Tuesday, April 3, 2007

My Ultra Biography

After reading the Ultrarunning List for months and learning how to write an ultra biography, it's time to complete mine and introduce myself on my birthday.












Name:Chihping Fu
City/State/Country:Fremont, CA, USA
E-mail:chihpingfu@yahoo.com
Occupation:Software Build/Release Engineer (aka. SCM)
Height:5'10"
Weight:160 lb
Birthplace:Taipei, Taiwan
Date of birth:4/3
Years running:10 (since 1997)
Years running ultras:3 (since Quicksilver 50K in 2004)
PRs:
  • Mile - 5:40 (speedwork)
  • 5K - 18:50 (Oracle 5K in 2004?)
  • 10K - 39:55 (Mercury News 10K in 2002, a bandit runner)
  • 1/2 Marathon - 1:29:43 (2004 Home Depot San Francisco Half)
  • Marathon - 3:19:19 (2001 Silicon Valley Marathon)
Shoes I run in: any name brand running shoes marked down to $40.

Favorite running surface: wooded trails

Some ultras I have completed:
  • a couple of PCTR 50K's in SF Bay Area (since 2004),
  • Stevens Creek 50K (2006),
  • AR50 (since 2005),
  • Ruth Anderson (since 2006),
  • Miwok 100K (since 2006),
  • Quicksilver 50K/50M (since 2004),
  • Ohlone 50K (since 2005),
  • TRT 50M/100M (since 2005),
  • RDL 100M (since 2006),
  • Firetrail 50M (since 2005),
  • HK50 (since 2006),
  • Quad Dipsea (2005).
Favorite ultras: Those I've run and others trail ultras I have not run.

Ultra achievement I am most proud of: finished strong weekly ultras in 2006 - Miwok 100K, Quicksilver 50M, and Ohlone 50K. The same challenges come again this year by adding Diablo 50M.

Typical training week: 8-10 miles daily during weekday and 20 (hilly Ohlone Wilderness Trail) - 40 miles (flat Alameda Creek Trail) on Sunday

Injury history:
  • shin splints for six months in my first year of running (1997-1998).
  • ball pains lingering for a year after finishing San Francisco Marathon in 2002.
  • None for trail running except ankle twist when wearing Inov 315 this year.
Favorite ultra foods: salted potatoes, brownies, juicy fruits, all brand and flavors of gels, chicken soup.

Favorite ultra beverages: any sports drink, coke

Things I like most about ultras: people, stories, trails, camaraderie, accomplishment, and cheaper than road races ($$/mile).

Things I hate most about ultras: No but I normally spend time figuring out how to get to the race start and return home with minimal impact on environment

What got me started doing ultras: I was kind of idle and lack of motivation after running road marathons for years. A friend (Eric Belden) mentioned about Quicksilver 50K in 2004. I began to train on hills but still had doubts in myself. When I finished the race, I was glad to run beyond marathon and appreciate the terrains. I started to get addicted to run ultras.

Why I do ultras: a great way to reveal myself and enjoy the most of trails in short period of time with the help from volunteers (Thank you all).

Where I found out about the list: told by my friend Rajeev Patel (the Poetic Runner) when I was looking for a ride to my first 100 miler - TRT100 in 2006.

Short-term ultra goals: Complete my this year race calendar listed on http://ultrafamilyman.blogspot.com/ (just did Ruth Anderson 100K), in particular, my target race - Wasatch Front 100, and four ultra slams next year when I'm in WS100 for the first time (a two-time loser).

Long-term ultra goals: Keep working on my Ultrailrunning Family Man blog. Complete most of the USA 100 milers and all ultra slam series listed in www.run100s.com. And the beautiful Tour du Mont Blanc.

Fantasy ultra goals: run beyond time (day and night and my age) and beyond distances (> 100 miles). For example, multi-day solo run touring an area such as run across or around Taiwan, etc.

Favorite ultra quote(s): I actually enjoy reading other's "favorite ultra quotes". They always inspire me!

12 comments:

Steve Ansell said...

Chihping, just saw your bio on the ultralist and have been checking out your blog. I am another Fremont ultrarunner, but am pretty new to the distances as I've only been at it less than a year. I was also at the Fremont Fat Ass 50K, but we didn't really get to meet. I am very impressed with your schedule this year. I will also be at AR50, Miwok and Ohlone this year, but not the races in between that you will be doing...very inspiring!

Chihping Fu 傅治平 (超馬阿爸) said...

Hi Steve,

Thanks for stopping by. I remember you. We met in Fremont Fat Ass. I did not have chance to talk with you more.

Glad to know you'll run these wonderful races. Hope I can chat with you a bit.

Best,

Chihping

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Chihping!
Wishing you many more years in good health to realize your ultra dreams.
Pete

Rajeev said...

Happy Birthday tough man! May you have scores of years of blissful running!!!!!

Tiny Seal said...

Happy B-day Chihping! May you have many more such years of injury-free, dirty trails ahead :-)

Chihping Fu 傅治平 (超馬阿爸) said...

Thanks Pete. I was troubled with some minor injuries. Seems they are OK now. I'm looking forward to seeing you in some future races.

Chihping

Chihping Fu 傅治平 (超馬阿爸) said...

Thanks Rajeev. I'll also be inspired by your effort in many ultras.

Chihping

Chihping Fu 傅治平 (超馬阿爸) said...

Thanks Tiny Seal. I also wish you injury-free and enjoy the swimming like a seal ;-)

Chihping

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, Chihping! Did you get in a 42 miler today to celebrate? If you keep this up, you'll catch up with me quickly ;-)

Chihping Fu 傅治平 (超馬阿爸) said...

Thanks Ron.

My birthday in April is within a couple of races and intensive training runs. I can't do much about Birthday challenge. However, I'll consider this in future.

Chihping

Jean Pommier said...

Great ultra bio, Chihping, welcome to the list!

8 to 10 miles/weekday + 20 miles + 40 miles on Sunday, that's more than 100 miles/week.
I think you may actually improving your speed by dividing this mileage by two and include some quality speed work.

My 2 cents,

Jean (who ran a 5:07 mile this morning in a repeat mile session)

Chihping Fu 傅治平 (超馬阿爸) said...

Hi Jean,

I don't run on Saturday but stay with family, so I am pretty much low-mid weekly mileage. On weekdays, I am mostly doing social run with runners I meet on the trail. Sunday is the only time in a week I do quality training.

Agree with you on the speed improvement. I do miss those days of interval speedwork. I planned to do it between Sequoia 50K and RA. However, I was bothered with ankle injuries, so had to go for gentle distance training. The intense race schedule is coming, I guess I can do intervals only before and after WS100.

Thanks for your advices and comments.

Chihping