Today I hate Starbucks pastries, which look sumptuous in the display case but, upon purchasing, turn out to be dull and tasteless, as though Starbucks carefully zapped each scone and croissant with a Deliciousness Cancellation Ray.
My greatest disappointment came a while back when I bought a chocolate old-fashioned doughnut and rammed it into my face with gluttonous intent, only to find it dry and bland. How do you fuck up an old-fashioned doughnut? Hy-Vee and King Soopers make delicious OFDs, full of greasy chewy crunchy sugary goodness, but the world's biggest coffee retailer can't manage the feat? Or figure out how to buy pastries from someone who can?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Today's workout
Went to a couple of bookstores to read about injury prevention, stretching, knee rehab, and such cheerful topics. Cracked a smile looking at The Russian Kettlebell Challenge: Xtreme Fitness for Hard Living Comrades by hirsute yet balding strongman Pavel Tsatsouline ("Master of Sports," which is apparently a real title in Russia). You owe it to yourself to look at the cover of his book.
Monday, March 30, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate when my employer starts blocking Facebook. Facebook, for chrissake... that's like blocking YouTube, or Hot Chicks with Douchebags, or PornHub! Tomorrow I'm sending an angry e-mail to the IS department demanding that employees be allowed to visit Facebook because... erm... because the productivity... uh... job satisfaction... maybe I better sleep on this.
Today's workout, also yesterday's, and the day before
Nothing. Yeesh, I feel lazy. Gotta get back at it. Tomorrow. Or the next day.
Hours this week: 3
Hours this year: 151.5
Miles skated this week: 0
Miles this year: Skates 594, Bike 583
Hours this week: 3
Hours this year: 151.5
Miles skated this week: 0
Miles this year: Skates 594, Bike 583
Sunday, March 29, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy (March Madness Edition!)
Today I hate the term "Elite Eight," as used to name the round of the NCAA basketball tournament between the Sweet Sixteen and the Final Four. Am I the only person to notice that, even though "Elite" and "Eight" start with the same letter, they don't start with the same sound? The name smacks of desperation -- one imagines dull-witted journalists combing the "E" section of the dictionary to find a superlative to go with "Eight." Can't we just call the third round the Quarterfinals, or -- as The New York Times renders it -- the Round of Eight?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate the phrase "first off," as in "Billy asked me to the prom, and I said, 'first off, I don't date pedophiles."
I don't know why I dislike this phrase. Maybe because nobody ever says, "Second off," or "third off."
I don't know why I dislike this phrase. Maybe because nobody ever says, "Second off," or "third off."
Friday, March 27, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Positive Friday!
Today I love that when a hockey player gets called for a penalty, it's not enough that he has to leave the ice for two minutes -- he actually has to sit alone in a little box, apart from the other players, without any comic books or crossword puzzles, and think about what he did.
Also, I love Albi the Racist Dragon. Har!
Also, I love Albi the Racist Dragon. Har!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate when I tell someone that I'm training for a 24-hour race, and they say, "Oh... so... is that... is it to raise money for charity?" No, I explain patiently, it's an athletic competition, not the Avon Walk. (Not that there's anything wrong with the Avon Walk. But what I'm doing is quite different.)
Now, as it happens, my world record attempt probably will raise money for charity, just like most races. The Boston Marathon, for example, raises money for several charities, including Habitat for Humanity and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. But if I said I was training for the Boston Marathon, nobody would ask if I was doing it as a fundraiser, would they?
Now, as it happens, my world record attempt probably will raise money for charity, just like most races. The Boston Marathon, for example, raises money for several charities, including Habitat for Humanity and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. But if I said I was training for the Boston Marathon, nobody would ask if I was doing it as a fundraiser, would they?
Today's workout
Nothing. I got out of work at noon due to a snowstorm, and I've spent my afternoon in sweat pants and Mammoth jersey, puttering about doing household chores and watching movies ("Death of a President" is a surprisingly complex film). I've decided to spend this week resting (read: pouting and eating garbage) and next week it's back to the action, Jackson.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Today's workout
22-mile bike commute. The morning ride was fine, but on the ride home I had to gear down to avoid pain in my knee. The pain was very minor, but at that low power output I shouldn't have any pain at all. I had been planning to go the gym for a yoga class or a core workout, but my aching knee and the chilly weather put me in a bad mood, so I came home instead.
My knee is not badly injured. I barely notice it during my daily routine, and during most skating workouts it's more annoying than genuinely painful or debilitating. Sometimes I feel like a wuss for breaking training for something that seems so minor. But I've been an endurance athlete for most of my life, and I have to trust my instinct when it tells me that, in its current condition, my knee can't handle four more months of vigorous training, including long skates of up to 10 hours.
I hate being injured. I hate not knowing how much time my knee will need to heal, and how it will affect my world record attempt. I hate missing out on the sense of accomplishment and progress that regular workouts bring. My body has become accustomed to massive quantities of exercise, and without my fix of physical exertion, I get headaches and tinnitus from unrelieved stress. And when I'm feeling depressed and adrift, I eat junk food to make myself feel better, a tactic that works wonderfully for as long as 8 seconds.
I'm trying not to get too down about this, because in the universe of possible problems this is a small one to have. I'm thinking positively about solutions. I'm trying to learn a lesson about letting go of attachment to silly achievements. I'm trying.
My knee is not badly injured. I barely notice it during my daily routine, and during most skating workouts it's more annoying than genuinely painful or debilitating. Sometimes I feel like a wuss for breaking training for something that seems so minor. But I've been an endurance athlete for most of my life, and I have to trust my instinct when it tells me that, in its current condition, my knee can't handle four more months of vigorous training, including long skates of up to 10 hours.
I hate being injured. I hate not knowing how much time my knee will need to heal, and how it will affect my world record attempt. I hate missing out on the sense of accomplishment and progress that regular workouts bring. My body has become accustomed to massive quantities of exercise, and without my fix of physical exertion, I get headaches and tinnitus from unrelieved stress. And when I'm feeling depressed and adrift, I eat junk food to make myself feel better, a tactic that works wonderfully for as long as 8 seconds.
I'm trying not to get too down about this, because in the universe of possible problems this is a small one to have. I'm thinking positively about solutions. I'm trying to learn a lesson about letting go of attachment to silly achievements. I'm trying.
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate that I was going to write a post about how much I hate the ads on Facebook,* and then today on Facebook there’s an ad for “This American Life Live,” which I totally want to see, so I clicked on the ad. Dammit.
*I don’t mind that there are ads on Facebook, as long as Facebook remains free. But I hate the particular ads on Facebook -- it’s one of the most popular sites on the internet, and the best advertisers they can get are cheesy dating sites and “get your stimulus check” scams? It’s like watching the ads on daytime cable TV. Pretty soon FB will be running ads for shady personal-injury law firms.
*I don’t mind that there are ads on Facebook, as long as Facebook remains free. But I hate the particular ads on Facebook -- it’s one of the most popular sites on the internet, and the best advertisers they can get are cheesy dating sites and “get your stimulus check” scams? It’s like watching the ads on daytime cable TV. Pretty soon FB will be running ads for shady personal-injury law firms.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Today's workout
22-mile bike commute. Took it easy and my knee mostly felt okay, although my right quad felt a little sore after the morning ride. I tried the patellar strap for the evening ride and removed it before I went far -- it was uncomfortable and my knee hurt a little with it on.
Weighed in at 151 this morning, down 1 pound from two weeks ago, and no change from last week.
Weighed in at 151 this morning, down 1 pound from two weeks ago, and no change from last week.
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy (Opposite Edition!)
Today I love Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace -- the first computer programmer. Did you know that the first computer programmer was a woman? Today is Ada Lovelace Day, when I and 1,620 other people have pledged to blog about the achievements of this brilliant scientist, or at least to link to her Wikipedia page. While you're there, why not also read about Marie Curie, Grace Hopper, and Barbara McClintock? Then, go make your daughter do some algebra problems.
Monday, March 23, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate that all countries use the Roman alphabet, and sometimes even the English version of their countries’ names, on their national sports teams’ jerseys for the Olympics, or the World Cup, or other international competitions. I noticed this again last night while watching the USA-Japan game at the World Baseball Classic. How cool would it have been if the Japanese players had been wearing jerseys with their nation’s name spelled out in… oh, I don’t know… Japanese? Instead the jerseys said “Japan”* (although I noticed that the McDonald’s ad on the sides of their helmets was in Japanese).
How would we like it if America’s national teams played in jerseys that said “EEUU” or something unintelligible (to us) in Arabic or Korean lettering? The only national team I know of that ignores the Roman alphabet is Russia’s hockey team, which follows the tradition of the Soviet Union’s terrifying “CCCP” jerseys by rendering its nation’s name in Cyrillic calligraphy. Is it any coincidence that the resulting jersey is super-sweet?
*Oddly enough, it seems that Japanese baseball teams, playing each other in Japanese baseball leagues, use English names and Roman lettering on their uniforms.
How would we like it if America’s national teams played in jerseys that said “EEUU” or something unintelligible (to us) in Arabic or Korean lettering? The only national team I know of that ignores the Roman alphabet is Russia’s hockey team, which follows the tradition of the Soviet Union’s terrifying “CCCP” jerseys by rendering its nation’s name in Cyrillic calligraphy. Is it any coincidence that the resulting jersey is super-sweet?
*Oddly enough, it seems that Japanese baseball teams, playing each other in Japanese baseball leagues, use English names and Roman lettering on their uniforms.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Today's and yesterday's workout, and also the day before
Friday and Saturday: I rested.
Today: Rode my bike to the gym for leg strength, core strength, balance, and stretching. Time 1:30.
I get occasional twinges in my left knee, but if I stay in low gears on the bike it feels fine. I picked up a patellar ligament strap -- according to the reading I've done, this eliminates pain for some people. I wore it while riding my bike today but it's hard to tell if it's doing any good.
Unfortunately, it now feels like I've slightly strained a muscle in my right quad. I'm going to take this next week even easier then this week -- no leg strength, just easy bike commuting and stretching and balance exercises along with core exercises and maybe some yoga. I've been thinking a lot about what this all means for my record attempt and I'm hoping to post something about that in the next few days.
Hours this week: 5
Hours this year: 148.5
Miles skated this week: 6
Miles this year: Skates 594, Bike 536
Today: Rode my bike to the gym for leg strength, core strength, balance, and stretching. Time 1:30.
I get occasional twinges in my left knee, but if I stay in low gears on the bike it feels fine. I picked up a patellar ligament strap -- according to the reading I've done, this eliminates pain for some people. I wore it while riding my bike today but it's hard to tell if it's doing any good.
Unfortunately, it now feels like I've slightly strained a muscle in my right quad. I'm going to take this next week even easier then this week -- no leg strength, just easy bike commuting and stretching and balance exercises along with core exercises and maybe some yoga. I've been thinking a lot about what this all means for my record attempt and I'm hoping to post something about that in the next few days.
Hours this week: 5
Hours this year: 148.5
Miles skated this week: 6
Miles this year: Skates 594, Bike 536
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy (At Least It's Right Twice A Day Edition, Part the Fourth)
Saturday, March 21, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate the green tea latte at Starbucks, which comes in an alarming bright green color and somehow tastes like fish. How is it possible to combine green tea and milk to produce a fishy flavor? I took two sips and dumped the stuff in disgust -- I could have sworn they blended a sardine into the thing.
Friday, March 20, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy (March Madness edition!)
Today I hate most scoring systems for March Madness pools, which usually work something like this: 10 points for first-round winners, 20 points for the second round, 30 points for the third round, etc. Why not divide out the 10 -- the greatest common divisor, yo -- and award 1 point, 2 points, 3 points, and so on?
Or maybe basketball itself should copy the pools and start counting 20 points for field goals, 10 points for free throws, and 30 points for long-range field goals. How thrilling it will be when Connecticut beats Gonzaga 770-680 in the title game, with Stanley Robinson scoring 350 points for the Huskies!
I think I’ll start a March Madness pool that scores 17.718 points in the first round, 35.436 points in the second round, 53.154 points in the third round… stop me when this becomes hilarious…
WIHT BONUS! I’m learning to play Bridge, which suffers from the same problem: 30 points for tricks in Spades and Hearts, 20 points for tricks in Clubs and Diamonds, 40 points or 30 points for No Trump tricks, bonuses of 700 or 500 points… divide out the 10, dammit!
Or maybe basketball itself should copy the pools and start counting 20 points for field goals, 10 points for free throws, and 30 points for long-range field goals. How thrilling it will be when Connecticut beats Gonzaga 770-680 in the title game, with Stanley Robinson scoring 350 points for the Huskies!
I think I’ll start a March Madness pool that scores 17.718 points in the first round, 35.436 points in the second round, 53.154 points in the third round… stop me when this becomes hilarious…
WIHT BONUS! I’m learning to play Bridge, which suffers from the same problem: 30 points for tricks in Spades and Hearts, 20 points for tricks in Clubs and Diamonds, 40 points or 30 points for No Trump tricks, bonuses of 700 or 500 points… divide out the 10, dammit!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Today's workout
To the gym for leg strength, core strength, stretching, and balance. I've eliminated jumping exercises (they can aggravate the kind of knee pain I'm having) and added leg extensions where I lower the weight slowly (this develops the VMO quad muscle, which some people think can stabilize the knee). Time 1:30.
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate this copy on the back of the Altoids Smalls tin: “35% FEWER CALORIES THAN OUR REGULAR MINTS. CALORIE CONTENT HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 0.8 TO 0.5 CALORIES PER 0.2g OF MINTS.”
This is too obvious to bother typing out, but anybody trying to lose weight by saving 0.3 calories per breath mint has a long row to hoe. A long and very stupid row.
This is too obvious to bother typing out, but anybody trying to lose weight by saving 0.3 calories per breath mint has a long row to hoe. A long and very stupid row.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Today's workout
Skated a couple of slow laps at the park. The idea was to find out if I could skate slowly without my knee hurting. The answer is no.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate soccer jerseys that would be totally cool if they didn't have a huge corporate logo pasted smack in the middle of the chest. Check out this Arsenal jersey, for example: not only is Arsenal a sweet name for a team, but the cannon logo is very classy. Too bad it's relegated to a tiny crest over the left titty, its coolness overshadowed by the enormous "Fly Emirates" slogan that dominates the design.
Monday, March 16, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate Trader Joe’s, for not existing in Colorado. Actually, I don’t believe that Trader Joe’s exists at all. It’s some sort of grocery store masturbation fantasy for coastal dwellers, combined with a bizarre plot to make those of us in flyover country feel like drooling troglodytes for shopping at Whole Foods, where a quart of spicy guac costs $22.50.
Today's and yesterday's workout
Yesterday: Skated 74.0 miles in 5:00:00 (14.8 mph), HR 74%, temp 60-65. The weather was perfect for skating, and the first 3 hours passed easily. But along the way my left knee stiffened and ached slightly, both quads felt tight just above my knees, and a spot in my right upper/inner thigh flared each time I planted my right foot. My heart rate started to climb as I tried to maintain 15 mph. Nothing hurt enough to cut the skate short, but with an hour to go I let up on the throttle to avoid getting hurt.
I’m going to take it easy and recover this week. I’m ahead of last year in terms of both distance and speed, and there’s no reason to risk an injury that could set me back weeks.
Numbers:
Calories: 1250 (250 cal/hr)
Fluid: 2600 ml (520 ml/hr), took 1 potty break
Weight: lost 1 pound, which is fine
Hours this week: 16.25
Hours this year: 143.5
Miles skated this week: 121
Miles this year: Skates 586, Bike 502
Today: What workout? Monday is my day off, except when it’s not.
I’m going to take it easy and recover this week. I’m ahead of last year in terms of both distance and speed, and there’s no reason to risk an injury that could set me back weeks.
Numbers:
Calories: 1250 (250 cal/hr)
Fluid: 2600 ml (520 ml/hr), took 1 potty break
Weight: lost 1 pound, which is fine
Hours this week: 16.25
Hours this year: 143.5
Miles skated this week: 121
Miles this year: Skates 586, Bike 502
Today: What workout? Monday is my day off, except when it’s not.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate when I'm telling someone about a funny scene in a movie, or a funny skit from a sketch comedy show, or about something funny that I read the other day, and halfway through I can tell that I'm completely failing to communicate the hilarity of the funny that I witnessed, but I blunder ahead anyway. This always ends with an awkward pause and an exchange like this:
Friend: "Yeah... that sounds funny."
Me: "I guess you had to be there."
Why do I bother trying to explain other people's funnies? It's utterly futile.
Friend: "Yeah... that sounds funny."
Me: "I guess you had to be there."
Why do I bother trying to explain other people's funnies? It's utterly futile.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate Jim Cramer. Not for the reasons everyone is talking about. But because he rolls up his sleeves like that.
Today's workout
Rode my bike to the gym for plyos and core strength. Then skated 16.9 miles in 1:07:02 (15.1 mph), HR 72%, temp 60.
Friday, March 13, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy (At Least It’s Right Twice A Day Edition, Part the Third)
Today I hate this clock in front of a yoga studio on South Broadway, which like its brothers has been sentenced by an apathetic owner to display the wrong time in perpetuity. So very sad. And what the hell is “Kawai Time”? There’s a piano company called Kawai, so maybe this building used to be a Kawai store? If so, how good can their pianos be if they can’t make their public clock tell the correct time, or even display the correct number of hands?
This photo taken at 6:38, as far as you know.
The north face of the clock can’t even be right twice a day!
This photo taken at 6:38, as far as you know.
The north face of the clock can’t even be right twice a day!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy (SarahPAC edition!)
Today I get to hate Sarah Palin again, because SarahPAC sent me a money-grubbing email! Disappointingly, I only found two errors ("low taxes" is misspelled as "law taxes," and the email ends with "Sincerely" but is not followed by a name). But it feels so, so good to hate Sarah Palin again.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate when I bite my lip or tongue while I'm chewing. Good to know that I've owned this mouth for 35 years and still haven't figured out how to use it yet.
Today's workout
Chilly tonight, so I put on the K2 Rads and skated 24.75 miles in 1:49:46 (13.5 mph), HR 69%, temp 42-37. It was pretty much a friggin' chore -- the only good part was the huge orange moon rising over the park. I'm hotly anticipating the arrival of the permanent warm weather, but that's another 4-6 weeks away.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate driving the day after a snowfall, when the streets are wet and the trucks throw a dirty spray of melted snow onto my windshield, which steadily dries into an opaque crust of road filth. On a possibly related note, I also hate my crappy windshield wipers, my crappy wiper fluid sprayer that overshoots my windshield, and the fact that I'm too lazy to do anything about either problem.
Today's workout
Snow on the streets this morning, so no bike commute. Went to the gym for leg strength and core strength, time 1:45.
Monday, March 9, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate when I'm folding laundry or putting on a sweater while listening to my iPod, and the static electricity travels up the wire and shocks my ears. This just seems unfair somehow.
Today's workout
What workout? Monday is my day off, except when it's not.
I weighed in at 152 this morning, down 2 pounds from last week. Huzzah!
I weighed in at 152 this morning, down 2 pounds from last week. Huzzah!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Today's workout
Skated 61.7 miles in 4:02:25 (15.3 mph), HR 73%, temp 57-65. A great skate on a great day for skating! My left knee was muttering a little bit but not actually hurting -- I'll continue to put ice on it. My neck and lower back have been hurting more than usual on these long skates as I have been getting lower for longer (at least I hope so). Another highly encouraging skate as I continue to build my endurance base.
Mon ami Philippe Coussy, chasseur de records mondiaux d'endurance à roller, today posted a long skate of 54.5 miles in 3:40:47 (14.8 mph), HR 72%. Bravo, Philippe!
Hours this week: 15.5
Hours this year: 127.25
Miles skated this week: 112
Miles this year: Skates 465, Bike 463
Mon ami Philippe Coussy, chasseur de records mondiaux d'endurance à roller, today posted a long skate of 54.5 miles in 3:40:47 (14.8 mph), HR 72%. Bravo, Philippe!
Hours this week: 15.5
Hours this year: 127.25
Miles skated this week: 112
Miles this year: Skates 465, Bike 463
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate buying avocados. At the store they’re either bright green and hard as golf balls, or they’re black sacks of rotten mush. The unripe ones soften up in a day or two, but sometimes you want guacamole right now, doncha know?
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Yesterday's and today's workouts
Yesterday: Day off! Had a delicious dinner at Table 6, which included almond-encrusted tater tots and cheesesteak sliders as appetizers, and a locally-made white wine called Infinite Monkey Theorem, which was quite good.
Today: It was a bit chilly, so I put on the Rad 100s and skated 18 miles in 1:17:25 (14.0 mph), HR 73%, temp 39. Then I rode my bike to the gym for leg strength and core strength. Time 3:15.
Today: It was a bit chilly, so I put on the Rad 100s and skated 18 miles in 1:17:25 (14.0 mph), HR 73%, temp 39. Then I rode my bike to the gym for leg strength and core strength. Time 3:15.
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate that the cheap saucepan I bought at Target had a sticker glued to the bottom:
The sticker actually came off more easily than it looks in the photo, but only with a few maddening minutes of careful peeling and fingernail-picking. What kind of dumbfuckery is this? Are saucepan manufacturers unaware that proper use of a saucepan involves heating from the bottom, and that an flammable object glued to said bottom might hinder the saucepan’s usefulness? Was there no other way to convey the vital information printed on the sticker?
The sticker actually came off more easily than it looks in the photo, but only with a few maddening minutes of careful peeling and fingernail-picking. What kind of dumbfuckery is this? Are saucepan manufacturers unaware that proper use of a saucepan involves heating from the bottom, and that an flammable object glued to said bottom might hinder the saucepan’s usefulness? Was there no other way to convey the vital information printed on the sticker?
Friday, March 6, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate businesses that don’t have voicemail. Isn’t this a known technology? I have voicemail at my house, for dog’s sake. Leaving a message with a receptionist makes me feel like I’ve time-warped back to 1955, with a secretary wearing cat’s-eye glasses and a beehive hairdo laboriously misspelling my name on a pink message slip with “WHILE YOU WERE OUT” printed at the top (and the “Not Important” box checked).
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Today's workout
22-mile bike commute. Then to the gym for leg strength and core strength. Time 3:00.
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate Boston terriers. They’re ill-tempered, ugly, bug-eyed, bullet-shaped little monsters.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate when people -- or, at any rate, their email applications -- delete previous emails when sending replies. I suppose they think they’re reducing clutter, but sometimes those previous emails contained important information, and anyhow there’s something oddly Stalinesque/Ministry-of-Truth-ish about erasing the past that way.
Today's workout
Skated 27 miles in 1:45:12 (15.4 mph), HR 70%, temp 66. My left knee felt a little odd but didn't hurt, which was a relief. I will continue to ice it though.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate horror movies that, instead of going to all the hard work of creating an atmosphere of genuine suspense and creepiness, rely on the lazy technique of showing something semi-scary and then jolting the viewer with a piercing shriek on the soundtrack. This happens in too many bad horror movies to name (and a few good ones, like The Ring) but it came to mind last night as I was watching a trailer for The Haunting in Connecticut, which looks like a garden-variety haunted house movie. Watch the trailer and ask yourself: is what you’re seeing actually scary, or just startling? Admittedly, Haunting does look like it has some creepy scenes -- they’re the ones that are still scary with the sound off. This is part of my general gripe that music and sound design get wielded like a sledgehammer in too many movies. The Blair Witch Project was one of the best horror movies I’ve ever seen, and it only used natural sound.
On a related note, why don’t the people in haunted house movies just move? If you moved into a house and found that the walls were leaking deadly gases, you would move, wouldn’t you? But when movie characters move into a house built on an ancient Indian burial ground and filled with malevolent spirits bent on dragging them into Hell… meh, let's stick it out, we don't want to lose our down payment, after all...
Today's workout
22-mile bike commute. Then to the gym for leg strength and core strength. Time 3:00.
I got an comment on my blog today from mon ami Philippe Coussy, winner of last year's 24-hour solo events at Le Mans and Montreal, and holder of the (unofficial) world record for 24 hours with drafting (~356 miles). He wished me luck with my world record attempt and said that, this September in France, he also will be making an attempt on the 24-hour time trial WR.
This is exciting news. Philippe is a very strong ultradistance skater and a worthy adversary in my quest to become the world's best 24-hour skater. I will be making my WR attempt in July or August, and now my goal has to be not only to break Mauro Guenci's record, but to put the record out of the reach of M. Coussy. I e-mailed Philippe to wish him luck, and I'm looking forward to following his training progress on his blog. What fantastic motivation for me!
I got an comment on my blog today from mon ami Philippe Coussy, winner of last year's 24-hour solo events at Le Mans and Montreal, and holder of the (unofficial) world record for 24 hours with drafting (~356 miles). He wished me luck with my world record attempt and said that, this September in France, he also will be making an attempt on the 24-hour time trial WR.
This is exciting news. Philippe is a very strong ultradistance skater and a worthy adversary in my quest to become the world's best 24-hour skater. I will be making my WR attempt in July or August, and now my goal has to be not only to break Mauro Guenci's record, but to put the record out of the reach of M. Coussy. I e-mailed Philippe to wish him luck, and I'm looking forward to following his training progress on his blog. What fantastic motivation for me!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Today's workout
What workout? Monday is my day off, except when it's not.
I'm a little worried about my left knee, specifically the tissue that connects the bottom of the kneecap to the lower leg bone (the patellar ligament). I strained that ligament during last year's 24-hour race in Montreal. It hurt during yesterday's long skate -- not very much, but enough to make me wonder if it will become a problem. It ached a little today so I've been applying ice and taking ibuprofen.
I'm a little worried about my left knee, specifically the tissue that connects the bottom of the kneecap to the lower leg bone (the patellar ligament). I strained that ligament during last year's 24-hour race in Montreal. It hurt during yesterday's long skate -- not very much, but enough to make me wonder if it will become a problem. It ached a little today so I've been applying ice and taking ibuprofen.
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate that there are no major sports teams -- that is: MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL -- nicknamed the Dragons. I can’t even think of a big-time college team called the Dragons. The only Dragons team I can think of is the San Francisco Dragons, a Major League Lacrosse franchise that folded last year. How is this possible? What mascot could be cooler than a serpentine, fire-spewing dragon? The jerseys would be The Awesome!
While I’m at it, why the shortage of sports teams named after mythical creatures of any species? I can think of these offhand: NY Giants, SF Giants, Tennessee Titans, LA Angels, NJ Devils, Washington Wizards… and that’s it. Did we really need for the NBA’s newest team to take the bo-ring name Bobcats, or for the transplanted Sonics to take the idiotic singular name Thunder, when there are names available like the Cyclops, the Centaurs, the Griffins, the Ghosts, the Phantoms, and the Monsters? Women’s teams could be the Medusas (really the Gorgons, I guess), the Furies, or the Sirens. C’mon, marketing departments of major league sports franchises -- how about some creativity?
While I’m at it, why the shortage of sports teams named after mythical creatures of any species? I can think of these offhand: NY Giants, SF Giants, Tennessee Titans, LA Angels, NJ Devils, Washington Wizards… and that’s it. Did we really need for the NBA’s newest team to take the bo-ring name Bobcats, or for the transplanted Sonics to take the idiotic singular name Thunder, when there are names available like the Cyclops, the Centaurs, the Griffins, the Ghosts, the Phantoms, and the Monsters? Women’s teams could be the Medusas (really the Gorgons, I guess), the Furies, or the Sirens. C’mon, marketing departments of major league sports franchises -- how about some creativity?
Sunday, March 1, 2009
WHAT I HATE TODAY: Your daily dose of negative energy
Today I hate people who walk their dogs while riding their bikes. These people always look ridiculous -- they have to ride their bikes painfully slow, which is still usually too fast for the dogs, who have to pant and strain to keep up. Why not walk while walking your dog? It's egalitarian, it's fun for everyone, and there's less chance of suffering a case of road rash because your dog saw a squirrel.
For some reason this reminds me of something very sad I saw once at Wash Park: a tiny dog, maybe a Chihuahua, that had somehow lost both of its hind legs and had been fitted with a sort of harness on wheels. The poor little guy was churning his front legs like crazy, but the wheels didn't turn very well, and his tongue was hanging out as he exerted himself to make very slow progress. Meanwhile, his owner -- a chubby lady who probably spends a week in bed if she gets a hangnail -- was walking about 100 feet ahead of her dog, and kept hectoring him in an impatient tone: "Come on, Zippy! Catch up! C'mon, now!" Hey, let's lop off one of your legs and see how fast you get around.
For some reason this reminds me of a conversation I had the other day at a housewarming party, in which both Chihuahuas and dogfighting were mentioned separately. It occurred to me that Chihuahua dogfighting would be The Awesome. By which I mean that it would be a cruel and inhumane practice that any sensible and decent person should condemn. I'm just saying that if someone invited me to a Chihuahua dogfight, I would have to pause a moment before saying, "Obviously not."
BONUS WIHT! Today I also hate the word "Chihuahua," which I could not type correctly in this post.
For some reason this reminds me of something very sad I saw once at Wash Park: a tiny dog, maybe a Chihuahua, that had somehow lost both of its hind legs and had been fitted with a sort of harness on wheels. The poor little guy was churning his front legs like crazy, but the wheels didn't turn very well, and his tongue was hanging out as he exerted himself to make very slow progress. Meanwhile, his owner -- a chubby lady who probably spends a week in bed if she gets a hangnail -- was walking about 100 feet ahead of her dog, and kept hectoring him in an impatient tone: "Come on, Zippy! Catch up! C'mon, now!" Hey, let's lop off one of your legs and see how fast you get around.
For some reason this reminds me of a conversation I had the other day at a housewarming party, in which both Chihuahuas and dogfighting were mentioned separately. It occurred to me that Chihuahua dogfighting would be The Awesome. By which I mean that it would be a cruel and inhumane practice that any sensible and decent person should condemn. I'm just saying that if someone invited me to a Chihuahua dogfight, I would have to pause a moment before saying, "Obviously not."
BONUS WIHT! Today I also hate the word "Chihuahua," which I could not type correctly in this post.
Today's workout
Today I went for my first long skate of the season: 46 miles in 3:02:02 (15.2 mph), HR 72%, temp 55. Great weather today! I thought I would sail through this skate, and although it went quite well it was a little tougher than I expected. My body (especially my feet) has to reacquaint itself with the long miles, and I have to build up the mental endurance again -- even with an iPod full of podcasts I kept thinking, "Yeesh, am I done yet?" Still I am very happy to be skating this fast this early in the season.
Hours this week: 14.5
Hours this year: 111.75
Miles skated this week: 100
Miles this year: Skates 353, Bike 407
Hours this week: 14.5
Hours this year: 111.75
Miles skated this week: 100
Miles this year: Skates 353, Bike 407
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