Thank You 2012, Hello 2013

In terms of my running life, this has been my year of discovery. I have met my goals for 2012, I have ran 15 races in 12 months, 5 half mary races, 2 ten milers, 1 fifteen kms, and the rest are 10kms.

This year I have learned that I can really go the distance and when I am out there, the only enemy is myself. I don't compete with any other - their life, body and training is different than mine and it can never be the same.

My goals for the year to come? I have been thinking of more runs and training for a triathlon. Also, I have to get my irst aikido belt first, this is the only goal for 2012 I haven't met. December traffic is ruining my schedule and I admit I have been lazy this month. I have to push myself this coming January for the 21k Condura run.

Will I be running a marathon? Still contemplating, I don't feel faster but I will find time to train. Probably on 2014, hopefully, most likely.

I also have to watch my food intake, I eat like my body has been blessed by the model god. Based on my last check up, my blood contains high cholesterol (all kinds even the good one), so, I will have to love everything I hate eating. It's all for me naman so I hope I can do it.

So there goes all my 2012 learnings and 2013 goals, try writing one for yerselves too! Hope y'all had a wonderful 2012! Happy New Year! Cheeers!!!

My 2012 medals! May we all have more this coming 2013! Woot!

Merry Christmas!!

It's been 4 days and I've been pigging out like a bear in hibernation. I already ran last Thursday and played Badminton last Saturday (only for about an hour or less, bummer!). This Christmas I've been feeling guilty already, and I just saw Running Shield's blog who ran for about 30kms (and this made me envious) so I made a last minute decision to run.

I just went around West Fairview. My usual route then after the Chestnut road I decided to go to Orchids st and went to Good Shepherd's Parish then went straight to my old elementary school, Flos Carmel Inst. of Quezon City. Memories started creeping in and it is sad that it's no longer operational. I know my last year there wasn't as good as you thought it may be, but it made me who I am today. I am still thankful for the experience. I love this route because of the trees and there were less people.

My shoelaces are a killer, they keep untying on their own I really have to find a way to tie them properly. Good thing about running today is the weather! Not too hot not too cold either, the wind smells like Christmas and there's no need to hurry. I just kept up with my lazy girl pace.

I haven't mentioned about my gift coming from the Kikay Runner. See, I won her online contest by answering my most favorite blog entry on her site. I answered it candidly since it was the last entry that I've read and it did help me run faster.

I hope y'all can have your own Merry Christmas. This is how I celebrated mine and I enjoyed it. I hope you too!

Personalized letter from Kikay Runner and the prizes! Thanks Noelle! (Feeling close! Haha)

Sunset on Christmas afternoon. Gorgeous sight isn't it?

Amadeo Amadeo

Since I have not ran for a week now, I decided to run where our yearly Commercial planning was held, here at Tagaytay City.

Before coming in here, I looked for the nearest road where I can run. And I saw this road to Amadeo, Cavite and it seems straight, so I looked for the landmarks since I thought my gps would fail me (but it didn't yay!) for my 10km target. Note though that I did not think there were gyms or oval tracks here - because there are.

Last night it was raining and it was cold. So, I thought of backing out with this crazy idea, I've never ran in a place like this, so chances that I will run in the morning are verrry low. But still, I prepared everything in the evening, my socks, my shirt etc.

Came morning, I can hear the wind gustling in my window. The fudge, maybe I should really abandon this idea and just run at the gym (which I really abhor since I hate the feeling of restriction - wtf statement). But, I went outside in my jammies and felt fine to run outside. So, I wore my jogging attire, wore my new socks (which I received on our exchange gift this xmas - i love it, it has a left and right sign for idiots like me haha), and went outside.

Man, the wind was unforgiving. I am usually sniffly in the morning or if it is cold, so, I walked sniffling like crazy and thought of just utilizing the oval track. But when I started running, I know, I'll go straight which I eventually did. (I'll run that oval track tomorrow though! ^__^)

Stupid me still made some mistake during this run, I forgot to bring in some dibs and I also forgot my hydration. I think bringing in some dibs/money is the most important. I am in an unchartered territory, I should bring in some measures with me in case I get hungry or I get lost. Note on this and I will be bringing them by tomorrow.

Well, road to Amadeo, Cavite is darn hard. I thought it was going to be an easy run. It was easy until my 4th km, because it was downhill but upon returning, I could just swear. I did not have hydration, and it was uphill, my 10km target was cut short to 8.23kms. I walked from then on. I have to be safe.

Good thing about this was I did not have my headphones with me. I can run without them pala. Yay me!

With this new feat - conquering my doubts of running on new roads - I know I can more places, woohoo! I am now excited to conquer more roads. Hopefully, next time in longer distances.

Road to Amadeo

Hotel Kimberly can be seen along the way

I really want to get Taho earlier, but I forgot my moolah, ergg. Major major mistake!

This is the oval, I hope I can run here tomorrow

Sunrise at the end of my run

My cool new groovy socks - Thanks Rene! 

36th National Milo Marathon Finals

Before I came to the starting line, I am already resigned to the fact that I will not get any medal. Well, I came because, I'll never know if I don't try.

After the QCIM race, I thought I wasn't ready for the Milo 21k race. My time was 2:47, and the race medal cut-off is 2:30. Seventeen minutes for me, is a loong time to cut off for a one week training. But, I still did the micro-trainings. I ran two 6 kms for this week, one recovery run, and the other is for uphill training (I ran around West Fairview area). Both runs have registered slower times, just enough for me to really believe that I will really not make it.

Of course, I STILL want to get the medal. I reassessed what happened to QCIM and listed everything that went wrong and try not to bring it on Milo Race. So here are the new things/learnings I've thought of bringing into the race:

1. Energy Gels - I thought of bringing three on the day of the race. I know my energy depletes on the 7th km and I think having an energy source would be helpful in making me run faster.

2. Hydrate: Inside and out - I figured out that heat is one of the factors of my energy depletion. And I have this feeling of fainting when I try to run faster, so to fight this, I decided to wet myself with water on some of the hydration stations. Since, the weather is not as cooperative, I have to adapt.

3. Lessen the Lazy Girl pace - Yes, I have been letting myself to have this on the races. This pace is around 8:00/km. I can't have this if I want to get to my goal. So, I have to set my head into running way past this pace on the day of the race.

4. Take my sandwich before the race day - this is for the initial energy. I usually don't eat my breakfast before the big race but a friend told me that I should eat so that my body would have its initial source of energy.

So, there. The day before I bought the food and a pair of new leggings (I thought it was going to be a December cold morn). I already bought the energy gel, the one recommended by Ate Mj, GU last Friday. Then on the day of the race, my dog got sick. He is hot and feverish.

I am already determined that I will not be getting the medal. So I thought of not going to the race anymore, but I will never know if I didn't try. So, I still went on. I left the dog to my cousin's care and gave a message to my sister who's out of town to get home asap. (Yeah, I love my dog.)

I met Ate Mj to our meeting place and went to the taxi stand and went to the starting line. While on the way, we are already contemplating and saying that if ever we did not make it to the medal cut-off we will just enjoy the race. The gun fired and then we're off.

I thought of pacing with Ate Mj since her pace can make it to the cut-off time. Her QCIM time is sub 2:30, so I think it's a good idea to run behind her. After the 1.5k, she drank her Gatorade and walked and i have no choice but to run for myself and ahead of her (since this time around I planned to get my first hydration on the 4.5k mark).

On the first 5kms, I tried running as fast as I can to beat my 35mins average so that I can have the leverage. So, an idea came into mind while running, I should run fast so that I can have time to spare in the last few kilometers. The temperature and humidity on this day was a killer, so, I took water on the 3rd km and wet my head to keep my temperature down. I have been washing myself until the end, because it was too darn hot! I have to not lose my focus on my goal, I really have to run.

I took the energy gel at the 7.5km, just in time for me to replenish. And boy the gel tasted sooo goood! It was chocolatey and I can taste the cocoa, i thought it was a good choice of flavor. I did not finish the whole pack until the 12th km. Thanks to Ate Mj who told me to take it with water. This is so that my stomach takes it in immediately. So, there I was able to run with energy until the 16th km.

At 16th km, I looked at the watch, I was surprised to see that I really could make the sub 2:30 even if I ran slower. Since Ate Mj was on my back, I would love to ease my mind and let her overtake me. I don't like the pressure of having her behind me, besides, I really want to do the "fun" run. So, I let her through and cheered her to the finish, then started to run my lazy girl pace.

After this, I was actually enjoying everything. I know I'll get my PR even if I don't run as fast. The other racers talked to me and had a great laugh of still making it even with the slow pace. I loved it. When I finally saw the finish line, I was happy seeing the time, it was 2:27. Runners were already shouting on their way to the finish line and I did the same.

As the guy, handed me the medal, I was astonished, amazed. I never knew I could really make it. I looked at the medal as if it was really impossible to get it, but I did. As I reminisced this race was the result of good practices of all the mistakes I've made, Especially from QCIM. I am thankful I ran that race.

As Ate Mj would put it, this is the best last hurrah for the year 2012. I chose the best race for last. I am ready for more races next year and hopefully a full mary on the next next.

Advanced happy holidays everyone.

Running Commonwealth Avenue: Learning Mistakes the Hard Way

My fourth 21k run for the year. So far, this is the one that got me so frustrated.

Of course, I haven't done any new preparation for this race. My running mileages decreased and I just came from a sickness. Now I hate being sick. Before the race, I was already dreading the Commonwealth route, thinking on how to run the stretch given its crazy elevation.

Gunstart came and we all started running inside the UP Diliman campus, I thought it will utilize the whole avenue but of course I was dead wrong, the race only utilized 15kms. And I forgot to mention that I was already warned of Comm Ave, IT IS HARD. The whole avenue is not straight, the whole stretch is a set of uphills and downhills. Craaaazy really.

Before I ran this race, I tried planning my mindset on how to run the stretch. But planning doesn't always work if you don't have enough training. This is my biggest mistake on this race. I came on the starting line thinking I can still make it given my pace. Expecting I can maybe finish it at 2:38. I was totally wrong, I declined the fact that Commonwealth is not an easy route to take.

Given that it is straight, it wasn't as easy as it looks. As I've mentioned earlier there was the crazy set of uphills and downhills. Then there's the width, it doesn't have enough tree to keep my body temperature down, add up the humidity and the heat on that day. Before I ended the race the sun was already on my back, I would really love to finish the race asap that time.

Good thing I've learned three things, I have to prepare properly, lessen Hydration stops and I have to keep my body temperature low as I run. Preparation should be scheduled, I really really should not slack off. I have to do not only the mileage but also the speed work. I only have a week before Milo and I have to do what I can do as of the moment. Keeping my body temperature low was something I just learned on this race, I noticed that when I try to speed up I get this feeling that I am about to faint. It scares me. I figured that it must be heat, so I used my water to cool my head and body. And I think it did help.

I've read in one Sen Pia Cayetano's articles that one of her roadblocks was staying too long at hydration stations. On the last Tetra Pak run, I've stayed too long on almost all hydration stations. So I figured, in order for me to save a couple of minutes, I will be bringing my own hydration so that I can continuously run. Now as I am writing this, I have thought if that was a good idea. Since, before I am stopping I can gather air and hope for my second wind. In this race, I wasn't able to do that, as I checked my speed mileage. I got slower starting the 8th km. And it was excruciatingly slow, I was running way past my 8km/hr pace. On my three races, I can run a km in less than 5mins then pace will decrease at the 10th km. So that is kinda weird, I don't know if I did it right by bringing my own hydration, but will try it on the next run. Let's see.

So that's the technical part of my running, I really have to have a watch that can check my pace from time to time. I only get to feel my pace based on how I run, but that's not exactly correct. My own perception is different from the right thing. Because of this I am thinking of checking my phone every now and then while running just to check my own pace.

Another common mistake I have been making in all of my races was the friggin shoelaces. I don't seem to get them tied up smartly. I have to do something about this since it is taking 15 seconds of my time and momentum.

Running a hard route plus simple mistakes could really take a toll on your run. Especially for me, in every run I always strive to beat my previous run but I always fail because of these simple mistakes. I hope I never repeat them and I really really want to get that Milo Medal next week.

PS:

I finished at a horrible time of 2:47 and I think I will never get that Milo Medal but I will still try. :(

Me and my fellow racers - I really feel smelly hehe..