Vinod Kurup

Hospitalist/programmer in search of the meaning of life

Aug 21, 2004 - 2 minute read - Comments - running race

My Summer Racing Results

I ran 5 more races this summer in my quest to automatically qualify for next year’s New York Marathon. The Fifth Avenue Mile was a breakthrough run for me. I easily outdid my pre-race goal of breaking 7 minutes and came within 40 seconds of my best time ever (5:07 fifteen years ago). This makes me think that I might be able to break 4 hours in the marathon next year if I train properly.

Date Race Miles Time Pace (min/mile)
May 22 Summer Kickoff 6.2 55:23 8:55
July 11 Bronx 1/2 marathon 13.1 2:07:02 9:41
July 17 Dash and Splash 5.0 41:36 8:19
August 14 Fifth Avenue Mile 1.0 5:44 5:44
August 18 Prospect Park 3.1 23:02 7:26

Comments from old site

You da man

Hey Vinod,

You are the man! I am really impressed with the times you are posting in these races. Perhaps they will be my motivation to train for another marathon. (I was inspired by your efforts in running two marathons to train for -- and finish! -- Boston 2004.) I, too, have the four hour barrier to break.

Keep up the strong work!

Sung Choi 2004-09-20 22:21:12

Thanks Sung

I'm still so impressed that you finished Boston in that sweltering heat. I'm praying for a nice cool 40 degree day next November in NYC.

Vinod Kurup 2004-09-21 12:25:14

Aug 11, 2004 - 1 minute read - Comments - cousins-trip family

Wall of water

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/08/05/wallofwater.ap/index.html (link now broken)

The sudden release of water from Ralston Reservoir south of Auburn sent a “wall of water three to four-feet high” down the Middle Fork of the American River, said California Highway Patrol spokesman Tom Marshall.

That’s the river that we rafted down a couple weeks ago during our 5th Annual Cousins Trip. If it had happened during our trip, I still probably would’ve been the first one to fall in.

Comments from old site

Oregon's walls of water

Oregon has its share of huge walls of water. One was 40 feet high, in 1903, and there is a prehistorical record of a 2000 foot wall of water that carved out much of the geological formations now present in the Northwest!

Not trying to outdo you, just thought that was a pretty interesting tidbit.

Jade Rubick 2004-08-10 23:00:13

Wall of water

Cool! Don't worry about outdoing me. I'm sure that someday the rapids that we ran will be about 2000 feet high in my stories to my grandkids :-)

Vinod Kurup 2004-08-11 17:13:58

May 18, 2004 - 1 minute read - Comments - running race

Queens Half

I ran the Queens Half-Marathon on Saturday in 2:11:25. That’s about 10 minute miles for 13.1 hot humid miles. It was especially fun because my parents were here visiting from Wisconsin and I think this is the first time they saw me run. It’s amazing how much of a boost that gave me.

May 14, 2004 - 1 minute read - Comments - india

In Israel, a Ban on Indian Wigs; In Brooklyn, a Rush to Comply

Reported in the New York Times: (free registration required)

One of the most respected Jewish authorities in the ultra-Orthodox world, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, issued the Indian hair ban from Israel on Wednesday, prompting some people in Israel to create lists of stores selling banned wigs and to burn Indian wigs in bonfires, according to Ha’aretz, an Israeli newspaper.

This sounds like a story from the The Onion

Mar 29, 2004 - 1 minute read - Comments - music

Dan Bern

Dan Bern has quickly become one of my favorite musicians. I saw him a while back at the (now defunct) Bottom Line and then again tonight at Joe’s Pub (within spitting distance!). He’s been compared to Bob Dylan, although, unlike Dylan, I can understand what he’s saying. His music is simple and catchy, and the lyrics can go from hilarious to poignant in one song.

He played a couple songs tonight that I haven’t been able to find on CDs anywhere - one called “One More Light” and one about 9/11. Hopefully they’ll be on the “new album” ™

Mar 28, 2004 - 1 minute read - Comments - mac-os-x

iAppleStore

I caught the tail-end of a free presentation on iLife at the Apple Store in SoHo this afternoon. iMovie has been sitting around unused on my computer for too long. Inspired by how easy the instructor made it seem, I finally got around to launching iMovie and creating this montage of our Telluride trip (5.0 MB).