Funny article

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/non_doping_cyclists_finish_tour_de

Harry Potter!

i saw the 5th harry potter movie tonight, and despite some omissions and lack of explanations of certain things, it was overall an enjoyable experience. although i think i could have enjoyed it as much on my tv. has anyone seen bourne ultimatum? should i pay to go see that?

Crazy heart rate

I just measured my resting heart rate today. Twice in a row, to make sure. Over a full minute, it was 44! Both times! Does that make me a mutant?

Canada Day Streetcar

On my way home from Harbourfront Centre, on Canada Day (July 1st for any non-Canadians reading). This was the only picture I took all evening, and it has not been altered from the scan. The tilt was on purpose. Check out this in larger size, and other pictures, at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marc_robin/

24 Hour Race Report

Well, last weekend was the only race I'll be doing all summer (excluding the University Cup races in the fall, which I don't consider summer anymore), and it was a blast! It was a 24 hour relay mountain biking race. My team consisted of 4 other people that I had never met before, but who were super cool and fun, not to mention the other two teams we were hanging out with, who were also really nice. Queen's University people really are quite nice! Anyway, my team was not really competitive (it consisted mainly of 24 hour race beginners, and one who had never raced a bike before), so it went exactly as I expected: I had a fun time relaxing with some nice people, and rode my laps as fast as I could (and I still did 5 laps...any less and I would have been disappointed with myself). My fastest lap wasn't bad, and my last lap was almost the same speed as my first one, and this despite the fact that my stomach was upset the entire weekend. Probably the brown rice was a bad idea...I should have just made plain white rice. I made many trips to the outhouse, including one near-emergency :-P.

Nutrition is incredibly important for these kinds of races...it has to be all very easy to digest, yet contain everything that you need: carbohydrates, protein, and fats, in approximately the correct proportions. The thought with the brown rice was that there was more fibre and good things, so it would be helpful, but apparently I don't digest it well. Most people eat pasta, but I've learned from experience that I don't digest it very well. Other people were eating mostly powerbars, gels, and this 'Ensure' stuff, and that's it....I can't imagine having no real food for an entire race. Bleh!

Ok well that's enough thesis procrastination. I'm writing! The last chapter! :-)

Valuable Lesson

I learned a good lesson today during my evening ride in the local trails...that is, if you're not having a good ride and you're mind is just not in it properly, then STOP! You will hurt yourself if you keep pushing it!

I am now the proud new owner of some heavily skinned elbows, a slightly warped front wheel, and a lot of frustration! argh.

somewhat better

Well, I got some sleep last week, and work started to get better. I wrote some results! My results and discussion section is growing! I may graduate yet.

I've been losing some weight recently (not as a result of sickness or anything...on purpose), and my legs are loving me for it! Climbing hills on my bike is easier...I don't get tired as quickly. It's encouraging...If I could lose 10 more lbs, I'd be so fast! and ripped!

Here are some photos I took at my cousin's BBQ a while back.

aw crap

It's been a while since my last post. I guess life has just been busy and ordinary...no huge drama to write about. So what brings me here today? Well...I'm super tired because I didn't really sleep all night, and that makes me feel crappy with very little motivation. It's on days like these that I feel like I will never finish this masters, and that I'm eventually just gonna give up. I am so close though. But right now I look at what i've done these past few years, and it feels like it's all crap not worth writing about, or just calculations and experiments that as it turns out were useless, or just wrong and need to be re-done. And now there's a real deadline; I have to be done by the end of August!


And I started reading the last Harry Potter. All i feel like doing is reading that and sleeping.

Crap.