New Balance Run 2013

Got there a bit early

So I did manage to join the New Balance Run 2013 (November 10, 2013 - birthday run!) even with all the rants about how the organizer decided to make a lot of profits out of it (by not doing any efforts to consider runners who do not have the time to pickup the race kits at the designated date and time).  Thanks to DEVANT, I got a free 25k race kit, just by posing with my DEVANT TV.  Thank you very much, and more power to you!  As for the organizer, good luck to you.

Going back, it was a good 2 months of endurance training for the HM.  Even got a good run when I was in Madrid (hmm, got to finish my blog about that) so more or less I don’t have any excuses not to perform in the best that I could.  Well, prior to the race I did have some days where I was a bit dehydrated, but it really wasn’t a major concern.

Good, consistent runs going into race week

So Devant did this online contest where you have to pose with your Devant TV and send it to them, luckily I was the first to win.  It was supposed to be for a 10k kit, but since Devant’s team was sooo accommodating, I managed to get a 25k kit!  Good thing I was race-ready for the weekend so a I just did a little taper on race week.

Winning facebook entry

Race prep was cereal, bread and banana.  I could have prepared a better pre-race meal.  I got my kit on race day.  Well the singlet given was Large, so I just wore my 2012 singlet (easy way to identify myself for the race pictures).

Race Report

I enjoyed the route

Race started exactly 4:30am, I got to the line some time 4:32-ish as I was at the middle of the 2,000 25k runners; a bit of a dodge in the first kilometer and opened a bit in closing the 2^nd kilometer.

Hydration stations were plenty, lots of Gatorade and water.  I managed to stop and hydrate on the 4^th and 8^th kilometer to cut off some time, without compromise.

Going to the 10k mark, I was at the 58-ish time – good enough and felt just fine.

The Buendia fly-over proved to be a challenge on my legs, and I got past the uphill with a lot of effort, and a very controlled downhill to manage.

Yep, getting tired

At the 20k mark, I was at 1:58-ish time and I felt tired from running back up the Buendia fly-over.  Got to walk a steep uphill to catch my breath, obviously I was not prepared for such a long uphill/downhill stretch. I was hungry after the 20k and I don’t have any gel left (should’ve taken the banana on the 18k station).

I was at my target pace of 6:00/km up to the 25^th kilometer based on my Soleus. The last 5k ate up the time I saved in the first 20k.  But I knew that I did the 2:30:25k mark that I’m aiming. 

There’s a 770-meter extension according to my Soleus, and by that time, it was only reaching the finish line that was keeping me running.  My Soleus gave me a 6:03/km pace for that race, and its acceptable for me considering my 1^st 25k run.

Post-race

Sore legs and a bit nauseated, definitely exhausted.  It’s a welcome feeling as I knew that I gave it all that I had.  5 minutes of recovery and I’m fine, although my legs were really sore, even after I shook it off.  I finished the Gatorade and bottled water that was with the loot bag (not a very attractive loot, with discount coupons and a plastic water bottle, with no signs of New Balance inside - could’ve been better)

I just stayed a while in the Devant booth but my friend Jeff isn’t there.  I dropped my raffle coupon but didn’t stay long as the sun was up so high and I don’t want to risk migraine attack (this weather considering the Yolanda typhoon was up just the day before).

Overall

• I wouldn’t sign up given the race registration mechanics, too costly
• It was a good race experience for me.  This is my first time to run the Buendia flyover and it really was a challenge. 
• Good hydration stations but the only station with the sponges was not ready when I got there.
• Big medal but deadly with the pointed lightning (although you really wouldn’t wear a medal while running).  There were issues of runners not receiving medals and loot bags– it’s just wrong.
• Post-race wasn’t exciting and the staging area is so small.  Nothing much happening as well.

Assessing my performance, it was acceptable and I gave it my all.  But I still find running long

distance race redundant and boring.  Although this is only the 2^nd long distance race I ran, I’m hoping that I can get over this on the next one this November 24 for the Sante Barley Domination run.  I'm going to break the 2:10 HM here.  See you there!

Running with the Virrata

NEW SHOES ALERT!

For the longest time I have been trying to find it – and so I did.  I finally got the Saucony Virrata shoes!  So long, Minimus (I won't be running in your run this year as well but its because registration's a hassle!)

This was an early birthday present for me, thanks to the wife.  It is timely though, as my next run would be on November 24 for the Sante Barley Domination run.  And if I would buy it on my birthday, might not have enough time to get used to it.

 

I’m fixed on getting the Virrata, but there was one thing that kept me thinking for at least 5 minutes – whether to get the black or the green one.  I knew myself that I want the green one, as it fits my running in the early, darker mornings.  Its highly visible with the neon color.  But thinking about the terrain that I’m running in most of the time it’s a bit wet and dusty, so having a light-colored shoe will require frequent cleaning (I do wash my shoes but not that frequent, and the make of the shoe might not handle frequent washing that well).

So I got the black one.  Yes I wished it could’ve been much noticeable on low-light runs.  The reflectors don’t seem to be enough (then again it might just not reflect too much on me wearing it).  So I bought this red blinking hazard light and installed it to my belt.  Problem solved!

Running in it was a big difference with the Minimus.  Having ran at least 1 speed and 1 long-run (update – upon posting this I already made at least 5 runs), no blisters or hotspots.  Feet were not as sore as with the other shoe.  I’m happy with the cushioned ride.  I have been getting quite faster results with the shoe.  It seems that with the Minimus, I tend to take it a bit easier.  Anyway, I really can’t assess the difference (it could be the shoe or it could be the new found excitement I found with it), but I’ve done a pretty good set of runs with the Virrata, that’s for sure.

Making it hard for runners

Rant about this race organizer’s direction on race registration!  Just capitalizing on the running boom in the Philippines, I see?!

As planned, my next race would be the Rexona Run and New Balance Run this October and November, respectively.  I ran these 2 races last year and has contributed to my love of running.

Last year’s Rexona Run I was able to beat the 30-minute cut-off to get a keychain, yup, a KEYCHAIN!  But its not just an ordinary keychain, that symbolized the determination and hard training I did to reach the cut-off time.  I can still remember running with the side-stitch just so I can reach it.  It was satisfying.

The New Balance Run – I upped it by running a sub-1 10k (Soleus-time).  Again, proved that hard work really has its moments.  I also won a raffle, a NB shirt worth P2,195!  Well-worth it, and here’s when I bought my NB Minimus shoes that made me more inclined to running.

To give back to these runs that made me the 6min/km runner I am now, I planned to race them again, this time the HM.  I’m preparing as hard as I can – with the recent Milo HM, I already have an idea on how it will go (Rexona Run has the same route).  And this September has proved to be a good training month for me.

BUT the race organizer decided to mess it up by making the registration process inconvenient.  There is now a separate registration date and race kit pick-up date.  WTF?  The organizer would like us to spend to go to the registration site, and spend and possible take leave or mess up one day of family time to claim the kit!  Imagine thousands of runners getting together in two days to claim their kits?!

Here’s more, the online registration, you have to buy “prepaid cards” to be used to register online!  Plus, go to the pickup site to pickup your race kit.  Takes out the convenience of “online registration”, right?

We have noticed the increasing fees in race registrations.  We understand that there are increased costs in operating races and venues when the participants are huge, but to totally do nothing to deliver the kits to online registrants and to prepare the race kits in registration sites?  This is just too convenient for you!  You really are maximizing the profits, no? 

Anyway, I won’t let this race organizer ruin my passion for running.  I will still train and run races.  Not just this organizer’s races (or until he decides to invest a bit to make it convenient for runners).  I registered to the Domination Run on November 24 for a 21k run, and it only costs me Php700 + Php150 for shipping- this is still much cheaper compared to this organizer’s rate. 

In the end of the day, runners just want to run.  We won’t care much about the organizer and their raffles and loots, we want what’s fair for our time and money.  

Welcome September! Welcome new running goals!

Its been a very toxic August for me, and now that its over, time to organize my thoughts to prepare for better months ahead!

Gotta love family time!

Back to running

It feels good to be sore!  Yeah, sounds weird, but I'm enjoying the feeling of soreness in my calves today.  This after a come-back 10-miler I did yesterday after 8 days off.  After the weekend getaway with the family I had the head cold and my body just feels beaten up.  The toxic week of our company sports-fest preparation didn’t help either.  It was just a week of stress and fatigue.

New shoes

Yes, the week of preparation and stressful schedule translated to my shoes catching a hole.  I wished it would be my running shoes, as it already passed the 500-mileage, but it was my office shoes that got replaced.  I’ve only been in this company for 2 years and I already changed my work shoes 3 times now.  Well, I get what I pay for, so this time I got hold of a sturdier (and more expensive) shoes – yes, I’m too cheap to pay for better shoes now compared to when I was a lot younger.  I guess its part of “senior moments” now.

What about the new running shoes?

Well, I seem to be fixated on the Saucony Virrata now.  I tried searching for that brand yesterday after I bought my office shoes, just to see if I can secretly buy it, but it was not just present in Robinsons Galleria! L  It would have to wait for a while until I can get to better running stores, or when the New Balance Run registration will be up (Free registration when you buy NB shoes!)  I’m looking at the new Minimus 10v2, this new version seems to be a lot better than the first version I have now.  Yesterday’s run I could felt hot spots again, and if I went up a few kilometers more, I know blisters will come in next.

The plan

Now that its back to usual work load, its gonna be a come-back to running.  Yesterday’s 16k run, I was exhausted in the last 2km.  I’m guessing it’s the dehydration from the week plus the head cold that I was slightly in to that day.  My usual training plan resumes two days from now.

This year will not have special cut-off time prizes

Next race would be the Rexona Run 2013 on October 20.  Basically its still 1.5 months training for this, so I’m going for it.  Next would be the 25k New Balance Run as my birthday race on November 10.  Both runs I’ve ran the previous years, but at a lower distance.

The goal

For a time my goal for my next HM would be to gun it at sub-2.  But it seems I’d rather get a goal of finishing it with EASE.  First HM I was able to meet my 6min/km pace, but the last 2 km was a disaster, and I didn’t enjoy it at the time, and for me its more important to ENJOY.  It will also somehow eliminate the “burden” of the requirement to run a specific time, or a specific distance on trainings.  Not that I’ll slack on trainings, but at least I’ll be able to do those timed and measured runs as the body sees fit at the time.

Overall it feels great to be able to plan all this.  I’m excited again for the weekends to come, and looking forward to my morning runs.  Its September – the “ber” months is a time to be excited for my birthday and Christmas, its good to have another passion worth waiting for in running.

Beat myself up just to get the cut-off

Got this keychain from beating 30-minute cut-off for 5k

Running in the habagat / thoughts of a treadmill

Recent tropical storm “Maring” plus the habagat (Southwest Monsoon) gave way to 5 straight non-working days.  It also didn’t allow us to leave the house.  It was ironic that in those 5 days, there were 2 weekends and 2 holidays, yet there was nothing to be festive or to celebrate.

Also in those 5 days, there was not a single chance to do some running.  Aside from the heavy rains, roads were flooded as well.  Even our compound was flooded.  Just when I was on a roll the previous weekend with 28km consecutive mileage, it really had to end.

However, before the rains I managed to do a quick one last Saturday, just before I did daddy duties - the weekdays prior to that I had zero runs.  And today, I managed to do a quick one, but heavy pouring caught me as I was finishing 5km.  My voice sounds weird and I feel heavy now, I hope this will not go bad.  It was a gamble for me running in between the heavy rains, but the runner in me insisted.

If it does go bad for me, then I think I really should go for the treadmill.  For the 5 days, I was looking and studying my options for the treadmill.  Was initially planning on going for a manual one, due to cost constraints, but reading about it I think I would have to go with the more stable and sturdy electric.  What’s bad is that what suits my running needs would be the mid-range one at 2.0HP (at least 10km/hr speed range).  This would set me back at a minimum around Php20, 000 (USD 500).  Not to mention the space needed for this equipment.

I’m assessing the need right now to get one.  Although I can get it in installment, its just too costly.  I’m weighing it to safety and convenience (as I wouldn’t have to go out in bad weather, or when I just want to go for a quick one) also to get my wife and dad to get on it to get them moving, I think the cost justifies it.

Overall, its about health and the benefits that me and my family would get from it.  My daughter at an early age will more likely to do it as well once she sees everyone in the house is doing it.  As for me, no more missed runs when I get this, just have to get the will to shell out money for it.