Sunday morning musings...

ah those sunday mornings when you go for a run in the park wading through the sea of people who like me are celebrating life...you wonder about the members of the wiser generation who break a sweat moving along Michael and Madonna's ditties during this time while the younger ones would probably still be recovering from last night's drunken stupor...and you think about the year that is about the close and gingerly plotting your plans for the next...and you run to your heart's content, braving the uphills at first and happily walking them at the latter part...and at the 10th km mark, you sigh and give thanks to the Lord Almighty because for what it's worth, it is a good life after all...#sundaymorningmusings

I came, I saw and I conquered PENANG!

Out of laziness, I am able to finish this post only now. Forgive me if there were details that I have forgotten already. 2-24-12

At the finish wall

Penang is marvelous.

I know that is a bit of an understatement. But I am lost for words. The well preserved shophouses. The long stretches of cobble-stoned streets. The vibrantly designed rickshaws. The east-meets-west vibe. The very budget-friendly hostels. And the food! Go to Penang for the best food Malaysia has to offer.

My 3-day detour to this place is a bit short and I know I am coming back. I have to. I didn't do much sightseeing as I spent a couple of days preparing for the race or resting after it. 

And no, this is not a travel blog. 

I heard about this race last year through a blog of a friend. Apparently, Asia was the 6th continent where he ran a marathon. I didn't realize I'll be doing it too. 

I was hungry for a race. Any race just to prove I am still a runner. I googled, found some and I signed for three races at one time: PJ Half-marathon, CICM Run and the latest, Penang Bridge International Marathon. And finishing the last one proved to be the sweetest.

Taking on Malaysian suburbs...

...and the height of naivete.

Yey for the bling!

It was a sleepless night. No, I was not excited. I went to bed early to get enough sleep and I was off to dreamland the moment I lay down on the hotel bed and shut off the lights. Then in the middle of midnight, prank calling disturbed my peace and I was not able to sleep again.

Sweet Carbo-loading :)

Oh well, fast forward 9 hours later. I was able to finish my second pikermi in Malaysia, CICM Responsible Care Run 2011. Maybe I was ready for the race toting my water bottle as the hydration stations would be far from each other. The race went through smoothly. I didn't get a new PR and I realized I was getting slower as I put on some weight. But that's okay. I guess finishing strong is more than enough. But the events surrounding it almost drowned out the good things about the race.

the stage

Hang-overs

One of the best views of the route

I like the route. The scenic trees dotting the roads cooled the air and provided shade when the sun was up. The next-to-nothing traffic with only a few cars interrupted by our sporty gallivanting. And most of all, the mainly flat surface with few unsteep slopes that is PR friendly.

The singlet and the medal

There are medals for every 21km runner who crosses the finish line in 3 hrs. In PJ Marathon, only the first 200 finishers for each category gets one. So, this is officially my first bling in MY.

And the singlet. The New Balance singlet is comfy to wear and has better fabric than the one in PJ Marathon. These makes the 50 RM registration so worth it. 

Hang-ups

Second race with hydration stations spread at app 4 kms from each other. Is this a standard set-up here? It's a good thing it was not that hot today.

I like the route BUT I didn't realize it was just too far. I almost cried as the meter rolled on almost forever. Call me naive as I am new in town. And it's not the organizers' responsibility to get me there but I wish the organizers provided some shuttle service to lure more runners to join. And I was lost twice. Once during race packet pick-up and on raceday itself. Good thing, we reached Setia Alam Welcome Center just in the nick of time. And after the race, I couldn't find a taxi that was leaving. I called the cab company but they said there was none nearby. A taxi was parked by the events area and I had to wait for the program to wrap up (I didn't get to bring an iPad. sic.) for the driver to return and ask him to take me to the hotel. He didn't but instead dropped me off at KLang station where I took a train to KL Central then another train to Kelana Jaya where I was gonna take a bus or taxi to the hotel. I only took the train to KL Central and got off from that station and joined a new group of friends to watch Manny Pacquiao battle it out with Juan Manuel Marquez for the third time.

And that my friends is the biggest hangup of the day--though totally unrelated to this race. What the heck happened?! Tell me.

Next week: Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011. I'm stoked!

Taking on Malaysian highways...

...and PJ half-marathon, my first race in Malaysia.

Running Bitoy :)

Ready to Rock It

I was in a racing drought for almost three months now before this race. During those times, all I could do was be engulf with the untolerable amount of envy I was feeling whenever my running friends from home post their new conquests. The Manila running scene is surely one thing that I miss a lot.

It was one boring day in Luanda (and no, Luanda is far from boring), when I signed up for three races--Petaling Jaya Half-marathon which happened today, CICM Run and Penang Bridge International Marathon, both of which are happening next month. So what does this mean? This just means I'm really, really back! And there's no way I'm backing down.

Stadium Petaling Jaya

Enough of the rhetorics. I was both excited and anxious of this race as this is my first in Malaysia and the first in 3 months. I didn't have enough training and I gained weight a bit. I made sure that I don't miss this race by waking up early and getting to the race area an hour before gunstart. After a warmup session led by two trainers from Fitness First, 21k runners positioned ourselves by the starting line. I was there for only a few minutes and without further ado, the gun was fired and off we scrambled like mice in a maze. 

Highway signs

Runing inside a dark tunnel

We started before the sun was fully up and it didn't take long before we could fill its unforgiving might. And mighty it really was. I remember having to content myself with walking on the bridge when it was really hot and there were no trees around to provide us some shade. The route was mainly flat with just the right combination of uphills and downhills. The uphills weren't that steep and were doable. And there's the nagging fear of being run over as the highways were not really closed for the event. So, the route was just fine. It was just the heat.

Highway Runners

And the hydration stations. I thought there were not enough and are spread out too far, I think every 4 kms. So there are only 4 stations for refreshments. Good thing though, they also have sponge stations for us to feel a bit relieved from the heat.

Almost there...

And the lack of training. At 17kms, I was already tired and tempted to just walk to the finish line.  But I still tried to run and running I did. I was gunning for a sub2 finish but that didn't happen. I settled for a 2:15 finish and ironically, I'm happy about it. I didn't have to beat myself for missing my target. There's another race. There are two actually. And just to be back and finished the race in good form is more than enough.

***

Special thanks to Annitah for the nice chat and the lift after the race. It was a pleasure meeting you.

And yes, I can still hear Stevie Nicks singing in my head. So far, I'm sailing through the changing ocean tides just fine. 

3 Runs in Four Weeks

Jogging track in Ilha

I have been in Angola for a month now and in those four weeks, I have only run 3 times. I did not get to run in my first two weeks here. My first run as I mentioned in the previous post was a barefoot run in this place called Ilha. 

takbo.ph singlet

My second run was in the same place when a colleague asked me to run after work. I remember it was so cold (21 degrees is cold for me!) but I soon warmed up after a few loops. 
And the last one was last weekend when two of my colleagues walked with me from the guesthouse to Ilha so we could do some running. Err, it was only me who ran while they rested and chatted the morning away.

Thumbs up for a good run

I am running less and less and I can't wait to get back to KL to get some normalcy back into my running schedule. Don't get me wrong Luanda is a fine place. It's just that with my work and other circumstances prevent me to give more time for running.


In the meantime, doing Indian pushups help me to stay, uhm, trim despite having a hard time doing them. And I signed up for 3 races in Malaysia happening in the next two months. 


Happy Running, guys!

Running Barefoot in Africa

Happy feet running

I'm now on my third week in Luanda, Angola. With the limitations that are imposed on us, road running is out of the picture for now. Or so I thought.


Last weekend, my colleagues and I trooped to the nearest beach from Luanda downtown, Praia Ilha. I know there is a running track by the beach but I thought we were still going to this island beach everybody recommends to us, Mussulo Island, so I didn't bother bringing my running gears with me. 

Sunset in Ilha

The sand on the beach felt fine and the beach gives a wonderful and unobstructed view of the sunset. But it's not the cleanest. But going here was a welcome distraction.


In between bottles and cans of beer, we played football in the sand. I remember my cousin Jake who taught us how to play soccer when we first met him in the 90's. I never had so much fun since I came here. 


While my colleagues were catching their breaths and guzzling more beer, I decided to go for a run. Forget the running shoes. I was gonna run with my flipflops but I thought I'll move freely running barefoot. And so I did just that. I ran barefoot for the first time. I ran for the first time in Africa.

Long neck

I ignored the quizzical stares I was getting. Just running with a perfect view of the beach while the sun was setting among few other runners was more than enough to cure me of my homesickness. I did 5 loops totalling 5 kilometers of the running track pausing to take some pictures. I had a good workout and my feet hurt a bit, it was nothing compared to the euphoria of being back on track!

Hiatus in Africa and Missing Manila's Running Scene

partying in Angola!

I'm currently in Angola, Africa for work until next month. I've seen a few people running by the beach and my envy consumes me. Getting around is difficult since I don't have my own car and have to rely on the company shuttle vehicle. There's no gym in the guesthouse we are staying in and it makes me lazier to do any form of exercise. I sometimes have to content myself with a few pushups on those few days when I am not lazy. As the company is strict on safety, we are not allowed to wander alone, hence, road running is out of the picture. 


I miss the Philippines especially my family and friends. And the running scene.From its back-to-back weekend races to those challenging ultra races, forgive me for being biased but the Philippines has one of the most exciting running scenes in the world. Whenever I see my friends posting their recent running conquests, I am filled with ENVY. I miss the early morning calls for a race. The pre-race jitters. The crazy things that happen during the race. The commotion in every hydration stations. The camaraderie among runners. And that finish banner. The simple and quick gratification for some minutes or some hours of running. Simply put, I miss running in the Philippines!


I know five weeks is slow or fast depending on my attitude. But for now, hopefully, with some windfall, I get to run in Angola even just once. Else, running for now, will have to take a backseat. 

Sunday Morning Run

 

Today, I'm moving out of the hotel and into one of the company's staffhouses which are actually condo units. I haven't run again in KLCC since last Monday and the only running I can afford is on the treadmill which I have only done in a few minutes. Talk about having an attention span of a 3-year-old.


I ran in KLCC at night last Monday so I wasn't able to fully appreciate its beauty. But this time, I was able to admire its awesomeness in broad daylight. I like the abundance of trees along the running trail. The fresh air that envelopes the area. And of course, the Petronas towers hovering over us like giant doting gods. 

I finished a 10km run with a time of 1:03. This is the longest run I had since the Rexona Run in Manila. Afterwards, I pigged out on the hotel's buffet breakfast table and tried to do a few laps in the hotel's pool. I could have done more but I stretched my glute and had to just dip in the water.


Till the next run!

Bitoy Running in KL

Petronas towers view from KLLC park (inset: view from my hotel room)

I just arrived in KL yesterday. While I am excited to start a new phase in my ho-hum life, I am sad to leave my family and friends in the Philippines. I think I did not get to spend as much time with them as I wanted to since I was busy preparing. I got my visa and clearance just last week so some 'me' time was close to nil. But at least, I got to see most of my dear ones before I leave.

Anyway, I started work today with a bunch of other crazy pinoys. It was a bit overwhelming to get to understand the new environment I'll be having for the next years or so. So to cope with all the stress and all the other emotions and at least to make a running comeback after being sidelined for two weeks, I decided to do a short run. I have an obstructed view of the Petronas towers from my hotel room so I was wondering how it would look like uhm, unobstructed. So I ran from my hotel--with always the fear of being lost--and found my way in KLCC Park. 

It was in the evening so I really can't see well. But I can see there are lots of trees and there's a man-made lake. But the best come-on of the park is the perfect view of the Petronas. I remember a sappy movie I saw a year ago where one of the character likened the towers to two people holdings hands. I wish I could metaphorize the tower at this moment but I think I would have to save that later.

I enjoyed running for thirty minutes in this park teeming with trees and has a running trail. And with the Petronas towers hovering over me, it couldn't get any better.

Running for Deodorant and a new PR for a pikermi

It's me already!

I think I already mentioned that my first fun run was with Runrio through the Century Tuna Superbods Run in Feb of 2010. This year I didn't have a race through runrio so I saw it fitting that the last fun run I'm going to join is one that is organized by Coach Rio. I was to sign up for Yamaha in early July but I ran out of slots. Aside from the race singlet and race bib, registrants also get the chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the Great Wall of China. How cool is that?


It felt surreal to be back on a really big mainstream race of 10,000 plus registrants. I felt weird while waiting on the start area where I am surrounded with 1,000 other strong 21k runners. I just got used to joining races where I was to run with only a few hundred people. 


Anyway, after the pleasantries, we were off to run around Mall of Asia to somewhere in Manila and back.


I just got back from a 60K ultra road race the week before and my right knee hurt a lot after. After a few days, the pain lessened but I could still feel it whenever I run. So I think one thing I did consciously while running was to pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. I was praying that my knee won't hurt. That I would make it to the finish line uninjured.


I also got to finish the race without music. While it's comforting to listen to my favorite ditties while running, I found it more quintessential to train doing long runs where I could listen well to my body. 


I was gunning for sub-2 finish. With all the fear of being injured, I thought I wouldn't bag it. I was gallowaying for the first 13kms with a ratio of 6:1. Then decided to run straight to the finish line. And the last line just made it sound easy when it's not. I was a buzzer beater with my finish of 1:59:39--mere 21 seconds less than 2 hours. But it's all good. I remember finishing the race all wet as I doused myself in the latter part of the race in almost all aid stations we pass by.


The race was well organized as expected of a Runrio race. My only complaint was the long queues in the activity area. Imagine running kilometers and kilometers of road and then being baked under the sun just to register for their activities like wall climbing, reverse bungee, zipline, etc. Then, queuing again for each activity booth. It was great to have these post-race activities but the sponsors should have took into consideration the number of registrants they were expecting who'll try these activities.


Anyhow, it was a great race for me. So that's all that matters.

PAU Fort Magsaysay 60K Ultra Marathon Challenge: Surviving on 'Ice Water' and Big Charity

Me and Sir Jovie at the Finish Line

I am accused of being wordy. And I am. The original title should have been: PAU Fort Magsaysay 60K Ultra Marathon Challenge: Surviving on 'Ice Water' and Big Charity. And singing some Fleetwood Mac Songs in My Head.

No, Charity is not a person.

I am running out of reasons to say on why I run a race. Words are failing me miserably. I want to channel George Mallory and use the because-it's-there alibi. But I've used that before. So let me chalk it up to experience and camaraderie. Not bad, huh? 


Wait, and then there is my dad who was celebrating his birthday on that day. That explains why I was wearing a Milo singlet for my dad who's a namesake of the famous energy drink.

With some help from the ever generous Team Intensity, getting to Fort Magsaysay was almost hassle-free. The only hassle that presented itself mostly in the race was my lack of sleep. And being undertrained. And I know it's a wrong mentality, but I threw caution to the wind and joined the madness.

As soon as fireworks were set off, off we, a hundred plus runners, scrambled like mice in a maze. Some dashed off while some of us took it slowly conserving lots and lots of energies for the 60 kilometers of pavements to tread. 

The plan was to run/walk with a 6:1 ratio for the first 40 kms. Then, 5:2 on the next 10 and then 4:3 on the last 10 kms. But that didn't happen. 

Blame it on the uphills and the sweltering heat. And the exhaustion. And the hunger. And so on and so forth. Alright, I'll stop the griping.

Route

I started slowly being faithful to the planned walk/ratio up to the 4th kilomer. Then, we faced our first big uphill. Then, there was this downhill so steep that if I lost control I'd probably be rolling like a barrel. The rest of the route is sloping with great views of the lush countryside. From Palayan City in Nueva Ecija to Dingalan, Aurora, our eyes were treated to lots and lots of greens. 

I should also mention that the route is pretty much straight forward with almost an nonexistent room to get lost. But that doesn't apply to me since I have a proclivity for being lost. But luckily, I didn't get lost this time.

Support crew and surviving on ice water and alms

I was adopted by Team Intensity from the onset of the race and was with them til the fourth kilometer. Till I lost them. Or they lost me. Not sure which came first. Then, I got worried from then on. 

Good thing, I was bringing some pesos with me and bought water, softdrinks from numerous sari-sari stores as I see them in the road. 

Ice water. Not sure who thought of calling them ice water or ice tubig. But this is basically water placed in a tube plastic used in making ice, placed in the freezer and are sold before they turn into ice. 

And then there was charity. I was practically begging for water, ice and other provisions. Kindhearted support crew shared with me what should have been for their runners. I remember getting water and Pocari from Jonel Mendoza, Team CB and Team Ungas. A fellow runner named Eric who made me eat his dust shared with me his salt and banana. 


The Walking Rod and I Am Number 26

I was treading on long enough doing a mixture of run and walk but for the most parts, walk until I only had 15kms left. And that's when it happened. My right knee started to hurt that made walking even difficult. I rallied on until I saw a huge stick and picked it up to aid me in my walking. I looked funny but who cares? I threw it away upon seeing the finish line which took forever to appear. Then there was the imprinting on the number 26. When I knew I was finishing 26th, I rallied on so that no one would overtake me. A friend of mine was born on a 26th and got married on the 26th of July. So, thinking about it being a perfect gift for her made me think stronger even when I was on the verge of giving up. And soon enough, crossing the proverbial finish line after being baked under the Nueva Ecija sun for 8 hours and 43 minutes could never be sweeter. I was welcomed by Sir Jovie aka Baldrunner, posed for some pics and rested for a bit.

Soon after, Kharl a member of Team Intensity finished and we had lunch while waiting for the other team members. After a while, Arman and after a longer while, Jeje and Nap arrived. Victory was all around.

Coincidentally, this is my last ultra-race in the Philippines before moving elsewhere. And it could not get any better. 


I did mention about Fleetwood Mac playing in my head. There are two songs. Songbird and Landslide. But between the two, the latter gets me more with the lines 'But time makes me bolder, Children get older. I'm getting older too."


PS. I would have not made it to the finish without the help of the following people:
Arman - for letting me hitch in his auto
Team Intensity (Jeje, Kharl, Nap, Arman and their support crew, Mitch and Malou) for adopting me into their team. Hope to run with them again if I get to visit Manila.
Team Ungas, Team CB (Maridol), Jonel, Eric for generously sharing me their provisions

Thank You Tuesday: Team Intensity

Me with Team Intensity (From Left to Right: Kharl, Je, Me, Arman and Nap)

I just finished my fourth ultra run this year at the PAU Fort Magsaysay 60K Ultra Marathon Challenge (details to follow). I have always been a solo runner but this time it felt good to be a part of tight group of runners. I wouldn't have finished the race if not for the kindheartedness of the support crews and the other runners. I thank them big time for that. But the biggest thanks would go to TEAM INTENSITY of Alabang for adopting me in this race. I didn't get to abuse the goodies in their support crew vehicle but for them to look out for me in the race already counts a lot.


So, this Tuesday, I am thanking Team Intensity. Till the next ultra run! 

My Fumbles in the Valley Trail Challenge and a Race Recap

My Fumbles

This is how my GPS map looks like

This is how it should look like. Find the difference.

I fumbled twice in this race. Well, the first one is my tendency to be lost. I have a very very poor sense of direction. I got lost thrice in this race.

Finishing The Valley Trail Challenge...Or Maybe Not

They made me eat their dust. hmp.

I wish I could have hanged on a little longer. I wish I didn't miss that final turn. But...oh well...


I was welcomed by a soft drizzle as I exited the gorgeous home of my colleague in Cabuyao, Laguna. Despite the excruciating pain she was feeling, she graciously hosted me so I won't have to worry about commuting in the wee hours of midnight from Makati to Nuvali, Laguna. It was an easier commute than I expected.  


And now, Nuvali. This sprawling landscape of trail and concrete has lately been a favorite venue for races. Nuvali offers fresh air and a break from the old, tried and tested running routes of Manila. Prior to this, I was a Nuvali virgin and was looking forward to break in to this new running haven.

Nuvali, Nuvali High

Thank You Tuesday: Bonifacio Global City

BGC Logo at the Fort Strip

It was by the end of 2009 when I secured a new job back at The Fort or to be more specific, Bonifacio Global City or BGC. I've gotten a lot heavier with my previous job and have vowed to painstakingly shed those unwanted pounds. I am just lucky that my current office is just a stone throw away or in Pinoy parlance, ilang tumbling lang from Bonifacio High Street which is one of the safest and most accessible routes for The Fort tenants. 

Bonifacio High Street

Runner at BHS

I am pretty sure that most of my running hours were spent in BGC with some spent in McKinley Hill and in Clark, Pampanga. I started running in High Street and coincidentally joined my first race here--a 3k one. My first 5k, 10k, 21k, 3K and my first full marathon in the Philippines were run here. 


So this Tuesday, I am thankful to work and live close to BGC for making my running life a lot easier!

Thank You Tuesday: Fun Runs

It all started with that one fun run. Whether you joined due to peer pressure or to have something to post in Facebook or maybe because, you were in for the real meaning of the sport, you have to thank the numerous fun runs organized in different parts of the country for that. Running has been touted as the leading individual sport in the country today and with fun runs sprouting like mushrooms after the rain, it could be seen that this boom will last a lot longer compared to other fads. I, myself, got hooked with running because of that first fun run - Century Tuna Superbods Run in February of 2011. So in this Tuesday, to the people behind these fun runs--from the reasonably priced to the ostentatiously expensive--my big thanks!

On to the Next One: frontRUNNER ‘The Valley Trail Challenge’

To make my running career a bit more interesting, I resolved to more trail runs or out-of-town races. This Saturday June 18th, I'll be running my second trail race in Nuvali, Laguna through frontRUNNER magazine's The Valley Trail Challenge. I signed up for the 50K category. It was only yesterday that I found out that there are additional 7.5kms to the route. Whew! With the insurmountable heat we are experiencing now, I hope I can heck it.


Time to get some provisions for the race. See you on the road!

Thank You Tuesday: Garmin FR 305

Garmin watch showing my stats at Mayon 360 50 Mile Run...5,000 calories, whew!

My Garmin in action in 2010 Milo Marathon Manila elims (photo by Photovendo)

Today, I am thankful for my watch! Yes, my a year-and-so old Garmin FR 305 which has been with me in the great races I've run. Getting this gadget April of last year (through my officemates/friends who were in the US for a business trip) helped me a lot especially when I started training for my first half-marathon in May of that year. It was expensive and I could buy 10 Nokia cellphones with flashlights instead of getting this watch. But I can say that it's all worth it. The watch basically tells me how far, how long and how fast or slow have I been running. It comes with a heart rate monitor that I remember using only once because it kind of felt inconvenient wearing something below my chest especially in this humid weather. I love the training  center software that comes with it and how I can easily sync it with my dailymile account. 


So this Tuesday, I am thankful for GPS technology and my ever reliable (up to 12 hours of battery life) Garmin FR 305.