The stats for the month of August where the weather was quite warm and the HR got quite high from time-to-time because of the heat:
Total Miles Run - 118.85 (according to mapmyrun) Days of Running - 18 Longest Run - 11.60 miles Approx. calories burned - 15,719 Year to Date Miles: 847.63
This is truly a new experience for me. While watching this video I couldn't help but recount when this fire started almost a week ago. It was just a "small fire" that exploded into what it is now. The "Station Fire" (as it is called) is believed to be the largest fire in the history of L.A. country at 122,000+ acres!
Little to close for comfort. I was watching a report last night that this is first time in 50 years this specific just a few miles NW of Pasadena has burned.
Did anyone else watch what Usain Bolt did on Sunday?
There have only been two times during a track and field meet where I was so thrilled with what I just witnessed that I was utterly speechless expect for screaming the winning time. The first was in 1996 when Michael Johnson ran a 19.32 in the 200 meters to shatter the World Record. The second was yesterday as Usain Bolt smashed the world record with a 9.58 in the 100 meter dash.
9.58!!
Freakin’ unreal! I had to figure something out in my head later that day as I was trying to wrap my mind around what I just witnessed. How fast was he running? He was running somewhere around 23 miles per hour. Now, that may not sound very fast because we all drive much faster than that but let’s put it in another perspective. If he sustained his pace for one mile he would complete that mile in 2 minutes, 34 seconds or a 70 seconds faster than the current mile record. Pretty fast, huh? The scary thing is he will probably run faster sometime soon.
Another perspective on this is by using the McMillian Running Calculator which predicts how quickly you could run other distances by using a recent time in any given distance (it’s a very accurate tool). Bolt’s 100 meter time registers out to be less than a two hour marathon (1:50ish)! Um, wow!! The other about the race that is unreal is that Tyson Gay ran an American Record 9.71. That’s the fastest time recorded by anyone not named Usain Bolt! The problem with Gay’s performance was he looked slow compared to Bolt and he was cruising down the track. It’s to bad that he was in third gear while Bolt was definitely in overdrive.
Last night I just turned on Sportscenter to hear the following statement from PETA:
“PETA and millions of decent football fans around the world are disappointed that the Philadelphia Eagles have chosen to sign a man who hanged dogs from trees, electrocuted them with jumper cables, held them underwater until they drowned in his swimming pool, and even threw his own family dogs into the fighting pit to be torn to shreds while he laughed. What sort of message does this send to young fans who care about animals and don't want to see them be harmed?
“PETA certainly hopes that Vick has learned his lesson and feels truly remorseful for his crimes—but since he's given no public indication that that's the case, only time will tell. At this point, all Eagles fans can do is cross their fingers and hope that they won't ever have to explain to their sons and daughters what a "rape rack" is and why their favorite player was using one, as Falcons fans once had to.”
First off, I probably qualify as a “decent football fan” and I’m not disappointed in the Eagles. In fact, I actually applaud them. I don’t get how people can be so unforgiving was my first thought then no less then a moment later, I realized how many Christians do the same thing. What if PETA released a statement that read something along these lines:
“We understand that Michael Vick made a mistake. But that was in the past. We want to help him move forward and help him create a better future.”
Sounds a lot more helpful, hopeful and non-condemning doesn’t it? You could even say it makes a lot more sense. This incident once again reminded me how each of us wants to be the judge and jury. I remember thinking that if my favorite NFL team (the Miami Dolphins) signed him how upset I’d be. But now that he has signed with a team I’m genuinely glad that he is getting a second chance and really wish my team would have taken the risk and signed him (although from a team personnel decision, I’m not sure it would have made sense).
Michael Vick made a dumb decision years ago. Who among us hasn’t? We all want what Michael Vick has been given – a second chance. We don’t need all the extra condemnation that could come with that second chance. This whole idea of wishing for the best among us is certainly not easy but to continually think as a pessimist helps no one. For no other reason just embrace the guy and give him a chance just because he deserves forgiveness as much as you. See if his character has change. It won’t hurt you. I promise.
Furthermore, this attacking method of reaction to the situation helps NO ONE. In fact, it really breeds a sentiment of discontent within your own soul. Same as those in the church who preach something of the “Hell Fire and Brimstone” theology. Positive thinking is still possible. Forgiveness and grace isn’t a foreign concept. A shift won’t happen over night mind you but, can we make a conscience effort to start thinking and acting this way, please?
“Do you know how you tell real love? It’s when someone else’s interest trumps your own. I like to put it that way: trumps your own. Love of somebody else—of family, of your kids—becomes the most important, most worthwhile thing in your life. It’s what you foster and protect. You have to recognize real love when it’s there and know that in going after it there is always risk. To live with love, you have to chance losing it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become aware that time is fleeting. I don’t want to waste whatever I have left. I want to spend it with the people I love, and I want to do things that really mean something.”
Whenever you read movie reviews and your hear the following - “A near perfect movie” OR “Ferociously Suspenseful” – it has to be a must watch movie. This independent film is freakin’ amazing. It is so well done on so many levels.
While I have never been in a war situation this movie has to come pretty close to what being a soldier in the middle east right now. If you haven’t seen a film about the Iraq war that was good, then wait no more. This flick really is amazing from start to finish. The central theme of Hurt Locker is how war can be an addiction and what that does to an individual and those under his command. The writing is fantastic and the acting is beyond first rate. At times you felt like you were watching a news cast of actual events rather than a movie where the action has been predetermined.
