Christmas days

Christmas days with Elva. Elva's most loved Christmas gift.
Hide and seek with Camera. Play ground.

I gave blood today

I rode my bicycle to Fremont library today and saw a blood drive there. So I walked in and gave blood. There was a blood drive at church the week before Marathon and I thought I couldn't give blood at that time. Then I promise I see a blood drive next time while I am not in schedule to run a race, I would give blood. So today is the day.

The whole process didn't take long, My blood ran fast and filled the bag fast. Then I jump right out of bed to eat the food they provided. They even provided hot Pizza there. I also got few small gifts. Afterward, I just rode my bicycle home, not a problem.

More Elva's photo

CIM (California International Marathon)

I went to Sacramento to run this big Marathon, totally 7500 runners. Weather is unexpectedly cold. At the starting point is just freezing, everybody wore coat and check in their sweat at very last minute, After we run two hours, I saw a display outside of a bank says 48F/3C . . . That was 9AM with sun already come out, and on top of that, chilly wind is heading to our faces, tough run.

(Cramping problem come to me again) I had another episode of cramp coming. I tried to control it by running slower, but it eventually caught up to me at last two miles, many twitching from my lower left lag made me slow down to almost walking to finish the race, time is roughly 4:08 or 4:09 (I forgot to stop my watch the moment I crossed the gate) After a search on internet, I think I may need more regular stretch practice to prevent cramping.

A cold and simple morning

"Daddy will take you to mommy's tomorrow morning", the night before I said to Elva, . Her response made me sad, "I want to go to mommy's at night." The very next morning, I told Elva that "Now we are going to mommy's." She responded the same "I want to go to mommy's at night." Then I realized why she responded this way. So I took her to park 7:50 in the morning, before I drove her to her mom's at 8:30. Yes, it was a cold morning; but she was happy.

Elva's eventful morning

Our day started by getting inline to get H1N1 Vaccine at 8:00 AM. Jan's family got there at 7:30AM to get a spot, I and Elva got to there by 8:15. We got vaccines all right.

Then I took Elva to McDonald for Breakfast, we shared a MacMuffin. (we already had some milk and bread at home). Later on I took her to Weiqei's painting class, they both seem to be good painters. Elva also learned to use chopstick to eat this morning.

The frame I made for Silicon Valley Marathon

I bought the frame from Ross for $5.99. Take out its contain and put in my number bib, finish medallion and picture I printed. I made this simple frame to remember my Marathon race.

Dean Karnazes Silicon Valley Marathon
Oct 25, 2009
Finished in 04:11:50

Some recent pictures

Elva play at park. only few people in the big park.

I run DKSV Marathon today

I must admit that I am very disappointed today. I was on 3:50 maker even at 21 miles, while my legs felt tighter and tighter. Not far from 21 mile marker, I had a cramp at my right thigh, then my right calf. I had to slow down to nearly walking. When I attempted to speed up, cramp happens. Then I had cramps at my left thigh, even both arms. I had painfully watched the 4:00 pacer man ran by and there is nothing I can do, I had to walk/run/cramp and eventually I finished 4 hr 12 mins. After I had to change my stride, I also got few blisters on my left foot.

I don't know why this is happen to me, I had harder practice run with water bag on my back for up to 23 miles and I didn't have any hint of cramp at all. When the cramp hit me, my first thought was I wasn't hydrated enough; yet I took drink at almost every aid station. Then I think maybe is because of the drink they provided, it's called Ultima Replinisher drink. (I trained on Gatorade) I don't know if it was suppose to be like that, but it tasted very light. I check out their website, it says it has no sugar and only 10 calories per serving. Maybe that's is also why I felt hungry all the way at later half of my run. I got chunk of banana at two aid stations, and I had my sport gel, that's all. I also think their aid station ran pretty badly. At few stations, I passed all the water and hopping to find a sport drink and I found no one is providing sport drink and I had to settle with a cup of water. Some race use different color of cups for water and sport drink, you can tell from yards away, they didn't have those. And after the bad cramps, I just felt they don't have enough drink for me and I had to stopped at a gas station to buy a bottle of drink myself. But it was too late, cramp won't go away.

Oh, anyway. My dream to run faster than 4hrs had just been shattered, I have to train harder and give another try at next Marathon. By the way, do you like the new medallion design? It's over simplified with just one hollow circle with 5" in diameter. Half marathon has same design but just smaller in size.

=== possible answer to cramp ===

After talk to a few friends, they ask me how much liquid I have taken, I told them a little less than half cup at each station, and there are trotally 10 aid stations (and you can take drink qhwn you run both directions). I did the measurement, and the way I drink water(sport drink) (lose some first so it will spill, then take a few sips, throw away the cup with a little fluid still in it). I was probably taking 120 CC at each station. Before I cramped up, I ran pass aid stations 15 times at most. That's under 2 liter of fluid I took for running 3 hours straight. If at each aid station, I can finish the entire half cup, or take two half cup, I should do better.

Starting a Chinese Marathon Blog

I am starting a new blog in Chinese for Marathon or running in general. See My Blogs section for link.

RSS link is http://marathonchinese.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

I ran Rock'n'Roll San Jose Half Marathon This morning

I did it, I was much faster than I thought. I started with group #7, which is a 2 hr 15 min group, too slow for me. Once I passed starting line, I started to pass people. It was difficult since there are so many people running, and so crowded. After mile 6, I felt more easier, people around me were moving almost same speed as I do, that's after I passed 2:00 pacer man.
Did I mention I have a little cold with me before I came, once started running, no more running nose or anything. At end, I made 1:49:07. I was surprised because I slowed down to walk twice for water. . . And I just ran 37Km last Monday (6 days ago). According to Runner's World Magazine, runner who run 1:50 Half Marathon should be able to run 3:50 Marathon. I am hoping that I will do just that at Oct 25th Silicon Valley Marathon.

Elva's first day on bicycle

I bought an old child's bicycle from a garage sale. It's the smallest kind for child; any smaller, it would be a tricycle. The original owner already took off the two side training wheels. So I went to Walmart and bought her a helmet set and side training wheels.
Elva was so excited and couldn't wait till late afternoon when sun light isn't so strong. So she wear her helmet set in the house and even watching TV. After 6PM, we finally went out and she had a spin on the bike, she learned quickly to paddle forward by herself. Elva is on bicycle now.