Learning From a Mountain: My All Terra King of the Mountain Experience

My first trail run almost didn't happen. After much indecision due to a schedule mired with plans that fell through, I tried to sign up for the 4th All Terra King of the Mountain (ATKOM) 10K trail run two days before the deadline. Fortunately, I managed to get racing kits for the three of us (my cousin Alvin, Cherie, and I) after two days of trying. The other issue I needed to attend to was the fact that the pair of trail shoes I had repaired and was planning to wear to the race did not look like they'd last two kilometers after I tried them out--the soles were peeling off from a few spots, and that didn't make me feel very confident. Plus, either my feet grew bigger or I just didn't know how to fit shoes properly then because there wasn't enough allowance for my toes. In an incredible twist, I then discovered that the pair of Asics that I've been using for training runs, the pair that my Uncle Tristan gave me over two years ago, were actually trail runners! I looked the model up on the net and sure enough, they're trail-worthy.

Now, as I sit here feeling aches in places that don't usually feel sore after a 10K run, I'm glad I had the opportunity to run that race because I walked away from the mountain with a few lessons from my first trail run.

Warrior Wisdom: The Tarahumara

- A saying from the Tarahumara

Runners and 'Roos

Runners need not be reminded of the various hazards in the streets which may pose a threat to their health. Time and again we've been told to take your earphones off to hear any cars coming from behind, to keep an eye open for suspicious characters lurking on the corner, and not to run away from, but instead raise your arms to appear bigger to menacing stray dogs. But if you're living in the Land Down Under, you have to worry about one more thing: kangaroos.

Four-Year Old Trail Runners and a Foray Into Trail Running

This is a photo of my Nike trail runners, taken in May 2006. I bought this pair during a trip to Bangkok, and not because I wanted to take up trail running (actually I never even knew the sport existed until I saw these shoes), but because I was about to embark on a relatively long-term backpacking trip and figured my old, frayed shoes were not going to make it out of the trip intact. I remember taking this photo as a reminder of how pretty the shoes were at the beginning, just before I was about to expose it to various terrains, climates, and whatever I might step on. Fast forward to March 2010, and this is how they look:

How a Watchmaker Made My Day

My Garmin FR50 recently displayed a LoBatt sign on its screen after only about four months of use. The battery supposedly has a lifespan of 12 months, but I've also read on forums that watches might be stored in warehouses for a long time before shipping which would naturally drain its energy (e.g. when I received my bundle, the foot pod's battery was dead). I still continued to use the watch for a few more runs before finally taking it to the watchmaker.

I went to an old watchmaker who has a small, rickety makeshift kiosk across the street from my building. His "store" is made of thin, weathered plywood nailed together to create a workstation which, despite all the random watch parts and tools placed on top of it, appeared neat and orderly. I went up to him and asked if he still had time to look at my watch (it was almost 6 PM) and he said he only closes shop when there's no longer enough light to work with. I introduced myself, and he replied that his name is Paul.

Pic of the Day: Recycled Bike Wheel Clock

Recycled Bike Wheel Clock: Image Credit

Found this via Etsy. Very cool. Unfortunately it's sold out. Although the constant appoximation of time doesn't sit well with my exacting (yeah, right) nature.

Read more about the product here.

Pic of the Day: Oddly Specific

Image via Oddly Specific

I guess this sign is a simpler way of saying: "If you're out biking in the woods and you see a monster, do not leave your bike behind."

Instead, pedal faster, you fool!

Getting My Toes Sucked in Laguna

My itchy feet needed some scratching really badly, so I joined Cherie on her planned trip to Laguna and ended up not only having my feet scratched but I had my toes sucked too. Yep. I. Had. My. Toes. Sucked.

It all started out innocently, with an invite from a friend who lives in Los Baños. On Sunday, we boarded an HM Bus from Cubao early in the day to make the most out of the visit. I remember enjoying the relative calm of the morning while standing on the bus stop, watching the morning sun turn everything into gold. Usually, I fail to take note of that experience since more often than not, I'd be running or riding. Either way, I'd be too preoccupied trying to get oxygen into my lungs to pay attention to the urban landscape.

Warrior Wisdom: Tony Robbins

- Tony Robbins

Coming Soon: RunTV

This looks very promising, and makes me wish I had a TV at home.

For more info, visit The Bull Runner.

Runners' Night Out

With just a few minutes to spare before midnight, Cherie and I arrived home from a Saturday night out. Originally, the plan was to watch a movie but an SMS from a friend changed things.

Edwin: Hi Leland. Takbo?

My running buddy Edwin asked if I wanted to go for a run at 8 PM, and after a few months of not being able to train with him, I was eager for a catch up.

Itchy Feet

Palawan Sunset, 2009

It just dawned on me how much I miss traveling, and everything else that goes with it: the long bus rides on rickety old death-cages, pre-flight safety measures and red-eyes, downing a cold beer to celebrate the arrival or the final evening at a destination, backpacks and accoutrements, anecdotes and experiences.

I miss reading about travel as I'm traveling (nothing is more poignant than reading Paul Theroux's essay on Palawan while you're sprawled at a beach in Palawan), the hysteria of multi-city/multi-country jaunts, and the guaranteed hours of boredom in between.

Most of all, I miss the catharsis of movement.

Here's to more travels in the very near future.

An Open Letter to the Company Behind 100PLUS Isotonic Drink

Dear Fraser & Neave Holdings, a.k.a. The Company Behind 100PLUS Isotonic Drink,

Hi. My name is Leland Pasion, and I'm writing about one of your products, 100PLUS Isotonic Drink (hereafter referred to as "100PLUS" or "the drink" or "the product"). I'm certain that you are well versed with the array of drinks that your company has to offer, but just in case the person reading this is new to the company, I've included a photo of the drink below. 100PLUS comes in three flavors: Regular, Lemon Lime, and Tangy Tangerine, and is available in a 325 ml can (pictured), as well as 500ml and 1.5L plastic bottles.

Exhibit A: Image Credit

It's 10 PM. Lace Up.

There are a number of things that I may be caught doing at 10 o'clock in the evening, but lacing up for a run was never one of them--until Wednesday night. Reduced to a sorry, useless pulp for the past two days after my little mishap on the bike during the weekend, made worse by a cough and cold I recently contracted, I missed my usual Tuesday run and was slowly going mental with the lack of physical activity. Maybe it was the few pages of Ultramarathon Man (which I started re-reading) describing Karno's spontaneous 30-mile evening jog through the streets of San Francisco that made me want to try it out. So I wore my bright yellow Adidas KOTR singlet and pinned a couple of reflectors on myself (one on my shorts and another on my cap), ignored the "LoBatt" sign on my Garmin, then headed out the door.

Upgradatitis: Do You Have It?

Next week, it will be an entire year that my beloved pre-loved mountain bike has been under my care. Since I bought my bike off a good friend a dozen months ago, I've probably spent less than Php 1,250 (USD 25) on accessories for the bike; meaning this figure does not include maintenance costs nor equipment which I attach to my person (gloves, helmet, whiskey to calm nerves, the like). So far, I've bought bike lights for the front and rear and a pair of grips (oh yeah, those were gifts). This clearly shows I am not afflicted with the dreaded disease referred to as Upgradatitis.

However, I've witnessed numerous cases of friends who suffer from this financially debilitating illness. From the perspective of an objective observer I have collected an array of data and hypothesize that there are two types of Upgradatitis: Benign and Malignant. The following report discusses the difference between the two with regard to their symptoms in the field of cycling, with specific manifestations on mountain bikers.

Google Maps Now Offers Directions For Cyclists

Reposted from Bike Rumor:

A view of New York's Lower East Side with Google's new cycling-specific street view. The green lines in the map represent "bike friendly" roads and paths.

Google announced an addition to its Google Maps service, launching an option to get directions optimized for cyclists.

The new option will utilize bike lanes, bike trails, and lighter-traffic roads in determining routes for cyclists. Google says the program will also attempt to avoid hilly terrain whenever possible, a huge plus for cyclists.

The plan means that Google has now integrated bike paths and bike lanes into their gigantic map database, so finding places to ride will be much simpler for cyclists. You can read all about the new features in Google’s blog post about the new service here.

Climbing Maarat and My Own "Cleats" Story

My heart was pounding and I couldn't sleep on Saturday night. I was that excited about riding on the trails again after being away from them for months, courtesy of my training runs and Sunday races. Fortunately my riding buddies never grew tired of sending me messages inviting me to rides despite the multiple times I've turned them down in favor of runs, and when I received an invite in the middle of the week for a quick ride on our original playground, the Maarat Reverse trail, I immediately said I'd be there. Same meeting place, same time.

Our riding "group" was a mere trio; hardly surprising since everyone was probably glued to their TV sets, watching Manny Pacquiao fight Joshua Clottey. Among other things, this also meant that our entire country would be crime-free until the fight is over, insurgency would grind to a temporary halt, and the streets would be clear of any traffic, also leading to cleaner air at least for the morning. Seriously, we could actually make out the shapes of buildings from our mid-point pit stop for the ride. More often than not, the smog covers this entire view.

Fewer cars, less pollution. Thanks, Manny.

An Open Letter to the Trail Head Bling Master

Reposted from Mountain.Bike198

Dear Trail Head Bling Master,

If you are reading this (and you are probably not because you are actually searching for that next top end part you are going to buy), I want to let you in on a little secret. We all know your routine.

We have seen you come to the trail head with your bike that is color coordinated and blinged out with the latest and greatest the industry has to offer. The bike looks incredible propped up against your truck and the bench at the start of the trail. We watch you talk about parts, give advice and pine for the questions on your fully decked out rig. We see you on a regular basis with your bike, but there one large problem…we never actually see you RIDE that bike.

March 13 Is a Good Day For Cycling

If you reside in the southern hemisphere and are planning to hop on your bike for a ride tomorrow, take your clothes off. No, really. Don't be surprised if you do see a mob of naked cyclists on the road because tomorrow, March 13, 2010 is one of the main dates for World Naked Bike Ride, a day of body painting, butts, boobs, and bikes. People joining this ride "face automobile traffic with our naked bodies as the best way of defending our dignity and exposing the unique dangers faced by cyclists and pedestrians as well as the negative consequences we all face due to dependence on oil, and other forms of non-renewable energy."

Living in the Philippines, I'm certain there is no lack of support for the cause they're advocating; I've joined rides which call for the same reforms. But let's face it; no one's going to organize a naked bike ride anywhere in our 7,107 islands (okay, maybe in some of the remote ones pwede pa). Save perhaps for the Oblation Run, any naked form of protest would be shut down even before the first bike is out the gate, seeing that even fully-clothed large group rides that have anything political to say are frowned upon in the streets of Manila (mostly by irate motorists). Not that I'm complaining about not being able to ride my bike naked, but it would be nice to know that I have the option, and that I could call a few thousand people to join me just in case we all feel like it. That said, this would be a fantastic event to join with my dream peloton.

Pic of the Day: Big!

Image Credit: Runner's World

Taken from runnersworld's twitpic site, this is a photo of the finisher's medal for Arkansas' Little Rock Marathon. The TSA worker at the airport reportedly said, "Take out your toiletries, laptops, and Little Rock finisher's medal."

Massive!

Warrior Wisdom: Arthur Blank

- Arthur Blank

The Amazing Kidney Race

Today was a big race day in the Metro--Unilab's Run for Wellness was held at the Fort, Run Against the Elements at Ateneo, and of course, the Bataan Death March Ultramarathon for the hardcore runners. I chose to run The Amazing Kidney Race (TAKR) at UP, primarily because it's not often that I get to run where I train, and because the P350 registration fee doesn't break the bank. So, how did it the race fare compared to the larger, more expensive events?

Update: The Amazing Kidney Race

Reposted from The Bull Runner

Update from the organizers of The Amazing Kidney Race:

Organizers of The Amazing Kidney Race has already closed the on-line registration facility for the race. However, an additional 100 slots will be opened on Sunday, from 4:00am to 5:15am, for on-site registration. Owing to the limited production, last minute registrants will not be assured to receive race singlets. Runners who want to give back, though, may not find this a daunting prospect as all proceeds of the race will be allotted for the assistance and rehabilitation of underprivileged kidney patients.

Boosting this “runners’ give back” thrust is one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, Genzyme – a leader in the effort to develop and apply the most advanced technologies in the life sciences. The company’s products and services are focused on rare inherited disorders, kidney disease, orthopaedics, cancer, transplant and immune disease, and diagnostic testing. For The Amazing Kidney Race, Genzyme has thrown its full support to the race’s cause by coming in as a co-presentor. Likewise, leading the remarkable surge of response to the call of corporate social responsibility, as major sponsors, are four leading brands in their respective industries: Roche, Pascual Laboratories, Fern-C, and GARMIN Navco.

Pic of the Day: Fatty and The Runner

It goes without saying that I think this is one of the best wedding photos I have ever seen.

Congratulations, Elden and Lisa!

Image taken from Fat Cyclist

Now My Diet's Messed Up Too

Honestly, I can't think of any singular activity which has made me reevaluate my entire life more than running (and cycling, in aggregate, lest my bike gets jealous). While training for my first half, I've assessed the myriad of variables which might have bearing on physical performance. For instance, in the couple of months leading to the race I've traded late nights for 9 PM lights out evenings to ensure I had ample rest for a 5 AM training run. My tolerance for alcohol has reached an embarrassingly low threshold due to lack of practice, and now, I seem to be redefining my idea of a complete meal.

Lately, I've been contemplating going back to a vegetarian diet. *GASP!*

I was a month-long vegetarian a few years back. While everyone has their own reason for turning into a herbivore, I did it out of curiosity and was spurred on by nothing more than a promise to try it out for 30 days. The most salient reason I did it back then was out of respect for living creatures. Either I stopped respecting them soon enough or I never really believed in what I said because I was munching on greasy burgers after four weeks. Nonetheless, that experience proved to be an eye-opener for me--I discovered beans, lentils, legumes and ways of cooking vegetables which completely erased my impression that vegetarians ate nothing but salads. However, I just could not find a reason to stick with the diet. Instead, I found witty justifications for being a carnivore; my favorite being "Humans did not evolve and fight their way to the top of the food chain to eat leaves."

Runner No. 250 for The Amazing Kidney Race

Earlier this afternoon I dropped by Second Wind at Maginhawa St. to claim and pay for the race packets I've reserved for The Amazing Kidney Race. Browsing at the products on display, I overheard a few people talking about the race on Sunday and the reasons behind their support for the cause. From people who suffered from kidney stones to both donors and recipients of this vital organ, I'm guessing this race is going to be an emotional one, in many different levels.

This will be my cousin Alvin's first race. He and I have spent plenty of training runs together of late, and we will both be running the 15K Eliminator Pursuit (that has got to be the coolest name for a race event so far). Looking forward to this one!

For more information about The Amazing Kidney Race, click here.