Fit and Run.Info

It was 2 March when I finally decided to start my couch-to-5k training program, laced up my newly bought discounted New Balance shoes and head out that dawn to the Legazpi Park in Makati City. Five months after, it’s been 311 KM total according to my dailymile.com profile. I want to get fit. That was my mantra to run and I’m achieving it. Little by little, friends have commented about me shedding those pounds off.

I have joined a total of three, yeah, just three, races since I started:

• NatGeo Run, 5K (Metro Manila)
• Fair Trade Run, 5k (Cebu), and
• Takbo.ph Runfest, 10K (Metro Manila)

and I’m actually training for my first 21K, CamSur, this 26 of September. Of course, I will be joining 10K races before the Bicol run.

I’ve also fallen into the laziness trap or skipping training runs because of some flimsy reasons but I am dead set in my first 21K and thus, I have to be more disciplined in doing my weekly routine. From three times a week, I will be doing four and set my weekly mileage at 30-40 KM.

Looking forward to do more runs, get faster and be fit.

I contented my self photographing runners in yesterday’s Rexona Run 2010 but a few hours ago, on the eve of my five months of running, I started August with a leisurely midnight run around Makati City. Nothing so special but traced an old route that I’ve been coming back from time to time: Dela Rosa – Makati Ave. – Arnaiz and two loops at the Legazpi and W. Sycip Park.

I need to start August right. After having paced a friend for around 3KM last week, my only run, I have to get back to my training for the upcoming 21K at CamSur. Anyway, today’s 2 August and marking my fifth month of my running addiction.

Over at Titanium Runner, who ran with me in yesterday’s Earth Day Run 2010, actually, his first 5K run after doing marathons and an ultra (!), commented about my running:

• First, he has a great and correct posture in running.
• Two, he is a heel striker which is very common.
• Finally, this guy doesn’t seem to get tired easily!

Hahahaha… nice comments. Never thought that I have good form and sometimes, do get conscious about it. With this feedback, I can at least not worry about it anymore and devote more time to building endurance. Being a heel striker ain’t bad but he mentioned about midfoot strikes and that will be something that I will look up and read further soon.

As for the third comment, it’s nice that another well seasoned runner has noticed it but it is still something that I have to devote more time on. Endurance. As much as possible, I conserve energy when running but after about 25 minutes into the run, I do get tired. Side stitch can crop up that I have to slow down or even walk until it disappears and run again.

Anyway, Blas, thanx for the comments man!

Okay, I ran, solo, around Legaspi Village, Dela Rosa St. and Greenbelt 1 this Friday night using a running route in Makati City that I used prior to this one.

A Friday night run.

• If I was in Cebu, there might have been more runners with me, mga ungo, as what we have been called, starting from the Sun Star office to either Banilad Town Center or at the Asiatown IT Park.
• If I was in Cebu, there might have been a speaker sharing his/her experiences and giving out tips.
• If I was in Cebu, I would have surprised myself again with a new PR.

But I was not.

I didn’t plan to do a solo night run. Blame sleeping late (actally, I couldn’t sleep) until about past 4AM that I just have to say goodbye to an early morning’s exercise, my second day of my 6th week in the couch-to-5k running plan. I was out the whole afternoon and early evening but when I arrived home at around 9PM, I just felt something is missing.

It’s really kind of strange. Once the running bug bites, if you can’t hit the pavement, there’s this uncomfortable feeling, a kind of itch that just wants to be scratched. It’s like a ghost, slowly rearing it’s head, staring you in the eyes and trying to taunt you.  I couldn’t just do anything but give in, scratched it and faced the ghost head on.

I laced my shoes, stretched, closed the door shut and headed out into the night. Tiring but I felt complete.

At noon yesterday, I was at Runnr for one very important task: get my running gait analysis as they have a video gait analyzer and they do it for free. I’ve been advised by runner friends Max, Gifford and Marlon to go there and have it analyzed so that I will know what kind of pronator I am and correspondingly, what kind of shoes I should get.

Now some basics from the New Balance website:

What is the running gait?

The running gait is a unique set of actions and reactions that your foot performs while in motion to support, cushion, and balance your body.

What is pronation?

Pronation is simply a normal foot in motion, from foot-strike on the outside of the heel through the inward roll of the foot. Pronation occurs as the foot rolls from the outer edge to the inner edge. Everyone pronates, and the initial pronation is considered an important and healthy response to the intense amount of shock imposed upon the foot and is integral to propelling you forward. If the foot pronates too much or too little and does so frequently, several biomechanical problems may result that will cause a decrease in performance and increase the possibility of injury.

Having one’s running gait analyzed is important to reduce the possibility of injuries, which is important whether or not you have health insurance, as no one wants to get hurt, let alone while exercising. At Runnr, its a treadmill equipped with a video camera at the back, a laptop at the side which the operator handles and a monitor infront. With bare feet, I ran for a few seconds and later, the attendant looked at the results. In slow motion, he pointed out that my right foot overpronates a little bit than my left but both, mildly. From the same site:

Overpronators generally land in a pronated position and continue to roll significantly inward as they go from heel strike to toe off…

Because of this, I was advised to look for running shoes for stability. Even if you don’t go to Runnr, both at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Ayala Center in Cebu, you can actually check what kind of pronator you are. Just check the same New Balance website I’ve pointed out above. I did this and I can say that I do overpronate.

The advantage, however, of getting the high tech analysis is that the guesswork of being an overpronation (one needs a shoe for stability) and severe overpronation (one needs a shoe for motion control) or under pronate (one needs the shoe to be cushioned) or if one’s gate is normal (neutral) is eliminated.