Running In Different Parts Of Dasmarinas Cavite…

“You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off your face.” -Gatorade Ad

My personal target is to conquer all the barangays here in Dasmarinas Cavite by means of running. I rested for several weeks due to my job but now, I made the necessary adjustment.

Travel with me as we explore the beautiful City of Dasmarinas…

In the intersection in KADIWA…

I ran 3 hours and 32 minutes today, July 28, 2010. So glad to conquer those places.

I knew I still have so many places to run to cover the whole distance of Dasmarinas but little by little, I can do that.

I may not be active in races but running will always be a part of my daily activities.

Hope to see you soon at the races.

Keep looking UP!

God be Praised.

Running In Tagaytay City…

“No one ever drowned in sweat.” -Author Unknown

Yesterday, July 27, 2010…I ran in Tagaytay City in 3 hours and 25 minutes. I enjoyed the scenery plus the cool climate. It’s my plan to run in that place at least thrice a month.

I started in Mendez Crossing. Here, I already covered some 3 kms.

I love the climate…

…and tall Pine trees.

Documenting every landmark…

Here, I took my breakfast…a short 15 minutes break.

Mushroom spaghetti with Tuna mushroom hamburger…YUMMY!

After eating, I walked briskly up to this place…

A lovely creature, a symbol of speed and endurance.

I also witnessed a Time trial for Philippine team. I stopped here for 10 minutes. As a biker myself, I like to see event like this.

Conquered this majestic City once again… : )

Thank you SPYDER for providing my sunglasses.

Keep looking UP!

God be Praised.

Enough Is Never Enough.

“Fame, like flame, is harmless until you start inhaling it.” -selected

As a jogger then, my ultimate goal was to join a race.

And so I registered for my first race -the 5k in Cabuyao Laguna. At the finish line, I told myself  I’ll try the 10k.

And then a 15k… a 21k…a 25k.

Then came the 42k.

Then a 100K…followed by a 102K.

There was also a 24 hours Run.

I already joined almost 80 races in a short span of 4 years.

Enough is never enough.

Always more.

Contentment is out of the question.

To desire for more races is not bad. To train harder is also beneficial.

It is good for you, specially for your health (and bulging tummy.)

However, always keep in mind that MODERATION is the key. Our body needs rest, specially our feet.

In running, we can always strengthen our hearts but be very cautious not to over train our legs (and feet.)

And mind you, even our hearts can falter if you’re running at full speed without listening to your body.

My  friend died during a race some 5 years ago while running way above his heart rate. And there were confirmed fatalities during those recent races in Metro Manila.

Man will always strive to be better even to the point of neglecting their safety.

The rule of the thumb is this -DO ALL THINGS IN MODERATION.

And even if you’re a seasoned Ultra runner, a newbie or just starting your career as a runner -be moderate.

Slowly but surely.

When enough is never enough, be reminded that you can’t have it all at once.

Know your limit and be contented with it.

God be Praised.

Running Scared!

“To him who is in FEAR, everything rustles. ” -Sophocles

After my running activity last Wednesday…

Last Wednesday, I ran somewhere in Dasmarinas Cavite only to be chased by stray dogs. As a kid then, I was bitten by dogs five times and as a consequence, I do have fear for dogs since then. Luckily enough, I survived this time but if someone could see me that Wednesday’s early morning, you could see me running for my dear life.

And I’m running scared!

Want to know the shortest route to ineffectiveness? Start running scared. Try to cover every base at all times. Become paranoid over your front, your flanks and your rear. Think about every possible peril, focus on the dangers. Say no to courage and yes to caution. Expect the worst. Play your cards close to your vest. Let fear run wild.

I told you, eventhough I survived that vicious attack, I almost collapsed.

All of us have fears. For me, it’s heights and dogs.

Running scared invariably blows up in one’s face.

And even if you’re in your comfort zone, danger will always be there. There are no absolute guarantees. No fail-safe plans. No perfectly reliable designs. No completely risk-free arrangements.

I was reminded of a story of a man who secured his house with  latest devises to protect his family from crooked individuals but as he drove one day from the garage, his 18 month old son squirmed away from her sister’s grasp and ran behind the car. The child was killed instantly.

Life refuses to be that neat and clean. Not even the neurotics who go to extreme measures to make positively sure, are protected from their obsessive fears. Those best laid plans  of ‘mice and men’  continue to backfire , reminding us that living  and risking go hand and hand.

All who fly risk crashing. All who drive risk colliding. All who run risk falling (and bitten by dogs!). All who walk risk stumbling. All who live risk something!

Tell your fears where to get off! Otherwise, your quest for effectiveness will be interrupted.

Effectiveness—sometimes greatness -awaits those who refuse to RUN sacred.

Keep looking UP!

God be Praised.

* My sincerest apology for takbo.ph peeps because I was not able to come and be a volunteer for their runfest today…Thank you for understanding. I owe you one. : (

Running In Dasmarinas Cavite…

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize…” -Phil. 3:14

It took me more than 3 weeks to adjust in my new residence and the first thing that I did  was to reckon the place -particularly in RUNNING. I enjoyed my 2hours and 21 minutes run…

As I reached this place, I already ran 25 minutes…

In Pala Pala Dasmarinas Cavite…

Lord, thank you for a beautiful place to run like this one. And wherever You send me, I’ll always be a runner, even to the remotest part of the earth. I maybe inactive for sometime due to  unavoidable reasons but I will remain as a runner.

Thank You for bringing me to this place and If You will take me again to a different territory, I’ll still run.

In Jesus Name.

Amen.

Running In Ancient Times-The Naked Way!

“Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and specially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. ” Hebrews 12:1

Me during the BDM 102kms last March 2010 with my hydration belt.

Running with weights, are you comfortable with that?

For some, it is beneficial.

For me, I can’t run without my hydration belt. I’m comfortable with it but to tell you honestly, it can impede my speed and slows me down at times.

Today let me share with you ‘running in ancient times.’

I just pray that you will learn something from it.

Come with me to the ancient Greek games. As the fastest runner in the Roman Empire gather at the starting line, the tension and pressure is mounting. They are about to run the race of their lives. The crowd rises to its feet in anticipation.

The runners begin to remove their outer warm up robes. Nothing must slow them down. They then remove  their loose-fitting tunics. No garment must cause any wind drag.

Then, in a startling move, the runners remove the rest of their clothing. They strip down. Completely. To the buff.

They are totally nude. This has become R rated.

These Greek athletes have stripped down so nothing-absolutely nothing-will slow them down. They will do anything to gain an advantage  over the competition. They are willing to risk the embarrassment  of public exposure. To run without any hindrance. All to win the crown.

Their bulging muscles  and finely tuned bodies ripple in the open arena. With sculpted torsos that looked like they have been chiseled out of marble, they resemble exquisite masterpieces. These are the finest athletes in the Roman empire.

These naked runners are highly motivated  to jump out to a fast start. If you fall behind this bare-bottomed pack, the view can be pretty rough.

Considered offensive by women and Jews, such nudity was  the accepted practice of these world-famous athletic games. Nothing must be allowed to impede their speed. not even clothing. Because winning was everything!

These are men whose burning passion is winning. At any cost. So they remove all encumbrances that would hinder a swift performance. All to capture a crown, if not a cold.

Men, these are the bare facts. Very revealing.

Just as the first century athletes stripped down to run with maximum speed, we must strip away every spiritual encumbrance that would impede our progress in God’s race. Pursuing the ultimate prize requires laying aside anything that would slow us down.

I know what some of you are thinking, “If God wanted us to run naked, we would have been born that way.” That’s precisely the point.

Too many of us run as if outfitted with layers of restrictive clothing and with heavy weights. We must strip down and run unencumbered. Take it all off!

-Copied from PROMISES TO KEEP: Daily Devotions For Men Seeking Integrity by Nick Harrison pages 230-231

– MEN WHO WIN by Steven Lawson

A Passion For All Seasons!

“You don’t understand anything until you learn it more than
one way.”

— Marvin Minsky

In one of my running activities taken last June 2010.

They say that once you became a runner, you’ll always be a runner.

Even if circumstances sometimes do not favor you.

As a newbie in my job, my first two months were indeed a ‘struggle’ especially  on how to have a good run, a nice place and a time management on how and where to do it.

I need to wake up at 2 am so that I’ll not be late for my 5:30 am work schedule. Coming from Cavite to Makati, travel time will be so irritating, to and from. Traffic will test your patience and sometimes, the call of nature will humiliate you.

My work will be done at 4:30 pm. I’m at the office for 11 hours and need to go home again with worst traffic situation ahead of me.

How can I run then?

Will my career in running ends here?

God forbid.

Thanks for my office for providing a gym where it is open 24 hours a day. And my favorite equipment?

Of course -the TREADMILL!

Although it’s not as good as in actual running scenario, I can be satisfied with it for the meantime.

For the last 2 days, I enjoyed a 30 minute and 1 hour sessions. And I perspired a lot even if the whole vicinity was too cold due to a centralized air conditioning system.

-No pollution.

-No stray dogs.

-No bad elements.

And I burned 265 and 502 calories respectively.

That was for me a a complete day.

There will always be a way not to quench your passion.

And I’m glad I’ve found it.

In season and out of season, just RUN!

Keep looking up!

God be Praised.

Today, I Decided To Quit!

Today, I decided to quit…I quit my job, my relationship, my Spirituality, my running career… I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. “God, Can you give me one good reason not to quit?” His answer surprised me…

Look around, He said. Do you see the fern and the bamboo

Yes, I replied.

When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.

In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit. He said.

Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant…But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle. He said to me…

Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots

I would not quit on the bamboo…. “I WILL NEVER QUIT ON YOU”

Don’t compare yourself to others. He said.

The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.

Your time will come, God said to me… “YOU WILL RISE HIGH…”

How high should I rise I asked.

How high will the bamboo rise He asked in return.

As high as it can I questioned

Yes. He said ”
GIVE ME GLORY BY RISING AS HIGH AS YOU CAN”

I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can help you see that HE will never give up on you.

“GOD WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON YOU….”

Keep Looking Up!

God be Praised!

In one of running adventures…

No Green.

“If you have run with the footmen, and they have worried you, then how can you contend with the horses?” -Jeremiah 12:5

My first DNS happened last Sunday.

I was not able to join the Milo Marathon. I’m so tired the day before. I woke up at 5am Sunday morning. My strength and my alarm clock failed me. I’m so disappointed but I’m still thankful.

Life goes on.

I don’t have internet connection for 7 days now. I missed blogging.

A series of  misfortunes attacked me once again. But I don’t see them as misfortunes but opportunities.

Opportunities to trust God more.

Life goes on.

I terribly miss running in a race. And hoping to be back SOON!

I don’t know when and where and how. But surely, I’ll be back.

Life goes on…with green or no green.

Keep looking UP!

God be Praised.