Running, Racing

Last year, I got it into my head to get back into running. Not that I left it behind somewhere along the way; it was just that I'd treated it more as a recreational activity than an avenue for competition. It's been years since my last big competition, and I was still with the team then. I've always done mid-distance sprints, but last year I thought "why don't a try a full 42K marathon?"

After graduating, I had loads of time for myself. When I wasn't writing, I didn't know what to do with the extra time I had, so I thought, what the heck? Why don't I try? I had a running buddy who was very much into the longer distances anyway, so I was pretty confident that I could do it (till I found out there are really what they call 'endurance monsters' out there).

I started by making a running program for myself. I was like a crazy chef, taking Googled ingredients from here and there. Got hold of the basics first: Intervals, Tempo runs, Easy runs, and of course, the dreaded Long run.

While I was working my way up to doing 3-hour long runs (that was around 4 months into my 5-month long program), I burned out. I was like, "I'm not made for long distance running." I don't know how my running buddy did Camsur in 5 hours, because I felt that it would be impossible for me to even finish that full 42K stretch. Because I didn't have the confidence to join the Quezon City International Marathon's 42K, I settled for half that distance, the 21K. Sadly, I trained for that event, only to be let down by my work, which kept me hanging about in Pasay until 2am for consecutive days prior to the race. I was in no condition to compete, so I just settled for the Grand Fiesta Run's 10K.

This year, I'm not sure if I'll just concentrate on the 5K and 10K distances, which are easier for me to stomach given my busy work sched and the fact that I'm still not used to long-distance running. I usually run really early in the morning. I'm putting my makeshift plan below (not that I always follow it, but at least I kinda have to stick to it since I made it). I excluded a month's worth of running since I already finished those to prepare for the Edsa Run this week.

All this is time-based since I don't have time to go to a track and measure the distances I run. I'll be crossing out/adjusting the workouts as I go along, depending on how I do, and my mood.
Got the races from takbo.ph.

Program
Week	Mon	Tues	Weds	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Feb 21: Rest	Tempo: 10-10-5	45 min easy	4min x 5	45 min easy	Rest	5K Race: Edsa Run
2	Feb 28: Rest ran 35 mins	Tempo: 15-10-10 Rest	55 min. general aerobic run	5min x 5	45 min easy	Rest	Long Run: 1 hr 45 min
3	Mar 7: Rest XT	45 min 35 min. easy	Tempo: 15-15-10 became 10-10-10, reduced rest to 3 mins per set instead of 5mins	3min hills x 7	45 min easy	Rest	Long Run: 2 hrs
4	Mar 14: Rest	Tempo: 15-15-15	45 min easy	6min x 4	30 min easy	"5K Race? Try Athena Run: March 19, 2011, Sat SM MOA Grounds (Register at Planet Sports, Trinoma)"	45 min easy
5	Feb 28: Rest	Tempo: 15-10-10	45 min easy	5min x 5	45 min easy	Rest	Long Run: 2 hrs 10 min
6	Mar 21: Rest	2min x 12	45 min easy	40 min. Fartlek	1 hr. easy	Rest	Tempo: 20-15-15
7	Mar 28: Rest	5 (hard)-5 (slower tempo)-10 (normal tempo)-5(slower)-5(hard)	30 min easy	4min x 5	30 min easy	Rest	"10K Race: April 3, AACE'S The G.O.O.D Run Bonifacio Global City (Register at Planet Sports, Trinoma)"