my blog Oscar Peralta

I recently started running, at least in a regular way. This has not been easy. Last year I tried to do it but was injured since a cycling trip and every time I ran my knee hurt a lot. I guess the years behind the computer finally kicked in. I thought that I couldn't let that happen to me. I remember watching people struggling to run one small block or catching their breathe after walking up a few flights of stairs. At the time I thought "ahh...that's sad".

Ten years after I was going exactly in that direction and that was hard to take in. Somehow I thought that all those years spent running around, kicking a ball, would never end. The truth is that it's amazing how fast physical condition deteriorates.

I believe the hardest bit for me was to start almost from scratch. I was getting injured since I was trying to run 4 km in 19 minutes. I was going as fast as I could. For me that was doable and it didn't seem wrong. That was how I remembered running was all about. Of course that didn't work. My knees will start suffering from and old injury and I was doing everything but improve.

Finally, I brought patience into the equation (and a training book). I started a well designed running program. I started running for about 10 minutes at a very slow pace and spent time recovering before hitting the next run, even if I didn't feel I was getting tired or needed to recover at all. I made baby steps and slowly started to build up a base. Slowly I began adding time to the runs.

The next step for me was setting a goal so I am running a 10k race in August 31st. It would be my first race since I was in college I think and it should be fun.

I am training for that and this weekend I ran 12 km almost no problem and with no knee pain. I think it would be fairly easy to complete. Not so easy to compete though. I am still far from my objective which is to complete a marathon next December. I am not sure if I will be ready by then. I know today I can do a half marathon. Again, I am tempted to skip the baby steps.

Recently we went back home for holidays. Since the route goes through LA I took the chance to visit my sister and some more family and friends that live in Sand Diego while my lovely wife continued the journey to visit her numerous family in Mexico City.

Yeah, I was alone and I in my wallet I had my credit card. Yeah baby! That and my love for gadgets and toys can be a dangerous combination. But it wasn't that bad! I handled it pretty ok.

So, I just came across with the magnificent idea of buying a GPS [Global Positioning System device]. Yeah, those gadgets that tell you almost exactly where you are in the globe. They are so tiny know. I mean, a few years back I could only see them in spy movies!

How could I resist of having a gadget that fits on the palm of my hand which actually interacts with satellites and that is going to tell me the coordinates of my - already known? - position! Could you resist? I could not!

My wife may not fully agree though. Neither my sister or my cousin Lisa, and a few other people. I mean I wouldn't buy a $50 anti age cream neither. So let's respect each others perspective of what is cool to buy.

And yes, I also know I live in a tiny civilized island where you can't get lost! But you never know. What if... what if?

Anyway, I bought the Garmin Colorado 300. It is great! I know it is going to be fun and actually useful when I go on a trip. I can totally picture me wife peeking over my shoulder into the GPS screen! Actually she already played a bit at home with it. Of course she still doesn't quite realizes the full potential. After exploring some features she told me: "It also has a calculator.", which I confirmed a bit excited: "Yes it even has that just in case you need it! Cool huh!". After a a minute she handed it back without too much fuzz: "Here you go, your $500 calculator". (It was less than that; at least in US dollars)

I am sure that her geeky personality will agree it was a smart purchase just as that I will be able to pay my SGD$350 debt for buying cool gadgets.

Today the internet is a good part of what I do and, well yeah, of what I don't do. Anyway, a few years back, I wanted to buy a domain with my name [and last name of course].

Before I go on, for those not as geeky, a domain is pretty much the "name" that you use in the internet browser that point to a website. If you still don't get it try wikipedia or else.

So I wanted my name with a .com and not some .net, .to, .ws or something like that.

Well, having "that" specific domain became something I wanted. I needed to have it. So I went shopping for my domain name!

Crap. Some guy in California had the same idea, just a month before I did! And in case you are wondering, we are not related.

He registered the domain for two years - and he never put up a website. Well, after a two year wait, I was hoping this guy would forget to renew it and leave MY domain name free (he wasn't using it anyway!). I wasn't lucky. He renewed for 2 more years.

But hope never dies right? So I went to my google calendar and I added a reminder for two years later. I know what you are thinking.

So two years later (Nov 2007) the domain expired and my alarm went off. This time he didn't renew it! But the company that sold the domain held it for 3 months just in case he wanted it back. Then, another company grabbed it instantaneously and tried to sell it to him (at a higher price of course). Finally a month after it was released!

Patience paid off after all. Now I have it! It is mine! All mine! And now what?

Hmmm, I guess it is time to start thinking what I'm gonna post there! I mean, many things have changed after six years. I can't put up my original design or content unless I'm going six years retro. How come i didn't think about this before? Yeah, I slacked big time on this.

Well, for now this blog will also live there. That way I won't feel a hundred percent guilty.

Time for some brain storming.

Persevere
1.- to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.

Here is another try to keep writing a little something about whatever.

The truth is that I was discouraged after my fish died so I stopped writing. I hate when pets die. Well not only pets but I have trouble handling any kind of death except the one of a cockroach.

After a few months now I started to look to get some other goldfish to put into that classy fish tank that I bought. I haven't found a pet shop/aquarium near my place but I will persevere. The place I bought "Tiburón" has changed. There used to be a quite qualified guy running the business. Now there is some uninterested woman who just stares to a cheap magazine while every fish is dying or getting sick back there. It is a shame. So I'm in search for a decent aquarium shop in Singapore.

I know this post is lame but I need to kick me somehow to get me started.

The less I can do is also post one of those non related subject photos that live on my cellphone.