Running Away, Running Home

Year 2008 was the year when I finally fell in love with running. As the year closes, I try to look back and ponder on this love. While I am happy to love running at the primal level - where the interplay of muscles, heart and lungs and the release of endorphins are almost akin to lovemaking - I am most grateful to the way running engages my mind. As I tried to remember my 2008 running moments, I realized I was happiest during my long runs. The act of running goaded by my surroundings would bring fond memories of childhood games, high school adventures, college crushes, graduate school misdemeanors, friends gained through work or sports, and a lifetime of shared family experience.

I thought by venturing out and hitting the roads I was running away from mundane issues at work or home. I realized I was running away and alone only for a while so I can find the strength and renewed enthusiasm to deal with life. I run away so I can clear my mind and rediscover my ability to face issues straight-on. I run away so I can appreciate what I miss back home. Running is not an escape after-all. It is rediscovery of the blessings you already have.

So for 2009 I intend to live through more adventures and foster new and deeper relationships. As I excitedly venture out for a run and head home, I shall relish all these freshly minted memories. With all the long runs I intend to do, I better squeeze more from life and upload into my brain megabytes of memories I can playback.

Happy New Year, my fellow runners in life. Together we shall discover the thrill of the trail and participate in the greatest race on earth - our very own lives!

2009 Goals: Maka-1-2-3 !!!

1
Marathon

I will be happy with finishing one. Doing two in a year will be blessing. Three in a year and I will be ecstatic! The big question now is when and where do I lose it! Once I'm done, I will give away my purity ring to Mylie Cyrus or the Jonas brothers (hehe).

2
Duathlon (and Aquathlon)

The longest distance I biked so far is not even near that required for standard duathlon, but me completing the required distance during training is probably more certain than me conquering my fear of highways on the actual race! But I am putting this as a goal anyway. God bless me and my bike. I already survived one very minor (but very embarassing) semplang because of stupidity. I suppose I have eight more lives. But wait...I am a dog person - not a feline fancier!

Now aquathlons are within my realm. No surprise there - I'm Aquarius and I hail from the town of baths (Los Banos). I will join as many of these as I can. I couldn't believe I haven't joined an aquathlon yet. At least I am assured of one goal met.

3
Triathlon

It is almost certain that I will join sprint/standard/olympic distance triathlons. Maybe I will join mini-sprints or beginner triathlons again with friends just for kicks (and hopefully erase my pitiful records there!). But for 2009, my heart really longs to do a half-ironman (70.3 miles). I think I can hack the open water swim and survive the half-marathon, but I dread the bike leg. Do I bike with the buses along the highways of CamSur? Can I just make a gazillion loops around the provincial capitol? Will my Hiro Nakamura powers be enough to teleport myself and my bike to the race site? The thought of these already makes we weak. But for now, all I have is a dream and a resolve to train. The rest - bahala na si Bathala.


By sheer will and God's grace, things will fall into place.

The Roads are Best Shared

(Best of 2008: More People Falling in Love with Running)

[Note: In good faith and in the spirit of sharing, this blogger shamelessly filched photos from running blogs. I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me :-) If you can't because your heart is presently clouded with fat, just give me a shout and I will remove the offending picture.]


We ran for various personal reasons - to lose weight, to be fit, to challenge ourselves, to achieve, to discover ourselves, to escape, to find peace or to celebrate. One thing I learned though is that our passion for running is best shared with people we care about - family, friends and community of runners. Here is a photo tribute to the people who make our 2008 running year great:

Merry Christmas, Fellow Runners

Girls in Pony Tails

(Best of 2008: More Women Running)

-

From the corner of my eye I see her

Slender girl prancing on moving machine

Clad in capri and sleeveless top

Bouncing hair on pony tail.

-o-

On the road I behold her

Goddess of the Road on pony tail

Long limbs like a gazelle's

Strides smooth as a whisper.

-o-

On cyberspace I see her

Woman of substance and strength

Her stories regale us all

She with her charm and pony tail.

-o-

Every now and then I think of her

Artistic soul on pony tail

On races I sometimes see her

Someday I will get to know her.

-

In Search of Heroes

(Best of 2008 Series: The Rise of the Blogs and the Birth of a Forum)

There is a phase in a running addict's life when all he wants to read and talk about is running. Since August 2008 I have been in that phase. It was not enough that I registered and joined foot races. I must download route maps and race results. Early into that phase, Google searches would yield names like baldrunner and bullrunner. I was intrigued by the photo of the bald man in shades and was impressed by his Project Donate A Shoe. What captivated me however was this woman and her blog called The Bullrunner.

I am familiar with blogs and in fact maintain one for my dog fancy, but I never realized there is a community of Filipino runners who blog about their exploits. Back in 2003 when I first joined races, I never heard of such a thing. All I could recall then was downloading my first triathlon results from the organizer's website.

Incidentally, I had my first live brush with legendary TBR in my second triathlon after a long, long hiatus. My friend Me-Ann introduced us, we had our photo op and the next time I saw her was when she "chicked" me in the run leg of the mini-sprint. I deserved it - I was slooooow and she was really fast. I would later read her post about our shared triathlon experience, and from that moment I was hooked. She had that power of empathy - of drawing you in and letting everyone jointly relive and relish the experience through her simple writing. I was so drawn into it I found myself making a comment on her post - something I never imagined myself doing. I likened her to the Cheerleader of that TV series Heroes. She is a cheerleader in that she draws out the runner in all of us. She is an important figure in the local running scene. Just like in the TV series, "Save the Cheerleader, Save the World." The local running world at least. My only prayer for her is that like the Cheerleader, she will have the Heroes ability to heal herself from injury.

But where is Peter Petrelli, the empath who absorbs other Heroes' powers? While the Jaymie the Bullrunner cheers us 2-4 times a week, my running addiction wants more. I want my fix on a daily basis and I need the whole gamut of uppers, downers and hallucinogens. Maybe there is a Peter Petrelli capable of absorbing the ability to cheer and heal of the Cheerleader, ability to see and paint the future like the Artist, the superhuman strength of the Stripper, the time-travelling skill of Hiro Nakamura, and the mind-reading gift of the Detective. Once I found Peter, then all I have to do is read his blog, and I would get the fix I crave.

I surfed the blogosphere for more Heroes. I fancied myself as geneticist Mohinder Suresh in pursuit of bloggers with superhuman abilities. (I like genetics but I must admit Coach Rio looks more like Mohinder with his skin tone and curls.) I continued my search for Peter. Every now and then I would stumble on bloggers with Peter Petrelli-like abilities, but always there is something missing or wanting. Along the way I decided to blog myself. Hey, wait a minute...maybe I am Peter! This is my blog anyway and I enjoy the sole power to cast characters in my story. My moralistic Freudian superego countered: "Hell NO! You don't have the heart and humility of Peter. At best you can probably be his brother Nathan, concerned with the trappings of the world but exhibits good heart when he flies off with burning Peter to save New York". Ok, that sounds good enough. Nathan gets to sleep with the Stripper, right, and ends up being President! My superego retracted, "Nathan may prove to be your undoing. Let us just settle for Hiro Nakamura. You like Japan and you're nostalgic anyway."

How about this blogger Jinoe (ManokanExpress)? He seems kind-hearted and humble. Can he be Peter Petrelli?

For Christ's sake, the guy has Chicken for a name! How can he be a superhero!?

Heroes are found in the most unexpected places. Maybe that's what our local running world needs - a simple, unassuming person?

Yes, Peter was a simple hospice nurse, but he does have absorptive powers! What powers does Jinoe have?

He conceived takbo.ph, a forum where you runners can congregate. Do you really need a Peter Petrelli? All Peter did was bring together the abilities of others. Most of the powers he has, he only got from others. Would a superhuman Peter arise from the ranks of runner-bloggers? I don't know. Maybe Peter Petrelli lives in each one of us. Maybe we are heroes all.

My Favorite Blog Entries

(Best of 2008: Running Blog Explosion)

I love reading running blogs. As a token of my appreciation, I want to mention specific blog entries that made me smile, laugh, think or feel inspired. This is not an attempt to sift through all blog entries and rank the best. I started reading blogs late this year, and best is relative. What is best anyway? I only have one criterion for my personal list: I like them.

Here are my favorites and why I like them.

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.

Drenched

Blogger: Jaymie Pizarro

http://thebullrunner.com/2008/10/29/drenched/

Poignant. Sincere. Simple with right dash of humor and wit

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My Milo Marathon Story

Blogger: Joe

http://theloonyrunner.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/my-milo-marathon-story/

Straight-forward. Honest. Inspiring.

.

.

Top Ten: Who You Callin Tough

Blogger: Javy Olives

http://positivesplit.blogspot.com/2008/11/top-ten-who-you-callin-tough.html

Very inspiring. Well-researched. Powerful images

.

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Wonder Woman has left the building! (Singapore marathon I)

Blogger: Mesh

http://myironshoes.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/wonder-woman-has-left-the-building-singapore-marathon-i/

Funny, entertaining, inspiring. Very unique viewpoint.

.

.

It is a plane, no it is a dinosaur, no it is an elephant, no it is Philip, the foreign runner!!!

Blogger: Philip Le Roux

http://foreignrunner.blogspot.com/2008/10/it-is-plane-no-it-is-dinosaur-no-it-is.html

The pictures tell it all. Gives hope to us battling the bulge.

.

.

Best of 2008: As I See It

1. Best Thing That Happened: Surging Popularity of Running



2. Next Best Thing: More women joining races



3. Welcome Development: Greater corporate sponsorship (more giveways!)



4. Another Welcome Development: Babies-on-strollers and dogs joining road races



5. Best Online Development: Birth of running forum (takbo.ph)



6. Race of the Year: New Balance Powerrace



7. Most Attended Race: Milo Marathon Finals



8. Most Festive Race: Milo Marathon Finals



9. Best Family-oriented Race: Unicef's Walk on the Child Side



10. Fun Race of the Year: Isuzu's Shake, Rattle and Roll



11. Race Venue of the Year: Clark Freeport Zone



12. Most Scenic Route: Heritage Park



13. Most Challenging Roads: McKinley Hills



14. Best Route to Get a PR: Roxas Boulevard



15. Best Place for Practice Run: Ayala Alabang Village



16. Best Race Singlet: New Balance Powerrace



17. Best Proof of Finish: Medal from NB Powerrace



18. Best Improvement in Race Conduct: Same day release of results (UP Ictus Run)



19. Welcome Change in Race Conduct: Use of Timing Chip (NB Balance Powerrace)



20. Best Ad Campaign: Love/Hate. This is the New Balance

My Running Coach

GOD my Coach is stingy and unfair.

He makes me ran my heart out in races.

He then grabs all the Glory,

And leaves me nothing but my Personal Best!

My Oblation Run

If you are thinking of the naked run in UP, you have come to the wrong place.

My run this morning was also in the University of the Philippines (Diliman), but it is an oblation run of a different kind. An oblation is a solemn offering. This morning I offered myself - to running, to my school, and to God. While I entered the race in homage to my alma mater, deep inside I was hoping I would also set a new 10K personal best, hopefully within 60 minutes, in honor of UP and to cap a great year when I finally fell in love with running.

I wanted my homecoming and year-ender run to be perfect. Hopefully a new PR and breaking my pyschological 60-minute barrier. I shaved 33 seconds off my Milo unofficial time to set a new PR, but I failed to cross the 60-minute barrier. I timed in at 1:06:25 To be honest, I am slightly disappointed. A week ago I already hit about 1:03 on the treadmill, by alternately running below and above 10kph every kilometer. Last Wednesday, I set the machine to an even speed of 10.1kph for 10kms. It was smooth-sailing for the first 5 kilometers, but I had to dig deep for motivation in the last 5 kilometers. I was running against self-doubt, that I could actually run evenly at 10kph in time for the race, when my gradual training model says I would only hit that relaxed speed at exactly year-end. I was trying to cheer myself by saying that I was doing it for UP. That reasoning didn't prove enough so I resorted to reverse-psychology and used fear: If you don't do this now, you will forever be afraid of the 1-hour barrier. The fear shook me a bit, but it wasn't enough still. It took a memory of my mom's sacrifice for me to go past the 8-9km readings on the treadmill. Your hardships on the treadmill are NOTHING compared to what your parents went through, so finish the 10k, if not for yourself or for UP, do it for them! The thought sustained me till kilometer 9.95, at which point I pressed the emergency stop of the machine. I wanted to beat the barrier in a road race with all the fanfare, hopefully in UP.

Friday before the race I still have tinges of self-doubt. I wanted to redo my treadmill feat - run again an even pace of at least 10kph. My legs seemed capable of handling the speed, but either my physiology or self-doubt was preventing me from having relaxed breathing. Besides, I had to get used to that speed as I might not be able to summon the motivation I did the other day. True enough, at kilometer 3 I was losing motivation. Are you really running this for UP, or for yourself? Is it UP's glory you seek or your own? Beating the 1-hr barrier looks so good on your year-end blog report, doesn't it? And slowly my will and body weakened and I had to stop at kilometer 4. Yes, at km4! I took a few minutes break and tried again. I lasted just a kilometer at 10kph. What the hell is happening?

I grudgingly left the treadmill and found myself on the gym PC. In years of using that gym, that was the first time I used the PC. I went to the takbo.ph site and a few blogs, and read some entries. Ok, enough of this time chasing. I will simply run my best on Sunday. I went back to the treadmill to run at 10.1 kph again. I tried once more not so I can beat the time barrier, but because I owed UP my best efforts. With this thought, I was able to finish 2x2.5Kms at speeds of 10-10.5 kph. I finished a 10K at speeds not less than 10kph, even if I had to chop the distance and put in rests at intervals.

But the time barrier was not broken in UP on race day. Despite the preparations and actions I made. I slept, ate and rested well. I woke up early and had proper warm-up jog and stretch. I wore the proper attire. I did not daydream on the course even if I wanted to. I was on race mode from the start. I tried to stay within or within striking distance of the middle of the pack. I accelerated in the last 2 kilometers. I blame nothing and no one. I simply didn't break the 1-hr barrier. It was not the fated time and circumstance.

Despite the time, I was happy with the race. I offered the best that I have given the time and circumstances. For UP and my God, I did not hold back. That run was me in all my strength and weaknesses. I offered the best of me along with my doubts and imperfections. My race time may have fallen short of my practice time, but it was a time stripped of vanity and offered in all humility. I don't why I suddenly cried when I typed that, and why tears continue to stream down as I write. I suppose I wanted to give my best, but I was afraid it would be tainted with vain glory. I wanted to be fast but I do not want pride to rule me. The tears are probably admission that I succumb to pride and need a higher being to overcome it.

As I ran the last 2 kilometers going back to the oval, I was singing in my mind UP Naming Mahal, repeating over and over, "...humayo't itanghal, giting at tapang, mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan... "

To my alma mater, I hope you are proud of this homecoming son.

To my Creator, please accept my oblation run. To God be the glory.

King of Shato

Let’s just sprint and run with wild abandon like we did when we were 10, racing toward the playground at recess. Just run and run fast!

Quote from: http://theache.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/the-fartlek-yes-the-fartlek/?referer=sphere_related_content/

The moment I read the quote above my wanderlust mind teleported to a childhood address: 15 Opal St, Umali Subdivision, Los Baños, Laguna. I was 10 and bursting with life. I was on Opal street in the heat of summer. I was running like mad while uttering a strange scream: Shhaaaaaaaaaa-to!!!!!!

Aahh. Shato. Our childhood game of sticks and dexterity. On the street curb we dig a hole the size of a small bowl, put a 6" short stick at 45-degree angle, hit the protruding end lightly with a long stick, wait for the short stick to sommersault in the air, and hit it once more with fury to let it fly as far as possible. Distance traveled is measured in units of the long stick. If you are skilled and lucky, you can hit the small stick twice while it is in the air and you get to measure the distance travelled in units of the shorter stick. The one with the most stick units wins the chance to torture the losers. With gusto, the winner positions himself at the ground hole and hits the small stick as hard and far as his young hands can muster, while the losers have to run from the stick landing point to the ground hole, shouting "Shato" in one continuous flow. If the loser can do this, he redeems himself. If he can't sustain the shout, he ends up twice the loser.

I hated running but I loved shato. Among my peers I was so good at it that I considered myself as King of Shato. At the tender age of 10 I was unknowingly applying physics and hitting those sticks with precision and strength. I normally won, and in those rare times I lost, I almost always redeemed myself by sustaining the Shato scream while running. And how I loved to run while I shouted Shato! I so loved the game that I enjoyed everything that went with it. Yes, fast running included.

I may not be the King of the Road now, but I was a King of Shato. This is an undeniable fact of my well-played childhood. Fartlek may not form part of my running consciousness, but shato will always be there in my psyche. And when I need and want to run fast, all I have to remember is that I was and would always be a Shato King. I can't wait to hit the road again so I can play shato. Shhaaaaaatooo!!!!!

Running with Others, For Others (Yakult Race 2008)

Pre-race

For my favorite 10-miler (Yakult) race, I was already all set the day before. I have packed my running gears and accessories. I even checked the tire pressure on my bike and then loaded it into my vehicle in the event I still have the energy for a 30K ride. Optimist that I am, I also brought swimwear and goggles in case I make a crazy attempt to swim in Rizal Memorial Coliseum thereafter. "Pasma" is folkloric belief without scientifc basis, according to anthropologist Michael Tan, so a reverse-tri should be no harm. Besides, relaxed swimming is physical and mental therapy for me.

At 5am race day I was already in my vehicle to go to CCP. I turned on the ignition key. No response. I did it again. No response. Did it 3 more times. Crap, I am going to be late again for a race! I remembered Colossian 1:17 and my post "There are No Bad Runs". Ok St. Paul, what is God to trying to say to me this time?....Hmmmn, so you want me to remain positive in the midst of adversity. Okay, I will walk to the village gate and look for a cab. Fifteen minutes later there was still no cab. Times I like this, I miss my condo in the heart of the city. Anxious but still upbeat, I flagged a tricycle to bring me to bring me to where taxis abound. After 2 taxi rejections, I was finally taxi-bound to CCP.

With Bikining Itim and Butchikik as background music inside the taxi, I tried to discern God's message for me. Don't sweat the small stuff? Ok, I will finally bring the vehicle to the casa for its regular check-up... Oh I get it, it's family. I was so busy reading running blogs and forums, I forgot to book a place for our family Christmas dinner. Yikes, I haven't booked dental appointment for my balikbayan sister! I haven't began shopping for gifts. The list goes on and on...Ok God, I promise to attend to all these, but can you please allow me to run my race first?

The Race Proper

I arrived in the race site with enough time to take a leak and do warm-ups. Thanks, God. The race signal was finally given, but I still had no race plan in mind. Very uncharacteristic of me. All I wanted was to run this distance and route. So ran I did while surveying the runner landscape and scenery. There went my first flyover and I was in heaven again. After the second flyover, I saw the elite runners coming back from the first turn. Look at those quads and calves at work! God's bio-engineering marvels. My favorite female runner Ellen Tolentino passed by like Artemis on the road. For a dog lover like me, this was like watching the Best In Show competition in a championship dog show. If there is one strong motivation for me to run fast, it is to regularly behold God's magnificent creatures running on asphalt, and to appreciate them from a closer distance.

I saw more people. Statuesque running beauty queen Gem Padilla whose long legs and wind-caressed hair weaken my knees. I saw bloggers Taki (Tech Spec), Jinoe (Manokan Express) and Dennis (Running Fatboy). Sorry boys I have no lofty phrases for you aside from "you are way faster than me." I saw a girl in fuschia Adidas shirt with this phrase on the back: I like Men Chasing Me. She outran me for most of the distance, but I obeyed her wish towards the finish line. Cool shirt, Miss. I hope you have more along those lines :-). I also saw a doe-eyed female runner from Pinoy Ultra Runners and all I can say is, "May your tribe increase."

For most part of the race, my mind was shuttling between Philippines and Singapore. On the asphalt lanes of Roxas Boulevard I was imagining I was running in a marathon. I was still in the process of strengthening my left foot, but I was trying to go as close as possible and tolerable to my ideal marathon pace of 6min/km or a perfect 10kph. For the past few weeks I have been trying to slowly build my long run relaxed pace to 10kph. I would slow down at the first sign of pain for I cannot afford to be injured. I tried to distinguish between kinds of pain. Muscle pains I can endure, but joint pains I avoid at all cost. I welcome with courage the pain that screams my body is alive and is doing its best to regenerate and strengthen itself, but I watch out for that pain that tells me that I am doing something idiotic, egoistic or destructive.

While I concentrated on running form and pain watch, my mind would often wander to Singapore. I thought of my friend Karen who was doing her first marathon and her cousin Tsi doing the half. I wondered how they were doing, moreso Karen. I would often look at my watch and wonder at what kilometer they were. How was she holding up? I knew she trained hard for this, but as a friend I wanted to help. I thought by running strong that day I would somehow help her. Then I thought of cramps and quickly, energy-sapping Dementors entered my mind. I conjured up a Patronos in the mold of my Sheltie Sofia, and send her off to accompany Karen on her marathon. I thought of this blogger posting that marathoning is an act of insanity (My Iron Shoes) and asked Sofia to be on the lookout for her as well (I hope she is not afraid of dogs). I thought of the other Filipinos there - Jaymie the Bullrunner and many others. I hoped my Sofia would also bring them cheer.

As I tried to run strong for my friends and compatriots in Singapore, I would get pumped up and sometimes run beyond my maximum tolerable level of effort. I would remind myself that that was against the target race plan. One section I ran faster than planned and I experienced initial signs of side stitch. For a moment I panicked. My Patronos Sofia was in Singapore so I summoned my beagle Athena instead. I hope there wouldn't be more problems or I would ran out of mid-sized dogs to summon. It would be cruel to pit my tiny pomeranians against Dementors! With the virtual Athena running alongside me, I realized my diaphragm was just becoming tense and I should slow down to my relaxed pace. I forced myself to run only as fast as my nasal breathing would allow.

I wanted badly to race the last 1.5 kilometers but my shorts wouldn't let me!!! A week ago I did my 25K LSD with cycling shorts on. I thought hencefort I would follow this practice for runs above 10K to avoid chafing and rolling up of my shorts, and to provide support to my quads and hamstrings. What I forgot was that I have been steadily slimming down, and that the old pair I wore would slide down my ass. The effect was worse when I mustered my quad muscles for the sprint. Thank God I wore a long upper garment and I have hydration pack to cover my oversight. Drooping shorts notwithstanding, I overtook about 18 people within 700 meters from finish line. Last 200 meters I was actually laughing at myself as I faced the embarassing prospect of exposed behind as I raced a guy to the finish line. Bahala na si Batman!

I finished at my personal time of 1:47:43 (probably 1:48 on official clock). This was better than my VSO 15K of 1:50:34 last month and my 2003 Yakult 10-mile of 2:15. That's good enough for me. For now :-)

Post race

I will post after-race pictures in separate blog entry.

Photos from Yakult Race 2008

This is the view from my vantage point at race start.

I chucked up the courage to introduce myself to my favorite female runner, Ellen Tolentino, and have my photo taken.

Finally met Vener and his wife Christy (below)

I was also able to meet Bro J and his wife Baby, as well as Jinoe and Quennie, and Wilbert, but I forgot to take pictures in the excitement. Quennie and Wilbert, congrats on your Accenture runs.

Finally have a photo of Zorro, whom I used to see way back 2003 when I started running.

On my way to Roxas Boulevard to hail a cab, I passed by the dragon boat rowers. My team has finished their session, but I chance upon another team just about to board the boat. Ahhh, one of these days I will row again.

Homecoming Run

As 2008 draws to close, I have been thinking which race will cap my triumphant return (at least from my point of view) to running. I thought my year-ender race will be the Yakult 10-miler (on December 7), a distance I have run twice in my 5-year love/hate relationship with running. The Yakult run would bring good memories, for although I was not fast, I would normally do reassuring negative splits on these races.

Then I heard about the UP Centennial Run, organized by UP ICTUS with Runrio as race organizer. I realized I have done 2 Animo runs, but not one organized run in UP. I have done a triathlon in UP Los Baños, literally my birthplace as I was delivered in its infirmary. I have fond memories of that first triathlon, where I would tell one race organizer, a high school batchmate, "Alden, I helped you with math and science before. This is my first triathlon, you will wait for me to finish, right?" I finished triumphantly last with cheers from the crowd. Thanks, buddy.

I must also do a run for my other alma mater that is UP Diliman. The December 14 run will be my celebration of UP's 100 years of existence. It will also be another homecoming of sorts for me - to UP which has always been good to me. As I survey the 10K race route, I said to myself: This will be another nostalgia run for me. But I promise to run strong, in honor of UP and its proud tradition of excellence. This early my mind is already going back to UP School of Economics where love and friendships began, the College of Law where friends and I would eat and pass on our way to the dormitory, the Ipil dorm where I would foolishly enroll in non-degree courses like Non-Linear Programming just so I can extend my stay in UP, and the UP oval where my then 150lb self would exclaim to my jogging buddy: "What, you are 180lbs?"

When I do my run, I would probably sing in my mind Daughtry's Home

Well I'm going home,

Back to the place where I belong,

And where your love has always been enough for me.

I'm not running from.

No, I think you got me all wrong.

I don't regret this life I chose for me.

But these places and these faces are getting old,

So I'm going home.

Well I'm going home.

So Many Things

So many races, so little time

So much food, too little exercise

So many gifts to buy, not enough days to shop

What does a runner do to survive Christmas?

25km Conversation with My Body

December 1, 2008

Rico: Left Arch, we had a good 10K yesterday. No joint pains! Do you feel like running long today? Say, 2-3 rounds of my 12K bike route? I just want to see if we have the stamina for a something close to marathon. We can also continue practicing your midfoot landing...

Left Arch (LA): Non-responsive

Rico: Don't worry. I will slow down if you feel anything and stop if you can no longer take it. I will listen to you. I owe you my running life, remember?

LA: I love running with you, but I get scared of your ego at times. Ego is obsessed with running fast even if he knows it scares the life of me. Sometimes I wish I was as strong as my brother Right Arch, so I can feed Ego what he wants.

Rico: Sorry Left Arch if I let Ego rule us at times. I promise to do my best to rein him in. I don't think he is bad; his energy just has to be channeled to doing good. By the way, I met this woman in a party last night. She does yoga. She told me that some yoga positions can actually develop the arch. Isn't that wonderful? There is still hope for you and me. I will keep in touch with her, and maybe even convince her to run. No, we won't do the whole yoga thing. Just the foot exercises. Let's run now.

(Five kilometers into the run)

Rico: Left Arch, how are you doing?

LA: I am not used to the pressure of midfoot landing, but I think this is something I can live with. It hurts a couple of times, but I think it's because we are still synchronizing everything. I think I will be stronger in a couple of more runs. We can still run some more, but think of me, okay?

Rico: Good to hear. I am enjoying this run. I feel light. This midfoot landing feels like tap-dancing. I used to land on my heel with a thud. This feels so much better. I feel like a velociraptor running around in Jurassic Park. Yeah, I would call this velociraptor running! Observe, I am breathing evenly through my nose, and do not feel as thirsty. I think the LSD is kicking in, and in a few minutes I will be in a dream zone again. Maybe I should call this state my blog mode. When I'm in this mode, my mind becomes crystal clear, and I seem to see the world in a fresh and positive way. I assume an air of profoundness and my thoughts pierce through in big English words I seldom use! Strange but awesome!

(In my dream zone I went back to high school physics. Force is mass times acceleration, where acceleration due to gravity is some constant g whose value I can no longer remember. The triathlon book says I must learn to harness gravity in running and use my arch and knees as springs and my bones as levers. How the hell does that work? Physics is my least favorite among the sciences but I will give it a try. You land on your midfoot and capture the gravitational force in your arches and knees. Your foot, calve and thigh muscles contract to push your bones into position preparatory to surging forward. The force generated by your muscles during contraction and the gravitational force stored in your arches and knees are simultaneously released, pushing your foot off the ground and propelling you forward at a slight angle. I am not sure if my physics teacher will be happy with that explanation, but it sure helps me imagine how I should run.)

Rico snaps out of blog mode and listened to left arch.

LA: I'm happy you have your blog mode, but while I am still in strength training, can you please think of me? I do not want you to get too carried away by your thoughts. When I'm already strong, I will carry you through 42 kilometers of Eden.

Rico: Will do, Left Arch, will do. How about you Knees? How are you holding up?

Knees: We're doing okay. We try to follow the tap dancing routine with your Archs. We bend when the arch taps the ground. We hope this action makes you feel lighter.

Rico: Good. Just don't go overboard with the tap dancing, ok? I have seen a runner tapping but bouncing from side to side like a real velociraptor. Remember, every movement has to contribute to your forward motion. Economy of movement. Efficiency.

I think left arch and knees are doing ok. Do you think we can try harnessing Quads? Quads, are you there?

Quads: Yes, we are here. Still a bit sore from Saturday's 30km biking, but ready to support arch and knees.

Rico: Quads, I want you to improve on the physics day dream I just had. You are much bigger than your cousins calves and arches. Can you take off some of the work from them? Calves had grown big and hard from handling most of the work all these years; it's time you have your own workout. This should also help us when we do the bike. In the contraction preparatory to surging forward, I want you to contract hard and slightly lift thigh at an angle that will allow knee to easily bend and the arch to land midfoot, while contributing to the forward thrust. Remember, all our effort must lead to forward motion. And do not cheat in your muscle effort. I can feel if you are not working to the best of your ability. I want to feel you contracting.

Quads: Okay, okay. Is this level of effort good enough?

Rico: Yes, I think it is okay. Don't you all feel running this way is better? There is more power yet it feels effortless. Very natural. Don't you notice that we are way past the 18km mark and yet my heart rate is not elevated and I am not running out of breath. Still breathing through nose actually. Splendid.

Rico: There is one more thing I want us to try. You probably have heard of the pose method of running. What I want us to do is very similar, but I prefer to call it supplication method. Lean forward as much as you can to avoid drag, but without having the feeling that you will topple over. This is in deference to the will of the wind and the power of gravity. Bow your head slightly, at an angle where you can see the earth that nourishes you, appreciate people and your surroundings, and be able to look up to your Creator in praise, thanksgiving and humility. Combine this lean with the rest of your body and limbs, and running will be your regular prayer.