Rambling on About All Things Running
In addition to the usual life observations, I dive into some running topics that help keep the sport personally interesting and dynamic.
Moments of the Week (May 22-28)
Jero had an Ultimate Frisbee fixture in Tsing Yi. I had the time (I usually do) so I went, got lost, and eventually made it before the action. I was the only parent and enjoyed watching Jero hustle and see how he interacted with his peers. When I got home, he said that his teammate commented on my physique, saying that I was buff. That's the first time I’ve heard that in 20+ years when I was still a UCLA cheerleader (Can you find me?).
Kids love to have something to look forward to. For Feris, that was a disco party to celebrate her friend's birthday which she reminded me about every other day with a new detail. It was extra special because they had a secret sleepover where she got sandwiched by her two friends.
It's great to hear when kids genuinely have a good day. Lea had one. Late in the afternoon when the weather was pleasant, I took her and a friend to the rock pools for a swim, we got slurpees and watched some local hockey (Black Russians vs HK Tigers). Rather than take the bus back, they walked the long way along the beach.
Paperwork scares me sometimes. With a little over a month to go till Australia, I applied for visas under the impression it could take 30 days. We got them back in less than an hour. I also started booking accommodations and tour packages, that come with no refunds. We will be camping huge chunks of the journey in our Jucy campervan. I’m setting the expectation that we will be roughing it and hiking a lot.
HK has its perks. One of the things that we missed out on in Japan was Ichiran Ramen. We waited in line for 30 mins but gave up because we were too hungry and would have had to wait another 30. We have our own local Ichiran and got our ramen fix. It only required a 2 min wait. I like Ippudo better. And did you know that our Ikea carries a Coconut rice-based sundae with mango and sago for $2?
In the US they had a long weekend celebrating Memorial Day; we too had one to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday on Friday. We were original and had Buddha Bowls. My tahini lemon garlic sauce was meh. I need to find one that works.
I enjoy getting a good deal on fruit at the Wet Market. After an early morning run, I was one of the first customers and got first pick on Avocado, Papaya, Green & Yellow Mango, Peaches, and Mangosteen. The last has been a family favorite since Thailand.
On The Move
Run With Me on Strava - 59.96 mi, 6,970 ft Elevation, 35 mins of Swimming
Each week I try and round my running to a nice even number. I came .04 short.
When Jero runs, he looks like a giant overextending on each step. He lands on his heels, putting unnecessary pressure on his knees, and it all looks forced. To fix this, I took him on a run and we focused just on cadence. All he had to do was follow my feet. We didn't hit the target of 180 steps per minute (spm), but we did manage 170. Everything corrected itself; he was lighter on his feet, his body was more upright and relaxed, and he looked like a professional runner. Running faster will come with time and in the meantime, he will at least look good getting there.
When swimming, I often find myself gasping for air. I read that it isn't a lack of oxygen that causes this reflex, but a build-up of carbon dioxide. So, I focused on blowing air out; the effects are still inconclusive. I'll keep trying.
I run about 10% of my miles hard. Everything else is play. Tuesday's workout was a 5K rolling hills tempo in max humidity. I only went hard because Matt did. I'm glad I put in that extra effort because I surprised myself with the pace and times I was able to hit. Running with others helps so much.
On connecting loops. Running becomes a routine and I often find myself running the same loops in the same order. Every now and then, someone plants an idea to connect common segments to create a clean new larger route. That's what happened on Saturday's long trail run led by Rich. We had a number of people that knew different trail sections and we were able to link them together. Mission Accomplished. Do you find yourself doing this?
I follow people on Strava to see get ideas on routes, get inspired, and sometimes make a friend. To find a friend, there are so many things that need to click.
Do you live conveniently close?
Do you run at the same time?
Do you run at a similar pace?
Are you flexible and willing to adjust your running routine?
Do you enjoy the company of others?
I've been following a runner for over a year, and we checked many boxes above, but he was in the next town over (12 min bus ride). Finally, made it work and we had a good run. It was fun. I learned about his story and got exposed to some new roads. The running community is cool like that. Maricar is skeptical.
Rambling on About All Things Running
I’ve done Jucy campervan family road trip, loved it! The vans are so cool
That's you holding the flag, btw. Correct? You look a lot biger then: more muscle less lean runner?