FINISH STRONG

Long Island Marathon 2011 Race Report - 2 in the Bag!

2011-05-04T00:51:00.000-07:00

It was a glorious day for race day! I woke up at 4:30am to two alarm clocks to avoid the snooze button syndrome. I got dressed, ate two vanilla pancakes and took sips of coffee on the way to my father-in-law's. After picking him up, we headed to Flushing, Queens where we agreed to meet friends from DM Anh & Alex, then headed to Eisenhower Park in Long Island. Awesome folks with great sense of humor btw. I'm in awe of their training routine. Anyhow, when we arrived; we still had about 45min to before gun time. So, we used this time to chit chat and use the bathroom before heading to the race start.

When we got to the race start section, we were still blabbing away and looking for any signs of Mike, Leo, or Sam (fellow DMers). Finally, Mike and Leo spotted and greeted us. As we all waited for the gun start, we introduced everyone who have not met before. As Leo and Mike moved away, the gun goes off and Anh gave me a good luck hug as I wished her the same. I idiotically admit that I did not hear the gun or horn to start. All I saw was that the crowd standing around finally started walking. What was a girl like me to do? Nothing, but start as well, obviously!

I started easy to make sure I didn't pull out too fast for my own good. I paid attention to my pace, which remained at a steady 9:10-9:40 m/m. I held on to this fluctuating pace until mile 6, where I took my first PowerBar Vanilla Gel and 1st bathroom break. As I continued, there were left turns ahead which had a slight uphill angle. I kept going without stopping until I finally couldn't. There were no signs of injury, thank God.

However, as I proceeded further from mile 8 and up, I notice a slight fluctuation in my pace; which was now between 10:15- 10:27 m/m. Now I remember a fellow DMer @SCL, who runs at 10:27 pace, for an overall finish time of 4:30. So I made sure to maintain my pace at 10:27 or less. I was able to manage this pace until mile 10; that's when the half and full runners separated. It was a sudden shock at how fast the crowd of runners thinned out. Suddenly the 15-20 people running in front and behind me became 5-7. Regardless, I paid no mind and continued.

As I hit mile 13.1, I see my Garmin at elapsed time of 2:02. I said to myself that this was great and a PR compared to last year's LIM half at 2:45. Again, this time was very different as I was running double the mileage. I saw the time, and remembered to take another energy gel before flopping to the ground. When I felt the need to go, I stop at mile 14 to use the port-o-potty. I almost regret stopping and waiting in line as I was concerned with my finish time, but I really had no choice. The uncomfortable GI issue slowed me down to an 11:15 pace. I just wouldn't have that. So, I did my business and continued to run.

As we continued the highway route, I saw the "faster"(elite) runners on the opposite side. I looked over to see where their mile marker was, and it indicated 20. It was still within 2 hours, so I told myself that if I can hit mile 20 in 3:30, and run the remainder 6.2mi in an hour, then I can PR and sub 4:30. However, that was not the case.

Moving on to mile 16-17, where there was another hill that gradually inclined, this is when I started to feel tightness and cramping on my left calf. I started to spray my home made portable Kool 'n Fit to relieve some pain, to no avail. Frustrated with the pain, there was nothing I could do but move forward. I took another energy gel and trudged on.

As I saw mile 20, I kept an eye on the Garmin for time. I saw that 3:40 had elapsed. I no longer see 4:30 as a possibility; which made me opt for 4:45. As I move forward, the sun felt hotter, as if it was directly my back. I was beginning to feel light-headed from hunger as well. I couldn't wait until the next water station to consume another gel. Having no H2O, it was blah; and not to mention that I had dripped some on the right palm of my hand down to the running short. Gah! I had no water so I licked it off out of desperation. When I hit mile 22 water station, I rinsed off with the remainder H2O I had in hand.

I was exhausted at this point with extreme tightness in both calves and left anterior tibilais muscles were in agony again. I continued a run/walk hobble until I got to mile 23, another curvature that lead to more uphill sensation. At mile 23.5 or so, I spotted Israel and we ran from there. I was in so much pain that I began to do more walking than running. But I told myself that I did not want shots of me walking, so I slow jogged and walked until the end. As I crossed the finish mark/line, I started to run again while giving the camera crew a pained smile and peace hand throws at 5:21 finish time.

I have to admit that I'm not ecstatic with my time, but I'll take it since it's a 20min PR from my first marathon. Now, I'm proud to have shaved this much off. Next stop, Philly! I'm shooting for another PR or 4:30.

The Easter Marathon Trail Run (10K)

2011-04-26T01:09:00.000-07:00

Date: April 24, 2011
Temp: 70 deg with mild humidity
Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY
Race Start: 10am
Web link: http://www.theeastermarathon.com/

My stats: 6.60 miles at 10:56 pace (total 1:12 min)

I awoke at 8am, after snoozing for 30 minutes, to get ready for the run & Dailymile meetup. I knew today would be fantastic day for a trail race considering that it had just rained the day before, where mud is expected to be present. If you are finicky about mess, then this is clearly not a run for you. As I waited for Israel to finish with the bathroom, I got myself and Jocelyn ready and made sure all her snacks are packed. Making sure, I did not forget my Nike sportband as we cannot part, with 1500miles + logged. I got my turn to the "john", and made sure Jocelyn made her last pit stop too to avoid any emergency stops. Following so, we head out the door to pick up my in-laws, to head to the meet up location with DMers.

When we arrived, we searched for side street parking for about 5 minutes and got lucky. Then we headed to the tortoise and hare statue to collect our bib numbers (which was #1 for all) and bunny ears (oh, the pun!). I finally met Linna, Philip O., Mike, & Louis for the first time, and Leo M for the 2nd time. It was indeed a very fun meet up.

This was my first ever trail run. I dabbled with the idea of including trail runs in my trianing, but the trails close to home seem unsafe to run alone and I'm usually solo at longer runs. Moving on...I arrived with the mentality that I should run easy and conserve my legs for Long Island Marathon this Sunday. As I preceeded mile 1-2, minor twinges on the left leg started (the anterior tibialis...again!) as we reached 130ft elevation gain.

Following so, the descent included mud, rocks, branches left and right and in the dirt road. I didn't realize Linna and Philip were so close, so I stayed with them until mile 3 when they split off. I was behind two ladies until I was spotted by Leo, Mike, & Louis. I ran with Leo for the next few miles while Mike and Louis stayed were a few steps behind us. We ran and walk while chatting, until we hit mile 5; another elevation gain of 188ft. Walked that bad boy up, and did a shimmy run 'n slide to avoid a muddy smackdown. The descent forced a nice pace, estimating my pace at 7:30 m/m for less than a tenth of a mile. As we neared the finish area, Leo went ahead and I continued an easy run.

As I head to the finish, I see Jocelyn calling me, "Mommy! Mommy!" which brought light to my eyes. I was just happy to get this done and say..."Trail run, virgin no more!"

I'm definitely looking forward to the next one...may it be a race or just a group run. I have to admit, now I understand why some of my friends are easily addicted to these runs. They're fun, and in the wild! Love it!

Group shot below, l

eft to right:

Philip, Israel, Linna, Leo M, Mike, Me, (Back, Jocelyn, Lily), Israel Sr. & Louis.

Rude Awakening, caffeine gone bad

2011-04-06T23:31:00.000-07:00

After my last long run of 14 miles, which was meant to be 24 miles, I wanted to investigate my tolerance for caffeine.

Here's my research result from "googling" the subject:

Generally speaking, we should aim for 68-204 mg of caffeine for a person weighing 150lbs or less. Caffeine can be taken all at once about 1 hour before an event, spread throughout the event, or during the latter stages when you need an energy boost.

Do PowerBar Energy Gels contain caffeine?
Both caffeinated and non-caffeinated flavors are available. Green Apple, Chocolate, and Strawberry Banana deliver 25 mg of caffeine (equivalent to 8oz. of a cola drink); Double Latte and Tangerine are double-caffeinated to deliver 50 mg caffeine (equal to one half cup of coffee or 1 oz of espresso). Raspberry Cream and Vanilla have no added caffeine.

Caffeine Number Crunching pre-LSD & during:

8 oz cup of coffee - 75 mg

1st Gel - Raspberry Cream - 0 mg

2nd Gel - Green Apple - 25 mg

3rd Gel - Double Latte - 50 mg

-----------------------------------------

GRAND TOTAL = 150 mg

(in my system during the run)

Regardless of how many cups of coffee (safe to say 8+ cups/ day) I drink daily, I can't be ignorant on the affects caffeine has when performing at a higher heart rate activity such as running or biking. When drinking coffee at the office, I'm usually calm and seated, so it's no rocket science. Or maybe this is my way of coping with a horrific experience pre-marathon.

14M LSD - 30/10/2010 Report

2010-11-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

I have never adapted to early morning runs, no matter how many hours of sleep I put in. The night before, I set the alarm for 7:30AM and snooze for about an hour and lethargically get into my running gear before I lose motivation. Once I get passed that, I scrimmaged through the house to ensure I have all that is needed. And here I go, falling into an indecisive state whether I should carry my fuel belt or pocket some cash for hydration. As I fill one bottle, I rethink of the weight on my waste and bounciness this gear would cause. So I put that idea away and drop the bottles and belt on the counter. I have now in hand, my iPhone in armband, keys, Nike+ SportBand watch, cash, and two fuel gels. I lace up, tie the garbage, and head out.

I start out with a semi-speedwalk to Doctor Jones by Aqua in my ears....followed by other club-like hits. :)

As I go out further, I feel as if I cannot get warmed up into the run. The legs are in agony, the shins and right ankle. I ignore it and keep going, there is no way I will accept defeat. Rather than paying attention to these ailments, I decide to enjoy the scenic Fall views I pass. Photos taken below are from mile 3 and beyond...

At mile 4, I consume the first Power Bar Gel (Vanilla) slowly as there's no water in sight until I get into Glen Island Park (about mile 6). I experience a slight GI issue, and get over it. As I hit Glen Island entrance, I head directly to the women's restroom for a break and drink from the faucet. To some this is gross, but totally normal for me and similar to drinking from a fountain. So I head back out to continue the run until I get a call from my sis. As I run and chitter chatter about NYCM expo and trip plans with my sis, I get some motivation. Though the thought of a marathon (which I am not running this year) is excitement enough, having family over is more valuable.

As I continue on my way back, I glance at my phone for the time and realize I will not make it in time for my dental appointment if I do a run/walk now. So I keep going and at all cost no walking. When I tire, I slow-jog...no walking allowed whatsoever. It was all mental that brought me home. I took my shower, get dressed, and out I go for the wisdom extraction.

It was a grueling run, but not more than than the extraction which I have dreaded all week long. And not due to the pain but due to the "time-out" of running I will be forced to take. Furthermore, I am hoping that this "recovery" will not damage the pace I have built in over a year of on/off running. I really am not very competitive with others, but I have worked hard to get from 10:30 pace to 9:30 or faster. I do hope to BQ someday, though it's not next year or the following I know I will get there. No one can deny me. And with that in mind ladies and gents...happy running! :)

Oh The Places You'll Go!

2010-10-04T17:44:00.000-07:00

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
~~by the incomparable Dr. Seuss (Theo LeSieg)

Eating and Hydration

2010-07-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

I should be listening to this advice more often....

FOOD:
If you eat before you run, be sure it's at least 3 hours before. If you run in the morning, it's not really necessary to eat anything before you head out. Almost nothing you eat immediately before a run will be far enough into your system to help you. If you do have to eat before running, be sure it's not a big meal, or you might end up with heartburn, stomachache, side stitches, or leaving it on the road somewhere. I've never heard of anyone starving to death on a run. In fact, if I'm hungry before I go running, it usually subsides within the first mile or two. It's best to run on an empty stomach, even on race days(with the exception of a marathon or longer). Eating well the night before allows you to get up, get dressed, and eating.

H2O:
Get yourself into the habit of drinking water all day long. It's recommended that the average person consume 64-100 ounces of water daily, depending on a daily caloric expenditure of 2000-3000. That's ten - 10oz glasses of liquid. Filtered is also preferred, for the sake of your health. To keep from getting dehydrated, drink at least 8 ounces of water a half hour before heading out. If you're going longer than 5-6 miles, take a water bottle or plan a route that has water stops a long the way. Staying hydrated will help avoid your legs from cramping and keep your body temperature within a reasonable range, especially in this hot weather.

TM Chi? Is it possible?

2010-07-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Recently it has been very difficult to run in the Summer temp out here and I've opted to run on our TM. As I have discussed before, in order to practice ChiRunning, one of the requirement is to run with the "lean." But how do you do this on a treadmill without bonking heads with the dash? Here are a few tips without exerting too much time and energy in what seems to be a dilemma if you've gotten used to running outdoors.

Treadmill running is not at all like running on solid ground. It's less of a workout, because the machine is doing the bulk of the work. Also, since the platform is moving, you need yo use more ankle muscles for stability with each footstep. If you're doing the chi running technique, you're leaning and lifting. But there's a much higher rate of impact to the knee on a treadmill, because the track is moving toward you. If you're not picking up your feet and leaning enough, a lot of impact is distributed to your legs.

It's also difficult to lean on a treadmill because there is a tendency to crowd the bar of the machine. I get the jitters running at the back of the treadmill. I feel like any minute I could become a human cannonball and get launched into the wall behind me.

Start by setting the speed at a slow enough pace that you can comfortably jog while instating the chi running focuses; posture, lean, picking up your feet, and cadence.

You have a treadmill that allows you to run at an incline, tilt it up to the point where you can feel the incline but it's no problem to keep your heels down when landing.

Most treadmills have a timer on the display panel. Use the seconds counter for setting up your cadence. Every 3 steps another second should elapse. If that's the case, then your cadence is exactly 90 strides per min. A cadence of 90 will mitgate the impact of the treadmill on your knees by ensuring that your stride is short. Another way to keep the impact low is by picking up your feet and move them in a circular path, like a wheel (did someone say "road runner"?)

You can play around with the speed on the treadmill, but in my opinion a 7min mile created a lot of impact on my knees that felt unavoidable no matter how much I compensated by leaning. The impact was reduced when I tilted the machine to simulate running up a hill.

The two things most crucial to good injury-free treadmill running are keeping your stride short and picking up your feet.

With that said....happy running! :)

Long Island Half Marathon – 13.1 mi / 02:40:35

2010-05-02T23:22:00.000-07:00

We woke up at 4:30am to get ready, and were out of the house by 5:30. When we arrived Long Island (Eisenhower Park), it was about 6:15, and many fellow runners were already there and parking was 75% full. It was Israel's first marathon today, and his father and I ran the half.

After parking at Eisenhower Park, where the Finish area was located, we spent about 20-30minutes walking around and trying to figure out where the start line was located. Meanwhile, my mother-in-law and Jocelyn left and headed for the nearest diner to catch breakfast. After asking 3 different cops for correct directions, we finally found 3 runners walking together opposite our direction. The lady asked if we were looking for the start and she kindly told us we needed to walk across the bridge and it would be a 10-15min walk. As soon as we got there I used the port-o-potty while there were no lines.

We were now at the start line with 50 minutes to kill, how awesome is that? lol Israel was also trying to find any thing he can get pre-run fuel from, bagel or banana would have sufficed but only bottles of water were available. At 7:30, I needed to use the potty again so I went and this time there were lines. When I finally got out, I headed back to the 9min/mile section to meet up with Israel and his dad. A few minutes later, and Army guy in full suit and helmet shows up. Oh yes, he was going to run the half marathon in full army gear along with his buddy is regular running gear. It was for charity, and kudos to him for surviving it too. What a trooper!

The gun finally went off, and I kept my pace at about 9:30s until mile 2 hit. We just looped back to the starting line but going the opposite direction now. At this point I felt the need for the potty again. Oh why, oh why? I hadn’t eaten too much the night before, but I took care of business and trudged on…

I was doing fine until mile 3-4 where the mini-hills were fluctuating and the slanted road turns killed my ankles. They were definitely feeling sore now. I took some walk breaks and stayed behind this girl from Team in Training group (I could tell by her purple shirt with the logo). So I did the run and walk bit until mile 5 hit, I kept a slower pace at about 10-10:30 and tried my best not to walk. At the 10K mark, I had to walk again and used the excuse to have 3pcs of Gu Chomps (Pomegranate/Blueberry). I sipped some H2O from my Fuel Belt and ran again. When mile 7 came around the corner, I saw the sprinklers on the sidewalk and took the opportunity to run through it. Hey, this ain’t no Baywatch scene! Just a girl trying to stay cool! Not that I’m Baywatch material…HAHA!!

So the rest of the way was a struggle, the run/walk continued no matter how much I tried not to walk. At mile 10, the full and half marathon split came and I began to wonder where Israel or his dad would be at this point. We all pretty much split up at the starting line.

In all this, I managed to stay close to the girl from Team in Training. And as I continued, I told myself that her tactic was good and I should stay close to her until the finish.

At mile 11, I finished the rest of the Gu Chomps, sipped water, and sped up. After realizing I went a little too fast at 8:45 pace with twinges at my ankles/left ITB, I slowed down to a jog until mile 12. Then a walk, until this girl passed me and said, “Hey, come on! One more mile!” I took her word for it and started running with 10min/mi. pace. The more I saw blue and orange bundled balloons, and some flags ahead, I realized it was the finish. I ran faster and faster, and weaved through some runners. There was no way they’ll catch a snap shot of me walking. On my way into the finish, I ran the last 0.10 at about 8:30 pace. After running in and breathing hard, my attempt to grab my medal made me look like a bandit. I had to apologize to the girl who handed it to me.

Following the finish, I headed to get my goodie bag with rice pudding, banana, peanut butter cracker, a bagel, and bottled water; I headed to meet my in-laws and my 3 yr old daughter Jocelyn. Then another 3 hours passed as we waited for Israel to finish, I’m sure you’ll see his report too. In all this, I have to say that it was a gruesome, but awesome race! Tan lines definitely well earned! =)

Israel's First Marathon Results

Israel's Dad's Results

Troubleshooting Your Common Hot Spots

2010-02-18T22:53:00.000-08:00

With a good working knowledge of what to do when things don't feel right, you can circumvent the difficulties or discomforts mentioned....

Difficulty sensing what correct posture feels like:

Spend time practicing your posture while standing still so you can become very familiar with it. Set aside 10min a day when all you do is stand there, working on straightening your posture, memorizing what it feels like when it's correct. Then when you're out on your run, you'll be able to recall that feeling.

Neck:

Problems with your neck are generally due to your structure not being aligned properly, meaning you need to work on correcting your posture. Neck pain can also be caused by tension. Look around while you're running. Don't overfocus on the road or trail directly in front of you, look up and expand your vision.

Breathing issues or shortness of breath:

Bottom line is that your muscles are not getting enough oxygen, and here are some possible reasons. Your breath may be too slow or too shallow, which means your blood is not sufficiently oxygenated. You may be running too fast for your current level of conditioning, or using too much muscle.

Shoulders:

If your shoulders are tight, you tend to run with them either too far back or too high. Relax them by dangling your arms for 1 min, every 15min while running. (this might give you a zombie runner look, but it will prevent the tight shoulders).

Lower back:

Having tightness or soreness in your lower back can mean that you're bending at the hips as you land on your support leg instead of keeping your posture straight. Bending at the hips forces your lower back muscles to support the weight of your upper body, because it's cantilevered in front of you. When you run with straight posture, your structure will support your weight.

Hips:

Loosen 'em up baby! Do hip circles all day, every day, every time you can remember to do them. Suggested count is 3,000 hip circles per day. You can also add in hip flexor stretches after running (illustration to follow soon).

Quadriceps:

If your quads are sore, it mean you're using them too much. Work your hip flexors instead, and let your quads rest through every phase of your leg swing. Also, if your quads hurt, it means your foot strike is in front of your body, which increases the impact to your upper legs. Shorten your stride and pull your foot strike back in, more under your body, and you'll reduce the shock to your quads. Picking up your feet will also help reduce shock to your quads, because you'll be creating an upward force to balance some of the downward force of your feet hitting the ground.

Hamstrings:

If you're experiencing discomfort here, your foot is striking out in front of you, and you're overstriding....pulling yourself forward with each step. This is very hard on your hamstrings. It also happens when you're running uphill and reaching ahead of your body with your legs. Let your lean do the work so your upper body is ahead of where your feet are striking the ground, and the pulling will disappear. Overstriding also means that you are reaching in front of yourself with your stride. Shorten your stride and give your hamstrings a break. Open up your stride behind instead of in front.

Glutes:

Work on your control issues...this is not "Buns of Steel" class. Do lots of pelvic circles with your abdominals instead of your glutes. You can also practice relaxing your glutes whenever you're just standing around.

Knees:

There are many reasons for knee pains, the following are the most common ones...

1) Foot turnout...

If your feet turn out to the side as you run, it could create knee pain at any distance by torquing your knee with every foot strike. This will eventually overwork the ligaments and tendons in the knee and lead to pain and injury. The main reason your foot is turning out is the weak adductor muscles on the inside of your leg. These are the muscles responsible for rotating your legs so that your feet point forward when they land. If you rotate your upper leg inward as you run, it will strengthen those muscles and eventually relieve the problem. Run like you're on a tightrope, with your feet hitting along a line stretched out along the road in front of you.

2) Heavy heel strike...

This is the single most common cause in knee pain. If your feet are striking in front of you, or if you're shuffling, your knees could be taking a lot of abuse. Anytime your foot hits the ground in front of your center of gravity, you're momentarily braking because your foot stops while your body continues to move forward. That's why the heels on your shoes wear out - they're like the brake pads on a car. If your foot stops and your body keeps moving, your knee becomes the transfer point for all that force. Your knees were designed to be hinges, not shock absorbers, and they get irritated by having to do a task that is not in their job description. So do them a favor and remember to do two things when you run: pick up your feet with each stride, and run with your upper body in front of your foot strike so that you're landing on your midfoot instead of your heel.

3)Downhill running...

On a downhill, there is more pressure on your legs than at any other time in your running. Up to 10 times your body weight with each step. This puts a huge demand on your knees and quads. The best way around this is to draw the focus away fro your knees and quads by putting your attention on the backs of your legs, which is where your main shock-absorbing muscles are located. When you're running downhill, land with more of your weight on your heels than on your forefoot, you will engage the front side of your legs (your shins, knees, and quads). If you land on your heels, you will engage the back sides of your legs (your glutes, hamstrings, and calves). Imagine that you have an invisible pole connecting your tailbone and heels, and this invisible pole supports your body weight every time your feet hit the ground. Another thing to remember on a downhill is to relax your legs as much as possible. Any extra tension on your legs makes the ride a lot rougher.

Shins and calves:

If your shins are sore, it's because you're using them. You'll need to practice relaxing them. You're probably either tensing your ankles or pushing off with your toes instead of picking up your feet with each stride. It could also be that your stride is too long, which inevitably throws you onto your toes, thus overworking your shins. Shake your calves and ankles often whenever you're standing around, teach them to relax!

Keep your legs limp from the knees down. Shorten your stride and relax your lower legs. Practice picking up your feet while keeping your legs limp from the knees down.

Be sure you're landing on your midfoot (which engages your core muscles) and not on the ball of your foot (which engages your calves). If your calves are chronically tight, massage them often, especially after each run. Work hard at not holding tension in your ankles, and take hot baths after workouts.

If you're recovering from shin splints, be sure to run on flat surfaces. Running up hills will sometimes force you onto your toes, which will aggravate your shins and slow your healing process. Running with shin splints is an opportune time to learn how to run without using your lower legs, because if you can relax them, they won't hurt. But as soon as there's any tension in your calves, you'll feel it.

Another potential cause of sore calves is not taking in enough water or electrolytes while running, which cramps the calves. This can be very painful and can quickly reduce a run into a walk. Refer to my previous post re: muscle cramps.

Heavy or plodding stride:

Your stride is too long, and your emphasis is on the impacts of your feet instead of on picking them up. Practice focusing your attention on the foot that is coming up off the ground. Always think of picking up your feet instead of landing. Also practice your posture while running. Keep it elongated while you're leaning.

Snow Day Breakfast

2010-02-10T15:43:00.000-08:00

After a long mental mental debate if should stay in or go to work, the 5am snow storm easily promoted the decision to stay in. Jocelyn (my 3 yr old) woke me up at 9am and wanted to watch cartoons. So I put the tube on for her while I gathered my supplies to start breakfast. Israel requested for eggs into toasted bread, and I did just that but with a twist. I'm not really sure what you call it but here's how it turned out and what I did:

Tomato Compote:

Prep: Heat your skillet with light oil.

1) Chop 3 garlic cloves and 1 small white/yellow onion and fry 'til it "sweats".

2) Chop 5 small red vine tomatoes and toss into the garlic/onion mix, until it starts to lightly boil. Then simmer.

3) Chop 1/2 bunch of cilantro and toss into the mix as well.

4) Season with salt and pepper to taste, simmer for another 5 min, then cover and set aside.

Egg in a hole:

Prep: Heat your frying pan on medium heat.

1) Take 4 slices of bread (your desired type) and cut about a 2" diameter hole in each. (Hint: if cutting holes in more than one slice, you can stack them together and make the hole all at once)

2) Lightly spray EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) on each slice.

3) Place on the heated pan until brown on each side. Then set aside.

4) Beat 2 egg whites until light bubbles appear.

5) Dip one side of each sliced bread into the egg whites and fry on pan.

6) Break an egg into each hole and fry, flip to cook other side (be careful not to overcook the yolk) Then set aside.

7) Thinly slice mozzarella cheese (or any type that easily melts) and set aside.

8) Take a spoonful of tomato compote on each bread slice with egg and spread evenly.

9) Place one layer (or more if you'd like) of cheese on each bread. (hint: the heat from the tomato compote should melt the cheese.)

10) Garnish with rolled honey ham slice and any desired leafy greens or cilantro and serve.

I like to make use of anything left over, so the bread holes were dipped into the remaining egg whites and fried as well. Then I followed the same steps from 5, and 7 through 10.

Very ideal breakfast for a snow day, except for Jocelyn. I tried to get her to eat this but her taste buds preferred oatmeal and hot chocolate. Maybe in a year or two she'll be into more varieties of flavor. ☺

Muscle Cramps

2010-02-06T23:04:00.001-08:00

Muscle cramps are mostly caused by dehydration and/or low levels of electrolytes. If your body is low on water or electrolytes, it will have a difficult time conducting the electrical current necessary for the firing of your muscles.

Preventive action: Drink 12 oz. of water or sports drink 30 min before your exercise. If you'll be out running over an hour, carry your own water or sports drink. Test out various sports drink to see how your body adapts to each one. Usually one that is easy to drink, decent taste, and has ingredient label that doesn't look like a chemistry final.

An alternative to electrolyte replacement drinks is taking electrolyte capsules, not salt tablets. They eliminate the need to carry anything except water. And you also avoid drinking that nasty stuff they serve at aid stations. =)

Remember the three P's: practice, perseverance, and patience.

If you need additional help, you can always add in 2 more P's: positive attitude and prayer.

Happy Running!

"The Body Wears Out...The Mind Lasts Forever."

2010-01-24T21:02:00.000-08:00

According to Danny Dreyer's book, the ChiRunning technique will completely alter the way you approach running, because it combines relaxation with biomechanically correct running form. This is designed to train your mind to focus and direct your movements so your body doesn't have to work as hard. Quoting Master Xu, "The body wears out...the mind lasts forever."

A great way to learn to relax your body is to get a better sense of your perceived effort level (PEL). Your PEL is the amount of exertion you sense from yourself. PEL is what you feel like you're doing regardless of what you are actually doing.

A Sampling...
Here's a sample exercise that will give you a sense of PEL. It will help you feel the difference between using lots of muscles to move your legs (hard work/higher PEL) and using your core muscles (easy work/lower PEL).

- Stand up straight and tall
- Walk in place for 10 seconds, picking up your feet
- After walking in place for 10 seconds, bend over at the waist - like bowing - and walk in place for 10 seconds
- Now straighten your body to the vertical position and keep walking in place for a few seconds

How did it feel transitioning from each method of walking described above?

When you stand up tall and upright, your psoas ("so-as") muscle is stretched and acts like a rubber band to lift your leg when you walk in place. This is also known as the strongest core muscles in your body, working to lift the weight of your feet, which means there's a large muscle group doing a tiny job. That's why your PEL is lower. When you bend at the waist, your psoas is collapsed, and you have to lift the weight of your leg with your quadriceps, which feels like more work. As you straighten up, your psoas is engaged, and the work of lifting your legs feels easy again.

Hey Sole Runner...

2010-01-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

Hey, hey, hey…

Your footprint stains on the front lobe of my left side brains

I knew I could not fail you, and so I ran and let you blow my mind

The sweet sweet pace, the smell of sweat in every single dream, I ace

I knew when we collided, it’s the run I really needed to fin’ly unwind

Hey sole runner, ain’t that Mister Yasso on the radio, stereo, the way he runs ain’t fair, you know!

Hey sole runner, I don’t want to miss a single run I do….tonight

Hey , hey, hey…

Just in time, I’m so glad there is a track close to my home

You gave my life direction, a game show love connection we can’t deny

I'm so obsessed, my heart is bound to beat right out my pounding chest

I believe in you, like a runner, just like Zola, and I’m always gonna wanna blow your mind

Hey sole runner, ain’t that Mister Yasso on the radio, stereo, the way he runs ain’t fair, you know!

Hey sole runner, I don’t want to miss a single run I do….tonight

The way we don’t feel the drag, running is the only drug we need

It’s so gansta, it’s so thug, it’s just the runs I’m dreaming of

You see, I can be myself now finally, in fact there's nothing I can't be

I want the world to run it all with me

Hey sole runner, ain’t that Mister Yasso on the radio, stereo, the way he runs ain’t fair, you know!

Hey sole runner, I don’t want to miss a single run I do….tonight

Hey, hey, hey

Tonight
Hey, hey
Tonight

My Artwork

2009-12-02T22:39:00.000-08:00

White Plumerias - with oil pastel on canvas

White Lily - with oil pastel on canvas

"Red Moon Koi" with oil pastel on canvas

"Blue Fish Roll" with oil pastel

Ode to Fuel Belt

2009-11-25T11:50:00.000-08:00

This is nothing new for me but it has always been something I put in the back of my head. When I go for my long run, I usually carry my fuel belt and get these weird looks. It didn’t occur to me how there are very few runners in my neighborhood, as well as their unfamiliarity with the essentials needed for running in aspects of equipment and gear. Not to mention the obvious (visual) purpose of a fuel belt; hydration and storing other “little” essentials. No one had ever asked what they’re used for, but it doesn’t hurt to do so, right?

Moving on, I usually start out from home and go through a few blocks before hitting the park. Note that the park is about 1.50-1.75 miles from home. Following so, I go through the little roads through the park and eventually lead to a bridge, and then to a seafood galore of restaurants in City Island. However, when I’m feeling humorous, I intentionally make at least two rounds on the track in the park for the sole purpose of others’ enjoyment on gawking at the fuel belt around my waist. A few months ago, this was not my intention (attract attention or advertise), but when it dawned on me how funny it is; I began to enjoy the little commentaries I pretend to hear through my headphones and trudge on. After a while, I bore myself of these two laps around the track so I simply skip them now.

On one Saturday long run, I spotted a fellow female runner with the same fuel belt but with other attachments involved. I found it very interesting, but did not dare to ask. The bottles I’d seen appear to be Amphipods attached to a regular Fuel Belt brand, though I was not aware this was a possibility. I had always thought that whatever fuel belt bottles are included is it without thoughts of customization. So this has brought me wondering what other attachments I could MacGyver into my fuel belt. I immediately thought of the 4.8oz weight of my iPhone and design I could create with easy accessibility while water-proofing. The “ziploc system” simply won’t do without any adhesives or Velcro to securely fasten onto the belt. But worry no more! MacGyver is on the move, will be posting my next invention soon.

ChiRunning LSD

2009-11-21T23:15:00.000-08:00

Today I set out for my long run as indicated in my ChiRunning schedule. I was only required to run for 1:30 but the weather was awesome at 50°F, sunny and cool. I'd forgotten to apply Body Glide but I had no chafing incident. I didn't worry or tahink about my pace, I simply enjoyed the run and walked when I felt necessary. I took only 1 RR break, and 1 Power Bar Gel (Vanilla). Months ago, I was not a fan of this flavor but it tasted different today.

On my way back, another runner waved and chatted with me for a bit. She asked how many miles I had run so far, and told her about 5-6 miles but planned for about 10+

before I return home. She was impressed and called me a distance runner. But after mentioning that she had run the NYC ING Marathon 15 times in the 30 years she'd been running, the tables totally turned. She was also giving me tips on building speed with hills, while advising routes for such hillwork. So that will be my next project (research the routes she named). She also invited me to a Turkey Trot for tomorrow, but I declined due to other plans. After a while, I realized that the walking while chi-chatting was throwing off my long run so I said my farewell.

I took some photos as well.
Next week's long run will be focused on burning the calories from the feast.

Long Run Checklist

2009-11-20T11:26:00.000-08:00

My long run checklist:

Apply Body Glide where necessary
Nathan 4pk Fuel Belt filled: 2 with H2O and 2 w/Gatorade
2-3 Gel paks in zip pouch (1 for every 45min)
House keys (2 loose keys) in zip pouch
iPod or iPhone on armband or zip pouch
Hair all tied & hat/cap
shoes + all necessary clothing attire
clean 'n' clear nose (gotta breathe right!) :-P
farewell announcement to family for the next 2 or more hours, then off I go into oblivion

Of course, on rainy days I take extra precaution and water-proof my iPod/iPhone. This is a very inexpensive process that takes only 1-2min to do. I use a quart sized ziploc bag.

Acceptance of Poor Training

2009-11-19T11:07:00.000-08:00

In view of my brutal first marathon, I have learned to accept all results were completely my fault. I could go on and on about the "could-haves", "should-haves", and "what-ifs" but I won't. I was warned several times by my sister (who BTW, just qualified for Boston after LBM 2009) that insufficient training will only result into a bad experience and injuries. Guess what? She was right.

My mistakes were (yes, it's hard but I will admit to it):

1. Inconsistent training:

I did not follow the long runs scheduled
I did not rest when indicated, plus lack of sleep
I was stubborn and raced the day after a long run and injured myself

2. Bad fuel/nutrition:

I ate at the wrong time of day or skipped meals
I did not carbo-load before a long run
I ate "bad stuff" - this includes pizza, buffalo wings, cupcakes, etc. more than necessary
I took diet pills, Hydroxycut and Xenadrine to increase weight loss when I didn't need them

Not only was all the above bad enough, but taper week prior to marathon, I took too many days off from running. I know it's taper week, but I also understood that I needed to run short distances to keep the legs tuned up (which I didn't, very bad!). I also allowed excuses such as air travel, to excuse my lack of rest and insufficient nutrition prior to race day.

Now that all the negatives are out, I have to say that I have not been hard on myself at all. I'm toughing it out for another 20 weeks of ChiRunning training and will finish strong on my second marathon. After all, how can we reach our goals if we wimp out or make excuses? That's not living, that's passive living. I refuse to allow things to happen to me, rather I want to make things happen! In conclusion, bring it on! Show me what you got! =)