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UrbanAchiever

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Posts posted by UrbanAchiever

  1. On 10/7/2018 at 5:22 PM, jet black said:

    Also, I guess I should toot my own horn. I qualified for Kona last weekend at IM Maryland. I didn’t have the race I was hoping for (which included puking, shitting and bad charlie horses in my hamstring the last 5 miles). There were 3 Kona slots for my AG and I was in 2nd with a 2 min lead over 3rd with 2 miles to go. The cramps cost me a lot of time and I ended up in 4th. I was gutted. But got lucky at awards and the guy that got 1st passed on his slot.

    Wow!!! That is truly impressive. A hearty and huge congrats for qualifying for Kona. I can't imagine the work you've put in to date to get to where you are. I've been following your results for years and continue to be amazed by the results you're posting. Well done, sir!!! 

    • Like 1
  2. 24 minutes ago, Jive Turkey said:

    I entered the lotteries for the Tokyo Marathon (March 3) and London Marathon (April 28).  I'll find out about Tokyo in late September and London in early October. If I get in either, I'll run it.

    If I don't get in either, I'd like to run either Austin (Feb. 17) or Fort Worth (Feb. 24). Any thoughts on these two marathons?  Which is better?

    Hope you get one of those international slots. I've heard great things about London. 

    The Austin marathon is challenging even with the recent course change which some would argue makes it more challenging. The rough spots used to be in the middle miles when it went through Tarrytown, but now the challenging elevation changes are at the end on the east side. It's a well organized race, and the makeshift aid stations in people's front yards as it meanders through central Austin neighborhoods is my favorite part. There's good crowd support throughout too.  

  3. On 8/25/2018 at 10:35 PM, Blanton said:

    Decided to take the plunge.

    I’m participating in the Austin Distance Challenge with the ultimate goal of completing the Austin Marathon. Anyone have experience with this? Austin Running Club appears to be a massive organization and I’m debating whether to do training on my own or attend practices. 

    I did the Austin Distance Challenge two years ago. I enjoyed it, and it's nice to raid the ARC tent after the races for snacks and free stuff. I never did any of the ARC runs, and the finisher's party catered to the ARC crowd. It seems like you would get more out of the experience if you were actually part of the ARC community. 

    I ended up finishing 4th in my age division, and I'll probably compete again to see if I can finish top 3.   

  4. Just now, OatmealRaisinCookie said:

    What's the story around the Harvey Hurricane vote? Is that some trumped up b.s. being spread by desperate people? If he did vote no, what was the context and reason-- surely there is explanation.

    Do you really want an answer, because there are links explaining the vote posted in the thread, and I know you've been reading the thread? Or is this just you "asking questions?"

    • Like 5
  5. Jimbo Fisher is Texas A&M's latest, boldest big-money bet

    SIAP. I can't tell if this is supposed to be a positive or negative piece. Some great quotes either way.

    Quote

    When Texas A&M athletic director Scott Woodward fired Kevin Sumlin, who went 51-26 in the Aggies' first six seasons in the SEC (albeit with a 25-23 conference record), the Aggies paid their coach $10.4 million to go away. The buyout, coupled with the $7.5 million annually for Fisher, shocked college football fans across the country.

    A&M had done the unthinkable, hiring a coach away from a school where he won a national title for the first time in 40 years (since Johnny Majors left Pitt for Tennessee in 1976). How could Fisher leave Florida State, where he went 83-23, won three ACC titles and finished in the AP's top 10 four times, for A&M, which hasn't won a conference title since winning the Big 12 in 1998 and had finished no higher than fourth in the SEC West in the past six seasons?

    The answer: This is what the Aggies do.

    It's what they've done for more than 60 years, with possibly the most ambitious track record of hiring coaches of any school in the country. But ambition and success are different matters. And the two have rarely met when it comes to A&M's searches, some of which rival Tennessee's calamity this year.

    Quote

    "Jimbo gets it," Sherrill said. "He understands. You have to reach out and touch the Aggies. And he's doing that."

     

  6. 21 minutes ago, yoladu said:

    if you go over to the political board at Texags the tone is very similar. It's so completely negative. it depressing. 

    Of course it's similar. Those yokels have been defined for a century plus by who they hate (evil t-sips). It's only fitting they get worked into a tizzy over hating libruls, George Soros, fake news, immigrants, peaceful protesters and whatever other dog whistles Cruz will sound. Republican campaigns are largely void of any substantive talk on policy, a path to move forward, positive messaging, or significant accomplishments. 

    • Like 1
  7. 19 minutes ago, tokamak said:

    Are these 20-25k MLS stadiums generally built to be expandable? They never really look like it to me, but I'm sure that MLS is holding out hope that one day all its teams will be drawing more like 40k. I guess that's a "we'll deal with that if/when it ever happens" type problem?

    I've been wondering that too. 

    With the exception of Atlanta, most of the new stadiums are built in that 20-25K range. It seems like franchises would want to plan for future growth especially considering how wildly successful Atlanta's attendance has been.

    Audi Field (D.C.), 2018 - 20,000
    Banc of California Stadium (LAFC), 2018 - 22,000
    Orlando City Stadium, 2017 - 25,500
    Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta), 2017 - 42,500 for Atlanta United FC configuration
    Avaya Stadium (San Jose), 2015 - 18,000
    BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston), 2012 - 22,039
    Saputo Stadium (Montreal), 20,801 

    I'm also curious to see who steps up for naming rights for Austin. 

  8. 23 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

    i missed the boat on that one, where's that going to be? 

    50 acres on Gracy Farms Lane - about 1/2 mile north of Kramer. There's a lot of ancillary office development slated for the surrounding area too.

  9. 27 minutes ago, wood said:

    So ... it's 'affordable' to the developers.

    Kind of. Income restricted units bring in less because rent amounts are correspondingly restricted. So, essentially the corporate tax credit investment in the form of equity for a development makes up the delta between what market rate rents would bring in and what affordable rent rates bring in. Developers make their money through a developer fee which is a portion of total development costs, and that developer fee is usually the same if it's an affordable development, market rate or mixed. That's a simple way of describing it. 

  10. Not to mention that the Kramer station is probably moving further north and away from the stadium site to accommodate the new employment center anchored by Schwab. That said, Cap Metro and PSV will find a way to put a new stop directly in front of the stadium. 

    As to the discussion surrounding affordable housing on the site, there's a lot of misinformation about what that looks like these days. It's not government subsidized housing. Without going into all of the details, it's typically built through a tax credit program where corporate entities invest in income restricted housing in lieu of paying a portion of their federal tax obligation. It's indistinguishable from market rate housing and oftentimes includes market rate units. 

    • Like 1
  11. 41 minutes ago, hrmaddie said:

    Urban Achiever - not sure if they still have slots but I've always wanted to do the Colorado Marathon - http://comarathon.com/raceinfo  If you want a boring fast course there is this one http://comarathon.com/raceinfo - you can bring your own bottles and set them up on tables.  From my understanding if you pick up a water bottle and leave it at the table down the road they will return it to the original table before you make it around again.  It is a loop course designed for people to try and BQ.   There is Big Sur Marathon, tough course but amazing views.  Vermont City Marathon at the end of May, flat with some rollers.  Shamrock Marathon in March at Virginia Beach, supposed to fast, but not sure what the weather is like that time of the year.

    Great info all around. I was looking at some downhill races in the event I get close to a BQ time and need a faster course to qualify. I think you meant to link to a different race with that second link (it's the same as the first). I've looked at Big Sur and know at least one person that has done it - it's breathtakingly beautiful but a very difficult course. I'll check out the other two, but I'd prefer a western destination. The Colorado one looks just about perfect. 

  12. 3 hours ago, hrmaddie said:

    Ok this has nothing to do with running, but I wanted to post it anyway.  I was in Park City, Utah over the weekend.  I am admittedly an Olympic junkie, so I went to the Olympic Park to look at the bobsled run and tour the museum.  When I got there I discovered you can pay to do the bobsled run.  That was one of the coolest things I have ever done.  It only lasted a minute, but it was so cool.  During the summer they put wheels on the sled.   The driver said the speed is only 70-75mph with the wheels and you pull 4-5gs in the turns.  He mentioned with ice, the speeds are much faster and the g force a lot higher.  In the winter they just do the short course due to safety concerns.   Anyway here is the footage from my run on the long course bobsled.

    https://youtu.be/a6s7dTB2j5M

    That's so bad ass. Adding that to my list of must-dos next time I'm near a bobsled course.

  13. 19 hours ago, hrmaddie said:

    Thought i would give this thread a bump.   Did a sprint tri in Denton a few weeks ago.  I was happy with it 4th OA would have been close for 3rd but I forgot where I racked my bike.  Missed 3rd by 20seconds, would have been close who knows.  

    I got two awesome runs in the last couple of days.   Picking up my daughter at a camp.  Got to run in Provo and Park City.   Park City was my favorite. Ran on a bike / jogging path surrounded by mountains and amazing weather, mid 50s, humidity was in the low 30s. Felt so nice.   Back to Denton today though, nice while it lasted.  

    Anyone have any races coming up?

    Nice job on the sprint! Those transition times in sprint distances are so crucial.

    I've got nothing until the winter months, but I'm excited about joining Rogue in September and finally working with a coach and finding some pace partners that can challenge me on training runs. Doing a half in San Antonio in December and the Houston marathon in January. I need to add one more full in the spring - a fast course in cold weather (anytime in March or April). I'd be open to suggestions.

  14. 13 minutes ago, TheYoungHorn said:

    Can someone help explain to me why Ken Paxton is involved in the Planning Commission makeup argument? 

    Wouldn't Paxton, the supposed "defender of conservative causes" want to not be on the same side as the NIMBY liberals that are raising lawsuits against the planning commission makeup? 

    Local politics creates strange bedfellows, especially when it involves land use battles. NIMBY liberals are arguably very conservative when it comes to exclusionary zoning practices and protecting their neighborhood fiefdoms.  

    Ken Paxton is involved because Fred Lewis took the complaint to Travis County attorneys, and they refused to get involved and told him to take it up with the AG to see if the City was violating its charter re: the makeup of the PC. Lewis did, and Paxton was more than happy to oblige as it offered him an opportunity to mess with Austin and interfere in what should be a local issue.

  15. Credit goes to France. That was a salty defensive effort, and the Red Devils never got a chance to execute a proper counter. I thought it was officiated well overall with the exception of the missed Hazard penalty near the end. Then again, Belgium arguably got bailed out against Brazil on the Kompany tackle, so I can't complain too much. France's disrupting the pace of play at the end was irritating, but I'd expect the same from almost any side protecting a 1-0 lead in a WC semi. 

    I think Belgium will contend again given how they've been developing youth talent for the past two decades. I'm optimistic that the golden generation is just the beginning.

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