After many many months of not running (and not very much working out at all), I started running again.. sorta. After work, I strapped on my running shoes and went for a jog(ish). The park down the street from the house has a half-mile loop (on a hill) that I gave a shot…
Nice little park just across and down the street from The Grange
Going counter clockwise.. you start with a down hill..
The park borders some private land..
.. with HORSES!!
Uphill is gradual at first.. then steps.. then steeper..
View at the top of the steps..
The park overlooks much of Bramcote
.. including one of MANY churches in the area
Granted, I only did one mile (pathetic!).. and walked most of the uphill (even more pathetic)… but you gotta (re)start somewhere, right? Baby steps… If I keep at this, then I’ll get back to where I was when I first started running… maybe even faster.
When I first started running, back in 2008, I was training for my first half marathon, the Disneyland Half Marathon. I hated running, but had given myself a goal of completing a full marathon before turning 25, so I strapped on a new pair of sneakers and got to it. I trained hard for that first half marathon, running 5-6 times per week, but without any real training methodology. My training methodology was go out and run.. no speed drills, no hill repeats, no tempo runs. Sadly enough.. even after a few years of training and racing, I still haven’t learned to really incorporate good training into my schedule. And as you’ve heard me say again and again.. I’m pretty lazy when it comes to training and motivation, and my races lately have been greatly below where I would like to be. The first half marathon was my best, and it’s only been downhill from there. Here’s a list of my half marathon times up to 2012 (NOTE: I completed a few half-iron distance triathlons, which include half marathons for the run, and full marathons during this time, but I’m not including those times here).
To start off 2013, I ran the Inaugural New Year’s Half Marathon in Los Angeles over the weekend. This was a night run to kick-off the new year, and of course I had very little training leading up to it. Oddly enough, I completed it in better time than I had my previous half marathon (even if only by five minutes… ), and it was a more difficult course (with more hills than expected). I was happy with my finishing time, considering that the last run I did was a over two months ago and was only a little over 2 miles.. but hopefully this will motivate me to do better. If this is what I can do without any training.. what can I do if I actually focus my training?
Check out my makeshift duffle made from the post-race mylar blanket! Styling!
The course was not my favorite… rolling hills throughout the entire course, which was unexpected. I heard someone at about Mile 7 say, “It’s all downhill from here”… but he was wrong. We did get to run around and through Dodger stadium, which was pretty nice, and we got a nice tour of Downtown LA at night, so at least the course wasn’t boring.
Welcome to Dodger Stadium (parking lot)!
Pretty nice.. even if the entire bottom of the stadium and dugouts are all gutted..
Saturday morning… the sun is shining, the temperature is perfect, and I have a good solid hour to get a workout in. An hour is probably enough time for a quick bike ride, but the hassle of getting dressed and making sure the bike is ready makes that hour an easy hour and a half, and I can’t go very far in an hour… so I opted for a run.
It was my first time running outside since Xterra Crystal Cove Trail Run back in December. After that, I was running on the treadmill inside because the weather was getting cold, the evenings were getting dark, and it was just more convenient. That ended up being a bad idea because I pushed myself too hard too fast and started feeling shin splints and other legpains, which prevented me from running for a while. It was weeks of ice and rest and leg strengthening with no running. Now that my one-month gym membership has expired, I’m slowly trying to get back to running, which brings me to Saturday morning.
I opted for an easy five miles around Mile Square Park (I realize that a lap around Mile Square Park is only 4 miles, but I started half a mile away… so it works out). I went in knowing that I would keep an easy pace and stop to walk if my legs started bothering me. For the most part, I made it through with minimal leg pain.. and finished in 51 minutes, which isn’t horrible for me, having not run for a while. But.. I was feeling it afterwards, and was DYING for ice on the walk back to my house. First thing I did was plump the icepack on my legs and downed some coconut water (YUM!). Today.. the legs are feeling a bit better, though sore from the first run in a long time. I iced a little more, but definitely won’t be running today. I’ll give them a little rest and maybe run again tomorrow.
I have to say, it (mentally) felt great to be running outside. The treadmill is SOOOO boring, and even though I’ve run around the park a million times (<— that’s a gross exaggeration), it was still better than running indoors. Also, I found some new things at the park.. like these added workout/stretching stations along the 3-mile walking loop.
I remember seeing something similar on the 1.5-ish-mile loop at Huntington Central Park and thinking that it would be a GREAT idea for Mile Square Park. I guess someone read my mind. I only saw one because I wasn’t running the loop, but I’m sure there are more. I’ll post back on it once I find them all.
Yesterday I ran for the first time in weeks… on the treadmill.
From ImageEnvision by DJArt
The act of running felt AWESOME. I was so happy to be running.. until.. until… my leg started hurting like no other and my running form felt like I was limping to compensate. So.. I got maybe 1.5 miles in at a very slow pace on the treadmill and stopped. Continued with the rest of my workout (weights mostly), stretched.. and went home to ice. I’ll try again in a few days.. maybe some short trail running for the softer terrain and a change of scenery. I can only hope that running outside will feel a little bit better.
I can say, however, that I’m extremely proud of my workouts this week. Swam two days this week, including a 700m time-trial in the pool which I did in under 15 minutes (which was my goal). And weights two days this week.. focusing on building up lower leg strength and attempting assisted pull-ups (which I did at least 10 in a row yesterday.. but heavily assisted).
This weekend Minh and I are planning 4 laps of Fullerton Loop on Saturday (to get time in the saddle, but with an easy course) and I’ll probably get back on the WobbleBoard for some more stability practice and lower leg strength building. I still have a couple more weeks of gym membership, so really trying to milk it for all I can. Maybe hit the pool Saturday afternoon for another session.
I love watching movies.. and all kinds, too. Dramas, documentaries, comedies, suspense thriller, horror, independent, etc etc.. I’ll watch them all. Minh doesn’t LOVE movies as much as I do.. actually, I often think that he only watches movies because I want to watch movies. He gets sleepy/lazy afterwards, which does not make for a fun Minh.
Some of my favorite movies to watch are the ones that inspire me to go out and do something… and when I say “do something”, I’m not talking about saving the world or making a difference. I’m talking about going out to climb a mountain, sign up for a ridiculous race, run the “Best Race Ever” , bike hundred of miles across the state/country/continent…. you get the picture. So.. here’s a quick list of some of those movies that make me want to go out and do something… Maybe it’ll inspire you to go out and do something this year!
No surprise that this movie would make the cut of inspirational films. The Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race is on EVERY mountain bikers’ bucket list. I like watching the pro/elite race just like everyone else, but the real inspiration comes from the “normal” people riding that grueling 100 miles. The ones that have been doing it for years on the same bike with the same helmet and the same outfit.. or the ones that bounced back from something terrible only to make the 12 hour cut-off for that coveted belt buckle. Whoever you’re cheering for, watching the movie will either make you want to go out and ride or make you think people are CRAZY for putting themselves through that kind of hell. Me? It definitely makes me want to go out and RIDE!
The Great Divide Race usually solicits a response along the lines of: “Are you CRAZY? Do you want to DIE?!?!?” No, I’m not crazy.. and YES.. someday I would like to die.. but until then, I want to have fun and go on adventures. This is one of those adventures that I want to go on. Maybe not the entire race (which is completely solo and self-sufficient), but accomplish chunks of the race over time. How fun would it be to say that you rode your bike through the middle of the country.. BY YOURSELF!!! Best part about this race (if I ever do muster up enough gumption to actually do it) is that you can take AS LONG AS YOU WANT (I think within reason).
Another documentary about a race that traverses a LONG LONG LONG distance… but this time instead of dividing the country from north to south.. you set off from Coast to Coast… 3000 MILES!! This movie follows the epic journey that is the Race Across America (originally known as the Great American Bike Race, started in 1982).. across the dessert, over the mountains, traversing the Great Plains, grinding up seemingly un-ending switchbacks…. seeing America as few have seen it before. Another film that makes me want to go out and ride.
I had never even heard of Hood to Coast until I watched a trailer for a documentary about it before the 2010 Race Across the Sky showing. But.. like the spirit of the Ragnar Relay, which is really all about the experience and camaraderie and not about the race, Hood to Coast is one of those experiences that lasts a lifetime. From the base of Mount Hood to Seaside Beach, this race traverses all the beauties of Oregon that some people so rarely see. And the race draws all kinds of participants, from the elites and seasoned veterans out to win to the newbies just out for a challenge and a good time. The movie is not only enjoyable for hardcore runners who want to be inspired for their next challenge, but also non-runners who will gain a little more understanding on the craziness that drives someone to run a 5k, 10k, marathon, or ultra.
Steering away from the documentaries… here’s a HILARIOUS movie about a normal guy (Simon Pegg) who’s just trying to get his ex (Thandie Newton) back before she makes the mistake of her life by marrying a complete JERK (Hank Azaria). If you’ve ever hit “the WALL”, then you’ll totally relate to this film.. and by the end I wanted to sign up for my first marathon (DONE!).
Speaking of marathons… how about a documentary about one of the BIGGEST marathons in the world? From what I’ve read/heard, THE big marathons to run (and qualify for) are Boston, New York, London and Chicago. This documentary follows the story of six runners (of varying levels of competitiveness) competing in the 2005 Chicago Marathon. It’s not just their story during the marathon itself, but how they prepared, what they’re motivation is, and all the struggles along the way. Having run two marathons (woefully unprepared) myself, I know what it’s like to hit the wall, want to give up, deal with injury, and finding the little bit of strength/will-power left to just keep going. Available on Hulu.
Steering away from races, biking and running, for a moment…. here’s a great story about the will to live and having to make life-or-death decisions in perilous situations. I first watch Touching the Void with my friend Karen. Based on the 1988 book by Joe Simpson, this is a great story about two climbers (Joe Simpson and Simon Yates) and the sacrifices they made during their journey in the Peruvian Andes. I don’t want to give anything away, but tough decisions are made (and nobody dies). Part documentary/interview, part reenactment.
Based on the New York Times Bestseller Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston, this wonderfully filmed movie recounts the life of Aron Ralston and his entrapment in a canyon for… wait for it… 127 hours (go figure). James Franco does an amazing job portraying Aron Ralston and his mental struggle during this ordeal. Another great movie about the will to live.
Not Movies.. but Inspirational Nonetheless
NBC Sports coverage of Ironman World Championships (every year)
Every year, around December, NBC airs a special on the Ironman World Championships. Minh downloaded pretty much every single one that he could find, and I’ve watched all of them since they started doing this special, even the 25th anniversary special (which is the best). I love watching this every year because it reinforces my love for racing. It also makes me feel like a horrible person… I either want to (1) quit my job and train full time so that I can aspire to become a pro (not happening in my lifetime) or (2) hope for a life-altering struggle in which I come back to do something incredible (lose a leg, get a horrible, incurable disease, or the like).. which no one should ever hope for anyone, let alone oneself. But.. seriously.. have you watched this thing.. it’s all about the pros and then the stories of overcoming personal struggle or life’s curveballs. It’s amazing.
I had the privilege of seeing Molly Sheridan speak last year… which made me want to run the Badwater Ultramarathon… SOMEDAY!!! To go from non-runner, to marathoner, to ultramarathoner in such a short time and so late in life…. it’s reminiscent of Michelle Barton (the most kick-ass ultramarathoner out there). Her journey and race was documented in a great short by Justin Yurkanin.
This is my first time being “tagged” on my blog.. heck.. I didn’t even know such a thing existed until Stuart tagged me on Christmas Eve Eve. So.. without further adieu…
1. What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2010?
That’s an easy one.. HANDS DOWN, my biggest and most proud accomplishment of 2010 was finishing Ironman 70.3 California in Oceanside back in March. I was so happy to finish that race, especially with the short experience I had with triathlons and the lack of preparations.
Crossing the FINISH LINE (!!!) of IM 70.3 CA!
The next big and proud accomplishment of 2010 is deciding to torture myself again with another half-iron distance race with even less preparation (if that was even possible).
Not the most graceful of my triathlon performances.. but still a FINISH!
2. What are your running goals for 2011?
I’ve already posted up my race schedule for 2011, but the main running goal isn’t to just finish races. I really want to start being competitive instead of ending up in the middle of the pack (which is still better than the back, but only marginally). So the real running goal for 2011 is to get faster. Key milestones: sub-25 minute 5k (ok.. that’s not THAT fast, but it’s faster than what I can do now) and sub-2 hour half marathon (aiming for 1:45 at Disneyland Half Marathon during Labor Day Weekend).
3. What is your favorite race?
It’s hard to pick a favorite race for 2010 since I did so many. In terms of running, I absolutely LOVED Xterra Trail Race #1 – Point Mugu State Park. That’s one race that affirmed my preference for trail running over street running and made me realize that running is actually fun when the scenery and terrain changes and challenges you.
Awesome course.. and I'll probably come back and do it again!
4. What is your most embarassing running moment?
I’m lucky enough to NOT have had ANY embarrassing running moments to date, let alone in 2011. Although, on a personal note, the San Diego Rock’n'Roll Marathon was pretty much a DISASTER for me. I was grossly unprepared for it (as I have been for most of my 2010 races) which was ok at the start, but escalated quickly from uncomfortable to painful to downright depressing. My legs throbbed and my spirit broke.. I cried.. I almost gave up.. and then somehow I managed to find the will-power to keep going (it mainly had to do with running into my cousins just about when I was ready to throw in the towel).
One of the many "eye-opening" races that told me: "You better be prepared next time!!"
So… that was my first attempt at playing this blog-tagging game… Now it’s my turn to do some tagging…
Elise, Kelly, Skyler, and Allison (you can change it to biking, as that is more applicable)… TAG! YOU’RE IT!
One week away from the Silverman Triathlon and GETTING EXCITED!!!! For the final full weekend of training, I got it a “long” (in time, not in distance) run and a hill-y bike ride. The original schedule (as it always is) was to ride on Saturday and run on Sunday (while Minh went into work). But, since the forecast called for rain on Saturday, we swapped days – ran on Saturday while Minh went into work and ride on Sunday.
Even though the weather cleared up rather nicely Saturday morning, I still opted to run indoors on the treadmill than outside. I just didn’t feel like going outside, and even though I don’t really like running on the treadmill (the pace always feels different than on the road), I really didn’t want to leave the house. So.. I toasted a mango coconut scone from Blackmarket Bakery and got ready for a nice long-ish jog on the treadmill.
Popped in one of my favorite movies, the Royal Tenenbaums, and started jogging. I kept the pace fairly easy since I didn’t want to push too hard so close to the race.. but I stayed on during the entire movie. Afterwards, I cleaned up, made myself pizza for lunch, and attempted my first sewing project in a LONG LONG time. More on that later.
Sunday’s ride was nice. We (meaning Minh) packed up the bikes and we headed up a little past the Marketplace to start the ride. We were doing a 30+ mile hill-y loop that would take us through Santiago Canyon. The weather was great for this – not too hot and a little breezy – and the ride was pretty good. The hills were hard, but not as bad as they were a few months ago. We were originally going to do two loops, but needed the rest of the day to do other Sunday thing, so we did one loop plus a little extra heading up Jamboree to Chapman and back to the car. It all added up to about 42 miles of good hills. Should be good prep for the hills awaiting me in Henderson.
Beautiful day for a ride through the Canyon.. (that's Minh)
Cruising along Irvine Blvd...
I’m supposed to take it easy this week leading up to the race. I’ll probably go for a couple swim session and some light jogs and easy spins during the week. I’m feeling pretty good about my level of preparation, but I’m also not really sure what to expect in terms of weather conditions or course conditions – hot or cold, winds, potholes, etc. Should be a good time though, either way.
All the talk on Southern California’s twittersphere the last couple days was about the weather.. more importantly.. the HEAT WAVE! The weatherpeople say it’s caused by a high pressure system that keeps warm air from moving around or something. I’m not a meteorologist. All I know is that IT’S HOT. Our annual Santa Ana winds haven’t even kicked into high gear yet.. which means it’ll get even HOTTER as we move into fall. Luckily for me, I’ve got a treadmill and a trainer indoors (and a bunch of Spinervals videos Minh got for me). I HATE training outside in “less than perfect” weather. I get whiney and disheartened and always end up cutting the session short (unless I’m with a group, then I just have to suck it up and keep the whining in my head.. one good reason to train with others.. unfortunately.. I do most of my training alone).
Anyway.. This past weekend was the first of the year for training in HOT weather (we had a rather mild summer). I hit the park for a tempo run after work on Friday. The goal was to average 9:00 min/mile over four miles (i.e. one lap around the park). My shins were KILLING me pretty much right from the start, but I decided to stick it out. Rather than a tempo run (which should mean going at a constant pace for most of the distance), I ended up doing something more like intervals to average my pace out to 9:00 min/mile. My shins were killing me and I needed to stop and walk more than usual, which meant the “running” portions just had to be that much faster. Hit the goal though, which is good, and iced the shins for 20 minutes before showering.
Towards the end of the run, I had to average <8:00 min/mile to meet my goal time…
Minh built the Xtracycle back up, so we’re trying to use it more for local errands and stuff. We also have more lights now, so I feel safer riding at night. After we got cleaned up, we rode to El Pollo Loco for dinner. Stuck to the sidewalks because we didn’t want to have to cross the street twice for no reason (El Pollo Loco is on the same side of the street as the neighborhood, but going against traffic). The new Queso Crunch Burrito with Jalapenos is good. I opted for chicken instead of steak, just to be a little bit healthier.
Taking the Xtracycle out for dinner..
Saturday, I headed down to Rock’n'Road Cyclery for an intermediate road ride with the Rock’n'Road Divas. They host a ride the last Saturday of the month, and it alternates between mountain and road, beginner and intermediate. It wasn’t too hot when we started off, but it got hotter as the morning progressed. I was able to keep up pretty well at the beginning, but got dropped the last few miles back to the store. I would catch up at the lights, but then they would just be faster getting up to speed… that and they were showing one of the new girls how to do pacelines, so they were gaining distance on me. I was trying to catch up on my own.. hit 22mph with the wind and still couldn’t catch them. It was a good time though.
Conditions were good for a morning ride on Saturday
Stopped for a photo op when we entered Turtle Rock/Shady Canyon..
Pappardelle's in OC.. now there's really NO reason to go back to Seattle..
Sunday had a trail run on the books, but the idea failed due to record heat, so we stayed indoors. Minh suggested running later in the evening, but he never mentioned it again, knowing that I really didn’t want to go. Hopefully the heat subsides as predicted. Sounds like it’s a good opportunity to spend more time in the pool, though.
