Double long runs

Saturday did the Yeronga river loop, drawn to the smoke spiralling high above a Sherwood warehouse fire. At one point I could see the flames & there were a multitude of small explosions - I thought for sure it was a fireworks factory on fire. Alot of residents on the street too. Decided to turn for home when ash started descending, just as well, the news said there was asbestos & other hazchem involved. T had a swim in the Brisbane River at the speed boat ramp, dropped him off after 45 mins. Went back out to run some hills. Frederick St has a nice steady 3 minute rise up to Yeronga park so did 3 or 4 reps, finishing up after 66 mins.

Sunday earmarked for my first long run since the Noosa half. T dragging the chain I brought him back after 45. Headed over to Greenslopes for a change & did a loop of the Norman Creek Catchment Group's 'Demonstration Catchment Site' on the Norman Creek adjacent to the hospital on one side & the Pacific motorway on the other. I've been involved with this creek restoration project for a few years now so its always great to see the vegetative growth when you've been away for a while. Looking particularly lush after the recent rain. Large unit development has finally been built & their drainage pipes poke thru' a retaining wall & feed directly onto our site: no remediation or bioretention ponds to cope with stormwater run-off...Ran back the other way following the channellised section of the Norman Creek down to Stones Corner. Back slowly to finish after 90 minutes, about 18 ks.

Tuesday at Pat's was hill reps in the Botanic gardens. Not much of a hill but plenty of reps & Pat using a whistle to indicate running hard whenever he chose. That bloody CD player of his performing at max decibels & minimum power - the batteries always seem to be shot. Always when Fat Boy Slim's "Right here, right now" is on, making it akin to Hal's sequence in 2001 when his power slowly fades away.

Back over the Goodwill Bridge & a cluster of TV crews waiting for Premier-elect Anna Bligh to make her appearance. Funny to see Anna & Milton put in the 10 second burst for the evening news spot on their return to the Ship Inn. So much of what we see with pollies is stage managed to the nth degree.