Running Blog #56: Philippine International Marathon

I learned about the November 8 race way back October- I just thought that it was just another fun run to raise fund for the Pasig River. I have no idea about the race, who is gonna sponsor etc....on a day to day basis I get updates from TV courtesy of shuttle bus, forwarded emails and eventually it was out in a blog with a lot more specific.

I seriously considered joining PIM:Pasig River after KOTR.
I registered together with the previously owned (or still partly owned) Lopez company, so I didn't went through the horrors of the registration and race kit claiming that I have read through various blog. But I suspect that the person who handle the claiming of our race packets experience the same.

During the race day- as usual we woke up late...in fact I thought it was another DNS hahaha.
But waking up at 4:30 and coming from Bacoor is a little advantage. So for this race I only had a banana and few sips of gatorade then we drove off to Roxas Blvd- we parked about 10m away from the starting line and the emcee is already calling all 10K runners. So we went straight to the starting line without our numbers hmmmm like bandit? Yap, because we have not get our race packet from the nice guy who claimed it for us- so we waited just near the check in. Luckily 10 minutes before gunstart our race bib arrived- I decided to wear the singlet on top of my running shirt....even if its too hot. Hmmm no choice I don't want something in my hand while running.

My race plan is to just run and enjoy the idea that this run is for the clean up drive of Pasig River. There were lots of personalities I saw at the starting line- from various industries and well people watching is a little exciting.

This race was a feel good run....occasionaly I would chase my husband when he is out of sight hehehe this is my trick to figure out if I can run faster hehehe (promise no other reason am not a jealous type he can enjoy watching running babes nyahahaha) when I least expected a performance level, I didn't realize am gonna bring out my best foot forward -yes because that day I did a PR- a difference of less than 3 minutes against my previous performance. Somehow maybe just maybe I indeed experienced the second wind or chasing hubby is a good technique.
Ciao!

Running Blog #55: And finally 500K....

After being inspired by the 1000KM club of the baldrunner last December 08- I started monitoring my mileage....then I discovered ticker factory at takbo.ph- I logged my run on the ticker factory and finally it took me more than ten months to hit a mileage of 500 Km.
On the average this is equivalent only to 10-12 km per week total runs.
But of course in reality there were many weeks that I have not run.

My minimum distance run in a week is 5 Km and the longest distance or mileage I had in a week is 35Km. The range is quite big- it depends upon my motivation =)

It felt good that finally I got numbers to think about - if this is work, this will serve as a very good baseline data to help improve my metrics.

But then this is running....my metric is simple to run and always run....and the mileage will follow. Besides, I find it as a recreational activity rather than competitive.

I hope to complete the next 500K at a better time may be eight months hehehe.
With so many race event on the list-I am certainly on board to hold a better finish time on my next 500K mileage...and maybe its time to follow smartcoach training plan or maybe attend a running clinic (i wish i wish) =)

Running Blog #54: Hoping to hit that 500K soon

I feel good today- I was able to do a practice run even if it's just 5K.
What made me happy is the fact that I clocked 33:39- I believe this is the fastest I made lately....I even forgot that I could do 29:30 (hehehe I can't even claim that it's sub-30).
But anyway, for several months I was stucked in between range of 35-40 min finish time for 5K.
Today's run gave me hope that I could do better.

As I reflect on my running activities I realized that it has bring so much to me.
I didn't expect that this could give me so much happiness....probably happiness is an understatement- bliss! that's it.
Now I have to run 60K more mileage to complete my 1st ever recorded 500K- then another 500K I hope should take lesser time.

Actually when I started charting mileage since Jan 09- I thought completing the 1000K will be as simple as completing within a year....but I was wrong- Imagine it's already the 10th month of 09 and I am still approaching to 500K. This however does not despair me. It rather give me chance to analyze what has been the past 10 months.
Well, I was trying to balance between being a mother, an employee and of course trying to find the best in me....

I'd like to believe that I probably fall in love into this sport so much...that I could try to find time to express myself to it.....yah!
I think love without expression is not love- it's just idea.

But just like any lover- I am not perfect. My discipline dwindle and I got bad days too.
Sigh! And my ever patient lover does not complaint...but would show me when I spend lesser time running---I became slower, prone to injury and of course a lot of walk breaks during race day.
Ahhhhh.....it's easy to run it's simple just put on your shoes and there you go...it becomes complicated as you develop that relationship of loving the sport because you try to spend more time with it while balancing other aspect of your life.