4K Complete!

This morning before work I completed my 4K run. I  I ran it in 27'12'', without music. Just ran at my normal, static pace. The distance is actually more like 4.2km, and I felt I could have continued running for the remainder of the 5K at that pace. So now I feel confident that I could finish a 5K, I just have to get my pace set so I can meet my 30'00'' goal. Tomorrow it's a 3K at 155 BPM.

Tongue Twisters

Here's some tongue twisters I found in Uncle John's Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader:

• Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.
  
• Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
  
• A thin little boy picked six thick thistle sticks.
  
• The bootblack bought the black boot back.
  
• We surely shall see the sun shine soon.
  
• Miss Smith's fish sauce shop seldom sells shellfish.
  
• Which wicked witch wished which wicked wish?
  
• I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet i sit.
  
• Many an anemone sees an enemy.
  
• Give papa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.

I know...I was as surprised as you are to discover that you can learn stuff offline!

More Things to Ponder...

No, I'm not talking about Christian Ponder, FSU's starting quarterback. A little while ago, I published a blog about things to ponder. I received such an influx in mail from dedicated readers about these so-called "ponderisms" that I decided to do a follow-up post. (Are you buying it? You're not? What was the giveaway? Oh, I know - the 'dedicated readers' bit. Yeah, I thought that was a bit of a stretch!) Here are some more to add to the list...

• Why do we say "slept like a baby" when babies only sleep 1 1/2 hours at a time?
  
• Why do alarm clocks "go off" when they start making noise?
  
• Why are they called marbles when they're made out of glass?How do you know when it's time to tune your bagpipes?
  
• If practice makes perfect, and nobobody's perfect, then why practice?
  
• Why do we put our suits in a garment bag and our garments in a suitcase?
  
• When two airplanes almost collide why is it a "near miss"? Shouln't it be a "near hit"?
  
• How can something be both "new" and "improved"?
  

Planet Bizzle 3.0 Launched!

I know, style updates are becoming rather frequent around here, so maybe the exclamation point wasn't necessary. I decided that the last layout was too hip...I couldn't pull it off. So I switched to something a little more boring.

I've got a little bit of housekeeping to do, but the blog should be all cleaned up in the next few days. Enjoy!

I'm in Training!

Recently, I've started running more intensely every morning. I'm now running 3K at least three times a week, and my goal is to reach 5K. Let me stop for a sec because I know what you're thinking...what's with all this metric system mumbo jumbo? Well, it seems like runners like to measure things in meters, and I admit that "3K" sounds more impressive than "1.89 miles". So, I'm going to use the metric system. (Here's a quick primer: 1 mile = 1.61 km, and 1 km = .62 miles.)

My ultimate goal, (and what I'm training for), is to run in the 'Trots for Tots' 5K here in Panama City on November 14th. I'll be happy just to finish, but my target time is 30 minutes. That's 6 minutes per kilometer. Earlier this week, I was running the 3K at a pace of 6'30'' per kilometer.

I was thinking that if I could control my pace a little better, I could make the jump to 6'00''. Then I realized that if I could figure out what pace I ran at, I could create some music that had a slightly faster BPM and run to that! I thought I had a really great, unique idea until I did some online reading (dangerous, I know) and found that this idea is anything but new. I did find a chart on the run2rhythm website that really helped out by providing me with BPM time table conversions for different running speeds. To run 1K in 6'00'', I would need to run at 163 BPM. Sounds simple, right?

Well, I tried that. I created a 20-minute track and tried to run to it and failed miserably. The pace was way too intense - I could only match it one of two ways: either stand in place and rapidly pound my feet into the ground, or take a humongous stride and rely on gravity to pull me to the earth fast enough to stay on pace. Either way, it clearly wouldn't work for me.

So I tried slowing the song down to 160 BPM, and found that I was able to match it for most of the run, it just really wore me out. I timed myself and found that I ran the 3K in 16'57'', which averages out to 5'39" per km! According to the chart, my time per kilometer at 160 BPM should have been 7'00". I guess the chart is for someone with much shorter legs than me!

I plan on dropping the BPM down to 157 and trying again...I wasn't able to run the 160 BPM pace the whole time, and I was exhausted at the end. No chance of increasing distance at that pace. I think the 157 BPM will put me back around 6'00"/km, which is my goal, and I'm hoping to be able to steadily increase the distance from there.

I'm planning my first attempt at a 4K on Monday morning, so I'd like to get the pace established by then. If I can't get it worked out tomorrow, I'll chuck the headphones on Monday and just run at my natural, slower pace and work on nailing it down later next week. Wish me luck!

Ponder Loves Ponder

I recently noticed this on Facebook. I'm all for a positive self-image, but I have yet to create a fan page for myself. (Hmm...that gives me an idea!) Seriously though, I guess he's just trying to sell the image. In today's world, you've got to get noticed. But if he starts Twittering from the huddle, I'm going to be upset. (Though I admit it would be pretty cool!)

MySpace Going Down in Red-Orange Flames on Pink Background

Last week, the social networking giant announced they were cutting 30% of their workforce due to the fact that they suck. OK, so they really pointed the finger at increased competition. (Woohoo! Go Facebook!) Hopefully society will learn the lesson (though it's doubtful) that individuals can't be trusted with fully-customizable layouts, text colors and background images. The urge to blind one's "friends" with horrendous, debilitating eye strain is just too great. Or, people have no understanding of visual style, readability or aesthetic comprehension.

Sadly, I never got the chance to take that quiz to determine my favorite vegetable or analyze the color and style of my toothbrush. And how am I supposed to wish Happy St Patrick's Day to someone without an oversized, animated, sparkling image of a dancing leprechaun?

Obama Proves To Be Human Flyswatter

Look out, folks! There's a ninja in the White House -- and it's Barack Obama. The president, irritated by a fly during a TV interview at the Executive Mansion last Tuesday, took matters into his own hands. Said Obama to the persistent fly: "Get out of here." But it didn't.

So Obama waited for the fly to settle, put his hand up and then smacked the fly dead in one try. Without missing a beat, the president said to CNBC correspondent John Harwood: "That was pretty impressive, wasn't it? I got the sucker."

Best of all, the camera crew caught the action on tape.

The Sunshine State

Today's forecast in Panama City: High of 99 degrees, with a heat index of 110. Sheesh! What is this, Florida?!?!

I Doubt It

For some reason, I find myself doubting the validity of the store's name...