Running testimony 我的跑步生涯

　

by Michael Le Houllier (魯大海)

　

(譯者：楊振旺)

　

　

　

 

 

Back in the day (high school/college), I ran on the track team, but not really seriously.  It was mostly to keep in shape when soccer was not in season.  I was ok, but never really all that fast.  I found it fun and enjoyable to have chances to interact with other athletes more readily than one can playing soccer, but it was always my second sport.

　

回到高中/大學的時光，我參加學校的田徑隊，但不是很認真的練習，大部分的是在非足球季節時，作為保持身材用。那時成績還不是很好。但我發現跑步的樂趣，而且使我更容易與其他足球球員交往，但是跑步還是我的次要運動項目。

 

After ten years of struggling with injuries, I finally found a surgeon who could restore enough strength in my ankle so that I could at least do sports that did not require lateral movement.  This was about five and a half years ago.  By the time I was cleared to run in September 2005, I weighed more than 82 kilograms.  I started going to a local track at a college near my home and put in short runs three or four times a week.

經過十幾年的運動傷害，我終於找到一個醫生，他能讓我受傷的腳踝，恢復足夠的力道，如此我至少可以從事運動，而不光是慢速的移動，這是五年半前的事情。

從那時，2005年 9月，我開始在住家附近的大學運動場，從事每週3~4次短距離的跑步，那時我的體重，有82公斤。

　

　

Those short runs accompanied by a change in my lifestyle had an impact.  I became a cycle commuter, using a mountain bike to ride around town to and from work and doing most errands.  I also became more careful about my diet.  I reduced my consumption of meat (but by no means eliminated it) and was more careful about the quantities of food I ate.  In Taiwan, as everyone here knows, food is delicious, plentiful, and inexpensive.  Within 18 months, I had dropped about ten kilograms.  I was beginning to feel much better.

　

這些短距離的跑步，衝擊我的生活方式，並使我改變為一位單車通勤者，我騎一輛登山車，當代步工具，從去上班到去任何想去的地方。 而且注意我的體重，我減少我吃肉的數量(但不是完全不吃)，並更加注意吃的份量，大家知道，這在食物美味、豐富與便宜的台灣，這是一件不容易的事情。 因此我在18個月內，體重減少了10公斤，這也讓我感覺更輕鬆愉快。

　

　

In 2007, I wanted to do a couple of races.  I had dropped to below 70 kg for the first time since the tramautic ankle injury and was feeling like I wanted to run more and see what I can do.  However, cycle commuting has its hazards.  One August noontime, I was riding from one job to another (summers are very busy for teachers here if you want to be) and I was doored.  A car was double-parked on a busy road and he opened his door right into my bicycle (a brand new one too as I had just bought it the previous day).  It completely bent the frame and didn't come far from hitting my leg.  It sent me flying onto the roadside (where, fortunately, I was not hit by any cars and was able to roll over to the side of the road.)  That about killed any chance of races.  I was told not to run a race I had signed up for in September and that I need to rest for two months to recover.  I decided to run local Supau Cup (about 9.2 km) in November, but I was not really happy with the 47-minute time that I ran.

在2007年，我想參加一些比賽，自從腳腕受傷以來，我首次將我的體重，降到70公斤以下，我想多跑一些距離，以便測試我的能耐。

然而，單車通勤卻造成我的傷害。 在8月的一個下午，我騎著單車，要去下一個家教地點(對於英語家教老師，暑假通常非常忙碌的，如果你想要多上一點課)，

而我是到府上課的家教方式。 一輛在繁忙馬路旁，並排停車的轎車，忽然打開車門，使我閃避不及的撞上車門，單車(剛新買沒幾天)的車架，整個變形並打到我的腿，也使我飛到路邊（幸運的是，我並沒有被任何車輛撞上，並能夠翻滾到路邊）。這讓我已經報名完成的九月的比賽，參賽希望完全破滅，我被告知需要休息兩個月，以便恢復傷勢。因此我只能報名11月份的舒跑杯(大概9.2公里)，但是我只能失望的跑出47分的成績。

　

　

　

　

 

2008 was finally the year I was able to get some races in.  I ran the Nike Human Race in Taipei in August (really hot).  10K in 47 minutes would become my baseline.  I ran a few local races between 7.5 and 9 km and then ran the Supau Cup again.  Unfortunately, I didn't have good prep for it and I ran in about 40 minutes.  I did reach a milestone at the end of December.  I ran my first half marathon.  I had some good training for it and managed to run it in 1:46.  Again, another benchmark to measure future progress.

　

2008年我終於能夠參加一些比賽，我參加了 Nike八月在台北主辦的一場比賽(超熱的)，10K的距離，在47分內完成，是我的底限。我也參加一些附近的短距離比賽，從7.5公里到9公里。而且我再參加一次舒跑杯，可惜在沒有充分準備之下，以40分鐘完成比賽。但我在12月底達到一個里程碑，就是完成我的第一次半程馬拉松，這次有充分的準備，使我的完成成績為1小時46分，這可作為另一個基準來衡量未來的進展。

　

　

It was in 2009 that my running story takes a big change.  After running two half marathons in the spring (including a new PR of 1:33 in Taipei), in June, I joined Bigfoot and started training runs with the team in the summer.  I did not run much in the summer before this due to the heat, but my goal was to run my first marathon on October 4, so I need to get some kilometers.  Unfortunately, I had a bad luck season.  I pulled a tendon on a hills run in July and wasn't able to run again until early September.  By the, I did not really have enough time to prep for a marathon.  I ran our club's 5000m test, but barely breaking 23 minutes was not what I really wanted to do.  I ran my first marathon on the streets and highways of Taichung, and was doing ok (heading for a sub-four hour) when the lack of training hit me.  My quads tighened up at 30km and I had to walk, trot, jog the rest of the way to the finish.  4:24 not what I had in mind, but I finished.  Unfortuantely, I struggled with three more injuries in the fall season, culminating with a knee injury at the Atayal marathon in early January and the Kinmen marathon.  I completed four marathons, but didn't really get a good one in.  However, I will never forget the support I got from our Bigfoot family as I limped home in Kinmen.  It encouraged me to go on and is one of many things that makes me very proud to wear our club uniform every race.

　

在2009年，我的跑步生涯發生了重大的變化，在這年的春天，完成兩個半程馬拉松後(包括在台北創新個人紀錄1小時33分)，我加入了台灣大腳ㄚ長跑協會，在這年的夏天，開始與這各團隊一起訓練，在這之前因為溫度太熱的關係，我很少從事跑步訓練，但是因為目標是參加10月4日的TBIM台灣國際大馬拉松的全程馬拉松，所以我需要累積一些訓練里程，很不幸的在七月的一次山路練跑時，拉傷了肌腱，逼使得我休息到九月初，比賽的時間已逼近，並不足作完整訓練，參加馬拉松比賽了。中間參加會內的一次五千公尺測驗，只能以將近23分鐘的時間完成。但我還是得硬著頭皮參加我的第一場馬拉松比賽，跑在台中的街道與快速路上，感覺還好，目標是希望能在4小時內完成。但是缺少練習的效果逐漸顯現出來，跑到30公里時，我的四頭肌緊繃，逼的我只能用走路、小跑步或是慢跑的方式，完成剩餘的路程，最後以超出預期的4小時24分完成，但是我還是完成，我的人生初馬。不幸的是，在秋天的季節裡，我與其他三個受傷部位奮戰著，在泰雅馬拉松與一月初的金門馬拉松時膝傷達到最高點，我雖然完成四場馬拉松，但沒有一場的成績讓我滿意。然而我永遠不會忘記，在金門馬拉松時，一跛一跛回到終點時，得自大腳ㄚ家族的支援與鼓勵，這鼓勵我繼續下去的勇氣，每次比賽，也以穿上大腳ㄚ的制服參賽為榮!

　

　

　

2010 has in many respects been a breakout year for me.  After a six-week layoff after Kinmen, I was able to come and run my second fastest half-marathon at the site of my PR the previous year.  Then, two weeks later, I was able to break 1:30 for the first time in a half marathon.  It was also my first AG podium finish, the first of six (so far) on the year.  I did it again a month later in the heat and humidity of Tainan in early May.  I then decided to focus on a new goal: complete a triathlon.  The triathlon team welcomed me for the Wednesday morning bike rides in the summer and my riding improved quickly.  I surprised myself when I podiumed in my first duathlon and was happy to break 20 minutes in the 5000m test in early September.  I only had one problem ... the swim.  I am not the fastest or strongest swimmer out there, but I could do the distance... in a pool.  But I had to fight severe anxiety about swimming in open water.  When the day came, my Bigfoot friends were really helpful and supportive.  I was really nervous, but was able to fight it off and get into a rhythm on the swim until I was pulled in the water.  I struggled to the end of the swim, but I finished the race.  Since then, I have set PRs in the 10km and half-marathon and have now finished as high as seventh in the overall classification of a race.

　

2010年從各種觀點來看，是我破繭而出的一年，在金門馬拉松的6週後，我達到我個人半馬第二快的成績，在兩週後，我第一次打破半馬1:30 的成績，這也是我第一次站上頒獎台，今年的第一次(至今總共6次)，一個月後的五月，在高濕高溫的台南，又得獎了! 我決定目標轉向完成鐵人三項。 夏季時大腳ㄚ三鐵隊，歡迎我加入每週三清晨的單車訓練，我的單車成績，也迅速提升，我驚訝於第一次參加兩鐵賽(大腳ㄚ鐵人兩項錦標賽)就得獎，在九月時，我的五千公尺成績也進步到20分以內。 現在唯一的問題是，我的游泳，我不是一個速度型或是強力型的泳者，我可以在泳池內，做長距離的游泳，但是在開放水域，我必須克服焦慮的問題，因為我缺少這方面的經驗。在參加台東鐵人三項賽時，大腳ㄚ的隊友，給我不少幫助與鼓勵。但是我還是非常緊張，直到終點，被拉出水面時前，我一直在尋找游泳的節奏，並與水流搏鬥，最後順利完成比賽。 從那時至今，我打破了個人10K與半馬的個人最佳成績，並還得到總名次第七的名次。

　

　

　

 

I alluded earlier to the fact that I am proud to wear the Bigfoot uniform at races.  This is because Bigfoot has become an incredible source of support for me.  Not only did they help me and encourage me when I was hurting, they are awesome training partners.  I have no doubt that the improvement I have made this year would not have been possible without Bigfoot.  I look forward to completing my primary goal for the fall -- setting PRs in all four main running distances -- at either the Taipei or Yunlin marathon coming up in a few weeks.  However, I will also never forget that without Bigfoot, I would not be where I am as a runner today.  So, I offer up a tribute to my friends, training partners, and comrades in the Taiwan Bigfoot Running Association

 

就如我先前提到，我以穿大腳ㄚ的制服出賽為榮，這是因為大腳ㄚ對我變成一個不可置信的支撐力量源頭，它不僅在我受傷的期間，幫助我、鼓勵我，還有一群優秀的訓練夥伴一起訓練，我今年的成績進步，無庸置疑的，是因為大腳ㄚ夥伴的功勞。我期待今年能在接下的四場比賽(台北富邦、雲林馬拉松等)續創佳績。因此我不會忘記，要不是有大腳ㄚ這一個家族，我不會變成今天的跑者。在此我獻上我最高的敬意，給台灣大腳ㄚ長跑協會內所有的朋友、訓練夥伴、及同志們!

 

　

後記：

Michael Le Houllier (魯大海)

台灣大腳ㄚ第23組(國際組) 會員、美國籍，目前任教於，南投普台高中。

夫人 陳惠燕 台灣籍(第23組會員)

有2 位 女兒，現就讀台中市公立國小、幼稚園

 

譯者：

楊振旺台灣大腳ㄚ第23組 組長兼副總幹事