I am a positive person but I can be very negative at times. I always worry about things (this is why I am also good at QA). Anyway, friends have been giving me great suppose but I always shot them down with negative thoughts.
I know I can do this thing. Things may go wrong but I am prepared for them. Just get out there on Sat, do this thing and have fun.
Louis
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Nightmare
I just woke up from one of my ironman nightmares. This time I forgot to bring my helmet and some other stuff when I got out of the water. Coach Paul end up giving me his helmet. It was bad haha.
I would like to post more but I need to time to prepare for this sat. I'll post whenever I can.
Louis
I would like to post more but I need to time to prepare for this sat. I'll post whenever I can.
Louis
Friday, July 17, 2009
We are not good enough
Our society is structured so that are you always not happy about something. You always want to have more. I need to work harder to have a better job. I need to earn more money. I need a bigger house. I need a big TV. I need a yearly vacation. I need to earn more degree. I need to get straight A's. I need my kids to experience as many hobbies as possible. I need to eat good food. My basketball team need to score more points. I need to run faster. I need to bike faster. I need to swim faster. I need to lose more weight. I need to dress to impress (ok, this I really need to work on)... the list go on and on.
Well since day 1 of the training season, I want to become a better swimmer. I took lessons and I swam extra. I am still slow after 9 months. When I swim in 24hr fitness some grandma will swim faster than me. In fact I believe I am the slowest in the team for Vineman. I hate swimming for a passion! It's not because I am slow, I just hate swimming! I recently came up with the quote. "You don't have to drag me to hell, you just have to drag me to swim"
My coaches and teammates have been very supportive about this whole Louis hate swimming thing. They keep me going and tell me I am doing a good job. But I mostly ignore these encouragements just because I need to swim so much faster! When you came out of the water half dead and someone say...Louis you did a good job today... it's hard to make yourself believe that you are in fact doing a good job.
So you know, the same routine yesterday. I didn't want to swim but I drag my ass there. The workout was actually going well. I constantly check the time to see how much longer I need to swim (in milisecond of course) before the workout is over.
Then on one of the lap my coach want over and want to talk to me. I was like oh no something is coming up... I feel like a kid who broke his mom's china and have to explain why they were broken. (I paint Coach Paul as this Evil Thing when I am in my swimming mode)
So the coach came to me, tab my head and say. 'Good Job Louis. One more swim(next thur) and you are good for Vineman. Look at how far you have come'.
I continue to swim and think about what he said. He is right. I did freaking come a long way. From not knowing how to swim to swimming 2.4 miles. I did in fact come a long way. Instead of looking back at how much better I got with swimming, I constantly look at how much I want to improve. Looking back few months ago, I cannot swim 25 yards. But slowly and surely, I completed 25 yards, then 50, then 100, 200, 500, 1km, 1.5km. I then swam in the ocean with my wetsuit and I almost die! but then I swam 3/4 mile at Desert Triathlon and I actually swam faster than a few teammates (because I did not panic)... 2km... then 1.2 mi swim at Wildflower Triathlon. 2.5km... 3km. Damn I really came a long way.
Coaches always said to cherish what you accomplished. It was 8 months to late but I am cherishing my swim 'accomplishment' now. Having said that I know I still need to stay focus and finish my event on Aug 1. Sometime we just need to take a step back and look at what we accomplished... instead of looking at how much more we have to improve. It will make you a happier person.
Well since day 1 of the training season, I want to become a better swimmer. I took lessons and I swam extra. I am still slow after 9 months. When I swim in 24hr fitness some grandma will swim faster than me. In fact I believe I am the slowest in the team for Vineman. I hate swimming for a passion! It's not because I am slow, I just hate swimming! I recently came up with the quote. "You don't have to drag me to hell, you just have to drag me to swim"
My coaches and teammates have been very supportive about this whole Louis hate swimming thing. They keep me going and tell me I am doing a good job. But I mostly ignore these encouragements just because I need to swim so much faster! When you came out of the water half dead and someone say...Louis you did a good job today... it's hard to make yourself believe that you are in fact doing a good job.
So you know, the same routine yesterday. I didn't want to swim but I drag my ass there. The workout was actually going well. I constantly check the time to see how much longer I need to swim (in milisecond of course) before the workout is over.
Then on one of the lap my coach want over and want to talk to me. I was like oh no something is coming up... I feel like a kid who broke his mom's china and have to explain why they were broken. (I paint Coach Paul as this Evil Thing when I am in my swimming mode)
So the coach came to me, tab my head and say. 'Good Job Louis. One more swim(next thur) and you are good for Vineman. Look at how far you have come'.
I continue to swim and think about what he said. He is right. I did freaking come a long way. From not knowing how to swim to swimming 2.4 miles. I did in fact come a long way. Instead of looking back at how much better I got with swimming, I constantly look at how much I want to improve. Looking back few months ago, I cannot swim 25 yards. But slowly and surely, I completed 25 yards, then 50, then 100, 200, 500, 1km, 1.5km. I then swam in the ocean with my wetsuit and I almost die! but then I swam 3/4 mile at Desert Triathlon and I actually swam faster than a few teammates (because I did not panic)... 2km... then 1.2 mi swim at Wildflower Triathlon. 2.5km... 3km. Damn I really came a long way.
Coaches always said to cherish what you accomplished. It was 8 months to late but I am cherishing my swim 'accomplishment' now. Having said that I know I still need to stay focus and finish my event on Aug 1. Sometime we just need to take a step back and look at what we accomplished... instead of looking at how much more we have to improve. It will make you a happier person.
Monday, July 13, 2009
06/28/09: 17 mi run under the heat
I like to sleep in on Sunday, so I decided to sleep in and run the 17 mile by myself. I got up, ate breakfast, and head out for the run. I didn't really care about starting late because I need to run under the heat, so naturally the hotter the better.
Map Profile
I started at the Rosebowl and ran down to South Pasadena. I dump water on my body everytime I see a water fountain, this went on for a while and I went back to my car to resupply. That was mile 8 something. 9 more miles to go. It was hot and I almost went out of water on the south side. I know I am in for a treat.
So I went up to JPL. 2 miles later I ran out of water. Usually a bottle of water can last 4-5-6 miles. This time... 2 miles. I actually need to take a detour to Oak Grove Park to get water (if you look at the reply that was at mile 10.5... where I made a left).
My spirit was down because I ran out of water without 2 miles. How am I going to finish the run? I can go back to the Rosebowl where I know I have more water or I can push on to my turn around point. I decided to continue because I know I will probably quit if I get back to my car... Bad choice. I ran out of water before I hit the turn around point. I know I am safe because I can get to the turn around point safely but I was at a new low. I was walking, tired, and wonder if I need to hit Oak Grove Park again because I don't have enough water to go back from to the Rosebowl with one bottle of water.
Finally, I got to the turn around point at the Arroyo. I filled my water bottle and I was done mentally. Then... I realized I have one thing that can save my life and they are call Ziploc bags.
I usually carry small Ziploc for sport mix and I put them in a gallon Ziploc. So I used them to call water. I drink as much as I can, then I filled up my bottle, 1 small Ziploc and 1 gallon bag. I put the small Ziploc inside my shirt so I don't have to hold it. And that also acts as a radiator for me to get rid of my overheated body. And for the big one, I filled it up 2/3 of the wall, get all the air out, and folded the opening several times so that it's harder to break. You can see a picture below.
After this ziploc trick, I came back to life. It still took me a while but I finish the run without any further issues! Go Team!
I started at the Rosebowl and ran down to South Pasadena. I dump water on my body everytime I see a water fountain, this went on for a while and I went back to my car to resupply. That was mile 8 something. 9 more miles to go. It was hot and I almost went out of water on the south side. I know I am in for a treat.
So I went up to JPL. 2 miles later I ran out of water. Usually a bottle of water can last 4-5-6 miles. This time... 2 miles. I actually need to take a detour to Oak Grove Park to get water (if you look at the reply that was at mile 10.5... where I made a left).
My spirit was down because I ran out of water without 2 miles. How am I going to finish the run? I can go back to the Rosebowl where I know I have more water or I can push on to my turn around point. I decided to continue because I know I will probably quit if I get back to my car... Bad choice. I ran out of water before I hit the turn around point. I know I am safe because I can get to the turn around point safely but I was at a new low. I was walking, tired, and wonder if I need to hit Oak Grove Park again because I don't have enough water to go back from to the Rosebowl with one bottle of water.
Finally, I got to the turn around point at the Arroyo. I filled my water bottle and I was done mentally. Then... I realized I have one thing that can save my life and they are call Ziploc bags.
I usually carry small Ziploc for sport mix and I put them in a gallon Ziploc. So I used them to call water. I drink as much as I can, then I filled up my bottle, 1 small Ziploc and 1 gallon bag. I put the small Ziploc inside my shirt so I don't have to hold it. And that also acts as a radiator for me to get rid of my overheated body. And for the big one, I filled it up 2/3 of the wall, get all the air out, and folded the opening several times so that it's harder to break. You can see a picture below.
After this ziploc trick, I came back to life. It still took me a while but I finish the run without any further issues! Go Team!Thursday, July 2, 2009
First 100 mi Bike Ride
On Sat 6/27, I did my first 100 mile bike ride.
I treated this as my race day ride so I ride as fast as I can without going super fast (because remember... I have a marathon after the ride when I my ironman in Aug). I finished the ride in around 6:30 and I feel great!!!
This is my route.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7745394
I treated this as my race day ride so I ride as fast as I can without going super fast (because remember... I have a marathon after the ride when I my ironman in Aug). I finished the ride in around 6:30 and I feel great!!!
This is my route.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7745394
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