Well, it all started because of vanity. I started "gymming" last year in July with hope of gaining some upper body strength so that I can carry my son around without hurting my back, and to get (ahem!) shapely legs. I did gain upper body strength but my legs remained as unshapely as before. After hearing my work out regime one of my friend (a taewkondo instructor) suggested that I should start running.
So I started running since the beginning of this year at Stotsenburg Park*, a beautiful ground inside Clark airbase, with a running track of 2.2 km, some 100 meters from our home. At first, my target was to do one lap without running out of breath. It took almost a month to achieve my target. Then I came to know about a rotary 5K run being held at the park. I started training for that three times a week. I did my first 5K run in Feb. I stopped going to the gym as I genuinely started to enjoy running. From there on, there was no looking back and I went on do my first 10K run in August. Currently, I'm training for my first half marathon (21K) which is scheduled to be held on Dec 5th. In between, I attempted my first trail run not knowing what it entails! I can never forget my Mt Pinatubo trail run experience. Even though I didn't manage to finish the run (decided to stop at 37K, with 13K to the finish line) it still feels like a dream. However, I successfully completed a 24K extreme trail run in November.
Somebody questioned me the other day "why do you run?". It got me thinking - why from being an absolutely non-athletic person for 28 years, I took a U-turn to run? Fitness is one thing but the long runs (I do between 10k-20k) take me to a different plane. Each time, doing the first 5K is a struggle but after that I reach a state of thoughtlessness/trance and that's where I'm in complete touch with myself. A couple of months back one of my friends had said "running is a higher level of meditation" and at that point I realized how true it is. Apart from the fact that toxins leave my body with the sweat, I feel all the negative energies leaving me as well when I run. I feel much more settled and comfortable in my own skin now. Also, from a financially independent woman to now a home maker, I guess the need to prove that I'm still capable of "achieving" is stronger. I don't know if any "happy" hormones are released during or after running, but I'm surely a happier person now. I strongly believe and endorse that - "there's something about running!"
As far as shape of my legs is concerned, I give a damn now! :)
* The parade ground has a wonderful history behind it. You can read about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Stotsenburg
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
X Trail Run (24K), successfully finished :))
I did my first ever extreme trail run on October 13th, at the Pamulaklakin Forest Reserve* in Subic. One of the most extreme aspect of the entire deal was to start running at one in the afternoon!! From my previous trail running experience (38K at Mt Pinatubo), I knew these 24K would not be fun without a partner, so I persuaded Pratim (my husband) to join me as well.
He agreed and we hit the road at 11AM on that Saturday morning - for what turned out to be one of the most exhilarating experiences ever!
Salomon (a trail shoe brand) are among the best know organizers of such events, with over 80 race marshals, excellent medical supplies and all rounded support for close to 100 runners. They did a quick briefing, a solemn prayer service for every one's safety and success and started the run on schedule.
The first 4K - along this long winding, narrow path through tall wild grass fields - were excruciating. Running with no tree cover from the scorching heat of the afternoon sun, I started feeling faint. What's more, the path was so narrow that everyone had to run in a single file, with little or no scope for taking lead. As I was beginning to choke in the heat (and with the fear of another DNF tag looming large), we entered the rain forest. The huge relief that I felt with the green cover was quickly wiped out when I saw how uphill the run was from there on. After about a km of trekking uphill, I was almost ready to quit. I took a quick 5 minutes breather, weighed by chances - and decided to carry on! The 7K mark brought us to the this little Aeta village (Aetas are mountain tribes in the Philippines). The beauty of the settings and the simplicity and warmth of these people made for a much needed distraction from my heavy breathing and drumming heartbeats.
Admiring more of nature's bounty - 60 to 100 foot tall trees, gurgling streams, thick green shrubs, deep red soil - we trudged further uphill. However, I ran to make up for lost time where ever the terrain was flat or the climb was gradual. We finally made it to the top, after crossing a cool, fast flowing stream and another 2K of steep uphill trek under the sun. This "highest point" of the trail was at 12K - our half way mark! Though I was dog tired by then, the thought having made it half way and that the remaining half was mostly downhill was too tempting to give up. What helped me rejuvenate was the view from the top. The greenery of a rain forest is breath taking!!!
The trail going down was different from the one coming up and it was very sludgy, slippery and steep downhill through a bamboo forest. I had no idea that this stretch would be such a test of upper body strength, concentration and pain endurance for the feet and lower leg muscles. At one point, the trick of this downhill run got the better of me. I lost my foothold and slipped a few meters down the slope on my back. Thankfully I wasn't injured and a bamboo tree stopped my fall further. Having run for close to 4 hours, with fading light in the thick bamboo forest and with every body part hurting by now, I was growing impatient to see the finish line. Just when I thought that we will not make it before the cut off time, I saw two race marshals who cheered us and said "only 300 meters to go" and boom we were out of the bamboo forest and could see the road. I saw the the finish line and ran for it!!
We finished the 24K in 3 hrs and 58 minutes - just 2 minutes before the official closing time!
It was worth the pain after all :)
*Pamulaklakin forest reserve is home to the indigenous Aetas who once trained the U.S. Navy jungle survival tactics.
Photo courtesy - http://titaniumrunner.net/
He agreed and we hit the road at 11AM on that Saturday morning - for what turned out to be one of the most exhilarating experiences ever!
Salomon (a trail shoe brand) are among the best know organizers of such events, with over 80 race marshals, excellent medical supplies and all rounded support for close to 100 runners. They did a quick briefing, a solemn prayer service for every one's safety and success and started the run on schedule.
The first 4K - along this long winding, narrow path through tall wild grass fields - were excruciating. Running with no tree cover from the scorching heat of the afternoon sun, I started feeling faint. What's more, the path was so narrow that everyone had to run in a single file, with little or no scope for taking lead. As I was beginning to choke in the heat (and with the fear of another DNF tag looming large), we entered the rain forest. The huge relief that I felt with the green cover was quickly wiped out when I saw how uphill the run was from there on. After about a km of trekking uphill, I was almost ready to quit. I took a quick 5 minutes breather, weighed by chances - and decided to carry on! The 7K mark brought us to the this little Aeta village (Aetas are mountain tribes in the Philippines). The beauty of the settings and the simplicity and warmth of these people made for a much needed distraction from my heavy breathing and drumming heartbeats.
Admiring more of nature's bounty - 60 to 100 foot tall trees, gurgling streams, thick green shrubs, deep red soil - we trudged further uphill. However, I ran to make up for lost time where ever the terrain was flat or the climb was gradual. We finally made it to the top, after crossing a cool, fast flowing stream and another 2K of steep uphill trek under the sun. This "highest point" of the trail was at 12K - our half way mark! Though I was dog tired by then, the thought having made it half way and that the remaining half was mostly downhill was too tempting to give up. What helped me rejuvenate was the view from the top. The greenery of a rain forest is breath taking!!!
The trail going down was different from the one coming up and it was very sludgy, slippery and steep downhill through a bamboo forest. I had no idea that this stretch would be such a test of upper body strength, concentration and pain endurance for the feet and lower leg muscles. At one point, the trick of this downhill run got the better of me. I lost my foothold and slipped a few meters down the slope on my back. Thankfully I wasn't injured and a bamboo tree stopped my fall further. Having run for close to 4 hours, with fading light in the thick bamboo forest and with every body part hurting by now, I was growing impatient to see the finish line. Just when I thought that we will not make it before the cut off time, I saw two race marshals who cheered us and said "only 300 meters to go" and boom we were out of the bamboo forest and could see the road. I saw the the finish line and ran for it!!
We finished the 24K in 3 hrs and 58 minutes - just 2 minutes before the official closing time!
It was worth the pain after all :)
*Pamulaklakin forest reserve is home to the indigenous Aetas who once trained the U.S. Navy jungle survival tactics.
Photo courtesy - http://titaniumrunner.net/
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
My first "DNF (did not finish)" trail run :)
I started for a place called Tarlac at 3 am on Saturday (9th Oct.) and reached the start point of the run at 4 am. Registered myself and got ready with the gear (basically hydration belt &
first aid kit). The run started at 5 am and it was still quite dark.
The first 7k was easy run but the terrain started getting tougher after that. The next 9k was on absolutely loose earth (lahar) and very difficult to run on. But the next 9k was the toughest as it was just rocks. It was impossible to run on rocks. There were a lot of streams we had to cross. So every time we would cross one, the
shoes would become heavy and the lahar would stick to it.
I got sucked in to quick sand at one of the streams and so did a couple of other runners. The trail to the top was supposed to be only 25k, but due to the fact that trail kept on changing, it must easily have been 35k (as per the more experienced runners).
It took me 5 hours to reach the Mt Pinatubo*, crater lake. I took a break of about 15-20 minutes before descending. I thought that the descend would be quicker and easier but no I was completely wrong. The trail had completely changed and so had the flow of all streams.
It was terribly hot, the trail looked rockier than before and I felt like a mere speck on that vast harsh land.
By the time I reached near the second last aid/water station which was about 13k away from the finish line, I decided to give up. I know I should not have. I should have pushed myself a little more but I was scared of getting injured. May be next time with more training I would do better. It took me a day and a half to recover. I'm completely sun burnt :) I also have about 25-30 insect bites which the doctor said would heal in 1 or 2 weeks.
*Mt Pinatubo is an active volcano in the Philippines, which last erupted in 1991.
first aid kit). The run started at 5 am and it was still quite dark.
The first 7k was easy run but the terrain started getting tougher after that. The next 9k was on absolutely loose earth (lahar) and very difficult to run on. But the next 9k was the toughest as it was just rocks. It was impossible to run on rocks. There were a lot of streams we had to cross. So every time we would cross one, the
shoes would become heavy and the lahar would stick to it.
I got sucked in to quick sand at one of the streams and so did a couple of other runners. The trail to the top was supposed to be only 25k, but due to the fact that trail kept on changing, it must easily have been 35k (as per the more experienced runners).
It took me 5 hours to reach the Mt Pinatubo*, crater lake. I took a break of about 15-20 minutes before descending. I thought that the descend would be quicker and easier but no I was completely wrong. The trail had completely changed and so had the flow of all streams.
It was terribly hot, the trail looked rockier than before and I felt like a mere speck on that vast harsh land.
By the time I reached near the second last aid/water station which was about 13k away from the finish line, I decided to give up. I know I should not have. I should have pushed myself a little more but I was scared of getting injured. May be next time with more training I would do better. It took me a day and a half to recover. I'm completely sun burnt :) I also have about 25-30 insect bites which the doctor said would heal in 1 or 2 weeks.
*Mt Pinatubo is an active volcano in the Philippines, which last erupted in 1991.
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