first time

i joined the merrell trail run and it will happen this saturday morning in timberland heights in san mateo, rizal. this is the first time i joined a race that is not 10k and this is also my first trail run. it gives me a rare feeling of dreading the day you look forward to.

i am not sure what to expect in a 5k trail run. my running buddy told me that running 5k in a trail is like running 7k on flat road. there could even be a river crossing in the event but i am also told that river crossing is included only beyond 10k in this event. i dunno whether to be happy with that news or not.

i am also thinking what shoes to wear in this event because i do not have a trail shoes. my running shoes lineup is as follows: reebok trinity 5 (my favorite), nike lunarglide 3 and VFF KSO. i am thinking of wearing my VFF but the surface of the road might hurt me more than i signed up for. wearing my reebok or nike is also not my favorite thing to ponder on because they might be trashed by the trail.

anyway, everything is set and ready. i think my preparation for this event is enough to get me through this in one piece. by the way, i like their singlet.

i am still deluded that i am still a medium sized bloke. i got medium singlet and it looked like the stitches of the singlet might burst open when i wear them. poor thing.

the power of vision

i remember the times when i was actively playing basketball. that was before i undergone ACL reconstruction surgery on my right knee. back then i would envision myself doing things on the playing court, both on offense and defense.

well, i don't really envision what time of the game i would do it. i just envision it. the kind of pass i want to make. the kind of defense that would make my opposition bleed for points. the kind of shot i want to make over my defenders.

i would envision every movement i want to make. where would i put my right foot and left foot. which hand would i use to hold the ball. i have screenshots of the movement i want to make in my brain. frame by frame. i can even see which part of my body perspired the most.

the best thing about my vision is: i envision myself doing my moves against the best opposition there is. i envision myself doing a spectacular layup against the opposition's best defender and i envision myself stealing the ball from the opposition's best point guard or blocking the shot opposition's best scorer.

sounds conceited, right? but envisioning yourself doing amazing things builds up your confidence. and when you're confident, you can do a lot of amazing things like blocking the shot of a 6foot2 guy when you're 5foot6.

vision. it gives you confidence. trust me. been there. done that.

i remember the slogan of pharmaton before. what your mind conceive, your body can achieve. you cannot be competitive if you're not confident you can beat your opponent. you cannot win over your rival if you cannot win over yourself. it all starts with confidence. you have to trust your own body and your own training.

don't be unfair to yourself by doing all those trainings and preparations and then tell yourself after that you're not good enough. you're always better than you give yourself credit for. keep in mind, you can be faster, tougher and stronger if you just put your mind to it.

i am not, in any way, saying that you have to be conceited. conceit and confidence are 2 different things and don't confuse yourself to it. you can be confident while being humble. actually, you have to be confident and you have to be humble about yourself. humility is not deflecting praises either but i am not going to delve into that. what i am just trying to say is, give yourself a chance to achieve more and better things by pushing yourself to your limits. if i can have it my way, i would say that you just have to push yourself further because there's no limits to what you can do. really.

so for this coming june 17, i am envisioning myself crossing the finish line of the 21k category of run united 2 2012. on my feet. running and not walking. i envision myself to take advantage of all the effects of the training i am doing today. i envision myself wearing a finisher shirt and the finisher medal in my hands. i envision myself running at better pace than i have all my life. i am going to have the confidence in myself, my body and my training. i am going to give it my all.

by the way, i am able to do a spectacular layup against the opposition's best defender, i was able to steal the ball from the opposition's best point guard and i was able to block the shot of opposition's best scorer. well, back in the day, that is. ^_^

trinityrunner's version of don't quit

the original

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown



trinityrunner's version

Don't Quit

When your legs go stiff, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When your fuel is low and the sun is high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When fatigue is pressing you down a bit,
Walk, if you must, but don't you quit.

Race is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the racer has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when race seem unending that you must not quit.

- trinityrunner

that training regimen

we always want to come prepared to the races we intend to join mainly because of 2 reasons. first, we want to make sure that we are going to finish the race and second, we want to finish as fast as we can. training and preparation play a very vital part on how we will fare in the race.

since i signed up for the 21k event of Run United 2 this coming june 17, i have been asking for help from coaches and marathon veterans and learn as much as i can from them. i have been following their advice and doing the exercises and training they told me to do and boy do they make my legs sore and my lungs take most air as it can.

so far, i have been training my cardio, endurance, balance and strength. the strengthening exercises i do are focused on my leg muscles, obviously. the following are the exercises i do.

cardio:

m100 - this is composed of squat thrust, mountain climber and squat jump. beware, though, because this is a very intense cardio workout/exercise. be sure to ease into it and don't force yourself to complete the sets if you feel nauseous in the middle of the workout. this exercise made me see stars without me getting hit on the head. so here how it is done.

squat thrust - from standing position, you put your hands in front of your feet. throw your feet backwards and then back in the front then back to starting position. an advance option is to jump before getting back to starting position. that will make 1 repetition. do 10 repetitions.

mountain climber - get on all four as the starting position. then, pull your leg as close to your chest as you can alternately but don't put down your foot while doing so. this means that you can only put your foot down when it is at the back. do a 4 counts 10 repetitions. 1-2-3-1 (1 rep) 1-2-3-2 (2 reps) and so on.

squat jump - while standing, bend both your knees. straighten your legs then bend back then jump. that would make 1 repetition. do 10 repetitions.

(check this for a demonstration)

doing all of it will make up one full cycle. do four cycles. as your body gets used to this exercise, increase your pace to increase the intensity of the workout.

hill/vertical running - running uphill or stairs greatly exercises your cardio. plus, it also strengthens your quadriceps so this is a very good exercise.

how is it done:

find a road with at least 30 degrees elevation. or if an uphill road is not available, stairs will do. a grandstand in a sports complex is highly recommended. run as fast as you can going up then jog or walk down. repetitions depend on the length of the road or stairs. if the road is more than 200m, it's better to do an easy run up and down.

strengthening:


squats - from standing position, put your feet at shoulder length. bend your legs by pulling your buttocks back while putting your arms forward. note that your knees shouldn't bend forward beyond your toes. do 10 counts then hold very shortly.

from squat position, pull your buttocks down without pulling your knees forward and back up to squat position. knees should not go beyond toes. after 10 reps, hold squat position for 10 seconds then stand up very slowly.

static squat - assume a squat position while leaning your back on a wall. your lower leg should be perpendicular to the floor and your upper leg should be perpendicular to the wall. reach both arms upward palms facing each other. hold for 1 minute. hold weight on your hands when the exercise gets effortless.

balance:


leg raise - lift your left leg an inch or two from the ground then hold the position for one minute. after that, lift your right leg an inch or two from the ground then hold the position for one minute. repeat. on the third rep, do the exercise with your eyes closed.

asterisk leg raise - lift your left leg an inch or two from the ground then point it at 12 o'clock position then hold for 10 seconds. pull your left leg back but don't put it down. put your leg forward to 11 o'clock then hold for 10 seconds. do the same for 10, 9, 8, 7 and 6 o'clock however, make sure that your toes are pointing forward and not down for 8, 7 and 6 o'clock. do the same for right leg pointing to 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 o'clock and point your toes forward not down for 4, 5 and 6 o'clock. after that, repeat the exercise with your eyes closed.

endurance:


this is the easiest exercise but the most mentally draining. in order to improve your endurance, set the length of time you want to run. it should be at least an hour. distance and speed is not important. just run to finish the time set running. avoid taking walk breaks as much as possible.



except for the endurance exercise, you can run before and after doing the exercise.

these exercises could really be hard especially for newbies so it's better to aim for quality in performing these exercises. getting better takes time and patience. don't be too hard on yourself especially if you're failing to finish the exercises.

one more thing before i end this post, don't try to do all the exercises mentioned above in one go.

as always, do stretching and warm ups before doing the exercises and running.

race guide for newbies

casual runners often challenge themselves and one way to do it is to join a race. but joining a race for the first time is not always a pleasant experience especially if a runner failed to finish. failure to finish is not always caused by lack of practice and preparation. sometimes, it is caused by little mistakes committed during the race.

below are some of my personal observations that might be helpful especially for first timers.

1. have enough sleep the night before the race. full rest will give sharper focus and more conditioned body. however, over-resting can make the body feel sluggish so avoid over-resting as well.
2. drink coffee and eat banana before the race if possible and avoid carbonated drinks. banana will help avoiding cramps, coffee is the best legal performance enhancing drinks and carbonated drinks will make stomach go crazy.
3. stretch and warm up before the race. i know it's a cliche but proper warm up and stretching prepares the body for strenuous activities like long runs. that way, injuries can be prevented.
4. don't be ashamed to use the portalets if the need arises. it's hard enough to run so ease off the burden from the bladder.
5. it's fine to look at other runners but don't let it be the primary reason for running. finishing is still the top priority. also, if it can't be avoided, do the flirting at the finish line. it's very embarrassing to flirt and not finish.
6. run your own pace. there'll be faster and slower runners but don't let them dictate your pace. it's you against yourself so just run your own pace.
7. it's not a sin and it certainly is not embarrassing to take a walk break. walking and stopping are different altogether so don't think that walking is equivalent to quitting. walk if it's necessary as long as you finish the race.
8. listen to your body. keep in mind that the severity of injury is usually proportional to the pain it inflicts. so unless you think you're severely injured, just keep on going.
9. eyes on the prize. there's no better high than actually finishing your first race. it's better than to run side by side with your celebrity crush. so, just go and get to the finish line!

always remember that running is a mental sports done by mental people. who in their right mind would run 42 kms? only mental people will do that. but i will tell you a secret. the best people usually are mental!(borrowed from the movie: alice in wonderland)

disclaimer: this is my personal list. your understanding is appreciated if i missed anything.

best posture while running

it helps a lot to have a good posture while running so that we can avoid injuries and run longer and faster.

*very important note:

picture is not mine. i just got it from twitter and i forgot to note who it was from. credits to owner. i don't wish to plagiarize.

confessions

I am pretty newbie when it comes to running. The first event I have joined was “Nike We Run Manila” and I ran 10k without much practice. It was just a game for me but the experience was enough to make me crave for more. So what motivates me?

Running gives me something to brag about

Not everyone is into running. Some say it’s boring. Some say they’re not physically fit to run. Some say running tires them out so much. Well, if you don’t start running or exercising for that matter, you won’t get in shape and I haven’t heard of any sports or exercise that is not tiring.

So when somebody knew that I run, even though I haven’t ran beyond 10k yet, you can see it in the eyes of some people how awesome I seem to them. It’s as though I can hear them say “Wow, you’re a runner! That makes you cute!” So being a runner gives me some of celebrity status especially to those who don’t know me that well yet.

Practice and fun runs

As part of my preparation for race events, I run a lot in different places. Preparation is very important for a runner. These practice runs condition the body for long and hard run come race time. However, practice runs can also be fun when you happen to run along beautiful runners.

During race event, there are even more pretty girls. Hmmm… I take it back. There are lots of sexy girls running. Are they pretty? I’m not so sure about that. But when I run, I would usually tail a sexy lady in front of me. And then I would see another one so I would leave the first one to tail the newly found sexy lady. Then another one. And another. Before I know it, I am at the finish line.

By the way, I avoid looking at their faces on purpose because that would mean I have to look back. Two things can happen when I do it. First, miss sexy lady might not be as pretty as I envisioned her to be. That would be uninspiring. Second, the finish line would be in front of me so I have to be more focused on finishing than on the girl in front of me.

I don’t flirt with them by the way. They inspire me to go faster is all. *naughty grin*

Health benefits

When you run, of course, you get healthier because of all the exercise you do both during the race and practice. Not only that, you also get motivated to eat healthy foods and avoid junk foods. It’ll be natural to lose weight when you are so into running because of all the burned calories but it’s another story to actually exert an effort to be lighter. Remember, not only you’ll get sexier and more attractive if you get that ideal weight but you’ll also get faster if you are lighter.

Cheers!

running and cramps

one of the most common problem a long distance runner may encounter is cramps. it's so frustrating to suffer cramps during a race after all the practice, preparations and efforts done for the race. to understand cramps a bit more, i would like to share this.

Muscle cramps facts

A muscle cramp is an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax.

Almost everyone experiences a muscle cramp at some time in their life.

There are a variety of types and causes of muscle cramps.

Numerous medicines can cause muscle cramps.

Most muscle cramps can be stopped if the muscle can be stretched.

Muscle cramps can often be prevented by measures such as adequate nutrition and hydration, attention to safety when exercising, and attention to ergonomic factors.

What are muscle cramps?

A muscle cramp is an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. When we use the muscles that can be controlled voluntarily, such as those of our arms and legs, they alternately contract and relax as we move our limbs. Muscles that support our head, neck, and trunk contract similarly in a synchronized fashion to maintain our posture. A muscle (or even a few fibers of a muscle) that involuntarily (without consciously willing it) contracts is in a "spasm." If the spasm is forceful and sustained, it becomes a cramp. Muscle cramps often cause a visible or palpable hardening of the involved muscle.

Muscle cramps can last anywhere from a few seconds to a quarter of an hour or occasionally longer. It is not uncommon for a cramp to recur multiple times until it finally resolves. The cramp may involve a part of a muscle, the entire muscle, or several muscles that usually act together, such as those that flex adjacent fingers. Some cramps involve the simultaneous contraction of muscles that ordinarily move body parts in opposite directions.

Muscle cramps are extremely common. Almost everyone (one estimate is about 95%) experiences a cramp at some time in their life. Muscle cramps are common in adults and become increasingly frequent with aging. However, children also experience cramps of muscles.

Any of the muscles that are under our voluntary control (skeletal muscles) can cramp. Cramps of the extremities, especially the legs and feet, and most particularly the calf (the classic "charley horse"), are very common. Involuntary muscles of the various organs (uterus, blood vessel wall, bowels, bile and urine passages, bronchial tree, etc.) are also subject to cramps. Cramps of the involuntary muscles will not be further considered in this review. This article focuses on cramps of skeletal muscle.

so what causes cramps? actually, there are several but i am not going to list them all down because the list is quite long and my blog would get B-O-R-I-N-G if i do. here are some of them:

• Vigorous activity
• Dehydration
• Low potassium

in most of what i have read, runners usually avoid having low potassium in their bodies to eliminate on the of the reasons of cramps. they load potassium the day before the race, just before the race and even during the race.

banana, being cheap and common, is the favorite food of runners to stock up potassium. however, a 118 gram banana contains only 422 mg potassium and the recommended daily intake of potassium is 4700mg. that would mean that we have to eat more than one kilo of banana daily, if we have no other source of potassium.

now, i am not sure whether or not runners need to load more potassium than the recommended daily intake to prevent cramps during a race. then again, that's a lot of bananas to eat if the goal is only to meet the RDI for potassium.

the following is a list of potassium rich foods which may help a runner prepare for a race:

• Raisins (seedless) - 1 cup of seedless raisins weighing approx 5.8 oz - 1,235.9 milligrams of potassium. This also has 493 calories.
• Raisins (seedless) - 1 small box of seedless raisins weighing approx 0.5 oz - 104.9 milligrams of potassium. This also has 42 calories.
• Baked potato (with skin & salt) - 1 medium baked potato weighing approx 6.1 oz - 925.6 milligrams of potassium. This also has 161 calories.
• Baked potato (with skin & salt) - 1 small 1/2 cup serving weighing approx 2.2 oz - 326.3 milligrams of potassium. This also has 57 calories.
• Baked potato (without salt but with skin) - 1 medium baked potato weighing approx 5.5 oz - 610 milligrams of potassium. This also has 145 calories.
• Baked potato (without but with skin) - 1 small 1/2 cup serving weighing approx 2.2 oz - 338.5 milligrams of potassium. This also has 57 calories.
• Banana (raw) - 1 small banana weighing approx 3.6 oz - 361.6 milligrams of potassium. This also has 90 calories. 
• Banana (raw) - 1 medium banana weighing approx 4.2 oz - 422.4 milligrams of potassium. This also has 105 calories.
• Banana (raw) - 1 large banana weighing approx oz - 486.9 milligrams of potassium. This also has 121 calories.
• Prunes (dried and uncooked) - 1 cup weighing approx 6 oz - 1244.4 milligrams of potassium. This also has 408 calories.
• Prunes (dried and uncooked) - 1 prune weighing approx 0.3 oz - 61.5 milligrams of potassium. This also has 20 calories.
• Prune Juice (sunsweet) - 1 cup weighing approx 8.1 fl oz - 530 milligrams of potassium. This also has 180 calories.
• Prune Juice (canned) - 1 cup weighing approx 9 oz - 706.6 milligrams of potassium. This also has 182 calories.

so next time you want to jack up on potassium, you have choices other than bananas. also, remember to do stretching and warm up before running.

have a healthy diet and enjoy your runs!

references:

http://www.medicinenet.com/muscle_cramps/article.htm

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/potassium-rich-foods-list-of-foods-high-in-potassium.html

http://www.vitamins-minerals-in-food.com/potassium-rich-foods-list.php

http://www.livestrong.com/article/471819-rda-guidelines-for-potassium/

follow me on twitter

i cannot get the follow me gadget to work so i am just making a post for this.

follow me on twitter:

@trinity_runner

follow me and i will follow back.

hello!

hello there! since this is just my first post, i would just make a very brief introduction of myself.

i would like to call myself the trinity runner because i own a reebok trinity 5 running shoes. i have always been a reebok fan but recently, i have joined the ADInation of runners which is connected with adidas. weird, isn't it? ^_^ but that's fine since my goal really is to become a better runner not to endorse some products.

as we go along in this blog, i will post my experiences, both positive and not so positive, so that readers will know what to do and not to do when running. i would also share what i learn by reading articles written by elite runners so that we can all learn from these elite and experts.

i promise to do good to make sure that the time you spent reading here is worthwhile.

see you!