Game Theory

Game theory: A mathematical framework for analyzing what choices rational individuals will make, when the pay-offs depend on the combination of all player's choices

And for all you visual learners…

Why am I writing about game theory?

Because I have been practicing a version of game theory everyday while running. Let me explain…

Austin has a high volume of dog owners. Because the weather has been awesome lately, people have been taking their dogs out for walks in mass numbers. This presents a problem on narrow sidewalks for me.

Option #1: I pass on the dog side

Risk: The dog thinks my calf is a T-bone steak and takes a bite

Option #2: I pass on the human side

Risk: The human gets startled and knocks me into oncoming traffic

Now a few factors come into play when making my decision about which option to take:

· Dog size: Yah, I usually will pass on the human side if there is a Bullmastiff in front of me

· iPod: Humans are much more likely to get startled if someone approaches them from behind if they have an iPod in

· Cell Phone: See iPod explanation

I run through these variables every time I approach someone walking a dog from behind. But yeah, I haven’t quite worked out the correct formula because I have already had to use some Michael Scott–esq. parkour to avoid getting bitten by man’s best friend.

I’m going to abdicate for a general rule about dog ownership. If you can’t take your dog down in hand to hand combat then you shouldn’t own that animal. The world needs more Papillons!

Tomorrow is my day of rest. I'm going to need it because I've got a 10-mile run on deck for Sunday. Till then, I leave you with the motivational quote of the day...

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali

Day #13: 4.62 miles – 36 min