Friday night my son and I went to see the
Simpson's Movie. If you've seen one episode
of the Simpson's on TV, you've seen them all,
and if you've seen a few, you've seen the
movie already.
As is usually the case, what my son and I
found funny, no one else did. So at times
the only laughs in the whole theater, were
coming from our two seats.
We share a unique sense of humor..
God bless our weird little hearts :)
At home Saturday night, I watched a NetFlick DVD,
the newest 007 film, Casino Royale.
What a fantastic action sequence, a foot
chase, in the beginning of the movie.
Wow!
As good or better than the very best car
chase I've ever watched in a movie.
So good, I went back and watched it three
times.
I wasn't even aware there was a sport
called "free running", which is a style
of movement that involves jumping, flipping
over, through, and around obstacles.
The chase scene is made up of all of those
and more.
Next morning I investigated it on the Internet.
Seems the French started it.
Not something I could ever do, speed skating
challenges me enough..
And 007 ?
Well, it takes place when Bond first reaches
00 status, and explains a lot about his development.
And Daniel Craig?
He makes a very, very yummy Bond..
Bond.
James Bond.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
10k
I arrived at Trexlertown somewhere near 10am,
after taking my son to work 55 minutes east,
putting in an hour and a half myself, driving
55 minutes west, back home, to get my skate
gear, and then 25 minutes further west to
T'town.
No one knows how the race director, Bob Albanese,
does it, but once again we had beautiful weather!
Sunny, it started off in the 70's and stayed in
the low 80's
The man really must have an in with Mother Nature.
The 50k was still in progress when I got to my
favorite spot under a little tree track side.
As I spread out my blanket and put my gear down
Russ C., the announcer for all our League meets
and for the ESS series, was telling the crowd
that the leaders had two laps to go.
Getting my skates out, I heard that a contemporary
of mine, Rosemary R., had 13 to go.
The 50k.
Earlier in the week, I learned that it was 30 laps
of the T'town track.
For a very brief moment in time, I'd thought about
about signing up for it..
Alas, thinking had gotten me into deep water earlier
in the week on another subject, and wisely, after I
mentioned the thought to my coach, he nixed it.
My race, the Advanced 10k, was scheduled to go off
at 10:30 so without much time to play around with,
I went to check in and get my number.
Soon my uniform was zipped up and my boots were tied.
Deciding earlier to wear my MP3 player,(the first
time I'd be doing so in a race), my ear buds were at
the ready.
Not having an arm band to carry it on, I'd resorted
to putting it in a small plastic bag and placing it
in my sport bra, between the "girls".
On the start line we where informed that instead of
the scheduled one minute gap between starting the
men and the women, we would all be sent off at once
and cross drafting would be permitted.
Woo! Hoo!
I might finally have someone to skate a 10k with!
Well...things didn't turn out exactly the way I'd
hoped, but I had a good start, and was the leader
of our small pack for the first lap and a half.
Unfortunately for me, once I sent Ray, who was behind
me in line, up to lead, he pulled away and I was
dropped little by little and then by a lot.
Bummer..
But that's just the way it goes.
So, there I was, by my self once again, with a voice
in my head telling me to quit on lap 3 and 4.
Yes, it was tempting me to commit a skating sin.
Quiting.
My right quad was tight, sore and burning and the
hill was going slower and slower each time I went
up it.
Thankfully, the part of me that is not a quitter
stepped in and conversed with the temptress.
"Look, sure, it hurts, it always hurts after the
first few laps, but look down at your legs, they
are still moving, still working, despite feeling
like crap, and don't concern yourself about how
you look going up the hill, just keep skating".
"Skate in pain. You can do it"
So I did.
And there weren't as many rest rolls as I usually
take, and there were many areas where I rolled
in a past 10k, but didn't in this one.
When the lead pack passed me with two laps for
them to go, it was OK.
There's no way I could ever hang in with them.
Yet when the skaters I'd started out with passed
me and I had one more to go, it stung, but heck,
you can only do what you can do and I was doing it.
Each time I'd come down the hill, I crossed into
the left hand turn before entering the straightaway.
This is where all the spectators were and the
finish line.
We would cross the line six times.
On the plus side:
During the race I passed a few people, one skater
twice, and I didn't let the voice in my head get
to me.
As I've been taught to do, I swung my arms more,
and I thought about cadence, even going up the
hill.
Still, I came in close to last, and that is getting
older than I am...
On the other hand, I am improving bit by bit.
So I have to take what I can and go with it.
After handing my tear tag in, I was heading back to
get my skates off and Jeff F., my 2 mix relay partner
passed me on his way down to watch the Rec. 5k, and
he called over, "good race!".
That was nice.
I have no time to report because the time clock
was broken. So I don't know if I was faster or
slower than last month.
Bob came over while I was sitting down, recovering,
and asked if I had another 24 laps in me, and feeling
chagrined, I knew the answer to that question, and so
did he...
He did say, "You finished strong".
I'd done that on purpose.
No more spaghetti arms for this girl.
Oh, well.
Like I said, you've got to work with what you have..
after taking my son to work 55 minutes east,
putting in an hour and a half myself, driving
55 minutes west, back home, to get my skate
gear, and then 25 minutes further west to
T'town.
No one knows how the race director, Bob Albanese,
does it, but once again we had beautiful weather!
Sunny, it started off in the 70's and stayed in
the low 80's
The man really must have an in with Mother Nature.
The 50k was still in progress when I got to my
favorite spot under a little tree track side.
As I spread out my blanket and put my gear down
Russ C., the announcer for all our League meets
and for the ESS series, was telling the crowd
that the leaders had two laps to go.
Getting my skates out, I heard that a contemporary
of mine, Rosemary R., had 13 to go.
The 50k.
Earlier in the week, I learned that it was 30 laps
of the T'town track.
For a very brief moment in time, I'd thought about
about signing up for it..
Alas, thinking had gotten me into deep water earlier
in the week on another subject, and wisely, after I
mentioned the thought to my coach, he nixed it.
My race, the Advanced 10k, was scheduled to go off
at 10:30 so without much time to play around with,
I went to check in and get my number.
Soon my uniform was zipped up and my boots were tied.
Deciding earlier to wear my MP3 player,(the first
time I'd be doing so in a race), my ear buds were at
the ready.
Not having an arm band to carry it on, I'd resorted
to putting it in a small plastic bag and placing it
in my sport bra, between the "girls".
On the start line we where informed that instead of
the scheduled one minute gap between starting the
men and the women, we would all be sent off at once
and cross drafting would be permitted.
Woo! Hoo!
I might finally have someone to skate a 10k with!
Well...things didn't turn out exactly the way I'd
hoped, but I had a good start, and was the leader
of our small pack for the first lap and a half.
Unfortunately for me, once I sent Ray, who was behind
me in line, up to lead, he pulled away and I was
dropped little by little and then by a lot.
Bummer..
But that's just the way it goes.
So, there I was, by my self once again, with a voice
in my head telling me to quit on lap 3 and 4.
Yes, it was tempting me to commit a skating sin.
Quiting.
My right quad was tight, sore and burning and the
hill was going slower and slower each time I went
up it.
Thankfully, the part of me that is not a quitter
stepped in and conversed with the temptress.
"Look, sure, it hurts, it always hurts after the
first few laps, but look down at your legs, they
are still moving, still working, despite feeling
like crap, and don't concern yourself about how
you look going up the hill, just keep skating".
"Skate in pain. You can do it"
So I did.
And there weren't as many rest rolls as I usually
take, and there were many areas where I rolled
in a past 10k, but didn't in this one.
When the lead pack passed me with two laps for
them to go, it was OK.
There's no way I could ever hang in with them.
Yet when the skaters I'd started out with passed
me and I had one more to go, it stung, but heck,
you can only do what you can do and I was doing it.
Each time I'd come down the hill, I crossed into
the left hand turn before entering the straightaway.
This is where all the spectators were and the
finish line.
We would cross the line six times.
On the plus side:
During the race I passed a few people, one skater
twice, and I didn't let the voice in my head get
to me.
As I've been taught to do, I swung my arms more,
and I thought about cadence, even going up the
hill.
Still, I came in close to last, and that is getting
older than I am...
On the other hand, I am improving bit by bit.
So I have to take what I can and go with it.
After handing my tear tag in, I was heading back to
get my skates off and Jeff F., my 2 mix relay partner
passed me on his way down to watch the Rec. 5k, and
he called over, "good race!".
That was nice.
I have no time to report because the time clock
was broken. So I don't know if I was faster or
slower than last month.
Bob came over while I was sitting down, recovering,
and asked if I had another 24 laps in me, and feeling
chagrined, I knew the answer to that question, and so
did he...
He did say, "You finished strong".
I'd done that on purpose.
No more spaghetti arms for this girl.
Oh, well.
Like I said, you've got to work with what you have..
Friday, August 10, 2007
A Night In
With the skies dark, and the threat
of a downpour immanent, I made a
quick phone call to check the status
of practice.
It was still a go, but I decided not
to.
Instead I stayed home, fed the washer
and dryer, went out, picked up a fast
food dinner for my son and started in
on a Deadwood DVD.
Deadwood is an HBO series, not near as
good as The West Wing, but for a western
it holds it's own and more.
The cursing is shocking at first, but
you get used to it and come to realize
it is part of the lawlessness of the
time period and location.
Later I got on the slide board for a
fast 1 minute x 3, and spent 5 minutes
on the NordicTrack.
Don't know what else it works but that
X-country ski machine works the peaches
out of your lower legs.
Tonight is movie night and it's up to
my son to pick between Harry Potter
and the Simpson's..
of a downpour immanent, I made a
quick phone call to check the status
of practice.
It was still a go, but I decided not
to.
Instead I stayed home, fed the washer
and dryer, went out, picked up a fast
food dinner for my son and started in
on a Deadwood DVD.
Deadwood is an HBO series, not near as
good as The West Wing, but for a western
it holds it's own and more.
The cursing is shocking at first, but
you get used to it and come to realize
it is part of the lawlessness of the
time period and location.
Later I got on the slide board for a
fast 1 minute x 3, and spent 5 minutes
on the NordicTrack.
Don't know what else it works but that
X-country ski machine works the peaches
out of your lower legs.
Tonight is movie night and it's up to
my son to pick between Harry Potter
and the Simpson's..
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Cool Down
Thankfully the heat/humidity wave
broke sometime last night and when
I came downstairs this morning I
turned the living room AC off and
opened all the windows.
What a welcome relief..
There won't be any excess heat or
humidity for the next few days and
as is to be expected, the ESS race
this Saturday out at Trexlertown
will be blessed by Mother Nature
once again.
This week I've been working an extra
2 hours after my normal workday so
I can cover my filing obligations and
take off most of Saturday for the race.
There will be a much anticipated 50k,
and the top dogs will be strapping on
time chips to keep track of their laps.
Not me, I'll be sticking to the 10k
distance and seeing if I can repeat
or lower my time from the last one.
broke sometime last night and when
I came downstairs this morning I
turned the living room AC off and
opened all the windows.
What a welcome relief..
There won't be any excess heat or
humidity for the next few days and
as is to be expected, the ESS race
this Saturday out at Trexlertown
will be blessed by Mother Nature
once again.
This week I've been working an extra
2 hours after my normal workday so
I can cover my filing obligations and
take off most of Saturday for the race.
There will be a much anticipated 50k,
and the top dogs will be strapping on
time chips to keep track of their laps.
Not me, I'll be sticking to the 10k
distance and seeing if I can repeat
or lower my time from the last one.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Night School
Due to the oppressive heat yesterday, practice was
pushed back an hour. The humidity is what makes
conditions ugly and we seem to be in a spell of it.
As I type this, the dew point is 75 and with a
matching temp. The rain moving through is not making
a dent in cooling things down.
It "is" a jungle out there..
I woke up at five to the local country station, shut
my eyes for a moment, and woke up forty-five minutes
later.
Guess I was tired.
Last night the pack I was in did seven laps on the big
track before moving over to the shorter flat track.
Keeping pretty much to my own pace, I felt good and
questioned being called in after seven.
After a rest, coach called for us to head across the
street. Learning from last time, I'd only taken a sip
or two of Gatorade.
Divided into two groups each began the pass up drill
where the skater in the back of the pack moves up to
the lead position,and done right, it's a constant flow
of skaters passing up the line.
Our pack had the younger kids and a new woman on
fitness skates and the pace was kept slow for them.
After several accordion style pile ups, everyone got
it together better and when the slower skaters took a
break, the rest of us picked it up.
The faster pack passed us several times, and at one point
with our pack in disarray, I was tempted to join them.
Hesitating briefly, the next time they went by, I thought
what the heck, I can try to catch them at least.
So that's what I did, getting lower and picking it up.
Skating in the dark, with only parking lot lights here
and there illuminating the blacktop, is very cool.
It's a trust thing, you can't see the ground well and
you just hope you don't run over any junk and crash.
It's exciting!
I didn't think anyone in that pack saw me, as I was
at the tail end when I caught them, and stayed there.
And I only hung on for two laps, but until the very
end, those sprint laps felt really, really good.
Later Coach Bob, who was pacing that group on his bike,
told me he'd seen me in the back for those laps and
that at one point we were doing 20 mph.
Very cool...
I want to do it again :)
pushed back an hour. The humidity is what makes
conditions ugly and we seem to be in a spell of it.
As I type this, the dew point is 75 and with a
matching temp. The rain moving through is not making
a dent in cooling things down.
It "is" a jungle out there..
I woke up at five to the local country station, shut
my eyes for a moment, and woke up forty-five minutes
later.
Guess I was tired.
Last night the pack I was in did seven laps on the big
track before moving over to the shorter flat track.
Keeping pretty much to my own pace, I felt good and
questioned being called in after seven.
After a rest, coach called for us to head across the
street. Learning from last time, I'd only taken a sip
or two of Gatorade.
Divided into two groups each began the pass up drill
where the skater in the back of the pack moves up to
the lead position,and done right, it's a constant flow
of skaters passing up the line.
Our pack had the younger kids and a new woman on
fitness skates and the pace was kept slow for them.
After several accordion style pile ups, everyone got
it together better and when the slower skaters took a
break, the rest of us picked it up.
The faster pack passed us several times, and at one point
with our pack in disarray, I was tempted to join them.
Hesitating briefly, the next time they went by, I thought
what the heck, I can try to catch them at least.
So that's what I did, getting lower and picking it up.
Skating in the dark, with only parking lot lights here
and there illuminating the blacktop, is very cool.
It's a trust thing, you can't see the ground well and
you just hope you don't run over any junk and crash.
It's exciting!
I didn't think anyone in that pack saw me, as I was
at the tail end when I caught them, and stayed there.
And I only hung on for two laps, but until the very
end, those sprint laps felt really, really good.
Later Coach Bob, who was pacing that group on his bike,
told me he'd seen me in the back for those laps and
that at one point we were doing 20 mph.
Very cool...
I want to do it again :)
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A Family Affair
In two weeks my son and I will be making our yearly
trip out to visit my Dad and his wife in Washington
State.
Only one transfer on the way out, via D.C.,three on
the way back, via Houston and Cleavland.
I've never been to Cleveland before..LOL
The two+ hour shuttle bus ride from the Seattle
airport to the North end of Whidbey Island isn't a
hardship.
There is always a lot to see.
(Dad doesn't like to drive far anymore, but did pick
us up from the airport the first time we came out)
Sometimes the shuttle is packed, more often than not
with military personal, but sometimes it's just the
two of us and the driver.
At one point we take a Ferry from the mainland, and
that's when I start putting the East Coast behind me.
I love the West Coast!
A few days of temps in the 70's and everyday views
of Mt. Baker, the Cascades, the Olympics and the Puget
Sound area, and I cringe at the thought of returning
to PA.
Why, when there is a beautiful spot like that on earth,
am I working in New Jersey and living just across the
river in PA?
I wonder, now that my son has firm plans to enter the
Air Force after he graduates next year, if I would have
the guts to pack up and start all over again.
I swore 8 years ago, that that was the last time.
Then, if I've picked up anything in the last 51 years,
it's never say never..
trip out to visit my Dad and his wife in Washington
State.
Only one transfer on the way out, via D.C.,three on
the way back, via Houston and Cleavland.
I've never been to Cleveland before..LOL
The two+ hour shuttle bus ride from the Seattle
airport to the North end of Whidbey Island isn't a
hardship.
There is always a lot to see.
(Dad doesn't like to drive far anymore, but did pick
us up from the airport the first time we came out)
Sometimes the shuttle is packed, more often than not
with military personal, but sometimes it's just the
two of us and the driver.
At one point we take a Ferry from the mainland, and
that's when I start putting the East Coast behind me.
I love the West Coast!
A few days of temps in the 70's and everyday views
of Mt. Baker, the Cascades, the Olympics and the Puget
Sound area, and I cringe at the thought of returning
to PA.
Why, when there is a beautiful spot like that on earth,
am I working in New Jersey and living just across the
river in PA?
I wonder, now that my son has firm plans to enter the
Air Force after he graduates next year, if I would have
the guts to pack up and start all over again.
I swore 8 years ago, that that was the last time.
Then, if I've picked up anything in the last 51 years,
it's never say never..
Monday, August 6, 2007
T'town
Across the street from the Lehigh Valley's Velodrome,
in Trexlertown, PA, is one of the best locations to
skate on the east coast.
A closed track, with walker, bicycle and skate lanes,
professional athletes and parents with young kids on
tricycles share the same mile long loop. With flats,
rises and hills, all meandering pleasantly through
woods and open fields, there is something for everyone
to enjoy.
Except for a dog here and there, on an retractable
leash that their owners have reeled out to the full
50ft, it's a very safe place to skate.
Ten or so of us made our way there at 6pm Sunday
evening and whatever rain was traveling in our
direction held off till well after we all got home.
Used to be I didn't like outdoor much, simply because
I wasn't very good at it and skated alone a lot.
But, heck, stick with anything long enough and you'll
learn or burn.
Thankfully I'm doing the first and I find pack skating,
now that I can do it, a lot of fun!
We started off in one group for a few warm up laps and
our coach lead us out on his bike, keeping the pace slow
and steady.
Cutting the faster skaters loose and letting them move
out ahead of the pack I was in, Bob stayed with us for
a handful of miles guiding us through lead changes,
giving us pointers, and encouraging us to stay tight and
use the pace line to full advantage.
My back bothered me after 3 miles but that's normal for
outdoor and I stayed in and enjoyed pulling our 5 person
pack when it was my turn.
Step by step, things are getting better on several fronts,
and I'm all for the progress being made..
in Trexlertown, PA, is one of the best locations to
skate on the east coast.
A closed track, with walker, bicycle and skate lanes,
professional athletes and parents with young kids on
tricycles share the same mile long loop. With flats,
rises and hills, all meandering pleasantly through
woods and open fields, there is something for everyone
to enjoy.
Except for a dog here and there, on an retractable
leash that their owners have reeled out to the full
50ft, it's a very safe place to skate.
Ten or so of us made our way there at 6pm Sunday
evening and whatever rain was traveling in our
direction held off till well after we all got home.
Used to be I didn't like outdoor much, simply because
I wasn't very good at it and skated alone a lot.
But, heck, stick with anything long enough and you'll
learn or burn.
Thankfully I'm doing the first and I find pack skating,
now that I can do it, a lot of fun!
We started off in one group for a few warm up laps and
our coach lead us out on his bike, keeping the pace slow
and steady.
Cutting the faster skaters loose and letting them move
out ahead of the pack I was in, Bob stayed with us for
a handful of miles guiding us through lead changes,
giving us pointers, and encouraging us to stay tight and
use the pace line to full advantage.
My back bothered me after 3 miles but that's normal for
outdoor and I stayed in and enjoyed pulling our 5 person
pack when it was my turn.
Step by step, things are getting better on several fronts,
and I'm all for the progress being made..
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