I have a Labor Day tradition: run in the Super Jock 'N Jill half marathon. It started six years ago when I attempted it for the first time. Back then, it was my end of season goal, and was a stretch for me. This year, I hadn't been doing many long runs so it would also be a bit of a stretch.
The course changed three years ago to include a hilly section in middle, replacing a flat but congested out-and-back at the end. Last year the first big hill midway really hurt and by mile eleven I was shredded, forced to walk/run the remainder. I kept that in my mind as we started, reminding myself to hold back until after the hills and evaluate then.
What I usually do is see where I am at ten miles. If I'm there around ninety minutes into the race, I know I have a chance to beat two hours as the event turns into a thirty minute 5K at that point.
So I started off and checked my Forerunner a few times each minuute to check my pace, trying to keep it around 9 min/mile. I was on pace at six miles, running through around 55 minutes. The hilly section followed and this time I had enough energy to keep on without having to back off too much. I found my friend Kathy around mile seven, and ran with her for a mile or two, talking briefly. She said she wasn't feeling so good and told me to keep going as she stopped for water.
Normally I stop at every water station, but today I changed things around a bit. I drank a half liter before the race along with some Vanilla Gu (which had a nasty aftertaste), and then just stopped at every other water station. I felt hydrated and one problem with drinking too much is feeling bloated or feeling the water sloshing around in my stomach.
I passed ten miles at 91 minutes so I knew I could finish under two hours. I pressed on, felt a blister developing on my toe, but was able to ignore it as for the entire race, I was trying to recall a conversation I had a few weeks earlier. I have a pretty good memory but it isn't photographic and had related part of the story to another person, but felt I had mangled it slightly. Anyway, thinking about this kept me disassociated from the race and my minor pains so I was able to push a little harder.
I finished at 1:57:35 by my watch, and right at 1:59:00 official time. Basically, it took me 1:25 from the start of the race to cross the actual start line, which is when I started my watch and the Forerunner. One thing that really bugs me about this race is they hand out timing chips, but don't have a timing mat at the start line! Therefore, the chip only counts official time and if you are like me, lining up between the middle and end, you lose some time because it takes a while for the field to advance across the start line.
Anyway, I'm really pleased. 1:57:35 works out to an 8:58 pace, really good considering the course has a hilly section. My friend Bev wants to do a 1:51 half in Sacramento, which is on the edge of possibility - that course is flatter. Still, I'd need to do about 30 seconds per mile faster, which might be tough.
Monday, September 06, 2004
Grad School Friend
On Sunday I drove to meet a good friend I hadn't seen in at least ten years - Akila. We attended graduate school together, and a few common classes. We were in slightly different areas so we would mostly either study together or pass time in the computer lab.
She hasn't changed at all over the years - she looks exactly the same! She said I did too except I have a higher hair line now. ;) Anyway, we had lunch and I met her husband Suresh and her two kids Varun and Madurya.
After seeing her I'm resolved to track down a few people I've lost touch with.
Akila and Me
She hasn't changed at all over the years - she looks exactly the same! She said I did too except I have a higher hair line now. ;) Anyway, we had lunch and I met her husband Suresh and her two kids Varun and Madurya.
After seeing her I'm resolved to track down a few people I've lost touch with.
Akila and Me
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Bay Area Beach Party
Some Orkut friends had planned a beach party in the Bay Area, and I thought of attending. I toyed around with idea for a while, and decided I would also try to visit my friends who live in the area. However, two of the three of them were out of town so I shelved the idea.
Then, I got to thinking, I'm not doing much over Labor Day weekend, this would be kinda fun. With about a week to go before the event, I made the arrangements. I also got in touch with my third friend who lives in the Bay Area, and found out she would be in town, so I planned to visit her, her husband, and kids.
Since I waited so long to buy tickets, I didn't have much choice on flights. As a result, I woke up at 3:50 a.m. to get to airport for a 6 a.m. flight to San Jose. What was shocking was the flight was packed and they asked for volunteers to be bumped!
In San Jose, I picked up my rental car and drove over to meet Noelani and Dustin for breakfast, delicious homemade berry pancakes. Soon afterwards stopped by the store for a few things, and drove out to the beach near San Gregorio.
The beach party was fun. Noelani roasted corn, chicken, and cooked red beans and rice. Soon, others arrived: Joanna and Ed, Geordan and Audrey, Colin, Sandy, Richard, Topher, Thomas. We wandered down the beach, added onto a small fort we found, waded in the ocean, boogie boarded, and just had a fun time talking to people.
Audrey brought some devil sticks so I gave them a try. I couldn't quite get the hang of it and would drop them after thirty seconds or even sooner. They were fun so I might try buying some so I can practice.
We wrapped up around 6 p.m. and drove back to Dustin and Noelani's for dinner and more entertainment...
Dustin and Noelani
That's a French loaf wrapped in foil. Later we would grill some drumsticks.
Geordan and Audrey
Audrey is holding the devil sticks. I tried to get an action shot but it didn't turn out.
Eric, Joanna, Topher
Me and Noelani
Noelani and Audrey
The boogie boarders are sizing up the waves...
Then, I got to thinking, I'm not doing much over Labor Day weekend, this would be kinda fun. With about a week to go before the event, I made the arrangements. I also got in touch with my third friend who lives in the Bay Area, and found out she would be in town, so I planned to visit her, her husband, and kids.
Since I waited so long to buy tickets, I didn't have much choice on flights. As a result, I woke up at 3:50 a.m. to get to airport for a 6 a.m. flight to San Jose. What was shocking was the flight was packed and they asked for volunteers to be bumped!
In San Jose, I picked up my rental car and drove over to meet Noelani and Dustin for breakfast, delicious homemade berry pancakes. Soon afterwards stopped by the store for a few things, and drove out to the beach near San Gregorio.
The beach party was fun. Noelani roasted corn, chicken, and cooked red beans and rice. Soon, others arrived: Joanna and Ed, Geordan and Audrey, Colin, Sandy, Richard, Topher, Thomas. We wandered down the beach, added onto a small fort we found, waded in the ocean, boogie boarded, and just had a fun time talking to people.
Audrey brought some devil sticks so I gave them a try. I couldn't quite get the hang of it and would drop them after thirty seconds or even sooner. They were fun so I might try buying some so I can practice.
We wrapped up around 6 p.m. and drove back to Dustin and Noelani's for dinner and more entertainment...
Dustin and Noelani
That's a French loaf wrapped in foil. Later we would grill some drumsticks.
Geordan and Audrey
Audrey is holding the devil sticks. I tried to get an action shot but it didn't turn out.
Eric, Joanna, Topher
Me and Noelani
Noelani and Audrey
The boogie boarders are sizing up the waves...
Friday, September 03, 2004
Japanese Class
The Japanese Class is over for the quarter - this morning we had the final exam.
This is the fifth class I've taken here in Washington. All have been taught by a Japanese woman who runs a small business named the Y&Y Language Institute. Classes have always started out with 20+ students, and are whittled down to a dozen or so by the end.
The first two classes were largely devoted to learning vocabulary and the basic writing systems (hiragana and katakana). In the third class we started learning kanji and spent more time on grammar, while the fourth class was a review session that covered a few new grammar topics, but no new vocabulary. In this most recent class, study shifted to grammar. We still learned a few more adjectives and verbs, but the majority of the class was spent learning new grammar.
When I was in school I always found English class to be dull - we read novels or essays, and then had to write our own essays. I don't really remember studying grammar - I'm sure I did, but it has been a long time. Or, maybe I got a jumbled version as I moved around quite a bit. In any case, I only found English class to be interesting when the book or essay we had to read was interesting, and this only happened occasionally.
One of the things I find interesting in Japanese is grammar, and how it differs from English grammar. Until I began studying Japanese, I never really thought about English grammar much. I mentioned Japanese grammar in a previous blog entry, and here are a few more examples (I'm just going to leave the Japanese romanized rather than look up all the hiragana unicode codes):
1) In English, the adjective doesn't change when connected in series.
In English, new doesn't have to be modified. However, in Japanese, it does. (in Japanese, atarashii is new, and takai is expensive):
Here, atarashii needs to modified to be atarashikute to be correct. (Both takai and atarashii are "i" adjectives, and I'll just skip the "na" adjective case).
2) In English, it is usual to say
This may be in response to a question about the weather, and the speaker indicates, in their opinion, it is not cold.
In Japanese, the negation would occur on the adjective:
Which would translate to "I think it is not cold."
3) In English, all the verbs in a sequence are conjugated to the same tense. For example, a description of my morning might be:
In this sentence, all the verbs (got up, ate, drank, went) are in past tense.
In Japanese, only the last verb is in past tense. The other verbs are in "te" form, which is related to past tense but is not past tense.
Here, the te forms of the verbs are used (okiru, to get up; taberu, to eat; nomu, to drink), and only the last verb is in past tense (ikimashita, polite past of iku, to go).
As much as I enjoyed class, I look forward to a break. I'm not sure when then next class will be taught - sensei usually waits for critical mass so it could be several months.
This is the fifth class I've taken here in Washington. All have been taught by a Japanese woman who runs a small business named the Y&Y Language Institute. Classes have always started out with 20+ students, and are whittled down to a dozen or so by the end.
The first two classes were largely devoted to learning vocabulary and the basic writing systems (hiragana and katakana). In the third class we started learning kanji and spent more time on grammar, while the fourth class was a review session that covered a few new grammar topics, but no new vocabulary. In this most recent class, study shifted to grammar. We still learned a few more adjectives and verbs, but the majority of the class was spent learning new grammar.
When I was in school I always found English class to be dull - we read novels or essays, and then had to write our own essays. I don't really remember studying grammar - I'm sure I did, but it has been a long time. Or, maybe I got a jumbled version as I moved around quite a bit. In any case, I only found English class to be interesting when the book or essay we had to read was interesting, and this only happened occasionally.
One of the things I find interesting in Japanese is grammar, and how it differs from English grammar. Until I began studying Japanese, I never really thought about English grammar much. I mentioned Japanese grammar in a previous blog entry, and here are a few more examples (I'm just going to leave the Japanese romanized rather than look up all the hiragana unicode codes):
1) In English, the adjective doesn't change when connected in series.
The car is new.
The car is expensive.
The car is new and expensive.
In English, new doesn't have to be modified. However, in Japanese, it does. (in Japanese, atarashii is new, and takai is expensive):
kuruma wa atarashii.
kuruma wa takai.
kuruma was atarashikute takai.
Here, atarashii needs to modified to be atarashikute to be correct. (Both takai and atarashii are "i" adjectives, and I'll just skip the "na" adjective case).
2) In English, it is usual to say
I don't think it is cold.
This may be in response to a question about the weather, and the speaker indicates, in their opinion, it is not cold.
In Japanese, the negation would occur on the adjective:
samukunai to omoimasu.
Which would translate to "I think it is not cold."
3) In English, all the verbs in a sequence are conjugated to the same tense. For example, a description of my morning might be:
This morning, I got up at 7, ate breakfast, drank coffee, and went to work.
In this sentence, all the verbs (got up, ate, drank, went) are in past tense.
In Japanese, only the last verb is in past tense. The other verbs are in "te" form, which is related to past tense but is not past tense.
kesa, shichi ji ni okite, asa gohan o tabete, koohii o nonde, kaisha ni ikimashita.
Here, the te forms of the verbs are used (okiru, to get up; taberu, to eat; nomu, to drink), and only the last verb is in past tense (ikimashita, polite past of iku, to go).
As much as I enjoyed class, I look forward to a break. I'm not sure when then next class will be taught - sensei usually waits for critical mass so it could be several months.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Husky Volleyball
In the evening I met some friends to watch Husky Women's Volleyball. It was an exhibition game versus Trinity Western University, and the Huskies won fairly easily.
It looks like the rules changed from last season - the libero, primarily a defensive position, is allowed to serve now. Either that or it doesn't matter for exhibition games as UW's libero, Candace Lee, rotated into the serve, to my confusion. The league I play in doesn't use the libero rule so it won't matter when I start playing again.
What can I say, it is fun and cheap entertainment.
It looks like the rules changed from last season - the libero, primarily a defensive position, is allowed to serve now. Either that or it doesn't matter for exhibition games as UW's libero, Candace Lee, rotated into the serve, to my confusion. The league I play in doesn't use the libero rule so it won't matter when I start playing again.
What can I say, it is fun and cheap entertainment.
Book Store
I usually can't get out of a bookstore without buying something. Today I went into a Barnes and Noble looking for one computer book and wound up buying a different one, plus an extra humor book that caught my eye:
Front Cover
Back Cover
I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I have flipped through it and it looks pretty funny. The book is illustrated with 50's era graphics and has various "factoids" such as:
The book devotes a full two pages to the nuances of "eh", includes several hockey metaphors (e.g. "He's gone down to block one too many shots without his helmet" means "He's crazy"), Canadian drinks (Calgary Red Eye), native monsters (Windigo), and much, much more.
This will be a fun book to read and tease my Canadian friends about. :)
Front Cover
Back Cover
I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I have flipped through it and it looks pretty funny. The book is illustrated with 50's era graphics and has various "factoids" such as:
- Did You Know? Canadians say "zed" instead of "zee" when talking about the last letter of the alphabet.
- Did You Know? The plural of "moose" is "moose".
- Did You Know? The handles on Canadian beer cases are big enough to fit your hands with mittens on.
The book devotes a full two pages to the nuances of "eh", includes several hockey metaphors (e.g. "He's gone down to block one too many shots without his helmet" means "He's crazy"), Canadian drinks (Calgary Red Eye), native monsters (Windigo), and much, much more.
This will be a fun book to read and tease my Canadian friends about. :)
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Comedy Show
Orkut friend John Lee was in town so we went to a comedy show. The original plan was to hit Garage, a pool hall and bowling alley, but we found out about a comedy show starring Robin Williams so we did that instead!
John came out to participate in the Hood to Coast Relay, a 197 mile relay run from Mt. Hood to Seaside, OR. He was able to take a side trip to Seattle to visit before returning to Manhattan.
Me, Krisanne, John
The show was really good. One interesting thing I read about Robin Williams is he doesn't have a fixed script for his shows - they are mostly extemporaneous. I've also read articles that report up to a third of each show is brand new material compared to the previous show!
John came out to participate in the Hood to Coast Relay, a 197 mile relay run from Mt. Hood to Seaside, OR. He was able to take a side trip to Seattle to visit before returning to Manhattan.
Me, Krisanne, John
The show was really good. One interesting thing I read about Robin Williams is he doesn't have a fixed script for his shows - they are mostly extemporaneous. I've also read articles that report up to a third of each show is brand new material compared to the previous show!
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