As I like to say ...

There is no bad days on Maui. There is only days without wind and without waves.

This week we have been blessed by both, and to celebrate my birthday,

Kanaha was firing with double overhead waves and 7m Kiting.

Hookipa must have been insane.

Morning view, 6AM

Kanaha,
lots of kites

When you can see white water from here,
there will be rock !

Sunset On Kanaha,
around 6PM, still some wind

Add to this that I am half way on vacation, i.e. I have my afternoons free, that gives me plenty of time to chill out at the beach, kite and stretch. When the conditions are that good, I cannot imagine going on vacation anywhere else than in our backyard.

Aloha !

Shuffling in the go

As you could have remarked, I like to run light. I hate belts, straps, bags, etc... I do need them, time to time though, and the camel bag is a must have for the long runs.
Still, this IPod Shuffle gadget is really cool from this perspective.
You barely feel it.

This thinghy is so small,
I can plug-it on my headphones

When I talk to people about the long runs, more than one hour, They seem to think it is boring. At least, that is how they explain they could not do it. "I cannot do it, running is so boring".
For me, a run split in 3 parts.
- First, I am listening to the music. Nowadays, it is almost the only time during my day, where I can really listen to the music. Focusing on it. The first part of the run is usually easy, and the sound quality of my headphones pretty good. Then it is really a pleasure.
- After that, I enter in the "Flow" state. Usually after 45min to one hour. I guess this is when the endorphines quick in. At that point, the music is running on background, or I just stop it. This is the state where you think you can run forever, and miles do not count.
- The last part of the run is when the tiredness begins to show. Right now, this is around two hours of running. At that point, usually nothing helps except a strong will and ignorance of pain.

A run is like an isolation bubble from the outside world. Another dimension. Music. Silence. Pain. Fly.
Everything is possible. To reach this state, you "just have to" run longer.
Sounds simple. It is.

Apple rules...

.. the world.

After our IPod, IPad, IPhone, IMac, just joined the IPod Shuffle in the family.

Running with my phone seems now bulky and annoying, and I am upgrading my running gear. This sounds like the perfect personal entertainment system.

Small and light,
I am on the right track.

Just had a thought for my old and first "walkman" using "tapes".

Gosh, I feel old. Maybe it is just because it was my birthday yesterday...

Thank you, girls, it was the perfect birthday gift for a runner to become.

Back on diet - part 3 - Back on track

After one week in California, I am back on my current plan, i.e. 2000 calories a day and 600 burn through exercise. So far, so good, I already lost a couple of pounds, it seems.

In this house, everyone, even the dog, is on a specific diet. Hard to resist, but right now, I am working on greed and temptation. At one point, I imagined to remove some food totally of my diet, like chocolate. Not that I cannot afford it, calories wise, just too hard to only take the recommended serving.

I don't know why it is so hard for me, I just cannot stop. 

I call this this the Pim's effect, where usually, I start by one and end up eating half of the box.

Barnaby's raw food diet

So far, so good. It is tempting, but I usually stay on the recommended dose. What I don't like in this approach is the constant surveillance, and guilt associated. I really prefer my lunch strategy, which is way more simple. Always the same thing at the same time. 

Well, if our dog can eat the same thing every day, why can't I ?

Surf's up - Part 2

This time, I have got some pictures.

Surf addicts were calling the first real swell of the north shore season. Expected 6 to 8 feet.

Sunday morning, start a 6AM. Car is already loaded, ready to beat the crowd. Heading to Haliimaile to meet my buddy John.We rush to Hoopika. Glassy. But scary.

Hookipa entrance. First glimpses at the water.

Nobody is at Pavilion. Not a good sign.

Lanes

Wow, seems way bigger than expected. Half a dozen in the water already. You mean, Only half a dozen ONLY ? Sunday morning ? First swell of the season ?

Maybe it is way heavier than it looked. we see a few double-head sets. And lots - lots- of water moving.

Right, there is a reason nobody is in the water.

Lanes. Someone 's dropping.

We go check on Turtle Bay, and Lanes. 3 guys over there. Seems big, certainly is. And rising. John is almost ready for Lanes. That would have been certainly my biggest surf session ever over there. Then I remember my boat trip in 2 weeks, and I don't want to hurt myself again. I beg for smaller surf.

Paia Bay was a mess. Kanaha it is. 

3C. (Gaming professionals will notice).

Clean, Crowded and Cool.

Got a couple of slow but pushy 8-10 footers. And without my Paddle board. Very fun.

Ok, tomorrow I am back with it.

This season announced itself pretty good.

Running the Golden Gate Park

Last but not least, a morning run in the biggest park of the city.

I was initially planning to do a full run around it, and go see the ocean, but not sure what happens,

I lost my way and eventually had to turn back by lack of time. (Needed to clock in in the office, for a change).

Modern Art Museum

Japanese Garden

The rose garden

the **huge** waterfall

There is big spaces without anybody at 7AM,
but it is rare.

They have a ranch (for the Horse Police)

And Bisons

And seagulls

The run summary:

GPS works better in San Francisco than on Maui

Hum. I guess I was not running very fast that day. 3 days in a row, I think I was getting tired.

Running OB

Ocean Beach is by far my favorite place in San Francisco. You can run, surf, kite. It is big, and except a few hot days of the year, almost deserted. I started this run at Sunrise, around 6:30 AM.

Early morning

View of Sunset

We use to live here. House in the middle of the Pic.
We could see the ocean from the attic window.

Wild. It was small and clean. few surfers spread out.

This place is magical. Humongous city with the feet into the water.
Rent as climbed hard though.

Run Summary

Running the bay trail

Back in the Bay area for a small week - work related bizz - I decided to go for a run every morning in the places that marked our live over there.

Obviously, The bay trail, along San Mateo shores and specifically Oyster Point Marinas, where we used to have our boat, and where I started my first barefoot runs.

Oyster Cove from Brisbane

Brisbane Marina

Brand new Ferry Dock at Oyster Point Harbor

The Dock we used to have for Mobylette

Running -even at a slow pace - one hour should help to maintain an adequate Calories burning rate, as I won' t be as active as usual in the water - It is way too cold here ;) - And with the change of rhythm, plus Hotel and Office every day, I cannot enforce proper nutrition. We might eat out every lunch and dinner. Even if you pay attention, it would be very hard to stick to the diet.

While burning 700 Calories a day with one hour run give you a safety net to stay on track.

As a bonus, the "Madeleine effect".

Run Summary

Back on diet - part 2

Back on counting calories.

I realized it was pretty easy for me to save up to 500 every day if I was exercising 1 hour, allowing me a +600 bonus.

I am still using a 2000 calories/day reference which is an common average, but works very well in my case.

Then, this month, exercise one hour every day and keep intake around 2000 daily. So far, it have been proven easy - no hunger sensation - and effective, already more than a pound lost (3500 cal). 

Avocado wrap from Down to earth as lunch. Vegan, excellent and healthy. Why would you like more ?

By running "only" one hour a day, I won't get better for the marathon, but this part is for next month :)

Surf is Up

Surf season had a slow start, and we did not get any No Wind - Big Swell day here.

No cool pictures still.

Anyway, I am ready.

Basic setup. Nothing more, nothing less.

Had a a good session yesterday at Middle and even better today at Lanes with my friend John.

Even did a good drop or two on this quick left, in a 5-6 footer. Pretty fun. 

It is like biking, you do not forget. But you don't get better too ;)

Back on diet - 1

I gave up pretty early in the first part of my marathon training on the diet idea. It was unadvised by my training plan - I.e. THE book - considering that running is hard enough, don't put any additional mental stress on top of it. "You need fuel" they say "let's the body balance itself".

Right, it is pretty hard to run 12 miles with the hunger turning your stomach inside out.

**not related**
The end of the Front street one mile.
Run, Forrest, Run
No kidding, this race is sponsored by Bubba Gump restaurant.

Anyway, all good things have an end, and having one month to fill between now and the second part of the marathon training, which will end the race day, obviously, I decided to go back on losing those 10 pounds. At least, 5. My reasoning is that it will be way easier to complete this damn marathon without those 5 pounds than with them.

For this,I devised a new plan.

First, I looked at the planning. I still have to go 8 weeks of dedicated marathon training. Marathon is mid-January, And I like the idea of a couple of weeks of buffer, specially around the holidays. By the way, most of the people get their over weight quota around this period, it will be challenging not to. Technically, November and December will be where I will be ramping up my running mileage and I don't want to look at my intakes too closely. Hopefully, the fact that I will be running a lot will prevent me to gain weight and might even help to lose some. I will be running more than 30 miles a week at that point, every week, if everything goes according to THE plan.

Which give us October. One month, 4 weeks, 5 pounds. 

Cool.

Should be doable.

Certified

Now that I have started to run again,slowly but surely, 5-6 miles a day. 

Watching this shoulder carefully. And this leg. And this other leg. 

And the lower back. And the upper back.

I think you got the point.

Told you. But now it is official !

Back in business

The pain in the shoulder receded a bit. Enough to go for 2 easy runs this week-end. Still, I was pretty slow, I guess the last cold front that hit us was still on me. Anyway, what a relief to be able to move the body a bit.
I tried swimming at the beach, but after a couple of minutes, the pain - more like tension - came back, and i decided to not take any chance and call it off for now.

Home to Ohana Ranch - Single way

It is dry here. Cactus flourish.

As well as painted mailboxes

Some Flowers ...

And more. We are still in Hawaii, after all

Gonna see my chiro again tomorrow, and if nothing moved too much, this chapter will be closed for now.
Only training change overall, more stretching (Neck - Shoulder), more often.
Jeez.

Do not forget

It has been a little less than one week since I locked my shoulder.

For the first time this morning, the pain was down to a diffuse feeling, still painful, more like an ache, around the right shoulder. Rest, muscle relaxant (Cyclobenzaprine) and Pain killer(Ibuprofen) seems to have been the deal. I feel comfortable enough to begin to stretch the region.

Medication

Now the real challenge will be to continue the exercises - for ever.

New book to read .. and follow.

Interesting quote from this book:

"Did you know that the risk of a muscle-skeletal injury for someone who works on a computer four or more hours per day is nine times greater than it is for a person who spends just one hour per day on the computer?"

Now the real challenge continue, as the situation get better, still have to perform those exercises every day, on top of all other stretches for the lower back, and the typical runner stretches.

I have right now the feeling I will pass more time to bend and pull then anything-else.

But, hell, if this is what it takes ....

History likes to repeat itself

Life is funny. Just before the race, I injured my psoas, and now just before a well deserved sailing vacation/training I was really looking forward to, my shoulder gave up.

All started by a cold, a bad sleeping position and a stiff neck.

Home made cast. it does help. A bit. Ibuprofen helps more.

It seems now to have degenerated into full lock of the arm, from the next to the shoulder, with pain going down to the hand.

Symptoms tend to involve a pinched nerve, certainly a displaced disk. My chiropractor rebuilt me once two days ago, but always with chiropractic, relief is short lived. My understanding is that until you manage to relieve the muscle tension, it is likely than the first effort will pull on your spine again, and pain will follow. The only real treatment is stretching, yoga and muscle strength. 

Sounds familiar.

In my case, it is obviously directly related to the use of the mouse when working, poor posture and lack of neck stretching. 

Sounds familiar.

Surfing and bad paddle technique doesn't help either.

I guess all the work we disk for the lower back and kitesurfing, will have to be done for the upper back and surfing. 

Sounds familiar.

But first, the pain needs to go away before we can start any sort of exercise. RICE. Rest, Ice, compression, elevation.

Sounds boring.

It is.

Damn familiar.