In December of 2010 I joined my first fun run. It was called the Run For Downs (Down Syndrome) and was sponsored by my former gym. It was a 5k run which I did with my friend Jihannee. I swear that I felt like dying after the 48 minutes that it took me to finish the race. I was so out of breath and so exhausted. It made me wonder how come people actually enjoy running in the first place.
My second run was a 3k in February 2011 called Run With A Smile this time with another friend Anya.
My time was 23 minutes and although it was a lot more enjoyable than my first run, I still couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that people have gotten addicted to running. You pay several hundred bucks to torture yourself just to run from the starting line to the finish line. Then what? *scratches head*
In March 2011 I ran another 5k for the World Vision Backpack run with a few friends (Jihannee, Lauren, Nkomo, & Anya). At that time I was gym-ing regularly so I was in pretty good shape. I finished way ahead of my running buddies with a time of 45 minutes. A vast improvement from my last 5k. But still, it didn’t spark an interest in me for running.
In July of 2011 I joined my second 3k at the De La Salle University Centennial Celebration Run just because I wanted to somehow be a part of the 100 Year Anniversary of my dear Alma Mater. I wasn’t able to prepare for this run at all. So I found myself gasping for breath after every few minutes of light jogging. Goodness. I was SO out of shape.
For my 3rd 5k run, I joined the 2011 Pink October Run together with my dance classmate Kimi and my usual running buddy Jihannee. By this time I had already enrolled in Fitness First and i’d been seriously gym-ing for a few weeks. I thought I’d have it easy but still, I found it so exhausting. I struggled to reach the finish line with a time of 40 minutes. Did I think by then that I’d jump into the whole running bandwagon? uh… NO. 
When our former customer now turned running buddy Coach K first invited me to go running with him I was so hesitant because I was worried I’d hurt my knees. See, when I was a kid I was diagnosed with Osgood Sclatter disease because I was born with a very disproportionate body. My tiny legs couldn’t carry my very heavy upper body anymore that my knees started to crack. I had to wear knee braces in school everyday. I wasn’t even allowed to play Chinese garter with my classmates because it involved a lot of jumping up and down which would impact my knees so badly. I had to be excused from all the strenuous activities in P.E class. During recess I had to stay inside the classroom just so that I won’t have to go up and down the stairs as much. When I heared mass I’d sit down or just stand up during the parts when we were all supposed to kneel. My doctor warned me that if I didn’t lose weight I might end up in a wheel chair at a very young age. The only exercise I was allowed to do was swimming.
So in high school I started training with a swim team at the sports complex and joined my school’s varsity team. I started losing weight and eventually I did get over my knee condition. Apparently it is something that most people get over once they hit puberty. So I was Osgood Sclatter free but my knees now have permanent bumps right below them. It looks so ugly like I have double knees. I also still can’t kneel on them for long periods of time.
Fast forward to December of 2011. I had lost almost 30lbs and was feeling confident enough that I could give this running thing a chance. My newfound running buddy Coach K and I started by doing a 5k run around IT Park which we finished in 39 minutes and 50 seconds. It was December 11, a Sunday. The next big race was the Run United which I had already signed up for several weeks ago. Coach K told me to try finishing it in 35 minutes to which I said, sige Coach, I’ll do my best.
The following day I received a frantic call from Coach K. “Sign up for the Cebu City Marathon this January 8. Mag 21km ka.” I went, “NO. No. No” I can’t possibly jump from a 5k straight to a 21k. That is IMPOSSIBLE. My next target should be a 10k or 12k. Plus, I’ll only have less than a month to prepare. You’ve got to be kidding me. But Coach K was adamant. “I have complete confidence in you that you can do it. IT CAN BE DONE lagi Micks. Kaya man na nimo. We’ll train together.” Whew. OK. sige, fine. I signed up for the Cebu City Marathon thinking well, i think I’ll just finish up to the 10th or 12th km then hail a cab or ride a jeep if di na gyud kaya. :p
At the break of December 13 dawn I woke up at 3:30am for my first long distance run with Coach K. The plan was to do 12km at a very VERY slow pace around IT Park. Coach K went “You know Micks, one day you will find yourself actually wanting to get up early in the morning to run. Pangitaon na gyud ni nimo.” After 1 hour and 50 minutes of jogging we finally finished our 12km run. I couldn’t believe I survived it. However, that night I found myself in so much pain. There was a lot of discomfort on both my knees that my brother told me to apply ice packs on it. This time I started to have serious doubts again. What have I gotten myself into?
The entire week after my first long distance training run I felt under the weather. I had terrible cough and colds and my body felt so weak that I had to take a day off from the gym. It was my first absence in over 2 months of working out 6x a week. gaaah! If running 12km has this effect on me I wonder how on earth I am going to survive a 21km run. ayayayay. 
Coach K advised me to get myself a knee support. The first of many accessories for running that I’ll need to invest in.
December 18, 2011 was the day of the Run United. By then I was feeling a lot better thanks to Berocca and lots of Solmux. I was so pumped and excited because I knew I prepared enough. I have been working out regularly for a little over 2 months, I have been jogging on the treadmill for 20 minutes on an average of 7.5 to 8 speed for about 3 to 4x a week, and I’ve been feeling A LOT stronger. I was also excited because for the first time the official race singlet actually fits me! Hooray! 
For the Run United my running companion was my friend Karen. During the entire race Karen and I went on a steady but very slow jog. We never stopped to walk except for the 2 water stations. And although I didn’t finish in the 35 minute target, I still made a new race personal record which is 39 minutes flat. Yay me! Most importantly, the Run United was the first time I felt that SPARK. I was on such a high after the run that I thought to myself, hmmm… I think I could start to really REALLY like running.
One day after the race I met up with Coach K (who made new PR on his 21k! yeahboi!). “I’m proud of you mickiego. Really proud of you. I am now more confident that you can finish your 21k for the CCM.” So with that, we continued on with our training runs. In December 20 we did another 5k run in IT Park. All this time I continued increasing my pace and distance on the treadmill at the gym just to build up my stamina. I still had serious doubts about the upcoming half marathon. In fact I hadn’t told my brother (who ran his first 21k during the Run United) about it. I was scared that I’d get comments from him like “What?? You?? 21k? You’re going to hurt your knees! No Mic! You’re not yet ready!”
It was in December 23, a mere few weeks before the CCM when I finally had the guts to tell him. “Mag 21k sad biya ko.” James went, “Oh? Sige! Let’s run together! Sayang there’s no 21k finisher medal in CCM. But kaya na nimo!” wow. That was the only boost I needed to make up my mind about finishing the race. He then made me model his 21km finisher shirt and medal from the Run United and he’s lending me the shirt just until he’ll lose enough weight to get to wear it.
That night I was scheduled to have dinner with Coach K and a few of our friends. I texted him and said “Coach, I have good news.” When I met him I said “I’m running 21k this January 8. It’s FINAL na.” On the next week I frantically crammed as many workout as I could just so that I could rack up some mileage.
December 25 – (Christmas na Christmas nag dagan2x gyud ko. haha!) 7k evening road run with Coach K
December 26 – 7k run on the treadmill at the gym
December 28 – 12k solo evening run at IT Park
December 31 – 12k morning run with Coach K at the Ayala grounds
January 2 – 14k morning run with Coach K from Shell Mactan to Movenpick and back
January 4 – 5k run on the treadmill at the gym (my last training run before race day)
January 5 – 1600m solo swim
The 14k Mactan Run was my longest distance and we finished in 1 hour and 58 minutes. Coach K told me that if I stay on that pace I just might be able to finish the 21k in more or less 3 hours. Target is not go over 3 hours and 30 minutes. “IT CAN BE DONE!!!” was his famous line. That 14k run gave me the confidence that I am going to survive my 21k. What’s 7 more kms right?
The best thing about getting into a new hobby is the buying of new gear. Since it is the season of giving, 2 of my running angels so generously gave me running gear in my favorite color. I received a pink hydration belt from my brother plus this watch that communicates with a chip that I put inside my shoe to measure my pace and distance.
Coach K gave me this awesome pink New Balance visor and a pair of iBungee shoelaces so I wouldn’t need to tie my laces up every now and then. Weeeee!!! Thank you guys! I told myself, I can’t let these boys down. I have to be worthy of these new running gear.
January 5, just 3 days before race day, Coach K and I picked up my race pack at the Ayala Active Zone. There was a moment of confusion there since none of the attendants could find my pack. According to their records someone had already picked it up for me. I went, Hello? That’s impossible. I can’t NOT REMEMBER if I asked somebody else to pick it up for me. They told me to come back after another few hours but I said NO. I have absolutely NO OTHER TIME. Sus. This is what I get for having a very common full name. I should register with my middle initial next time. Apparently, the organizers confused me with some other runner in the 5k category with exactly the same name. Minus kaayo mo CCM organizers. Boo! But with the help of Coach K’s convincing powers and well, just because he knows a lot of people, we managed to go home with a new race bib number and my singlet. Bilib nako nimo Coach. Hahah! :p
January 6 was carbo-loading day with Coach K. That morning I had my weigh in with my trainer at the gym and I was elated to find out I had dropped another 5 lbs. yeah baby! So I allowed myself to indulge in pizza and pasta and lots of PEP TALK from the Coach. After dinner we surveyed the 21k route by car. I suddenly felt SO NERVOUS as I pictured myself on the road. I had fears of cramping up, of getting dehydrated, of getting too weak to finish.
When I got home that night my brother helped me pick out my outfit for the race. He lent me this SUPER TIGHT compression top that was so figure hugging it made me so conscious. But he insisted that it was the proper running outfit. So sige, I told him to please take my photo. I don’t care if I have to crawl my way towards the finish line at least I look pretty decent in my outfit. LOL!
January 7, Saturday. I made sure to hear anticipated mass. I only had 1 prayer in mind and that’s to survive my first half marathon in 1 piece. I said Lord, Ikaw na bahala nako.
Cebu City Marathon 21k HERE I COME!!!
