Archive for May, 2013

We’re back!  It was one of the best marathons and most fun family trips I’ve ever had.

– Our last day in Paris. The two “cray-zees” had two scoops of Haagen Dazs each when it was freezing cold outside. –

I’m glad to be home again, but, I must admit, as soon as I felt sweat dripping down my forehead the minute we stepped out of the airport, I almost wanted to fly out again.

I know you’re sick and tired of everyone on Facebook and Twitter complaining about the heat.  So, instead of whining about how hot it is that I would prefer to kill myself with a 5k swim than run the same distance under the sun, I thought of giving you tips on how to make the best out of your run with such high temperatures.

To all you brave souls out there who are committed to running in this heat, I salute you and I send this article out to all of you. As for me, I’m just glad I’m on recovery mode for now!

10 Cool Tips for Running in the Heat

1. Run before the sun rises. Best time to run, especially if it’s longer than 2 hours, is to run at around 4:00 AM. No, it doesn’t follow that the earlier you wake up the cooler it is. Take it from me. When I had to run my longest run before London Marathon, I started running at 2:30 AM.  Stupid me. Humidity was so high that I practically choked to death at the first 50 meters of my run, the air was so stale and heavy that words exchanged during the run clung in the air like a cartoon.  Ack. It was so frustrating to learn that it felt even cooler at 6:00 AM rather than 3:00 AM.

2. Hydrate. You’re a runner! You should know this! Make sure to hydrate with water or your favorite sports drink. No messing around with this one especially in this kind of heat. Heatstroke is not a joke and it can happen to anyone.

3. Change venue. If you’re usual run route leaves you exposed under the sun, then consider running in tree-lined, shaded routes at least once a week. How about U.P., Filinvest City, or other exclusive villages that you may have access to?

4. Wear shades. A good pair of shades won’t just block your eyes from the shimmering sun, but it will actually help you mentally beat the heat too. With the tinted view of your surroundings, you simply feel that it’s cooler and it allows you to go a bit further.  My fave brand are Oakleys.

5. Think yourself cold. Scrap the following lines from your vocabulary while you run: “Ang init!”, “Grabe, ang init!” or, worst of them all, “WTF, ang init!” Believe me, all that complaining will only make you sweat more (and piss off your running buddies, too!)  Beat the heat by fooling your brain into thinking it’s cool. Say the following instead: “Good thing it’s not too hot today.” or just repeat the words “cool” or “cold” over and over. Okay, okay, I’m not really sure if this works under 35 degree weather, but it’s worth a try!

6. Change costume. If you’re running long, chances are your shirt will be soaked in sweat in an hour. A change of clothes midway through your run will make you feel fresh and cool.  Oh, and don’t forget two magic words for your apparel: DRI FIT.

7. Run on the treadmill. I know a lot of runners who are treadmill-averse. I was one of them. But, in this kind of heat, it just didn’t make sense to suffer under the scorching sun at 8:00 AM (that was the only time I could run after dropping kids at school), or, worse, to skip a run simply because of the heat. So, my treadmill and I kissed and made up early this year and I ran twice a week on the treadmill training for London Marathon. It was great.  Treadmill runs are a great way to watch your form, follow a good program at a controlled pace and setting, and, best of all, if it’s in a gym, it’s air-conditioned!  Woot!  To stay sane and keep boredom at bay, download a good and challenging workout for treader runs and don’t forget your music.

8. Cover up with a bandana or visor. I usually use a visor instead of a cap to allow the heat from my head to escape.  I would like to try the Magicool Cooling Bandana. I haven’t tested it, but we featured it on TBR Magazine (Mar-Apr 2013) and I do want one. The bandana can be tied around the neck, head or wrist and it can absorb cold water so that you can run with it. Sold at SecondWind and G-Stop for P350 only.

– Magicool Cooling Bandana –

9. Bring cash. Imagine this: You’re running at 15k in the heat, you happen to pass a 7-11 and spot a pedestrian savoring his large Mountain Dew Slurpee. Now, you don’t want to pine for the same drink without any cash on you, do you? (Obvious ba this has happened to me? heehee)  Make sure to hide at least P50 in your pocket (or under your insoles like I do) for an impromptu Slurpee; one for you and treat a run buddy while you’re at it.

10. Cool off with a chilled towel.  Pack a towel in a ziplock in your cooler along with your iced drinks. After your run, use the towel on your face, nape, and limbs to cool off.  If you don’t yell out “Haaay sarraaaap!” and think that it’s almost manna from heaven, something must be wrong with you.  Go rest and have a frap. It’s on me. (I’m kidding of course!)

Just 7 more days until the Success Summit on May 10, 2013!

5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND:

1. This event features people who have been there so you’re going to hear their actual experiences and insights on their path to success which you can enjoy as well.
2. You will learn a system on how you can overcome your limitations,roadblocks and problems that prevent you from moving forward.
3. Receive the principles on how you can get the esteem and recognition that you’ve been missing so you can propel your career and personal life.
4. Realize that money is actually easy to get if you know how to master it.
5. Discover what really is your passion and purpose and how you can profit from it.

I’m looking forward to learning from all the other speakers, but I’ll also be sharing some tips on how my passion for running allowed me to earn a little extra something too.  Hope to see you there!

For more info, click HERE.

 

With hubby and kids in tow, I arrived in London last April 17, Wednesday, just a few days before the London Marathon on April 21.  We stayed at The Regency in South Kensington.  The kids immediately loved everything about London—the weather, the food, the Underground tube, and especially our hotel room.

– The hubby and the kids with our hotel right behind them –

– Missing in the photo: Hugh Grant –

– If they could, they would’ve stayed in the room the entire trip! –

Since we were to leave for the countryside the following day for my cousin’s wedding, we headed straight for the Race Expo soon after we checked in.  Jetlag? Nah. Exhaustion? Nada. The expo of marathon majors is something I always look forward to.

RACE EXPO

The race expo was held at ExCel International Exhibition at Royal Victoria Dock. It was about 30 to 45 minutes away from South Kensington.

First things first, I claimed my race bib, then had my Ipico timing tag checked. Included in the kit was a black ribbon which we were encouraged to pin on our shirts to honor the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing just a week before our marathon.

– BTW, check out the Skora shoes I’m wearing. They sent me this for the trip. They’re minimalist running shoes but, I must say, they were the best walking shoes for pre and post race. I wore it practically everyday –

– Contents of the kit. The red bag is the same bag we check in on race day –

I’ve said it many times before. My ultimate dream is to finish the Marathon Majors: Berlin (check), New York (check 2x), London, Tokyo, Chicago, and Boston. (Okay, we can skip Boston for now LOL.) So, when I saw this Marathon Majors exhibit, I just had to stop and pose. Too bad the photo is blurry! Boo!

Then came the most important part: SHOPPING!  Not just any kind of shopping, but shopping for official marathon merchandise! That’s what I live for!  (Yes, I’m super easy to please!)  The official apparel sponsor was adidas and they presented an impressive range of marathon merchandise. My head was in a whirl while the hubby and kids waited, and waited, and waited.

– Those are all official merchandise. Drool drool –

Happily, I took these two home with me. Aaah! Love. The. Jacket.

– There were various shirt designs, colors, and sizes. This was one of my favorites –


– Just one of the official London Marathon 2013 jackets –

Then, it was time for more shopping. I liked the fact that, since we were in Europe, there were quite a number of running products that were new to me since most products we see in Manila are the more popular brands in the US.

Test your strength during the expo? No thank you. I chose to reserve my strength and endurance for race day…

Cute course map by Nestle Pure Life, the official water sponsor for the race…

Of course, I dropped by the impressive booth of Timex. These guys were responsible for getting me a slot in one of the most difficult marathons to get into for us Pinoys! (Sigh. Don’t ask me why it’s so hard for us to get in via lottery system. I don’t know either.)  They had the Timex Run Trainer on display.  The same watch I was going to use for race day.

I dropped by Gatorade’s booth and bought my pre-race fuel, race drink, and post-race fuel conveniently labelled with 01, 02, and 03 respectively. I heard Gatorade is working on bringing these products to Manila. Crossing my fingers!

I chanced upon the Knotty Tiger (hilarious name!) from the same makers of Tiger Tail (which I personally use and we offer at TBR Dream Marathon during race day) and immediately bought one for myself.  I think it’s the perfect travel companion for destination marathons (because, yes, I wouldn’t want to lug my giant foam roller around which is probably bigger than my luggage.)

I passed by other booths of other races too…

– Left: Uso din pala Zombie races sa kanila? Right: Comrades Ultramarathon, one of the toughest ultra marathons in the world –

There was free massage for the runners. How cool is that?!…

Free photo that you could pin up on the board alongside other participants. Even cooler…

I left the expo that evening happy about my purchases and excited about the race.

The following day, we hopped on a train heading towards my cousin’s wedding in Warwickshire, just near Stratford-Upon-Avon where Shakespeare was born.

I saw this at the train station…Waaah, excited!

– Ssshhh. I wore the adidas jacket na di pa nalabhan. No one knows except for you guys! –

NEXT: PART 2: LONDON MARATHON – A WEDDING, SHAKESPEARE, AND A RUN

Thank you so much to all the people who got me to London! Unilab Active Health for sponsoring the trip. Special thanks to my favorites Enervon Activ for keeping me energized during training and race day and Enervon HP for aiding in recovery. Thank you to Timex Philippines and Timex UK who snagged me a race slot.