1500 Miles and Beyond (Weeks 48 & 49)

On Tuesday 29 November, while running on a Treadmill at Camp Navarro in Zamboanga, I surpassed my recently modified goal of running 1500 miles in 2011. It was my 252 logged run of the year (an average of just under 6 miles per run), and at the conclusion of the run, I had run a total of 191 hours, 44 minutes, 50 seconds (approximately 8 days worth of running and an average pace of 7 minutes, 39 seconds per mile. I intentionally ran a few miles past 1500 on Tuesday to remind myself that just because I reached my goal, doesn't mean I need to stop. Still, my mileage over the past two weeks dropped off significantly. That is mainly attributed to spending 4 GLORIOUS days in Boracay, Philippines with Stephanie for my "R&R". Following the R&R I spent a few extra days in Manila, and with no gym in the hotel, I did no running for nearly a week. It wasn't until Sunday night of Week 49 that I actually ran, but managed to get in a long run.

My Totals for Week 48 (28 November - 4 December) are:

Total Runs Logged: 4

Total Miles: 29.4

Total Time Spent Running: 3 hours, 42 minutes, 25 seconds

Average Pace: 7:33 (min/mile)

My Totals for Week 49 (5-11 December) are:

Total Runs Logged: 1

Total Miles: 11.2

Total Time Spent Running: 1 hour, 23 minutes, 17 seconds

Average Pace: 7:26 (min/mile)

Although, not great running weeks, every extra mile puts me that much beyond 1500 miles. My Totals as of 11 December are:

Total Runs Logged: 255

Total Miles: 1527.7

Total Time Spent Running: 194 hours, 52 minutes, 29 seconds

Average Pace: 7:49 (min/mile)

Reflection Time! Although I'm not proud of the fact that I went a week without running, I imagine the rest actually did me more good. The 11 mile run on Sunday night felt GREAT, and I managed to keep a steady pace through the entire run. Still, I don't like to intentionally schedule breaks in my running routine mainly because I know there will be unplanned breaks, as life goes on. With exactly 1 week left in the Philippines, I'll be doing a lot of travelling over the next 7 days. It will be a challenge to find running time each day, so when I have the time to run, even if I'm sore, I feel the need to run. I'm not sure just how far I'll go by the end of the year. 1600 miles is probably a good guess, but really it doesn't matter. I wanted to prove to myself I could set a long term fitness goal, and stick to it, and I did just that. Every mile from this point on is just a bonus.

My first 60 mile week (Week 47)

I'll admit, it seems kind of silly to write this blog entry now. Really, I should probably go downstairs and finish my 1500 miles, but I figured before I do that, I should at least talk briefly about last week, as it was my biggest week of the year. It wasn't intentional; a planned trip to Subic on Thursday (Thanksgiving, coincidentally) made me want to run in the morning before my travel in case I didn't run when I got to Subic. As it turns out, I managed to run every day that I was there. It was great! Although it was hot, it was bearable, the air was fresh (at least compared to my normal running environment), and running on the road is always nicer than a treadmill (though it did slow me down a bit). By the time Sunday rolled around, it was a monstrous week of running, and despite all the running, I still felt really good!

My totals for Week 47 (21-27 November) are:

Total Runs Logged: 8 (2 runs on Thursday)

Total Miles: 63.7 (that's 9.1 miles/day on average, though my longest run was 8.7 miles)

Total Time Spent Running: 8 hours, 6 minutes, 12 seconds

Average Pace: 7:36 (min/mile)

Not counting Monday's run, my "as of" totals are:

Total Runs Logged: 250

Total Miles: 1487.1

Total Time Spent Running: 189 hours, 47 minutes, 07 seconds

Average Pace: 7:39 (min/mile)

REFLECTION TIME: With my 7.8 mile run yesterday, I am now a mere 5.1 miles from my 1500 mile mark. It's safe to say that by the end of the night, I will have surpassed my goal (for the second time this year). What will I do with the remaining 32 days of the year? I'll imagine I'll keep on running. It seems kind of silly to say that my NEW NEW goal will be 1600 or 1650 miles. Realistically, 1500 miles was more than I thought I would do at the start of the year. Now, I see just how far I can go. My legs feel great: no foot or knee pain, and my shoes have held up (though I ordered two new pairs yesterday). Like with most runs, the remaining in the year will be without much fanfare or celebration. I'm not doing it for the attention; rather, I'm doing it because it's good for me, and I enjoy doing it. Now if you would excuse me; I've got some running to do...

The Return of the Run Log!! (Week 46)

As I get closer and closer to the 1500 mile mark, part of me wants to push myself to run harder and longer. There is this desire in me to make it to 1500 miles in as little time as possible. At this point, I know I'll have no trouble reaching my goal; the question is when I will get there. By the looks of it, it will be much sooner than originally expected. This week marked the 4th time in 5 weeks that I surpassed 50 miles for the week (double my original weekly goal). For Week 46 (14-20 November) my totals are:

Total Runs Logged: 7

Total Miles: 56.9

Total Time Spent Running: 7 hours, 00 minutes, 41 seconds

Average Pace: 7:23 (min/mile)

As the title suggests, this week was the return of the run log. In early July my home computer stopped working the same time that my GPS watch stopped working. Of course my running log for the year was saved on that computer, and I hadn't made a backup copy. I knew the mileage I had run thus far (actually I was off by 2 miles), but everything else was a mystery. So I started fresh at Week 26 with new spreadsheet which I have used for the past 20 weeks. Well, thanks to my very computer savvy father-in-law, my computer is working again, and Stephanie was able to pull my first running log off it, and I combined the two. It's really cool to see the new total now after nearly 11 months of running.

My new "as of" totals are:

Total Runs Logged: 242

Total Miles: 1423.4

Total Time Spent Running: 181 hours, 40 minutes, 55 seconds

Average Pace: 7:39 (min/mile)

REFLECTION TIME: 76.6 miles remain until it's officially "mission accomplished". At my current rate, I'll reach that by the 1st or 2nd of December, a full month ahead of schedule. As for what I'll do for December, I don't have a specific goal in mind; I guess I'll keep running and see just how far I can go. Again, there is something inside me that wants to get to 1500 as fast as possible, but I also know the harder I push myself, the greater my chance of injury. I would say I've been lucky, but really I think that it's smart running that has kept me injury free this year. Now, I need to keep running smart so that I'm not doing my last miles on crutches. (Seriously, if I broke my leg tomorrow, I would crutch my way to 1500, but let's hope that doesn't happen.)

Some Fresh Hawaiian Air (Week 45)

ALOHA! What a treat that while "deployed" to the Philippines, I was granted the opportunity to go to Hawaii for a few days to discuss deployment issues with my headquarters and an incoming unit. I would say most people would not consider going to Hawaii part of any deployment, but this deployment has truly been unlike any others. While my time in Hawaii was VERY short, and while most of that time was spent in meetings, I still was able to do something I had not yet done...run in Hawaii with a GPS. During my three and a half days, I managed to squeeze in 3 runs. They were wonderful. The weather was cooler than in Zamboanga, and the air was so much cleaner. Here's the map Garmin provided me of my post 9-miler that I did on Friday.

Here is the same run, but zoomed in a bit. I was staying on Pearl Harbor, but was able to run on Hickam because the two are right next to each other, separated only by a fence (which has a gate to pass between both bases).
Funny thing, about the gate that separates Pearl Harbor and Hickam, is that at night if you are unfamiliar with the area it can be hard to find. On my first run in Hawaii (on Wednesday evening) I had intended to only run about 6 miles. I crossed onto Hickam with ease, but then it got dark and I got confused with the streets and multiple traffic circles. I eventually was able to find my way back (by following the fence until I found the gate), but my 6-miler turned into a 10 mile run. Oh well, I'm actually glad I got the long runs in, since I missed a day of running with all my travel.

Overall my totals for Week 45 (7-13 November) were:

Total Runs Logged: 5

Total Miles: 40.1

Total Time Spent Running: 5 hours, 09 minutes, 13 seconds

Average Pace: 7:42 (min/mile)

Running the 10 miles, and then another run on a very full stomach slowed me down a bit, but had little effect on my overall average pace. My "as of" totals from 4 July through 13 November are:

Total Runs Logged: 100

Total Miles: 616.7

Total Time Spent Running: 78 hours, 02 minutes, 36 seconds

Average Pace: 7:35 (min/mile)

My total mileage for 2011 thus fare is: 1365

Reflection Time: While I typically enjoy the Philippines, any time "away from it all" is a good thing, and what better place to be than Hawaii. Back in Zamboanga, I now have just about a month left of this deployment. That's right, my deployment has been curtailed by about 2 months, and I'm going back to Guam early. I'll be home before Christmas (it's not a surprise, Stephanie already knows). That is a very good thing, and while I'm not sure if I'll hit the 1500 mile mark before I leave, I will have no trouble reaching it before December 31st!

1300 Miles and Beyond (Week 44)

9 straight days of 8-mile runs. Part of me knows I can't keep up this pace. Prior to this week I never had more than a few consecutive days with 8-mile runs. To have logged more than 50 miles 2 weeks in a row, entering this week, I'm not sure what I was thinking to try to keep the 8-mile runs going, especially as I continue with my two-a-day workouts. Still, every day I stepped onto the treadmill to run, I was determined to go as far as I could comfortably go. Often when I first started I would think to myself that I wouldn't do 8 today, but I never let myself quit early; worried that if I let myself "slack" one day, I would be more likely to do it the next. Again, I know I can't keep it up, but I want to keep going for as long as I can. Keeping with that attitude, I had an overall outstanding week of running in regards to both miles (most to date) and pace.

My totals for Week 44 (31 October - 6 November):

Total Runs Logged: 7

Total Miles: 58.8

Total Time Spent Running: 7 hours, 18 minutes, 7 seconds

Average Pace: 7:27 (min/mile)

My "as of" totals from 4 July through 6 November are:

Total Runs Logged: 95

Total Miles: 576.6

Total Time Spent Running: 72 hours, 53 minutes, 23 seconds

Average Pace: 7:35 (min/mile)

With 3 consecutive 50+ mile weeks my total mileage for 2011 is now: 1324.9

REFLECTION TIME: Running at night has definitely helped boost my weekly mileage because I have more time to run. I can usually dedicate an hour to running each night versus in the morning when I only had about 45 minutes before I needed to get ready for work. In that extra 15 minutes, I can usually add an 2 more miles which over the course of the week is pretty substantial. Of course, I don't plan to run for an hour every night, though as I mentioned above, I'm worried now if I do less one day, I won't want to run a long distance the following day. More than 1300 miles into the 1500 mile "journey" it's about digging deep and finding the motivation to keep going. I'm so close, and part of me wants to get there as fast as possible which is why I keep pushing myself. We'll see what happens next week. With some travel planned there will be at least a couple of days I won't be able to run. Still hoping for some good mileage though.

Week 43 (24-30 Oct)

As far as running weeks go, this was certainly one of the least exciting weeks since the year started. Aside from the music I was listening to, and the treadmill I was using, not much changed from day to day this week when it came to my nightly runs. That being said, this week was also, the best running week I've had with regards to total miles, and so even though it wasn't exciting, it was definitely a good week for running

My Totals for the Week Are:

Total Runs Logged: 7

Total Miles: 53.7

Total Time Spent Running: 6 hours, 49 minutes, 52 seconds

Average Pace: 7:37 (min/mile)

While I intentionally kept the pace a little slower than normal, it didn't have too much of an effect on my overall total. In the long run (ha!) it probably helped me this week because I was never too tired or sore to actually run. My new totals for 4 July to 30 October are:

Total Runs Logged:81

Total Miles: 517.8

Total Time Spent Running: 65 hours, 35 minutes, 16 seconds

Average Pace: 7:35 (min/mile)

My total miles run thus far is: 1266.1

REFLECTION TIME! Not an exciting week for running, but with the 1200 mile mark far behind me, and the end of my running in 2011 so close (just 2 months left), even during weeks where the running isn't very fun, the excitement of actually hitting 1500 miles is enough motivation to get me on the treadmill. For two weeks now I've been running at night which I'll probably continue to do, though as long as I'm in Zamboanga I cannot run outside at night. There are too many potholes and not enough light to do it safely. Perhaps, I will try a day time run in Zam at some point just so I can use my GPS here, and upload my map to the blog. For now, I'll keep using the treadmill.

Okay, I know that if running on a treadmill isn't very exciting, then reading about running on a treadmill has to be even less entertaining. For those who stuck with it to the end, though, here is something that will hopefully "lift" your spirits. I saw this while driving the other day, and had to take a picture (I wasn't actually driving, just along for the ride).

1200 MILES!!

So in addition to loading ships, and observing the Filipino version of "safety in the workplace", I've also managed to do some running. In the past three weeks, I logged just over 90 miles. As mentioned earlier, while in Subic, the running shoes I had with me fell apart, which significantly reduced the running I did during the last part of Week 40, and all of Week 41 (I was in Subic for 10 days, and my shoes crapped out on me on the 3rd day). Undeterred, and determined to get my mileage back on track I really picked it up in Week 42. The end result: I met my goal for the year, 70 days ahead of my original schedule. Here's a break down of the past three weeks of running.

Knowing full well, that I would have a hard time running in Subic, in the days leading up to my departure, I made sure to get on the treadmill everyday, and log at least 6 miles. My totals for Week 40 (3-9 October) were:

Total Runs Logged: 4

Total Miles: 24.8

Total Time Spent Running: 3 hours, 2 minutes, 27 seconds

Average Pace: 7:21 (min/mile)

It was a little short of my weekly goal, but entering the next week I was determined to make it up and then some. This became extremely difficult to do in my Vibram's 5-Fingers. While I love wearing them, if I don't wear them with special 5-toed socks, then they tend to rub my feet. Well, I forgot to bring my socks with me to Subic, but decided to run in them anyway. Anticipating some blisters, I hit the road. By mile 5, I was hurting, and decided to wait until I returned to Zamboanga to continue running. I ended up with much less than I wanted, but better to protect my feet. My totals for Week 41 (10-16 October) were:

Total Runs Logged: 2

Total Miles: 13.6

Total Time Spent Running: 1 hour, 43 minutes, 32 seconds

Average Pace: 7:36 (min/mile)

Undeterred by two less than stellar weeks, but rather determined to get my mileage back on track, I went after it this past week. I actually switched up my running time too which I think helped some. Rather than run in the morning when I first wake up, I do my strength training in the AM. In the evenings, after dinner is when I run. This gives me a little more time to run, and although I'm usually tired by the time I go run, I'm still able to find the motivation. Knowing that my goal was to make up for my lost mileage this week, I decided to slow my pace down just a bit. The last thing I wanted to do was burn out by Tuesday or Wednesday, and not have the strength to finish the week. The slower pace (and determination to run every week) really paid off. I logged more miles this week, than any other week this year. My totals for Week 42 (17-23 October) were:

Total Runs Logged: 7

Total Miles: 52.2

Total Time Spent Running: 6 hours, 40 minutes, 2 seconds

Average Pace: 7:39 (min/mile)

My totals from 4 July to 23 October are:

Total Runs Logged: 81

Total Miles: 464.1

Total Time Spent Running: 58 hours, 45 minutes, 24 seconds

Average Pace: 7:35 (min/mile)

With that, on October 22nd, the 295th day of 2011, I competed what I set out to do on January 1st by the end of the year...I ran my 1,200th mile! My total mileage to date is now: 1,212.4!

Despite 1200 miles down, and the initial purpose of this blog complete, I'm not done yet. 10 weeks remain in the year, and I have nearly 300 more miles to go to reach my NEW goal of 1500. If I kept up the 50 miles weeks, I would be done before Christmas, but I know that is both unrealistic, and probably not great for my body. As long as I continue to strive for about 30 miles a week (just over 7 miles a day), I'll get to 1500 before 2012. The end is almost in sight; I just need to keep up the steady pace.

OOP (Only On the Philipines) -- The Safety Issue!!

No doubt safety is critical aspect of nearly everything we do. That doesn't apply just to Americans, but I think everyone considers safety extremely importance. What may differ from person to person and country to country is how we define "safety" and what we determine to be "safe". Take for instance riding on the roof of a car. Not something I would do, but I suppose as long as you are sitting down, it's not the most dangerous thing you could be doing.

When using heavy equipment, most would say to only use it for its intended purpose. Using a forklift to pull a barge into place is not something I would suggest, but there if you are able to hook the two together, then at least be sure you use a strong enough chain.
My idea of safety head gear, when working around large machines or when something could fall on you, would be a hard hat of some sorts. The gentleman in this picture decided that a towel would be sufficient. I suppose the rational was that if he did experience massive head trauma, at least the towel would soak up the blood.
Safety shoes are critical in just about every manual labor type of operation. Steel-toed shoes are ideal, but I suppose that at least tennis shoes cover your feet completely. When you are really in a pinch though, go with flip-flops as they at least protect the bottom of your feet should you step on something sharp, but not big enough to pinch the 1/4 inch thick foam. Also in this "two-for" you see that a baseball cap can sub for a hard hat, but only if you have tennis shoes. If you are wearing a hard-hat though, it appears flip flops are okay.
Closer inspection reveals that wearing the flip flops is in fact optional.
Again, I think safety is part of everyone's work and lives. I doubt most people intentionally do unsafe things. How we determine what is safe is really up to interpretation. Keep it safe, everybody!

The Strong Mariner

A brief break from running for a moment to talk about my recent trip to Subic Bay. The Strong Mariner arrived in port, and I was responsible for loading it. Okay, I didn't actually physically load anything, but I did supervise, watch and take some pictures. It came in very early in the morning which means we had to be up even earlier. It did give me the great opportunity to get a cool shot of the crane getting ready.

Here's a shot of the Strong Mariner being tugged (pushed) into position along the pier. It was definitely a rust bucket, but she stayed afloat.
Here's a shot of the the first boat being craned onto the ship. It was a very long and slow process, but when you are lifting something that big, that heavy, and that expensive, you have to be careful about it.
Here's another shot of the boat being craned onto the Strong Mariner, this time from the top deck of the ship. It took nearly an hour from the time the boat was strapped to the crane until it was safely on the ship.
Not really related to the Strong Mariner, but since I was dealing with the Navy I thought I should also show you this picture. My Navy brethren, preparing for their 1 hour and 45 minute flight out of the Philippines, decided to set up their hammocks. You'll notice them lined up along the containers, going all the way back. The other side of the containers were identical with hammocks lined up along that side.
So the loading of the Strong Mariner was a success, and my time in Subic Bay was very enjoyable. The one downside, was that while loading the ship, the only pair of running shoes I brought with me to Subic fell apart. I had several hundred miles on them so it wasn't a complete surprise or disappointing (aside from the fact that I really liked them). Unfortunately, it left me with only my Vibram 5-Fingers to run in; which I did, once, without socks, which left me with large blisters on my toes, and put an end to my running in Subic. Not to worry, I more than made up for the lost miles this week.

9 Months and 1100 Miles (Week 39)

I think it's safe to say that barring any freak accident, I'm going to make my 1200 mile running goal this year. With 91 days left in the year, my new "goal" is to make it all the way to 1500. That means for the remainder of the year I'll have to run just over 4 miles a day; a very realistic goal for me to attain. This week I really pushed myself to get a lot of runs in the day; possibly more than I should have. In addition to running every day morning before work there were a couple of evenings were I ran as a warm up to my second workout of the day. After Sunday's run, I was completely wiped out, so for the remaining 13 weeks in the year, i should incorporate a few breaks, and keep the running to once a day. Still, it was one of my best weeks of running for the year both in average pace and total distance. It took its toll on me, but I think it was worth it.

My Week 39 (26 Sep - 2 Oct) Totals are as follows:

Total Runs Logged: 9

Total Miles: 48.2

Total Time Spent Running: 5 hours 59 minutes, 16 seconds

Average Pace: 7:27 (min/mile)

With a great week of running to cap off the month of September and looking back at the past three months; I'd say it has been pretty good for running. My totals from July 4th through October 2nd are:

Total Runs Logged: 68

Total Miles: 373.5

Total Time Spent Running: 47 hours, 19 minutes, 23 seconds

Average Pace: 7:36 (min/mile)

This brings my total miles in 2011 to: 1121.8

REFLECTION TIME: Well to make my goal of 1500 miles in 2011, I essentially need to duplicate what I did the past three months. It is doable, but hopefully, I can plan to be more consistent in my runs so that I'm not killing myself in the weekly mileage to hit 1500 as 2012 nears. In the past three months, there were 5 weeks where I didn't hit 25 miles. To get to 1500, I'll need to average about 28 miles per week. With easy access to a treadmill and the time to do it, I shouldn't have too hard a time doing it.

The Flood and BBC Houston

With one day left in what is turning out to be a stellar running week, I thought I would provide some much promised pictures of my continued adventures in the Philippines. If you haven't been following the weather in the Pacific over the past couple of weeks or so, you will have missed that the island of Luzon in the Philippines (where Manila is located) was recently hit by two typhoons. The first one was a direct hit across the island and dumped a to ton of rain. Meanwhile in Mindanao, it didn't rain a drop the same day the storm was passing through. I luckily wasn't in Manila, but these pictures were sent to me from the Embassy.

A few weeks prior to the typhoons, I was actually on the island of Luzon in Subic where in addition to running outside with my GPS for the first time, I also did some work. The BBC Houston came into port, and I was tasked with unloading or discharging its cargo. Definitely a cool experience for me because as an Air Force guy, I don't spend my time around ships. This was my first time to be on a port and download a ship. Thankfully there were a lot of qualified people who knew what they were doing, and kept the operation moving very smoothly. Here the BBC Houston is being pushed by the tugs so it can dock next to the pier.

Shortly after it was tied to the pier, we started offloading the cargo with the ships cranes. This is a picture of the deck where our cargo was stored for the ocean voyage that had to be offloaded.
The Stevedores in the yellow shirts and hard hats were responsible for hooking up the cargo to the crane and unhooking it once it was safely on the pier. Our crew seemed fairly professional and knew what they were doing. They were actually wearing hard hats and closed-toe shoes unlike another crew also on the pier who were wearing basketball jerseys and flip flops (a potential liability you really don't want to mess with).

Most of the cargo came off without difficulty, but the primary reason for the ship operation and the most challenging aspect of the ship's discharge were the two boats that had to be lifted out of the ship and placed on the dock. Each weighed more than 60 tons and was more than 85 feet long. It was a slow and very meticulous process. We started lifting the first boat when it was still light outside, but by the time it had appeared over the ship, it was dark.

The shot abovand below were actually taken with my camera phone. For whatever reason its flash was working better resulting in better pictures than the ones from the point and shoot camera I had been using all day. Below is another shot of the boat, this time being turned 90 degrees so it could fit between the ship's cranes and be placed on the pier.
All in all a fun and exciting first time experience. Again, thankfully there were enough experts there to make sure the operation happened smoothly, safely, and without serious incident. It made for a long day, but it was definitely worth while. The weather was perfect the entire day which made me thankful the ship didn't try to come in last week with the typhoon creating havoc on Luzon.

First Running, Then Pics (Weeks 37 & 38)

I spent nearly all of Week 37 in Subic Bay which afforded me the tremendous opportunity of running on the road and using my GPS. One of the fun features of the Garmin Training Center is that it shows you a map of your run after your done. It's not a very detailed map, and you can see from the picture below that perhaps it's not the most accurate or current map.

I can assure you that even though I was running fast (or so I felt), I was not running on water. Still, with three good runs in Subic (and one in Zamboanga to finish off the week) Week 37 (12-18 September) was an overall good week for running.

My Week 37 totals were:

Total Runs Logged: 4

Total Miles: 29.6

Total Time Spent Running: 3 hours, 41 minutes, 36 seconds

Average Pace: 7:29 (min/mile)

For Week 38 (19-25 September) I was back in Zam, and back to running on a treadmill. There are definitely ups and downs to the treadmill run. It does get fairly repetitive and is not super exciting, but it forces me to keep my pace up even when I'm tired and don't feel like running fast, but know I need to. Interesting? No, but with the week down, I'm even closer to my goal than I was before the week started.

The totals for Week 38 were:

Total Runs Logged: 5

Total Miles: 32.2

Total Time Spent Running: 3 hours, 57 minutes, 0 seconds

Average Pace: 7:21 (min/mile)

With two more weeks of 2011 done, my new totals since 4 July are:

Total Runs Logged: 59

Total Miles: 325.3

Total Time Spent Running: 41 hours, 20 minutes, 07 seconds

Average Pace: 7:37 (min/mile)

My Total Miles in 2011 thus far: 1073.6

Although the past 2 weeks were good for running, they weren't that great for my planned "Two-A-Days." It takes a great bit of effort and motivation to workout twice in one day, and with travel and work sucking up time too, it's easy to come up with an excuse not to workout. Still, I'm feeling good about my overall running, so as long as I getting my miles in each week, I have to be satisfied. My primary goal after all was to run 1200 miles this year...when I get two workouts in a day, that's a bonus.

Pictures coming very soon...stay tuned!

Fun Times in the Philippines (with Pictures!)

Okay, since my last blog was all words (a lot of them), and no pictures, I thought I would add some color to this entry with some fun pictures I've taken over the past month. I use my camera pretty frequently for work, so when I see something that could be considered a "Kodak Moment", I have my camera handy. ENJOY!

This is a Jeepney, an all too common feature of Manila and throughout the rest of the PI. This is the cheap method of transportation in a city with no subway. Although I've never used them, I've been told its easy to hop on and hop off as they go on their designated routes. I'm not sure exactly how they are made, but i think it involves stretching out a vehicle chassis and attaching whatever sheet metal happens to be handy.

Despite the ubiquity of the Jeepney, much like a subway, they can get crowded during the rush hour periods. When that happens, you cram as many as you can into the Jeepney, and the rest just hang on. Notice the Jeepney in front of the other Jeepney with people hanging on it as well.

For those "too fancy" to ride a Jeepney, there are other modes of transports. Fairly common are motor bikes with "side carts" attached to them. Most have been constructed of sheet metal and I've seen as many as 3 in them plus an extra passenger also riding on the motor bike. They must have been short on sheet metal when this one was constructed. Don't worry, the chair is attached to the side with bungees.
When you don't have a vehicle for your necessary operations (say refueling a plane), you do it the old fashioned way, by hand. As I watched this I was SO THANKFUL that when our C-17 rolled in, they actually used a truck to refuel it. Also, although this may look is unsafe, the plane is properly grounded, AND there is an ENORMOUS Fire Truck just out of the picture, that probably would have obliterated the plane if they turned the hose on it.
The last one is of me, just enjoying scenic Subic. It was super bright outside, but the picture still turned out nice (aside from the fact that I have no idea what's up with the bottom of my shirt)
Just a few snapshots of the past few weeks of my life. It's fun being out and about in the Philippines. It's also funny to see that OOG (Only On Guam) Moments also exist elsewhere (I guess they would be OOP moments here). I hope you enjoyed them, there will surely be more to follow.

On the Road Again (and On the Road Again)

With the exception of 2 days in Zamboanga, I've spent the past 2 weeks living out of hotels throughout the Philippines. I can't really complain about 4-star hotels, king size beds with fluffy pillows, and a hotel staff eager to make you stay as pleasant as possible, but it is not an ideal running environment. Eating out 3 times a day is not great for maintaining a slim physique, but it does necessitate finding ways to exercise any way you can.

During the last part Week 35 (29 Aug-4 Sep) I spent three days at the Intercontinental Hotel in Manila. It a great place to stay and the club access offers breakfast, afternoon tea, and happy hour. Essentially from 6 AM to 8 PM there are only 5 hours where you don't have the opportunity to gorge on free food and drinks. Luckily they also have a decent fitness center with multiple treadmills, elliptical machines, and free-weights. On the first day I went there the treadmills were occupied but I figured it would be worthwhile to do some cardio on an elliptical even if I couldn't count it towards my running log. The second time I used their facility I was able to jump on a treadmill and even though it proved challenging converting kilometers to miles, I still got a good workout.

All in all I was slightly off my goal for week 35, but still a good week of running overall:

Total Runs Logged: 4

Total Miles: 22.5

Total Time Spent Running: 2 hours, 41 minutes, 0 seconds
Average Pace: 7:09 (min/mile)

After a day in Angeles City with no running (I swear I was busy working), I was back in Zambo for all of 2 days before hitting the road again (or air since I actually fly to my destinations), this time to Subic Bay. During my 2 days in Zam I actually managed to squeeze in 3 runs, knowing that I would have difficulty in Subic working out.

The Segara Villas is pretty close to luxury resort living (you're staying in a VILLA after all); unfortunately with no fitness center it seems they want you relaxing not sweating. Luckily, what Subic Bay does have plenty of, is uncrowded, level streets...the perfect place to run. So I did just that, and for the first time since coming to the Philippines a month ago, I got off the treadmill, and onto the pavement. To add to the fun, I FINALLY, got to use my Garmin 405CX which was awesome to use.

My totals for Week 36 (5-11 Sep) were:

Total Runs Logged: 5

Total Miles: 28.7

Total Time Spent Running: 3 hours, 25 minutes, 17 seconds

Average Pace: 7:09 (min/mile)

With two of my fast weeks to date, my "as of totals" are:

Total Runs Logged: 50

Total Miles: 263.5

Total Time Spent Running: 33 hours, 41 minutes, 31 seconds

Average Pace: 7:40 (min/mile)

TOTAL MILES TO DATE: 1011.8

REFLECTION TIME: To be honest, I didn't even realize I had broke the 1000 mile mark until I did my calculations a few minutes ago. I know I've still got a ways to go, but nearly 4 months to get there. I shouldn't have any problem getting to 1200, but if I want to reach that 1500 mile mark, I'll have to run an average of 4.5 miles a day, every day for the rest of the year. Is it doable? Absolutely, but I've got some running to do. More than anything, I was excited that when I actually ran on the road, my pace didn't suffer. Without the treadmill to force me to run at a certain speed, I was nervous I would slow down, but over the 7 mile road run during week 36, I averaged a 7:03 pace. That is actually one of my faster times, especially for that distance, leading me to believe that the treadmill certainly didn't hinder my running goals.

New blog coming very soon with exciting pictures from the Philippines

Running in Zam (Week 34)

There's probably a great comparison between the deployed life, and running on a treadmill. It's monotonous; the scenery doesn't change, and you find yourself either zoning out to pass the time, or giving the death stare to the clock just waiting for it to all be over. Still to put this all in a positive spin, much like running on a treadmill, you can use your deployed time to make improvements in your life. Learn a hobby, take college level classes, and communicate more with people than you probably did before you deployed. Still the most popular thing for deployed people seems to be "workout and get fit." The treadmill is great for that. With some music playing to break up the monotony of running in place, you can really use a treadmill to get faster and lose weight. Unlike running on the road when you set a pace on a treadmill, you are forced to go that pace. Now you can change the speed on a treadmill with relative ease, but if you push yourself to go a little faster or a little further than before, you'll start to see big improvements.

I still love running at my own pace with a constant change of scenery, but during my first week at Zam (Zamboanga is too hard to pronounce, and too long a word) I did all my running on the treadmill. As a result, I had some of my fastest paces in my entire year of running.

My totals for Week 34 (21-28 August) are:
Total Runs Logged: 6
Total Miles: 33.6
Total Time Spent Running: 4 hours, 3 minutes, 31 seconds
Average Pace: 7:15 (min/mile)

My new "as of" totals are:
Total Runs Logged: 41
Total Miles: 212.3
Total Time Spent Running: 27 hours, 35 minutes, 14 seconds
Average Pace: 7:47 (min/mile)

My new total mileage for the year is: 960.6

Now fours of running a week is good, but it doesn't occupy all my time. Additionally, besides sleeping, working, and eating, there isn't much else to do on the camp. What else do I do with my time? Well, as mentioned previously, the food is pretty good, and there is plenty of it. Now there are no "Surf and Turf Wednesdays" or "Mongolian BBQ Saturdays" like we had when I was deployed to Balad, but there are cookies, soft serve, and short-order grill cooks that can make you just about anything you want to include Double Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Croissant Sandwiches (YUM!). There are plenty of smart and healthy choices, but 4 hours of running might not keep the pounds off. I also realize that while I've spent a lot of time focused on running, I haven't spent that much time working on my strength. With that in mind, I have started working out twice a day. My plan is to run in the morning before work and do a strength training workout (focusing on upper body, body weight exercises like pull-ups, dips, and push ups) in the evening. This should not only help pass the time, but also improve my overall fitness level. I starte on Wednesday, so it hasn't even been a week yet, but I'm optimistic I can keep it up for the duration of my deployment.

My Great (?) Filipino (Running) Adventure

I considered putting my blog to private around this time; however the current "position" (not official) of the U.S. Military is to encourage service members to talk about their military experiences. This helps the public see the good we are doing, and also provides a positive public image. Considering also that I have a very small "public" viewing, and knowing with Facebook that I couldn't hide the fact that I was deployed, I decided to leave my blog public.
On Wednesday, August 10th I said "Aloha" to Hawaii and flew into the Philippines. My first stop was to Manila. I spent a couple of days here with my predecessor (Jon) learning about some of the things I will be responsible for on this deployment. This is the view from my hotel room (The Peninsula...VERY NICE)We got to stop by the U.S. Embassy for a little big, and of course we had to take a picture. Interestingly enough, as soon as we took the picture, as soon as we took this picture, we found out from security that photography is not allowed in front of the Embassy. Still they were nice enough to let us keep the picture.
After a few days in Manila, we flew to the former Clark Air Base (in Angeles City) for some more orientation and transition. The mountain in the picture is NOT Mount Pinatubo (famous for its 1991 eruption), but because it is the most significant feature of the landscape, we like to pretend that it is. We arrived in Angeles City on Monday, and I decided to start running after a brief hiatus due to travelling. There was a treadmill in the hotel's "gym". Really, it was more like a sweat-box. There was no A/C and the heat from the sun was easily trapped in the small room. Running was TOUGH. Just as hard, was that the treadmill used metric units, so I had to convert my kilometers into miles (after all this isn't "1930.8 in 2011"). During the two days we were there, I managed to get two runs in on the treadmill. By far, that was some of the hottest temperatures I've ever run in.
From Clark we made the Short Drive to Subic Bay, which is both a popular sea port and tourist destination. We stayed in a villa...incredibleThe last stop was to my "Home away from Home" for the next 6 months, Zamboanga City on the island of Mindanao. To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure if this picture was taken as we were leaving Subic Bay or landing in Zamboanga, but I thought it was a good picture. After one trip to the Dining Facility, I knew I couldn't slack off on my running or else I was going to get fat, so I wasted no time getting back on the treadmill. Our camp is too small to run in (plus the air quality is poor from burning trash), but there are a few treadmills, so between when we landed on Wednesday, and for the remainder of Week 33 I squeezed in 4 more runs.

My total mileage for Week 33 was:
Total Runs Logged: 6
Total Miles:31.6
Total Time Spent Running: 3 hours, 52 minutes, and 21 seconds
Average Pace:7:21 (min/mile)

I attribute the speed directly to running on a treadmill. I don't cheat on the treadmill either by grabbing onto the sides, but by forcing myself to run at a pace slightly out of my comfort zone, I'll get faster.

Since Week 26, my totals are:
Total Runs Logged: 35
Total Miles: 178.7
Total Time Spent Running: 23 hours, 31 minutes, 33 seconds
Average Pace: 7:53 (min/mile)
That means my new total mileage through Week 33 is 927.

Stick around for Week 34 (another 100% treadmill week) coming very soon. I'll also talk about about my "deployed life" in the Philippines

Running in Hawaii (and relaxing, and hiking, and eating)

As previously promised, here is my blog entry about my very brief (but very nice stay in Hawaii). I got there on Friday evening, and didn't have any plans until Monday, so I decided to make the most of the weekend and do some of the "must sees". TripAdvisor.com has Diamond Head listed as the #1 thing to do, so that was my first stop.

It actually took me awhile to find the place b/c I didn't realize the full name was "Diamond Head Crater" (directly behind me), but once I realized that just about every car was headed in the same direction, it was easy to find, and an easy climb. The view was great, but it was just the beginning.

On to the "challenging hikes", I decided to do KoKo head crater, partly because it was highly recommended on Trip Advisor, partly because all the comments talked about how challenging it was, and lastly because again the view was supposed to be amazing. All three of those statements turned out to be 100% correct.

This was the view that greeted me from the bottom of KoKo Head. The "stairs" are actually railroad ties from when the U.S. Army had a radio station at the top. The total elevation change was about 1200 feet, though the horizontal distance was less than 1/2 mile. In other words it was VERY STEEP.

Still, once I finally made it to the top (soaked in sweat), the view was totally worth it. The climb down was also challenging, but again, it was an incredible hike (and a great workout).

My last hiking adventure was to Manoa Falls, a far easier hike than KoKo Head. The trail ends at the base of a 100 foot waterfall.

Not quite as "breath taking" as KoKo Head (both figuratively and literally), but still a great hike.

Oh yeah, I also managed to do some running while in Hawaii. Of course, I didn't have my GPS and there were no marked courses, so I had to estimate my distance. Still I felt really good, and kept a good pace, so I think the distances are fairly accurate. I only managed two runs for the week, but with the hikes, I'd say it was a good week.

My totals for Week 32 (8-14 Aug) were:
Total Miles: 12.2 (estimated distance)
Total Runs Logged: 2
Total Time Spent Running: 1 hour, 31 minutes, 43 seconds
Average Pace: 7:31 (min/mile)

With the addition of Week 32, my new "as of" totals are:
Total Miles: 147.1
Total Runs Logged: 29
Total Time Spent Running:19 hours, 39 minutes, 12 seconds
Average Pace: 8:00 (min/mile)

That brings mile total mileage of the year to 895.4

Hawaii is a beautiful state, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The weather was perfect, the food was AMAZING, and the views were incredible. If I ever find myself there again, I would consider myself very fortunate. I snapped this last pic as I was leaving Waikiki after a very delicious dinner on the beach.

Week 31 (1-7 Aug)

My last runs on Guam (for awhile).
I am currently sitting in Hawaii, and have been here since the 5th. Now what I'm doing here and where I'm going next are for another blog entry (I took some great pictures), but before I get to that I need to talk about my running last week. It was rather uneventful, but very productive, and I was able to log 30 miles in 4 days. I didn't do any running on the weekend (6-7 August), but I did do some hikes to Diamond Head Crater, Koko Head Mountain, and Manoa Falls. I'll talk more about them later, but in the meantime here are some photos from the hikes.

As for Week 31, I was able to reach my goal early in the week.
Total Miles: 30
Total Runs Logged: 4
Total Time Spent Running: 4 hours, 2 minutes, 36 seconds
Average Pace: 8:05 (min/mile)
Again, without my GPS, the distances are approximations, but I would say I ran at LEAST the distance logged.

That brings my total mileage to 883.2 (not bad for just over 7 months of running)
Since I restarted my running log my totals are:
Total Miles: 27
Total Runs Logged: 134.9
Total Time Spent Running: 18 hours, 7 minutes, 29 seconds
Average Pace: 8:03 (min/mile)

More coming soon, but in the meantime I've got to run.

No Frills Olympic Tri #3 (19 Jun 2011)

The Day I completed my Blog Entry on my 2nd Olympic Triathlon, I had completed my third Olympic Distance Tri. For all future inquiries on triathlons on Guam, TriathlonGuam.com is the website of choice for all Guam Triathletes. Much like my first two Olympic Triathlons, this was a "dual distance" meaning racers had an option of doing either a Sprint Distance (750M Swim, 20K Bike, 5K Run) or an Olympic Distance (Double the Sprint Distance). There were about 10 of us doing the Olympic Distance, and 40 or so doing the Sprint Distance. Several of the "top finishers" from the previous week's Sprint Tri opted to do the Olympic Distance this time around, which was a serious "bump" to the competition field. That being said, competition can bring out the best in people, and that was certainly the case for this race.

1,500 meters of swimming isn't particularly difficult if you are confident in the water. That doesn't mean it's going to be a quick swim. It's a little bit of a downer on the last two laps of the swim because by that point all of the sprint distance triathletes are out of the water and it can be very lonely in the big blue ocean. To add to it, I had a serious goggle malfunction which caused one of the goggle eyes to fill up with water. Swimming with one eye shut is not fun, and the mental fatigue caused by it probably led to my slower time of 32 minute, 21 seconds.

Out of the water, and able to see with both eyes again, I was on my bike and off on my 40K ride. My goal on the bike is to go as fast as I can, stay as aerodynamic as possible, and try to pass a bunch of people. I do this knowing full well that I'll have to run a 10K after I'm done riding, but having done marathons and very long runs, I'm used to running tired. More than anything, I don't want to slack off and end up not doing my best. Completing the bike ride in 1 hour, 9 minutes, and 55 seconds, I would say that I was successful in achieving my goal.

Entering the final portion of the race my legs felt like a mix of Jell-o and cement. The thought in my head is to just keep my legs moving. As the run started I happened to be in 4th place which gave me several people to "chase" and helped me stay motivated to run my hardest. It definitely paid off. For the first of the two laps I stayed in 4th, then heading out for the second lap, I started to make my move. It took me nearly 2.5K, but I ended up passing the racers in 2nd and 3rd place. For the last 2.5K it was a matter of putting my head down and keep running. 45 minutes, 3 seconds later, I was done.

2 hours, 27 minutes, 19 seconds was good enough for second place, and more than 2 minutes faster than my time the week prior. I definitely attribute the improved time to the stiffer competition. It helped motivate me to keep going even when I was tired and just wanted to stop. In a race when there are no trophies or prizes for the winner, the best you can get from a race is a new personal record (PR). Considering that, I would certainly say this was a successful race.

No GPS, No Computer, Still Running Though

I just realized that it's been 6 weeks since I updated my blog. Shortly after my last entry, my GPS Watch (the GARMIN 205) which I've had since October 2009 pooped out on me. It wasn't a real big deal as I have several running paths and their distances memorized. It does however, limit my running to the paths I know (if I want to accurately track my distance). I recently ordered a new GPS (the GARMIN 405CX) which I should have shortly. It's several models "old" (the newest Garmin GPS running watch is the "610"), but the price was right, and I liked its features. Shortly after my GPS watch stopped working, my computer crashed. Again not a big deal except for the fact that my running log was tracked on my computer. No, of course I didn't save it anywhere else, so everything from January 1, 2011 to July 3, 2011 was lost. I did remember that as of July 3 (the end of Week 26) I had run a total of 748.3 miles. This was a bit shy of the 750 miles I had hoped to get, but overall pretty good for the first half of the year. In the following 4 weeks I've added an additional 104.9 miles.

That makes my new total 853.2 miles.

As for the past 4 weeks:

Total Miles: 104.9

Total Runs Logged: 23

Total Time Spent Running: 14 hours, 4 minutes, 53 seconds

Average Pace: 8:03 (min/mile)

Before my computer/GPS "meltdown" I had an ongoing running average of around 7:44-7:48 minutes/mile. In the past 4 weeks, my run time has slowed down by nearly 20 seconds. I think there are two main reasons for my slower pace. First, is that I'm probably underestimating my mileage by a little because I want to be sure that I'm getting all my miles. The other reason is that I don't have a GPS watch which can give me my pace at any moment which tells me when I need to run faster. Without the GPS telling me how fast I'm running, I run how I feel, and apparently I've been feeling slow. It will be interesting to see what happens to my pace once I start running with a GPS again. I PROMISE to blog about it!

My 2nd Olympic Triathlon

Today (19 June) I completed my third Olympic-distance Triathlon. Now, as I don't think there were any pictures taken of me during this triathlon, I will not be blogging about it in detail. Exactly one week ago; however, I completed my second Olympic Tri, and there were plenty of pictures taken during that event, so I will be blogging about it.
First off, what an incredible site! While sleeping ranks high on things I'd like to be doing at 5:30 on a Sunday, if I hadn't been up, I would have missed this.

At 6:30 about 40 racers got into the water for the first leg of the triathlon. 30 of them were doing the Sprint Distance, and 10 of us were doing the Olympic.
I'll admit that while I'm decent at swimming, it is definitely my weak area in the triathlon. This is probably due to the fact that the only time I swim is when I'm doing triathlon races. 1,500 meters is not extremely difficult, but in the open water you not only have to deal with the tide (which isn't too bad where we swim), but you also have to try to swim in a straight line (something I suck at). As such, even though I only get credit for swimming 1,500M, it probably ended up being more than that.

After 4 laps and approximately 32 minutes, I was out of the water, and onto the 6-lap, 40K Bike portion of the race.

As I said, I'm not really fast on the swim, so the bike is where I start to make up my time. For several triathlons now I've been duct taping a Gatorade-filled water bottle in between my aero bars. It's definitely not classy, but it gets the job done, and keeps me hydrated. I've also learned my lesson and make sure I have a lid on my bottle so my straw doesn't bounce out of the bottle the first time I hit a pothole.

The hardest thing about the bike portion of the race for me, is keeping track of the laps. Six laps on the same flat course can get to be a little monotonous so I try to focus on the road ahead of me and pedal as fast as I can. With only 10 people doing the same distance, it is hard to keep track if you are not close to someone who you are racing. Luckily, Stephanie was there to not only take pictures, but tell me when I could transition to the run.

After an approximately 71 minute bike ride, I was on my feet for the last 10K. As with every triathlon, by the time I get to the run my legs feel like a combination of cement and Jell-O. I'd say the run is my strong point too, and is where I tend to pass the most people. I think it comes down to sucking it up, and gutting it out. It's hot, you're tired, but you have to finish.

47 minutes after finishing the bike, I was crossing the finish line. Total time was 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 47 seconds. Although it was only my second Olympic-distance Triathlon, it was my new personal best. I was rather surprised to find out that I came in first of the 10 people doing that distance. I still say it's all about finishing, not when you finish (after all there are no trophies or medals), but it is pretty cool to win.

I'll talk more about my third Olympic Tri later, but I know I've been bad about updating the blog and posting pictures, so I thought I would go ahead and post this one.

2011 MAN HIKE II (Merizo, 21 May)

There was was too much time between my last two blog entries, and my last blog entry was way too wordy, so let me do the complete opposite. I'll keep the words short and let the pictures speak for themselves. I never pass up the chance for a MAN HIKE: no real plan, men only, bare essentials (water and camera), and beer at the end. Last month the men of the Guam Crew decided to do a final Man Hike before Chris departed for his new assignment in Turkey.

Here are the men of the Guam Crew about to embark on our manliest MAN HIKE to date. (Left to Right we are: Chris, Shea ("Jasmine"), Jesse, Jed, Me, and James).

Like with all of our other man hikes we looked to a point in the distance and said we should go there. In this case it was the tallest mountain in sight.
The key to a good MAN HIKE is to get off the beaten trail and blaze you own path. For us that usually means barrelling through Sword Grass. It's very cumbersome, slow, and you are guaranteed to get cut up, but it is very MANLY.

We're not posing here; we have to get low in order to get through the grass. This was early on so we are still in good spirits and fairly clean.

Finally breaking through the sword grass is always a great feeling, and it gives you a renewed since of energy, even if you are facing a steep, uphill climb...BRING IT ON!

The view from the top is really what makes it worth it. You truly feel on top of the world. Of course once you get to the top, you eventually have to come back down. We opted to take a different route from which we came, and see just how far we could go.

Sword grass continued to be a problem, but we also dealt with the thick roots, a complete lack of trails, and less than 100% certainty about which way we needed to go. Despite what Jed might have told his wife, at no time were we ever lost, we merely opted for the longer route. Eventually we made it to the river bed and decided to follow the river out of the jungle. A couple of times we tried to get back up the hill, but the impossibly thick sword grass turned us back every time. The water was VERY refreshing, plus the trees provided some relief from the sun.
Of course, we weren't done once we hit the paved road. Because we had decided to go down a different way, we were no where near the car. Still, walking on paved road is much easier than through sword grass. Chris and I were the only ones that actually walked all the way back; these lazy bums waited outside a convenience store until we came and picked them up. We actually did, (aren't we nice?) No Man Hike is complete without the cold beer at the end. All in all our hike lasted about 5 hours. By the time we were done, we had almost no water, we were exhausted, and everyone had cuts on their legs and arms. Now that's what I call a Man Hike!