Left side view of the Blue Lagoon Beach in Brgy. Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
Right side view of the Blue Lagoon Beach in Brgy. Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
Category: Jogging
Wednesday: 10.71 Miles @ 1:34:11 Hours
06 February 2008
I accompanied my daughter to Laoag City and while in Laoag City, I had a running workout on the early morning of Wednesday. I ran from our house in Barangay Dibua South to the Poblacion of Laoag City, then ran along the Padsan Bridge towards the road going to the Laoag International Airport. I had my turn-around point at the Northwestern University area where the road towards Fort Ilocandia Hotel starts. From that crossing, I proceeded back to our house taking the same road/route back.
The GF 305 registered a time of 1:34:11 hours, covering a distance of 10.71 miles or 17.136 kilometers. My Average pace was 8:47 minutes per mile or 5:30 minutes per kilometer. My fastest pace was 6:12 minutes per mile. My highest Heart Rate (HR) was 171 beats per minute (bpm) and an average HR of 160 bpm which was within my HR Zone for training. I finished my workout at 8:00 AM.
Monday: 9.61 Miles @ 1:32:38 Hrs
04 February 2008
Excited to use the GF 305, I went out for a running workout at 9:15 PM. From my quarters, I went to the Mckinley Hill and reached C-5 Highway and back to Lawton Avenue. The main street was well-lighted and there were still working being done on the buildings along the said street even if it was already nighttime. From Lawton Avenue, I went to Essensa and turning right towards the new buildings of South of the Market (SOMA). I went directly to street between Serendra and Bonifacio Hight Street and started to run around the Mall Complex taking the streets that surrounds it. I made at least 3 rounds around the Bonifacio High Street Mall. Then took the street towards MC Home Depot, turn left towards Jollibee and then left turn towards McDonald’s. After passing along Essensa, I ran along Lawton Avenue towards Bayani Road and entered the Fort Bonifacio Gate near Libingan ng mga Bayani and back to my quarters.
I ran a total distance of 9.61 miles or 15.376 kilometers in 1:32:38 hours with an average speed/pace of 9:39 minutes per mile or 6:01.4 minutes per kilometer. My fastest pace registered at 6:44 minutes per mile or 4:12 minutes per kilometer.
I forgot to strap on my heart monitor belt and I was not able to take any readings on my heart rate while I was running.
I was surprised to see on the graph of my speed, time, and distance that at one time, I was running at 20 miles per hour pace! I was also surprised that the watch registered a slower pace than the Timex Watch. However, I found out later the answer to my apprehensions when I used the GF 305 in Laoag City last Wednesday morning.
Running at nighttime was nice and cooler along Lawton Avenue and at The Fort. I was holding my Mini-Maglite flashlight just in case there were streets that were too dark along the way.
I finished the run at 10:45 PM.
Etiquette In Running
1. Do not cheat. Do not cheat on your registration form. Indicating one’s actual AGE is the most abused data on the registration form where cheating is done.
2. Do not cheat. Do not make “shortcuts” on road races. Do not ride on vehicles in full marathon races.
3. Do not cheat. Do not steal ones race number, finish time, or “leap frog” other runners after the finish line.
4. In your practice runs, smile and greet runner/s you meet along the way. If you don’t want to smile or greet, a simple waving of the hand to a runner you meet is enough.
5. In a road race, do not cut abruptly infront of the runner you are trying to overtake. Make some hand signals if you have any intention of overtaking or changing your running directions while on a road race.
6. Look around before you spit while running. Better yet, do not spit while running.
7. Do not push the runner infront of you once the starting gun had been fired.
8. Say positive and encouraging words to fellow runners along the way.
9. Look around before throwing your cups with some water in it. The water might spill on somebody’s shoes.
10. Do not overtake any runner once you are already inside the finish “chute” after passing the finish line.
11. If you are not registered in the race, do not steal any runner’s number and timing “chip”.
12. If you think you are an elite runner, position yourself nearest the starting line but if you think you are an average runner, position yourself at the middle of the pack. If you are a “first timer” in a road race and has the objective to finish the race, it would be better to position yourself at the back of the pack. If you are a “walker or slow jogger”, the farthest back of the pack is the best place for you to start the race.
13. If possible, do not cross the starting line before the start of the race.
14. If you are annoyed or disturbed with somebody trying to start a conversation with you while on a road race, be polite and make some “actions” that you are concentrated and focused to your goal.
15. If you finished the race and submitted your race number tag, do not wander around the area before the finish line or within the route. Better yet, to have yourself away from the finish line.
16. Running should be fun. Think of yourself and route as your “opponents” in every race.
17. Train for excellence and improvement. Be patient in training and think positive.
18. Running is a “social sports”. Be friendly with other runners. If there are “guest runners” from other countries, try to talk with them and praise/commend them for visiting our country.
“Garmin Forerunner Club”
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
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!
Pictures @ GIG 10K Run
Talking and Pictures with Kenyan Runners, “Tom & Sam”
Last “kick” before the finish line & “smiling face” after posting a PR best!
Another “Certificate” & Timex Watch display of my finish time.
46:45 Minutes @ GIG 10K
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
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:
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
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!
Bald Runner 
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