Boston Marathon Training Update - 30k RR

My training for the Boston Marathon has been interesting - I have definitely made adjustments and adaptations to the initial plan.

From December until mid-February, I was feeling pretty good. At that point, I figured I could get back to the running shape I was in last year in late spring/summer as long as I followed my plan, so I was doing most of my training runs with a goal of 8ish mins/mile or 3:30ish based on translating my last half marathon time (1:39) to a projected marathon time.

As I indicated in my last post, in February, I went to a retreat for a week and then to Boulder to visit my brother. Upon my return to Boston, I was feeling strange during workouts. Usually - especially when coming back from an altitude - I feel really good, but this time, I felt like I had altitude sickness…at sea level. I was also getting sick any time I would put in a hard effort in running and even in cycling a few times combined with annoying abdominal pain..or if I ate too much.

Last Monday I went to the hospital and got a CT scan. Thankfully no appendicitis, but I am having some internal bleeding which is what is causing the pain and also inflaming tissues in the surrounding area, which explains the sick feeling. The drs said it would go away after a few weeks with anti-inflammatories. The bleeding is making me lose iron, so I am also anemic which is what’s been causing the altitude-sickness like feeling (as well as having to go slower in workouts and having my heartrate jacked-up).

So, I have adjusted my Boston plans. At this point, I would like to do the race to finish and will do the best that I can, but I will not be upset if I get a slower time than what I originally planned. I will simply enjoy the race that I have always dreamed of doing.

Yesterday was the North Shore 30k, which is basically a training race for the Boston Marathon. I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I started taking some iron pills a week ago, but not sure how much of a difference that would make as far as feeling more “oxygenated”.

I started off at 9mins/mile, then lowered my pace by 10 seconds/mile until I got to the 8:25-8:30 area. I held that until around mile 10-11 and my heartrate had settled okay, so then I kept dropping the pace (8:20, 8:10) the next few miles and then the last 10k I was able to do 7:50’s-8s. Although it is by all means not where I was last year, I was pleasantly surprised that it went better than I expected. According to the race site, I ended up with 8:18s (my garmin had me at 8:21) but close enough.

Last year the pace I did at this race was the same pace I did at the National marathon (8:30) and this year they made the course more hilly. The Boston marathon is definitely more challenging and I definitely respect the course, but the training race definitely gave me more confidence as far as my capabilities. I have 4 weeks left until Boston and am looking forward to it.

Just Do It

   My biggest heroes are people that do. I can’t even count the number of those I’ve met that always think about doing stuff, analyze how to approach a specific situation and pride themselves on their ability to always have a plan. Having a plan and knowing what to do is considered to be a great thing indeed. We’re encouraged to have a 5 year plan, a 10 year plan and maybe even a 30 year one. I don’t have one. I have no idea what I’ll be doing the day after tomorrow, let alone in 2 years time. And although I’m several thousand leagues away from being organized, I can’t help but wonder  how the people that stick to these concoctions know what they’re going to be doing in that time? How can they possibly predict their future circumstances? Are they really that clairvoyant?

   More power to them. Those that I admire the most are the ones that rewrite the rules of how the game of life is to be played. They act in the simplest way possible and don’t think about whether they’re breaking unwritten social norms because they know that those norms are exactly that — unwritten — they don’t exist anywhere other than in society’s collective imagination . There are at least 10 things I could do right now to meet more people, further my business-like objectives and have something to eat for dinner and they’re all very simple. Want to meet more people? Talk to strangers anywhere and everywhere. Want to run a blog? Write articles and publish them regardless of whether you think a pre-schooler could have done better. Want to learn how to cook? Go to your fridge, pick up a bunch of tomatoes, lettuce, green peppers, an avocado, cucumbers; chop them up, add feta cheese + extra virgin olive oil and you’ve just made a whole meal from scratch. Want to see if you and that beautiful girl from your French course are meant to be together? Sit next to her before class begins and start talking to her, about the weather if you have to. You’ll quickly find out if not you enjoy each other’s company.

   All of these things are simple. But simple rarely means easy, and this is so because we’re usually conditioned to think that anything worth achieving involves following a procedure. Starting a business means that you’ll have to go to business school, talking to a girl you find attractive in the middle of a university hallway is impossible and bound to earn you a slap, how can you make food when you’ve never tried before. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Nike said it best. It all comes down to action. Doing something is the easiest way to take care of your goals. It can be scary, inappropriate and may generate frowns but none of this matters. People, habits and other things that stand in your way literally don’t matter because it’s not their life and they don’t know what your dreams mean to you, even if they may have a good idea. You are meant to be great and you know it, now go do something about it!

Global Resorts Network Marketing Plan

Chap 3: Finish this March Madness

University of North Carolina, University of Conneticut, Louisville and Pittsburgh are the number 1 seeds.

Ah yes, it is March and with March comes the annual March Madness tournament that will decide college basketball’s elite team and leave dozens of others heartbroken due to buzzer beaters and foul trouble.

The real reason I am here though is to discuss chapters 3 and 4. I should have had this reading finished but it is not and once I find the second assigned book in my room, I will be sure to inform you guys of my thoughts on those chapters also.

Chapter 3 (A Musicology of the Image):

• This chapter deals with Music’s ability to create an image, and how it is percieved. Through analyzing the audio and video content, Goodwin outlines the overemphasis on the visual aspect of Music Videos but makes clear it is the music that comes first in a music video. What I mean by that is that you do not see music videos producing the visual content first and the audio content as a mode of reaction, rather it is the music that inspires and calls on directors and producers to interpret the music literally or figuratively synchronizing imagery to “harmonize” with the audio.


• “…we can expect that the music (the object of valorization) will be imaged”(Goodwin, 50)


• The next aspect explored is how the artists visualize the music they are making. Goodwin outlines it is popular for colour to be used as a signifier to the mood or type of song being made.”References to colors, tone, shades, space, and the musical ‘palette’ are common ways of thinking among producers of popular music”(Goodwin, 51)


• He also argues how album covers can help influence the perception of music.”…so album sleeves (and related imagery in posters and advertising) suggest the ‘correct’ generic decoding in pop” (Goodwin, 52)


• I agree with this passage particularly because of my experience as a consumer before the internet had dominated telecommunications the way it does now. The days when you went into a store to buy music. Since I was a child I had very limited pop culture knowledge compared to that of a young adult at the same time frame. But I still had enough of the entertainment shows and Much Music (Canada’s MTV at the time) to help me with a general knowledge of what was popular. But since the majority of albums could not be listened to in the store (only about 8 were available to sample at a time, today you can sample 30 seconds of any song available on itunes for free before purchasing) I did find myself looking at album covers. There was a general pattern of album covers, the contemporary pop would have headshots and an organic feel to the photos, the rock  and alternative would have a pattern of randomness since most rock bands can use about any image for an album cover, not to say there is no meaning, just a diverse imagery compared to other genres. The Rap/Hip-Hop albums generally have a headshot of the artist with usually dark imagery connotating the dark lifestyle associated. OH AND A PARENTAL ADVISORY STICKER haha, I just remembered that.


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  courtesy of google, http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kNtYgePiB3w/R9jO3eDpfHI/AAAAAAAAAQU/gvZmsd5cU5Q/s400/collage.jpg

  
  

  
  
  
  


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  Some examples of what I was talking about in the late 90’s as a kid in HMV or Musicworld* (no longer exists… at least not in the Rideau Centre, no doubt due to internet and the pirating of music)

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  


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  Core concepts of chapter:
  
  -Visualizing Music: Album covers, listener’s reactions to songs and the visions they get relative to their cultural significance of that music… muscle cars w/ rock, robots w/ electronica.
  
  -Listen Up: “music contains a number of phenomena that must be taken into account (timbre, tempo, rythm, acoustic space, melody, harmony, arrangement, lyrics), and these meanings need to be related both to one another and to the temporal movement of music”(Goodwin, 56). Basicly deals with how these elements collaborate to articulate the message of a songs with reference to video interpretation of an echo by “multiplying and diminishing the image of a face”(Walker Qtd. in Goodwin,57). The courtroom (acoustic space), in “Straight Outta Compton” by N.W.A.
  
  -Synaesthesia in the Video Text
  
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  -Music and Movement:
  
  : Goes more in depth at visual techniques used to articulate speed, or Jon Bon Jovi’s pointing to the camera to create the effect of the audience being with him. The cutting of video to the snare. The use of air guitar or dj scratching to mimick a sound in a song. Harmonic emphasis of switching colours or tones to signify a chorus or verse, he cites Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher”.  These are some of the examples that Goodwin outlines.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  


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  Overall another solid read another blog will be happening… but first I must get a donut. Be back soon…………………..!

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  


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  I will end with this video of my boy, Chris Bosh aka CB4, doing the weather for CTV. If you have never subscribed to this man on youtube, do so now. One of the more creative celebrity’s as far as videoblogging, and video production is concerned. Particularly his olympic videos and campaign for all-star votes are entertaining. ENJOY!

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

Eric Marienthal meets Gordon Goodwin Tribute BAND! Play that funky music@Tokyo TUC Japan 081122

Shoe-throwing and democracy

Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi was sentenced to three years in prison today for throwing his shoes at George W Bush on the 15th of December. This to my mind is a disgracefully harsh sentence. If Iraq wants to be seen as a mature democracy, this overreaction to a very mildly violent political protest is not going to help its cause. Protests in this vein happen regularly in democratic societies: in the 1970s Richard Nixon was egged in Ireland by an anti-war protestor; a few years back here in the UK,  John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister at the time, had an egg thrown at him by a farmer. His response? He punched the protestor and got into a scuffle. Prescott also got soaked by a jug of iced water thrown over him by a member of the band Chumbawumba, in support of striking Liverpool dockers, at the 1998 Brit Awards; only last week an environmental protestor threw green custard over Peter Mandelson, the Business Secretary, to express opposition to his support for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

Now I understand that it’s open to debate whether this type of action is effective or appropriate, however I cannot see of any argument that could justify a prison sentence of three years, in what is likely to be a very harsh environment, being doled out to a journalist, who had been a law-abiding citizen up to this point. He has even been a victim of kidnapping himself and family members were arrested under Saddam Hussein’s regime. His weapon of choice, his shoes, show that his primary intent was to deliver an Iraqi insult, not to seriously injure Bush. Even if he had connected, he would have done no more damage to Bush than the President had done to himself with a pretzel. Bush himself was able to joke about the “attack” in the immediate aftermath and we have all had a good laugh since.

But the joke is now over - al-Zaidi’s lawyer’s plan to appeal and I hope they succeed in getting his sentence reduced significantly. In truth the time he has already served has been too harsh. In genuinely free societies, which Bush has claimed Iraq is now, people must feel free to express political opinion in a sometimes fiery manner, without fearing disproportionate reprisals from the authorities. Otherwise the country starts to look more like a police state.

PS - do you know of an incident of something non-lethal being thrown at a politician? Leave a comment and we can build a dossier.

Yvonne Ridley Reports

Yvonne Ridley reports from Viva Palestina

9th March 2009

GAZA OR BUST

The last 24 hours have probably been the blackest since the Viva Palestina convoy set off from London.

Yesterday the convoy members became the target of an orchestrated wave of violence first started by Egyptian police and then culminating in vicious attacks by unknown thugs.

The end result was a number of peace activists whose only aim is to take humanitarian aid into war torn Gaza were treated in hospital for head injuries.

Mercifully the string of casualties was not too serious but the experience denied us the chance of fulfilling our mission to deliver aid to Gaza yesterday.

And dramatic images of the rioting and attacks could not be relayed to Press TV viewers because someone sabotaged the satellite van by deliberately cutting through a vital cable which would have beamed the shameful attacks across the world.

However, every cloud has a silver lining and I would like to take this opportunity of personally thanking the Egyptian authorities and those dark forces who tried to derail Viva Palestina.

The event has only served to make us stronger, unite and bond us together more and created a wave of international media interest in Viva Palestina.

I think it would be fair to say that when you bring a diverse group of 300 plus people together on a gruelling mission to cover 5,000 miles driving across North Africa the result can result in a less than harmonious state of affairs.

To be frank, there was friction and infighting and some of us generally got on each other’s nerves as you would when you are confined to close quarters with challenging living, sleeping and eating conditions.

However, the deliberate bloody-mindedness of the Egyptian authorities did something we had failed to do for ourselves … it caused us to unite, bond and emerge stronger than ever from underneath the rows of police batons, bricks, bottles and stones.

The trouble began when the police - who were only obeying their orders - tried to break up the convoy into small groups of medical and non medical aid. We were told the first would go through the Rafah crossing while the latter would go through an Israeli checkpoint.

This was never going to be accepted by anyone on board the convoy. Our aim from the outset was simple: Rafah or bust.

Giving aid to the people of Gaza has nothing to do with the Israelis and I do wish they would stop trying to make themselves centre stage in an affair that does not involve Tel Aviv.

As we dug in our heels about the convoy being physically divided, the authorities decided there was only one solution - batter us into submission, after all that is what police states do.

And so, when the police tried to get physical, the convoy members followed their natural instincts and used passive resistance to defend themselves.

Egyptian police are obviously not used to confronting stroppy westerners in such large numbers and so they retreated while a second wave was sent in. Hundreds of riot squad officers, wearing visors, carrying shields and batons tumbled in to one of the two car parks in a large town centre compound in the port of al Arish and set about the unarmed peace activists.

They too were heroically repelled and what followed was an uneasy stand off as some convoy members received medical attention.

The net result was scores of vehicles had been able to escape the compound in which they were being held behind metal police barriers.

It was a minor victory and what followed was a very British response - the lads decided to have a game of football. I did try to persuade the Egyptian police to join in stressing they would have much more fun kicking a ball instead of kicking my comrades, but they seemed reluctant to let go of their batons.

As the night drew in the convoy leader George Galloway who was 40 kilometres down the road, was made aware of the battle of al Arish and so he refused to cross the Rafah Border in to Gaza and returned to the convoy.

It was a hard call to make as the international media had gathered at Rafah for a party that never happened. As usual the Israelis also played to stereotype by shelling and bombing parts of Gaza.

By the time Britain’s best known parliamentarian reached the compound night had fallen and bright stadium-style lights illuminated the two car parks.

Suddenly the area was plunged into darkness by a powercut which coincided with a brick, bottle and stone attacks on the convoy members by youths in their late teens and 20s. Seconds before the lights went out some convoy members saw a couple of unidentified men scrawling anti-Hamas slogans on lorries.

The lights remained out for some minutes, during which time the vicious attack was unleashed - the whole proceedings failed to warrant one single Egyptian police officer to swing his baton into action.

Those who had wielded their sticks with such a passion before, stood impassively by and watched the onslaught.

The power kicked back in again and the bright lights illuminated the scene to reveal several convoy members lying dazed and confused, blood dripping from gaping head wounds.

While they were ferried to hospital for treatment, there was a second powercut and a repeat of the violence.

Once again the police stood by and watched the thugs launch their attacks on unarmed and defenceless members of Viva Palestina.

Galloway, incandescent with rage held an urgent meeting with the governor of the region and secured assurances this would not happen again. He also secured a pledge that the convoy would be allowed to make its way to the Rafah crossing for 6am on Monday.

We’re now only a few hours away from that deadline and it remains to be seen if the governor will keep his word.

But regardless of what he decides I want to thank him for pulling every single member of Viva Palestina into one, united front.

Thanks to him and the cack-handed police operation, Viva Palestina has emerged refocussed and stronger than ever with one, determined goal: Rafah or bust.

And it will happen, inspite of the best efforts of Tel Aviv meddling and Egyptian authorities’ bullying.

The people united can never be defeated.

Gaza, next stop.

* British journalist Yvonne Ridley and award-winning film-maker Hassan al Banna Ghani are on the Viva Palestina convoy making a documentary about the journey from London to Gaza. her website is www.yvonneridley.org and you can follow her updates by Twitter or Facebook