A Bit Longer and Faster [20190721]

Day two, July 21, 2019, started a earlier than day one. Not as early as I had hoped (5 or 6 AM) but at least it was earlier than 10 AM.

I noticed that my pace for the first two kilometers were faster compared to yesterday. But on my way to the third km, I started to slow down. Speed is something I really need to work on.

metrics for the day

From my condo, I went to CCP complex. I went up the ramps of CCP and the film center for some added challenged. I felt a bit dyspneic but not so much to stop my walk. I ventured along road parallel to Macapagal up to the GSIS complex gate. Saw a lot of taxis parked there and there were some hidden eateries at the side of the road. I should try eating there one of these days.

longer distance

My music was a little mellow this day.  Ben a Ben  and Rey Valera were playing at the background. Not your usual running music, but it made me feel relaxed.

I’m glad my distance has improved.  I think I will work my way up again to 10k. ;)

hotel sofitel at my back

Catch of the day

I chanced upon a shooting while walking back to Roxas boulevard. They turned the grassy area near harbor square into a foreign looking park complete with picnic tables and nice looking bbq grills.

The actors looked foreign too. I’m not sure if they were shooting an ad or a film. I wanted to take a closer picture but I was told we were not allowed to do so. Oh well. I hope I get to see whiter film or ad that was.

a shot of the shooting

Walk Gopher [20190720]

Before starting this blog, right after I had my talk with my doctor, I already started devoting time for walking with friends. Usually, we do it once-a-week, for 45 minutes or for 2.5 km, at The academic oval of UP Diliman. It was walking rather than running because I still tire easily, and because I just wanted to start somewhere easy and progress from there. So far, it has been good. We got to finish one round around the oval. Sometimes more than that. However, it was too infrequent. My MD actually recommended brisk walking every other day, if not daily.

I revived this blog when I decided I should do my walking/running everyday.  Yup! That is the challenge. To walk at least 45 minutes or at least 3 km on a daily basis. And like what I wrote in my previous entry, I hope blogging my experience will help in motivating me to do the physical activity regularly. 

The plan is to post to following on a daily basis:

1. A map showing the route I took during my walk/run,

2. The speed, pace, distance and other metrics car of the runtastic app,

3. A selfie of me while doing the activity (as evidence and for vanity’s sake), and

4. The “catch of the day”, a photo of something that caught my attention during walking/running to keep the post (and my walk/run) interesting. 

I’ll also post about my random thoughts and musings while walking/running.

Alright! To start this off, here’s my post about my walk/run last 20 July 2019 (Saturday).

I actually started a little late that day, at almost 10 AM. I wasn’t really planning to walk/run that morning but I just decided to do so. I decided to go to the CCP complex which is near my place.

my route from Rizza Memorial Complex around CCP complex and back

It was little hot, and because that and my late start, I had the place all to myself. The throngs of runners who frequent the place during weekends already went home. I must say I liked the peace.

all the other runners already went home

I walked most of the way.  Towards the end, I tried doing a 1-min run:1-min walk pace like what I used to do when I was training for the marathon. But I ended up doing that for only 5 minutes. Boy, I was really deconditioned.  I’m not disheartened though. I know I can improve on this. I just need to be consistent with doing daily physical activities.

I covered a total distance of 4.75 km in 1 hour and 7 minutes. Not bad! That’s an average pace of 14 minutes to cover one kilometer. That’s part of the goal also. To at least reach my previous pace of 10 minutes per kilometer.

metrics for 20190720

Catch of the day

This painting on the south external wall of the CCP caught my attention as I was walking along  Vicente Sotto street going back to Roxas Boulevard. It was the first time I noticed this painting.

at the south side of CCP

At first I though it was just a bunch of curvy lines. But the more I looked at it, the clearer the image became. It was a person, probably deceased, covered with a cloth. I heard a group of youngster from behind talking about it. That most probably it was a commentary about extra-judicial killings. I’m not really sure what it meant and I would have to search for more information about it. But the painting really has a way of catching your eye and drawing you in.

Well, that’s it for my first day. I imagine as I progress further, I’ll be writing less and less. Hahaha. But let’s see. 

Running Anew

It has been a while since I last posted here.  So many things have happened. So many things have changed.

I started this blog to document my runs. That includes training and actual fun runs and marathons. Unfortunately, just like my other “ningas cogon” projects, this one didn’t last. Hehehe.

The original plan was to document all of my preps and the actual run as I embark on my Bull Runner Dream Marathon journey. Yep, a real marathon with me going through the whole 42km.

Well, the good news is, I’ve successfully gone through the Bull Runner Dream Marathon... twice. Hahaha. I’m a full-fledged marathoner. The bad news is, I wasn’t able to document these marathons here as originally planned. Aside from the two marathons, I also served as pacer for a friend, as she did her 42km-run. Felt like I did the full marathon three times with a lot of half mary’s in between.

But after that, I stopped.

at the finish line of my first marathon

marathoner 2.0

Work got more toxic. I got more sedentary. I gained back the weight I lost. Huhuhu. I lost almost everything I gained. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get back to the groove...until recently....

Two months ago I found another reason to run. Unfortunately, it was not a good reason.

I consulted a doctor two months ago because I started to experience dyspnea while doing activities that required a little extra effort. I found myself short of breath when walking three flights of stairs or walking a block while carrying a heavy bag. I was also started to develop edema of both legs after prolonged sitting or standing which I know could be signs of cardiac failure.

My cardiologist said I had mitral valve prolapse but that does not explain the dyspnea. Fortunately, after several blood tests, a 2D echo and a treadmill exercise test, he said it was not cardiac failure. He said I was deconditioned and my treatment included meds, diet and aerobic exercise. Thus the need to go back to running.

It’s not the most ideal of circumstances. Heck! I think, I could have even avoided this whole health thing had I continued with the running. But there’s no use thinking about what could have been. It is time to start anew.

I revive this blog as I rediscover the joys of running. I think it will give additional motivation thinking that something creative can come out of running again. I plan to post my progress as my way of documenting what’s happening and also as a weird way of making me accountable. Not sure if that makes sense but those are my reasons.

So that’s it. As I dust off the imaginary cobwebs and dust bunnies that accumulated in blog, I declare it officially re-opened.

Gopher is running again.