Braving 10ks

I have run a couple of 10k in road runs with Tera buddies. The joining of 10k races, however, started in the 2nd quarter this  year--about a year after I signed up in my first fun run. Yeah, I'm a late bloomer.

GLLR 2010

I chose the Great Lapu-lapu Run as my first 10k because of the timing chip.  The mini transponder doesn't lie so more accurate time.  Race results are published on the web too, and fast! (I can brag all about it if I got a good time. Hehe.)

I was all set for the event but come race day, I left my mp3 player and cap. No problem, I borrowed Lex's player. And I'll just be fine with my sunglasses... Not!  The sun was unbearably harsh that day and worse, the race started late.  Good thing, there were numerous water stations (excuses for my walk breaks!); Gatorade drinks were abundant too.  Still, I walked more than I should. Oh well. I tried. Hard. Hard enough to get me a  1:06:03 finish time (1:05:58 chip time) for my first 10k! Yeba!

28th among 140+ women...:P

 

fun, fun, fun!

celebrity sighting!

3rd Mandaue Run
I felt it was more than a 10k what with the toxic smell that we 10k participants sniffed at the first turn (which I still continued to breathe in a couple of kms after), drought (water stations run out of supply), and the extreme Cebu heat and humidity. I didn't get to check my time but the finishers' list had me at 12th place in the women's 10k. I should have been ecstatic but I don't know, I felt so out of shape. I had lengthy walks and was so out of breath that I decided right there that I'm going back to running just 5k races. With throat itching for something cold to drink and eyes seeing McDonalad's pancakes, I hurriedly left the venue. After a bit of picture-taking of course...

with Glyn

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.

What Made Me Start to Run

Before loving the activity, someone or something must have inspired me to start to run. Hmmnnn... I'll try to remember.

Maybe it was Bobby who got hooked to jogging/running that brought me to the Cebu City Sports Complex, or what is popularly known here as the Abellana Oval. Bob and I belonged to a barkada we fondly name as the Bulldogs. He frequented Abellana at the time because he didn't have a job (read: tambay). Almost every afternoon, he was there--it was just a 15-minute walk from his house anyway. At that time, almost everyone in the barkada has either got married, were into serious relationships, busy with their own new set of friends, or just always out of town, leaving the two of us to make do with each others' company. Among other activities, it was hanging out at the oval that was least costly and yet most fun. He later met running addicts and joined them in fun runs. I believe I was far from ready to join him then so I just supported him in his races. He quit running after he got hitched (what is it with getting married?). Now he is a pudgy bulldog with a puppy in tow.

Even without the jogging buddy, I came back to the oval because of outdoor activities. I once belonged to an outdoor group, which favorite meeting place was the same oval. Members gather there mostly for the planning of upcoming treks or climbs. To prepare for those activities, members are advised to jog or run so maybe that explains why we prefer meeting there. The members of the group later split leaving me with a big backpack without new adventures.

And yet I came back to the track to run.

Maybe I kept running just because the oval was just a ride away from home.

It doesn't matter now though. I am far from any rubberized sports oval (Lapu-lapu City should build one soon!) and have learned to run almost anywhere as long as there's a hard, stable enough surface.

So maybe it wasn't the oval. Perhaps it's the high I feel after the run, the endorphin rush; the health benefits just a bonus. Maybe it's the beautiful and interesting people in the running community (they're a happy bunch!). I also find the activity to be the best de-stresser and escape from tensions at work and at home.

Hmmnnn, maybe all of the above.