INTO THE FINISH LINE

My Runniversary

2011-06-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

My first run happened last May 29, 2010.

This is the Kerygma Fun Run. I am a fan of Bro Bo Sanchez so, I registered on the longest distance of this event - 5K. Hahaha! My friend Mich was actually the one who insisted/forced me to join the 5K. I am hesitant at first because I dont have any idea how far that was. It was held at the MOA grounds. Thousands of people joined this event and I will never forget how fun my first run was.

In this first run, my husband and daughter were also there to support me. They are there waiting for me in the finish line. The 5K route on this event is known as the C-loop (technically it is 6K long).

After this one, I thought that running is not that bad. Actually I enjoyed it. Reaching the finish line after all the hard work in making all your steps on the route is really amazing! A few months after this, Mich again invited me to join her with our second run together and this time it is the Run for Humanity. Held last August 15, 2010. I registered still at the 5K category but Mich went all the way at 10K. We were late at this event so this is the first time I found myself running alone grasping for the U-turn while everyone is on their way back to the finish line. Still, that feeling of reaching the finish line is still there! Addictive. Awesome. Amazing!!!

My third running event is the 10.10.10 Run for Ilog Pasig. Mich wasn't my company here but my sister, neice, and a neighbor. I am in the 3K category because my main issue here is just to join and when I joined, there is no more slot for 5K. Oh well, lets help the Ilog Pasig so being a pro-nature I signed in the 3K. No run made, pure walking. With all of the runners/walkers around you, you can't run no more. So there I was, walking from the start to the finish line.

Next up is the 3rd leg of RunRio Trilogy for 2010. The Unilab Run United 2! Considering my past runs without any training at all, relying on my friends optimism that I will still be alive after reaching the finish line, my friend Mich here signed us up at the 15K category! Why? Because we are always late in signing up so there is no more slots for 5K or 10K for this one and we ended up joining the 15K. This is my first time to run at the Bonifacio Global City. So, packed with optimism, courage and gatorade, I hit the road in this running event with friends Lester and Mich without any training at all. Yes, we lived after reaching the finish line in 3 freaking hours! But it was fun and our route was filled with full of laughter!

I promised myself that I wont do that again!

Then came the 34th National Milo Marathon. I signed in to my official 10K run. I prepared for this one like making time to jog in the morning for twice a week. Roxas blvd is usually my route for practice. I was also able to invite friends to join this event. I finished 10K with an official time of 1:27:44. Not bad though.

My second 10K after this one is the PSE Bull Run. Held last Jan 9, 2011. I was alone on this one. For some schedule issues, I was the only one who was able to join this event. My very first autistic run. This run made me notice some things that goes with a running event such as water stations, event photographers, race organizers. This is also my first time to fly along the Kalayaan flyover. And my funny PR for 10K of 1:27:06!!!

Then from 10K category, I challenged myself to join a 21K category. Why? Because this running event is so special. This is the Condura SkyWay Marathon! I wanna enjoy more of the SkyWay and since I am positive that my body cant finish the 42K yet, so I registered at the half marathon category. It was fun! I found myself smiling and so excited as I entered that ramp entering the SkyWay. I was alone though. Mich wasn't with me again. But I dwelled into my idea of dragging my husband in this event and asked him to wait for me in the finish line. Something for me to hang on to be able to finish the race. When I reached the finish line, two amazing guys were waiting for me!

My husband and Coach Rio Dela Cruz!!! So here is me with Coach Rio and my husband taking the pic! lol!

And another most unforgettable idea on this special run of mine is of course, my first medal on joining races!!!

Learning the importance of training before joining every races, I searched for some ways on how to properly prepare for every races and found out about the Adination of Runners. It is a free run held every week headed by running coaches around the metro. I signed up at AnR-MOA because it is the nearest venue for me and considering that their route is the C-Loop which is one of the important route for me.

Again, packed with courage, I joined my first AnR-MoA run. I got to meet new people with my same interest in running. I was able to find people to look up to in this kind of activity. Gained new friends. It was just so unfortunate that when I got into my job right now, I wasn't able to join them in their weekly runs no more. Schedule issues. :( But we still get to see each other online and in every races we join though.

I was also able to bring my daughter Emily in this group one time. I also want my daughter to have this kind of physical activity which I know will benefit her in the future.

March 2011 came and I am again listed at the 21K category of the 1st leg of the Runrio Trilogy. With my friend Mich again this time we conquered the 21K in 3:09. My second half marathon. My second medal. My second pic with coach Rio hahaha! My picture here in this race won a shirt on facebook! My face looked bored here running that half marathon. So I registered this picture as my entry for TEAM BORING on facebook. A group of ultrarunners where every member is worth looking up to with their running performance. And here is my winning shirt from them!

I was able to claim this shirt when I volunteered myself as a race marshall last May 1 at the World Youth Day Fun Run. Another experience in this world of running - being one of the marshalls. I got to experience greeting marshalls Good Morning! and pushing them to go and run! Something that I always get when being one of the runners. I thank Coach Mar of Anr Moa/Team Boring for inviting me to be a part of this event. Also I am thankful for Anr MoA peeps because eventhough I am not a regular attnedee every week, I ccan still get to talk to them and they still inspire me in every run that I join.

Another autistic run that I joined is the Kapuso Fun Run. I registered for 10K. I joined this as my preparation for my third half marathon a week after this event. I am such a loser in this event. Though I was able to beat my PR because I finished 10K in 1:25. I dont have a camera, I noticed that there are no event photographers so as a remembrance, I lined up to their one and only photobooth! Good thing that I was able to see one of my high school friends who also joined the event. She have a camera so I took the opportunity of taking pictures with her.

A week went by and its time for my third half marathon. The worst half marathon of my life! The Run with the Masters event! I am with Mich again and both of us don't have any trainings anymore. Courage if that is how you call it. We did hit the route of this event and found ourselves being the 2nd and 3rd to the last participant to hit the finish line. But even if I am the last person to arrive, that feeling of awesomeness in reaching the finish line remains the same.
The taste is still sweet. As long as I didn't give up, I endured the pain, the finish line is still fulfilling. I am still a FINISHER!

However, after what happened with my last 21K, I decided to go down the ladder a bit and registered my next run back to the 10K category. I registered 10K at the Goldilocks Fun Run held last May 15, 2011. I finished 10K in an amazing time of 1:17:57! I have my friends join me as well. Tracy and Joi, both of them were my childhood friends. I am just so happy that they are into running now. We are currently planning which will be our next run and fixing our schedules for it.

Today, May 29, 2011. I am registered at the Run for Integrity 10K. I am supposed to be there. I was supposed to be celebrating it by running on the same date I first stepped out of the starting line last year.

However, I am here on my bed. Blogging about it. Sharing my running experience within a year.

Sitting beside my 1 year old daughter Ashly who is suffering from cough and colds. She needs me now more than I need to give myself a run.

I'll stay with her today the whole day.

Celebrating my one year of running with her, I will make her feel better.

as posted in http://yellowsugarrush.blogspot.com/

My Run United 2 Certificate

2011-01-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

Hah! I just got my certificate to day! I didn't know this! I wasn't able to make review about this race because my time is not really the best after all. I am so shocked when a courier is walking towards our store holding a big envelope with very familiar logo! So I was like, is that for me? The lady messenger said, "Lorinda De Guzman?" So I shouted, Thats Me!!! What is this?!! She said "Ma'am Certificate nyo po nung Unilab Run, may picture din dito saka baller." (Ma'am this is your certificate from your Unilab run, it also have a picture and a baller inside.) She also told me to open it first before she leave so that she'll know if the package is complete.

So I immediately opened it and see this wonderful wonderful things inside. It Includes my certificate, my picture, and a lavender baller with a 15K label on it. I am so happy to see the certificate with my name and the the "15K Finisher" under it. Though I actually messed up with this race because I really did not prepare for this one (not even a kilometer run before the race day) I am still satisfied that I was able to finish it. Its just that I promised myself that I am really gonna do some preparations whenever I joined a run again.

I am so happy about the baller aside from its violet, one of my favorite color, it has a 15K print on it. So I am wearing it now as I write this article.

The picture. Oh God! The picture! I look terrible! hahah! But my husband loved it! Though he did not say it really. haha! I know he do! lol! This is not one of my best picture from photovendo but I'm fine with it.

This is really a surprise for me. I never thought there was a certificate because I am already satisfied with the finishers kit that I got. And now with this, I will definitely gonna run again on the next Unilabs Run United and all the Runrio Trilogy. Good Job to all the organizers and staffs and all the people behind thi wonderful wonderful event!!!

42.195Km = MARATHON!

2011-01-15T06:11:00.000-08:00

As a newbie in running, there are terms that are so new to me and are misused if I had not been into running. I have heard words like "fun run" and "marathon" and thought that they were actually the same. However, after joining several runs and a few research online, I have learned that these running events have different categories and different terms. If you are really not into running, you probably have abused the true meaning of every word you say about it.

So here are the common mistakes I have learned so far in the world of running:

Marathon = 42.195Kms in distance. We cannot call a 3Kms a marathon nor a 10Kms. If you say "marathon" its a 42.195Kms nothing more nothing less...

Half Marathon = 21Kms. Also called "half Mary" Again do not call any distance a half marathon if its not 21Kms.

15Kms and below are "fun runs". So you cannot say "I ran a 10K marathon" Thats so wrong because 10K is not considered as a marathon.

There are also some people who run 55Km and this one I think is called "ultramarathon"

Well, I don't know the other terms yet but I am sure runners will not get offended by me when I use "marathon", "half-marathon" and a "fun run" because now I definitely know what I am talking about!

PSE Megaworld Bull Run - Takbo para sa Ekonomiya

2011-01-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

I ran 10K today at the Philippine Stock Exchange Bull Run. This is my first running event for the year 2011.

I woke up at about 3:30AM prepared everything and reached Bonifacio Global City by 5:00AM.

This is the first time that I ran without any friend with me. My running mate Mich is busy with work lately so she won't be able to run with me until next month. So its me, myself and I running and enjoying this event. I got no camera :( so I just depended on the official photographers of the event.

When I got there, I first looked for the baggage area where I can leave my things. I noticed that there is only 2 tents for all the categories. 2 category for each tent. So I prepared my running accessories and lined up at the baggage area for 10K runners. After that, I felt like I need to pee so I searched for the portalets and waited for my turn. I went out there at around 5:40. Just enough time for me to go and get ready for the race. 16K started 5:45AM then 10K runners by 5:50AM.

Its my second time to run at the Bonifacio Global City but first time to run at the Kalayaan Flyover. I just steadied on my relaxing pace. Not too fast, not too slow without hurting my legs and feet. I think I nailed the first 3Km before I started to walk and then did a lot of walking after that hahah!

Since I had more walks than run (like what I usually do) I noticed some good points and bad points in this event. You know since I started this running blog of mine, I thought of being more observant with the happenings in this event. And knowing that I am alone in this event, I say I super noticed flaws on some part and here is my first ever race review...

On the route map:
Like I said, It is my first time to run at the Kalayaan Flyover so for me this is really awesome. So two thumbs up for this route.

On hydrating stations:
Thumbs down with this one. On the second half of the race, stations already ran out of water and Gatorade. Thank God I decided to bring my little container of Gatorade so I am a little hydrated on my way back. I have a rule not to skip any hydrating stations when running, but what will happen if there is no more water on water stations? The last water station on my route ran out of disposable cups so I just decided to drink water using my hands. This is actually my first time to bring Gatorade with me because I always rely on water stations and I am super thankful I did or I might have collapsed at the Kalayaan Flyover on my way back.

On Event Photographers:
One thumb up, the other one down. All the photographers were really friendly and approachable. I see them taking pictures everywhere in the activity site. But only a few on the running area (except for the Finish Line). I'm sorry, but I kinda expected them at the Flyover. I expected them to be capturing photos using tripods to have more still photos rather than wearing cameras on their neck. I saw one photographer at the flyover though, on my way back at the BGC. Another good point with the photographers is the fast upload of the pictures. I already saw albums uploaded last night and tons of it this morning. Unlike the other event photographers where you're gonna wait for like a week or two before you see your pictures. I can also see that they are having fun taking photos. Actually you can see it in their shots, lots of jump shots, group pictures and the smiles on every runners faces. So good job for runnersrunner.com for the overall coverage of this event. I'm gonna familiarize myself with your group of photographers so I'm gonna know whom I'm gonna strike a pose next time hahaha!!! Oh btw, Maria is the name of the one I saw at the flyover and KB is the one who took my pic with Ms. Tessa Prieto - Valdez. Love this KB! I also found my running in action picture in your album. Thanks a lot!

On the singlet:
Two thumbs up with the singlet. The armhole is not too big for me unlike other singlet where I have to wear an inner shirt because my bra is showing up. The design of the bull is also cool! I feel like I am running like a Bull! lol!

The Finishers Kit:
Thumbs up with my Century Chilli Corned Tuna!!! The bag is cute and the banana is yummy. I already expected a bottle of Gatorade inside so... :)

The Race Timing

All thumbs up together with the toes! I was amazed with the fast result and I got my result with picture already haha! Very good itemhound for the fast update of your time. The itemhound tent is so damn cool!!! Well, I am so overwhelmed by this because you know I am not a professional runner and I am just relying on to my wrist watch with my time but this itemhound experience is so different. The lady who is assisting us with our time is very nice also.

The Baggage Area:
Two thumbs down. :( What is the use of segregating bags per category when they found my bag at the 3K category? I thought my bag is lost already because I kept on looking and asking them to scatter the bags so I can see those that are underneath the other bags. I got worried when I realized that I am already there staring at those bags for 30minutes already. I just heard someone shouting my race bib number and that he got my bag on the 3k categorys floor. So when they gave me my bag I told them "Bakit nasa 3K yung bag ko?"(why is my bag on the 3k?) and then left.

There you go. These are my "few" noticed somethings in this event. Since I dont have a camera, I just super relied on the friendly photographers and hoped that I have some pretty good shots in this event.

Oh by the way my official time in this race is 1:27:06. I beat my previous PR for 10K by 38 seconds! hahaha! I know right, its like a joke or something! Fun fun fun!

Official Website of the PSE Bull Run: http://psebullrun.com/

Official Photographers: http://www.facebook.com/RunnersRunner / http://www.runnersrunner.com/blog/

Race Timing : http://www.itemhound.com/

Event Organizer: http://www.adevents.com.ph/

MY RUNNING PARTNERS

2011-01-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

Just wanna show my running gears. My partners in running.

Here is my Knee support which I started loving since I used it and ran a pretty long distance and didn't feel any sore. I already blogged about it Here.

This is one is my running shoes. I got it for like two years ago. It looks like this one needs to be replaced now. But I don't have enough you know, money yet to buy a new good pair for running so I need to stick up with this one for some more time. This is Fila, I got it at the mall on SALE. I don't know what model this is exactly.

And here is my visor, I got it as a Christmas present from my husband. This is actually my second one. I lost the first one at the Star City when we went there last Christmas. Its actually the same though just in different color. My first one is like brownish - grey in color. The one that I wore here in this post. This time I chose white, for a change. Bought it at Toby's in SM San Lazaro.

I don't have a hydrating belt yet but currently I am using this belt bag that I got at the Ladies Bag Department in SM San Lazaro also. I can't remember the brand anymore but its pretty cheap. Small enough to put my cellphone and my camera inside. Waterproof. Stylish. I just can't run as much as I can with a hydrating belt but this one will do for me. Like I said I am not the super athletic type of runner. I just run because of that addictive finish line! hahaha!

So there, I dont use sun glasses but maybe in the future I will. I dont have my signature singlet, I dont have that supper support get up because all of them costs too much for me. Right now I am having problems with my running shoes because I dont think it can run with me on Skyway for a whooping 21K anymore. So I just need to do something to get a new pair.

I ran approximately 6 - 7 Kilometers yesterday

2011-01-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I had the chance to wake up as early as 5AM. Since Ashly and hubby is still asleep, I decided to wear my running shoes and hit the road. I just took a jeepney to Luneta and started from there.

I started running at around 5:45AM and decided to run straight to the MAll of Asia. I reached MOA around 6:30AM. I ran along the Roxas Blvd, then turned right to CCP complex to Macapagal then MOA. I wore a knee and thigh support on my right leg thinking that it is more weaker than my right then I noticed while I was passing in front of the World Trade Center, I feel a little tired and a little sore on my left leg.

Having some support for your leg really does something good when your running. The pressure is so nice to feel nothing after that long run. I just got this support at the Isetan - Recto. I think I just got it at around PHP100 to PHP100 only.

Will definitely gonna wear these supports on both of my legs on Sunday where I am gonna be running 10K on the PSE Bull Run event at the Bonifacio Global City.

See you there!

JUST MY RUNNING JOURNAL

2010-12-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

It is indeed hard to maintain a lot of blogs. But I still created another one.

Its just that, I feel like when I post something about my running experiences, it doesn't fit my mommy blog anymore.

I have been into running for only quite a while and I find it really addictive. There is really something in me after I crossed that finish line.

I hope I would be able to update this blog every running event I join. I am also planning to write about running tips that I will learn in this field. This is still new to me so please don't expect me to be a professional in running or something. This is just my journal in running. My reviews will be posted and pictures! Lotsa lotsa pictures because I always run with friends.

ciao!
Lhen