We finalized our accommodation and so we’re off to Sydney for the World Masters Games! I’m sooo looking forward to seeing my family and friends. After canceling from the WMA’s in Finland due to injuries it feels good that we’ll get in one big event for 2009. Of course Larry is still doubtful about running but my body is holding up. Fingers crossed that both of us can hit the track.

The Sydney folks are saying that entries for athletics (track, field & road) have exceeded previous WMG competitor numbers by 25%. Looks like rounds for my events (W40-44) with 21 in the 800m and 19 in the 1500m. There are 21 in the 5K, which probably means two races split on times. Haven’t even got my head around racing yet. Part of me is just grateful to be running. But I’m thinking the racer in me will kick in shortly…obsessing about my fitness, my times, my competitors, the weather…

Speaking of which this morning Sydney made the American news. Highly unusual! A dust storm has hit the east coast of Australia. My friend Gianna tells me, “We’ve been hit with severe winds which brought a cold front from Central Australia and Western NSW which covered everything with a blanket of red dust. It was incredible!! I felt like I was in Darwin with all this red soil and dust! I’ve never seen anything like it before. We’re going to have to do a lot of cleaning up. All the cars etc are filthy with all this red dust. It’s still pretty windy now.”