I completely rested from running after the Fat Ass Run and all the soreness and injury just disappeared after few days. However, after one sleepless night during the 1st BDM 50K “Test Run” last January 15, I was down with sore throat and eventually turned to a flu. The reasons could be the weather; low body resistance; and sleepless night RDing a group of 78 “test” runners from Mariveles to Abucay, Bataan. I am not complaining though but looking on the happy faces of the Finishers, I knew I was able to guide them along the route.

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I had that same kind of flu last May 2010 after the PAU Tanay 50K Run and I usually take one particular anti-biotic drug that works well on me for the past 10+ years. It is very expensive that you need to complete a dose of one 500 mg capsule a day for the whole week. It works well that after a day or two, the coughing ceases and you start expelling a lot of phlegm. Depending on your exposure to the environment, the color of the phlegm ranges from dark grey to golden yellow! Gross!

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Thursday early evening of January 13, I had a 7K run around an oval track with an average pace of 8:00 minutes per kilometer. This was my first run after Fat Ass and I felt great and satisfied with how my injured calf muscle had healed naturally and of course, with the aid to daily sessions of “cross-friction”massages. In the local term, it is called “hilot na may kasamang sigaw at mura”! My cool down was a walk for one lap at the oval. After hydrating myself, I removed my running shoes and thought of doing a “barefoot mile” run! I finished my first “barefoot mile” in 9:02 minutes! Not bad!

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As I said in my previous post, I am not trying to shift to “barefoot running” but I am trying to strengthen my weak calf muscles by running barefoot at the end of my workout, at least, twice a week. I guess, the maximum distance I could run on barefoot on these workouts would be a maximum of 2 kilometers. We will see how my calf muscles will progress with this kind of training. Well, for my running shoes, my ASICS Racing Flats ( Hyper-Speed; Tarther; and a “new” one) and NB MT 101 Trail Shoes could be the most “minimalist” shoes that I have in my running “armory”.

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Last Thursday, January 20, at 9:00 in the morning, I was able to run a distance of 10 kilometers under the heat of the sun. I included some brisk walking after running for the 1st 5K for about 3 minutes and completed the run in 1:10+ hours. I was able to register an average pace of 7:00 minutes per kilometer despite the fact that I walked at the middle of my workout. It was a good sign that I am slowly regaining my endurance. I had a cool down with a 400-meter barefoot walking before I had my cold shower. It is refreshing after going through a “heat training” session.

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This morning, Sunday, I had another “heat training” run at 8:00 AM but after 20 minutes, the clouds simply appeared to completely cover the sun and before I finished my run, there was a drizzle. I finished almost four loops around the rolling roads of McKinley Hill in 1:10+ hours with a total distance of 11 kilometers. Twenty years ago, this place was the location of the Philippine Army’s Light Armor Brigade Headquarters where the AFP tanks and armored vehicle assets were located, stored and maintained. Vetronix, a local manufacturer of military radios and communication equipment was also located at this place. The PA’s Light Armor Division is now in Camp O’Donnel, Capas, Tarlac while Vetronix became extinct. Additionally, almost 40 years ago within this general area, was the place where an execution of a “drug lord” by firing squad was implimented after the declaration of Martial Law in 1972. So sad that historic places are transformed into commercial and high-rise corporate and residential establishment. The signs of progress and development.

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For the meantime, my training is now limited to 6:50 to 7:00-minute per kilometer pace with the goal of slowly gaining my endurance and strengthening my leg muscles. I need some patience to do this so as not to incur another injury in preparation for my future road and trail races for this year. My running mantra now is Patience…Slowly…Patience…Slowly…Patience…Slowly…