On the Heels of a Dream: Week 14

On The Heels of a Dream is a weekly column by guest writer Obbie Suguitan who is currently training for his first marathon, The Bull Runner Dream Marathon, on February 16, 2014.

With barely 3 months to go, training is slowly ramping up (often literally!) into serious road time. This week I noticed that my knee pain has all but gone, hopefully never to return. I’m a bit (more than a bit) disappointed though that I got shut out of what seems to me could be a good first public run scheduled for 2 weeks from now. I should have acted earlier. Unfortunately, the organizers closed it a week before schedule because it had hit the participant limit. No one knew about the limit nor was it announced that there was a limit and that it closed. Sigh. Anyway, my next recourse was to enter another run, purportedly a dominant one (hint, hint) a week earlier. In the interim, a person received my registration along with the payment but until I get my bib, singlet, and race kit items, I will not consider myself in.

As far as training went, the 2 maintenance runs went fine. I did not get any faster (just being honest) but it did get easier. The thing with me trying to run faster is that it creates higher impact hence harder on my knees. At my present weight, the dynamic of trying to run faster makes my feet pound the ground harder so I still gotta take it easy so my endurance doesn’t suffer consequently. At this point, I have become the personification of the rule: run at your own pace.

The weekend long run was a different matter altogether. In the span of a week, it evolved from just a long training run into something considerably more significant. It changed from me and my batch of Dreamers achieving improvement for ourselves into a unified and engaging effort to help others. By this I mean One Run – a run for the victims of Yolanda. No bibs, no singlets, no extensive hydration, no medals. The only victory for the runners and participants was that somewhere in the ravaged and typhoon-torn areas, somebody was going to be fed, clothed, or given shelter because we had come to run together, and did not run for ourselves. The turnout was impressive considering it was all on short notice and that it started at 4:30 in the morning of a Saturday. I myself brought a guest who had not done any significant running but was bent on donating and possibly (I hope!) getting a head start for joining Dream 2015. This whole event was the brainchild of The Bull Runner herself then everyone just piled on in support.

– Coach Lit address the Dream Marathoners for Bull Session 3 which was held during One Run –

– with my guest –

– with TBR –

For the run itself, those who were still there to get the long training run done, it took three rounds of a fairly large circuit around BGC. Starting earlier, I found that I could take early morning sun with not much of a problem. I was very thankful that there was a new group added – the 1:1 group. I started with the 1:1 group, fell behind with batchmate Alice, and then was picked up (no, not that kind of picked up!) by one of the 2:1 runners, Ms. Iris – causing me to finish with the tail end of that group. This is the kind of support I’ve been on the receiving end of from a lot of batchmates. Thank you! One of the important things I learned is that the proportion of the run to the walk breaks has nothing to do with the actual speed. I was still the last in the 1:1 but it was because my stride speed (cadence?) is slow/low. I have actually been training 2:1 but had I gone with 2:1 I still woulda been among the last. I think, logically, my best fit would be to do my slow 2:1 within a 1:1 group – which means it would do me well to run alone or rely on the patience of a sweeper.

Anyway, even if not in leaps and bounds, I can feel my endurance and confidence grow. Big thanks to those who have been taking this journey with me – my family and of course 2014 Dreamers. For this week, my parting shot  – we’re not done with the Dream nor are we done taking more steps for our brothers. Peace.

– with Smiley Evan –