Team Nova

This afternoon I watched a documentary on WTTWD 11 called Marathon Challenge. Its about 13 first time marathon runners preparing for Boston Marathon. I found it to be very informative and moving. I checked out its web page on pbs.org and found lots of great information and stories.
I am embedding link to it in the pic. Also, check out local listing for it. Watch it if you get a chance.
- DFG

Whats' it about???

People ask questions (specially Jackie). Questions like, why run ? Is it even a sport? I don't get it, how do you win, is it a race? All these questions about long distance running have made be think, what's running about? Specially since I have been into competitive sport like Basketball, where its clearly defined,what role will you play, how much time you get, who you have to beat,etc etc.

Since running is new to me, I am thinking where are all these elements in this sport? I know that may be 500-1000 people in a marathon compete to "win", but whats the motivation for all the other 44000.
Just as tennis, racket ball,etc increase your reflexes, decrease response time, make you think without thinking. Just as Basketball teaches you to be a team player (its debatable), to believe in strategy and execution, etc. Long distance running is about all the things I have listed below

Its about building endurance.
Its about setting a goal, and training for it religiously.
It about thinking pain is normal.
Its about believing that you can do it, no matter how far fetched the dream is (26.2 miles).
Its about personal best.
Its about becoming incrementally better.
Its about sense of victory that comes from doing something you haven't done before (miles,minutes,route,etc) and not by defeating others.
Its one thing in life where you don't think in terms of "can I pull it off?', rather you think in terms of I will make it happen.
Its about enjoying the journey (training) as much as you plan to enjoy the destination (race day finish line).
Its about building character.
Its about training for something you will do in 12-18 weeks, and not tomorrow.


There, I said it.
So go Pistons!!! go Bears!! go Tigers!!! go ME!!!!

- DFG

I am crazy - it's official!!!

Whenever I used to see a runner running in cold weather or rain, I would say, look at that crazy guy, wtf is he doing running outside in such weather. Whenever I'd see a group of people running in 30F Chicago cold, I would think what is wrong with these people, why can't sit by the fireplace in their house and enjoy hot chocolate?

Today, I have lost my right to ask such questions, because this morning I ran with a group of Chicago Area Running Association(CARA) runners, in a little rain and under 40F. Let me tell you, its definitely way more fun than sitting at home and sipping hot chocolate. We met up at Chicago Yatch Club at 8:00am. I ran for 5 miles with the 10 min/mile group. We passed by the Shed Aquarium and turned back at the planetarium. The view was awesome, one side was the lake Michigan other side was the breathtaking view of city skyline. At the end of the run, we stretched and went to Corner Bakery Cafe for a hot cup of coffee and some scrambled eggs.

Running outdoors with groups is so much more exciting than running alone on a treadmill. You get to meet new people, know their running aspirations, achievements, injuries and stories. The more I run with other people, the more it appears to me as cult, as a secret society. All this makes getting early on a Saturday morning completely worth it. I think I am addicted (check out the video).
-DFG
PS: If you are interested in Bike the Drive on May 25, 2008 , try coupon code CAM5B8 while registering to get $3 off .

YAY ......10k

YAY....I completed my first 10k . I was scared to run this long, since it was at this milestone when I injured myself last year. However, when I saw CARA's training schedule for spring (NORTH SHORE) half marathon, I was already on their week 3 plan. SO...I decided to take it up a notch today, and put aside my fears. I completed the 10k run in 1 hour and 6 minutes. Hopefully, I haven't injured myself. While running I was alright, no pain, but will get to know tomorrow or day after if the ITB issue has come back.

BTW I need to place a hit on Murphy. Since Murphy's Law is always, always true for these weather.com people when it comes to rain or snow forecast, I trusted it. Before going out to run today at work, I checked the weather.com forecast. It predicted thunderstorm and 70% chance of rain. However, when I looked out, it was cloudy but clouds were not dark enuf, so I thought eh..according to Murphy's Law...since they predicted rain....there is gonna be no rain.
(dont believe me.... click on I DON'T BELIEVE MURPHY'S APPLIES TO WEATHER FORECAST.)
In the 4th mile of my run, Murphy double crossed me and it started raining, so I had to "run" inside. (I love the pun on the run..haha thats a pun in itself). Anyhoo, I am sick & tired of Murphy's Law. SO, I am gonna call into the "Jesus and pals" tomorrow during south park's new episode and place a hit on Murphy or may be catch God and Jesus at the bar at southpark after the show and see what can be done about this Murphy guy (truely he is getting on my nerves).
Waiting impatiently for tomorrow.
DFG

Go on then, run!

Here is the trick to running, I learned from the movie (Run Fatboy Run)
Gordon: Go on then, run!
Dennis: Isn't there some kind of like... special technique?
Gordon: Well... yeah... you put one leg in front of the other over and over again really really fast.

Here is a pic (photo-shop-ed) of fatboyslim applying this "technique" at Shamrock Shuffle.
I also registered for Chase Corporate Challenge, today. BTW, whats the deal with these "heavy" registration fees. How much money are these companies making (raising)? Shamrock Shuffle had approximately 30,000 registered runners, registration fee was $30, so they approximately made (raised) around a Million Washingtons. Since this event was "sponsored" by so many big companies, why do they need so much money from poor runners? Just curious. Still running is the cheapest sport, so I am OK with it . Also, the organization of event was superb, so cant complain too much. I wanna do the bike the drive thing on May 25th, but that one is even more expensive $40 dollar registration. Let me balance my checkbook and see if I can cough up that much.

Mama says they was magic shoes. They could take me anywhere.

Men have been running, since 10, 000 B.C ;) or may be since 1994 (the year Forrest Gump was released). I have been running since ..mmm..lets see...may be right after I could walk comfortably...so....it would be 1986. Walking/running/biking was fun but only as child. As I grew older, the fun part vanished , coz now I was doing it as means of commuting. But I think I have come a long way in life (from Sukhna lake to Lake Michigan) where running and biking is fun again. I started (self) training for Chicago Marathon in early spring 2007, however because of my IT Band issues, I had to switch to playing B'ball and biking. This year I am planning to run the Chicago Half Marathon. I just ran the BOA Shamrock Shuffle 8k this weekend. I never thought I could run 5 miles at a stretch. Well, as "Mama says they was magic shoes. They could take me anywhere." These shoes took me to from the start line to finish line in 53mins and 11sec.
Lets see where they take me now.

Pix from BOA Shamrock Shuffle Website: http://www.shamrockshuffle.com/CMS400Min/photo_gallery.aspx?id=4857
"Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere, I was running! "- Forrest Gump