WHAT AN EXPERIENCE !!!

Unbelievable.!..Stupendous..!..Amazing..!.Remarkable..!..Electrifying..!..Humbling.!..Fun!..Fun.!..Fun!

Yes all this and more was in store for me as I walked into the hallowed halls of Telstra Stadium to a crowd of 50,671 people....It was truely remarkable....yes I've just said that but I'll say it again in was a fabulous opportunity to run at the Olympic Stadium....

O.K...What happened....I ran against a brilliant 16 year old Jersey Flegg League Winger who also happens to be the current Australian Beach Sprint Champion....He was fast off at the gun....and I trailed for about forty meters...then I started to catch him...inch by inch...yard by yard...The Crowd Went Wild as I started to gain on this fine young athlete...who had 44 years on me...!....

At the line I dipped in a desperate attempt to catch him ....but alas...I did'nt get there....In retrospect...it was the best outcome....from the Crowds point of view it couldn't have been better....the last minute lunge for the line was the stuff all good races are made of...a real nail biting...riveting...crowd cheering moment....

This of course was followed by an amazing reception from the crowd as I jogged back to the entrance to enter the tunnel back to the changing room....the crowd had loved the performance...they wanted to wave to me...cheer me....celebrate with me....it was as they say...a Once in a Lifetime Moment...

A Huge thank you to Rod Dowling GM of the World Masters Games Organizing Committee..He escorted me and my Coach Wayne Luckey all the way and kept with us throughout the proceedings...he is such a positive man...brilliant.....

I must also take this opportunity to thank my Physio Goran Barron for getting me to the start line....he worked on me on the Wednesday...tweaking and re-aligning tendons...muscles....nerves...a sometime painful but rewarding experience....thank you Goran.

To David Henderson my Orthomolecular Special Advisor...for the Super Multi-Vitamins...from his Vitamin Concepts product range....it keeps me in balance...

To Mardi Fry my Personal Trainer...you inspire me Mardi...Thanks......

And last but not least thanks to my Sons Michael..Geno and Gabriel...for coming along to support the old man....Ha....a big thanks and love...

Brilliance to all.....John

AGAINST THE YOUNG GUNS OF LEAGUE

Well...this saturday is going is going to be Memorable...to say the least...I have been invited to run in a Special Celebrity Race against the Young Guns of League...This will happen on Saturday Evening at Telstra Stadium in front of a crowd expected to be in excess of 50,000 !......How will I go...over 100m against these rapid speedsters...no one knows...But I do know this...I'm going to have FUN! ...It will be Magical...It will be Amazing...no matter what the outcome....

Plus I understand that if you have Foxtel..you should be able to catch the race!

At training yesterday my right foot...( the problem digits )...were causing me a little grief...and while running on the grass infield...I slightly twisted my left knee on the uneven surface while trying out my long grass spikes...which I have not worn for over 40 years!...but this morning after icing it last night...it seems to be o.k and I am having another Physio session with Goran Barron today...so I am hoping that I will be on top of the game for this special race...What an Honour....

So...stay tuned and hopefully to Foxtel on Saturday Evening....

Brilliance to you and my World Support Team....John

NOT TO GO

Well...the ongoing dilemma of Athletes all over the world...Injury Maintainence...I've just watched the Open World Championships...all the majority of Australian Athletes did was make excuses for their poor performances....I am not ready to compete in the World Masters Games in Italy...Not ready because I am still carrying a slight injury in my right foot....Of course Goran Barron my fantastic new Physio is brilliant and thinks he can resolve the issue before the Australasian Masters Games in Adelaide at which I am scheduled to run the 100 and 200m.

Yet of course I would loved to have run Italy ...especially Reccione on the Adriatic Coast....Bellisimo!....but thats Athletics....Beautiful one minute...Injured the next....its just part of the ball game....when you put your body on the line 6 days a week....anything can happen no matter how strong you have made your fortress...

None the less Adelaide will be a fantastic location...I was invited to Adelaide last month to check out the track at Santos Stadium....it is absolutely brilliant....the Whole Team putting the Australasian Masters Games together know their stuff and I can assure you its going to be a brilliant show....not to be missed at any price...

So stay tuned...I'm training hard even with my sore foot..because you just have to....its part of the deal...

Looking forward to seeing you in S.A. and maybe the Wine country....

Brilliance to you all....John

World Championships To Go or not to Go