Its been about a year and a half and you might be surprised that I have been still running. Not much improvement though. stay tuned for more updates
Filed under: Uncategorized
October 4, 2010 • 5:37 pm 0
Its been about a year and a half and you might be surprised that I have been still running. Not much improvement though. stay tuned for more updates
Filed under: Uncategorized
March 15, 2009 • 8:45 pm 4
One of the hardest thing about running is trying to decide what to focus on while on the run. This is especially hard when you begin. Every time I go on a run I find that I have to train my brain as much as I do my body.
Perhaps I have so much difficulty because we live at a time where most of us have such short attention spans. As I get older, I find myself unable to focus on the books I am reading or even at just one task. When on a run, my thoughts drift all over the place and this makes me even more exhausted.
I have tried to focus on my form, on my pace and even my body but this usually leads my brain to freak out a little. I feel as though this just calls to attention the fact that I am running and exerting my body when I would rather just take a break right there on that park bench.
When I run, I always play music because It distracts me from myself, but lately I find that I crank the volume higher and higher to drown out the million thoughts that whiz through my head.
I recently read an article from Runner’s World that gave me hope that as I become more accustomed to running, I will be able to improve my thoughts, my workouts, concentration and my mood. The article recommends these techniques to train your brain.
Goodluck! Happy Running!
Filed under: motivation, pain and ailments, training, anxiety, brain, focus, goals, runnersworld, running, running psychology, thoughts, training
March 13, 2009 • 1:36 am 0
I’ve been hitting the pavement a little too hard. Lately I feel as though I have searing coals of hot invisible lava taped to the back of my legs. As I push for better time, my calves keep slowing me down.
Calf pain is a common problem, which experts say can be solved by a good shoe. The fact that I need to buy a hundred dollar shoe to fix this problem seems remarkable to me especially since I witnessed olympic champions race up and down the hills by my grandfather’s farm completely barefoot. With the advancement of new running technology I really wonder if all of this is necessary.
Kipchoge
One of the fastest men alive, Eliud Kipchoge, beat Ethiopian runner Bekele in the 5,000m by training completely barefoot along those hills by my grandfather’s farm. Motivated by supporting his family, Kipchoge overcame what seemed to be the impossible and raced to become a prominent member of Kenya’s elite Athletics team. Kipchoge isn’t the only one who hasn’t won a race barefoot… Ethiopian Abebe Bikila made history by winning marathon gold running barefoot on the streets of Rome, leaving his competitors in the dust.
With these champions on my mind I really wonder if it is all a matter of genetics and environment, being light, thin runners or is it fierce determinism. I remember while visiting Eldoret, I occasionally saw teams of foreigners coming to Kenyan running camps to learn the secret. Maybe I should have been taking notes.
Bikila extraodinary feat in Rome
As I ice my calves and whine about the soreness, I will make it a point to remember Bikila running more than 26 miles barefoot and Kipchoge training his heart out to give his family a better life. Maybe I can push myself a little further.
Filed under: inspiration, pain and ailments, Abebe Bikila, Bekele, Bikila, Kipchoge
March 11, 2009 • 5:49 pm 0
Filed under: Training Schedule, 5k training, schedule, training, Training Schedule, week schedule
March 10, 2009 • 5:37 pm 3
The words fat Kenyan runner are never associated together. Especially since Kenyans dominate the world athletics realm.Originally from Kenya, I come from a long line of runners, Olympians, marathoners. My distant relatives have won gold, silver and bronze bringing pride to our nation. In fact my tribe has almost become synonymous with running which is hilarious when you thinking of me.
I have always had an affinity to running but laziness and boredom kept me away. It
was only in highschool that I broke out a pair of sneakers and hit the dirt paths of the Rift running up and down hills and past the bushes. During this short lived running craze, I found myself euphoric, experiencing the so called runners high, never imagining that running could really make a person feel this good. But then University happened and my regiment went out the door.
My sneakers soon became neglected and I found myself rolling my eyes at the GI Joe Running looking warriors that speed past me on my way around the corner to the Fried chicken shack. I developed an allergy to exercise and convinced myself that I should instead make a commitment to being fat and happy!
It was only recently while chasing a London bus that I came face to face with reality and the fact that I needed to make drastic changes and modify my self-destructive mantra. So I set my alarm, and hit the road and began my journey as a fat Kenyan runner.
I began this blog as a catalogue of my journey to becoming a runner. Some of you may find it as a self deprecating excercise but I hope others may find it hilarous or even inspirational. Heck, if I can become a runner anyone can!
Filed under: musings, dedication, kenyan runner, kenyans, running