Run United Philippine Marathon - Part 1: Peak Week Training

With 4weeks to go, last week was my Peak Week for the Run United Philippine Marathon. Part of the allure of the Marathon is its Training, and I have been excited to get my highest mileage and highest intensity training week since Week#18. Unfortunately, for some reason, I caught some cold/cough virus and it got worse last Wednesday, when I was supposed to do some VO2max interval workouts. I felt so bad that I took a sick leave that day. The next day, thursday, I felt a little better and I was so eager and anxious to run some intervals. I thought it would be best to try that YASSO800 workout to gauge my marathon ability.  I was surprised myself when my dad made me realise I was no longer dreading interval workouts. I ran 10x800meters with 400meter jogs in between. I averaged 3:15 for those 800meters, predicting a 3hour15minute marathon finish time.

However, I've read that these workouts sometimes predict marathon finish times 5minutes faster, so I guess I'm on track for my 3:20 goal. Also, I still had some coughs and colds that my workouts could've been faster. I had to perfect the art of Snot Rocket to run fast!


Registration

We're Excited!

Like I've mentioned in my previous blog, I was willing to register in the first ever Run Rio Marathon, as long as the registration doesn't go higher than P2,999.99. Good thing they've initially declared it to be P2,500, and further lowered it to P1,300 when a lot of runners protested against the high price. As long as Run Rio gives us the best marathon experience, I was OK with the P2,999.99. So with P1,300, my expectations now are a bit lower... so I'll probably be happy with the race. The official website published that the insite registration would be October 8th, but thanks to RunRio organizer Kulit Runner, she announced on Facebook that Riovanna would be accepting registration on the 7th! I got so excited Kat and I went there in the afternoon :-)

Registered and Ready to Run!

Unfortunately I skipped some days of running due to my coughs and colds so I wasn't able to hit my peak mileage of 70+ miles. This morning, however, I was scheduled for a 22mile run at 10% slower than marathon target pace, so that should be 8:20/mile. For some reason, this morning, I felt so good, so strong, that I kept running below 8:00/mile.... then after 4miles, I've decided to let it rip!!! I eventually averaged 7:39/mile, exactly my marathon pace target, but on a 22mile long run. I have this bad habit since the beginning, of racing my long runs like this. I have been warned by a Boston Marathoner friend that I should never run my long runs at marathon pace, well at least it should be rare, and only for the last half of the workout. Otherwise, I would have peaked already. Now, I am worried that this could be the case, and if I don't run under 3:20 come October28th, I would know the reason. But for now, I've enjoyed and remained relatively strong in my Peak Marathon Week training despite of the coughs and colds. In the next 3weeks, I would be tapering and be lowering my mileage and speed work. I'll keep you guys posted.

Kwicky Blade Review by Kat Kat

Kat and I went shopping last Saturday for new shoes and she bought the KSWISS Kwicky Blade. Although KSWISS is very vocal that their shoes aren't for joggers, I feel the need to share KatKat's review of the KSWISS Kwicky Blade.

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I love to run that I happily endure all the discomfort and pain that comes with it.   Those are nothing compared to the joy that it brings me anyway.  Two things that constantly bother me during and after my runs are BLISTERS and toenails that constantly die on me.  (Gross! Believe me, I know!!! And very unladylike too!)  I get blisters on top of old blisters and new ones after each run.  I have lost several toenails which takes a month and sometimes more to grow back so I constantly wear closed shoes or cover it up with a band aid.  I have also said goodbye to sexy killer heels since I started running last January 2012. 

(PS. These aren’t mine!)

Anyway,  I have gone through four (4) running shoes this year.  I gave away my old Reebok to a running enthusiast and retired my old Nike – the culprit for the first toenail that I lost this year!  I remember that was February 25, 2012. March 10, 2012, Nathaniel and I bought the Skechers GO RUN.  It was great to run in but I still get blisters and my toenails kept dying.  May 2012, I bought the Nike Lunar Racer hoping it will solve the problem but I realized after running in it that it was quite narrow so it gave me blisters way worse than what I got from wearing Skechers. 

(Cathy is wearing the KSwiss Kruuz in this picture though.) 

My pretty Iron friend Cathy Bril-Jordan kept telling me since February to buy the KSwiss Kwicky Blade.  She said that she ran her first Marathon in it without socks and she didn’t get any blisters.  She said that she had healthy toenails since. 

I still didn’t buy the Kwicky after being told several times because it is quite expensive at 6200PHP/$135.  I thought it was too much.  I have only decided to get a pair after 8 months and only after seeing that they have it in PINK and that it was on sale (15%). 

My Kwickys are Kikay Pink!!! Bought it just last September 15, 2012 for 5300.00PHP  :D  

“I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT A LONG TIME AGO!” was what I said to myself while running in it last Sunday.  It fit me like a glove and it is very soft and smooth to run in!!

I HAD ZERO BLISTERS!!!  I initially didn’t think it was possible but believe me IT IS! Running in the rain was also no problem because it has drainage too.   It looks a little bulky but it’s actually light.  I can run forever in these.  

You may check out the product details in this site:

http://www.kswiss.com/shop/footwear/92941-699/Women/Kwicky_Blade-Light_Neutral/NEPNK_MYSTERIOSO_/tree

I may still race 5ks and 10ks with my Nike Lunar Racer though but I’ll train with my Pink Kwicky and I intend to run my first marathon in it.  (Wish me luck!)   

Cathy didn’t lie, the KSwiss Kwicky Blade Light did deliver on its promise.  Worth every penny I spent!

~ Kat Salangsang 

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I am a Marathon Runner. I must run

I've been busy for the past 3months training for the Marathon, and I'm targeting the Coach Rio's 1st Marathon, the Philippine International marathon on October 28. I hear the registration's really expensive at P3,000.00 - I may have to cancel my plans for that in case the rumors were true and train for the QCIM on December instead. But if the actual registration is cheaper, say P2,999, I think I could afford Rio's Marathon.

My Target
I've noticed that at each of my succeeding serious marathon effort, I cut about 9minutes off at each race. Since my last marathon PR was 3:29, I believe a realistic good target would be 3:20. That's 7:37/mi or 4:44/km pace.

Mileage
One of the things I've noticed in my body's behavior is it really respond well to higher mileage training, around 50miles to 80miles per week(80 to 128kms/wk). Any lower than 50miles/week(80kms/wk), I wouldn't be as strong or fast as I would want to be, and any higher than 80miles/week(128kms/wk) I would start to feel my legs are falling apart. Also, before I started my Marathon Training last July, I was lifting weights in the gym, trying to look good building upper-body muscles and trying to grow some abs. I would go to the gym during lunch time about 3 to 5times a week. I have to admit it's really hard work for me.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try, and it's been a year since I've signed up, I am nowhere close to having a stunning body for a magazine-cover, or something you would show-off on the beach. To add to that frustration, my race times and daily runs got slower. The reasons for that, I've realized, is added upper body muscle doesn't add running endurance. I also read somewhere that in running, what we would ideally want is a high ratio of capillaries over running muscles, to deliver as much oxygen and blood as possible to the working muscles. In other words, abs won't make you faster in the marathon. Gym workouts slow you down. Consistent Long runs and high mileage lets you grow more capillaries and are the key to stronger marathon times.

Now after a month or two of not going to the gym, I've easily lost 5pounds, although I looked scrawny, I'm quite happy I look lean and fast -- my workouts are getting faster and longer as well.

In the first two months of my training, I focused on the endurance build-up where I started at 40mi/wk(60kms/wk) and gradually built it to 77mi/wk(123kms/wk). My average pace were around 8mins/mi on almost all my workouts. I was able to run five 20-milers during this period ranging from 8:20 to 7:50/mile pace. Now I am on the VO2max section of my training phase, where I would run 600meters to 1,000meter intervals at approx 5K race pace about 6:19/mi or 3:56/km. I later realized I was running my easy runs and long runs too fast! If I were to target a 3:20 marathon at 7:37/mi pace, my long runs would have to be 20 to 10% slower than this, and should be only 9:09 to 8:23/mi, (or 5:41 to 5:13/km). Last week I was scheduled to do a long run of 24miles or 38kms, and if I were to follow this pace, I should finish at exactly 3hours and 20minutes, my marathon target time. I ran with my Team Power Puff Boys teammates at UP Diliman, and I have to say, although this was slower, i felt exhausted. It did simulate what I feel at the end of the marathon, but without the extreme muscle soreness/fatigue. I believe it is the ultimate Marathon workout, and I'm glad I have passed it with 2months to go!

24miles Long Run with Team Power Puff Boys at UP Diliman

VO2max workouts
After the exhausting 24miles last Sunday, I thought I wasn't ready to perform 5x600meter intervals at 5K race speed on Tuesday. I felt awful on the 2.5mile warm-up. But then when I started running those 600meter at fairly fast pace, my muscles didn't feel fatigued anymore, and they were all fired-up! My legs have the bounce and my strides were powerful. I was able to practice what I thought was the best running form, I thought I was copying Haile Gebrselassie or Ryan Hall :-) The next day I felt tired and ran my recovery day at very slow pace. Then the next day I ran 15miles at 8:16/mile pace, no big deal. It may be because I've been recruiting different sets of muscle types - long runs like 24miles and 15miles use the slow twitch muscles, while the 5x600meter intervals use the fast twitch muscles. So I guess the slow twitch take a bit of rest during these intervals. Crazy, but it could be true. It just works.

Recovery Runs (Jogs)

I also remember during in one of my "easy runs", I overtook this known elite Pinoy runner who could run 31-minute 10K and sometimes beat the Kenyans in our local races. 

 Jogging at about 8'10"/mile only, I was surprised to be faster than him during training. He didn't mind me overtaking him, unlike those other younger elite runners who seems to have more pride and wouldn't let you overtake them. After a few minutes, I stopped and drank my gatorade, he overtook me, but I later caught him. We chatted for quite a while, he asked me if I were doing a tempo run, and I said no, I am doing an easy run. He said he was running from home to work, a total of 90minutes, and he works in the Army. That was his normal pace. Then it occurred to me, if this guy could run 31minute 10K's, and I could only run 42minutes 10K's, shouldn't I be a lot slower than him during my recovery runs???!!!  He therefore inspired me to jog my easy runs slower. From 8'10"/mile(5:05mpk), I slowed my recovery runs now down to 9'15"/mile (5:45mpk) or sometimes even slower. I guess it must have worked, for weeks now, I seem to recover faster and better from my hard workouts whenever I really slow down my recovery workouts. Muscles never seems to get sore anymore like before, although I am now running faster intervals.

I've done six 20-milers+ already, so I'm quite confident with my endurance to run strong, I feel I'm at the best shape to run another marathon. However, I still have 3 or 4weeks of hard VO2max workouts ahead of me before peaking, I just hope I don't overdo them and get overboard by inducing another injury.

What wakes me up in the morning
Every time I wake up in the morning, I am motivated to getup from bed and run with the thought of a 3:20 marathon finish. Even if it's raining really hard, as long as there's no sign of another Typhoon or flooding, I am very eager to run. Okay the intervals and speedwork still scares me a bit. But before all that, I I would drink my coffee, surf the web for facebook, runnersworld, dailymile, runningtimes, takbo.ph. Then after about 30minutes I would go to the toilet and do my thing for 15 to 20minutes. That leaves me about 10minutes to change into my running clothes and shoes. Then this small clip reminded me of myself and laughed when he said it takes him also an hour from waking up to actually hitting the road :-)

UP Running

Below is a video of Kat Kat and I running at UP Diliman, simply having fun, we call it Run-Dates when we run together. We run together in an easy pace on Saturdays, and we then do long runs separately on our own, though still in UP, on Sundays. I made the video using iMovie app in macbook pro laptop, so easy and so fun to use!  Enjoy...

i love running

Sorry for not blogging much lately, I feel there's nothing interesting in my own training and racing. I was injured after the Condura Marathon, had pulled hamstrings after a week of recovery. So my month of March was really poor in my training.  I thought I would focus on shorter distance and maybe get good results, but I only got disappointing 44 and 45minutes of 10K races. Damn that NatGeo race was ridiculously expensive!  But now, I am slowly getting stronger and faster again. I've downloaded SMART COACH training program from Runnersworld.com to help me with my training. I'll be focusing for the Team Power Puff Boy's Race in Chris Sports Epic Relay on June10, and perhaps hopefully qualify for the Milo Marathon again.

Sometimes, inspiration in running doesn't have to be watching those Elite Kenyans or Ethiopians like Gebrselassie or Makau dominate a marathon race. Sometimes it doesn't have to be someone in the running community to perform an incredible or heroic race. It doesn't have to be someone as sexy as Kara Goucher.

Sometimes, inspiration can take in the form of a partner, a special loving someone. For me, my new inspiration is my new special someone to share a lot of fun times with, and unexpectedly - RUNNING!

Kat-Kat was my Sister's board-mate in College, and I had a secret crush with her, so she never knew I liked her at the time, she even won't believe me now. She said she used to run a bit even in College, and now that she works at HP, she got hooked in Running and joining their company Fun Runs.  Last December, we joined the Sendong Fun Run with my sister. I paced both of them, but I've decided to support and stick with the slowest of the two of them. My Sister beat Katkat by 1minute, she finished in 35minutes while Kat Kat finished in 36minutes. I was actually expecting both of them to finish 40+minutes in the hilly McKinley Hill route, so I was happy with their times and praised them for their good job!

After the Sendong Race, Kat Kat and I got closer as friends, and I gave her a training program that I thought should fit her best - gradually increasing easy mileage that would eventually reach 40miles/week (60kms/week). I knew she has been running, but I doubted that she was consistent enough to improve gradually, so I considered her to still a newbie. So high mileage should work wonders for her - she initially aimed for a 2:15 time for a 21Km race this September.

She would commute to UP or McKinley Hill on weekdays, and I would accompany her during the weekend in UP. On Saturdays, I would run with her, and we would call it "Run-Date". On Sundays, she would run by herself so she could control her own pace, and workout that long run to 13miles (21K) regularly.

On our real dates, we would go in running shops like RUNNR or NIKE stores and drool over the running shoes. I never met a woman before who would actually drool over running shoes like I do, so I thought this was a great sign. She brought the new SKECHERS "GO RUN" that was made famous recently by Meb Keflezighi by winning the USA Men's Marathon Olympic Trials, which makes them real racing shoes!

For her first race this year, we've decided to join 10K BDO Run at MOA. I finished it at a disappointing (for me) 45minutes, while to my surprise, Kat Kat finished it at 57minutes! I was expecting her to finish it maybe at 59minutes, but she was actually 2minutes faster!

57minute 10K debut!

Because she was 2minutes faster than expected, I wasn't able to shoot a good camera angle of her, but look, she's actually smiling her way to the finish line!  She also placed 3rd in the female category, so I was so happy and so proud of her that I bought her a Garmin Forerunner 405. The pink GF110 looked more feminine, but I felt Kat Kat's a more serious runner and the GF110 lacked the programmable interval/speedwork that GF405 provided.

In our next race, we joined the National Geographic 10K run that I felt was ridiculously expensive and they just didn't meet my expensive expectations. I mean yes they do have the right to make it expensive, but as consumers we will also have the right to complain and voice out our disappointment. It was only a few weeks after the BDO race, so we didn't improve much, and got almost the same race times. The only thing I liked about the Nat Geo Race is their Photobooth, where we got awesome memorable pics!

Like I've said, January her goal was just to run a 2:15 half-marathon. Well just in training in UP, she already ran a 2:13. She continues to surprise me in her training long runs, but I've warned her not to race her workouts and she assures me they're easy for her! I guess a sub2hour 21K is inevitable...

Unfortunately, running does have its ups and downs. Kat Kat had fast UPS, and she also had a unexpected recent DOWN. In one of her training at McKinley Hill, she had a nasty wrong step while doing a left U-Turn in a Hilly Slope. She then got a foot pain at the outer side of her left foot, similar location to my stress fracture last year. I told her to stop running for 2 to 3weeks, but she's too hard headed that it's too bad her foot's not as hard as her head, and she would start running again after 2 or 3days, only to find herself hurting too much and unable to run after 2miles. At least it's good to see her burning desire to keep on running despite the pain. She went to pain and rehab and got her foot examined. Good thing the X-ray revealed no stress-fracture, and there were no signs of inflammation, so we suspect it's just tendonitis or maybe some torn ligaments. However these injuries do take a lot of time to heal, and now she's listening to her doctor to stop running for 2 to 3weeks. It'll be 2weeks for her this coming Wednesday, she said she feels no pain right now, so hopefully next week will be a good start for her.

While her foot was still healing she bought another running shoe, the Nike Lunar Racer, similar to my own racing shoe. The RUNNR store got a great discount so she had to buy it before they ran out of stock. My size10 already ran out of stock when I was about to buy my 2nd pair. Good thing I was able to buy one at a good discount 3weeks ago in the same store. Funny thing is, the salesperson recognized her and remarked that she was buying the same pair of shoes I bought! :-)

We're a good-looking pair together!

I love Kat Kat for who and what she is, and it's a big bonus for me that she's also a serious passionate runner, and also a fast one! I see a lot of potential in her, I'm so excited already. My sister once said that if I ever find another girlfriend, it should be someone who also loves running. True, because I've heard a lot of complaints from my runner friends wherein their wives would complain of their running. We never imagined it to be her friend Kat Kat. In a lot of ways, I see a lot of myself as a runner in her. It's only been 2months for us, but the signs really show, and I really think this is it, I've finally found my Running partner for Life! 

How a runner prepares a Romantic Dinner: Kat-Kat used Gatorade as "WINE"!

Why do I see my runner-self in her?

National Geographic Earth Day Run 2012

I was invited to blog and jog (run) the NatGeo Earth Day run on  April 22, (Sunday). I've run NatGeo race 2years ago, and I thought it was pricey and now it's getting even more expensive. There were no cause mentioned other than "Earth Day". I didn't get any details on the cash prizes for the winners yet nor the race map. I'll give more details on this as soon as I get them. However, the TSHIRT really does look great, I loved the old t-shirts 2years ago (although I didn't think the one I got was durable), now the new design's even better. I wanted the blue shirt, so I'll join the 10K run.

National Geographic Earth Day Run 2012

• Venue: Bonifacio Global City
• The run will have the following distance: 
• 3k (P650)
• 5k (P750)
• 10k (P950)
• 21k (P1,150) 
• Entry fees include limited edition NGC EDR technical shirt.
• Interested participants can go to Greenbelt 3, Ground Floor Left Wing for cash registration.
• Cash registration runs until April 15, 2012.
• Online registration is until April 15, 2012.
• Major credit cards are accepted for online registration.
• For questions, please e-mail: secretariat@natgeorun.com.

Note that:

• Registration fees are NON-REFUNDABLE and NON TRANSFERABLE.
• Categories are NOT UPGRADABLE NOR DOWNGRADABLE.

Black for 21K, Blue for 10K, Yellow for 3K

Yellow for 3K

Nike Flyknit Racer - Coming out in July

Just recently heard that NIKE will be releasing a new model/design, the Flyknit Racer.  I've been a fan of the Lunar Racer series, having purchased and raced on them in the marathons, and I've always thought they're the perfect shoes for me - very light (6.7oz) and very cushiony soft, and quite high mileage(500miles/800kms) for a "racer". Now Nike is saying they're going to be releasing an even lighter racing shoe at 5.6oz. Lighter shoes means faster cadence for a well trained runner/jogger in the race, and somehow longer strides, so therefore - faster racing times. No word yet on what kind of cushioning soles they'll be using whether Lunar Foam, Zoom Air, or Skylon.  I certainly hope they'll still be using Lunar Foam so I can use them for the marathon. Can't wait to try them in July.

http://www.nikeblog.com/2012/02/21/nike-flyknit-racer-new-technology-model/#more-49369

"Continuing the quest for the lightest shoe possible that still offers all the necessary support, stability and cushioning, Nike is set to introduce the new Nike Flyknit racer. As the name suggests, the shoe will incorporate Flyknit, Nike’s newest textile technology.
Spawned from four years of research and development, Nike Flyknit is intended to give runners the snug, nearly unnoticed “second-skin” fit of a sock, while offering the structure and durability of a shoe.
The resulting Nike Flyknit Racer is formfitting and almost entirely seamless, not to mention groundbreakingly lightweight. Its 5.6-ounce weight (size 9) is 19% lighter than the Nike Zoom Streak 3, which was worn by the 2011 World Championships’ top three finishers in the men’s marathon.
Intended for marathoners, look for the Nike Flyknit Racer release date in July. Around that time, the Nike Flyknit Trainer will also hit stores, a 7.7-ounce shoe intended for all runners."