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The Happy Feet is a diverse group of runners who share a common love for running. We take our running very seriously… but (and this is a big BUT… although none of our butts are big) we never take it TOO seriously. We are all for beating PRs, chasing down the competition, and improving our training, but none of these should be undertaken without bouts of laughter, a couple of jokes, or great conversation among friends.

Since joining Happy Feet, I have never gone to a race alone. We register together, agree to meet near the baggage counter of every race, and end the race with anecdotes of our own race experiences. Oh, of course, we take our requisite Happy Feet photo before parting ways. Most of the Happy Feet (usually the single ones which are the majority) share their post-race meals together after each run. I have yet to join an after-run gimmick as the mommy in me holds Sundays as sacred family days for just me, my hubby, and the kids.

Here are photos of our fast-growing Happy Feet group from the recently held Fil-Mus Run For Peace. The photos are courtesy of Ben, Photographer on The Run, who is our official photographer and stylist (yeah, we need one especially after a long, sweat-inducing race!) By the way, Ben has a new 10k PR of 43:01 min. Congratulations again, Ben!

If you wish to join Happy Feet, you must meet the following conditions:

1. You must have an obsessive love for running.
2. You must post as many senseless messages in our e-group as you possibly can.
3. You must be willing to read many a senseless message in your inbox — without deleting them.
4. You must laugh at all of Mon’s jokes… you will meet him later on if you sign in.
5. You must agree to pose for each photo op as required by Photographer Ben and put on a happy face despite the fatigue from a long run.

Should you be interested in joining Happy Feet, just click here.

If you need more incentive to join us (aside from my lovely speech above), check out our soon-to-arrive uniforms…(Oh, we will just look so cool in them, don’t you think?)

Murhpy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will.

I was intent on joining two runs this weekend. The first was the 12-hour Multi Sport Celebration in Memory of Gabriel yesterday followed by the Fil-Mus Run For Peace 10k this morning. (Please pause for a while as I shut my ears to avoid hearing any sermons about tapering.) But, with bad cough accompanied by sore throat, I hesitantly passed on Gabriel’s run to save the little that was left of my barely audible voice for a workshop I was giving yesterday morning. Man, I should have seen this as an ominous sign.

Today, the morning of the Fil-Mus race, I woke up at 4:45 a.m. feeling like I had to peel myself off the bed. I should’ve seen flashing lights and warning signs all over the bedroom, but I was in no way going to pass up another opportunity to race. I took forever to get ready and finally left the house at 5:30 a.m. The race would start at 6 a.m.

Okay, now for the fun part. This is where anything that could go wrong…did go wrong. I can almost hear Murphy laughing!

{ 1 } Running Late…Literally

At 5:57 a.m., I was so near the race area, yet so far! Traffic enforcers had blocked the roads leading to the venue and, after frantically circling the roads twice, I knew I wouldn’t navigate my way through the back roads in time. So, if I wanted to make it to the race, I knew I had to walk…no run! I hastily parked at the Yacht Club, almost a kilometer away from the assembly area, jumped out of the car, and ran towards the starting line. After cursing myself all throughout that..err..warm up, I saw Banggi and Renz among the runners waiting for the race to start. I quickly asked “Is it starting?!” It was music to my ears when they said “not yet” so I made my way to the restroom yelling to them “I have to peeeeeee!”

– The view from my parking area. Sad, this was the only photo I took as my camera was left in the car, almost a kilometer away from the race –

{ 2 } The Cough Race

The 10k course was very simple. It was two laps around Roxas Boulevard starting and ending at Plaza Rajah Sulayman. I had ran that same route before at Run To Bring Hope, the last race where I set my PR. It was going to be flat and long and I was all set.

Two kilometers into the race and I was feeling unusually tired. I was coughing almost every 3 minutes and breathing was not difficult but neither was it easy. My cough was so embarassing. I thought perhaps it worked as an incentive for runners around me to gain speed in an attempt to get away from all the noise I was making!

{ 3 } Tired and Weak

By 4 km, I seriously considered ending the race at 5k. I was tired and I was slow. I was close to giving up but I pulled myself together and coerced myself into just finishing the 10k. Fine, I thought, I should just think of this as a training run and forget about competing. With the pressure off, I enjoyed the run a little bit more.

In the middle of the run, I was surprised to see Robin Padilla, a popular showbiz personality who was once known as the “bad boy” of Philippine cinema until he converted to Islam, running along with us. Hey, no matter how tired I was, that bit of entertainment sure added some color into a lifeless run. I swore he winked at me, but then again, that could have been hallucinations brought about by my sheer exhaustion at that point.

By around 8k, I still felt exhausted, almost like my steps had no power in them. I just wanted to finish the race. Pouring cold water over my head during the last three water stations helped to keep me going. I also had brief walking breaks at these stations to recover. Ack, I hated this. At my recent races, I would not walk nor stop at water stations at all! This was devastating to me.

{ 4 } Another Death

I used my sparkling new Mizuno Wave Creation 8‘s today. And, yes yes yes, they were awesome. I am in love! I barely broke them in (just used them twice on a treadmill) and still I took the chance and used them in a race. Fortunately, they didn’t disappoint.

I made a big boo-boo though. I doubled my socks as I do with my old NB 1222’s. This made the shoe too tight for my toes. So, after the race, when I felt my 4th toe throbbing, I took a deep breath before I pulled my socks off. My toe had died another death! Is that possible at all? Lazarus who came back to life (this dead toe nail had fallen off and started growing already) had suddenly been killed off again! Boy oh boy my foot is unbearably and undeniably u-g-l-y. Yes, I have to spell that out to stress how hideous it is.

{ 5 } My Time

I ended the race at 49:15 minutes, 2 minutes more than my last race. I am competitive against myself so, needless to say, I was shattered. Hey, I hear ya, it was bound to happen. Not every race is a PR race as Ben said. But, you know, I was always hoping those non-PR races would occur sometime in my late 60s.

I came in at 12th place though so that I feel good about.

Until the next race then. To Murphy, please find another runner to haunt.

Remember I told you about these sales popping up all over the Metro.  Well, here’s more…

ADIDAS

End of Season Sale Sept. 1 to 30, 2007

NEW BALANCE

I dropped by New Balance, Festival Mall branch yesterday and discovered that they were on sale too. Shoe prices have dropped by 50% with pairs costing a mere P1,500+.  For NB fans, go go go!

It is with great sadness that I share the news of 2nd Lt. Ariel M. Toledo’s passing last night at 6:20 p.m. Lt. Toledo was from the Philippine Airforce, Phil. Military Academy Class of 2006 – MANDALA’s Magna Cum Laude and Valedictorian, 27 years old. He had been orphaned and diagnosed later in life with Cancer of the Bile Duct. His story was featured in ABS-CBN’s “Maalala Mo Kaya.”

I never met Lt. Toledo nor had I heard of him until I learned of the run, Takbo Para Kay Ariel, organized by his friends and family to raise funds for his support. For people around him to rise up and campaign for him this way, one is certain he was a good man who deserved all the love and concern.

According to Anne Marie Carillo, his wake will be at the Villamor Airbase before they bring it to Ilocos. They will still pursue their fund raising activities. The proceeds will go to the bills accounted and to the Mandala class as well. Should you wish to help, you may email Anne at galfwendz_annie@yahoo.com.

My condolences to Lt. Toledo’s family and friends. He will be in our prayers.

How can one find the time to run when you are neck-deep in life’s oh so many demands such as: over a hundred pages to layout, a press kit to finalize, an upcoming workshop to give, a 2 year-old requiring “comprehensive rehabilitation” of her milk teeth, a 6 year-old who’s preparing for a little performance at school, two PTA meetings, three birthdays gifts to purchase, and so so many more?

Uhm…one tries to wake up earlier to squeeze in a quick workout.

And, when one fails at that attempt (i.e., one wakes up 15 minutes before alarm clock rings only to reset it to the usual waking hour), the only recourse would be to abandon—albeit temporarily—all of these demands and run without thinking. Run as quick and hard as you possibly can with the goal of getting a quality workout at the least possible time.

That’s what I’m about to do. Just wanted to let you in on my busy, busy life right now. Wish me a good run. I’m off.