T'is a humbling sport this running business

It's a Lazy Sunday and after a heavy going Saturday, I am lying on the couch thinking about running, but not running...

At least I am thinking about running.

I was doing a (not so successful) tempo-change-interval mix-mash run with a friend yesterday and it got me thinking a bit about training - how to be the best we can possibly be. At the end of the day it is about you doing your best and not how you compare to the others. I was jibbing on how my friend's 43 minute 10k is very fast, yet it's still only the average speed of the guys in my running club, even a 69 y.o can do 41min 10k!

(On hindsight I shouldn't have said anything as it seems to be a bit of a put down, but it was the truth, and came out the wrong way).

He agree with a frown...but agreeing it is true.

It made me thinking about running is such a humbling sport. Humbling in a sense that, no matter how fast you think you are, there is always someone faster. Even if you are the world record holder for a division of a particular race, there is always a chance it will be beaten next season. You will never always win, and running brings you back down to earth. It's a sport that keeps your ego in check.

Conversely, if you are slow, don't worry, there is always someone out there slower than you.

Happy running!

Calf pain revisited

So after a 9 week, 6 runs a week, running streak, where my kilometres has been increasing from 40km to 60km a week, my body decided to go NO and I am currently on a forced rest the past three days. My last run on Tuesday was disastrous. I felt the pull of my left calf during a friendly game of dodgeball (blame the slippery basketball court) but decided to go for a run anyway because I was dressed for running! <<sign of an addict.

So now three days on and I have going cold turkey. I never swore so much in the car on a drive to work this morning. I am a grumpy mess.

My calf is slowly improving. But I am somewhat reluctant to visit my chiro, knowing how much it is going to cost and the pain of the deep tissue massage. Oh the pain! And I know what happened again - another calf strain.

Anyhoo, so I am going to do two things to make my life easier - one is to buy a "Stick" - because it is always one calf that gives way first, and a massage ball (I know a tennis ball will do the trick, but I feel like spoiling myself with a $30 ball to roll my back on - hello remember I am feeling grumpy at the moment?)

The Stick

The second change to my life, is to pick up Bikram Yoga again. There's an awesome studio just up the road, and yet I haven't been for a year...anyway the plan is to pay that place a visit twice a week in the first month and see if I can bump it up to three times a week the month after.

Eventually I will want to pick up swimming and gymnastics again. But for now, let's try to make yoga part of my life.

Amsterdam

So on the highs of my pacing gig and HK Marathon, I have entered in to the Amsterdam Marathon. Check it out here: http://www.tcsamsterdammarathon.nl/en/

I was told that, it is a flat, scenic run along the canal. Perfect. It will be a good testing ground for my newly found speed that I have long lost since my primary school days.

I didn't initially wanted to do another marathon till 2015. I was psychologically exhausted after Hong Kong. (HK was a very very tiring race - not so much the body but just 4 hours of monotonic highways and hills really gets into you). I was Brain-Fried.

I felt too slow and untrained. I didn't really want to do another marathon until I am "ready".

And  I asked myself...when is that? Um...


I guess we will never be truly ready for any race before a race, but once the race is completed you will feel great because you know you were ready and gave it your all.

It will be my third marathon in 13 months. I am really looking forward to it.

Letting go

There comes a time when you have to let go of something you love.

Today I have decided to quit the 6-man outriggers canoeing. I haven't reveal it to anyone outside my close-knitted group, but I thought I will do a "Dear Diary" here as a start.

Initially I was not going to quit. I thought - I pay my fees, which gives me the option of attending a training session. It will also a good way to support my club, who has, unknowingly, helped me out of depression.

I guess, we humans are dynamic creatures.

It's been a while since I have been on a 6-man. Partly due to my running commitments, but also because I simply live and worked too far from the water to make regular training (and related social activities) viable. Over time I am guessing the club might have thought I don't like them, or don't get along???

I don't know, but I do understand. It's difficult to socialise with folks that live far apart from you. Like, you really have to make an effort, and I mean, A LOT of effort. There are only a few people in my world that will I would make such an effort, and I believe the reverse also applies to others.

The trigger point came when I asked to be in a race recently, only to be flatly denied a place "because I have not seen you at training" - even thought in reality I have been paddling regularly on the 1-man.


It was depressing. The very thing that helped me out of depression made me depressed.

Oh, the irony.


I will however continue my paddling journey on the One. I loved paddling. And I don't think I will ever let that go.

See ya later Orange Crew!