Molars

« I got a secret that I need to tell | Main | Caput Exlposion »

January 20, 2005

Kate Bush is running up that hill

Futureheads - Hounds of Love

This is an amazingly energetic cover, via Barry Hyde and co., of the Kate Bush album's title track. If you don't know the Futureheads, this is a nice introduction. Same goes for if you're sinfully ignorant of Kate Bush's work (who's got a new album coming out in March of this year, supposedly). 'Running up that Hill (A Deal with God)' was my first exposure to KB's work, and it was like being playfully punched in the face by a fist gloved in cashmere. Does that make sense? Her songs are sensual and forceful. I dare you to listen to this song and attempt not to go around all day singing the lines 'take my shoes off and I'll throw them in the lake'. I'll go so far as to refund your mouse-click if you don't like this track.

Anyway, what follows below is the second part of my friend Dan's adventures in Kenya. It contains: pharmaceutical troubles, philosophy of science, sandals, grass tracks, and little old voyeuristic ladies.

_________________________________________________________________________

I think that the mix of social isolation, larium (ed. note: larium is an anti-malarial drug), and disorientation has caused some real weird psychological dynamics lately. I'd say I've experienced a mild delusional thought or two, from the larium. One night (after taking the medication), I found myself thinking that half of my head was caving inward. Pretty unusual, how it works. Rather than necessarily believing the delusional thought, it is more 2nd-order. Instead, you actually recognize that you have that thought as a legitimate candidate for belief in your head, whereas normally it never gets to that point; it gets squelched out a lot earlier.

The little old lady that cleans my little house walked in on me on the toilet last week. That is both a good and bad thing. Good because that means that I have a little old lady who cleans my little house. Bad because she screamed something in swahili and hasn't been able to look me in the eye for the past week.

To earn my keep, I have begun TA-ing a philosophy of science class at the university, while also serving as an undergraduate advisor. The nickname, "Professor Mzungu" has stuck, which is sort of the equivalent of calling an African American faculty member at your college "Professor McBlackmeister."

Research has been going well. I've interviewed a lot of local runners, most of whom are insanely talented. Probably 15 guys who live within 2 miles of me can break 2:12 in the marathon. One guy named Amos Tuwei, who is serving as my unofficial guide/training partner (I think he is a bit iffy on the trustworthiness scale, though), is a 20 yr old 1500m/800m runner who started running a year and half ago because he decided he wanted to go to an American university on scholarship. After a year and a half of training, he is running 3:45 for 1500m (which is about a 3:58 mile), and 1:47 for 800m, which is nuts (I saw him do a 1:50 800m on a grass track, with shoes that look like sandals). Needless to say, I do my hard runs when he does his easy jogs, and after we finish a 45 – 60 minute run, I feel like I am going to pass out.

There is one 19 yr old who all the runners kind of made fun of as the slow one around here, kind of the Piggy of the group. He runs a mile in around 4:06. So basically I have now assumed the position as the group's Piggy. Where are my glasses?

I am trying to set up a shoe donation program with various us shoe companies, as my lastest (latest; wow, what a telling slip of the fingers) philanthropic project. Most of the runners I have talked to use 3^rd hand shoes that are almost unrecognizable. If I can even get a 20 pair donation from asics, nike, or whoever, I think it would make a pretty big difference in their training (given it is usually only injury that holds them back). Even 2nd hand shoes would be a huge improvement.

Amos Tuwei is taking me to his home village of Burnt Forest Monday, where I will meet some other runners, including his brother (a 16 yr old who is running 29 minutes for 10k). But if you don't hear from me in a month's time... well, Amos did it.

Read installment one of Dan's correspondence

Posted by matt at January 20, 2005 05:21 PM

Comments

Posted by: L at January 22, 2005 02:12 PM

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: