Where do you draw the line between doing thing that are crazy, or irrational, and just plain stupid? Well, I would be the wrong person to ask because I have done a lot of things that most people would consider dumb or just plain nuts but I really don’t see it that way.
There really wasn’t much to brag about after completing the LA marathon in 2004. I completed a marathon but in return my toenails were all purple, my legs felt like they had been ran over by a car several times, and my ego was severely bruised. So, I set out with mission to run the LA marathon the year after in 2005. I improved my time a little but I was not satisfied with the overall performance so I ran again the race again in 2006 and I was lucky enough to be a part of 26 runner’s who were sponsored by Saucony. I met one of the other Saucony runner’s who just happened to be a legacy runner. As a novice runner, I had no idea what that really was. She explained that the legacy runners were a group of 200 or so runners who had ran and completed every LA Marathon since its inauguration. Regardless of how slow or how fast they ran the race, this is an impressive feat. Unless I went back in time, being a legacy runner is something I do not qualify for but I decided to start my own legacy or tradition. I vowed to run the LA marathon every year until my body says it just cannot go anymore. To some, this may sound like no big deal but when you have a goal, you have to see that goal to the end, otherwise why set goals, why make promises, and why dream.
I’m less than 37 days away from trying to complete my 8th consecutive LA marathon and it may prove to be my toughest one so far. In October after completing the Point Mugu trail race I essentially had to shelf my running because of some knee pain. I experienced the same pain here and there throughout the years but it normally just goes away but this time, it just lingered on and on. I knew the marathon was getting closer and closer so I set out to try to run a few miles here and there but I really couldn’t manage much. I was having some serious pains the day after my runs so it caused me to really delay my training. I started physical therapy to help strengthen my legs and to learn some new stretching techniques and even though I began to feel like I was ready to get back out the door and pick up my running mileage, the resounding knee pain caused me to be hesitant and I began to worry that something was seriously wrong but in the back of my mind, I knew some way, somehow, I would be in the marathon, even if I had to rent a wheelchair.
I returned to the sports medicine doctor at the end of January and updated him on my status and though there were no true signs of ligament damage from the strength test he gave me, the pain in my knee persisted but the puzzling part was that it was not my knee that has been really bothering me. It was on the outside of my knee, right on the bone. We initially chalked up the injury to an ITB band injury which is common for runner but I pretty much did all the stretching and exercise in physical therapy to help deal with that. The sports med doc had no choice but to send me to get an MRI. I was still was not that concerned because I’ve had several MRI’s but they never really reveal anything and it really didn’t matter what the doc said, I was prepared to delay any major type treatment or procedures that would endanger my chances to be at the start line of the race in March.
When I went back to the doc Tuesday, he let me know there were no tears at all in my knee and my knee looked pretty healthy except for a little wear and tear which is normal but then he paused to tell me there was one possibility as to where the pain in my knee was coming from. I have three tiny ganglion cysts that were present right in the area I’ve been complaining about. What pissed me off was that the cysts were present back in 2001 when I had an MRI before having a knee surgery from a basketball injury. Nonetheless, the cysts are too tiny to drain which is something you can do but if you’ve ever had a cyst before, they fill back up with fluid and you have to do back in to drain them again. Though the cysts are small, they are likely the source of the pain I have been experiencing on and off for the last five years.
The next step for me is to see another sports med doc for a second opinion and to get his opinion on the course of action. My first desire is to have the cysts removed because I had a cyst on my wrist when I was in the 7th grade and it was quite painful. Whenever it was drained, it seemed to come right back in a week so it had to be surgically removed and I’ve had no problems since then.
You can call me crazy but the show must still go on. Come March 20th, I will be lined up at the LA Marathon, looking to run my 8th consecutive race and continuing my goal towards completing the race every year. What will you be doing?
Athletes compete, we don’t watch…
Friday, February 11, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Runner's Hiatus
The last time I was blogging, I was limping around my living room. I was giving out advice on how to deal with an injury, especially the mental aspects. When I wrote that blog, I think I was really writing notes to myself.
I’ve been jumping through the managed care hoops that I was hoping to avoid. I visited the orthopedic surgeons office in fear I tore something but after some strength test and some other analysis it was determined that I could have just the common IT band injury or runner’s knee. An IT injury can be painful enough to sideline any runner and it doesn’t go away in a couple of days.
Sitting and doing nothing for 3 months is a hard thing to do but that’s essentially what I did. Injuries can be depressing but I guess if you’ve run as much as I have, injuries can be a chance to rejuvenate your body and your mind. One of the biggest fears anyone would have is gaining weight. I feel like I’ve put on at least 5 or 10 pounds but I know that I’m lucky because it could be a lot worse. I will admit that I have decided to test out my knee regardless of the injury with a couple of short 4 and 6 mile runs and I quickly remembered what it is like to be a new runner. Your legs ache, you’re winded, and you are just flat out of shape or maybe I am just talking about me. Now I know what people are talking about when they say they can barely run a block or two before they have to stop. In some ways I welcome this period because it brings back the memories of when I first started running and it reminds me of why I continue to run and how much respect I have for the sport.
Returning from an injury or running with an injury is a tricky thing because the last thing you want to do is make the injury worse. Less is always better. If you can get ten minutes then that is all you can get. When you are healthy, you can push through those sluggish days and push yourself to go longer and further but that actually is one of the reasons why I am in this position now. Injuries are a chance to just learn from your previous mistakes and that is what I am doing. Two weeks ago, I started physical therapy which is a huge step for me because I always believed I could rehab on my own but what I called rehab was just a short break until I could get back up and run. My physical therapist has me doing a series of strengthening exercises and other fundamental activities that I have neglected over the years. I’m hoping PT can help me get back on my feet and back on the road sometime soon. As my status updates, so will my blogs.
Stay tuned..
I’ve been jumping through the managed care hoops that I was hoping to avoid. I visited the orthopedic surgeons office in fear I tore something but after some strength test and some other analysis it was determined that I could have just the common IT band injury or runner’s knee. An IT injury can be painful enough to sideline any runner and it doesn’t go away in a couple of days.
Sitting and doing nothing for 3 months is a hard thing to do but that’s essentially what I did. Injuries can be depressing but I guess if you’ve run as much as I have, injuries can be a chance to rejuvenate your body and your mind. One of the biggest fears anyone would have is gaining weight. I feel like I’ve put on at least 5 or 10 pounds but I know that I’m lucky because it could be a lot worse. I will admit that I have decided to test out my knee regardless of the injury with a couple of short 4 and 6 mile runs and I quickly remembered what it is like to be a new runner. Your legs ache, you’re winded, and you are just flat out of shape or maybe I am just talking about me. Now I know what people are talking about when they say they can barely run a block or two before they have to stop. In some ways I welcome this period because it brings back the memories of when I first started running and it reminds me of why I continue to run and how much respect I have for the sport.
Returning from an injury or running with an injury is a tricky thing because the last thing you want to do is make the injury worse. Less is always better. If you can get ten minutes then that is all you can get. When you are healthy, you can push through those sluggish days and push yourself to go longer and further but that actually is one of the reasons why I am in this position now. Injuries are a chance to just learn from your previous mistakes and that is what I am doing. Two weeks ago, I started physical therapy which is a huge step for me because I always believed I could rehab on my own but what I called rehab was just a short break until I could get back up and run. My physical therapist has me doing a series of strengthening exercises and other fundamental activities that I have neglected over the years. I’m hoping PT can help me get back on my feet and back on the road sometime soon. As my status updates, so will my blogs.
Stay tuned..
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Broke but not Broken
Success can breed confidence and with confidence you feel like you can go out and do anything. In running, doing more is not necessarily a good thing. Thousands of articles read in runner’s world magazine have told me that after a race you need to give your body rest but I’m by nature a very hardheaded individual. From August 7th through October 3rd I ran 6 different events. In September I had a stretch where I ran a race two weekends in a row. One race, I biked to the race, ran the race, then biked home, then ran over to the stairs to get in some extra training. Completing a running event and running well in that event, gives you such a boost of confidence and momentum is the name of the game but the downside is that you really do not give your body much time to rest and recover. You end up running a when your muscles are fatigued and your mind can be a little weary as well.
The end result of overtraining is where I am now. Sitting in front of my laptop and typing this blog. After completing a gritty 6.5 mile trail race October 3rd, I got up the following weekend on Saturday wanting to get in a short, easy run but what did I do? I ran in the direction of the stairs over at the Baldwin hills overlook knowing that I couldn’t just run there and run back home without at least going up the stairs just one time. I had already felt a small twinge in my left knee but that didn’t stop me from going up and down the stairs at a ferocious pace. Later that evening I felt my knee stiffen and I was beginning to limp around in pain. It only got worse the next day when I rolled out of bed. I could only hope that I didn’t cause serous damage but the days after were not good. I limped around most of the week and I was pretty convinced that I would be seeing a surgeon and the next thing, I’d be on crutches but my doctor told me it looks like I have a simple strain and I need to rest and ice. What a relief but at the same time I still have some work to do before I can celebrate.
Each year, I’ve been sidelined for a period of time with an injury that comes at my expense. The hardest thing to do is to sit back and do nothing for an extended period but I have no choice but to. The key to getting over any injury is rest but more importantly you have to keep your mind on the positive things. It’s has been well documented that athletes from all levels can suffer from depression when dealing with injuries that keep them from participating in the things they love most. If you’ve been an active person your whole life, you’ll be able to relate. I know for me, it has always been really tough skip certain events that I’ve run year after year but I realize the big picture which is to return healthier and stronger. Running while hurt is no good for your body and you cannot perform at your best. Picking out a race you want to do a month or two month away is good motivation. This gives you a target to focus on but you have to remember not to try and get back to training before you’re 100% or you’ll just prolong your recovery.
Being injured doesn’t have to be a death sentence. This gives you some time to work on things that you may have neglected before. For me that’s going back to the basics like stretching, working on your core, and strength training. When I began running 7 years ago, I fell in love with the fact that you get in a whole new type of shape. I gave up on lifting weights and trying to be on the cover of muscle magazine but one of the things I have realized in the last few years is that I have become weaker overall. That was apparent in July when I thought I could just hop in the pool and swim 20 laps in preparation for a 1000-meter swim and run. The theory for years was just to go out and run and run more but new studies have shown that you still need to workout your legs, core muscles, shoulder’s, and most importantly eat right.
Athletes have to remain determined and know that you will be able to get through any injury or setback but one thing I have learned is to stay away from those who will try to pull you into their dark world of misery. The worst thing for an injured athlete is another injured athlete who moans and groans about what they cannot do. People like this just want someone to join in their misery but what they do not realize is all that negative energy does nothing for their confidence or anyone else. They just become what will call energy vampires. Stay focused, and stay motivated and most importantly don’t ever give up hope.
The end result of overtraining is where I am now. Sitting in front of my laptop and typing this blog. After completing a gritty 6.5 mile trail race October 3rd, I got up the following weekend on Saturday wanting to get in a short, easy run but what did I do? I ran in the direction of the stairs over at the Baldwin hills overlook knowing that I couldn’t just run there and run back home without at least going up the stairs just one time. I had already felt a small twinge in my left knee but that didn’t stop me from going up and down the stairs at a ferocious pace. Later that evening I felt my knee stiffen and I was beginning to limp around in pain. It only got worse the next day when I rolled out of bed. I could only hope that I didn’t cause serous damage but the days after were not good. I limped around most of the week and I was pretty convinced that I would be seeing a surgeon and the next thing, I’d be on crutches but my doctor told me it looks like I have a simple strain and I need to rest and ice. What a relief but at the same time I still have some work to do before I can celebrate.
Each year, I’ve been sidelined for a period of time with an injury that comes at my expense. The hardest thing to do is to sit back and do nothing for an extended period but I have no choice but to. The key to getting over any injury is rest but more importantly you have to keep your mind on the positive things. It’s has been well documented that athletes from all levels can suffer from depression when dealing with injuries that keep them from participating in the things they love most. If you’ve been an active person your whole life, you’ll be able to relate. I know for me, it has always been really tough skip certain events that I’ve run year after year but I realize the big picture which is to return healthier and stronger. Running while hurt is no good for your body and you cannot perform at your best. Picking out a race you want to do a month or two month away is good motivation. This gives you a target to focus on but you have to remember not to try and get back to training before you’re 100% or you’ll just prolong your recovery.
Being injured doesn’t have to be a death sentence. This gives you some time to work on things that you may have neglected before. For me that’s going back to the basics like stretching, working on your core, and strength training. When I began running 7 years ago, I fell in love with the fact that you get in a whole new type of shape. I gave up on lifting weights and trying to be on the cover of muscle magazine but one of the things I have realized in the last few years is that I have become weaker overall. That was apparent in July when I thought I could just hop in the pool and swim 20 laps in preparation for a 1000-meter swim and run. The theory for years was just to go out and run and run more but new studies have shown that you still need to workout your legs, core muscles, shoulder’s, and most importantly eat right.
Athletes have to remain determined and know that you will be able to get through any injury or setback but one thing I have learned is to stay away from those who will try to pull you into their dark world of misery. The worst thing for an injured athlete is another injured athlete who moans and groans about what they cannot do. People like this just want someone to join in their misery but what they do not realize is all that negative energy does nothing for their confidence or anyone else. They just become what will call energy vampires. Stay focused, and stay motivated and most importantly don’t ever give up hope.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Trust Your Quads not your ipods!
Running can be hard. Trail running be just down right nasty. Trail running mixes in challenging incline and quad busting decline, uneven terrain, and a hint of danger around each turn.
Yesterday I ran my ninth trail race, the Point Mugu 11k. This was the first time I’ve run the point Mugu trail so there was a bit of uncertainly and in trail running it can be a huge bonus to know the trail especially on the downhill. I’ve been on a steady diet of 5k’s for the last four months so I knew it wouldn’t be easy transitioning to the up and down terrain. I also have been dealing with a little soreness in my right knee so my goal was to really try and feel my way through the first 2 miles. My biggest concern was whether or not I’d have the endurance for the incline. I knew from looking at the elevation map of the course that we’d be running uphill for at least 2 and a half miles. That’s a hard way to start any run.
The weather was perfect. The skies were filled with heavy fog and light mist. As long as the sun stayed hidden I was happy. The race director blurted out the crowd before the race that the trail would quickly forge into a single trail. For those who know little about trails let me explain. When you’re walking, running, or hiking trails, they’re usually on narrow trail paths or wide paths called fire roads. One of the major problems with narrow trails during any trail race is that it is difficult and dangerous to pass people so you can potentially get stuck behind a slow runner.
Instead of opening up and running out in front yesterday, I decided to run a mellow pace and I should have known better.
The director was right. We were quickly on a narrow trail path and everyone was running in single file. My friend Dave moved up ahead which is what I should have done but I slowed and the next thing I know, I’m in a pack of people all waiting for this woman to get out of the way. The trail was tough in the beginning with rocks and certain areas that you had no choice but to walk but when the trail flattened out, you expect whoever is in front to pick up the pace but this woman obviously did not know trail running etiquette. If you are a slow running, move to the side. Similar to when a car is barreling down on you, why deal with someone tailgating you, when you can move over and let them pass. I think I lost about five minutes in time before I finally made a bold move and ran around her. I had plenty of room to open up and run but for some reason my legs felt like led. I just could not get any rhythm or flow. I hit mile one and felt terrible. I did my best to try and pump myself up at that point, I knew that this race would be a grind until the end but I was up for that.
I hit mile 2 and I was finally getting into a bit of a groove and the trail turned off to a wide open fire road with plenty of incline to go with it. All around, you saw runners grunting and heavy breathing. When you looked at every runner, they were drenched, so I knew it wasn’t just me. I kept plugging, finally hitting mile 3. The higher the altitude the thicker the fog became. It was actually cool because you couldn’t see whether or not you were running uphill or down. You just kept running hoping for that downhill to come. At around the 3 and a half mile mark we started on a downhill run that felt like you were on an out of control rollercoaster. At times I was going so fast that I felt like a rag down. The turns were deadly coming down. Some were sharp cuts, which required you to precisely slow up and go the other way going full speed. At one point I was running at least a 6 minute mile downhill. There were a group of us flying and everyone seemed to be headhunting for someone else going down the trail. You could look to your left and see a runner ahead of you and you knew you had the momentum to catch them. About seven of us were in a line gunning for this girl who was running a great pace but we swallowed her up. After the race she acknowledged that she saw us coming and she thought she was running fast but knew we were blazing.
For all the time I lost on the uphill, I made up for it on the downhill. I was a little disappointed because I knew I should have done better but I ended up finishing 4th in my age division, which is a victory in my book. The competition was fierce and the best I’ve down in my age division at any trail race may have been 9th. It was a good race and good battle amongst a band of speed demons.
If you are looking to get into trail running there are a few keys to getting started. First go out to a trail around town. There are plenty of trails in the Santa Monica mountains that you can find on the web.
Shoes are very important. If you are a newcomer to trail running it’s best to get a basic pair of trail shoes mainly because of safety. I love doing trails in running shoes because trail shoes can be stiff and cause blisters but if you are unfamiliar with trails, you can be prone to bad ankle sprains and you should have shoe that will grip the surface a little better especially running downhill.
Next, learn to run uphill. Most trails have some sort of incline so you can bet the trail running events will have them. Sure you can walk but remember it’s a race so if you have a desire to complete the event before nightfall you have to get use to running uphill.
The most important aspect is learning to run downhill. This is tricky, dangerous, and not something you can learn overnight. Most of trail running is instinctive. You have to be able to scan ahead, spot rocks, dodge branches and all at a high speed. When running downhill, it only takes one second to trip over a rock and the next thing you know, you are eating gravel for a week or worse you can launch over the side of the mountain. You have to be somewhat nimble and coordinated. Tripping and falling can happen to the best runners. The guy who came in 2nd overall yesterday tripped and his knee was bloodied and his hand was all cut up. He said he’d never run trails before. He still managed to finish second which is pretty damn good. Know that trail running is not for everyone. It’s not the family 5k. It takes some determination and a lot of heart.
When you are ready for a real challenge and you are ready to get dirty, there’s a trail with your name on it.
Mountains Punch Back!
Yesterday I ran my ninth trail race, the Point Mugu 11k. This was the first time I’ve run the point Mugu trail so there was a bit of uncertainly and in trail running it can be a huge bonus to know the trail especially on the downhill. I’ve been on a steady diet of 5k’s for the last four months so I knew it wouldn’t be easy transitioning to the up and down terrain. I also have been dealing with a little soreness in my right knee so my goal was to really try and feel my way through the first 2 miles. My biggest concern was whether or not I’d have the endurance for the incline. I knew from looking at the elevation map of the course that we’d be running uphill for at least 2 and a half miles. That’s a hard way to start any run.
The weather was perfect. The skies were filled with heavy fog and light mist. As long as the sun stayed hidden I was happy. The race director blurted out the crowd before the race that the trail would quickly forge into a single trail. For those who know little about trails let me explain. When you’re walking, running, or hiking trails, they’re usually on narrow trail paths or wide paths called fire roads. One of the major problems with narrow trails during any trail race is that it is difficult and dangerous to pass people so you can potentially get stuck behind a slow runner.
Instead of opening up and running out in front yesterday, I decided to run a mellow pace and I should have known better.
The director was right. We were quickly on a narrow trail path and everyone was running in single file. My friend Dave moved up ahead which is what I should have done but I slowed and the next thing I know, I’m in a pack of people all waiting for this woman to get out of the way. The trail was tough in the beginning with rocks and certain areas that you had no choice but to walk but when the trail flattened out, you expect whoever is in front to pick up the pace but this woman obviously did not know trail running etiquette. If you are a slow running, move to the side. Similar to when a car is barreling down on you, why deal with someone tailgating you, when you can move over and let them pass. I think I lost about five minutes in time before I finally made a bold move and ran around her. I had plenty of room to open up and run but for some reason my legs felt like led. I just could not get any rhythm or flow. I hit mile one and felt terrible. I did my best to try and pump myself up at that point, I knew that this race would be a grind until the end but I was up for that.
I hit mile 2 and I was finally getting into a bit of a groove and the trail turned off to a wide open fire road with plenty of incline to go with it. All around, you saw runners grunting and heavy breathing. When you looked at every runner, they were drenched, so I knew it wasn’t just me. I kept plugging, finally hitting mile 3. The higher the altitude the thicker the fog became. It was actually cool because you couldn’t see whether or not you were running uphill or down. You just kept running hoping for that downhill to come. At around the 3 and a half mile mark we started on a downhill run that felt like you were on an out of control rollercoaster. At times I was going so fast that I felt like a rag down. The turns were deadly coming down. Some were sharp cuts, which required you to precisely slow up and go the other way going full speed. At one point I was running at least a 6 minute mile downhill. There were a group of us flying and everyone seemed to be headhunting for someone else going down the trail. You could look to your left and see a runner ahead of you and you knew you had the momentum to catch them. About seven of us were in a line gunning for this girl who was running a great pace but we swallowed her up. After the race she acknowledged that she saw us coming and she thought she was running fast but knew we were blazing.
For all the time I lost on the uphill, I made up for it on the downhill. I was a little disappointed because I knew I should have done better but I ended up finishing 4th in my age division, which is a victory in my book. The competition was fierce and the best I’ve down in my age division at any trail race may have been 9th. It was a good race and good battle amongst a band of speed demons.
If you are looking to get into trail running there are a few keys to getting started. First go out to a trail around town. There are plenty of trails in the Santa Monica mountains that you can find on the web.
Shoes are very important. If you are a newcomer to trail running it’s best to get a basic pair of trail shoes mainly because of safety. I love doing trails in running shoes because trail shoes can be stiff and cause blisters but if you are unfamiliar with trails, you can be prone to bad ankle sprains and you should have shoe that will grip the surface a little better especially running downhill.
Next, learn to run uphill. Most trails have some sort of incline so you can bet the trail running events will have them. Sure you can walk but remember it’s a race so if you have a desire to complete the event before nightfall you have to get use to running uphill.
The most important aspect is learning to run downhill. This is tricky, dangerous, and not something you can learn overnight. Most of trail running is instinctive. You have to be able to scan ahead, spot rocks, dodge branches and all at a high speed. When running downhill, it only takes one second to trip over a rock and the next thing you know, you are eating gravel for a week or worse you can launch over the side of the mountain. You have to be somewhat nimble and coordinated. Tripping and falling can happen to the best runners. The guy who came in 2nd overall yesterday tripped and his knee was bloodied and his hand was all cut up. He said he’d never run trails before. He still managed to finish second which is pretty damn good. Know that trail running is not for everyone. It’s not the family 5k. It takes some determination and a lot of heart.
When you are ready for a real challenge and you are ready to get dirty, there’s a trail with your name on it.
Mountains Punch Back!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Jones, have you learned Nothing??
In one of my blogs I spoke about my encounter with a woman who broke down after her 5k performance and how she put a huge amount of pressure on herself because she’d done well in her first three 5k events. She expected to go out and do well in each event and when she didn’t, her mood and her confidence were completely shattered. I talked about getting back to just going out there and just run and to forget the times but I seem to be better at giving advice than taking it.
After writing that blog, I got trapped in the same syndrome of having a few races that I expected to do well in but I came up short of my expectations and instead of letting it go and moving on, I focused on my bad performances and sure enough, it carried into my next race. The week after the Keep LA running where I had the encounter with that woman, I was scheduled to do a duathlon but for those who read my previous blog about my swimming nightmare experience know that I dropped out of the swimming portion of the race and decided to do the non-competitive 5k race but of course I expected to still do well given my performance in the 5k the week performance. This would be the easy race that I could go out, run a an easy 22 or 21 minutes but it did not work out that way. I was miserable that entire race. I ran 23:07, which was one minute slower than the time I got in the 5k the week before. I then ran the Filipinotown 5k, which has a killer course where the last mile and a half is uphill. I expected to run well regardless and I bonked big time grabbing another 23 minutes and some change.
Upset and frustrated, I tried to figure out what was going wrong. Was it my training, the lack of training, or over-training? Then I realized. I’d been putting so much pressure on myself to go out and run these events and perform well and if I didn’t, I considered the event a complete failure. I forgot about going out there and just having fun and stop worrying about the time. I too got caught up in thinking about when and where was the next 5k so I could sign up and try to redeem my previous bad performance when I should have been trying to focus on the good things I did and try to focus on how to improve and get back to running an all around better race.
I took a week off from running and just relaxed and when I went out for my first run, I realized one of things I got away from was running. For the last six to seven months, I’d been focusing clearly on cross training; bike riding, stairs, hiking, and swimming. All good things but one thing that is important in running, is the running. I was running less and cross training more and when the running events came along, I expected to just go out and run well but I did not have the same burst and efficiency that I did before. I remember an article in Runner’s World titled “shut up and run” and that’s what I did.
I went out a week ago and ran the Jet to the Jetty 5k and ran 22:11 and grabbed second place in my division. I didn’t expect to win my division and I really did not focus on achieving a certain time. I was super excited and stoked to pick up a medal to and hear my name being called out. Ironically, I ran the Jet to the Jetty last year and came in 3rd in my age division so I actually improved.
It’s easy to get yourself in a rut but getting out can be difficult. I just had to remember to get back to the basics and remember the reasons why I run and that is to enjoy it and to have as much fun as possible. With that formula you cannot lose.
Runner’s can be as complex as complex carbs but we keep going back for more…
After writing that blog, I got trapped in the same syndrome of having a few races that I expected to do well in but I came up short of my expectations and instead of letting it go and moving on, I focused on my bad performances and sure enough, it carried into my next race. The week after the Keep LA running where I had the encounter with that woman, I was scheduled to do a duathlon but for those who read my previous blog about my swimming nightmare experience know that I dropped out of the swimming portion of the race and decided to do the non-competitive 5k race but of course I expected to still do well given my performance in the 5k the week performance. This would be the easy race that I could go out, run a an easy 22 or 21 minutes but it did not work out that way. I was miserable that entire race. I ran 23:07, which was one minute slower than the time I got in the 5k the week before. I then ran the Filipinotown 5k, which has a killer course where the last mile and a half is uphill. I expected to run well regardless and I bonked big time grabbing another 23 minutes and some change.
Upset and frustrated, I tried to figure out what was going wrong. Was it my training, the lack of training, or over-training? Then I realized. I’d been putting so much pressure on myself to go out and run these events and perform well and if I didn’t, I considered the event a complete failure. I forgot about going out there and just having fun and stop worrying about the time. I too got caught up in thinking about when and where was the next 5k so I could sign up and try to redeem my previous bad performance when I should have been trying to focus on the good things I did and try to focus on how to improve and get back to running an all around better race.
I took a week off from running and just relaxed and when I went out for my first run, I realized one of things I got away from was running. For the last six to seven months, I’d been focusing clearly on cross training; bike riding, stairs, hiking, and swimming. All good things but one thing that is important in running, is the running. I was running less and cross training more and when the running events came along, I expected to just go out and run well but I did not have the same burst and efficiency that I did before. I remember an article in Runner’s World titled “shut up and run” and that’s what I did.
I went out a week ago and ran the Jet to the Jetty 5k and ran 22:11 and grabbed second place in my division. I didn’t expect to win my division and I really did not focus on achieving a certain time. I was super excited and stoked to pick up a medal to and hear my name being called out. Ironically, I ran the Jet to the Jetty last year and came in 3rd in my age division so I actually improved.
It’s easy to get yourself in a rut but getting out can be difficult. I just had to remember to get back to the basics and remember the reasons why I run and that is to enjoy it and to have as much fun as possible. With that formula you cannot lose.
Runner’s can be as complex as complex carbs but we keep going back for more…
Friday, July 16, 2010
Learn Your Limits Master Jones
In batman begins, Alfred tells Bruce Wayne “know your limits master Wayne” to which Bruce Wayne responds “batman has no limits”. Alfred’s response: “but you do”
I use this reference because I’ve always believed that there are no limits to the things I could do but on Tuesday, I learned a valuable lesson.
In May, after finishing up the Malibu Creek trail run, my friend Dave mentioned his next event would be a duathlon the playa del rey, which consisted of a 1000-meter swim and a 5k run. I said I would certainly be interested in doing it because swimming was my first love and I felt like it was a breeze for me. Well, I completely forgot that the event was approaching and Dave reminded me last week that it was coming up on the 18th. In my mind, I was ready. What’s a 1000-meter swim to me anyway? As I recall, I told one of my friends that I could do that in my sleep. What I did not factor in was the 2-year drought I have had from swimming because jumping in the pool at Bally’s in vegas does not count.
On Monday, I decided to refresh my memory of just how long a 1000-meters was and realized this was not a distance to be taken lightly especially considering the swim would be in the ocean. So my plan was to hit the pool everyday this week to so by the time Sunday got here, I’d be finely tuned for the race. I bought a new pair of goggles on Monday and planned to hit the pool Tuesday at 6am. I got up at 5:30 Tuesday, hopped on my bike and rode down to the Culver City pool. I thought I’d be the only one at the pool but to my surprise there were about 8 people who beat me to the punch. I got out to the pool and of course I seem to be the only person out there in regular shorts. Speedos have become the suit of choice now but that did not faze me. Looking unsure and confused, I didn’t know which end to go to or which lane to hop in but I spotted the slow lane sign and hopped in.
There was only one guy swimming in the lane so I waited for him to get down to the other end before I started my lap. I went out strong and felt a little rusty and a little stiff but felt like I had my old stroke back but then something profound happen. I hit the halfway mark and noticed I was already a bit winded. This couldn’t be. As I hit I got down to the other end and hit the wall, I turned to go back and already felt like I had swam 4 laps. It was at this point I knew I was in trouble. I got to the wall where I originally started and stopped. I took my goggles off, looked at my watch, looked around and noticed the lifeguard who was a man of at least 60 years of age was looking in my direction. Now I felt the pressure to perform. I put my goggles back on and took a deep breath and off I went again. No sooner as I hit the middle of the pool, my arms were on fire as if I had lifted weights for six hours. My pace began to slow considerably and I began to realize that my long hiatus from the pool was starting to show big time. I made it to the wall breathing hard, and all dazed and confused. I looked up and the old man at the lifeguard stand was looking straight down at me again. I realized the old man probably thought he was going to have to come in to save me.
I tried to summon the courage and show some grit so I started off on another lap and now I was barely able to even make it to the wall. I was falling at least 2 feet short of the wall on each lap. I had to play it off by looking at my watch as if I was timing my laps. As I glared down at the other end, I saw a torpedo looking black guy preparing to jump into my lane but he seemed to waiting watch me and get a glimpse of skills or shall I say lack there of. I figured I had to show some heart so I began to swim back down. At this point my arms were like noodles. I was gulping water, swimming wildly through the lane but I made it and stopped.
Mr. Torpedo as I call him, greeted me, tightened his goggles and jumped in and was smoothly off in the water. He looked like a tri-athlete, which I thought I was but quickly realized at that moment I was simply a runner and none of that mattered in the water.
I figured I would push for at least two more laps but when I made it down to the other end I just felt deflated. So deflated I decided to swim my next lap with a backstroke all the way down to the other end. When I pushed off the wall, I was smooth and felt like I was gliding but I glanced to glance to the right and saw I was barely half way through the lap. I was so tired that I stopped mid lap and being the middle was about 9 feet deep, I had to keep swimming so I turned around and swam conventionally, which once again prompted the look of concern or maybe it was the look of shame from the old man on the lifeguard stand. Either way, I was done.
My arms were so tired I could barely pull myself up out of the water. I quickly changed and rode back home in disgust. I had to come to grips that if I attempted to swim on Sunday at the duathlon, they could be pulling me in with a jet ski or I would drown trying to complete the swim. My ego still planned to go to the race and swim no matter what but I finally realized that I do have a limit and my experience at the pool Tuesday morning proved that so I made a very difficult decision to pull out of the swim but I would still be able to run in a separate 5k event.
I have to thank the old man on the lifeguard stand at the pool because his glares down at me has given me the fuel I needed to motivate myself to get back to actually training in the pool regularly and setting an attainable goal of doing the Malibu duathlon in September or the Los Angeles Triathlon in October.
I have been humbled but my will remains strong.
I use this reference because I’ve always believed that there are no limits to the things I could do but on Tuesday, I learned a valuable lesson.
In May, after finishing up the Malibu Creek trail run, my friend Dave mentioned his next event would be a duathlon the playa del rey, which consisted of a 1000-meter swim and a 5k run. I said I would certainly be interested in doing it because swimming was my first love and I felt like it was a breeze for me. Well, I completely forgot that the event was approaching and Dave reminded me last week that it was coming up on the 18th. In my mind, I was ready. What’s a 1000-meter swim to me anyway? As I recall, I told one of my friends that I could do that in my sleep. What I did not factor in was the 2-year drought I have had from swimming because jumping in the pool at Bally’s in vegas does not count.
On Monday, I decided to refresh my memory of just how long a 1000-meters was and realized this was not a distance to be taken lightly especially considering the swim would be in the ocean. So my plan was to hit the pool everyday this week to so by the time Sunday got here, I’d be finely tuned for the race. I bought a new pair of goggles on Monday and planned to hit the pool Tuesday at 6am. I got up at 5:30 Tuesday, hopped on my bike and rode down to the Culver City pool. I thought I’d be the only one at the pool but to my surprise there were about 8 people who beat me to the punch. I got out to the pool and of course I seem to be the only person out there in regular shorts. Speedos have become the suit of choice now but that did not faze me. Looking unsure and confused, I didn’t know which end to go to or which lane to hop in but I spotted the slow lane sign and hopped in.
There was only one guy swimming in the lane so I waited for him to get down to the other end before I started my lap. I went out strong and felt a little rusty and a little stiff but felt like I had my old stroke back but then something profound happen. I hit the halfway mark and noticed I was already a bit winded. This couldn’t be. As I hit I got down to the other end and hit the wall, I turned to go back and already felt like I had swam 4 laps. It was at this point I knew I was in trouble. I got to the wall where I originally started and stopped. I took my goggles off, looked at my watch, looked around and noticed the lifeguard who was a man of at least 60 years of age was looking in my direction. Now I felt the pressure to perform. I put my goggles back on and took a deep breath and off I went again. No sooner as I hit the middle of the pool, my arms were on fire as if I had lifted weights for six hours. My pace began to slow considerably and I began to realize that my long hiatus from the pool was starting to show big time. I made it to the wall breathing hard, and all dazed and confused. I looked up and the old man at the lifeguard stand was looking straight down at me again. I realized the old man probably thought he was going to have to come in to save me.
I tried to summon the courage and show some grit so I started off on another lap and now I was barely able to even make it to the wall. I was falling at least 2 feet short of the wall on each lap. I had to play it off by looking at my watch as if I was timing my laps. As I glared down at the other end, I saw a torpedo looking black guy preparing to jump into my lane but he seemed to waiting watch me and get a glimpse of skills or shall I say lack there of. I figured I had to show some heart so I began to swim back down. At this point my arms were like noodles. I was gulping water, swimming wildly through the lane but I made it and stopped.
Mr. Torpedo as I call him, greeted me, tightened his goggles and jumped in and was smoothly off in the water. He looked like a tri-athlete, which I thought I was but quickly realized at that moment I was simply a runner and none of that mattered in the water.
I figured I would push for at least two more laps but when I made it down to the other end I just felt deflated. So deflated I decided to swim my next lap with a backstroke all the way down to the other end. When I pushed off the wall, I was smooth and felt like I was gliding but I glanced to glance to the right and saw I was barely half way through the lap. I was so tired that I stopped mid lap and being the middle was about 9 feet deep, I had to keep swimming so I turned around and swam conventionally, which once again prompted the look of concern or maybe it was the look of shame from the old man on the lifeguard stand. Either way, I was done.
My arms were so tired I could barely pull myself up out of the water. I quickly changed and rode back home in disgust. I had to come to grips that if I attempted to swim on Sunday at the duathlon, they could be pulling me in with a jet ski or I would drown trying to complete the swim. My ego still planned to go to the race and swim no matter what but I finally realized that I do have a limit and my experience at the pool Tuesday morning proved that so I made a very difficult decision to pull out of the swim but I would still be able to run in a separate 5k event.
I have to thank the old man on the lifeguard stand at the pool because his glares down at me has given me the fuel I needed to motivate myself to get back to actually training in the pool regularly and setting an attainable goal of doing the Malibu duathlon in September or the Los Angeles Triathlon in October.
I have been humbled but my will remains strong.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Take the Good with the Bad
How do you deal with a bad performance? This is a topic I will keep covering over and over again.
Since 2004, I’ve averaged about fourteen different running events a year ranging from 5k to the grueling 26.2 marathon. My goal in the beginning was to accomplish running the LA marathon and after an embarrassing and painful debut in 2004, I felt compelled to start from scratch and run smaller events. To my surprise, I sucked at every distance. I thought that shear athleticism would equal fast times but quickly realized athleticism alone would not be enough. There were several races I ran where someone twenty or thirty years older than me would go zooming pass me and it was completely deflating. After running various events in 2004 and experiencing the highs and lows after various performances, my goal for 2005 was simply to improve my overall time, performance, and to build a better running foundation.
2005, I registered for all the same running events and I found success but not in every race and not by huge margins. I expected to jump from running a 5:59 in my first marathon to 4 hours in my second but I was only able to manage a 5:44. The year after, I clocked in 4:56, and the year after that 4:44. I quickly realized that improving my time would not come as quick as I wanted it. I had to learn to be patient and understand that you have to patient and realistic. At some point, I became obsessed with trying to improve and trying to run the next race no matter what it was just so I could yield a faster time but over training and little time off, led to injury after injury and my performances began to suffer. Sometimes you experience burnout when you don’t even realize it. You need to take some time of, relax, and try to get back to running for the enjoyment.
At today’s Keep LA running 5k in Playa Del Rey, I share some advice with a runner and I tried to build her spirit back up after what she considered to be a horrible performance. Her name was Catherine. I saw her warming up 30 minutes before the race and she looked focused and ready. When the gun went off, everyone shout out of the starting chute. Around the 2-mile mark, I could see her up ahead and her body language did not look good. Before I got to her, I saw Catherine stop. I kept going and after the race, I asked her what happened. She just broke into tears.
She fell apart around mile 2 and just did not have anything left in the tank and psychologically it broke her down. I told her she ran strong and she finished with a respectable time but she had such high expectations. Her previous two 5k’s she came in 3rd in her division. She put so much pressure on herself that the outcome fell short of what she hoped to accomplish but I pointed out to her that this 5k brought out all the fastest runners and though you expect to run well, sometimes other factors come up but you cannot continue to hang your head otherwise your performances will continue to suffer.
Considering it was her 3rd or 4th 5k, she has a lot to learn about improving finishing times as well as how to run the 5k to an exact science. She went out with the front of the pack, which was a six- minute pace. She went from 6 minutes at mile one to 8 minutes for the 2nd mile. A huge drop off because her normal comfort level was 7:30.
She was still gloomy but I was glad she was smiling when she walked away.
To some, this running thing is serious. I wouldn’t be writing these blogs if I didn’t think it was.
As long as you run with passion, the time really doesn’t matter.
Since 2004, I’ve averaged about fourteen different running events a year ranging from 5k to the grueling 26.2 marathon. My goal in the beginning was to accomplish running the LA marathon and after an embarrassing and painful debut in 2004, I felt compelled to start from scratch and run smaller events. To my surprise, I sucked at every distance. I thought that shear athleticism would equal fast times but quickly realized athleticism alone would not be enough. There were several races I ran where someone twenty or thirty years older than me would go zooming pass me and it was completely deflating. After running various events in 2004 and experiencing the highs and lows after various performances, my goal for 2005 was simply to improve my overall time, performance, and to build a better running foundation.
2005, I registered for all the same running events and I found success but not in every race and not by huge margins. I expected to jump from running a 5:59 in my first marathon to 4 hours in my second but I was only able to manage a 5:44. The year after, I clocked in 4:56, and the year after that 4:44. I quickly realized that improving my time would not come as quick as I wanted it. I had to learn to be patient and understand that you have to patient and realistic. At some point, I became obsessed with trying to improve and trying to run the next race no matter what it was just so I could yield a faster time but over training and little time off, led to injury after injury and my performances began to suffer. Sometimes you experience burnout when you don’t even realize it. You need to take some time of, relax, and try to get back to running for the enjoyment.
At today’s Keep LA running 5k in Playa Del Rey, I share some advice with a runner and I tried to build her spirit back up after what she considered to be a horrible performance. Her name was Catherine. I saw her warming up 30 minutes before the race and she looked focused and ready. When the gun went off, everyone shout out of the starting chute. Around the 2-mile mark, I could see her up ahead and her body language did not look good. Before I got to her, I saw Catherine stop. I kept going and after the race, I asked her what happened. She just broke into tears.
She fell apart around mile 2 and just did not have anything left in the tank and psychologically it broke her down. I told her she ran strong and she finished with a respectable time but she had such high expectations. Her previous two 5k’s she came in 3rd in her division. She put so much pressure on herself that the outcome fell short of what she hoped to accomplish but I pointed out to her that this 5k brought out all the fastest runners and though you expect to run well, sometimes other factors come up but you cannot continue to hang your head otherwise your performances will continue to suffer.
Considering it was her 3rd or 4th 5k, she has a lot to learn about improving finishing times as well as how to run the 5k to an exact science. She went out with the front of the pack, which was a six- minute pace. She went from 6 minutes at mile one to 8 minutes for the 2nd mile. A huge drop off because her normal comfort level was 7:30.
She was still gloomy but I was glad she was smiling when she walked away.
To some, this running thing is serious. I wouldn’t be writing these blogs if I didn’t think it was.
As long as you run with passion, the time really doesn’t matter.
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