The sheer amount of effort required for this stop motion animation short is mind boggling. You have to watch this. I'm not kidding.
BIG BANG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.
The Department of Citrus Responds...
After my recent review of Squeezed
, Karen Mathis from the Florida Department of Citrus sent me the following e-mail, reproduced (with permission) below. The FDOC is an executive agency of the Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry. Its mission is to grow the market for the Florida citrus industry in order to enhance the economic well-being of the Florida citrus grower, the citrus industry and the State of Florida.------------
From: Karen Mathis
To: Nathan Ng
Date: Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Subject: Orange Juice Facts
Dear Nate,
By utilizing state-of-the-art technology, Florida is able to provide a consistent supply of high quality, nutritious orange juice year round. When oranges are processed, natural components such as orange aroma, orange oil from the peel, and pulp may be separated from the orange juice. After the juice is pasteurized, these natural orange components may be added back to the orange juice for optimal flavor.
Many individuals find it difficult to meet their daily fruit and vegetable serving requirements, and 100 percent orange juice is a convenient and healthy way to get essential vitamins and nutrients to support good health. In fact, just one serving counts as almost 25 percent of the USDA-recommended daily fruit and vegetable servings, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Additionally, an 8-ounce glass provides at least 100 percent of the Daily Value of vitamin C.
Please feel free to contact me if you'd like to discuss in more detail.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Karen Mathis
Karen Bennett Mathis, APR
Public Relations Director
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CITRUS
605 E. Main Street
Bartow, FL 33830
Public Relations Director
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CITRUS
605 E. Main Street
Bartow, FL 33830
The ugly truth about orange juice
It was the grown-up version of learning that there's no Santa Claus. My revelation: Not-from-concentrate orange juice is basically an artificially fabricated beverage.
I was in the library recently, and chanced upon Squeezed: What You Don't Know about Orange Juice by Alissa Hamilton. This slim tome is a concisely written commodity study that examines the history of, industry, and marketing practices associated with orange juice. As a regular and at times voracious drinker of orange juice, I was piqued by the subject material and checked it out forthwith.
Here are some choice tidbits I learned from the book:
I was in the library recently, and chanced upon Squeezed: What You Don't Know about Orange Juice by Alissa Hamilton. This slim tome is a concisely written commodity study that examines the history of, industry, and marketing practices associated with orange juice. As a regular and at times voracious drinker of orange juice, I was piqued by the subject material and checked it out forthwith. Here are some choice tidbits I learned from the book:
The product labelling for orange juice is, at best legally correct but ambiguous; at worst almost perniciously misleading. 'Not from concentrate' actually means pasteurized. It was a marketing term that the industry stumbled upon by accident, and subsequently exploited to sell more orange juice.
During standardization hearings in the 1960s, the FDA mandated that the industry print the word 'Pasteurized' on the label for pasteurized orange juice packaging in letters 'no less than 50% of the size of the words Orange Juice'. The industry's creative response? Make the words 'Orange Juice' very small on the label, and instead emphasize the brand -- 'Tropicana Pure Premium' for example -- and use a large graphic (e.g. an orange with a straw in it) instead. That meant they could print 'Pasteurized' in inconspicuous type. (In the US, the Simply Orange brand doesn't even use the word juice!)
'Not from concentrate' was a term that coincided with a sharp rise in the price of pasteurized orange juice, due to a series of Floridian winter freezes in the 1980s. Tropicana had no choice but to raise the price of 'Not from concentrate' -- but their marketing department cleverly realized that they could use this to differentiate from reconstituted orange juice, and imply that the premium was because the juice was fresher and healthier -- and more pure.
Which is arguably not the case.
The orange juice you buy from the grocery store is a heavily processed liquid whose relation to the 'original oranges' is woefully distant.
You may think that orange juice simply gets squeezed, refrigerated, and then shipped to your local grocery, but the manufacturing sequence is far more complicated. When the label says 'Made from fresh squeezed oranges in Florida', that is literally, legally true, but conveniently omits many intervening steps.
Yes the oranges were fresh, and squeezed (mostly) in Florida. But then the juice was pasteurized, deaerated (to remove all the oxygen), de-oiled, stored in an aseptic tank for up to a year, blended, re-flavoured using flavour packs, and then heat treated again before packaging.
The de-oiling and the use of flavour packs would strike many consumers as unnatural, if they knew that it happened. The constituents of the oils and flavour packs that get reintroduced to orange juice typically do not come from the original fruits that the juice was squeezed from. In fact the industry often de-oils and strips volatile essence to a greater degree than necessary, so that when they add it back in later on they can achieve uniform consistency in the product. And the juice may have been squeezed in Florida but the oranges may come from Brazil and California.
It is difficult to find an orange juice consumer who is not bothered by the fact that a product that is made out to be fresh sits in storage, sometimes for upward of a year, and is made palatable only by the addition of a flavor pack. p206, Hamilton
The industry has constructed a liquid, using individual juice components, that does not exist in nature. You could not get the contents of an orange juice container from squeezing a bunch of oranges.
The last point of interest is the fact that Minute Maid and Tropicana are respectively owned by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. In many respects these parent companies are branding organizations whose strengths lie in marketing and distribution -- they outsource the processing to companies like Cutrale. There's a distinct... corporate layering between the people who make the orange juice and the people who sell it to you.
I will make one comment in the industry's defense. When you examine the mechanics and logistics involved in creating, storing, distributing, marketing and selling the sheer, incredible volume of orange juice that is consumed across North America, you realize that industrial food manufacturing techniques have to be applied. It would be impossible to economically make that much fresh squeezed orange juice.
So -- have I stopped drinking processed orange juice? Not entirely, alas. It's like an addiction to cigarettes. But I've significantly cut down on my consumption. If you want to learn the ugly truth about orange juice, I recommend reading Squeezed. If you want to maintain your illusions about that jug in your fridge, give it a pass. My conclusion -- the best way to get fresh squeezed orange juice is to squeeze it yourself!
Update: Read the Department of Citrus response to this post...
Update: Read the Department of Citrus response to this post...
Victory @ True North!
The results surprised me because during the first hour and a half, I struggled considerably. I was not climbing with any power or control. But some timely encouragement from the other climbers spurred me on (the atmosphere at these events is super friendly and supportive), and I flashed a succession of difficult problems in a row. Result -- I whisked away the crown by a slim margin.
I feel absolutely thrashed right now. It's a good feeling -- when you've put in an honest physical effort at the limits of your abilities. I think it'd be tough to win Experienced again, but we'll see what happens. My long term goal is to get strong enough to enter in Open, and not finish in the bottom third. Still quite a ways from this point.
I saw many familiar faces -- I believe close to 200 people attended this event. The comp was held at True North Climbing, the newest climbing gym to open up in the GTA. Located in Downsview Park, True North is a sparkling facility run by a fellow named John Gross, a former Alias|Wavefront software developer (he worked on Maya!). The gym is tucked inside one of the old aircraft hangers at Downsview -- an excellent repurposing of an old industrial facility for modern use.
The walls were designed and built by Eldorado Walls, and it certainly appears that they put a lot of effort into making great use of the space. I'm happy that another climbing facility has been added to the GTA area. Although the location is particularly awkward for me -- it took me about half an hour tramping around the airstrip at Downsview to get there -- I hope True North is a raging success, and can perhaps relieve some of the 'population pressure' encountered at my home gym.
Photos of True North can be found here. An excellent interview on how True North came to be can be perused at Climbing Hold Review. And there's another interview via Ontario Climbing here.
Thanks True North, Tour de Bloc, and all of the sponsors for holding a fantastic event!
Team V0 wins GOLD in Montreal!
The comp was held at Centre d'escalade Vertical, a brisk 20 minute walk from Station Angrignon at the end of the green Métro line. Vertical is part of a larger athletic/community complex, the Cégep André-Laurendeau.
The design choices climbing gyms make based on facilities and structures always fascinate me. Vertical is the answer to the question, how would you design a gym in a large gymnasium-type structure? They had a thoughtful bouldering setup with lots of overhanging problems and deep soft padding. If you're ever in the area, check out Vertical!
With respect to the comp, they put up a tough set of challenges. One particular problem took me about 45 minutes of work (out of the 3 hour session) to complete, but I believe it put me over the top in the scoring. In all the comps I've been to so far, there's always been a problem or two where I basically decide, screw the scoring, I'm going to send this problem today.
My nemesis: 45 min+ on this sucker. Blue tape; start is on the right at the corner.
The kids at these events are shockingly skilled. All three of the top boys in the upper junior division beat me on the scoresheet. It definitely gives you a sense of perspective and humility. And my top scoring problem (not the one pictured above) I felt goaded to complete because this little 11 year old girl did it easily in front of me. Her parents were amused by how difficult I found the same problem. My honour was at stake! I had to represent Team V0!
Yeah, I know it's a bit of a joke to be in Rec. I'll enter in Experienced next season. Plus, I am just not a serious climber like these people. That is, I don't consider myself a serious climber at this stage in life. And it was a small field this comp; in a larger field I wouldn't have done so well. [I would have tied for 5th in Experienced going by the results]
Lastly, I want to thank the organizer, Sébastien, for his courteous and generous treatment of a guest at his home gym. I will definitely wear the Vertical/Gonflé à Bloc t-shirt with pride. The organization and judging was great and super friendly, the sponsors had prizes for even the Rec finishers, and overall it truly felt like a community event with a fun vibe.
Congratulations Sébastien on holding a fantastic comp!
Yeah, I know it's a bit of a joke to be in Rec. I'll enter in Experienced next season. Plus, I am just not a serious climber like these people. That is, I don't consider myself a serious climber at this stage in life. And it was a small field this comp; in a larger field I wouldn't have done so well. [I would have tied for 5th in Experienced going by the results]
Lastly, I want to thank the organizer, Sébastien, for his courteous and generous treatment of a guest at his home gym. I will definitely wear the Vertical/Gonflé à Bloc t-shirt with pride. The organization and judging was great and super friendly, the sponsors had prizes for even the Rec finishers, and overall it truly felt like a community event with a fun vibe.
Congratulations Sébastien on holding a fantastic comp!
Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: Hey that's me!
Amusingly, I recently discovered that I have been making an (extremely peripheral) appearance in a chain e-mail that's circulating around the Internet.
We've all received these e-mails at one point or another. People send them around, they get forwarded a million times, eventually a friend of a friend sends it to your friend who thinks it's funny, and they pass it along to you... Typically they're slightly spammy collections of jokes, funny pictures, and so on, the static precursors to viral YouTube videos. Everybody has an uncle or cousin or acquaintance who loves these messages. The mechanics of how they propagate would make fine grist for a Malcolm Gladwell article.
We've all received these e-mails at one point or another. People send them around, they get forwarded a million times, eventually a friend of a friend sends it to your friend who thinks it's funny, and they pass it along to you... Typically they're slightly spammy collections of jokes, funny pictures, and so on, the static precursors to viral YouTube videos. Everybody has an uncle or cousin or acquaintance who loves these messages. The mechanics of how they propagate would make fine grist for a Malcolm Gladwell article.
Yesterday my dad forwarded me this deck of pictures (posted here as a google doc). [Yes, I know by posting the link I am myself transmitting this viral time-waster. Guilty as charged -- that's how these things work!]
"I am sending you this slide presentation... you are in one of the photos", he wrote.
Naturally I was skeptical. I opened it up and it was a typical set of captioned photos, primarily of silly or bizarre situations. You have to be in a certain mood to appreciate them. I took a quick glance through the deck...
Sure enough, there I am, about halfway in.* My incredulity was mistaken.
It's merely a peripheral shot where I'm in the background, and it's buried in a larger grouping of images, so it's not like I'm central or anything, but it's still weird to realize this image is out there, circulating endlessly over the internet, a tiny meme reproducing in people's e-mails and providing a sliver of a laugh each time. This fractionated, diffused 'fame' feels rather hollow.
At least it gave my dad a good chuckle!
So -- the next time you get one of those e-mails or see a post that reads, "Hey check this out", you never know -- you might be a part of it without knowing!
* It's the slide titled 'Stones Stacker', slide 23, if you're curious. It's indisputably me lurking in the back of the shot, partially cut off, wearing a Tilley Hat, oversize RayBans, and a maroon climbing shirt. I'm gawking at what you're supposed to be looking at - a guy balancing rocks. The shot was taken a few years back, during a Yonge Street Festival closure (before David Miller cancelled them). Always a bystander.
"I am sending you this slide presentation... you are in one of the photos", he wrote.
Naturally I was skeptical. I opened it up and it was a typical set of captioned photos, primarily of silly or bizarre situations. You have to be in a certain mood to appreciate them. I took a quick glance through the deck...
Sure enough, there I am, about halfway in.* My incredulity was mistaken.
It's merely a peripheral shot where I'm in the background, and it's buried in a larger grouping of images, so it's not like I'm central or anything, but it's still weird to realize this image is out there, circulating endlessly over the internet, a tiny meme reproducing in people's e-mails and providing a sliver of a laugh each time. This fractionated, diffused 'fame' feels rather hollow.
At least it gave my dad a good chuckle!
So -- the next time you get one of those e-mails or see a post that reads, "Hey check this out", you never know -- you might be a part of it without knowing!
* It's the slide titled 'Stones Stacker', slide 23, if you're curious. It's indisputably me lurking in the back of the shot, partially cut off, wearing a Tilley Hat, oversize RayBans, and a maroon climbing shirt. I'm gawking at what you're supposed to be looking at - a guy balancing rocks. The shot was taken a few years back, during a Yonge Street Festival closure (before David Miller cancelled them). Always a bystander.
How I qualified for Boston*
* if I had magically gone twice as fast, for double the distance -- in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon.
The last month has been pretty rough athletic venture-wise. I knew that if I participated in the Underwear Affair I would have an injury problem. Sure enough, I ran, had a fabulous time, raised a solid amount -- but injured my left leg quite badly, incurring either a really ugly shin splint or a minor stress fracture.
Consequently I haven't been able to run. The days ticked by and I realized I just was not going to be able to run in the half, at least not without serious injury. But it irked me that I wasn't going to be able to participate -- in recent years the waterfront marathon/half marathon has exploded and become a huge race for Toronto. Plus I hate shelling out money for nothing.
I decided to try an experiment -- I'd WALK the half-marathon. That way I could avoid further injury, yet still legitimately wear a race t-shirt and hang my finisher's medal, without any suggestion of deception. I am no poser!
My race target was arbitrarily set at 10 minutes per kilometer. I would try... to finish LAST in my age group. The only rule: no running or jogging permitted -- just brisk walking.
I've never walked that (measured) length of distance before, so it was an entirely novel experience. I literally had no idea what it would be like. It turns out that life at the back of the queue is quite interesting in and of itself. I learned a number of things from my experience:
It was mentally tough, not running today. But it was still worth doing. I guess I've just got to be patient, and look way, way forward to Around the Bay next year. I can get into gear by then!
The last month has been pretty rough athletic venture-wise. I knew that if I participated in the Underwear Affair I would have an injury problem. Sure enough, I ran, had a fabulous time, raised a solid amount -- but injured my left leg quite badly, incurring either a really ugly shin splint or a minor stress fracture.
Consequently I haven't been able to run. The days ticked by and I realized I just was not going to be able to run in the half, at least not without serious injury. But it irked me that I wasn't going to be able to participate -- in recent years the waterfront marathon/half marathon has exploded and become a huge race for Toronto. Plus I hate shelling out money for nothing.
 |
| My finisher’s medal |
My race target was arbitrarily set at 10 minutes per kilometer. I would try... to finish LAST in my age group. The only rule: no running or jogging permitted -- just brisk walking.
I've never walked that (measured) length of distance before, so it was an entirely novel experience. I literally had no idea what it would be like. It turns out that life at the back of the queue is quite interesting in and of itself. I learned a number of things from my experience:
- It's harder than you think. For the simple reason that... you're out there almost twice as long. Walking sounds easy, right? Sure, for half an hour. At three hours? You're taking a trip to Soreville.
- Everybody is super friendly... and yet also way more determined. I admit, at the start I felt sheepish walking. I think of myself as a runner, and the natural inclination is to go, get a decent pace going, get a decent position. But walking, you had time for reflection and conversation with your peers. I heard a number of touching and inspirational stories from the other participants. As a runner, you kind of look down on walkers. It's instinctual. But now I have newfound respect for walkers. These two ladies I did the last 5k with even 'kicked' at the end, it was hilarious, and heart-warming. They were NOT going to lose to me! They had grit.
- Technique is useful. You know during the Olympics when they show racewalking and you think to yourself, give me a break, that looks so simple. Guess what -- those guys are impossible to catch with normal walking. I tried to keep pace with a couple of them at the start but they just zoomed off; it was clear that mechanically speaking my gait rate and length was far less efficient. I had to settle for a steady purposeful stride.
- Pee when you get the opportunity. When you're walking, the length of time between rest stations telescopes out incredibly! I drank a normal amount of water/gatorade for an event like this and it felt like being in kindergarten all over again about 10 kilometers in. "How much longer do I have to hold it in?!" Trust me, you do not want to be in a situation where it's 'just another kilometer' before the next washroom.
- Everything happens in slow motion. When you're running, you can usually surge a bit and pass someone if you need to. Walking, you had to gain an inch or two at a time... It was funny boxing someone in or getting cut off slowly...
It was mentally tough, not running today. But it was still worth doing. I guess I've just got to be patient, and look way, way forward to Around the Bay next year. I can get into gear by then!
8th Annual Board Meeting = Skate Rampage
As usual the Board Meeting turned out to be a crazy success. I'm always amazed by the stoke in the air during this annual city cruise by our longboarding community.
It was a beautiful day and happily there were no fatalities (though I did witness one particularly painful looking bail on University north of College). I think everyone takes something a little different from this event. For some it's a feeling of mass power. For others it's about the community. For a few it's about flouting traffic rules. For me, it was about relaxing in the sun and having a good time.
I met many old friends and made some new ones - I met someone here from Nova Scotia, and someone from Alberta. It was good to see everyone! In the above clip I can pick out so many of the OLF crew, it's funny. Kudos to the organizers, we owe you big thanks.
It was a beautiful day and happily there were no fatalities (though I did witness one particularly painful looking bail on University north of College). I think everyone takes something a little different from this event. For some it's a feeling of mass power. For others it's about the community. For a few it's about flouting traffic rules. For me, it was about relaxing in the sun and having a good time.
I met many old friends and made some new ones - I met someone here from Nova Scotia, and someone from Alberta. It was good to see everyone! In the above clip I can pick out so many of the OLF crew, it's funny. Kudos to the organizers, we owe you big thanks.
UA Group shot
Here we go, the elusive NexJ group photo for the 09 NYGH Underwear Affair...
You can't quite see it but yes we are all wearing NexJ underwear. And here's another shot for good measure. Can't do this without a tasty beverage!
Thanks to Gord/Karen for posting these!
You can't quite see it but yes we are all wearing NexJ underwear. And here's another shot for good measure. Can't do this without a tasty beverage!
Thanks to Gord/Karen for posting these!
Fantastic Underwear Affair!
Imagine a thousand people running free and loose in their underwear, along the Leslie Spit. Sound ridiculous? It happened today!
[Yes I know the above pic is missing a few team members: Henry, Mike and Karen! We forgot about the post race photo until after you'd left! Sorry! Once I get hold of the pre-race photo I'll post it :)]
The NYGH Underwear Affair was a fantastic success. A charity run for cancer care and research for cancers 'below the waist', the Affair showed us how a small-scale run can be powerfully effective in both raising funds (~$750k) and generating smiles at the same time.
To the other members of Team NexJ who joined me at the race: thank you. Together we raised over eight thousand, four hundred dollars! Incredible. You guys are amazing. We came in 11th out of ~190 teams with >1 member. Looking at the top 11 teams, we were competing against teams double, triple... even quintuple our size. We placed THIRD in terms of funds raised per team member. Congratulations everyone!
Next I want to thank my generous supporters, without whose donations this would not have been possible. My target was $400; my sponsors, including NexJ Systems and our CEO, donated over $1,300. Thank you so much!
Next I'd like to thank the organizers of the Underwear Affair, including Joe Boxer - you guys know how to throw a fabulous bash!
And last but not least - thanks to the other participants of the race! I saw some crazy costumes and delightful outfits out there on the trail. Lithe, beautiful, and clad only in underwear: a trend I'd love to see more of.
Oh yeah - my time? Gun time was 51 and change. Yeah, I didn't press. Shrug. I decided to go for FUN over discomfort. I wound up tracking behind an exceptionally attractive lady by the name of Jordanna. Ahem... And Team NexJ fared quite competitively: 3 in the top 100, and everyone came in under an hour. Tom and Mike respectively placed 21st and 31st, and I ambled in at 74. Well done gents!
I'm going to have some intense shin splints (left leg) tomorrow. Next up: Toronto Waterfront Half. Hope this doesn't affect my training!
[Yes I know the above pic is missing a few team members: Henry, Mike and Karen! We forgot about the post race photo until after you'd left! Sorry! Once I get hold of the pre-race photo I'll post it :)]
The NYGH Underwear Affair was a fantastic success. A charity run for cancer care and research for cancers 'below the waist', the Affair showed us how a small-scale run can be powerfully effective in both raising funds (~$750k) and generating smiles at the same time.
To the other members of Team NexJ who joined me at the race: thank you. Together we raised over eight thousand, four hundred dollars! Incredible. You guys are amazing. We came in 11th out of ~190 teams with >1 member. Looking at the top 11 teams, we were competing against teams double, triple... even quintuple our size. We placed THIRD in terms of funds raised per team member. Congratulations everyone!
Next I want to thank my generous supporters, without whose donations this would not have been possible. My target was $400; my sponsors, including NexJ Systems and our CEO, donated over $1,300. Thank you so much!
Next I'd like to thank the organizers of the Underwear Affair, including Joe Boxer - you guys know how to throw a fabulous bash!
And last but not least - thanks to the other participants of the race! I saw some crazy costumes and delightful outfits out there on the trail. Lithe, beautiful, and clad only in underwear: a trend I'd love to see more of.
Oh yeah - my time? Gun time was 51 and change. Yeah, I didn't press. Shrug. I decided to go for FUN over discomfort. I wound up tracking behind an exceptionally attractive lady by the name of Jordanna. Ahem... And Team NexJ fared quite competitively: 3 in the top 100, and everyone came in under an hour. Tom and Mike respectively placed 21st and 31st, and I ambled in at 74. Well done gents!
I'm going to have some intense shin splints (left leg) tomorrow. Next up: Toronto Waterfront Half. Hope this doesn't affect my training!
In loving memory
A dedication: To our beloved uncle Simon, recently passed, who filled my childhood with laughter. Your playful sense of mischievousness and ready smile will live on in our memory. I thought of you during the race today, and my heart was filled with joy.
Uncle Simon played many roles: a loving husband, patrician father, doting grandfather, friend to many far and wide, physician-healer to the sick and frail. He will be deeply missed.
Uncle Simon played many roles: a loving husband, patrician father, doting grandfather, friend to many far and wide, physician-healer to the sick and frail. He will be deeply missed.
Hot weather makes it perfect for running in my Underwear
After a little cajoling and trash talking I finally signed up for the NYGH Underwear Affair at the end of the month. It's a fundraising 10k race for cancer care and research for cancers below the waist.
It should be a really fun run. If you'd like to help me out and support my fundraising efforts (I'm trying to raise over $400 - well, actually I already have, but I'd like to keep going) feel free to do so here. Don't be shy, I'll really appreciate it. My amazing company has fantastically decided to match donations made to me or my team, so any contribution automatically gets twice the impact!
I do want to thank all of my generous contributors to date. North York General Hospital thanks you too. You guys rock!
I have to say I'm worried about the temperature and humidity. I've fallen off the wagon since the Sporting Life run and am out of condition (sigh). I've run a few times outside over the past week and boy has it been HOT. Gotta keep hydrated. Not to mention I have to rapidly get in shape to gear up for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon, which is coming up pretty quick.
We'll see what happens. I was originally planning on cracking 50 minutes or even approaching my Sporting Life time, but based on my recent runs I'll be happy to come in under an hour. I have big problems with the heat!
On a tangential note, I'm interested to see how much this particular event raises, and the number of participants, relative to the Sporting Life 10k. The Underwear Affair is a MUCH smaller event with (despite organizers' best efforts I'm sure) a much lower awareness and media profile -- a lot of people I talked with when fundraising hadn't even heard of the event. They consequently seem to have taken a different approach and chosen the path of raising the bar considerably for individual fundraising. (Each runner has to raise $400!)
Will they come close to matching the $800k the Sporting Life run took in? That run is a massive event that annually disrupts the entire city for a few hours; is it even worth asking the question? You might be surprised. Last year the Underwear Affair event was for Sunnybrook Hospital, and raised $750k, with about a thousand runners. If you're going to participate in or donate to a charity event, it can be intriguing to determine how effective their fundraising efforts actually are by performing some light comparative analysis relative to other events...
It should be a really fun run. If you'd like to help me out and support my fundraising efforts (I'm trying to raise over $400 - well, actually I already have, but I'd like to keep going) feel free to do so here. Don't be shy, I'll really appreciate it. My amazing company has fantastically decided to match donations made to me or my team, so any contribution automatically gets twice the impact!
I do want to thank all of my generous contributors to date. North York General Hospital thanks you too. You guys rock!
I have to say I'm worried about the temperature and humidity. I've fallen off the wagon since the Sporting Life run and am out of condition (sigh). I've run a few times outside over the past week and boy has it been HOT. Gotta keep hydrated. Not to mention I have to rapidly get in shape to gear up for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon, which is coming up pretty quick.
We'll see what happens. I was originally planning on cracking 50 minutes or even approaching my Sporting Life time, but based on my recent runs I'll be happy to come in under an hour. I have big problems with the heat!
On a tangential note, I'm interested to see how much this particular event raises, and the number of participants, relative to the Sporting Life 10k. The Underwear Affair is a MUCH smaller event with (despite organizers' best efforts I'm sure) a much lower awareness and media profile -- a lot of people I talked with when fundraising hadn't even heard of the event. They consequently seem to have taken a different approach and chosen the path of raising the bar considerably for individual fundraising. (Each runner has to raise $400!)
Will they come close to matching the $800k the Sporting Life run took in? That run is a massive event that annually disrupts the entire city for a few hours; is it even worth asking the question? You might be surprised. Last year the Underwear Affair event was for Sunnybrook Hospital, and raised $750k, with about a thousand runners. If you're going to participate in or donate to a charity event, it can be intriguing to determine how effective their fundraising efforts actually are by performing some light comparative analysis relative to other events...
sanity prevails and I switch to the Half
Taking stock of my current physical condition and the length of time it's been taking me to acclimatize to the summer heat, I decided to take the conservative route and reverse the accidental full marathon registration of a few weeks ago and switch to the half. It means I'm going to enjoy my summer running a lot more. Which doesn't mean I'm abandoning the full distance forever - there's always Ottawa in the spring.
Sometimes you have to be realistic to get the best outcome.
Sometimes you have to be realistic to get the best outcome.
I always blame my errors on the user interface
You know when you're doing an online transaction, and you're annoyed at filling out all the form details for the millionth time, so you just kind of rush through the confirmation screen, you're like yeah yeah whatever, without checking the values? And you just click OK?
I just signed up online for the FULL Toronto waterfront marathon instead of the half. Haha. And it costs $10 to switch. Now I'm kind of amused -- should I go for it?!
Means a heck of a lot more training this summer.
I just signed up online for the FULL Toronto waterfront marathon instead of the half. Haha. And it costs $10 to switch. Now I'm kind of amused -- should I go for it?!
Means a heck of a lot more training this summer.
Old Baldy road trip
Got my permit to climb at Old Baldy - might as well use it! I love small town Ontario. We camped at Roebuck Campgrounds near Meaford.
Didn't actually climb anything too hard - I did lead one 5.10b with a sketchy 2nd clip that was like a long diagonal traverse.
Was consumed by blackflies.
Didn't actually climb anything too hard - I did lead one 5.10b with a sketchy 2nd clip that was like a long diagonal traverse.
Was consumed by blackflies.
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