Pommies Paddled in Perth

Today is Antagonise an Aussie Day.
When you meet an Aussie shout “By an innings and…”

Make the most of it. It won’t happen again in my lifetime.

Tell an Aussie that the design is by Sir Ralph Freeman

There are some events so rare and significant that you remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard about them.

My childhood heroes include Peter Twiss, Peter Collins and Peter May. Most of you will have to google these names to find out who they were. Ba-bang, brrm-bbrm, thwack as it would say in the comics.

My knowledge of cricket is tiny and my cricketing ability at school was nil. They placed me in the field where I could do least harm and I never got to bowl and rarely to bat. My then undiagnosed short sight was a reason for my lack of proficiency.

It was only this week that I learnt why it is not a good idea to try and hit every ball and also the difference between “retaining” and “winning”.

In Sydney ask "Are You Being Served?"

Why are we drifting so far off topic? Motivation-motivation-motivation.

There is a lot of bull along the lines of “You can do anything you want to - you only have to try”.

No you can’t - ask Ikarus, or Captain Scott.

But you can improve. Planned, applied, timely and relevant training makes a difference.

Call his Ute a "Dinky truck"

There is no way that I am going to win the Bath Half Marathon - a winning time is just over an hour. For me it would be stretching it to complete the course in double the winner’s time. But I know I can complete the course in less than 3 hours.

Call his house a "bungalow"

As the weather improves - such an optimist - and Spring approaches my weekly training plan is:

• One longish slow run
• A couple of shorter faster runs
• An as the mood takes me run
• Three rest days in between

Eight weeks to go. Geronimo!

Chat Up his Sheila on Bondi Beach