The World's Hardest Game

Bored at work? I have just found the self proclaimed world's hardest game.
Try it out at http://www.bored.com/games/action/1/worlds_hardest_game/
I'll admit, its pretty hard.

Birthday Drinks

On Thursday the gand got together to celebrate my 26th at O'Neils. Thanks for coming guys. It was a great night that started with beers and ended with multiple games of pool at Fenner
The photo is a bit blurry as the random drunk who took it was, well...drunk.

Sports Weekend - Sunday

After Saturday's success, the Fenner girls softball team journeyed back to the ANU for the interhall grand final. This is the fourth time in four years Fenner has made the final. Coached by myself in 2005 and 2006, followed by Toby in 2007 we are yet to bring the trophy home. This year we joined skills, hoping that with our forces combined Captain Planet like power would spur us on to greater victory.

The Softball Team

We entered this final undefeated, the first time in my coaching history. But B&G were not to be underestimated. Three North American students (to our one), spoke highly of their experience, and this was topped off by a shortstop that had represented at National level. But our girls had beaten them once, and with star pitchers Liz and Tracey and fielding combination Georgia (shorstop) and Shana (first base - remember her from Road Relay) we were more than ready.

The Fenner spectators

The game was high tense. Fielding first, Fenner proceeded to show why we were first on the table. An easy play from shortstop to first, a flyball out at second base, followed by an outfield catch by Louisa (also backing up from Saturday) at left field, which she made look easy. Three up three down - Fenner into bat. Unfortunately we were not able to capitalise as we to lost three successive batters.









Liz warms up her pitching arm and Boof readies her swingInnings two proved to be a bit more exciting. B&G's batters were a bit more succesful. Batter #4 (always the biggest hitter) started strongly and after we taken three outs they had run two batters home. With our big hitters still to come it shaped up to be a good innings. However, by the time we headed back out to the field for the third and final innings, only Shanna had made it home.

Last innings - Go Fenner!Our third at field didn't shape up well for us. Simple fielding errors including missed throws and dropped catches saw B&G score eight runs. Nine runs behind meant we had to bat big to win.

Basic skill errors left Fenner in a bad spot and two somewhat unhappy coaches (check out Toby's cheek!)Toby and I made our first sub, bringing in specialist batter Laura. However despite our best efforts only Laura was able to make it home for the innings, leaving the final score 10-2 against.
For the fourth consecutive year we had to make do with second place.

Toby devastated in defeat

Sometimes the during these hard times we forget that for the entire season, we lost only one game. Despite the hurt the girls found time to celebrate second place.

Next term I look forward to coaching Volleyball (girls and guys team) and Inward Bound. Can I add a first place finish to the list of 2008 accolades?

Sports Weekend - Saturday

Last weekend was a weekend to remember for intercollege sports. On Saturday we had Road Relay, an 18km relay race involving 4 x 1.5 km legs and 4 x 3km legs. A team I have coached for the last three years, traditionally Fenner comes last in this event, although we once got fourth when the team arrived hungover after one of our major balls. This year I am helped out in the coaching by first year Phillip Byron. Can his input help an ailing team?

On your marks. Get set. GO! Shanna (Canadian import - far right) leads the way on the first leg (female 1500m)

This year our team seemed stronger, but no one had trained so I wasn't sure how we would go. None of the runners seemed super strong- I was the running the last leg (and I still maintain I shouldn't be in the team) - but we had a sort of consistent average ability within the group.

Jay (Singaporean import) finishes the 2nd leg. After 3 km we're still in last place.

The event started slowly, well to be honest we started slowly. After the first three legs (female 1.5, male 1.5, female 3) we were sixth (read last). Substantially last. I was losing faith and saw another year of abject failure, which means that next year it would be difficult to find interested runners. the handover was made to Phillip Byron, the other 3km male runner. We are pretty much the same over 3km, I chose to go last because a friend of mine named Tim, a state 3km in high school, was running the same leg for his college and I wanted to run against him if possible. Byron had to do well as he was up against the weaker runners. If he did badly things were not going to fare well for the rest of the team.

Phillip (Coach) Byron's strong 3km leg paves the way for a Fenner comeback. At the end of 9 km we're now 4th!

10mins 28secs later in runs Phillip, in fourth place. Our surprised team barely got the next runner out in time. Two more 1.5 km legs (leg 5 and 6) and we were still in fourth, a long way behind third, but a handy lead on fifth and sixth. I jokingly said to the Tani, the 3km gun female runner who was to hand to me, "get me within 30 secs of Ursies (and Tim). I'll chase him down."

The end of leg 5 and the start of leg 6. Lousia (dark green shirt) builds a big lead on fifth (Bruce hall) and last (Burgmann). James (Californian Import - light green shirt) takes off. Can he catch Ursuala hall in third?

The next 12 minutes or so were a nerve racking wait. I'd already spent an hour organising the team, and I was already drained of energy.

James passes to Tani nearly 30 seconds behind Ursula Hall (3rd). Tani - our final female 3km runner - is our secret weapon against all things Daly Road. But not even she will be able to me close enough Ursula.

The to my incalcuable surprise, Tani mounts the last rise in 3rd place. A few metres behind come fourth and fifth, with Ursies thirty seconds behind everyone. First and second were well and truly ahead. This was a fight for the bronze position.

My big mouth had got me in trouble. I can't outrun Tim - he was the man who trained me. Losing would be terrible after the team worked so hard to move us from last to third.

The torch passes in the 8th and final leg. Am I able to transfer my marathon fitness into a short distance race against the best runners Daly Road has to offer? Or will this be another disappointing end to Road Relay. Fenner Pride weighs heavily on my shoulders. Burgmann and Bruce can be seen on the pedestrian crossing, waiting for their tag.

I took the tag and left at a near sprint, using my 6 seconds of my ATP-PC (chemical energy) system, before slipping to aerobic energy. I had to convince the others I was too good for them to try and catch me.

At the halfway point I was met by cheering fans, however unbeknownst to me fourth and fifth were chewing at my heels. Tim was twenty metres behind.

Halfway point, Bruce Hall (Blue) and Burgmann (Yellow) are too close. Ben Williams (FRC President) runs beside telling me the situation. (Open the picture and have a look at my expression - its funny)

With five hundred metres to go I rounded the last straight, and in a road relay first, after nearly 18 km and seven legs, I was not alone. It is unusual for two runners to come in together but we had a line of three - all jostling for position, vying for 3rd place. Burgmann College makes a move to the front, but Bruce Hall and myself keep up. Next I have a shot, increasing the pace again, but the others dog my trail. With two hundred metres to go Bruce Hall ups the ante with a huge finishing pace. Burgmann falls behind, and for a brief second I don't think I can keep up, but with all the spectators watching that wasn't an option. I shrug off the weakness push a bit harder, only slightly behind the blue shirt in front of me. Inexorably I creep up beside my rival, screaming collegiates pushing us on as we take a slight bend to the finish. Suddenly I am forced onto the median strip by the rude Bruce Hall runner, completely disrupting my rhythm with 50 metres to go, and he shoots on ahead. Was he a strategic genius, was that his plan?

Fenner Hall streams over the finish line. After 8 runners and 18 km Fenner finished...

It turned out to be his tactical nightmare. With my steady pacing rhythm destroyed I was able to turn my small trip into a body of flailing arms and legs. Holding my breath I churned uncoordinated limbs in a fit of motion. I heard cries from the Bruce hall spectators choke in their throats. High pitched squeals of the Fenner crowd hit a cresendo as the world blurred around me, the finish just ahead. Bruce Hall (Eamon, a fellow div 1 IB navigator) fell behind as I stumbled through a sprint finish to bring Fenner home in third place - our highest ever placing in this event. It was a day to remember, and a team never to be forgotten.

James, stoked with a 3rd place finish.

Tomorrow, the girl's softball team coached by myself and Toby take on B&G in the Grand final. This is Fenner's fourth appearance in the GF, can we finally take home that trophy

Fenner's 2008 Road Relay Team: (Left to Right) - Michelle, Louisa, Jay, Tani, Myself(capt.), Phillip Byron(Coach), Shanna, and James .