In the Teapot

The picture speaks for itself I think

It was last wednseday, but the pavements in london are stull all icy… Weeeee!

today is the shortest day if the year. it’s also probably one were the weather is particularly unclement. just took that pic waiting for the tube at Chiswick. that’s just from about 1h of snowfall this afternoon. there is apparently more on the way. tonight it will all freeze…

… no comment

No need for explainations, finishing Cyt’go now, and more to come afterwards! Back in my tool nix, the old glue and tools smells are unleashed sooo nice memories coming back!

I recently set up my techno-professional blog at http://blog.ekynoxe.com to relieve this space from too geeky posts and potentially save the readers of my work and technological posts from reading some random I can write here.

If you want updates on geek stuff, programming, design and photography, do read by other blog. Otherwise, stay here for the random thoughts. (Random ok, but it’s still what I feel! So not totally out of the blue!)

… Is my new 10.5K PB.

Today was the yellow umbrella day, my place of work annual charity event, and I was registered in the 10K race in which I finished… 3rd!

Along my usual training route, but taken the other way around, the pace has been fast from the start, always keeping an eye on the little group in front of me. We were 4-5 together behind the 2 leaders that had shot away straight at the horn.
Not used to bunch running and specially racing, it was kind of weird to keep my own pace and I might have done a bit too much at the start because I carried a stich for at least 6K. Around 1K from the end, I was still going well, clearing people that had passed me before, knowing very well that I was 3rd ag the time. But in the last 150m, a guy came along and was starting to accelerate… We sprinted the last 100m apparently fof the pleasure of the crowd, but I got it… Just about!

The first and second were unassailable, finishing respectively in 37′33″ and 39′04″. One day maybe!

But anyawys for ig was a new PB, and a new max heart rate of 195 recorded at the end. Ah! And destroyed shoes. The sole is still perfectly fine, but the fabric had it!

Now, my average if 186BPM on the 10K slightly worries me, so I’ll get a proper analysis done day soon to he sure everyghing’s ok.

Completely geeky, I know and I assume it fully…I just find odd to have a room key with the number 403
For those who do not know, 403, in the HTTP protocol, means ‘unauthorized’… Does that mean I can’t enter my room?

Yep! I’m a geek!

For those of you that do not understand the world of bike racing, I recommend the reading of this book:

Roadie, the misunderstood world of a bike racer. From Jamie Smith, edition Velo press, ISBN-13: 978-1-934030-17-2

“A bike race is like a chess game, a boxing match, and a stampede disguised as a sport, encompassed by a life-style, and surrounded by a community on a never-ending road trip to the brink of bankruptcy.” Is the tagline at the back of the book.

Jamie Smith has been a road racer for quite some time, and a commentator on may massive events. Although all he describes happens in the US, his stories are probably valid in Europe as well. Whether you are an accomplished Tour de France enthusiast, or simply curious of how things works around what many see as a simple waste of time on two wheels, you should grab a copy of that book and get in! It’s all full of humor and very quickly read!

To help you a little more, here are a few more extracts from the book that will help you understand a bit of my world. Although not in road racing but in triathlon, a lot of the philosophy in the book is the same for me. In slightly less extreme for sure, but you can still apply all of the following quotes to me, and follow their guidelines…

Attend a race. Whatever preconceived notion you have of this bizzarre sport can be thrown out of the window. There are so many different things going on in any given bike race that you’re sure to find something you like about it.

Don’t label a roadie as selfish. Bike racing is a demanding pursuit that comes across as egocentric. A roadie may skip a birthday party or family outing if it falls on the same day as a bike race, but he loves his friends and family nonetheless. He may be unavailable every tuesday night from March to October. Please look at it another way. He loves bike racing and has a finite window of opportunity to compete at his best.
Appreciate the fact that your Roadie has a passion for something and isn’t just a potato parked in front of the TV seven nights a week. Its a passion that makes rigorous demands of him physically, creatively, emotionally and intellectually. This makes your life richer and therefore makes us all more interesting.

Don’t make fun of a Roadie because he chose a different sport. Maybe he can’t relate to everyone else who is talking about the Premier league title race. So? So he shaves his legs. So? So he dresses up in a suit but wears cycling socks underneath. So? Variety is the spice of life. If you want mainstream, go mainstream. Just know that a lot of people wish they had the temerity to take the roads less traveled but are trapped everyday.

Yarhhllll! Feeling HUNGRY for some MEAT! Yes! It is a 500g piece of steak!! Yum yum!!

from the north I went back alone
carrying with me your tears home
so there would be left only light
for your shine, always, to be bright
and for me to know that up there
is really where I want to be

In French, in English or in any other language, everyone should read that book at least once in their life. There is so much to it… An inspiration not only for sailors, but for everyone. For all the children of earth…

That’s it! After yesterday’s triathlon in Stockholm, there are no more races this year. No more triathlons that is. Training will remain, but there is no great goal to work towards for a while now.
I know I am cycling with my super duper daddy ‘coach’ in 3 weeks time and I’m very much looking forward to it, but it’s not a race.
I wanted to run a marathon before the end if the year. I might still find one, but I’ll have to see a physio in the mean time because of some tension in my left calf. We’ll see. I prefer bring careful for a few months then sorry for many years.

Yesterday after the race and enjoying a very nice sushi dinner with Helena and Marcus, one if her friends, I found myself in a very bizarre state of mind. Half happy half in a bad mood. Happy to be in Stockholm, happy to fill myself with yet more views and air from that city that I love. Unhappy not only from the discussion on relationships that we had (and I still don’t know why anyways!), but also and most importantly because of a post race spleen that I never experienced before.

London and Stockholm races were the peak of my ’season’. Its focus points. I have acheived twice under 2h30′ results, performing above anything I would have thought being able to do. I’ve ridden my bike as fast as the top guys, I’ve transition faster than many of them, so I have something to be proud of.
Yet… Yet there is this feeling of emptiness now. Some will think that I’m too melodramatic etc, but trust me, it’s not a good feeling at all.

It’s morning, Helena left for work, and I am left in this great flat filled with sun. I’m heading out towards the water and her inspirational, envigorating, energising and ‘healing’ waves.

Just be patient boy…

Mellqvist caffeine bar on S:t Eriksplan is my new top of the list

Some will smile and others will grin, but thanks to my neighborgs, I was woken up at 6:30 thus morning by their alarm click radio. It’s the first time this happens, but it felt like the radio was actually in MY bedroom! I went around the house, and I was hearing the sound everywhere…
And as everything that gets on your system, you can’t forget it, and specially can’t go back yo sleep with a noisy radio shouting next to you, be it on the house next door.

So I’m in the office looking at the sunrise… Not too bad. It’s quiet here.