Running Response

My sister, Johanna, wrote a post about running on her blog last week. The post inspired me to write a rather lengthy comment, which was subsequently destroyed due to an unpublished word-length maximum for comments. I wrote a second comment, promising to rewrite my first comment on my own blog, so here it is (Disclaimer: my comment was meant as a bit of a joke, so it might be best if you read Johanna's post first):

I've discovered the trick to running regularly.

To begin with, a goal is important. In my case, I've signed up for a sprint length triathalon in May. Not having run much in the last couple years, I knew I had to get on it if I expected to seriously compete. I decided that I would start running to and from work, twice weekly. This works pretty well and I've (mostly) been keeping to my schedule.

My run to work takes me about 20 - 25 minutes. Normally, I bike to work and that takes me about 15 - 20 minutes; or at least, the biking part does. When I bike to work, I also have to put on all my biking gear, get into my apartment building's chock-full, difficult-to-maneuver-in bike room, unlock my bike and get it on the road. Then I have to do it all in reverse once I arrive at work. All told, these extra steps take on the order of 5 - 10 minutes, making the total time 'traveled' by foot or bike pretty much the same.

There is a hidden benefit to running to work: When I run to work, I don't have a shower at home (because who would want to have a shower and then go for a run?), nor do I eat breakfast at home; I do both at work instead. In fact, getting ready to go to work when running takes on the order of 15 minutes, while getting ready to go to work when biking takes on the order of 40 minutes. Therefore, I can stay in bed later when I run to work, which is a very easy thing to do since at that time of day I tend to subscribe wholeheartedly to Newton's first law of motion.

Now here's the trick: It's easy to go to bed with the intent of getting up 'late' on the nights before a run since the pre-run anxiety hasn't had a chance to set in. Once I've convinced myself that I can get up 'late', I'm usually pretty successful in deferring any efforts towards getting out of bed until I absolutely have to. Of course, in my sleep-addled state I usually forget that means I'm going running. By the time I'm fully awake and up it's already well past the time I would have to be on the move if I expect to get to work by bike. Therefore, I'm pretty much forced to run to work if I expect to make it on time.

I'm telling you, it's a fantastic system. The only problem is that once I've run almost entirely downhill to work in the morning, I still have to run back home almost entirely uphill.

Olympic spirit

It's rare for Canadians to demonstrate fierce national loyalty, especially in comparison to the rampant nationalism in the US; Canada Day is a meek affair compared with the Independence Day of our neighbours to the south. The 2010 Winter Olympics, however, turned everything upside down. Canada showed just how proud and excited it could be under the right circumstances. I guess many would say that we let our hair down and abandoned our usual, staid outward personas.

For two weeks, everyone in Vancouver was wearing red. People carried Canadian flags everywhere and wore temporary maple leaf tattoos on their faces. Random recitals of "O Canada" happened all over the city. Passing someone on the street resulted in a high five more often than not - especially after a big medal win. And it seems like it was justified: Canada won more gold medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics than any other country has every won at any Winter Olympic event - that's a big accomplishment.

Yet it wasn't all roses. The Olympic Spirit extends only so far it seems; in this case, as far as our nearest border. I can't say that I witnessed myriad instances of Canadians haranguing Americans, but I saw enough to make me feel uncomfortable.

Most of this harassment seemed to be focused on the preliminary round match-up and the somewhat surprising gold medal match-up between the Canadian and American hockey teams. To some extent, I can understand that there is a certain amount of bitterness to be expected from Canadians towards Americans when it comes to hockey; hockey is unquestionably Canada's game, yet our most talented athletes are exported to the more numerous and successful teams south of the border. Yet this doesn't warrant the vitriolic comments made by some [over-] proud Canadians.

It's a sad thing that such rivalries can't be joked about by everyone. After all, the modern olympics games were founded on the principles of good sportsmanship and peace amongst diverse nations. It's too bad that there are a small number - and I do believe it is small - of people who aren't willing to see past their own narrow preconceptions.