Taking yesterday off was definitely the right thing to do. I rode 25 miles this morning and the first half was uphill into a fairly stiff breeze. This afternoon I went to the gym and then swam 400m in the pool, and felt tired but not exhausted at the end. I tend to be disciplined to a fault (Pam would say obsessive) about things, especially when there's a goal of some sort, so taking a day off leaves me feeling guilty. Today's payoff was worth the guilt.
Some people think those of us who push ourselves physically have one or more screws loose. But spending a couple of hours on the bike or running several miles is something I find uniquely rewarding. That bit about endorphins is true; studies show that the clinically depressed derive significant benefits from regular and vigorous exercise. If you're not depressed the workout still lifts the mood significantly. It also increases the quality of life through the rest of the day. Little things - getting up out of a chair, doing chores around the house, running errands - not only don't wear you out, but the energy you have for doing them feels satisfying. Then there's the weight and heart benefits.
We're coming up on New Year's resolutions. Start modestly. Keep a record. Increase your effort at the rate of 10% per week. If you can, find a partner, even if it's only someone you can tell about your progress. Tunes through ear buds will make it more enjoyable. Commit to six weeks of uninterrupted effort. Six weeks - the time behaviorists tell us it takes to make something a habit. Then, at the end of that six weeks see if you don't find the benefits, both mental and physical, are something you don't want to leave behind.
Just do it!
We've all heard or read about preachers at difficult funerals who say, "People ask why this kind of thing happens, and the truth is nobody has the answers."
Forgive me if this sounds arrogant and presumptuous, but I do have the answer. I read it in the Bible.
Sin. A cosmos corrupted by sin.
(tomorrow's sermon)
If you're impressed by driving skills, including drifting:
Subaru Fun
I need some help with another issue. This time it's not French words, but Excel formulas. So step to the front, all you math wizards, especially those who know the mysteries of Excel syntax.
I want to create a spreadsheet for recording my runs. It would look something like this:
A1 is the total time of the run, the elapsed time. B1 is the distance. I want C1 to be my pace, my minutes-per-mile rate. But I want times expressed in minutes and seconds, not fractions.
If it weren't for that last part even I could do it. C1 would get the formula:
=(A1/B1)
But that only works if A1 and C1 are in fractions, not in minutes and seconds. Is there any way to write formulas so that I can plug a minutes/seconds number into A1 and have Excel work with it as a fraction? And then have the formula for C1 written such that it comes out reading minutes and seconds? Or am I going to have to go through the step of converting seconds to fractions on my own?
I need some Tylenol just from writing that paragraph.
Whaddaya think? Will we see visitors as a result of our mailing tomorrow?
1 comment:
If I understand what you want, the spreadsheet thing is pretty simple. Presumably you will enter distgance in miles and tenths (e.g. 7.4). How will you enter time? Do you plan to enter total minutes (e.g.126) or hours and tenths (e.g. 2.1) in cell A1? Would you be willing to enter hours in A1, minutes in B1, and move distance to C1? Once you decide what you're willing to do for entry of data, the formula is simple.
Scott
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