Just showing off

[Kiwi]

This morning I ran my first half marathon. It's twice as far as I have ever run before. I finished in under two hours, which was pretty good, I thought, especially since entering the race was an act of pure spontaneity yesterday. How on earth people run the full distance marathon is beyond me - I have no desire whatsoever to ever beat myself up any further. Full respect to Emery and other marathon runners. But in the meantime, a round of applause for me and my sore calf muscles.

[NH Baritone]

This morning I ran my first half marathon. It's twice as far as I have ever run before. I finished in under two hours, which was pretty good, I thought, especially since entering the race was an act of pure spontaneity yesterday. How on earth people run the full distance marathon is beyond me - I have no desire whatsoever to ever beat myself up any further. Full respect to Emery and other marathon runners. But in the meantime, a round of applause for me and my sore calf muscles.

Hearty congratulations ... and a speedy recovery.

[Kiwi]

Since you're the first to offer your congrats, NH, I'll credit you $20 for your next compliment bribe. Yep, I'm that kind of guy.

[marcuspnw]

Congratulations, Kiwi! I raise my bottle of Corona and drink to your accomplishment. Just thinking about running that far makes me thirsty!
Incidentally, we run at about the same speed. Take care and well done!

[Kiwi]

Cheers Marcus, clink goes my bottle of Monteith's Original Ale against your Corona.

Today I found out what my official time was: 1 hour 42 min. Man, I'm really impressed with myself and am allowing myself a day or two of obnoxious smugness! (It'll wear off though. Much like my really sore legs! Training does have its benefits I have learned ...)

[tirtlegrrl]

Great job! And a quite respectable time as well. I ran 13 miles once, I had only trained up to about 8 but a friend was doing a long run for a marathon and I pushed myself to 13 with her. Last three miles felt OK at the time, but I was severely rubbery in the legs for a few days afterward.

Right now I'm back to running only 1-2, I tried to go too far too soon with the barefoot thing and hurt my ankles. Poo...

[JustJim]

I ran 3-1/2 miles a few times. Then I bought a car. I've never been disappointed....

Jim

[NH Baritone]

I ran 3-1/2 miles a few times. Then I bought a car. I've never been disappointed....

Jim

Not even by the rising prices of petrol?

[Rian]

Congrats, Kiwi!

*hands Kiwi a bottle of Tylenol*

[Brad]

Yes, congrats, indeed, Kiwi!

So it's autumn weather there now? Do you have a lot of foliage changing color?
Running / hiking / walking is especially wonderful in that season, me thinks.

My visit to your wonderful country was during a February, and the only running I observed was in a game of cricket, a game that mystifies me thoroughly.

[Kiwi]

Cricket. Yawn. I suffered through a summer of it as a kid. It's the most boring game in the world if you're no good at it. Like softball and baseball you have a team in batting and a team in the field. And like softball and baseball the small kids get sent way out into the outfield to stand around waiting for nothing to happen. But you don't actually want to be any closer because the cricket ball is as hard as a rock and is terrifying. Finally you get a turn at batting. There are two batsmen in at any one time, standing at opposite wickets. The cricket bat is a plank which you use to hit the rock. The bowler runs towards you, hurls the rock at you and if you actually manage to hit it without getting sconed on the head you run to swap places with the other batter. That constitutes a run. Meanwhile the fielders are retrieving the rock and throwing it back at the wickets in an attempt to run you out. This part sounds exciting but actually the game goes on and on and on for DAYS!!!!!! until your whole team is run out. Seriously: International test cricket matches take around 5 days.

I hereby distance myself and my country from any association whatsoever with the game of cricket.

[Brad]

Are you sure it doesn't just seem like 5 days?

Actually, that's the best explanation of the game I've ever heard.
Thanks!

[Rian]

Cricket. Yawn. I suffered through a summer of it as a kid. It's the most boring game in the world if you're no good at it. Like softball and baseball you have a team in batting and a team in the field. And like softball and baseball the small kids get sent way out into the outfield to stand around waiting for nothing to happen. But you don't actually want to be any closer because the cricket ball is as hard as a rock and is terrifying. Finally you get a turn at batting. There are two batsmen in at any one time, standing at opposite wickets. The cricket bat is a plank which you use to hit the rock. The bowler runs towards you, hurls the rock at you and if you actually manage to hit it without getting sconed on the head you run to swap places with the other batter. That constitutes a run. Meanwhile the fielders are retrieving the rock and throwing it back at the wickets in an attempt to run you out. This part sounds exciting but actually the game goes on and on and on for DAYS!!!!!! until your whole team is run out. Seriously: International test cricket matches take around 5 days.

I hereby distance myself and my country from any association whatsoever with the game of cricket.

Yes, I've heard they take that long - amazing! My British friends say that cricket is great if you like to drink

[NH Baritone]

Meanwhile the fielders are retrieving the rock and throwing it back at the wickets in an attempt to run you out.

How do they "run you out"?

[Kiwi]

Behold, a cricket wicket, just behind the batsman. Note how the bowler has taken a long run up in order to launch the rock hard ball (over arm) so that it may hurt as much as possible should it hit anyone.

When facing the bowler the batsman stands in front of those three pronged wickets. The bowler can bowl out the batsman if the batsman misses the ball and it hits the wickets, knocking off the stumps that rest on the top.



The two batsmen below are running to swap ends. If they have managed to hit the ball cleverly enough they can run twice or even three times. (If the ball makes it to the boundary it's an automatic 4 runs. If it clears the boundary on the full it's a six.) The trick is to keep the strongest batsman facing the bowler. It becomes strategic especially toward the end when they are running out of batsmen.



If they try for a run but one of them doesn't make it back in time then this can happen - in which the fielders have thrown the ball at the wickets and knocked off the 'stumps' before the batter crosses the line. That's being run out.



Looks action packed. It's not, except for the odd moment. And yes, test cricket takes FIVE DAYS. A short match takes a whole day. (For some reason, to make test matches even MORE boring, both teams dress in white. In one day matches they get to wear colours.)

To think I don't like cricket and this all started with me showing off about a half marathon.