My Way of Living:
10k

So the rain finally went away. Sigh. Would it be a good day today? Those thoughts crossed my head as I woke up at 3 am, anxiously anticipating the upcoming events of the day. I haven't run a 10k in awhile, and I would be trying to beat my PR for the distance. What was on today's race menu? The highly-anticipated Mizuno Infinity Run, touted by some to be even bigger than the industry benchmark Condura Run. Did it live up to the hype? Let us see for ourselves as the events of the day unfold.

Emeperador - 1, Tito Caloy - 0

The day started with a text message from running buddy/part-time uncle/full-time tomador Tito Caloy. In essence, he had gone drinking and obviously couldn't join the race. Oh great. That's 300 bucks lost off the bat. If he ever pays me, I'll treat you guys for taho. Promise! (don't keep your hopes up). So I ventured off to BHS alone, the silence of the sleepy metropolis an unwilling replacement to Tito Caloy's incessant pre-dawn chatter. I got there relatively early for the 10k check-in, rambling thoughts passing through my head as my anxiety level was rising by the minute.Oh man I'm alone. No one's here yet. Hey is that... . okay maybe not. Hmm they said it would be bigger than Condura? Maybe? Tito Caloy exchanged me for alcohol. I'm sleepy. Why do people wake up this early anyway? He'll never pay me. Wow they moved classes to the 22nd. I don't like this swine flu thing at all. Are people in this world really evil? Can I break my PR? I'm hungry and... The requisite hi/ hello/good luck from Takbo.ph regulars Edu and Rodel jarred me back into consciousness. By this time, the rest of the Takbo.ph gang began to file in. Nearly all of them were running the 15k. Looks like I would be waging another solitary battle here. As the 15k gun went off, the 30 minute countdown towards the 10k start seemed like an eternity. By virtue of me being really early, I was somehow stationed right in the front of the corral, a circumstantial, undeserved spot to say the least. Ansty and nervous at the same time, I attempted to strike some sort of coherent conversation with the runner next to me. Here' s the honest-to-goodness accurate transript of our conversation : Me: "Sir, buti tumigil ung ulan no?"Runner X : "Nga eh." Me: "Um, ano sir ung target ninyo ngayon?" Runner X: " Mga 40, ok na." Me: "Um, aaaah good luck sir! "Running on Empty While that went well, the gun went off. I was in 70's mode for the entire week, so the leadoff song on my iPod was Sumayaw Sumunod. While disco was blaring in my ears, I assessed how I would be approaching this. If the prevailing goal was to break 50 minutes, I would have to work around the 4:30 zone. With a mere 20 km worth of mileage this week, that ain't happening. I started out at 4:29, hitting 5:03 at the 3k mark. I was feeling gassed. Lack of mileage right there. I should buy a treadmill. Or be a member at these fancy gyms so I could use one.Anyway, at the Kalayaan Flyover I ran into Boggs, one of our students from UA&P and a speedy T2 regular. I asked hm what his target was, the response was sub-50. Can I pace with you? The answer was in the affirmative. 2km later he was about 400m from me already. I was zapped. Not happening. Not today. Nice kid though. You'd like him too. The Alchemy of Blood, Guts, and Condura Memories Past the turnaround point and going back up the Kalayaan Flyover, the route quickly evoked memories of the Condura Run. My first major race ever. I remember walking up the steep gradient of the killer flyover. I remembered wanting to quit. I remembered just plain quitting, the heat overpowering my psyche. This is so stupid. Maybe I can just go back to playing poker. At least I'll earn some cash. It's sooooo hot. My feet are killing me. Ayoko na. But if I quit now, I'll never live it down. So I soldiered on. I remembered digging deep within myself just to finish.The pain in my legs was excruciating . I was running on empty. I could hardly breathe. As I was fast fading at that very same flyover last Sunday, those powerful memories were flashing through my head at warp speed. Was I biting off more than I could chew? Am I way over my head in doing this? Does competitiveness have its limits? Is it a sin to strive to be the best at each and every thing you do? Fight or Flight My legs were on fire, the lungs all but out of it. I wanted to give up. But as I descended the Kalayaan Flyover while struggling my way into a 5:50 split, I realized that I only had about 3-4 km to go. Only 3-4 km of pain and sacrifice to go. I thought, just survive a couple more minutes of total exhaustion and you'll feel terrific about exorcising your demons for the rest of the week. I think that right there is the microcosm of "push" - when your body has absolutely nothing more to give and you unabashedly ask it to give more than it ever had.I ran that last 2km stretch, that very same area where I had walked not too long ago, like my life depended on it. I take pride in putting a premium on passion in my everyday travails, in leaving your heart out there on the playing field. It's fight or flight, and I chose to fight. Before I knew it, I could see the chute. Powerful Takbo.ph big man Mond passed me over the final 400m, I could give no more. But even as my body gave out its last hurrah, the clock glanced 51:30. Oh my. I had did it. Getting to the end of the chute, my 305 stopped at 51:38. I pumped my fist and was overjoyed at a blood and guts victory over the most daunting opponent of all.The Aftermath Truly, the whole team was blessed that day. Nearly everyone I talked with set a new PR. Among others, head honcho Jinoe took a new 15k PR, and Bong Z. hit his sub 55 target. I'm so happy because everyone is rapidly improving across the board. As with most of the runners, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a finisher's singlet instead of the advertised shirt. And it fits! In addition, Mizuno saved the biggest surprise for last, announcing that the race was actually a time trial in preparation for next year's event dubbed 1.10.10. The winners would be contingent on how much one had improved from this year's time. Truly, another coup from Mizuno, one that we would all be eagerly awaiting. Afterwards, the group went straight to Mcdonald's Net One for some much needed refueling, the place slowly becoming our favorite post-race BHS breakfast jaunt.

A sea of White, Black, Yellow, Blue... . and Orange?

Ellen and Doc Roy with Migz lurking

Natz, Doc Lyndon and Rico

Matinee idol/speedster Bong with Pepsi and Ms. Morrison

The "Hard Core" Takbo.ph team

Me with Second Wind proprietor/ultramarathoner Hector

Running Couple Neil and Rach at Mcdo Net One

Chillin' out after a messy Mcdo Breakfast So there. When all things were said and done, numerous PR's fell, sunny skies and even sunnier smiles abound. Despite the anxiety and sacrifice, despite the blood and guts spilled on the road and the overpowering urge to quit when you were beaten down to the ground... ... It turned out to be a good day after all. Tito Caloy Quote of The Day :

" Di ako makakasama sayo, ako'y niyaya, napilitan, napainom, napasubo" - On choosing Emperador over Mizuno

ning,Different Strokes for different folks. Horrible cliche, but when it comes to devising running strategies, training programs, shoe recos - you will get a plethora of answers that are oftentimes night and day in terms of theory and approach. The series would be dealing with the different strategies that runners utilize on race day, and the ramifications that arise from it. Hopefully, you will be able to deduce what is best from you.

The Negative Split - Just Pass me Brotha, I'll Catch Up Later In common running parlance, quite simply a negative split refers to a strategy that entails you running the 2nd half of the race faster than the first half. Some old-timers would swear by this strategy ; one gets the notion that if you were to compare this strategy with a boxer's fighting style, this would be much akin to the straight up, orthodox manner of boxing. Usually, adopting this method would appeal to the more experienced runners, as it takes quite a deal of endurance and patience to pull it off. The strategy that you adopt also has a lot to do with your personality type. A lot of runners miss out on this important element, as the race is just as much mental as it is physical. If done correctly, the psychological boost of passing slower runners proves tremendously satisfying and evokes the so-called "second wind" that all runners so covet. The cons to this strategy? The most obvious is that the newer, less experienced runners can't pull it off effectively. A common rookie mistake is to sprint out the first kilometer or so as they are lured in by the adrenalin and excitement of the race. The immediate implication is that they hit their lactate threshold so early that they are laboring hard throughout the rest of the race. In addition, the negative split may be difficult or nearly impossible for a normal runner to pull off in inclement weather. During the summer months, the sweltering heat may be too much for some runners to overcome. I have personally ran races where the neg split runners succumbed during the latter part of the race where they were supposed to be making good time. So what are your thoughts everyone? Are you a negative split junkie? Give me your thoughts!

In running circles, the aformentioned icebreaker is almost always certain to come up in any conversation. The proverbial talking point's saliency is relative to the overall goals of the person addressing the query. Thus we could surmise that for some runners this question may seem completely irrelevant, while for others it takes on near-reverent status.

People run for different reasons. Some run to lose weight, some to beat themselves. Some run just for the cardio, while some just like to hang out for the company. That given,the key concept that I wish to postulate on pertains to when exactly does running cease to be fun, and our inherent competitive streak starts to kick in? Let us try to explore two distinct possibilities.

Conditioning. Could it be a simple matter of conditioning? Under this assumption, the moment a runner gets into better shape the PR's would essentially be transmuted into the be-all/end-all of the running experience. However, if this were accurate, then how could most people confirm the existence of the "blatantly out-of-shape yet uber competitive" runner types? Just some food for thought.

Personality. This goes to argue that people who have strong personalities tend to be more competitive towards their race results. However, I have personally met several runners who have an aggressive, competitive mentality off the road yet are completely timid on it. And vice versa as well. So what gives?

The looming question of where runners get their competitive edge is a tough one, bordering on a philosphical, paradoxical precipice. On that note I can offer you no answers. After reading the following entry though, I am hopefully leaving you with chunks of inquisitiveness that you could bite off and chew. I don't have any formulas, but your inputs could enlighten us towards a greater understanding of why we do what we do. With all the running going on, it never hurts to stop for awhile and think. Do it often enough, and you'll never look at "Pare, Ano PR Mo?" in the same light again.

Just some food for thought.

The news was relayed to me and the rest of the Takbo.ph boys by Doc Lyndon, just as we finished being his pacers/bodyguards at the distance-challenged but nicely executed 10k JOG run at AAV. There was a ... change of plans in organizing the upcoming RotaRun.09 , and guess who's going to be taking over the organizing duties ?

That RotaRun Logo guy is ripped ... and most probably naked

Why nonetheless than Takbo.ph, without a doubt the top running site in the country today. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a moderator there , or because 98. 42% of my running friends come from there... or because if Takbo.ph didn't exist I'd be sitting in some corner staring at the wall for fun... .I mean it... . straight from the heart.

NOT... A... word.

Anyway, don't ask me for the juicy details why that happened, I know nothing . But in the remote event that I did know, kindly send P100 plus postage to:

The Gingerbread Foundation
701 Gingerbread Chateau
Gingerbread Road , Gingerbread City

Seriously though, I am pretty sure Takbo.ph head honcho Jinoe and Doc Lyndon will do a yeoman' s job in putting up a successful race. They even enlisted race director par excellance/ 2009 Nicest Guy With a Tan winner Ian Alacar to ensure that the race will run as smooth as possible. First met Ian after my Botak Ultramarathon, and his motivational spiels to me before and after the race made it seem that my bout with temporary insanity was all worth it.

Happy Botak Ultra memories with Ian, as Sideshow Bob (who was also really nice) looks on

As for the salient points of the run, you can register until September 18 at Rox or Second Wind. If you don't know where those places are, or never heard of them, well then congratulations on your first race! There are distances for 3k, 5k, 10k, 15k, and 21k. Only half-mary runners are getting medals mind you! What else? Some routes were changed , check the Takbo.ph site here for race maps because I'm too much of a lazy oaf to post them here.

So good luck everyone, and hope to see you there! It should be awesome! Run not because your friends are going, but because you really want to. It should come... .

Straight from the heart :)

Sorry couldn't resist!

The Fit and Fun Wellness Buddy Run was supposed to be an opportunity for friends and family to come together, take a brief respite from the trappings of everyday running and just go out there and have a blast by running as a pair. While this doesn't beat the novelty of having to eat six donuts over the course of a race (yum) it was supposed to give a fresh take on your usual weekend race. I had my sights set on Tito Caloy as my buddy (think of all the fun comedy anecdotes I could have used as material) but alas...

Lady at Robinson's Pioneer Customer Service : Ay Sir wala na pong slot

GBM : Pero... . last day ngayon diba? *sob*

LRPCS : Oo, pero ubos na ang slots eh.

GBM : *sob*

Thus, I had to grimly relay the info to Tito Caloy... . He must be crestfallen.

Tito Caloy : O, naicancel ko na lahat ng gimik ko! Kundisyon na ako! Game !

GBM: Tito, naubusan tayo ng slots . Sigh.

TC : Ay sakto kakatext lang ni pareng Ambo diyan sa may Griarte bertday daw eh! Cge txt2 na lang!

GBM: (well that didn't take long)

So great. I'll be stuck without a race for the weekend. As much as I wanted to pace Tito Caloy, my ulterior motive was to somehow whip myself back to shape coming from the layoff necessitated by the Botak Ultra. So imagine how happy I was when Takbo.ph denizen Lucille/ Ohm Runner had advised me that her hubby's partner had backed out. I felt fortunate that amongst those who had offered their "services" as a late sub she picked me :) We met the day before at Go Nuts Donuts for the bib and singlet , a veritable EB of sorts as I have never met her before.

Lucille : It's up to you to take care of my hubby

GBM : Of course! Any targets?

Lucille : His best time was a 1:10... .

GBM : So it's a sub 70 then! Game !

Lucille : Thank you. Any PR wold be a tremendous bonus.

GBM: I will try my best... ..

To make a long story short, I would be running the buddy run not with a buddy... but with a total stranger...

Pre-Race

I'm running late. I cannot be late for this. I have a buddy. I don't know him. But it should be fun. I just drove from Ortigas to Fort in 5 mins. I could have sworn the cops would have given me a ticket. Whew. Made it. It's starting late apparently. The usual suspects here. And... hey! It's Doc Iris! Finally meet her! She's... tall in person! Someone's calling... wait... . It's Argow...

GBM : Yes Argow?

Argow : Shet man!

GBM : Wha?

Argow: I just woke up!

GBM: Yeah, sad. Why you calling me?

Argow: I hooked up on the board! Last minute sub! And I'm here! He's there! Waaaaah! WWaaaaah! WAAAH! Um, is there anyone who could sub for me? WAAAAH!

GBM: Geez, I don't know man. We're starting in like 5 mins... .

Argow : Waaaah!

I finally met my buddy minutes before we were to start. Until that point he was only known as "Lucille's Husband" . I must have repeated this a gazillion times to the Takbo.ph gang...

Takbo.ph friend : Hey who's your buddy?

GBM: Lucille's Husband! I'm a late sub!

TF : Who's Lucille?

Carlo was his name. Much better than "Lucille's Husband" right? . I asked him his targets, he said he just wanted to treat it as his long run. He didn't want to push because he wanted to run the Globe 21k next week. But Lucille said sub 70... And how can he finish 21k if he doesn't push on a mere 10k? My competitive juices started flowing, a diabolical plan was hatched to tow my new buddy into new running heights.

"Lucille's Husband" now had a face behind the name

We're Going Too Fast! Km 1 - 5

So it's my first time to ever pace someone at an actual race and it's my first time to run at a significantly slower pace. My adrenalin was killing me. As you may or may not know, I'm a notorious positive splitter for short to medium distance races. This rubbed off on our pace, and as much as I was trying to take it slow, it still resulted in a 6:24 pace that was too fast for my new friend. He was doing quite well first 3 - 4k, then was starting to gas already. We had passed Takbo.ph first couple Jinoe and Que, injured diva Vicky and matinee idol Bong Z as well as Timmy and Joyce so I figured heck , we must be going a bit fast.

Bong and Vix on their "leisurely" pace

Wait, did they just stop in the middle of the road for photo-op?
Buddy Carlo was starting to grumble already, much to my consternation and embarassment.

"This is hard!"

"This is too fast this ain't my pace!"

"You're a maniac!"

Little did he know, it was all part of the plan... ..

A Final Push. Km 6- 10

In order to diffuse any unneccessary weirdness, I resorted to humoring buddy Carlo with mundane, useless questions to take his mind off the pain and exhaustion. Things like...

What's your wedding date with Lucille?

Where was your first date?

What's the zodiac sign of your kid?

When was your first kiss?

If someone were to play you in a movie, who would it be and why?

Who you like better, Rustom or BB?

Think Doc Hayden would come up with new material soon?

Despite my best efforts, best buddy Carlo said he was gassing. He was not enjoying this at all! He had to take a walk break. Which was great because... . that was part of the plan. Aha! Pacing with positive split people has its advantages... like slacking off during the 2nd half. The walk breaks , the rest pace splits - all were taken into consideration *evil grin*. We actually had a 31 minute 5k. More than enough to time to recover. *moral victory* After a kilometer or so of walking, we were back on track. A run/walk strategy lowered our pace to about 6:47, but were right on track. He was feeling much better, which was a good thing...

I am not liking this Gingerbread charcter ...

Evil Gingerbread pacer dude

With the finish line in sight, buddy Carlo was seriously gassing. He wanted to walk last hundred meters. I told him just 300 meters to go! 200! It's just one more minute of misery in exchange for a week of glory! I shared the mantra that pushes me through the last 500 meter fade. Must have struck a chord, as me and best buddy Carlo finished strong to a 1:08:50 finish on our Garmins, a new PR for him! Mission accomplished! Congratulations to main man Carlo! Wohoo!

I survived the GBM Pace Experience!

Overall, the race was an organized success. Extribe did a wonderful job with it, we should see them more often. Generous goodie bags at the end were pretty impressive as well.

Niceties were given, congratulations exchanged. Old records fell by the wayside. The essence of the Buddy Run is reflected in a synergy of enthusiasm... .

Love... .

Smiles... ..

Fun... ..

and the pursuit of excellence... .

We may have not breached any of those in an hour, but rest assured the fundamental element was built that day... ..

I started the race with a complete stranger. I ended it with a complete stranger. I just so happen to know some weird things about him now.
Goodbye Carlo. We ran the good race. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. See you around...

Buddy. :)