Core Workout

video linked from RunnersWorld.com

Just want to share these set of very useful exercises for your core. You do need to strengthen it for a better running form specially when you are getting tired already.

Give it a try!

Another Mileage Week.....

Finally! After getting a good 5km time finish last Sunday, I'm now back in training.


January 29, 2008 Tuesday

After a day of absolutely no running, I was really excited to do some light but longer duration run for the day. My initial plan was to use my previous route which will take me to Buendia Ave all the way to Fort Bonifacio and back using McKinley Ave and Ayala Ave.

5:15am

I did some light stretching outside my apartment and to my surprise..... A couple of Mon's(h@ppyFeet) "Senior" friends Rudy and Jimmy from 101 Runners passed by my place on route for their usual morning run. Rudy gladly invited me to join them. Ey! new friends! and long run? Perfect Combination! I was depending on their pace the whole time and I was really intrigued and at the same time very amused by the choice and creativity of their route. The route took us to a total of 8 uphill ramps, Century Hotel, CCP, Sofitel and the old Manila Theater. :) I really have to hand it to them, training is all about preparation for the worst, and this definitely will train you for the steep inclines of some road races here in the metro.

We headed towards MOA's bayside boundary and took the 6km stretch at still the same pace that we started. By the time we were on our way back home, we went through Vito Cruz and I was pacing them this time. I did up the tempo a bit just enough to give a good stretch in the hams. I was checking if the tandem was doing ok with the new pace and they were stuck at my back with no problem at all. Shesh! this guys may be old but they sure do kick some fast pace @ss! :) Thanks for the company Rudy and Jimmy! I hope to see and run with you soon again!

This will definitely count as a good LSD session.



January 30, 2008 Wednesday

Coach prompted me last Sunday to be rest and be prepared for a new and tougher workout today.

Menu for the day:

a very simple single set 4 repetition interval

2000m
1600m (oh so close to my sub 6min target!)
1000m
800m

It may be 1 set only but I puked by the 3nd interval. And again after the last interval.

This time I was wearing my trainers, No spikie spikes!

Tomorrow's going to be just another Hill Day!

PSE BullRun 2008 - nth attempt

Today it feels like.........

I'm on top of the world!!!!!!!!!

Got up at 350am. Did the usual routine. Everything was set the night before and I even wore my singlet already just to make sure I'll be able to be On Site, On Time! hehehehe Just trying to cover my grounds here.

I sent an SMS to coach when I left at 4:15am. This early bird, got lost! hehehehe I forgot where the usual starting grid was. I ended up getting there by 4:45am already. Time in which most people are just about to leave Embassy.

I skipped the chat session with the h@ppyFeet folks and did my usual warm-up exercises just to make sure that I don't injure myself again. Coach finally arrived and joined me in my exercises. Seems that I got too eager to push again and slightly pulled my left quad muscle. (the curse of the left leg!!!!! argggghhhh!!!!)

I then got back to slowly stretching my legs specially my left quad. Coach prompted me to continue stretching and to keep it warm.

CLANG!!!!! CLANG!!!!!!! CLANG!!!!!!

3km fun runners were sent off at around 6:10am.

Then we assembled at the side of the start line ready for the 5km event start. The usual group started fast but not as fast as when we were in Clark 2 Sundays ago. :) We took the first 500m easy and just maintained our pace. By the next incline we started to push up the pace and soon found a new running mate. Gary ol' Pal! (an elite runner, also a regular in Ultra). He wasn't able to register and so just decided to help Coach push me around what's left of the 5km event.

The strategy was...... there's no strategy! Just run hard on the uphill, and run even harder downhill.

"itapon mo sa harap!" - I think I heard this line 3 thousand times. :)

By the time we got to the turn around point (2.5km mark) I didn't miss checking my time 9:32!
Looks good! All I need to do now is to maintain my pace and try to run harder just to make sure I don't fall prey again to my 2nd half walk syndrome.

I knew the course. I knew how many hills left. I got to the second to the last one and tried to reserve some energy for the last uphill and all the way downhill portion of the course. I managed to squeeze just enough juice for the last uphill and half of the downhill portion. The problem was that I didn't have enough left for the last 150m sprint to the finish. I threw my arms up front, tried to maintain my stride and just hold on to dear life.

Thank you Gary and Jo for the pace! I clocked in unofficially at 19:50.1

It was a really tough race for me. I know I'm still a long way from the pro's but I always utter this line..... "little steps...... little steps......"

Next attempt UP Rundevious. See you all there!

::::::::::::::::::::::::: Visual Aid ::::::::::::::::::::::::::
as requested by: the bull runner (get-well soon)

mark - keep on training mate! we'll both get what we want for the year.

the _champs : Coach JoAr and Coach Rio!

drew with a brand spanking new tatt. :)

nina, wake up early next time :)
joms doing the pose
here's our senior division champs(h@ppyFeet) oKnoy, Eric and John.
oKnoy and John just did the full 26.2 miler Subic Marathon last Sunday.
Congrats again to both you!

smith was early this time. no injury (wink! wink!)

Coach Rio with Sen. Cayetano

another teammate named Mon (mizuno run club)

miss maui after the 10km event. still dashingly pretty!!!! :)

joms with best-bud aljo. again thanks Aljo for taking care of the team in Subic.
miss monica! no more dance shoes! hello NB's!

ok let's play a little game.... spot the not! who do you think does
not belong to the group? well aside from Sen Cayetano. :P

training buddies