Chi Walking: Learning to walk “properly”

Posted on October 29, 2010 by Gail

Last Saturday was the first Bull Session (it’s only now I learned to differentiate Bull Circle from Bull Session… “Circle” is talk/seminar, “session” is clinic :P ). I’m glad I came — got to know some of my fellow future marathoners, and even walked and chatted with a few. But of course, those are just perks. Highlight was the clinic itself: Chi Walking.

The Bull Session was on the exact same day I had to do the “45-minute long walk” in Coach Jim Lafferty’s 22-week marathon program. My longest distance (using the run/walk method, of course) was 10km before I got sick. Though I was still in the process of recovery (I still had sniffles), I knew my muscles could handle 45 minutes of walking. I figured it would be easy, and even thought I wouldn’t get tired, but I was wrong :P Continue reading →

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Attending my first Bull Circle

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Gail

I’ve been looking forward to attending the first Bull Circle last Wednesday, held at ROX in Bonifacio High Street. But thing is, I’ve been suffering the sniffles for the past few days (sleeping late and not being to run for almost two weeks have taken its toll on me). My husband Marc was apprehensive in letting me go — he didn’t want me getting any worse — but I just couldn’t not go! :P

So there I went, sniffles and all, with my pack of tissues and my TBR Marathoner card. I got my first-ever mark on my card, and went on to look for a seat. Hubby got a bit impatient, and he left me on my own to look around. But for the first time, I didn’t mind. I couldn’t help but really pay attention to the speakers! That’s a new thing, you know, as I usually have a very short attention span when attending seminars and talks.

It was basically an introduction to the TBR Dream Marathon 2011, but I’m glad I came. You see, I’ve already started to have some doubts about going through with the marathon. I’ve been so swamped with work the past two weeks that I’ve neglected my regular runs — I feel out of shape. And worse, I’ve gotten sick since I’ve been sleeping really late to meet deadlines and waking up after 12. I felt my resistance going down :( Continue reading →

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Condura Run 2011

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Gail

Save the date, fellow runners!

The Condura Run 2011
WHEN: February 6, 2011

FEATURING EVENTS:
3/5/10/21K and a 42.195K full Marathon.

REGISTRATION STARTS ON : December 1, 2010.

More details to follow!

If I’m able to strictly follow my training for the TBR Marathon, Condura 2011 could be my first half-mary! :D I had my first-ever 5k run at the Condura 2010, so this running event is really quite memorable for me. It would be even more memorable if I had my first 21km there too! :)

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Innovating Wholeness, The Blue Water Day Spa Fun Run

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Gail

In celebration of its 5th anniversary, Blue Water Day Spa presents its first-ever fun run. Every year, Blue Water held launches introducing its newest endorsers. But for its 5th year, they decided to do something different: introduce not only its latest celebrity endorsers, but also officially launch its first-ever fun run!

Together with my husband, we were fortunate enough to be invited to the launch event and the bloggers’ night for the fun run. Continue reading →

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The Bull Runner Dream Marathon 2011: I’m reserved a slot!!!

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Gail

The moment I’m informed that the sign-up sheet was already up on the website, I signed up. No more hesitation. I filled up the form so I wouldn’t have time to chicken out and change my mind. :P I’ve long been considering to join the next race ever since my husband completed The Bull Runner (TBR) Dream Marathon 2010, where I also volunteered as a marshal. Can’t blame me for having bouts of apprehension. After all, that’s at least 42km!

But here I am, I’m reserved a slot! :)

Yes, I know, my name is unreasonably long. Blame it on my parents who thought it best to give me a name so long that it wouldn’t even fit ATM and credit cards. But hey, I’m using my nickname for the certificate if I do complete the race! And I’m really, really hoping I’ll finish the race :)

I have about 6 months to prepare. If I haven’t been taking my training seriously, now is the time to start doing so. Jaymie said in her blog that even folks who’d never ever run were also welcome to join, as the training will cover from walking to completing a marathon. That assured me. As long as I take the training seriously, I can actually complete a full marathon by the 20th of March in 2011.

I still need to wait for the announcement on registration and payment, but my husband Marc has already started me on training. I’ve given him the go signal to nag me if I’m being lazy or going “astray” with my diet. To be honest, the first few days of no Pringles, no Cheese Rings, and totally-yummy-but-absolutely-unhealthy stuff haven’t been easy. I still sometimes crave junk food, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make — for my health and my marathon training. :)

I can’t wait!!!! :D :D :D

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Running saved me :)

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Gail

I was afraid I’d never get back on track. I’ve been really looking forward to joining the Adidas King of the Road (10k), but things have gone from totally ridiculous to a nearly life-threatening experience. It was a simple poke in the eye by a wayward leaf that almost got me ending up in the hospital — secretions from the infected eye leaked on to a pimple. And that’s where the complications began :P

The infected pimple got so bad that nearly half my face got swollen, and I even had bouts of fever. At least I had enough sense to bring it to the doctor immediately. But even then, the doctor was already afraid my immune system might not be able to handle it, and they might have to give me the antibiotics intravenously. My body was fighting two infections: the one on my eye, and the other, the pimple. If my immune system couldn’t handle it, they needed to get the antibiotics straight to my blood stream. Else, I could be at risk of brain damage.

I am deathly afraid of needles, and that scared me more than the mountain of work I had to leave if I needed to stay in the hospital for the treatment. The doctor had me go through a blood test to see if I had to be confined. I got the results within the hour, but I was so nervous it felt more than that. Continue reading →

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Stop, LOOK and listen

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Gail

I totally forgot the “Look” part :P So here I am cooped up at home, not allowed to run as advised by my eye doctor.

Last Wednesday, I was lucky enough the weather was pleasant when I went out for a 7.65k run. I was determined to get back on track in time for the Adidas King of the Road (10k, here I come!), and no way was I going to get myself in a 10k race without at least a month of practicing the distance. So there. I ran. As usual, I let my thoughts wander and admired my neighbors’ pretty houses.

A few meters ahead, I saw a tree with pointy leaves (I’m horrible with plant names, so bear with me). I thought I could easily pass through it without hitting the leaves, but apparently, I underestimated my height. As it turned out, I’m taller than I thought I was :P The pointy leaves hit my face, and I felt a stinging sensation on my left eye.

I thought it was just a simple irritation, but the next day, it was painful and swollen. You see, I’m a web designer by profession, so you can just imagine how important having a set of working eyes is for me. I immediately saw an eye doctor, who checked my eye. As it turned out, the swelling was in my tear duct, which was irritated by either a pointy leaf or some nasty microorganism hanging out on the pointy leaf. Either way, I was to put the prescribed eye drops thrice a day for 7 days — three of those I need to spend protecting the eye from “elements.”

So there. Running for three days is out, unless I wanted to further irritate my eye. Oh well. It’s just three days. I can take it… I think :P

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Bouncing back :(

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Gail

My training this month is probably the most “irregular” since I started running last December 2009. I’m still able to run at least twice a week (not too good considering I usually ran at least three times a week), but mileage is still pretty awful. I’m pretty busy with work, and I think I’ve been on the verge of getting sick at least once every week but it never really became a full-blown flu or colds. Running and regular vitamins seemed to have made my immune system better — I used to be such a weakling, getting wet by a mere drizzle could get me sniffling and burning with fever the same night. I guess it’s a good thing, but it’s also quite a hindrance.

You see, I couldn’t go all out with running. I’ve been targeting to hit 10km during my training runs by the end of the month by increasing mileage little by little. But the ever-changing weather and the influx of millipedes (which, I am unfortunately highly allergic to), have been making it hard for me. I’ve readjusted my schedule so I’d still be able to run a 10k race by the end of October. I’m a very cautious runner, and I want to be sure to have at least regularly running 10k for more than three weeks before joining a race. I’m still optimistic (hopefully I get to join 10k race category at the Adidas King of the Road), but it’s really taking a lot of my self-control not to laze about whenever I can’t run on the road and find a way to last more than an hour on the treadmill without getting too bored.

I think I’ve just reached the all-time low in my training this week for the month. :( I’ve been having asthma attacks every another day (the millipedes just won’t go away!!!), my allergies going on overdrive. I hate it when this happens — I don’t want to be dependent on meds, but I don’t want to die either. I haven’t had an allergy fit (with the awful asthma attack) for months. It’s really hard to accept the fact that regardless of my now healthy lifestyle, I had to succumb to such tiny creatures :( And such tiny creatures are doing awful damage to my mileage! I’ve already begun running 7.5k for my training last week, but I had to stop until I fully recovered.

I’ve only ran 3k this week on the road. 10k on stationary bike at the gym. Some weights, and circuit training. But more than that, nada. I’m hoping for the better next week. I need to bounce back :(

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