Stop Start Stop ...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

This is a tough time of year to try and get any kind of routine happening with running. As I type this, it's 41 degrees in the shade (106 F) and totally murderous in the sun. Running is entirely out of the question, although the heat makes you do stupid things like drink hot coffee, wear a tie to work, and actually want to go for a run. Madness.

Consequently, getting back into running form has been a disjointed affair, but then that's fairly standard for me anyhow. Hopefully, with a coolish change forecast for tomorrow I'll be able to get a couple of runs in before the one-day cricket series starts with it's hours and hours of televiewing, copious beer consumption and unhealthy eating ruining my good intentions.

But for now, it's so darn hot we even have to refrigerate the red wine. Gack.

[Sweder]

I don't envy you the heat old boy. Of course we enjoy slightly different meteological challenges here in the frozen wastes, but at least we can run day or night. Is night running an option for you? Indeed, does it get much cooler at night?

No doubt SP has noted the impending Cricket-fest with glee . . .

[Nigel]

Red wine straight from the fridge is one of my own weaknesses. It's a habit I learned in Spain, and one that's often derided here. But you're supposed to drink it at 16C, right? How else can you manage that on a hot summer's day? And a Ventoux, Languedoc or St Chinian works very well much cooler still.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Well we knew there were some bushfires about, but didn't know quite how bad it was until a short while ago. The intense heat today sparked a major fire a few hours drive from here which resulted in 8 deaths. One of my sons is over there at the moment, only a few kilometres from the fire, and ready to evacuate should the need arise.

On a lighter note, we did indeed drink the red wine straight from the fridge, and thankfully judged it just right, so it came out at the requisite 16 degrees or thereabouts.

But somehow I am left thinking I should sign up for the volunteer fire service. If nothing else it would certainly give an additional reason for maintaining a high level of fitness.

Attached is a pic of tonight's sunset, with smoke from the fires to the west giving it a menacing tone. Straight on the back of the tsunami tragedies it all gives rise to much consternation.

[El Gordo]

I heard the news about the fires this morning. Hope it's under control now.

Red wine in the fridge? Wow, I thought I was the only one with this perversion. I've always had a soft spot for Beaujolais, and particularly the individual village wines. I wouldn't go as far as to chill them in ice, but I've always found these wines are happy with a half hour or so in the fridge to give them a cool edge. Nice at any time of the year, but particularly on warm summer evenings.

I do this with any light 'easy-drinking' reds.

[Sweder]

I can't believe what I'm reading about you guys filling your fridges with red wine. Where do you keep your Guinness?

Like Andy I heard about the fires on the news this morning after reading your thread. They said a bunch of people had jumped into the ocean to escape and were being rounded up by the coastguard - sounds horrendous. A good friend of mine lives just north of San Diego (Carmel Mountain) and was in a similar situation to your son - cars loaded, everything hosed down, watching the approaching firelit skyline. Happily for him the winds dropped with the flames a half mile from his neighborhood on three sides. Me, I'd have high-tailed it out of there long before. Good luck to your nipper.