Physical Education

Let me step back a bit though and give a background which may be more familiar with some of my friends from way back.  As a kid, I wasn’t exactly the most athletic person you’d see.  I’m just an average… well… below average lanky, asthmatic kid.  I would usually just either barely pass, or fail the physical tests they have us do in grade school and high school.  I’m pretty sure you remember those… chin-ups, pushups, runs, etc…  I could not a single chin up to save my life, I’d die after 3-5 pushups, and I could not run for 5 minutes straight, let along the 10-minute requirement!  I guess, looking back, the only one I enjoyed were crunches, which I’d be ok with doing and would make it at least the requirement.

I only enjoyed P.E. because it was a subject out of the classroom where you were not required to study.  I mean, any kid at that age would rather be outdoors than in a classroom listening to a lecture, answering quizzes, taking down notes, or reading.  Well, I’m sure there are some out there who did, but not me.  I studied hard to make my parents happy, not really thinking it was for my future, but more for their delight.  Plus, it was the only thing I knew I could control and improve on, not so much with my fitness level.  Add to that, that it’s probably the only subject you’re guaranteed to pass as long as you regularly show up.  P.E. was that subject you had to help you pull up your general average, and that’s what it was to me.  Regardless of what sport we were doing, I would struggle and just hope to make the grade (even ballroom dancing back in college… I’m pretty sure my Lasallian peers remember Mr. Ronda – I hope I got his name right).

What P.E. did for me though is expose me to several sports.  I got to try out volleyball, football, and even swimming, plus the typical sports such as track and field and basketball.  So it was not all a waste, at least it was a bit of an orientation to the world of sports.  Although for me, it was something that just made me believe more that sports is not exactly my strongest suit.

Heavy Steel

During my childhood, I was exposed to the gym through my parents.  They’d go to the neighborhood gym and I’d like to join them of course.  I would at least want to improve on my pathetic excuse for fitness.  I lifted weights, even tried several home remedies to bulk up.  Anyone remember the Sarsi and egg commercial?  Yup… I tried that as well… nothing… no visible results at all.  All I gained were just calluses on my hands and a sore body after.  Well, I guess I was also a bit too eager to see the results.

Going to the gym though did help at a later part when I tried… get ready for it… modeling.  With the help of a good friend – Carlo Adorador, he mentored me and shared a lot of his intense circuit training and nutrition tips.  At least during that time, I got the physique I was aiming for.  But man… we’d be in the gym 4 hours a day, 6 days a week!

I have to admit though, I had a lot of “artificial” help to get the look I wanted.  These ranged from protein supplements, to intense fat burners and other pills and tabs just to help me overcome my body’s current limits.  Oh, and my diet?  Damn!  All boiled, no flavor, no oil, nothing… I know, I know, what a sad life to have.  Despite that nutrition regimen being as bland as paper, I was able to do it for a whole year!  Nope, I don’t think that life’s for me.

Baller

Among the first sports I tried out was basketball.  I remember back in the day my childhood best friend, my brother, and I would get up very early in the morning just to play in nearby village basketball courts.  We’d usually play until before lunch, then again in the later part of the afternoon.  I remember being at awe of my peers who could, in my eyes, fly and have a high vertical leap.  I’d be amazed at those that can sprint up and down the court and leave their defenders behind; I’d watch those sharp shooters from the perimeter who could shoot the living daylights out of their opponents from any angle and from any distance.  As for me, well… my vertical leap was what they call “ga-piso” or as high as a one peso coin… and in my case, a coin that’s on its side!  I’d be among the last ones to get to the other side of the court, and my endurance wasn’t exactly up to par with my contemporaries.  Don’t even ask about my shooting, let’s just say I’m the last one you’d like to pass the ball to if you wanted to score, and the first one you’d give the ball to if the team already has a 30 point lead.  I’d be tired and would not be able to keep up with the mad sprints for a fast break or transition defense (I’m pretty sure all basketball fanatics know what I mean).

At the most, I tried to make up for my lack of physical abilities by giving every game my best and settled with being happy to be in the background.  I helped in boxing out under the basket so my high leaping team mates can get the rebound, I’d give picks so my slasher buddies would get to the basket and score.  I would also try to run after the fast breaks of the opposing teams, even if I knew I did not have a chance.  In some instances, I’d be that annoying gnat during the free-throw taunting the shooter and hopefully distracting him.  Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly varsity material.  I was usually among the last to get picked when forming teams, and I would just be in the team to be the 5^th member just to help build a complete team.  Ok, basketball was not my strongest sport… I knew how to play, but that was it.

Belay

Now indoor wall climbing was something that was a bit more interesting to me.  It was a mix of being a physical challenge and a mental sport.  You had to plot your route up the wall; at the same time you needed the physical strength to pull off some of the moves to hurdle some of the inclines.  It also required a lot of technique so you get to utilize the legs as well.

It was also a sport that my then girlfriend (now my wife!) and I did together.  That was one thing that made the sport attractive to me.  We were able to find an activity we both enjoyed.

I did not really progress as much though since the equipment was a bit pricey and I did not have the budget then to invest in it.  That, plus the wall at Rockwell closed, which was our favorite, and probably the only wall we enjoyed climbing.

Left, Upper, Hook, Straight!

Another sport I tried was boxing.  It was fun at first since it was something new.  I got to invest on a decent pair of wraps and gloves.  I even got myself a head gear.  I was doing ok, my stamina was built through the drills and exercises.  I did, however, do poorly in terms of hand-eye coordination and my reaction time sucked!  It would take me longer than usual to absorb the trainer’s combination instructions before I could execute them.  I would also usually get the combinations wrong.  My skip rope technique was also questionable, and in my opinion, too girly.  No offense to women though, but I skipped like how a little girl would, one foot at a time.

Despite this, I was encouraged to join a tournament.  With that though, I felt I was being rushed and forcing myself into the sport.  First was I could not make the weight-cut despite the intense exercise and crash diet.  Also, during sparring sessions, I’d usually get beat up!  One session, I even had a scratch on my cheek which was because of a punch I got form this kid (who was obviously a lot better and quicker than I was!).  Again, another sport that was definitely not for me.  Slow reaction time, terrible foot work, a weak chin (I was stunned with this one straight punch I got)… all a recipe for a knock out.   Oh, and that tournament?  I did not push through.  I felt my trainer was crazy to think that I’d trust his judgment seeing how the attempt to lose weight and lack of skills improvement was definitely something indicative of a terrible outcome.

If anything though, there was one thing I learned from my boxing sessions which apparently is something I can use in my future endeavor.  In boxing, my trainer taught me about fartleks!  He did not use the exact term, he just do a jog then sprint as fast as you can for as long as you can, then rest by doing a slow jog again, then repeat.  A year of this actually helped me get a decent time in my first 5k run.

Owls and Vampires

With all the attempts at various physical activities, it’s also worth mentioning a period in my life that was simply put, very unhealthy.  When I got in the call center industry, I was surrounded with unhealthy habits.  Being new, and earning a substantial amount, it was very easy to give in.  I was a chain smoker, a heavy drinker, and a pig when it came to my diet.

I always had with me 2 packs of cigarettes.  One for me, and one to share.  Also, in the industry, breaks are very strict.  At one time, I worked in a call center and we were located over 40 floors above, so it took about 5 minutes just to go down.  So, within a 15-minute break, 5 minutes to go down, 5 minutes to go up, and 5 minutes to smoke.  Within that 5 minutes, I’d smoke anywhere between 2-3 sticks… trust me, it was possible and crazy!

I also went out almost daily with friends and have more than a few bottles of beer, coupled with some food that’s a recipe for a heart attack – everything fried and fatty.  That was the time of my life where I weighed my heaviest.  I averaged 170-175lbs!

That was the unhealthiest I’ve been.  The sad thing was I had a difficult time stopping myself despite feeling it.  I woke up breathing heavily and exhausted.  The unhealthy lifestyle was and I believe still is the worst thing to pair with working shifts.  I lost my fitness mojo, and my health was in a downward spiral.  No regard for my well being, no regard to what I was doing to my body, and since I found it tough to go back, no regard for how unhealthy I looked.

Sinha Bahia

After an unhealthy stretch, I just suddenly had the urge to get healthy again.  Perhaps it was more of vanity, seeing how my pants from just a few years, or even months back no longer fit!  I had to go back, I had to get healthy again.  I no longer wanted to be gasping for air when I woke up, I no longer wanted to have my gut bulging through my shirt, I no longer wanted my cheeks to look as if my mouth was stuffed with food all the time.  I re-enrolled in Gold’s Gym Alabang, got a physical trainer and trained my ass off!  I went regularly and did my best to strictly do the workouts.  The biggest wake up call I got was while on a treadmill, I was exhausted after 2 minutes at a slow pace, while this old lady was jogging, and has been for 30 minutes already and looked more relaxed than me!  That competitive and vain side of me kicked in, and the fitness fire was rekindled.

With my regular visits to the gym I saw these guys doing handstands, flips, swaying from side to side, throwing punches and kicks!  All these to a catchy rhythm and tempo of music in Portuguese.  I was exposed to Capoeira.  A Brazilian martial art that was developed when slaves had to come up with a way to train their fighting skills in a discrete way.  Capoeira was made to look like a dance, but it had deadly offense, holds, and strikes hidden in the seemingly innocent cool dance moves.  Sinha Bahia was a school with very pleasant and friendly members.  During a roda (oh god, I hope I’m not murdering these terms… please bear with me Mestre!) I’d be at awe at the height of the flips, the speed of the strikes, and the agility of the evading maneuvers.  I improved my core with this sport.  Doing hand stands and flips required a strong and stable core to pull off.  So whatever core strength I have now, I owe it all to Capoeria.

It was cool and all, but was not for me.  Remember, I failed ballroom dancing, and boxing revealed my poor coordination and reaction time.  I felt that maybe it was time to try out something new.

Calm and Relaxed

A good complement to Capoeira apparently is yoga.  A colleague encouraged me to try out a new yoga place in Makati – Bliss Yoga.  This Yoga place which was established by Roland dela Cruz.  With his friendly demeanor, calming presence, and friendly, inviting aura, we got hooked!  I was progressing fairly well.  Despite my struggle with a lot of the flexibility poses, I was able to to do a lot of the strength and balancing poses – all at beginner levels of course.

Yoga was a great way for my wife and I to relax after our long days at work.  Bliss Yoga was a great escape from the daily stress of work and life in general.  We’d go there in the afternoon, and with the rooftop location, get a nice sunset view which then turned into a view of the sparkling Makati skyline.

It also complemented running since it helped with stretching, improved balance, and strengthen the core.  I actually miss it nowadays, and plan to work on scheduling around it so we can attend again regularly.

Kilometers

Now, finally… running!

In addition to Capoeira, I continued my weight training.  As a warm up to my weight training I’d do an easy 30 minutes on the treadmill.  I slowly built it to the point where I was able to do 5 kilometers within that time frame.  Of course, that was on the treadmill, which apparently is much different from road running.  I noticed my pace improve and get faster as time went on.  That was 2009 – running had already been around for quite awhile and it was starting to pick up as a popular activity.  Races then would cost around Php100-Php300 at the most.  Yes, once upon a time, it was that cheap!  After coercing with my wife and some friends, we finally decided to run our first official organized event.

On April 26^th, 2009 at the Step-Up for a Cause event, I did my very first 5 kilometer race.  I clocked in a decent time under 30 minutes.  After the race, I actually felt good and still strong!  I had so much fun and enjoyed running with a big group with water stations for your hydration along the way.  Needless to say, after that, the rest was history.

I progressed in distance fairly quickly.  I did my first marathon only 6 months after that.  Last October 24^th, 2009, I ran the infamous Subic International Marathon.  For those that read my blog entry, you’ll understand me when I say that it was not the ideal event for a first time marathoner.  Despite that though, I managed a decent time and was able to hit my target.

After that, the running bug hit me, and upon prodding of some new friends I made in the running community, I went for the Bataan Death March less than a year after I started running.  I was fortunate to complete it despite the lack of a proper training program.  I guess I was running on pure adrenaline and emotion since I did it for my grandmother who passed away 2 months prior to the event.

The progression was definitely quick, quicker than I would have liked.  Looking back, it would have been smarter to progress slowly.  I was prone to injuries, and now I think I should be thankful that nothing permanent happened to me.  I should have trained smarter, and properly for progression.

One, Two, Three

Now that my running has improved, and I feel that I’m doing fairly well, a new event caught my eye.  The triathlon.  The Camsur 70.3 Ironman started a couple of years back, and I felt though that this must be a crazy test of endurance.  Imagine having to do 3 events all in one day, one after the other.  This was a new challenge for me to try out.

Rico V.’s Sheerwill Aquathlon was the perfect introduction for me to multisports.  The biggest fear I had was swimming.  My earliest exposure to swimming wasn’t exactly inspiring.  Back in grade school in order to get a good P.E. grade, I joined the swim event in our Intramurals.  I obviously had a pathetic swim and had an embarrassing finish.  Fast forward to the aquathlons, I was usually among the last to finish the swim leg.

After these aquathlons, I did my first triathlon last June.  It was the Animo tri, and I joined the mini-sprint event – 300m swim, 12 km bike, 2.5 km run.  Same result for the swim leg…  I actually stopped and grabbed on to the line every 25 meters, gasping for air.  I also took my time at the end of each lap to catch my breath.  I definitely needed to train more for the swim part, and 4-5 weeks was not enough.  I’m just glad I have a decent bike ride and run pace that helped clock in a fairly decent time.

Despite the terrible swim though, I enjoyed the thrill of the event.  3 disciplines in one day is something that will definitely take away the boredom of the event.

I’ve learned my lesson, and I’m now more religious with my swim training, and progressing slowly.

Running Social

My fitness life has helped me meet a lot of great, noteworthy individuals…

Running Diva: Who was more than willing to share her experiences and tips.  Without her, I would never had continued with running.  Thanks to her patience in giving me advice, running (and fitness in general) has become a big part of my life.

Kenkoy Runner: Timmy, my first ever pacer!  He’s another great example of how friendly the running community is.  Everyone is willing to lend a helping hand.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a newbie, or a long time friend, all runners are willing to help and eager to share their experience.

Sheerwill:  Rico is another friendly  person I met in the running community.  His aquathlon events were my introduction to the world of multisports.

Gingerbreadman: and who can ever forget the epic rivalry of Piolo and Gingerbreadman.  Luis is one person who’s always willing to help out no matter what.  From swimming tips to helping (and very patiently) helping me build my bike.  I would also never forget the time we shared the pavement in the 2010 edition of the BDM 102 Ultramarathon talking about stuff just to keep our minds off the pain, and take turns encouraging each other when we felt like giving up.

DocT:  The running doctor, ready and willing to give his expert medical advice.  Someone you should not miss when going out for a couple of bottles… (in his words… tubatels)

Baldrunner:  The retired general, who is the father of ultramarathons in the Philippines.  The brains behind the Bataan Death March ultramarathon and father of the Philippine Association of Ultramarathoners.  He, along with his wife are familiar faces to hardcore ultramarathoners.  His dedication to running is beyond anything I’ve ever seen.  His passion has carried him and other runners to various locations in the Philippines.  Without his races, I would never have thought to explore our country.  From the Bangui Windmills, to the route of the soldiers of the Bataan Death March, to the crazy gradients of Sierra Madre, he’s brought us everywhere!  At his age, he can still teach kids more than half his age several things about running.

Bugobugo: Jonel… the man behind Frontrunner magazine.  One of the strongest influences in the ultramarthon scene, one of the pioneer runners of the BDM 102 Ultramarathon.  The most memorable impact he had on me is convincing me to run the 34th Milo Manila Elims which my first race that I did not race.  He taught me that not all races are meant to be competitive, and made me remember the reason I started running and the joy I have when I hit the pavement.

Manokan: If you’re a runner, and haven’t heard of Takbo.ph, then you’re not a true runner.  Takbo.ph creator Jinoe along with with Q are vital cornerstones in the Philippine running scene.  Takbo.ph became, and still is a vital source of anything and everything running.

Team Powerpuff Boys:  I’m privileged and honored to be part of this group of super fast runners. The Epic Relay was truly Epic.  This group showed that running although known as an individual sport, can actually turn into a team sport!

Team Ungas: My ultramarathon family who shared the pavement with me for over 17 hours in my first ultramarathon.

These are just a few, a very small portion of interesting and great friends I’ve made through running, and I’m looking forward to meeting more.

Snail’s Pace

Looking back at all the activities I tried out, I noticed that I have a very long learning curve no matter what.  My running pace progress is very slow, it’s taking my a lot longer to pick up the proper swim technique, let alone build my swim endurance, and I still can’t seem to keep up with the average bike riders.

Despite this slow and steady process of learning and building my base, I think I’m at the healthiest point of my life.  I’m eating right – not less, I’m engaged in physical activities daily, and last 2007, I quit smoking, and have not smoked a single stick since then.  I’m now living a healthy life, and try to promote it to people I care about.  I try to show them that healthy living is possible and that no matter what sport you get into, no matter how slow or fast your progress is, just remember that in the bigger picture, you’re taking care of your body.  You’re setting yourself up for a long and healthy life.

Remembering

Flying brings back that sense of nostalgia for me.  As a kid, I traveled a lot with my late grandfather.  Nowadays, I usually take comfort in the fact that he’s watching over me.  That no matter how bad the turbulence got, or how rough the landing and take off are, that no matter how loud some sounds got, that I’d be safe.  The plane has become a safe haven for me, and brings me that much closer to being with my grandfather

Unplug

Flying has become a great reason to unplug.  Even when I’m on vacation, I find myself typing away on my BlackBerry and not truly enjoying my vacation.  While flying, I have a great excuse not to check for emails and not be too worried and concerned about work.  Flying now has become my escape from work, a great reason to go offline and not worry to work and respond to emails.  Flying liberates me from the daily trudges of work.

Social Media Liberation

We’re all connected, and more of an addiction for me, almost the entire day to our social media sites… from Twitter, to Facebook, to Linked In, well… even our emails and SMS also keep us “socially” connected.  While flying though, again, it’s a great excuse to be on your own and have some alone time.  Being in the air liberates me from the addiction of having to check and to let people know what’s going.  No checking and updating of Facebook statuses, no need to check the Twitter feed for the latest events, no need to go online.

The Smell of Fresh Print

With the dawn of digital books and e-readers, I no longer have the chance, or at times the patience, to pick up and read a good ‘ol fashion book.  In the plane, there are several instances I get to read a book.  I’ve catch up mostly on a lot of reading while on the plane.

Movie Marathon

Thanks to an updated selection of movies, I get to catch up and enjoy movies that I missed in the cinemas.  I also get to watch movies that I preferred not to watch as well.  It makes me realize that I missed a great movie, but glad I got to watch it.  I get to see old movies that I was not aware of, or movies that never made it to our local cinemas, but were apparently good films.

The next time you fly, try to do things that you wouldn’t usually do while grounded.  You’ll be surprised about how much you’ve been missing out on a lot of things.

I’m pleased to finally write a review, praising them.  Finally, I’ve received a much better treatment, and the overall demeanor was a lot more pleasant.  They were more lively, and attentive.  Despite the news I received from the check-in counter that some people were about to lose their jobs, they were still very friendly.

I hope that the PAL leadership pays attention to their decisions and keeps an eye on their employees, and makes sure that this good service continues.

Keep it up PAL, and looking forward to flying with you again!

It’s located at the end of the ground floor of Greenbelt 5, across Ayala Museum.

We started our meal with their Lobster Bisque. It was a thick sauce that had the authentic taste of Lobster. This was topped with a ravioli that helped balance the rich lobster taste.

This was the followed by the Lamb Salad. The veggies was fresh and crisp, balanced by the melt-in-your-mouth richness of the lamb and the chewy, toasted lamb fat. The acidity of the vinaigrette dressing helped even out the flavors of the greens and meat.

Finally, the main event… The Lusso Demi Pound Burger. It was a thick beef patty with a foie gras center, topped with caramelized onions in a crunchy bun. After biting into the thick beef, you get to the foie gras center that just bursts in your mouth! The crunchy bun helped add texture to the tender beef and melt in your mouth foie gras. Topping your bite with the side of cambozola adds another salty, creamy dimension to the experience. And don’t forget about the perfectly crisped fries to complete the meal.

Behold… The Demi Pound Burger…

And to finish an excellent meal, the pecorino cheese cake. This admittedly though is an acquired taste. If you like cheese and like sweet- salty food, this is perfect for you. The saltiness of the pecorino cheese in perfect harmony with that bit of sweetness.

Overall, an awesome dining experience with a classy ambiance, great food, excellent service, and reasonable price.

I have to admit, initially, I wasn’t a fan of this model.  I felt it was too high of a ride to be a race shoe, yet too stiff to provide enough cushioning.  My first run was on a treadmill, which didn’t simulate it as much as I would’ve needed.  It felt ok on the treadmill, but felt different on the road.  The next run I did with this shoe was on the road, mid way in an ultramarathon I was doing.  I switched to these shoes with about 25 or so kilometers to go.  By that time I was feeling stiff and was feeling the effects of the distance.  When I switched to these shoes from the Brooks Green Silence, I immediately noticed the difference in cushioning.  The Green Silence was a racing flat with a soft feeling cushion.  The Race ST5 was  light and stiff.  Wrong time to do it!  After this experience, I decided to use this only for treadmill runs and short, easy road runs.

I started using these more though when I was in Sydney.  I decided to do easy paced long runs on them.  They slowly felt more comfortable.  The BioMoGo cushioning slowly adopted the contour of my feet.  It started to feel better.  Maybe I just got used to the feeling of the shoe, but it no longer felt as stiff as when I first used them on the road.  Just like any of the Brooks models, the more I used this shoe, the better it felt!

Aside from its eye-catching color, it’s also very durable.  So far after over 100kms on them, there’s still barely any sign of wear and tear.  Very different from the T7 I use for shorter distances.  I would highly recommend these for those targeting new personal bests in Pikermi’s (21kms) and up.  They feel a bit too heavy for distances under that, but just right for the longer ones.

Pro’s:

• Light weight (8.6oz)
• Cool Upper material
• Great even when worn sockless
• Snug fit
• Durable

Cons:

• Needs to be properly broken in before using (around 30kms or more)

Technical Specifications:

HydroFlow® – Dynamic viscous fluid units for heel and forefoot
enhance midsole cushioning—attenuating shock with industry
leading dampening and comfort.

BioMoGo – We’ve taken the long-lasting cushioning of our
MoGo midsole and made it more environmentally friendly. How,
you ask? By adding a non-toxic, natural additive to the MoGo
compound that encourages anaerobic microbes to munch away
once it hits an active, enclosed landfill.

Diagonal Rollbar (DRB®) – A high-density post at the medial arch
is engineered for pronation control and creates a smoother transition
from the midstance phase into the propulsion phase.

DRB® Accel – Enhances tunable torsion of the midfoot. Shank-like
thermoplastic devices vary from single units of a set modulus, to
dual-unit versions of varied modulus (tuned with higher stiffness
for medial support, the lateral side less stiff to smooth the ride).

Outsole
• HPR Green
• Forefoot Stable Pod Construction
• Contact Rubber Forefoot

HPR Green – This durable and long-wearing outsole compound
is made with dispersed silica, resulting in premium wet-dry traction
for excellent skid-resistance and a more environmentally friendly
composition.

Engineered Stable Pod Configuration – Midsole and outsole
components are engineered to set the foot in an efficient, balanced
position from heel strike to toe-off, offering maximum stability and
responsiveness.

Upper
• Moisture-managing Element Mesh
• Microfiber Overlay Materials
• Synthetic Overlay Materials

Price: Php 4,395

Here are some reasons I could think of that would merit an increase in registration fees:

• Smarter runners:  Runners now have a basis for comparison for their races, and have higher expectations.  All the way from better hydration, immediate results, excellent race marshals, to trivial matters such as having a horde of photographers snapping away every single stride they make.  To be realistic, all these expectations cost money. 
• Higher costs of permit:  It could be that some local government have increased their event permits and wanted a slice of that running pie.  I would expect, as a good example, that the Skyway authority will charge an arm and a leg just to close the entire Skyway for a possible point to point marathon next year.
• More newbie runners:  A lot of newbie runners means a lot more care is needed, again… additional costs.
• More runners:  Bigger turnout, means more logistical requirements, again… higher costs

At the end of the day, as runners, we do not have to join all the races.  Actually, it would be healthy to take a break in between races to recover from the previous week’s PR attempt.  Also with numerous races happening every weekend, we can choose to join the lower priced ones.  Just remember though, expect to get what you paid for.  If it turns out better, then good for you.  If not, then at least you won’t be disappointed.

I understand that this can be quite a sensitive topic, especially during these trying times when we’re all on a budget.  But we also have to be practical and objective before we judge race organizers.  The point is to have a good race… the best race possible.  Just to share, my standards for a good race are:

• Excellent hydration
• Excellent road marshals
• Precise distance, and,
• Accurate results

Does this mean I’m willing to pay whatever extravagant amount the organizers charge?  Well, most probably.  But does this mean I plan to join all “good races”?  Most likely not.  Mainly due to practical and physical reasons.  Practical, because I don’t think it would be practical for me to spend that much on races.  Physical, because I would like to prepare and properly train for a race.  I’m still quite far from my targets, and have a lot of training to do in order for me to reach those goals.  I would rather spend my time training on weekends, than burning myself out and risking injury by joining race after race.  Again, this is just me.  Races can also be part of a training program, so there’s nothing wrong with that as well.

Looking for an extremely cheap race?  Gather a group of friends, set a distance, then run your best!  The point is to enjoy running and not make it a burden.

The weight is probably the most glaring advantage this shoe has.  Aside from that though, I learned to enjoy the snug fit.  I used to like the Green Silence because of its light weight, and excellent cushioning, but these shoes proved to be better for short distances.  I used to get “hot spots” with my GS whenever I ran at a fast pace, and during speed drills.  I would attribute this to the wider toe box.  The snug fit of the narrower toe box has helped that.  Plus, I don’t really  have to worry about “expanding feet” since I only plan to use this for sprint distances (probably up to 16kms at the most).  Next is I like the stiffer, but still comfortable ride it has to offer.  The shoe is more responsive, and I can feel the ground quicker compared to the GS.

There is one major downside though.  Again, with the caveat that this may be isolated just to my gait (I’m a suppinator), the shoe was obviously meant for sprint/short distances because it’s not as durable as the GS.  After only a little over 100kms, I need to start thinking of buying a new pair, with the outer side already showing visible signs of wear and tear.  Also, since I was planning to use this when I venture into multisport, I tried running in them sockless (to simulate an aquathlon).  Similar to what a friend experienced, I also got blisters after about 5kms.  I’m not sure though if the Wellington edition will be the same, since supposedly those are meant for multisports because of the hoops on the toungue and back part of the shoe.

Overall, if  youre’ looking for a shoe for short races to break that elusive PR, distances where a few minutes to a few seconds matter, then this is the shoe for you!  If you’re planning to use it for your marathon, then you’ll have to plan on buying a few pairs for training and race day. 

I have yet to run in them for a distance beyond 12kms, so I’ll let you know then how they are and if they’ll last.  For now, I’ll need to get a new pair since I plan to do more short distances for the time being.

Pro’s:

• Extremely light weight (6.4oz)
• Cool material
• Snug fit
• Very “responsive”

Cons:

• Flimsy sole (wear and tear after about 100kms)
• Weird lacing causes blisters on the upper-inner part when worn sockless

Technical Specifications:

Category: Competition
Weight: 6.4 oz
Platform: Curved
Construction: Strobel

Profile 

Looking for something “lickety-split?” This incredibly light road-racingshoe is the fastest in the pack, with a new eye-catching upper for fly-by style. The streamlined, asymmetric upper works with the anatomy of the foot to perfectly wrap the arch securely from start to finish.

Midsole

• Rearfoot HydroFlow® ST

• Curved Platform

•  HydroFlow® – Dynamic viscous fluid units for heel and forefoot enhance midsole cushioning—attenuating shock with industry leading dampening and comfort.

Outsole

 • HPR Plus

• Forefoot Hyper Pod Construction

• HPR Plus – A higher durability, abrasion-resistant rubber outsole compound that wears longer.

• Engineered Hyper Pod Configuration – Midsole and outsole components are engineered to set the foot in an efficient, balanced position from heel strike to toe-off, offering exceptional flexibility and unrestricted forefoot ride.

Upper

• Air Mesh

• Synthetic Overlay Materials

Price: Php 4,395

I wasn’t expecting that a DNF would impact me so much that up to now, 4 days after, I still cannot get over it.  I’m trying to turn all that negativity into positive energy.  I’m now all fired up, my passion for running more fueled than ever!  I’ve resolved to properly training and investing enough time in doing so for the 2nd edition of the BDM 160 Ultramarathon. 

So after my recovery run, the following day I started my new training plan.  twice a week weight training with a 5km warm up, 2 days AM and PM base building sessions, one speed building day, and one long run day.  It sounds heavy and intense, but not quite yet.  I’m also making sure that this time, my base is solid, and that I gradually increase my mileage and will commit to a more disciplined approach.

I plan to start with an low mileage of 40kms per week and hopefully hit about 200kms-225kms per week by December, then start a gradual 2 month taper in distance (but not intensity) and eventually have a good amount of rest before February next year. I also plan to cross train between spinning and swimming atleast once a week, then plan to do yoga once a week as well.

Is this the right training plan? Am I over training? Am I letting my emotions get the best of me?  Maybe… I don’t know… All I know is I’d rather start refocusing my energy than sulking on what happened.

There were also a lot of lessons to be learned from last weekend about my stride, my comfortable pace, dealing with various weather scenarios (it was unusually cold!).  I’m now trying to look back and study and see what went wrong, what I could and should do differently, and focus all this energy into next year’s effort. 

I know this is may look like it’s all too much too soon, but this is the only way I know how to deal with failure… To erase it with an overwhelming success.

Less than 12 months to go…

I’m all better now, and have physically recovered. The DNF on my record though will forever haunt me, and is something I’m still emotionally recovering from.

Despite this, I have received so much support and encouragement from everyone around me… Before, during, and after I stopped.

Thank you everyone for your words of support, encouragement, and concern. Thank you to my dedicated support crew. My ever loving, supportive, and patient wife Bea, who has always backed me up no matter what. Our always reliable driver-photographer-support team member Dan, who has always been with us in all of my ultramarathons since last year. Thank you Sir Jovie and Ma’m Rowena for this challenge which I shall give another shot at next year.

This was a truly humbling experience. For now, it’s time to reassess what went wrong and learn from those mistakes. This will now make next year’s finish that much sweeter! For now, I shall lick my wounds and recover. I shall start my training as soon as I can and will put more into it than I ever have before.

Congratulations to all those who finished. 100-miles is truly an achievement by any standards!!!

Due to the tight schedule, I had no choice but to have my first business class experience in patriotic style… flying Philippine Airlines. I was happy at first to find out that I’ll be supporting my late grandfather’s employer, unaware of  the treatment and sharp decline in service I was about to experience.  The seats fit the bill…. Enormous leg room, champagne upon reaching your seat, Evian water waiting for you… one thing was missing though… what happened to the legendary service??? I understand that the flight attendants were… well… more tenured, but why were they acting all snotty???

Just a background from at least what I’m aware off, there seems to be some labor disputes between the Airline management, and their labor union. Does this give them the right though to act like bitches and assholes??? Pardon the language, but I really find this very frustrating. Some specific examples of this behaviors are:

They seemed to be laughing at a passenger. I heard one of them, this bitchy looking old lady (no offense, but I just hate what she did!) mentioning what sounded like a seat number, followed by the group snickering.

Another instance was when it sounded like a passenger wanted to upgrade to business class and was willing to pay, and she DEMANDED (yes… DEMANDED) the ground personnel to provide the flight manifest.

And then I saw a passenger treated rudely when he asked a question, and got a sharp, sarcastic, and condescending  reply!

Now tell me, is this worthy of the hefty airfare that the business class passengers pay!?! I looked back at those at Economy, and it was the younger, all smiling, and pleasant attendants! They may lack the tenure, but they sure showed maturity way above these snotty, poor excuse for flight attendants in business class.

As I said, I had nothing against PAL, in fact I was really happy to be flying with them because my Grandfather was a PAL pilot! I felt extremely connected with him… but after this experience, I’m NEVER flying PAL again… whether business or economy!

Fine, you’re in the middle of a labor war with management, but that does not give you the excuse to treat your passengers that way! No one deserves that kind of rude treatment from your disgruntled staff!