Durham

TarWheels BikeFest Rocks

Julia — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 13:29:29 -0700

I biked 62 miles as part of the fantastic TarWheels BikeFest Rural Heritage Tour today. Sixty-two miles is a metric century. I am really excited to have biked into triple digits.
The ride felt much easier than the 48 mile Cup n' Cone. I rode with a bunch of friends from my running and biking groups. Having a bunch of people to talk to (or eavesdrop on) made the ride go by quickly. Even better, the course had rolling hills, but no gut-wrenching ones. During the ride, we got to see a lot of Orange and Person counties. Along the way, there were rest stops stocked with fresh baked cookies and brownies. It was an awesome experience that I hope to repeat next year.

48 Miles and One Serrano Pepper

Julia — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 07:49:13 -0700

Yesterday, I biked further than I ever thought possible. I took part on the 3rd Cup 'n' Cone Tour, which is part of the MS 150 training series. With friends from Godiva and Crystal's MS 150 training group, we biked from Cary to Chapel Hill in search of ice-cream. There was Maple View Farm ice-cream at the half-way point and Goodberry's ice-cream custard at the end. Strangely enough, my legs aren't tired a day later; just my thumbs. I am guessing that my crazy death grip on my handlebars wore out my thumbs.

After getting home, Eric and I went out in search of ingredients for his awesome Thai curry. Apparently, thai peppers and thai basil are rare commodities in Durham. Our friendly Whole Foods produce man said that serrano peppers are a close relative of thai peppers. Eric, ever the scientist, decided to test this theory by biting into the pepper. He quickly verified that the pepper was wicked hot. After one bottle of kefir, both Eric and the serrano pepper are fine.

Running 11 Miles at 5 a.m.

Julia — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 03:48:40 -0700

Before most people hit the snooze button on their alarms, Crystal and I ran 11 miles yesterday. I woke up at 5 a.m. and met her at Rock Quarry Park. Except for some patches of running through the darkened woods, the run felt easy. We even discovered a fantastic new drinking fountain hidden by the tennis courts at Duke.

It's crazy to think that a little over a year ago I didn't consider myself a runner. Thanks to the Godiva Running Start program and Eric's encouragement, I've run three 5Ks, two four mile races, a 10K, two half-marathons, and a 20K in the last 14 months. I also bought a great bike and am doing my best to wear down its tires. Last weekend, I went of a 25-mile ride with the Fartlekers/Numb Tooties that (except for a couple huge hills) was a breeze. It's hard to believe that before I started running I never biked up a big hill without walking my bike.

My goal now is to run a marathon, something that I never thought would be possible. I can remember sitting in a high-school assembly as my dean congratulated Ryan, a classmate who had just run the LA Marathon. At the time, I thought that running a marathon was an activity reserved for real athletes. I guess that I now count as a real athlete too.

Something I've realized since starting to run is that we are all "real" athletes. When I started running, I expected that I would always finish last at every race. After all, I am not fast. I run somewhere between a 9 and 10 minute mile depending on how the wind blows. Yet, I have never finished last -- not even close.

When I look at the bodies of the people I pass on the Duke trails and in races, I am amazed by how little one's shape determines how fast you run. I have been passed by people who look like they might weigh 300 pounds and I have run by other runners who look like they just stepped out of a Nike commercial.

When I fenced in college, it did seem like how you looked influenced how you fenced. Running is much more of an egalitarian sport. In fact, for the middle to back of the pack runners like me, each race feels a lot like a big party. You run, chat, drink, and meet new people. The whole time you are in an environment where everyone is excited that their feet are still moving and that the finish line is becoming an increasing reality.

On September 22nd, I plan to run the Salem Lake 30K. The Salem Lake website says that the race is "flat and scenic," two adjectives that are music to runners' ears. 30K is roughly equivalent to 18.6 miles; my longest run so has been 13.1 miles. I am looking forward to running around Salem Lake with the Fartlekers and a whole bunch of other partygoers. If I can make it through the 30K, my next stop will be the Memphis Marathon in December. Elvis, here I come!

Things to Do In Durham/Chapel Hill

Julia — Mon, 14 May 2007 08:33:42 -0700

I graduated from SILS yesterday with a Master's of Science in Information Science. In addition to learning a ton about user interface design and web development over the past two years, I have learned a lot about things to do with out-of-town guests in the Durham/Chapel Hill area. All of the activities listed are affordable on a student budget.

Places to Eat:

Hog Heaven BBQ: Hog Heaven is more fun and way tastier that Bullock's, which is a tourist trap.
Maple View Farm: Sitting in rocking chairs in the middle of the country eating homemade ice-cream is a unique experience that every visitor should enjoy.
Elmo's: Elmos doesn't necessarily have the best food in Durham, but it has a great atmosphere and very comforting grub.
Locopops: A Mexican popsicle stand that is one of a kind. Where else can you get a mango chile popsicle? I have had friends visit and try to find similar places in Los Angeles and San Francisco without any luck.
Foster's: Foster's has great food and is the most trusting dining establishment I've ever been in. Visit to find out why.
George's Garage: George's lunch market is fantastic. The food is great and affordable.
Eat at the Sutton's Lunch Counter: Located in the middle of Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, Sutton's Drugstore is a step back in time.

Things to To:

Make Your Own Duke Tour: Walk through Duke and check out Sarah P. Duke Gardens and the Chapel. If you have extra time, you might want to also go to the Nasher Museum.
Make Your Own UNC Tour: Walk through Carolina and visit the Bell Tower, the quad, the Old Well, Carmichael Auditorium(where Jordan played).
Walk the Duke Loop: The Al Buehler Cross Country Trail is a great glimpse of Duke Forest.
Durham Bulls Game: Tickets are cheap and you will get to hang out in one of the nicest minor league stadiums in the country.
Grab a beer or pizza at Satisfaction Restaurant and Bar: A Duke hangout in Brightleaf Square, Satisfaction is a fun place to hang out for a few hours, especially if there's a game on.
Rent a bike and ride down the American Tobacco Trail: The ATT is an easy 6.5 mile ride through Durham. You can rent bikes on the weekends at Triangle Trail Bicycle Rentals. Nantucket Grill is a nice place to stop and eat along the route.
Go to a Farmer's Market. Durham and Carrboro both have great farmer's markets.
Rent a canoe or kayak and paddle around Lake Crabtree: Lake Crabtree, located very close to the RTP airport is a great place to have a picnic and to relax before a flight home.