Flickr Photos Sep-Dec 2007

100-Mile Run Against Time: Completed

From 2007 Favorites

I have reached my goal of running 100 miles this month. December has always been a tough month for me to maintain my workout schedule, so having a goal certainly helped.
It took me 17 days to reach the first 50 miles. That wasn't so bad. However, the holiday bug got to me between Dec 18 and Dec 22 during which I ran a total of zero mile. I thought about giving up running for the rest of the month to enjoy the holidays. However, the better part of me took over, and here was how I completed the next 50 miles:

Sunday December 23 - 13 miles river loop
Monday December 24 - 10 miles river to river city loop
Tuesday December 25 - 5 miles country roads in Delaware
Wednesday December 26 - 7 miles (55:20)
Thursday December 27 - 8 miles treadmill (61:55)
Friday December 28 - 7 miles treadmill (51:23)

50 miles in six days and I feel great!

Confessions of a Lane Six Swimmer

Anh test 5209
Originally uploaded by jasonsmith

I went to all four Fins practices last week! That was the first!
Tuesday November 6th (election day)
Coach: Jen
Swimmers: can't remember anymore!!


Thursday November 8th workout with Coach Tom
Swimmers: Bill H, Jan E, Jeff B, and me. Jeff was late and decided to go slow the entire practice.
3 x 100 (25 kicks, 50 fist drill, 25 swim) I turned the middle 100 into a 50
8 x 50 free; 10 seconds rest.
8 x 75 (25 free, 25 stroke, 25 free) on 2:30. I made up and gained during the 25 stroke
1 x 100 easy
4 x 75 (25 free, 25 stroke, 25 free) on 2:10. Since I blurted out that the previous set was too slow, I was the lane leader for this set.
2 x 50 sprint
1 x 100 easy

Saturday November 10th
Coach: Roger
Swimmers: Jan, Tree, Steve G, and me
I swam 150 yards freestyle non-stop for the first time during the warmup. Don't remember the rest of the sets. Lots of breaststroke drills


Sunday November 11th
Coach: Roger
Swimmer: Ryan (new), and me
Ryan was faster at freestyle, I was faster at breaststroke. The sets had an even mix, so we were able to keep up.
Jen was swimming, but she came around toward the end to give a breaststroke demo. She pulled her groin while mimicing his wide kick!!!

Confessions of a Lane Six Swimmer, Part 11

For the first time in my 18-month swim with the Philadelphia Fins Aquatic Club, I was more comfortable with freestyle than breaststroke. I knew that this day would come, but I still couldn't believe it was happening! This was the workout given by Coach Tom:

3 x 100 warm-up
10 x 50 descending 1-5 and 6-10. My 5 and 10 were 45 seconds.
1 x 100 easy
8 x 100 (25 breast, 25 free, 25 breast, 25 free). I was the lane leader :-)
1 x 100 easy
5 x 50 (easy, build, fast, easy, FAST). My fast laps were 47 and 45 seconds.
1 x 100 easy

This was an unusally long set for Lane Six. We didn't have to do any drills yesterday so we covered more yards. It helped that the other three Lane Six guys were roughly my pace. For the last 100 easy, I started out doing breaststroke but after the turn couldn't spread my legs any longer. I switched over to freestyle, finished my set, and felt great!

No Apologies

Some time in my 20's, I stopped apologizing for being Asian-American. I stopped apologizing for my Vietnamese accent. I stopped apologizing for my parents. I stopped apologizing for being gay. I stopped apologizing for my Mariah Carey music collection.

Some time in my 20's, I started living.

Confessions of a Lane Six Swimmer, Part 10

Anh's First Time ...
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

200m breastroke: Event 12; Heat 1
There were 3 people in my heat, but one was a no-show. Thus, there were onlly two of us on the start blocks. I didn't want a falst start so I jumped a little slower. It was a good jump, considering that I only practiced this jump a handful of times.
I made the typical first-timer's mistake by starting out too fast. I was almost sprinting for my first 50, then realily settled in that I had 3 more 50's to go. I struggled to hold pace and fell behind. I could hear all my 50 teammates cheering for me. I was excited, but I couldn't go any faster! The 25 meter pool seemed so long as I struggled through the last two laps. Someone said my time was 3:41 which was 19 seconds faster that my predicted time.

Exchange of Clothes 200m Fun Relay
I was the lead-off swimmer, followed by Eric, Todd, and Professor Mark. I produced my best 50m breastroke ever! The last 25m wearing a church lady's hat I still managed to stroke my way past another team. My team ended up winning this fun relay. The rumor is that a video of this relay will be posted on YouTube shortly.

Marine Corps Marathon: 3 Weeks Away

Wow ... my next marathon is only 3 weeks away. It's time to taper. Since I haven't built up my miles, I need to come out of my closet this OutFest Sunday to run 20 miles. I can then cruise the gayborhood at the "World's Largest National Coming Out Block Party" right in my front door.

GAM 32 y.o.

Confessions of a Lane Six Swimmer, Part 9

Lane Six
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

With Jeff B moving to Lane 5, Brad, Bill, and I are keeping each other on face. More accurately, I try to keep up with them during freestyle and they try to keep up with me during breaststroke. The sets we got on Thursday from Tom drew evenly upon our strength. We did everything in sync!

10 x 75 freestyle (25 kicks / 25 fist drill / 25 swim) - 20 seconds rest
1 x 100 easy
4 x 25 breaststroke kicks
4 x 25 breaststroke drills
1x 100 easy
6 x 50 (25 breaststrokes / 25 freestyle) - 20 seconds rest
1x 100 easy

Fusion My Ass Cross Training - 69 Ways

Sixty-nine days ago, the 8G Apple iPhone cost $599. I had never heard of Senator Larry Craig. I had never completed in an open water swim nor anything trail run longer than 10k.

Sixty-nine days ago I started a training program to get me through the summer distractions. I am happy to have completed my very own Fusion My Ass Cross Training program. No trendy gym needed. I relied on my own to motivate myself. I did it to stay focus. I did it to stay busy. I did it to look good. I did it to stay healthy. Most of all, I did it to have fun.

Day 65 (Sept 10) - chest with Chris
Day 66 (Sept 11) - swimming with the Fins ... learned open turns
Day 67 (Sept 12) - Abs & Ass class; legs with Chris
Day 68 (Sep 13) - swimming with the Fins (end of practice 50's sprints: 45, 47, and 59)
Day 69 (Sep 14) - nothing!

Photo credit: Jason Smith

Fusion My Ass Cross Training - One More Week

12th St Gym
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

The end is near. Philadelphia Distance Run is days away.

Sept 3 (Day 58) - Labor Day Spectacular: Push-ups at home: 50 / 35 / 35 / 40 / 40
Sept 4 (Day 59) - Fins swimming
Sept 5 (Day 60) - Abs & Ass class; shoulders / back
Sept 6 (Day 61) - Fins swimming
Sept 7 (Day 62) - none
Sept 8 (Day 63) - 3 mile run at slow pace; 1.5 mile Swim for Life
Sept 9 (Day 64) - 8 mile run (two laps around Commercial Street / Rt 6A) at medium pace (9 min mile)

Fusion My Ass Cross Training - Two More Weeks

Back in July, I started a new 10-week training program I called "Fusion My Ass Cross Training". I wanted to set some short term fitness goals to get me through many summer distractions and to prepare for such important events as Boys of Summer swimsuit party and trips to Rehoboth and Provincetown.

150 miles running, 15 miles swimming, and many grunts and shrieks later, I'm nearing the end of this program. It's been such a joy to see how well my body responded to many physical challenges. The journey itself has been a blast.

August 14 (day 38) - Fins swimming
August 15 (day 39) - none
August 16 (day 40) - Fins swimming
August 17 (day 41) - none
August 18 (day 42) - 15-mile run; biceps; abs
August 19 (day 43) - chest / tri; 1000 yards swimming @ 12th St. Gym
August 20 (day 44) - chest again with Chris; 5-mile run
August 21 (day 45) - none
August 22 (day 46) - back / shouders
August 23 (day 47) - Fins swimming (finally learned to stab the water)
August 24 (day 48) - 19-mile run
August 25 (day 49) - none
August 26 (day 50) - arms with Chris
August 27 (day 51) - start of Monday back / shoulders with Chris
August 28 (day 52) - Fins swimming (2000 yards no fins; most difficult sets ever with Tom); chest
August 29 (day 53) - Abs & Ass class; chest again with Chris
August 30 (day 54) - Sprint Triathlon -- 5k run to Art Museum; Fins swimming; 45 minutes on bike
August 31 (day 55) - Arms with Chris
September 1 (day 56) - 1000 yards swimming @ 12th St. Gym
September 2 (day 57) - River Loop Half Marathon

Confessions of a Lane Six Swimmer, Part 6

A rare breakthrough happened last Thursday: I finally understood how to keep my elbows high and enter with my fingers, not wrists. This breakthrough came during a drill that Coach Jen called "Stab the Water". It sounded simple but it took me two frustrating months to figure out. Now I visualized my hands as spears stabbing the water at an angle at each stroke. I tried this new technique in Rehoboth Beach this weekend, and my efficiency vastly improved.

Boys of Summer 2007

This party was the boiling point of a very hot summer!

To my heterosexual readers

Back to our regularly scheduled program
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

Bob and
Greg
You read my blog, you provide outgoing link to my blog from yours, and you're straight! Why I appreciate your readership, I often wonder what brings you to a blog entitled "Gay Sex and Advanced Calculus". That's why I'm posting this photo of gay guys in impossibly short bathingsuits as a test. If this photo is going to make you reaching for the panic button and promptly remove the outgoing link, I'll be sad but I'll understand!

Best regards
Gay Sex and Advanced Calculus

My Most Viewed Flickr Photos

One year ago, these photos were tops. Now, thanks to my three-month complimentary pro Flickr account status, I can see my overall most viewed. The current top 10 are:

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Fusion My Ass Cross Training - Days 1 to 10

Locker Room Confidential
Originally uploaded by reflexblue

New 12-week Fusion My Ass Cross Training Program!

Sunday July 8 (Day 1) - Kelly Pool (1.5k swim); 15 mile bike
Monday July 9 (Day 2) - Chest / 4-mile run to Penn's Landing
Tuesday July 10 (Day 3) - Friends Select (1.5k swim); Legs; Abs
Wednesday July 11 (Day 4) - 3-mile treadmill run; Arms / Shoulders
Thursday July 12 (Day 5) - Friends Select (1.5k swim); Chest
Friday July 13 (Day 6) - Abs; Legs
Saturday July 14 (Day 7) - off
Sunday July 15 (Day 8) - Kelly Pool (1.0k swim); Arms
Monday July 16 (Day 9) - 3.5 mile treadmill; chest
Tuesday July 17 (Day 10) - Friends Select (1.5k swim); Legs; Abs

Jason Smith dot com

anh3-2
Originally uploaded by jasonsmith

Another shoot with Philadelphia based photographer Jason Smith (jasonsmith.com)

Philly Pride Parade 2007

Philly Pride Parade 2007Jun10 119
Originally uploaded by ejschenck

The Philadelphia Fins Aquatics Club on the Best Decorated Pick-up Truck.

The Internet is full of porn

01 - Mark
Originally uploaded by Violentz

And hot men!