Traffic, Tri and Assault #2

Hey, its been awhile. How are you? I'm good, thanks.

Today was the annual K-town triathlon, something that I bet I'll end up doing someday (someday being sooner than later). I actually considered training for it this past winter, but with practice teaching etc, there just wasn't much time to keep running like mad, let alone learn to swim fast and bike faster. Someday though, I can hear it calling my name.

Anyways, for the past few years, I haven't been able to see any of the tri, because I have been in Europe this time of year (chasing pigs, shearing sheep, chasing buses... yknow, standard European vacation fare). But this year, I am very much present, and made sure not to miss the race. Initially planned on waking up early, and heading down for the start of the swim, but really, the swim isn't much to watch.. just people in wet suits trying to drown eachother...and well, whats the bike either.. just a bunch of people in wet suits (ok, how does a wet wet suit on a bike not cause irreversable damage to damageable corners of the anatomy... i think this is a universal mystery)..... ok, fine. Guilty. I slept in.

Wandered down to a great vantage point, right in front of a water station for the run. Some animals were really killin' the run. Unbelievable... I'd think after swimming and cycling, the legs must just feel like cement. Much respect... anyways, this watering station brings me to the first point du jour. Follow me down the rabbit hole of twisted logic that leads to this situation:

As everyone in the free world knows (and maybe even some viewers of Al Jazeera), the city of Kingston closed a large section of King St for the majority of May and June. For what, you ask? They say it has something to do with fixing the "sewer system" (and here I thought our sewer system consisted of an intricate network of residential basements that led to the deep blue sea...), but, seeing as how the lower section of Beverley St still has a smell resembling a humid outhouse.... I believe that there is a deeper, more covert explanation. Put simply... dinosaur bones. It can only be a search for the long rumored, but never substantiated Kingstonosaurus... (having not found it, they have now moved to digging up other areas of the city, see Wellington St, Market Square and Block D).

Ok, point is: the city found it necessary to shut down a major vessel of the city for 2 long months, as we all watched trucks, diggers and, well... orange vested city workers, frozen in time... spending large amounts of time doing what they do best: nothing. And hey, if they wanna find dinosaur bones, more power to them. But, with such power, You'd think that they might also be able to shut down this same section of the street for the triathlon!

But, in their infinite wisdom, they did not. This might have to do with the fact that the event took place on a Sunday, and we all know that weekends might as well not exist for the city. On the seventh day, the city workers rested.

So as we sat and watched the race, we were greeted with far greater struggles:

1) Runner vs Runner: as the race was limited to one lane of traffic, and the race consisted of an out and back route, the lead racers were forced to risk head on collisions with the tail end of the field in pursuit of water, e-Load and sponges.

2) Car vs Car:Those poor drivers, on a leisurely Sunday morning excursion -- hold up. Since when did leisurely Sunday drives take place at 60 km/hr? Where were all these people going?? It was as if the course pilons inspired a spirit of Formula 1 racing in everyone... trying daring manoeuvres to squeeze 2 lanes of traffic into one without losing precious time. I won't even get into the 4 tour buses, countless moving trucks, oversized pick up trucks and trailers... Point is: its a beautiful day, save some gas and walk... and if you must drive, take a hint from the pilons and find a different street. Its not like this event happens every year or anything.

3) Car vs Runner: Fortunately, this situation did not ever materialize to as much of an extent as it could have. The runners did an excellent job avoiding all of the 2000 lb swerving targets that the city could throw at them. This did however lead to my favourite moment of the race:

4) Race Crew vs Car: Finally, one of the chief volunteers reached his limit. Upon seeing a particular driver knock over not one, but three pilons... he stepped right out in front of her speeding death machine and let her have it. No holds barred. This verbal exchange was definitely Rated R. R for necessaRy.

Perhaps next year, we should rename the triathlon: "Kingstonian Gladiators"... less swimming, more drowning. Less biking, more shoulder powered tennis ball guns... the run needn't be changed, its already The Gauntlet. Or, we could just close the road to traffic. Hmmm.


Ok, thats off my chest now. After watching the race... walked home. loaded up the iPod Shuffle with a fresh set of tunes... grabbed the full set of gear for my own leisurely Sunday excursion, and made the second assault on the cottage. Wasn't as humid today as 2 weeks ago, and it was definitely appreciated. Did the 30km in 2:39:00. Pretty good, considering the 9 mile pace run I had done less than 18 hours beforehand. Things are lookin' good.

I'm out.

Sounds

Too late at night for anything meaningful. Ran 9 miles today, started out in the pouring rain, and then the sun came out, but alas, I had no sunglasses. So the eyes are a little sore. Got a package in the mail from Nike today. Pretty quick replacement on the Shox that i sent back a few weeks ago.... they sent me a pair of Shox 2:45's. They look pretty ill, and they're light, but I won't mess around with them until after the marathon. My ITB syndrome has seemingly gone away, not entirely sure why. I think its a combination of muscles becoming stronger and not relying on ITB, and my stride becoming subtly more neutral. Anyways, I'm still using the Shox FSM's, and will slowly transition to the Mizuno's as the date gets closer. I think I will race in the Mizuno's; they're a lot lighter and have more room in the toes. Nothin like black toenails after long runs :)


Ok... a music update. I've been pouring through iTunes lately, trying to rate as many songs as possible. Just trying to make my smart playlists smarter. And in doing, I've rediscovered some awesome albums.

Ryan Adams - Gold
Live - Throwing Copper
Moby - Play

and a couple of brand new singles:
David Gray - The One I Love
Death Cab For Cutie - Marching Bands of Manhattan

Clif Shot and a moment...

So, another Sunday has come and gone. Spent this morning watching Lance for the last time, soaking it all up. The Tour just won't be the same next year... I guess I'll be cheering for big Jan, unless Hincapie is the team leader for Discovery. Had to love Lance's farewell speech... a final send off to all of his critics: if you didn't appreciate me while I was here, then too bad, because you'll never see me again, and you sure missed out. Its a funny thing; a character like Jordan, full of so many flaws is revered by the press world wide... a compulsive gambler, hanging out with some of the shadiest characters in the country... and then you have Armstrong, equal killer instinct, probably greater sheer athleticism, a greater string of victories in a far more grueling event, and the guy is surrounded by controversy! I guess culture can be a bitch sometimes... if you're good at "your own" sport, they love you unconditionally... invade on someone "else's" sport, and they try to pick you apart, because you're not one of "them". Its just too bad that so many people here don't pay attention to cycling, and will forever associate him with the negative press and rumors. Anyways, I think that legacy is cast in stone... he did all he could, and went out on top. You won't see this dude fading on mountains, the way we watched Willie Mays drop fly balls, and Michael Jordan shoot jumpers on gimpy knees.

Tonight was a long run night, but not so long, because it was a sort of a recovery week, after last week's big 20 miler. Did 12 miles, and tested a ClifShot energy gel, just to see if i could stomach it. Gotta figure out what sort of nutrition I'll use for the marathon. Despite saying it was "strawberry" flavoured, it tasted suspiciously like molasses, with the same texture and viscosity. Remind anyone of green jelly beans? Anyways... 20 minutes later, it was cruise control. Had to check the package to make sure there was no amphetamines in these things. Wouldn't wanna pull a Barry Bonds and "unknowingly" use steroids (although, I think I'd become suspicious if my hat size grew by 2 during my career... hmmm). Anyways, the verdict is, these things work. Not sure if it was the carbs, the caffeine or both, but I definitely felt a surge of energy on the way home. I will use one later in the marathon, probably around mile 16 or 17, so it will kick in for the final crunch.

I remember writing the other night, have you ever felt worse after a run than you did before it? Well, tonight, the run was great, but the end was even better. A classic moment for the archives... allow me to set the scene. Came flying back home, finishing with a full sprint. As I slowed to a stop, I noticed an older lady walking on the road next to me. Not strolling, but walking; health benefit, awesome for anyone, especially a 70 year old woman walking. As I walked along to cool down, the contrast couldn't have been greater...

me: disgustingly drenched in sweat, iPod stuck to my arm, wearing shoes that cost too much and clothes that breathe air like they're alive.

her: white sweater, blue slacks, white shoes that looked quite terrestrial compared to my space age steeds...no sweat, definitely no iPod, but whistling just as nicely. No white headphones, but a white perm; not a hair out of place.

Too hot for running tonight she said quietly....
Nah, its ok. Once you get going, its the perfect temperature....
How far did you go... you look like you've been out there forever! she started to perk up into the conversation.
Almost 2 hours... but slowly.. don't wanna push it too hard tonight.
Well, I can only walk for 20 or 25 minutes... after that, I have to sit down and rest, so you've got me beat .

I turned to her.... looked around... at the hot, empty streets.....

"At least you're out here... In almost 2 hours, you're the only other person I've seen. I saw plenty of people on porches, in cars and glued to televisions... so, in my books, if I'm finishing first, then you're finishing a close second."

I think we made each other's day... I know it made mine.

i'm out

A night at the races...

Spent a lot of the day today driving. Had to go visit family visiting the country from a land far far away. On the way home, drove the course of the Prince Edward County Marathon, for which I am registered this year. I got in on the early registration discount... saved 10 or 15 bucks, got a free long sleeve Brooks shirt, and most importantly, jacked up the motivation to keep the training insane. After the day in the car, my legs felt like ADD kids watching the history network.... ready to move. Laced up the shoes, grabbed the Shuffle and blasted out 3 miles. I like to use Thursdays as a day to burn excess carbon out of the engine... and tonight I hit the red zone. Last week, I did the 3 in 19:08... this week, despite still being a little used up from the assault on the cottage, I did it in 18:44. So things are looking good. Gotta get that time down to 18 flat by the end of the summer.

Props to tobbi... Foo Fighters - Monkeywrench really pushed me tonight.

Tonight feels like a night for Springsteen. Spinning the new disc, Devils and Dust.

Thats it for now. out

In search of a universal standard....

The web has the W3 consortium... most sane countries have the metric system... we've got the compact disc standard, a DVD standard... and they make our lives easier. They allow us to make a judgment about an object's capabilities or qualities and have an outcome that somewhat matches our hypothesized expectation. This is not a typical blog entry, this is a quest. A quest in search of a standard. A rule that will simplify lives and remove unnecessary negative consequences.

I hereby propose the formation of the GJBC.... The Green Jelly Bean Consortium. A standards based organization aimed at ridding the world of the confusion that is the green jelly bean.

The idea came to me like a flash of lightning today; a Eureka moment, one might say. As I bit into a delicious white freezie, I pondered the unification of flavour standards. White freezies taste like white jelly beans... a pattern emerged... purple, red, pink... we have a beautiful system of flavour consistency. Then, my pondering strayed... as many important philosophers before me, I pondered the jelly bean.

*Disclaimer: this blog does not refer to Jelly Belly jelly beans... there are reasons for this exclusion. Namely, the world does not need flavours like "rotten onion" or "burnt popcorn"... ridiculous. Also, no one in there right mind should be spending a small fortune on a bag of beans unless they're growing magic stalks into the heavens.*

In the world of normal jelly beans, we find a similar flavour convention... with items falling into two general categories:

a) those beans whose colour represents their flavour: purple = grape, orange = orange, yellow = lemon, black = liquorice, white = marshmallow

b) those beans whose colour is a standard of goodness:
red = damn those red ones are always so good, i'll save them for later
pink = wow, i'll save these always awesome pink ones for later, til i'm down to some whites and pinks, and then i'll eat those randomly.

So, we seem to have an agreed upon standard. However, when we hit green the standard falls to pieces. Green jelly beans are met with trepidation... careful analysis... wide-eyed wonderment. Because with green, you're never really sure.

Many a jelly bean experience has been irreversibly damaged when that nice green jelly bean flavour expectation is shattered. Inevitably, green apple lovers stumble upon a bean manufactured by the spearmint belief camp... and those lovers of spearmint (old ladies of the world unite), well, they unknowingly sink their teeth into a handful of green apple beans! Worse yet, those companies that just can't decide, and choose to produce a green jelly bean bearing no flavour other than sugar and gelatin.

As a firm believer in standards that are ratified in a democratic fashion, I am open to suggestions on this one. Personally, I propose a standard based on green apple; spearmint has had its day and stands entrenched in the face of flavour progress.

Write your congressman, we will not be ignored.

revolution!

Assault on the cottage complete

Decided on Sunday that I'd do it. Packed up some water and energy... strapped on the Shuffle and headed out. Temp was up around 30 C, bright sun... humidex hit 38 C; found it hard to stay hydrated. Stopped a few times along the way to buy water/Gatorade. Ended up pouring a lot of it over my head (water, not Gatorade) to keep cool.

31 km later I was there. Feet were a little sore, legs felt pretty used up, but overall I felt pretty damn good. Took yesterday off, gonna run short tonight.

Now a quick music update:

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - self titled album. One of my favourite albums of the summer. Influences all over the place... OK Computer Radiohead one moment, some Bob Dylan harmonica the next... favourite track: "The Skin of my Yellow Country Teeth".... has that awesome hop along shimmery beat that Bloc Party has been rockin me with all year.

Vive La Fête - Schwarzkopf. Sweet french electro. Similar to Ladytron. I like it.

thats all for now.
out

PS - For the hell of it, added an RSS feed to the site . I just like the blue button in Safari RSS.

Dirt

"This is one thing that I was gonna wait a while before we talked about. Maybe we'll talk about it now so you can think about it. Because you all, we all, have to make some kind of plans for ourselves. It's a free concert from now on..."

But the one major thing you have to remember tonight when you back up to the woods to go to sleep, or if you stay here, is that the man next to you is your brother and you damn well better treat each other that way, cause if you don't, then we blow the whole thing, but we've got it right there.

-Death in Vegas....

One of those nights...

You know how it is. Those times that you hit a wall... you come to that point where your mind starts telling you to stop, it will be so much easier if you just do something else. Happens all the time.... big projects, trying to meet a deadline, personal problems; all that stuff that can just get in the way.

Tonight was one of those moments. Had to get a workout in, skipped last night's run because of the exam I was prepping for. Stepped out the door into the night; the sun was gone but it somehow left the heat behind. Not a burning, blast in the face heat; more of a grab you, smother you with thick humid air and try to suffocate you kind of heat; shirt-wringing heat. Put in a few miles... first one was great, 6 flat just cruisin'. By 3 miles, it was a mind game. Headache threatening... just way too hot all over. Rather than fight it and be miserable, I sat down and convinced myself this is fun. Take it mile by mile and get it done. Have you ever felt worse after a run than before it? Didn't think so. Pushed it for one more mile and then it was just a matter of getting home. Kelly Jones had it right: "You've gotta go there to come back"

So, 8 miles in the books; could've been ugly, but it turned out perfect.

I've been wanting to throw this quote in here, and this is probably as good a place as ever:

Running great distances is my way of finding peace.
I run for the finish line and to savour the trip along the way.
I run to help those who can't.
I run because walking takes too long, and I'd like to get a few things done in a lifetime.
I run because long after my footsteps fade away, maybe I will have inspired a few to reject the easy path, hit the trails, put one foot in front of the other and come to the same conclusion I did:
I run because it always takes me where I want to go.

- Dean Karnazes from Ultramarathon Man

Coach Gordo

Really nice podcast on Endurance Radio from Monday of this week. Great interview with Gordon Byrne. Led to me to his site, with tons of great information for training athletes.

Stream is available as an mp3 here.

enjoy

Another late night

Haven't had the time to post in the last few days. Prepping for an exam. That will be over tomorrow though. Gotta get up early to watch Lance tomorrow morning. OLN's coverage starts at 6:30, so I'll probably doze through the first bits and wake up when the commentators start shouting.

Should update the latest tunes that are spinning.

First some mash-ups (download links provided):

Intro Inspection - osymyso.
Breathe, Don't Stop - Michael Jackson vs Qtip
Walking With a Ghost in Paris - Tegan & Sara vs Mylo.

Other tunes:
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of The Dead - World's Apart (especially "Caterwaul")
Black Lab - See the Sun
The Prodigy - Fat of the Land (maybe after a 6 year break from this album, it really is good after all. Maybe its just the mind numbing effects of "Diesel Power" during 2 hr+ workouts. Maybe its the fact that Maxim Reality is still the single coolest name ever.

Health/Care?

Just got in from a nice 10 mile run... and there's something that just drives me insane.

On one of my standard routes, I run along the waterfront and past the hospital. Same thing on the way home. Now, I've been running this route for years now, and despite changes in season, road work, trees being planted and cut down, something never changes: the air in front of the hospital makes me cough. This isn't a cough like that caused by those damn flies that like my lungs so much in April... this is worse. The air in front of the hospital makes me cough, because humans are supposed to breathe oxygen, and the this special type of hospital air is composed of carbon monoxide and other disgusting carcinogens. Now, why would the air in front of a center of "health care" be full of second hand smoke??? There's no way that doctors and nurses; health professionals who have gone to school for years to learn about health would be sucking on death sticks... would there?

I mean, its nice that they're not allowed to smoke inside the hospital. Thats where they tell people that they should quit smoking in order to get better. At least when they're outside, huddled around the smoker's tables, they look like the second class citizens that they are. But still, I wish they'd glass themselves in, so I didn't have to breathe their pollution.

I'm reminded of the line in SuperSize Me when they compare obesity to smoking. An interesting comparison, but flawed in a way. I've never heard of anyone dying from second hand hot fudge.

Tour de Lance

Today was Stage 1 of the Tour De France . 19 km individual time trial; a bit longer than a prologue. Armstrong mashed Ullrich, Landis, Leipheimer, Basso and Klöden... finishing 2nd by 2 seconds. Vinokourov is the next closest rival... 53 seconds back.

Of course, in continued efforts to create controversy, Lance was randomly selected for another drug test prior to the stage. Negative of course. The dude is clean, get used to it.

Was watching Sportsnet News earlier and heard another interesting fact. Prior to the first stage, in a top secret move, French authorities also tested Sheryl Crow for a banned substance: food. Never fear though, the tests came back negative as well ;)

Live8

So today is the Live8. Will it be just another festival, or will anyone actually take any of it to heart and do something about ending extreme poverty? Trying not to be cynical about this... been rockin' a One Campaign band for a few months now... taught a lesson to a grade 8 class about AIDS in Africa... every little bit counts I guess. Watching the CTV telecast of all this, I can't help but notice a lot of ancient white men playing guitars. Question: without festivals like this, would any of these Canadian Rock Legends™ be allowed to play anywhere? Sure, include some of them, but what about some young bands to inject some energy into this set?? Arcade Fire? Stars? K-Os?

Favourite moment of the show so far: Celine Dion. Here's a rough translation of her introduction: "Hello Canada, Sorry I can't be there to perform live. I couldn't pull myself away from my $100+ million contract Las Vegas show, but please enjoy this pre-recorded song. How many a's are there in laaaaaaaaaaaaaame?

Also on the lame front: the celebrity gift bags being generously donated by Hugo Boss et al. Artists are donating their time, and would donate their time for nothing... who let these $10 000 gift packages happen? Lets do some math... we'll round the number of performers to 175 (its actually a few more than that), and pretend that each band only gets 1 of these gift packages...
$1 750 000 worth of product generously donated by these companies to a bunch of rock stars in hopes of product placement. How about an auction for these goods instead? How about just donating the money to the cause . They say they don't want our money... but I bet they'd rather have our money than a bunch of your crap.

If you haven't signed your name yet, please do so now . If nothing else comes of this show, at least we got to see Pink Floyd together again.