Week 10: Perspective
A tiny rock or a giant volcano, both are true.
This week takes me from the comfort of running with friends to running solo on a tiny rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Actually, it’s just the upper tip of a massive Volcano under the ocean. After almost 12 hours of flight time and a 6 hour time change I’m apparently in Paradise. I’m not happy about this trip. It’s a work trip and my wife isn’t with me. I’m in the peak of my Marathon training and here I am running solo. I’m not happy.
You’ll read through my mental and emotional struggles of being on this island. The week ends with a long run ended way better than it started. Honestly, looking back on it I’m not sure that will ever happen to me again. Scroll down to Sunday and read about all of my failures and my follow on expertly devised plan to deal with the hurdles.
You’ll also find some pointers on what to do when you are in a new city and need to get in a long-distance run. There’s a lot you can do to ensure you’ll have a great run.
Monday: Zero Day (10.3.2022)
The alarm sounded at 3:00am and I immediately remember why I hate this time. In my younger years 3:00am was still considered the night prior. The reality is now 3am is now “early in the morning”, yet when the alarm goes off I still feel like it’s night and not the next morning.
By 3:01am I’m already in a piss mood. Here I am flying a thousands miles away and spending the next few weeks trapped in a tourist quagmire and dealing with horrendous traffic. Yeah, it’s paradise, but I’m not happy to be going there without my wife and in the midst of my Marathon training.
It was just over 5hours to Seattle with a 3 hour layover followed by another 6 hours to Honolulu. From my house to my hotel room ended up being a 20 hour venture, which included 90 minutes of the airport being on lockdown when I landed in Hawaii.
My plan was to get in a short run Monday night, but after 20 hours of sleepless flying I was dead to the world. I set my alarm for 3:30am and went unconscious.
Tuesday: It’s a Two-A-Day (10.4.2022)
Again, I’m up at 3am, except this time it feels like 9am. I rub my eyes and realize my circadian rhythm has been knocked off it’s balance like a boxer taking it on the chin. By 3:01am I’m in a piss mood again. I’m not happy. Throw on the running shoes and head downstairs after taking a quick glance in the mirror and I must look like some maniac with my reflective bands on my ankles and a chest-strap light rig.
I’ve ran this route before as this isn’t my first time in Waikiki. I figured I’ll run up to the Diamondhead Crater lookout and back. If my memory serves me right, that should be about 4 miles. The last time I ran this route I had to avoid the homeless people and often times jump over them as they were laying on the sidewalk. Here I am a few years later and I assume it won’t be any different. I was right.
I take off on the run and it’s as I remembered, homeless people scattered about in different stages of drug induced delirium. Waikiki has to be possibly one of the worlds most popular and beautiful beaches, yet the scene uncomfortably disrupted and mangled up. You never know what one of these drugged out bums will do. They really are the biggest threat on the route. Good think I’m fit, fast and will just avoid being within 10ft of them. As much as I dislike the homeless problem and the govt support structure that enables such a lifestyle, you won’t see me posting any pictures. I view them as people who deserve dignity, even if they don’t think so themselves.
Overall I got in 5 miles and made it to the Lookout and got to witness the first glimpses of light across the Pacific. It was a pretty incredible. On my run I ran past many flowers that really brought out the smell of Hawaii. It was in those moments when my mood finally shifted, here I was running in Paradise. How could I be so unhappy in such a place? When it was over I felt slightly better.
Results: 5mi | Avg Pace: 10’02" | Avg HR: 141 | Best Mile: 9’10”| Feeling Unhappy
Tuesday Track Work:
I found a local track to get on following my work day. The rest of my Run Club knocked out their training at 5:15am back in North Carolina and here I was, jet-lagged, tired and slightly dehydrated on the track.
It’s always interesting running with Soldiers on the track. The overwhelming majority of them are much younger than me, much faster and I wonder what they think when this grey-haired fat-man shows up to run the track. Regardless of what they think, I was there to do work and that’s what I did. My friend Carla programmed the Tuesday workout which consisted of 13 laps around the track instead of my standard 12.
This was going to be tough. I spent most of the day sweating and I was really jet-lagged and my legs were super tired when we started. My motivation tank was on empty and I still had an hour drive back to the hotel following this workout. Let’s just say getting on the track was the toughest part.
Once on the track and I finished my first 800m warmup, I had no choice but to finish what I started. So I put my nose down and continued the grind.
Results: 3.26mi | Avg Pace: 9’04" | Avg HR: 129 | Best Lap: 7’10”| Feeling Disciplined
Wednesday 5K (10.5.2022)
It’s Wednesday and that means I get in a 5K. I’m still amazed that the humidity is giving me some troubles, especially since I just went through August and September in North Carolina and it’s incredibly oppressive humidity. I had just two weeks of decent weather in NC before departing for HI. Now I’m back in the humidity and it’s rather unpleasant.
This was just a short run around all of Waikiki which measures out to be almost 5K exactly. The streets were mostly empty and I crossed paths with a few other runners. I think most of them have to be tourists from the East Coast and they have jet-lag like me. I also cross paths with groups of adults just walking around at 4:30am, they have to be tourists who are wide awake.
Today was a mental challenge. Up early, with a full day of work ahead of me a couple hours of driving, but the Marathon is coming and I want to be ready. Discipline and consistency will win the day.
Results: 3.12 | Avg Pace: 9’25" | Avg HR: 139 | Best Mile: 9’06”| Feeling Better
Thursday: Around the Volcano (10.6.2022)
This morning I decided to get all the way around Diamondhead and back to the hotel. I’ve ran this route before and I remember it being close to 5 miles, so that’s what I planned on. On this trip I’ve been hitting the streets at 4:30am, on solo runs.
As I’m moving my way down the sidewalk, avoiding the homeless and ensuring I keep plenty of space for reaction, I see some others running as well. This time though I see a fellow Paratrooper from years ago! While not a close friend, we were both in the same low density MOS in the 82nd Airborne Division and have crossed paths professionally for years. It was great to see him, a friendly face. I miss running in my hometown and running with my friends.
Along this run I pass Operation Red Wings Medal of Honor Park. This was the operation that LT Michael Murphy sacrificed his life to save his friends. He put it all on the line so that others may live. In fact only one Navy Seal survived during that operation. You can read more about it on the LT Michael Murphy Museum Website: https://murphsealmuseum.org/operation-red-wings/
You can also read about Marcus Luttrell here: https://marcusluttrell.com/bio/
This reminds me of John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It is a universally recognized selfless act of the highest order. In many cases in the U.S. Military in combat, it is recognized by the issuing of the Medal of Honor, our nations highest award for valor.
Surely I can go just a little bit further, a little bit faster. I should be ready to do all I can for my family and my friends should the situation arise. To do good you must be ready, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually ready. Runnings helps in that preparedness.
Overall not a bad run and I will certainly pick up my pace next week. I can do better.
Results: 6mi | Avg Pace: 10’23" | Avg HR: 138 | Best Mile: 9’02”| Feeling Stronger
Friday: Short & Sweet (10.7.2022)
It appears my circadian cycle is adjusting and getting in line with Hawaiian Standard Time. I woke up a little late and was crunched on time, however I needed to get the miles in. Discipline will prevail, it better because I wasn’t motivated for shit this morning. I really just wanted to stay in bed, wake up drink some coffee and get breakfast and get work done. COMFORT IS A LIE! Says that damn hat sitting on my dresser staring at me. The Marathon is less than 30 days out, opting for comfort is not an option.
Down the elevator and out the front door I go around 5am. I’m running late, but damnit I’m getting in a couple miles. I figured I’d get in 2-miles and call it a morning. That’s better than nothing.
It ended up being just slightly longer than 2 and I was ok with that. I got to run along the Ala Wai canal. Not the cleanest body of water, but with the lights of Honolulu reflecting off the surface and the occasional rower, it’s better the traffic.
Better enjoy this short run. Sunday is going to be tough! 20-miles is on the schedule.
Results: 2.32 | Avg Pace: 10’32" | Avg HR: 125 | Best Mile: 10’00” | Feeling Squeezed
Saturday: Hydrating and Fueling (10.8.2022)
Resting is part of the plan, right? Dammit, in week 10 it feels weird not to run. Oh well, plenty of fluids being pushed down the hatch along with high nutrient foods. Sunday is going to be a rough one.
Sunday: A long run of 20miles (10.9.2022)
I did it! I completed a 20mile run on a hot and humid Hawaiian morning. It was a feat and it took planning, preparation and mental fortitude. This post will be split into a few different sections: Preparation and Safety, Physical and Mental.
Preparation and Safety:
Being a long-distance runner is tough. You have to plan your routes and consider a myriad of safety points such as traffic, lighting, sidewalks, people, dogs, floods, crime, etc. Planning a 5K route is rather simple. Planning a 20 mile route takes effort in planning. I’m running in a new city and at a distance that I know I’ll need support. Let’s dig into this.
I started my planning as soon as I got into Hawaii. I first pulled up Google Maps and started looking at feasible routes. If I could do an out-and back or I needed to do loops. When doing my map reconnaissance the following were all considerations:
Traffic Patterns, density, volume and lighting.
Possible Support spots: Gas Stations, Public Restrooms, Water Points, Emergency Aid, Food.
People: Will the route have other runners, homeless, walkers, bikers etc. If I need emergency services will someone see me laying on the trail? If I’m about to pass out, will I be able to reach out for help?
Road Names (Kind of difficult in Hawaii) in case I need to dial 911 for myself or another runner I can give an accurate location. At a minimum give a description of distance and direction from a known landmark or major shopping center.
Sidewalks, Roads, Bike Paths, Trails, etc.
When conducting the map recon of this route I used Google Earth. I measured distances to turns, water points and parks. I used “Street View” at intersections and to identify if a certain section had sidewalks or a bike path.
To validate this information and get input from a local source I visiting a local running store and made quick friends with the worker. He was more than happy to talk about running, the route and what to expect. He ensured me that there would be many runners on the route that morning. This assured me that if I needed help, someone would pass me by. Moreover, cars and other travelers on the road are used to passing runners on the weekend.
My measurements on Google Earth for distance to turns and landmarks were dead on with my Coros 2 on the run. I was surprised at how accurate it was! It was perfect.
As I was running solo, I wanted to ensure that if I had a medical emergency in Hawaii, someone here could have some basic information about me. I informed my co-worker of my vital health indicators and left him my wife’s name and number in case something were to happen. I then took a 3x5 index card and wrote my name, age, blood type, health conditions, next of kin and coworkers contact information. If I did pass out and an ambulance was called they would eventually go through all of my pockets to identify who I was. They would find this index card along with my drivers license inside a zip-lock bag.
For the run itself I made sure I had extra NUUN tablets, Biofreeze, running gels, plenty of water and my phone. I would check in with my coworker and wife at the half way point and my wife along the route as I stopped as necessary. Try to think of the worst case scenario and then plan backwards from that.
Mental and Physical:
I done fucked up! I was running with a vest that I’ve never ran with! Not even a jog! Nope, this thing was brand new. I had to take the plastic off the water bottles. This was a damn mistake. This vest didn’t have room for my phone, so I had to take my waist-belt phone holder, of which I’ve never ran more than 10-miles with. My mind was racing as I was going down the elevator, I was cursing myself for being so damn stupid. I know better than to take something like this on without first testing my gear!
I get downstairs and start my run, my mind already in a panic for being a dumbass and expecting the worst. Hell, I’ll probably have to ditch the vest, drive back and get it and by then some bum would have walked off with it! I’m 0.75mi into my run when I realize that I forgot to pack toilet paper! Not that there’s any privacy to go anywhere, but what if the public restrooms are empty. I guess I’ll have to use my $20 running socks, again! Not good. By the time my watch vibrated at Mile 1, I had a bad feeling about this run.
By mile 1.5 my left knee and foot have some strange stinging feeling running through them. FUCK! Every time I step I can feel this jolt of discomfort start at my knee and shoot through my foot and then to my back. At this point my mind is weighing the pro’s and con’s of this run. Should I continue and risk an injury that takes me out of the Marathon? Should I turn back now and seek medical help or take some medicine and rest? What do I want to do as compared to what should I do? All the while I’m still running away from the hotel.
By mile 2 I made a decision. “Fuck it!”. That’s the plan. It was really that simple. Not even a plan of maybe re-lacing my shoes or adjusting my sock or applying some biofreeze to my knee. Nope, just “fuck it” and keep going. In my mind there is a distinct difference between discomfort and pain. I was only uncomfortable, nothing hurt and nothing was changing my gait. I wasn’t going to quit this run because I was uncomfortable. “GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE”. That was my mantra! Onward I went.
Mile 3 to 10 was only interrupted with the sunrise. See the picture below! I was passing this local park when the sun was 15 minutes from cresting the horizon and I had to stop and take it in. My run is important to me. This upcoming Marathon is important to me but so is taking a moment to stop and recognize nature and all that is amazing in this world. Maybe one of the reasons we are here on this earth is to bear witness to such things and to ignore them is detrimental to our soul, our well being. I think we should stop and take in the beauty of the natural world.
I finally make it to the 10-mile turn around and I have a quasi-medical emergency that may brand me as a terrorist. I need to blow up a toilet! I go to the first building I find in the park and it’s nothing more than a storage facility for the UofH row team. I finally eyeball the next building over and beat feet not knowing if I kept my watch running or not and at this point I really don’t care.
With the overwhelming population of homeless I was expecting a face-off to use the toilet. Then I thought back to my piss poor planning. Damnit, I packed no toilet paper and I’m not sure I want to run back 10-miles without socks. It can be done, but should I? Fuck it, I’m going in. The stall is empty and I handle my business. While doing so it feels eerily like the show “The Walking Dead” all around me outside and inside the bathroom are homeless going through trash cans and doing drugs. I do what I gotta do and I’m out the door.
Heading into mile 11 I realize my shorts were the wrong ones! Fuck, I put on the wrong shorts. I’m wearing a pair I bought at the running store a few days before, a brand I’m unfamiliar with and a pair that I’ve never worn on a run. If you’re reading this you probably think I’m pretty damn stupid. It makes sense, up to this point I’ve been a dumbass and it’s resulted in chaffing. I mean it be chaffing from being a Clydesdale Class Runner (Over 200lbs) or just nice way of saying a “fat runner”. I blame it on the shorts and a quick look at Google Maps and there is no store I can run into for some Vaseline. Well, back to my original plan: FUCK IT! Off I go!
I felt pretty good through mile 13.1 and I’m pretty happy I can now run a half-marathon without much effort. After 13.1 I kind of lost a grip on reality and up until mile 15 is a blur. I’m not sure what happened, maybe I got lost in my music. Whatever it was, I hit mile 15 and realize I’m out of water! I’ve now been through 2 liters of water and need water for the next 5 miles. Luckily there was a gas station right there at 15!
Turns out this gas-station is a runners “stop” and I cross paths with no less than a dozen runners getting water, Gatorade or using the restroom. I strike up a conversation and all the local runners are explaining how this morning is abnormally humid and hot. None of them can comprehend why I would be doing 20 on a day like this, they are all keeping it to 15 miles or less. Well, back to my plan, “FUCK IT” and off I go to finish out the last 5 miles.
I felt strong up until mile 18 and then I started to crash! My last two miles were a mixture of walking and running real slow but it never crossed my mind that I couldn’t get it done. I knew deep down inside that 20 miles is possible and if I had to do another 6, it’s absolutely possible. The Marathon is within grasp and is now a reality in my mind.
Once I’m back at the hotel I immediately go to the little shop that’s attached. I buy a 1/2 gal of chocolate milk and a 2.5 liter bottle of water. I’ve learned that after long runs like this my stomach can’t handle solid food for a few hours. I eventually drink the chocolate milk until I’ve had my fill then follow up with water.
So, you may be wondering. How did all that gear hold up? Well, the shorts are good, but only for distances below 5 miles. I finished with my socks on and my shoes felt fine. The running vest was actually perfect! It left no chaffing or sore spots, the only downside is no place for my phone. My waist-band phone holder did great! No sore spots or rubbed areas. Everything turned out fine. The chaffing between my legs, obviously caused by the shorts, wasn’t too bad and nothing some Neosporin can’t fix overnight. All in all, while my piss poor planning led to panic, my game plan of “Fuck It” actually worked. I don’t expect to use that game plan again in the future.
Results: 20mi | Avg Pace: 11’08" | Avg HR: 146 | Best Mile: 9’36” | Feeling Lucky
