In awe

Tag: future

  • Day538 10-Mile Race

    I love racing.

    How many times have I done this one, I have no idea. At least twice.

    Back in 2017 and 2018, I ran every race that is available held by the local running store (Potomac Running).

    As I took on bigger races, I mean longer distances, like 50 mile and 100 mile races, I don’t have time for the local ones. I still run them whenever I can. I sign them up on the spur moment.

    Reston 10 Miler is a familiar course to me. I ran many 5Ks and 10Ks there year after years. The 10 mile course mostly was stitched together from 5K and a 10K. I recognize every turns and every hills.

    Timewise, I was not impressive with my finishing time. It was not any record shattering. I was not slow. I haven’t had the heart to dig up past races to compare. I finished at 1:40. It is a 10 min pace so I should be glad, especially after running a 50K last weekend.

    Yet I remember my fastest 10 miler was under 1:20. I used to be able to run at a 8 min pace. That was impressive.

    Everything’s relative. I have to live with the body I have today, not the one I had a year ago or 10 years ago.

    Sometimes I feel like I am in an arm race with myself. I improve my time, yet I get heavier. So I trained harder to be stronger. I do improve. Then I get a faster time again and then I get heavier. The cycle starts again. The last two years, I know I improved. Yet this time, my body has overtaken me. I gained too much weight over the pandemic. Not sure if it is something related to that or just I am just getting older.

    A 60 year old man beat me innlbthis race. I recognized him from prior races. Note, because I live in Northern Virginia, people don’t make casual comments, unlike when I do races farther way. People avoid eye contact here in the big city. I have seen this guy many times in other races, but he acted he doesn’t know me and I same. Not complaining, just saying. I have been in the area for at least 20 years and that how we work. (Remember both Jeffs I met at the other races, how nice people are in the country side).

    True everyone is racing against their own. But if a 60 year old man could out run a 40 year old, it means something.

    On one hand, it is not hopeless for me. I could work harder to be able to run like that when I am 60.

    The flip side is the dude is impressive.

    As I stepped on to the course today, I was thinking what was I trying to get out of this. It is cool to set records and such. It is cool to run fast. I ran pretty fast, faster than any of my usual training runs. I usually go 15 mins or slower per mile and today I pulled a 10 min mile for whole 10 mile. I enjoyed the weather. I enjoyed the morning run. Only a race could get me up at 6 am in the morning. Normally, if left to my own device, I do not get out the house until like 3 or 4 pm in the afternoon. I am a lazy runner.

    One thought I reminded myself was yes running a 50K last weekend was impressive. Today running a 10 miler was no less an accomplishment. I told myself many times, if I could run just one more race, I would be in heaven.

    In this view, I should only run 5Ks or 10Ks, to save money and time because it gives the same utility, from an economic standpoint. Nah, I believe, if I have the ability to run longer distances, I should do it. This is the reason I am grateful and happy that I do have the means and the ability to do something extraordinary.

    If I close out the blog here, it would be good. I have just a bit more to say. Things or an idea seems to be at the tip of my tongue but I just couldn’t bring forth. I have been searching something all weekend. It has been a recurring theme since I finished the last big race (MMT) of last year. It is related to motivation and of why I do things. I wrote a post on new year’s day about my resolutions and all.

    I think, things have gotten a bit easier lately, after I ran the 100 mile. I still have tons of goals to do and some are out of this world hard, but overall, a lot of my goals, I thought was impossible are a bit easier. I mentioned about the 50 states marathon goal. If I really want to, I think I could do it in a year. Many of my goals are like that. If I really want to do it, I have now the means to do them. So they seem a bit boring. And I keep asking myself, what’s next. What is the next badass thing to do? The answer is not that I don’t know, but I am afraid to look.

    This blog post like any others will be closed with a hanging. To be continue. I wish life would be simplier. I could wake up and say I would do this and that and do them. That is it for now.

  • Day406 What now

    Now what? I don’t know. Run some more I guess.

    I started running at the end of summer 2016. I always have been running since a boy, but it was all for fun. I had no real training. I just put on the pair of shoes and ran around my neighborhood. I had couple friends who were runners but we never ran together.

    I remembered I could run ‘forever’ exploring my neighborhood. I didn’t do it consistently but I know I run maybe once or twice a week. For half hour to an hour. At that time there was no internet, so I was not smart enough to look up a running plan or join races/clubs.

    Oh, during my freshman year in college I did join a running club, but we were really informal thinking back. I don’t remember we ever organized any races or doing a race together. I only showed up to the club whenever I can and run. Usually the distance of 2-3 miles.

    It was not until 2016, I started to be ‘serious’ on my running. Serious means I was consistently running. Pretty soon, I started signing up for local races because it was the most fun thing to be together with other runners. You feel the hypes and energy. We run and be timed. There is usually a race once a month.

    I had a goal to run a marathon by the following year. Now with the internet, it was no problem to pull a plan and started following.

    The race was not hard. Though I remember the first few marathons, I couldn’t walk afterward. Sometimes I would be cramping.

    Years flew by. I had a goal to do all fifty states because that what I read other people did. I got into more clubs like the MarathonManiacs!

    Two years ago, while running the Roanoke Marathon – I met a few people who ran it back to back (doing two marathons in a day). At that time, it was unimagineable for me to do something like that.

    Never say never, somehow a spark started in me. A marathon distance was not enough. I wanted more. That year I did some 50k and a 50 miler. That year, 2019, I was really popping off. Yes, it was more from a spark a runner, Jen, in my local club set in me.

    Last year, during the pandemic, almost all social gatherings were grounded to a halt. No more races and no more social runs. I then signed up for a 635 mile virtual run across the Tennessee over a four month time.

    It gave me the confident to attempt running a 100 mile. I have no idea what let me to do that, but it was almost a natural progression. Real ultras are measured by the 100 mile as a standard (at least that what I believe). I believe all ultra people I came across talk about running the hundred. It is another bar higher than the 50k and 50 miler people.

    I attempted it twice last summer, one in July and one in August, both ended in failure, which made me even more to want to run it until I did it.

    Rocky Raccoon was not my first choice. My first choice was Umstead 100 since I read about this as being a beginner ultra. However, I was not able to get a spot. A lady on my running team said she is doing the Rocky Raccoon. After some researching, it was a good fit.

    Here I am six months later. I did it.

    So now what? One and done is not my thing. I love the Ultra distance and definitely will seek out other 100 milers to run. Now there is no longer the psychological barrier that a 100 miler can’t be done.

    For the rest of this year, I have a few races I signed up. There is the Grayson Highlands 50 in May, then the Laurel Highlands 70 in June. I might be trying to get a spot in the Devil’s Dog 100 in December.

    As for marathons, I am tempted to go to Eau Claire, WI in September or Lake Front at Milwaukee in October. Hopefully Richmond Marathon will be in-person this November.

    Edit to add: I just rechecked my calendar, apparently I signed up another 100, Rim to River 100, before going to the Rocky Raccoon, I totally don’t remember doing so. Something to train for till the end of the year. Now I remember why I signed up – I told myself at that time, better sign up or once I’ve done with Rocky Raccoon, I would be too scared to do another 100 so soon. Indeed, that was a great foresight!

  • 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.

  • Reading

    Sometimes I am doing a lot but getting no where. Today I feel I didn’t do anything but hopefully I got something significant resolved down the road.  I spent the day reading stuffs online. (more…)

  • Misc thoughts

    How far can I go? And why am I running?  I am musing to myself. Now at least 50k is no longer scary. 50 miler is. That is the next monster to tackle. (more…)