Huff & Puff!....

Lately I have been trying to run a mile at night, maybe twice a week-without great success. I want to get back into shape and of course, Anna, has been a good inspiration to me. But, when I run, my mind drifts to lots of different things. The one thought pattern that is constant, is that I like to figure out the percentage of the mile I have ran and how much I still have to go-how my time is and if I'll beat my other times. I know, it's just another wierd quirk! :) And so the "math curse" beckons my mind to investigate why there are 5,280 feet in a mile. I know we get the mile from our Roman ancestors, yet I still wonder, I still need to know why...so....
The measurement known as a mile is a vestige of the Roman Empire's rule over Britain. At this time, the Romans had a measurement known as mille pasuum (ME-lay PA-soo-em), or a thousand paces(can you imagine counting that!). A pace comprised five, possibly sandal shod, Roman feet. Using a simple mathematical calculation, we arrive at 5,000 feet per mile.
The demise of the Roman Empire left the Britons in a quandary. They now had a mile, consisting of 5,000 feet, and their own agricultural measurement, the furlong, used to measure the farmers' fields for the purpose of property deeds, etc. Instead of using the Roman foot in calculating the measure of a furlong, they used the distance a horse could pull a plow, in a linear fashion, before the nag needed a nap. They agreed that this measurement consisted 660 feet.
Now came the dilemma. The British wished to marry the furlong to the mile, but, as they wanted a mile to comprise eight furlongs, totaling 5,280 feet, instead of the Roman 5,000 feet per mile, they had no choice but to select one of the two. Not surprisingly, they chose their measurement over the Roman measurement because, as property deeds at the time were measured in furlongs, or 660 feet, a change to the Roman measurement would short the farmer or landowner. What do ya think?
Do you know that in the average human body, the skeleton weighs almost 30 pounds! Yet, the soft mass of the adult brain is motionless and it consumes up to 25 percent of the blood's oxygen supply, even though it does not grow, divide, or contract like muscles. So when I am trying to get into shape, I wonder if I should diet from calcium and try not to use my brain so I can breathe when jogging!

Don't forget about those odd phobias! :
Tachophobia = A fear of speed (no problem when I run!)
Zemniphobia = A fear of the great mole rat
Ballistophobia = A fear of missles or bullets