Month: February 2008

“Garmin Forerunner Club”

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Runners Accessories, Running, Running Technology4 Comments

At last, I am now a member of what I call as the “Garmin Forerunner Club”. These are the runners, bikers and other sports enthusiasts who wear a “Garmin Forerunner Watch”. My wife bought me a Garmin Forerunner (GF) 305 weeks ago and it was brought by my daughter to Manila who just arrived from Los Angeles last Monday.

After the Clark 10K Run, BenMChan warned me not to buy GF 305 and told me to wait for the availability of GF 405 in the market. But I found out that my wife already ordered “on line” and got the cheapest price for the watch. I found out later that the GF 305 was “on sale” because of the new GF 405 which has a higher price.

So, I have the whole day reading the manual for the watch, “tinkering” the buttons, charging its battery, going out of my quarters to “locate” the satellites, and having it programmed and sync to my laptop computer.

Last night, I made a test run and ran from my quarters to McKinley Hill-C-5 entrance-back to Lawton Avenue-The Fort-3X around Bonifacio High Street loop-Jollibee-McDonalds-Lawton Avenue-Bayani Road and back to my quarters. The GF 305 registered a total distance run of 9.61 miles with a time of 1:32:38 hours; with an average speed of 9:39 minutes per mile and my fastest pace was 6:44 minutes per mile.

The GF 305 is very impressive and I was able to see and track the route I’ve taken through its GPS readings of my location and the graph that indicates the distance, time and speed of my run once I connect/sync the watch to my laptop computer.

The Bald Runner is becoming a “high-tech” runner!

Another Incident of Cheating

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Running1 Comment

Last Sunday at the GIG 10K Run, I saw a runner who made a shortcut across the island of UP Entrance Drive after getting his “straw” to indicate that he passed the turn-around point. The problem was that the marshalls who were giving “straws” were positioned/standing at least 10 meters before the turn-around point. So, this “runner” immediately crossed the island as soon as he got his “straw” from one of the marshalls without going to the actual turn-around point. He “cheated” at least 20 meters from the race and he was immediately ahead of me! This runner was at my back when I got my “straw” and as I was aproaching the turn-around point.

I had to increase my speed and while I was about to overtake him, I shouted and advised him to run entirely to the turn-around point and must not cheat in running. I even went to the extent of telling him that his “good looks” is put into shame and waste if he is cheating in road races like this. I said, “Sayang ka, Guwapo ka pa naman”. The “cheater” slowed down his pace and was not able to his face again! Good for him!

“Leap Frog” Runner

On By kingofpotsIn Running4 Comments

I am going call this kind of runner who overtakes a runner after the finish line while all the runner are lined up to give their race number tags to the finish line marshalls. These tags stapled on the race number are collected after the finish line and they are used to identify the runner that corresponds to the order of finish as registered in the time counter machine. The time counter machine is being activated by a person at the finish line once a runner crosses the finish line and it only registers the order of finish of a runner and his/her time.

A runner who finished and crossed the finish line behind a runner on my back “leap frogged” us and gave his race number tag ahead of me and the other runner on my back to the marshalls. I immediately complained to the marshalls that the guy overtook us while we were already on line to give our race tags! He instructed the other ladies collecting the tags to change the order of the “leap frog” runner and be placed behind our tags. However, when I saw the official results of the GIG 10K Run, I found out that the “leap frogger” got my finish time! He finished # 57 with a time of 46:46 minutes while I finished # 58 with a time of 46:48 minutes. My watch registered 46:45.9 minutes when I crossed the finished the line.  

dsc00169.jpg              dsc00170.jpg     

The picture on the left shows me and a runner on my back few meters away from the finish line. And then suddenly after passing the finish line, the “guy” infront of me on the right picture “leap frogged” us to give his race number tag to the marshalls ahead of us!

To the “leap frogger”, who ever you are, you are the worst “cheater” I’ve ever seen in running! 

Another story of a “cheater” during the GIG 10K Run on my next post.

Pictures @ GIG 10K Run

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Pictures, Races, Running3 Comments

dsc00161.jpg  dsc00182.jpg

Talking and Pictures with Kenyan Runners, “Tom & Sam”

dsc00169.jpg  dsc00171.jpg

Last “kick” before the finish line & “smiling face” after posting a PR best!

dsc00174.jpg  dsc00180.jpg

Another “Certificate” & Timex Watch display of my finish time.

46:45 Minutes @ GIG 10K

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Pictures, RunningLeave a comment

I woke up at 4:30 AM this morning to prepare for this race. While inside my car enroute to UP Campus, I started doing my stretching for my smaller muscles. I arrived at the race area at 5:20 AM and continued to stretch my bigger muscles and leg muscles; and later slowly jogged around the parking area for my warm-up routine.

Upon reaching the start area, I saw two Kenyan runners talking among themselves. I approached and started talking to them. I found out that they participated in the 2008 Subic Bay International Marathon held two weeks ago (20 January 2008). They introduced themselves as “Tom & Sam”.  The taller Kenyan, Sammy Kiprono, placed 2nd Runner-Up (3rd Place) in the Subic Marathon with a time of 2:28:17 hours while the shorter one, Thomas Kiprotich, placed No. 8 with a time of 2:35:08 hours. After some pictorials with them, I tried to go around and look for familiar faces whom I met in my previous road races.

I saw familiar faces among the crowd to include “the guys” whom I met in Clark Freeport Run—the “senior runners” and  “weekend runners” from Manila. These guys are very funny and friendly. I stayed with this group up to the time the race started.

I saw Ben (Photographer On The Run) as the Official Photographer of the Race and he got some pictures of me and the Kenyan runners. I really appreciate his offer to help me and act as my “support team” for the Pasig River Heritage Marathon.

I was using my Nathan Water Belt. One of the runners behind me at the Start Area asked me where I bought it and told him that I bought the item in Los Angeles. He asked again if it is advisable to use it in 10K races and I told him that I am used to it because I always use it during my training.

After playing the National Anthem, Welcome Address by the Organizers, and Course Orientation, the race started slightly delayed by 2-3 minutes after 6:00 AM. Once the race started, I left the group of “senior runners” and started to maintain my pace based from my “speed play” runs. There were no kilometer markings along the way and I monitored my pacing and the distance I covered through my Timex Watch with the thought that my average pace per kilometer should not be more than 5 minutes per kilometer for me to improve my finish time.

The course is relatively flat except from Km # 6 to Km # 7 where there are uphill terrain. At Km # 8, I knew already that I have a chance to improve my time from my previous 10K run in Clark Freeport and I was able to increase my speed up to the finish line. I finished the race with an unofficial time of 46:45 minutes. I was running about 7:31 minutes per mile or 4:41 minutes per kilometer. With this latest feat, I was able to improve my PR best time by three minutes & fifty-one seconds (3:51 minutes) from my Clark Freeport 10K run at 50:36 minutes.

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

Elapsed Time—46:45.9 minutes

Time In Zone—41:58 minutes

Maximum HR—182

Minimum HR—109

Average HR—174

Total Calories—795

Ready For GIG 10K Run

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Running1 Comment

I got my race packet for the GIG (Green Is Good) Run yesterday afternoon. The race information states that this run is organized by the UP Mountaineers which is dubbed as “Run For Reforestation”. It is an effort to plant trees in the Ipo and Angat Dams’ Watersheds. These Water Dams, located in Bulacan, supply 97% of Metro Manila’s water needs and there is a need to plant more trees on the vicinity of these two dams.

Hereunder are pictures of my race number and nice singlet for the race:

dsc00137.jpg          dsc00138.jpg

The truth of the matter is that the water that is impounded to these two dams comes from the Umiray River in Aurora Province which is located in the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges. These multi-million project collects water from Umiray River and these big volume of water flows along a 28-kilometer water pipe/tunnel which can accommodate a passenger bus inside! This project was one of the Utility Infrastructure Projects made during the Marcos Administration which few of our countrymen knew about it.

Three months before I was assigned as the Brigade Commander of the Philippine Army forces in the area that covers the provinces of Aurora-Bulacan-Nueva Ecija-Eastern Pangasinan, the Communist Insurgents/Terrorists or the “New People’s Army” (NPA) raided the Umiray River Water Impounding Complex and disarmed its Security Guards. These insurgents were asking “revolutionary taxes” from the operators (Maynilad Water Services, Inc.). No money was given to the insurgents. Since then up to the present, one platoon (30 soldiers) of the Philippine Army had been guarding that water impounding complex and most of the insurgents involved in the raid had been killed or surrendered to the government troops during my almost three years of assignment in the area. 

In 2003, in a “freak accident”, one of my Army posts/detachments guarding the Angat Dam was “washed-out” entirely due to landslide caused by continuous rains and typhoon which resulted to the drowning and “missing-in-action” of one of my soldiers whose body was not yet recovered up to this time! If only the vicinity and areas surrounding these two dams had more trees planted, such accident could never had happened. Although, my soldiers had greatly contributed in the planting of trees on the area, there is a need to plant more trees in the said area.

I am sure by joining this race, I am contributing to the efforts of the organizers in planting more trees to the Watersheds of Angat and Ipo Dams. Lastly, I am dedicating this run to the”soldier” who died in that landslide incident, who was “on duty & service” to secure and protect the source of water for the millions of people living in Metro Manila.

More On PMA’s Gidaya Run & Triathlon

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Running3 Comments

Gidaya Run

This race was named after the late “General Ernesto Gidaya” who was once a Superintendent of PMA in the early ’70s, later became the Ambassador to Israel during the Marcos Administration and lately as a Member of the House of Representatives, representing the Party Lists’ Veterans Freedom Party before he died two years ago.

The longest course (for 29 years and below) has an estimated distance of 12K where Km # 7 is along the Baguio Airstrip; Km # 9 to Km # 11 is the “killer mountain trail”; and the rest is downhill from the PMA Chapel and flat terrain up to the finish line.

The other courses (for 30-39 years old and 40-49 years old) are estimated to have 10K and 7K distances, respectively.

Since I belong to the 50 and above years old category, I will join the shorter race which is about 3K distance. The course starts with a short flat route of about 500-600 meters from the Air Control Tower of Baguio Airport then crossing the airstrip towards the mountain, south of the airstrip. When I was a cadet, this “mountain trail” from the airstrip to the PMA Chapel was a “killer” one and I could remember that I had overtaken a number of my running rivals on this part of the course when I was a member of the Marathon Team of “Charlie” Company during my early “plebe” year.

I could not remember when this road race (Gidaya Run) had started and I got the information about this run last year from my brother. Last year, my brother, Samuel, placed 1st Runner-Up (2nd Place) in the 50 years and above category. The Assistant Superintendent of PMA (who was then a Brigadier General and now a newly-promoted Major General of the Philippine Air Force) won the Championship for the 50+ Age Category last year.

This will be my first time to participate in the Gidaya Run and I am aiming for the Championship Trophy in my Age Category!

PMA Triathlon

My brother, Samuel, is a “devotee” to this event and never missed this event during the Annual Alumni Homecoming of PMA. He had been a consistent top winner in his Age Category. He participated the Gidaya Run and PMA Triathlon last year.

The event starts with a 30-lap swim at the PMA 25-meter swimming pool; mountain/race bike ride 3x along the PMA Swimming Pool area-PMA Gate Checkpoint-and back to Swimming Pool area loop; and running along the said loop which has a distance of 5 kilometers.

Invitation 

Civilian Guest Runners and Triathletes (except our National & Elite Athletes) are encouraged to join these events. You are considered as “Special Guests” of Bald Runner, PMA Class 1975!

See you in PMA, Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City on the 15th of February 2008!

6 Miles @ 46:27 Minutes

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, RunningLeave a comment

01 February 2008 (PM)

I had another “speed play” run at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio this afternoon. I ran along the 2-mile route which starts outside of the Gate (infront of the AFPVOI Office) and running along the outermost roads inside the cemetery.

I had a warm-up slow jog of about 400 meters and had my stretching. My first round was timed at 14: 24 mins; the second round registered 30:41 minutes; and the last round was timed at 46:27 minutes. I had one mile of cool-down run and post-stretching exercises.

I was able to improve time from yesterday’s run in Jamindan by 16 seconds. My average pace was 7:44 minutes per mile or 5:03 minutes per kilometer.

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

Elapsed Time—46:27 minutes

Time In Zone—35:48 minutes

Maximum HR—176

Minimum HR—123

Average HR—169

Total Calories—754

Total Distance Run: 7 miles or 11.2 miles

PMA’s Gidaya Run & Triathlon

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, RunningLeave a comment

 GIDAYA RUN
0530H 15 FEB 08 -REGISTRATION
0700H – START OF RUN
REGISTRATION FEE: P200.00

CATEGORIES AND ROUTE :

29 YEARS OLD AND BELOW— SUNDIAL TO BACK OF LIM HALL TO JURADO HALL TO LORENZO HALL TO PMA MUSEUM TO GAS DUMP TO CHECK POINT TO ROAD BESIDES AIR STRIP TO
AIR CONTROL TOWER TO ST IGNATIUS CHAPEL TO SUNDIAL

30-39 YEARS OLD—SUNDIAL TO PMA MUSEUM TO GAS DUMP TO CHECK POINT TO ROAD
BESIDES AIR STRIP TO AIR CONTROL TOWER TO ST IGNATIUS CHAPEL TO SUNDIAL

40-49 YEARS OLD—GAS DUMP TO CHECK POINT TO ROAD BESIDES AIR STRIP TO AIR
CONTROL TOWER TO ST IGNATIUS CHAPEL TO SUNDIAL 

50 YEARS OLD AND ABOVE—AIR CONTROL TOWER TO ST IGNATIUS CHAPEL TO SUNDIAL

 

***SINGLET AND BREAKFAST WILL BE PROVIDED

***RAFFLE PRIZES WILL BE DRAWN

***TROPHIES AND MEDALS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE CHAMPION AND FOR THE 1ST AND 2ND RUNNER-UP

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

TRIATHLON
1300H 15 FEB 08 -REGISTRATION
1330H – START OF RACE
REGISTRATION FEE: P400.00

CATEGORIES:
25 YEARS OLD AND BELOW/MALE CADET
26 -35 YEARS OLD
36-45 YEARS OLD
46 YEARS OLD AND ABOVE
DISTANCES:
750 METER SWIM
15KM BIKE
5KM RUN
***T-SHIRT WILL BE PROVIDED

***BOODLE FIGHT AFTER THE RACE

***RAFFLE PRIZES WILL BE DRAWN

***TROPHIES AND MEDALS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE CHAMPION AND FOR THE 1ST AND 2ND RUNNER-UP