(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
I already have a bucket list about running which contains races that I want to do before I die. Of that list, I have only checked off one item - the Marine Corps Marathon. Chances are, that list will probably stay untouched until after I turn 18 and more opportunities are open to me.
A long time after creating that bucket list, I started thinking about creating a bucket list filled with tasks and experiences unrelated to running that I don't have as of this day (06/07/2013) but hope to have one day. I finally compiled it. I hope to look back and check items off this list as life goes on.
If you didn't know before, bucket lists are basically lists of things that you want to do, see, or accomplish before you "kick the bucket" and die. Feel free to take inspiration from this list!
1. Set foot on all 7 continents
2. Set foot in all 50 states
3. Attend the Olympics
4. Attend the Superbowl
5. Attend an Eminem concert
6. Experience Time Square on New Year's
7. Witness a lunar eclipse
8. Witness a solar eclipse
9. See a starry night sky
10. See the Northern Lights
11. Go to space
12. Learn how to drive a car
13. Learn how to pilot a plane
14. Learn how to ride a camel
15. Learn how to ride a horse
16. Do Parkour
17. Do a handstand
18. Do a split
19. Do a pull-up
20. Do a muscle-up
21. Do a planche push-up
22. Climb the Empire State Building
23. Climb the Eiffel Tower
24. Bungee jump
25. Skydive
26. Climb an 8,000m
27. Write a book
28. Play the guitar
29. Start a business
30. Go a day without speaking
31. Meet someone actually famous
32. Climb a tree
My goal is that the list will continue to expand in the future.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Mini-Hike on Sugarloaf Mountain, MD
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
For a while, my family and I have been waiting for the weather to get nicer so that we can go out and do some more fun outdoor excursions. One of the things on our to-do list was to go hiking, and some hiking that we all enjoyed in the past was on Sugarloaf Mountain. Since it was very close to the Frederick / Montgomery County borderline, it was a relatively close and accessible mountain.
We got there around 12:00 PM on one of the parking lots higher up on the mountain - not at the base. This was because we didn't have a lot of time, and although we had a late breakfast, we wanted to be done early enough so that we still could have lunch.
We decided to up the 1/4 mile green trail. It was the one closest to where we were parked. We started walking up the stone-slate-laden path until the slates disappeared into some dirt, some roots, and some rocks. My little brother was eager to scramble up to the summit, and, according to him "Wow Sugarloaf Mountain is really fun!"
There were people on the trail, but it wasn't ever congested or ever really empty. We went up and up and up until we reached a series of stone stairs. At this point, he started breathing harder and saying something about his knees. I advised him to take it slower, but stairs were stairs, and four-year-olds were four-year-olds. Finally, we reached an area of level ground and decided to proceed to the summit. After walking through some rocks, we were there!
Going up took less than 12 minutes - quite a while for a quarter mile, but we had fun. The views were nice, overlooking lots of farms and trees and what I believe was the Potomac River. We hung around for a little while and relaxed for a little bit before heading back down.
The stairs were steady as we headed down, but just in case, I told my little brother to stay behind me. If he fell on me, I could brace myself, but if I fell on him, we'd both get a face-full of stone. We went down and down the steps, down and down the dirt, and down and over the large rocks. We climbed over a few small boulders and jumped down steps made by the roots.
As we neared the end, we saw again the stone-slate path and walked back to the parking lot. Overall, the mini-adventure took about an hour, including time spent enjoying the top of the mountain and time spent pondering whether we should go down yet or not. It was pretty nice now to go out and take advantage of the summer-like days after what felt like a really long winter. :)
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Music on the Run
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
I normally don't listen to music when I run. My "music" is the sound of nature, the rhythm of my breathing, and the pounding of the pavement. Plus, I'm a strict believer in the fact that too much noise is bad, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. You only get one set of ears in your life.
I also believe, however, that controlled doses of music while running definitely improves performance.
Amongst other ideas I've come up with while running, I had the idea of creating a list of songs I know that have the word "run" / "ran"in it at some point. I'd like to share those songs along with some other upbeat (or just plain good) songs that motivate me to run. I've also included the top 5 list of songs that I like to use on runs.
I might periodically update this list as more music comes out and as my memory improves.
* = contains explicit lyrics
~ = contains very few explicit lyrics
Contain the word "run" / "ran" in it:
- Run (Snow Patrol)
- Pumped Up Kicks (Foster the People)
- Pyramids (Frank Ocean)
- Forrest Gump (Frank Ocean)
- 'Till I Collapse (Eminem ft. Nate Dogg) *
- Rabbit Run (Eminem) *
- Dog Days are Over (Florence and the Machines)
- Animals (Neon Trees)
- Paradise (Coldplay)
- Written in the Stars (Tinie Tempah) ~
I normally don't listen to music when I run. My "music" is the sound of nature, the rhythm of my breathing, and the pounding of the pavement. Plus, I'm a strict believer in the fact that too much noise is bad, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. You only get one set of ears in your life.
I also believe, however, that controlled doses of music while running definitely improves performance.
Amongst other ideas I've come up with while running, I had the idea of creating a list of songs I know that have the word "run" / "ran"in it at some point. I'd like to share those songs along with some other upbeat (or just plain good) songs that motivate me to run. I've also included the top 5 list of songs that I like to use on runs.
I might periodically update this list as more music comes out and as my memory improves.
* = contains explicit lyrics
~ = contains very few explicit lyrics
Contain the word "run" / "ran" in it:
- Run (Snow Patrol)
- Pumped Up Kicks (Foster the People)
- Pyramids (Frank Ocean)
- Forrest Gump (Frank Ocean)
- 'Till I Collapse (Eminem ft. Nate Dogg) *
- Rabbit Run (Eminem) *
- Dog Days are Over (Florence and the Machines)
- Animals (Neon Trees)
- Paradise (Coldplay)
- Written in the Stars (Tinie Tempah) ~
- Run This Town (Jay-Z ft. Kanye West and Rihanna) *
- Fastest Girl in Town (Miranda Lambert)
- Who Did That to You (John Legend - Django Unchained Soundtrack)
- Lose Yourself (Eminem) ~
- Good Feeling (Flo Rida)
- Paper Planes (MIA)
- Remember the Name (Fort Minor) *
- Run (Kill It Kid)
- We Are Golden (MIKA)
- God's Gonna Cut You Down (Johnny Cash)
- Remember the Name (Fort Minor) *
- Run (Kill It Kid)
- We Are Golden (MIKA)
- God's Gonna Cut You Down (Johnny Cash)
The fun part is finding where the "run" is.
Motivational / upbeat / "in the zone" songs:
- Making Me Nervous (Brad Sucks)
- Radioactive (Imagine Dragons)
- Lighters (Bad Meets Evil ft. Bruno Mars) *
- The Fighter (Gym Class Heroes ft. Ryan Tedder) ~
- Coming Home (Diddy Dirty Money ft. Skylar Grey) ~
- Rain is a Good Thing (Luke Bryan)
- Ridin' Solo (Jason Derulo) ~
- Carry On My Wayward Son (Kansas)
- Some Nights (FUN) ~
- Let the Drummer Kick (Citizen Cope)
- Yeah x3 (Chris Brown) ~
- Take a Back Road (Rodney Atkins)
- Carry On (FUN)
- Daylight (Matt and Kim)
- I Got a Name (Jim Croce)
Motivational / upbeat / "in the zone" songs:
- Making Me Nervous (Brad Sucks)
- Radioactive (Imagine Dragons)
- Lighters (Bad Meets Evil ft. Bruno Mars) *
- The Fighter (Gym Class Heroes ft. Ryan Tedder) ~
- Coming Home (Diddy Dirty Money ft. Skylar Grey) ~
- Rain is a Good Thing (Luke Bryan)
- Ridin' Solo (Jason Derulo) ~
- Carry On My Wayward Son (Kansas)
- Some Nights (FUN) ~
- Let the Drummer Kick (Citizen Cope)
- Yeah x3 (Chris Brown) ~
- Take a Back Road (Rodney Atkins)
- Carry On (FUN)
- Daylight (Matt and Kim)
- I Got a Name (Jim Croce)
- All of the Lights (Kanye West ft. Rihanna and Kid Cudi) ~
- Homecoming (Kanye West ft. Chris Martin)
- Thrift Shop (Macklemore and Ryan Lewis) *
- I Like It (Enrique Iglesias ft. Pitbull)
- I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas) ~
- Gonna Fly Now (Bill Conti - Rocky Soundtrack)
- Who Needs a Road (Signpost Sound)
My Top 5 (in no particular order):
- 'Till I Collapse (Eminem ft. Nate Dogg) *
- Good Feeling (Flo Rida)
- Lighters (Bad Meets Evil ft. Bruno Mars) *
- Some Nights (FUN) ~
- Who Needs a Road (Signpost Sound)
- I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas) ~
- Gonna Fly Now (Bill Conti - Rocky Soundtrack)
- Who Needs a Road (Signpost Sound)
My Top 5 (in no particular order):
- 'Till I Collapse (Eminem ft. Nate Dogg) *
- Good Feeling (Flo Rida)
- Lighters (Bad Meets Evil ft. Bruno Mars) *
- Some Nights (FUN) ~
- Who Needs a Road (Signpost Sound)
Sunday, April 28, 2013
GoApe Course in Rock Creek Park, MD
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
By the way, I finally made a Facebook page for Up to Run, located at https://www.facebook.com/UptoRun?fref=ts. It has about one like right now (from me), but hopefully it will grow.
For my birthday gift, my parents decided to take me to GoApe, a zip line / obstacle course located in the treetops of Rock Creek Park. After looking at photos of people slamming into cargo nets and holding on for dear life on the zip line, I decided that this was a great idea. Today, it was time to go for our 2-hour-long adventure in the trees.
Our time slot was 9:30 AM. We plugged in the address to my mom's iPhone, and it got us to the GoApe cabin with no problem. While my stepdad parked the car, my brother played around, and my mom and I filled out waiver forms. Then, my stepdad and I walked with an instructor / guide and three other people in our group - a father and his sons - to where we would receive an introduction and safety briefing. We were all fitted for harnesses and had a few minutes to practice hooking and unhooking the harness straps. There was a blue hook, red hook, blue pulley, and a place for a green hook (used only for ladders and the Tarzan swing). An emergency whistle and a place to stow away the blue pulley were also on the harness. Though it all was very confusing at first, the more I worked with the harness, the more comfortable I felt.
The guide then took us through Site 1. This was basically a warm-up, practice site. There was a very short ladder leading up to a platform and a wire crossing to another platform. From that platform, there was a short zip line to a wood chip landing zone. The other sites would have a similar format: a ladder climb to get into the trees, several platforms connected by various obstacles (cable wire, logs, wooden blocks, etc), and a zip line to end the site.
From there, we journeyed to Site 2. The ladder here was longer and more shaky, but it was climbable. We walked across a cable, a horizontal ladder, and a net. They all had had two cables for gripping on the sides. At one point, we came to a choice. We could walk across another horizontal ladder, or we could walk across a twisted ladder and then cross using strung out pieces of rope. I took one glance at the curved, weird-looking ladder and chose the easy path instead.
After more obstacles, a zip line led us down from the trees. Site 3 was somewhat similar to Site 2. Obstacles included some horizontal ladders, wobbly boards, and crawling through a shaking tube. Personally, I was most scared of climbing up the ladder at the beginning of each site. Honestly, the obstacles were difficult only if you over-thought them. I had the mindset of taking one step at a time, one obstacle at a time. Before I knew it, the obstacles were done, and it was time for the zip line.
As we reached the next site, we entered the code of the day and went up the ladder at Site 5. We did not realize that we skipped Site 4 until we had already reached the platform. Either way, it did not really matter. We could always go back and do Site 4 afterwards.
For the first obstacle, there was the cable for your harness and a rope underneath it. The idea was to dangle from the cable and use the rope to pull yourself along. After I passed, I realized that I preferred these zip-line-like obstacles over obstacles in which you had to actually had to stand up and step on objects.
After some more crossings, we reached another choice. We could walk across a simple cable (similar to the obstacle in Site 1) that slightly brushes against a tree near the middle, or we could take the long route, which involved wobbly, slightly-swinging blocks of woods and also an obstacle which involved putting your feet through little hoops one at a time. Once again, I took the short and easy route.
Later on, towards the end of this site, there was a point where I literally had to step from one tree platform to the other. After that, I had to walk across some wobbly logs (luckily, there were cables for my hands to hold on to) and a balance beam (no cables this time). I now reached the end of Site 5, which would conclude with a skateboard zip line. Supposedly, the person would go down the zip line while "riding" on the skateboard. Then, around the middle of the zip line, the skateboard would stop while you continued flying through the trees. Well, that did not work out 100% for me and all 5 feet of my body. I think I had my feet on the skateboard for a few seconds before I realized that I was too short to reach the skateboard. Still, like all the other zip lines, it was lots of fun to cruise through the trees.
I landed in the pile of wood chips on my rear end again and proceeded to turn around and head to Site 4. Site 4 was the tallest course with the longest zip line. Well, never back down from a challenge, right? Funny I should say that, since I had already chosen the short route over the long route two times. Still, I would not dare skip a site. I climbed up the long, never-ending ladders to a platform on a tall tree.
I don't remember if it was before we crossed the road or after, but at some point we had to climb up a log from one platform to another platform on top of it. It was a little bit nerve-wracking, even with my harness securely fastened, as I climbed from a high point to an even higher point, but I took my time and reached the top safely.
We crossed the road from up above using an obstacle similar to the first one in Site 5 - a rope strung across the two platforms for you to pull yourself across. From there, we climbed through the rest of the obstacles before we reached the final one - a horizontal ladder with no side cables for hand support. The wind was blowing a nice gentle breeze through the trees, but it didn't feel so gentle to me. I could definitely feel some shaking from there. I silently debated how to tackle the ladder and decided to hold on to the cable holding my harness as I took tender steps overlooking nature from 50 feet above. This was probably not a good idea as the cable hurt my hands, but hey, I was ready to get to solid ground.
This zip line was supposedly the longest. The zip lines were unlike roller coasters and never felt too fast. They were smooth and almost relaxing. I always challenged myself to land on my feet while facing forwards, yet no matter what I tried, I only succeeded once. The rest of the times, I was able to face forward as I neared the landing area but still was not able to land on my feet.
After finishing with Site 4, we went to Site 6 - the final site. All of the sites had water coolers and cups there, which I thought was pretty cool. Seeing that the course took about two hours to complete, water coolers were a necessity.
The ladders and obstacles soon led to another choice. I could do a Tarzan swing, walk delicately across two wires, and climb up a ladder. Or ... I could just walk across some net to the platform I wanted to go. At first, I wanted to take the easy route because I disliked ladders, but it was the last site, and my mom was already jokingly teasing me from down below about how I took the easy routes before. As my stepdad moved the rope for the Tarzan swing closer, I decided that I might as well take the long way. With three hooks securely fastened, I took a big leap from the platform and slammed into the cargo net, bounced off once, and hit the cargo net again. I crawled up the net to the platform, walked across the two wires to another platform, and climbed up another platform.
There, we were faced with the challenge of crossing on some square-shaped wooden boards without the aid of hand cables. This time, my stepdad suggested that I hold on to my harness straps rather than the cable. If I held onto the cable, something might get jammed or cut. I took his advice and grabbed my harness tightly. I moved across the last obstacle alive and reached the last zip line. I took out my phone, and this time, decided that I might as well take a video. There was always the risk of dropping my phone, but I was confident that I could hold on tight enough.
Anyways, we returned our harnesses and got certificates of completion from one of the employees. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. I don't think it was too physically demanding - and that's coming from someone who hasn't been able to work out for several months due to a stress fracture. As long as you can climb a ladder for a few meters, stand for more than an hour, and not have an absolute fear of heights, the course is negotiable for anyone. Anyone 10 or older and taller than 4' 7'', that is.
For people who are scared of heights, Site 4 would not be the site for you. You can stop at any time, and really all you have to do is focus on the task in front of you instead of focusing on the ground. The harness is secure, and if you feel tired, you can just hand from the cable and chill. Moving the harness hooks from one cable to another might be challenging, though, and the employees on the ground don't have an emergency elevator. This means that if you freak out on an obstacle, you have to either go back the way you came or finish the site.
Otherwise, the course is pretty fun. It's an active rest kind of activity - a chance to be outdoors and moving but not straining yourself or your body. In the end, it was worth it.
By the way, I finally made a Facebook page for Up to Run, located at https://www.facebook.com/UptoRun?fref=ts. It has about one like right now (from me), but hopefully it will grow.
For my birthday gift, my parents decided to take me to GoApe, a zip line / obstacle course located in the treetops of Rock Creek Park. After looking at photos of people slamming into cargo nets and holding on for dear life on the zip line, I decided that this was a great idea. Today, it was time to go for our 2-hour-long adventure in the trees.
Our time slot was 9:30 AM. We plugged in the address to my mom's iPhone, and it got us to the GoApe cabin with no problem. While my stepdad parked the car, my brother played around, and my mom and I filled out waiver forms. Then, my stepdad and I walked with an instructor / guide and three other people in our group - a father and his sons - to where we would receive an introduction and safety briefing. We were all fitted for harnesses and had a few minutes to practice hooking and unhooking the harness straps. There was a blue hook, red hook, blue pulley, and a place for a green hook (used only for ladders and the Tarzan swing). An emergency whistle and a place to stow away the blue pulley were also on the harness. Though it all was very confusing at first, the more I worked with the harness, the more comfortable I felt.
The guide then took us through Site 1. This was basically a warm-up, practice site. There was a very short ladder leading up to a platform and a wire crossing to another platform. From that platform, there was a short zip line to a wood chip landing zone. The other sites would have a similar format: a ladder climb to get into the trees, several platforms connected by various obstacles (cable wire, logs, wooden blocks, etc), and a zip line to end the site.
From there, we journeyed to Site 2. The ladder here was longer and more shaky, but it was climbable. We walked across a cable, a horizontal ladder, and a net. They all had had two cables for gripping on the sides. At one point, we came to a choice. We could walk across another horizontal ladder, or we could walk across a twisted ladder and then cross using strung out pieces of rope. I took one glance at the curved, weird-looking ladder and chose the easy path instead.
After more obstacles, a zip line led us down from the trees. Site 3 was somewhat similar to Site 2. Obstacles included some horizontal ladders, wobbly boards, and crawling through a shaking tube. Personally, I was most scared of climbing up the ladder at the beginning of each site. Honestly, the obstacles were difficult only if you over-thought them. I had the mindset of taking one step at a time, one obstacle at a time. Before I knew it, the obstacles were done, and it was time for the zip line.
As we reached the next site, we entered the code of the day and went up the ladder at Site 5. We did not realize that we skipped Site 4 until we had already reached the platform. Either way, it did not really matter. We could always go back and do Site 4 afterwards.
For the first obstacle, there was the cable for your harness and a rope underneath it. The idea was to dangle from the cable and use the rope to pull yourself along. After I passed, I realized that I preferred these zip-line-like obstacles over obstacles in which you had to actually had to stand up and step on objects.
After some more crossings, we reached another choice. We could walk across a simple cable (similar to the obstacle in Site 1) that slightly brushes against a tree near the middle, or we could take the long route, which involved wobbly, slightly-swinging blocks of woods and also an obstacle which involved putting your feet through little hoops one at a time. Once again, I took the short and easy route.
Later on, towards the end of this site, there was a point where I literally had to step from one tree platform to the other. After that, I had to walk across some wobbly logs (luckily, there were cables for my hands to hold on to) and a balance beam (no cables this time). I now reached the end of Site 5, which would conclude with a skateboard zip line. Supposedly, the person would go down the zip line while "riding" on the skateboard. Then, around the middle of the zip line, the skateboard would stop while you continued flying through the trees. Well, that did not work out 100% for me and all 5 feet of my body. I think I had my feet on the skateboard for a few seconds before I realized that I was too short to reach the skateboard. Still, like all the other zip lines, it was lots of fun to cruise through the trees.
I landed in the pile of wood chips on my rear end again and proceeded to turn around and head to Site 4. Site 4 was the tallest course with the longest zip line. Well, never back down from a challenge, right? Funny I should say that, since I had already chosen the short route over the long route two times. Still, I would not dare skip a site. I climbed up the long, never-ending ladders to a platform on a tall tree.
I don't remember if it was before we crossed the road or after, but at some point we had to climb up a log from one platform to another platform on top of it. It was a little bit nerve-wracking, even with my harness securely fastened, as I climbed from a high point to an even higher point, but I took my time and reached the top safely.
We crossed the road from up above using an obstacle similar to the first one in Site 5 - a rope strung across the two platforms for you to pull yourself across. From there, we climbed through the rest of the obstacles before we reached the final one - a horizontal ladder with no side cables for hand support. The wind was blowing a nice gentle breeze through the trees, but it didn't feel so gentle to me. I could definitely feel some shaking from there. I silently debated how to tackle the ladder and decided to hold on to the cable holding my harness as I took tender steps overlooking nature from 50 feet above. This was probably not a good idea as the cable hurt my hands, but hey, I was ready to get to solid ground.
This zip line was supposedly the longest. The zip lines were unlike roller coasters and never felt too fast. They were smooth and almost relaxing. I always challenged myself to land on my feet while facing forwards, yet no matter what I tried, I only succeeded once. The rest of the times, I was able to face forward as I neared the landing area but still was not able to land on my feet.
After finishing with Site 4, we went to Site 6 - the final site. All of the sites had water coolers and cups there, which I thought was pretty cool. Seeing that the course took about two hours to complete, water coolers were a necessity.
The ladders and obstacles soon led to another choice. I could do a Tarzan swing, walk delicately across two wires, and climb up a ladder. Or ... I could just walk across some net to the platform I wanted to go. At first, I wanted to take the easy route because I disliked ladders, but it was the last site, and my mom was already jokingly teasing me from down below about how I took the easy routes before. As my stepdad moved the rope for the Tarzan swing closer, I decided that I might as well take the long way. With three hooks securely fastened, I took a big leap from the platform and slammed into the cargo net, bounced off once, and hit the cargo net again. I crawled up the net to the platform, walked across the two wires to another platform, and climbed up another platform.
There, we were faced with the challenge of crossing on some square-shaped wooden boards without the aid of hand cables. This time, my stepdad suggested that I hold on to my harness straps rather than the cable. If I held onto the cable, something might get jammed or cut. I took his advice and grabbed my harness tightly. I moved across the last obstacle alive and reached the last zip line. I took out my phone, and this time, decided that I might as well take a video. There was always the risk of dropping my phone, but I was confident that I could hold on tight enough.
Anyways, we returned our harnesses and got certificates of completion from one of the employees. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. I don't think it was too physically demanding - and that's coming from someone who hasn't been able to work out for several months due to a stress fracture. As long as you can climb a ladder for a few meters, stand for more than an hour, and not have an absolute fear of heights, the course is negotiable for anyone. Anyone 10 or older and taller than 4' 7'', that is.
For people who are scared of heights, Site 4 would not be the site for you. You can stop at any time, and really all you have to do is focus on the task in front of you instead of focusing on the ground. The harness is secure, and if you feel tired, you can just hand from the cable and chill. Moving the harness hooks from one cable to another might be challenging, though, and the employees on the ground don't have an emergency elevator. This means that if you freak out on an obstacle, you have to either go back the way you came or finish the site.
Otherwise, the course is pretty fun. It's an active rest kind of activity - a chance to be outdoors and moving but not straining yourself or your body. In the end, it was worth it.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Hiking In LA (Hollywood Sign)
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
I've had a stress fracture for 2 months now, but it's finally starting to heal, and the podiatrist (who I met with and talked to for all of 10 minutes) said that I can start walking normally now. In fact, I might even be able to run by mid-April.
I started following his advice. Although my left foot felt pressure walking barefoot, and I had random pangs at random times when I was resting, I felt a lot better. This encouraged me to do some hiking during my trip to California this spring break.
I did some research and immediately felt compelled to do the hike to the Hollywood sign. Well, it wasn't really a hike - more of a tedious walk, but it was outdoors and some form of exercise. My sister and I arrived at the trailhead in Griffith Park lacking sunscreen and cell phone reception, but nevertheless excited for what was to come.
The hike began in the shade with trees and green things surrounding us. The lighting was nice, and there were hills and mountains surrounding us on all sides. Soon, we reached what was the rest of the hike - open sunlight and no shade. We started taking photos of the nice scenery. However, we realized that that was slowing us down and made a pact to significantly limit our photo-taking.
We continued to climb. I knew from the beginning that no sunscreen was a big no no and started to notice the effects not too long out of the shade. I decided to keep my arms inside my t-shirt in order to prevent them front getting sunburned. Only my hands were sticking out, and even though I looked like a deranged T-Rex holding 2 bananas and a bottle of water, I decided that this would be worth it in the long term.
The climb was continuous. However, at one point, the incline did start to ease off. There was horse poo and whatnot at various points in the path, but the view and the good workout was nice.
The trail was pretty easy to follow. Eventually, it turns into pavement at a 3-way intersection. We started to head towards the right (the supposed path to the top of Mt. Lee and the closest you can get to the letters), but my sister had some house-hunting to do, so we chose the left turn instead. I assumed that this way would be shorten. However, we would only reach a yellow gate a ways away from the Hollywood sign. The only upside would be that that is the best place to take direct photos of the front of the sign - that is, unless you disobey the yellow gate and continue. It's probably against the law, though.
We turned around and headed back down. I discovered that I did have a slight fear of heights (and that going down is less fun than going up), but we made it to the trail head aright, and we had a good hike. It took us 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 38 seconds, but we took a few stops for photos and for phone calls (near the top, the reception is better).
And so concluded my time getting to do a full hike in LA. Next time, when I have more time, I'll turn right and summit the mountain. Outdoors and athletics aside, I got to meet famous people, touch an Emmy, and went to a concert. It was a really nice trip.
-
EDIT (04/27/2013)
I found some pictures!
I've had a stress fracture for 2 months now, but it's finally starting to heal, and the podiatrist (who I met with and talked to for all of 10 minutes) said that I can start walking normally now. In fact, I might even be able to run by mid-April.
I started following his advice. Although my left foot felt pressure walking barefoot, and I had random pangs at random times when I was resting, I felt a lot better. This encouraged me to do some hiking during my trip to California this spring break.
I did some research and immediately felt compelled to do the hike to the Hollywood sign. Well, it wasn't really a hike - more of a tedious walk, but it was outdoors and some form of exercise. My sister and I arrived at the trailhead in Griffith Park lacking sunscreen and cell phone reception, but nevertheless excited for what was to come.
The hike began in the shade with trees and green things surrounding us. The lighting was nice, and there were hills and mountains surrounding us on all sides. Soon, we reached what was the rest of the hike - open sunlight and no shade. We started taking photos of the nice scenery. However, we realized that that was slowing us down and made a pact to significantly limit our photo-taking.
We continued to climb. I knew from the beginning that no sunscreen was a big no no and started to notice the effects not too long out of the shade. I decided to keep my arms inside my t-shirt in order to prevent them front getting sunburned. Only my hands were sticking out, and even though I looked like a deranged T-Rex holding 2 bananas and a bottle of water, I decided that this would be worth it in the long term.
The climb was continuous. However, at one point, the incline did start to ease off. There was horse poo and whatnot at various points in the path, but the view and the good workout was nice.
The trail was pretty easy to follow. Eventually, it turns into pavement at a 3-way intersection. We started to head towards the right (the supposed path to the top of Mt. Lee and the closest you can get to the letters), but my sister had some house-hunting to do, so we chose the left turn instead. I assumed that this way would be shorten. However, we would only reach a yellow gate a ways away from the Hollywood sign. The only upside would be that that is the best place to take direct photos of the front of the sign - that is, unless you disobey the yellow gate and continue. It's probably against the law, though.
We turned around and headed back down. I discovered that I did have a slight fear of heights (and that going down is less fun than going up), but we made it to the trail head aright, and we had a good hike. It took us 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 38 seconds, but we took a few stops for photos and for phone calls (near the top, the reception is better).
And so concluded my time getting to do a full hike in LA. Next time, when I have more time, I'll turn right and summit the mountain. Outdoors and athletics aside, I got to meet famous people, touch an Emmy, and went to a concert. It was a really nice trip.
-
EDIT (04/27/2013)
I found some pictures!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Injured?
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
I haven't run for over 3 weeks now. Why? I think I'm injured. No - I know I'm injured.
The longest break I've taken from running thus far was 5 weeks when I had another injury.
Last July, I was having a lot of good runs and setting a few PR's at some local races. Then, somehow, I got injured. My right calf felt "weak" whenever I ran on it. It felt like it was unable to support my body. I rested after a few days of being stubborn, but when I tried to go for a run a few weeks later, it wasn't my calves that had a problem - it was my knees. The "injury" seemed to move from my calves to my ankles (at one point) to my knees to my shins, basically every possible place on my lower legs except for part of my feet, maybe.
When I started cross country in August, though, the injuries all disappeared. Nothing hurt; everything worked. I had a nice freshman season and dropped my 5k PR from 25:03 (in June) to 22:38 (in October).
Then, things seemed to start falling apart after the marathon, I think. First of all, I was not adequately prepared for 26.2 miles. My mileage was mostly in the 30's, and I slacked on my long runs. My training plan was basically whatever we did in cross country - less aerobic than I was used to. Although I think the faster running actually improved my endurance and my overall running, I was still missing the long run factor.
So my training had prepared me for 5k's, not marathons, and I also didn't get proper rest. I did a 10k the week after, and before the month was over, I had already started training again. I always felt like I was injured in some way, shape, or form. I had to stop for a few weeks in December to avoid an actual injury.
In 2013, I bought some new zero-drop, 3mm height minimalist running shoes, and those helped a bit. I also focused more on my form. Unfortunately, it felt like my tactics backfired. Running with the new super-minimalist shoes felt a lot better, but transitioning so quickly from only somewhat-minimalist shoes put too much stress on my forefoot. Also, the more I focused on my form, the more choppy and un-natural it felt. I was also doing the Insanity workout program during January along with some light weight-training, so combined with running, I was doing quite a lot of exercise.
All that jumping, running, and walking I was doing in January resulted in what I assume is a ...
*Cue the music*
Stress fracture.
For a few days, I noticed that I had a bruise or something on the top of my left foot, but I couldn't see anything there. I suspected nothing. Then, one day - January 29, I did the Insanity workout for the day and went on my 3-miler. The problem? I had to practically run on the side of my foot. Whenever my foot hit the ground, I felt a bruise-like pain.
I went home, got some ice, and searched the internet for the answer to my ails. All the symptoms matched up. Never before had I ever had an injury in which the symptoms matched a specific injury. In fact, I'm not really sure what injuries I had before because I could never find their names. This one, however, was crystal clear. One of my metatarsals were fractured, I couldn't deny it.
I immediately stopped running and started walking with a limp. I got in the mindset of "Anna, you're injured. Now, you have to take care of your foot." I walked on the side of my foot, on the heel of my foot, and placed a little more weight on my right foot. I didn't want to fracture my right foot too, so I tried to alter my stride and place my weight on different places to add variety.
I iced and elevated my foot, but I have been slacking a lot on that. Right now, I can still feel a little bit of pressure around that area when I walk or do squats or whatever else. Stress fractures supposedly heal in at least 6-8 weeks, but I have outdoor track coming up in less than a week.
It's time to pour on the ice and do some headstands, because I'll do whatever it takes to heal this sucker.
I hope that I'll be able to handle track - fitness wise - considering how I haven't ran in so long. I notice that my fitness has already gone down and that I run out of breath more easily when climbing stairs or doing simple workouts. I'm less worried about that and more worried about my foot, though. If the supposed stress fracture isn't healed, well, let's just say that there is no way on Earth that I will be able to all that faster running on the side of my left foot.
What am I trying to say? Well, I guess I'm trying to say to not be a frog. Ever heard of the saying about a frog in a boiling pot? When a frog is put into a pot of normal-temperature water, and the water is slowly heated up until it's boiling, apparently it will die in the boiling water without even noticing it. All the running on concrete, my huge lack of vitamin D, and I guess, a little bit of overtraining all contributed to this injury. It'll heal, though, and I'll be back to normal. I just hope that one day, when I'm overtraining and forgetting to take my vitamins and slapping my poor forefeet on concrete, I'll read this post and remind myself to stop being brainless.
---
By the way, I am not 100% sure that I have a stress fracture, but I am 99% sure!
I haven't run for over 3 weeks now. Why? I think I'm injured. No - I know I'm injured.
The longest break I've taken from running thus far was 5 weeks when I had another injury.
Last July, I was having a lot of good runs and setting a few PR's at some local races. Then, somehow, I got injured. My right calf felt "weak" whenever I ran on it. It felt like it was unable to support my body. I rested after a few days of being stubborn, but when I tried to go for a run a few weeks later, it wasn't my calves that had a problem - it was my knees. The "injury" seemed to move from my calves to my ankles (at one point) to my knees to my shins, basically every possible place on my lower legs except for part of my feet, maybe.
When I started cross country in August, though, the injuries all disappeared. Nothing hurt; everything worked. I had a nice freshman season and dropped my 5k PR from 25:03 (in June) to 22:38 (in October).
Then, things seemed to start falling apart after the marathon, I think. First of all, I was not adequately prepared for 26.2 miles. My mileage was mostly in the 30's, and I slacked on my long runs. My training plan was basically whatever we did in cross country - less aerobic than I was used to. Although I think the faster running actually improved my endurance and my overall running, I was still missing the long run factor.
So my training had prepared me for 5k's, not marathons, and I also didn't get proper rest. I did a 10k the week after, and before the month was over, I had already started training again. I always felt like I was injured in some way, shape, or form. I had to stop for a few weeks in December to avoid an actual injury.
In 2013, I bought some new zero-drop, 3mm height minimalist running shoes, and those helped a bit. I also focused more on my form. Unfortunately, it felt like my tactics backfired. Running with the new super-minimalist shoes felt a lot better, but transitioning so quickly from only somewhat-minimalist shoes put too much stress on my forefoot. Also, the more I focused on my form, the more choppy and un-natural it felt. I was also doing the Insanity workout program during January along with some light weight-training, so combined with running, I was doing quite a lot of exercise.
All that jumping, running, and walking I was doing in January resulted in what I assume is a ...
*Cue the music*
Stress fracture.
For a few days, I noticed that I had a bruise or something on the top of my left foot, but I couldn't see anything there. I suspected nothing. Then, one day - January 29, I did the Insanity workout for the day and went on my 3-miler. The problem? I had to practically run on the side of my foot. Whenever my foot hit the ground, I felt a bruise-like pain.
I went home, got some ice, and searched the internet for the answer to my ails. All the symptoms matched up. Never before had I ever had an injury in which the symptoms matched a specific injury. In fact, I'm not really sure what injuries I had before because I could never find their names. This one, however, was crystal clear. One of my metatarsals were fractured, I couldn't deny it.
I immediately stopped running and started walking with a limp. I got in the mindset of "Anna, you're injured. Now, you have to take care of your foot." I walked on the side of my foot, on the heel of my foot, and placed a little more weight on my right foot. I didn't want to fracture my right foot too, so I tried to alter my stride and place my weight on different places to add variety.
I iced and elevated my foot, but I have been slacking a lot on that. Right now, I can still feel a little bit of pressure around that area when I walk or do squats or whatever else. Stress fractures supposedly heal in at least 6-8 weeks, but I have outdoor track coming up in less than a week.
It's time to pour on the ice and do some headstands, because I'll do whatever it takes to heal this sucker.
I hope that I'll be able to handle track - fitness wise - considering how I haven't ran in so long. I notice that my fitness has already gone down and that I run out of breath more easily when climbing stairs or doing simple workouts. I'm less worried about that and more worried about my foot, though. If the supposed stress fracture isn't healed, well, let's just say that there is no way on Earth that I will be able to all that faster running on the side of my left foot.
What am I trying to say? Well, I guess I'm trying to say to not be a frog. Ever heard of the saying about a frog in a boiling pot? When a frog is put into a pot of normal-temperature water, and the water is slowly heated up until it's boiling, apparently it will die in the boiling water without even noticing it. All the running on concrete, my huge lack of vitamin D, and I guess, a little bit of overtraining all contributed to this injury. It'll heal, though, and I'll be back to normal. I just hope that one day, when I'm overtraining and forgetting to take my vitamins and slapping my poor forefeet on concrete, I'll read this post and remind myself to stop being brainless.
---
By the way, I am not 100% sure that I have a stress fracture, but I am 99% sure!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Nike Free Run+ 2 Review
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
Even though the Nike Free Run+ 2's have since been replaced with the Nike Free Run+ 3's, and other minimalist shoes have been added to the Nike Free line, I feel like I owe these shoes something after all the running I've done in them.
Stats
Weight: 7.5 oz (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 26 mm heel + 19 mm forefoot
Heel Toe Drop: 7 mm
My Shoes' Stats
Lifetime: 9 months (& counting)
Mileage: 550-600 (& counting)
Uses: mostly running, casual wear, walks
Accomplishments: mile PR, 5k PR, 10k PR, 1st marathon, 1 cross country season
Pros
+ Has lasted quite a while
+ Works fine on trails and roads alike
+ Fairly good grip
+ Usable for many different activities
+ Good transition to minimalism
Cons
- Gets cold (in the winter)
- Rubbing led to callouses
- Maybe not a good idea to wear without socks
- Narrow toebox
Good For
> Transitioning to minimalism
> Practically all distances
These shoes carry practically every running memory from the past nine months that I have owed them and practically every running achievement from the past one year and four months that I have been running. I actually bought them the day I registered for the Marine Corps Marathon (which I ran the Free Run+ 2's in, by the way). This is basically a transitional minimalist shoe from Nike. With a 7 mm drop and all that cushioning, it is not the most stripped down experience you can find, but it is a great first step into the barefoot world for those who have been running in more traditional shoes before. I can attest to that; in my first run with the Free Runs, I felt lighter, faster, and free-er. Compared to the marshmallow clouds I walked, ran, and lived in before, this was one big leap forward in a positive direction.
The outsole has done surprisingly well. Although this is a road shoe and looks practically flat on the bottom except for the grooves, it performed well off-road too. After breaking them in, I never found the grip lacking on dirt, grass, roots, or rocks. The grooves often had little rocks stuck in them, but they rarely bothered me on the run, and they could be easily removed with a stick or pencil. Also, the heel appears to have some extra rubber padding on it, which is great for when I'm walking or hiking. My one actual complaint with the bottom is that it seemed to loose flexibility as the months went on. Sure, the shoes still flex with my feet and give when I bend it, but it just feels a little thick / stiff.
The upper of the shoe has breathable mesh and a multi-layer construction, as Nike puts it. Personally, I don't know if I love it. Sometimes, it felt restricted. Now, during the winter, it feels cold. Since I've bought it, it's rubbed on two particular spots on my feet. One spot is right next to the base of my pinky toe (on both feet), and the other is about an inch below the base of my big toe (on my right foot). I don't know if that's specific to my shoes or not, but it only caused a few callouses, and the annoying-factor of the rubbing seemed to go away after a while. Also, for the heel area, I used to feel like it was too loose there, but with Lydiard's lacing system and a lot of breaking in, I can now slip right in without even untying the laces.
It's hard to review these shoes since they're more like a pair of good friends than a pair of equipment. I mentioned a lot of negatives because, well, there were times when I was pretty angry at these inanimate objects. The bottoms would flare out, the laces would not be tight enough, the shoe boxes would be too narrow, etc. However, I will emphasize that the Nike Free Run+ 2's are comfortable, durable, and reliable once at their peak, and for me personally, their peak was reached one/two hundred miles after they were bought. All in all, I feel like these shoes are a great long-term investment and a good pair of versatile shoes for different distances and surfaces. I will definitely be switching to something more minimalist after these retire, but for now, and for at least another three solid months, I am sticking to my Free Run's.
Even though the Nike Free Run+ 2's have since been replaced with the Nike Free Run+ 3's, and other minimalist shoes have been added to the Nike Free line, I feel like I owe these shoes something after all the running I've done in them.
Stats
Weight: 7.5 oz (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 26 mm heel + 19 mm forefoot
Heel Toe Drop: 7 mm
My Shoes' Stats
Lifetime: 9 months (& counting)
Mileage: 550-600 (& counting)
Uses: mostly running, casual wear, walks
Accomplishments: mile PR, 5k PR, 10k PR, 1st marathon, 1 cross country season
Pros
+ Has lasted quite a while
+ Works fine on trails and roads alike
+ Fairly good grip
+ Usable for many different activities
+ Good transition to minimalism
Cons
- Gets cold (in the winter)
- Rubbing led to callouses
- Maybe not a good idea to wear without socks
- Narrow toebox
Good For
> Transitioning to minimalism
> Practically all distances
These shoes carry practically every running memory from the past nine months that I have owed them and practically every running achievement from the past one year and four months that I have been running. I actually bought them the day I registered for the Marine Corps Marathon (which I ran the Free Run+ 2's in, by the way). This is basically a transitional minimalist shoe from Nike. With a 7 mm drop and all that cushioning, it is not the most stripped down experience you can find, but it is a great first step into the barefoot world for those who have been running in more traditional shoes before. I can attest to that; in my first run with the Free Runs, I felt lighter, faster, and free-er. Compared to the marshmallow clouds I walked, ran, and lived in before, this was one big leap forward in a positive direction.
The outsole has done surprisingly well. Although this is a road shoe and looks practically flat on the bottom except for the grooves, it performed well off-road too. After breaking them in, I never found the grip lacking on dirt, grass, roots, or rocks. The grooves often had little rocks stuck in them, but they rarely bothered me on the run, and they could be easily removed with a stick or pencil. Also, the heel appears to have some extra rubber padding on it, which is great for when I'm walking or hiking. My one actual complaint with the bottom is that it seemed to loose flexibility as the months went on. Sure, the shoes still flex with my feet and give when I bend it, but it just feels a little thick / stiff.
The upper of the shoe has breathable mesh and a multi-layer construction, as Nike puts it. Personally, I don't know if I love it. Sometimes, it felt restricted. Now, during the winter, it feels cold. Since I've bought it, it's rubbed on two particular spots on my feet. One spot is right next to the base of my pinky toe (on both feet), and the other is about an inch below the base of my big toe (on my right foot). I don't know if that's specific to my shoes or not, but it only caused a few callouses, and the annoying-factor of the rubbing seemed to go away after a while. Also, for the heel area, I used to feel like it was too loose there, but with Lydiard's lacing system and a lot of breaking in, I can now slip right in without even untying the laces.
It's hard to review these shoes since they're more like a pair of good friends than a pair of equipment. I mentioned a lot of negatives because, well, there were times when I was pretty angry at these inanimate objects. The bottoms would flare out, the laces would not be tight enough, the shoe boxes would be too narrow, etc. However, I will emphasize that the Nike Free Run+ 2's are comfortable, durable, and reliable once at their peak, and for me personally, their peak was reached one/two hundred miles after they were bought. All in all, I feel like these shoes are a great long-term investment and a good pair of versatile shoes for different distances and surfaces. I will definitely be switching to something more minimalist after these retire, but for now, and for at least another three solid months, I am sticking to my Free Run's.
Hope that this was helpful! :)
Monday, November 26, 2012
My Running Bucket List
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
Races that are on my to-do list for the future ...
Races that are on my to-do list for the future ...
- 4 Deserts
- Grand to Grand Ultra 167
- Marathon Des Sables 250k
- Jungle Ultra 230k
- Barkley Marathons 100
- Ragnar Relay
- Big Sur Marathon- Ragnar Relay
Ultras:
- Spartathlon 153
- Badwater 135
- Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc 168k
- Western States 100
- Leadville Trail 100
- Antarctic Ultra 100k
- Comrades Marathon 56
- Everest Ultra 65k
Marathons:
- Boston Marathon
- New York Marathon
- Chicago Marathon
- London Marathon
- Marine Corps Marathon | 4:35:06
- Spartathlon 153
- Badwater 135
- Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc 168k
- Western States 100
- Leadville Trail 100
- Antarctic Ultra 100k
- Comrades Marathon 56
- Everest Ultra 65k
Marathons:
- Boston Marathon
- New York Marathon
- Chicago Marathon
- London Marathon
- Marine Corps Marathon | 4:35:06
- San Francisco Marathon
- Pikes Peak Marathon
- Antarctica Marathon / Antarctica Ice Marathon
- North Pole Marathon
- Inca Trail Marathon
- Great Wall Marathon
- Outback Marathon
Obstacle Courses:
- Tough Mudder
- Spartan Race
- Warrior Dash
- Hero Rush
- Run For Your Lives
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Rockville 10k 2012 Race Report
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
Okay. This is kind of really late.
My mom, a few weeks ago, had decided to register me for the Rockville 10k. Last year, I had run the 5k, and now that my endurance was much better, the 10k would be the better option for me. While this was a well-intended gesture, it was not the most thought out.
After she notified me of the sign-up, she suddenly remembered a very important fact.
The 10k would be one week after the Marine Corps Marathon.
Not only that. There were a few other good reason why I probably should not have ran the 10k.
1. It cost $33 just to register me. We already had a membership in the MCRRC (Montgomery County Road Runners Club), so all the local, low-key races were free for us. Therefore, there really was no need to go out and pay for a race that cost money.
2. The second female came in at 22:11 for the 5k last year (the 10k runners were waayyy faster), so if I did the 5k instead, I might have had a shot at coming in second or third overall for females (my 5k PR was 22:38 and earned just last month).
3. If you volunteer for five MCRRC sponsored activities throughout the year, you get a personalized bib number next year! I already volunteered for four races, so if I volunteered for this one, I would have met the minimums.
Still, I appreciated the fact that my mom registered me for this race, and although she offered for me not to run it, I decided that this was a great opportunity to get a 10k PR, and sure, I was "recovered enough" from the marathon.
After packet pick-up on Saturday at a local running store, my family and I arrived early and ready at the King Farm Village Center. My little brother and my stepfather were also running the mile and the 5k, and my mom was tasked with running the mile with my little brother and doing spectator duties.
First was the mile. At 8:10, a group of little kids (all wearing the bib number 1) followed by their parents charged down the street and returned not too long later. I was surprised when I saw my little brother run back. Although he definitely not the first, he was fast enough to leave my mom (who was accompanying him) in the dust about ten meters back.
After I saw him finish, I went on to where the 10k was about to start. After a few quick speeches, we were off! Within seconds, I felt myself crossing the starting line and pressing that familiar "start" button on my watch's stopwatch. I also felt the intense pounding of the pavement beneath my feet. During each step it felt like a ton of cement was being slammed into my bones. I was still not used to running again - much less racing, and my legs were surprised by the sudden impact.
I tried to keep the first mile calm and steady as I maneuvered around runners in an attempt to get a good position for my pace. The first part of the 10k course followed the 5k course before going on an added section and coming back to rejoin the 5k course, so I was on familiar territory for parts of the race.
I passed the first mile at around a 9:00 pace or so. The weather was nice, and the spectators were nice, but the road was not. The continuous, unrelenting force of the road quite frankly hurt my my still-recovering feet. Nevertheless, I ran on. I used the same mind trick that I used before - counting down the minutes to each mile, and treating each mile as a mile repeat. This was not a 10k race; it was 6 mile repeats with some "strides" at the end.
It did not work so well this time. The shorter the race, the faster I ran. Unfortunately, when I run faster, the pain is also more concentrated. Thus, at least for me, it was more a matter of forcing my body to go fast instead of playing mind and patience games.
We made a right turn after a turnaround point (where mile 1 was) and climbed up a steady but not deadly hill to a water stop. Then, we turned left and passed the 5k turnaround point. Now, I was entering new territory. Just as a reminder, I never ran the 10k before, just the 5k, so this part of the course was pretty new to me.
We progressed a long, seemingly endless hill (was not steep, though). I was growing grumpier by the minute. Then, I remembered that my family paid $33 for this, so I had better make myself enjoy this experience.
We turned around again and went down the slightly downhill, passing another water stop along the way. Eventually, we made it back to where we had initially left the 5k course. By now, my quads were burning (the hills were not terrible, but I definitely felt every slight incline that day) and my will was weak. The "mile repeats mental method" was down the drain. Now, I was just focused on keeping my pace and "oh my gosh just finish already!"
The 10k runners merged back with the 5k runners, which was kind of weird. The 5k runners started 25 minutes after us, so there were still a fair amount of them still running. I didn't mind too much, though. For some reason, the longer the distance, the less I care about the specific seconds.
Suddenly, I saw the mile 6 sign and immediately shifted gears. My torturous-looking bounding magically transformed into an unearthly kick. I don't know why I sprint to the finish of longer races (and somehow forget to do so at shorter ones), but I'm just weird like that, I guess. :)
I passed my mom and little brother who were spectating near the finish line and quickly proclaimed that I was definitely going under 55 as I zipped by. I made the final left turn, and before I knew it, I had crossed the finish line. By chip time, it was a PR by more than 7 minutes! My previous 10k PR was 1:01:00, which I got back in March. Now, it would be 53:51.
Although I am used to multiple 5k's-on-back-to-back weekends (thanks to cross country), I have never before been exposed to running a marathon one weekend and racing a 10k the next. My legs are still paying for the effort and lack of recovery, but it was fun, and it was worth it.
Okay. This is kind of really late.
My mom, a few weeks ago, had decided to register me for the Rockville 10k. Last year, I had run the 5k, and now that my endurance was much better, the 10k would be the better option for me. While this was a well-intended gesture, it was not the most thought out.
After she notified me of the sign-up, she suddenly remembered a very important fact.
The 10k would be one week after the Marine Corps Marathon.
Not only that. There were a few other good reason why I probably should not have ran the 10k.
1. It cost $33 just to register me. We already had a membership in the MCRRC (Montgomery County Road Runners Club), so all the local, low-key races were free for us. Therefore, there really was no need to go out and pay for a race that cost money.
2. The second female came in at 22:11 for the 5k last year (the 10k runners were waayyy faster), so if I did the 5k instead, I might have had a shot at coming in second or third overall for females (my 5k PR was 22:38 and earned just last month).
3. If you volunteer for five MCRRC sponsored activities throughout the year, you get a personalized bib number next year! I already volunteered for four races, so if I volunteered for this one, I would have met the minimums.
Still, I appreciated the fact that my mom registered me for this race, and although she offered for me not to run it, I decided that this was a great opportunity to get a 10k PR, and sure, I was "recovered enough" from the marathon.
After packet pick-up on Saturday at a local running store, my family and I arrived early and ready at the King Farm Village Center. My little brother and my stepfather were also running the mile and the 5k, and my mom was tasked with running the mile with my little brother and doing spectator duties.
First was the mile. At 8:10, a group of little kids (all wearing the bib number 1) followed by their parents charged down the street and returned not too long later. I was surprised when I saw my little brother run back. Although he definitely not the first, he was fast enough to leave my mom (who was accompanying him) in the dust about ten meters back.
After I saw him finish, I went on to where the 10k was about to start. After a few quick speeches, we were off! Within seconds, I felt myself crossing the starting line and pressing that familiar "start" button on my watch's stopwatch. I also felt the intense pounding of the pavement beneath my feet. During each step it felt like a ton of cement was being slammed into my bones. I was still not used to running again - much less racing, and my legs were surprised by the sudden impact.
I tried to keep the first mile calm and steady as I maneuvered around runners in an attempt to get a good position for my pace. The first part of the 10k course followed the 5k course before going on an added section and coming back to rejoin the 5k course, so I was on familiar territory for parts of the race.
I passed the first mile at around a 9:00 pace or so. The weather was nice, and the spectators were nice, but the road was not. The continuous, unrelenting force of the road quite frankly hurt my my still-recovering feet. Nevertheless, I ran on. I used the same mind trick that I used before - counting down the minutes to each mile, and treating each mile as a mile repeat. This was not a 10k race; it was 6 mile repeats with some "strides" at the end.
It did not work so well this time. The shorter the race, the faster I ran. Unfortunately, when I run faster, the pain is also more concentrated. Thus, at least for me, it was more a matter of forcing my body to go fast instead of playing mind and patience games.
We made a right turn after a turnaround point (where mile 1 was) and climbed up a steady but not deadly hill to a water stop. Then, we turned left and passed the 5k turnaround point. Now, I was entering new territory. Just as a reminder, I never ran the 10k before, just the 5k, so this part of the course was pretty new to me.
We progressed a long, seemingly endless hill (was not steep, though). I was growing grumpier by the minute. Then, I remembered that my family paid $33 for this, so I had better make myself enjoy this experience.
We turned around again and went down the slightly downhill, passing another water stop along the way. Eventually, we made it back to where we had initially left the 5k course. By now, my quads were burning (the hills were not terrible, but I definitely felt every slight incline that day) and my will was weak. The "mile repeats mental method" was down the drain. Now, I was just focused on keeping my pace and "oh my gosh just finish already!"
The 10k runners merged back with the 5k runners, which was kind of weird. The 5k runners started 25 minutes after us, so there were still a fair amount of them still running. I didn't mind too much, though. For some reason, the longer the distance, the less I care about the specific seconds.
Suddenly, I saw the mile 6 sign and immediately shifted gears. My torturous-looking bounding magically transformed into an unearthly kick. I don't know why I sprint to the finish of longer races (and somehow forget to do so at shorter ones), but I'm just weird like that, I guess. :)
I passed my mom and little brother who were spectating near the finish line and quickly proclaimed that I was definitely going under 55 as I zipped by. I made the final left turn, and before I knew it, I had crossed the finish line. By chip time, it was a PR by more than 7 minutes! My previous 10k PR was 1:01:00, which I got back in March. Now, it would be 53:51.
Although I am used to multiple 5k's-on-back-to-back weekends (thanks to cross country), I have never before been exposed to running a marathon one weekend and racing a 10k the next. My legs are still paying for the effort and lack of recovery, but it was fun, and it was worth it.
| Place | Div/Tot | Num | Name | Gun Time | Net Time | Pace |
|---|
|
|---|
Monday, October 29, 2012
Marine Corps Marathon 2012 Race Report
(Note: all current and new posts from uptorun.blogspot.com can now be seen at runbuffet.com)
All week, the weather channels were focused on one thing: Hurricane Sandy. An enormous, unique hurricane with rough winds, it was predicted to meet up with some wintry systems and high tides to create a "Frankenstorm." That Frankenstorm would go out into the Atlantic before deciding to turn around and body slam the east coast, including Maryland - where I live and around where the Marine Corps Marathon is.
Additionally, they predicted that the rain would start affecting us starting on Sunday.
I was expecting to be soaked wet for my first marathon. The night before, I packed a change of clothes, a towel, a trash bag, and handed it all to my parents for safekeeping. Then, I proceeded to lay awake in bed pumped with adrenaline and excitement before finally sleeping for only 4 hours.
On Sunday, I jumped out of bed, ate a small breakfast, and took whatever I thought would be needed (bib, phone, clothes, shoes, change of clothes). We drove to D.C. at around 5:40, and parked across from the Pentagon's North parking lot at around 6:10. We kind of just wandered around the starting line for the next hour or so. It was pretty dark outside, but soon enough, the Sun came out and the sky brightened. Well, actually, we never saw the Sun come out. The skies were completely covered with clouds, so we never got to see a single speck of blue. It wasn't raining yet, but we were still expecting the hurricane.
They offered some pre-race prayers around 6:45 and opened the gates to the corrals around 7:30. I stepped in the 5:00-5:29 corral. My goal was to break 5 hours, but I wanted to finish strong by starting easy, so I started with a group predicted to go just slightly slower than my race pace.
After the National Anthem and a flyover, they were ready to start the race. Rob Riggle fired the pistol, and the howitzer sounded, marking the start of the 37th Marine Corps Marathon. Of course, the majority of us actually didn't start yet. My corral had to wait at least 15 minutes or so before even reaching the starting line. I guess that's the downside of having to start over 23,000 people.
The first few miles were easy as we winded through the city. Although there were a few "hils," they felt more like slight inclines to me. I wanted to go at a 12:00 pace or so in the beginning, but my legs felt more comfortable at around a 11:00 pace. Everything felt smooth and easy. My mental strategy was to count the minutes down to the next mile and to treat the entire marathon as mile repeats. This worked particularly well in the first few miles as time flew by pretty quickly then.
We crossed the bridge and reached a point where the runners around me and I were entering a loop and the faster runners were coming out of it. It turned out to be a pretty long loop. We ran next to the canal, and I guess the scenery was okay, but we were soon met by a hill at the turnaround (around mile 7). Again, this hill did not feel particularly bad to me aside from the fact that I really had to go use the bathroom while climbing up it.
During mile 8, my primary goal was to locate a porta potty. I didn't feel any tiredness or pain, but I did feel my bladder. Important lesson learned here; make sure to use the bathroom as often as possible before a race, especially long-distance races.
At mile 8.5, I found some. Unfortunately, there were lines, and I lost about 5 minutes waiting for and using the porta potty. It was worth it, though. Although I had to speed up for the next 2 miles to make up some of the time, I didn't have to worry about the bathroom for a little while.
Primarily around mile 9 was Georgetown. The crowd support was awesome, and it brought a little bit of the city feel, which I liked.
I started to hurt a little bit starting from around mile 11. For the next few miles, we ran next to the water and saw the Jefferson Memorial and a golf course before curving back around, but after making a turn around mile 16, I didn't really have any sense of direction. All I knew was that I was following the people ahead of me, and that I saw a few monuments and museums along the way.
We made a few more turns, but I honestly didn't know where we were on the map or what mile we were at; to be honest, I was hurting too much to really care. At some point, my feet started hurting too. My longest run ever was 14.5 miles, so I was extremely under trained and entering unfamiliar territory. Still, I pushed through and avoided walking.
The course was nice, though, except for that winding and confusing part around the main D.C. area. If I were to go back in time to before the race, I would've probably looked at the course map better.
Then came the famous bridge at mile 20, which I assumed was the bridge we had to beat. Although many people considered this to be the lowest point of the race, I thought it wasn't too bad. I plodded along at my 12:00 pace (I had slowed downed considerably in the middle 10 miles of the marathon) without interruption, and I liked that it was slightly quieter. It gave me a chance to really focus on my own race. The only bad parts were that I noticed that the minutes for each mile seemed to pass by slower and that I had to use the bathroom again.
Finally, came Crystal City between miles 22 and 24. It was pretty awesome. I got to see the faster runners leave, and when I left, I got to see the runners after me come in. The "colorful Crystal City" was city-like (obviously), energetic, and filled with spectators blasting loud music. It kind of woke me up. I realized that I was almost done. I realized that holy bananas, I might actually make it through this freaking marathon. People hit the wall in the final miles, but somehow I hit the wall in the middle miles and caught a second wind for the final 10k.
They were handing out Dunkin' Donuts munchkins near mile 24, but I didn't take anything. After mile 23, I had one goal in mind: FINISH (and get to the bathrooms!). I had only 3.2 miles left then, which was pretty close to a 5k. I had run 5k's before, and they were incredibly short compared to marathons. I could definitely push through another 5k.
I sped up as much as possible without taxing my heart too much. Sprinting too hard at the end would probably be a bad idea, but I wanted a good time, so I went somewhere between an outright shift in gears and continuing on with my current pace.
The minutes passed by, and soon I had only 2.2 "mile repeats" and 1.2 "mile repeats" left. I was really excited at this point. The finish and the porta potties there were so close. I was so close to completing my first marathon - one that wasn't baptized by Sandy's rain, by the way. I noticed that lots of spectators were prepared with signs with hurricane puns on them, but the hurricane never hit during the race. That was actually pretty funny, though, which helped.
We were so close to the finish now. I ignored my urge to stop and heed nature's call and instead ran hard past the starting line to where we made the turn to the finish.
There was a hill there - a "steep" hill - but it felt like nothing. It was short and it didn't hurt at all. At this point, I was too filled with a desire to finish.
I hit my watch and stumbled past the finish line at 4:35. We were then directed to a few lines. There, a Marine placed the finisher's medal around my neck, congratulated me, and saluted me. That was one of the most amazing experiences ever.
I was elated (although my muscles were screaming in pain) as I was directed to where they took the finisher's picture and then to the hospitality lines. They passed out a goodie bag, Gatorade, some kind of box with food in it, bananas, a thin temperature-regulating jacket, and good ol' water.
I skipped the finish festival as I had to go to math tutoring after the marathon, but the marathon itself was incredible. The Marines, first of all, were outstanding. They provided motivation, support, and inspiration. Above all, there was the fact that their normal job was sacrificing themselves to protect America; helping a few runners accomplish a goal was just another good deed.
Also, the volunteers obviously and definitely helped. To put on a race of this magnitude requires support from all angles, and the volunteers certainly did their job and beyond during the MCM. A well-deserved "Thank you!" goes out to them.
Then, of course, there were the spectators. Whether there was an incoming hurricane or not, a huge amount of spectators still came and cheered for the runners, which was actually one of the great things about the MCM; there were so many people. Aside from the crowd support, they also provided candy, goldfish, and even beer (I'm not even close to 21, so I couldn't take any) along the course. That was pretty awesome.
The MCM course itself was a little hilly in the beginning and included a so-called "steep" hill in the end, but the rest of it was pretty flat. Surprisingly, the flat parts were the worst part of the marathon for me. The hills were actually not that bad if the runner has done at least some hill training. The course included pretty awesome views, too. It provided a great tour of D.C. and its nearby cities. I definitely enjoyed this marathon.
As for my own race, I had a inside-out sandwich. Great at the beginning, great at the end, with a terrible middle. I was proud of my time and my overall negative split. It wasn't too bad for a first-time teenager. Although I didn't beat Oprah's time, I did beat the Al Gore's and Drew Carey's times, and I definitely accomplished that goal of a sub-5 hour. Although, if I didn't stop for the bathroom break at mile 8.5, I might've been able to break 4:30. Oh well. There's always the next marathon ...
All week, the weather channels were focused on one thing: Hurricane Sandy. An enormous, unique hurricane with rough winds, it was predicted to meet up with some wintry systems and high tides to create a "Frankenstorm." That Frankenstorm would go out into the Atlantic before deciding to turn around and body slam the east coast, including Maryland - where I live and around where the Marine Corps Marathon is.
Additionally, they predicted that the rain would start affecting us starting on Sunday.
I was expecting to be soaked wet for my first marathon. The night before, I packed a change of clothes, a towel, a trash bag, and handed it all to my parents for safekeeping. Then, I proceeded to lay awake in bed pumped with adrenaline and excitement before finally sleeping for only 4 hours.
On Sunday, I jumped out of bed, ate a small breakfast, and took whatever I thought would be needed (bib, phone, clothes, shoes, change of clothes). We drove to D.C. at around 5:40, and parked across from the Pentagon's North parking lot at around 6:10. We kind of just wandered around the starting line for the next hour or so. It was pretty dark outside, but soon enough, the Sun came out and the sky brightened. Well, actually, we never saw the Sun come out. The skies were completely covered with clouds, so we never got to see a single speck of blue. It wasn't raining yet, but we were still expecting the hurricane.
They offered some pre-race prayers around 6:45 and opened the gates to the corrals around 7:30. I stepped in the 5:00-5:29 corral. My goal was to break 5 hours, but I wanted to finish strong by starting easy, so I started with a group predicted to go just slightly slower than my race pace.
After the National Anthem and a flyover, they were ready to start the race. Rob Riggle fired the pistol, and the howitzer sounded, marking the start of the 37th Marine Corps Marathon. Of course, the majority of us actually didn't start yet. My corral had to wait at least 15 minutes or so before even reaching the starting line. I guess that's the downside of having to start over 23,000 people.
The first few miles were easy as we winded through the city. Although there were a few "hils," they felt more like slight inclines to me. I wanted to go at a 12:00 pace or so in the beginning, but my legs felt more comfortable at around a 11:00 pace. Everything felt smooth and easy. My mental strategy was to count the minutes down to the next mile and to treat the entire marathon as mile repeats. This worked particularly well in the first few miles as time flew by pretty quickly then.
We crossed the bridge and reached a point where the runners around me and I were entering a loop and the faster runners were coming out of it. It turned out to be a pretty long loop. We ran next to the canal, and I guess the scenery was okay, but we were soon met by a hill at the turnaround (around mile 7). Again, this hill did not feel particularly bad to me aside from the fact that I really had to go use the bathroom while climbing up it.
During mile 8, my primary goal was to locate a porta potty. I didn't feel any tiredness or pain, but I did feel my bladder. Important lesson learned here; make sure to use the bathroom as often as possible before a race, especially long-distance races.
At mile 8.5, I found some. Unfortunately, there were lines, and I lost about 5 minutes waiting for and using the porta potty. It was worth it, though. Although I had to speed up for the next 2 miles to make up some of the time, I didn't have to worry about the bathroom for a little while.
Primarily around mile 9 was Georgetown. The crowd support was awesome, and it brought a little bit of the city feel, which I liked.
I started to hurt a little bit starting from around mile 11. For the next few miles, we ran next to the water and saw the Jefferson Memorial and a golf course before curving back around, but after making a turn around mile 16, I didn't really have any sense of direction. All I knew was that I was following the people ahead of me, and that I saw a few monuments and museums along the way.
We made a few more turns, but I honestly didn't know where we were on the map or what mile we were at; to be honest, I was hurting too much to really care. At some point, my feet started hurting too. My longest run ever was 14.5 miles, so I was extremely under trained and entering unfamiliar territory. Still, I pushed through and avoided walking.
The course was nice, though, except for that winding and confusing part around the main D.C. area. If I were to go back in time to before the race, I would've probably looked at the course map better.
Then came the famous bridge at mile 20, which I assumed was the bridge we had to beat. Although many people considered this to be the lowest point of the race, I thought it wasn't too bad. I plodded along at my 12:00 pace (I had slowed downed considerably in the middle 10 miles of the marathon) without interruption, and I liked that it was slightly quieter. It gave me a chance to really focus on my own race. The only bad parts were that I noticed that the minutes for each mile seemed to pass by slower and that I had to use the bathroom again.
Finally, came Crystal City between miles 22 and 24. It was pretty awesome. I got to see the faster runners leave, and when I left, I got to see the runners after me come in. The "colorful Crystal City" was city-like (obviously), energetic, and filled with spectators blasting loud music. It kind of woke me up. I realized that I was almost done. I realized that holy bananas, I might actually make it through this freaking marathon. People hit the wall in the final miles, but somehow I hit the wall in the middle miles and caught a second wind for the final 10k.
They were handing out Dunkin' Donuts munchkins near mile 24, but I didn't take anything. After mile 23, I had one goal in mind: FINISH (and get to the bathrooms!). I had only 3.2 miles left then, which was pretty close to a 5k. I had run 5k's before, and they were incredibly short compared to marathons. I could definitely push through another 5k.
I sped up as much as possible without taxing my heart too much. Sprinting too hard at the end would probably be a bad idea, but I wanted a good time, so I went somewhere between an outright shift in gears and continuing on with my current pace.
The minutes passed by, and soon I had only 2.2 "mile repeats" and 1.2 "mile repeats" left. I was really excited at this point. The finish and the porta potties there were so close. I was so close to completing my first marathon - one that wasn't baptized by Sandy's rain, by the way. I noticed that lots of spectators were prepared with signs with hurricane puns on them, but the hurricane never hit during the race. That was actually pretty funny, though, which helped.
We were so close to the finish now. I ignored my urge to stop and heed nature's call and instead ran hard past the starting line to where we made the turn to the finish.
There was a hill there - a "steep" hill - but it felt like nothing. It was short and it didn't hurt at all. At this point, I was too filled with a desire to finish.
I hit my watch and stumbled past the finish line at 4:35. We were then directed to a few lines. There, a Marine placed the finisher's medal around my neck, congratulated me, and saluted me. That was one of the most amazing experiences ever.
I was elated (although my muscles were screaming in pain) as I was directed to where they took the finisher's picture and then to the hospitality lines. They passed out a goodie bag, Gatorade, some kind of box with food in it, bananas, a thin temperature-regulating jacket, and good ol' water.
I skipped the finish festival as I had to go to math tutoring after the marathon, but the marathon itself was incredible. The Marines, first of all, were outstanding. They provided motivation, support, and inspiration. Above all, there was the fact that their normal job was sacrificing themselves to protect America; helping a few runners accomplish a goal was just another good deed.
Also, the volunteers obviously and definitely helped. To put on a race of this magnitude requires support from all angles, and the volunteers certainly did their job and beyond during the MCM. A well-deserved "Thank you!" goes out to them.
Then, of course, there were the spectators. Whether there was an incoming hurricane or not, a huge amount of spectators still came and cheered for the runners, which was actually one of the great things about the MCM; there were so many people. Aside from the crowd support, they also provided candy, goldfish, and even beer (I'm not even close to 21, so I couldn't take any) along the course. That was pretty awesome.
The MCM course itself was a little hilly in the beginning and included a so-called "steep" hill in the end, but the rest of it was pretty flat. Surprisingly, the flat parts were the worst part of the marathon for me. The hills were actually not that bad if the runner has done at least some hill training. The course included pretty awesome views, too. It provided a great tour of D.C. and its nearby cities. I definitely enjoyed this marathon.
As for my own race, I had a inside-out sandwich. Great at the beginning, great at the end, with a terrible middle. I was proud of my time and my overall negative split. It wasn't too bad for a first-time teenager. Although I didn't beat Oprah's time, I did beat the Al Gore's and Drew Carey's times, and I definitely accomplished that goal of a sub-5 hour. Although, if I didn't stop for the bathroom break at mile 8.5, I might've been able to break 4:30. Oh well. There's always the next marathon ...
| Distance | MAR |
| Clock Time | 4:54:09 |
| Chip Time | 4:35:06 |
| Overall Place | 10481 / 23515 |
| Gender Place | 3430 / 9995 |
| Age Grade | 54.4% |
| Ctz | USA |
| 5K | 0:33:47 |
| 10K | 1:06:35 |
| 15K | 1:41:15 |
| 20K | 2:12:21 |
| Half | 2:19:22 |
| 25K | 2:44:06 |
| 30K | 3:16:25 |
| 35K | 3:50:38 |
| 40K | 4:22:25 |
| Pace | 10:30 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)