Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Crazy, but...

I, Jun, and Lex, have started training for a half marathon. Yep, you read that right: 21 kilometers for the Jan. 10, 2010 Cebu Marathon. Crazy. Well, at least for me because it seems my running buddies are so welcome to the idea.

I won't register for the 21k, leave that to the guys, I kept telling myself. I believe the half marathon is too early for someone like me, someone who doesn't always enjoy the running as much as when I'm finishing it (or at the point when endorphins kick in). But I guess there's no harm in adhering to the training program. And maybe come registration time, I will catch from the two the madness that is the 21k. So when that happens, I come prepared.

Anyways, according to the program, long runs are set on Sundays; first of which was just this 25th. We took the road from Jun's place in Pusok, LLC, all the way to the Mactan Shrine. I love the route, especially the generous view of the sea. The trees that lined up the clean asphalt road also gave abundant shade to us that came unprepared for the harsh rays of the sun. Lessons learned for that first Sunday include:

  • Be on time. Or earlier. Running in the heat is not that fun.
  • Don't carry anything bulky including a bottle of water (yeah, I'm a dork). There are plenty of stores selling the bottled H20 even early a.m.
  • Bring small bills (the sound of loose change is too annoying) to buy the hydration or what have you.
  • Put on a generous amount of sunblock.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Runnr Goes to Cebu!

Wheeeeeee! Runnr will open a store in Cebu!



Looking forward to this:


this:


and more foot candies:



Target opening date is said to be on Nov. 13 at Ayala's new Active Zone.

Good news for us, bad news for our wallets.
I bet my wish and/or shop list will get a bit lengthier.

Friday, October 16, 2009

The Quest for the New Running Shoes

Determined to get my deserving feet new running shoes, I went in search for that perfect pair. First week of October, I scoured every sport-apparel shops in Cebu's major malls.

The plan was first to look for what pleases my eye, then try it on for comfort. If the footwear doesn't pass the "look" test, it won't go to the "comfort" test. If the pair clears both, I still won't buy it right away. I'll do more research online and read reviews so I'd really know if it's perfect for my type of feet--If we only have running specialty stores with knowledgeable salespersons, I would have skipped this part (Edit: see next post).

Finding the pair was easy because only one cleared the look and comfort tests: Adidas Adizero Tempo. Okay, others were too pricey for me or maybe I did not look hard enough. The Adizero Tempo that I found at Toby's Sporting House (SM North Wing Branch) came with a discount. They're beautiful, and very light too. Just the right colors and my legs looked longer in them. Hehe. After liking what I read from my research, I knew I had to get them.

With my birthday drawing to a near, Mom (after some parayeg) agreed to buy the pair as a gift to me. Yeeeha! But when she learned of the price, she settled to pay for just the 2/3. Oh well, I need to have the Adi so what's 1/3 anyway.

Days before the purchase, I already had nightmares. One dream was of me going back to Toby's and finding that my size isn't available anymore. Tsk3x, bad sign.

I came back to Toby's afternoon of Oct. 10, hopping to the shop with excitement. Lex tagged along. Imagine my shock when the footwear I dreamed about wasn't on display anymore. "We pulled out the stock," the salesperson announced. I was like "Oh sh*t, not another crazy nightmare." Only it wasn't a dream and what I actually mumbled was something like "Uh, OK maybe they have it at another store." I remembered seeing the same pair at SM's sporting goods department but I remembered it looked old.

At this time, big bro Juk arrived so the three of us trooped to the department store while I fervently prayed they still have a pair my size. I was so relieved to see the exact model and color I wanted, my size too. I was more than glad really. I was ecstatic! A little problem though: it was for men, or so the salespeople insisted. But it looked very much similar as the one displayed at Toby's women's running shoes section! Oh well... So what if they're for men, they look too pretty for a man's feet and they felt great on mine. And so to make the story short, I decided (after a bit of jogging and walking around the store) that the pair would be my new running shoes.

BTW, the SM Adidas staff was great; I was super pampered, I felt like a celebrity. Or maybe it was Lex's doing. He made up a story of me winning a silver medal in a recent race. "Just 20 seconds behind the champion!" I heard him telling the staff, who later asked for my name and the issue of the local paper that supposedly had a photo of me plus an interview. What a crazy, shoe-hunting adventure that was.

Goodbye nightmares. Hello Adi!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Time to Give my Merrells a Break

After the first running clinic (CERC has conducted two so far), I knew I had to get me new running shoes. My Merrell pair (for trail running) is way overworked. I don't know how many miles I've run, walked, trekked and climbed in them but I'm sure they have exceeded the mileage that necessitates the need for me to replace them. A check of my photo albums says I scaled Mt. Talinis middle of 2005, which climb is the reason behind the shoe purchase. Whoaaa, four years old!

Gotta get me a new pair! Gotta buy, gotta buy.

"To avoid running injuries!" I can still remember a speaker's warning in that first CERC clinic.

Gotta buy, gotta buy!

With almost five years in use, the pair should have been so worn out now but you gotta give credit to Merrell for durability.

Right now those black, gray with a touch of red footwear stills feel super comfortable but you know you ought to listen to the pros.

Gotta buy, gotta buy!

And a new sleek and stylish pair wouldn't hurt. Well, except my wallet.

Gotta get me a new pair. Gotta find a donor, a sponsor, a good heart! ;-)


And so begins my search for the perfect pair...

Friday, October 9, 2009

Tapots Milestone: 6k Without Walk Intervals

Yeah, non-stop run, albeit at a steady slow trot, for about six kilometers at the Mactan Export Processing 2. Or at least that's what Google Earth tells me.



Four 1.49km laps equal almost 6km... I hope I do that in the next race (God willing, I'll run a race this Sunday).

I guess the trick was just the taking it slow. But I don't find that easy during race time. When the starting gun fires, I can't help but speed away...then slow down at the 3rd kilometer...then start with the walking intervals. Oh well, wish me luck.