To Do: Get a Runner's World subscription.

Here is the 6.26 mile route that I biked today. I biked at around 3:00 p.m. in order to both get some exposure to exercising in the heat and to get some cross-training in. On two wheels, the course took me 31:32 minutes to complete, a 5:00 min./mile pace (rather slow, considering there are people in the world who can run a full marathon at this pace). There were a few challenging hills. Those of you who have lived in Iowa City probably know a few of them, particularly the hill along N. Dubuque St. I honestly think it's easier to run up a steep hill than to bike up it. I ran a similar route, stopping a mile earlier: 5.26 miles in 41:50 minutes, a 7:57 pace. The pace was a little faster than yesterday's run, but it didn't really feel an easier. Could have been the heat and humidity (running in heat can reduce your performance time by 20-30 seconds for every five degree increase, according to Runner's World magazine). Could have just been me being a baby, too.

These Iowa City hills won't be troubling me too much longer, as I'm moving to West Des Moines in a few weeks. For those of you who don't know, I have a job lined up teaching World History at a private high school. I am very excited to get a change in scenery, both for running and just for the sake of living, breathing, eating, teaching, etc. I am sad about leaving Iowa City in some respects. Most of my friends have left in the last few months, but there are still a few people (and some great runs) here that I will miss sorely.

Anyway, regarding teaching, I watched the movie Dead Poets Society last night, a great film about an educator (Robin Williams) who inspires a bunch of boys at a private high school to start living their lives they way they want to. Obviously, I was drawn to the story since it vaguely reminded me of what I'll hope to be doing in a few weeks. I'm already trying to think of ways to relate Ancient Greece to the lives of my future students--maybe I can pull a quick one and trick them into caring. Probably not, since they will be sophomores.

Sophomores are brats.

But if you think they can be challenging, then you haven't seen me lead a classroom. I rule the roost like a mean motherwatchyourmouth. Also, the thought of me being a 23-year-old teacher in charge of a bunch of 16-year-old students does scare me a titch. I'm only old enough to be an older brother to them...