Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Mornings


Not an excuse, but I am slowly but surely drowning under a ton of work, and have absolutely no time to spare for this. I mean, almost not time.
Then, to fill the blanks, the morning pictures I take before work from our Lanai.
It was this week.

Little Before 6AM
6AM
Before the storm

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Action Incoming


Who said it was boring to live on an island in the middle of pacific? We already ad the Japan Tsunami, No we have our own little tropical storm.

Look like a foetus, Or maybe an Alien ?

So far, it looks impressive, but they call it to weaken.

If I was sailing, I would be worried. When is the next Transpac ?

However, when was the last time meteorologist were right ?

Straight Path. Come to join us for the party !

I guess we will know pretty soon. Collision expected Monday or Tuesday.

Friday, July 26, 2013

A page is turned


Mobylette is sold. Finally, after more than 2 months of back and forth, the money appeared on my bank account. Not a good deal to buy and sell back a boat on a 3 years time frame, as everybody knows.

At the dock, on her last trip.

Gosh ,she was a beauty.


Simply sailing

Anyway, it was time for something new. There will be another Mobylette someday.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Time management


When you are trying to do too much in too few hours, there is few solutions but much rewards.
Hum, this sentence turned a little weird. Anyway, this is the early time for the training, but a concern that come back is always the lack of time to train. Actually, you need around one hour 3 times a week, and two or three hours on the week-end. Should be doable.

Sun is already Up
However, when crunching at work, with very long days, the only solution is to go up early and early. Those past years, I learned to get up earlier and earlier.

Clock is already clicking
When I was young getting up at 8AM was the end of the world. Now working in HI with a time schedule based in California, 6AM morning are more the rule than the exception.
And I like it. It really free your day. In fact, this is my biggest gain from living here. Not the "paradise". Not the beach "everyday". Not the "constant" blue sky.
But the time zone.


Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Laps



For a change, I went to Pukalani, next to the pool. There is a small park, a lap is around 0.6 miles. For my first run of the week, I had to do 6 of them. Kind of repetitive, but I appreciated the fact that this is Flat.
Upcountry, a flat surface ?

Shadow stretch


Still an ocean view

Told you, I was going in circles

the good news, almost no pain in the calf. Started very slow, and continued moderately slow. I was cautious today. Did just a little more than the 3 miles planned.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

First Doubts


"You can, and will, run anyway. And you will be really glad you did when you are finished."


Yesterday was my first doubts about this whole thing. And that matches with the end of my second week. Only 14 to go ;) For the first time I could imagine not finishing it (and it almost did not start yet). What if I am hurt ? What if the pain is too acute ?

All started by a short night - too much work - and a long Saturday - still working. Bad timing, it was my planned weekly long run. Walked the dog, couple of miles. Coming up the hill, a real tenderness in the right calf. Surprise, I am not used to have pain except in the hip. Almost 6:30 now, and the sun is going down in less than an hour, don't have time to drive anywhere to have a nice forest run. That will be the road next to the house or nothing. And this is a 6 miles on asphalt. Still this pain in the calf. That's it, I am calling it off. 
I will run tomorrow.


Kula Road to Portugal ?

Until I remembered this vivid passage in my book: There will be days you won't feel like it. Plenty of excuses. Pain, tiredness, work, kids. Just go. Because it doesn't matter.

Then I just went. And I am glad I finished this week on a positive note. Hold my miles for this second week. And the pain went away around the second mile. I need to stretch those calf way better.

Second week in the bag !

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Good Morning Scale


Another morning ritual.

You need to substract 0.9, I've got my pyjamas.

I am hovering between 147 and 149 pounds right now, I.e. 67kg. My sophisticated scale give me an average of 15% of BMI - Fat Index. And yes, I need to check my BMI at a clinic soon, those scale are average at best. It is not too bad, Athletes usually go under 10%, Ultramarathon runners are around 5-6%, and the American average is peaking at 28% now.

Based on a book, everybody can reach 12%. Going under is more genetic related and can become really arduous. I set my target to 12% for this marathon, i.e. need to loose again 3% of fat.

150 * 0.97 = 145 pounds as a target.

But because I am hardcore, I set 140 pounds as a goal. I like round numbers.


Thursday, July 18, 2013

Yoga Man


A quick morning post for a morning subject. I am really convinced that stretching a lot is a big part in my partial recovery. Specially, the morning one, when I salute the sun. Seems a little bit grandiloquent, and the fun is usually already up (I have a tendency to work late nowadays and ccan barely get up before 7AM - I used to do better), but you got the point.

Sun Salutations - Part1

Sun Salutations - Part 2

However, can you appreciate the new wood boards on the Lanaii ?
Thanks Manu!


Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Hale O Kaula



Tuesday run. 4 miles. This time I took our beloved Barnaby with us.

Barnaby likes to stay behing ... And catch back by running like a crazy



Who cares ?

We are here !


Short and easy. A typical mid week run.

Quotes of the day:

"To run a marathon and feel good while doing it, you have to see things from a “half full” perspective. 
(...)
The fancy name for this is cognitive reframing. The simple explanation is that you make a point to see things in a different, more positive, way than you might otherwise have done."

Easier said than done.



Monday, July 15, 2013

Schedule


Following the training schedule from "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer by David Whitsett", here you can see what's coming.



Day 4 is what they call "the long run", and is the root of the training, increasing the distance. The other days are needed to build the "mileage". Everyone seems to believe that if you can run 18 miles during training, you can run 26 miles during the marathon. Some says about "Excitation of the D-Day", "Well established base" or  just "grinding your teeth". In another book, about long distance running, they say that usually the first half of the run is using the body, the second one using the will.

In anycase, you need to trust the teacher and trust yourself :


"This undertaking may be the most monumental physical and mental task that you have ever undertaken. Second-guessing the validity of the program will only work against you."


Sunday, July 14, 2013

Rest day


The great thing when you live in Maui is that a "Rest" day doesn't  really like any other day, It is like being on vacation. Rest day : No running. Excuse ? you always have to give your body time to heal-recharge-adapt-rest. It seems like the gold rule of marathon training: Not too fast. Rule in my program is 4 days of running for 3 days of rest. Seems typical in trainings I've seen so far.



Typical Sunday morning in Wailea

Not a lot of people today. July is not too busy. Surprisingly. No wind today.

Still, rest day means 35 minutes of open water swimming. Good for the upper body, the core and all that. Typical training schedule for runners is to cross train on "rest days". Everything but the legs, the core if possible, or other type of running : intervals, strengthening, etc...

But today, the swim among the fishes and coral head, or along a lazy sea turtle chilling out, really felt like vacation time. Big difference from upcountry pool !


Decadence


We had a romantic diner yesterday, as friends took our daughter for a sleep over. After this crazy last weeks, it was well deserved. Nice evening, but my diet took a serious hit ;)

Tiramisu, in my plate.

As they say, you can cheat time to time. If you are eating well 95% of the time, some exceptions just help to take it easy. Tiramisu ... 400 calories ... for half of it ;)

Casanova, in Makawao. 

Funny that after one year in Makawao, it is the first week we moved to Kula that I try the place.

Anyway, today I paid the price : long run in the Makawao Forest, as fast as I can. It was hard .... But I beat my best time by nearly 10 min!
Seems that the Tiramisu is a boost of energy... Let's keep that in mind for the race !


Friday, July 12, 2013

Slice it in Half for Starters


When going public, you have to be precise in your intentions. I will be training for a marathon using a 16 weeks program, which does not fit into the timeline of the 43nd Annual Maui Marathon, which is in little more than 2 months.



However the half marathon fits pretty well with my training schedule, and it will be interesting to feel the heat of the race before the real one.
Meet on you on the September 22nd, 2013 at 5:30am.

To be over there at 5:30 ready, I will have to get up at 4AM !!!! That will be already a challenge by itself.


This one was short. I am getting better at it !

Pain management


It is so common nowadays to run a marathon, it is not even a challenge anymore. Really ? More than 500K people finished a marathon in 2011. Really ? Were you there? Let's make it harder then. For fun, add some recurring hip-flexor pain... In fact, this is my biggest concern and we will have to play Cats and Mouse during all the training period. Icing at night, stretching, stretching, endless stretching.
I can feel it, always there, like a friend, little dear pain in the groin.


Told you I was gonna cut that beard.

It is true it is way less worst than one year ago. But as I am pushing my limits, I am playing with fire. I just need to revisit my relationship with this injury. Quoting my 'marathon training book' :

“Oh, there you are, pain; I’ve been waiting for you. Come run with me.”

I do not want to make it worse though, and get stopped on the curbside early. But it is comforting to know that the more you are hurting, the more your muscle and your body is adapting.
What does not kill you make you stronger, they say.

Well, we will see.


Thursday, July 11, 2013

But... What about the other stuff ?



Like kiting.

Today was the first day in two weeks I found the time to go. Windy as usual, 25-30mph, good power on my 6m. Fun. No waves though, typical summer setup.
Today was a rest day in my marathon training. I don't think kiting is recommended for a rest day, specially when you are struggling with a hip flexor recurring pain. 
Hey, we are who we are.

My brand new 6m, 2013. Pretty ? 
Sized for a girl, perfect for Maui's wind


Then, how will I reconcile Kiting and training for a run 4 days on 7 ? Not sure yet, but the key point will be "Moderation". Kiting only a couple of time in the week make you really enjoy it. As an addict, I always tried to do more. Kite everyday. Twice a day. If no wind, surf. Paddleboard. Whatever to get a fix.
Now, maybe I am getting older, but less is better. In fact, I dont see like kiting everyday in poor conditions (too windy, no surf - I know, not the typical poor conditions you can imagine - I lived in South California too, I know what I am taslking about).

Kanaha in summer, end of week day. 
Half a dozen kite in the water.
Flat, but still blowing 25mph.


From this perspective, Summer on Maui is kind of a boring season for kiting. Really. Winter is way more exciting.
Then, training for running in summer seems like a good idea, isn't it ?


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Marathoner


I am a marathoner.
I am a marathoner.
I am a marathoner.

It has been quite a ride, but I eventually decided to give it a go. I am reading - practicing - ...

The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer
by David Whitsett

"Make the commitment. And start telling your family and friends that you are a marathoner and tell them which marathon you are going to run."

Kinda remind me what I did for my diet. And why I need this blog. Accountability.
Now, I have been running for quite a while now, but I have started yesterday my former training.

Autoportrait on Lower Kula Road today.

I need to cut this beard.
Can you really run a marathon after 16 weeks of training if you are capable today to run 30 minutes at a slow jog pace ? They say it so.
Any chance they might be right ?

Monday, July 8, 2013

Reboot


Reboot.
Rebirth.
Rewind.
Rerun.

Lots of things happened in this month of July. I know, not an excuse to let you down, but , well, we do what we can ...
First, I will need this blog again. More details about that later. Still, I am struggling with time (isn't it the real resource you cannot buy ?), and I need a new format for it.
The new blog : Short, and to the point. Like today. ** sic **

Now, the real news. House has been bought, Boat has been sold. No more strings attached in California, the move on Maui is complete (Still need my Hawaiian driving license, but I have a new phone number in 808).


On the move again. Who said we would need a truck ?


And the obvious conclusion  : To keep this interesting, I will need a new plan.