You never walked on that mans shoes

Ok, made it to the half century, the fiftieth post. Wanted to write this everyday, but such as life, sometimes things does not go as planned, but hey doing something is better than doing nothing at all.

So "You never walked on that mans show", is a quote may be said my somebody at there leisure, kicking back and thinking wow, you never know what goes in someone's head, why they do it that, what they think, how they interact and most importantly the words they say and the actions. Here we are interested in Running, not walking. So quote goes like "You never know how much that man had run". The thing is, after years of running and researching I think I have developed an instinct to notice good runners. By one glance you can tell how good a runner they are. The Beatles once said "Something in the way she moves". Hey dont look at women's parts for pleasure... ok. It cold be invasion of privacy. Just a glance keep running........

As they say to be good as something, have to have that focus, willing to work hard, commitment, time management, juggling life, blah blah blah.......... So to be a good runner you need all that. Some people are natural borne runners. It is like some wealthy people. Borne rich. So why try harder. The good runners are the people who have to work hard to achieve there dream. This is when those hours and hours of practice come in. The looooooong runs, short runs. (the number of letters for the word 'short' longer than the word 'long' - you got that) moving along....... speed drills, stretching, warm up, warm down, nutrition, strength exercises, muscle focused exercise. The good runners focus on these. That is how i guess they got there. One thing i forgot to mention is the word 'technique'. It is a key word. Without technique you are not going anywhere with running. It is way you use your body to go far far away without least effort. The stride, movement, lift, landing. They all make a one become a better runner.

So my friends what's the point. Weeeeeell what's the point of being a couch potato. Being out there running a way in the wee hours of the morning or late in evening or when ever give some time be active. I do understand, running is not everyone's cup of tea or in their agenda. It is hard work. I guess a good runner understands the need to be good at what she or he does. I personally know I would never in my wildest dreams be able to do a marathon in 2 hours. But would be nice to do that in 2:30 someday. It's a dream. Would be awesome to achieve that and give pad on my own back and say well done mate....., I guess this is not for an ego boost. Just another achievement in this journey.

So now 50 posts is done, looking forward to the next 50. Keep them writing coming along and guess have to do that no matter how crap this may sound;-)

One last thing-

When I see a good runner I always wish I do know what goes inside that persons heart. Because I may never know never know how much that man had run.

cheers
me

Mood

Running and mood.

Without being too cynical get to the key word 'mood'. A ghost always has a 'mooooooooooood;-0 and it can be scary. In a proper persons' words a mood can be defined as a state of mind. What is that got to do with running. Weeeel my dear friends, it is sometimes very difficult to be on a hardcore exercising mode. It is so easy to say "I am not in my frigin mood....." It can be a continues struggle with one's self to come to a mood that is going to say. I think i can... I think i can and then just to it.

Just do it.....Easy as it sounds. To get out of the house and get on with the first steps is the hardest part. Then on it is going with the flow. Guess with anything, it is how you make out of this mood. Mood swings...... Swing the mood...

Now bringing me to the equation. Last Tuesday I donated blood. On top of that every day was on a old bike to and from work for 3 hours a day. Guess there is certain strain a body can take. Running was the last thing on my mind. Excuses galore. Only if the other bike is fixed by now than having to ride for 3 hours. Save the energy on the bike ride and transfer that to running. The natural healing works inside to replenish the donated blood. And then work demands... life demands...... all the other daily pressures... lack of time issues.....

What am I trying to get is- yesterday, i just couldn't get to the running mode.... one excuse after the other.... When i think about running, my face was becoming a face of a horse " Why the long face for". So to get a positive mode, I promised if you do a running session, i would treat myself for a loaf of fruit cake. You may say "What a fruitcake", but hey I am just me. Have to give carrots to a donkey..... So the promise of fruitcake changed the mode from an excuse mode to fruitcake mode and that to running mode.

I guess with anything, one of the best ways to live is keep to the promises for everybody and you. If I do not keep promises, people would lose faith in me. And I could not be depended up on. People would give me a chance and then one day if i push my luck they are gone. So after the run i decided to keep my promise and treat me with a world famous Safeway fruit cake for giving me that mood. My mode was positive.

On one hand if a character you don't like pisses you off how can you be on a positive mood. Better to tell them to piss off and try to shrug off. So there you go, it is difficult be on a positive mood all the the time. We are all people trying to live best as we can. It is so easy to create a negative mode, some people including me someway somehow find a negative thinking to create a negative mood. Find excuses one way or the other. Blaming, why me... transferring blame to anyone but me...... The countinues strugle ++++mode and -----mode Guess have to be responsible for what I have put in and get on with it. But then again like everything goes there is time for everything and having a positive mood as often you can would no doubt help you and me and take me a lone way.

So long live the Melbourne Marathon that gives me a positive motivation and mood to run and long live running and hope we all go a long way:-)

Melbourne Marathon

Without a challenge, training is mostly a dream, never happens. Even if do happen, low focus, aimless drag. So the solution, find a challenge and work towards it. As anything goes a challenge comes with bucket loads of plans, thoughts, positives, negatives, aims, targets and lucky last excuses. So have to deal with all these as it comes in best possible way. Without getting too phycological get to the point.

Melbourne Marathon. Date is locked in for Sunday, 9 October 2011 and you may find more info @ http://www.melbournemarathon.com.au/. Feels like time is runningout for training and wish it is in 2012. Guess there is one in 2012 as well. So attack for the plan in simple words is run all the way. Can i do it, weeeel who knows until 9th October. So as with any goals, no point going for it without giving a worthy fight.

Hopefully I may not sound biased, Melbourne is I must say the worlds best sport oasis. Run around this beautiful beautiful beautiful place with thousands of other runners would be magical. The course is well designed. Weeeeeel it is the streets of Melbourne sans cars, trucks and accidents. It is funny how there is a large team designing London Marathon Course. They all forgot one of the biggest dreams of any marathoner. The chance of finishing at the olympic stadium and going under the tunnel to get to the stadium. What is my point you may ask. The point is Melbourne Marathon finishes as the world famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. So what more can you ask for. So everybody gets than million dollar chance to go under the tunnel to get to the stadium plus do a lap around it. Now that's happy days.

Cant wait to see that day. Hope I would see the light at the end of the tunnel and come in the MSG with the head held high.

2011 London Maratho and Boston Marathon Videos

Ok here we go party people, some quality videos of 2011 London Marathon and 2011 Boston Marathon. Looked around for the videos for ever and couldn't find until i come across these ones.

It is in vuki language so no idea what the commentator talks about. No doubt it is about how good they run.

Now London marathon. Emmanuel Mutai, you champion. Pure humble human being, nailed the race solo. Second last year, this year winner. Would like to see if Samuel Wanjiru was in good shape and see how he would have reacted to Mutai's pace.




Boston Marathon, what can i say. Fastest ever marathon in the whole wide wonderful worlds. Just over 2 hours and 3 minutes, 2:03:02 to be exact and the lucky winner is Geoffrey Mutai. It looks like it's time for Mutai's as wines of both Boston and London Marathons. Ryan Hall, you legend, the best pacemaker in the world. For 30 kilometers he single-handedly led the race. Kept the tempo, he ended becoming 4th but by doing so he ended up becoming the fastest American marathoner. It was funny to see, looks like bunch of Africans chasing a white guy. Now the sad thing about this race is even though it was fasted ever race, it is not qualified for world record as the runners had favorable wind and down hill. Weeel personally i think it should count why, as tail wind is luck and luck as to be part of sport.

Inspiration Inspiration and inspiration

2011 New York half marathon, what can i say, wish i was there. Here is an link to the entire race video. http://www.livestream.com/nyrr/video?clipId=pla_bf5bd51d-e6df-485c-8849-614a4256a580&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb

Mo Farah is awesome. Super super finish. Hopefully he'll take the 10000m gold at London Olympics. Who knows, he might win the marathon instead. Heaps of respect and really good example of work ethic.

Nike Lunar Racer 2

Nike Lunar Racer 2

Hello to Earth from Lunar. When I saw Nike Lunar Racer 2 shoes online, i didn't know what I am into. Researched heavily on various blogs, forums, comments and Nike website. Couldn't find many negatives. So decided to give it a go. Most people said when you are buying these make sure to buy half size up. Say you are 8 1/2 UK size. So go for 9. So not being able to buy these in Melbourne. decided to try the luck online and that ship to Straaaaalia. Along came runningwarehouse.com This is a good website. Loads of info and options. Rather than going for one pair diced to try my luck in two. One size 8 1/2 and the other 9 and that being 9 1/2 and 10 in US size after add 1 to UK. Thought what ever shoe fits might as well wear it.

So place the order with a pair of brand spanking new Lunar Elite 2+_!@$* . Lunar Elite 2 deserves another post of its own. It is that good i say. So fedexed they say on the webiste. After 7 days it arrived So had to pick it up from their deport. Not going to write about why. But it was one of those missions across west Melbourne towards Airport. These rides across Melbourne are all accidental workouts. My client is at Highett, south east melbourne by the coast. I live in North Carlton. So the whole journey took 2 hours on my crappy push bike. Anyways when i opened the package, it was wow wow wow....... Big time running geek moments. The shoes felt right.

The shoes are extremely light weight. Packaging say's 7 ounces. So i decided to find out how many grams to an ounce. Rather than talking about how many grams to an ounce, brothers talking about how they got ripped off in weed deals about the wight not being correct. Any ways about 30 grams i found out. So 7 ounces by 30g equals 1Kg. They are feather weight. To my surprise the middle of the shoe sole is rigid and excellent support. It does not bent like Nike free range shoes. Cushioning is amazing.

So the first run, had my doubts as usual with a new pair. Injury worries, fitting worries, bounce worries, durability worries, blisters worries, toe nail rip off worries. To my surprise, none of that it was no worries mate. It hold really nice. Felt like flying. I dont think you can run slow with these ones. They have the inbuilt ingredients to fly. Definition of fling is, you let go and miss the ground. The further you are away from ground you are flying for the time being. It passed the first test and was very happy with the purchase. Only thing i didnt do with the Luanr Racer was making love with it. It was that good pair of shoes.

To my sadness found out that Nike has discontinued these shoes and now they have brought back the original Luanr Racer. Norah Jones said "Dont Know why". Me say the same. Duncan Kibbett did a marathon- Two Hours and 4 minuets wearing these once. So can be that bad to discontinue. Hopefully nike would come with a better one soon.

Me me me and my running dilemma

Dilemmas dilemmas and more dilemmas. I don't know whether this is an excuse or or whether listing to my heart. Why; it is monday and it is a running day and i cannot get my self out of the door. The excuse section of the mind; brings in the coldness, it is 17 Celsius out there. Many countries it is summer weather. It is dark. There is still sun light. Pain in the legs. After heavy weekend of training on the hilly track, yep the legs are bit sore. I have done enough exercises for today. May be. I was on the bike for nearly three hours. 1 1/2 in the morning and another same on the evening and that is thanks to my mini le Tour de France to work, from Carlton North - Melbourne to East Moorabin. Not the Princess park again, It is that awesome princess park is up the road from where i live and i like running there a lot. Sometimes too much of too good is bad.... So what other excuses can i find.......

One side of the brain says just go for it. The other side, stay put for today and train the next there days hard. The sun comes out tomorrow...... Ok there is a mood for everything. If you are not on the mood dont do it. Have to do something that i enjoy, like doing what make me happy. Running sure do make me happy and i enjoy it a lot. But sometimes the enthusiasm is not there. Today if i didn't do that bike ride, i know to be sure, to be sure i would have been out there and running away like a bird now. I cannot blame the bike ride as an excuse. Sure it is good training. Cycling i reckon is one of the best cross training for running. It works really good on all parts of the legs plus the impact on the joints are minimal. Weeeeeelll with running all those pounding on the concrete sure has it's effects. But same time it increases the muscle strength. Strength leads to less impact of the joints as muscles do a load balancing.

So; i think today have to give it a miss for running, but not going to be a couch potato. But shall do a cardio and a weight training session at my dodgy home gym. Personally i dont think there is any other sport that has the same constant intensity to the heart as running. It is that it is constant hard work on the legs for a long period of time. Going hard at it is a plus, the distance make it pure endurance work out. But with running, there are speed workouts, tempo runs there are slow runs, there are technical runs, there are run for your life sessions.... So take cross training as add value to running and get on with it.

Have a great day