Sunday, November 29, 2009

Test and D1 W1

I did the test and didnt want to push myself so just ended with 21 situps - just enough to place me on the third column.
I started day 1 week 1 today and did 15,18,10,10 and 17 (max 14). Still easy.
I expect to have bulging six packs at the end of the program so I took some "before" photos. I am about 82Kgs so my weight is not so bad.
I am still undecided which proper form to adopt for these situps.

Above is the Austrian, Gunther Weidlinger who won the 2009 Great Australian Runbeating Wanjiru to 3rd place. Weidlinger sprinted to the line in 43:01, 21 seconds slower than Haile Gebrselassie last year. Birmingham followed 18 seconds behind with a national title and a personal best: Martin Dent, Australia’s leading finisher in the world championships marathon, also passed Wanjiru for third.

Cheers

Thursday, November 26, 2009

100% Wooooohoooooooo!

All injuries gone! I can now bound up the stairs and feel nothing in my knees! It feels like God!, er, heaven!
Damn!
I have also added some kilos but no problen, I will start attacking them next week.
The books have not arrived but I am rearing to go. Still enjoying making excuses and procrastinating a little...
I get my inspirations from all over. This is Forrest Griffin again from UFC 106. Running is not for pussies so we runners and fighters are kindred spirits. The only difference is that we have two opponents when we are running: a) ourselves and b) The distance/tarmac.




Cheers.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

One more week - 200 situps?

I am now about 100% fine - my knees took the longest time to be okay. I want to take one more week just to ensure I have actually taken a whole month off exercise.

I am considering starting the 200 sit ups challenge next week. This will be aimed at increasing my core strength. I considered doing the 100 pushups challenge (I can do 45 pushups at a go right now) but put it aside because my arms are quite strong and I dont want my upper body to bulk. I considered doing the 200 squat ups but also avoided it because I dont want bigger legs. Squats are the best way to bulk up spiny legs.

I will do the initial test soon.
Cheers.
J

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Getting Better

And stronger....
This is a pic from the fight where Rua was robbed of his victory over Machida in UFC 104.

And here is Cheruiyot being trailed by Meb in the NY Marathon.


Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Getting Serious - Ordered for Running Books

I placed an order for two books on Running from Amazon. I am buying The Competitive Runner's Handbook -  The Bestselling Guide to Running 5Ks through Marathons (Paperback) and Daniels' Running Formula - 2nd Edition.
It will cost me about 5K in total and they should be arriving next month. They should help me ensure I dont run in "no man's" land (read the reviews of Daniel's book on Amazon) and help me focus every training to ensure I dont just run to be fit but to be faster and stronger to ensure that I resonably exploit the running potential in me and kick substantial ass in races.
We have agreed with Sikuku to get the AK (Athletics Kenya) calendar so that next year we do at least five races.


I want to get scary serious with this running shit. I want to be fast, tough, chiselled, free, strong and light. And I want to run a sub 19mins 5K and a sub 38mins 10K. An elite amateur for all intents and purposes.
My calf is now 80% okay. The problem now is my knees (75%) and the back of my left knee (80%). Two weeks rest should do. I want to be 100% before I start the next quest.

What inspires me? When we were in Mwea Classic half Marathon in September, I saw our "coach" glide away so easily. So effortlessly yet I was laboring hard. The guy is probably ten years older. It is such things that make me tell myself "I want to run like that"
A

Sunday, November 1, 2009

2009 New York Marathon - What the Fuck?!!!

I didnt watch it but damn! The Americans are here! An American Mebrahtom Keflezighi (Meb) won the NY Marathon yesterday and six out of the top ten runners were American. And out of the top 20 we have 14 Americans! 14 out of 20! This marks a remarkable resurgence in the Americans performance in the Marathon events. From their numbers, they will kick ass and Kenyans and Ethiopians had better keep their eyes open.
Robert Cheruiyot came second and Jaouaid Gharib came third. Kwambai dropped out due to dehydration. I dont know what happened to Makau and Dos Santos. Hall was 4th and Ramalaa 6th.
Here is the breakdown.

1
8
Meb Keflezighi
02:09:15
CA
USA
USA
2
6
Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot
02:09:56


Kenya
KEN
3
4
Jaouad Gharib
02:10:25


Morocco
MAR
4
5
Ryan Hall
02:10:36
CA
USA
USA
5
11
Abderrahime Bouramdane
02:12:14


Morocco
MAR
6
9
Hendrick Ramaala
02:12:30


South Africa
RSA

IAAF says:
Patience pays off for Keflezighi

Keflezighi, previously second in 2004 and third in 2005 in this race, ran a canny race to finally deliver on a decade-long effort to bring American champions back to New York.

Running strong with the pack through the early miles, Keflezighi ignored a strength-wasting move led by Hendrick Ramaala on First Avenue. When a pack of ten regrouped for the Bronx section of the race, Keflezighi was in place to cover the move made by James Kwambai which pared the pack down to four.

Heading south into Manhattan, first Gharib and then Kwambai fell off the pace, with Kwambai's training partner, four-time Boston Marathon champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, the last remaining rival. Kwambai would eventually drop out, struggling with dehydration issues.


And they are...off!

Keflezighi took the lead for the first time when he broke away from Cheruiyot as the pair entered Central Park from 5th Avenue at 90th Street.

"I beat [Cheruiyot] in 2005 here [in New York]," said Keflezighi. With 2 miles to go, I gave a push, and he let me go. I just kept expanding the lead."

Cheruiyot cross the line in 2:09:56 with Moroccan Jaouad Gharib third in 2:10:25.

Here is Meb winning with Cheruiyot some 40 seconds behind.

Victory caps notable comeback

Keflezighi's victory also represented the U.S. marathon championship, as that race was run concurrently with the ING New York City Marathon. It was Keflezighi's first ever marathon victory, and capped a comeback year in which the Athens medallist won national championships at the half-marathon and 7-mile distances on the road, as well as the national cross country championships.

Keflezghi lost most of his 2008 season struggling with injuries which had also kept him off the U.S. Olympic team in the marathon, denying him the ability to defend his Olympic silver medal.

As in 2007, when the U.S. Olympic Trials - Men's Marathon finished in the same spot in Central Park, Keflezeghi wept after crossing the finish line. In 2007, it was grief when he learned of the death of his training partner Ryan Shay earlier in the race. Today, Keflezighi said, "I had dreamed of winning both [races]. The memory of Ryan Shay was what I cried for. It was one [win] for him and one for me."

"To be able to win this race is very, very special to me."

Keflezighi was the first American winner in New York since Alberto Salazar in 1982. Starting in 2001, when the race also hosted the USA championships, and continuing through the Trials in 2007, the host New York Road Runners have been part of a movement to develop American marathoners capable of challenging for the win here. Keflezighi was followed in fourth place by Ryan Hall (2:10:36) as six American men finished in the top 10.