Just a few snapshots of some of the people I train in Ultra…. they are a fun and dedicated crew!
Category Archives: Running
PicsOnTheRun
The Pinay In Action girls wanted to make this new site dedicated to picture-taking on the go… do check it out!!!
Filed under Art and Culture, Photos, Pinay In Action, Running, Travel
Pinay In Action Snapshots
Here are some random shots of PINAY IN ACTION activities, plus Pia and I running as Pinays In Action 🙂
Filed under Articles, Events, Pinay In Action, Running
Book Review: The Perfect Mile
Book Review: The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb
Ani Karina S. de Leon
For those of us living in a country wherein the metric system is the standard for measuring distance, we may not have any idea nor even care about the significance of the mile in the history of athletics. Only well informed or serious runners would probably be able to give you the exact number for determining whether you fall into the category of great runner or not. And that, of course, is four minutes: to this day, it is still the yardstick for separating the truly fast from the average miler.
Not too long ago, May 6, 2004 to be exact, the world of athletics celebrated the 50 year anniversary of the first moment any individual was able to break the four minute barrier. That honor goes to Sir Roger Bannister from the UK.
The author, Neal Bascomb, gives the reader a remarkable historical backdrop of running during that era, including the frustrating politics, controversies on pacing, timing, and the influence of certain personalities like the famous athletes and coaches of that time.
The book revolves around three main characters and not just around Roger Bannister though, as the piece is generally about the race to break the 4minute mile, which apparently was a huge and almost impossible goal to achieve then. The struggles and successes of John Landy of Australia and Wes Santee of the USA are vividly recounted as well, and their personal lives only add more color and drama to the already thick plot.
It is inspiring to say the least, and only goes to prove that human beings are capable of realizing their full potential if they are determined enough. I will also never think of the mile run in the same way again.
Alternatives to Running: Being Pro-Active When Injury Strikes
Alternatives to Running: Being Pro-Active When Injury Strikes
Let’s face it, whether you’re a serious athlete or a casual gym-goer, you probably don’t like being sidelined with injuries. We’re happiest when we get to play. However, experts advice you not to ignore your injury by training right through it. It’s not the end of the world though, and there are other exercises you can do to stay in shape and avoid further stressing out your pain.
- The Stair Climber
Strengthens leg muscles, tones buttocks and provides a good all-over aerobic workout. Technique is more important here than on any other machine, otherwise you are wasting your time! Don’t support yourself on your elbows or lean in too much. Hold on for balance, still stand fairly upright. These machines are relatively easy on the joints, but people with knee problems should talk to a doctor beforehand.
- The Elliptical Machine
With the elliptical, your feet never leave the footpads—and this is good because that means it’s low impact. It is still weight-bearing though, and this helps maintain and improve bone density. It has a continuous and fluid movement which takes out the stress on your joints. It is a full body workout with great cardiovascular benefits.
- Cycling: Biking Outdoors, Spinning Classes, and Recumbent and Upright Cycle Machines
Biking outdoors, aside from being a great alternative to running, gives you so many other benefits, like experiencing great views, having fun on a group ride, and feeling the wind on your face. It’s gentle on the knees and can help you burn a lot of calories. You’ll develop your quadriceps muscles, gluteal muscles, and hamstring muscles, all of which are necessary in running. Most of the time though, urbanites find it much more convenient to bike indoors, to avoid uncomfortable weather, cars and pollution, dogs, and bad roads. Among the indoor exercise bikes we have the Spinning Bike and the Recumbent and Upright Cycle Machines. The Spinning Bike is excellent because its geometry is very similar to that of a real bike, and the best way to enjoy them is to sign up for spinning classes. These classes are so popular because of the social atmosphere and having an instructor up front telling you what to do is easier and less boring than doing it alone.
- Walking
Even if you can’t run on the treadmill for now, there’s another way for you to use it—walk! It will give you great aerobic fitness, done at moderate and high intensities. You can even walk everyday if you want to, provided you alternate your efforts between easy and hard.
- Circuit Training
This is a great routine which combines both cardiovascular fitness and resistance training. In the gym, you move from one exercise station to another within a span of 30-90 seconds. You can use a wide variety of equipment such as weights, dumbbells, physioballs, medicine balls, ropes and surgical tubing, and machines. One circuit can include 6-15 stations, and may be counted as one set, with the option of repeating the whole routine 2 or 3 times.
- Deep-Water Running
This is actually number one on my list, and it’s the only one that perfectly simulates running form. There is no impact, it provides a great workout because of water resistance, and it’s good cross-training even if you aren’t injured. Find a pool that is deep enough for you to run in without your feet touching the floor. Invest in a good aquabelt to make your session easier.
Surviving Carrera Habagat: My first foray into the World of Multi-Day Adventure Racing
Surviving Carrera Habagat: My first foray into the World of Multi-Day Adventure Racing
Ani Karina Sarabia de Leon
When Miguel Lopez (a.k.a. Ige) first broached the subject of forming a team for the Carrera Habagat, I didn’t even pause to blink and said yes to him right away.
Of course, I was going to join as a complete beginner and had little idea on how demanding this undertaking would be. We were talking about the toughest adventure race in the Philippines—it covers the largest area and takes the longest time to finish. But I had always wanted to do it, and knowing my schedule, I may not have another opportunity to try it out, so I decided that it was now or never.
Our team was to be composed of Ige, Paolo Defensor (a.k.a. Def), James Tagara and I. I had known Ige and Paolo for a very long time, but this was the first time that I was going to meet James. All three of them were members of the Ayala Mountaineers. I wasn’t a mountaineer, and my only qualifications were these: I was an experienced triathlete and I had climbed a few mountains and I was exposed to the mountaineering scene because my sister was a prolific climber of UP Mountaineers fame. I specifically warned them that outside my taxi cab driver-like knowledge of the maze that is Manila, I wouldn’t know how to plot a map in the wild and what to do with the bearings on my compass. On the other hand, I was willing and able to do extremely difficult challenges. Def and James were avid adventure racers but this was their first multi-day race too. Only Ige had joined it twice before.
We were all very hopeful and optimistic nonetheless, and thankfully we found very supportive partners in AVAYA Communications, The North Face, Ige’s own T1 active wear, Promax, Accelerade, and Endurox. We also signed on Manny Torralba and Atoy Jamilla to be our official support crew—they were both veteran mountaineers and adventure racers. I didn’t own a single piece of adventure racing gear, and I was so grateful to have Tricia Chiongbian, Thumbie Remigio, Rizzo Tangan, and my sister Sinag help me out. Aside from this, Ai Eway from AVAYA and Toby Martin from AMCI also expressed their desire to assist us in any way they could. This certainly helped us firm up our resolve. So we registered, bought the plane tickets, and headed to Surigao.
Traveling from Manila to Surigao City with 8 people, dozens of baggage and equipment plus 5 mountain bikes (Ai brought hers too) was no mean feat in itself. We flew into Butuan City and from there took a multicab, a bus, a jeep, and finally hopped onto our bikes for the last 5km towards the lodge.
The night before the race, the organizers gave us several maps of Surigao, Bucas Grande, and Siargao. The names of certain towns and baranggays were erased and we were given basic directions on how to get to the checkpoints. We had to get from Checkpoints (CPs) 1 to 25 in the proper sequence, and we could only see our support crew at three Logistics Points (LPs). The boys, particularly James, stayed up late to plot out the course and everyone in the team packed the necessary gear. Boy, and I thought readying triathlon equipment was tedious.
Day 1: Now what?
Seventeen teams were bold enough to join this year. Our Team, T1-AVAYA, was the only team flying in all the way from Manila. We were instructed to bring our bikes, Personal Flotation Devices (or life vests), and trekking gear. We would have to go through 7 Checkpoints before the first Logistics Point. These were the coordinates and clues:
| CP 1 | N 09 32 31 | E 125 50 20 | Port of Hayanggabon |
| CP 2 | N 09 35 52 | E 125 54 47 | Sohoton Tourist Center |
| CP 3 | N 09 35 35 | E 125 55 15 | Inside a lagoon |
| CP 4 | N 09 36 39 | E 125 56 18 | In a barangay |
| CP 5 | N 09 37 28 | E 125 55 13 | Near a barangay |
| CP 6 | N 09 39 06 | E 125 55 17 | Near a small pier |
| CP 7 / LP1 | N 09 37 02 | E 125 57 57 | In a town |
We were all quite good in biking, and we were actually swapping the lead with the Dumaguete Team for the first 76km leg, but unfortunately, James got a flat tire (our first of five!) and we watched helplessly as the other teams passed us. The boys fixed it as I cheered them on, trying to keep our spirits up. We got back on the muddy dirt road and we managed to arrive in 4th place at the Port of Hayanggabon. We were still feeling quite jolly and energetic.
The next thing we had to do was paddle for a couple of hours to the next few checkpoints. James and I shared an outrigger and Def and Ige paired up in a bigger one because the smaller one seemed to be an awkward fit. Admittedly, paddling was our weakest link as a team because we never really practiced it, but we agreed that we would be fine.
Well, we spoke too soon. To get to one of the checkpoints in Tinagong Dagat (Hidden Sea), we had to pass a tunnel-like cave. We were warned beforehand by the local fishermen that the current was strong inside, and at this point it was already night time. Def, who was the tallest among us, had a hard time avoiding the stalactites because of the low ceiling. James and I continued rowing a little ahead of them. After a few moments though, we looked back and they weren’t there. We thought they were just mucking around. It was dark already so James decided that while we were waiting he would put on his headlamp, so he opened his dry bag. It was then that we heard the two of them calling out to us in panicked voices. We headed back towards the cave and saw that they were trapped in one corner because of the strong current. We didn’t know any better, and by the time we realized that we shouldn’t even go near them we got swept by the current too. James and I were now in an even worse position than they were, and it was only a few seconds afterwards that our boat capsized underneath theirs. It was complete chaos. I realized that my mobile phone, which had been our emergency line, was swept away along with James’ stuff because he had left his pack open when we went back for our teammates. I was pissed and lost my composure for the first time during the race. We were in the middle of nowhere and couldn’t paddle out. Now what???
It cost us almost two hours but with some intervention from the locals we were able to get our boats back upright, sans two oars and some of James’ gear. That left us with one small paddle for each outrigger, which of course slowed us down again. But we went on, docked the boats, and scaled a treacherously jagged surface towards the next CP. Once we where on higher ground, we got lost and went back and forth as we were debating on which direction to follow. This wore us down and we found an empty basketball court wherein we decided to sleep for 30 minutes. The boys found it easy to sleep whereas I had a very hard time because my shoes were wet and my socks were grimy, I was covered in mud, cut by rocks, bitten by giant mosquitoes—and frankly, I am still a girl who likes to be clean. I know I signed up for it but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I would adjust to the hygiene issues as easily. I probably slept for a total of 6 minutes. The Mt. Everest Girls had advised me to bring a lot of socks in a zip lock plastic bag at all times and I was glad I listened to them. I changed my socks and left the filthy ones in the basketball court. We trudged on through the night and at around 7am we made it to LP1. I was happy to see Manny, Atoy, Ai and Toby.
Day 2: Dry Land, Water, Dry Land, Water.
| CP 8 | N 09 41 32 | E 126 00 17 | Near the coast |
| CP 9 | N 09 43 56 | E 126 02 37 | In a baranggay |
| CP 10 / LP 2 | N 09 45 26 | E 126 03 10 | In a town |
Today we trekked and swam the whole day. We were now ranked as the 7th team, and since the top contenders were hours ahead, we decided to change our game plan and just enjoy and finish the race. The main highlights of this section: Bushwhacking and trailblazing amidst tall cogon, swimming from island to island in the dark with equipment in tow, getting horribly victimized by a bed of sea urchin and losing my trek shoes in the ocean. We get to LP2 around midnight.
Day 3: The Bike Ride That Wouldn’t End + Time Space Warp at CP 19 + WAR!!!
| CP 11 | N 09 46 33 | E 126 03 11 | Near a community |
| CP 12 | N 09 47 08 | E 126 09 20 | Near a market |
| CP 13 | N 09 46 08 | E 126 07 32 | Near a coast |
| CP 14 | N 09 49 15 | E 126 03 12 | Near an intersection |
| CP 15 | N 09 57 32 | E 126 00 20 | Along the coast |
| CP 16 | N 09 56 40 | E 126 02 20 | An inland baranggay |
| CP 17 | N 10 03 32 | E 126 03 10 | In a beach |
| CP 18 | N 10 01 12 | E 126 04 28 | Near the coast |
| CP 19 | N 09 59 03 | E 126 03 12 | Near a baranggay |
| CP 20 | N 09 56 42 | E 126 06 07 | Along a beautiful coast |
| CP 21/ LP 3 | N 09 51 52 | E 126 05 59 | An old town |
After napping and replenishing our packs with food and drinks, we pedaled stealthily into the blackness like some obscure renegade group on an important mission. I was really anxious because my headlamp was damaged from being submerged underwater and I was very very new to mountain biking. I could barely manage going through obstacles in broad daylight and now we had to navigate single track trails at a fast speed. I knew I was taking numerous risks following my teammates blindly, but I had to trust in them—I really had no choice. It was an unbelievably lengthy sixteen hours that I would be spending on the saddle, a personal record by far. My butt was really hurting now, and my patience was running thin because we kept getting lost. We had started biking just after midnight and at 4pm I was so glad we could chuck the mountain bikes away. We climbed a wall and rappelled downwards, and this was by far the easiest and most fun part of the race for me. It was almost a gift.
After this, our team got a second wind even as we heard the news that the first team, Davao Eagles, had already finished. We didn’t mind. We were confident that we would be accomplishing the same thing in just a matter of hours.
Alas, it was not to be, and my patience would have to be tested more in the succeeding checkpoints. We ran around in circles in search for CP 19 and were again clueless on where to go next, even though, incredibly we had already passed it earlier in the day en route to another checkpoint. We felt like we were stuck in a Time Space Warp and we were getting tired. I was the first to snap. I screamed my head off because I felt (wrongly) that the boys were largely responsible for the poor navigation. I couldn’t understand why we couldn’t locate it, and I was extremely frustrated at having to do so many unnecessary kilometers. We were running around like headless chicken and bickering like schoolchildren. Fighting was quite unnatural for us as we all liked each other very much, and after a while, we laughed at ourselves and our strange predicament. We loosened up a little bit and agreed to work more closely as a team from then on. Not coincidentally, we found the infamous CP 19 shortly after that. The CP 19 volunteers were kind enough to let us doze off for a few minutes in their tiny hut and even serenaded us with their guitar. Their CP was worth looking for after all. It was nearing dawn when we woke up and it was like a Death March towards the last LP.
Day 4: Breakdown: Peeling the Onion and Digging Way, Way Deep.
| CP 22 | N 09 51 40 | E 126 00 52 | Near an airport |
| CP 23 | N 09 50 51 | E 126 06 35 | River mouth |
| CP 24 | N 09 50 33 | E 126 08 16 | Facing the pacific coast |
| CP 25 | N 09 48 28 | E 126 09 52 | Near a good surf spot |
At LP3 we picked up our bikes again and even though my saddle sores were painfully fresh I had to add on to them again for one more day. I had never had that much friction on my sensitive parts before because as a road biker everything is just smooth sailing on asphalt and concrete. I didn’t have that luxury now, and we were desperately under pressure to finish today because it was the last day to do so. We were cutting it really close. I had had very little sleep (some by the side of the road, some on a concrete bench, some under a coconut tree) and was burning the last few strands of my candlestick. I was near the breaking point. The boys were nice enough to let me be but gently reminded me of our goals. I could see that they were tired too. I summoned all my mental strength and shut down the rest of my bodily functions which were irrelevant to riding a bike. I felt like I was in a dream-like state but my body knew what to do because I had switched it to Automatic Bike Mode.
We were nearing the end and I knew that we could make it soon. But the Spirits of the Carrera Habagat Race had a few more ordeals set up for team T1-AVAYA. Just when we thought we had arrived at CP 23 and had only 2 more CPs to go, we discover that in our rush we had missed CP 23 and were actually at CP 24. We had to backtrack yet again. I was incensed. I could not imagine going back and forth another time. My bike shoes had given way long ago and were just being kept intact with duct tape, and of course my underside was still hurting. In my mind I had done my last cycle leg for this race, but now we had to do two more as a result of our mistake. It was too much.
It was never a question though. We had to do it. I had to go back. They couldn’t finish the race without me. And I couldn’t bear to let my teammates down. I was sobbing and yelling angrily at the same time. “JUST FIND IT!!!! JUST F—–N FIND IT, OKAY!!!!!!!!!” I had a sudden rush of adrenaline along with my outburst and pedaled like a madwoman, speaking loudly to myself for motivation. Ige was telling me there was another team catching up with us. I looked wildly at him and said, “Am I not here, and am I not trying the best that I can??? Just leave me alone!!!” Oh dear. This is what happens when you try to make a team player out of someone who has been competing in individual sports for most of her life.
Finish Line!!!
| FINISH | At a Beach Resort |
We all got our acts together eventually since we understood that it was crunch time. We found CP 23, went back to CP 24, and swam and ran to CP 25. Surviving Carrera Habagat and finishing it the first time around is unforgettable, and my teammates and I soaked it all in. We had gone through so much together the past four days and were the 8th team to come through. We were blessed enough to see the beauty of this part of the Philippines in a way that no tourist ever could. This race revealed our character like nothing else ever could. I smiled at Ige, Def, and James, and silently thanked them. They were excellent athletes and human beings and it was a privilege to have done this with them. This race was by far the hardest one I have ever had to do in my whole life, and mind you, I have raced a lot. But in my opinion, joining a race that isn’t challenging at all is just a waste of time, and in this respect, Carrera Habagat was time spent very well indeed.
Team T1 AVAYA boys speak up!
1. Describe the race in three words:
Ige: Wild! Intense! Solid!
Def: Solid at palaban (and a challenge)
James: ONE LONG ADVENTURE
2. What was the hardest part of the race for you?
Ige: The navigation part at night where you’re tired, sleepy, hungry and your minds playing tricks on you.
Def: You always have wet socks, so blisters will be hell. They multiply and grow bigger everyday – and still lots of trekking and running to go. Locating the CPs accurately. Not hard, but a major hassle was bumping my right leg into a colony of sea urchins!
James: Blistering and chafing. Plus catching up with my teammates.
3. Any memorable moments?
Ige: Hmm…each part of the race was memorable but my fave would be the super race pace mountain bike leg on the last day going to the last CP. We were there BUT not quite…yet!!!
Def: Where do I begin??? Swimming at 10:30pm for hours to get to another island; our huge bangka being sucked underwater in a dark stalactite cave; eating 5 star style; trekking while sleeping or sleeping while trekking; and of course our motto: ‘how bad do you want it???’ There’s
more but I’ll save for when we go partying! haha!
James: The inter-island swims. I would never do that except if my life depended on it.
4. Tips for aspiring Habagat joiners?
Ige: Training should be a lifestyle and always enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Choose your teammates well and physically and mentally prepare much much more than you would expect. Learn to give and take for the sake of the team. This is definitely not just one of your ordinary urban races that you see in reality TV.
Def:Train hard, and keep fit all year round. Pick good teammates. During the race, keep an open heart and an open mind. Never say die! And it can be done =)
James: Train, train, train to be confident on what you’ve never done before.
5. Say something about each of your teammates.
Ige: Ani- Newly baptized multi day adventure racer! Solid foundation, definitely an asset to teammates and a threat to opponents in future adventure races to come. James- Silent James, dependable and soft spoken. Will rise to the occasion if needed. Paolo- The Erik Dekker of the team! Hardworker and never say die attitude! The perfect energizer beast on multi day races.
Def: James – silent but deadly; the man you want to consult when you’re lost haha! Ani – she knows how to dig very very deep; nice to have that woman’s care amidst the tough adventure. Ige – high spirited; fighter; wouldn’t do it without him – he gets my jokes!
James: Miguel- Strongest in the team, overall. Always composed. Always had that extra energy if needed from him. Ani- Has the heart of a real champion. Will step up to lead the team at any given point, without hesitation. Paolo- Always charged. Loud talker. Keeps us on our toes. Always know where the food is.
6. Would you do it again?
Ige: Where do I sign up?
Def: Heck yeah! Can I have the same team?
James: DEFINITELY!
Filed under Biking, Race Report, Running, Travel
Halfway Between Pain and Pleasure
| Halfway Between Pain and Pleasure | Nov 21, ’07 11:27 PM for everyone |
Last night, as I was trying to execute a complicated pose in my yoga class, the instructor mentioned something that caught my attention. She said, “find that point between pain and pleasure in your stretch.” A few of us gifted with more lively imaginations giggled, but it was the perfect way to describe that asana, and that got me to thinking what a very thin line it was between the two.
I also recall reading a study published in a magazine a few years ago about the so-called, elusive “runner’s high.” Curiously, it could only be achieved at a pace that was neither too easy nor too difficult for the person running.
Is this how it should be? Is this the key to finding balance in everything we do? Is this why the Buddhist teaching which shows us “The Middle Path” so important for us to understand?
In sports, if you slack off and have too many easy days, you can’t expect a good result. But if you push way too hard, you can either get injured or will be just plain tired on the day of the big event and can’t perform as well. And if you still insist on doing this over and over it would surely lead to extreme fatigue and burnout.
When is enough enough anyway? Sans a heart rate monitor, speedometer, power output meter and other training devices, are we all equipped with an inner alarm that tells us when to keep pushing and when to stop?
Of course we are. We are the masters of what is good for us. Now if only we would listen. I myself have wasted many a racing season because I would foolishly ignore my intuition and follow what others are doing because it sounded like it worked for them. Comparing yourself to other people too much can be detrimental. And this goes both ways—for I discovered that for me to do well I would have to do more than the normal share of long workouts, whereas for some people, short and sweet seems to do it for them.
Lance Armstrong (and just when you thought I would go through this whole article without mentioning him, eh), while being interviewed for a major international publication once, was asked what sort of pleasure he derived from all that hard work which he put into his training and racing. He couldn’t understand the question and requested for it to be repeated a couple of times. It wasn’t till later that the interviewer realized—pain was Lance’s pleasure. Again, very thin line. Driving himself onto this extremely high threshold makes sense to him though, and we all know that he has reaped huge successes for believing in himself, trusting in his instincts and ignoring the naysayers who kept telling everyone what could not be done.
Find your balance. Strive to be the very best version of yourself because you just might be surprised how far this will take you. Testing your limits can be a truly rewarding endeavor. But most of all, take pleasure in the whole experience.
And if doing what you like the most means eliciting stares from strangers who conclude that you are one of the crazies from your weird whooping and grunting sounds on the treadmill, then so be it. Hey, they called Galileo crazy once but he was on to something wasn’t he?
Filed under Articles, Random Thoughts, Running
Sitting Still for Dummies
| Sitting Still For Dummies | Apr 26, ’07 2:57 AM for everyone |
Sitting Still for Dummies
(Or how to cope with an annoying injury that’s driving you crazy)
Okay, somebody please help me out here. I feel like I am once again forced to struggle with something new and foreign and nobody really left a set of instructions for me to follow. I hate not knowing what to do. But more than that, I HATE not being able to do anything. Workout-wise, that is.
That’s right, I’m injured. My kneecap is not tracking properly and I can’t run, I can’t bike on my beloved hills, and I definitely can’t race. Super bummer. It doesn’t even matter anymore how I hurt my knee, (but just in case you do wanna know, it was from stupidity, not from overtraining…although that does count as a form of stupidity too) the point is, I can’t do what I love doing. I told my best friend the other day that I felt like a kid who was prohibited to frolic around with the other kids in the playground.
Well here I am, cut off from my daily endorphin indulgences and sadly unequipped to remain stationary but forced to be so. The thing is, you can’t stay mad at your situation forever (it gets boring too- for you and for other people) and I figured I probably won’t be the only one who will encounter this predicament so I have decided to be useful and share some of the little nuggets of wisdom I have come across in the past two months. There is a book called “The Art of Doing Nothing” by Veronique Vienne and Erica Lennard and I must say it makes perfect sense to me right now. I stole some of my favorite “art forms” from the book, mixed it up with my own findings, and tried to make it as dummy-friendly as possible for the rest-challenged personality.
“Being” is more compelling than “Doing.” I grew up in a household wherein everyone was always preoccupied with either work, hobbies, or planning other diversions for work and hobbies. It seemed like no one ever spent their waking hours wasting precious minutes on “trivial stuff.” I thought this was how I should measure myself as a person, but I know now that I had it wrong. My worth will not be lessened if I do more or less. Personally I think this is where a lot of addictions stem from, because we feel like we shouldn’t be idle and if we are watching tv, or chatting online, drinking, smoking, etc. we feel like we are doing something, but we really aren’t. We should learn to appreciate ourselves a little bit more, just as we are.
Adopting The “How Do You Know It’s a Bad Thing?” Frame Of Mind. Can we really say with certainty that every single thing that happens to us is either good or bad? Yes, I do feel left out when I can’t train, and it’s very easy to let negative thoughts pollute my psyche, but going with the flow of things is a much better alternative…further down the road know I will find out why this is happening right now, and it might even be good for me.
Sleeping and Napping. I definitely have more capacity to produce quality work when I am rested and refreshed. A clearer mind and a well-recovered body can do wonders. I can’t emphasize this enough.
Unclutter. A clean environment and a worry-free mind affects every single aspect of your life. Meditate and hold a vision of your ideal self without all the inconsequential baggage that your harried lifestyle usually carries.
Learning Not to Feel Guilty. Most serious athletes or people who work out regularly feel bad when they don’t get to work out. But just remember that this is only a temporary and necessary thing. Not resting will make your injury last longer, and that is bound to make you feel even worse.
Making The Most Out Of The Cards You are Dealt With. Explore your options at this time. What is it that you can work on while you are out of commission? Maybe now is the best time to work on your strength and flexibility, areas that aren’t usually given enough attention when you are busy doing all of your other workouts.
Actually Having Fun. Just enjoy this moment and spend it doing things you’ve always wanted to do on your own, with family, or with friends. Yes, there is another world out there, offering so much potential for growth and happiness. Borrowing the title of a great film, Life Is Beautiful…and it would be foolish to get stuck in a quagmire just because you fell into one for an insignificant second.
Filed under Articles, Random Thoughts, Running
Sisters in Sport
| Sisters in Sport | Apr 26, ’07 2:57 AM for everyone |
Sisters in Sport
I run for hope, I run to feel, I run for the truth, for all that is real
I run for your mother, your sister, your wife
I run for you and me my friend
I run for Life.
-from “I Run For Life,” by Melissa Etheridge
I had a happy childhood. And when I think about it now, the greatest reason for this was my sister. Sinag is just a year and a half older than I am, and we did almost everything together. Being both hyperactive kids, we were really blessed with a huge playground—our compound housed three families, a furniture factory, two big abandoned rice fields, an ancient balete tree bigger than an apartment unit in girth, and plenty of caimito, santol, macopa, aratilis, bayabas, and mango trees….an impossibly idyllic setting considering we lived near the city. I’m pretty sure all that time we spent climbing trees, running around barefoot, chasing after dragonflies and each other gave us a solid foundation for our future interest in endurance sports. But she definitely went into all of them first—and I just copied what she did! That’s how attached I am to her.
The Original Team David's Salon
A lot of siblings I know go through some sort of rivalry, intense or not—and I can honestly say that, Sinag, being the truly truly kind-hearted person that she is, never really set up this kind of environment for me. Yes, it does take two to tango, but I still maintain that it was she who set the tone in our relationship, being the older one (although at this stage in our lives I sometimes feel like I am the ate, haha).
My sister Sinag and her daughter Raya
Today I still enjoy that female bond—and much more. Being in sports has certainly given me a whole new extended family of remarkable women—all of whom I consider sisters. Up to this day I am simply amazed at how strong, intelligent, and diverse they all are, and I consider myself extremely lucky at having the opportunity to be with them. Each woman’s story is different, but all as richly textured and as interesting as one can imagine.
Pinay Triathletes Brunch 2006
At races we may compete with each other, and sometimes personalities do tend to collide, but these are inconsequential albeit necessary rites. At the end of the day we know we are united in that which is all part of us and that which we all experience—what it is like in this country to be women in a supposedly male dominated field, and in how we believe with great passion that we are capable of breaking down all social barriers.
Asian Duathlon Championships 2005
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Not too long ago I went to Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon for Senator Pia Cayetano’s Bike For Hope, wherein 500 cyclists participated. In line with the 100km bike ride, Pia also conducted seminars on breastfeeding and violence against women. I facilitated two Pinay In Action running clinics for 700 high school girls—with the help of fellow Team David’s Salon member Mona Valdes, Asian and National champions of Duathlon and Triathlon respectively, Ryan Mendoza and George Vilog, and the rest of Pia’s very able staff of women. We also visited a group of women entrepreneurs who showed us a thing or two about affordable and accessible alternative medicine and homemade products—I admired them so much because even though they obviously came from humble backgrounds and continue to face numerous challenges, their dignity and gentle spirit is evident.
With Mona and Pia atop Mt. Kitanglad
Whether we intentionally meant for it to happen or not, the theme of our whole trip turned out to be women empowerment. More often than not, when organizing certain activities, the personalities of the proponents will really shine through, and that is exactly what happened. Just the day after all our obligations were finished, Pia, Mona, and I, led the group to a record-breaking ascent of 2hours and 27minutes of the third highest peak in the country. It was a cleanup and ceremonial marking of the boundaries of the Mt. Kitanglad Protected Area in Bukidnon. The lumads guiding us were amazed at how fast we, who were women, actually climbed it. The three of us (who were just chattering happily up the peak) just shrugged it off matter-of-factly and concluded that any of our other regular female cycling and triathlon training buddies would have been able to do the same thing anyway. If you have to know, we even went bellydancing that evening, and the next morning did some yoga, ran for an hour, went ziplining and whitewater rafting, and swam in the evening. Our tired hosts, progressive politicians Tagoloan Mayor Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano and Congressman Nereus “Neric” Acosta just shook their heads and thought we were crazy. We kidded them that they could finally rest when we flew back to Manila.
Sandra and I at SEA Games
It is with great confidence that I say this sort of well-balanced (productive and fun at the same time!) endeavor was possible only because we were women athletes. No one else would be as energetic and as highly motivated.
I trust my sisters in sport—I will always be there for them, because I know that they are there for me too.
Oona's Bday Aug 2008
There are countless awesome girls in our business, but these are the ones who are special to me, and I would like to honor them: Popo, Pia, Mona, Kaye, Sandra, Ria, Bing, Marita, Maritess, Nancy, Amale, Rizzo, Doray, LC, Mimi, Kim, Sally, Cherry, Taleng, Oona, Waya, Lala, and of course, my inspiration, my sister Sinag.
Filed under Articles, Biking, Environment, Pinay In Action, Random Thoughts, Running, Travel
Becoming a Runner
| Becoming a Runner | Apr 30, ’07 10:36 AM for everyone |
Becoming a Runner
By Ani Karina Sarabia de Leon
(reposted from “Amped” column I wrote some years back)
“Excuse me, I couldn’t help but wonder—are you a runner?”
If I were standing in line for groceries or at the atm today and someone asked me that question, I would be totally tickled with the flattery and would be floating on cloud nine for the next couple hours. Unfortunately and to my complete and utter devastation, queries like that are seldom directed towards me.
Aah don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about how I’m built. In fact people automatically assume that I am an athlete when they see me, as what I am is a sun-streaked, tan line-patterned, muscle-flaunting, generally perky kind of gal hauling around probably way more energy than what is considered normal. Indeed, I’m happy to be me, thank you very much.
But what is it about the runner’s mind and body that makes me sooo want to be recognized as one? I can’t say exactly why, but as a competitive triathlete I have secretly strived to achieve this kind of appearance, even though I realize that given my genetics this dream may actually prove futile. Heck, now that I get a chance to thoroughly think hard about it, ever since I was a kid and would visualize what an athlete should look like, I know I always imagined the limber body of a long distance runner. Without a doubt, it was also their mental tenacity that I was doubly attracted to. It’s just a remarkable combination to possess.
By some strange stroke of destiny and without my planning to do so, I have eventually made a serious career out of sports. Countless hours of training and racing have already gone through my entire system by now, and with it, a relatively more mature perspective on what an athlete truly is. And honestly—I still admire runners the most. So I guess I was right all along.
But now it is more real to me. Now more than ever do I have an even greater respect for those bloody hardcore maniacs who spend a good number of their waking hours clad in nothing more than bits and pieces of lycra and their worn down training shoes. Why? Simple. It’s just so damn hard. Among all the sports that I do I, personally still suffer most when I run.
This may not be the case for everybody, and if you are one of those gifted few who seem like prancing gazelles that fly with the wind, then lucky you, is all I can say, embrace that gift and do not throw it away.
But I know that I am like the vast majority who initially feel unnatural and awkward trying out this running business. And my message to that majority is—SO WHAT. Gazelles feel clumsy too when they are baby gazelles (sorry, didn’t know the exact word for that) learning how to walk. Don’t allow yourself to be discouraged if you suspect that you’re taking longer than your mates to get to the speeds that you want. There is a lot of running to be had, it’s not going anywhere, and no one’s going to take it away from you. Hence, I suggest you do the wise thing and enjoy every moment of your journey into becoming a runner. One day you’ll wake up and realize that you already are one.
I still like to have that vision of what an athlete should be like in my mind, but this time she has my face on her. Cause you know what? Why should I apologize for not being long and skinny like those classic marathoning fixtures you see out there? I insist that I am defined by what I do, and not what I look like. And we do what we choose to do, whether we are conscious of it or not, and whether we like what we are doing or not.
I am a runner. Running is what I do, and I claim it as my birthright. Slow running, fast running, Ugly-ass running, beautiful running. Group running, solo running, short running, long running, easy running, gutsy as hell kind of running….it’s all mine now.
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“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance.”
Bruce Barton
“Even if you fall flat on your face·at least you are moving forward.”
Sue Luke
“Roger Bannister studied the four-minute mile the way Jonas Salk studied polio—with a view to eradicating.”
Jim Murray, LA Times
“No one can say, ‘You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.’ The human spirit is indomitable.”
Sir Roger Bannister
“The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.”
Sir Roger Bannister
“Mind is everything: muscle–pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind.”
Paavo Nurmi
“Hard things take time to do. Impossible things take a little longer.”
Percy Cerutty
Filed under Articles, Random Thoughts, Running
Filipina Ironwoman 