My neighbor ran the Morat/Fribourg in 1:21:xx averaging 4:40/min
He told me he decided to run without a watch. My jaw dropped in bewilderment! How can you run without a watch tracking your every move, telling you if your a few precious seconds behind, or pushing your heart slightly over the top? This is what our ancestors of long times past would do because they didn't have any other choice. But in our modern day and age where there are commercial satellites in every quadrant of the sky how could one come to such a ludicrous conclusion as to run without this marvel!? Then a moment of silence and I began to consider my own ridiculousness of being so tied down to realtime performance that I would forget the simple pleasure of running an overall race. For and engineering mind, I suppose numbers count, and its not uncommon that I will start calculating in my head my projected finish line time. Its what happens when I don't have a tight rein on my mind. It starts playing with numbers and other abstractions.
So lets talk numbers:
I wanted to push my heart hard and see how I could perform doing some 400 meter reps.
1. 1:32
2. 1.32
3. 1.23
4. 1.39
5. 1.31
6. 1.36
7. 1.53 (uphill)
8. 1.36
Its not too shabby, and I'll try not to let it slip out that I had originally planned to do 10 reps but . . . well. . . um . . . maybe next time.
dimanche 10 octobre 2010
dimanche 3 octobre 2010
Morat-Fribourg 17.17km
Morat- Fribourg is a race I did 2 years ago while preparing for the Lausanne marathon at the time. I remember coming home very enthusiastic about how fast I ran it, in spite the fact that at 6:00a.m. there was frost on the ground and everyone was scrambling to reevaluate their running gear. This time however it was one of the hottest Octobers at 25°C with a bright sun shining down on us. At every opportunity, runners headed for shade, and doused water over their heads to cool down. The hill profile for this race is unpleasant to say the least, climbing, climbing, and climbing some more, short bursts downhill and then more climbing. I had forgotten all about this and was making outlandish claims before the race began that I was hoping for a 1 hour 25min to 1 hour 30min, afterall its soooo easy when the race hasn’t begun and I’m feeling great.
As for results:
My performance has hit new records with an incredible improvement over 2 years ago of 1.2 seconds!
Now wait a minute was that a typo? Did you mean to say 1.2 minutes Jay? No, no you heard me correctly, I couldn’t be more proud of my final sprint, revving at 188bpm, almost blew my exhaust valves straight through my chest.
As for this dreaded fin-ally: heads were hanging low, the midday sun was boiling our blood, the thick spit was all dried up in our mouths and then the adrenalin kicked in that transformed me for a brief second into a dragster:
The Nissan 350Z 3.5-liter V6, 24 valves.
Jason Hollinger TripleZ, 6 liter Inline2, 4valves
1 :33 : 28.9 in 2008
1 :33 : 27.7 in 2010
So what can happen in 1.2seconds you might ask?
The Nissan 350Z can reach 60MPH that’s what!
And the Jason ZZZ passed 40 people on the proverbial climb of death, and came home with a personal best! To think I was 1.2seconds away from defeat but those Langolier ghosts of times past couldn’t gobble me up, not this time anyway.
As soon as I crossed the finish line, my head began to spin, my mouth felt wider open then a whale gasping for more phyto-oxygen, the sweat was proof that a huge cumulo-nimbus was hovering and dumping rain all over me. And my stomach gulped down endless cups of Gatorade that disappeared into the abyss.
When I regained my composure, I met up with Alain and we headed for the showers. There’s nothing like a cold shower to relax those aching muscles . . . NOT.
After our Swedish polar swim experience we met up with Alain’ friends Mark, Aline and cute little Robin and found our way to Avenche where an amazing chef kept the restaurant open for us to have “la chasse” and with that all gobbled down we concluded our Morat Fribourg experience for 2010.
As for results:
My performance has hit new records with an incredible improvement over 2 years ago of 1.2 seconds!
Now wait a minute was that a typo? Did you mean to say 1.2 minutes Jay? No, no you heard me correctly, I couldn’t be more proud of my final sprint, revving at 188bpm, almost blew my exhaust valves straight through my chest.
As for this dreaded fin-ally: heads were hanging low, the midday sun was boiling our blood, the thick spit was all dried up in our mouths and then the adrenalin kicked in that transformed me for a brief second into a dragster:
The Nissan 350Z 3.5-liter V6, 24 valves.
Jason Hollinger TripleZ, 6 liter Inline2, 4valves
1 :33 : 28.9 in 2008
1 :33 : 27.7 in 2010
So what can happen in 1.2seconds you might ask?
The Nissan 350Z can reach 60MPH that’s what!
And the Jason ZZZ passed 40 people on the proverbial climb of death, and came home with a personal best! To think I was 1.2seconds away from defeat but those Langolier ghosts of times past couldn’t gobble me up, not this time anyway.
As soon as I crossed the finish line, my head began to spin, my mouth felt wider open then a whale gasping for more phyto-oxygen, the sweat was proof that a huge cumulo-nimbus was hovering and dumping rain all over me. And my stomach gulped down endless cups of Gatorade that disappeared into the abyss.
When I regained my composure, I met up with Alain and we headed for the showers. There’s nothing like a cold shower to relax those aching muscles . . . NOT.
After our Swedish polar swim experience we met up with Alain’ friends Mark, Aline and cute little Robin and found our way to Avenche where an amazing chef kept the restaurant open for us to have “la chasse” and with that all gobbled down we concluded our Morat Fribourg experience for 2010.
vendredi 1 octobre 2010
Cows in Toronto hate marathons!
Flew 6000 km’s burning 52000 liters of fuel, then
Drove 600 km’s burning another 72 liters and finally
Ran 21 km’s and burned through a bowl of pasta and some lentil soup!
Let’s start by saying “ mission accomplished ”
The goal was to run with my father and run well.
While I finished my half marathon race with a very satisfied PB time of 1:48:35
Juerg decided to do 2 half marathons back to back in his “under 5 hour” target with plenty of time to spare at 4:57:02.
We both wore our finisher medals proud like champions. From our 8th floor Sheraton hotel room we had a birds eye view of the finish line and once I got up there I couldn’t help indulging on watching all the people still running and the crowds making their way to the much appreciated food and drinks.
There is an irrefutable quirk in the human soul that can be seen on race days, the competitive nature that lies somewhere within us. Be it with ourselves to perform better then last time or with others around us, and it manifests itself in many ways. There were some, no matter where they stood in the rankings, as long as they could dash past someone before the RFID chip was registered. While others reacted as if they had just drank a red bull a few hours too late and walked to within 50 meters, numb limbs bobbing in all directions like an octopus caught in a net and comically jolted through the finish. I stood there observing these quirks, and witnessed in some, inspiring determination and in others a shattered resignation. Luckily both my father and myself fell in the former category and celebrated that night at the Keg.
Now I bet most people don’t know that cows don’t like marathons. In fact in Toronto they especially hate them. Why you ask? Is it because they’re scared of Caesar salads, or onion soup or could it be because of the Flintstones style succulent steak that almost toppled me walking back to the hotel? Ya that must be it, because I only had one Rickers Red.
Some funny things I saw along the race: A man in a Santa costume, another dressed like a banana, and a guy running in flip-flops! (I very quickly swallowed my laughter when it dawned upon me that he was actually running in front of me, that’s when I became more serious and determined and never saw him again!)
When I got to the 8 km mark, I saw coming back in the opposite direction the Elite group of 20 Kenyans and Ethipians hitting their 16km’s, the runners all cheered them on and everybody’s pace increased for a short while, energized by the hurricane that just blew past us. Then I also made the bend and keeping eyes out for KJP we spotted eachother for a very brief highfive and “Hop Swiss” and then it was back to concentrating on the race.
Our finishing results:
Juerg
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event_video.asp?EVENTID=63213&BIB=1875&VLOC=Full%20Marathon%20Finish%20Line
Jason
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event_video.asp?EVENTID=63213&BIB=12202
There’s so much I could write about this fun adventure but nothing beats living it, and with my mind packed with good memories it was already time to fly home. I was greeted with open arms and then again who wouldn’t with all the presents that were packed into my suitcase!
I have finally finished my blog entry so I am now allowed to read Juergs, ooof I made it.
Drove 600 km’s burning another 72 liters and finally
Ran 21 km’s and burned through a bowl of pasta and some lentil soup!
Let’s start by saying “ mission accomplished ”
The goal was to run with my father and run well.
While I finished my half marathon race with a very satisfied PB time of 1:48:35
Juerg decided to do 2 half marathons back to back in his “under 5 hour” target with plenty of time to spare at 4:57:02.
We both wore our finisher medals proud like champions. From our 8th floor Sheraton hotel room we had a birds eye view of the finish line and once I got up there I couldn’t help indulging on watching all the people still running and the crowds making their way to the much appreciated food and drinks.
There is an irrefutable quirk in the human soul that can be seen on race days, the competitive nature that lies somewhere within us. Be it with ourselves to perform better then last time or with others around us, and it manifests itself in many ways. There were some, no matter where they stood in the rankings, as long as they could dash past someone before the RFID chip was registered. While others reacted as if they had just drank a red bull a few hours too late and walked to within 50 meters, numb limbs bobbing in all directions like an octopus caught in a net and comically jolted through the finish. I stood there observing these quirks, and witnessed in some, inspiring determination and in others a shattered resignation. Luckily both my father and myself fell in the former category and celebrated that night at the Keg.
Now I bet most people don’t know that cows don’t like marathons. In fact in Toronto they especially hate them. Why you ask? Is it because they’re scared of Caesar salads, or onion soup or could it be because of the Flintstones style succulent steak that almost toppled me walking back to the hotel? Ya that must be it, because I only had one Rickers Red.
Some funny things I saw along the race: A man in a Santa costume, another dressed like a banana, and a guy running in flip-flops! (I very quickly swallowed my laughter when it dawned upon me that he was actually running in front of me, that’s when I became more serious and determined and never saw him again!)
When I got to the 8 km mark, I saw coming back in the opposite direction the Elite group of 20 Kenyans and Ethipians hitting their 16km’s, the runners all cheered them on and everybody’s pace increased for a short while, energized by the hurricane that just blew past us. Then I also made the bend and keeping eyes out for KJP we spotted eachother for a very brief highfive and “Hop Swiss” and then it was back to concentrating on the race.
Our finishing results:
Juerg
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event_video.asp?EVENTID=63213&BIB=1875&VLOC=Full%20Marathon%20Finish%20Line
Jason
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event_video.asp?EVENTID=63213&BIB=12202
There’s so much I could write about this fun adventure but nothing beats living it, and with my mind packed with good memories it was already time to fly home. I was greeted with open arms and then again who wouldn’t with all the presents that were packed into my suitcase!
I have finally finished my blog entry so I am now allowed to read Juergs, ooof I made it.
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