Gay Sex and Advanced Calculus

Philadelphia Marathon 2011

2011-12-11T15:10:00.002-05:00

It was my 7th Philly marathon in 7 years, and I'm happy to extend this long term relationship. Otherwise, it was not very memorable. It was a nice day to run, and it seemed that this race was getting bigger every year.

I was aiming for 3:45 and I finished at 3:45:59. I knew my second half would be slower and my body would start to break down. True. True. I was ok until around mile 11, keeping pace with the 3:30 group. I reached the half point at 1:41 but the way to Manuyunk seemed so far and my pace gradually slowed down. I started to walk at each fluid station. The 3:40 pace group passed by as I barely kept a 10 minute pace for the last 3 miles.

I was very happy to see the Boat House row and the Art Museum!

The nice thing about finishing this race is that for the first year ever, all my marathon times are under 4 hours.

New York City Marathon 2011

2011-11-12T18:12:00.003-05:00

I ran the New York City Marathon last weekend. I finished at 3:32 which was among my best time. Unlike most participants, I never thought that this marathon was special and I didn't feel any extra excitement coming into this race. Here are a few things I remember:

1. Getting to the start line took a lot of coordination. I had to take a subway, a ferry and a bus to get to my participants' village. Then I had to wait around for about 2 hours to get into my corral. Once my corral got moved toward the start line, it would be about 20 more minutes until I crossed the start line. Wisely, portable toilets were readily available without long lines throughout the waiting ordeal.
2. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start was beautiful. I had to cross about 5 bridges but the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was the only one that made an impression on me. The rest I was probably too tired to pay attention.
3. This was a big race! There were people everywhere. For most of the 26.2 miles, I was surrounded by runners with barely enough elbow space.

4. The crowd support was amazing. People were everywhere cheering for all runners. It was so noisy and fantastic!
5. Fluid stations and electronic timing mats were on every mile. This was definitely a benefit of a big marathon.
6. Once I crossed the finish line, it seemed like I had to walk a mile in the runners-only zone until I could reach the general area.

Halong Bay among new 7 wonders

2011-11-12T08:15:00.002-05:00

The Amazon rainforest, Vietnam's Halong Bay and Argentina's Iguazu Falls have been named among the world's new seven wonders of nature, according to organisers of a poll.
The other four are South Korea's Jeju Island, Indonesia's Komodo, the Philippines' Puerto Princesa Underground River and South Africa's Table Mountain, the New7Wonders foundation said, citing provisional results.

New York, NY

2011-11-05T06:42:00.003-05:00

I am returning to New York City this weekend to run a marathon. I'll have to wear a little for clothes but I'm hoping for the same spectacular finish!

Wetsuits

2011-11-04T13:22:00.002-05:00

I love a good wetsuit! It protects me from jellyfish and cold water. It keeps me afloat so I can focus on my swimming technique. I'm putting away my wetsuits for the season and I can't wait to wear them again in the spring.

Urban Exploration

2011-10-30T11:34:00.003-05:00

Right off of the Schuylkill River Trail is an abandoned water mill. It's somewhat hidden by trees. You have to go through a muddy trail to get there but it's worth a visit.

Provincetown West End

2011-10-21T05:41:00.001-05:00

Confession of a Fins swimmer 100 x 100

2011-10-17T19:42:00.002-05:00

I swarm 6.2 mies in one workout! I never imagined I would be able to do it. The most I had done prior to last weekend was a 3 mile open water swim.
This time, it was at a 50 meters outdoor pool at the fancy Upper Main Line YMCA. It was a special workout organized by the Delaware Valley Masters Swimming.
For the first 50 100's, I kept a 2:10 pace freestyle. My pace was easy, and I had about 5 seconds in between repetitions. For the last 50 100's, I did 50 free / 50 breast at 2:20 interval with a extra minute rest for every 500. I used the minute rest to sip on my Gatorade and looked around.
I wasn't the slowest person at the workout, but I was by far the slowest swimmer among the six who completed the 100 x 100. Most of the swimmers there did the 50 x 100 option, finishing in about 90 minutes.

I felt fine afterward. I did look up in my blog that it was in April 2007 that I completed my first 100 freestyle swim, and it was in September 2007 that I was able to swim 2 x 100 freestyle back-to-back. It was also in late 2007 that I was able to reach 2000 yards in one 90 minute swim practice. I've come a long way from those days in Lane Six!

Steamtown Marathon 2011

2011-10-11T21:14:00.003-05:00

I ran a personal best of 3:15:13 at Steamtown Marathon last weekend. I can loosely claim that I qualified for the 2012 Boston Marathon. However, it's full. Starting with 2013, there is a new qualification standard which is 5:13 minutes faster than my time for my age group. Now I have a new goal time for next year!

Steamtown Marathon 10 days away

2011-09-29T21:37:00.003-05:00

After running 600 miles in the last 4 months, I like my chances of setting a personal best in my next marathon. Certainly, training hasn't been easy. There were days that I struggled to get my ass off of my couch to lace up. There were runs that no matter how I tried, I couldn't get up to my target pace. There were also some amazing runs along the way.

I'm looking forward to see what I can do in Scranton!

From Running

Confessions of a Fins Swimmer

2011-09-24T16:48:00.003-05:00

Running has been my No. 1 priority for the past 3 months. I still go to swim practices about twice a week during my off days from running. Fins practices are always fun and social; and can be easy if I swim last in my lane.

My pace has suffered a little bit. At my best earlier this year, I was able to swim 100 free at 1:35 easily. Now I have to hurry to come in under 1:40. Once it a while when I have to swim with faster swimmers, I still manage to sprint a 100 under 1:30, and that's now a cause to celebrate.

I don't even try to do IM sets anymore. Attempting a 25 fly last Thursday almost killed me. I'm ok with 25 back, but a 50 back would kill me as well. Even my breaststroke has gotten slower.

Steamtown Marathon - 8 weeks away

2011-08-14T06:59:00.002-05:00

I'm in full marathon training mood as the Steamtown Marathon is 8 weeks away. I've been running about 30 miles a week for the past few weeks, and the mileage will increase starting this week!

From Greater Philadelphia Pentathlon Track Meet 2011

Confessions of a Fins Swimmer

2011-08-09T20:48:00.001-05:00

Kelly Pool, located next to the Please Touch Museum / Memorial Hall, is by far the best 50m pool in Philadelphia. Fins swimmers talk about swimming there year round. We savor each practice there. Yet the pool, along with other Philadelphia city pools, opens for less than 2 months out of the year.

2011 Winter and Spring Races

2011-07-14T21:12:00.004-05:00

New York City Frontrunners Indoors Masters Track Meet
1 mile and 2 mile races.
Not a lot of expectation for my first time running on a short track.

From Dan Anders Photography

Cherry Blossom 10-Miler
Personal best for this distance in a very hilly course! This was definitely my best race so far this year.

From Dan Anders Photography

Garden Spot Village Marathon
I started out slow, and got slower and couldn't keep up with my 3:40 pacer ladies.

From Dan Anders Photography

Dirty Germans 50k Trail
Kind of easy course for a trail run. I had a modest goal of finishing under 6 hours, and I did.

From Dan Anders Photography

JWJ Beach House Memorial 5k
Bethany Beach, DE
I had problems breathing in this race due to the high humidity and my lack of training. I still managed to get 3rd place in my age group!

FFrom Dan Anders Photography

Confessions of a Fins Swimmer

2011-01-23T16:32:00.003-05:00

As the Philly Fins expanded practices to 5 times a week, I have been going 4 times a week this month. Perhaps because of the added practice, the pool this January hasn't been as crowded as I'd expect. We usually have 4-6 people per lane. I mostly swim in lane 2. There is a hot new doctor swimming in lane 2. He's too slow for lane 2 now, but no one wants this eye candy to swim in another lane :)

I usually swim first when we do stroke or kick sets, and move back when we do freestyle. I'm comfortable with doing 1:45 pace for 100 free and 3:40 pace for 200 free. My 100 kick or stroke pace is 2:15. Today, we did a rare 2 x 500 set. I went second. My time for the first 500 was 8:08. I moved up front 200 yards into the second set, and ended up just under 8 minutes.

Tri Another Year

2010-12-31T15:22:00.004-05:00

It has been quite a year in my triathlon activities. 250 miles swimming. 500 miles bicycling. 1000 miles running.

Swim

My freestyle improved significantly this year as I moved from Lane 5 to Lane 4 (now Lane 2). My best time for 100 yards was 1:22 at the Fins time trial. I swam 200 yards for under 3:00 a few times during practice. I'm still most comfortable swimming breaststroke, but I don't think I made any progress breaststroking this year.

My swimming highlight for 2010 was my Cologne Gay Games 200 meters medley relay with Jan, Pat LL, and Donald. We were the Fins' B-team. Expectations were low but we had plenty of spirit. Pat LL swam our best leg on his back, giving our team a big lead. I barely held on to the lead during my breaststroke leg. I got out of the pool to watch Jan. It was probably Jan's first attempt at 50 fly at a meet. He got through without getting disqualified, which was what we hoped. Donald then jumped while our team was in either 4th or 5th spot. He swam the best 50 free I had ever seen him swim, and grabbed the 3rd spot for our team!

Bike

Most of my miles on my bike came from my summer commute to work. I bought my first tri bike, and I managed to lose control and fell of the bike on my first ride. A half Iron-distance tri will have to wait.

Run

Running was definitely my best event in 2010. I set personal bests for 5k, 10k, 10 miles, and marathon. With these personal bests, I reached quite a few milestones: first 5k under 20 minutes, first 10 mile race at 7 min pace, and first marathon under 3:30 hours. Crossing the finish line with my partner at the Death Valley Trail Marathon and 30k race was definitely another highlight.

Personal Record at Philadelphia Marathon 2010

2010-11-25T16:21:00.002-05:00

Well, kids, training does make a huge difference. I trained well for the Philadelphia Marathon this year, and I had my most amazing marathon race ever. I set a personal record. I went under 3:30 for the first time. I had my first negative split. It was the race that I had always wanted to run since I started running 6 years ago.

I started out with the 3:30 group and hung in with them for the first 9 miles. I broke away after mile 9. By mile 15, I was between the 3:30 and the 3:20 groups. I slowed down a little bit the last 5 miles but never too far out of my pace. Half way through, I knew I was in a position to break my personal best, and that reason gave me a huge motivation to push through.

So, now I can put aside my under-performance at the Philly marathon. I always had one reason or another to run poorly at this race. I beat my time last year by 1:21. Here are all my Philly times:

2010 3:28:42

2009 4:49:57

2008 4:32:22

2007 4:14:14

2006 4:12:05

2005 4:25:29

2004 4:56:53

Confessions of a Fins swimmer

2010-11-16T22:49:00.002-05:00

Fins locker room
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

In the past few months, I have reached another milestone in the pool: swimming 4,000 yards in a Fins practice. At first I thought I mis-counted, because many Fins swimmers including myself can't count from 1 to 8 during a set. I counted again a few times, and now it's not really a big deal anymore to go over 4,000 yards in a distance focused freestyle set.

Philly marathon training, week 7

2010-11-14T23:20:00.003-05:00

From Picasa File Photo

November 8-14 (one week until the Philadelphia marathon
Monday: swim
Tuesday: swim
Wednesday: chest, run
Thursday: swim
Friday: biceps and triceps, run
Saturday: swim, run
Sunday: rest

Total for the week: 9 miles swim and 22 miles run

Training is over! It's race time!

Philly Marathon training, week 6

2010-11-07T16:40:00.003-05:00

November 1 to 7 (2 more weeks until the Philly Marathon)

Monday: swim
Tuesday: chest & triceps, run
Wednesday: run
Thursday: swim
Friday: rest
Saturday: swim
Sunday: Ben Franklin Bridge Challenge 10k (43:56 chip time)

Total for the week: 6 miles swim and 21 miles run

Philly Marathon training, week 5

2010-10-31T13:21:00.006-05:00

Oct 25 to 31 (3 more weeks until the Philly Marathon)

Monday: rest
Tuesday: run
Wednesday: chest & triceps, run
Thursday: swim (J's circuit workout)
Friday: biceps, run
Saturday: swim (Fins mini-meet)
Sunday: long run - Fruit Loop twice plus 3 miles.

Total for the week: 2 miles swim & 45 miles run.

Running has been my No. 1 focus for the past month. I ran 180 miles in October, which is about 6 miles average a day. I'm feeling good easing into a slow-down period before the marathon 3 weeks from now.

Philly Marathon training, week 4

2010-10-24T15:33:00.004-05:00

Oct 18 to 24 (4 more weeks until the Philly Marathon)

Monday: swim (highlight was 6x100 set at 1:50 interval when everyone in my lane came in under 1:30 every 100).
Tuesday: swim
Wednesday: sick
Thursday: sick
Friday: sick
Saturday: long run
Sunday: Fruit Loop @ 1:05, ahead of Kevin by about 2 minutes.

Total for the week: 4 miles swim & 26 miles run.

It was a tough week for me, battling a cold and waking up on Saturday morning with zero miles running for the week. The sunny and warm weather helped to bring me out of bed and logged 16 miles on Saturday and 10 miles on Sunday.

Philly Marathon training, week 3

2010-10-17T12:35:00.003-05:00

Oct 11 to 17

Monday: run
Tuesday: swim
Wednesday: chest, run
Thursday: swim
Friday: run in the morning, biceps / back in the evening
Saturday: 5k race - Southwest Center City 5k http://www.swccrun.org/ 20:53; 12th place overall.
Sunday: long run

Total for the week: 4 miles swim & 47 miles run.

From Gay Sex and Advanced Calculus

Philly marathon training, week 2

2010-10-10T16:18:00.003-05:00

Oct 4 to Oct 10
Monday: swim
Tuesday: run
Wednesday: run
Thursday: run, swim at the JW Marriott pool
Friday: rest day
Saturday: run
Sunday: run

Total for the week: 2 miles swim & 45 miles run.

Philly Marathon training, week 1

2010-10-03T16:42:00.005-05:00

I have 8 weeks to train for the Philly Marathon while maintaining my swim and weight training routine.

Sep 28 to Oct 3
Monday: chest & triceps, run
Tuesday: swim
Wednesday: back, run
Thursday: swim
Friday: biceps, run
Saturday: swim
Sunday: run

Total for the week: 6 miles swim & 25 miles run. It was not easy to get back to train mode, and I hope I can stay focused to reach my goal.

Fast Forward

2010-10-03T12:58:00.002-05:00

I lost track of time during the summer. Time seemed to fly by between all my weekend trips, happy hours, and lazy days doing absolutely nothing! I did manage to complete a few races:

02-Aug Cologne Gay Games 10k 42:59 (personal best)
05-Aug Cologne Gay Games 5k 20:19
07-Aug Cologne Gay Games Marathon 3:55:16 (splits: 1:53:18 first half; 2:01:57 second half)

15-August Philadelphia Track Pentathlon (5 running events)
3000 meters - 11:39.96 (64.22%)
800 meters - 2:42.31 (62.47%)
200 meters - 33.36 (60.07%)
1500 metes - 5:24.75 (64.26%)
400 meters - 73.44 (60.61%)

05-September Labor Pain 12 Hour Endurance Trail Run: 40 miles / twisted right ankle
19-September Rock N Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon: 02:36:46 (paced with cousin)

As the fall has arrived, I'm training again with a renewed focus. Philly Marathon, here I come!

Confessions of a Fins Swimmer

2010-09-11T07:58:00.002-05:00

Breaststroke
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I have settled into Lane 4 for nearly a year now. I'm at the slow end of the lane when we do 1:45 intervals for 100 free. I may need to skip a 50 when we have 3:15 pace for 200 free. Otherwise, I manage to pace nicely with my lane-mates. I tend to do well in kick sets, sprint sets, as well as whenever breaststroke is involved. I don't do as well in distance sets. I swim 3500 yards in a typical practice.

One athlete’s journey to represent Team Philadelphia at the 2010 Gay Games

2010-07-27T20:42:00.004-05:00

I am on my way to the Gay Games, and here is an article about it in the local newspaper

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/On-the-Right-Track.html

“I feel fortunate to live my life as an openly gay person and to have full acceptance from my family and friends,” he says, “and I hope to inspire others to always strive for their personal best in whatever they do.”

What happened in June 2010

2010-07-05T16:44:00.001-05:00

Philadelphia Triathlon 2010
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Swim: 30 miles
Bike: 140 miles
Run: 43 miles
Lifting: 8 times

I set a personal best for most yards swam in a calendar month by swimming 30 miles in June. I basically swam 4 times a week with the Fins. I missed one practice but made up for it by swimming on my own twice at Philly public pools.

June was also the month when I added another exercise to my routine: biking 30 miles to work. It took about 2 hours each way. I think I can do this once a week in the summer and early fall.

What happened in May 2010?

2010-06-10T21:32:00.003-05:00

Swimming 16 miles and running 42 miles seemed to be an off month for me, but May 2010 was a great workout month for me.

I set a personal best at the Broad Street Run at 1:10:27 which placed me in the top 3 percent of all finishers. I finished 3rd in my age group at the University City 5k run on Drexel campus. I looked pretty in pink running the ODDyssey Half Marathon, and finished well at the Got the Nerve Triathlon in Mt Gretna, PA. The bike portion of the triathlon was tough for me, but that was the best part.

In the pool, my freestyle has gradually improved. Within the past few months, my 100 yard free pace has dropped by about 10 seconds. Now I can comfortably clock in at 1:40. My fast 100 yard freestyle is between 1:25 and 1:30

I went to the gym exactly 3 times in May for chest and triceps. I'd lose all my muscles and strength very soon.

April 2010 Workout Summary

2010-05-08T06:58:00.003-05:00

Run: 70 miles (vs. 125 miles in March). Highlights:
10-April Garden Spot Village Marathon: 3:43:04; 8:30 pace; 55th overall; 6/48 M35-39
11-April Fruit Loop win #2 (Joe walked to finish behind Frank). My loop time was a personal best, around 62 minutes.
17-April Clean Air Councils 5K Run: 19:52.1 (personal best); 6:25 pace; 30/1300 total finishers; 27/578 M; 5/65 M35-39
18-April Penn Relays 20k Distance Classic: 1:33:06 7:30 pace; 57/187 total finishers; 7/25 M30-39
24-April Fruit Loop win #3 (Joe tried to pass me at Mile #6, but I wasn't going down without a fight; almost had to send out a search team for Kevin)

Swim: 25 miles (vs. 8.5 miles in March). I was back to my January swim pace and mileage.

Bike: twice ... 10 minutes each! My triathlon race is 2 weeks away!

Weightlifting: back to my once a week maintenance plan.

March 2010 Workout Summary

2010-04-04T20:56:00.003-05:00

March 22 was when Rotarix was in the news for a possible contamination with a pig virus. From that moment until end of March, my training program was thrown out the window. Thus, most of my workouts were from March 1 to March 21.

Running: 125 miles (vs. 120 miles in February). I had a good transition from running on the treadmill to road running as the temperature rose above 40 degrees. I feel fantastic knowing that I can roll out of bed, run a half marathon, shower, and have breakfast under 2 hours total.

Swimming: 8.5 miles (vs. 14 miles in February and 25 miles in January). Wow, I knew I would swim less but I would not imagine swimming less than 10 miles a month. I was still mostly in Lane 4 whenever I showed up, but I kept skipping practices.

My only good set was a 4 x 100 descent on March 2. It was toward the end of the practice. This freestyle set was after a stroke set, so I was feeling good while everyone was a little out of breath. I was swimming second in Lane 4. I kept pace with the lane leader for the first two 100's. I sped up after the first 50 of the third 100, as I was supposed to. I was amazed that I closed in on him at 75 yards. After the turn and the glide, I was inches away from tapping his toes. I eased up a little bit to finish this third 100. I was ready to start the last 100, which was the designed to be the fastest. I started out fast and turned well during the first 50. Relaxed a little bit after 50 yards by gliding longer and extending the first 5 strokes. Then I imagined doing a 50 sprint and went all out. I caught up with the lane leader at the last 10 yards. I looked at the clock when I finished, and for the first time ever, I swam 100 yards freestyle under 1:25. I haven't been able to repeat this time again, so I hope that I read the clock properly.

Weightlifting: I was doing well the first 2 weeks of March, but as the weather became nice, I didn't want to to the gym. I can't blame this on Rotarix. I caught spring fever!

February 2010 Workout Sumary

2010-03-13T16:56:00.003-05:00

Run = 120 miles (vs. 75 miles last month). I practically married my treadmills during this snowy month.

Best treadmill runs
30 minutes / 4.3 miles
60 minutes / 8.3 miles
70 minutes / 9.8 miles
90 minutes / 12.48 miles
100 minutes / 13.48 miles

Swim = approximately 14 miles (vs. 25 miles last month). Twice a week; typically 3000 yards per practice.

Weighlifting = increased to 4 times a week but each workout was shorter.

It was another great month. I feel like I'm in the best running shape of my life.

Confessions of a Lane 5 Swimmer

2010-03-07T19:38:00.002-05:00

Swim for Life Again
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I have mostly swam in Lane 4 for the past several months. I'm not sure if that's because I'm getting faster or the Fins is getting slower. At first I felt out of breath, and I had to sit out a few 50's. Now I'm beginning to feel comfortable. I realized that I belonged in Lane 4 when I led during a 800 stroke set, and continued to lead during the next set, which was 4 x 100 pull. I still struggled with bad forms, but I have found a way to use my upper body strength to power my way through water. It's probably not ideal, but I work with what I have.

January 2010 Workout Summary

2010-01-31T23:17:00.002-05:00

Fins Postal Swim 2010
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Run = 75 miles. Mostly on treadmill. Average pace under 8 minutes per mile; longest run was only 11 miles.

Swim = approximately 25 miles. About 3300 yards per practice in lane 4 or 5. Highlight was the postal swim (3150 yards in 60 minutes).

Weighlifting = back to 3 times a week. Starting to regain some strength!

Overall, I had a great workout month to go along with a balanced diet. Can't wait to see if I can keep up in February!

12th & Spruce

2010-01-23T12:54:00.001-05:00

chartreuse
Originally uploaded by helloshirin

No intersection in Center City Philadelphia is more fascinating to me than 12th & Spruce! It's in the heart of the gayborhood. It is still the tranny hooker corner, but the arrival of trendy Tria restaurant has made this corner even more representative of Philly! You can see young straight people having fancy cheese while watching cracked out crack dealers across the street. Out-of-town gays and budget minded straights staying at the Alexander Inn are probably not used to see tranny hookers taking over the corner from midnight to about 6 a.m. And then we have the high end flower shop Chartreuse that never seems to be open, and the crumbling Oddfellows building that is waiting to be fixed up. I love people watching at this corner, but I know better to keep my feet moving before a slow-moving driver asks me if I want to have a good time!

Sinking Feet and Lazy Elbows

2009-12-23T18:17:00.003-05:00

I am on track to reach 40,000 yards in the pool this month. I have gone to most practices this month. I have been able to swim about 3,000 yards per practice.
I'm working on my sinking feet and my lazy right elbow. But the most exciting thing is that I have started to breath on my left side. I can do it now, but it hasn't felt naturally yet. I have to pause momentarily to tilt my head to the left. Some times I tilt too much, some times too little. I hope bilateral breathing will help my body position, although I have not realized that benefit just yet.

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer

2009-12-01T23:10:00.002-05:00

Philly Fins
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

It's nice to be able to swim 3,000 yards in a practice again!!! I consistently crossed 3,000 yards while I was in Lane 4. Then I got distracted with running marathons, playing with my dog, making dinners, and dealing with the 2009 swine flu. Now I'm back in Lane 5, and barely making it it.

I swam in Lane 5 with James and Grace, who were better swimmers. James didn't say a word but the thought of skipping a 50 and getting a disapproving look from him shamed me into keeping up. I did skipped a 50 during the 8 x 200 main set. My pace was a little slower than my lane mates', but they had more rest to help pull me along. I think James stopped when he reached 3,000 yards, while Grace and I continued with our 15 x 50 set. We were on the 10th when practice ended. This was one a few practices that I could swim 30 more minutes!

I only plan to swim twice a week for the next several months, so I just hope to be able to reach 3,000 yards every practice.

IMG_0128

2009-11-29T09:20:00.001-05:00

IMG_0128
Originally uploaded by lindatheklaweiss

Fall 2009 Races

2009-11-29T09:18:00.002-05:00

RiverFest 5-mile trail run “Run for Change” – September 12, 2009
37:44
18th out of 111 overall finishers
This race was on easy soft trail through the woods of Valley Forge National Historical Park. I started out fast and hung on to finish strong. Dan and Casey waited for me at the finish line.

Philadelphia Distance Run – September 20, 2009
I set a personal record for a half marathon, so this was my best run this year.
http://reflexblue.blogspot.com/2009/09/dewey-beach-triathlon-and-philly.html

Blues Cruise 50k Ultra Trail Race – October 4, 2009
Official time hasn’t been posted yet, but my clock time was 6 hours and 10 minutes.
Blues Cruise 2009 had 173 registered runners and 140 finishers. The trail was tough and hilly at times, but mostly soft. This was my second longest run. I ran too fast the first half and paid dearly on the way back. I had a great supporting team (Dan and Casey).

Des Moines Marathon – October 18, 2009
4:02:33
595th out of 1,375 finishers
445th out of 824 male finishers
Perfect day for running. Course had rolling hills the first 8 miles then flat for the rest. I felt great the first 20 miles, then had some tough spots but still finished strong.

Ben Franklin Bridge 10k – November 1, 2009
48:14
354th out of 2285 finishers
294th out of 1140th male finishers
My first race wearing full drag! I started out running with Dan, but broke away after the first mile. I raised my purse and fixed my wig as I passed runners on my way to a strong finish. Not quite my personal course best of 45:11 in 2007 but I definitely had more fun.

Philadelphia Marathon – November 22, 2009
4:49:57
5906th out of 7485 finishers
3702nd out of 4370 male finishers
Half way mark was 2:24:01; not quite negative split but close enough
I was still recovering from the swine flu so crossing the finish line was my personal goal. I better not run any slower for the next 10 years!

Ben Franklin Bridge 10k

2009-11-03T22:51:00.001-05:00

_DSC1607
Originally uploaded by smehrlich1220

Yes, you can!

Dewey Beach Triathlon and Philly Distance Run

2009-09-20T19:42:00.004-05:00

Chi Chi Bankok is going to have to stay in the closet for a little longer. I thought about racing in drag to distract the fact that my running time has been, ugh, dragging. My drag alter ego Chi Chi Bankok has been in the closet since Miss Patricia Bambridge's Beauty Ball. The Philadelphia Distance Run today was supposed to be Chi Chi Bankok's racing debut.

As I got up this morning, Miss Bankok said she wasn't ready for her close-up. I left her in the closet and off I went to the race. I put on my black racing shorts, my black and white racing tee, and my sunglasses. No money, no iPhone. I got into my assigned coral and stayed focus on the race.

My first two miles were slow as I held back. FRP's Joe S passed me. PFP's Tony F also passed me. I started to get comfortable once I got back to the Ben Franklin Parkway, seeing the last several corals barely got out of the starting line. I increased my pace a little bit once I set foot on to the familiar Martin Luther King Drive. I started to pass people. FRP's Marty. FRP's Tony. Drexel's Ross. Joe S. Bruce. I was thrilled that I passed Bruce that I may have pushed a little too much. I started to run out of steam around mile 12. What kept me going was the realization that I was on pace for a personal best, and a loud scream from my friend Kevin just before mile 13. "Anh, FINISH STRONG," he said. I knew he was watching so I pulled myself together and sprinted toward the finish line. The clock time was under 1:39.

Chip time 1:36:43
Clock time 1:38:47
5k split 23:58
10k split 47:25
10 mile split 1:14:24
Average pace 7:23

Male 35-39: 165th out of 949 male 35-39 finishers
Male: 976th out of 5853 male finishers
Overall: 1,180th out of 12,274 overall finishers

Once again, the Philadelphia Distance Run brought the best out of me. I had another personal best in a half-marathon road race, the day after I completed a sprint triathlon.

What can I say about the Dewey Beach Triathlon, other than an opportunity for me to parade around in public wearing nothing but a speedo?
The ocean waves were rough this year, so my swim time was 6 minutes (20 percent) slower. My bike and run times were slight better, but my overall time ended up being 5 minutes slower than my time last year. I liked this triathlon because it was not very competitive, and the bike course was easy. Having completed this race the past two years, I don't think I will come back again.

35

2009-09-18T10:10:00.002-05:00

P-town
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Turning 35 was not a big deal for me. I did look back, with wonders, at all the amazing things that were part of my life for the past five years.
I reinvented myself as a runner, running over 20 marathons and over a handful of trail races as well as all the big road races in Philadelphia. I started swimming with the Philadelphia Fins Aquatics Club in 2006. Soon enough, I became one of the regulars in the pool, and I have been the Fins president for the past two years. Making public appearances in my speedo has become a regular routine. I started doing triathlons as well as stand-alone open water swim races. I did the MS150 City to Shore Bike Tour. I ran an ultramarathon. I ran a one-mile leg of the Penn Relays. I became more involved with Philadelphia local politics. I started an annual trek to Provincetown. I surround myself with an amazing group of friends. I have a wonderful partner and a cute black lab. Life is good.

Second Wind

2009-09-07T05:56:00.000-05:00

I am back on my feet, running 25 to 30 miles a week. I am training for a 50k trail race, as well as two marathons later this year. My motivation was primarily to prepare my body for Provincetown!
I only ran about 8 miles a week for the past year, so going back up to 25 miles was not easy. I had to slow down to make sure that I could reach my target miesl My body was still in shape, so the second week went by a lot smoother. The 15-mile training run on my birthday was a breeze.
I am hoping to keep running 25 to 30 miles a week for the next 3 months, so I can perhaps see another sub-4 hour marathon time!

Open Water Swims

2009-08-01T15:04:00.002-05:00

I am enjoying the summer racing in open water swims.
First, I did the swimming portion of the Philadelphia Triathlon. We started from the St. Joe’s Boathouse on Kelly Drive and swam downstream, and made a right into the transition area. Yes, that was the Schuylkill River. My time was 26:44 minutes, and the swim time for my team was 38th out of 55 Olympics distance relay teams.

The Schulkill River was very clean. I could see the bottom of the river at some point. My second swim was the Maryland Swim for Life. The water at the Chester River was filthy. The day was sunny but when my face was in the river, it was pitch black. Participants in this S4L could pick between 1 and 5 miles to swim. I swam 2 miles in 1:16:33.3, and placed 16th of of 19 male under 45 years of age. This was the longest swim distance I completed.

Next up, a week later, was the Ocean City, NJ One-Mile Masters Ocean Race. The race started from 42nd Street beach and proceed north until the finish at 34th Street. The water was slightly cold, but the sea was calm. I finished at 29:52, 282nd out of 282nd out of 374 finishers. I was 6th out 7 people in my age group. Awards were given to the top 6, so I got my first ever ocean swim award!

Back On My Feet 20in24 Race (2009)

2009-07-20T22:04:00.001-05:00

Back On My Feet 20in24 Race (2009)
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I ran 50 miles last year, but only 8.5 miles this year as part of a relay team. The weather was not as hot this year. I looked at all the Lone Rangers and suddenly felt like doing another ultra. Next year!

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer

2009-06-20T16:16:00.002-05:00

Fins @ Philly Gay Pride Parade 2009
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I am still learning to pace myself out so I can keep my energy level up for the entire 90 minute workout. Typically, I start out fast during the warm-up set, then struggle to keep up for the main sets. My kick is getting good, but my pull still needs work. I like Lane 5's interval for freestyle and longer sets, but for sprint and stroke sets I can follow Lane 4's interval. I get in either Lane 4 or 5 these days, depending on who's at the pool.

Wissahickon Trail Classic 10k

2009-06-07T20:27:00.002-05:00

Wow, I got a personal record at the Wissahickon Trail Classic 10k this weekend. This is the only trail race that I know of within the City of Philadelphia. I ran this race twice before, and it's a pleasant surprise to have a PR while I am not i a top running shape.
I walked a lot going uphill, but I made up during the flat and downhill portions. Threw up a little bit toward the end. Landed on the wrong part of my feet 3 times. Fell once (at the next to last turn going downhill before the finish).

Come Out and Swim 2009

2009-05-30T19:54:00.003-05:00

200 SCY breaststroke 3:22.42
100 SCY breaststroke 1:35.55
100 SCY freestyle 1:22.12
50 SCY breastroke 43.08

I also swam 50 breaststroke leg of the 200 IM relay with Jeff Rice, Marc Forget, and Minh Truong.

This was the first meet that I swam freestyle, and that I swam a relay. It was also the first meet that I placed in my age group, for the 200 yard breaststroke.

I was one of the organizers of the meet, so this was 6 months in the making. I was involved with all aspects of the meet. My main task toward the end was to coordinate 40 volunteers to work for the meet event. Luckily, volunteers showed up on time. After giving a quick orientation, I transfer the supervisor duty to my friend Eric, so I could start warming up for my first event.

The 100 yard freestyle was the most difficult for me. Although I practiced this about 100 times, I was very nervous swimming freestyle for the first time in a meet. I did well, but I almost had no energy left for my last event, 50 yard breast, which was only about 5 minutes after my freestyle swim.

Delaware Marathon 2009

2009-05-19T06:17:00.003-05:00

They listed me as female again, but my time was too slow to win a female age group award :)

It was a rainy and windy marathon. The course was changed so this year we ran 2 loops instead of 4. It was still a very small race, and since I was in the second half of the pack, people were friendly!

I started out doing 9 minute mile pace for the first 10 miles, and gradually started to slow down to 10 minute mile pace. Cramped up first at mile 19, then again at mile 23. I walked for a few minutes to give my muscles a rest, but got my second and third winds to finish the race at 4 hours and 27 minutes.

The time was slow for me, but crossing the finishing line was definitely another personal triumph!

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer

2009-05-15T22:41:00.002-05:00

My 50 SCY freestyle is 38 seconds, and my 100 SCY is 1:26 seconds in a recent time trial during a Fins practice. I should still be in Lane 5, but since we have had more inexperience swimmers joining, I found myself mostly in Lane 4 the past month.

I am usually the slowest swimmer in Lane 4. The 100 yard interval for Lane 4 is usually 1:40. I really need 1:50. If we do 6 x 100, then I can do the first two 200, then sit out a 50 to catch a breath and re-align my lane positions.

I think my hand entry and recovery improve, but I my kick is still week, and I still can't breath well on the left side.

Broad Street Run 2009

2009-05-15T20:32:00.002-05:00

The Broad Street Run is getting bigger every year, and I am starting to like it. The coral start is new this year, and it is great for me to stay ahead of 20,000 slower runners / walkers.

My time is two minutes slower this year, but I am thrilled to have gone under 80 minutes.

I am done with the M30-34 age group for this race, so here are my results from the past 5 years:

2009: 1:16:09; 371st out of 1943 men in my age group
2008: 1:14:13; 238th out of 1504 men in my age group
2007: 1:16:23; 277th out of 1329 men in my age group
2006: did not run
2005: 1:30:08; 708th out of 1108 men in my age group

Judge Anders & Friends At Clean Air 5k

2009-05-02T07:13:00.003-05:00

I organized two team of runners and walkers, Judge Anders and Friends I & II, for the Clean Air 5k race this year. Team members were me & my parents, Dan and his parents, Fins swimmers, and many of my personal friends.
Dan ended up getting a cold for the day, so he was the photographer for Team Anders. Dan's parents won age-group prizes (70+ male and female). It was my parents' first race ever. They walked the course and finished together just under an hour.

My time was 21:22. That was 62 seconds slower than my time last year, but I was thrilled with that time. It was nice to be with friends and family. I also enjoyed seeing members of the Frontrunners Philadelphia (gay running team) and Falcons (gay soccer team), as well as many random people whom I never thought were runners. The weather was great, and the Clean Air Council put together another fantastic event.

Jury Duty with Philly Mayor Nutter

2009-04-02T16:01:00.004-05:00

I was on jury duty today. I was selected for a criminal case (robbery and illegal posession of fire arms on North block of 29th St. in January 2008). I was juror number 28. Juror no 19 was Philly mayor Michael Nutter. The mayor got a lot of looks when he first came in to the wait room, but most people left him alone for the rest of the day. He said hello to a few people but mostly kept to himself.

After waiting around for 5 hours, I was excused because of a personal connection. Not sure if Nutter was selected or excused.
Trial hasn't even started yet!

Timeline
8:15 am check-in, fill out survey no. 1
8:45 am - briefed on logistics for the day
9:00 am - received video instructions on how to fill out survey no. 1
9:15 am - received instructions from a judge
10:00 am - selected for a criminal case along with 49 other people
10:15 am - moved to a court room
10:30 am - moved to another court room; filled out survey no. 2
11:15 am - sent to lunch
12:30 pm - reported back from lunch
1:00 pm - sent to jury room behind court room 807
1:10 pm - sent to court room. Judge asked me two questions and sent me out.
1:15 pm - received the $9.00 stipend and sent home

vote for speedo power

2009-03-27T21:35:00.005-05:00

vote for speedo power
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

My swim team, Fins Aquatics Club, nêds your votes to advance to the Final Four as Best Local Sports Team.

Please click to vote (UPDATED LINK) http://www.vizu.com/vot/Sports/outsports/poll-vote.html?n=155078&cId=

Thank you!!!

March 2009 Training Log

2009-03-15T06:36:00.005-05:00

Saturday March 7: 13 miles
Sunday: 4 miles

Monday March 9: swimming only
Tuesday: 7 miles in the morning, swimming in the evening
Wednesday: chest
Thursday (vacation day): 13 miles
Friday: 10 miles
Saturday March 14: swim
Sunday: 10 miles (fruit loop with Kevin, George & Joe)

Monday March 16: swim, triceps
Tuesday: 5 miles in the morning (slow and painful); swim
Wednesday: chest
Thursday: swim
Friday: nothing (attending gay men's chorus concert)
Saturday: swim, biceps / abs
Sunday: 10 miles (2 with Dan, 8 with Joe, Kevin, George, and Frank)

Running

2009-03-08T17:21:00.001-05:00

Falls Bridge, Philadelphia
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Running for the past year has lost its footage among my priorities. I still enjoy running but often don't have time and motivation for it. I barely ran much since the Philadelphia Marathon last year. 20 miles a week is no longer a norm, it's a rare victory.
Some days I struggle to run 5 miles, especially if I try to keep a 8:00 pace. Well, spring races are coming up, and I signed myself up for 3 races within the next 10 weeks. The 13 mile run at barely under 2 hours yesterday was a good start. Time has come to RUN FOR MY LIFE! Work, sashay shante!

Confessions of a Lane 5 Swimmer

2009-03-06T22:19:00.003-05:00

I've been forced into Lane 4 for most practices the past two weeks. I am definitely not getting fast. We have a new wave of new swimmers, and they are a little slower at the moment. Most of my pace buddies from lane 5 moved with me to Lane 4 to make room for new swimmers in Lane 5 and 6. I really can't keep up with Lane 4 intervals yet, so I need to take unofficial breaks to give my body a rest!
Substitute coach Jeff R gave me a good tip: I need to do a full recovery with one hand to allow the other hand time to glide. I need to conserve as much energy as possible or I'd be right back at the end of Lane 5.

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer

2009-02-22T11:06:00.002-05:00

Love
Originally uploaded by lsc21

I didn't learn a thing from the Fins flipturn clinic, but definitely got my money's worth from the start clinic. I am a little obsessed with starting from the block with the traditional even foot stand. I still need practice to work on my entry, but I have overcome my fear of diving down.
As the New Year's resolution crowd quickly dispersed, Lane 5 has gone back to having 5 or 6 people per lane. Donald has established himself as the lane leader. I usually go 2nd or 3rd.

Philly Fins Postal Swim 2009

2009-02-01T19:23:00.002-05:00

Philly Fins Postal Swim 2009
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I was scheduled to swim one hour during the Fins Postal Swim 2009. However, an unscheduled swimmer showed up, and I gave him half of my timeslot. I swam about 1500 yards in 30 minutes, basically followed a drill of 50 yards freestyle and 25 yards breaststroke. Dan was my timer :-) I felt great afterward but not sure if I could carry on for 30 more minutes.

Fins Postal Swim 2009

2009-01-23T08:28:00.001-05:00

It turns out that I will swim a one-hour shift tomorrow during the postal swim fundraiser. I am accepting cash or checks!

Fins President Anh Dang said, "I personally look forward to doing the Postal Swim every year. It's my favorite Fins event because it creates a connection between the team and the Philadelphia LGBTQ communities. The event blends three main aspects of the Fins: swimming, social, and community service." Spectators are invited to the event and can expect the usual Fins’ flair.

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer

2009-01-19T18:53:00.002-05:00

Speedo Confessions
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

The pool is always crowded in January. It's a convenient time to start a new workout or to train for a spring triathlon. Lane 5 can have eight or nine people during the first hour of practice. My pace varies so much during the workout that it is difficult for me to find a place within the line up. Often I start out too fast the first 30 minutes, struggle during the middle 30 minutes, and finish strong the last 30 minutes.

Fins Swimmers to Host Event to Benefit MANNA

2009-01-15T00:24:00.001-05:00

For Immediate Distribution

Fins Swimmers to Host Event to Benefit MANNA

PHILADELPHIA, PA

The Fins Aquatics Club, Philadelphia’s gay swim team, will host its annual fundraiser on Saturday, January 24, from 10am to 1pm, at the Friends Select School, 17th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The team traditionally selects a local non-profit as recipient of half the proceeds of its Postal Swim. This year the team chose to donate 50 percent of the money collected to MANNA (Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance). MANNA is a Philadelphia non-profit group which promotes wellness through nutrition in communities living with, affected by, and fighting HIV / AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illness. The other 50 percent will benefit the Fins.

During the event, participants will swim as many laps as they can within a one-hour period to compete with other swimmers across the country. There are two one-hour sessions: from 10:30 to 11:30 and 11:45 to 12:45. Swimmers can either do a full hour or form relays. The results are then mailed into United States Masters Swimming (hence the national name of “Postal Swim"), with awards granted by age group and gender.

Fins President Anh Dang said, "I personally look forward to doing the Postal Swim every year. It's my favorite Fins event because it creates a connection between the team and the Philadelphia LGBTQ communities. The event blends three main aspects of the Fins: swimming, social, and community service." Spectators are invited to the event and can expect the usual Fins’ flair.

“The Fins is an athletics team that is also a strong, warm community,” said Fins Vice-President and event organizer Kacie King. “The Postal Swim is a perfect example of how the team brings people together and gives swimmers the opportunity for personal challenge. The swim also is a chance for those who are touched by the value of the Fins to support the team and for the Fins to give back to the broader Philadelphia community.”

For 2007’s event, the Fins re-named their version of the fundraising event “Swim for Jim! The James A. Robles Memorial One-Hour Swim” to honor the memory of the team’s recently deceased head coach Jim Robles, who was also one of the founders of the team. That year, 100% of the $3,920.20 raised was donated to MANNA, in honor of Robles. In 2008, over $1,500 was raised for the Mazzoni Center.

~More~

The Fins Aquatics Club is Philadelphia's gay and lesbian masters swim team. The Fins Aquatics club, formed in 1988, current has approximately 130 members. Members range from 19 years old to 63 years old.
We currently have 4 practices a week. The Fins welcomes swimmers of all ages, skill levels, genders and orientations. The team provides challenging, well-organized, coached work-outs. Some members focus on local, regional, national or international swimming competitions and/or triathlons while other members swim to keep fit.
The Fins Aquatics Club is affiliated with International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics and US Masters Swimming.

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer - Jan 2009

2009-01-04T22:07:00.002-05:00

Some days I feel great in the pool and I can swim all the lane 5 workouts, which are typically around 3,000 yards. Some days I feel sluggish and have to skip laps to recover. My swim goal this year is to slow down my stroke count to focus on my technique.

Winter Break

2008-12-31T14:44:00.003-05:00

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer - Part 6

2008-12-02T06:11:00.002-05:00

I am experimenting with my stroke technique, this time with my hands starting out wide, digging deep and pulling toward the center. I couldn't do a 12 x 100 at 1:45 interval yet, but I'm getting close. I did 10 x 100 and two 50's while following Donald and Francis. We were in Lane 4 yesterday since many better swimmers were out.
I plan to go to swim practice 3 times a week in December so I can continue my progress.

Philadelphia Marathon 2008

2008-11-29T08:12:00.002-05:00

Philadelphia Marathon
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I have been in a long term relationship with the Philadelphila Marathon, having completed this 26.2 mile race for the past five years. It was a below freezing start, and some water stops were icy. I ran without music or GPS watch. It took about 2 hours for me to complete the first half, which was not so bad. However, my lack of training showed in the second half as I had to walk intermittently to deal with my cramps. My finish time was about 4:25.
The post-race recovery was a lot easier this time. After I got my clothes, I walked over to Trader Joe's to do some grocery shopping, walked to Dan's house to do more painting, and ended the day at an early Thanksgiving dinner and Chris'.
I already ran twice five days after the marathon. First was a short run to Rite Aid to buy masking tapes, and yesterday's run was 5 mile run on the treadmill in 40 minutes.
I am looking to sign up for a spring 2009 marathon.

Rally for Equality

2008-11-15T17:42:00.001-05:00

Rally for Equality
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Gay Rights Supporters Protest Ban

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 15, 2008
Filed at 4:01 p.m. ET

BOSTON (AP) -- Gay rights supporters in the first state to allow same-sex couples to exchange wedding vows gathered Saturday to protest the California vote that banned gay marriage there and to urge supporters not to quit the fight for the right to wed.

Crowds gathered near public buildings in small communities and major cities including New York, San Francisco and Chicago to vent their frustrations, celebrate gay relationships and renew calls for change.

''Civil marriages are a civil right, and we're going to keep fighting until we get the rights we deserve as American citizens,'' Karen Amico said in Philadelphia, holding up a sign reading ''Don't Spread H8''.

''We are the American family, we live next door to you, we teach your children, we take care of your elderly,'' said Heather Baker a special education teacher from Boston who addressed the crowd at Boston's City Hall Plaza. ''We need equal rights across the country.''

Massachusetts and Connecticut, which began same sex weddings this past week, are the only two states that allow gay marriage. All 30 states that have voted on gay marriage have enacted bans.

Protests following the vote on Proposition 8 in California, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman, have sometimes been angry and even violent, and demonstrators have targeted faiths that supported the ban, including the Mormon church.

However, representatives of Join the Impact, which organized Saturday's demonstrations, asked supporters to be respectful and refrain from attacking other groups during the rallies.

The mood in Boston was generally upbeat, with attendees dancing and signing to the song ''Respect.'' Signs cast the fight for gay marriage as the new civil rights movement, including one that read ''Gay is the new black.''

But anger over the ban and its backers was evident at the protests.

One sign in Chicago read: ''Catholic Fascists Stay Out of Politics.''

''I just found out that my state doesn't really think I'm a person,'' said Rose Aplustill, 21, a Boston University student from Los Osos, Calif., who was one of thousands at the Boston rally.

Planning for the nationwide protests was started by a Seattle blogger, Amy Balliett, just days after the California vote, which took away gay marriage rights that had been granted by the state's high court.

The idea rapidly spread online and Join the Impact predicted that Saturday's protests would involve tens of thousands of people in hundreds of communities.

In North Dakota, where voters in 2004 overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, low-key protests were held Saturday in Grand Forks and Fargo, where people lined a bridge carrying signs and flags.

''It's been very peaceful,'' said Josh Boschee, who helped organize the Fargo protest.

In Chicago, Keith Smith, 42, a postal worker, and his partner, Terry Romo, 34, a Wal-Mart store manager, had photos of their wedding ceremony which they held even though gay marriage is not legal in Illinois.

''We're not going to wait for no law,'' Smith said. ''But time's going to be on our side and it's going to change.''

Quick trip to NYC

2008-11-15T16:56:00.001-05:00

An Enduring Vision - A benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Another black tie affair!

Invisalign Completed

2008-11-11T13:28:00.002-05:00

It took about 10 months and about 20 visits to the dentist, and I finally completed the Invisalign teeth straightening treatment. I still have to wear retainer trays at night, but I no longer have to wear trays during the day. My teeth are still not perfectly aligned but the improvement is evident. It was not easy, it was not cheap either but I am glad I did it.

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer - Part 5

2008-11-11T11:36:00.004-05:00

It was such an ego booster whenever fast Lane 5 people skipped practice, which allowed me to keep pace with everyone in the lane for all 90 minutes.

This was my workout yesterday:

Warm-up:
10 x 50 drill (25 high elbow / 25 fingertip drag)
8 x 50 stroke count reduction (1-4; 5-8)
6 x 50 IM by 25
4 x 50 build
2 x 50 sprint
100 easy

Main set
200 race pace
100 easy
100 race
100 easy
2 x 50 race
50 easy
Repeat

Lane 5 wasn't able to complete the repeat of the main set, so we did about 2000 yards. That was about 500 yards less than a fast Lane 5 workout, so I went to the gym after leaving the pool.

Philadelphia Marathon two weeks away

2008-11-09T17:16:00.002-05:00

Six miles into my long run today, I became alive! My strides became even, my footsteps were light, my posture was upright, and my head was clear. I was planning on walking across the Falls Bridge, but there was no reason to slow down. Kelly Drive never seemed prettier. Before I knew it, I reached the famed Boathouse Row and felt ready for the Philadelphia marathon.

Ben Franklin Bridge 10k

2008-11-05T05:22:00.002-05:00

Bridge 10k
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

This was my slowest 10k race, but also the most satisfying. Dan and I crossed the finish line together, barely under one hour. Professor Mark won among our group. It was also Donald T's first race ever.

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer - Part 4

2008-11-03T23:28:00.003-05:00

From Gay Sex and Advanced Calculus

I am struggling to keep up in Lane 5. I do well with strokes but usually fall behind during distance freestyle sets. There is hope: I am starting to discover a way to add more power to my pull. Many people cross over, but it seems like I have the opposite problem. I need to put my hand further out, and up to set up for the pull. I tried this new technique today and got some encouraging results. Stay tuned.

Ben Franklin Bridge 10k

2008-11-03T23:26:00.002-05:00

Bridge 10k
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Battle for Pennsylvania

2008-10-21T12:26:00.002-05:00

I'm co-hosting a fundraiser for PA State Rep Candidate Kevin Lee tonight! Kevin is the tall bald bear in the photo.

Kevin Lee
Candidate for State Representative
163rd District, Pennsylvania

Looked upon as a rising star in Pennsylvania Democratic politics, Kevin Lee was appointed to the Lansdowne Borough Council in 2004 and was reelected in 2005. He was immediately approached to run for the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. Lee would be the first openly LGBT person to serve in the PA State Legislature, and with rampant anti-gay legislators fighting to advance an agenda, Lee’s voice would serve as an effective equalizer.
During his tenure on the Lansdowne Borough Council, Lee passed one of Pennsylvania’s first domestic partnership benefit programs for borough employees. He is also a Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute Harvard Fellow, where he impressed several colleagues at the John F. Kennedy School of Government Program.
While the current incumbent has been a member of the State House since 1978, his antiquated ideas and leadership no longer reflect the best interests of his district. As a health care worker, Lee recognizes the hardships that working families face to make ends meet and still obtain affordable health care for their children. There have been rumors that the current legislator will retire but we must make sure that Kevin has substantial funds heading into this election cycle and ensure he is able to get his message out proving he is the best person to represent PA’s 163rd Legislative District.
Contribute today to a well developed campaign plan that is a rare opportunity to elect PA’s first openly LGBT legislator.

Chicago Marathon

2008-10-21T10:25:00.002-05:00

Chicago Marathon
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Not quite a meltdown, but close. It was aiming for a 3:35, but ended up with 4:15. I got off to a slow start, and felt lethargic the entire 26.1 miles. I was not in top shape, but the hot whether certainly didn't help. It was about 60 degrees at the start, and got to around 85 degrees by noon.

According the organizers, my recorded finish time was 4:15:25 and I placed 9304 out of 31,401 finishers

Net 5k = 27:59
Net 10k = 0:55:20
Net 15k = 1:22:09
Net 20k = 1:49:32
Net Half = 1:55:28
Net 25k = 2:18:27
Net 30k = 2:50:17
Net 35k = 2:34:35
Net 40k = 4:02:44
Finish Clock = 4:22:38
Chip Time = 4:15:25

I was so happy to see the finish line. I continued moving to my hotel, checked out, and got on the Orange Line train heading to Midway Airport.

Indigo Ball

2008-10-15T20:09:00.002-05:00

Indigo Ball
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I have gradually come to terms with the William Way GLBT Community Center. I am appreciating the center for what it offers and its potential.

Bicycling

2008-10-06T22:31:00.002-05:00

Bicycling to Camden
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Thanks to my friend Chris' sudden interest in training for a triathlon, I have been riding my bike more the past two weeks than I rode the first nine months this year. Perhaps it's time for me to learn how to use bicycle shoes!

Philadelphia Distance Run 2008

2008-09-27T07:28:00.004-05:00

I still have some magic, and let it all out during the 13.1 mile Philadelphia Distance Run last weekend. Despite little training, I set a new personal best for a half-marathon. Perfect day. Perfect course. Magical pace of 7:26.

Chip time 1:37:24
Clock time 1:38:54
5k split 24:08:00
10k split 47:21:00
10 mile split 1:15:21
Average pace 7:26

Male 30-34: 176 out of 952 male 30-34 finishers
Male: 1,060th out of 6,509 male finishers
Overall: 1,277th out of 13,254 overall finishers

Flickr Photos Sep-Dec 2007

2008-09-27T06:51:00.003-05:00

Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon

2008-09-24T20:48:00.003-05:00

Seven Fins participated in the Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon held on Saturday, Sep 13
http://www.deweybeachtriathlon.com/
1/2 mile swim
7.2 mile bike
3.4 mile run

Why this was my favorite triathlon race ever:

I did it with six other Fins
We had a great support crew / photographers
It was my first ocean true ocean swim race
I swam mostly straight
I swam at a proper and consistent pace
Flat bike course ... I didn't need to shift gears
It was only a sprint distance ... no training or recovery time for me.

I finished 125th out of 491 overall men.

Swim - 290th out of 491 men; 20 minutes 42 seconds
T1 - 1 minutes 57 seconds
Bike - 248th of out 491 men; 24 minutes 36 seconds
T2 - 56 seconds
Run - 60th out of 491 men; 25 minutes 28 seconds

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer Part 3

2008-09-23T22:08:00.003-05:00

Poodle Beach
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I am firmly in Lane 5. My endurance is improving. I was able to do a set of 16 x 100 today. The first 9 reps were ok, but I went out a little too hard while leading the lane in rep #10, and the last 6 reps I struggled to finish.

I think I am doing close to 3000 yards per practice now. Yay!

Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life 2008

2008-09-20T06:37:00.003-05:00

The sea was a lot calmer. So was I the second time around. My boat got to High Point early, so there was some time to warm up, socialize, and pee before the start of the swim.

My fellow Lane 5 Fins Kevin and I decided to stick together, and that was what we did. I swam for about 100 yards and stopped to look for each other. I zigzagged all over the place, so I probably added 1/4 mile to our swim. My brand new Nike googles didn't fit me, so every 100 yards I had to let water out.

Toward the end, Kevin took a rest by hanging on to a kayak, so I finished a few minutes ahead of him.

Dan and all the Fins participants were waiting for us! As I ran up to the dick dock, I felt like I could swim another 1.5 miles!

Cape Cod

2008-09-05T11:20:00.002-05:00

I've surprised myself for having already logged about 40 miles running in Provincetown this week. I've ran just about every day since Saturday: twice with my housemates, and the rest just by myself. I completed my longest and most magical run this morning/ I left the house around 7 am while everyone was still sleeping. I ran toward the Cape Cod National Seashore, got on the trail, and ran to the Visitor's center. On the way back, the sun was up and I was burning up. I stripped down to my underwear and jumped in the ocean to cool off. That was something I couldn't do in Philadelphia.

Garden Party

2008-09-03T18:54:00.002-05:00

P-town Project Runway
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Sometimes the most fun things we do are the ones we stumble upon. We were at a Provincetown cocktail party thrown by fellow Philly guys who happened to vacation at the same week as our group. Some guys in drag showed up, and invited us to join them for a garden party. Of course it wasn't going to be a typical garden party. It would be a Provincetown Project Runway.
Each contestants had a budget of $20 to buy things from dollar store or supermarket to make a garden party dress in two hours! One of our housemates agreed to be a contestant, and it was "sew-time!" To support our housemate in the competition, we all came to the show in drag. We brought dresses at church yard sale, and our gracious hosts let us borrow their wigs.
The competition was fierce. The judges were bitchy. We all had a great time! Our housemate was the first runner up in the competition. We came away with the most fun we had had in P-town without stuffing a fish down our pants.

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer - Part 2

2008-08-30T16:55:00.003-05:00

I am settling comfortably in Lane 5. I can keep up with the lane during 50's and strokes. If we do 8 x100, then I line up toward the end. But if we do 150 or more, then I fall behind. I still need to find my comfortable zone that I can pace myself out for 200 yards and be ready to move right on to the next set.

Last Thursday's workout
Warm--up
12 x 75 (kick, drill, swim by 25)
12 x 25 stroke count reduction

Main set
200
2 x 150
4 x 100 by 1:40
4 x 50
100 easy
Repeat main set

Bear Encounters

2008-08-27T05:27:00.006-05:00

Earlier this month, while I was waiting for my Chinese takeout, I noticed two idiots making faces at me from the glass window. Naturally, I pulled out my iPhone to capture their silliness. Noticing that they were on camera, they started to act even sillier. They went around to the front entrance of the restaurant, yelling at me, "gaysian ... we love gaysians!" I was amused, but the restaurant workers were a little disturbed. I looked at my stalkers and now it became clear that one of they was Jay McCaroll http://www.jaymccarroll.com/, the first season winner of Project Runway.

After my weird run-in with the stalkers, I decided that a weekend in the Poconos would be a great getaway. I was stalked by bears! Not the kind of bears that drink beer and dance to Madonna at the Bike Stop, but the real bears in the wild. On the first day, I went running with Todd and Dan. One black bear ran across the street right in front of Todd and me. The next day, I went with Dan to the same general area. As I looked up, a big bear standing on its two feet, was staring right at me. I unleashed a scream so loud that probably caused leaves to fall all over. Dan was about 10 yards in front of me. Dan turned around and saw the bear and it started to lumber down and walked away.

Boys of Summer 2008

2008-08-16T13:20:00.004-05:00

I made an encore appearance as a "lifeguard" at the Boys of Summer party last night. Guys seemed to behave better this year, but maybe that's because I left before midnight.

Lehigh Valley Steelman Triathlon

2008-08-12T21:49:00.004-05:00

Finally, I got around to do a sprint distance triathlon. It's a fun race that pretty much anyone can do without any significant training. I signed up for this race in May, and almost skipped it to go to Rehoboth Beach for the weekend.

The swim portion went as well as I could imagine. The lake temperature was 79 degrees, so no wetsuits allowed for official results. I stayed with the slower pack of my wave, alternating between freestyle and breaststroke. The sun glare affected my vision, so I found myself drifting toward land too much when I swam freestyle.

My slow bike time seems to indicate that something went wrong. No, I didn't have a flat tire. My bike was fine. I was painfully slow. At first, I enjoyed the slow scenic ride, but as soon as I got passed by people who shouldn't pass me, I thought about all the training rides that I skipped.

Overall
1:39:18
29/37 M30-34
208/308 Males
395th out of 524 overall sprint finishers

Swim (800 yards)
18:14 minutes; 264th out of 524

Transition 1 (swim to bike) 2:16

Bike (12.8 miles)
54:08 minutes; pace = 14.2 miles per hour; 420th out of 524

Transition 2 (bike to run) 0:54

Run (3.1 miles)
23:48 minutes; 7:41 minutes per mile pace; 127th out of 524

Twenty Year Affair

2008-08-10T17:18:00.004-05:00

Twenty years had gone by so I thought that my love affair with fresh jackfruit had ended. It is a sweet fruit that I enjoyed in Vietnam, and is not available where I currently live. I stumbled upon it in Chinatown San Francisco. One bite and I am in love again! I love most fruits, but jackfruit is something I can have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday.

Confessions of a Lane Five Swimmer - Part 1

2008-08-08T22:22:00.003-05:00

Whoa, I've moved to Lane 5! The migration was mostly due to a few new beginners joining the team the past two months. A few fellow former Lane Six regulars moved with me which made my move a lot easier to adjust.

Lane 5 can be fast one day and slow the next day, depending on who shows up. Some days I was able to complete all lane 5 sets. Certain days, I have to skip a few 50's to catch my breath. I can keep up well if the set includes breaststroke or freestyle of 50 yards or less. I lose pace at every freestyle turn since I can't flip!

I'd have no problem going back to lane 6 during practices when lane 6 is more appropriate for me. Lane 5 for me is a new challenge, and I hope that I will feel more comfortable as time goes by.

San Francisco Marathon

2008-08-03T23:30:00.002-05:00

San Francisco Marathon
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

It was a slow run, but my pace was even, and I officially completed my 19th marathon.

It was a cool and cloudy day. Course was hilly. Runners and crowd were not as fun to look at as I'd expected to see in San Francisco. Best part of the course was the 5 mile run over the Golden Gate Bridge and back.

Place Overall: 2164 out of 4354
Men: 1670 out of 2873
M 30-34: 289 out of 466
AgeGrade: 46.63%
Place: 2160
FINISH: 4:27:53 pace: 10:14
7.5 Mi: 1:17:11 pace: 10:18
Half: 2:09:06 pace: 9:51

Napa Valley

2008-07-31T19:44:00.001-05:00

Napa Valley
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Crossed the bay over to the Napa Valley for a tour of the wineries.

Chinatown

2008-07-30T20:43:00.001-05:00

Chinatown
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Memoir of this gay- shar

Ultramarathon

2008-07-24T21:53:00.002-05:00

Lunch break @ Mile 17
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

I completed my first 50-mile run last weekend in the 24-hour race called 20in24. I approached it as a fun run since I didn't train for it at all. I ran slow, and slower, ran/walked, walked, and basically moved forward until I reached six Kelly Drive / King Drive loops.

Loop 1: 1 hour 30 minutes with Steve from Frontrunners Philadelphia
Loop 2: 2 hours; took 30 lunch break
Loop 3: 2 hours 15 minutes
Loop 4: 2 hours 30 minutes; vomited while sitting at the EMS station
Loop 5: almost 3 hours
Loop 6: 2 hours 15 minutes

I was painfully slow, but was there any doubt that I would complete 50 miles?

Utah

2008-07-12T19:39:00.001-05:00

Utah
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

climbing

Pink Flamingos: In Hot Water

2008-07-02T21:28:00.001-05:00

The Philadelphia Aquatics Club recently went to Washington DC to participate in the 2008 GLBT World Championships swim meet. Fins swimmers set a number of age-group national swim records. However, the one performance that is most talked about is the campy land / water dance routine that is presented in the YouTube video below by Fins swimmer Drew Davidson:

NO, NO, NO!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBEXsY60ABY

NO, NO, NO!!!

This performance part of the Pink Flamingo competition on June 22, 2008.

Did we win?

NO, NO, NO!!!

Continuing one of the most popular and distinctive traditions, IGLA 2008 included the Pink Flamingo Relay, which of course was not a "relay" at all but rather a unique combination of cabaret, synchronized swimming, and high camp!

VENUE. The Pink Flamingo was held at Natatorium of the Eppley Recreation Center at the University of Maryland (the same venue as the swimming, diving, and synchro competitions and water polo final), which has an underwater sound system and a large, steeply-raked spectator area with excellent sightlines.

THEME. The theme is In Hot Water. "In hot water" is an expression that describes a person--typically a politician or celebrity--in a scandal. But it also suggests other interpretations, as well as a variety of music possibilities. Creativity is what the Pink Flamingo is all about--but don't overlook the obvious, either!

BASIC RULES/JUDGING. Each team's performance is limited to five minutes. Judging will be done by a panel based on audience reaction; use of theme; use of water; costumes; and choreography/staging. Incorporation of something recognizably Washingtonian--politicians, lobbyists, diplomats, pundits, monuments, museums, cherry trees, the election, the inauguration, and so forth--is optional but encouraged. As always, no makeup/costume/set elements or materials which could plausibly pose a hazard to the pool's filtration system; specifically, no glitter or feathers. First, second, and third place awards will be presented at the banquet.

Anh Dang
President of the Fins Aquatics Club

IGLA Championships 2008

2008-06-25T20:10:00.003-05:00

I finished last or next to last in all my events (200m, 100m and 50m breaststroke), but it was a joyful swim meet. It was great to see all my teammates setting records and simply kicking ass. Our Pink Flamingo performance was awesome! Best of all, Dan came down to see me swim. He was probably bored to tears waiting around for me 100m event, but he never complained. We had an amazing time on the rooftop bar of the Beacon Hotel.

Umbrella (Acoustic)

2008-06-18T23:29:00.001-05:00

Eye candy. I think they sing too.