Author: smalllyfe

The Spong Matrix

Bad News Early = Good News Late

The CFO at my work likes to explain this Matrix to young Project Managers, to the point where it has been named ‘The Spong Matrix’. Key message is that Bad News Early is equivalent to Good News Late.

Typically this will come out when some bright spark has tripped over a few million upside in the last week of quarter and they are taking a victory lap. The problem is, that if you didn’t forecast it, you either intentionally hid it or you just got lucky. If you got lucky, who’s to say you won’t be unlucky next time?

The deeper point is that ‘Demonstration of Control’ and predictability more important than great results. You can’t guarantee great results year on year. If you don’t miss your targets occasionally the bar isn’t high enough. The way to survive the misses is to let people know early and give them the confidence that you are in control of your project. And if you do get lucky, bank it until next month 🙂

Mount Macedon climbs, ranked.

So this is a pretty obscure one, the potential audience for this is about 20 people, but i think about it a lot, so I’ve decided to rank my local climbs.

So this is a pretty obscure one, the potential audience for this is about 20 people, but i think about it a lot, so I’ve decided to rank my local climbs.

I like to trail run and I live on Mount Macedon. Trail Runners focus a lot on vertical gain and the mere mention of certain climbs can illicit an emotional response. Think Tour de France stages, Crossfit WODs or bad Tequila, some people get dizzy just thinking about them.

10) Hells Hole Track

530m / 12.7% / 68m gain

Not the longest, not the steepest and if you are there you are probably on a much longer run. Still, not without its charm.

https://www.strava.com/segments/11239900

9) Pine Plantation

780m / 23.1% / 110m gain

Kinda Meh now that they cut down all the trees. Also, not really a run, so much as a wall that you need to crawl up, especially if it is wet. Used to be fun when you could run up the mountain bike tracks, but I’m not sure they are there anymore

https://www.strava.com/segments/1342575

8) Chute Track

2.47km / 11.8% / 293m gain

https://www.strava.com/segments/10808961

Another one that runs steeper than the numbers, mainly because there are some very steep downs thrown in the middle – more like a roller coaster than trail run. Also feels very ‘Australian bush logging track’ – and if that’s your jam there are better places to do it than Mount Macedon. Does contain the aptly named Red Rage which basically looks like a giant red clay wall when you approach it. Also gets its share of burnt out cars, busted 4WD parts and empty bottles so there is that to enjoy.

https://www.strava.com/segments/10808961

7) Alton Road

2km / 10.5% / 218m gain

Not really ‘trail’ as its a proper road, but if you are after a long hard climb that you can (almost) run up this is worth a look. leads to some nice trails but my sense is that most people choose to go up the Goat to Hoods track.

https://www.strava.com/segments/1732423

6) Camels Hump

300m / 11% / 50m gain

Controversial early inclusion as its the highest point with a great view, but in running terms it’s two short to be scary and you end up turning around and bolting back down anyway. This one is definitely for the descenders but watch out for ice-cream lickers as it gets its fair share of tourists

https://www.strava.com/segments/4210441

5) Link Track No 1 & 2

1.75km / 17.0% / 302m gain

Starts with a nasty little section call the talon, which I would have named ‘glass corkscrew’ as it’s impossible to get traction for 9 months of the year. Once you get past that, it a straight hike up. Its steep, but the surface is good so you can just motor this one out. The top section is actually nice, just as it starts getting awful the gate magically appears (sooner than you would expect) then you can walk around like a new-born foal on Baringo Road for 5 minutes until you get the feeling back in your legs.

https://www.strava.com/segments/23669407

4) Zig Zag

1.3km / 8.7% / 119m gain

This is a personal pick as it’s close to my house, I spend a lot of time on this going to/from other parts of the Mountain. It’s rare to find a climb that is so consistent in gradient and each of the Zigs are roughly the same length. Can usually run up this one, but always looks easier on the map than it feels. I’ve definitely looked at the length/gradient and thought ‘I’ll try for KOM on that one’ only to get chewed out by Zag 3.

https://www.strava.com/segments/7187651

3) The Beast

1.1km / 27% / 301m gain

Hardest climb on the mountain, don’t @ me. Just relentless. Goes straight up, with a tough surface. Equal parts rocky, rutted & slippery. Nothing good to say about this. Only for the days when you are feeling masochistic.

Plenty of false dawns when you get near the top.

https://www.strava.com/segments/9344786

2) Mount Towrong

0.96km / 17.9% / 222m gain

Not as difficult as the beast, but forget about running this one if you are a mere mortal. Switchbacks,stairs, amazing views and super technical rocky sections put this one at number 2.

https://www.strava.com/segments/2786101

1) The Goat.

1.78km / 18.6% / 357m gain

I’m not sure if the name suggests this is a goat track or the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all time). It’s really neither, but it is the premier climb in the area. I wrote a whole post on this one Here.

https://www.strava.com/segments/3741525

Shit my son says #1

At the time of writing, my son is 5 years old. This is the shit he says.

At the time of writing, my son is 5 years old. While he was late in starting to talk, he lost no time in developing an excellent vocabulary and takes pride in remembering and reciting grown up phrases. This is the shit he says.

  • Me: ‘Did you see the hermit crabs at kindergarten?’
  • Son: ‘No, they are nocturnal’
  • Me: ‘what does that mean?’
  • Son: ‘They sleep all day and party alllll night’.
  • Me (playing Guess who): ‘Does your character have blond hair?’
  • Son: ‘Go Fish’
  • Me: ‘So do you like playing games?’
  • Son: ‘life is a game’
  • Me: ‘I think that is a lie’
  • Son: ‘YES. I love to lie’
  • Me: ‘You shouldn’t lie, you’ll get into trouble and hurt people’
  • Son: ‘I hate lying’
  • Me: ‘Was that a lie’
  • Son: ‘HAHAHAHAHAHA YES’.

The Goat

I’m not sure if the name suggests this is a goat track or the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all time)? Either way, unless your last name is Jornet it will turn you into a puddle

I’m not sure if the name suggests this is a goat track or the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all time)? It’s really neither, as your average Oreamnos would motor up it and in trail running terms it isn’t the Alps, but unless your last name is Jornet it will likely reduce to a huffing plod with-in 200m.

1.8km @ 18% Gradient are the stats, but the surface, twistiness and micro-climate make this one play longer than the numbers suggest.

https://www.strava.com/segments/3741525

This climb always reminds me of the Mike Tyson quote ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face’. Every time I have a plan for this one, I end up abandoning it somewhere in the first third and start repeating to myself ‘just survive’.

If you are visiting the Macedon Ranges and like a trail run or hike, this should be your starting point. On weekends this thing is Bourke St. which actually doesn’t matter too much because you won’t be moving that fast anyway. If you look really determined, most people will get out of your way and just stare at you in awe. Once I was running up the Goat and came upon a large family coming down. The smallest boy had a full size chicken sitting on his arm.