My Way of Living:
family

G ingerbreadman closed his email with a weird feeling in his stomach. No, it wasn't that. It was an invite. To a presser. What an honor. Thus, in spite of his heavy workday which included a marathon 3-hour meeting, being suspected of being a student insurgent at the Malacanang gates and giving a 2 hour speech to 500 people (only one is made up, and it's not what you think), he went on to Megamall to roll the dice, eagerly anticipating the thrill of a fresh experience in his life away from the corporate bustle.

ADB Avenue, 6:10 pm
Oh boy. So the secret's out eh. They've been mumbling about this for like a month now. And now it could be said. What the big deal? Here's the big deal, and I've been getting snippets of this here and there. Apparently, it's called the Kenny's Open 2009 Urbanite Run. U rbanite? Urban? Hmmm. Nite? They need a copy-editor. Maybe they could hire me. But then again I hate copy editing. So this is THE event. In partnership with Takbo.ph of course. The one we've been hearing for like... forever. Oh boy Jinoe made me a moderator. What an honor. Ranks up there with the time that I took 3rd place in our quiz bee as a 4th grader. So what if only three showed up! There was a big storm that day and... Oh crap the MMDA dudes are flagging me down for coding. Goodbye 100 bucks.

Cool!

Not Cool!

GBM arrived at the designated venue 5 minutes early, still smarting from being divested ofP100 by the very people who were tasked to make our streets a better place. The anxiety of being alone amidst the more senior members of the runner/ blogger community dissipated as he saw a familiar face in Doc Lyndon aka Malmonmd. He remembered how Doc had warmly welcomed him at the Condura CLP as a newbie, made him feel like he belonged. I'll pay homage to the gesture one day to a nervous newbie when I'm in a position of seniority. But at this particular juncture, at this precise time and place - he was the newbie once more. Doc's amiable demeanor jostled him from his daydreams. Queenie is there. BR was there awhile ago, he just went out. Go inside and make yourself comfy. BR? Bald Runner? THE Bald Runner? If that was a portent of things to come, this was going to be a good night.

Doc Lyndon with his beautiful familyI am with Legends
Upon entering, a throng of familiar and not-so-familiar faces greeted his entrance. Looking around, he surveyed the scene in earnest anticipation as his underlying excitement was nearing its zenith. The venue isn't enclosed. I hope we could hear one another amidst this mad, rush hour dinner crowd. Friendly faces abound. Takbo.ph elite idol Vener,also known in blogging parlance as Run Unltd. was there. One day I hope to be as fast as him. Okay maybe not. But still, I appreciate that he was at that finish line when I finished that insane 50k Ultra. ( Editor's Note : Yes, I owe you an entry on that epic life experience and yes I'll get to it once I finish the things that I need to do. Things that, uh, actually pay me money. I need to feed my family, put food on the table. Or maybe I just need the money to buy running thingamajigies) Trail runner extraordinaire/overall nice guy/foodie connoisseur Sir Rene aka The JazzRunner was there, exchanging niceties and running stories as they eventually settled on being "seatmates" for the duration of the presser. A small group was formed at one of the tables., members of the running blogosphere no doubt. A quick glance showedthat one of them was Vimz aka Kulit on the Run . While he was always a fan of her site and layout, as much as he wanted to say "hi" his inherent Gingerbread nature dictated him to lean towards the "shy" end of the spectrum.At least for the first 5 minutes. There were also Roselle The Running Diva and Bards of BananaRunning sightings. From the Takbo.ph ranks, Coach/Mod Pojie was indisposed and couldnt make it. 5k pacer/motivational speaker Rico of Sheer Will fame was running late. Boss Jinoe was apparently stuck in traffic. But the real treat was yet to come. Two running luminaries , veritable legends in the field were in the house. And our protagonist was reduced to a blubbering piece of blubber.

Sir Rene and Vener

Queenie, Roselle, Vener, and Bards Unbelievable. I finally got to talk to the irrepressible Bald Runner . Sir Jovie himself. He's a really nice guy. You'd think he'd have a gruff military guy vibe. But he's really cool. Gave me a ton of tips on how to recover from an ultramarathon, and how to increase my speed. I'm glad he likes my work. That just inspires me to write more and spend less time on my day job! (alt tabs to "Communications Strategy 2009" as boss passes by) Whew. Anyway, another tremendous experience was to meet race walk legend /shipping magnate/big hearted nice guy Sir Amado Castro, who's also known for his popular Reinier6666 blog. Handshakes, warm exchanges ensued. I'm really touched by his kind words for our blog, as well as his unending support in helping our running community , the Takbo.ph Aid Station during the Botak ultra a prime example. Sigh, a good day indeed.

Photo-op to remember The Grub Before the Storm, 7:30 pm Without any trepidation, the Jazzrunner ordered a bountiful feast fit for a, er, hungry blogger. No further elaboration required.

Yum. Nuff Said. Presser Proper, 7:45 The briefing was led by agency rep/ DLSU alum Denise and fun guy/Finish Line head honcho Vince Mendoza. Coach Rio soon followed suit, presumably to help out with the question and answer portion. The concept was novel. The first ever night run with a disposable timing chip system is to be launched. Side events to follow. Coolpix capable. Glow in the dark bracelets. Refletorized bibs. Double the marshals.Free food when you register. Help out a wonderful cause. What more do you need to know?

No mic, no prob for Denise

There it is

Amazing how Vince does that hand gesture

Coach clarifying things during Q&A

This presentation is cool. Even without a mic! Oh there's a mic now! Just in time for the closing remarks! BR is asking about the security issues since it's a night run. It's been prevalent nowadays, you know. Oh god did I just do a Pacquiao. Anyway, it's admirable how Vince and Coach Rio handle his queries, and it's also admirable how Sir Jovie volunteered Team BR to help out with security. That right there is the spirit of volunteerism that we should espouse amongst oursleves, if only to give back to our community. Okay, so everything is working out great except that... oh lord I forgot to take notes! How am I supposed to write about this thing? Guesswork? Can I just make it up? Oh shoot. Hmm.. I know... why not we tap our ET running buddies from The Collective to get me back in time and get me that info. ... ... ... .. Okay that sure was fast. Run Strong and Prosper my preternatural friends. So here's what we got...

Now, Kenny Rogers is taking another leap forward in its dedication to health - one that is bound shake up a storm! It is with great pride that we present: The Kenny’s Open 2009 Urbanite Run ! On August 15 ^th at 8:00 p.m. , at Bonifacio Global City in the Fort, a truly one-of-a-kind run will take place. And as the name suggests, The Kenny’s Open Urbanite Run will happen at night!

With an advanced timing chip system to record runners’ progress and distances of 5/10/15 kilometers, the Urbanite Run is designed especially for the young and young at heart of the Metro. Participants 18 years old and above are eligible to sign up!

Joining is easy. Simply stop over at any Kenny Rogers Roasters branch or the new Kenny’s Roast and Grill restaurant at the Powerplant and purchase the Urbanite Run Ticket to Eat, Run and Donate your way to fitness! Registration can be done manually or via online & mobile through www.kennys.com.ph.

EVENT DETAILS:

1. The Kenny’s Open 2009 Urbanite Run will be held on August 15, 2009 (Saturday) at The Fort. Official call time will be at 8:00pm .

2. The run will a cco mmodate a total of 3,000 runners, 18 YO and above, with divisions of 5, 10, and 15 kilometer distances.

HOW TO JOIN:

1. Purchase the Urbanite Run Ticket

a. To join the Kenny’s Open 2009 Urbanite Run, interested participants must purchase an Urbanite Run Ticket for P600 at any Kenny Roger’s Roasters branch or the new Kenny’s Roast and Grill restaurant at the Powerplant.

b. Interested participants may also purchase the Urbanite Run ticket through the web or on their mobile phones by visiting www.kennys.com.ph . An electronic claim voucher will be issued to registrants to claim their Urbanite Run Ticket at any Kenny Roger’s Roasters branch or the new Kenny’s Roast and Grill restaurant at the Powerplant.

Urbanite Run Tickets will entitle participants to:

a. Eat: Bearers are entitled to an Urbanite meal from Kenny Rogers. Simply present the Urbanite Run Ticket at any Kenny Rogers branch to claim the Urbanite meal. Redemption period from July 15 to Aug. 15, 2009 .

b. Run: The Urbanite Run Ticket will serve as the runner’s registration voucher, to be attached to their registration form, if they register manually. See below for registration details.

c. Donate: Serve as runner’s donation to Hands On Manila Foundation. On the day of the run, bearers are to drop the “Donate” portion of their Urbanite Run Tickets at the designated box on-site.

2. Register for the Run

Registration will be from July 15 to August 11, 2009 .

Participants may register online or through designated registration sites. For other details, please contact Vince Mendoza at (632) 7031736.

a. Online Registration Process

a. Interested participants are to log on to www.kennys.com.ph , click on the “Events” tab, follow the Urbanite Race link, and register their details online.

b. Once registered, participants must submit their details and settle payment via credit card/ GCash or ATM.

c. An electronic claim voucher will be issued to registrants to claim their Urbanite Run Ticket at any Kenny Roger’s Roasters branch or the new Kenny’s Roast and Grill restaurant at the Powerplant.

d. Participants may also choose to have their race kits delivered at a minimal cost. Delivery address to be indicated in the online registration form.

e. Confirmation email will be sent to the participant’s email within 24 hours upon online payment.

b. Registration thru designated registration sites.

a. Interested participants must go to the available Finishline Registration booths at the four (4) pre-identified marathons:

i. 2 ^nd GIG Run, UP Diliman

ii. Milo Manila Elimination, Luneta Grandstand

iii. Robinson’s Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Ru, NBC Tent

iv. Globe Run For Home on July 19 at The Global City, Fort Bonifacio , Taguig City

b. Interested participants may also register their details at Nike Park and Runnr and claim race materials on-site.

c. Manual registration will also be available to last-minute participants on the night of the run – within 1hr before call time.

EVENT DAY:

1. Call time

On the night of the run, participants must arrive at 8:00 pm. Assembly and gun start times of each division are as follows:

Distance

Assembly

Gun Start

5K

TBD

8:30PM (TBC)

10k

TBD

8:45PM (TBC)

15k

TBD

9:00PM (TBC)

2. Prizes

a. The following cash prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place finishers of each division, to be awarded after the run finishes.

Distance

5 Kilometers

10 Kilometers

15 Kilometers

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

1 ^st Place

Php 5,000

Php 5,000

Php 5,000

Php 5,000

Php 5,000

Php 5,000

2 ^nd Place

Php 3,000

Php 3,000

Php 3,000

Php 3,000

Php 3,000

Php 3,000

3 ^rd Place

Php 2,000

Php 2,000

Php 2,000

Php 2,000

Php 2,000

Php 2,000

b. Employees of Roasters Group Inc., Bates141 Philippines, Zenith Optimedia including their relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity are disqualified from winning the cash prizes.

3. Event Activities

At the end of the run, participants will be invited to relax to a concert of Tribo Manila and purchase their Urbanite dinners at discount.

4. Security Measures

a. Stationary marshals at different points along the run route, approximately 100-150 meters apart or at strategic areas.

b. Roving marshals in motorcycles to tail and keep runners in line.

c. Police marshals and traffic enforcer group will direct traffic and to ensure runners will not be approached by onlookers.

d. Roving police escorts as added security measure.

e. Perimeter barricading at the start/finish line to keep runners assembled properly.

f. Roving security designated at the parking area.

5. Safety Measures

a. Runners to wear illuminated bib numbers and glow bracelets for easy tracking.

b. The marathon route will also contain “reflectorized” cones and signages to ensure the clarity of the track

c. Perimeter lighting will be placed around the run route every 50 meters or so.

d. In case of emergency, two (2) ambulances will be on standby with a dedicated first aid station at the event grounds.

e. All runners are entitled to insurance coverage worth Php 100,000.00 with Php 10,000.00 medical reimbursement.

The Takbo.ph boys full of ribs and chix So as the presscon drew to a close, new friends were made and old ones were reinforced. Close encounters of the running legend kind never hurt the Gingerbread folk as well. There was an air of great anticipation for this one-of-a-kind event. So as GBM started to head for the exits, he was stopped by a familair foil... .. Rico : Hey Gingerbread creature! GBM : Uh, hi boss. Rico: How are your knees? GBM : I can walk now boss... Rico: Great great. You owe me for that 5k. If not for me you would be frothing in the mouth in that unknown UP place! GBM: Mosr probably boss. No worries, if ever they do a bromance movie on my life, you will be the lead. Rico: How flattering. ANyway, business first. Where's my GC? GBM: What GC? Rico: Duh THE LEVI's GC for your fraudulent "contest" ! GBM: Oh yeah that... . Rico: I should report you to the blogging ADBOARD ! Shameless Blog Promotion! GBM: Uh, boss... Rico: Yes? What? I should... WOAH! YAY! It's True ! It wasn't a sham! My precious GC's! YEBAHHH!

It pays to be a Levi's wenner
Wonderful event. Great People. Good food. Come to think of it... It was a good night indeed.

So you're a newbie. You more or less run 3-4 times a week, have your fair share of weekend races.You suddenly have a delusion of grandeur attack and then all of a sudden you find yourself signed on to run an insane distance. 50k to be precise. That's like Manila to Tagaytay. Friends, family, and officemates think you're absolutely nuts. The requisite "but its only 50k, some of my friends are running 100k" line is met with sheer incredulousness. So you're a newbie. You're entering uncharted territory. How do you finish the Botak 50k with no prior experience? Here are some possibilities. 1. Bribe the Botak people with foodies and gingerbreads to give you a free pass, with your name suddenly appearing on the finisher's list, freebies and photo-ops delivered to your front door. Okay maybe not. Better option - bribe 100k ultramen Pat and Dennis with foodies or maybe girlies to pace you to victory.2. Ride a Segway at 3am when no one's looking and everyone's half asleep. Get more Segways so that Rod and Timmy the Kenkoy Runner could ride along with you, their jokes would take away the pain of running 7 hours.3. Have Sam the Running Ninja utilize his powers and teleport you 40k down the course. 4. Ask the help of The Collective for a one-time shot at their alien, time-bending powers so that they could transport you 7 hours to the future, the glory of winning without breaking a sweat. 5. Bribe Tito Caloy with Emperador so that he would drive your support car for 7 hours in the wee hours of the morning, taking away from his, um, inuman time. 6. Get some tips from Rico on how to complete the race By Sheer Will. 7. Wear a Phiten titatanium necklace so you can imagine that you have something that actually helps you run better. 8. Record the voice of Coach Pojie and SF Runner Wayne giving inspirational advice and motivational sound bites. Push! Push! Go you lazy Gingerbread! Only 49k to go! 9. Get Doc Iris to give you a thorough eye exam so you could see well in the wee hours of the morning and won't fall into a ditch. Or get run over in Commonwealth. 10. Follow two simple words of advice uttered by local running legend Bald Runner - DON'T QUIT. Good luck to everyone running the Botak Ultra! :) Break a leg! Okay that didn't sound good.

Why do we run again? It's for times like these. Times when you try to fall asleep at 8 pm on a Saturday night so that you'll wake up at 1am for an out-of-town run. 1am? Most of the nocturnal denizens of the metropolis are still in Fiamma or Emba at this time, the booze overflowing at every corner. It sort of reminds me of my old lifestlye. If you had told me a couple of years ago that I would be adhering to this spartan way of living I would have given you one of those incredulous, you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me looks. Alas, I have been locked in to the wonderful world of running, and there's really no turning back. The parameters of last Sunday's run were relatively simple. We drive to Tagaytay, then run 34k to Mhel's house. Mhel was kind enough to once again open his home to the Takbo.ph team, the first time being after the Greenfield City race. So how did my weekend adventure begin? I woke up at 1:00 am and basically sleepwalked my way into preparing for the run. I wanted to be on the dot for this , so by 2:30 I was at the place of my uncle, fondly called Tito Caloy by the group. He was joining the long run after only having a 5k prep run at Botak the week before with no prior running experience. Apparently, getting hooked runs in the family hehe. He told me that he had no sleep at all because my cousin was badgering him to death about coming along. So he strived to get as much shut-eye as he could in my car.

Tito Caloy dreaming of PR's in the carThe highway laid out at a utopianesque standstill, we picked up Rod and Gab at the Sucat exit at 3:00 am as per our arrangement. With Tito Caloy half comatose while riding shotgun, we could hardly contain our frenzied excitement for the run despite the ungodly hour. We arrived at our meeting spot in Paseo de Sta Rosa before 3:30. Sam and a shnoozing Rodel who came directly from work were already there (excited) . In a few more moments Doc Topher and Mhel arrived as well. An unfamiliar face soon showed up, and we were happy to see that it was actually forum habitue Mond aka Pawgee that we were meeting for the very first time.

The first four Doc Eric, our kind host/organizer for the Tagaytay leg, came in at about 3:40 am. He said he woke up late hehe :) With the looming problem of how to transport everybody to the start point, it was decided that some cars would be left at Paseo, and some would help Doc Eric transport the gang to the start point. For some reason, we went with my car, inspite of the fact that it was lowered and could only accomodate so many people. We crammed five dudes in there! As a result, I could only drive at "punerarya" pace. We got to Doc Eric's Tagaytay house and was happy to find the whole gang there. Carbo-laden goodies were strewn across the dining table. After some niceties and last- minute preps, we ventured out at nearly 5am, an hour later than our estimate. The sun was rising , and we had to make up for lost time.

The Takbo.ph team at ground zero After navigating our way out of a dark, mongrel-infested route (read: crabby, hungry looking Askals), we made it to the main highway. For most of the initial route I was designated as the pacer. I was following Doc Eric's prescribed pace of 8:00/km if we intended to make it there on time. As I soon found out though, this pace was a bit too fast for the group to stick together ; 9 - 10/km was more appropriate. I relinquished the pacer role and engaged the gang in friendly banter, took time out to take some pictures. Mhel took on the pacer role at this juncture.

Smiling so that the doggies would go away

At least Sam's happy

And so we begin

Tito Caloy aka "Enduro" is tired already?

Why do we run again? It's for times like these . Running in the cool Tagaytay pre-morning breeze was so relaxing for me, such a transcendent , preternatural experience that it reminded me of why we sacrifice so much. No amount of money could replicate that exact, precise moment for me. At just before the 10k mark for us Takbo.ph head honcho Jinoe and BDM 102 finisher Jerry aka High Altitude joined us. By this time, the group had splintered into several groups, with Mhel and Jerry leading the first group. I had the privilege of pacing with Jinoe for several kilometers, only stopping at the Rotunda because the last group was way behind and we didnt want anyone lost. Picture taking galore ensued :)

The Takbo.ph boys!

Rodel and Boss Jinoe running... . in place

May view may view picture muna!

Hagibis reunited? Why do we run again? It's for times like these. Me and Jinoe wanted to get a good workout from the whole thing, so we upped the pace to 6:30. Before long, we caught up with the lead group on walk break. Jerry was still the pacemaker, so when he broke away he followed suit. An interesting sidelight about Jerry - I kept on talking to him in the vernacular, and he would only give what I made out to be a look bordering on confused and snobbish. Turns out, our BDM ultramarathoner was Indonesian! And he was anything but snobbish. Once we got the language barrier out of the way, he was extremely helpful and gave so many tips on our ultramarathon dream next year.

Ultraman Jerry aka High Altitude. Tito Caloy and Sam mugging inthe background As amiable as he was off road, he was just as intense on it. For what was hyped to be an LSD, we were pushing it at 6:00 - 6:30 from the 10k to 20k mark. There were several of us in the breakaway lead group - Jerry, Jinoe, Me, Mhel, Mond, and lo and behold Tito Caloy who was lagging behind. I had to keep on coming back for him just to check up, and I was repeatedly shooed away hehe. Old people :) Also, the heat was starting to catch on. With not so fond memories of my Botak meltdown, my confidence was shaken in extreme heat. My Garmin analysis later showed a 31 degree high with 70% humidity, even hotter than that ill-fated race day. Alas, with the right will and determination we reached the first stop, 20.2 km down. The rest of the group who were running the partial route were waiting for us as well. We entered to the warm cheers emanating from familiar faces More friends! Alright! :P

Fun times with the whole gang

Buying P12 Gatorade in bottles.Hmmm...

Mond taking a breather

Age doesn't matter... ... Aray... ... .
Having recharged our batteries (P12 bottled Gatorade was all the rage, and special thanks to Mhel who lent me some cash after I lost mine) the group braced itself for the next push - a 7k jaunt to "nearby" Paseo de Sta. Rosa. The heat was getting to be pretty bad at this point, the ill effects of starting an hour late. I think pacer Jerry felt this as well, so instead of slowing down, we took off maintaining a 6:00 - 6:15 pace for the distance, leading a pack that included myself, Docs Eric and Pinky, Mhel, Mond, and Quennie (who got sucked in by the pace). We were left wondering - what LSD? This feels more like a 27k tempo run! By this time, the heat was sweltering. The heat would have made the Gobi Desert proud. As the group started to trickle in one by one, we came to the realization that we could go no more in this heat. It was another good 7k to Mhel's place. I decided against running any further, and so did Tito Caloy. A few brave souls ventured to go the full distance - marathon man/coach Pojie on "taper" mode, comebacking Carly, Mhel, Jerry, and Mond. We salute your dedication! Ayos!

27.56k ... . is... ... enough... .

We'd rather take the car!

Why do we run again? It's for times like these. At Mhel's house, the group's camaraderie was in full swing. Like road weary Spartans coming home from their latest victory, you could feel the vibe of contentment and happiness in the air. It's an unexplainable, magical feeling that runners alone can empathize with. Forget the aches and pains. We just cleared a distance greater than a half marathon! The food was overflowing, the laughter pervading. Nevermind the hassle of going back the entire distance to get our cars in Tagaytay. Forget the 50k ride back to Manila. We accomplished something, something that no one can ever take away from us.

Manokan Express with Chicken Arrozcaldo

Poj and Quennie with our kind hosts

Power couple Rach and Neil

Busog!

Happy Camper

All in a day's work!

Takbo.ph rocks!

Why do we run again? If you love running with a fervent passion... ...

Then you'll know that it's for times like these.

Editor's Note (as if there were one, just wanted it to sound cool lol) : This is coming out a tad bit late, ran into a combination of an extended blogging slump and a Bora weekend combined. Pardon the overall crummyness.

Racing in the South is always fun. Not too many people, fat chance you could even nab a podium on a good day. My too- few- and-far-in-between South races have always been pleasant experiences, thus joining RuNew in Alabang was somewhat of a no-brainer.

Not-So-Chump Change

Was looking for a race to test my knee out in a competitive setting, and I didn't really know too much about it except that it was sponsored by Asian Hospital and that it was for some charity. I thought it was a small-time race until I left with a bib, a timing chip, and P600 less in my pocket. A Rio race as it turns out. The timing chip instantly conjured visions of cash flying out of my wallet. Much to my chagrin, there was no singlet given but was instead promised a finisher's shirt. Grumble.

Babay P600.

Of Seguristas and Bratinellas
I came from the Subic International Triathlon with Ultramarathoner Abby the day before, just cheered on some friends while grabbing some multisport inspiration. Was dead tired as we made the trip to the duuurty South. Coming off my unacceptable tardiness at Nat Geo, I wasn't going to take any chances this time.

Got there with an hour to burn more or less. While trolling the premises, saw elites Junrox/Tigerboy and a healthy Alfred/El Kyoshi walking in the shadows. More walking brought this random soundbite from this nosy-looking kid emerging from a Portalet :

Bratty Kid : Ewww yuck so kadiri inside Mommy it smells like a tae!Mom : Anak don't say that!Brattu Kid : But mooom! I need to make poopoo na!Mom : Hay nako just hold it till we get home. I still have a race.Bratty Kid : Waaaaah!Mom : Wag na maarte, ano you want sa portalet or in the grass?B ratty Kid : Mommy the grass smells like a tae also!Mom : !!!!

What a brat.

In The Presence of Family
After being a veritable tourist over at the multisport arena, it was nice hanging out in more familiar surroundings where I actually knew someone. I ran into Takbo.ph power couple Jinoe and Que, a retro-looking Marvin along with Z paired with a rare PatCon sighting. Not too many people though. Distance? Price? Still, it was nice to be back in familiar territory.

Fun before the gun

An Outside Chance
Just before the gun went off, I was looking around. No familiar faces. As always, my competitive juices were flowing. Give or take a couple of elites, and with the stronger runners at 16k, I hastened to strive for a top 10 finish. And as the lead pack went off, I found myself at the tail end. Hey, I have a shot at this. Law of averages. I have to get it one of these days right?

Toe to Toe with Elite Gal

ITB woes exacerbated at the Nat-Geo race have prevented me from executing my master plan of doing "maintenance" 10k training before plunging into an 8-week program for Milo. In short, here I was blatantly out of shape, preparing to race a 10k on sheer guts alone. And as most of us know, oftentimes that just isn't enough.

As I was trailing the lead pack, I did the requisite headhunting to maintain pace. I ran smack into a strong lady runner who had nyort nyorts and that batak 5% body fat look. Hmm. She was impossible to shake off at 4:20 pace. Was thinking, no way she could maintain this. But then again, who said I could maintain it myself? Kapal ko talaga. (I would later learn she would take 3rd for the ladies) Lol. I told myself, I have to want this more than she does. With that pervading thought in mind, I made my move at the 3k mark and made her eat dust. Wohooo!

She ate Gingerbread dust... well, sorta.

On Gassing Amidst Those Southern Rolling Hills

Of course, that short-lived success didn't last long. A continuous uphill stretch and I was a goner a kilometer later, my elite galpal kicking stardust in my face along the way. No wind, no legs. I was gasping like a chubby fugu fish out of water. Fail.

Swim away fugu fish, swim awaaaay. Okay that was weird.

The Duel With MaselMan

Before the race began, I noticed these two buffed-up dudes who looked like Fitness First spinning class instructors with matching singlets to boot. Figured they were, er, best friends. Until they hugged each other good luck. Tightly. Anyway, at one point early on I passed bromance dude #1. During my mid-race fade, bromance dude #2 zoomed by me at what I reckoned to be near-max HR judging by his breathing. He would do a long walk break then go all out again. I surmised that redlining your HR in bursts and spurts would cause you to gas out later on (running strategists please back me up here).

So for about a 2 kilometer stretch, we would go back and forth at it. At least I had some sort of live metronome to salvage whatever remained out of my pace strategy. Nearing Km 7 in posh AAV, I decided to go for it when I sensed he was fading. Score one for the Gingerbread dude.

Bromance City

The Pain and the Agony

The adrenalin was pumping as a persistent foe was vanquished. Slowly hiking the pace back up to a decent (given the course) 4:57 pace, everything was on cruise control primed for an even stronger finish. By my estimate, I was at about 11th to 14th places at this point. Elite gal (who whooped me earlier) was actually within my line of sight. Then a particularly disconcerting sharp pain shot up my left knee. Dang. ITB mode. Ignore. More pain. More ignoring. Finally a stinger had me hopping on one leg in excruciating pain.
Dammit. No way. I worked so hard only to throw it all away. Just 2k to go! I had stretched this all week, even Salonpas rollered it so much to the point that my room already smells like my Lolo's CR. This sucks. Really does. I'll try to run it off. Aaaaaaaaah. Aray. Arouch. Mommmyyy. Oh great bromance dude just passed me. With a smile on his face. Someone kill me now. Maybe I can just roll to the finish line.

ITB Fail. More frustrated than hurt, I gingerly(no pun intended) attempted to jog to the line . I even ran into old buddy Gary who was on the way to finish his 5k. (Ayan nabati na kita bro. Burger ko. Smirk.) Totally dejected, I surrendered the final two splits at 7:40 and 6:41 en route to limping home with a 53:14. I would later see that this effort somehow managed to snag 23rd place in a lean field. Sigh.

Post-Mortem
Overall, the race was a lot harder than I had expected or prepared for, and most of the people who raced it would pretty much agree. The relative humidity was off the charts, people were sweating like a presidential candidate on a live televised debate. Most weren't too thrilled about the finisher's shirt though, saying it was "pambahay " quality (don't shoot the messenger). For a premium priced, chip timed race, I guess they were expecting more, given the absence of a singlet.

On a personal note, it's back to the drawing board. Not only was I out of shape, it's apparent that the ol' ITB is nowhere near 100%. A break is impending. Maybe I'll go to the beach or something.

But I guess what's more important is that I actually made it to the end of this article. Been in a terrible writing slump lately. If you're a basketball fan, I'm pulling off the equivalent of a 4- for- 21 effort. Guess this is a step in the right direction. Law of averages. I have to get it one of these days right?

I have a confession to make. I suck at presscons. Absolutely suck at them. I am quite possibly the worst blagger to invite to these things. For some insipid reason or another, I keep on missing them. Either my car gets a flat, I'm assigned OT work or I have some family thing. There's always something going on. I have like a 10% attendance rate, and sooner or later I'll be declared persona non grata by race directors and PR people alike. I never get em goodies. Sob.

So you could just picture the smile on my face when they told me that the presser for the upcoming San Mig Coffee Bay Run Dash for Health ( okay that was long) was at Congo Grille at El Pueblo. That's like... .. two blocks from my house. Yessssss. Finally. No way I'm missing this.

I wonder who's that runner?

One more miss and goodbye presscons foreverrr.
Scheduled at 7pm, I cockily thought to myself, Nah its a 3 minute drive from my place. Why rush? Of course, in a move reeking of sheer time management genius I totally forgot that it was Friday uwian. Smart. So there I was , stuck in bumper to bumper traffic going to a resto that's roughly a kilometer and a half from my house. Great. I still have a Nat Geo hangover.

Oh the horror.
So after like nearly 20 minutes, I finally get to the place. And guess what? Much to my consternation evil manong guard curtly stonewalls me at the entrance with a "Ser, pono na poh and parkeeng dito. Weeting na poh dito, weeting." Weeting for parking would have entailed me adding to the already ginormous traffic jam. Apparently, Mr. Murphy has a secret crush on me and follows me around wherever I go.

Shunget ni koya.

So to make a long story short, I brought the car back home and tempo ran from my house back to the resto, a vain attempt to somehow temper my unexplainable tardiness. Of course, I had to run in jeans, leaving my poise on the pavement in the process. Good thing a lot of familiar faces greeted me when I came in, denizens of the running blogosphere in full force.

The faces behind your favorite blags

Que, Gail , and Vimz of Kulit on the Run with hubby Art
So let's cut to the chase. After having way more than my fair share of sisig and chicken, the presser proper unfolded. Takbo.ph first lady Que did the honor of introducing the GM of San Mig Coffee, and he gave the requisite welcome remarks. Kind man. I wish I had him as a Tito.

Que in the house!

Tito saying something about San Mig

Soon after, things were turned over to the comely Marketing Manager ( or so I think, the exact title eludes me) of the brand and she gave a quick primer on the product line. Three things I learned : 1. The San Mig Coffee "healthy" line is tops in its market segment 2. Good ol' Piolow is no longer their endorser, thus visions of a grand showdown dissipated into thin air quicker than it was conjured, and 3. Presenting to a rowdy, predominantly male blogger crowd is an exercise in restraint. Lol.

Deep breathly. I can do this.

Soon after, it was a pleasant surprise to see that Ian Alacar would be assuming Race Director duties for this race. Absent from the mainstream scene as of late, it was nice to see him around for a change. For long-time followers of this site, you may recall that Ian was the race director when I first conquered the ultramarathon distance at Botak awhile back. Fun guy.

Happy mems with Ian and Sideshow Bob

So what are the essentials you need to know about the race? It's going to be held on May 23rd, Mall of Asia grounds. But before you dismiss it as just another MOA race, hold your horses. It's being touted as the first race to have a route that actually cuts through the Manila baywalk. 3k and 5k distances cost P450 a pop, while the 10k and 15k races are at P550.

Race is actually bang for the buck, you get a fancy Unibersidad-made singlet that would probably cost as much as the registration if bought as a stand-alone. And the cool part about the whole thing is you could order your race kits over the phone, delivered COD by WWW.express. The number to call is 795-1777. Niiice.

For you freebie/perk hunters out there, I'd rather that you find out for yourselves what's in store for you during race day, but to give you a quick heads up there would be photobooths, bottomless coffee, loot bags, seminars, and dare I say, free massages?

So there you go. Registration starts April 17, 2010 to May 19, 2010, call the number I mentioned earlier for more details. If you've never run around the bay area, this is a good race to actually try out the local scenery. Hope this helped everyone, I'll see you on the road!

Requisite Gingerbread photo-op with Ian and Marketing gal.

What is it about Men, and their recliners?
That love/love relationship they have with big comfy chairs.
Overstuffed, overly large, comfy, cushioned, clicker hiding, reclining comfort.
Usually delegated downstairs to the “man cave” along with the big screen TV, so as not to add a note of discord to the beauty of the feminine decor that inhabits the main floor in many houses.

Years ago, one of the biggest choices, and compromises in our then new marriage was the choice of furniture for our new home. The experts will tell you it’s all about children, where to live, money… but it’s furniture, trust me. His stuff, your stuff, how to combine our stuff… big time.
My husband came without baggage, other then a absolutely tasteless off white vinyl Swedish modern, IKEA knockoff, footstool equipped Sears special.
He declared undying love for it. I declared undying love for him, but not for the chair.
A tie breaker? A deal maker? Would it be him, or the chair, or would I have to live with the evil step child of a chair in order to be happily ever after with Prince Charming.
We compromised, and went shopping.
Thus began the search for “I’ll know it when I find it.”
Months later, and more stores then I ever want to visit again, after numerous discussions, disagreements, compromises, and bargaining, he happily settled into a beautiful, clean lined recliner that we could bo th live with. It cost as much as a few mortgage payments but we were happy.

Finding something that pleased both of our tastes was a lesson in subjectivity. But we finally learned to live happily ever after with this new step child, both of us coming to love the chair that took center stage in our living room.
Time marched on, we moved up here the chair took a beating from the moving company that manhandled many of our precious items. It started to grow metal springs like curly hairs from it’s back, transforming from a gentle well behaved piece of furniture to a squeaking, sagging, jolting beast shedding foam chips, and black greasy dust every time someone sat in it.

We gazed with dread upon flyers, and catalogues… how would we ever find a chair that would fit into our family without discord.
We searched, he sat, I encouraged, he declined, I sighed. Chair after chair, store after store, there were contenders, close calls, and compromises. We were rather rusty at choosing, it had been more then a decade since we last adopted a step child chair.
Then one snowy blustery, the first day of spring he found it. He spied it sitting in a row of 20 or so like minded chairs, he sat, he reclined… and declared it the one. Like true love, he knew instantly.

I’m not sure what the future will hold, it’s his true love, I am merely the [wicked] stepmother… but you know, it might grow on me like the other one did. Tell us about your recliner stories… especially if they are the horror story ones… lol.

Many photographers start out by taking photos of flowers.

Somewhere along the line you decide to try “real people.”
Your family, your friends, your spouse.
Eventually most of them shy away from the camera when they see it pop up in your hands. There might even be a few confrontations involved when you over enthusiastically click away at them.
But none in my opinion are as difficult a subject as yourself.
I had a very challenging client the other day.
Whining, complaining, pouting, wouldn’t look at the lens, wanted to focus on the image on the screen instead. That’s my job, not hers.
Wouldn’t take my gentle directions, wouldn’t sit still.
Complained about her hair almost continuously… bad haircut by her former stylist in December, it’s not growing out… those new grey curly hairs are taking over… ”look at them ugh.”
She spent most of the session insisting that she was not photogenic, all the while tilting her head in odd directions, covering her face with her hands, and moving at the last second.
She complained that she didn’t have any makeup on, that the light was too harsh, she was hot, she was cold, she was tired, and the chair was too hard.
One time she picked up her cat, and despite the struggling of the fur covered beastie managed to subdue it long enough for a shot. Bribery was involved… kitty treats.

Difficult? Yes. Challenging, yes, fun? Not too sure about that for either of us.
Was it possible to get a good shot of her? She insisted that she was not photogenic, and that’s why she is always behind the camera, instead of in front of it.
We chatted about inner beauty, and how women are always self critical, learn to see the beauty inside, and you won’t focus on the faults I told her.
Was she one of the hardest subjects I have ever shot? Yes
Was she me?
Yes.
Did I learn more in this session about posing, making my subject comfortable, finding the best angle, making her look her very best, and coming up with a pleasing shot for both of us because of this? Yes.
Will it make me a better photographer, definitely! I have so rarely been in front of the lens… too many 6 foot tall beanpole shots as a teenager, stop shooting me from below, I’m not a tree. Reality in a 4 x 6, “hey is that really how I look,” for me to trust anyone with a camera in their hands.
I’m camera shy, and that’s why I hide behind the lens… it’s where I’m comfortable, watching, looking, recording…

I’ve included a few tutorials on Selfie’s… I know that I needed all the help I can get, and maybe you will find something in there helpful.
Christina Greeve how to take a great professional selfie. [This is my favourite, she’s amazing]
How to take a great selfie
7 tips for great selfies
My advice, relax, enjoy, watch your background, and keep clicking, after all one of them has to turn out eventually, let your inner beauty shine.
OK, so now you’ve read the entire post, and maybe even gone back to check, and you are wondering where the photos are… take a look at my About page, there is one there. I’m not big on having lots of photos of myself out there, so that will have to do for now. Jane @ Muddy Boot Dreams

You guys… make me feel so much better about this ummmm… ”noise” that emanates from our kitchen occasionally. I just finished reading all of the comments, and they certainly do run the gamut from icy fingers to total level headedness.

The best part, no one laughed at me, and no one poked fun at me while they were leaving a comment. Yes, I did hide outside in full view of the neighbours, in my housecoat, and yes, admittedly I was a little fearful. [There were some family members that rolled their eyes at my story, “what are you scared of, and why would you go outside when you heard something?]

But the bloggers were so supportive, and it’s nice to know that other people have had some um… discomfort in the dark also. Thanks to everyone who left me a comment, I have some pondering to do, this house doesn’t have a bad vibe to it at all… but maybe it could use some good words, and good thoughts.

The Boo’s behaviour is more quizzical then fearful, he doesn't seem to have any fearful thoughts in his head other then “my tummy is hungry… again, when is dinner, lunch, breakfast.” So if that’s any indication… shrugging. And thanks to Lori for that wonderful [I should have thought about it myself] suggestion, I’ve got that special flashlight, that acts as a night light, and recharges it’s self so it’s always ready when needed. That’s going to be a real help for the next time the power goes out.

So think good thoughts for my house, the noise hasn’t really happened again since the beginning of the week. I am wondering if it is a nail in a floor joist in the kitchen, moving with the temperature fluctuations. Yes undoubtedly that is what it has to be, at least for now, until I hear it again in the middle of the night. But then should the power go out, I will have my special nightlight/flashlight to chase away the shadows. And all of your good common sense comments to make me feel brave. Thanks, PS, we are all wondering, do you, or don’t you? Believe in ghosts that is? Would love to hear your opinions in your comments.

“You're going two miles over the

speed limit, you had better slow down, or you’ll get a ticket” he tells me, there are no other vehicles on the road except a semi that has inexplicitly cut in front of us. “Dad, I’m trying to pass this semi truck that just cut in front of us.” The one that is driving on the white line creating a blinding sandstorm from the now dried sand and gravel that snow plows had spread so abundantly. Slow down, he insists. I do, but not until we safely pass the semi, now wobbling from lane to lane, a huge dense cloud of dust behind us.

He checks his passenger side mirror without any pretence as we smoothly edge into the empty lane beside us. There is no one beside us, but he checks each time. “You’re a better driver then your sister, she goes way to fast.” Well, that’s some accomplishment I think to myself.

I recall many summer vacations spent as a child where I thought we were to be immediate victims of a head on crash, as the now elderly, but once impatient driver sitting besides me used to pass multiple vehicles with our truck and camper without a blink. On coming traffic be dammed. I can still hear the receding angry honking as he wound between slower moving tourists, sliding into a space at the last second, and the rest of our family collectively letting out our breath. It wasn’t as if he was doing anything that anyone else didn’t do. Everyone drove with a cigarette in their right hand, their finger used to twirl the steering wheel… windows wide open, left arm hanging out, bronzed, strong, and fatherly. They just didn’t know any better. Now we do.

I drive with both hands on the wheel, 10, and 2, eyes on the road, checking the rear, sides, and front continuously.and it’s barely enough for him. We’ve lived here for over a year, and he still gives me directions on when to turn into our little town… Somehow this isn’t what I imagined as a child, riding shotgun in the pickup truck, watching my big strong Father drive the road. I glance over to the passenger seat, taking in the older, frailer man he has become… and I slow down even more. If it makes him feel safer, it’s worth it to me.

So while in recovery from back-to-back 42k's in two weeks (check out the route of my last training run here) in preparation for the upcoming Bataan Death March 102k Ultramarathon, obviously I can't run. No running = mind-numbing boredom. So in tribute to Sam the Running Ninja's infamous fly art opus, here's what I do when I'm completely and utterly bored :P

You hurt my family... . now I hurt you... .

The police couldnt not determine if it was death by scramble or poach

Oh the horror the horror

Ang tigas ng ulo mo!

Kung eto na ang ating mga huling sandali, gusto ko lang sabihin na I LAB YUaaaaaaaahhhhh

Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Run for your lives! It's the evil five-headed monster!

I... wanna rock and roll all night... .

John Lloyd and Bea in between takes

Backup, backup! Houston, we have a MAJOR problem here!!!

Iniwan daw ng girlpren, kaya tumalon. Kawawang bata.

Tama na! Sobra na! Makibaka mga kapatid! Lalaban tayo!

Somehow, Barack could feel that he wasn't so welcome here

This movie was so scary that... ..

... ..The whole gang yolked in their pants

Adios, Patria Adorada... ..

Have an Eggcellent day everyone :)

Before we even talk about this... .

We need to know first if you... ..

Ain't running BDM?

Bunch of loonies... Are tired of breaking the bank for weekend races?

This running thing is pretty expensiveNot a fan of Lactobacilli Shirota Strain?

EwwwwwIf you answered in the affirmative for all and want a "cleansing and refreshing" option, then why not check out the Amazing Kidney Race to be held this March 7 at UP? In a nod to celebrating World Kidney Day (yeah, there's such a thing) , proceeds of the race will go to a kidney disease awareness campaign as well as for the treatment of patients. Hey if only for World Kidney Day, give this race a shot!

Save our kidneys!Interested? Kidney fever much? Here, read up more on it! :)

The kidney is one of the vital organs that make the complex and crucial body processes possible. As an acknowledgement of the kidneys’ amazing role in human physiology and in celebration of World Kidney Day 2010 with the theme “Amazing Kidneys”, the Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN), in cooperation with UP Family Life and Child Development Circle, is staging a rare race event dubbed as “The Amazing Kidney Race.” To be held in the scenic and breezy campus of UP Diliman, “The Amazing Kidney Race” promises to give beginner and seasoned runners alike a unique and exciting racing experience.

Institutionalizing the humanitarian dimension of running and race events is what the PSN aims to accomplish in staging “The Amazing Kidney Race.” Proceeds of this race event will be used mainly for supporting the kidney disease awareness campaign of PSN and the operation and treatment of kidney patients, and partly for the UP Child Development Center. Likewise, this race is among the platform events of PSN adjunct to the global celebration of World Kidney Day.

As PSN aims to pull off a fun yet challenging race, “The Amazing Kidney Race” will have four event categories. There is the 15K Relay Race limited only to 50 teams. Each team shall be composed of 5 members who will correspondingly complete the 1k-2k-3k-4k-5k race distances to complete a total of 15 kilometers. Adding twist to this race category are the baton passing and challenges that must be met by the relay runners in the handover zones to complete transition. Then there is the heart-warming 2.2K Parent-Child Tandem Run especially allocated for Mom/Dad-Child team-ups. During the race, participants and spectators will get a touching sight of a parent egging on and encouraging her/his child who is determined to give his/her all. There is also the 5K UP FLCD Circle Challenge, a banner event of event-partner UP FLCD Circle, particularly catered to beginner runners or veteran racers who have the need for speed. And finally there is the centrepiece event, the 15K Eliminator Pursuit, where race participants will get an adrenalin rush as they negotiate UP Diliman campus’ best kept running course secret – the Heartbreak Route. 15K racers will get to know first-hand why it is called as such. And as if the route is still not inviting, all participants who meet the 45-minute half-way mark or 1hour45minutes finish point cut-off times will receive a Finishers’ Medal.

I likeyyy... ..

Both 15K and 5K solo race events will have MD and Open categories and subsequent male and female divisions. Top three individual and group finishers in all events and categories will be awarded with medals and certificates of achievement.

So there! I'll update this post as to where you guys and gals could register for this worthwhile event as the details come in. Have fun and run for em' kidneys!

We’ve been in our house for just over a

year, living in the Okanagan for 14 months.life settling into place, it’s hard sometimes to believe that we are here. And then a moment, a passing glimpse tells me it’s all real. I truly believe that those moments are there to tell us how fortunate we are. What do you do after the dream you’ve dreamt for so long comes true? You dream another dream, face another challenge. And you live every day full of gratitude that your dream was the one chosen, and that you get to live it.

I know how precious living here is, I see it every morning as I look out my window and watch the birds at the feeder, instead of a new high rise going up across the street.

I hear it in the way the eagles keen to each other, instead of the chirping of a garbage truck in the alley. I know that the dog barking down the street means there are coyotes in the ravine, not a homeless person rummaging through our city dumpster for bottles.

I know that seeing my parents drive by while doing errands is a treasure… and shopping with my sister doesn’t have to be rushed because she is already home. Seeing my family in our small town is a blessing… I’ve missed them for too long. Home is here now, for all of us. And for that I am grateful. Our dream has come true.

"To describe the agony of a marathon to someone who's never run it is like trying to explain color to someone who was born blind."- Hal Higdon, running coach

As of this writing, I am still recovering from the effects, both physical and emotional, of my first-ever marathon. Yes, my very first full mary. The big V word. Surprised? Yes, your fun Gingerbread scribe was a veritable newbie at the Condura Skyway Marathon. Although not a stranger to the distance having completed a 50k ultramarathon eons ago (okay maybe it was just last year), this was my first stab at racing a 42k. So how did it go? Let's do a quick backgrounder first.

Always the running event of the year

"The will to win means nothing if you haven't the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner

Having never actually "trained" for anything before and content to do mindless Gingerbread jagging with more emphasis on pacute than pakondisyon , I had planned for Condura to be my debut marathon as early as October. Using a program concocted by buddy/masochist/monster Edward Kho of Conquer Corregidor fame (he threw down a scintillating 3:27 by the way) , I proceeded to immerse myself in the so-called science of the sport. Tempo runs. Intervals. Ladders. Hill Work. Yasso 800's. Things that had sounded absolutely Greek to me became staples of my everyday routine.

Much to my surprise,the effects of the program were immediate and remarkably consistent. Each race seemed to incredibly usher in the advent of a new personal best. By the time that Condura beckoned, I had chopped 6 minutes off my 10k time and about 37 minutes from my 21k. Brimming with confidence, I had high hopes for my debut marathon. Feeling as good as I've felt in years, this Gingerbread newbie was ready to conquer that breezy, mid-morning party in the southern sky.

Newbies have it hard.

"The marathon can and will humble you. " - Bill Rodgers , four-time Boston Marathon winner

I really had no idea what to expect. Certain "scientific" calculations had me primed for a highly aspirational time based off my 10k and 21k results. But I had my doubts. While my speed work was fine, I had been remiss on my Sunday long runs - a byproduct of increasing family and work demands. The longest runs I had put in were two 30k dingers, and even if I felt in my gut that this was lacking, my innate stubbornness was telling me that my training and heart would somehow bring me home. Misguided naievity? But then again, this mindset has somehow paid dividends in the past. Let's see how the whole thing unravels with my retro race diary,I'll even put in a time stamp so it's like we're actually there.

Retro Race Diary?

2:30 : I wake up in a dazed, zombie-like state, the anxious effects of having roughly three hours and 37 seconds worth of sleep written all over my face. As with most newbies, I could barely sleep the night before. Tossed, turned, then eventually settled on watching an illicit copy of Spirit Of The Marathon. Thank God for YouTube. Much to my chagrin though, I didn't cry. Sob.

3:30 : With no traffic to contend with, I had an unexpectedly easy time parking. Hydrobelt? Check. Ipod? Check. Condura 2009 "street cred" spare shirt?Check. Wallet and license? Um, er, gulp. I'm screwed.

3:45 : After spending about 10 minutes getting lost looking for the starting corral, I finally saw my running buddies. Admittedly, I'm tense. Tight even. Too many thoughts going on in my head. Strategies. Nutrition. Pace. That Yeng Constantino song that's always on Love Radio. Fudge, I give up. I have come to the realization that I have absolutely no idea what I'm getting myself into. P.S- I got some grief for showing up in white shorts. UGH.

Yeng Constantino Fanboy?

4:00 : Well-modulated (and perhaps well-paid) host leads a fun countdown that seemed half a second behind. He must have been sleepy. It's funny how he prods people that "we have a wonderful surprise for you ", when it's so obvious that he's referring to a fireworks display to open the race. Anticlimactic to a certain extent, but made room for some unintentional comedy.

Host : 3, 2, 1... .. and now here's your surprise!

(eerie silence)

Host: Here! Game! Now na! Now! Now!

Fireworks are always fun though, awesome start to any race.

I love fireworks.
4:15 : For some insane reason, I thought I could hang with the big boys on this. I started with a pace group that included Junrox, Totoy, Chris and Wilnar, all certified monsters. Why the uncalled for bravado? Once again, I have to reiterate that I have no idea how to approach this. I'm a serial positive splitter in the short to middle distances. So I guess I was sticking close to home for this. Also, the idea was to maintain a 5:00- 5:10 minute pace for the first 21k, something not completely unattainable based from my previous results.

Note to self : Every time I'm with Wilnar in a pace group, something crazy happens. For instance, this 10k race in BF the plan was to open with a 4:30 min/km pace. Race begins. Less than 5 minutes later I can't breathe. Glance to watch - 3:45. Yeah!
So here , less than 3k into the race, I was straining. Not so much, but noticeable. Glance to watch - 4:30! 4:30!!! Whatever happened to 5:10? Wilnar has done it again! With a rabid fear of bottoming out later on, I motioned to the speedsters that I would be falling back.

And with labored b reathing defining my every step, I was all alone once more.
4:51 : 51 minute 10k. 3 minutes slower than usual. I think am doing good. I feel the pressure. I feel.. like I'm fading. What? No way! This early? As I go down to Buendia coming from Kalayaan, people are starting to catch up with me. What is going on? Seems the ol' mental makeup is shaky today. Team Hardcore Ultraman/Frontrunner Magazine progenitor Jonel "Bugobugo" Mendoza caught up with me, and it was a tremendous blessing that he was there. The pleasant conversation towed me through the near-entirety of Buendia, and for awhile things seemed... okay.

5:15 : Entering the Skyway. Being a 10k runner last year, this was my first time. And it sure was awesome. Well, until the part that I couldn't breathe anymore. Gasp. What to do what to do. Not good. Hey, my first and only time to be on the Skyway for free! Yipee! Gasp.

Conquering... . is easier said than done
5:30: Ominous statement of the day from some random guy who kept on talking to me on the road - "You're going too fast, you're going too fast! We have to take it slow or we burn out right away". Sounds like my ex-girlfriend on our first date. Smirk.

Let's take it slow? 5:39: They say that too much thinking can kill a man. And it's true. I fussed so much about my strategy that I ended up doing things I never really do. I walked all water stations, ostensibly to save on energy. But each time, the person I was running with was so far off that I couldn't catch up anymore. I felt my heart rate plummet every time I stopped. Something was going to go awry. I could feel it. Jonel disappeared from the horizon. So did Takbo.ph buddy Kampugers (don't judge me, it's a term of endearment) when I took a break. Panic was setting in. I was going nowhere real fast.

5:59 : Halfway mark. 1:59. In the vernacular, tipid na tipid? At nine minutes off my regular time, the prevailing mindset here is that the energy I'm conserving will get me through. Celebrity sighting : Jaymie/TBR. She looks awful strong out there. I could have sworn she was running with white compression shorts model/Runnr guru OJ. Gave a lame, token attempt to run with them, and poof! I eat dust. Note to self : Buy white compression shorts.

Classic OJ here.
6:30 : Pain (p

n) - An unpleasant sensation occurring in varying degrees of severity as a consequence of injury, disease, or emotional disorder.
Pain. Yeah. At roughly the 25k mark, I was in a lot of it. The pressure, over-analyzation, and a glaring lack of long runs most probably caused a way premature case of cramps and wall-bonking. Really odd. At Baldie Rizal Day 32k, at around the same point I felt I could have gone all day. Here, I was spent. As runner after runner passed me, the prospect of a strong finish was slowly slipping away.

What was really happening at 25k

7:00 : Getting hot. Am starting to slip into a dazed, zombie-like mode. Oftentimes, I'd try to latch on to people I know, casual conversation helps take your mind off the pain. Oftentimes I'd stop. Mentally, I'm in shambles. I thought I prepared well enough for this.

7:15 : I just realized for the first time that hey, it's nice here in the Skyway. Awesome even. I was so engrossed with all this competitive running-related crap that I'm starting to forget the little joys of our sport.

Find the joy in it GBM!
7:25 : Badly fading toward the latter stretch, I saw Condura boss Pat Concepcion along with his pseudo entourage. In a terrible daze, I willed myself to run with their group if only to get towed a kilometer or two.With the cameras rolling, he must have been wondering who was this weird character running behind him, posing for pictures even with a weird smile. Aaah the joys of Gingerbread anonymity.

It pays to be part of the Patcon entourage7:30 : Sound bite from Milo National finalist Vener/Run Unlimited nearing 32k - "Musta newbie? Tara let's go konti na lang! Mag 6mpk tayo!" As much as I wanted to, my legs had already gone to some Carribean island sipping ice tea on the beach while I had to drag their useless carasses around. Hmph.

7:50 : Oh thank God for the Takbo.ph aid station! Having manned this in the past, I was never really able to fully grasp the value of this altruistic initiative until I was on the receiving end. While experiencing a level of pain somewhere in between "roasting over hot coals" and "multiple astral projections", there's no better salve than warm smiles from supportive friends with a side helping of healthy encouragement. I was so warped by this point that when I ran into moody buddy/podium regular Zinnia on her bike, I have reason to believe this following conversation actually took place :

Z : Just a couple more meters to the aid station! We have stuff for you there!
GBM : Grunt. Uuuuuuh.
Z: Hoooooooy!! Are you okaaay?
GBM : Uuuuuuuuuh

Z : Anyway, just go there! Zombie!
I was so overjoyed to have recovering speedster Mac and an unknown, muscular man we shall just call "Manong" massage my weary legs. I guess it's the only time I'll ever thoroughly enjoy a massage given by two , er, men. Que handed me a banana, and Sir Amado's snapped up some pictures. All these served as a welcome respite, and I felt like I was on a rejuvenated high entering the homestretch.

Manong's steady hands did the trick8:20 : Kalayaan Flyover redux beckons. Been a worthy adversary on so many occassions. I think I've solved it though. But... . not... . on... .. this... . dang I gotta walk. Kalayaan Flyover 7, GBM 6.

8:30 : So near yet so far. Nearing collapse, I am dazed, confused, and running completely on empty.

8:40: This seems to be the longest 3km stretch of my life.Oh my god. You have got to be kidding me. When is it going to end? Just as I am about to sprawl on the pavement, I run into running bloggers Vicky (incredibly running a marathon on a whim! Awesome!) and hot bod Rodel/Argonaut. We are all pretty much in the same boat, literally crawling. Peace by inches. Have... . to... .. gut.. this... out.

8:45: Trying to fartlek my way home, I almost collapse into Argow, "Kristo" -style. I have absoulely nothing left to give.

8:55 : One last stab at glory, no way I'm finishing this like a cripple. Months of training leads to one last tempo run. One last burst of speed to bring it home. Don't give up now!

Last shot at glory... 8:56: And it's DONE! Yeah!!!!! Was never happier to see a finish line. The most agonizing 42.195 kms of my life done in 4:56:03. I wanted to cry... but the tears wouldn't come. Must have been the dehydration. The marathon has chewed me up, spit me in pieces and brought me to my knees. Friends say I am pale, and a massive headache follows. I can barely walk straight.

I missed my goal in a bad way.

But you know what they say about marathons? When you cross the finish line, no matter how slow or fast, it will change your life forever. And I firmly believe that. As all of this was starting to sink in, a stark realization suddenly dawned upon me. I'm... I'm a marathoner now! A real one! I'm now officially part of the .1 of 1% of the world's population to have finished one! The time doesn't even matter. What matters is I crossed that line in one piece in spite of the overwhelming urge to just flat out quit. I felt like I have left my blood, guts, and soul out there.
And at that exact moment, at that time and place, in spite of the terrible physical beating I took...

I was at peace. And overwhelmingly happy.

Guess that's the spirit of the marathon for you right there.

p.s. I can't wait to get back out there again :P

Winter lies too long in country towns; hangs on until it is stale and shabby, old and sullen. Willa Cather As I was going through some old images from last year, I noticed this series of shots. Taken in March, that was one of the harshest springs we had encountered for many a decade. I have faith that this one coming will be a little less harsh for us. But just thinking that makes me realize that maybe it’s my last easy spring. In Armstrong the springs are short, cold, snowy, and then the next day it’s summer. At least this is what my sister tells me. I am choosing not to believe her. This spring will be bittersweet for us.

We want to move to that country town, where winter will lay long, getting old and sullen, it’s been our dream for such a long time. It’s hard to realize as we look out into the garden now and see snowdrops, that where we want to live will have snow for a long time still. As a gardener I long for those extended seasons, and here I am giving it up. Makes you wonder doesn’t it? But finally being near my family will be worth it.

♥ ~ ♥

It’s the month of love

with hearts galore everywhere pink red white, pale pastel colors and bright. We women are busy giving, and creating valentines for so many others that it’s easy to forget to look after our own heart health.

Do you know the symptoms of a heart attack? I’m sure we all know what they are for men, but do we know what they are for women?

A few years ago I had a issue while at work [a very large retail pharmacy] pain in my chest, and arm, sweating, and no one could clearly tell me if I should be calling a ambulance or not. It turned out to be nothing of consequence, but it could be, what I learned was that you have to educate yourself, and know the symptoms. Don’t depend on someone else to know this for you.

This is heart month, the heart you save could be yours, or someone you love.

Here’s a short, funny well made video about a busy Mom, who obviously puts herself last on the list almost to the detriment of both herself, and her family. Don’t be that woman. I’m having some trouble embedding the video, but you should be able to click on this link to watch it. If it doesn’t work you can Google Go Red for Woman, “just a little heart attack.” Save your heart.

Remember Sunday drives, the days when your parents would load you, and your siblings into the old gas guzzler that served as the single family vehicle, and aimlessly drive around for hours? Looking at neighbourhoods, checking out houses, or maybe just going to visit the countryside to look at the farms. Maybe afterwards your Dad would fill up the guzzler for the week at the gas station, and it might cost around $.20 per gallon, and he would grumble at the cost of filling the tank.

Those days are gone like a puff of hot air now, with gas prices skyrocketing, it’s not uncommon to see prices of $1.49 per litre. [ 1 Liter = 0.26 US Gallons, which is approximately $5.68 US per gallon. This is a great site to use to convert prices, and size of gallons, since Canada uses litres, and the US uses Gallons. I’ve combed through some fuel consumption sites in order to gather together the most common tips on how to save both money, and fuel. And since it’s all about thrifty living in 2012 here we go. Braking 101: One of the top tips across all of the sites is all about braking. Avoid breaking suddenly, or hard, and don’t be taking off too fast, it uses up a lot of gas. Remember vehicles are heavy, and once they are stopped it takes a lot of gas to get them going again. So if you do a lot of city driving, or drive in traffic leave that little bit of space between you and the car in front of you, so you are not forced to brake too suddenly. Slow down speedy: Drive slower: For those with a lead foot this might be hard to manage, but it will pay off in the long run if you can train yourself to drive slower. There are some sites that claim a decrease in speed from 75 mph to 65 mph will save you 12% in fuel. Worth a try, so slow down.

Small is better: Get a smaller vehicle, because larger vehicle = more to move = higher fuel consumption. With the thought in mind that fuel consumption varies from vehicle to vehicle, make sure to do your research before your purchase. You’ve got junk in your trunk: While you are at it, get that junk out of your trunk, I am a repeat offender for this crime, all sorts of things go for a long ride with me… and it’s adding up in increased fuel consumption.

Cruisin on a sunny afternoon: Cruise control when used correctly and safely, will save you a average of 7% in your fuel consumption. Wroom, wroom, baby. Just don’t use it in the city. Idle times: Don’t let your vehicle idle excessively, it wastes gas, in the extreme cold weather use a block heater, or let the vehicle idle for only a short period of time, and then drive slowly for the first little while until it warms up.

It’s all hot air: Air conditioning, to turn it on, or to sweat it out? Turns out they are divided on whether or not to use your air conditioning, and maybe your parents were half right. Yes is does consume a small amount of fuel, but not that much. So if you are city driving, wind down those windows, and let the fresh air in. On the hi way save fuel, by reducing drag from open windows and let the air conditioning be the breeze that flows through your hair. Hope you can find something useful in here, and that you do save some fuel. For more tips on saving gas, check out the Frugal Five, who are joining in on Thrifty Living 2012. Brenda , Claudia , Elaine , and Diane , and me, Jane. Come back for Farm Friday… it’s all hoops, and prickles

When we lived on the coast I was used

to being recognized by customers, even though I seem to lack a facial recognition gene that everyone else has, and didn’t have a clue who they were, they knew me. Long conversations with me fishing for some clue as to how we were connected and from where. Then my ever patiently waiting husband would query me as we walked away as to their identity, and he was always tickled to hear that I hadn’t a clue, but still had talked to them for so long. Funny, sweetie very funny… Up here I thought we were incognito… after all who would know us other then a few family members, and occasional friend. Not so… seems more people know us then we think.

When the repairman for Frankie [our treadmill] arrived the first thing he told us is that he knows the former owner’s of our house, and has been here many times. He recently visited them in their new place… That just feels… weird.

My hairdresser’s a former school friend of a niece, our Chiropractor treats acquaintances whom we are no longer in touch with. The lady at the grocery store chatting us up about the best olives to buy, is a former garden center customer from the coast. And the woman who looked at me oddly in the Wallymart line up didn’t want me to move faster she recognized me from our youth, my Mom and Dad were friends with her parents.

We are very careful what we say, and whom we say it too, small towns love to gossip, say hello to a cashier in one store, and have the greeting passed back you in the hardware store down the road. Talk is cheap, travels quickly, watch what you say, and have no regrets. That’s my small town motto. And wear a wig if you want to rob a bank and not be recognized,… recently a local person was caught cycling down the road after robbing the bank, because many of the tellers recognized her as a regular.

There are people who never

seem to have their glass any less then completely full. I admire that attitude, never seeing a lack of anything wonderful in their life. And I will say that I wondered if it took massive amounts of effort, and control to convince themselves that they saw it that way. But for some people it just seems to be the way they are built the way they live their lives the way they look at the world. No rose colored glasses needed.

It’s a wonderful attitude, and I wish more of us could be that way. Let’s raise a glass to wondering if it just takes time, and experience to achieve that level of happiness, and if we can become like that.

I have a elderly friend from where we used to live, that has been given a diagnosis of terminal cancer, they can’t do anything. This isn’t about sadness, her attitude is one of thankfulness that she wakes up each morning. How’s that for amazing. Even though I had expected the news it was upsetting. Hoped for the best, heard the worst, where do you go from there? How do you comfort her, what do you say. I thought maybe she was putting on a brave face for me, but no, she is grateful for everyone of her years, her life, her family, and friends. She tells me that she has had a good life, and a good time. She doesn’t worry about anything, those are her words. Her faith is strong, and so is her spirit.

The world needs more people like her… and I’m grateful that I have this chance to know her. Have you been fortunate enough to meet some “the glass is full” people in your life, and aren’t they amazing?

A young couple wander hand in hand through a museum exhibit, in a large echoing building with high ceilings. Brightly lit, open spaces filled with items from the past, collections from each century artfully and creatively displayed. As they come to a pause before a exhibit on electronics a virtual screen appears and fills the air in front of the display, with information, graphics, and videos. The couple interacts with the information by momentarily settling their glance on a topic and the screen expands that subject for them.

When they reach one titled "Internet, the early days" the young woman pauses, a quizzical look on her face and says to her husband…"I think Great Granny used to do that." I remember Mom telling me stories about Bloggers when I was young… Another screen appears in front of them…explaining the purpose of the Internet, and the popularity of Blogging in the 21st century. With a curious look on her face, she recites a name into the air, and watches as the hovering virtual screen brings up the blog of her Great Grandmother from nearly a century ago. She excitedly turns to her husband and tells him…"I thought it was just something that Mom used to talk about. I had no idea that they could still be found after all these years." She points to a photo saying"Oh my goodness, there's Great Granny. And that little girl must be Grandma, I've never seen these images before, look at how cute she was. Do you think that's a laptop she's holding, I remember learning about those in history class." She quickly downloads the information from the screen to a small device she's holding in her hand, and with a huge smile on her face tells her husband,"imagine the look on Mom and Dad's faces when I show this to them…"

What will our blogs leave behind? Family heirlooms come in many different versions, objects handed down from generation to generation. Antique silver, furniture, love letters from our Grandparents, they are all treasures from our past. Imagine our blogs decades later,…a century from now how will the future generations perceive what we are doing from their vantage point. Our blogs are our legacy, a modern memory in the making. Keeping track of what our life are like, trends, our reasons for blogging, our lives as we live them. The things that we find important now, the challenges, and joys that we face today, what the future holds for us is going of interest for the future generations. And do you think it will matter? The photos that we decide to share in our posts will show the changes in the landscape of the countryside, cities, the world, and our lives, to those looking at them in the future. The growth of our families, the memories of those no longer here. There are many different types of bloggers, those who are involved in selling products, writing posts that inform us, the creatives who share their art, an the story tellers who transport us to places of the imagination. We might all blog for different reasons, or use a mixture of many different styles to get our message across.
I do!

But it's all blogging, and it's a legacy for the future. It makes you realize this isn't just a blog, a hobby, or a business. That we are so much more than bloggers… It's a lifestyle, a way of sharing more than information, stories, our photos. And we are recorders of the present…in order to be sharing, centuries from now, what life was like when we were alive. A legacy if you will.

Kind of cool…don't you think? Quite a few bloggers left comments about their blogs being a means to record memories for their families, chronicling daily events, happenings, sharing life as they're living it from day to day. We read each others blogs, we write about many different subjects, but we don't seem to fit neatly into popular niches, and that always makes me wonder. What type of bloggers we are. I'm not sure if you ever think about it, or if it's even important to you. There are times when I think it would be nice to be able to say, I'm a ____ type of blogger. Easier for sure…yes, I'm a X or Y type of blogger. Maybe we all all Legacy bloggers. It's not as if we have to squeeze into a niche, or edge over to another… But here's what I think…the subjects that you write about today, photograph, and share…it's not just a blog post for your online friends, and family who might read your post. But a historical record for the generations to come, and who better to record this day and time then us?
It's our legacy for the future. Can you imagine…decades from now, how much information the future generations will be able to delve from our blogs. Something to think about the next time you hit publish.

Please consider clicking on the share buttons below if you liked this post. It would be greatly appreciated.
100% Canadian Content: All images and words are original to Jane Vandervoort. Copyright 2015

One good thing to keep true to your heart, and in your mind, whether you are a shiny bright newbie, or a established blogger with lots of experience, is your personal blogging boundaries.
What one blogger considers to be a open field, might be oversharing to another. Those lines should be clear in your mind, and be refreshed every now and again on your journey.
Sometimes a incident will occur, or you will read something that you might consider a little too revealing in blogging and it will make you sit up and pay attention.
That’s good.
Boundaries are a good thing, we haven’t just fallen off of the turnip truck, we know in our hearts how much we want to share. It’s those moments of recognition that define our boundaries.

Blog post boundaries:
Sharing facts about yourself doesn’t mean that you need to tell all, unless you want to, and you feel comfortable with that.
I’m paraphrasing a comment left by Meredith on my post “Blogging as yourself” that resonates so true to my heart.
“That doesn't mean you have to tell everyone your deep dark secrets, just be true to yourself.”
Sometimes when we start to blog, it’s tempting to share more then we are would like to in order to be popular. To get those extra comments, gather in more readers. Figure out where you stand on this, and build that fence, if you decide to move it, think before you do, it’s a choice you should make because you feel comfortable, not desperate. The comments will come, the readers will find you, it’s going to take time, and being too out there is not going to give you the kind of people you want to share your village with.
Once it’s on the internet, it’s out there forever. Who wants to be deleting blog posts later about a problem when it’s all over, or the situation has changed. This of course is a matter of personal preference, but I am suggesting that you decide how comfortable you are with sharing before you post anything too personal.

Offers, and giveaways:
When you have been blogging for awhile that first offer of a prize for a giveaway can sound very appealing. Wow, they like my blog, they want to sponsor a give away, on my little blog? It might suddenly feel like you’ve made the big time, and you may have caught the eye of a legitimate sponsor, if so, that’s good.
But don’t be too quick to respond yes, until you have thought through what the implications are, and if the offer is only going to result in free advertising for them. I’ve seen multiple inexperienced bloggers accept conditions that are only benefiting the companies and their products, because the rosy glow of being picked overshadowed the reality of what they were giving away for free.
I get offers from different sponsors, some are legitimate, and others just want me to write a post highlighting their products for free. You’re the reader of this blog, why should I waste your time, and mine on a product, or review of something I haven’t even tried, held in my hand, or looked over?
It’s my brand, my blog, and my reputation at stake here, I pick and choose the sponsors I promote with great care.
To me that’s one boundary I won’t cross, and I have no problem telling potential sponsors the truth, don’t treat me like I’ve just fallen off of the turnip truck.

The time you spend blogging:
You’ve been blogging for some time, and while it’s a great to see the comments roll in you’ve been feverishly working on new projects, and posts to the extent that you are ignoring family, and friends. Decide for yourself how many times you will post, and how important blogging is in your life. I’ve gone from posting once a week, to posting every day, and now I post 3 times a week. This works for me, and it might change, but I am happy with where I am now.
Blog on,