The FAB is back!

....and still fabulous, i know!  Thanks to my genius daughter, this blog has undergone a fanta-bulous orangey facelift.

HIBERNATION

So I did some hibernation.  And the cause was actually triggered by my English triathlon champ daughter when she referred me as legallyFABTrunner.  So I sulked in one corner, stopped running, quit blogging and got really FAT!!!

Of course, that's not true.  Well, at least the sulking and the quitting.  And especially on the getting FAT thing!

What actually happened was I got injured.  Oh yes, I mean....oh no!!!  It was shin splint and it was so freaking painful.  It took me almost three months to recover and I missed a lot of races which I signed up in advance.  Except of course for the Angkor Wat International Half-Marathon...


Angkor Wat

As early as September 12, 2012, I had myself and hubby registered to join the famous Angkor Wat International Half Marathon.  Who would not dream of running on Siem Reap along its famous temples, one of which is part of the World Heritage Site as declared by UNESCO?  I've arranged everything, from air transportation to hotel accommodation.

Sadly though, when I attempted to run my first marathon in the first ever Run United Philippine Marathon on October 28 (a day after my birthday!), I got my first ever injury!

I was hoping to recover before the Angkor Wat race, but despite seeing one (1) Orthopedic,  two (2) Physical Rehab specialists, and plenty of physical therapists to perform miracles on my injured tibia,  I was still limping (slightly) when we traveled to Siem Reap.  But that did not prevent me from joining the race!

I was able to join the runners and walkers from the starting line until I reached 3K where I decided to DNF (it was my second!).  Anyway, hubby went on with the race and I went back to the starting point straight to the medic area where I met also an injured runner (she said it was a nagging plantar fasciitis) and she ran also despite the possibility of recurrence.  Most runners are really stubborn, eh!

Better let the photos do the talking....


                                         Posing at the finish line before gun time.

                                       

                                          With Cambodia elites, such strong, sexy running legs.

Tagging along with the determined Aussies who planned to power walk the entire course.

 With Yuko Arimori, Japan's 1992 Summer Olympics silver medalist for marathon.

Hubby finished the race by running half of the course barefoot.

I will surely be back to finish this!  I am already planning for the full marathon debuting next year...

The 1st Angkor Empire Full Marathon 2014 TO Run for charity and Save the children in Cambodia. EVENT DATE: 17 August 2014 ( Full Marathon , Half Marathon, 10K  and 3K) VENUE: Angkor Wat Temple, Siem Reap of Cambodia

Energy gel...for endurance!

I had my first taste of energy gel last Saturday.  And it tastes good (of course, I chose the blackberry flavor!)

This gel has provided me with a shot of 100 calories of carbo upon reaching the 1-hour mark.  I've read in one of the running books that when you're running for more than two hours you will need some energy boosters.  This will help with replacing the glycogen level and also avoid build up lactic acid thus avoiding developing injury.  Ooops, sorry for the running lingo!

Speaking of runner's language, I had a funny encounter with a muggle last Monday.  I went to Mercury Drug Store hoping to find energy gel there....

Me:  Do you have GU energy gel?
Pharmacist:  Ano po yun?
Me:  Energy gel...kahit anong brand.
Pharmacist:  (with a bewildered look)  Para saan po yun?
Me:  For endurance
Pharmacist:  (with an enlightened look) Ahhhh

He left to get a sample.  Guess what he brought?  A condom..yup, endurance is a known label for a condom....LOL.  Anyway, I left the drugstore empty handed.

This Sunday, I will be running my first half-marathon (21K).  Based on my current training pace, I might do it  for about 2.5 - 3 hours.  Oh yes, that's how slow I run.  But, as they say in running, it's not how fast you run but on whether you finish the race or not.

21K Race Map

  So, let's run and conquer the Skyway!

Where did the runners go?

I've asked that question when I ran last Sunday after a lazy spell for 3 days.  I couldn't see a lot of joggers/runners!

Did laziness catch up on them like what happened to me the past 3-4 days?  Are they having running burnout?  Or maybe they were just enjoying the few more weekends of cool mornings.



Then, I remember.  It's the day when Piolo was set to beat his own record for the 10K.  It's the Timex Run Race...






I actually planned to run this race early on but begged off last minute due to some conflict in my husband's social schedule.  And even without conflict, we also could not run due to his injury!

He was suffering from tendonitis.  According to orthopedics.about.com, tendonitis is most often an overuse injury.  Does that mean he was overtraining?  Hmmm may be!  He was not always heeding my advise of strictly following our running workout plan, especially on the distance to be covered.  The plan says run for 12k and he did 16k!

Anyway, he's starting to recover now after a series of therapy and medication.  Hope we can have a long run training this weekend.  You see, having a running partner is a great motivator.  From the time hubby was injured, I haven't had any long run.

Instead, I had short runs for three consecutive days totaling almost 15K.  Yesterday, I had a nice run at Graceland Estates and Country Club.  It offers an amazing view while circling the jogging trail ...

I took that picture using my IPhone 4S.  I'm really loving Instragram right now.  It's the best way of updating your FB status with matching picture.  A genius software invention!  Before, almost all my status updates are regarding my runs or races.  Now, most of my updates are either Instagram photos or impeachment proceedings.

So, where did the runner in me go the past few days?

She's either taking Instagram photos or watching Tupas being lectured by Enrile or pawned by Cuevas! =D

no more junk food!

that's right!

i started with my 5-week training and it hurts from my knee down whenever i run.

must be sodium overload!

i ate doritos this morning and again some munchies this afternoon while watching Mark Z. tomorrow will be harder - a 2 - mile walk/run!

wait, i'm a metric person....

according to metric conversion, 2 miles equal to 3.22 kilometers. that would be running/walking from house to gate 1 and back!

hope i will make it =D