My Boston Marathon Journey

I am not a big fan of running. I love watching runners. I enjoy watching competitive runners on television. I enjoy the big sprints to the finish-line by Olympic-Distance triathletes.

I began long-distance running in 2003, having never gone beyond one 10km race in my life. I had assumed a middle-distance running career in my youth; mostly self-trained and driven by personal motivations. I studied all I could about running and runners. I lived and breathed Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovette, Jim Fixx (The Complete Book of Running), Dr. George Sheehan, Abebe Bikila, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar, fartlek, interval training, cross-country, Adidas, et al. I was obsessed about running, doing it almost daily while pursuing an education.

I excelled in running although it was more a means to an end: To finish the session as soon as I could. My mantra was ‘Get it over’.

In 2004, I began doing triathlons and my first marathon. I was hooked on both. No, I did not enjoy running but I loved running faster and earning Personal Bests (PB) and Personal Records (PR).

The cool weather (end-winter) in July on the Gold Coast is conducive for a BQ/PB.

My first marathon yielded a 4:11; my second was 4:24 (with my first and only attack of ITB syndrome). That was when I discovered the need for deep-tissue massage before races. A spate of sub-4 hour marathons followed when I completed the Bangkok Marathon under the elusive 4-hour mark. When I earned a 3:36 in Singapore and 3:37 in Berlin (2010), I knew I had the capacity and capability to earn a BQ on my flip-side of 40 years.

I qualified for Boston Marathon in 2011 at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon (SCHKM). I clocked 3 hours 29 minutes and 59 minutes, which put me within one minute of the qualifying time of my age-group (45-49 years). With my first BQ, I applied for the lottery and was declined.

My second attempt to earn a BQ at the fast course in Berlin Marathon 2012 was marred by a hairline toe fracture two months before. I was diagnosed with that painful symptom during Ironman Switzerland, and I hobbled to an uncomfortable 4:00 finish. And, that was that.

Minutes after clocking my second BQ of 3:16 at GCAM2013.

My second BQ (and third attempt at a BQ) was at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon (GCAM), where I clocked 3:16. I was eight minutes within the revised BQ of less than 3:25:00. I also improved my PB/BQ by 13 minutes on my ‘Run Less, Run Faster’ approach: 3-4 running sessions of 10-21km each, supplemented by a triathlon diet (cycling and swimming). I applied for Boston marathon 2014 and was accepted into the 118^th edition. Despite strong objections from naysayers that it would not be possible on such a meagre running diet, I achieved it. It is important to strongly believe in your ability, training plan, performance, and be focused to accomplish the seemingly impossible. What is deemed ‘impossible’ might be ‘unrealistic goals’ at one time.

My next goal is to earn a stronger BQ for the 120^th edition of Boston Marathon. A performance near-3 hours would be deeply satisfying. I will begin serious training for it after completing one marathon (within Ironman Lanzarote) on 23 May. A narrow recovery and fitness training of seven weeks, will make it highly challenging after my 19^th Ironman attempt to hold less than 4:30/km throughout the July 2015 race.

I will share more of my Boston Marathon journey shortly.

In-Transit & Transitions

I am now on a 6-hour transit in the airport. Thankfully, frequent-flyer status on Star Alliance has allowed me access to the lounge. This proves useful as I can do some work, while lounging around with free, wireless access. I have two more flights from London to Dusseldorf, then to Berlin for this weekend's Big Dance.
While here, I met a running-buddy team: Both from Hawaii, and enroute to a marathon in Portugal. Kamika Smith is a 150-marathoner finisher having done the 50-States and 100-States races! His friend Lisa Ledesma is a first-time Ironman finisher (Louisville, Kentucky - a hot and rolling race) and serial marathoner (35 and counting). We recognised each other by our finisher backpacks. We exchanged notes about racing, nutrition, and the races we had done. Of course, we would track our races through Facebook. I received a couple of race-related correspondence as well as well wishes on this social network this morning. Thank you, friends and I believe that my foot is holding up well.
How we spend our time is our prerogative and priority. We can waste or while it away, doing the mundane and meaningless. Yet we can create many experiences of worth, while respecting somebody's sense of time and territory. Transitions are shifts in time, not just punctuations in our time-lines. Make your moves and be aware of your movements, as you place and displace yourself through your travels ands travails in your life.

Countdown to the London Olympics 2012

Don't we just love our Moms? Rise and shine for the new sporting star in July & August!

July will be an exciting month since the London Olympic Games 2012 will be on. This once-in-four years sporting spectacle, promises new achievements and, perhaps, a few world records. The Opening Ceremony tends to be the highlight, as it gives viewers and spectators a strong taste of things to come. I was a guest at the British High Commission (in Singapore) in 2006 when the bidding was made, and it was a significant event. I was also in London at Covent Garden, when they shot the official trailer video of the London Olympic Games. Subsequently, we won the bid to organize the inaugural Youth Olympic Games 2010 in Singapore, and I was honoured to run (with hundreds others) with the Olympic Torch, and officiate in one of the games.

Due to the importance of this major global event, the Berlin Marathon has been pushed backwards (30 September) to allow the top marathoners to recover fully. The current world record for Men's Marathon (2:03:38, Patrick Makau, Kenya) was set on this flat, fast and scenic course that is punctuated with historical monuments. I look forward to racing with thousands others, and experience an attempt by the professionals on the world record once again.

Most of us who are unable to attend the Games can still do it from the privacy of our homes, as ‘live’ telecasts and online streaming sites will be featuring the fortnight of sports drama. The families of the athletes must surely be excited and proud. To be able to participate in a century-old sporting event, representing your country is an experience to be relished and remembered. Even as a spectator, you are immersed in the competitive air as fans cheer their favourite teams on.

May the best team win, and hopefully, friendships will be forged after the games. Otherwise, on the track, field, court or pool the athletes have to be focused and put their ‘game face’ on. Game on!