Science is the best thing we can do. And I think it is better for men to seek order in a chaotic manner instead to study chaos in an orderly fashion.

Monday, December 24, 2007

more and more complex

Think of a being which could learn all contemporary mathematics, say, in a month. Of course, it could not be a human, at least not the human as we know it today. Then, such a being would be able, perhaps, to use of the most simple truths somehow without the awareness we usually need.
If you say that this kind of living thing could not exist, think a little closer to the difference between us and other superior animals, to that difference which makes us able to use the language.
You could think further, imagining that there is a kind of complex gene mutation which could raise, at beginning, a little population of such creatures. To these beings, we, the humans, would be vestigial. What would be our future in this case, if it could be one?

Sunday, December 23, 2007

- God Jul - Merry Christmas -



Thursday, December 20, 2007

running in campus



temperature: -4.7 C deg.
hard intensity zone: 145-165
distance studied (i.e. hard intensity zone): 18 km
time in the hard intensity zone or above: 86'40"
time in the maximum intensity zone: 4'0"
total time: 109'36" (warm up and cool down included, they were about 12'40"+ 9'35")
maximum HR: 168
distance: 21.3 km (evaluated by using the foot pod)
starting hour: 19:52 (start time in town)

It was difficult: the recent muscle strain has relapsed because of the cold and an inappropriate warm up.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Why no science on this blog in the later time?

Today someone interpellated me on another site saying that my blog has no connection with its subject. I am ready to accept his/her observation, although I really think that it is more important to do science by myself than to write about it on a blog. In any case, when I have a difficult time focusing on my scientific goals, my blog must wait for inspiration.
Indeed, writing daily about science is a difficult task -- especially because my native language is Romanian and writing in English is still demanding for me, requiring a time which I not have it --, but I do not blame others for my lack of time, skills, ideas or spirit. Further to that, though I will reflect more on this issue I still think that a bilingual blog is not a very good idea.
When I have nothing important to say about science, or when the subject which I have in my mind is too vast to record it, I confine myself to the running issues and experience, and I think this is better than to write nothing.
Remember, a blog is not a book, and I have not a contractual relation with any editor, and much the less an obligation of any kind to anyone else.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

running in campus


temperature: 0.5 C deg.
hard intensity zone: 147-162
distance studied (i.e. hard intensity zone): 18 km
time in the hard intensity zone: 84'
time in the maximum intensity zone: 4'30"
total time: 108'3" (warm up and cool down included, they were about 11'45"+ 6'45")
maximum HR: 168
distance: 21.4 km (evaluated by using Google Earth and the foot pod)
starting hour: 14:27 (starting time in the town)

I ran in the campus of the Polytechnic Institute, to be precise. I have changed my mind in the last moment because I thought that the soil in the field is still wet and my joints need time to recover. The running was quite good.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

running - first snow this year


temperature: -1 -- 1 C deg.
target zone: 150-
time in the target zone: 62'45"
distance studied (i.e. hard intensity zone): 16 km
time in the hard intensity zone: 85'
total time: 116'10" (warm up and cool down included, they were about 15' + 13' minutes)
maximum HR: 159
distance: 20 km (evaluated by using Google Earth: the foot pod was dead because the battery was too low)
starting hour: 15:20 (starting time in the field)

The short portion -- of 2 or 3 kilometers -- of the path with a muddy soil was very demanding: all the rest of the route is a very good one, with grass. Now I experience some problems, because during the running I had a little muscle strain at the adductor of the left ankle. So, I did the main effort on the right foot, and now, I have some pain in the (right) tendon again. I am not sure if I could run on Saturday.

An hour after I have finished my run , it was snowing heavily and blowing a cold wind.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

running - a pretty good day


temperature: 5 deg. C
target zone: 150-
time in the target zone: 74'00"
distance studied (i.e. hard intensity zone): 18 km
time in the hard intensity zone: 89'
total time: 112'6" (warm up and cool down included, they were about 11' + 11' minutes)
maximum HR: 161
distance: 21.4 km (evaluated by using the foot pod of the pacer)
starting hour: 14:20

Thursday, December 06, 2007

running - clean air, muddy soil


temperature: 4 deg. C
target zone: 150-
time in the target zone: 60'00"
distance in the target zone: 12.2 km
total time: 124'47" (warming and cool down included, they were about 11' + 13'32" minutes)
maximum HR: 165
distance: 20.5 km (evaluated by approximations, by using the foot pod of the pacer)
starting hour: 16:18

I could not run too much on the field: in the later days was raining, and the soil was full of water. I ran first on the field -- about 4 km --, but then I turned back and ran the rest of the distance in the town: my joints are not very happy about that.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

running - calibration of the pacer


I ran about 5.5 km. Warm and then three times 1.5 km. The best time was 6'22".

Saturday, December 01, 2007

running - adaptation to the new surroundings

temperature: 4-5 deg. C
target zone: 150-
time in the target zone: 78'00"
distance in the target zone: 15 km
total time: 100'00" (warming and cool down included, they were about 11' + 12'15" minutes)
maximum HR: 159
distance: 18.1 km (evaluated by approximations, by using Google Earth)
starting hour: 16:10

On the last third of the run it was again dark. The performances are not so good because I am still adapting to the new area. It was also a bad idea to calibrate the pacer before the running. Especially because the calibrating operation is a tedious one, and it takes time and effort -- that is why I started the run so late: the pacer needs two, even three tries because some of them are canceled by the message that says that the 'Calibration Failed'. After that, it would be quite useful to check the result. But I am convinced now that I should try to do this on a day which is not scheduled for run.

The total distance covered on this day is around 22 km.
By bus, it took 50 minutes to come back at home. The other bus that took me outside of town needed only 25 minutes: the problem is that the latter one is running much rare and I cannot stay perspired in the cold waiting for it: after the run I change my t-shirt under the equipment, but is not enough to be safe. I think that it could be useful to purchase a Gore-tex coat: this could be pricey, but I heard that it is the only moisture-proof clothe.