Training Log Archive: Linear Ice

Ran through Robin's old neighborhood in Jakarta- her route past old abodes, work, other points of interest (to us). Legs felt good and springy again- not sure if it was the rest, the massages, the coffee and spaghetti for breakfast, paved surfaces... but things feel good. Just to be safe, may need a couple of more $5 massages before leaving tomorrow. =)
Busy day planned.

Almost on my way back home, by way of a stop in Jakarta for a couple of days. The plan was to indulge a bit, after roughing it for 10 days.
Our flight to Jakarta from Borneo was delayed for 6 hours today. The airlines let us know the day before; they had received a better offer for the plane and chartered it, just inconveniencing the three of us and 200 others. We were asked, "do you have a connecting flight?" Answer: "Yes, Sunday. But what do you tell people who were planning on connecting on Friday?" --"We tell them not to plan on connecting flights using Ruai Airlines.". Ah... Honesty. Not as refreshing as I thought it would be.

Luckily, the indulging does not need to wait. I have had 2.5 massages so far in this small town of Pangalan Bun, and am waiting for a facial... just popped into the internet cafe to pass 30 minutes until Robin is done with her hair cream treatment and it's my turn at the salon. I need a break from massages.

I had one yesterday, 1 and a half today. These are THE MOST PAINFUL massages I have ever had. I generally ask for a hard massage, but have had nothing like thi! I am making it through them by thinking, "some day, I will in fierce pain while running, and I will get through it by remembering my Indonesian massages...if I could tolerate those while trying to keep my body relaxed... heck, a burning hill is no problem".

Now, of course there are some very relaxing moments too. But the massages on my calves, thighs, upper arms and feet just KILLED. So, I am online to look up whether this is a good thing, sports-wise (other than the mental conditioning) or bad thing. Inconclusive Honestly, some parts of me feel almost bruised. Good thing I kind of like pain. Not sure I can handle many more. And then there's the parts of the massage where I'm thinking "Hmm... odd... where is this going?". Hope Jakarta is a little gentler.

The only part that didn't hurt was my back and my hamstrings...and masseuse's comment (in Malay) was that my hamstrings were "sick, black" What does that even mean??? I'm thinking it means maybe I need to work em out more..?

No running next couple of days. I need to focus on getting through the massages. Then, loads of airplane travel to undo the good work.

This started out as a run. We wanted to discover better running route at Camp Leakey- main orangutan observation camp. Robin will be spending the next six months in Borneo, and seems determined to make running a more regular part of her routine. She's out at Camp Leakey about weekly on her houseboat.
I had a headache, was hoping it would disappear. But it was over 90 degrees, and about 100% humidity. Robin wasn't feeling well either, and couldn't look at the ground in front of her without feeling dizzy. Problem was, all the trails we found were very difficult, lots of boards to navigate over water, lots of twisted jumbled jungle roots, almost no footstep on a flat surface. We kept our miseries to ourselves at first, but after about 2 miles of a slow jog, we both admitted we weren't having fun, and decided we'd rather have a good walk than a bad run. So we did that, had a couple of encounters with tame orangutans, looked at insects birds and trees, enjoyed the water and forest.

Robin and I got up as soon as it was light, 5 AM (we are nearing the longest day of the year) to make our long run without dying of the heat and humidity.
This is the same run we did about a week ago. By now, many of the landmarks were familiar, so the run went much more smoothly, was easier. Funny how the runs get shorter the more often you do them...right?

We also brought water and some bananas for the half-way mark.
We kept up a steady pace, and were early enough that the people in the hut at the 8K mark and the 12K mark were still sleeping. (but the 8K hut was awake on our way back).
Black water at 8K was not running, so it was a good thing we beat the heat.

Saw a few probiscus monkeys leaping through the trees, free-falling 30 feet or more before catching other branches and bouncing along. Also macaws. Definitely more wildlife early in the morning.

Easy trail run on our now familiar trail at Camp 1 of the Tanjung Puting Park, having taken a rest day to recover from our miserable run.
We ran through the rainforest, through the field to the next section of forest, and back. Tried to run up a boar path (Borneo version of deer path, from what I can tell), but ran across a huge skull.... my first thought was that it was a rhinocerous (they used to be in this park), Robin thought it was an anteater... but DUH it was an entire skeleton from a wild boar. I guess I just wanted it to be more exotic. But we noticed that there was a long piece of rope... then worried that the boar had been snared... were there other snares around? Would we soon be hanging by our legs in a Borneo rainforest? Our imagination got the best of us, and we abandoned the boar path run, finished up on the main path.

Boat is back in Port of Kumai, small fishing village and Robin's home base while she is in Borneo.
Her friend recommended a 16 km run to a small beach.
NEVER take a running recommendation from a non-runner.
It was hot, very few trees, fast traffic.. and 22 k, not 16.
It was a very miserable run, and now I feel burn-out coming on, as does Robin, so the next couple of days are probably rest days.
We also took her son, Ty (8), but he rode on his bike.
Our boat captain kept track of us on his moped, along with his wife on her moped. (passing by every 45 minutes or so to see how things went)
Luckily... because about 2/3 way, Ty was too tired to continue, and decided that moped was a better way to travel. So Robin took his bike and I trotted along.
We stopped three times along the way, for long breaks.
At black creek #1, we stopped to go swimming, but then spotted a snake slithering RIGHT where we were looking to walk into the water. He was only 2 feet long, but was holding a 6 inch fat fish in his mouth, sideways. So, we stayed while we watched him devour the fish. No desire to swim in snaky waters, though.
Black Creek #2, we didn't see any snakes, so we cooled down. Long pants and all (back in Muslim town, probably not a good thing to run with shorts.... and it made the run just that much more horrible on the hot, humid, Indonesian day).
Black Creek #3 Another LONG swimming break.

We never really intended to spend much time at the beach (not a pretty one, according to Robin). Once we got there, we only got as far as a roadside restaurant, had four soft drinks each, noodles, and caught a ride home to the boat to relax and do nothing for a while.

Not sure of total running time with all the breaks... but very limited walking.