FRONTRUNNER Philippines

saturday and sunday saw me doing my first ever back to back long runs.did these in my usual mkh playground and something new down mckinley corner edsa with jay on sunday.now, i am clearly getting a feel of how training for an ultra feels like and i am only on my 1st week of high mileage,back to back lsd weekends. but there is no turning back now as the days seem to pass by so quickly.today was gym time but the next 3 days will be spent on the playgrounds again.and waking up at 3:30 am during run days is still a  trying-to-get-used-to-it habit.

haven’t you noticed the cooler than usual morning breeze hitting your face as you run early?

Protect your self daw.

Baka sipunin ka nga naman.   

Mura lang.Dami pa flavor.                     

Weather balloons they are called.(whether you are using it or not).

Lagot pag wala ka nito, Rudolph the red-nosed runner ang labas mo.

                D’ BOLD RUNNER (nice six pack dude)

all together now, 1,2,3…

i’m running in the rain

  just running in the rain

   what a GLORIOUS feeling

   (hell yes!)

   i’m happy again

    i run down BHS

     with a happy refrain

     i’m running,running in the rain

      in the rain

      in the rain…..

  430am…took a peek from my window and saw people walking with no raingear, look up at the still dark sky and reached out my palm to feel raindrops-nada! i was up late than usual but i hurried to do my rituals.medyo may patak patak sa windshield along the way pero i was already alive all over so bahala na.soon enough i was at bhs.nakakapanibago.just a single biker and a couple of runners.and myself.and so i went about to do the prescribed easy run today.fearing it might rain i decided to just run the bhs/essensa(i wonder ano kaya feeling nila when they wake up in the morning and the view of a hundred or so white crosses out your window greets you every single morning?) area where i saw the main entrance to the american battle memorial.the rotonda fronting it brought me back to the 80’s when i was stopped by military police manning the mckinley checkpoint then for making a shortcut to mckinley road instead of circling the rotonda itself coming from the bonifacio naval station area.i have yet to reconcile the bonifacio roads of old with the fort of today.at any rate, the rains started to pour but since i was kinda wet with sweat i just went on and on just like forrest until i found myself drenched .reaching my target mileage,i did my cool down walking under the shades of the bhs shops.i don’t know what they put in their expensive coffee but the aroma is just irresistible as you pass by the coffee shops.especially on a rainy morning.

really now,rains are the great equalizer.it forces you to postpone or even redo your day.not even the best-laid plans are spared.but this morning’s rain i took as part of the joy of running.somebody texted me that i was crazy for insisting to run kanina.kako, ok lang pare(astang roderick paulate yung pagkasabi ko ng pare), dami naman kami and i am in good company.

btw, i was not hauled off to the mp’s office that fateful 80’s night i was stopped at the checkpoint for breaking camp rules.the car we used that night was “stolen”.yung tipong itinulak out of the quarters for about a kilometer bago pinaaandar para di marinig ng tatay ng mistah(sorry b/gen go).bait naman ni sarge.kako good times lang kami ng mga mistah kasi afraid kami sa ghosts na maaaring bumulaga pag natapat kami sa gate ng a.b. memorial.di makukuha sa .45 ang mga momo.also,nobody among us had a driver’s license.all we had were snappy crew cuts and rosy cheeks courtesy of baguio.

see what i mean when i say madami kaming crazy?

good times.

(20) 21sep2008…PMI @ 60…10k at U.P….after doing the usual pre-race rituals, i was at u.p. for the 10k race.i saw jay and rio before the start.and gigi, the fitmommy. except for may be a couple of familiar faces whose names i don’t know,i didn’t see any other running regular.it was a well-organized race with adequate water stations,marshals and directions.it was a new route for me , a welcome deviation from the previous u.p. runs i did earlier this year.and the weather was perfect for running.

as i hit the finish line, i looked at my garmin and it registered 9.5kms so i decided to run my garmin up to 10kms after which i took a short break and slowly continued on for another 12kms. with a stop for 2 cups of taho.the water stations were still in their places with cups and water pa although umnanned na.being my first time to linger at u.p. after the usual race, i was surprised to see a lot of sunday runners,walkers,bikers and vendors selling lots of foodstuffs from fried lumpia to taho to monay-you know the bread variety that looks like and is shaped like a human butt. the come-on read “original monay”.i wonder what the current 2008 un-original version monay looks like,do you? do they look like they came out of belo or calayan’s shop?  you know monay ala j lo.i will check out the original monay next sunday and have a feel and bite into it.it has been like 38 years since i had original monays to chew on.who knows,they might be good for lsd’s.

anyway, i just had to do this long run.it is 194 days to the bataan ultra(hear me out jay!) and have to pile up the miles.

no manila runs this weekend.maybe santiago milo 21k on the 28th or even baguio milo 21k(bareng agkita ta doc joe) on 05oct instead.kotr on the 11th is a date.

(19) 14sep2008-san fernando milo 21k elims race

having no manila races scheduled last sunday,14sep, i hauled myself friday evening to baguio.then after a good rest and smelling the roses,i left for san fernando,la union late saturday afternoon.

i was lucky to get the last room at plaza hotel just overlooking the starting line for the milo 21k elims race slated for 14sep.

after a hearty chowking dinner of beef wanton,i slept at around 10pm. waking up intermittently due to passing vehicles and racing scooters (the hotel was along the national highway), i really did not have a good night’s sleep but still, i had to make do with the spartan conditions.i was here to run and not wallow in comfort anyway.

4am sunday and i was up and looked outside my window.saw eager beaver kids in milo singlets walking to the plaza.went back to bed and finally got up 5am.more runners warming up now as i took another peek.

6am and the gun goes off.i positioned myself at the middle with a racing plan in my mind.then hell broke loose.it was like a stampede. either i blinked, was sleepy,scratched my eyes or was slow-poked and i found myself at last place after the starting gun went.and you know,even the best-laid plans go awry.but knowing only too well that some were rabbits running loose, i just took my time and true enough before the first kilometer,some dudes were walking and catching their breath.and so it was to be the rest of the way to bauang and back, i met walking and fagged out runners and some even sitting along the road.the turtle in me was able to overtake some rabbits up to even the last 10 meters.

2 hours flat and i find myself at the finish line.got my milo loot bag.by my estimate, around 150 21k runners started but in the end around 75 or even less finished the 21k race.the 3k and 5k runners were already done by then and enjoying the cheering competition of the schools at the plaza.it was a festive atmosphere altogether and a well-organized run by mr biscocho and company.no problems with water,marshals and directions.and the weather was perfect.

looking back,i did not know that i would go this far just to be able to race.the biggest bonus i had was to have that rural atmosphere that greets you as you run- the clean air,the smell of palay, the sight of ricefields and plainfolks doing their early morning rituals.seemingly trivial matters but things i really missed since i moved to the big city.i guess the small town boy in me still remains in me. i am really a provinciano by heart.

on my way back to baguio,i took some pictures of amusing trade names of establishments along the road.

i don’t know if this is a tribute to the late senator robert barbers or if the owner is related at all.it says look good,feel good too.neat huh?

and mang do? they serve cold beer here and….good times.better than you average mcdo.

….babalu’s bulalo-parang minemekaniko ni moniko ang minica ni monika.pero the smell of inihaw in the morning as i was running pass the resto was soooooo good.fully-packed at 630am!

only in the philippines.

1995 and i toyed with the idea of getting it while on a visit with my then young kids at star city.got my wife to say yes (yes!). had an idea on my mind what to put on.but either i enjoyed the rides at the park too much to notice time flying or i chickened out.and it came to pass without any realization.until a couple of months ago….and 13 years after.

around april2008,went to cartimar with my son who had it since high school.chose a design.agreed on a price.then asking for time to withdraw money,i went out and did not come back.well,i guess,i chickened out this time.

03sep2008, again,i found myself back at the same shop after visiting it 2 days earlier with my son.made an appointment.agreed on the price and chose the master to do pain on me.and so on this fateful day,i made a decision that will forever stick on me.i agonizingly sat for 4 hours under the very talented and masterful hands of no less than ricky santa ana doing my bicep/tricep/shoulder and back.the first prick was painful and i was wondering if i would even last the whole session.in between moans of pain and wincing and deep breaths and flexing of my abs, it was all over so much to my relief and the master’s too.he wanted a 2nd session for the coloring but i said i would rather that all will be done in one session.

and so it came to pass.i finally got my first tattoo! after a long 13 year wait.my first dutdutan session was finally over.

12 days and counting and it still hurts a little and is itchy at times.worst is that,i am not allowed to scratch it or i will ruin the piece.

will i do it again? i have lots of vacant skin real estate waiting to be corrupted and have a design with the same artist. i just don’t know when.but hell yes,i will.

what did my wife say when she saw it? don’t ask. btw,she said no( a turnaround from the yes 13 years earlier) when i told her that i was finally doing my 1st tattoo. but have the tattoo,i still did.

why did i do it ? part of my bucket list at the back of my head.

all i know is i ain’t no virgin no more. and i am enjoying every minute of it.

nagpadutdut na at dinutdut naman ako.at 44.

i am a marked man.

one saturday afternoon on march 8,2008 after a gym workout and 2 days after my 44th birthday, my nephew asked me if i wanted to run.run what, i asked.a 10 km race at the fort he said.for better or worse,i said yes.little did i know that i did not have any running shoes,shirt nor shorts. i raided my son’s shoe rack and got me what looked like running shoes.on to my locker and got a white tee top and knee-length nike gym shorts.sunday,march 9 came and here was my nephew picking me up at 5am.so,i hauled my half-awake self and registered at the fort.my baptism of fire so to speak.it was the PINAY IN ACTION run.so there i was standing at the starting line and looking at the seasoned runners in their sleek running attires and gadgets-ipods,pogi running shoes,singlets,shorts and fuel belts,caps and whatchamacallit burluloys.how out of touch was i.the last time i run was in 1987 and all i had on was rubber shoes and shorts and shirt,that was it.before march 9 happened,i had only joined 2 road races which i did not both finished-not even halfway hehehe.and to think i was only 18 then…and months before this,my running was confined to threadmill runs of sometimes 1 hour or less at the gym.and so here i was garbed in my supposedly running outfit of puruntong shorts and undershirt and surrounded by men and women all dressed up and ready to go.before i knew it , the starting gun went off and off we run and i started my running journey…………..

(1)  MARCH 9,2008…PINAY IN ACTION 10K at The Fort….my baptism of running fire.4 loops around the bhs area for what seemed like eternity.halfway through, i was asking myself why i was doing this-waking up so early and running this faaaaaaaar with no nothing.no watch,ipod.nothing.i just kept running till i was done.did 57mins+++ for my very first race that i finished!good enough.got a loot bag of ariel laundry powder,feminine sanitary napkins and some more female stuff.did not know how to use them.i was itching for the next run.medyo medyo.may ibubuga pa pala ang lolo.

(2) MARCH 30,2008…MIZUNO INFINITY RUN 10K at The Fort….medyo properly outfitted na ako dito para di naman feeling out of place.got me decent nike running shorts and skullcap and new balance race shirt and adidas climacool running shoes.pero i will remember this as the death march mizuno version.1st station pa lang ,no more water.all stations ,no water! my first time to run through the cemeteries area.wow,uphills and no water.did 1hour +++ few seconds.survived the desert run!i am starting to see faces that later on i would see again and again in subsequent races.coach rio for one.couldn’t miss not seeing him,not with his untied afro ‘do swaying in the air while he run.cool ‘do coach!

getting more itchy in the feet.started searching the net for races.eto na.updated na sa races and looking forward to just run like forrest.

(3) APRIL 13, 2009…ON YOUR MARK 10K at The Fort….went all the way to GMA in timog at 6am just to make sure i won’t  miss on this.good run and did 54m+++good run but i think this was short of 10k as advertised.so walang feeling of fulfillment as far as a p.r. is concerned.i felt like a horse at the finish kaya alam kong short ito.

something happened between here and my next race so i had to lay off from races….pero,full packed ang may sundays ko-mabuhay!

(4) MAY 4, 2008…25th RUNNEX 10K at U.P. Diliman…my first at u.p. nice race.my first time to run under the trees-sarap pala.did 1:00 +++well,doing good for an amateur like me.felt like a real 10k this time.i think rio was the organizer here.familiar faces.bald runner…..can’t miss him and you know why.push up muna ako sir jovie.

(5) MAY 11,2008…RUN 2/RUN ALONG THE RIVER 10K at Marikina Riverbanks…it was actually 11k.did 1:07 on this.i remember narrow roads and lots of pedestrians and onlookers along the narrooooooow route.lots of dogshit too.it was like playing patintero.one had to alternately looked down for dog bombs and up or you risk falling in the river.mainit i remember.rio was the organizer here with his trusty ate merlene.i was looking for booths which had future races.itchy na talaga.well, addict na is more like it.sniff/snort/sniff…..

(6) MAY 18,2008…PRINGLE’S 3 MILE RUN at The Fort…maulan.then umaraw for the start then umulan.kasabay nito yung market market run.00:25m+++wala lang.just run of the mill race.hahaha.warm up kumbaga.warm up for a long sunday sleep that is.ahhhh,i remember ed buenavista and the elite runners running like crazy-50k php ang first prize kaya pala ganoon na lang ang pace nila.good for these guys and they deserve some good times too.bihira ang ganitong kalaking premyo.

(7) MAY 25,2008…DOC FIT 10K at U.P. Diliman….happy to to be back at u.p.nearly didn’t do this.suffered an ugly hamstring injury tuesday night playing basketball.my hams were black and blue.more like violet!and painfuuuuuuul.couldn’t walk normally.and not without a visible limp.wednesday morning,hauled myself to binondo to see the shaolin masochist este masahista.the bald hilot.after 2 minutes and counting to 10,the hazing ritual was over.i asked the old man if i could run on sunday and he said yes.i had my doubts but i was able to walk better back to my car.thursday,i tried the threadmill and run gingerly fearing i would reinjure my hams.after 10 minutes,i was running like hell.the injury was not without trace however.as i was running the doc fit, i heard 2 guys behind me and saying “masakit yan.siguro bagong initiate sa frat!” hahaha.not at 44 dudes.violet was written all over my left hams.tipong ube splattered all over.but there was no pain.i feared i would run my worst 10k,but wow,did 00:57m with a recovering ham injury to boot.had ube and ate it too.

my sights were trained on my 1st 21k….

(8) JUNE 15,2008…DND HALF MARATHON at Camp Aguinaldo….with a 9 week running program from runnersworld’s smart coach,i armed myself further with an ipod shuffle,casio stopwatch,new nike shorts,asics nimbus 9 (which i decided to get after weeks of going through the net researching),protein bars and gels.like a true soldier going to war, i made sure i knew the route and applied all the tips and tactics from runnersworld.so i took my time and run and run and run amidst all the buses and jeeps along ortigas and edsa.finally,finish line.i made it alive.it was nice to be back at the parade grounds of aguinaldo.last time i was here was 1985 doing parade as part of the academy contingent.big sense of accomplishment.i raised my hands as if i came in first.my time? 2:31:25.i did not mind the time.finishing my longest foot race was my priority and this race was a fulfillment to say the least.it lifted my spirits and confidence to high heavens.bring it on……today the 21,tomorrow the 42!!!!!

(9) JUNE 29,2008…MIZUNO RUN 2 15k at The Fort…back at homecourt.this was organized by rio and the gang.nice race.lots of water.but at the finish line,can’t please all….luckily i arrived when the early finishers were done.rio was humble and man enough to face to the complaints about the finish line fiasco….but hey,we went here to run and have fun! nice race whatever they say.first time to run the mckinley hill area.

(10) JULY 6,2008…MANILA HALF MARATHON at Luneta….this was originally set for june 22 if not for the typhoon that day.btw,did 21k on the threadmill instead and pounded away my frustrations on that fateful june 22 sunday.nice race.nice route.helpful/cheery water station people.sarap tumakbo where you usually ride a car.solo ang daan with all the marshals stopping traffic for you kahit mag isa ka,took advantage and took my time at crossing espana/forbes hahahaha.btw, lots of trash and dogshit again at the p. zamora flyover.btw, i will remember this run for its many uphills c/o flyovers galore.scared at the thought initially.did 1:59;00+++ sub 2 hours.neat.but later found out it was 19k lang.bummer.met my first running blogger-running shield-patrick concepcion.few familiar faces as usual.

(11) JULY 13,2006…ONE LA SALLE RUN 16K at The Fort….sea of green and rains at the start.lack of marshals,no kilometer markers.but still pleasurable if only for the opportunity to run a 10 miler.nice singlet and shirt.lots of walkers on the way back.chaos but given the running number of around 5,000,what can you expect?still, it was a cool race.

(12) JULY 27,2008…ROBINSON’S BUDDY RUN 5k at The Fort…registered with my son as buddy but him coming home sunday 4am from gimik made me run solo.familiar faces as usual….tbr and hubby.did 29mins and lots of goodies making me looked like i just came out of the supermarket.continued running till 10am to complete a 31km easy run.this is the calm before the storm…..

(13) AUGUST 3,2008…MILO MANILA MARATHON ELIMINATIONS 42.195K at Luneta….i initially registered for 10k pero pagkatapos kong magmuni-muni , i decided to go for the jugular-the full monty-42k!couldn’t wait for subic legacy 42k (good thing i did milo kasi by invitation lang pala yung subic 42k).so at 2am ,i was up and at around 4am,i was already warming up under pouring rain near the starting line.met jay ( only to find out he was prometheus cometh later from the runners blog community) and off we went.rains stopped only to pour again as we turned to buendia.this after we reached the end of roxas near airport road then made a u turn.saw rio here (thanks for the gatorade sip) who had a client runner he was escorting pala.i was doing fine and within the target time till disaster started to creep in near the buendia/makati ave intersection.feeling the cramps.slowed down.recovered, but as i was up the buendia flyover,cramps did me in again,had to walk in pain all the way to shell/starbucks area then resumed running.time lost-almost 30 minutes.and so it was to be the scenario all over the fort area.stop and go.changed socks at heritage area as my socks were wet like wet.and i had to contend with the uphills of the cemeteries pa.well,i was on my way back and the kilometer reading said 30k….12k na lang.cramps again near buendia/p tamo intersection.wala na, 4 hours and finals was dream lost….turning at roxas and ccp ,i alternately walked,jog and run and just had a positive mental attitude about the race.kept thinking about good thoughts and happy meals.btw,with all the cramps,all my training mantra were lost but two things i maintained-breathing and running form.tired as i was ,i maintained both.i would be lying if i did not admit to quitting and just go home midway through the race.but sooner than i thought, aristocrat ,then the u s embassy then luneta loomed in my line of sight.i was only too happy to see jose rizal and the 2 marine guards.i ran faster and when i saw finishers with medals,i wished i had them too.wow,finish line 5:40:00+++and a medal and certificate!!!!!!!the last time i got a medal was in 4th year high school graduation hahaha.saraaaaaaaaaaaap ng feeling.they say that you can’t call yourself a runner unless you finish a 42k.sila nagsabi niyan ha,hindi ako.this is not to take out the joy in short distance races pero iba pag 42k pala.pero at least,i can brag a little now having done my 1st 42k at 44 hahaha.i can’t describe the feeling.basta masaraaaaaaaaap.if i did it,so can you…..my battlescars?—3 dead toenails and three blisters.and a running ego  ; )

dapat recovery month but addict nga eh…..sniff/snort/sniff some more……

(14) AUGUST 10,2008….FEATI 10K AT RAJAH SULAYMAN, MANILA….flat road race from rajah to ccp to u s embassy and back-twice.did sub 1 hour pero 8.9kms lang.saw patrick again and had photo op with him.live band at 6am-wow pare heavy ‘tol.enjoy naman,my first time to run by the bay.simoy malansa.hahaha.

(15) AUGUST 17,2008…MEN’S HEALTH 10K at The Fort…350php registration.akala ko may free magazine.pero puro gatorade and binibigay sa water stations.unlimited to the point i kept on getting gato and tossed it to the fort guards manning the intersections.another sub 1 hour.

(16) AUGUST 24,2008…QUEZON CITY RED CROSS 10K at QUEZON MEMORIAL CIRCLE…then on to u.p. for the turn around.i felt heavy throughout.maybe because i run hard saturday before.nice race pero as usual short.around 9.05kms lang measured on my garmin 50!!!!yeah,finally got one with heart monitor,foot pod and ant.new product from garmin .kamukha ng pricey gf405 pero walang itong gps.at least,ito magagamit sa indoors.also,madali mag upload ng data via ant(like the 405) and no charging of batteries-value for money.i highly recommend it.met dingdong a.k.a. runmd at the parking lot after.

(17) AUGUST 31,2008…NIKE HUMAN RACE 10K at McKINLEY HILL….hills at the start,middle and finish.my most expensive registration ( registration disguised as sportsband) but i wouldn’t miss this one for the world.met the bull runner,the fitmommy,oknoy,eric a.k.a. passion runner-for the first time.and the man,rio the organizer-nice job dude.met jay the PC manning the socks booth again.and patrick at the finish line.tried but couldn’t keep up with him.i still suck at running.finished 00:57:++ for a 10k run that registered exactkly 10k on my garmin.now i have a solid basis for my p.r.

running out of metro manila races,here i went….

(18) SEPTEMBER 7,2008…SUBIC LEGACY RUN 10k at SBMA….my 1st out of town race.nice change of scenery and weather and atmosphere.around 2,000 runners.saw the happy feet posse and oknoy who didn’t run.mostly flat with a couple of manageable uphills.with all the police rookies around, i felt like one all over again albeit at 44! tried my darndest best to keep up and i was rewarded with a time of 00:54:17.56 for a 9.94km run.not bad.pwede na ring pang p.r.did 3.5km walk and run sa beachfront and gave the free meal to 2 cops who looked so tired from guarding the venue all night.it was fun and the new freeway at sctex made the trip worth it.

next run?no metro manila runs yet so…september 14, milo 21k at san fernando ,la union……lulong na lulong na ako sa takbo.but i am not even halfway patrick’s running history( i respect you patrick for your running resume-one word-ASTIG!….saludo ako sa iyo).

running has given me the opportunity to meet new friends-both mortal and inert-(duct tape for blisters,nike “betlog” shorts and singlets,new balance shoes,asics nimbus 9, ipod shuffle,seinheisser earphones,fuel belt,garmin 50,power gels and bars), enjoy surfing the net for funny and informative blogs among other things,made me discover what power bars and gels are all about, that sports drinks(akala ko racket lang ang gatorade) are good and made me a believer of the banana power.my one regret-not having run early enough in my life to enjoy this thing called running.

and compliments of sir jovie a.k.a. bald runner….in his blog,he wrote about what that dude karnazes said about running-that running is a journey.i have kept this in my mind as i huff and puff each running day.

and so,i will make do with whatever time is left and keep on running like forrest.run like hell.

guys and girls,see you when i see you.