One Day til Mizuno Infinity Run

Saturday, 29 March 2008  |  Bullish Insights

It’s Mizuno’s Infinity Run tomorrow. And, unlike past races, I am completely unprepared.

IMG_0043

I signed up for 5k tomorrow (the longest distance I’ve ran for the past two months as proven in my expanding waistline) and I laugh at myself for feeling all jittery just thinking about it. Will my knee cooperate? Will I have to walk? And, last but not the least, will I be able to resist the temptation of racing when I promised myself I’d run a slow, easy pace?

Truth be told, I was concerned about the last question as I was leaning towards a “No.” I worried about the fact that this bull-headed runner would glare at faster runners in the middle of the race, scratch her hoofs down on the ground, and with a loud, violent grunt yell “To hell with it. Bahala na yung tuhod!” And run as fast as I could.

Fortunately, the hubby came to the rescue. Almost like a night in shining armor (aw, how romantic), he accepts my invitation to run his first 5k with me and, by default, gained the respectable position of being my pacer. With him by my side, I’m certain I’ll run this one at a slow, steady pace making sure that the hubby enjoys the experience so that he turns into a running addict like me! (If this doesn’t one work, I’ll try hypnotism next)

Today, instead of my usual pre-race prep day wherein I rest, eat well, and sleep early for tomorrow’s race, I am doing quite the opposite. I’m working in the morning, playing golf (first time on the fairway) this afternoon, and watching Horton with the kids in the evening. Wish me luck tomorrow. (Insert nervous laugh here)

For those who haven’t seen the race route, here it is. (Thanks Mark for emailing) See you all tomorrow!

Mizunoroute

Mizuno Infinity Run

Tuesday, 11 March 2008  |  Race Announcements

Mizuno is challenging you to push yourself to the limits, push your mind, and your body will respond. If you think you have the endurance and the power to drive yourself to maximum performance, we challenge you…

The first MIZUNO INFINITY RUN, this will be a 5, 10, 15 kilometer fun run open to all runners. More than 70,000 pesos in cash and Mizuno items to be won!

MIZUNO INFINITY RUN 2008
NEVER STOP
Registration Fees: 5k – P150, 10k – P200, 15k – P250
When: March 30, 2008 (Sunday)
4:00am – start of registration
6:00am – start of race
6:00am – 15k
6:30am – 5k and 10k
Where: Global City, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Starting point: Federacion Drive (the street near NBC drive and The Fort Strip)

Registration will start on March 11, 2008 in any Mizuno stores and Mail & More branches in NCR.

Race packs can be claimed starting March 15, 2008 in any Mizuno stores. Race pack includes race number, map of the route and race
information.

*Runners can claim their packs on the day of the race. Better if they claim it before.

IMPORTANT:

1. Upon registration, runners will be given an ACKNOWLEDGMENT RECEIPT.
They will need this to claim their race packs. *NO A/R NO RACE PACK.
2. Do not forget your race number on the day of the race. NO RACE
NUMBERS, RUNNERS ARE CONSIDRED UNREGISTERED.
3. Start of race is 6:00 am. Please come early.

For inquiries please contact 757.31.60 local 520 and 517, Mizuno marketing dept.

NEVER STOP TESTING YOURSELF. BRAVE THE INFINITY RUN!

Mizuno Sale

Thursday, 28 February 2008  |  News + Promos

I’m on saving mode right now to prepare for a summer trip with the hubby and kids. So, no uneccessary purchases for me. None.

As for you, go ahead and enjoy the sale. As with past races, I shall be with you in spirit while you shop!

MizunoSale

Spoke Too Soon

Friday, 23 November 2007  |  Therapy + Injury

I made it to the Mizuno Run Club last night. But, disappointingly, I wasn’t there to run.

Shortly after I published the previous post yesterday, I headed for SM to run errands. As I swept through the department store purchasing everything on my list in haste, I noticed my knee popping again. And again. And again.

Damn it. The meniscus irritablus annoyus problemus was back. I knew I wouldn’t be able to run in Mizuno.

Desperate to get as close to running as I could get, I asked the kids after dinner: “Who wants to go to Krispy Kreme?!” To my delight, both kids answered a resounding “Yes!” (In case you’re wondering, the hubby has been out all week on a business trip.) So, with the kids in tow, I headed over to Bonifacio High Street eager to get a whiff of—no, not donuts—but some running energy.

As we entered High Street, I spotted one runner, then two, then the entire group running along our usual route. Aaaw, I wish I was one of them, I thought. Then, I got all sentimental, anxious, envious, and frustrated. When can I run again? How long will this injury last? Do I have to start cross training to maintain my fitness level? I was on the brink of craziness and depression.  (Hey, you would be too after six days of no running!)

I passed by Mizuno to quickly chat with Chanda, one of the club organizers, Ige, the coach, and exchange a few words with other faithful attendees like Totoy, Pablo, Renz, Gelo and Mandy. Drenched in sweat, they were obviously done with their laps. I so wanted to be sticky and sweaty and tired like them, but nope, all I could do was watch and pray that in two weeks I would be able to join the run again.

As promised, I took the kids to Krispy Kreme and Starbucks. As we gobbled our treats in the car on the way home while singing to High School Musical 2 out loud, I realized that things weren’t so bad. Despite the evil injury, I had a great life. My family is great; I have good and healthy kids and a loving hubby who I’ll be seeing soon. I work from home—a set up that is perfect for a hands-on mommy and addicted runner like me. And, I’m alive! It’s just a matter of time before I can run again.

Boy, those Christmas peppermint brownies from Starbucks sure can turn a bad day into a good one.

Roadtesting The Garmin Forerunner 305

Saturday, 10 November 2007  |  Gear + Gadgets

I took my brand spanking new Garmin Forerunner 305 out for a spin at the Mizuno Run Club and boy did it impress me yet again. I’ve used it a couple of times already, but it was only during this run that I had the opportunity to utilize its lap feature.

For this run, I used the default lap screen of the Garmin and pressed the lap button at every round. There was one lap where I forgot to press the button (darn it!), so it’s good to know there’s an autolap button screaming “Try me! Try me!” for my next run.

I ran 7 laps of what was supposed to be a progressive run around the inner circle of Bonifacio High Street along with other beginner/intermediate runners (such as Renz, Totoy, Tina, Mandy, Gelo, Pablo…hey guys!) while the elite, as always, left us eating their dust even if they ran the larger circle around the same area. There were quite a few friends who were itching to run but couldn’t, so they ran vicariously through us: Ben (injured), Tricia (colds), and Marga (smoked two sticks!)

After the run, I eagerly downloaded the data to my mac. For the first time in my life, I welcomed information overload with open arms! Clearly, I saw the time and pace at which I ran each of the 7 laps (Lap 2 to 7) and the consistent distance for each (Lap 2 is a combination of Lap 2 & 3). I was also thrilled to discover that when you click on a lap, it is automatically highlighted on the map below. So cool! (If you look close enough, you might even see Starbucks there!)

Well, now you all know that I also failed miserably at my attempts at a progressive run.

Garmin Data

Before I go, here’s what I love about my Garmin so far:

  1. Accuracy. I’m pretty confident about the accuracy of the Garmin. Garmin users I know can attest to it. Personally, I’m impressed with the accurate readings of the laps above. I’ve also taken it on two long runs and it registered the EXACT distance when I hit the 9.5 km mark (which the Nike+ recorded as a whopping 12 km! More on this in the next post.)
  2. No interruptions. There’s a lot of talk about satellite interruptions with the Garmin, but I never experienced any stalls/ glitches/ breakdowns so far. Well, I don’t really run in shaded areas anyway.
  3. Readable screen. It is easy to see my data while I’m running (just don’t let the sweat drip down into my eyes!) I particularly enjoy using the backlight during night runs. It just makes me feel cool. Hah!
  4. Lap feature. I am overjoyed that I finally get time and pace readings for my laps. The Nike+ will show pace for a certain distance in each run, but one couldn’t specify at what point you wanted a reading.
  5. So easy to use. I haven’t gone through the entire manual so I’m sure I’m not fully utilizing all the features of my new little toy. Despite this, I’ve been able to use the Garmin with ease during my past runs. It literally takes seconds for me to put the Garmin into its dock which I attach to my mac via USB and it automatically syncs with the Garmin Training Center.

What I don’t like about the Garmin:

  1. Comfort. The first time I used this, I got scared. It slid down my wrist and hit my bone almost every 10 minutes. I thought I made a big mistake buying it. Turns out, it takes some getting used to. It wasn’t comfortable for me at the onset but I’m slowly finding the perfect wrist adjustment for it. I think it must be Extra Tight.
  2. Useless indoors. The downside to a GPS unit is that you can’t use it on the treadmill. I run twice a week on the treadmill so I have to resort to my Nike+ to get a pace reading.
  3. Attracts too much attention. No one saw me that night. They only noticed my Garmin and befriended it. God, I thought they were my real friends! (I’m kidding, Happy Feet!)

Ben and Garmin

– Do you think Ben will trip me, stomp on my wrist, and grab the Garmin in the Milo race next week? –

Next post: Comparing the Garmin and Nike+ data during a long run. Who’s telling the truth?