Lunch Running

Lunch running is not new to me. I have been doing it on and off for several years. But this year, some part of my brain just  decided that this is just what suits me. There were a lot of benefits....I go home early, I don't need to ponder on my lunch - because I am practically comfortable eating sandwiches and fruits. And yes, I learned more about discipline and time management.


So yesterday. I wrote about this at 750words  fresh from my RuNCH - as what I call my lunch running is.
What I like about 750words is the fact that it suits as my digital doodle. 
There is no need to share much :-)


Below were edited to remove the cursing and the all other silly things that raved through my mind when I am running.

Take a peek at my brain of what it's like when I am running.

~~~

The past few days my migraine have been grilling me.
It left me with light headedness and tension on my shoulder blades.
I decided to take a run today. It should be intense run. It would be arduous, I haven't beaten myself these past days. I was good in emotionally bashing myself but not physically. Maybe, I should be able to know how I will fare.


At the changing area, I was having a wishful thinking that  I'll be alone at the gym.
And right there as I entered the gym room. One of the executive was already at the lone treadmill. Standing there setting up himself. And looks of him like we have the same plan to beat ourselves.
Sigh! So it would take time...
I know,  I proceeded with warm up exercise.
There perhaps will be very little time to run.
But at least I was there early.
Maybe I can bargain a small time of extension. I deserved it anyway.


After the lazy stretch, I proceeded doing the advance chair dip. Holy Cow! It was difficult. I did two reps at seven counts each. I almost fell. I didn't know it was that much difficult.
Then I proceed with the ab cruncher...man the set up here knows how to make you suffer. I suffered a lot and cringed and shouted at the initial onset of eight pounds of weight. I could feel that any moment my ab muscles will cramp but I was able to sustained fifteen counts at three repetition.
I have to conjured images of great happiness so I will be able to forget that pain that lurks in my core.
But after the pain, it feels good. I feel my  tummy tightens. You know, when you've given birth, there's not only stretch mark on the tummy....there is also that excess skin or fat that jiggles when you run or when you dance hahaha.
When I'm done with the ab cruncher, I thought I can't stand. It took me amount of courage to pull out myself out on that equipment.Good thing there's only me and the big man. If an observer is around I could be a nice laughing stock.
Then when I was standing again in front of the mirror I pulled up my hands  in the air as if I wanna reach for the ceiling then I slowly bend to my left in half moon pose and once the resistance is terrible I moved myself in the middle with great amount of exhalation and then I summoned to inhale and move my arms to the right for another half moon pose.
When I know I had enough of that half moon posed and lost count of how much I have done or how much amount of time was spent. I straightened out. Breathed heavily and moved to the next equipment. The leg press,  I made sure I am using a difficult resistance. And then I hurled it out with loud sound of exhalation and proceeded with breeze  finished  it to fifteen counts. I almost faint at the difficulty of the task. I couldn't imagine how I barely managed three repetitions. My knees feels jelly when I got up.

And as I glanced at the treadmill....the big man hasn't finished and he is furious on the treadmill hitting a high speed. I can guess he is at twelve kilometer per hour. I am not sure with the inclined. He seemed to be experiencing slip off at the treadmill. He surely is too fast.


So I went back to where I had my chair dip. I fought another effort not to lag. Because the treadmill is still unavailable .Instead I got myself some dumb bell for a triceps extension. It was holy difficult. I survived only the seven counts at two repetition.
It was elusive....the weight lifting has always been a challenge for me. And yet the big man is still up.
So I decided another standing yoga poses to keep me perk up so I can run at about thirty minutes.


And when my time was there to hit on the treadmill. I was sweating heavily like a pig. Really, bucket of sweat.
The weather is so hot,  exerting an effort doubles the sweat.
And as I stepped on the treadmill. I mustered the challenge of 30 minutes. Inclined at 2 level hills.
In a short while, I hit the ten kilometer per hour speed. I was loving the rush. I was panting but not out of breathe. Then after five minutes I noticed my big toe from my right foot is hot. The hot spot is killing me. My feet hasn't really get used to vibram five fingers. I always get this blister even if I am wearing an injiji socks. Hmmm. I prefer the vibram over my mizuno because it's light weight and it doesn't take up volume in my bag.
The blister, oh my God, I can feel my skin popping out like a popcorn. Oh God! This is terrible and the air-conditioner is closed. There is no air to soothe my feet. So as I hit the ten minutes mark of my run. Suddenly, I slowed down and stopped. So that's how I accomplished thirty percent of the goal that I keyed in the setting.
I stepped out of the treadmill, opened the air-conditioner but no air. From behind, I heard the big man muttered...."please plugged the power." he was smiling. Uh-oh! I looked so stupid, he must have removed it? After plugging in the device...air started to flow on my environment.  I hopped again on the treadmill and keyed in twenty minutes goal of running.


The run tortures me. It was  a difficult task...after about ten minutes the big man leaves the gym. He's done with his workout. I am left alone. Contemplating, why I am doing this.  But I know, this is what discipline is all about. My bodily state looks like I am taking a carbohydrate depleting training. But I'm not because this is supposed to be a short run. Though in my mind, I want my body to train to take fuel from my fats. Yes, I've got so much fat from around my belly. And then I try to distract myself I look around. Apparently my eyes gazed into the banana that I tossed awhile ago on the bottle holder of the treadmill.
God! I am hungry and running for ten minutes seemed like a total feeling of being in a "Hunger Games". Uh-oh. I haven't watched it....but read it instead. And it reminds me again how much time I lost reading MockingJay. Yes, I lost the time because I didn't like it, of the trilogy....I loved only the Hunger Games.

Then my mind drifted off to my current state. I know, discipline. I told myself that I will only take food upon completing the thirty minutes run. But here I am loathing myself with that self-inflicted rules. Now, my stomach growling and I continue to ignore it. Reminding myself that in this life...there are many things that you cannot have even if you wanted it so bad. There are a lot of limiting factors. So learn to live with it. That's why the word discipline was invented. Then my mind started spelling discipline d-i-s-c-i-p-l-i-n-e. Yes, I am slowly becoming insane. Oh! And then from time to time my eyes set onto the banana. Oh Banana rama I wanted to eat banana. I was like in a trance...I know I am in hunger game now. Excuse me, not the movie my own version of hunger game. It feels so real...it takes me back to the memory lane of the last one kilometer of a marathon run. When I feel exhausted, thirsty, hungry and yet I don't want to stop because I just wanted to get my damn ass to the finish line. And as I reached my invisible finish line. I am up to zero time, I have consumed the twenty minutes plus the earlier ten minutes and here I am rejoicing at the thought. I have defeated my negative ego. I have defeated that demons in me. And hey may I remind myself this is just thirty minutes run...not your typical long run eh!
Finally, it's been months and I have finally completed a thirty minutes running time. I am now ready to eat my banana.

I gulped my water. Peeled the banana. And God the banana tasted really good.
It was the best banana in the world. I don't care if it's a little mushy.I was sated. I know, food awaits at my desk.
 And I headed to the changing room.

Running Blog #61: 2012 Race and Training or vice versa

I have no company as of this writing....that's why for the longest period of time...here I am blogging.
          "Kiddos and hubby went out to watch the sound of music musicale, a production from their school."

So I better blog fast because before I knew it they're probably home and there's not much time left.

Funny, running blog #61- seems like it's my 61st run....well, I used to blog about my training and races because I express better in this blog. Talking about running to non-running people is kinda difficult. So I ended up blogging about it.

Things have changed....this year on December will marked my 5th year as a runner or jogger as other preferred to be called. I have evolved into a snail runner. I don't regret failing to train, not getting to the starting line and sometimes well I admit it not training at all.
There are a lot of things to do. I thought when the kids started going to school, I'll have my free time. I'll get better training times, I'll get good PRs.
Sigh, but I was wrong....totally wrong. Because as they grew up, list of things to do just pile up.
Plus they have their own interest to pursue.
My little lady is into singing and my little handsome young man is into swimming and sometimes acting.
These children are so precious that I realized....my world revolves around them. Good thing I still have a job on the side.
But even if I'm working, they're still there at the back of my mind.....just like my old computer. where a program is working while inactive...it's just behind the active stuff.

Did I say that this is running blog #61?
Oh yeah! So the good news is...even if me is too busy with juggling a day time job as salary person and mothering...I still get my steals...yes (drum roll please!)I steal training time.
I was able to decipher patterns when the kids would likely to have a quiz or assignments.
And when they do have assignments or quizzes....I steal a RuNCH....you heard it right. I run during lunch time. And I don't care if I'm a sweaty smellin' mammal after that. But I need to snatch that 30 minutes running time at the treadmill or outside.
Well there are days that I don't run lunch...but do pre-dinner run lol! When the kids can manage their assignment which I try to convince over the phone, me & hubby get to a pre-dinner run.
And on weekends when we don't get to wake up early....we run just anytime of the day.

The results are pretty much okay...we were not able to gun any PR. But were able to sustain a long run.
This year our first race for the year is the 16km Timex run (oh! with the so papable Piolo!) and today I am blessed with a pretty strong finish for the 21K with condura skyway marathon.
   Plus, not so running related,  I am out with my maintenance medication. The doctor agreed to take out some.
   Life is great...you just have to whine sometimes and later, think about how to resolve a problem...just like any math problems lol! There's always a solution.

Isn't it great! I am often running....literally running for everything the kids schedule, family thing, oh domestic work is just amplified with so much details that it's comparable to running a business. Just thinking about it makes me tired.

I can't have a nice well planned training but get to squeezed in some action in my boring life.
Now I know why some people don't get married and doesn't want a child.....because it's a never ending responsibility. iPity them....iPity myself sometimes.
But the truth is my children and my husband are what matters most in my life.
They are so precious that I try to make myself a better me.
We all do have options, try to look at it in a different perspective (it happens too with photography hahaha composition 101).

I realized I missed blogging....maybe I should steal some blogging time too.

This year's race pix

Hubby's souvenir pose during Timex Run, we were in a  hurry to go home

My souvenir pix with Time Run

Rovilson & Hubby-we were behind him at the 21k redemption booth for the medals

The medal for 21k runners

Photo ops with Rovilson- I was a little shy to ask him lol!

Hubby's doodle on the condura's mangrove wall (something we didn't do last year) 

Post script: (Quite a length I know!)
Well, suddenly I remember last year condura marathon. I did 42Km. I did it even if I have a fever, I ended up lethargic and injured with ITBS. Two weeks before the race I had flu, I cannot forego a marathon. The rest is history. For some reason, that story stayed in my draft box for more than a year now lol!

Here are some of my condura run last 2011. Photos I grabbed from marathon-photos.com

Today's race was great. I salute the Concepcion brothers for making this race possible.
But I missed Takbo.ph booth- since 2010 (my first taste of skyway run), they have a booth at Buendia before runners get to skyway (both 21k & 42k runners passes in this station). I don't know if they still have the support booth for 42k runners. It's just that I missed them. It's different passing that booth....you get a dose of motivation, banana, water and electorlytes and even free spray of efficascent oil lol! for those cramps.

Change is just probably inevitable. Congratulations to all the finishers and see you on the road!

Lost

I didn't know my husband visits this blog.
When he first learned about this blog, he's actually swearing because he's got a lot of picture in here, and he's always mentioned in my post.
I just sweet talk him over the fact that after 14 years I am still in love with him. Lol! So I can't get him off my mind even in writing.... enough of the mushy me lol! Were too old for this.

I actually forgot about the blog....until husband reminded over the weekend while were relaxing in the pool of canyon cove...he mentioned about the blog. Maybe he missed my mentioning him in here lol!
It was in one of our conversation that he asked why from a blabber blogger to the silent one.
And I realized that I have no blog post for several months now.
Geez, it's all in the draft bin.
Oh! I haven't even published my third marathon story with the most popular race in town- Condura Run for the Dolphin.
And all other short races, in the past I would usually blog about it.
So where have I been?
hmmmn
I am actually emotional about it.
You know the road of life is extremely jam-packed.
I started out almost four years ago having toddlers....now they are first graders.
I thought while they are growing up....I'll have time for myself.
Ooops! I got it all wrong.
There is the voice lesson, then the swimming lesson, the endless projects and assignment, then workloads, cooking to make sure they eat nutritious food  and so on and so forth.
My kids also interfere with my social life. Often, they would not allow me or my husband on our solo events.
And also I am a constant referee to the cat and dog fight.
I thank God I'm a runner.....I endure this race so called life.

I celebrated my 34th birthday in the hospital, the only time to monitor those cyst and other blood chemistry.
Then before I knew it, my daughter's 7th birthday.
Oh! She wanted to meet Tinker Belle....and there's no other place to go but the closest Disney.
On her birthday I was having severe migraine. But how can I ruined that day?
So even with headache and photo-phobia.....go lang ng go! Photo ops din!

And then last weekend it was my hubby's birthday. Yeah, as mentioned awhile ago that was the time he bring up the blog. Maybe, he sensed that I'm overwhelmed and not having fun.
The hints: I rarely race, I don't write (that's what he thought), I don't upload pix in facebook, I don't logged much of my exercise in DM. Whew! He asked if I'm depressed. I guess he's worried having episodes of post partum depression...he is deciphering my state of mind.

The truth is I don't know anymore how to write....how to sweet talk this blog.
Probably I'm not the same....I am marred with pain....I keep on enduring....I guess this mom  needed to redefine endurance.

And today another text invite about a blogger night lol! Well, Thanks TR it prompted me to visit my own site.

Well, honestly I haven't given up on writing. It's just that I frequented on another account or site called the 750words.
It requires 750 words per entry....it's got analysis about how your feeling about your write up and other cool stuff but it doesn't get published the way blog does.
In a way, it's a digital diary....cool, secure, private. It is also a good tool to help one become a better writer. I am not sure with me. But it sure does help me identify what I am feeling mostly. And it help me keep up and finally bring acceptance of what's bugging me.

Since December 2010 I have been very emotional about my state of health.
Who wouldn't after a week of full marathon an elevated or out of boundaries blood cholesterol and thyroid hormone....it felt that I don't have control over my health. Duh! What happened with that controlled diet, with the yoga and running, trekking and all other stuff that fits me to the generation "Fit".

You know how it felt like....a pang of frustration or some similar to betrayal. I am still lost to what I feel about my situation.
OMG, for more than a decade I am on strict diet. No pork, well I am not an all out vegetarian....but  I subjected myself to all strict diet even after two pregnancies because I know this is the right thing and healthy way to go.
But even after all the healthy and active lifestyle...I felt like getting an F on my blood chemistry score.

All the effort seemed gone awry.
How would you feel if you were on my shoe?

I was devastated.
I probably was not admitting it and continue life as if nothing happened as if I am unaware.
But then I needed to go on frequent leave from work, frequent visits to doctors, long queuing lines on doctor's appointment, blood extraction, more medication. Various pills for each symptom resulting to acne, mood swing, bloated mid section, water retention. It felt bad.

Maybe, right now I am able to write about it because I have come to accept the fact that perhaps those parameters will forever fail. And that my life is accompanied by these symptoms frequent mood swing, bloated, weight gain (which a lot of people insist is just my imagination)- i think this is secondary to the bloated feeling, the endless abdominal cramps....and so on and so forth.
Well, not to mention sensitivity to smell and chemicals urgh!

On the mood swing....I am completely aware of the side effects, I try to control my reaction. This is the reason I have fewer enemies than expected lol! But honestly, most of the time I choose to be silent or say nothing at all....sometimes, something comes out of my mouth that I rarely intend to say or meant. Those were the times perhaps when I'm feeling rebellious because for more than a decade I have been controlling my reactions....sometimes the shield crack down....and I feel nobody understands me because I don't have the physical symptom of illness. My vital stats are normal.

It felt as if nobody listens to me or even willing to help me.
It seems that my case is just a psychosomatic illness....they say that's all in your mind.
But hell, no I have been battling the pain since age 17 and to top it all....the worst it brought me is the infertility issues. Endometriosis or Endo as most of those sufferer referred it is a disease that is often misdiagnosed.
In my case, I knew I had it since my menarchy. But the management is only to deal with pelvic pain. It was only confirmed during a laparoscopic operation not intended for the endo but for the fertility work up.
The gyne cauterized the tissues after a few months post op we successfully conceived. Almost four years, I failed to detect that it came back.
What I did is to go on active lifestyle and in the processed increased my tolerance with pain.
It helped managed pain.
But fast forward today, I didn't realized that it will blow to this proportion.
Every month of migraine attacks one week before and after my period. Episodes of photo-phobia, sensitivity to smell, severe allergic reaction, gastric pain etc.

All this I have to endure....I swear to God I wish I am menopause so I need not to go through all of the above that associates with endo.

Endurance have brought me a different new meaning. It's not anymore running the marathon or trying the ultra.
Endurance to me is to be able to endure pain almost every day when the period is nearing.
It also means to be able to sustain moods despite headache, I can't blame other people for my misfortune.
It also means despite pain I have to fulfill my motherly duty to my children. Positive disposition in life is very important for sufferer of this disease. In this country, endo patients condition are not considered life threatening. In a country that believes women are designed to suffer while giving birth and on their monthly period as suggested in the bible....I guess prevention of pain is far from sight.

This is true, given that there is no research yet that establishes why endometriosis?
Given that men are not even affected by this disease.

There is no road to proper treatment for this disease.
And I felt alone in this battle. I have a competent doctor. But given the number of patients that she looks after have more severe case (such as infertility, pregnancy etc). I am often and I can sense that I am on the least priority.
In one of my ultrasound, a gyne commented that I was lucky to have two kids given my condition (well I have not even mentioned my other anomaly). Women rarely talks this condition, it's like taboo...it's like you're weak if you cannot manage your monthly visits.

Today, I decided that I'll take charge with my health.
Yes, I stopped the medication for the elevated cholesterol and TSH.
Those failing blood chemistry are probably secondary to my endo.
I am not scared anymore. Besides my BMS is relatively low, my waist to hip ration is less than 0.90 and I don't have high blood pressure.

This time, I'll try to travel the road where there is no trail, where it is uncertain.
I'll try to listen to my body intently.
For now, I'll  hang on to prayers for guidance and a regular conversation with Him.
Are You listening? 

15 DAYS without running and counting.....

I wish I was injured so there are no more pains in my chest as I write this blog (the drama!).
Sigh! I can't run because everything takes on priorities- home repairs/maintenance which took us four long years before doing it again sigh!, children school starts at 7 AM and everybody gets to sleep at 8 PM sharp!

I could actually run 3 AM- I can wake up at this time of the day....but there's no running area available before 4 AM (I am referring to island cove- the nearest available running route for me)....the housing is filled with stray dogs.....very unsafe to run here tsk!tsk!tsk! I tried it once and went back home- as I was not ready to do speed run ;-(

I felt very unfortunate.....when everybody was doin' their workout.
I am here counting on calories with housework....child care and well typing on keyboards.
Luckily, I haven't gain much weight because even if I devour  2 rice on breakfast- I hardly gain weight....but that's not my issue....my mood is starting to swing in various direction.....I felt so isolated. Sometimes, when my head is spinning I try the resistance band....I am hopeless these days (and on my favorite month- aw!!!).
Suddenly, I wonder if I could still meet my personal targets.
Will I ever do Milo??

I am tempted to buy a treadmill....will I run like a rat?
Oh my...excuse me for the treadmill runners (no offense intended)- but I just couldn't stand the 30 minute run on this machine.

I content myself reading the blogs of fellow runner and DM friends during noon breaks....great run folks!

Oh! I miss the road.