In It Deep

I'm overwhelmed.

Thank goodness for LCT's surprise visit last weekend. And thank goodness that for at two weeks in the term I've put in some decent mileage.

Weekly Distances
9/24/2007 — 9/30/2007: 0.0 Mi 0:00
9/17/2007 — 9/23/2007: 26.0 Mi 4:58:30
9/10/2007 — 9/16/2007: 24.0 Mi 4:05:40
9/3/2007 — 9/9/2007: 6.0 Mi 1:04:00
8/27/2007 — 9/2/2007: 18.5 Mi 3:23:58

You'll notice how I've done this past week - no comment - it's been crazy, folks. I guess I'm just not organized enough.

My last run was with LCT around the Ann Arbor Hills for a nice 11-miler. He basically hated me afterwards. Guess he couldn't handle it?! ;)

Two Week Update

Since the half-marathon at the beginning of the month, I've fallen back into a running schedule that I'm really happy with. My goal for now, is to build to a weekly mileage of 35mpw and then train for a winter or spring marathon.

The week after the race, I basically took it easy and let my body recover after the jolt of a 13.1 long run. So, the following Thursday and Friday of the race (Sept-6 and Sept-7), I ran an easy 3 miles on each day pushing Anna her jogging stroller. She weighs 31 pounds now so 'easy' is a relative term.

This past week, I completed 24mpw and it's been a confidence booster. I'm particularly pleased with the fact that the miles have not been stressful on my body and in fact, I feel fully comfortable with my ~10.7 mile long run yesterday. I completed it in 1:39:44. WOOT!

I'm taking advantage of runner's world new training log application and I'll post all of my miles up soon...

P.S. I found another running picture of Anna. Like, whoa.

Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon

With all my belly aching about not having trained enough for this race, I forgot to get all the logistics of race day figured out. At 4:15 am, I was scrambling to get my Dad directions to and from the race. Not only that, but I wasn't prepared with my standard pre-race breakfast of half a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and a banana.

A cup of coffee and a cliff bar had to do. But I wasn't happy about it. The whole morning I was filled with negative energy, feeling so disappointed that I wasn't going to race the race I had hoped for at the beginning of the summer. Nothing like a long run to shake that attitude but needless to say, I was pretty unpleasant.

I missed my corral start because of the long lines at the 'potties' but I guess it served me right since I was so incredibly ill prepared on race day morning. A fact that irritates me to this day.

I started off the race at a very leisurely 11 min/mil pace or so. And I took the whole race in. When my running buddy wanted to walk, I let him walk through the water stops.

We ran a 35:00 5K, 1:15:54 10K and 1:56:14 10 mile.

LEISURE.

What I learned, however, is that I make an awful running coach because I think I pushed LCT a little too hard in the beginning such that he needed to walk by mile 7. I pushed on thinking he would catch up as I maintained our pace and continued to walk through the water stops as well. Surprisingly around this point in the race, I was passing people left and right despite feeling as though I was jogging! And before you say, it, yes, I know I should have just hung back.

I crossed the finish line in 2:31:15 (my original goal was to finish under 2 hours). LCT crossed about 20 minutes later.



It was a good time. It was great not to run in the humidity that was life in Asia for the past two months. And it was great to have my Dad come down and cheer along side little Anna while I managed to run an injury free 13.1 miles.

Gearing Up

It seems like there's no better way to end the summer than with a half-marathon. Despite the pain and inevitable humbling-experience, I'll be starting the new academic year with a 'bang', so to speak. Stay tuned.

I'll save it for a later post, but there is much to reflect on from these past couple of months. Needless to say, I am so grateful to have been back in Asia. The upcoming months and anticipation of big changes in my life is very exciting. Meanwhile, I'll bask in my being 'centered' for the first time in a while and make sure I exercise heroic time management skills :)

Here's a summary of my summer miles:

August: 27.9 Mi 4:29:59 hours
July: 18.5 Mi 2:55:17 hours
June: 50.9 Mi 7:52:08 hours
May: 58.1 Mi 10:47:32 hours

I can't wait to start catching up on my fellow running bloggers...thanks for keeping track of me, guys!

*Sending my best to all you fall marathoners*

P.S. Anna is about 2.5 years now and it's amazing that I can already predict a few of her future interests. She's a natural musician and dancer. *Shock* My musician brother is always impressed by her ability to sing songs in tune and how quickly she can pick up melodies in general.

Of course, she sees me run and play soccer so she's influenced by example :)

Take a look at my little runner.

Hang Over

To the left is a picture of our friends in San Pablo City, Laguna. NJ was a Fulbright fellow here in Michigan so of course, we had to go visit them on their stomping grounds. This picture was taken during the day -- before our day's adventure of white water rafting in Pagsanjan Falls. And BEFORE our night of debauchery.



It was my first time in San Pablo though I've been to Pagsanjan when I was younger. It's an out and back trip so you can just imagine what it's like to shoot UP the rapids. If you've never gone white water rafting Filipino syle, you AIN'T NEVER gone white water rafting...let's just say our guides are marathon ready and fearless. Either way, it's a beautiful trip and as usual, I took crazy pictures.


In the evening, we had more drinks than I've had all year at a very cute pub in downtown San Pablo. It turns out, after talking up the bartender/owner that the beautiful ambiance is due to his artistic filmmaker sensibilities. Good thing I noticed right away otherwise, I could have been in a dingy basement drinking and it wouldn't have mattered.

Of course it made sense to us to go for a run the next morning to 'sweat off the alcohol.' So, JJ took me on his 12K route around one of the seven lakes in San Pablo. It was beautiful. (Painful, but beautiful.)

He dragged me around at an 8:30 min/mil and was kind about all my complaining. Hey, the guy runs 40mpw! I doubt I've run 30 miles in the past month...

Good times. It was a great way to end my trip in Laguna. After hitting the showers, we headed back to Manila...

Dreading it for 5 miles

I have happily been in the same place for five days in a row now. A much needed respite to all the traveling in general but particularly, the madness that is Manila.

Despite living approximately 5 miles from UP Diliman and Ateneo, travel time there would take at least an hour of life threatening maneuvering.

Enough said, right?

For once, I am truly appreciating suburbia and my ability to get some work done. (But since this is more of a running blog, I won't go there right now.)

I'm pretty sure that my failure to get my scheduled miles in have contributed to an unusual threshold of impatience regarding the heat and traffic. Despite the cleaner air out here, however, I've opted to run on my cousin's treadmill.

And don't think I didn't crank up the air conditioning. Because I did.

5 miles | 45:33 time | 9:06 min/mil

Did I still sweat like hell, you ask?

You bet your ass I did. Because it's effing humid out here DESPITE the air conditioning.

Trust Yourself

In a world where reason and logic seem to get you where you need to go, it's easy to ignore those feelings that sit at the pit of your stomach.

Despite the effort. Despite the sincerity. Despite the love. Sometimes, the world is just as it should be when things are not right. Sometimes, the-best-in-you is not inspired by the circumstances. And the bigger person in you will always let go.

It's times likes these that allow us to be grateful for the relationships and moments in life that are in place. That do bring out the best in and inspire us. And that hopefully equip us with the tools to confront the difficult in life.

Through it all. Despite any pain and disappointment. I must always trust myself.