The government is in the process of issuing regulations for space tourism:

The FAA’s Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) has already issued draft guidelines for those ready-and-wanting space tourists among us.
Under a new regulatory regime, you as a paying passenger will be able to zoom into space sitting inside a commercial space vehicle once you’ve been informed of and assume the significant risks of the venture. Additional rules yet to come, FAA officials explain, will help promote the emerging commercial human space flight industry, putting it on a solid regulatory footing.

Expect different rules for short up-and-down suborbital voyages, versus extended orbital tours. No word yet if nail clippers will be allowed.
I would allow a large number of successful flights first before venturing outside the atmosphere, so they can work all of the kinks out of the system.

Trip to the Vet Edition

Tip for first date: if you arrange to meet someone at a restaurant, it’s a good idea to show up at the right restaurant.
Last week I call up date victim and we agree to have dinner. I ask if there’s a particular place she wants to go. She says, “Yes, there’s a Mexican place I like on Lost Street. At the moment I don’t remember what it’s called, but it’s not X.”
So at the appointed time I roll into Lost Street and notice that there are indeed two Mexican restaurants, X and Y. But for some reason my memory recalled date victim saying “it’s not Y.” So I promptly park at X.
I walk in, look around, but find no date. I wait for a few minutes at the door. Still no date. I go back inside and look around again. Still no date.
Finally, 20+ minutes after the appointed time, I get the brilliant idea, “you know, maybe I should go check that other restaurant.” So I head down the street, pop in the door, and alas–there’s date victim, where she’s apparently been waiting for the last 30 minutes.
Fortunately, date victim seemed pretty gracious, given the circumstances and the date proceeded without too much damage. But this is definitely something I don’t recommend you try at home.

Congratulations to Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt for becoming the NCAA’s all-time winningest coach. I was in attendance for number 880. A pretty good crowd was on hand to witness the historic milestone.
I don’t really get naming a basketball courts after people. But if anyone deserves it, she does. What a great ambassador for the University of Tennessee.

Yesterday I ran a half marathon in the Knoxville Marathon.
Pictures

And they’re off!

The herd lumbers up the hill.

Staggering into Neyland Stadium.

Waiting for the medical staff to carry me out.
Race Information
Distance: 13.1 miles
Time: 1:58:32
Placement: 339/1,205
Trivia: Beat Mayor Haslem by 5 seconds
Overall, the marathon was a fun event. The weather conditions were close to ideal (it took mee less than five minutes to realize I should have gone without the sweatshirt). I don’t have much experience with these kind of events, but the race seemed to be pretty well organized and run, particularly for an inaugural event. The course was clear and there were ample volunteers along the route. Police took care of the traffic at intersections. Water stops seemed okay (though I only used one). The only negative thing for me was that they ran out of T-shirts in the size I had ordered.
In a few ways, my experience was a study in what not to do. Top five mistakes (in ascending order):
(5) Eating a bunch of junk food the night before
(4) Less than five hours of sleep beforehand
(3) Staring out a little too far in the pack (you’re boxed in for a while)
(2) Only two weeks of distance training
(1) Doing the last training run on Friday
Number 1 had the most direct impact on the race, for I felt my calf muscles a little throughout the run. I had intended to do my last run on Thursday, but it was wet that day. So I went on Friday. Not enough recovery time. Had I felt a little fresher and started out at a little faster pace, I might have shaved a few minutes off the time. For I generally felt good until the last couple miles, when my side started bothering me a bit.
One amusing thing I hadn’t anticipated was how, uh, overhydrated a few of the runners were. Within ten minutes of the start some of them were already peeling off to relieve themselves–in spots just a few feet from the course. Guess modesty takes a back seat to the clock on race day.
I don’t know if there will be another marathon next year, but if there is, I might give it another try. Who knows, I might get really crazy and go the full distance next time.