Milo Marathon 2012

I prepared for this race, i know it's only 10k but I promised myself I will have to beat my previous 10k record. Previous record was 1:20 (hr:mins).

So one month before the race, I joined a badminton group. I am not really an official member, but I am present every Sat just to increase stamina. I added this on my weekly plan, which was to jog at least twice a week, aikido once a week then this.

I think badminton made a lot of improvement on my stamina. Looking at the pace graph below, there is a downward trend (shucks why do I have this feeling that I am presenting something from work - abi, duh!) starting July this year.

Then, race day came, I was actually late. But I didn't care, I don't think I was in the mood to run that day, I just came because I prepared for the race. I have to know whether I improved or not. Before this day, I had a record run of 7:28 mins/km, so I was trying to gun a 1:10 (hr:mins).

I remembered my last kilometer, after the turn, I remembered seeing a blur of rain on the horizon. Then seconds after that, rain poured. I remembered seeing a pink person on the side waving at me, it was Mike, my colleague, then I waved back. He went ahead. I was trying to focus on the run, I haven't ran a 10k straight so this was a first to me.

Upon reaching the finish line, I checked my time immediately - I usually use my phone to time myself. It was a 1:17 (hr:min), I got a bit disappointed. It was 7 mins shy my goal. It did break my previous record though, it was also my first 10k straight run. So, I should be happy right?

I am not convincing myself with that one, I have to defeat myself on my next run. I have 2 runs lined up this coming August, since I am preparing for 21k, these two runs will be longer, both 16k. So, on Ru3 this coming Sept, where I will be running my first 21k, I will be prepared. My feet and body will be all prepared, well, I hope.

I wish I was faster though. Let's cross fingers!

The Tale of Three Shoes

I've always dreamed of buying my own shoes. Though my father insisted I get the expensive one before, I always buy the cheap one. I didn't see the need for it, so why go for the branded one.

And so, I worked and then I learned about the advantages of the branded ones and then there is also this need of feel of the expensive shoes on my soles so I gave in to temptation. I bought my first shoes. This is due to our office's badminton craze so I got a Nike badminton shoe (this is on sale mind you :D).

Then, my officemate got me hooked into running. Me and my brother quarreled as I bought this one. He wanted a veeeerrry expensive shoe for himself, I detested, it was something I could not afford. But thanks to SM's deferred payment, I was able to buy it including my Adidas running shoes. It wasn't as expensive as the Nike but it was enough to make me run. She is now, two years old.

Then, I increased my running mileage. From my usual 5kms a day, I made it 7kms (sometimes even more). And my foot could not take it, so, I took another one. And since I went on a Official Business last May, I stopped by the Outlet store where I bought my first Nike shoe and bought my hot pink shoes. Good thing though, because since I bought it, I was able to increase my speed and the shoe laces do not loose easily. It was a beauty. Just perfect.

First Nike has already been repaired but since I'm back with badminton, I am using it again. Weird though, because it felt slippery on the court. I wish next week I'll get used to using it again. Adidas is my sub-shoes if I left Pinky Nike at the office. This is so that, I won't have any excuse not to jog at home.

I love these three shoes, I love that they weren't that expensive and they are all worth the buy. They were all worth it. :)

Running where?

I have tried running in different situations and in different places. Well, to count, I have made this blog, because I can't seem to remember.

I started running at the fields of UST. This is way back 2004.My weight at that time is around 55-60 kgs, (yes, you read that right, I was thinner) . I started joining this game, since I'm already pissed off with my school grades. I need to have something where I can get a boost of my confidence. So I joined, the EFC or the Engineering Football Club. Since I am taller than most of my team mates, I am made to be one of our team's defensive members. They tried putting me in the middle, but I can't take the running, so, I returned at the back. But this is one of the few memories I've had where I ran and I ran (of course it is required or else, my coach will not be so happy with my performance). I've never felt as exhausted as this every after game. I liked it, I like that I saw the blots of blood on my skin. A new reaction. My father had the same reaction, I love seeing his imprint on me.  

Women's EFC Circa 2004

So, I graduated and my appetite grew. I ate everything that I couldn't eat before. Just like a deprived animal, I ate everything I knew good. So, after a bad diagnosis about my ovaries, the doctor then advised me to lose the weight. I'm 76 kgs at the time. (I think I was heavier around Dec 2010, I think I was around 80kgs)

I remember early 2010, my officemate got heartbroken and turned into running as a coping mechanism to eventually move on. Good thing for us, he encouraged us to run with him as well. He first saw Ultra as a running spot. He invited me in, and did not like it at first. Mentally, running is exhausting. 

But then something came along, something so new I don't know how I could cope. So, I went back to Ultra and ran alone. When I ran my first straight 5kms, I knew I will be running for a long time. It was fulfilling. I feel like I can run from it. I feel like a rebel when I ran, I could do anything everyone says I shouldn't. I love the feeling. Satisfying.

So, this friend, also invited us to run at UP. Where he studied before, so we went with him. It turned out that UP was also a good place to run. It's near our house, so, I can just go there on weekends and run. Which I eventually did after, because I realized weekends are the only free days I have. One oval would equate to 2.2kms, longest I've ran is 8.8kms straight. 

I started increasing my mileage when I was at the province. While reading this Murakami book about running, it inspired me to run in the morning. Since me and my cousin walked to the barangay area, I figured maybe it's a good place to run. And when I decided I will run, it did give me a good experience. The view was great, the air was fresh and clean and the weather was not that hot. It was the next day that I decided that I will run for an hour (I only ran 45mins on the day before ~ almost 5kms), just to test whether I can increase my mileage, if I can do it. And of course, I did. I promised if I return, I will run again. I look forward to the experience.

One of my favorite running views, Basak, San Juan, So. Leyte

Of course there were the fun runs, I enjoyed joining every single one of them. It took me to go to different places like BGC Area, MOA - Macapagal Ave, Skyway, Roxas Blvd and La Union. I will be running in CamSur this coming Sept and hopefully I get to experience my 21k this coming Sept as well (in a different run that is). 

I love going places by foot, and I really love the fact that in running I am also going places to run. Not that I am only losing the pounds (To date, I am only weighing 62kgs) , I get to be around the country too. Hopefully, I get to more places. The more the merrier. 

So, to count, I have ran to 9 different places, and counting.. :) 

Murakami, my running idol

I bought this book out of boredom. In hindsight, I wanted to learn how other runners think, how it is to be on their shoes, how they started and everything in between. I've been coming back and forth this book at National Bookstore Megamall, so, I gave in to temptation and bought the book. 


The book is about Haruki's memoir to his running life. Of course this has details on how he started running, the runs he's been to, etc. I read this while I was at our province at S. Leyte and it just inspired me to lace up and run. (I borrowed my cousins shoes just to run, I haven't brought any when I went there) It was fantastic, after reading the book, I've never been so inspired. I even went and increased my mileage after this. 


For me, obviously, I highly recommend this book. Let me share a couple of quotes that I love: 


“People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they'll go to any length to live longer. But don't think that's the reason most people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life — and for me, for writing as whole. I believe many runners would agree” 


“For me, running is both exercise and a metaphor. Running day after day, piling up the races, bit by bit I raise the bar, and by clearing each level I elevate myself. At least that’s why I’ve put in the effort day after day: to raise my own level. I’m no great runner, by any means. I’m at an ordinary – or perhaps more like mediocre – level. But that’s not the point. The point is whether or not I improved over yesterday. In long-distance running the only opponent you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.” 


"By running longer it's like I can physically exhaust that portion of my discontent. It also makes realize again how weak I am, how limited my abilitirs are. I become aware, physically, of these low points. And one of the results of running a little further than usual is that I become that much stronger. If I'm angry, I direct that anger toward myself. If I have a frustrating experience, I use that to improve myself."

Yes, I love pink and running

I remember an Audrey Hepburn quote saying this,

“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” 

― Audrey Hepburn

Yes, I believe in pink. I believe everything that she says in this quote. Except for kissing, mm.. kissing is not yet for me. (Yeah, believe it!) I love how pink symbolizes femininity. My shoes are even colored pink, this is to empower me that whenever I run, I symbolize what society thinks is the weak gender. I erase all the odds and make running my own, a freedom of everything society, even myself thinks that I can't. 


This blog will be a recollection of everything "running" related. I just thought of this earlier, while running. And I think, it's a good avenue for everything I am thinking while running, and everything I would like to discuss about it. Yeah, I am selfish, still, this is all about me, pink and running. 


I am not technical about running, mind you, so this will be not about how to be better in running. This is about sharing everything in how I view running, my frustrations, my experiences, stuffs that I think I wanna buy etc. I hope we share all the same thoughts, I hope in some ways, I can help you too.