Author: Toto Manie

Pinoy Fitness LSD @ The Fort, Aug 12, 2012

After the habagat crushed the center and northern part of the country, many of the fun runs were cancelled. Pinoy Fitness organized an LSD (Long Slow Distance) run at The Fort last August 12. I joined the 20K, 7min/km pace group. This is the first time I joined a group run because I’m contented of just having my training alone. It was fun. I met a lot of runners which I only knew from the web. We shared drinks and snacks. But the most exciting part was, It was not a LSD after all because after a few kilometers, we got excited and ran as fast as 5min/km leaving our pacer behind. The target finish time which was 2 hours and 20 min became 1 hour and 40min. We called that LFD or Long Fast Distance run. And LSD became a tempo run. Fun!


The 20K runners

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The supposed 20K 7min/Km group that turned out as 20K 5min/Km.

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Cooling down. Stretch to the limit.

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The runners and the pacers.

2 Earth Runs In 2 Weekends Sharing My Best PR

It’s not coincidence because it happened exactly 1 week apart. But what’s common between this 2 consecutive weekend earth runs is that, I completed both of it at a record of exactly 1 hour, 50 minutes and 22 seconds (chip time). I’m talking about the Solar Earth Run last April 15 and the NatGeo Earth Run last April 22, 2012. That’s amazing.

I got my personal (10K) best during the Solar Earth Run and after a week, I wanted to break it during the NatGeo Earth Run. I started strong. I refused to look at my watch because I don’t wanna be distracted. I was confident on my pacing. I felt faster than the week before. Maybe a hundred meters from the finish line, I saw the clock and it was already 1:51… I was surprise. I still have the strength and if I only new it on the last 2Km, I should have pushed for it more. Too late for me to catch up with remaining distance. I was a bit disappointed but my goal is always to finish a race strong. I’m happy with it.

When the result was published, my chip time clocked exactly the same. That made me happier. I may not have beaten my PR that moment but I was able to achieve a rare experience I think one in a million runner could luckily achieve.

Earth Run 2012 — A PR Validated by Rest

I think rest made this possible. I beat my PR for 21K at the recently concluded Earth Run 2012 held on April 15 at BGC. I finished at 1:50:22 (chip time). That’s 7 minutes faster than my previous record at the Condura Skyway Marathon last February.

I felt my feet were tired during Holy Week, but I still ran a steep 10K all-uphill/downhill road in Tagaytay and played some street soccer as well. The following week, I decided to reduce my workout. On the dawn of Thursday, April 12 — 3 days before the race — I experienced a cramp during my sleep. It was weird because I had never experienced cramps before. That was the first time, and it happened while I was sleeping. The next day I felt some sore muscles on that area of my left calf, so I decided to cancel my short morning runs up until race day.

I was late to start because I went to the restroom three times before the gun start. It’s not wise to drink 500ml of water straight an hour before the race. That made me start without even having a warm-up. I just paused several times in the first kilometer to do some quick stretches. But in spite of it all, I felt strong and my legs felt fresh — the Buendia flyover felt just like a flat road, back and forth.

I know the importance of rest during training, but this experience is a strong and quick validation of it. This week, I just ran 30 minutes on Tuesday. On the dawn of Thursday, I felt a little cramp in that same muscle again. I don’t know what’s causing it. I played 2 hours of indoor soccer that night, and that’s it for the week. I’m ready for another run — this time for NatGeo this Sunday — and I hope to finish strong again, below 1:50, to set another 21K record.

2 Earth Runs In 2 Weekends

Earth Run – April 15, 2012

I’m glad I was able to have the chance to join the Earth Run happening this Sunday, April 15. I forgot about the registration and when I realized, it was already late and the registration was already close. I posted my phone number at pinoyfitness.com and luckily got a text message yesterday from one runner who would not be able to attend so he was selling his race kit. So I got in even though my name is not really on the official list.

I’m looking forward to adding this medal on my collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(images courtesy of pinoyfitness.com)

I’m sure this will be a good race. The registration is very affordable. Only Php 350.00 for both 16 and 21K.  The benefits will go to the Greenpeace Organization.

NatGeo Earth Day Run 2012: This Is Who We Are – April 22, 2012

Last year I also joined in this event. That was only my 2nd fun run. I joined the 10K category then. This year I registered at 21K. This is the first time I registered online for a running event and I’m expecting my race kit to arrive after 5 working days.

Nike+ Sportsband Is Pissing Me Off!

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I’m still saving up for my first ever expensive GPS running watch or computer. Will it be Garmin, Soleus, Timex… I don’t yet. So for now, I’m contended with my Nike+ Sportsband to track my training and at least keep my running records online. But this year, I lost more than a hundred kilometers because Nike+ Connect couldn’t detect the device when connected to the USB port of my computer.

I’m starting to question the quality of this Nike product. This is my third unit. The first Nike+ Sportsband I purchase August of last year was replace because of accuracy issue. It cannot measure distances longer than 8Km so I have to bring it back to the store and have it replaced. Good thing Nike Women in Trinoma is very accommodating about this.

The new unit also didn’t last though. Last November, one LED segment shut down. It wasn’t a big deal until last month (March), Nike+ Connect could no longer detect it when plugged on my USB port. I wasn’t able to record my 21K run for DZMM’s Takbo Para Sa Karunungan and some other training at that time.I rushed back to Nike Women in Trinoma and with those two reasons, it was again easily replaced.

Yesterday, after few days of training including a great uphill and downhill run in Tagaytay during the holy week, I tried to sync my runs again but surprised that Nike+ Connect again cannot detect my device. After all the rebooting, resetting, re-installing the software both on my Mac desktop and Windows laptop, I didn’t get any good result. I emailed Nike and I received a generic reply. The same reply I received hen I first complained about this a month ago.  I’m still waiting for their response for my follow up email.

There are lots of problem in my mind right now. Is the quality of this China-made Nike products really are sub-standard? Is no the time that I should really get one of those expensive GPS watches? I know it is but I still don’t have the money. Will I settle to another Nike product, the GPS sportswatch which is cheaper but also of the same questionable quality/reliability? Or will the people from Nike Women in Trinoma will still be that kind to replace my device so easily this time?

What Is Special About Running?

Going the distance like no ordinary men can do with just their foot is something special. That is one thing I love about running. I feel a different kind of fulfillment. I feel I’m not ordinary.

I didn’t excel much academically. The only award I got from grade school was “Excelled In Service To The Community” because I was an altar boy. In high school, I was given the “Loyalty Award.” I didn’t have any medals or certificates to prove academic excellence. All I have are jerseys and folk dance costumes to show that I was well into extracurricular activities during grade school and high school. I was a member of the football varsity team and I’m with the folk dance and interpretative dance troupe that represented our school in various municipal and provincial meets. A have a chance to play a little baseball and volleyball. I’m pretty good in many ball games I may say. Those I may say are my good foundation as an athlete.

I started running in September 2010. My first fun run was Takbo Para Sa Karunungan in March 2011. Come August when I first run my first half marathon and in November I completed my first Afroman distance of 32K. The year-end with me collecting 1 Medal in a 15K event, 3 in half marathon, 1 fourth place in a 10K event, and 1 21K ridge run.

Life has changed when I started running. I don’t enjoy drinking as I used before. Running became a lifestyle. Running made me more than just ordinary.