A Vision Blog - Setting Our Sights

The good news is, with each blog post I am getting more and more readers. The bad news is I am writing in this blog less frequently. Is it because of the NYC Summer heat where I naturally run less, thus less to blog about? Or is it that I just can’t see myself sitting here and thinking of something clever to write about that falls in line with the blog’s theme? Whatever the case, I can probably come up with a world of excuses as to why I am not writing more and why I am not training as hard as I used to. And I can probably think of things that might happen in the future that may prevent me from staying focused on my NYC marathon goal.

But that would be wasted energy. I would consider that taking my eye off the prize. So until then, I just need to continue to motivate myself to do what I intend to do, no matter what the circumstance. The people of Japan, Egypt (thank you for checking into my last blog post) and other Middle Eastern countries did not expect the events that had happened to their country at the beginning of 2011. They have shown a resilience to move in a direction towards shared prosperity and freedom. Whether it is rebuilding or reorganization, their vision isn’t blurred for what they can achieve in the future even if it isn’t immediately foreseeable. And neither is mine

This brings me to a Bible verse that I recently stumbled upon. 2 Corinthians 4:18:

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Now whatever religious conviction you have, or what life philosophy you prescribe to, we can all agree that this text gives encouragement to those with vision and are in a pursuit of a goal. For me, this is not just for running, but in everything I pursue. Sometimes, things come up, adversity comes our way and setbacks keep popping up. But this doesn’t stop the pursuit.

The United States has been afflicted with the worst economy in any of our lifetimes and many people are feeling the strain while politicians in Washington D.C. argue and continue their stalemate. But I am convinced that what we see here is temporary. Staying true to our principles and vision for the future is eternal and will always prevail. Success is a habit not a destination. Freedom isn’t free and will require each generation to renew their commitment to its pursuit. Crossing that finish line will only be a continuation of the steady path towards freedom, embodied in my runner’s lifestyle. 

Motivation 105: The Great Leap

The Great Leap

Thank you to my friends in Australia and Russia for checking in to this global blog. Slowly but surely I will reach my goal of having readers in all countries and principalities of this world. I won''t beat myself up if it never happens though because I reckon that there are still areas on Earth without internet access, so I will settle for the seven continents.

German movie version of this international bestseller

This blog entry falls in line with some of my other motivational entries. Keep moving forward. When there's a will there's a way. Keep hope alive... blah blah.. all that good stuff. But today I thought I would add another perspective to one of my previous blog entries: Motivation 103: Just Do It based on a recent book that was recommended to me by a friend in Cairo, Egypt. The book, Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy, is a fictional novel that gives a historical account on the development of philosophy from pre-Socratic times to the time the book was published. This international bestseller narrates the development of a teenage character, Sophie, as she learns this History of Philosophy through a correspondence course with a middle aged man. Now I don't want to make this a book review, nor do I want to give the plot away. But I do want to give some insights on what I picked up from the book, enabling me to put my pursuit of running the New York City marathon in a more philosophical perspective.

Through the easily digestible philosophy course, I got one basic takeaway: REASON, EXPERIENCE, AND BELIEVE. 

OK that sounds like three but for me it is one. One because these were the steps I was taking subconsciously before diving into another challenge. Which is why I called this entry, "The Great Leap". Many times I "Just Do It" but am I really just jumping in. Or do I REASON that my goal of running the NYC Marathon is achievable based on EXPERIENCES I have had with previous races and what I BELIEVE is God-given talent to run long distances. See. There you have it, one sentence embodying all three. 

But these three are often causes of conflict when looking at them philosophically. From Plato's world of ideas and Aristotle's Learning through pain to the work of contemporary philosophers, psychologists, and economists. Many people BELIEVE in things without any real justification and logical REASONING to their conviction, rather relying on a spiritual or emotional EXPERIENCE. Just the same people often don't BELIEVE in things that their senses EXPERIENCE because of the "reality principle" of their brain function. And finally, many choose not to BELIEVE anything unless they can EXPERIENCE it AND can make sense out of it through REASON. But I BELIEVE, and confirmed after reading this book, that the things we pursue in this world embodies elements of all three.  

Any given day you can catch me running along the West Side  Highway

As I continue my leisure runs through various parts of New York City and New Jersey, I can't help but contemplate the FAITH marathon runners have in themselves to run such long distances. Even the best and Olympic caliber runners understand the RISK involved in such physically strenuous activity. But that doesn't stop me from taking THE GREAT LEAP forward.

Concrete Jungle Where Dreams are Made - Run NYC

Since my last post several marathon events have taken place: Washington D.C., London, and yesterday, Boston. I have received Skype messages and emails asking me why I didn't run in any of them. I probably gave a different answer to each one of you that asked since I don’t remember what I said, so my official answer is: I am not ready. Of course, life is happening and not everything revolves around running. Yes, I love running but I have other things on my plate these days. But I still find time to run around the city with my camera and take pictures for the purpose of exercise and leisure.  

As I rediscover this city I call home, I can’t help to realize the global nature of it, unlike I ever realized before. As I was celebrating my birthday this month, I celebrated the global nature of the new goals I am pursuing and the friends that I have made in the last year. This is evident with merely this blog that has found readers in Canada, India, and Greece. My friends have checked in and send me updates on their lives as well. Truly magnificent this life I live. Even in the hard times, I am truly blessed. Because when you have friends and family that I have, it is never really all that bad. So I am still looking forward to the day when I run though all five boroughs. When it will happen is anybody’s guess, but it will happen.

Bikers on the Williamsburg Bridge

Love for Egypt on this wall in Brooklyn

Washington Square

 So many shops with cuisines from all over the world - Now how authentic is that cuisine with respect to the country it is representing, my guess is pretty close but I am not one to judge. And so many iconic landmarks throughout these streets that I took for granted all these years.

Not uncommon to find artists drawing, painting, and entertaining in this town.

Click below for entertainment on the High Line: Miko and the Mudcats

Symbol of Tragedy - May we never forget

The sun sets into New Jersey

26.2 miles. It will be a great November day.

Spring Forward Like A Lion (Despite what the Groundhog says)

Recently I have been very mindful of the world around me. Much is going on and is affecting our day to day life. To name a few:

1. QE1 and QE2 causing the prices of food and other commodities to go up while the U.S. dollar is losing value. (Ouch to our pockets!)

2. Conflict in Libya causing oil prices to go up, thus creating a bear market for U.S. stocks, slowing the economic recovery, and higher prices at the pump. Not to mention protests in Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle East countries. (More ouch to the pockets)

3. Budget fights here in the U.S. at the federal, state and local level further polarizing the politicians and lawmakers and creating stalemate at the expense of the American people. (Ouch everywhere else!)

So much uncertainty, and in business (and life in general) uncertainty leads to:

1. inaction

2. protectionism

3. disengagement

4.  and even isolationism.

People tend to revert back to what they are comfortable with and not engage in dialogue with each other to discover ways to move forward. Not moving forward reduces the possibilities of a stronger, more prosperous future together. The actions that led to the failures of the past are not an option for our future.

The road ahead is often filled with uncertainty. (Or in this case... traffic)

In my running activities, I often take the leap in my training and my races, knowing that these activities will lead to a healthier, smarter runner. In previous blog posts I mentioned my motivations and the factors to be aware of. But one aspect of running that I think about these days is how it can be used as a tool for social change. The charity work and race participation of my friends (Krista, Tony, Winston, and many others) and I are examples of this.

 Krista Racing To Save Lives: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nj/nj11/kbassipzmn

 Tony and Camp Fatima: http://www.crowdrise.com/campfatimanjmarathon

Although we are not Olympic runners (yet), we train hard and use our energy to promote awareness and even raise money for the benefit and solutions to societal challenges. Goals have been set and unwavering is our determination to see them through.

That being said, The determination from all of us should also be unwavering, to make this world a better place. Reverting to the actions that led to failures of the past in this time of uncertainty is unacceptable and is not an option. Leap forward! Move ahead despite the struggle and even sometimes the pain. The return on your investment will not only be your lasting reward as a result of your long-term vision and determination, but will have positive impact of your surroundings, your loved ones, and YOUR society. Don’t be afraid to open that door and leap in like a Spring Lion. 

Don't be afraid to open that door and leap in. Together we could accomplish great things.

February Chaos

Thank you my friends in the United Kingdom for showing me love. My friends in the UK have been consistent in supporting all my activities and it is fair to say that London is my second favorite place in the world. I definitely want to live and work there one of these days and I am probably one of the few Americans that would say, “God Save The Queen!”

February is always a chaotic month here in America. You have the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, Black history month, President’s Day, Winter Break for most students, and the unofficial start to the election cycle leading up to November elections. Let’s not forget the height of the flu season and the coldest temperatures throughout most of the United States. In the midst of all this chaos, we all have to find our way to get through.

Finding a path through the chaos requires setting a clear vision of the end goal and not getting caught up in the distractions as you navigate to your destination. This is when understanding and setting your own pace is essential (Running Against the Odds). Many times during a race, I jump out early trying to keep pace with the crowd, only to pay for it later in the race with side stitches and cramps and throwing my pacing totally off. It’s hard not to be easily distracted by other runners, whether they are attractive and you want to stay close or someone you feel shouldn’t be ahead of you. When reality sets in this often leads to unexpected readjustments that end up making it harder to finish your goals.

Hyannis Port 10K - Feb 2010

Last February (2010) while dealing with the loss of my aunt, I chose to go full force in training for the NJ Marathon. This led me to run two tough races in two consecutive weekends: Run for Haiti 2010 in Central Park and a 10K in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Throughout all the chaos associated with February and all the events that were surrounding me, I was so caught up in training hard for the marathon that I over trained leading to my knee injury. Lucky for me, I was able to adjust my training and deal with the knee issues with doctor visits and an adjusted training schedule. So I still finished the NJ marathon but not with the under 4 hour time goal set out for myself.

Krista never gave up on her goals. She set a goal of completing a half marathon in under two hours. With so many runners around her and all the different paths she could have followed, she maintained a steady regimen and set her own pace to finally achieve her goals at the Philadelphia Half marathon this past November. And her achievements continue to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nj/nj11/kbassipzmn

L-to-R: Me, Winston, Tony and Krista at Run for Haiti 2010

Tony never gave up on his goals. He set out to qualify for the Boston marathon and throughout some bumps along the road, he finally qualified with an under 3 hour and 10 minute Philadelphia marathon finish in November. He continues to give back to his community, being a 14-year veteran volunteer at Camp Fatima of New Jersey. http://www.crowdrise.com/campfatimanjmarathon

Winston never gave up his goals. He set out to complete the New York City marathon two years ago. After consistently keeping a healthy regimen, he has already completed his second New York City marathon this past November.

These friends inspire me. They run not just for fun and for a cause, but because despite everything that goes on around them, they manage to navigate their paths with clarity and unwavering dedication.

L-to-R: Steve, my sister Gabrielle, me, and mom. They always have my back.

This year, as I still deal with the chaos and mess from the Haiti earthquake, along with all the other mess February brings, my path seems clearer. Yes, I have a goal to run the NYC marathon and I still haven’t engaged in a consistent training regimen. My bad!  But why do I feel better about things this year than I did last year? Well this year my loves (in the spirit of Valentines Day), that being my family, have shown me unwavering support for all that I endeavor. They have allowed me to stay grounded and deal with all the chaos in a balanced, even-tempered manner. 

My love for New York City and its marathon is more than just running through the diverse culture of neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. It’s about reconnecting with my roots and paying respect to those that have maneuvered through this city before me, allowing me to be here today. Without my family, those here today and those that have passed, the chaos would be overwhelming.

Super Bowl XLV: The real winners.

From http://www.steelerfury.com/content/steelers-vs-packersan-apples-apples-comparison

It is almost the Super Bowl and the people in the United States consider this an unofficial holiday. As my friends in other parts of the world realized when they were here, Super Bowl Sunday is the most important day of the year for a majority of Americans. When I was in Shanghai, I stayed up one night to watch a European Soccer championship match (which ended at 5 AM China time) between Italy and Germany. Italy won and the sports bar was jammed packed. In America, the Super Bowl is like our European Soccer Match. Or even World Cup. Whatever the case, this is what we wait all year for. 

Speaking of other parts of the world, my friends in the United Arab Emirates have checked in. I must say that my friends in Dubai are some of the nicest people I have ever met and I can’t wait to visit you.

So what can be said about the Super Bowl? Well first, can I make a comparison to running? Of course I can. Obviously, there is the risk and high likelihood of injury in both sports. And athletes go through months (and even years) of intense conditioning and training with the hope of achieving that championship ring. In the NFL (National Football League) many fall short, so those that appear in the Super Bowl are truly elite and the best of their time. And even though there will only be one team on top, all the athletes are winners because they gave it all they had and worked hard in pursuit of a championship.

But I guess the question becomes: How do you measure success? When does an athlete or anybody feel satisfied with what they are pursuing? Is it when you get a piece of jewelry to wear which shows that you were on a championship team? Or is it that seven figure or more salary you earn which is still small in comparison to what the owners of the teams are making?

Let’s shift gears and think about the cities in which the teams play: Green Bay and Pittsburgh. I’ve never officially visited Green Bay but I did visit Wisconsin, stopping in Milwaukee and Sheboygan. My guess is that Green Bay falls somewhere between both of these cities with regard to size. Either way, compared to New York City, I would probably be bored in Green Bay so I could understand why those cheese heads live, breath, and worship their Packers. Pittsburgh on the other hand, slightly bigger, better food than in Wisconsin and I had a nice time visiting there. It is still too small of a town for my liking. Again, this would explain the passion that their fans have for their Steelers. Steelers fans bleed black and gold (so they say) because there is nothing else to do. (JK to all my Steelers fans out there)

My point: here you have two relatively small towns where the Packers and Steelers have some of the most loyal fans on the planet. Of the 45 Super Bowls, these two teams have appeared in 12 championships, winning 9 between them. They have established a long legacy of winning and pleasing their fans resulting in big business for the teams, the cities they play in, and the league. SO I guess big things do come in little packages.

The real winners in Sunday’s game most definitely will be Jerry Jones owner of the Dallas Cowboys and the city of Dallas itself. He built the new stadium in Arlington, TX to be the venue that the two most popular teams in the league will play in. He is sure to generate big numbers for the event. I tried to look up Super Bowl ticket prices last week, and the average price per ticket was roughly $3400 (USD) and not available through public channels. Multiply that by 70,000. Add in all the advertising revenue and all the business generated from this event. Jerry Jones is a smart and lucky man.

I wonder if the business of marathon running will ever be as big.

Running Against the Odds: Presidential Edition

I have been thinking about this blog post for a while now. Every day I think of where I am headed and the obstacles I face. It’s a good thing I have this blog because for days that I’m off-track, I read my own words as motivation. Some time or another, my mind was on the right track.

And speaking of this blog, I would like to add Germany and Slovenia to the list of country where people have read this page. I just set a new goal for myself: To have this blog read by one person in each country on the entire planet. That’s difficult to achieve so when it happens, you better believe that EVERYONE will know about it. I’m going to need ALL of your help on this one so spread the word. Ninety percent of those who click onto this page are from the United States. Maybe I should write in some of the other languages I am skilled in. Nah… maybe not.

The purpose for this posting is to ponder the odds stacked against me, you and whoever is pursuing whatever. Part of the challenge of running a marathon is conditioning your body to handle the grueling 26.2 miles. It’s in these training runs where I find my pace that will allow me to finish the marathon with minimal injury. Let’s face it; I have never heard any serious runner not dealing with some sort of injury or another. With that being said, one can think of marathon running as pursuing a goal where the odds are ALWAYS stacked against you. If one isn’t careful and mindful of their training, one slight injury or any other abnormal health condition can ruin your hopes of even finishing the race, let alone achieving any specific time goals.

So as I pace myself through 2011, dealing with my everyday challenges, I can’t help but to reminisce on my very first cross-country drive across the United States of America. First of all, I tend to think fondly of these drives across this great land because it was truly a time of freedom of my mind, body, and spirit. This is the same freedom I feel when I run those long miles (or even the freedom felt as an American citizen for that matter) The pursuit of freedom is one that is enjoyed liberally in this country and always comes at a cost, but to me is well worth it.

As I was saying, my first drive across the United States was from the Tri-Cities in Washington State headed towards New York City. Along the route, after a night stop in Butte, Montana, I spontaneously decided to take a detour off of I-90 to visit Mount Rushmore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rushmore) in South Dakota. There I would see America’s great leaders immortalized. As I toured the Mount Rushmore, the faces of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln appeared most dominant and made the biggest impression on me. Geometrically, their faces are bigger and are positioned on both ends of the four giving me the impression that these two men are most important. Don’t get me wrong, Thomas and Teddy may just as well be important, but George and Abe stand out more, not just in the mountains, but in American history in general. When I was a small kid, I could recall February 12 being designated Lincoln’s Day and February 20 or 21 designated Washington’s day and have those days off from school. Nowadays our society has used President’s Day as a way to honor multiple Presidents.

Anyway, these two men (to me) are the most important because they went against the status quo of their time to make hard decisions that benefit America today. They had a vision of what America was to inevitably be when others didn’t see. Not to discredit Jefferson and Roosevelt, but Washington saw a free America with all the colonies united as sovereign states, thus he led his men to fight for freedom against British superiority. And Lincoln envisioned an America with all the states, first and foremost UNITED, where all men live FREE. Now, one can argue the motives, process and tactics used during their decision-making, but that is beside my point and subject of another topic.

To pursue a vision when others can’t envision the reality of the end is not easy. It takes much will and strength of character. I like to keep the end goal in mind with every decision made along each step of the way. Managing your marathon training, presidents and generals managing the war strategies, parents managing households while raising kids in a diverse culture, students managing education while living and adjusting to life in a foreign land, the list goes on. Whatever it is and whatever the challenge, do not waver and hang on tight to the vision you saw that led you to initiate the pursuit of your goal. It’s all about finding your pace even when the odds are stacked against you. 

Motivation 103: Just Do It

Winter Joggers in Prospect Park

Judging by the stats recorded in my dashboard, my reach is worldwide (as I hoped). Thank you all for reading. Even though you don’t comment directly on this page (and I’m perfectly cool with that), your feedback is much appreciated. Some of you have reached out to me sharing some of your challenges and personal concerns. I’m not claiming to be a life expert (and I’m surely not perfect) but it is cool that I can share some of my experiences that gives you some insight into your own. The stats indicate that not only do I have readers in the United States, but my friends in France, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand have all taken some time to read some of my postings.

Anyway, last time I talked about how the environment and events around you can sometime be so overwhelming that it puts a damper on whatever you are trying to accomplish. Lately, I have been having a hard time motivating myself to run and train for my next race. I don’t really like to call these excuses: but things like my knee hurting and weather events hinder me from going out there as much as I should. I know this isn’t rocket science, but a lot of it has to do with my motivation to just do it. In previous races, it was simple… I sign up and work my best every day with scheduled training runs and complimentary rest before the event. I guess now I realize that my motivation needs to be strong in order for me to get back to where I was. I say this because lately I have been hesitating to sign up for races.

One thing I know about myself is that when I am motivated to do something, I keep moving forward and worry about whatever later. Case in point, back in 2004 I was on one of my many drives across the United States. With my then career-related goal in mind , I did not hesitate to think about the danger of driving through unpopulated areas of this country, nor did I care about the sweltering 115 degree heat of the Mojave Desert with no rest stops or water for over a hundred miles, nor the four days of driving it took for me to reach Los Angeles from New York City. I had the motivation to do it, and did not spend too much time anticipating the obstacles. Where did that motivation come from? Hard for me to say, but I did set a goal and did what it took to get there. To me, that’s very simple.

It is often harder than it sounds. Corporate managers go through hours of training in how to motivate themselves and their underlings, using theories like Maslow, Herzberg, and Theory X and Y, blah blah (boring to read but applying it is insightful). It doesn’t seem that scientific to me. Nike had an ad slogan back in the day that runs across my mind all the time, “Just Do It.” Yeah. In my perspective, it’s that simple. Don’t overthink, just do. So maybe I need to just sign up for a race. Whatever the case, I have the end goal of running the New York City marathon, whether it is this year or next year (hopefully this year), it will happen. Whenever I feel I am ready to train hard again, regardless of what is happening around me, I will “JUST DO IT”.