In awe

Blog

  • heart run

    Day 227

    valentine run

  • The boring stuff / trip Laurel#1

    Day 226

    I left several things hanging in previous posts, because I ran out of time. Usually I write my posts either going to work or traveling home. I try to squeeze everything in before I ‘pass out’. I have motion sickness, so if I stare at something too long while in motion I get dizzy. It is always a race against the clock.

    This coming weekend, I plan to head out to PA (Pennsylvania, did I spell it right?) to do the first of four segments of the Laurel Highlands Trail. I will run a 70.5 mile race there in early June. I plan to go out at least once a month in order to cover the whole trail. The last trip there will be a night run.

    This first trip will be from mile 0 to mile 18. I will stay a night at mile 18, then run to mile 6 and spend a night there. If have time and ability go to mile 0. Then on Sunday I will go back to mile 18 for another night. Monday being a holiday, I could do some more hiking/running.

    Depend on the ground condition, I plan to go to mile 23 too. My car will be parked at mile 18 the whole time.

    I have been checking the trail condition. There is high chance there will be snow somewhere on the trail and possibly on the whole trail. Forecast for the weekend will be cold. I checked the one few webcams there and it was showing 6 inches of snow since last week. I am expecting temperature on Friday to be 17 or lower. Up on the ridge, I can expect possibly in single digit. I have a warm sleeping bag, 10/15F I think. Got to check. I might bring a second one to double up.

    I am excited. I still don’t know how I can run much with a full pack on my back. I haven’t work that part out. I am balancing between safety and weight. The less I carry the faster/more I can run but I would be endanger of freezing myself at night. Best solution would have a ‘mule’ (that what they are called in the running world of your support crew who carry things for you – having a mule in a race is illegal though) who carry all my gear to the camp and I would focus on the running aspect. Unfortunately no mule for me on this trip. Who know? Maybe a miracle or an angel will show up. My hike leader won’t be coming on this trip.

    It is the first or one of the few trips I am planning on my own. It was always good to have my hike leader do all the planning in the past. All I did was show up. This trip has this added component of planning. Not that I hate it, but I like to just wing it.

    I could also carry my pack to camp first, drop the pack and then do the running. But how much time do I have left for the run? I don’t know but will see.

    Another option would be carry my pack there on the first night. Camp and drop pack at camp, then run back to the car (12-18 miles). Take my car and drive back to the first camp and pick up my pack and drive to the second camp. All my camp spots were already booked. Otherwise…I just camp two nights at one place. This idea seems doable. I did not think of it when I booked the campsites.

    Well a 12 mile hike wouldn’t take whole day even with snow on the ground. Probably 5-6 hours for me, which means I still have time for some running before night fall. (9-3 pm, 2.5 hours before dark).

    I am excited. It would be my first camping/backpacking trip with a run component.

    What I will actually do will depend on the situation once I arrive.

  • weekly run summary

    Day 225

    I ran 56 miles last week

    Monday: usually rest day, I rested

    Tuesday: 4-ish miles with the group. I showed up in three layer shirt and did not realize it was 60 (15 C). Hot night.

    Wednesday: rest night

    Thursday: group run canceled because of rain and no one showed up. I ran 4-5 miles at least I think. I forgot. Cold and wet night.

    Friday: 9 miles. cold and windy night. 37 F (3 C) when I started and tried to finish as fast as possible to avoid being out in the 20s.

    Sat. 14+6. beautiful day, nippy in the morning. I finally went out on the trail. Woke up late and got to the trail by 11 am (I was 3 hrs late). I did 14 miles in about 5 hrs. So ended up mostly hiking. I was supposed to do more; Buzzard Hill + Ashby Hollow. This place was where I planned to do two weekends ago. Better late than never. By the time I got to Ashby Hollow, it was 2 pm. I decided to turn around, otherwise I might not get out of the woods until 9 or 10 pm. I only ‘ran’ 7 miles then and it took me 3 hours. I decided to hold off Ashby Hollow segment for another weekend. That should be only 5 more miles / 10 miles for out-and-back. I saw a couple at that point, who was probably doing the whole thing that day (24-25 miles for them). We passed each other when I started out and we were passing again at Ashby Hollow – well they could have been tailing me the whole time. They went on ahead into Ashby Hollow.

    I got 2000+ ft of climbing in that stetch of about 7 miles (4000 ish at the end of my out and back). They don’t call the section the roller coaster for no reason. It was a lot of ups and downs.

    I got home by 5 pm and decided I need some real running and did 6 miles in the neighborhood. It was so different to run on flat pavement. I could actually run and breath. Trail running really took my heart out of me. I thought I could run, but out on the trail, I was just like everybody else.

    Sunday: 3.1 (5K) in the morning. 16 more miles in the afternoon. I did the airport/Arlington loop again.

    How do I feel? I feel the miles started to get to me. Even with two days of rest in the week, I started out with tired legs on most of the runs. You know the feeling. Legs were heavy. This is my third week of putting up 50+ miles of training.

    But I got 3rd place in my age group on my 5K race “Run Your Heart Out 5K”. My 2nd time being on the podium! I ran mine out. I was not fast (26:30) at all but the people who usually beat me were not there. I had run a 24 min time before and still not get a 3rd place, so I was glad to be on the podium this time!

    Arlington Loop. Glad I have been doing it for third staight week. I won’t be running it next weekend because I will be out of town.
    About two miles north of Ashby Hollow Trail Head, near a campsite (behind me). All of AT in Virginia looks the same: browish color. But can you believe it? This is only 45 mins from my home! Lucky me to have such good training ground. Still, I wouldn’t want to run out there in the dark if I don’t have to!

  • vision & mission

    Day 224

    Goal: Key ideas usually come to me while I am running. I have been trying to have some kind of goals for this year. At first I was not so into the new year resolutions this year, which I usually made one in the past for all my adult life. It was probably all the ‘destressed’ /breaking in period from coming back from Chile. I was going through a time of mini depression but now better after finishing another marathon (Carlsbad). So I am back in the swing of things.

    My last few weeks of training have been going great! I put up double digit back to back. It was even better than last fall when I was struggling with all the training and non-training activities, plus the stress from work. That was a mouthful.

    Life was looking great! But I am not satisfied where I am. It seems too haphazard. It seems things are too random. Suddenly everything in life flows together where few months ago it was rough and tumbling.

    I want control! So looking at my life, what do I really want to do this year? There is not anything ‘exciting’ I want to do. I am pretty much happy of where I am at.

    This is not a resolution but pretty much a plan. I will get to the resolution later.

    1. Running more ultras. I enjoys running so much and I think I am actually overboard obsess with it. Excessive is what can described about me. I don’t know why I was so down back in January. But running is what I like. This year I have signed up so many races! Incredible races and not sure how I will be able to do them all! see races.

    2. I want to run fast! This should be a year I was trying to get a sub 3 marathon. However, this dream will be deferred for a few more years. I hope I can get a sub 4 marathon time or somewhere close. This will be very challenging. As of now, I am not confident if I could run a 4:30 marathon time.

    3. Do something exciting! (Travel). Planning year for next year. I know I don’t have much money to travel any more for this year. But I should plan for the following year. Some exciting things are to travel to Everest! The group I usually travel with is going there this fall. A fall back option is, I would take Mt Kilimanjaro. I also want to run Rim-Rim-Rim of the the Grand Canyon. Basically you run across the Canyon to the other side and then back again. People plan this a year in advance!

    4. A Hard Camping/BP trip. This is already happening but I am still quite nervous about camping by myself. A trip or few trips I want to do is Black Forest Trail in PA, Hut-to-Hut at Presidential Traverse, NH, and Andirondack the Great Range Traverse, NY. These hikes made my great leader/grown-man/women cried. I want to experience the same.

    5. Be more open to people. Singleness. I am single and in many ways great because I am enjoying the single man life of running/hiking/traveling. Yet being single is not for me. It is definite a resolution item to get myself out there and meet more women who want to share a life together. My goal is to share myself more. Ah, how hard this is for me. Don’t laugh.

    6. What would be good to have! Pacer. Running is mostly a solitary thing for me. As I tackling longer distances, I wish I have a training buddy, a coach, a crew and some pacers. I am actively seeking and recruiting pacers for my first 100 miler. I already put down the race I want to do. C&O ultra. I probably can do this without a crew or pacer, but it would be really nice to have one or two!

    Back to topic. Yes these were what I am currently doing any way. They are in no way what I call a resolution. A resolution is something I must do differently.

    As I was running on Thursday night, I realized I need an aim or focus. One thing that can give me an aim is to have a mission statement: what do you want to accomplish? vision statement: How do you see yourself when you reach your goal.

    I really don’t have one written out yet. I have been running on auto pilot. Mostly to run and to run a lot and to run fast etc.

    To enjoy life. To do something I don’t think I can do. I have been breaking a lot of mental barriers and did a lot what I couldn’t do five years ago!

  • keep going

    Day 223

    This post might be more a pile of things throw in together.

    After my group run last night, I was able to catch up with a group of running friends I have not seen for a while. We were excited sharing what have been happening and what our ‘running’ plan for this year. Can’t believe we are already in February!

    I have so many things on my plate! This month I will try to go out on the trail every weekend. I have been looking at the possibility of heading to Laurel Highlands (PA), next next weekend (President’s Day). I believe with three days I can complete the 70 mile hike/run trail. This will be the trail for my race in June. So I want to have a heads up. I hiked (backpacked) the final part of trail last May. As I was looking into camping sites, I found out the place (some part of it) are snow covered. There are plenty of ski hills around the place. Oh great! That really dampens my plan. So now I might head up to PA maybe later in the spring. I might have to divide into four separate trips doing a 20 mile segment each time instead of the whole thing in one shot.

    That’s that. Apparently the campsites on Laurel Highland trail are opened in the winter! I might still head up there and do a snow camping/backpacking during the President’s Day weekend.

    My group of guys texted me last night about going to a singles event. Funny thing is we ran 5ks together and we did a half marathon together. This time we jokingly said, it would be one of the most challenging event we guys are doing together. I have never attended this kind of singles event and will look forward to it.

    I am looking for pacers for a possible 100 mile race in 2021. One guy gave me his OK. I am looking for a couple more. One should be enough, but it is good to have a back up. I think I need someone to hold my hand between mile 70-90.

    Yes, my head is putting together a plan to tackle a 100 mile race. I am looking into signing up a 24 hour endurance race in the fall. More to come.

  • running summary

    Day 222

    It felt good to be able to do long runs. I ran the same routes as in previous weekend. Many thoughts passed through my head. What gave me hard time while running two miles last July, now seemed like nothing at all. I was amazed after running even 16 miles and did not feel tired. I was only limited by time available, otherwise I would keep on running.

    On Saturday I was dragging me feet to get out the door. I was going to do 26 miles in the mountain but ended up just running 16 within my neighborhood. I missed the hill work-out. It was 1 pm by the time I stepped outside. I did not really get into my zone because I made a stop at my mom’s place and that pretty much ruin the rest of my run. I was hungry and stopped there. Ate. I went back out though but couldn’t pull a 26 mile. I didn’t finish my run until 6:30. It felt really really long. I stopped at my mom’s place for dinner thinking to finish with a four miles afterward. My mom ended up driving me home. It takes strong resolution to say no. Non-runners think they are doing you good of offering you a ride…and keeping you from the element, but to me training when I am tired, cold, and at my weakest is the most helpful thing for my up coming ultra. Any way, I gave in to the luxury of a quick ride home, even though I knew if I went back out for that four miles it would really shape my willpower of not giving up. I need to do better next weekend to avoid making a stop at my mom’s place.

    I did better on Sunday. I was in my element and had a good time.

    Monday: rest day

    Tuesday: 4 miles. group run

    Wednesday: rest

    Thursday: 4 miles with the group.

    Friday: 8 miles. late start and got lost in Georgetown. Was going to do 12 miles.

    Saturday: 16 miles around my neighborhood. long day. 1-6:30pm. caught in rain. Had a long lunch break (45 min).

    Sunday: 6 miles (10K race) and 16 miles afternoon run. Arlington loop. Finished in 3 hrs.

    Total miles for the week: 54 miles.

  • Should be back in shape

    Day 221

    I should be back in shape. Not yet at peak condition but should be ready to tackle some hard training this weekend and the next few weekends. I have not put together a solid plan. Actually I prepared one while I was still in Chile in December, but since coming back with 5-6 weeks of not running, that plan is pretty much useless. So I have to adjust. I have about 12-16 weeks of training before my big race (Laurel Highland 70 miler)

    My next few weeks if weather permits, I will be heading out to a trail every weekend.

    Though tomorrow weather is not looking up but it has improved quite a bit. I think the rain will hold off and I plan to head to a trail. I plan to do Buck Hollow/Buck Ridge, but if the weather will be poor, I will head to a nearby trail – Ashby Hollow / Buzzard Hill.

    I plan to have a solid run tonight and maybe 26 miles tomorrow and a 16 miles on Sunday. This will give me around 40-50 miles for the week. Ambitious I know.

  • more house keeping – about running

    Day 220

    I don’t have a clear direction for this post. I have been thinking of a new year resolution (2019). A few weeks earlier I had no interest in making one for this year, but couple things happened. Last night, our church had a review on the last 21 days fasting. People were sharing how their life have changed during these 21 days.

    I did not participate in the fasting this year. I have been joking around that in 2019 I fasted because I wanted to but this year I did not want to and were forced to because I was out of money.

    I remembered on Jan 2, I did not even have the money to pay my rent and I had only $300 in my bank! Technically I could buy lot of food with that money but there was fear what if I don’t have enough, because $300 is just about enough money to pay for my gas and metro fare. Money came in on Jan 3 though, I received a bonus at work and it was enough to cover my rent. any way, I will end the month in black with a bank balance at least 4-5 times what I started. I already paid my rent for the next month and there are plenty of food in the fridge!

    One think that touched my heart was while away on my trip in California, a friend called me and said she considered me to be one of best friends. She told me something like that back in August but I did not take to heart and her call was a wake up call. I mentioned this because looking back at my 2019 resolution, I wrote about making one friend. Now looking back, I found more than a friend. I have some issues to work out, since for couple months she was angry at me for some thing I did (see Day 200). Any way, I prompted me to take a more serious look at my new year resolution.

    I never really thought friends can have an impact on my running. One of the reasons I have not been running much was due to lack of motivation and that stemmed from a personal conflict with the friend. Now everything kind of resolve and I am hitting the pavement once again.

    For the last couple of days, I have been making my training schedule. It is not done yet but I scheduled couple big runs for next month. I will write more about them as time approaches. I also set up an expense / to-do worksheet. I have about a dozen of races for the year and it got hard in tracking the cost as well as whether a hotel or flight is booked. So now I have a spreadsheet that tells me all that.

  • Day 219

    Buy one get one free got to me this week and spent over $70+ on grocery and it is only Tuesday.

    I brought three loaves of bread! Normally one loaf would have taken me three weeks to finish. But it was cheap!

    I cooked a pound of beef Sunday night. Ate most of it. It was supposed to last for a whole week. So I went and got another pound of ground beef. I made Chili last night and had them with my bread.

    What caught my eyes last night was chicken breast was $1 a pound. I spent $12. I am rich with food. I cooked all of them last night and it is like a pot of meat! I will be eating chicken sandwiches till kingdom comes.

    The rest was mostly fruits. I had avocadoes, oranges, banana, asparagus, strawberries and lot of lot of Jello.

    Can’t believe I went through two pounds of ground beef in two days.

    random: what to do for Feb 14? Who want to head into the woods?

  • Run

    Day 218

    Finally got my training started for this season. Maybe when I have time I will post why it took two months to get it off running. I blamed it on Post-Marathon Blue.

    I will cheat a little and count the Sunday in San Diego as my Day 1/ 0.

    -Sunday: 26.2 miles. ran the Carlsbad marathon

    -Tuesday: 3 miles. group run. recovery run. was difficult since all my muscles were hurting.

    -Thursday: 0 mile. Probably the Tuesday run got me sick. Fever on Wednesday to Thursday, and then the coughs.

    -Saturday: 6 miles. felt like a new man. Did not have much sleep on Friday night due to all the pain from my cold and not from my running. I felt like an old man with pain at no matter which position I turned. But the run relieved all the tensions and tightness and the pain gradually dissipated.

    -Sunday: 16 miles. Arlington/Airport loop. Realized not completely recovered from my marathon. Deep muscle pain.

    total for the week: 51 miles.