Saturday, December 13, 2008

Taipei County's 2008 International Volunteer Day

Activities/Actions:
Biked from Nangang to join the ride from Banciao to Xindian and then back to Nangang!

Stat:

Course condition:
Nice weather; sunny and clear sky.

to Banciao

Date: 12/13/2008
Start Time: 05:34:00
End Time: 06:44:00
Time Taken: 01:10:00
Route: Sinica 2 Banciao Station
Total Distance: 16.62 mi.
Burned: 758 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 04:13 (avg)
Speed: 14.25 (mi/hr) (avg)


to Xindian

Date: 12/13/2008
Start Time: 09:03:00
End Time: 10:49:00
Time Taken: 01:46:00
Route: Banciao-BikeRent 2 Sindian
Total Distance: 10.08 mi.
Burned: 459 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 10:31 (avg)
Speed: 5.71 (mi/hr) (avg)

Back from Xindian

Date: 12/13/2008
Start Time: 12:28:00
End Time: 14:02:00
Time Taken: 01:34:00
Route: SinDian 2 home
Total Distance: 12.43 mi.
Burned: 407 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 07:34 (avg)
Speed: 7.93 (mi/hr) (avg)




Note and reflections:

Waking up around 4a to go to lab to finish some work, I could not finish it by the time I have to leave for Banciao at around 5:15a. I pedaled due West in a breezing morning in the less-crowded streets of Taipei City. Many bikers, runners and walkers were enjoying their morning activities along the bike trails and parks, as well as the shop owners and vegetable whole-sellers at Wanhua Market were busy with their business. I arrived at Banciao Station around 6:45a and Wayne's mom fed me up by a big breakfast and even gave me some friuts and snacks to take home.

After I was full Wayne and I left home around 7:15 to meet his friends--Xiao Hao, Lu Dan, and LD's husband. Lu Dan was one of the organizers for this activities. There were many volunteer groups who started their biking journey to promote the importance of volunteers. Bikers were given flags to put on our bike, a yellow vest to wear (each group had different color vest), two types of removable tattoos (one for cheak and the other for hand). By the time we got ready and biked out, it was around 9a. Actually, the most of the member has left before us (we were the last).

Just less than a mile, however, I fell off the bike because I suddenly hit the break to avoid hitting the girls who was making a sudden stop in front of me. I was alright. Thanks to the gloves my left balm and right wrist were only a bit pain. We biked along the left bank of the river, where I would complete the full length of the section between Xin Dain and Banciao.

Wayne and I arrived at the activity venue around 10:30a. The sites had been alrady crowded by people of various ages and the stage had performances by (generally older) volunteers. They were very cute. We enjoyed the activity, got lunchbox and NT$50 from the organizers. I did not know that we would get paid. Around 12:30, Wayne and I biked home but Xiao Hao, Lu Dan and her husband took MRT back because they got rental bikes, which were returned here.

The sun was strong in a generally-cloudless sky. I had been feeling sleepy since I got to XinDian. So, I decided to bike home, buying Xian-Yu-Xian near Kunyang with my NT$50 reward. Took a good nap in the afternoon before going back to lab to finish my work.

PS. I forgot to call Ya-Wen that I would not stop by as earlier planned. :(
PS2. I saw the countdown board to ING Marathon at the city hall, but it said "10 Days"! Only 8 Days left, actually!

Photos:

Guangfu Bridge at dawn break.


Wayne and the tattoos!


Removable tattoos...


The event flag on our bikes with my red Timbuk2


A fellow volunteer biker curving near Yongfu Bridge


The flag flying on my bike.


Almost there! A little girl with her cute bike; Wayne was on the way back.


Arrived finally!


Falling down?


Fellow volunteers in front of check-in booth.


Performances


Performances


Our group chanting the team's slogan.


A little monkey performer.

Continue reading the rest...

Friday, December 12, 2008

Morning Run Kick-Off

Morning run kick-off

Activities/Actions:
Easy Run in the morning.

Stat:

3 m run

Date: 12/12/2008
Start Time: 07:44:00
End Time: 08:19:00
Time Taken: 00:35:00
Route: 3M-Regular Sinica
Total Distance: 3.82 mi.
Burned: 417 (kcal)
Laps: 1
Pace: 09:10 (avg)
Speed: 6.54 (mi/hr) (avg)



Course condition:
The weather was very nice. Yu-Hsiang said, "it feels like Taroko" during the Marathon.

How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)
Physically 5
Mentally 5
About my nutrition 4
About my sleep 3


How hard did I work? 6
(the 10-point scale)

Note and reflections:

After the talk with Yu-Hsiang on Monday about morning runs, finally today was the first morning (after Toroko Race for me) and we hoped that morning run will continue until the race next weekend. I totally agree with J.J. that the morning run is good. The weather this morning was "feeling like Taroko" on the race day [วิ่งไม่หยุด: 2008 Taroko Half Marathon Race]: cool atmosphere after light rain with calm wind and freshly smell of soaked dirt. Yu-Hsaing was the one who kept the pace of this morning run. We ran along the regular 3 mile route with a continuation to China Institute of Technology and back to GRC. In the office, Azhong said that he may join us for one of the next year races. Later, I went for some stretching and weighting in the gym.

Continue reading the rest...

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

15.6 mile (25.1 kilometer) Wednesday

Celebrating the 200th mile on Brooks Defyance

Activities/Actions:

A long run: 15.6 miles

Stat:

The half (13.1 miles) time was under 1 hour 45 minutes.

Long Run: 15 miles

Date: 12/10/2008
Start Time: 17:58:00
End Time: 20:03:00
Time Taken: 02:05:16
Route: 1m in Sinica (Tai Chi Route)
Total Distance: 15.60 mi.
Laps: 15
Burned: 1,696 (kcal)
Laps: 15
Pace: 08:01 (avg)
Speed: 7.47 (mi/hr) (avg)


Gear Summary

Shoes: Brooks - Defyance (total: 201.72 mi.)

Stopped for drinks at the laps 3, 6, 8, 11, 13 for the total of ~9 minutes.



Course condition:
The day had been warm and nice, but I started when the sun was going down. The moon was brightly shining in the clear, cloudless sky. The wind was calm for the first 10 laps but picking up for the last five. Changed direction of the run for the last two laps, which ran at a slow pace.

How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)
Physically 4
Mentally 5
About my nutrition 4.5
About my sleep 4


How hard did I work? 8.5
(the 10-point scale)

Note and reflections:
This was the longest run of the training. As the number of lap is increasing, the sun has long gone and the moon shows her brightest ray, my body is soaking up with sweat and my figures are getting cold even though a pair of open finger gloves is worn [I guess, open finger gloves would help?!?]. The last two laps are tired (I guess that I need food), but I feel very good after the run. Taking a break for about 45 minutes, I later biked home to get my prescription (eye drops) and food and back to lab to conclude a 1-hour errand.

Note: The batteries for the front light of my bike were replaced on the 9th because they were running out of power completely. Tuesday run was canceled because of a flu shot.

The 3-year old gloves [Harbinger 155] are still working well, bought just before 2006 New Year Road Trip to Mammoth Cave with Kou, Rina, Yeong-shin and YS's friend.

Continue reading the rest...

Sunday, December 07, 2008

the 1st week of December, 3 more weeks left 'til ING

ฑีฆายุโก โหตุ มหาราชา
Long live the King.

Activities/Actions:

where is my long run?

Stat:

Course condition:
Most of the run were on treadmill. Outside run (twice) on Tai Chi Statue.


Note and reflections:

So far, the longest run I made in this training season was the half marathon race (13 miles). The others were 10-11 miles. I believe that I have to do a long run this week soon, hoping for 20 miles as this was the goal of today (but it ended with 2+9.3 miles). Today run was fine, except that I felt cold on my hands and fingers because of sweat soaking up my shirt and shorts.

Thai politics
PAD closed down Bangkok's airports, moving out on the 3rd after the Prime Minister was ousted by the Constitutional Court. Hope for the bright days soon! The red-shirts had been gathering and would opposed the opposite side in forming a new government.

Water bottles
I returned to use my 10-year old water bottle because the lid of L.L. Bean has been broken [วิ่งไม่หยุด: A water bottle under Tai Chi statue]. Sure, this 10-year old bottle has learned to speak three languages.

For the full activity log visit. http://www.mapmyrun.com/user_training?u=368516315439

The 10-year old bottle learning to speak three languages.

Continue reading the rest...