Looks Can Be Deceiving: My Miami Marathon Experience.

I certainly got more than I expected in Miami this weekend, Super Bowl Sunday. When I first signed up for this race early last summer, I was fresh off of a personal best at the hilly San Francisco Marathon. Motivated by the marathon bombings, I set my sights for Boston as I knew it was within reach. My original goal was to run the New York City marathon. And after 10 years of wanting it, this November I'm in. But deep inside me I knew I can make it to Boston and that I should put in the extra effort to get there.

The more experienced marathoners I spoke with at the time suggested that I wait at least until Spring 2014 before I start running marathons again. But with the schedule demands of my engineering career, I knew that wasn't going to be possible. It was hard enough last year, 2013 training in the Spring time, just when the construction season is getting busy. And I knew that I would finally run New York City in November, so my summer and fall would be spent training. I had to make a choice. Miami was a no brainer. 

The course was flat. I can train during the holiday season, when work is slower, and I can escape the cold New York City weather for a weekend. All seemed right with the world... so I thought. But I still couldn't get the advice out of my head from those who were more experienced than I was: that I should wait. I knew qualifying for Boston would be an uphill battle. 

So let's skip all the polar vortex marathon training this winter in New York City and go directly to today's race. Race start was 6:15 AM and my cab was stuck in traffic. I had to get out in the middle of traffic and walk 6 blocks just so that I can check my bag in and make it to my coral. Coral C was crowded. And there were no bathrooms available so I was going to have to empty out at the first water stop. I finally saw one 3 miles into the race. But before I got there, the crowded field on MacArthur Causeway had me doing zig zags along the roadway. One guy even tripped me up but an early disaster was avoided. 

Upon relief, and just before hitting mile 4, the race started to open up and I was able to hit my stride. The sun hadn't risen yet and though there was some humidity, the heat wasn't too bad. I was holding close to  Boston Qualifying pace no problem and was feeling good. I also knew that I had plenty of energy to pick up the pace after the half mark. But it never happened. Mile 14, 15, the 16 came, and I kept holding myself back because I realized that I was on pace and the sooner I start running faster the harder it would be to maintain.

Bad news came at mile 17 as I was holding pace, a major Charlie Horse caught my upper left thigh and hamstring. I was devastated. But I had no time to grieve. I had to think quick. I picked up the gel intake and walked it off for about 2 minutes. Luckily I was right at the water stop so I could also wash it down with water as well as hydrate my body as I normally do. I may have lost some time, but at that point all was not lost. One runner shouted for me to keep going and that it was ALL MENTAL! He was right, but now was not the time I wanted to hear that. 

I proceeded to run Boston Qualifying pace, but that runner's comment had my thoughts racing. Was this Charlie Horse going to come back? Why did I focus so much on my calves and knees this training season and not focus enough on my upper legs? Maybe I should have waited! All going through my head until I hit mile 20. At that point, I could run my 10K pace, get to the finish line and start planning my trip to Boston. Mother nature had a different plan. Around 8:30 A.M. or so, the sun really started to shine and the humidity started to pick up. I started feeling dizzy and I saw fellow runners on the side of the road passed out getting medical attention. (After the race, I heard one guy had a heart attack) And I noticed the mile 20 and 21 marker had a yellow caution. I remember specifically thinking, is that for the runners, or for the cars. But my dizziness soon picked up and thoughts of my 2010 New Jersey marathon came flooding in. I knew then that if I was going to run the rest of the year, I had to slow down and forget about qualifying for Boston. And that I did. Also, the five minute rain storm that followed my decision to slow down confirmed that I made the right choice. 

So as I was running along, I was well under the pace to at least get a new PR. But at that point it was time for my biological functions to weigh in. Long time ago I discovered that PowerGels by PowerBar did not go well with me. However, I decided to load up on them because I was trying to stay away from gels with caffeine. I have been hearing stories about heart attacks and me being such a coffee drinker, I didn't want to elevate my heart rate any more than I had to. However, most of the caffeinated GU gels that my body grew accustomed to had much less sodium content which probably was a reason for some of the recent calf strains I experienced in previous races. I went back to PowerGels because of their high sodium content. That was a mistake. Apparently, the extra intake of PowerGels at mile 17 that relieved my Charlie Horse wanted to make a quick escape. And it wasn't going to wait. At mile 23, I saw a fresh park bathroom, not a porta potty, but a clean, glowing bathroom with no line that seemed to shine from the distance. I then said, screw a PR, I have to go. I proceeded to spend the next 15 minutes relieving myself. At one point I forgot that I was actually running a marathon, until I looked over at my watch and saw that it was still ticking. Paradise was over, I had to go get my medal. 

During my 2010 New Jersey marathon, I learned the walk-run technique. With no thoughts in my head, I just ran a slow less strenuous pace, and when I felt like walking, I walked. The "Go Brooklyn" shout outs were ever increasing, at mile 25, I realized I still had a shot at hitting around 4 hours or so. So I picked up the pace to a comfortable jog until I crossed the finish line. And that was it. It was over. Didn't feel disappointed. Actually felt physically better than I did during my previous marathons. But I knew I learned some major lessons that will carry me for the rest of my racing year. 

1. Never take PowerGels again. I learned my lesson once and I should have maintained my sodium intake regimen. 

2. Pick and choose your marathons carefully. Your body needs time to adjust when training in extreme cold weather for race day heat and humidity. 

3. Balanced stretching and cross fit training is important. I focused so much on my calves and IT, that it must have created an imbalance in my thighs and hamstring. This was the first time I ever had any pain in my upper leg. 

In short, this marathon may have been a disaster as far as time goes. But I learned some important aspects about my running that will help me get to Boston sooner rather than later. You have to have bad days in order to appreciate the good ones. 

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.