An Update

Nope.  I did not make it to my reunion climb.  Long, sad, sad face :(

Especially when this is what I missed (Borrowed some photos of the climb from my co-mountaineer Juanch, fabulous photos I must say):

Sigh, how can you not feel sad at missing all this splendor?

But quite frankly, what I really missed out on was the chance to bond with the awesome people and friends below:

The group is planning another climb next January 2011.  I'm definitely signing up again!
--------------------------------------

It has officially been 2 weeks since I have stopped running due to this foot injury...constant icing and working with my leg elevated has been the order of my day.  It is very frustrating, not being able to run.  Especially since I have made large inroads in my training - the thought of having to start all over again makes my heart plummet.  But on the bright side, I'd rather be given the choice of being able to start all over, than never being able to run again.  Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 3rd week since my injury, I am sane enough to know that I should not be running yet.  Although the pain is now very minimal and I can flex my ankle without wincing, and walk for extended periods of time; I dare not try to run on it.  Tomorrow, I shall ease back into running it by doing short easy walks, testing the ankle and getting a feel of its response to the walking...thereafter, we shall see how it goes.

Hopefully by next month, I will have rehabilitated it enough to start running again.  Just the thought brings a smile to my face ☺.

Read more...

New Gear

Finally got new gear that I have been waiting for to arrive from the U.S., and now that it has arrived, I can't use it because of my ankle/foot.

Nevertheless, so excited to use them soon!
Here are my new babies:

Nike Lunaracer + 

Not the newest in the line but definitely, this has good reviews from runners.  They are so light!!!! I can't believe how light they feel when carried.  Can't wait to try them out on the road.

Nike Zoom Vomero +3
These shoes we part of the 2008 Nike Doernbecher Freestyle Collection, the collection was designed by patients for the benefit of the Doernbecher Children's Hospital.  This particular shoe was designed by Staci Wright, 16, shopaholic, globe-trotter, guardian angel.   The shoes are loaded with colorful symbols of Staci’s triumph over disease.

I particularly love the color and all the symbolism of the shoe. At the back it says "Power, Courage, Strength."

In front, by the laces, inscribed is "I feel it all..."

The front has a cute little heart embroidered on top:

They aren't as light as the Lunaracer's but I read that they are comfortable and have good cushioning.  We'll see after I take it out on a run.  Nevertheless, I love the design! you can say they are so "me".

CW-X Stabylix Compression Tights
I have got to see what the fuss is all about these tights and cannot wait to try them out also on a run.  Hope my knees will feel better.  Off-hand, the material of these seem a lot thicker than the 2XU.  But maybe this is because the 2XU I have is not the Elite version (?)

And last, 2XU Compression tights.  Like I said earlier, the material is a lot lighter than the CW-X, so I'm not sure how they will hold up to the other brand.  Hopefully I can run again next week and give these babies a workout.

Will let you know how it feels. :)
Thank you my dear sis for sending them!

Read more...

A Big Let Down....but still praying for a miracle!

This is what started all this running:

And I have been looking forward to this trip and being able to breathe in that fresh mountain air again, and of course bond with my batch mates - it has been a long time, and going by our thread in FB, things were definitely shaping up to be lots and lots of fun!  That's 2 days from this date.  Everything has been planned, pre-climb attended, assignments made, equipment borrowed.  The kids are not going to be home for a week and so the schedule is just perfect.  Everything except my swollen ankle!

Why oh why oh why oh why!!!!!!!! I felt I strained my ankle last Friday during a run.  So much so, that I just did some brisk walking on a Saturday.  Then silly me, ran again last Monday.  The ankle was feeling strained already but it was not in enough pain for me to stop running.  Managed 3km before stopping to walk because I could feel a twinge somewhere.  Ran again after a few minutes, just because the 3k did not feel enough and managed to finish the course.  But my ankle dearly paid the price.  Even after submerging it in a basin filled with iced water. 

Today my ankle is slightly swollen, enough to be obviously seen.  And walking is such a pain, especially when in my trekking shoes which I wore this morning.  I'm not kidding, it is painful with pain seeming to radiate upward.  I'm supposed to rest and elevate. 

This totally, totally, totally bums me out!  I want to climb Mt. Pulag with the group.  I wonder, if I think positive thoughts about it, will the swelling subside?  It will get better, it will get better, it will get better.  I will have no pain and inflammation tomorrow.  That will be my mantra for the rest of the day.

Keep you posted then.  I still have a day and a half.  No pain, no pain, no pain.......no swelling, no swelling....nice, happy right ankle and foot.....

Read more...

Midlands Morning Run

We were supposed to register for the Greenfield City Sunset Run last weekend but because of our on and off again weekend plans with family we could not decide whether we would be in town or in the area on that date.  After countless changes in plans (to my exasperation) they finally decided to push through and spend the weekend at Tagaytay Highlands but we were now too late to register for anything.  Drats!

Anyway, we did have a lovely time and got to stay in a beautiful house in Midlands which was so generously lent to us.  I was so excited to run around the village the next morning that I got up so early. Nice fresh air, no one out, and steep long uphill roads in front of me.  It would be foolish to say I wasn't daunted by those roads.  There is always a first time for everything and it is my belief that I just have to keep plodding along until I get it.  And so I ran uphill, walked downhill, run uphill and downhill, walked uphill...just pushing my body to do what it could do...and pushing my mind to tell myself I could go longer (that's always the hardest for me...the mental part, my legs can still do it but my mind is telling me to STOP, gotta get over that! argh!)  One day, one day...I shall conquer those hilly runs.  I promise.

The Road downhill from where we were staying, it's steeper than it looks

 A View of the Roads from the Balcony

Trying to look for some Trails to Run, haha, that's the frustrated 
old mountaineer in me that I'm trying to feed.

Read more...

Since my breakthrough run last April 5, I have gone on one power walk and four runs.  Nothing over 7 kms yet, but 5km is now easy for me to achieve.  Some runs were good, some were bad.  I still have the same struggles...getting out of bed so early is still torture but I have my partner to thank for pushing me...and of course those visions of a slimmer me lay shimmering in the distant horizon, like mirages that pop up and fade away, taunting me and beckoning me to just keep on running.

Lately, I have been having shoe issues that have left me panicking with the knowledge that I may not be able to run until I get a new one.  You see, my sorry pair of shoes are on the last vestiges of its life.  That's what happens to shoes when you don't use them for a long time and suddenly pound them to death with constant use after a year of inactivity.  Yeah, guilty.  Those shoes haven't seen activity for a year at least.  Until I picked them up and had go at running again.  At least they will go to rest knowing they have given me this second chance to claim my old self back.  I have to do them proud.

In the meantime, the search is on for the interim shoe.  There are so many to "drool" for running shoes and I have got a laundry list on my mind already but they are at the moment beyond my measly budget.  Gotta find that "in-between" shoe that will support my feet and yet be quite easy on the pocket, for now, until I can save up enough to purchase the running shoe I really want. 

Read more...

I am Stoked!

Woohoo! I am so glad I went for a run this morning.  I almost did not.  I wanted to just stay in bed, even if i was fully awake at that time and even if I had an early night.  Just thinking of my past poor running performances was so discouraging.  I have been trying to complete a 5 km run for what seems to me like an eternity and save for that one time I was able to complete the 5 km with the one minute walk, I have not been able to do it again.  In fact, it seemed that I was regressing instead of improving.

I was feeling frustrated on the drive to the memorial park this morning, expecting another less than stellar performance from me.  Not that I have been aiming for stellar, haha, but I'd like to be able to complete that 5 km easily.

I started nice and easy, small strides...trying to keep in mind to land on the balls of my feet ( I hope I'm doing the POSE method right).  I tried not to think too much of my breathing and just let it come naturally, find the technique which will work for me.  Hmm, short shallow breaths seem to work good for me...the moment I try to suck in too much air, I start to tire and my lungs feel like they will explode - I must keep in mind to stop doing that.

We went for the 3.6 km lap we mapped out.  My thinking was, if I can finish this lap, then all I had to do was complete a small part of the 2nd lap to get my 5 km.  I hit the portion of the lap which gave me the hardest time - hmmm...I'm still okay...Yes!  We ran up the bridge...no shortness of breath...amazing!  The last 200 or so meters to complete the loop is also usually difficult for me but I was still okay this time - wow! On to my 2nd lap - I knew when I got to a certain portion of the lap that I finally reached my 5 km goal.  I was so happy I wanted to shout, YES!  And I was still feeling okay at that point, in fact, I was feeling better than that - I felt great!

Decided to try to finish that 2nd lap...slow and easy...I made it.  YES! I made it. 7.2 km in 57 minutes.  Now, that may be peanuts to all those elite and experienced runners but today it felt to me like a breakthrough and I just want to bask in the good feelings of having finally been able to achieve my goal and more.

Am I ever so glad I got out of bed today to run.

Read more...

Run Training Terminology

As a newbie to the sport of running, I am suddenly inundated with all these terminologies I for sure as hell do not understand.  A tempo what? Far-sheek? What's a Far-far...whatever! Oh Fartlek.  Is that some kind of new fart sound? Wait! Don't throw your running shoes at me... be kind ... I'm just a newbie.

Oh Mr. Google, can you help me? Ah yes, so many articles explaining... and I still don't get it all.  Until I came across this article at For Beginners Only of Runnersworld.com by Susan Paul, MS (Click here for the actual article) which actually shed light on these terminologies and truly helped a beginner understand.

This was excerpted from that article:

An easy run refers to the pace or the intensity of the run rather than the distance. You should be able to carry on a conversation throughout an “easy” run. If you measure your heart rate, you would be at the very low end of your aerobic zone (60-70% of max HR).

Fartlek runs are a free-form version of speedwork done off the track. The term “fartlek” is a Swedish word that means “speed play.” Runners use landmarks, like a tree, a mailbox, or a lightpost to pick up the pace from one landmark to another. In between designated landmarks, runners slow the pace to recover between the harder efforts. Some runners use a timed interval to simulate this technique. For example, run hard for 2 minutes, then easy for 1 minute. These runs are multi-purpose and help teach runners to shift gears by recruiting different muscle fibers and recovering after hard exertions.

Hill workouts involve running up an incline quickly and jogging down; repeating this process the prescribed number of times. Hills increase resistance and therefore build muscular strength and increase cardiovascular conditioning. Depending where you live, hills can be easy or difficult to find. Flatlanders must rely on bridges or running repeats up and down small rises to simulate hill training. Look for hills that are about a quarter-mile in length with a grade of about 8%, which is steep enough to look like a hill, but not so steep that it is impossible to run up it.

Intervals refer to a designated distance run repeatedly at a fast pace with recovery jogs in between each repeat, most often done on a track. The length and the pace of the interval varies based on the distance and time goals of the runner.

A long run is the highest mileage run of any given week; it is usually done on the weekend because it requires more time to complete. The actual mileage is relative. For someone training for a 5K, a long run might be 6 miles; for a marathoner, a long run might be 20 miles. The training pace for a long run is relatively easy; usually run at about 70-75% of max HR, but should not be considered an easy run. Long runs help increase endurance by training the body to use fat as fuel, running with depleted glycogen supplies, increasing the number of energy-producing mitochondria within the muscle cells, and simply getting you used to being on your feet for long periods of time

A split refers to the time it takes to run a specified portion of a run. In races, splits are most often given at the mile marks. On a track, a splits are frequently measured every lap, equivalent to a quarter mile. Knowing your splits or times for these shorter segments of a longer distance helps keep you on pace. A negative split is the term applied when a runner runs faster on subsequent intervals. For example, negative splitting a 5K means each mile was run faster than the previous mile. Negative splitting a marathon means the second half of the marathon was run faster than the first half.

A tempo run refers to a comfortably hard run that increases lactate threshold—the point at which the body dramatically increases its production of lactic acid and fatigue occurs. Tempo runs train your body to process larger amounts of lactic acid thus allowing you to run faster for longer periods of time. Tempo runs are done at 85-90% of your max heart rate, for runners who have heart rate monitors. Runners using “The Talk Test” as a pace guide would be able to speak in one or two-word responses but would not want to carry on a conversation.

Thank you Susan for explaining this to me in a manner I could understand.

Read more...

It's 4:30 A.M.

Ugh! Do I have to wake up at this ungodly hour and even more so get out of bed?  What time is it? But it's only 4:30 AM!  Alright, yes I will go running. 

That is what I feel like most mornings when I have to get up to go run.  This morning in particular, even after a good eight hour sleep.  I will.  I won't.  I will.  I won't.  Oh, all right I will.  Even if I want to say I won't and just crawl back into bed for another hour or two of sleep.

I wonder if I'll ever get the hang of this? By nature, I love to sleep.  But that hasn't been something I have been doing a lot of lately, with the exception of my Sunday naps which I love.  I actually am normally up by 5:30 AM because the kids have to be up and ready for school and even if I don't have to wake them up my body clock just sets off and I'm usually awake at that time.  It didn't of course used to be that way, which goes to show that the body CAN be trained. 

So does that mean it will get easier for me to get up an hour earlier for my runs?  Will I stop struggling and just get up one day and say "yay! let's go, I can't wait to run."  I would like to think so. 

In the meantime, I'm glad to be pushed.  Because after each and every run I commit myself to, whether it be a good run or a bad one - I am thankful I still ran and that leaves me feeling amazing...I logged in more kilometers...I did something to improve myself...

...I whisper to myself...small steps...

it will get better. 

Read more...

Slow and steady

My personal goal at the moment is to run a 5k.  I won't get too caught up measuring my speed, right now I admit I am a slow runner.  But slow and steady will help me reach that goal.  I have got to work on my endurance and then work on my pace.

We have managed to map a 2.5km lap around a memorial park near where I live and I try to run the course twice.  Yup! a memorial park, you read right. ;) What I love about that place for our runs is that a) it is very accessible to our home.  b) there are a lot of recreational and serious runners who do their training there, but not too many that it is over crowded.  c) the roads are asphalt which means it won't be as punishing on my knees or ankles, considering the weight they are carrying, hahaha! or that my knees were prone to inflammation and that I broke my ankle real bad some years ago.  d) it is not creepy at all, even at 5:00 or 5:30 in the morning.  e) I love that there are so many trees and you are surrounded by green grass wherever you run.  f) the terrain is not so flat all the time, there are gentle slopes all throughout which makes for a good workout.  g) you hardly have to worry about traffic.

The last three runs this week were very trying, always falling short of my 5km goal. It is quite frustrating since my running partners can now do 10km.  But again, I tell myself that I will get there eventually - lets concentrate first on that 5km goal.  Each day inching closer to that goal, each day walking less and less.  The first 3km is a breeze, then I hit that mostly uphill slope - not steep at all but maybe because I know that the gradient is slightly up and not level that my mind starts playing games with me.  My breathing becomes labored and I just want to stop and walk.  Which is exactly what I did the first time I attempted that 5km route.  Boo me!  The 2nd time I attempted it, I was able to go past that block but then again did a lot of walking after.

Today was a whole lot better.  Still difficult but I was able to manage the whole 5k with only just a minute of walking (up and down the small bridge and a little bit after).  I time my walks now and forced myself to run after that one minute break (gawd, that is so hard to do, I just wanted to keep walking!).  I'm glad I forced myself, I pretended that I was at a race and told myself  "go go Indy, you can see the finish line, its almost there, cross it running!"  And crossed it running I did.

Do you know what helped take my mind away from thinking I could not possibly make it? Prayer.  I decided to pray the rosary while doing my run.  It was nice to be praying and running at the same time.  Prayer distracted me from most of the difficult areas of the lap except for that last kilometer when mind and body overcame the distraction and I almost gave up to the temptation to just take that one minute walk break and turn it into three, then five, then just totally give up.  So happy I did not give in.  Pat myself on the back, it should only get better.  And if not, I shall just keep trying till it does.

Something to ponder on: We can compare the experience of praying while running, with prayer being a good distraction to overcoming the difficult areas of the lap I ran in, to that of our lives.  I find that it is true that when you are in a difficult situation in your life, prayer uplifts you, gives you hope, distracts you from further thinking of those difficulties.  And temptations do come, to sway you, to tell your spirit you will not make it, to give up.  DON'T.  Keep on going, pick yourself up after you fail, keep on trying, keep your eye on the goal and stay centered on what you know is true - God only challenges us to test our faith.  And we shall come out stronger, better honed, able to stand again because we believed.

Have a good Sunday and Keep the Faith!

Read more...

The Reluctant Runner

I'm creating this blog just to record how I'm getting back into running, whether I'd be any good at it and whether I can continue to sustain this for the rest of my life!  Mostly, I need to write this down so I can push myself, even when there are days that I just don't want to get up and run (yes, there are still a lot of those days)....you see, I'm still a reluctant runner - excited by the idea, poring voraciously over anything related to improving my run, learning the lingo, and yet still not 100% in love with it....not yet.

The main reason I run is to lose weight...yeah, yeah, ain't that the reason most of us start any sort of physical activity?  I haven't hit the scale below 140 lbs in about 4 years, even after endless diets and failed attempts at exercise.  I hate getting dressed, I can spend about an hour in front of my closet looking at clothes that don't fit well and sometimes end up throwing a fit, not wanting to leave home because nothing....well....fits.  Another reason for the sudden attempt at fitness was an invitation to join an organized reunion climb of Batch '93 of the Ayala Mountaineering Club.  They will be climbing Mt. Pulag (which is the 2nd highest mountain peak in the Philippines) this May.  I haven't been actively hiking up mountains since '95, so do the math, haha!  Well, lets just say I am not hiking up any mountain unless I'm fit enough to do so and if memory serves me right, we used to train for climbs by running, climbing up flights of stairs (I even used to bring my pack with me and climb up and down the 19 flights of stairs in the office building I used to work in).  Even after my hiking heydays, I used to run for an hour every other day just to maintain my level of fitness because who knows, I might chance upon a mountain to hike on.  Not only did I use to be a mountaineer, I also got into Dragonboat rowing with the PDRT and was privileged to compete in Hong Kong and Taipei with the team.  Well, those were the days...

Zoom to today, the reason I try to remember those times is remind myself I can still do it.  If I could have the discipline of being out in Manila Bay at 5:00 in the morning, rowing until my heart is ready to burst...hiking up Mt. Giting-Giting and climbing over razor edged peaks....then maybe, that strong, determined girl//woman is still in me and I just need to coax her out of her 15 year sleep.  Hard but doable.  Yes doable. 

Remind me of this when I won't get up to run, when I complain my heart will burst, my breathing labored and my head in a spin.

"Kaya mo yan!"

Read more...