Posts Tagged with: "Run"

At the very last minute (Thursday to be exact), I asked my friend Mon to register me for the Takbo Para Kay Ariel, a small race for the benefit of 2nd Lieutenant Ariel Toledo who had been diagnosed with cancer. I felt that I needed a real pick-me-upper to get me out of the minor rut I found myself in last week, so I thought of joining this 10k instead of training all by my lonesome in Alabang.

– This is what was parked in the Assembly Area. Sure way to beat your PR! –

At 6:00 a.m., I arrived at the assembly area in Villamor Airbase with the mindset that I was absolutely NOT going to race; I was going to run at a moderate pace and enjoy watching other runners huff and puff around me. I got the shock of my life when I learned that the 10k was called off. We were all running a 5k! Okay, what could I do then but employ Plan B…which was… uhm… to run as fast as I could.

By 6:15 a.m. I found myself doing—do not laugh—morning exercises alongside Anton and all the other runners at the grandstand. After jumping jacks, stretches, and jumping jacks again, we lined up at the starting line and we were off by 6:30 a.m.

Wow, I got off to a way too quick start. I was panting by 0.3 km… how pathetic! Less than a half kilometer into the run, Lance Armstrong tells me that my pace was 4.37 min/km—a pace that I knew I could not maintain unless I hitched a ride on a tricycle on the way back. I slowed down a wee bit to 4.50 min/km and maintained this pace except for times when I climbed hills (ooh, these were challenging little hills that I will be cursing until I hit the sack tonight!) and when I tried to leave competition behind.

The entire time, I set my eyes on chasing down one woman before me. Let’s call her Dark Horse because she ran with her hair down donning an all black outfit (No no no, she didn’t look like a horse! Such evil minds!) I knew there were just a handful of us women in the front pack but I had no high hopes of making it as first (perhaps only in my dreams) so my sole mission was to have this woman eat my dust. After seemingly endless attempts to catch up with her, I finally succeed and leave her behind. Aah, the sweet taste of victory! Before I can even raise my arms up in triumph, she blows in with a vengeance. Gosh, I must have made her terribly mad. She runs at breakneck speed like a raging bull… er that’s me… so perhaps like a zipping zebra or charging cheetah or… you get the point. I never ever catch up with her again.

I reach the finish line a few steps behind Dark Horse at 32.55 min. A very reliable source tells me (okay, it’s just my Nike+) that the distance was not 5k but around 6.8 km! (I don’t have the exact distance because I forgot to end my workout.) I came in at 5th place in the Women’s Category.

– Top 10 Men and Women. We all look so ecstatic, don’t you think? –

Before the awarding, I congratulate Dark Horse and learn that she has been running for 10 years. She says she’s much better at 42 kms. Oooh god, I won’t even go there. I learn too that she has a more approachable name, Daisy.

I leave the race with more than when I arrived. On one arm, I carry my prizes (a Petron bag and Unilever products) and, on the other, my free food (bread, water, banana, and a hard-boiled egg). I gained a few more running friends (Hi Odie, it was nice to meet you!) And, I carry a renewed sense of peace and calmness. I am not overly excited about my placing 5th nor am I glum about it. I was just happy to be running. Period.

– Happy day for Happy Feet. All women won: Me 5th, Chaia 9th (not in pic), Roselle 17th (2nd from left). From Right: Anton, Ben, and his friend –

– After the race, runners enjoy the free snacks –

[ HELL: 16 Aug, 6 am to 6 pm ]

Hellish. Hellacious. Infernal. Whatever you want to call it, I just knew it was going to be a dreadful day. The numbers on the wall (er, scale) said it. I had gained a whopping 5 lbs. since my fainting incident 26 days ago. I was close to gaining back all the weight I lost through running! For the past month, I had stuffed myself silly with every salty meal that crossed my path—and that would mean quite an amount because I had intentionally stopped at every grocery to plunder their junkfood aisle—in an effort to increase my abnormally low blood pressure and avoid another fainting episode. As I stared at the scale over my protruding belly, I felt a little woozy about those horrible numbers and I thought “Has all my running been put to waste?”

Me and my bloated self sulked all throughout the stormy day. I had even missed my Virtual Run No. 4 earlier in the morning so I had nothing to pull some running inspiration from. I planned on running on my home treadmill but I could barely put my shoes on. “What for?” I thought.

For the first time since I started my love affair with running, I had serious doubts about him. With James Ingram playing in the background (okay, I’m kidding), I wondered if he could still give me what I needed from this relationship. Was I giving too much without getting back anything in return? Despite the pain from my broken heart, I pushed myself to overcome the disappointment and climbed unto the treadmill for the longest 5k of my life.

[ HEAVEN: 16 Aug, 6 pm onwards ]

The Mizuno Run Club was going to start at 7 pm. By 6 pm, I still couldn’t decide if I should drive all the way to Bonifacio High Street for what I thought would be a mere 3k run. At that point, I was still in a demoralized/lethargic state. “What the hell, I’ll go anyway. It beats watching the evening news.” I thought.

I arrive at the scene to see the same group of elite runners that were present last week. Where were the other beginners? It was just me, Tricia, my college friend and fellow H@ppy Feet member, and Mandy, a boxer/runner I met that evening who were relatively the only beginners present. Oh, did I mention we were the only women too?

Hey, wazzup wazzup?! It was a pleasant surprise to finally meet Unang Hirit host Drew Arellano who is a runner and aspiring triathlete himself. I slapped myself on the head for leaving my camera at home that day. (Drew, if you’re reading this, could you please just send me a photo with your autograph on it? You could also send me some handgel because I haven’t watched the hand that you shook last night. Haha.)

Before the run, the fellows at Mizuno happily lent me the Wave Creation 8 that they recommended for my normal/high arch foot. Boy oh boy, as I dipped my feet into this shoe, I thought it fit my feet perfectly well. It was snug but not too tight, it was light, and it looked like a kick-ass racing shoe. I’ve been a New Balance fan for the longest time and, quite honestly, with Mizuno’s knowledgeable salesmen and outstanding shoe (sure beat my wide, bulky, heavy NB 1222’s), I was being converted. I was eager to test this shoe’s performance during the run. (Nope, this is not a paid endorsement!)

– Mizuno Wave Creation 8. You shall be mine. –

Coach Ige Lopez announces our route plan in which I hear the magic words “5k” (Woohoo, it’s a bit longer than I expected!) and “walang iwanan” (No one gets left behind. Thank God because the elite runners run twice my speed) and then we’re off. At first, the three of us are such girls—we chat, we laugh, and even scream as we cross the street amid fast-paced cars in the dark of the night. Then, as the gap increases between us and the other runners, we stop talking and start ruuuunnniiing. Before I know it, around 15 minutes into the run, I am running at race pace (or faster) in an effort to keep up with the last male runners before me. I have no idea where Tricia and Mandy are. Finally, I run along with the male runners and I’m pleasantly surprised to discover it is Jujet de Asis, the 3rd fastest runner in the country. Little ol’ me running along with Jujet! Oh, I must’ve looked crazy smiling from ear to ear.

We’re back at Mizuno in around 30 minutes. That one run gives me the much needed inspiration I was yearning for all day. I feel fitter, stronger, and last but not the least, lighter. (Rightfully so after two 5k runs that day!) Of course, I think that my showbiz encounter and run with Jujet added to the excitement.

I chat briefly with Coach Ige before leaving and he gives me two important tips:

1) It’s better to run on asphalt than concrete which can be hard on the knees and feet. He tells me that Alabang’s roads are made of concrete so I better start searching for a new playground. Gulp.

2) After asking Coach Ige if I should focus on increasing my 10k speed or increasing my distance to prepare for an eventual marathon, he advises me to focus on distance. He says that by building endurance with long runs, the speed for shorter distances will naturally follow.

Back home, I make a pact with myself to forget those nightmarish numbers on the scale. I’ll just scrap the junk (so so difficult for me) and eat properly. In my mind, I imagine myself on white, puffy clouds back in the arms of my beloved running! I am happy again. Aw, pure heaven.

3 out of 4 runs only on a treadmill
(Sore knees were all I got from pushing too far on a treadmill. I was yearning to run on the road all week.)

+

2 vomiting kids
(Were germs this wicked during our time?)

+

1 missed virtual run
(due to 2 vomiting kids)

+

2 strong storms
(Good riddance to Chedeng and Dodong! I will never forgive you for ruining my runs…but then again I am grateful for increasing our depressingly low water supply. Egay, don’t you even think of visiting my running route this week!)

=

1 Sick Bull Runner

That encapsulates the week that was for me. And, as I… [sneeze]

write this, I am still afflicted with the… [cough]

common cold as almost everyone… [ehem]

here in Manila is. [wipe nose]

I would love to chat but… [drop strepsils into mouth]

I would rather conserve energy for… [achoo]

a good run—yes, I still run despite the cold… [move strepsils to left cheek]

rather than waste it on…[move strepsils to the right]

typing out letters on the keyboard. [sniffle]

[ REST ]

Rumors were rife about an upcoming Mizuno Race and, like a good reporter ready to investigate a new story, I asked my sources to verify the information.

GOOD NEWS: Mizuno will have a 5k/10k/15k race tentatively set for December at SM Mall of Asia.

BETTER NEWS: Mizuno has a running clinic every other Thursday, 7 P.M. at Bonifacio High Street.

You know me, I don’t say no to running events…unless it’s too far, too early, or too idiotic. So, I found myself at Mizuno last night ready to see what this running clinic was about.

The Mizuno Run Club is headed by triathlete coach Miguel “Ige” Lopez. It is open to runners of all shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. Last night was its 3rd clinic and a good number of runners showed up. Perhaps half of them were serious (even elite) runners (you know just by looking at their lean physiques and short shorts) and the other half were beginners to intermediate runners. The former was led by Miguel while the latter was guided by Paolo, Mizuno brand manager. They ran a short 3k around the area, which should steadily increase as the runners improve over time.

– Look at them runners! 3k is a yawn for them –

While the runners (including Ben and Tricia of Happy Feet) reveled in their short run, I sat in the booth with Renz and KC, Mizuno marketing associate, sulking. Why did I leave my running attire behind? Had I not known that, despite a good 10k run earlier that afternoon, I would not be strong enough to resist the temptation of seeing other runners leaving me behind?

Fortunately, there were a lot of things to distract me from my petty problem. I met a simple and unassuming guy, Jujet De Asis, who turned out to be the 3rd fastest runner of 5k and 10k in the country. His PR is 16.43 minutes for 5k and 28.41 minutes for 10k. Gosh, his 10k PR is better than my 5k PR! Renz and I bombarded him with questions: How often does he train (6x a week), Where (at the Ultra oval), and Is Buenavista his friend or enemy (competitor during a race but friend at all other times).

– Me and Jujet De Asis (Do you think speed is contagious? I certainly hope so!) –

Soon after, the runners had returned and we started an informal Q&A with Miguel Lopez. He was open to all our questions—from proper form to good nutrition—and generously provided all the information we so eagerly and quickly absorbed.

– Runners stretch. Ben (left) and Tricia (the only one with her arms down haha) of Happy Feet –

– Miguel Lopez shows us the proper running form –

The Mizuno Running Club’s next session is on August 16, 2007, Thursday, 7 p.m. after which sessions will be held every other Thursday. During the next clinic, they will allow runners to test their running shoes during the run. After 5 consecutive attendance in the clinic, runners get a free Mizuno shirt. After 10 consecutive attendance, one gets a discount on Mizuno products. Registration is free.

One thing great about running is that it doesn’t take much for you to do it. You can jump into whatever outfit you choose—jogging pants, biking shorts, tank top, or sando—and end up getting a great workout like any other runner donning the most fashionable or high-tech get up. Still, it doesn’t hurt to occasionally get your hands on some new apparel to look your coolest while you’re sweating it out.

Here are TBR’s 5 tips for buying new apparel:

1. Go for moisture-management fabric. Choose light-weight, breathable material that can wick sweat away from your body. Please stay away from cotton or other heavy material unless you want to return from a run looking like a human condom that’s as heavy as an elephant.
2. Check for chafing. Before you purchase a shirt, shorts, or sports bra, look at every single seam or knot. These tiny little nuisances can ruin your run as they rub against your skin a hundred times over. Ouch!
3. Consider the weather. In Manila, we are fortunate (or maybe not) to only have either of the two: rain or shine. So, a runner’s wardrobe would consist of ultra-light clothing (I opt for sleeveless tops and shorts) and maybe shades and a cap for summertime and jacket and cap for rainy days.
4. Know your needs. Do you carry your keys, powergel, or lucky charm around with you? Then you’ll need shorts with a pocket. Do you run at night? It’s best to choose clothing with reflectors. If you go mountain climbing or cycling, you may want apparel that can be used for those sports too.
5. Invest in socks. When purchasing socks, go for quality. You can also bring your running shoes along so you can go for a brief test run in the store. Don’t scrimp on socks unless you find joy in popping blisters or murdering your toenails.

Speaking of apparel, I was fortunate enough to receive manna from heaven—or more like Hong Kong—a couple of weeks ago. The Adidas regional head office sent me two new Adidas ForMotion(TM) samples! Both are white Supernova tees: one with classic Adidas lines in red on the sides (92% polyamid, 8% elastane) and the other with orange lines running down the sides (100% polyester).

I was saving the shirts for a special occasion and I thought the Run To Bring Hope was the perfect event to sport the one with red lines for three reasons: 1) I love it’s smooth fabric (I prefer it over the slightly see-through polyester. I’m very conservative, you know?) 2) It looks more like a shirt with oomph! 3) The red lines bring out the blush in my cheeks after I beat my PR. Yeah!

– “You’ll never want to run in anything else. This ventilated ClimaCool(R) running tee uses ForMotion(TM) technology for improved comfort when you run.” From Adidas.com –

What can I say? This running tee was a delight to wear. It was superbly comfortable and light. The fabric was as smooth as silk yet it was breathable. It moved along with me through the entire race despite the sticky sweat. I don’t usually use shirts with sleeves in a race because I find them bothersome, but these tees have completely changed my views about it.

To Adidas: thumbs up to your ForMotion(TM) tees! Thank you for the gifts. By the way, one small request: could you please put pads in your sportsbras? Pretty please?