Observations From Hadleyville: PRIDE GOETH BEFORE A WATCH

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

PRIDE GOETH BEFORE A WATCH

I was slightly guilty of gloating to my hiking buddy the other day. I told him I had walked half a mile in seven minutes. Mathematician that he is, he remarked, "that's a fourteen minute mile!"

So today I went for my regular five mile hike up Godde Hill. (2.5 UP--2.5 DOWN) Today I wore a real watch with minute gradation markings, instead of my classy one with only 3, 6, 9 & 12 on the face.

Ouch. No fourteen minute miles here. I did walk eighteen and twenty-two minute miles going uphill. I managed two sixteen minute miles downhill. That's still better than my usual, humdrum twenty minute (3MPH) miles on flat ground, but not a superhuman (otherwise known as a normal guy) fourteen minute (4MPH).

Sorry Eric, the record is now straight.

2 comments:

Eric said...: That's OK. I often get the math wrong when I'm walking or biking. 20-minute miles uphill are pretty good. The main thing is that you're walking and improving.

Oh, and 15-minute (not 14-minute) miles are 4mph (4 * 15min = 60min = 1hr). Most people cannot walk 15-minute miles without practice, let alone 14-minute miles.; March 26, 2008 at 8:40 AM
Don the Baptist said...: WHEW!; March 26, 2008 at 10:29 AM

Post a Comment

QUASI-LEGAL DISCLAIMER

Don the Baptist considers himself to be both intellectually deep and extremely humorous. Don the Baptist assumes no responsibility for blog browsers who cannot tell the difference between the two. Blog browsers are advised to consider any "Observations from Hadleyville" content that makes no sense to be the result of a lack of intellect or sense of humor on the part of the blog browser and not that of the blogger. Don the Baptist is a non profit guy so don't bother suing Don the Baptist as it would be a waste of time and resources.

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR WRITERS

The secret of becoming a writer is that you have to write. You have to write a lot. You also have to finish what you write, even though no one wants it yet. If you don't learn to finish your work, no one will ever want to see it. The biggest mistake new writers make is carrying around copies of unfinished work to inflict on their friends.

I am sure it has been done with less, but you should be prepared to write and throw away a million words of finished material. By finished, I mean completed, done, ready to submit, and written as well as you know how at the time you wrote it.
-Jerry Pournelle

WHAT'S THIS HADLEYVILLE THING?

Those of you familiar with Mark Twain’s works might recognize my blog title. As Samuel Clemons grew older, he became increasingly disillusioned with humanity. Towards the end he began referring to the Damned Human Race; employing the secular and religious epithet at one stroke.

I find I’ve not reached that level of despair myself. I still believe in redemption and I still see signs of nobility even among we fallen, damned creatures. So, I could not bring myself to call this blog “On the Damned Human Race.” I do however, resonate with another of Clemmons stories; “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg.” And viola, there you have it. “Observations From Hadleyville.”