Month: January 2008

6 Miles @ 46:43 Minutes

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, RunningLeave a comment

31 January 2008 (AM)/Thursday

I am back in Jamindan. Early this morning, I had my usual run around the 2-mile route inside the camp. This run was my first running workout after the 2008 Subic Bay International Half-Marathon last 20 January, exactly 10 days after the race. The past 10 days served as my rest and recovery period.

I started my stretching and warm-up exercises at 5:45 AM and I started my run at 6:10 AM. My first round (2 miles) registered a time of 15:25 minutes; the second round (after 4 miles) registered a time of 31:04 minutes; and my third & last round (after 6 miles) registered a time of 46:43 minutes. After running for 6 miles, I had my one mile cool-down run and later my post-stretching exercises.

So far, this is my best time for a 6-mile run around the 2-mile route inside the camp. Last 16 January, I registered a time of 47:42 minutes. Compared with today’s run, I was able to improve my time by almost one minute, to be exact, in 59 seconds.

My average pace in today’s run is 7:47 minutes per mile or 5:04.6 minutes per kilometer. 

Total distance covered: 7 miles or 11.2 kilometers

The following data were taken from my Timex Watch Zone Trainer Digital Monitor:

Elapsed Time—46:43 minutes

Time In Zone—25:32 minutes

Maximum HR—179

Minimum HR—102

Average HR—162

Total Calories—707

2-Hour Walking @ Boracay Beach

On By kingofpotsIn Running1 Comment

I had a two-hour walking at the Boracay Beach yesterday afternoon and lasted up to early evening. I started from the northernmost part of the beachfront up to the southern end, south of Lorenzo Beach Resort.

I was trying to study the inclination of the beach towards the water or sealine and find out portions along the beachfront where the sand is hard or the sand is too loose for the feet.

Why? How about a “Boracay Beach Mile Run” or any road race along the beachfront every Easter Sunday? Why not? 

In the ’80s, the late Fred Lebow of the New York City Marathon’s Race Director started with the “New York City Mile Run” which ultimately became as the “5th Avenue Mile” Run today and usually done during the month of September by the New York Road Runners.

In the Boracay run, there will be only two categories: running barefoot and running with running shoes!

Anyway, I enjoyed walking along the beach with my running shoes thinking of such plans to be realized soon.

Travel Time To Laoag City

On By kingofpotsIn Insights4 Comments

One of my visitors had been asking the travel time to Laoag City by land and here is my answer. 

There is no exact travel time by land from Manila to Laoag City. There is a big difference travelling by bus or by personal car/vehicle; or travelling during daytime or nighttime.

Travelling by bus or personal vehicle during daytime will take 10-12 hours depending on the traffic along the road. During nighttime, buses and personal vehicles could reach Laoag City in 7-8 hours.

By plane, Philippine Air Lines has a daily flight from Manila which takes 50 minutes to reach Laoag City.

Lessons Learned: 2008 Subic Bay International Half-Marathon

On By kingofpotsIn Half-Marathon, Jogging, Running2 Comments

On the 1st kilometer, one runner beside me asked if my pacing (6:00 minutes per kilometer) which I considered very slow was the right pace to finish the half-marathon. I answered him that his pacing/speed should depend on the nature of his training and preparations for the race. The other runner kept silent and we continued to run together for the next 500 meters until he slowed down and he was left behind.

The only lesson I’ve learned here was my tendency to be conservative and be able to maintain a slow pace at the start of the race in order to preserve my strength for the uphill portions and mountain route. Although I wanted to have a finish time of less than 2 hours, it was too late already to adjust and speed up my pace on the last half of the race when the heat of the sun started to slow me down.

I started to be aggressive and speed up my run on the uphill portions of the route and along the mountain route. I was comfortable and relaxed on my run but I slowed down on my way back to the finish line. I spent so much of my strength at the mountain route.

Although I was not able to attain my goal for this race, I considered this race as my long slow run for last week’s training in preparation for the Pasig River Heritage Marathon on 24 February. I did not have any major muscle pains or any injury after the race. I made a fast recovery that I could feel I could run another 10 miles the day after the race.

Slowly, I need to put more speed to my strengthening/endurance runs for a better time on my next races. But, I should be very observant on impending signs of injury on my feet and leg muscles.

For the past three days, I did not have any runs and just rested my body. I ate a lot of carbohydrates and protein foods. I had to drink lots of water and energy/sports drinks to replenish minerals lost from the body due to my sweats/perspiration.

At the end of this month, I should be able to run 3 hours for my long slow runs. 

Training Journal (14-20 Jan 2008)

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Runners' Training, RunningLeave a comment

14 Jan 2008 (PM)—6 miles or 9.6 kilometers

15 Jan 2008 (AM)—6 miles or 9.6 kilometers

                       (PM)—6 miles or 9.6 kilometers

16 Jan 2008 (AM)—10 miles or 16 kilometers

                       (PM)—7 miles or 11.2 kilometers

17 Jan 2008 (AM)—7 miles or 11.2 kilometers

18 Jan 2008 (AM)—7 miles or 11.2 kilometers

19 Jan 2008—Rest/No Runs

20 Jan 2008 (AM)—13 miles or 21 kilometers (Subic Half-Marathon)

Total Distance Covered—62 miles or 99.2 kilometers

Subic International Marathon

On By kingofpotsIn Half-Marathon, Jogging, Marathon Race, Running3 Comments

20 January 2008

I arrived at the assembly area on or about 5:15 AM and the runners for the Half-Marathon, 10K, 5K, and 3K were jampacked at the starting area. The runners of the 42K/Marathon just left the starting area at 5:00 AM. The organizers were explaining to the runners that the routes for the 3K & 5K were going out from the Main Gate and the routes for the 10K and Half-Marathon will be taking the route going to the airport.

Most of the runners were members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and cadets/lady cadets of the Philippine Military Academy and Philippine National Police Academy. I was part of the Philippine Army Team. Other runners came also from Metro Manila and other cities in Central Luzon. Estimated number of runners reached to almost 4,000.

The ever-popular singer Dulce entertained the runners with some of her original songs in the 70’s with some changes in the lyrics to praise God as she is known today to be active in some Religious Ministry. After the songs, two PNP Chief Superintendents (Brigadier Generals) delivered their speeches explaining to the runners on the objectives/goals of the said event. One of the PNP Chief Superintendents, my classmate in PMA, acknowledged my presence and the other Chief Superintendent also acknowledged me when he delivered his speech.

I was able to meet the members of the Gold’s Gym Glorietta Runners Team and were surprised to see me. They joined in the 5th DND-AFP Gintong Pangarap Team Relay last June 2007 which was held at the Parade Ground of Headquarters Philippine Army. I found out that we were going to run the same distance, the Half-Marathon, on this race.

Dulce sang the Philippine National Anthem and there was no Invocation/Prayers before the race. The City Mayor of Olongapo suddenly arrived and he was given the chance to talk also to the runners. He was asking for the cash prizes for the top runners. I thought he was about to commit some additional cash prices but he just said “Good Luck” to the runners. He was even telling to the runners that he is also a runner!

The race started exactly at 6:00 AM. I was able to have my stretching and warm-up exercises before the race. I tried to squeeze myself  infront of the runners where I found other runners from Manila who were wearing triathlon suits with caps and sunglasses. I thought they were running the Half-Marathon but they actually registered for the 10K run.

I started the race at a very slow pace and I was happy to see kilometer marks along the way. I started with a pace of 6:00-6:20 minutes per kilometer and later slowly increasing to 5:00 minutes per kilometer.

The “mountain route” was a killer from Km. 8 to the turn-around point and the uphill portions from Km. 6 to 7. These parts of the route slowed down most of the runners. My time at the turn-around point was 1:02:35 hours. I tried to increase my speed on my way back but my tired leg muscles were becoming to feel pain. I alternately slowed down and then later picked up speed but the heat of the sun was too hot to the body. I tried my best to attain my desired goal but the mountain route/portion took much of my strength and stamina. I was confident that my hill training in Jamindan was enough for me to overcome the uphill and mountain portions of the route but the one at the Subic mountains have a higher elevation.

At the “mountain route”, the runners were able to disturb the crows and lots of big birds in the jungle on both sides of the road and they started to fly. I was “lucky” (ha!ha!ha!) that I was hit by fallen “bomb” (crap) from the birds. My right hand was hit, barely missing a hit on my bald head!

I was using my Nathan Water Belt and I did not stop along the way to drink the water. The only time that I got water from a water station was when I was already 1-2 kilometers away from the finish line.

By the way, the PNP used their Fire Trucks and Fire Hoses as sprinklers to produce showers along the route. These showers were useful to slower runners who were still running under the heat of the sun.

I finished the race in 2:12:56 hours and failed to attain my goal of sub-2 hours but I considered this run as my long run for the week and served as part of my preparation for the Pasig River Heritage Marathon on February 24.

Overall, this Marathon is outstanding! The route has nice views on both sides of the road, clean air to breath, no traffic from vehicles, well-prepared and organized, more participants and has a very challenging “mountain route”/terrain. And most of all, the roads are made of asphalt which is softer to the feet, leg muscles, and knees than roads made of concrete/cement.

My congratulations to the organizers, sponsors, and volunteers who made this marathon event a success.

My pictures will be posted soon!