fellow cyclist) is an expat holding a Vice Presidential role with a successful boutique investment house in Singapore.

The extent of the impact of the economic downturn on the Singapore economy has not been widely reported. Business is very slow in Singapore.

We often talk. He is genuinely surprised at the relatively low impact the crisis has had (so far) in Australia. He has been concerned that things are not worse in this country in that he feels that when we are hit with our dose of reality, we will be hit hard.

However, during a recent visit to Australia, he was almost overwhelmed by the continuing high level of overall business confidence and community confidence. Sure, we are pulling in our purse strings and jobs are being lost but the confidence in relative terms is much, much higher than in Singapore and in the other parts of the world his business takes him.

The key to us coming out of the economic crisis with bruises rather than amputations may well be the ability to maintain a basic level of confidence and optimism. It may not be Government handout and deficit funding.

It is in these areas that our political leaders have a role to play.

Governments all over the world love a good crisis. There is nothing like a crisis to provide a Government with a forum to show leadership – no matter how shallow the leadership depth may be. Remember Howard post Port Arthur, Thatcher during the miners strike, even Bush in the period post 9/11

The challenge for Prime Minister Rudd and Treasurer Swann may well be resisting the temptation to talk up the crisis therefore sacrificing the corresponding political benefits, in favour of maintaining as much public confidence as possible.

It would be interesting to place a politician on a lie detector machine and ask,

“You can ensure the impacts of much of the financial crises will be avoided however for doing so, you will lose the next election. Would you swap the opportunity to form a Government at the next election for economic stability?”

The idealist in me would like to think the answer would be positive.

Sadly, the cynic in me is not so sure.

Friday 6 February 2009

EGO

“And”, she said, “You are definitely not to race tomorrow”.

These were the defining words of Merdi, the Physiotherapist I had an appointment with this afternoon.

Why does a 50 year old, theoretically intelligent male, with a long sporting background and a history of injury management and recovery still let his ego get in the way of listening to his body?

EGO One

I headed out on Tuesday afternoon for what was to be a reasonably low/medium intensity ride. I had about 30 k’s in mind and intended it to be a walk in the park. My determination for a light ride was such that I took the old steel bike, the one that is somewhat heavy and sports what 30 years ago was the latest 6 speed Shimano group set. But I do love riding it.

When I arrived at the Nundah circuit, there were a few other club members getting ready for a ride. The asked if I was coming to the beach and on receiving confirmation they were doing an easy ride before racing the following night, happily joined in.

One of the guys, Paul, mentioned he had been doing 100 plus k’s per day for he last 10 days and was feeling strong. He took the lead and proceeded to cane the rest of us for the next 20 k’s. It is interesting how the ego overrides the plan when a few guys ride together. There was no way any of us were going to be dropped.

When we finished, I headed home and went through some recovery exercises including some lunges. On lung 4, I felt a jabbing pain in my hip and naturally stopped.

EGO TWO

I rode the next morning with no discomfort (River Ride) and really didn’t think much of it again.

EGO THREE

On Wednesday morning I did a medium to hard intensity 60 k's and felt good. I then headed off to a group running session on Thursday night and bang. I went to kick a soccer ball some of the guys were mucking around with during the warm up and I felt the same hip pain.

EGO FOUR

I headed off on a 6 k run, did ok, had a drink and it was off to a series of 300 metre runs. At the start of the second run, seeking to accelerate, my hip went and I was on the ice.

According to the Physio, it is not too bad and is probably the tightness of muscles around the hip joint which she started to release. I can ride, but avoid hills and running is a no no. I also have a range of exercises to do.

Just as I said last time, I will know better next time.

Tuesday 3 February 2009

Living

I won a bike race on the weekend, by over a minute.

It is a few days over 12 months since I was diagnosed with a severe heart issue and advised I would need open heart surgery to perform 4 bypasses around severe blockages in the arteries feeding my heart muscle – that is, I had to have quadruple bypass surgery.

I was not yet 50 years of age, although I was in my 50th year.

I was quite fit, by no means overweight and ate a reasonable diet. It was quite a shock.

I had passed out while cycling on election day in November 2007. I underwent heart tests and passed them all being cleared to resume normal life and the explanation given for passing out was (quite reasonably) dehydration. However when I passed out again while cycling 2 weeks later, it was obviously something more.

I then endured a few weeks of countless blood tests, x-rays, scans, etc and all came back clear. It was then back to the heart and a decision to perform an angiogram which revealed the problem.

I won’t go into the explanation as to why the previous heart tests had not revealed anything.

I spent quite some time in the cardiologist waiting rooms. I would look at all the other patients, over weight or elderly and think “why me? “and “what am I doing here?”

In order to have the surgeon I wanted and to go to the hospital I preferred, I had to wait 5 weeks. It was 5 weeks walking on egg shells but it also gave me time to learn more about the process I was to go through, the possible after effects and to understand post surgical processes and rehabilitation.

It also gave me time to make some decisions and set some objectives.

I borrowed some inspiration from Lance Armstrong and adopted his Livestrong theme for my journey. I also borrowed a phrase of his “You’ve gotta be strong and you’ve gotta to be brave” as my own and it was the last thing I recall saying to myself as the anesthetic was taking hold. “You’ve gotta be strong and you’ve gotta be brave.

I decided on a couple of things

I was going to do exactly what I was told and do it better than anyone else had ever done it.
I was going to play at least one game of hockey in the 2008 season
I was going to return to work after 6 weeks
I was going to ride my bike by week 4
I was going to relax.
I was going to race again in 2008

I cannot really judge number 1, but all others were achieved

The human body is a marvelous thing and its ability to heal and recover is extraordinary. The skills of our heart surgeons and their support staff are extraordinary and the professionals who care for heart patients in intensive care and then the heart wards are amazing are the post hospital rehabilitation staff.

I won a race on the weekend. I am simply very happy and thankful to be alive, let alone to be able to race my bike.

More than a race (part 2)

I won a bike race on the weekend, by over a minute.

It is a few days over 12 months since I was diagnosed with a severe heart issue and advised I would need open heart surgery to perform 4 bypasses around severe blockages in the arteries feeding my heart muscle – that is, I had to have quadruple bypass surgery.

I was not yet 50 years of age, although I was in my 50th year.

I was quite fit, by no means overweight and ate a reasonable diet. It was quite a shock.

I had passed out while cycling on election day in November 2007. I underwent heart tests and passed them all being cleared to resume normal life and the explanation given for passing out was (quite reasonably) dehydration. However when I passed out again while cycling 2 weeks later, it was obviously something more.

I then endured a few weeks of countless blood tests, x-rays, scans, etc and all came back clear. It was then back to the heart and a decision to perform an angiogram which revealed the problem.

I won’t go into the explanation as to why the previous heart tests had not revealed anything.

I spent quite some time in the cardiologist waiting rooms. I would look at all the other patients, over weight or elderly and think “why me? “and “what am I doing here?”

In order to have the surgeon I wanted and to go to the hospital I preferred, I had to wait 5 weeks. It was 5 weeks walking on egg shells but it also gave me time to learn more about the process I was to go through, the possible after effects and to understand post surgical processes and rehabilitation.

It also gave me time to make some decisions and set some objectives.

I borrowed some inspiration from Lance Armstrong and adopted his Livestrong theme for my journey. I also borrowed a phrase of his “You’ve gotta be strong and you’ve gotta to be brave” as my own and it was the last thing I recall saying to myself as the anesthetic was taking hold. “You’ve gotta be strong and you’ve gotta be brave.

I decided on a couple of things

I was going to do exactly what I was told and do it better than anyone else had ever done it.
I was going to play at least one game of hockey in the 2008 season
I was going to return to work after 6 weeks
I was going to ride my bike by week 4
I was going to relax.
I was going to race again in 2008

I cannot really judge number 1, but all others were achieved

The human body is a marvelous thing and its ability to heal and recover is extraordinary. The skills of our heart surgeons and their support staff are extraordinary and the professionals who care for heart patients in intensive care and then the heart wards are amazing are the post hospital rehabilitation staff.

I won a race on the weekend. I am simply very happy and thankful to be alive, let alone to be able to race my bike.

Sunday 1 February 2009

Is sport really that important?

Does anyone else have a problem with the issue of sports stars being caught for or admitting the use of recreational drugs.

Ben Cousins is one of the best ever Australian Rules Football players to have pulled on a boot.

He has everything, speed, stamina strength and the total skill set and ability and intelligence to execute the skills under the utmost pressure. He is also a proven and inspirational leader.

Ben Cousins developed a drug problem.

Ben Cousins was cut by his club, has been through a highly scrutinized rehabilitation process (that is continuous) and has now been picked up in the draft by a new club.

He is back and front page news day in day out. There are numerous jokes doing the internet rounds – seriously, is it really that funny to say he cannot have an ice bath?

Ben Cousins is subjected to at least 3 urine and blood drug tests a week in addition to any club required tests plus he has regular hair related drug tests. In fact, he must retain his hair at a minimum length as part of the conditions for his return to football.

I am not condoning illicit drug use for one nano second. Drugs are a scourge on our society and drug dependency is a disease that costs all communities socially and financially.

But the Ben Cousins case is all out of proportion, as are other cases involving high profile and the use of recreational drugs.

Professional and Olympic sports people the world over are subjected to drug testing, including non performance or recreational drugs.

Ben Cousins is a footballer. He is a footballer, first second and last. He plays sport. He does not perform medical diagnoses. He does not drive a school bus, fly an aircraft, drill teeth, drive a cab, judge a trial or make political decisions.

I would much prefer to be sure the driver of the bus my son catches to school is clean of drugs. I would refer the Doctor I visit, the pilot of the plane I travelled on a few weeks ago and the driver of the cab I caught when in Melbourne to be free of drugs.

Last year, we learned a well known Judge had a long term battle with drug use when he overdosed in a hotel room. Apparently, the legal fraternity had implemented a program to assist him in his battle with addiction. This process was undertaken without the need for a mass media announcement and without their being an ongoing media circus surrounding the rehabilitation process. And quite rightly too.

A Doctor can seek help from their medical body without the fear they will be made a public spectacle of.

The purpose of the support provided by the legal and medical bodies to their members is to help the rehabilitation process and to facilitate the individuals return to being a valuable contributing member of their profession and society in general.

I would argue that a Doctor, a Judge, a Dentist and a cab driver provide a much more valuable service to the community than an Australian Rules Footballer.

I would also argue that an athlete’s drug addiction should essentially remain a private matter. I can see no benefit to problem being made public knowledge and sensationalized.

The athlete should be given the same courtesy as everyone else and be allowed to go about the treatment of their disease in private and with the support of their professional, private and family networks.

We never see a headline saying “John Smith, plumber, admits smoking pot”

And while we are at it, let’s also make sure we are drug testing in the areas that really matter to the community. And the most important segment is not professional sports people.