Month: August 2024

Dan – who authors one of my favorite blogs – shared a great 3 minute video that explains why the 400 meter is considered among the most painful events at the Olympics.

In sum, it is because it is at that uncomfortable length where you have to run at close to full pelt to win. However, no human can run it all out from start to finish.

As a result, a runner uses four different stores of energy. The first 50 meters involves the “ATP-CP” – the energy system that makes the explosive start possible. This lasts 5-10 seconds.

Next, the runner moves to anaerobic glycolysis – this burns glucose without oxygen, leading to lactic acid buildup and muscle fatigue. This is when the runner is running at ~90% of full capacity.

Next, the runner uses aerobic energy. However, this uses oxygen to break down glucose and cannot keep up with the demand.

This means the final 300-400 meters is when the runner taps their anaerobic energy reserves when the aerobic energy is too slow to fill the gaps. This results in lactic acid buildup that, in turn, means pain.

This means the last 100 meters is a test of the runner’s pain threshold. Whoever has the highest pain threshold at this point wins.

We’ve been watching a lot of track and field events over the past weeks. While every one of them looks challenging (in different ways), this video made me see the 400m in new light.

It also made me appreciate just how incredible our bodies are.

Take good care of it, we must.

“Most advertising sells, regardless of what’s on offer, insecurity and discontent.”

I can’t remember where I came across this quote.

It was thought provoking.

One of the most important habits we can cultivate for our long-term mental health is reminding ourselves every day that our current circumstances – no matter how good or bad – are temporary.

It is inevitable. Skip the surprise.

This too shall pass.

Charlie Munger once talked about how sensational Costco founder Jim Sinegal’s career was.

Podcaster David Senra asked Munger: Why are there so few speeches or interviews with Sinegal?

“He was busy working,” said Munger.

The most impressive people don’t spend their lives on social media or managing their publicity.

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It resonated.

H/T: Another of Morgan Housel’s masterclass posts

“Sometimes rock bottom is your trampoline.” | Danny Cho

This one made me chuckle. It makes for a powerful visual while being funny and true.

It definitely can be.

So much of life is what we make of it.

Clarity of thought is often misunderstood. You don’t “have” clarity of thought. It is a skill – you get it when you work at it.

That happens when you’re always in the habit of taking an idea, obsessing about it, writing about it, and stripping away all the extraneous details till you get to its essence.

Clarity of thought is earned.

Deb Chachra, in her book “How Infrastructure works,” tells the story of “Electric Mountain” – a fascinating power station in Wales. A few notes –

(1) “Electric Mountain” is the alternative name of the Dinorwig power station in Eryri, Wales. It is a “peaker plant” – used to supply electricity during sudden peaks. It takes all of 15 seconds to activate Dinorwig. While peaker plants usually use coal/dirty electricity, Dinorwig serves as a shining example on elegant solutions to peaker plants.

(2) Dinorwig was built in the 1960s and used to be activated after major TV events (E.g., sporting events). Predictably, the British population used to switch off their television and switch on their power hungry electric kettle – a phenomenon called “TV pickup.”

(3) The power station contains two lakes at a difference of 500 meters. A vertical shaft connects these lakes. Once the operator begins draining out the lake on top, the artificial waterfall from the top lake can generate electricity for six hours.

(4) Then, when the demand is low and there’s surplus capacity in the grid, the whole process is reversed and water is transported right back up. It essentially functions like a battery. Ingenious.

(5) The design and thoughtfulness is incredibly elegant too. Dinorwig blends into the landscape. And there were many thoughtful touches – it was built in a town where mining was on the decline. The fish that were originally in the lake were thoughtfully relocated.

This article – authored by Deb Chachra – in the Guardian has a lot more context on why she is so enamored by Dinorwig.

After learning more about it, it is hard not to join the Dinorwig fan club.

Michael Gambon’s performance as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series was one of those that made every fan miss the late Richard Harris more with each passing scene.

It is unclear why Gambon’s portrayal of Dumbledore veered so far away from the spirit of the character. My guess is that it was largely an attempt at differentiation. So, instead of getting to see Dumbledore’s characteristic wisdom and calm, we were left with a weird combination of grumpiness and impatience.

A great example of unhelpful differentiation.

It is like the various brands of security scanners at airports. Some require you to take off electronics and shoes, others don’t. A recent experience involved seeing a new brand pilot “cutting edge” technology that seemed to flag one in every two bags.

Again, unhelpful differentiation.

Differentiation is only useful when it results in a positive outcome.

No point differentiating for the sake of doing so – in our products, in our work, and in our life.

“It’s not a question of whether you will hurt, or of how much you will hurt; it’s a question of what you will do, and how well you will do it, while pain has her wanton way with you.” | The Boys in the Boat

As in the boat, so in life…

I was born in Southern India and a constant theme in the past years has been the impact of changing climate. The last decade, in particular, has been horrible in the state of Kerala. The rains and floods have gotten increasingly more devastating – with death tolls getting worse each time.

The latest such event was a devastating set of floods and landslides in a region called “Wayanad.” 300 people are already reported dead with a few hundred more missing. The circumstances are heartbreaking.

Amidst all this, there have been some incredible stories shared about people who’ve come face to face with wild animals as humans have sought refuge in nearby forests in their attempts to escape the landslide. This story was one such example –

When we finally stopped, we found ourselves on top of a hill, face-to-face with an elephant. We were so scared, it was dark. We told the elephant, ‘We’ve come after a disaster. We’re afraid, Please, don’t show us anything more.’ When we looked closer, we saw tears flowing from its eyes as though it understood our plight. We laid down near its leg and stayed there until it was almost 6 a.m.” Sujatha said.

I felt so many emotions as I read this – sadness at their plight, awe at this elephant’s behavior, and frustration at the thought of elected officials who still walk around denying anthropogenic climate change and its impacts for personal benefit.

Nothing constructive to share beyond this story. Just a moment of awareness of these emotions… and acceptance.