Running for fitness and Family Active Fun day

Week 12 was supposed to be a week to make up for running.  Weekday runs were doing great, with the plan to do LSD on an work-free Friday and a brick run on Sunday.  Those plans did not materialize!  Well the bike was a sure thing though. 

A good way to run (for fitness)

I was suffering a week of sinus pains that really made it hard for me to do anything.  Yet I still pushed through to do my morning runs because I was already up.

Dr. Rizal at the background

Going back to Friday, I knew the moment I woke up that it would be a bad day for a run.  Since the runner in me was strong in overcoming those reason-to-stay-in-bed excuses, I pushed on.  So I ate a bit to fuel me up for the long run, put on my gears and went on.  The sun was up and I forgot to bring my cap, I pushed on.

It’s common for me to have that 1-mile dragging moment, but it was up till kilometer 3 that I was breathing and feeling heavy.  So I went back, tried to run and shake it off until the kilometer 4, jogged until kilometer 5 and eventually just walked from there home.  That Friday run was a disaster. Really didn’t know what happened to me that day.  Anyway, I got back home and did my usual chores.  I considered it as one of those days where you just can’t force it.

Come Saturday, we agreed to do a family active fun day at Rizal Park.  I didn’t expect to do any runs here.

We jogged a bit in the Grand Stand, through Rizal Park into the dancing fountains and up to the playground.  Playground was still closed and we had 20 minutes of waiting time.  Good thing Charlie was enjoying the outdoors and didn’t have any problems with the waiting.  So the wife gave me the go-signal to run, which I did a 3k.  Again, the first few km was dragging, but got the groove as I was going along.  However, I noticed heavy breathing once again as I was going for 5:30 pace.  And I stopped as we were out of time, and had to go to the playground.  30 minutes into it, Charlie got hungry and we ate at Jollibee.

The morning active fun day we had beats LSD anytime!  With the current fitness level that I have, I feel like I would rather do our active fun day rather than to work on improving my running again.  It may sound bad, but I will still run, and will never stop running.  Maybe not competitively, but for health and fitness.

going through Rizal Park

my little runner

this pic had a lot of likes in FB

Recovery time (for them; for me, I couldn't)

A case of sinusitis and upgraditis – cranky and a new set of cranks

Week 11 didn’t go as well as I would like it to be – at least for running.  I just logged 13km for a total of 2 runs that week, but managed to get a good 40km bike ride still - had a bit of a bottleneck on the route due to Run United 1 Race though, but still a good set of intervals.

This week I have managed to run 10km week-day run despite of the sinus issues that I have.  Tomorrow I will have a work-free day again, but it looks like my running plans to make up for last week will have to be postponed as sinus attacks are much worst today – which makes me a bit cranky about almost everything.  I’m hoping that tonight’s rest will make it better, but it seems the more I run through it, the worst it gets.  We’ll know when I wake up tomorrow.

Yes, I have a new set of cranks, got a good deal for it and will probably just shell out a few hundreds for it when I sell my old one.  It’s a one-step higher model than my current set (FSA Omega to Gossamer), but matters much on its arm length.  I’m currently running on a 172.5mm, and the shorter 165mm is a better fit.

I am hoping that I am not catching the “upgraditis” syndrome; although my grabbing the crank really is to get a better fit to gain better performance (weh?!).  Still, its good that I am keeping this checked.  I really can’t afford to have upgraditis.  But I only have one more component that needs to be adjusted – shorter head-stem – I’m currently at 100mm and might need to go down 60mm.  This is cheap though.

Blinkers are annoying, I won't be
seeing them anyway...

There are other essentials that I am planning to get for safety.  I am planning to get the Cateye HL-EL135 + OMNI 3 Combo anytime soon (by soon I mean when I have the funds).  I personally believe that having blinking lights even on daytime rides has an effect on motorized vehicles (except for a few misinformed motorcycle riders – read “idiots”).

So basically the weekend would be great for run-bike as long as this sinus pains disappear.  I would love to test drive the new cranks and see how it fits.  Too bad excitement will not cure me.  Well, that remains to be seen. J

Setbacks and a reason to have more

I had quite a few running setbacks that started this February.  But its not just about diverting the time with the bike (although logs show that did), but the busy work-schedule as well (we opened another 3 stores this February alone, similar to what happened last December).

I only managed to run 42km the whole month of February, although the most kilometers logged including bike rides – yes, I was excited to ride the bike, I admit.

Thinking about it, my reason for running now is just to maintain my fitness level to an acceptable one – what’s acceptable?  Probably 5:50/km +/- 10 seconds for a 10k distance.  I cannot find the want to be faster or run longer anymore.

What’s good is that I transferred that drive in biking.  The past month I joined Alaska Race due on May 28.  It’s a 40km bike ride in BGC.  I decided on it as soon as I saw it because I want something to aim for, similar to when I started running (and there’s an early bird discount as well, hehe!).

Weekend bike ride is something I look forward to.  I do it on a Sunday, and I try at least to run 15km on a Saturday to condition my legs to adapt to “biking on tired legs” – similar approach when I was training for HM races.

I have been thinking of doing a brick training for the longest time.  Good thing I already learned that too-much too-soon will break me, so I do it gradually.

Sucks, really

Last weekend was a setback, as I came from a good 40km ride the weekend before.  Setback as I got a flat tire that day, and it limited my ride to 25km (and a lot of disappointments trying to patch that staple-wire inflicted hole.  It was a welcome experience though, as now I know how to change one, but the same stressful experience brought me back my back pain and even up to 3 days now, I still feel it (don’t have time to have it corrected).

There’s another reason for this setback.  Just got back my Annual Physical Examination result and it came out quite nice, most especially for my blood analysis – good cholesterol is good and bad cholesterol is well, good.  Everything’s quite normal except for the “Enlarged transverse diameter of the Heart” – which google says I have a big heart!

can't find it here, but its there

I have read about it before that runners and other cardio-related athletes usually have bigger heart due to the improvements needed by the body to pump more during trainings.  I really think that is my case, as if it’s the other “big-heart” issue, I should’ve passed out or at least felt something during my speed trainings.

I did my usual morning run a while ago, and suddenly popped the big heart result.  It made me drop my usual run to a safer one and made me conscious, basically messed up my run, although I have the chest and head cold that probably contributed to my under-performance.

I will schedule my cardiologist visit tomorrow, hopefully if he will open his clinic.  I just want this to be over with so I can get back to my sweet run-bike weekends, and hopefully land that brick run.  Wish me luck!

RIM transition to road-biking

(This is a late post)

So after months of thinking and reading (and asking my wife for permission), I finally landed a bike – a Raleigh Revenio 2.0 – bought February 1, 2014; it is an entry bike:

 So what made me want a bike? 

• Basically running has been redundant.  I still could not find the push I need to start training for longer than 21k/25k.  Usually it’s the races that make me go for it.
• The registration procedures by race organizers now are complicated and I don’t have that much patience to go through with it.

What’s the plan with the bike?

• Basically as an add-on, to complement for running.  The plan is to still continue running my weekday and Saturday morning runs, and have cross-training on Sundays.
• Eventually do brick training and see how it goes
• Do a multi-sport
• And of course enjoy the bike rides and its social aspect.

So far it’s been a great first month with the bike.  Great expenses, too!  Well, it’s the essentials, really need these:

1. Helmet – Rudy Project Snuggy – 1,700 (?)
2. Giyo Bike Pump GP-41S – 380
3. Kenda Tube 700c x 18/23 - 200
4. 6-in-1 Tool set – 270
5. Zefal Patch set – 80
6. Evolution Anatomic Cycling Shorts - 550

And the not-so-essentials:

1. Cateye Micro-wireless CCMC100W – 950
2. Zefal pedals with toe-clips – 550

 

But lucky to have a set of hand-me-downs and freebies:

1. Tire changer
2. Extra presta covers
3. 3M safety goggles (from paps-Erwin)
4. Nike gloves (used to be my gym gear)
5. Belt-bag/bike-kit (current running gear)
6. Excellent service from Betokbicycles J

So far I had a good set of weekend rides this February.  I’m now comfortable in the 40km distance and had been doing some tempo rides.  I might move into high-intensity on the coming months.  By the way I joined the Alaska Cycle Philippines event on May 18 and it’s a 40km race event at BGC.  Too bad it coincided with the SBR Duaman Duathlon event, if I can’t sell it, I’ll keep it.  Anyway there’s another SBR event some time November, its double the mileage.

Generally, bikers are nice and have been lucky to meet and join groups of ‘em during my weekend ride - that makes it safe and secure so I’m planning on finding a permanent group.  It’s a huge difference from my running where I’m alone (well, alone doesn’t necessary mean lonely, and it’s “me” time).