Category: Running

Friday: 25 X 400 @ Iloilo Oval Track

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18 January 2008 

I arrived here in Iloilo City from Jamindan yesterday afternoon. I had an appointment visit with Bishop Angel Lagdameo in Jaro, Iloilo City at 4:00 PM yesterday. Bishop Lagdameo and I had been meeting on a regular basis every month and discuss things and issues prevailing the country but more on telling him what my Command had been doing to the people of Western Visayas. 

I am scheduled to meet Vice-President Noli de Castro today in connection with the inauguration of the new Bacolod-Silay City Airport where he is the Guest of Honor. Later, before lunch, I will be taking the Weesam Fastcraft for Bacolod City. 

I woke up at 5:30 AM to prepare for my short run at the Iloilo Sports Complex Oval Track. After a slow and warm-up run for four rounds on the oval, I started my run and averaged 2:35-2:50 minutes per round/400 meters. Later, I did Yasso 800s with the following registered times—3:35 minutes; 3:44 minutes; 3:49 minutes; and 3:39 minutes. I jogged one round to recover every interval run. I am surprised that I improved with my time as compared with my performance during my run with my son, John, last month.  

My Average HR was 164. My Maximum HR was 169 and my Minimum HR was 153. I was reaching my Oxygen Debt and Threshold with my Yasso 800s. I am slowly introducing speed runs in my training and find out if I have enough strength already on my leg muscles in order to prevent any injury. I am happy with my running workout today. I was able to finish 27 times around the oval to include cool-down run. This will be my last run before the Subic Half-Marathon this coming Sunday.  

Total Distance: 7 miles or 11.2 kilometers.

Lessons Learned: 2008 Clark Freeport 10K Run

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1.   Recon and Inspect the Route—Find time to familiarize with the route of the race looking for the general terrain (uphill & downhill portions) of the route. This could be done weeks/days before the race. 

2.   Visualize Mile/Km Markers—In the absence of mile/kilometer markers, establish reference points along the route which will serve as your mile/km markers. This should be done during your reconnaissance activity on the route. 

3.   Plan for a Strategy—Depending on the extent and nature of your training in preparation to the race, you should be able to come up with your “strategy” to attain your desired goal for the race. It could be a fast run in the 1st half of the course & an average pace up to the finish; or an average pace on the 1st half & a fast pace on the remaining half of the course; or running at an average pace with “modified fartlek” along the route; or maintaining a fast pace or “speed play” throughout the course. 

4.   Drink Water—This is very basic. Drink water before the race, along the route, and after the race. Rule of Thumb: Drink water every 3 kilometers. Water provides replenishment to the runners’ sweat/perspiration and minerals taken out from the body due to perspiration. Psychologically, water provides more power and strength to the runner. For runners in tropical countries like ours, water provides cooling effect to the body. Proper and immediate replenishment of water to the body contribute to a faster recovery for the tired muscles of every runner. 

5.   Stretching & Warm-Up—More stretching and warm-up needed before and after the race. I did not have enough time to properly stretch my muscles and jog to warm-up. This lack of proper stretching and warm-up gave me the condition which made me run at a faster pace at the start of the race. 

6.   Desired Goal—Come up with a conservative goal to be attained on the said race. I was planning for a sub-50-minute PR best for the race but I did not follow my “strategy”—to run a conservative pace on the first half and run at a “speed play” pace on the last half of the course. I need to control the “adrenaline rush” at the start of the race. This will never happen again!

7. Body Massage—Don’t forget to have that body massage at least two days before D-Day of the Race. My successive body massages for the week, at Marco Polo Hotel and Olympia Spa, days before the day of the race were able to loosen my tight and tired muscles from my training runs. My muscles were loose and relaxed before and during the race. Early and fast recovery from my race was also a result of a good body massage.

Thursday (AM): 6 Miles @ 53:37 Mins

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 17 January 2008

 It started raining after I woke up at 5:45 AM. I planned to run at 6:00 AM but it was raining hard and it gave me time to check if the Globe Internet Connection was already working. I was really frustrated to see that it was not yet working and I opted to take my usual morning green tea and eventually had my breakfast. 

I started running once the rains stopped at 9:00 AM. I ran along the 2-mile route inside the camp with the road wet and damp. Sometimes, there are parts of the road which are slippery because of the thick moss that grow on top of the road. I tried to avoid the accumulated water along the road and the slippery moss which made my run as slow and controlled but more comfortable.

 I finished 3 rounds around the 2-mile route with the following times: 

2 miles—18:18 minutes 

4 miles—35:43 minutes 

6 miles—53:37 minutes 

I ran the second round at 17:25 minutes while my third round’s time was 17:54 minutes. I ran one mile as my cool-down run and later made my post-stretching exercises. This run was an easy run with an average pace of 8:56 minutes per mile or 5:35 minutes per kilometer. 

My TIMEX Watch Zone Trainer Digital Heart Monitor registered the following data: 

Elapsed Time—53:37 minutes 

Time In Zone—47:42 minutes 

Maximum HR—157 

Minimum HR—100 

Average HR—142 

Total Calories—647   

Total Distance: 7 miles or 11.2 kilometers 

Wednesday (PM): 6 Miles @ 47:42 Mins.

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16 January 2008 

After running 10 miles this morning, I attended to all the paper works which needed my attention and decision. Later, I called my Chief of Staff to relay to him my instructions/directives on what to be done in the coming days and things to follow-up among our subordinate units. After lunch, I reviewed our plans and thrusts for this year and came up with my schedule to visit my subordinate units within my Command in the coming days & weeks. I had to rest later and was able to sleep for almost two hours before preparing myself for another running workout in the afternoon.

 After a 20-minute stretching, I started my first round of the 2-mile route inside the camp. I finished the first round in 16:25 minutes. My second round was timed at 32:15 minutes, making the round covered in 16:50 minutes. My third round was timed at 47:42 minutes, which means that I made the last round in 15:27 minutes. I made a one-mile run as my cool-down run after running three rounds along the 2-mile route. 

I considered this running workout as a modified “speed play” where I increased my speed on the uphill portions of the route. My average speed for the run was 7:57 minutes per mile or 4:58 minutes per kilometer. This was my fastest time so far for the distance of 6 miles along the 2-mile route inside the camp. 

My TIMEX Watch Zone Trainer Digital Heart Monitor registered the following data: 

Elapsed Time—47:42 minutes 

Time In Zone—44:58 minutes

 Maximum HR—162 

Minimum HR—93 

Average HR—147 

Total Calories—613 

Total Distance: 7miles or 11.2 kilometers

Wednesday (AM): 10 Miles @ 1:30:41 Hrs

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 16 January 2008 

I started my run at 6:40 AM along the 2-mile route inside the camp. As always, I started my run at a very slow pace because the first 200 meters is uphill with the rest of the 1st mile going slightly downhill. However, the last one mile is a “killer” uphill one. 

The workout is a slow and easy run with emphasis on going strong and emphasis on knee upward movements in uphill portions of the route. My time for the first round was 17:50 minutes. The second round was timed at 35:07 minutes. My third round’s time registered at 52:35 minutes. My fourth round was at 1:11:48 hours. 

I was able to run 5 times around the 2-mile route with a total distance of 10 miles or 16 kilometers. My average pace was 9:04 minutes per mile or 5:40 minutes per kilometer. 

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

Elapsed Time—1:30:41 minutes 

Time In Zone—1:13:12 minutes 

Maximum HR—153 

Minimum HR—86 

Average HR—140 

Total Calories—1,066

Tuesday (PM): 50:54 Minutes @ 6 Miles

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 15 January 2008

 I started my running workout at 5:30 PM along the 2-mile route inside the camp. I finished 3 rounds which is equivalent to 6 miles in 50:54 minutes. My average pace was 8:29 minutes per mile or 5:18 minutes per kilometer. 

The following were the data taken from my TIMEX Zone Trainer heart Digital Monitor: 

Elapsed Time—50:54 minutes 

Time In Zone—41:10 minutes 

Maximum HR—159

 Minimum HR—83

 Average HR—142 

Total Calories—614

Tuesday (AM): 6 Miles @ 52:07

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15 January 2008 (6:30 AM-7:30 AM)

I was able to run 6 miles along the 2-mile route inside the camp with a time of 52:07 minutes. It was an easy run.

Senior Runners

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At the Finish Line of the 2008 Clark Freeport International Marathon, I started talking with runners whom I thought were within my Age Category Group. I seldom talk to other unknown runners before and after the runs/races but at this time, I tried to approach the older runners and start some conversation with them.

I started looking for the guy who overtook me at the last two kilometers and later had a lead over him on the last kilometer of the race and we had a brief conversation. (He is the guy at my back as shown in my picture). I found out that he is from Navotas, Metro Manila, 52 years old, and had been seriously running for a year. His reason for running is that he stopped playing basketball as his knees are more susceptible to injuries due to running & jumping in basketball. The other reason is that he wants to be away from his friends and “drinking buddies” as he would like to maintain a healthy living without any vices and excesses. He believes that physical fitness is a preventive measure from being inflicted with any kind of sickness and running makes him more relaxed.

This guy introduced me to his “running buddies” and I met a 75-year old runner who has a complete denture and was able to finish the 10K Run within the 50+ minutes range and he was confident that he won in his age category. One of their companions requested for a group picture among us whom I considered as the picture among the “senior runners”.

On the parking lot, I approached another senior runner and asked him about his age and time in the 10K Run. He told me that he is 65 years old and his time in the 10K race was 47+ minutes! I gladly told him that he’ll get the top award for the 60+ age category group but he told me that he was beaten by his friend who is 67 years old!

Beside my car at the parking lot was a group of five runners who are in their mid to late-40’s but they didn’t look like competitive runners. I asked them if they are going to run again in the Subic Marathon. One of the guys told me that he’ll skip on the said race because it’s the Birthday of his father but the others did not say anything. I learned later from their conversations among themselves that they arrived at Clark Freeport the night before the race and enjoyed the night in one of the “night spots” up to 2:00 AM. One of them requested the TV cameramen of ABS-CBN to take a shot at him and his companions running towards the finish line as an “evidence” for their respective wives that they joined the said race. It’s really funny that they are using the race as a reason to get away from their wives and from Metro Manila.

It was nice talking to the older runners after the race. They don’t talk about any pains, any complaints, difficulty in the course, difficulty in breathing, and their individual training. They only talk about one thing—they are sure of winning in their respective Age Category Group!!!

My Congratulations to the Masters and Senior Runners!

Globe’s Mobile Connect Fails

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Globe’s Mobile Connect Failed for the past days here in the Visayas.

 Starting in the afternoon of 15 January 2008 (Tuesday) up to the present (9:00 PM of 17 January 2008), the Globe’s Mobile Connect or Visibility Internet Connection is not available in Visayas and Mindanao. 

This is the reason why I could not access my Internet connection and be able to update my blogsite. Right now, I am in one of the Internet Cafe’s in Iloilo City trying to update this blog.

The next postings had been made from MS Word Document.  I hope the Globe Internet Connection in my area will be restored as soon as possible

Monday: 6 Miles @ 57:02

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14 January 2008 (6:00 PM-7:00 PM/Evening Run)

I am back in Jamindan yesterday afternoon after finishing the 2008 Clark Freeport 10K Run in the morning. I was in a hurry to be back in Manila to catch my plane trip back to Capiz scheduled to depart after lunch.

The Commanding General of the Philippine Army arrived early this morning (6:30 AM) in Roxas City to visit my Division Headquarters in the mountains of Jamindan. From my camp, I had to fetch him and his party from Roxas City Airport using two Huey Helicopters of the Philippine Air Force. It was his first visit to my Command Headquarters since he assumed the highest position of the Philippine Army, four and half months ago. This visit was his fourth attempt as the previous scheduled trips had been cancelled due to sudden and more important commitments in Manila. After visiting my camp and talking to my troops, he visited also two major units under my command in Dingle, Iloilo. He and his party left the Iloilo Airport for Manila at 3:00 PM.

Instead of using the Huey Helicopters back to my camp, I opted to ride my service vehicle/van from the Iloilo Airport back to Jamindan. The trip took me at least three hours for a distance of 160+ kilometers due to bad roads and more roads under repair along the way.

Immediately after I arrived at my quarters, I changed to my running attire and ran 6 miles or 9.6 kilometers along the two-mile route inside the camp. It was an easy & relaxing run with a time of 57:02 minutes, with an average pace of 9:30 minutes per mile or 5:56 minutes per kilometer.

Elapsed Time—57:02 minutes

Time In Zone (135-165 HR)—46:54 minutes

Maximum HR—157

Minimum HR—91

Average HR—140

Total Calories—671

I expect to have more miles/kilometers to run this week before the 2008 Subic Half-Marathon this coming Sunday.