Beyond Understanding

A Bosun Named Higgs
Using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva the scientists of CERN are seeking publicity and continued funding at a time of austerity by claiming that after some 50 years they are on the verge of finding the elusive theoretical sub-atomic particle named the Higgs boson.

Or not finding it.

The Standard Model
A child of the 1960s.  The mathematics predict particles - all of which have been found except for the Higgs boson which is an important player in the theory as its existence is needed to explain the mass of many of the other particles.

If the Higgs boson is proved not to exist then the Standard Model will fall - and a new one will arise.

The Standard Model II
But even if the Higgs boson is found apparently this will cause problems for the Standard Model because to make the equations work there has to be something else.

One model requires a partner super particle - a sort of super Higgs.   A master particle.  Named after another scientist, perhaps.

A Pugwash captain, or a Bates master?

Gigaelectronvolts (GeV)
Previous colliders have examined particle collisions in the range up to 114 GeV looking for the Higgs boson.

The LHC has ruled out its existence in the range 135 to 500 GeV.

CERN is now looking in the range 114-135GeV. This is said to be precisely the region where, according to the Standard Model, the Higgs would be found.

Which rather begs the question  of why CERN did not use the LHC to examine that range first - working upwards from the range achieved by the smaller colliders.

Boys and their big toys.

Forty Two
The possibility remains that the Higgs bosun might be in the range up to 114 GeV but it was not found by the earlier colliders because their detection systems were not sensitive enough.  So if CERN don’t find it perhaps they should re-run the earlier experiments but in the LHC.

I predict 42 GeV. You read it here first.

Bath Point 5
The Higgs boson possibilities are:-

1. Finding the particle somewhere in the range predicted
2. Finding it outside the range predicted
3. Not finding it
4. Finding proof of the non-existence of the Higgs boson
5. Running out of funds before the experiment is concluded due to the sovereign default of Greece, implosion of the Euro and economic collapse of western Europe.

What a Higgs boson might look like - artist's impression

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.”  Genesis Ch 2 v 1.

“The Atoms of Democritus
And Newton’s Particles of Light
Are sands upon the Red Sea shore
Where Israel’s tents do shine so bright”  William Blake

Running
In this heat?  Forget it.

Statistics II

Bristol Half

Beaten by Edwin Kipyego. Again!

His time for the Bristol Half Marathon 01:03:20 - almost 2 minutes ahead of the next man.
40 seconds faster than his time for the Bath-Half.

He said that he hoped to beat the Bristol course record of 01:02:55 and suggested the strong winds prevented him. He was reported by the Evening Post as being ill at the finish - so he was trying hard.

My time for Bristol - 02:06:11. The first of 4 with that time - thanks to my final sprint.
6min and 45sec faster than my Bath-Half time.

I was not ill at the finish. Must try harder.
Fractionally over double the time of the winner.

Warm-Up in Millenium Square

Half and Half
Statistically this is a useful rule-of-thumb. My times are likely to be double those of an elite athlete and my speeds about half.

Cycling - On road races when the professionals are slowly cruising they are going at about 25mph. My touring speed is about 12.5mph.

Running - 1 mile - has been done in under 4 minutes. I can do it in under 8.

Swimming - I have no stats for this. But as my breast stroke is faster than my Australian crawl you can guess that my crawl ‘aint fast - or efficient. My back-stroke is my fastest stroke but I need a line on the ceiling to follow - so not suitable for outdoor swimming. My porpoise - whether with dolphin double-kick or breast-stroke style leg action - is so inefficient that I have never been able to exceed a length using that stroke. Doggy paddle is not much more than treading water. My Catherine Wheel is spectacular - but of course if done properly keeps me rotating in the same place so cannot be used as a swimming stroke.

Even Steps
For each of my modes of travelling my average speed appears to double for the “next” one, approximately:-

1. Walking - 3 mph
2. Running - 6 mph
3. Cycling - 12 ½ mph
4. Driving old car - 25 mph
5. Driving modern car - 50 mph.

Does this mean that my world is build by intelligent design? Probably not.



911 - Bristol Half-Marathon

My 2nd Half Marathon but first in Bristol. My Bath HM time of 2:12:56 put me in the penultimate sheep pen (Red Labels) at the start rather than the rear one.

A recce visit last week ensured that I knew where to go and how to get there minimizing worries and hassle on the day. But I still managed to break the chip tie attaching it to my shoe. Park and Ride operated as promised - normally it does not run on a Sunday.

Objective was to beat my PB for HM. On the basis that the route was mostly flat and my recent training had shown decreases in my times for my 6.5 mile training route I was confident this would be achieved. As a stretch target I yearned for a sub 2 hour time - but I knew this would be v hard as my best training times were 58 minutes for 6.5 miles. Could I manage this for just over double the distance? Unlikely but worth a try.

Before the start - penned up and pent up

My race plan was to ease into the first couple of miles and then up the pressure on myself when the crowds thinned a bit. Not that they did. Also to concentrate on my smoothest running style to avoid effort being wasted in scuffs, trips, and thrashing limbs. I know you are supposed to keep a reserve for the later miles but if I went too slowly in the first half of the race I would not be able to make up the lost time - so I had to keep near the top of the range of my fuel-economy cruising speed. This time I also pre-planned which water stops I would use, going for a 2 stop strategy. Except I did not stop just slowed down. Spilled some. Other runners kept throwing bottles at me. Invisible? Moi?

The race goes under the Clifton Suspension Bridge twice so you get to see the faster runners coming towards you on the other half of the road. At that stage this was good for my morale as I only began to see other Red Label runners on the opposite carriageway when I was almost within sight of the turning point.

The route back into town goes around the other side of the harbour from the start and from there zig-zags all around the town. Here the surfaces can be a bit troublesome - tarmac mostly, not too bumpy but with raised metal edges, sometimes wet from spilled water. Granite setts are a bit of a pain - danger of twisted ankles on some of the larger ones and they feel a bit hard on the feet anyway. Slippery gravel on another part of the course. Cross-country and fell runners will be thinking “wimp”.

Although I had looked up the revised route and knew there were a lot of loops in the final portion I had not reckoned on how hard this would be. I did find that the reverse loops and sharp uphill bits in the last few miles were sapping of the morale as well as the physique. I know the bystanders mean well but their shouts of the usual mantras of “You can do it” (Methinks - I know or I would not have entered) and “Not Far To Go Now” (Methinks - 3 miles not far?) began to pall. I expect I was just jealous of Superman who got all the attention - but it did mean that I had to pass him and stay ahead to the finish - so indirectly it helped me too.

The hardest bit was the last 0.2 mile. Yes I know they tell you not to sprint but you just have to make a good finish don’t you? Besides - Superman was not far behind me and I had run out of Kryptonite to strew in his path.

Official Time 2:06:11. New PB.

Special Thanks to MOH who gave up a prime gardening day.

Buzzing

I am an addict.

Before I started out on this venture I was among the majority who regard “joggers” with a silent pity and contempt. Clearly from the agonised looks on their faces and the strenuous puffing sounds they emit the activity cannot possibly be enjoyable.

I was rather more in awe of runners. The guy I met skiing who had done almost every major Marathon on the planet - including London and New York - some more than once. He told me he just had to run every day. Well he was tall and skinny and to my way of thinking build like a runner. Nifty skier too.

Another exception to my theory was my Service colleagues who were required to meet minimum physical standards to keep their job. They ran most lunchtimes to maintain a certain level of fitness by regular exercise rather than lapse and then work extra hard to get it back again. Being stuck in offices as desk jockeys that was a real risk for them.

As an idle youth outrun, outgunned and generally out-sported by my schoolmates - among whom I was always the youngest if not the smallest - I was never athletic, or even fit. Consequently the Forces never had a lasting appeal. Other than the uniform for attracting the girls. In those days the USP for recruitment was - in the words of Monty Python - “For the Sport and the Travel, Sah”.

But now my jogging has taken a serious turn - and I find that I must get out several times a week. Rather like my former colleagues I don’t want to lose the level of fitness I have gained. For one thing it feels better than the previous fat(ter) me.

So I have signed up for 2 more Half Marathons - Bristol this month and Bath again next year. Don’t worry , I am not asking for sponsorship.

Not yet.

Getting a buzz from running

Alas! in truth the man but chang'd his mind,

Perhaps was sick, in love, or had not din'd. - Pope