Race Report: The Aquathling

Saturday was NYCSwim's last edition of the Stars & Stripes Aquathlon – a 1.5K swim followed by a 5K run on Randall's Island. Like a triathlon, but without the only sport I can't do. I've wanted to try this race for years and finally got to overcome the high entry fee with a volunteer credit from last year. Boat observers FTW!

As there was no bike involved I figured there was a decent chance to place in my age group, especially after comparing my recent swim and run times to last year's results. This was the first time I paid any attention to my predicted finish relative to previous results of an event – it helped that the field was on the small side – and I liked having a competitive goal instead of just trying to do well relative to my efforts.

So now for the race report.

Some much-needed inspiration

I went to an event at The New School a few weeks ago which may or may not have involved corruption, international legal intrigue, judicial bribery, and harassment via courts of law – in other words, the resource curse and research that students at my alma mater did to combat the problem on behalf of an anti-corruption NGO.

Race Report Redux

Today was the 2014 Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race.  The basic route runs from the point where this photo was taken to just before the second bridge, at the bottom right-ish.

Is that water not the most ridiculously inviting blue you've ever seen?! 

Anyway, I did this race when I was in Istanbul for research last year, so in the interest of nostalgia for amazing swims I present my race report from the 2013 edition.

Part I: In Which We Read "The Tyranny of Experts"

William Easterly published a new book, called “The Tyranny of Experts:  Economists, Dictators, andthe Forgotten Rights of the Poor,” which examines how would-be do-gooders such as humanitarians, bureaucrats, and developmental economists have historically prized economic growth over the rights of the individuals they’re presumably trying to help.  Easterly says not only has this jeopardized the life and property of people in developing nations, but even as an economic policy it’s bad and counterproductive.

A while ago I went to the book’s launch and Easterly’s lecture on it.  I picked up a copy (and got it signed, whoopee!) and I’m finally getting the chance to read a book the way it’s meant to be read - slowly, deliberately, and without grad school deadlines!  Ah, the glory.  Anyway, the first third retraces the origins of current development theories, and here are some thoughts about it.