The Space Monkey Republic

2012 Chevron Houston Marathon Recap - PR!

2012-01-23T00:37:00.002-06:00

Let me start of by saying last weekend was an amazing weekend for running. Not only did I get to watch and cheer on the elite athletes in the Olympic Trials, but I managed to finally break my old marathon personal record by nearly 10 minutes. All the long hours spent in training had finally paid off. I keep saying this season has been the most enjoyable season of training I have ever gone through. A huge part of that is the fact that I've been training with a running club for the first time ever. I love it so much, I can't fathom ever going back to training solo. I've met an entire new circle of awesome people who love the sport. The experience helped finally push me passed the running plateau that I thought I had reached. I feel faster than ever before and I can say with supreme confidence that my best is yet to come. That alone is a great feeling.

Official chip time: 4:10:27

Glorious.

As always, a very special thanks to my beautiful wife whose limitless support and patience allows me the luxury of running.

2011 San Antonio Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon

2011-11-23T11:40:00.002-06:00

After the whole Union Pacific train incident during last year's race, I had told me wife that I would never race in San Antonio again. Well, exactly one year later and I'm back in San Antonio for the race. The main reason I signed up again this year was because one of my best friends wanted to run it and I agreed to join him. And I'm so happy I did. It was easily the most enjoyable trip to the river city I have ever had. We stayed at the lovely Drury Plaza Hotel in downtown San Antonio. The place was formerly home to the Alamo Bank and was built in 1929, so the building had a ton of impressive art deco character. We loaded up at dinner at Zocca on the Riverwalk, just minutes away from the hotel. Carb loading before a race is always fun. To top that off, we had dessert a fancy place called Biga on the Banks. Everything was superb.

The weather was unseasonably warm, but the race itself was awesome. The course had been modified for the better. It was easily the most scenic route in the four year history of the race. The crowd was great and I was feeling fast. I ended up with a time that I had thought was a PR, but as it turns out I was just two seconds shy. (Coincidentally tying my San Antonio PR set back in 2008!) I was still very happy with the race because I haven't been this fast in years.

Chip Time: 1:49:14

I think what made the trip so successful was the great company. Thanks buddy. And of course, no trip would ever even happen without the superhuman support of my incredible wife. You are my truest inspiration.

2011 BP MS150

2011-04-22T14:47:00.003-05:00

Over 150 miles of riding from Houston to Austin. With over 13,000 participants, the MS150 is the biggest two day fundraising cycling event in North America. Pretty awesome, right? This was my very first cycling event and one that I've always wanted to try.

I road with my brother-in-law's company team who did a great job with support and accommodations. We stayed at a private house in La Grange which was about 4 miles away from the fairgrounds. That allowed us to really just relax after the first day of riding. The ride started off well. The pace was easy and the air was crisp. The only mistake on day 1 we made was riding for extended stretches while skipping most of the breakpoints. After about 40 miles, the hard bike seat really does a number on you. That and my lower back also felt a bit stiff. Keep in mind, I probably would have been used to it had I really trained for the event. I actually never exceeded 25 miles in training. I wasn't really too concerned though because I had a sense that this ride was a pretty laid back affair. That's kind of a half-truth. There are a number of hard charging riders that take it very seriously. For me it was just another challenge I wanted to check off my list. Sure it's a physically taxing event, but it's nothing compared to running a full marathon. Would I do the MS150 again? Hmmm. Probably not unless I had other friends or family wanting to do it for their first time. It's very much a social event and there are some boring stretches. Don't get me wrong, there are also really beautiful stretches too. The section through the state park on day 2 was easily my favorite. Plus going down hill at almost 50 mph on your bike is pretty rad.

The really great thing about this event is the good it does with the funds it raises.
One of the signs on the course really summed it up for me. "Two days of pain is nothing compared to what people with MS have to live with. We're the lucky ones."

2011 Warrior Dash (Conroe)

2011-04-22T14:37:00.003-05:00

So the next event on my calendar was the Warrior Dash. It's not a distance race but it was an event I've been wanting to do. It's basically a 5k mud run sprinkled with various obstacles. Hills, mud, barbed wire, cargo nets, a fire pit, and more. It made me feel like a kid again for some reason. The whole thing really is over pretty quickly.

And I know these things aren't really about the time but...

32:06:55

I'm saving that just so I have something to reference in the future.

2011 Texas Independence Relay

2011-04-22T14:24:00.003-05:00

This post is about a month and a half overdue. I've finally got a little bit of time on my hands so I'll use it to do some catching up.

This is what the 2011 TIR Team 1 roster looked like:

Runners:
Phi (Team Captain)
Ashley
Bob
Heather
Julio
Long
Luis
Lyndsey
Parker
Quan (Peter)
Shaundae
Tim

Supporters:
Thuy (Team Mom)
Andre
Garo
Jackie
Zhahan

Nearly ever person on the team was a returning TIR veteran. The exception being Luis who was actually supposed to be on the 2009 team. Now the TIR is a unique event for me because it is one that I don't put any emphasis on speed. That being said, I know it's impossible for us runners to not want to improve on previous performances. This was especially the case this year since the team was virtually the same. And man, was everyone fast. At under 30 hours this was easily our fastest year ever and everyone was running strong. I'm talking about course legs run in low 8's and 7's. Simply blazing. It's always great to see everyone do so well. The real magic about the relay is how team-centric the atmosphere is. There's really nothing like it on my running calendar.

2011 Austin Half Marathon - Me vs the Flu

2011-02-21T08:09:00.005-06:00

Our entire weekend in Austin was in jeopardy. I was expecting to run in my 4th Austin Half Marathon on Sunday. A sudden bout with the stomach flu put those plans on hold. Friday night, I didn't feel strong enough to walk, much less run. And with the run less than a day and half away, I wasn't sure what state I'd be in.

I went to bed late Thursday night with a stomachache. When I woke up about four hours later to go to the gym I noticed my body feeling particularly weak and achey. I assumed it was just from lack of sleep. This wasn't an uncommon thing for me. Usually, I'd snap right out of it once my body got moving. The feeling continued throughout the morning as I played basketball and worked out. It was only after I got into the office that I started feeling the chills and the aches throughout my body begain feeling amplified. This is when I started getting a little concerned. But I had a tough day of work ahead and major deadlines that Friday and I didn't want to ditch my team. I skipped lunch because I didn't think I could hold anything down. The feeling of nausea was strong. I stuck it out until 4 pm before I decided I needed to cut my losses and get home. The aches had become unbearable and I wasn't sure how much longer I could stay upright. So I got home about 40 minutes later and I felt like a mess. I put down my things and went straight to the couch and curled up under a blanket. I didn't get off that couch until 17 hours later. The pain was all over. It hurt to move, but also hurt to stay still. I couldn't find a comfortable position to even rest. It turns out I had a fever of 101. I tossed and turned for hours. I fell asleep for a few hours at a time. Through this entire ordeal, my loving wife was by my side taking care of me as I struggled to stay lucid. All I had in my system was a banana and a few liters of gatorade, so she insisted I have some congee. I managed to get a few spoonfuls down before I fell asleep again. According to my wife, I had slept for about 12 hours. When I woke up the next morning, I was happy to see that my fever was gone. My body still ached but not nearly as much. I was starting to feel like myself again.

We got into Austin around 3:30 and I was actually feeling my appetite returning. I wondered how this would all play into the next morning's race. This would typically be the time to start carb loading, but I had eaten so little. I hoped a good dinner would be enough.

Long story short, I finished in 1:57:46. A little slower than expected but I was happy I showed up at all. In your face, flu.

2011 Chevron Houston Marathon + Rain = Fun!

2011-02-04T16:29:00.002-06:00

This post is well over due.

The race was just six days ago, but my legs wouldn't have been able to tell you that. I was back to full strength by Wednesday so that's always good. Honestly, I was feeling withdrawals from the marathon as soon as I got home on Sunday. I was already craving the next big run, the next big fix. It took me 4 hours 32 minutes and 34 seconds. Not a personal best, but that's not a problem. I loved every second of it. The more of these I do the more that core belief is underscored. You have to love it.

The marathon inevitably hurts at some point for everyone, but you have to make a choice. Do you quit or do you fight on? I know it's cliche, but of all sporting events, marathon running is simply the most perfect metaphor for life. Such as in life, there are always moments in the race that you just feel like quitting. Your mind starts telling you funny things. It tries to reason with you. "It would be so much easier if you just stopped and walked the rest of the way." "You can just blame the weather if you don't finish fast." "Way try so hard? No one else cares." The voice in my head grew louder and louder with each mile. The mind is a funny and powerful thing. When the voice grew from a whisper to a shout in my head I did something I really have never done before. I answered them. Out loud. For the last 4 miles, which always are the toughest, I kept answering "I have the strength. I have the courage. I will not quit." Over and over and over and over. Sure, I got plenty of looks from other runners, but I didn't care. This was for me. I was answering the voice in my head telling me to take the easy way out. And so it went, all the way to the finish line.

The key point isn't that you should care how long it takes for you to finish, but rather how you've run the race. Do you want to be someone who only runs when you think someone else is watching? Or do you want to be able to proudly say you never quit?

San Antonio Rock n Roll 2010 - Turning 30 and my 16th Race

2010-11-20T23:24:00.002-06:00

This past Sunday marked a few notable milestone for me. Not only was it my 16th racing event, but it was my first race in the 30-34 age division. I keep telling myself that the next 4 years could be my fastest, so I have plenty of time to prove it. Unfortunately for me, my pie in the sky dreams of getting a PR in San Antonio were derailed, quite literally. Before we had finished the first mile of the race, we were stopped by a train crossing. A train crossing! I first noticed it when I heard some booing just ahead of me. I looked up and noticed the train crossing arms lowering, blocking an already large crowd of log jammed runners. And with more runners coming up from behind us, the crowd was only going to grow larger.. I exclaimed my utter disbelief aloud. I simply couldn't believe that the organizers hadn't planned for this. We were delayed anywere from betwen 3 to 6 minutes as we waited for the entire train to pass. Considering the large group that had been jammed up there, I knew that the delay had completely erased the wave start and that we would have to start up a dense crowd all over again. I turned to my cousin Peter and told him that we could forget about PR'ing. But you know what, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing after all.

One of my side goals for the weekend was to help get my cousin over the finish line in under 2 hours, a feat he has never accomplished in his many years of racing. Six weeks prior, I had told hiim that if he commits to training with me in the weeks leading up to the race, that I would personally guarantee him a PR time for him. To my pleasant surprise, he stuck with the training. Our confidence was boosted even more after we had a great training run the week prior to the race. Things seemed to have just clicked in my cousin. He has unlocked the technique that I used to call "the magic stride!" (It's basically the well known running technique that a lot of veteran runners use that maximizes distance running efficiency in your running gait.) I had discovered this technique several years back and I had been hyping up all this time. So it seemed as though Peter had finally discovered the power of it to help him run faster. It worked so well for him that we agreed to rename the technique "Texas Boots" as an homage to one of the greatest side scrolling brawling games of all time, River City Ransom. Also, it just seemed appropriate. Anyway, so back to the weekend of the race. At dinner the night before the race, I start telling Peter that I felt that a 1:45 finish was in the cards. I could tell he was nervous about that idea. A 1:45 finish was much faster than even my current PR of 1:49. The 4 minute difference may seem minimal but the difference in pace to achieve that is pretty significant. So in my excitement I had set some pretty insane expectations for both of us. I could have potentially set us up for a big letdown really. You see, my original goal was to post a solid run under two hours. Now all of the sudden, I wasn't just talking about beating my old PR, I was talking about completely annihilating it. All that talk about speed records might have unnerved Peter. Mind games can really ruin a runner's pysche. So maybe the train delay was kind of a blessing in disguised. I told him he could relax now, because the pressure is off. It must have worked because he put in a great run and finished well under 2 hours for a new personal best. I was really excited for him because I knew how big of a milestone for him that was. You see, although he had been running for many years before me (despite being just 26), he had told me that he hasn't ever had a race that he was really proud of. I was determined to help him change that and I was thrilled when I saw that he did. Congratulations Peter!

As for me, I posted a solid 1:56:30. (That's before the time adjustment for the train delay, which I still need to officially calculate and submit to the organizers...)

Also, I have to once again thank my amazing wife, who is my biggest supporter and my greatest inspiration.

Busy Signal

2010-05-05T18:32:00.003-05:00

The last couple of months have been the busiest in recent memory. My work load has at least doubled. The pressure to grow professionally seems to be greater than ever. Duties at home are a constant. I'm being pulled in a million different directions. I suppose it's not a terrible thing to be busy. My work days fly by. I'm learning new things. The downside is the feeling like you're constantly treading water. It's both overwhelming and rewarding. The real surprising thing is that I don't feel completely burnt out (yet). Maybe it's that there's just enough exciting things on the horizon that keeps me motivated. Or maybe it's that I've started to find that elusive balance in life. I haven't figured out which it is, but for now I'll continue to attack each day with everything I have got.

2010 Texas Independence Relay

2010-03-12T15:00:00.003-06:00

Team 1 does it again! Robot style!!

[ details to be filled in later ]

Finishing in just under 31 hours, we had the strongest running team we've ever had. Everyone on the team did an outstanding job. The runners were great and the supporters were equally amazing. My wife did an incredible job organizing the team this year. She has gotten it down to a science, I tell ya! A huge thanks to all!

2010 Austin Half Marathon

2010-02-15T16:05:00.003-06:00

1:51:48

No PR, but I feel good about it. I knew topping my best half marathon time from a year ago would be tough, so coming in just 2 minutes shy of it is more than enough for me. I always look forward to the run in Austin. Aside from the enjoyable course and great crowd, I just really enjoy the Austin vibe. We stayed at the Radisson, which is situated right at the start line. It's impossible to beat that sort of the convenience. The only minor hiccup in our plans was that we had forgotten to pack bread for my pre-race breakfast. We ended up paying 5 dollars for two slices of toast! Oh well, it did the job. The weather was nice and crisp. The hills were nice and fast. I was moving along and a great pace until my first walking stop, which I took at mile 7. The next 3 miles were were just a hair slower than the first 7. Then at mile 10, I started feeling the cramps coming on. I slowed down and stretched it out a few times. I knew I had given myself some padding with the fast start, so I was just hoping to have a steady finish. It took some fighting through it, but I got there. The cramps came on pretty strong towards end though. I even took a full stop at the capitol building (less than .25 miles from the finish line) just to stretch out both calves.

The highlight of the event really came after I had finished. I hadn't done this in my last couple of races. I took some time to cheer on the runners approaching the finish. I find it so inspirational. You can so clearly see it in the faces of the runners fighting in that last quarter mile. Some look as though they're in complete agony. You see runners limping and hobbling. You see them grimace in pain with each step. And then you see the the look of determination. You see them fight for the last hundred yards as the crowd cheers them on. And then you see them finish victoriously. And that's exactly why I love the race.

P.S. A special thanks to my patient wife who is always by my side to support me!! That was my 14th race! Number 15 is next month. It's almost time for the TIR!

Chevron Houston Marathon 2010

2010-01-18T10:44:00.005-06:00

Another one in the books! I came into this year's marathon with tempered expectations. My training was not nearly as consistent as I would have liked. I had only run one training run over 20 miles, instead of the three I had planned on. I didn't adhere to proper tapering schedules, I crammed a lot of long runs just weeks before. I felt so behind. I managed to string some solid runs together while training with my brother. I finished a 23 mile run the week prior just to give me some confidence (I know. I was supposed to be tapering!). We stayed downtown again, for the ease of getting to the starting line with a little extra sleep. The strategy paid off once again. I felt rested and ready to go. Less than a mile into the run, I noticed that my Garmin stopped tracking me. I fiddled with it trying to get it started again and lost about .60 miles of tracking. The malfunction threw my usual strategy for a loop. I couldn't rely on the pace slip as a reference and my readings weren't reliable. Then it dawned on me, this might be a blessing in disguise. Maybe it will be liberating to run without relying on the watch for once. It was. For the first 13 miles I kept between an 8:45 - 9:15 min/mile pace. I was with the 4:00 hr pace group for much of the race. Around mile 16 or so, I started losing them after some water breaks. I expected this so I wasn't worried. I was just happy that I felt as good as I did. My goal was to stay ahead of the 4:30 hr pace group which would bring me in around the same time as I did a year ago. After mile 19 I could feel my pace slowing. As I walked through a water station, a man with a Jamaican accent wearing an orange Hawaiian lei pats me on the back and says "c'mon, let's keep going. each step takes us closer." I smile and start kicking again. I say to him "alright. I'm with you, brother." I run with him for about a mile at an 8:00 min/mile pace, all the while knowing this could very well hurt my finish. I didn't care because I was having fun. After a mile, I decided I should conserve my energy for the remaining miles. I slowed back down to a conservative 9:20 pace. Around mile 21, I felt a hint of a cramp coming on in my right quad. I took a few breaks just to stretch it out. I hoped that it would buy me enough time to finish strong. Instead of stopping at only the water stations like I had been, I started stopping at each mile marker. I stretched each time I stopped. At mile 23, the cramps became more prevalent. My pace slowed considerably to a 10:30 min/mile. This is when the 4:15 pace group caught up to me. I ran with them for about a half mile before I had to stop again to stretch. With less than 3 miles left, I knew a PR was within reach. I just needed to hold it together for the final stretch. I pushed forward. At mile 25, I said a prayer as I usually do. I asked for strength and fortitude. I received it. At mile 26 I see my family. As always, it's the best feeling in the world. Their cheers give me what I need for the last .2 miles. I kicked hard to the end. My legs were like concrete at this point, but I kicked. In the end, I narrowly beat my best time by 11 seconds.

4 hours 19 minutes 41 seconds

Another one in the books. :)

P.S. I forgot to blog about my San Antonio run back in November. I finished the Half in 1:53. A few minutes slower than my Half PR.

P.S.S. A special thank you for my awesome family and wonderful wife for supporting me! I love you all!

Quick Update: Happy New Year Edition

2010-01-03T21:33:00.002-06:00

My resolution is to stop making empty promises on my blog...

Here are the highlights since September:

- Asics DS Trainer 14 impressions - Pretty solid so far. I've probably run 200-300 miles in them so far and haven't had any problems. They feel a lot like the DS 13 with a little more polish. We'll see how they do in the next marathon (two weeks from today!).

- Batman: Arkham Asylum Review - Awesome all-around! The game exudes smart design and polish. It's rare that I play a game that is paced so well that I feel compelled to keep playing it to finish the story. This is how adventure games should be made. Ironically, it wasn't a game that was on my radar until the near it's release, but I'm sure glad I picked it up. I'm looking forward to finishing it on Hard.

- Scribblenauts - Clever game filled with charm and replay value. It has not disappointed, though I admit I haven't picked it up much since (mainly due to a blitz of huge releases though the holiday season).

- DJ Hero - Easily my favorite rhythm/music game now. The playlist is packed with great mixes that totally suite my music sensibilities. The gameplay is familiar but the interface breathes new life into the flooded genre. Unfortunately, it hasn't sold very well at all. Get out there and support this game!

- New Super Mario Bros. Wii - What a welcome entry into the Mario Bros. lineup. Classic 2D platforming at it's best. The cooperative mode is a great new twist although be warned if you're planning to play with your significant other. I can't tell you how many times my wife and I got mad at each other for causing the other person to fall to their death. And every time, we're just sooo certain it was done on purpose. (I swear, honey! I don't care how it looked, it's always accidental!)

- Left 4 Dead 2 - I had no intentions of getting the game, but then the trailer got me really hyped. I've played the first campaign twice and they're definitely not kidding when they say the difficulty has been amped up from "tough" to "ridiculous". I'd be playing this a whole lot more right now if it weren't for the next thing on this list...

- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Ahh, here's the where all my gaming time has been spent. Man, Modern Warfare 1 blew me away and I wasn't completely sold on all the new locales that was to be featured in this game, but now that I've experienced it I can honestly say it's the best CoD yet. The campaign is nearly as thrilling and twisted as the first Modern Warfare, though I'd probably give the edge to the first one because it impressed me so much. The campaign is equally short, but that's not where the game truly earns its keep. The multiplayer is fantastic! The new gameplay elements and tweaks have totally rebalanced things, particularly the addition of the Death Streak perk. I've logged about 30 hours in multiplayer so far and I can see no reason why this game won't dominate my 2010.

- Ireland - My wife and I went on a wonderful vacation to Ireland in December. We had an amazing time filled with castles, waterfalls, Guiness, blood pudding, and ghosts!! (more on that later) It truly is a gorgeous country and a place I'd highly recommend visiting.

- Other new game purchases - Lego Batman, Pure, Stranglehold, Quake Territories, Frontline, Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Van Halen.

It needs more salt

2009-09-16T09:49:00.002-05:00

So I've been thinking. This blog needs some spicing up (no no, I don't mean raunchy stuff). I've decided to start doing reviews on things I'm using/playing at the moment. First on the list, my new performance training shoes, the Asics DS Trainers 14. After that I'll do a review on Batman: Arkham Asylum (I even beat it!), then a first impressions review of Scribblenauts, which I've been eagerly anticipating since E3. Stay tuned!

(Keep an eye on my twitter feed if you're interested in getting into the cavernous abyss that is my mind. All in 140 characters or less, mind you.)

WTF jerks!

2009-07-29T00:06:00.004-05:00

So my car was broken into today (7/28) as it sat in a downtown parking garage. No broken windows. No sign of a break in aside from the plastic window guard that was pried upward and some scrapes around the trim. I didn't even notice until I sat down and saw my stuff was sitting in my front passenger seat. I figured the jerks who did it managed to sneak a wire in there to unlock the doors. They took my ipod video, ipod dock, radar detector, a couple of sunglasses, and some loose change. I guess I'm lucky I didn't have one of my laptops in there. I'm also glad they didn't take my garage door opener. A lady had also reported that her car was broken into and had her radio stolen. Apparently, she owns the same make and model of car as me. Jerks.

Our Friend Dan (One of my favorite conversations of 2006)

2009-05-21T23:32:00.002-05:00

Jackie Chang says: lunch at 11.30 or 12?
Phi Nguyen says: i'm only going if everyone else is
John Malone says: i'm good for whenever
Jackie Chang says: i'll go whenever as well
Phi Nguyen says: I suppose it's up to our friend Dan
Phi Nguyen says: who rules with a sceptor and an iron hand
John Malone says: plays the spoons in a 5-man band
Phi Nguyen says: headbutts his enemies like Zidane
Jackie Chang says: hahahaha
John Malone says: traveled to the 20's to play kick-the-can
Jackie Chang says: saves kittens out of trees when he can
Dan Fields says: hahaha
Jackie Chang says: hahahah
Phi Nguyen says: hahhahahhahaa, aweosme
Dan Fields says: you guys know me so well
Phi Nguyen says: eat's pb and j but never sans the jam
Jackie Chang says: was the first to put a disco ball in the back of his van
Phi Nguyen says: hahah
Dan Fields says: hahahaha
Phi Nguyen says: is the Prince of Persia, but never been to Iran
Jackie Chang says: who always refers to the ladies as "Ma'am"
John Malone says: he hates the Spam but is still a black ham
Jackie Chang says: who always has time to play with his friend PAN
Phi Nguyen says: for my wedding, he bought me a sham
Jackie Chang says: always closes doors with a mighty slam
Phi Nguyen says: hahaha
Phi Nguyen says: he loves boisenberry, not a fan of the cran
Dan Fields says: I'm so cool
Dan Fields says: HAHAHAHAH
John Malone says: hahaha
John Malone says: likes to fly helos by the side of a dam
Phi Nguyen says: hahaha
Jackie Chang says: hahahaha
Phi Nguyen says: in his gyros he prefers his lamb
Jackie Chang says: shares his name with a fictional Lieutenant who served in 'Nam
John Malone says: before some Greenghetti he sprays pans with the Pam
Phi Nguyen says: hahah
Dan Fields says: Shops at Pier One where I can buy some rattan
Phi Nguyen says: to the little kids he yells "Beat it!" and "Scram!!"
Dan Fields says: hahahah
Phi Nguyen says: loves his cajun food like that of Zataran
John Malone says: thought i beat him at C&C but it was just a scam
Phi Nguyen says: hahhahaha
Phi Nguyen says: he's no sissy boy, he's a real man's man
John Malone says: if he lived in africa, he'd be chief of the gourd clan
Phi Nguyen says: once called the Wambulance for me during a LAN
Dan Fields says: hahahahhaa
Phi Nguyen says: hahah
John Malone says: a fan of the Tres Leches and maybe the flan
Jackie Chang says: lassoed the sun from the sky because he wanted to wokr on his tan
John Malone says: hahaha
Phi Nguyen says: hahahha
John Malone says: with biceps and bulges like the 10 mill dollar man
Dan Fields says: Going to retire in Austrailia with a wallabye and a ram
Phi Nguyen says: ahhahahhahaha
Jackie Chang says: hahahahahah
Dan Fields says: hahahahh
John Malone says: rides with Chuck Norris in a catamaran
Dan Fields says: hahahaha
Jackie Chang says: fish don't come ashore b/c he drew a line in the sand
John Malone says: hahaha
Jackie Chang says: hahahahahah
Phi Nguyen says: once played the role of Frodo, not that fat hobbits Sam
Phi Nguyen says: ahahahhahahahhahahahhaha
John Malone says: can call for free on his long distance plan
Phi Nguyen says: hhahahahahahaaha
Jackie Chang says: hhahahaha
Jackie Chang says: asked Chuck Norris why he's so cool and Chuck said "its b/c of you Dan"
John Malone says: hahaha
Dan Fields says: Keeps only one shoe in a pair because two are too bland
Dan Fields says: hahahah
Jackie Chang says: hhahahaha
Phi Nguyen says: hahhahaahha
Phi Nguyen says: blows his nose with the gust of a million fans
Jackie Chang says: hahahahaha
Dan Fields says: awesome
John Malone says: killed a grizzley before he learned how to stand
Jackie Chang says: hahahahahahhaahhaagaghahahah
Phi Nguyen says: plays killer bass while pal john rips the drum in his band
Phi Nguyen says: hahhahaaha
John Malone says: haha thanks
Dan Fields says: Steals PAN's g36E whenever I can
Phi Nguyen says: hahha
Jackie Chang says: hahahahahaha
Phi Nguyen says: he stares the pearls out of oysters, out-muscles the clams
John Malone says: able to shoot acid from his pituitary gland
Phi Nguyen says: HAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHA
Jackie Chang says: haahahhahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!
Phi Nguyen says: God said let there be ocean, Dan said "No, let there be land!"
John Malone says: hahaha
Jackie Chang says: LOL!!!!!!!!!!!
Dan Fields says: yhahahahaah
Phi Nguyen says: can make OR gates in his sleep, but his favorite is AND
John Malone says: hahahaha
John Malone says: opened a lemonade stand and made a grand
Phi Nguyen says: hahaa
Phi Nguyen says: tells the Godfather what to do, he's number one in the fam
Dan Fields says: Killed a killer whales with only his teeth and some Cayan.
Phi Nguyen says: hahhahah
John Malone says: hahaha
Phi Nguyen says: scoffs at domestic brands, only consumes thing made in Japan
John Malone says: climbed mount everest with only one hand
Jackie Chang says: friends with Borat, has a 4 wives in Kazhiskstan
John Malone says: hahahah
Dan Fields says: AWEOSME!
Phi Nguyen says: HHAHHAHAA
Dan Fields says: Makes a good quiche and nobody question's he's a man.
Dan Fields says: you can't follow up jackies
John Malone says: with electricity on your knees and fire in your hand
Phi Nguyen says: let's all celebrate our friend named Dan

Well Said Tim

2009-05-13T11:51:00.002-05:00

Tim Keown wrote a very good article about Kobe. See it here.

(Thanks for the link, Sheila!)

Finally!

2009-05-01T16:55:00.002-05:00

The Rockets finally got out of the first round last night. It was pointed out to me that the last time this happened, I was merely 16. I've been bleeding Rocket red for so long, I think I'll go ahead and relish this moment a bit longer. Let's go Rockets!!

The 2009 Texas Independence Relay (March 6th-8th)

2009-03-10T23:06:00.003-05:00

I admit, in the months leading up to this year's TIR, I found my excitement waning for the run. I had a busy first few months of running and I didn't allow myself to look beyond the events I had lined up ahead of the relay. Also, the fact that we again struggled to put together a full team roster took away some of the enthusiasm. I was starting to think that we'd have to do the relay with as little as 6 runners, and I was not thrilled about having to run so many legs. Fortunately, our efforts to get the word out finally piqued some interest and we managed to bring together a team of 11 runners and 7 supporters.

Runners:
-Ashley
-Bob
-Peter
-Long
-Phi
-Huyen (new)
-Shaundae (new)
-Heather (new)
-Johnny (new)
-Julio (new)
-Sheila (new)

Support Team:
-Thuy
-Tina (new)
-Andre (new)
-Charlie (new)
-Zhahan (new)
-Dan (new)
-Jess (new)

As you can see we had a lot of new faces this year. As the team started to become more concrete, I found my enthusiasm spiking again. In the last month, we worked out much of the planning and logistics of the race. We learned a lot from our previous experience and worked hard at refining our plans. We wanted to make sure we maximized the amount of sleep for each runner. I think we did a good job at this, however, I knew Julio and I were going to be getting the short end of the stick. The way the leg assignments had sorted out, it would be a miracle if either Julio or I got more than 2 hours of sleep during the race. I was very nervous about this, but I looked forward to the challenge.

The first night, we stayed at this budget motel about 40 minutes from Gonzales. It was certainly no Olle Hotel (the fantastic Bed and Breakfast we stayed last year). We felt this was a suitable location for our first night, since we weren't going to be there very long and it was a short drive into Gonzales. We got up around 4:30 that morning and were on the road before 5:30. Our start time was at 7:00 am so we had an hour and a half to drive there and get ready. We got in with no problem and had plenty of time to get our bibs and swag bags. At about 5 minutes till 7, we walked to the starting line. Our team was announced on the loud speaker and my wife fired the historic cannon to officially start our race.

After finishing the prologue leg (1.15 miles) as a team, my brother Long headed off on leg 1 (4.26 miles). We wished him well and headed to our two 12 passenger vans to meet him at the first exchange. We got to the exchange point shortly thereafter and kept our eyes on the path that lead up to it. He finished well and passed the running bracelet to Julio, who sped through leg 2 (4.85 miles). Now it was my turn on leg 3 (8.78 miles). It was ranked as the most difficult leg due to terrain, distance, and elevation. Despite that, I had a lot of confidence I could do it at a very strong pace. Boy did I underestimate it. The terrain was a lot tougher than I had expected. It was mostly large rocks and loose gravel down this narrow and winding farm road. I knew it would be hilly, but the combination of loose gravel and big elevation changes took its toll. The wind was also gusting so I was caked in dirt. The views of the rolling countryside were really impressive though and I'm glad I took that leg.

My second run wasn't going to be until the night time so I had hours to hang out. I tried my best to catch some sleep, but the task proved nearly impossible. It was great seeing many of the small towns and exchanges I had missed the previous year though and the team did great running throughout the day. By the time my turn was up again, I had started getting nervous about the long night I had ahead of me. Leg 19 (5.5 miles) was mine. That would have been no problem, but I also had leg 27 (6.51 miles) soon after that. At the exchange for leg 23, we had a support team swap. I was so happy to see my good friends Dan and Jess there. At this point, my body was spent. I was exhausted. The long night was wearing on me and it was great to see them out there in the wee hours of the night. They injected some fresh energy into the team and carried us through the night. With the teams encouragement, I managed to soldier through my third leg that took us back to Katy. I was so close to home, I could smell it. We were using our house as the resting stop over the night for the runners and supporters. Julio and I were the last ones to get there and we would only have a couple of hours to clean up and rest before we had to head out again. After Julio finished leg 28 (3.6 miles), we had a van exchange and headed back to HQ (our house). As soon as I got through the door, I tip-toed to the kitchen, scarfed down two slices of cold pizza and went to my room. It was around 7:30 am and it was great to finally shower and sleep! It wasn't long before Andre woke me up to tell me we had to head out. I was still completely burnt out, but at least I was clean. My fourth and final leg was leg 40 (5.32 miles), the last leg of the race. I had some time before then, but again couldn't get any additional sleep. My body didn't feel at all rested, but I still had enjoyed hanging out with the rest of the team. As we made our way to the last exchange, I started trying to get amped for the last leg. My body was tired, but at least I wasn't fighting off an injury like I was the previous year. My muscles weren't very sore, despite already running 22 miles. The biggest obstacle was overcoming the lack of sleep. You know that feeling of exhaustion where your body feels totally achy. That's pretty much how I felt. But with the team behind me, I had to put in a strong performance. That last leg turned out to be my fastest of the weekend. Thanks team!

I have to say, everyone did an outstanding job running, supporting, and planning. An event like this is a logistical nightmare. Fortunately, my wife loves this sort of challenge so she was a big reason why we could be as organized as we were (I love you!). Thank you all for making it such a memorable experience!!!

Austin Half Marathon February 15, 2009

2009-02-17T23:14:00.003-06:00

I'm back from a nice weekend in Austin. I had a (surprisingly) solid run on the hillier, but very fun course. I was actually expecting to finish in around 1:55 but ended up beating my previous half PR (set a few months ago in San Antonio) by a whopping two seconds! Not too shabby considering the challenging course. Here's the breakdown:

Official Chip Time: 1:49:12
Average Pace: 8:20 min/mile

(Garmin data coming soon!)

The best part is, I feel I had speed to spare! I laid off the pace in the last mile when I felt my calves getting a little tight. I was worried I'd cramp before the end so I slowed down about 45-60 seconds off my min/mile pace. Now that's out of the way, I can really focus my excitement on the upcoming TIR. It'll be the perfect way to cap off the cool weather running season. I can't believe it's already been a year!

A big congratulations to my brother-in-law Richard who completed his first half marathon. Very well done, man!

And of course, a very special thank you to my wife who is always cheering me on from the sidelines. You are my inspiration. I love you sweetheart.

Happy running everyone.

Chevron Houston Marathon 2009

2009-01-19T09:34:00.005-06:00

As I crossed the starting gate, I pressed the start button on my watch and said to myself "Here we go again..."

4 hours 19 minutes and 52 seconds later. I crossed the finish line...happy. Not because I was finished. And not because I had a new best marathon time, but because I was happy about the road I had just traveled. I was happy. I had found the pure joy and love that I thought I had lost for the sport. This isn't to say I didn't struggle at times during the run. I had moments where the fatigue and strain started to weigh heavily on me, but each and every time I would say aloud to myself "enjoy this." I would then close my eyes and smile. I would look around at the crowd. I would tune into the anonymous cheers. I would give appreciation to the supporters who pronounced my name correctly. I was equally thankful for the supporters who didn't. I slowed down and in some cases traveled back against the flow of runners to say hi to a familiar face.

And so as ran, hobbling on stiff legs, for that last mile, I remembered why I did this.

p.s. A very special THANK YOU to my wife and all my loved ones who supported me.

A Running Epiphany

2009-01-17T10:55:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago I was bogged down in a real running rut. I was in the thick of the heavy part of my training schedule and I was beginning to dread each long run. All of the sudden, I couldn't stay motivated. I was more excited about finishing the run than about doing the run. Thoughts swirled in my head about laying off the marathons indefinitely after this season. The idea excited me. No more extended training sessions. No waking up before the sun just to have enough time to run. The idea become the light at the end of the tunnel that I thought would motivate me through my current training. The boost was short-lived. Just days later, I was back in my rut. I simply couldn't think my way out of it. I was starting to question whether or not my love of the sport was waning. The questions weighed heavily on my mind. Was it time to hang up the running shoes? Was it time to move on?

A week later I was in the middle of a long training run when I ran into a familiar running friend on the trail. We exchanged casual pleasantries and talked about each others' training. It was then that he gave me the simplest of advice that triggered something for me. He said "if you're enjoying it, you'll run at your best." Suddenly, I realized what I had been doing wrong. I had started to become too concerned with the my mileage, my splits, my average pace, my times etc. Running started to become too much about the numbers for me. It was all about quantitative improvement. Constant competition. It had become a chore. A part of me felt as though I had to constantly improve or I was a failure. I had loss sight of what attracted me to the sport in the first place. The beauty of running is unequivocally the journey. It's about the run itself. I remembered back on my very first running event. It was a half marathon. I hadn't yet built any expectations for time or pace. I was just soaking in the moment. I remember the beautiful sky as the sun broke above the horizon. I remember the herd of runners all around me. I remember the incredible vibe. It was all so magical. I realized that it was what I was now missing. So I started to remind myself of these things and all of the sudden I felt rejuvenated again.

I'm happy to say that it couldn't have come at a better time. Tomorrow morning, I'll be running my eighth running event, my second full marathon. Last year ended a little on a bitter note because I struggled mightily after mile 20 with leg cramps and an injury. For the last year, I was set on redeeming myself from that performance. Now I'm only concerned about enjoying the journey.

Run happy, my friends. Run happy.

The Cake is a Lie!

2008-12-30T10:33:00.002-06:00

So I have a few day off this week leading up to the new year. I decided to use my time wisely by catching up on a few things, namely chores/house work, creative projects, and video games!

Speaking of video games...

Just minutes ago, I completed one of the most satisfying single player gaming experiences I have ever gone through. I beat Portal, one of the best games of 2007. It had long been on my list of games to play. Knowing that the game was relatively short, I decided to sit down with it to see what the hype was all about. Boy was I totally NOT let down. This game is fantastic. I was really afraid all of the hype would just build my expectation to impossible levels and ultimately lead me to a major let down. Even with my knowledge of the general premise and unique game mechanic, the gameplay felt utterly refreshing. The game design was impressively elegant and the pacing was masterful. I think anyone who gave Portal a chance understand what I'm talking about. Portal easily lands a place on my list of "best games I've played this year." Speaking of best games I've played this year, I think I'm going to go finish Braid!

San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon - November 16, 2008

2008-11-26T11:06:00.002-06:00

I had a successful weekend in San Antonio. I managed to finish in 1:49:14, which is a new personal best for me. Hooray! Here's the breakdown:

Official Chip Time: 1:49:14
Average Pace: 8:20 minute/mile

My Garmin 405 reported:
Distance: 13.22 miles
Time: 1:49:20
Average Pace: 8:16 minute/mile

I'm guessing the additional .12 miles can be attributed to the actual path I took while running which happened to be just slightly longer than the standard 13.1 length. With streets as wide as they are, this type of variance is understandable.

Overall, I'm very happy with the results. I managed to do a pace of 8:16 while taking a few short walking breaks through the water station. My actual moving pace stayed around the low 8s most of the time.

Also, I didn't have many complaints about the Asics SpeedStar 3 that ran in. I did have some soreness in the outside arch of my left foot, but the discomfort went away. I decided to go with the SpeedStars 3 instead of the DS Trainer 13 because I wanted to see how they would do in race day conditions. Also, they're slightly lighter than my DS Trainers. Despite the good results, I'm planning on using my second pair of DS Trainers for the Houston Marathon. For a distance that long, I'll feel more comfortable with the additional support that the DS Trainers have.

Happy running everyone!

Obama Endorsement

2008-10-31T17:08:00.002-05:00

The Houston Chronicle does a good job at making its case for Obama. The Chronicle is historically very conservative. It is the first time that it has endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 when it endorsed LBJ.

I agree whole-heartedly with the endorsement. It's time for change.

Rant: Politics (read at your own risk)

2008-10-29T10:23:00.004-05:00

I've been really perturbed with the recent tactics employed by McCain and his camp. Among the biggest sticking points for me are the attacks against Obama's tax proposal. So McCain claims Obama is a socialist for believing in "spreading the wealth."

As I struggled to find the eloquence to express my feelings about this, I happen to stumble upon this comment on a Digg article about all the political labeling going on that I couldn't possibly agree with more.

Political and social constructs overlap. It's dangerous and misleading to quote a line or two from one philosophy and label anyone who agrees with the quote as a believer in all aspects of the philosophy. I'm a fiscal conservative and social liberal. I believe that we should use our country's resources with profound respect and accountability. I also believed that a truly functional society requires that people take care of each other. All taxes spread the wealth around. The current administration did a massive redistribution by raising taxes on the middle class while lowering taxes on the wealthy, which contributed to the economic mess we're in. The "trickle down theory" has failed twice, spectacularly. The middle class is worse off by far now than 8 years ago. Obama's tax plan is breathtakingly simple: the wealthy will pay an additional 3% on taxable income over $250,000. (No change for taxable income below $250K.) The middle class will receive a necessary tax break with which to regain their financial footing. I aspire to be among the wealthy someday. I will not quibble about paying more if I ever break through that $250K level. I want to live in a society that values the health and fiscal well-being of all citizens.

Pre-Season Basketball!!!

2008-10-07T11:38:00.002-05:00

I love this time of year. Plus, the second presidential debate is tonight. My DVR will be busy.

Lots of big announcements from Ninty

2008-10-03T15:27:00.004-05:00

A lot of intriguing news came out from the house that Mario built yesterday. Here is a quick rundown:

News that made me happy:
-the new DSi (who didn't see that coming?)
-a new Punch Out!!! for the Wii
-a new Sin and Punishment 2 for the Wii
-the upcoming WiiWare titles

News that made me sad:
-Ninty's "storage solution" involves using SD cards (we want a HD!)
-all the awesome Japan-Only games (like Tatsunoko vs Capcom!!!)

News that I'm lukewarm about:
-the GC remakes for the Wii

Check out some of the screenshots here.

Whoops...there goes September

2008-10-03T15:27:00.001-05:00

Man. That went by in a blink...

A New Beginning

2008-08-19T22:10:00.003-05:00

Today was my second day at my new job. So far so good. I'm still waiting on the "bench", which is where consultants go when they're between projects. I'm just hoping my first project will be somewhere in town, preferably on the west side of town. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

Alright, Alright...I'll Make a New Post

2008-07-21T21:20:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I haven't updated my blog in a while. The truth is, so much has happened recently that I didn't feel like updating anything until I saw some of those things gain some sense of closure. Here's a quick rundown of the notables:

-I was part of a massive lay-off at work (May 29th)
-I spent 4 days in the hospital with my wife during a medical emergency (July 4th weekend)
-I got a NEW job

Alright, that's it for now. I've got to go meet my buddy Dan on the virtual battlefield.

A Blast from the Past: GEM City!

2008-06-25T14:17:00.004-05:00

April Recap?

2008-05-20T22:25:00.003-05:00

So I missed my monthly update last month. It's all a blur to me now that we're already past mid May. I'm having a hard to recalling all the April highlights. The three big things that come to mind are my wife's knee surgery, the release of Mario Kart Wii, and the release of GTA IV. That's not to say those three things are of equal importance to me. Obviously, my wife health is number one. (See honey, I DO love you more than games!)

She's doing fairly well. She's in the middle of rehab. The procedure went without a hitch so it's just a matter of seeing how well her knee responds. We're staying hopeful.

As for the games, I'm currently enjoying both still. I promise to post full impressions soon. I promise...

The Texas Independence Relay 2008 Recap

2008-03-08T00:02:00.007-06:00

It has been almost a week since the relay and I still can't stop thinking about it. It was such an incredible weekend. I really don't think I could do it justice by describing it here. Everything was great. That's not to say that everything went according to plan, but we still had a fantastic time.

We got in on Friday evening and stayed in Flatonia, which was about 25 minutes away from Gonzales. We stayed at a lovely bread and breakfast called the Olle Hotel that I would highly recommend. The place was gorgeous and Katherine, the owner, was the sweetest hostess. We had a team dinner that night at this steak house a few blocks away. Most of us ordered pasta, of course. After dinner, we returned to the hotel and had a last team meeting before our early start to the race the next morning. We adjourned and tried to enjoy the last bit of real rest before our adventure began.

We got up at 4:30 AM for breakfast and checked out shortly after 5:00. We had a little bit of trouble locating the starting area for the race, even while using our GPS navigation systems. We had a scheduled start time of 6:24 and it looked as though we'd surely be late for it. They has us park a block or two away from the actual starting area, so we rushed to the check in table as soon as we could to get our race bibs and other goodies. We then had to rush over to the starting line while trying to pin our bibs on our shirts. We were late, but they allowed us to start about 15 minutes later than our scheduled start. Our race had officially started.

So the way it works is that your entire team runs this "Prologue leg" before starting on the actual legs. The prologue leg was just 1.15 miles long, but it was a great way to get the team pumped up for the race. My cousin Duy flew through the first leg then handed it to me for the second. I was excited to be the second runner and knew that I would benefit from the early start. A super dense fog still blanketed the area so it was difficult to see more than a few hundred feet away. I caught up to a runner in front of me and chatted with her for about half a mile. She was from an all teacher running team from the Woodlands. We had a nice little chat before we parted ways. I finished my short 4.85 miles at a decent pace and handed it off to our strongest and most experienced runner, Parker. This next leg was rated the most difficult due to its distance and net uphill elevation gain. I had complete confidence in him and expected him to run at a very strong pace, despite knowing that he had had kidney stones removed just a week before (for the record, his doctors strongly advised he not run). The leg was 8.78 miles long and since I knew he was capable of a long distance pace of 6 minutes/mile, we made sure to get to the exchange early. As we waited for his silhouette to break the fog, we starting seeing runners on teams I knew I had already passed. We looked at the clock and started to grow concerned. We called him on the designated runner's cell phone to check up on him. I asked him how he was doing. He replied "Bad. I'm really hurting." At that point I just wanted to make sure he didn't seriously hurt himself and hoped he was close enough to the exchange point where we could help him. A little less then ten minutes later, we see him. It's obvious that he's struggling but he makes a strong sprint towards us. He hands of the race bracelet to my cousin Quan, then just collapses to the ground. We did everything we could to rehydrate him and get him comfortable. It was clear that the race was over for him. On the drive to the next exchange, we were scheduled to meet up the rest of the team. I tried to figure out how I would break the news for them. Deep down, I concluded that our chances of finishing on time were shot with our strongest runner out and his three difficult legs remaining to be distributed among the team. Little did I know that this moment would be the defining moment for me for the entire weekend. I broke the news to the team and was totally impressed with how the team just pulled together to figure out the solution. We ended up switching up several leg assignments. Three of them volunteered to take on an additional leg, and we switched my brother Long to two of Parker's remaining legs. Though I felt good about the decision, I was serious worried about my little brother. I knew he had been training hard, but he was relatively new to running and had never run more than five miles in the gym. And now, I was asking him to run a mid-day 6.36 mile leg and a late night 6.76 mile leg. At the exchange where Long was to take over for Parker, I spent a great deal of time talking with him. I gave him pointers and reminded him to stick with what he felt comfortable with. I made sure he got his gear on and instructed him how to use it. I kept following him to make sure he was ready. And when he finally got the hand off, I watched him speed away. I was anxious and nervous to see how he'd do in the mid-day heat for such a distance. As soon as I got word that he finished, I realized that he had done great. At that moment, I couldn't have been more proud of him.

It should be noted that everyone on this team did an outstanding job. Everyone made huge contributions and I feel truly honored to have been a part of it. We had our ups and downs, but we kept at it and outperformed my every expectation. I am so proud of everyone and I can't wait to do it again.

One more running event weekend...

2008-02-29T01:23:00.002-06:00

Just a couple of more days and we'll be off on the last (?) of the running events for early 2008. It's the inaugural Texas Independence Relay!! And since we are the first officially registered team in event history, hopefully we can make it a good one. Here's the brief skinny:
-200+ miles stretching from Gonzales, TX to San Jacinto, TX.
-12 Runners
-3 Support Team Members
-2 Vans
-Loads of fun and adventure!

I'll post the weekend details when we get back. Hopefully we'll come back with those phat medals and a boat load of great memories. Wish us luck!

Austin Half Marathon Recap

2008-02-17T23:44:00.002-06:00

So I finally got to bed around 12:30 AM. After what seemed like a brief sleep, I found myself lying restlessly in bed. The alarm rang at 4:45 AM and I rolled out of bed. I didn't feel completely rested but I felt ready. I kept with my usual morning training routine and had a peanut butter sandwich, a half banana, and some juice (actually some mineral water since I had no juice with me). We parked in a parking garage about 5 blocks away from the starting line. I didn't mind the walk, but my poor wife had to endure the distance on her bum knee (she's such a trooper!). I had arranged to meet up a couple of friends prior to the start of the race. We started moving to our starting corrals around 6:40. The starting system wasn't done in waves like the Houston marathon so I was expecting a lot congestion for the first several miles. The race went well. The hills were definitely a challenge, but the course was fun to run on. My only real gripe was that the water stations weren't set up to be on both sides. Because of this there was always a lot of people cutting across to get to the side where the water was being handed out. The setup just made for more slow down and bottlenecks. All in all, it was a very enjoyable race that I'd love to do again. I finished in 2:02. Not too bad. I was trying to keep my expectations low since I was expecting the hills to be a challenge. And they certainly were. I chuckled every time the supporters would cheer us on by saying "Keep going runners! It's all downhill from here." The runners next to me would grumble and say things like "oh, I've heard that one before..." I kept telling myself to treat it as another training run. As the race progressed, I just couldn't resist the thought of smashing my previous half marathon times. I didn't exactly smash them, but I did improve from them.

I need to send a special thanks to my loving wife who subjected herself to the chilly weather and the constant walking. I love you!

Also, great job Rigo and Sheila! It was Rigo's second half marathon and Sheila's first. They both did incredible.

Austin Half Marathon!

2008-02-16T23:26:00.004-06:00

After a rough weekend last week, we're in Austin preparing for the Austin Half Marathon. I'm pretty excited to run it since it's the very first time running an event outside of Houston. And what better place to do it then our lovely state capital. I'd like to talk more about it but it's getting late and I need some rest before my 4:30 AM wake up tomorrow. Wish me luck!

The Marathon!!

2008-01-14T22:11:00.001-06:00

The alarm goes off at 4:45 AM. I check my knee. It feels almost normal! No significant swelling. No stiffness. I can finally walk normally! I'll have a chance to run the marathon today! I'm excited. I strap on the IT band and patella band as precautionary measures.

It's 6:30 AM, it's time to head off to the starting corrals. I can feel the adrenaline. Maybe I'll have a great run. I'm thinking "I want to get under 4 hours and 30 minutes." The gun goes off and everyone gives a loud cheer. Within seconds, I pass the starting gate. I can hear the chirps of everyone's stopwatch. I look to my right and I can see the sun come up. "Here we go again" I think to myself with a smile. Miles one through nine melt away. They're over in no time and I'm feeling fresh as a daisy. This is where the Half Marathon turn round point is. Beyond this point is completely new territory for me. This is the side of the race I have never seen. The crowd of runners thins out as well as the number of spectators. It gets a lot quieter. It starts to feel more like my weekly training runs. I'm well ahead of the 4:15 pace group. At this rate I'll finish around 4 hours and 10 minutes. I'm excited about my chances. Another few miles melt away and I find myself at mile 15. I'm expecting to see my wonderful wife soon. I just know seeing her and my family will give me some inspiration. I've got to make sure to look cool when I pass them. I have to let her know my knee is doing just fine. The mile 16 marker passes and I'm constantly scanning the crowds for her yellow sweater. My eyes are grabbed by any flash of yellow along the sidelines. I still haven't spotted her yet. All of the sudden I see a familar face. It's my cousin Frances! She yells "They're close! They're just two bus stops down!" My eyes light up and I push on. I spot the first bus stop about 300 hundred feet away. I see the second just after that. And then I see them waving. It's my wife and brother! It looks like she's asking me something. I figure she's wondering where my cousin is. I use my thumb and point backwards. Now it looks like she's asking if I want to take off my skull cap and gloves. I gesture as to say no and I run off. The next couple of miles go by and I start thinking that I should grab for some fruit. I grab a banana and an orange slice. Things are going dandy. I'm on my 20th mile and I'm starting to feel some lactic acid building up in my quads. They're starting to twitch. I worry that a cramp may be setting in. At mile 21, the cramps are setting in. I try to run through it but it is becoming difficult. I'll have to stop and stretch it out. I don't want to lose too much time, but the cramps are taking longer than expected to work out. I get back into the stream and continue running. I run for a few hundred feet and the cramps come back. I start becoming really concerned. I'm so close to the end. Only a few more miles to go. I have to fight through it. I run some more. I'm forced to stop again to stretch and massage. I continue this pattern until I get back to downtown. At this point, the 4:15 pace group and the 4:30 pace group have caught up with me and have passed me. I feel frustrated and disappointed. A part of me feels miserable. I hear the cheers of encouragement. "C'mon Phil! (yeah, many spectators misread my bib and called me 'Phil') You're almost there!" I try to push on but my quads feel like solid marble. I stagger into downtown and see my cousin Frances again. I see her aiming her fancy SLR camera at me and I think "I've gotta look cool for the shot." I start moving my feet and run. She says "they're just up ahead." I decide that I must run the last stretch no matter what. If my quads explode, I have to keep running. So I do exactly that. All of the sudden I see them. It's like a breath of fresh air. I see my wife, brother, and some good friends on the sidelines. I hear them cheer. "GOOO PHI!" The moment is incredibly touching. It's the beautifully pleasant sound of familiarity. I give the last few hundred feet my all. I'm amazed that my legs are still even able to move in their solid state. I see the big timer on the finish line gate. The pain is excruciating. I close my eyes for a moment and keep pushing. A moment later I find myself crossing the last timing strip. Almost immediately, a man comes to me and congratulates me as though he knows me. I'm almost startled by it. He grabs my shoulder and says "You did it! Even through all the pain, you did it! You did it!" I appreciate the camaraderie. I smile and reach out to his hand to say thank you. I notice he's got the finisher's medal already on. He must have come back out to support the other runners. I love that about the running community. Several other volunteers are also there to congratulate me. I limp forward into the convention center. Volunteers are lined up to pass out medals. I'm not sure which line to get into. I know there are some for the half marathoners and some for the full marathoners. I look around almost lost. And I see this lady rush up to me to congratulate me. She puts the medal around my neck and I finally know it's time to rest.

I finished at 4 hours 41 minutes 14 seconds (10 minutes after gun time). Not exactly what I was hoping for, but at least I've got something to beat next year.

I'd like to send out a very heartfelt "thank you" to my wife, my family, and my friends who supported me out there. Your support meant the world to me. You see, the thing about running is it makes you feel like you're somewhere else. It feels like living an entire lifetime in the span of a few hours. And when you finally see a familiar face in crowd? Well, that's like finding home again.

-phi

Check out the last 30 seconds of my race. I show up around the 16th second. I'm wearing grey.

First Last Week's Recap...

2008-01-14T21:52:00.000-06:00

So this is what happened last week. I bought those knee straps and knee sleeve. I did a couple of short runs on the tread mill in my neighborhood gym. It felt okay. I figured I could get used to it. So on Wednesday I went to the gym anxious to give it a full work out. I got in a few games of full court basketball before I hit the tread mill. Then lifted some weights with Dan. The knee felt fine. I even did some reps on the calf lift machine at 195 lbs. So I got cleaned up and went to work. A few hours of sitting go by before I get up out of my chair. I noticed that my left knee felt stiff. I checked it for swelling and I didn't detect much. As the day went on I noticed that the swelling and stiffness worsened. I grew quite concerned. I didn't remember doing anything unsual at the gym. No hard falls, no trauma, no anything. I decide I should ice it and keep it elevated. I do that for the rest of the day and hope for the best. That evening, I checked my knee before going to bed and I noticed that the knee was more swollen than it was before. Now I start to really worry. The next morning I was disappointed to wake with the knee in the same state. At work, I felt distracted the entire morning. Would I be able to run the marathon? Would I be able to walk to my car?? I didn't want to go so the doctor for fear of him telling me not to run the marathon under any circumstances. After a little talk with Dan, I decide to do the smart thing and have it looked at. So I call my doctor and leave early from work. The doctor checks my knee for any structural damage by bending it and torquing it in different directions. He tells me my ligaments seem fine and that I must have done something to my knee to cause it to start to swell. He tells me I should stay off of it and to take some anti-inflammatory medicine. I told him that I was planning to run the marathon that Sunday. He tells me that ideally I shouldn't and that in the worst case scenario I my cause internal bleeding in my knee, which would be very bad. He said that if I must run I should rest it until then and take it easy on the run. I did just that and fortunately the swelling subsided just in time for...

Just a few more days...

2008-01-08T00:24:00.000-06:00

until marathon day! I'm feeling pretty good about it. However, I admit I am a bit nervous about my knee. My knee has started giving me some problems in the last couple of weeks. There is some discomfort in my left knee and I'm hoping it doesn't worsen during the run. I'm convinced that it's my iliotibial band (ITB Syndrome). It was worse last year after some careless training. This year, I decided to train smarter and I was hoping to stay completely injury free this season. All was going so well until a couple of weeks ago. I've just purchased a knee brace/sleeve and patella knee straps in hopes of reducing the discomfort during the marathon. I'll have to get out there to give those straps some test runs first though. Well, wish me luck!

Jamaican Me Happy

2007-12-23T17:20:00.000-06:00

We just got back from our trip to the beautiful island nation of Jamaica. I'm already finding myself missing the place. We had an incredible time soaking in all the culture, food, and fun. I highly recommend it and hope to be back one day. I'll try to post some pictures soon.

Oh, and also...

2007-12-16T19:51:00.000-06:00

I ran 18.6 miles today in the cold! It was 27 degrees with the wind chill this morning! Yowsers! It was a good run all in all. I'm pretty sore, but that's expected. Next week I'm going for 20 miles...maybe.

It's time for a vacation!

2007-12-16T19:50:00.000-06:00

We're finally going to Jamaica!!

Time To Ramp It Up!

2007-12-10T23:29:00.000-06:00

Just a few more weeks and it's marathon time! Am I nervous? Not really. Well, maybe just a little. I'm more anxious and excited than I am nervous. Yesterday morning, I completed my longest run to date. I ran 15.11 miles and at a decent average moving pace of 9:04 min/miles. I suspect it would have been better had I not been overly conservative in the first 3 miles. Even so, it's better than my best half marathon time. Next Sunday I'm planning on running 17 miles. And then 20 miles the following week. Then it's time to taper. Wish me luck!

New link added

2007-11-27T22:59:00.000-06:00

I just added a link to my brother's new blog. He's dedicating it to all the sweet deals, sweepstakes, and free stuff he finds. Thanks for sharing the wealth, bro.

Whoops! Say good bye to October...

2007-11-12T23:35:00.001-06:00

And hello to the greatest month of them all! Give it up for November, ladies and gentlemen. November is great for so many reasons. The weather is cooler, it's a huge month for video game releases, there's Thanksgiving festivities, and there's several birthdays including my own. It all contributes to an overwhelming sense of comfort and excitement for me. I totally dig it.

February Fun

2007-10-16T00:19:00.000-05:00

I just got through registering for the AT&T Austin Half Marathon. My cousin and I have been talking about running it for fun for some time now. It fits snugly in between the Houston Full Marathon and the big Texas Independence Relay. We figured it be a fun training run for the TIR. Plus, we'll get to run through scenic Austin, which should be a treat.

http://www.attaustinmarathon.com/cms/default.asp

Get out there and run!

September in Review

2007-10-03T23:55:00.000-05:00

Wow. These months sure go by fast. I can't believe it has been well over a month since I've been back from Rome. It's truly frightening how fast time really goes by. Well, September was a real blur. The highlights include cutting both my hair short and my personal best running time down significantly. September marked the official beginning of my training for the Chevron Marathon. It hasn't been all the different from my normal running, but this year is different because I'm really making it official. Other big news includes me getting Halo 3 a day early (because I had won it as a prize through this online promotion). Unfortunately, my xbox 360 became dysfunctional just a few days prior. So I have two options. 1. Send it to Microsoft to repair. 2. Wait a month and a half to use the replacement plan through MicroCenter. I've decided to go with the latter only because I'd rather get a new premium xbox (hopefully with the newer chip and motherboard) with HDMI. I have to officially wait until November 14th before I can do that, however. That's over a month away!! Thank goodness these months are flying by so quickly...

There's no place like Rome

2007-08-27T23:24:00.000-05:00

Well, we've been back from Rome for a few days now and I think we're finally getting back into the old routine. The trip was terrific. We did our best to soak in all the sights and sounds of the old city and took hundreds of pictures to prove it (nearly 1,000!). Here's a link to our photo book featuring some of the highlights.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0CYsmzJo0bMXtg

Enjoy!

We're going to Jamai...err...Italy!!

2007-08-18T02:12:00.000-05:00

So we had planned this much needed vacation months in advanced. We did our research and had everything booked for a nice trip to Jamaica. Then Hurricane Dean shows up and basically says "sike." So, anxious to "get away" we scramble to figure out new vacation plans. The idea of a trip to Europe bubbles up and the wheels are set in motion. We did have plans for a European trip, but that was supposed to be in 2008. Well, things have changed. It's alright though, because we're both very excited about this trip. There are tons of things we're looking forward to seeing and doing. One of things I'm most excited about is running in Rome. There's this incredible park near our hotel that promises to be one of the highlights of the trip. I've read that there's an 8 kilometer loop there too, so I should be able to get some decent distance in. I intend on bringing back a lot of pictures so stay tuned. (revs moped, "Ciao" *)

(*Eddie Izzard reference)

A New Beginning...

2007-07-31T10:33:00.000-05:00

I know I've said this many times before, but this time will be different. How do I know this? Well, I really don't, but I really think it will be.

I'll just start with the highlights of what's going on in my life right now.

Married Life:
Things have been great. I think my wife and I have really struck our balance in terms of living together. We make a great team and I completely adore her.

The Family:
Exciting times for the family. My sister is due to give birth within the next week!!! Anyday now, we'll have a new addition to the clan.

The House:
The house has being great, aside of this recurring leak we've been having. The builders are working on it right now, actually. This is the 4th time they've tried to fix it. With any luck, we'll finally get it today.

Running:
So the last time I posted was way back in January right after my second successful Half Marathon. Coincidentally, I just registered for the 2008 Chevron Marathon last night. I'm stepping it up this year by trying the Full Marathon (that's 26.2 miles). I'm pretty excited about it and intend on taking my training much more seriously this season. I'm also planning on running in the Texas Independence Relay race next March (www.texasindependencerelay.com). A team of us will be running the 200 miles that from Gonzalez, Texas to San Jacinto, Texas.

Basketball:
Things are pretty much status quo. I still list it as one of my pure loves. I've been having a nagging injury on my left index finger that has been a real pain, but I try to play through it. I'm planning on playing in a tournament in August.

Gaming:
Gaming has been decent lately. It's a luxury that my wife is really into gaming as well. And not only is she into it, she's just about as competitive as I am about it. So there's always someone to play against. I've won our 2k5 Football offline league this past weekend, which was a treat. My SPM in Battlefield 2142 keeps going up, which is what I like to see. I only play about once a week, but at least it's productive. I just ordered Mario Strikers Charged yesterday. I'm really anxious to play online with the Wii. A lot of good games are coming out this year, so it should make for a pretty interesting holiday season (Call of Duty 4 anybody?). Let's not forget Metroid, Mario Galaxy, and Smash Brothers Brawl. And that's just on the Wii.

Work:
I don't want to dedicate too much space on work so I'll keep it brief. Work is better now that we're not working 60+ hours a week.

Well, that's it for now.

Round 2

2007-01-17T23:34:00.000-06:00

So I've been slacking off pretty badly with this blog these last few months. I've kind of lost touch ever since I moved. It's surely not due to the lack of things happening in my life. The most recent notable thing is that I finished my second half marathon this past week. I've been looking forward to it for the last 12 months and it had finally come around. My goal was to better my time from last year. I can happily say that i accomplished that. Last year I finished the 13.1 mile run in 2 hours and 13 minutes at an average pass of 10 minutes 12 seconds per mile. I felt that this was a fairly strong pace and was concerned that I wouldn't be able to improve it. As the race day approached my training intensified. I suddenly devoloped knee problems in my right leg. I feared that this would dampen my performance in my second try at the half and my goal shifted towards finishing in one piece. Fortunately, I was able to hold it together to finish the race in strong time of 2 hours and 7 minutes at an average pace of 9 minutes 42 seconds per mile.

Meanwhile...

2006-09-19T23:30:00.000-05:00

Well, another three months have past and I'm now living with my wife in our very own home. Things have been going very well for us lately. We're really starting to settle down in our new home. Life is good.

SpaceMonkey Update!

2006-07-21T22:35:00.000-05:00

Geez! I haven't posted anything since April! I know I've really dropped the ball on this. So much has been going on in the last few months. Oh, how time flies when you get a little older.

I can confidently say as of this moment, things are going swell on all fronts. That's nothing to take for granted. The last 12 months have quite a rollercoaster ride. Life has really settled down. It's just the calm before the storm though I suppose. Things are about to change pretty dramatically for me pretty soon. I'll be moving into our new house in a week. Talk about big changes. Moving away from the family I love so dearly won't be an easy thing. Fortunately for me, I've always been good at seeing things from a wider perspective. In the grand scheme of things, life is just as it should be. My wife and I are about to start the next big chapter in our lives and we look forward to all it has in store for us.

Wish us luck!

Smash Makes it Better

2006-04-25T22:06:00.000-05:00

The day started pretty rough for me. I woke up 30 minutes late. I barely got any sleep. Then on my way to work, I get rear-ended while sitting at a stop light. Fortunately, it was just a minor fender-bender and there was no new noticeable damage. I get to work, and I'm inundated with a ton of new work issues. On top of that, a stored procedure I had written was giving me some problems. I felt like I was at a melting point, and it was only 11:00 A.M.

I get an IM from Dan and Jackie asking if I felt up for a Smash lunch. I regretfully declined, concluding that I just didn't have the time. A half an hour later and I decided I just needed some fresh air (in the form of a session of Smash Brothers). I'm telling you, there's no medicine like Smash. Everyone was at the top of their games. Jackie was throwing down some combos I have never seen her try before. Dan's knees were particularly electric. And I was trying some new stuff out as Fox with a decent amount of success (I got some nice shine-blinds in). A quick hour lunch filled with knuckle sandwiches and I was good to go.

...Sigh...I love Smash.

Construction Begins!!

2006-04-17T22:23:00.000-05:00

Big news! Construction our our house is finally starting! After about a month of sitting idle, our house will be more than just a plot of dirt!

March B-day Madness!

2006-03-15T00:16:00.000-06:00

So it's that time of the year again. Spring, flowers, basketball, and a lot of birthdays. We're not even past mid-month yet!

Company Flag Football!

2006-03-01T00:57:00.000-06:00

Just what the doctor ordered. The pressures of the past week had been building, and I was starting to really feel it. Luckily, I had the weekend to look forward to, which included a friendly flag football game with some co-workers. We had been planning the event for a couple of weeks and were hoping Mother Nature wouldn't ruin it all. Fortunately, the weather wasn't as bad as predicted and the festivities went on as planned. We had a good turn out which included many of our bosses and colleagues. It was great to get out of the work environment and just have fun.

As for the game, I had a couple of picks and a couple of TDs for the night, but my team came up short at the end. All in all, it was a blast.

Fortress of Solitude

2006-02-10T23:20:00.000-06:00

Big news today. We officially signed the contract for our new home. (woohah!) After being delayed almost a week, we were finally able to make things official. I'm relieved that we were able to get it done before the price increase next week. Now we can look forward to all the cool things like picking out our interior options and watching our house grow like a Chia pet.

Race Day Pictures! (finally)

2006-02-10T00:04:00.000-06:00

Running Happy

2006-01-18T01:30:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday I had one of the coolest experiences of my life. I ran the annual Houston marathon. It was my very first marathon, and it exceeded all of my expectations. The race was incredible. Everything was just perfect--the weather, the people, the city. The day started for me at 4:00 AM. I hadn't slept much. All the pent up excitement and nerves didn't allow me to sleep until after 1 AM. Before I knew it, I was getting up to the sound of my alarm. I had breakfast and got all of my gear together. I had 5 other family members running that day, so we were all going to meet up and head downtown together. We got there just before 6 AM. As we fought our way through the crowd, our group was seperated. I ended up following my cousin Peter in the time prior to the start of the race. It was half past 6 when we started making our way out from the George R. Brown convention center and to our starting corals. We were starting in different places, so we were forced to part ways. We wished each other luck, and we went off on our own. The streets were packed full of runners and spectators. Just as the sun started to break, the starting gun fires. I was running for about a mile when I looked to my right and saw probably the most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen in Houston. I couldn't help but smile. There was an odd peace about it all, despite the chaos of the all the runners around me. It was one of those rare moments when life just seemed right.

2 hours and 13 minutes later, I finished my race. I was pleased with my time, since my original goal was to finish the 13.1 miles in 2 1/2 hours or better. It was the longest I had ever run without stopping. The real fun came later, when I was reunited with my family. A couple of hours later, we went out to cheer on my cousin Peter and my aunt Elizabeth (both of them were running the full 26.2 mile). It was incredibly rewarding cheering on complete strangers. Having just run, I knew how much that meant and was more than happy to oblige.

Back to work

2006-01-07T02:25:00.000-06:00

So this week was my first week back at work. It was a short week for me (3 days), but it couldn't have ended any sooner. Getting reacquainted with everything is a little disorienting. I'm slowly getting used to the daily grind again though. On a brighter note, it was nice to play Smash with everyone (John, Dan, and Jackie) again though.

Ah..Super Smash Brothers...sweet nectar of the gods. You see, I've been having a really tough time competing against one of my Smash buddies. So today, we played Smash for about an hour at lunch time, then for another 3 hours after work (pretty typical). I really felt I had played poorly all day, but I wanted more. So I make some calls and I find another game going on. It was with Zach and his buddies. Apparently, they have a reputation of being some hardcore Smashers, so I was extra anxious to see how I would stack up against them. I quickly found my grove, and commenced the pwnage. Don't get me wrong, they were good. I hear they compete in tournaments and such. So it was extra sweet when I got to play this one guy one-on-one. I beat him both times. The second time, I could really sense his frustration, which made it all the sweeter.

Oooh, new goodies!

2005-12-26T22:12:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I was able to install my new motherboard, processor, and video card. And there was much dancing and rejoicing.

So here's the run-down for my most recent upgrade:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ -> AMD Opteron 146
Mobo: MSI K8N Neo Nforce 3 250 Gb -> eVGA Nforce 4 SLI
Vid. Card: PNY GeForce 6800 GT 256 MB -> eVGA GeForce 7800 GT 256 MB

It wasn't a completely necessary upgrade since my older parts are still incredibly potent, but having "bleeding edge" parts is nice...very nice. I'll be sure to post the overclocking results (*drool*).

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T13:43:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone is doing well. I've been spending the last few days with my wife and her family. Although I'm used to spending time with my family during this time of you, it has been pleasant. Yesterday, we made gingerbread houses. Good times were had by all. I was inspired to create an homage to King Kong. I'll post the pictures soon.

Well, I'm off to help the wife prepare Christmas (late) lunch. Take care everyone.

Whoa, I'm married!

2005-12-13T22:25:00.000-06:00

A lot can happen in just a few weeks. My schedule has been insane lately. With all of the wedding preparation and stuff going on, it has been extremely hard to keep this up. Even with my work schedule, I finally do have some time to update this blog. I'll try to keep this blog a little more current from now on.

Welcome to The Space Monkey Republic

2005-11-18T00:47:00.000-06:00

This blog will be dedicated to the randomness that is me.