Team In Training 18 miles training

I did 16 today because I didn't do my 16 miles training (I was at Carlsbad running the half marathon). So after the training I try my first ice bath with 2 bags of ice (ice bath helps you recover). It's actually not that bad.

Carlsbad Half Marathon

Pasta Party on Sat night. Just look at all these green and purple

Running next to the ocean is so refreshing!

I bumped into Leah parents, so I borrowed their signs. Go Leah and Greg



Pam, Jennifer, and Erin showing off their Medals!

Being Louis, I went to eat Shin Sen Gumi after the race

This weekend I went down to Carlsbad to run the Carlsbad Half-Marathon along with 8 of my teammates: Jennifer, Pam, Erin, Greg, Leah, Sheri, Emily, and Daisy. This is THE RACE for them because they are not doing a full marathon. I got down to Oceanside/Carlsbad in the early afternoon to do some sightseeing and picked up my BIB (race #6407). I then joined my teammates for the pasta party. I wasn't really full at the pasta party so I got a sandwich after. =P

On game day I got to the starting point ultra early and it was cold, I checked in my bag and did some warm up exercise. I finally get a hold of my teammates and we headed toward the starting line. All my teammates are in high spirit and we yell go team just in time for the race to start.

I walked the first mile with Jennifer, Sheri and Coach Matt. Sheri was having some issue with her MP3 player but I wasn't able to help her out. After mile 1 I said bye to them and I start running. After a while I caught up with Leah and Greg and I took a ton of pictures for them. By then we ran pass 3 bands already. There are a lot of music and a lot of people are cheering. You tend to forget the pain and keep going. And it's just so beautiful running by the ocean!

At mile 4 I saw the San Gabriel Chapter Cheer station. It's nice for them to drive all the way to Carlsbad just to give moral support. I also saw Leah's parent and I told them to expect Greg and Leah in any minute. I continue on and I caught up with Erin. Poor Erin was stuck waiting in line for the restroom *_*

After sometime I spot my Web Captain Holly and I took a picture of her. By then I think we are at around mile 8 or 9. I continue with my journey running at my pace, taking pictures, and cheering for other team in training runners by yelling 'Go Team' (I think this is a San Gabriel Valley thing because others TNT runners look at me kind of funny). So you know, I am just doing my thing and this lady ask me if I want a picture of myself. I told her sure so she took my camera and run ahead of me and snap this picture below. Let's just say that I am glad she gave me back my camera because I won't be able to catch up with her if she take off.

When I reach around 13 or 13.1 mile I start running... fast! I passed a lot of people and I feel very good about it. I heard Pam and others yelling my name but I am too focus to look. I race to the finish line with the time of 2:25:50 (11:08 per mile pace). I think I will run this next year to beat the time. After all my teammates come in, I drove back to LA.

Carlsbad Send Off Video

With the help of my cousin Billy, I made this for my Carlsbad Teammate.

Carlsbad Send Off Video

Mount Baldy Snow Hike

crampons: 12 point spikes tie to your boot. model: Katie

unknown skier hiking up with the ski

It's windy and cold at the top

I planned this hike a few weeks back because this Sunday is the only week that I can hike Mt Baldy. With the high mileages training coming up (16, 18, and 20 miles), I definitely want to stick with the training schedule and not do anything on Sundays.

So Katie, Roberto and I were at the trail head at 7:00am. After putting on our shell pant, gaiters, crampons, crampons, ice axe...etc. we started heading out at around 7:45am. The first part is on the road and we don't really have to use crampons. Since I don't want to get any injury at all (Coach Matt will kill me), I decide to use my crampons so I don't fall on ice.

What use to be a 4 hours summit took me 5 something hours. It was cold, it was very very windy. And you know what, it's tiring walking on snow with crampons. My initial summit plan was to stand up at the top and take a picture with my Team In Training Jersey. That didn't happen because it's too cold and windy at the top. As I was going up to the summit, Katie was coming down already because she said it's too cold and windy near the top. She stayed up there, took a few pictures and head down. Roberto too was up and down in no time. As I was near the top, it was so windy that I almost got knock over a few times. This other person I met turn back because he doesn't have crampons/ice axe and he was having no luck kicking his own steps because there were just solid ice near the top. I am so glad he made the right decision. Unlike that other guy, I pushed for the summit... just because I can =)

When I got near the top (a few feets away), I shelter myself behind the first stone barrier I can find. I lie behind the barrier so I get less wind exposure. I then dig my crampons on the ice to make sure I have purchase. I was having a hard time setting my axe on the ice but I did it some how.

I was cold but I decide not to put on more clothes because I know everything I take out from my backpack will just fly away because of the wind. I took 2 pictures, a short video clip, and head back down. I decide not to get to the top top (a few feet away) because I was concern about my safety. I feel like if I move a few steps to the top I will lose my footing. There was no one at the top and I definitely don't want to lose my footing. I kind of regret about not being at the top top because I didn't get to see the other side of the mountain. But then I guess I just want to go down and I just didn't care at the time.

stone barrier during summer time. I only get a fraction of that today because most of the barrier was covered with snow *_*

Roberto was waiting for me near the top so we went down together looking for Katie. We didn't see Katie at this section near the top so we assume she went down to the ski hut and wait for us. Roberto and I took a break to have lunch because it was like 2 something and we both were hungry (We usually have lunch at the top but that didn't work out as planned). When we got near Ski Hut I saw this dad with his daughter and her bf struggling to head down. I learned that the dad twisted his ankle and he was basically lamping down the mountain. He asked for some painkiller and I gave it to him. We offer to walk them out but he refused most of our assistant and he just ask us to call his wife telling her he will be late.

A few hours later, we got back to our cars. What we didn't know is we have to sit though traffic from hell for another hour before we get back to the 210 freeway. Apparently all the city people drive up to Mt Baldy area for snow play. Katie made a comment about how city girls look pretty and fashionable on the snow. I think she just wanted that pink jacket (just kidding).

About the Dad and his daughter and her bf: In my personel opinion, this Dad is totally not responsible and put his daughter and her bf in danger. I can go on and on about it. The biggest thing that bother me is that the Dad has crampons/boot but the daughter and bf have tennis shoe on. I figure if you have crampon, then you probably know that hiking on snow with tennis shoe is a very stupid thing to do. Your feet can get very cold and you may have frost bite. So I don't know why on earth he took his daughter and the bf up to Mt Baldy. Don't get me wrong, the 3 of them are in great condition... much better than me, but they are not well equip for snow travel. I think they are very lucky because nothing really bad happen to them. It could of been a lot worst.

Erin almost get hit by a golf ball

Team picture... more people show up this time


Erin is holding the golf ball that almost hit her. The yellow sign say something like there is a risk running next to a golf course... *_*

This is the weekend before the Carlsbad Half Marathon and we are doing 8 miles run. Nothing special... until near the end where a golf ball missed Erin's head by a few fts. I ended up picking up the golf ball and give it to Erin. Damn Golfer... practice your swing in a range!

Orange County Half Marathon: My first Half Marathon

I don't know what I am pointing =P

Today I completed my first half-marathon (13.1 miles) and I am pretty happy about my time. My chip time is 2:20:26 and that's a 10:43 per mile pace. It's not fast by any standard, but I am training to maintain that pace for 26.2 miles. It was a good decision to run fast today, because rain started to pour down about half an hour after I finish... *_*

chip time: Each runner has a computer chip attach to the shoe. Your personnel start time won't start until you step on the timing mat at the starting line. So if you are way behind the starting line, you don't get time until you cross the starting line.

New Year Rose Parade Run

The new year run totally amaze me. People are sleeping on the street like in a disaster movie and numerous people run with us for like 10 feets... of course some of them were half drunk

I seriously didn't see the sign *_*

I went running with a tons of Team In Training people today. we start running at 5am from the end of the Rose Parade route all the way back to the starting line. It's 5 miles long and it took me around an hour because I need to wait for some traffic lights and I was waiting for others. After checking out floats, some run back to their cars (another 5 miles) while others take the public transportation back to the car. Since I have a half Marathon on 1/06 and my ankle is bothering me, I took the Metro. Long story short, I had breakfast with the gang, check out the parade, walk from lake to the finish line to get my car. Car was tow and I have no cell phone... and I end up walking back all the way back up to the Lake to get my car back. The kicker is Matt flagged me down on Walnut right when I am about to reach the tow place *_*. Since I have been walking for so long, I just continue walking =P So ya, I covered the most distance today out of everybody!