On a road that leads to nowhere, only time, only time, can make us happy

[vin_petrol]

Started Saturday with a run. On the cycle path where I do a lot of running, it's 2506 metres between Saturn and Uranus. So yesterday I timed myself between these two points, there and back. It took 32.62 minutes, which we shall call 0.544 hours. So if v = d/t, v = 5.012 / 0.544, I run at about 9.21 km per hour. In old money, a kilometer is 0.6214 of a mile, so that's 5.723 miles per hour. I don't think I run very fast, and I tend to do it in terms of *time* rather than distance, but at least now I can tell people how far I've run (which is what people often ask), rather than how long I spent doing it. I usually like to run to 45 minutes, so that's about 4.3 miles.

I had decided to make something high in calories, fat and sugar for the F1 and later football watching sessions of Sunday night. With it being the Canadian GP, and following the related food meme, I stuck "traditional Canadian dessert" into google. This rather scarily kept getting hits on "traditional French Canadian dessert" - eek! However, I quickly came across these things called Nanaimo Bars. Most of the recipes contained raw eggs, which clearly I ate thousands of times in the 70s, "licking the bowl out" when my mother had been baking. However, years of salmonella scares have made me circumspect about raw egg. Fortunately, this prize winning recipe involved cooking the eggs. So, after converting the North American 'cup' based recipe to English ounces, and replacing "Graham Crackers" with "McVities Digestives", Trash and I prepared these astonishing sweet items. The killer moment was the idea that the chocolate topping isn't *quite* fattening enough, so you melt some butter in it too. My friends haven't sussed yet I'm trying to kill them all with these artery clogging recipes. Then I will inherit their worldy goods. Bwa ha ha ha!

Then it was the start if Euro 2004 - welcome to planet Football. As usual, the opening ceremony was suitably bizarre, although nothing will ever beat the deranged stilt-people of France 98. I always like to watch the opening ceremony and first match - it draws a line under the start of the event. Then Greece went and beat Portugal in a somewhat surprising result. I did like Gary Lineker's comment: "the last time the Greeks won a major tournament it was against the Persians."

Next up was the barbecue/party at ellenscult's house. I wandered along there and chatted to lots of people. gothgrr was there when I arrived, with ashe_black, though they left a little later to see Kath (WINOLJ). ant_girl got dressed up to go to Darklands and looked stunning when she left. st3v3 taught some of us to do "twirly fire" (twirling a big stick with flaming ends) in the back garden, which was lots of fun. wey and I got very astronomy geeky in the back garden, especially when the stars started to come out. Fortunately, with my P800 I was able to download a star chart from http://www.heavens-above.com, and we could identify various stars and constellations. I also called up the Iridium flare predictions, and saw a very bright one (magnitude -7) was due shortly, so we set alarms and called everyone outside to see it at 22:56. The altitude was a convenient 29 degrees (although possibly behind a tree), and the azimuth 279 degrees so it was almost directly West - easily visible from the back garden. Right on cue the satellite caught the sun and blazed out for a few brief seconds in the sky, and I was very relieved: my success rate on Iridium flares is about 50%.

Various members of Smorgasbord, Sweden's greatest Death Metal band were there: I seem to recall Spencie Smorg and Heidi Evil. Later on clotilde appeared with her fantastic new hair - I like extremes in hair.

About midnight I started to get snoozy and left, although ellenscult did give me a large tub of chilli to take with me. I'm off to have some for my lunch now.

Comments

[steer.livejournal.com]

My friends haven't sussed yet I'm trying to kill them all with these artery clogging recipes.

This one has -- hence avoidence of Vinder Torte. See you at 5 for thw race. Honda on the front row and ferraris 5th and 6th :(

[vin_petrol]

See you at 5 for thw race.

Indeed.

Honda on the front row and ferraris 5th and 6th :(

Go Honda! Although we could do without any more bits falling off Sato's car. Just as long as a Renault doesn't win...

[steer.livejournal.com]

It doesn't count as "bits falling off" if he rams one of my nice red ferraris with his horrible white bit of tat.

[steer.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, thanks for posting the running speed information. It gives me an idea how fast I should be going. I was a little slower than that the other day over half the distance (but I was stuck for 1-2 minutes waiting for traffic at the bridge).

[vin_petrol]

It gives me an idea how fast I should be going.

I was really just curious about my speed. The way I worked out my running speed was to get a heart rate monitor and use that for a few runs. It became clear I was easily working it in the "cardio/aerobic training" realm - I seem to recall 165 PBM (heart, not music) at one point, so I was clearly working hard enough! Then again, I hadn't done any exercise for about 20 years. After a while I could 'feel' what that amount of work felt like, and run to that basis.

Incidentally, the first few runs will hurt the most. It does get easier...

[steer.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, the first few runs will hurt the most. It does get easier...

That's reassuring. I only did 2km but I was a bit sore after and my injured toe was a bit achy (not major or I would stop running again). I'm going to try 4km now and see how I feel.

[steer.livejournal.com]

Did what I reckon is 4km (two "circuits" of the river from Millennium to Skeldergate -- I can't work out how far it really is because it doesn't seem to be on maps) in 28mins -- but it was absolutely knackering and I reckon I walked about 1/2 km. The first "lap" took 12 mins, the second took 16.

Anyway, I'm not that much slower than you so it's reassuring that I'm pushing myself. I think I will regret it tomorrow though. Already I'm feeling a bit pained.

[ant-girl.livejournal.com]

I really wouldn't worry about pushing yourself for speed at this stage. Work on your stamina and your endurance/flexibility etc. Otherwise you will injure yourself.

[clotilde.livejournal.com]

It's generally a good idea to work up from walking to running over a period of 6 weeks or so, as otherwise you tend to injure yourself, and also you get knackered too soon and don't learn what it feels like to be running in tune with your body. I've got a good beginners running programme if you are interested.

[steer.livejournal.com]

OK - thanks Jo. I'm actually feeling suprisingly OK. I think this is possibly because my legs are still muscled from carting about a 5 stone heavier me and also because I walk everywhere anyway. But I think I will take it easier next time.

[green-amber.livejournal.com]

Woe that's intersting - does that mean if I lose three stone I wil be really fit already from carrying all that extra weight around?

[steer.livejournal.com]

*grin* Depends how much you walk/exercise I guess. Because I walked everywhere (and walked a lot) and was nearly 20 stone then I had impressive leg muscles. They're a bit less now but it means that they can rather easily cope with 14 stone of me.

[green-amber.livejournal.com]

Oh, Nanaimo bars are great - I remeber em from vancouver.
Actually the Canadians are terribly healthy usually and keen on "heart-friendly" cooking - they do these great fruit crisps which are sort of like crumbles only, er, healthier. try that in Google..

[vin_petrol]

Actually the Canadians are terribly healthy usually and keen on "heart-friendly" cooking - they do these great fruit crisps which are sort of like crumbles only, er, healthier. try that in Google..

What seems to be happening now is that steer is cooking "heart-friendly" food each week, and then I show up with the sugary/fatty dessert. steer could cook these fruit crisps for us next year, though, so I'll try and remember.

It's the USA GP next weekend and it looks like I'm making Key Lime Pie. Mmmmmm.

[green-amber.livejournal.com]

Oh god! can i come? I don't like motor racing but I LURV key lime pie (actually I have a wonderful recipe that involves white chocolate as well as the lime - Dee-vine..)

[vin_petrol]

Oh god! can i come?

Fine by me. We're at gothgrr's place, so you had best ask her. Although I can see Edinburgh to York is a long way to go for some key lime pie. It would be nice to meet you In Real Life at some point too! Here are some handy things to say to make it look like you know what you're talking about (I use them all the time):

"Is Michael winning *again* - how did that happen?"
"Has Kimi's engine exploded yet?"
"Ferrari always have a good strategy" (I learnt this one on Sunday)

I've already been recommended to get foxy76's recipe off her for key lime pie. Hopefully it's not a Family Recipe, Never to be Divulged to Anyone Else.

[kissmeforlonger.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Not sure what to make for the main course. I realised I had pizza for nearly every evening meal last week, so it really has to be something different (and hopefully healthier).

Will think.

[vin_petrol]

Hamburgers are very American. We could have veggie burgers with loads of sauces and relishes and salad. Oooh! Nut burgers for me - I love them! If we skip fries and shakes that's not too bad, is it?

[kissmeforlonger.livejournal.com]

Heavy on the bread, and as it's barbeque season I guess people may have had their fill of burgers.

I was pondering something like succotash (with quorn instead of pork, cos native americans loved their quorn almost as much as their motor racing ;-) which would be a bit like steer's bean recipe from yesterday, but it might be too hot for a stew.

Something with apple sauce, peanuts, maple syrup and cranberries... hmmmm... Either that or a sweetcorn recipe I can stand eating :-)

[vin_petrol]

Either that or a sweetcorn recipe I can stand eating :-)

Aaargh, no, not sweetcorn. Me no like!

[kissmeforlonger.livejournal.com]

I hate it as well, so that's settled.

[kissmeforlonger.livejournal.com]

*gasp*

You do realise America was the original home of the Baked Bean? (albeit cooked with pork and molasses)

Well, I think that's us sorted then. Low fat and healthy too :-)

[vin_petrol]

Bakes Beans! Good plan, gothgrr! I do like my beans...

Although modern British Baked Beans contain quite a lot of sugar, which is a significant part of their flavour. American Baked Beans are more savoury and people used to British Baked Beans usually think they don't taste as nice.

[owdbetts.livejournal.com]

I also called up the Iridium flare predictions, and saw a very bright one (magnitude -7) was due shortly

Wow, I didn't realize they were anywhere near as bright as that... I've must try looking for one...

-roy