Stunner Conquers Sigma 2013!

My Sigma 2013 gear!

In my last post I wrote about my intentions to run the annual Sigma Corporate Run this year and my hopes to even try to get a medal by training vigorously. Well, getting a medal may have been a bit immature at this point in my life but a man can dream can't he?

With my eyes firmly set on doing well in the Sigma 5.5k this year I started out my training regim and went to Emancipation Park at least three times for the week. Things started out rough as I have not ran in ages, almost eight months in fact. So I started off by walking about two laps around the park, each lab being equivalent to 500m, then running as much laps as I could after which I would walk the remainder to make it 5.5k. So going around the track at Emancipation park eleven times would be the full Sigma 5.5k distance. Things were going well as each time I went to the park I ran longer and ended up going around the track even more than eleven times. At this rate I was sure to be in good shape for Sigma, or at least so I thought!

Icing my knee

By my third week into running I started feeling pains in my knees, at first it was that bad and so I thought it was just a little soreness as my body was not used to the running as yet. So I figured that after a few mow times running it would eventually go away, just like the soreness associated with starting back at the gym. However, this pain only go worse, even walking became a painful ordeal no matter how slow I went. This caused my training to come to a screeching halt and much to my dismiss and utter disappointment. I resorted to icing several times for the day and rubbing Voltaren on my knees, but this only temporarily eased the pain a bit. As if this wasn't bad enough my sinus started to drain and gave me a nasty chest infection. At this point Sigma seemed to be nothing more than a dream dashed to pieces by a series of unfortunate events. I had to go to the doctor for medication to put an end to the chest infection and also decided to ask him about the knee while I was there. The good news was that I got medication that would clear up my sinus issues and chest infection, but the prognosis on running was very grim. I was basically given pain killers and told to rest and at most walk at most if I still wanted to do Sigma. My dream sank even further into the darkness, no Sigma for me.

Some of the medication I was on

Two weeks of pain went by slowly as I watched the days go by in my dismal routine of icing my knees and rubbing Voltaren. Three weeks of only walking... No limping to do my daily activities. However, there was light at the end of the tunnel, as the week before Sigma progressed the pain got less and less until there was only an intermittent hint of discomfort. By Saturday night February 16 I was virtually pain free and I cleared myself to run the following morning!

Me just before the Sigma Corporate Run on Knutsford Blvd.

I arrived at Emancipation park at about 6:30am and already the place was abuzz with activities as participants were all ready to challenge themselves for charity. I went up to the starting area on Knutsford Boulevard so I could at least get a decent position, which was a good idea as people were already there securing a good starting point. I did a few stretches and did some stepping in place during the starting ceremony to get my muscles warmed up. After about 20 minutes the horn blew for the runners to start and I was off! I made my way along the route at a steady pace, not as fast as I had hoped I would have been going, but it was what I could manage. The route was not easy, despite the morning being overcast and cool. As I progressed along the route I passed many runners who sprinted off only to come to a snails pace and I also got passed by a lot of people who were obviously in better shape than I was. Nevertheless, I pressed on with my steady pace as I listened to my running music that I had complied just for the half marathon. But as the route continued so did the difficulty and  the muscled and my body cried out for a break! Would I make it?

The Sigma Corporate Run 2013 was the same route as that of 2012

By the time I was going up Hope Road and unto Winchester Road my body had enough and was ready to give up, my running pace slowed down to a brisk walk by the time I was midway along Winchester Road, this was it! But then I said to myself if I continue to walk now then I would have completely failed. I grabbed my iPod Shuffle which was clipped to my shorts packed and skipped a few tracks to the Rocky Theme Song! It started and so did my pace, it picked up slowly like a locomotive train and builded and builded up, by the time I realized I was in a a full out sprint! my body running only on sheer mental energy and will power. My chest burned, my muscles ached, my breaths were short, my heart was pounding but all I could see is the finish line, all I could hear was the Rocky Theme Song playing. As I got closer I groaned, I puffed and as the finish line as nearer, the faster I went and the more people I passed. It was there, before me, the prize, the finish line! I did it! I did it! I crossed the finish line like an unstoppable force! Pain, agony, fatigue was nothing compared to the will to succeed! I conquered Sigma!

The champ not long after crossing the finish line on Oxford Road

I finished the Sigma Corporate Run in 33 minutes and 7 seconds, not as well as I wanted, but not bad considering the circumstances.  Now, I have reaffirmed that I need to get even fitter, to challenge myself even more. With this in mind I will continue to run, I will do more half marathons and maybe one day, just maybe I will conquer a full marathon!

My results 00:33:07

The race has ended, but the journey continues...

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Getting Back Fit for Sigma 2013 and Beyond

My Running sneakers

It has been many years since I blogged about doing the annual Sigma Corporate Run! The last time I blogged about participating in the event was back in 2008 and 2009 when I challenged myself to run the five kilometer race not just  in the name of charity but also as a personal feat. It has also beed quite a while since I even ran any at all as I have not done any exercise since I quit the gym in September 2013. However, after gaining a few unwanted pounds and the fact that being a photographer demands that I be fit and healthy I have decided to get back on track... literally!

What better way to get back into being fit than to challenge myself to complete the very race that I haven't done in ages! So I got signed up for Sigma 2013 as a guest of one of the participating institutions. But it would really be foolish of me to just get up and expect to run the five kilometer race to start off my fitness journey once again! With that in mind I have started my fitness journey before race day, yes I have begun to train for the Sigma Corporate Run! By ding so, I will be in good shape for the race and well advanced in my challenge to lose the extra fat, build my endurance and to be fit and healthy overall. So how am I doing?

Well I started last week Tuesday and ran 4 straight laps before I alternated between walking and running for a total of 10 laps. Ten laps on the Emancipation 500m track is equivalent to 5 kilometers which is the full distance of the race, so this is a decent training ground. I went back on Thursday of last week I ran 6 straight laps and this week so far I have ran 8 straight laps in approximately 30 minutes. Today I ran 11 full laps in 38 minutes so hopefully I can do 12 laps in half hour or less before the end of this week or early next week. In the coming weeks I will be working on running 15 laps then work on my speed up to race day so I can at least complete the 5 kilometer race in under 25 minutes.

I am hoping to keep determination going and keep my motivation high to make it not just through the race but also after the race. I am hoping to get a medal this year though as that would definitely be a significant reminder of a milestone in my fitness journey. So the fitness challenge continues!

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Crossed the Finish Line at Sigma 2K9

Crowd at Emancipation Park after the race.

On Sunday I once again participated in the annual Sigma Corporate Run, a full five kilometer of rubber hitting hard tar in the heat of the morning sun. I wasn't as confident as I was a few weeks ago, as my training had been derailed by my recent winter vacation in New York. However, backing down was not an option. I would rather fall flat on my face and get hospitalised than not to show up and attempt the race. So at 5:30 am the alarm went off and I geared up in my shorts and running shoes to the song "Eye of the Tiger" resonating in my mind.

This year had a registration of approximately nine thousand people, even though only some of that number actually participated in the race. However, judging from the huge crowd it was hard to tell that it wasn't the full number of people. Knutsford Boulevard was crammed at the beginning of the race and immediately I had to mentally prepare myself to make my way through the huge throng of people covering the pavement with the soles of their running shoes. The race started as usual. a huge mas of people running out some at their top speed, then one by one they start slowing down to a laboured walk. But even then it was still hard to navigate my way around these sometimes mindless zombies drunk of exhaustion and the piercing morning sun. I persisted at a steady pace and kept on going using my breathing techniques.

By the time I reached over to Waterloo Road I had found myself a running partner, one of my coworkers who was steadily making her way along the route. As I ran she kept up with me and so I continued to keep my pace so I don't fall back. The sun was piercing and the pavement was hard, I felt breathless and my muscles cried out in pain but I persisted. The pressure finally got to me after running up Suthermiere Road and started the slight incline of Hope Road when my steady pace was interrupted by my body feeling like it was about to give way. At this point I slowed to a brisk walk, but this was short-lived, as I heard the call of another coworker and I began to run again trying to block out the agony my body was feeling. I guess that 2 weeks break was much more harmful than I thought!

Souvenirs from the race.

I persevered and found the energy to make a sprint... well kind of sprinted my way to the finish-line to make my photo finish in a spanking 34 minutes and 11 seconds. This placed me at position 385 out of a total of 1594 runners. Not too bad eh? Obviously I didn't medal, but I did get two souvenirs from the race. Well, I wanted to do better and would have if I had done more training, but if I am still employed to the company, I will do it again the next time around and even better my record.

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Three Miles!!!

I did it! Yes my fellow bloggers, I finally ran 3 miles! It was hard, it was painful, it took every ounce of strength I had, physically and mentally to reach my goal of running 3 miles. I had to coach myself, push myself and breathed as best as I could and it worked. It took me a half hour to accomplish this feat though, but it still feels good. There is a certain feeling one gets when one push himself to the limit and actually reach their goal. But this is just the first big step in my training as i am hoping to do run 4 miles in less than 30 minutes, which will ensure that I am in top shape to really compete. Why am I doing this? Well if you have been reading my blog you would know that I am planning to participate in the 2009 Sigma Corporate Run. The route is 5 kilometers which works out to 3.1 miles so today's feat was indeed a big one for me. however, the training continues.

I read my company email not to long ago and saw that they have sent out the entry form for the Sigma Corporate Run. So tomorrow morning bright and early I will be filling out my form and submitting it, personally. They have also sent out the schedule for training and of course I will have to participate in that too as it will allow me to familiarize myself with the route. Training on the actual route is a lot better than running on the treadmill, as I will be simulating the actual conditions I have to face during the real thing. The route is the same as last year, so I am aware of the challenges and I will be able to formulate the best way to run the route.

So after reaching my goal today, I though there was no better way to celebrate my feat than to have a tasty, nutritious, victory meal! And the best victory meal, is the one you cook yourself. So today I made myself some Stunner's Sweet and Sour Fish, Basmati rice and some fresh lettuce and tomatoes with a little Italian dressing. I also had a half glass of orange juice to wash it down, so now I'm feeling good. just need the sleep to set in now so I can be well rested for another day tomorrow.

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Just Chill, Sigma Comming Up

If you live in Jamaica, From Negril to Morant Bay, or if you are even close to this fair island, then you can't deny that these past few days have, especially the nights have been rather chilly. it seems we are experiencing our version of the winter here in Jamaica, but not even close to the bitter cold experienced by our friends up north. Rather, it's a lovely cool weather, not too cold, with gentle breeze, not too windy. according to the meteorologists, we are experiencing just the tail end of the cold front the lashed the eastern states of the USA and Canada. Even my apartment, which seems like it has all year round central heating, feels cool in this weather. The bed feels a whole lot better and the sleep so much sweeter.

On another note, I went on the Pan Caribbean website and found out the the Sigma Corporate Run is scheduled for March 15 this year, a little over one month away. As you should know by now, I participated for the first time in the 5K (3 miles) marathon through the corporate city. I didn't medal at all, but I did manage to get a good position, due to the sheer volume of participants. However, this year I want to try and go after a medal, not too sure if I will get it, but I at least want to better my last placement. the medal however would be just wonderful and just be the icing on the cake that will really sweeten the pain of my efforts. So with this in mind I have started my training as of Monday of this week. And I have made some progress as small as it is, as on Tuesday I ran contiguously for 2 miles, just 1 mile short of the target, in a little over 20 minutes. However, this is just the beginning, as I want to be able to do at least 4 miles under 30 minutes to ensure that I will be in medal contention. There are a lot better runners that will be participating, runners that have completed the 20K Reggae Marathon, so I have a lot of competition. And to make things even harder, I had already planned my vacation before knowing the date and will be traveling to the cold foe two weeks, just before the race. So I have a hell of a challenge ahead of me to get in shape as i doubt I will be able to do any running while I'm on vacation in the Big Apple.

As I sit here writing about the Sigma Corporate Run, my mind comes across a certain blogger who has embarked on a fitness mission. So Pepper, I would like to encourage you to sigh up and join in the Sigma Corporate Run this year, it's for a worthy cause and you get a chance to challenge yourself and get fit in the process. And just in case my gentle encouragement doesn't work, I hereby, formally challenge you, Ms. Pepper to do this race! (lol) And my invitation is not just to pepper, but to everyone who can participate this year. Check if your company is entering this year so they can sponsor you. If your company isn't entering and you have some money, you can sponsor yourself. If you can't run the course, there is also a walk race too, and even if you can't walk, there is a wheel chair race too, so you have no excuse. Come on, be brave and challenge yourselves for a good cause.

Well, it's another weekend so take some time to relax, unwind and enjoy yourself... even if you have to work the weekend like me.

P.S. I also noticed that this post makes one year worth of post, in other words, I have reached 365 posts. Which means that if I posted every single day, this post would make one full year's worth of posts. Yay!

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Stunner Does Sigma 2008!!!

On Sunday morning at 5:30 my phone alarm goes off, I grab it and put it on snooze, only ten more minutes, that's all I need. But by the time my head hit the pillow the phone rings. "Yow my yute, yuh up?", said the person on the line. It was my coworker, I had asked him the day before to call me at 5:30 am just in case I did what I just did. "Yeah, mi up.", I replied. I had only a half hour to get a quick bite, a shower and get out of my apartment. Why did I ensure I would be up and out of my house so early on a Sunday morning?

Well, Sunday, March 9 was the 2008 Sigma Corporate Run, and I had registered through my company to participate in the Run Race. The Sigma Corporate Run is a 5 Kilometer (3.1 miles) race through the corporate area of the city of Kingston and St. Andrew which has a two fold purpose, to promote fitness and also to raise money for charity. The race is actually split in two three categories, Run Race, Walk Race and Wheelchair Race. This year the proceeds will be going to the renal units of three of Jamaica's major public hospitals. I have never participated in the race before for several reasons, one I wasn't really interested, I didn't think I was fit enough and I hate getting up early. But this year was different, I felt the urge to challenge myself and to participate in a collective effort for a purpose. Also, I am in a much fitter physical condition than the previous year. So I decided I would be a part of this huge race through the city for charity and fitness.

As I said before the race was a 5K race, a distance I have never ran in my life, but Stunner was up to the challenge. For the previous weeks I have been putting out a little extra effort on the treadmill in the gym. Yes I was in training for the big race... well kinda. I arrived at the staring point, Emancipation Park at approximately 7:00 am for the 7:30 start time and made my way along with my coworkers through the approximately 8000 participants to a spot in the crowd and after one false start, we were on our way along the 5K route which started at the Pan Caribbean Building on Knutsford Boulevard, then it was on to Trafagar Road, Waterloo Road, West Kings House road, Constant Spring Road, Suthermere Road, Hope Road, Winchester Road, Ruthven Road, Half Way Tree Road and then ending on Oxford Road. Here is a map to give you an idea. (Yes Stunner high-tech, brap! brap!)


View Larger Map

I had a strategy to just pace myself and maintain my pace, which worked for the most part, until I reached Winchester Road where I had to start walking briskly for a while to recuperate a bit and then I was back to my running pace again. I wanted to run the entire route with out having to walk, but I didn't do too bad and if I keep fit and participate next year I know I will run the entire way. I must admit that I had a whole lot of motivation throughout the race by various, women who came out to strut their stuff in their tights and short shorts, hehehe.

I know you all are asking, "Suh Stunner how much yuh come in the race?". Well, to tell you the truth I have not the foggiest idea and that doesn't really matter to me. You see, I ran the race not to win, cause God know mi couldn't win, but to challenge myself and to just participate. One thing I know though, is that I wasn't last and I did pass a lot of persons who sprinted out at the beginning of the race! The results should be in during the course of the week or by as early as tomorrow. So I'll let you all know how I placed in the race later in the week. Nevertheless, even if I am placed 1000th, it wouldn't be bad as about 2000 of the estimated 8000 were runners.

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