My favorite pair just retired... :(

NB 1025. After 300k, this great find has to rest now. The shoe is not available here in Manila....so this is sad. They were very dependable during most of my training runs and some races. Significantly saved my knees (used it while I was heeling from hamstring tendonitis).

The heel part was abused and reduced 'til half of the "N" (in "Ndurance", under "ABZORB"). Kudos to New Balance for a great shoe.

I'm thinking of replacing it with another NB (1063 perhaps?) or try the lunarglide from nike. Or, a highend shoe (newton trainer or asics) but in any case, December ang next buying time since i still have an adidas and an asics here, although the former is a race shoe (not for long distance training) and the latter tinitipid ko (ie, races only). Haha!.

I can't believe 6 months lang life span sa akin ng running shoes...ang gastosss.

Garmin outwits Nike

Nike doesn't produce lace adaptors for its own products so "less smart" shoppers would be fooled that you need to own a nike shoe which has its own socket inside the sole.

Well...

http://gear.runnersworld.com/2009/08/garmins-new-forerunners.html

"Finally, Garmin quietly released a tiny new shoe pod that slips into the midsole socket of Nike Plus shoes. So, if you're running in a pair of Nikes you have the option of wearing the foot pod inside the shoe or attaching it to the laces. The new foot pod works with all the Forerunner watches including the new GPS-less FR60. While it's perfect for treadmill training and other instances when the GPS doesn't receive a signal, it also supplements the info gathered by the GPS over the course of an outdoor run by tracking your cadence, or stride rate, which is a useful gauge of running efficiency."

But I'm a Suunto user......so...:-|

Pag day-op ni inday...October 10Ks: Milo, QCIM, Nike

Honestly, it's so depressing that school has to be this long..and now that sembreak has transformed into a wish rather than a required concession, all hope has faded. I've been robbed of time. :( Well anyway, life goes on...and we can always whine about everything once in a while. >:D

As I've mentioned before, training runs on spare time began to decrease since the start of the semester, and altogether halted come October because of the awful weather, and well, academic demands became a little heavier (the last real training was post-Ondoy :O). But October was THE race month, and I will just have to make do, even without the regular runs. Sinong duwag?...Fayyyyt!

MILO 10K. My first Roxas Blvd. race. It was funny to be there very early in the morning, running without the Utopia/Blue Tips clutched in my hand or breakfast for a sis taking the bar. Haha! I didn't know that Km 0 to traders hotel is just less than 3k.

The crowd consists mostly highschool kids running as a requirement for the 5k. Actually, I doubt if i could call it running....Kids were so funny, reklamo to the max, pagod na daw sila. Reminds me of me....

It took me too long to reach the finish line, 3 mins off of my (already reasonable) target time. This is what I get from keeping out of the road. The course was relatively easy - a flat first 3k then a flyover and flat road again, then back. Well, the race was pretty uneventful except for the fact that the sun came out too early and my stomach was turning at km 8...probably because of the water.

...which reminds me of the days when I still qualified for the Milo Little Olympics (Taekwondo) where I avoided free Milo drinks for notoriously causing stomach troubles to fellow competitiors. :P

QCIM 10K. My post- bday race! And post-nego finals exam. Another first race, this time in Commonwealth. I did a training run here prior to the UP Law Tri, but this was a lot better because I was running IN THE MIDDLE of Commonwealth Ave, which I deliberately did because...well, how often can you do that? I mean, without getting ran over and without inhaling black smoke...:/ I understand that a lot of people got irritated with some roads closed, but they just wouldn't understand the joy of it.

Anyway, although the week before I promised to bring my own water, I wasn't able to because I only had a minute (literally) 'til gun start when I arrived...so yes, I had a great warm up that race.

The race map said the route will take us to UP but it was changed to just running a straight 5k out Commonwealth then back to QC Circle. At 2.3k, my footpod died on me and I had to rely on instinct for pacing. The course was the easiest 10k, even easier than UP. It only had 2 minor hills while the rest is flat... or it seems flat...because it grows slowly daw. At the 5k marker I was surprised to see that my time was right on the dot. But alas, i didn't have enough for a negative split so i just endured at the same relative pace. In any case, I was glad to finish a little below the desired time, but I definitely realized the need for training because I really had to push the last 2k.

I spotted Ronald at around km 7 in the middle of the road filming for his new show and got a high five and some air time...haha. Tito Ron was hosting the pre-awarding program. (Someone else was hosting daw, sana kumuha nalang ng totoong artista hindi yung feeling artista, no offense mr. d.....>:D sorry I just had to say that.) JJ ran his first half marathon while Charles and Roy ran their first full marathon. Congrats :) Registered for the nike human race, and was excited to get my shirt. :)

NIKE HUMAN RACE 10K (SUBIC INT'L MARATHON)...FULL OF SURPRISES! I had just hurdled 2 exams and was just so eager to escape a while from this frantic law school scene that I didn't even think of canceling, even though the CTA digests deadline was moved three days earlier. Luckily, I can sleep in the car going there and i have my globe tattoo, which did not give up on me in effectively zero-rated Subic (yes, i love tax 2).

After dropping off Charles and Roy for their much awaited full marathon (and way before they were forcibly dehydrated. grrr) I got ready and went to the venue early to pick up my shirt. A cool shirt indeed B-). The crew was really friendly although they were most of the time lost (because I was the one answering the queries of random people waiting in line) and then made new friends while we were all waiting for our shirts.

The place had no indication that a nike race is about to begin, save for an announcement 5 minutes prior...and then 1.5 minutes prior. Talk about surprise!

Ran the first 3k with Kathy and Bards who were doing recovery runs and invited me to stay with them for a relaxed pace run. At km 2 was a surprise hill. (Surprise ulit!) All was going fine until i realized that the surprise hill will not end at all. The road was curving to the right so I had no inkling of how steep the next kms would be. We were steadily climbing and at some point the calves could just not take it and I had to slow down (haha! walang hill training!) and walk the last km to the turnaround point.

I replenished my fuel belt with pocari sweat at the drinks station (the last I ever saw) and then sped downhill, to slow down yet again when the flat roads came back. Finished in not so swell a time. I learned that the course was longer than 10k (by 1k according to finish line stretch friend, by .5k according to some bloggers), but even discounting the excess meters, 1:22 was a bad 10k time. Anyway, this by far is the toughest 10k race I've ran. But nonetheless, it was one of the funnest races I've joined. Except of course for the fact that THERE WAS NO WATER.

Three hours later, after a nice rest (and a couple of CTA digests), went back to Remy Field to catch the happy runners cross the finish line. Well done babe. :)

....Surprise again! Since my nike+ wasn't calibrated, I registered 12.2k instead of just 10k and fooled nikerunning.com that I ran a 1:06 10k haha.

So, while we were in Subic, we had a chance to see Zoobic. Didn't get to see the talent show though.

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After running all these 10Ks with zero training, I am now psyching myself for redemption. Plus I'm feeling that I'm gaining my weight back, all the more reason I should get back in my shoes. Next month starts early bar review and a 20 unit semester...but I promise a 21k sometime soon (or at least a 15k again hehe....). :)

No-race September Sundays and delayed road test reports

It's official. I was not able to register for any race this September. It was out of negligence actually, I was hoping for New Balance but out of character I waited for this week, only to find out that it was already closed. Ok, it was kind of not meant to be.

Nonetheless, I'm happy that i'm still able to catch up on kilometers in between tasks. Next on the agenda is to catch up on sleep too.

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A delayed review on some recently procured gear mostly used in last month's UP Law Tri:

(1) CW-X Tri-Shorts

This brand is very popular among runners, now that it became available in Runnr (Bonifacio High Street, Fort). Its hottest product are the running tights which come in variation depending on your preferred support area.

Cw-x technology incorporates kinesio-taping techniques which is why aside from having compression properties, it also has support properties for specific target areas. The tri-shorts particularly has support for lower abs, lower back, quads and hip flexors, and aside from that it has integrated padding (for the bike part). These features made it a little heavy after the swim part, it retained more water than expected for tri-shorts. But then again, that is the trade-off for added support and if you're that focused, you won't notice it much.

(2) Zoot TRIfit Racerback

"Born in Kona" as it advertises, Zoot apparel are specifically made for triathletes to eliminate the need for changing and/or adding other garments during transition. Top-and-bottom combinations are available for those who are not so keen with the one piece trisuits (for easy bathroom moments prior to and after the race...or even during). This particular top has side pockets to stash gels, bars etc. Quick dry like it promises. My mom bought for me during their US trip. I'm not so sure if it's available in local bike shops but a lot are using this brand, maybe it is.

(3) Asics Gel Cumulus 11

I'm very happy with this purchase. I alternate this shoe with my NB 1025 (which was my favorite prior to this) for 10-15k sessions. It comes in pink! It's a neutral cushioning shoe, a lighter version of Nimbus 11. Highly recommended.

(4) Yankz Bungee Lacing System

Also from mom's US trip, I don't know if this is available here. This eliminates tying shoes, whether for triathlon purposes or just out of laziness. It looks cool and very adjustable. The downside though is it's not meant to accommodate my foot pod.

UP Law Tri 08302009

When I signed up for this, the only thought I had is that this might be the best idea I had or the worst. Up until now, several days after, I do not know the answer to that question. Haha. Scheduled right smack in the middle of midterms season, amidst ola and all other endeavors which eat up my free days, and considering the fact that I gradually decreased training time since my fit and fab summer, it was a recipe for disaster.

Actually, the reckoning point was some days prior to registration, I did a practice swim leg, and the time would determine whether or not i would shell out 1500 for registration. If it's less than 30 mins, proceed. If not, back out. So I guess we all know what happened then.

Early registration. An early bird, not exactly because of the discounted registration fee (because actually, there was no discount for the triathlon) but for reinforcement of training. But that didn't work. In August, I did a measely 60k total of running, roughly 8 swimming sessions and just 2 bike sessions. Haha.

Race Day. Woke up early to watch the fun run and waterstations, some administrative work and boom...7:30 na pala, have to set up my transition area.

750m Swim. Pretty uneventful, haha. 5 laps, 3 sets. The UP swimming pool is quite humbling. Sana the alumni would raise funds for its improvement. The UP Varsity Swimming Team does well in the UAAP, champions even during my college days so they deserve nice training facilities. As I've said, the dirtiest i've swam in by far with just one meter of visibility...actually, not even. Just armslength. But come to think of it, open water swims are in even murkier water. I could have reduced my time by raising myself from the end of the pool, but no..., I wanted to conserve the energy in my arms so i opted to use the rails...and anyway, the triceps are not like they used to be anymore. :P

T1. I anticipated a little and brought shoes to the pool so it was a quick trip back to the transition area. However, it took me so long to take off from there...disorganized thoughts and wet skin is not compatible with a fast t1. I may have reached 5 minutes. Haha.

20k Bike. This was tough to finish. I was using a nice fast road bike c/o Charles but I'm not that good a biker and, like the triceps, the quads aren't as they were before. That was 8 rounds of the course (acad oval plus a portion of university ave.) ...counterclockwise!!! The original route was clockwise which means just one challenging part: that hike from eng'g to econ. In this case, the uphill started from quezon hall up until educ. by the 4th round I could feel my quads complaining. Nang matapos, all I could think of is "hay salamat natapos din."

T2. They made us dismount around 100m (or more) from the transition area. As I could not run with a bike nor bring a bike on my back, I just walked. And like before, it took me 10 years to take off, even though I rehearsed it in my head while biking: isabit ang bike, drink, gel, saltstick, wear socks, shoes, tie hair, drink again. Probably 5 minutes again, not counting the walk from the dismount. Kupad! parang pupunta lang ng mall...

5k Run. Finally, the last leg. Heart rate was still 70-80%, not too tired although the calves are a little stiff from the biking. I have done that route and I knew that I could do it in 30 minutes or 35 at most, but all I could think about is I don't want to get cramps and not finish...ayun naglakad. I regret not pushing myself at this point, after doing so for the past 2 legs. But then again, pwede na considering I've done worse times, and kailangang pangatawanan ang pagiging maarte. At the last 100 meters I savored the festive environment: mommy was noisy as usual cheering like she was in a softball field watching danielle and dennise, a band was playing on the left, law school friends were likewise cheering in chorus (i remember dan, res and sop particularly), the biker that almost ran over me (hindi kasi nakikinig sa marshall haha), the friendly lifesize chocolate bar and kisses waving at me, and before I knew it, tapos na pala, nagcross na ako ng finish line.

So that's the story. I probably placed last but I have a medal still. No.1 ata ito sa student category...hehe. Next time, i will be conscious of transition time and will truly run. But for now, ie September and until i acquire my own bike, training muna at takbo.

I would like to congratulate my watergirls at university avenue for winning the best waterstation award. :)

Urbanite 15k 081509

My Saturday was big day. In the morning, I had a class (SPIT) where I had to give a kick-ass recitation in redemption of my 2 previous bad ones. In the afternoon, group pics for the yearbook. And of course in the evening, my first 15k and my first night race.

Meal Planning. I never thought it would be an issue planning how i would eat until the day before. I remembered, unlike sunday morning races where I could sleep and digest an unplanned heavy dinner still, the same would not hold true this time. So for the dinner 1 night before, I went for carbs and rai supported me by having the exact same meal hehe. Breakfast was nonexistent, as usual during cramming mornings :( but i was able to grab a bottle of gatorade. Lunch with charles at kimono ken, in just the right quantity, ie, not as gluttonous as we are used too haha. A trail mix bar right before the race too. I should've gotten a banana instead had i known i what would happen later. But a nice strategy. I didn't feel heavy or bloated nor hungry.

Off we go. My first thought: ANG DILIM! Especially at Bayani road where there were some potholes.

Oddly, I enjoyed the Heritage Park. It was calm. Quiet. Peaceful?...Probably because everyone did not dare disturb the place. Haha. Oh, except for this guy who kept saying "awoooooo".

My foot pod was accurate up until 11k...guess where that is...deym Mckinley Hills. My short strides fooled my foot pod into adding 2k more than its actual distance..the stretch seemed to never end (!). I walked some uphill parts going back to the entrance.

Finish line. Crossed the finish line with 2:09 at the clock. Haha! Made the mistake too that I stopped immediately without cooling down. True enough I got cramps on my left calf while I was lining up for my finisher's certificate. And from then on I wasn't in a bright mood, didn't feel like taking pictures nor answering questions for an interview (haha!). Because Ronald asked me if they could have a short interview with me for their show (Autoreview) but I volunteered Charles instead. I forgot to take a picture of him (sorry) because my calf was extremely painful at the time, i had to walk around. Sorry too Ronald, I'm ordinarily accommodating and you know that. Haha. Anyway, there's always next time.

Road test: Fuel Belt Slim Pocket Race Number Belt and Hammer Gel. First time to use the belt in a race. Bib was well secured and i'm happy that my shirts would have a break from safety pin punctures, which really is more painful for me than for the shirts. It can double as car key pocket during training runs. I just slide the pocket side to the back. The race belt has gel carriers at the sides, a total of 10! Maybe some guy out there would find them useful. I brought some, just two, but i placed them inside the pocket so naturally the weight was not well distributed. I should've placed them in the carriers.

It was my first time also to use Hammer Gel, tropical and raspberry flavors. I think I should've brought just one, I consumed the second one just so i won't be carrying it around anymore and because it was so yummy hehe. Effective? Maybe...essentially they're caffeine shots in compact and easy to consume form, more runner-friendly (unlike Lipovitan and Red Bull which I used during taek competitions).

ETC. I wanted a breezy outfit so i wore wore my nike tank and running shorts. I forgot that the reflectors fell off my shorts a long time ago. Minor chafing too. :(. Next time, don't forget the petroleum jelly.

Also, while waiting for the gun, I challenged Charles to count how many are wearing this ensemble: i am ninoy shirt, cwx full tights, newtons/lunarglides. I don't understand this pauso. It's like running's gossip girl.

Longer distance? So now that I know I can finish a 15k in not so bad a time (although really off my target because im so competitive, hehehe) I think I should run more of those. Half marathon? Soon, but not too soon.

Now I we move on to Aug 30 preps. Swimming and biking here we go.

What troubles me about tom's night run

1. parking lot problems (whether or not they're safe, and whether or not space is adequate for everyone)
   
2. will car drivers be cautious
3. mumu at the heritage park....awwoooooo
4. no one will see if my face turns blue...haha
5. angry runners...proliferating by the second (jeez people, there are a lot of other things to rant about)
6. how to eat (heavy bfast or heavy lunch? definitely no dinner until after.)
7. black singlet on a night run? (bad idea i think, although i don't wear them anyway).
8. seeing people i don't want to see (bitter? hehe)
9. will i need to bring my own hydration
10. and most important of all, how i will take nice pictures...haha.
    

(Under)Training for my first Tri

I'm actually realizing that signing up for both a 15k run and a sprint tri 2 weeks apart is a very bad idea. I've never done both.

On one hand, I'm enjoying the break from the monotony of building mileage (and photocopied pages). But on the other hand, I inevitably undertrain for EVERY event, given my limited time within an academic week.

Almost a month ago I've started my tri training. Self-designed, after reading numerous resources online and on print. I am positive I can finish both, I'm confident with my endurance. But in decent time? That's another question.

I started swimming again 3 weeks ago, the last time was...umm...high school? Haha. That's almost a decade ago. As a sprinter back in gradeschool summer swimming days, I was never acquainted with endurance freestyle technique, ie, the two-beat-kick freestyle (as opposed to the six-beat). I was trying it out, but I conceded that it would take more than a few weeks of practice to get it right...in short, I have to stick to my old technique for this sprint tri and later on develop into a more efficient style. I might need to get a coach to fine tune my strokes too. In the meantime, youtube helps alot in my training. I average on 23 minutes for a 750m swim. Best times in the playing field reach 8-10 minutes. But at least I have the assurance that I will survive it and have more than enough fuel for the remaining events.



As to biking, again, my last time was highschool. And although I had the shifting lesson already at that time, I never really tried to use it (coz I didn't understand it then hehe). All I did was pedal pedal pedal. Last Sunday, Charles gave me that lesson again...glad to say that the same brain could now process and digest that info (thanks to 6 years of driving manual with the civic, and to lawschool for instant info absorption drills aka cramming). It was fun, and I can't wait to get my own one. Will I survive 20k? That's the question.



Running...of course I will finish 5k. Once, I tried a swim-run-- legs fatigue, not so much. Even done it in a good pace. However, when I tried a bike-run (stationary bike), it was hard to keep target pace, calves were knotting and I was constantly wary of getting cramps there. Scary. Yes, it was on a stationary bike, mechanics are different. But still...

As regards the 15k on Saturday... as I've said, never done it. On training days, yes but all easy paced (and I mean really easy). I really don't have a game plan except keep a 7-7:30 mpk as much as possible and walk (or drop down on the road and crawl) if something hurts. Hopefully, I would not resort to that because otherwise, what's going to hurt is my pride. Nyok. :P BTW, the race route would pass by Heritage Park. Heritage during the night...scaryyyy.

But nonetheless I'm enjoying training for these races...and I'm starting to lose pounds despite the less volume as compared to bright summer carefree days :D (finally). It keeps me happy. I am perfectly aware that I'm indeed undertraining, because I would have wanted a steady 6-7 hours a week schedule. But what can I do, this is all which I can squeeze in. And again, I am more than happy to be able to still be active despite a hectic law school semester, a far cry from lethargic, melodramatic girl I was. Haha. Vomit.

Here's how I train for the UP Law Tri

Hollywood Chika: The original "My Girl" is back

YAHOO! BUZZ LOG

How Anna Chlumsky Got Her Groove Back

by Michele Meyer    August 4, 2009

Remember Anna Chlumsky, the fresh-scrubbed kid with the cherry-red grin in the 1991 family flick "My Girl"? Her starring role as Vada, a motherless tomboy going through some growing pains, earned her an MTV Movie Award for "Best Kiss" (with co-star Macaulay Culkin) and a Young Artist Award for "Most Promising Young Newcomer" -- not too shabby for a 10-year-old. Primed for superstardom, Chlumsky's next role was in the dubious "My Girl 2" -- after which she promptly fell off most people's radars.

Well, we just spotted a blip on our screen: Now 28, Chlumsky appears in the new movie "In the Loop," a highbrow political parody chock-full of profane and inspired insult-hurling. Although fans hoping to see Chlumsky in another wholesome, feel-good role will be disappointed, some of her other (male) fans will probably find her portrayal of a sexy, power-hungry press aide very appealing indeed.

So what else has Chlumsky been up to these last 18 years? After making "My Girl 2," she starred in two more unremarkable movies: "Trading Mom" and "Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain." Then the teen years hit, and she couldn't land any roles. Why? "Braces and boobs. I got both of them," she reveals in a Chicago Sun-Times article. After years of auditions and rejections, she finally decided to leave acting to preserve her self-esteem. She went to college, majored in international relations at the University of Chicago, and went on to work as an editorial assistant for HarperCollins.

Then one day she caught a Broadway performance of "The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?" and was inspired by Mercedes Ruehl's performance. In a Back Stage article, she recalls thinking at the time, "I have to do what she just did." Acting classes and roles in New York's free theater soon followed, and slowly Chlumsky built a respectable stage career for herself. In the last couple of years, she did a stint on "Law and Order," guest-starred on "30 Rock," and had a recurring role on the now-canceled TV show "Cupid."

Things continue to look up for Chlumsky: Just last year, she got married to Army reserve member Shaun So. Later this year, she'll appear with Alexis Bledel in the romantic comedy "The Good Guy." And according to IMDb, she has two more movies in the works. While the teen years may not have been so kind to Chlumsky, young adulthood seems to suit her just fine.

Flight of the Conchords - Stick Around

Upcoming Running Events: Kenny Roger's Urbanite Run, UP Law Invitational Triathlon

Today, I went registration-crazy. Races that are, ahem, not really that budget friendly, but nonetheless I shelled out some (ouch) because...well...read on.

August 15: KENNY ROGER'S URBANITE RUN

The registration costs Php 600. Wow right? The usual question creeps up: what makes this run so special? The advertisement/press release mentions--

(1) that it's a night run, with all those glow in the dark paraphernalia
(2) championchips timing
(3) a free kenny roger's meal
(4) that it's inclusive of a donation to a charitable institution (in short, it's for a cause...smile smile smile)
(5) the presence of Marc Nelson, Rovilson Fernandez and Phil Younghusband
(6) an after-party

Half-eaten Urbanite Meal

Normally, I would say that Php 600 is too much. But items #1, 3 and most especially, 5...these are worth the premium. hehe. Honestly, I don't care about champion chip timing, I mean, who needs his time recognized worldwide (exception: the "elite"...no not the ateneans :P). And an after-party.. don't we all just want to sleep afterwards? About the donation, well, I just meant that I don't care where it goes.

I have no idea of what the route will be like. Btw, this will be my first 15k. Haha.

The registration is pretty much like Globe's Run For Home. Go the participating branch, fill-up the form, pay the fee, a stub is given to you, claim the race kit another day in another city. Same organizer btw, that's why. Well, the race is quite interesting, you'd have reason to make the effort.

August 30: UP LAW 1ST INVITATIONAL TRIATHLON

I've been thinking about the individual tri for quite some time now, and to stop wasting time with just thinking instead of training, i found myself registering at the dean's office this afternoon. Charles offered his bike, and then I also purchased some gear way out of schedule (and budget) all of which needs to be justified. Yun. Wala na akong excuse. :O

With Eric P the Event Coordinator.
The paper was supposed to be my reg form na baliktad. :s

The route is quite simple and straight forward, maximizing UP's usual "running destinations". The main challenge would be the bike part. Will I be needing my 10 year old girl knee pads?

The Dean is preparing for this diligently. Word on the street, he just purchased a bike and 2 new pairs of shoes. He's very athletic, I see him sometimes in Celebrity. No wonder he is very enthusiastic with the project.

NOW, the training begins. Want to join me? :D

Globe Run For Home 10k 07192009

I got up especially early for this. Hmp. What's so special about this race that I had to make the effort, in addition to registering in a Globe Business Center (Step 1) and picking up the race pack 2 days before the race...in a different city (Step 2).

Still wanting to sleep, i dragged myself to the starting line at 5am to send off Charles and Roy, then sat around and waited for my brain to wake up. Saw Tuesday during that interval, one of my Taekwondo friends, who jolted me up with a little good morning chit chat (taekwondo friends are making the move to less stressful sports, you see).

And then off I went for another fort-buendia 10k race at 5:45, prompt and exact. Nice. It's pretty much the same as the other fort b races I've joined, except for the fact that (1) I was using a Champion Chip (2) there were lots of water and sports drinks going around (3) there were some km markers along the way. Wow, well prepared I must say.

There were a lot of high profile persons running with us: the big bosses of Ayala, some society figures (Rai, I think I saw idol Ms. M.P.!) and Rovilson (hehe) who inspired me for some kilometers before I had to slow my pace down. Saw Raya again while I was near the u-turn (another taekwondo colleague veering away, hehe). I realized that big races like this one is also a chance to show off your popularity. This person I'm at pace with was greeted by at least 10 people. He should get 10 seconds off his time as a bonus.

Finishing the course (Step 3), I was extremely exhausted. It was not a good feeling, realizing how out of shape I was. I started to blame lawschool and the lack of training time but after some thinking, I realized I did slash off 5 minutes from my last fort-buendia 10k. OA lang ako. Hehe. So from then I was feeling giddy again (or the endorphins' effect was just delayed because of hunger).

Flyers say that the results will be out on Thursday and will be posted in Globe's website (Step 4). A little long for a wait, but I don't mind. I'm interested though on the "analysis" which comes with the Champion Chip.

So, was it worth all the effort doing all those steps? The press release answer to that is "Yes, because it was for a cause. I helped build a home." Smile smile smile. :D But kidding aside, the race was well organized and ran smoothly despite the size of the crowd. However, it would be better if the race wasn't that pa-VIP expecting people to take time off for more than once, as for the Champion Chips, we have yet to see its premium until the results and analysis.

Cultured Club: July Musicals

Cultured club is (not) an exclusive group for performance arts showcase appreciation.
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July, is rainy because of all the LSS after watching these two shows.

JULY 3: 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE


Or, Spelling Bee as it is better known.

Staged at the RCBC Carlos P. Romulo Theater, my friends and I braved the Makati traffic on a rainy Friday night to watch this Tony Award-winning musical. I'm so happy I got the chance to watch this as I missed it the first time around. Briefly, the show is about a group of quirky kids competing for the spelling bee championship. I mostly enjoyed the show because of the witty lines. The use-the-word sentences were especially funny. Celebrity guests were Angel Aquino and ...Karylle (yes, I know, what are the odds).

Well, there's not much to say but that the show is really fun and entertaining. Interactive even. There's not much shows like this. Great job.



JULY 12: THE FANTASTICKS

The Fantasticks is apparently the "world's longest running musical" and some songs recognizable, especially "Try To Remember" which goes Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.



I wish to watch this on Broadway, to see how it should really look like. In this show, I found the lead characters a little annoying. Their voices standing alone sound good, but together, they don't blend well. I know that the lead girl is artist-pedigreed, however, I guess for me, she doesn't fit the role? Second, i got lost in the setting. Is it medieval, is it the 50s, or is it current? I didn't appreciate the costume deviations/mismatch. Obviously done on purpose, but these kinds of experiments should be done with a footnote to get the point. Or maybe I just don't get it. On the bright side, I enjoyed the scene stealing by the other characters.

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The next musicals on my list is Spring Awakening and Sweeney Todd. :D

(Images from http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=482726&publicationSubCategoryId=70 and http://www.repertory-philippines.com/show.asp?showid=49.)

Upcoming Running Events: Run For Home, UP LAW TRIATHLON

July 19 - RUN FOR HOME

Sponsored by Globe, the race will use Championchips for timing. The proceeds will be for the benefit of Habitat for Humanity. The slots are limited, right now I am not aware if they're still available.

I have to say however that the registration process is quite tedious. As a postpaid subscriber I was required to pay P300 in cash and in addition to that, register for 1 week unlimited text (P80 charged to my bill, total =P380). For nonsubscribers like Charles, he was required to buy a SIM (P45), P300 worth prepaid credits and register for unlitext (P80 deducted from the credits, total P345). Lastly, for prepaid subscribers like Roy, P300 prepaid credit and deducted unlitext registration (total P280). I have to wait and see if the P80 was credited to my MSF or was charged in addition to. After registering, we were given a coupon to claim the race pack somewhere else.

After having done that, I have high expectations. Hehe. Would have loved to join the 21k category, but as of now I can only give preparation effort level enough for 10k. In a few months maybe.

August 30 - FIRST UP LAW INVITATIONAL TRIATHLON AND FUN RUN

For the very first time, UP Law gets this exciting! I really think I can do the sprint triathlon, and considering that there are not much events of the like here in UP, this would be a great opportunity. I just have to do 3 things though (1) replace my lost swimsuit or get a trisuit (2) borrow a bike (3) find the time to train. On the other hand I could just join a team and do one leg (either swim or run), but a P1000 reg fee per person is just too much. Or I could just run the 10k like always. Should I decide to do the sprint, then this might be my equivalent of Charles' 50k crazy whim.

Well anyhoo, registration will be in UP Law. Perhaps for the knack of it I will register while I'm on the way to the cafeteria or midway during a class while on a restroom break. As opposed to Globe, it will be no sweat.

PTAA Run; Time Management

Before I get drowned in law school backlog (and eventually, blog backlog :P), just a short note on my recent activities.

Lately I have been gradually decreasing my mileage for two reasons: tamad and school gets in the way (spell OLA). My suunto would even complain and make tampo. It keeps asking me to decrease my activity class level (3 times now since ie8 run, from 8.0 to 7.0. boo.). That only means I'm on the way to stagnant.

Went to the ptaa fun run last sunday for a 10k. It was my first time to join a road race in my home court, upd. Happy bec I improved on my time (probably because there isn't a flyover in upd hehe) and I had taho right after. Yes, that's my thing. Yum. :) However, I found the route somewhat redundant not only because i've coursed through those backstreets since varsity years (whether on foot or on an ikot jeepney) but also because we had to go through the race route twice. I wish they had stuck with the original plan which traverses area 2 (?).

Well, I guess that's about it for ptaa run. Hehe.

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as I've said earlier, Im having a little difficulty injecting running hours in my schedule.

Computation:
19 units = 19 hours of class per week
19 x 2 hours preparation (at least) = 38 hours per week
8 hours rest per day (recommended) = 56 hours per week
8 hours leisure per day (eat, exercise, "exercise", entertainment, etc...again recommended) = 56
GRAND TOTAL: 169
hours per week : 7d x 24h = 168h
DEFICIT: 1 hour (at least).

Of course, the least priority would be slashed off....sleep. Hehe. As they say, mabuti nang walang tulog kaysa walang gising. XD

Bad Case of LSS: Faith No More covers Poker Face

Lady Gaga tweets: "Faith no more covered poker face. I can now die a happy woman. Such a huge fan."

IE8 Rain Run

IE8 run was interesting because (1) it was drizzling (2) 8 miles is not too long yet not too short either (3) lots of water, we could swim and (4) lots of surprise snacks (5) raffle prizes. I found some things odd though, like kropek and coke (office merienda time?), the cheerleaders i bet most have found annoying rather than encouraging, and the turnaround point beyond da riles and in the middle of the highway.

Anyway, it was a good run and I didn't mind the extra kilometers (about 1km++ more). More means more calories burned. Haha.

New Habits. I'm starting to prefer wearing tanks. It is more comfortable and...ahem...mas maporma. Haha. I'm also starting to prefer running without music. I tried counting 1-10 over and over, because it gets a little boring 5kms in and after noticing the lactic acid starting to build up. Effective, I must say, kept me on pace until 8km.

Road Test. This time I was able to road test my adidas powerweb 3/4 tights and my adidas adizero tempo.

Honestly, during the run, there was no noticeable difference with this pair of tights with my others (nike). But, I did notice that the usual after-race pain was a lot lot less. The technology was developed to lessen injuries and shorten the time for recovery, so, yes, powerweb technology works and it is worth the price you pay for.

On the other hand, the adidas adizero tempo II was designed to be a lightweight trainer. It IS very light but still with enough cushioning and support. Very flexible and springy too. And it's pink. I <3 it. :D

Race Anecdotes. Saw a friend's ex and my jaw dropped when I saw how toned and muscular she is now, but still pretty nonetheless. She looks successful (since she looks like she has all the time in her hands to train. podium finisher...jaw drops again). Ito ba ang buhay pagkatapos ni MM? (chismax...)

Because I didn't zone out with an ipod, I discovered a new annoying thing: men bragging while running.

Lastly, maybe there should be a book on manners we all could read because i found it appalling that this guy overtook me about 5-8 meters from the barricades of the finish line. Grr.

Hearty Breakfast. Charles and I tried out Paul Calvin's Breakfast Buffet. For 250, it was surely satisfying. Loved the bread and the hotel-style egg station. Will definitely go back there. Yum! :D

TNF100 10k Trail Run; Road Testing Suunto T4c

Last weekend was much fun, I must say. My first trail and my first out of town run. Something that will make me smile for days to come.

We arrived at our hotel on Saturday evening, after some long stopovers and shopping and after touring the red light district with all them girly and "hosto" bars...which suddenly reminded me of a plan i conjured with owen, raissa and mini.

Next morning, we arrived early and saw that a lot of people were even earlier than us. The 20k and 10k started on time and off we went to trudge on narrow trails, lahar lands, the Sacobia (sediment) River, a hill, muddy paths and a long long stretch of bridge with the sun shining brightly above us. Surprisingly, and thank god, I came out without a scratch. I was feeling artista posing for ben chan (and other cameras, hehe) trigger happy along the route, appearing here and there like Ina Magenta. (Sorry, I won't post the unglamorous pics. Hehe.)

So the verdict was, I enjoyed it. The route was fun, bountiful water, and no chance of getting lost. Great! :D

Road Test. I brought along my Suunto T4c. I'm really glad I bought the foot pod instead of the gps pod. According to reviews, the gps pod often struggles in trails. Also, I kept hearing others' Garmins looking for gps signal along the route. Anyway, it was great to have an idea how much more to go instead of relying on marshalls' "malapit na". It was also funny to see actual data on how i slowed down gradually. Haha.

As a training companion, it certainly beats an ordinary sportswatch. With a heart rate monitor and a built in coach, it tells you when to train, how hard you have been training and adjusts the program accordingly depending on your previous runs' intensity. It also introduces the concept of "training effect" which is supposed to be a new and improved heart rate zone training variation. I have yet to understand it though haha. It's cool, i tell you. (See full specs here). However, I feel like I have too many gadgets on me sometimes (parang rambo), which is why I leave behind the nike+ipod when I don't feel like it. Highly recommended, unless you prefer gps.

Sorry, hindi yun si hayden kho

Ang nasa video ay si Jay Taruc.

Karma Pays Up for Sandara

A few years back Sandara was the epitome of kabaduyan. For example: am i in or out?; mama and papa; hero angeles. yuck.

But maybe god said she had suffered enough. Look how she transformed to a pretty korean girl group pop star.

Star Trek (2009)

Genre:

Science Fiction & Fantasy

I'm not a Star Trek Fan and I don't know anything about Star Trek except that the one with pointy ears is Spock, their ship is the Enterprise (like the building in Makati hahaha) and the Captiain is Kirk. Raves about the movie got me interested, Charles brought me to MOA to see the movie in IMAX. No, it was not in 3d, it was just shown in a big ass screen.

4 stars because:
- unlike other saga movies, one does not have to know everything about the characters before watching but the story does strictly adhere to the background stories (they say) and so it is much appreciated by both fans and non-fans alike.
- captain kirk is pogi
- sylar or spock...same effort lang sa acting. but it does fit.

My favorite characters are the Vulcans. No-emotion is just the same as one facial expression. The genuinely amuse me.

Maybe it wasn't a wise decision to watch this in imax, but you do get what you pay for - no annoying kids, no judging lolas, not too cold, good sounds. Perfect! It would've been great though if it was in 3d.

All in all, the movie was enjoyable. Its top spot in the box office is well-deserved.

Ran a 10k at Botak Paa-Tibayan 5.10.2009

I have not much to say about this except that it was a lesson learned not to run while recovering from a flu. I am too lazy to recount the whole experience but to say it in one quick sentence, dehydration was scary and was torture to the abdomen (cramps, aka side stitches). It was rather wise that I stopped moving for a while and gulped down maybe half of the supply in one water station. I later learned that some people were not able to get water, so maybe it was partly my fault. Hahaha. I even felt the water sloshing in my stomach going back. Fortunately, there are is not a single photograph of that unglamorous moment. :D

Road Test. During this race, I was able to road test the running mix i just made. It was a good combination of songs, kept me going especially in the last part of the run. As the playlist was just a little under 1: 30, I panicked when it came to the last songs and sped up. Fortunately my run ended before my mix did. I have a new powersong: Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. I know, I'm so cool.

Semi-reunion. Road races are becoming sites to meeting long lost taekwondo friends. Spotted the ultimate sporty De Los Reyes Family at their booth (Autoreview).

Mrs. Kim. Charles was still in race mode driving back and didn't even realize he drove into the honda civic's bumper he was tailing. Just a small scratch, but the catch was the driver--Mrs. Kim, the Chinese foreigner with no tagalog and little english. Cool! No one was harmed except Roy who suffered a "nosebleed".

Well, that's all I have to say for this semi-adventure. :D

The Scientific Way of Building a Running Mix

For those like me who are very hardheaded and anti-social, earphones and mp3 players are necessary partners during workout sessions. I don't make playlists for specific purposes like this. I just play an album i feel like listening to. The advantages are, well aside from gym buddies/fellow runners not bothering to talk to you, you choose the music/artist unlike canned gym sounds (akon, jai ho and Flo-rida), it would go on until you press stop, and you wouldn't have to deal with fellows watching tv full blast (makes you think twice why they go to the gym in the first place). The disadvantages however are a lot, you are confined to one artist, the beats per minute (bpm) vary extremely and randomly, the playlist does not run long enough for those long sessions which means you have to listen to the some songs twice, and lastly, because of the second reason, you may get tired of the songs or the artist prematurely. The only exception to all these, in my experience is...Lady Gaga. Haha.

Now that I'm re-emerging from my recovering period post-injury and after reading a few running books i've picked up in a Booksale spree, I've decided to take on a training plan and at the same time do this as scientifically as possible in order to prevent more injuries. After all, I am only 24 and it would be extremely embarassing if i look like i already have arthritis at this age. For years, I have been a pampered athlete, with a good coach always at my side to tell me what I'm doing wrong, whether it's my form, technique, or whatever. I get the reinforcement when needed. Now, it would take time for me to get used to being independent.

Aside from buying the ultimate training companion, which is another story, I figured I should incorporate my ipod in my development. Athough my nike+ toy increased in accuracy after a a few tries in calibration, maybe I could do more with it like thing is to play music at a certain bpm rate for "propulsion".

As much as a geek I am, I pretty much treated this task as a mystery-solving scooby doo adventure. Getting ready to play mixes in podrunner.com gets tiring at one point, although they do cook up some nice tracks.

The first task is to find the ideal bpm, and this chart which I got in run2r.com (run2rhythm) proved to be quite useful:

10 min/km	9 min/km	8 min/km	7 min/km	6 min/k	5 min/km	4 min/km
16 min/mile	14 min/mile	12 min/mile	10 min/mile	9 min/mile	8 min/mile	6 min/mile
150bpm	153bpm	156bpm	160bpm	163bpm	166bpm	171bpm

As for me, I found these suggested rates too fast for my taste. Most of my trance/techno collection are way too slow (130-150) but anyway, i chose to keep a range instead, and scavenge my mp3s for songs matching the range. One can find out the song's bpms in database sites like bpmdatabase.com or if you have much time to spare, you can check the bpm of your current mp3 collection using downloadable applications or an online tool. The iTunes BPM software (Mac) is especially helpful because you just tap your mousepad to the beat and click the set button to embed the data automatically in your mp3 file, much like when you edit the mp3 file info via command+i.

Funny thing though, I didn't know it would take me hours just to build a playlist which is only 1.5 hours long (and i'm even 4 minutes short) notwithstanding the comprehensive mp3 collection I have eating up my hard disk space. And now, realizing that it's just much too tedious, I would have to go back to playing albums during runs/workouts instead and bringing along a watch. But on the other hand, it was a nice exercise because through this I discovered non-dance music that I can play for runs, like for example, Led Zeppelin and The Ramones.

So here's my own mix, arranged from slowest to fastest (150-165 bpm):

• Jason Mraz - Make It Mine
• The Killers - Mr. Brightside
• Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
• Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
• Massive Attack - Tear Drop
• The Killers - Spaceman
• Toni Basil - Mickey (Yes! Mickey!)
• The Cure - Just Like Heaven
• Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank
• Jason Mraz - I Melt With You
• The Cure - A Forest
• Offspring - Come Out and Play
• Devo - Whip It (Haha!)
• Michale Sembello - Maniac (more Haha!)
• Led Zeppelin - Dyer Maker
• Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
• U2 - Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
• The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
• Led Zeppelin - Black Dog

Til the next useless project. I shall use the playlist while running Botak (10k) on May 10 and see what happens.:D

Stephanie Meyer - Twilight (2005)

Rating: 1/5 stars

This must be the only book that took me 6 months to read.

• How clingy, helpless, bobo and OA can a heroine be? So much for empowerment.
• My god, do i need to know what the character does in the bathroom or what she does before going to bed?
  
• I roll my eyes on every mention of "how un-humanly beautiful he is" or how they were in love "irrevocably and unconditionally". Wala na bang ibang masabi?
• The whole book was like word vomit. Paulit ulit and a lot of unnecessary details. Or at least, the side stories should have been placed elsewhere and not as it is done (perhaps a prequel novel separately written?). Poor writing. Do not attempt to compare with JK Rowling. Please.
  
• Hindi na emo yun e. OA na.
  

If you ask me why I continued reading/finished the book, well the answer is I'm on vacation and I can waste my time however I want. From now on, I will confine myself to watching anything written by Stephanie Meyer, at least should I decide to waste time, it would only be a max of two hourse each.

Verdict: Stephanie Meyer, never again.

Pauso - Who's on Twitter

...aside from me:

• Ellen Degeneres
• Nicole Richie
• Borat
  
• Ashton Kutcher
• Barack Obama
• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• 50 cent
• Oprah
• Jason Mraz
• Demi Lovato
• Pete Wentz
• Hulk Hogan
• Chris Cornell
• Dave Navarro
• Jessica Simpson
• JOHN MAYERRRR! (this i actually follow.)
  

It's a new way of stalking really. No, i didn't find these myself, I copied the links from celebrity tweet.

Pauso - Twitter

CNN mentions Twitter in 6 out of 10 sentences. "Check our twitter" "voice your opinions through our twitter" and all that shiz. Pauso. Even thinking of gimmicks to make fans out of us, or followers, that's how they call it.

For that, I now have my own Twitter. Haha.

PS, "tweeting" is the proper verb, apparently. Pauso.

Blogger Celebrityhood - Tunay na Lalake; Plans Hopes and Dreams (haha)

Recently, a new blog was put up by a friend of a friend and glad to say...patok! (See tunaynalalake.blogspot.com) However, they're running out of witty things to say about people, but i love the john lloyd rule and trabaho ng tunay na lalake and pauso line "kung anuano pang shit".

--
Rai and I were planning for a long time now to put up a blog so witty we'd be celebrities for doing so (parang moymoy palaboy haha). I told her "nauubusan na tayo ng idea ah". Abangan: in the near future, magpapauso rin kami, and I have some persons in mind to recruit already...hmm hmm hmm.
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This blog has fans, can you believe it? And for that this writer is not so good in responding to fan mail hahaha. Konti na nga lang hindi pa magawa. Lol.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: Kids & Family

I'm a 13 year old at heart and i love Zac Efron, whether or not he really likes girls more than boys, and there's no denial.

So, High School Musical 3 is a lot like his other movies - lots of dancing and singing - except for one (extraordinarily) notable detail: he was shirtless for around 2 seconds. Haha. He turned away from the camera though and all we see is his back but that's ok. It's a kiddie show.


The movie is full of young beautiful people and I guess that's what made the HSM franchise last to installment 3. Hopefully, no more than that because what could they possibly sing about now? "I broke up with my highschool sweetheart and just came out of the closet"?

Rotten Tomatoes: 66/100
IMDB: 3.6/10

Twitter-ing While Running the London Marathon

Summer days are for getting fit and updating my blog. I can't do both at the same time but some people can, like Peter Wilkinson. He updates his twitter page while he runs the London Marathon. He is at mile 17 as of print time. See his twitter page here. See cnn article here.
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CNN man on course in London Marathon 'tweet' bid

• Story Highlights
• CNN journalist Pete Wilkinson "tweets" during the London Marathon
  
• Wilkinson hopes to finish the race in four hours, while posting Twitter updates
  
• Wilkinson's main concern is crashing into other runners
  

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A CNN.com journalist is on course to achieve his goal of "tweeting" the London Marathon.

Pete Wilkinson, a digital news producer at CNN.com in London, is updating his Twitter page during Sunday's race via text messages from his cellphone.

Wilkinson is more than half way round the iconic 42.1 kilometer (26.2 miles) route and remains on schedule to complete the race in his four-hour target time.

"Crossing tower bridge almost half way now north of river hurrah," Wilkinson wrote at the halfway point. Follow Pete as he tweets

"Crowds are unbelievable really keeping me going never run this fast before," he said.

Prior to the event, Wilkinson had said he wasn't sure if his plan would work and admitted it was "incredibly hard" to send text messages and run at the same time."My main problem is going to be not crashing into other people," Wilkinson told CNN's Isha Sesay. "I don't think I'll have time to stop for too long."

"Here we go! Walking to the start now. Greetings to all cnn viewers and readers," Wilkinson wrote in his first tweet of the day.

Wilkinson said he was standing at the start next to runners dressed as the Sergeant Pepper-era Beatles. "Gonna be long winding road," he wrote.

He's not the first marathon runner to tweet during the race -- a Google search turned up one runner who tweeted during last year's Boston Marathon and another who plans to do it during Sunday's race in London. But it's new enough that Wilkinson said he wants to give it a go.

"I'm hoping it will detract attention from my running," said Wilkinson. "It seemed a good way to do something new." Watch Pete explain why he wants to tweet his epic run »

Wilkinson is also running for charity and said any extra attention it brings to his cause "can't be a bad thing."

The London Marathon starts in Greenwich, in the southeast of the city, and goes along the River Thames. It takes in a number of landmarks including the Tower of London, Parliament and Big Ben before ending at Buckingham Palace.

More than 35,000 runners are expected to take part, according to marathon organizers.

Race officials have advised Wilkinson not to tweet while running because of safety, concerned he might bump into other runners or trip over, but they won't prevent him from tweeting, he said.

And what will Wilkinson be updating his followers with on race day?

"I'm going to tweet about how my muscles are feeling, how my knees are feeling," he said. "My goal is to finish in four hours, so I'll keep people informed about whether I'm going to make that. I suspect only my mother is going to be following me anyway."

The Flora London Marathon, as the race is officially known, takes place each April and is one of the top marathons in the world.

All six male and female medallists from the marathon at the Beijing Olympics last year were running, in the event, along with celebrities including chef Gordon Ramsay and ITN correspondent Tim Ewart.

Germany's Irina Mikitenko won the women's race in a time of two hours, 22 minutes and 11 seconds.

The top prize for male and female finishers is $55,000. Wilkinson was not considered to be among the favorites