Running with fruit flies

Someone looking into my kitchen tonight might have thought I was doing some interpretive modern dance. In fact, I was trying to kill the dozens of fruit flies that somehow infested my home. I must have killed two dozen by hand (they're fast, but I'm faster and more pissed off) and a measly two in my fruit fly trap (an inch of orange juice in a cup covered by saran wrap which has a few holes poked in--they fly in, but can't get out--I don't think they're known for their intelligence). I know for a fact that there's at least one left, but I hope it gets lured by my trap tonight. Where the heck are they coming from? Do they reproduce asexually? I wish I could remember more from my fruit fly study in high school biology.

So we watched E and S run the Chicago Marathon Sunday. What a miserable day to run--wickedly hot and humid. There's lots of controversy now about race conditions and what should have been done. Here's my $.02: 1) If you're not in shape to run, don't do it. You will take resources away from legitimate runners who may need them. 2) If you're not registered to run, don't do it. See reasoning in (1) above. 3) If it's going to be hot, why not move the race up an hour or two? All racers have to pick up their packets, so you could notify them then. It's not like the heat was a total surprise. 4) Overestimate how much water is needed for both drinking and cooling off. Nobody should be surprised that runners pour water on themselves to cool off. Heck, I did that in a 5K when it was really hot and humid. 5) If it's going to be hot, provide water stations at more frequent intervals--it might be a logistical challenge, but worth a shot.

We saw the elite runners while we were waiting for E and S--I can't imagine running that fast for 26 feet let alone 26 miles. Impressive.