i have to go back to blogging and running, regularly.

ever since i went here, i kind fell under some sort of blog hiatus, and honestly, my running as well. i think that it's because i don't have work (yet!) so there's no routine for me to look forward to.

my typical weekday goes something like this:

• wake up at 8/9am
• check mail, facebook, twitter, multiply, fridae, etc
• log-in to YM
• maybe run or swim
• lunch
• errands or job application-related stuff
• gym
• dinner
• catch up on TV series or read books
• sleep

so, now... i'm finalizing the things for my life here. details to surface in this blog soon 'cause i don't want to jinx anything.

i'm looking forward to running in the Nike+ Human Race 2009 this 25th of october.

running: quote from gatorade

You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face.

-Gatorade Ad

Now, if only i'm as sexy as him while wiping my sweat. Noh?

route map for kenny's urbanite run!

after a loooooooooong wait, and three (3) delays, the kenny's urbanite run routes are now live!

download the route/s below:

• for 15km runners
• for 10km runners
• for 5km runners

thankfully, the 15k route isn't paikot-ikot which can be mentally tiring. there are steep ascends/descends at the 11km point. see map below. that's the mckinly hill part for those who're not familiar.

remember, you still have until august 11 (that's tomorrow!) to register for the urbanite run. for 600php, you can eat a meal from kenny's, run on aug 15 and donate to charity.

see you on saturday night on Urbanite!

my run on 10-aug-2009

still wearing my lunar glides. third run ever since.

there's a slight pain in the soles of my feet, maybe due to my sudden increase of mileage last saturday. it was gone after the warm-up and stretching after 2plus kms. i tightened my laces too.

for runners out there, how tight do you tie your laces? do share your thoughts below.

nike lunar glide review and my practice run on 08-aug-2009

i bought the nike lunar glides a few of days ago, where after two days of rain, i just had to break my new kicks. but that wasn't as fulfilling as running earlier today. i had my practice run for my kenny rogers urbanite run for 15kms, and "officially" breaking my nike lunar glides. is there an official/non-official session to break a shoe?

anyway, here it goes.

experience. i ran from home, then criss-crossing legaspi village. after the reaching makati ave, i i entered the ayala center then off to the overpass of ayala to mckinley road. that was already a good 9kms, fyi. mckinley road is another strip of around 2-kms, where i turned right after reaching lawton ave/5th ave. from there i went to mckinley hill then went back to mckinley road to finish my 15km run.

i felt some discomfort at the start, but after a 2km warm-up, i tightened my laces. it felt better afterwards.

pros.

• i learned to love its techno blue-violet/stabilobos neon yellow green/medium gray color combo
• i love the soft-bouncy ride when i'm running on asphalt
• when i'm concrete, i feel i'm more cushioned compared to my air span+ 5. though i think the vomero does offer me the same cushion too.
• i think i can run faster with this pair

cons.

• just like my nike air span+ 5, i felt a blister developing in my left foot's arch near the ball of my foot. so this means i'm putting a few band aids in both areas of my left and right sole for protection. i might as well wrap a few toes too to avoid discomfort in the coming runs/races.
• i feel some heat building up at the balls of my foot. i think there's some friction going on during my run.
• i

there you go. i'll be posting more thoughts on my running over the next few days that i'm using this shoe.

just like run radio's slogan, "rock and run!". be their fan on FB.

excited for september and my run on 06-aug-2009

as of writing, it's exactly 26 days, 15 hours, 54 minutes and 57 seconds 'till I leave for the Lion City!

Sentosa, Vivo city, Orchard, Bugis, Novena, Botanical Gardens.... and many more, here I come!!!

and actually, two things made fueled my excitement today.

1. i bought a pair of lunar glides (finally!) just in time for Kenny Roger's Urbanite Run. the rains made is extra difficult for Manila-based runners to run out in the open. but i just had to break my new pair of kicks, so i went to the gym and did a 7.9km run using the treadmill.

here's mr lunar glides for everyone to see.

for those who haven't registered yet, you have until august 11. but hey i seriously ask you to register asap since the race has limited slots. 3,000 runners only, i think.

2. since i'm leaving for Singapore, i just had to race there! i registered the Mizuno Wave Run 2009. there's only one distance, which is the 10-miler or about 16kms. the race will be on sept 13, 2009 and will be held at nanyang polytechnic center, about 3 train stations away from our place.

i choked when i saw the registration fee. SG$ 45.00!!! yikes! that's roughly 1,500 php. the race pack includes a singlet, a racing chip that's high-technically embedded in the racing bib and a mizuno bag!!! i guess that's quite okay given the steep registration fee.

but hey, if i won't be there to do the SG Marathon on dec 6, i might as well grab this opportunity. a big shout-out to @outednarnian who has registered for this and @jamiedavinci who's contemplating on doing this. i hope i'll join you guys for 21k.

that's it for now! i'll be doing my practice (note: loooong) run for my kenny's 15K run about a week from now on saturday. and of course, using mr lunar glides. i'll review the experience after.

P.S. @outednarnian, sama ka na sa saturday! we'll run from the fort to makati and back. then let's chow at salcedo market after. let's text @misterheuge to join us.

my run on 02-aug-2009

'twas my first time running in UP diliman, where i ran around 7K with the boys!!! and i'm so happy to run with them.

we're calling ourselves RAINBOW RUNNERS!

'twas my first time to run with @misterheuge, @jamiedavinci, @outednarnian, @theo0629, @jaybeecc and @jcfontsize. @thelettere didn't run though, as he had to study for his classes. moral support for his misterheuge na lang. how sweet!

we then grab quick bite at mcdo at eastwood mall. i just had to reward myself with a quarter pounder, twister fries and a blue sprite float. we caught the orphan afterwards. a psycho woman who's actually 33 y/o in a body of a 9 y/o girl as she has hypo-thyrodism. hope i got that right. finally, we had froyo at red mango. masarap pala the frozen yogurt as i had it with blueberries and peaches. double yum!

and it was my first time at eastwood mall. ang ganda dun!

my run on 31-jul-2009

i ran for about 7-8km earlier around legaspi village here in makati. then yesterday, i had a quick run at the gym before and after the body pump class.

i have to go somewhere, so catch you next time.

i'll review the new nike plus website, gonna blog about the our group run at UP, and then some.

oh yes, i'm back on track.

yep. i ran 5k. then i'm planning to run at the treadmill tomorrow.

then maybe thursday with outednarnian at the fort. :-)

will log my miles soon too!

for the meantime:

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."

a thought from Steve Prefontaine -- a long-distance and track 'n field runner.

you know you're a runner when...

I'm still on my running hiatus. Though i'm slowly gaining my momentum by doing yoga and body jam. I'm avoiding the landing on the ball of my left foot too! I'm gonna do RPM/Cycling classes by tomorrow, as well as going back to my usual body pump.

Got this from About Running.COM, You Know You're a Runner When... Enjoy!

Runners definitely share special bonds and sometimes have traits, habits, or idiosyncrasies that only other runners can understand. If you're a runner, you may be able to relate to or appreciate some of these descriptions. You know you're a runner when….

• you have dreams about showing up to a race late or not wearing any clothes.
• you've used an old race T-shirt to wash your car, dust furniture, or clean something else.(yes! i use my running tees for errands, or going home from the gym. i use my singlets at the gym too, or running days na 'di dapat porma...)
• you know where exactly one mile from your front door is (in any direction). (i do! from house to don bosco church in makati is 1km)
• your only recent photos of you alone are race photos. (my profile photos in social network sites do!)
• you're not embarrassed to wear spandex. (and short shorts!)
• you're always hungry.(this is a given.)
• you no longer hate port-a-johns. In fact, you can think of a few times when you've been very happy to see one. (not really. hehe will use this only at running events...)

looking forward to the week after next! i'm gonna start running again!

oh-em-gee. it's out. nike lunar glide+ will you be mine?

i visited nike at boni high street earlier, and guess who (technically, what) i saw!?!?

theeeeeeee one, and theeeeeee only---- mister lunar glides+!!! (let us call him LG for short. gossip girl na gossip girl.)

tada!

photo credits to: vimamm.multiply.com

saw the tag!!! it's at 5,495php!!! 500bucks cheaper than what i originally thought it was going to be. it's available only at nike park glorietta 4 and at the flagship store at bonifacio high street. the nice (cute too!) sales guy told me they have only a total of 24 pairs in their store, a combination of men's and women's sizes. ka-looooowka! what will i do? where will i score 5-kyaw for this? huhuhu oh benefactor, where art thou? i will practically do anything (well, not everything) to get my hands on this pair. ha-haaaaay...

sana the heavens will heed my call. pramis, last na toh.

afterwards, met up blogger-runners mr @theo0629 (finally!) with @jamiedavinci and @outednarnian, and bloggers @mcvie and @misterheuge, at coffee bean and tea leaf. i had fun. i really enjoyed the night. thanks for the company!

p.s. theo0629, jamiedavinci and outednarnian don't forget. it's a date on aug15, at kenny's urbanite run ha.

half-crazy.

yep,'m half-crazy now... on the brink of going crazy for working at home, and for three days (and counting) without gym or running. yep, i'm losing my marbles by just staring at my email, multiply, blogger, ym and facebook, and other what-have-yous by the internet. i'm really an extrovert.

i hope to report to the office tomorrow and go back to the gym pretty soon. so injury please, please heal soon.

it'll be 2 more weeks and 4 days till i can run again, my doctor says so.

oh, here's another running quote from joan benoit "Love yourself, for who and what you are; protect your dream and develop your talent to the fullest extent."

meantime, don't forget, there's a kenny roger's urbanite run on aug15 at 8PM at fort bonifacio. it's something new for the running community who's always waking up before the sun rises to join the races. i hope the ground won't be hot for this one. and to those asking --yep, the dynamic kenny roger's duo marc and rovilson will be joining the run.

Thanks to Jinoe (Takbo.PH) for the image.

i can't run for two-three weeks...

as i had a minor out-patient surgery earlier.

Yes, i CANNOT run or else blood will be all over the insides of my shoes and my socks drenched in red. That only means i'm not doing the Globe Run for Home, although I registered last Friday only to get the singlet and see how an RFID chip looks like.

That's two-three weeks without exercise. Not even body jam or body pump. And will only mean i'm gonna gain weight.

I wanted to share some photos of my wound, but i don't have any digital camera with me. My phone's cam is also busted.

Meantime, it's work at home!!! Yay!

And for the meantime, i'm sharing running quotes from Runner's World being emailed to me daily...

"As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are."

-Joan Benoit Samuelson

see a chat from Runner's World here

read up on Joan from Wikipedia here

my run on 23-jun-2009

i wasn't able to find my nike+ receiver for my ipod. i rummaged through my things but still, i didn't find it.

i added another kilometer to my usual route. runner's world says it's 7.5kilometers which i finished in about 40-45 minutes.

oh, one more thing, i feel that burning sensation in my forefoot. is that friction from my feet to my shoe's soles?

hmmmmmm....

my run on 20-jun-2009

i just couldn't resist running w/ my new baby.

i had to break in even though i had only a few hours of sleep.

calves feel sore now. i fell asleep after having my breakfast.

my run on 11-jun-2009 and 15-jun-2009

i forgot to post this. again. hmmmmm....

and earlier, i did an easy run. as dictated by the 21-K training manual from runnersworld.com. but my nike+ receiver just had to be uncooperative.

here's my training for weeks 1 to 4.

on running: sunscreens/sunblocks are for running too!

i discovered tan lines on my legs after Sunday's Mizuno Time Trials similar to the photo below. the run was between 5:30am and 7am, so even that early runners are prone to sunburn.

ack! may ika-iitim pa pala ako? haha

and so, you'll find a few resources below on running outdoors and protecting your skin. this is good especially for those who do long-runs.

tips on protecting your skin the sun:

Runners spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun, so it's important that we take steps to protect our skin from sun exposure. Follow these tips to protect your skin from the sun when running outdoors:

• Choose the right sunscreen. Use a waterproof sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 15 and offers broad spectrum protection, which means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Stick formulations are good for runners' faces because the sunscreen won't run into your eyes.
• Run early or late. Try to avoid running between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's intensity is at its greatest. If you must train during those hours, try to stick to shady roads or trails.
• Wear a hat with a brim. A hat will give your face extra protection. (Although you'll still need sunscreen on your face.) It will also help absorb sweat, so the sunscreen doesn't run into your eyes.
• Put on your sunscreen ahead of time. Slather on your sunscreen at least 20 minutes before you head out for your run. Your skin needs time to absorb the lotion.
• Don't skip sunscreen for short runs. You can get a sunburn in as little as 15 minutes, so don't think doing a short run means you don't need sunscreen.
• Reapply after two hours. Sunscreen starts to lose effectiveness at about the two-hour mark, or even sooner if you're sweating heavily, so you'll need to reapply if you're doing a long run or race. Carry a small tube of sunscreen or a one-use, wipe sunscreen in your pocket, so that you can reapply it to your face, neck and arms as you run.
• Put on sunscreen before getting dressed. Make sure you cover areas of your body that you assume may be protected. Some summer running clothes are made of mesh or very thin fabric, so they might not provide protection from the sun's rays. Also, your clothes move when you run (or, if you get hot, you may choose to take off some clothes, like your shirt). So it's best to make sure you're fully covered with sunscreen.
• Wear shades. A good pair of UV-blocking running sunglasses give your face more protection and also help protect your eyes from the sun's damaging rays.

i'm 148th out of 858!

yay!

i'm 148th!

and so the back (and LEG!!!) pains i'm having now

and the gashes i found after taking a bath,

ARE ALL WORTH IT!

SEE YOU ON JAN 10, 2010!

my mizuno infinity run 7-jun-2009

man, that was good! that's all i can say.

i thought i couldn't do it. i thought i'd give up after 10kilometers on my feet. i thought my shins would act up. but hey, i'm here and blogging about how i finished my 15K! :-)

my mind's in a ramble now. i'm directly writing what i'm thinking. so please pardon the lack of cohesiveness of my thoughts.

i actually started strong. but my thighs started to give up halfway through the race. i should take the thigh-track in body pump seriously now. i passed by senator pia cayetano at the start of the race. i tried to conserve the water in my belt by drinking at the water stations.i was so happy to see a gatorade station in front of rcbc tower in buendia. just as we were crossing south super highway, i zoomed passed coach rio who's pacing with big tycoon zobel de ayala. (i noticed he was wearing the nike vomero's that i really, really wanted. hey, it's loose change for him. hihi). after the turnaround point at bautista-buendia makati, they picked up their pace and passed by me. nyek. i thought it was my time to beat them. a little bit more i noticed ms tessa prieto valdez too! a little further, joining the 10km category, i saw miss jaja and cheza. no more familiar faces after that. but there was a big smile on my face. i was just really happy that i was on my way back.

i was around the 9th-km mark when i took an energy gel from my hydration belt. i hope it did help me in the ascend at the buendia flyover. and oh, before the run i took an energy gel, mixed with water for faster absorption (thanks for the tip, jojo!) and before i went to boni high street, i popped a couple of enervon-c capsulets and a couple of advils.

i finally saw the finish line! i just started to dash my way while shouting with joy! my time, based on what i saw, was one hour and twenty-three minutes (to be confirmed).

highlights:

• seeing up-close the billboard of RnB Prince, JR, along EDSA with nothing but jacket and briefs. eeep! i was on my way back when i glanced at it quite longer than the usual glance. kahiya, lumalabas tuloy.
• finally having a photo-op session after the race. thanks to cheza and ryan. we were posing at the finish line, behind the mizuno board, etc. i never had any race picture taken. maybe because i'm always alone in these running events. i will have to ask the photos from cheza and upload 'em here in a separate post.
• someone at the gym recognized me and asked if i was the owner of this blog. oh wow! thank you again, i was really stupid not to ask for your name, fellow runner and gym-mate. i was actually quite surprised that you recognized me. thanks again! and do drop a comment here.

boo-hoos:

• my nike+ kit zonked out. my ipod was working. it was more of the receiver acting up. hey! i thought that the mercury retrograde was over!

props to Narnian who also finished his first 15K earlier. i'm faster than you dude-pare-tsong-bro!

before i forget, a big shout-out to Him for blessing me with good health, supportive family and friends and a thumbs-up financial backing to get the gear that i need (sana gear that i want too!).

what's a great reward for a runner who's done a great run?

more running gear! i bought a no-show elite running cushioned socks after mass! yay! cheers to running!

oh vomero's, i'm looking at you now. you're my next target!

my run on 4-june-2009 and u.s. national running day

Ran earlier but the super-duper heavy rains caught me. I was warming up from World Trade Center in Buendia to the CCP Complex, when suddenly the heavens poured itself upon us. Too bad, I was planning to run, EVEN if it still rains. Man, the rain drops were so big. All of the other runners took shelter at the CCP main theather driveway.

When it trickled down a bit, around 15 minutes later, I continued my run to and made a U-turn at Quirino. Ran all the way back to Macapagal Highway and ended the run at Seaside.

I feel I'm not ready for the 2009 Infinity Run's 15K.

Meanwhile... See article from Running at About.COM.

Run! It's National Running Day!

Today is the inaugural National Running Day in the U.S., and I've talked to lots of runners -- from beginners to veterans -- who are planning on running today (many of them would be running whether it was National Running Day or not!) There are lots of organized runs happening today all over the country. If you can't join in one of those, try to get out on the roads, track, trails, or treadmill for a mile or two and think about all the great reasons to run.