Saturday, June 15, 2013
Friday Afternoon - published on fb on Feb 8, 2013
Having now gorged on a yummmm carrot-tomato-orange salad which in my mind tastes exactly like my mother and my grandmother made, feet feeling a nice tired and a body which will deserve to rest early, having been inspired to write after a long time, thought I would share what made it so worthwhile.
Normally, I am exhausted by Friday afternoons, just want to go home and rest. This afternoon was not far from the same; in fact, this morning, while in a fourth grade class, one of the students asked me, "Are you feeling tired or stressed?" She then went on to state, "It cannot be stress because you get paid to do such a cool job. My father also has a cool job. He gets paid to test games". I told her that I did indeed love my job and that it truly was fun and that I was just tired.
However, this afternoon, I was determined to work out, having missed my workout this morning. Now, with my weird schedule, taking classes two week nights, and my bedtime extended beyond what I was earlier used to, even though I am up really early for most people, it isn't early enough that I can go to the gym and be back to have my children's hot lunches prepared. Those of you who know me, know just how obsessed I am with children's nutrition, particularly given one of my children's history. So, anyway, since January I got hooked onto Just Dance 4 on the Wii, and do that sort of as a consolation prize. I can have food cooking, wake up my younger one, make my tea in between the songs and still feel like I get a good workout. I never ever imagined I would be saying this one day. All this so that I can lose some more weight before I start seriously running again.
Even though I woke up at 3:30 this morning, I decided to skip my workout because I had too much work that I wanted to complete before I went into school. I was tired and, like most Fridays after school, I would have come home and just plonked and done something brainless. However, because I was determined - oh, and one of the main reasons for that determination was the Nike fuel belt that I started using about two weeks ago. It has been instrumental in ensuring that I keep to a certain activity level. I like that because it is a a challenge and I love challenges. This afternoon my fuel belt was still on red/orange after school and that was not a good sign. This, despite the fact that I had walked around quite a bit all morning on campus. So, off I went to the gym after school. I really missed my 4 a.m. gym friends. It was too crowded as well but those were just excuses. I decided I couldn't go outdoors since my nose has been feeling like spring and my sneezes won't stop.
I got a really good workout and felt truly reinvigorated thereafter, so much so that when I got back home, my hubby asked me to go and buy some greens and I wasn't like - "Can you go?", etc. He happened to be home because he is transitioning jobs and I have had the luxury of having him cook the last two days. Today, the salads were cut and I just had to garnish them, but I did. Not just that, but after returning from the store, my fuel belt still needed more pumping. So I put in some "Just Dance4". Now I am almost at my goal but know that I will more than surpass it by the time I sleep. I am feeling so much better that I wonder why I haven't thought of doing this before on a Friday afternoon. It will be a great way to celebrate the end of a working week!
Now, if only I can start running the miles again....
Just a Matter of the Mind - published on fb on Jan 17, 2012
"Brrrr!" I thought in my head as I looked up the temperature at 4 a.m. - it was 30 degrees Farenheit in Palo Alto. It didn't deter me from getting my workout gear and heading to the gym. Given that I never thought twice about running outside when it was 35 degrees, this was really easy in comparison in terms of getting my mind ready. Bracing myself through the five minute drive which isn't an adequate distance to truly kick in the heat, I was all set. After all, I had missed working out three days in a row.
As I greeted two of my early morning friends upon entering the gym, one of them piped up, "Hey, the heater for the pool is broken. I went in there yesterday and it was freezing." My instinct was to head right back to the car, go home get some work in or just snuggle back up in my covers. She then added, "Well, you could use the jacuzzi and sauna". Given that I had come all the way, that I am really constrained in my workouts with my still-injured foot, I decided to check out the hot tub.
The wet area was deserted. I had to warm up my mind while I could dare step into the water. After a few minutes in the jacuzzi, I gingerly put one toe in the pool. "No way", shouted a voice in my head. So back I went to the steaming tub. Another minute of dithering while a voice said to me I was a wimp. I certainly wasn't going to buy into that. So without further thought, I plunged right into the unheated pool. Surprisingly, it didn't feel as cold as I had earlier thought. The trick was to dive right in without thinking too much about it I guess. Thrilled to have finished my warm up laps, I put on my aqua jogging belt, which is my only saving grace while I bide my time to get back to real running, I completed my aqua workout convincing myself that I had burned more calories this way (in the icy waters).
While in the pool, I had to encourage two more of my friends to just get in. They did. We all feel way better after the workout and I am extremely satisfied at my decision to have completed my workout this morning.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Celebrating #45 the way I wanted to
In a short while I was going to complete number five if all went well. I needed to set myself another goal; my little college clique will laugh - they know I need to be overbooked to feel useful. So I thought to myself, "Why not aim for completing ten marathons before I turn 50?" So I looked up various races and found one that was on my birthday. That discovery was really exciting - on my birthday, on a school long weekend, not too far from home - wow! I almost never spend a birthday the way I like to anymore. I waited until I caught hubby in a really good mood and checked in, "There is a marathon on my birthday; it is a long weekend for us. Should I book? We can all go; it is Carlsbad so the kids can spend a day in Legoland or go to the beach." Hubby was fine with it other than grumbling about taking off for too long on Friday.He also suggested that we fly back on Monday but I decided against it. I would not have had the kids go through a routine disruption otherwise and was not going to do it for myself, particularly knowing how V suffers from a break in his routine.
The next step was booking the marathon and the hotel. From a past experience around a marathon in San Diego I knew that I needed to book the hotel even before I booked the race. The race organizers had two hotels endorsed and I picked the Sheraton due to its private entrance to Legoland. The flights were booked later as well as the rental car but that didn't matter.
The training for this one was really different from my previous marathons with a great deal of training on the treadmill towards the latter part. I had forgotten how dark and cold it could be early mornings; if I left later for a run I would be gone for most of the morning which I couldn't afford to do given that my now ten year old would be up by 7:00 and he still can get my heart rate beating way too fast even though he is doing really well now. So, I would go to the gym by 4:00 even on a weekend morning to accomplish my long run goals. I did miss training as often as I did on the dish or other hills in the area. At times I really worried about how I would make it.
The other factor that was different this time round was that I went through a period when my left leg really hurt, particularly a month or two before the race. It was really bad for a period of time though I tried not to let it bother me. A known runner but stranger simultaneously came to my rescue on this matter. I was on my way back from a run during the winter break, stopping at Peet's for a glass of water when I ran into this person whom I have met several times either at the dish or the neighborhood and who I knew had been suffering from an injury. He struck up a conversation by mentioning how good it was that I was still running. I thanked him and remarked that I had this pain on my leg. He saw the spots I pointed to and showed me a stretch that would help. That was like a miracle worker. All I had to do was incorporate that particular stretch (in addition to my regular surya namaskars or sun invocations) and it worked wonders.
Three days before the race I got my first cold in more than six months. It was a nasty cold. Fortunately, it was a short school week, but on Thursday, I barely made it to work, warned all the kids and other adults whom I encountered to stay away from me. My aide who is darling was so worried about me wondering how I would manage. I had to insist that I was fine and that she knew me better than that, I had planned this for so long, nothing would stop me. In the meantime, the weather had actually turned for the better with the rain magically vanishing.
On Friday, when the four of us boarded the flight I was still fighting my cold and praying. This couldn't be true. To our luck, there were no flight delays, nor too much traffic to encounter from San Diego to Carlsbad. The weather was as good as it had been where we left off. The hotel was good, we got to relax. V wanted to run the kids' marathon mile the next morning. He was so excited that he was up at 6:00 a.m. Things have been doing so much better with him that this hour or so lack of sleep does not mess him up like it used to for the most part. The mile race was a great deal of fun and very inspiring for these little ones.
Fast forward to Saturday night where I was in bed by 8:30 and so were hubby and kids. I must have awaken a few times so that I could be sure to be awake on time. Woke up a little before 4:00 (those of you who know this about me know that I don't need an alarm, nor is it a problem to wake up at really early hours), showered, went down to grab a coffee and a bagel (I really dislike coffee but dislike even more the way tea is made in the coffee shops, so normally settle for the lesser of the two evils). While waiting in the lounge for the shuttle (to take me to the starting line), I met two women from Phoenix, one of whom was running a marathon for the first time and the other who was running her fourth marathon. It felt to meet regular women like me who weren't skinny and ran at normal pace. They were as upset as I was with the way the hotel had organized race logistics. After boarding the shuttle, met one person who was from Orinda, not far from us, and running I don't know which # marathon. He was much younger for sure. Then there was this woman who runs about 19 marathons a year! She was amazing - she had run a marathon in Charleston in 19 degrees F. the previous weekend, has run the NY marathon 5 times, has run practically every marathon you can think of, was running the Carlsbad marathon that day, taking the red eye to NY that night and flying on a business trip to Lisbon the day after! Wow, wow, wow! It makes me wonder whether I have accomplished anything at all.
At 5:20 a.m. when I got off the bus, it did not seem like there was any race taking place at 6:00 a.m. There was practically nobody around save for the start line banner across the street. Everyone headed out in some direction and I just followed. Using one of the portable toilets is almost a must before a race. Thereafter headed towards the tent where everybody seemed to be. This was my first ever winter marathon and I had no clue how it worked. Upon entering the tent, I saw almost every inch occupied by a runner, stretching or just sitting. I decided to turn in my sweats, having worn arm warmers for the first time (and gloves of course); came back to find a spot in the tent and waited around until one of the organizers hollered, "It is 5:45 folks. You need to go". So everybody trudged to the starting line. Met someone who was running her first marathon and landed up being the first person to wish me in person on my birthday. Another race, another city, another set of runners ....
The sudden silence when "The Star Spangled Banner" was sung beautifully in the dark and cold. Then the cheering and off we all went. I was, as always, in the middle of the pack. I decided to start off close to the 4:45 pacer, thinking that I would aim for less than 5:00 hours. I was feeling really good and really thought I might be able to do well time wise even though my training had not been focussed with a time goal in mind. Seeing the dawn breaking followed by the sunrise was inspiring. Despite the early morning chill and darkness there were several people cheering. I have often wondered if I am foolish to run long distances but then looking around there were so many people who had come by themselves like me, not with friends or family and it really helped. Listening to conversations is always inspiring as is reading people's slogans on their T-shirts. Two that stand out were - "I have donated a kidney and a liver" and this person was running a marathon thereafter(not sure how many after his organ donations); the other one was "Pain is only temporary; finishing is permanent". How true! The thoughts of my family and my sister's wishes as well as a dear cousin's(more like a brother) normally keep me going; thoughts of how various people struggle through life on a daily basis.
Running along the Pacific Ocean before the sun came all out was one of my favorite parts of this race. There was a group of men playing volleyball on the sand, a few early morning walkers and runners other than which the coast was almost empty. It made me wonder, what if one day I decided to start running from home, run south along the coast and keep going along the Pacific, letting myself do as much or as little as possible each day, wouldn't that be bliss? Watching the waves as one runs along each day and seeing the ocean in its myriad of colors and patterns?
By 7:15 the sun was blazing and I wondered why I was so thrilled at seeing the sunrise. It didn't bother me a whole lot though since it was still relatively cool, I felt really good. Between miles 8 and 9, it was a steady uphill - not very steep but surely only an ascent with the sun staring into your face. Someone who had done this race before remarked that this was the toughest mile. It wasn't really that hard, it was just a little harder than the rest. By the time I reached the top of that hill, I knew the 4:45 pacer had gone ahead and I might not be able to catch up. However, that didn't bother me because I would not have enjoyed my run half as much if I had.
The upside to the uphill was that the sun was truly behind me thereafter. The race organizers had done a really good job with each of the mile markers (it is always uplifting to see the next benchmark so to say), the water, the gu, they even had vaseline, which I should have used then instead of suffering later. This running stretch took me past the road that crossed our hotel. So I thought it would be great to call hubby and have them come there so that I could hand them my arm warmers and gloves which were rendered pretty much useless by the time. However, Ram did not pick up and I decided not to retry. I was a tad disappointed at not seeing them during but we should have planned that out better. Plus I know how much my twelve year old likes to sleep in. She had really given up her time this weekend.
Besides the above-mentioned, the race organizers had done a great job with the cheering squads. Also, I was impressed at how many locals wore blankets and came out to cheer random people. By mile 15, I knew something was wacko - when I realized that it was my feet, it was a complete will power exercise thereafter. My feet were hurting which hadn't happened before during a marathon like they were really tired. I think all that walking in Legoland the previous day may have played a role. I completely had to block the pain out thereafter. After having thought about it for a couple of minutes, I was able to successfully block out the pain and continued on my journey. I don't enjoy flat running much so I was kind of disappointed when the downhill was over.
After having lost the 4:45 pacing group, I had managed to keep in sight and stay a little ahead of the 5:00 pacing group. By mile 19, I realized, they were a little ahead and by mile 20 they were even further out. There was one group of men, wheeling one of their friends in his wheelchair the entire way. I crossed them several times and was really inspired by their spirit, their enthusiasm, their drive and just the motivation for them as well as this friend to do this for 26.2 miles. They kept up their humor as well which obviously helped while I had started to feel tired.
For this race, until mile 20 I thought it came fairly easily. Thereafter, I was kind of really out of it until mile 23 after which I had to tell myself that it was only 3.2 miles. Somewhere near mile 19 the half marathoners who had started after us, joined us and that made it almost a party. They not only had a great deal of energy, there were so many of them that it was actually good to have company at the time. Between miles 20 and 21 when I felt like I really needed some pep, I saw one of the most beautiful sights - a lagoon with hundreds of brown pelicans - it was breathtaking. Right at the time, a solitary brown pelican swooped down into the water from the skies that seemed to completely be worthwhile the run.
At about mile 21 or 22, I must have looked a sight. There was this little girl cheering - she was probably no more than 9 or 10 years old and adorable. She made it a point to cheer everybody. When she saw me, she went on - come on, you can do it, etc. and then give me a high five, come on, you really can - it was her tone and spirit that was so very touching. It was straight from her heart and it was another of those - aah, this is so worth it.
By mile 24 I knew that hubby and kids were near the finish line which was great. This part of the race was again along the coast by which time several people were out walking or running, the pubs on the other side of the road were full of people partying and I could see several of the half marathoners having finished. As I saw the 26 mile marker when each time I get renewed energy, I saw my family too. I called out to my ten year old who has joined me on the last stretch more than a couple of times. However, this time, it was my twelve year old who said, "Come on, Mama, lets go". Was I thrilled - she has not only never joined me at the finish stretch but also makes it very clear that this is not her thing. So, with me trudging the last two miles, pretending that I was sprinting and with her telling me that I was way too slow, I crossed the finish line for another 26.2. Time: 5:36 - but that did not matter at all. I was feeling elated at having spent my birthday morning the way I really wanted to.. Here's till the next one!
The next step was booking the marathon and the hotel. From a past experience around a marathon in San Diego I knew that I needed to book the hotel even before I booked the race. The race organizers had two hotels endorsed and I picked the Sheraton due to its private entrance to Legoland. The flights were booked later as well as the rental car but that didn't matter.
The training for this one was really different from my previous marathons with a great deal of training on the treadmill towards the latter part. I had forgotten how dark and cold it could be early mornings; if I left later for a run I would be gone for most of the morning which I couldn't afford to do given that my now ten year old would be up by 7:00 and he still can get my heart rate beating way too fast even though he is doing really well now. So, I would go to the gym by 4:00 even on a weekend morning to accomplish my long run goals. I did miss training as often as I did on the dish or other hills in the area. At times I really worried about how I would make it.
The other factor that was different this time round was that I went through a period when my left leg really hurt, particularly a month or two before the race. It was really bad for a period of time though I tried not to let it bother me. A known runner but stranger simultaneously came to my rescue on this matter. I was on my way back from a run during the winter break, stopping at Peet's for a glass of water when I ran into this person whom I have met several times either at the dish or the neighborhood and who I knew had been suffering from an injury. He struck up a conversation by mentioning how good it was that I was still running. I thanked him and remarked that I had this pain on my leg. He saw the spots I pointed to and showed me a stretch that would help. That was like a miracle worker. All I had to do was incorporate that particular stretch (in addition to my regular surya namaskars or sun invocations) and it worked wonders.
Three days before the race I got my first cold in more than six months. It was a nasty cold. Fortunately, it was a short school week, but on Thursday, I barely made it to work, warned all the kids and other adults whom I encountered to stay away from me. My aide who is darling was so worried about me wondering how I would manage. I had to insist that I was fine and that she knew me better than that, I had planned this for so long, nothing would stop me. In the meantime, the weather had actually turned for the better with the rain magically vanishing.
On Friday, when the four of us boarded the flight I was still fighting my cold and praying. This couldn't be true. To our luck, there were no flight delays, nor too much traffic to encounter from San Diego to Carlsbad. The weather was as good as it had been where we left off. The hotel was good, we got to relax. V wanted to run the kids' marathon mile the next morning. He was so excited that he was up at 6:00 a.m. Things have been doing so much better with him that this hour or so lack of sleep does not mess him up like it used to for the most part. The mile race was a great deal of fun and very inspiring for these little ones.
Fast forward to Saturday night where I was in bed by 8:30 and so were hubby and kids. I must have awaken a few times so that I could be sure to be awake on time. Woke up a little before 4:00 (those of you who know this about me know that I don't need an alarm, nor is it a problem to wake up at really early hours), showered, went down to grab a coffee and a bagel (I really dislike coffee but dislike even more the way tea is made in the coffee shops, so normally settle for the lesser of the two evils). While waiting in the lounge for the shuttle (to take me to the starting line), I met two women from Phoenix, one of whom was running a marathon for the first time and the other who was running her fourth marathon. It felt to meet regular women like me who weren't skinny and ran at normal pace. They were as upset as I was with the way the hotel had organized race logistics. After boarding the shuttle, met one person who was from Orinda, not far from us, and running I don't know which # marathon. He was much younger for sure. Then there was this woman who runs about 19 marathons a year! She was amazing - she had run a marathon in Charleston in 19 degrees F. the previous weekend, has run the NY marathon 5 times, has run practically every marathon you can think of, was running the Carlsbad marathon that day, taking the red eye to NY that night and flying on a business trip to Lisbon the day after! Wow, wow, wow! It makes me wonder whether I have accomplished anything at all.
At 5:20 a.m. when I got off the bus, it did not seem like there was any race taking place at 6:00 a.m. There was practically nobody around save for the start line banner across the street. Everyone headed out in some direction and I just followed. Using one of the portable toilets is almost a must before a race. Thereafter headed towards the tent where everybody seemed to be. This was my first ever winter marathon and I had no clue how it worked. Upon entering the tent, I saw almost every inch occupied by a runner, stretching or just sitting. I decided to turn in my sweats, having worn arm warmers for the first time (and gloves of course); came back to find a spot in the tent and waited around until one of the organizers hollered, "It is 5:45 folks. You need to go". So everybody trudged to the starting line. Met someone who was running her first marathon and landed up being the first person to wish me in person on my birthday. Another race, another city, another set of runners ....
The sudden silence when "The Star Spangled Banner" was sung beautifully in the dark and cold. Then the cheering and off we all went. I was, as always, in the middle of the pack. I decided to start off close to the 4:45 pacer, thinking that I would aim for less than 5:00 hours. I was feeling really good and really thought I might be able to do well time wise even though my training had not been focussed with a time goal in mind. Seeing the dawn breaking followed by the sunrise was inspiring. Despite the early morning chill and darkness there were several people cheering. I have often wondered if I am foolish to run long distances but then looking around there were so many people who had come by themselves like me, not with friends or family and it really helped. Listening to conversations is always inspiring as is reading people's slogans on their T-shirts. Two that stand out were - "I have donated a kidney and a liver" and this person was running a marathon thereafter(not sure how many after his organ donations); the other one was "Pain is only temporary; finishing is permanent". How true! The thoughts of my family and my sister's wishes as well as a dear cousin's(more like a brother) normally keep me going; thoughts of how various people struggle through life on a daily basis.
Running along the Pacific Ocean before the sun came all out was one of my favorite parts of this race. There was a group of men playing volleyball on the sand, a few early morning walkers and runners other than which the coast was almost empty. It made me wonder, what if one day I decided to start running from home, run south along the coast and keep going along the Pacific, letting myself do as much or as little as possible each day, wouldn't that be bliss? Watching the waves as one runs along each day and seeing the ocean in its myriad of colors and patterns?
By 7:15 the sun was blazing and I wondered why I was so thrilled at seeing the sunrise. It didn't bother me a whole lot though since it was still relatively cool, I felt really good. Between miles 8 and 9, it was a steady uphill - not very steep but surely only an ascent with the sun staring into your face. Someone who had done this race before remarked that this was the toughest mile. It wasn't really that hard, it was just a little harder than the rest. By the time I reached the top of that hill, I knew the 4:45 pacer had gone ahead and I might not be able to catch up. However, that didn't bother me because I would not have enjoyed my run half as much if I had.
The upside to the uphill was that the sun was truly behind me thereafter. The race organizers had done a really good job with each of the mile markers (it is always uplifting to see the next benchmark so to say), the water, the gu, they even had vaseline, which I should have used then instead of suffering later. This running stretch took me past the road that crossed our hotel. So I thought it would be great to call hubby and have them come there so that I could hand them my arm warmers and gloves which were rendered pretty much useless by the time. However, Ram did not pick up and I decided not to retry. I was a tad disappointed at not seeing them during but we should have planned that out better. Plus I know how much my twelve year old likes to sleep in. She had really given up her time this weekend.
Besides the above-mentioned, the race organizers had done a great job with the cheering squads. Also, I was impressed at how many locals wore blankets and came out to cheer random people. By mile 15, I knew something was wacko - when I realized that it was my feet, it was a complete will power exercise thereafter. My feet were hurting which hadn't happened before during a marathon like they were really tired. I think all that walking in Legoland the previous day may have played a role. I completely had to block the pain out thereafter. After having thought about it for a couple of minutes, I was able to successfully block out the pain and continued on my journey. I don't enjoy flat running much so I was kind of disappointed when the downhill was over.
After having lost the 4:45 pacing group, I had managed to keep in sight and stay a little ahead of the 5:00 pacing group. By mile 19, I realized, they were a little ahead and by mile 20 they were even further out. There was one group of men, wheeling one of their friends in his wheelchair the entire way. I crossed them several times and was really inspired by their spirit, their enthusiasm, their drive and just the motivation for them as well as this friend to do this for 26.2 miles. They kept up their humor as well which obviously helped while I had started to feel tired.
For this race, until mile 20 I thought it came fairly easily. Thereafter, I was kind of really out of it until mile 23 after which I had to tell myself that it was only 3.2 miles. Somewhere near mile 19 the half marathoners who had started after us, joined us and that made it almost a party. They not only had a great deal of energy, there were so many of them that it was actually good to have company at the time. Between miles 20 and 21 when I felt like I really needed some pep, I saw one of the most beautiful sights - a lagoon with hundreds of brown pelicans - it was breathtaking. Right at the time, a solitary brown pelican swooped down into the water from the skies that seemed to completely be worthwhile the run.
At about mile 21 or 22, I must have looked a sight. There was this little girl cheering - she was probably no more than 9 or 10 years old and adorable. She made it a point to cheer everybody. When she saw me, she went on - come on, you can do it, etc. and then give me a high five, come on, you really can - it was her tone and spirit that was so very touching. It was straight from her heart and it was another of those - aah, this is so worth it.
By mile 24 I knew that hubby and kids were near the finish line which was great. This part of the race was again along the coast by which time several people were out walking or running, the pubs on the other side of the road were full of people partying and I could see several of the half marathoners having finished. As I saw the 26 mile marker when each time I get renewed energy, I saw my family too. I called out to my ten year old who has joined me on the last stretch more than a couple of times. However, this time, it was my twelve year old who said, "Come on, Mama, lets go". Was I thrilled - she has not only never joined me at the finish stretch but also makes it very clear that this is not her thing. So, with me trudging the last two miles, pretending that I was sprinting and with her telling me that I was way too slow, I crossed the finish line for another 26.2. Time: 5:36 - but that did not matter at all. I was feeling elated at having spent my birthday morning the way I really wanted to.. Here's till the next one!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Hawk
Today could have been just another run at the dish. I mean, met a friend, started out at 6:30; now when I say a friend, this friend goes back a long way like so many of my college friends now in the area 10,000 miles away from where we all studied or pretended to in a remote campus. This is a friend who did not want to run even as close as January of this year; she has now run her first half marathon and is signed up for her first full marathon. Often, on weekends, it is thanks to her commitment that I will shake away my lazy blues.
This morning, we decided that we would go the route in the opposite direction. My friend did not really want to do the trail extension so I decided to do the first round with her and do the next by myself. The morning was really cloudy; as we went up the first hill our eyes soaked up the sight of the cloudy skies, lighting up in various hues of red. We continued taking in the beauty around when suddenly on our next downhill we saw the hawk. Now we have seen the hawk multiple times before but it was always away from the trail - on the fence, on a tree, eyeing its surroundings as always. Today we saw the hawk sitting on the trail - this was just simply amazing. I didn't want to stop my descent while enjoying the hawk; then decided to go back up the hill, to observe it more closely; by the time, my friend had stopped en route descending the hill and was taking photos. I decided to whip up my measly phone and take whatever photo I could best capture with it (that is the picture attached to this note). Anyway, this hawk was a real cool dude. He turned around, looked at us, turned back and continued its gaze in the other direction; in the meantime, my friend's phone voice sounded out a message; the hawk continued on as though this was the most natural thing in the world and ignored us like we didn't exist. Now we were wondering - is the dude just enjoying the beauty of the sky, is he just so fearless of humans now or is the mighty bird of prey injured? Who knew but by then I thought lets go on and we can keep wondering the rest of the way.
In fact, just that one sight of the hawk made my day. It could have been anything but it was like an impossibility - seeing a hawk at such close quarters in the middle of civilization. We completed the rest of the round rather uneventfully; I then decided to do the next round in the other direction; half way through, met one of my regular Dish friends, we said our customary hi's and then I asked him if he had seen the hawk; he said yes, it was pretty and we continued down our different paths. Well, the hawk wasn't there on my second round but this person had seen it; so he flew away. That ruled out the possibility of him being injured. Now, that only meant that he was truly a cool dude and knew how to get at people if he really wanted to or he is just a new breed of hawks who has decided that we can start adopting these ferocious birds. Whatever be the reason, it added to the natural beauty around us and as I was talking to another regular at the end of my second round, she said that that's what made it amazing to come here regularly - one never knew what it held in store.
This morning, we decided that we would go the route in the opposite direction. My friend did not really want to do the trail extension so I decided to do the first round with her and do the next by myself. The morning was really cloudy; as we went up the first hill our eyes soaked up the sight of the cloudy skies, lighting up in various hues of red. We continued taking in the beauty around when suddenly on our next downhill we saw the hawk. Now we have seen the hawk multiple times before but it was always away from the trail - on the fence, on a tree, eyeing its surroundings as always. Today we saw the hawk sitting on the trail - this was just simply amazing. I didn't want to stop my descent while enjoying the hawk; then decided to go back up the hill, to observe it more closely; by the time, my friend had stopped en route descending the hill and was taking photos. I decided to whip up my measly phone and take whatever photo I could best capture with it (that is the picture attached to this note). Anyway, this hawk was a real cool dude. He turned around, looked at us, turned back and continued its gaze in the other direction; in the meantime, my friend's phone voice sounded out a message; the hawk continued on as though this was the most natural thing in the world and ignored us like we didn't exist. Now we were wondering - is the dude just enjoying the beauty of the sky, is he just so fearless of humans now or is the mighty bird of prey injured? Who knew but by then I thought lets go on and we can keep wondering the rest of the way.
In fact, just that one sight of the hawk made my day. It could have been anything but it was like an impossibility - seeing a hawk at such close quarters in the middle of civilization. We completed the rest of the round rather uneventfully; I then decided to do the next round in the other direction; half way through, met one of my regular Dish friends, we said our customary hi's and then I asked him if he had seen the hawk; he said yes, it was pretty and we continued down our different paths. Well, the hawk wasn't there on my second round but this person had seen it; so he flew away. That ruled out the possibility of him being injured. Now, that only meant that he was truly a cool dude and knew how to get at people if he really wanted to or he is just a new breed of hawks who has decided that we can start adopting these ferocious birds. Whatever be the reason, it added to the natural beauty around us and as I was talking to another regular at the end of my second round, she said that that's what made it amazing to come here regularly - one never knew what it held in store.
Viewing the San Francisco Marathon with a different perspective
Each time I run a race, no matter what the distance, even if I have run the same race before, there is a difference. There is of course a difference in the weather, in the crowds, in how I am feeling and doing and of course, I am older each year :-)
Today I ran the San Francisco Marathon which I had run earlier in 2005. The most appealing factor of the race of course, was the fact that I could run over Golden Gate Bridge in the fog, given that the Bay Area is shrouded in fog almost every morning in July. The longer the sun takes to get out, the better as the temperatures hover in the 60s and it is just perfect conditions for a run, that too a long one.
I really owe my hubby this time as he took the trouble to get up at 3:30 a.m. and drop me off for the race. He normally sleeps really late; last night he slept at midnight so it was really a great deal of effort on his part. Of course, till he actually woke up and got ready, I was sure I would have to drive by myself and figure out how my tired legs would drive back home.
The race had wave starts, something I was not used to. I had signed up with an estimated time so that I was in the last wave - very disheartening but I knew it didn't matter given that it was the chip time that mattered. So, I was in the last group to take off and it felt absolutely great as standing around in the 55 degree weather with a wind for maybe an hour was not exactly how I wanted to start the race. Listening to conversations and watching the Bay Bridge in the fog was a good way to spend the time. I am always tongue tied with people the first time I meet them though several of you may find that hard to believe:-) A mile into the race I knew that I absolutely *had* to go to the restroom. Once that was done, I was set for the rest of the race. The first toilet I spotted had two people in line and it seemed like the person inside was going to take time. So I decided to move on - bad decision. By the time the next toilet was in sight there was no way I could wait. I spent twelve whole minutes waiting so much so that I actually saw the last person in the race - that was a first - so something new. With that I knew I could not better my best time but I decided to enjoy the race anyway without being concerned about the time.
With renewed energy I took off and loped along till the first hill which I felt was conquered really well especially when I overtook several people walking thanks to my hill training sessions. This then brought me to a stretch connecting the trail to the Golden Gate Bridge. Since I was way towards the end, there were innumerable people passing the other way having already gone over the bridge. The energy level on that bridge is absolutely amazing and that alone carries me through the entire stretch with a great deal of enthusiasm. And as I remembered it, yes, the bridge was clouded in fog but not so much that it blocked the vision so it was fantastic.
Upon returning from the bridge there was a long hill going into Golden Gate park. At the top of that hill was the most breathtaking view of the race in my opinion. There was the Pacific Ocean dashing against the cliffs with a view of all the houses at the back and all the greenery around. I could have sat there for an hour just watching the waves. That was also the start of a highly energising downhill run. Soon after, the runners finishing the first half marathon were gone and a few of us trudged along. This stretch of race can be a dampener especially after all that energy. Of course, it helped to know that I was half way done and I message hubby accordingly. I was feeling pretty good till mile 15 all of this through the park but by 16 it felt like I might be a little tired. By 18 I was thinking, gosh, am I crazy - did I really sign up to do this again? All along, the views in the park were beautiful. Thanks to all the rain this year, it was especially green, the lakes looked very peaceful and the only sounds were those of tired feet around or the birds.
From the park, the route came out to Haight street, which I didn't seem to have noticed the last time I ran this race. I made a mental note of all the interesting restaurants I saw along the way, deciding that I had to come back here to eat; the most interesting name was "Squat and Gobble". By mile 20, I had regained my spirit and had decided to continue with a steady pace, no matter what the time because I knew I was going to cross the 5:00 hour barrier. Hubby called and I let him know where I was. By then, he had come back with my son to cheer me at the finish line. My 12 year old daughter proclaimed the previous day that she only wanted to sleep. There was of course a time when both would come happily to cheer their mom excitedly.
I also learned some trivia about the city and some quotations because these had been put up all along the route. By mile 21 though I was thinking - I really don't care anymore about these trivia questions. I just want to focus on my hard task ahead. Confucious said (not exact words but to the effect) that no matter what the pace, keep moving. The official bird of San Francisco city is the California Quail. The ones about Ansel Adams and the Transamerica Pyramid were what I already knew.
After mile 21 I just kept focused on achieving the next mile with a goal of 25 as I knew hubby and son were waiting around there. At about mile 24 I arrived at the AT&T parking lot, going onto mile 25 near the stadium. Soon after I spotted them; my son had made signs all on his own to support me, we chatted a bit as they ran along the outside of the path, one of the photographers took a picture of mom and son and they ran along a bit before hubby decided that my son was wearing out my energy and I needed to save it for the end. That did, however, really help with at least half a mile when I soon saw the marker for 26. As with a few prior races, I know not where that strength comes from but the last .2 miles were done sprinting to the finish line. Hurrah! Another one down. I know this is crazy but I have planned my next one five months from today as there is a marathon in California on my birthday. What better way to celebrate it!
Today I ran the San Francisco Marathon which I had run earlier in 2005. The most appealing factor of the race of course, was the fact that I could run over Golden Gate Bridge in the fog, given that the Bay Area is shrouded in fog almost every morning in July. The longer the sun takes to get out, the better as the temperatures hover in the 60s and it is just perfect conditions for a run, that too a long one.
I really owe my hubby this time as he took the trouble to get up at 3:30 a.m. and drop me off for the race. He normally sleeps really late; last night he slept at midnight so it was really a great deal of effort on his part. Of course, till he actually woke up and got ready, I was sure I would have to drive by myself and figure out how my tired legs would drive back home.
The race had wave starts, something I was not used to. I had signed up with an estimated time so that I was in the last wave - very disheartening but I knew it didn't matter given that it was the chip time that mattered. So, I was in the last group to take off and it felt absolutely great as standing around in the 55 degree weather with a wind for maybe an hour was not exactly how I wanted to start the race. Listening to conversations and watching the Bay Bridge in the fog was a good way to spend the time. I am always tongue tied with people the first time I meet them though several of you may find that hard to believe:-) A mile into the race I knew that I absolutely *had* to go to the restroom. Once that was done, I was set for the rest of the race. The first toilet I spotted had two people in line and it seemed like the person inside was going to take time. So I decided to move on - bad decision. By the time the next toilet was in sight there was no way I could wait. I spent twelve whole minutes waiting so much so that I actually saw the last person in the race - that was a first - so something new. With that I knew I could not better my best time but I decided to enjoy the race anyway without being concerned about the time.
With renewed energy I took off and loped along till the first hill which I felt was conquered really well especially when I overtook several people walking thanks to my hill training sessions. This then brought me to a stretch connecting the trail to the Golden Gate Bridge. Since I was way towards the end, there were innumerable people passing the other way having already gone over the bridge. The energy level on that bridge is absolutely amazing and that alone carries me through the entire stretch with a great deal of enthusiasm. And as I remembered it, yes, the bridge was clouded in fog but not so much that it blocked the vision so it was fantastic.
Upon returning from the bridge there was a long hill going into Golden Gate park. At the top of that hill was the most breathtaking view of the race in my opinion. There was the Pacific Ocean dashing against the cliffs with a view of all the houses at the back and all the greenery around. I could have sat there for an hour just watching the waves. That was also the start of a highly energising downhill run. Soon after, the runners finishing the first half marathon were gone and a few of us trudged along. This stretch of race can be a dampener especially after all that energy. Of course, it helped to know that I was half way done and I message hubby accordingly. I was feeling pretty good till mile 15 all of this through the park but by 16 it felt like I might be a little tired. By 18 I was thinking, gosh, am I crazy - did I really sign up to do this again? All along, the views in the park were beautiful. Thanks to all the rain this year, it was especially green, the lakes looked very peaceful and the only sounds were those of tired feet around or the birds.
From the park, the route came out to Haight street, which I didn't seem to have noticed the last time I ran this race. I made a mental note of all the interesting restaurants I saw along the way, deciding that I had to come back here to eat; the most interesting name was "Squat and Gobble". By mile 20, I had regained my spirit and had decided to continue with a steady pace, no matter what the time because I knew I was going to cross the 5:00 hour barrier. Hubby called and I let him know where I was. By then, he had come back with my son to cheer me at the finish line. My 12 year old daughter proclaimed the previous day that she only wanted to sleep. There was of course a time when both would come happily to cheer their mom excitedly.
I also learned some trivia about the city and some quotations because these had been put up all along the route. By mile 21 though I was thinking - I really don't care anymore about these trivia questions. I just want to focus on my hard task ahead. Confucious said (not exact words but to the effect) that no matter what the pace, keep moving. The official bird of San Francisco city is the California Quail. The ones about Ansel Adams and the Transamerica Pyramid were what I already knew.
After mile 21 I just kept focused on achieving the next mile with a goal of 25 as I knew hubby and son were waiting around there. At about mile 24 I arrived at the AT&T parking lot, going onto mile 25 near the stadium. Soon after I spotted them; my son had made signs all on his own to support me, we chatted a bit as they ran along the outside of the path, one of the photographers took a picture of mom and son and they ran along a bit before hubby decided that my son was wearing out my energy and I needed to save it for the end. That did, however, really help with at least half a mile when I soon saw the marker for 26. As with a few prior races, I know not where that strength comes from but the last .2 miles were done sprinting to the finish line. Hurrah! Another one down. I know this is crazy but I have planned my next one five months from today as there is a marathon in California on my birthday. What better way to celebrate it!
Pleasures from the information age
November 14, 2009 9:57 AM
I felt like I just had to share these.
1. Sitting at my children's dentist office on Veteran's day, waiting for my daughter to finish with her tooth extraction (she has great teeth fortunately, this one just didn't fall off and the new one coming in had no space), reading something mindless - Bay Area Parent - marvelling at how many private school ads and enrichment ads there were - as an educator it always fascinates me to see the parental fascination for these things. Mom#2 was in the waiting room with two kids. A few minutes later, mom#3 comes in and Mom#s 2 and 3 greet each other.
Mom#2: Hi, so good to see you.
Mom#3: Hi, so nice to see you too.
Mom#2: I haven't seen you in a long time.
Mom#3: Yes, except on facebook. Isn't that how everyone sees each other these days?
I haven't made up any of this - seriously!
This morning while running at the dish on one of the downward slopes, admiring the clouds, the scenery was picture postcard perfect - so much greenery, not so many people, etc., etc.
I see a couple - man and woman - walking supposedly together. The only reason I thought they were together is because they were trying to keep the same pace with about a half a mile's width between the two. Then I see that both are talking on each of their cells while trying to walk sort of together and get their share of exercise. It amused me so much and got me thinking - maybe if ever my husband and I set off on a walk by ourselves we might do the same - so unused to getting time to spend with each other - each catching up with his/her own friend? Food for thought...
I felt like I just had to share these.
1. Sitting at my children's dentist office on Veteran's day, waiting for my daughter to finish with her tooth extraction (she has great teeth fortunately, this one just didn't fall off and the new one coming in had no space), reading something mindless - Bay Area Parent - marvelling at how many private school ads and enrichment ads there were - as an educator it always fascinates me to see the parental fascination for these things. Mom#2 was in the waiting room with two kids. A few minutes later, mom#3 comes in and Mom#s 2 and 3 greet each other.
Mom#2: Hi, so good to see you.
Mom#3: Hi, so nice to see you too.
Mom#2: I haven't seen you in a long time.
Mom#3: Yes, except on facebook. Isn't that how everyone sees each other these days?
I haven't made up any of this - seriously!
This morning while running at the dish on one of the downward slopes, admiring the clouds, the scenery was picture postcard perfect - so much greenery, not so many people, etc., etc.
I see a couple - man and woman - walking supposedly together. The only reason I thought they were together is because they were trying to keep the same pace with about a half a mile's width between the two. Then I see that both are talking on each of their cells while trying to walk sort of together and get their share of exercise. It amused me so much and got me thinking - maybe if ever my husband and I set off on a walk by ourselves we might do the same - so unused to getting time to spend with each other - each catching up with his/her own friend? Food for thought...
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Wisdom at last?
They say that nothing can buy experience - true in several instances. Youngsters do tend to have the brash - what do they know about people in their 40s like me - well, I'm sure I did the same back then. In today's race though, I think I think I finally gained a little wisdom six and a half years after running my first half marathon and six years after running my first marathon.
I might have said this several times before but running gives me immense pleasure - maybe the only thing that comes close to that with any physical activity is when I am hiking in a beautiful patch of land. However, I think that exhilaration I feel when I am running on an empty road or up a hill cannot be explained.
Just two days ago I contemplated whether or not to run my fifth half marathon - well, it had been a year since my last race and I was itching to do one. 10Ks don't give me as much pleasure and a full marathon does require a fair amount of training - I am not quite ready for my next. So, even though I hadn't specifically trained for this one, knowing that I had been running fair distances regularly enough that I would not bomb that I decided to go yesterday and register for this race. Why this one? Several people had told me that it was fun with all the bands along the course. So I went ahead and paid what I thought was a ridiculously high price for a half marathon - I think I paid around that much for even the Nike full marathon last year - but then I was looking forward to the experience.
The last few mornings have been chilly and this morning was no exception. It was expected to be sunny though and having been sunburnt badly during my first marathon, I decided to apply my sunscreen even though it was dark leaving home. I liked that I had to drive only 15 minutes to the start, that parking was really easy when I arrived and that there were zillions of portable toilets. I did not, however, expect to pay another $7 for convenient parking. Oh, well, all for the experience.
I delayed checking in my gear till as late as I could because I did not want to brave the morning chill longer than I needed to - my racing tank would be freezing. At 7:40 I decided to take the plunge, checking in my gear with two like-minded women I had met while waiting for the opportune moment.
Off I strode looking for my corral - I had given a random end time of 2:20 - that I think was my time for my first half marathon. I knew I wouldn't do worse than that because even though I am maybe 10 pounds heavier, I feel much fitter than I ever have. As I was entering the corral, I met this dear, old friend of mine - I first met him 20 years ago when I used to do my usual runing back and forth on Marine Drive in Mumbai and he used to play cricket and we both worked at the same place. When we reconnected a few years later, both were married and he was way more into running than I was. He ran my first marathon with me at my tortoise=like pace just to give me company - and he came all the way to San Diego just for that. I have yet to see him not go out of his way to help another runner. Anyway, I knew that he would be there today, I just didn't know where and it turned out that he was one of the pacers for my kind of pace - so that really made my day.
I then met with another woman who was fairly local and who was running on her own. She and I ran together for a little over half the way and she then told me that she was going to slow down a bit. Initially, I kept just a little ahead of my friend and his pacing sign - thereafter, I decided to up the speed just a bit and I kept increasing it. Along the way, I saw several interesting signs but the one that inspired me the most was this one on a woman's back that said "Running for my almost 3 year old and my 13 week old" 13 weeks - I could barely get my body back together and here was this woman running a half marathon - of course, I had to compliment her - that was awesome. There were lots of people running in memory of children, friends, family members, others attempting their first half marathon and yet others like me who just ran because they liked to. Want inspiration next time? Go volunteer at a race or run/walk/bike as part of one - it is simply amazing.
The bands - almost one at every mile - kept up the spirits as did several local folks who came out on Sunday morning just to cheer us, some enjoying their drinks, others, giving food to the runners, yet others playing music for the crowd and cheering us on - even little ones. That, along with the 12,000 strong participant number kept up the level of excitement.
The medal is probably one of the nicest I have received in my races and I was sure glad that they gave a real banana instead of the packaged health foods - they did give a couple later. The funniest was the volunteers cheering when someone decided to get a bagel - almost nobody wanted one.
For the first time since I started running distances, I felt like I had the pacing in my control; not only did I start out a little slower but I also had ample energy and finished my race in 2:08 which was only 2 minutes slower than my fastest half marathon time 5 years ago. I seemed to want to increase my speed at each subsequent mile, didn't need much water, used just one gel pack because I felt hungry. All this made me feel even more inspired - who says that speed cannot increase beyond 40 - its all in the mind. I'm not really sure but I certainly felt that way today - and with one of the bands playing "Doors" at mile#12, who can ask for more?
I might have said this several times before but running gives me immense pleasure - maybe the only thing that comes close to that with any physical activity is when I am hiking in a beautiful patch of land. However, I think that exhilaration I feel when I am running on an empty road or up a hill cannot be explained.
Just two days ago I contemplated whether or not to run my fifth half marathon - well, it had been a year since my last race and I was itching to do one. 10Ks don't give me as much pleasure and a full marathon does require a fair amount of training - I am not quite ready for my next. So, even though I hadn't specifically trained for this one, knowing that I had been running fair distances regularly enough that I would not bomb that I decided to go yesterday and register for this race. Why this one? Several people had told me that it was fun with all the bands along the course. So I went ahead and paid what I thought was a ridiculously high price for a half marathon - I think I paid around that much for even the Nike full marathon last year - but then I was looking forward to the experience.
The last few mornings have been chilly and this morning was no exception. It was expected to be sunny though and having been sunburnt badly during my first marathon, I decided to apply my sunscreen even though it was dark leaving home. I liked that I had to drive only 15 minutes to the start, that parking was really easy when I arrived and that there were zillions of portable toilets. I did not, however, expect to pay another $7 for convenient parking. Oh, well, all for the experience.
I delayed checking in my gear till as late as I could because I did not want to brave the morning chill longer than I needed to - my racing tank would be freezing. At 7:40 I decided to take the plunge, checking in my gear with two like-minded women I had met while waiting for the opportune moment.
Off I strode looking for my corral - I had given a random end time of 2:20 - that I think was my time for my first half marathon. I knew I wouldn't do worse than that because even though I am maybe 10 pounds heavier, I feel much fitter than I ever have. As I was entering the corral, I met this dear, old friend of mine - I first met him 20 years ago when I used to do my usual runing back and forth on Marine Drive in Mumbai and he used to play cricket and we both worked at the same place. When we reconnected a few years later, both were married and he was way more into running than I was. He ran my first marathon with me at my tortoise=like pace just to give me company - and he came all the way to San Diego just for that. I have yet to see him not go out of his way to help another runner. Anyway, I knew that he would be there today, I just didn't know where and it turned out that he was one of the pacers for my kind of pace - so that really made my day.
I then met with another woman who was fairly local and who was running on her own. She and I ran together for a little over half the way and she then told me that she was going to slow down a bit. Initially, I kept just a little ahead of my friend and his pacing sign - thereafter, I decided to up the speed just a bit and I kept increasing it. Along the way, I saw several interesting signs but the one that inspired me the most was this one on a woman's back that said "Running for my almost 3 year old and my 13 week old" 13 weeks - I could barely get my body back together and here was this woman running a half marathon - of course, I had to compliment her - that was awesome. There were lots of people running in memory of children, friends, family members, others attempting their first half marathon and yet others like me who just ran because they liked to. Want inspiration next time? Go volunteer at a race or run/walk/bike as part of one - it is simply amazing.
The bands - almost one at every mile - kept up the spirits as did several local folks who came out on Sunday morning just to cheer us, some enjoying their drinks, others, giving food to the runners, yet others playing music for the crowd and cheering us on - even little ones. That, along with the 12,000 strong participant number kept up the level of excitement.
The medal is probably one of the nicest I have received in my races and I was sure glad that they gave a real banana instead of the packaged health foods - they did give a couple later. The funniest was the volunteers cheering when someone decided to get a bagel - almost nobody wanted one.
For the first time since I started running distances, I felt like I had the pacing in my control; not only did I start out a little slower but I also had ample energy and finished my race in 2:08 which was only 2 minutes slower than my fastest half marathon time 5 years ago. I seemed to want to increase my speed at each subsequent mile, didn't need much water, used just one gel pack because I felt hungry. All this made me feel even more inspired - who says that speed cannot increase beyond 40 - its all in the mind. I'm not really sure but I certainly felt that way today - and with one of the bands playing "Doors" at mile#12, who can ask for more?
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