Ya-WHO?

The second series of the revised BBC series "Doctor Who" debuts tonight on SciFi channel with "The Christmas Invasion," a 90-minute special (it originally aired last Christmas on BBC One), at 8 p.m. ET.

The actual first episode of the second series (or, in U.S. terms, season), "New Earth," will follow at 9:30 p.m. ET. Both episodes will be repeated following the first showing of "New Earth."

As you can see in the screen capture I have included here, Yahoo's (or "Ya-Who," in this case?) entertainment section lists "Doctor Who" as one of Friday night's TV picks.

Who-ray!

Robert Downey Jr. is "Iron Man"

Robert Downey Jr. has been cast as industrialist Tony Stark/superhero Iron Man in the upcoming film adaptation of the Marvel Comics character to be directed by Jon Favreau.

This casting choice is out of nowhere, but I think I like it a lot. The Stark character struggles with alcoholism and Downey's personal problems with addiction gives him unique insight into that part of the character (although it is rumored the first "Iron Man" movie will not explore the alcoholism angle too much, if at all). I have never thought of Downey as a superhero, but he is definitely one of my favorite actors.

Downey reportedly pushed hard for the role, working out to get in shape for the character and growing a goatee to resemble the modern look of Tony Stark in the comic books.

"Iron Man" is scheduled for release on May 2, 2008.

The Honda Civic...as performed by a choir

Just watch it and you'll understand...

Mentioned in the e-newsletter at Rider!

Advancement Division Shows its 'Heart' for Heart Walk

Jaclyn Levi, Brian Kelley and Michael Scott ran in the 5K Race to Peak Performance, a companion event to the Heart Walk. This 5k was a first race for all three competitors.

I share an office with Mike...the Cathy mentioned in the story is my boss.

5K results are online!

Well, the results have been posted for the American Heart Association's 2006 Mercer County 5K Heart Run.

I finished in 56th place overall (out of 109 runners) with a time of 27 minutes, 54 seconds.

Official results

What these results also show is that I finished 12th out of 16 males between the ages of 30 and 39, which sucks. But at least I didn't come in last within my gender-age group.

One of my fellow runners from Rider, Mike (who came in a very solid 19th overall), and I are planning to run another 5K next month. The Susan G. Komen Foundation N.J. Race for the Cure will be held just up the road from Rider at Bristol-Myers Squibb's headquarters in Princeton on Oct. 29, so we're thinking of registering for that.

Up until Saturday, the only running I had done was on the track near my apartment. I found it a lot easier to run on a course with other people pushing me than it is to run on a track, where I keep thinking to myself, "Eight more laps to go...seven more laps to go," and so on.

Anyway, I'm going to try to do four or five 5K runs a year from now on...probably two or three from March-May and two or three in September and October. I'll keep June-August open for cycling.

The Linc

At the Giants-Eagles game, 9-17-06!

What a freakin' awful loss by the Eagles...ugh. They kick the livin' crap out of the Giants for 3 1/2 quarters and lose the game...and Jevon Kearse for the season. A freakin' disaster. As I often say, it was like escaping the Titanic by climbing up onto the Hidenburg.

Audio: Post 5K Heart Run report

The basics of the audio post above:

1) Survived my first-ever 5K run.
2) Finished the run in 27 minutes, 50-something seconds (I think I found the site that will have the official results...will update all of you later).
3) Realized I didn't get my Heart Walk/Run shirt from the American Heart Association. I guess it will get mailed once the donation amounts are confirmed. All I know is I better not get screwed out of that shirt.
4) I do have a nifty Rider-oriented Heart Walk shirt I wore during the race.

Again, thank you to those that donated. Your support for me and the fight against heart disease was very much appreciated.

Tomorrow, I'm going to the Giants-Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field. So I will leave you with...

E-A-G-L-E-S! EAGLES!

Photo: Rider's University Advancement team 5K runners -- (L to R) Mike Scott, graphic designer for publications; The Bronc, mascot; Jacyln Levi, assistant director of annual giving; and me.

Congrats, Lakewood BlueClaws: 2006 South Atlantic League Champions!!!

From minorleaguebaseball.com (MiLB.com):

The Lakewood BlueClaws won the first South Atlantic League championship in their six-year history Friday, riding the pitching of Matt Maloney to a 5-0 blanking of the Augusta GreenJackets.

Maloney (2-0) recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts en route to his first complete game of the season. He scattered seven hits and two walks in lowering his postseason ERA to 1.13.

The 22-year-old left-hander fanned 11 over seven innings against Lexington in the clincher of the Northern Division Finals on Sept. 8. He was named SAL Pitcher of the Year after going 16-9 with a 2.03 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 27 regular-season starts...

Full story...

Photo: Matt Mullen/MLB.com

Tour de BK '06 Update...200 and done!

It's a bit overdue, but I finally reached my summer cycling goal of 200 miles when I (barely) completed a 41-mile ride earlier today in 2 hours, 52 minutes for an average speed of 14.3 miles per hour.

I basically did my 36-mile route and tacked on a five-mile loop along Route 35 south of the Mantoloking Bridge (basically from Herbert St. to 6th Ave. in the Normandy Beach section of Brick Twp. and back to the bridge).

Now, keep in mind, I have been using Google Maps to figure out my mileage so I'm sure there have been errors and I probably only did 195-198 miles, or something like that. But you know what? Since Google controls all the information on the planet, whatever Google says, is official in my book!

And the post title means what it says...I'm done with cycling for the year. I think my bike is shot. It just felt like it was about to fall apart on me today, so I think it was telling me something.

So I'll just concentrate on running for the immediate future...get a new bike for next summer and set some new cycling goals for Tour de BK 2007!

A long-awaited update

OK...I know I haven't posted as frequently as usual. Things are just crazy at work and...well...believe it or not, I now have a ladyfriend (and that is all I will say about that...don't want to get too personal here)...so my blogging time has been limited.

Unfortunately, I fell short of my cycling goal of 200 miles during July and August...the weather during the final week just didn't cooperate with me. I still plan on getting the last 40 miles in, though.

My running was sidetracked this week, too. But I did get back to it Saturday with a two-mile run...and I followed that up yesterday with a three-mile run that I finished in 27 minutes, 11 seconds. I'll probably go on another three-mile run shortly after I finish up this post.

After my run yesterday, I decided to head down to Citizens Bank Park to take in the doubleheader between the Phillies and Braves. The Phillies split the two games, winning the first game 8-7 by scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning off Atlanta closer Bob Wickman. I was able to see Phillies starting pitcher Jamie Moyer—son-in-law of Rider alumnus and ESPN college basketball analyst Digger Phelps—turn in a solid outing in the opener, but the real star of the day was Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, who hit three home runs (No. 50, 51 and 52 on the season) in the game-one victory.

Well, I should start heading to the track for my run. I have a busy day ahead of me.