Training Starts Today!

Happy Halloween!  I started my training for the Boston Marathon today!  The next six weeks or so are the "build up" period, which is putting in mostly long runs and hill workouts to develop strength and endurance.  After coming back from the Chicago Marathon and vacationing in Germany, I ran seven times totaling 33.44 miles, mostly easy runs.  Today, I started out with a bang!  Since it's Halloween, my wife said that I needed to hurry with my run so I can help give out candy and hand-made necklaces she made. So I decided to do a 5-mile progression run, which means running each mile faster than the previous mile.  Just as I was about to go out the door, the doorbell rang with trick or treaters and it was only about 2:30pm!  After giving them candy, my wife took over and off I went.  Ran Miles in 32:23 (6:28). Splits = 6:43, 6:37, 6:30, 6:20, 6:10.

I felt real good as I progressed through each mile.  The weather was beautiful, but very windy.  When I got home, there were more kids at the door getting treats and leaving with big smiles!

Weather - 53 degrees, wind WNW at 20mph.

Shoes - Nike Air Zoom Skylon

Weight - 148 (after run)

Recovery food - small glass of chocolate milk and a banana.

American Cancer Society's DetermiNation Program

After logging over 750 racing miles since 1979, I finally decided to support a charitable program.  I chose the American Cancer Society's DetermiNation Program.  The DetermiNation Program is the American Cancer Society's nation of athletes determined to end cancer.  This powerful and inspiring movement saves lives by enabling athletes to dedicate their training and participation in marathons, triathlons, cycling races, and other endurance events to a lifesaving effort to fight a disease that has already taken too many lives.  Over the years, thousands of athletes have had an experience of a lifetime while raising millions for the fight against all types of cancer.  With every step taken and every mile conquered, these determined athletes are helping create a world with less cancer and more birthdays!

Always a Runner...

Running for a world of less cancer and more birthdays!

You and I know family and friends who were afflicted with cancer.  Some survived.  Some didn't.  I decided to run for the American Cancer Society's DetermiNation Program.  God blessed me with the ability to run well and I believe I need to use this blessing to help others.  Now I run for a deeper, more meaningful reason.  It's no longer about me trying to get better times or traveling to see different cities.  There are others who can't because of cancer.
It's only fitting that I run my first charity race during the 2011 Boston Marathon. It's the oldest, most prestigious marathon requiring a qualifying time by age group to enter.  Runners can run Boston without a qualifying time by running for an approved charity, but those spaces are very limited and it can be challenging for them because they have to raise thousands of dollars.  Because I qualified for Boston, the minimum amount to raise is a mere $750, but would love to raise much more than that!  I know that you are in one way or another affected by someone who has suffered through cancer and may have survived or not.  I ask that you contribute in any way you can to my running campaign.  Your generous donation is another step towards finding the cure for cancer.  When I cross the finish line on Boylston Street in Boston, know that we did it together in helping create a world with less cancer and more birthdays!

Always a Runner...

(Note:  I paid for my own entry fee and will do the same for all travel expenses. The DeterminNation Program does not reimburse its members. Also, 100% of all donations made to my campaign go directly to the DetermiNation Program.)

Marathon Recovery in Germany!

Nurnburg, Germany

In front of the house where Mozart was born, Salzburg, Austria.

On one of the bridges over the Salzach River, Salzburg, Austria

It's been three weeks since I completed the Chicago Marathon on 10.10.10.  After the marathon, I took eight days off from running, which I haven't done since 2005.  Why now?  My wife went to Germany straight from Chicago!  We had a great time exploring southern Bavaria as much as we could despite that it was mostly overcast and cold!  A big thank you goes to Minda Arcega-Jauer and Grace Wurzer for their wonderful hospitality while in Germany.  They both live in Erlangen and Minda was gracious enough to let us stay in her cozy apartment while she was in San Francisco and Grace, who's Minda's good friend and neighbor, had chicken adobo, nilaga (Filipino-style soup) and rice all prepared at Minda's place when we arrived!  Grace's husband also gave us some helpful hints of traveling through southern Bavaria.

We had a chance to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle and took a trip to Salzburg, Austria where Mozart was born and was the setting for "The Sound of Music". We also had the chance to cruise the Autobahn at over 110mph, have my favorite snack (Currywurst mit pommes frits), visit grand cathedrals, shop in Nurnburg and Bamburg, enjoyed fresh-picked apples and savor some of the best chocolates and coffees in the world!  What a way to "recover" from the marathon!

Always a Runner...

Chicago Marathon

At the Marathon Expo at McCormick Place Convention Center the day before the race.

My wife and I dipping our feet into Lake Michigan the about eight hours after the race!

Downtown Chicago on our last day (day after the race).

Before, during and after!

The Chicago Marathon is the 11th marathon I have completed!  My goal was to break 3 hours and 10 minutes, but I fell short of this by crossing the finish line in 3:11:58!  The weather was a bit warm at the start, which hovered in the low 60's.  It soon soared to 79 degrees at around the half way point.  It didn't bother me because we were still running through streets with tall buildings that provided much needed shade and there was a nice breeze keeping us cool.  It wasn't until the final miles where we ran in street with no buildings!  For me, the last 7.2k took a toll on me!  You can see just by looking at my splits:

5k   - 00:23:12 (7:28 p/mile)
10k - 00:45:20 (7:08 p/mile)

15k - 01:07:22 (7:06 p/mile)

20k - 01:29:26 (7:07 p/mile)

Half- 01:34:15 (7:04 p/mile) (13.1miles)

25k - 01:51:14 (7:01 p/mile)

30k - 02:13:22 (7:08 p/mile)

35k - 02:36:32 (7:28 p/mile)

40k - 03:01:00 (7:53 p/mile)

Fin  - 03:11:58 (8:03 p/mile)

Average Pace per mile = 7:19

I wish the weather was cooler!  I was on pace to finish with a 3:08:30!  I can't complain as weather is one element no one can control!  This was my second fastest marathon.  The fastest marathon I've complete was the Philadelphia Marathon in November 2008 with a time of 3:11:43, which is also the coldest marathon I've completed!  Temperature at the start was 27 degrees and at the finish, it was about 32 degrees!

Always a Runner...

Hooked on 26.2 Miles!

2007 New York City Marathon
On my way to qualifying for the 2008 Boston Marathon!

The Inaugural NYC Half Marathon qualified me for guaranteed entry to the 2007 NYC Marathon and so began my passion for the marathon!  My wife encouraged me to go for it even though I initially didn't want to run it!  So I trained for it logging in the miles, eating right, getting the proper rest and getting the awesome support from my wife.  It all paid off when I finished the 2007 NYC Marathon in 3:15:17!  I also qualified for the 2008 Boston Marathon!  I never felt better running a marathon and also felt much better the next morning since I could get out of bed on my own with very little aches!  I caught the marathon fever and have completed six since then!

Always a Runner...

New York Road Runners Club

Manhattan Half Marathon, #4 of 5 in NYRR Half Marathon Grand Prix Series

August 29, 2004

Time: 1hr 35min 46 sec

Inaugural NYC Half Marathon. August 27, 2006

Time: 1hr 25min 48 sec

Japan Day 4-Mile Race, Central Park, May 31, 2009

Time: 25min 53 sec

The Central Park 150th Birthday race was my only race in 2003.  However, being inspired by Paul and Dr. Laiz, I ran 11 races in 2004 to include the NYC Half Marathon Grand Prix.  This was running a half marathon in each of NYC's five boros (Brookyn, Queens, Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, in that order that year).  I have never ran that many half marathons in one year!  I had so much fun running that year!  In 2005, I decided to run the New York City Marathon with two goals. First, break by 1983 time and second, run it non-stop, since I never did that before.  I was successful with my first goal as I finished in 3:40:31.  I was barely successful with my second goal as I was reduced to a slow trot during the last few miles!  I hurt so bad the next morning that I couldn't even get out of bed!  I couldn't walk normally for at least a week!  I was okay not running another marathon after that!

In 2006, the Inaugural NYC Half Marathon was announced and I wanted to run it.  It was capped at just over 10,000 runners and I signed up immediately!  I trained hard following a plan from the Runner's World website.  This time I also paid attention to my nutrition of getting the right amount of carbohydrates, protein, electrolytes, and fats.  This was something I never even thought about in the past!  The result?  I finished in 1:25:48 and placed 180 out of 10,294 finishers.  Guess what?  This qualified me for guaranteed entry to the 2007 NYC Marathon and so began my passion for the marathon!

Always a Runner...