5K Recovery Run @ End Hunger: Walk the World Philippines 2010

My legs terribly ached after completing my very first 21k at the Nature Valley last week that even if I know I should do a recovery run, I didn't. And then here came my sister inviting me to join her run 5K at the End Hunger: Walk the World Philippines 2010 Run last June 6, 2010. I thought this was the perfect cool down running I was looking for, albeit a week too late after Nature Valley. It was fun though! It really did not feel like much of a recovery run because I aimed for a sub-30. On my watch, I timed 29:01 although I bet the official results will be off by a few seconds because I was not in front of the starting line.

This run brought back a lot of memories. It made me remember my very first Mizuno Rush to Infinity Run last 2008. Those were the days when the registration fees were not yet that steep. I remember only paying P150 back then. We were not given singlets but we had finisher's shirts. Back in those days, running 5K seemed like forever. It was torture to complete it without walking or stopping for a water break.

It has been a while and it's good to run 5k again. Maybe this is one reason also that I did not hesitate to join when my sister invited me. But I promised myself that I will not do a leisure run. Instead, I will aim to beat my PR. And I did, so it's all good. :)

The Grand Race to Forever

Six months from now I'll be joining the biggest race of my life. I call it the Grand Race to Forever where the journey will be long and seemingly endless. The route will be filled with uphills and downhills but I will see it to the very end. I will be living my dream and there will be no stopping until my last breath. Because there is no other race I want to conquer but this. There can be no race sweeter than this.

Yes folks, I'm getting married! It is a mix of emotions. I'm excited yet anxious of the big responsibilities entailed to a lifelong commitment. It is a brand new path governed by unfamiliar roads but I'm confident that my partner will guide me. As we embark on this race together, there will be no guarantees that it will be easy. The only guarantee is that we will have each other to help us on our feet always and keep the spirit of the grand race alive and kicking in our hearts. For that alone, I am at peace that this challenging journey ahead can be conquered.

We were the typical couple who went out for movie, dinner and coffee to get to know each other. But on top of that, running also played a big role in our beginnings. I would invite him to join me in my regular Sunday runs in UP. It was the time when badminton was still the sports craze in Manila and UP was not yet flocked with runners. He could not even complete a round of 2.2km back then. I would finish 2 rounds at the oval while he waited for me.

That was more than three years ago. Last Sunday, we finished our first ever half-marathon race. We have come a long way and I'm proud of him for having gone this far. I am absolutely overwhelmed by the thought.

It would not have been possible if we did not believe in each other. I am also thankful to friends and family who cheer for us and wish us good luck. Their love and support help us overcome whatever emotional blisters come our way. Our journey together is made more meaningful because of them.

We will be celebrating our third anniversary next week. We will tie the knot early next year. This will be a very momentous and defining chapter for both of us. My singlet will be stunning. Impeccably white, flowing and beaded! Can you imagine? :)

Nature Valley Run 2010 Race and Results

Before I rave about this race, HERE is the result first.

As a last minute registrant who almost did not make it to this event, I am so happy to be a part of this race! I would have missed so much if I was not able to get in. Thanks to my fiance who turned a deaf ear whenever I would tell him I was not ready to run 21k. I guess he believed in me and thus went ahead to register us.

Nature Valley Run 2010 is the best race of the year so far! Coach Rio dela Cruz once again leveled up his event. He takes all criticisms constructively and makes sure he does something about it next time. I could not complain anymore of running elbow to elbow with fellow runners. Runners per category had different routes to take so that even if there were ten thousand participants, everyone had enough room to run their own pace.

And who would complain about lack of water stations now? There were enough water stations every 2 or 3km. The loooong tables of water and energy drinks were a very very brilliant idea! This solved the problem of long queues that took precious minutes out of a runner.

I rave about my wonderful experience as a first time 21k runner. I'm so glad I did it here in the Nature Valley Run. We were pampered. We were the only ones who got finishers shirts and medals. Girls from David Salon waited at the finish line to hang medals around our necks instead of just handing them out in a box. It added drama to the feat. The biggest perk I got was the 1 pint of Haagen Dazs ice cream! That was Haagen Dazs, not Selecta or Magnolia! And that was 1 pint of cold, heavenly sweetness after running for over 2 hours. 1 pint, mygosh! Hahaha, I'm overwhelmed!

I finished in 2 hours and 27 minutes. So sweet! The leg pains I'm feeling right now are so worth it!

21k Nature Valley Run

I'm joining the 21k run of Nature Valley this Sunday, May 30, 2010. It is like a whirlwind. Friends prodded me to join and they registered me for the event even as I was being very indecisive about it. That was two weeks ago. We caught up with the last day of registration. In fact, registration for 21k was already closed then and I thought that was a sign that I was not ready yet to run a half-marathon. But Nature Valley opened 200 slots anew for additional 21k runners and we got in. They deducted P100 from our registration fee because they had no more singlets to give us.

There's only two days left before the biggest day of my running life comes and I'm bracing myself for whatever is in store for me on Sunday. I crammed my training in two weeks by completing 15k distances for three times during this period. In between my 15k days, I would run 5k or 10k for recovery. I feel my leg muscles stiffening already. I learned to consume Gu energy gels and I was forced to buy a hydration belt for practice.

I still don't think I'm ready but I'm eager to complete my very first half-marathon. It will be so sweet!

I'll post again after Sunday to tell you all what happened. Anyways, bring it!

Galloway Method for Beginners

I'm training on my own for my first 15km run (and hopefully, 21k also). My knees are getting better albeit still experiencing some pains once in a while. As my way of training, I've been trying to increase distance to put my personal limits to the test. My running friends suggested that I try the Galloway Method. It was named after Jeff Galloway, the famous coach runner. He intended the Galloway Method for beginners like me and the main goal of this method is to keep runners injury-free.

Basically, you just alternate running and walking until you finish the distance desired. Jeff Galloway suggested useful ratios between running and walking depending on your speed. You can see this in his website. However, if you do not want