the 619 runner

i finally signed up for this run. it looks like we will have a large group for this event. im the first one to sign up so everyone else can follow my lead. it seems that we will have some first timers for this run as well. its going to be a fun and quick run. also included with this run is a top quality, long-sleeved T-shirt with cool, glow-in-the-dark logo! for more information about this run or to sign up check out the website here

Totals taken from my Nike+ account.

Elite 4 - 12.34 miles

Triax 11 - 18.18 miles

Supernova 5 Trail - 5.6 miles

tonight i clocked in a personal best! 5k in 27 minutes and 47 seconds with a pace of 9 minutes and 14 second per mile. this route was a bit tricky since it involves climbing a hill in the very beginning, steady climb and a slopping down hill. once i hit the asphalt i felt way faster. my strides felt longer and the breathing was perfect. there was nothing to slow me down. last night i actually went for a 10 mile bicycle ride which involved some climbs... i think pairing both activities, running and cycling has improved my overall stamina and performance.

i definitely accomplished another milestone in running! all i have to do is keep it up and possibly work towards the dreaded 10k :)

According to Runners World the best food runners are

1. Almonds
2. Eggs
3. Sweet potatoes
4. Whole-Grain Cereal with Protein
5. Oranges
6. Canned Black Beans
7. Mixed Salad Greens
8. Salmon
9. Whole-Grain Bread
10. Frozen Stir-fry Vegetables
11. Whole-grain Pasta
12. Chicken
13. Frozen Mixed Berries
14. Dark Chocolate
15. Low-fat Yogurt

For more details about these foods go here.

today is the day of the America's Finest 5k Run... i had my cell phone alarm set at 4:10 but i snoozed it a couple times to get in a few more minutes of rest. we (jarv, sherilyn, lawrence, harold, justin and i) all gathered at the house at around 5 so we can all head out to balboa park with the van. as we got to balboa park we encountered some traffic. the traffic was flowing okay so we didn't have any issues. we parked at the back of the reuben h fleet science center. as we walked to the venue i noticed that my ipod kept on resetting for some weird reason. i looked at the top right hard corner and it looked like the battery was drained. i must've left it on all night after my evening bicycle ride. i was bummed that i wouldn't be able to record this run... but i guess that was a sign that i should just run without music and focus on the race. so i ran back to the van and dropped off my ipod and jogged back to catch up with everybody.

all the 5k runners congregated near the hall of champions. i noticed all types of runners... young runners, old runners, hot chicks, etc etc... everybody sporting there flashy running shoes and running gear. as the start time drew closer the crowd moved behind the start / finish line. jarv, sherilyn and lawrence went to the back where the slower runners were while justin, harold, and i went to the middle... when the race started i went for a medium pace but it sped up quick. i had to dodge and weave in and out of people. i surely didn't want to get stuck behind a slow runner. as i made the right on balboa avenue i noticed that the faster runs were already making there way down. they were going some crazy fast pace. i continued my pace and my breathing pattern. i had a few bursts of sprints to pass a few people but didn't sprint for too long... i had to conserve my energy for the end.

there a few times where my throat would feel dry due to my breathing but i was able to stick with it. i decided to pass on the water stop and keep going. there was this one hill that was a tad tricky but i was able to make it without walking. at the final stretch to the finish line i switched gears and went for the all out sprint. there was this one chick saying, "Finish Strong!" which helped my motivation. the final stretch was down hill so it was easy to sprint. as i crossed the finish line i looked at the clock and it say 28:33 but im not sure if thats my time... i guess i can possibly tack on a few seconds. another cool thing was the announcer called my name out... he said something and said joel gaspar from san diego... that was pretty cool.

after the race was done i grabbed some water and some orange looking energy drink. i met up with justin and asked about his time. his time was about 28 minutes. so i was close to him in a way. we waited on the side and waited for the rest of the group. harold came in next, then jarv, sherilyn and lawrence. vivian came by and gave us all healthy energy drinks.

we then went to get our pictures taken by marathonfotos and walked towards the post race festivities. there was music, free snacks, free vitamin water drinks, and other booths. we grabbed a few snacks and decided to head out to get breakfast at the Hash House in Hill Crest. the place was busy... i didn't want to eat too much so i just got the basic... which consists of 2 eggs, 2 sausages, potatoes, watermelon, and a muffin.

overall, it was a great morning... this race was fun and the best part of it was running with friends and family. all the running and training definitely paid off. i'm really satisfied with my time and set the bar really high for myself. i can't wait till the next one!

last week i was running out of socks to use for my runs and went to sports authority... originally i picked up 2 pairs of under armour speed socks but i noticed that they were womens size... haha so i returned those two socks and picked up adidas running socks. one pair is $8.00. i wanted to see if there was any difference when compared to my dri-fit socks. the dri-fit socks i currently have are really comfortable but they've started giving me blisters on my right foot. i'm not sure if its just a piece of thread thats rubbing on my foot or if its too thin. after my runs i noticed that my foot gets red. after my 5k run around the park, the adidas running socks still made my feet red but not as much. maybe I'm just hitting the ground hard...

i noticed that my times on my 5k runs that my time has been improving. usually i've been getting 31 minutes or so but in the past few runs i've been running a tad bit faster than before. now im stuck in the high 29 mins range... which isn't bad but i feel that i need to raise the bar a little higher now. my goal is to bring that down another second. i gotta focus on my leg strength and tempo. as for right now i'm pretty much set for this sundays 5k run.

justin, my friend angela, and i went out for another j street marina run yesterday... we arrived a bit later in the afternoon. our previous j street run was about 31 minutes for a 5k but this time we ran it in 29 minutes. we definitely cranked it to another level this time. our pace was at 9 mins 45 second per mile. which is really good. i really like how this route is flat... makes me want to run faster than normal. i think we could have ran this route faster if we didn't have to wait to cross the road... i should've paused my nike+.

right now 29 mins is the time to beat!

its now 7 days and counting. after training for the past two months i feel that i'm ready for this run. my legs feel stronger and i feel i can control my breathing. according to nike+ my average mile is about 10 mins. which in my opinion is pretty good for a new runner.

this run will set the foundation for other runs in the future. there are going to be 1,500 runners, so dealing with all the people will be a challenge. my goal for this is race is to run it straight and have a decent time of under 35 minutes. the race begins at 6:45am so being there promptly is a must!

here is my training schedule for this week.

monday - 2/3 mile run (10 1/2 to 11 min/mile pace run)
tuesday - 2/3 mile run (9 1/2 min to 10 1/2 faster tempo)
wednesday - 2/3 mile run (10 1/2 to 11 min/mile pace run)
thursday - rest
friday - rest
saturday - short bicycle ride

as people we need to breath to survive. when running you need to breath more since you are exerting more energy and the oxygen is needed for your muscles. some times it can be tricky trying to find the necessary rhythm to breath. when i run faster i tend to inhale and exhale more often. with my slower runs i would breath in every three or four strides. i usually breath in through my mouth and out my mouth since the area i live has a lot of cars... but when there isn't any cars and the air is clean i breath in through my nose and out with my mouth.

i found this cool video that discusses some tips on how to breath while running. its called How to Breath When Running.

yesterday, i went hiking with my good friend javier at the torrey pines reserve. we left in the morning before the sun came out and hiked two trails. the area was full of people, runners, hikers, cyclists. the surroundings were really nice. to get to the trails we had to walk this steep incline hill. we hiked the guy fleming trail and the parry grove trail.

Guy Fleming Trail -2/3 mile loop
Easiest, relatively level, forested. nature markers. Diverse scenery, ocean vistas, sandstone formations. spring wildflowers, drinking water, parking. In winter you may see Gray Whales, and with luck, you may see bottlenose dolphins any time. More on the Guy Fleming Trail

Parry Grove Trail - 1/2 mile loop
Secluded, not too difficult but steep entry/exit (100 steps). Drought and Bark Beetle Infestation have devastated this grove, but it is recovering. Native plant garden at trailhead. More on Parry Grove

I noticed a few runners on the Guy Fleming Trail. Since this a very easy trail think it would be good for trail running. Torrey Pines is scenic and beautiful. Maybe next time i will go back and hike the other trails. :)

Totals taken from my Nike+ account.

Nike Triax 11 - 45.23 miles

Nike Elite 4 - 28.89 miles.

Adidas Supernova Trail 5 - 9.5 miles

i came across this interesting form of running called chi running. its a weird name but its supposedly helps out with your posture and will cause less fatigue and injury to your body. here is what they say on the chi running website

About ChiRunning®

ChiRunning combines the inner focus and flow of T'ai Chi with the power and energy of running to create a revolutionary running form and philosophy that takes the pounding, pain, and potential damage out of the sport of running. The ChiRunning program increases mental clarity and focus, enhances the joy of running, and turns running into a safe and effective lifelong program for health, fitness, and well-being.


here's a video that might clear things about chi running... i might try it out for a run and see if it works...