No Run, No Fun

It was raining heavily late this afternoon. Instead of running, the raining has done all the ruining!

And that's a real stinker as I was looking forward to my fix of endorphin. In fact I had been eagerly waiting since morning.

Ever had one of those days when you had high expectations but what you dreamed of and hoped for didn't go according to plan? Well today was one of those days for me.

I consoled myself with the thought that I had a day to rest and so tomorrow I'll be in an even better physical state to go for a good long run.

Good runners think positive!

By the road

I was out on my run, today being a 5.73km along the busy and high traffic roadside. It wasn't the best or the most conducive for a good run. I had to watch the on-coming vehicles speeding past me.

There were places where there's no side walks, only undulating stretches of weeds and grass. Nevertheless once I'm out on the road, I just made the best of it. That's about all you can, make the best of it and have a good time.

Still, I might not take the same route again, for a long time to come. Traffic is bad, pollution is bad. It used to be a good route to run about 2 years ago. Not anymore.

I might have extended my run but for the gathering dark clouds pregnant with rain. Reached home with 10 minutes to spare before the skies opened up and drenched the earth.

Tranquility

For the past 9 months I was heavy on running about 3 to 6 kilometres daily, except on days when I was too tired or when I was in need of rest for my hurting legs. I did my runs on a fairly intense pace. It felt fast, but most times, I'm drained by the end of the run.

As of two weeks ago, having been inspired by the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall, I plunged headlong into some short-lived fantasies about getting into ultra marathon distances. I ventured into runs that averaged 12 kilometres - hardly ultra, but to me it was pure bliss to know I can persevere for those distances. This is double what I was used to, but truth be said, I won't trade long runs for shorter and more intense ones.

I was so into the book, that I raced through the pages within 2 days. If you need some running inspiration and motivation, this is it!

One clear reason for me is the runner's high that kicks in after more than half an hour pitter pattering on the road. Of course I had to run through the initial niggling muscular discomforts early in each run. Well, I guess we've all got to go through some kinds of lows before we hit some kind of highs! And all this "highs" are legit! And free as far as monetary transaction is concerned.

There's also that almost heavenly sense of well being - the sense of peace and serenity, the clarity and depth of reflective thinking that seems to open up deep into the run.

Besides, I found a new level of confidence that I can go further than what I thought I could run. I'm already looking forward to building up my strength and stamina to push beyond 12 kilometres runs in the not so distant future.

So now, I'm willing even to rest one day in between my long runs, just so I can be rested and fit enough to go the distance. Besides, I've found lovely trails to roll the kilometres away, but that's a story for another day.

No Watch, Just Heart

Today I ran
I ran with my heart
Five flowing laps around the park
Not caring to bring my stopwatch
Distance, not time would be my mark

For a runner to run without a watch
Feels incomplete, feels wrong
But then again, where does that sense come from?

For me, I know
It's from the past
School days of track and field training
Of laps after laps with lungs bursting
An old habit
A familiar habit
It feels right then
But then again
Today I discover
The joy of running
Without target lap times to cover
Today, it's no watch - just heart!

Re-activate

I've not been running since 24th May 2012 till today, the 28th of June 2012. Truth is, I was away travelling overseas in Europe, and then it was a trip to Thailand. Somehow or rather, I find it difficult to maintain a running schedule in the midst of travelling to different places. I know there are some who would relish being able to run and explore when they are in different cities of the world.

So, this afternoon would be a sweet time to put on my shoes and go for a relaxed run.

No Turning Back

Having transitioned rather well to minimalist shoes for running, I, out of curiosity and variety, donned my usual running shoe, the Response, and went for a run. It was disastrous! To cut the long story short, I ended up with muscle pains and strains.

I think I'll use my Response for walking around and retire it permanently from running purposes.

Having had this minor episode, I can understand this much - that my running style had adapted more to running in a minimalist shoe (it's running heaven once the transition is made well). So putting on a thickly padded shoe and running in them feels foreign and disjointed in running flow and rhythm.

My NB Minimus

At last, my dream pair of minimalist running shoes is here! I've been transitioning from cushioned running shoes for almost four months now.

And yes, for those who are into running shoes, this is a women's model. But it fits me to a tee, and it's the only one available in size 6. Yes, I've got small feet. As a matter of fact, all my past running shoes were size 7.

Since my teenage years, I've worn down and worn out lots of running flats. My first pair ever was Adidas Boston, back in the 1980s. Those were the years of fame for the Boston marathon. Bill Rodgers the name that stuck out! My next pair was the Adidas Adistar, a delight to race in. Clocked fast times in them. My university years were a bit toned down, Adidas New York and Adidas TRX.

My years upon graduation were mile-less years. The running just stopped. It was only when I hit my 40th birthday, I spent time reflecting and thinking of what I want to do with the rest of my years left. I thought about my vocation - pastoring, about my family, and about reigniting my passion for running.

Then when I went out to buy a pair of Adidas Vanquish which served me faithfully for 3 years or so. Then I alternated with an Adidas Adizero Tempo. This was a great shoe!

The day I went to buy a Nike Free 7.0, I felt like a turncoat! Man! But, it was a comfy shoe to run in, and this serves me till now, even when the rubber treads have peeled off.

It's a long story of training and racing ... the short of it, is I bought into minimalism as a way of life. Blame Steve Jobs for some of that influence! But I got the point, and I saw the light!

That's how I gunned for Minimus. How's does it perform on the road, though it a trail shoe? All I can say, is beside the tap, tap sounds on the road, it gives a smooth ride. My knee problems are gone with this transition. But I've got to watch for the calf muscles!

Till the next time, happy running!