Friday, September 08, 2006
guinea pig
I am a victim of a genetic lottery in that I happen to be an identical twin. Most people find that pretty cool (except one of the partners at work who totally freaked out when I showed her my sister's pictures of her and her first child in the hospital - apparently it looked too much like me).
However, one of the little advertised aspects of being a twin is that every man and his dog wants you to join in scientific studies, because you just happen to be the perfect experimental and control group all in one. So my younger years were spent hanging out in mobile labs testing my spatial awareness or colour discernment or whatever.
So when I was doing my exercise study today the testers asked me whether I had ever done studies before and they were fascinated to hear that I had basically spent my childhood being tested, measured and evaluated in the interests of science.
So the testing was all kind of interesting. In lieu of a complete blow by blow, I will mention two moments. The first was when they outlined what we would be doing and said blah blah blah measurement blah blah blah tension blah blah blah six minute kms blah blah blah hopping. Whoops. I actually felt scared to raise the fact that I didn't know whether I could run 6mins kms. It was a lot faster than the 8km p/h pace that had been noted in the information sheets. I felt like a loser, but in the midst of all of that uncertainty I feel a bit of ahchievement that I managed that pace for about 4min. While slow, that is conclusively the first time that I have run that pace for any time at all since I began this adventure. So I am proud of being a bit of a loser.
The second fun moment was when they took some blood from me and the tester said something along the lines of "I have to fill this out for you - some legal reasons or something". And I responded with "Those bloody lawyers, they spoil everything!!". She had the grace to hear the tone and recognise that I was a lawyer. It gave me a giggle.
So my final testing session is in two weeks time. I wonder if I can practice between now and then so I get better at running 6min kms for short periods of time.
However, one of the little advertised aspects of being a twin is that every man and his dog wants you to join in scientific studies, because you just happen to be the perfect experimental and control group all in one. So my younger years were spent hanging out in mobile labs testing my spatial awareness or colour discernment or whatever.
So when I was doing my exercise study today the testers asked me whether I had ever done studies before and they were fascinated to hear that I had basically spent my childhood being tested, measured and evaluated in the interests of science.
So the testing was all kind of interesting. In lieu of a complete blow by blow, I will mention two moments. The first was when they outlined what we would be doing and said blah blah blah measurement blah blah blah tension blah blah blah six minute kms blah blah blah hopping. Whoops. I actually felt scared to raise the fact that I didn't know whether I could run 6mins kms. It was a lot faster than the 8km p/h pace that had been noted in the information sheets. I felt like a loser, but in the midst of all of that uncertainty I feel a bit of ahchievement that I managed that pace for about 4min. While slow, that is conclusively the first time that I have run that pace for any time at all since I began this adventure. So I am proud of being a bit of a loser.
The second fun moment was when they took some blood from me and the tester said something along the lines of "I have to fill this out for you - some legal reasons or something". And I responded with "Those bloody lawyers, they spoil everything!!". She had the grace to hear the tone and recognise that I was a lawyer. It gave me a giggle.
So my final testing session is in two weeks time. I wonder if I can practice between now and then so I get better at running 6min kms for short periods of time.
3 Comments:
Woohoo! 6min kms - nice one Deege. Just consider it a mini speed session ;-)
Cool, I am looking forward to my turn on monday. Except you and I are opposites, I am a lab rat virgin!
And now you know you can run 6min Kms!
And now you know you can run 6min Kms!
Well actually I can't because I only managed to sustain the pace for about 4mins before they took pity on me. Which means I have yet to run a 6min km (this time around). Hope you have fun with the testing. Did see a few boxes of asics merchandise there which might be shared around.