Prelude to my NYC Marathon Dream.

The half marathon is certainly my favorite distance. Long enough to be a challenge but short enough not to devastate you. I have a good number of them under my belt since my Team-In-Training days, so preparing and training for one isn't as strenuous as it used to be. Today's NYC 1/2 is definitely worth writing a little something about. It may not have been my best performing race, but certainly my most fun half marathon.

Security was definitely on point with dogs and swarms of police in the pre-race and baggage areas on 59th Street. I was actually surprised at how cold it was. Up until a couple days ago, the weather man mentioned 50's (F) and it was hovering between 25 and 30 until the race start. So after emptying out early (lessons learned from Miami) and checking my bag in, I just made it to my coral before the national anthem. It was certainly nice seeing all the North Brooklyn Runners wishing each other the best and inspiring each other to be their best. Along with the crowds and the ABC-7 cameras I knew this was going to be fun.

So the gun went off and of course, I kept to my normal 7 to 7:30 min/mile pace. I haven't run in Central Park since the Joe Kleinerman 10K so I was a little intimidated by the Harlem Hills after mile 3. I took it slower than I should have and ended up costing me overall. A much faster NBR teammate advised me later that it was best to keep my splits at an even pace. Even though the hills are rough in the beginning, running them hard would have been ideal. I would be tired running down the West Side Highway but I would have held a faster pace. Instead, I ended up having to gun it after mile 11 to make up for any time loss. 

Oh well, it was fun. I couldn't help giving high fives to spectators along the side that stuck their hands out to me in Times Square. The wind after mile 7 and turning the corner down the West Side at mile 8, can also be a place that cost me some time. And finally, every time I wrap my legs, I tend to run slower. I wore the knee high socks because I wanted to keep my legs warm while wearing shorts. That has consistently resulted in shin splints. I'm certainly my worse critic. No race is perfect, and we get better with repetition. 

So with a 1:32:40. I am certainly happy. Post-race felt fine. Shins were a little sore but I didn't have the side stitch problem thanks to my new breathing exercises I learned in my last NBR form run. And I can't say enough about the crowds, especially entering Wall Street to the Finish Line. It was one big "NYC 1/2" sign that made you feel really special. Prepackaged post-race refreshments and the words of congratulations from the volunteers was the icing on the cake. Well done New York Road Runners, well done. If this is what you did for 20,000 half marathon runners, I can imagine what it will be like for the 50,000 marathon runners that run through the boroughs this November. Until then, I am patiently waiting for that dream to be fulfilled.

New York's Prodigal Son (Blogger Edition)

Here is a post from early 2012 from my WordPress site. Thought it was worth it to repost here since I decided I like Blogger better. Let me know what you think.

http://wp.me/p1XleN-9

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.