2104 Warsaw Half

Off to a good start through the old town of Warsaw

My surprising transformation into a runner happened after completing the 2012 Warsaw Half Marathon.  Trotting across the finish line two hours and seven minutes after I started the race, I felt like I had achieved something really significant.  I was tired.  I remember passengers hearing my sighs on the tram after the race.  I remember my knees hurting as I slowly edged down the stairs to the metro.  I remember coming home with my first medal and feeling hungry.   This was the race that introduced me to running.  Despite being tired on that day, after running the Warsaw Half, I immediately knew that I was ready for more.

One of our pre-race traditions, the WITC photo

pushing on through close to 20k

Fast forward two years, and the Warsaw Half has come and gone again.   Like most of the Warsaw Halfs (with the exception of last year’s frigid temperatures) the weather was nice and there were plenty of supportive fans to cheer me on.  What was different this time though is that I crossed the finish line with a time of 1:34:52—more than 30 minutes faster than in 2012.   Instead of taking the race slowly, I really pushed myself and carried on with a pace of about 4:35/km. Also, I had my gang of runners from Warsaw International Club (WITC) to run with.  It’s always good to have friends to run with.  Anyway, the half marathon is always a fun way to get ready for the full marathons that are starting up in the coming weeks and months in 2014.   Go to the Warsaw Half  Marathon video here.

GP Warszawa

Smiles after a successful race

Like most European cities, Warsaw is a hectic place.  It’s no surprise that there’s traffic, crowded buses, sardine tin packed trams, and a lot of busy people caught up in the daily grind of racing to get to home or  to the office.    What is even more frustrating in Warsaw are the cold winters.  Life can be a bit of a bummer sometimes for a native small town Californian in a busy city on a snowy January day.  What is refreshing though is that spring truly is fantastic here.  Additionally, Warsaw has so many parks, which is a huge bonus for us runners.  On the North and South ends of the city are a plethora of trails through large shady forests that are wonderful places to escape the daily craziness and to chalk up a few miles.  With all of these favorable conditions, it’s no coincidence that Warsaw has a great 10k race series called GP Warszawa.  It’s a series of ten races through a handful of parks in Warsaw.  This is something I always look forward to.  Also, as the races are on Saturdays, I sort of feel like I am a kid again and I get that giddy sensation like I when I used to go to my little league games.  So it’s a great spiritual lift after a cold winter.

Smiles because of a completed race and warmer weather!

Most cities have their share of races.   However, what is interesting about the Warsaw GP is that it is only through parks in Warsaw.  Not only that, it’s a only a small group of runners that turn out which makes the atmosphere incredibly relaxed; come often and you start to recognize the regulars.   Despite the breezy personalities of the people who do turn up, it does get a little competitive at times, but with the warmer weather it's a great opportunity to work on improving one's time.  However, it’s more about being outside and getting some exercise with your friends.  In the end, that's what it's all about. It’s great to live in a place that has all of this in such an accessible way.  For a person who doesn’t always like busy places, it’s good to have such an outlet.

Run for your Doughnuts

Order those doughnuts! February 27, Fat 

Thursday

Record time consumption before a run 

One of the reasons I run is that I love to eat.  Running makes eating guilt free.   Today was no exception, but I did push the limits a bit.  Anyway, on February 27 this year in Poland is “tlusty Czwartek,” which means “fat Thursday.”  This is the day that puts the word guilt  in guilt-free eating to the test.  It is essentially a Christian tradition that is observed on the final Thursday before Lent.  In Poland and several other European countries the day is celebrated by buying jam-filled doughnuts called “paczki,” in Polsih.  Delicately frosted and jam-filled, they are simply divine.   Also, you can find them everywhere.   That is why I decided to grab a few just a couple of steps from my apartment before a short eight kilometer jaunt around Park Mlocinski today.  I normally eat a banana before a short run as I tend to avoid doughnuts because they are quite sweet, but exceptions are to be made from time to time.  So I made an exception and inhaled two before my run.  The wonderful flavor melted in my mouth, but in my selfish haste to finish my paczki the jam exploded on my pants.  Regardless, they tasted great. I even benefited from the extra blast of sugar during my run.  I might have to make this exception again sometime soon.  Go get your doughnuts and run!  Better run for your doughnuts!

It’s Racing Season (again)

Up the final (21st) hill in a 10K endurance test

The thing about running is that it is just so hard to stop once you start.  You feel better, see real progress in something, sleep better, and don’t have to worry about your clothes being too small for you.  You just have to do more laundry.  Anyway, the more I run, the more I like it.  That is why I am excited about getting back into the race season after resting and recovering over the past couple of months.  Two weeks ago, I was able to dust off a few cobwebs at the first Grandprix Warszawa of 2014, http://biegi.waw.pl/, a 10k-race series that runs monthly until the end of the year, while last week I put my hill-running (in) ability to the test in an off-road 10k race outside of Warsaw,http://orienteering.waw.pl/en//node/838. Both times I was forced to swallow my pride and accept the low times I earned because I had not really prepared for pushing myself for any distance at a racing speed, but felt great in the end knowing that I’ll soon be ready to run a few marathons and more in 2014.   I'm looking forward to this year.

I Run So I Can Be Outside

Getting some fresh air in January in Warsaw is essential to making the most of the winter

Being from the San Francisco Bay Area, it would seem unnatural to have such an intrepid attitude when it comes to running outside in cold winters in Poland; nevertheless, that is exactly how I am.  Of course I wasn’t always like this.  On the contrary, I spent the previous couple of winters galloping along on a noisy treadmill among the 'tween' winter health club clients in Warsaw.   The problem I had with the health clubs, however, was the fact that I was simply not outside getting any fresh air.  For me, that is one of the most fundamental aspects about running.  Fresh air, exercise, and a feeling of overcoming those mental barriers that people feel so intimidated by, that is what running should be—not doing the running man on a treadmill.   Despite the cold, snow, and wind, I have converted myself into a fully-fledged four season runner.

It’s not that I avoided all running in the snow last winter; it’s just that I did it on only one or two occasions to break the monotony.  However, I overused the warm comforts of the health club to keep to my routine.  It was effective, but without the pure pleasure of being outside and breathing fresh air. This winter I’m determined to break the convenience of the gym, and keep up with the winter running in parks and along proper trails while taking in the delightful winter landscapes.  After surviving -13 degree Celsius cold last week while not freezing myself solid, I have come to realize that winter running is not only manageable, but dare I say it, fun to boot. 

Enjoying the scenery of Warsaw in January

Anyway, as I’ve been running for a few years now, I’ve accumulated a sizable collection of running clothes, which is imperative in keeping covered when running.  By dressing in layers and making sure everything is tucked in, you can manage as well.  There’s nothing to worry about.  You just have to take the leap.  Having the right clothes (which doesn't mean the most expensive clothes), and you can stay where you should be when you go running—outside. 

I am attaching an inspiring video by Tim VanOrden on how to dress properly for cold weather.  If you don’t read what I write, you should at least check out the advice in this clip.

Maraton PB: Advice, Keep Running!

Being snowed under with work and a bit of procrastination to boot on my part has kept me from updating this blog. To my disappointment I've been avoiding the work of posting information about my running life over the past few months.  Despite my inability to check in recently, I still managed to rack up a PB at the Warsaw Marathon in September of last year.  At three hours and thirty-four minutes, it was not a time that would qualify me for London or Boston, but it was a huge improvement in my own running ability, and an for me an incredibly efficiently run race. The key for me was to carry out a simple action that one should do in  any other marathon: to keep running.  If you can just keep that pace for 42 kilometers, (26.2 mi) then you can sail across the finish line with your own best time.  It is, however, easier said than done.

They say (and you know they say a lot) that the third time is a charm.  For me though, it took me four marathons to earn a respectable result.  The first three were all learning experiences that painfully illustrated the fact that there is always room for improvement.  The first marathon, in Warsaw in 2012,  was all about getting over the hump of actually completing that first marathon.  I dutifully prepared myself for it and was really careful about staying hydrated during the race.  By keeping a steady pace, I finished in under four hours.  After completing the first marathon, I traveled to Lodz in Poland a few months later thinking that since I had a marathon under my belt, the second one would be easier.  Unfortunately, this was not the case.  Lack of preparation in the run up to this marathon left me tired and lethargic during the last ten kilometers and I ended up having to walk between the thirty-ninth and fortieth kilometer.  I managed to trot the last two kilometers to the finish, but crossed the finish about twenty minutes later than my first time.  

Taking the previous disappointment as a lesson learned; I took advantage of the warm spring weather and trained diligently for my third marathon which was an off road marathon in the lake district (Mazury) in Poland.  This was a fantastic run.  Scenic and warm, it was a blissful run with a small group of runners.  Despite the enjoyable experience, my technical fault in this race was my overly conservative pace.  I was really prepared for this off road race, and I could have clocked in with a better time.  Still,  at 3:56 for a rather hilly off-road race is nothing to frown at.  Anyway, in the end, I made sure I had prepared enough, drank enough water, and trusted myself a bit more to continue to the finish line.  Looking at the first three marathons as learning experiences, I really set a higher standard for myself with the fourth finish last September.

With this knowledge, I hope I'll be ready for the next one in May,  in Krakow.  Remember, listen to the boy scouts when they say "be prepared," drink a lot of water while you run, and trust your legs.  They won't fall off.

Check out a short video of the 2013 Warsaw Marathon.