It's been one fun journey. I feel truly humbled by the whole marathon experience. The support from family and friends was phenomenal. I would like to thank the following folks- my GK Home Partners, for their generosity. I was able to raise a total of $5100! This is enough for more than 3 houses for 3 poor families in the Philippines.
Maraming salamat (Thank you very much) to all of you:
Bryn David
Dan and Monica Oerther
Perry and Estela Peralta
Ed Nelson
Pilar and Jim Villacorta
Angel de Guzman
Florence and Alvin Lim
Mia Torres-Tigas
Lut Raskin
Bessie Paterno
Mila and Rok Evangelista
Sami Rizkalla
Vic Mandapat
Bob and Anne Borden
Tasnim Hassan
Pia Gavino
Sankar Arumugam
Joel Ducoste
Jay Cheng
Armel Mallare
Dave Parish
Lars Angenent
Myra Pura
Judy Anne Vargas-Sudler
Eloisa Duffy
Mort Barlaz
Akhtar Tayebali
Roberto Nunez
Emmanuel Cartas
Abelardo Cruz
John Stone
Thrina McMahon
Roy Borden
Detlef Knappe
Jim Nau
Tom and Leng Becker
There is hope for the Philippines, because there are people like you, who are generous and care.
Thank you!!!
Francis
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The story of my first marathon
It took a week and a half to finish writing the story of my first marathon. I wanted to describe what I felt during the entire race- everything was so vivid. So it turned out to be a long piece. I decided to divide it into sections, but to read it in the right order, you have to start with Part 1, then Part 2, etc. Sorry, but that's the way the blog goes...
Hope you enjoy this first-person account!
Hope you enjoy this first-person account!
My First Marathon (Part 4)
Miles 23-25
Shortly after we passed the big crowd, Jeff and Eddie went ahead of me again on Edwards Mill Rd, as I had to walk and stretch my cramping legs. This time, I played some more strategic games, like “I will catch up with them at that point up there”, or “I will run when they are taking their walk breaks”. This was the part when I felt most tested. I was alone, and left behind, running my own race. But I never felt that I wouldn’t finish. I’ve read that there comes a time in the marathon when you know you’re going to finish. I just had that point, at Mile 23, when I caught up with them and saw the Filipino group. I knew I was going to finish, but I also didn’t want to be left behind. So I just turned to autopilot, keeping the legs going, muttering words like “glide”, and “strong”. I paid attention to run form, keeping my steps small, running on my midfoot, keeping my turnover high. And then I caught up with them. I was spent, but my mind games worked!
There was one more hill, then a water station. Then came Miles 24 and 25. We probably walked for more than 2 min each time we took a break. And I am sure we didn’t go to 5 min running. We started doing it by distance, “we’ll stop at that light”, etc. I was totally tired. It wasn’t just my legs, but my whole body. But at least I wasn’t swaying, like this one guy we had passed. Still, several people passed us, including a woman who I passed earlier on Ebenezer Church. In some scenarios, with the Galloway method, you are supposed to be strong from mile 23 to the end, and some people report running the last 3 miles. I was just trying to survive the last 3 miles. This was farther than my body had gone before. One more gu, and more water. Finally, we made the turn to the Stadium. We had to go around it then back out to Trinity.
The finish
I think I got a little boost from making that turn. I remember running and actually not stopping at the last water station. I declined the water and gu. My bottles were empty. I felt like I didn’t need them any more. This was it- the last mile! But it was longer than I imagined. We had to walk a few more times. This time, there was no more 5/1 pattern. We just ran when we thought we could, and walked maybe for longer periods. I remember running, then agreeing to stop and walk when we reached a medical station. So when we got there, we all stopped, and the lady shouted “well you can’t walk now!” I almost gave her the finger. I was grateful to her companion, who said “they’re doing the run-walk progam”. She probably saw my face, since she then kept quiet. Not exactly encouraging words when you’re just trying to survive.
Then George came to meet us. He told us about the turn, that we should run before the turn, so that people around the bend won’t see us walking. So that’s what we did. We started running before the turn to Trinity, and there it was- the big giant banner saying FINISH LINE. The road narrowed, as they were funneling us through the timer mat. There were GK cheerers on both sides. My daughter Mia gave me a big Philippine flag to carry, and I gave one end to Jeff. We ran that last few meters together, carrying this big Philippine flag. Later, I realized we were holding the thing backward- oh well. What was funny is that during this final run, I kept feeling the sharp pain in my left leg, but I couldn’t stop. And I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. We crossed the finish in 5:15:35.
I didn’t know they called your name when you cross the finish line. But I heard it- my name- mispronounced, but it was my name. One race organizer tried to give me a medal, but my wife already got my medal, and our 3-year old Mireya was holding it. It was a great feeling, putting the medal on. Everyone was excited, and cheering, and giving us congratulatory pats. We did it. We finished our first marathon.
Epilogue
I forgot to do all the things we should have done. Like keep walking, and eat a high protein bar right after finishing. I felt cold, and got a foil blanket. I was hungry, and we went to the GK tent to get some food- Filipino arroz caldo, and menudo and pansit. I sat down and took off my shoes, as my foot was burning. Later, I had blisters on my small toes that were literally bigger than my toes, and a three-quarter size blister on my right sole.
Looking back now, I was glad the straightaway after the turn was short. If it were longer, I would have had time to reflect and think about what finishing a marathon meant. It was my first marathon, the culmination of 7 months of training. I didn’t have time to think about the poor families that would get new homes. I didn’t have time to think about my friends and family who sent in checks to support my run for GK. It was a good thing I didn’t have time to think – I would have cried. All I remember was crossing the finish, carrying the Philippine flag, stepping decisively on the timer mat, hearing my name called. We did it- we all finished! I was able to raise (including a few more expected checks) almost $3000, enough for two homes for two poor families in the Philippines. Altogether, the GK Hero’s Run Team raised almost $14,000. It was a huge success. But it was also an accomplishment I will remember for the rest of my life. From now on, I can claim something that less than 1% of the population can claim. I have finished a marathon. I am now a marathoner.
Shortly after we passed the big crowd, Jeff and Eddie went ahead of me again on Edwards Mill Rd, as I had to walk and stretch my cramping legs. This time, I played some more strategic games, like “I will catch up with them at that point up there”, or “I will run when they are taking their walk breaks”. This was the part when I felt most tested. I was alone, and left behind, running my own race. But I never felt that I wouldn’t finish. I’ve read that there comes a time in the marathon when you know you’re going to finish. I just had that point, at Mile 23, when I caught up with them and saw the Filipino group. I knew I was going to finish, but I also didn’t want to be left behind. So I just turned to autopilot, keeping the legs going, muttering words like “glide”, and “strong”. I paid attention to run form, keeping my steps small, running on my midfoot, keeping my turnover high. And then I caught up with them. I was spent, but my mind games worked!
There was one more hill, then a water station. Then came Miles 24 and 25. We probably walked for more than 2 min each time we took a break. And I am sure we didn’t go to 5 min running. We started doing it by distance, “we’ll stop at that light”, etc. I was totally tired. It wasn’t just my legs, but my whole body. But at least I wasn’t swaying, like this one guy we had passed. Still, several people passed us, including a woman who I passed earlier on Ebenezer Church. In some scenarios, with the Galloway method, you are supposed to be strong from mile 23 to the end, and some people report running the last 3 miles. I was just trying to survive the last 3 miles. This was farther than my body had gone before. One more gu, and more water. Finally, we made the turn to the Stadium. We had to go around it then back out to Trinity.
The finish
I think I got a little boost from making that turn. I remember running and actually not stopping at the last water station. I declined the water and gu. My bottles were empty. I felt like I didn’t need them any more. This was it- the last mile! But it was longer than I imagined. We had to walk a few more times. This time, there was no more 5/1 pattern. We just ran when we thought we could, and walked maybe for longer periods. I remember running, then agreeing to stop and walk when we reached a medical station. So when we got there, we all stopped, and the lady shouted “well you can’t walk now!” I almost gave her the finger. I was grateful to her companion, who said “they’re doing the run-walk progam”. She probably saw my face, since she then kept quiet. Not exactly encouraging words when you’re just trying to survive.
Then George came to meet us. He told us about the turn, that we should run before the turn, so that people around the bend won’t see us walking. So that’s what we did. We started running before the turn to Trinity, and there it was- the big giant banner saying FINISH LINE. The road narrowed, as they were funneling us through the timer mat. There were GK cheerers on both sides. My daughter Mia gave me a big Philippine flag to carry, and I gave one end to Jeff. We ran that last few meters together, carrying this big Philippine flag. Later, I realized we were holding the thing backward- oh well. What was funny is that during this final run, I kept feeling the sharp pain in my left leg, but I couldn’t stop. And I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. We crossed the finish in 5:15:35.
I didn’t know they called your name when you cross the finish line. But I heard it- my name- mispronounced, but it was my name. One race organizer tried to give me a medal, but my wife already got my medal, and our 3-year old Mireya was holding it. It was a great feeling, putting the medal on. Everyone was excited, and cheering, and giving us congratulatory pats. We did it. We finished our first marathon.
Epilogue
I forgot to do all the things we should have done. Like keep walking, and eat a high protein bar right after finishing. I felt cold, and got a foil blanket. I was hungry, and we went to the GK tent to get some food- Filipino arroz caldo, and menudo and pansit. I sat down and took off my shoes, as my foot was burning. Later, I had blisters on my small toes that were literally bigger than my toes, and a three-quarter size blister on my right sole.
Looking back now, I was glad the straightaway after the turn was short. If it were longer, I would have had time to reflect and think about what finishing a marathon meant. It was my first marathon, the culmination of 7 months of training. I didn’t have time to think about the poor families that would get new homes. I didn’t have time to think about my friends and family who sent in checks to support my run for GK. It was a good thing I didn’t have time to think – I would have cried. All I remember was crossing the finish, carrying the Philippine flag, stepping decisively on the timer mat, hearing my name called. We did it- we all finished! I was able to raise (including a few more expected checks) almost $3000, enough for two homes for two poor families in the Philippines. Altogether, the GK Hero’s Run Team raised almost $14,000. It was a huge success. But it was also an accomplishment I will remember for the rest of my life. From now on, I can claim something that less than 1% of the population can claim. I have finished a marathon. I am now a marathoner.
My First Marathon (Part 3)
Umstead
After one water stop and more gu (the stop had only Espresso flavor, with caffeine- I tried it anyway; conserving my own stash for later), we finally go to Umstead. Jeff and I needed a quick break, but there was a couple lined up at the single port-a-potty, so I told Jeff we should just do what we always did at Umstead – go off the trail and hide behind some trees ☺. So that’s what we did. It’s funny how little breaks like that take up time, as a bunch of people we had passed before now passed us. Umstead’s trails were nice and familiar. The ground was softer, but I felt like I wasn’t moving that much faster, like I was exerting too much effort.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my left leg. It was a muscle suddenly tightening, and then pulling away. It was so sudden, I let out a little yelp and stopped abruptly. Jeff and Ed looked concerned, and walked with me, but I told them to go ahead. I stretched it out, but it was still tight. It wasn’t locking up, though, but it was enough to scare me. I knew if I got full-blown cramps I would be crawling for another 12 miles! So we started to do a modified 5/1 approach, with me stopping more frequently to stretch every time I felt the pull. I felt it every half-mile or shorter, and it was no both legs. I noticed I felt it only during uphill climbs, when I am pushing off. So I tried to vary my gait, my run style, and I tried to go faster going downhill. Using these strategies, I managed to keep up with Ed and Jeff, or at least re-join them after lagging behind several times.
At Umstead, we met some really amazing folks. There was this old lady (maybe 70?) who passed us. She didn’t stop to walk, she just kept on going. Man, I wish I can still be running marathons when I am that old… There were also several maybe 60 year-old men out there, conquering Umstead. I also noticed a lot of people walking, or stretching. One guy was probably cramping up too. Another lady was stretching her ITB. It crossed my mind that it was the Ultima spprts drink that led to people cramping, but of course I wasn’t sure. All I know is that in 7 months of training, through long runs of 18, 20, and 23 miles, I have never cramped up before, and here I was, struggling at Mile 16.
Anyway, I knew that at the end of Umstead, my wife and kids will be waiting for me at Mile 18.5. So I had to catch up with Jeff and Eddie. I just kept running when I saw them take their walk breaks, so I could catch up before we got to our cheering squad. And we saw them- I saw my kids- Mia and Miguel, with banners and T-shirts that said “Go, Daddy, Go!”. Jeff’s kids and wife were there too. We gave all the kids high fives. Mia ran a little bit with me. Then I saw my wife Bembe with our youngest, Mireya. I stopped and kissed Mireya on the forehead. She had “Go Dad” written in black on her forehead! My wife later said my kiss was salty ☺. Well, that’s what you get when running a marathon- salty lips and a stinking body! It was good thinking to have them wait for us at this point, as we sure needed them. Now there was only 8 miles to go.
Miles 19-23
Now we were on Ebenezer Church. This was a 4 mile road that scared me, since there were two long hills (again, the kind you can see all the way up). I also knew that if there was a wall for me, it would be on this road. But for now, it was downhill. I was still cramping up so I would stop when I felt the muscle pull, then walk. We were trying to stay together and keep up the 5/1 pattern. Jeff said that he was also feeling some tightening in his calves. There were stretches when Eddie would be far ahead then Eddie and Jeff would be ahead, but I would always find a way to get back to them. I felt the pain during uphills, so I just kept going during downhills, and took more walk breaks during uphills. Still, this was a long road. The sun was also directly in front of us. Not too many cheerers, and a road as far as the eye could see. The mile markers were a comfort- Mile 21, Mile 22, as well as the water stations. I had stopped drinking the sports drink, and just drank water. I also refilled my water bottle, as I wanted the freedom to drink whenever I wanted. My personal gut check time was Mile 22-23. Jeff and Eddie were ahead of me, and I had to catch up. My legs were stiff and tight, and I felt a sharp pain every few hundred yards. It was uphill. I knew there was no chance of me quitting- I only had 3 miles to go! But my longest run before this was 23 miles, and my body knew it. I had another gu (this time, my favorite lemon flavor), and just kept going. Suddenly I saw Perry near the top of Ebenezer Church. He started running with me. I wasn’t making good conversation, as I was struggling, but the thought that there was a group of cheerers waiting for us at the top kept me going. Finally I caught up with Jeff and Eddie. So when the big GK crowd saw us, it looked like I wasn’t lagging behind!
Again, there were flags, and my wife and kids. I also saw Tony, Mike, and Efren with medals around their necks. They all finished! This was a big boost to me. I knew then everyone would finish. I tried hard to not show that I was struggling. Later, pictures showed me with this look of “concentration”, but I knew that I was really beat up at that point.
After one water stop and more gu (the stop had only Espresso flavor, with caffeine- I tried it anyway; conserving my own stash for later), we finally go to Umstead. Jeff and I needed a quick break, but there was a couple lined up at the single port-a-potty, so I told Jeff we should just do what we always did at Umstead – go off the trail and hide behind some trees ☺. So that’s what we did. It’s funny how little breaks like that take up time, as a bunch of people we had passed before now passed us. Umstead’s trails were nice and familiar. The ground was softer, but I felt like I wasn’t moving that much faster, like I was exerting too much effort.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my left leg. It was a muscle suddenly tightening, and then pulling away. It was so sudden, I let out a little yelp and stopped abruptly. Jeff and Ed looked concerned, and walked with me, but I told them to go ahead. I stretched it out, but it was still tight. It wasn’t locking up, though, but it was enough to scare me. I knew if I got full-blown cramps I would be crawling for another 12 miles! So we started to do a modified 5/1 approach, with me stopping more frequently to stretch every time I felt the pull. I felt it every half-mile or shorter, and it was no both legs. I noticed I felt it only during uphill climbs, when I am pushing off. So I tried to vary my gait, my run style, and I tried to go faster going downhill. Using these strategies, I managed to keep up with Ed and Jeff, or at least re-join them after lagging behind several times.
At Umstead, we met some really amazing folks. There was this old lady (maybe 70?) who passed us. She didn’t stop to walk, she just kept on going. Man, I wish I can still be running marathons when I am that old… There were also several maybe 60 year-old men out there, conquering Umstead. I also noticed a lot of people walking, or stretching. One guy was probably cramping up too. Another lady was stretching her ITB. It crossed my mind that it was the Ultima spprts drink that led to people cramping, but of course I wasn’t sure. All I know is that in 7 months of training, through long runs of 18, 20, and 23 miles, I have never cramped up before, and here I was, struggling at Mile 16.
Anyway, I knew that at the end of Umstead, my wife and kids will be waiting for me at Mile 18.5. So I had to catch up with Jeff and Eddie. I just kept running when I saw them take their walk breaks, so I could catch up before we got to our cheering squad. And we saw them- I saw my kids- Mia and Miguel, with banners and T-shirts that said “Go, Daddy, Go!”. Jeff’s kids and wife were there too. We gave all the kids high fives. Mia ran a little bit with me. Then I saw my wife Bembe with our youngest, Mireya. I stopped and kissed Mireya on the forehead. She had “Go Dad” written in black on her forehead! My wife later said my kiss was salty ☺. Well, that’s what you get when running a marathon- salty lips and a stinking body! It was good thinking to have them wait for us at this point, as we sure needed them. Now there was only 8 miles to go.
Miles 19-23
Now we were on Ebenezer Church. This was a 4 mile road that scared me, since there were two long hills (again, the kind you can see all the way up). I also knew that if there was a wall for me, it would be on this road. But for now, it was downhill. I was still cramping up so I would stop when I felt the muscle pull, then walk. We were trying to stay together and keep up the 5/1 pattern. Jeff said that he was also feeling some tightening in his calves. There were stretches when Eddie would be far ahead then Eddie and Jeff would be ahead, but I would always find a way to get back to them. I felt the pain during uphills, so I just kept going during downhills, and took more walk breaks during uphills. Still, this was a long road. The sun was also directly in front of us. Not too many cheerers, and a road as far as the eye could see. The mile markers were a comfort- Mile 21, Mile 22, as well as the water stations. I had stopped drinking the sports drink, and just drank water. I also refilled my water bottle, as I wanted the freedom to drink whenever I wanted. My personal gut check time was Mile 22-23. Jeff and Eddie were ahead of me, and I had to catch up. My legs were stiff and tight, and I felt a sharp pain every few hundred yards. It was uphill. I knew there was no chance of me quitting- I only had 3 miles to go! But my longest run before this was 23 miles, and my body knew it. I had another gu (this time, my favorite lemon flavor), and just kept going. Suddenly I saw Perry near the top of Ebenezer Church. He started running with me. I wasn’t making good conversation, as I was struggling, but the thought that there was a group of cheerers waiting for us at the top kept me going. Finally I caught up with Jeff and Eddie. So when the big GK crowd saw us, it looked like I wasn’t lagging behind!
Again, there were flags, and my wife and kids. I also saw Tony, Mike, and Efren with medals around their necks. They all finished! This was a big boost to me. I knew then everyone would finish. I tried hard to not show that I was struggling. Later, pictures showed me with this look of “concentration”, but I knew that I was really beat up at that point.
My First Marathon (Part 2)
Miles 6-10
We saw a line of them on Glenwood. It wasn’t one of the blue ones the race organizers had put up. These were on a construction site, but several runners were doing the same thing. We went up a little alley, through some construction materials (iron rebars, etc.) and made a quick trip. Right after this was a water station, so I guess we filled right back up. By this point, Gil was ahead, and our groups was Jeff, Eddie, and me, with Walter not far behind. The trio of Tony, Efren, and Mike were somewhere in the back. We knew Tony and Efren were there to keep time and pace, so we didn’t worry about them.
On Mile 7, we saw our first GK volunteers. Robin and Sonny were taking pictures and shouting. It was good to see familiar faces cheering you on. I gave my long-sleeved shirt to Robin- I was now all set to run the rest of the race. Shortly after that, we saw the Penillas and some other Filipinos- they had the Phil. Flag and were a noisy bunch. I’m sure Walter got a big boost from them.
We ate some gu around Mile 8. There were none at the water stop- I guess they ran out. Good thing we brought our own… I didn’t realize there were a few hills on this leg. We passed through some nice neighborhoods with quaint houses- lots of character. There was a group of young men banging on drums and bongos on one side street. One woman runner ran up to them and gave one guy a big hug. It was quite a party! The only thing was I couldn’t get a stable heart rate because of the uphill-downhill thing. I still felt good though, no major problems- I was conserving my energy for the later miles.
Mile 10-14
As we came back out on Hillsborough, the State Fairgrounds came up on the horizon- ok so we’re getting close to the halfway point! The runners started to thin out a little bit. People were starting to talk- “ok, it’s just another 5K, we can do it”. At this point, we have been running for around 2 hours. I thought about the race leaders finishing in another 30 min…I started talking to a few runners. Like the lady who was doing the half, and the old funny guy in yellow, who kept egging the crowd to keep going. He asked me what we were running for, as we had the red GK shirts on, and I explained in a few sentences what GK was about. I guess you have to be always ready, even while running! We also saw a big GK/Filipino contingent with flags and signs around Mile 10. Wency ran a little bit with us, and we asked about Anthony and Gil, who passed earlier.
A little later, on the stretch in front of the State Fairgrounds, I felt my right calf tightening. Uh-oh. Stopped a little bit, stretched it out, and caught up with Eddie and Jeff. As a precaution, I took out my right knee band, thinking it was pinching a little. The tightness didn’t go away, but I was still running. No problem. Turning the bend on Youth Center Drive, the half-marathon finish was only 2 more miles. Lots of cheerers on Trinity. I saw some runners with medals around their necks- these must be the half-marathoners, no way anyone finished the full in 2:15! Then, the half-marathoners had to take a turn, while the full folks kept going straight up on Trinity. Only a few people were continuing on the marathon (officially, around 1000 out of the 3800 runners). It dawned on me that now the true test begins…
Well the test got harder. Mile 12 was a long hill. It was the fact that it was straight, and you can see the entire hill, that made it harder. Sometimes, a curving road is better, since you can’t see how far you have to go. This is when I started to feel the marathon. So far, it had been smooth sailing, but now, I felt I was exerting effort. This was also the part of the course I didn’t know much about. I hadn’t driven through this stretch and didn’t know how long it was (at least visually). It was also a lonely stretch, with very few cheerers- few houses here, and most people were probably at the half-marathon finish. There were fewer runners, so it was quiet. It was just the sound of shoes hitting the road. When I saw three cheerers at Mile 13, I thanked them for being there, saying it was getting lonely (and quiet). I was so glad I was with Jeff and Eddie. It was too early to face the road alone. I also didn’t know how long we would stay together. Jeff could run much faster if he wanted to, and I fully expected that at some point, we all had to run our won race. Still, we all crossed the halfway mark at 2:28. I was really surprised. If we kept going like this, we will finish under 5 hours! But I didn’t really think too much about it- I just wanted to finish. But I was glad the first half was over, and we had made good time.
Around this time, I noticed some rubbing pain in my feet. I knew I would end up with big blisters. I felt it under my right foot, and my little toes in both feet. This was the price to pay for going back to my old (and tighter) shoes…We caught up with a guy who looked nothing like your typical runner. He was big, muscular, and top-heavy, and he ran with big heavy steps- not very efficient. But he was friendly, and tried to warn us about Umstead’s hills, how this was nothing compared to the hills coming up. We just sort of nodded. We had trained at Umstead, and I felt I knew its every rock. Umstead was my friend. I was almost thinking we can make time at Umstead. I couldn’t wait to get there, but it seemed like Mile 13-14 were long miles…
We saw a line of them on Glenwood. It wasn’t one of the blue ones the race organizers had put up. These were on a construction site, but several runners were doing the same thing. We went up a little alley, through some construction materials (iron rebars, etc.) and made a quick trip. Right after this was a water station, so I guess we filled right back up. By this point, Gil was ahead, and our groups was Jeff, Eddie, and me, with Walter not far behind. The trio of Tony, Efren, and Mike were somewhere in the back. We knew Tony and Efren were there to keep time and pace, so we didn’t worry about them.
On Mile 7, we saw our first GK volunteers. Robin and Sonny were taking pictures and shouting. It was good to see familiar faces cheering you on. I gave my long-sleeved shirt to Robin- I was now all set to run the rest of the race. Shortly after that, we saw the Penillas and some other Filipinos- they had the Phil. Flag and were a noisy bunch. I’m sure Walter got a big boost from them.
We ate some gu around Mile 8. There were none at the water stop- I guess they ran out. Good thing we brought our own… I didn’t realize there were a few hills on this leg. We passed through some nice neighborhoods with quaint houses- lots of character. There was a group of young men banging on drums and bongos on one side street. One woman runner ran up to them and gave one guy a big hug. It was quite a party! The only thing was I couldn’t get a stable heart rate because of the uphill-downhill thing. I still felt good though, no major problems- I was conserving my energy for the later miles.
Mile 10-14
As we came back out on Hillsborough, the State Fairgrounds came up on the horizon- ok so we’re getting close to the halfway point! The runners started to thin out a little bit. People were starting to talk- “ok, it’s just another 5K, we can do it”. At this point, we have been running for around 2 hours. I thought about the race leaders finishing in another 30 min…I started talking to a few runners. Like the lady who was doing the half, and the old funny guy in yellow, who kept egging the crowd to keep going. He asked me what we were running for, as we had the red GK shirts on, and I explained in a few sentences what GK was about. I guess you have to be always ready, even while running! We also saw a big GK/Filipino contingent with flags and signs around Mile 10. Wency ran a little bit with us, and we asked about Anthony and Gil, who passed earlier.
A little later, on the stretch in front of the State Fairgrounds, I felt my right calf tightening. Uh-oh. Stopped a little bit, stretched it out, and caught up with Eddie and Jeff. As a precaution, I took out my right knee band, thinking it was pinching a little. The tightness didn’t go away, but I was still running. No problem. Turning the bend on Youth Center Drive, the half-marathon finish was only 2 more miles. Lots of cheerers on Trinity. I saw some runners with medals around their necks- these must be the half-marathoners, no way anyone finished the full in 2:15! Then, the half-marathoners had to take a turn, while the full folks kept going straight up on Trinity. Only a few people were continuing on the marathon (officially, around 1000 out of the 3800 runners). It dawned on me that now the true test begins…
Well the test got harder. Mile 12 was a long hill. It was the fact that it was straight, and you can see the entire hill, that made it harder. Sometimes, a curving road is better, since you can’t see how far you have to go. This is when I started to feel the marathon. So far, it had been smooth sailing, but now, I felt I was exerting effort. This was also the part of the course I didn’t know much about. I hadn’t driven through this stretch and didn’t know how long it was (at least visually). It was also a lonely stretch, with very few cheerers- few houses here, and most people were probably at the half-marathon finish. There were fewer runners, so it was quiet. It was just the sound of shoes hitting the road. When I saw three cheerers at Mile 13, I thanked them for being there, saying it was getting lonely (and quiet). I was so glad I was with Jeff and Eddie. It was too early to face the road alone. I also didn’t know how long we would stay together. Jeff could run much faster if he wanted to, and I fully expected that at some point, we all had to run our won race. Still, we all crossed the halfway mark at 2:28. I was really surprised. If we kept going like this, we will finish under 5 hours! But I didn’t really think too much about it- I just wanted to finish. But I was glad the first half was over, and we had made good time.
Around this time, I noticed some rubbing pain in my feet. I knew I would end up with big blisters. I felt it under my right foot, and my little toes in both feet. This was the price to pay for going back to my old (and tighter) shoes…We caught up with a guy who looked nothing like your typical runner. He was big, muscular, and top-heavy, and he ran with big heavy steps- not very efficient. But he was friendly, and tried to warn us about Umstead’s hills, how this was nothing compared to the hills coming up. We just sort of nodded. We had trained at Umstead, and I felt I knew its every rock. Umstead was my friend. I was almost thinking we can make time at Umstead. I couldn’t wait to get there, but it seemed like Mile 13-14 were long miles…
My First Marathon (part 1)
Woke up at 3:30 AM. I think I got 4.5 hours of sleep, but I feel ok. I didn’t want to drink coffee. I was awake. I had spent an hour before going to bed laying out what I will wear- the shorts, the GK Hero’s Run jersey, the long-sleeved shirt under it, the fuelbelt with 2 flasks (1 water, 1 gatorade), 3 “gu”s (1 lemon, 2 strawberry-banana). I had pinned my race bib (#511) perfectly on the GK jersey. I decided the night before that I would wear my old Asics shoes. The new ones didn’t feel right, and I didn’t want to bet on it. My instincts told me I might get a blown Achilles or knee after 20 miles. I knew I would have foot problems with the old shoes, but these were problems I knew about. Better the “known” problems, I guess.
My wife drove me to the race start area. Already, some of the GK volunteers were there. We decided to set up the GK tents near the starting line, but far enough that we wouldn’t be thrown out by race organizers. We found the perfect spot next to a port-a-potty. That was a good sign☺
We stretched a little bit, then Robin said a group prayer. Then the GK team started going to the start area. We had to walk past the 6 min mile pace sign, past the 7, 8, 9, 10 min mile pace signs. We knew we were 12 min-milers! Needless to say, we were at the back of the pack. It was very exciting at the start. My heart rate monitor read 89 bpm, so it was ok. But all the cheerers and runners made the air electric. I was nervous, but really alive. We stayed on the right side, so the GK volunteers can take pictures of us. There were 9 of us who made it to the starting line: Jeff, Anthony, Eddie, and I were doing the full, and Walter, Tony, Mike, Gil, and Efren were doing the half.
Then off we went! Jeff kept time and pace- we were doing 5 min walk, 1 min run. I felt smooth, comfortable. I felt like the shoes were feeling good- remember, this was my first run on a surface other than the trail or treadmill. We were passing a lot of people during the first mile, so I was a little worried we were going too fast. All the books say don’t go too fast at the start. But it felt easy, so we just kept it up.
Miles 1-5
Before long, we passed the first mile marker- that was one mile? But we just started! Time was 11 min- so we were doing a whole minute faster than we planned. But it was downhill, so maybe that was fine. In my mind, we can go a little faster downhill, then conserve energy uphill. By this time, there were lots of sweatshirts on the sidewalks- people had generally overdressed, and were now too warm. I wondered if strangers just pick up the free shirts…I had on a long sleeved cotton shirt (from a WEF conference in 95), and then my GK run jersey on top of it, and shorts. I planned to take off the cotton shirt then just wear the running jersey the rest of the way. I was hoping to hand off the longsleeved shirt to a GK cheerer on Mile 4, I sure didn’t want to lose this shirt.
I think the biggest things going on in my head were: that we were passing a lot of people (so maybe we wouldn’t be last ☺), and that we were running in the middle of the street! It felt weird being in the middle of Hillsborough, with no cars. The runners were generally very upbeat, very happy. There were some loud spectators shouting encouragement. It was surreal to see them in thick coats, carrying mugs of hot coffee, while we were in shorts. It was probably 48-50 deg F. I felt like an athlete, as sweat started to build up. I had taken off my longsleeved shirt by Mile 3, as I didn’t want to overheat. At Mile 2, we passed by the first water station. Lots of volunteers, with the white “Ask me, I’m a volunteer” shirt. I decided to try the Ultima sport drink (maybe a mistake?- see later). I shouldn’t have been surprised at the litter of paper cups on the road, but I still was. My impulse was to look for a trash can ☺. The issue of looking for a port-a-potty with a short line was also becoming more important. We usually are very hydrated at the start, and need to go early during our training runs. But most of the booths I saw had a line of 5-7 people, and I didn’t want to waste time waiting. So I just decided not to drink too much, and keep on the lookout for an open port-a-potty. Mile 3.5, we passed by NC State’s Bell Tower, and there were a few kids with their hands out, high-fiving the runners. I made a special effort to high-five all kids along the way. But mostly, we were weaving in and out of runners, as we passed them when we ran, and tried to stay out of the way when we walked.
Around Mile 5 on Hillsborough and Glenwood, we saw some of the faster runners making the loop back, maybe 2 miles ahead of us. I suppose since we spotted them 4 minutes at the start, they were ahead by half a mile, but still, these guys are going fast. Maybe they’re all half-marathoners ☺.
There were several groups also doing the Galloway method. They were easy to tell apart- someone would usually look at his/her watch and say “that’s it- walk break”. People were still cheerful, talking to each other. Raleigh spectators were out, cheering, and even the police were giving encouragement as they pointed runners to the right direction. I was thinking- this is a nicely organized race- streets were closed, and police were on hand to give directions. There was this big, muscular guy in a yellow sweatshirt with half a dozen medals around his neck, shouting encouragement to the runners. “You can do it! Pain is nothing! You can be like me, get all these medals!” We saw him again around Mile 7, and a runner shouted, “Where did you get those medals?” and he shot back “I got them from the dollar store for a quarter each!” I’m still not sure who the guy was- he looked too big to be a serious runner, more like Bo Jackson than a Prefontain.
Running through downtown Raleigh was also surreal. For the first time, I started observing the buildings on Fayetteville Street, and noted how quaint some of them are. Raleigh has some nice small buildings with character, and the Capitol dome was looming ahead on a picturesque street on a cold morning. This is what it feels like to run a marathon- a few hundred people moving together, owning the streets. But, now I had to think about finding a port-a-potty…
My wife drove me to the race start area. Already, some of the GK volunteers were there. We decided to set up the GK tents near the starting line, but far enough that we wouldn’t be thrown out by race organizers. We found the perfect spot next to a port-a-potty. That was a good sign☺
We stretched a little bit, then Robin said a group prayer. Then the GK team started going to the start area. We had to walk past the 6 min mile pace sign, past the 7, 8, 9, 10 min mile pace signs. We knew we were 12 min-milers! Needless to say, we were at the back of the pack. It was very exciting at the start. My heart rate monitor read 89 bpm, so it was ok. But all the cheerers and runners made the air electric. I was nervous, but really alive. We stayed on the right side, so the GK volunteers can take pictures of us. There were 9 of us who made it to the starting line: Jeff, Anthony, Eddie, and I were doing the full, and Walter, Tony, Mike, Gil, and Efren were doing the half.
Then off we went! Jeff kept time and pace- we were doing 5 min walk, 1 min run. I felt smooth, comfortable. I felt like the shoes were feeling good- remember, this was my first run on a surface other than the trail or treadmill. We were passing a lot of people during the first mile, so I was a little worried we were going too fast. All the books say don’t go too fast at the start. But it felt easy, so we just kept it up.
Miles 1-5
Before long, we passed the first mile marker- that was one mile? But we just started! Time was 11 min- so we were doing a whole minute faster than we planned. But it was downhill, so maybe that was fine. In my mind, we can go a little faster downhill, then conserve energy uphill. By this time, there were lots of sweatshirts on the sidewalks- people had generally overdressed, and were now too warm. I wondered if strangers just pick up the free shirts…I had on a long sleeved cotton shirt (from a WEF conference in 95), and then my GK run jersey on top of it, and shorts. I planned to take off the cotton shirt then just wear the running jersey the rest of the way. I was hoping to hand off the longsleeved shirt to a GK cheerer on Mile 4, I sure didn’t want to lose this shirt.
I think the biggest things going on in my head were: that we were passing a lot of people (so maybe we wouldn’t be last ☺), and that we were running in the middle of the street! It felt weird being in the middle of Hillsborough, with no cars. The runners were generally very upbeat, very happy. There were some loud spectators shouting encouragement. It was surreal to see them in thick coats, carrying mugs of hot coffee, while we were in shorts. It was probably 48-50 deg F. I felt like an athlete, as sweat started to build up. I had taken off my longsleeved shirt by Mile 3, as I didn’t want to overheat. At Mile 2, we passed by the first water station. Lots of volunteers, with the white “Ask me, I’m a volunteer” shirt. I decided to try the Ultima sport drink (maybe a mistake?- see later). I shouldn’t have been surprised at the litter of paper cups on the road, but I still was. My impulse was to look for a trash can ☺. The issue of looking for a port-a-potty with a short line was also becoming more important. We usually are very hydrated at the start, and need to go early during our training runs. But most of the booths I saw had a line of 5-7 people, and I didn’t want to waste time waiting. So I just decided not to drink too much, and keep on the lookout for an open port-a-potty. Mile 3.5, we passed by NC State’s Bell Tower, and there were a few kids with their hands out, high-fiving the runners. I made a special effort to high-five all kids along the way. But mostly, we were weaving in and out of runners, as we passed them when we ran, and tried to stay out of the way when we walked.
Around Mile 5 on Hillsborough and Glenwood, we saw some of the faster runners making the loop back, maybe 2 miles ahead of us. I suppose since we spotted them 4 minutes at the start, they were ahead by half a mile, but still, these guys are going fast. Maybe they’re all half-marathoners ☺.
There were several groups also doing the Galloway method. They were easy to tell apart- someone would usually look at his/her watch and say “that’s it- walk break”. People were still cheerful, talking to each other. Raleigh spectators were out, cheering, and even the police were giving encouragement as they pointed runners to the right direction. I was thinking- this is a nicely organized race- streets were closed, and police were on hand to give directions. There was this big, muscular guy in a yellow sweatshirt with half a dozen medals around his neck, shouting encouragement to the runners. “You can do it! Pain is nothing! You can be like me, get all these medals!” We saw him again around Mile 7, and a runner shouted, “Where did you get those medals?” and he shot back “I got them from the dollar store for a quarter each!” I’m still not sure who the guy was- he looked too big to be a serious runner, more like Bo Jackson than a Prefontain.
Running through downtown Raleigh was also surreal. For the first time, I started observing the buildings on Fayetteville Street, and noted how quaint some of them are. Raleigh has some nice small buildings with character, and the Capitol dome was looming ahead on a picturesque street on a cold morning. This is what it feels like to run a marathon- a few hundred people moving together, owning the streets. But, now I had to think about finding a port-a-potty…
Monday, November 5, 2007
An email to my HS class-morning of the race
Well, here I am, ready at 4:48 AM, all dressed for the City of Oaks
Marathon. The start time is 7 AM ,we're supposed to be there by 6.
The GK volunteers are setting up two tents, and it will be a whole
morning party while they wait for 10 of us to cross the finish line.
There are 3,300 participants, relatively small compared to some of
the big marathons. My race number is 511,and I am hoping to finish
in 5 hours, 30 min.
I'v been training since March, getting my body ready to run 26.2
miles. I have gone through 3 pairs of running shoes, and have
probably run 400 miles in the process. I have gone through all kinds
of injuries- shin splints, knees, foot pain, dead toenails (black and
about to fall off). I have been raising funds/getting home partners
for Gawad Kalinga. My goal now is to raise enough for two houses
($3000). Not quite there yet, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.
I am excited, nervous, worried, hopeful, alive. Today, I know i will
push myself beyond my limits. All that SCO training is going to come
handy today, at Mile 20, Mile 21, Mile 22, Mile 23.
I will think of GK, the families I have met, and how my 6 hours of
running is nothing compared to extreme poverty.
I will finish.
Thanks to all of you, my batchmates, who have supported me. It's not
too late to send in pledges :) Thanks to the Toronto folks (and to
Vic) for the support!
And now, I take my 2 Advils....
Delos
Participant, GK Hero's Run
Marathon. The start time is 7 AM ,we're supposed to be there by 6.
The GK volunteers are setting up two tents, and it will be a whole
morning party while they wait for 10 of us to cross the finish line.
There are 3,300 participants, relatively small compared to some of
the big marathons. My race number is 511,and I am hoping to finish
in 5 hours, 30 min.
I'v been training since March, getting my body ready to run 26.2
miles. I have gone through 3 pairs of running shoes, and have
probably run 400 miles in the process. I have gone through all kinds
of injuries- shin splints, knees, foot pain, dead toenails (black and
about to fall off). I have been raising funds/getting home partners
for Gawad Kalinga. My goal now is to raise enough for two houses
($3000). Not quite there yet, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.
I am excited, nervous, worried, hopeful, alive. Today, I know i will
push myself beyond my limits. All that SCO training is going to come
handy today, at Mile 20, Mile 21, Mile 22, Mile 23.
I will think of GK, the families I have met, and how my 6 hours of
running is nothing compared to extreme poverty.
I will finish.
Thanks to all of you, my batchmates, who have supported me. It's not
too late to send in pledges :) Thanks to the Toronto folks (and to
Vic) for the support!
And now, I take my 2 Advils....
Delos
Participant, GK Hero's Run
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Nervous, excited- this is it!
It's 5:14 PM, Saturday. Less than 15 hours to go to the start time. I just got back from the City of Oaks Marathon Race expo, and got my race number and ankle timer. I am nervous, excited. I also bought the coveted 26.2 decal, as well as a knee band for my right knee, and some BodyGlide. I hope I am ready.
I only got one run in this week. I did 3.5 miles last Tuesday, doing mile repeats at 5.3 mph. I was hoping to do a -mile run last Thursday, but I felt a little twinge in my left knee, and decided to rest. So here I am, again facing a long run without enough miles during the week. The big X-factor is my new pair of shoes- I've only put 11 miles on them, and I am not sure how my legs will feel in them tomorrow. As a back-up, I am having my wife bring my other pair (maybe at mile 9) in case I need to make a quick shoe change.
I would like to thank all my friends who have supported GK and my run. I hope to finish it for all of you. Here it is! We'll see!
I only got one run in this week. I did 3.5 miles last Tuesday, doing mile repeats at 5.3 mph. I was hoping to do a -mile run last Thursday, but I felt a little twinge in my left knee, and decided to rest. So here I am, again facing a long run without enough miles during the week. The big X-factor is my new pair of shoes- I've only put 11 miles on them, and I am not sure how my legs will feel in them tomorrow. As a back-up, I am having my wife bring my other pair (maybe at mile 9) in case I need to make a quick shoe change.
I would like to thank all my friends who have supported GK and my run. I hope to finish it for all of you. Here it is! We'll see!
Monday, October 29, 2007
More thank yous!
It's the homestretch now, and more pledges are coming in. Thanks to the following who have supported my run for GK/ANCOP.
Rok and Mila Evangelista
Sami Rizkalla
Victor Mandapat
Bob Borden
Tasnim Hassan
With these new home partners, my goal of raising enough for two houses is becoming more possible! Thank you again, friends- your support will keep me going during the marathon!
Rok and Mila Evangelista
Sami Rizkalla
Victor Mandapat
Bob Borden
Tasnim Hassan
With these new home partners, my goal of raising enough for two houses is becoming more possible! Thank you again, friends- your support will keep me going during the marathon!
Breaking in
Ok, so I got the new Asics Gel Kayano 12 last Thursday. I ordered it the previous Sunday, but it took several days to arrive. I finally got to test it last Sunday. Jeff and I ran 7.4 miles at Umstead, our old Graylyn to Reedy Creek and back. The Reedy Creek to Graylyn is the actual 4 miles through Umstead that we will run in the actual marathon, so I thought we should conquer it one more time.
And conquer it we did. We did 10/1 at 10 min/mile pace. We went faster downhill, while conserving energy going uphill. We did the 7.4 miles in 1 hour 19 min. Remember, with Tony, Ed A., and Efren, we were doing this route in 2 hours a few weeks ago. My heart rate went up to 170 bpm, but it averaged 153 bpm. I really need to turn off the beeping sound of my Polar though. Otherwise, it may be beeping the whole time during the marathon!
The shoes were great. It was definitely more cushioning than the old Asics. The wider shoe (2E) was also better for my right foot, but I also felt that the shoes were not as smooth as the narrower model. It felt like I was slapping the ground and losing some kinetic energy. I'll try to tie it tighter the next time.
I figure I need a fe wmore miles on the new shoes. If I feel any problems, I'll go back to the old pair.
And conquer it we did. We did 10/1 at 10 min/mile pace. We went faster downhill, while conserving energy going uphill. We did the 7.4 miles in 1 hour 19 min. Remember, with Tony, Ed A., and Efren, we were doing this route in 2 hours a few weeks ago. My heart rate went up to 170 bpm, but it averaged 153 bpm. I really need to turn off the beeping sound of my Polar though. Otherwise, it may be beeping the whole time during the marathon!
The shoes were great. It was definitely more cushioning than the old Asics. The wider shoe (2E) was also better for my right foot, but I also felt that the shoes were not as smooth as the narrower model. It felt like I was slapping the ground and losing some kinetic energy. I'll try to tie it tighter the next time.
I figure I need a fe wmore miles on the new shoes. If I feel any problems, I'll go back to the old pair.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The waiting begins
Two more weeks to go before the big day, and I am getting antsy. Have I prepared enough? Will my knees hold for 26.2 miles? Do I need new shoes? I haven't run during the week because of a trip to San Diego. Am I behind?
Part of that was answered this weekend. Yesterday, Jeff and I ran at the treadmills at our gym. This is a new Lifetime Fitness gyn- it just opened early his year. I showed him around, and he liked the facilities. We decided to do the treadmills with the individual slats. A couple of college football games were on, so it was fine. I decided to do mile repeats, at a high enough pace to keep my heart rate at 165 bpm. This meant 6 mph for the first two miles, then slowly lowering to 5.9, then 5.8, then finally 5.5 mph at the 7th mile. I took walk breaks after each mile, long enough to lower by HR to 128 bpm. It probably took 2 minutes for my HR to go from 170 to 128 bpm. Anyway, by mile 7, I decided to do 5 min run/1 min walk. I was starting to feel it in my legs, and I didn't want to strain anything. Remember, this was tapering off, right?
It felt good to be running slightly faster. But I don't think I shaved off a lot of time compared to a regular 5 min run/1 min walk at 11 to 12 min pace. Plus, I felt a little tired after only 8 miles. So, definitely, I should stick to 5/1. My strategy on race day is looking like this- 5/1 until mile 23, then if I feel strong, do 10/1 after that.
I also decided I needed new shoes. My feet were more banged up than usual, and this is a treadmill! I dread the asphalt and concrete on race day. I looked up shoes on the web, and some people say that the Asics Gel-Kayano 12 (2006 model) had more cushioning than the Gel-Kayano 13s I have now. So I found a size 11 on the web, and 2E width (I have 2 black toes on my right foot) for about $99 including shipping. I thought it was a good deal- we'll see in a few days.
I have to watch it- i've read books that say runners become crazy during the taper period and start buying all kinds of stuff! I have been thinking of new knee bands and the Mizuno Wave Inspire shoes...
Part of that was answered this weekend. Yesterday, Jeff and I ran at the treadmills at our gym. This is a new Lifetime Fitness gyn- it just opened early his year. I showed him around, and he liked the facilities. We decided to do the treadmills with the individual slats. A couple of college football games were on, so it was fine. I decided to do mile repeats, at a high enough pace to keep my heart rate at 165 bpm. This meant 6 mph for the first two miles, then slowly lowering to 5.9, then 5.8, then finally 5.5 mph at the 7th mile. I took walk breaks after each mile, long enough to lower by HR to 128 bpm. It probably took 2 minutes for my HR to go from 170 to 128 bpm. Anyway, by mile 7, I decided to do 5 min run/1 min walk. I was starting to feel it in my legs, and I didn't want to strain anything. Remember, this was tapering off, right?
It felt good to be running slightly faster. But I don't think I shaved off a lot of time compared to a regular 5 min run/1 min walk at 11 to 12 min pace. Plus, I felt a little tired after only 8 miles. So, definitely, I should stick to 5/1. My strategy on race day is looking like this- 5/1 until mile 23, then if I feel strong, do 10/1 after that.
I also decided I needed new shoes. My feet were more banged up than usual, and this is a treadmill! I dread the asphalt and concrete on race day. I looked up shoes on the web, and some people say that the Asics Gel-Kayano 12 (2006 model) had more cushioning than the Gel-Kayano 13s I have now. So I found a size 11 on the web, and 2E width (I have 2 black toes on my right foot) for about $99 including shipping. I thought it was a good deal- we'll see in a few days.
I have to watch it- i've read books that say runners become crazy during the taper period and start buying all kinds of stuff! I have been thinking of new knee bands and the Mizuno Wave Inspire shoes...
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Big thank yous!
While the training has been hard, but fulfilling, the real reason for the GK Hero's Run is raising awareness and funds for Gawad Kalinga- ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the Poor). It has been truly humbling to have friends and family support my run for GK. All funds go toward building houses for the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. I would like to say "THANK YOU", "Maraming Salamat!" to the following friends - now GK Home partners-who have sent in their support for my run:
Bryn David
Dan and Monica Oerther
Perry and Estela Peralta
Ed Nelson
Pilar and Jim Villacorta
Angel de Guzman
Mia Torres-Tigas
Lut Raskin
Bessie Paterno
Florence and Alvin Lim
From these friends and family, I have already received more than $1612 in pledges! This is enough for one house for one family! I am now hoping to raise enough funds for another house. I am truly humbled by the support, and will remember them as go through each excruciating mile (esp. miles 20 - 26!).
Thanks again!
Bryn David
Dan and Monica Oerther
Perry and Estela Peralta
Ed Nelson
Pilar and Jim Villacorta
Angel de Guzman
Mia Torres-Tigas
Lut Raskin
Bessie Paterno
Florence and Alvin Lim
From these friends and family, I have already received more than $1612 in pledges! This is enough for one house for one family! I am now hoping to raise enough funds for another house. I am truly humbled by the support, and will remember them as go through each excruciating mile (esp. miles 20 - 26!).
Thanks again!
23 miles on a new trail
So Oct. 13 was 3 weeks before the marathon- our final long run. We are supposed to taper off after this, and try to recover and avoid injury before the race.
After some consultaton, we decided to try the American Tobacco Trail in Wake County, instead of Umstead. This was because Umstead had the punishing hills, and the goal was to go for distance. The plan was for the half-marathoners to go to 13 miles, and the fulls to 23-26 miles. My personal goal was 23 miles, since my longest run ever 2 weeks prior was 20.8 miles. The route was 6.5 miles one way, then back to the parking lot. The fulls would then continue for another 10-12 miles.
We met at 7 AM at the New Hill-Olive Chapel Rd entrance. The team was Victoria, Efren, Eddie, Jeff, and me. The first 6.5 miles were flat- the trail was beautiful; no real hills. It goes under US 64, and intersects a few major roads. One of the things we noticed was that the trail surface (compacted gravel/sand) was harder than at Umstead. You don't feel that at first, but by 13 miles, you could definitely tell that we were hurting more than usual. The first 13 miles was covered in 2:40, for a decent 12 min/mile clip. After a break, and a short meeting, Jeff and I went for a scond round. Eddie's knee was hurting, so the smart thing to do was to avoid injury. He had run 23 miles before, so we knew he could do the distance.
Feeling refreshed, Jeff and I then decided to do the next 5 miles using 10/1 (10 min run/1 min walk). We covered the next 5 miles in 1 hour. My knees started hurting at mile 15, and my quads started hurting after that. My ankles also started to hurt, and also my right big toe. But we had no choice but to get back, so the final 5 miles we decided to do using 5 min/1 min. We finished the last 5 miles in 1 hour 10 min.
Some thoughts- the hardest portion for me was miles 18-22. My legs were tired- quads burning and knees starting to buckle up. Getting started after walking was very tough, and I learned to start slowly after the walk break. It sometimes felt that running continuously and not taking a walk break was easier. But with a few more miles to go, I wasn't sure my legs would hold up without the walk breaks. Jeff pretty much towed me the last few miles. I knew that in many ways, it was more mental than physical, but the brain was screaming for my body to stop. On the other hand, my brain was saying - go on, you've got to finish this. At the back of it all was the thought of injuring my knees or ankles.
This is what I would have to expect at the actual marathon- conflicting messages from your brain. At least, at the marathon, it won't matter if I get an injury that will show up later :). Anyway, by mile 23, it was all mind pushing the body. My legs were jelly and in pain. I got to the end, but had to stretch and rest for a good 30 minutes before getting in the van and driving home. I couldn't believe Jeff went on for 2 more miles, alone.
The rest of that Saturday was spent in bed, lying down, feeling my legs burn. I could walk, but not straight. I took some ibuprofen (forgot to take some before the run), and slept for a while. The order of pain was something like this: right ankle, left knee, right knee, left ankle, both calves, and both quads. I felt hot the whole day, and thought I had a slight fever, but did not want to take any medicine. I knew my body was trying to recover from all that hurting. By Sunday morning, I was feeling better and walking straight. I thought I recovered nicely, only to have a long, tiring trip to San Diego and not getting enough sleep on the trip.
Anyway, that's it- 23 miles- the longest I have ever run, and the longest run before the actual 26.2 on marathon day. I don't know where I will get the energy for the extra 3.2miles. Everyone says it will be emotion, the crowds, adrenaline, etc. I do know I need all of that on race day. I feel proud to have done 23 miles, but also anxious- do I still have more to give? We'll see...
After some consultaton, we decided to try the American Tobacco Trail in Wake County, instead of Umstead. This was because Umstead had the punishing hills, and the goal was to go for distance. The plan was for the half-marathoners to go to 13 miles, and the fulls to 23-26 miles. My personal goal was 23 miles, since my longest run ever 2 weeks prior was 20.8 miles. The route was 6.5 miles one way, then back to the parking lot. The fulls would then continue for another 10-12 miles.
We met at 7 AM at the New Hill-Olive Chapel Rd entrance. The team was Victoria, Efren, Eddie, Jeff, and me. The first 6.5 miles were flat- the trail was beautiful; no real hills. It goes under US 64, and intersects a few major roads. One of the things we noticed was that the trail surface (compacted gravel/sand) was harder than at Umstead. You don't feel that at first, but by 13 miles, you could definitely tell that we were hurting more than usual. The first 13 miles was covered in 2:40, for a decent 12 min/mile clip. After a break, and a short meeting, Jeff and I went for a scond round. Eddie's knee was hurting, so the smart thing to do was to avoid injury. He had run 23 miles before, so we knew he could do the distance.
Feeling refreshed, Jeff and I then decided to do the next 5 miles using 10/1 (10 min run/1 min walk). We covered the next 5 miles in 1 hour. My knees started hurting at mile 15, and my quads started hurting after that. My ankles also started to hurt, and also my right big toe. But we had no choice but to get back, so the final 5 miles we decided to do using 5 min/1 min. We finished the last 5 miles in 1 hour 10 min.
Some thoughts- the hardest portion for me was miles 18-22. My legs were tired- quads burning and knees starting to buckle up. Getting started after walking was very tough, and I learned to start slowly after the walk break. It sometimes felt that running continuously and not taking a walk break was easier. But with a few more miles to go, I wasn't sure my legs would hold up without the walk breaks. Jeff pretty much towed me the last few miles. I knew that in many ways, it was more mental than physical, but the brain was screaming for my body to stop. On the other hand, my brain was saying - go on, you've got to finish this. At the back of it all was the thought of injuring my knees or ankles.
This is what I would have to expect at the actual marathon- conflicting messages from your brain. At least, at the marathon, it won't matter if I get an injury that will show up later :). Anyway, by mile 23, it was all mind pushing the body. My legs were jelly and in pain. I got to the end, but had to stretch and rest for a good 30 minutes before getting in the van and driving home. I couldn't believe Jeff went on for 2 more miles, alone.
The rest of that Saturday was spent in bed, lying down, feeling my legs burn. I could walk, but not straight. I took some ibuprofen (forgot to take some before the run), and slept for a while. The order of pain was something like this: right ankle, left knee, right knee, left ankle, both calves, and both quads. I felt hot the whole day, and thought I had a slight fever, but did not want to take any medicine. I knew my body was trying to recover from all that hurting. By Sunday morning, I was feeling better and walking straight. I thought I recovered nicely, only to have a long, tiring trip to San Diego and not getting enough sleep on the trip.
Anyway, that's it- 23 miles- the longest I have ever run, and the longest run before the actual 26.2 on marathon day. I don't know where I will get the energy for the extra 3.2miles. Everyone says it will be emotion, the crowds, adrenaline, etc. I do know I need all of that on race day. I feel proud to have done 23 miles, but also anxious- do I still have more to give? We'll see...
Running updates- 23 miles!
I'm way behind on posts- it's just been one hectic week after another. So to play catch-up, here's the quick rundown...
Week of Oct. 8, I got in 2 runs of 3 miles and 3.5 miles respectively, straight runs on the treadmill at 5.3 mph. Ave. heart rate was 155-160 bpm.
Then, on Oct. 13, the GK Hero's Run team went to the American Tobacco Trail. Efren, Victoria, and Eddie V. ran 13 miles, then Jeff and I ran 23 miles, then Jeff put in another 2 miles. The ATT was quite flat and beautiful. This was an old railroad line that was converted to trail fro hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. I will try to describe the 23 mile run in more detail in a separate post.
Then, this week (week of Oct. 15), I was in San Diego, CA for a conference, and couldn't put in any runs. The trip was also tiring, and I didn't get enough slep. So here it is, Oct. 20, and I am planning to do 10 miles on the treadmill. It's not all bad, though- lots of good news to share!
Week of Oct. 8, I got in 2 runs of 3 miles and 3.5 miles respectively, straight runs on the treadmill at 5.3 mph. Ave. heart rate was 155-160 bpm.
Then, on Oct. 13, the GK Hero's Run team went to the American Tobacco Trail. Efren, Victoria, and Eddie V. ran 13 miles, then Jeff and I ran 23 miles, then Jeff put in another 2 miles. The ATT was quite flat and beautiful. This was an old railroad line that was converted to trail fro hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. I will try to describe the 23 mile run in more detail in a separate post.
Then, this week (week of Oct. 15), I was in San Diego, CA for a conference, and couldn't put in any runs. The trip was also tiring, and I didn't get enough slep. So here it is, Oct. 20, and I am planning to do 10 miles on the treadmill. It's not all bad, though- lots of good news to share!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
"That's commitment!" and the broken arm
Some weeks are just crazy. The past week, I couldn't find time to run. After last Sunday's 20-miler, I was hoping to do two 4-milers during the week. But between classes, making exams, meeting research sponsors, and sumitting a research proposal, I didn't have the time or energy to go for a run.
So I hoped the long run planned for Saturday was going to be ok. Jeff and I did 7 miles at Umstead, at an easy pace. We did it in 1 hour 30 min, at almost 13 min/mile. Everything went well, except for the increase in my steady-state heart rate. My HR probably aeraged 165, a little too high for that pace. So I did lose some cardiovascular fitness, and I have to make sure I do my short runs this week to prepare for next weekend's 24-miler. Hopefully, it won't be as hectic as last week.
The title of this post has to do with the comments of runners meeting us on the trail. Jeff still has the cast on his arm on, and people would say- "Did you break your arm? That's commitment!" or "That's dedication!". I told Jeff he should milk it some more and show it to people to convince them to support his run for GK :). It does seem like Jeff will have a small cast until the marathon. In the meantime, I am the guy running with the really dedicated runner - maybe I should get a fake cast too :-). then we'd be the runners with the broken arms :-)
So I hoped the long run planned for Saturday was going to be ok. Jeff and I did 7 miles at Umstead, at an easy pace. We did it in 1 hour 30 min, at almost 13 min/mile. Everything went well, except for the increase in my steady-state heart rate. My HR probably aeraged 165, a little too high for that pace. So I did lose some cardiovascular fitness, and I have to make sure I do my short runs this week to prepare for next weekend's 24-miler. Hopefully, it won't be as hectic as last week.
The title of this post has to do with the comments of runners meeting us on the trail. Jeff still has the cast on his arm on, and people would say- "Did you break your arm? That's commitment!" or "That's dedication!". I told Jeff he should milk it some more and show it to people to convince them to support his run for GK :). It does seem like Jeff will have a small cast until the marathon. In the meantime, I am the guy running with the really dedicated runner - maybe I should get a fake cast too :-). then we'd be the runners with the broken arms :-)
Sunday, September 30, 2007
20.8 miles! (part 2, read part 1 first- below)
In the hullabaloo at the start, i had forgotten to put on my knee brace for my left knee, and it bothered me a little bit for the first 10 miles. When we got back to the van, I put it on, and the pain went away (or at least didn't bother me as much). We chugged on Gatorade, refilled our fuel belts, then started miles 10-20.
The second half was okay, but all the hills at Umstead started to appear. It was as if w didn't notice them before; now each hill became a challenge. We kept going at 5/1, stopping only to get stones out of shoes, or to sneak into the forest to pee. I had eaten 1 Gu (vanilla) at mile 8, and needed another one at mile 14. I thus discovered that my favorite Gu flavor is Strawberry-Banana. Or at least when I had it, it tasted good. Miles 15-17 were okay, but mentally I knew this was farther than any thign I've run before. I hoped I had enough to do the last 3.7 miles from the Reedy Creek end. I needed another Gu (Lemon Sublime, not too bad), but I only ate half, since I didn't want to feel bloated. It was a good idea, as several times, the flavor almost went back up my mouth :).
The hill at mile 18 was brutal- a long sloping hill that didn't seem to end. I knew there was another one coming up on Graylyn. My hamstrings were burning, my quas were burning. My knee was under control, although it bothered me at the start. I also noticed that my right ankle was also starting to hurt. I tried to be conscious of my run form- heels up, strike the goud quickly. I decided my Asics were not giving me as much cushioning, and thought about buying a new pair for the marathon. Mile 19 was this hill at Graylyn, another long, steep hill. Since we were doing 5/1, it seems like much-needed walk breaks were in the middle of these climbs, yay! Jeff said, 1 more walk break, and we're there. My HR at these hills were in the 168 - 171, but it wasn't the heart, or the breathing. It was the leg muscles. And the shoulder muscles too. Mile 20, I just thought of the Graylyn gate as the finish line, and suddenly, I got an energy boost.
This was not the marathon, but only 20 miles, but I knew it was mind over body. I started thinking about the pledges I've already received, and the oral pledges from friends. I started thinking about GK, and that this was for a poor family in the Philippines. It was a good mental trick, I felt energized. My legs were burning, but we made it. 20.8 miles! We finished in 4 hours 29 minutes, almost 13 min/mile. My average HR was probably in the high 150s. This was my longest run - I have *only* 5.4 miles to go, and that should be the marathon. My legs needed extra strecthing; I knew if I got into the van and started driving, I might not be able to walk out of the van.
So here it is, 10 hours after the run, and the one thing that's still painful is my right ankle. Everything seems to be fine, although my left knee needs some babying. Next week, an easy run of maybe 8-10 miles. Then 24 miles on Oct. 13?
The second half was okay, but all the hills at Umstead started to appear. It was as if w didn't notice them before; now each hill became a challenge. We kept going at 5/1, stopping only to get stones out of shoes, or to sneak into the forest to pee. I had eaten 1 Gu (vanilla) at mile 8, and needed another one at mile 14. I thus discovered that my favorite Gu flavor is Strawberry-Banana. Or at least when I had it, it tasted good. Miles 15-17 were okay, but mentally I knew this was farther than any thign I've run before. I hoped I had enough to do the last 3.7 miles from the Reedy Creek end. I needed another Gu (Lemon Sublime, not too bad), but I only ate half, since I didn't want to feel bloated. It was a good idea, as several times, the flavor almost went back up my mouth :).
The hill at mile 18 was brutal- a long sloping hill that didn't seem to end. I knew there was another one coming up on Graylyn. My hamstrings were burning, my quas were burning. My knee was under control, although it bothered me at the start. I also noticed that my right ankle was also starting to hurt. I tried to be conscious of my run form- heels up, strike the goud quickly. I decided my Asics were not giving me as much cushioning, and thought about buying a new pair for the marathon. Mile 19 was this hill at Graylyn, another long, steep hill. Since we were doing 5/1, it seems like much-needed walk breaks were in the middle of these climbs, yay! Jeff said, 1 more walk break, and we're there. My HR at these hills were in the 168 - 171, but it wasn't the heart, or the breathing. It was the leg muscles. And the shoulder muscles too. Mile 20, I just thought of the Graylyn gate as the finish line, and suddenly, I got an energy boost.
This was not the marathon, but only 20 miles, but I knew it was mind over body. I started thinking about the pledges I've already received, and the oral pledges from friends. I started thinking about GK, and that this was for a poor family in the Philippines. It was a good mental trick, I felt energized. My legs were burning, but we made it. 20.8 miles! We finished in 4 hours 29 minutes, almost 13 min/mile. My average HR was probably in the high 150s. This was my longest run - I have *only* 5.4 miles to go, and that should be the marathon. My legs needed extra strecthing; I knew if I got into the van and started driving, I might not be able to walk out of the van.
So here it is, 10 hours after the run, and the one thing that's still painful is my right ankle. Everything seems to be fine, although my left knee needs some babying. Next week, an easy run of maybe 8-10 miles. Then 24 miles on Oct. 13?
20.8 miles!
The plan was to meet at Umstead State Forest, at the Graylyn entrance at 5:30 AM, since if we were going to run more than 4 hours, it would be late by the time we were done. So I tried to get to bed early, but still started sleeping around 11 PM. Up at 4:45 AM, and driving to Umstead a little after 5 AM. Someone forgot to tell us that 5:30 AM in late September was already dark. On the drive, I even saw some deer, including one fawn on the side of the road who gave me the proverbial deer-in-the-headlights look.
So I got there, it was dark, the only light was from the half-full moon. I was the only one there. No other cars. So I parked all the way nearest to the gate. I knew I had become a little diehard athlete. I was the first one at the gate! Called up Jeff, who actually was there earlier, then figured out he was alone, so he went to a gas station to get some gas. It was dark, so I just sat there in the van for a few minutes. I thought I'd nap. Then I figured, what if someone comes and gets me while I'm in the van- I was alone and it was dark! I was sitting alone in the middle of a dark forest, so forgive these crazy thoughts :-). But i did stay inside the van and locked the doors. Of course, I didn't nap :)
In about 5 minutes, Jeff arrived. We were still the only ones there. It was cold- maybe in the 50's, and I was wearing my running shirt. I had to put on one, then two cotton T-shirts I brought. Jeff had a long-sleeved jacket on. As we were warming up, we were debating if we should run in the dark. We could see the trail illuminated by the moon, but we talked about forest animals, twisting an ankle at an unseen hole, etc. As we were stretching, this guy in a car drives up, parks next to us, then gets out and starts running really fast into the trail! Jeff and I looked at each other, and said, ok, I guess we can run too. For good measure, we brought a flashlight Jeff had in his van. Every now and then, I would turn the thing on, just to see if there were any road bumps or ruts, or horse dung.
It was dark, though the moon illuminated the trail. Did I mention it was cold? I knew my body would warm up, but I still had one cotton shirt over my running shirt. We were supposed to do 5 min run, 1 min walk, but it was too cold, so we kept on running, for maybe 15 minutes. We were almost at the Reedy Creek intersection before we stopped. After a while, moonlight turned to daylight, and I now was the only runner on the trail with a flashlight. The plan was to do two "T" routes: Graylyn to Reedy Creek ntersection, right to Airport overlook, back to the intersection, straight to Reedy Creek road, back to the intersection, then back to the Graylyn entrance. Each "T" was 10.4 miles, so the plan was to do it twice.
My HR monitor went through its usual crazy readings, and kept beeping, so I just turned the thing to just show my HR, and let Jeff do the timing. We did 5 min/1 min run/walk intervals.
So I got there, it was dark, the only light was from the half-full moon. I was the only one there. No other cars. So I parked all the way nearest to the gate. I knew I had become a little diehard athlete. I was the first one at the gate! Called up Jeff, who actually was there earlier, then figured out he was alone, so he went to a gas station to get some gas. It was dark, so I just sat there in the van for a few minutes. I thought I'd nap. Then I figured, what if someone comes and gets me while I'm in the van- I was alone and it was dark! I was sitting alone in the middle of a dark forest, so forgive these crazy thoughts :-). But i did stay inside the van and locked the doors. Of course, I didn't nap :)
In about 5 minutes, Jeff arrived. We were still the only ones there. It was cold- maybe in the 50's, and I was wearing my running shirt. I had to put on one, then two cotton T-shirts I brought. Jeff had a long-sleeved jacket on. As we were warming up, we were debating if we should run in the dark. We could see the trail illuminated by the moon, but we talked about forest animals, twisting an ankle at an unseen hole, etc. As we were stretching, this guy in a car drives up, parks next to us, then gets out and starts running really fast into the trail! Jeff and I looked at each other, and said, ok, I guess we can run too. For good measure, we brought a flashlight Jeff had in his van. Every now and then, I would turn the thing on, just to see if there were any road bumps or ruts, or horse dung.
It was dark, though the moon illuminated the trail. Did I mention it was cold? I knew my body would warm up, but I still had one cotton shirt over my running shirt. We were supposed to do 5 min run, 1 min walk, but it was too cold, so we kept on running, for maybe 15 minutes. We were almost at the Reedy Creek intersection before we stopped. After a while, moonlight turned to daylight, and I now was the only runner on the trail with a flashlight. The plan was to do two "T" routes: Graylyn to Reedy Creek ntersection, right to Airport overlook, back to the intersection, straight to Reedy Creek road, back to the intersection, then back to the Graylyn entrance. Each "T" was 10.4 miles, so the plan was to do it twice.
My HR monitor went through its usual crazy readings, and kept beeping, so I just turned the thing to just show my HR, and let Jeff do the timing. We did 5 min/1 min run/walk intervals.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
A new equilibrium
Just finished 4.2 miles of straight running. There was no pain, just pure running joy. My legs just kept going. I was aware of my form, and could shift my footstrike to more forefoot or midfoot. This must be what it should be. My heart rate was a little high, or my monitor was kooky, because the treadmill reading was very different from my wrist monitor reading. For example, the treadmill readout would be 150 beats/min, and my wrist monitor would say 165. I'm almost sure that 165 was too high. Anyway, I ran at 5.5 mph the whole way, and my average HR according to my wrist monitor was 151.
So what is it now, 3 straight runs of no pain? Beginning last week, and including the 12 miles of hills, my legs seem to have found a new, higher, stronger equilibrium. This must be what the training is all about! I have also incorporated weights; I use the machines for my calves after each gym run. It seems to have made a difference, so I'll just keep on doing it.
On the GK pledge/support effort, I have sent several letters out to friends and have received several oral pledges. So things are really going great- the running is getting there, and hopefully I can meet my target pledge amount!
The big target is 20 miles this weekend. I feel that even though I did only 12 miles last weekend, it was all hills, and may be equivalent to 16 to 18 miles of flat trail. We'll see...
So what is it now, 3 straight runs of no pain? Beginning last week, and including the 12 miles of hills, my legs seem to have found a new, higher, stronger equilibrium. This must be what the training is all about! I have also incorporated weights; I use the machines for my calves after each gym run. It seems to have made a difference, so I'll just keep on doing it.
On the GK pledge/support effort, I have sent several letters out to friends and have received several oral pledges. So things are really going great- the running is getting there, and hopefully I can meet my target pledge amount!
The big target is 20 miles this weekend. I feel that even though I did only 12 miles last weekend, it was all hills, and may be equivalent to 16 to 18 miles of flat trail. We'll see...
Monday, September 24, 2007
12 miles of hills
Sometimes when you don't plan things, things just happen (duh!). So the rough plan for Sunday's long run (I couldn't do it on Sat because of Mia's tri) was to run 18 miles. Only I hadn't really figured out a route in Umstead. So Jeff and I just sort of started to run. When we got to the Reedy Creek T, we turned right to the West Gate. This would have been 4 miles one way. However, I started smelling jet fumes (see previous post) from airplanes taking off at the nearby airport. So we decided to stop at Airport Overlook, turn around, then go the the other end of Reedy Creek Trail. This gave us 7 miles at this point. Then, we decided to do the South Turkey Trail. Now this trail has all the most punishing hills in all of Umstead. We're talking 6 or 7 or maybe 8 major, steep hills in a span of about 4.5 miles.
We finished in 2 hours, 20 min, for an average of 12+ min/mile. And I felt good the whole way. Just minor pains in the left knee- nothing to fret about. Average HR was probably 160 per minute. I say probably, cause I just turned off the time feature of my heart rate monitor- it was just beeping the whole time :) Jeff wanted to run a few more miles, but I decided not to push my luck, since my last run was Monday. But I think we can do 20 miles next week, then 22-24 miles on Oct. 13.
So, we have run all of Umstead's trails. We have conquered all its hills. Psychologically, I have broken another barrier. I love hills!
We finished in 2 hours, 20 min, for an average of 12+ min/mile. And I felt good the whole way. Just minor pains in the left knee- nothing to fret about. Average HR was probably 160 per minute. I say probably, cause I just turned off the time feature of my heart rate monitor- it was just beeping the whole time :) Jeff wanted to run a few more miles, but I decided not to push my luck, since my last run was Monday. But I think we can do 20 miles next week, then 22-24 miles on Oct. 13.
So, we have run all of Umstead's trails. We have conquered all its hills. Psychologically, I have broken another barrier. I love hills!
Mia's Triathlon
The fitness bug has bit the family. Since I've been training to run the Raleigh marathon to raise funds for GK, my family has been more aware of fitness. Mia, my 13-year old daughter, joined me on several runs and found this kid's triathlon in Raleigh. She and her friend Annetta (Jeff's daughter) signed up for it- the event was last Saturday.
I think it went really well for a first tri. It was 150 m swim, 4.5 mile bike, and 1.5 mile run. Mia's strength is the bike ride. Her swim skills are good (better than mine!), but she hasn't put in much time training for the run. That's pretty much how it went in the tri. She held her own in the swim, did really well in the bike, and struggled in the run. But overall, it was a good experience. I think she's probably going to do more triathlons in the future...
I think it went really well for a first tri. It was 150 m swim, 4.5 mile bike, and 1.5 mile run. Mia's strength is the bike ride. Her swim skills are good (better than mine!), but she hasn't put in much time training for the run. That's pretty much how it went in the tri. She held her own in the swim, did really well in the bike, and struggled in the run. But overall, it was a good experience. I think she's probably going to do more triathlons in the future...
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Memories
It's been another crazy week. I ran just 4 miles last week, and no long run. I was at the Toronto International Film Fest to watch the movie "Pisay", a film about our high school class, directed and written by my high school batchmates. The plan was to do 8 miles on Sunday, but we hardly got any sleep Th. and Friday night, and was traveling Saturday. So my body was wasted on Sunday.
The good news is that I ran yesterday (Monday), and there was no pain at all. I did 4.5 miles, running 4 miles straight at 5.5 mph at the treadmill. It felt really good. My HR was a bit high (ave. of 150), but otherwise my endurance still seems to be there. I am planning to do 18 miles this coming Saturday, so I need to ramp up the in-week runs.
The good news is that I ran yesterday (Monday), and there was no pain at all. I did 4.5 miles, running 4 miles straight at 5.5 mph at the treadmill. It felt really good. My HR was a bit high (ave. of 150), but otherwise my endurance still seems to be there. I am planning to do 18 miles this coming Saturday, so I need to ramp up the in-week runs.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Pressed for time
It's been quite hectic, I couldn't find time to run during the week. So I decided last night to go to the gym around midnight to run on the treadmill. When I got there, no one was at the receptionist's table, and the front doors were locked. I could see people (a few) working out, but no staff. So I decided to come back home and run on our treadmill. I did 45 min, around 3.5 miles, average HR of 137 bpm. I ran the first 3 miles at 12 min pace. I finally went to bed around 2:30 AM.
The following day (today), I was so tired in the afternoon, I needed a cup of coffee (my first in a long time) to keep going. Then I had to cram for Taekwondo testing in the evening. I think I passed- missed a couple of ho-sin-sools, but broke the board again in one shot. So I think I am getting my blue belt. Unfortunately, I may have to give up Taekwondo for a few months, at least until the marathon is over. This aging body just can't take all that pounding anymore.
The following day (today), I was so tired in the afternoon, I needed a cup of coffee (my first in a long time) to keep going. Then I had to cram for Taekwondo testing in the evening. I think I passed- missed a couple of ho-sin-sools, but broke the board again in one shot. So I think I am getting my blue belt. Unfortunately, I may have to give up Taekwondo for a few months, at least until the marathon is over. This aging body just can't take all that pounding anymore.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Spreading the word
Today, I started sending out email to friends and family about GK and why I am running this marathon. My plan is to also send actual letters to a few others, to ask them to support me and GK as I train for and run the Raleigh marathon in November. I guess I should have done this earlier- my running mates have all started. I may be the last to start my partnership drive.
I suspect there are a few reasons why it took me a while. First, I wanted to be sure I can get to the start line healthy, injury-free, AND with more than a good chance of finishing. As I have intimated in some of my posts, I run more with pain than pain-free, and the balance between training and suffering is something I am still learning. (Or is training= suffering? Hah!) Second, it is not easy for me to ask friends, old classmates, college "brothers and sisters", neighbors, and colleagues, for funds. Almost all of us probably are inundated with requests for support for this or that cause. I am shy about these things, but GK is more than a worthy cause, it may be one of the few bright spots for the Philippines. Lastly, I think I waited to see if I can really reach the finish line. After my 16 mile long run last weekend, I am more confident now that I can do 26.2, by hook or by crook, and if I have to crawl the last few miles, I will do it.
I just hope and pray I can get as many partners for GK, and that all this training will lead to at least one house for a poor family in the Philippines. I know what to do for the training part, but the fund-raising part, I have no previous experience. As always, it is "do your best".
I suspect there are a few reasons why it took me a while. First, I wanted to be sure I can get to the start line healthy, injury-free, AND with more than a good chance of finishing. As I have intimated in some of my posts, I run more with pain than pain-free, and the balance between training and suffering is something I am still learning. (Or is training= suffering? Hah!) Second, it is not easy for me to ask friends, old classmates, college "brothers and sisters", neighbors, and colleagues, for funds. Almost all of us probably are inundated with requests for support for this or that cause. I am shy about these things, but GK is more than a worthy cause, it may be one of the few bright spots for the Philippines. Lastly, I think I waited to see if I can really reach the finish line. After my 16 mile long run last weekend, I am more confident now that I can do 26.2, by hook or by crook, and if I have to crawl the last few miles, I will do it.
I just hope and pray I can get as many partners for GK, and that all this training will lead to at least one house for a poor family in the Philippines. I know what to do for the training part, but the fund-raising part, I have no previous experience. As always, it is "do your best".
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Running on (jet) fumes
This week was just o-so-busy; I wasn't able to run much or post. I couldn't even get to the gym- and did the treadmill at home, before the kids woke up. I got about 2.5 miles in last Thursday morning, that was it. I felt tired the whole week- just too many things to take care of at work, several deadlines. I wasn't getting much sleep, either. I was running on fumes the whole week.
So Saturday came without much training, and I had planned to run 16 miles at Umstead. Jeff had an accident the previous week- while trying to avoid a dog while running in Raleigh, he fell down and fractured his left distal bone. His doctor told him he could still run on a treadmill, but no trails for 4 weeks.
So I got Tony to come to Umstead: Efren and Ed couldn't make it. Tony planned to run 8 miles, and I was to do 16. We figured we'd do the Graylyn to Reedy Creek Trail, then turn right on Reedy Creek all the way past Airport overlook, to the West gate. It was 4 miles one way; so Tony would do one loop; I would do 2 back and forths. We did 5 min run/1 min walk at an easy pace. We got to the West gate in exactly one hour, so the pace was close to 15 min/mile (with 2 or 3 bathroom breaks:). This route is less hilly than the one to the Reedy Creek road, and is less frequented by runners.
I did ok the first 8 miles- an easy pace, and HR averaged 137. I had only one Gu in my bag, so I ate it after 8 miles, refilled my Fuel Belt (16 oz Powerade and 16 oz water), then set off to do another 8 miles. The first 4 miles back to the West gate was easy. I decided to pick up the pace, and did the 4 miles in 48 min. However, from around Airport overlook to West gate, I started to smell a ketone/alcohol smell. This was around 9:30 AM. I knew it wasn't me :), and with trees and forest all around me, I couldn't imagine some kind of hazardous dumpsite nearby. I finally figured it was jet fuel - from the planes taking off from the airport! So this is the big revelation about Umstead- the part close to the airport smells like jet fuel around 9:30 - 11 AM, when the air traffic gets going! Well, it didn't help my run during miles 10-14, when I was breathing all this stuff. It is a state forest, but these trees can't absorb the smell, at least during this part of the day.
The other problem was that I felt I needed another Gu around mile 14. I was running on empty that last 1.5 miles. I emptied my Fuel Belt, took in as much Powerade as I could, but I needed more carbs. Last week, I ate 1 Gu, 1 Powergel, and 1 Hammergel for 14 miles. Here, I was doing 16 miles on just 1 Gu. I had some salt tablets; in desperation, I took them with water, but it didn't help. I struggled the last mile, and had to do 3/1 up the hill on Graylyn. I still did the last 4 miles in 50 min, but it was a struggle the last mile.
So in all, I did the first 8 miles in 120 min (15 min/mile), and the last 8 miles in 98 min. (12.25 min/mile). It was a triumph in one sense- this is the farthest run I've ever done. But I got a few lessons. One is take extra Gu, and eat one every hour. Second, start slow- if I do the first half of the marathon in 3 hours, that's ok. I am almost sure I will do a negative time-split (faster second half), as long as I survive. Third, avoid the West gate route from 9:30 -11. I don't want to be running on jet fumes.
Recovery: as I type this in on Sunday morning, I feel quite good. My knees ached when I got up this morning, but a 1.5 mile slow bike ride (riding support for Mia and Annetta's triathlon dry run) this morning did wonders. I feel fine.
So Saturday came without much training, and I had planned to run 16 miles at Umstead. Jeff had an accident the previous week- while trying to avoid a dog while running in Raleigh, he fell down and fractured his left distal bone. His doctor told him he could still run on a treadmill, but no trails for 4 weeks.
So I got Tony to come to Umstead: Efren and Ed couldn't make it. Tony planned to run 8 miles, and I was to do 16. We figured we'd do the Graylyn to Reedy Creek Trail, then turn right on Reedy Creek all the way past Airport overlook, to the West gate. It was 4 miles one way; so Tony would do one loop; I would do 2 back and forths. We did 5 min run/1 min walk at an easy pace. We got to the West gate in exactly one hour, so the pace was close to 15 min/mile (with 2 or 3 bathroom breaks:). This route is less hilly than the one to the Reedy Creek road, and is less frequented by runners.
I did ok the first 8 miles- an easy pace, and HR averaged 137. I had only one Gu in my bag, so I ate it after 8 miles, refilled my Fuel Belt (16 oz Powerade and 16 oz water), then set off to do another 8 miles. The first 4 miles back to the West gate was easy. I decided to pick up the pace, and did the 4 miles in 48 min. However, from around Airport overlook to West gate, I started to smell a ketone/alcohol smell. This was around 9:30 AM. I knew it wasn't me :), and with trees and forest all around me, I couldn't imagine some kind of hazardous dumpsite nearby. I finally figured it was jet fuel - from the planes taking off from the airport! So this is the big revelation about Umstead- the part close to the airport smells like jet fuel around 9:30 - 11 AM, when the air traffic gets going! Well, it didn't help my run during miles 10-14, when I was breathing all this stuff. It is a state forest, but these trees can't absorb the smell, at least during this part of the day.
The other problem was that I felt I needed another Gu around mile 14. I was running on empty that last 1.5 miles. I emptied my Fuel Belt, took in as much Powerade as I could, but I needed more carbs. Last week, I ate 1 Gu, 1 Powergel, and 1 Hammergel for 14 miles. Here, I was doing 16 miles on just 1 Gu. I had some salt tablets; in desperation, I took them with water, but it didn't help. I struggled the last mile, and had to do 3/1 up the hill on Graylyn. I still did the last 4 miles in 50 min, but it was a struggle the last mile.
So in all, I did the first 8 miles in 120 min (15 min/mile), and the last 8 miles in 98 min. (12.25 min/mile). It was a triumph in one sense- this is the farthest run I've ever done. But I got a few lessons. One is take extra Gu, and eat one every hour. Second, start slow- if I do the first half of the marathon in 3 hours, that's ok. I am almost sure I will do a negative time-split (faster second half), as long as I survive. Third, avoid the West gate route from 9:30 -11. I don't want to be running on jet fumes.
Recovery: as I type this in on Sunday morning, I feel quite good. My knees ached when I got up this morning, but a 1.5 mile slow bike ride (riding support for Mia and Annetta's triathlon dry run) this morning did wonders. I feel fine.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Feeling good
Saturday, I ran with Efren from the GK Hero's Run Team. He was scheduled to do 8 miles; I planned on 14. So we went to Umstead, and did the Graylyn to Reedy Creek to S. Turkey Creek and back. We ran for exactly 2 hours, so I figured we did at least 8 miles. Then I continued and ran for another 1.5 hours, to Sycamore Trail, then Graylyn and part of Reedy Creek and back.
A few running notes- at a slower pace (maybe 14 min-mile), my HR never really went above 140-150, with an average of maybe 120. I went faster up a few hills, just to see if my HR would go up, and it did rise to 162. I felt really fresh the entire 8 miles, just relaxed. The Fuel Belt was great- it never bothered me, and the 8 oz x 4 (32 oz) was more than enough for 8 miles, until I had to refuel at the car. My solo run after Efren left was a little faster, I think. My HR was a little higher, above 155 most of the time. My average for the entire 3.5 hours was 137. So I think I definitely ran for more than 14 miles.
I felt I could have stayed longer and run another hour or so, but I didn't push it. There was some pain in the left knee (ITB), and I would run ahead of Efren and try to stretch it out. I consumed 1 hammer gel and 1 powerbar gel. I think I like the former more than the latter - the powerbar gel had caffeine which raised my HR quickly. But in general, it was a nice long run. I was walking, not limping afterwards. I really think the new run form was working. I am more certain now that I can finish 26.2 miles. I can do more than half, so all I have to do is do it again!
I plan to start sending GK pledge letters this week. I have talked to several of my prospective sponsors and they're expecting it. I hope this goes as well as the training.
A few running notes- at a slower pace (maybe 14 min-mile), my HR never really went above 140-150, with an average of maybe 120. I went faster up a few hills, just to see if my HR would go up, and it did rise to 162. I felt really fresh the entire 8 miles, just relaxed. The Fuel Belt was great- it never bothered me, and the 8 oz x 4 (32 oz) was more than enough for 8 miles, until I had to refuel at the car. My solo run after Efren left was a little faster, I think. My HR was a little higher, above 155 most of the time. My average for the entire 3.5 hours was 137. So I think I definitely ran for more than 14 miles.
I felt I could have stayed longer and run another hour or so, but I didn't push it. There was some pain in the left knee (ITB), and I would run ahead of Efren and try to stretch it out. I consumed 1 hammer gel and 1 powerbar gel. I think I like the former more than the latter - the powerbar gel had caffeine which raised my HR quickly. But in general, it was a nice long run. I was walking, not limping afterwards. I really think the new run form was working. I am more certain now that I can finish 26.2 miles. I can do more than half, so all I have to do is do it again!
I plan to start sending GK pledge letters this week. I have talked to several of my prospective sponsors and they're expecting it. I hope this goes as well as the training.
Winners
This is a late post- should have written this last Friday...
One of my students had her MS defense last Thursday. She did an awesome job- great presentation, great thesis. I probably gave her the most challenging MS project, and she did it. She learned, worked hard, and had a really good attitude throughout her studies. I am quite proud to be her adviser- she is one of those students whom you know will just succeed in life. In the words of another professor, she is a winner.
Thursday night, my wife and I went to a murder-mystery dinner, a whodunit sponsored by her company. There were 6 actors, who staged a performance interspered through dinner and dessert. It was quite fun, and we enjoyed it. The kicker was that each table had to forma detective agency and solve the case. Well, our table, the Hugh Killam and Will Ketcham Detective agency, was the first to solve it, and had the most complete solution. So we won some neat prizes! Overall, a day for winners- if only every day was like this :)
One of my students had her MS defense last Thursday. She did an awesome job- great presentation, great thesis. I probably gave her the most challenging MS project, and she did it. She learned, worked hard, and had a really good attitude throughout her studies. I am quite proud to be her adviser- she is one of those students whom you know will just succeed in life. In the words of another professor, she is a winner.
Thursday night, my wife and I went to a murder-mystery dinner, a whodunit sponsored by her company. There were 6 actors, who staged a performance interspered through dinner and dessert. It was quite fun, and we enjoyed it. The kicker was that each table had to forma detective agency and solve the case. Well, our table, the Hugh Killam and Will Ketcham Detective agency, was the first to solve it, and had the most complete solution. So we won some neat prizes! Overall, a day for winners- if only every day was like this :)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Nothing's simple
I had the best short run Tuesday night on the treadmill at the gym. I started doing 5.5 mph, feeling that the usual 5.3 was too slow. It must be the heel up running- quick touches on the ground meant a faster pace. I felt I could have run much faster, and no pain! It was bliss. I met one of the run coaches while stretching, and she told me about this cardio program at the gym, and that there was a free trial that evening. So I stopped my run and did the cardio workout- essentially this was zone training. I still felt good. So much so that after that, I went again on the treadmill. The total for the night was 4.5 miles.
That night, I got this email saying that my old gym run club was running on treadmills in the morning. Since I haven't joined them for 2 weeks, I thought this was a good way of showing my face again. So off to the gym at 6 AM, and we did interval training on treadmills. This was not as good as my run the night before. Maybe I overdid it, with back-to-back runs, but there was some shin and calf pain. I ran 3.5 miles total, and almost got my daughter late for school. I also went up to 7 mph speeds, and my HR even hit 180 bpm! So yeah, maybe I overdid it.
The rest of the day was fine- I could walk, but I certainly felt something in the left shin the whole day. Massage helped, but I decided to skip Taekwondo just in case. I do feel good about doing 9 miles already, and it's only Wednesday. So now I am thinking of swimming or biking tomorrow, time permitting.
So what about the title of this post? The cardio training, if I sign up for it, costs $499 for 12 sessions! And I thought running was one of the cheapest sports! All I want is to finish a marathon- I've got good shoes, a training program, a HR monitor, friends to do long runs with- I say that should be enough. But, nothing is simple...
I am also looking at a FuelBelt for Saturday's 14 miler. The 4-bottle Helium (8 oz. each) look good, and felt good at the store, and has nice reviews, but it is $49.95. Again, nothing is simple... The older version- the Endurance is cheaper at $36, but the Helium seems to be more comfortable. I do know that I don't like the 6-bottle ones- the middle bottles hit my arms, and I would have to change my personal trainer-certified *perfect* arm form. This is one where I probably have to cough up the cash- so see you in a new FuelBelt?
That night, I got this email saying that my old gym run club was running on treadmills in the morning. Since I haven't joined them for 2 weeks, I thought this was a good way of showing my face again. So off to the gym at 6 AM, and we did interval training on treadmills. This was not as good as my run the night before. Maybe I overdid it, with back-to-back runs, but there was some shin and calf pain. I ran 3.5 miles total, and almost got my daughter late for school. I also went up to 7 mph speeds, and my HR even hit 180 bpm! So yeah, maybe I overdid it.
The rest of the day was fine- I could walk, but I certainly felt something in the left shin the whole day. Massage helped, but I decided to skip Taekwondo just in case. I do feel good about doing 9 miles already, and it's only Wednesday. So now I am thinking of swimming or biking tomorrow, time permitting.
So what about the title of this post? The cardio training, if I sign up for it, costs $499 for 12 sessions! And I thought running was one of the cheapest sports! All I want is to finish a marathon- I've got good shoes, a training program, a HR monitor, friends to do long runs with- I say that should be enough. But, nothing is simple...
I am also looking at a FuelBelt for Saturday's 14 miler. The 4-bottle Helium (8 oz. each) look good, and felt good at the store, and has nice reviews, but it is $49.95. Again, nothing is simple... The older version- the Endurance is cheaper at $36, but the Helium seems to be more comfortable. I do know that I don't like the 6-bottle ones- the middle bottles hit my arms, and I would have to change my personal trainer-certified *perfect* arm form. This is one where I probably have to cough up the cash- so see you in a new FuelBelt?
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Life with a Mac
For the first time in weeks, Taekwondo was not painful. Of course, I still didn't try hitting the bags, but at least the running and other excercises did not hurt as much. I planned on running close to midnight yesterday, but it just didn't happen. Instead, I spent maybe 3 hours trying to get Mail in Mac OSX to work with my work IMAP.
For more than a week, I haven't been able to use Mail- I was using my university's web mail app. Now that web-based email was just not my cup of tea- too clunky, and I never really wanted to learn the thing. I have been using Eudora for more than 9 years, and then Thunderbird for the last 2 years. I was determined to use Mail (and all the Mac apps I can use), and it should work. But, of course, the basic instructions in my university's webpages were not complete. So, given an unresponsive computer support unit (they were goning to learn the Mac, too, I guess), I fiddled with this thing. I must have spent more than 4 hours total on configuring it- and around midnight, I got it to work! So now, I am one of the 2or 3 people in my whole department who use Mail.
So I am in the minority. I sometimes feel like a trailblazer, but mostly, I feel left on my own. Sure, there is the Mac store in town, but it seems switching from a PC has too many hassles. Sort of like running. There's the time needed, and now that I'm running on a trail 30 min away, and the miles are increasing, a run is more like a 4.5 hour affair (wake up at 5:40, get back by 10). It will only get worse - a 20 mile run is about 4 hours. Then there's the 'being alone' part. You wake up, put on your shoes, and head off. It's an individual sport. You may meet all these other runners on the road, but in the end, it's your legs, your miles. I don't mind it. I am doing it for GK, I am doing it for me. It all blends in nicely. I feel good about myself, my family, having a Mac, driving a hybrid car, having a water solar water heater. Now if only I can get my office cleaned...
For more than a week, I haven't been able to use Mail- I was using my university's web mail app. Now that web-based email was just not my cup of tea- too clunky, and I never really wanted to learn the thing. I have been using Eudora for more than 9 years, and then Thunderbird for the last 2 years. I was determined to use Mail (and all the Mac apps I can use), and it should work. But, of course, the basic instructions in my university's webpages were not complete. So, given an unresponsive computer support unit (they were goning to learn the Mac, too, I guess), I fiddled with this thing. I must have spent more than 4 hours total on configuring it- and around midnight, I got it to work! So now, I am one of the 2or 3 people in my whole department who use Mail.
So I am in the minority. I sometimes feel like a trailblazer, but mostly, I feel left on my own. Sure, there is the Mac store in town, but it seems switching from a PC has too many hassles. Sort of like running. There's the time needed, and now that I'm running on a trail 30 min away, and the miles are increasing, a run is more like a 4.5 hour affair (wake up at 5:40, get back by 10). It will only get worse - a 20 mile run is about 4 hours. Then there's the 'being alone' part. You wake up, put on your shoes, and head off. It's an individual sport. You may meet all these other runners on the road, but in the end, it's your legs, your miles. I don't mind it. I am doing it for GK, I am doing it for me. It all blends in nicely. I feel good about myself, my family, having a Mac, driving a hybrid car, having a water solar water heater. Now if only I can get my office cleaned...
Saturday, August 25, 2007
You learn balance, you do good karate
They showed "The Karate Kid" on TV today. It's one of those movies you have seen a hundred times, but you still watch it. Maybe because Pat Morita has the best lines of any stereotypical old Japanese sensei- he is Gandalf, Dumbledore, and Miyagi the apartment super/mystic martial arts guru with the sense of humor. So he had this whole message about "balance".
Daniel-san- learn balance! You learn balance, you do good karate. First, learn balance!
It seems like balance is a good word for runners. Not just the physical inner-ear, stay-on-your-feet thing, but also mental balance, and the balance between overtraining and not pushing enough. It's the balance between my left gastroc muscles and my shins. I've finally figured out that if I don't adequately stretch my calves, my shins will hurt. It's the balance between continuing the run despite the pain in your knees, versus worrying about busting your knees and ending all chances of running that marathon in November. This is where I am now.
Last week was a good week- great long run, and awesome short runs during the week. This week was a bust. Got a little sick early in the week and missed a Monday run, then just plain too much work in the office to get any time to run. When I ran on the treadmill on Thursday night, I had to stop after 0.5 miles because of knee pain. I had to be content with biking on a gym machine for 20 minutes. So entering the Sat long run, I had exactly 0.5 miles for the week. Well, the long run started late, and it was Code Orange today - hot (105 deg F) and humid. Ed A. and I ran for 6.5 miles, and when I got to the car, I decided not to do another loop. Maybe that was the right thing to do - it was late, the sun was up, it was hot and sticky. Or maybe I should have pushed.
I wasn't sure what to do. I now feel behind- only 7 miles this week, and I am thinking of going for 6 miles tomorrow, just to feel better about myself. But is that too much? Where is the balance?
It sems to me that training for a marathon is about reaching new heights of fitness, muscle strength, endurance. But the path is not linear, and progress is not always continuous. Maybe it is about hitting a new steady-state, a higher plane each week, while still maintaining balance. Balance between stressing the legs and knees, and giving them enough time to adjust.
So maybe I'll run tomorrow and count it as miles for the week. Maybe I'm babying these knees too much. Or maybe I'm this close to wrecking my knees? Time for some balance, Daniel-san. Will let you know.
Daniel-san- learn balance! You learn balance, you do good karate. First, learn balance!
It seems like balance is a good word for runners. Not just the physical inner-ear, stay-on-your-feet thing, but also mental balance, and the balance between overtraining and not pushing enough. It's the balance between my left gastroc muscles and my shins. I've finally figured out that if I don't adequately stretch my calves, my shins will hurt. It's the balance between continuing the run despite the pain in your knees, versus worrying about busting your knees and ending all chances of running that marathon in November. This is where I am now.
Last week was a good week- great long run, and awesome short runs during the week. This week was a bust. Got a little sick early in the week and missed a Monday run, then just plain too much work in the office to get any time to run. When I ran on the treadmill on Thursday night, I had to stop after 0.5 miles because of knee pain. I had to be content with biking on a gym machine for 20 minutes. So entering the Sat long run, I had exactly 0.5 miles for the week. Well, the long run started late, and it was Code Orange today - hot (105 deg F) and humid. Ed A. and I ran for 6.5 miles, and when I got to the car, I decided not to do another loop. Maybe that was the right thing to do - it was late, the sun was up, it was hot and sticky. Or maybe I should have pushed.
I wasn't sure what to do. I now feel behind- only 7 miles this week, and I am thinking of going for 6 miles tomorrow, just to feel better about myself. But is that too much? Where is the balance?
It sems to me that training for a marathon is about reaching new heights of fitness, muscle strength, endurance. But the path is not linear, and progress is not always continuous. Maybe it is about hitting a new steady-state, a higher plane each week, while still maintaining balance. Balance between stressing the legs and knees, and giving them enough time to adjust.
So maybe I'll run tomorrow and count it as miles for the week. Maybe I'm babying these knees too much. Or maybe I'm this close to wrecking my knees? Time for some balance, Daniel-san. Will let you know.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Changes
I haven't posted for a few days. It has been hectic- the start of a new semester, switching over to a Mac from a laptop PC, new students arriving, etc. Meetings run from morning to late in the afternoon, and I have even missed eating lunches.
I also haven't run since Saturday. My knees felt weak on Monday, then I think I was sick Tuesday, slightly sick and uber-busy on Wednesday. I plan to run in the gym later tonight. I am hoping this is a start-of-the semester thing, and I will get back to running twice during the week. It seems sitting down for long periods is worse than running- my knees hurt when I finally stand up! I also have to report a blister on my right second toe- but I am not sure if it from my running shoes or from my "business" shoes. I have stopped wearing sandals to school, since I am now teaching. Perhaps my feet have gotten bigger?
I also haven't run since Saturday. My knees felt weak on Monday, then I think I was sick Tuesday, slightly sick and uber-busy on Wednesday. I plan to run in the gym later tonight. I am hoping this is a start-of-the semester thing, and I will get back to running twice during the week. It seems sitting down for long periods is worse than running- my knees hurt when I finally stand up! I also have to report a blister on my right second toe- but I am not sure if it from my running shoes or from my "business" shoes. I have stopped wearing sandals to school, since I am now teaching. Perhaps my feet have gotten bigger?
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Now I know why it's the City of Oaks!
I had to add up the miles Jeff and I ran today at Umstead Park- it was 10.4 miles of trail. We hadn't planned the route, so we just sort of decided to go from the Graylyn entrance all the way to Reedy Creek. Well, we got to the Reedy Creek gate, and we felt we would be shortchanged if we just ran back, so we decided to go past Graylyn trail and continue on Reedy Creek trail, past airport overlook, and about halfway to the West Gate. Jeff remarked that he couldn't believe we were starting to think that Umstead was too small...
The nice thing about running back from Reedy Creek to Graylyn was that this is the route the marathon will take. So having a good run on it was satisfying- we had met the enemy, and we could take him! The run was also longer than I had planned, and my weekly mileage was 4+3.5+10.4 = about 18 miles. This is a big jump from last week's 13 miles, and every book I've read said keep the weekly increases below 10%, but it felt good. I really felt good the whole time- there was the last hill where my HR went up to 174 per minute, and I had to stop and walk, but otherwise, everything felt great. I started to feel something in my left knee, and I have on (8 hours later) a knee brace, but I am walking straight. Nothing like the pain after the 14-miler 3 weeks ago. I thnk the new run form (heel up) is helping with my knees, and running on the trail and treadmill definitely helps. Now I have to decide if I will ever train on concrete or asphalt! I think I can train on the treadmill and in Umstead until November.
Running on trails has its unique characters- (1) you have to worry about water, (2) you meet all these other trail runners, (3) you have to contend with bikes (I haven't seen a single horse yet), and (4) you have to improvise when faced with "discharge" issues. On (1), Jeff brought a water belt for $36- it carries 6 small bottles, and I and Mia actually drank 2 of them! Mia and Anetta played water girls again, coming back to us on their bikes every 2 miles. It worked, until I and Mia used up our water, and I felt I needed gatorade. So in the last 4 miles, I drank some of Jeff's supply. It turns out there are no water stops anywhere on our route. On (2), we met a lot of runners today, it seems everybody started training for the City of Oaks marathon! Among the memorable ones- a pack of highschool girls who were so fit and lean, I felt so old :) Especially when they blew by us (doing our 11:30 pace). I told Jeff we should be prepared for lots of people passing us during the actual marathon. I am hoping I can pass at least one, so I won't be last :)
On (3), some of the bikes were going fast and kicking up a lot of dust. I think on actual marathon day, I will be breathing a lot of dust (see 2 above). On (4), well we're on a trail, you need to go, so you basically go off the trail and find a nice old tree, look up and down the trail to see if any women are coming, and you discharge some of that water you chugged. So now I figured why they call this the City of Oaks marathon- all these oaks serving as cover and as recipient of liquid during this drought :)
I probably ran faster than usual- the heel up running forces me to keep ground contact very short. And I feel good knowing I'm back to 10+ miles, and 18 miles per week. Next week, the target for the long run is 12-14 miles, and maybe 20 mpw.
The nice thing about running back from Reedy Creek to Graylyn was that this is the route the marathon will take. So having a good run on it was satisfying- we had met the enemy, and we could take him! The run was also longer than I had planned, and my weekly mileage was 4+3.5+10.4 = about 18 miles. This is a big jump from last week's 13 miles, and every book I've read said keep the weekly increases below 10%, but it felt good. I really felt good the whole time- there was the last hill where my HR went up to 174 per minute, and I had to stop and walk, but otherwise, everything felt great. I started to feel something in my left knee, and I have on (8 hours later) a knee brace, but I am walking straight. Nothing like the pain after the 14-miler 3 weeks ago. I thnk the new run form (heel up) is helping with my knees, and running on the trail and treadmill definitely helps. Now I have to decide if I will ever train on concrete or asphalt! I think I can train on the treadmill and in Umstead until November.
Running on trails has its unique characters- (1) you have to worry about water, (2) you meet all these other trail runners, (3) you have to contend with bikes (I haven't seen a single horse yet), and (4) you have to improvise when faced with "discharge" issues. On (1), Jeff brought a water belt for $36- it carries 6 small bottles, and I and Mia actually drank 2 of them! Mia and Anetta played water girls again, coming back to us on their bikes every 2 miles. It worked, until I and Mia used up our water, and I felt I needed gatorade. So in the last 4 miles, I drank some of Jeff's supply. It turns out there are no water stops anywhere on our route. On (2), we met a lot of runners today, it seems everybody started training for the City of Oaks marathon! Among the memorable ones- a pack of highschool girls who were so fit and lean, I felt so old :) Especially when they blew by us (doing our 11:30 pace). I told Jeff we should be prepared for lots of people passing us during the actual marathon. I am hoping I can pass at least one, so I won't be last :)
On (3), some of the bikes were going fast and kicking up a lot of dust. I think on actual marathon day, I will be breathing a lot of dust (see 2 above). On (4), well we're on a trail, you need to go, so you basically go off the trail and find a nice old tree, look up and down the trail to see if any women are coming, and you discharge some of that water you chugged. So now I figured why they call this the City of Oaks marathon- all these oaks serving as cover and as recipient of liquid during this drought :)
I probably ran faster than usual- the heel up running forces me to keep ground contact very short. And I feel good knowing I'm back to 10+ miles, and 18 miles per week. Next week, the target for the long run is 12-14 miles, and maybe 20 mpw.
Keeping on
I ran 3.5 miles last night (Thursday) on the treadmill. There was no other time available except at 10 PM, so I went to the gym. Just a few people around- maybe less than 12. I ran the first 20 min at 11:15/mile pace. Then I did 10 min run/1 min walk after that. I figured 3.5 was a good place to stop. The left calf had some pain the first 0.6 miles, but it went away. My average HR was 150 bpm. A little too high, since I spent 50% of the time out of the 115-155 bpm zone. Anyway, it felt good.
For some reason, I haven't gotten used to earphones and an MP3 player. I just watch the TV screens (1 HS football game, 1 news show, and 1 music video show) simultaneously. The music at the gym is usually pretty good, and I just have to keep time.
Today (Friday), I had some pain in the left leg-kinda like shin splints, upper leg. I tried massaging it, but it looks weird massaging your leg at work. Anyway, today was one meeting after another from 11 AM to 4:30 PM. I actually didn't have time for lunch. So I had a big dinner at a friend's house- the kids practiced a Filipino dance (tinikling) and watched HS Musical 2. Tomorrow we go to the trail again for maybe 8 or 9 miles.
For some reason, I haven't gotten used to earphones and an MP3 player. I just watch the TV screens (1 HS football game, 1 news show, and 1 music video show) simultaneously. The music at the gym is usually pretty good, and I just have to keep time.
Today (Friday), I had some pain in the left leg-kinda like shin splints, upper leg. I tried massaging it, but it looks weird massaging your leg at work. Anyway, today was one meeting after another from 11 AM to 4:30 PM. I actually didn't have time for lunch. So I had a big dinner at a friend's house- the kids practiced a Filipino dance (tinikling) and watched HS Musical 2. Tomorrow we go to the trail again for maybe 8 or 9 miles.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Reminders amid the busy-ness
Today was a blur. Going to the office with 13-year old and 3-year old in tow, finishing edits on a manuscript, meeting new graduate students, meeting with existing grad students about research, arranging faculty meetings, dropping off one kid at the dentist's, picking up another kid, and then coming back to the dentist's - that was the whole day. I planned on taking the kids to the pool in the evening to unwind (and maybe swim a few laps), but the pool was closed for chemical treatment. So we went back home, changed, then decided to come back to the gym so the 7-year old can go rock-climbing. Today was a blur.
But amid the busy-ness, I was reminded many times of the value of being in the moment. By that, I mean total concentration on just the thing at the moment. A major part of this was having Mireya beside me the whole day. When you have to make sure a 3-year old is not bored and satisfied, and when you are interrupted many times, you just have to pay attention. So I didn't feel stressed out. There are lots of funny moments with little kids. It was also good to spend time with my son at the climbing wall. I was belayer, and he enjoyed it, though he hasn't made it to any top yet. So all in all, this day was fine- I got to do some of the things I had to do at the office, and I did spend some time with my kids.
Another reminder was a phone call to a friend of my sister's whom I met last year in the Philippines. Their son Jack has a rare genetic disease called Fanconi Anemia, and they have been trying to raise funds for his bone marrow transplant to give him his best chance of living a long normal life. They were supposed to attend this camp in Maine for kids with FA, but they missed it, because Jack had to be hospitalized several times while in Los Angeles, where they stopped over at his grandparents' house. Imagine being in a foreign country, with no medical insurance, with a kid with a life-threatening disease. They have spent a lot, and will probably spend more, as Jack undergoes more blood transfusions and needs more medicine.
These are the reminders that amid our busy-ness, there are more important things going on in the world. There are parents praying and doing their best to keep their children alive. In the end, these are the things that matter. Kiss your children tonight, tell them you love them. Be reminded of what life is about.
To learn more about Jack Simbulan's brave fight against FA, and to help the Simbulans, please visit www.savejacksimbulan.blogspot.com
But amid the busy-ness, I was reminded many times of the value of being in the moment. By that, I mean total concentration on just the thing at the moment. A major part of this was having Mireya beside me the whole day. When you have to make sure a 3-year old is not bored and satisfied, and when you are interrupted many times, you just have to pay attention. So I didn't feel stressed out. There are lots of funny moments with little kids. It was also good to spend time with my son at the climbing wall. I was belayer, and he enjoyed it, though he hasn't made it to any top yet. So all in all, this day was fine- I got to do some of the things I had to do at the office, and I did spend some time with my kids.
Another reminder was a phone call to a friend of my sister's whom I met last year in the Philippines. Their son Jack has a rare genetic disease called Fanconi Anemia, and they have been trying to raise funds for his bone marrow transplant to give him his best chance of living a long normal life. They were supposed to attend this camp in Maine for kids with FA, but they missed it, because Jack had to be hospitalized several times while in Los Angeles, where they stopped over at his grandparents' house. Imagine being in a foreign country, with no medical insurance, with a kid with a life-threatening disease. They have spent a lot, and will probably spend more, as Jack undergoes more blood transfusions and needs more medicine.
These are the reminders that amid our busy-ness, there are more important things going on in the world. There are parents praying and doing their best to keep their children alive. In the end, these are the things that matter. Kiss your children tonight, tell them you love them. Be reminded of what life is about.
To learn more about Jack Simbulan's brave fight against FA, and to help the Simbulans, please visit www.savejacksimbulan.blogspot.com
Monday, August 13, 2007
Making progress
This morning I skipped my gym run club's run and went solo on the treadmill. I ran 4 miles on 10 min run/1 min walk (5.3 mph/3.3 mph). The calf pain in the left leg went away after 0.5 miles. I ran pretty much pain-free the whole way! the key is really making time for stretching before the run. However, my HR was somewhat higher this morning. The overall average was 151, and I was in my target zome of 120-155 only for 20 min out of the 45 min I was on the treadmill. My HR at "steady-state" running was mostly in the 161 range. I wouldn't have noticed without the HR monitor, though. I felt fine the whole way. Also, my HR went back down to below 138 quickly during the walk breaks. So does this mean I am recovering faster? I wonder if there is any additional stress on the heart with this up-and-down rate going on? Anyway, I am happy with the run, and I feel good- no aches 4 hours after the run. I feel I am making progress.
On the heel up type of running- I tried it and I think I may be getting the hang of it. It may have contributed to the fact I don't have any knee or calf pain. It does force me a little to lean forward (just a little). It helped to have mirror on the side wall- I could watch my form while running.
On the heel up type of running- I tried it and I think I may be getting the hang of it. It may have contributed to the fact I don't have any knee or calf pain. It does force me a little to lean forward (just a little). It helped to have mirror on the side wall- I could watch my form while running.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Going home
First the running info- no run today, it's rest day. I may run tomorrow with my old gym run club. Or else just run in the morning on the treadmill. Either way, I hope to do 4 miles.
On to the title of this post...For the past few days, I have been thinking about coming home to the Philippines. This is something I have thought about for the past 15 years, of course, but recently I received two emails: one from a high school batchmate, who relayed the sentiments of a former teacher in high school. The other one was from a high school batchmate. The former teacher lamented the fact that Phil. science and technology is still so backward, despite all the money invested in special science high schools. She was disappointed that all these science graduates end up abroad, and their training and skills do not benefit the Philippines. The batchmate opined that if there are no opportunities in the Philippines, we should be making these opportunities.
I have studied the phenomenon of brain drain for a long time, as well as the more general phenomenon now called the Filipino diaspora. Public policy of course is different from personal decision-making, but some perspective can be gained from country-wide data. These data include the estimated 8 million Filipinos abroad (10% of the population), and the $11 Billion that overseas workers remit back to the country (around 12% of GDP). Indeed, without these overseas workers, the Philippine economy will take tremendous hit. Many families are kept out of poverty because of a relative or two who send back money. It is also clear that there are not enough jobs to absorb these overseas workers. With unemployment at 19%, these folks will join the ranks of the unemployed, or at least take over jobs from those currently employed.
But perhaps these overall numbers do not or should not apply to the most skilled and educated of these overseas workers. For indeed, if the best and the brightest all get up and leave, what will happen to the country? But what would it take to make the best and brightest come back? Certainly jobs that will pay the equivalent of what these folks earn abroad will be hard to find. But perhaps there are positions that, while not paying as much, would be meaningful enough, challenging enough, and important enough that it would appeal to these balikbayans. The challenge for balikbayans is finding these positions (I'm not really sure that "making opportunities", whatever that means, will always work). The challenge for the government, and those in the Philippines is welcoming these balikbayans, and not making them feel unwanted. Too often the attitude of those left behind is one of disdain. Some of us who are abroad want to contribute, and are trying to find ways how...
More on this in future posts...
On to the title of this post...For the past few days, I have been thinking about coming home to the Philippines. This is something I have thought about for the past 15 years, of course, but recently I received two emails: one from a high school batchmate, who relayed the sentiments of a former teacher in high school. The other one was from a high school batchmate. The former teacher lamented the fact that Phil. science and technology is still so backward, despite all the money invested in special science high schools. She was disappointed that all these science graduates end up abroad, and their training and skills do not benefit the Philippines. The batchmate opined that if there are no opportunities in the Philippines, we should be making these opportunities.
I have studied the phenomenon of brain drain for a long time, as well as the more general phenomenon now called the Filipino diaspora. Public policy of course is different from personal decision-making, but some perspective can be gained from country-wide data. These data include the estimated 8 million Filipinos abroad (10% of the population), and the $11 Billion that overseas workers remit back to the country (around 12% of GDP). Indeed, without these overseas workers, the Philippine economy will take tremendous hit. Many families are kept out of poverty because of a relative or two who send back money. It is also clear that there are not enough jobs to absorb these overseas workers. With unemployment at 19%, these folks will join the ranks of the unemployed, or at least take over jobs from those currently employed.
But perhaps these overall numbers do not or should not apply to the most skilled and educated of these overseas workers. For indeed, if the best and the brightest all get up and leave, what will happen to the country? But what would it take to make the best and brightest come back? Certainly jobs that will pay the equivalent of what these folks earn abroad will be hard to find. But perhaps there are positions that, while not paying as much, would be meaningful enough, challenging enough, and important enough that it would appeal to these balikbayans. The challenge for balikbayans is finding these positions (I'm not really sure that "making opportunities", whatever that means, will always work). The challenge for the government, and those in the Philippines is welcoming these balikbayans, and not making them feel unwanted. Too often the attitude of those left behind is one of disdain. Some of us who are abroad want to contribute, and are trying to find ways how...
More on this in future posts...
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Happy trails
This morning, Jeff and I ran about 7 miles at the Umstead State Park. We started at the Graylyn Rd entrance, then from the Graylyn trail to the Reedy Creek Trail, to the N Turkey Trail, then back to the cars at Graylyn. My daughter Mia and Jeff's daughter Anetta biked ahead of us, coming back every 2-3 miles to give us their water bottles. Those two are training for a teen's triathlon in September (150 m swim, 4.5 mile bike ride, and 1.5 mile run), and probably rode a total of 8-9 miles.
The trail itself was nice sand and gravel, although one trail had rough gravel and deep ruts. The way back on N Turkey was full of hills, and long steep ones too! This was a new route for us, and we didn't know what to expect- almost everyone else was doing it the other way! But since we didn't know what was coming, we just went up each hill as it came along- in a way this was better psychologically. The short hills at Lake Pine had became sort of dreadful, as you knew they were coming.
I did well during the first 4 miles. We did 10 min run, 1 min walk. But the hills got my HR up to a max of 174, and I had to tell Jeff to do 5 min/1 min to allow my HR to come down. My HR monitor kept beeping- I guess the thing was set for zone training up to only 155 bpm. So in the end, I had to shut down th timer to stop it beeping. If I knew how to work it (if I read the manual!), I could set the max HR higher, while running. But it was too tiring to set it while trying to trek uphill. Anywa, average HR was 136.
The good news is that my legs held up, although I felt it a little in the knees. A few hours after the run, the knees hurt a little, but I think it's almost gone now. I should have iced it for longer..oh well. The new Asics Gel Kayano shoes held up nicely. I tried hard to strike heel up, midfoot first. Still learning it, but I think I can do it. I did run noticeably faster when I concentrate on form, since at high gait speed and very quick contact with the ground, the body moves forward fast. The bad news is that on trails, we can't rely on our daghters always being there. So I need to get a belt to carry small bottles of water. I also have to be conscious of carb reloading. I felt weak up those hills- I could have used a Clif bar or gu.
Running on trails is the way to go. It' easier on the knees and legs since it's softer. Lots of runners at Umstead too- looks like everyone was training for the City of Oaks. I will shoot for 9 to 10 miles next weekend, and do treadmills during the week. For a first run on trails, this was not bad. And I am glad to get back on the game and rebuild those long runs. So my mileage this week is 4+2+7 = 13 miles. Next week, it should be around 16 mles.
The trail itself was nice sand and gravel, although one trail had rough gravel and deep ruts. The way back on N Turkey was full of hills, and long steep ones too! This was a new route for us, and we didn't know what to expect- almost everyone else was doing it the other way! But since we didn't know what was coming, we just went up each hill as it came along- in a way this was better psychologically. The short hills at Lake Pine had became sort of dreadful, as you knew they were coming.
I did well during the first 4 miles. We did 10 min run, 1 min walk. But the hills got my HR up to a max of 174, and I had to tell Jeff to do 5 min/1 min to allow my HR to come down. My HR monitor kept beeping- I guess the thing was set for zone training up to only 155 bpm. So in the end, I had to shut down th timer to stop it beeping. If I knew how to work it (if I read the manual!), I could set the max HR higher, while running. But it was too tiring to set it while trying to trek uphill. Anywa, average HR was 136.
The good news is that my legs held up, although I felt it a little in the knees. A few hours after the run, the knees hurt a little, but I think it's almost gone now. I should have iced it for longer..oh well. The new Asics Gel Kayano shoes held up nicely. I tried hard to strike heel up, midfoot first. Still learning it, but I think I can do it. I did run noticeably faster when I concentrate on form, since at high gait speed and very quick contact with the ground, the body moves forward fast. The bad news is that on trails, we can't rely on our daghters always being there. So I need to get a belt to carry small bottles of water. I also have to be conscious of carb reloading. I felt weak up those hills- I could have used a Clif bar or gu.
Running on trails is the way to go. It' easier on the knees and legs since it's softer. Lots of runners at Umstead too- looks like everyone was training for the City of Oaks. I will shoot for 9 to 10 miles next weekend, and do treadmills during the week. For a first run on trails, this was not bad. And I am glad to get back on the game and rebuild those long runs. So my mileage this week is 4+2+7 = 13 miles. Next week, it should be around 16 mles.
Potter and soul
I know this is supposed to be about running and GK, and I know I should be in bed, resting for tomorrow's long run (actually, in 5 hours), but we just got back from watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The book itself is dark, and I personally think it would be challenging to make a great movie out of it. But this movie failed to live up to expectations. I actually think the movie is bad. Badly executed, badly directed. The magic of the first four movies is gone, and I think the problem is that the director never "got" the magic of HP in the first place.
Remember when you first saw quidditch in the first movie? Or Hogwarts? Even the train station? Well, all that magic is gone. We are left with a movie with no storytelling soul. Characters reduced to caricatures, pretty mediocre CGI effects, nothing new to discover in this movie: no emotion, no "wow" moments, not even a cohesive plot. It's all about friendship and love? In the end, the movie showed neither. Sorry, but we have to call it as it is- the worst HP movie ever.
Which brings us back to soul. How do we get it- in a movie, in anything we do? I'm not sure, but I think it's about being part of the journey- breathing it, living it, experiencing it. I just don't think the director experienced HP the way serious fans do. And without that personal experience, there is no magic, there is no soul.
Remember when you first saw quidditch in the first movie? Or Hogwarts? Even the train station? Well, all that magic is gone. We are left with a movie with no storytelling soul. Characters reduced to caricatures, pretty mediocre CGI effects, nothing new to discover in this movie: no emotion, no "wow" moments, not even a cohesive plot. It's all about friendship and love? In the end, the movie showed neither. Sorry, but we have to call it as it is- the worst HP movie ever.
Which brings us back to soul. How do we get it- in a movie, in anything we do? I'm not sure, but I think it's about being part of the journey- breathing it, living it, experiencing it. I just don't think the director experienced HP the way serious fans do. And without that personal experience, there is no magic, there is no soul.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Reconnecting
I was supposed to do 4-6 miles today, but somehow, the day ended without me ever getting to the gym. It's too hot to run outside, so the gym or the treadmill at home are the only options. Between meetings at work, trying to finish a research report, and driving the kids to piano, I just lost track of the day.
But mostly, I spent a lot of time emailing people. My highschool email group as well as a college org email group are both burning with posts. People were coming out of the woodwork to post- pretty cool. I spent some time reconnecting with friends from long ago. And of course, I learned some new things- both about my legs and about what people thought...
The calves need to be stretched after 30 min of sitting down. For some reason, the knee is also acting up. Maybe my legs are just restless- they knew today was supposed to be a run day. Oh well, I'll try tomorrow. I'll probably just go for 2 or 3 miles, since it's supposed to be a rest day before Saturday's long run. I need to find some trails we can run on Saturday.
But mostly, I spent a lot of time emailing people. My highschool email group as well as a college org email group are both burning with posts. People were coming out of the woodwork to post- pretty cool. I spent some time reconnecting with friends from long ago. And of course, I learned some new things- both about my legs and about what people thought...
The calves need to be stretched after 30 min of sitting down. For some reason, the knee is also acting up. Maybe my legs are just restless- they knew today was supposed to be a run day. Oh well, I'll try tomorrow. I'll probably just go for 2 or 3 miles, since it's supposed to be a rest day before Saturday's long run. I need to find some trails we can run on Saturday.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Veggie Tales
I didn't run today, just Taekwondo in the evening. It's too hot to run outside anyway- it was 102 deg C in the afternoon, with a heat index of 110! I was stretching the whole day, mostly my calves. Taekwondo was more bearable this time, maybe because I didn't kick the bag. I worked mostly on form and hook kicks. My left calf is still tight, even with stretching all the time...
We watched a Veggie Tales video today while having dinner. The title was "The Sumo of the Opera". Well, the whole lesson was on perseverance. The cucumber (Larry) had to train hard and finish - he had a match with Apollo the big potato. All the time, I was thinking of finishing, continuing the training. "You can't just give up, you've got to finish what you start", and "Keep on keeping on!". Well, that's my new mantra, courtesy of Veggie tales- "keep on keeping on!" After all, this is for GK!
We watched a Veggie Tales video today while having dinner. The title was "The Sumo of the Opera". Well, the whole lesson was on perseverance. The cucumber (Larry) had to train hard and finish - he had a match with Apollo the big potato. All the time, I was thinking of finishing, continuing the training. "You can't just give up, you've got to finish what you start", and "Keep on keeping on!". Well, that's my new mantra, courtesy of Veggie tales- "keep on keeping on!" After all, this is for GK!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Form and function
This morning I went to see a personal trainer to look at my biomechanics. If it feels like I've been to the gym every day, it's because I have, since Saturday...Anyway, my wife had a $35 gift card, so the 1-hour consult cost me $44. The results? First the good news- my arm form is almost perfect, and I keep my ear, hip and feet alignment pretty well. I have a little bounce (just a little), and my gait speed needs to go to 90 per minute from 84 per minute. I can do with a slightly smaller stride. The bad news? I need to run on my midfoot, with my heel up. Apparently this is the new way of running efficiently, heel up. Well, it easier said than done. It seems to put more pain on my left calf, and I still can't get the hang of it. Geesh, this is going to be tough to learn... I also was introduced to a machine for calf training, as well as the other kind of treadmill, and also core training. I think I'll try it out this week and see how it goes.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Good to be back
Well, today I ran 4 miles on the treadmill. It felt good- I ran 2.5 miles then ran/walked the rest at 5 min/1 min intervals. Run pace was 11:15, walk was 3.7 mph. There was the pain in the soleus at the beginning, but it went away. I also did the body-age test at the gym, and I was measured, prodded, pinched- and finally, was told my "age". This 38 year-old has a 35 year-old body! Woohoo! I'm just glad to be back from shin splints. The key for me is stretching- before and after. Hopefully, I can be back to doing long runs- I was at 14 miles 2 weeks ago, but now have to build up again. I am shooting for 8 miles this weekend. Tomorrow, I am going for a 1 hour consult on biomechanics- I think my run form contributes to the injuries. It's $79, but I think it will be well spent, plus I still have the $35 gift card...
I also did Taekwondo today, and boy did things get rough! My hips and feet were hurting. I am starting to think that Taekwondo is not the best X-training for running a marathon. But I don't want to give it up yet.. Maybe after I test for my blue belt in 2 months?
I also did Taekwondo today, and boy did things get rough! My hips and feet were hurting. I am starting to think that Taekwondo is not the best X-training for running a marathon. But I don't want to give it up yet.. Maybe after I test for my blue belt in 2 months?
Sunday, August 5, 2007
GK is hope, Part 2
For us, the greatest proof was what we saw on the ground, in the Philippines. My daughter Mia and I joined the 2006 Bayanihan Build in Quirino Province. We worked for one week alongside the beneficiary families in building their homes. We dug foundations, poured concrete, made partitions, painted walls. We saw firsthand the bayanihan spirit that building a community evokes. We shared stories of struggle and hope with the families. And we saw the hope that a home brings to a poor family.
And that is the first cornerstone of GK- providing a colorful, decent home one family at a time, one village at a time. For $1500, you can build a small house- 16 ft by 12 ft, made of hollowblocks and concrete, with a real roof, doors, windows. To us this might be small space, but to these families, this is the first time they will have a home. But it is not the house itself that builds the community- it is the working together among neighbors, among the kapitbahayan, that builds the community spirit. This removes the violence and anger- for how can you be angry at your neighbor- he built your house, and you built his. This is the start of moving away from the slum mentality- in one year or less, there is no crime, no violence in GK communities. If you give people a shot at a decent, clean life, they will want to stay that way. In the process, since they were involved with building, the fathers get a culture of “work”, and they become empowered as fathers again- providers and protectors of their family. We shared stories of broken fathers, made whole by the dignity of work in building his family’s shelter.
And that’s where it starts. You also build in the community a school, you provide funds for a qualified preschool teacher, so the kids are in school and not in the streets. You have a program for elementary school-age children (SIBOL), and a program for teens (SIGA). These children will never be slum children again, we have many stories fo former squatters getting college educations. Thus you break the cycle of poverty.
Then you have a livelihood component- Gawad Kabuhayan. This can be site-specific, but example projects include handicrafts, plant nurseries and gardening, vegetable gardening, a fertilizer facility, food (longanisa/tocino) industry, eco-tourism. This makes the village sustainable. Then you have a health component – Gawad Kalusugan- supported by volunteer medical professionals from the Phil and abroad. You focus on eradicating waterborne diseases, immunizations, eradicating TB, providing good health practices. An you have continuous lessons and support for the Kapitbahayan association. You build a real, working community of people so they see each other as a community, uplifting their situations together. You build this for communities of at least 30 houses, and you get the impact of scale. Hindi tingi-tingi. Then you replicate it across the country, and set a big, audacious goal of GK 777- 700,000 homes in 7,000 communities, in 7 years. And you say to each other, kaya natin iyan. It can be done. We saw it in Baseco, Tondo – 3000 homes in what as formerly the heart of violence and gangs among squatters.
Here in North Carolina, we started in 2005, and with the help of our brothers and sisters in Charlotte, the Triad, Asheville, and even SC, we were able to build a village of 30 homes. That is the village we visited in Quirino province. In 2006, once again, the people of NC rose to the challenge, and we were able to fund the Village of the Carolinas II, to be built in Naga City. This year, we are going to rise up to the challenge, and build not just one, but several villages. And we can do it.
It started with a dream, but now it is reality. The dream has become the dream of hundreds of thousands of volunteers in the Philippines and abroad, and we saw this when we were there. People like you and me who may have given up on government, are buying into this dream, and dedicating their lives so we can lift the Philippines from a third world country into a model for development. It is happening- the miracle of GK, that has been recognized by the Phil. Government, by governments in Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, that has been recognized with awards and citations.
But let us not forget that it is powered by love. The volunteers that we met- young college graduates, old folks, balikbayans, showing their love for God and country in this unique way- they were finding a deeper purpose in life because of GK. They have internalized the meaning of “less for self, more for others, enough for all”.
So if you look at GK with our minds – we cannot argue with the results. We can see how effective the approach is. If we look with our hearts, how can we not be touched by this patriotism and love. We say bayan, bayani, bayanihan.
I invite all of you to learn more about GK at www.gawadkalinga.org. We can all be heroes for our country and for the poorest of the poor. GK 777, Kasali tayo diyan!
And that is the first cornerstone of GK- providing a colorful, decent home one family at a time, one village at a time. For $1500, you can build a small house- 16 ft by 12 ft, made of hollowblocks and concrete, with a real roof, doors, windows. To us this might be small space, but to these families, this is the first time they will have a home. But it is not the house itself that builds the community- it is the working together among neighbors, among the kapitbahayan, that builds the community spirit. This removes the violence and anger- for how can you be angry at your neighbor- he built your house, and you built his. This is the start of moving away from the slum mentality- in one year or less, there is no crime, no violence in GK communities. If you give people a shot at a decent, clean life, they will want to stay that way. In the process, since they were involved with building, the fathers get a culture of “work”, and they become empowered as fathers again- providers and protectors of their family. We shared stories of broken fathers, made whole by the dignity of work in building his family’s shelter.
And that’s where it starts. You also build in the community a school, you provide funds for a qualified preschool teacher, so the kids are in school and not in the streets. You have a program for elementary school-age children (SIBOL), and a program for teens (SIGA). These children will never be slum children again, we have many stories fo former squatters getting college educations. Thus you break the cycle of poverty.
Then you have a livelihood component- Gawad Kabuhayan. This can be site-specific, but example projects include handicrafts, plant nurseries and gardening, vegetable gardening, a fertilizer facility, food (longanisa/tocino) industry, eco-tourism. This makes the village sustainable. Then you have a health component – Gawad Kalusugan- supported by volunteer medical professionals from the Phil and abroad. You focus on eradicating waterborne diseases, immunizations, eradicating TB, providing good health practices. An you have continuous lessons and support for the Kapitbahayan association. You build a real, working community of people so they see each other as a community, uplifting their situations together. You build this for communities of at least 30 houses, and you get the impact of scale. Hindi tingi-tingi. Then you replicate it across the country, and set a big, audacious goal of GK 777- 700,000 homes in 7,000 communities, in 7 years. And you say to each other, kaya natin iyan. It can be done. We saw it in Baseco, Tondo – 3000 homes in what as formerly the heart of violence and gangs among squatters.
Here in North Carolina, we started in 2005, and with the help of our brothers and sisters in Charlotte, the Triad, Asheville, and even SC, we were able to build a village of 30 homes. That is the village we visited in Quirino province. In 2006, once again, the people of NC rose to the challenge, and we were able to fund the Village of the Carolinas II, to be built in Naga City. This year, we are going to rise up to the challenge, and build not just one, but several villages. And we can do it.
It started with a dream, but now it is reality. The dream has become the dream of hundreds of thousands of volunteers in the Philippines and abroad, and we saw this when we were there. People like you and me who may have given up on government, are buying into this dream, and dedicating their lives so we can lift the Philippines from a third world country into a model for development. It is happening- the miracle of GK, that has been recognized by the Phil. Government, by governments in Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, that has been recognized with awards and citations.
But let us not forget that it is powered by love. The volunteers that we met- young college graduates, old folks, balikbayans, showing their love for God and country in this unique way- they were finding a deeper purpose in life because of GK. They have internalized the meaning of “less for self, more for others, enough for all”.
So if you look at GK with our minds – we cannot argue with the results. We can see how effective the approach is. If we look with our hearts, how can we not be touched by this patriotism and love. We say bayan, bayani, bayanihan.
I invite all of you to learn more about GK at www.gawadkalinga.org. We can all be heroes for our country and for the poorest of the poor. GK 777, Kasali tayo diyan!
About GK
Below is the text of the little speech I gave at the two screenings of the GK Movie "Paraiso" in Cary, NC.
Good afternoon. Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat.
Once in your life, you become part of something that is bigger than anything you’ve ever experienced. Two years ago, my wife Bembe literally stumbled onto this organization called Gawad Kalinga. On her highschool batch email list, a former classmate mentioned GK. When she first mentioned it to me, I was skeptical. We probably all have experiences with charities and non-profits that have good intentions but are not effective and do not make a difference. Because of these experiences, we are sometimes skeptical, even suspicious.
But we soon found out that GK is different. The language was different. This is not a charity, this is a movement. The vision is not addressing only one issue- it is grand – transforming our motherland, the Philippines, from a third world country with slums to a country with pride, dignity- one home, one community, at a time. And the manner in which this is being done is different. This is not a charity concerned only with raising funds to give to the poor, this is work guided by love for others, where the poor are involved in helping themselves and their neighbor, where the process of transformation is as important as the results. And because of this approach, the results are phenomenal- more than 20,000 new homes in more than 1,000 communities in almost all provinces in the Philippines, from the northern tip of Luzon to the southern provinces in Muslim Mindanao. What is different with GK? Why is it that this movement started by CFC in the late 1990s has become such a sweeping movement with hundreds of thousands of volunteers, all dedicated and giving their time, talents, and treasures? Anong kakaiba sa Gawad Kalinga?
The answer is simple: GK is an expression of the greatest force in the world- LOVE. The work of GK is the expression of our love for neighbor, as we are called, as Christians, as Filipinos, to do. It is the expression of our core beliefs as humans: human dignity, respect, the belief that we are on this earth not only for ourselves but for each other. This was very powerful stuff. Most of us will probably say- that’s all well and good, but show me the proof. Show me that this is not just a flash in the pan, ningas cogon, some front for someone with other intentions. We have over the years, as Filipinos, become used to this.
But GK is different, because the message is true, and witnessed by many heroes who have dedicated their time, efforts, their lives for the cause of the poor. There is Dylan Wilk, with not a drop of Filipino blood, who turned away from a life of leisure and riches, and found his life’s work in GK. There are heroes like Rose Cabrera, who walked away from 6-figure salaries in the US, to dedicate her life to GK. There are three stories of love and hope that we will see today.
Good afternoon. Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat.
Once in your life, you become part of something that is bigger than anything you’ve ever experienced. Two years ago, my wife Bembe literally stumbled onto this organization called Gawad Kalinga. On her highschool batch email list, a former classmate mentioned GK. When she first mentioned it to me, I was skeptical. We probably all have experiences with charities and non-profits that have good intentions but are not effective and do not make a difference. Because of these experiences, we are sometimes skeptical, even suspicious.
But we soon found out that GK is different. The language was different. This is not a charity, this is a movement. The vision is not addressing only one issue- it is grand – transforming our motherland, the Philippines, from a third world country with slums to a country with pride, dignity- one home, one community, at a time. And the manner in which this is being done is different. This is not a charity concerned only with raising funds to give to the poor, this is work guided by love for others, where the poor are involved in helping themselves and their neighbor, where the process of transformation is as important as the results. And because of this approach, the results are phenomenal- more than 20,000 new homes in more than 1,000 communities in almost all provinces in the Philippines, from the northern tip of Luzon to the southern provinces in Muslim Mindanao. What is different with GK? Why is it that this movement started by CFC in the late 1990s has become such a sweeping movement with hundreds of thousands of volunteers, all dedicated and giving their time, talents, and treasures? Anong kakaiba sa Gawad Kalinga?
The answer is simple: GK is an expression of the greatest force in the world- LOVE. The work of GK is the expression of our love for neighbor, as we are called, as Christians, as Filipinos, to do. It is the expression of our core beliefs as humans: human dignity, respect, the belief that we are on this earth not only for ourselves but for each other. This was very powerful stuff. Most of us will probably say- that’s all well and good, but show me the proof. Show me that this is not just a flash in the pan, ningas cogon, some front for someone with other intentions. We have over the years, as Filipinos, become used to this.
But GK is different, because the message is true, and witnessed by many heroes who have dedicated their time, efforts, their lives for the cause of the poor. There is Dylan Wilk, with not a drop of Filipino blood, who turned away from a life of leisure and riches, and found his life’s work in GK. There are heroes like Rose Cabrera, who walked away from 6-figure salaries in the US, to dedicate her life to GK. There are three stories of love and hope that we will see today.
Getting to 26.2
I actually started training in May, using the Jeff Galloway method. This is a run0-walk strategy ( I have settled on 5 min of run/1 min walk). The idea is to rest your leg muscles (when you walk, you use different muscles in a different way) so that they don't tire as easily as continuous running. So you get stronger over time, and actually can pick up the pace in the last few miles! Or at least survive...The method works, and thousands have finished marathons because of the Galloway method.
Well, two weeks ago, I was up to 14 miles in my long run- the long run is the weekend run that you try to improve each time, so that around 3 weeks before the marathon date, you have actually run 24 to 26 miles at one time. I was proud to finish 14 miles (in 3 hours), never mind that I could only half-walk after that. My knees hurt, and my calves hurt. A few days later, after running with my gym run club, I had shin splints in my left leg. I guess I have to talk a little about all the little and not-so-little pains I've gone through in a separate post.
Anyway, I decided to stop running for a little bit, until the shin splints went away. I biked in between, but it wasn't enough to raise my heart rate to the target zone. But I was glad to feel that I hadn't lost all of my endurance. Yesterday was the first time I went running again- after a full 10 days of no running. My wife and kids all saw how cranky I became since I couldn't run (well, I also had a writing deadline at work- a book chapter on wastewater treatment). I did just 2.5 miles on the treadmill at the gym, but it felt great! Relatively pain-free. I stopped when I felt a little bit of pain in the calves. But I felt so good when I started, I forgot to do my 1 min walk after 5 min. I was running for 20 min before I remembered! Anyway, I feel like I am back. Now, I just have to ramp up slowly...
The starting line
Well, we're off and running!
I started this blog to serve as my running log as I train for my very first marathon. On Nov. 4, 2007, I hope to be at the starting line of the City of Oaks Marathon (www.cityofoaksmarathon.com). I am training so I can run/walk/crawl 26.2 miles. All the books I've read say only 1% of all people has done this- complete a marathon. Well, I like my odds already :)
I am running to raise awareness and advocate for Gawad Kalinga- a national movement in the Philippines that is transforming the nation. My wife and I became volunteers for GK in 2005, and the ANCOP-GK (Answering the Cry of the Poor) team of volunteers in North Carolina has managed to help raise funds for 2 GK Villages already! (More on this later). I have committed to become a member of the GK Hero's Run Team- committed to raising funds for at least 1 house ($1500). We have about 10 people running for GK in the Raleigh-Durham area in NC. So this blog is to share my thoughts about GK, as well as sharing my thoughts (and pains) during the training.
Glad to have you along for the ride!
I started this blog to serve as my running log as I train for my very first marathon. On Nov. 4, 2007, I hope to be at the starting line of the City of Oaks Marathon (www.cityofoaksmarathon.com). I am training so I can run/walk/crawl 26.2 miles. All the books I've read say only 1% of all people has done this- complete a marathon. Well, I like my odds already :)
I am running to raise awareness and advocate for Gawad Kalinga- a national movement in the Philippines that is transforming the nation. My wife and I became volunteers for GK in 2005, and the ANCOP-GK (Answering the Cry of the Poor) team of volunteers in North Carolina has managed to help raise funds for 2 GK Villages already! (More on this later). I have committed to become a member of the GK Hero's Run Team- committed to raising funds for at least 1 house ($1500). We have about 10 people running for GK in the Raleigh-Durham area in NC. So this blog is to share my thoughts about GK, as well as sharing my thoughts (and pains) during the training.
Glad to have you along for the ride!
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