Good-runs/attempts percentage

Until further notice: the following holds true: I warmed up by jogging about 300 yards before the start of the scored practice, but did not warm up using theball. .

The P6.1-5T-NS-IM drill done today is graphically described top of this page. It involves predominance of the left foot and inwards turns on the kicks, it is P6.1-5T-NS with the footwork reversed.

Cones: normal (4.4') in the seventh column, means that the cones set out a distance between kicks of 4.4 feet, which is what this distance has been unless otherwise noted.

Today, having successes/attempts percentage, speed & high successes/minute rate as goals during the entire segment, I finally succeeded in combining a high successes/attempts percentage (95%), with high speed (vf++, 5.0 numerical).

During the first 10 successes/failures, I emphasized speed, which I do not usually do. I was afraid of slow speed on the first 10 attempts, putting me in a hole speed-wise, result being that I would have to overemphasize speed after the first 10 attempts.

Today I was able to deliberately slightly reduce the speed of the runs without reducing the speed too much, as part of a deliberate attempt to increase the (successes/attempts) percentage, so as to be able to combine high percentage and high speed for the first time while running the P6.1-5T-NS-IM.

I found that if before a run my intent was to achieve a speed of VF+, mumerically 4.0, the result would be on average runs of about VF++, numerically 5.0 speed.

Throughout the practice I kept close track of what the average speed of the runs was up to that point in the practice. That way I knew when I could slow down the speed without the average speed becoming too low. I wanted to end up with a high average speed and also a high successes/attempts percentage.

Today again I kept written notes regarding every run, like I did on June 10. I utilized the AF1 method (same June 10). EARPLUGS worn in both ears during the practice today. During the segment: I was at the start of each run, focused on the first two kicks of the runs being done well.

I Woke up yesterday 6/13 at approx 11:00 PM, after having had approx 10 hours sleep. Had approx 24 oz coffee/coconut-palm-sugar/halfnhalf (all organic) from approx 11:30 PM 5/13 to 6:00 AM 6/14. Had 15 oz distilled water prior to & during the segment done today. Had nothing to eat prior to the start of practice.

Today out of 63 total attempts (not including bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 33 runs (52% of attempts), averaging 22' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed; and there were 4 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 23' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed.

Yesterday June 13 the overall successes/attempts percentage was 87%, and the average length of the runs was 21'; today June 10 these figures were 95% & 22'.

Today the length of the successful runs from 1st kick to 5th kick ranged from 13-29'; ball as usual was kept off the ground and close to the body from the first kick to the 5th kick.

The temperature/humidity felt cool outdoors, cool in the gym before practice started, and comfortable during the practice.

95%

Quality: 4.4
Speed: 5.0
Length:22'
Goals: per hour, percentage, speed
Cones: normal (4.4')

Goals of this segment: achieve a high number of successful runs per hour; achieve high successes/attempts percentage; achieve high speeds.

1st 10 attempts-- Successes/attempts rate (not counting bad 1st kicks): 90%; Quality of successful runs: excellent+ (4.1 where 3=excellent, 4=excellent+); speed of successful runs: very fast++ (4.8 where 4=very fast+, 5=very fast++); number of miskicks on 1st kicks of runs: 1.

After 1st 10 attempts: 96%; Quality of successful runs: excellent+ (4.4 where 4=excellent+, 5=excellent++); speed of successful runs: very fast+++ (5.0 where 5=very fast++, 6=very fast+++); number of miskicks on 1st kicks of runs: 2.

Overall-- successes/attempts 95%; Quality of successful runs: excellent+ (4.4 where 4=excellent+, 5=excellent++); speed of successful runs: very fast++ (5.0 where 5=very fast++, 6=very fast+++); number of miskicks on 1st kicks of runs: 3; number of failures on runs with good 1st kicks: 3.

I estimate that: keeping a written record of each run used up 16 minutes of time.

My half of the gym during the segment, was empty, but prior to the last 4 attempts, the basketballers drew back the curtain that separated me from them (they always draw it back early a few minutes before they start). Notes on these last 4 attempts the basketballers could see: x++, vf++, L1 (57) meaning the quality was excellent ++, the speed was very fast++, the length was 8 paces + 1 pace = 9 paces, and it was the 57th successful run of the segment); x++, vf++, L3 (58); vg, vf++, L2 (59); x++, vf++, L1 (60). I heard one of the basketballers shout 'you got it!', after I finished these four runs in front of them, but I'm not sure if he was talking about me.

I took written notes on every run today.

Today I did 1 segment of the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS-IM drill; I utilized the AF1 method. This drill done today is graphically described top of this page. It involves predominance of the right foot and inwards turns on the kicks, it is P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS with the footwork reversed.

EARPLUGS in both ears. Woke up today at approx 9:00 PM 6/14, after having had approx 8 hours sleep. Had approx 24 oz coffee/cane-sugar/halfnhalf (all organic) from approx 10:30 PM 6/14 to 5:30 AM 6/15, plus 12 oz coffee/cream/sugar from gas station. Had 22 oz distilled water prior to & during the practice. Had nothing to eat between waking up and start of practice.

During the practice: I was at the start of each run, focused on the first two kicks of the runs being done well.

The length of the successful runs from 1st kick to 5th kick ranged from 13-29'; the average successful run covered 22'; the ball as usual was kept off the ground and close to the body from the first kick to the 5th kick.

June 5 (best June 5 segment), the last time I did the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS-IM, the successes/attempts percentage was 92%, the quality rating overall was 4.2, excellent+, & the speed rating was 4.9, very fast++. Today, doing the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS-IM again, the the successes/attempts percentage was 95%, the quality rating overall was 4.4, excellent+, & the speed rating was 5.1, very fast++.

June 5 (best June 5 segment) the goals were achieve high number of successes per minute; achieve a high successes/attempts percentage, and for half the segment, achieve high speed. Today June 15 the goals were the same except speed was a goal for the entire segment.

Best segment June 5, was only about a half a segment, and the second segment of the day. Today's segment was a full segment, and the first segment of the day. June 5 2nd segment was the 4th segment in a row doing P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS-IM; today, I had not done P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS-IM for 10 days.

The temp outdoors felt cool. Indoors, before the practice it felt cool, and during the practice the temp felt comfortable.

95%

Quality: 4.4
Speed: 5.1
Length:22'
Goals: per hour, percentage, speed
Cones: normal (4.4')

Goals of this segment: achieve a high number of successes per minute; achieve a high successes/attempts percentage; achieve high speed. Most of the segment I was aiming for a speed of VF+ or 4.0, but the resulting speeds were around VF++, or 5.0.

1st 10 attempts-- Successes/attempts rate: 90%; Quality of successful runs: excellent+ (4.1); speed of successful runs: very fast++ (5.2); number of miskicks on 1st kicks of runs: 1.

Overall-- quality of successful runs: excellent+ (4.4, where 4=excellent+, 5=excellent++); speed of successful runs: very fast++ (5.1, where 4=very fast+, 5=very fast++). Failed attempts: 3 (after successful runs #7 & #51, & #53); bad kicks on first kick of runs: 3.

During this segment, the length of the successful runs ranged from 13-29'; the average successful run covered 22' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

I was all set to finish with a percentage of 98%, but two mistakes at the end dropped me to 95%. One of the failures towards the end involved the 2nd kick with the right foot , & resulted in a ball kicked just upwards a little instead of to the side; the other one involved the ball kicked backwards on the 2nd kick with the right whereas it should have been kicked to the left. Seemed my mind just sort of went to sleep on these two runs; the set up with the first kick with the left was good both times.

Today out of 63 total attempts (not including bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 17 runs (27% of attempts), averaging 22' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed; and there were 13 runs (21% of attempts), averaging 23' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed.

This segment I was in the gym alone.

Today was the first time in twenty days, that I've done a drill involving outwards kicks instead of inward kicks.

My strategy is to master P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS, which is easier than P6.1-5T-NS, and then go on to mastering P6.1-5T-NS, using lessons learned from mastering P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS. This because the reason P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS is easier than P6.1-5T-NS is that I am left-footed. I think the off-foot learns from the good-foot.

Yet my general theory is that sometimes when X is easier than Y, and such has nothing to do with what foot one one prefers, Y should be done before X, because such precedence can lead to X being mastered with little work being put into X.

At Waltham Y. EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up yesterday at approx 11:00 PM, after having had approx 8 hours sleep. Had approx 24 oz coffee/brown-sugar/halfnhalf from midnight to 5:30 AM. At approx 5:00 AM, had ham sandwich, Reeses Peanut Butter cups, 6 oz tangerine juice. Had 16 oz distilled water prior to during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used.

Last time I did the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS on May 27, the percentage was 97%, the quality 3, the speed 5 (written notes were not taken after every run). Today doing the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS, the percentage was 90%, the quality 3.9, & the speed 4.8 (written notes were taken after every run today).

This guy who I'll call "Sumbuddy", bothered me with yet another message on my answering machine yesterday, even though he's been told repeatedly not to leave long pointless messages on my machine. He appears to think that my reward for loaning him money should be that I should be bothered with unwanted messages. Yet I am prevented from blocking his calls or getting a restraining order. All morning I felt angry at Sumbuddy. I tried to focus my mind on the first two kicks of each run and forget about Sumbuddy; but still I think being angry at Sumbuddy impaired performance.

It was a cool morning climate-wise outdoors, and comfortable in the gym during the practice.

90%

Quality: 3.9
Speed: 4.8
Length:20'
Goals: per hour, percentage, speed
Cones: normal (4.4')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 100%; Quality of first 10 successful runs: excellent+ (3.6)(there were 2 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast+ (4.4) .

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent+ (3.9); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast++ (4.8) . There were 4 missed attempts; there were 6 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs.

Length of successful runs ranged from 13-24'; average run covered 20' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today out of 40 total attempts (not including bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 11 runs (28% of attempts), averaging 21' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed; and there were 5 runs (13% of attempts), averaging 20' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed.

The basketballers were able to see the last 9 runs after they drew the curtain back after they arrived for their morning game. I suspect that I heard the basketballers chattering about how the clique at the Y is wrong to discriminate against me because supposedly I'm not ugly like them.

The segment done today was probably the best ever for the kind of drill done today.

Today I achieved the longest run I've ever achieved on such drills: 33' from the first touch to the 5th touch, ball never touching the ground along the way. This 33' run was on the 9th attempt of the day, it was rated as x++, excellent++ for quality, & very fast+++ for speed (highest possible ratings for quality and speed).

The long runs today, reminded me of the advantages inherent in kicking the ball outwards (i.e., left foot kicks ball left) as opposed to inwards (i.e., left foot kicks ball right) when making turns.

At Waltham Y. EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx 3 AM, after having had approx 11 hours sleep. Had approx 12 oz coffee/brown-sugar/halfnhalf 4:00 AM to 5:00 AM. Had 22 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used.

Yesterday doing the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS, the percentage was 90%, the quality 3.9, & the speed 4.8. Today doing the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS, the percentage was 100%, the quality 4.9, & the speed 5.2 (written notes were taken after every attempt yesterday and today also).

It was a comfortable morning climate-wise outdoors, and a little too warm in the gym during the practice.

After the practice I was so hungry that I spent $11 on a steak and eggs breakfast from 'In a Pickle'. I find that when the goals include high number successes per hour, high successes/attempts percentage and high speed (as opposed to the only goal being high number successes per hour), I end up more tired and hungry after the practice.

After the practice, this tall well-built man older man passed me in the hall. I think he said, "don't say you'll kill them". I think by 'them' he meant the female clique behind the front desk that is suspected of discriminating against good looks when it comes to hiring.

Fact is, I never told anyone that they should be killed, I never told anyone they should be injured, I never told anyone a crime should be committed against them. But I must admit I have fantasized about government enacting laws that deal harshly with those who implement an 'the uglier the better' doctrine in hiring.

Fact is, it's shocking that it should be technically legal to discriminate against good-looking people, whereas it is illegal to discriminate against obese people. Then again I suppose such inconsistency makes sense if you see employment as a 'doormats-for-oligarchs' industry.

Then again, if you want to get legally clever about it, you could say that discrimination that punishes good-looks and rewards so-called ugliness, is racist, and therefore illegal, because some races are better looking than others. Or you could say that it is sexist and therefore illegal, because men are better looking than women. Or you could say that it is age-ist, because the elderly are not as good-looking as the younger persons.

Fact is, that indeed I am shocked that the people in the metro area where I live, both men and women, have the following attitude: some jobs are appropriate for men, but all jobs are appropriate for women.

These people would run you out of town if you said that University presidents or police should be males. Yet they stubbornly proclaim that receptionists should be females, because 'people expect receptionists to be females'.

100%

Quality: 4.5
Speed: 5.2
Length:22'
Goals: per hour, percentage, speed
Cones: normal (4.4')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 100%; Quality of first 10 successful runs: excellent+ (3.9)(there were 0 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++ (4.6) .

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent+ to excellent++ (4.5); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast++ (5.2) . There were 3 missed attempts; there were 6 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs.

Length of successful runs ranged from 15-33'; average run covered 20' from the first kick to the 5th kick. Amongst successful runs: one was 33'; three were 31'; and four were 29' in length. Overall: these long runs were slightly imperfect in terms of angle of turns; and they were very fast (numerical approx 5.5 on speed).

Today out of 63 total attempts (not including bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 16 runs (25% of attempts), averaging 21' in length (range 15-24'), rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed; and there were 20 runs (32% of attempts), averaging 23' in length (range 20-33'), rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed.

I felt a little sick and tired before today's practice, yet somehow the result was perhaps the best segment ever.

Today for the first time, one of my goals during the segment, was that the runs should be LONG. Hence, I arranged the marker-cones so that each kick as marked out by the cones, would be 6.6 feet away from the preceding and the next kicks. Usually, the cones mark out between-kick distances of 4.4 feet.

The segment done today was possibly the best ever for the kind of drill done today.

Today I achieved the longest run I've ever achieved on such drills: 37' from the first touch to the 5th touch, ball never touching the ground along the way.

Today in the scoring, I introduced a new level of excellence for quality, x+++ or excellent+++, a step better than x++; and, a new level of speed, vf++++ or very fast++++, a step faster than vf+++. Some of the runs today were clearly superior in quality and speed to any of the past runs doing this kind of drill.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx 7:30 AM, after having had approx 8 hours sleep. Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Had nothing to eat for breakfast prior to start of practice. Had 34 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used.

It was a comfortable morning climate-wise outdoors, but too warm & too humid in the gym during the practice.

Before the practice, this white man who looked like he was in his 50s or 60s, was standing at the main desk. He looked at me, and excitedly said something about how men are handsome. Seemed he was directly or indirectly reacting to yesterday's entry in this log.

During the first quarter of the practice, this young man who seemed to be Eastern European, approached me while I was practicing. He thought I was YMCA staff. He humbly requested that he be allowed to share the gym with me. I told him it was open gym.

What I was secretly thinking inside: this Eastern European gentleman, has not figured out that jobs around here are not for well-built, handsome, athletic, intelligent men like me. They are reserved instead, for so-to-speak, more typical persons.

Given such devotion to typical persons, it is inconceivable that a YMCA in this metro area, would feature a staffer for whom half the gym was sometimes set aside so that he alone could use it for practice. Such would be a contravention of egalitarianism, in that it would be treating someone like a star.

During the beginning of the practice, this young black male, who seemed like he could be the sister of the Haitian female who is a fixture behind the front desk at the Waltham Y, informed me of something that I did not know: I had to wear a shirt when in the Oak Square Y Gym. This despite the fact that the Oak Square Y can be very hot and humid.

During the practice, there must have been dozens of black and white persons of all ages, & genders, who were apparently oblivious to my heroics.

The only indication that they were not oblivious was this: from the minute my practice ended, to 30 minutes after my practice ended, the entire gym went dead silent, & there was nobody in the gym doing anything (as I sat on a bench adding up the day's score).

After the practice, I felt depressed and tired. Yet again, best I can tell, the combination of me realizing that I had achieved greatness, combined with me having suffered all that I've suffered, resulted in a temporary feeling of depression and fatigue. I felt like a low person, having to sit there and spend about a half an hour just totalling up all the stats in the written notes.

88%

Quality: 4.5
Speed: 5.9
Length:28'
Goals: successes per hour, percentage, LENGTH
Cones: extended (6.6')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 70%; Quality of first 10 successful runs: excellent++ (4.9)(there were 0 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++ (4.8) .

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent+ to excellent++ (4.5); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast+++ (5.9) . There were 8 missed attempts; there were 3 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs.

Length of successful runs ranged from 20-37 feet; average run covered 28' from the first kick to the 5th kick. Amongst successful runs: two were 37' in length (avg quality 2.0, speed 6.0); 4 were 35' (avg quality 4.3, speed 6.3); and 4 were 33' (avg quality 4.3, speed 6.3) in length.

Today out of 68 total attempts (not including bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 11 runs (16% of attempts), averaging 26' in length (range 22-31'), rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed.

There were 18 runs (26% of attempts), averaging 28' in length (range 26-35'), rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed>.

There were 6 runs (9% of attempts), averaging 30' in length (range 29-33'), rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++++ for speed. .

There were 4 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 28' in length (range 26-29'), rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++++ for speed. .

Today for the first time,my only goal was SPEED. Today unlike 6/18, the cones marked out between-kick distances of 4.4 feet as usual. The distance to be traveled during the runs looked and felt short and small, because the previous practice this distance had been expanded by 50%.

My only goal today was ,SPEED,, I wanted to remove inhibitions that slow down the speed of the runs, yet still my successes/attempts percentage was 91%.

When doing the runs I attempt to roughly follow the path laid out by the cones. Today I concluded that when this path is expanded to greater distances between kicks, this naturally speeds up the runs.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx 7:30 AM, after having had approx 8 hours sleep. Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf at 9:30 AM. Had nothing to eat for breakfast prior to start of practice. Had 22 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used.

It was a comfortable morning climate-wise outdoors, and comfortable in the gym during the practice.

Before the practice I was talking to Jonathan, a somewhat tall & heavy white man who wears a mustache and talks with a lisp. Jonathan sports a youthful collegiate demeanor, to me he seems like a character straight out of Salinger's 'A Catcher in the Rye'; he reminds me of children of professors I knew at University High in Chicago. Jonathan was upset that his dad, a programmer, had been laid off by Raytheon, he said his dad was not at the gym. I told Jonathan about my javascript program that returns any root of any number. As it turned out Jonathan's dad was in the shower and heard my whole talk with his son. His dad, who is a little short, and has little hair on his head, sports a sharp I'm too busy to talk but I'm polite bespectacled smile. His dad disagreed with something I had said to his son; he said things were not as bad as his son made them out to be; basically he was saying that he was still a computer programming big shot, & that him helping me with my browser add-on was not his thing. At one point he smiled and nodded his head and said, 'you're a general'. I was thinking, that I never thought of myself as being a warlike person like a general. He was in a rush to get going, but he told me that the place to find help on programming projects is 'Craig's List'.

Then after practice, in the gym I heard this shortish clean-shaven white basketballer man who has black hair, say, 'his program does any root of any number!'. I was surprised that he would have known what I had said to Jonathan's dad.

As I ended my practice, this handsome well-built young black man who was wearing a 'Healthpoint Basketball' shirt smiled at me, he said" 'what's up, dude? Doing soccer drills?'.

And this clean-shaven tallish red-haired white man who was wearing a Boston Bruins shirt, rolled the curtain I was shooting into at the end of the runs back prematurely. He let me roll the curtain back out for another 5 minutes; in response to my request, he said 'OK, cool, perfect'.

Such little incidents would not be remarkable, except for the fact that usually everyone is so quiet.

Night before the practice, I had a dream. In the dream: I was floating at a point about 30 feet above the main desk at the Oak Square YMCA, looking down at the main desk at the Oak Square YMCA. I was thinking, that the people at the Oak Square Y were being evil, and not being socially or economically helpful to me, because they felt that such lack of helpfulness was a way of promoting Darwinian survival of the fittest.

Note: I think the dream represents thoughts I was having while sleeping; I believe both the waking mind and the sleeping mind are capable of both insight and stupidity.

About 25 men showed up for the noontime basketball game today.

During the practice, there were a few apparently oblivious black males from boy to adult in age, playing basketball in my side of the gym.

91%

Quality: 4.3
Speed: 5.9
Length:23'
Goals:SPEED
Cones: normal (4.4')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 90%; Quality of first 10 successful runs: excellent+ (3.9)(there were 2 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++ (5.2) . Speed was the only goal for these first 10.

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent+ (4.3); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast+++ (5.9) . There were 5 missed attempts; there were 6 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs.

Length of successful runs ranged from 13-31 feet; average run covered 22' from the first kick to the 5th kick. Amongst successful runs: 4 were 31' in length (avg quality 3.3, speed 6.8); 4 were 29' (avg quality 5.3, speed 5.8).

Today out of 55 total attempts (not including 6 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 7 runs (13% of attempts), averaging 24' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed.

There were 14 runs (25% of attempts), averaging 24' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed>.

There was 1 run (2% of attempts), 24' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed.

There were 5 runs (9% of attempts), averaging 24' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++++ for speed. .

Today for the first time,my only goal was SPEED, and also the cones marked out a distance between kicks of 6.6 feet instead of the usual 4.4 feet. Yesterday, my only goal was SPEED, and the cones marked out the usual distance between kicks of 4.4 feet.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx 6:30 AM, after having had approx 6 hours sleep. Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf , bag potato chips, & peanut butter cups between 6:30 AM and noon. Fell asleep from noon to 2:00 PM. Had 28 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used.

During the practice, there were a few apparently oblivious males from boy to adult in age, playing basketball in my side of the gym.

Towards the end of the practice I met Omar from Saudi Arabia. He is learning English and planning on going to Harvard. He was impressed by the soccer tricks I was doing. He understood that kicking the ball to the outside is easier than kicking the ball to the inside when doing such runs.

As practice started I met Ivan from El Salvador. He thought I was a teacher teaching a class.

After the practice I discussed the art of shooting a basketball with the nice Chinese-looking young man who always says hi. I still don't know his name.

When I first walked into the gym, the young black woman behind the desk said, "I don't like Darwin". And after the practice, I was talking to the Greek man at New York Deli, & in between the lines he muttered, "that's why they're being assholes, because they've been brainwashed by Darwin". Their comments seemed to have something to do with my previous blog-post in which I described the dream I had about the Oak Square Y. Yet yesterday's post for this soccer drill log you are reading was apparently invisible to the public because, when I double-checked it online, I found that the entries had become invisible due to too many entries having been loaded on to the page.

85%

Quality: 4.7
Speed: 6.4
Length:28'
Goals:SPEED
Cones: extended (6.6')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 80%; Quality of successful runs during this period: excellent+ (4.4)(there were 2 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++ (4.8) .

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent++ (4.7); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast+++ (6.4) . There were 11 missed attempts; there were 8 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs.

Length of successful runs ranged from 20-37 feet; average run covered 28' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today out of 71 total attempts (not including 6 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 4 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 30' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed.

There were 6 runs (8% of attempts), averaging 29' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed>.

There were 8 runs (11% of attempts), averaging 28' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++++ for speed>.

There were 14 runs (20% of attempts), 28' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++++ for speed.

There was 1 run (1% of attempts), 33' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast+++++ for speed. .

Today for the first time, a run was rated as at vf+++++ (5 pluses) for speed; the run was clearly faster than any previous run while doing such drills. During this run: the foot was at about hip high when kicking the ball; the foot kicked the ball in such a way that the natural movement of running was not disrupted; there was a little ankle force during the kicks; the ball was kicked with the front outside of the foot.

Today for the first time,my only goal was LENGTH of runs, and also the cones marked out a distance between kicks of 8.8 feet instead of the usual 4.4 feet. Yesterday, my only goal was SPEED, and the cones marked out the extended distance between kicks of 6.6 feet.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx ??? AM, after having had approx ??? hours sleep. Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf , ??? hours before start of practice. Had 22 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used.

During the practice, there were as usual, a few apparently oblivious males from boy to adult in age, playing basketball in my side of the gym.

Around 7:20 PM, the high school girls basketball coached by Patrick Ferdinand took over and I had to quit. Patrick Ferdinand saw my last run of the day. I rated the run as excellent+++, very fast+++++, & 40' in length; but Patrick did not say anything.

77%

Quality: 4.9
Speed: 6.7
Length:35'
Goals:LENGTH
Cones: extended+ (8.8')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 70%; Quality of successful runs during this period: excellent+ (3.9)(there were 0 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++ (5.3) .

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent++ (4.9); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast++++ (6.7) . There were 15 missed attempts (not counting bad first kicks); there were 10 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs.

Length of successful runs ranged from 24-46 feet; average run covered 35' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today out of 64 total attempts (not including 10 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 3 runs (5% of attempts), averaging 31' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed.

There were 4 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 33' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed.

There were 5 runs (8% of attempts), averaging 40' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++++ for speed.

There were 2 runs (3% of attempts), averaging 33' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++++ (5 pluses) for speed.

There was 1 runs (2% of attempts), 35' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed.

There were 11 runs (17% of attempts), averaging 36' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++++ for speed.

There were 5 runs (8% of attempts), averaging 38' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast+++++ (5 pluses) for speed.

Today there was 1 run 46' in length, that was rated for quality as at x+++ and for speed as at very fast++++. This run shattered my previous length record for such drills. It was the 6th successful run of the practice session.

Today there was 1 run 42' in length, that was rated for quality as at x+++ and for speed as at very fast++++. It was the 12th successful run of the practice session.

Today there were 7 runs of 40' in length, that were on average rated for quality as at x+++ (4.7), and for speed as at very fast++++ (7.1).

Today for the first time, the cones marked out a distance between kicks of only 2.2 feet instead of the usual 4.4 feet (the gym was so crowded today seemed a good day for such constriction of length). My goal was a high percentage and a high number of attempts per minute.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx 10:00 AM, after having had approx 11 hours sleep. Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf , at about 11:00 AM. About a half hour before start of practice had an energy drink, a hot dog, and a slice of pizza.

The (AF1) method was used.

During the practice, there were lots of boys and teenagers in the gym making alot of noise.

The weather outdoors was cool and rainy, but it was (for my taste) too warm & humid in the gym even before the start of the practice. Yet still, the Oak Sq Y demands that men wear shirts in the gym.

78%

Quality: 4.0
Speed: 4.9
Off-target-by: 1.1'
Goals:Percentage, per hour
Cones: Condensed (2.2')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 100%; Quality of successful runs during this period: excellent+ (3.7)(there were 0 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast+ to very fast++ (4.5) ; (for the successful runs) average distance between the point where the 5th kick was made and the point at which it was supposed to be made according to the cone markers was 1.1 feet.

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent+ (4.0); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast++ (4.9) . There were 14 missed attempts (not counting bad first kicks); there were 5 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs; (for the successful runs) the average distance between the point where the 5th kick was made and the point at which it was supposed to be made according to the cone markers was 1.1 feet.

The speed rating is not directly comparable to the speed ratings for cones being set out to mark out 4.4, 6.6, or 8.8 feet between kicks, because when the cones mark out a distance of only 2.2 feet between kicks, everything is so different.

The 78% in the adjacent column, as usual, shows the successes/attempts percentage not counting the bad first kick attempts.

From after the first 10 successful runs, to a point (after successful run #34) where I remembered to do something I had forgotten, which is, before each run concentrate on getting the first two kicks right, out of a total of 36 attempts including bad-first kick attempts: 67% of the attempts produced a successful run; 31% of the attempts produced failure (not counting the bad-first-kick failures); 3% of the attempts featured a bad first kick caused failure; the average quality of the successful runs was 3.4; the average speed of the successful runs was 4.7; and, (for the successful runs) the average distance between the point where the 5th kick was made and the point at which it was supposed to be made according to the cone markers was 1.6 feet.

From , the point where I remembered to do something I had forgotten, which is, before each run concentrate on getting the first two kicks right (after successful run #34), to the end of the practice, out of a total of 23 attempts including bad-first kick attempts: 70% of the attempts produced a successful run; 13% of the attempts produced failure; 17% of the attempts featured a bad first kick caused failure; the average quality of the successful runs was 5.0; the average speed of the successful runs was 5.6; and, (for the successful runs) the average distance between the point where the 5th kick was made and the point at which it was supposed to be made according to the cone markers was 0.4 feet.

What stands out in this practice, is that the performance after the first 10 successes until the successful run #34, was significantly worse than the performance during the first 10 successful runs, and also significantly worse than the performance after successful run #34. This despite the fact that as usual there was no warmup with the ball before the start of the scored attempts.

Seems that when the distance between kicks is only 2.2 feet: it is important to concentrate; it is important to be humble; it is important to remember at the start of each run to focus on getting the first two kicks of the run right.

Today,my only goal was SPEED; the cones marked out between-kick distances of 4.4 feet as usual.

The practices using the cones extended (6.6 or 8.8 foot distances between kicks), and cones condensed (2.2 distances between kicks) setups seem to have worked wonders for when the usual cones setup marking out 4.4 foot distances between kicks is used. The extended setup has produced strength, stamina, and confidence (now the normal cone setup looks smaller & more manageable than it used to). The condensed cones setup has increased competence for situations where the distance betwseen kicks is accidentally unusually short.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx 10:30 AM, after having had approx 9 hours sleep. After waking up I lay in bed for about 4 hours awake, because I felt so tired ( I experimented with smoking an organic cigarette yesterday, the combination of the cigarette and the tough workout seems to have created exhaustion). Had approx 18 oz brown-tea/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf made with distilled water from approx 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM. Had two small tuna-fish rolls from Hannaford at about 6:15 PM (I have to learn to be especially careful taking notes re such matters when there is a delay between the end of the practice and writing up the log report). Had 26 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used.

Regarding the current meaning of the quality and speed ratings:

If a run gets an excellent+++ (3 pluses) rating for quality (numerically speaking 6.0), that means that the run featured: 90 degree turns on every turn; none of the distances between kicks unusually short. Beyond this: the more the kicks diverge from exactly 90 degrees, the lower the quality rating; between kick distances being alot less than the distances marked out by the cones lower the quality rating; the ball hitting the ground as it is kicked on the 5th kick (if this happens before the 5th kick the run is ruled a failure) lowers the quality rating; the ball being just barely reached on the 5th kick lowers the quality rating.

Since I have not wanted to discourage long runs, between kick distances longer than than that marked out by the cones have not been punished in terms of the quality rating.

Regarding the speed ratings: I estimate that the fastest a human could run the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS course at 4.4 feet between kicks, is at (my terminology) a speed rating of approx very fast+++++ (5 pluses, numerically speaking 8.0). Very f ast++++ (4 pluses) is a step below this human max; very fast+++ (3 pluses) is a step below very fast++++ (4 pluses), and so on.

It was cool climate-wise outdoors, comfortable in the gym before the practice; (for my tastes) it was a little too warm & humid during the practice.

During the practice, the usual assortment of apparently oblivious persons shared the gym with me. At the beginning there were some persons playing table-tennis in my half of the gym. One of them was a tallish white woman with shortish straight brown hair, who wore glasses. She glanced at me, and then said, "let him do that!".

90%

Quality: 5.2
Speed: 6.1
Length:21'
Goals:SPEED
Cones: normal (4.4')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts (not counting bad 1st kick attempts): 80%; Quality of first 10 successful runs: excellent++ (4.8)(there were 0 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++ to very fast+++ (5.5) . Speed was the only goal for these first 10.

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent++ (5.2); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast+++ (6.1) . There were 7 missed attempts (not counting bad 1st kick attempts); there were 4 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs.

Length of successful runs ranged from 18-33 feet; average run covered 21' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today out of 67 total attempts (not including 4 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 2 runs (3% of attempts), averaging 20' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++ for speed.

There were 8 runs (12% of attempts), averaging 21' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed>.

There were 4 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 23' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++++ (4 pluses) for speed>.

There were 7 runs (10% of attempts), averaging 21' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++ for speed.

There were 16 runs (24% of attempts), averaging 21' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast+++ for speed.

There were 9 runs (13% of attempts), averaging 21' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++++ (4 pluses) for speed.

Today for the first time,my only goal was SPEED of runs, and also the cones marked out a distance between kicks of 8.8 feet instead of the usual 4.4 feet.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx noon, after having had approx 9 hours sleep (stayed up late watching 'rebels vs redcoats' on New Hampshire public television). Had approx 24 oz brown-tea/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf , from about 1:30-3:00 PM & nothing to eat before start of practice. Had 22 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used.

Today for the first time, a run was given a very fast++++++ (6 pluses, numerical 9.0) rating for speed. This run was 42' in length, and rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0, highest possible quality rating) for quality. It was the 41st successful run of the day.

I estimate that the fastest a human can run the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS course at approx 8.8 feet between kicks, is at (my terminology) a speed rating of approx very fast+++++++ (7 pluses, numerically speaking 10.0).

On 6/22, the distance between kicks marked out by the cones was 8.8' (as it was today), & the longest successful run of the day was the 6th successful run of the day, 46' in length. Today, 6/25, the longest successful run of the day (44' in length), was again the 6th successful run of the day.

During the practice, there were as usual, a few apparently oblivious males from boy to adult in age, playing basketball in my side of the gym. At one point some toddlers were gazing at their white male adult supervisor; he could tell from the look on their face or in their eyes that they were wondering about me. He said to them re me, "he's flying!". Reminds me of how a few weeks ago, some little boys were looking at this guy named Calder at the Oak Square Y; Calder could tell they were wondering about me; Calder told them that he (Calder) used to play on the same soccer team as me (a few years back). Calder told them that when he played on my team, I was pooped out, & hunched over and made a face imitating a pooped out person. But I like Calder anyway. Explanation: when I was on Calder's team that year, it was incredibly hot and humid inside the Oak Sq Y during the games; we were playing nonstop 20 minute halves full-court with just 4 players on each team; and I was not in as good shape as I now am.

The weather outside was slightly too warm, but inside the gym before the practice it felt cool, and I felt comfortable during the practice.

87%

Quality: 4.7
Speed: 7.3
Length:35'
Goals:SPEED
Cones: extended+ (8.8')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 80%; Quality of successful runs during this period: excellent+ (4.1)(there were 0 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++++ (6.9) .

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent++ (4.7); overall speed of successful runs: very fast++++ (7.3) . There were 8 missed attempts (not counting bad first kicks); there were 7 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs.

Length of successful runs ranged from 26-42 feet; average run covered 35' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today out of 63 total attempts (not including 10 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 2 runs (3% of attempts), averaging 34' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) (numerical 5.0) for quality & very fast+++ (numerical 6.0) for speed.

There were 5 runs (8% of attempts), averaging 36' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++, numerical 5.0) for quality & very fast++++ (numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 6 runs (10% of attempts), averaging 36' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++, numerical 5.0) for quality & very fast+++++ (numerical 8.0) for speed.

There were 4 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 35' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast+++ (numerical 6.0) for speed.

There were 5 runs (8% of attempts), averaging 36' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast++++ (numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 15 runs (24% of attempts), averaging 35' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast+++++ (numerical 8.0) for speed.

There was 1 run (2% of attempts), 42' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast++++++ (numerical 9.0) for speed.

I estimate that taking notes after each run, as was done today, in total took about 20 minutes.

Note: when my goal is speed, I do not intentionally reduce the angle of the turns to below 90 degrees in order to speed things up.

I have been impressed by the results produced when my goal during a practice segment is speed or length alone. And I have been impressed by the results when I have changed the cone-markers setup from the usual 4.4 feet to 2.2 feet, 6.6 feet, or 8.8 feet. So I decided to plunge into a practice segment involving cones marking a distance of 6.6 feet between kicks, and involving SPEED as the only goal, even though I have not done P6.1-5T-NS in a month.

You can see from the results, that although the successes/attempts percentage was much lower compared to May 29, the quality and speed of the successful runs was much better than May 29; this despite the fact that it's been a month since I last did the P6.1-5T-NS pattern.

I felt today that continuing with P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS would be like beating a dead horse; I felt like this was the time to switch; I felt switching at this time, would by emphasizing the right-foot, produce more improvement than continuing with P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS which emphasizes the left foot.

At Waltham Y. EARPLUG in right ear only. Woke up today at approx 11:30 AM, after having had approx 6 hours sleep. Had approx 12 oz brown-tea/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf from approx 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM; had approx 10 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf at 6:30 PM; ate approx 12 oz clam chowder at 6:30 PM; drank approx 8 oz tangerine/strawberry/orange/banana juice mix 6-6:30 PM.

I had trouble sleeping at night. Then I drank about 12 oz Trader Joe's mango lassi, and fell asleep. Then I awoke, and drank the mango lassi again and fell asleep again. I am convinced that the melatonin naturally found in the yogurt is important in terms of helping me to fall asleep.

Today the AF1 method was modified through the implementation of "Ankle-Force-Minimization" (AFM).

Again, during the entire segment, I was at the start of each run, focused on the first two kicks of the runs being done well.

I estimate that the fastest a human can run the P6.1-5T-NS course at approx 6.6 feet between kicks, is at (my terminology) a speed rating of approx very fast++++++ (6 pluses, numerically speaking 9.0). Today the average speed according to my estimates (I took written notes after each run today) was numerically 5.8, and there was one run at a speed of 8.0. The run rated as at a speed of 8.0 was rated as at 6.0 for quality (best possible rating for quality), and was 26' in length.

Outdoors at the start of the segment it was a little too warm for me. Indoors in the gym, it was a little too warm and humid for me even before I started the practice.

Saturday night I had a dream about Soccer. In the dream I was competing with Pele. Pele was like a heavy burden, especially because people were giving me a hard time. Everything was in shades of black and gray, except for some soldiers wearing the British style 'redcoats' (like they wear at the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace), who were doing some kind of fighting with old-fashioned rifles & bayonets. I saw Pele's face, he was smiling at me, it seemed as if he was enjoying the difficulties I was experiencing.

66%

Quality: 5.2
Speed: 5.8
Length:29'
Goal: speed
Cones: extended (6.6')

1st 10 attempts-- successes/attempts rate: 60%; Quality of successful runs: excellent+ (4.0); speed of successful runs: very fast+ (4.3); number of miskicks on 1st kicks of runs: 2.

Overall-- quality of successful runs: excellent++ (5.2); speed of successful runs: very fast+++ (5.8). Failed attempts: 22; bad kicks on first kick of runs:7 .

During this segment, the length of the successful runs ranged from 22-33'; the average run covered 29' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today out of 64 total attempts (not including 7 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 5 runs (8% of attempts), averaging 30' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) (numerical 5.0) for quality & very fast+++ (numerical 6.0) for speed.

There were 2 runs (3% of attempts), averaging 30' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++, numerical 5.0) for quality & very fast++++ (numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 8 runs (13% of attempts), averaging 30' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast+++++ (numerical 8.0) for speed.

There were 8 runs (13% of attempts), averaging 29' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast++++ (numerical 7.0) for speed.

There was 1 run (2% of attempts), 26' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast+++++ (numerical 8.0) for speed.

I estimate that taking notes after each run (and stopping to review notes every 10 successes/failures), as was done today, in total took about 18 minutes.

Seemingly oblivious persons sharing my half of the gym with me sometimes: some nice black teenage to adult males and females. They looked like they were skilled at having a good time without spending money.

Today for the first time while doing the P6.1-5T-NS pattern, my only goal was LENGTH of runs, and also the cones marked out a distance between kicks of 8.8 feet instead of the usual 4.4 feet. The last time I combined the goal of LENGTH with an 8.8 foot distance between kicks was June 22, doing the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up this morning at approx noon, after having had approx 8 hours sleep. From 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf ; at approx 6:30 PM drank 8 oz strawberry/orange/banana juice, & ate two small tuna fish rolls from Hannaford. Had 30 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used. Also I implemented AFM, meaning ankle-force minimization. When I do the P6.1-5T-reverse-NS the ankle force minimization comes naturally so I do not mention implementing it.

During the practice, there were a couple of apparently oblivious black teenage males practicing basketball. They used cones for their dribbling drills.

The weather outside was slightly too warm for me. Indoors in the gym, even before the start of the practice it was too warm/humid for me.

I walked into the locker room for a minute during the practice segment; I was chuckling to myself. Biro, whose daughter attends Harvard Law School saw me; he was with Jose the Brazilian janitor. He said, 'what are you laughing about? You're always laughing about something'. I told him, I was laughing about a dream I had. He said, 'if the dream was about you being the best in the world, you being a Pele, then don't tell me about it'. I told him about it anyway, the dream is described in the previous 6/27 entry in this log. Biro always scoffs at my ambition of being competitive with the top players.

After the practice I caught up with Jose in the hall outside the gym. I said to him, 'why does Biro alway scoff at me like that?...I'm not the only one who thinks of myself as having a chance to be as good as the top players like Pele'. Jose laughed and said, 'because he's crazy'. And the black young woman behind the desk said (re me), 'he's a Pele'.

To be exact, I was (almost) laughing, because earlier in the day, I heard the WCVB TV announcer Ed Harding say (from out of nowhere, out of context), 'and the rocket's red glare...', which reminded me of the red uniforms in the dream. The dream reminded me of the difficulties I've been having, and I wanted to feel amused as opposed to angry about the difficulties.

What are these difficulties, that I would rather be light-hearted about, as opposed to heavy-hearted? Well, it seems to me that the people doing the hiring around here, have a brownie point system: a brownie point for being black, a brownie point for being white, a brownie point for being female, a brownie point for being 'stupid', a brownie point for being uneducated, a brownie point for being 'ugly', a brownie point for being fat, a brownie point for being typical, a brownie point for being born locally, a brownie point for hiding one's Christian faith (and then there are other brownie points I can't remember now). The brownie points are added up, and the person with the most brownie points gets the job. And so, even though I have a Harvard degree, and have score in the top one percent of the population on about four different aptitude tests (such as the SAT, GRE/verbal, & GMAT), I end up without a job. Such seems to me to be unjust. For now I can coast along without a job, and not having a job has its advantages, but looking at the economy I fear that such coasting along will not be able to continue indefinitely; hence I tend to feel a little depressed about the situation, and try to laugh it off.

75%

Quality: 4.8
Speed: 6.5
Length:35'
Goals:LENGTH
Cones: extended+ (8.8')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts (not counting bad 1st kick attempts): 60%; Quality of successful runs during this period: excellent+ (3.8)(there was 1 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast+ (4.0) .

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent++ (4.8); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast+++ to very fast++++ (6.5) . There were 16 missed attempts (not counting bad first kicks); there were 6 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs. 75% of the attempts, not counting the bad first kick attempts, were successes.

Length of successful runs ranged from 29-42 feet; average run covered 35' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today there were 4 runs of 42' in length; the average quality rating of these runs was excellent+ ( 4.0), and the average speed rating of these runs was very fast+++ to very fast++++ (numerical 6.5).

There were 5 runs of 40' in length; the average quality rating of these runs was excellent+++ (5.6), and the average speed rating of these runs was very fast++++ (numerical 6.8).

I find that I appreciate such lengths more when I see them from the perspective that the ceiling of the gym is 26 feet above the floor. My approach is: before and during the practice I don't look at the ceiling and think of how it is 26' above the ground, because I fear such would unnerve me & impair my self-confidence; then after the practice I look at the ceiling, & think of how I traveled about 50% further than the ground to ceiling distance, so as to reward myself with a sense of accomplishment.

Today out of 64 total attempts (not including 10 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 2 runs (3% of attempts), averaging 39' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++ (3 pluses, numerical 6.0) for speed.

There were 3 runs (5% of attempts), averaging 33' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++++ (4 pluses, numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 7 runs (11% of attempts), averaging 34' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++++ (5 pluses, numerical 8.0) for speed.

There were 7 runs (11% of attempts), averaging 36' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast+++ (3 pluses, numerical 6.0) for speed.

There were 4 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 35' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++++ (4 pluses, numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 5 runs (8% of attempts), averaging 38' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast+++++ (5 pluses, numerical 8.0) for speed.

Also, a segment of P6.1-5T-NS was done with the cones set up so as to mark out a distance between kicks of only 2.2 feet; the goal was that the 5th kick should be as close as possible to the spot where the 5th kick should be according to the cones setup. This same thing was done on June 23, except June 23 the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS pattern was done.

At Waltham Y. EARPLUGS in both ears. Woke up today at approx 12:30 PM, after having had approx 7 hours sleep. Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf from approx 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM. Immediately before and during the practice, I drank 38 oz of distilled water.

Today the AF1 method and the "Ankle-Force-Minimization" (AFM) were used the first segment; second segment only the AF1 method was implemented.

Again, during the entire practice, at the start of each run, I attempted to be focused on the first two kicks of the runs being done well.

I estimate that the fastest a human can run the P6.1-5T-NS course at approx 6.6 feet between kicks, is at (my terminology) a speed rating of approx very fast++++++ (6 pluses, numerically speaking 9.0). Today the average speed according to my estimates (I took written notes after each run today) was numerically 6.9, and there were 17 runs at a speed of 8.0. The runs rated as at a speed of 8.0 were rated as at 5.4 for quality, and were on average 28' in length.

Compared to June 27 two days ago, when the same thing was done as was done first segment today, everything today was the same except the average speed rating was up by 19%. The successes attempts percentage improved from 66% on June 27 to 83% today June 29.

Compared to June 23 six days ago, when the same thing was done as was done second segment today except with the P6.1-5T-Reverse-NS pattern being run instead of the P6.1-5T-NS pattern which was run today, the average distance by which the point at which the 5th kick was made missed the target point, was down 18%; and the successes/attempts percentage was up from 78% to 86%.

During the first segment I noted some points:

Even though the goal was supposed to be speed alone, I found myself becoming preoccupied with successes/attempts percentage. Possible solutions: have both percentage and speed as goals; force myself to forget percentage; do not count percentage or number of misses. Note: When speed is the goal, I do not abort slow runs so as to push up the average speed recorded for the successful runs.

From around successful run #35 to successful run #44, I became so concerned with attempting to forget about the successes/attempts percentage, that I forgot to concentrate at the beginning of the runs, on the first two kicks; this impaired performance; then when I remembered to concentrate at the beginning of the runs on the first two kicks, performance improved. Yet it seems a little concern for percentage could actually improve speed as it improves precision.

Also from successful run #35 to successful run #44, concern for a high successes/minute rate (despite the fact that such was not a declared goal of the segment), combined with fatigue impaired performance.

Outdoors at the start of the segment it was a little too warm for me. Indoors in the gym, it was comfortable before the practice, but somewhat too warm during the practice.

83%

Quality: 5.2
Speed: 6.9
Length:29'
Goal: speed
Cones: extended (6.6')

1st 10 attempts-- successes/attempts rate: 80%; Quality of successful runs: excellent++ (5.0); speed of successful runs: very fast+++ (5.8); number of miskicks on 1st kicks of runs: 1.

Overall-- quality of successful runs: excellent++ (5.2); speed of successful runs: very fast++++ (6.9). Failed attempts: 12; bad kicks on first kick of runs:7 .

During this segment, the length of the successful runs ranged from 22-40'; the average run covered 29' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today out of 72 total attempts (not including 7 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 6 runs (8% of attempts), averaging 28' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) (numerical 5.0) for quality & very fast+++ (numerical 6.0) for speed.

There were 8 runs (11% of attempts), averaging 30' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++, numerical 5.0) for quality & very fast++++ (numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 4 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 30' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++, numerical 5.0) for quality & very fast+++++ (numerical 8.0) for speed.

There were 5 runs (7% of attempts), averaging 28' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast+++ (numerical 6.0) for speed.

There were 13 runs (18% of attempts), averaging 29' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast++++ (numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 11 runs (15% of attempts), averaging 28' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast+++++ (numerical 8.0) for speed.

This segment I was alone in my side of the gym.

86%

Quality: 4.6
Speed: 6.1
Off-target-by: 0.9'
Goals: percentage, minimize off-target distance
Cones: Condensed (2.2')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts: 70%; Quality of successful runs during this period: excellent+ (3.6)(there were 0 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++ (5.3) ; (for the successful runs) average distance between the point where the 5th kick was made and the point at which it was supposed to be made according to the cone markers was 2.2 feet.

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent++ (4.6); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast+++ (6.1) . There were 6 missed attempts (not counting bad first kicks); there was 1 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs; (for the successful runs) the average distance between the point where the 5th kick was made and the point at which it was supposed to be made according to the cone markers was 0.9 feet.

The speed rating is not directly comparable to the speed ratings for cones being set out to mark out 4.4, 6.6, or 8.8 feet between kicks, because when the cones mark out a distance of only 2.2 feet between kicks, everything is so different.

The 86% in the adjacent column, as usual, shows the successes/attempts percentage not counting the bad first kick attempts.

Whereas last time the cones were set up to mark out only 2.2' between kicks, I started out strong and then stumbled, today at the start I stumbled but then became more competent.

Today 6/30, I did the same thing that I did two days ago on Tuesday 6/28: the P6.1-5T-NS pattern, with the cones marking out a distance between kicks of 8.8 feet instead of the usual 4.4 feet. p Whereas on Tuesday the only goal was long runs, today the goals were: long runs, high successes/attempts percentage, and speed. At the beginning my intent was that the only goal should be length of runs; but I soon discovered that I was also irremediably intent on achieving a high percentage and achieving high speed.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up today at approx 4:00 PM, after having had approx 8 hours sleep; much of my sleep was sort of a buzzing, deep, restful dream-filled kind of sleep, which I attribute to the fact that before lying down I had about 10 oz of a yogurt smoothie type drink, and then when I woke a couple of times during the night, I had about 6 oz more of the same kind of drink each time (the yogurt smoothie drink naturally contains melatonin). For me personally, melatonin pills have been successful in making me sleepy, however: it was unpredictable how long the time interval between taking the pills and getting sleepy would be; and it seemed that taking the pills temporarily impaired my body's ability to naturally produce its own melatonin.

From 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf . Had 20 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) method was used, but was not dutifully implemented until the second half of the practice. Also I implemented AFM, meaning ankle-force minimization.

I estimate that the fastest a human can run the P6.1-5T-NS pattern with approx 8.8' between kicks, is at a speed of (my lingo) VF+++++++, numerically 10.0. Today my average speed was at numerical 7.8.

Compared to two days ago Tuesday 6/28, today, Thursday 6/30: the average quality rating of the successful runs was up 8%; the average speed rating of the successful runs was up 20%; the average length of the runs was down 6%; the successes/attempts percentage was up from 75% on 6/28 to 88% today 6/30.

Today during the practice, I realized that now for many days, every day of practice has manifested significant improvement. This created a psychological pressure which led to the goals becoming length, speed, and percentage, even though at the beginning of the practice my intent was that the only goal should be length of runs.

As of now I believe that the only way I can truly forget about percentage and speed and focus solely on length of runs, is by simply not keeping track of percentage and speed.

The first half of the practice, except for during the first and second kicks, I forgot about implementing the AF1 method which involves a somewhat crouched body position, and body-force being put into the kicks. This is because the 8.8 feet distance between kicks marked out by the cones was so long, that it seemed that with the body in a crouched position I would not be able to accomplish the long distances between kicks competently; it seemed as if the crouched position rendered my body too short to competently master the long distances. Then during the last quarter or so of the practice I remembered to implement the AF1 method during all the kicks (except for when it was impossible to do so).

As of now I believe that although it seems that the long distances would be better handled with the body in a (long, tall) upright (non-AF1)position, actually, the best results, even when the distance between kicks is around 8.8', are achieved when the body is put into a somewhat crouched position and the amoung of body-force put into the kicks is maximized.

I've found that most of the best runs, when doing the P6.1-5T-NS pattern with 8.8' between kicks, feature a style that resembles the crouched style of downhill ski racers .

During the practice, at times I shared the gym with the Y-staff guy who beats the punching bag, and an Asian-Indian guy who had surprised me a few days ago by referring to me as 'David', even though he does not know me. When Brazilian Jose saw me, he called me 'David Villa'. Often when he sees me, that's his name for me.

The weather outside was comfortable. Indoors in the gym, before the start of the practice it felt a little too warm. During the practice it felt too warm but not too humid.

88%

Quality: 5.2
Speed: 7.8
Length:33'
Goals: length, percentage, speed;
Cones: extended+ (8.8')

Successes/attempts rate on first 10 attempts (not counting bad 1st kick attempts): 80%; Quality of successful runs during this period: excellent++ (5.1)(there was 1 bad first kicks during the first 10 attempts); speed of first 10 successful runs: very fast++++ (7.0) .

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent++ (5.2); overall speed of succesful runs: very fast+++++ (7.8) . There were 6 missed attempts (not counting bad first kicks); there were 7 bad kicks on the first kick of the runs. 88% of the attempts, not counting the bad first kick attempts, were successes.

Length of successful runs ranged from 26-40 feet; average run covered 33' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today there were 3 runs of 40' in length; the average quality rating of these runs was excellent++ ( 5.0), and the average speed rating of these runs was very fast+++++ (numerical 8.3).

Today out of 51 total attempts (not including 10 bad-1st-kick attempts), there were 2 runs (3% of attempts), averaging 31' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++++ (4 pluses, numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 8 runs (16% of attempts), averaging 32' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++++ (5 pluses, numerical 8.0) for speed.

There were 3 runs (6% of attempts), averaging 31' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++++ (4 pluses, numerical 7.0) for speed.

There were 5 runs (10% of attempts), averaging 31' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast+++++ (5 pluses, numerical 8.0) for speed.

There were 8 runs (16% of attempts), averaging 35' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++) for quality & very fast++++++ (6 pluses, numerical 9.0) for speed.

I now estimate that the fastest a human can run the P6.1-5T-NS pattern at around 8.8' between kicks would be (my terminology) at a speed of very fast +++++++ (7 pluses, numerical 10.0 ).

At Oak Square Y. EARPLUGS in both ears. Woke up today at approx 4:00 PM, after having had approx 5 hours sleep. I tried to get a good night's sleep by drinking a yogurt smoothie drink before going to bed and when awaking during the night, but it did not work this time, the way it worked the night before Wednesday night. I estimate this was because Wednesday the practice (210 minutes) tired me out more compared to the Thursday practice which went on 110 minutes. More and more I realize, that effects are produced by combinations of factors as opposed to one factor alone.

Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf from approx 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Immediately before and during the practice, I drank 32 oz of Glaceau 'Energy' type 'Vitaminwater'.

Today the AF1 method and the "Ankle-Force-Minimization" (AFM) were implemented.

Again, during the entire practice, at the start of each run, I attempted to be focused on the first two kicks of the runs being done well.

I estimate that the fastest a human can run the P6.1-5T-NS course at approx 6.6 feet between kicks, is at (my terminology) a speed rating of approx very fast++++++ (6 pluses, numerically speaking 9.0). Today the average speed of the successful runs, according to my estimates (I took written notes after each run today) was numerically 8.6; the average quality of the successful runs was 5.4; and the average length of the successful runs was 27' in length.

I suspect that concentrating on the ball when running while controlling it and keeping it off the ground, somehow hypnotizes me and enables in my physical abilities that are lacking when the ball is not present. Seems most people would be pleased to run a straight line for 27' without the ball, at the speed at which I was running 27' keeping the ball off the ground but close to the body with a 90 degree turn every 7 feet or so tonight.

Hence, compared to Wednesday June 29 (successes/attempts percentage kept track of), today July 1 (successes/attempts percentage NOT kept track of), the speed was up 25%, the quality was up 4%, and the average length of the runs was down 7%.

The maximum rating for quality now is 6.0; when a run is rated as at 6.0 for quality, this means the angles of the three turns in the pattern were all at approximately 90 degrees which is how the turns are supposed to be. Only 3 of the 41 successful runs accomplished today were given a quality rating of below 5.0. None of the successful runs today was given a speed rating of below 8.0.

Today's practice was an especially commendable achievement because the pattern done today, P6.1-5T-NS, emphasizes right-footed skills whereas I am left-footed.

Outdoors at the start of the segment it was comfortable. Indoors in the gym, it was too warm and humid for me even before the start of the practice.

Before the practice, I think I heard the black man who works behind the desk say to me, 'you're my fellow cop' (this black man somewhat resembles Detective Nuzzi of the Boston University police). I think I also heard him scoffing at Pele, as if I was better than Pele. After the workout I picked up dinner (the 'Campechano', which is excellent) at the Taqueria Mexico in Waltham (The 'Kung Pao Delight Three' at the 'Asia Wok' in Waltham is also excellent). The staff there was disappointed that I did not eat at the restaurant. But the problem is, that when you buy beer at the restaurant, it's quite expensive.

At Taqueria Mexico, The short dark waiter, and the white bespectacled waiter named Omar, both scoffed at Pele while I was there. Looks like I am moving up in life. In the past people watching me practice would scoff at people like Maradona and Beckham when they watched me, but they would never scoff at Pele. But now even Pele is being scoffed at. After the practice I got home and flipped on the TV, and watched the station covering the Wimbledon tennis. The gray-haired announcer had a shocked & stunned look on his face. I was wondering whether he had somehow been spying on surveillance video from the Oak Square Y covering the time during which I practiced tonight.

??%

Quality: 5.4
Speed: 8.6
Length:27'
Goal: Speed
Cones: extended (6.6')

Overall-- quality of successful runs: excellent++ (5.4); speed of successful runs: very fast++++++ (8.6).

During this segment, the length of the successful runs ranged from 23-33'; the average run covered 27' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today there were 2 runs of 33' in length; the average quality rating of these runs was excellent+ to excellent++ ( 4.5), and the average speed rating of these runs was very fast+++++ to very fast++++++ (numerical 8.5).

There were 5 runs of 31' in length; the average quality rating of these runs was excellent++ ( 5.2), and the average speed rating of these runs was very fast+++++ (numerical 8.4).

There were 3 runs of 30' in length; the average quality rating of these runs was excellent+++ ( 5.7), and the average speed rating of these runs was very fast++++++ (numerical 8.7).

This segment I shared the gym with black and white young adult males and females, and black children. As usual they were all apparently oblivious to the incredible feats I was performing right in front of them.

Today 7/5, as I did on Thursday 6/30, I did the P6.1-5T-NS pattern, with the cones marking out a distance between kicks of 8.8 feet.

Whereas on Thursday 6/30 the goals were length, percentage, and speed, , today the only goal was long runs. To facilitate focus on length of runs, the number of missed attempts and the successes/attempts percentage were not kept track of.

EARPLUGS in both ears. One segment done. Woke up today at approx 4:00 PM, after having had approx 8 hours sleep; from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM Had approx 12 oz coffee/coconut palm sugar/halfnhalf . Drank 22 oz distilled water immediately prior to & during the practice segment.

The (AF1) andAFM (ankle-force minimization) methods were implemented; however I discovered that due to the long distance between kicks this segment, the use of ankle-force during kicks sometimes produced good results.

I estimate that the fastest a human can run the P6.1-5T-NS pattern with approx 8.8' between kicks, is at a speed of (my lingo) VF+++++++, numerically 10.0. Today my average speed was at numerical 7.9.

Compared to a week ago Thursday 6/30 (when the goals were percentage, speed, & length), today, Tuesday 7/5 (with length as the only goal): the average quality rating of the successful runs was down 10%; the average speed rating of the successful runs was up 1%; the average length of the successful runs was up 6%.

However the comparison to 6/30 a week ago, is complicated by the fact that today, I had not practiced soccer during the three days previous to today's practice. Friday July 1, saturday July 2, & sunday July 3, there was no open gym time at the Waltham Y. Monday July 4th, the Waltham Y was closed for the fourth of July. Today the performance during the second half of the practice was much better than it was at the beginning of the practice.

I started out thinking that chipping the ball up high, to an apex of about chest-height, would maximize length of runs; I was thinking that such would slow things down allowing me to concentrate on length, and that such would produce longer distances between kicks. Then I realized that: length of runs is actually maximized through speed, because the build-up of speed allows for longer distances between kicks; and speed given approx 8.8' intervals between kicks and an overall length of run of 35', is maximized through ball apex-heights of around mid-thigh-height.

I noted that when the angles of the turns are at around 80 degrees as opposed to 90 degrees as they are supposed to be, faster speeds and longer distances are achieved. However I do not deliberately attempt to make the turns at less than 90 degrees in order to achieve higher speeds and longer lengths (if the angle of a turn is observably less than 90 degrees, the run according to my scoring rules can still be a success however it cannot be given the top quality rating of excellent+++ or 6.0).

During the practice, at times I shared my half of the gym with some black and white teenagers.

The weather outside was too warm for my tastes. Indoors in the gym before the start of the practice, it was cooler than it was outside, however it was still too warm and humid for me.

July 3rd, in the morning, I sent an email to the Boston Pops conductor Lockhart, the email was cc'd to important persons connected with the Boston Fourth of July celebrations. Then during the afternoon I took a nap and had a dream whose focus was primarily spiritual, but that contained an incident re someone scoffing at me for saying that I was getting to be like Pele in terms of skill.

As I was leaving the gym after the practice, I looked at a tall man who seemed to be Asian-Indian. Seemed to me, that he glanced at the Y front desk and said, "they're discriminating". I did submit an application to them once; but I did not follow it up by tracking down their 'decider' and discussing the application. I do remember that once (not so long after I submitted an application) they told me that they had no openings and the next day a new (yet another) overweight white female materialized behind the front desk; after this incident I felt stunned and it seemed the young men at the gym felt shocked and depressed (I get the feeling that around here there are people who secretly like me). It's hard for me to judge whether they are discriminating (since I have not attempted to contact their 'decider'), but I get the feeling that if I submitted an application and followed it up by tracking down their 'decider', that I'd be discriminated against (because they seem to have too many of certain types and too few of other types in certain positions). Seems I was a Y-member before the new Waltham Y executive director was hired, but I was never even aware that there was any job opening for an executive director.

I attended YMCA day-camps and overnight-camps during many summers when I was in grade school; I still have somewhere a yellow YMCA bag used during day-camp with my name written on it.

Note: the reason the number of minutes shown in the sixth column, does not equal the number of minutes shown in the first column: I subtract a certain number of minutes from the practice time-length shown in the first column, when I report the practice time-length in the 6th column. For example today, I subtracted 8.3 minutes for writing down notes after successful runs, and 6 minutes for going to the bathroom.

??%

Quality: 4.7
Speed: 7.9
Length:35'
Goal: length;
Cones: extended+ (8.8')

Overall quality of successful runs: excellent++ (4.7); overall speed of successful runs: very fast+++++ (7.9) .

Length of successful runs ranged from 29-44 feet; average run covered 35' from the first kick to the 5th kick.

Today there were 2 runs of 44' in length; the average quality rating of these runs was excellent ( 3.0), and the average speed rating of these runs was very fast+++++ to very fast++++++ (numerical 8.5).

Today there were 6 runs (18% of successful runs), averaging 36' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast+++++ (5 pluses, numerical 8.0) for speed.

There were 3 runs (9% of successful runs), averaging 34' in length, rated as at x++ (excellent++) for quality & very fast++++++ (6 pluses, numerical 9.0) for speed.

There were 7 runs (21% of successful runs), averaging 35' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast+++++ (5 pluses, numerical 8.0) for speed.

There were 3 runs (9% of successful runs), averaging 35' in length, rated as at x+++ (excellent+++, numerical 6.0) for quality & very fast++++++ (6 pluses, numerical 9.0) for speed.

I now estimate that the fastest a human can run the P6.1-5T-NS pattern at around 8.8' between kicks would be (my terminology) at a speed of very fast +++++++ (7 pluses, numerical 10.0 ).

A quality rating of numerical 6.0, is the highest possible rating a run can be given for the extent to which the turns on the run conformed to the prescribed 90 degrees.