TravelTalk - Running Krakow

 Aloha everyone,

 

Well, everyone here is sleeping (recovering from last night) and I am in awake mode, so I'm catching up on blogs and YouTube videos (so sorry for the many blog today).

 

Anywho.. People ask me why I run on vacation?! Easy, its an easy way to get to know a place, I think if I run through a neighborhood, I can easily remember how big a city is, where I am when I am walking, etc.  I generally don't get lost and I have a great sense of direction.

 

Also, its great running in the morning, no tourists (generally).

 

For those on RunKeeper - add me - hawaiiinsomniac

 

Mahalo for reading.

 

Until next time.

 

TechTalk - FitTalk - 1,000 Miles - RunKeeper

 Remember the days, when the only way you could actually keep track of your workout distance and time is by running laps? or running a trail?

Thanks to smartphones with GPS along with smart techies that made awesome applications, now we can just start an application and BAM! Our pace, distance, time, elevation, even heartrate can be tracked.

Well, I've used several applications out there (previously Nike+, but their shoes suck) and I had years of lag before I found RunKeeper I love the app so much that I even changed to an Android phone (the windows version doesn't work as well).

So... today I reached a milestone using the runkeeper application - 1,000 miles!!  Through a  combination of running, cycling, a little bit of hiking and a smidgen of walking.

Any other RunKeeper users out there?!

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.

2011 Honolulu Marathon - #334

Its a perfect day for running a marathon, its currently 0901 - about 4 hours in the Honolulu Marathon (starts at 0500) and it is nice and cool outside, breezy and its cloudy as well!

This may not be the perfect day for people who want to go to the beach, but it is a great day for marathoners - no rain as well!

I've been ill the last 3-4 days and I was hoping for a quick recovery - unfortunately, that isn't the case.  

This would have been my 4th consecutive Honolulu Marathon...

I am really disappointed, I didn't fully train 100% or even 75%, or even 50% for this race, but its still a race I would have been able to complete - had I been healthy.

People ask me why? or how do I run marathons?  It's quite easy actually... A marathon is one of those things that you do not experience until you do one.  You mind might tell you its hard, its easy, its crazy... but until you actually experience the actual marathon through the movement of your body, you will not experience many things... the race itself, the people cheering for you, the communitas if you will with other racers - pushing each other to get to the ultimate goal, no matter at what speed.

When I mean pushing - not literally - its actually illegal to receive any kind of physical aid to propel you forward.  With that said, when you run with a large group of people it really motivates you... whether it is pacing with someone at your speed, going a little bit faster because you don't want this person to pass you, saying kind words to someone ahead of you who started walking (or vice versa), the experience of the marathon is one I enjoy - no matter what time I finish.

The sweat running down every orifice of your body, every part of your aching body doesn't compare to the feeling of crossing the finish line.  I still get emotional after crossing...

Well, there will always be next year... =D

Here's a pic of the last 3 finisher medals. 

My bib #334 

Mahalo for reading. 

Until next time.

Health - What does it mean to me? A Photo-Montage

Health is a lifestyle, it truly is.  

Health is a compromise and the act of integrating healthier options into one's life.  

Most of you know that I am very regimented person.  Wake up at 0600 and 9 times out of 10, I'll wake up before my alarm clock.

After a pit stop at the loo, next stop time for a run.

I normally run 3-5 miles, at least 5 times a week, with my longer runs on Saturday morning with Team in Training.

Sorry for the bad photo... My roommate isn't awake yet, well most people aren't...

I'm weird, I know...

Whatever you choose to do, get out there and BE ACTIVE...

After a quick run... breakfast time!

Breakfast seriously is the most important meal of the day.

I did mention, I am a regimented, right?  Every day, I will have oatmeal (not from a box...) with organic white honey, a banana and a glass of soy milk.

This takes less then 6 minutes to make!

10am, everyday, it's snack time.

I normally have a yogurt when I am at work (we have a fridge!), or while I am in school, I will have another banana or a granola bar.

I eat lunch everyday around noon.  Today I ate a sandwich and I was so hungry, I forgot to take a picture of it... o_O.

I have dinner everyday at 1900, like clockwork, I start cooking at 1830 for something yummy.

Today, I was running late and decided to order some take out from Buca di Beppo... This picture was taken later after I ate, went to class, got home to re-plate this and take a picture.

Note:  If you eat pasta - stick to any red sauce.  Way better for you than ANY white sauce made of cream!

I love SWEETS! Ice cream, chocolate, ice cream and chocolate, waffles, waffles + ice cream + chocolate.

One thing I've learn is never deny yourself.  Once you start denying yourself the stuff it craves, you'll binge...

Just eat in moderation...  I eat 2 Ghirardelli every night around 8PM.  Kills the sweet tooth...

I think the most important thing is regulated sleep.  I sleep every night around 2200-2230 and wake up at 0600.  Sleep is VITAL to functioning.

Alright, that's a quick insight to my daily routine.

But before I go, I want to talk about another piece of the health puzzle that I believe in.

Helping others...

I participate, volunteer and fundraise for non profit organizations which are essential to our community.  We are truly blessed to have our "health".

The first non-profit organization is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  This year I will be running the Alaska Marathon to raise funds with those afflicted with Leukemia and Lymphoma.  This is a non-profit near and dear to my heart, as I have lost friends with this disease.

http://thepowerofadollar.info

The other non-profit organization I am active with is called Kiva.  Kiva assist members in third world countries with "micro-lending" so they can run their own business and help themselves.


I decided 2 years ago when interest rates on savings account started to hover around 0.000%.  Instead of the banks having my funds, I can lend monies to businesses and I know that I am helping others help themselves through kiva.

Kiva.org for more information.


Well, its almost 2100, so its decompression time, so I can do it again tomorrow.

Mahalo for reading.

Until next time.

Productive Saturday

PRODUCTIVE SATURDAY
I decided to go to training today and I didn't expect to do this well. I hadn't ran in 2 weeks because of my infected tattoo. A 1/2 marathon in km is 21.097494km or 13.1 miles. Well, I was able to run a 1/2 marathon + an extra 2 km in less than 2 hours! WOW! I really didn't expect this. I felt fine after, just a little tired, but not tired enough to do some upper body workout. I knew I couldn't surf immediately, but I decided to get on my board and paddle back and forth Ala Moana. 3 complete laps to be exact. Then next thing you know Guillaume calls me and wants to go surfing, so after grabbing some Pho, Walmart, Best Buy and Costco gas station, we went surfing. I lasted a good hour and I literally felt like jello. I swear you'd think I was Michael Phelps, I made myself a pasta dinner and yeah I ate about a pound of pasta... at least I'm so full that's what it feel like. Well, I am going to enjoy the US Open on my DVR.

Hope your Saturday was productive.



Mahalo for reading.

Until next time.

Before Most People Wake Up...

BEFORE MOST PEOPLE WAKE UP...
I had quite a productive day and its 9AM. I woke up at 5AM, packed my cooler with food (for a potluck), put together my running gear, and yes. Today, our training was for 90 minutes and we ran Diamond head, so there was a hill to and fro and I was able to keep pace and run a great run... Just a little bit over 10.75 miles! whoo hoo!



After running we had a nutrition class, had our potluck... and guess what else? I renewed my registration. :) I've had Roxanne for over a year! I can't believe it and I've only driven her 5200 miles.

We'll see what else the weekend will bring...

ROXANNE



Mahalo for reading.

Until next time.

Fanny pak! My training schedule... tears!

FANNY PAK
I can't believe they were eliminated. I will no longer be watching ABDC.

RUN TRAINING SCHEDULE

Advanced
8/2/2008 60 MINUTES
6:30am, meet @ Kailua Beach Park (shoe clinic)
Sun. 3 miles easy

wk. 8-4-08
Mon. 4 mile easy (E) run
Tue. 5 miles E
Wed. 4 miles E
Thur. 5 miles E
Fri. rest
Sat. 70 MINUTES
6:00am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (McCoy Pavillion parking area)
Sun. 3 miles easy

wk. 8-11-08
Mon. 5 mile easy (E) run
Tue. 5 miles E
Wed. 4 miles E
Thur. 5 miles E
Fri. rest
Sat. 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
6:00am, meet @ Kapiolani Park (1st parking lot on Paki), Nutrition Clinic
Sun. 3 miles easy

wk. 8-18-08
Mon. 5 mile easy (E) run
Tue. 5 miles E
Wed. 5 miles E
Thur. 5 miles E
Fri. rest
Sat. 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES
6:00am, meet @ Kapiolani Park (1st parking lot on Paki), Injury Prev. Clinic
Sun. 3 miles easy

wk. 8-25-08
Mon. 5 miles E, w/6 strides (ST)
Tue. 6 miles E
Wed. 4 miles E
Thur. 6 miles w/6 x strides
Fri. rest
Sat. 2 HOURS
6:00am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (McCoy Pavillion parking area)
Sun. 4 mi. w/6 x strides

wk. 9-01-08
Mon. 4 miles E, w/6 strides (ST)
Tue. 7 miles E
Wed. 4 miles E
Thur. 6 miles w/6 x strides
Fri. rest
Sat. 2 HOURS
6:00am, meet @ Kapiolani Park (1st parking lot on Paki)
Sun. 4 mi. w/6 x strides

wk. 9-08-08
Mon. 5 miles E, w/6 strides (ST)
Tue. 10:00E, 4x(4:00H,3:00E),
10:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 7 mi. w/6 x strides
Fri. 4 mi. w/6 x strides
Sat. 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES
6:00am, meet @ Kapiolani Park (1st parking lot on Paki)
Sun. rest

wk. 9-15-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 10:00E,6x(5:00Tw/1:00rest)
10:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 8 mi. w/6 x strides
Fri. 5 miles easy, 6xstrides
Sat. 2 HOURS
6:00am @ Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens, Kaneohe
Sun. rest

wk. 9-22-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E,6x(5:00Tw/1:00rest)
10:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 9 mi. w/6 x strides
Fri. 5 miles easy, 6xstrides
Sat. 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES
6:00am, meet @ Kapiolani Park (1st parking lot on Paki)
Sun. rest

wk. 9-29-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E,4-5x(5:00H, 3:00E)
10:00E
Wed. 4 miles easy
Thur. 6 miles, 6xstrides
Fri. rest
Sat. 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES
6:00am, meet @ Kapiolani Park (1st parking lot on Paki)
Sun. rest

wk. 10-06-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E,4x(10:00T w/2:00R)
15:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 7 mi. w/6 x strides
Fri. 5 miles easy
Sat. 2 HOURS 45 MINUTES
5:30am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (McCoy Pavillion parking area)
Sun. rest

wk. 10-13-08
Mon. rest
Tue. 15:00E,4x(10:00T w/2:00R)
15:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 7 miles easy
Fri. 4 miles easy
Sat. 3 HOURS
5:30am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (McCoy Pavillion parking area)
Sun. rest

wk. 10-20-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E, 15:00T, 3:00E,
15:00T, 3:00E, 10:00T,
10:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 8 miles
Fri. 5 miles easy
Sat. 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES
5:30am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (McCoy Pavillion parking area)
Sun. rest

wk. 10-27-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E,4x(10:00T w/2:00R)
15:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 8 miles easy
Fri. 3 miles easy
Sat. 3 HOURS
5:30am, meet @ Kapiolani Park (1st parking lot on Paki)
Sun. rest

wk. 11-3-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E,8x5:00T w/30 secE,
10:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 6 miles easy
Fri. 3 miles easy
Sat. 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES
5:30am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (McCoy Pavillion parking area)
Sun. rest

wk. 11-10-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E, 4x10:00T w/2:00E
15:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 8 miles easy
Fri. 3 miles easy
Sat. 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES
5:30am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (McCoy Pavillion parking area)
Sun. rest

wk. 11-17-08
Mon. 4 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E, 3x10:00T w/2:00E
15:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 5 miles easy
Fri. 4 miles easy
Sat. 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES
5:30am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (McCoy Pavillion parking area)
Sun. rest

wk. 11-24-08
Mon. 5 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E, 2x10:00T w/2:00E
15:00E
Wed. 4 miles easy
Thur. Turkey Trot 10 miler(predict your time) Run@ Kapiolani Park Bandstand area
Fri. rest
Sat. 5 miles easy
Sun. 3 miles easy

wk. 12-01-08
Mon. 4 miles easy
Tue. 15:00E, 3x10:00T w/2:00E
15:00E
Wed. 5 miles easy
Thur. 5 miles easy
Fri. 4 miles easy
Sat. 1 HOURS 45 MINUTES
5:30am, meet @ Ala Moana Park (Marathon Prep Clinic)
Sun. rest

wk. 12-8-08
Mon. rest
Tue. 15:00E, 4x4:00T w/3:00rest
15:00E
Wed. 4 miles easy
Thur. rest
Fri. 4 miles easy
Sat. rest
Sun. Honolulu Marathon!

Paris, This hoe is tired (not Paris, me!)

PARIS

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

THIS HOE IS TIRED
Yes! I am exhausted! I've been running, cooking my own meals for breakfast and dinner, cleaning, fund raising, and trying to do more fund raising. I will be selling Jamba Juice coupons soon as well as getting my eBay store organized so that all proceeds from the items sold this month will go directly to Leukemia and Lymphoma.

Yawn. I need to hydrate.

Don't forget to donate!

Monday


Tuesday
I went up Koko Head. My thighs are small kine sore!

Wednesday


Mahalo for reading.

Until next time.

Weekend, iPhone, TV

WEEKEND
This past weekend was so awesome! Saturday, I went surfing to try out my new board and yes, "I Love IT!" So worth the extra hassle. :) The south shore had swells coming in, so since it has been about 3 weeks since I went surfing last, I got tossed around a bit, but hey it was all good fun. After surfing and relaxing on the beach, it was the 92nd Annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade. Pretty cool stuff! Later, I saw "La Misma Luna" at the $1 theater and its really good. The movie reminds me of the Filipino struggle and the American Dream.

From the Parade...



On Sunday, I was just on a roll. I woke up, made breakfast, then went to Kapiolani Park and ran. After running and walking a lap on the park to relax and cool down, I went surfing. Yup, the swells were huge and I caught some awesome waves. The last wave was so huge, when it broke it was going so fast, I had to squat really low and spread my arms out. If my board had been any shorter or narrower, I would have been doing some 360s underwater. The wave broke and the whitewash was a little slow, so I moved up on the board about 6" from the tip. The wave had reformed and caught some steam. Needless to say, its my biggest, fastest, longest wave ever. After that, I became a beach bum for a good 4 hours, then I had to move my van because there was another parade going on. I left directly to Kahala Mall, the Apple Store to be exact. I made an appointment because for some reason, my address book was not syncing properly with my .mac account. 10 minutes later, and a couple of clicks and such, the mac genius had fixed the problem! Super Awesome! Then I bought a clear blue noseguard for my board, and headed back to the car. Well, I haven't been doing Bikram as religiously as I used to. The fact that the Hawaii Kai location cut off the 4:30 class really isn't helping the fact, so yes on Sunday I went to Bikram Yoga at the Kaimuki location at 4:30. After that, I was basically dead. I drove home, emptied my van. I had clothes from running, wet board shorts and towel from surfing, soak filled towels from bikram. I did laundry, made some dinner, and pretty much passed out.

Pics from the Apple Store (taken on the iMac)



iPhone
I am super stoked about the new iPhone coming out and for multiple reasons. The new model of the iPhone will now have 3G capabilities, flush headjack (so you can use any headsets you would like), tons of awesome 3rd party applications, its slightly thinner, comes with GPS, and yes Enterprise support (push email being the popular one), contacts search, iWork document support, the capability to view PowerPoint attachments, bulk move and delete, a scientific calculator in landscape mode. NOT ONLY THAT. I have a .mac account, which will soon be renamed mobile me. Now wouldn't it be cool if you added a contact on your cell phone that it would instantaneously update your address book in your computer, or how about if you added an event on your computer that it would immediately appear on your cell phone. Well mobileme is just that. Push email? Every smart phone pretty much has it now, but syncing your phone with your computer wirelessly? OMG! Yes, I am super stoked! Well, another person is also super stoke! My sister, Len-Len, on 7/11 when the new iPhone comes out, she will be receiving my current iPhone, which the warranty (since I purchased the extended coverage) is covered until June 29, 2010). Since most people that reading this are mac owners, you can appreciate what Apple, their genius bar, and their warranties can do for you. If they can't fix it, they will replace it, and if its a model that no longer exists, you will get the new model. (lol, not a hint for Len-Len to throw it around) Wow, its really late. Dang... all this iPhone talk got me all excited! I know a lot of phones do a lot of things, but hey, I have over 120GB of media on my iTunes. Its nice to have my music, videos, movies, podcasts around. I heart Apple!

TV
Now that its summer, I rarely watch TV, but dang there are no shows to watch. No ANTM, Top Chef is almost over, Project Runway is no where to be seen. House is done. Arrgghh! I want my 30 rock! The Avatar! 1 more season of Battlestar Galactica. I swear if it wasn't for re-runs of The Golden Girls and America's Best Dance Group, and The Soup, and The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show... Well, I guess I have enough to tide me over until next season

Mahalo for reading.

Until next time.

A Typical Weekend

Well... now that I don't drink and party, what do I do on the weekends? Well, in the morning, I like to either run, surf, do bikram, or hike. This weekend was a running weekend. I have started a challenge on Nike + on who can log the most distance before Memorial Day Weekend.

Saturday was a pretty cool day. I went running in the morning. Played some Xbox 360 (gamer tag - hawaiiinsomniac), then I went to see Run, Fat Boy, Run (awesome movie) starring my favorite actor - Simon Pegg! (Go see Hot Fuzz!) Afterwards, I had early dinner with a friend at my favorite Chinese place on the island, Little Village in Chinatown. Then we walked around Ala Moana mall, and then off to see the play, "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!" at the Moana valley Theater. It was the final showing (after they added an additional week of performances) and it was sold out for good reason, I didn't stop laughing throughout the whole performance, which was about 2.5 hours. I wish they had it on DVD, I would really buy it.

Today, I went running. Fortunately it was overcast, and even rained a little. I was only planning to run only 5K, but it was so nice and cool that I just kept running and running and running and running, so I ended up logging in over 13km. After my ritual of an Epsom salt bath, its DVR/Netflix time. I watched Dan in Real Life, along with rerun of ANTM, and did household chores. Cleaned, did some laundry. Yup. Nothing too exciting.



Saturday:

Sunday:


Mahalo for reading.

Until next time.