So after trail running for 10km at The North Face 100 in Nasugbu, Batangas last weekend, I was thinking of swimming everyday like what I used to do back in college. I never professionally trained for it, just something I did for my asthma. Going back to that routine seemed like a lot of fun. Here’s another article I came across, the link given by my good friend, Tuper.
Sam Murphy on correct swimming technique: Are You Swimming Right?
When all else fails: be one with the mud and it will save your life!
Saturday Night : ma officemates picked me up and went to Chateau Royale to check the place out before claiming of race kits at 4am the next day (Sunday), and ended up in the hotel’s golf course — Evercrest. Tents were on the grass and people were camped by midnight (too bad we weren’t able to see the music gig for the event). Slept in the car and woke up at 330 to change and fall in line for the claiming of shirts and bib numbers.
The race for the 10km run started at 0640H (if I remember it right), 10 minutes after the 20km runners. PACING! That’s what Irene and Jo kept telling me during the 16km run for One La Salle and that’s what I tried to do this morning, since I’m asthmatic and I’ve got to keep ma breathing and speed at bay. The first few minutes were awesome! Cool breeze, the-not-so-rough-yet terrain (haha!) and only around three hundred other people just enjoying that moment until the ground started to get really muddy and people started slipping.
Rule # 1: NEVER run with JUST running shoes, wear TRAIL RUNNING shoes. Gawd (yes, learned it the hard way). I had to dig BOTH my feet into the mud just to keep myself from slipping and getting hurt (but still managed to always fall on ma ass hahaha!). My officemate and I were on the dangerous side of the trail (the side where I could fall off the cliff anytime) and he slipped and almost pushed me (back onto the trail but I could have gotten hurt anyway), so I thought if I had trail running shoes, I did not actually need to be on that side in the first place.
Rule # 2: Always run on the grass (if in the trail that you do run on still has grass) because you will REALLY find it comforting!
Rule # 3: Run as fast as you can (on second thought…NOT!) My other officemate who is also a mountaineer told me that running lessens the risk of injury because you don’t put all your weight on what you step on (which I find logical if I actually had the right shoes that won’t make me slip no matter what kind of step I make — which goes back to rule number 1!) I’ll try that next time, tho. Thanks!
Actually, the trail would have been a lot easier (but still pretty challenging) if it did not rain…BUT it DID rain. I guess it wasn’t a North Face endurance event for nothing!
There was a wooden bridge to be crossed and an alternate route which we took (the one below on the rocks on the water) that leads uphill. I had to hold onto leaves and use my hands to sort of claw into the mud to keep my gravity (because I was so sure my darn shoes alone won’t keep me alive for the rest of the trail!). Downhill (which I found just as hard) ended up making my shorts and legs covered with more dirt (me at ma clumsiest hehehe!) AND my shoes were about 6 inches wider and about 4 inches longer (and about half an inch taller) with mud! Hahaha!
After 8km of trail running, there was an uphill route for pavement running as part of the final leg of the race. My officemate / mountaineer sprained his right ankle at the middle of the race and could not run anymore so I decided to walk this one out with him to the finish line (he waited for me earlier when I could not run anymore because I kept slipping so I decided to play the Good Samaritan this time).
A lot of things have happened for the past few days that almost made me decide to not push through with this, but I’m thankful that I was able to work around such complications because from the minute I heard about this event, I knew I just had to experience this. It was definitely worth all the risk 
Before our race started, one of the 100km runners just got back from his trek. Theirs started at 4am the day before (Saturday), and seeing him finish made me insecure that I was running only 10km! 
These people are amazing, and being around them just makes me feel more comforted that I DID make the right choice. Haha, yes I am still overwhelmed by this event 
Pictures posted here 
Endurance comes in all distances.
FIND YOURS.
Endurance Comes in All Distances. Find Yours.
Slept at ma house (cos I usually sleepover either at Jo’s or at Irene’s) and woke up at almost 4am (cos the alarm did not work and I was supposed to be up by 3!). Took a bath and changed in 20 mins! Texted Jo I was on her way to her house and hailed a cab. It turned out that I texted her first before her phone started to alarm. So much for being early (haha!)
Mary Grace Belarmino Tariaga - 16km: Vanity early in the morning! Haha!
We got there around 0515H and people were already stretching and jogging about as warm-up. Irene was not late (yeyy! we all gettin better at bein on time!) and waited while ma officemate changed into the jersey I brought.
It was my first 16km run (not 12, not 15!) and I was so scared I would have an asthma attack, especially because I don’t run and jog during weekdays. I did not train for this, but it turned out to be okay. We made good time (almost 1 hour and 50 mins — 10-15 mins just getting lost because we did not know where to turn and some of the marshals telling us to head back when we’ve only ran around 10km!).
Ladies after the 16km run!
One wrong thing I did was to pour water on my head when I felt like I couldn’t breathe because it started to get hot even if it just rained. Irene got mad at me (eeeks!) and told me not to do it again (yes ma’am!)
The ladies and ma officemate!
Saw a schoolmate of mine and we took pictures. Great, great day! McDonald’s for breakfast (haha!) just couldn’t resist those hash browns (ugh!!)
Wit ma schoolmate!
It was something really different: it was an achievement for me. Irene kept telling me she was so proud I was able to keep up with their pacing even if I lacked training (although they sort of slowed down after 15km because I started to feel dizzy! much love!) We started to sprint near the finish line! Weehoo!
Thanks to Teddy for waiting at the finish line for us after running 5 km!
One Run. One Family. One La Salle.
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Just something I came across while psyching maself for The North Face 100 this weekend.
Indeed, I have lost every right to complain or at the least, oppose the way of life, because my Redeemer lives to take away my shame. Read about Team Hoyt and watch the video because you will know what I am talking about.
I can do all things through HIM, who strengthens me – Philippians 4:13 
So I hung out with the ladies (Ava was home sleeping argh!) at Nike, Greenbelt (beside Powerbooks) to buy their stuff, went to Chimara for Joanne’s Santa Fe, and Irene’s NY Fries. Somehow, I got persuaded to run 5k on Sunday.
Sometime before I went to sleep last night, I found out that I will be running almost a quarter marathon…!!! It took me several seconds to let it all sink in. I have an ongoing mild asthma attack (prolly due to allergies that I am yet to be aware of as I haven’t had my allergens test for this year). Hmmm …
Suicidal? I don’t think so.
I love life.
Well, I THINK I love life because I’m about to let myself experience it at the speed of 10 KM an hour
Something to try for first-time runners!
Philippine Stock Exchange: Bull Run 2008.
December 21, 2007 near midnight, when I heard about it and what ran through my mind were bulls running with people–Spanish tradition (also as what my friends first led me to believe cos they started tripping on me!) It had been a really slow coffee-night-after-dinner meetup and that really woke me up. I realized they weren’t true because they started cracking up.
10km will be my first run. Not 3k, 5k, and not even 6k.
I’ve always been the type to go club-hopping, spend an entire week getting drunk with friends, and just lounge around for lack of better things to do. I’ve been taking my time off after college and this conversation happened.
So, I thought: why the heck not?
It’s always about what you thought cannot be done: my asthma has restricted me from doing what’s fit and fun, so I’ve decided to make countless leaps of faith. Read…and watch me soar.
