Health Club Hunt

Saw a very good health club today: a clean, well-lit establishment with up-to-date machines, a generous two-hour parking validation, and a great locker room with a glassed-in jacuzzi, faux wood lockers and carpeting that didn't appear to be Astro Turf.

The sales rep, a young guy named Reynaldo, pressed hard for me to sign up this very day. He overcame objections like nobody's business. I was offered a one-day discount, a money back guarantee, and a girl. (Not really, but if Reynaldo thought it would help him close he might've hinted at it.) I have one more health club to check out, so I declined. I told Reynaldo he'd probably end up owning the club very soon. But all Reynaldo wanted to hear was that I'd sign up this very day.

On the swimming fashion front, I noticed today that I am "overtrunked." My swim trunks are long, boxer style, and decorated with garish flowers, and Hawaiian words like "Mahalo." They are perfect for pool parties, vacations, and trips to Hawaii where they pass unnoticed. However the pool I frequent mostly attracts competitive swimming types. The guys wear smaller brief-style trunks. But I will not be stampeded. Big, baggy trunks are just fine for aqua running.

A further note on aqua running. I mentioned the chill/warm contrast. There is also a hot/warm difference. On bright sunny days, my head bakes. Today I put on sun screen. As a result, my pasty white Irish skin now has a head with movie star tan.

It appears as if I could only afford to send my head on vacation and it had a great time.

Emerald Nuts in a Bind

On Sunday, San Gabriel Valley Team in Training will run the Emerald Nuts 5K. This 3.1 mile race follows in the wake of the L.A. Marathon down Figueroa and back to the Staples Center.

Traffic promises to be such a madhouse, that many of us will take the Metro Rail from Pasadena downtown to Union Station.

Nothing else really to say.

I just had to come up with something to justify the title.

Cross Training News

Interesting note on aqua jogging. Wearing a flotation belt, only your head and topmost shoulders extend out of the water. The local aquatic center features heated outdoor pools. Last week was cold. Thus my exposed head was chilled while the rest of my body stayed warm underwater.

Was birth like that?

Hill training begins tonight. Alas, I have a commitment that will keep me from joining my teammates. I learned so much last fall about my form and how I tend to run with my back and shoulders tight.

Health club shopping continues. Another update this week.

Parking is the key.

Indochina History Break

Today marks the 52nd anniversary of the Viet Minh attack on the French garrison at Dienbienphu — a remote valley in northern Vietnam near the border with Laos. The Viet Minh were an umbrella group of Vietnamese nationalists under the leadership of communist Ho Chi Minh. They had been fighting the colonial French, and other Vietnamese nationalist groups, since 1946.

The French viewed their position in a flat valley surrounded by hills as an offensive base. From there they would venture out and cut the Viet Minh supply lines, preempting an attack on Laos. As a result of this outlook, the garrison never outposted the hills. They'd be attacking and, besides, it was impossible for the Vietnamese to haul any significantt artillery up there.

Unaware of French opinion, the Vietnameses went ahead and hauled heavy artillery up onto the hills along with daunting amounts of anti-aircraft guns. On March 13, they let loose a barrage, followed by a human wave attack that engulfed a French strongpoint manned by crack Foreign Legionnaires. The fight was on.

For the next several months, while peace talks droned on in Geneva, the Vietnamese strangled the French. All French supplies had to come by parachute. The planes—many flown by American contract pilots— braved intense flak dropping their cargo. As the garrison was compressed, the drop zone grew smaller. Food and ammunition ran short. Meanwhile, generous supplies from nearby communist China—including American ordinance captured in Korea— enabled the Viet Minh to bombard their opponents at will.

Despite horrendous casualties, the Viet Minh seized one French strongpoint after another. Finally, on May 7, 1954, it ended. The French surrendered. Over 10,000 men marched into captivity, many of whom died in Viet Minh prison camps. French colonial rule in Vietnam and Laos ended. In 1955, Vietnam was partitioned into a communist north and a non-communist south along the 17th parallel.

Now back to running and writing stuff.

Storm Running

Finished a ten mile run today with Team in Training. This is the first time I've run with my Summer pace group. It's also the last since pace groups will be reshuffled following next week's 5K.

Stormy yesterday and today. Snowline crept way down the mountain. Through breaks in the mist you could see the San Gabriels covered in green and white. They looked moldy.

Lots of zig-zag running on trails covered by wide puddles or strewn with washed-down rocks and debris. Chilly rain fell now and again with a hail storm thrown in for seasoning. Many runners wore black, plastic trash bags. Jeff, a seasoned TNT veteran, recommends 55 gal. generic brands that tear easily. In addition to low-tech water-proofing, the bags are warm.

After practice, I was very greatful for a working car heater.

Ahhhh!

Hard Luck Harufa

Popped in the The 7th Voyage of Sinbad DVD the other night. Here's a film I love; seen it dozens of times, but I'm always catching something new. For instance, Sinbad's loyal 1st Mate, Harufa, played by Alfred Brown, takes a real pasting for three quarters of the film.

He's kicked by a Cyclops, locked up by mutineers, roasted and almost eaten by the same Cyclops, fights a giant roc, saves the magic lamp from the evil magician who then kills him.

On top of that, he was comic relief.

He wore a lot of turbans, that Harufa.

Scrappy guy, but very unlucky.

Resting Today

A tough training week. Ran two miles Tuesday; strength training on Wednesday; ran two more miles Thursday, worked out on a cardio machine at Club #1 on Friday; then ran eight miles with TNT on Saturday. My calves feel like limestone bricks.

There's 90 minutes free parking for Club #1. However their policy mandates that guests be logged out of the computer by a sales rep. This gives them an opportunity to sign you up every visit. This policy also squanders time so that you must hustle out the door, down two blocks to the parking garage, up the stairs to your car, drive down to the gate. By now 90 minutes have passed and you're out a couple bucks for parking. I'm souring on #1.
Continuing on my health club tour, I checked out an aquatic facility last week. The young woman showing me around seemed to think I'd grown up there and was familiar with the jargon. ('Comp pool, 50 meters, Wed. Family Night, busy rec pool; no float.')

Still, I may go test swim tomorrow morning when most people are at their jobs.