A Year of Running (Away)....

I think I just walked the dog to get this one.

...well, actually its been more than a year...at least taking up Running using Nike+ devices (& apps) and shoes (pictured below). Yeah, yeah...I know I could have used different brands and other gear but I wanted to be consistent with my "style" and somehow belong to a very particular global community (they have minions all over the world...haha)

Nike+Sportband & Sensor

Nike Sporty Sunglasses (with Transition Lens)

My Sportband & HRM (Heart-Rate Monitor) watch

They do have minions! And of course below is my very "first" Nike+ shoe:

Nike Air Max Edge (got a sensor hole inside)

And "the many"....(others that followed):

L-R: Airmax Elite (basketball), Pegasus+28 (running), ACG Rongbuk (for trail hiking),Dual Fusion TRII (cross-training) & the Revolution I (for sprints) Not in picture: Takos Mid (hiking boots) & Lunarglide 3 (running)

 

"Running" has given me some sort of...(i know this is gonna sound cliché) "escape", but it did somehow put me back on the right track (again, another cliché ;) to focus my energies (the little that I have) and at the very least got me fit (a little bit ---my gout hasn't acted as frequently since I got into the groove of things). I admit though, im starting to slow down a now (not that I was that fast in the first place) but Im gonna plough through a little bit more at least till I get all the Nike+ badges (I'm still waiting for my Stormproof badge :(

June Runs

Basically, here's how it turned out:

All in all, I feel I turned in a pretty good month. I dunno why it's labeled as  "Fast & Furious" (which just reminds me to watch the 6th & final(?) installment of the movie) since I could really improve on my average 12min/mi per pace. And, more importantly, maintain my overall 5.1 mile average.

I also didn't really hit my "goals" of earning Stormproof and Comfort Zone Badges (one did not exactly compliment the other, now that I think of it), but I did get an unexpected but sought after "new Achievement" for the month though so them were still good runs. \(^_^)/

Raindrops are falling....

This will probably my last run for this month in this area...in the rain. As you can see the bridge is still out so I can't cross, which really puts a damper in running my regular route (to get my Comfort Badge). I do like running in the rain, although I can't really do speed runs because the pavement can be quite slippery and besides, I already got squishy shoes (i'm wearing my Nike Dual Fusion TRII for this run). I used my Nike+ Sportband to keep track of my pace and risked getting my Samsung Android phone getting wet for music on the go (I didn't use my Nike+ Running App this time around because I wanted to "preserve" my previous run--- long story will explain in my other blog)

My River Trails

This has been a long time coming...I thought I'd finally post my trail "routes" the past couple of months (well, even more than that...since March I think). Anyways, here are some of the sights I see when I do my late afternoon runs. These "trail runs" finally paid off last month when I got my Off-the-Beaten Track Badge. I took the pictures quite recently so the roads have been "paved" a lot better now than it was a few months back (it was a lot more muddy then)

May Days

As you can see (for those who care to)...I haven't been running that much in May:

Way below my "usual" 40+ runs a month average

This was "kinda intentional" however as I tried to "pace" myself for my real goal(s) which was to get a non-Platinum trophy (preferably a Silver or Bronze one, as I haven't gotten one of those yet)...for some reason (NikePlus "achievements" is still kinda screwy as I write this). Yeah, Im kinda "screwy" myself ;-). Anyways...here are the rest of my May run "days":

Yeah, an 11hr workout!?! Told ya I was "screwy" ;-) Which accounts for the big gap in my May Run

I did get one of my goals done this May with those stats...surprisingly, as I ran more road than trails (couldn't really help it) compared to last month...but what the hey...I got my Off-the-Beaten-Path badge this May! And with a bonus badge at that, the Cinco de Mayo badge too! Ay Caramba so Sweet! (I've written about it in my other blog by the way). Ok, that's it...I'll just "trail off" with this:

Running at 2 different places!?!? I'm everywhere!

I know, I know...this is hardly something to "crow" about (this crow pun will make sense, when I post pics on my next blog)...but this NikePlus "detail" is something I have just newly discovered and a nice one to add to my blog to boot...plus it sets me up for a "new" NikePlus badge goal to go after this June (especially since now I know, Nike does track my GPS-enabled runs). See my nikeplusbadger blog for details!

April Runs

Just in case anyone is interested, here's my April run:

Not entirely sure why there's a gap right in the middle...hmmm..cant remember
probably gout I guess

 Yeah, nothing really stands out...I did my 40+ or so runs for the month, tried to keep my average distance of 3+.miles or about 5.0+ kms and well....And also, I did try to keep my average pace below the 13min/km mark.....the only, perhaps, note-worthy "change/difference" is my run location:

Did a lot more "trail" running/hiking than usual as I was aiming for a Nike+: The-Off-the-Beaten badge (I was hoping it'd appear this month)

Speaking of Nike+ badges and trophies, I did manage to get my Platinum Trophies to appear this April! Finally, after months of "badgering" Nike+ Running about missing trophies I finally got the fix! See below:

It does seem an awful lot of Platinum Trophies...which is given btw, for running 160kms or 100miles or more each...uhmmm....I think weekly? I think monthly...hmmmm....that can't be right....

Anyways, at least I got that "sorted out"...sort of....can't really complain (anymore) if they gave me more than enough trophy credits....To my fellow "Nike+ badgers" out there...you can follow my Nike+ Badge quest here: nikeplusbadgers.blogspot.com

slides of March ;-)

I just wanted to post for...uhmmm...posterity what I did this March (i had to wait till the month was over so I can post this in full --- so i may have back-dated this post):

Happy Easter Egg-hunting!

Failed No.5 again :-(

I had to give it a try. (>_<)

I could not let go of this week's runs without attempting for Nike Fuel Mission no. 5 (my 11th attempt, btw) cause its the only Mission I have not gone over the 1,000 NikeFuel point mark (it stands, or rather, "stuck" at 883/825 @Medium level). The thing about this particular Mission#5 is that while one "only" needs 1250 NikeFuel points (something which I can do running at my "comfortable" pace --around 9:30mins/mile non-stop for 3-4miles), it requires that you finish the Mission, in "only" 30minutes (or less). Mathematically (and I'm no math wizard), I simply have not figured out the right pace yet (or im just not able to execute it) to run the Mission in which I can finish 3.3-3.5 miles in 30 minutes or less (preferably, less) coz if I end it at exactly or a little more than 30minutes, the scoring would be off (at least in my previous attempts)....And, did I mention that all NikeMissions are pass or fail missions? That means you either reach the minimum required NikeFuel points or it won't credit the points at all even if you miss it by a small margin (which drives me a bit crazy but makes sense to me). The closest I got was "42" more as blogged here...which was surprisingly not that heart-breaking. I suspect there is a "minus" for going over the 30minute mark though (at least in my previous attempts). In any case, here's my result for this week, using a Nike+ Sportband:

Ugh! (>_<) Close..."79" more and I would have gotten it (that'd be like .10miles more or about 30 seconds more of running. In my defense, I did "run" a "half-marathon" yesterday ;-) Oh well, chalk it up to another learning experience

From NikeFuel "Missions" to "Mall-rathons"

When I first started this blog, it was all about "chroNikeling" (chronicling) my use (or misuse) of Nike+ devices to monitor my "runs", I currently have 3: the iPod Nano, Sportband w/Sensor and Nike+ Running Android App (installed on a Samsung Galaxy phone and on a Cyberpad tablet). In any case I haven't been that active in using them as much as I have until just after October (when I got a Nike+ Jack O Lantern badge which I blog/brag about here) and when I started doing the Nike+ Fuel Missions just before the holidays last year and I got a bit more "hooked" into it when I got my very 1st Android phone for Christmas (I know, I'm pretty far behind in mostly everything) and started using the Nike+ Running App. Anyways, to make a long story...uhmm...longer...I've gotten a bit "serious" with this running around business...especially with my "stats" and the "achievements/gamification" side of things (so you can just imagine my frustration with Nike's Missing Badges spiel here). Well, anyways, I've resolved to improve my average "statistics" this year in terms of distance and pace, especially the latter one because I was pretty much really just "walking about" using the Sportband and iPod Nano as a pedometer/calorie counter (not that I need to count them) & music player respectively (i've long since retired it in favor of the Nike+ App) Hence, which explains my general "slowness" pace-wise on NikePlus.com. Although, I do make up for it in frequency of runs (ok, brisk walks now & then) and in distance (pretty much catching up to averages of the Nike+ Community). So to remedy this "pace-setting" uhmm..problem, I've stepped up to replay most of my Nike+Fuel Missions @Medium to Hard Levels (which can be a bit daunting for a "slowpoke" like me) especially this merry month of March. I've been failing Mission no.5 since January though...so I thought of skipping ahead to certain missions that I can do....

Well, I did need a win at some point especially after "failing" No.5 several times already. I also got over Mission nos.4 & 7 btw with scores of 2038 and 1098 respectively. All at just "Medium" Levels of course, I'm gearing up for the Hard ones later this month. In the meantime....

The last Nike+Fuel Mission above, brought my attention to my "pathetic" Nike+ numbers which although, "improving a bit" (at least from what I've seen) in terms of pace, was still below my target general (displayed) average of 3miles and I was also already nearing my "landmark" 300th run...So, this week, as a "drastic measure" I've resolved to switch from improving pace by doing NikeFuel Missions to 3 "Mall-rathons" (hoping from mall to mall) to concentrating on getting >60miles in in just 3 runs (before this week ends--hopefully). The first of these, just finished today,  is shown below:

Well, it aint pretty and I was really hoping for a 20/20 (20miles in under 20minutes/mile) but I got distracted along the way and my phone's battery "died" out in the last half-mile <sigh> bummer :( In any case, I got a "new" Longest Workout record from it! ;-) Wuhoo!

Nike Fuel Mission no.5 (Again! (>_<):

To be honest I wasn't really into it with this particular "Mission" when I started the run. It's "officially" my 10th attempt at it for this year since January (half of which was quite serious), so I'm very much aware of what "numbers" I have to come up with to "overcome" the Mission requirement of 1250 Nike Fuel points in 30minutes (or less), which is as follows: Get a total of at least 3.5 miles (5.6kms)  at an average pace of around 8mins 30secs per mile all in just 30mins of running (and that's to even have a chance). I know for most "avid" runners out there these "numbers" is "nothing". For me though it just seems I can do "nothing" about it (except maybe get bionic legs). Its just so damn "frustrating" especially since I tried adjusting my tempos like speeding up on the 1st mile and slowing down a bit in the second (uhmm..taking 30 second walking breaks), which is normally what I do. But in this particular run (and in my more recent attempts), starting my normal pace of just below 9mins...speeding up on the 2nd mile (I got no second wind). Unfortunately, as expected I don't have enough gas in the 3rd & ½ last mile stretch to reach the total of 3.5miles before the 30mins runs out (>_<)..... 0.5 miles in 3 minutes?!? Anyways, as embarrassing as it looks, here's the result:

I knew as soon as I saw the Sportband  was only at 3.26miles that it was gonna be a "fail" :(
Even without that big "dip" after the 2mi mark (i think I had to slow down and catch my breath for the final mile and half

 Yeah, well, what can I do but try again <sigh> right? \(*_^)/ but on the bright side, I got another 5K below 30minutes with this run!

Go figure!? \(^_^)/ I get one of these when I "fail" (I guess, its one of those "Silver Linings"

Nike Mission no.4: Eclipsed yet not Enough(?)

I had to put off running Nike Fuel Mission no.5 today for a couple of reasons: 1st) It rained (or was raining) tonite and I didn't really want to risk any injury (physical or to my "pride" ---its like my 10th attempt at it already this year) even if I had the chance of getting a Nike+ Stormproof Badge (yeah, right, like I'd get one of those this year (>_<) --the badges have been put on a "Surprise Spell" by Nike+ Running (you can read all about it here on my Nike+ BadgerSpots blog). My 2nd second reason is well really a "technical problem" since I still cannot access my Nike Missions.com account. It's somewhat a "long story" -- partly which I'm responsible and well, mostly because I feel that the Nike+ over-all online experience just "sucks" sometimes because the way I see it Nike has 3 distinct websites that don't seem to have quality control, coherence or proper integration across the Nike-ingdom (Nike.com + NikePlus and NikeMissions) Anyways, I'm still waiting for Nike Running on FB to get my reset request done, and hopefully "resolve" the issue. I did however went back to Mission No.4 below:

SUCCESS!!!! (at last! well, it was just my 2nd attempt...and it's 60minutes...and yet, it was close! )

"Surprisingly" however, I did NOT "break" any records on that "successful" mission...which I ironically do when I "fail" a mission...go figure! (See previous post)  Anyways, here's my corresponding stats for the above mission:

Average Pace: 9:52 per mile (which kinda "disappoints" me a bit :(

Like I said, kinda "disappointed" coz I was hoping to at least maintain a pace below the 9-minute mark every mile...(yeah right! ;-) but in fairness to this particular Mission, I did my runs outside the village (or suburbs, if you like) so I ran into a lot of cars and foot traffic along the way which "considerably slowed" my pace somewhat. I know I could have maintained a much faster pace if I just run around in circles inside the village. Well, as long as the mission was a success....uhmm...I still "complained" especially in the discrepancies between the NikeFuel points credited in the NikeFuel Mission results and my actual result on NikePlus.

Fell Short by Forty-two (42)

I only did one (1) "significant run" on NikeFuel Missions (still on Torrent Mission#5) this week (last Feb13). Yeah, just before Valentine's Day (maybe I'll get "lucky" ;-)) on this Mission). I remember spending my Valentine's last year so much "significantly different" (I thought I was getting lucky too, and try something else aside from uhmm...the Missionary position ;-) with a "significant other" --the slut (>_<) sorry. Well, as you can see from the results below:

....some things just remain "the same"

It was probably like my 9th attempt overall on this "Mission" and my 4th this month (yeah, Im counting them). This is probably the closest I got (using my Nike+ Sportband, instead of the Nike+ Running App) to getting a 1250. It's just so frustrating because I got really, really close (only 42 points more! :-( Which reminds me... "42" is a very "significant" number. It's suppose to be the "the answer to life, the universe and everything" ". Huh?!? I'm just throwing you a little trivia, look it up here

Now if only it would give me some answers on how to "conquer" this "Mission" <sigh> O_o

On the bright side, because it was my "best failure" yet...I got this at least:

My "fastest" 5k below 30minutes: 27'15"

Coming Up Empty (Again) (>_<)

I started "running" sometime middle of last year (2012) after....well, after I got caught up in a bad break up. I kinda knew it was coming so initiated a "recovery" protocol to somehow "heal"myself. I knew it as one way to keep my mind "racing" and heart "pumping" (whatever was left of it :( and get myself out of a funk fast was to pre-occupy and keep myself "busy" with something  I don't normally do (or havent really done before). And, it should be something I could do by myself - anytime and anywhere with much consistency. No other physical activity (after trying basketball and golf)  fit the bill perfectly other than Running. It "exhausted" me so much that I tired myself out and got me into dreamless sleeping most nights and days too after runs.

It helped a lot, especially when I started to take it more "seriously and in style" by getting myself Nike+ Running shoes, gear and devices (Sportband & Android Running App) last August (2012). I wished I had done it a lot sooner before the Olympics (that would have gotten me the very limited and once only Game On World badge, to add to my trophies collection). This made "running" more "motivational" for me (I know, its silly). But that being said, the Nike+ program enabled me to get even more motivated to continue "running" as well as keep track of my "progress". At the same time I gained back some sort of competition and community...and perhaps, a little bit of my dignity.

Anyway, nowadays I'm back to becoming "frustrated" again ever since I started replaying the Nike Fuel Missions at hard levels (my initial goal actually was just to get all my Mission scores to over a 1000 points on each level). But as in love, luck and my "not-for-lack-of-trying" attitude in life, I "had" to replay all the Mission Levels on "Hard". And now, I'm "stuck" at Mission no.5 (>_<) after my 3rd attempt this week (my 8th in the last month or so). And end up with runs like this:

And this...which really "bummed" me out the past couple of days.....(considering I already passed it with a 1,270 NikeFuel score, and yet for a "glitch" in Nike+ Mission's system I got an "epic" fail)

Unbelievable!!!! (>_<) I feel "emptied" out after that run....it took me a couple of days to (even think) of "trying" again, but still failing to go over the 1,250 mark in 30 minutes or less...Ugggghhhh....well, at least I broke several speed records along the attempts (both in Miles and in Kilometers) plus the much "vaunted or daunted(?)" 5K in less than 30minutes (it now stands at 28:34). Somewhat a significant consolation, but still this Mission attempt(s)  is driving me silly.

(Yet) Another "Run" at Blogging

Hello. 

Welcome to my blog. 

This would be my first "new" blog this year. I've had a couple of them over the years; my first one is about TV shows/series that "live" on my computer (stuffthatclogupmypc.blogspot.com) in which I converted & uploaded tv series (mostly superhero cartoon shows) into video formats (3gp/mp4) that are viewable on mobile phones. My other blog is about comicbooks (comics2read.blogspot.com) where I "share" comicbook titles which I read and liked (I've actually "revisited" this one recently). Although I have not been that dedicated much less prolific at doing them the past couple of years, I'll try to be at least consistent with this blog, this year on a....uhm, weekly basis at least...(yeah, right! ;-) I'm gonna make another "run" at it....

Anyways, enough about my "blog plugs", so what's my new blog about? Well, for the most part it will be all about my "Running" - a new sport (hobby?) I picked up middle of last year (2012) out of what I'd like to believe is "out of necessity" and part of my "recovery process" (I got my he♥rt broken in ½♥ ok? :( I'll get into it more in my succeeding blog posts hopefully. More specifically however, this blog will also mostly "chronicle" my Nike+ Running activities and NikeFuel Missions progress. So, expect a lot of "run-blings" (ramblings) ;-) in the next few weeks (fingers crossed)

Finally, and as much as I didn't actually plan to get this out this soon (runningonempty on Blogger was already taken, hence chronikeler.blogspot.com), this blog will from time to time also "talk about" my uhmm...."project"...well, more like an "idea" really called the ChroNikeler™ (ok, its not actually trademarked yet, but you heard/learned about it here first ok?) which I am planning to pitch for the NikeAccelerator program What's it all about? Come visit next week and find out more....I gotta "run".  For now, I leave you with this quote which I dreamt of (I was in the 3rd grade, I think) and woke up to this morning:

"If at first you don't succeed. Try, try, try again."

                                                                                                     - William Edward Hickson