Here I Go Again...

Signing up for a half marathon without the needed training.

I cannot just cram my workout in the last few days leading to the race so instead I just find other ways to put a little dose of inspiration to this lazy girl. So here's some:

1. Read about how to train the brain for arduous physical tasks like a half marathon. Yeah there is an article about it somewhere. 
2. Add new songs (to surprise me) to my running playlist.
3. Look into new running gear that I can strut in. Because when you're too tired to run or jog, you just walk like the road is a ramp where you model your new running clothes. 
4.  Buy me some energy bars, gels or sport beans. As if that helps!

Good luck to me this Sunday!

D.E.A.R. Friday

Clad in our workout clothes and trusty running shoes, we slowly gathered at the parking lot area of Teradyne Cebu, 5:00 p.m. of April 8. Dubbed as D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Run) Friday, it was the first in a series of activities planned out by the group TERunners, the company’s new running and walking club. I didn’t know what to expect but I sure was a bit anxious early on when I saw only about five people in the assembly area. “With this number, it will just be like running alone,” or so I thought.

Angelica Joson (from UltraFlex-Miata) and company suggested the once-a-week activity during the club’s second meeting. Everyone who heard the idea got so excited that they can’t wait to launch it right away. And so the group agreed to start the run the very Friday after that meeting.

The plan was to group into two--one for the runners and the other for beginners and walkers. But the early birds seemed to be comprised of those who can’t wait to dash out of the gate and run around MEPZ 2. So we decided we’ll just go as one group for that first meeting.

While waiting for someone to take the lead for the warm-up exercises, I saw the attendance gradually increasing with more Teradyners proceeding to the area. BRS-VTD’s Lourence Alemania, one of the club representatives, made sure that everything was set from the sketch board for drawing the run route to the attendance sheet for tracking active members. For the warm-up exercises, he also gamely took charge (at least that’s what I thought) with participants who now numbered around 15.

“I had mixed emotions—nervous, shy, and excited—since that was the first time that I had to lead an exercise in front of such number of people” he later shared.

“I’ll lead the warm-up next week,” Rowena Retuerte of Marketing promised. I told Lourence I could also lead the walkers group if they show up next Friday. For the running bunch, I’m sure the current pack leader would be glad to see volunteers too.

With excited smiles, 20 or so TERunners set out and run on a clear afternoon for two 2.5-kilometer laps in MEPZ 2. Led by avid runner Leopoldo Arias (Nextest), we proceeded at conversational pace. But we did not really worry about pace as the goal was just to cover the entire distance.

“Walk if you should, dash if you could, or just jog and chat like most of us are doing,” Pol said. “For those just starting out, we advise run-walk intervals.”

The run was already in full swing when more familiar faces, in wide grins, came to catch up and join us. Some cheerfully walked and chatted to cover the remaining distance.

PSG’s Juanito Serrano felt one lap is enough for starters. “I did not know that I had it in me, until it was out of me... my breath!” Juan quipped.

After two laps, majority of the attendees slowly trickled back into the Teradyne compound and congregated for the stretching exercises. I think I wouldn’t have finished the entire 4.5 kilometers if I was doing it alone because I would have been easily bored going the same route minus the chitchats and personal cheering squad.

“It was fun,” Angelica said. “It was a great way to meet people who like running as much as I do.”

I agree; it was great. Actually, it was more fun than solo running where my mind easily wanders off to ice-cold, calorie-laden drinks and to the cafeteria’s humba (braised pork belly). Now, TERunners just have to keep us feeling great every week and maybe those with high cholesterol levels like me won’t need medication at all.

TERunners is created, among others, to promote and encourage running and walking to employees as means to get fit, and, at the same time, have fun along the journey to better health and fitness. Aside from D.E.A.R. Friday, the group is planning to hold running clinics for participants to learn the basics and principles of training in running. For walkers, the group sees doing hikes and treks. Members and non-members are welcome to join the activities.

My CCM 2011 Story

I am jubilant, no—ecstatic! I finished my first 21k! I remember I felt the urge to dance as I approached the finish line but a marathoner beat me to it with a rain dance.

Ahh, it was that savory feeling of facing your fears and overcoming it.

I had been afraid. The panicking started two weeks before the race. To say that I was not prepared for the Cebu City Marathon 2011 is an understatement. And to think I had so much time to train.

At CCM 2010, I was supposed to run my first 21k but had to settle for 5k because of an injury. Back then, I thought that meant more training time for 2011. I aimed not just to finish but for a strong finish, a goal that became too ambitious for someone who has started to make procrastination a habit. Before I knew it, 2010 was almost over. And at a time of Christmas parties, get-togethers, buffets, it was easy to ignore your running shoes.

The last time I laced up and run was early November, a 12k where I got dizzy and took lengthy walk breaks. By late December, the 21k felt so daunting that I thought of quitting. I even had a good excuse like going to the dentist for that long-overdue tooth extraction.

But the running community has its way of letting out the crazy in me. People I run with at work didn't think twice about proceeding with the race, sans preparation. I didn't want to be left behind so I tagged along at race kit-distribution. As I lined up for my kit, I sensed the excitement from race participants--faces beaming, talking incessantly about running.  The level of energy made me want to show off my green race bib to quietly broadcast that I'm part of this amazing, happy community. And just like that, I was far from the scaredy-cat I was.

On race day, I didn't mind the little droplets of rain. I was excited; and as I can observe when the race began, the spectators, street dancers, and fellow runners were, too. It was a huge party and I was having a ball.

There were moments when my legs got too heavy but the festive Sinulog beat pumped me back the energy to plod, jog, and run again. At the last 3km, it felt like each foot was chained to a medieval metal ball. But motivational quotes along the way and a cousin, who suddenly showed up in a motorcycle to encourage me, brought back a spring on my step. Before I knew it, I was propelling towards the finish line! It was exhilarating. Anyone would want to dance for joy at the moment.

I shouldn’t be too happy with an almost 3-hour finish but I am so thrilled for not allowing my fear to overwhelm me. But I know better now. Next time, I will be prepared and continue the goal of a strong finish.

Good Friday, Good Run

Holy week, long vacation, Bantayan Island beckoned.

More than a month before the religious festival, I knew semana santa would be the perfect time to conquer the Sta. Fe-Bantayan route--I will have me some company (planned to drag along running buddies) and I got more than a couple of days (the family would not be happy if I just visit for a day or two and yet still sneak in time for running).

Lex and Pol were as excited as I am. I decided to have it on Good Friday so the brother and sister in law can join (they will arrive a day before). When we picked them up from the pier on Maundy Thursday, the bro hinted his preference for trail running(he brought trail-specific shoes). No, thank you, my shoes are dirty enough. His wife, Anne, didn't bring her pair so maybe she could just drive behind us and provide the needed hydration, I jokingly suggested.

Early morning Friday, I got the sleepy "diliiiiii" reply from Kuya when I told him it's time to don those running shoes. Tsk3x, enough for the planning.

I and Lex met Pol as we were walking from the town plaza towards Brgy. Ticad. We were officially off and running as soon as we stepped on that bridge fronting the old movie house.

Except for the flattened-out frogs, snakes, and other roadkill, I am loving the change in scenery; no other joggers/runners, just a few trisikads and tricycles.

We were halfway past the cemetery when we saw a man bolting out of Village. He donned the same running singlet I had on--that of the recent Citigym fun run. Pol sprinted and overtook the guy who did not hesitate to join us to Sta. Fe.

To make the long story short, I made it the around10 kilometer (just the boys' estimate considering the time) of cemented road in one piece. Enough with estimates, I have to have a Garmin! One hour and seven minutes without walk and water breaks. Not bad, eh? It was our new friend's (Ronald or Roland?) first time to run for about an hour, too.

Next time, we should try the more scenic Okoy route--Kuya's suggestion but of course we took it to mean that he won't be joining us. He seems to enjoy more the planning and suggesting. But I'm not giving up on him. =)

see you at the races...

no blog posts for how many days now? hmmn, i'm not even bothering to count...

life's been a bit overwhelming lately so i'm not beating my brains out for little things like calculating the number of days i haven't updated this blog, or list upcoming races to update the race calendar (right).

so just excuse my absence here.

i still run though. i need to. it helps me keep my mind and body from nearing shut down mode.

now, i couldn't even take the trouble to include a photo showing i still pound the pavement.

oh well.

still...see you at the races! i will show up at this sunday's citirun.

p.s. i won a pair of socks @ that running clinic sponsored by runnr. i thought i was lucky until i heard they called out jun's name. he won the polar watch.

Kasadya Race

I signed up for the Kasadya Fun Run because almost everyone at the office (well, at least in that little circle of Teradyne runners) said they will register. And also, I’ve been feeling sluggish after the Cebu City marathon; I needed another reason to sweat it out.

Tera tira?

The week before the race, I was only able to do one MEPZ2 afternoon run, which upped my worry that I’ll be racing on Sunday with walk breaks. I was already sauntering after the third kilometer! A man in a bicycle even greeted me with, “Ug nganong galakaw naman ka?”

Oh well, good luck to me at the Kasadya Race! Jun, Lex and Pol signed up for the 10k while I joined the rest of the Teradyne guys in the 5k, which category was exclusive for MEPZ employees.

At race day, our group was closely huddled near the front of the pack while waiting for the starting gun. So first 100 meters, we still caught sight of each other--except for Pol who zoomed away, and Vin and Kyaw who seemed to fly over the 5k route.

After the 1st km, I noticed Lex was not in his best shape (read: I have to slow down so he could keep up). When I noticed him reducing speed for the first water station, I sped up. But you know how guys are, they don’t want to be outrun by a girl. So he hurried up and later kept my pace. We parted at corner Banawa and V. Rama roads where the 5k and 10k routes separated.

It was at that corner (2.5k) that I grabbed a plastic cup from the water station. I gulped half of the water and poured the remaining half on my head, while I slowed down to a walk. I noticed the road getting lonelier, with the long gap between me and the runners before me. Still, I continued to take walk breaks, albeit brief, when I felt too breathless to enjoy the run. In the 3rd km, I managed to overtake a couple of guys but surrendered on trying to lessen the gap between me and the last female participant ahead of me. Upon approaching the 4th km, a familiar face (I later remembered her as one of those older women who always placed in races when the younger ones aren’t in town) shouted to me a jumble of words, with “third” as the only word I could make out. I’d like to think what she said was, “Third ka kung apsan to nimong baye sa unahan!”

I told my out-of-breath self I’ll be fine with fourth and just continue with my pace. After overtaking a male runner or two, I noticed that I’m approaching yellow flags signaling the turn before the finish line. And I thought I have to run at least 300 meters more! I decided to step up my pace until I noticed a girl ahead of me, walking as she made her turn. Whooaaa, it couldn’t be! Very much energized (and excited), Tapots whooshed to the finish line, smiling, big teeth and all.

It still remains a mystery to me why the girl continued with her stroll, not seeming to care that I am overtaking her. She gave me the podium finish that I never expected. Gee, thanks!

kadako'g ngisi sa uban... =D

And I got me new 5k PR, at 28.47. A kasadya race indeed!

running = endorphins = happiness

mcdo treat ;-)

CCM Photos

Bloghopping led me to more photos. Lookie!

• Estan Cabigas' photo gallery (mostly shots of 42k participants)

• Reel Runner's CCM Memoirs

• Cebu Sports Blog' CCM Photo Albums: 1, 2,3

• Giovanni Salahog's FB Album

The Race That Made Us Proud

The Jan. 10, 2010 Cebu City Marathon has left me proud as a peacock, what with all the glowing reviews it gained. I may not be part of the organizing group that worked very hard (Kudos to Cebu Executive Runners Club for a job well done) to make the event a huge success, but I am a Cebuano and we Cebuanos are a proud lot. We take pride in our own, from the various achievements of fellow Sugbuanons to our very own dialect. Cebuanos are proud being Cebuanos.

And so imagine my delight when Jaymie Pizzaro a.k.a. The Bull Runner gave the Cebu Marathon five TBR medals (excellent!).

“[T]he best local race I have ever joined. The organizers of Cebu Marathon got everything right from the carbo loading party to the awarding program,” she said. But my favorite was what she mentioned about us Cebuanos:

The one thing that stood out in this race, which contributed most to its success but didn’t cost a cent, were the people. The warmth and hospitality of the organizers and Cebuano runners were felt all throughout. Spectators lined the roads and cheered enthusiastically. It didn’t feel like another big corporate-sponsored racing event, but a run to celebrate Cebu, its people, and its culture.

Ahhhh, ain’t she sweet?

Aside from TBR, a number of running personalities and runner-bloggers agreed the race wasn’t that bad, to put it mildly.

Bald Runner

[T]he Cebu City Marathon was an outstanding road race that surpassed my expectations. From registration, distribution of race packets, carboloading party, race proper, up to the awarding ceremonies and the immediate posting of the official results, everything was “perfect”.

Amado L. Castro, Jr

[T]he manner the race was held has earned itself the rank right on top of the best if not the very best of any race events in the Philippines.

Drum and Run

It is by far the best road race I have participated in and is now my benchmark for future races to come.

Forefoot

For many points, the Cebu Marathon topped the charts.

Sheer Will

[I]t was a great race. A shoe-in for the Best Philippine Race of 2010 unless others up their ante.

Running Fatboy

Thanks to the organizers for making this a very good event. There were ample marshals, signs, and lots and lots of water. For your first year at doing this race, I can safely say that this was a SUCCESS!!!

Gingerbread Man

[I]t's one of my finest racing experiences ever, and you have got to try it next year.

Ani de Leon

This should totally be an annual event!!!!

Janine

The Cebu Marathon experience was simply awesome!

U-huh, I scoured the web for those plus a little help from Google Alerts.

Speaking of pride, I can't help but boast about my 29.03 in the 5k. A PR after a long running break! Yeba! Now I shouldn't feel a wee bit of a wimp for not taking a stab at the half marathon. There's always the next CCM. ;-)

Next post will be photos from the race.

December in Photos

I hope this post will make up for at least a couple of entries I should have made in December. The month of eating and parties leaves one slothful but to run addicts like me, there's no excuse not to don those running shoes and pound the road. I begged off from long runs though and wasn't faithful to my regular run schedule what with my aching right foot (see prior post). OK, I'm lazy too. So instead of a lengthy entry, the December post will mostly be photos with those little captions. =)

After the office Christmas party, I went to

Cebu Sports Club for the Midnight Run.

I loved the cool, sunless race! Until next year.

Since the boys decided to push through with their
21k plan, they continued with the training, which
included a 14k road run. I joined them, not in the run,
but in the breakfast @ IT Park. Pol later decided
to register for the full marathon.

Feeling guilty with all the Christmas feasting,
I managed to do a quick morning run in my island hometown.

I felt the familiar pain in my right foot after the
Combado run, warning me to give my feet more rest or else...
The feet didn't just get the relaxation they needed,
the nails also got painted to the color of the season.

With the break, I felt fat and slow. So, I talked my parents to
bring me somewhere I can spend time with my other love--swimming.
They drove me to Sugar Beach. Ahhh, I miss Bantayan already.

Who'd Have Thought...

My First 6K

I wasn't too excited to join the 6th World Heart Day Fun Run because it doesn't have a 5k category. The September 27 race, organized by the Phil. Heart Association Cebu Chapter, only included a 3k, 6k, and a 10k. Here's something that many don't know: I haven't jog/run throughout an entire 5k race. Ever. I've joined five 5ks, in each of which I always have walking intervals. So, why would I want to enlist in a 6k when I haven't entirely run a 5k? That's what your running buddies do to you. If everyone has signed in, you don't want to be left in the sidelines.

Must Have Been the Weather

Typhoon Ondoy gave Cebu City a morning with skies very dark with clouds, like it's about to pour. It did not, bestowing us instead with what I think is a very ideal weather for a run--very windy and a tad bit cool. At times there were really strong gusts of wind, successfully overturning the race organizer's tent. It tried many times to blow away my cap, too.

With that kind of weather, running wasn't much of a chore (I still took the usual walking breaks though). The group (this group should have a name soon. hmmnn…) agreed that we cannot have fared better if the Cebu sun was her usual bright self. So I guess it must have been Sunday's terrific atmospheric condition that had me and Jun surviving our first 6k albeit we didn't come prepared (rainy days = curling up and eating more). Lex also thinks it was the dandy weather that made him feel like the 10k was a 6k (he signed up for 6k but mistakenly run with the 10k runners).

The race course wasn't bad either--the road almost all to ourselves and the uphill was fun (overpass near Ayala). Bel should have signed up for the 6k but with recurring side stitches, she opted for the 3k.

What Do You Know?

Did I do great? A clock in time of 38 minutes and I-forgot-how-many seconds isn't. But if a great finish means finishing fifth in the 6K MEPZ women's category, hell yeah, I did!

Tapots hides behind the blur. Shy daw siya.

Who’d have thought? But maybe there were only five women from MEPZ who signed up. Hehe. But that’s an accomplishment still. I deserve a reward. Perhaps, a new pair of running shoes? Hmmnn, I hope mom reads this... ;-)

note to self: come up with a wish list soon (birthday and Christmas).