Week-ends normally are very quiet, I receive fewer emails and phone calls than usual and I can dedicate myself to do some fun new things.
On Saturday I had my Spanish lesson. I'm learning Spanish since in April and in May I'm planning to visit Colombia again and Peru for the first time and I want to be able to understand and speak with people there. It's great to learn a new language, in a sense it's like learning to play chess, new words and expressions are like chess moves and combinations.
My lesson was in Bayside in Miami, outside in the patio of a coffee shop. During my lesson I noticed a man sitting at a chess board, playing some moves on his own. He looked sad not to have any partner to play with.
After my lesson I went over to him and offered to play a game with him. He asked me if I knew how to play chess, and I said "Well, a little" ;-)
He agreed to play and I suppose was surprised that "a girl" was giving him trouble, at the end of the game he was very disappointed to lose. He was wondering how to tell his friends that he had lost against a girl. So I told him that I'm the women's world champion and he didn't look that sad any more after that!
A little tricky from my side, was it not? :-)
On Sunday I took part in another 5K race, this time in Miami Beach. It's such a great feeling and atmosphere to start your day with a run on Ocean Drive with several hundreds more people. This time I improved my time and finished the run in 22:01 which is in 37 seconds better than last Sunday. I'll write more about my race with photos in a future post very soon.
How fast do you run a 5K? Or you have other favorite distances or sports to do?
Posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk
Women's World Chess Champion
Haha! Did he believe you?
ReplyDeleteThink about that if he would win you,i don't know if you still would admit to him that you were the champion.Greater fun i think.I tell you that because i read what happens to Shirov in an exchibition.He lost to a 12 years old boy,hehe.Anyway of course this man easily beaten by you.I think the chances to lose to any match by a stranger is 1/1000000
ReplyDeletehahahaha I laughed so much! Alexandra why won't you come to Chile? It seems to me you will visit all Latinamerican countries but Chile (i.e. Argentina, Colombia, Perú), some of theese countries are neighbours to Chile too! :( Is it because the Chilean chess federation hasn't invited you or something? My ex trainer is on the board, so I'll can mail him.
ReplyDeleteHi Alejandro,
ReplyDeleteI have a tentative invitation to Chile, working on it. Please email me for details.
Best wishes!
Hi Alexandra, i might be able to lure you to Alberta when you read about a race that is run between the National Parks of Jasper and Banff each year, and known as the Jasper-Banff relay. Take a look at what runners in this race get to see while they are running:
ReplyDeletehttp://r.b5z.net/i/u/10034127/i/pdir/224/i/2-p6080116.jpg?ab=5
You can read about the race here:http://www.bjr.ca/home
Maybe you can find a bunch of chess-playing runners to come to Alberta and have fun for 24 hours (that is how long the relay lasts...a weekend...Saturday and Sunday.)I was lucky to be able to run in the race one year,talk about a runner's high! Here is a link to a video at Youtube regarding the Jasper-Banff relay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y87NtxZJ_M
Best wishes,
Wayne
Spanish?
ReplyDeleteSpanish is my stuff my Queen, if you want to try of practice you Spanish with someone I am your humble servant my Queen.
¿Estas tomando clases de Español Alexandra? me parece exelente, como todo lo que haces, sigue adelante, te daras cuenta que el idioma Español es muy facil de aprender, asi que no te costara mucho, si quieres parcticarlo con migo estoy a tus servicios mi Reina.
You're a mess. :-)
ReplyDeleteHola.
ReplyDeleteCreo que el mayor reto del español que te vas a encontrar són las conjugaciones verbales porque hay muchos tiempos verbales y sobretodo terminaciones.
A mi personalmente me gustan las carreras de 10km. Creo que la mayoría de seres humanos no estan preparados para correr cosas como maratones sin que su salud tenga secuelas después. Las carreras de 20 km no las he probado nunca.
Saludos de Daniel.
My best time ever at that distance was around 20 minutes but that was long ago when I was in the Navy. I have completed two mini marathons in Louisville, Ky for the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon event. Those times were not so fast over 2 hours for the 13.1 miles.
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely great that you are able to find time for learning something new as a professional chess player and young mother :) Every chess player and every woman know how much time it takes to organize everything.
ReplyDeleteMuy bien, Sra. Kosteniuk, a todos los latinoamericanos nos honra al querer hablar nuestro idioma. Sería grandioso que pudiera extender su gira por otros países de latinoamerica, especialmente Nicaragua.
ReplyDeleteGreetings!!
PD: I wrote this in Spanish on purpose
Hi I am mlemau im following you on twitter.I am sure that you are the best playing chess. Its wonderful to know that you are learning spanish,in fact I live in Mexico city and I am learning English,If you want, you could practice Spanish with me. I wonder if you could visit Mexico city in the near future. It would be so fantastic¡¡¡
ReplyDeleteHello. Iam Vienna from England, I am inspired in learning spanish when I read your post, So you are women's chess champion I see.. I've like to play chess also but I didn't joined in any tournament it just my hobby :)
ReplyDeleteHi. Iam Charmagne from Phillipines, I also inspired in your learning spanish, thanks to your blog I will follow your updates if you have thanks.
ReplyDelete