| GOBI MARCHTM 2007 Grace Park & Cole Sirucek |
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Posted February 21, 2006
Hello Gobi Friends! Cole and I came back from Hong Kong, where we participated in the Green Power 50 km hike/race. It was a good event to go the distance and test out various foods and gear. Cole carried his Gobi backpack with around 20 lbs. As for me, I’ll carry one next time. =) Some of the things that we learned from doing a longer distance race were the following:
Gear - Didn’t mind carrying a water bottle in my hand. However, Cole preferred to keep his hands free and even did not like to have water bottles in the chest harness/strap. He will test using the Camel Pack during our next race. I heard many people not recommending the Camel Pack for the Gobi because it is so cumbersome to refill at the checkpoints. - Soloman (non-Gortex) Shoes. Overall, the Soloman shoes work fine for me. The sole is wide so they feel quite sturdy. They don’t have as much cushion compared to my regular running shoes so we included foot-beds and wore an extra layer of socks. Most of the people I’ve spoken with recommended to not wear the Gortex type due to lack of “breathability.” However, I heard from one to definitely buy the Gortex because it prevents sand from getting into the shoes. Since we live in Singapore where it is quite humid, maybe we’ll test out a pair of Gortex to see if we get blisters from our feet sweating too much. Will keep you posted on the results of our experiment! - The IPOD solar power battery re-charger worked wonders! There was a point in the race where my energy level was dwindling quickly. Cole was nice to let me borrow his IPOD and it was definitely a morale booster! A must for the Gobi!
Food - Shot Blocks are an enjoyable treat and seem tastier and easier to take compared to PowerGels or Goos. The energy spike effect is subtle as these are caffeine free and lower in sugar. When we ran the Singapore Marathon last December, I found that the caffeine in the PowerGel increased my heart rate and heated me up. Definitely not a good thing! Shot Blocks are an excellent substitute. - During the hike, we drank Pocari Sweat and I realized that it made me feel queasy. The Hammer drinks do not work for me either because the after taste is too strong. Cole was fine with these kinds of drinks. It really does come down to personal preference. - During the race, I craved for salty foods. It will be important to replenish the salt loss. Doritos would be yummy to eat, but it totally lacks any nutritional value. Trail mixes seem heavy, but it has all the right energy ingredients needed. Maybe I will carry a little bit of both. - One more point to add about food is the packaged meals. During the month, we’ve been testing out offerings from BackPacker’s Pantry. The taste is not so pleasing. I think that Mountain House tastes so much better and it’s our #1 choice!
Other Miscellaneous Thoughts - I was quite surprised to see how much my feet swelled up after the race. We should have taken the time to raise our feet after the day’s event. It’s a good thing that I bought my shoes a size larger than usual. - Knowing where my feet tend to blister, I taped up those spots with a medical tape. However, what was surprising is that I still got blisters under the tape! From what I hear, the key is to use duct tape. Will test this out next time. - In terms of training, we will try to stay away from the hard pavement. I felt a huge difference in my legs during the 50K. There is much damage to joints and knees when on tough ground. Will stay on dirt roads for now to save legs. Swim some too.
Next Event I believe that the next event for us will be another one in Hong Kong on 15 April 07. Thanks to Mark Blick (fellow Gobi runner), who forwarded us this site:
http://www.avohk.org/index.php?_room=16&_subRoom=25.
Hope to see you there!
Otherwise, it’s just a matter of practicing for the race. I think that our proposed training regimen in January was a bit too aggressive. We’ve modified our training program to the following:
Weekdays: 3 times minimum 5-8 miles Weekend: 10-13 miles
We will start practicing with our packs and also do more light weight and cross training such as swimming. Happy Training in February!
Posted January 22, 2006
Happy New Year Fellow Gobi Friends! We hope that you had a great December, closing out 2006. The key training take away for Grace and me in 2006 is that we need to become more systematic in our training regimen. Having a generally robust level of physical fitness is one thing. Being fit for a specific distance race is another.
We started out December running the Singapore Marathon. Our pace did not set any land speed records but our goal was just to finish strong and so we are happy with the results. It was my first marathon too. We both found the last 5 miles to be brutal as we did not train well for this distance. Our longest runs prior were in the 15 mile range.
Psychologically, the end was tough because our Polar watches indicated that we actually ran 28 miles. We must have clocked the extra mileage weaving in and out of other marathoners!
As we approach the Gobi, there will be no substitute for putting in the mileage. However, the Gobi is still well over 100 days away and so we are going to vary our workouts. For example, over the holidays, we went to Sun Valley, Idaho to ski our legs off for about a week. We both found skiing to be an excellent cross-training workout. Back in Singapore, we try to mix in mileage on the road with mileage in the pool and the occasional trip to the weight room. This approach is going to slowly shift over the next few months to reflect the realities of the Gobi – heat, distance, packs, time on our feet, etc.
On 3 February, we will compete in a 50K trail race in HK. This race is without packs but should be quite challenging. After speaking with several fitness junkies/adventure racers, their feedback has consistently stressed two points. The first is the importance of “racing into race shape.” That is, using a series of shorter races as benchmarks to develop a consistent pattern of progressive achievement up to the big race day. The second piece of wisdom shared was the need to test, retest and test again all equipment that you will use in the race. This includes the foods you will eat, the hydration mixes you drink, the sunscreen you will use…absolutely everything! I heard more than one horror story about having food and skin allergies, uncomfortable shoes, packs, etc.
So as to avoid these types of equipment errors, over the holidays, we purchased about 95% of the gear that we will be using for the race. Now as we train, we are testing out each piece of gear. After only a few training sessions, we are already working out bugs. For example, in our last run, I found that my new foot beds after about 6 miles began to cause foot cramps.
We purchased most of our gear at The Elephant’s Perch in Ketchum, Idaho. The store has been supplying adventure racers and back mountain enthusiasts for over two decades and so we felt comfortable seeking their expertise. To help guide the conversation, we used the recommended list from “RacingThePlanet.” The list was a big help and was consistent with the advice we gathered elsewhere to include conversations with several past Gobi racers.
What we could not find at the Perch, we ordered online from the “RacingThePlanet” website with the exception of the IPOD solar power battery re-charger -- not sure how this will work in the field but will let you know next month.
As we test our gear, we will make sure to share with you highlights. Already, I would like to mention the following:
In term of eyewear, Grace is going to buy prescription sunglasses. She thinks it will save her from touching her eyes with dirty, sandy hands at the end of each day and will allow her to get by with one pair of glasses. I have terrible vision and plan to bring contacts saline solution and sunglasses.
To date, we spent a lot of money on the gear for this race so be prepared to splurge! All in, it will probably cost US$4,000 for the two of us to get equipped for the race.
Now that we have less than six months to go for the big event, we are more mentally focused on proper training. For January 07, the following is our training plan:
· Mon, Fri: shorter runs from 5-8 miles, OR swim +1 mile & hit the gym · Weds: 8-12 miles run · Sat: 16-24 miles hike/run with gear from time to time · Sun: rest
We think that it’s best to keep it simple. This is what we will test out for January and will let you know how it goes in Hong Kong.
Besides a sound training program, it’s important to have good nutrition so your body is performing at an optimal level. Besides eating a balanced diet, we are also trying out the Hammer Nutrition product line. We will provide and update on our experience at later date and will include our training entry for January in the next entry.
By the way, both Grace and I are looking for a good event in April so if you have any ideas please let us know.
Good luck all!
Here are two photos from a recent training session at MacRitchie Reservoir in Singapore.
November 2006 Entry Greetings to fellow Gobi friends! Cole and I signed up for the Gobi Race last month and have begun training for the big event. The first thing we did was talk to others who have run the Gobi in previous years. We saw videos of the event too. That was the clincher. It looked harrowing, but we are adventurous and saw that it was something worthwhile to do at least once in our lifetime. If we train properly, then we will be ready mentally and physically. Plus, if Cole and I can make it through the Gobi without killing each other, then I think that we will have undergone one of the toughest tests together. (We are planning to have our wedding three months after the Gobi!) Cole is in charge of gear, but some of the good advice that I received was the following: 1) Practice with your pack. 2) Check out Injinji socks. These are ones with gloved toes. It limits sand going into your toes and creating blisters. 3) Practice with the goo/gel/food that you plan to bring so that you know whether you can stomach these while on the move. 4) Put tape on all the places that equipment may rub you (i.e., lower back). 5) Keep your pack as light as possible! We signed up for the Singapore Marathon, which will take place on 3 December 06. We’ve been doing some light weight training and mostly trying to get some mileage down (to condition the slow-twitch muscles). Frankly, it’s been tough to maintain a good workout routine lately due to lots of business travel, but we’re doing our best to at least have one long run a week. In prepping for the Boston Marathon a couple of years ago, I trained to run at least 21 miles before the big event, but I heard from another marathon runner who has run seven marathons that he never goes above 13 miles in training. I really liked his philosophy so am testing to see whether it works for me this time around. Otherwise, we plan to line up a few big milestone events before the Gobi so that we are well prepared. Right now, Cole and I are planning on the following two events: the 50K Green Power Hike in Hong Kong on 3 Feb 07 and the Great Wall Marathon in China on 19 May 07. Links are below: http://www.greenpower.org.hk/new/activities/2007_hiking/e_main.html http://www.great-wall-marathon.com/ If you are running the Gobi and plan to participate in these two events, then let us know! Plus if you have any other good events in the Asia region that you are participating in to prepare for Gobi, please share as well! Our emails are: gracehelenapark@yahoo.com and cole@sirucek.net. Good luck in your training!
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ABOUT GRACE & COLE Hometown:
Cole: Senior Investment Associate, Temasek Holdings
Cole: Through Grace.
Grace: Graduated from West Point, Harvard Business School and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Currently living in Singapore. Athletic experience in judo, ice hockey, and marathons.
Cole: Graduate school at MIT (MBA) and Harvard (MPA). Professional investor out of Singapore for Temasek Holdings. No former experiences with long grueling death marches but have run a marathon, done lots of backpacking and am otherwise inclined to adventure and physical fitness.
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