Category: Insights

2008 Los Angeles Triathlon

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Pictures, Races, Running2 Comments

Little did I know that the yearly LA Triathlon is held every first Sunday after Labor Day in the US and I’ve known it from the LA Times a day before its scheduled date. Since the bike route and the running turn-around point are just 10-minute walk from the house, I asked my son if he wants to see & watch the triathletes. Well, he said, yes, and we had to wake up at 7:00 AM of Sunday and walked all the way to the Walt Disney Concert Hall at Grand Boulevard.

While walking up along Beverly Boulevard towards the corner of Hope and Grand Blvds, we could see already the first triathlete approaching us on the bike/cycling event and followed by another one with a distance of at least 100 meters in between them. And one by one, the Professionals and Elite triathletes passed the corner of Grand Boulevard towards the finish area which was the Staples Center, a distance of 1.5 miles from where we were standing. Continue reading “2008 Los Angeles Triathlon” →

Mt Wilson Trail Hike: Part 2

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Pictures, Runners' Training, RunningLeave a comment

My daughter, Jovelle, wanted also to experience the trek to the peak of Mt Wilson by hiking its trail and she invited me, John and her friend Bryan. We started our hike from Mira Monte Street in Sierra Madre, California at 8:00 AM yesterday (Saturday). The pace of our hike was a moderate one where we had our rest halfway of the trail at the Orchard Camp. My son and I were thinking that our hike towards the mountain will be up to this point (Orchard Camp) and go back to where we started as we did not bring enough food/energy bars and GUs. We only brought provisions for water through our Camelbak Hydration Systems. However, my daughter decided and insisted to experience what it takes to reach the peak of Mt Wilson and warned her that we don’t have enough provisions for food along the way. Continue reading “Mt Wilson Trail Hike: Part 2” →

Ryan Hall & 1st Big Bear Marathon

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Races, Running4 Comments

Two weeks before the Men’s Olympic Marathon, I told my family that I am planning to run the Inaugural Big Bear Marathon in Big Bear City, California which is 1 1/2 hours car ride from Los Angeles. The marathon race is scheduled tomorrow, 06 September 2008. They asked me why I am going to run another marathon again two weeks after my Bulldog 50K Ultra TRail Run. I told them that there is one condition if I am really determined to actually run the said marathon.

I told them that if Ryan Hall will win any Olympic Medal in the Men’s Marathon, by all means, I have to register and join the Big Bear Marathon and have a chance to talk and have a picture with Ryan Hall. And they are duty-bound to bring me to Big Bear City a day before the Marathon Race and spend overnight in the said mountain city. All of them laughed at me and they told me that I am really crazy! I told them that a picture of the Bald Runner with Ryan Hall posted in the blog will be something nice for my readers. Yup! I am really crazy! Continue reading “Ryan Hall & 1st Big Bear Marathon” →

Tempo Run (Sep 08-1) & Gym Workout

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Runners' Training, Running2 Comments

5:42 PM 03 September 2008 (1st Tempo Run For The Month)

I did a tempo run around the streets in the neighborhood where one loop of my pre-designated course has a distance of 2.73 kilometers. I did the 1st loop at an easy pace, averaging at 6:23 minutes per kilometer with a lap time of 17:28 minutes. For the 2nd and 3rd loop, I increased my pace with an average of 5:21 minutes per kilometer with a finish time of 29:24 minutes. I reduced my pace on the 4th & last loop with an average of 6:02 minutes per kilometer, finishing in 16:30 minutes. I ended my running workout with an additional 410 meters with a fast average pace of 4:48 minutes per kilometer.

I was able to run a total timed distance of 10.94 kilometers with a total time of 1:03:22 hours.

At 7:45 PM, my son and I went to Gold’s Gym for a 1 1/2-hour workout. I did core-strengthening exercises using the different abs and back muscle machines inside the gym. I was not able to count how many sets of 100 repetitions of abs exercises and back muscle extension exercises I did during the duration of our stay in the gym. I did some leg strengthening exercises for the knees and hamstrings with the Zero Machines before ending my workout.

Variations Of Marathon Long Runs

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Marathon Race, Practice Runs, Runners' Training, Running4 Comments

In the October 2008 issue of The Running Times Magazine (page 18), an article was written by Greg Mcmillan presenting to the readers the variations of specialized long runs a runner has to incorporate in his/her marathon training. A runner can adopt one variation or combine all the variations to come up with with a faster time in finishing a marathon. The following are the variations of your long runs:

1) LONG AND STEADY—This is the Arthur Lydiard’s method of a long, steady run. Lydiard recommends running for 2-3 1/2 hours at an easy and steady pace (over a hilly route) or for a distance up to 20 to 26 miles in order for the mind and body to develop the endurance needed to withstand your running workouts to pursue your marathon training plan. Continue reading “Variations Of Marathon Long Runs” →

Mt Wilson’s Trail Hike & Run

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Running, Trail Running5 Comments

10:20 AM 01 September 2008 at the Mt Wilson’s Trail

Being the US Labor Day on this day and “no-work” day, my son just thought of asking me if I want to go on trail hiking at The San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles. I said, “Yes” and we were out of the house at 9:45 AM with our trail running kit, energy bars & GUs, and our respective Camelbaks.

We took the I-210 and went to the direction of Pasadena, exited at Baldwin Street and went North towards the town of Sierra Made, California. We parked our car at Mira Monte Street fronting the Mt Wilson Trail Park.

At exactly 10:20 AM, we started our trail hike at an asphalted road that exits from Mira Monte Street and to a narrow dirt trail road towards the peak of Mt Wilson with the general direction going North. As we entered the dirt trail, we started to meet hikers who were just going down from the trail. The trail starts at an elevation of 970 feet and the peak of the mountain reaches to an altitude of 5,650 feet. The altitude of the mountain is higher than the altitude of PMA in Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City which is 5,000 ft. Continue reading “Mt Wilson’s Trail Hike & Run” →

Motivation On Running

On By kingofpotsIn Books, Insights, Jogging, RunningLeave a comment

The following excerpt was taken from the book, 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days–and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! by Dean Karnazes on page 156:

“The key to keeping your passion for running strong over the long haul is to ensure that it remains a journey and never becomes a routine. Lots of runners, myself included, use running to test and redefine various physical and mental limits, which brings endless fulfillment. Others pursue intellectual development through running, learning ever more about the art and science of effective running, how nutrition affects performance, and so forth. The possibilities are endless. The only wrong to move is to miss out on all of them and make running something it’s not: boring. Because the simple act of putting one foot infront of the other and moving forward at an accelerated rate can be one of life’s greatest–and simplest–pleasures”

“Know “Why” You Are Doing…

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Running2 Comments

WHAT You Are Doing!” This is the “bottomline” statement in all the writings and speeches of the famous Arthur Lydiard on Distance Running.

If you have a training schedule or running program being followed (strictly) and given to you by your coach or you are just following a training schedule you got from Runner’s World Magazine’s Smart Coach/other magazines and running books, you should be able to know the reason “why” you are doing your long steady runs, tempo runs, speed “track” runs, hill workouts, and related running drills within a certain period or phase of your training towards your race day.

If your “coach” can give you the answers of “why” you are doing such in your running workouts and if you think you know the answer (if you are coaching yourself), then, most likely you will be able to attain your desired goal on race day.

Good luck!

Lessons Learned: Bulldog 50K Ultra Trail Run

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Races, Running, Trail Running, Ultramarathon3 Comments

1) Intelligence (“Know The Enemy”)—I had the chance to run through the 22K distance (except the last 3K) for each loop of the trail run distance on two occassions; my first time one month before race day and the second time two weeks before the race day. These practice runs along the trail route starting at 9:30 AM and 7:30 AM on each run gave me the needed knowledge and information as to the overall profile and condition of the route. Through these practice runs, I was able to gain confidence and finally plan for my race strategy. Running through the trail route gave me 50% chance of finishing the race.

2) Do Your Homework—I had to make a research on the Internet and from books and magazines available in order to get as much information I could about running an ultramarathon. The book “The Ultramarathon Man” by Dean Karnazes had greatly influenced me to take my body what it feels to experience and finish the ultramarathon.  Printed magazines on Ultra Trail Running and books about ultramarathon had also helped me by reading the experiences of ultramarathoners who were just like anybody else—they started too as beginners. “Tips” and words of encouragement from my blog visitors (Ben Gaetos aka Benwah, Quicksilver, and Eric aka Habang Tumatakbo) were very helpful. Thanks to these ultra friends! Continue reading “Lessons Learned: Bulldog 50K Ultra Trail Run” →

“Walkabout” In 7:30 Hours

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Running, Trail Running, Ultramarathon8 Comments

“Walkabout” is an Australian term where their aborigines would “go walkabout” at the age of thirteen in the wilderness for a period of six months as a rite of passage and for them to be able to trace the pathways of their ancestors.

“Walkabout” is also a term being used by ultramarathoners as part of their cross-training where they walk for miles and hours during the day or night.

Dean Karnazes changed the term to “runabout” where one has to run and alternately walk and then run again for the whole day and night or on a 12-hour period basis or shorter. When going on a “walkabout” or “runabout”, one has to bring some cash/credit card/ID and compact backpack where you can store windbreaker, dry shirt, socks, and cellphone. Continue reading ““Walkabout” In 7:30 Hours” →