Category Archives: Bullish Insights

It was one year ago from this day when my Dad passed away in his sleep. Those days, I ran as much as I could to deal with the pain—and also to celebrate his life.

Memories of him started flooding back the past few days. He worried a lot about my running. I still remember how, after each Sunday race, he would tell me “Running is bad for your knees.” and I would nod my head, but laugh it off in my head. There was no point in arguing with Dad.  And, seeing how much weight I had lost, he would always remind me to eat more; sometimes, he would even drop more food unto my plate.  Despite his concerns, he knew me well enough to know that he couldn’t stop me from pursuing my passions—whether it was art, choice of career, or running.  This man knew he had a bull for a daughter, yet he gave her wings to fly.

So many memories, so many days since I last saw him.  I miss him terribly.  

Today, I woke up in desperate need of a run.  But, plan was for the gym in the morning and the rest of the day with the family to hear mass and visit Dad at the cemetery.  I’ll have to wait till Sunday for my long run. A slow and easy 25km for Dad.  A run to relieve the pain of missing him, to tell him he is always in my thoughts and prayers, and to honor and celebrate his life.

The Bull Runner Magazine was recently featured by our October cover runner, Tessa Prieto-Valdes in her column last Sunday, October 11, 2009…

Here’s a clearer version of the photo above with Ben Chan of Blacksheep Photography and myself with super fun, Tessa Prieto-Valdes…

And the article…

Click on this link to read the full article.

Oh boy, I’m going to miss Run Radio again tonight. Two Fridays ago, I went on leave for Little Miss Bull Runner’s Birthday. (Family first!)  Then, last Friday, it was Typhoon Pepeng’s day.  (Safety first!)  Tonight, I can’t make it yet again as I’ll be at the Philippine Blog Awards where I’ll serve as judge and presenter of the Sports Category, the same category this blog won last year. (This is a first!)

What I haven’t been missing at all are my training runs and workouts.  So, on that front, I am the perfect student. (Fine, not that perfect since there’s a bit of whining involved when it comes to those planks…argh!)

MON: strengthening and core exercises at the gym
TUE: 10 min warm up, 2 x (4×400) at 4:50 min/km, 10 min cool down at the track
WED: REST
THU: 2k warm up, 12k tempo at 5:40 min/km, 1k cool down
FRI: strengthening and core exercises at the gym
SAT (plan): TRX
SUN (plan): Milo 21k

I’m just hoping my work schedule will allow me to remain consistent with my workouts until Marathon Day.  If not, I will definitely try my best to squeeze it in!  

P.S. THE RESCUE RUN tomorrow.  Hope to see you there!

P.S.S. To Run Radio peeps tonight: Marga, Jay, Bards, and Vimz, good luck and have a great time!

Two months to go. Or 8 weeks. Or exactly 60 days.

Yes, I’ve got 60 days to go before I run my first full marathon: The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon on Dec. 6, 2009. You didn’t know I signed up, did you?

Truth is, I registered way back in August for the Singapore Half Marathon eyeing Subic International Marathon for my first full. Then, I changed my mind (or more like cowered in fear of the tough concrete and high elevation of SCTex) so I downgraded my Subic distance to half instead and set my sights on Singapore for the full 42.195km.

Phew, I am excited, to say the least. But, I’m also nervous and overly paranoid about re-injury.

For those of you who don’t know, injury has hit me the past two times I dreamed of doing a marathon: Runner’s Knee around November 2007 then ITBS December 2008. Both times I was aiming for a February full marathon.  

It’s cliche to say that the setbacks only made me stronger. But, it is absolutely true. It didn’t just make me a stronger runner, it made me a smarter one, too.

I can look back at those two dreadful periods in my running life (tissue, please) and tell you in all honesty that I am glad I experienced them all: the seemingly endless search for the magic cure and the perfect shoe, long hours at yoga and the gym wishing I was on the road instead, missed runs, and sleepless nights pondering when I could run again. All these and more gave me the knowledge and experience to know that my body wasn’t ready to take on a full at 2008 or early 2009, that it is much wiser to wait for the right time than to rush weak legs into an event they are not primed for, that a bull (no matter how stubborn) can learn patience to become a better, stronger runner.

I started training a month ago, but when I think of it, I actually began training a full two years back when the contagious bug that is the marathon entered my bloodstream.

I’m hoping you catch the virus, too (if you haven’t got it yet). So, this begins my “Marathon Diary” (M.D.) series from now until Marathon Day (hey, it’s M.D., too!), December 6. I’ll share with you bits and pieces (or even long tales) about my marathon training, the people who will support me along the way, the gear that will help me achieve it, and any marathon thoughts that come to mind (I’m sure there will be many.) Until then…

For many of us, running is a way of life. It’s as natural as brushing our teeth or praying before we go to sleep. It’s not a chore that we have to grumble our way through accomplishing and happily tick off our to-do list at the end of the day. Not a task we set to do only when we’re in the mood, when there’s free time, or when friends call for an invite. Running is a part of who we are; it lives in our souls and travels through our veins.

Running, for us, never stops. We run when it is sunny or stormy—out on the road, or in our hearts and minds. In good times, we run to celebrate; we fly swiftly on the roads basking under the morning sunshine and reveling in the beauty of life.

In troubled times, we use running as a refuge, an escape from the difficult, tumultuous world. When the Typhoon Ondoys of our life flood our thoughts with obstacles and fears, we run to find solutions to our problems or to release pent up emotions. For most, the run gives us a renewed strength, reminding us that we can wade through problems and survive a storm as long as we try our darndest best to reach our goals.

Typhoon Ondoy has departed, but it’s left us with devastation all around. As runners, we continue to run, but it doesn’t mean we don’t care. We continue to pray for all those affected by Ondoy, especially runner friends who are still slowly picking up the pieces: cleaning up their flooded homes, drying off their Runner’s World magazines, and washing their muddied running shoes.

Life goes on. Rain or shine, running continues…well, it never really stopped.