Train to Wake Up

If you are a runner, or someone who's starting to be one, you might have visited several websites, read some magazines, or have asked advises from other veteran runners on how to train to improve your running. You might have already heard about jargons such as speed-work, intervals, fartlek, tempo, LSD and learned how to train using these techniques. Yes all these training tools are important, but there is another form of training that is equally important. That is to train yourself to wake up early so that you can do your run. Yes, you might be scientific with your training, but if you only get to do a good training for once a week because waking up is so difficult, then your not getting any from those.

So how do we do the waking up early training? Well here are 3 very useful drills:

1.) Sleep early. Yes of course. You don't expect to wake up early if you can't sleep early. This means a limited gimmick or TV schedule.
2.) Set your alarm clock and place it away from you where you cannot reach it but you can hear it. I need to be specific here that you should not be able reach it. This is because our tendency is to adjust the time when the alarm rings. So in this case, you will not have any other option but to stand up from bed and stop the alarm.
3.) Wear your running attire before your go to bed. Yes that can be a good motivating factor to wake you up so that you can do your run. The only thing you need to do is to wear your running shoes and you're off.

There you go, the waking up early training.

My wife has a Blog!

At last my wife has a blog. Would it be great if I also get to read my wife's thoughts about running?

You can visit her blog at Correct Conmigo

Ryan Hall's Testimony

Ryan Hall's testimony reminded me of the following verses. As you honor God in everything you do, he open's doors for you. He honors those who honor him.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - 1 Cor 10:21

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" - Psalm 37:4

Watch Ryan Hall's Testimony here:
Ryan Hall's Story

Globe Run for Home Results

At last, the official results are out. Thanks to Globe and Run Pix. You can analyze your run and compare how well you did against other runners in this link runpix.com

Heres my stats, and at last a very accurate time:

Globe Run for Home

I was really excited about joining this race for one particular reason, and that is the ability to analyze your run accurately through the use of the timing chip. Me and my wife were registered to run the 10K category. True to what Globe said, there were plenty of runners who joined the event. There were 6000 runners according to Globe.

Before the race, I remembered the story of Eric Lidell, and I got reminded of what the Bible says:

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - 1 Cor 10:21

So I prayed and told God that I'm offering Him this race. And I knew that if I did my best with whatever God has given us, then He is glorified by it.

I lined up in front of the starting line and chatted with some people I knew including Pastor Junn.

When the gun started I paced a 4 minute / km pace until the 3rd kilometer. Then I slowed down a bit and my pace played around between 4:18 and 4:25 throughout the whole course. Heading back I saw my wife and she was encouraging me throughout the run. At kilometer 7, I was dead tired. So before the buendia fly over assault I walked as I drank 100 plus until my heart rate subsided. Then I made the final assault, hanged on and didn't mind my heart rate monitor because I knew it was over shooting. The next thing I knew, I was 500 meters away from the finish line. According to a running magazine I read before, if you can still do an all out speed to the finish line, its likely you didn't do your best. But no... I was trying to sprint and my speed went only as fast as 4:00 min/km on the last hundred meter.

I clocked 43:42. I did my best for the Lord and thats what counts. I might not be as fast as the elite runners, be he gave me the legs to run. I gave my best for Him because in the first place, He gave His best for me. Thank you Jesus.

These are the things I liked about the race:
1.) They used the timing chip so that you can analyze the run
2.) There were ample supply of 100 plus
3.) The weather cooperated
4.) Lots of food stalls at the race area. My wife particularly liked the Puto Bumbong.
5.) Free photo vendo pics which they say will come out soon.

These are the things that needs to be improved:
1.) I heard there were litters along lawton avenue that were not cleaned up.
2.) The awards weren't given immediately to winners. Prizes will have to be claimed at the Globe office.
3.) Frankly I was expectant that the results will be out right after the race. This is because they were using a timing chip technology. Base on my experience, if the race is organized by Finishline, the results are out on the same day at www.runrio.com. Its kinda ironic that the results took more time to be published than before considering the fact that the timing chip was used.

There may be plenty of contrasting opinions about the race, but for me and my wife, we had a great race. I enjoyed the run, and even if the results aren't out yet, they promised it will be soon.

Robinson's Buddy Run

I wasn't able to join the Robinson's Buddy Run last year. But I heard so many good stories about the buddy run last year that me and my office-mate Narod decided to join this one.

The buddy run from its name means running along with a buddy. The rule of the race is simple, and that is to finish the race together with your buddy.

To introduce my buddy, Narod is one of or if not the most athletic persons I know in our office. He swims, plays basketball, runs and pretty much anything involving endorphine intake. He was also a part of UP Los Banos track and field team before, with a 5K PR which I can only dream of achieving. He also happens to be the person available during the evening to join me in runs around Bonifacio Highstreet.

We registered kind of late though, and it was divine intervention that we got the last 10K race packets at Robinson's Place malate. The person behind us unfortunately wasn't able to register because of us.

The Robinson's race was also to be another achievement for my wife who would be teaming up with my brother's girl-friend Lits. It would be her 2nd 10K and would be her 1st for a road race (the first one was on trail).

When the gun sounded we rushed and overtook some runners in front of us. It wasn't too long when we reached the 5K runners. I was counting the number of runners coming back at the turning point and it was evident that we were inside the top 10.

As we finished the race I was so happy to get a loot bag filled with give-aways. True to what they say, Robinson's Buddy Run is the running event with the most give-aways. But the surprise didn't end there. I was sure they were only going to call the top 5. But I was surprised when they began calling the top 10 from the 5K category. I told Narod that if they are going to award the 10K runners, I was sure we will be inside the top 10.

True enough our names got called bagging the 6th spot. And the prize was a bigger bag of grocerry items.

My wife and Lits finished the 10K and it was an amazing experience for them. She was so happy the she kept talking about it during our breakfast at Mc Donalds.

Me and Narod will once again be partnering on the relay run at Ateneo after the Globe's Run for Home.

Run Radio

For the past few years, running as a sport has increasingly become popular among Filipinos, leading to the prevalence of road races around Metro Manila. The aforementioned races have become a congregation of people from all walks of life united in their love for running and their resolution to lead a healthy and fit lifestyle. From elite athletes to weekend warriors, from multisport enthusiasts to the weight-watcher, running has become an integral part in the public's efforts to keep fit.

With running at its peak, the idea for producing a viable medium to promote and sustain the sport's presence in the public eye came, hence the idea to produce Run Radio.

Run Radio will be a 60-minute radio show featuring the following segments that both newbie and serious runners (and to an extent, non-runners too!) would find interesting -- product review, advice segment (docs, coaches, nutritionists), power songs (to pump up your adrenaline as you run!), hitting the wall with our guest runners (from celebrities to running groups), and the 5k challenge where non-runners from all walks of life will transform into a 5k finisher in a matter of 6-8 weeks.

The show will be hosted by Jaymie Pizarro, a known catalyst for influencing people to take up running as a lifestyle choice, and Jay Nacino, a former Ateneo track team member who has rekindled his love for running. Both hosts are known figures in the running circuit through their blogs (http://thebullrunner.com for Pizarro and http://prometheuscometh.wordpress.com for Nacino) where they give detailed accounts of their training, their races, and running in general.

Also to be featured in the nutrition, coaching, and injury prevention segment would be premiere race organizer and running coach Rio dela Cruz, nutritionist and triathlete Dr. George Bodegon, and ultramarathoner and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Paolo Punsalan. They are among the many other experts who will give the running public advice on how to keep healthy while training for higher mileage.

Moreover, our resident product tester would be shoe expert and ultramarathoner Hector Yuzon, founder of the Second Wind running store.

The Nike+ 5K Challenge aims to dare non-runners to make running an integral part of their lives. For this season, our challenger is an MBA student who seeks to combat the unhealthy , sedentary lifestyle. Ten Outstanding Young Students awardee and Ateneo de Manila batch valedictorian Patrick Echevarria will be trained by the Nike Running Clinic for eight weeks until he starts running his first 5k race.

Run Radio will start airing on July 24 at NU 107, and will continue to air every Fridays, 9-10pm.

Run Radio is made possible by Nike, Print Avenue, Botak, Finishline.ph, Pinoy Ultra Runners, Second Wind Running Store, and RUNNR.

For the latest updates please visit http://www.nu107fm.com/profile/runradio

The Fifth Octoberun Festival: The Start of a New Life 2

Our running club The Fort Striders will once again organize the 5th Octoberun Festival that will be held at the Fort Global City. Mark your calendar, its going to be on the 4th of October. Again like last year, the proceeds will go to The Real Life Foundation. You may register at R.O.X. and for more info please contact Felsie at CP:0908-4340208, Landline: 896-1954 or 890-2372.

If you experienced the Octoberun last year, then you’ll know why you could miss the October Fest but not the Octoberun.