1st Provider Anniversary Fun Run 2014- Running with the Air Force

This race falls on a Saturday, 1st day of my favorite month and that is why I have no second thought of joining the race.

PR pose

At the starting line, I met 21k participants, we are few and really not crowded. I think we are only about 60 to 80. The distance between runners are so clear, the route was hilly and I am very familiar with it. This is my training route. At 10k U-turn, I check my time and was impressed with my pace... I got a steady pace from 8km, a comfortable pace to run the rest of the route. U-turn at 10.5km and my time is 52 minutes, still ok, I can make a sub-2 hours finish if I can maintain such pace. I never stop moving the whole run, except for re pinning my bib twice due to clip problem, anyway it happens. Left turn on the last 150m, I see the time, I was so happy and so much thankful on the result. 

Chin up

The route was not easy actually,but I made it and finish with my new personal best. Nice race, simple race, yet memorable.

Race category: 21k
Time: 1:48:39

Music to win

When I started running, I always wear headset as part of my running gear.
I use it to listen to the Nike+ running voice message about my running status during my workout. It tells the training duration, distance, pace, time left for the set training, congratulation message and new record after completing the training.
Aside from those work out messages, I consider also music as a great part of my training as a beginner runner.
My mood is set by music actually, it is not boring when I'm running while listening to music.
I have different set's of playlist and I use them randomly, depending on my thoughts, feeling or season maybe. Here are those sets.

photo from http://runfortheking.com/inspirational-bible-verse-philippians-413/

The alternatives:
My playlists includes foreign alternative old and not so new music:

• Use somebody by King of Leons
• Without you by David Gueta
• Hall of fame by The Script
• In the end by Linkin Park
• Secrets by One Republic
• Semi-charmed life by Third eye blind

I have a hundreds in my list but above are my most played music, the music that  sing with during easy pace.

Tunog Kalye:

I started having interest in music during the 80's and bought a guitar in 1993.

I'm not a good guitarist but I like Pinoy music specially alternative pop rock, the music of my age. When I bring it to running, I have this feeling of being time warp somewhere in my past. Every song reminds me of something, an event, a person, a place and a moment.. yeah. 

I have too many songs in this list, hundreds, so I just list them by band name.

• E-heads
• River maya
• Bamboo
• After Image
• Yano
• Callalily
• Silent Sanctuary
• Orange and lemons
• Hale

Listen to motivate:

Powersong is my playlist name for this, actually this are not songs. This are collections of MP3's made of popular motivational quotes from great athletes, great persons and movies.

Some cuts are these:

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”― Martin Luther King Jr. 

“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it - then I can achieve it.” ― Muhammad Ali

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!" -Rocky Balboa

"You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period." - Will Smith

Music to win
There are times, weeks after starting a running work out and training, I search for something that I need to listen to, something that are more motivating and something more worthy than my other playlist.
Ever since, I am always amazed by sports people and athlete who always give thanks to the Lord after every game they play, win or loose. There are these, boxers, football players, basketball players and a lot of athletes, who prays before and after the game win or lose, who kneels at the game and doesn't care what the rest are doing, repeatedly mentioned after a game interview how he/she is very much thankful to the Lord. 
I put worship songs in my playlist and they are great. I have songs from Don Moen, Casting Crowns, Himig Heswita and more Christian songs.
I listen to them most of the time, in training and in races and they are very inspiring. One amazing experience about this was during my second marathon, at 33km mark, when I feel weak and helpless, one worship song plays "Huwag kang mangamba". 

" Huwag kang mangamba, di ka nag-iisa, 

Sasamahan kita, saan man magpunta.

Ika'y mahalaga, sa 'king mga mata,

Minamahal kita, minamahal kita...

Tinatawag kita sa 'yong pangalan,

Ikaw ay akin magpakailanman.

Ako ang Panginoon mo at Diyos,

Tagapagligtas mo at tagatubos.

Sa tubig kita'y sasagipin,

Sa apoy ililigtas man din.

Ako ang Panginoon mo at Diyos,

Tagapagligtas mo at tagatubos. 

Listening and running to this in that situation gives me a teary eye :'(. I know that I am not alone, I know that I will be guided safe into the finish line. I will be told when to run and walk. I will not be harm. At that time, I also realize that I have joined many races but lacks training and I was able to safely finish the race because of faith.

After a year of running, I no longer bring with me my head set to listen to music.

I have the best music to listen to, the best song that motivates, loaded with lyrics saying that we are blessed.

Faith bridges my foot from starting line to finish line. Faith is the best music of our life's Playlist. Now I listen and sing to music of faith and win.

Playground

I do my training runs in Clarkfield most of the.

It has a complete package for runners of all level from beginners to marathoners.

It has also trails in the mountains around it's perimeter.

free to play

It has flat areas like the Parade ground and hilly roads along J Abad Santos and Prince Balagtas, the roads are wide and few traffics on this area.Along Jose Abad Santos has this signs, "PLAY GROUND", you can turn right to bring out the kid in you, playing on seesaw, swings, slides and you can go straight to begin with a really good training.

This "PLAY GROUND" signs marks the start of up and down route, and a really good place to train. But actually training for doesn't always to be in this place, I do it anywhere possible and close to my home usually with my wife.

Hoping that it is always possible to find a place like this in this country..-a runners wish.. hehe

unli miles, unli time play ground

my training ground, my gym

TPLEX under construction, 2012

at home run 

warming up, still dark after 4k

slow down at times but don't stop

 tunnel to pass

Alma Mater

20 Pesos running shoes.

I used to love sneakers, I don't pay attention to running shoes, but those were the days.

When I started running, I observed that the number one recommendation for beginner runner is to have a good pair of running shoes.

According to experts, one should feel no pain and injury free after a workout when he/she has a good and compatible pair of shoes.

But how to choose what is good, what is best and what to buy?

Since my passion is running, I now how it is so important to invest in a good pair of running shoes. Being expensive is acceptable. Being expensive and kind to my feet would be more appreciated. 

Blogs and forum is one of my reference in shoe selection, base on my own experience, some of their (blogs and forum) stories and recommendations applies to my daily running activity.

I got my first shoes in a factory outlet that sells all type of shoe that are cheaper compare to shoe store in malls. During that time, I have no idea about foot strike, technical details of feet when running and selecting of correct size.

So I buy a shoe, a red color one, size is same as my other shoes, leather and sneaker.

Luckily, I don't encounter any major running injury with this shoe except for sore foot (maybe because of the size) and until it reaches a mileage of 400km wherein I started to experience a pain in my outer knees. As per the experts, it is called ITBS. One contributor of this injury is uneven wear on shoes, so I change my shoes to a more promoted foot protection in terms of injuries.

I try huarache, honestly, I don't feel ITBS bothers me in this shoe type but this type of foot wear needs a lot of training since this is a minimal type, almost like barefoot running.

The other shoes I try is almost same to a huarache but it's a shoes, NB Minimus 10V2, only has 4mm sole height. It's actually a trail shoes but I use it every time on road but I see no problem with that. I completed 2 marathons, 1 50k run, 1 Afroman and 1 21k race using this shoes. Until I retire the shoe, I don't experience or feel any injury with it, blisters are different story, it's about the socks. Good shoes and socks matters a lot.

Another shoe that I been checking on the internet is the Wave Rider 16 model from Mizuno. I check their On line Mizuno Precision Fit to get their recommendation on the appropriate shoes for me and exactly, Wave Rider 16 is one on the list. So I waited for December, to have my budget and to buy the shoe that I want.

We go to their outlet and there is that model, the picture on the internet and the actual appearance are the same, both are Nice.

To double check, I asked the store assistant if they can check first my foot strike so we will know if that shoes is compatible with my running. The result? It's not, really? Yes, it's not.

They recommended Elixer and Inspire model. I select the Inspire 9, it is also a good one.

This time I use all the criteria in choosing the right shoes, the foot strike, running style and size.

I already completed 1 marathon and 1 half marathon race with this shoes. Also, I use it in short to long distance training. The fit was good, the comport during the workout is good and the after training feeling are also no problem. I will be buying another pair of this brand next time, once my budget is approved...hehe :)

I also asked the store assistant to measure the foot condition of my wife.

They recommend her to use the Elixer model.

I pay for her shoes, but according to superstition, shoes are not good as present to others because they will step on your human being, weird. I am a non believer on that, but I am also afraid to be head over heel, so I asked her to pay.

She asked, "How much? One Peso?".

I said, "huh?, it's Twenty Pesos".

She said, "Ok, here's your P20.00."

The negotiation was smooth, she is a nice buyer.

That is the story of the 20 Pesos shoes. :-)

the purple blue is the P20.00 shoes, mine is red

The best things in life are free. Subtopic: Walk a single step to a thousand miles

When  I finished college, I wish to have job that I could to places, local or outside of the country. I think I got that job and was able to visit customers in local places.

There was a time also that someone must be send to Baguio and be relocated there for longer time, I volunteer and was approved to take the slot.

That time, I was send for training outside of the country, in Fukuoka Japan, my company pay the expenses, so it's FREE! nice!

The company president give me an omiyage (present), another FREE! An iPod Nano, 1st generation of this series, very Nice! seems like he knows that I like music.

Then, I was completely relocated to Baguio and stay in a company house, for FREE againI Yes!

After 6 years, my boss informs me that Apple is recalling iPod nano that are manufactured in 2006 with scope date for some issue on battery. So, I bring my iPod to an authorized service center in Trinoma, after 2 weeks, they replace my iPod nano 1st gen with iPod Nano 6th gen! for FREE! the BEST! from 1Gb memory to 8Gb, 8x the capacity in memory plus additional applications and features. This is just a taste of those free things that we should be thankful. Thank you!

Sub:

I turn my iPod nano 6th gen into a wrist watch, thanks to Sulit.com for the wristband of my iPod. :)

In  iPod nano, one default application installed to it is the Nike+running.

When you open it, it has option of Walk, Run and History.

Looks cool and interesting to test those function, how can this be possible, an MP3 player 

will measure steps and distance?

When I got interest in running, in September 2012, I test those functions, not an immediate run but a walk, a short walk actually.

So I set, walk, stop and check Google, it was amazing to see that the result is to close to Google distance measure.

Then, the rest is history.

This iPod, now my daily watch has been my running partner, for all my training and races.

I have it as a free gift, for a purpose, for a healthier lifestyle, for me, my family and friends.

Now running more than a thousand miles..

my iPod nano

First workout date: September 20, 2012

First workout category: Walk

First workout duration: 6'40"

First workout distance: 0.52 km

First total steps: 706

The rest are history to tell....

Forewarning to run

Kennon Road

While I was browsing pictures in my PC, I opened a folder with photos dated January 9 2007. There are pictures where I, together with a friend is posing for a shot in Kennon Road. We are in the middle of our jogging at that time. I remember that we decided to do jogging that morning because of the cold weather during that month. That is also the first January that I was in Baguio. My running gear was very tough and rare during that time, an Airwalk sneaker, maong shorts, longsleeve jacket with hood and bonet, total weight--heavy to run with :).

Maybe during that time, I only want to feel warm that's why we try jogging.

Another picture was from December 11, 2011. At this time, me  and my wife was invited in a friends wedding. We also do jogging on that same place, take photos, weather is cold and the view are still refreshing.

At that time, I know how difficult it is to run on mountains specially the uphills.

I miss Baguio, I also stay there for 2 years.

It's just that I have not enjoy the benefit of training in running at the mountains.

Hope to join races in Baguio, soooon.

we at the view deck

my first running gears

my friend Kups

the uphill

my second running gears, jologs :-)

Old and new

The usual week end run with my wife today.
Days before this run, I Googled to measure the distance of other roads near our house for a new route. We planned to run a distance of not less than 10km.

literally looking at the past

We have an uphill through a bridge and I tell her that this is a good training for our next scheduled race in March. The road shoulder are less than 50 percent concrete and we have to run on gravels on most part of the route. We return at around 7km distance from where  we started.
Passing by the bridge again in the opposite direction, I saw the old bridge below it, the old Bagbag bridge who's once a witnessed of this towns past life, past moments, history. 

The bridge is damaged by floods and is only use now as fishing dock of current generation.
Here is the something about the bridge we saw during this run. Old Bagbag bridge
Hope that it will be restore.
This run is fun, as usual! :)

Race category: training
Distance: 11.33km
Time: 01:22:14
Pace: 7'15"/km

an uphill

passing by the river

uphill return

walk if you must

 old and new bridges

waiting shed for SALE

P2P Run 2

I created this event in our P2P group for our 2nd team run, this time, it's a longer route.
The weather was cool, running was not that tiring.
Alvin and Emz was able to join this time, missing Joel and Maine.
The usual present running addict me, my wife and my brother was there again, thinking of completing a grand slam maybe, hehe.
Eme, Alvins wife were able to join us in the warm up run, Abby also make his own version of the work out, her husband Pete is so strict.. hehe, peace! ✌
Our workout was cool and nice!
We hope to have more friends joining us in our future get together run.
Thanks to our post run meal, the Regalado family, reloading completed.ツ

Race category: Training/group run
Distance: 17.09km
Pace: 6'04"

me and my brother at Barasoain church turning point.

me and Alvin at Barasoain church turning point.