RockenRun: Hooked on Asphalt

Milo Marathon

Last week, I joined the Milo Marathon and finished it in 5 hours 14 minutes. Milo Marathon is one of “the” running events in the country.  Being able to join it this year is a first for me, since this is my 1st official Milo Marathon. For the past 2 years, i only joined the half-mary event due to injuries.

Although the route is the same as the previous years, this year was a bit different since  the starting / finish line was moved from the Quirino Grandstand to the Mall of Asia and the routes for the shorter distances (3/5/10k) were changed -  i think this was to prevent the fun runners from consuming all the hydration fluids near the finish line.

This proved to be effective since this is the first time I experienced still being able to hydrate  near the finish line. Kudos to Milo and Runrio!

Running in the rain

It is the rainy season again and almost all my running shoes are wet. Drying them is a pain. So here is a little tip to make it a bit easier:

• Remove the insole of your shoes
• Wash your shoes
• Let it drip for a while
• Put paper in your shoes (an entire page of your broadsheet would do)
• Replace the paper whenever necessary

The logic behind it is to let the paper absorb the water from your shoes. When I do it, it usually takes a day before my shoes dry up.

Oh by the way, i heard that body glide isn’t as effective in the rain. Is this true ? It’s a good thing that i have always used petroleum jelly.

Asics Gel Kayano 15

The thing about new running shoes is that after a month, it isn’t so new anymore.

Rainy Thoughts

Running in the rain is nostalgic. This is the only time when you can find solace during your running workouts.
The only other people you see around are of the same mindset as you – no noisy joggers , no noisy walkers, no unecessary frills.
It is like each drop of rain restores the strength you had just lost, the sea breeze  likened to a towel that wipes away the pain.

I walk alone ….

42 km, training marathon, Milo, running, training

Half a year ago, I have decided to indulge myself with work as a Production Director, something I can do aside from being a Web Designer while working at home. I used to walk at least an hour a day, and workout when I have the time. Sad thing is, I got too busy and I ended up with no workout at all (not even walking) before independence day. I decided to “runstart” my routine by joining the Milo run this year. I did not, however, literally mean it to be exactly like that!

Left the house at almost 5am and hailed a cab that only brought us to 2KM from the starting line (Roxas Boulevard had already been closed) and my brother’s 21KM race starts at 0530H. I was able to record a video of him, the last of the runners, trying to put his knee support (if I’m not mistaken) in place because he’s forgotten to fix it while in the cab. He shows up at 00:43 below

Also recorded the live band playing an upbeat tune for the remaining runners:

It felt like I was in the MRT while trying to get into the starting line for the 5KM run. Not only was it too crowded, but people actually had to stop and wait (yes, that included me!). Monster Magnet’s song was just perfect for my ears at this time so I tried singing to it a bit just to keep myself calm. When I got to the starting line…oh, what fun. Haha saw Mr. Zorro The Runner greeting everyone with a red flag (ser…ano bang nakalagay sa bandila mong hawak? sorry hindi ko makita hehehe).

Even shot a video of him waving the flag haha…fangirl? Nah, just channeling my energy into something good instead of getting pissed at the starting line at so early in the morning

During the race, I attempted to run a little, but could not get past groups of teenagers who crowded the side of the boulevard where we were at. I could see others walking along the service road already. Before the turnaround, saw the guy below. Astig ka, ser!

Near the finish line…

Took about 5 minutes to get through, had to wait until the tags from our bibs have been given to the one in-charge. Someone even announced that the cut-off for the 5KM run is finished and no one is allowed to enter anymore. Haha, imagine that. I actually made it there by walking 80% of the time.

At the finish line, I checked out the area and got my cup of Milo.

Kids were practicing for the cheerleading competition.

Went home ahead and got some shuteye, then kuya and I had Chowking’s Halo-Halo after lunch.

Thinking back to the past couple of years I’ve joined Milo runs, I realized that the best part in running 10KM races is when I get past 2.5KM (where “walkers” head back because we’d have more space where running was actually possible hehe). This time, I think the best part was I finished a 5KM “walk” before the cut-off after not having any kind of exercise for more than 6 months. That’s a luxury not often fulfilled by people of my lifestyle. Next best thing was singing and listening to the most perfect song by Monster Magnet, on loop in my player that time: SPACE! LORD! MOTHER…!

running 5KM, manila, marathon, Milo, monster magnet, roxas boulevard, running, space lord

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