[LINK] OT: 20kph [Was: Bush Fire Speeds]

[Roger Clarke]

>Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:58:59 +1100
>The main fire was moving at 20kph [that's the speed of the winner of 
>the Sydney Olympics Marathon, which was won in record time], the 
>fastest documented rate of spread of a forest fire to that writer's 
>knowledge.  Even in grassland it was running at 11kph [a decent jog] 
>(p. 350-351).

I missed and obvious, and piognant, opportunity.

At one stage, the world marathon mark was Deek's, at almost exactly 20kph.

And he used to run in Stromlo Forest (part of it later re-named 
Deek's Forest) and along Coolo Ridge.

And he used to live at the top of Doyle Terrace, which is nestled in 
the bend in the Ridge that produced the circular wind that chopped 
1-metre gums in two.

He lost the lot.

Although an interview on ABC TV last night (in Canberra at least) 
showed that he salvaged a few of his medals, some molten blobs, some 
intact.  (He was interviewed because he spent time on the ACT Fire 
investigation).

Some years ago, he was driving a Porsche, black I think - and I 
thought the ACT Rego was 2.06.52, but this says 2.07.51:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_Year_Rankings


In the interests of gender balance, Lisa Ondieki used to run around 
here at about the same time, although mainly inside the suburb.


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/

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