154 Days: Sunday’s Run (“Runabout” #3)

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

I did my 3rd “runabout” in Metro Manila yesterday morning and I was able to cover a distance of exactly 32 kilometers (20 miles) with a time of 3:40:27 hours and an average pace of 7:00 mins/km. I had my “pit stop” at the Canteen at Hole # 1 Tee Mound of the Philippine Army Golf Course along Bayani Road. I spent P90.00 for two bottles of Gatorade; two boiled bananas; and one hard-boiled egg. Bought and drank two bottles of Propel at the Mini-Stop Store near Paul Calvin’s Deli Resto for P40.00 while running around The Fort area.

I saw a lot of runners along the way—Fort Striders were at the BHS area; Roselle from Happy Feet at Lawton Avenue approaching Essensa; and a couple of runners at Bayani Road near the Philippine Army Gym. I know these runners are preparing for next Sunday’s VSO Run and for the New Balance Road Races on the middle of this month. As for me, I had my easy long run in preparation for the Milo Marathon Finals on the 30th of this month. Continue reading “154 Days: Sunday’s Run (“Runabout” #3)” →

Cash Prizes For Marathon Races

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Marathon Race, Races, Running9 Comments

I really don’t post results of International Marathons in this blog except for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games’ Marathon Results which serve as my personal references. As I read the latest news about the results of the 2008 ING New York City Marathon this morning in the race’s website, I found out that the “old & usual” winners won in the said race who did not even perform well in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and other past Olympic Games, as well. Continue reading “Cash Prizes For Marathon Races” →

1st “Shake, Rattle & Run” (Halloween 5K Run)

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Pictures, Races, Running3 Comments

7:00 PM 31 October 2008 @ Bonifacio High Street (BHS) Loop, The Fort

Whoever thought of this run, he/she should be congratulated for thinking and implementing this run for the first time in the country. The race was a 5K run which takes every runner to go around the BHS loop for four times. As I arrived at the vicinity of R.O.X. Store one hour before the start of the race, I already concluded that the race was a success. Lots of runners, with their relatives and friends, in their different costumes and outfits appropriate for a Halloween Party were everywhere at the BHS area waiting for the race to start.

Even if there were no cash prizes at stake for the said run, “Team Bald Runner” fielded some of its runners for the fun and be part of the inaugural Halloween run. The car maker Isuzu was the main sponsor for this event and they did a good job in organizing this event. Although there were some slight “hitches” and “minor” problems, the race was something to look forward to join every 31st of October. Continue reading “1st “Shake, Rattle & Run” (Halloween 5K Run)” →

156 Days: 50 Laps & Stair Sprints

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

5:30 AM 31 October 2008 @ The ULTRA Oval Track

To finish the month of October 2008, I was able to run 50 laps at the ULTRA Oval Track and did “stair sprints” at the concrete bleacher of ULTRA. I did 2 sets of 25-lap runs where the first set was timed at 56:04 mins with an average pace of 5:25 mins/km; the other set was timed at 1:06:07 hours with an average pace of 6:25 mins/km.

For this day’s run, I was able to run a total distance of 24.64 kilometers.

“Specific-Endurance Test”

On By kingofpotsIn Books, Insights, Jogging, Runners' Training, Running, Sports ProgramLeave a comment

If there is “Physical Fitness Test” for the Officers and Soldiers of any Armed Forces of any country in order to determine the level of their fitness and endurance based from military standards, there is also some sort of “fitness test” for runners based from the distance of the road race they are going to participate or compete.

In the book, “Run Faster: From 5K To The Marathon” by Brad Hudson, he suggests that if a runner is following a training plan for a certain race, he/she has to schedule a “specific-endurance” test (spec test) in order to assess if there is an improvement towards his/her desired goal depending on his/her target finish time to an specific road race. To some coaches and runners, such term is also called as “time trials” which are usually done in an oval track or in a road race.  Such test should be done at least every 5-6 weeks. However, running in a road race is a practical option for 5K and 10K runners who can run such distances every few weeks without overtaxing their bodies. As for the half-marathon and marathon distances, the only option for the runners to test their endurance and speed is to perform a very “race-specific” workout. Continue reading ““Specific-Endurance Test”” →

Shoe Review: NIKE Lunaracer

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Runners' Training, Running, Running Shoes9 Comments

I bought this new pair of NIKE Lunaracer at the NIKE Store at The Grove in Los Angeles last 10 September 2008, few days before I returned to Manila. The sales guy at the NIKE Store, who happens to be a black guy in his 30s, lectured to me the difference between the NIKE Lunarlite Trainer and this shoes. He suggested that I should try to wear both shoes and actually feel the difference between the two. As soon as I tried the shoes one at a time, I told him immediately what I felt. The NIKE Lunarlite Trainer has a wide forefoot area and I could feel that my foot and toes do not feel the tight snug I want for a running shoes. As for the NIKE Lunaracer, the shoes’ forefoot area is very narrow and I could feel a nice and tight fit for my feet in the said running shoes. Continue reading “Shoe Review: NIKE Lunaracer” →

158 Days: Another 34 Laps

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

6:14 PM 29 October 2008 @ The ULTRA/Philsports Oval Track

It was already dark when I was about to enter the ULTRA Compound and the Oval Track’s Powerful Lights were already ON with a lot of runners going around the track. The centerfield was filled with the usual soccer players and I could see familiar and regular faces at the track. After paying for my ticket and doing my warm-up stetching exercises, I started to have my warm-up run with the thought of running an easy 50-lap run for the day with an average pace of 5:30 mins/km. Continue reading “158 Days: Another 34 Laps” →

159 Days: Running Alone In The Rain

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Runners' Training, Running6 Comments

5:58 PM 28 October 2008 @ The ULTRA Oval Track

I knew It was going to rain yesterday afternoon but I insisted myself to have my running workout at the ULTRA Oval Track for my speed interval run even if I knew that the track will be wet and my running kit will get soaked in the rain. I arrived at the Philsports area at 5:45 PM and it was raining lightly and I could see that at least 3 or 4 runners were about to finish their run because of the rain. Instead of wearing a running kit for my speed runs, I wore my trail running outfit from TNF with a runner’s cap and my Arnuva 50 BOA. I knew that my shoes was heavy for my run but I was confident that the traction of the shoes with the wet track will not give me any problems of sliding or any slippery condition. After a brief stretching routine, I started with my warm-up run. After one lap, it started to rain hard and I was alone running on the track as the other runners ended their run. Continue reading “159 Days: Running Alone In The Rain” →

Ultramarathon Training Plan #1

On By kingofpotsIn Runners' Training, Running, Ultramarathon2 Comments

 For those “hardcore” runners, you can make this training plan which I downloaded from one of the ultra running sites (www.ultrarunner.net) ) as your reference for your training to join the 1st Bataan Death March 102K Ultramarathon Race. It will not make you run faster but it will make your body endure and be able to finish the race within the cut-off time.

Good luck and Stay Ready!

THE ULTIMATE ULTRAMARATHON TRAINING PLAN

You don’t have to be crazy to run an ultramarathon. You just have to be ready.

By Doug Rennie
PUBLISHED 01/12/2005

DO. NOT. BE. INTIMIDATED. If you have completed a marathon or two, you can–in 16 weeks–add an ultramarathon to your running resume. Really. “In South Africa, 14,000 runners each year enter the Comrades Marathon, 54 challenging miles of big rolling hills, and each year about 85 percent of them finish,” says George Parrott, ultrarunning vet and director of training for the Buffalo Chips Running Club of Sacramento. “The moral here is that your expectations can get you to the finish line of an ultramarathon, and that this kind of distance is not unworldly.” Okay, but first, what exactly is an ultramarathon? Anything beyond the classic 26.2-mile distance–races from increasingly popular 50-Ks to 100-milers to solo crossings of continents. For your first adventure on the far side of 26.2, we suggest that you look a bit beyond the 50-K–really just a stretched-out marathon–to 50 miles, the first true, bragging-rights ultra. So find yourself a friendly 50-miler, count back 16 weeks from race day, clip and post the following training plan–and get to it. Continue reading “Ultramarathon Training Plan #1” →

Calling All “Hardcore/Crazy” Runners

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Running, Ultramarathon8 Comments

Attention To All “Hardcore/Crazy” Runners!!!!

You know already who you are if you belong to this group of runners. And I don’t need to mention your names or blog names! If you think you belong to this kind of runners, you can continue reading this post and make a comment if you you want to be a part of this event. Continue reading “Calling All “Hardcore/Crazy” Runners” →