To All The Runners, Happy & “Injury-Free” New Year!!!
Month: December 2007
Do I Need To Run Twice A Day?
When I prepared for my first marathon in the early ’80s, I’ve been running twice a day, running early in the morning and later in the afternoon. I usually start my run in the morning as early as 5:00 AM and finish before 7:00 AM, running a minimum of 10 kilometers. In the afternoon, I start my run at 5:00 PM and finish before 7:00 PM running almost the same distance as what I had covered in the morning.
I was able to do all these runs because I was still young at that time and could easily recover from muscle pains and aches due to running after few hours of sleep and rest. I was glad I did not have any major injuries except for leg cramps, shin splints, and stomach cramps. These pains and aches became my “body signals” when to stop running or reduce my mileage. While I was building my endurance capability, I did not focus on speed for longer distances or tempo play but more on “fartlek” of lesser distances up to 200 meters.
It appears in my readings that there were elite runners who started to introduce lesser mileage and more speed works/tempo runs in their running workouts plus more days to recover in order to improve one’s time to finish the marathon. But this approach to training is only good to elite runners who had reached their peak or best PR and starting to get older. Lesser mileages and more speed/tempo runs as training workout for new/younger runners is not advisable. This will lead to injuries, frustrations and inconsistencies.
I am reminded of the comment of our postman in Los Angeles who is also a marathoner/runner. After knowing that I ‘ve stopped running for so many years and trying to return to marathon training, he said, “It will be a hard and painful one for you to go back”. I guess, he is telling the truth!
After browsing some runner’s websites, I came upon this website (www.letsrun.com) and these two articles were able to convince me to go “back to basics” on runner’s training.
Starting on New Year’s Day, I will be running twice-a-day on my easy runs to build-up my endurance and slowly get serious with “tempo” runs/speed plays. This will be a very slow process but I am sure this is the right direction to be back as a competitive runner at my age. I know it will take months and years but this is a commitment I should start doing for the year 2008.
To all the Runners, Happy New Year, More Miles To Run & Injury-Free In 2008!!!
Training Journal (24-30 Dec 2007)
24 Dec 2007—Rest Day
25 Dec 2007—11 miles/17.8 kilometers
26 Dec 2007—Dumbbell Exercises & Strengthening Exercises
27 Dec 2007—12 miles/19.2 kilometers
28 Dec 2007—Rest Day
29 Dec 2007—6.2 miles/10 kilometers
30 Dec 2007—7 miles/11.2 kilometers
Total Mileage: 36.7 miles/57.92 kilometers
Oval Track Run @ Iloilo #2
30 December 2007 (PM Run)
I finished 28 X 400 meters at the Oval Track of the Iloilo Sports Center this afternoon from 5:00-6:10 PM. My time for my running workout was 1:04:10 hours which I consider as an easy run for the day.
I was able to run 10.8 kilometers or 7 miles for the day at a slow pace of 9:09 mins per mile or 5:55 mins per kilometer.
The following were the data taken from my Zone Trainer Digital Heart Rate Monitor:
Maximum Heart Rate—172
Minimum Heart Rate—82
Average Heart Rate—155
Time “In Zone” (135-165 HR)—58:22 minutes
Recovery Time (127-145 HR)—18 minutes
Total Calories—899
Tempo Run
29 December 2007 (AM Run)
I did a modified speed/”fartlek” run this morning along the 2-mile route inside the camp with the goal of running 6.2 miles or 10 kilometers to find out if I can still improve my time. Using the TIMEX “Zone Trainer Digital Heart Rate Monitor”, I would like also to experience the feeling of reaching my Maximum Heart Rate during my speed run workout.
I made three rounds along the 2-mile route inside the camp and additional 400 meters to complete the distance of 6.2 miles or 10 kilometers. I registered the following split times every round:
1st round—-16:25 mins
2nd round—-31:44 mins
3rd round—-47:49 mins
400 meters—-49:52 mins
From my TIMEX Zone Trainer Heart Monitor, I got the following data:
Peak Heart Rate—-173
Minimum Heart Rate—143
Average Heart Rate—-157
Total Calories—-769
I made a 1-mile cool-down run at 9:00 min pace/mile after the speed run and it was followed by stretching.
It appears that I am slowly improving my time for the 10K distance.
Women’s Marathon Idols in the ’80s
Joan Benoit Samuelson: (USA)
1979 & 1983 Boston Women’s Marathon Champion
1984 Winner in the US Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:31:04, 2 1/2 weeks after arthroscopic knee surgery.
1984 First Olympic Womens Marathon Gold Medal with a time of 2:24:52. The only American woman to win the event up to the present.
1985 Winner in the Women’s Chicago Marathon in 2:21:21.
2002 American Women’s Record Holder among 45-49 years old with 2:42:28 in Chicago Marathon
2006 Running partner of Lance Armstrong in the last 16 miles of the New York Marathon
2007 Training for the US Women’s Olympic Trials set on April 20, 2008 in Boston ( The day before the Boston Marathon). It will be her fourth Women’s Olympic Trials. Her goal is to break 2:50:00 at 50 years old!
Grete Andersen Waitz: (Norway)
1978-1988 Winner of the New York City Marathon for 9 times
1983 Winner of the World Championship Women’s Marathon in Helsinki, Finland
1983 & 1986 Winner of the Women’s London Marathon
1984 Silver Medalist in the 1984 Olympic Games Women’s Marathon
Rosa Mota: (Portugal)
1984 Bronze Medalist Women’s Marathon Olympic Games
1983 & 1984 Champion Chicago Women’s Marathon
1982, 1986, & 1990 European Women’s Marathon Champion
1988 Gold Medalist Olympic Games Women’s Marathon
1987 World’s Marathon Champion
1987, 1988, & 1990 Champion Boston Women’s Marathon
Ingrid Kristiansen: (Norway)
1980, 1981, & 1982 Champion Stockholm Women’s Marathon
1984, 1985, 1987, & 1989 Champion Women’s Fastest Marathon Race
1984, 1985, 1987, & 1988 Champion London Women’s Marathon
1986 Champion Chicago Women’s Marathon
Allison Roe: (New Zealand)
1981 Champion Boston Women’s Marathon
1981 Champion New York City Women’s Marathon
TIMEX Watch
Yesterday, I bought a TIMEX Watch at SM City Iloilo which is called “Zone Trainer Digital Heart Rate Monitor” (Product Code: T5J031) with a Complimentary Free Men’s Watch (Stainless Steel Case & Wristband) which cost me less than Five Thousand Pesos.
I used it during my running workout yesterday afternoon with the Digital Heart Rate Sensor Pads fastened firmly below my sternum using an elastic belt that goes around my body.
Based from my age (Max. HR=220 minus 55), I set my Heart Rate Zone between 135 to 165 (lowest & highest peak Heart Rate). After my running and dumbbell/sit-ups/push-ups workouts, the watch registered the following:
Peak Heart Rate—156
Minimum Heart Rate—114
Average Heart Rate—144
Total Calories—255
Range of Heart Rate During Gym Workout—125-135
Since my running workout was an easy run, I was not able to experience the feeling of reaching the Maximum Heart Rate. I have tried reaching my Max Heart Rate on Cardio machines at Gold’s Gym by grasping on their handle bars but I would like to feel the difference while using this TIMEX Zone Trainer Digital Heart Rate Monitor Watch.
Back In Jamindan
27 December 2007/Thursday Run
From Iloilo City, I have to travel by land to reach my camp in Jamindan and it takes 2 1/2 hours non-stop trip. Immediately after my arrival in the camp, I changed to my running attire and started my stretching exercises.
I started my run at 5:00 PM and finished my run and brief workout at 7:15 PM. I ran along my 2-mile route inside the camp. The following were my elapsed time every round:
1st round—17:41 mins
2nd round—16:17 mins
3rd round—16:33 mins
4th round—17:19 mins
5th round—17:53 mins
6th round—20:39 mins (cool-down run)
Using my 20-lb Dumbbells, I did the following exercises:
3 X 10 reps—Side Lateral Raise
3 X 10 reps—Frontal Raises
3 X 10 reps—Hammer Curl
3 X 10 reps—Dumbbell Squats
3 X 10 reps—Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3 X 20 reps—Dumbbell Pullover
Other Exercises Done:
5 X 20 reps—Inclined, Knee-Bent Sit-Ups
3 X 20 reps—Push-Ups
20 minutes—Stretching
I ran 12 miles or 19.2 kilometers in 1:46:22 hours. My average pace was 8:52 mins per mile or 5:32 mins per kilometer. This was an easy run workout.
Adidas Runner’s Shorts
Finally, I was able to buy a “classic” Adidas Runner’s Shorts from SM City in Iloilo City. It is the same “cut and style” as the one that I had been using in the ’80s. The price was almost One Thousand Two Hundred Pesos but it is worth to have this kind of shorts.
My “cheap” Accel runner’s shorts are giving me problems as they cause rashes on my groin areas whenever I use them in my long runs even if I apply body oil or lotion on my groin and upper thighs. Even the latest New Balance runner’s shorts that I bought lately could produce rashes on my inner upper thighs during long runs. The lower edges of these shorts tend to rub and stick on my inner parts of my thighs when my shorts are wet from my perspiration. The constant rubbing is not noticed while running but the rashes becomes painful when taking a shower after the run.
Yesterday afternoon, I immediately used the newly bought Adidas Shorts and it did not give me any rashes at all after running a distance of 12 miles inside camp.
Lesson?…Being “cheap” is not good!
Back In Iloilo & Blah de Blah
I bought the most expensive plane ticket from the Philippine Air Lines on Christmas Day for my trip back to Panay Island. For a one-way plane fare (Economy) to Iloilo City on the 27th of December, yesterday, I paid the price for a round-trip ticket. I have no choice as the trips to Roxas City and Kalibo were all full due to influx of passengers and tourists due to the holiday season/vacation.
I got the first trip to Iloilo City departing from Manila at 5:10 AM. I had to wake-up as early as 3:00 AM to prepare my things and for the ride from Fort Bonifacio to the Centennial Airport.
While on the airport, I was able to meet a former classmate in the Academy who just retired from the AFP as a Major General who now manages a financial institution of the AFP. I also met one of the Brigade Commanders in Mindanao who happens to be my undersclass and a friend. He was travelling with his wife. After having some conversations and pleasantries over a cup of coffee, they left ahead of me because their trip was scheduled earlier.
While inside the plane enroute to my destination, one of the stewards happened to be an acquiantance. JR, his name, happens to be a cousin of one of my friends. It is his 4th month as a PAL stewar
After one hour of trip, I finally landed at the new Iloilo City Airport thinking that this was the most expensive plane trip that I had for the past 9 months. I am sure PAL credited me the miles I’ve travelled for this trip in my Mabuhay Miles.
Bald Runner 
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