Adidas King of the Run

I was really excited for the Adidas KOTR even months before. So I should have been ready for it when it finally took place, right? But as it is, I was not.

So much for resolutions for the sake of improving my running, such as having enough sleep, proper diet, proper training etc. But as it was, I failed in all those aspects. From the time that I had acquired a sideline job after my office work hours starting this August, it was not possible for me to spend that much time on tra

ining at the gym anymore. And another thing is that I had found my love on September, so aside from the 2 jobs and love life, there is really no time for training anymore.:p And, I DO NOT regret any of that. In fact, I am enjoying it! :) I am thankful for the things that is happening to me. Needless to say, definitely I would not be able to have a good PR this time for I had really poor training and weak stamina on top of that. :D

Come October 24, the day finally came for the run. I slept at around 9pm the night before, which was really a very early time for me to head to bed. But since I had to wake up at around 2:30 in the morning to prepare myself for the run, I just had to sleep that early.

I woke up to the alarm of my 2 cellular phones at 2:30AM and proceeded to prepare myself for the run. Then, together with my sister and a friend Tina, we headed for the venue. By the time we had arrived there, it was almost time for the race to start. I was quite nervous about my run, for I knew that my body was not really cut out for 21K this time. So I prayed to the Lord to keep me safe and sustain me till the very end.

For the run, I decided to just finish the whole course and not aiming for be

sting my own PR. All I knew was that I was really huffing and puffing all the way from Start to the Finish Line. There were lots of times wherein I was tempted to just slow down and walk to the Finish Line, for I felt that my energy was draining as time passes by. But on second thought, I chose not to. It is a very good thing that I did not do that, for I was able to drag myself to cross the finish line at 2:03:25, a time which was exactly the same as what I had in my Milo run for 21K race category last July 4th.

Despite my weak condition, I was really thankful that the water stations in this run was a whole lot better than last July 4th, the weather was cool this time, the marshals giving out clear instructions so runners would not be confused as to where to go after converging with runners from different race categories at some points and had to separate ways to the respective race routes. If the conditions this time were like that of July 4th, I would definitely be one of those collapsed to the ground.:D

But honestly, on the last few kilometers, I was experiencing cold sweats and blood draining from my face or hands that I thought I would pass out anytime then, so my goal then was just to force my body to continue to run until I had reached the Finish Line. It was until at the Finish Line that I suddenly woke from my dazed condition and realized that I had made it, and I was about to finish the race. I saw the clock then ticking off at 2:03:22, 2:03:23, then I dashed till I crossed the last piece of mat for timing.haha

I was not able to enjoy the after-race events that much for I had to rush off to work at 930AM afterwards.

All I could say of this run is that though the results is a little bit disappointing but I enjoyed it! Till next!

Neutrogena "Chase the Sun" Run 2010

I went to join the Neutrogena "Chase the Sun" fun run...as a photographer. I was really tempted to run, but since I had given my Bib number to another person who was supposed to run (but I discovered today that he did not), I could not anymore. I still got to nurse my injury (losing 2 toenails due to not heeding the warning signs that my running form was wrong last Wednesday when I was training myself to go for 18km, and still run another 7km last Friday when it was still hurting, then this week on Tuesday from 11km run and Wednesday from 16km run but after the run on Wednesday when it was still hurting very much I decided to look carefully into it to check out what's keeping it from returning back to its normal color, because a week had already passed and it is still violet/black, I then discovered that they were really bruised or dead when I was trying to take out the black blood clots so I had no choice but to cut it off entirely, it sentenced me to not being able to run for at least 1 whole month. That meant I would have to give up at least 2 runs which I had already registered: Neutrogena "Chase the Sun" for 15km and Nature Valley for 10km.

Since the approval from my boss to move my work time that day to an hour later than usual had already been granted, I decided to still go to work at 0830, also so that I could picture my sister on the race using a DSLR and not my old baby Canon Powershot A510.:D

I woke up at around 0320 that day, while my sister was even earlier than me. I did not have the usual jitters like what I usually would have whenever there would be a scheduled fun run that day. So I had a hearty meal with 4 slices of bread rather than the usual 2 slices and downed it all with a cup of coffee. My things to bring for today was only 2 sunblock lotions, a bottle of water, a fisherman's hat, jacket, office locker key, DSLR, shades, handkerchief, and kikay kit. Guess that's enough to be a photographer there. :)

We left the house at 0425 and took a cab to the venue. We were almost late, but good thing runners for other categories were not that early so not much traffic onsite and still some time left before the start of race for 5km. As it was my first time to take photos of such kind of event, I chose only a few subject, which was mainly my sister, Rod, Earl, Cris and company, and some people from Takbo.ph that I know of. I took photos of Earl at the starting line and he slowed down a little for me to take his photos when he was about to finish his 3Km, Rod at starting line but almost missed him when he was about to finish his 10Km so had to run a little to be able to catch up with him, some people from Takbo.ph, some others I do not know of, and lastly was my sister at the starting line and when finishing the run for she had texted me when she was on her last Km for the 15Km run, I run with her till the finish line to record her while on the run. I kept on waiting for my bib number to appear then but it never did...so I was really sad then.

There were lots of perks in this run, the finisher shirt and another singlet, lots of freebies, bungee jumping which I would really want to try if I was with the right attire, but I was not, was only wearing a dress and sandals so good luck to me if I did haha. There was the foot massage too, but my sister did not try it out...and there was Red Mango! I was not the type of person who would run after new things and try them out even if lots of people were giving good reviews about them unless the opportunity was placed right in front of me, so believe it or not, it was my very first time to have a cup of Red Mango. I chose Kiwi and Peaches as the fruit blend, was expecting much more with it coz there were lots of people giving their thumbs up about the product, but to my disappointment, it was just like any of the yoghurts out there... Anyways, there were still lots more to the event, I got to have a photo taken with Coach Rio! :)

When the results came out for the races, the names were all familiar, they were still the same people who had topped the race results. What had stucked me most was their finish time. If I still pushed through with my 15Km disregarding my toenail injury, the best time I would have would only be at around 1 hour and 25 minutes or so. But the finish times of the top 3 females were way far ahead of me...1 hour and 10 minutes third place? Woa... I have still got a long way to go! But, I am still in the resting stage now, could not wear toe-covered shoes, should not give much pressure to my toes, and could not run yet for more than a month! ;( I am really missing running!