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Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Noah, Irene and the Wall
With less than a month to go, last Saturday was supposed to be our longest run to date. We got up around 4am, wondering if it we would be greeted with the expected thunderstorms that were announced by all the weather people on the television the night before. Little did we know a Wall would be our demise for the day, at least for me it was going to be a “Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day,” a title of the book that Emily just read to her classmates. Okay, maybe it wasn’t as bad as what had happened to the Alexander the book, but it was a tough run.
Barring from any train service interruptions, we would have plenty of time to catch up with Team for Kids running mates, which included the my motley group of Lanie Kantor, who I think is the fastest among us and my brother-in-law, Ray Chan, who is running great and will break 4 hours.
After taking a cab ride with Speed Racer, who weaved back and forth looking for an empty lane on 5th Avenue, we reached the corner of West 72nd Street Entrance into Central Park. There was some confusion as to whether we needed to register for the Greta’s Great Gallop in order to check our bags. Trying to figure out what we needed to do. We opted to register for the race, grab our bibs and shirts, checked our bags and walked over to meet our team mates. We missed our start with our pace group.
Other than the walking, Irene and I didn’t get the chance to warm up as we joined a much faster pace group. Irene wasn’t having a good start and said that we did not warm up enough, so I just slowed down my pace and watched the faster pace group increased their lead then disappeared around the bend of the Bridal Path. Our training runs are usually on pavement around our home; so running on the soft surface of the Bridal Path seemed very foreign for our legs.
I kind of had a general sense of where we were going, but the path all looked the same to me. Irene kept asking, “Do you know where we are?” I said, “Not really, just enjoy the run.” Finally, we saw some TFK runners heading toward us, and that made us feel better knowing that we were heading in the right direction.
We turned around making our Pre-Race run a little short, and headed towards the Starting Line. As we crossed the start, I pressed the lap button on my Timex, and noticed that we would be about 15 minutes behind the last wave of the race.
Greta’s Great Gallop is for Greta Waitz, 9 time NYC Marathon Winner, and the promotion of Norwegian tourism. The race consisted of about 2 and a half laps (a half marathon) of Central Park with bagels and lox at the finish!
Other than seeing the mile markers, it felt like we were not making any progress. Seeing different landmarks makes a big difference, but today all the trees looked that same, and the scenery really played games with my head. It seemed like I was running on a treadmill, basically going nowhere. The distance between the miles seemed a lot longer than they really were, and the humidity weighed me down.
After one full lap around the Park with a lap and half left, we were greeted by Andrew from Harlem by the way of Jamaica, one of the fantastic Team for Kids coaches. I was kind of embarrassed at our slow pace, and at the same time I was very happy that he joined us.
About a mile or 2 after Andrew started to run with us, my left glute started to cramp up, so we paused and stretched. It was all down hill from there, and without Andrew around, it probably would have been worse. About another mile or 2, I started to get light headed, and Andrew said that I “Bonked” or “Hit the Wall.”
This Wall gives you a horrible feeling of being lightheaded, seeing spots and just short of puking. As we walked, we discussed the importance of nutrition before and during the race. Also make sure we get into the routine of drinking every 5 minutes and taking a little PowerGel/GU every 30-45 minutes. That day I think I ate too early and split the GU too far apart. I’ve gotten hungry before during previous long runs, but none made be crash like I did on Saturday.
It turns out that Irene also Bonked. I remember her telling me that she felt she was leaning towards one side. I thought it just might be the road, but Andrew said it was the Bonk, and one of the symptoms is leaning.
It’s very important to stay relaxed during the run, and any additional worries puts more stress on the body, which makes you tire faster. So his advice was to look 6 feet ahead of you, because if you look to far ahead, your brain starts to play games and you begin to worry, then your done! He also showed us how to reset our stride with baby steps and back to normal running, but there was not reset button for me on this day.
Andrew suggested that we grab a Coke, so we stopped by a refreshment cart. The first one was unmanned and the second one wanted small bills. So I owe Andrew a bottle of Coke the next time I see him. The sugar and caffeine coursed through Irene’s body and gave her the kick-start she was looking for. As for me, the Coke should be been feed to me intravenously. No luck for me!
My running really grinded to a halt. There was an older trooper shuffling her feet, and I had a tough time keeping up with her. (By the way, I am not talking about Irene) With about 2 miles left, I seemed to have regained some assemblance of a stride. As I passed her, I applauded the lady and said, “Great job, you looking great!”
My focus turned to my wife, who distanced herself from me. She was about 100 yards ahead, and maintained that lead all the way to the finish line. I was really proud that she beat me. Even when we started training early this year, I knew she was going to be faster than me. Hands down she’s a lot tougher than I will every be.
Again I want to Thank Andrew for being at the right place at the right time, and encouraged us when it seemed very dismal. If anyone is every interested in running the NYC Marathon. I highly recommend that you join Team for Kids on your marathon venture!
With 26 days left, it’s time to taper off the running and give our bodies a breather before the Marathon. Again thanks for all the support and keep the emails and donations coming!
Please feel free to use the following secure link:
https://www.runwithtfk.org/Profile/PublicPage/7701
Remember to eat!
Noah
Barring from any train service interruptions, we would have plenty of time to catch up with Team for Kids running mates, which included the my motley group of Lanie Kantor, who I think is the fastest among us and my brother-in-law, Ray Chan, who is running great and will break 4 hours.
After taking a cab ride with Speed Racer, who weaved back and forth looking for an empty lane on 5th Avenue, we reached the corner of West 72nd Street Entrance into Central Park. There was some confusion as to whether we needed to register for the Greta’s Great Gallop in order to check our bags. Trying to figure out what we needed to do. We opted to register for the race, grab our bibs and shirts, checked our bags and walked over to meet our team mates. We missed our start with our pace group.
Other than the walking, Irene and I didn’t get the chance to warm up as we joined a much faster pace group. Irene wasn’t having a good start and said that we did not warm up enough, so I just slowed down my pace and watched the faster pace group increased their lead then disappeared around the bend of the Bridal Path. Our training runs are usually on pavement around our home; so running on the soft surface of the Bridal Path seemed very foreign for our legs.
I kind of had a general sense of where we were going, but the path all looked the same to me. Irene kept asking, “Do you know where we are?” I said, “Not really, just enjoy the run.” Finally, we saw some TFK runners heading toward us, and that made us feel better knowing that we were heading in the right direction.
We turned around making our Pre-Race run a little short, and headed towards the Starting Line. As we crossed the start, I pressed the lap button on my Timex, and noticed that we would be about 15 minutes behind the last wave of the race.
Greta’s Great Gallop is for Greta Waitz, 9 time NYC Marathon Winner, and the promotion of Norwegian tourism. The race consisted of about 2 and a half laps (a half marathon) of Central Park with bagels and lox at the finish!
Other than seeing the mile markers, it felt like we were not making any progress. Seeing different landmarks makes a big difference, but today all the trees looked that same, and the scenery really played games with my head. It seemed like I was running on a treadmill, basically going nowhere. The distance between the miles seemed a lot longer than they really were, and the humidity weighed me down.
After one full lap around the Park with a lap and half left, we were greeted by Andrew from Harlem by the way of Jamaica, one of the fantastic Team for Kids coaches. I was kind of embarrassed at our slow pace, and at the same time I was very happy that he joined us.
About a mile or 2 after Andrew started to run with us, my left glute started to cramp up, so we paused and stretched. It was all down hill from there, and without Andrew around, it probably would have been worse. About another mile or 2, I started to get light headed, and Andrew said that I “Bonked” or “Hit the Wall.”
This Wall gives you a horrible feeling of being lightheaded, seeing spots and just short of puking. As we walked, we discussed the importance of nutrition before and during the race. Also make sure we get into the routine of drinking every 5 minutes and taking a little PowerGel/GU every 30-45 minutes. That day I think I ate too early and split the GU too far apart. I’ve gotten hungry before during previous long runs, but none made be crash like I did on Saturday.
It turns out that Irene also Bonked. I remember her telling me that she felt she was leaning towards one side. I thought it just might be the road, but Andrew said it was the Bonk, and one of the symptoms is leaning.
It’s very important to stay relaxed during the run, and any additional worries puts more stress on the body, which makes you tire faster. So his advice was to look 6 feet ahead of you, because if you look to far ahead, your brain starts to play games and you begin to worry, then your done! He also showed us how to reset our stride with baby steps and back to normal running, but there was not reset button for me on this day.
Andrew suggested that we grab a Coke, so we stopped by a refreshment cart. The first one was unmanned and the second one wanted small bills. So I owe Andrew a bottle of Coke the next time I see him. The sugar and caffeine coursed through Irene’s body and gave her the kick-start she was looking for. As for me, the Coke should be been feed to me intravenously. No luck for me!
My running really grinded to a halt. There was an older trooper shuffling her feet, and I had a tough time keeping up with her. (By the way, I am not talking about Irene) With about 2 miles left, I seemed to have regained some assemblance of a stride. As I passed her, I applauded the lady and said, “Great job, you looking great!”
My focus turned to my wife, who distanced herself from me. She was about 100 yards ahead, and maintained that lead all the way to the finish line. I was really proud that she beat me. Even when we started training early this year, I knew she was going to be faster than me. Hands down she’s a lot tougher than I will every be.
Again I want to Thank Andrew for being at the right place at the right time, and encouraged us when it seemed very dismal. If anyone is every interested in running the NYC Marathon. I highly recommend that you join Team for Kids on your marathon venture!
With 26 days left, it’s time to taper off the running and give our bodies a breather before the Marathon. Again thanks for all the support and keep the emails and donations coming!
Please feel free to use the following secure link:
https://www.runwithtfk.org/Profile/PublicPage/7701
Remember to eat!
Noah
Monday, April 27, 2009
Run 4 Marcy - April 26, 2009
With a whistle to get everyone's attention, her husband Greg jumped up on the bed of a pick up truck or was it a bumper of a car. He announced his plans of the Marcella D'Aguanno Memorial Fund for Stroke and NYU. In addition, an annual organized Triathlon to be held, and Marcy being very completive would only support an actual race.
I was always inspired by her commitment to running, biking and swimming. Along with preparing for the Marathon this year, I will be fitting swimming into the schedule, so I to can do a Tri. Emily is always asking me to take swim lessons with her at Saf-T-Swim.
Before the Marathon, I would ritually prepared playlists on my Ipod. Now I enjoy focusing on my footsteps or getting to the next lightpole or mailbox, clear of any music blaring in my earlobes. As I ran today, I recalled her kind words of encouragement while I was training for the Marathon last year, and the times I would see her in Spin class. She recently started working at State Farm to provide all kinds of commercial and personal insurance, and our recent conversation revolved around her State Farm training. I always enjoyed talking about business and she was excited to start her new career.
As I weaved between the group and having many people run pass me, I'd looked over to my left and right at Irene and checked off that mental checklist of just being prepared if something should happen. My mind also drifted with dealing with the everyday stuff, like telling the kids to stop playing the DS or WII and wash up for dinner. I reminded myself to cherish those moments when Elijah tilts his head and smiles or when Zachary would recall something I taught him last year or when Emily just gives me a hug or when Irene just holds my hand with our fingers interlaced. Life is short and we must keep in mind what really is important and our commitment to what is really important. So when something irks me and things seem to be falling apart, I need to settle down and refocus on to what I am committed to, and things always fall back into place. When you loose someone close, it's really tough to focus.
Taking time out with the Family last week was refreshing. Mickey and Minnie always brings a smile to our faces and a great interuption to create lasting memories. The kids are young enough to still take them out of school and I continue to do so. The parks are less crowded so you really can enjoy the rides instead of the lines. While I would have liked to cap the week with a happier event, none the less I appreciate the theme of this years vacation with the family, eating and sleeping seem to have taken most of our vacation time.
Several years back, the Town knocked down all the beach houses just south of West Meadow and protected the area. Just a path of blacktop reminds you of civilization reaching to the end of the peninsula, with sand and views of the water between the trees are on both sides of the path. My body was unfamiliar with running is this hot weather and it was tough. Looks like I am really due for some new running schools. My ankle is starting to feel floppy and its affecting my stride and balance.
The race day ended with a large group picture. Several times the picture taker requested that we squeeze closer to fit in the frame and then we all shouted "Marcy" as the countdown reversed from 3, 2, 1. No one seemed to mind that we were all sweaty!
Remember to enjoy the run,
Noah
.
Monday, October 27, 2008
6 Days Before the New York City Marathon
Greetings,
Can you believe it, there's less than six days until the New York City Marathon! I am extremely excited and really nervous about Race Day. What is helping me stay focused to cross that finish line, having one of those volunteers drape my medal around my neck, and all the support and encouragement that everyone has given me. Thank you so much!
Being cooped up for 10 days to mend my ankle was a lot tougher that I thought it would be. To keep me from getting too lazy and to maintain my endurance, I did some exercises in a pool and spin cycling. The swimming action felt like a light massage for the ankle. I also continued my training sessions where they avoided putting any strain on the injured appendage.
On Monday, the ankle looked better, and felt about 95% normal. So, I finally took a short run on Monday for a mile around the block, at 9:30 at night. Yes, at night again! The little 3 led headlamp that I bought did an awesome job shining through the darkness of my neighborhood. That $25.00 investment saved my ankles and my dreams of finishing the marathon twice, as the surprisingly powerful light revealed a couple of potholes along the way.
Can you believe it, there's less than six days until the New York City Marathon! I am extremely excited and really nervous about Race Day. What is helping me stay focused to cross that finish line, having one of those volunteers drape my medal around my neck, and all the support and encouragement that everyone has given me. Thank you so much!
Being cooped up for 10 days to mend my ankle was a lot tougher that I thought it would be. To keep me from getting too lazy and to maintain my endurance, I did some exercises in a pool and spin cycling. The swimming action felt like a light massage for the ankle. I also continued my training sessions where they avoided putting any strain on the injured appendage.
On Monday, the ankle looked better, and felt about 95% normal. So, I finally took a short run on Monday for a mile around the block, at 9:30 at night. Yes, at night again! The little 3 led headlamp that I bought did an awesome job shining through the darkness of my neighborhood. That $25.00 investment saved my ankles and my dreams of finishing the marathon twice, as the surprisingly powerful light revealed a couple of potholes along the way.
It's amazing how chilly it
has gotten in just 10 days. The cold air caught my asthma
by surprise, and my lungs weezed as I made my rounds around the
block. Thoughts of taking a couple of puffs of my inhaler seemed very
inviting as I climbed the second hill. All throughout my training
never did I think about that inhaler once until Monday night.
Before training for the race,
if for some reason I ran for a 1/4 mile I would have said, "I've
had enough" and walk the rest. Most of the time I would say,
"It's too hot, let's stay in the A/C and not sweat".
Now with this injury, I mumble in my agravated voice, "I better
not run anymore, because if you sprain your ankle again, your Marathon days for
2008 are over". I can't beleive that I am tell myself to be
patient, slow down, and cut my run short. I missed my final long run, and
it concerns me that I had such a reduction in my
training in preparation for 26.2 miles will make it really tough for
me. Mentally I am ready to deal with the rigors and physically it hasn't
been spelled out yet. I am sure the endorphins will be pumping through
the veins and I probably won't feel a thing until I stop running! At that
time, my brain would have caught up to my body and say, "You're ready to feel
the pain now".
I ran 2 miles on Wednesday
Night and 3.8 miles on Friday Night, and the ankle did not concern me, until I
woke up the next day and it felt sore, but no pain. Especially on Friday
Night, I wanted to run a lot more, but I reminded myself to take it easy.
Actually, on the 3 runs this week, have been faster on average. I
guess resting really does help your split times.
I look forward to seeing you along the route. My Start Time will be at 10am which will be the Second Wave. I will be wearing a CWI Medical Logo Hat, Florescent Yellow/Green Singlet for Team for Kids, probably Blue Shorts, and my bib color is Orange. Yes, I have no fashion sense.
I look forward to seeing you along the route. My Start Time will be at 10am which will be the Second Wave. I will be wearing a CWI Medical Logo Hat, Florescent Yellow/Green Singlet for Team for Kids, probably Blue Shorts, and my bib color is Orange. Yes, I have no fashion sense.
My Bib Race Number is
30088. It's a great number. In Chinese, numbers with curves in it
is good luck. For those who did not know, my wife and I had our wedding
reception at the 888. One of the phone numbers at the office is
866-588-3888.
Here is a link to the Race Map. http://www.ingnycmarathon.org/about/coursemap.pdf
Also, let me know if you want to be added to my Athlete Alert, which can email or text you an alert to your phone to update your on my split times at every 5K mark along the course as well as at the start, half-marathon mark (13.1 miles/21.1K), miles 16 through 26, and the finish. Just send me your the email address if you want the alert sent to your email or your cell phone # and carrier to receive a text.
The race will be broadcast
live exclusively on WNBC 4 New York for five hours. The WNBC 4 New
York broadcast will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the pre-race warm-up and will
follow the race through the five boroughs, across the bridges, and over the
finish line until 2:00 p.m. I am sure someone will see me live on
TV in the sea of people.
More updates to come on
Thursday, after I attend the Marathon Expo.
Best regards,
Noah
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
In 46 Days, I will be hitting the pavement to improve the health and fitness for our children around the world!
Greetings,
After over 13 years of sitting at my desk typing away at my computer, expanding my waistline and a rising blood pressure, I've chosen to make a healthy transformation in my life and in addition, to help improve the health and fitness of children across the United States and around the world. I really want to play as long as possible with my kids, Emily, Zachary, and Elijah.
Sunday, November 2, 2008, my
feet will be hitting the pavement of New
York City
Team for Kids plays a
decisive role in responding to the devastating human and economic toll of
childhood obesity a deadly scourge whose long term consequences will diminish
tens of millions of lives and cost of hundreds of billions of dollars if left
un-reversed. Their programs improve health, combat obesity and
enhance personal development of children with their running programs.
As a Team for Kids member, I
am requesting your assistance by making a donation to my fundraising
campaign
Please use the following link
in this email to donate online quickly and securely.
On the page, for the
following fields please include my
* ING New York City
Marathon Entry/Registration # 222354
* Member's Last Name or Team Name Lam
You will receive a
confirmation of your donation by email and, additionally, I will be
notified as soon as you make your donation.
You can also print out the
following donation card if you prefer to mail in your donation.
Each donation will help
vulnerable children grow strong in body, mind, and spirit!
By the way, I am looking for
people to run with preferably in the 12-13 min per mile range :)
Over
the next few weeks I will be emailing you with places you can watch the race!
Thanks for your support,
Noah
P.S. I would greatly
appreciate it, if you would forward this email to as many people as you can and
encourage them to donate as well.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Hello and Welcome to the Team for Kids Family!
The first email I received from Team for Kids... Changed my life!
Your
Team for Kids 2008 application has
been approved -- you are now an official member of New York Road New York City
We
salute your participation as one of a team of 1,300+ runners who have committed
to changing their lives – and the lives of countless at-risk children – by
running the ING New York City Marathon as a member of Team
for Kids this year. Your fellow Team members hail from dozens
of states and countries and we have organized our resources to provide you with
responsive, personalized support.
Team
members who reside in the greater New
York
If
you are a TFK National member, we
welcome you to our on-line chats, coaches’ hours and other forums that enable
you to ask questions and interact with coaches and fellow participants
daily. We’ll help you set up group runs with other TFKers local to you.
If you are a TFK Metro member, we
hope you will participate in NYC-based weekday training runs, weekend long runs
and clinics with Team members. Regardless where you’re located however, you’ll
receive a personalized training plan, individual coaching assistance and Team
support, all designed to provide you with an incredible ING New York City
Marathon experience.
This season, members will enjoy a host of benefits for their
efforts, including guaranteed entry into two premier NYRR races for the price
of one -- the ING New York City Marathon and NYC Half-Marathon Presented by
NIKE (limited entries available); an online member handbook with successful
tips to make your fund-raising simple, significant and fun; race-day VIP perks;
special ‘members only’ events throughout the season and marathon week;
six-months of personalized training targeted to runners of all abilities; a
vibrant online community with availability to our coaching staff via the
Flotrackr module; as well as official Team for Kids
signature gear.
Wondering
… what’s next?
The
online member handbook and our online community will be available shortly, the
official six-month training program starts Saturday, May 10 (mark your
calendar), and
information
on how to build your mileage base in preparation for the marathon training journey
is coming soon. For a
great first step, we recommend you bookmark and review tfkworldwide.org. Our
site will provide a variety of resources to get you started with your
fund-raising, and uplift your contributions above and beyond your funding pledge.
We’re
thrilled to have you on the Team and are here now to answer questions and help
get your fund-raising and training preparations started. Don't hesitate to
contact us at 212.423.2227 or via email your respective Program Coordinator: tfkmetro@nyrr.org or tfknational@nyrr.org.
Yours
in Running!
Your Team
for Kids Staff
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