RockenRun: Hooked on Asphalt

With Fingers Crossed

The time it took for me to finish a 10KM trail run is faster than what it took me to finish the QCIM-10km run. It would have been easier if I had enough sleep (my trouble with getting a decent rest before a run is starting to sound really monotonous). People say, “you always have to make time to train”… a daytime job, three projects, and a couple more coming in from the west makes me want to “run in place” and build on that stamina! Well, if only my imagination were strong enough to make my body believe that it’s training while working. Good luck with that.

Carbo-Loading slash Quezon City International Marathon Press Conference

On a not-so-hectic day for me after work, I had to run to Salcedo to give my strawberry cheesecake gift to a friend who will be celebrating her birthday that night (but one I couldn’t attend) because of a baby shower I had to go to in Shaw.

I ended up dropping by Quezon City circle for the Carbo-Loading get-together where Kenyans participating in the race were present.

Pacers were also presented: Jonel of Team Hardcore, Isko Lapira, Abet of Camanava Runners, some of whom I got introduced to that night.

Koyah Iskoh

Pacers!

Pacers Onstage!

Flapjacks for dinner! Yaaayy!

Below are vids from the get-together and advise these Kenyan runners provided

Quezon City International Marathon – Interview on Kenyan Runners

Run. Walk. Run. Ambushed. Run.

Got there at 4am, waited for Bolt to start on the marathon AND went to one of the benches to get some shuteye.

We were told the 10KM’s gun off was gonna be at 5:45am so I got up at 5:20 and walked to the starting line to stretch but found myself looking up on the stage as the sound of a gun signaled the race to begin. Ugh.

The band helped encourage, and I hope there were more along the road for the marathon runners.

Two words: negative split. No need to further explain that. However, I did try what I’ve been told to do. Make your arms swing back and forth and it will make you go faster because they will act as propellers. Uh-huh, I think I was able to outrun several runners who out-walk-ed me (my heart was “screaming” at me to stop) haha. Can you say “no training” a million times?

Pacers I saw

I got hollered by RunnerSpeak and this is how the interview went with Manny Paksiw…woohoo!! On second thought…it sounds a lot funnier when watched, so stay tuned!

Sonny Belmonte and his entourage near the finish line.

5KM “Runner” Hehe!

On The Lead!

What I Liked

I have no sense of direction. I can prove that by getting lost in a straight line, or losing my way in a strip. Haha, and please don’t try to prove me wrong because nobody can Thank God for color-coded markers!!!! My heart skips a beat when I get to approach one, but sinks down again when they aren’t blue (10KM…yes, gotta keep remembering that…blue. BLUE!!)

What I Hated

About 4KM left, I saw a Kenyan runner on the other half of the road trying to make his way to the water aid station but a guy was on the way (and he couldn’t stop) so he continued on. I saw that there were a couple of guys farther up the road: the first one holding two plastic bottles of water, the one on his left holding two bottles of Gatorade. As the Kenyan runner got near, the guy with the Gatorade bottles stepped back a little and the guy with the water bottles handed out one to a girl drinking water in front of him. The Kenyan had no choice but to snatch it from the guy’s hand because he wasn’t looking out on a runner who needed it the most. The worst part was the runner got pointed and sorta-scowled at by the water aid guy. I was on the “other side” of the road so there’s a chance that I might have misinterpreted the guy’s action but water aids should be handing out power drinks or water with their hand out at the road so it can be grabbed anytime. If you think this is wrong, then I just don’t know what else to say.

Going Home

Yes, I had to wait for my brother…ate breakfast at Max’s (woohooo thank you!), walked to Philcoa, rode a jeep, walked to the MRT and pretty much took the public transportation going home. That’s 10KM plus for the day, right before I crashed on the bed (having only 2 hours of sleep the night before).

10 km

October 10, 2009 | 2300H: Pseduo Carbo-Loading

I should have gone to bed already for the 10km run for the Milo Finals the next day…BUT since I ate a lot for dinner, by request of BUTTERFLY, I had to stay up for a little longer while drinking a lot of hot water to help me digest (“crazygrace logic” kicked in). Carbo-Loading (although not applicable for everyone) is usually done the day or the night before a run BUT I think I’ve had more of iron and protein from what I ate than carbs!!!! Just WRONG! Went straight to Kopiroti to consume tea (no Coffee Bean and Teal Leaf this time cos I’m cutting down on expenses haha).

October 11, 2009: Milo Finals

This was the first 10KM run I was able to fully participate in since my “vacation” and I actually got a bit nauseated by the thousands of runners around me. Here I was at it again: no training, and well…there was a bit of sleep, tho…but not much of what I needed, but yes, I just had to proceed. It took awhile before the 10KM run actually started, and I saw one of my professors from Benilde hosting the event (Mr. Jag Garcia). I did not try getting his attention anymore, but hollered on his facebook wall later that day instead…and so the race started.

At The Starting Line!

I couldn’t really remember much as I was more focused on breathing in and out deeply, and that if I had taken my proper dose of inhaler for my asthma half an hour before the race started (as prescribed by the doctor– running/slight consistent panting that’s a probable effect of running can trigger an asthma attack, from what I understood). First Gatorade tent, I stopped to get a cup and waited for about a minute before I was able to get one, half-filled. About another minute waiting for them to fill it up to the top (yes, I knew the time because I was singing a song in my head to calm me down). The girl did not fill it up, which I find illogical. The other runners would drink up the half-filled cups and ask for the same cups to be [half]filled-up again, equating to one small cup (or even more, as I have seen). Here I was, saving the girl some energy, by pointing to my cup, and she just wouldn’t fill it up to the top. Imagine that.

Never look back. I actually noticed that turning my head to see how many runners are eating my dirt (hahaha please don’t kill me for that) takes about the same amount of energy I would put out to run 100 meters in full effort. Yeah, well that’s still “crazygrace-logic” doing its job right there. Anyway, I got to the turnaround point at around 38:48:something-seconds, and since I take longer at finishing the second half (which I think is called negative split), I finished the run at [insert number here] … yes, I’m not saying it! BUT I’m proud of it in a sense that I was able to finish without training and without the much-needed sleep I was supposed to be banking on.

At the finish line, I later sat on the bleachers and saw Jerry barefooted walking towards us to greet us! I know it’s rude to stare (haha) but (!!) finishing a race like that was just legendary!

Waiting for Bolt to finish his first 32-kilometer run with Kuya Isko took about a couple of hours and did not occur to me as the most dreadful part of my life…at first! When I saw members of Team Hardcore and Camanava crossing the finish line without my brother, I almost screamed in panic. What the heck was I gonna tell my parents when I get home and asked where my BIG brother was!? Of course, I tried calling him several times. Panic is not usually my initial reaction, so I tried (really hard and with 100% effort) to calmly ask about Bolt. Haha. Here’s a picture of them before the turn-around point (I think).

Thanks to Decipher for the photo

Jonel of Team Hardcore looking out while my brother struggles (haha) to get to the finish line!

Talkin’ Talk!

The uh…half-marathon finisher slash marathon did-not-finisher-er? Congrats! Woohoo!

Yes, we love cameras

10 km, Milo 10 km, Milo, running

…and so being stubborn (from not having enough sleep to still running on race events and LSD-ing with Bolt) had its “fruitful” effect: almost an entire week vacancy from work, spent at the hospital. From splitting headaches, to fluctuating fever, and sudden nausea.

So, after a couple of weeks I decided to attend another 10K race event (yes, without training), which was Globe’s “Run For Home”

… and that’s when I learned two things the hard way: NEVER will I drink 100plus EVER AGAIN because it messed up my stomach …

and I won’t be running for another month or two because it was during this run I realized that I DID get hospitalized and that I needed more rest.

So, it began: a series of no-run weekends and just chilling with some of my people…

and one of the best parts: VIP tickets for Nine Inch Nails – Live in Manila with Arman and Paul! A “spellBLINDING” experience — check out the lights!

…continued hanging out with some of my best buds…

…ordered a huge-ass pizza for my officemates

and celebrated that night with the greatest of friends (pictures I have yet to post here …Mark! Upload already! )

[space for more pictures...yes, this is mandatory ]

After more than a month-long vacation, I realized that I needed to get back on running…too much of no workout and/or exercise is gonna make me “dazed and confused” again! So, tomorrow I got into the list of attendees for the “RUNNR Academy: The Science of RUNNING” and I am just as excited as a little kid waiting for her mom to buy her candies and chocolates when they hit the mall on a sunday-family-day get-together! Woohoo! See y’all tomorrow then! I mean…err, later!

Let the beat rock!

Uncategorized

My first run was with Joanne, Ava, and Irene in the PSE Bull Run back in January 2008. Never really trained for it…just woke up one day, went to the race and tried to finish it. Haha.

Gotta work on discipline tho, cos until now it seems that I’ve never really stopped doing that for a race. Ugh.

The trend in 2008 to present: running era with my ladies -> work-indulgence -> running-after-working-hours -> foot operation -> lsd-ing with my brother and his friends -> and yes, work indulgence again -> hospitalization a little more than a couple of weeks ago.

My training? Sleep whenever I can, and some positivity.

Tomorrow (or later…in a matter of minutes) would definitely be a reunion. The ladies will be there, some of my batchmates from college, my officemates, and my brother and his friends. Everyone will be joining in on the “chip” fun.

Quite a hectic schedule for me too. After the run, I’ll be meeting up with some of my friends back in college (whose wedding we’re currently coordinating), the son of my cousin’s birthday party in KFC (woot!), and head down south to watch Wanders (thanks to Miss AJZ and Mr. GV for the passes–yes, they gotta be in codes)!

I don’t mind if it rains tomorrow because I’ll be running again so tonight is with feel-good vibes, and I’ve been listening to Jamiroquai’s “Corner of the Earth”: “Little darlin’ don’t you see the sun is shining just for you, only today. If you hurry you can get a ray on you…”

Tomorrow is a long day, so I’ll start heading home now: to the direction of the bed for a little bit of sleep, and making sure all the alarms go off on time.

See yah

10 km, running, The Fort 10 km, globe, run for home, The Fort

There are billions of reasons why people run.

The one I find the funniest was what Joanne said after Adidas King of the Road 2008, when we ate this huge-ass servings of pancakes at Flapjacks without feeling guilty at all. “May nasunog na naman tayo eh, time to fill it up again.” Bwahahaha. I haven’t used that loveable lame excuse for a long time now.

A little before I got hospitalized (the blog entry about it is still a draft … as many of my entries imported here from my previous blog — http://soflypinay.wordpress.com), I have cut down on food. I’ve always thought that making me lighter would make me run faster (people who make lame reasons tend to have lame logic as well hahaha).

The melodramatic part is I’ve been cutting down on a lot of things as well. Cutting down communication with people I don’t want to be hanging out with: emotional vampires, parasites who cling for made-believe affection, and just plain lies. I could hold them all off by being indifferent with just the snap of my fingers but I knew I had to run all the pressure and stress off sometime.

Even the skies were gloomy. I would have gone for a run last night, had it not been raining, had I not been discharged from the hospital a little more than a week ago, and had it not been darker than the usual late nights I spend working on freelance projects.

The sun is out now and I’ve been listening to a very calming song since yesterday: Kaskade – Empty Streets. I’ve posted it below, and you will notice that it is as relaxing as a night you have envisioned to be, when suddenly nobody and nothing exists around you. The video could have been better if the vocalist just stood there singing while leaning on one of the buildings.

The song starts with this: “The city feels clean this time of night, and me walking home to clear my head, I know it came as no surprise.”

I prefer to run.

running, training running, training

It’s been more than a week that I have slept late before the Mizuno Infinity Run 2009 when I read of Mr. Rene Peñas’ passing. The last speech he gave to a crowd of well-off people, recounting what he has done, made the attempt of any urban creature at anything noble, just seemed futile compared to what he has already achieved.

As posted in the link to the particular article I read from GMANews.TV, it states that “In 2007 he led a 1,770-kilometer protest march from Bukidnon to Manila.”

Wow.

How far can a runner go when his principles are at stake and not just a table of Personal Records to beat? Is it possible for a race event to be organized, and make the proceeds go to the farmers he has left orphaned now?

Too many questions, and yet I know: the answers trying to scream out of our souls, will just burn to the ground, turn to ashes and dust…that our feet will continue to pound on.

“Everybody’s got a vision, everybody’s got a plan…” – Diane Birch

“Walang imposible kung manindigan lamang at magkaisa.”

Uncategorized

The Fort, Taguig
June 7, 2009

I woke up this morning remembering the last Mizuno run I participated in last year, and realized…haha! I ran 10KM there and I’m still running the same distance today.

I’ve always believed that when you want to do something…the trick is to always believe. That’s what got me going for awhile now, but this time, I know the sequel to that is: consistency is the key.

Race started at around 6:00am and as usual, I got to open the race kit in the car already, after waking up from a 3-hour nap. Yes, a nap. I usually sleep light before a race…and it’s only usually before a race that I do get to sleep.

The killer word: Kalayaan! It never occurred to me that such a liberating word could actually trigger something traumatic from the past. Haha. The first time I joined an event with this route was in Adidas King of The Road in 2008. The words that came out of my mouth after: NEVER AGAIN will I join any race passing through this flyover. Then again, if you’re the type to never check the map online before having yourself registered for a kit…then never say never Botak was the second for me passing through Kalayaan (some of my so-called-rantings can be found somewhere in this so-called-blog har de har har) and my only reaction: I shook my head and wished I’ve put sunblock on.

So I decided to not complain and just finish the race as soon as I can. I got to the turn-around point at about 00:34– beating my personal time for previous 5K races, but a little after that, I think I had what they call a “side stitch”. Yes, I can feel the hard-boiled egg I swallowed at around 0430H trying to be digested and this was the part I wished I brought a sports drink (being the stubborn and youngest of us and not wanting to carry anything while running). I could have screamed at myself for that — but thought better of it because that took a lot of energy. Besides, I wouldn’t wanna amuse people while they see me doing a “monologue” like what my brother, Bolt, is so good at. Haha!

Then came the Kalayaan Flyover…never have I loved Coppertone. Although, like what I’ve been thinking on the last Botak race, I would prefer putting on a nice tanning lotion next time a 10km route was made this way again. At least, I’d have a nice orangey-brown glow without having to go to the beach

I reached the “3KM left” sign, and I looked at my watch and saw that an hour hasn’t passed yet. I actually convinced myself that if I ran the remaining distance, I could bring my PR to somewhere between 1:10 to 1:20. Okay, so that part was a bit delusional, so I just started walking

There was an aid station after the flyover and I don’t remember myself crossing to the other side to get water. I should make it a habit to be “self-contained” … meaning I should really listen to what my brother tells me to do: that includes SLEEP and TRAIN more (yezzur!)

I was walking and jogging for the rest of the distance left to cover and sprinted near the finish line. The only irritating part was when I got to the tight area where the ropes on each side of the walkway could only occupy one runner at a time (a little after the finish line) was that a guy was pleasantly taking his time (yes the redundancy of the words used in this sentence aims to imply just that) in walking to where the girl (who gets the race tags) is. Wow…seriously? What’s wrong with him?

So by the time I got to the Gatorade station and they had absolutely no bottle to give to us, I was more than infuriated…well, a little. Patience is what I have tons of, but I did not mean to ask the woman in a bit of a raised voice where the water station is, so I apologize for that Gotta love the free Starbucks treat and of course, the overflowing cups of water! Woohoo!

So I said to myself I’m never gonna progress to anything higher than 10k unless I finish it in less than an hour. Wrong, Bolt said. Endurance comes first before speed so if I want to finish fast and finish strong, I should run more than that. Fine, then. Everybody say it with me: never settle

More pictures of other runners and people at our RockEnRun Flicker Site for Mizuno – Infinity Run Time Trials 2009: 10K Race.

I did not have any music gear this morning cos I thought it was gonna rain but had the song below running through my head! Listen up for all you Coheed and Cambria fans reading this. Enjoy

From Mizuno: 1:19:38 (time) and 7:58 (pace)

MySpace Playlist at MixPod.com

10 km, The Fort 10 km, infinity run, mizuno

May 24, 2009
Sacobia, Pampanga

Crashed at 2000H when we got back to the tent in Clearwater after buying “dinner” in Parkson Duty Free (having had zero sleep from the birthday party I attended the night before) and woke up at around 0100H on Sunday. Tried to sleep for awhile, but hit the shower when I realized it was already 0330H. There was more than one person running on the trail that day, and there was only one bathroom to be used.

Tights, shorts, singlet, Redrock purse, my beloved Adidas road shoes, which almost made me laugh when I remembered the post I’ve written around the same time last year. I swore that after the first trail running experience last year, I will never go trail running without the proper gear anymore. That morning, I only had one thought–one I learned the hard way: when all else fails: be one with the mud!

The organizers wasted no time in starting the race promptly but there was a bit of a trouble when runners got “clogged” on the way down to the start of the trail. Someone even commented: “hanggang dito ba naman traffic?” and some laughed. Just about the right amount of good humor to start the race right

I was already holding a Powerade bottle but decided to get water just in case I’d need it. Running on lahar and river crossing was of course, part of the entire challenge so the first thing I did when we got down to the trail was take pictures! Hehe! It’s not everyday that I get to experience it, anyway.

Funny thing was, I kept asking myself where the “muddy-er” parts would be. I think it’s because last year’s trail run has somehow left me really paranoid when I hear the words “trail running” … haha. I almost lost my breath when I got what I was looking for.

To top it all off, the mad cow’s “space” that I almost entered (because I was looking at the mud, being careful of every step) was not something I “trespassed” … good thing I decided not to listen to any music and I heard other runners beside me react to the cow being in the middle of “our way”. Somebody ought to tell that cow to recognize and better get his own turf cos it was on our trail! Haha just kidding. I tried taking a shot, but for some reason it started to move. I tried going up on the side (where we were supposed to run) and only got this:

Nope…no amount of “photoshop-ing” can make the image any clearer. Sorry…but for what it’s worth, that white thing on the left IS the cow The scene from Inquirer’s Sports Video Report on TNF100 in Sacobia, Pampanga that can be found below is just right after where the cow was. Hehe!

Reposted from takbo.ph:

By the time we’ve hit the pavement, I’ve already opened my Powerade Bottle. I can feel the heat starting to affect me and pain on my left foot (from a four-month injury: December to April). I was stubborn to start running again and so this is what I got.

I thought we were fast because we were right behind The Bull Runner…I think! Haha! By the time I was nearing the last water aid station, the sunblock I have put on my face started to sting my eye so I had to run (I was already walking because my left foot started to hurt) to get water to put on my left eye. What was left of it, I poured into the half-filled Powerade Bottle and threw the water bottle away.

I finished at 1:36. Argh. If only I’d train and sleep properly, then I can actually work on finishing it in less than an hour. Not to mention the times I had to stop because of the pain on my left foot. I’ll work on my discipline and then on training right

Took more pictures of other runners, which can be viewed in our Flickr Account! Check it out here.

10 km, the north face 100, trail running clarkfield, pampanga, sacobia, the north face 100, trail running

May 23, 2009
Sacobia, Pampanga

We arrived in Sacobia, Pampanga on Saturday, May 23, 2009, a little after lunch and went straight to Clearwater Resort where we reserved for a tent good for four people.

After unpacking, we walked about 500 meters to the jump-off area in Expo Filipino Parking Lot and checked out the place, as well as waited for Kuya Isko Lapira and his friends to arrive at the base camp from their first 50k.

The clouds seemed perfectly placed high up in the clear blue sky, just before it hit.

Unfortunately, we didn’t bring a waterproof camera or else we would have been able to take a footage of it. Just took pictures and a video of how it looked after the storm!

North Face Sacobia After The Storm in Expo Filipino Parking Lot 2 | May 23, 2009

We moved away from the tents to try and look for Kuya Isko, a short distance from the wrecked Start/Finish Line, as he had texted earlier that they were already near. Picture of him holding the Gardenia and Adobo we brought him. Haha!

The rain has just subsided, and this is me wondering if the 10k trail is gonna be as muddy as the North Face Trail Running Event I participated in Talamitam, Batangas last year…

Some pictures of how the jump off area looked after the storm!

More pictures here.

It wouldn’t be a rocking and running event for us, siblings, without any music we can actually relate a day’s worth of activity to. So here’s Creedence Clearwater’s Proud Mary — the song running through my mind as we walked back to the tent after buying our stash for dinner in Parkson, Duty Free. I’ve been confined in Manila most of my life (thanks to our strict parents) and I dint know that prices there are in dollars slash pesos. Har de har har.

MySpace Playlist at MixPod.com/center>

10 km, 100 km, 20 km, the north face 100 10 km, 100 km, 20 km, pampanga, relay, sacobia, solo, The North Face, the north face 100

I just got home from a birthday celebration way up north and by the time I continued packing and decided to write this entry, I’m pretty sure the race for 100K solo has already started. So, let me go straight to the point because I have several other people to check on and a tight schedule to follow for the trip to Sacobia, Pampanga.

I’m the youngest in the group and I find it ironic and at the same time, traditional, to play the role of reminding everyone in the group of what to bring for a trip. So, like an adviser during homeroom when a class of semi-buggers decide to go on a field trip, my things-to-do include double-checking stuff my friends have to bring!

Nope, no image. Sorry, and I took the liberty of not making you go through the agony of looking at the actual list itself

We should arrive in Pampanga later, 10am at the most. We have prepared food for Kuya Isko to eat: chicken adobo and rice! Yeyy! We will also be giving him a bag of Chocolate-Flavored Gardenia Bread when he leaves for the second half of his 100K solo.

Last year, when I attended the first event in the Philippines of North Face Trail Running, my officemates and I arrived just after Kadangyan finished their last set, if I remember it right. Hopefully, there would be another group of musicians performing tonight, which I think would really be something worth looking forward to.

I’ll be bringing along my gray Redrock Equipment bag/purse I’ve had since college (I don’t really know what it’s exactly called).

Well then, gotta move!

10 km, 100 km, 20 km, running, the north face 100, trail running 10 km, 100 km, 20 km, pampanga, running, sacobia, the north face 100, tnf100, trail running