erkdb

(19 October 2008)

Jogging err… Running.

February 2008: I bought a new pair of crosstrainers to force myself to run. The last time I owned “low-cut,” rubber-soled shoes was more than 4 years ago. I only had a pair of mid-cut basketball shoes then.

I have been relatively sedentary since I started post-graduate studies 10 years ago. Gone were the thrice-weekly, 3-hour training days plus the weekly-scheduled, high-intensity games—the toils of being involved in competitive volleyball as a Fighting Maroon. I’ve only been able to manage 2 – 3 pickup games of basketball a month the past few years, and the idleness has taken its toll. The lack of a rigid schedule was used as excuse to stay up late for nonsensical reasons and sprawl in bed way past sunrise. There were periods when I would feel lethargic during the day, seemingly out of energy. I’ve managed to maintain my weight between 77 and 80 kg (a bit light for my 6’ ½” frame), but with a noticeable loss of lean mass with an increase of sebaceous pads. There were also several occasions wherein my blood pressure reached 140+/90+ (a normal individual should have a blood pressure less than 120/80 at rest).

I knew I had to increase my level of activity, but the problems with team sports include needing a minimum number of participants gathered at a specific place at a certain time. Sure, you may be able to manage a weekly session, but to bring it up more than 2 times per week maybe as improbable as reaching the summit of Everest without supplemental oxygen.

Aside from a healthful lifestyle, I think that is was fear of suffering fate the same as some of my relatives’ (hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and heart attack) that I decided (at least try) to take up jogging, err… running.

It wasn’t until April 2008 that my new shoes’ intended purpose was actually realized. I used to be able to cover more than 2 loops of the Academic Oval in UP Diliman as warm-up during training sessions (each loop approximates 2.2 km) with ease. Having some idle time, I began to brave through Roxas Boulevard. To bring objectivity, I measured distances two or three times using my car’s odometer. A grim omen befell me as I stretched: I could barely reach the lower half of my shins as I bent to touch my toes. “Just a minor setback,” I lamented—until I found myself walking, worn out, back to my starting point after less than 1.5 km traversed in a supposed jog run. I was all set to wallow in misery, but got up knowing wisdom—gained from competitive training—that any skill may be improved with practice. And so began my undertaking.

Maybe it was serendipity, but it was motivation enough when a colleague invited me to join PHA’s Doc Fit: Takbo Para sa Puso 2008 scheduled for May 25th. Our objective: to complete the 5 km course without walking. I was able to squeeze 2 – 3 runs per week, gradually increasing distances. “Your game is only as good as your practice,” meant being able to reach 5 km before the event (which I did, beating the date by a week, sans any regard for pace or time). Came race day, I finished the hilly course in UP Diliman with an official time of 33:44, landing me 7th in the 5k MD category (Woohoo! Hmmm… I wonder how many were included in that category).

Since then…
…I have been hooked;
…I have participated in 2 more races;
…I have registered in 3 more races until the end of the year;
…I have improved my range to almost 10k;
…I have added (trying) some speedwork to my training runs;
…I have glued back the soles of my crosstrainers 6 times;
…I have bought a pair of “real” running shoes;
…I have improved my physique (slightly 😛 );
…I have maintained a normal blood pressure;
…I have been more energetic during daytime;
…I have been sleeping before Cinderella’s horses turn into mice;
…I have been finding myself dressed before sunrise; and
…I have been able to reach my toes again!
…I have been running instead of jogging.