Philadelphia Triathlon - 4 weeks away!

Spring Training
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Finally came a good day of triathlon training: 1-mile swimming, 20-mile bike, and 5-mile running. It was not pretty! I grunted audibly as I pedaled uphills. A shopping trip in the afternoon was my reward.

Paradise 5k

Yes, there is an organized race in Paradise, Pennsylvania.
I drove my cousins to Paradise Saturday morning to take park in the 3rd Annual Paradise Park - Joe Heyer 5K Run/ 2 Mile Walk. I was deep in Amish Country by the time I found Paradise. This version of paradise didn't have shirtless muscled men dancing to Madonna. This Paradise had endless farms, horse and buggy rides, Wal-Mart fashion, and people in desperate need of dermatology and dental work.
The filed of 79 runners featured some diamonds in the rough. Even during the warm-up, I noticed some serious runners. I spotted a guy who ended up winning the 5k race in 16 minutes. There was a 13 year-old boy who passed me after a mile and kicked by butt. There was Hutch Strees, an accomplished local triathlete whom I conversed with at the end of the race. Hutch ran an even 6 minute mile so he finished 3 minutes before I did.
I came in around 21:30, good for 22nd place out of 79th runners. I would have won third place in M30-39 division if I could hold my Clean Air 5k pace.

5K Run at Paradise Park
Originally uploaded by bengoc

And there were Santa Claus, who finished dead last, 79th out of 79th. He got the most cheers from a handful of people still hung around well after the elite athletes did another 5k lap. I shouted "Merry Chirstmas!" and my cousins followed suit. Santa posed for photos with my family.

Jerry Farwell and Adolf Hilter

Toilet Humor
Originally uploaded by reflexblue.

Jerry Farwell and Adolf Hilter practiced politics of division. They used religion to incite violence. Gone!

Marathon No. 13 & 14

Two marathons that I started out ok but finished weak

Los Angles Marathon (March 4, 2007)
Chip Time: 04:05:20
Clock Time: 04:15:58
Pace: 9 minutes 21 seconds per mile
Split 10k: 55:44
Split Half: 1:58:56
Split 30k 2:47:44

Geogia Marathon (March 25,2007)
Chip Time: 04:15:13
Clock Time: 04:07:32
Pace: 9 minutes 30 seconds?
Split 10k: 53:00
Split Half: 1:51:29
Split 20 miles 3:01:08

Broad Street Run 2007

A solid run continued my love/hate relationship with the Broad Street Run. I placed 2,060 out of 15,882 finishers with a clock time of 1:16:52 and a chip time of 1:16:52 this year. This was definitely an improvement over my 2005 time when I placed 6,260 out of 12,050 finishers with a clock time of 1:34:55 and chip time of 1:30:08.

I love watching enthusiastic runnings during the race. I hate that many of the Broad Street runners don't line up according to their realistic pace. I love running down on Broad Street looking at great buildings. I hate that a many great buildings on Broad Street are abandoned and in disrepair. I love running on Broad Street. I hate that the finish area is about a mile away from the nearest Broad Street subway station.

Alliance Party

Alliance Party
Originally uploaded by reflexblue.

You're invite.

Your host,
Anh