2011 Long Beach Marathon Training Update

Since I started my training last June 13, I have ran a total of  263 miles.  Raced in two 10K events and one Half Marathon.

As suggested by a blogger friend, my training is focused on distance and not on speed,  and to build up my endurance beyond 20 miles.  My progress is slow,  but I am happy as no need of recovery.  I was able to run a day after the long run. So far,  the farthest I ran was 18 miles at 3:11:57.

Last year, I trained at the Long Beach Marathon route (Beach front) but this year, training is mostly on the San Gabriel River Bike Path, home toward the the Ocean  and  home toward the San Gabriel Mountain . The San Gabriel bike path is more challenging than the LBM route because the path goes under bridges and freeways every mile. Also, the path follow the grading of the river bed( gradual decline toward the ocean and incline toward the mountain.. The real challenged, though, come from the peloton of cyclists. Have to watch for them. It's 20 to 30 feet down the river bed.

Goal -- Finish the race without bonking.

San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon
July 31, 2011

San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon
July 31, 2011

San Francisco Marathon Top Finisher Resting Heart Rate

When my son and I got home after running the San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon, I logged in to my computer to check the race results and some news about the event.  I came across an article about the overall winner, Mr Michael Wardian.  That he had severe food poisoning, and spent the rest of the day and night vomiting but early Sunday morning, the 37-year-old elite runner from Arlington, Va., smiled as he crossed the finish line and won the San Francisco Marathon, coming in unofficially at 2 hours, 27 minutes and 6 seconds - more than 7 minutes ahead of the second-place finisher. 

What caught my attention though, is his resting heart rate of 31 bpm. Three years ago, while at the office of a pulmonary specialist for my asthma problem, the nurse monitoring my heart rate stepped out of the room in a hurry. She came back with the Doctor. Upon entering the room he saw me with my Long Beach Marathon shirt and without looking at the monitor or listening to my heat beat, he told the nurse, I was good. Turned out the nurse freaked out because of my heart 44 bpm.

When I got home, I searched  from the computer about low resting heart rate.  I came across an article about athletes having resting heart rate as low as 40 bpm.  Average heart rate is from 60 to 100.  I am no athlete and never played in a team sport before so, I was worried.

When I saw my regular Doctor the following day, I told him about the incident at the Specialist office. Asked
him if my low bpm is normal.  He told me it's not normal but not to worry about it because of my running activities. That he will be worried if I am obese, can't walk a mile and smoker.  He also told me that my blood pressure medicine (beta blocker) might be affecting my bpm. Changed the dosage of my medication and my resting heart rate is now 49 bpm.

Still not clear to me how low resting heart rate affect the performance of an athletes.



Notes:
Mr. Michael Wardian  recently placed third in the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley, where temperatures reached 130 degrees. But he had never won the San Francisco Marathon, finishing second twice.


2nd Half Marathon Result:
Time: 2:05:20
AG Place(65-69) - 3rd out of 20

City of Cypress 5K & 10K Run/Walk Photos

July 23, 2011
 
Detailed Race Features
• All-American, small town certified race course
• $3500 prize money for 10K
• Chip timing
• Age division awards
• Race t-shirts (guaranteed for pre-registration only)
• Post-race awards at the finish line
• Big Stick popsicles for all finishers to help cool down!
• Beer garden located at the Community Festival
• $4.00 Kiwanis pancake breakfast
• Good ol’ fashioned summertime fun!

This is one of the three (3) popular City sponsored running events near Long Beach. The other two are Seal Beach 10K and Los Alamitos Run on the Base (runway is the course).

Cypress event attract some of the best LA and OC Counties runners because of the $3500 prize money, unusual for a local event.

This will be my 1st Cypress 10K run and last training/race stop before the San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon which will be held on July 31, 2011.

Race Day Update:

Event was well organized, lots of volunteers and good support/cheers from the community. Lots of bottled waters, Popsicles, banana and bagels at the post race area.  My only negative comment is on the 10 years increment on the age group. 

My Race Result:
Finish Time: ------------- 54:09
AG Place (60 - 69): ----- 13/29
Overall Place: ----------- 210/527

Hot, Humid and Busy Month of July 2011

A month ago, I only had  one scheduled race.  Then,  a week into the month things got busy. I also started  training for my 2nd full marathon.  The hot and humid weather make things tougher.  To adjust to my busy schedule, I cut down on my work out at the "Y" and  play racquet ball 2 times a week, instead of the usual 5.

July 4th
La Palma 10K

Cat Run
July 7 - July 14
Run 10K everyday for 7 days to feed my son's cats.

Cypress 10K
July 23, 2011

July 31
San Francisco 2nd  Half Marathon

2011 La Palma Fitness Run For Fun


A healthy way to kick off your Fourth of July Festivities! La Palma's Fitness Run for Fun is more than just another run: it's an opportunity to experience that small town/hometown sense of community; to share quality time with your family, neighbors, and friends; and to focus on health and wellness while participating in a quality running, walking, or strolling experience.

Course

Competitive Events: USATF sanctioned and certified flat and fast course on asphalt streets, well-marked and with ample water stations. Traffic will be controlled by the La Palma Police Department. 5K races are 1 loop (3.1 miles), 10K race is 2 loops (6.2 miles);
 
This is my third 4th of July La Palma's Fitness Run.
 
July 4, 2009  ---  0:57:18 ---- 3rd place /65-69
July 4, 2010  ---  0:55:00 ---- 1st place / 65-69
July 4, 2011  ---  0:55:33 ---- 1st place / 65-69 
 
I think age is slowly catching up with me.
 
Today is also the first time  I ran with my youngest son, Aris.  While it is true that he can ride his bike downhill from some of the highest downhill venue in U.S and Canada and ride his motorcycle 200mph at Fontana Nascar Raceway, he is no match to the old man running speed and endurance.
 
Today is also my 40th wedding anniversary.



July 4, 1971
Paco Cemetery Park
Manila, Philippines



August 25, 2011

Old Ranch Country Club

Seal Beach, CA

Long Beach Marathon - Training

Today's run is the start of my 2nd full marathon training.  My goal is to run the 26.2 miles without bonking/stopping/walking.  

My training program will be:
            a. Pace range of 10:30 to 12 minute per miles.
            b. 2 - 15 miles run at 10:30 pace
            c. 2 - 18 miles run at 10:45 pace
            d. 1 - 20 miles run at 11:00 pace
            e. 1 - 26 miles run at 12:00 pace (September 11)

6/13/2011
           Distance:  12 miles
           Time:        2:03:26
            Pace:       10:17



Long Beach Marathon
October 9, 2011



Long Beach Marathon
October 2010
Time: 4:42:49

Ojai 2 Ocean Half Marathon - A fun Run

This is the inaugural run of Ojai 2 Ocean Marathon and Half Marathon,  limited to 600 total participants.

It's a no frills event but full of fun:
   1. Bib Pick Up - No health expo, pictured I.D not required and no freebies except 2 packets of chewable stuff. Out of there in 2 minutes with my bib#, timing chip & shirt.

    2. Start Line (Half Marathon) - Stay on the trail, go south by about 1/4 mile and you will find     a surf board planted on the sand with Start painted on it.  No banner, no cones, no balloons.
 
    3. Hydration Stations - I left the comment(s)  to the expert(s).  I always run with my hydration     belt.

    4. Finish Line - Look at the picture: You can't get simpler than this.  



My Perspective of the Race -  Fun started at 5:15am.  I left the hotel on foot(still dark) and walked toward the fairground where I thought the HM starts. My bad, had to turnaround when told the start line was near the historic pier. Together with a couple, a female runner and her companion on a bike,  we got a simple direction from the event staff near the pier.  Stay on the trail,  keep walking till you find a surf board with Start painted on it. After walking 1/2 mile, we reached the start line. That was fun and a good  warm up. 

The race started on time. The trail was crowded with runners and had to run slowly for almost a mile. At the bike trail the crowd thin out and now on my normal HM pace.  As usual, I look for  a  pacer and stayed with him/her till I lost them and had to look for another one.  Majority of the participants are young men and women, serious runners and from the look of their appearance,  lead a healthy and active lifestyle. At age 69, I thought I was the oldest participant(the results listed another participant at age 72).

At mile 6, I was still running strong and at paced to set a PR. On the 2nd loop, the crowd really thin out and  there were times, I can not see a  runner ahead of me. At mile 10, this is where I usually get tired, I found a pacer that motivated me to run behind her all the way to the finish line. 



Almost there!!



Crossed the finish line strong and when I looked at my Garmin watch I was shocked.  I finally reached my ultimate goal ----- to finish the 1/2 marathon under 2 hrs.  Unbelievable, awesome, it's a miracle were  the words that can described my feelings.  Unfortunately, a further looked at my Garmin watch, the course distance is only 12.62 miles. Short by about 1/2 mile. 

     Official Time :            1:56:54

    Overall Place :             95/268

    AG(65/74)      :             1st Place

It's a PR for me even if I add a conservative time of 5 minutes to my official time to run the other 1/2 mile.

I had fun at the race and above all, my wife and I enjoyed our weekend in Ventura.