Shoes. Nothing piques our fancy more than a nice new pair to break in. From time to time, I'll be running shoe reviews, depending on what comes in the mail. Expect these reviews to be brief, concise, and coming from a very practical runner's perspective.
On today's menu is the Adidas Supernova Sequence 2. While not as glamorous as the Adizero series , its precursor was known as a good stability shoe for moderate pronators (yeah, not the exag overpronators like me) that's somehow gives off the vibe of silent effectiveness.
Underappreciated?
It's main upgrade from the original series is that Adidas has now included a new "geofit" feature, a collection of padded areas inside the shoe that help out areas which receive the most pressure. The Sequence 2 has a lightweight sole with blown rubber coatings, and is supposed to be durable. The outsole also uses the "ForMotion" feature that helps to adapt to different angles or types of terrain. The shoe is supposed to be versatile, and Adidas suggests that it can be used for numerous different running styles.
I took it out for a quick spin on a leisurely 14k. Immediately noticeable was that it was heavier than my trusty, BDM-scarred Adizero Tempo. As the run progressed, I felt that it corrected my stride a lot more (maybe because of all that fancy" geofit material". OOooh.) and that it afforded a lot more stability. Better yet, my ITB didn't give way at the end. Amazing. Speedwork doesn't seem to be affected all that much by the incremental increase in weight. In hindsight, it's even lighter than my New Balance 848.
Style-wise, it's alright. As I said, not as glamorous as the Adizero line, nor doesn't give off the the vibe of a Asics GT. However, it has a workmanlike yet versatile excellent for everyday use and is excellent for those non-exag overpronators. I'd recommend it :P
As the Gingerbreadman vainly tried to fight off overly emotional baristas and egotistical, surly flight attendants, his tribulations soon got lost as he entered the airspace of the world's largest city, a southern paradise beckoning to him like a sub-zero Coke on a sweltering summer afternooon.
So before it came to this... ..
He had to pass through this... ...
Davao Cab from Airport. GBM. I can't believe I'm finally here. Haven't been here in a year. It's been too long. Last time it was work work work. Now I want to have fun fun fun. Cab driver is conversing with me in the vernacular. Only my proficiency in Cebuano is equivalent to that of a 3rd grader. Okay he's frowning now I think I just said something offensive. Why do I even try? I'm here early, stupid Cebu Pacific had no flights nearer to my boat ride. Wow they still have non-airconditioned taxis here. How... arcane :) Wha.. What's that Mr. Cabbie? Dapit na dong? What's a dapit? What's a dong? Are you cursing me? !@$%%
I find t hese Manila people to be extremely strange With nothing to do until 1:30, GBM was prevailed upon to check out the local sights to burn time. Quickly googling "fun davao spots" unfurled the premiere shopping place in Davao... . Aldevinco Center, GBM Wow, what will I do with sarongs and earrings? And tribal headgear? Next! This is not my place... . Further queries brought about Crocodile Farm, a sortie which did not quite pick his fancy because he had already visited the previous year. In addition, an inherent disdain for 1,000 lb crocodiles ensured that no return trips would be commencing in the near future. Running out of options, a familiar jaunt emerged as a safe haven amidst this unfamiliar land. SM Davao, GBM Wow! I'm in civilization! The SM here looks so... . so... .. the same! So many Mang Inasals! KFC! Kenny! Just like... .. Manila. Hmm... . Nothing spectacular here. Well at least it ain't hot here, it's sweltering outside. Hey they have bottomless greaseless chicken! Did you hear that? Who would have known there was such a thing! I AM IN HEAVEN (@,@) It's the greatest thing ever! I am not making this up. Yum. I heart Davao. *burp*
Best Deal in Town
YUM YUM YUM Davao Marina, 1:30 pm. As the hour neared, his belly filled with greaseless chicken amidst the respite of a cool summer breeze, our protagonist reached the designated pick up point where he would be taking a boat ride to his late summer getaway. A simple wharf was expected, but instead this was the sight that met him... .
Great, they have their own mini-resort as a holding area. Amazing. Very impressive. Okay so now the boat is here. Not a yacht, but the speedboat aint bad at all. So now the journey to paradise begins... .
UA&P, GBM's desk. Present- Day Hi there my dear reader/friend.This is Luis right here. Yes, Gingerbreadman. GBM. Whatever. And yes, I'm talking to you. Breaking the 4th wall again. Thanks for the support in following the story up to this point. I know your time is precious and valuable, that's why I make it as entertaining as possible for you. As you're immersed in our narrative, you do know that here in The Gingerbread Report we try to do things differently. We try to share experiences in unconventional ways. So what usually happens at this point is I would relate how wonderful my vacation was, or how awesome the beach was blah blah. Yeah. That's the norm. But hey, just in the spirit of differentiation that we oftentimes espouse, I'll just stop there. I won't bother telling you about our living arrangements... .
Or their fancy floating bar...
I will not regale you with stories of how close the beach was to my place...
Nor will I bore you with canned anecdotes about how awesome the scenery was... .
I will not even attempt to tell you about that cool electric cart we used...
Or share something irrelevant, like how I am a new infinity pool convert... .
I will not even BEGIN to say how much it rocked to just bum around.
And above all... .. How much it rocked to run on the beach...
I won't even go into any of these things, for the simple reason that... .. It would've been infinitely more special if you were there to share the experience with me. :)
It has been a little over two weeks since 10 enterprising souls along with their gritty, dedicated support team went out with two vans and covered 250 kilometers covering Subic, Bataan and Zambales during the Chris Sports Epic Relay. By now, you have probably read all about it. Listened to the incredible stories. Heard out the grievances and lamentations. Reveled in the triumphs and cringed at the lows. As of this writing, the discussion thread that we had put together at Takbo.ph has generated 3,317 views, one of the most I had ever seen given that not too many people from the boards were directly part of it. A blow-by-blow feed on Facebook that I was painstakingly updating through my Blackberry even during the wee hours of the morning had produced an incredible 366 comments. Truly, it was a race for the ages, one that people would be surely talking about for months to come.
TPB rocks. So why such a late entry? Nope, I haven't been that lazy mind you. It's just that with the contentious nature of how the race unraveled, I didn't want to come up with an article that was reeking of input from my hopelessly skewed left portion of the brain. With so much charged energy emanating from the after-race vibe, I thought it best to let things simmer down a bit lest I come up with material with excessive amounts of vitriol.
We'll keep it cool. Er, will try at least.
Given the relative "epicness" of the race, and the fact that I wasn't there personally for all of the legs, I guess it really wouldn't do justice if I gave a blow-by-blow like my BDM feature. We're currently working on a compilation of everybody's experiences, and if no publisher picks it up, we'll most probably post it online mwahaha. Wait on it!
So instead, I'll try my best to give you a microcosm of the race proper(there were 30 legs in all, subdivided into 3 main sections) with my personal inputs on my specific leg.
Legs 1-10 Spirits were high for our 12nn gun start as we embarked on the great unknown. Little did we know that this was to be a race to remember. Given the pace we had declared pre-race, we were bundled in the final, "elite" start wave. Some teams had already started as early as 5am, supposedly to even things out. As nervous energy abound, the teams that we were looking out for were Team Ponstan (supposedly loaded with strong, veteran runners), and a Kenyan-powered Team Runnerspeak. Much to our surpise, there was another team inserted into our wave at the very last minute- Team Timex. Through casual conversation, it was not outwardly stated that this was a sponsored team loaded with triathletes and elite runners. Dropping a faux name (Team Roundsprint?) and giving off a weekend warrior vibe, I guess this was gamesmanship at its finest. Or rather, more like a portent of things to come.
In high spirits... .
And yet anxious for what lies ahead...
As we were awaiting the starting gun, the organizers/sponsors had even put together a "showbiz" style intro, with what seemed to be a hastily organized Ponstan "Pep Squad" comprised of made-up teens gyrating to pop tunes ala ASAP while were baking in 35 degree weather . At the starting line, leadoff guy Mark/Beep Beep got into the action and showed off his "Disco" moves in the background.
Beep could give these teens a run for their money As the starting gun finally sounded off, there was a palpable sense of nervous energy amongst the team. Extremely anxious, yet confident that our collective abilities will allow us to make a good account of ourselves. It was agreed upon collective during our pre-race prayer that we're not gunning to win at all costs. It's not the be-all end-all of our stint here. We're just going out to have a good time, soak in the experience, and anything we pick up along the way is gravy.
A prayer for guidance towards the right path
And so it begins. As I said earlier, I don't have the capabilities of doing an accurate blow-by-blow for the entire thing (it would take me forever to write it and you might get bored reading it), so I'll just recreate the first leg in detail while trying my best to faithfully recapture the rest of the legs, just to give your the overall vibe of the race at that given moment.
And so it begins... .(cue Olympic music)Land of the Lost and a budding loveteam Beep Beep was our leadoff guy, probably the strongest sprinter on the team. A former Palarong Pambansa standout, we were banking on a solid opening salvo from him to help set the tone for the rest of the race. From the time that the opening gun was fired, we could see that he was already neck and neck with Kenyan supergal Susan from Team Runnerspeak. So off they went, and we merrily went back to our vans.
As we were heading to the van exchange point at the Pawikan Center (serves as the halfway mark of all three main sections of the race) , we noticed one big problem. The guy from "Team Roundsprint" was actually ahead. And the rotund Ponstan team captain was in 2nd! How could that be? How could they outrun a Kenyan and a 39 minute 10k dude? It could only mean one thing... .
It simply meant that they were... .
Apparently, they were so fast that they missed the turn. Quite mind boggling that the lead pack didn't have any escort to guide them. That's just so crazy. Anyway, Beep ended up going all the way back to the start line, and i think he finished his 5k in 35 minutes. By the time the dust has settled we were in 2nd place, our psyche reeling from this unexpected setback.
The Furious Chase Once Mark/Indorock was up for his leg, it didn't take long for the speedy trackster to bridge the gap between us and the first placers. Cheers abound in our van. Now the hard part. Roy, Bryan and Brando had their work cut out for themselves as they not only had to keep pace to hold off the 3rd placers, in the race for 1st place they were matched up against Cyborg-like counterparts on some of the most difficult terrain in the race. Brando was near exhaustion, and asserted that his stretched out, ridiculously incline-filled course was the hardest 8k of his life.
Early hero Indorock attempts a furious comeback
The Brothers Rivera put up a gallant stand
Brando was so tired that he wanted to go home, selling "scramble" for bus fare Mark Hernz was up next. Was a short 4.4 k route, but his inclines would have put St. Martin to shame. In spite of the searing heat and technical difficulty of his leg, he gutted it,clocking in a solid effort in the process.
Mark gutting out the punishing inclines Leg 7. My turn. By the time the baton (er, slapstick) was handed over to me, a 2km deficit was staring me in the face. What fun. I was amped beyond belief. The long wait at the Leg 5 van exchange point had somehow sapped my energy, notwithstanding the fact that we were working from behind.
Nervous dude right here The amiable guy from the leading team (who even wore pink, I reckon in a sign of allegiance?) even gave me a high-five as he trotted out 10 minutes ahead of me. Once the exchange process was done, I was a man on a mission. Leg description was Recreational to Intermediate. Niiice. With adrenalin pumping, I rushed through the initial, extremely downhill stretch at about a 3:30 pace throwing caution to the wind. This lasted for all of 300 meters. Then I was stopped dead in my tracks. Suddenly, the downhills were gone, and was replaced with a slow, excruciating 6k uphill climb with lush foliage that made it very hard to breathe. Nothing Recreational about this. Cars were spewing smoke at you, and crabby doggies wanted to get a piece of you.
To those who are part of my Adidas Adination Ortigas team, the St. Paul- St. Martin Combo is about 1k not counting the downhill. So think doing 6k worth of that while trying desperately to hold 5:00 pace. I could have sworn I was hyperventilating. Pace was dropping by the nanosecond. By the time I reached the 6k mark, total pace had dropped all the way to 5:57 already. Eek.
Thankfully, what goes up, goes down. I'd like to think that all the uphill training I do had some sort of residual effect. At the risk of blowing my quads, I ran the final steep downhill stretch with everything I had at that point, crushing the asphalt at 3:45 - 3:50 pace. I was red-lining it. I HAD to make up for lost time. We HAD to get back first place.
Have... to get... . first place... .
All of a sudden, with about 1k to go, I saw the leading team's dude laboring heavily. I was ecstatic!! 1st PLACE WAS IN SIGHT!
He got tired In hindsight, I was thinking his heavyset core typical of gym habitues would give out with those extreme inclines at some point.And it did. Blazing at a pace that I could never ever sustain without the concept of team dynamic in play, I passed him! 1st place was ours!!! The rush was unbelievable and unforgettable. As I passed the support van, I was screaming "WE'RE BACK IN FIRST!!! WE'RE BACK IN FIRST!!!" I think I heard Abby screaming in the van as well . Lol.
Now, there was so much momentum gained that I even sprinted the incline near the 10k mark. 10k mark passes. Gulp. No exchange tent! I was burning out pretty fast. Then all of a sudden, my extremities were going numb. It was going upwards already. My hands then started to involuntarily shake. OMG. I was freaking out. What the heck was happening to me? Still nothing. I was panting like a rabid dog in heat. Where was the tent??? Finally, 750 meters later it was there. I rushed , signed in, handed the slaptstick over to a totally juiced Jai, and he was off! TPB in the lead!!!! The team met me with raucous cheers. I was completely exhausted, but super happy. Given that running is an individual sport, having to do team time trials was awesome. We left the leg in high spirits, knowing that I just handed over the lead to one of the strongest runners on our team.
Happy but wasted guyLegs 8 and 9 went by like a blur. Speedy Jai was still fresh from his 3rd place finish at the TBR Dream Marathon, so the guy was in awesome shape. He turned the slight lead I gave him into a significant advantage, and powerful Ronnel padded more to it as the race was starting to drag on into the night.
Dynamic Duo powers into the night.By the time Ka Totoy came up, it was pitch dark already. Being our undisputed anchor and the closest thing to an elite runner on the team, we gave "The Legend" our most difficult leg - the dreaded 6km climb up to Mount Samat. His performance was simply scintillating. He left our mouths wide agape while tackling Kennon Road-level inclines at an unthinkable 5:30 pace. If I had done the same route, I probably would have walked. Being the consummate pro that he is, there were times that he would even wave us off, telling us to wait ahead of him. Running a ridiculous incline in pitch black darkness takes some cajones, and he taught all of us right then and there a thing or two about guts.
From the eyes of a legend... .
The scene that unfolded after seemed like it was taken straight from a movie script. As fast as Ka Totoy was chipping away at the mountain, a rampaging juggernaut was hot on his heels. The strongest Kenyan runner of Team Runnerspeak was blasting away at our nearly 30 minute advantage on them, and before we knew it, they were in 2nd place. Just FYI, this was the Kenyan dude who won Rock and Run 10k, and he runs a 15 minute 5k just to put things into perspective.
In a moment of sheer drama, the Kenyan came within 100 meters of Ka Totoy as he hit the runner exchange point. One last dramatic grasp, and the lead was turned over to Beep Beep who started sprinting like a madman for the start of the next rotation, his lady love Susan in hot pursuit. Incredible effort on the Kenyan's part, and pretty much all of us had a greater appreciation for "The Legend's" incredible running moxie after that sublime effort.
Cooling down after a performance for the ages Whew. What an Epic! And guess what? We're only a third of the way!
But I'll have to stop there.
Because it was at this point that from a genuinely enjoyable race, everything seemed to connive against our success. Among others, I'd rather not discuss how I was stopped right smack in the middle of my 2nd leg ostensibly for "fast forward purposes" along with a totally moronic penalty by a high strung race director who wouldn't give the time of day to any opinion apart from his own.
I don't want to come out with unhappy memories out of this remarkable experience. I'd rather remember Beep and Susan's epic battle racing at 3:00/km pace down the insanely steep downhill of Mt. Samat in total darkness. Or how Brando valiantly tried to fend off "Cyborg" when he just popped out of the darkness. Or how Bryan's tremendous managerial skills established a semblance of order in our team.
One last comeback left in us... .
In a team full of competitive runners who usually duke it out over the weekends, I am proud of how the team came together to overcome adversity in making a concerted effort to go down on our shields with honor. I'll never forget screaming my lungs out when the team pounded out a last-ditch comeback effort, gutting out minute by painstaking minute culminating in Ronnel reclaiming the lead for TPB at leg 29. Truly, you can't make this stuff up. In spite of everything, we still had a chance to win it all at the very last leg. I have misty memories of how Ka Totoy, his body wracked in intense pain and battling 37-degree heat, ran with his heart on the pavement in overtaking the game PNP runner for 2nd place on the very last kilometer.
All for glory...
Because you see, this race meant much more to us than the figurative silver (thanks Mark Mulder) that we weren't even acknowledged for. It was more than the P360 finishers shirt, the P20 Pocari Sweat and P50 picture that awaited you at the line.
It went beyond winning or losing. It was about sticking to our guns when the going got beyond tough. It dealt with working within the rules even if they were seemingly be made to be broken. It was about getting back up and giving it your all after you've been kicked down incessantly to the curb.
Respect. Sportsmanship. Camaraderie. Ain't that what it's all about?
It's been a completely seminal experience for me. It's changed me in a lot of ways too.
To Beep, Mulder, Roy, Brando, Bry, Mark, Jai, Ronnel and Ka Totoy, it was my distinct honor to have raced with you guys.
To our wonderful support team Abby, Maan, Bea, and Doc Eire - thank you so much for sticking by us and sticking for us.
I am very proud of each and every one of you. I'm proud of TPB and what we stand for.
Because no matter what had happened in those fateful 23 hours...
Warning : You will NOT agree with this entry. 95% probability. Which is good.
I went into the BOTAK Carbo Loading Party at UP's Bahay ng Alumni with no great expectations. I was tired, long day. All I wanted was to get my singlet and race kit. And to get home as soon possible. But little did I know that I would bear witness to something that could possibly impact my life in more ways than I could think of.
Bring it on... ... .
The Parable of the Hungry Ultraman
Hungry Ultraman : May I have some pesto pasta
Waiter : Ok Sir!
Hungry Ultraman : May I have some of that Bolognese
Waiter: Um, ok Sir!
Hungry Ultraman : May I have some of that Carbonara please
Waiter : Ugh, Ok Sir.
Hungry Ultraman : May I have more of that Carbonara
Waiter : Ugh ok.
Hungry Ultraman : May I have more please, I am quite hungry and I paid a lot for this .
Waiter: ... ... ... . Ok.
Hungry Ultraman : Just a bit more... .
Waiter : Sir, there are 50 more runners which need to be fed.
Hungry Ultraman : Oh, okay. If you put it that way.
Waiter : ... ...
Hungry Ultraman : Hey, could I come back for second servings?
Waiter : Why me Lord? Why me? First, I am not the Hungry Ultraman. Second, you can't make this stuff up. You just can't.
The Dinner Table. GBM
Dang I'm late. Got lost. Thank God Pat's here, we have a table. I'm seated at a table where they seem all seem to know each other. Sharing ultraman stories and anecdotes. It's like an old boys club, and I'm on the outside looking in. The common denominator amongst these guys is that they're nice. Really nice. Like we've known each other for a long time. Familiar faces abound. I see Sir Ronnie aka Runnerforchrist a few feet from me. I finally get to meet him in person. The Team Bald Runner guys are right next to me . They're actually amiable! I always had this impression that they were stern and warrior-like in nature. So what gives? Let's give a quick recap.
Pat, Sir Ronnie and unnamed ultraman enjoying some grub
Chillin' out
The Emcee Better known as the guy behind the Run For Change site, Eric Passion aka Passion Runner was the capable master of ceremonies. He had the chutzpah to withstand several withering feedback screeches from a whacked out mic, his crisp quips quickly diverting the attention of the 60 or so people at UP's Restaurant of Choice.
That's half of Eric and ... . uh, half a head.
I need to go back here yum
The Race Di rectors
Ian and Neville were sharp and on point in explaining routes, rules, regulations to the group. After the orientation, you would get the impression that ultra runners have their own brotherhood, their own ubuntu. Main takeaway - leave ultra runners out there, and they would know what to do.
Ian with screeching mic hard at work
Neville getting his point across
Marathon Man
So he's the owner of Botak. The I remembered I had seen him before, during the Takbo.ph CLP for Condura. A true running luminary, he has paved the way for ultramarathons in our country, pulling off unfathomable Trans- Europe and Trans-USA runs at a time when I was merely learning how to walk. The audience was enthralled as a slideshow showcased the highlights of his life's magnum opus. This guy could do the impossible... He didn't let anything or anyone stop him from achieving that. Nothing could ... ...
Man of the Hour
3,000 miles is no laughing matter This is the part where you cringe
Then it hit me. Back in the day, when he told people that he would run 3,000 miles , 65 km a day, people would have told him he was crazy. That he was risking long term injury. They may have laughed at him. Mocked him even. Said it couldn't be done. Admittedly, he's a man of few words. so he just went out and did it. Just keep running, keep moving forward. No quitting.
I have always believed in the power of the human spirit, that anyone can achieve anything if they put their minds to it. I teach inspirational leadership to college freshmen, and I expound on theories which hover around the lines of something we call " a place with no limits". That if you want to achieve something, it CAN be done if you just... believe.
I am intrigued, and I would want to put my theory to the test against this rare showcase of human endurance. It's a mindset. A mindset that not everyone will agree to, but if wielded properly could produce spectacular results. When push comes to shove, can the mental overcome the physical?
100 grueling kilometers. 2 cities. Once the urge kicks in to throw in the towel... .
Philippine Blog Awards Verification Text - PBA096339qor Chateau Gingerbread, 6:30 pm
Gingerbreadman rushes inside his house on pins and needles, a late-ending event at his office coupled with the maddening rush of the sundown traffic resulting in twenty minutes worth of tardiness. The helpers are stirred by his spastic entrance, the elder Ginger folk jostled by the abruptness of his appearance. A week-long bout with the chills had the elders admonishing him at the mere mention of a run, urging him to err on the side of caution lest he meet the same fate of the 7 other victims from his alma mater.
Gingerbread Grandpa : Are you crazy? You are sick! Sick I say! You need to rest! And besides, it's raining!
GBM: It's not raining. That's the blender. Gingerbread Grandma: Just stay home hijo I will make you some Spam and Eggs GBM : Yum. How healthy. What's your BP again? Gingerbread Doggie : Woof! Wooooof! Bark! Yelp! (Translation : I could care less if you're sick, but could I have the Spam and Eggs instead?) GBM: How thoughtful. Now knock it off or I'll have you neutered. Gingerbread Gal (via SMS) : Please don't go... . you're sick... .. I'll be sooo worried :( Don't go ... GBM: Aww how sweet. Okay, because you deserve nothing less. I'll... text you when I get home! Xoxo!
Unflinching in his resolve to run despite the chorus of incessant protests received from the immediate brood, GBM nonchalantly went through a whirlwind version of his pre-run ritual. I'll be late for my own freaking run. How embarassing. Oh great the newbie guy texted, he's there already. I don't feel good at all, but what the heck. I'll just run it off. Someone please get the doggie off my leg!
Mcdonald's Pearl Drive, 6:50 pm
20 minutes late and counting . As he rushed into the world's #1 purveyor of high cholesterol, an unfamiliar face was waiting amongst the early dinner throng. Niceties are exchanged. Pio was the name. HR Consultancy was his game. On and off runner since 2005 with a max of 5k in a race. Even as running pals Rico and Bong Yu emerged from the woodwork, GBM could not help but wonder how the newbie could survive the projected 22k route. If he collapses, would that be on me? He looks like he has insurance... Hmmm... . Or better yet I could just blame Rico and Bong... .
GBM was jolted from calculating the ramifications of death via newbie when running buddy/risk manager Rico tapped him on the shoulder, reminding him of unfulfilled promises... .
Rico : Hey, where's my prize? GBM : What prize?Rico : You know, that Levi's Unbuttoned Contest thing you had going... . GBM : Oh yeah, that!
Rico : I won you know... ..
GBM : Oh... ... .. Yeahhhh... ... . Umm, I left it in the office... ..
Rico : Excuses excuses, is this even a real contest?
GBM: Of course it is!
Rico: Looks like a cheap advertising gimmick to me!
GBM : Nooo... it's true! I just left it in my desk! I prooomisee!
Rico : Is it true that you rigged it so I could win?
GBM: Next question please... .
With everything in order, the group set out on their mission - a 22k LSD that would be the first step in their mileage building process for some, a huge running milestone for another.
And so it begins
Km 1.5 - Gold Loop Ortigas
The group was just getting into the groove along the busy alleyways of the Gold Loop that circumvents Pearl Drive. Along the way, GBM had to endure the hopefully friendly jeers of students reveling in his demystified state, his short shorts the complete antithesis of his formal,barong-clad persona. As they were about to hit the route where a squatters settlement was rumored to be intentionally razed, the foursome met triathlete Javy, of Tri'n Hard fame . On the last legs of his route, the affable road warrior shared a quip or two while traversing a single loop, his preparations for the upcoming Animo Tri nearing its peak. With the next leg beckoning, goodbyes were exchanged as the group was steeling itself for the pounding ahead.
Chillin' with Tri'n Hard
Km 4, Julia Vargas Ave
My name is Bong and I work in One San Miguel. Why I come along to these runs, I have no idea. I'm none too shabby a runner myself, I'm a 57 10k dude. I'm just too modest to tell anyone about it. But I wanna take it to the next level. I want to bring that speed to the longer distances. Maybe that's why I'm here. Boy, Julia Vargas sure is dark at night. Is the newbie still alive? He's nice. If something goes wrong, I'll just blame GBM. He organized the whole thing anyway. Why is he pacing us like a madman? Is he mad at us? Why is he subjecting us to this sort of punishment. Oh yeah, we requested this pace. Me and my big mouth. Ow! He almost got run over. What a psycho. Not the car. GBM! Why does he like running in the middle of the street? And he's taking pictures! Is that part of the training? Psycho.
Julia Vargas is fun at night Km 6, St. Martin Hills
Pio is the name and HR is my game. Running? Getting there. So why am I here? Hey I'm down for anything. These guys are so fast. What's this tempo thing they're doing. Runner terminology. Ptooey. One day I'll drop one of these on an unsuspecting newbie. But for now I'm the newbie. I'll take my lumps. And... . oh lord what's with these people??? Are we seriously going to climb this hill? I take this on 1st gear with my car!!! What Psychos! Whaa... . *pant* *gasp*
Daunting indeed.
Km 7.5, Motel/Baby Gravy Drive
I'm known in running circles as Sheer Will. You know, the famous (ahem) blogger/ quintessential nice guy/kuya figure ? My closer friends call me Rico. People who make me feel old call me Boss Rico. People who don't know me at all ask me if I'm the basketball player from Ateneo. Yes, my name is Enrico Villanueva. No I am not the basketball player from Ateneo. Yeah, if I was 6"5 I would be dating celebrities and sipping iced tea at Manila Polo instead of killing myself here with these shmucks. If I lose a little more weight, maybe I could go back into my old life as a commercial model and just ditch this running thing altogether. So here we are, Motel Drive. So many happy memories here. Sigh. What? P520 for a room??? Are they insane?? During my time it was just P180! With electric fan and free soap already! Geez! What a ripoff! And they have hand signals now? Whaaa? What debauchery!Hey, these uphills are getting easier by the day. Maybe it's the view. I should train here more often.
Them hand signals are the best thing since Google
Km 12, C5. GBM.
Wow, it's amazing that the guys are still going strong. They asked for a sub-7 pace to get used to the Milo cutoff . We're running a 6:45 right now. Bong and Rico should get used to this in no time. I'm starting to feel woozy. Maybe I should have listened to the old people. Oh lord I tripped. Thank God no one saw me. Wa-poise! Is Pio still alive? Oh he's right behind me. Check! How does he manage? I'm in awe. Is he pulling a Tito Caloy right here? (To you reading this right now - yeah I'm talking to you and breaking the 4th wall right here - FYI Tito Caloy went from a 5k race to a 27k LSD. Just to put things into context.) It should be over soon... . cough. Cough. COUGH.
We should have just stayed in Motel Drive!
Need... replenishment... Sprite ... . Sprite?
Km 14, C5. Pio.
Gasp. I'm tired. But I need to show these kids a thing or two! This is one newbie that doesn't have quit in him! Do you read my singlet? 2005 baby! 2005! Respect! Although I haven't ran another race since. Still! Gasp. We're still fast. I am starting to dislike this Gingerbread character by the minute. I can't breathe! Must.. push ... . on! These guys are nuts!
2009 rendition of Edvard Munch's "The Scream"
Km 15, C5. Just after Eastwood. Rico.
Where the crap are we going? Why aren't we stopping? Where's the @#$% u-turn? I am starting to dislike this Gingerbread character. I'm tiiiiiired!
By Sheer Will he pushes on
Km 16, Turnaround Point. Bong.
Hoy! Malayo pa ba????? ( translation : Are we there yet?? Where the crap are we going??)
Shaider has a new hobby
Km 17, start of C5 turnaround point
The group has persisted on, GBM maintaining a sub 7 pace as they neared the 20 km mark. Traversing the narrow streets of Libis, they could see that their pacer was noticeably slowing down. Maybe it's his positive split thing catching up with him. But upon reaching the Jollibee branch near Acropolis for a much needed rest, they could see his eyes were glassy. He didn't look alright. Something was up. We can cut short the route man. The warm gesture was waved off with no hesitation. We came here with a goal, and we need to meet it. Deciding that the wide open streets bordering Green Meadows were a better alternative to the life-or-death game they were playing in C5, the steely foursome soldiered on.
Km 19, Green Meadows. GBM.
Crap. Now I'm really not feeling well. They will positively roast me when I get home. I can't pace anymore. Heck I can barely run anymore. I'm really dizzy. But to pace and then to quit... . I wouldn't take that. I invited them here, with a goal in mind. We need to meet that. We need to develop that warrior mentality. A fever will not kill me. At least not today.
Km 21, St. Martin Hills, 2nd Loop.
The group was ecstatic. Pio had just successfully completed his first unofficial half-marathon. He had pulled off a Tito Caloy with what seemed to be an effortless run. It's the very thrill of going past one's limits, or helping others get there, that keep runners coming back for more. GBM looked to be in horrid shape. The guy needs to rest. Psycho. A last push up the St. Paul incline and the group called it day. 22 .2 kilometers total. Whew. Longest run for Pio. Longest LSD for Bong as well. Covering GBM's weekly long run route ain't so bad after all.
Who da man? Who da man?
And the Rookie of the Year goes to.. .
Epilogue, Pearl Drive. The goal met, the group retreated to Chiggy's Pearl Drive for some scrumptious after-run grub. GBM and Bong had Jumbo Liempo. Rico had Bulgoggi. Although completely unnecessary , man of the hour Pio footed the bill, a seeming rite of passage for a guy who had just defied all expectations by doing a Tito Caloy.Friendly banter. Humorous Anecdotes. A life's worth of running memories being built right there.
Yummy Liempo Place
Enjoying some after-run foodies As the final piece of jumbo (they weren't kidding) liempo was consumed, there was one prevailing sentiment amongst the group.
Powerpuff Boys. Smirk. What kind of fruity name is that? Sounds like a local counterpart to the Chippendales. Or a new incarnation of the Masculados. But don't be misled by the name though. From the ashes of controversy, the so-called "Pink Army" has arrived, and there's certainly nothing dainty about them.
Pretty in Pink? Pardon the hyperbole, I'm really just amped. After months and months of incessant planning and lineup changes, TPB has finally come to fruition. Featuring 10 runners all hailing from different cities ( fun fact, it may win you a t-shirt one day), the final roster for our Chris Sports Epic Relay 250 team is finally complete.
Pink would have been horrible on these Masculados
To the uninitiated, the Chris Sports Epic Relay 250 is based off the hugely popular Ragnar Relay Series in the United States. Your team is divided into two vans for an overnight relay race that traverses picturesque terrain spanning Subic, Bataan and Zambales, with the 10 team members running three legs of anywhere from 5-12 kms each.
What fun! Now, we never realized how hard it was to snag 10 dudes paying P1,200 each for less than a combined 30 kilometers. There was a time that the only definitive members on our lineup were team captain Bryan Rivera, myself, and highly respected veteran Graciano "Ka Totoy" Santos. Thankfully, everything just fell into place at the right time, and we are happy to put together a team that does justice to pink. Okay fine, its fuschia.
Here's the current lineup as well as some snippets about the members :
Graciano "Ka Totoy" Santos
He's like our Obi-Wan-Kinobi. The grizzled master never hesitates to give valuable training advice to us noobs. Ka Totoy also abhors any form of alcohol to keep in shape all year round, and his eyebrows could give Isko Moreno's a run for their money.
Bryan "Runner-S" Rivera
Our undisputed team captain. One of the most improved runners over the past year, he has shown incredible tenacity both on and off the road. His organizational and leadership skills are unparalleled as well, and when the time comes that I'm a millionaire already, he'll be the first one I'll call to run my businesses. Throws a mean frisbee too. Is way sexier than Right Said Fred, putting the "S" in "Runner-S".
Mark "Beep Beep" Rodica
The former volleyball star-turned-trackster has a penchant for short shorts, snappy one-liners and even snappier 10k times. Judging by his picture, you could see that he's a very serious guy.
Mark" Indorock" Mulder
This Holland native has been a ball of positive energy for the team. A relatively late addition, this cool, methodical dude now sports a new Glee-inspired do'. The brains behind Manila Road Runners, he is a master at deciphering Tagalog words through context clues and sign language. Shame on his inconsiderate teammates. Er, oops.
Ronnel "Kampuger" Go
Although most people will probably never know what a "Kampuger" is in their lifetime ( I don't know what it is either, and I don't wanna know), this amiable, wise-cracking fella can hang with the best of them. As you can see by his photo, he also has a bit of a Rudolf Nureyev in him. Roy "Kuya" Rivera
Ultra-fit Roy is Bryan's older brother, although at first we thought that it was the other way around. This laid-back, music loving, ultra-fit vegan doesn't concern himself with km splits and pace, he prefers to be lost in the moment and stays away from the extra pressure. He is the founder of the "SBMA Traffic Enforcer" fanpage on Facebook.
Mark "MarkHernz" Hernandez
This model-turned- resilient-ultramarathoner is an all-around athlete who seems to excel at whatever sport he tries his hand on. Totally dedicated hubby (sorry gals) who once ran a 3:30 split for a 10k... . during the first 200 meters. He got very tired soon thereafter. Suffice to say, he never did that again.
Jairuz "Jai-Ho" Agang-ang
A man of few words, he lets his running do the talking. We somehow cajoled him into putting "Jai-Ho" on his uniform. (LSS mode) His unassuming manner belies his competitive nature on the road. He is very inspired right now, nuff said.
Brando "Ace" Losaria
This wisecracking ball of perpetual energy often has the team in stitches, and "Photobrando" takes somes of the most beautiful race shots I have seen. This hard-training raceday habitue has also been touted as a cuter, "funner" version of a certain former Streetboy. His long term goal is to run a 2:30/km pace someday.
And that's the team folks! Oh grr, do I really have to add myself?
I like taking long walks on the beach, Mcdo Fried and Nuggets, I have two dogs named Strowganoff and Piolow, and the grade of my contact lenses is -350. Oh, and I have a girlfriend who can run 102 kilometers faster than me. Sob.
Me and my well-pedigreed support crew
On the eve of our impending battle, I conclude this article amidst a cacophony of sighs and snores from our snug Subic hotel, hopeful and excited about the events that are about to unfold in the next couple of hours. Thanks for all the support and well-wishes that you have given us, we truly appreciate it.
It's been awhile. How are you? Hope the new teleserye is doing well. Also, I resent those rumors stating that you were found dead in some crazy hotel room abroad. Sigh, the trappings of showbiz eh? Anyway, I'll keep this short and sweet.
You still da man
A few weeks back, I ran the San Mig Coffee Bay Run 10k organized by Leadpack. It wasn't your typical MOA race, because the route actually cut through Roxas Blvd so you're not relegated to doing uber boring loops. Turnout was good, the temp very humid. Course was as close to linear as possible, which made for ideal conditions.
As you know, I have been haunted incessantly by my long-standing goal of finally beating your 10k time. It gnaws at the very core of my proud Gingerbread competitive streak. I have been running countless 10k's since I recovered from a 102k- induced ITB injury in a bid to finally get the Sub-Piolow monkey off my back. I thought this race just might be it. The first 5k, I was pacing with this Kenyan chick. By the way, I didn't know she was a chick until after she took the podium for 3rd place in the women's category. My bad. Anyway, she finally broke free at the halfway mark, she just operates at a completely higher level. Huffing and puffing, I waved at some friends who were marshalling and was sort of fading until I ran into your buddy and coverboy partner Coach Rio (should I start calling him Riow?) who was blazing his way in the 15k category.
I attempted to frantically chase after him ; alas, the lechon that I had devoured at the wedding I had attended the day before significantly lessened the aerodynamics of my bilbil.
Lechon = Epic Fail
As I was approaching the line, my breathing wore harder. It was a typical Gingerbread positive split crash. But then something just snapped inside of me. I thought, enough was enough. I just need to suck it up and forget the pain. Pain now, glory later. With one last heave, I crossed the line at 47:01!!! It was like time stopped, even for just a nanosecond. Everything seemed to be moving in slow-motion. I was ecstatic. No words could express it. It was much akin to what these guys were going through -
I was finally free of the Sub-Piolow monkey. I could actually go on with my life now. Thanks for nearly one year of fun memories that you have provided me as I went about this quest, the so-called "holy-grail" of the 10k runner. Congratulations, it's a pop culture thing now. If I ever get nominated for a Philippine Blog Award again, I will dedicate it to you. And if people start calling you "Piolow" for some crazy reason, er, um, uuh, dont blame me (@,@).
The finish was good for 10th place in the men's division 10k. Niiiiice. I was inspired no doubt. In fact, I was so happy that I got out and got myself a Pomeranian puppy courtesy of the world-class Perico Kennel.
Cute noh?
And guess what his name is?
Yep. Cute puppy's name is... ... Piolow :)
Thanks for everything, and I hope to see you at an Ironman soon.
Hey boys and girls! Been out of circulation for a bit, but contrary to popular belief no I have not retired to some Caribbean Island. Or got married. Anyway, got this awhile back from my buddy/coach Ed Kho and figured it was a worthy cause. It's called The Bottle Run, and the run is actually er, this weekend. And you have until, um, tomorrow to register (wow, breaking news. Yeah, I know. Sorry na.)
It's for a worthy cause!The guy behind it is Iliac Diaz, he of the chick-flick/serial romantic genre of the 90's. He has this crazy idea to build a school using bottles to help Ondoy/Ketsana/Pepeng victims. What? Bottles? Into a school? But hey, after his parlay as the local version of Dermot Mulroney (Google lang katapat niyan) the guy actually went out and got an Ivy League education. So he most probably knows what he's talking about.
It's his first movie!
If I did this pose I'd probably look gay. In all seriousness though, it is a mighty good cause, and there's still time to register! You guys have today and tomorrow! Have fun with it and help rebuild lives in the process!Oh, did I forget to mention you guys are encouraged to bring bottles during the race? Here's the official presser.
The BottleSchool Run
Runners Could Be Advocates
Last year, a million young school children’s education was disrupted and about 2,800 pre-school classrooms were destroyed due to the typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.
This year, through the pioneering efforts and innovative solutions of MYSHELTER spearheaded by the country’s noted social entrepreneur Illac Diaz, a one-of-kind run-for-a-cause dubbed as The Bottle School Run will be staged at BonifacioGlobalCity on June 13. All proceeds of this noteworthy race will be used to replace and rebuild a damaged school in Taguig using a ground-breaking architectural model – school classrooms mainly made of soda PET bottles.
Now, runners of all persuasions are invited to actively take part in a unique racing event to create a community-based, people-empowered solution which starts with building ecologically-sound and architecturally-revolutionary classrooms for children aspiring to pursue a path of literacy and knowledge.
The Bottle School Run is a distinctive race for seasoned and beginner runners, alike, as it provides them an opportunity to become advocate runners who could champion an honest cause, a solution that can change the world. It sets a symbolic backdrop where the chase of each participant runners for individual personal record enables beneficiary children chase their dream of obtaining education.
Registration for The Bottle School Run starts on May 29, Saturday and lasts until June 11, Friday. Registration centers are:
Planet Sports Trinoma (1pm to 8pm)
Planet Sports Alabang (1pm to 8pm)
New Balance Glorietta (1pm to 8pm)
Taguig City – Fort Bonifacio Satellite Office, 3rd Flr, Market! Market! (9am to 5pm)
Distance categories are 3k, 5k, and 10k. Registration fees are P200 for 3k, and P300 for 5k and 10k. All participating runners are requested to bring two bottles with a 1.5 or 2 liter size of any soda brand on race day. Gunstart times are 5:30am (10k), 5:45am (5k), and 6:00am (3k).
For further race details, please visit www.bottleschoolproject.org. Inquiries may be directed to thebottleschoolrun@gmail.com or to Liza Fumar, Co-lead, TheBottle School Run, through 0927 284 54 36. Alternatively, interested parties may contact Edward Kho, Race Director, through 0915-9990187.
The soothing line of the Carpenters classic reverbrated through my mind as I drove out Sunday morning. The rain was steadily pouring over the pavement as I pulled out of my condo, the pre-dawn serenity of a Sunday morning punctuated by the incessant rain. I was thinking, will the run be cancelled? Then I realized the amount of preparations that are put into organizing a race. Moving it would be tantamount to a logistical nightmare. So I figured, the show must go on!
On Rainy Races and Alcohol-Free Uncles I picked up Erick at Shaw Blvd, about 5 mins from my place. We picked up a groggy and thankfully not drunk Tito Caloy a few minutes later. Apparently, he had begged off from an inuman party with the kumpadres the night before just to prepare for the race. Absconding from free beer? Now that's what you call dedication! So the three of us were talking shop as we reached Mckinley at 5:15, 15 minutes before the announced race time. There was some confusion as to where the parking area was, so we had to ask around. Two marshals, one sleepy guard, and one crabby guard later we ended up in the open parking area. Note to self : 15 minutes to race time! Hurry! Warm-up running in the rain towards the starting line, I saw that the race was still surprisingly well-attended despite the inclement weather. I saw Takbo.ph gals Cherry and Ross walking around, pointed us to where the team was hanging out. The usual suspects were there, along with a morose-looking Sam akaThe Running Ninja in blogging parlance. I thought he was intensely focused on his strategy, little did I know that he had run over someone the night before. Hang in there buddy, things will be resolved soon. Takeshi's Castle Fun Times The organizers soon announced that the race would be starting at 6 am, or 30 minutes later than the announced time because of the weather. Tito Caloy was wondering if it would push through, a 16k virgin's typical anxiety in play. I nodded somewhat unattentively, my wandering thoughts fixated on my strategy for the race as the "peloton" of 3k, 5k, and 16k were gathered en masse for a common start. 10 miles. 16 something kilometers. It's my first time to tackle the distance, first crack at the famed Mckinkley Hills. I have no idea if my pace would hold here. I feel like I'm out of shape. I lack mileage this week. I should stop working and just run. Okay maybe not. This kid next to me is really loud. Did I bring enough money to eat later? Oh crap I left my camera in the car. No pix for the blog then. But then again if I brought the camera, where would I put it? What's the true meaning of love? It's starting to rain... oh great it's pretty hard ... . my Garmin's gonna get soaked... .. Wow I feel like I'm in the Takeshi's Castle starting grid... . Oh great here we go... The starting gun jolted me back into reality. Suffice to say, it was a riot. Bundling together the 16k runners with the 3k and 5k runners wasn't the high point of an otherwise well-organized race. Truly, the Takeshi's Castle analogy was not far-fetched. It was virtual bedlam. I think that the fact that the rain started to pour a few seconds before the starting gun went off contributed to a rock-concert like atmosphere, which in turn elevated the adrenalin levels of pretty much everyone. Not only did I have to contend with the rain and the slippery road, I also had to deal with rowdy kids who were jumping (yeah, jumping) on the road. By the time I had extricated myself from that mess, I figured I had lost about 10-15 seconds worth of pacing. Prior to the race, I had no idea what was a good target time for 16k . Coach Pojie said a 1:30 would be nice. Personally, I thought it was a stretch given my propensity to fade late. But I took solace in the training runs I've had lately, so might as well give it a shot. The first kilometer registered 4:53 on my 305. Right on schedule! For 10k's my preferred opening would be a 4:30, but into the great unknown that was the 10-miler, I was guessing the aformentioned pace would be sufficient. At the 3km mark , I began to pace with Docs Eric and Pinky. Doc Eric is a sub- 2 hour 21k runner, one of the strongest in the group. I thought it would be prudent to pace with him, at least get myself acquainted with the level that I am training for. Doc Pinky was actually pacing faster than us, and it turned out she was competing in the 5k. Her breakneck pace was good enough for a 5th place podium finish wohoo :) Congrats Doc Pinky, terrific run. So me and Doc Eric ran together until the 9k mark. The hills were harder than I expected. The course was living up to its billing. I accelerated in one of the steeper extended regions heading to the Heritage Park region, and once again I was alone. There were numerous water stations available, and I crossed the 10k mark at 53:50, just 10 seconds off my 10k PR. I thought to myself, I have a real shot at this. Just keep your head in it. As I sprinted downhill towards the 11k turnaround point, the daunting uphill climb to my left was a grim reminder of the tribulations up ahead. So this is what Sisyphus must have felt like Let's just put it this way. If you have no hill training at all, kiss your PR goals goodbye for this course. The return uphill stretch went for something like 3 km. My pace went down from 5:25 to 5:30. Soon Doc Eric caught up with me, a friendly face ready to boost me up in what seemed like an endless uphill battle. Even when I thought it had ended, it was still haunting me.My hammies rather. Finally, we had started our reentry into the Mckinley area proper. 4k to go! The Garmin showed us at 1 hour something! Wow! We have a real shot! Doc Eric told me that we should just go for it, and we did. We were sprinting the last 4k at a 5:05 - 5:10 pace. I made the mistake of going LT on the 15th kilometer, and I faded a little towards the end. I also saw amiable Happy Feet/Takbo.ph habitue Mon towards the homestretch, last saw him during our Baguio run. When all things were said and done, I happily crossed the line at 1:26:03, 4 minutes below my target! Final pace was 5:32., about 20 seconds behind locomotive-like Doc Eric. I was so happy, because I realized that if I maintain that pace for at least 5k more, I could do a sub -2 hour 21k! That's my secret (well not anymore) dream! Yeah! As the group congregated, the rest of the gang started to pile in. Sam came in injury-free at 1:40. Speedy, comebacking Migz got 1:32, his first since his injury. "Wala ako sa kundisyon" Erick got a strong 1:30 finish, a testament to his run-walk strategy. Tito Caloy logged in at an estimated 1:50, a wonderful time for the 50-year old 16k Virgin. Wilnar, Girley, and as mentioned earlier Doc Pinky took podium finishes in their respective categories. Overall, was a good day for the team! Afterwards, the factions of the group met at Mcdonald's Net One for a wonderful post-race celebration of sorts. Lots of photos, laughs, and goofing around :)
All's well at Earth Run
Doc T wins!
Wilnar's 5th place finish for the 5k
Coach wins too!
Rico aka Sheer Will with his "medal"
Girley aka Pepsi with the real thing So with all things said and done, suffice to say do rainy days and Sundays always get me down? With runs and friends like these, not really :) Tito Caloy Quote of the Day :
"Napasarap ung kwento ko dun sa mag-asawa, naligaw tuloy ako!" - On following Neil and Rach to the 5k route
Hi guys and gals. In relation to the previous entry on their eco-friendly 501 Organic Jeans, Levi's is once again teaming up with The Gingerbread Report to bring you the "Who Do You Want To Unbutton?" promo.
This is a promo which is for fun more than anything else. It's for YOU guys, my loyal running. buddies/Gingermaniacs It's our chance to showcase our zany, creative selves outside of the races :) So what is it all about? Let me explain.
Individuals still have that need to connect with certain people in their lives no matter how fast paced or busy the world turns. May it be that someone from the office whom you so look forward to seeing or that girl you’ve always enjoyed hanging-out with in the weekend, have you ever thought about finding more ways than one to say just what you want to say to them? Don’t let it go unsaid. It’s best to liberate yourself of worries and just start by saying what you want. Now, with the help of Levi's, you could do just that.
The Levi's "Who Do You Want To Unbutton?" Promo is a smooth and cheeky platform to let you convey what you REALLY want to say. Throw your inhibitions out of the window. So what do I want you to do? In the most creative way possible, leave a comment and tell me Who Do You Want To Unbutton. It could be anyone - heck, even anything! Even an abstract idea! Just like the ads above. Show me that runners have creative sides too! Go all out! Be subtle! Use quotations! It's really up to you. It doesnt have to be sexy. It could be funny, philosophical, morbid, insightful, food-related, running related, etc :) It's the creativity that would be judged, the same creativity that reflects the spirit of the campaign. :)Let's do it this way. Comments/entries will be accepted until 9pm Wednesday, June 3rd. The marketing director of Levi's Philippines will personally select the top 5 most creative entries who will serve as our finalists. We will conduct a poll and YOU guys will select the winner just to be democratic about it! Polls close Saturday 9pm, June 6th. Comprende? The winner will receive a wonderful Gift Certificate Package from Levi's. We're just trying this out, so depending on your level of support and participation the next promo could be even more exciting :D Remember to have fun with it! Enjoy! :)
What? Jeans? Why we talking about jeans? We're runners !But hey, we can't go prancing around in our singlets and compression shorts all the time right? We have our "real" lives to attend to as well, where we wear "real" clothes. And besides, since this blog is touted to put forth random musings on life and running, here's the "life" part for you :) As runners, we're always tasked to take on a greater, higher cause during races. More often than not, our runs pertain to helping the environment - Earth Run, Takbo para sa Kalikasan, et.al. And what's a better way to continue advocating these causes than by showcasing them through our everyday wear? If that got you thinking, then the eco-friendly Levi's 501 Organic Jeans is worth a second look.
In celebration of the annual Levi’s® 501® Day on May 1st, the Levi’s® brand is launching a special edition jean inspired by its classic and definitive 1947 design and made from 100% organic cotton. Shrink-to-fit and tailored from selvedge fabric, the jean marries the hallmarks of quality denim loved by discerning consumers, with environmental consciousness, and from a label that’s iconic and timeless.
So there. Continue supporting our environmental causes both on the road and off. Check out these Levi's 501 Organic Jeans at your nearest branch (I personally go to the one in Rockwell) and m ake Mother Nature smile a little :)
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... ...
I've been asked this question a gazillion times, it's a popular talking point. Most probably, you have been too. But really, within the realistic confines of work and training, do runners burn enough calories that they can afford to literally indulge in anything without the ill effects of a pudgy midsection? Let's take a closer look.
Can I get away with it?
Almost Impossible? With all of the mileage that runners put in each day, one would think that there's no way that we could get fat. Thing is, we tremendously underestimate the impact that excess calories could have on our body, and overestimate the amount we burn. For instance, do you know that just 100 extra calories per day equates into 10 lbs a year? That's like the mocha frappe you never should have had. In relative comparison, you need to burn 3500 calories to lose 1 lb. More or less, that's 100 calories per 1.6 k . A tall mocha frappe contains 290 calories. Thus, to burn it off, you need to run about 4.8 k. What fun.
This running thing isn't working for me Hmmm. I guess we all have our little quirky eating habits. I did some research, and came up with these different classifications with regards to how runners eat. These inputs came from a New York study made on the eating habits of 50 runners of different skill levels. Read up, and see whether you fall into any one of these categories (aminin)
The Night Owl For some crazy reason, there are those who barely eat anything during the day, then suddenly binge at night. This is much akin to loading up on a full tank of gas upon reaching your destination. Starving yourself during the day will more often than not leave you starving by late afternoon, resulting in a late-night binge - just when your natural metabolism is beginning to slow down. Slower metabolism + food binge = welcome to fat camp.
If you're an evening runner, it also messes up your energy supply and you would be more or less running on fumes.
Not eating = Binging Tip : Plan two small snacks each day (a handful of nuts or some cheese and crackers) so that you're not going to eat like those competitive food people come meal time.
Plan your running around your meals (or your meals around your running). That means fueling up an hour or two before heading out the door and refueling within an hour of finishing.
The Train-hard, Party harder type. Don't we all do this? We celebrate a good run or race by getting totally wasted at some watering hole in Ortigas or Makati. Totally acceptable? Perhaps. Health wise? Not exactly. A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise showed that serious recreational runners drink more alcohol than their sedentary counterparts--and the group surveyed was no exception. And don't think you could save up all those drinks for one all-out Friday night session, as research shows that it's better to just drink once a day than 7 drinks in one night (duh).
Tito Caloy is the ultimate drank rannerTip : Choose alcoholic beverages that are diluted for less impact. Instead of a glass of wine, drink a wine spritzer (do we even have this?)
Don't get drunk the night before the race. You'll be so dehydrated that you may end up throwing up on the side of the road. Saw one myself during a race. And sorry to disappoint, the guy who threw up wasn't internet legend/favorite drunk uncle Tito Caloy ( to newer readers, just google him :p) He's too world-class for that.
And finally, to somehow encapuslate the essence of this article, we have ... (drum roll please)
The Junk Food Machine
These are the people who eat whatever, whenever they want because they believe that running keeps them immune from fattiness. I used to fall under this category. Guilty as charged. As a result, I never really maximized the fitness gains even under a high-mileage program, just because I would eat like an obese person. Ice cream, cake, tons of rice, potato chips, chocolates. Name it, and my tummy had it. While not exactly tubby, my physique didn't exactly resemble that of a person who would run 50-60km a week.
My justification was "but I train my butt off. I can eat whatever the hell I want". I was a guy who was painfully aware of all those poor food choices, but in my unwillingness to change, had somehow convinced myself of this flawed mantra.. While it's true that distance runners need a lot of extra energy to fuel their exercise and could get away with a lot of crap, even high-mileage runners can't exist on junk food alone, since vending machine fare will never provide all the important nutrients needed to properly fuel runs and promote recovery.
Here's your 50k a week guy. How, er, fat este fit. Junk + regular meals + more junk = A ton of flab once you get off that heavy mileage. Why? Because you're sooooo used to it. So fine, maybe you could get away with it now. But once you kick into offseason, those bad habits will get back at you. Guaranteed. I could gain as much as 15 lbs offseason once the burn goes away. And truth be told, it sucks. So don't fall into the fluctuator trap. Strike a balance between the foods you need and the foods you want. Build each snack and meal around at least one real food group and enjoy junk food at the end of a meal. Also, Never eat junk food on an empty stomach. It almost guarantees a binge.
See that fat guy in the picture? Heavy mileage is no guarantee if you eat like a sumo wrestler. Take it from me. Hope this helps. Eat healthy and see you on the road everyone!
You all know the story. We have heard the rants. Internalized the numerous streams of venom put forth by the angry masses. Admittedly, I am one of them. The lack of foresight caused 57 runners in my category to DNF, the scorching heat too much for them. We could only guess what medical malady befell them. The same lack of foresight had my friend overcome by heat stroke and hyperventilation 500 meters from the finish line, resulting in a 2 hour stint at Makati Med. Ironically, if only the course had been accurate he should have finished it straight up. If there's one saving grace, they released results which took into account the excess 500 - 600 m on the route. The resulting distance adjustment gave me a PR of 2:14:36, which I hazard compensates for the initial time lost. Anyway, here was my after-race take on the whole thing as posted on the Takbo.ph forums : As has been customary for me already (and the lack of a blog notwithstanding), here's a comprehensive post on my Botak 21k race. A fair amount of vitriol has already been spewed by Deo and supahatdog in the earlier posts, so I'll give you my take on it. The first warning sign for me was when I heard from the gang that the 21k start time was 6 am bigla. Only 2 days before I had called the Botak office and was informed of a 5 am start. So I was sort of weirded out by that. Everyone was getting conflicting information. So I decided I'll arrive at 5am just to be sure. I was alarmed because at 6am, people would be running well into the 8 am - 9 am range already. Would this be a portent of things to come? So we started at 6 am. 5:58 on my 305. Attempted to pace Sam for 5k, he fell back at 1 1/2 k mark. First k was 4:35, 2nd k was 5:02. He was the only guy I remotely ran with. 97% of the race I was alone
At 10k mark I was at 55:34 and liking my chances. Running in Rockwell was neat as well, kahit uphill siya. Coming off a pretty nice run the previous week at ATC, my goal was to significantly improve my Greenfield PR of 2:19 something. Then it happened. What happened? The heat happened. Yes, the heat. Good ol' 32 degrees with 66% humidity. I never knew what the desert felt like until awhile ago. It was crippling, debilitating, paralyzing (I'm running out of adjectives) to the point of hilarity. At the 10k mark I was maintaining a healthy 5:30 or so pace. By the time the race was over I had surrendered a full minute off that
So what happened to me from 10k to 16k? - Hookers in Burgos waved at me. I waved back. - Jeepneys in Burgos nearly sideswiped me. I couldn't sideswipe back. - The area near South avenue I got several seemingly innocuous comments of "Japorms" from fun bystanders. - I had at least 2 guys (21k dudes also) ask me "Bakit ang dami mong tali?" (Does this mean they either got lost or took a shortcut? Guess the race marshals took off for colder fronts) - I had agonizing km splits reaching up to 8:24
So sue me, I couldn't breathe anymore, it was like the oxygen was sucked out of the surroundings already. My original plan was to pick up the pace from the 17k mark onwards and "earn back" the pace I had lost. I was marginally, nominally successful at best. The heat and humidity were too much. The best I could muster with all my might was a 6:25, followed by mid 7's till the end. From the 16- 21 k mark these were the sights : - Runners fighting the people at the water stations because there's no water - Runners walking Kalayaan Flyover - Runners walking everywhere - Runners quitting and sitting on the curb to take a break. - "Ang init no?" entrenching itself as the unintentional comedy quote of the day. - An "elite" looking guy (crew cut, short shorts) paced by me at the 18k mark and asked, "May tubig ka ba?" in a seemingly imposing and authoritative way. So I um, gave him the Gatorade I was saving for my final push. He muttered what seemed like a rudimentary form of "thank you" and promptly sped off. Nice guy. With the sun in all its bedazzling glory, for the first time in my life I have felt how it was to run in a desert with no breathable air. My goals suddenly shifted from setting a PR to merely getting out of there in one piece. It was debilitating to say the least. A test of sheer will if you may. In the cornucopia of things that make up the runner's psyche, one has to think "Should I go for broke and risk collapsing, or should I just focus on survival?" I was feeling horrible, I thought I would pass out several times. Mentally, I was pushed to the very limit. The death zone from 19k - 21k had "QUIT" written all over it. In the end, prudence won out over glory. In spite of the crushing circumstances, I was somehow blessed to finish the race at 2:17:28 chopping off 2 mins and 20 seconds off my current 21k PR. I felt horrible. And to make matters worse, when I crossed the finish line a kid was running recklessly towards me, causing me to jump to avoid him. This in turn triggered a strain in my hammy I still feel as I am typing this. Final Thoughts? - I will never ever run a 21k race that starts at 6am during the summer. - Running with jeeps beside you is not fun at all - The course was 21.47 on my 305. That's nearly half a kilometer. A half kilometer that translates into 3-4 minutes lost on your time. Sayang naman. - I was super worried about Doc Roy, Doc Sherwin, and Coach Pojie for their 42k run, given the punishing conditions and no water support. I am so happy and proud that they finished it in one piece and got their medals Way to go guys! - Congratulations to Edu for setting a new 10 K PR taking it in 56 something and finally breaching the 57 mark! Good job! - I am proud that other 21k runners like Deo,Boss Rico, Tim, Bong and Sam among others fought through the punishing elements to finish. Lesser men would have quit.Your determination and will is something that makes us all proud.
Now would you look at that. Who would have known we would get this far. When I started this a year ago, it was really nothing more than an avenue to house my random incessant ramblings on this newfangled thing called running.
Birthday Mode Woot Woot!
It was clunky, disorganized, and exuded the design moxie of a 5-year old. To those who never got to see that, I don't have a template but this is the closest thing I could find. One of my early misguided attempts to sell baking equipment lol.
Over the past year, I have been humbled by your continued support. I thought that our readership would comprise of my Mom, Dad, two sisters and the dog. Never in my wildest dreams did I fathom 90, 939 people would actually bother and visit, plus a Philippine Blog Award nomination just for kicks. I am totally indebted and floored. Thank you so much :)
The last 12 months have given us a lot of memorable stories - my ongoing pseudo love affair with the Sub-Piolow (and now the Sub-Binay. Crap he won VP. I might get roasted) , the memorable Liempo runs , the quest for the elusive CP2. And who could forget "when Hitler finds out he didn't make it to new balance". That's still the post that generated the most comments. Sadly though, it's gone forever. The original YouTube host took down the video, and thus its now a dead link. Sob. Was fun while it lasted though.
It's gone forever
Now, as we hit the one year mark a crucial juncture has been reached . I'll be honest, I'm at a crossroads as to whether to continue the site or not. As mentioned in an earlier post, I don't run any ads so the site isn't self-sustaining. In plain and simple terms, I am actually paying to spend a lot of time writing (doesn't quite make sense eh?)
Where do we go?
I spend a lot of man-hours coming up with these writeups , and with an increasingly demanding dayjob, I'm not sure I can keep this up. Don't get me wrong , I love what I do. Heck it's brought us this far. But ultimately, it comes down to making practical decisions. So really, this is a bittersweet celebration. It would be great if you guys could chime in. Give me your thoughts.
And once again, my heartfelt thanks for the incredible ride.
It was hard to admit at first. You hear the comments, you here the snide remarks. But still, you refuse to face up to it. But deep down inside, it stings. It stings that you are reduced to a mere mocking point all while pretending to be unperturbed by the banality of it all. So face it - you're fat and you're getting old. The six pack abs have since been replaced by an unforgiving mass of jiggling fat. It's not like you can tune out and ignore it.
You have to man up at one time or another. So that's what I did. I decided to run. Cancel out all the PR's and endless training, for me it all boils down to losing weight. And in 6 mos of running I think I have been relatively successful. I stand about 5'10 in shoes, and I ballooned to 195 lbs already. Eeek. 6 months of blood, sweat and guts later I'm at 167 :) My original target was 165, but now I'm adjusting it to hit my college weight of 155 :) Wish me luck!
At Takbo.ph we have an abundance of weight loss success stories as well, people like Timmy, Natz, Sam, Carlo, Rodel to name a few. We are all fighting a common malaise, and while the battle appears to have been won, the war is far from over.
Timmy from Takbo.ph once posed this question to the group. It got me thinking. I mean, how did I get hooked so bad? What was my underlying motivation? Here's what I had to say to that: Good question Tim. Why do I run? Why do I subject myself to extreme physical, mental, and environmental duress?
My main motivation is to lose weight talaga. I was about 155 in college, even plummeting to as low as 147 if needed. Several years and a couple of jobs later I had ballooned to 195 lbs, an all time low. I was depressed and for an admittedly confident guy I'll confess that my self esteem took a tremendous blow. I couldn't wear any of my clothes anymore My relatives and officemates were constantly needling me with "Luis, tumataba ka ah!" or "Lumalaki tayo ah!" comments. My girlfriend wasn't complaining , but it wasn't fair to her that the 155-160 lb guy she got together with a couple of years ago was now a 195 pound mastodon.
I used to loathe cardio. Loathing it is an understatement actually. I avoided it like the plague. But with my weight problem getting out of hand, I had to DO something. Fad diets didn't work for me. So I thought, why not try running?
I started by running outside my condo, kahit 1.2 k muna. I couldn't even string together 250 meters without stopping. I was that out of shape. So I gradually built up my mileage, albeit in a very unscientific way.
The turning point for me came when I joined a fun run in school. I placed 6th. I led up to the halfway point then I lost steam (rookie mistake) I was so depressed that the old chubby profs were passing me. That told me I was in horrible shape na talaga. That pushed me to be more serious in running
Started lurking here just before the Condura CLP. Came across the site while trying to research. Went to the CLP without knowing anyone. And the rest... ... is history
Once I got into it, my naturally competitive self has gotten the best of me, and I am obsessed with beating... .. myself I'm a sucker for self-improvement, and that's why I really push myself to sometimes more than my body can handle. But it's an individual sport... and the high that comes with each broken PR, each good run is incomparable because that's all you right there. You leave your heart and soul on that track, and you also reap the benefits. It's a rush like no other. And all things aside, the camaraderie here in Takbo.ph is tremendous, such a supportive and eclectic group that makes running exponentially more enjoyable.
Some days, you wake up and you feel that it's going to be a wonderful day. On the flipside,some days there's just a dour aura of gloom pervading around you. For whatever it may be, I was lucky that just two Sundays ago it was the latter that came into play. The ATC Southern Run had a terrific setting, there was barely any heat around, and it seemed like the perfect day for a race. Here's my take on what happened as previously posted on the Takbo.ph forums : Ako I must admit I really had fun with this race. The venue, the whole atmosphere seemed very relaxed and highly conducive to running. The course itself was rolling up and down, which provided somewhat of a challenge to the fatigued
Started the race up front with ultraman PAt ( my goodness elite na to, 46 mins 29th place) Natz (another Takbo elite 47!!!) and Boss Jinoe (52 I think, new PR too lupet!) . I tried to pace with PAt, and suceeded in doing so for like 500 meters. He was like Usain Bolt out of the gates. The blazing start took me out of my rhythm. Wrong mistake. I learned that attempting to pace with someone way above your league isn't exactly the best thing to do. Although that first kilometer attempting to catch up with PAt amounted to a 4:40 lap, it took me out of my comfort zone and I need about 3 K's t0 recover. Boss Jinoe caught up with me at 4k mark I think, we paced until the 7k mark which was when broke away na. I was planning on making my move at the 8k mark, wasn't too confident if I could sustain a neg split pace that early. At the 8k mark I picked up the pace na, from a comfortably hard 5:40 I lowered it to 5"20, and last K was 5:05. My goal for the race was a sub-55 finish, which was somewhat of a stretch. Sabi ko kahit madaplisan lang ang 55 okay na ako. But perhaps a combination of real running shoes (goodbye Mr. Quickie! Not PINK NB's!), a 305 to help me strategize and more mileage helped me immensely. I was so happy to cross the line at 53:40, a time that once seemed like an impossibility for me. My first 10k race I finished at 1:28. I'm so happy. It's like all the hard work, the "getting roasted in the sun because you started your 20k run at 5am" sacrifices were all worth it. And it made me believe na it's possible pala for average athletes like me to realistically lower PR's over time. Dati kasi I used to think it's either you have it or not. Of course, hanging out with the Takbo.ph gang made it all the more special. The kulitan pictures and the camaraderie truly made it worth the long drive. Happy runner here
Congrats everyone
I'd upload my run but MotionBased aint working now
I posted these comments after an injury-filled 21k Greenfield Run, my first ever. To those who weren't able to read this before, it could give you some insights on what and what not to do when running your first ever 21k race :) 1. Get a nice Running Shoe! Believe it or not guys, after all these races I have been running on a 1998 retread cross trainer with the heel replaced by (gulp) Mr. Quickie. At the 14k point my toes and heels were burning, and who knows the crummy shoe may have been the reason for my injury. Mr Quickie! (shudder). Before kasi I'd just use it to run 2km outside my condo, no biggie. Never thought I'd be this hooked into running. Now, I need to buy! I feel I'm losing so much efficiency because of it. 2. Don't run more than 10k the day before the race Maybe the pros can do it. But obviously I'm no pro. I usually run kahit the Friday before the race. But because of work commitments I was forced to run on a Sat, against my better judgement, just to get my running fix and ramp up my mileage. Supposedly was an easy run, ended up doing 12k over the Ortigas MSD route. To those who had run this route with me, I don't see how "easy" could be an adjective to describe it. So my bad pasaway kasi. So newbies, keep this in mind. I feel that it may have been a factor kaya my leg broke down. 3. Get some sleep! Because of the distance and start time, I was forced to wake up at 2:45. I had like 2 hours of sleep. Not good. I couldn't sleep, body clock not adjusted. These things all pile up. 4. Never underestimate the distance. I saw several runners who were sprinting the first turn and passed our group. At the 18k mark they were throwing up on the curb and lying on the pavement. One guy said "ayoko na, di ko na kaya" to the marshal. So you have to respect the distance and avoid burning yourself out too soon. 21k is roughly from Ortigas to West Ave back and forth. It's no joke. So there! Just sharing Hope that helps our newer runners reading
I have a wealth of material posted on Takbo.ph, so please bear with me as I will repost these snippets of random running insights on here. Don't worry, fresh material will be coming soon. Oh yeah by the way, I found this random picture amusing lol.
