i might be wrong

This article in today's New York Times is a little scary, though it isn't at all surprising. Apparently, smoggy and sooty air damages the lungs. The damage is also long term.

According to a study in The New England Journal of Medcine:
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'A study that used the mass of data included in the Women’s Health Initiative found that women who lived in communities with relatively high levels of air pollution in the forms of tiny particles — aka soot — were far more likely to die because of heart attacks than women who lived in cleaner air."

If New York and other big cities around the country continue to ignore the pollution problems caused by too many cars and buses on the roads, then we are doomed. I've never participated in a Critical Mass ride, but reading this article makes me want to add it to my schedule on a monthly.

I was on the fence about Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan because I was worried about the impact on drivers from the boroughs and how it would affect the subways. Would the system be able to accommodate more riders? How would working class people be able to afford the fee?

But now, I think a better anti-congestion plan would be to remove a lane of traffic from all the main avenues and streets in Manhattan and the boroughs. Turn that lane into the bike lane, but put in a concrete divider to keep the riders away from traffic. Since there will be less lanes of traffic, people might be less likely to drive. Since there would be a dedicated and safe bike lane protected from moving traffic, then maybe people would bike more.

I don't know it it'll work, but we should try it. The mayor should try to get funding for this type of plan.

I'm running in my 10th race this year tomorrow morning. I'm hoping to do this 10K race through Central Park in an hour or less. I have never been faster than 1:09 in a 10K and was really disappointed in my performance in the Scotland Run. I hope to redeem myself tomorrow morning.

Joining me for this race will be Alex and Deb. Alex has really been training. He's been at sub-8-minute pace and hopes to do this race in 50 minutes. I really hope he meets his goal. I'm not sure if Deb has a goal for this one. She's a veteran marathoner and is pretty fast. She beat me in the last 5K we ran together.

I really hope I don't just give up out there. There is always a point in 10K races that I just think to myself that it's just too long and it's never going to be over. I slow down and eventually stop to walk. Then I get frustrated and tell myself I don't care about that time — that I just want to finish. But then I'm demoralized and pissed at myself when I don't meet the time goal I had in my head. I really hope I can keep my head in the game, run fast, fill the spaces and just go as fast as I can for 6.2 miles. One hour or less!

My friend Clarence Eckerson shot and edited a piece for StreetFilms about how to properly lock a bicycle. This couldn't come at a better time... Clay just bought a brand new Fuji hybrid (and I have bike envy, but we won't talk about that). I've suggested he not lock it up, but after watching this short, I feel he can lock it up if he takes precautions. Another visit to the bike shop is in order. Gotta get some of those anti-theft gadgets for our quick release seats, wheels and handle bars.