Journals
Tuesday,Sep 29 2009, 08:49:42 AMLogan Thunder season tip-off 2nd October, 2009.
The first game of the WNBL season will be tipped off at the new Logan Metro Indoor Stadium on the 2nd October, 2009.
I will be attending this first game of the season and I will write a review of this match up soon after. I will be a new fan for the Logan Thunder for the first time since they are in my suburb of Crestmead or at least along Browns Plains road.
So, I will meet you all at the Tip off at 7:30 pm this Friday 2nd October, 2009.
Monday,Sep 28 2009, 09:12:30 AMThe Nifo Oti, an illustration by Tim Tufuga
The weapon of choice for the Samoan warrior in a bygone era.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GFSFEyxp4M
It was initially designed to confront the larger weapons of the Tongan warrior for hand to hand close quarter battle. The weapon proved superior to the impressive, but, cumbersome and lethargic Tongan weapons. The Tongans were completely defeated and routed by the Samoan warrior with the 'Nifo Oti'.
The most famous conflict is the war of vengence by the Malietoa Vainuupo forces which included the entire Island of Savai'i, Manono, Apolima, along with Tuamasaga, in a war against Aana and Atua which was a single sided rout by the Malietoa forces. My ancestors, from Asau village, in the Vaisigano pule, were bestowed the honour of the victors, as Le "Itu O Tane", in recognition of their warrior prowess in this particular war. They were all armed with "Nifo Oti" amongst other weapons.
The weapon has recently been used in the turn of the century civil war insurrections between the amalgamated chieftains, Matafa Iosefo, Tupua Tamasese and Malietoa Tanumafili muamua, supporters in and around the Tuamasaga areas. These skirmishes were intermittent using western weapons and American, German and British forces taking side in a miniture world war stand off
Saturday,Sep 26 2009, 12:57:18 AMThe new Logan Metro indoor stadium, Crestmead, Q..
The new Logan Metro Basketball Stadium, in Crestmead, Queensland, is now open.
The new home for the WNBL Logan Thunder is now open for business.
I went yesterday to check it out and practised for an hour and a half in very excellent facilities.
I will be practising here more often in the near future. All the while, I am back into training for my roadrunning events. The stadium is well ventilated and the natural lighting throughout the day is excellent. Plenty of room to swing a cat in without feeling particularly agoraphobic with the three basketball courts within this excellent stadium. The seating is superb, with the roll out and roll in stadium grandstands like some IKEA fold away.
Other indoor sports are not neglected with all badmington, volleyball sporting interests being considered.
The floating floorboards are not too spongey for the basketball, unlike the Cornubia courts, and this allows for some decent bounce into the dribblers hands. Particularly in the eastern side court which is quite solid underneath, around the key areas. Good for a decent drive onto the low post for dribblers.
My first impressions of the Metro is very good. The showers, toilets, and drinking fountains, and the disabled persons access amenities are completely politically correct.
Car parking is fully functional and not too confusing for anyone with half a brain.
The $17 million complex is most cost beneficial for the Crestmead locality, the accessability for sports fans can not be measured in monetary terms. It is so easy to get here being on the Browns Plains Road.
I am pleased with the Logan City Council and the Queensland State government for their investment in Logan City sports. They have certainly excelled themselves here.
Cheers.
Tim
Thursday,Sep 24 2009, 10:45:57 AMCanberra marathon 2010 training begins now.
Ok folks, my three days hiatus is now over. The Sydney marathon 2009 has been and gone. That is behind me now it is just another feather in my cap folks.
Now, it is back to training for the Canberra 42km marathon, in April 2010. Training starts tomorrow for a 28 week training regime.
I will be training through Xmas and NY and no rest for the next 28 weeks, just as I did not rest at all for the Sydney marathon which resulted in a very mediocre run. If this continues well, I will have to contend with my average times in my 5th 42km marathon run.
http://www.canberramarathon.com.au/
So folks see you back on the road. Going to go through some more running shoes for this one.
Tofa Soifua
Tim Tufuga
Endure and endure some more!
Tuesday,Sep 22 2009, 05:29:14 AMMy fourth 42km running effort was rather arduous..
My fourth 42km running effort was a bit of a painful effort particularly in the final 10 kilometres of the marathon. I had surprised myself with having to slam into the wall with cramps all over my body which was strange bearing in mind I had ensured that I had taken all the proper precautions before I had embarked upon my fourth 42km running effort.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw2s8_jP4bo
I was rather disappointed with tasting one of those weird bitter water cups from one of the water stations which reminded me of my previous efforts in the Brisbane 42km marathon as well as the Gold Coast 42km marathon efforts previously. This time the funny tasting water occured at the 11th km mark and after this recycled water type taste the subsequent water drink stations were normal in comparison to the one funny water drink station back in the 11th km mark. I had realised that nearing the 22km mark the cramping started to kick in and by the 31st km mark I was feeling very tight and sore from my armpits, to my neck, shoulders down to my legs. This is very unusual for me since I have only felt cramping on my legs in my previous three 42km running effort. I had taken all precautions leading up to this run and I was so surprised on how soon I had began cramping after just passing the halfway mark. I had not even exerted myself at all. I was only running at 60% throughout the first 21km.
The end result was not particularly flattering but at least I have been there and I have done what I had promised to do, as is evident in the video.
So as Julius Caesar once cited "I came, I saw, I conquered".
Well, at least I have endured the pain and agony of my fourth 42km effort. I am setting my sights for the Melbourne marathon next, or, perhaps, the Canberra marathon?
Needlesstosay, I am hoping to train for the Ironman triathlon but this is dependent upon whether I can afford the time and the money to enter the Australian IM in either 2010 or 2011. beleive you me, I can do the IM just as I can do the 42km marathon without these funny water at the drink stations.
It is hiatus for a week or so then it is training again for another endurance event.