52 Weeks, 52 Half Marathons - Stage 42 #

One Infinite Loop #

Wednesday, October 30, 07:01 AM

A new friend recently told me an interesting story on how a red traffic light had determined the course of an important chapter of his life. It's not the first time that I bring up the subject of the butterfly effect, the typhoon, hypothetically set in motion, by the gentle flap of the wings of a Monarch.

If I had to pick my flap of wings, it would be, interestingly, One Infinite Loop.

It was the year 1981, and my father called me into the living room to go and see a brand new microcomputer that he had purchased, running a small program on a tiny black and white TV.

It was just two lines (instructions). The 1st line/instruction printed a message that was not very flattering to me, and the 2nd instruction told the computer to go back to the 1st line and repeat it, therefore creating an infinite loop.

1 PRINT "APF IS VERY SLOW!"
2 GO TO 1

My gene-induced competitiveness prompted me immediately to try and figure how to change that code to my advantage, and the rest is a history of interwoven sequences of events that brought me to where I am today.

I would not change a single one of them.

That was the day that I found my passion for computing, which runs until today. I was 10 years old.

To complete my 52 half marathons before the end of the year, I would have to fit two extra runs mid-week (subverting the title to 50 Weeks, 52 Half Marathons). I had been flirting with the National Stadium since the beginning of my adventure. This stadium is where the Cup Final is held every year, and is also probably the most important track and field stadium in the country. When I found out that it was possible to run on the track, even as an amateur, Christmas came early for me in October.

One of my best friends, during our regular running messaging conversations, coined the saying: "The stars align for those who move" and they did, again. To run a half marathon on the track, one has to complete... 52 full laps plus 3/4 of lap. 52 Laps! I had not seen that coming.

The track opens at 7 AM; I called them up on the day before to make sure that it would not be closed for any major event.

Just as if I were going to a major exam, I left home earlier than required, around 6:20 AM, to account for any unexpected interfering wing ripple.

On the road to the Jamor Valley #

I had no idea how busy the stadium would be or what kind of professional athletes could be there training and exposing the "APF IS SLOW" premonition from 1981.

I got there well before the opening time and was the only one around. I had plenty of time to enjoy the silence and admire the sleeping giant.

The 1st arriving on the stadium #

As expected, those were very slow and cold fifteen minutes as I waited for the arrival of the security guy who would handle my registration. By then, I was no longer alone. A team of four and their coach arrived to enter the stadium as soon as it opened.

This would be a totally different run for me; I would still be in solitude, but knowingly observed, a small fish in a big pond.

I had had very little rest before my usual weekend extravagance, HM + MTB, and had to keep in mind that after two days, I would be getting into another HM + MTB weekend.

I was on a race track, there would be other racers, but I had to focus on running my one and only program. My infinite loop.

Entering my Olympics #

I wish I could have seen the size of my smile as I entered the stadium, alone. The other team would still take a few minutes to come to the field.

The stands, empty, with room to hold almost forty thousand spectators, all mine. A spectacular feeling.

I wanted to start right by the finish line and did not even bother to look up if there was a determined starting point for a half marathon in a stadium (I don't think there is). It was on the opposite side of the entrance and gave some extra moments to enjoy the amphitheatre as I walked to my starting point.

I planned to count the 52 laps as I ran by the finish line.

I started sprinting through the track, of course. My warm-up had been the walk to the starting point...

I confess that I never do any proper warm-ups before my runs. I should, but I don't have the time. I usually try to start slower.

The loop starts #

Doing a full lap on the track with no one around is surreal. Truly like being inside a dream. Absolute perfection. I was flying compared to my usual HM paces.

Since I basically went full blast, it did not take long for my heart rate to go through the roof.

I started counting laps, as planned, but my mind kept wandering over so many subjects that it did not take long before I got lost in the numbers.

I admire the precision of my Apple Watch as I systematically cross the finish line. Truly impressive.

After a few laps, I have the company of a training team. They, of course, diligently commence with their warm up exercises.

The crazy one, he keeps going around and around.

Parallel lines to infinity #

It was a bit chilly when I arrived but it did not take long for my thermostat to kick in. As a mature developer, I wisely decide not to overclock my HR. Infinite loops are well known to overheat even the most efficient polished computers. This run should not cost me an ARM and leg. I pay close attention to my HR and regulate my fast pace around it. Knowing that I have still plenty of power to go is a great feeling.

Others start to join me on the track but they are focused on high intensity training. They pass me at full blast but only keep it up for a lap or so. I keep going at it and end up passing them back again. I have no reason to be shy.

Still, I see them running at a pace that I would have to travel back in time 20 years to be able to mirror it without a high probability of injuring myself.

Entrance to my portal #

I have been extremely lucky with the weather conditions in all of my runs so far. As the sun starts to peek above the empty stands it brings a nice warm feeling and floods the stadium with bright colors. At any given time, including me, there were never more than 6 to 8 people on the track. Some of them were using the outer lanes, and jogging in the opposite direction. I reigned on the track for the whole time (as the only one doing actually running and not "just" training).

While running at my amateur pace, I kept imagining world-class athletes running by me. I always laugh when I have 200 meters to go and use the math of the 100 m world record to figure out how much time I have left to run.

Professional athletes are astounding.

Chasing my own shadow #

I approach my HM in two stages. Up until the 11th km, I am running a half marathon, and it's a long distance that is going to take me a long time to complete. When I get to the 11th km, I think of it as being just a 10k run that I will finish much faster than if it would be a half marathon. By the time I get to the 15th km, I am just 5km and change away from finishing, and that feels like nothing.

On the track, it was a different feeling. Once the first 26 laps were completed, there were still 26 more to be done, and it did look like I was on an infinite loop.

I kept pushing, commanded by the heart emoji on my Apple Watch, so it never felt easy.

Since I had an audience, I could not let them down, I kept my pace all the way through. I was going fast enough that I realized that I had been slacking on my strength and flexibility exercising.

Running on a perfect flat surface at the same pace ends up accumulating some kind of repetitive stress injury in the same muscles. When I run on the roads and sidewalks, the ground is never even, there's climbing and descending, turning and many other distinct movements.

Today, I am the computer, I have adjusted my HR to be my clock cycle and am executing the same instructions over and over. Remember, I am older than that ZX81!

Jump higher every single day #

If there is one thing that I have not been able to gain control of, even with some insane exercise routines, is my weight! I am heavy, 85 kg. It has been fluctuating, around 84 kg, never below 83. It makes a huge difference for me. I keep joking that if I had my 70 kg college weight, I would still make it to the Olympics. I have a hard time shaving 250 grams over a week, while if I blink, I gain 1 kg in a day. This really shows on track.

I like running in the mountains because I am always chasing a different goal. Getting to the top of that one hill, arriving at a known vista point, there is a lot of variety.

Alone, on the track, is 100% mental focus. You keep following the infinite track just like the electrical currents flowing through the printed circuit board track.

It's you facing yourself, not me facing that hill.

Sunshine on a perfect day #

My mind keeps wandering and in wonder. I admire the colorful hurdles, the long jump sand pit, the steeplechase water jump, and thrill every single time that I cross that finish line. It's Christmas morning during 52 laps.

Yes, the human mind can be happy with simple things. That has been by far, the best learning. It's not that I did not know or that I had not read about it. It's a completely different thing to experience it, again, and again. Trust me, we all have been there when we were children.

Clear all hurdles #

I have now been on the track long enough and fast enough to get the support from other fellow runners. That felt good. "How many kms have you done so far? 19?, Wow".

Distance is always a question of perspective. Some people do more than that everyday. Some people can't run, but walk. Some are a lot younger and others are a lot older. The key here is, they are moving, and we now know that the stars align for those who move.

And I believe that to be correct in every sense of our lives.

On that day in 1981, I promptly moved to correct those two lines of code to my favor. That flap of wings set the course of my life. But when we live long enough, there are many other ripples that adjust our journeys. I kept moving.

GO TO 10 #

Unlike all my other runs, with the precision of a computer processor's clock crystal, I stopped exactly at the 21.1 km mark. Like if that red traffic light was there telling me to stop.

It was the end of another unforgettable run.

This infinite loop had been broken. Others will start. Because after a red light always comes a green one that signals it's time to keep moving (and if you tell me there could also be a flashing yellow... that also means GO!).

Enjoy your runs!

-APF

P.S.: The Infinite Loop reference also includes Apple. The company and their products have played an important role in my life.

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