Sportsmen like Me

It all started with this email from my friend Michael about this new iPhone app for podcast listening:

From: Michael

To: stacey

Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 11:26 PM

Subject: New Rogue Wave

iCatcher will overwhelm you with options and configurability. I love it. Like to listen to WTF at 1.5x speed but Sound Opinions at 1x, no problem. Download all new episodes of Song of the Day but want to pick and choose episodes of Bieber Aficionado, no problem. Options galore. It's great. 

http://joeisanerd.com/apps/icatcher

Of course, I immediately bought iCatcher and checked how fast I could listen to podcasts. I'm a playah. Andrew is not a contender, in case you were wondering. Michael discussed iCatcher with Andrew but Andrew fully poo pooed the whole idea. Andrew does not understand the finer points of frenetic media consumption. He said as much while power walking back to our apartment after the Swedish Midsummer Celebration in Battery Park at two o'clock in the morning.

Of course we needed to get in some solid late-night cardio because Anna and Karen threw down a proclamation. They said they planned to walk the whole way from FiDi home to Brooklyn. I took this as a challenge. It was also a challenge to convince Tom and Andrew a wee hour 4 miler hauling a lawn chair, empty coolers and a SSCNY flag on a flagpole was a good idea. Luckily the strength of my conviction bewildered their drunken sensibilities.

The one place I do not compete with anyone is in the weight room at the YMCA. The spirit award there goes to chubby middle-aged white men. They compete with me. I just go about my business and if one of them happens to invade my space with his matchy-matchy outfit and his little white towel, I will, with great ceremony, move the pin down. I can't say I don't enjoy it.

Sometimes I race people on the sidewalk. Only elite pedestrians though. It is a contest of both fitness and razor sharp instincts. Who can weave around the plodding tourist family and all their coordinated Vera Bradley tote bags and manage to get into pole position at the next corner.

After a whole lot of podcast practice, I am pleased to note that I can now listen to some podcasts at 1.25x speed. I listened to one the other day at 1.5x and became very cocky but then the conversation intensity picked up and I had to dial it back down to 1.25. I was not discouraged. No pain no gain.