Running In Amadeo Cavite…Recap!(Part2)

Here are some of my observations for today’s run in Amadeo Cavite:

1. Water-There is no problem with this one for in every 2.5 kms there is water station. It’s the first time I didn’t bring in my hydration belt and it’s so timely that their provision for this is great.

2. Marshals-they have enough manpower manning their posts and take note…almost all of them are wearing singlet. They are courteous and friendly.

3. Route-the place is indeed awesome! Going the first 5 kms is mostly downhill and the last part is very challenging. However, my Timex HRM records a 10.4 kms distance.

4. Punctuality-Although it was written on their registration form that they will distribute singlets and race packets at 7 am…I am surprised upon hearing the announcement that the race will start at 8 am which is not appropriate considering that too much exposure to the sun is not advisable. This is one of the few flaws of this race…

5. Safety Measures-while there are enough marshals, ambulance and baranggay officials manning this event, at one point I was scared by the attack of rampaging street dog! I have to stop for a while and walked silently, affecting my momentum!

6. Singlet-the stuff is nice and presentable, not bad for a P250 registration fee.

7. Freebies-Ohhh, I left that place with 4 bottles of Pocari Sweat (that’s hoarding hehehe), a commemorative mug and satiated myself with bottomless Great taste and Amadeo Coffee which made me jittery along the way lol.

8. My Pace-Although I was not able to keep in step with Baldrunner and his Team (I ran with them from Km2 to Km4), due to side stitches, I was able to maintain my average heart rate of 171 and at the last 200 meters, I overcame my buddy Philip and subdued Rigo…finishing strong at 52 minutes and 34 seconds. I maybe very far from my best PR of 38 minutes for the 10 kms but realizing I have ran a 49.28 kms last Sunday and was not yet fully recovered, I’m very proud of my achievement!

Overall…my rating for this Amadeo Cavite “Coffee Run” is 98%…If not for that very late start and that ferocious strayed dog, I will give them 100%…

“To obey is better than sacrifice…” 1 Samuel 15:22

Running In Amadeo Cavite…Recap (Part 1)

My time of 52 minutes and 34 seconds for the 10 kms event is really satisfactory on my part considering I’m still lingering for some side stitches in my right foot caused by that brutal 49.28 kms run last Sunday. I finished 2nd in my group of 11 behind Henry and ahead of Philip and Rigo by a minute or so. My record based on my Timex HRM are: 52.34.05, in zone 52.33, average hour 171, peak hour 182, min hour 150, total calories 794.

Here are some souvenirs of that event:

place of registration and claiming of singlets and race packets..

Before the race starts…

the group…seated is Conrad, who just celebrated his 63rd birthday yesterday and his time for the 10 kms is 56 minutes…not bad at his age!

Group “runnerforchrist”

With the winner…Cris Sabal!

With the winner in the female 5k category!

with Egay and Madz…

with Philip and Egay…

runnerforchrist with Cris Sabal, the Champion!

with the Baldrunner…

at the finish line…

50 meters away from the finish line…

Amading at the finish line…

Willy…

Lord…I thank you for the opportunity of conquering Amadeo Cavite by means of running. It is by your grace only that I was able to do it for without You, I know I my frail body can’t do it. I may not win a prize or beat my personal record but finishing a race like this one is such an honor because not everybody can run a distance like this with the time that I have.

I bring back all the glory to You for You are my Lord and my Master…my Saviour in whom I will give account of everything!

Amen.

“Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14

Running…Amazing Truth And Facts!(Part3)

21) People who think they don’t have time to run because their day consists of running from one responsibility to another should consider this: In the average American home, the television is on for 7 hours a day. Bypass one round up of the latest local mayhem and one repeat of reality show, and you’ve got more than enough time to get in a good workout.

22) Air pollution levels are lowest in the morning. When there’s serious smog going on, all runners should consider switching to morning runs. Even in less severe conditions, asthmatics  and others with respiratory problems will breath easier  if they do at least their summer running early in the day. They’ll also stay cooler.

23) In 1964, American Billy Mills wrote “Olympic gold; 28:24” on a piece of paper that he tacked to a wall. He looked at this paper everyday while preparing for the Olympic 10k. Despite having a best time of only 29:10 before the games, Mills ran with the best runners in the world in the Olympic final and won the gold medal in the last 100 yards. His time? 28:24!

24) A training partner is a runner of similar ability whom you run with on a regular basis.

25) Common runner’s etiquette is to let the slowest member of a group set the pace, rather than everyone straining  to keep  up with the fastest member of the group.

26) The number of times that your heart beats in one minute when you’re doing nothing is your resting heart rate.It’s usually lowest in the morning when you’re lying in bed , specially if you don’t wake to an alarm clock.

27) Not all runners think that shoes are essentials. Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila set a world record when he won the 1960 Olympic Marathon. He did so running barefoot over the cobblestone streets of Rome. When he won the 1964 Olympic Marathon, however, he wore shoes.

28) Your shoes will last longer if you have more than one pair because they won’t get broken down as quickly from run to run. Buy two similar, but slightly different, models. Running in different shoes on different days more evenly distributes the pounding on your feet and legs.

29) When your running shoes get wet, stuff them with newspaper or place them in front a fan. Keep them away from heat, because heat can ruin the midsoles.

30) Your socks will most likely wear out first in the heels and the balls of the feet. When you start noticing little friction blisters in these areas, it’s time to get new socks.

Source: Bill Rodgers, who won the New York City And Boston Marathon 4 times each and still holds the fifth fastest American record in a marathon (2:09:27)-The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Jogging And Running with Scott Douglas.

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” -Psalm 56:3

New Balance 825…Welcome To Running Madness!

Yesterday, February 26, 2009..was a special day for me. It was the christening day of my new shoes, the New Balance 825. This was my 7th active running shoes. I bought this item last December 2008 together with my Adidas Ortholite for a 50% off there in Sports House depot in Liip Mamplasan Laguna. (Where every items are 50% off or more…always!)

Your time yesterday was 1 hour 22 minutes, easy run, almost equals to 10.25 kms, in zone 48.06, ave hour 111, peak hour 226, min hour 72, and with you, I was able to burn 468 calories…

Serve me well and I’ll not forget you. I promise, I’ll make known your every efforts and accomplishments. We will conquer every cities and valleys, uphills and plateaus, trails and downhills…I will be your master for a moment, but realized this: Once you have proven your worth, someday, you will retire with honor!

To you, my nb825…welcome to this wonderful world…welcome to running madness!

“Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:10

Running And Body Building!

Enrolling in a gym is sometimes not worth it specially if you can’t go there regularly. Before I become a runner, I’m a gym buff and I admire great bod such as that of Arnold, Lou Ferrigno among others..And when I entered the world of running, Haile’s body is now more appealing. However, since cross-training plays an important role in this field of sports, we can’t ignore the importance of body building.

Since I can’t visit my gym on a regular basis, I decided to activate my old gym paraphernalia and do my traditional body building exercise in the luxury of my backyard. Here, I have the all the time in the world to bench press, to deadlift and to military press. My stuff maybe rusty and old fashioned, but it’s weight is the same with that of Fitness First and Gold’s gym.

May I share with you my stuff and some of my favorite body building exercises though the background seems a little bit messy…

My dumbell with adjustable plates of up to 200 lbs..

My barbells…I bought these when I’m still in College.

Doing some military press..

Exercise for the back…

Even in body building…I can’t escape now in the reality that I’m a runner (Look at my attire hehehe).

Squat…with 60 lbs, one of my favorites.

Normally, my body building program is 4x a week with a minimum of one hour each sessions. It is a combination of a major and a minor muscle per program but my favorite are back and legs strengthening. I do push up 200 times  a day and can bench press 160 lbs for up to 5 repetitions.

I’m so grateful to God for giving me this strength, not only to run but to carry weights as well.

“Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.”-Jesus Christ. Mathew 20:26

Here I Come…Amadeo Cavite “Coffee Run”!

Tomorrow’s 10 kms fun run in Amadeo Cavite will be an interesting event, for this will be my first official racing competition in that province. I have an opportunity way back then, in the 21 kms Milo in Cavite City last 2006 but unfortunately, I was not able to join due to some problems in logistics. That proved to be a wasted chance for me since that event was the last Milo Half marathon to be held in Cavite and since then until this Amadeo Coffee Run, I haven’t heard any major marathon/s or any fun run/s in that province.

Our group, compose of 11 valiant men, will leave San Pedro Laguna at exactly 4:30am tomorrow. Although we already registered, our singlets and race packets will be given on the race day itself which will start at 7 am. A commemorative Coffee Mug will also be given and a bottomless “barako” Coffee will be served at the finish line (I hope there will be plenty of water at the water stations and not coffee instead lol).

My predictions for tomorrow’s event will be:

1. There’s no way I can beat my PR of 38 minutes and 22 seconds (San Antonio San Pedro Laguna Fun Run) last June 12, 2008, in the same 10 kms event for I still have this right leg pain as a result of running a 49.28 kms last Sunday’s long run from San Pedro Laguna to Naic Cavite. However, finishing it by sub 50 will be a consolation for me.

2. The route will be great, climate to be cool and spectators will be friendly and courteous.

3. This event will be participated too by many seeded runners.

4. Galore of coffee everywhere! Uhhhhmmmmphhh… I can smell now that great aroma flavor!

5. Freebies will be Coffee powder “barako” or “alamid”, fresh buko juice, boiled sweet potato or cassava and some native delicacies hehehe. How I wish…

So, brace yourself, Amadeo Cavite…for tomorrow I will conquer you!

Thought for the day…

“God never changes in His character or His attitude, but He will change His actions in response to our repentance.”

Running…Amazing Truth And Facts!(Part2)

11. Asthmatics can be athletes, too. Of the 597 members of the 1984 U.S Olympic team, more than 10% had asthma…Haile, the the man who broke his own record of 2 hours 4 minutes in the 42 kms just recently, is also asthmatic.

12. Are you carrying too much fat? Try this quick test: While standing with erect posture, grab a section of flesh between your thumb and fingers, about one to two inches to the side of your navel. If the fold of skin is less than an inch thick, then you probably don’t need to worry about excess body fat.

13. Be honest with yourself when you’re assessing whether you should see a doctor before starting to run. Running doesn’t cause heart problems, but if you have an underlying one, it can aggravate it.

14. Don’t try this at home: When Patti Catalano, who eventually held the American record in the marathon, decided to start a running program, her first run is almost 12 kms. She could barely walk, much less run, for more than a week afterwards.

15. The talk test is a way to know whether you’re running at the proper pace to boost your endurance. You should be able to carry on a conversation while you run. If you can only say one or two words at a time, you’re running too fast!

16. Beginners aren’t the only ones who are occasionally plagued by side stitches. Todd Williams, who is a two-time Olympian in the 10k, got such a bad side stitch in a 15k in March 1997 that he had to drop out of the race while leading.

17. Don’t try to change your form all at once or overnight.

18. You’ll see a lot of runners wearing portable headphones. Don’t be one of them. When you run wearing your headphones, You’re surrendering one of your main ways of staying alert. You won’t be able to hear cars and potential bad guys. Save the music for getting psyched to run beforehand or for relaxing afterward.

19. Devise your running loops with smaller loops in mind. That way, if you run into trouble or just don’t feel up to your original plans for the day, you can cut your run short.

20. Jimmy Carter knew the value of setting aside time for running long before he became president. He was a member of the cross-country team while a student of the Naval Academy. Michael Dukakis, who unsuccessfully ran for Carter’s former job in 1988, also came to politics with a running history. In 1951, he finished 57th at the Boston Marathon in 3 hours, 31 minutes.

Source: Bill Rodgers, won the New York City And Boston Marathon 4 times each and still holds the fifth fastest American record in a marathon (2:09:27)-The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Jogging And Running with Scott Douglas.

” Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” 1 tim. 1:15

Running…Amazing Truth And Facts!(Part 1)

1. When you’re in the company of runners, it’s common runner’s etiquette to talk about your PRs only if you’re asked.

2. About 60% of the 18,000 participants in the 1997 Marine Corps Marathon had never run a marathon before.

3. For the first time in a major marathon, women finishers outnumbered men finishers at the 1996 Portland’s Marathon.

4. Runner’s World is the most popular running magazine in the world, with a circulation of more than 400,000. The other major American running magazine is Running Times.

5. Ron Hill, who won the Boston Marathon in 1970, is generally considered to have the longest running streak (not having missed a day of running) in the world. The last day that Hill didn’t run was in 1964.

6. It wasn’t until 1928 Games that women were allowed to race even as far as 800 meters. A few ill trained women collapsed at the end of these races, so all races longer than 200 meters were banned from Olympic Competition. (isn’t it interesting that when women collapse at the end of a race, they’re thought to be frail, but when men do so, they’re said to be gutsy for having pushed themselves so hard?) The 800 meters wasn’t put back on the program until 1960. There wasn’t a women’s Olympic Marathon until 1984, a 10k until 1988 and a 5k until 1996.

7. In 1994 and 1995, Ann Trason placed 2nd overall at the Western States 100 miler, a Californian trail race.

8. Who knows what might be hiding under that extra layer of flab? Fifteen years ago, Peter Maher was a 210 pound smoker. Now, he’s run a 2:11 marathon and has represented Canada in the Olympics.

9. A calorie is a measurement of heat. Only foods containing calories can be burned for energy by your body. A pound is equal to 3,500 calories. Walking and running burn roughly 100 calories per mile.

10. Don’t weigh yourself more than once a week. Your weight varies from day to day because of water retention and other factors, so daily weighings can be misleading and frustrating. Try to weigh yourself under similar conditions each week, such as naked on Monday mornings.

Source: Bill Rodgers, won the New York City And Boston Marathon 4 times each and still holds the fifth fastest American record in a marathon (2:09:27)-The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Jogging And Running with Scott Douglas.

“If you know these things, happy are you If you do them.” -Jesus Christ (John 13:17)

It Doesn’t Seem Right?

There comes a time in our lives that we feel our work is insignificant. We sometimes compare it to others, resulting to self-pity. Let me share with you a nice story, and hopefully we can gain lessons from it:

A missionary couple came home aboard a ship after many years of faithful service in Africa. It so happened that there was a very important diplomat also on the same ship who got special treatment and special attention. When the ship arrived, this couple stood back and watched from the deck as the band played and the people had gathered and there was great applause. As the diplomat walked down the gangplank and was whisked off in a lovely limousine to the sound of music and applause, this dear fellow put his arm around his wife and he walked off with her and got into the streets of New York. “Honey,” he said, “it just does not seem right after all of these years that we would have this kind of treatment and here this fellow gets that kind of special treatment.” And she put her arms around her husband and said to him, “But, honey, we’re not home yet.”

-al bryant, 1,000 new illustrations

“There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I’m going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready , then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with Me. Let not your heart be troubled…” -Jesus Christ (John 14:1-3)

An Achievement: The 49.28 kms Run!

A day before our San Pedro-Naic Cavite run, I received a comment from a certain Junjun Nepumoceno, asking me If I could grant him permission to feature that unforgettable run in his site naic.multiply.com and I agreed as long as he will acknowledge too my blogsite, so that I could give back ALL the Glory to God…and last night, he informed me that our run is already there. It was an honor for me and to Junjun Nepomuceno, thank you very much for giving me space and time to post that 49.28 kms run and hopefully, many Naicquenos will find time to jog and eventually run in the near future.Running From San Pedro Laguna to Naic Cavite is like running nonstop from Naic Cavite to Lawton Manila.

Born and raised in Naic Cavite, I missed that place for It’s been a long time I haven’t visited that place and to conquer Naic just by mere running, is for me an incredible feat! If God willing, I will try again to run from Naic to Mt. Pico de Loro, the distance not that far compared to San Pedro Laguna to Naic Cavite but the route is trail and hilly.

One thing I learned from that Sunday’s event is that I can run up to 20 hours nonstop but my problem is the weather condition. If it’s too hot, that makes me falter and slow down. I cannot win over extreme weather condition.

Well, yesterday…I did my Easy Run of 1 hour and 1 minute equivalent to 7.2 kms. My feet is still in limbo up to now but I know…it will be okay this coming Saturday for the Amadeo run.

Here’s my picture of yesterday’s practice:

“Obey My voice, and I will be your God…and you shall be my people.” Jeremiah 7:23