I'm outta time

Yesterday: 4000m swim, 3h 15min ride.





Exams in 4 days!

Yeahhhh!

Finally I'm back to normal training! (But exams are in one week)

Cannes 2009 - Some Pics and New Movies

Ken Loach (director) and Eric Cantona - Looking for Eric 

Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz - Broken Embraces

Ayush Manesh Khedekar from Slumdog Millionaire

Robert Pattinson - New Moon

Jim Carrey - A Christmas Carol

Last Weekend

I spent my last weekend in Evora, a small but nice and historical city in Alentejo. 

On Saturday morning, I watched little kids (some with only 8 or 9 years old) doing triathlon in the first event of the Young Triathlon Championship. I can tell you that there are great promises of the triathlon, kids who can be very good in the near future. 

And i what liked the most in the kids there was the spirit of group they created in the teams and that's what i can't see in other sports. 

In the afternoon it was my time to participate in a mini-triathlon (300m, 7km btt, 1950m). I had no intentions to be there and no times in mind because i'm recovering from the calf injury but it was a good part of the train.

On Sunday, i had plenty of time to spend in the city. I've been there so many times but now i mainly appreciated the peaceful and quite places there and, of course, the tastful food from Alentejo. 

Wow

This kid, with funtwo as nickname, is one of the best guitar players i've seen. His video was the first in youtube to reach 4million viewers. 

This is another song he played that is continously in my mind and i'll leave it for the weekend.

Posts will continue next monday!

Breaking News

Today, a man caused the panic in a motorway near Hannover.

He was doing a test-drive of an Audi A3 (as seen in the photo). While he was test-driving the convertible lost some €23000, with which he’d planned to purchase the vehicle because it blew away when he simply put it on the backseat. 

The man was apparently not an experienced convertible driver. He took the sporty new Audi A3 convertable onto the motorway after putting the unsealed money envelope in the backseat for safekeeping, then watched in horror as the money fluttered away when he reached a high speed. 

The man called the police, who closed the motorway in both directions for 30 minutes to help him search for the cash. 

However he was only able to find €20,000, that's what police said this morning.

It remains unclear whether he'll still buy a new car.

How are you? I'm fine

In physio i'm doing ultra-sounds, electro and ice therapy and lazer. With only three days of therapy,  i'm feeling much better.

I'll continue to swim and in the past days i've already run and cycled.

Now i need time to take the advantage and pass quickly.

Man vs Metro

Try to beat this man, even the metro can't do it!

What's Wrong?

In a time of recession and crisis, in a time where some people lose jobs, families lose opportunities, some have to do sacrificies to live as they lived, some have to live in the streets, some poorly.

However a bank in Portugal, BCP, Comercial Bank of Portugal, has an increase in its profits of about 625% in the first three months o 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.

I question where are the etics when we are talking about a profit of 106,7 million euros.

Where is the social equality when some, even in a time of recession, are earning so much and others losing everything?

*No, I'm not communist

Good News

I'm feeling very happy about my recovery: 

I don't need anymore pull-boy;

the ecography said the injury was a microrupture but it has already fixed by itself (only a few muscle fibers are still brilliant which means that they are a bit receiptive);

I'll begin physiotherapy (ultra-sounds, electromagnetism) next week in order to recover faster;

Time to time i'm getting in shape.

Slowly the old Miguel is coming back fully recovered and stronger.

* the title of the photo: "Smile and the world smiles with you"

Back in the play

Yes, i'm back but only to swimming workouts. Tomorrow i'll go to the physiotherapist and do a muscle ecography to the injured area.

Maria Areosa, one of the best portuguese triathletes side by side with Vanessa Fernandes, is also back home and back to training. I'll enjoy watching this hard-fought competition.

If needed

If flu A, H1N1 virus, continues to spread around the world, probably i'll use this mask:

Sure he's got patience

Dan Magness breaks the official Guinness World Record for controlling a soccer ball for the longest time in London.

An excited crowd gathered around the special cube which had been built for the 25-year-old Englishman cheered when the clock exceeded 19 hours and 30 minutes, the previous record set by Brazilian Martinho Eduardo Orige in 2003.

But Magness kept the ball in the air and broke the 24-hour barrier by touching the ball an estimated quarter of a million times.

The rules set by Guinness World Record dictate that the ball must be in constant motion and not touch the floor, hands or arms.

However, the juggler is allowed to have a five-minute break every hour in his specially designed restroom equipped with a massage bed and a toilet.

Setback

I still can't force the muscle.

Unfortunately, can't swim, cycle or run.

You know, I'm a bit frustrated.

Like a chinese proverb says: "One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life".

But today i did my own marathon: econometrics*

*Statistics related to economics

Healthier kids, better country!

Fast facts

Here are a few facts about the health of teenagers that may surprise you:

1. It’s estimated that by the year 2020, 30 per cent of boys and 40 per cent of girls will be obese;
2. Around half of all 15-year-olds have some sort of tooth decay, thanks in part to fizzy drinks;
   
3. A single sachet of salt on kids lunch gives them two-thirds of the recommended daily amount.

Jamie Oliver, the most known british chef, embarked upon his school dinners campaign to improve the quality of food fed to teenagers.The campaign proved to be ultimately successful.

Food for thought

Improving your eating habits won’t just do wonders for your health, it can help you out in a number of other ways.

Snacking on fruit instead of packets of crisps and biscuits keeps your skin looking great, while drinking lots of water stops you feeling tired and keeps you hydrated- which helps you get fewer headaches - and means that you’re less likely to reach for that can of fizzy drink

The changes include meals that use fresh meat and fish, a wider selection of fruit and vegetables and make it easier to get still and sparkling water. The new menus will offer you more choice from a range of tasty healthy meals.

In the website below, you can read Jamie's Oliver manifesto and you can see how funny it is to cook and eat better quality food.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/school-dinners

I know it is difficult for scepticists and close-minded to change their habits but i think this is the kind of thing to apply in portuguese schools. 

Healthier kids, better country!