Click the image for the bigger version.
Showing posts with label din. Show all posts
Showing posts with label din. Show all posts
Feb 17, 2012
Din: Runners
This is the version for runners. I find the "what I really do" part hilarious!
Click the image for the bigger version.
Click the image for the bigger version.
Din: Ultra Runners
A new meme is becoming popular / circulating around social media circles and recently, I saw a version for ultra runners. Funny as hell and I could definitely relate to this! Enjoy.
Click the image for the bigger version.
Click the image for the bigger version.
Feb 9, 2012
Din: The Ben Colmen Story
We need more Ben Colmen's in this world. Someone who does not look at disability as a limitation to what one can do. Someone who does not give up in the face adversity.
Feb 7, 2012
Din: Sh!@ Ultrarunners Say
I find this a very funny sh!@ internet meme for ultrarunners. There were a couple of familiar situations and my favorite was at 1:35. =D
Feb 2, 2012
Din: The Road To Becoming an Ultramarathoner
One of the primary reasons why I decided to complete my first marathon was the lure of joining ultramarathons. I am not "driven by speed" thus when I was training for my first marathon, I avoided tempo and interval training runs as much as I can and "cheated" by replacing them with hill repeats and hill training runs instead. Well, as mentioned in RunnersWorld, training on hills is speedwork in disguise. =D
It was actually the easy long runs that I enjoyed during my trainings. I liked the solitude, the zen-like rhythmic sound of my feet on the road and the calming effect this gave me. As a result, after I finished my first marathon, I looked for ultra races instead of improving my 10k, 21k and 42k personal bests.
The potential opportunity came even before I had finished my first marathon. A week before the TBR Dream Marathon. my good friend Julius, invited me to join him in the Mayon 360 50 miler race. It was scheduled two weeks after the TBR Dream Marathon. I was quite tempted in registering already for this race but eventually decided to wait until I had completed my marathon. It was in the end a wise decision since I incurred injuries in my first marathon which required at least one week of rest. As a result, I had to put my plan of running my first ultra race in the back burner and focus first on healing my injuries.
The next opportunity came in frontRUNNER's Valley Trail Challenge at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. This was scheduled on June 18, roughly three months after my first marathon. My initial thought was perfect, I still had time to prepare and train. There were two challenges though that I needed to face. First, it was a trail run (I didn't have any training on trail routes since there were none where I live) and second, instead of being a 50K race, an additional 7 kilometers were added to the race! I thought, wow, this would be a great painfest for my first ultra! =D
Even with these challenges, I was excited (or crazy perhaps) that when the first day of registration came, I immediately signed-up for the race. To my surprise, I was the second registrant and got this for a bib number (the first registrants, a couple, chose the 100 and 101 numbers). I felt like an elite for a second but became scared shit afterwards because of the implications of the number! haha! =D In the end, I didn't have the number changed since I thought this would be a good symbol for my first ultra.
After putting the race registration out of the way, the next challenge was how to train for this race. Back then, actually I didn't know how to approach my training. All I knew, based on my researches, was to do back-to-back long runs. As a result, you could see this from the samples of my weekly training report below.
On the latter part of my training, I also learned about heat training courtesy of Julius. He accompanied me in a long run with heat training included (see training report below). We started around 2pm and just one and a half hour in the run, I was already burnt crisp and panting like a dog from the heat of the sun and the pavement! That was a rude awakening! That was my first taste on how heat could be a game changer and adversely affect one's performance.
With these preparations, I thought I was ready but boy was I mistaken! Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed my first ultra but I had a lot of lessons learned from heat training (I did not have enough), to hydration (the one 20oz handheld bottle I brought was not enough to carry me to the next hydration station), to the right trail running shoe (I used Vibram FiveFingers Treksport which was not suited to the gravel roads of the route).
Just like what I did in my first marathon, I would let the pictures I took speak for all the emotions I felt when I ran my first ultramarathon. Please excuse some of the crappy pictures since I used my "wet-from-sweat" mobile phone.
The beauty of trail running. You don't see this in your regular road races.
For me, this was the most beautiful part of the route. This area was even called "New Zealand."
Running with Mt. Makiling as your backdrop.
My fellow running comrades and for some, this was also their first ultra.
What lies beyond 42K?
For me, this was the true meaning of trail running. Notice the dirty legs and shoes!
1km away from finishing my first ultramarathon. All thumbs up amidst the sore feet and legs.
After 9 hours and 15 minutes of running bliss!
Simple, straightforward, lotsa fun! This was ultrarunning at its finest!
Ranked 63rd out of 112 runners. Not bad for a first timer! =)
Lastly, I would like to share this great race recap from the main man himself, Race Director and frontRUNNER Magazine Editor, Jonel Mendoza.
It was actually the easy long runs that I enjoyed during my trainings. I liked the solitude, the zen-like rhythmic sound of my feet on the road and the calming effect this gave me. As a result, after I finished my first marathon, I looked for ultra races instead of improving my 10k, 21k and 42k personal bests.
The potential opportunity came even before I had finished my first marathon. A week before the TBR Dream Marathon. my good friend Julius, invited me to join him in the Mayon 360 50 miler race. It was scheduled two weeks after the TBR Dream Marathon. I was quite tempted in registering already for this race but eventually decided to wait until I had completed my marathon. It was in the end a wise decision since I incurred injuries in my first marathon which required at least one week of rest. As a result, I had to put my plan of running my first ultra race in the back burner and focus first on healing my injuries.
The next opportunity came in frontRUNNER's Valley Trail Challenge at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. This was scheduled on June 18, roughly three months after my first marathon. My initial thought was perfect, I still had time to prepare and train. There were two challenges though that I needed to face. First, it was a trail run (I didn't have any training on trail routes since there were none where I live) and second, instead of being a 50K race, an additional 7 kilometers were added to the race! I thought, wow, this would be a great painfest for my first ultra! =D
Even with these challenges, I was excited (or crazy perhaps) that when the first day of registration came, I immediately signed-up for the race. To my surprise, I was the second registrant and got this for a bib number (the first registrants, a couple, chose the 100 and 101 numbers). I felt like an elite for a second but became scared shit afterwards because of the implications of the number! haha! =D In the end, I didn't have the number changed since I thought this would be a good symbol for my first ultra.
After putting the race registration out of the way, the next challenge was how to train for this race. Back then, actually I didn't know how to approach my training. All I knew, based on my researches, was to do back-to-back long runs. As a result, you could see this from the samples of my weekly training report below.
On the latter part of my training, I also learned about heat training courtesy of Julius. He accompanied me in a long run with heat training included (see training report below). We started around 2pm and just one and a half hour in the run, I was already burnt crisp and panting like a dog from the heat of the sun and the pavement! That was a rude awakening! That was my first taste on how heat could be a game changer and adversely affect one's performance.
With these preparations, I thought I was ready but boy was I mistaken! Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed my first ultra but I had a lot of lessons learned from heat training (I did not have enough), to hydration (the one 20oz handheld bottle I brought was not enough to carry me to the next hydration station), to the right trail running shoe (I used Vibram FiveFingers Treksport which was not suited to the gravel roads of the route).
Just like what I did in my first marathon, I would let the pictures I took speak for all the emotions I felt when I ran my first ultramarathon. Please excuse some of the crappy pictures since I used my "wet-from-sweat" mobile phone.
The beauty of trail running. You don't see this in your regular road races.
For me, this was the most beautiful part of the route. This area was even called "New Zealand."
Running with Mt. Makiling as your backdrop.
My fellow running comrades and for some, this was also their first ultra.
What lies beyond 42K?
For me, this was the true meaning of trail running. Notice the dirty legs and shoes!
1km away from finishing my first ultramarathon. All thumbs up amidst the sore feet and legs.
After 9 hours and 15 minutes of running bliss!
Simple, straightforward, lotsa fun! This was ultrarunning at its finest!
Ranked 63rd out of 112 runners. Not bad for a first timer! =)
Lastly, I would like to share this great race recap from the main man himself, Race Director and frontRUNNER Magazine Editor, Jonel Mendoza.
Jul 1, 2011
Din: The Road To Becoming a Marathoner
Update:
1/26/2012 - I decided to complete this post rather than have it in 2 parts.
More than three months after running the TBR Dream Marathon 2011 (my first marathon!), when the euphoria has died down and the hustles and bustles of daily routine and work has taken over again, it is now the best time to look back and reflect on what led me to finish this great endeavor. Looking back will give me the insights (hopefully) to look forward and plan the next phase of my running activities.
The Decision
It was September last year that I made the big leap and decided to sign-up for the TBR Dream Marathon 2011. I was able to document what I felt back then here and here in making this decision. It was quite nerve-wracking since I felt I was not yet ready to take the plunge and run a marathon. In fact, my longest race back then was just a 16K!
What drove me though was the rising passion on running and the thought, "It is better to aim at the sun and hit the moon rather than aim at the moon and hit the rocks." Looking back, I thought, sometimes, there was indeed a thin line separating bravery and stupidity! =)
The Preparation
I learned that fear and uncertainty were great motivators. So much so that I took everything to the extremes especially my marathon training. I immediately worked on running half-marathon races. As a result, I ran two half-marathon races in two consecutive Sundays, the October Running Festival followed by the Adidas King of the Road.
You might be wondering, what were I thinking? Yeah, fear and uncertainty really makes you do stupid things. Great thing was I held back in these races meaning I did not race them until I "redline." I just considered them as "training runs." Most probably this was the reason why I did not incur any injuries.
Foolishly boosted by the "successes" in these two half-marathon races, I ran 3 more "challenging" (well from my standards) races in the two months after the Adidas King of the Road Race. These were:
Run United 2 32K
Corregidor Half-Marathon
Rizal Day Run 32K
All the while I thought I was doing something right when I successfully finished these races. I was even proud that I was ending 2010 with lots of confidence that I would be ready for the TBR Dream Marathon or even "I am now ready." Little did I know that I was setting myself up for disaster.
The Setback
I started 2011 with a bang by joining the Cebu half-marathon event. I was feeling great in the race that I decided to forego my run-walk strategy for the first time and ran the whole course non-stop!
Cebu Half-Marathon (I didn't noticed that the runner besides me was cramping. I only saw it after I downloaded the picture.)
I was on cloud nine because I considered this as a big achievement resulting from my training. Here came the start of the setback though. A few days after the race, I felt spent and wasted. I didn't have the energy or even the will to continue with my training. I was clueless on what was the cause of these challenges. As a result, for about a month, I was not able to rake in the necessary mileage indicated in my training program. Sadly though, I still had the bravado of thinking that I would post a much faster time in the Condura half-marathon event which was my next scheduled race after Cebu.
Condura Half-Marathon (This was near the 16km marker where I hit the proverbial "wall" and beca a walking mess afterwards.)
This was when I experienced the rude awakening. I ran Condura non-stop, just like Cebu, but I ran it fast from the start. Since I lacked the necessary training and mileage between Cebu and Condura, the outcome was already obvious. When I reached the 16km marker, I was already running out of steam. By the time I reached the 18km marker, I was running on fumes.
It was my first race that I felt very bad, physically and psychologically; that I just want it to be finished so that I could go home already. I felt really bad not because of the race (it was a great race) but because of my bad decisions.
A day of recovery did wonders to my spirit. I immediately set out to understand what happened to me.
After reading several articles, I thought I found the culprit. I peaked too soon! I was at my peak when I ran the Cebu Half-Marathon which resulted to my excellent performance.
This was potentially the result of running longer distances too early too soon. Looking back, I ran two 32K races one and a half months earlier that what was suggested in my training schedule. A big lessons learned indeed. I took heart though for this was a great lesson. It actually even energized me since I understood the cause of the challenges I encountered. It was a natural part of the cycle of peaking.
The Comeback
With these newly acquired knowledge, I set out to jumpstart my training to make the most out of the remaining 30 days in my training schedule before the big day. I was inspired and this could be seen from the mileage I racked.
The Race
A picture is worth a thousand words. What more if you have several pictures and a video to boot! As a result, I would let the pictures speak for the emotions and eventually the euphoria that I (and my batchmates) experienced before, during, at the finish line and after the race.
My lucky bib number which made me win a New Balance backpack bag in the TBR Dream Marathon send-off party raffle.
We were already at Nuvali around 12:30am. This showed how jittery and excited I was.
Less than 1 kilometer to go before the finish line. If you have noticed I used the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila as my shoes for my first marathon. I was not crazy. =D I will explain why when I review my FiveFingers shoes in a separate post.
Fist pump! All the pain you endured and struggled with especially at the last 10 kilometers of the race would surely disappear once you are 10 meters away from the finish line!
I read somewhere that only an idiot can finish a marathon. I proudly exclaim i am one now!
Another shot of the momentous moment.
With my #1 fan and the best support crew!
This summed it all!
There were plenty of "surprises" along the "killer" route.
This was the message at the back of our finisher's shirt and look at that kick-ass race medal!
This was the TBR Dream Marathon 2011 official video. Please check out the 12:13 section of the video. =) Enjoy!
1/26/2012 - I decided to complete this post rather than have it in 2 parts.
More than three months after running the TBR Dream Marathon 2011 (my first marathon!), when the euphoria has died down and the hustles and bustles of daily routine and work has taken over again, it is now the best time to look back and reflect on what led me to finish this great endeavor. Looking back will give me the insights (hopefully) to look forward and plan the next phase of my running activities.
The Decision
It was September last year that I made the big leap and decided to sign-up for the TBR Dream Marathon 2011. I was able to document what I felt back then here and here in making this decision. It was quite nerve-wracking since I felt I was not yet ready to take the plunge and run a marathon. In fact, my longest race back then was just a 16K!
What drove me though was the rising passion on running and the thought, "It is better to aim at the sun and hit the moon rather than aim at the moon and hit the rocks." Looking back, I thought, sometimes, there was indeed a thin line separating bravery and stupidity! =)
The Preparation
I learned that fear and uncertainty were great motivators. So much so that I took everything to the extremes especially my marathon training. I immediately worked on running half-marathon races. As a result, I ran two half-marathon races in two consecutive Sundays, the October Running Festival followed by the Adidas King of the Road.
You might be wondering, what were I thinking? Yeah, fear and uncertainty really makes you do stupid things. Great thing was I held back in these races meaning I did not race them until I "redline." I just considered them as "training runs." Most probably this was the reason why I did not incur any injuries.
Foolishly boosted by the "successes" in these two half-marathon races, I ran 3 more "challenging" (well from my standards) races in the two months after the Adidas King of the Road Race. These were:
Run United 2 32K
Corregidor Half-Marathon
Rizal Day Run 32K
All the while I thought I was doing something right when I successfully finished these races. I was even proud that I was ending 2010 with lots of confidence that I would be ready for the TBR Dream Marathon or even "I am now ready." Little did I know that I was setting myself up for disaster.
The Setback
I started 2011 with a bang by joining the Cebu half-marathon event. I was feeling great in the race that I decided to forego my run-walk strategy for the first time and ran the whole course non-stop!
Cebu Half-Marathon (I didn't noticed that the runner besides me was cramping. I only saw it after I downloaded the picture.)
I was on cloud nine because I considered this as a big achievement resulting from my training. Here came the start of the setback though. A few days after the race, I felt spent and wasted. I didn't have the energy or even the will to continue with my training. I was clueless on what was the cause of these challenges. As a result, for about a month, I was not able to rake in the necessary mileage indicated in my training program. Sadly though, I still had the bravado of thinking that I would post a much faster time in the Condura half-marathon event which was my next scheduled race after Cebu.
Condura Half-Marathon (This was near the 16km marker where I hit the proverbial "wall" and beca a walking mess afterwards.)
This was when I experienced the rude awakening. I ran Condura non-stop, just like Cebu, but I ran it fast from the start. Since I lacked the necessary training and mileage between Cebu and Condura, the outcome was already obvious. When I reached the 16km marker, I was already running out of steam. By the time I reached the 18km marker, I was running on fumes.
It was my first race that I felt very bad, physically and psychologically; that I just want it to be finished so that I could go home already. I felt really bad not because of the race (it was a great race) but because of my bad decisions.
A day of recovery did wonders to my spirit. I immediately set out to understand what happened to me.
After reading several articles, I thought I found the culprit. I peaked too soon! I was at my peak when I ran the Cebu Half-Marathon which resulted to my excellent performance.
This was potentially the result of running longer distances too early too soon. Looking back, I ran two 32K races one and a half months earlier that what was suggested in my training schedule. A big lessons learned indeed. I took heart though for this was a great lesson. It actually even energized me since I understood the cause of the challenges I encountered. It was a natural part of the cycle of peaking.
The Comeback
With these newly acquired knowledge, I set out to jumpstart my training to make the most out of the remaining 30 days in my training schedule before the big day. I was inspired and this could be seen from the mileage I racked.
The Race
A picture is worth a thousand words. What more if you have several pictures and a video to boot! As a result, I would let the pictures speak for the emotions and eventually the euphoria that I (and my batchmates) experienced before, during, at the finish line and after the race.
My lucky bib number which made me win a New Balance backpack bag in the TBR Dream Marathon send-off party raffle.
We were already at Nuvali around 12:30am. This showed how jittery and excited I was.
Less than 1 kilometer to go before the finish line. If you have noticed I used the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila as my shoes for my first marathon. I was not crazy. =D I will explain why when I review my FiveFingers shoes in a separate post.
Fist pump! All the pain you endured and struggled with especially at the last 10 kilometers of the race would surely disappear once you are 10 meters away from the finish line!
I read somewhere that only an idiot can finish a marathon. I proudly exclaim i am one now!
Another shot of the momentous moment.
With my #1 fan and the best support crew!
This summed it all!
There were plenty of "surprises" along the "killer" route.
This was the message at the back of our finisher's shirt and look at that kick-ass race medal!
This was the TBR Dream Marathon 2011 official video. Please check out the 12:13 section of the video. =) Enjoy!
Mar 22, 2011
Din: I Dreamt Big. I Ran Strong.
I read somewhere that only an idiot can finish a marathon. I proudly exclaim I am one now!
I'll be sharing the details that led me to become a marathoner in the next few days. I'll relish for now the remaining feelings of euphoria and hopefully be able to learn to walk properly again.
Mar 18, 2011
Din: This Is It!
Barely less than 48 hours to go and I will be running my first marathon via the TBR Dream Marathon at Nuvali. After going through more than 16 weeks of training, I am experiencing mixed emotions right now from excitement, to fear, to jitteriness and the intermittent doubts and then back to excitement again. It's an emotional roller coaster to say the least.
I am guessing (correctly I hope) that all marathon first-timers go through this stage. To calm my nerves, I just repeat, silently and sometimes out loud (when I'm alone of course!) that I can do this! I can do this! You already have a plan. Stick to the plan! Finish this and you can now proudly say, "I am now an idiot!"
Feb 12, 2011
Din: The Runner's Creed
This is my run
There are many others like it
But this one is mine
My run is my haven
It is my life
I must master it as I must master my life
Without me, my run is nothing
Without my run, I am nothing
I must run this road's true
I must run faster than the stress of the world that's working to drag me down
I must outrun stress before it overruns me
I will
I swear this creed
My run and I are defenders of my sanity.
We are the master of my body
We are the saviors of my life
So be it
Until victory is mine, and nothing remains
But peace.
Jan 4, 2011
Din: Looking back at 2010
Reading through my first blog post last March 2010, I could not help but assess the progress I made within 10 months after I decided to change my lifestyle. I could not imagine that I was able to transform myself from a couch potato to a runner! I felt that this was the best accomplishment I made in 2010.
I have listed below the results of this accomplishment which I hope will serve as a constant reminder to myself to never let go and lose focus again of this great lifetime endeavor. I also hope that it will serve as an inspiration to the readers of this blog that with the right attitude and right reasons, it is indeed possible to transform yourself from a couch potato to whatever you want to be.
Health Results:
Running Results:
I have listed below the results of this accomplishment which I hope will serve as a constant reminder to myself to never let go and lose focus again of this great lifetime endeavor. I also hope that it will serve as an inspiration to the readers of this blog that with the right attitude and right reasons, it is indeed possible to transform yourself from a couch potato to whatever you want to be.
Health Results:
- I lost more than 25 pounds. When I started running last February, my weight was almost 180 pounds, making me about 20 pounds overweight. I now weigh 154 pounds which is already within my ideal weight zone.
- With the weight loss naturally came the reduction in my waistline. I am proud to say that at least 5 inches were "sliced off" from my tummy. The only downside was I needed to change my pants since they kept on falling off already.
- Gone were the dizzy spells I intermittently experience due to my high triglyceride level. Because of running, I was able to normalize my triglyceride levels.
Running Results:
- Seven 5Ks, Seven 10Ks, One 15K, One 16K, Three 21Ks, Two 32Ks and currently training for my first marathon this coming March, The TBR Dream Marathon 2.
- In the book, Runner's World Complete Guide to Running, one article immediately resonated to me and I thought the advice it provided really made sense. The article, in page 21, entitled It's Good to Walk, discussed the advantages of incorporating the Galloway Method in running. As a result, I immediately incorporated this method in my training as I progressed from 5K up to my current training program for a marathon. This method made my training more enjoyable and from my experience, more effective. It was one of the primary reasons why I became a stronger runner and only experienced a minimal number of running-related injuries.
- I learned to listen to and respect the limitations of my body. Actually I learned this the hard way by experiencing my first and, so far, only running related-injury last June 2010. This was caused by running to fast, to far, to soon. Quite a lethal combination unfortunately. It was a humbling experience since I was unable to train for 2 weeks and was very disappointed since I had to postpone my plan of joining a half marathon race.
- I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the following Filipino runners and triathlete for the stories and running tips they unselfishly shared. These provided me and Carrie with best practices and lessons learned that we were able to apply in our training. It is my hope that they will continue sharing their experiences and love for the sport. Rest assured that in return, we will pay this forward by sharing our own experiences to all those who are starting in the sport.
- Bald Runner
- Life is a Highway
- Running Pinoy
- Running Shield
- The Bull Runner
- The Runvocate
- The Scientist Runner
- The Sweat Addict
- Lastly, I would like to share my latest running summary from Endomondo. I know that my personal bests could be considered by seasoned runners as "average" but looking at where I came from, I look at these times with pride and exclaim, I did good.
Jan 2, 2011
Din: Good Sign
I had my first run for 2011 this morning and I was extremely happy with the result. I was able to beat my Adidas KOTR Half Mary PR by more than 5 minutes considering that this was just a training run.
I deemed this to be a good sign of what is in store for me this year. This made me very excited for the upcoming Cebu International Marathon this Sunday, January 9, where I would be running the Half Marathon. I have a target pace in mind based on the results of my long run today and I am already giddy with excitement to check if I can achieve this target.
Bring it on 2011! =)
Dec 31, 2010
Din: Happy New Year!
For the past month, I have been experiencing what I call the "blogging block." I find it difficult to even complete a single paragraph in my planned posts. As a result, I have these numerous drafts queued in Blogger. On the other hand, even with this "block" still hanging heavily in my head, I write this short note to everybody.
A Happy New Year To All!
May this be a year of more health, prosperity, success, happiness and most especially running events that we will join! (Talk about priorities! hahaha) Oh, and more blog posts too! Cheers!
Oct 25, 2010
Din: Hill Training and My First Half Mary
My favorite workout is hill training. Mind you I'm not a masochist hehehe =). I just love the challenge and the exhilarating feeling of being on top of a hill after a hard run. Thus, when I started my training for the half marathon, I immediately incorporated hill training in my workouts. In fact, I even incorporated it in my long slow and tempo runs. I firmly believed if I could be strong in running hills, I would be stronger in "flats."
This belief and training regimen was put to the test, successfully if I might say, in my first half marathon run last Sunday, October 17, when I joined the The Fort Running Festival. I was only aiming for a 7min 30sec / km pace. That's what I have trained for based on my 5K race pace using the FIRST Training program. During the race, even if I was already running at a 7min / km pace, I still felt strong thus I continued with this pace surprisingly until the end of the race with enough juice left so to speak.
A week after the Fort Running Festival race, I ran another 21K at the Adidas King of the Road race last October 24. I was able to get a new PR considering that the route was a lot more challenging and there were hydration challenges in the last 5 kilometers of the race. Good thing I have my Amphipod Hydration Belt which supplied me with enough juice during these last kilometers.
Pictures courtesy of Greentennial Run
Picture courtesy of Adidas Philippines
All these great results, I attribute mostly to hill training. As such, I am planning to incorporate hill training again to my marathon training plan that will start next month. It is my hope that I will be able to replicate the same great results that I have in my first two 21km races to the TBR Dream Marathon next year.
For more information about hill training, I have listed below some links that helped me. I hope these will also help you out in learning and enjoying this great workout.
Hill Training articles from Runner's World
Hill Training from Runner's World UK
Hill Training from BrianMac
This belief and training regimen was put to the test, successfully if I might say, in my first half marathon run last Sunday, October 17, when I joined the The Fort Running Festival. I was only aiming for a 7min 30sec / km pace. That's what I have trained for based on my 5K race pace using the FIRST Training program. During the race, even if I was already running at a 7min / km pace, I still felt strong thus I continued with this pace surprisingly until the end of the race with enough juice left so to speak.
A week after the Fort Running Festival race, I ran another 21K at the Adidas King of the Road race last October 24. I was able to get a new PR considering that the route was a lot more challenging and there were hydration challenges in the last 5 kilometers of the race. Good thing I have my Amphipod Hydration Belt which supplied me with enough juice during these last kilometers.
All these great results, I attribute mostly to hill training. As such, I am planning to incorporate hill training again to my marathon training plan that will start next month. It is my hope that I will be able to replicate the same great results that I have in my first two 21km races to the TBR Dream Marathon next year.
For more information about hill training, I have listed below some links that helped me. I hope these will also help you out in learning and enjoying this great workout.
Hill Training articles from Runner's World
Hill Training from Runner's World UK
Hill Training from BrianMac
Oct 3, 2010
Din: #5
I was registrant #5 in the recently concluded registration period for the TBR Dream Marathon 2011. Talk about being excited!
Kudos to TJ who enthusiastically and patiently answered all my questions when he was processing my registration. It was fast and efficient. The photo-session was also a blast.
Now that the 2nd half of the process has been completed, the real fun begins! Time to put on the shoes and hit the road!
Sep 29, 2010
Din: 1,000 Mile Shoes
Ever since I reached my 40km+ / week mileage, one of the things that I started to worry about is my shoes. Based on what I have read so far, running shoes need to be replaced once they reach the 600 to 800km marker.
Unfortunately, I am just your average runner who spends for his shoes. Once I reach my planned 50 to 60km+ / week mileage in preparation for my first marathon, this means that I need to replace my shoes every 4 months! This is an expensive proposition considering that a good pair of running shoes costs at least Php 5,000 (around US$ 110).
What is the solution then to this predicament? Well, last week, I just read that there is such a thing as a 1,000 miles shoe. I told myself, if this is indeed true, I think this is the immediate solution to my problem. Imagine, that's 1,600 kilometers! With a mileage of 60 km per week, this pair of shoes will last at least 7 months!
I have listed below some of the highlights about this pair of shoes.
I find it a very appealing pair of shoes because of its style and dark colors. Now, my biggest problem is, how can I get one?
Unfortunately, I am just your average runner who spends for his shoes. Once I reach my planned 50 to 60km+ / week mileage in preparation for my first marathon, this means that I need to replace my shoes every 4 months! This is an expensive proposition considering that a good pair of running shoes costs at least Php 5,000 (around US$ 110).
What is the solution then to this predicament? Well, last week, I just read that there is such a thing as a 1,000 miles shoe. I told myself, if this is indeed true, I think this is the immediate solution to my problem. Imagine, that's 1,600 kilometers! With a mileage of 60 km per week, this pair of shoes will last at least 7 months!
I have listed below some of the highlights about this pair of shoes.
- 8 years in development in collaboration with the Army Physical Training Corps.
- Awarded with the rights to bear the British Army's famous crossed swords insignia.
- Costs around 95 pounds which is roughly 6,600 pesos.
- Click here for more information.
I find it a very appealing pair of shoes because of its style and dark colors. Now, my biggest problem is, how can I get one?
Sep 19, 2010
Din: TBR Dream Marathon 2011
When The Bull Runner announced last August the date for the TBR Dream Marathon 2011, I started asking myself, am I ready? Can I already make that leap of faith?
Frankly, doubts started to creep in my mind and I thought, perhaps it was not yet time. I'll enjoy first half-mary races next year and then start preparing for a full mary around 3rd or 4th quarter.
And then I saw another update from The Bull Runner last September 9. I again asked the same 2 questions, am I ready? Can I already make that leap of faith? After thinking about it again for a day, I still came with the same conclusion, perhaps it was not yet time and left the questions behind.
Last Friday morning, September 17, I was checking my Facebook account when I saw Jaymie's wall post that the TBR Dream Marathon reservation was open. Suddenly the 2 questions came rushing back like a flash flood in my mind. I read through The Bull Runner's announcement and the 15 reasons why I should join the TBR Dream Marathon not just once but 3 times.
I think I can do this! This started as a small voice in my head which slowly but surely started to get louder and louder until I cannot take it no more. I clicked the Reserve For TBR Dream Marathon 2011 link, filled up the form as fast as I can and clicked submit. I immediately whipped out my mobile phone and sent an SMS to Carrie and told her, "I made the leap. I registered in the TBR Dream Marathon!"
The next 24 hours were mostly focused on one thing, clicking the refresh button in my browser waiting for the latest update from The Bull Runner!
Saturday, September 18, in the middle of lunch at the Alabang Town Center, I whipped out my mobile phone, opened Opera Mobile and checked thebullrunner.com (ah, the wonders of mobile technology). I immediately told Carrie, there was a new post and it was about the reserved runner list, what I had been waiting for for the past 24 hours. The next 5 minutes were pure agony due to the horrendous speed of my mobile connection (GPRS-like speed in an EDGE connection!). Voila, the PDF file opened! Immediately realizing that the list was alphabetically arranged, I immediately scrolled to C to check if I was included.
The rest I should say was history and I gave a high five to Carrie!
I understand that this is just half of the process. I still need to go to the official registration. But boy, this is just the reservation process and I already experienced this kind of excitement! What more during the training and the race itself on March 20, 2011!
To my future TBR Dream Marathon 2011 co-participants, here's to us for making that leap of faith, for being unafraid in going out of our comfort zones and for dreaming and believing in ourselves that we can do this! To Jaymie, many thanks for giving us this huge opportunity and privilege! Kudos to you and your team.
Now time to put on that running shoes and start training! =)
Frankly, doubts started to creep in my mind and I thought, perhaps it was not yet time. I'll enjoy first half-mary races next year and then start preparing for a full mary around 3rd or 4th quarter.
And then I saw another update from The Bull Runner last September 9. I again asked the same 2 questions, am I ready? Can I already make that leap of faith? After thinking about it again for a day, I still came with the same conclusion, perhaps it was not yet time and left the questions behind.
Last Friday morning, September 17, I was checking my Facebook account when I saw Jaymie's wall post that the TBR Dream Marathon reservation was open. Suddenly the 2 questions came rushing back like a flash flood in my mind. I read through The Bull Runner's announcement and the 15 reasons why I should join the TBR Dream Marathon not just once but 3 times.
I think I can do this! This started as a small voice in my head which slowly but surely started to get louder and louder until I cannot take it no more. I clicked the Reserve For TBR Dream Marathon 2011 link, filled up the form as fast as I can and clicked submit. I immediately whipped out my mobile phone and sent an SMS to Carrie and told her, "I made the leap. I registered in the TBR Dream Marathon!"
The next 24 hours were mostly focused on one thing, clicking the refresh button in my browser waiting for the latest update from The Bull Runner!
Saturday, September 18, in the middle of lunch at the Alabang Town Center, I whipped out my mobile phone, opened Opera Mobile and checked thebullrunner.com (ah, the wonders of mobile technology). I immediately told Carrie, there was a new post and it was about the reserved runner list, what I had been waiting for for the past 24 hours. The next 5 minutes were pure agony due to the horrendous speed of my mobile connection (GPRS-like speed in an EDGE connection!). Voila, the PDF file opened! Immediately realizing that the list was alphabetically arranged, I immediately scrolled to C to check if I was included.
The rest I should say was history and I gave a high five to Carrie!
I understand that this is just half of the process. I still need to go to the official registration. But boy, this is just the reservation process and I already experienced this kind of excitement! What more during the training and the race itself on March 20, 2011!
To my future TBR Dream Marathon 2011 co-participants, here's to us for making that leap of faith, for being unafraid in going out of our comfort zones and for dreaming and believing in ourselves that we can do this! To Jaymie, many thanks for giving us this huge opportunity and privilege! Kudos to you and your team.
Now time to put on that running shoes and start training! =)
Din: Zen Moment
Multi-tasking is the rule in my line of work. Our moniker here is "wearing several hats." Even outside work this is still the case. For example, I check my emails, check my Facebook account, visit my favorite mailing lists, all at the same time. Most often than not, I have at least 10 tabs open in my browser.
I reckon for you my kind readers, this is also the norm rather than the exception.
This is the reason why I am drawn to running. It is a respite to the chaotic and frantic world brought about by multi-tasking. It is the only activity that forces me to focus on only one task, that is to run.
How good is that!
It forces my mind to go into what I call a Zen moment, when body and mind are one and working in unison. The physical component where I constantly check the status of my legs, knees, muscles, breathing and heart rate. The psychological component where I decide if I slow down or go faster. These two are directly intertwined that the output from one serves as the input for the other.
In a world full of Blackberry's chirping for the latest email, back to back 2-hour meetings, nightly conference calls with foreign counterparts, running is like an oasis in the middle of an unforgiving desert.
These were actually the same thoughts I shared to friends when we had our belated get-together lunch. I was using these metaphors to explain why I am "addicted" to running.
These were also the answers I recently got to the same question I asked myself way way back. Actually, my gut tells me that I already knew the answer and leave it like that but my curious logical / rational self always, always would like to objectify any unexplained experiences that I am going through.
And now that the answers were "crystal clear," I was able to "ran like there was no tomorrow" during the Fort Striders Run were I joined the 16K race. I did not win any prizes though even if I ran like crazy. In fact, I only posted a decent time and was just at the top 60%. Then why I am so proud?
Let me share you this Zen story:
I reckon for you my kind readers, this is also the norm rather than the exception.
This is the reason why I am drawn to running. It is a respite to the chaotic and frantic world brought about by multi-tasking. It is the only activity that forces me to focus on only one task, that is to run.
How good is that!
It forces my mind to go into what I call a Zen moment, when body and mind are one and working in unison. The physical component where I constantly check the status of my legs, knees, muscles, breathing and heart rate. The psychological component where I decide if I slow down or go faster. These two are directly intertwined that the output from one serves as the input for the other.
In a world full of Blackberry's chirping for the latest email, back to back 2-hour meetings, nightly conference calls with foreign counterparts, running is like an oasis in the middle of an unforgiving desert.
These were actually the same thoughts I shared to friends when we had our belated get-together lunch. I was using these metaphors to explain why I am "addicted" to running.
These were also the answers I recently got to the same question I asked myself way way back. Actually, my gut tells me that I already knew the answer and leave it like that but my curious logical / rational self always, always would like to objectify any unexplained experiences that I am going through.
And now that the answers were "crystal clear," I was able to "ran like there was no tomorrow" during the Fort Striders Run were I joined the 16K race. I did not win any prizes though even if I ran like crazy. In fact, I only posted a decent time and was just at the top 60%. Then why I am so proud?
Let me share you this Zen story:
Once upon a time in ancient Japan, a young man was studying martial arts under a famous teacher. Every day the young man would practice in a courtyard along with the other students. One day, as the master watched, he could see that the other students were consistently interfering with the young man's technique. Sensing the student's frustration, the master approached the student and tapped him on the shoulder. "What is wrong?" inquired the teacher. "I cannot execute my technique and I do not understand why," replied the student. "This is because you do not understand harmony. Please follow me," said the master. Leaving the practice hall, the master and student walked a short distance into the woods until they came upon a stream. After standing silently beside the streambed for a few minutes, the master spoke. "Look at the water," he instructed. "It does not slam into the rocks and stop out of frustration, but instead flows around them and continues down the stream. Become like the water and you will understand harmony."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)