CKSCAA Fun Run: Running with My Schoolmates

July 25. Originally I had set that day to join Takbo.ph Runfest and run in the 10K race category, so I had already registered, and even received my singlet for it. I was really excited to join the race because I, a newbie in the running world, would be running midst the elite runners on the Runfest. But it was sometime after I had already registered for the race that I was to know my alma mater since nursery to high school, Chiang Kai Shek College, would be having a Fun Run on that same day too. I was really torn between the two races. As much as I wanted to join both, but since I am not omnipresent, could only exist at one place at a given time, I should just choose one race to join. So I decided to just join the Takbo.ph Runfest, since I had already registered (and paid) for the race. But two weeks before the race, my dad told me that he had already registered for me on the CKSC Alumni Association Fun Run and he wants me to join in that event. I could not say no, because he did not interfere with my previous runs, and I would not want him to be unhappy with me for a whole year because of it.

Training

Due to recent change of work schedule and dealing with some other things, I was not able to train properly again. So on the final week before the day of the Fun Run, I tried to force myself to train really hard even though I had been seriously experiencing lack of sleep for several weeks already. The fun run was on the Sunday, so the last training I was supposed to have was the Friday before the fun run. So I dragged myself to the gym for my last leg of training, and sad to say, I had overdone it. It was supposed to be a 5K tapering run on the treadmill, but I had forgotten that precaution, I just felt I was stressed out, so I tried to take off my stress by running with all my might, and when it ended, it was already too late when I realized what I had done, I had run 11K with combination of inclination and speed training and I was dog tired. The best way for me to remedy it should be to have complete rest the next day. But July 24th was the date wherein I was set to join the Worldwide Photowalk led by Photowalk leader Tilak Hettige. It was something I definitely would not want to give up for the sake of the run. So I went and join the Photowalk, and as expected, I did not feel well after walking under the sun for several hours, and tried to sleep it off and hoping my body would get better the next day.


July 25

The day of the fun run had finally arrived. I woke up at 0330 and together with my sister, hitched on friend Leo N’s car in going to the venue. Upon arriving at the venue, which was in SM Mall of Asia, I had some GIT problems then due to nervousness, good thing the police station there was kind enough to let me refresh myself in their rest room. After that, I wandered around the place a little bit, then prepare myself by stretching a little before the run. Upon going to the Start Line, I then saw that there were runners which I had seen from other races I had joined were there too. I was happy at the same time being sad, because I somehow felt I would not be able to have a podiu

m finish again...

I started with slow jogs at gun start. But I was breathing really hard, seriously gasping for air, I knew then and there that it would be one hard race for me to finish, and that was mainly due my being burned out from over training 2 days ago, and my body condition was not at its best also. But with determination and with much effort, I pushed myself till the Finish

Line. Along the way, I got lost a few times, for I really had no sense of direction, and the throngs of people being in front of me that were just walking or from other race categories confuses me all the more. I kept on looking for the bibs with the same color as mine or asking the marshals for direction to keep myself on track. Upon reaching the Finish Line, they asked me to write down my name on the fifth place area and I knew then that I was not able to reach the podium finish again. I was 5th place among women, and the winners

with prizes were just up to 3rd place. My finish time was at 54min 37sec. It was almost the same as that of my time at Greenfield City Sunset Run of 53min 49sec, or that of my Mizuno Infinity Run of 54min 28sec, which meant I had recovered my pacing almost as that of before (for I had taken a long rest due to toenail injury and knee sprain afterward) but is still quite slow...for this was my worst PR to date for my 10K runs.

The event was really fun, I saw many of my schoolmates and friends, but because I had work by 800am, I could not stay long but had to rush to work immediately after the run. Next time if CKSCAA would organize a run again, I would really request for the day to be set as my rest day so I could really enjoy it.

Thanks Sir Evans and Pat Dy for the photos. ^o^

My First Milo Elims Run

The day had finally come for the much-anticipated 34th National Milo Elims in Manila! For this race, I had registered for 21K race category. I was not expecting to have good PR with this race either. For based on my past race experiences, I had found out that if I tried to exceed my limit, then I would incur more and more injuries after each race, and that of course if something I definitely would not want happening to me again. I still got a lifetime to use my lower torso, and the races would always be there, so I would not want to risk anymore injuring my legs/feet further just to best my own PR.

This is my second time with 21K run. The preparation for the first was with much bad experiences. So I promised myself I would do better with my second 21K. But based on my finish time today, I didn’t. For I had achieved a sub-2 in my first 21K, but today I had finished at around 2:04 I think. But that’s quite understandable, for first of all I was still so lacking in training. For after the June 12 run, I took a week vacation, then for the whole of last week, I only run for around 10K, and this week I had run for a total of 18k. And for some reasons even I myself could not figure out why, I was getting so little amount of sleep for the past month, like maybe only 3 to 4 hours each day, it really is not something that one who is preparing for a race should do, for one of the prerequisites in running is to have enough sleep.

Today my sister and I had to wake up at 2:30am so we could go to the race venue before 42K run starts for she had volunteered to be part of the support team organized by Takbo.ph for runners. If we were to go by ourselves it would be quite an effort, for she had brought 2 water sprayers, watermelon, bananas, and melons. Good thing our dear friend Ken was willing to fetch us from the house to go to race venue. Ken, thanks so much for being willing to wake up that early to support us! :)

For the race today, I decided to keep a relaxing pace, for it is no joke for me to run 21K, coz it would just be my second time to go for 21K straight. So all throughout the race I kept on checking my pace, I would slow down my pace whenever I felt I would nearly be going out of breath or slipped away from my right pacing. On this run, I did not felt like I would be passing out anytime soon or have thoughts that I would be on the brink of being carried away by the ambulance. But upon reaching 15K, I started to felt my legs getting somewhat tired for it is not used to running distance longer than 10K for the past 3 weeks. Still I kept on, and being extra careful with my legs, existing knee and toenail injury till the finish line.

The map was easy, but as usual, I did not try to understand it and tried to run following a crowd. So without a pacer just like the last run I was with coach Kenley, I got lost. There were lots of times wherein I could not see anyone wearing a yellow bib so I was not sure if that was the route for the 21K runners, and the worst waste of time was when I thought I had already reached the Finish Line when I reached the Starting Line. I really thought then that I had finished the race already but was quite puzzled when I saw that there was no device on the ground to record the finish time. So I tried to find a marshal there to ask about it but found none, but a kind-hearted soul answered my query and told me that Finish Line would still be some distance away. I then hurried to jumpstart my pace again so that my finish time would not be that bad, but I was sort of spent already for I had tried to sprint to my “Finish Line” earlier.

Upon reaching the correct Finish Line, I was given a Winner for 21K Women Verification card. I did not give it much thought then, for I thought it was one of the things they were giving to 21K finishers. But when I saw that other runners does not have that card, I asked the people assisting in the event and was led by them to the Winner’s area. I was sort of surprised then because I knew my pace was not that fast, how could I be in the top 10 for my gender? I was given a packaged food from Rufo’s and asked to standby first and wait for our turn to receive the awards. It took around an hour before they started to arrange the winners based on the finish time and called out the bib numbers. The other winners there were called, but mine was not. So I asked the assisting people there whether I did really won or not for I was given a Winner card but mine was maybe left out? They checked and double checked and in the end expressed their apologies when they found out that I was 11th and not 10th place. If I did enter the top 10 winners, I think I would be able to join the Finals, but since I did not, and my finish time was far from the qualifying time, I did not qualify for the Finals then. But it is still good for me to know that, for I did not expect to be top 11 among women runners for 21K today with my pace, race experience and physical condition. This is really an encouragement for me to be more serious with training for I was usually top 10 among women except for my very run which was the 5K run in Unilab Run and first 21K run last June 12 after a month long rest, this time I was only 11th, it meant that I am still so lacking in training so I did not get the time I was supposed to get (sub-2) and therefore could not make it to top 10 among runners in my gender.

I would want to express my thanks to:
Kenley – for your coaching and guiding especially while pacing me during my first 21K run.
Brando and Sherwin – for your advises on how to train for the run.

Special thanks to:
Ken R – for being there to support us all the way from start to finish. You’re really a very valuable friend!

Philippine Independence Day Marathon

This is a long-overdue post, should be posted after my run on June 12, but I had forgotten that it is still saved as draft. :p

“After skipping 2 races I had registered to run but not able to due to my injury, I can finally run again now! To celebrate my independence from being on exile from running for a month, I had registered for the 21K run in the Philippine Independence Day Marathon. Yes, it is really something that even I myself do not believe that I could accomplish without pains. But it is just a fun run, so with all boldness I had registered for it.

I only started to train again on June. It was really not enough time to train for 21K when you are starting from zero. Before, even when I was not into running yet, I do regularly go to gym and tried to beat my endurance with the Stairmaster available at Slimmers. More or less I had some built-up endurance with me then, it just only need to be leveled up if I wanted to be more serious with running. So when my sister asked me to join her in the fun runs she was also registered in, the transition to running on Treadmill from Stairmaster was not that hard. But due to injury I had gained with 2 toe beds along with the nails, I really had to take a rest from running or any activity that would affect or bring pressure to the toe nails. So running, swimming, Taekwondo, badminton, mountain climbing, Ultimate, etcetera were really a big no-no for me. I could still do those things, but because I am a girl, I would definitely not want them to be gone forever.

So back to this run, 21K run for Philippine Independence Day Marathon was definitely no easy feat for me and I knew that right from the start. But...I really want to get that medal! So I would go for it and try my best to get it no matter what the cost may be. :D And yes, even though I still could see no signs of nails growing, but the nail beds are not hurting anymore. It is sort of a go signal for me to run again.

Totally not yet ready and definitely not trained for it, I dragged myself to the event. My lack of endurance really showed for even just at the first few kilometers I was already having a hard time breathing. I found out then and there that 21K is no joke, and to finish it would be really a great task for me. Just when I was about to give up and choose the walking method instead of running/jogging, my friend/coach Kenley came to the rescue. :) Through his pacing/ accompanying/ encouragement, I was able to finish my very first 21K! I think I had finished my 21K then within 2 hours, but I am not sure as to what the exact time was, for there is still no result for the Philippine Independence Day Marathon, and that was partly the reason as to why I had not posted this blog yet for I want to have my result included in the blog but I guess it would not be anytime soon for the result to come out, that is, if it would still be released.haha After the race, my whole body felt really tired and not feeling well the whole day afterwards. I had to go straight to work after then so I was really very tired by the time I’ve gotten home after work.

By the run, I was really exposed that I am so lacking in training and my body still could not endure two hours of running then. It gave me cold sweats to think that if I was alone without the help of Kenley, then I would probably be found riding in the ambulance or have much injury all over. Ahia Kenley, thank you very much for being there for me throughout the run! If you were not there, I don't think I would be able to make it. Thanks also to dear friend Ken Reyes for your support. ^^ And of course to my very dear sister for being there always for me. Love you! <3”

Tomorrow would be my second time to try out 21K run at Milo Elimination Manila leg. This time I am still so not ready yet, but I have learned my lesson, so I would not try to get my best PR, I would just enjoy myself in the run and keep my own pacing for I definitely would not want to gain anymore injury as I still got a partially healed toe bed and slight knee injury now. As to my dear coach Kenley for his 42K, Ken for 10K, Brando for 21K and to all other Milo Elimination Manila participants, more power to you all!

Need to Workout!

I tried to sneak to gym today to train my legs to be fit for running. I've packed my bag with my gym attire and the running shoes that had partly caused me to have injury, but I bought with me thin socks this time unlike the cotton socks which I would usually wear before.

But there is a warning buzzer in the form of my sister reminded me that I should not go, for my nails might not grow anymore if I did.

7 days had already passed wherein I have zero workout. The last time that I went this long without a workout was when I went to tour in Hong Kong, that period was about three weeks, and I was several pounds heavier when I returned to Manila. I do not want that to happen ever again. But how could I risk going for a workout now with the threat that the nails might not grow back if I did? I certainly do not want to risk that. Because as per last night's inspection, I still could not see or feel any sign of my two toenails growing yet... I was trying to persuade the nails to grow and that my workout would not affect its growth. But that is just too risky.

So here I am now, going home again with my untouched gym attire and trying to think of a good workout scheme I could do while my toes were still having their vacation. Belly Dancing? Yoga? Both of them need closed shoes on. Taekwondo kicks? It might pressure the toes much. Swimming? My toes might get infected for I am not all too sure whether the injury is now closed or not. What more can I do? I definitely do not want to go out of shape!

Change of diet to low fats, which meant no more ice cream binging, no more unlimited pizzas, no more delicious chocolates, no more fried foods, and fewer rice servings. One thing I could not give up yet is my daily cup of milk tea, I know it's not healthy and has some fattening contents, so would need to think of ways to fight the extra calorie intake.

Someone please give me ideas as to how to be fit without pressuring the toes. :)

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!

Why I am into Running Now..

Quite a number of people were asking me why I am into running now...

Well, it started with a necessity and now it had became a part of my fitness regimen. But how did I get started with running? As far as I can recall, the realization that I would need to run faster started when two men attempted to snatch my bag away from me while on my way to work.

At that time, I was still working in a contact center and had a graveyard shift schedule. I had to cross a bridge near my house as usual to the place where the public utility vehicles passes by for me to catch a ride to work, when suddenly a man came forth attempting to snatch my bag, I held on tightly to my bag then and tried to struggle with him and even attempted to bite his hands. But I still could not push him away.

Then another man came forth, I thought then that he might be a good Samaritan to help me ward off this snatcher, but found out to my dismay that he was a snatcher as well. I struggled for sometime until all I could do was fell to the ground in an attempt to gain more strength to hold on to my bag.

Good thing at that time there were a number of vehicles coming our way making the road not deserted anymore, so all the snatchers had grabbed then was my bag handle.

But after that incident had taken place, I still could not change my route to work, because there was only one way to catch a ride, which is to pass through the bridge, so as long as I was still working with the same schedule, then I got no other choice but to brave the bridge.

From that day on, whenever I was going near the bridge in the middle of the night, I would run all the way down the bridge to the place where I could catch a ride. Sometimes there were some who had tried to follow me and it made me really frightened whenever I had reached there and still waiting for the right means of transpo to arrive, so I had fully realized then that I would need to learn how to run faster and take good care of my body so I would become more fit for running from the ones who lurks in the darkness.

To train my body to become more fit, I had started to go to gym for workout. But as I did not ask for the assistance of personal trainer there or even ask around for tips, I was just doing my own workout routine whenever I went to the gym then.

The call for me to start running was after my sister had joined the 2010 Century Tuna Superbods Run. It was her first run and she shared to me what had happened on that event and it sounds like fun. She asked me then if I would be interested to join her for the next one she had planned to join which would be the 2010 Unilab Run United for Wellness.

The farthest I had gone then on treadmill was around 2K I think, for I did not want my leg muscles to become bigger, so I was just spending my time in gym playing around with whatever machine was vacant there. But still I agreed to the challenge of 5K run in the Unilab Run for Wellness.

After deciding to join the run, I then started to get serious with learning how to run, for one other reason why I did not like running before was that I would get side stitches whenever I tried to run for more than 5 minutes. So with the run just a week or two away, I had began to ask around and reading some basic info for running, and thanks to the Slimmers World Personal Trainer in Binondo Anthony Ian Alvendia and from my sister's friend Kenley Go's indirect advise to me, I was able to improve my running bit by bit. And just recently, I had started to join a run group adiNation Takbo.ph, through joining the group, I felt that running had became more fun.:)

Starting from 5K run @ 2010 Unilab Run United for Wellness then 2010 Globe-Ayala Land Run for Home, I had already moved on to the 10K run @ Mizuno Infinity Run 2010 and 2010 Greenfield City Sunset Run, and is now going to try the 15K run in the upcoming Neutrogena Run 2010: Catch the Sun. Really hope I could try out the 21K soon! :)

Analyzing my 2010 Greenfield Sunset Run

I've went to the gym today to push myself for a 15K run. And I've achieved it but not that satisfied with the results though.. Hopefully I could do better in my next run...

While at the gym, I was able to have water break after every 5K, so I am wondering now why is it that I had to make all those stopovers at water refilling stations and sponge grabbing stations while at the last run, what had happened to me then?? Till now I'm still quite puzzled... I was not able to make the last dash/sprint when I was near the finish line but there is still enough stamina/energy left in me for me to cross the line for that.

For now, I would need to be more serious with my training, coz Neutrogena Run is just 2 weeks away... My goal on the run is to have a good PR and nice photo with PhotoVendo. :D

I am getting thinner and thinner these days... I need to add a little more meat in me.:( Before my problem was because I was a little bit chubby so I would need to lose weight, but now it is the other way around. Maybe it was due to my increased physical exhaustion: Monday frisbee night, Tuesday running night, Wednesday running/gym night, Thursday swimming/badminton night, Friday running/gym night, Saturday rest day on alternate weeks when there would be runs on Sunday, and Sunday every other week fun run. Guess I would still need to somehow modify my diet. But as to how, I still don't know...