Thursday, December 27, 2007

Off to Macau

with the family and returning on the 2nd. Hoping to get a few runs in.

By the way, another milestone was reached yesterday. I logged 600+ miles on Nike+, and reached the Top 5 in Distance in the Philippines! :-) What a way to end the year, eh?



Have a wonderful New Year!

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Running related resolutions for 2008

Pretty ambitious, eh? I'm not sure whether listing my resolutions on this blog is a good idea, but if it'll keep me on track, then so be it.

Happy running in 2008!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Hey Lifeguard!

So I went for a swim the other day. Did my usual 60 laps on a 25 meter pool. I was highly distracted. By these two teenagers leaning against the pool divider to my right. They were making out. I'm not a prude, but how can I not notice, when they were encroaching my lane. With legs wrapped around each other and some serious groping going on! Come on people, some discretion please. Plus, this is a 6 lane pool, it's empty except for the three of us, why pick the lane right next to mine? And Lifeguard, hellooow! Isn't part of your job description to discourage this kind of thing?!?

Anyway, it made it an interesting swim...

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Know when to stop

... drinking. Wine overflowed at last night's affair. We were forewarned that a surprise awaited us. It was cocktail hour at the grounds of Meralco! Graced for a while, by the presence of the chairman himself. We were an intimate party of ten, cozy in an outdoor shed lit with a thousand lights. There was a full bar, liveried staff, a dressed table, crystal ware... Our hosts do know how to entertain. Even an impromptu serenade by one dashing man.





If you haven't seen Meralco at this time of the year, do try to see their display. It's simply amazing, they've created a whole village made up of copper wire and lights!

Dinner followed several hours later, back at the home of our gracious host. The food, the friends, the joy this holiday season, so many reasons to be thankful for.



But anyway, I woke up today, highly dehydrated from last night's merriment. I can't even think about running today. Or drinking another glass of wine, ever! A good resolution for next year ~ everything in moderation!

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Currently

listening :: and loving Explosions in the Sky's album, The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place

considering :: running the half instead of the full Philippine Marathon this coming February

making :: presents using scraps and found items ~ I'm doing my bit to save the world! Pictures to follow once gifts are distributed.

UPDATE: Here are some of the stuff I made, a book cover, a pencil sleeve and several iPod Touch cases.

Monday, December 17, 2007

My friend, the runner

No long runs logged over the weekend... very, VERY bad! I swear to get one in this weekend.

I did an easy 4mi walk/jog with a friend on Sunday though. This friend of mine just started running several weeks ago. She did quite well, we jogged 5min and walked 2min for an hour. I'm so proud of her, she even reached the "zone" during her last 5min jog! Although she is athletic, I never envisioned her as a runner... (she's an equestrian, was the captain of her high school tennis team, and has dabbled into all sorts of martial arts).


Early morning run, U.P.

From the looks of it, she will be more than just the occasional runner. She's outfitted herself with a whole lot of goodies: a 3rd gen iPod Nano, the Nike+ Sports Kit, a pair of Asics running shoes, and a running watch. Now I'm telling her that all she needs are some dri-fit shirts. But she refuses (for now anyway), as she's a 100% cotton shirt kinda girl.

Whoever said running was a cheap sport didn't know what he was talking about! There are all sorts of must have running paraphernalia. But seriously, once you've got the gear, that's it, you're done spending. Oh, except for the shoes, which you need to replace every 450-500 miles. As a skier and a diver, I can tell you that running is a bargain. It's not a destination sport, you can run anywhere. You can wear your running shoes even when you're not running ~ you can't do that with fins or ski boots.

Back to my running friend... she's got serious issues with Nike+, she believes it's a huge waste of money. It's given her problems from the start. Such as:

  • difficulty getting her sensor to work
  • the Nano acting sluggish and the click wheel unresponsive when using the sports kit
  • problems downloading data to the Nike+ website
  • Nike+ website isn't intuitive
It's too bad she's experiencing all these problems, because I'm a believer of Nike+. It's what got me running and it continues to motivate me to run more. I hope it all works out for her before she gives up on it...

UPDATE:: 12/26 My friend gave up on Nike+. She ended up buying the Garmin Forerunner 305 today. She's tested it and is happy with it!

Friday, December 14, 2007

Signed up for a half marathon

Because I've been slacking off on my long runs... And also, to counter the deluge of caloric goodness I have, and will be eating, this holiday season. For the most part, I will be sticking with Hal Higdon's Marathon Training - Intermediate 1 plan. Just a few minor changes though to accommodate the half marathon.

EVENT:   Subic Marathon
DISTANCE:   Half Marathon (21K)
DATE:   Jan 20, 2008
ROUTE:   route

This will be my 2nd race, ever. Hopefully it will indicate whether I'm good and ready to run a full marathon the following month.

Subic is 37 days away from now. Yikes!
And the Philippine Marathon is 72 days away, double yikes!!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Marathon projection

Considering last night's 8.85mi run, I was curious what my projected finish time for a marathon would be. I plugged my data into Runner's World Training Calculator, and this is what I got...


Yes! Based on this prediction, I will finish under 5hrs!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Oh my, Batanes

I haven't watched a movie in a long time, so over dinner last night, my cousin, sister-in-law and I all expressed interest in watching the movie, Batanes. Consequently,plans were made to watch it today.

You know how sometimes plans are made, but often times those plans just tend to fizzle out? Well unfortunately, this plan did push through. Not that I didn't enjoy the company, I did! It's just I wish I could recommend this movie, but I won't. So instead, I will leave you with images of Batanes...

Monday, December 10, 2007

Because I can

I love to run.  It's who I am.  There are days though when I don't feel like running.  Sometimes, I try to get out of it, but then I think of the guilt that will follow.  And, the zero miles logged for the day.  So inevitably I always, though reluctantly, head out the door.  I'll take no excuses from me.  

Except for those two times I decided to sleep in and run later, however later never came...

Speaking of excuses, I came across Dread Pirate Rackham's blog recently, and I liked what she had to say about it.
...It seemed like I was surrounded by people who said "running? that's crazy" or "good for you, I can't run because of [insert X, Y, or Z lame/semi lame excuse]."

Everybody has an excuse. Or a story. Or a reason they can't.

They can't, but I can. What they don't realize is that I'm really no different from them.

I can totally relate! She also has her own set of running rules, 27 of them! Check it out here. If you like her blog, and are so inclined, vote for her blog as one of the Best Endurance Sports Blog in 2007 here.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Training Sched Week 9

MON::   swim
TUE::   4mi
WED::   7mi
THU::   4mi
FRI::   strength
SAT::   7mi
SUN::   15mi
TOTAL::   37mi

NOTE: Mileage listed above was meant for Week 8, but because I didn't follow it, I am repeating it for Week 9.

Recap of Week 8

MON::   -
TUE::   4.6mi
WED::   -
THU::   5.47mi; strength
FRI::   swimming
SAT::   6.2mi
SUN::   8.48mi
TOTAL::   24.76mi

Week 8 was a "light" week for me. Had I stuck to my original training schedule, today's long run would have been 15mi and I would have run a total of 37mi for the week. But I had a lot of concerns, mostly my shins. So I took 3 days off from running, but added strength training and swimming.

Now that I have the 1061s, I don't think I need to worry about my shins anymore. But, I will take it easy and make sure to take two days off from running each week.

New running shoes; Part 2


Nike Moto 4, Nike Air Structure Triax 10+, NB WR1061

Within a month of getting the Triax, I bought another pair of running shoes, the New Balance WR1061.  This shoe is highly rated here and here.  A couple of reviewers mentioned though that this shoe is classified as "neutral plus," therefore suited for heavier runners.  Uh oh, there is no way you can classify me as heavy.  Still, I plunged ahead with the purchase because the selection of women's running shoes in Manila is so limited.  Plus, it was on sale!

Already, the 1061 is showing promise.  I am SO happy to say that after several runs totaling 14.7mi, I haven't felt any pain whatsoever! :-)  Huh, a shoe really does make a difference.

Shoe Mileage
- Nike Max Moto 4: 467
- Nike Triax 10x: 46  (Retired)
- NB WR1061: 15

Friday, December 07, 2007

C+S moves back home

My youngest brother, C and his wife S temporarily moved back home yesterday as they await completion of their unit in Boracay. They plan to spend half their time in Bora and the other half in Manila. Welcome back!


This will be their amazing view

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Shin splints

I read up a little on shin splints and found this article, Your Shins by Martha Schindler on Runner's World. This paragraph caught my eye...

...A runner who overpronates might buy a rigid shoe hoping to keep her ankles from turning, he explains, but many motion-control shoes are simply too stiff for a woman's less-muscular foot to bend. "If you hear a slapping noise every time your foot hits the ground, your shoes are too stiff," he notes...


AHA! I may just have come to the root of my problem. I recently started using these pair of shoes. Each time my foot hits the ground, these shoes make a loud slapping noise which I can hear through my headphones. So much for buying a shoe voted "Editor's Choice," if it isn't appropriate for you. I'm actually a neutral runner, not an overpronator, and this shoe corrects overpronation.

Also on Runner's World, this article Get Healthy Calves and Shins, by Ted Spiker, describes shin splints.
Pain down the front of your lower leg is likely due to shinsplints--or medial tibial stress syndrome, as medical practitioners prefer to call it. It's thought of as a beginner's injury, but shinsplints can strike anyone, especially those who overtrain. They're caused by degeneration of the muscles or tissues that attach to the tibia (shinbone). Anterior shinsplints affect the tibialis anterior muscle (outer side of the tibia), which keeps your toes from dragging when you take a step and lowers the forefoot to the ground. Posterior shinsplints indicate irritation of the posterior tibialis muscle (inner side of the tibia), which decelerates the pronation of the foot after heel-strike. Too many miles with too little rest, improper biomechanics, or tightness and weakness in the calf muscles are all contributing factors, says Janet Hamilton, a registered clinical exercise physiologist and author of Running Strong and Injury Free. Typically, this pain strikes when you start to run and stops once you've warmed up. If you have shinsplints, the best remedies are rest, icing, stretching and strengthening exercises, and anti-inflammatories...

Interest vs Commitment

The difference between interest and commitment is that

  • when you're interested in doing something, you do it
    only when it is convenient
  • when you're committed to something, you accept
    no excuses, only results!

Unfortunately, I will be doing less running and more swimming and strength training for the next couple of weeks. Just letting my shins rest a bit. BUT, I'm still very much committed to my training.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

iPod Nano freeze & a visit to an orthopedic doctor

Quickly flipping through the menu to start my run, my Nano froze :-( Ergo today's run isn't recorded on the Nike+ and Runner+ sites. Per the treadmill, I ran 4.60mi. No major shin pains even though I used my problem shoes.

Visited an orthopedic doctor today for a consult on my shins. He thinks it's just strained muscles and too much running. Just to be sure, he asked me to get an AP/Lat xray of my right leg from knee to ankle joint. He didn't ask to see my shoes nor check the way I run. Recommended that I research on stress fracture and compartment syndrome.

Will get a second opinion from a sports doctor... and also a new pair of running shoes.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Boracay, overdone



I'm back in Manila from a great but exhausting trip to Boracay! It was early morning runs, lazing underneath the shade of an umbrella, traipsing around the island, happy hours starting at 4pm... I'm not as young as I'd like to think I am, so I held back and didn't bother keeping up with friends. Still, my body couldn't handle all the activities, and so here I am nursing an upset stomach. Because of this, I had to forego my scheduled long run earlier today. It's too bad, because running conditions in Boracay at this time of the year is close to perfect. You've got the view, a bit of wind, a little sunshine, clean air...

Did 2 not so easy "easy" runs over the weekend though, for a total of 8.2mi. Again experienced some shin problems on my right leg. Did the walk/run bit as my shins were way too tight and I was in pain. I need to get this checked before it gets out of control. Shoes used: my old Salomons.

Dining:: Manana, True Food, Lemon, Dos Mestizos, Smoke Resto, Real Coffee, Moondogs
Happy Hour:: Manana, Aria, Discovery Shores, Tides, Cocomangas
Made:: 2008 NY resolutions and a pledge to do a weekly photo exchange with CV
Word Tripping:: 517

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Off to Boracay


Puka Beach, July 2007

I hope the rain lets up, so I can get a few runs in.

500mi Club



Ran 500 miles in 6 months, incredible! I never thought that I'd be a runner. Here's to many more years of running.

Having both the iPod Nike+ sports kit and the Garmin, I don't know how to efficiently track my miles. Do I use the Nike+ or the Garmin? I think for now, I'll continue using the Nike+ for all runs, and the Garmin only for outdoor runs. Just so I accrue miles on both the Nike+ and Runner+ sites. AND, on top of that, log both runs in Runners World. Overkill, I know.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

La vida Hong Kong



What a trip! The last time I was in Hong Kong was in the mid 1990s. I don't remember much of it, maybe because I travelled with my family. But for sure I had a great time. This trip however, I hung out with a couple of cousins and a friend. We had fantastic meals and pre/after dinner drinks at swanky places. Took a few good photographs of Victoria Peak, Stanley Market, central HK, and other places. I was able to get only one run in but it was at the Four Seasons' gym on a state-of-the-art treadmill overlooking the Kowloon harbour ~ life can't get any better.

I also broke down and bought the most coveted "toy" on my wish list, an iPod Touch. I blame it on a cousin who was taking too long in an electronics shop. How I'm justifying this expense is that I didn't have to pay for accommodations. Yeah, right...

As good as it was, I missed the main reason for this trip ~ the Federer/Sampras exhibition game! Arrrgh!!! I can't blame anyone but myself. On any given day, 3 hours would be more than enough travel time to get to Macau from HK. When I got to the terminal, I qued up for the very long line. 10-15 minutes later, the board showed that the next available ferry will be in 2.5 hours. Which didn't leave me enough time to meet a friend (who had my ticket) at the Venetian before the game. What makes it worse, is that I missed Sampras' win over Federer. Oh well, que sera sera.

DINING / COCKTAILS at:
- Yun Fu 43-55 Wyndham St, Central HK ~ roast duck, braised green bamboo shoots; amazing buddha lined staircase with swanky modern/asian interior
- Feather Boa 38 Staunton St, SoHo HK ~ yummy chocolate strawberry daiquiris; parissiene bordello like interior; for members only
- Cafe Deco Victoria Peak HK ~ really good pizza w parma ham, arugula & black truffle oil, awesome view of HK skyline
- Aqua Roma 29+30 Floors, One Peking Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon ~ to die for squab w foie gras & roasted fig; uber chic, amazing HK harbor and city view
- Insomnia 38-44 D'Aguilar St, Central HK ~ good Filipino band, super packed, expat crowd
- Azure LFK Tower 33 Wyndham St, Central HK ~ drinks atop LFK Hotel, stunning views
- Yan Toh Heen InterContinental Hotel 18 Salisbury Rd, Kowloon ~ omg, I don't think I've had better Peking Duck ever. The fat is skimmed off the skin right in front of you, for a "healthier" and guilt-free dining experience.
- XTC Gelato LFK area (and all over HK) ~ wow, it's good, good, good! too many exotic flavors to choose from.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Another friend leaving

Today was my last session with my personal trainer. She's leaving for New York next week to try things out there, at least for the next six months. We've been meeting twice a week since July and I will miss her. She was a great motivator and with her gone, I'm sure I won't be going to the gym much.

For now, I'm not planning to continue with my strength training. Maybe after the marathon...

Fuel Belt

Ran with a friend today. We started at 5:15am, in the pouring rain! Wore a rain resistant jacket which wasn't very resistant at all. I'd like a light, breathable rain jacket for times like this! Hmmn, maybe they'll have good sales in Hong Kong.

Used the Fuel Belt for the first time. I loaded up the flasks with 3 waters & 1 gatorade, which I finished by the end of the run. The Fuel Belt is comfortable but a bit bulky ~ because of the four flasks, I had to stick my elbows out a bit. Midway through the run, the belt kept hiking up my waist instead of staying snug at my hips. (My fault though. I've read several reviews to order up a size, so I did. Plus I've lost more than an inch or so around my hips :-)) But, I can deal with that, rather than running without water.

Getting better with the hills, I ran all the way up Ultra and St. Pauls without stopping and dying! My legs are getting stronger each day, and I no longer walk like a man after a hard workout. :-) Now I just have to add a little bit of speedwork training...

Summary of today's run:
Miles: 6.69
Pace: 11:46
Time: 1hr18min



Now to pack and let my running shoes dry.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Ultra oval closed until Dec 5th

Argh! I was going to test Garmin's lap feature this morning, but the track is closed to "joggers." Why? Because the field is being used for soccer practice. This is the fourth time I've been there that the track is closed for some reason or another. Oh well, I guess I saved P29, ha ha. I ended up doing a quick run around the grounds of Ultra instead.

Here's a look at my short run...

Monday, November 19, 2007

Training Sched Week 5

This week's training schedule:

MON:: Swim
TUE:: Easy 3mi
WED:: Quality 7mi
THU:: Rest (travel day)
FRI:: Quality 6mi
SAT:: Easy 4mi
SUN:: Long 9mi
TOTAL:: 29mi

I'll be traveling again in a few days so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I follow through with my training this week. Going to Hong Kong, mainly to watch Federer and Sampras play an exhibition game and also to catch up with some friends. I'll be back next Monday only to leave again on Thursday for Boracay.

CURRENTLY
Playing:: around with Garmin watch
Searching:: for HK running trails

Recap of week 4's training:
MON:: Rest
TUE:: Easy 5.22mi
WED:: Easy 2.93mi
THU:: Interval 6.77mi
FRI:: Swimming 40min
SAT:: Pace 4.72mi
SUN:: Long 12.85mi
TOTAL:: 32.49mi

A pigout weekend

Last weekend was all about eating and training.
FRI:: Horizon Lounge & Milky Way :: Swimming
SAT:: Shang Palace :: 4.72 miles
SUN:: Silks :: 12.85 miles - my longest run to date

Considering the amount of food I ate over the weekend, my weight remains the same. According to my Polar HRM, I expended 1775 calories during my long run yesterday - WOW! Per my Nike+ Sports Kit, I only used up 1173 cal. Hmmn, that's such a huge difference, who to believe???

My long run of 12.85mi took me around Green Meadows, Valle Verde and Ultra then used the treadmill for the last 5mi. I didn't make it to Katipunan because of a couple scary looking dogs on Temple Rd so I did a quick U-ey :-( Except for the dogs and a few minor hills, it wasn't that bad of a run.



The thing about running early in the morning is that most places are closed and it's hard to find a place that sells water. I was so thirsty that my heart jumped with joy to see a Jollibee at the end of Green Meadows Ave. Thanks Jollibee for the free glass of water! My next water break was approx 30 minutes later at Ultra. At that point I was cross eyed and knock kneed that I almost gave up on the run. That's when I decided to head back home and run on the treadmill instead. While I drowned myself with water. Let me tell you, it's not easy to run when you're bloated with water either.

It's a good thing I met up with my cousin Wendy and Brian, her fiance, later that night. They brought me my new toys, a Fuel Belt and a Garmin Forerunner 305 which I'd been eagerly anticipating for months. I am a happy runner gone to heaven! Thanks to you guys, I'll no longer be thirsty during my long runs.


Mom, Brian, Wendy, Jim, Dad, me, Tita Diana @ Silks

Saturday, November 17, 2007

8 girl cousins = a room full of happy people

Getting together with cousins always make me happy. We don't get together as much as we used to but when we do, all hell breaks loose. Of course, the wine and cheese offerings were enjoyed by everyone, which I suspect contributed to quite a few headaches this morning :-) Thank god we were tucked away in an out of the way conf room at the Horizon Lounge in Makati Shang. Even so, our ruckus could be heard all the way outside to the main reception.


rinn, trin, trix, ri

Thursday, November 15, 2007

It's raining HARD

Planned to do an early 6mi quality run outside today, but I woke to the sound of unrelenting rain. I've ran in the rain before, and I loved every moment of it. I was almost tempted to brave the rain, but decided against it. The run would have ruined my new shoes and possibly injure myself. So it was back to the treadmill.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Running gingerly

TUE:: Ran 5.22mi with my brand new pair of Triax running shoes. I'm NOT liking it at all! I hope it's just a matter of getting used to it. I felt a constant dull pain on my right shin during the run and would briefly disappear only if I ran at a faster pace. The problem may be due to the Triax being a half size larger than my old Motos... Although the Triax is cushiony, which I like, I feel it lacks the support I need and seems a bit heavy.

WED:: Ran 2.93mi. Back to the Motos today, no shin problems at all. Hmmmn, could a shoe really affect your run that much?!?

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Currently

reading:: The Rough Guide to Hong Kong & Macau
reading:: The Athlete's Way by Christopher Bergland
listening:: to Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am"
watching:: season one of Brothers & Sisters
tweaking:: my Beijing pictures
awaiting:: my new running toys

social life:: close to zero. If it has nothing to do with running, I decline most invites that come my way. I'm either too tired to go out or in bed by 10pm for an early run the next day. I'm not complaining. I had a vague idea that in training for a marathon, I would have to pass on a LOT of things. That's not to say I've been hitting my weekly mileage goals, but close enough.

Facebook

Despite ignoring a handful invites, I broke down and joined Facebook. Just to see what the fuss was all about. I still don't get it, but I did receive an email from a friend in Turkey. How cool is that?!?

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Training Sched Week 4

MON: Swimming
TUE: Easy 3mi
WED: Quality 6mi
THU: Easy 3mi
FRI: Rest
SAT: Pace 6mi
SUN: Long 12mi
TOTAL: 30mi

Week 3 Recap

MON: 5.9mi in Beijing
TUE: Rest
WED: 6.66mi
THU: 6.44mi
FRI: Rest
SAT: 6.89mi in Baguio
SUN: 2.6mi in Baguio
TOTAL: 28.49mi

Last Monday, I ran around the perimeter of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing. It was nice and cold, I hardly broke a sweat, but my knees never seemed to warm up. Wed and Thur were treadmill runs back in Manila, and my last two runs were done in Baguio. I was hoping to do my 11mi long run last Saturday, but darn it, those Baguio hills were pure torture and I cut the run short :-(

Thursday, November 08, 2007

New running shoes

My less than 6mo old shoe, a Nike Air+ Moto, is about to be retired. It only has 425+ miles, yet it has lost that bit of springiness and support :-(

I tried the Mizuno Wave Creation 8s and love the way they feel on me. BUT, having several friends who work for Nike, they won't approve of me wear any other brand but theirs. So when I learned that Nike has a promotion going on right now, I rushed to the store. For every Nike+ shoe you buy, they will give you a sports kit for the iPod Nano for free.

Sadly, they didn't have the Nike Vomero+ 2 in my size, so I ended up with the Nike Air Structure Triax+ 10. Hope that works for me... Otherwise, I'll end up getting a 2nd pair of shoes, the Mizunos. Bad for my financials, but a good thing for my feet. :-)

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

The Colors of Beijing

stunning sights, local cuisine overload, unbelievable smog, bargain shopping, an assault to all senses... i was able to fit in four runs for a total of 16+ miles :-)











Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Training Sched Week 2

will hopefully look something like this...

MON: Easy 3mi
TUE: Speedwork 5mi
WED: Easy 5mi
THU: TRAVEL
FRI: Easy 5mi
SAT: Pace 5mi
SUN: Long 7m
TOTAL: 30mi

Just as I’m getting serious with my marathon training, it will be difficult to keep the momentum going due to upcoming trips. As much as I love traveling and vacations, the next few trips will be done somewhat reluctantly. I need to find time and some interesting routes to run while away.

Travel Schedule:
Nov 1-6: Beijing
Nov 8-11: Baguio
Nov 22-26: Hong Kong
Nov 30-Dec 2: Dumaguete
Dec 27-Jan 1: Macau

Sunday, October 28, 2007

U.P. 10K Route



can't remember exactly where I swiped this map from, but I believe it's from some U.P. Mountaineering member's blog.

Week 1 Recap

MON: Strength 1hr; Yoga 1.5hrs
TUE: Easy 4.17mi, 11:30pa
WED: Interval 3.13mi, 10:32pa
THU: Tempo 5mi, 10:49pa
FRI: Rest
SAT: Pace 5mi, 10:42pa
SUN: Long 9.95m, 11:23pa (longest run to date!)
TOTAL: 27.25mi

Today's long 9.95mi run was done around the U.P. oval. Grabbed a cab at 5:15am and headed to the university to run with J and Doc A. We started out fast at a 9:28pa. This being my first time running with them, I didn't want to hold them back. So by mile 5, I urged them to go ahead without me while I run at a much slower pace. Them being the gentlemen they are, said no, so we settled to a more manageable pace of 10:45. It took me 1h53m to circle the outer oval 6.5 times at an average pace of 11:23. Not bad... I completed last week's long 8mi run on the treadmill at an 11:55pa. It was encouraging to hear J say that I've got good form and strides, and more importantly that I will do quite well in the marathon. Not bad for someone who only started running this June, eh?

Except for the expensive cab ride (P130!), it's so much nicer running in U.P than in Ortigas. On Sundays, streets circling the oval are closed to vehicles, there are lots of trees, a big oval you can circle over and over, and lots of runners and bikers to check out. ;-) There were several running groups out there training for the New Balance half marathon to be held in Subic in a couple of weeks. The Runnex group had over 30 members in tow, WOW! That's the way to do train.

During the run, my Polar HRM froze on me 15 minutes into the run, ARGH, so I'm not sure how well I did. I did okay though, as I could have continued on for a couple more miles. Time to seriously consider getting the Garmin Forerunner 305 sooner rather than later. :-D

On to another subject...
A few more days until the October Runner+ challenge is over. I should wait for the challenge to end before posting the final results. But when I logged on today, I was ecstatic to note that I'm currently in 2nd place! Can you feel my giddyness?!?

Saturday, October 27, 2007

A little princess comes to visit



and sleep.

... can't figure out how to rotate this photo.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Lunch w CG

Just got back from a lunch with CG at Santi's Deli. It was so nice to be able to catch up with her, it's just been too long... A lot has happened since I saw her three weeks ago, all of it good things, and I'm glad it's happening to her. I'm crossing my fingers that the man from Spain is the "one" and that all will fall into place. You give us hope, CG.

I got giddy hearing her stories. In a way, the rush I get from running is similar to spending time with someone you're attracted to, during the early stages. BUT without the insecurities of is he or is he not feeling the same way about me as I do him. Anyway, since I'm without the "one," I'm glad I have running as an outlet, a low maintenance substitute to being in love.

Finally reached the top 10 Nike+ spot in distance

in the Philippines! YEAH, I've been working long and hard for what I once thought an unattainable goal. Climbing up the ladder will get even more difficult as the top 9 are serious runners. Well, it helps that I'm training for a marathon, as I'm building on my weekly miles by over the recommended 10%.



THURS RUN: I had a grueling tempo run yesterday. I had hoped to sustain a constant treadmill speed of 5.9 during miles 1-4, but I struggled and my right eye started to twitch. I took that as a sign to slow down, which I did by lowering the treadmill speed by to 5.7. :-(


0-1mi / trsp 4.6 / 12:13pa
1-2mi / trsp 5.9 / 10:29pa
2-3mi / trsp 5.9 / 9:49pa
3-4mi / trsp 5.7 / 10:06pa
4-5mi / trsp 4.7 / 11:30pa

NOTE: trsp = treadmill speed

Pace Calculator

based on the 5K race I ran on Oct. 7th, the Soroptimist Takbo Breast Friends. Calculations taken from the McMillanRunning.com site.



Based on this calculation, it predicts that I will finish the Pasig Marathon in 5:12:17. Huh, so much for finishing under 4hrs!

This is my goal...

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Running in puddles

I slept over my sister's place last night. I don't mind because I get to see her kids and that means I get to run around her village in peace... no distractions, no need to give way to motor vehicles, no queueing up for the treadmill.

So, early this morning, I headed out the door and ran around the village. In the rain. How liberating. I felt like a kid let out for the first time enjoying raindrops on my face. I continued on. So what if I get sick, there's no way I'll DNF this run! This road is mine.

MON: Strength training, 1hr. Yoga, 1.5hrs.

TUE: Easy village run
4.17mi
11:30pa
386 cal (iPod)
491 cal / 30% fat (Polar)
Max HR 100% (what the #*@!, this was an easy run!)
Avg HR 83%

Monday, October 22, 2007

Training Sched Week 1

This week's training schedule:

MON: X - strength, yoga
TUE: Easy 3mi
WED: Tempo 5mi
THU: Easy 3mi
FRI: Rest
SAT: Pace 5mi
SUN: Long 9m
TOTAL: 25mi

I woke up yesterday, weighed myself, wow, 121lbs!!! How can that be, I've been consciously eating mounds of rice and anything and whatever comes my way?!?

SUN RUN: Did an easy long run on the treadmill last night. It took me 1hr40min to complete 8.42mi. I jogged pretty much the entire time except for four minutes right before the 4mi mark. During the latter part of the run, around 6mi or so, I experienced a bit of discomfort on the upper left thigh area, just below the hip. Hmm, this is new to me. I expected to be much more sore today, but not so. Summary of yesterday's long run:

8.42 miles
11:55 pace
778 cal (ipod) /
1109 cal, 35% fat (hrm)
79% avg hr
90% max hr

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Morning run around Ortigas

I planned to start my early run before 6am, but I woke up at 6:05am :-( After a quick application of sunblock, attaching various gadgets on self and wolfing a banana, I was out the door by 6:20am.

ROUTE: One round around UAP, I saw about 5 joggers out there, yey, I'm not alone. Then ran through Tektite, ADB, Topaz, Ruby, Emerald (a mini food carinderia market going on), Garnet, Sapphire, then down to Julia Vargas, through Rodriguez-Lanuza, up St Martin, around Ultra, then back home.

All in all, a total of 5.51miles at a very slow pace of 11:27/mi.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Training for my first marathon

So. Yesterday, after reading The Bull Runner's blog, I am inspired to run the Pasig Marathon.

Huh, I've only run one race so far, Soroptomists Takbo Breast Friend, a 5K, earlier this month. I ran slower than hoped, 32:03, but I placed 6th in Women's. Oh, the smile pasted on my face that day! I swear, the afterglow lingered for days.

Whatever possessed me, but I am committed to running the Pasig Marathon this coming February 2008.

Training tools:
Hal Higdon's Marathon The Ultimate Training and Racing Guide
iPod Nano with Nike+ sensor
Polar F11 Heart Rate Monitor
MapMyRun.com

Wish List:
Garmin Forerunner 305
Fuel Belt Helium 4
a new pair of running shoes (150 miles left on my Nike Moto)

Here starts my four month journey towards my first marathon.