Patience....Patience....Patience

Patience is a virtue....and I do not have.

I characterize myself as a very impatient person. Well, though impatient I am not the type who would have tantrums or misdemeanor during an "impatient" stage, I would always try to deviate my attention so I won't focus on time and distance (not necessarily running related).

Since I become a mother- I have made a decision to try patience a chance in my databank of virtue.
During my practice run- I have developed small amount of patience as I patiently wait for my second wind to kick in. I have developed my patience to endure some pains to get through distance- even thirst, I have patiently look forward for water station so I can have some water to sip in.

Today- I was surprised that I'll have another Pateince 101.

The much awaited New Balance Power Run was held this morning....I knew patience is what I need to endure the pains of my right big toe- according to google I am having Turf Toe- sigh!
Also, I decided not to wear the very revealing NB singlet-I didn't had the chance to have it repaired. The thought of a PR is not even in my mind- because since Friday- I had a hard time breathing during practice run. In fact, I can feel that not enough oxygen gets to my lungs and to my heart. Yesterday, we went to Tagaytay- to help me breath a fresher air- but it did not help either....so I decided that I will run and stop when difficulty in breathing is felt...and this is my overall strategy.

We were early this time- so hubby and I had a chance to do a 500 m slow jog warm up before getting to starting line.

My first 3K was devastating- I was gasping for air, but I can feel in my arms that its windy. I was wondering why I am not even perspiring....and was wonderin why there is not a sufficient air for me. Stopping at the first water station was a bad idea- so on my next stop back to the same station after I had my u-turn I grab more water and had it pour on my head. I continued a slow run then stopped in between because I felt like I am suffocating....in fact at Km 6 or somewhere along 5th ave before I crossed Lawton I knew one of the runners noticed my plight- he asked me if I was fine...I said yes- my pride just won't let an ambulance take me back to the finishline and be forever labeled DNF in this race....maybe not today...maybe there is a more serious reason for DNF- but not today. So I decided to take on the uphill with my baby steps and for the rest of it...I didn't care if there is air or not in my lungs I only care to run and occasionally my body would ask me to stop and wait for some air to kick in....in fact I managed to have some fun at that short distance in Mc Kinley hill where I tried taking my baby steps further after the u-turn....but had to stop on the final ascent on my way back to the finish line- when I'm feeling OK I would run again.....Luckily at Km 9- a sudden push kicks in-if that is the second wind- well thank goodness as it never wane....gotta believe it I still managed to finish a decent time of 1:02:02 breaking my previous record - unfortunately, according to garmin it is a little short of 500 m, garmin registered only a 9.52K distance...good thing we did a 500 m warm up so I am still able to complete my required training of 10K.
While in the line grabbing my medal, banana, water and sports drink- I realized had I not stopped on the course I probably made it to sub 60.

I feel tired and didn't bother to look around- I don't even know if there is a finisher certificate- I got a medal anyway. My mind was actually racing to another possibility- a relaxing visit to my favorite beach destination- Anawangin Zambales.
So hubby and I hopped on the car- leave the parking lot immediately....then about 200 m away from the parking lot he has to stop.

Tarannnnn! The clutch wont get through.....I am afraid of the implication- I don't know how to handle or manage a car....I am even a poor driver. Hubby checked on the hood and some fluid- when he got back he told me "Be PATIENT! We will run at a very low speed or on first gear and have no provision to stop because if I put on a break the engine will die and restarting is difficult."
I have no choice....actually I have hehehe he kiddingly told me that I can commute, call a taxi cab and go home or run along side the car and have an LSD wahahaha- this is tempting, but my right big toe is a little swollen.

So the longest ride from the fort to our house happened today- we totaled one hour and thirty minutes- as if we are on a heavily traffic jam situation.

So I have another dose of my lessons in patience...as we traverse the road, we still come across some 21K runners as we cross the 5th avenue towards Mc Kinley Road to EDSA- one guy was really angry because we wont stop even if we were running low....before the intersection I was already shouting at the marshall that we can't stop....but one of the 21K runner was furios- I can only symphatize with him, and as runners we were also ashamed of what happened- but our car condition is really something that we were still trying to learn as it was our first 1K after hubby tried on the first gear trick (which he tried to get through while the engine is dead- starting the engine at first gear is really very difficult and it requires certain foot dexterity to kick the car running).

The ride was full of silence- I was praying that none of the MMDA officer stop us or offered to have the car towed because somehow we are affecting the traffic....we ride it on full hazard signal and occasionally we would do hand signal among the fellow motorists.
I was saying my prayer- I can't leave my husband in that sticky situation, I still probably can help him in any way possible.
I was observing my husband while we are on our first gear journey wehehehe....I can't help but admire his coolness. He was cool about it- he was focused and God! he can even throw some joke...while I am just a passenger and yet I am silently restless....my mind is racing on all possibilities that might happen if suddenly he needs to put on the break or if an MMDA official stopped us and give us some violation- I am not even aware if low speed vehicles in an express way is a violation -sigh! my breathing is really very irregular....I can sense that I could have a heart attack anytime.

But everytime I look at my husband- I can see him very serene and just focused on the road. He can even engaged in a conversation with me post race topic (like he's next goal is gonna be sub-50), as if nothing is wrong.....waaaaah! why????? If I am the driver, I probably would park the vehicle on the side- wait for a towing company and call a cab to go home then arrange a mechanic to work on it.
There were several occasion that we have to stop- and luckily the engine didn't die- and then he was ecstatic when the gear gets through the 2nd gear.
At times that he stopped and the engine died- he will calmly restart the car as if...everything is normal.
Sigh! I was in totally awe on how he keeps his cool....I wish God showered me the same kind of coolness and patience.
Then I was thinking- even at a very slow speed we did it...we were home safe. This gives me a little glimpse of what half marathon would be like maybe even corregidor.

Hmmmm....our anawangin escapade will not happen as the car have to be repaired by tomorrow...and today maybe I'll just iced my swollen toe.

P.S. No photos- my photograper is on the run, which I bet he probably registered sub 60! Wohooo!

My christmas wish

I am a little sluggish today....I feel tired during this morning run at the island cove.

I made a mistake of taking a run in an empty stomach....I thought too much food yesterday would be OK to burn and not adding small amount of food before run (thinking about reserve energy =))- but I was wrong. At km 6, I felt like collapsing- good thing my husband passed by and he got me gatorade and granola bar. Afterwards, I managed to complete my 11K run as planned....but I ended up really sluggish and thirsty all day. Plus, I have this constant nagging pain in my right big toe hrrrr.


This afternoon, after two long years of an expired passport- finally I got myself time for a renewal...I was not in the mood - I feel so thirsty all throughout the course. After the appearance in DFA we headed to RUNNR- I was excited to get myself a tights- yes! the CWX stabilyx....actually I am planning to use this not only for running but for climb as well. To my surprise- they ran out of stocks for my size....waaaah! I was planning to wear it for the Corregidor 10 mile challenge-but it looks like it wont be there. Instead I got my son a running shirt that is to compensate for the gas bwehehehe.



So while waiting for my alarms for the pills and other vitmamins- I decided to hop on the blogsphere.....and what did I found in thebullrunner? LOL! The secondwind christmas registry. Wow! It was a very nice idea- but then I wonder who could be my santa?!? My generous sister is still out of the country and will be home until next year (maybe she'll bring me home some?); My friends- oh! I have barely rich friends and I doubt if they'll even bother hahaha; My husband- I really hate to ask him, but I hope he get to read this (sigh! but he rarely visits).


In between my thoughts- imagining my wonderful gifts, I am also searching about this pain in my big toe.....this link explains it's....Turf Toe. I started having a slight discomfort in my right big toe when I was trying to switch to forefoot strike. Then lately when I started training back with my Mizuno the discomfort became pronounced- I wanted to give Mizuno wave precision a decent retirement....so before it finally put to storage- I want to beat it with training and Corregidor....but now I realized- it is now one year old.....hhmmmm I guess I am back to my wish list.

So here are my wish list.....it just networks with my needs -running and non-running related and maybe I can update later:

1. A new running shoes - to replace good ol' buddy wave precision.
2. A stabilyx- that will take me longer and higher (ehem...means more mountain ranges in the coming year).
3. A maipo- climb shoes....so I can play more with river trek.
4. A new backpack hmmmm
5. A mini notebook-ehem....pink would be nice at least lenovo.
6. A colorful running shorts that comes in yellow, orange, red, pink etc etc
7. A colorful running shirt that matches with wish list #6.
8. A nice abs - a waistline of 25 in would do (whahahaha- this comes with a hard workout! because am not gonna give up my 2 cups of rice)
9. A long distance run...a real one during December (wahahaha despite the party fever every friday!)
10. A nice beach party in December! Maybe...Anawangin- I shall return? Or Atulayan an overnight adventure?
11. A bull market in December so I can spend every winnings in item 1-10!
12. An ill-free and injury-free holiday for my family and the rest of the running community!

What a nice thoughts to cap off the day!
Good night!

Running Blog #57: Timex Run

Great morning! Great Run!
Timex Run is one of the best race I had so far.
I have no complaint.....maybe except for the fact that I never got a solo pix with Piolo (LOL!).



The water station is longer this time (compared to the previous races) and 100 plus is indeed a plus!

I actually stopped on almost all the water station and had no problem grabbing one.


It was also pretty exciting that at the last water station there were sexy ladies cheering and giving high fives -well why not so I high five with them too! I guess its not only the guy runner that they intend to hi-five LOL!

The weather is great! I had fun running and had not stopped in any point of Buendia flyover....sounds like a great improvement for me. But in reality, I can't stop because my calf muscle is painful- I had a severe cramps yesterday afternoon while resting after I did some calf muscle massage in my foam roller. It was like a jolt and I felt some contractions in my right lower leg (calf to be exact)....Timex run immediately entered my mind- I was even thinking of quitting maybe a DNS as option....but who can I resist the idea of running and chasing Piolo LOL!

So what I did yesterday is to ice my calf muscle, elevate it for 30 minutes and have some walking at the nearby mall LOL! When I got back home I had loads of banana and one tablet of glucosamine chondroitin. Before bed time I even tried PACMAN's Alaxan FR (nagkapilipilit na muscle lang yan LOL!).

When I woke up this morning- I had a stinging muscle....I was praying so hard that it will not stucked. I had a MILO energy bar, one banana, half wheat bread with peanut butter and sip of gatorade- then I had two glasses of water. We arrived at the fort having a full stomach feeling....this makes me think again of possible side stitch and waaaah the dreaded calf cramps......but I try to be positive by thinking aboutPapa P LOL and the idea of fun run with my friends Kathy and Benet. When I checked in the starting line I tried looking around for Benet and Kathy- this run was supposed to be our trio run or birthday run2....months back we planned to run this race with Kathy who just got back from Singapore...and she happens to be my original running buddy in GBP.
But there is just about 4000 runners to scan faces with. So...after going back and forth and bumping from runners of familiar faces I decided to stop my search operation and proceeded just in front of the stage....still looking around but not succesful enough to find my friends- well I left my phone so I have no other means but to check on faces. Sigh! Why didn't I SMS them last night....waaaah! I was so busy trying to neutralize my painful calf.


Then came the gunstart. Luckily I have not feel any pains even if I have not stretched enough. Then at crusin speed- all the pain is gone. I attacked buendia flyover with my baby steps....I do not intend to walk. Along the flyover I saw Ani de Leon- the ironwoman, high five with Randy, chanced upon Christy and had a short talk, then at Gil Puyat.....there.....I saw Papa P - I gave him a wave and he return back a handsome smile......wow....I thought I'm gonna faint right there on my track LOL!




Then next stop is another water station before the U-turn and after few more steps I got another water and 100 plus. Going back to the flyover was a little bit of challenge. Uphill would mean more stress on my calf muscles but luckily I did not stop on my way back to the stretch of buendia flyover....guess what? I actually stopped and had walk breaks at Km 9- huhuhu I can't resist the idea of stopping and checking why my calf won't cramps even if my feet starts having needle pricking sensation. I checked on garmin and it's almost 1:00+....I decided to pick up myself and started running again on my most possible top speed- yet I can't managed to gain more speed....I almost quit and almost try another walk break but the sight of the finishline tells me I am almost there. I did a sprint and my final glance at the time is 1:03:55. Whoa!...I have broken my personal record. And did I even hear my name mentioned by the host as I reached the finishline?

After the run I looked around for water- but what I found is the tent for 10K lootbags- without the line....wow! isn't it great. Then I wander around and fall in line again to the photovendo it was just 6:48 AM- it was really cool because you get a printed copy of your finish line pix- something to post in my cube.


I'd say that the timex run is one of the best organized run by Coach Rio.



I didn't found my friend. I did not even chance upon them at the U turn.



After roaming around, having my pix and almost stalking Papa P LOL! When he passed right in front of me while I was striking a pose for my souvenir pix (see photo below- how hubby captured me screaming LOL!) and a lot of people flocked on him. My hubby thought Papa P was sticky because I got lost when he passed by LOL!


I have to be contented with this pix- double Papa P

At the parking lot, I learned that Benet was sick and as for Kathy well...she made it but I learned about it when I was already home =(

Today is my scheduled long run based on my training plan I am still right on track.

Ciao!

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) =)