insanity.of.runners

r.u.n.n.i.n.g:
yesterday was the boston marathon! the city was full of energy. runners and spectators were everywhere--on the streets, on the t, on the news--the boston marathon draws a huge crowd. i watched the runners come by around the 25-mile marker. there was a lot of fatigue and cramping and injuries and blood, but far exceeding any of that, there was so much excitement and passion and drive and emotion. it was incredible to be a part of.

oh--and here's a great idea if you're running a race. put your name on your shirt. it's genius. people (like me) love cheering for you by name. i can imagine that when you're tired and trying hard to push on, hearing someone cheer for you by name has got to be uplifting. there were tons of people that labeled themselves yesterday, and it was actually really fun to cheer for them. i'm so doing it for my next long race...i'm just over one month away from the half.marathon, and i've got a pretty solid mileage base built up thus far... i did a 9.5 mile run last weekend (38 laps around a track can get pretty boring), and i'm slated to do a 10 mile run this weekend while i'm in seattle. i'm doing 2-3 shorter runs each week between my long runs. in order to get my speed up, i'm starting to incorporate interval training into one of my mid-week runs. this means that i do a number of shorter, faster runs (1-2 miles), with 10-minute sections between runs where do short, fast cycling and lightweight lifting. i've already noticed a difference in my pace on longer runs. interval training definitely seems to do the trick.

here's my latest mileage chart:
and finally, a poem (of sorts). my dad taught me this when i was little, and i still remember it word for word.

poem.for.the.day:
ed cunningham - why do i run?

why do i run? 'tain't no mystery,
want to have a good medical history.
doctor told me running is great;
helps them blood cells circulate.
great for the lungs, great for the ticker;
can't nothing get you in better shape quicker.
feels so healthy, feels so sweet--
pumping my arms and flapping my feet.
molding my muscles, firming my form,
panting like a pack-mule, sweating up a storm.
keeps me youthful, keeps me loose,
tightens my tummy and shrinks my caboose.
beats being sluggish, beats being lazy.
why do i run? maybe i'm crazy.

catching.up

word.of.the.day:
propinquity - nearness in place, proximity; nearness in time; nearness of relation, kinship.

so this has been a stressful week. it even involved spending a night at the office. bummer. but i can finally feel the propinquity of light at the end of the tunnel. i've been really excited to write the next transit.of.the.week blog, but i've been too busy working on transit projects to have any time to actually write about transit. the load should be lightening soon...

song.of.the.day:
this song came on my pandora station just as i started thinking about what the song.of.the.day should be. it's meant to be. i love feist, and love her (them?) even more live. the song this week was done live, and includes two of my favorite feist songs, and this particular video was shot on a public bus. so awesome all-around.

song.of.the.day - feist - i feel it all (+ the park)

one.world . conservation@home

word.of.the.day:
ineluctable - incapable of being evaded; inescapable; inevitable (from ulysses, my current reading choice [read: torture]...'ineluctable modality of the visible')

latin.for.the.day:
orbis unum - one world

five.conservation.ideas:
as a reminder to try to do little things for the environment where you can, here's five random ideas for energy and waste conservation around your home:

• hang your clothes to dry - this uses less energy than a dryer, it's cheaper, and it's better for your clothes.
• switch to paperless billing - change all your bills (utilities, cell phone, bank statements, etc.) to electronic billing. it can save a lot of paper, and can also help to protect you against identity theft.
• use recycled paint - if re-painting your home's interior, consider buying recycled paint instead of new paint. it eliminates waste and saves you money at the same time. recycled paint comes in a number of colors, and there's a lot of suppliers.
• permanent vs. disposable -buy permanent items instead of disposables as often as possible. use digital cameras instead of disposable cameras or film; cloth napkins instead of paper napkins; storage containers instead of plastic bags; quality vs. quantity.
• run full loads - wash full loads of laundry and dishes in your washer and dishwasher. several smaller loads use much more water than fewer bigger loads.
  

why.hate.public.transport?

last weekend while i was riding the bart from berkeley to san francisco, i overheard a woman riding the train say, "i hate public transportation." i can't say this is the first time i’ve heard someone say this. but i’m always so surprised that people feel this way. and it really jams.me.up.

yes, i understand, people get frustrated because trains and buses can be late, and they are sometimes crowded… but what we need to remember is that public transportation is here as a service to us. transit is built specifically to make our lives better. no, really, it is. it serves to help us get around town easier. it provides an alternative for people who can't afford their own cars to get from place to place. it’s not forced upon us. it’s not a requirement. if you can’t stand public transportation, then don’t ride it. it’s that simple. but if you’re able to tolerate a little waiting, and able to tolerate sharing space with other people, it can be an incredible tool.
i grew up in a small midwest town where it was pretty necessary to have a car to get around. i have spent the majority of my life with a car at my disposal. but about a year ago, i decided that since i now live in a city with great transit options, maybe it was time to give up the wheels. i was really worried that life would be tough without a car--that i would feel trapped, feel stuck, feel limited. it’s been quite the opposite. i haven’t looked back. i joined zipcar, which is an awesome tool for those without cars, but i haven’t even needed to use it yet. in the past year i’ve rented a car exactly 2 times to get out of the city for a bit. and i assure you, life has been much more free without a car.

here's a few reasons why i love using public transportation instead of having a car:

• no car expenses--car payments, insurance, parking fees, gas prices, oil changes, car maintenance, etc.
• i have more free time--i can read or do work during my commute (which is not a good idea while driving...)
  
• no more sitting in traffic (and if there is ever train traffic, i can at least be multi-tasking while waiting)
  
• no parking hassle
• i'm much healthier (getting exercise from walking). it’s a proven statistic that people who consistently use cars are more likely to be obese.
• every time i hear a car alarm, i have a moment of relief that it's not me
• i'm much safer--car accidents are frequent. i feel like i extended my life by a few years.
• i have a smaller carbon footprint, contribute less pollution, and have greater social responsibility
• i have saved a significant amount of money ($59.00/month with transit vs. $180+/month with driving)
  
• the money i am spending monthly is largely going back into city infrastructure, not non-renewable resources like oil and gasoline

i also want to acknowledge that a lot of people aren't able to easily get by without a car, depending on the city/environment they live in, and their proximity to good public transportation. if this is you, i understand your plight. (i lived it for many years.) but at the very least, consider walking or biking to get where you need to go whenever it's an option, and you'll experience some of the benefits listed above. there's a web tool that i love called walkscore that rates your home address for walkability, according to what's nearby. what's your walkscore?

song.of.the.day:
in honor of all this public transport talk, the song of the day is transit-related. the band doesn't have an official video, but this homemade youtube video has good audio of the song.

song.of.the.day - my my metrocard - le tigre

*a metrocard is a card used to pay for transit rides in nyc.

equality . lessons.learned . pop.drop

latin.for.the.day:
aequitas - justice or equality (in honor of vermont's decision to legalize same-sex marriage)

march.madness:
so i didn't have the best luck in picking...but i was right about unc being the champion, which helped me to place 4th in my office pool. and i learned a few lessons this year:

• always go with your first instinct. i had 5 choices crossed off and replaced on my final bracket...on 4 of those 5, i should have stuck with what i picked first.
• never put stock in clemson again.
• don't trust the president. he knows politics, not ncaa basketball.

d.a.n.c.i.n.g:
her name's luam. she's one of the best on the east coast. love her style.

t.r.a.v.e.l.i.n.g . san francisco . sonoma

i spent a long weekend under the sun and stars of nor cal. i headed out west for my friends' carly & jake's wedding. i got to spend a couple of days hosteling it up and wandering around san francisco, and then swanked it up in sonoma with fine company and fine wine for the wedding. here's the top five highlights of my trip:

wandering around san francisco
i stayed in union square at the adelaide hostel (+pretty clean. +good rates. +excellent location. -loud beds. -spotted a tiny little mouse.) i spent a couple of days in san fran, wandering around via transit and my own two feet. the verdict is that i love san francisco, love the vibe, and would move there in a heartbeat, given a decent opportunity. the people were exceptionally (and surprisingly?) friendly, the city felt safe, the food was great, the transit was awesome, and the sights and sounds were so very enticing. i mainly wandered around the waterfront marina, crissy field, union square, tenderloin, soma, the civic center, mission (between 24th & 16th st), and even took the bart out to visit uc berkeley. san francisco has solidified its spot in my top 5 favorite american cities. bravo. can't wait to visit again.
running across the golden gate bridge
i got up early the first morning i was in san francisco, took the powell & mason st. trolley over the hill to fisherman's wharf, and ran along the waterfront through fort mason and crissy field to the golden gate bridge. i had such a swelled sense of adrenaline running across the bay, looking down at the pacific, and feeling dwarfed by the giant rusty-colored steel towers and twisted cables. after i crossed the bridge and stopped to catch a few photos, i ran back to the presidio beach to stretch and take in the warm morning sunlight. the whole route was an awesome 9-mile run, and i'm so glad i did it.


visiting the sfmoma
i love modern art museums, and the san francisco museum of modern art certainly did not disappoint. there were some excellent pieces there, and while the outside of the museum isn't a whole lot to look at, the vibe and the layout of the inside is chic and refreshing. (i especially like the central stairways between the floors.) my favorite pieces were james rosenquist's 'leaky ride for dr. leakey', the 1000 journals project, and katharina frisch's 'kind mit pudeln', shown below.
driving through the vineyards of sonoma
after a few days in the bay area, i rented a car and drove up north into wine country. as someone who doesn't own a car, there's something so freeing about the rare occasions when i get behind the wheel and drive fast on an open road. the rolling views were incredible and the warm weather couldn't have been more welcome to this new englander. we stayed at the sonoma hotel (+excellent location. +very clean. +unique cozy rooms. -a little expensive, but totally on par for sonoma.) right off the corner of the town square. sonoma was a bright, relaxing place to spend a weekend.

being part of a beautiful wedding
saving the best for last, i got to spend a beautiful day watching my friends get married under perfect skies, and tasting savory wine at some of the country's finest vineyards. we visited sebastiani (handsome facility, delicious merlot and cheese), imagery winery (home of 'wow oui' - my new favorite white), and domaine carneros (best view in sonoma, perfect brut rosé). many congratulations to jake & carly. thanks so much for making me a part of your awesome day.

going.going.back.back.to.cali.cali

song.of.the.day:

i'm going to rest my heavy head tonight
on a bed of california stars

i'm flying to san francisco in a few hours. i'm going to spend a couple of days in san francisco, and then a couple of days in sonoma valley for a friend's wedding! the wedding includes wine tasting at several different sonoma wineries--should be amazing. and on top of that, i just booked another ticket to los angeles for june a few hours ago. i'm going with friends to visit friends. lax never disappoints. so on that note, the song.of.the.day is obviously california-themed. and by my favorite band.

song.of.the.day - wilco - california stars

transit network of the week . london

. the underground . the tube . mind the gap .
london is home to the world's oldest and longest underground railway. it was first operated in 1863, and now has roughly 270 stations and over 250 miles of track, and is still expanding. there are currently 11 "underground" lines (though 55% of these tracks are actually above ground) in operation. transport for london's website states that there are over 3.5 million passenger trips made each week. london's transit network includes more than just underground trains--they also have bus, light rail (docklands light railway), heavy rail, commuter rail, and tram systems. the london overground network (commuter rail) began operation in 2007 and is rapidly growing.

the rail track orientation is left-side driving, just like england's automobile traffic. their trains are run on a unique four-rail system (two rails for the track itself, one rail for the electrical contact (often overhead wires in other systems), and a fourth rail for the electrical return (which prevents return currents from improperly running through the iron tunnel lining). in many cases, the underground network runs 20 miles or more away from central london in nearly all directions. it's no wonder that the underground counted over one billion passengers per year in each of the last few years.

as shown in the photo above (taken at one of london's heathrow airport stations in 2008), the underground uses real-time countdown signs to alert passengers of the next-train arrival times. london has excellent customer information. beyond next-train arrivals, they provide service alerts, mobile journey planning capabilities, live travel news, timetables, web departure boards, advanced trip planner software, and much more. their features can be found on their website, shown to the right.

london's transit fares are assessed by zone, and passengers are thus required to scan their ticket upon entry and exit of the stations (similar to dc). for discounted transit rates, an 'oyster card' can be used, which is a stored-value card that carries a balance. fares are assessed and automatically deducted from the card when a passenger taps their card to the sensor upon exit. fares are considerably cheaper when using an oyster card (£1.60 vs. £4.00 for a paper ticket for zone 1 trips). oyster cards can also be used for bus, tram, and light rail trips.

one can't talk about london transit and not mention the bus system, famous for its bright red double-decker buses. there are over 700 bus routes (no, really), which can be confusing, but for the most part, they are surprisingly well-organized. the system includes over 100 overnight routes, making transit easy for london passengers to get around town in the wee hours of the morning. and in my opinion, there's no better (or cheaper) way for a tourist to get a quick overview of central london than to take an afternoon ride and peer out over the streets of london from a second-level seat on a public bus. (photo from my first visit to london in 2004.)

worst thing about london transit:
i'm tempted to mention the high transit fares here, but it's truthfully not inflated over the high costs of anything in london...so i'll have to go with the summer heat of the trains and stations. the trains are not air conditioned, and a high of 117 degrees farenheit on a train was recorded during a heat wave.

best thing about london transit:
the history. not only is the history appealing for a transit geek like me to have the novelty of knowing i'm riding the tube, the oldest underground network in the world--the long transit history also means that they've been in the transit business for a long time and they've got it down. their system technology is cutting edge, and they've stayed ahead of the curve as transit operations go.