I am starting to measure things differently

I grew up in Japan and wasn't weaned from the Metric System until the age of 12 at which time I had to learn to measure things by a system which really doesn't make sense.  When confused, I just had to accept that a very powerful inbred British king at some point was able by sheer audacity to name weights and measures and people just had to live with it. 

Now that I'm training and racing triathlons, I'm starting to use a whole new measuring stick, the Triathlete Standard.  In it's most basic form:

• Bodies of water is measured in 1.2 mile increments
• Reasonable distance on foot is in increments of 5K, 10K, 13.1 Miles, and 26.2 Miles
• Reasonable distance on bike is in increments of 40K, 56 Miles and 112 Miles

So as I drove home from Boise yesterday I thought in terms of how many HIM courses till the rest stop?  Could I run from here to the next exit?  Did my girls actually nap the equivalent of a 140.6 bike?

I also use distances to encourage me.  During Boise 70.3, I was able to just tell myself, you only have 10K left, you can run that with your feet covered in warts if you had to.  At 5K I told myself that if I wanted, I could run that distance in 19 minutes so its going to be easy running it in 25.

So now that I have a choice between Metric, Goofy and Triathlete standards...the world should just be happy that I'm not king...yet.