Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN (Page 28)

Originally posted by drfoodlove

Early morning for me--4am start to get in a 1:10 tempo run (4x6' Z3) and then 1:00 Z2 ride immediately after before heading to the administrative he11 known as an Egyptian ministry.

My visa expires today, so I had to get it renewed. Of course, we waited until the last day to do it (at my sponsoring agency's request). What I didn't realize was that my phone sim was going to be deactivated this morning (they are tied to visas for foreigners--one of many insidious ways Egypt tracks foreigners and tries to control their movements within the country). So...five hours sitting in a the ministry of passports offices with 5000 other angry foreigners waiting to get my visa renewed, followed then my the fun of visiting the Vodafone store to get my sim turned back on, which they wouldn't do because I don't have the physical residency card yet (it takes four additional days for the ministry to process the paperwork and give you your card--but only after you take your passport back and leave it there all day, and then come back for a third time to pick it and the card up--a system built to frustrate people). Fortunately, the guy at Voda took a bit of pity on me and extended my sim validity for a week based on the fact that I had the receipt that showed I'd paid for the visa extension and they had already scribbled in my passport the new expiration date for my visa.

Originally posted by drfoodlove

Early morning for me--4am start to get in a 1:10 tempo run (4x6' Z3) and then 1:00 Z2 ride immediately after before heading to the administrative he11 known as an Egyptian ministry.

My visa expires today, so I had to get it renewed. Of course, we waited until the last day to do it (at my sponsoring agency's request). What I didn't realize was that my phone sim was going to be deactivated this morning (they are tied to visas for foreigners--one of many insidious ways Egypt tracks foreigners and tries to control their movements within the country). So...five hours sitting in a the ministry of passports offices with 5000 other angry foreigners waiting to get my visa renewed, followed then my the fun of visiting the Vodafone store to get my sim turned back on, which they wouldn't do because I don't have the physical residency card yet (it takes four additional days for the ministry to process the paperwork and give you your card--but only after you take your passport back and leave it there all day, and then come back for a third time to pick it and the card up--a system built to frustrate people). Fortunately, the guy at Voda took a bit of pity on me and extended my sim validity for a week based on the fact that I had the receipt that showed I'd paid for the visa extension and they had already scribbled in my passport the new expiration date for my visa.

Originally posted by Rollergirl



sounds like a fun morning....

did you take this opportunity to do some strength and mobility excercices while you were waiting?

Originally posted by Rollergirl

Still going strong Gretchen! where is everybody else though?

Great start to the week for me, first brick of the season on Monday (60 +10 min) and a nice strength session yesterday. Short intervals tonight with my running group.

foodwise, I was worried that the excesses of the weekend would be tough to recover from but weight has not changed and I don't feel the need to stuff my face so all is good.

Originally posted by drfoodlove



I don't know! I was beginning to wonder if y'all went off and formed a facebook group without me! :P

Great job on the brick--they are tricky little beasts to work into the regular schedule, but so important to learn how to run off legs that want to turn in circles. I always think the first one of the season is going to kill me though.