Broken (runner's) heart

So, it has been a long time since I last did this.  Work (or bike) got in the way!

I missed to write about my last PF Sub-2 HM Challenge last November 15.  I guess the frustration in NOT hitting the 2 hour mark gave me a bad, broken runner’s heart.  Yeah, it really left a mark.

I knew I wasn’t gonna make it to cut-off time in the 16K mark when I started taking longer recovery intervals.  I didn’t quite recover well until I eventually was forced to let go on the 19K mark.

Can you see the frustration on that face?

What happened was I got myself a 2:05:25 (Garmin time), and a Finisher’s jacket – sort of a consolation prize for trying.  I can think of a lot of reasons why I didn’t make it. But basically it is because I didn’t get to follow my training plan, and because I am more excited about my cross-training-bike-ride!

So I’m not going to build further about it.  I failed the challenge, and running has never been the same.  

What I have going right now are twice, sometimes 3x-5k runs a week at a 6:30-ish per km pace.  I cannot find the urge to go further, although I try to go faster.  Partly because of work or family commitments, NETFLIX or weather condition – yes, there’s always an excuse not to run.

The good thing is that I maintain my weekend bike rides.  It’s the usual Antipolo 61++km rides with an occasional trail/gravel rides.  I do have a new 27.5 MTB with me that I got for a steal.  And my old 29er got traded for a treadmill for the wife.  I guess it’s a sort of backup should I have the excuse to run because of the rain.  Haha!

There it is! Motivation!

Dwindling mileage along with not making any effort makes me feel guilty.  Guilty that I had a good thing going on and being consistent should be easy.  Then again the twice a week run is something that I’m still holding on to.

When I can get the running going the way it used to?  I don’t know.  But I got to finish this blog and another one in one sitting.  Let’s see what other surprise will come up next.

See you on the road!

The Lugaw Ride

Lugaw (rice porridge) is an old, traditional Filipino food made with rice, water and seasoning that is usually consumed with tokwa or egg or other animal internal organs – and it is those inclusions that make it special, or without them, just plain lugaw.

I love my lugaw.  I grew up with lugaw.  We used to visit this “Onoy” lugawan in Concepcion when we were still kids.  In high school I used to bike all the way there for meryenda.  And up to now my kid loves it.  

The usual weekend route

If you follow me in social media you may find my weekly posts about Lugaw Ride (sometimes with or without egg, depending on how much is in my pouch on that day).  This past weekend I didn’t post it anymore as its starting to get old.

There are some comments about why I have to ride 30++kms with a no-so-easy-uphill ride

in Antipolo and back just to have some.  Actually it is not the lugaw, but for the love of cycling.  It’s the sense of accomplishment of getting to the end of the rainbow but not for a pot of gold but a bowl of lugaw. 

The usual weekend post

So the next time you see me post about it, it means that I was able to arrive at checkpoint, and that the worst part (climb) is through.  The lugaw break means the start of relaxation and eventually the rush of downhill.  Every cyclist loves the downhill!

See you on the road!