As i pack my things every time i go on out-of-town trips, i always put my Training Journal/Log into my carry on bag. It’s a Runners World training journal given to me by running buddy June early this year. Ever since i had it, it has always accompanied me everywhere i go and enabled me to record all my running sessions and keep track of the place, time, distance as well as personal notes on how i felt during the runs.

I’m not a stickler for any training routine nor do i have any existing training program to prepare me for a race. But when i made my comeback to running last year, my objective was just to go out and run–if i felt good, i would run farther than planned and if i felt sluggish, i would just go for an easy, short jog. I never wanted any one workout to count that much as i wanted my running to simply mirror the broader picture of my experiences; that there will be good days and the not so good others.

However, as my runs intensified and the races were getting to be weekly rituals, the need to improve was inevitable. Having a data of your daily runs, you’re able to analyze the type of workouts you do, how you physically felt about these workouts and this can give you some gauge on what to improve and tell you when to back off to avoid overused injuries.

I’ve always believed that the key to successful training is to understand the progress and failures of your every workout and to strike the right balance. Coming home from every workout, i always look forward to getting myself to sit, open my journal and write all details and experiences of the just concluded run, whether it’s positive or negative.

There are lessons learned in every run. There was a new route i took somewhere in South Triangle and passed a quiet street not knowing that there were dogs ready to pounce on me. In my training log, i would write: “Do not ever run on this street again!” On some occasions, i would wonder what i ate the day before that caused me to take a No. 2 on an abandoned building! And i’m still looking for that vendor who sold me a rice cake somewhere Quezon Ave which i ate after my 2nd hour of running which gave me some extra boost of energy to complete another hour of running!

Any kind of information helps you adjust on your preparations and workouts so you can track what’s best for your body. The journal may also help you see the “red signal”: it acts as a sounding board and helps you avoid some of the land mines of training and racing.

With all these information at the palm of your hands, a journal can do wonders to enhance your running. Firstly, it has given me motivation to run farther, faster and set for myself reasonable and attainable goals. More importantly, it has given me inspiration–setting back the calendar on my progress when i was just starting again to where i am at present, take stock on the weight i’ve lost so far, the generally good health i have, the new energy it has given me and the improved times (though modest) i have achieved while running with others.

See you at the races!

]]> http://bloggingturtle.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/happy-feet/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:38:58 +0000 dmonk http://bloggingturtle.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/happy-feet/

The Running Turtle

Tuesday: 3.0 miles

… and 3 dogs encountered!

—

Run Stats (5/11)

Run Stats (4/11)

Run Stats (6/11)

I’m something of a geek, so when I began running more seriously, I started wondering things like “How far am I running? How long does it take? How fast can I go?  Am I getting faster?”

Its also important when training for a race to have some type of schedule.  Having – and following – a schedule helps maintain adequate intensity in training sessions, as well as adequate rest.  Since life often gets in the way of training for those of us who are non-elite athletes, tracking your actual runs against the schedule is crucial to ensure that your training is progressing week by week.  Conventional wisdom also maintains that increasing mileage by more than 10% per week is a recipe for overuse injuries – plantar fasciitis, IT band syndrome, shin splints -all bad news.

So how do you track all these miles you are (safely) logging each week? (Many of these will track other activities besides running, but since that is the bulk of my experience with each, that will be my focus.)

• www.logyourrun.com is a nice web-based running log.  If you use a Garmin watch, you can upload your run to the Garmin Connect website, then import it to LogYourRun.  Its a manual process that can be tedious, but its fairly simple.  LogYourRun also allows you to post your run to your wall on Facebook.
• dailymile.com is a new web-based tool that I have just started using.  There is a nice community feature that I have started exploring.  (The link will take you to my page so if you are inclined to add me as a friend feel free!)  You can create challenges for your friends and other users; the current challenge I am signed up for is to run 100 miles in October.  dailymile.com also allows you to put upcoming races on your calendar. When you add a run, you can post not only to Facebook, but also to Twitter at the same time.
• SportTracks is a program that you install on your PC.  You can download it for free here. It will import runs from your Garmin (and other watches, as far as I know) and map your run in an integrated window.

All these logs will track your shoe usage, which is important to make sure that you are replacing shoes when needed.  Most shoe stores will tell you that shoes should last 300-500 miles, but I never get that much mileage from a pair of shoes.  I start to feel some discomfort in my feet after about 250 miles.  That’s about  when I retire a pair of shoes.

Hopefully this gives you a few ideas to keep track of your running.  If you prefer a low-tech solution, don’t overlook a notebook or DayTimer-type calendar.  Spend a few minutes planning the next month of your training, then mark off each workout with your actual mileage, time, pace, and any other notes you want to remember about the weather, your effort level, things you saw, or the playlist on your iPod.  I’m interested in any other sites or programs you may have found useful-and please let me know what you think of these suggestions!

Most important: Get out and run!

Nuffnang is an online blog advertising community in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Australia. Basically, I sign up with the site, post their ads, and earn from them. But the earnings are not that lucrative. It’s not enough to buy me a new pair of running shoes yet.

Every month, Nuffnang features a blogger from their network. For October, I get to be the Nuffnang’s Blogger of the Month. I got a chance to share my blogging experience with them and also promote Takbo.ph and running.

Read the feature here at Nuffnang and get to see my picture of my first running event in 2006.

Thank you, Nuffnang.

 The first thing I should say here is that I really have no idea what I am doing……so use this marathon training schedule at your own risk!!! 

Some of the things that I have come across in my research into marathon training are a bit contradicting, and more than a little confusing. 

1.  Build up your distances by no more than 10% each week.  I actually think this is a good one.  I based a lot of my distances off this calculation.

2.  I have also seen training schedules that really jump around a lot to give you a bit of a break in between weeks.  I have also used this in some parts of my schedule so that I can continue to run with my 2 friends on the weeks in between my long runs. 

 3.  Here is where things start to get confusing to me:  You are supposed to run your longest distance several weeks before the Marathon.  I have seen the time for this vary from 2 weeks, to 6 weeks before the race.  This long run should also be quite a bit less than the full marathon.  I have seen as much as 10k less than a full marathon!!  This I couldnt really figure out.  So, when training for a marathon, I shouldn’t actually run one?  How will I know if I can actually make it?  And why do I have to start cutting back so far away from the marathon?

So I decided to compromise.  I made my longest run 5 weeks prior to the race.  After all, the people writing these training programs have actually ran a marathon.  And I can see that giving your body a bit of a break could be beneficial.  I couldn’t however fathom the idea of running the race blind, so I incorporated 2 full distance runs.

The other thing is that I am likely to change this as I go through it.  I feel like I may have over done it some weeks, so don’t be surprised if I dont stick to this to a T.

Monday – Rest day
Tuesday – 4.5 miles at 10m/mile
Wednesday – 3 miles at 10.35 min/mile
Thursday – 4.5 miles at 10min/mile
Friday – Rest day
Saturday – 6 miles at 9.5min/mile
Sunday – SKIPPED due to shin pain

Adrienne and I ran five minutes, walked one, seven times. (So 35 minutes running, 7 minutes walking, 42 minutes total.)

2 miles. 25 minutes 28 seconds. That’s a 12′42″ mile.

Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield is a favorite on my iPod now.

Yesterday was a perfect day! I got up and met one of my closest friends at the gym. We ran and chatted!! Gotta love going to the gym! I did a fun 3.74 miles!

After the gym and getting cleaned up, I headed off to the massage appointment that my amazing hubby scheduled!!

Massages are like an hour of uninterrupted heaven! Kristen (the therapist) had the hands of an angel! I felt like million bucks!

After my massage I felt so good that I came home and worked on the yard work.

It was glorious!! Although today I zm having some massive low back pain, I suspect that is because of the rocks I was moving yesterday.

Now about the new blog. I have been contemplating a move for a few months. One of the blogs I read made the move over to wordpress.com and I have to say that it is pretty amazing. I am slowly moving everything over there. It should be fun!!

Ok…Happy 4th of July weekend!! Be safe and stay out of the ER because Im working all weekend!

– Post From My iPhone

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21. You know what you are getting for Dad?

Does Dad run? Well if so, how about something to do with running?

Here are some suggestions:

1. A subscription to a running magazine. Running magazines such as Runner’s World give advice on various running topics from the best places to run to medical issues and have interesting and inspiring interviews with noteworthy competitive and recreational runners.

2. A running log. Running logs are small notebooks that contain spaces to record daily runs, weather, notes and race results. These inexpensive gifts are a necessity for anyone who takes her or his training seriously. Many logs also contain quotes from elite runners and coaches regarding their own training and experiences.

3. The Stick. Specifically designed for runners to help increase flexibility, accelerate recovery time, and reduces muscle soreness, stiffness and pain, the Marathon Stick is a great idea for the runner who doesn’t have the time for regular massafes. You just roll the stick on your muscles for a self-massage. The stick is small enough to fit into a backpack or small suitcase, so you can easily take it along to races. It’s particularly effective at loosening up tight leg muscles.

4. Heart Rate Monitor. The Polar RS100 wrist heart rate is perfect for the runner who loves gadgets and wants plenty of feedback about his runs. It combines all the heart rate features and stopwatch components runners need to monitor their workouts and try to improve their performance. By taking into account his current physical condition, the monitor can be programmed to guide a runner through a warm-up routine and then determine a safe and effective exercise heart rate zone.

5. A technical running shirt. This will not only keep dad cooled off, but also keep him from getting stinky. The Brooks Anti-Microbial Shirt is made of 96.5 percent polyester and 3.5 percent X-Static, a silver-coated textile fiber that naturally inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria and fungi. Other great features of this shirt include a breathable mesh paneling and an MP3-compatible pocket.

6. Socks. Runners could always use a new pair of socks. Depending on what kind of sock dad prefers, check out this list of best summer running socks.

7. Go for a run with dad. This may be the best gift of all.

“The Hero lies in you” — Mariah Carey

Tomorrow is National Running Day.

According to the website.

National Running Day is a national initiative whereby many of the major organizations within the running industry are joining forces in an unprecedented unified effort to nationally and locally promote running as a healthy, easy, and accessible form of exercise. The inaugural National Running Day will be Wednesday, June 3.

I ran the Little Rock Half Marathon in March. I must confess that I haven’t stayed on schedule after the post race tapering down phase. I was there for a little while and then it began to rain every day. Well, I’m not going to excuse it. I just didn’t get back to any sort of mileage.

Being a woman who is a chronic list maker, I always manage to take a half year assessment of my life and make a list of the things I want to do in the following year. Sometimes I look at my New Year’s resolutions and see how I’m doing with those. It just depends.

I am very proud for completing the big goal of completing a half marathon. I’m going to start running 4 days a week starting yesterday. There’s another half marathon in Conway around October. I intend to finish that and I want to try the Little Rock Marathon next march. I guess I better get training.

Everyone’s had one.  I’m talking about one of those weeks.  The one’s where you feel completely exhausted or overwhelmed or a combination of the two.   And the thought of exerting any extra energy on a run just makes you want to hide under the covers and never come out.  I’m sure that’s how a lot of people fall off the running wagon.  That’s the kinda week this one has been so far. 

After my 10-miler Saturday morning, I spent the rest of the day doing things around the house and running errands.  I felt like I had a ton of energy and was looking forward to meeting up with friends that night.  Well, that night didn’t end until 3am Sunday morning.  Ugh, I had promised my husband I would get up with the kids in the morning.  And a promise is a promise.  So 4 hours later I was up, serving breakfast and changing diapers.  Normally, this wouldn’t have been so bad because I could take a nap later in the afternoon.  But not this day.  I had to take my younger daughter to a birthday party.  Great.  It would be an afternoon full of forced conversations and awkwardness.

The next day wasn’t any better.  Still exhausted from lack of sleep, I had to drive into Worcester to UMass Memorial for an appointment.  Being that I have never been there before, I was completely stressed out, not knowing where I was going and having three children in tow.  As if that wasn’t enough, I had to drag all three children to the dentist for a visit that afternoon.  Needless to say, what little energy I had was quickly being depleted.

So Tuesday rolls around, one of my running days.  I drop my daughters off at school and go do my weekly grocery shopping.  As I’m loading my groceries, I hand the keys to my son to keep him occupied.  BIG MISTAKE.  I shut his door and before I couldn’t even open up mine I hear ‘click‘.  OMG, he just locked the truck!  I can only imagine how comical it was to watch me try to convince a 16 month old baby to unlock the door.  It must have been pretty funny because my son couldn’t stop laughing at me.  In fact, he laughed so much that he threw the keys onto the floor.  Now what????  Into the grocery store to explain to the customer service desk why I need to use their phone (mine was also locked in the truck).  Luckily, my husband was able to leave work to arrive shortly after and open it.

So when it came time for my run, I wondered if I had the energy to do it.  But the sun was shining and I thought it would do me some good to get out for awhile.  And once I got going I started to feel much better, all the stress seemed to dissipate.  My energy level started to rise.  What started out as a 5-miler turned into 7.5 miles.  I was glad I convinced myself to step out the door.

 Running Log:

• 7.5 miles
• 8:43 pace

It was good day

I love a morning run.  It is definitely my most favorite time of the day to go.  Unfortunately, with my husband’s early morning work schedule and 3 children under the age of 6, the only morning run I get to enjoy is on the weekend. 

I did my second 10 miler today (actually, 10.25 miler, but who’s counting?).  I stepped out the door just before 8 am.  The sky was a beautiful blue and the sun was shining.  The air had that ‘fresh’ smell from the dew on all the grass and plants.  Everything was green.  I passed a man walking his dog and waved.  He returned with a “Good Morning Young Lady”.  What?  He didn’t call me Ma’am?  Nice.  All the makings for a perfect morning run. 

The first time I did this run I didn’t bring any sort of ‘food’ with me.  Actually, even though this is the second time I’ve trained for a half marathon, I’ve never eaten on the run.  The thought of it always seemed to make me sick to my stomach, nevermind that I felt it counteracted the calorie burn I was trying to accomplish!  Anyways, I figured I should try it because it would probably help me finish out my runs better and also jump start my recovery process.   I couldn’t stomach the idea of swallowing some gooey gel, so my food of choice was Jelly Belly Sport Beans (orange flavor).  A few runners I know swear by them and since I LOVE anything sweet, I figured it was worth a shot.  I started eating them around mile 5 (after a rough uphill climb) and finished them off somewhere around mile 8.  I don’t know if they helped keep up my pace towards the end because my Garmin’s battery died somewhere after mile 4, but I have to say that I felt much better at the end of this run than I did the previous time I ran it.  And even after my run was over, I felt like I still had enough energy to clean up around the house and do some laundry.  So, I think I’m giving a thumbs up for the sport beans.  I will definitely bring a bag or two with me for the race.

Today’s Run Log:

• 10.25 miles
• 9 min.-ish pace?  (without the Garmin, this is a guesstimate).

Not too shabby.

Why, oh why didn’t I search out my broken iPod Nano sooner? (Broken because I ran it though the washer and dryer. Oops!) No more fighting with Ziggy over my iPod Touch. Yay! He can teeth on the Nano all he wants! Which is often!

My boy is wearing mismatched socks today. One grey. One navy. I wanted to get out and run; it was just a bit chilly (for him, not me); and he just doesn’t wear socks often, so I couldn’t find a matching pair. Looks kind of groovy though, as they do both match his grey/navy Colts championship romper that I got for $0.50 at a giant neighborhood garage sale over the weekend and his grey/navy Old Navy hoodie.

Love love love ♥♥♥ my new (to me) jogging stroller! Now I’m not dependent on Niles being home so I can run. He’s never home when I want to run.

Nursing bra + slightly too small sports bra = decent amount of containment for mega boobs.

Ziggy now has a mouth full of teeth. One on the bottom that is hard to miss (it’s been in for nearly two months). And three that broke through in the past couple of days. Funny boy keeps making goofy faces, as if he’s just noticed the new additions in his mouth and keeps running his tongue and lips over them.

April was a big month for me.  Aside from getting married, I also got to run in three great places in the country.  Boracay.  Bacolod.  Baguio.

Boracay

Que and I stopping over for a pic in Boracay

I never imagined myself going to Boracay this year.  But when Women’s Health invited Quennie to the magazine launch in Boracay last April 4-5, I was able to tag along.  Women’s Health had a lot of activities prepared for the women, yet part of our agenda was a run in the shores of Boracay.  I am so excited that I even asked Patcon aka Runningshield for advice in running in Boracay.

The main shore of Boracay was about 5kms long.  Running on the sand is difficult.  My feet gets buried in the ground with every step.  That is why Patcon adviced to run where the sand meets the sea.  This part is a bit leveled and the sand is more packed.  But water gets in the shoes and makes the shoe heavy.

But it didn’t stop us from running.  We love the shores.  We just run slow and enjoyed the view early in the morning.  Dingdong aka Runmd was also in Boracay on the same day.  I run a 7km with Quennie first then another 8km with Dingdong.

with Dingdong aka Runmd in Boracay

Thanks to Women’s Health and Summit Media for inviting us.  More about the Boracay experience in the next blogs.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/3518466
http://connect.garmin.com/player/3518467

Bacolod

Three days before the wedding, I managed to have a 10K run in Bacolod.  It was raining and got us worried that it will also rain on our wedding day. Good thing it didn’t.

I followed the same route I run the last time in Bacolod.  I wanted to do an airport-to-airport run which would be about 15kms from the old airport in Bacolod to the new Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay.  But I wont take that risk with the wedding in a few more days.

The route was a bit slippery due to the rains.  Upon reaching the Capitol Lagoon, I can still see a lot of runners in the area.  Made a few rounds to complete a 10km and headed back home on a jeepney.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/4342237

Baguio

With Team Logan in Baguio (Jinoe, Que, Michelle, Craig)

Team Logan invited us to go to Baguio and stay at their place.  Upon arriving in Manila after the wedding, we immediately started packing to leave to Baguio on the same evening.

This was my second time to run in Baguio. But this time, I had a different and more challenging route.  Craig, Michelle, Quennie and I started from SM and went to Camp John Hay then back to SM.  It was a good 10km run.  The uphills are a killer.  Quennie is excited to go back on May 24 for the Baguio Run.  It wasn’t that cold.  We even had out Takbo.ph singlets for the run.  No thick clothes or jacket needed.

The hilly, long and winding roads of Baguio

Thanks to Team Logan for the invitation and for the hospitality during our stay in Baguio.  More about our stay at Team Logan’s HQ in the next blogs.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/4342245

Monday 4/20 5 X 200 w/ 200 walks – WOrked hard. Good heart rate. Tough to finish but motivated. Ran in early evening – mid 70’s

Tuesday 4/21 – Power walk regular route. Good pace, heart got up there. Early evening, mid 80’s

Wednesday 4/22 – 5 X 100 w/ 100 walks. Ran at 4:00 on Track mid 90’s. Good heart rate, ran hard, felt the legs working like weight lifting. Stretched good as I felt tight on the front.

2009.10.17 (Saturday, Rest week woohooo)

It tooks totally 3 to 4 days to recover at no pain.  I wasn’t able to walk pain free on Monday and Tuesday, specially when sit for sometime and get up.  Feel little better on Wed and little sore at some motions on Thursday.  No pain on Friday but if I push it, then I still can feel my calf in pain from the race.  Still don’t hungery for run on Friday.  Just some like workout in the gym.  We didn’t skip gym the whole week execpt Monday, but no sweat session though.  

After the race, I felt like it is a mental refresh.  Lots of question about performance got answer by this race.  I know my pace is better than before.  I am able to get to 6:xx pace for 3 miles or more.  I was able to keep that pace for the whole race.  My pace range getting tight within 30 seconds, not few minutes different. And the good news is I want run faster, I want blue bid, I want increase my speed from 8.5 tempo to 8.8 tempo and sprint from 9.5 to 10.  I want to build fast muscle with my legs, better reflex and more flexable.  I want to lower my heart rate from 52 to fourty something.  I want to lose few lbs from 142lb to 136lb.

After the race, I want to slow down a little bit, go easy for a week or two.  The first time, we weren’t running in CP, we were walking on our route.  Look at other runners, listern when they pass by.  Seem like looking at ourself from a different side of the world, but yet I feel everything about them.  Here are some photos I took.

   Here is where we do our warm ups.

Warm up area left side view.

Warm up right side view.

On the way back, diff view of the first mile marker.

First mile marker, one of the bridge in cp.

You see a cat there?  That’s why it called “Cat hill”.

Cat hill from boat house direction.  It is hard for some people.  But it isn’t big deal for me personally.

Appoaching little uphill right after boathouse, and near the last mile of the big loop.

I hate this part, most of the time I feel I will drop dead here.  With all people/crowds crossing, it always painful.

Last downhill of the 15 miles.  I like it a lot, it keeps telling you “This is the end!”

This is the most difficult hill, even is doesn’t looks like a hill, because it is almost the end.  It always hard.

Traven On the Green is on the right side of the light.

Our 15 miles finish line ends here.  At the background is CNN sign.

2009.10.12 (Monday, a day after SI race)

We got up at 5AM, left the house at 5:40, take the D at bay parkway (no local train to Manh), then 5 train to bowling green.  Got to the city on time 6:15 before the 6:30 boat.  Left my stuff in the office then ran to the ferry.    Met JJ at 7:00 in the terminal, she looks like a newbie with the belt on her waist   I have to say, we got there too early and waited in the terminal.   We went out to warm up at 7:45 which is kind of close to the start.. my mistake.  Well, it was a little be cold outside before the sun, and I have to wait for my friend.

Did 1 and a half laps in the parking lot as warm up.  Mostly fore foot, very slow, just keep the bloody flow running.  I got few sweat from it.  But it is kind of rush, because they called out people to be in line when we almost done with the warm up.   And I walk JJ to her corral, I was hoping she would stay with us in the front, not alone back there.  But people were checking our bid color.   Sorry JJ, don’t mean to leave you.  We met Stanley at the starting line few minutes the race. 

So, here we go, the splits.

mile 1 6:59 (Parking lot to Ferry terminal)
mile 2 6:57 (Ferry terminal to first gas station, sharp turn, overpass)
mile 3 6:56 (warehouse near water)
mile 4 7:12 (warehouse near water to first uphill to bay st.)
mile 5 7:22 (bay st to under 278 highway)
mile 6 6:54 (Lily pond – father Cap.. big down hill)
mile 7 7:14 (Turn around)
mile 8 7:17 (Father Cap.. big up hill into army base)
mile 9 7:07 (Army base back to bay st)
mile 10 7:14 (Bay st, downhill, back to half of the warehouse, water front)
mile 11 7:22 (second part of warehouse to overpath sharp turn)
mile 12 7:21 (gas station to ferry terminal)
mile 13 7:17 (ferry terminal to starting line)
mile 13.1 7:07 finish!!!
Totoal: 1:35:37 (offiical time: 1:35:30)

2009.10.08 (Thursday)

Just 2 more rest days, kind of nerovis about the race this Sunday.  It is windy for the last few days, temperature in mid 50F not too bad in the morning.  sunday is suppose to be sunny, so one less thing to worry (why worry?.  My muscle need some more rest from Tuesday office move  Those UPS are just so heavy and my back is sore the day after.  I won’t do any heavy move after that.  I am suppose met up with JJ pickup our bib number this afternoon, she did put aside lot of her work and arrange meet up with me.  Thanks ofr that.  I don’t know what color of my number going to be.  Fei and I both wish it is blue, means te first corral amony other group.  I put in 7:05 pace for this when I register for the race.  It is not going to be happen that for sure.  I am amining for 7:15 pace if I am really push hard I guess.  That’s about 1:34 something.

The long run from last Sat is an avg one.  Not too slow or too fast.  No pain through out hte run.  The first round should be 7:48 pace and I actually saw 6:58 pace at lower cp past the boat house when fei and I tried switch lead, I felt great and run really fast fto our starting line.  and at the last mile I was able to push to 7:35 pace.  The last few weeks, I didn’t push myslef during training, so tempo could be a problem.  Will see how I hold up in this race.  so, what I really wanted to do?  I don’t know really.  I was thinking start slow pace, which is like 7:30, I never try to run at this speed in all my CP long run, treadmill wise I can run at 8.2 for 4 miles not be a problem.  My boday allow me run at 8.5×2 too.  If I want, I need to be really focus to do 3×8.5 or 3×8.5.  I also tried 1×9.0, and it wasn’t too difficult either.  But at 9.5, my feet feel every pounding strides when I hit the ground.  Not nice.  So what we learn fromthis training?  I changed my running form from heel stride to mid/fore foot stride.  Learn fast strides at uphile and downhill.  But for some reasons, I do worst in downhill now.  I was able to relax downhill before but not not. 

Updated: our bib are RED, not blue.

2009.09.28 (Monday, cloudy)

The past Saturday long run was a good one.  Not perfect but good enough for a training round.  The first lap (6 miles CP) is 46 minutes (7:40 pace).  It meant to test the water before the SI race.   The second lap wasn’t that bad either and at the last mile I can push down to 7:30 pace.  Finished 2:04:00 15 miles.

2009.09.25 (Friday, cloudy and chilly ~65F)

Today is the first time I wear my light green wind breaker out. It is almost fall I would say. The temperature is just perfect not too cold or hot and I can tell my body is try hard to adjust to this nice weather from the hot summer. I can fall to sleep much better and don’t get up in the middle of the night to pee that often, ok, I still pee in the middle of the night but I don’t remember anything about it, so it is good. When weather change, our brain don’t feel much unless it is a big change in temperture or something noticeable. But I think we body doing a lot of things to prep for it in the background. Why we get cold in the beginning of fall or spring?  It is our body at work, it takes a lot more energy from you.  Training for running teach me a lots of some things like these. It is great.
Just few more week before the si race. It is kind of strange feeling, my training isn’t as focus as I used to.  It could be work related, I am just tried from work. or am I digging for excuses here?  It seems like I can’t focus on pushing myself when I am busy with work or something bother me.  I try to forget all worries when I run, but I can’t do that lately.  I agree that my base is stronger than few months back and I do unstandard my body a lot more as well. But I don’t know how much I can push my body in the si race. Will see :-\

2009.09.16 (Wednesday, cloudy with a little chill)

I tried to focus tis past week and I have to say I managed at least 2 good/focus running days.  I really need get back on track with my training.  My work is kind of crazy lately, I kind of can’t keep up with it.  Work almost 6 or 7 days a week and for so many weeks.  It might not be the whole true but I do feel working so many hrs and so long.  It also reflects on my runs, because I can’t focus on most of the runs now.  I am kind of hitting my wall at this moment.  It might not be the true but again I felt this way.  I wonder why I see and feel things so short term?  I mean if you fail once or twice, don’t mean you fail the whole thing and you stop trying.  This is normal that you don’t win all the time.  You have up and down of course.  You declare failure when you stop doing it, not when you fail on attempting.  It is same thing in term of life.  Remember please!!! Come back read this when you fall down or not sure.

2009.09.10 (Thursday, cloudy, fall is here I think)

Didn’t run this Monday because of labor day.  It is only one month left before the SI half.  It didn’t register my mind until now.  I need to focus a bit on training.  Well, didn’t get up on Tue morning, and so did Thursday morning.  But I did a full 7 miles on both Tue and Wed (2 warm, .5 x 8 and then 8.2 the rest).  Go easy on today’s 7 miler.  Like I said before, I am not as flexible like I used to be.  Is this because I used running in fore foot?  or I am tried?  or my body is changing?  I really want to know what my time is going to be on this SI half.  1:35:00 or worst?  I can’t tell, but I do feel my base is strong than before (NJHM).  But I don’t know how much I can push on SI half this year.

I had great time with my last Sat long run.  I got trash at the last 3 miles but I manged a non stop run.  I was away from NC trip, and can’t wait for a good long run.  It wasn’t too fast, but I was able to maintained good form all 2 rounds of CP.

2009.09.04 (Friday, Sunny day, a day before long weekend)

Yesterday’s easy runs were fine.  I am able to handle at 7.7 speed.  Why 7.7? because I lower my standard a little.  I don’t feel I am as flexible as I used to.  Is this because I am lazy? I had some brothering my mind? Need more rest?  Should do other type of flex excises or my speed is higher demand on muscle support which I need to build?  Or none of above?  Let see what happened to my long CP run tomorrow.   I can’t wait.

2009.09.02 (Wednesday, Sunny day)

It seems to be easy to concentrate when you look at other people.  It is so hard for me, every time before a run I told myself to be focus and run at this speed that speed.  When I started running, I feel all the resistant from all over my body.  Like my legs feel so heavy even after warm up, I can’t catch up with breath, I can’t keep on running even I am no that tried, I simply want to stop.  How easy to stop a run, you just stop (but feel very bad afterward).  The weather is very nice lately at mid 60F, blue skies, no humid.  It is the best temperature for training, what excuse I have now?  My body isn’t hurting anymore for the first time in long while.  I just want to be focus, focus is my goal.  It is so easy to say be focus while I wasn’t actually doing it.  My routines got a little change after the NC trip.  I was so tried afterward.  I had to sleep almost a day for my body get back to normal.

2009.08.28 (Friday, rainy)

Harr..harrr, another two weeks just flew by.    It is already near the end of Aug.  It was so humid ALL last week.  I thought I would focus on training after a full one week off re-charge period.  I was wrong, so wrong that I can’t even run 3 mile at 7.5TM speed.  My strong right leg in pain, lower calf still in pain, rectus femoris also in stress type of pain and my right knee cap can’t do the swing movement.   I also having issue when I walk, my right leg doesn’t like to swing to the front.  Then it extended to the lower back because my legs can’t support my upper body weight.  I felt like I moved heavy stuff.  It is just strange that my body simply can’t do anything after REST?! possible?  or I do need more rest?  Running long in Central Park not an problem.  I feel my legs are more balance that way.  On treadmill is just speed and the demand are just different.  I just hate treadmill.  So I couldn’t keep up with the mileage this week.  Speed work is also a joke.  I can’t push 9.5 for about .3 mile.  That’s it.  I am just tried, very tried.

Tuesday night, after a bad workout.  I was sitting on the treadmill thinking.  I felt very very bad because of bad run.  I felt like a looser whenever I can’t perform well.  Kind of depress that you train for so long, so much work and now you stuck and can’t run a basic simple easy run.  I might be pushing to hard somehow.  Running is not really about just PR.  I think I feel pressure when I can’t run better.  Am I at reach my limit, I don’t think so.  What my time would be for the next race?  I want 1:33:00, another 4 minutes from my current PR.  Don’t know if I can do it.  But again, why push? why not just enjoy your running journey?

2009.08.15 (Friday)

Nice weather out today.  Too many things in mind, it is almost the end of the vacation.  Sad! work again next week, really sad!  This weekend is NYC half, many top female running in this race, including Paula R,  Kara.. but we aren’t in the race.  Maybe just bring my camera out instead.

We saw Roman in the gym last night.  The only LIVE guy we known able to run at 9.5 (TM) for 6 miles.  Easy at 9.4 and top to 10.5.  His stride are very very light.  You won’t hear a sound from it.  So light, it is like running on cloud.  He’s best is 1:21:00 something.  I think we are like 1 1/2 year away from him even we train at full speed.  So, we are talking about Jan of 2011.  Damn, I am still at 8.5 tempo for only 4 miles at this moment.

2009.08.13 (Thursday)

This week is another recharge cycle.  Body needed rest after all, I am on vacation this week.  Need catch up on sleep, lot of sleep.  No more get up on 5am and work 6 days a week thing.  Too much stress, my mind can’t rest even at night time.  Why just thinking about work, work and work all the time.  Running wise, it sounds I spent a lot of time on running.  Well, this is your body, the only thing you got.  You got to understand it and take care of it.  So, did I do anything special on vacation?  not really.  I felt I lost few days due to weekend work and today is the only day I really have time with computer or something for myself…but it is already Thursday, sucks!  I feel I wasted this few days.   Ok, back to running.  My right calf in pain, I think it is muscle not bone or something.  It is Thursday morning, 3 days after the long run, and I can walk without pain at least.  The other part is the left hip/join and the back of the rectus femoris area (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Gray430.png) I got pain under stress training.  I think I need a bit more time for it to get better.   Did morning 4 miler yesterday morning, really easy at 8:40 pace.  After almost 2 years of training, now the easy pace is my first PR race pace.   Like I said before, this week is the recharge period.  It is time to get ready for my next phase of training and it is more hard core because after this, it is Staten Island half.  My goal is 1:33:00 and it isn’t easy pace.

2009.08.04 (Wednesday)

Wow,  time really fly.  I didn’t notice until I saw my last update was July 3rd.   Nothing really change, I am still on schedule with training, just no time for myself with logging all the stuff.  I missed two long runs due to Judy (7/11) and Mary’s (7/19) wedding.  Well, I did 6 miler few hrs before Mary’s wedding.  And no energy left for her wedding.  I try to keep my training be consistent, I simply feel great after a good long run.  I push my body to the limit, feel tried almost everyday for the last 1 and half year.  I feel odd when I am not in training, time feel very very long when I am on tapper (rest before race).    No much changes in my last training session.

Monday is sprint run, 1.5 warm at 7.5, .75 mile sprint at 9.5, .5 mile recover at 7.5, .65 repeat at 9.5, recover .5 at 7.5 and the last rep .60 at 9.5.  cool down at 7.0 total 5 to 6 miles.

Tuesday is easy, 4 miles on belt parkway at 8:30 -> 8:50 pace at 7am.  Then easy 7 mile in the gym at 7.5 pace.

Wednesday is Tempo, 1.5 warm at 7.5, .2 mile walk help warm up better.  (Still try to master warm-up better, trying different things to activate the muscle group), then 3 miles at 8.5 pace and mostly 1 mile cool.

Thursday is easy again, 4 miles on belt parkway at 8:30 -> 9:00 pace at 7am in the morning.  And easy 7 miles in gym at 7.5 pace.

Friday, cross training, just no running.  Take things easy, very easy.

Saturday is long run.  Always try to do easy run, but always push the body to do easy tempo for some reason.  Always to 15 miler.  If the body is in good shape, I can do 2:02:00 for 15 miles, avg is about 2:10:00.  July usually the hottest month in the year, but this year seem to be little better than last year.  No what we called “heat way” so far, just humid for few days.  I noticed our body need days adjusted to the weather(heat), felt very tried even on easy training.  Sweat a lot more, sometime body can’t sweat fast enough and you feel the heat on your face but not much sweat coming out of your body. It takes longer to get the sweat out of the body.   Couldn’t sleep well when it is hot and the sun raise early at 5:15am and set at 8:30 pm.

Sunday, no running, just rest and do my own stuff.

We work on the running form lately.  Use the front (toe) land and pushing the body forward is big help on body impact the ground; meaning you don’t get injure.   For long run, it is just very important, on a 15miles run, you have to do ~10000 strokes to your feet.  One little bad form caused pain  on your legs or injure you.   Running form required concentration and testing.  Don’t know what is the right form, nor you tell your leg how to land correctly.  It required practice, error and trial.   Feel little out about core, seems unable to activate the core.  Maybe it is warm up issue or something.  Don’t know yet.

2009.07.03 (Friday) before July 4th holiday.

Didn’t write much for the last few weeks.  Now, it is time to end another training, because I am tried, in fact very tried.  I can’t even run on the treadmill for another mile last night.  Legs were tried andno more gas in my tank kind of feeling.  It is the third week in the training, and time to do a recharge again.  What I learned from the speed training was I run faster and stronger, even I didn’t complete the whole schedule.  Monday is the strongest, so I put it my sprint run.  Tue is easy but long, we do morning 4 miles outside and 7 miles in the gym if I can handle it.  Usually I can manage when it is the first and second week of  the training sessions, but not really at the third week because there won’t be more energy for it.  The training is not about short term, like I used to do.  It is about long term (weeks or even months).  I was upset when I saw people jump on to the treadmill next to me andtry to race with me.. come on kid, I know you can run really fast for 2 minutes, but can you keep that speed for a mile (8 minutes).  I am just tried of these newbies, they want attention and feel better than anyone in the world.  oh well…their small world.  But sometime they get to my nerd.  So I choose to train for speed in my last training.

Most people don’t like to run, because it hurts their legs, knee, joins… just lot of things(excuses).  I also notice people in my gym can’t run correctly.  We simply know how to run, but not too many people know how to run correctly, including myslef.  As of now, running is not only a part of my life and I look at this is a race between me and myself.  I learn a lot from these trainings, I know my limit but why people like running so much because we push ourself to be better.  To me it is pushing myself to a limit, when you get hurt you out of the limit, you have to back off from it.  If you back off too much, you won’t able to expandyour limit, you will be in your safe zone all the time.  So I see myself living on the edge.  It wasn’t easy if you want to do it for long term.  There was time I felt like a king in the world, and there was time I felt like a looser sick on the street.  It has up and down good and bad from time to time.  But I still want to keep it up running no matter what it is.  You’ll learn a lot from it.  You’ll see how you react things from another point of view.  I saw lot of people run in the gym, some I love and most I hate.  Some jump on the treadmill run 3 mintes all out and that was it, some walk for hrs watching TV or on the ficking phone.  If these people next to me when I am running, their energy drag my concentration down to my knee.  I like people have a good attitude when they into running.  I don’t care if he/she is a newbie or not.  I will be so happy to have him/her running/fighting right next to me.  It pushs me run harder and longer.

As of today, my easy pace is 7.5 (treadmill) for 7 miles, that is 8 minute per mile.  my tempo, don’t know yet since I was training 8.5 times 3 miles.  I was able to do that on Monday the first week or maybe Monday the second week.  For sure not the third week.  I did 9.5x .7 mile at the first week.  Can’t do it again on the second or third week.  But 9.5 seems to be easier for me now.  It is not the kill zone for me like used to be.  I was able to control my breathing at least, the weakest part is my body, which can’t handle it after 2 minutes.  Also, I noticed a good warm up is important to sprint run.  I did a 1.5 warm up and push to 9.5 for .4 mile and warm for almost 1 mile then push again.  The frist 9.5 and the last 9.5 just total different.  The last is much better muscle support.  The first is like catching up total out of control, no flow what so ever.  Now I know what people referred to negative sprint, which you should able to do all out at the end of the run, not the beginning.

2009.06.07 (Sunday)

Last Sat’s (5/30) wasn’t an easy one.  First 2 miles already think of  class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”of “>quiting.  I tol fei “It is an interesting run” after Halemhill.  I never felt easy at the early miles even we are running on easy pace (8:40).   We can’t talk to each other in a full sentence and I was trying to control my movement andtry to under what’s wrong.  The weather was nice at  class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”at “>75F sunny withlittle wind.  Perfect weather.  Finish the first lap with a bit of effort (still think of quiting).  Secondlap try to do better, but simply can’t for some reason.  Try everything, go easy on hills (no pushing).  But body just can’t handle it.  Legs don’t few tried so I am sure the legs able to handle the speed and milages.  So what can be wrong here?  Perfect weather, fine withlegs muscle,  no hard breathing, brain is also on good mood for run, no pain withmy body.  It should be a good run right?  But it is not.  It was hard, leg strokes seems to be limited.  Can’t extend my stroke much.  Need to read my body a bit more.

Here is the rest of the week training log.

Monday, sprint, try to do 1.5×7.5 warm .7×9.5, .5xwarm .6×9.5, .5xwarm…etc.  Turned out only able to do 1.5×7.5, .6×9.5 and drop dead (failed).

Tuesday, the day we start morning 4 miles easy run.  Just make our body run all day long.  If we turn on “RUN” switch on in the morning and “RUN” switch on again in the evening.  Our body will try to adjust to it.  The run was above easy but wasn’t too hard.  Light rain when we got home.  That evening at gym try to do sprint, try to do the same as Monday.  Turned out only do 1.5×7.5, .5×9.5 and dead. (failed)

Wednesday, plan to be an easy run with longer mileage (7 miles).  Turned out 3 miles at 7.5.  Failed.  Felt very tried and angry at myself.  Everyone seems to be run faster then me.  The guy “saad” in the gym can run at 9.1 for few miles without knowingwhat ”running” is.  don’t even know how many mile for a half or full marathon.  Fei’sright, they don’t run correctly witha right from (including that dump ass training run at 11 for 2 minutes).  He is strong andfit but still don’t run witha good or right form.   I was piss, angry and I felt beat up by running.  I crashed that night.  All the hard work, hard running are just failures everyday.  I can’t do speed and yet I can’t even handle easy run.  I went to sleep early that night hope for good rest.

Thursday, hope for the best.  I was angry still but I want to be focus and ready for it.    Of course I fail.  I was able to do 1.5×7.5 warm and .5×9.5 and jog andtry again, but fail in less than a minutes.  Stop… I am just tried.  My  pre=”My “>bodycan’t handle it.  Not my legs, not my breathing, I think that was my mind (becasue I haven’t talk jj to for a while) … It mindnot the trutheither.  I need to find out why.  Fei might be right, it could be the body energy storage is empty.  No food can restore it, you need rest and let the body restore it naturally.

Friday, I just take thing easy.  No run.  no sweat.  Get ready for the fishing trip and change long run on Sunday.

2009.05.27 (Wednesday, my vacation time)

Took things easy last week.  Sat’s long run was easy, I would think at 8:30 pace for 15 miles.  Felt easy from begin to end.  I was able to keep my form most of the time.  Found my stroke little bigger than fei for some reason.  I know he didn’t want to push, trying to do easy pace.  But it always not easy for me because I feel very hard to go slow, I uses more energy that way.  It is just the begining of the training and I don’t want to make it too hard, be patient is always the key here.  We skipped gym on Monday because of holiday.  Tue is the first time we try morning run this year, got up at 7:30am (didn’t brush teeth) and head out to shore road for a 4 miles easy run.  I was at my own pace, stop at VB.  Felt ok, it was little chill at the begining.  Later in the evening, tried 1×7.5 warm, .5×8 warm, .8×9.5 sprint, .5×7 then 1.5×8.5.  So i got ~8miles on tuesday.    I didn’t get good sleep lately, wakes up every 3 to 4 hrs…sucks.  What the hell is bothering me now?

2009.05.22 (Friday)  Next new training started for SI.

The question is, should I go for full next year or stay with half & aim for sub 1:2*?  They are just different game.

After two weeks of rest, we started slowly.  My left ankle still hurt a bit so I was worry about at the beginning.  Monday was 4 miles easy (7.5), no problem and my ankle didn’t bother me much andfelt kind of strong.  Tuesday is ok as well, I was able to do 1.5 warm, 2×8.5 and .5 cool.  Wednesday on sprint but tried.  I stopped on 3 miles.  Thursday is tried.  I think I didn’t get good sleep lately.  I was so sleepy that I slept on the couch in front of the TV before the run.  I did sprint, 1.0 x 7.5, .5 x 8, then .75 x 9.5, slow to walk, then .6×9.5, 1×7 and .2×9.5.  I think I failed, but my body learned what is sprint this time.  I felt the sore at my lower back (new area).   It is just a start.  Can’t wait for the long run in Central park.

2009.05.06 (Wednesday) Post race report.

It is over, my offiical time is 1:37:06.  It is a new PR.

162. Chow Ng      Brooklyn,NY    38 M  3030  1:37:06  1:37:24

It was a good race, even it was raining the whole time.  Just light rain.

My left ankle hurt still, after 2 weeks of zero mile recovery.   For the past 2 weeks, I was on cross training, mostly core training.  I think the next one would be SI half.   NYC half is full for this year.  Our goal is speed for the next training.  will try some short distance races like 6 miles, 3 miles.  I will try to break my USMC boot camp time.  If I remember correctly, it was 21:17.  I should able to do it.  Will see.

Here are few pictures at the race day.

It was a busy Sat (May 2nd), haircut, pickup bib, garden work, & fix 1st floor hot water leak.  Andyes, we did everythinginthat few hrs.  Got up early at 8 something, drive to NJ pickup bib package, back to home depot for bricks and put all poles in the garden.  By the time we finished the poles, it was 7pm.  Spent another 2 hrs fix the water leak, then dinner.   Pack up things for the next morning.  Went to bed around 10:45pm.  No trouble sleep at all.  Got up at 4am.  Leave the house pickup jj by 5.  No traffic in the NJTP, but stuck in traffic when it is only few miles from Long Branch at route 36.  I was dying for bathroom in the traffic.  I was thinking, what the hell?  it is already 6:30am.  45 more minutes, what about warm up, parking crap.  It turns out that long wait traffic just for general runners to the big parking lot, then bus take them to the starting line.  Lucky we didn’t follow the crowd, I choose to direct to the board walk and truned out the best choice ever.  No traffic, lot of space and we parked 1 block away from the boardwalk.  The morningweather wasn’t that bad, just cloudy andlittleof light rain from time to time.  I like it, as long as I don’t have to get wet I am happy.  It wasn’t cold either at 54F something.  Did 10 minutes slow run as warm up.  It started at 7:59 when it should be 7:30.   We were standing 20 yards from the starting line.  Might give jjabit of pressure since it is her first time.  But my goal is beat last year’s PR, so don’t want standin the back with all newbies.

I say we (fei & I) startup as tempo pace.  JJ is a bit slow, but should be fine.  I think we lost JJ by 100 meters.  I lost Feiatfirst mile.  Anyway, I just want to be focus.  Few two miles is a little fast, because I need to catch my breathby mile 2.5/3.  Skipped/avoided  all water stations.  I think I can manage a whole race without any water because I carry my own water.  After mile4, I am looking for the Chinese resturant, it is the middle of the race.   I fell I was flyingmostof the time. Specially during corners.  That make me feel great.  I was able to focus most of the time in the frst half.  The rain seems like to be in andout.  I might be tried, I don’t think I slow down much.  At mile 10, I met this lady.  She was in front of me on this long road, I think it is Ocean Ave.  At this stage, everything seems to be ok slow motion.  Your legs andallyour muscle are moving crazy but your brain is like quietly thinking, looking around you.  This lady is runinginfront, moving… I am runing behide and moving.  I am not far from her, like 5 meters…slowly down to 4, andveryslowly down to 3, then very very very slowly down to 2.  Now I can hear her breathing, I mean hard andout of breathbreathing.  Usually when somebody behide you, you will push yourself (well I do that) and your brain wake up, telling yourslef don’t let anyone pass you.  I know she tried, but I know she is diying too.  Now our distance from 2 back to 3 slowly.  Well lady, not for long and I am still behideyou…chasing.  It was like that for about 2 minutes.  I couldn’t pass because if I made my move I’ll screw up my pace, breathing…etc andIwill her carrot.  Few minutes later, I think my base pace is stronger than her, because I can tell I can recover at this pace.  So I am making my move.  Now our distance is like 2 meters apart, slowly down to 1 meter, no way she could out run me this time.  Now we are at shoulder/shoulder… andeverythingisstill in slow mo.  She is running out of breaths, I can hear much clear when we shoulder to shoulder.  But I couldn’t pass, she fights slow and I try slow.  For almost 3 minutes, my carrot beccome my parter.  We simply know we’re fighting for the same goal.  We’re shoulder to shoulder for almost a mile until we reach the next water station.  She was on my left and the water station on our right.  I was thinking she wants water, so I slow down andslowly give her a way go to my right.  We both pass that water station and it is about time back to the city of long branch.  And I think I need start to push now.  So I took my gloves off, drink my water then take off.  AndI think it was the last time I saw her.  I was fun because not too many people runningatmy pace at that time.  Most people I met at my pace usually withsame running skill level.  It simply never happen to my pervious races before.  Because at that time, mostly are newbies.  Run slow andruncrazy.   At my current pace, people aren’t kidding about their race.  Now I am into long branch town, where more hotels, shops, more people watch us…etc.  I was still feeling ok, just can’t run any faster.  I was running alone still.  Finially, about time turn to the broadwalk.  Means I still have about 1.8 miles left.  I look at the big clock, 1:20:xx,  meaning I am able to PR at 8 minute pace.. because I know I won’t able to run faster.. just very tried.  I am thinking about finishing it, not pushing.  Shouldn’t do that.  But it is just too easy to say now, when you running it is just different.  By the way, next time run on the broadwalk, just don’t ask.  I wasn’t that long this year.  Last year, the broadwalk was like 20 miles long.  I pass the restrusrant.  Looking for that tall hotel building (cell logo).   Oh yeah.. I see it.  I am not far away.  I am done almost.  Now I see that finish line banner on my left.  there was worker tell me keep to my left for half marathoner, I saw the banner and i push hard.  before I pass that finish line I was thinkingwhereare the time sensors mats at?  i don’t see it? somethingnew?  So I pass the finish line, stop my watch.  Yeah.. it is over.  But a guy just point to me the finish line is not here.  Another 200 meters away.  I was like…. KILL me.  I can’t even walk now another 200 meters.  In 10 seconds, I catch up my breath and do another 200 meters sprint.  I just hope I won’t trip myself.  25 seconds later, I pass the real finish line.  My stop watch showed 1:36:57.

2009.04.29 Thursday (72F, Sunny but I feel chilly)

Sat long run is a big disappointment.  I think it was the weather.  It was at 80 something degrees.  I gave up on the first lap.  We started out fast (~7:40/pm) at my 82%, not peak.  I think it was the heat and way to many people in the park.  Hate them.  But we managed finish 15 miles at the end.

Basically it is a rest week.   But I can’t risk not able to startup smooth on Sunday morning.  So my plan is short SPEED & TEMPO work (3 to 4 miles).  Monday was easy, in fact too easy that I don’t even want to run.   I was on cotton shirt, big ass nimbus sneaker.  I found myself a little tried after Sat’s long run.  Tue is still tried, but a little better.   I ran 1.5 easy and 3 x 8.3 tempo.  It wasn’t that bad after all.  Wed , I have to get back on track.  Did 1.5×7.5 warm and 2 laps of speed 8.8. then 2 lap of 8.0.  Feel great after that.

2009.04.24 Friday (65F, Sunny)

Last easy run of this training, it wasn’t easy from mile 1 to 7.  I felt my muscle won’t able to handle the run.  I had trouble even after warm up (~1.5 mile).  My feet seem to be added 20lb to them.  Just move forward until it is over.  Just tried.

2009.04.23 Thursday (60F, sunny)

Finally I ran out of fuel yesterday.  Warm up is better than yesterday.  I guess the run kick my ass after all.   I was suppose to do speed 4 repeats of 8.8.  I did 1.5×7.5 and 1×8.8 then drop dead…won’t start up afterward.  Sad!  Tried this morning still.

2009.04.22Wednesday (61F cloudy)

Last night’s easy run was a bit stiff in the beginning.   Didn’t want to move at all.  The first 1.5 mile was hard.  I was thinking, wow…am I going to die at the first warm up run?  After 2 miles, I can feel my legs are kicking in the with O2, sweat like crazy (wet my TM).  2.5×7.5, 2×7.6, 2×7.7, then .5×9.  I feel my muscle relax at the end of the speed/sprint .4 mile run.   No sleep problem from last night, I guess I was tried.

2009.04.21 Tuesday (61F light rain)

Last night’s tempo was an easy one.  Finished with fuel left in the tank.  Little tight this morning.  Didn’t get a good sleep last night, lot of dreams lately.  It is usual good performance after long run and Sunday rest.  I wonder why.

2009.04.18 Long run from yesterday.

It feels like summer, at 72F.  I took my camera.  This camera might be light weight, but I don’t really want to carry anything we me during run.  But I think it is more important capture how central park look like before the summer.  The first thing got change is the grass.  There were out two weeks ago.  Now take a look at those tress.  I don’t see more than few people on the road few week back, but now they are just everywhere.  So crowed.

Second picture.

Third picture.

About this week.  It was ok.  I felt I have enough engery for the week.  About to finish most of the training.  Felt less pain after rest.  Basically just want to finish up the training and get ready for NJHM.

Yesterday’s long 15 miles run.  Felt powerful at the start.  Great weather, sunny and very crowdy in central park.  This is the first day I can simply wear one layer don’t feel cold on the way there or back.  But I still brought my jacket (+camera) just in case.   Start strong, initial I want start at 8:30 pace but keep doingbelow8.  I have to keep remind ourself to slow down andkeepthe pace.  First lap is strong at 49:39.  Second lap is stong until pass harlem hill.  I think I have to slow down after harlemhill.  But time show different story.  I am actually little faster in the second lap (1:38:39/49:00) and 13 mile at 1:46:44.

Monday, March 30.

I think I might have hurt my left angle a bit.  I felt little pain when walkingor even sitting.

Tried at the begining, specially during warm up.  It is like killing me.  Don’t want to move at all.  Tempo at 2×7.5, 4×8.3, 1×7.5.

Tuesday, March 31, Easy run, I feel ok, I think Fei more triring than me.  2×7.5, 2×7.6, 2×7.7, 1×8.

Wednesday, April 1st.  Very tried actually.  Not muscle tried.  Just no more energy left.  Speed run at 1.5×7.5, 1×8.8,.5×7.5,1×8.8,.5×7, 1×8.8…stopped.

Thursday, April 2.  Very tried, drained energy.  My left lower angle still feel a little pain the whole week.  By thursday, I am just tried, but still able to finish the easy run, but really at 7×7.5.  Just do it for the milage quota.

Friday, April 3.  Tried from work.  Hate so much pressure from work.  Running is the only time for myself and my body escape from work pressure.  Did good set up sit up and lower back work.

Satursday April 4, Long run.  Very windy out there, up to 45mph.  Just windy on the way from brookly to cp.  CPis a little better, no as strong but windjustfrom different directions.  Got a good 1 hr sleep before run, I mean the kind of sleep that you don’t remember to wake up.  Short but good.  I think it is due to the  pre=”the “>triedness, plan to start slow and easy (8:30 pace).  It was okatthe first lap, fei is kind of slow for some reasons.  Tried to be relax and go smooth in lap one.  I was’t able to do some, at slow pace, I feel use more strokes and more energy.  Feel the feets poundingthe road.  Don’t feel relax at all.  I asked myself, do I know how to run slow?  Why slow pace seems to be difficult to me most of the time?  does slow pace demandhighercontrol on the body running form?  So, my Sat result was, 2 laps only.  Not 15 miles.  I stopped at mile 9 (at halem hill), it was the first time I gave up at the hill actually.

Let’s think deeper into it.

Slow pace at trademil, usually more tried on the lower leg muscle the next day.  More friction build up.  there should be a lot more step/stokes.  Easy on breathing andheartrate, but i think it is higher tax for muscle, plus the mental thing is also a killer.  Feel slow, slow, and very slow, give you more time to think about time.  when is it going to end?

As of april, 2009: Easy for me is 7.5 (TM) for 7 miles no problem.

At faster pace, you won’t think about time.  Every fast run, time seems to be fly by.  It demands heavy breathing and heart rate.  You can’t do simple math when you run fast.  So the limit is muscle, breathing and heart rate.

As of April, 2009: Speed for me is 8.8(TM) 4 repeats.  I would say i need push myself up to 93% for this pace.

So, another question.  What i was thinking when i run?  Other than time, number of mile.  I am a runner, and i love see another runner at the same pace as you from same direction or different direction.  Enjoy checking out the body shape and run form.  Some people don’t run fast but they have very good form.  Just like walking, some people walk with  ”>comfident and strong, some walk lazy.  Usually, if the body lookgood when they run withgood form.  Because I can tell the different between runners andpeople want to loss weight, yeah, big different.  Even in the gym, you can always tell the different.  Other than looking around,  I try to listen to my body, breathing, I have to remind myself that I need to control it (specially forgetfullin easy run).  remindtakebigger steps (more air).  use different body part for movement, shift to different area would help you.  But usually it takes lot of focus during run.

2009.04.14(tomorrow is pay day, yaah)

No update from last week, mainly because it was a rest week.  Only run on tempo on Tuesday andSpeed on Thursday.  Looks like able to keep up with the pace.  The reason I want to run tempo andspeed during rest week is because I don’t want to start all over again next Monday andit’s kind of work.  I ran tempo (2×8.3, 2×8.3) and seems to be fine.  Just interrupted by that ass personal trainer, who ran fast (at 5×10) andmadea lot noise/breath like crazy plus lookingathim while we were running.  Stupid guy.  I stopped because of him.  Make me mad and angry.  What the F is he doing?  I tried hard to continue andI gave up when he left the TM.  I felt lost, total lost by this ass.  I know I can’t keep up with his speed and the moment and I also stop due to his ass acts.  I feel angry of myself.  Fei also interrupted by the asiasassguy heavy breathing, handicap running, and moaning runs. What’s is going on in the gym now.

2009.03.29 Running log

Felt body weight on the heavy side after all eatingfrom weekend.

Monday, Mar 23, 2009  40F  chilly but not cold.  144 B4 run, 142 After, Starbucks coffee morning and late lunch @SW

Tempo run: 1×7.5 warm, break, 1×7.5 warm again, 5×8.3.  Strong leg muscle (no pain/tight), no breathing trouble, heart rate were log either, felt like easy run.

Tuesday, Mar 24, 2009 50F chilly but better than yesterday.  morning tea, late BK lunch.

Easy run: 2×7.5, 4×7.7 and 1×7.8.  Good form, no pain/tight muscle, no trouble breathing and HR.  felt easy…really easy.  I think it is about time to increase speed.. or just the body still have backup energy?

Wednesday, Mar 25, 2009  pre=”2009 “>57F, warm weather.  Morning coffee, indo lunch
Speed run: 2×7.5, 1×8.8, .5×7.5, 1×8.8 then drop dead for different reasons. First, I feel tired to start with, then work related stuff in the back of my mind, third the dum a*s guy run next to me at my 2nd mile. Come on what that moaningallabout? Is it necessary at all? This guy isn’t running, he hands are holding on the TM, he runs at 8.5 while I am doingmy8.8 speed. Then he can’t catch up, making f*ing pain face andmoanloud. Why run next to me a*s. I failed at mile 4 something, stop and then move to another TM. But lost there, can’t get my feet start again, even I try…

Thursday, Mar 26, 2009 54F, feel chill but not cold, rain. Morning starbucks coffee, indo lunch, eye were tried
Lot of work, late work at night again.
Easy run: 2×7.5, 2×7.6, 2×7.7, then 1×8.0. BTW, that ass showed up next to me again. Let see, he ran 2×8.0 this time.. the usual f faces and moaning… oh well, I see it is another gas chamber kind of thing. I didn’t fail or stop this time… I was thinking to stop and move to another TM, but again, it is easy run and I should able to handle it even this a*s is next to me. Felt easy, a bit hard when this a*s moaning hard…

Friday, Mar 27, 2009 138.9LB morning, 67F feel warm, sunny. Server move tomorrow morning . eye tried, sleep below avg last night, just woke up twice….vacation…vaction.

Sat, Mar 28, 2009 Working today. Get up at 6am, sleep by 10pm, just tried.

Sunday, March 29, 2009 light rain, 45F but feel warm, not cold at all.
Sleep kindofsuck, up around 1am, 3 to 5 bb. Still tried when woke up this morning. up around8 something.

Long run this afternoon…

Update: 2009.03.30, last night long run.  55F, cool but not cold, with 2 layers just fine.

Feistarts out fast, i mean fast, I can’t catch up with him on the first half mile.  I gave up catchingup with him because I want complete 15 miles.  It was hard because we were talkingabouthow other fast runners about their good time.   We are improvingbut still want to be faster…usually this is not a good sign.   Then, he came up with a secertplanabout first mile at 7:30 pace.   I didn’t catch up until the second mile, which I coudn’t slow down by then.  So I past him and just keep on going.  If I slow down, I know I would stop.  This is my brain thing.   So, I suck up the pain andhard breathing, up the first mile hill.  Don’t lookback.  I think it is the light rain, very smoothingbreathing in.

2009.03.22 Post run log

Typing this on Sunday morninginStarbucks.  Last night temperature at around 40F in Central Park when we arrived 5pm.  It felt just chill not cold but a lot sunshine and WIND.  Was thinkingstartslow, get a good warm up.  Everything seems to be OK but the muscles just day dreaming the whole time.  My brain tell me I should quit at 1.5 miles, becuaseitfelt slow, taking forever to finish 15 miles.  It felt quick when we hit the first hill, when we not even warmup yet.  Dammmuscles!!! breathing and heart beats are great, don’t feel labor at all, just the legs are not pickingup.  No pain though, maybe it is slow pace thing?!  No issue withup hill nor down hill, or both hilles.  Not thinking about quiting after the first 1.5 mile, which is good.

Feiseemsto be hurt or something, his left leg not able to pickup most of the time when I follow him.  I don’t think I should push too hard on him (by runningtoo fast with my pace).   He was on a new pair of new Ascisc Kayalno 7.5 yesterday.  He steps like he was on that New balance, noise heavy movement.

I was able run fast after 12 miles (second loop).  I would say good pace below 8 minutes.   I felt freedom and fast in the last 3 miles.  Ok form I would say.

Ate a lot when got home.   I mean a lot.

Past week:

Bit tried on Mon, but perform well on tradmill.   Did 7 miles tempo 8.2.

okon Tue, easy 7 miles with 7.5->7.8 (last 2 miles)  completed.

bit tight on Wed, push to finish 8.7 with 4 interval.  completed 7 miles.

Thu, easy run 7 miles at 7.5 -> 7.8

I think i am catching up with my last training session at least.  Wow… it would 5 weeks…

2009.03.15 Post run log

Did well this week.  Strong tempo on Monday, relax easy run on Tuesday, stopped half way on Wednesday’s speed run (finished 2 laps fast at TM 8.6/8.7), that’s ok.   Tried on Thursday morning, and felt Strong on Thursday’s easy run, completed totally 7 miles no issue.  So, speed still kill me there.  8.6/8.7 isn’t that hard.  Have to focus next week.

CP15 long run is kindof strange.  Started fast (~7:48) but don’t feel fast at all.  Then the next few miles able to keep that speed.  Don’t feel warm up even after the first lap, not a smooth start.  I didn’t want to start fast but time showed it was a fast start.  Brain/mindisa funny thing.  I think it is the weather, at ~50F + wind all over west andeast.  No issue with both hills, but slow after Harlem hill section (always die after hills).

Here is the numbers:

First lap: 47:22

Second lap: 1:35:39

15:   2:00:59

After all, the last mile at strong pace.  First time thinking of quieting after mile 9 (Harlem hill).  Legs feel weak the whole time.  No blood in muscle kind of feeling.   Weather report said low wind, but wind all over in central park most of the time.  No cold after run, but still kind of chilly to me.

2009.03.08 long run

Long run on Sat.  Yup, it is spring.  We were in CP last Sat at the same time.  Only few people walked by because it was cold.  This Sat was like summer, people everywhere, lot more runners, turists, spendex biker, dogs…   BTW, it was at 60F.

First mile 8:40 pace, no control but not too bad, legs need a bit warm up.  mind and body still not working together like.

Second mile 8:35 pace, push a little, didn’t slow down much andwe suppose should start slow to get everything together.

Third mile, hit the hill.  Easy for me, Fei’sbreathingbecome heavy when reached the top.  But I think we both clam on the way down.  Keep  class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”Keep “>workingon good running form.  Water break andgetready for the second hill.  Wasn’t to hard for me but Feipaid tax for the secondhill, because I can hear his breathing getting out of control like.

First loop (up to mile 6) were easy enough because I don’t want push for the firtlap, get a good warm up.  But I didn’t think it was a good lap like last week.  I am tried after the second hill.  In fact, I stopped right after east side (past traffic light) and finish all my water.  (don’t know what to do without water for another 6 miles) , about a minute or two.  I start again.  but at much slower pace for some reasons.  By the time I past boat house I was about the give up… but I didn’t.  Well, I stopped again right after the cross over place for 30 seconds… waiting for fei.  But can’t see him, so I start again.  The last3 miles is like hell.. still better than last week.

Just tried.  Can’t run fast and long.  What I am thinking?  I need focus.  Can’t give up anymore.

I had a hard time waking up early in the morning.  With some urgent projects at work, I had my running schedule in a mess and missed a lot of mileage lately.  So I decided to run in the afternoon after work near the office and get back to the office before I hit the road back home.

We don’t have a shower at work.  I would just have a small towel to wet and wipe myself dry.  Then a deodorant and perfume.

But after reading the January 2009 issue of Runners World they recommended more items for the runners kikay kit.

1. Baby wipes – I think this is a good idea and I should add this up in my desk.
2. Baby powder – hmmm… I have to pass on this one.
3. Deodorant – check!
4. Hand towel – check!
5. Liquid Soap – Let me think about this.
6. Comb – check!

I am not used to run after work.  But I need to be flexible.  So time to go to the grocery and have a stock of these.

I have collected a few Spreadsheets that keep track of My jogs, how far my shoes have run, my weight, my blood pressure, my target heart rates, basically it does a bit of everything. I can’t claim credit for any of it except to tweak a few things and to put it all together in 1 file. I have also included the original Spreadsheet and instructions

Available Here

It was last March 3 when Quennie received a call from a researcher for QTV. They found the Takbo.ph website and inquired if there is a certain gadget that is specific for running. They want to feature gadgets for fitness in one of their episodes for their show – “The Beat”. Without second thoughts, Quennie referred the Garmin 405 watch and me to talk about it.

The first schedule to shoot was during the Takbo.ph LSD last March 8. They wanted it when I am actually using the gadget. However, it was moved since they were asked to cover a FrancisM story instead. Too bad since I would be running with others who wears the same watch. Could have been fun.

Then, they opted to have it shot either in our boarding house or in our office. The boarding house is a mess, so it is a no-no. As for the office, I just asked permission from my boss and he is very ok with it and even wanted it shot during office hours.

But the crew arrived past 6pm on March 11. With them is the segment host, Valerie Tan, who did the interview. She was with the segment producer and a camera man.

First time I saw how a certain interview is made. One cam, a big lamp, a big mic and some cords. Cool. And I thought it will be complicated.

I also did not complicate things. I just wore my usual “business” clothes. No make up of course. Brushed my teeth. Shaved a little and used my bare hands to fix my hair.

Some of my officemates were still around. Some of them really stayed to see the shot.

Valerie quickly rehearsed me with a set of questions. I did a little research beforehand to be sure I will be saying the right things. In a few minutes, the camera started rolling.

I was not looking at the camera so I didn’t feel conscious. There was one part where I stumbled on my words and had to cut. It was quick and simple. In 15 minutes or less, we are finished with the interview.

Off cam, Valerie and I had a little chat since she wanted to join races too. She asked about running form, shoes, and places to run. My officemates told me I should have got her number. Tsk tsk tsk. For a guy soon to be married, that is the last thing on my mind.

With Valerie Tan of QTV

The show was aired last night at 10pm. Since I announce it at the Takbo.ph website, some of them really stayed up late for the show. Darn. And Natz, even took a video of it and share it on YouTube.

So for those who missed it, well and good.
But anyway, here is the segment on Garmin 405.

Jinoe Gavan of Takbo.ph at QTV’s The Beat for GF405