I'm not sure what it is, but the past week has just been flat in so many ways. Maybe it was the let down from our annual church summer camp, or that I ran 13 miles that Sunday evening, and followed it up with 10 miles the next night. Could be, maybe, a post-Olympic let down (like, what occupied my seldom-used TV other than that?), or just that flat spot that sometimes happens during a 16-week run-up to a marathon. Or, it could be that I looked at the fund-raising progress to $2,300 for Gawad Kalinga, and see that it hasn't budged for a couple weeks ... and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is Oct. 12.
Whatever the reason, and even though physically I feel great, I had lost a little enthusiasm, and getting on the trails or into the gym was just a workout, or just a chore, rather than being something that is a building block to a much larger effort: to raise $2,300 that would build a home for a family in the Philippines and to run a sub-4 hour marathon in Chicago (maybe even 3 hours, 30 minutes, fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon in my age group).
Then I came across this video posted by Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall and Josh Cox (BTW, he's working towards a master's in Christian apologetics at Biola, where I earned a certificate in the same discipline a few years ago).
The way I see it, the Lord used it to speak volumes to me ... maybe He will to you, too ... check it out:
Talk to any veteran marathoner, and he or she will tell you that it's a given that you'll hit dead spots in training: the legs are just dead, or you have no energy, or you're just not motivated to get out there and do the work. Mentally, emotionally and spiritually you just get that blah feeling.
It's interesting, because during the marathon, you do hit a mile, or two, or a bunch of them, where you feel like that. As you push through those flat spots in training, it prepares you to push through those rough spots on race day. And, along with just physically putting one's head down and plugging along, for me, it helps that I fall back on my relationship with Jesus Christ. Not that I watch "The Passion of the Christ" the night before a race, but, like Ryan Hall, I remember His pain and suffering for me, which was meant to restore all mankind's fellowship with God, which God designed from the very beginning, but was ruined by the fall of Adam and Eve. And, I remember grace, amazing grace, that God so freely offers all of us.
Then I figure, what's a few days of the blahs or a bad mile or two (or three) in training or in a marathon? If I can pour myself out as Jesus did, as Ryan Hall describes, both physically and spiritually, in training and on race day, and point to my Lord and Savior for bringing me through (Isaiah 40:27-31) ... well, it's pretty awesome stuff when you sit down and think about it ...
So I'm doing this because ...
The goal remains to raise $2,300 to build at least one home for a family in the Philippines (see the Aug. 10 blog entry for vids from GK as well as a mission trip I went on in January). As of today, we're STILL at $620. That's great, and I thank all those who have already donated to the cause.
But we can do better ...
And I'm praying everyone else will be listening to God's still, small voice for His direction as well. Deadline to donate will be Oct. 13 -- the day after the marathon, if you are waiting for me to finish it before contributing -- but please don't wait that long.
To give online, please click here. The advantage of giving online is that your donation is instant, and Active.com will e-mail you a receipt with GK's federal tax ID number for your records (yes, your donation is tax deductible).
However, if you can only give by check, please leave e-mail me at alan.llavore@gmail.com, and I will send you info on how you can give that way.
And don't forget ... please pass along the link to the blog and the fund-raising page to family, friends and co-workers ...
Training this week
So even though I had the blahs, I still managed to do this:
Monday: 10 miles easy
Tuesday: cross trained at Cal State San Bernardino's Student Recreation and Fitness Center
Wednesday: Tempo run, 2 mile warm-up, 6 miles at 10K pace
Thursday: cross trained, core work at home
Friday: Easy 8 miles
Saturday: 20-21 miles at Bolsa Chica Beach with GK Hero's group
Sunday: Rest day, finish up the month's study in the Book of Jonah with Jonah 4 at church (yet another object lesson to look beyond one's self).
Training next week
Monday: Easy 10 miles
Tuesday and Thursday: cross train at Cal State San Bernardino's Student Recreation and Fitness Center
Wednesday: Track work, 10 x 800 (about a half mile) at 3 mins., 30 sec pace, with 3:30 recovery
Friday: Easy 8 miles (last Friday off for the summer before Cal State San Bernardino goes back on a regular 5/40 schedule)
Saturday: 18-mile "marathon simulation" ... 3 x 6.19 mile loop, with 1 min. between each set; set 1 @ 55 mins; set 2 @ 53 mins.; set 3 @ 51 mins. or faster
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Week 8 of 16: I can’t count, but that’s OK
I've been trying to number the blogs to correspond with the number of weeks until Oct. 12, the Chicago Marathon, but somewhere along the way, I miscounted. I'm actually in week 8. It doesn't affect anything other than confirm for some of you why I went into journalism instead of accounting.
Anyway, lots of stuff this week. It's been kind of busy on my end with a lot of stuff, including trying to keep up with the Olympic track and field coverage. Unfortunately, for me anyway, NBC has done a poor job of it. I still have not seen the women's 10,000 meter race from Aug. 15 online, and I couldn't wait until past midnight to see it on TV. So essentially, I've given up on that (but I did tape the women's marathon, and plan to do the same with the men's marathon). To make up for it all, flotrack.org and runnersworld.com have kept me up-to-date, and Flotrack has been really great with a lot of in-depth coverage - see the Deena Kastor vids below as an example - that the network hasn't done. (Well, except for Michael Phelps … major props to him, but aren't there other athletes competing in these games?)
More importantly, though, Christine, my daughter, sent me some pix of my granddaughter, Maya, due to make an entrance into the world on Dec. 31. Yes, the baby is a girl, and as the photos show, she's got some long legs! Here's the deal … only Maya can call me "grandpa." Good thing I have about a year or so to get used to the idea before she starts talking …
Training … 8 weeks to go!
This week's training began with a 10-miler on Monday; a day off (and laundry day!) on Tuesday; 8x800s on the track at between 3 minutes, 19 seconds to 3:32 each, plus a total of 3 miles warm up and cool down on Wednesday; weights and core work on Thursday; 10 to 12 miles early Friday; church camp Friday-Sunday in Oceanside (yay!); and for sure, an easy 8-miler on Sunday when I get home from camp.
Next week
Monday: easy 10 miles
Tuesday and Thursday: weights and core work at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center at Cal State San Bernardino
Wednesday: 8-10 mile tempo run at about my 10K pace
Friday: really easy 8 miles
Saturday: 20-21 miler at Bolsa Chica State Beach with GK
Sunday: Rest day (for sure!)
The fun part about training for the Chicago Marathon is that I'm coming in to training cycle in shape rather than working to get in shape. Much of that comes from having been consistent with training for the past two years, beginning with the build up to Long Beach International Bank Half Marathon in 2006. In other words, I'm not starting from zero as I have with marathons prior to the summer of 2006.
For that reason, I've been able to run two 20-milers in training two weeks apart and really early in the training cycle, which will allow me two more workouts at that distance (along with a couple 18- and 16-milers in between). I used to dread those really long runs, but now, because I'm actually out there with a group that has water stations along the route, with people providing encouragement, it's been so much easier this time around. Even better is that we all share the same goal: to run a marathon or half marathon as a way to help the poor in the Philippines.
And it helped that Liane, who's been coordinating things for our GK run group with our coach, Gregg, had these really great pastries from Portos after last Saturday's 20-miler. (Yes, do click on the link!)
Long runs serve many purposes in marathon training. Among them is to get the body used to being out there and moving for a long time. Another is that it serves as sort of a dress rehearsal for race day by addressing a bunch of questions: how will I react to running a certain pace; can I go out at a certain pace and run the last half slightly faster; how does my body tolerate heat or cold or wind or rain; can I handle the race day sports drink; what will my refueling strategy be; will a certain pair of shorts or socks cause chafing or blisters? As one of my fellow coaches with Team in Training liked to say, the long run days help you prepare for things that can go wrong on race day. Kind of like a really long problem-solving session.
It's also a time for meditation for me. With my senior pastor on vacation this month, and me filling in for him, I've had the opportunity to teach from the Book of Jonah. Last Sunday, we were going over the third chapter of that book, and the long run the day before helped me frame the message. Mostly, during the run, Chris Tomlin's updated version of "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" kept going through my head because that was the main thrust of Jonah 3. It also helped me decide that we'd sing that song as a congregation, too.
Here's how it sounds when Chris Tomlin sings it:
Even though it's possible that I'll be running along the beach trail with a bunch of other people, there comes a point where you kind of go on auto pilot and just empty yourself before the Lord in prayer and worship. It's those times that He speaks to me in His still, small voice, to guide me through a particular problem, to help me make sense of a Scripture passage, to help me heal from whatever hurt I might be carrying, to reset my priorities, to just revel in the idea that I can run as far as I can, further than I would ever have dreamed of when I was a little kid wheezing from asthma.
It's no wonder that Ryan Hall, the Olympic marathoner, calls the roads his sanctuary.
And while running can seem like a pretty shallow, self-centered thing to do, I also think that God shows us (if we are paying attention) how we can turn it into something that brings Him glory as we help others.
Check out this video from Ryan and his friend, Josh Cox:
So, in a way, even though I haven't been entrusted with running talent to the level of Ryan Hall, I've still been given that same talent, just a little less (OK, a lot less). And it's up to me to be faithful with what I have been given, to use it to where it can do the most good - not to hoard it for myself, or to run for my own glory, or to bury it in the ground by sitting on a couch watching TV all day, but to glorify God by using it to find a way to help others.
And that's how Gawad Kalinga falls into all of this. I know, I am repeating myself, but I have to remind me, and some of you as well, that even if we don't have much, we can still help the less fortunate. God provides us with enough to do so, I believe. A lot of times, we just need to be still and listen for His voice as He directs us.
The goal remains to raise $2,300 to build at least one home for a family in the Philippines (see the last blog entry for vids from GK as well as a mission trip I went on in January). As of today, we're at $620. That's great, and I thank all those who have already donated to the cause.
And I'm praying everyone else will be listening to God's still, small voice for His direction as well.
To give online, please click here. The advantage of giving online is that your donation is instant, and Active.com will e-mail you a receipt with GK's tax ID number for your records.
However, if you can only give by check, please leave e-mail me at alan.llavore@gmail.com, and I will send you info on how you can give that way.
And don't forget ... please pass along the link to the blog and the fund-raising page to friends and family ...
Until next time … enjoy the vids and the pix of my granddaughter, Maya.
God bless you all!
Alan
P.S. In a previous blog, I mentioned that one way to raise money to donate is to collect those water and soda bottles that you may not be taking back to the recycling center to collect your CRV. I did that for two weeks, and now my car trunk, a box in the garage and a bag in the kitchen are nearly full. I guess I'll be heading over to the recycling center in a few days!
P.P.S. Again I ask, where the heck are the guys' donations and the guys' comments on the blog? Just wondering ... yeah, and callin' y'all out, too ...
Deena Kastor interview before the Olympic marathon. Hopefully this will give you and idea of what it takes to run at a world-class level.
Deena Kastor interview the day after the Olympic marathon, when she had to drop out after 3 miles when she suffered a broken foot.
Anyway, lots of stuff this week. It's been kind of busy on my end with a lot of stuff, including trying to keep up with the Olympic track and field coverage. Unfortunately, for me anyway, NBC has done a poor job of it. I still have not seen the women's 10,000 meter race from Aug. 15 online, and I couldn't wait until past midnight to see it on TV. So essentially, I've given up on that (but I did tape the women's marathon, and plan to do the same with the men's marathon). To make up for it all, flotrack.org and runnersworld.com have kept me up-to-date, and Flotrack has been really great with a lot of in-depth coverage - see the Deena Kastor vids below as an example - that the network hasn't done. (Well, except for Michael Phelps … major props to him, but aren't there other athletes competing in these games?)
More importantly, though, Christine, my daughter, sent me some pix of my granddaughter, Maya, due to make an entrance into the world on Dec. 31. Yes, the baby is a girl, and as the photos show, she's got some long legs! Here's the deal … only Maya can call me "grandpa." Good thing I have about a year or so to get used to the idea before she starts talking …
Training … 8 weeks to go!
This week's training began with a 10-miler on Monday; a day off (and laundry day!) on Tuesday; 8x800s on the track at between 3 minutes, 19 seconds to 3:32 each, plus a total of 3 miles warm up and cool down on Wednesday; weights and core work on Thursday; 10 to 12 miles early Friday; church camp Friday-Sunday in Oceanside (yay!); and for sure, an easy 8-miler on Sunday when I get home from camp.
Next week
Monday: easy 10 miles
Tuesday and Thursday: weights and core work at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center at Cal State San Bernardino
Wednesday: 8-10 mile tempo run at about my 10K pace
Friday: really easy 8 miles
Saturday: 20-21 miler at Bolsa Chica State Beach with GK
Sunday: Rest day (for sure!)
The fun part about training for the Chicago Marathon is that I'm coming in to training cycle in shape rather than working to get in shape. Much of that comes from having been consistent with training for the past two years, beginning with the build up to Long Beach International Bank Half Marathon in 2006. In other words, I'm not starting from zero as I have with marathons prior to the summer of 2006.
For that reason, I've been able to run two 20-milers in training two weeks apart and really early in the training cycle, which will allow me two more workouts at that distance (along with a couple 18- and 16-milers in between). I used to dread those really long runs, but now, because I'm actually out there with a group that has water stations along the route, with people providing encouragement, it's been so much easier this time around. Even better is that we all share the same goal: to run a marathon or half marathon as a way to help the poor in the Philippines.
And it helped that Liane, who's been coordinating things for our GK run group with our coach, Gregg, had these really great pastries from Portos after last Saturday's 20-miler. (Yes, do click on the link!)
Long runs serve many purposes in marathon training. Among them is to get the body used to being out there and moving for a long time. Another is that it serves as sort of a dress rehearsal for race day by addressing a bunch of questions: how will I react to running a certain pace; can I go out at a certain pace and run the last half slightly faster; how does my body tolerate heat or cold or wind or rain; can I handle the race day sports drink; what will my refueling strategy be; will a certain pair of shorts or socks cause chafing or blisters? As one of my fellow coaches with Team in Training liked to say, the long run days help you prepare for things that can go wrong on race day. Kind of like a really long problem-solving session.
It's also a time for meditation for me. With my senior pastor on vacation this month, and me filling in for him, I've had the opportunity to teach from the Book of Jonah. Last Sunday, we were going over the third chapter of that book, and the long run the day before helped me frame the message. Mostly, during the run, Chris Tomlin's updated version of "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" kept going through my head because that was the main thrust of Jonah 3. It also helped me decide that we'd sing that song as a congregation, too.
Here's how it sounds when Chris Tomlin sings it:
Even though it's possible that I'll be running along the beach trail with a bunch of other people, there comes a point where you kind of go on auto pilot and just empty yourself before the Lord in prayer and worship. It's those times that He speaks to me in His still, small voice, to guide me through a particular problem, to help me make sense of a Scripture passage, to help me heal from whatever hurt I might be carrying, to reset my priorities, to just revel in the idea that I can run as far as I can, further than I would ever have dreamed of when I was a little kid wheezing from asthma.
It's no wonder that Ryan Hall, the Olympic marathoner, calls the roads his sanctuary.
And while running can seem like a pretty shallow, self-centered thing to do, I also think that God shows us (if we are paying attention) how we can turn it into something that brings Him glory as we help others.
Check out this video from Ryan and his friend, Josh Cox:
So, in a way, even though I haven't been entrusted with running talent to the level of Ryan Hall, I've still been given that same talent, just a little less (OK, a lot less). And it's up to me to be faithful with what I have been given, to use it to where it can do the most good - not to hoard it for myself, or to run for my own glory, or to bury it in the ground by sitting on a couch watching TV all day, but to glorify God by using it to find a way to help others.
And that's how Gawad Kalinga falls into all of this. I know, I am repeating myself, but I have to remind me, and some of you as well, that even if we don't have much, we can still help the less fortunate. God provides us with enough to do so, I believe. A lot of times, we just need to be still and listen for His voice as He directs us.
The goal remains to raise $2,300 to build at least one home for a family in the Philippines (see the last blog entry for vids from GK as well as a mission trip I went on in January). As of today, we're at $620. That's great, and I thank all those who have already donated to the cause.
And I'm praying everyone else will be listening to God's still, small voice for His direction as well.
To give online, please click here. The advantage of giving online is that your donation is instant, and Active.com will e-mail you a receipt with GK's tax ID number for your records.
However, if you can only give by check, please leave e-mail me at alan.llavore@gmail.com, and I will send you info on how you can give that way.
And don't forget ... please pass along the link to the blog and the fund-raising page to friends and family ...
Until next time … enjoy the vids and the pix of my granddaughter, Maya.
God bless you all!
Alan
P.S. In a previous blog, I mentioned that one way to raise money to donate is to collect those water and soda bottles that you may not be taking back to the recycling center to collect your CRV. I did that for two weeks, and now my car trunk, a box in the garage and a bag in the kitchen are nearly full. I guess I'll be heading over to the recycling center in a few days!
P.P.S. Again I ask, where the heck are the guys' donations and the guys' comments on the blog? Just wondering ... yeah, and callin' y'all out, too ...
Deena Kastor interview before the Olympic marathon. Hopefully this will give you and idea of what it takes to run at a world-class level.
Deena Kastor interview the day after the Olympic marathon, when she had to drop out after 3 miles when she suffered a broken foot.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Week 6 of 16: Audio visual aids
Rather than being verbose this week, I thought I would post a couple of videos that (I hope) explains why I do what I do.
First up, a YouTube vid on Gawad Kalinga:
This vid was put together by Earle Zulueta, who was one of the members of the missions team to Antipolo, Philippines, with my church in January 2008. The trip left lasting impressions on all of us. The title shot may look familiar to a lot of you ... :-)
OK ... with the Summer Olympics well underway in Beijing, here are a couple of vids by Josh Cox on U.S. Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall ... I include these because of something he said in an interview on RunnersWorld.com: "I have found that when I am running for myself, it is easy to throw in the towel when things get tough but, when I am running for others, I don't allow myself to give anything less than my best."
OK, so why am I doing this again?
It bears repeating ... if only to remind me that this is much bigger than just running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Oct. 12.
The theme the GK Heroes running (and cycling) are using this year is "LOVE the Poor." The word LOVE is actually an acronym for Lead Others ... be Voices to Empower the Poor. Augustine of Hippo wrote hundreds of years ago: "What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like."
It's a tangible, deeper love that see injustice and seeks to correct it, that encourages people to better themselves, shows them how to do that, and in turn, to be a blessing to others.
So, while the goal is to raise $2,300 to build a home for a family in the Philippines, the long-term goal is to build communities that are self-sustaining and eventually contribute to the fabric of the nation (gawad kalinga = to build a nation).
If you haven't already (and thank you so much to those of you who already have given), please visit my fundraising page for Gawad Kalinga by clicking here. Also, please forward the link of that page and this blog to others you know so that they will have the opportunity to help, too. Spread the blessing that the Lord has given you by being a blessing to others.
On the training calendar this coming week
Last week's brief recap: took a couple days off, which were easy days on the calendar, so nothing lost, and much gained by way of recovery. Fun on the track last Wednesday, where I did six 800 meter (about a half mile) repeats at my 10K pace minus 50 seconds ... haven't had that much fun in a workout since ... since ... whoa, since high school! :-)
Monday: 8 miles easy
Tuesday and Thursday: Cross training at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center at Cal State San Bernardino
Wednesday: 10-mile tempo run, 2-mile warm-up with 6 miles at slightly faster than planned marathon pace, 2-mile warm down
Friday: 8 miles really easy
Saturday: 20 miles at Bolsa Chica Beach with GK
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Week 5 of 16: A fire, an earthquake, a new PowerBar favorite ... and a 20-mile run
I don't know if interesting is quite the word to describe the last week ... so I guess I might let it describe itself ...
As mentioned in the previous posting, my neighbors and I had to evacuate our apartments early last Sunday (July 27) when one of the units upstairs caught fire. Apparently electrical in origin, the firefighters were able to confine the smoldering flames to an interior wall, as opposed to a common wall the unit shared with another unit. There was one anxious moment (for me, at least) when smoke drifted above the roof line. At that point, I was thankful for renter's insurance ... and began the mental preparation to call the insurance agent as soon as it was all over. But it never got to that point (a big praise to God for that one), and Taylor (my prized Taylor 410ce acoustic guitar) and me were back home after about an hour. The smoky aroma hung around for a couple days, but Febreeze (citrus scent) is a wonderful thing. My apartment smells like an orange grove.
Thursday was the 5.4 magnitude quake that was centered near Chino Hills, which is not too far from here. I was at work, in my office, at Cal State San Bernardino. Initially, I thought the banging was someone on the roof (we've had workers up there doing whatever they do up there) ... then when the ground started rolling, I kind of sat there, looking out to Theo, our student graphics assistant, and wondering how dorky I would look if I ducked under my desk. By then the shaking stopped, and I walked out into the main office, where Sid, my boss had put on his hard hat that is part of our emergency gear (like an idiot, I left mine in my garage at home). Like a lot of people, I learned later, I contributed to overloading AT&T Wireless' network by sending out text messages to check on friends. Thankfully everyone was OK. As for me, the emergency work gear is going back in my car trunk, and I'm going restock my earthquake survival kit ... the last time that was done was shortly after 9-11.
A special treat came in the mail. Not a plug, but I've been using PowerBar products since 1991, when I was heavy into cycling. As a coach for Team In Training, I was offered the chance to join PowerBar Team Elite, which allowed me to get PowerBar products at a deep discount, plus some really cool swag. Even though I'm no long part of the PowerBar program, I still use their products, and I was really curious about some new flavors they have that supposedly are like fruit smoothies. So I ordered a box of assorted flavors: berry blast, tangy tropical and creamy citrus. Of the three, berry blast has become my new favorite, with the "traditional" wild berry now second. I guess it's kind of like having Jamba Juice without the brain freeze and the fear of it melting all over you.
Training during the week remained consistent. As I told a couple friends who asked how it was going, I haven't trained this consistently since high school cross country (my senior season in track was spent on the sideline with a bad hamstring injury). The highlight workout of the week was a 20-miler along the beach with the GK Hero's Run team, from Sunset Beach down to Newport Beach and back. It was overcast and cool, and except for a slight stomach problem (I am so thankful for restrooms every half mile or so in Huntington Beach), it was my fastest 20 miler in training. The last couple miles were pretty hard, though, I just kept telling myself this wasn't just for me, but for a family back in the Philippines who will soon move into a new home once we (yes, you guys, too!) raise $2,300 to build it for them. A friend remarked the other day that I looked really fit (I think it was the tan and the buzz haircut I'm sporting for the summer), but it is nice to know that the fitness is showing up in the workouts. I'm just praying that I'm training smart enough that the best run will be in Chicago on Oct. 12, and not in training.
The funny part was after I was done, and while I was walking around trying to wash the lactic acid out of my tired legs, I mentioned to one of the GK support crew that I really wanted to just sit on a block of ice. So she went and filled a plastic grocery bag with ice, which I thankfully placed on my quads, then hamstrings, calves and feet. It made the ride back to the Inland Empire (about a hour) much, much more bearable.
Just for fun, check this out. It's from Josh Cox, an elite-level marathoner, fellow San Diegan and a brother in the Lord. This was filmed while Josh was up in Mammoth in 2007 training with Meb Keflezighi (2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon and a fellow San Diegan) and Dan Browne (member of the 2004 USA Olympic marathon team). All three were training to qualify for the 2008 USA Olympic marathon team at the trials back on Nov. 3, 2007 :
OK, so why am I doing this again?
It bears repeating ... if only to remind me that this is much bigger than just running the Bank of American Chicago Marathon on Oct. 12.
This week's training schedule:
Monday: 8 miles
Tuesday and Thursday: cross training at Cal State San Bernardino's Student Recreation and Fitness Center
Wednesday: 6x800 meter (about a half mile) at 3:30 to 3:45 each, with about a 3 minute recovery jog between each one
Friday: 16 miles
Saturday: 8 miles
Sunday: 8 miles or rest
And finally ...
So far those who have donated (save one) and commented on the blog have been women. Which is great, I have no problem with that. But the observation is this: Where are the males of the species?
Just wondering ...
As mentioned in the previous posting, my neighbors and I had to evacuate our apartments early last Sunday (July 27) when one of the units upstairs caught fire. Apparently electrical in origin, the firefighters were able to confine the smoldering flames to an interior wall, as opposed to a common wall the unit shared with another unit. There was one anxious moment (for me, at least) when smoke drifted above the roof line. At that point, I was thankful for renter's insurance ... and began the mental preparation to call the insurance agent as soon as it was all over. But it never got to that point (a big praise to God for that one), and Taylor (my prized Taylor 410ce acoustic guitar) and me were back home after about an hour. The smoky aroma hung around for a couple days, but Febreeze (citrus scent) is a wonderful thing. My apartment smells like an orange grove.
Thursday was the 5.4 magnitude quake that was centered near Chino Hills, which is not too far from here. I was at work, in my office, at Cal State San Bernardino. Initially, I thought the banging was someone on the roof (we've had workers up there doing whatever they do up there) ... then when the ground started rolling, I kind of sat there, looking out to Theo, our student graphics assistant, and wondering how dorky I would look if I ducked under my desk. By then the shaking stopped, and I walked out into the main office, where Sid, my boss had put on his hard hat that is part of our emergency gear (like an idiot, I left mine in my garage at home). Like a lot of people, I learned later, I contributed to overloading AT&T Wireless' network by sending out text messages to check on friends. Thankfully everyone was OK. As for me, the emergency work gear is going back in my car trunk, and I'm going restock my earthquake survival kit ... the last time that was done was shortly after 9-11.
A special treat came in the mail. Not a plug, but I've been using PowerBar products since 1991, when I was heavy into cycling. As a coach for Team In Training, I was offered the chance to join PowerBar Team Elite, which allowed me to get PowerBar products at a deep discount, plus some really cool swag. Even though I'm no long part of the PowerBar program, I still use their products, and I was really curious about some new flavors they have that supposedly are like fruit smoothies. So I ordered a box of assorted flavors: berry blast, tangy tropical and creamy citrus. Of the three, berry blast has become my new favorite, with the "traditional" wild berry now second. I guess it's kind of like having Jamba Juice without the brain freeze and the fear of it melting all over you.
Training during the week remained consistent. As I told a couple friends who asked how it was going, I haven't trained this consistently since high school cross country (my senior season in track was spent on the sideline with a bad hamstring injury). The highlight workout of the week was a 20-miler along the beach with the GK Hero's Run team, from Sunset Beach down to Newport Beach and back. It was overcast and cool, and except for a slight stomach problem (I am so thankful for restrooms every half mile or so in Huntington Beach), it was my fastest 20 miler in training. The last couple miles were pretty hard, though, I just kept telling myself this wasn't just for me, but for a family back in the Philippines who will soon move into a new home once we (yes, you guys, too!) raise $2,300 to build it for them. A friend remarked the other day that I looked really fit (I think it was the tan and the buzz haircut I'm sporting for the summer), but it is nice to know that the fitness is showing up in the workouts. I'm just praying that I'm training smart enough that the best run will be in Chicago on Oct. 12, and not in training.
The funny part was after I was done, and while I was walking around trying to wash the lactic acid out of my tired legs, I mentioned to one of the GK support crew that I really wanted to just sit on a block of ice. So she went and filled a plastic grocery bag with ice, which I thankfully placed on my quads, then hamstrings, calves and feet. It made the ride back to the Inland Empire (about a hour) much, much more bearable.
Just for fun, check this out. It's from Josh Cox, an elite-level marathoner, fellow San Diegan and a brother in the Lord. This was filmed while Josh was up in Mammoth in 2007 training with Meb Keflezighi (2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon and a fellow San Diegan) and Dan Browne (member of the 2004 USA Olympic marathon team). All three were training to qualify for the 2008 USA Olympic marathon team at the trials back on Nov. 3, 2007 :
OK, so why am I doing this again?
It bears repeating ... if only to remind me that this is much bigger than just running the Bank of American Chicago Marathon on Oct. 12.
The theme the GK Heroes running (and cycling) are using this year is "LOVE the Poor." The word LOVE is actually an acronym for Lead Others ... be Voices to Empower the Poor. Augustine of Hippo wrote hundreds of years ago: "What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like."
It's a tangible, deeper love that see injustice and seeks to correct it, that encourages people to better themselves, shows them how to do that, and in turn, to be a blessing to others.
So, while the goal is to raise $2,300 to build a home for a family in the Philippines, the long-term goal is to build communities that are self-sustaining and eventually contribute to the fabric of the nation (gawad kalinga = to build a nation).
If you haven't already (and thank you so much to those of you who already have given), please visit my fundraising page for Gawad Kalinga by clicking here. Also, please forward the link of that page and this blog to others you know so that they will have the opportunity to help, too. Spread the blessing that the Lord has given you by being a blessing to others.
And if you think that a small amount is too small to give ... well, there is no such thing ... But if you still feel that way, let me suggest this: Recruit family, friends, co-workers and collectively raise money for the cause. Think of all the water and soda you drink during the course of the week and CRV that goes unclaimed by you when you toss the plastic bottle (hopefully in the blue recycling bin). Why not collect that over, say, a couple weeks, get the CRV and then donate that to Gawad Kalinga? Get a two-for-one in the process ... help the environment and help a family with a new home.
Monday: 8 miles
Tuesday and Thursday: cross training at Cal State San Bernardino's Student Recreation and Fitness Center
Wednesday: 6x800 meter (about a half mile) at 3:30 to 3:45 each, with about a 3 minute recovery jog between each one
Friday: 16 miles
Saturday: 8 miles
Sunday: 8 miles or rest
And finally ...
So far those who have donated (save one) and commented on the blog have been women. Which is great, I have no problem with that. But the observation is this: Where are the males of the species?
Just wondering ...
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Weeks 3 and 4 of 16: Learning about sacrifices, pt. 2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
Yes, it's been a while ... even though the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be my eighth, I've never trained for a fall marathon. While I've done fall half marathons, the training is not as intense, and I can usually let the heat of summer pass before really cranking up the miles. And while I knew what to expect training-wise in preparing for Chicago ... well, knowing what to expect and actually experiencing it are two different things. Training through the heat in the Inland Empire, even though I run in the early morning on weekends or evenings after work, is still pretty hot. It may not be smoggy Beijing hot, but IE smoggy hot isn't exactly training in an air conditioned gym. Add to that the occasional monsoonal humidity, it can be really draining.
So I'd get home, shower, stretch, eat then sit in front of the computer to write ... and ... nothing ... a couple times I dozed off, which is kind of unusual for me, because other times of the year, I'm a little amped up from the workout and it takes me a while to wind down.
So, what's this got to do with sacrifice?
Well, like it says in the letter to the Hebrews quoted above, there is the idea of Jesus giving up His comfort, His throne in heaven, His human life, to go to the cross and redeem all of mankind from sin. Not to be preachy, but that's the core idea of sacrifice. He gave up something in order to have something greater happen. It's not just giving up something ... that's called abstinence, or even just giving it up. But it's giving up something near and dear to you and knowing that, at some point, something good will come of it that not only benefits you (though it may not, at least not directly), but benefits someone other than you.
That particular verse came to me in the late miles of the LA Marathon in 2006 for Team In Training. TNT raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society It was the first marathon I ran after my Dad's death, and while I knew what to expect, I had forgotten the specific feeling of the experience. And I was feeling a lot of hurt at that point. For some reason, the phrase "for the joy set before Him endured the cross" kept coming to mind. At about mile 22 or 23, I saw the Jose family, who attend my church. Joseph Jose was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease, a blood cancer, back in 2003. But three years later, and cancer free, he stood with his family to cheer for me. And I was reminded in a very tangible way that it was for Joseph, and everyone else suffering from a blood-related cancer, that I was running a marathon. Granted, whatever pain I felt then, and feel during training now, and will feel in Chicago on Oct. 12, is nothing compared to, say, undergoing chemotherapy or living in poverty in the Philippines -- and it's definitely NOT going to the cross bearing the weight of all mankind's sin.
But the idea, the, (ahem, CICF congregation take note) application of that passage to my daily life is to set aside my comfort for the joy of knowing, that somehow, someone will benefit from what I am doing now by training with Gawad Kalinga. I know I sound like a broken record, but I have to keep reminding myself that running Chicago just isn't for me, that training just isn't a way to stay in shape (and keep people thinking I'm much, much younger than I really am) -- that there is something much greater at stake here. Not to be melodramatic, but the idea of focusing attention on poverty, specifically poverty in the Philippines, and also do something about it, and to recruit you all to also help in a small way, reminds me that there are things much bigger than my momentary tiredness or pain from training.
The theme the GK Heroes running (and cycling) are using this year is "LOVE the Poor." The word LOVE is actually an acronym for Lead Others ... be Voices to Empower the Poor. I like how Augustine of Hippo put it hundreds of years ago: "What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like."
It's a tangible, deeper love that see injustice and seeks to correct it, that encourages people to better themselves, shows them how to do that, and in turn, to be a blessing to others.
So, while the goal is to raise $2,300 to build a home for a family in the Philippines, the long-term goal is to build communities that are self-sustaining and eventually contribute to the fabric of the nation (gawad kalinga = to build a nation).
If you haven't already (and thank you so much to those of you who already have given), please visit my fundraising page for Gawad Kalinga by clicking here. Also, please forward the link of that page and this blog to others you know so that they will have the opportunity to help, too. Spread the blessing that the Lord has given you by being a blessing to others.
And if you think that a small amount is too small to give ... well, there is no such thing ... But if you still feel that way, let me suggest this: Recruit family, friends, co-workers and collectively raise money for the cause. Think of all the water and soda you drink during the course of the week and CRV that goes unclaimed by you when you toss the plastic bottle (hopefully in the blue recycling bin). Why not collect that over, say, a couple weeks, get the CRV and then donate that to Gawad Kalinga? Get a two-for-one in the process ... help the environment and help a family with a new home.
Breaking news ...
Some excitement this morning (Sunday, July 27) ... There was this annoying smell of smoke coming from outside my apartment at about 7:30 a.m. But I just figured it was coming from the park across the way. I had been up for an hour or so, and was getting ready to do some core exercises when there was frantic knocking on my door. Turned out that it was a police officer who was evacuating everyone in my building because an upstairs unit was on fire.
Funny, along with grabbing my phone, I grabbed Taylor, my guitar (it's a Taylor 410ce ... those of you who know me well I think understand ... those of you who don't, yes, it's OK to laugh). Turns out the fire was in a wall in the apartment above and across from my unit. While smokey, the firefighters were able to contain it to that unit. I think the last of us were finally allowed to re-enter our apartments after about 90 minutes or so (I was allowed in after about an hour).
So along with thanking the firefighters, I'm also praising God that it wasn't any worse than it was.
The training calendar
Week 3 was pretty intense in that the week ended with an 18-mile run in the heat and humidity. That was fun ... not. But it's all good, since the weather in Chicago isn't exactly predictable. So preparing in the heat actually is a good thing.
Week 4 was a recovery week: The mileage dropped, and the workouts are not as intense, which allows the body to recovery and get stronger. Endurance athletes call it "absorbing the training."
Week 5 plan:
Monday -- 8 mile easy run
Tuesday and Thursday -- cross train at Cal State San Bernardino
Wednesday -- 8-mile tempo run (steady run at near marathon pace after 2-mile warm-up)
Friday -- easy 8 mile run
Saturday -- 18-20-mile run at Bolsa Chica State Beach with GK Heroes
Sunday -- rest
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Week 2 of 16: Learning about sacrifices, part 1
sacrifice
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin sacrificium, from sacr-, sacer + facere to make …
Date: 13th century
1: an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially : the killing of a victim on an altar
2: something offered in sacrifice
3 a: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else
b: something given up or lost (the sacrifices made by parents)
4: loss (goods sold at a sacrifice)
5: sacrifice hit
Source: Merriam-Webster.com
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”
Paul, writing to the believers in Rome (Romans 12:1, NIV translation)
Been thinking about sacrifices a lot lately. Don’t know why specifically, but it’s making me take stock in a lot of stuff I do. I mean, on the door of my ‘fridge is a reminder of the verse from Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, of how every day – for a follower of Jesus – should be a sacrifice to God in light of his perfect mercy, grace and love.
So, running on Saturday along the trail from Sunset Beach to Huntington Beach, and again on Monday in the evening heat and humidity, I got to thinking about it even more deeply. And I was reminded of the definition out of Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, specifically giving something up, or surrendering something, for the sake of something else.
I guess training for a marathon is that: giving up something for the sake of something else. I mean, this being an Olympic year, we see gifted athletes on one of sports’ biggest stages. But I wonder how many of us, in our cheering (and, at least for me, our embarrassing unabashed nationalism, which the Olympics are supposed to transcend … yeah, count me among the guilty) really know of the sacrifices they make to get to that one moment of competition on a world stage.
Having been a runner from high school onward, it used to be that I could take a week off, then go on a run and be ready for a race. Granted, the races were relatively short – 3 miles usually. Now that I run in marathons, well, let’s just say that if you wake up one day and decide to enter a 26.2-mile race (or 42 kilometers … a marathon is ALWAYS that distance) the very next weekend, you could probably do it … but you’d probably maim yourself in the process. Seriously.
To really complete a marathon (again a marathon is ALWAYS 26.2 miles or 42 kilometers, NO LESS and NO MORE … sorry it’s a pet peeve) you have to train, which is another word for sacrifice. Depending on your fitness, it could be as little as 16 weeks (if you have a solid running background to start) or as long as at least a year (for someone starting from, say, couch potato).
Training for marathons trains me to make life decisions, from the mundane ones (hmmm, do I get brand-name or store brand?) to the major ones (do I forego getting a car this year to pay down more bills first?). It helps me to put things in the proper priority, to make the most of what God has given to me, and to find ways to use those things to help people around me.
The training calendar this week
Wednesday: Track workout. 1-mile warm-up; 2 x 1 mile at 7 minute pace, with full recovery between repeats; maybe a half mile at 3:30 to 3:20 pace, depending on the heat; 1-mile warm down ... actually did a quarter (one lap) at 90 seconds, then a mile at 6:50, the second at 7:12, and the half at 3:33 ... not a great workout, because differential between the two mile repeats was too big (the idea is to run them evenly), but I got it in and done.
Thursday: Cross training at Cal State San Bernardino
Friday: 16 miler in the a.m., try for a negative split (go out slow, come back a little faster, hopefully the last 5 miles at my planned marathon pace)
Saturday: 6 miles easy with GK
Sunday: 8 miles easy or rest (and do the run on Monday)
And why am I doing this again???
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin sacrificium, from sacr-, sacer + facere to make …
Date: 13th century
1: an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially : the killing of a victim on an altar
2: something offered in sacrifice
3 a: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else
b: something given up or lost (the sacrifices made by parents)
4: loss (goods sold at a sacrifice)
5: sacrifice hit
Source: Merriam-Webster.com
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”
Paul, writing to the believers in Rome (Romans 12:1, NIV translation)
Been thinking about sacrifices a lot lately. Don’t know why specifically, but it’s making me take stock in a lot of stuff I do. I mean, on the door of my ‘fridge is a reminder of the verse from Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, of how every day – for a follower of Jesus – should be a sacrifice to God in light of his perfect mercy, grace and love.
So, running on Saturday along the trail from Sunset Beach to Huntington Beach, and again on Monday in the evening heat and humidity, I got to thinking about it even more deeply. And I was reminded of the definition out of Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, specifically giving something up, or surrendering something, for the sake of something else.
I guess training for a marathon is that: giving up something for the sake of something else. I mean, this being an Olympic year, we see gifted athletes on one of sports’ biggest stages. But I wonder how many of us, in our cheering (and, at least for me, our embarrassing unabashed nationalism, which the Olympics are supposed to transcend … yeah, count me among the guilty) really know of the sacrifices they make to get to that one moment of competition on a world stage.
Having been a runner from high school onward, it used to be that I could take a week off, then go on a run and be ready for a race. Granted, the races were relatively short – 3 miles usually. Now that I run in marathons, well, let’s just say that if you wake up one day and decide to enter a 26.2-mile race (or 42 kilometers … a marathon is ALWAYS that distance) the very next weekend, you could probably do it … but you’d probably maim yourself in the process. Seriously.
To really complete a marathon (again a marathon is ALWAYS 26.2 miles or 42 kilometers, NO LESS and NO MORE … sorry it’s a pet peeve) you have to train, which is another word for sacrifice. Depending on your fitness, it could be as little as 16 weeks (if you have a solid running background to start) or as long as at least a year (for someone starting from, say, couch potato).
And to train that long means making sacrifices along the way, such as:
- Not staying up late to watch “Nightline,” or Jay Leno or David Letterman because you need to wake up at 3:30 a.m. the next morning to beat the heat and get a 2- or 3-hour run on the books;
- Giving up Krispy Kreme for 16 weeks because you know that it just slows you down;
- Not hanging out with friends like you used to because you have evening workouts planned;
- Not eating out very much or buying a bunch of songs off iTunes because you have to save up for a new pair of running shoes two months from your marathon.
Training for marathons trains me to make life decisions, from the mundane ones (hmmm, do I get brand-name or store brand?) to the major ones (do I forego getting a car this year to pay down more bills first?). It helps me to put things in the proper priority, to make the most of what God has given to me, and to find ways to use those things to help people around me.
The training calendar this week
Monday: 7 miler in the humid evening heat
Tuesday: Cross training at Cal State San Bernardino
Wednesday: Track workout. 1-mile warm-up; 2 x 1 mile at 7 minute pace, with full recovery between repeats; maybe a half mile at 3:30 to 3:20 pace, depending on the heat; 1-mile warm down ... actually did a quarter (one lap) at 90 seconds, then a mile at 6:50, the second at 7:12, and the half at 3:33 ... not a great workout, because differential between the two mile repeats was too big (the idea is to run them evenly), but I got it in and done.
Thursday: Cross training at Cal State San Bernardino
Friday: 16 miler in the a.m., try for a negative split (go out slow, come back a little faster, hopefully the last 5 miles at my planned marathon pace)
Saturday: 6 miles easy with GK
Sunday: 8 miles easy or rest (and do the run on Monday)
And why am I doing this again???
The theme the GK Heroes running (and cycling) are using this year is "LOVE the Poor." The word LOVE is actually an acronym for Lead Others ... be Voices to Empower the Poor. So it's not a "touchy-feely, wimpy" kind of love people sing about, but a tangible, deeper love that encourages people to better themselves, shows them how to do that, and in turn, to be a blessing to others.
So, while the goal is to raise $2,300 to build a home for a family in the Philippines, the long-term goal is to build communities that are self-sustaining and eventually contribute to the fabric of the nation (gawad kalinga = to build a nation).
As I train (and contribute what funds I can), I'm also asking you to consider helping (maybe sacrificing as well) with the cause.
To donate, visit my fundraising page by clicking here. It's a secure server, and the donation goes directly to GK's account.
If you're not one to give online, then please e-mail me at alanincali@verizon.net, and I'll get you details on how to donate that way.
And, again a huge thank you to those who have already given ...
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Countdown to Chicago -- Week 1 of 16, and the training calendar takes over
First off: A heartfelt thank you to those of you who have already donated to the cause, to raise at least $2,300 to build one home for a family in the Philippines through Gawad Kalinga. If you haven't already, please consider doing so, or consider getting with friends, family and co-workers to collectively make a contribution. Click here for more info, or look under my links at the right of this page.
Thanks in advance!
As of yesterday, July 1, it's been 30 days since the Rock n' Roll Marathon in San Diego and my 4 hour, 6 minute, 28 second personal record for 26.2 miles. It's still on my running watch, or rather, was, until today, when I cleared off all the saved mile splits.
And as of Monday, recovery time is over, and the ramping up toward the Bank of America Chicago Marathon began. That's the thing about getting ready for an event like a marathon -- there is such a long build up that it's easy to get distracted. The event is too far away, yet, the date will arrive way too quickly.
Enter the training calendar. Talk to most people who are getting ready for something like this, from Olympian on down to a recreational runner like me, and they'll tell you that you have to be able to manage your time. If it gets away from you, that's time for training (or whatever else you may have planned) that you'll never get back. I don't mean that you have to be so regimented that you can't be flexible, because life does happen, and life is mostly unexpected.
But, as I read somewhere recently, it's better to plan your priorities and get them taken care of first as best as you are able so that you can meet the challenges of those unexpected events.
That's what the training calendar helps me do. It's like a coach in that it lays out what to do and when to do it workout-wise. And I like what 400 meter runner and Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner says, "Have a plan."
By following that plan, and modifying it as needed as my fitness allows me to (I can either adust it if things are going to0 easy or too hard), I'll get to race day knowing I have a lot of training in my legs that will carry me the distance. My first and second marathons, I had no idea if the training I did would work. By this one, my eighth, I think I have a fairly good idea when to push and back off, and have committed that to the training calendar.
Of course if it just stays on paper, it's worthless, so a fair amount of self-discipline is needed. For me, the source of that discipline comes in various ways. One is the desire to do as well as I can on event day. The other is that I'm not just doing this for me, but for a family -- for a community, really -- in the Philippines that will benefit from what you and I are donating in terms of our treasure through ANCOP Foundation USA.
And finally, and most importantly, it's this: God has allowed me to run as far as I can, and if you knew how sickly I was as a child, not to mention that I also was a little bowling ball of a kid until sixth grade, well, it's a blessing I really want to use to praise Him and thank Him for bringing me through all that. The fact that I can also use this to try to help others inspires me to stay true to the task.
So what's the calendar look like this week?
Monday: Easy 6 mile run or rest (did 7 miles, because I didn't run Sunday, and did 8 on Saturday instead of 5 miles)
Tuesday: Cross train at the fitness center at Cal State San Bernardino
Wednesday: Tempo run on the bike trail in Rancho Cucamonga, 2 miles easy, 4 miles at or near planned marathon pace, 2 miles easy for a total of 8 miles (it was hot, but I rode a tailwind for the middle 4 miles to push the pace ... whew!)
Thursday: Cross train at the fitness center at Cal State San Bernardino
Friday: A 10K (6.2 miles) race in La Palma (near Knotts Berry Farm), just to see where I am fitness-wise. The race entry said "flat and fast" ... we'll see ... Update at 11 a.m. Friday, July 4 ... Yeah, that 10K in La Palma was flat and fast ... ran it in 48:38, which comes out to a 7:50/mile pace ... a lot faster than I thought I could go for that distance ... God is good! ... Later thoughts @ 6:30 p.m. ... according to Coach Greg McMillan's calculator, that means I could, with smart and good training, run a 3 hour, 48 minute marathon ... Hmmmmm ....
Saturday: Easy 12 miler at Bolsa Chica State Beach with the GK Heroes team
Sunday: Easy 8 miles (or rest, which means I would run on Monday)
Week 1 is well underway ... Chicago, here I come ...
Friday, June 27, 2008
4/40 Weeks ...
This just in ...
The fund-raising Web site at active.com is now up, so you can donate to the cause online on a secure server. You can access it by clicking here. I know it says "Long Beach" on the URL - most of the heroes are running in Long Beach - but I'll be running Chicago. If you'd rather write a check, let me know in the comments section below, and I'll get you the details.
Thanks in advance!
Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog entry ...
There are a lot of great things about working at Cal State San Bernardino, where I'm part of the staff in the Office of Public Affairs. And if you're training for a marathon, two of them standout: 1) a 4-40 schedule and 2) the Student Recreation and Fitness Center.
Let me take those benefits in reverse, starting with the rec center.
So after Wednesday's fun on the track (really, I haven't run mile splits like that since high school), the training calendar called for a session in the rec center. The idea is to do something - since the body is used to some kind of activity - that isn't running. But since the legs do all the work most of the time, the idea is to balance the rest of the body. Also, a stronger upper body - and core - go a long way in helping make a runner more efficient, especially for something like a marathon.
Umm ... OK, and looking a little buffed for the race day photos is one of those nice little benefits, too ...
ANYWAY ... So the routine is a warm-up on the rowing machine; leg presses (leg extensions and hamstring curls to be added after next week); upper torso work starting with the back then moving to the chest; then shoulders and arms; finishing up with core exercises (crunches on a stability ball and plank and side planks); and some stretching.
The calendar calls for that on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Funny how I refer to the calendar as an authoritative entity, but that'll be another blog topic for later.)
When I trained for the 2007 Rock n' Roll Marathon last June, I had a couple months of those workouts in the bank, and I have to think they played a large part in taking my marathon time down from 4 hours, 33 minutes to 4:09 - a 24-minute drop! This year, I didn't do any weight work leading up to the 2008 Rock n' Roll, and while it was still a PR (personal record), I was only able to get it down to 4:06. (The goal is to get under 4 hours; the big goal is to run a Boston qualifying time, which for my age group is 3:30.)
So we'll see how much this aids me in Chicago in October.
Every summer, the university goes on a 4-40 schedule: we work 10-hour days Monday-Thursday, and get Friday off. The reason is to conserve energy; a large portion of the campus is shut down - less lights, less A/C used.
That also gives me a chance to add an extra morning run, in addition to Saturday and Sunday (sleeping in is over-rated; however, afternoon naps are not). This morning, a little more than 15 miles through Upland and into Claremont, with three hill climbs of a quarter-mile, half-mile and a mile going out to the turnaround point. It was great, cool, and pleasantly breezy at the right time. I took me 2 hours, 21 minutes, and felt really easy. The main point on these long runs isn't to hammer them by going fast, but to train the body to adapt to moving for certain amounts of time. But if you go too slow, you also miss out on the training benefit. The trick is to find that pace that's easy enough to cruise through a run, but just fast enough to get stronger aerobically.
The calendar says this weekend will be 5 miles on Saturday in La Mirada with the GK Hero's Run team (a nice recovery run after a long run) and 8 miles on Sunday. That will give me 40 miles for the week, including a real easy 6 miles I did on Monday.
Yet more breaking news ...
Talked to my lovely daughter, Christine, yesterday. After the cordial, "Hi Dad ... I tried calling you three times but all I got was a busy signal," she said, "Well ... I have some news for you."
Me: "Oh?"
Christine: "You're going to be a grandfather."
Me on the other end, silently:
The fund-raising Web site at active.com is now up, so you can donate to the cause online on a secure server. You can access it by clicking here. I know it says "Long Beach" on the URL - most of the heroes are running in Long Beach - but I'll be running Chicago. If you'd rather write a check, let me know in the comments section below, and I'll get you the details.
Thanks in advance!
Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog entry ...
There are a lot of great things about working at Cal State San Bernardino, where I'm part of the staff in the Office of Public Affairs. And if you're training for a marathon, two of them standout: 1) a 4-40 schedule and 2) the Student Recreation and Fitness Center.
Let me take those benefits in reverse, starting with the rec center.
So after Wednesday's fun on the track (really, I haven't run mile splits like that since high school), the training calendar called for a session in the rec center. The idea is to do something - since the body is used to some kind of activity - that isn't running. But since the legs do all the work most of the time, the idea is to balance the rest of the body. Also, a stronger upper body - and core - go a long way in helping make a runner more efficient, especially for something like a marathon.
Umm ... OK, and looking a little buffed for the race day photos is one of those nice little benefits, too ...
ANYWAY ... So the routine is a warm-up on the rowing machine; leg presses (leg extensions and hamstring curls to be added after next week); upper torso work starting with the back then moving to the chest; then shoulders and arms; finishing up with core exercises (crunches on a stability ball and plank and side planks); and some stretching.
The calendar calls for that on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Funny how I refer to the calendar as an authoritative entity, but that'll be another blog topic for later.)
When I trained for the 2007 Rock n' Roll Marathon last June, I had a couple months of those workouts in the bank, and I have to think they played a large part in taking my marathon time down from 4 hours, 33 minutes to 4:09 - a 24-minute drop! This year, I didn't do any weight work leading up to the 2008 Rock n' Roll, and while it was still a PR (personal record), I was only able to get it down to 4:06. (The goal is to get under 4 hours; the big goal is to run a Boston qualifying time, which for my age group is 3:30.)
So we'll see how much this aids me in Chicago in October.
Every summer, the university goes on a 4-40 schedule: we work 10-hour days Monday-Thursday, and get Friday off. The reason is to conserve energy; a large portion of the campus is shut down - less lights, less A/C used.
That also gives me a chance to add an extra morning run, in addition to Saturday and Sunday (sleeping in is over-rated; however, afternoon naps are not). This morning, a little more than 15 miles through Upland and into Claremont, with three hill climbs of a quarter-mile, half-mile and a mile going out to the turnaround point. It was great, cool, and pleasantly breezy at the right time. I took me 2 hours, 21 minutes, and felt really easy. The main point on these long runs isn't to hammer them by going fast, but to train the body to adapt to moving for certain amounts of time. But if you go too slow, you also miss out on the training benefit. The trick is to find that pace that's easy enough to cruise through a run, but just fast enough to get stronger aerobically.
The calendar says this weekend will be 5 miles on Saturday in La Mirada with the GK Hero's Run team (a nice recovery run after a long run) and 8 miles on Sunday. That will give me 40 miles for the week, including a real easy 6 miles I did on Monday.
Yet more breaking news ...
Talked to my lovely daughter, Christine, yesterday. After the cordial, "Hi Dad ... I tried calling you three times but all I got was a busy signal," she said, "Well ... I have some news for you."
Me: "Oh?"
Christine: "You're going to be a grandfather."
Me on the other end, silently:
"YIKES!!!"
"WHOA!!!"
"NO WAY!!!"
Thankfully, I didn't do that out loud, but after getting over the shock (I mean, c'mon, I expected to be a grandfather at some point ... just not now) I gave the fatherly advice of making sure she and her fiance, Kevin, schedule the well-baby appointments (he's in the Navy, so that should be OK), and for the two of them to take care of themselves and to prepare for the arrival of the little on Dec. 31, the projected due date.
One thing about the past two days workouts is that it gave me the chance to process the news, to pray to the Lord on not only how to handle it, but seek direction on how to help Christine and Kevin most importantly. That's the happy couple, err ... future dad and mom, below ... and a pix of Christine and me, too.
So while they didn't wait until I was 60 make me a grandfather, I'm pretty much OK with it. Can't wait for December, actually.
But just don't call me grandpa ...
And finally ...
I thought I should add this, which I borrowed from The Final Sprint Web site:
"Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content."
Thankfully, I didn't do that out loud, but after getting over the shock (I mean, c'mon, I expected to be a grandfather at some point ... just not now) I gave the fatherly advice of making sure she and her fiance, Kevin, schedule the well-baby appointments (he's in the Navy, so that should be OK), and for the two of them to take care of themselves and to prepare for the arrival of the little on Dec. 31, the projected due date.
One thing about the past two days workouts is that it gave me the chance to process the news, to pray to the Lord on not only how to handle it, but seek direction on how to help Christine and Kevin most importantly. That's the happy couple, err ... future dad and mom, below ... and a pix of Christine and me, too.
So while they didn't wait until I was 60 make me a grandfather, I'm pretty much OK with it. Can't wait for December, actually.
But just don't call me grandpa ...
And finally ...
I thought I should add this, which I borrowed from The Final Sprint Web site:
"Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content."
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Here we go ...
OK, so this is the first of many entries as I train for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon (gotta get the sponsor in there) on Oct. 12. And, actually today, Wednesday, June 23, is the first hard workout on the training schedule - 1-mile repeats x 2 at between 7:45-8 min pace, plus warm-up and cool-down. Pedestrian to many, but pretty hard for me. (Post workout add: actually ran those repeat miles at 6:47 and 6:58 ... uh, a little too fast for that one ... )
Why the self-torture? I don't know ... part of it, I suppose, is to keep myself from ballooning to the size of, well, one of those hot air balloons you see in Temecula's wine country. I mean, I really don't like the idea of having to replace my wardrobe, you know?
But I really enjoy running, even though I don't go that fast. It's social time when I run with friends; it's like ministry when I help other runners along the way as I did when I was coaching; it's meditation time in morning as the sun rises and the Lord again reveals how great and wonderful He is.
But the sport can also be pretty self-absorbing, too. I can get too caught up in my training, too caught up in a particular time goal for a particular race, too protective of my training time. So, after my second marathon, I decided that if I ever ran another one, someone other than me would have to benefit, too. That's how I came to be involved with Team In Training (helping to raise money in the fight against leukemia and other blood-related cancers), and why I'm now running with GK777 Hero's Run.
So, here's a quick rundown on the group I'm running for:
What is ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the Poor)?
ANCOP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that serves to generate awareness and mobilize resources for Gawad Kalinga, through partnerships with generous individuals, groups, institutions, government, and corporations, and accounts for the generated resources for transparency.
http://www.ancopusa.org
What is Gawad Kalinga (GK)?
Gawad Kalinga (in English, giving care) is an integrated, sustainable, holistic program, which aims to address poverty in the Philippines by transforming and empowering poor communities through its various programs.
http://www.gawadkalinga.org
Within the coming days, I'll be setting up a fundraising Web site at active.com. All the money raised will go to ANCOP USA, which in turn will provide the funds to Gawad Kalinga in the Philippines.
Here's the goal: to build at least one house for a family in the Philippines.
The dollar goal: at least $2,300.00
So, I'll be asking for help in this effort as I train for Chicago.
In the entries that will follow, I'll talk a little about what it's like to train for a marathon, especially one where you want to run your best time ever, about my thoughts on helping GK, thoughts on using to the best of our ability the gifts God has entrusted us with, and just fun stuff that happens along the way.
So come along with me on the journey ... it'll be challenging, maybe eye-opening, maybe even inspirational (though that would have to be a God-thing) ... but I can promise you it'll be fun ...
Why the self-torture? I don't know ... part of it, I suppose, is to keep myself from ballooning to the size of, well, one of those hot air balloons you see in Temecula's wine country. I mean, I really don't like the idea of having to replace my wardrobe, you know?
But I really enjoy running, even though I don't go that fast. It's social time when I run with friends; it's like ministry when I help other runners along the way as I did when I was coaching; it's meditation time in morning as the sun rises and the Lord again reveals how great and wonderful He is.
But the sport can also be pretty self-absorbing, too. I can get too caught up in my training, too caught up in a particular time goal for a particular race, too protective of my training time. So, after my second marathon, I decided that if I ever ran another one, someone other than me would have to benefit, too. That's how I came to be involved with Team In Training (helping to raise money in the fight against leukemia and other blood-related cancers), and why I'm now running with GK777 Hero's Run.
So, here's a quick rundown on the group I'm running for:
What is ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the Poor)?
ANCOP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that serves to generate awareness and mobilize resources for Gawad Kalinga, through partnerships with generous individuals, groups, institutions, government, and corporations, and accounts for the generated resources for transparency.
http://www.ancopusa.org
What is Gawad Kalinga (GK)?
Gawad Kalinga (in English, giving care) is an integrated, sustainable, holistic program, which aims to address poverty in the Philippines by transforming and empowering poor communities through its various programs.
http://www.gawadkalinga.org
Within the coming days, I'll be setting up a fundraising Web site at active.com. All the money raised will go to ANCOP USA, which in turn will provide the funds to Gawad Kalinga in the Philippines.
Here's the goal: to build at least one house for a family in the Philippines.
The dollar goal: at least $2,300.00
So, I'll be asking for help in this effort as I train for Chicago.
In the entries that will follow, I'll talk a little about what it's like to train for a marathon, especially one where you want to run your best time ever, about my thoughts on helping GK, thoughts on using to the best of our ability the gifts God has entrusted us with, and just fun stuff that happens along the way.
So come along with me on the journey ... it'll be challenging, maybe eye-opening, maybe even inspirational (though that would have to be a God-thing) ... but I can promise you it'll be fun ...
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