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| this past school year has certainly been the most uncertain. many things in life changed, they may all somewhat be interconnected. new school, new academic/career goals, becoming single, new hobbies, everything - just completely different from what it used to be. i'm still the same person inside (i think)... but i feel as though my image is changing.
sometimes i wish things could go back to the way they were, but that's won't ever happen. i'm definitely at a stage in life where things are picking up pace and my situation is rapidly changing, i simply can't and don't have time to be nostalgic. i don't quite know where everything is going to take me. will being in China for 3 months change things? what happens when i come back?
i guess one deep rooted question is, how has being single affected me? well... for better or worse, it's definitely caused many of these changes. i guess certain things i would lack the motivation to do if i were in a relationship, being single freed me up to do them. other times, i do wish there's someone i can depend on. i'm definitely trying to be more outgoing this year, but perhaps i should just stop trying and let fate take its course. time to just sit back and relax. relax.
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| Sunday, June 3, 2007 (also my mom's birthday) I ran 26.2 miles around San Diego. My parents came to watch.
Miles 1-18: everything was fine, just like training - keeping good 8:30/mile pace. After 19... I started to cramp up in my calves and quads. Then the pain... the next 7.2 miles were the longest i've EVER experienced. My pace dropped to 9/mile, then 10/mile... and finally about 11min/mile. I was limping along and dreading every single slope, uphill and downhill.
Couple of highlights:
Somewhere along the race, I accidentally put a stick of Vaseline in my mouth! I saw some girl holding up a tongue depressor stick with some goo scooped onto it... I thought it was some energy gel... stupid me, I just grabbed it and stuck it in my mouth, just long enough to hear a distant and fading "Nooooo....!" from the girl who had handed the lubricant to me. I had just then realized it was lube in my mouth and not gel... I spat that shit out! (for those who don't know, the lube is for anti-chafe from sweat)
Around mile 23, I started to hallucinate! I would see the mile marker but when I got close, it was gone! haha... couldn't get my split times for about 3 miles.
Last 2 miles, my body was completely numb and I would be running with my eyes 1/2 closed. As I ran past the finish line, I would have collapsed and fainted it it weren't for a volunteer that helped me over to the medical tent to get water and ice.
Upon completion of the marathon, I now know the full meaning of a "runner's high". All the endorphines suddenly kicking in made it feel like the BEST-WORST feeling in the universe. I was light headed and dizzy. I couldn't stop smiling but was still in so much pain!
My dad told me when he saw me at mile 16, I had good form and was smiling. When he saw me cross the finish line, I was just about the worst looking runner to cross! I'll have pictures later.
Official time: 4:07:36, average of 9:27/mile pace.
So what's next? Maybe the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon on Oct 14, 2007. Gotta rest for a few weeks before starting up the training again. Next year, hoping to get under 4 hours for the full marathon.
Right now: my quads and calves are completely dead. I could barely walk for the past 2 days. Going down stairs are the worst! I feel like an old man. If you see me, you'll know.
Interesting fact: did you know the wheel chair marathon racers are actually FASTER than the runners by about 10 minutes!?
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| went to watch Shrek 3 today... it was completely RUINED by some incessantly screaming toddler! the toddler was running around the theatre and poking out behind my seat and saying "hi" (my seat was in front of an aisle). the kid then proceeded to scream and cry for the last 30 minutes of the movie! people were all complaining but the parents kept the kid in there... they shoulda been kicked out. at least i got a free movie pass out of it after complaining to management. i guess that's ok since i saw this movie with a free movie pass from another bad experience last month. maybe i should just keep going to AMC for crappy movie experiences and free passes?
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| *sigh*
copyright stuff is starting to hit home... today, everyone on campus got an e-mail with this link from the vice provost.
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/legal/recent/DMCAReconnectfee5-11-07.Web.pdf
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