It's been a good 3 weeks after the race that I got to write anything about this. Not that I expected much as I thought I would since this is a Runrio event. I do not know if I have expected too much or I have been off the circuit long... is 3 1/2 months long :-) ? I am trying to compare the 2010 Leg 3, where I also ran 10k, but conducted in BGC to this 2011 Leg 3. At that time, I was off 7 years and got pleasantly surprised, on the comeback, how much running has boomed and how organized they are already. I ran other Runrio and non-Runrio races and came to the conclusion that Runrio events are better organized than most. This year's Leg 3 was done in MOA, and as I came from that 100-day lay-off, did not expect to have a PR as training mileage was only a little less than 116k with only 1 hill training to boot. I went in aiming for a 54 min finish. Well, I finished better than expected as the route was virtually flat, resulting in a sub-53 finish. Not too familiar with the route and vaguely remembering where the flyovers were, I thought I will have a hard time with the climbs. Unfounded it turned out, hence the a-little-bit-better-than-expected finish time. As I finished early, I had time to visit or snoop on, by my count, 90% of the booths. I even had time to get my photo taken! I did not do this in 2010, so I can say I had more fun in the after-race this time. I did not notice anything amiss and I was really surprised when I went to the usual forums afterwards and read on some not-so-pleasant feedback, highly unusual in a RunRio sponsored event. Some were downright nasty. Most came off from the 21k/32k runners who felt they were on the short end of the stick on hydration, banana, photos(!, goodness), markers, timers. The usual tirade on other races but NOT in a RunRio event! Now, the question that begs to be asked is: "Has Rio spoiled the runners or has his outfit stumbled on this one?" As I am not privy to the exact plight of the long distance runners, not running the route, I can not truly assess it. But on a 10k runner's perspective, I did not see anything unusual. I have ran a couple of 21ks and have always brought my own hydration. The banana bonuses during the race are welcome but I do not go about demanding it be there. As far as timing on the turns are concerned, we had one for the 10k. There were photogs present but i do not dwell on photos much. I go for the results more (as we all should and foremost). The markers were sufficient along the route.dd In that regard, I think Leg 3 was fine for me. People have different expectations and priorities. If all of us would just go back to the basics of why we are running, I think we'll be better off every after a race. But then again, that's just me. 5 Comments Back Anew 10/26/2011
Wow! July 6 was the last time I run. In practice :D Well, I backslid after that run. I am back now. I have run 4x since my return, the last one yesterday at 10k in 1:00:54. Not too bad, eh. Well, I will be registering for the Run United 2011 Leg 3 in the 10K. I will just want to get into a fun but a competitive run. See you on the road. Run for Mum 05/09/2011
 Happy Mother’s Day to all Mom’s out there!!! Alexa, Migs and Andy showed love for their Mom by trying to win each 2500 pesos by being in the top 25 of the Philippine Star’s “Run for Mom” 2.5k fun run last Sunday at McKinley Park. Talk about fighting spirits and hearts. My kikay daughter Pauline had chosen to show her love with her wallet :-D It was my first time to be a mere spectator in a race and I’d say I enjoyed it. It gave me plenty of time to be more observant. Idle minds breeds evil thoughts :-D Celebrities I saw running were Karylle Padilla, Vina Morales and the Pangilinan kids with their Dad, Anthony. Preggy Mom Maricel Laxa was the post event host.  The race started on time. One thing unique, of all the races I attended, is that this one started with the runners starting uphill for a good half-kilometer and went on a roller coaster run throughout the route. The tennis regimen of my kids helped them cope with the hills. They came one after the other before the 21st minute mark with Ate Sisay bringing in the rear, hehehe. Ok lang yan, Ate!   One thing I really disliked in the organization of the race is the crowd control at the starting line. The route was also shared with passing vehicles. Andy and Migs, and as many others, had to pause going into Park Avenue (to the finish line) from Upper McKinley (from the Venice Piazza) as they have to watch out for taxi cabs, cars and motor bikes crossing into their paths. It was such a mess that it was a small miracle no runner got sideswiped. The marshals and security guards were easily rattled. I would think twice joining events by the same race organizers. This is not the first time I have observed serious shortcomings in their directed events.  The freebies are ok even as the distribution leaves a lot to be desired. No one got Havaiiana flipflops but we sure had a good laugh as kuya Migs got a gift coupon for a bikini wax. Mommy did not want any of it, either, hahaha! Hearty breakfast followed but Andy was the happiest runner that day, as usual. She never leaves a race without a smile. Am sure Mom appreciated the effort the kids put forth to win prizes for her. It was their thoughts and sweat that clinched it for her. Right, Mom? Cardiac Hill 04/29/2011
 I am not a Catholic but benefitted well, training wise, last Lent. I took the opportunity to stay true to my training plan. Monday was Hills training, Tuesday was a 60 min easy run, Wednesday was rest day, Thursday was devoted to a 2 hour LSD, Friday on a 60 min easy run, Saturday on 1:45 drills and Sunday on a 100 min moderate run; to complete my first 85 km week. I also got to meet some other runners composed of folks from my village and an adjacent other village. They are a merry mix of seasoned runners who have been racing for quite some time now. We have been kinda crossing each other’s path as we do our runs in the main road of our subdivision. After my Friday run, Ian approached me as I was doing my stretching and invited me to their 16k Cardiac Hill run this Sunday. Looking for some change in scenery and feeling friendly (I am anti-social, by the way, hahaha), I graciously accepted. Boy, am I thankful I accepted. It was a weekend to remember and something I will look forward to in the future. I met Mona, Ian’s wife and two young strong runners: June Mosrales (3:31 Milo Marathoner) and his protégé’, Orly Maestre. The run brought us to a stretch of the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay road, Laguna Boulevard and to the scenic roads to Westgrove that included Cardiac Hill. I think, I should really say Cardiac HillS! I took the liberty of lifting photos off Ian’s FB account to show you the “features” of the hill.  Photo at left shows the start of the climb. Other photo is the downhill rear of Cardiac Hill going towards Gulod.  Orly and June coming back up to Cardiac Hill from Gulod. Check out June's freakish smile. Dang, he enjoys the kick of conquering Cardiac Hill twice a week! On the way back, sunrise was a sight to behold and the juxtaposed Meralco post eerily reminds me of the Crucifixion that Easter Sunday. The exhilaration of finding new running buddies and a new, challenging route made my Sunday truly worthwhile. Running has truly opened doors for me. I just might not be the lone(ly) runner I thought I am. Running By Time 04/15/2011
 How much can you run in an hour? If you were asked this question, you’d probably recall in your mind the last race you have been in on, note the ratio of the distance and minutes you used to cover it, multiply that by 60. And that is your answer. It is a correct answer. But how much really can you cover in an hour?? The answer should be readily answered with if you are training based on time and not on distance. Look at this training program based on HR max: Monday Hills, 60 min total. Tuesday Easy run of 60 min (65-79% HR max) Wed Long run of 2-2:30 hours (65-70% HR max) Thu Easy run of 60 min (65-79% of HR max) Friday Medium (LT of 82-88% HR Max)/Fartleks/Light Hills/Progression or easy run of 60-70-75 min Saturday Track/Drills Sunday Easy or Medium (see Tuesday or Friday) I can not see any here that says 5k, 10k or 20-25k. Where before I count my mileage in terms of the distance I covered, I now relate the distance to what I can run in a fix period of time. The benefit of it is that the body will recognize that you are doing a one hour work-out or a 90 minute work-out, regardless of how much distance you have covered. As the workout is put into action, the body’s chemistry will respond correspondingly. Thus, if you do a 5min work-out that is equivalent to a 10k pace (which you cover in an hour, for example, in your races), the body sees the one-hour workout in that 5 minute window. My basic conditioning training, for the last 3 weeks, has brought my 60 minute run from 10k to 12k. That means that I have run faster. But the response of my body does not see the 2k difference. It only sees my one-hour workout. If you feel the same in the 10k as in the 12k and can repeat that multiple times, say 4 times, what do you get? A probable sub-four marathon. How to make the repeat possible is another story though. So, again, how much can you run in an hour? INSPIRATION 04/11/2011
 From bottom left running clockwise: Auntie Fely, Myself, Auntie Naty, Nanang & Lola Cilay. A foreign sounding surname is trouble. My last name can be deceiving. Mind you, even BIR folks in the mid-90s tested the waters if I was paying my taxes. I once received a demand letter asking for a copy of my ITR (of 2 years back!) to prove if I filed one. Good thing I religiously kept records ever since I started working. (I can show you my 1990 ITR :-), if you want to see them.) From thereon, they stayed off me. I come from a needy financial background. My Ilocana mother (she passed away in ‘96) and grandmother (she is now 96) combined efforts to put me and my 2 siblings through College. Where we are now are fruits of the love, strength, hard work and courage of these 2 women. At an early age, I saw how Mom and Nanang labored day in and day out to ensure that all of us finish College. For Ilocanos, they would sell everything they own just to make sure that the children get their College Diplomas. You can ASK ANYONE who hails from the north how true this is. These 2 women were and are my inspiration to strive hard. I truly owe them so much. I make sure that my kids know of the epic efforts they did, and how much they (the kids) need to thank their Lolas for the lifestyle they enjoy now. They spurred me to map out my future when I was just a high school sophomore. I made a mental note of where I wanted to be at 21,25,30 and 33 years old. Not to brag but I have achieved all, except one, of the goals I wanted to achieve on those age milestones. I need not mention what I “failed” to achieve but it is morbid and my family would sure like me to fail in that regard :D I am now 43 and fell in love with running. But for me to sustain this love, I needed a different set of inspiration. And lo, a woman “stepped” forward and became my inspiration. She does not know me. But I know a bit of her. I have come across her in the world wide web. Indeed, the Net has created so many possibilities to motivate people of all kind, of differing or common interests. We both love running and she is successful at it. She has a flair for words. Not the highfalutin kind, but her rather relax, fun-filled, conversational and, sometimes, self-deprecating language engages you to “listen”. I’ve “kept” tab of her running life – oopss, not the stalking type, of course – and have been challenged of what she has achieved. She has run all distances leading to the marathon. Her records are pretty impressive. When I started out, I said, “Boy! I’d never be as good as her!” All the same, at the back of my mind, I made a sorry excuse, “She is younger, you idiot!” But the hidden chauvinist that I am (my apologies here, feminists), I countered myself, “She is a woman, for crying out loud!” And thus begun my running “affair” with her. I set out to be better. I trained hard, kept logs of my training and progress. I became more patient, more attentive to details and listening to the “experts”. Soon enough, I began beating her records. To date, only 2 more needs besting and it may be awhile before I complete my conquest of her…………records :D But I need to get crackin’ because age is a-creepin’ :-) And so, my quest continues. But there is a question that begs to be answered very soon after I crack the last record. Will she continue to be my inspiration, or will I have to find another one? Broken! 04/10/2011
46:44! A 10k milestone I have never dreamt of. The Takbo.ph night fest marks a turning point in my running as it is the first time I officially broke the 50 minute-10k barrier. I have been running almost daily the last 3 weeks. The shortest run being the drills on intervals, speed and hills which are usually still over 10 km long because of the long warm up, jogs in between intervals and cool downs. For 3 weeks,I have been holding 60 km or more. And the change was drastic, mind you, as I came from a 40-45 km week. On the first week, I had 60.4k, a 50% jump. This week, I am about to break 70k. All that work paid off on Saturday’s Takbo.ph night fest. I was 50 min early at the run venue. Territoryo ko e :-) as I work nearby. You can say that the area is my playground, running wise, for the last 3 weeks. The fact is I have run the route (with the exception of the downhill/uphill u-turn) 4 times and it’s where I do my hill training currently. The starting line was littered with familiar faces as I saw Nick Geaga, Bhoy Runner’s Runner, Yamane Aoki, Kikay Runner (photographer that day) among a few. I even saw a college blockmate, Arnel Alban and his lovely wife, who both run the 10k segment (wifey ran the 5k on the other hand). The run kicked off with a prayer from Craig of Team Logan and an almost 30 min warm-up/fitness led by Connie Fortich of Skechers’ fitness. Boy, I think that was the longest warm-up I had been in on if you ask me. Had I followed suit, I would have been spent even before the run started. Good thing I had a warm-up run prior to Fortich’s routine. I just kind of jogged in place throughout her warm-up. There was a short send-off message from Takbo’s Jinoe Gavan then off we go as Skechers’ Katrina Ong pulled the trigger on the starting gun. The Kenyan runners led from start to finish, followed by the strong Powerpuff Boys. The route is quite hilly. The 10k route is 2 loops of the 5k segment, with each loop containing 4 hills (2 moderate, the other 2 are what I consider steep). Actually, Takbo changed one of the hilly route at the last minute. The supposed third hill would have been more punishing as it had an 11% gradient. Am sure a lot of those 10k PRs would have not fallen if they went with the original route. A lot of the runners at the frontline started strong. I can not help but smile inwardly as I know a lot will be losing steam on the hills. And that’s what exactly happened. Just when one thinks he just conquered one hill, here comes another. The layout of the route concealed the hills cleverly that all the best laid pace plan could be at the gutter if you are not aware of the treachery of the route or had not had any hill training. An experienced runner I often see on races who’s got excellent pace probably fell by his normal standards on this race. McKinley Hills is comparable :-) to this race in terms of punishment, if not more. Why? Can you do McKinley twice without a recovery jog in between??? The route is like a trail as well as the surface is rough for an asphalt laid road. Thus, kicking off for speed is an effort sometimes. The roads are 30 m wide, got so many curves and cutting through curves (within the road) could give you some edge as there’s plenty of opportunities to do so. The second hill located along Corporate Avenue, coming out of the Palm’s Country Club , was poorly lit that the protruding manhole covers were serious tripping hazards. As was is the case before the 3k U-turn even with some lighting provided. What is even more dangerous is that before you make the turn, you are running blindly DOWNHILL INTO the light. As you complete the turn, you climb back UPHILL INTO a light again. There are better ways to position the lights to optimize their usefulness and endanger no one. My familiarity with the hills bode well for me, with or without the lights. But overall, the race was staged and managed well. Hydration was aplenty, encouraging marshalls to direct traffic and guide runners was ample. For those keen on loots, there was plenty to go around with. But I was there to race and see the faces of the forum people, and not for the freebies. I did not stay long for the after-race party. But overall, the race was a success. I bet you a lot of the runners went home happy and quite well challenge. I will not be surprised if another race around Filinvest will be in the offing. One thing is for sure, Takbo.Ph sure put this area on the running circuit. Adopting Hanson 03/27/2011
 I was browsing through the internet and came across an article from the January 2011 Runner’s World New Year New You: Way of the Renegades by Adam Buckley Cohen which talks about the Hanson Plan. It seems to parrot what coach says about running shorter distances per session but doing more runs during the week. Each weekly session could be 60-85 km combined with speed work, tempo runs, marathon pace runs and an LSD on the weekend. The overall gist of the training is preparing yourself not for the first 16 miles (33 km), after which you could “wall”, but for the last 16 miles if ever you get to the wall. The high volume and “near” daily runs keeps you in fatigue mode all the time that you get yourself used to the feeling, and yet one continues to still keep a marathon pace. I have started adapting that beginning this week. And yes, I am tired most of the time. Imagine me before in a 40k (11-16-22/25) per week mode with a one day break in between runs. As of Friday, I have racked up 44k, with today and Sunday potentially accounting for another 32k.  I seem to spot a slight improvement of my pace and endurance even when I feel tired. While one of my runs appear to be “slower” than most of my runs, that run had a hill at 4% gradient (ran it 4x), and another at 11% (ran it twice). I have yet to run more than 11.2 km this week where it used to be my least distance. So, even if I am running more, I am running on shorter time which allows me to do other stuff. I can afford to start as late as 7 PM. I have to be on the lookout, though, for injuries due to the increased volume. One thing I notice as I experiment with my gait in this Hanson Plan is that I seem to have more speed with lofting strides compared with short but more steps. This goes against the common thread that more steps translate to better speed. But I take that my lofting stride covers more distance and compensates for the “fewer” steps taken. I have translated the Hanson plan to kilometers against which I will track my progress. But while the Plan is geared to an 18 week preparation to a Marathon, my goal is still to get my first at the QCIM in December, nearly 36 weeks away. But that should give me opportunities to work on my speed, endurance and stamina some more. It will also allow some allowance for injuries. I hate to have one, but I know that it could occur. I will also be busy with work and I just have to put that into the equation. But I have a better plan now than 2 weeks ago. Let’s see how true I can be with this plan. Here’s to the Hanson Brothers and Coach! Cheers!!! Race to Race 03/22/2011
Why do you race a race? At the onset of my return to running, it never occurred to me what will be the race to jumpstart my comeback. I just told myself, “Find a 10k, prepare for it, then come race day, run it like you should.” To be honest, I never even knew that the running world has grown by leaps and bounds ever since I stopped in 2003. It was through my college friend, Ricky Gundran, that I got to Takbo.ph’s List of Events and picked 2010 Run United Leg 3. That said, I picked my comeback race almost at random as it was the nearest race I felt I was ready for. Taking my cue from Coach Rio’s seeming fetish for trilogies, I decided to run at least a trilogy set of 10k, 16k and 21k before getting to my first marathon. It was, in a nutshell, whatever race that came my way the earliest, I’d hit it. Distance and timing was all I needed. Between November 2010 to end January 2011, I racked up 6 races. If not for the Holiday break, I probably had 2 or 3 more. “Adik!” That is how the wife described my newfound love. Two more 21ks thereafter, and about two thousand pesos lighter (for me alone), I have become selective, whereas I have never felt before the pinch of the pocket when I hit the registration booth. I am not a runner that dwells too much on loot bags, medals, freebies, stylish singlet, type of hydration fluids. These are not the reasons I run, nor will these affect the quality of my run. I run a race because I am capable of covering the distance and it is to keep my competitive juice running as I work on my dream marathon. I realize that I will never be an elite runner. But I like to validate my training by racing with the best, even though I know I will eat their dust. I pay the fee for the safe use of the road, a near-correct distance, have an official time, just sufficient hydration along the route and cover the expense for the singlet. With the exception of the singlet, all mentioned are what I consider as need if I pay to race. Most, if not all, races espouse a cause. That was trivial for me before. But now, as part of my growing maturity in this sport, it is becoming a driving force in my race selection. I am keenly interested on who the beneficiaries are and how much is going to them from the race take (organizers declare an approximation of these, I notice recently. Or you can do the math). Another reason why I have become selective with my race, especially on fees, is my family's (of 6) growing love for the sport. Imagine a race fee of P600 for a 5k for 5 and P750 for a 21k, OUCH!!! Do that twice a month and you can just feel a metal mallet go through your teeny-weeny pocket. Hence, much as I want to run myself, I have to forgo the desire so the kids can run when they want to. School finals demand saved me this month. The good news is, coach has advised me to run 5k or 10k mostly now. The 21k? I think “Run with the Masters” is all that’s in the horizon. FOR NOW. :-) It is flawed! 03/21/2011
 “Your plan is flawed.” What do you do when someone tells you that? After all, everything you have been doing so far is correct by your standards and has caused you no grief. I am a real proud person. I am also a teacher and a person of authority. I am used to bossing people around and even my peers and bosses respect my opinions. I am also a self-taught person. You give me the basics and I can take off from there. I am a keen observer of lessons and experts. I am also very competitive. Would you believe that I compete even with 10-year olds on stuff I am interested in? How childish can that be? So, when someone comes by and throws me that statement, it should really tick me off, right? Wrong. I am competitive and I want to improve. I am also impatient yet practical. If there’s a way to fast track things with some sacrifices, then I am all ears to what anyone can suggest so that I become a better teacher, student, person or in this case……. a better runner. I have been running for close to 7 months now, running about 40K a week. I have had 8 races under my belt, each time better (or close) to my training time. My race results had all been good, considering that I am a newbie, keeping myself in the upper 15% most, if not all, of the time. I had a couple of injuries, all manageable and tolerable. I felt I was getting somewhere with my goal to run my first marathon. I even had the temerity to ask the running community to critique my “program”. It is through my opening of my training program to the community that I have found a learned runner to tell me that I have flaws in my program. And I thought I was doing great! Dang!!! To cut the story short, I have to do quite a paradigm shift and undo some of the tricks I thought worked for me. And to top that, I have to bring up my mileage to tire myself out. Heck, I take a day break in-between runs to save myself from fatigue, and now this? Well, that’s all part of the deal and I have to adhere to it to be better. So, hang on to your seats as we journey together and discover if my mentor’s plan will work. I am a willing disciple. My plan is flawed? Okay, give me better :-) |  AuthorA structural engineer by profession and a real proud Filipino, who believes that we need not be away from home to be blessed. Blog RollArchivesNovember 2011 Categ ories |
Mercury Rising
