Sime08

A while ago work sent an email out to everyone and asked if anyone would be interested in attending the Sime08 conference in Stockholm. I took a quick look at the proposed agenda and said that if there was space available, then why not. As it got closer and closer, I started to question my decision to attend. Work was/is busy and the more I looked at the agenda, the more I wondered if it would really be worth it.

It is a two day conference (the first of the two days is today) dealing the tech. Basically it is a nerd’s conference. That is not really fair, a Star Trek conference is a nerd’s conference. This is dealing with real issues and real things, so it is actually the Super Geek’s Conference. The website says that on the days of the conference, “the smartest people in Sweden will go missing.” I almost hate to admit it, but I enjoyed almost every speaker today (the first day) and I actually got motivated to do something with www.DnMAdventures.com. I mean, I get motivated all the time, but I mean actually motivated. That is hard to believe.

The highlight was actually two different speakers. Joi Ito was excellent. His presentation was a mixture of entertaining and yet it was very informative. He started a company called Creative Commons, which allows people to share information/photos/music (you get the point) legally and to the benefit to all parties. The highlight though was Dave Sifrey. He presented a new business of his called Off Beat Guides. It is very frustrating to a certain extent, but it is an amazing idea. It is personalized guidebooks. It is brilliant (and has officially made Christmas shopping a whole lot easier), but I talked to M about this very idea 6 months ago. I just did not have a clue on how it could be done and now it is.

Sore Legs and Weak Knees

Sore legs and weak knees, that must mean that I just did the Midnattsloppet again this year. My goal for running it was under one hour (last years time was 59 minutes and 57 seconds), though I have done almost no training for it. So it was not for sure if I actually would reach/beat my goal. It was also a first for a couple of things- the first time running with music and the first time running with a knee brace. Last year when I got to km 8, ny knee popped and it hurt for days after. So I wanted to protect it as much as possible.

Timing of the event was horrible. A couple friend that we have called on Thursday to say that they were in town from Australia and wanted to meet up, so I had to miss the first night with them. The race was colder this year. As I was standing there waiting for our time to go, I was freezing. The positive side was that this year I did not have to go pee before the race started (learned that lesson last year). Eventually our number got to start.

For some reason, the first 3km is the hardest for me. Part of me wanted to stop there and just call it a day. The nice part about running in a large group like that is that I control my speed. Normally I would try to run faster then I should, but in a group, I keep it under control. By the forth km, I was feeling good. Around 7km is the big hill. I do well running up it. I don’t know why I can run up a hill. The sick part is that I enjoy running up the hills, it feels good. By the 8th km, I was feeling great and it only got better. I actually finished strong and could have “easily” gone on. I guess in reality I did go on further, since I had to get to the train station. In the end, I managed to complete the 10km loop in 55min 20sec, over 4 minutes faster then last year.

I am using the Midnattsloppet as a training for the Lidingöloppet. The first of the Classic for me (I had to start over, typical). A 30km race that is off road the entire way. Sounds like a pain, so I am not sure why I am doing it. They say it is harder then a marathon. It is only 29 days until the race and I have not really trained that much. My goal, right now anyway, is less then 4 hours. Maybe, with some additional training, I will be able to do it.

The New Youth Hostel

Sweden is getting a new youth hostel. I guess that in and of itself is not big news. Sweden, as a general rule, is very youth hostel friendly. They really are not too much on the "youth" part of the title. It is more families then backpackers staying there.

This youth hostel is going to be special though. It is going to be in an old Boeing 474 at Arlanda Airport (Stockholm). They are taking all the seats out and making 25- 3 bed bedrooms on the main floor. On the 2nd floor there will be 2- 2 bed bedrooms.

The plane has been sitting at the airport since 2002. It will open next year about this time. Attached you can see the plans for it and the guy who is behind it.