Runner's High

Ever since I mentioned that I was training for the marathon, I've been deluged by emails from Peeps worried about my well being.
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Enough!!!
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I know that I am a fat POS..... but I'm not stupid. I actually ran on the cross country and track team at UMass Amherst and was part of the Freshman New England Cross Country Championship team.
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Don't you think I know what I'm doing?
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Actually, I feel like I never ran a step in my life. My breathing is heavy and my legs feel like lead. My vertebrae are ready to slip right off of my spine.
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You can't really say that what I'm doing is running. It is literally hauling my ass down the road. There are little gnomes with hammers beating on my thigh and calve muscles all day. I feel miserable.
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But I'm committed... I've made a resolution.... crossed over the line..... turned over a leaf. In other words... BRING IT ON!!!
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It's 200 days, 70 lbs, and 840 miles to the starting line of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
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See you in April.

Cell Phone Trauma

My MotoQ is lost somewhere in Milton, MA today. Good riddance. It was bulky, hard to dial and the battery life was terrible.
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But it is still very disconcerting to lose a cell phone, particularly when your business is so focused upon it. Plus replacing the contacts list is a real pain.
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The phone was clipped on my waistband, and I must have knocked it off while I was carrying some equipment to a rooftop. Retracing my steps through the building a couple of times was frustrating.

I bought a Samsung will alot less bells and whistles, that will fit easily in my pocket without making calls by mistake when you brush against the keys, which was a big problem with the MotoQ. The store in Beverly had me up and running almost immediately, albeit $200 lighter.
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I'm looking forward to a little simplicity in the constant use of this cell phone.

Electric Motor

An electric motor would be an interesting add on to the dory. This one is from eCycle Marine Systems of Temple, PA.
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I'll probably stick to a gas powered 15hp Honda 4 stroke from Ryan Marine though.

Seven Months to the Finish Line

203 days until the Boston Marathon. I'm not training to win, so the Kenyans have nothing to worry about.
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But today I started the journey by lugging my considerable bulk two miles up and down West Shore Drive. This will be a painful and challenging 203 days. Along the way, I hope that my weight drops well below 203 lbs.
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I'm going to have to find a charity to run for because I won't be able to get a qualifying time before the actual race.
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The last time I ran Boston, I was 18 years old. There have been many comeback attempts, usually marred by injury of some kind.... or reasons of motivation loss - some valid and some just character weaknesses. There is no reason why this time will be different, outside of the fact that I am opening myself up to ridicule by the likes of you Peeps.
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Maybe that will be the difference.
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Anyway, I'm following a program set up by Hal Higdon (www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Oint2-1.htm), and the real marathon buildup doesn't begin until Dec. 17. Everything up to that time is just conditioning to get into condition.

Dory Shape

These are the extreme frames and stems for the Marblehead Gunning Dory. Unlike the Tender, the stems will not be flush with the breasthook, but will extend about six inches beyond.
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Not for any particular reason outside that I just think it will look cool. A little bit like a Viking ship. Suitable for pillage and plunder.

Add another three hours for a cumulative 20 hours on the dory. Not too bad. We'll be planking soon.

Dory Projection

After the Bluefish victory yesterday, I took an obligatory nap, then put in another 2 hours on assembling the Dory frames. This brings the tally to 17 hours for the project. I also got a chance to tell Will about some of my fishing prowness. I think he will be a fine boatbuilder like his grandfather.
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With any luck, the frames and stems will be set up on the strongback this week. Then we'll have a feel for the true lines of this boat. Unlike the Tender, it should easily accomodate two rowers, and equiped with a 12 HP outboard, it should be great for moving in close to the rocks to flyfish for Stripers.

Circus Boy and Red Sox

I tried a six pack of Katelyn's Circus Boy by Magic Hat Brewery yesterday at dinner. I share her recommendation. A fine choice.
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BTW, have you noticed that the Red Sox won the American East Pennant? Sox are ending the regular season with a 96-65 record - best in MLB. Unlike the bulk of you fretters and non-believers, I never had any doubts.
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Maybe I'll stockpile some Circus Boy's for the post-season run.

Don't Get Mad, Get Even

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Bluefish will mock me no more this year as Bruett and I boated a dozen of them in Fish Alley by the Ledges behind Baker's Island this morning on the WhaleEye.

Good Guinness

Business drops off fast on Friday afternoon so I jumped into the Tender and rowed out to the gut at Children's Island to see if a big Striper wanted to give it up. No takers so I rowed back for a decent 6 mile rowing workout.
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After a half hour on the Cybex, and a much needed shower.... it was time for refreshment.
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Most people don't know that Guinness has less calories than light beer. I could care less. It just tastes so freaking good. I'm thinking of tasting a lot of it this weekend.

Dory Frames

I've been working on the stems and the frames. These are the skeleton of the Dory and they have to be perfectly symetrical. This is where the bandsaw is a necessity in boatbuilding. The manuals will tell you that you can get by with a jigsaw, which is possible but the quality would be unlikely.
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With a bandsaw, you can screw all of the matching pieces together and cut them simultaneously, ensuring that they come out symetrical. Then you just flip them and attach opposite ends.
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It is also possible to cut the stem molds to use to clamp the stem strips into a laminated curve with the bandsaw.

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I mean, don't go rushing out to buy a bandsaw just because of this. But if you wish to build quality boats, you should invest.
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I have a Jet 14 inch which I'm pretty pleased with.
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With three hours spent of the frames, the cumulative tally is now 15 hours.
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Next I'll attach the frames to the dory bottom and set everything up on the strongback to start planking the Dory.

POTW Week 39

Even though it was a slow day, we still closed out one carrier order, opened another, and continued the Coast Guard work in Maine. So maybe it wasn't that slow.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for Week 39 of 2007

• Bob Brown *
• Michael Murphy
• Mahmoud Almadinejad
• Lindsey Kepnes
• Matthew Peabody
• Kevin Rockett

* Automatic Lagavulin Rule.

This would be so much easier if more of you would just buy me a bottle of Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch like that mountain of a man, Bobby Brown. Then I wouldn't have to think. Course I'd probably be too sloshed to think, with all that Lagavulin around. So maybe we have reached a kind POTW selection equilibrium.

Excellent Michael Murphy Dance Video