I am Still Alive

Am I still obliged to say, "Sorry" to my beloved readers for my absence on this blog? I guess so! I apologized to my dear fans for my no entries for quite some time. Since my injury (What an excuse, is it?), I kinda enjoy the comforts of not waking up at 4 am, wake up in the ungodliest hours in the morning just to catch European football, and eat out with friends. Such lifestyle made me lost my running and writing mojos.

Rest assured dear reader, that my days of couch potato-ness are numbered! Oh yes, I will be up-and-running...this JUNE.

Too Lazy to Lace Up

Ever since finishing my second half marathon, my weekly mileage is down to a big, fat egg. As in NIL, ZERO, or whatever you call it! Partly because I was limping for a week after the race. My left calf muscles were sore, that I have to take pain killers to kill (The pain, that is.) it. Plus the weather has been wet and dreary that I wore every jacket that lay dormant in my closet for most parts of the year. Injury + Cold and Wet weather= Recipe for the lazy arse runner.

To be honest, I enjoyed this "off season" mode. Maybe because I don't have to wake up in ungodly hours just to run, or this "off season" mode made me save my hard earn money from a race registration. Also I am cutting off my risk of getting the dreaded respiratory viral infection. Also, I have time to watch the Asian Football Confederation-Asian Cup and cheer for the Samurai Blue (That's Japan, my friend.) on their quest for their 4th Asian Cup title. What's worst, I did not bother to write my second breaking of a previous PR on my second race of the year!

But this madness must end! And it MUST END, ASAP! So will someone kick me back to my RUNNING senses?

Quote for this Post
"Not all runners want to take days off. They fear lost fitness. Miss too many days and it will. But fail to rest and you will suffer more."- Hal Higdon

2010

This year is about to end, and it's about time to make some reviews, recollections and recalls of the year that was.

• First stop, I conquered my very first Pikermi, half-mary, half marathon or 21K race.  My race time of 2 hours and 45 minutes was kinda disappointing after all the effort and training. But I guess, I have to be happy with this result since this is my very first 21K.
• On my dad's first marathon attempt, he DNFed! He suffered severe cramps on the 37th km on both legs! He had muscle spasms, too! My dad never admitted that he had a trauma after his ordeal. But I secretly plan to join him on his marathon redemption by 2012.
• A separate blog site. Yup, I used to blog my running misadventures along with my personal blog. But I have to separate what is personal to what is running, so I came with this blogsite as my running blog.
• Dailymile and other social networks. Thanks to the Dailymile and other social networks (I'm quite notorious on twitter!) I was able to meet with runners. Although, I haven't introduce myself in real life. I am planning to ditch my "shyness" by 2011.
• I am actually overwhelmed of having 13 runner/blogger followers! Thanks for following my blog!
• I am also overwhelmed by runner bloggers for posting links to my blog on their blogsite! Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
• Who would have thought that after suffering a major injury, I had a podium finish. Yes folks, I ran the SSS Fun Run and placed third!
• This year, I suffered ITBFS or iliotibial band friction syndrome which made me miss the Cebu and Dumaguete legs of the Milo Marathon.
• And aside from ITBFS, I also suffered severe and intermittent pangs of TAMADITIS! Yes, I must confess, I am quite of a lazy arse, especially in mid-training.
• DNR, DNS and DNFs. This year, I did not participate in three races that I already registered. Reasons that ranges from not waking up early, to family reunions to having a bum tummy. As for DNS, I had two. One was the Planet Sports Run last June and the Heart Run last September. The first one was due to my answering nature's call, while the second one was an almost DNR because of the lack of transportation available. The second race was on the Alay-Lakad weekend. My DNF came just recently at the Cebu Bankers Run.
• This year I also joined the "barefoot" running revolution by purchasing a Nike Free 5.0 version 4. But I still have qualms of purchasing yet another "barefoot shoes".
• This year marks the 10th year since I graduated from high school (Now, you guys better do your math on how old I am!). And who would have thought we get to have an impromptu reunion during races! I will blog on it very, very soon. And with photos, too!
• Aside from running, I am also featuring the world's beautiful game, football. Or soccer to us. I also featured our Philippine National Football team amiably called, the Azkals! I already purchased their kit (or jersey) from Mizuno. And will have it's debut on next year's first race. Watch out for it!
• I learned to appreciate our delapidated and wrinkled Cebu City Sports Complex (CSSC) track oval (aka Abellana), and track workouts. I used to loathed these.
• This year, I also joined  the Energizer Night Race! It was my first night race.

• In Memoriam: Let's remember the lives of Alexander Landero and Remus Fuentes, who met their untimely demise while participating in the sport they love. May they rest in peace.
• Witnessed an Ultramarathon!

So 2010 was a crazy year! But I am looking forward to a better and brighter 2011. But that would be another post! Happy New Year, runners!

Looking Back

I am feeling nostalgic right now. Well, nothing special, it's just that my running buddy/Dad is already in Laguna for a 2 month stint to set-up their branch there. Our rendezvous for running started way back in 2007, it was October to be exact. It was the first and only SK Fun Run held in Labangon Elementary School. It attracted the elites and even fun runners. There were only two categories then: 3K and 5K. The 3K had it's turning point at Paseo Arsenas, while the 5K has to pass Katipunan St., right turn to Salvador St., straight to Duterte St., then right turn to V. Rama Ave., then turn right to Katipunan again. In other words, this is now one of my routes for my practice run which covers 5.8 km, and four "hills" in Banawa (The last one hill, if you are coming from Katipunan, is  the steepest.). It was me and my father's first 5K. He able o finish it, and was paced by Tito Roy, his childhood friend. As for me, I was walking! I only made it to the second hill, in the area of One World Montesorri School and South Hills International School, and turn back to where we started. I was with my aunts and cousins who unfortunately were there to support our relatives who were running for elective posts. This was before the barangay elections of 2007. Back then, I used a blue Puma futsal shoes for running.

Back during that time, races are held sporadically, unlike today, wherein a race is held every weekend, at times, two races share the same date. There were only few marquee races then like, Don Sergio Osmena Run, which is being held on the statesman's birthday, September 9 (This race only features one race category: 10K.). Another one was the Sinulog Half-Marathon which was held the Saturday before the Sinulog Grand Parade. And of course, the Milo Marathon eliminations leg.

 With Ms. Twinkle Ignacio as "Flores de Mayo".

My first 3K-2nd Mandaue City Run

(May 3, 2009)

When I first started "seriously" running in May 2009, all I dreamed about was to finish the Milo Marathon's 5K category which was slated in July 5. My first race was at the 2nd Mandaue City Run (May 3. It was the Sunday of the Pacquiao-Hatton fight). I registered in the 3K category. I finished 13th place, with a matching photograph of me running towards the finish line, only to be overtaken by a kid! I am sooo going to post that photo once I find it! My second, and could be my last 3K, was at the first MAD Run held in Lahug, 3 weeks later. Like my first race, I ran-walk. By June, I decided to level-up to 5K, constantly practicing at the hills of Banawa on weekdays, and at the Cebu Business Park on weekends. My very first 5K was at the Kapamilya Run, which was held a week before the Milo Elims. I clocked at 37 minutes on my first 5K, but base on the official results, my time was 26 minutes! Weird, really? The Kapamilya Run was my gauge if I can run 5K in the Milo Elims. I was able to run the whole course on my first 5K!

On my way to the finish line at the Kapamilya Run

(June 27, 2009)

After the resounding success of the Milo Elims, races were popping like mushrooms. Cebu Milo Elims had a higher number of participants compared to Manila. A lot of people have their sort of awakening to running back then.

In the past, Cebu only had a few running clubs. In Cebu City, there's Cebu Executive Runners Club or CERC, and Cebu Road Runners Club (CRRC). In Mandaue City, there's the Mandaue City Runners Club. In Lapu-Lapu, they have R.O.X. Gym. And in Talisay, they have the Kabangis Running Club, led by Mr. Jun Canton of the Philippine Airlines (PAL). Lately, I haven't seen Kabangis in some foot races. The last time I saw them was at the 3rd Mandaue City Run.

Back then, registrations fees are usually between P150-P250. P250.00 was already expensive. Back then, a woman named Leiszl Gitaruelas used to be Cebu's Running Queen. She even strutted her stuff in Hong Kong (top 3 or top 4 finisher of the half-marathon in 2009, and third in the Mt. Kinabalu 21K Run). The last time I saw Leiszl was at the Cebu City Marathon. She ran 21K just like me. She is now based abroad. Back then, Ms. Twinkle is the only costumed runner. But now she has competitors!

Could this "woman" be a threat to Ms. Twinkle's throne?