RockEnRun: Hooked on Asphalt

I remembered my first Condura experience when I ran my first half-Mary in the Skyway last year – it was awesome! So, when this year’s edition of the said race was announced, I definitely had to register. You see, the half-mary last year was just that : half of the skyway, so I thought that it was a good idea that the Concepcion brothers included the full marathon event.

It has been a well documented observation in the  running community that organizing races has turned into a profitable business with some organizers more interested in making a quick buck rather than satisfying their participants. That is the reason why starting this year, I am choosing the races that I join (and being a bandit with the rest, hehehe). I know that quality has an expensive price tag that goes with it ; so even if I had hesitations in joining this race due to the expensive registration fee , I still joined the 42K event and I’m glad that I did.

Fireworks lit up a seemingly cold and tense morning where the 42K runners were preparing for the end of the countdown that would start the event. This is a refreshing scene compared to the usual Sunday morning race start.  Everybody was happy and excited to run!

The challenging but enjoyable part of the race started early on as we ran around the Fort area , claiming one ascent after another before we scaled the Kalayaan flyover towards Buendia – this part of the route was dark since the streets we traversed had no lamp posts on it.

The vertical path which was the Kalayaan flyover as well as the rest of the Makati area was well lit and lively with the presence of various bands along the route – I was particularly energized upon reaching the corner of Buendia and Pasong Tamo when the Philippine Army band played the theme song of the movie The Magnificent Seven –  I felt like Yul Brynner  riding his horse, hehehe!

Upon entering the skyway, I said to myself – “Finally!” and took the most challenging path of my asphalt loving career. The ambience on the skyway was cool, exciting and bright …. Did I say bright? I thought it was, but somebody turned off the lights! Running the skyway was reminiscent of running Lawton Avenue about an hour ago – dark!

When the sun  finally rose,  the view from up there was spectacular, it’s different when you’re running it compared to just driving through it.

When we reached the turn around point near the Bicutan exit, I felt a bit sad because this feeling of enlightenment is half-over. It  didn’t also help that there were  small specks of matter floating in the atmosphere which some runners have inhaled and worse – ingested.

Just as I thought that the challenging part was over comes the most difficult ascent of this race – Condura hill. Well, like what most runners did , I just simply walked this part and enjoyed the view, I even took some pictures while I was at it. The sun was already up at this time as I saw it took its toll on the band that was supposed to perform the lively music for us runners.

Then came the sign at the bottom of the skyway which read “Congratulations, you have conquered the skyway!”. At  least now, I can say that I have completely conquered it  compared to just half of it last year.

… and there it was , on my return trip I met the generous souls  of Takbo.PH and Reinier Pacific. The banana I got from them gave me a boost that I was able to run up to Makati  Avenue.

After the short lived energy burst,  I jogged /walked until the finish line. I finished the race in 5:46. 12 minutes slower compared to my first marathon.

All in all, this was a fun race : very unique and challenging route , water trucks, long water/hydration tables, sponges , fire works  and bands. Did I say it was a race? Oh, I thought it was a party .

Condura Village the day before the race

Along the Magallanes area

Blue skies ...

Condura Hill

Another view of Condura Hill

Near the Bicutan Exit

I don’t usually bring an mp3 player, but it sure would’ve been nice to listen to this while running :

42 km, The Fort, running 42 km, running, The Fort

I was able to squeeze in a few runs after the Rizal Day run; but that was just they are  – a few. So I decided to run around 10k today and 20k tomorrow.

I was supposed to do a single loop around MOA and then to CCP, knowing that the Black Nazarene was in Quirino grandstand and that there will be a lot of devotees there.

But then again, when I met Ian who was about to start his bike training, I changed my mind and eventually ended up going to the Quirino  grandstand anyway.

 I have been to the Quirino grandstand a lot of times before, but this is the only time that the atmosphere was so solemn.

Devotees on their way to the Quirino Grandstand - Most of them are barefoot

Mass

After running, I returned to MOA but ended up limping again, this was due to the blister on my left big toe. Since I didn’t anticipate a long distance run, I just used ordinary cotton sports socks when I should have used running socks instead. ( I only use them during races since they are a bit expensive).

The thing about running socks is that it provides proper cushioning (that is why they are left / right foot specific), it wicks away moisture and most importantly, they don’t have extra threads protruding near the toe area. – I think that was what caused the blister on my foot.

Nike Running Socks

Nike Elite Running Socks - No Show

Don’t get me wrong, ordinary cotton sports socks work for me for distances  up to 10 miles.

I was about to call it quits after 20km but I ran (pun intended) into Ian (he is running this time, after 60km of bike training)  who convinced me to do another 2km. He then treated me to some snacks before we ran our final kilometer together.

It would have been great if I could still accompany him for a few more kilometers but the blister won’t let up

All systems go for tonight's concert at the Mall of Asia

Ne-Yo's Poster at the entrance

Good luck to all the participants of the Cebu Marathon!

21 km, training 21 km, long slow distance, running

When I started running about a year ago, I ran my first race using my old Nike cross trainers and it carried me smoothly thru 10 kilometers of pavement so I thought that maybe, there really was no need to buy running shoes; but  since it was an old pair, I decided to buy a new pair of running shoes anyway .

My first pair was the Adidas Adizero Mana, it worked well for me. In fact, I still have it with me and it almost looks brand new since I wasn’t able to use it that much since I immediately increased my mileage  so that I could run the Condura half-marathon a few months after.

While training for my first half marathon until I completed my first full marathon, I was using the Asics Gel Cumulus Eight – for me, this was the perfect pair, it carried me through new heights during the Condura half-marathon in the skyway, the dust of the 1st BDM 102 while we were pacing Isko and finally,  the cool asphalt layers of the SCTEX during my first marathon.

.. and just like any other pair of running shoes, it has already reached its maximum mileage. After 10 months of sweat and pain,  I have retired it after running the Subic International Marathon – a fitting end for a shoe so great.

Since we were in Subic at the time, we decided to drop by the Nike depot and there I found my new running partner – the Nike Structure Triax 12  (and it was on sale!) .

I was so excited with this pair, thinking it will outperform my old Asics.  So when it was time for the Pasig International Marathon, I put on this pair with much gusto – it felt good at first; but after around 25 kms of running , I felt a pain in my inner foot, just below my right ankle.

After the race, I ended up with a very big blister in that area of my foot – an area that used to be blister free. I thought it was because I haven’t  broken it completely yet. But after almost 300 kilometers of running, the blister machine is still at it.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the new pair is an excellent shoe, except for its blister-creation mechanism.

I wonder if there are any other Nike Triax users who has the same problem ?

Anyway, this is how I feel when running with Asics:

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

running, shoes, training running, shoes, training

As I sat in ROC (a cafe inside Bahay Ng Alumni in UP Diliman) with one of my best buds, Joanne Ignacio, I came across the upcoming event that’s happening on February 21, 2010: The Century Tuna Superbods Run!

I haven’t had any training and running in awhile, and what better way to start the year right? By training and being fit and healhty! Derek Ramsey will be there, together with the Century Tuna Bods Finalists. A photo booth will be installed and serve as a go-see for interested participants who want to qualify as one of the next Century Tuna image models! If you think you have what it takes, then join in on the race and have your picture taken as well!

Century Tuna Superbods Run 2010

There will also be fun and interesting activities after the race, only happening at The Fort, Global City, with 3km, 5km, 10km, and 21km distances to be covered. Don’t forget the date: February 21, 2010, and don’t forget the event: Century Tuna Superbods Run 2010!

RockEnRun would like to thank RunnerSpeak and Century Tuna for their bag of goodies! Watch them on Sunday, January 10, on QTV, at 1445H-1515H for details. Also, check out Nuffnang’s post for more details or visit Century Tuna’s Official Website!

Here’s a good 90’s beat to jumpstart my training in getting ready for this run:

The Fort, running, training 21 km, century, half-marathon, roc, runnerspeak, running, superbods, The Fort, tuna

2009 was a good running year for me … I have joined a lot of races and have completed 2 full marathons before my 1st year running anniversary – a feat that I thought wasn’t possible due to the corporate-sponsored stress which was given to me for free.

.. and what better way to end it than to run two half marathons (NB and Philstar), an unplanned trail run and the Rizal day 32km run.

Happy new year!

21 km, marathon, trail running 21 km, long run, running

Hmm – I am at a loss for words. Last Sunday’s Timex half-marathon is perfect.

As I was driving around the Fort Global City area on my way to the parking lot, I have noticed the long tables filled with cups of water / sports drinks. I said to myself that finally, the organizers are listening to the runners – this must be a good sign!

I was aiming for a PR for this run, but as the race started, I was surprised that the race has
actually started, hehehe – you should be there, everybody just started running.

It was your typical 21km race route around the Fort and Buendia . The roads were closed and irate motorists giving us the finger – tssss! Do we have anger management classes in the Philippines ?

 I was so excited in achieving a PR that I forgot to warm up – big mistake. After 4 kms, my 5:30 pace dropped to 6:00 and then 6:30. I got so tired that I realized after reading the official results that my pace for the last 2kms was around 8 to 9 mpk! I finished the race at 2:18 (chip time)  – so much for a PR.

I was happy that at the finish line, we were treated like VIPs- we were given towels and awarded a medal ; but wait, that’s not all : there was free breakfast, lots of 100 plus / free coffee sachets and a loot bag that contains .. wait , let me see – an energy  bar and wait, another bottle of 100 plus!

Hats off to Coach Rio and Finshline!

21 km, The Fort 21 km, running, The Fort

Marathoners Before a Run

Pictures in the van going to Subic before dropping by Nike Factory Outlet.

Adobo for Lunch

The new pairs from Nike! Woohooooo!

On The Road to Floridablanca – Starting Line for the Subic Marathon!

Vehicles Keep Left, Runners Keep Right

Read more…

42 km, international 42 km, international, marathon, running, subic

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

When I first thought of registering for this year’s Milo finals, I had the simple intention of improving my 21k PR 

However, since I haven’t been able to train lately due to the bad weather brought about by the deluge as well as my very hectic work schedule, I still registered for the half marathon event but decided to run the last 32k of the marathon as a bandit.

I haven’t joined a race before as a bandit. Registering for the run made me feel less guilty (a half-bandit if you must, hehehe).

Isko told me that I must peak at around 30k to 35k before running  the entire 42km, with that, I agreed to meet him at the corner of Buendia and Roxas Boulevard along with his running group, the CAMANAVA runners (Jeff and Albert).

They were able to reach the said location at around 5:45 am. I ran with them at a pace of around 6:30 to 7.  At the corner of Pasong Tamo, the people from the takbo.ph booth were very generous – they gave us bananas, oranges and some even offered petroleum jelly; nothing really beats a booth manned by runners themselves.

I was also introduced to the Runner for Christ as we cruised along Buendia.  We were running as a group until we reached the Fort area – it was really easy to spot us, we were among the many groups running the 42k while wearing different category race bibs.
 
We went our separate ways when we reached Bayani road on our return trip to the Quirino grandstand, I personally, couldn’t keep up with the stronger CAMANAVA runners who decided to run a bit faster than their current pace (or is it because I slowed down ?)

At around 8:30 AM, the Kalayaan flyover was opened to vehicular traffic, I think 8:30 was the cut-off time. I was still in the middle of the flyover at this time. It was ok as I was already about 1 km from descending the flyover, a MAPSA patrol car escorted me at first but left at around the last 500 meters.

When I reached Paseo De Roxas, I decided to run/walk on the sidewalk as it was difficult running along the asphalted road as I might be sideswiped by vehicular traffic.

As I approached the Washington area, I decided to walk again until I reached Taft Avenue since the elevated side walks along this area made it very difficult for me to run.

Seeing the LRT along Taft Avenue made the entire run more difficult since I was only two train stations away from home; but I told myself that no matter how tired I get or no matter how hot it gets, I will definitely end this race at the finish line at the Quirino grandstand.

As I passed  by Taft Avenue, I have noticed that the lane dividers were still there, so I decided to run with my already “hardened” leg muscles in the temporary “runner’s lane”. I was surprised though as I was about to cross Leveriza St., there were about two jeepneys behind me ( in the runner’s lane) honking their horns! – oh well!

From this point, it was run/jog until  Ceaser overtook me along the vicinity of the U.S. Embassy.

When I crossed the finish line, everybody was there to congratulate me on my first 32km – so that’s how it feels. Sweet!

21 km, running, training 21 km, long slow distance, running

Last  year’s Fort Strider’s race was supposed to  be the first road race that I was going to participate in. I registered for the 10km but due to my hectic work schedule, I  wasn’t able to join.

As I have said before,  there are two important things for me in a road race : safety and hydration. The distance- well as long as it doesn’t exceed a kilometer then I’m a bit ok with it. I said a bit – sabi nga nila, di baleng sobra, wag lang kulang.

I was able to finish 15++ Km (instead of 10 miles) in 1:38.

Congratulations to the Fort Strider’s for a well organized race.

10 miles, The Fort, running running, The Fort