tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9591404900155752632024-03-13T10:02:28.247-07:00My marathon blogI will keep a log of my marathon training progress here. In an attempt at complete transparency on how I am sticking to my part of the promise, I will share this link with my sponsors and my friends who made donation to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-73354903759853402732009-07-31T10:37:00.000-07:002009-08-03T23:42:52.186-07:00Ze End!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TlgkgcSjaeC8MxczsBxe0RyxBp168CxfVjjnJVZZn6X5KZXoPciIu7D8R1N98s98ITKn6SXPiwN6DqZdB5AoKqVUULqWmxOwZO9sQCx1zjtjqW0q4vUeSzP-8YlZ-sNWDVluSRsALxOd/s1600-h/090627Victory023_GraceKirkSai.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TlgkgcSjaeC8MxczsBxe0RyxBp168CxfVjjnJVZZn6X5KZXoPciIu7D8R1N98s98ITKn6SXPiwN6DqZdB5AoKqVUULqWmxOwZO9sQCx1zjtjqW0q4vUeSzP-8YlZ-sNWDVluSRsALxOd/s200/090627Victory023_GraceKirkSai.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364693670367292114" border="0" /></a><br />After 4 months of actively maintaining this blog, the time has come to retire this one. To date, except for keeping my job and completing my school, I have not done anything in such discipline. But for the team (TNT), I wouldn't have done this as well. I can't thank the coaches, the honorees and my sponsors enough on their help. So, I will keep quiet and be humbled by the personal attention given by the coaches and the generosity and kindness exercised by my sponsors. As far as the honorees' spirit to fight through what life threw at them, I want to tell a couple of words before I keep quiet and feel humbled by their audacity to brave through the storm.<br /><br />We had a constant stream of honorees (Cancer survivors) boosting our spirit and keeping things (especially the pains of running compared to what they have to go through) in perspective all through the training session. At the pasta dinner, the night before the marathon, the narration by one of the honoree's mom (Will call her Luke's mom) touched everyone's heart. Luke was 3 when he was diagnosed with cancer. I could only imagine what the parents would have gone through when they heard this from the doctor.<br /><br />Luke has to go through Chemo, has to take steroids to withstand the intensity of chemo and hence was non-stop hungry. He has to be fed all through the day. The mom showed a one-before/one-after photo. The kid, though barely one year apart, was unrecognizable. In addition to the physical changes, when the mom described the mental effects of all this (since the kid reacts to pain with yelling, shouting and with other adverse behavior), there was a deafening silence in the room to commiserate with the family. In the moments when sanity prevailed with Luke, he would ask questions like any other child but with a twist. For instance when he saw a kid with no hair on the street, he asked, "Mom, does he go to the same Chemo center as I do"? (instead of day-care or after school music class or whatever a normal kid would associate with). When the mom narrated about how Luke asked if he had to die and go to heaven alone (or) would anyone accompany him, there was not one dry eye in the room.<br /><br />These are the questions a parent can only pray that they don't have to hear from their kids. And in fact a majority of the parents don't have to. But from the stories of the few, could one draw inspirations from - about the tenacity of the human mind, about the power of faith and about the support derived from family. As the sociologists have figured out, human mind cannot predict how it would react to an extremely good news (winning a lottery) or an extremely bad news (your child declared as having cancer) when it has not yet happened. But we have in our genes the courage to work through and fight against the challenging situations.<br /><br />A couple of lessons I derived for myself are,<br /><ol><li>Do not brood about what-if this happens (or) what-if that happens; (a) there is no way to figure out what my state of mind would be when it hasn't happened yet and (b) I will fight through if and when 'it' happens</li><li>Live in and cherish the present, count my blessings and stop bitching and moaning about things that could be better.</li></ol>Well, I didn't have to run a marathon to find these out, one may say. But, for me, the constant reinforcement of these stories about 'audacity of hope' went a long way in internalizing these messages. BTW, Luke is nearing the end of his Chemo routine and our thoughts and prayers are with him to lead the rest of his life without the burden of cancer.<br /><br />That said, my mind did not contemplate any of these things while I ran my marathon. It was all about living in the moment. Since it was warm and since the last 8.2 miles were a big unknown, I took it very easy from the start. I took constant hydration (and hence frequent potty breaks) and finished the run with full of energy. The 6 hours 12 minutes time mean that when (and IF) I do another marathon, there is no stress of beating my personal best :-)<br /><br />Where do I go from here? It would be a shame if after running a marathon I go back to my couch life style. I would strive hard to avoid that. At the same time, I don't think I have the will or motive to run another full marathon. May be I will stick with running half marathons for rest of my life since it is much easier on the schedule and on my body.. and I will still be a marathoner, won't I ?<br /><br />All right, I have said what I wanted to say through this blog. I kept my end of the promise for all my sponsors in maintaining this blog and completing my marathon. Now, it is time I shut up and log off :-)<br /><br />Peace,<br />SaiSai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-30263609529909378102009-06-28T12:32:00.000-07:002009-07-01T20:54:37.007-07:0026.2 captured<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BXIIN6jEpjWoPPTbUabA00LRIRebvpoDt7JFYprEIKZ8JB-DxI01qnpLQEPq_FezTXiCoTNIpB_pvdZuwAEq_tvwG4BddWAYF7rHs21AXWcSvjziGD4kAvCa4WmuWxdE_jwaY-wj9vx2/s1600-h/DSCN3535.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BXIIN6jEpjWoPPTbUabA00LRIRebvpoDt7JFYprEIKZ8JB-DxI01qnpLQEPq_FezTXiCoTNIpB_pvdZuwAEq_tvwG4BddWAYF7rHs21AXWcSvjziGD4kAvCa4WmuWxdE_jwaY-wj9vx2/s200/DSCN3535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353706221207446482" border="0" /></a><br />Happy to say that the run on 6/27 went fine and I ran past the finish line full of beans. It was sunny and warm (not like Seattle). So, played it safe from the start. Took hydration (Cytomax and Water) at all water stops, kept munching on the hammer bar, chewing the Gu chomps and sucking the Gu gel at frequent intervals. So, I must have actually put on some weight during the course ;-)<br /><br />Coach Kirk ran with me from miles 22 to 26 engaging me completely (and then he went back to mile 22 to accompany another team mate). He was very encouraging and without him those 4 miles would have been harder (Thanks Coach Kirk - you rock). At 26, my mentor cheered me and ran with me to the bend (the best mentor Grace Thompson :-)).<br /><br />I was planning to complete in 5:12 but it took a little more than 6 hours due to my taking it slowly. That does not matter.. I crossed the line and am able to walk without pain now. That matters a lot :)<br /><br />Will followup on the run, the course and reflection of the past 4 months when I return to San Jose.<br /><br />Peace,<br />Sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-22424013692498202832009-06-14T00:23:00.000-07:002009-06-14T00:39:44.961-07:00Week21: Time for inventory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxoEqtAxeqt-bpF89J-he8NwERAkscLY0bTGzQLeC3sl4fzR5n6wAGKV3KqvpPnfH-2x9tvozYSIgb28cY3absas6ZWP1L51TxMGfbe1UHECGjsy-8RroFtc4Y6aBv7ZdVB1voxxtHt5o/s1600-h/090514LGHS042_Karen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxoEqtAxeqt-bpF89J-he8NwERAkscLY0bTGzQLeC3sl4fzR5n6wAGKV3KqvpPnfH-2x9tvozYSIgb28cY3absas6ZWP1L51TxMGfbe1UHECGjsy-8RroFtc4Y6aBv7ZdVB1voxxtHt5o/s200/090514LGHS042_Karen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347084724953095154" border="0" /></a><br />I just went back and checked my mileage. Engineers always have a penchant for analytics. So, I have carefully documented by avg/min/max heart rates, time for miles for all my runs so far. And, I only have a $29.99 Timex watch. So, I have to document all these things manually. So far, I have accrued a little more than 300 miles since the start of the program. That's a good confident booster (May be this tells how desperate I am in seeking any and all forms to remain hopeful.. but hey ;-)).<br /><br />BTW, if you are thinking about what to do with $299.99, you can buy me a Garmin Forerunner 305 at https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=142&pID=349#<br /><br />Or if you have a Costco membership and are wondering what to do with $149.99, you can buy me the same Garmin Forerunner 305 at http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11239292&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US&s=1<br /><br />The way the free market enterprise works and the pricing fences are erected to segment people is a fascinating topic, indeed.<br /><br />Peace<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-86676493968100633952009-06-13T23:55:00.000-07:002009-06-14T00:11:16.647-07:00Week 21: Taper, Taper, Taper :)What have I told you about my tendency to sand bag and slack? I have perfected that to an art form. So, I don't need any one to tell me to taper.. I just taper :-)<br /><br />Less than 2 weeks to go now for the d-day. I am just concerned about not having any injuries than anything now. If I can take care of that, then I am fairly confident about reaching the finish line. Now, the last 8.2 miles is a big unknown. I have not yet run beyond 18 miles. But, I can walk if need be. So, hanging in tight.<br /><br />Peace<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-1749171615592441692009-06-13T23:13:00.000-07:002009-06-14T01:13:43.970-07:00Week 20: A new world order (a.k.a Bummer!)This week, we were supposed to do the much anticipated 20 miles run. On Thursday, we had the opportunity to meet and greet the San Diego RnR marathoners. The good thing about Seattle RnR is that you get a chance to learn from others best practices and mistakes. But then, what is it they say?, "Human beings have a great potential to learn from past mistakes but they also possess the propensity to ignore and repeat the same mistakes".<br /><br />Any hooo.. While I was talking to the RnRers, the general idea I got was that inspite of the immense feat they accomplished on last Saturday, most of them said that they finished feeling a lot more tired than they expected. Ofcourse most of them were first time marathoners and of course one would feel a lot tired running 26.2 miles. But our coaches thought that they felt this group finished feeling a lot more tired than needed. They also felt strongly that it has got something to do with the 20 miles run in Monterey. The SD Rnrers put all their hearts into the 20 miles run in Monterey (3 weeks back) and that, in the end, was their best run.<br /><br />Now, I don't know if that was the only thing that made the difference. May be it's the weather. San Diego is much warmer than the Bay area. May be it has got something to do with it. Since the coaches strongly felt about that, they called off the 20 miles run. Instead they placed a time based goal. 2:30 hours to 3 hours max is all we must do. They reasoned it pretty well and of course they know better than any of us. So, we obliged and I ran just 2.5 hours this week (13 miles).<br /><br />Was I disappointed that I couldnt complete the 20 miles before the Marathon. Damn right, I was! But was I happy to follow the coaches' guidance and not do something stupid? Again, damn right.<br /><br />So, before the marathon, I've done one 18 miles run and three 16 miles run. The coaches assured that this is as good a prep I needed to do the Marathon. I trust their judgement and will save my energy for the D-day.<br /><br />Peace,<br />Sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-67181185070636057312009-05-30T13:43:00.000-07:002009-05-30T13:51:41.812-07:00Week 19: Calculus and Marathon!In preparation for my 20 miles run next week, I took really easy this week. 12 miles around my home (8miles in the morning, 4 miles in the evening). The new shoes are good so far. I want to sprinkle some wisdom on running the hills (Since the terrain around my neigbourhood has 200 - 300 feet elevation gain in a mile).<br /><br />Runners need to focus on a uphill the same way Numerical Mathematicians focus on conquering integral calculus. For calculating area under a curve, they split the curve into a bunch of trapezoids (or even easy.. rectangles). That way they can just add all the areas of rectangles (which even trained monkeys can do) to calculate the area under a curve. This is how the numerical mathematicians reduce the complicated Newtonian S*it into a simple f..king addition (and this is why the traditional mathematicians don't respect the Numerical guys.. but who cares!).<br /><br />A runner should eliminate the total uphill from his/her viewpoint. Instead, the problem should be reduced to small steps of relatively flat terrain and focus should be kept only on the next 2-3 steps.. and relentless forward motion.This will not make you conquer a hill with the fastest time, but you will conquer the hills with ease.. Try it and let me know if it works for you as well.<br /><br />Peace,<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-26685654271603717392009-05-30T13:37:00.000-07:002009-05-30T13:43:32.621-07:00Week19: Guess What ?! I was running with the wrong shoes all along!Week 19 is not a right time to find that I was running with wrong shoes, but I was glad I found that out now. Due to the foot pain, I visited Running Revolutions in Campbell. RR takes video of the running on a treadmill and also has a touch sensitive mat to gauge your stress pattern. With the help of these, the coach fit me the right kind of shoes (neutral, size 10, 2E width) for me. I was running with stability, narrow, 10.5 shoes (meant for over-pronators). So far the new shoes are working good. But I will wait till my 20 miles to see if there is more cushion needed.<br /><br />Sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-64720083691271827192009-05-23T11:59:00.000-07:002009-05-23T12:22:27.337-07:00Week 18: New shoes taking the pain of the kneeSeems like the new shoes are working good. I havent got any knee pains this week. I am going easy on running and doing more aerobics (Biking, Elliptical) and stretching. The coach's workouts are getting easier because we are tapering down for the San Diego runners. In our group we have 2 runners training for Seattle marathon and 30+ training for SD. It is working good for me since I am getting all the additional workouts.<br /><br />This week the regional run was at Coyote Creek. 16 miles distance. The weather was way better compared to both Woodside and Monterey runs. So, I finished with less fatigue, less pain (thanks largely to the new shoes) and better pace. I am back home and planning to just relax for the rest of the weekend.<br /><br />The new shoes might need some tweaking since the foot is not feeling very comfortable now. May be if I break it, it will get better. But, I aint taking any chances. I am planning to visit the 'Running Revolution' early next week and get 'em checked.<br /><br />Only 30 more days to go..<br /><br />Peace,<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-78779939620581072032009-05-17T00:10:00.000-07:002009-06-14T00:41:18.871-07:00Week17: Reasonable workout + 12 miles weekend OYO run<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40oVbnM0qwYZG_d4mgckKQ1tUi0QlVQ2KoTe-q9u0nmGqYi_CYX3-pvQSBqq6g_BWiyuA72rwGZ5yv-U1mCY_cUkuf9m2LiyRcHamwIDGhKTPonn6twq2hWvGxFkCrsW78wCS_ze70DfN/s1600-h/090514LGHS007_KirkBeckyTim.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40oVbnM0qwYZG_d4mgckKQ1tUi0QlVQ2KoTe-q9u0nmGqYi_CYX3-pvQSBqq6g_BWiyuA72rwGZ5yv-U1mCY_cUkuf9m2LiyRcHamwIDGhKTPonn6twq2hWvGxFkCrsW78wCS_ze70DfN/s200/090514LGHS007_KirkBeckyTim.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347085138790746946" border="0" /></a><br />Even after I consciously removed the "time" out of the equation for a couple of weeks now, only now it is settling in to my subliminal mind. This week, I focused all my energy into reducing pain and finishing strong.<br /><br />My favorite quote is, "I don't have to sandbag .. I am a natural". Then why would I push through my pain, and run slowly with no rhythm or life, instead of taking a break, walk for 2mins every 2miles (or 1 mile), take that time to sip water/electrolyte, stretch a bit and run rejuvenated? Beats me!<br /><br />This week, that is exactly what I did - both on my Tues run (4 miles) and on Sat run (12 miles). Feels good to finish with some more energy to spend.<br /><br />The Thursday coach lead workout was interesting. We have to get ourselves into a team of 2, surrender our watches, guesstimate when we would finish a combined 4 miles run. We got pretty close to our guess (just overestimated by 50 secs). That's pretty good.<br /><br />This week was also the surprise baby shower for our super performing manager - Becky. The coaches dressed in baby costumes (bonnet, bib, oversized diaper with jumbbo pin - the whole 9 yards). Lots of spirit, I gotta give it to them.<br /><br />My 20 miles run isn't for another 3 weeks. Hopefully, I will be able to break in my new shoes by then.<br /><br />Peace,<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-13176638485341392862009-05-09T21:04:00.000-07:002009-05-09T21:14:29.064-07:00Week16: Monterey regional runWas planning for a 20-miles run... Coach grounded me since the 20 miles run is only for San Diego runners. Since I am training for Seattle, this is a taper down week (16 miles). You know what.. I ain't complaining. My leg still has not recovered from my last week's run and my new shoes haven't arrived. So, it is a blessing in disguise. @ Monterey, the weather was perfect and our running trail closely hugged the coast the whole route. It was a beautiful sight.<br /><br />That said, I started getting knee pains starting right from Mile 5. So, not a good thing :-( With only 48 days to go, I have to build up enough strength and loosen up those friggin' IT band!.. and yeah hydrate and sleep for 8 hours every night!<br /><br />Peace,<br />saiSai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-5186331452089279072009-05-03T19:28:00.000-07:002009-05-03T19:29:06.690-07:00Week16: My new weights training regimen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilexh_WWOScGonPgPmNXuGtA85thfUSpGdCZzlbAAIxEVEyyKcvAQBEzr_ho6s-b_HCa-TlObLZVlsCY5XyIj-NtWKVpJ0J7K9xNqCFi3UMNIafAKzazKXwwRgpgHqNdoLXe1_LRPk7uok/s1600-h/DSCN2772.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; clear: both; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilexh_WWOScGonPgPmNXuGtA85thfUSpGdCZzlbAAIxEVEyyKcvAQBEzr_ho6s-b_HCa-TlObLZVlsCY5XyIj-NtWKVpJ0J7K9xNqCFi3UMNIafAKzazKXwwRgpgHqNdoLXe1_LRPk7uok/s160/DSCN2772.JPG" border="0" /></a><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-23257987034099171462009-05-02T18:39:00.000-07:002009-05-02T18:46:04.178-07:00Week 15: 18 miles - not as bad as the Woodside runI ran 18 miles in Campbell park. It could have been a replay of Woodside in terms of pain. But I tried a lot of things differently. First, I did not skip and hydration stops (gatorade every 2 miles, Gu gel every 4 miles). Second, I ate more (dry toast and oatmeal). Third, when the pain started around 9 miles, I walked for 2 minutes every time I completed 2 miles. Fourth, I liberally interspersed calf and quad stretches every 2 miles (after 9 miles).<br /><br />These things slow down the timing. But, I crossed the finish line, much relaxed, with less pain and surprise..surprise.. my 18 miles in spite of all the 'overheads' took the same time as my 16 mile run @ Woodside.<br /><br />I still have to recover this week because without any gap, I will have to run 20 miles in Monterey next week (not the week after!)<br /><br />Wish me luck for the 20 miles run,<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-12884660535440862222009-05-02T18:33:00.000-07:002009-05-09T21:03:56.579-07:00Week 15: Hit the gym all 5 days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxrLx5VZwEBp5cjar7BGcn4hzO93F-mIg-RhBS7deeqpAf7FPdOcs_sD4HWuYm4u2k6xXNHvirJ02LH1SwQ8E92KGDBFkYGaNN2V3G8jNCRpacKN1_25sFQUIOQReVxX47L-iObPHm9nv/s1600-h/LGHS+Downward+dog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 123px; height: 93px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxrLx5VZwEBp5cjar7BGcn4hzO93F-mIg-RhBS7deeqpAf7FPdOcs_sD4HWuYm4u2k6xXNHvirJ02LH1SwQ8E92KGDBFkYGaNN2V3G8jNCRpacKN1_25sFQUIOQReVxX47L-iObPHm9nv/s200/LGHS+Downward+dog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334041046066377250" border="0" /></a><br />Since I got all the rest I wanted, I made it a point to hit the gym all 5 days this week. I ran on the road only 1 day (4 miles) and the rest of the days I either ran on the treadmill (or) used X-training (Bike and Elliptical trainer). On Thursday, the track was a standard stretch splits for a total of 4 miles. I didn't get any pains so far but I was tired as hell on Thursday. When some of my team mates planned to do 5 miles, I decided to stop at 4 miles and conserve some energy for the Saturday run (18 miles ;-))<br /><br />Rgds<br />saiSai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-85178168707350384472009-04-24T18:24:00.000-07:002009-05-02T18:33:39.907-07:00Week 14: A week of rest and relaxationI just hid my shoes this week. I did stretches every day and was focussing mainly on recovery. I did a couple of sessions on Elliptical trainer. It was tough to stay out of roads (actually it wasn't ;-)). At the end of the week, most of the pain has disappeared. But after experiencing the pain, I am afraid I will always be tentative while running. But anyway, this week I didn't have to worry about it!Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-40320820978679462922009-04-18T19:07:00.000-07:002009-06-14T00:43:24.155-07:00Week13: 16 miles run is a success... but !!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-popQwwavszxUC1akbc2f71-3RAdLJ8GXabQWv-2_FYh9vEahK1UGN6stJXIpoFajP3JLsFK4UioSc7QtV6fV4fixit28s5AIi98GlYN775-ybCo5tFvPBCfwzgeRDtgPiNT7lGmcNeSj/s1600-h/woodsidefogtree.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-popQwwavszxUC1akbc2f71-3RAdLJ8GXabQWv-2_FYh9vEahK1UGN6stJXIpoFajP3JLsFK4UioSc7QtV6fV4fixit28s5AIi98GlYN775-ybCo5tFvPBCfwzgeRDtgPiNT7lGmcNeSj/s200/woodsidefogtree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347085680594083458" border="0" /></a><br />We met outside of Woodsite Town Hall in the morning and started our run from there. This run was hosted by the mid peninsula team. Woodside, CA is your typical Silicon Valley snobby town/village. The residents actually don't want anyone of you in their town. In spite of that, the runners, bikers and all nut cases like us swarm their town content with screwing up their happiness.<br /><br />Now, to the trail itself. This is one of the most difficult terrain I've run so far. If we were not running on the pavement, we were running on uneven trails. That didn't seem to bother me during the initial miles. But once I got into double digits, this had a telling effect on my knees.<br /><br />The team has done as much as possible to mark the trail. But, may be due to restrictions from the town, the trail did not have any mile markers. So, throughout the run, I was simply guessing the mileage based on the time. Towards the end, I lost hope as the pain aggravated. But luck favored me at the last water stop. I thought I had 4 more miles to go when in reality there were only 2 miles to cover.. Sigh of relief!! With that renewed energy, I limped as fast as I could to the finish line.<br /><br />In the end, I completed a 13 minute mile run. I have reset all my expectations on timing. Right now, I have only 2 goals for my final marathon day 1) Do not die, 2) Cross the finish line. I have removed all goals related to timing ;-)<br /><br />Until 13 miles, it was a breeze. I was clocking 10-11 minute miles. After that, as if someone switched a toggle button, every step was a pain. I have to do some serious strength training to casually complete the 26.2 miles. But in my condition today, I could not dream of completing another 10.2 miles... So, honestly, I am starting to get scared... then again, a little bit of fear is a good thing !<br /><br />Peace,<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-133590331102549992009-04-17T18:52:00.000-07:002009-05-11T09:42:23.835-07:00Week 13: Recovery in Progress (RIP)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5-U7AvpkP8MwWNLfD0GyjeFT0N3mFjiLGcTmt6w9OLkJ3owxAq6lzgVA-IX-jXVZuYPsV9lemacO4EpxrRhLPXsZiY2wbP3XASfB25tWuLhMD7o0AQujQ4TwOiL4OtQLlHIizKkjEw-F/s1600-h/cause+for+celeb4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5-U7AvpkP8MwWNLfD0GyjeFT0N3mFjiLGcTmt6w9OLkJ3owxAq6lzgVA-IX-jXVZuYPsV9lemacO4EpxrRhLPXsZiY2wbP3XASfB25tWuLhMD7o0AQujQ4TwOiL4OtQLlHIizKkjEw-F/s200/cause+for+celeb4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334607678164872994" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The IT band pain has mostly subsided after repeated HI-RICES. My coach/mentor also recommended the Foam Roller routine. While the routine is most painful, it surely removed the knots and it felt good afterward. This week, I managed to hit the gym 4 days during the week and am planning for the long run tomorrow. So, I am slowly getting to the 5 days a week routine.<br /><br />The Coach's workout at LGHS was nothing special. We did the timed split runs (1/2mile easy jog followed by four 1/2 mile fast run). I did not run into any pain issues then. Hopefully, I will be getting to my 16 miles mark on Saturday<br /><br />Peace<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-44899757870584907982009-04-11T18:52:00.000-07:002009-04-11T19:00:33.918-07:00Week 12: Runner's nightmare, thy name is Iliotibial Band!With my aforementioned ice bath, all general pains associated with my running magically disappeared... well except for the IT band. There is a pricking pain every now and then and I can sense the pain even when it is not really hurting.<br /><br />I have to reach out to my coach/trainers to see what course of action I have to take now. I am afraid they will ground me for a couple of weeks..Oh no :-o<br /><br />I am currently following the HI-RICES (Hydration, Ibuprofen, Rest, Icepack, Compression, Elevation, Stretches) approach to mitigating the pain. For the gory details, these are the 3 common IT band stretches - source about.com<br /><br />Stretch #1<br /><ol><li>Stand upright </li><li> Cross the involved leg BEHIND the opposite leg</li><li> Lean to the uninvolved side until a stretch is felt across the affected iliotibial band</li><li> Hold for 30 seconds</li><li> Repeat X 5 </li></ol>Stretch #2<br /><ol><li>Lay on your back</li><li> Bend the involved leg's knee</li><li> Grasp behind the bent leg's knee with both hands</li><li> Pull the involved leg toward the opposite shoulder</li><li> Hold for 30 seconds</li><li> Repeat X 5 </li></ol>Stretch #3<br /><ol><li>Sit with your legs out in front of you</li><li> Bend your knee and place the leg of the involved leg across your opposite leg placing your foot flat on the floor</li><li> Rotate your body to look over the shoulder on the involved side until a stretch is felt</li><li> Hold for 30 seconds</li><li> Repeat X 5 </li></ol>Pray !<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-66275895053957232102009-04-11T13:35:00.000-07:002009-04-11T19:06:41.955-07:00Week 12: 12 miles OYO run!I chose the same Evergreen area, on the road run for my 12 miles run. I am now glad that the ups/downs/flats don't mess up with my speed any more. It just messes up with my IT band! I got severe but bearable pains while running the miles 3 and 4. I kept up with it because I had a couple of tricks up my sleeve for recovery. So kept sucking on my gels and hydration through out the run. I did not stop for water breaks since I was carrying the hydration pack with me. I also found that by the time I got into mile 8, the pain has virtually disappeared.<br /><br />Later, after completion of run, I just realized that it was the adrenaline that was masking the pain. As soon as I stopped, I got the pain in my IT band. Ok, now to the couple of tricks up my sleeve part ;-). While doing the usual ice pack on the sore spot, I sipped Cytomax antioxidant recovery powder mixed with water and sucked on my 3rd Gu gel. After that I took one OTC ibuprofen tablet. Then, I filled the bath tub with cold water. Getting into it was a psychological exercise. I'd already given advanced notice to Priya to ignore any screams coming from the bathroom. I screamed to my lungs content for the first 20-30 seconds. After my body acclimitized with the cold water, I added 7 lbs of ice cubes to the tub (another louuuuuddddddd screeeaaaaaaaaammm at the top of my voice). I sat for 10 minutes and then got out. Right now, I feel I can run another 12 miles (Heee hee just kidding, but really, no pains).<br /><br />Now, you may ask, "What would George Costanza do?" ... The answer is simple.. If you are uncomfortable about the skinny-dipping, you dont have to go in polar bear.. just wear a sweat pant and get into cold water.. the effect is exactly the same (... and NO shrinkage after-effects ;-))<br /><br />Peace,<br />SaiSai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-22737565666044282082009-04-11T13:30:00.000-07:002009-04-11T19:10:30.840-07:00Week 12: Recovery is a sucker!Even though my 5-days a week routine should have started since the beginning of April, I still could do only 4-days in the week at the gym. But this week, my performance was comparatively tardier. I did not recover from the 14 miles run as fast as I expected. The pain lingered for at least 3-4 days. Add the fact that I got allergies from my Almaden Lake run. I was running fever and my ears and noses were blocked (clogged). This may rank as the most uncomfortable week so far.<br /><br />Also, I was involved in a fender bender and that shook me up a bit. No injuries or visual damage to the car thankfully.. But my premium is gonna sky rocket.. Stupid insurance companies ;-)<br /><br />Peace<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-82195902767228798222009-04-04T12:10:00.001-07:002009-04-04T14:06:16.718-07:0014 > (12 +2)Just got back after running 14-miles @ Almaden Lake park. 2 weeks back, in capitola we ran 12 miles (wharf to wharf and back) - no sweat. I was pleasantly surprised and was feeling confident (almost over-confident) that it aint as bad as I thought. Also, in the last 2 weeks, I was more disciplined in work outs compared to previous weeks.<br /><br />In spite of that, I got a bad butt kick and a rude awakening today. I huffed and puffed the last mile! First, the 14 miles were not marked as well as they were during previous runs. The trail was tricky. It was not a 7 miles to and 7 miles fro. It was more like 1.75 miles to, 1.75 miles fro, followed by 4 miles trail, 0.75 miles to and 0.75 miles fro, 0.5 miles to and 0.5 miles fro and back on the ole 4 miles trail (ok.. add it up.. it will eventually come to 14 miles). That killed my concentration. But it is not all that. I think my natural limit is 12 miles. I had pains when I was running my last mile. That never happened during previous runs.<br /><br />After I completed, I could hardly walk. That was bad! I did some quick stretches, sipped some electrolyte crap, ate the dry toast and drove back. I did my usual ritual of icing back and forth in the pain areas. But, longer than usual. Hope the recovery will be smoother. To think that I have to run 12.2 miles more gives me angst! I have only 83 more days to go. I should strengthen my back, calves and quads... and.. I shouldn't get hurt.. Will keep you posted.<br /><br />Ok.. now I am stinkin'.. Gotta take shower and stuff myself with food..<br />SaiSai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-68400198347133620882009-04-04T12:02:00.000-07:002009-04-04T12:10:23.690-07:00Week 11: That wretched bootcamp again!After 3 consecutive weeks of running on the trails / new places on Thursdays, I was expecting similar fun this week. Instead, we got the core boot camp again.. That's the one I dread most.. (Oh well.. I always cheat on these.. but still I dread). 6 min run followed by pushups/ab crunches repeated 5 times. Towards the end, I was not sure what I was looking forward for the 6 minutes of run than the rest(!) break..<br /><br />One plus point of these tracks is that I feel energized at the end of the workout. While driving to Los gatos, I almost feel like sleeping (The mind constantly playing these qns. what did I got myself into? Can I just turn and go home? No one is going to notice my absence ;-)).. But just after the warm up, I dont think about it and I even start liking it 2-3 rounds later. As the great bard said (or may be he didnt), "It is all in your freakin' mind" :-)<br /><br />This weekend, we are gonna do a 14-mile run !<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-82640614496731401422009-03-29T00:15:00.000-07:002009-03-29T01:01:56.870-07:00Week 10: Running - bio mechanics and best practices<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN3zn9xRUrjk5AV_9xgXOR1nDKWW-JanJYr9QmhCAuccBqWJkcaw7qjU5cdB82tNZzWlu_DB_yEUYCPYRIDxLc8u5BbObj_VyL78JYu0Z7vv5Z4PAdT7W8rlW2rjoHLIcrsdZAjYh9QC5/s1600-h/DSCN2450.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN3zn9xRUrjk5AV_9xgXOR1nDKWW-JanJYr9QmhCAuccBqWJkcaw7qjU5cdB82tNZzWlu_DB_yEUYCPYRIDxLc8u5BbObj_VyL78JYu0Z7vv5Z4PAdT7W8rlW2rjoHLIcrsdZAjYh9QC5/s200/DSCN2450.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318505424110025906" border="0" /></a>[Caveat: This post is about internals of running in all its gory details.. For status updates, you can safely ignore this post]<br /><br />Have you noticed that Olympic swimming has now got to do more about techno-wears than about your natural ability? Who would have guessed that there will be technology involved in something as straight forward as swimming? I mean, "Water.. jump.. drown or swim" - right? Wrong! Allright, I am just setting this up to making my point about running.<br /><br />I used to think running is just that. Wear a friggin shoe and throw some clothing (optional) and get out. But the difference between running with pain and running with complete comfort is getting educated about the best practices in running. The advantage of joining a training group such as TNT is just making this education very natural based on day to day advice from the coaches than my doing the background research myself (which I would never do in a million years). So, I thought I would share the 5 simple techniques that helped me avoid any injuries / discomfort in my running routines the last 10 weeks. All of them originate from the same guiding principle, namely, "<em>Tomorrow’s training session is only as good as today’s recovery"</em><br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stretching done the right way</span>: I think most of the runners know about stretching and there are good sites such as <a href="http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/info/fitness-exercises.asp">this</a> that give detailed instructions on various stretches. But it is also very important to know when to stretch. Get your body warm (run for 1/2 to 1 mile) and then stop and do your stretches. We all want to get the runner's high (that kicks in anywhere from 2-4 miles for a novice runner) and it is incredibly hard to stop after the 1st mile for stretching. But try this and you would see a marked improvement in stretch efficacy. Also, when you complete running, the last thing in your mind is probably doing 10 minutes of stretching. But the post-run stretch is even more important than the pre-stretch to flush out the lactic acid buildup. So, do not skip it if you want to minimize your injuries / discomforts</li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eat right before, during and after running: </span>If you have faced muscle cramping, fatigue during the run, there is a high chance that you did not eat right prior to or during running. If you are doing your run in the morning, make sure you have a healthy snack (dry whole grain toast w/ Peanut butter, low in fat, sugar and high in good carb) an hour before the run. If you are doing your run in the evening, make sure you have a good meal - no skimping, 3-4 hours before running and a smart snack (similar to the one mentioned above) 1 hour before running. Take </span><a style="font-weight: normal;" href="http://www.guenergy.com/products/gu-energy-gel">Gu gel</a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> 15 mins before the run and one packet every 45 mins during run. Drink 4-6oz of water with every packet. Sip (not gulp) your favorite electrolyte drink every 2 miles (have you seen kids' drinking cups in parties? 1/2 of that cup constitutes sipping). Replenish immediately after exercise with a glass of juice, banana or a bagel and within 30 minutes, have hearty food rich in good carbs (Fiber rich, brown rice, whole grain pasta etc.,) Doing stretches post run and replenishing salt (electrolyte) will flush down the lactic acid and will prevent muscle soreness</span><br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ice.. Ice.. baby:</span> Attached is a photo of yours truly getting ready for icing. Icing numbs the pain area and reduces inflammation. You can either use the ice pack such as the one I am holding (or) simply frozen peas packet on the pain area. Apply directly for 5-6 minutes.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sleep tight:</span> For a good recovery, you should sleep 8 hours - no compromise.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dress right:</span> This is adequately covered in one of my first posts - the right shoes, wicking garments, cap, neck buff, gloves and the works. Check that post out for details. Do not assume costly shoes are better than cheap ones. Go check yourselves in a shop. Any decent running / gears shop will fit you with the right shoe based on your wear-pattern.</li></ol>Happy running<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-11131648449531559512009-03-28T23:57:00.000-07:002009-03-29T00:14:46.382-07:00Week 10: 8-mile OYO run<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtiz_4kQ9QdioarBinwEKDZefmEXronaarwZOroQEmwV3FyN1FoN6ULGszxcnfBpv9cgjoh3evACzSO4PtbXItOd9rxEQWZ-TsILXw3oQmx4tHGuMHtfLmSci4tPLOxW-4PR7iSWHSuMp/s1600-h/DSCN2455.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtiz_4kQ9QdioarBinwEKDZefmEXronaarwZOroQEmwV3FyN1FoN6ULGszxcnfBpv9cgjoh3evACzSO4PtbXItOd9rxEQWZ-TsILXw3oQmx4tHGuMHtfLmSci4tPLOxW-4PR7iSWHSuMp/s200/DSCN2455.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318501053693957458" border="0" /></a>Most of our Saturday runs are on flat terrain. But the Seattle RnR marathon has a course that looks like a Stock chart. Miles 5 to 6 and 14 through 18 has "ups" that can go from 0 to 250 feet in as little as 1/2 mile. I wanted to simulate that this weekend. In Evergreen area, there are roads (Quimby between Ruby and Rue Mirassou for one) that have this kind of elevation gain. I plotted a 4 mile route and ran it twice (once clockwise and once anti-clockwise just to reverse the ups and downs) for a total of 8 miles. Though I did the Capitola run at a reasonable 11 min mile pace for 12 miles, I was able to run the 8 miles only at 12 min mile pace. As long as I am adding the miles, I aint complainin' :-)<br /><br /><br />Peace,<br />SaiSai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-14390046260239361242009-03-28T23:38:00.000-07:002009-03-28T23:51:31.428-07:00Week 10: A week of consistent workoutsAs I mentioned in my last blog, from this week, I am upping the number from 4 workouts per week to 5 workouts per week. I am trying a couple of items and would stick to the one that works best. The constraints I am working under are<br /><ul><li>I cannot do weights on legs on Wednesdays and Fridays (because of the Thursday tracks and Saturday long runs - can't afford to tear a muscle and not getting healed by Thurs/Sat routines). </li><li>I have to do X-training for 3 days a week and run 3 days a week. But I am hitting the gym only 5 days a week. will bump it to 6 days a week in May and June</li><li>I have to incorporate core training, weights and back strengthening in this course to run 26 miles</li></ul>This is almost like the GRE Analts question. What should I do on each day to optimize my training ? I will try to keep you posted on the actual routines next week.<br /><br />BTW, instead of the coach's workout on Thursday, we met @ Foothill college on Monday. The routine was a little different. All teams (Marathon, Hiking, triathlon, cycling) from South bay were represented at the venue and we were given an opportunity to do the workouts they do regularly. Also, we heard from a Stanford researcher, whose research is funded by the LLS, who is devising customized cancer drugs based on individual screening. If I abstract the heck out of it, what he mentioned is very similar to the Deep packet inspection (DPI) in Computer Networking (the field in which I have some knowledge about). Classify, police, target and Act. He is doing his work at the molecular level and trying to cure cancer but the concept from a 50K feet view seemed to be similar.<br /><br />Peace<br />saiSai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959140490015575263.post-35326941306564301512009-03-21T13:08:00.000-07:002009-03-21T13:17:03.323-07:00Week 9: Wharf to Wharf and back to Wharf :-)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXB1Qszm_redSRZ5dpyFA34fEit52fyP4o-SlWtesaAmQ3YWWTPfaXolB9sxsRHg6tFJBgOQh383O-O5cUGyW8j_1OoUTeTLg1OiNtB3HFwGsjfr5s6ImopIRDeC2dvQ9GmYjVBYOkhyphenhyphendb/s1600-h/DSCN2215.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXB1Qszm_redSRZ5dpyFA34fEit52fyP4o-SlWtesaAmQ3YWWTPfaXolB9sxsRHg6tFJBgOQh383O-O5cUGyW8j_1OoUTeTLg1OiNtB3HFwGsjfr5s6ImopIRDeC2dvQ9GmYjVBYOkhyphenhyphendb/s200/DSCN2215.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315737211268961778" border="0" /></a><br />I did the 12 miles run from Capitola to Santa Cruz board walk and back to Capitola today. It was so mind blowingly beautiful. The trail was on the coast line. So, except for the last 0.5 miles of diesel fumes from the utility vehicles at Santa Cruz board walk, the whole route was serene and inspiring. We ran close to the coast, enjoying the sunrise (albeit behind us - not infront of us), ran on concrete bridges, hanging bridges, wooden bridges, and on a railway track that was laid on a hanging wooden bridge. I am starting to enjoy the saturday long runs. There were hydration stalls spread every 3 miles. The "Gu" gel and the "Gu2O" is working well with my stomach though I don't have any complains about power gel as well. Sucked the gel every 45 minutes (with plenty of water.. man the taste is awful) and reached the destination with no pains. I got a good pace as well. 12 miles in 2 hours and 12 minutes. May be more time on treadmill in the future weeks will give me better control of the pace.<br /><br />Peace out,<br />sai.Sai Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01878605389138803015noreply@blogger.com0