tesseract
Topic: readings
More reading of Wallace's Infinity led to another side-tour of the world of four dimensions. A tesseract is a 3D representation of four dimentions, the same way we can draw a 3D cube on a piece of paper in two dimensions. Really cool...

Talking to Ben about it, he mentioned something he read... If you are a two dimentional thing, you can "look" at a one dimentional being, or a dot - from one end of a line looking at another, per se. If you are a 3D being, which is us, we can look at a 2d object... What this means is... a 4D being... would be able to look... inside of us? Yeah, swallow that!

Anyway, I've been meaning to find a book to read that is about math and metaphysics, and this is definitely one I like. I still have to read most of Godel Esher Bach and the follow ups to that, but that's different from this. First this, then, when we are moved into the new house, that.

Pandora's box, no pun intended
Topic: readings
I may be opening a Pandora's box, no pun intended, with this question. Everyone who knows me, knows I'm not religious in the sense that I don't follow any specific religion. That does not save me from thinking about, and criticizing religion a lot. I'm reading an interesting book right now, called "Everything and More, a compact History of <><> - Infinity".

And there I read about Prometheus someone I missed in my mythology class in High School. The author, David Foster Wallace, pointed out that he is the original Robin Hood, sort of, suffering for the good of all humanity, and paying for it alone. I wonder if that is where the story of Jesus was borrowed. I mean, Jesus suffered for our sins... Prometheus suffered for giving us fire. He gave us something that he himself would not benefit from. So, is the story about Jesus borrowed from Prometheus? Is that the inspiration? Somewhere I read that all stories are a variation of the same few and that there is no original story because only a few, forgot how many, are possible. So, is the mystery solved? Marketing of a previously not a very successful story, into a brand new religion? The book is not sacrilegious like me, by the way - it's a book about math, and at no point does it compare Prometheus to Jesus. It compares a mathematician to him, that's all. Not a real one, but a stereotype of one, even. So no angry letters from religious fanatics to Mr. Wallace, please. Send them to me so that I can laugh at them instead. Just kidding. Peace be with you.

What to do with all those medals
Topic: On the way to Triathlon


Well well well, I didn't realize what a busy year 2005 has been. I found this shadow box on sale for about $10 at Michael's. What a great way to store and display all those medals. These are all my medals from 2005 so far, excluding my first marathon medal which is getting its own shadow box. So in 2005 I got more finisher medals and placements then in all the previous years combined for running-related things. Just an idea for all you people out there who have medals hanging on a tie rack or a hanger or in a box somewhere - put them on display to remember what you've done so far and what more is possibleThe boxes come with velcro for easy mounting.

The Ex
Topic: on the way to... marriage
My future husband and I have discussed how we want to decorate our new home. We settled on "excentric" or "eclectic" whatever you'd find more pleasant. I'm not talking about 'house on the rock' type stuff, just not all boring and like mute.

so in the spirit of that, I allowed him to buy this product.... that just... arrived. It's sitting in our all white kitchen right now. I love it.

Marathon Checklist
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
Shoes
Socks
Backup Socks
Singlet and or Sports Bra
Shorts
Water bottle
Race Belt or Pins
Race Number
Pacing Number, if applicable
Gum Assume each piece will last 2-3 miles
Energy Bars and Gels – Marathon take 100-200 calories every 30-45 minutes
Body Glide and Vaseline and Neosporin
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Hat
Watch or HRM
Directions to Start
Warm Up Clothes
Cool Down Clothes
Gloves
ChampionChip and some way of attaching it
Money/transit card to get home

photos of themarathon
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
if I were to bring my new really cool light weight marathon camera with me, which I didn't do cuz I wanted to focus on running only, I'd've taken some of the same pictures as this guy. Check out his marathon photos while they last!

2005 Marathon

it got did
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
5:10.

Yeah, I cried a little bit at the end. Bottom of the barrel number, really, but heck, it's my first one.

Lessons learned: tossing clothes is worth it to stay warm before the race

Take GU every 30-40 minutes was perfect
breakfast at 5:30 was perfect
Underarms got chafed, towards the shoulder blade. Must put bodyglide there next time. That's right folks, there will be a next time.

By the way this is a big deal to me because this is the first time I completed the distance required for one of the 3 Ironman triathlon events. I've yet to do a continuous 2.4 mile swim or 112 mile bike ride, but we are getting there. So... maybe, some day.

Did I mention that running for 2 hours is not that big of a deal anymore?

More lessons learned:

-sc00si reservation needs to be made way way in advance
-do not eat the bannana on course because I get cramps.
-shoes, socks worked. Get shoes a month or two ahead.

-getting into Pierce 4 days out was great. But next time... Maybe an 18-mile training run 7 days before the marathon... not a good idea. D'oh! And the errr... 3 hour swim the day before - maybe not next time.

- take tylenol 8 hour
-bring more gum
-bring more gu or make sure it's on the course for me
-ice legs afterwards

breakfast: bannana, bagel, yogurt, gatoraid
nite before dinner: pasta; break; pre-bed snack: leftovers, apple slices, grapes, yogurt, and gatoraid, per hal.

- training: switch to Gatoraid endurance formula. regular is outdated.

Highlights:
-the people with the nose/mustashe glasses.
-the kids the kids the kids - giving high fives to sweaty runners till their little arms hurt
-the guy in the peach bathrobe
-the people in the lifeway bags, running
-the supporters
-the kids in the "go dad go" shirts
-the 50 and up crowd, running waaay faster then me
-the blind marathoners
-the cheerleaders
-the mimes and clowns
-the dragons in chinatown
-the drag band in boys town

A day to remember.

Aftercare:
-tylenol 8 hr
-gu recovery tastes bad but heck it was free and is probably a good idea
-more gatoraid
-bananna
-yogurt

salad dinner with soup - my pie

more thanks
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
Not that many people read this, but more thanks:

Momentum, Fleet Feet, Running Away, Chicago Blue Dolphins, Pierce Institute, Chicago Endurance Sports, Universal Sole, New Balance, Polar, Gatoraid, Biofreeze, Tylenol, Scoozi, GU.

what's your ritual
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
Before a new race, or an important race, I usually find myself in a day or two of peparations.

It starts about a week out as I attempt to stop working out. Umm, trainer Bob with weights on Monday, an 18-mile run Sunday, and my swim today excluded. Heh heh heh, I have a problem...

Then there's the expo/picking up of the packet, which I did on Friday for this race..

Then there's the drop-by Pearce Institute for a massage, about 4 or more days out, to fix my IT band and other potential issues.

Then there is the purchasing of GU, Yogurt/bananas, and anything else I may need...

Then there's carbo loading... I try to start it a few days out... Eat large amounts of salad and fruit, and also have tons of pasta, some lean meat, and lots of various juices and beverages. I keep forcing myself to eat more, telling myself to eat like a mad woman, to eat like it's my last meal, to eat like it's my first meal in 3 days, to eat like this is the most delicious food I've ever had.

Then there's the time before I go to sleep before the race, when everything is finally ready. And I am thinking, I'll probaby watch some Ironman footage and read some "runner for charity" stories, to inspire me.

So I dedicate this Marathon... to Ben for his support, to my family for their support, to all the friends and coworkers who get me through it with little things, and of course to my many trainers, Fitz, Mike, Kevin, and Bob. To the race director of Mardi Gras Marathon that is still planning on holding the race next year, and I'll try to be there. To the 39,999 other runners in the race, including Olympic medalists, debutants like me, and veterans alike, you all accomplish more then an average person I know by the time everyone else even wakes up. To you, who said I can and I will. And to the City of Chicago, the most beautiful city in the whole world. Hip Hip Hoora. I'm going to get out there tomorrow and do it, dog gone it. all 26.2 miles.

umm
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
maybe the 3 hour back-stroke, breast sroke and butterfly clinic today... was not such a good idea?