Tag: Running

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How I Balance My Fitness Goals in a Busy Season

Written December 8, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

Since I started running 10k more frequently than ever, I have been experiencing body exhaustion. This morning, I woke up pretty sleepy and succumbed to tiredness by sleeping an extra half-hour. Luckily, there were no time-sensitive demands on me this morning, so my lateness has no lasting consequences. The volatile weather made my work harder.

Undoubtedly, the more frequent 10K runs have impacted my energy level. I did a few 10k runs last week. I have chronic kidney disease, so I cannot eat even an average man’s protein amount. The food restriction impacts me when it comes to exercising. My body doesn’t seem to recover as fast as I would wish. The sudden change in exercise goals affects me more than I would like. Too much exercise can lead to muscle loss since I cannot eat enough protein. So, I must be extremely mindful of how much I work out.

I just have to sleep more than expected on days like today. I take this as a signal from my body that I need to rest more than usual. The year is about to end anyway, so I will only work on adjusting my goals now. I am nearly hitting the target, and I know it is doable. I still take a rest day on Sunday. I canceled everything that was occurring during the Christmas holiday.

We started to plan what we would eat for this Holiday. My family in Tennessee decided to spend Christmas Holidays at my sister’s house in Virginia. My wife can only take a few days off since she is the sole accountant at her company. There is so much year-end prep work she has to do. She has been automating so many tasks that she runs the finance department alone. Her company is still publicly traded, and the office where she works has nearly $50 million in sales. She says they are hoping to get one more accountant, which will ease her workload in the future. I support my wife however I can, so I will stay in Tennessee to spend our holidays together. 

Hopefully, the extra half hour will be enough to rejuvenate me, and I’ll be able to resume my desired schedule.

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Running Through the Cold: A Journey of Mobility, Goals, and Resilience

Written December 6, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

Today was so cold that I thought I was running in an enormous Freezer. Since I had new running goals, I had to run 10k in this weather, but I was reluctant to do so because of the weather.

Despite the cold weather, I managed to complete my run. My wife, who ran earlier in the morning on the same day, complained that the cold weather made her body stiff. I understand what she felt. I also needed to expend much more energy in cold weather to run and keep myself warm. I couldn’t beat my pace time, but I got close enough to be satisfied with my effort.  

I have been exercising stoicism when it comes to running. No matter the weather, I try to keep my promise to run. At first, I started running because my wife wanted me to walk toward getting better. She wanted me to have more endurance and the ability to walk or run. Since the brain stroke, I no longer drive cars, so I always have to ask my wife to drive me around. The ability to walk or run is my freedom of mobility outside the home.

We moved to a house near a doctor’s office, a dentist, and everything else I wanted to visit alone. Unless it is bad weather, I do not even ask my wife to drive to those places. The house is approximately 1.3 miles from these offices, so I can easily walk there. It was my freedom of mobility. 

Several years since I started running, running became my goal. It is no longer my wife’s goal. I internalized my vision and created the goal. They may not be aggressive, but I am steadily improving my running ability. 

I came to understand that it is right to approach your goal more slowly. I adjusted my running goals as per my capacity. The most crucial part is you are committed to the goals. I create a yearly goal with another layer of small goals underneath it. I adjust them quite frequently. It happens to me that things don’t work out very well on many occasions. I often stumble upon stagnation. If you read my blogs regularly, you already know that. It could be daunting and frustrating. Over time, I learned to make frequent adjustments to the goals. I may tweak how I achieve the goal. I sometimes tone down my goals. The important thing is not to give up and to commit to your goals.

I’ll also need to run a 10k tomorrow, but at least the weather will be more conducive.  Aside from running in the cold, I completed all my routine Friday chores and ate my usual Friday food, along with the last cider we got last Saturday.

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Resilience and Persistence are The keys to Getting Better

Written November 21, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

Yesterday, my run felt perfect, and I could finally beat my pace time, so I avoided allowing my target pace to creep back up to 10 minutes per kilometer.  I’m not sure what made my pace time better. I even felt much better when running and pushing harder. My wife said that maybe I am getting a runner’s high from it. I think it’s a bit different. My muscles may have finally gained enough strength to keep up with my desired pace. Regardless, I was pretty pleased with how it felt and the effectiveness of my run.

The first time I started running was sometime in 2017. I got my brain stroke in 2015. My wife and I walked daily after I was out of the rehabilitation center and started living in my house. I remember I had to rest very often because I got neurofatigue from just walking. It felt like I played a chess tournament and played three games daily. In 2016, I started jogging. I could do only 1.5 KM (less than 1 mile) at a time. It was more like walking now about the time. Then my wife got me a good pair of running shoes. It motivated me because I knew my wife was trying to adjust my budget since she had to stay home to take care of me, especially from 2015 to 2016.

After she went back to work in 2017, I continued running. My mother was surprised at how much I developed my calves when we moved to Tennessee, where she lives. My wife wanted to move to Tennessee to be near my family. She has considered it since she returned to work in 2017. She said she was worried a lot when I was in a rehabilitation center. My mother came to live with me in 2015 to help us, but she also had her mother to care for. She had difficulties depending on my family for help, and her family is in Japan. After I moved, I continued running.

It helped where we live, which has a lot of hills, unlike the place we lived in Portland. Running up and down the hills helps me develop different muscle types. I worked to increase my distance. Last year, I ran four 10 km runs per week.

This year, I started working on my pace. I mainly used my running apps to monitor my pace. I gradually increased my running speed. One thing I was very careful about was never setting unrealistic goals, which is something I taught my students at University. 

My body is much more robust, and I have gained much more endurance despite my kidney condition. That is why I am not feeling the running high I am feeling. My body is in better condition for running. 

Here is my plan for now. I will adjust my goal if I run at the same pace on my next run. I am still hoping to reach 9:00min/kilometer by the end of next year, and each small victory encourages me to believe this goal is achievable.

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Running Through the Seasons: A Humid Morning in Tennessee

Written November 6, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

It felt almost like the early morning of early summer in Tennessee when I woke up. When I woke, it was raining a little, and that, combined with the unseasonably warm weather, led to an uncomfortably humid run. After my post-run shower, I checked my weather app and learned it was near 80% relative humidity. We have had hurricane after hurricane the last couple of weeks. We don’t get direct hurricanes like the southern coastal states of the United States, but we still get some secondary hurricane effects such as excess rain and wind.

We thought the temperature had been getting chilly in October, but it started warming up again. Compared to the dry August this year, we have had a lot of rain these days. It’s been pretty warm and humid. My wife told me that it felt like early summer morning when she ran this morning. 

It feels like there are more rainy days than last year. Rain can make leaves gain weight. I am planning to clear some of my leaves tomorrow. Hopefully, the rain will stop, making it easier for me to clean them. However, I am afraid we will have rain tomorrow. I hear there will be another hurricane approaching Texas. It is nothing new. The hurricane season usually lasts until the end of November. We will use up all the alphabet for hurricane names. Unlike the weather in Oregon, we do not have many rainy days in the winter. 

I love running in this season, though. The holiday season is approaching. We have Thanksgiving at the end of November. Some houses still have Halloween decorations. Some houses have autumn decorations for Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving Day is a big holiday for Americans. My wife said she felt odd because Canadian Thanksgiving Day is on Columbus Day. It makes sense since Canada is much colder than the United States. Once Thanksgiving Day is over, we will have Christmas and New Year. However by the time Christmas is near, the temperature will have dropped significantly. I wonder if I would enjoy any decorations while I was running.

It is beautiful outside despite the rain. One downside of a day like this is that it is inconvenient to collect leaves. However, it’s not as bad as it sounds. The leaves around our house still change color and look beautiful, and I enjoy the comfortable temperature. It’s more humid than I like, but at least with this humidity level, my skin is unlikely to feel dry while running. I should cherish the temperature and enjoy my running.

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Celebrating Milestones With a Pumpkin Spice Latte

Written October 18, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

I decided to skip my run today since we planned to celebrate the milestone of her citizenship journey by indulging in a trip to Starbucks for coffee. My wife had her citizenship test/interview early this morning. Shortly after finishing my winter exercises, she called me to say she was on her way home. 

Her test was at 7:35 a.m., so she left the house at 6:40 a.m., leaving her an extra 20 minutes. When she goes to the office, she usually leaves the house around the same time, so the time itself does not bother her. She was worried that she would get lost or have an accident on the way. 

She has been preparing for the exam since April, but she gets distracted by something she finds curious. For example, she learned about the list of cabinets for the United States. She can’t stop there. She would dig through what each department does. She says time is her most considerable enemy because she forgets about time. Honestly, the way she studies or does anything, no time is enough. She got into so many troubles when she was much younger. She had to compromise with the environmental forces to prevent what she wanted, such as time. So whatever she does is planned for a long time. Some of her goals could be traced over a decade. 

I could not believe it when she told me she had never tried the famous seasonal treat, pumpkin spice latte. She had just found out about it and was eager to experience it. Knowing she would be back in roughly 30 minutes, I did not have time to finish a run before she returned. I wanted to be ready to leave for our coffee whenever she wanted.  Since it was freezing this morning, I was not too upset about skipping my run; I’ll have to commit to the full 10k to compensate for today’s laziness.

My wife had a pumpkin spice latte. Since I haven’t had a pumpkin spice latte before this year, I tried the Pecan Crunch Latte. I prefer a pumpkin spice latte. My wife loved her pumpkin spice latte. She was wondering how the coffee tasted of pumpkin. 

We are planning to donate the materials used for the citizenship process. My wife was worried that she had written something in them, but I told her that some people could benefit. 

I am happy that she has reached another milestone, as I know she has wanted U.S. citizenship for a long time.

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Dealing with Unexpected Setbacks To Better

Some days are full of disappointments. Today is one of those days. Last night, I banged my toe on a door. I thought the pain would go away, but it got even more painful. It was just one toe on my left foot, but I struggled to walk. I could not run this morning because of the toe injury.

Even more disappointing. I lost my 648-day streak on my language learning app, not because I missed a day. Yesterday, my language app was acting strangely and initially wouldn’t load the day’s lesson.  It eventually loaded, and I completed it, but apparently, it didn’t record that. I know it is just a streak on the app. In reality, I actually did not even miss a day. It is still disturbing. 

Meanwhile, this situation is getting worse than I thought. I mean, I just hit it on a door! All I was doing was putting away some freshly laundered towels, minding my own business, and next thing I knew, my foot was too close to the closet door when I opened it—bam, right into my toe. With the pain, I had great difficulty walking, but I am trying to walk with as normal a gait as possible to avoid additional injury. An additional injury is the last thing I want at this point. Who expected a little banging to create so much trouble? My wife was worried about my toe. Although, I don’t think the injury is so severe that I will need any professional attention now. 

On a day like this, I try to remember the moral points I learned from books. Have you ever read the book, “A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”? Well, the story is like the problem the protagonist faces. Arthur was freaking out about his house being bulldozed, and meanwhile, there was a plan to eradicate Earth. The book is comical, but it teaches something. Maybe the problem you think is so bad may not be that bad. In other words, avoid getting so caught up in the little problems. Thinking like this makes me feel calmed down. 

Hopefully, I’m feeling well enough not to feel forced to skip additional runs. I don’t want to miss any more runs because of a tiny injury on my toe, and I miss it. Well, time will tell.

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 Braving the Storm: How I Turned a Rainy Day Run into a Win

Written September 27, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

As I woke up, I heard the sound of rain hitting our roof. This morning began with frustration as heavy rain blanketed the area. While I don’t usually mind running in the rain, starting a run when it’s already pouring is always tough. I checked my phone, hoping for a break in the weather, but the forecast showed steady rain all day. 

My first thought was to postpone my run until tomorrow. Then, I stopped my thought. The rain is expected to continue, which isn’t exactly what I think is ideal. I don’t enjoy running in the rain, but I also didn’t want to miss out on the several days of running. Despite the hard rain earlier, the rain did not seem as heavy as it had sounded earlier. So, I weighed my options. If I didn’t run today, I wouldn’t have another chance for days. With that in mind, I decided to brave the rain.

I grabbed my windbreaker to shield myself from the initial downpour, knowing it wouldn’t keep me dry for long. The rain was part of a hurricane moving through Georgia. While hurricane rain in summer feels dense and muggy, autumn rain brings a chilly bite, even if that was caused by the hurricane. My wife, who usually avoids running in the rain, mentioned that the rain was more of a mist when she went out earlier. She also felt the pressure to run today, knowing the weather would only worsen in the coming days.

Stepping outside, I was met with cold, wet air. My shoes, still damp from yesterday’s run, made every step squishy. After covering about a kilometer, I realized that running the full 5k in these conditions would be uncomfortable. I gave myself an incentive: if I could beat my target pace and hold it for at least half a kilometer, I would allow myself to stop early. This kilometer of extra push somehow worked, and I managed to hit my goal, cutting the run short at 3 kilometers from the distance I originally planned. 

I headed back home soaking wet. While I was running, I felt the water pushing out of my shoes. The rain had washed sweat and remnants of my face moisturizer into my eyes while I was running, which were stinging by the time I got home. As soon as I arrived, I jumped into a hot shower.

Unfortunately, it looks like today’s rain will prevent me from finishing the sanding project I had planned. Hopefully, there will be enough dry weather tomorrow to finish it; otherwise, it’ll have to wait until the skies clear.

In the end, I got my run in, even though it was only 3 kilometers, and that’s what matters most to me. I still consider it a success.

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Unexpected Connections on a Shortened Run

Written September 21, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

Today, I ran shorter than usual. Earlier in the week, I was able to run at a faster pace, so I decided to scale down my 10k run to 5k. This also worked out with my wife and I’s other plans. We planned to shop for new running shoes since both of ours had exceeded their mileage. Running on worn-out shoes increases the risk of injury, so it was time for replacements.

During the day, I had a pleasant surprise—a neighbor I hadn’t met before came over to introduce herself. She lives in a house with a garden my wife has always admired, so I was happy to finally learn her name. My wife often sees her while running during the summer when the neighbor is out tending to her plants. Her garden really is one of the prettiest in the area.

She mentioned that bunnies had been nibbling on her plants, but they had since disappeared, likely due to a nearby fox. My wife had mentioned spotting a fox recently, though she wasn’t sure at the time, as it darted off quickly behind a house. It made her a little sad when I told her about the missing bunnies. She knows it’s just part of the food chain but enjoys seeing the rabbits around. Once, she even witnessed an owl hunting one, which left her quite upset. Early runs let you witness a lot of unique wildlife moments. On the other hand, I usually run a bit later, so I miss out on some of those events.

There are always people walking or running in our neighborhood. Most are friendly and enjoy striking up a conversation mid-run. Since moving to Nashville, I’ve met a lot of our neighbors this way. My wife runs early in the mornings and often sees familiar faces, but she doesn’t stop chatting much since she likes to start her workday early.

Meeting new people is always a good thing, and it’s nice to know more of our neighbors. Unfortunately, I forgot to pause my running app while talking, so it recorded the time I spent standing still at my average speed. Despite that, the app still saved the times, and the recorded run wasn’t completely off. At the end of the day, the numbers didn’t matter too much—what’s important is that I got in my exercise and got to know another neighbor, which is something I value in its own way.

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Celebrating Progress On Hitting My Running Pace

Written Septermber 6, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

Today brought some good news—my efforts have finally paid off. During my run, I achieved the pace I’ve been aiming for as part of my end-of-year goal. This achievement is a significant milestone for me, and it feels incredible to see my progress. Because of this success, I’ve set a new rule for myself: for each run, I will reduce my pace time by 5 seconds. The challenge I’ve given myself is to beat this reduced pace twice in a row, with no more than two failures in between. Once I accomplish that, I’ll lock in my end-of-year pace goal at the new speed.

One thing I’ve come to realize is how different it feels to focus on pace rather than just distance. Initially, my running goals were all about how far I could go. But now, I’ve become more conscious of the nuances involved in pacing myself, and it’s an entirely different experience. Running pace can fluctuate based on many factors I hadn’t considered before. For example, external temperature can give me a boost or slow me down considerably. Cooler days tend to energize me, while hotter days can make running feel like an uphill battle. Similarly, wind and weather conditions greatly influence how well I perform. A strong headwind can be exhausting, while a nice tailwind makes me feel like flying.

My physical condition is another critical factor. One day, I might feel full of energy and ready to tackle my run, while the next day, my body might feel heavy, making it harder to keep a steady pace. These variables make running a more dynamic challenge than I initially anticipated, and it has taught me to be flexible with my expectations.

In addition to pacing, I’ve also learned the importance of taking care of my body during this journey. Overexertion is a real risk, especially when the weather is extreme. Running too long in the blazing summer heat can be dangerous, mainly if I run low on water. I must constantly monitor hydration, as it can make or break a good run. Additionally, I’ve realized that I need to prioritize rest when my muscles are sore or not recovering properly. Pushing through without adequate recovery could lead to injuries or setbacks, which I want to avoid.

I also have specific dietary restrictions that make recovery more challenging. Since I have limits on my protein intake, I have to be careful not to lose muscle through overexertion. Muscle loss is a real concern for me, so I’m mindful of balancing my exercise with the nutrients my body needs to repair and grow. Monitoring my calorie intake is another part of the process. I need to fuel my body for these runs without going overboard. Through it all, I remind myself I’m running to improve and strengthen my body—not harm it. This is a promise I made to myself when I first started running, and it’s something I hold onto as I continue to progress.

My running journey began after I lost mobility due to a brain stroke. It was a tough time, but after several months of rehabilitation, I was able to walk again. Eventually, I worked my way up to running, a huge victory. Now, I’m running and pushing myself to get faster. While it’s still a struggle to improve my speed, I’m determined to keep going, step by step.

Today, I want to celebrate my success. It’s easy to get caught up in the next goal, the next challenge, but it’s essential to take a moment to appreciate how far I’ve come. I’m thrilled with how today’s run went, and it serves as a reminder that progress is possible, no matter how difficult the journey may seem.

I look forward to what comes next and am excited to see where this running journey takes me.

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The Secrets to Improve in Running is Recovery and Embracing Your Strength

Written September 2, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

Recently, I’ve noticed that my body hasn’t been recovering as well as I’d like. Over the past few days, I’ve been pushing myself hard, not just with running but also with yard work, and it’s starting to show. One of the more challenging aspects of managing my kidney condition is how it impacts muscle repair. My body doesn’t bounce back as quickly, and the restrictions on my diet certainly play a role. I’m limited in what I can eat, affecting my body’s healing ability. Surprisingly, I’ve adapted pretty well to the dietary limitations—they don’t frustrate me much anymore. But when I push my physical limits, I feel the consequences.

This year, I’ve consciously tried to improve my running pace. I’ve been running for several years, and until last year, I focused on completing 10 km runs. I enjoyed the challenge of reaching that distance, but now I’m shifting my focus. It’s not just about running far anymore; I want to run faster. Since we live in a hilly area, my runs always begin with a significant challenge—a 17-meter elevation gain immediately. I know some runners actively seek out hills for training, but for me, it’s just the reality of running in my neighborhood. There’s no way around it. In a way, I guess we’re fortunate. Others come here specifically to train on hills, but it’s simply part of the landscape for us. Every run starts with a climb, whether I like it or not.

This morning, I was disappointed with my pace. I’ve developed a habit of analyzing my runs and trying to figure out what factors might be impacting my performance. Was it the terrain? Was I more fatigued than I realized? There’s always something to consider. My runner wife often reminds me that discipline is more important than constantly worrying about numbers. She says running is unpredictable, and there can be many factors—weather, how well I’ve slept, stress levels, and even the amount of yard work I’ve done the day before. What matters most is that I don’t give up.

And she’s right. The important thing is that I keep running. No matter what, I’m putting in the effort, ultimately leading to improvement. While it’s easy to get fixated on pace, I know I’ve worked hard, and that’s where the real value lies. The numbers will eventually catch up to the effort. Improvement might come slower than I’d like, and it might not always be smooth. There will be setbacks, and some days will feel like I’m running through mud. But I know I’ll see progress as long as I keep putting one foot before the other.

The pace won’t improve as quickly as I’d hoped, and I may have more days where recovery feels frustratingly slow. But I’m learning that it’s okay. It’s part of the journey. And with consistency, I’ll get there—step by step, day by day.