Simulation

My first race is fast approaching and I must say I'm excited despite my lack of preparation. I can easily run 5k nowadays but I still don't know how I will fair on a 10k route. But I've been meaning to run 10k as part of my training and see how I'll do so I know what to expect. The thing is it's only less than two weeks before my race and I might risk injuring myself if I don't do things right. Or even if I do make it in my own 10k route, I don't know if a week is enough for me to recover for the real race. Whether I'm gonna do the simulation or not, I still don't know. But anyway, I just wanna show you guys my planned route.

If you're familiar with the area, you can imagine what obstacles I might encounter in this route. The first kilometer will be a bit downhill that ends in a steep uphill. This is good because it kind of simulates the ramp at the Skyway. Then the third to fourth kilometer will have busy areas where I might need to dodge people loitering around. I might also encounter some hecklers who are not used to seeing runners around their area. Maybe I'll speed up my pace around that area to get it out of the way quickly. Then I have rolling hills along the fifth and sixth kilometer. Still, kind of like how the Skyway is. Then the rest of the route will give me just little unnoticeable elevations but a bit of a busy area again along the 7th kilometer. 


Running at night is NOT an option as I may end up with my shoes and phone missing or with something sharp stuck on my side or on my back. I think it's best to take this route at daybreak where there is less people and vehicles, except maybe at the busy areas where the markets are. But it's a good route considering the elevations and terrain. 


I still don't know if I'm seriously gonna consider running this route. If not before the race, maybe some time after the race when I'm fully recovered. I'm still building my stamina base up to now and I honestly still don't know whether I can survive the 10k race at the Condura Run on February 6. My real objective in that race is simply to just finish the race without walking or stopping. I don't care how long I'm gonna finish the race. Finishing the race is all I care about. That finisher's medal is gonna mean a lot to me once I cross that finish line. I pray that the Lord will provide me with enough energy and protection from injuries on race day. 


If you're running the Condura Run too, then we'll just see each other there. Hopefully have still have the breath to cheer each other on. Next post will be post-race insights. :) 

First Challenge

It's been a while since my last post. It's been really busy lately and it's only now that I had time to write again. The good news is, I have my first race up ahead. It's on Feb 6, 2011 and it's called the Condura Run 2011. 

It's the only race in the Philippines that uses the Skyway once a year. Plus, you're running for the dolphins. How cool is that? I love dolphin,s although I haven't encountered one up close. But I love running more. Anyway, the good people of RunnerSpeak are gonna register me as consolation for the prize I wasn't able to claim. I find them so awesome for hooking me up. Thanks RunnerSpeak if you're reading this. 


The thing is I was supposed to be racing at 5k but a good friend of mine, Ice, talked me into taking 10k instead. And so I did ask to be registered at 10k. I've been running only once or twice a week for the past few weeks because of time constraints and major exhaustion. But starting this week, I will be able to train seriously for my first race. This is serious because I'm just new to running and I'll be pushing myself to run 10k. But hey, I'm running to push myself further right? So it'll all be fine just as long as I train well. Lord help me. 


I'll be posting more on my training soon. I gotta lose some weight as well so I'll be lighter come February. Keep running, guys!

My New Pace Partners

I couldn't run in the morning last Tuesday so I decided to run in the evening. I asked two of my buddies at work if they wanted to run after work. They confirmed, then I told them to invite others. The truth was, I invited only the two of them because I believe I could easily pace with them with the little amount of endurance I have built for weeks. Some of my work buddies are real runners, like Ice who I just featured weeks ago. They would literally feed me the dust off their shoes if I paced with them. Good thing is that they run in the morning. 


By night time, there were just four of us who were gonna run. Dax, one of my buddies who confirmed, brought a female friend who wants to run too, named Choy. The other one was my best bud at work, Dale. Dax is pretty much fit, unlike me. He's got a regular fitness regimen, enrolled in one of the nearby gyms at his place, and plays basketball a lot. There's no wonder he's gonna leave me behind, but that's the good thing about it. The more I run with this guy, the more my body will try to adapt to the amount of work needed. Dale, on the other hand, is a huge guy. He's more than 6 feet tall, weighs more than 200lbs, and goes to the same gym as Dax. Now what got me is that Dale, with all that extra weight, can run more than I could. That just goes to show how unfit I've really been. It's disappointing, yet challenging. I know I'm gonna outrun them both someday, but not anytime soon. 


After the run, I asked them to run again on Thursday and they confirmed. We invited other people, a lot of people confirmed, but the same people showed up Thursday night. It's okay though, but I haven't recovered well by Thursday due to lack of sleep. Dale, having recovered from the last run, well, outran me. But that's all okay. It's part of training. 


By the way, this is where we run:

Now don't be fooled by the short distance. The route has wicked elevations. Just two rounds of running this route and we're usually zapped of all energy. I have the whole long weekend to recover. Probably an LSD run on Sunday morning and that's it. My left ankle still hurts right now aside from my stubborn shin splints. Hope to be fully recovered by Tuesday night because we'll be running again, hopefully with more people to join us. 


Keep running, guys! 

Building Base Stamina

This morning was the first time I actually timed my run. According to the clock on my cellphone and a little mental calculation, I can only continuously run for about 34 minutes. Here's what I covered during my run this morning.

I covered barely 4 kilometers in 34 minutes and pretty much ran-walked the remaining distance. What's good is that I felt better this morning when I was running compared to my previous runs. I felt stronger. It felt great and I'm gonna be doing this every Sunday morning. I'm just gonna do short runs and speed works during weekdays since time is a luxury for me on days I have to work.


Here are a few observations I made during my run:
1. I need to rehydrate every 25 minutes of running. When I reached the 30th minute of my run, my throat was as dry as the road and I felt that my knees weren't moving as fluidly as the 15th minute. So I guess I need to bring hydration next week.
2. My shins are stronger. Shin splints don't bother me as much anymore. Thanks to the exercise I discovered at takbo.ph, which was designed to prevent or lessen shin splints. 
3. I've definitely improved and I plan to continue improving. 


For now, I plan to condition my body to run continuously for an hour. Then I'll incorporate more speed training in my workouts while continually building my stamina. I might join a 5k race soon. Runner Speak promised me a free registration on one of the races here in Metro Manila. That's gonna be awesome! Keep running, guys! 

Takbuhing Guy features a Takbuhing Mamaw: Vincent "Ice" Rodriguez

For those who don't know what a "Mamaw" is, it's a colloquial term we Filipino runners use for people who have monstrous abilities in sports. It literally means 'monster', hence the term. Anyway, this mamaw is responsible for inspiring me into taking running seriously. He's a father of three, a Christian, and a seriously improving runner. He's joined several races already and is continuously training and joining prominent races here in the country. Here are 21 random questions I had him answer:

Century Tuna Superbods Run 2010

1. How and when did you start running?
I started running 2 years ago but put my heart on it this year only, a friend of mine who is into the sport encouraged me to join him and been running with him since then.2. How often do you run in a week?
Two to three times a week short runs at least 10k and once a week long run 15-21k 
3. How do you balance running and other aspects of your life?
If there are other important things that i need to attend to like my family,i cancel my schedule in running.I make it a point that theres no conflict with my schedule in running with family and work 
4. Favorite training exercise?
LSD 30-35k at least a month
5. Best race by far?
Auto Review Run 10k-56:45
6. Worst race?
Running as a bandit, i did a run the night before a race event and i did bad on the day of the event, never mind the time.. 
7. What's your favorite distance? PB in that distance?
Conditioning myself for a 21k race
8. What shoes do you use?
 I'm using Mizuno but dreaming of using an Asics
9. Favorite Singlet?
Adidas KOTR singlet
10. Who's your Personal Hero?
 A friend of mine who did 102k this year and will join in 151k in Bataan Death March
11. What's your ultimate goal in running?
To do my first ever full marathon injury free
12. Any running related injuries so far? How did you handle it?
 Dead toe and blisters-used tape, arm and leg sunburns-petroleum jelly and scratches on nipple-band aid 
13. Any memorable running experience?
35k from Sta Rosa Laguna to Tagaytay from 4am-9:30am 
14. Have you ever ran in a place that was so awesome, you would definitely recommend it to other runners?
 I love running out of town and enjoy the beautiful scenery of God's creation ( Tagaytay,Laguna,Clark) 
15. What's on top of your Christmas wishlist?
New pair of running shoes and Garmin watch
16. Do you usually run alone? Or with a group?
I run alone on week days,and with a group during saturdays (long run) 
17. How did you form your group? How often do you guys run together?
A group of friends whom i met in church who had a common interest in running invited me to join the group " Running Freaks and Pace Partners " and been running and training with them for the past 5 months now. We always do LSD on saturdays and scheduled out of town runs 
18. Morning runner or evening runner?
I was a night runner but didnt bring me anywhere in improving because i am really tired at the end of the day so shifted to be a morning runner, fresh and full of energy and a good way to start a day 
19. Favorite running music?
I dont use music when im running, i prefer to hear the natural sound around me 
20. When is your next race?
My next run will be on Unilab Run United where i registered in 32k category
21. Any tips for beginners like me?

Discipline is very important, put your mind into it and your body will follow. Rest,sleep and run..

First Week

It's been a week since I bought my shoes and I've logged more or less about 10kms this week. Almost half of which I logged just this Sunday morning. It was grueling yet fulfilling. This was my route:

Most runners wouldn't even consider this an LSD but I would. I didn't even plan this. I just went my usual route in the village and felt bored so I kinda thought of extending my route until I decided to run all the way out at the main highway and then around the back entrance of our village. It was thrilling! I didn't have breakfast and all I consumed before running was a bottle of vitwater. Probably why I felt empty after the fourth kilometer.


Well, I didn't run all the way through. There were times that I had to stop because it's either I'm crossing the road or somebody was about to sideswipe me because the highway didn't have a decent sidewalk and I had to step out of the road. Also, there was a point at the third kilometer where I had to go up an overpass to cross the road and that's when I felt how tight my calves were. After crossing, the next road had a sidewalk. It was alright until the sidewalk seemed quite uneven with the shifts on it as (hardly) seen in this picture I took with my cellphone. 

I didn't know if the uneven terrain would benefit me or injure me but I kept running as much as I can despite the tight calves and numb foot. Oh yes, and I walked off the numb foot before I started running again to finish the route. 


Good thing I had a good stretch before and after the run to lessen the pain when I wake up the next morning. I'm not so sore right now as I'm making this entry. Just icing my left calf. Overall, I'd say this run was great. I never thought I could still push myself further and cover this much distance. And I'm looking forward to harder workouts this coming week. I just wish I wouldn't be too exhausted from work to wake up early in the morning the next day. One thing is for sure though, I'm really enjoying running like I never did before. 


Keep checking my updates here in this blog. I know I was supposed to feature another Takbuhing Guy like me in this post but my experience this morning was too satisfying that I had to put it here. Anyway, the feature will be posted tomorrow. Keep your clickers here 'til next time. 

New Passion, New Pair, New Goals

Before I start, let me just say that the scent of a new pair of rubber shoes are the best (aside from the new car scent). Here we go!

The Purchase 

So here's how it went. Tuesday after work, I was able to pass by the new branch of Second Wind at Ortigas Home Depot to check out some new shoes. The store had lots of shoe selections categorized into Cushioning and Stability variants. The attendants were very accommodating and answered all my questions. I then asked about their Gait Analysis services, and it turns out that you had to pay 500 if you're not buying shoes. But they still assessed my foot type for free. It turns out that my left foot supinates and my right foot overpronates. My left foot is even a quarter inch longer than my right. Talk about bad symmetry. Luckily, they had solutions to my problem. Like what they say, ''We don't know how to sell. We just know our gear.'' And they really did know their gear well. They recommended three entry level stability shoes from New Balance, Nike and Adidas. I tried them all out by walking and slowly jogging on the treadmill. New balance wobbles a bit on my left foot so we ruled them out of my options. The Nike pair was very comfy and was stable enough to support my feet. But the Adidas pair felt more stable but a little less comfy. 

To thoroughly compare the two, we put Nike on my left and Adidas on my right and then walked and jogged on the treadmill. Then we switched it up. I felt the difference between the two on my left foot. The Nike variant wobbles just a little bit to the left side of my left foot while jogging. The Adidas ones were completely stable so I guess I have found the right pair. 

I didn't have the money to buy yet last Tuesday so I said I'll just come back within the week to buy the pair. I knew I can get 1000 pesos off the price tag from a different store because Second Wind did not offer the ''Refresh Your Gear'' promo by Adidas. But I felt bad that they helped me find the right pair and they won't get anything from me. 

By Thursday, I decided that I'll purchase the shoes from Toby's Megamall and then buy socks from Second Wind. I will also make subsequent purchases in the future at Second Wind since they offer more options and they can really tell you what you need as a runner. When I arrived at Toby's, I found my pair. Adidas Response Stability. Tried it at my size and walked around the store. But then I saw the Adidas Supernova Sequence which looks way cooler so I tried them on too. The Supernova was pricier by a grand but it looks so much cooler. But after thoroughly trying both pairs, I still bought the Response because it felt better jogging in it. I also got it a half-size larger than what I tried at Second Wind for fear that it would get tight when my feet expands. Then I went straight to Second Wind to get 3 pairs of training socks from New Balance and a pack of Sports Beans. 


The Break-In 

I put the shoes out of the shoebox last night and placed the new pair of training socks before I went to bed. I set the alarm at 6am but I got up around 6:30am. It was a cool overcast morning so it was chilly outside. I wore a sports sweater on top of my shirt to warm myself up a little more. Then I stretched for 5 minutes on our porch. Afterwards I walked to the main road of our village. I didn't have a good watch that had a timer so I brought a small cellphone that had a countdown timer. The road I was running on had an asphalt portion and a cemented portion. It also has a part with a 15-25 degree slope. I warmed up for 5 minutes, then walked for a minute, then ran for 5 minutes, walked again for a minute. I repeated the 5minute-1minute cycle two more times then I cooled down and walked home. 

The shoes were awesome. They were comfortable all the way throughout the run. My feet did not heat up, probably because of the socks and shoe material. I also did not feel any pain on my shins during and after the run. And the shoes didn't feel heavy at all despite all the stuff they put in the soles for support. They're comfortable and stable at the same time. I guess I'll be training in this pair until it breaks. But the thing that's missing from my gear is something I can use to measure my speed and progress. Since this pair is compatible with the Adidas micoach, I think I'll put it on top of my Christmas wishlist. Hopefully somebody would read this and give me one for Christmas (ehhhrrrmmmwifey). I'm just hoping. 

Stay tuned for my next blog post. I'll be featuring someone who's inspired me into seriously running. Keep running, guys!

P.S. Here's a quick review of the Adidas Response Stability shoes by runningninja