Long Hot Summer

April and May. For most part of my life these two have been my favorite months. In summer, there is no school. From 7am to 7pm, the kid that was me would be out on the street building castles from construction sand piles, Tower of Babel from flat rocks and and compacted earth, and making kites of out newspaper or plastic and flying them over narra and acacia trees. Summer also meant the traditional, often viewed as mandatory, family trip to the beach, swim pools, lakes or rivers. In summer the family had to quench its thirst for water and adventure. Summer is for wading in the pool, riding the trusty BMX, and racing on foot across baseball fields and trails of vacant subdivision lots.

I am now in the nth summer of my full life, but in many ways I have stayed true to the lure and promise of summer. My 2010 summer calendar is packed so much with activities I had to pencil in and highlight rest days lest I forget them. For this year, my summer began earlier on mid-February when I decided to book myself on this adventure called Camsur 70.3 Half-ironman on August 22, 2010. I know the rains will come on June, July or August, but for me, Summer 2010 officially ends in August. Long bike rides, biking up the mountains, Wednesday Swim Nights, open water swims in beaches and lakes, heat training runs, and cool summer night runs. Ahhh, summer!

I wish I was back in my high school English class writing about what I did with summer. Just barely a month into my long hot summer I have already been in several fun adventures, the kind of stuff you want to write and tell stories about. In the guise of training I've been to MOA, C6, Subic and Anvaya. There are many more places I wish to explore. Oftentimes however, I am either so soaked in the fun, or expired from having too much fun that I had no time to sit down and write. But the stories, I have always carried them in my head, and everytime I remember them I smile. I still have several months of summer. There is still enough time for short stories of summer. I hope to share them with you soon.

Push and Pull: Heavy Runner Treads Lightly on the Speed Trail

The marathon euphoria for Sheer Will (SW) has now faded into blissful memory. He now sets his sights on a very special race (Kenny's Urbanite Run), where this time he intends to maximize the use of the ChampionChip and RunPix systems. SW has had this love affair with the 10K and he hopes to finally break the sub-60 minute physical and psychological barrier. So while most of his friends will be doing the short distances at chill pace (SW's usual pace of choice), SW will be doing race pace this time.

So how does one shift from a marathon pace of 7min/km to a 10K pace of sub-6min/km in a month's time? By sheer will, of course, and tons of help from friends and The Supreme Coach. If SW hopes to shave off 5 minutes from his personal best, he does need a lot of will, luck and help.

The Plan

Push and pull sum it up. Push one's limits slowly and steadily, but pull back before reaching one's breaking point.

SW thought pushing pace is hard. It turns out it is actually easy. It is pulling back that is harder. Hitting a pace of sub-6min/km is doable, moreso if one has already experienced running inspired and seemingly effortlessly at 5:30min/km during races while marvelling at elite runners on their way back from the turnaround. Having developed cardio-vascular endurance from swimming and long-distance running, SW simply has to train his running legs to bear the pounding that higher speeds rquire. That can be as simple as increasing the speed level on the treadmill where SW chooses to do speed training. He can actually hit 10kph, 11 or even 12, but he knows true suffering begins the moment he presses the Stop button. SW sometimes wishes he can simply run like hell, run his heart out, or run till he almost blacks out from exhaustion. SW wishes it is that simple - that is all about heart and will - for he had loads of these. But his legs will tell him it is not as simple as that. There is a process, and it is called training, not running your heart out.

Physical training is nothing but the deliberate and tactical application of stress plus the necessary recuperation and strengthening of muscles in response to the load factor. SW knows that 10kph means 2-3 days recovery period and 30 minutes of muscle stretching, that 11kph implies 3-4 days recovery and an hour of stretching, that 12kph can mean loss of form resulting in plantar fasciitis or shin splints, and anything beyond will only be worse. So when does he pull off the speed trigger?

Sheer Will learns that graduated increase in pace does not mean license to run every day at graduated pace. It means to graduate to a higher pace only when the muscles have recovered from the last stress load. He now asks himself: If I run today at my muscle condition, do I actually gain something in terms of speed, power or endurance? Or am I just racking up mileage for my run ticker, hoping to reward myself with a t-shirt or gadget, and digging a grave for my ominous running career in the process?

Sheer Will knows it is fun to run with friends in the outdoors but he holes himself up inside the gym, on the treadmill, ekeing out happiness from 3-5K tempo runs or 10K intervals. He pulls himself away from the merry company and off the road because the treadmill is less stressful on his legs. The increased speed on the mill is enough beating for the moment. He needs to rack up speed but recover fast at the same time. Hopefully before the race he will have come up to the desired speed and recovered fully enough to hit the road for tempo runs.

The Goal

While the sub-60 time is a nice goal to have, Sheer Will knows enough that obsession with numbers can be counterproductive. He trains for a sub-60 but actually aims for a higher goal. He knows he will never have the times of the best runners, but he can always aspire for what all great athletes have: a mastery of oneself, including knowing when to push or pull.

First-timer Ponders on the Marathon

The road to marathon is paved with good intentions, but it can littered with bitter lessons. Here are the things I learned as a newbie traversing that road:

1. Lure of marathon. There is certainly romance (melodrama) in the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger being sent from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon, and dying on the spot after conveying the message. In fact, Robert Browning even made a poem entitled "Pheidippides," melding into popular culture the legend. In recent times one hears of stories of runners crawling or at the brink of collapse towards the finish line, of grown men and women crying at the end of 42.195kms, and marathoners testifying that the distance changed their life perspectives.

I must admit was lured by the romance as well. I knew that the marathon would have a profound effect on me. Months before my first marathon - in long runs and races - I would play in my mind how my marathon ought to be. I wanted my marathon dream to end with me sprinting towards the finish line and with a big smile on my face. I wanted to end my marathon like a Greek or Roman hero coming home from a battle, not a messenger on the verge of collapse. I suppose that is why the Quirino Grandstand was perfect marathon finish venue for me: in many ways it is like the Grecian amphitheater or Roman coliseum.

2. Romanticizing the distance. We runners tend to be lured by lore of marathon, so much that we forget that romance alone cannot bring us to the finish line. The dream must be backed by preparation. Not many people realize that. In fact, when newbie runners develop cramps or are forced to walk at later stage in the run, they view that as noble suffering or sacrifice, and not a result of inadequate training. And when they triumph over that suffering or sacrifice, they consider it a triumph of the human spirit, not the correction of the human folly that it really is - that of coming to battle ill-prepared.

I was such a runner myself. Twice, on the mistaken notion that mind always triumphs over matter, I signed up for 25K race only to develop cramps and be forced to walk. I did finish - beyond cut-off time. Yes it was a triumph of will - of stubborn will and nothing else. Certainly not a triumph I am proud of.

In my opinion, the true triumph of the human spirit is exhibited by dedicated athletes who live on the edge and push the limits of their physical capabilities. When they hurt or suffer, it is not for lack of dedication or discipline, it is for attempting to come closer to their true potential, to bring honor to family or country, and to promote the sport they love. When they do triumph, the rest of mankind rejoices in the victory, for they show everyone that individuals can be bigger than what they think they are.

3. Respecting the distance. It is said that while many are lured by the romance of the marathon, few actually respect the distance. Some sign up for the marathon with the mantra: "Bahala na si Batman". I could get away with running the 10K lacking sleep or recovering from a hangover. I managed to finish a 21k coming from an injury and with only two instances of 10k practice runs. I managed to finish within cut-off time a 25K race - without walking nor experiencing cramps, and with just a month to peak and taper. But I would not recommend that 25k training plan.

I have always imagined my short and long runs from the onset as all preparatory to my marathon, but my formal marathon training plan was just two months after doing a series of 21Ks. I somehow managed to pull through, but on hindsight, I should have had at least 3 months of training, preferably 6 months had I not been injured. I should have allocated more time for very long runs (30kms up), more intense speed intervals, and for recovery days these hard training activities entail.

4. The Wall. In it purest form, The Wall "is the appropriately-named term used to describe an event which happens to many marathon runners when they have crossed a point in the race where they have no more glycogen reserves and when hypoglycaemia ensues. At this point the body, having run out of fuel, starts using fat reserves as a fuel source, much to the detriment of a runner's performance." (Reference)

Fortunately for me, I did not hit the wall. I suppose because I love to eat, even during a run. In all of my long training runs I realized that so long as I take food & drink breaks, I felt I could run for hours. More often than not, I ended my long runs at 3-4hrs not because I could no longer run, but because I had to go elsewhere. I do have a life apart from running :-). I have learned that energy gels can upset my stomach on first use, that they could give me a sugar high that induces me to daydream and slowdown, that sweet choco bars drive me through highs and lows, and that complex carbohydrates (like the 2 packs of hopia cubes I consumed on my marathon) are the best source of even and continuous nourishment. I suppose like the ultramarathoners eventually getting weary of energy gels, I prefer real food.

In my opinion, another wall exists. This Brick Wall exists only for those who do not respect the distance, or those who came to the race proud or ill-prepared. The brick wall manifests itself usually in the form of leg cramps. These cramps can arise from the the belief that "I am a fast 10K/21k runner; surely I can nail down a marathon" or "The half-marathons I have done should suffice for my long run." I am reminded by a quote I see on Wilson's blog:

Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people. - Randy Pausch ( 1960-2008 )

5. The importance of the long run. I made it a point to run at least 32km during my training. Km32 or mile 20 is said to be that point where the body's glycogen stores are depleted rendering the marathoner susceptible to the Wall. I had no intention of meeting the Wall on race day so I ran pass it during training. I also did not want to meet the Brick Wall and the only way for me to avoid it was to subject my body to the slow agony and tedium of running 32km and beyond. My body must know how it felt to run that long - to feel the agony during training, recover and get stronger because of it, and cruise through the distance on race day. I managed to do one 32K and one 35K. I would have wanted to do more long runs - preferably reaching 37K or even 40K, but I lacked time to build up to these distances and recover from the stress they inflict on the muscles.

6. Marathon is in the pacing. One thing I like about the marathon distance is that it plays up to my strength. I am a slow runner but I know how to pace myself. Experience has taught me to be more aware of my capabilities and developed in me the discipline to stick to my pace plan. The marathon is tricky. Run faster than ideal in the early stage and you will most likely suffer from cramps or fade sharply towards the end. Run too slow and you will end up prolonging your suffering on the road. My trick was to find that aerobic pace that allows me to run fast enough, at an even pace, without the dreaded lactic acid build-up. In my case, that aerobic pace is roughly 7min/km - a little slower than my 10K personal best, a little faster than my 21k PB, the average pace for my fast/slow interval work-out, and the pace at which I did my long tempo runs.

I did toy with the idea of setting my target aerobic pace (marathon pace) a little faster at 6:30 or 6:45min/km. I could comfortably run 10k at those paces anyway. But I knew the kind of endurance I have is just slow endurance. I still do not have enough tempo runs to build up speed endurance. My instincts warned me that if I go any faster in the first half, I would surely suffer in the second half of the marathon. I was glad I followed my instincts and pace plan.

7. Pace decay. If a runner is not used to a particular long distance, he will inevitably slow down as he completes the distance. Sounds common sensical, right? I learned this first hand during my 32K and 35K LSDs. I would start deliberately slow at 8min/km, sustain this for 21-25km, then sharply dip in pace to an excruciatingly slow 9min/km. The dip was sharp and dramatic - about a full minute from my starting pace. And I was not even running fast! I call this phenomenon pace decay. Decay ensues simply because the body is not used to running that long. I suppose pace decay was the body's deliberate and conservative way of coping with this venture into distances unknown. It could also be that the body's present ability to absorb wear and tear extends only to that point where pace decay begins. The phenomenon of pace decay only highlights the need to do more long runs.

To postpone the onset of pace decay, I decided to take planned short walk-breaks every aid station throughout the marathon. Following Galloway's philosophy, I would use the short (100m) walks as recovery periods. I was able to sustain pace past km21 and decelerate the pace decline.

On actual race day I experienced the full-minute decay in pace beginning around 25k. What was interesting was that the decay was from 7min/km to 8min/km. The conclusion I drew from this was that full recovery from a prior exposure to an unfamiliar distance - even if ran at slow pace - gave the body enough confidence to tackle the same distance at faster pace.

8. Physical and mental taper. With my limited training time, I only managed to have a one-week taper. It was a short, drastic taper - something I do not recommend. On hindsight I think two-weeks would have been better. My short taper period had me anxious whether I have rested and recovered enough. I tried to make up with the shortness of the taper by the drastic cut in mileage - with me barely running in the last week and focusing instead on stretching, self-massage and adequate sleep.

Mental tapering is normally not given as much attention as the physical taper. For me, the mental taper is more important. One must come to the race with excitement and anticipation, free from doubt and anxiety. In my case I was lucky to have stumbled into an elaborate marathon psychological plan. I knew the odds against me was high, so I conscripted the universe to work with me. I tried hard to be good for my maiden marathon. I organized long runs, paced a friend, volunteered in aid station and coordinated a marathon support group. I helped generate a pandemic of marathon goodwill. That same goodwill would help me run my marathon.

The night before the race I learned to let go of all my worries. On race day I had my plan, my God and my friends by my side.

Kaleidoscope: Photos from takbo.ph LSD

Group photos courtesy of Dr. Marvin Opulencia

Every color and every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin' round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world

- FrancisM (1964-2009)

The Gift of Hope

January 31, 2009
Saturday morning

The morning's long anticipated activity was supposed to be a special run - a leg-and-lung busting power 10K or an extra-special LSD. Weeks before I already envisioned the dream outcome - me finally breaking my mythical sub-60 10K goal, or me doing at least a half-marathon of dream-filled, rejuvenating long, slow run. Alas, my left leg had other plans! Afters 3 days of rest following a speed work-out, soreness finally vacated my leg on Saturday morning. But the confidence to do what I originally planned simply wasn't there. If I race a 10K, how many more days do I suffer after? After doing mainly easy 5Ks or 10ks, was I really ready to push again for great distance? Overextending my mileage was what got me into this rut in the first place.

That Saturday was my special day and this birthday boy intended to get a gift for himself! Happiness is not only a state of mind; it is also making the most out of given circumstances. So I got my reliable road bike and set to ride for a LONG distance. Just the other weekend I successfully increased my bike distance from standard duathlon requirement of 40K to a personal record of 60K. That was 2 months after I fumbled my way into riding my first road bike. This Saturday morning, as a birthday gift to myself, I would do half-ironman bike distance of 90K. Yes, another 50% increase from previous mileage. But I know my body, and this body deserved the gift of hope that someday it could actually bike the half-ironman distance.

It was already 11am when I began my half-ironman attempt. Yes, birthday boy deserved a longer stay in bed, and I dilly-dallied that long before deciding on how I would spend my day. Even my second shift morning cycling "classmate" was already half-way through his ride when I began mine. Still, it was comforting to know that I was not the only regular cyclist who woke up late and was crazy enough to start when the sun was already way up there.

To accomplish the half-ironman bike leg, I had to do 8 rounds of rolling 11K and do a 2K cool-down to complete the 90. The first 2 rounds were easy. I would trade hellos and quick banter with classmate and his driver/support crew. By noon and onto my 3rd round, I was already alone on the road. No cyclists, no runners, just cars and me. It was times like these when I would ask myself why the hell was I doing all these. Biking at noon time when I should be holed up in some hotel indulging myself, reserving strength for late-night dinner, drinks and videoke marathon with friends.

I suppose I just wanted to test myself. That even if I could not swim, bike or run fast, I certainly could go the distance. That what I might lack in speed and power, I made up with diligence, patience and tenacity to finish the seemingly impossible, when others would have long given up or would not even try. I suppose I long for accomplishment, beyond education or career. I suppose I long for something I can be passionate about. I suppose swimming, biking and running remind me that I am very much alive and must live life to its fullest. What is death anyway but a cessation of all movement. And so on the day of my birth I moved a lot and celebrated my capacity to enjoy life.

I continued my celebration and began my third round by singing. Yes I was singing out loud; no one would hear anyway. I was also not sure if I would still have strength for videoke later. I began with the last song I heard over the radio on my way to the village: Spongecola's take on videoke MRS Closer You and I. Hey there's a look in your eyes, it must be love at first sight....I was pleasantly surprised to hear myself singing well despite being crouched forward on bike. It seems biking, running and swimming have other benefits. I was hitting the high notes full-bodied and with gusto! Well at least till that part when road turned uphill - needed to focus back on the climb. As I passed through my favorite adrenaline rush downhill, I was rocking my way to You Give Love A Bad Name (is that the title?). You giiiivve loo-ovvve....a BAD name!!!

I was so pumped up despite my very limited repertoire of songs whose lyrics I could remember that the next 4-6 rounds came easy (note to self: update your songlist, memorize lyrics and practice!) Rounds 7-8 were the hardest. I was already beyond my historical longest distance, and Jesus Christ, I only had a pack of hopia and cashew tarts on quick breaks for lunch. This was the time I was trying to summon all the singers and saints I could think of. Running out of songs I actually did Climb Every Mountain just in time for that uphill again. I must be delirious from hunger and fatigue when I did Sharon Cuneta's Unti-unting Mararating Kalangitan at Bituin (yes, in another long uphill again). I found myself repeatedly singing Matchbox Twenty's Unwell. I was in denial when I sang, I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell... I must have sang that line a zillion times.

On my last round at close to 3pm, a senior cyclist came close, probably to ride along. My God, the afternoon cycling shift had aleady arrived and I was not yet done. I was too weak to mumble anything, but in my mind I said, Manong, kanina pa ho akong umaga. Last ko na ho 'to at ayoko na. Next time na lang ho. He must have read everything from my face and body posture, so he biked past me.

Ninety kilometers finally passed. It took 4.5 hours, but I did it. Ha! I now have that 90km badge of hope pinned on my jersey. Just have to work on speed, hill climbing, fear of buses. Oh I forgot again, get those cleats please, and practice on the aerobar. The dream event was still months away anyway. For the moment I celebrated. I treated myself to The Spa massage after the ordeal. The dinner, drinks and videoke could wait. As the skilled masseuse kneaded away the knots in my legs, I silently prayed I would have the strength to do the next day's aquathlon. God, thank you for another great birthday.

Back to Basics: Maintaining Balance

Biking is all about maintaining your balance on two moving wheels. I was lucky as a kid to learn to balance myself soon enough to enjoy the thrills and adventures of riding a BMX bike. With fingers near the handbrake and legs long enough to reach the ground, I was a confident kid biker patrolling the streets and outskirts of my neighborhood. Sometimes I would even sneak out onto the main avenues to get the latest food or gadget kids crave. As a child, you think you are Superman. You do not think much about danger; you think only about adventure.

I am now trying my best to be that Superkid again - adventurous and unafraid. Main difference now is that I have outgrown my BMX and now ride a roadie. Whereas before I was riding upright, with feet ready to touch the ground when I wiggle or about to fall, on my road bike I am crouching and I my toes barely touch the ground. I now try to balance on thinner wheels and have to alight my seat when I make a full stop. If I am not careful in my dismount, the family jewels may be crushed.

Finding my balance on a roadie was actually easy for me. What bugs me as a new road biker is maintaining that balance when my so-called "stress factors" present themselves. I group those factors into those inducing me to make sudden stops and those distracting me from keeping my balance while moving. The "stop" group includes busy intersections and heavy human traffic aggravated by kids who suddenly bolt your way. The "distractions" group is composed of tricycles, jeepneys, and buses which threaten to push or squeeze me off the road. I am kinda used to cars and other bikes, but not yet to members of my distraction group.

Last December, less than a month after I got my roadie, I had an encounter with a stress factor. I was approaching an intersection when a car arrived from another side. I was biking on a descending road with gravity pulling me down and I actually have the right of way, but the car caught me by surpise and I needlessly panicked. I hesitated and debated whether to pedal on or stop. Panic prevailed over reason and I suddenly pulled the break. The bike jerked from the sudden stop and I fell off my bike. Good thing I somehow know how to fall - to roll with the force just like in aikido. Outcomes: very minor scrape on knee, minor scratch on bike, a bruised ego and a resolve to learn how to stop and alight properly from my bike so that I will never panic again. And so for the next 30 minutes I practiced several ways of alighting my bike, imagining each time I was in an intersection with cars crossing. I went home several notches more confident.

First week of January I resolved I must deal with the distraction or the annoying vehicles group. Instead of riding within my village, or transporting my bike on vehicle for cycling practice on another village, I figured I would bike my way to the nearest neighboring village. Now that entails biking along a stretch of busy, car-and-tricycle infested main avenue. It was just about a kilometer stretch actually between my village gate and the next one, but that is a traffic-congested stretch. No sidewalks and bike lanes here. Everyone competes for road space.

I was actually a little groggy from lack of sleep on my first foray into busy roads. I reasoned out however that risk is manageable as I am biking just a small stretch, and help and hospitals are just a kilometer away. I simply had to hit the busy roads eventually, and so I did it. About 500 meters on the busy road, still groggy me realized I forgot the my most important bike gear - my helmet! Stupid, stupid, stupid. I was half-way between accomplishing my mini-goal and going back to where I started. I bravely decided to pedal on, doubly alert and cautious until I reach the safety of the next village.

Inside my neighboring village I thought I could already bike worry-free. Well, that was about 80% true. It was Sunday and people and cars were milling their way into the 2 churches there along a busy village street. As I looped through the village roads, I had to pass through this busy street. So I got to practice my bike stops and dismounts. After doing this for at least 10 times, I suppose I am ready to bike farther away from home and move closer to becoming Superman. I can also settle for Lance Armstrong.

Back to Basics: It's All In the Breathing

To speed up my recovery from my long runs late December 2008, I decided to swim on the 3rd day of January 2009. I am not certain about the scientific explanation, but from my experience, relaxed swimming is better than massage in removing knots in muscles and any other aches I might have gotten after running. I suppose it has something to do with improved blood circulation. Yes, massage improves blood circulation, but mild physical activity circulates the blood more! Swimming engages the whole body and in the process well-oxygenated blood is pumped into the muscles. The blood will bring with it the oxygen and trace elements necessary for muscle repair, while carrying away with it lactic acid and other wastes produced by running. Oxygen is so important that if it is continuously supplied in generous amounts, a muscle group in theory can keep on contracting without getting tired. The heart as muscle is perfect example. Close to the lungs, the heart is assured of oxygen supply and will contract and beat in regularity. Now, if only we can all supply adequate oxygen to those quads and calves of ours, maybe we will all end up being ultra-marathoners!

Apart from muscle recovery, for my first swim of the year, I also aimed to change my breath count when I do the crawl (stroke normally used in free-style competitions). Yes, years after doing the crawl using a specific breathing pattern, I am changing my breath count. Crazy me! While my every two strokes breath count is ideal for my leisurely, meditative pace, it seems inadequate now if I intend to swim faster. While I may have succeeded in doing a sub-60 second 50-meter swim, I was stroking the water and flipping my legs like crazy! (Buti pa sa swimming, the nakaka-sub-60 ako. Kailan kaya ako mag-sub-60min sa 10K run ko?) While my furious swimming on a 2-stroke breath count may probably be done in a mini-sprint triathlon, this strategy will kill me in a sprint or standard distance triathlon.

The simplest way for me to improve my swim time is to breathe less often. In a 50-meter sprint, elite swimmers sometimes breathe just once or twice, or not all for the race duration! Of course there is a trade-off -- speed versus fuel economy. Yes, just like in cars. A 50m sprint with minimal breathing will be largely anaerobic - powerful and fast but cannot be sustained for long. For triathlon, my swimming has to be largely aerobic.

I decided to try breathing every 4 strokes. My transition from 2 to 4 stroke breathing was rather smooth. Of course every now and then my body would revert to its old way of breathing, but for most of my 50m practice laps I was doing well. The key was concentration. Whereas before I think of something else when I swim while my body automatically follows the breathing program I taught it, this time I have to teach my body a new algorithm and make sure it follows my new direction. Hopefully within a month's time, my body will be in autopilot again using the new breath count. Once the new breathing habit is ingrained, I shall train for distance.


(Next: Back to Basics: Maintaining Balance)

Back to Basics: Running Form 101

To start year 2009 right, I decided to go back to basics. I bravely - if not foolishly - set as goals the completion of marathons, duathlons, aquathlons and triathlons for this year. To increase my chance of success, I have to do things right. So the first week of January, it was back to basics for me.

Running Form 101

Early in December I discovered I have been running with a weak left foot. Everytime I ran hard or fast, I suffer from sore left heel afterwards. It turned out I have a low-arched, weak left foot incapable of doing a midfoot strike and absorbing the brunt of my still being overweight. My left heel has been taking all the hit. For most of December I slowly taught my left foot to land midfoot. Slowly I strengthened it and said good-bye to sore heel thereafter. I was so elated with the initial results I curiously and bravely did a 36K LSD mid-December using my newly-improved running technique. It was a long, slow distance indeed but I happily finished it with just a very slight limp on my left foot.

Having survived the 36K distance relatively unscathed, I attempted a repeat just a week after. This was the start of my undoing. With my new-found confidence, I brushed aside the fact that my limping left foot is not yet fully recovered and strengthened, and I attempted to run the same 36K a little faster. While in my first 36K I was continuously watching my form, in my second attempt I only focused on running a bit faster. I paid for my indiscretion and negligence with signs of pre-cramps at about km15. I managed to correct my form and finish till 24K, but mild damage has been done to my left midfoot. I spent the last days of December trying to recover from that mistake.

I realize several things from that mistake. First, strengthening takes time; you cannot rush it. While I may be capable now of doing minute long, one-legged, forefoot stands with my left midfoot, (something I could not do prior to December 2008), subjecting those midfoot muscles to long distance runs is a different matter. While my lungs, heart and the rest of my body are already trained to endure, my left foot muscles still have to catch up. I am only as strong a runner as my weakest muscle group. For a marathon, all parts of me have to be conditioned.

Second, I may have exaggerated my midfoot strike. In an effort to protect my left heel, I might have been exaggeratingly arching my left foot, tensing up my left foot in the process, making my midfoot take all the brunt, and avoiding heel contact with the ground at all costs. Well, the cost was a hurting midfoot that caused me to limp when I walk. Pain was written all over the outer, middle, side of my left foot. Yes, I avoided sore heel and plantar fasciitis, but I am endangering my metatarsals (delicate midfoot bones) and foot ligaments. I was also afraid of Achilles tendinitis as I was feeling some mild pain in my achilles tendon, presumably from consciously preventing my sole from hitting the ground. I was running away from plantar fasciitis only to meet Achilles tendinitis. Ayoko na itis! The sore heel goes away in 24hrs, but I may limp for life if I damaged my bones, ligaments and tendons.

For my recovery runs in January, I relaxed my left foot a bit. I figured the right form for me is somewhere between my heavy heel strike and my exaggerated midfoot arch. Where that optimal balance is, I hope my body will eventually tell me. Initially I allowed my heel to touch the ground again. There was some very slight pain again in my heel, although not as bad as before. I actually welcomed the pain; it meant I was actually making the adjustments I wanted. The midfoot pain subsided and I was not limping after the runs. The latter fact is important. I need to be able to recover fast to continue with this experiment. Pretty soon I hope I can learn and master the basics.


(Next: Back to Basics: The Breath of Life)

King of Shato

Let’s just sprint and run with wild abandon like we did when we were 10, racing toward the playground at recess. Just run and run fast!

Quote from: http://theache.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/the-fartlek-yes-the-fartlek/?referer=sphere_related_content/

The moment I read the quote above my wanderlust mind teleported to a childhood address: 15 Opal St, Umali Subdivision, Los Baños, Laguna. I was 10 and bursting with life. I was on Opal street in the heat of summer. I was running like mad while uttering a strange scream: Shhaaaaaaaaaa-to!!!!!!

Aahh. Shato. Our childhood game of sticks and dexterity. On the street curb we dig a hole the size of a small bowl, put a 6" short stick at 45-degree angle, hit the protruding end lightly with a long stick, wait for the short stick to sommersault in the air, and hit it once more with fury to let it fly as far as possible. Distance traveled is measured in units of the long stick. If you are skilled and lucky, you can hit the small stick twice while it is in the air and you get to measure the distance travelled in units of the shorter stick. The one with the most stick units wins the chance to torture the losers. With gusto, the winner positions himself at the ground hole and hits the small stick as hard and far as his young hands can muster, while the losers have to run from the stick landing point to the ground hole, shouting "Shato" in one continuous flow. If the loser can do this, he redeems himself. If he can't sustain the shout, he ends up twice the loser.

I hated running but I loved shato. Among my peers I was so good at it that I considered myself as King of Shato. At the tender age of 10 I was unknowingly applying physics and hitting those sticks with precision and strength. I normally won, and in those rare times I lost, I almost always redeemed myself by sustaining the Shato scream while running. And how I loved to run while I shouted Shato! I so loved the game that I enjoyed everything that went with it. Yes, fast running included.

I may not be the King of the Road now, but I was a King of Shato. This is an undeniable fact of my well-played childhood. Fartlek may not form part of my running consciousness, but shato will always be there in my psyche. And when I need and want to run fast, all I have to remember is that I was and would always be a Shato King. I can't wait to hit the road again so I can play shato. Shhaaaaaatooo!!!!!

25km Conversation with My Body

December 1, 2008

Rico: Left Arch, we had a good 10K yesterday. No joint pains! Do you feel like running long today? Say, 2-3 rounds of my 12K bike route? I just want to see if we have the stamina for a something close to marathon. We can also continue practicing your midfoot landing...

Left Arch (LA): Non-responsive

Rico: Don't worry. I will slow down if you feel anything and stop if you can no longer take it. I will listen to you. I owe you my running life, remember?

LA: I love running with you, but I get scared of your ego at times. Ego is obsessed with running fast even if he knows it scares the life of me. Sometimes I wish I was as strong as my brother Right Arch, so I can feed Ego what he wants.

Rico: Sorry Left Arch if I let Ego rule us at times. I promise to do my best to rein him in. I don't think he is bad; his energy just has to be channeled to doing good. By the way, I met this woman in a party last night. She does yoga. She told me that some yoga positions can actually develop the arch. Isn't that wonderful? There is still hope for you and me. I will keep in touch with her, and maybe even convince her to run. No, we won't do the whole yoga thing. Just the foot exercises. Let's run now.

(Five kilometers into the run)

Rico: Left Arch, how are you doing?

LA: I am not used to the pressure of midfoot landing, but I think this is something I can live with. It hurts a couple of times, but I think it's because we are still synchronizing everything. I think I will be stronger in a couple of more runs. We can still run some more, but think of me, okay?

Rico: Good to hear. I am enjoying this run. I feel light. This midfoot landing feels like tap-dancing. I used to land on my heel with a thud. This feels so much better. I feel like a velociraptor running around in Jurassic Park. Yeah, I would call this velociraptor running! Observe, I am breathing evenly through my nose, and do not feel as thirsty. I think the LSD is kicking in, and in a few minutes I will be in a dream zone again. Maybe I should call this state my blog mode. When I'm in this mode, my mind becomes crystal clear, and I seem to see the world in a fresh and positive way. I assume an air of profoundness and my thoughts pierce through in big English words I seldom use! Strange but awesome!

(In my dream zone I went back to high school physics. Force is mass times acceleration, where acceleration due to gravity is some constant g whose value I can no longer remember. The triathlon book says I must learn to harness gravity in running and use my arch and knees as springs and my bones as levers. How the hell does that work? Physics is my least favorite among the sciences but I will give it a try. You land on your midfoot and capture the gravitational force in your arches and knees. Your foot, calve and thigh muscles contract to push your bones into position preparatory to surging forward. The force generated by your muscles during contraction and the gravitational force stored in your arches and knees are simultaneously released, pushing your foot off the ground and propelling you forward at a slight angle. I am not sure if my physics teacher will be happy with that explanation, but it sure helps me imagine how I should run.)

Rico snaps out of blog mode and listened to left arch.

LA: I'm happy you have your blog mode, but while I am still in strength training, can you please think of me? I do not want you to get too carried away by your thoughts. When I'm already strong, I will carry you through 42 kilometers of Eden.

Rico: Will do, Left Arch, will do. How about you Knees? How are you holding up?

Knees: We're doing okay. We try to follow the tap dancing routine with your Archs. We bend when the arch taps the ground. We hope this action makes you feel lighter.

Rico: Good. Just don't go overboard with the tap dancing, ok? I have seen a runner tapping but bouncing from side to side like a real velociraptor. Remember, every movement has to contribute to your forward motion. Economy of movement. Efficiency.

I think left arch and knees are doing ok. Do you think we can try harnessing Quads? Quads, are you there?

Quads: Yes, we are here. Still a bit sore from Saturday's 30km biking, but ready to support arch and knees.

Rico: Quads, I want you to improve on the physics day dream I just had. You are much bigger than your cousins calves and arches. Can you take off some of the work from them? Calves had grown big and hard from handling most of the work all these years; it's time you have your own workout. This should also help us when we do the bike. In the contraction preparatory to surging forward, I want you to contract hard and slightly lift thigh at an angle that will allow knee to easily bend and the arch to land midfoot, while contributing to the forward thrust. Remember, all our effort must lead to forward motion. And do not cheat in your muscle effort. I can feel if you are not working to the best of your ability. I want to feel you contracting.

Quads: Okay, okay. Is this level of effort good enough?

Rico: Yes, I think it is okay. Don't you all feel running this way is better? There is more power yet it feels effortless. Very natural. Don't you notice that we are way past the 18km mark and yet my heart rate is not elevated and I am not running out of breath. Still breathing through nose actually. Splendid.

Rico: There is one more thing I want us to try. You probably have heard of the pose method of running. What I want us to do is very similar, but I prefer to call it supplication method. Lean forward as much as you can to avoid drag, but without having the feeling that you will topple over. This is in deference to the will of the wind and the power of gravity. Bow your head slightly, at an angle where you can see the earth that nourishes you, appreciate people and your surroundings, and be able to look up to your Creator in praise, thanksgiving and humility. Combine this lean with the rest of your body and limbs, and running will be your regular prayer.

Training the Mind (Of Dementors and Patronus)

My mind is my best friend and worst enemy. God gave me a mind that will take on a marathon challenge, but will cower at the thought of doing a 400-meter dash. It is a mind that can solve differential equations but gets dumb-founded with a 3X(3X200M).

This is the same mind that dreads the Nike Training Clinics. I was one of the early registrants, but I froze when I saw the training plan: drills, tempo runs and those Number x Number signs. Yes, I love running, particularly the long slow distance, but I dread those that entail running fast at maximal effort. When I run fast, I experience knee pains and heels that hurt. I suppose I lose correct form in an effort to gain short-term speed. The pain does not last long, but it threatens to overshadow running pleasure.

My fear is not without basis. One book says, "...When you push as hard as possible for as long as possible, you do several things that are counterproductive to the adaptive process. First you experience great physical pain, which makes it less likely you will want to repeat the experience...Second, you stimulate the body to an overproduction of adrenal-gland hormones epinephrine and cortisol - the stress-response hormones... By forcing sustained overproduction, you exhaust the adrenal gland for a time, causing the phenomenon referred to as parasympathetic overtraining. This state both inhibits your adaptive ability and removes all joy from the training process."

(Championship Triathlon Training, by George Dalam, PhD and Steven Jonas, MD, both triathletes)

Maybe I am overthinking and overreacting. I suppose the physical pains are bearable, but I find it hard to accept that state where all joy from training is lost. From injury you can recover, but it is very hard to regain lost motivation. I should know - I have a 5-year love/hate/love/hate/love relationship with running.

The Harry Potter in me sees pain, injury and fatigue as Dementors threatening to drain out all the running happiness in me. Prior to my first session (the assessment run) I even tried to imagine the Patronus I would conjure when the Dementors attack. It would be my favorite dog Sofia, a Shetland sheepdog. I pictured Sofia bravely chasing away the Dementors and herding us to safety.

Dementor, Sofia

The Dementors did not attack the first night. Across the Great Hall that is Nike Park we did our drills and passed through the Sorting Hat. Like a Freshman wizard, I watched in awe as the Headmaster and the professors demonstrated the tricks. They were awesome. I must confess though that I cheated in doing the drills. Dumbledore told us to run at maximal effort, but I think I only ran at maximum tolerable effort. I guess I was still afraid - of the Dementors. I seem to attract them when I exert maximal effort.

Yesterday my fellow wizards and I returned to the Hogwarts grounds to do practice runs. One wizard-friend was a natural - light on his feet and effortlessly fast. I silently wished I could run like that. As my fellow wizards finished their runs, I opted to stay behind. I walked further and found myself on the spot where we started our assessment runs. I remembered my wizard friend and his natural running form. I can run like that. With that picture in mind, I found myself setting my stopwatch and suddenly darting to do fast runs. I would do 5X800M with 10-15min rest intervals. I was aiming for fastest time within maximum tolerable effort. I went home jubilant. Speed runs can be fun after all. I just have to watch out for Dementors. In due time I hope to do away with a Patronus. Sofia and I will run in peace at Hogwarts.

Finding my Pace in the Sun

I have been meaning to blog about my VSO Bahaginan 15km experience for hours. A bagful of thoughts has been percolating in my mind prior to, during and after the race, all waiting to be sorted out. As I sat down to type this post, I decided to draw inspiration from what others may have written as well as to check out my official race time. Like many others I can rave about the race organization - the kilometer markers, water and Rush stations, cheerful marshalls, etc. I was blown away by the markers, was very dependent on the Rush for energy boosts, and the marshall made the run a very pleasant experience. Till now I still castigate myself for not verbalizing my gratitude to Rio (whom I don't personally know) when I saw him and his crew dismantling on my way back from the gym shower nearby.

I have been staring at the race results for minutes now. I clocked in at 1:50:34 with pace of 7:22min/km and ranked 245 out of 272 males. I do not know how I feel and what I should feel. This was supposed to be a training run for me, where I was supposed to add 10km more on the treadmill immediately after so I can amass 25km in a day a week before I run the 25km in Clark. My training plan got sidetracked by dog breeding. To catch up, I did a hard, 12.5km run 2 days before the race, the after-effect of which I still felt the night before the race. I had to find a spa which closes late and I had massage that ended up at midnight. Pre-race excitement or jitters reduced my actual sleep to one hour. The only good thing was that I was up unusually early for a race that actually started late.

Given my pre-race circumstances, I should be happy with my time. Minutes before the race start I was actually telling myself I would be happy with a 2-hour time. I haven't done a 15km, but in the 16km I did years ago, I clocked in at 2:15. Two hours should be good enough for 15km. Then I saw a friend at the starting line - our team captain when I used to do dragonboat rowing. He just arrived straight from Batangas where he participated in the dragonboat regatta, played football after and rode back to Manila in the wee hours of the morning. My race excuse suddenly paled in comparison. Adding insult to injury, the guy clocked in at 1:22 for the 15km. Life's unfair.

I actually did better than my initial 2-hour target. I ran at a pace that I trained for and targeted if not better. But why is there still a tinge of discontent within me. I have been slowly accelerating my speed without having serious injury. Isn't this what I want? The VSO race was a reality check: I may have been shortchanging myself. Yes there have been improvements; yes I have been meeting my training goals, but am I setting the bar too low? Have I taken my mantra of excellence to heart, or are my forays into running and sports exempted from this? Yes I have sworn to myself to avoid as much as I can the folly of comparing myself to others, bearing in my what Desiderata says: "If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself" Can I compare without being competitive with others?

Compare was what I did during the race; compare is what I do now as I read other peoples' blogs and the race results. Yes I still believe in Desiderata, but my personal goals and standards do need standards for comparison - not so I can become vain or bitter, but because I need honest answers.

Was I sandbagging when I set the 2-hr goal? Was I underestimating myself when I let a multitude of average and slow runners ran past me in the first few kilometers of the race? I started alongside a pace group of relaxed runners and eventually I fell behind. Was I deliberate? Am I that slow? Was I hiding behind the excuse of having wide, low-arched, overpronating feet and bearing excess weight to avoid running at a faster pace? Could I keep up with the pace of say, a Lance Gokongwei? In the second half I started to overtake some runners. Could I have overtaken some more? In my first 5K I barely made the clock; in my first triathlon I was the last finisher. In both instances, I finished with pride. Do I have the same pride now in being #245 and beating 27 others? Was I holding back? In dragonboat racing we were trained to pour everything out in the last 50-100 meters. For 30-45 seconds, our hearts pound and our lungs seem to burst. We finish at the point of near-collapse. Did I do this in the last 200 meters of my foot race?

So many questions. I hope to get answers in my future races

25K Dilemma

One month before the 2008 New Balance Powerrace, I got this crazy idea to enter the 25K. This distance is a dragon I have always wanted to slay, and crazy me thinks I better get this done now and be over it. Truth is, I have done the NB 25K twice - in 2003 and 2004, and twice I was half-beaten. Yes, I finished it - in 3:30 and 3:45, respectively, but in both instances, I failed to make it within cut-off time.

First attempt: I was not aware of the correct cut-off time the first time. I stupidly thought it was 4 hours and that my slow run pace of 7-8kph could hack it. This was mistake 1. Mistake 2 was thinking that all it takes was sheer will. After my debacle in my first race ever (2003 5K Milo Run in Baguio) ,where the cramping me finished by sheer will, I thought I was invincible. I progressed from 5K to 16K in 1.5 months, simply by running my leisurely pace of 7-8kph. I thought it was simply a matter of running longer. The 25K should be just a simple as that. Mistake number 3 was that I was about 30 minutes late and I tried to catch up with the others without the benefit of warm-up. I cramped at probably 15K. The only thing I was right about is that by sheer will I did make it to the finish line, even if the organizers have already started packing up.

Second attempt: I got the correct cut-off time the next attempt, but the stubborn I committed mistakes 2 and 3 again. My run pace was still slow and I started severely late again.

Third attempt: This is my third attempt and I am hoping that third time is a charm. I know I am risking a lot by attempting again so soon, considering that I just went back to running in August 2008 and I still have excess pounds to lose. But you and I know by now that I am stubborn. Besides, the next (2009) NB Powerrace should be a breeze for me already (if training goes as planned). Now where is the thrill in that? Some people thrive on challenges; I suppose I am one of them. There is a thrill in chasing after the seemingly unattainable. Achieving it gives one a chance to be immortal.

Dilemma: Training is my dilemma now. Do I pick up speed first before trying for greater distance? Or do I log in more kms first and go for speed later. One week has already passed where I tried to rev up my speed to 9kph - that's 8kph to 9kph in one week and I could already feel the stress on my body. I intend to avoid injury at all costs, but I needed longer recovery time with this speed thing I am chasing. Ideally, my relaxed pace should at least be 10kph, supposedly my year-end goal, but if I chase after 10 now, I will be a trainwreck come Nov 16 race time. If I prioritize distance now, I can probably count on some weight loss that can aid me in picking-up speed later, but I may not even have sufficient time for that. There is still tapering to consider. My God, how do I peak and taper within a month? If sheer will fails, there is still divine intervention. So help me God.

Running has its Rewards

I am finally reaping the benefits of subjecting my overweight body to those regular runs. I am slimming down!!!! Since August 1, I have lost around 17 lbs. The continuous weight loss seem to temporarily plateau for now, but I continue to lose inches from my waist, torso and thighs. I am now able to wear clothes I last wore about 2 years ago. From XL, I am now able to get away with some old, medium-sized shirts. My waistline is getting closer to 34 inches. My goal is 160 lbs, 32-in waist line and medium shirt size. I hope to achieve all that before I binge this Christmas. The most encouraging and flattering results are the feedback I get from friends and officemates. Officemates who see me regularly notice the weight difference. Friends whom I do not see as often are startled. It is a great boost to one's ego when pretty acquaintances walk up to you in a gathering and give you a "looking good lately" remark. Nothing beats that. Wipes away all the body aches. :-)

Training for Speed

It has been two weeks since I decided to seriously aim for speed - to swim, bike and run faster. Since I was starting from a very low (rather, slow) base, I figured my initial improvements should be dramatic. Well, I did improve but I am not sure it was dramatic.

Swim. My benchmark for the swim is my personal best of 12 minutes for a 350m distance. Another is my 32min time for a 1K swim. The third parameter is the 19 strokes per 25m lap. So far, I have managed to swim 350m in 9min, 54sec. I also managed to swim 25m in 29 seconds! According to a swimmer friend who used to compete in inter-school races, their swim team always aimed for less than a minute per 50m, so I guess my 29-second 25m lap should be good enough. I haven't tried measuring up to the other parameters.

I have several observations though about this swimming for speed. First, swimming to relax is way more fun, although beating target times gives one a nice jolt of personal accomplishment. Second, I improved my time considerably by turning up for air less often. Third, I realised that my left arm is a bit weaker when I go all-out in stroking the water. I should remedy that with weight training. Fourth, I tire more easily and huff heavily after each lap, simply because I have to always push myself to my limits everytime. This is the only way for me to wake-up whatever fast-twitch muscles I was born with and train my body for high-intensity, anaerobic sprints. Eventually, I hope my slow-twitch, aerobic body will soon elevate its tolerance for this anaerobic workout and I will tire and huff less. Only then can I enjoy swimming again. Or maybe I can learn to like the occasional anaerobic sprints.

Bike. This is my waterloo, I admit, although I believe this is one area where I can make the most improvement. I started with the goal of beating my time of 40min for a 12k bike through the hilly terrain of AAV. The first thing I have to overcome is my fear of accidents. Slowly I hiked my saddle up to the point where my toes are barely touching the ground when I'm seated on the bike. I did numerous practices doing downhills in our village, and would congratulate myself everytime for surviving each round. A week of this and I did the 12K bike again. On my first round I did 35min, 31sec. The second round, I was a measly 5 seconds faster! Well, the 5 minute overall improvement should be good enough for that period. A few days after (during the Feast of Ramadan hours after the stormy skies cleared), I tried it again. On damp roads I managed 33min, 22sec. Yehey! And then it rained again. Sigh. I am hopeful that the road bike I will soon get will vastly improve my time.

Run. This another area of difficulty. Although I have ran in at least a dozen road races and finished long distances of up to 25K, I am far from being an efficient runner. Being overweight, I have short strides and I am pitifully slow. On a treadmill, my average speed is probably 7.5km/hr. The fast few days I have managed to elevate that pace to as high a 9.5km/hr. My goal is to comfortably run at 10km/hr. Only then can I reasonably and seriously dream of enlisting for a full-blown marathon. I feel that my bike training help my running tremendously. I have stronger quads and glutes which allow me to have longer strides. On hindsight, I think I have been relying too much on my calves to do the running for me. Lately, I have been focusing on making the bigger muscles (glutes and quads) do some of the work while running. Hopefully I am doing things right.

Speed, Power and Endurance

Athleticism is defined by speed, power and endurance. Of the three, the one quality I have the most is probably endurance. I am not a natural athlete but one thing I possess is a mind that empowers my body to endure repetitive, low-impact physical activities, to transcend the drudgery of repetitive motions, and to plod on when the going gets tough.

More than my physical abilities (which are limited to start with), it is my confidence on seemingly boundless powers of the mind that attracts me to physical challenges like the road races, marathon or the triathlon. They may seem like physical feats, but for me they are achievements of the mind. If the mind wills it, these races can be done, even by an overweight bloke like with me flat feet and no history of athleticism to be proud of.

It was this thinking that made me do and finish my first 5K run. I may not ran fast, but I can endure through it all and finish. I progressed and endured through 10K, 16K and even 25K runs. I even did 2 mini-sprint triathlons. All these times, my goal was simply to finish, and hopefully have fun in the process. It was fun for most of the races I did, but for a few others (e.g. the 25K), I simply endured them. I have accumulated enough finisher shirts - an achievement by itself when I look back to the times that I envy friends who sport these shirts. At this point, I guess I am finished with simply finishing. It is time that I progress to other goals apart from simply enduring and finishing.

This brings me to speed. Can I run faster? Swim or bike faster? I may be mentally fast, but I am physically slow. Speed was something that I never trouble myself with. I run to finish within maximum allowable times; I swim to relax and keeping times for my swim laps seemed inconsistent. I would count laps swam or hours spent swimming, but never how fast I swim a particular distance. I can swim for 2 hours straight in pools without really getting tired. Often, it is simply boredom, wrinkled fingers or running out of things to ponder on while stroking the water that forces me out of the pool. I have become so efficient at swimming that I seldom get dead tired. Neither do I lose a lot of pounds after hours of swimming. What I probably achieved from it is aerobic workout, a week's load of endorphins, a breakthrough in an issue I have been mulling over, or plain mental relaxation.

I had a rude awakening about this desire for speed when a friend casually asked me to race him in a 25m swim. I gave it my best shot but my friend to whom I have been giving swim tips beat me to the finish line. Yes he was taller than me and he was almost dying from shortness of breath but the fact is he beat me. Why is that? I am supposed to be the better swimmer who do not tire easily. Indeed, I was not huffing after the impromptu race. Therein lies the answer - I was simply not trying hard enough. I simply aimed to finish with slightly faster than normal pace, while my friend pulled all the stops to get the best time. I was not mentally geared for speed. I am not hungry for it.

My disappointing time in the bike leg of a recent mini-sprint triathlon I did made me assess how fast I can bike. On a cycling machine in a gym, I tried to check how many RPMs I can do. I was underwhelmed. Even on the lowest resistance level I was having difficulty reaching the 100 RPMs. I was not tired and huffing, but my nervous system and muscles simply do not react fast enough. My body is not used to speed!

I am really thrilled with trying to push my speed limit in swimming, biking and running. I am still trying to achieve and get used to 100++ rpms and slowly building my treadmill pace from leisurely 7km/hr to hopefully at least 10km/hr. Last night I comfortably reached 8.5km/hr and I am pleasantly surprised to discover it is more enjoyable than the 7km/hr I am used to. Slowly I am trying to teach myself to enjoy instead of fear downhill biking - to savor the wind on face instead of constantly putting on brakes out of fear of accidents. I am also excited to beat my test time of 32min for a 1km swim.

I just have one concern in my new found craving for speed. I want these athletic pursuits to be my outlets for relaxation. I do not want to be caught up in the mad drive for speed. Every now and then I will probably benchmark my times against others, but I do not want to compete with others. At best I will compete with myself. For the most part, I will enjoy the moments I am on the road or in the water.

I am exploring the concept of power. With power comes speed too. The last time I focused on power was when I was active in dragonboat rowing. I am now trying to put more power in my swim, bike and run by doing weights and resistance training. If there is one kind of power that I want to be intoxicated, it is this power.

So what do I now?

I have finally accepted that I cannot enter another triathlon this year. The next one is set for October 12 in AAV but it is a real sprint. I am not geared up for it at this point. I can do a decent 1k swim in 32 minutes and finish a 7k run, but no way can bike 30K in about an hour with my current mountain bike and pedalling rate. I have been inspecting road bikes in several stores in the metropolis, but that is all I can do for now. I have just purchased a show dog and need to save up for a new bike. I have to read further on bike types and make sure that whatever bike I will buy will not end up in storage after a few months.

I have resigned myself to running in the 2008 Adidas King of the Road race. I think I have run this years ago and I still have the red singlet as souvenir. Since I ballooned to 200lbs I had opted to tuck away this singlet to avoid offending other people's sensilibilities. I heard this year's singlet is nice. Thank God I can now fit into a large size. In a few months' time I hope to slid back to my natural medium size.

For my previous road races I have always aimed to simply finish. I get a deep sense of self-pride and accomplishment from finishing initially the 5K, then the 10K, the 16K and eventually the 25K. I was average in the 5K and 10K categories and far from the last runner in the 16K, but I always end up in the tail-end for the two 25K New Balance runs I did. Yes I finished running the 25K but it always came at the price of cramps and egos deflated from organizers running out of water and pulling out all the street barricades as the alloted time came to end. It was not a good feeling, and it took away a lot from the personal euphoria I was supposed to enjoy for having conquered what seemed to be an impossible distance for a person of my weight.

For the Adidas run, I opted to do the 10K. This will just be the second road race for me in at least 3 years. I did the 5K about 3 months back. I used to have a personal best of 1:15 for the 10K. For this race, I simply want to improve my time. I want to prove to myself that not only can I finish something, I can also race well. By sheer will I conquered the 5K, 10K, 16K and 25K. By the same will I will improve my running pace and time. My current training reflects that philosophy. Instead of aiming for finishing a specific distance, I am concentrating on elevating my average speed. I am working on developing longer strides. This is a major challenge for me in view of my weight. I am glad I have shed the initial 15 lbs and now tip the scale at 190 lbs. The weight loss improved considerably my ability to take longer strides and set quicker pace without causing debilitating stress on my heels and knees. I hope I can shed 10 lbs more before the Adidas race. So help me God.