Missed it, Despair, Prof’rs
Yesterday at the gym I intended to try to do a max speed mile. I am normally doing my running somewhere between an 8 and 9 minute mile pace. I set the treadmill at 9 mph with a 1% incline which translates to a 6:40 mile pace. A few months ago I successfully did a mile at 8.6 mph and barely survived it. I had my new running sneakers on, this would be the first actual running I did in them.
So after walking a 1/4 mile to warm up I stretched a bit and then fired up the machine to high speed. The first feeling I got as the belt accelerated was that it felt very fast. It seemed like if I slowed down even a moment I would be ejected off the belt. Even so I was able to maintain the speed.
I had my headphones on and ESPN on the LCD tv that is built into the treadmill. I needed it to help divert my attention from the discomfort of moving that quickly. For maybe the first third of a mile I was chugging along ok. My breathing was under control and I felt decent. However from that point on things degraded quickly.
After the half mile mark I started feeling physically woozy. I had a tingling sensation on either side of my chest that was odd. My stride became increasingly labored. I relented and hopped off at the .75 mile mark, one lap from the finish line. I was pissed but I really felt like I was pushing into a dangerous area.
After gasping for air for a few moments I slowed the speed down 1 mph to 8 and finished off the mile. Since I failed at my original goal I figured I needed to do more so I did a couple half mile intervals at 8mph (7:30 pace) just for good measure.
Even though I failed at my goal it gave me something to shoot for next time. I have NEVER run a mile in 6:40 in my life. I should be pleased that I am attempting to set PR’s at 43 (almost).
I did have some success in the evening when I equaled my all time best in full range of motion pull ups on the Iron Gym with 15. I made sure to throw the effort on justin.tv for Jeremy to digest. Less than two months to go until our epic pull up competition takes place.
I got the new Despair.com catalog in the mail the other day. I have always loved their stuff. Their skeptical, cynical spin on those motivational posters that came to be in the 90’s just makes me smile. If you want to see this years collection head over there and take a peek.
I have ordered a lot from proflowers.com over the years. They sell high quality flowers and plants that always arrive on time. But let me tell you, they really annoy me with their bait and switch sales technique.
I received an email yesterday for them listing some of their specials. They had a miniature Christmas tree listed for $24.99 I thought this would be a nice gift for my grandmother who is in a nursing home (who has no idea who anyone is anymore) So I follow the link in the email and begin the ordering process.
I pick out Grandma’s address and am quickly delivered to the order summary page. Look at how $24.99 magically more than doubled to $61.43!
The candy cane tin that they are charging me an extra $10 for was what was displayed in the email for $24.99. Then I get charged $10 TWICE for delivery, once for “standard” delivery and once for “priority” delivery? WTF is this? When I picked the delivery date on their calendar I picked a day (the 16th) that was tagged as standard delivery yet I get double dipped on shipping? Then we have the lovely profit padding “care & handling” charge.
Like I said, I have ordered from proflowers many times so I am familiar with their bullshit pricing policy but this case seemed especially egregious. I ordered this at 5:30 this morning and was too tired to cancel the order and pry into the issue further. The conversation in my head went like this “F’ing proflowers, I should just cancel the order………. Ah damn it, it’s for Grandma, they already have all of her info. Just eat the $20 bullshit charges and move along.” I clicked the PLACE ORDER button even though it pained me to do so.
It may however be the last dealings I have with the company. I am sick of getting bent over by them time and again even if they do sell a high quality product.