Stop And Look Around

So I did it. I ran the 5k in the Victory for Victims race at Lake Balboa yesterday morning. I was very nervous about it. I haven't run 3 miles in one shot in a long time. Stef reminded me to just take my time and enjoy it.
I was nervous because I hadn't run since the previous Saturday. And because I drank two beers the night before. I just thought I wasn't doing myself any favors. I made sure to drink plenty of water Sunday morning and ate my customary non-fat Greek yogurt with honey to ensure good hydration and energy.
Then I had to keep returning to the bathroom.
Then parking felt like it was 5k from the starting line so we had a schlep to begin with. I was getting nervous about the time. But we got our bibs and I was even able to change my registration from the 10 to the 5k. Then I lined up with the slower folks between the 10-minute-mile sign and the one for walkers/strollers/pet.
By the time I lined up I was feeling ready and excited.
The start was slow because of the number of people and also because we ran through a tunnel at the beginning of the race. In essence, we were fed through a bottleneck to begin. In short order I found my pace and the runners thinned out. It was a spectacularly beautiful day and we were running around one of my favorite parks in the San Fernando Valley: Lake Balboa.
I was feeling good; well-hydrated, plenty of energy.
I remembered to pay attention to the surroundings and I enjoyed seeing all the ducks, the birds skimming along the surface of the lake, the small, artificial waterfall, the young kids digging deep and running great.
I slowed to a quick walk a couple of times. If truth be told, I probably could have pushed through those and kept running if I'd had a partner. But I knew I had plenty of time before Stef finished her race, and even more time before Aaron and the kids arrived for their race. So I took my time and enjoyed the scenery.
I turned on the juice at the end and sprinted to the finish.
I got this email confirming my time:

Hi Barbara,

Congrats on finishing the Victory for Victims today! Your time of 34:07 gave you a pace of 10:58/M.

Please find a link to searchable results below:

http://racewire.com/live_results.php?id=3130&bibnumber=1958

Thanks!

The RaceWire Team

I'm not particularly proud of the time. But I am happy I did the race. More so that it felt good. And I still plan to do a 10k before the end of the year.

Seeing Myself From Inside And Out

Some days, during class, I feel completely plugged in, in tune, in sync. I am precisely where I want to be with respect to hearing Ma'am's instructions and executing them. That's not to claim that my execution is perfect. I mean only that my brain and my body are working well together.

Then there are the other days: the days when I hear Ma'am's instructions clearly, but the signals between my brain and my body are not flowing smoothly. Those are the days when it feels like someone has recently attached my limbs to my body and I'm still learning how to use them. "Shuffle front kick," for example. I know all of those words and what they mean. I can even envision them together and their execution. However, today, getting my body and my legs to work in synchronicity was a challenge nearly beyond my grasp.
Good thing I have a sense of humor. I can laugh at my Frankenstein attempts to "shuffle, knee, roundhouse kick."
Even better than being able to laugh at myself is having the higher belts as models and patient partners. It's all part of what I love about KMA: the sense of support that is garnered is equally as important as the forms, the protocol and the matriculation. Unfailingly, I have had partners who, even when I'm scoffing at my own attempts to "jab, cross, hook, pause, cross then roundhouse," will smile at my misgivings and encourage me to try again and keep going.
Jeannette, a blue belt, was one of my partners today. Her form was beautiful. Even the simplest things like her guard. I appreciate having the higher belts as partners because they offer great reminders about the basics and much needed encouragement to progress.

Just Keep Running. Just Keep Running

I've run with the KMA group at the park for the last two Saturdays. It takes a good deal of effort to do it. It means making sure I don't overdue it the night before. (One beer, no more.) It means waking up no later than 6:45 so I can do what needs to be done in the morning: short meditation, bathroom, brush teeth, get dressed, eat yogurt. Not to mention dealing with the kids' needs. I'm lucky if I get any of that time to myself before they're awake.

Oh, and did I mention that the regular class then starts at 9am?

I'm close to the park so it doesn't take long to get there for the run. But they start precisely at 8am and if you're late, you're not getting timed.
Timing is the key.
I've never run for time before. I've run off and on for years. I do enjoy it. For the vast majority of that time, however, I was a slow, unmotivated runner. Now it's different.
At the park we run a loop around the baseball fields that is a 1/4 mile. When you arrive you check in with Ma'am or someone else and tell her how many laps you intend to run. If it's 3 or fewer you're on one list. That used to be me.  If it's 4 or more you're on another.
The first time I attempted 4 laps I didn't complete them. I ran three and called it a day. That didn't feel very good. But the last two weeks I've made my best effort to run the 4. I've ended up walking some of it. I finish in under 21 minutes. And for the last two weeks I've been thinking that the goal is to run those 4 laps in under 15 minutes. I wasn't discouraged that I was 6 minutes over. I know I have a lot of time to work on increasing my speed and it's painfully obvious how much room for improvement I have even before I start working on techniques to help me shave off some time.
But yesterday I asked Ma'am to remind me of the goal. I'm so glad I did because it turns out that to qualify for the Black Belt cycle you need to be able to run a mile in under 20 minutes! Furthermore, she pointed out that my starting pace is right on target: I ran the first two laps in 9:37. That means I'm already under 5 minutes/lap. Woohoo! Go me!
So now I'm clear on what I'm working on: endurance. And I feel very optimistic about being able to nail that 15 minutes goal well before I'm trying to qualify for the Black Belt cycle.
However, given how I'm struggling to get through a mile, I made a decision about that 10k I'm supposed to run next weekend: I'm going to run the 5k instead.
I will run a 10k, but not before I've given myself a chance to do some real training for it. There's no point in attempting to run that distance just because I decided it would be a good goal. It is a good goal, and I will achieve it.
Just not next weekend.

It Ain't Easy Being Green

I have been to two classes as a green belt. I'm already learning a ton of new stuff.

On Tuesday, when we focus on forms, I learned the next few moves in Extreme Form #1. It seemed to come easy. I don't doubt it's ugly and awkward, but I feel as though I've got it.

Today, my first day of sparring and wearing my new equipment (head gear, mouth guard, gloves, rib protector, and shin guards) I learned even more new moves: a reverse-spin roundhouse kick, slide-up front kick, two-fisted guard, and how to put on the second glove (possibly the most difficult move of all).  

My sparring partner (Cecilia, a lovely bo black belt), was very patient and helpful. 

Tuesday and Thursday morning classes are small. I am familiar with most of the other students. It's fun almost every single time. I partnered with Ron for warm-ups this morning. Either he was in a mood or he was severely disappointed in my partnering. It could most definitely have been the latter. Then again, he has to remember to REact, not to anticipate. And oh, yes, I should hold the pad the correct way in the correct place, too. I'm sure that would be most helpful. 

I'm really energized about learning so much new stuff. And I am really looking forward to practicing it again and again. It's gratifying to look back on the stuff that's second nature now, but that made me feel like my limbs had just been attached to my body when I first attempted them. 

I would love to wail on the wavemaster with my gloves and shin guards. 

Break on Through

Despite my lack of entries here, I have continued pursuing my Black Belt.

In BBC I've learned a form with the nunchucks. I was introduced to the bo. We're now learning flying side kicks. That's right, I wrote "flying side kicks." It's what you're picturing: Jackie Chan or Jet Li or Bruce Lee flying at an opponent with one leg aimed straight at his head, the other tucked under his body, foot flying forward like the other, fists raised between his face and his opponent's. Yes, it's awesome.

On April 3rd, I tested for my Green Belt. This is a biggie. I'd heard that you break a board during this testing. When I received my "Intent To Promote" sheet, I learned I'd be breaking two. One with my elbow. The other with a side kick.

Oh yeah.

I felt SO ready. I was so eager. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to break those boards. I wasn't even nervous.

The Graffs were in town for E.B.'s birthday and they came to testing. Isaac was also testing, for his gold with green stripe. (We're both green belts!) My parents came. Aaron made it at the very end. There were a ton of people! I've never seen so many students being tested before! It was actually quite lengthy. Part of that is because there were five people breaking boards. Four kids and me.

Master Turnhout takes her time talking to the students before the board breaking about the mentality, the goal, the meaning of it.

It's symbolic, but a literal one. It's an obstacle in your way that you break through. She said two important things to remember: 1. Use your voice - key-ai. That vibration helps channel your energy where you want it to go - through the board. 2. Aim for your target that is behind the board. Not on the back of it, but a couple of inches behind the board. You need to break straight through the board to hit your target.

In turn, we each handed her our two boards and she chose the one we'd use first (elbow).
Sir Sherwyn held my board and I was thrilled that he was randomly (or was it?) the one I was partnered with. I love Sir Sherwyn. His energy and enthusiasm are absolutely contagious. His speed and determination in his own practice (and I'm thinking how he runs with KMA at the park on Saturdays before class, too) are inspiring. He held the board while I took many practice aims.
Then it was time. Master Turnhout cues the students and the audience to cheer us on...

(breaking board with elbow)

and crack! Elbow through the board! No problem!

With the second board, the process was the same. Sir Sherwyn held it for me. I took many practice kicks. I really felt ready. Again, there was no doubt in my mind about breaking that board. While I was practicing, Sir reminded me to use my voice. Then it was time. Ma'am cued the crowd and...

(breaking board with side kick)

smash! Right in half! 

Though I forgot to key-ai, I'd done it. I'd broken both boards. I hit the target on the other side of those obstacles. I was ready to move on to the next phase of my Black Belt training. 

A green belt is a higher belt. After we complete warm-ups at the beginning of each class, we get a tiny break for some water, and then the higher belts, green and up, move to the front, usually with Master Turnhout. The other belts are in the back with a different teacher (usually Ma'am Laura or Sir Ken). 

So now I move to the front. I am the newbie in this group of higher belts. I love that I get to learn so much new stuff and to have these students to observe as models. And I get to start sparring! 

Perhaps the best part was later, when I decided that the next obstacle in my life was not having run a longer race. A 10k. I decided that was the obstacle I needed to face, to meet head on, and move through.

On April 28th I'm running with Stef in the Victory for Victims 10k at Lake Balboa.

Wish me luck.