Can someone explain this to me? How in the world can we come up with a vaccine to battle the H1N1 Swine Flu in less than a year and we can't even figure out a way to do the same thing for diseases like Cancer, Herpes, Lyme Disease, Dengue Fever, etc...?
No wonder the U.S. healthcare debate is so raucous.
I'm getting bored after thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Time to explore a new hobby. Been scoping out model rocketry. As a kid I built several small scale Estes rockets and always enjoyed launching them.
My, my how the hobby's grown up. Seems the big boys have progressed the sport to new heights. Now rockets are being constructed with mid and high power reloadable motors. Some even carrying electronic payload bays like altimeters and onboard mini digital video cameras.
Makes me drool. Check this out. AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!! What a ride!!!!!!!!!
The lure of driving a "greener" automobile and getting better gas mileage has infected me more acutely than the H1N1 Swine Flu. It all started after I returned from my Appalachian Trail hike and began driving my current vehicle- a 2006 Toyota Tundra Double Cab. Don't get me wrong, I like my truck but it's never met a gas station it didn't like.
The damn thing sucks gas like no tomorrow and my retirement income just can't take it anymore. I need some relief! Besides, I can get by without having all the hauling capacity. So, let the car hunt begin!
I narrowed down my choices between a Honda Accord EX-L and the 2010 Toyota Prius IV. I want leather seats to caress my bum and these models have that option. My research reveals both are excellent choices so the final decision boils down to a choice between good gas mileage or hyper gas mileage.
There's no shortage of Hondas in my hometown but that's not the case with the Prius. It's the hot car now and every dealer I called has a waiting list. I want to test drive one since the reviews from west coast owners has been spotty on the new model. Most car magazines laud the 2010 Prius model for revolutionary upgrades and engine performance but the "average joe" reviews hasn't been so perky. Most of the complaints revolve around the "cheap" look and feel of the interior. Mainly the amount and types of plastics used inside as well as the thin feel of the leather seats. Not the sort of comments you expect for a $20,000 plus automobile.
I decided to see for myself. This past Saturday a local dealer called me to say he one on his lot. I arrived there on Sunday to take the puppy for a spin. Let me say, I've driven previous model Prius' before and enjoyed the ride. Sure they're different than a conventional car but not by much. The silent running engine was the most noticeable adjustment for me.
Back to the 2010 model- The interior was adequate and I didn't really mind the look and feel of it. The leather seat material was thinner than expected but not as bad as I had been led to believe. The seats were comfortable but there's really no way of telling if that same comfort would be there after 400-500 miles on a road trip. Seat adjustments are manual on all Prius models due to weight concerns. Hmmm........
Now the biggest disappointment was drivetrain performance. The ride was jerky, more so than any previous model year. I detected mini engine power surges as I drove along and reminded me of an engine trying to compensate for an inadequate air-gas mixture. Not good. Imagine how much something like that is to fix once the warranty runs out. Back at the car dealership I park the car, get out, and shake my head in disappointment.
Did I test drive a lemon? Maybe. While I haven't totally discounted getting a new 2010 Prius my first impressions were shattered by a bad test drive.
I fulfilled another dream- hiking the entire Appalachian Trail in one hiking season. It took me 143 days to walk from Springer Mountain, GA to Mt. Katahdin, ME.
Some things in life are just too crazy to imagine. Like having this guy as a neighbor: Yes, it's a zany world out there. Enter the Krispy Kreme Challenge.
Brainchild of NC State University students several years ago, the concept is simple. Run 2 miles from the NC State Bell Tower to the Krispy Kreme donut shop on Peace Street, eat a dozen glazed donuts, run back. All this of course, in one hour. For those of you counting, that's 2400 calories in one sitting!
The race has been a phenomenal success. In fact this year attendance was the greatest ever recorded, 5519 runners raising over $35,000 for the NC Childrens Hospital. Good for them.
Now onto the festivities.
Saturday February 7, 2009
My day begins at 02:30 hrs and goes like this- Wake up, perform the Chi ceremony, eat, dress, and drive 3 hours to Raleigh, NC. Thanks to Ron Horton (www.tricharlotte.com) and a Magellan Roadmate GPS unit, I find my way without a hitch. The time is 0735 hrs. I follow friendly volunteers directing me with silly orange flags to the parking deck just a half mile away from the Bell Tower. I'm a happy camper.
Walking down to the check in area, I'm surprised there aren't more people hanging around. Well it is 0745 hrs and this is a college crowd. I get my race bib, t-shirt, and timing chip then hump back to the parking deck and wait. It's a little chilly this morning but temperatures are expected to warm up later. Still, I decide to run in my lightweight running jacket. Looking back, I could have done without it.
The race is slated to begin at 0930 hrs. so I walk back up to the start around 0830 hrs to take in the crowd. Glad I did.
It was a complete circus. Combine a 4 mile run, 12 glazed donuts, a time limit, and you can guess who's gonna show up. Lunatics, geeks, and costumed fools. I'm right at home.
There's an assortment of characters. Some of the most memorable ones I saw were the Bridesmaids, a guy in a tuxedo, Thing 1 and Thing 2, Elvis, Superman, a cow, Santa Claus in a large red foam cowboy hat, and other assorted misfits.
Time to check out the port-a-johns. They have only 10 for this event. A little on the slim side but it doesn't cause a problem. While I stood in line I struck up a converstation with a veteran Krispy Kreme Challenger and asked him if they had water at the donut shop. "Oh, it'll be zoo down there, you better bring your own water" is what I was told. This ended up being the best advice of the day.
I make my way to the official Start and get right up front. It's about 10 minutes before the start and people are still trickling in. I look over my left shoulder to a group of guys that have constructed a Viking warship out of cardboard complete with a dragon mast and tail. Heck, there's two of them! I'm cracking up with laughter until I look to my right. It's a guy wearing a red negligee. Well, Valentines day is just around the corner.
The gun sounds and we all begin running. I'm always worried at the start of a race. So many people pushing and wanting to get up front. It's prime time for a fall. But this is different.. Everyone behaves themselves and the pack evens out.
Now the path to the Krispy Kreme shop on Peace Street is virtually all down hill. I can't help but think the return trip is going to be brutal. It's all good. I should be on a good sugar high on the flip side.
Arriving at the donuts shop was interesting. They directed you around the back of the shop then back toward the front. All of this is designed to control the crowd of runners but there's still chaos. All along the perimeter of the parking lot were tables containing boxes of donuts and I only saw one table that had any water being distributed. Glad I brought my own.
I grabbed a box of glazed, wandered off to a nice spot near a curb, and began the process of consumption. "Less talk, more eat" was my motto. The technique that worked the best was dubbed "smash 2 and cram". It was pretty simple- devour two donuts at a time by smashing them together like a sandwich and cramming them into your mouth. After each course you definitely needed a sip of water or risk choking on the sugary mush in your mouth.
The process continued until the box was empty. Everything went well until the last two donuts. They were definitely the hardest to get down. Success! I got all twelve down...........and they stayed down!
Thank goodness I overheard someone say you had to show your empty box before you were allowed through the timing chip tunnel for the return trip home.
I'm off. It's an uphill run, but after all , you're on the greatest sugar high on earth! I settle into a comfortable pace and enjoy the sensation of my feet gliding above the asphalt. I'm not Italian at this moment, I'm a Kenyan. A fleet footed Kenyan..... Yippee!!!!!!!!!
Before long I see the Bell Tower in the distance and cross the timing mats. The beeping is amazingly loud for some reason. Could it be all this damn sugar in my system? Maybe.
In the Finish area volunteers cut off your ankle strap timing chip and directed you through a fence tunnel out the opposite side of the Tower. It worked pretty well and kept the crowd moving but I've heard others complain of a massive bottleneck in this area afterwards. Oh well, maybe next year the organizers can work out the kinks.
This run was a blast! It's definitely one to run again (with friends). Next year I'll have a costume for sure.
The Results
I'm pleased with my times considering the remarkable physical and mental ability required to complete such a gastronomical event. Here's how I stacked up.
-- ran the first 2 miles in 17:42 (8:51 pace)
-- consumed 12 donuts in 11:10
-- ran the final 2 miles in 19:23 (9:42 pace).
-- Placed 349th overall in the Challenger Division
Total time 48:03. YEEHAW!!!!!!
This is the best YouTube video I've seen so far. Thanks meddyteddy!
Post Race Fun
After the race I met Russ and Mandy Barringer in Durham, NC for a beer. Russ and I hooked up on the Trans America Bicycle Trail last year and have kept in touch ever since. It was great to see them and the kids.
Decided to do a little bike ride starting May 10, 2008 so no posts on the blog for a while. Check on my daily progress and sign the guestbook at this link: Three Spokes and a Mirror.
Q. What does an Irishman get after eating Italian food?
A. Gaelic breath.
UPDATE! I did it! Rode across the USA on a bicycle! Check out my journal of the adventure here at: Three Spokes and a Mirror
Hi Everybody!
Here’s the race report for the 2008 Shamrock Marathon held in Virginia Beach, VA on Sunday March 16th and sponsored by Yuengling. I signed up for this race a little late after deciding the ol’ legs needed one good long run before my solo cross-country bicycle tour in early May. Virginia Beach was an easy pick since it’s only a six hour drive from Charlotte, NC and several other friends were going to run there too. Plus, I got an invite to stay over after the race from my girlfriend’s cousin and her husband who live there. Sweet!
Motel accommodations were hard to come by but I did manage to find a room at the Quality Inn located right next to the Virginia Beach Convention Center where the Expo was held and 1.2 miles away from the Start line. I checked into the motel early on Saturday, met up with friends, Ricky and Sharon, then walked over to get my packet.
Ricky and Sharon made it!
Onward to packet pick-up!
A Leprechaun greets you at the door (I'd end up chasing this little runt all day long on Sunday).
This was a well organized Expo with smiling/upbeat volunteers willing to help you along each step of the way. The real test came when I walked over to get my free race T-shirt. Now for you veteran marathoners know what usually happens- during registration months earlier you guess what size T-shirt you need and hope it fits you when you get it. It’s usually way “too big” or way “too small” and lightning strike you dead if you ask for one that actually fits! The typical answer is “sorry we don’t have enough shirts to swap out”. Well that wasn't the case here- a very nice volunteer asked me to be sure to try on my long sleeve coolmax race T-shirt to make sure it fit before I left the area- now that's a refreshing change!
All the volunteers were happy and oh so helpful. Thanks!
Plenty of room for runners merchandise
Wow! My lucky number! How did they know that?
Giovanni's Pasta provided quality carbs. SQUISITO!!! Be sure to check them out if you're ever in Virginia Beach.
Filled to the brim (L-R) Me, Johnny, Gloria, Korre, Sharon, Ricky, Pam, Tom.
Early to Bed, Early to Rise
Most of you know my routine by now. I typically get up at least 7 hours prior to the race, perform some meditation, fuel, and center my energy. It helps......
Qigong anyone? I'm up at 0130 hrs to start the "Chi Ceremony".
Levitating while holding a bed over your head- Invigorating!
Weather Woes Everyone was a little apprehensive about the weather. A strong front is pushing through bringing wind and rain. The temperatures ended up staying between 44-51 degrees with sustained NNW winds between 16-22 MPH. The maximum recorded wind gust was 33 MPH. I knew I should have brought that flying squirrel outfit!
I walked 1.2 miles to the start line. The rain stopped just before 0700 hrs. but it was still a little windy.
Funny how everything fell into place. I find Greg and his wife May at the start.
Ricky staying warm and dry pre-race.
(L-R) Greg, Me, Ricky.
Just before the gun,(L-R) Pam, Johnny, and Ricky getting fired up!
Seems like everyone in Virginia Beach came out to support the runners. You guys rock!
We ran through Fort Story and make it to the 20 mile marker. I'm pretty happy with the time considering the fierce headwind we had all day.
The Cape Henry Lighthouse around mile 22. The tailwind should start anytime now right?
AAARRRGGGHH! Thar be pirates about!
Along the boardwalk, Poseidon (known as Neptune to us Romans) points runners towards the finish line.
The final kick....
Hey, this is a cool medal.
We made it!
Pump those chests out boys! Well done!
The Results
Marathon Pam Rickard- 3:49 Johnny Nolen- 4:00 Greg McDowell- 4:14 Ricky Scott- 4:28 (did 4:00 at Myrtle Beach just 4 weeks prior. Wow!) Marc DeLuca- 4:29 My splits- 8:49 pace @ mile 6 8:58 pace @ mile 13 9:34 pace @ mile 18 10:17 Pace @ Finish (I was very pleased with my times and learned a lot. I ran with the 3:50 pace group until mile 10 when the gradual fade began. I've never run so fast for so much distance. Yeehaw!)
Half-Marathon Tom Rickard- 2:25 (His first half-marathon. Congratulations!) Sharon Scott- 2:32 (Good Job!) Gloria Nolen- 3:11
Was It a Good Marathon?
Yes, and one you should consider adding to your list! The Shamrock Marathon rated high because it had a good vibe- you could naturally tell everyone associated with the race was into it and that means a lot. While I'm not quite sure whose bright idea it was to place the start line port-a-johns so far away (and even hidden)there were plenty portable toilets along the course. Barring that minor inconvenience, the race committee deserves kudos for putting on a spectacular event.
Special thanks to all the aid station workers, police officers, and emergency medical staff for keeping the runners hydrated, safe, and healthy. The words of encouragement and music you shared along the way helped out despite the blustery conditions.
Finally, the finish line area was awesome. Runners were directed through a series of what's best described as "give-a-way" stations. It seemed like every time I turned around another volunteer was handing me something else to take- here's a hat, here's a space blanket, here's a goodie bag, here's a bottle of water, here's a banana..... you get the picture. I liked that and not once was I ever rushed by anyone to leave the area like you get at some other running venues. Besides all this there was a huge tent erected on the beach where even more festivities were occurring. I never even made it there and still had a wonderful time. Wow! Amazing!
Thanks for showing this North Carolina boy a good time. I hope to return soon.
Post Race Stay
Tom and Dana, my post-race hosts, went out of their way to make me feel at home. They treated me to pizza and the best cheeseburger on the planet, then even offered to push me around in a wheel chair- now that's hospitality!
Well that's it for this report. Thanks go out to Ricky and Greg for allowing me to use some of their pictures in this blog and Ron Horton of tricharlotte.com for his sage running advice .
Attention now turns to bicycle maintenance as I prep for the cross country tour. Stay tuned.....
UPDATE! I did it! Rode across the USA on a bicycle! Check out my journal of the adventure here at: Three Spokes and a Mirror
Ron Horton of tricharlotte.com recently emailed me with news that the cost of running the ING New York City Marathon was going up again.
marathonguide.com reported the "Holy Cow" entry fee for the 2008 New York City Marathon would be $166 (USA) and $221 (International) plus an $11 processing fee. WOW!
But wait there's more. Here's a list of additional fees you'll probably pay in 2008:
1. Besides the entry fee, you'll pay a "per-completed-mile" fee- estimated to be $1.oo per mile.
2. Each aid station along the route will have a self service kiosk where you'll pay for each drink, GU packet, and orange slice you consume. All of this will be linked to your timing chip and credit card. CHA_CHING!!!!
3. The City "may" charge each runner a "road usage" fee. 4. Finally, want to use the Port-a-Potty? You'll need to purchase a $25 "bathroom access key" during the registration process (they'll mail it to you). Just swipe the key on the door when you need to go. Who knew the Port-a-Potty industry was so innovative?
Now all these nickel-and-dime-you-to-death charges are likely to cause some backlash in the running community. I predict a whole new breed of renegade runners groups will sprout up in rebellion to find ways to thwart the evils of these "Runner Technologies"- should we name our group now?
I could go on but don't want to scare you too bad.
Head brainstormer and creative consultant. I was once traumatized after witnessing a very bad Sword Swallowing and Flea Circus act at a Renaissance Festival.
The Check-in Area
Operative word- EAT!
Santa gettin' down!
The Bridesmaids
No race is complete without Thing 1 and Thing 2!
COW!
Superman and Elvis! All is well!
This guy was nothing but warm
What? Donuts without coffee? NAW!
Tuxedo Man
All in a row
Scene at the Start
The Smash 2 and Cram technique was good to me!
Scene at the finish
The insanity is finally over
(l-r) Me, Mandy, and Russ Barringer. Thanks for a fun time guys!
