Learning to love the Hills

 

Last night was my first try at hill intervals.  It was sort of exhausting but fun. 

Now I know why some people just love this type of training and how they manage to attack well the hilly course in some races. 

I am not one of those, obviously.  The steep hills in MAK7 (UP Los Baños)  almost killed my spirit during the race.   I know a lot of runners who also dislike races with hilly course;  it’s no help to those who seriously chase PRs.

But see what Runner’s World says about hill training..  it is very encouraging. 

“… hills are good for you and they’re good for your running. Training on hills improves leg-muscle strength, quickens your stride, expands stride length, develops your cardiovascular system, enhances your running economy and can even protect your leg muscles against soreness.

In short, hill running will make you a stronger, faster and healthier runner. What’s more, the benefits are relatively quick to take effect. In as little as six weeks of regular hill training you can expect a significant improvement in your muscle power and speed. “

 

Need I say more?

Ahm, another platter of hills for me please!  (*wink)

 

[ How to do Key Hill Sessions from Runner's World]

Not a streaker. NEVER.

I was back in Manila Tuesday night, after the two-day team planning in Mimosa.  I had planned to call it “rest days” until Friday -  when I plan to have a ‘run & eat’ birthday celebration with my runner-friends -  but a friend in need (of a run practice) disrupted my supposed rest days plan.  Last Tuesday night, Dree sent me an SMS asking if I would join her run the next morning or later at night the next day.  Hmm.  I paused and reflected.  She must need this  run.  So despite my previous plans of getting to bed earlier than usual and resting my legs until Friday, I replied: “Ok, let’s run tomorrow night.”

Usually, it is I who ask Dree to accompany me do late evening runs in UP.  And she happily complies because she also wants to.  But the initiative almost always comes from me.

So the other day’s run invite from her was sort of an SOS alarm to me.  She needed to run, I thought.  So despite all the groginess personified in me, after that consecutive Bicol & Clark activities, I gave in to help a friend in need.  Again, – of a run.  Funny how it becomes a need!  Hahaha!

So last night we ran together and I noticed there were plenty of other joggers in the area.  I did a 3K continuous run (I had planned it to be an easy run after the Clark exhaustion) and about 2K of short run bursts, for speed training (?).  Hehe.  Dree did a continuous 5K run on a race-pace. 

While we walked to cool down, I told her about my apprehension of running that night – since I just ran the other day  (I ran Tue morning in Clark and then ran again last night).  But I told her that since we did it in the evening it looked like I had a good rest time in between anyway.  I said I have no plans of being a streaker.

And she asked, “What is a streaker?”

I replied, “It’s someone who runs everyday and never misses.  You know rest days are just as important as training days because the body badly needs to rest too.”

But I guess she got more amazed with the term ’streaker’ as she reacted, “Oh… streaker pala tawag dun…”  (in a thoughtful mood).

This morning I researched over the net the meanings of the word ’streaker’, and here’s what I got.  AMAZING!  They are two different things, and in both meanings I DO NOT INTEND TO BE A STREAKER-  NEVAH!

 

definition 1: 

  Streaker 

A runner who runs seven days a week and never misses, not just usually, but ever.  There are runners who have gone on for many years without a day off.  The longest known streak is held by Bob Ray, of Maryland, who has run every day since April 4, 1967. A local runner, Craig Davison, has run every day since November 11, 1978.  To date he has finished 123 marathons, 76 of them sub-3:00, often winning or at least getting age group hardware.  One of his goals is to run 100 sub-3:00 marathons.  (http://www.lynndavidnewton.com/run/rttm/ha1.html#streaker)

 

definition 2: 

  Streaker 

Someone who takes off all their clothes and runs naked through a public place.  (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/streaker)

 

 

Runner-turned-sirkera @ Mimosa

After Bicol comes Mimosa in Clark.  Nope, it’s not like these two areas are adjacent; they’re not even near to each one.  But the past weekend until yesterday, I shuttled between Manila and Bicol, and then coming back from Bicol, doing a quick one-hour stop in Manila, and then shuttling forth to Clark.  Okay, I know I’m the adventurous type but this isn’t a ‘trip-trip’ thing.  The Bicol weekend was for family affair and last Monday I had to catch my group for our team planning in Mimosa.  I had previously planned of just following them and commuting alone to Clark as I wouldn’t be sure what time on Monday I’d arrive in Manila from Bicol.  So I was prepped too for that adventure. 

Saved by coffee.  But since we arrived in Cubao at around 4:30 AM – much earlier than I expected -  I figured I could get to UP in a few minutes, repack my backpack and freshen up a bit in 30 minutes, and be picked up by my team at SM North at around 6:15 AM.  Sounded just right.  So these things I did and things went on pretty well, except that when afternoon came I felt too drowsy already that I finished two cups of coffee to perk me up so that I can still be useful in the discussions. 

Mimosa run!  One of the things I was looking forward to in this Mimosa planning is to get try a different route for a morning run.  This too, I/we did.  I had already commissioned my officemates to join me do this morning run while in Mimosa, and they happily complied.  So the youngsters in the group (us), just sang a few songs during the videoke get-together on Monday – and munched plenty of chips and nuts! – and by 10 PM, we bid goodbye to our boss as we told her we were getting up early the next day to jog/run. 

More rituals.  By 4:30 AM, all the five of us in the house - Ian, Jec, Joanne, Joyce, and myself – were already up.  They, too, were excited to get to roam around Mimosa that early time of the day.  I realized I had more pre-run rituals as I was the one who took the longest time to prepare.  I was still fixing the stuffs inside my beltbag and carefully applying sunblock while all the four of them were already downstairs, clad in running clothes but idly watching television and bearing that sort of face that says, ‘you know I’d really prefer staying on this couch while channel-switching than running…’  True enough, they told me exactly this when I finally finished my rituals and I went downstairs to join them: ‘Cathy, nood na lang tayo ng TV, kakatamad…”   I went GRRR! jokingly and then I prodded them that we step out of the house and begin our run.  That was 5 AM.  It was still dark outside.  And I realized we were such ‘bibo kids’.   Wahaha!

Discoveries.  Running became kinda difficult as these people weren’t into jogging – and weren’t even sporty.  Then again, I like the idea of influencing people to try sports and learn to love it.  At first, I tried to pace Joanne and Joyce since Ian and Jec stood firm about doing just leisurely walk.  Anyway, as anticipated I had to run ahead most of the time and then I’d run back to where they are, just to end up running ahead again.  We covered the long straight roads in Mimosa and then after about 30 minutes we discovered a track oval right outside one of Mimosa’s side gates.  I think it was a track oval inside the Air Force City in Clark.  I was sooo happy that we saw it since there were plenty of other runners, joggers (ok, I just know by now how to distinguish one from the other.  don’t ask how, i just know) and American and Filipino military men doing their training in the area. 

Anyway, here are some of the pics:

 

 At Acacia St. in Mimosa right infront of our house.

 At the Air Force City track oval.  There’s Joan & Joyce (the nearest two human figures facing back).

PAGOD, all caps.  Taken after I challenged Joanne race with me for a short-distance sprint.  This girl has quicker feet than I have, and she almost beat me here.  I had to counter her quick feet with my longer strides.  Hehehe!  Wais!

Post-run photo op.  With Joanne here, infront our house in Mimosa.

Who’d think we’ll do Amazing Race as team-building activity that same morning!  Because of the morning run, I was all prepped and my team won it!  Yebah!  This pic was taken before the physical challenges.

Turned SIRKERA.  Traversing a rope while elevated from the ground 3-storeys high.  Wew!  My knees were all trembling here.  Promise I’d rather do a 10K in MAK8 than do this again.  Hahahaha!  Scary!