Last Race for 2012

Last November 24th, The 21st Annual Presidential Road Race 5K, concluded my 2012 5K races. Just like last year, this is also my last race for the year. And with that note, I am more determined to run more races in year 2013.

This is my 2nd race for this event and the 13th 5K for this year. The first time I did it was last year with Heather but we were late. However, we did manage to finish the race to my surprise after beating a couple of walkers to the finish line. LOL

This time, I was early. And I ran alone. Heather had to work so I ran all by myself. I finished the race as bad as last year's clocking... 40:12 with 12:57 pace and placing 165th out 177 participants. It was just 7 minutes and 41 seconds less than last year. But doing a little math here, I can say that I was indeed slower compared to last year's race.

Oh well, it is what it is. I would not blame it to my lack of training or my 12 hours job or the weather. I am simply slow and I need to work on that aspect.

Photo Credit: Thanks to Maine Running Photos.

A Photo Walk/Run one foggy weekend

I woke up to a thick fog this morning. It was kinda warm considering the time of the year so I decide to go for a run because tomorrow is my next race - Running for a Reason 5K, here in my town.

Cape Road. This is where I usually start warming up.

So I got ready and set off. But before I left the house I decided to bring the camera along. I was hoping to see some awesome sceneries along the way since I was thinking of taking the road along Saco river.

 Cape Road near the 4-way stop at Saco Road.

 Mapplewood Cemetery at Cape Road.

  Different parts of Saco River.

 

 

 

 Bonney Eagle High School Athletic Field.

 

It took me roughly 3 hours to cover almost the entire 10 miles route. I walked. I ran. I stopped for some snap shots. And here are some of the "raw" photos I took from the photo walk[slash]run[slash]shoot.

Looking at all these photos, I can say that I had fun with my work-out. The question is - did I get the worked out I needed? The answer is - No! But I got all the photos I love so good luck on tomorrow's race! wink*

Why RUN if you can ride... the waves!

So I didn't get the chance to run in the Philippines the way I planned to due to several storms we had when I was there. I didn't get the chance to even just do my regular 3-mile run as my work out because I was working hard on pigging out on my favorite foods that I have not tasted for 5 long years. And yes, if I was not dining out with friends and family left and right, I was on the road exploring different places and doing different activities.

So, my dear brother Japol brought me up north to visit Vigan City to walk back in time and immerse ourselves to the history of the past.

Then, we went straight to Urbiztondo, San Juan La Union and stayed at San Juan Surfresort for the night and met up with my TSS Sistah and Blogger friend Zen of the Letters in November.

The next morning, despite the natural signs of brewing storm, Japol talked me into doing something I never thought I would do in my whole life - surfing.

At first I was a little adamant to try it knowing that I am not a good swimmer. But then, with his constant bugging and persistent. I did it. I have no choice since he already made the arrangement for my first surfing lesson.

And so I did. Despite the fear of drowning and getting chewed on by sharks... I tried it. The instructor gave me quick lesson on Surfing 101.

Next thing I knew...I was riding the waves!

So there... I hanged loose!

 

Author's Note: Special thanks to my brother Japol for the photo coverage, the encouragement and the surfing lesson fee. hahaha

Home Run

My 7-week vacation is over and I'm back to home base. It was such a wonderful vacation despite the 4 storms that the Philippines had during the duration of my stay. I had a wonderful time with my family especially with my 3 nieces and a nephew whom I love to pieces.

I also had such a wonderful time with my brother Japol who brought me to different places. But I didn't get the chance to run a race which we originally planned because of the storms and Japol's hectic itinerary for me. Oh I love him so much for all his efforts to entertain me. So blessed to have a brother like him.

I really wished I had a chance to run because 7-weeks of non-stop pigging out on my favorite foods [that I have not eaten for 5 long years] and no exercise took a great toll on me. I gained 15 lbs. back at the end of my vacation.

Though I had one opportunity to run on the first day I was home with Toby [my Nephew], but that was all about it. It didn't even make me sweat because people I passed by along the road would stopped me and chat. So I just ended up buying more food in the market instead. wink*

Good thing, Japol once came home during one of his day off and we ran from Liliw [my hometown] to Nagcarlan [the next town where I went to High School] and met up with my former High School friend, Aida and her HS sweetheart, Allan.

Japol and I got the chance too to walk with Allan and Aida from Nagcarlan town proper to Sinipian... a well-known Barrio which is frequented by devotees during 1st Friday of the month. And yes, it was First Friday that day.

And of course, a visit to Sinipian will not be complete without buying and pigging out on those yummy treats which I believe is one of the reasons too why people go to that shrine in the first place. wink*

 

YUMMY indeed!


NOTE: Photos all courtesy of  JAPOLogy. Thanks a bunch Japs. Love you.

Running for the birdies and close encounter with the Walking Lady

This year, my goal is to run 2 races every month. So far, I was able to do it. I started last March when I celebrated my 1st Running Anniversary. The Snowy Egret 5k at Scarborough is my 8th race for 2012 and my 2nd race for the month of May.

This is my first "trail race" for this year [and hoping to do more]. I didn't know it until I ran the race. It was a nice nonthreatening course. Though it was a little humid, the shady trail kept us cool.

The race is a replay of my Maine Mall 5k experience in terms of "running". I ran this race again when I was passed by an elderly lady about sixty-ish years old who was just walking the whole time.

 

Let me tell you about this amazing woman. I saw this woman probably more than 5 times already since I started running. She seems to be all over the place. LOL And each time that we ran, she would just be walking the entire 5k race. She walks with grace like a royalty. She walks in a choreographed rhythm as if she was walking on air. She is fast and unstoppable. She never shows tiredness. She is relaxed and poised.

The race course had a one long straight route where we turn around at a certain point. On my way back I saw her from a distance in her signature graceful brisk walking coming my way. I continued jogging while a woman kept passing me by just like the one at the Mall race. By that time I was already contemplating to do the trick I did before but not really sure if I really want to or not.

 

After about 5 minutes of not-stop steady jogging, I realized that the walking lady caught up with me and she was walking right beside me and started talking to me when an spectator said... "good job" to us. It was then I realized that I was really jogging slow or maybe she was really fast. Well, I wasn't really threatened by her until that Maine-Mall-part-2 woman caught up with me again. Just in time, I saw that I was already almost 500 feet from the finish line. So, I sped up agian... sprinted... and ran as fast as I could passing again a couple of people on my way to the finish line.

I clocked in 36:08 at 11:38 pace and placing 181st out of the 225 participants. At the finish line I finally got the chance to talk to this amazing woman and boy, she is one of the nicest people I ever met. She even gave me advice on race walking and told me that she would gladly coach me to race walk. Her name is Debbie.