So in 2020, when I wanted to like check that email id, Google just locked me out. It told me I needed to enter the security code that it sent to my mobile number (the one I used back in 2004). No amount of emailing, contacting google support was useful. It didn’t have a recovery email id etc. So I just gave up and forgot about it.

Recently, I was going through some old hardware. A raspberry pi that I used to run my home automation system. And somehow this email was attached to it on the firefox. I was able to recover it.

I started reading some of the old emails that I had written and received back in 2005. So good memories. Also I wrote a lot of emails back then.

I also got my first email id back in 1996 with Hotmail and then one later with Yahoo back in 1997 or 1998. I bet there were some crazy good email converstations in them till 2004. But it is a pity that both Hotmail and Yahoo deleted all my emails when those accounts weren’t used for a long time.

I am glad that even without logging into this gmail account for like 10 years, google still didn’t delete the emails.

While having the food, he mentioned I am pretty good at cooking and where did I learn from?

“From your mom? Or some youtube recipes?” “Neither. I think I just figured it out. It is science after all.”.

We both laughed, purely because he knew I thought of everything as science and he disapproved of that idea that everything is science. Partly, because he is the type to beleive that if someone is good at somethibng, is is because they invested a lot of time in it and so they must be bad at something else, as they didn’t invest the same amount of time in it. I certainly don’t believe in that theory. But he does. So every time we kind of get close to this topic, we end up just laughing and moving on, because we know that no amount of argument will change the other person’s mind.

But it got me thinking. I have never watched youtube videos or read any recipe online. I know both my parents are very good at cooking. But both of them never taught me to cook. I never got involved in the kitchedn when I was in Singapore. Even when my mom used to take off for some events/functions, my dad used to cook, but my involvement was bounded to just doing the dishes.

So I really have no clue how my cooking is good. It is not even trial and error. It just was always good. And no, I never had to figure what I have to put first, what I have to put next to make sambhar etc. It just intuitively felt right.

It sounds like a lot of bullshit. But I really can’t figure out how I am good at cooking.

1. Running
2. Climbing
3. Chess
4. Cooking (more than half the world cooks, so this might seem like a bold claim, but I am a pretty good cook and if you random sample 100 people who cook, I will be better than 50 of them)
5. Coding/Logic
6. Memory (I can remember things/numbers from long ago and recall them with surprising accuracy)
7. Data Interpretation and analysis and finding the story in the data and simplifying them.
8. Exploring new things, learning new things and taking risks. I have huge risk appetite.

That is pretty much it. In everything else I am average or below average. The last 4 are the ones that has helped me in my career. And the first 4 are the ones that has helped me settle anywhere in life.

There is another ratio which is the leg length (hip bone to floor) to height ratio. My leg length is 108 cm. So my leg length to height ratio is 60%. Normal range is around 52%-55%.

These have some Pros and some Cons. For climbing and running these are great.

Many times a V7 problem feels pretty easy to me, purely because my reach is pretty long. Most dynamic problems became a static problem for me. Yes, there are problems where I need to like put my feet next to my hip etc and due to long femurs I can’t do it. But in general, it is more helpful in climbing.

This problem is pretty challenging for most people at the gym. You have to run up the wall step on the foothold and jump and hang on to the start hold which is pretty high. You then have to balance on the sloper and transition your body weight to the sloper and move your right hand to the hold to the right of the sloper, all this while not losing balance. Then you move your left hand to the nice jug like hold. But you are not done there. You have to then make a dynamic lunge and grab the two holds at the top.

But for me this is a V4 problem. I just skip all the difficult parts due to my ape index and leg to height ratio.

When it comes to running, even with low cadence my speed is pretty high because my stride length is pretty long.

I sometimes wonder if I stuck to these two sports over all other sports purely because my body was built for it. I had a natural advantage in these two sports compared to other sports like ultimate frisbee, kayaking, wing surfing, underwater hockey (the long arms and legs help though), scuba diving etc.

The long legs also explains why I prefer running over biking. Apparently, when your femur bones are so long, normal bike frames just don’t work. The geometry is off and you end up in awkward form which hurts your back and knees.

Having long legs also explains why I suck at Pilates and swimming. Try doing leg raise or keeping your legs up in swimming when most of your body weight is your bottom half.

March 7th: Korea Open Race - Half Marathon

March 21st: Bucket Run - 10K

This also means I need to start training regularly to always be race ready. For the first race in March, I have about 5 weeks. And below is my training plan:

Because the race is on March 7th, it is a short timeframe, I am sharpening my current fitness and getting myself comfortable holding a faster pace.

Key Treadmill Speed Conversions

• Easy/Recovery: 10.0 – 11.5 km/h
• Goal Race Pace (Tempo): 13.8 – 14.2 km/h (Let’s call this 14 km/h)
• Speed/Intervals: 15.0 – 16.5+ km/h

The Training Schedule (Feb 1 - Mar 6)

Phase 1: Base & Threshold (Weeks 1-2)

Focus: Getting used to sustained speed without burning out.

Week 1 (Feb 1 - Feb 8)

Sun (Feb 1): Long Run. 60 mins total. Plan: 40 mins @ 11 km/h + 20 mins @ 12.5 km/h. - Done

Mon: Strength & Row. 10 min Row (warm-up) + Full Body Weights (Barbell Squats, KB Swings, Pull-ups).

Tue: Speed Intervals. Warm-up: 10 min easy. Set: 5 rounds of 3 mins @ 14.5 km/h + 2 mins walk/jog. Cool-down: 5 min easy. - Done

Wed: Spin Bike. 45 mins steady effort (moderate resistance).

Thu: Tempo Run. 10 min warm-up. 20 mins continuous @ 13.5 km/h (Just below race pace). 5 min cool-down.

Fri: Rest or Light Core/Stretching.

Sat: Easy Run + Strides. 40 mins @ 11 km/h. Last 5 mins, do 30-second bursts @ 16 km/h.

Week 2 (Feb 9 - Feb 15)

Sun: Long Run. 75 mins total. Plan: 45 mins @ 11 km/h + 30 mins @ 13 km/h.

Mon: Strength & Row. 10 min Row (Intervals: 30s hard / 30s easy) + Weights.

Tue: Speed Intervals. Warm-up: 10 min easy. Set: 6 rounds of 2 mins @ 15.5 km/h + 90 sec walk/jog. Cool-down: 5 min easy.

Wed: Spin Bike. 45-60 mins. Include 5 x 1-minute hard efforts.

Thu: Tempo Run. 10 min warm-up. 25 mins continuous @ 13.8 km/h (Goal Race Pace). 5 min cool-down.

Fri: Rest.

Sat: Shakeout Run. 30 mins easy @ 10-11 km/h.

Phase 2: Peak & Sharpen (Weeks 3-4)

Focus: Hitting max specificity. This is the hardest part.

Week 3 (Feb 16 - Feb 22)

Sun: The Big Simulator (Long Run). 90 mins total. Plan: 60 mins @ 11.5 km/h + fast finish 20 mins @ 13.8 km/h + 10 mins cool-down.

Mon: Strength & Row. 10 min Row + Core/Upper Body focus.

Tue: VO2 Max Intervals. Warm-up: 10 min easy. Set: 8 rounds of 90 seconds @ 16 - 16.5 km/h + 90 seconds very slow jog. Cool-down: 5 min easy.

Wed: Spin Bike. 45 mins easy recovery.

Thu: Threshold Intervals. 10 min warm-up. 3 rounds of 8 mins @ 14 km/h + 2 mins jog recovery. 5 min cool-down.

Fri: Rest.

Sat: Easy Run. 40 mins @ 11 km/h.

Week 4 (Feb 23 - Mar 1) - Start of Taper

Sun: Medium Long Run. 70 mins total. Plan: Steady run @ 12 km/h. No fast finish.

Mon: Strength. Lighter weights, focus on mobility. 5 min Row warm-up.

Tue: Speed Maintenance. Warm-up: 10 min easy. Set: 4 rounds of 2 mins @ 14.5 km/h + 1 min jog. Cool-down: 5 min easy.

Wed: Spin Bike. 30 mins easy.

Thu: Short Tempo. 10 min warm-up. 15 mins @ 13.8 km/h. 5 min cool-down.

Fri: Rest.

Sat: Easy Run. 30 mins @ 10-11 km/h.

Phase 3: Race Week (Mar 2 - Mar 7)

Focus: Fresh legs.

Week 5 (Mar 2 - Mar 7)

Sun (Mar 2): Easy Run. 45 mins @ 11 km/h.

Mon: Rest.

Tue: Race Tune-Up. 10 min warm-up. 10 mins @ 13.8 km/h. 10 min cool-down.

Wed: Spin Bike. 20 mins very easy or Rest.

Thu: Rest.

Fri: Shakeout. 15-20 mins very slow run + light stretching.

Sat (Mar 7): RACE DAY!

Notes

1. Rowing Warm-up: 5 minutes total. Minute 1 easy, Minute 2 medium, Minute 3 hard, Minute 4 easy, Minute 5 hard sprint. Then get off and lift weights.

2. Key Exercise 1: Bulgarian Split Squats (holding dumbbells). Essential for runners.

3. Key Exercise 2: Single-Leg Deadlifts (with kettlebell or dumbbell). Prevents hamstring injuries.

4. Key Exercise 3: Plank Drag-throughs (using the kettlebell).

5. Routine: Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps. We want muscular endurance, not bulk, for the race.

6. Incline on Treadmill: For all “Easy” and “Long” runs, set the incline to 0.5% or 1.0%. This mimics air resistance outdoors. For interval days (speed), you can leave it flat (0%) to maximize leg turnover speed.

7. The “Essential 4” Daily Routine (5 Minutes): Immediately after every run or bike session while your muscles are still warm. Hold each stretch for 45–60 seconds.

8. The Treadmill Calf Stretch (Calves): Why: The treadmill belt pulls your foot back, overworking the calves.

How: Stand on the edge of the treadmill (or a step). Drop one heel off the edge until you feel a deep stretch in the lower leg. Keep the leg straight. Switch legs.

1. The Couch Stretch (Hip Flexors)

Why: Running fast (14km/h+) tightens the hips. Tight hips lead to lower back pain.

How: Kneel on the floor facing away from your treadmill or a wall. Put one knee on the floor and your foot up against the wall/machine behind you. Squeeze your glute and push your hips forward. You should feel a massive pull in the front of the thigh/hip.

1. Lying Hamstring Stretch (Using your Resistance Bands)

Why: To prevent knee pain and improve stride length.

How: Lie on your back. Loop a resistance band around one foot. Keep that leg straight and pull it towards your face using the band. Keep your butt on the floor. This is much better than trying to touch your toes while standing.

1. The Dead Hang (Using your Pull-Up Bar)

Why: Running compresses your spine. This decompresses it.

How: Simply grab your pull-up bar and hang loosely for 30–60 seconds. Let your body weight stretch out your back and shoulders. Do not do a pull-up; just hang.

1. The Friday “Deep Reset”

Deep Squat Hold: Hold a deep squat (use your kettlebell as a counterbalance weight in front of you) for 2 minutes to open up hips and ankles.

Pigeon Pose: On the floor, brings one leg in front bent at 90 degrees. Leaning forward. Great for the glutes.

Cat-Cow: On all fours, arching and rounding your back.

Blogging, RSS feeds etc. is all making a comeback.

But the biggest issue with Static Site Blogs (like Jekyll) hosted on GitHub Pages is the publishing experience.

It is very frustrating experience to publish blog posts on GitHub pages using a mobile phone. There is no native app. The GitHub mobile app is more for reviewing changes and not for authoring content. Uploading images etc. is super painful.

And yet there are no apps in this space. There are some apps like Gitjournal or GitBook etc. which are more for maintaining docs and aren’t created with blogs as a specific usecase.

So I decided to create a simple app. In fact I am using that very app to write this post.

There are two main problems with GitHub pages on mobile app:

1. Git is extreme bloat. .got folder contains all the history and without the history you can’t git pull or git push. For blogs with lots of images this can become too big.
2. Git is complex. Branches, merge conflicts and many of the things that happen under the hood are too distracting for authoring.

So I simplified a lot of things to make a polished working MPV. This MVP is very strict. It assumes you have a GitHub blog, it is Jekyll and not Hugo, Eleventy etc., it assumes there is a folder to store image, it assumes you know how to get your PAT, it assumes you won’t edit the same blog post on two different devices at the same time creating merge conflicts, it doesn’t allow you to edit front matter or file names, it doesn’t allow you to edit past blog post titles. It auto generates a lot of things, like file names, dates, front matter, attached image path etc.

It doesn’t use git pull and push and instead uses Github REST APIs. It uses markdown and doesn’t support all bells and whistles of markdown, just basic ones like bold, italics, underscore, heading, links and images. Which is more than enough to do most of blogging.

I used Claude Opus to vibe code this. It was surprisingly good. Overall I felt my day was pretty productive.

Things I made:

1. ball-park. It is an app to train mental math, especially big number math. The idea is to get an approximate answer quickly. It is local first, no registration, private.
2. Back of The Napkin. It is a webapp to do guesstimations (sizing an opportunity). The key was to make it sharable and editable without having to create an account. And assure privacy based on deniability.
3. Wiki. Sometimes, I would get deeply interested in some topic and go down the rabbit hole. I figured having my obsidian published to my website would help me access these deep research. This is also part of keeping my Digital Garden growing.
4. Korean Language Learning App. It combines audio and anki cards.
5. Many random tiny tools, like a tool to get interesting hacker news articles and their comment threads, a tool to train GTO poker, a tool to train chess openings, a tool to write like a human on a whiteboard and many other such silly things.

I got really good at cooking Indian food. I was always a pretty good cook. But I mostly ate out or cooked simple western dishes. In 2025 I went full south indian. Sambhar, Rasam, dosai, fish curry, poriyal, kootu etc.

I also ran a race after 5-6 years. I got pretty fit and got my resting heart rate to be around 41-43. Made a lot of new friends and reconnected with some very old friends.

For this year, I plan to run a few more races. I also plan to contribute to some open source software. And most importantly dabble a lot with hardware.

As a kid the highlight of December was bro’s birthday. Then it was Chennai International Film Festival during college days. Then it was the McRitchie Ultra etc. But for the last 10 year it has been Advent of Code.

AOC is pretty much what I look forward to in Dec. Every year it has helped me learn a new language: Python in 2016, Erlang in 2017, JS in 2018, Dart in 2022.

This year, the plan was to learn either Go or Rust. But pity is I haven’t even found the time to start. It is already Dec 11th and I haven’t even done one of the puzzles. Such a shame.

I would get in a run, play underwater hockey 3 times a week, go kayaking a few times a month, get in at least 2 rock climbing session, get in an Ultimate Frisbee game, sometimes get a wind surfing session, go fixie biking, participate in many ultra marathons per year, go to hackerspaces and build hardware projects, take part in many hackathons, got in at least 30-50 scuba dives, managed a few trips out of Singapore, try out new sports like slack lining, sepak takraw, go fishing and camping and a million other things.

There seemed a lot of time. All this without having a routine or making a schedule or forming a habit. I had the energy and the enthusiam for it all.

But as I get older, not having a routine means I get super lazy. I skip many running sessions and many climbing sessions. In the last 2 months, I have gone climbing only three times. And in the last whole month, I have run roughly 60km (which a few years back used to be my weekly average). I haven’t biked in over 2 months. I haven’t touched my raspberry pi/arduino/esp32 in like the last 6 months. I haven’t attended any hackathon. I have ran only one race in the last 12 months.

It is not like I don’t have the time. I have the time. But work is so taxing, that by the time I get home, my brain is fried and I just end up watching some movie or reading hackernews or consuming something that is not taxing the brain. Basically brainrot consumption and not action.

I think the only fix is to have a routine. Like fix time slots (like school days), where at that time slot I have to do that activity. Saying I will run a 10k everyday doesn’t work. I will wake up late and be like “I will come back from work and do the run in the evening”. Then at work, something will come up, and I end up coming to home at 10pm and then I would be like “let me run tomorrow morning”. Fixing a time, works.

So I am basically going to schedule up things. The me in 20 years old would have hated to know there would come a time, when I would have to pencil my activites on a calendar. But oh… well, the pains of getting older.

It was a good experience. A lot of fun. I am happy with the time of 1:34 for a half. I wasn’t even tired or anything at the end of the race. So I could have pushed myself and done it in 1:24 or something.

Anyway, I think I will get back to running more races in the coming months.

source

Of course ran it on Vibram Five Fingers V-Run.