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Well, CRD called it right in his comment on this morning's message: 4:20:11!!!!

Which means I beat my goal by nearly 10 minutes; I beat my previous Personal Record (from February's Hong Kong Marathon) by over 14 minutes; and, I shaved 16 minutes off last year's Marine Corps Marathon time.

If I can keep making that kind of progress each year, I'll be ready for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Everything went well. The weather was perfect. My body held together, with only some minor pain around Mile 15 and later at Mile 19, and a cramp that started just before Mile 25 (and I thought "oh HELL no!!!" -- I wasn't going to put up with that so close to the end, so I told me leg to stop cramping, and it did). I was pretty consistent in my timing: my first 5K were run in 29:55 and my final 5K were run in just under 32 minutes, so not much variation throughout the day. I had friends out at the National Mall, and friends at the Finish Line, and that was very cool.

So, a great day overall!!!! Thanks everyone for your support!!!!

Labels: Friends, Running

I've set this to post automatically at 8am. The gun should have just gone off, and for the next 4+ hours, I'll be running.

Kinda weird, when you think about it.

Labels: Running

So.

I hope I'm ready for this. I admit to being a little nervous today. But I've looked over the course, eaten right, and lined up my friends' support for Sunday, so I should be good to go.

Even though I got an unfortunate haircut earlier this week.

I have a goal. I am going to hit it. there is no 'try"...there is only "do." (thanks, Yoda!)

OK...time for some sleep, and then it's showtime!

Labels: Running

I'd like to think I can do things on my own, but the truth is, it's definitely easier with friends.

When I was running the Army 10-Miler I hit the 8-mile point, where I needed a push, and instead felt like I was on my own. None of my other friends were running the race, and there were no supporters for me along the route...I had the feeling that, if my other friends were running there'd be people out to support THEM, but because it was just me, nobody came out. Yes, I was feeling sorry for myself. It didn't help that I was falling behind the pace I needed to meet my goal. I almost gave up -- "why should I do this, who cares?" -- but I woke up out of that and kicked it into high gear and ended up running my fastest time ever.

And it turns out I should have given my friends more credit than that. As I finished and collected my gear I saw a message on my phone from Linh telling me he was at the 8-mile point but was afraid he'd gotten there too late to see me. He did get there a few minutes after I passed, but that's not the point. I should have realized he'd be there...my bad.

This weekend, none of that is a factor at all. Four of us -- me, Ethan, Vu, Troy -- are running it this year and have spent time training together. A message went out to AQUA encouraging people to come out and cheer us on, and giving them the info they need to track us online. Speaking of that, I've got friends across the country and across the world who are planning to follow online as well. I'm crashing at Linh's Saturday night, which means I get an extra half hour's sleep Sunday because he lives fairly close to the race (plus I can walk to the Metro from his place rather than having to worry about driving and parking), and he and Kevin and a bunch of other folks are planing to be out there for us during the race.

So yeah, as much as I like being able to do things on my own, it's MUCH more fun with my good friends.

I am SO ready for this.

Labels: Friends, Running

Today the Zen-like state was facilitated by getting out of the office.

I went to a seminar at a local university, had a nice lunch with Linh outside his office building, and went for a second interview for a teaching post I'm hoping to get next year. Even though you'd think interviews would be stressful, I found that just being away from my office made me much calmer. Last night I was pretty upset about some stuff going on there, but I let it all go today. I despise my job and have very little respect for most of the people there, so any day away from there is a good day.

If I thought I could get away with taking the whole day off Friday, I'd do that too.

I really want to run. I feel fat when I don't run. Though honestly, anything that builds up during these days of rest is totally going to get used up Sunday.

Labels: Friends, Running, Work

I set goals.

That's what keeps me motivated to do things. I don't compete against other people, but I definitely compete against myself.

I started running not because I enjoyed it (I hadn't done it in 20 years) but because I wanted to get into better shape. Running would help with that, but I needed something to keep me going. And so, the goal of running a marathon was set.

OK, I did that. But now the goal is to run faster.

I have a goal of beating 4hrs, 30min, in the marathon this weekend, and the reason that came about is simply because my first marathon was run in 4:36, and 4:30 seems like the closest round number. I've come close -- 4:34 in the Hong Kong marathon -- and near the end of that race, when I realized I wasn't in a position to beat 4:30, I thought "that's OK, I'd rather break that on my home turf, with my friends." Well, that opportunity is this weekend, so it's time to cowboy up and do it, right?

Still, I need to take it easy with the goals, and I know that now. Setting an arbitrary time is...well, pretty arbitrary. There's nothing magical about 4:30. I have a goal of beating 80 minutes in the 10-mile race, and earlier this month I came within 36 seconds of that...and I was mad!!! I mean REALLY mad, to the point that my friends couldn't understand why. But I got over it after a few days.

What IS important (to me, anyway) is to do each race faster until I can't anymore. After all, there will come a point where my body simply isn't able to run any faster. I'd prefer that time not be now. The reason I was so upset after the 10-mile race was that I thought I'd run slower than in my last one, and that was pissing me off because I couldn't accept that after all the work I've done I'd actually be running more slowly. Fortunately, I realized later that I'd misread my past times, and I had in fact improved by 21 seconds.

I need these goals because it will help me keep running. I don't want to stop, because I know how good this is for me. I have some friends who run, and who inspired me to do it myself, but this year they chose not to run in 2 of the 3 races we did last year, and after this year they're not planning to do marathons anymore. Their only goal was to finish, and they've done that, so it's getting boring. That works for them, but I don't want to get bored with this myself, so I keep setting the timing goals and keep working to beat them.

So I'll set my goal, but chill out a bit. If I beat 4:30, I'll be ecstatic. If I miss that goal but still set a new personal record, I'll be happy and I'll still have something to shoot for in Hong Kong next February. If I run slower than before, I'll be disappointed, but I'll take pride in the fact that I finished the race.

And of course, the primary goal is to finish the race without an injury. So far, I've managed to meet that goal each time.

(Oh, who am I kidding? I'm going to run my ass off and beat that clock. Get out of my way!!!!!!)

Labels: Running

Today was the last run.

I only did 3 miles this afternoon, basically getting out just to stay loose. It was a great day to run, about 62 degrees, clear sky, really nice. I'm not running any more because I am saving strength from here on out, and also would hate to twist an ankle or something when I don't need to be out there.

My training was kind of screwed up in August and September because of some traveling I did for a few weeks, and I've been a little concerned that my "tapering off" happened too soon. Normally I would have done my last long run in mid-September. But with the travel, and the Army 10-Miler almost immediately after getting back, I had to do my last big run back at the end of August. This could be an issue, but I'm doing my best not to let it be.

I've noticed, ever since the 10-Miler, that I've got some pain in my calves when I start running and my legs feel a little dead. They usually loosen up after about 4 miles, so I'm not anticipating any trouble. I took some time off from running since then, and shortened a couple of the runs I did do. I don't expect that to be a factor. Basically, I'm in much better shape overall than I was a year ago, so I'm hoping that will compensate for my disrupted running schedule. Guess we'll find out Sunday.

It's all about being positive. And taking ibuprofen.

Labels: Running

It's all about water and sleep.

I need to be hydrated for the marathon, a lesson that hit home in the Singapore marathon last year when I had trouble running toward the end and felt the first signs of heatstroke as i crossed the finish line. While Sunday promises to be cooler and less humid, I still need to be watered up. Rather than waiting until the day before the race, I'm drinking up now.

Sure, I should be drinking more water every day anyway. I know I don't drink enough, and that's bad for me. My hope is that, as with other fitness and health habits I've picked up in the last year, maybe I'll get into the habit of drinking more water and less coffee during this week and the pattern will continue on.

And sleep...that's key. I need to be well-rested Sunday, and I've learned from some of my training runs that it isn't just the sleep I get the night before that matters. You know how after a few nights of only 5 hours of sleep per night (which is actually a pretty normal week for me) your body often shuts down and says "I'm going to sleep now, and I don't care if you ARE driving a car."? Well, that affects your running too, and I don't need the hassle. Not that I'll fall asleep on the course, but fatigue is a bad thing and I don't need it hitting me at Mile 20. I'll be tired enough as it is.

Speaking of sleep, I need to go to bed soon.

The news of the three runners who died in Sunday's Detroit Marathon is very sobering, but it's not affecting me. I know I'm in good shape; if there's anything wrong with my heart, it's something that's never been detected despite all my physical exams, so I have to assume I'm all good there. I've done this before so I know I can do it without dying. I'll stay hydrated, and I know there's good medical support all along the course, so I'm not freaked out by the horrible events there.

In fact, I'm feeling so good about this weekend's race that today I registered for the 2010 Hong Kong Marathon next February. Now THAT'S optimism!!!!

Labels: Health, Running

Since I started running last year I've had a tendency to post "Will is getting into the proper Zen-like state of mind" as my Facebook status the day before a race. But I've realized that getting into the proper state of mind is not a one day affair. For the big races, like next weekend's Marine Corps Marathon, it's something that builds slowly all through training. And when it comes to really getting my head into the game, I'm going to devote an entire week to it this time.

Today, it's all about visualization.

I'm reviewing the course map on the marathon website. I have an advantage here, in that I ran the race last year and it doesn't look like the course has changed. I know where I had problems last year, I remember how I was feeling at different points, and so I can strategize a bit for this race. For instance:

- Last year, Ethan and I stopped to pee around Mile 8. Since we try to hydrate before the race, there's a good chance we'll have some "excess" that needs to go. It's funny, right after the starting line you'll see people already running off into the bushes. Marathon peeing is one of the funniest things. But anyway, Mile 8 is a good place because we're coming downhill along a wooded road, and we're about to get into Georgetown, which is a business district and will be filled with spectators, so it's not like there's anyplace you can go. Once we come through Georgetown we'll have a few miles of open area where whipping it out and relieving oneself in the bushes isn't really an option. (I feel I should point out that for women this is much worse) So anyway, I know I have an option around Mile 8 that I won't have again for a while, and based on my Hong Kong marathon experience, I don't want to have to wait until we hit a set of Porta-Potties ('cuz you might have to wait, and that costs time).

- There's a feeling you get at the halfway point: good, because you're halfway there, but bad, because you're ONLY halfway there. I know where that point is and can watch for it, and will focus on the positive, i.e., halfway there and STILL GOING STRONG!!!!

- I've got a good idea of where I need support. It helps to have people there in the first few miles...the Starting Line is very motivational, but an hour later that excitement is starting to fade. Mile 18 is important...that's around the 3-hour point, and it's where I start thinking about making a run for the finish instead of just slogging through. It's also where Ethan had a muscle cramp last year, so I consider that a bad luck place. Also, it helps to have some cheering there, because Mile 20 is a critical point, and it's not easy for spectators to get there (it's on a bridge) so the boost right before will help. Miles 22-23, in the Crystal City area, are very important, because there are a lot of spectators there, and a big festival, and having a friend there yelling for YOU, rather than just a bunch of random strangers on the side of the road, is a big morale booster. Also, because that stretch is a loop (run down one side of the street, then run back on the other) you can see your friends twice. And the Finish Line is key...even though it's totally packed, and I'm pretty wiped out, and just focusing on the last little bit of running, it's true that simply knowing that people are there for you, even if you don't see them, is essential.

- My dad likes to say that "the marathon really begins at Mile 20; everything before that is just a long run." There's a LOT of truth to that. Once you get over 20 miles, that's when the serious effects start to hit your body (well, mine, anyway) and it's going to take a while to recover from that. That's why I don't do many 20+mile runs in training, because it knocks me out of long runs for a while. So while I might not "hit the wall" at 20 miles, I know I'm going to be feeling the effects of the run start to wash over me (it's happened all three times) and I can figure out now how to respond to that. Looking at the map helps me figure out where I should adjust my pace and do some mental exercises to push myself along when I hit that (the Crystal City portion that follows soon afterwards is very motivational, so all I have to do is hold on until then).

- I've already practiced visualizing the Finish Line. The final 0.2 miles is uphill, and fortunately, my regular running trail is uphill right at the end. So every time I'm out there, I pretend it's the marathon finish...I push myself there the way I want to push myself in the real race, and my hope is that I'll be used to it and be able to duplicate it in the marathon.

I don't want any surprises next Sunday. Though I can't figure out how everything will go, I can decide how I want to be feeling, what I want to be thinking, and how I want to deal with different milestones in the race. So much of marathoning is mental, not just physical, and I need to ensure my mind is in as good a shape as my body.

I am going to TEAR UP THIS RACE!!!!!!!

Labels: Running

Last night I had dinner with a friend who's getting ready to graduate from university. He's feeling a little stressed with the transition from school to the working world, thinking about what he's going to do for work, what makes him happy, how to keep from wasting the next 20 years before he figures out what he really wants to do. These are all normal questions, and I've been through this before, and of course I'm more than happy to talk with him about it.

By the time the evening ended he was apologizing for getting "so heavy" and promised that next time we'd have a movie night without talking about big stuff.

But it isn't an issue for me, talking about the big stuff. I don't mind it at all. Friends have issues, and they need to talk about them. Lord knows I do it. So hopefully, he was paying attention when I told him we could talk any time about anything he needs to discuss. I won't tell him what to do...I'm more likely to just ask questions until he figures out the answers himself.

I feel like, if there's one thing I can do for my friends, it's just to be there for them. A friend recently told me he thinks I'm one of the most empathic people he knows, able to put feelings into words better than most people. If that's the skill I've got, then I should use it for them, yes?

Lately I've been going through a bit of a transition myself, and have needed to rely on a friend. I worry sometimes that I bring too much of "the heavy stuff" with me, but I've needed the talking, and it's helped a lot. Fortunately, there are a couple friends here who can handle it, and who help me through down times, and if it weren't for them I'd be a mess. I try not to drag the heavy stuff in with me too much...it's nice to just have lunch or go shopping or watch a movie without worrying about things.

Not everyone's like that. I have another friend here (who doesn't read this, so it's OK to write about it) who will share with me what's going on with him. But if I try to raise things going on in my own life, he tends to view things only from his own perspective, wondering why I don't do things exactly like he would do, why I don't see things like I see them. That doesn't help much...it makes me feel defensive. So I don't bring the heavy stuff to him anymore, not that I ever got too awfully serious in our discussions anyway.

I guess I just feel lucky to have some friends I can count on, and if I'm able to give a tiny bit back, then that's pretty good.

As for movie night...I'm looking forward to it. And if the post-movie talk turns to the meaning of life, I'm OK with that, too.

Labels: Friends, Life

Today was a great day for a run.

Rain, about 48 degrees F, and a light wind.

How could that POSSIBLY be great? Well, it's good practice. What if I wake up on marathon morning and it's raining? I'm still going to run, right? But I'll need to do some things differently, and that's what today was about.

I'll have to consciously adjust my speed. I found I ran slower today, partly because the cold kept my muscles from getting loose and limited the blood flow. I'll have to concentrate on taking longer strides.

I need to watch my step. Things as simple as fallen leaves and metal grates become very slippery when wet, and I don't need to slide on my ass, especially when running downhill. So, watch for these extra hazards.

Most likely, I should wear contact lenses. Glasses get water on them, and it's tough to see. And it's not like I'll have a dry shirt to wipe them off.

And I should wear a hat, which I did today. Hair still looked good at the end. That's what it's all about, being photogenic after the race.

I hope it doesn't rain that day, but if it does...I'm ready!!!

Labels: Running

It's been almost 2 months since I last wrote. In that time I've:

- helped Stan move to Denver and saw a wonderful romantic relationship change forms
- visited Vancouver for the first time
- spent two days with my gay uncle
- been knocked on my ass (and into a Canadian emergency room) by a kidney stone
- gone to the US Open in New York with my friend Kevin
- seen Scooter and Paulo for the first time in forever
- interviewed for my next assignment
- visited friends in Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong over a 20-day period
- gone to Indonesia for the first time, when Ed and I visited Bintan
- finally met Ben, with whom I'd talked in Singapore but never met
- done a photo shoot with Linh for next year's calendar
- set a new personal record for the 10-mile distance in the Army 10-Miler (80m, 36s)
- tried to figure out how to spend my weekends now that my boyfriend's moved away
- attended the Asian-Pacific American film festival
- started playing Scrabble on my iPhone with Danny

Some of these are more important than others, but the common factor is: I haven't blogged about any of them.

I'm not sure why not. Does Facebook allow me to post enough snippets that I don't feel the need for a blog? Is my professional blog taking away from the time I'd spend on my personal one? Do I feel like the only people reading this are the ones involved in what I'd be writing about? Am I assuming no one's reading this anyway? Am I still freaked out by getting my identity blown last spring?

Or do I just not want to do this anymore?

Last week was the 9th anniversary of my blog, now with its third URL, and I didn't even realize that fact until 20 seconds ago.

This has always been a way for me to record my life. It's had secondary purposes of keeping friends around the world informed of what I'm doing, and meeting new people as well, but I don't know how important those are anymore. Perhaps I should focus on the first goal, and do this in a format that's useful to me.

Any thoughts?

Labels: Blogging, Life, Questions