I'm back from my trip to the wild Midwest and I can't begin to express my relief at just how true all the stereotypes are. The problem I've noticed most often when academic and midwestern values collide is that while it's sometimes necessary to move on after an approach as outlived its usefulness, your classic midwestererner is both too polite and too conservative to simply rush into some sort of fancy new idea. "Don't mention the sock," they might say, "I've got lecture notes that old, don'cha know." As nice as it can be to get away from the rush to out-theory the Jones that I often see at academic conferences, I do like my lectures fresh rather than from a jar.
Academic work aside, I managed to get in a good run every morning until the last (I can't stand packing still sweaty workout clothes). During my five-day excursion I manged to clock around twenty-five miles, most of them around the generally boarded up downtown. It was a generally in the 60s (quite the relief as we left those temperatures behind about two months ago back home). As all three meals every day were of the buffet variety I ate poorly, but the general lack of vegetarian options probably saved me from doing too much damage--image how embarassing it would feel to be the guy who got fat on relish sandwiches from hot dog day.
Summer classes start in a week (though I still don't know whether my class will make). Either way, I plan on shedding another ten pounds and continuing the power/enduro workouts I've been following since my last race-more on them in later posts.
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