Running Blog #18: Snake on the run!

Today's practice running is just an ordinary practice.

Macho man and I took the 5.3K route by 34:29, a little slower than the usual.

After we finished the route we went back to the gym for a little rest on the leg curl, bench dip and decided to have additional two laps around ADGT means plus 2.6K.

As we were about to go to our starting point, we saw Red and invited him over...then there's happy feet- it was nice....feel good running with fellow mountaineer.

We were all engrossed to make our feet faster....then something strange- Macho man met someone nyahahaha he shouted "Snake!". It was already dark when we took another PR- but then seeing a snake on the plains.....wow really strange, I never saw one on the mountain and I am praying not to really see any.

Whohoooo.......with this news that might spread the running community in GBP.... I was just thinking, would it affect the runners....will they fear that area or are we gonna lost count of runners or would it make GBP route more exciting???? hmmmm actually I realized if I was in Macho man's position I probably would step on the snake as I usually look forward.

Sigh! And that snake is oh so big one.

By the way, here is another photo collage courtesy of Picasa 3....done during my slack moments.

I might write about the "How To" of making a photo collage in Picasa 3- it's really simple, and am hooked up.

All photos courtesy of moranophotography- taken last Dec visit to Naga City.

Climb Blog#1: Manabu Peak

My first Minor climb for 2009 was at the Manabu Peak.
Jump off at Bgy Sta Cruz Sulok.

Below is the IT courtesy of ADTREK-MC

DAY 1
1700 Assembly time in Pala-pala
1730 ETD to Lipa City
1930 ETA Fiesta Mall, Lipa Take tricycle to Sulok, Brgy. Sta. Cruz
2000 ETA jump-off
2230 Start ascend
2115 ETA Grotto, refill water container (only water source)
2130 Resume trek
2315 ETA Summit, camp setup Dinner/Socials
0200 Lights off

DAY 2
0600 Wake up call
0700 Breakfast, break camp
0900 Start descend
1030 ETA jump-off Tidy up
1200 ETD to Lipa
1230 ETA Lipa, Lunch
1330 ETD to Manila/Cavite


Wow! According to the map we saw- the total trail/trek distance is only 4.3K.

Huwat! We were like wow -all of us have been running 5K at 30-40 minutes (average) and why are we gonna trek this at 2 hrs? hehehe addicts!

Anyways, I was humbled by the experience. The truth is running on pave is really different from running the trail or trekking the trail. We had an average of 5Kg load and we were just walking and the terrain that is very variable. In fact, we've got lost along the way as there is a lot of confusion with a lot of cross roads- I'd say trails were always traveled(nyahahaha not less traveled eh!).
Nevertheless, we took the summit at 2 hrs (even if we started really late!) at 10 PM.

Of course it was soooo cold up there.
The addicts decided to take some drinks to warm up the nights (minus me, hyperacidity took toll on me).

The climb was really fun- specially during the socials....name calling, endless wordplay and laughter....wow and these addicts took a gilbeys of 700ml to just 15 minutes drink (giving each of them a dose of 100ml- what a record!). I'll have to check on what is the world record.

Trivia:

• Who is this FM AKA FrogMan, my take Frequency Modulator (FM) for stopping the noisy gals on their name calling/roll call and putting them to rest.


• Who is this HF AKA Happy Feet, my take Hands Free (HF) for being always on the phone that looks like on a handsfree mode....following up the status of EOQ.


• Who is this ITECH AKA ITIK nyahahaha, my take I-TECH for bringing in his GPS enabled phone that tracks our trek and evidently show that we were lost during our descend nyahahaha (we were like seeing everything ei!).


• Who are these gals called porky pig, sandugo, and spidey *****


• Why are these trivia referring to the aniname (not anime eh! nyahahaha)....because the eight addicts were the new members of ADTREK-MC Zoo.....Zoo or Madagascar??? Alex (lion), Marty (Zebra), Monkeys, Gloria (Hippo) and the Giraffe (I forgot d name)-castings not yet included nyahahahaha.

The descend was lotta fun too....we got lost for quite sometime (and nobody complaints nyahahaha besides we have the parrot to assists us -was not on the climb but with us through SMS all through the night trek and descend). We made it to jump off after 2 hrs too (just like our ascend). Why? Because everyone is so excited to see the CR nyahahaha.

Because of so much excitement and fun, as we converese on the way home.....we were discussing and we were like planning another night trek "Batulao ???Pre-valentine ei!"

P.S. Photo and layout courtesy of eyefocus who bought a decent camera, the rest of us were on our celphone built in VGA cam hehehe (of course except I-TECH).

Below are some of my shots using my K610i phone (so lowtech hehehe).

From the top: I took the first two pix after peeing (morning pee hehehe); the next two pix where taken at the summit; the cross was situated at the summit; the last pix were coffee beans which according to my companion can be made into the famous coffee "Alamid".

Running Blog #10 Practice Run

Today I was a little late for my practice run. Because I have to summarize the information for our business proposal (which I learned from the orientation training I attended last Sat).


I started at 6:18 PM ...good thing I did a practice run with a friend and fellow mountaineer (and also finisher during last sunday's happy run).

Initially she hesitated if she can make it or maybe she was thinking "Is it a good idea to run with this addict!" nyahahaha. I have no doubt that she could make it I was so sure she can- as a mountaineer she had an enormous endurance to make it to summit- 5K is peanuts for her....she just needed confidence. Kudos to us as we completed the 5,3K course at 36 minutes, a 6:33 min per km or 9.33 km/hr.

Running is something I always look forward to....besides the usual runner high and being able to appreciate nature at it's best....running keeps me a better me (I mean person).

I am specially exhilirated today for I stumbled upon Sforty's wisdom this quote from Sara Mae Berman (a three-time Boston winner) "The wonderful thing about athletic achievement is that it is finite. There is no ambiguity. You did it and no one can ever take that away from you."

And I agree it's either I do it or I didn't- no excuses.

Running Blog #9 Indeed a "Happy Run"

Yesterday Man and I decided to bring along the kids on my "Happy Run" race.
I have no idea if there will be inflatables (like the UNICEF's fun run). But we just bet on it.
In my mind, since it's gonna have a good race director...so perhaps there'll be a lot to see that maybe the kids will enjoy.

Here comes race day.

This morning I wasn't able to wake up again when my phone alarmed.
I was dreaming.....and it was a very bad dream.

• I received a text message that our company will be totally closed/shutdown (like Intel).....you could imagine my heartbeat then I replied back to the texter, then I received again another message then I opened it it was from Macho man "On d way na kmi"....still I couldn't grasp the connection. Then I realized, it was the race day! Nyahahahaha so our company's total closure wasn't true....it was just a dream! nyahahahahaha...my dream almost got me huh! It took sometime before I realized the race' gonna start in 2 hrs. I was in a haste...I shook Man whose feelin' a little lazy.....waaaaa! I want to run- plssss!

So Man woke up the kids who were so grumpy (of course it was 4:15AM- who wouldn't be).

I immediately took a bath and had a slice of pizza. Pizza??? Yes, pizza from Piadina (leftover from last night's carbo overload).

We were speeding to leave because we were supposed to meet Macho man & Team, some were supposed to transfer to our car to just leave enough breathing room from the chocolate man's car with seven warm blooded passenger. But Alas! I left my race bib so we have to go back again....then came Bopek text that they were all set to go....I replied we were near then they agreed to meet at Bacoor's police station. But the addicts refused to transfer to us....they wanted to be closed together in the chocolate man's car to warm them up nyahahahaha.....maybe it wasn't really a sedan it was a van afterall!

It took us 30 minutes to get to the venue. As usual I have to find the portalet immediately to empty my bladder. I was surprised that there weren't long lines....thanks to the organizer for providing three portalets for women.

The race started as scheduled 15K gunstarted at 5:45 AM- this is the race of the chocolate man and sforty. Our 5K race gunstarted at 5:55AM- The ADTREK team was composed of myself, Bopek, Macho man, Palutz, Shine, Red, Pula, Mike, Avebebe and Ais. We bumped into other ADI runner's like Carly, Roel, Mario and the others.

When we started running, I find it very difficult. I don't know if it is because of excitement or it was cold (I regretted not wearing my tights) or because I hadn't warmed up or because of my medication, bottomline I was uncomfortable. But then I have to run faster, I needed to prove that I am better every race because if I didn't improved by 6 minutes then I have to upgrade to a longer race (10K nyay! scared!).

During my run I could still taste the pizza flavor in my throat- why did it linger there? Then suddenly I feel my legs cramped at halfway....then I stopped I took brisk walking then run again. My last 2 Km was an agony, I was trying to calm my body to ensure that I won't cramp uncontrollably. I was even looking around for ambulance-but then it wasn't there.....I walk and run alternately on my last 1 Km and I thought it was the longest 1 km of my life. Then I saw the finish line, I was even a little surpise the time was 29:31 (see official result for 5K Female for the over all results click here).

Post race was fun- there were lots of freebies like fruits (I had banana for my cramps), there was krispy kreme doughnut and coffee, but what I liked most is the muscle tape- which is timely for my cramped leg. The muscle tape must stay on my skin for 3-5 days. I had my right leg and knee taped- and it's pink! I also learned that the kids got a chance to mingle with optimus prime (mascot), the dragon dancers and of course they were able to get to know my Adtrek friends. Blimey! No inflatables....but anyways, MNM managed with the help of Karen.

We were at the parking lot and almost were recovered when Sforty and chocolate man returned from their 15K race....took some pix and then we went off separate ways.

My family and I went to Jollibee at the 32nd street, I guess sforty went home and the Adtrek guys and gals went to market!market! for breakfast.


Yes! A hearty breakfast after the race cap it off.

But the kids refused that its bye time so we went to the park near Jollibee, I guess there was a statue of supremo (am not familiar) where the kids frolic around.

Here are the shots from MNMs D40.