run: inconvenient hunger

19 10 2008

So my running has been coming along just fine.  I’m up to about 5.5/6 days per week (avg 34 miles/wk).  Feeling stronger and faster as the weeks go by.  There hasn’t been a day where I’ve found an excuse to not run.  None of even the most demanding workouts have caused me to shy from the challenge.

However, fasting has been a little different story.  As you may know, part of my whole “my ninemillion project” has been to not only run to raise awareness/support for refugee youth but also to fast twice a month.  The basic idea is to get a feel for what hunger is like.  Why hunger?  Well, it’s hard to “be poor for the day” or to “not have access to education” or “to not have rights,” but hunger is a fairly easy thing to achieve. 

The tricky thing is that I’m finding it’s not so easy to schedule hunger into the daily routine.  Now, scheduling a 12-mile run, no problem, but not eating – well, that’s a little complicated.  There always seems to be something that doesn’t coincide perfectly with running on empty.  Whether it’s a meeting at work, dinner with friends, or just a “busy” week.  There always seems to be a way out of it.  This past week was no exception.  I had it on my schedule to fast this past Wednesday.  Well, I was up at PSE’s Komo Kulshan outdoor school this week and it just didn’t work out with the schedule up there.  Then the rest of the week just slipped by with one excuse after the other. 

Fortunately, I’ve been able to carve out 24 hours (starting tomorrow at noon) of convenient hunger.  I’ve only done this once so far, so it will be interesting to see any changes from the first go around.  Lets see how it goes! 

Refugee food fact:  BP-5 (aka Compact Emergency Food) is a high-protein biscuit that aid agencies often distribute in emergency situations. International standards call for each person to receive 2,100 calories per day.

 

 

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beats today: 8,400
my beats to date: 363,200





run: indoor team triathlon

13 10 2008

Today on my run I made the final decision to pursue an idea I’ve had for awhile – organize an indoor team triathlon to raise additional heartbeat and monetary support for “my ninemillion.”  I’m thinking a Saturday morning sometime near the end of November or beginning of December. 

Sports will be indoor soccer, volleyball, and basketball.  Need to find a venue to host this and then start advertising.  Folks will form teams of 5 to compete/play.  It’s going to be a whole lot of fun – very relaxed atmosphere.  Mary’s brother, Mark, did one a while back to benefit some Cambodian students he’s worked with in the past.  His was outdoors (flag football, soccer, and frisbee).  My hope is to also bring up some refugees from Kent to join in the festivities.   They’ll love the soccer. 

More to come on this, but just know this, I’m already ordering team headbands for all the teams.  It’s gonna be great!

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beats today: 8,500
my beats to date: 329,400