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Apr 19

Boston Marathon The One Fund

Pledge to Run Boston Marathon 2014

If you sympathize with the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, please donate at The One Fund set up by Massachusetts Governor and Boston Mayor. The image of The One Fund is borrowed here to spread the word.

It’s been impossible to organize my thoughts about the tragic events happened and still happening in Boston this week and about the victims. Who would have thought such a horrible tragedy would begin at the Boston Marathon, where runners, volunteers and spectators were celebrating their love of running and witnessing fruits of their hard training. I feel sick to my stomach when I think the bombers were planning such an evil act when we, the runners, were getting to Boston, picking up their bib, and having a pre-race dinner with family and friends. Over 8,500 volunteers were working hard to make sure the second largest single day sporting event would go smoothly. Family and friends of the runners and supporters of the event were planning to be the loudest spectators the next day.

Just like many runners who aspire to run the Boston Marathon, I wanted to run the Boston Marathon, because it is the most prestigious marathon in the world. That was the main reason why I trained and ran the race for the first time. But then, I experienced the euphoria of running the 26.2 miles surrounded by a half-million spectators, and I was hooked. Past three years after my first Boston, I kept coming back, because I wanted to experience the same happiness, excitement, and joy of sharing the Boston tradition. Among the spectators, kids ask the runners for high-fives, the elderly on wheelchairs quietly watch the runners, girls at Wellesley College scream their lungs out, drunk shirtless guys at Boston College party on, and crowds on Boylston Street create thundering echoes of cheer among the city high-rise. But it is all violently erased by the perpetrators.

My boyfriend Christian’s father, Bob, was quite shaken by this tragic event, too. Bob has lived in Newton, a quiet Boston suburb, over 45 years. But nothing like this happened on the Marathon Day. Every year, he goes out to the near-by Commonwealth Avenue to watch the runners go by. As the uninterrupted flow of runners passes by, he watches them but also socializes with his friends and neighbors. It’s a peaceful Patriots’ Day routine he has come to enjoy. I assume many Bostonians have done the same every year. I assume many Bostonians were as shaken as Bob when they heard about the bombing at the finish line.

Run for Boston in San FranciscoI really don’t know what to do with this rage and sadness. Whatever the motive the perpetrators had, they took something pure from innocent people. This morning, I went to Run for Boston event organized by the San Francisco Marathon. There were quite a few people at Ferry Building at 7 am and we ran 4.5 miles along the waterfront. The run with them helped a bit. Many of them shared the same emotions as mine, and we all know we have to move on and be strong. We want to show we the runners are not going to succumb to this evil act staged by the perpetrators, whoever they are, wherever they came from, whatever their motive was. Many of us want to run the Boston Marathon next year to show we are stronger and we refuse to become victims. I’d better get a better BQ to make sure I get in.

My thoughts and prayers are with people who had to suffer this tragic event.

Apr 9

The GRID foam roller
5 Comments

My New Travel Friendly Massage Companion

A new item I am traveling to Boston with this year is the GRID foam roller. It is so fantastic that I have been using religiously every day and actually feel the difference from using a regular foam roller. This product offers a “revolutionary advancement over traditional foam rollers.” If it’s revolutionary or not, there are two things I like about the GRID: 1) Solid construction, and 2) Travel friendly.

I assume readers who visit my blog know about benefits of using a foam roller and use one in some frequency. Until I bought the GRID last week, I was an occasional user and was using it because I was told it had benefits. I had been using a foam roller that anyone would find it at a sporting goods store or even super market. I learned how to use it but I was not convinced if it was actually doing anything. It did not particularly stretch sore spots, because the foam was not very solid and had a lot of give in it. I used a tennis ball for places that were really tight. But once I used the GRID, I no longer use a tennis ball. It has Distrodensity™ Foam Zone that is almost as hard as baseball and massages my tight spots very effectively. According to the manufacturer, the material is supposed to last a long time. My regular foam roller was somewhat solid when I bought it, but after a couple of years of occasional use, it is pretty forgiving now.

GRID Foam RollerThe reason I am bringing it to Boston with me is it is very travel friendly. Though it is light-weight, I’ve never traveled with my regular foam roller, because it would not fit in my luggage. In contrast, the GRID is 13-inch long and its diameter is 5-inch (I cannot find exactly how much it weighs). I can easily fit it in my luggage. In addition, it is hollow inside so I can stuff clothes inside and does not take up space in my luggage. Genius! When you travel for races, it is very difficult to bring your everyday items with you. In the past, I traveled without a foam roller and that was fine. But with the GRID, I can travel without a hassle and massage in my hotel room. I totally recommend this gear to anyone who is looking for solutions to alleviate tightness at home or on the road.

Sam Adams Boston Lager 6 PackLess than 6 days until the race day. I am going to Sam Adams brewery after the race and savor the 26.2 brew. Until then or till I get to Boston, these will do. Cheers!

Apr 8

Rock n Roll Half Marathon San Francisco Medal
4 Comments

Not So Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Francisco

A tad over 5,800 runners took up on the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon after running the streets (and a bridge) of San Francisco on a cloudy Sunday morning. It was a classic San Francisco morning with a few drops of rain and fog over the Golden Gate Bridge. About 55°F. By the time I got to the Start area about 6:45 am, runners were already in the coral groups or in lines for a potty visit. I still wanted to check my bag in, so I walked over to Ghirardelli Square. Having dropped it off, on the jog over to the Start area, I heard the gun go off. I guess they started without an anthem or I totally missed it? I thought of visiting a toilet but there were still people lined up, so I just decided to hold and see what happens.

Rock n Roll Half Marathon San Francisco StartI had run San Jose Rock ‘n’ Roll Half before, so I knew what to expect. Local bands and cheerleaders. Banging and shouting loud, waking up the neighbors. They call it Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon for nothing. Spectators and funny signs were few. But I was fine with that. After a couple of miles, we past million-dollar homes of Marina and went into Presidio. I had guessed Marina well-to-do residents would not want any bands blasting music on a sleepy Sunday morning, so I thought this was where we started to see and hear music. We ran under a big inflated Rock ‘n’ Roll arch. I saw the first cheer group but still no music. I did see an Elvis but he wasn’t singing or playing the guitar… Maybe, they’d strategically position a band at the top of upcoming Presidio hill, so that runners could take their minds off from the agony of running up the hill? Huh, no bands there, either. 5 miles into the race, we were already on the bridge and all I heard there was the traffic noise and the wind. What did they call this race again? As I was approaching the end of the bridge, I finally started to hear some drum beat. The course took me under the bridge on a gravel trail around the base of vista point (btw, this is a super spectacular spot to see the bridge and the bay, up close with both), and the beat became louder. Up the hill again and there it was, a band… of three guys banging on some sort of drum. OK, I am sure the sound coming from the drum and the guys shouting had some sort of tune, and it was different from the sort of Journey or the theme song from Rocky. But I thought San Francisco offered much more interesting musical talent. I saw another Elvis at the very end of the bridge, directing and shouting ‘sharp corner coming up!’ Between there and Finish line, I saw two bands playing and that was it, as far as I can remember. I did not run for the music and I don’t follow local music scene or anything, but others might have been disappointed by the lack of rock ‘n’ roll in this race. Just sayin’.

Rock 'n' Roll Half San Francisco Finisher CertificateMy time was 1:38:40 and my goal was to finish in 1:40:00. This gave me a hope for next Monday’s race and finish it in a decent time. BQ for my age group is 3:25:00. With my longest run so far this year being 15 miles, once, I’d be crazy to go for a BQ and I had not been planning on it. But could I beat it if I tried? As of today, I don’t have any new injuries and I don’t even feel sore from yesterday. Should I try and see what happen? Even if I shouldn’t, it would be hard to resist the temptation of getting a BQ. I only live once. The 10-day weather forecast shows pretty good running condition for next Monday.

Mar 20

Rock 'n' Roll San Francisco Half Marathon
4 Comments

Inaugural Transamerica Rock ‘n’ Roll San Francisco Half Marathon

I am glad I signed up for this race back when it was first announced. Not because it had sold out quickly but because I decided not to run Oakland Half Marathon this weekend. I scheduled a trip to NYC without checking this weekend’s race schedule. Not that I am trained for either race, but I want to run a Half before Boston as a tune-up. Training for Boston is going OK, considering what I’ve gone through in the past few months. So far, my longest run this year is 15 miles (today!), and I actually felt like I could run a few more. My goal for the Half is to finish in 1:40. A little over 7:37 pace, so I should be able to, if I can keep the current fitness level and health.

Rock 'n' Roll San Francisco Half Marathon Official Promo PosterThe course looks like identical to US Half I ran back in 2006. That was my first distance race and I finished it in 1:53:39. I had a hard time walking to BART station after the race, because my legs were killing me. Anyway, the race starts near Fort Mason at 7am. Considering it is the first weekend of April in San Francisco, the weather should be really cool and favorable for racing. After the start, we’ll all head for Presidio through Crissy Field. The first three miles till Presidio are pretty flat, but we’ll climb about 300 feet over two miles after that. The steepest hill looks like 100 feet gain in 0.2 miles. I’ve run that hill a few times before, but it’s always been hard… That climb will bring us to the Golden Gate Bridge and we will run across it. In US Half, they did not close a car lane and we ran on the sidewalk, I think. Rock ‘n’ Roll will probably be the same. One way across the bridge is about 1.7 miles and we run back another 1.7 miles to come back into the city. On return, we will run down to Fort Point and head for the finish at Aquatic Park/Ghirardelli Square.

With all the attractions, I might have sounded like someone from San Francisco Visitors Bureau, but that’s the actual course. The race organizers highlight the scenic course as one of the perks, in addition to local bands playing along the course. If we have fog over the bridge, it will be a classic San Francisco morning! Cannot wait!

Mar 1

Kezar Stadium Running Track

Kezar Track Replacement Petition

Please help the City of San Francisco realize the Kezar Stadium needs a new running track. Sign this online petition and spread the word!

As a Masters Track and Field enthusiast, it is important to take care of my body. I’ve had a series of injuries and sickness that kept me from training and becoming a better runner. And it is not easy to stay healthy and injury-free all the time. Sometimes you don’t have time or just forget to stretch, foam-roll, take vitamins or wash hands. Other times, you push too hard or you let your muscle weaken without knowing.  Or, you run on a hard surface too hard, too fast. This last one is difficult to avoid, and I am sure it is a cause of my chronic tightness in my Achilles tendons, soleus, soleus, psoas, iliacus, lower abs, etc. My running club, San Francisco Track and Field Club, practices at San Francisco State University track. The track is in a better shape than others. Many runners prefer they meet at Kezar track, because it is more convenient to get to. But one of the big reasons why we stay away from the convenient location is deteriorating condition of the track. Fortunately, there is a community effort to bring the track up to today’s standards, and I am joining force with the community leaders to make this happen.

Kezar track surface damage found 100m Start LineThe all-weather eight-lane track was last installed in 1991. Since San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department does not have public access to its archives, I requested some information as to what type of surface was installed, what was estimated life span of such surface, etc.. I will update this page as soon as I hear from them.

Kezar track scrapes on Westside22 years since the installation, deterioration of the track is obvious and serious. As soon as you enter the Stadium, you see the sun-bleached, rain-washed, faded brown track. The original umber-ish brown color is long gone. As you walk around on the track, you will see wear and tear from overuse, weather, and perhaps damages from abuse (prohibited use of cleats, stakeboards, etc.). In some parts, the surface material is gone – scraped from overuse. In other parts, the surface has bubbled up – likely damage from water seeping under the surface material. If you run, these damages come alive. I mean, it feels like I am running on concreate in general. When I hit the scraped area, it feels even harder. When I run on the bubbles, it makes flapping sound. I would definitely want to avoid being caught in a hole or tear.

Tear on Kezar track EastsideSo what does this mean? Compared to city streets or sidewalks, the track looks better and safer to run on, of course. We all know the City does not have enough funding to make all the parks and recreational areas new. So, do we have to wait until it gets even worse, or maybe until someone gets hurt? Who knows, some people might be already experiencing injuries, having run on the current hard track. When is the right time to get a new track? Since this track is open to public – and it’s a very popular track – all sorts of people run there. Small kids during summer camp, from elementary school to high school students, elite athletes, ordinary runners, and senior aficionados. Most of us think time has come to replace the track. An editor from San Francisco Chronicle called last week and asked questions about the current condition of the Kezar track. Parts of our conversation are in this article.

If you do an online search about the Kezar track or Kezar Stadium, you can find history of the facility. Wikipedia and other websites can tell you San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders once played there. Stanford University plays football there every once in a while. Dirty Harry was filmed there, even. A New York Times article chronicled Colorful History of Kezar Stadium. But what is forgotten and what makes it even more colorful is the fact the first Gay Games (originally termed Gay Olympics) was held in the Kezar Stadium back in 1982, and four years later. Since then, Gay Games has been to Vancouver, New York, Amsterdam, Sydney (Australia), Chicago, and Cologne (Germany) and has become a major event among LGBT communities throughout the world. So, to those LGBT athletes in San Francisco, the Kezar Stadium is not just a public track, but a symbol of gay athleticism and a memorial that we will never want to forget.

Kezar Stadium – It is a unique place that is a true San Francisco institution. I am afraid the current condition of the track is a disgrace for a place that is loved so much by so many San Franciscans and visitors. It’s high time the City got funding to replace and modernize the track to meet today’s standards. If you like this post, please sign the online petition and spread the word!

Feb 26

117th Boston Marathon Confirmation
13 Comments

Most Unprepared 2013 Boston Marathoner

And that would be me. This will be my fourth time running Boston Marathon, and I will most likely be running despite my sad shape today. The longest I’ve run this year is 8 miles so far, and February mileage is 31 as of today, which is 31 miles longer than January mileage. The fitness I had built up for NYC in November must be completely gone by now, and there is so much I can do between now and April 15. But I’m thinking no Boston qualifier in his or her right mind would throw away an entry, just because s/he is not in top shape. Right. The cold I caught shortly after a flu is almost gone. My heel pain has faded to the point of non-existence, neither the pain in my lower ab, since I have not been running for a while. I believe this sickness induced rest has been a blessing and my legs and feet are ready to resume a training. Right!

There are seven weeks until Patriots’ Day.

Assuming I can still run 6 miles today and assuming I can add three miles to the longest weekly run, I should be able to finish a marathon on April 15. And the keyword here is ‘to finish’. This is nowhere near the conventional marathon training, and I probably would not do this if it was not already end of February. It is often suggested you increase weekly mileage by max of 10 percent; otherwise, you risk injuries. I know my plan will increase my weekly mileage by much more than 10 percent each week, but I think it’s do-able, because 1) This is not my first marathon. I have eight marathons and a few half marathons under my belt. 2) I will not be running fast.

I cannot begin to think about running a PR or a BQ this time. Those times seem so far fetching at the moment, but in order to run another Boston next year, I have to do something about it. In fact, I have penciled in a marathon in mid-August in my calendar, so hopefully by then I will be in a shape to challenge my PR or at least BQ for 2014.

The training starts tomorrow. If everything goes well, I should be able to enjoy the race without worrying about my time, which would be a new Boston experience.

Feb 9

Lower leg muscles medial
8 Comments

Don’t Forget About Soleus

I am happy to report that I have resumed running, up to 6 miles at a time. Slow 6 miles. I think the rest (combined with a flu that knocked me down for two weeks), stretching and other self-prescribed remedies are working. In addition, my masseur told me that my soleus muscle (right leg, whose foot has Plantar Fasciitis) is very tight and might be contributing to the heel pain. He showed me how to massage and stretch that muscle. There is one spot that is tender, so this is something new I will be focusing to end my plantar fasciitis.

You know where soleus muscle is? I didn’t until my masseur showed me where. I also looked it up online and found an image that is not too gross. You can do your own research online and find all sorts of info and photos about soleus. It consists of 100% slow-twitched muscle and is a powerful and important muscle in running, as well as walking and standing. Often neglected due to more prominent gastrocnemius muscle or Achilles tendon, it seems many people do not take care of this muscle. In the above image, soleus is labeled A, which stretches from your knee to the heel. Yes, heel! Already excited this could be another potencial problem I can solve. Just for your reference, B is gastrocnemius (often referred to as ‘Gastroc’), C is the flexor digitorum longus and D is tibia.

In my case, the tender spot is at the top of soleus, on the posterior surface just to the left of label D in the above image. Icing, massaging, and stretching of this muscle might help me further my journey to end plantar fasciitis.

Here is a video of soleus stretch. I believe the key is to keep the upper body vertical, not to lean toward the wall. I am sure this stretch can be done without a wall. If you want to apply self-massage, this soleus massage video might be a good reference.

I will write a post on this when I notice differences in the heel pain or running comfort.

Jan 16

Downward Cat
9 Comments

Good Progress on Journey to End Plantar Fasciitis

Since my last post, I’ve been diligently following my self-prescribed remedy to end plantar fasciitis. I am very happy to report that it seems working! I still have heel pain but the level of pain is much less. Here is my thoughts on each, in the order of unmeasured effectiveness:

Stretching Calf Muscles
I think this is what I needed. Really good calf muscles stretching. I spend 5 or 10 minutes at a time and doing various stretches throughout the day. When I have time and floor, I do the Downward Dog, a Yoga position. When I see stairs, I do stretching there. When there is a wall, I stretch there. I’ve read a lot of online resources that say tight calf muscles is a cause of the symptoms, and they are correct in my case.

Stretching Plantar Fascia
When I stretch calf muscles, I try to stretch my plantar fascia, too. I am not sure how effective this is, since I stretch plantar fascii in combo with calf stretching.

Swimming
I don’t know what the effect of swimming is, but my pains seem less the day after I swim for 30 minutes. The water I swim in is not that cold, so I don’t think it’s reducing inflammation but strengthening my feet, ankles and legs?

Night Splints
Not so much as a remedy, but night splints do reduce the pain the next day when I get off the bed. I did not spend a lot of money ($27 or so at Walgreens for a pair). It seems my feet are not locked and stretched fully with this splints. But I don’t go to bed without them.

Massaging
This might be a mental thing, but it feels good and makes me feel as if the evil is going away!

Icing
Probably, icing should get higher ranking but I hate it. It is so cold it hurts! I apply icepacks on my bottom of my feet, as well as a water-filled skinny jar of jam that is frozen. I let my foot roll on the jar to ice and massage at the same time, maybe a few minutes at a time per foot.

Epsom salt soak
Again unmeasured, but as much as it feels good, I don’t think it is doing any good. Epsom salt is supposed to break down calcium built up in my feet and help get rid of it. I spend 30 minutes in a bucket filled with epsom salt warm water every day.

Shoe inserts
A week ago, these inserts (Dr. Scholl’s Active Series) helped quite a bit, but I don’t think I need them.

In terms of running, I did track workout with my team last Sunday but nothing before or after. I do feel like I can go for a 6-mile run without feeling much pain. If I go running, you will be among the first to know!

Jan 8

Plantar Fasciitis
8 Comments

Belated New Year’s Resolution – Overcome Plantar Fasciitis

Who’s suffering from Plantar Fasciitis? I am! I’ve known I had foot pains for over a year now. In my both heels, I’ve had this persistent pain that almost feels like the heel bone (calcaneus) was cracking. It has been more painful right after I get out of my bed than the rest of the day. I suspected that it was PF and knew I had to do something about it. But I did not do much and let it develop to a full blown case of PF, at least in the right foot. Having the pain for over a year, I was pretty much discouraged about the prospect of future running. On this past Sunday, however, when the track team met for the first team practice, I decided that I’d treat the pain and put it behind as soon as possible. After all, I have already signed up (and paid) for three races before the spring ends. And then, the track season goes into the full gear. You might call it belated New Year’s resolution. I will try to document my treatment here, so you know I keep up with my resolution.

Disclaimer

Just so it’s clear, I am not consulting with professional about treatment. This has been my self-diagnosis and all the treatment I am planning is from online resources. This might sound silly and imprudent, but I don’t have a good track record with professionals. I am going to try available treatment while listening to my body, unless my body starts screaming I should do otherwise.

Here is the list of what I am going to try, not in any particular order:

  • Night splints
  • Shoe inserts
  • Epsom salt soak
  • Icing
  • Stretch calf muscles
  • Stretch plantar fascia
  • Massaging
  • Swimming

In the past two days, I’ve done everything but swimming. I bought night splints and inserts at Walgreens. The difference is rather impressive, especially the use of night splints. Yes, it’s uncomfortable to have to wear it in the bed, but I don’t have much time. Epsom salt soak in warm water seems ease the pain, although I ice my foot after the soak, so that plantar fascia is not left with inflammation. Stretching and massaging also make it feel better. I almost feel I can run without much pain. From tomorrow on, I will try to be more specific and document whatever I do in details.

Wish me luck!

 

Dec 20

NYC Marathon Resolution Update
4 Comments

NYC Marathon – Refund or Guaranteed Entry?

After almost 7 weeks, I finally received a mass email from NYRR about options for the cancelled 2012 marathon. My hope was to get the entry fee refund AND a guaranteed entry next year. But they were not that nice. NYRR’s offer is as below.

MARATHON RUNNERS

All 2012 Marathoners may choose one of the following three options:

• Option #1 – Refund. While NYRR has always had a no-refund policy for the Marathon, given these extraordinary circumstances, we are offering runners who were entered in the 2012 Marathon, and were unable to run due to the cancellation¹, the opportunity to obtain a full refund of their 2012 Marathon entry fee (excluding the $11 processing fee); OR
• Option #2 – Guaranteed entry to the ING New York City Marathon for 2013, 2014, or 2015. Entrants in the 2012 Marathon who choose this option will be granted guaranteed entry to the Marathon for the year they choose. Runners will be required to pay all processing and entry fees at the time of application (in the given year), with fees maintained at the same rate as those paid in 2012; OR
• Option #3 – Guaranteed entry to the NYC Half 2013. Entrants in the 2012 Marathon who choose this option will be granted guaranteed entry to the NYC Half 2013, to be run on March 17, 2013. Runners will be required to pay all processing and entry fees at the time of application. Availability will be limited.

I don’t need to make a decision yet, as NYRR won’t accept marathon runners’ decision until Jan 13. So, I thought I’d try to get a guaranteed spot by running another half marathon, or they might accept my half marathon PR that is from March this year. Unfortunately, NYRR’s website about 2013 guaranteed spot is down (many of their pages are not available as of this writing). If I could get another guaranteed spot, I’d ask for the refund. So, I will check their 2013 qualifying standard when the website comes back. The decision can be made after that.

I’d be interested in hearing what other marathon runners are thinking.

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