Remembering Running

That title sounds soooo sad. Sigh. I wonder when or if I will ever go back to running. Part of me misses it, but a big part of me is terrified of it. Here's why:

Missing Running

I miss pre-race night when I almost can't fall asleep, super excited and worried I won't wake up to the alarm.

I miss leaving the house while it was still dark and seeing the EDSA street lights still ablaze.

I miss warming up in the holding area with other runners.

I miss gun start and the smell of sun block all around.

I miss conversations I have with myself, especially on hilly portions where I have to ignore the pain and take the next step and the next and the next till I'm on flat terrain again.

I miss the anxiety of the last kilometer when I don't really even know if I can make it to the finish.

I miss the thump thump of blood in my legs after I've crossed the finish and I walk to the water station to cool down.

I wonder if I'll run that way again.

Getting Back

Went for a swim yesterday. Finally.

Also went for a run last Monday.

I'm glad to be swimming and running again and realize that the worst thing one can do is to totally stop exercising. Exactly what I did when I was preparing for pregnancy number 3. I thought then that slowing down would also relax my body and cause it to accept the pregnancy better.

My new OB told me to resume exercising again. To go back to competition form if I wanted to. Because, according to her, my tactic of stopping didn't help anyway to keep the pregnancy.

So now I'm slowly trying to get back to form. And my oh my is it PAINFUL. If muscles could wail...

As I was doing laps in the pool, I realized how I used to be concerned with speed. Timing my runs and my swim laps, trying to be faster each time. Now I'm just focused on finishing. Haha. Feels good though not to be under pressure. I can just enjoy each stroke or each step and hear the water or the crickets.

Good to be back. Now if only the muscles would stop wailing...

Training Log: 15 Sept. Interval Training at ULTRA

Been BUSY!!! Ack! And the rain hasn't been much help either, in terms of training.

But finally, the weather cleared up last Tuesday.

Went to ULTRA early because we had dinner with friends that night. Trained alone, with some help from Coach Sarge. Torture but very fulfilling.

2K warm-up
stretching and drills

Main event: 3(3x400m)
2 min rest after every 400m and one lap walk after every set.

I don't have a stopwatch so it was Coach Sarge who timed me.

For the first set I ran alone so I don't have the times for those.

For the 2nd set, it was 1:50, 1:49, 1:51

For the 3rd set, it was 1:51, 1:52, 1:44

C registered me for 10K for Power Run next Sunday. I asked Coach Joar if I'm okay to do 10K next Sunday, despite having been on break for three weeks. He said stick to 5K but alas I've been registered. So he said, just run to finish. I said, Coach, that's what I always do... just run to finish. Hahaha.

Excited but dreading next Sunday too.

Running Log: 25 Aug (interval training)

I decided to resume my running log here. Need to keep track if I'm going to train for my first half. Still far from that though. Need to transition to 15K first and see what that's like.

Last night I ran with the girls and that was quite a relief.

2K warm-up.

Main run: 2x3x200m.

Coach Sarge was our pacer and these are our times:

1st Set: 0:54; 047; 041
2nd Set: 0:45; 0:40; 0:40

3K cool down. I usually don't do this but Coach Joar insisted so I did it. My legs were so tired already from the sprints and I didn't expect I would be able to finish the cool down. Pwede pala. The battle is really in the mind.

Core strengthening and stretching.

Good training night. Not easy but we made it. :)

Morning Sounds

Good morning!

What do you usually hear in the morning when you wake up?

For us, the sounds of birds chirping. I feel blessed that we still have a lot of birds in Quezon City. Their morning songs are one of the first stirrings of the day for us.

Roosters crowing far away. I think that's still a lovely sound, no matter how cliche and how many times you've heard it.

Then come the bleeps of car alarms being disabled, car doors being opened.

Then voices. Still low and slow.

Then if I listen closely, I hear food sauteeing. That'll soon be followed by children crying, being awoken for school.

It's all mayhem from there. Haha.

Good morning to you! It's a holiday today and we're off for a long, easy run.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

8:47am

Back from a relaxed 10K in UP. The sun was up as we ran a route just outside the Academic Oval.

Our first 1K, another runner passed us and said good morning. I think that's something really heartwarming. I should learn to do that too. As well as cheer on runners at the finish line.

After our run we got taho and sat on one of the benches at the Acad Oval. Watched an elderly man doing tai-chi. Very beautiful, especially with sunlight streaming through the trees. Must bring cam next time.

While we people watched we got treated to the sounds of the newly restored Carillon. First, just a church bell-like count of the hours (8am) then a rendition of The Way We Were. Awww... Perfect for an old fogey like UP.

Time to have breakfast now! It'll be buttered honey wheat toast for us and coffee. :) Good morning!!!

Running With The Bulls, este Boys

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

–– from the movie Coach Carter

C shared this with me last night as I was telling him about last night's run clinic.

We did two sets of 3x400m. And I got lumped with the boys, together with another girl who's quite new to the clinic.

I find it difficult to run with a group because I always feel pressured to keep pace with everyone. Human nature not to want to be the last!

I think having that cup of Nissin Yakisoba an hour and a half before the run helped a lot because I had energy to keep up with the boys. Not just keep up but beat them in one lap. There I said it.

At the end of each lap, the guys and the coaches would often tease me that I was fast. Nilalampaso ang boys.

The new girl also kept asking how I could run so fast.

I would cringe at each compliment. I'm not comfortable with praise. Because honestly, I run for myself. I push myself because I like challenging myself. It's not to impress or get praised. Honest.

Being praised feels good of course. But it really makes me uncomfortable. What to say? "Thank you"? Ang yabang naman. So I end up saying: "hindi naman... ", sabay tungo and pretend to flick away some lint.

I feel proud of course to have earned the right to run with the boys (usually the clinic is divided into two or three groups, sometimes four, based on skill level). Heck I feel so damn proud.

But I also don't want to be seen as conceited or one of those people who push to excel so they'd be noticed and praised. I think I'd push myself as much even when no one's looking.

I've become close to two boys in the clinic: Noel and Winsley. We're pretty much regular attendees in the clinics and we seem to agree that we're in this for the long haul.

Last night, they kept on teasing me about my speed. And I told them, there are some points in the lap when I can see dots already. Really! Sabi ko nga, there are times I'm just following the sound in front of me kasi wala na akong makita. Hahaha! Talk about blacking out from the effort.

And that I guess is what I honestly want to say when someone asks how I do it. I push myself. I push till I'm almost blacking out. Bahala na, bubuhatin naman siguro ako pag nahimatay ako. It's not something that comes easily. I really give it my all each time. Because it's a good feeling to do that! That plain and simple.

But how to accept praise with grace is difficult. Because when I say "hindi naman", I'm not being truthful, right? Because the fact is, I was fast. I wish I could follow Coach Carter's advice and just be comfortable with praise. To own it. If it means freeing other people (like that new girl) to do better, to be the best they can be. (That sounds so cheesy, I know.) But how to do it is something I still need to learn.

For now, I'm just happy I can tell C (and you, reader) when I've done a good job.

My legs are shaking today. And that makes me smile. :)

Rainy Tuesday

Been raining on-off since this morning.

There's run clinic tonight but all I want to do is stay home and sketch. Or get dressed, wear heels, put on eyeliner and check out books. In short, tinatamad. Murakami writes about being not in the mood to run, in What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. It happened to him after a really tough race.

The last race wasn't so tough but maybe it's the pressure I felt afterwards from my runmates. Everyone's cajoling me into joining 21K or 15K in the next race. And I've been chastised for only training twice a week.

But that's the run sched that fits my work sched. I'm not going to kill myself training. I don't want running to be a chore. And I am not just about running. I have work, reading to do, kitchen experiments, etc. Ah well.

I don't know if I'm just making excuses or if I'm listening to my body (and soul) correctly.

Globe Run For Home: Post-race Report

I was waiting for C near the finish line (he did 21K and I did 10K so our batch finished ahead) and I noticed this man who was clapping and cheering on the runners who were about to cross the finish.

He was behind me and at first I thought he had some teammates and he was cheering them on. But he kept at it for a long time and I realized he was cheering on everyone... strangers who were speeding or hobbling to the finish. I just had to get him on tape, erm video. My age is so obvious! Sorry for the dizzying part. I panned too quickly.



It was a good run for me. My second time on that route (first was Condura in March) and it felt good to know what to expect. Didn't make it any easier though. I swear the Kalayaan-Buendia flyover is a killer, especially the way back. Just when you're tired and excited to finish, the steep incline going back really hits you hard.

There were so many people doing the 10K that day. 1800 plus, according to the program hosts. When they fired the gun, there was a mad dash as usual. I have learned not to give in to the temptation of running after the pack. It can be discouraging though to see the huge throng of people speeding by you and getting further in the distance.

But I just knew from experience that going at that speed was crazy. And true enough, keeping at my pace of maybe 6 minutes per kilometer, I slowly passed so many people, many of whom were already huffing and puffing at just the 1K mark. Kawawa.

Speaking of pacing. At the start, I saw this guy with 6min/K pentel penned on his calf. I wanted to keep to his pace but realized early on that he wasn't keeping that pace. He was way too fast. I know how 6min/K feels like and he was going faster than that. I never saw him again during the run.

After the 5K u-turn though, I was beginning to wonder how I was doing (I didn't have a watch on) and I was happy to see the guy who had 7min/K marking on his calf. I moved closer to him.

"Excuse me, are you still keeping to your assigned pace?"

"Yes I am", he says and then checks his watch.

"I see. Thanks!" I say to him as I trotted on ahead with a smile.

I don't think I'll get a new PR on this run. I crossed the finish as the timer turned 1:00:00. I'm just happy to have finished without feeling like collapsing after. Haha.

It was nice to see a lot of the Nike Clinic coaches all throughout the route. Felt good to be cheered on.

Which brings me back to the guy who was cheering on anonymous finishers. I think that's how it should be. I should do that on my next run.

Some pre and post-race pictures with friends:

Fort Bonifacio dawn sky:




Almost at the finish line:

Charlie, who did 10K too:



Jason from the Nike Clinic:


C, hobbling valiantly to the finish. He had leg cramps thrice.


Francis, easy breezy with 21K:


Francis and Charlie:


Francis's famous last words post-race: Ayoko na! Last ko na to!

With Samboy Lim! He did 3K. I told him: "yun lang? ano ka ba!" Hahaha.






The boys:






The girls:


Post-race breakfast at Max's:



There's a part two to this race day story. :)

Running Log: LSD @UP; 12 July

A week before Run For Home. C and I decided to do 10K in UP to prepare a bit for next Sunday's run. I know I need my mind to feel what 10K is like again so I won't chicken out on race day. My last 10K race was Condura. Too long ago. The mind forgets.

We passed by Hector of Secondwind Running Store to check the 10K route that won't limit us to just going round and round the Acad Oval.

We started off at 6:55pm from Oblation and went on an interesting and hilly route, that's still within campus but away from vehicular traffic.

It felt like a trail run of sorts because it was dark and we had to pay attention to cracks, holes, and bumps. Even in the most uphill portions, we didn't notice the difficulty as much because our minds were focused on not tripping or falling into a hole. Hahaha.

It was a really good run! I feel giddy even just writing about it now. There were long stretches of quiet and almost complete darkness where we could hear frogs, cicadas and other "jungle" sounds. Moomoo na pala yung naririnig eh no... Hahaha.

We were worried on some of the deserted streets. Too dark. I wish UP could afford more lights. It's really a beautiful campus and a great running place.

We were quite surprised to finish at 55mins, with much energy to spare. And we were worried that the route was short of 10K. Too worried we drove through the route to measure the distance on the speedometer. Yep, it was 10K alright.

Maybe it was the new route or the cool weather (it was just starting to rain when we finished). Or that we hadn't had a long run in a long time. Or that we ran together. Or that we were too scared going through the dark streets that we unconsciously speeded up. Haha. It was definitely an easy and happy run.

My theory is that it's more difficult to finish 10K on the Acad Oval and moreso on the ULTRA track because you're just going round and round. I need a destination when I run. Same as in life. It's more tiring and discouraging to just be going around in circles. You've got to know your journey's headed somewhere. It also helps when you run/journey with a friend.

Running Log: 7 July 2009; Nike Running Clinic@ULTRA

Welcome back to speed training.

I didn't run at all last week. So today, Coach Jo Ar decided I should take it easy. Sure.

5 x 400m warm-up. Check.
Stretching. Check.
Main run: 7.5 x 400m done this way -- jog 100m curve; sprint 100m straight; jog 100m curve, sprint 100m straight. You get it right? In case you haven't seen one, the track oval has two straight sides of 100m each. The two curves on both ends of the track are also 100m each. I'm sure you get the picture.

So I did that alone. The rest of the guys did 6 x 400m.

First 400m during the warm-up, I was telling my legs: this is what we call running, in case you've forgotten in the one week we didn't do this.

My legs: ah... we see... it's kinda strange. The left heel feels a bit sore. Hmmm...

Into the main run, my legs: we remember, we remember! Wee! Fun! No more pain in the left heel. But check with your lungs. We think they're not too happy.

Lungs: must. breathe. must. try. to. breathe. slowly. slowly. calm. down. how. many. more. laps?

It didn't rain during the run. I was wishing for rain. It's always better when it rains. Cooler, quieter. The people on the track also thin out so there's more space to run on. Sometimes the track is so full it's like running an obstacle course, weaving in and out of groups of people.

I liked tonight's run. Looking forward to Friday's run. And hopefully Run For Home on the 19th. My first race since Condura which was way back in March!

Running Slow

I recently read and LOVED Haruki Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. Geoff Dyer's New York Times review says the book is "part training diary, part reruns of escapades undertaken at the behest of magazines."

Murakami, now 60, has been running since 1982 (he was 33) and has been in 20 marathons. He's also a serious triathlete.

Instead of inspiring me to run more races, his book has made me shy away from them. I'm focusing more on enjoying each run. Being in the run wholely and not focusing on my time so much. I've learned to slow down.

I still get competitive with myself and I can't resist pushing myself a bit more when I'm being timed. That's why nowadays I prefer running alone, untimed.

I focus more now on slowing down my breathing, relaxing into the run and not rushing. It's one of the most delicious things in the world... running without thinking about how fast you're going or how long you're supposed to run.

Lately we've been blessed with rain in our runs and I think it's wonderful to run in the rain. No overheating and the sound of rain beats any iPod playlist I've got.

I have never been more in love with running than I am now.

Expecting

Was away from blogging because something quite important and remarkable happened.

We got pregnant. Waaahhh!!! This DINK will no longer be that soon. If all things go well.

I write this with caution because this whole adventure didn't start out as smoothly and as joyfully as I would've wanted it to.

Flashback to last Monday, day after the Condura Run. I woke up at 630am to take a home pregnancy test because my period was delayed. The previous week I took two home tests which were both negative.

The test was negative again. I left the kit on the bathroom sink and went back to sleep. Around 10am I woke up and went to the bathroom to pee. From 630 to 10am, I had a really short but significant dream. In my dream, I saw two lines on the pregnancy kit. And I was so horrified I cursed "sh_t" under my breath.

At 10am, I check the strip and lo ang behold, there was a second faint but real line. Sh_t! Just as in my dream! Wow. I felt cold all over. I wasn't ready for that.

In the nine years we've been married, C and I have been very careful about not getting pregnant. We were planning to finally try next year. Why did we postpone for so long? It's difficult to explain. For one, we were happy just being a couple. We liked our routines, our activities. Next year was going to be the year we seriously consider having a baby. Next year.

So when I saw that faint second line, it felt like a wave had crashed over me. I felt I wasn't ready. I felt confused.

Some details are hazy now but I know one of the first things I did was google pregnancy tests and their accuracy and what a faint second line meant. I know that in the middle of all that panic I had told C who was extremely excited at the onset.

I bought another kit for using the next day. Tuesday morning, still the same result. Waaahhh!!! Tuesday afternoon, the same. Tuesday night I still went to the Nike Running Clinic in Ultra. But I told the coaches and was advised to take it easy. I did.

Wednesday afternoon I met up with my good friend who teaches English in Xavier. She was one of the first persons I had shared the news with. I knew she would understand how I felt because her first pregnancy also caught her by surprise and according to her, it was only in her fifth month when she finally grew to accept the situation.

My friend had a co-teacher who was also an Ob-Gyne so we decided to show him my collection of pregnancy kits. He said my results were ambivalent and the best way to really confirm was through a blood test or a beta hCG test.

I would've wanted to get the blood test done that very same day but chickened out and waited for C to be able to go with me for the test.

On Thursday we went to St. Luke's for the beta hCG test and my hCG level was above normal, meaning I was pregnant!

That evening we went for an ultrasound and they couldn't find anything. There was an existing myoma that I already knew of and an unknown mass outside the uterus which I had not been aware of till then. This got the doctors (and us) worried because they were dating my pregnancy to be at 7 weeks, based on the first day of my last menstrual period. By that time, they should be able to see the gestational sac in the uterus. Not finding anything in the uterus, and seeing that unknown mass outside the uterus, made them suspect I had an ectopic pregnancy (the embryo implanted in either the fallopian tube or cervix). Something they needed to operate on because no ectopic pregnancy could ever proceed normally.

It was such an emotional rollercoaster. We felt so bad. And we started worrying too about expenses. People were telling us that the surgery for ectopic pregnancies would cost more than what a birth by C-section would cost. How sad to spend so much and go home empty-handed.

By this time we had started telling our parents. We were trying to keep it to ourselves at first because we didn't want them to worry and we also didn't want to get "hysterical" reactions like frantic pray-overs. Don't get me wrong. I think pray-overs are good. Prayer is very important and we believe in prayer. I just don't like it when people become very emotional when praying over me. I prefer just simple, heartfelt and happy prayer. No gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair for me please. :)

Fortunately, there were no such hysterics from our families. They were all calm and just committed to praying with us during the wait.

Friday we went for another blood test in St. Luke's and then went to see a doctor in Cardinal. Recommended by my aunt who had a difficult pregnancy. My hCG level had doubled as expected if you are truly pregnant. They made me go through another ultrasound and they still couldn't find anything in the uterus.

You can't imagine the feeling of being poked around and being pricked by a needle so many times, and still have no idea what is wrong/or right with you. It was terrifying. I am so thankful that C was there beside me every step of the way. We'd laugh, we'd cry, we'd pray and eat our anxieties away. We had become fond of the pancit in St. Luke's Sweet Tomato Cafe. :)

The doctor in Cardinal told us to get another blood test and another ultrasound on Monday.

Monday, another blood test. Let me note that these blood tests are done at 630am so we can have my results by 11am, in time to see the doctor. We'd get up at 530am, wash up, get dressed, drive to St. Luke's, get the blood drawn and go home to get some more sleep before we headed back to the hospital again at 11am.

My hCG level had tripled, as expected still. The doctor in St. Luke's who was out of town when this whole thing had started was back. We set an appointment to meet her after I got my ultrasound results. At the ultrasound, the first doctor who examined me couldn't find anything again. This made me weepy but I bit my lip and held back the tears. She called a more serious doctor and I swear I want to go back and give that doctor in a yellow outfit a great big hug. She found something!!! She found a "gestational sac-like structure" in the uterus!!! :) Our first glimpse of our little one!

It's still too early to tell but when we met with our St. Luke's ob, she was quite confident that that was it. :) We will know for sure in two weeks because the embryo grows in millimeters only. But excited parents-to-be that we are, we are scheduled for another ultrasound this Saturday. We've become such veterans at this.

I forgot to mention, it was my birthday yesterday, Monday. My only prayer was to know. And God answered my prayer, even partly. It was such a special gift to see that gestational sac on my birthday. And to think the first doctor couldn't find anything at first. Our baby's a shy one, like her mom. :)

Will keep you posted as things progress. Keep us in your prayers.

In writing this entry, I took a nap twice and ate a big plate of fresh pineapples. I am thankful that so far I show no signs of the horrible morning sickness associated with the early stages of pregnancy. I am hoping I'm one of the fortunate ones who breeze through pregnancy. I rarely had menstrual cramps and I attributed it to eating healthy and exercising regularly. I hope that helps too in keeping morning sickness away.

Except for the more frequent (and severe) hunger pangs, bouts of sleepiness and really full boobs (hahaha!), I am perfectly fine. Thank God! It's wonderful having someone "tag along" in everything I do. I'm excited and no longer fearful of having kids.

Will leave now for Ultra for a really slow jog. C is very protective and insists that I just walk. But so many articles I've read say that if a pregnant woman has been running way long before she got pregnant, she can continue doing so (just not to the point of exhaustion) for as long as it is comfortable for her. And heck, I ran 10K before I knew I was pregnant!

I don't want to stop exercising. I think it will benefit me and the baby if I continue. I want my baby to fall in love with running too, when the time comes. :)

That's all for now from this preggers! Thanks for reading!

Condura Run Race Results

The results are out. Check them out here.

I just find it strange that my time is better in the race results list (56:58) than what I clocked when I was under the race clock (57:40). When do they record our times, when we cross the finish or when we enter the chute? Weird too that one of my run mates is lower on the list than me, when I saw her cross the finish ahead of me. Hmmm... I hope the race organizers correct the list before they publish on Sunday.

I'm just elated to be in the top 200 overall for 10K. Wow, never in my wildest dreams... :-)

Condura Run

I will never look at the Buendia flyover the same way again after today. Wow, dear flyover... you are somethin' else!

Did 10K (my second so far) and crossed the finish line at 57:40 on the race clock.

This is the hardest I've ever worked on a race, I think. And this is the first run where I've actually thought of walking, or worse, stopping. Several times. Several, several, several times.

C went for his first 21K and did it in 1:59:16. Woohoo! Congratulations!

-ooO00-

The 10K for me started out quite calmly. I was around five rows from the front of the pack, patiently waiting for gun start. Bumped into Charlie and was happily yapping about our friends who were in the 21K, when out of nowhere Coach Sarge appeared beside me and said, "sabayan kita".

"Naku wag po!" was my very worried reply. I don't like running alongside a coach because they tend to push you to death. I just wanted a happy run. I didn't want to work so hard, knowing I still have my very tight ITB to deal with.

But Coach was running bandit and had nothing better to do than hound me. So I agreed but told him I'd run at a really relaxed pace.

Then came gun start. Coach sprinted ahead of me and I was hoping I'd lose him. But no! He jogged back to where I was and told me to speed it up. This was how it was going to be the entire race. Coach sprinting ahead, chatting with the faster runners who were already on their way back in the opposite lane, and Coach slowing down to a jog to wait for me.

I'm proud to say that I only succumbed to the pressure from Coach at the first 1K. The rest of the way, I ran at my own, huffing-puffing pace. Because I knew I wasn't going to finish the race if I followed his very fast pace. At the finish, I was relieved for Coach's company and the pressure he exerted but more relieved that I stuck to my own pace despite the pressure.

I was terrified of the flyover. Going up for the first time, and descending on Buendia, I was already imagining the excruciating way back up after the 5K turnabout. To say that the way back on the flyover from Buendia was a killer is a major understatement. It took all of my willpower just to trudge on and not walk. Weird though was how the urge to walk would overcome me after I had reached the top of the incline. Why is that? Anyway.

When we reached the bottom of the flyover, Coach kept pushing me to speed it up as we were already in the last few kilometers. No matter how I wanted to follow, I just had no reserves left. I just kept to a slow and steady pace and kept telling myself to keep at it.

At the last 2K, I felt like walking again but just pushed some more. It's difficult to describe all the emotions and thoughts that went through me at the last stretch. I cannot understand how one can think of quitting when the finish was within view. But that was how I felt. I was so spent and really gasping for air.

It was only at the final 200m when I managed to double my pace, just to make sure I would finish before the clock hit 58. Phew.

That was the most difficult race I've ever joined. I don't know if I'll ever join another 10K involving the flyover. C says he's sure I'll be back. Maybe. For sweet revenge. Haha.

I'm so proud of C. It was tough for him too as his supply of Hammer Gel didn't make it to the race. He had no carbs to boost his energy when he hit the wall at 16K. When he crossed the finish line, his lips were pale. Haha. But still, finishing 21K is no joke. Congrats, C!

-ooO00-

Good race, overall. A devil of a race! Haha! The best part for me was the military brass band that played at the bottom of the flyover. And the water tank spraying water on runners who wanted to cool off after the race.

Now I think I deserve a tub of Double Dutch ice cream and a big bag of Kettle Chips New York Cheddar. :)

Running On

I don't know if that title sounds right. It's like a runny nose or a run-on sentence. Haha.

I've not been posting running logs lately. I haven't stopped running nor training. It's just that I've become less concerned with the numbers but more concerned with the quality of my runs and making sure I keep any injuries at bay.

I've been running since November last year and it feels much longer than that. My stiff knees in the morning when I go down the stairs are testament to how I've put my heart and soul into this. I know I'm hooked. For life.

I still keep a notebook running log just to record my mileage but I will stop blogging about each training day. Will save the online running log for race days and other milestones.

I think it's a fitting thing to do also because the Nike Running Clinic will be ending in April. There are talks of making us an official club but they haven't announced anything yet. Honestly I wish they'll organize us into a club or if they won't, I hope the guys I've been training with since November will want to continue meeting as a group so that we can train together. It's definitely much better to be in a group.

Next race for me is the Condura Run on Sunday. Doing 10K. C's doing his first half-marathon! Woohoo!

Running Log: Nike Running Clinic @Ultra; 10 March

Yeouch!!!

Just ran easy tonight.

2K Warm-up
stretching and drills
15x400m main run

Didn't do the scheduled intervals as advised by Coach Rio. Been feeling on-off pain on the outer side of my right knee, thigh and butt since Wednesday's intervals.

Although I didn't feel any pain on the knee and thigh tonight, the pain in my right butt cheek persisted till today.

Good thing I told Coach Jo Ar. He recommended I get a sports massage from Coach Salazar of Team Baldrunner.

Coach is a guy. Gulp. But so what. I'm macho. And if The Bull Runner was okay having her sports massage done by a guy, then I should be fine too.

So after the 15x400m run, I placed my tight leg muscles under the masterful hands of Coach Salazar. Yeouch!!! Super yeouch!!! I was screaming in pain as Coach kneaded the tight knee, thigh and glute muscles. Ack!!! Masakit talaga! No kidding at all. My shins were also very painful. Ack again!

Afterwards though, I felt like my leg muscles were not as tight. Coach suggested a stretching exercise for the glutes. He says this kind of pain is usually caused by one leg striding longer on the curves of a track oval. As for the shins, I may not be hitting the ground with the balls of my feet. Need to correct that.

Another running clinic guy was next on the mat with Coach Salazar. I stayed around to wait for him to yell in pain. Hahaha!

I hope this works. I really don't want to get sidelined by an injury.

Next week is recovery week, to prep us for Condura Run. Come April, we will be graduating from the running clinic. Hopefully the plans of making us an official Nike Club pushes through. :)

Need to RICE now.

Running Log: Nike Running Clinic @Fort; 6 March

Rush post; need to hit the sack so I can make it to class early tomorrow. We're doing watercolors! :) I have new school supplies. :)

1.2K warm-up
stretching and drills
8x1.2K or 9.6K
stretching

Was a good run!!! I'm happy I'm not so out of breath and can actually speed up the last 1K. And no need to ice my shins anymore. Oh dear Lord, no injury please. :) I will do my part by being careful and patient.

What I'm happy about too is that my friends K and Ch joined us tonight. I hope they'll learn to love running too.

Soooo loved the chicken spinach lasagna and froyo afterwards. YUMMY!!!

Good night!

Running Log (and some downtime): Nike Running Clinic @Ultra; 4 March

Before tonight's running clinic I met up with a friend at this small neighborhood cafe where I go to be alone or have quiet conversations over cake and coffee.

My friend was late and I got there early so I had a good hour to spend alone. This is what I had:



I love that place. It's very simple, quiet, old fashioned and sunny. The food is like something your tita or lola would make for you, with recipes handed down from generation to generation. Being there reminds me of Bacolod in my younger days. I don't know why. Maybe the way the sun falls on that place and the many trees around the cafe.

Got to Ultra early and decided to start on the training ahead of the others so I could leave early. Had family dinner tonight.

As expected after recovery week, they increased the distance for our intervals. From 3x800, we're now at 4x1200. Ack.

Sometimes I feel the coaches are conspiring against me. It's like 'torture (insert my name here) day' sometimes. This is one such day.

Coach Rio said target time for the 1200 was 6min. The first set, no one timed me (and Sandy who decided to do early training too) so it was okay. Still tough but okay.

Sandy had to sit it out after the first lap because she was feeling pain in her lower leg.

I asked Coach Willy to pace me and he said yes. It always works better for me when someone paces me. Second set, we clocked 6:15. Coach Willy wasn't happy. I was just glad to have made it through the second set.

Third set, he really almost killed me. The times I'd refuse to pick up my pace, he'd run in front of me and unconsciously, I'd gain speed. Ack. At one point I felt I was going to dream of the back and calves of Coach Willy. Hahaha!

We finished the third set at 5:55. Kainis! I was whining now and saying 'ayoko na!' because I was really out of breath and my legs were starting to feel really tired. Not painful, just really tired.

Finally, I decided to ask Coach Rio again what the target range was and hello, it was between 6-7min pala!!! Ano ba!

This buoyed my spirits and gave me strength to do the last set. This time at a no longer death-defying 6:20. But the coaches kept teasing me na 'kaya mo naman eh'.

It's good to be pushed because it most often leads to improvement. But sometimes I also feel I have to put my foot down and say I can't do what's being asked of me. After all, it's my body and I know what it can and cannot take.

I have a tendency to follow and quietly endure pain. Long ago in boxing I suffered a fracture in my forearm because the coach told me to hit harder. I hit harder and felt a sharp pain run through my arm. I kept on hitting the mits because the coach said so. Then came the second shot of pain. I only stopped when the bell rang. By then I knew I had broken something. I had to wear a cast and go through therapy. I haven't gone boxing since then.

It wasn't the coach's fault. I should've stopped when I felt the first shot of pain.

My goal is to be in this for the long haul. That's why I'm being more careful now. I don't want to push too hard to the point of injury. That is my personal responsibility and I have to learn to follow only to the point that I can handle.

Enough drama.

I am thankful though for the push. I know I've improved. Nagbunga and pagod ng coaches. Like this mango tree I saw outside the cafe. Go ahead, click on the picture. Summer is truly here. :)

Running Log: LSD; 3 March

Nike Running Clinic was moved to tomorrow. Ultra not available today.

Decided to run on my own tonight. Dapat this morning but when I was heading out our door it started to rain. Sooner or later I'll have to face the rain but I wasn't ready for it today. Soon!

So tonight this is what I did:

2.2K warm-up
stretching
11K slow jog (1hr 11mins) with 3 water breaks spread out

I'm happy with tonight's run. It's still not a breeze doing 11K but it's certainly not as tortuous as before. Slowly but surely, and hopefully injury-free.

Nice to see so many runners. Iba-iba ang style. And I notice the guys really take pains to splash on some perfume or cologne. Minsan sobrang lakas ng amoy. Sorry... Hahaha! But really, some people need to tone it down because it kinda distracts. Gag-inducing na. :)

But it's definitely a good time for running. So many people getting hooked! Hooray!