HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 i heard.

“i will do my best.”

“do your best? losers always whine about doing their best. winners go home and f— the prom queen.”

once again, i am sharing with you a poem that i learned to memorize 26 long years ago. it has provided me the inspiration especially when the running gets tough and rough.

 

Don’t Quit

 

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow -
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor’s cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt -
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit -
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.

 

remember that if you’re not first-you’re last.

with this in mind, i wish that all of us come out winners in every race we run and for that matter, in all our dreams and aspirations,however humble.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

the one thing i love about my first christmas day run

national swan boat rowing team

i did a christmas day runabout in baguio. it was not cold as i expected it to be but nonetheless,still a welcome respite from the usual manila weather.

i had a pre-planned route in mind with no idea how long it was.but as you know,even the best-laid plans….

i started at around 6:45am near the vicinity of athletic bowl,up session road after crossing harrison.then turned to the cathedral after peaking near sm baguio.went down leonard wood road past teacher’s camp.botanical garden,gibraltar road,mines view park,mansion house,baguio country club,club john hay,convention center/u.p. then athletic bowl.

let the pictures do the talking.

early birds get space at the park

 

training for triathlon

 

national aerobics team

 

u.k./ wagwagan/ 2nd hand/ surplus/thrift shops capital

 

session road sans traffic

 

henry sy does business here.and that is a concrete pine tree.a reminder that baguio is running out of real pine trees,they had to put up a fake.

 

baguio cathedral

 

 

haunted white house along leonard wood road

 

 

near saint joseph/pacdal circle.ambuclao tickled my feet but it was out of the plan.this time.

 

be careful when passing gibraltar road.fresh horse crap litter the road.it is patintero for about a kilometer.crap mine.

 

mines view park. no more mines to view.squatters' rooftops,yes.

 

pool fronting mansion house.perfect for holding hands while walking under a full moon.

 

mansion house

 

i SURE did!

 

baguio country club golf course.golfing heaven.can't afford.

 

one of many uphills at club john hay

 

i should be doing this on this day.and to think i was rotting while climbing up a steep and endless flight of stairs.

 

                                    Baguio Convention Center

 

U.P. Baguio

 

athletic bowl.good thing the grasses were cut.at least,it was good for running this time.did my cool down laps here.

 

by this time, burnham park was beginning to get full with tourists.

 

the lake is alive with swans

 

ahhh,before i forget.the one thing i love about my first christmas run are the smiles i got in return from every stranger i greeted “merry christmas” and met on this road run.

i wish everyday was christmas day.i would not mind running this far and this long if only to meet and see new and happy faces with smiles plastered on them.

john lennon would have been happy to see this day.peaceful.

noche buena burn run done! 18.5k in 2:30 and change.

the last hurrah

the season-ending road race came today.my 32nd for the year since the pia10 last 09mar2008.time,indeed,runs fast.

and it brought the runners all the way to montalban,rizal for a 3,5,10 and 21k run.the “takbo sa kabundukan” was a misnomer.except for a couple of manageable inclines,the route was generally flat.the imposing mountain at the turnaround was a view to a kill as it cast its refreshing shadows that shielded us as soon as the sun started to rise.

we met at c5 around 4am and in a convoy of 6 cars,the Team Bald Runner juggernaut headed for montalban.at first,i personally had apprehensions because the organizer mentioned about a turnaround at wawa dam.i thought i needed trail shoes but it was not to be.

arriving at san jose oval around 5am,we were greeted by a cool weather and a fairly large crowd of runners.surprisingly,i saw a lot of manila-based clubs although i believe,there were only a handful of running bloggers who went all the way up here.

same peeps almost milo,new race.from left-lester,markfb,me,arman,philip,sir jovie,nico and george before the race start

 after the pre-race preps and talks from the organizers,we were off and running.we ran the whole stretch of main road of montalban towards the san mateo boundary where we had our 1st u turn.after that,we made our way back to the town proper and side streets.it was nice to see the folks who and stray dogs which were obviously not used to seeing runners in throngs early in the morning that many were in the streets and greeted us.we  felt like celebrities for once.

when i finally approached the 1st incline,i prepared for more but fortunately,that was not to be the case.it was the ONLY incline.thankfully,doable by any dude.and so we took the route all the way to wawa dam still with many folks up and greeting every runner.

one fear came to be.the lack of water stations and if there was a supply,it smelled like crap.i did not bother to taste it and instead used it to wet my head.might as well make the most out of what is on hand.the sun was rising and the roads were starting to choke with tricycles,jeepneys and dumptrucks on the way to wawa and back.

but thank god for br’s support crew and the initiative of my fellow runners to bring hydration belts,dehydration would not come upon me.thanks peeps,bless you.

TmBR support at work.water,gatorade,propel,bananas were handed out each time along the way by these hands.and these are the people in the neighborhood-happy people.on the way to wawa.

 as we made our way back to san jose oval where the finish would be,the sun kept rising,vehicle volume kept increasing and that meant playing hardball running,i ran in the middle of the road all the way back.i just savored the moment with dust and smoke blowing in the wind.i did not mind,it was the last hurrah for the year.

at the race end, it was TmBR that was triumphant in almost all elite categories.congratulations guys and girls.btw, the race was a real half measured on garmin.

winners circle.i hope their winning ways rub on us.good times.

in retrospect,i am sure now that the ultra speed drills have helped me become a real if not good runner.this my 4th straight race that i broke my pr in 4 different race distances in 4 consecutive sundays.the last 4 wherein i started my speed drills beforehand.1st ,there was milo42( crappy 5:43 to 4:32), yakult16(1:29 to 1:24:04), upictus10(52:09-48:37) and montalban21(2:04 to 1:47:30). by no means world-class but a sense of satisfaction has drowned me.it is like having my first kiss.

21k.mission accomplished.

the best thing to come out of this training so far is the realization that i can do better and more beyond even my wildest dreams.for fear of an injury, i dreaded going beyond my comfort zone.whereas before when i thought my gas tank would only last that much.this time,i have gained some measure of confidence.i have somewhat stretch my limits beyond sight.to dream may be foolhardy but drills can make the dreams come true.for me,running is a such discipline.it is such an exact science that measures the runner in you.

please forgive my exhilaration that i can almost see myself jumping on a couch ala-tom cruise but today was kick ass times. it was my coach’s ass today.take a bow, your lessons as doing me well coach! i don’t mind seeing you even in my sleep.

tomorrow is recovery run at 70%.

coaches,bring it on.thank you for the good times.

talk and i shall listen.drill me,drill me some more and drill me good.

the best is yet to come.

inshallah.

let the good times run!

the short notice of the invitation to all runners by sir jovie on his blog site for a boodle fight at ultra after wednesday’s drills did not prevent me,drill classmates and the team baldrunner from attending and sharing bits and pieces of food,drinks and desserts.

boodle fight is actually a “hands-on” style of eating which i thoroughly enjoyed many times during my academy days.it is a “ritual” held during special occassions like  birthdays. or when a generous mistah is cadet mess officer of the day and would bring back to barracks extra viand for us to share however meager.or when a mistah would have a generous visitor,say a girlfirend or family who brought food.newspapers are laid on the bare floor of the hallway or even inside the confines of a bedroom.steamed rice and sardines are the usual fare which are mixed together then will be up for “grabs”. and when the host shouts “boodle fight” everybody partakes of the food while kneeling,standing or even on top of one another with bare hands. it would be bedlam at the very least.simple joys that bind the mistahs.

and so it was no different tonight.only this time,everything was laid out neatly on a table with banana leaves serving as the “plate”.steamed rice,pansit,pinakbet,lechon manok,sardines and barbeque were the table fare.plus cakes and puto with dinuguan, soda and mineral water on the side.the essence of a boodle fight was not lost inspite of the modest entrees.

the rest of the pyramid training for the night was cancelled as it was already 8 o’clock and tummies were starting to grumble.and if there was any time at all that we novice runners would at least be on equal footing and at par with TmBR’s elites,this night was to going to be it.No way was i allowing myself to be outrun by these dudes,not tonight!

br presiding over the table preparation.calm before the storm actually.

after br announced how the eating would go and having no need forthe spoons,fork and plates,everybody washed hands.philip led a short prayer and as soon as br announced boodle fight,it was fight.

the battle starts.all hands at work.

 

the battle rages on both ends of the table....

 

coach rio and his coaches dropped by to break bread with us.

 

coach salazar going at it.his hands are as fast the way he shouts out drill instructions.

rio,satur and mike embuedo still at it.

 

aftermath...

table is almost wiped out clean after 30 minutes of intense fighting.

after the eating proper which included “interval”eating(rest,take a breather then eat again)and some stretching exercises,the best part started.br had gifts for all attendees.we got bandanas,TmBR shirts and calendars.we did not have to break his milo42 time to get one after all.thank you sir!

as in every br shirt-giving.i could not contain my emotions.the man is generous beyond words.br and coach espejo are always only too happy to share.their laughs are proofs.

 

george's turn.philip in between.

lester's time.

 

philip getting his loot.

 

and jay gets his.happy anniversary buddy!

panalo!rio goes home a winner.

after the gift-giving and a donation of running shoes from mesh and the awarding of the 1000k club shirt to mesh(congrats mesh!),br gave a short talk and thank us all for sharing and pitching in.he also mentioned some of the team’s plans,programs and visions for the coming year.

br's short talk

 

1000k club's latest member,mesh

 

with my nephew, ilo.he brought special puto which had dinuguan inside.

 

ilo up close. he is not only my nephew but a friend,confidante,running buddy,drill classmate and an aspiring funny man.and future elite.that's kathy,dingdong and bards in the background.

 

the 2 wise running men sharing running talks with dingdong and bards

 

it was a pleasant sight to see the classmates and elites in non-running attire for once.i must say everyone looked good tonight.if only we can run in those cool outfits and still finish decently.

after br’s talk,everyone found someone to talk to and share what else but running tales and running plans and more running blah blahs.

too bad that we couldn’t hold time and since tomorrow was another working day,the night had to end.i assume everybody went home happy and full in the tummy.

team baldrunner and the drill students and host

this christmas season has certainly  made eating more fun.with all the training days and weekend races under our belts,it is but apt that we start gaining some of the lost pounds we dropped along the road.only to lose them next year.eat ,drink and be merry guys for tomorrow you shall run!

let the good times run.

and it only means one thing.drill classes will be held till wednesday next week at ultra.and for all the excess calories taken in tonight,there will be the montalban21 to burn them all come sunday.

DD D,the sexiest man, gets starstruck!

my 30th race for the year brings me to u.p. for the ictus10 run organized by afroman,rio.

together with the boys and regulars,we are greeted by a  nice december morning weather.

with wilbert before the start.(c/o vener)

rio or whoever was in charge of the race route,for whatever reasons,suddenly changed the route after just about 200 meters from the start.and so the frontrunners went their way not bothering to take the extra meters.and as i visualized the route handout,i knew that the course we were running was a deviation.no problem,it’s their race and we are like blind mice sniffing wherever the cheese leads us to.

at any rate,with my coach and classmates on hand,i had to do and practice what was thought in class or i quit going to class altogether.this was a hard exam before the holidays.

my dark plan was not to let sir jovie out of my sight.max out would be 100 meters in front of me.luckily,lester paced me for the first 5 kilometers.he stopped in the middle of nowhere mumbling some words that can only come out from someone who had drums of drinks the night before and who went home to bed at 3:30am sunday.

with my pacing buddy,lester in his new pro-fit tops.sweating out the alcohol from the night before.and my feet were off the ground! thanks for the pic vener(rununltd).

nonetheless, after my buddy stayed behind,i was left by myself and with no other choice,i repeatedly played in my mind and talked to myself about the lessons of the two wise running men.i did not mind that i was seeing these two dudes in front of me.

mercifully, sir jovie stayed in my line of sight at least within my max out.forget philip my friend,he was a loose cannon the moment the gun fired off.congrats buddy for doing another horse race.

as we neared the finish line where as you all know that all too familiar looooong flat stretch of u.p. leading to the end,i saw sir jovie and mustered all my remaining power but alas, he  breasted the line first.if for any consolation,i was able to overtake the guy in front of me in the last 10 meters.he, who was infront of me 99.9% of  the way.

i could still vividly see sir jovie’s reaction the moment i called him out at the finish chute.it is good he is fit enough that he did not suffer a heart attack from my ala-eat bulaga stance.i could clearly see his getting wide-eyed even under his oakleys.i was only too happy to relate to both sir jovie and coach freddie the journey i just had.

what can i say,thank you sir jovie and thank you coach ferdie and satur.but a lot remains to be done.

the boys,coach ferdie and el prez after the race

got a p.r.,salamat.chopped off a few minutes.sub-50 at last.good enough for the year.

after the usual post-race blah blah with the boys,we did a dessert run around the sunken garden loop for about an hour.we were just enjoying the weather and the views,the birds and the bees,the trees and all the greens.

dessert run

and before i forget, the sexiest man as claimed by a magazine was on hand.(in case you wonder how he got chosen,the u.s magazine editor said that he was browsing in the internet and was intrigued by a filipino actor named dingdong and you know what that means.the rest is history they say and our boy got the sexiest nod,number 3 worldwide i think). anyway,as soon as dingdong finished his 5k,he passed by where the hardcores where standing.HE was lucky as we were just idly standing.then there were requests for pictures so the gentlemen that we are, WE obliged to have pictures taken although we were still tired.at least for once ,we have a hunk of a sexy actor in awe and starstruck of runners for a change.he told us how he heard of our running exploits among our many other conquests.it was his lucky day that we were in the mood to pose with him and not in a hurry for desserts.

this dingdong is one sure lucky dude.sexiest na, napagbigyan pa ng mga HC.we made his sunday.

daydreaming.we did.that is what you get when you run a race like hell.

you lose sanity.we did.

the sexiest man who said he was the luckiest man that sunday to be able to corner the hardcores all by himself for a long-awaited photo-op.his happy smile says it all.

the field of broken dreams

“If you know the enemy and know yourself,you need not fear the result  of a hundred battles.If you know yourself but not the enemy,for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.If you know neither the enemy nor yourself,you will succumb in every battle…”

Sun Tzu-The Art Of  War

i have been running for a few months now but i have learned a few painful lessons and realizations which i would like to share.hard lessons in fact which i hope will make a me a better person or a runner at the least.

in each race that anybody runs,there is a dream tucked somewhere in the recesses of one’s mind.amidst all the huffing and puffing and pre-raceday prep,the dream is to finish with a personal best.it would be a case of too much self-denial on one’s part not to admit such dream,however humble.

in every battle that you chose to fight rather than walk away from, you must come waging war relentlessly,confronting the enemy with all your might.needless to say,you must arm yourself to the teeth.

alas,not every battle ends in victory.in the same breath,not every race ran ends in a personal best and at worst,there is not even a finish time to speak of at times.and so at the finish line and along the race route, you see humbled runners-some in tears,some in pain,some in denial,some in daze, some in awe of others,some short of breath,some engaged in the game of blame,some some of every emotion.indeed,the short journey that we take in every race that we run is a learning and humbling experience.

personallly,i have come to realized that i must be prepared to DO the race at the very least.by this i mean,prepared like hell.so that in the end,i will have no one but myself to cheer up or screw or knock in the head for any failure or success whatever the case or end result may be.as i am wont to do at every race end,i mentally jog my mind back to where i ran the race and see where i went wrong and ask myself why did i not do good.i know i suck at running but hell,i know i can do better.and i will.so i will prepare some more for the next run.

you must remember that every race is a choice you make and to finish it, is another choice altogether.if along the route,things do not appear as you envisioned them to be,so be it.it is ALL part of the game.forget the rules.forget the weather forecast.make your plan B,C or D come to play.shit happens dude.seen and unseen shit like cramps,crowded and lacking water stations and at worst waterless stations,chaotic finish chutes,crowded running lanes,errant and reckless drivers,nauseating smog,missing road marshals and directions, heat,sun,long lines at the portalets,no portalets,rains,blisters,dying toenails,aching muscles,lack 0f race preparations(duh!),side stitches,hunger,crap-a-calling,bum stomach,loose shoestrings,lack of sleep,late starting time,”i woke up late”,traffic,daunting uphills,excessive carbo-loading,too much pre-race day gallivanting,water that tastes like crap,what have you- the list is endless.

mind you,not even a first country race can dish out a completely satisfactory race(btw,did you hear the kenyans talk about the race conditions?).there is always something smelly that will ruin even what you think is your best-laid race plan.

wow,shit indeed happens! and and shit is many.and shit is costly beyond affordability.too costly in fact,it shatters many dreams.in fact,shit is like a thief that comes in the middle of the night and strikes you when least expected.so be on your feet.

my point is that,when you race and want to race well,come prepared and leave no stone unturned so to speak.want a personal best? good for you,go for it.but it costs man.early morning wakeup calls,speed training,tempo runs,interval runs.the preparations are endless.it is all part of the menu to success.

finish line.didn’t get that personal best.race route,got the cramps.did not finish.don’t look far.look at yourself and ask if you came armed and ready to do battle the warrior’s way.or were you just an spectator in a runner’s clothing?

whoever said running was easy? unfortunately,being fast is not enough.use your brains.employ tactics.every race is a different race and certainly different factors come into play.bottomline,be prepared like the dickens.

along the route and at the finish,every race is littered with dreams.

so blame no one but yourself for being ill-prepared for failing to finish as you dreamed of.being fast alone  just doesn’t make it.be prepared for ANYTHING.EVERYTHING.BOTH SEEN AND UNSEEN.BOTH FORECASTED AND UNPREDICTED.

hard lessons i learned and hope to learn from.

it is a field of broken dreams and shit galore out there so be prepared to do battle.when the going gets tough,the tough must get tougher and running.don’t just dig deep but dig deeper.and if you must fight with gloves off,do so and fight with your bareknuckles.

in the end,it will take you and you alone to run happily ever after.

kenyans do.kenyans did.kenyans run.

so ken yah.

run till running shuts the daylight out of you.

and your dreams shall never be broken.

Merry Running Christmas!!!!

before the floodgates of christmas text messages open and overwhelm you, i would like to take this opportunity to greet you all,my fellow runners.it has been a pleasant maiden running year for me and i wouldn’t be able to thank you all enough for your company on and off the road.

and so i would like to share with you a poem that has continued to inspire me for the past 27 years from the first time i was ordered to memorize the same.it is my sincere hope and wish for you all that you look at our own little space in this world, with all its imperfections,as a paradise on its own.

the pleasure is mine.thank you for your company.there are no other runners that i’d rather run with than with you guys.i mean it.

and i look forward to blazing the roads and non-roads with y’all.

merry christmas.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

manny pacs the hell out of O,singapore devirginizes and the yakult 10 mile cult

today was my 29th road race,07dec2008.i didn’t know that the yakult run was in it’s 20th edition.and i was only too happy to be a part of it.many runners might have established new pr’s owing to the fact that the main sporting event of the day was on hand.

and also today,the era of the golden boy of boxing,oscar dela hoya finally came to an end.in big part because of our boxing hero,manny pacquiao.having read how much he made from this fight has left me wondering again whether i am in the wrong business,the answer which i obviously know.congratulations pacman.you sure  did pac the hell out of oscar today and you made us proud-again.

to my friends(enrico,kevin,arman,des,chinggoy,boyet all of gold’s gym and bards,mesh,dingdong,harry,chito) who did their first full in singapore no less,hey you are coming home devirginized-all bloodied but triumphant!welcome to the aching legs/muscles/body/whatever/full-y devirginized  club.i am sure that even before you hit the finish line today,you were wondering and asking yourself what the hell you were doing running a 42.well,at least that was what i asked of myself the 1st time last 03aug2008.and then again,i am sure some of you swore never to run again when you hit the finish line.well, i did but soon found myself on the road a mere two days after my 1st full.whatever your finishing times  and thoughts were,rejoice because you can finally call yourselves “runners” in the true sense of the word and brag that you ran  A marathon.and for your efforts,i take off my running cap to you for a job well done.it took a foreign land no less to bring out the warrior in you.the next stop is to lower your full time.take a bow my friends,you did well by just facing up to all the challenges the lion city had to give.sing, sing ,sing for you have earned your bragging rights—-42 lang? been there,ran that.bring it on.brag on.

the run in manila today has certainly made a sizeable following for it.with rudy b at the helm,all things went well.we ran the whole stretch of roxas to coastal then onto km zero at luneta then back to ccp.in between,we screwed the buendia and edsa flyovers twice no less.there was a cult of runners(read:many runners).of course not to be missed out are the regular running bloggers-vener and christy(v did not run but was a fotog,thanks for the pics bro),wilbert(who just yesterday did the company 12k run at mkh no less,congrats) and then some HC’s-jay and joe who earlier did a 10k from moa and arrived late for the 16k start,lester who did a mean pr of 1:12,nico and george who stuck with me and graciously paced me all the way(thanks papy).jinoe and queenie were there too.so was mark fb and patrick c whom i haven’t seen in the road for what seems like ages na(nice to see you again patrick.my speed training buddy ,randy, was there too.my drill classmates bro j and his sweetheart and a slew of familiar and regular running faces ,feet and legs were all over the place.

pre-race blah blah with wilbert and lester(pic c/o vener)

some blogger dudes were at u.p. doing runnex themselves.hope you did well,sir jovie and coach ferdie.and while i am at it,members of team bald runner,particularly the girls topped their categories basing from what i saw at the turn around points.

last 2.5k and enjoying/rotting under a cloudy sky

as for me, i was happy with my time today as little by little, i am able to correct the flaws in my running as a whole at the same time imbibe within my running memory the drills that are pounded upon me by my two coaches,ferdie and satur. all drills and no fun make frosty the slowman a fast dude.

so ,let us continue the countdown to the real race of the season-christmas day! 18 tulog na lang!

the agony of the feet and the journey of a thousand thrills

THE ONLY EXPERIENCE YOU WILL REGRET IS THE ONE YOU NEVER HAD.

the quest for the 1st thousand kilometers started on 24aug2008 at the red cross 10k run in quezon city.just to make the kilometers read out right,i got a garmin and henceforth recorded all my running activities.

the agony of the feet

finally, on 22nov2008,somewhere on the slopes of pinatubo during my first ultramarathon,i finally hit the 1st thousand.not in my wildest dreams did i ever think of achieving this.to others,this may not be a big deal but for a certified ex-couch potato and ex-220 pounder that i was, modesty aside,i think i have come a long way-1,000 kilometers and counting.the journey to the thousand has taken me to 3 fulls,3 halfs, a 25 and an ultra(55) and lots of 10’s, an 8 and lots of early morning runs and runabouts and take 2’s.and two tattoos.

and so after the 1st thousand on my running feet,what is there left to do? well,another thousand certainly.but this time, i am in the caring hands and under the eagle eyes of my mentors at ultra for my speed training days.whereas i started my 1st thousand on “native talent” and will power alone,this time,i have put myself in the spotlight of scientific training from my slave driver running masters.it does not matter that i hear you even in my sleep.bring it on coaches ferdie espejo and saturnino salazar!

let’s just say i have a come a long way from my 1st road race last 09mar2008(pinay in action 10k).before this,i was a strictly a hamster and guinea pig on the gym threadmill. i was just invited by my nephew as if he was asking me for a short errand to the grocery.i said yes and it was a fortuitous decision that i have never regretted inspite of the early morning wake up calls for training and racing days,sore legs and muscles,dead toenails and blisters,wet running days among many other countless distractions.i was so unprepared that i borrowed my son’s running shoes(or what appeared as one),wore basketball shorts and white cotton tshirt for my very 1st race.for this decision,i rediscovered myself so to speak.i met new friends on the road-hardcores ,thank you for the company.let’s burn more rubber.

HARDCORE, Inc.

 

special mention goes to a dear mentor/friend/superior,sir jovie, who, in the short time that i have known him so far,has been generous and who has willingly shared time,money and effort to reach out to make things in the running community better.sir,you put the fun in running.you have my eternal gratitude.and i am telling the world out there that the good soldier has not run out of initiatives and very noble ideas.take a bow,sir.thank you.dios ti agngina apo.

what else can we fear?

on the trail, with my mentor/friend/superior,sir jovie

i won’t be able to thank my nephew enough for that fateful afternoon of 08mar2008 wherein things thereafter have changed forever for me.and so to my dear ilo, i share with you the thrill of victory and the agony of the feet as we pound the roads every single training day.where this will take us,i do not know but i am certain ,i am enjoying every step of the way.

thousand thrills.the skies wept too.i don't know what for though.with my coaches,msgt salazar and capt espejo-the 2 wise running men.

 

on to the 2nd thousand wherever it may lead me.it may be a long and winding road but where my feet will go,i shall follow.

 cheers!

the wisdom of the 2 wise running men

 

i seldom write about non-race recap stories here but i could not let what happened to me these past few days come to pass without sharing it with you.especially at this time when a few running friends are off to singapore to lock horns with their first full and some,their half.

well, i ran the milo42 last sunday and i would normally have a massage soon after.thing is that i did not have one at all. as i am wont to do in all my road races, i do not indulge in running whatsoever the day before.but this time the two wise men told me to hit the road on saturday and do 70%,in my case 7:20 pace, for 30 minutes no more ,no less.being a dutiful soldier,i did just that and left my fate at the milo42 to whatever strength my legs had left.not only that,when i asked what i had to do on monday,they told me the same thing,run 7:20 for 30 minutes.of course,i did, amidst some doubts really.my legs were kinda sore after that 42.but then again as a dutiful soldier,i did what i was told.

voila, tuesday came and all the pains and soreness of my legs from that 42 run were gone like melted ice.it just got vaporized!without need for post-race massage.

and so i share this firsthand experience in the hope that my running friends doing singapore this weekend will heed the wise men’s words.truly,experience is the best teacher.take it from here guys and girls.as for me,i intend to practice what they have preached.no pain,all gain.

good luck to you full virgins,half virgins and to the non-virgins doing the singapore.it will be over before you even know it.enjoy!

and to the two wise men,thank you for unselfishly sharing your wisdom.they are IAAF level 4 certified training coaches, capt ferdie espejo and msgt saturnino salazar.their secret training tips are no longer secret but i am sure they would only be willing to share it with all.these coaches whom i am having the pleasure of training with during speed training days tirelessly wield the baton for us amateurs to follow, knowing that in the end,their wisdom will work wonders for us.

take a bow coaches.