Tempo run this morning

Got out this morning for scheduled tempo run 15-16kms total with 8km @ 15km - half marathon pace. Ran the 8km in 31.40 so around 3.57 per km pace which I am fairly happy with coming after what was really a tempo run on Sunday with a rest day in between. Will take it pretty easy on tomorrow's 23km run.

Went to the fireworks last night which is a regular thing for us living so close to the river. I hope the police aren't congratulating themselves on a job well done this morning because it wasn't. The creation of family areas near the flag pole on Sir James Mitchell Park has just resulted in the problem being moved down to the lakes at the bottom of Hurlingham Road, a spot where there hasn't been single problem in the 10 years we have been going. Last night there was running battle between groups of pissed young blokes with the police nowhere to be seen (other than impersonating Erik Estrada on their big motorbikes around the largely deserted streets as we walked down at around 8.20pm - must have seen at least 10 of them).

It kicked off at about 8.50pm right next to where we were sitting, right in amongst groups of families. One fairly large bloke was slammed head first into a baby's pram, luckily the baby had been taken out of it seconds before. This was just before it got dark so the ringleaders were pretty easy to be seen especially a blonde bloke in a sleeveless Richmond footy jumper. By the time 4 cops ambled over about 10-15 minutes later (despite people getting on their phones as soon as it occurred) there had been another fight but now it was dark. They seemingly weren't interested in looking for the instigators of the brawl, who were still roaming around in a pack, instead wandering around themselves in their cosy group of four. I guess if they had split up into groups of two, they might have had to break into a trot if there was a problem or called up some of their colleagues from the vicinity of the donut van.

I think the creation of the family areas is a great idea but I also think the onus is on the relevent authorities to make sure that they don't create other probelms and that they take steps to address it. There has never been a problem in that area before and last night when there was the cops were nowhere to be seen - as usual. Rant over (that feels better)