Ahh, Oregon

Oregon's naked frisbee team just needs some freedom

The two Jeffs

If you have read this blog for long you know that I lost a lot of weight, but have struggled to keep it off. After losing over 100 pounds, I started sabotaging my efforts and packed some of the weight back on. My cardiologist suggested that I get counseling to figure out why.

So I did. And it's been a series of "aha" moments that seem so obvious in hindsight. Here's the latest:

Since I sabotage my own efforts I must have internal conflict about the goal. I visualize that internal conflict as between "Skinny Jeff" and "Baby Jeff". Skinny Jeff keeps making plans and goals and lists that work for two or three days before Baby Jeff rebels.

So my task is to make peace between these two.

I have no internal conflict about exercising or racing. Skinny and Baby love these. It's the "take aways" that Baby Jeff doesn't like. My counselor says that I have so little "Jeff time" that this isn't surprising at all.

I made deal with myself that I would place some modest limits on eating high calorie foods, in exchange for some "Jeff time". It's a start.

Race Report: The Running Of The Bulls 5K

I ran The Running Of The Bulls 5K on Saturday. My goal was to keep a 10 minute/mile pace, and my official time was 30:32.

It was a very fun, low-key run. The added "motivation" in this race was to stay ahead of runners dressed as bulls and cows. I didn't get passed, though I couldn't catch the two costumed young ladies that started right ahead of me.

Tracy was happy that I wore the new green, white, and black running outfit that she got me for Christmas, but sad that I had to wear my white long-sleeve shirt too. It was a classic spring Silicon Valley race: you freeze until you get to the starting line; suddenly the temperature jumps 10 degrees; it's pleasant during the race; the temperature drops 10 degrees as soon as you cross the finish line and you freeze again. At least it feels that way. Layering is your friend.

After the race I took my boys to Chinatown in SF; Brennen had a class project. After I dropped the boys off and parked, I had to walk uphill to get back to the restaurant where they were filming (and eating). My right glutes and hamstring had stopped working sometime during the drive. I hobbled up the hill and slowly loosened up.

The best news: my foot didn't hurt! I plan to run a 5K a month now.

Nerds Are Easily Entertained

While on vacation last week I stayed at Tracy's aunt's house. I didn't bring shaving cream, so I borrowed her grandson Adam's. Adam is stationed in Fallujah and hadn't used the shaving cream for a while. As I tried to squirt some in my hand, it (the shaving cream) shot all the way across the bathroom and nailed the wall.

Naturally, I had to calculate the muzzle velocity of the shaving cream.

Before cleaning up, I took some rough measurements: 5 feet of horizontal travel; 2 inches of vertical drop.

Later, while driving, I did some rough calculations:

distance = half of the acceleration of gravity times the time squared
5 ft = 1/2 X 32 ft/sec/sec X t squared
t = the square root of 5/16ths = approximately half a second

The muzzle velocity: 5 ft/0.5 seconds, or 10 feet/second. That's 10 ft/second X 3600 seconds/hour / 5280 feet/mile, or approximately 7 miles per hour.

Doesn't sound very dangerous after all. Bummer.

It was only a matter of time ...

Pop star dressed as pineapple robbed

Don't be like Jeff

Last week I had a wonderful time visiting my daughter and son-in-law in Utah. I didn't exercise once. This Monday I headed for the gym, all raring to go. You can guess the rest.

Not only did I regress in my conditioning a bit, but by the end of Monday you coulda mopped the floor with me.

I promptly signed up for the Running of the Bulls 5k on 4/11 to force a little diligence.