Can't speak!

As a last training run before we depart for San Francisco on Friday, Per and I met up with Alvin last night at Fort Bonifacio. I was to run 2km warm up, 8km tempo run and 1km cool down. Per would join us for the first 2km and see how it would feel doing a 1km tempo run.

I was frightful heading to Fort Bonifacio as this was the farthest I've done for a tempo run and not sure if I am going to survive it. Prior to this, my tempos have been around the range of 4km - 6km and I was usually tired by the end of the exercise. What more if I do an additional 2km at the same pace? YIKES! But I am determined to do it.

It was nice for the first 2km as we end up chatting the whole time about our plans, goals, and news about running (the recently concluded Subic Marathon and Adidas King of the Road). But come start of the tempo run, my legs suddenly felt heavy, my breathing heavier. I seem to be tired already! Even the rolling down the hills took an effort for me. At one point, a kid on a skateboard went to our direction and in an effort to avoid us, he sidetracked to the sidewalk and fell to the ground.

I stopped running and went to the kid trying to say "sorry". But no words came out of my mouth! I was mute and can only look at the kid trying to help him. I was dead tired and couldn't even talk for that few seconds! Good thing the dad was there and probably saw how tired I was, just said "it's ok, don't worry". After a last look to make sure the kid was doing fine, i went back to running with Alvin.

Alvin was counting down the distance so I continue to push myself. Usually our Garmin would beep indicating we've conquered another km and Alvin would shout out his pace and I would do so for mine as well. But on the final km when we finished the tempo, again I could not speak! I was too busy huffing and puffing to say the numbers! This never happened to me before!

Well, after walking for a few meters, I was fine again (phew), and we did a cool down jog and met up with Per at Fully Booked.

Now, it's packing time for our trip in the USA. Being addicted to running, we joined two race in our two weeks there! As running friends would say before "Nandun ka na. Might as well do it!". Non-running friends have the opposite reactions "Nandun ka na, bakit ka pa tatakbo?" :) Clearly, the running friends won us over!


Our I.T. (in terms of running) are as follows:

Friday - board plane to SFO

Friday - arrive in SFO night time.

Saturday - meet Wayne and Wilbert and go to the San Francisco Half Marathon Expo. Look to buy jacket and long sleeves technical shirts as seem to be COLD here !

Sunday - do the San Francisco Half Marathon with Per at 7am. Run on the frigging Golden Gate Bridge!

Monday - fly out to Vegas

Tuesday - 5km easy run at the desert

Wednesday - easy hike around Grand Canyon

Thursday - 5km easy run at the desert

Friday - fly out to Fresno

Saturday - attend the Fresno Marathon expo, attend the carbo loading party at 4pm, hear Dick Beardsley speak and maybe buy his running book and have it signed!

Sunday - Fresno Marathon! A certain someone from the Philippines will also be there looking to Boston Qualify! Per will wait from the sidelines as my own cheerleader! Look for a massage therapist afterwards

Monday - drive out to Yosemite and so some easy walking on the trail roads (if possible)

Tuesday - more easy hiking in Yosemite in the morning, afternoon drive back to San Francisco

Wednesday - Free day

Thursday - Free day

Friday - fly back to Manila


A very tight schedule and not as relaxing as a vacation should be. But we are runners and isn't running a relaxing thing to do?