Recent runs

The week after my last entry was mixed as far as running goes. I had a great outing in the early morning run - fantastic, not a sole in sight (seemed like!) and I had the roads to myself. I did 6k and it was one of the most enjoyable runs. After that I was in Kakinada and could only manage 3 runs for that week instead of 4 (one evening run was aborted after I was just not with it), but I managed to catch up with a long run on the Sunday, albeit a painful one.... I wanted to do some 18 odd km but after 14km or so my toes started jamming in my shoe as they swelled up... the Brooks Glycerine that I was wearing was not tested out for 15km+ runs and I realised that the toe box was too narrow. By the time I did 17 km it was two hours with some walking after 15.5 km - I was in pain. So gave up and went home... it took me 2 hrs. So, week 2 of Singapore prep looked like this:

1. Tuesday, 12th Aug, 3:30 AM, Chennai - 6 km
2. Thursday, 14th Aug, 7:15 PM, Kakinada - 5 km
3. Friday, 15th Aug, 8:00 PM, Chennai - 3 km walk
4. Sunday, 17th Aug, 5:15 AM, Chennai - 17 km

The last week was much more eventful, and the highlight was my Sunday run of 21.1 km in 2:14 tracking the same route as that of the Chennai Marathon coming up next weekend. I had not crossed 20k since Brisbane in April. I felt restless right through Saturday (good!) and did not sleep much overnight. I paced myself well and had a few more kms left in me at the finish. I am not sure if I can better this performance next weekend though I initially aspired for a 2 hr finish. Reason being mostly weather oriented - the run starts at 6:30 and the sun would be up and intense by the time we are at the half way mark. Almost all my runs during Week 3 were pretty good....

1. Tuesday, 19th Aug, 8:00 PM, Chennai - 5 km (treadmill)
2. Thursday, 21st Aug, 5:15 AM, Chennai - 10 km
3. Friday, 22nd Aug, 5:15 AM, Chennai - 7.5 km
4. Sunday, 24th Aug, 5:15 AM, Chennai - 21.1 km

I am a bit sore today from the run yesterday. Should be OK for tomorrow morning's run.

Adios.

The tale behind the tiger

I have made this blog address public now.... I have no idea how frequently I can visit and update this space but here it is, my own space in the lanscape! After reading some of the blogs of my running buddies from Chennai Runners I am pretty sure I will not be able to emulate their articulation, span of coverage, frequency of entries. But hey just like running, it does not matter - I will run my own race. The intent of this blog is largely running and all random bits that are in some way related to it.

FAQ 1: Where did I pick up this nick name of tiger swami?
It was during my golfing days about 10 years ago when one of my buddies - Tony Hausknecht or Bruce Kelso - or both - decided that I resembled Tiger Woods and started calling me Tiger Swami. To these two guys I owe all my little knowledge and experience of golfing.... Anyway while selecting a name for my gmail ID I got tired of not getting what I want and came up with tigerswami... my running buddies in chennai got hooked on to the name pretty quick and it stuck!
FAQ2: What is my handicap? (or was) - I don't have a handicap. I am a cripple. But, I had a mean put.... and generally after a couple of holes I would start looking forward to the 19th hole.
FAQ3: Am I a golfer now?
Nope. Will I get back into it? Probably, but not in the near future. Running takes away too much of my spare time and energy.

Speaking of running, following on my post on Sunday. I got out for a run at 6:45 PM. Decided to take the Malar Hospital > Indra Nagar bus top > Kotturpuram loop first and cover 8k that way and then do the rest around Boat Club. This, was a BIG mistake. I was running beautifully but really got put off by the heavy traffic, people cutting in and out, auto rickshaws and cars hardly giving me the space to keep running - plus I could hardly see the road due to watching on coming traffic (vehicles and humans) and poor street lights; to add to it the roads were noticeably not flat, they were full of slopes and pot holes had to stop many times, swerve and slide! Something I never paid attention to when I run this circuit early morning. Never again will I get out this way at this time. By the time I came around the 5k mark around the Kotturpuram road turn, I was done by the traffic, the pollution and the start stops. After that it was mental, not physical - I finally called it quits at 12.5k. When I came back and updated my training plan Vs actuals I realised I was 0.6 short on the cumulative mileage to date... bugger! Should I have checked what the break even number was!

Anyway. It's about 3 AM now. I got up about half an hour ago.... have a flight to catch and need to be in the airport at 5:30 AM... I don't want to miss my 5k run planned for the day, so, here I am, waiting to step out in a short while and get the run out of the way.

Am I crazy? Call me what you like. I am just focused.

Getting stuck into training

I am going back to Singapore with a vengeance. I have to conquer the distance in <5:00 this time.

Every time I have drawn up a training plan it seems to bring back intense focus on to my running. I speak from the experience of having trained over an 18 week plan for Singapore and a 10 week plan for Brisbane. Without a training plan or goal my running seems to lack focus and I tend to get very contended with 5 to 6 km runs. Doing a couple of marathons a year would fix that problem by the looks! Now, lets think about this one. 2 marathons a year - at this rate, by the time I am 50 I would have completed 24 marathons! Wow. May be I should throw in the 2 Oceans Marathon (an ultra at about 54 km) and the Comrades (another ultra at about 92 km) in and that should take me past 25 marathons!!

The week that's gone by...
Tuesday: 5.6 k over the flyovers and then on to the gym for some stretching
Wednesday: 8 km around the boat club and river view roads
Friday: Hyderabad - 5 km on a treadmill at the hotel
Pending - a 16k run today - I slept in. Was too tired and needed the sleep after a fairly intense week at work. Am planning to run this evening, still undecided about the route.

I have tried to focus on what I eat and moderate / avoid beer, non veg food and sweets. I can't say that I was too successful. Its tougher when you travel and attend meetings, conferences and dinners. But I have started to think twice before reaching out to that bottle / platter!

I have visited the gym more number of times over the last 7 days than I have been ever over a similar period! That's a good sign. I need to strengthen core, back and legs... not to forget Project Doberman!!!!

Highlight of the week: Sajjan Jindal, the VC & MD of JSW Steel was the guest speaker at the annual meet of the group I work for. It was a very inspiring address, something that makes me reflect and wonder about many aspects of my career, goals and dreams. An address that resonated so well within me - because of the parallels in character and outlook to life and work that I have and what he was sharing about himself. Among other things he spoke about the importance of being fit and how fitness is a great stress buster for him.. he said that the brain needs oxygen and his fitness routine is key. He does not compromise on his game of squash or volleyball even during intense work demands - he takes time for it. Reminds me of what I say to myself: "If you want something badly, you've got to make time for it".

Another couple hours before I step out for the long run of the week... can't wait. My Ipod shuffle has been playing up despite 2 visits to the service centre and getting "serviced" - I've got so used to music on the run that I strap on the big old 20 GB bugger to make up for it. Time to buy another shuffle. It's becoming a "use and throw" item - I have been through 2 of them in <2 yrs. Fortunately the price is now less than half of what the first one I bought.

Cheers...

Getting Set for Singapore

18 weeks to go before the Singapore Marathon and I have just drawn up my training plan for the event. Need to register and book my travel later today. After going through a fairly sluggish period where my running was more in the region of 5 to 6k since finishing the Brisbane marathon in a personal record time of 4:45, I feel am ready to ramp up my mileage. I think I will drop out of the Hyderabad half marathon on 16th Aug. Will gun for Chennai half marathon on 31st instead - 2 hrs target > may be tough (with a 6:30 start) but will give it a go.
For Singapore prep this time around I will do hill / interval training on Tuesdays, and visit the gym at least 2 days a week for core and back strengthening, besides stretching and doing some weight training. I am also wanting to lose 2 to 3 kg, the thinking being that I can go faster.
Project Doberman is also a temptation... this is one where I lose my beer gut and am able to run topless shamelessly like the two blokes who did so during the last ECR run! But for this I think running alone won't do - a life style change is required... beer, eating out, greasy, non veg food, sweets & desserts have to go or reduce - now that's a real challenge for me!