Run For Home 07.19.09

just pictures for now...recap will follow! :-D

My father, my mentor

As a child, being the eldest of the four siblings in the family, I believe I was the pet of my father. When I was still a kid, Papa was the one who taught me how to draw and to paint. He always supported and encouraged me to join poster-making contests, which made me more confident for who I am today. He was not an artist by profession, but a lawyer and a journalist, but his love and passion for arts was invaluable. We shared the same passion. Whenever he went on travel, I would always be with him. He never treated me as a girl, but one of the boys which boosted my confidence to become more independent.

Looking back, I am convinced that he was the one who introduced me into running. I remember vividly those days when I would join him during his 45-minute early morning runs. We would run from our home to the town plaza then drop by at the bakery to buy a freshly-baked hot pan de sal then head home to our waiting mom to eat breakfast together. There were also times that Papa was in-charge of the kitchen while mom was teaching us with our lessons. Being a lawyer, he never hesitated to do some kitchen chores when needed. He loved to cook us with delicious foods.

But great times always come to an end. At 52 he was taken away by our Creator. Nevertheless, I will always remember the values and all the good things that you taught us. Papa, wherever you are now, I’m still going to greet you a HAPPY FATHER’S Day! I miss you and I love you.

To all the fathers and fathers to be, HAPPY FATHER’S Day!

Earth Run 05.31.09: Conquering the hills

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day! As a child, I would recite that famous rhymes while staring at the window, wanting the rain to stop, so I could play in the backyard. But the rain seems never heard my pleas so my siblings and I would just run outside to gladly play while my mother would shout at us to stop and get us inside.

Last Sunday, I remembered those rhymes and wanted to recite it just to let it stop so I could join the scheduled race for that day. I was up at about 3:00 in the morning when I heard the heavy downpour on our roof so I thought the start of the race would be delayed but I readied myself just the same. I registered for the Earth Run for a 5K event and I was confident that my knee would cooperate with me this time. So I checked my gears and by the time I finished my coffee, the rain temporarily stopped. IceOne and I headed for McKinley Hill in The Fort just in time.

There were hundreds if not thousands of runners in attendance when we arrived. The atmosphere was a welcome treat for me as this will be my first race since I stopped three months ago after I finished my rehab. I was quite nervous and afraid that I wouldn’t be able to finish as this route was very familiar with me because this was the culprit where I injured my right knee and got an ACL. The hilly course here is as difficult as you could imagine it to be, but I was ready to conquer all my fears.

The race started at exactly 6:00am with a slight downpour which was an advantage for us runners. I started with a very slow pace and was glad that IceOne paced me all throughout the race. Water stations were ample and positioned in every 2.5 kilometers. I did have some walk breaks but it was only when I got some water to pour on myself. I was quite satisfied that I can again finish a 5K without the pain. How I miss running…

I know I am not yet completely healed but I was able to conquer the hills!

at the finish line after conquering my fears

with IceOne

with baby

with our group

Is my ACL gone?

As advised by my ortho, I've undergone the torture of that deafening Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) machine 2 months ago only to find out that I have an ACL. I religiously finished 12 continuous sessions of therapy just to avoid surgery. Nope, I’m not afraid of surgical operations because I already had 3, from trigger thumb, appendectomy and the removal of my gallbladder. What I am afraid of, is the risk of not being able to run again so I opted for rehabilitation. I rested from running for almost 3 months, neither jogging or brisk walking until yesterday when a runner friend and officemate assembled an agility/speed ladder used for plyometrics. We tested it during our athletics period. I loved the feeling of sweat running down my face again. I kept my attention to my injured right knee. Well, at least it cooperated, just a bit uneasy as I was worried that it will hurt again. I tried it for several minutes and the feeling of uneasiness was gone. My knee never bothered me… for now. Is my ACL gone?

This Sunday’s race will be my sort of test run again. I did not register for the race but I am planning to pace IceOne as he was registered for that said event. I will run as a bandit…I hope this time I can finish it pain free so I can say goodbye to my ever reliable knee brace. " No running during an injury is not a sign of slowing down, but a sign of wisdom." See you on the next road race...

Who's the REAL ZORRO?

If you are a frequent Sunday racer here in the Metro, you will know the country's Running Zorro I am talking about. I don't actually know his name but his costumes and hmm smell is worth remembering. I am collecting different pictures of Zorro with other runners and plans to post them here in the future. If you don't mind, you can send them to me through my e-mail add just for fun.

NAMRIA in the grandest running event for women

The NAMRIA running club joined the grandest running event for women on March 29, 2009, the Pinay In Action held at the SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City hosted by Senator Pia Cayetano. Being sidelined by a knee injury, I was tasked to be the official photographer of the day. Here are some of my photos:

at the starting line

the women contingent of our office

A shot before the fire off

Lorie with her sister-officemate and our Deputy Administrator Linda Papa.

The Senator with her daughters before the finish line.

BroJ and swthrt; Xenia

Spice girls of NAMRIA

Meekrunner

running Nats, IceOne and Norman

The Spice Boys of NAMRIA

A family affair

with our Head Executive Assistant Georgia Ventura

with friends Baby a.k.a swthrt and Leng

Takbo Para Sa Kalikasan 10: A Test Run

I joined the takbo para sa kalikasan last Sunday March 8 to test my injured right knee. My Ortho previously diagnosed it with "miniscus tear" or torn cartilage but the MRI result showed that my knee has an ACL or commonly known as anterior cruciate ligament. The ACL according to Wikipedia is the most commonly injured knee ligament and is commonly experienced by athletes. The ACL is often torn during sudden dislocation, torsion, or hyperextension of the knee. Swelling that is usually attributed to bleeding from the tear may cause pressure and some discomfort, but the torn ligament itself rarely causes much pain. Due to the lack of severe pain, I was advised to refrain from running while I am undergoing therapy sessions and that is the worst news that I heard since I went to my doctor’s clinic. I have undergone four sessions with my PT and it lessened the pain so I decided to test it without my doctor’s knowledge.

During the race day, I thought I was ready to take chances so I woke up early a bit anxious that my knee would cooperate. IceOne and I positioned ourselves in the middle of the pack, stretched after a minute of brisk walking as our warm up. We started with a very slow pace until I suddenly felt the urge to pee because of the bottle of Gatorade I’ve downed before leaving home. I was fortunate enough to find a clean public CR on the route at the Roxas Boulevard. My plan was not to beat my PR but just to finish the race pain-free and I was glad IceOne paced me. My knee never complained until I reached the 3rd kilometer. The pain recurred the rest of the race. That was the time I walked and told myself that I won’t run again until my knee is ready.

with IceOne

with my officemates