Im Back!!!..In time for the Whiterock..

After battling an "overtraining or over reaching" (whatever you call it) last week, i am happy to be back.Since last week, after my R&R period, i got what you so called symptoms of overtraining/overreaching. Feeling of apathy, comparatively high heart rate during resting periods, depression setting in, etc...It seems that my rests during the R&R was not enough.

Recognizing the symptoms, so i have slow down a bit on training last week.Also, rely on propoer nutrition to gain full recovery.I started to drink Herbalife shakes again!!!....On overtraining or overtraining, Joe Friel would say, "it is better to be on the side of undertraining, than on the ugly side of overtraining"(Triathlete's Training Bible).

So i did!

Last week, i deliberately slowed down..Disregarding the scheduled training regimens, and focused on active recoveries. Albeit still worried to loose some fitness, but Joe Friel had won over me..and it paid off..

Today, my first day of the week for training....Feeling stronger again, i did what i have skipped to do last week...Brick Training...

Brick Training

Woke up at 5.00am..Got the usual "tamad" feeling. Went to the shower immediately to win over it..Success!I was out at around 5.20am.

I planned to do an hour bike ride at an average speed of 30kph, and then a 2 hour run at a pace of 6.30km/min.

Bike Leg
At exactly 5.30, i am off biking..Riding on my new full carbon Giant TCR.Yoohoo!..I proceeded to MOA for the rounds.I have set to end the bike training at the hour mark. I got some hitches at the start of my ride when my Garmin bike pods didn't work. Only hassle was getting off the bike.But i was able to fix it in no time..
At the MOA, i was able to maintain my speed at 30kph.Bikers were not that many since MOnday is usually a rest day for most of the riders....It fits me just right.
The ride is usually uneventful. Just this time, i am more cautios on how my new bike works for me and how i work on the bike. Riding comfort, shifting, handling (i am a bit off with my 44 handlebar. I wanted to change it to either 42 or 40), to name a few of my concerns during the ride.
I got off the saddle at the 1 hour and 15 minute mark.

Transition
I have set up my transition area at my house. I elected to do so in consideration for the safe bike parking.
I arrived at my house at my Garmin's 1 hour and 15 mark. A little bit over 1 hour, but no big deal.
After parking my bike inside the house, taking one N.R.G tablet,running shoes change, wearing my hydration pack, cap, and shades, i am off running...Again, at the start of the run, i got some trouble setting up the foot pod this time for the Garmin. I haven't figured out yet how to change the setting from bike mode to running mode.Anyhow, i was to able fix it while running.

Run
I did the rounds at the Rockwell center. I have planned to do the Buendia route but opted the less traffic and less smog Rockwell area.
I maintained my run at 6.30 km/min...I have planned to do a 2 hour run, but i immediately run out of hydration fluids. So I have to cut back my running time to 1hour and 30 mins. I thought its just alright. I don't want to risk being dehydrated. Bawi na lang!I have to be better equipped though for the next brick session.
But nevertheles, the run was pretty satisfying. I was able to monitor my pace the whole time. Frequently checking my Garmin every so often.
I ended my run at the Mandaluyong Circle. My favorite place for the cooldown run.
Did the strecthing at my house.

More importantly, i got to swig my ice cold Herbalife shake with extra protein to ensure recovery.


So there you have it, my BRICK..

I was happy to go through with it feeling stronger. I think the overtraining/overreaching is now a history..Just really glad to be back..In time for the Whiterock!!!.

Carpe Diem Baby!

When was the last time you felt a sense of awe over a picture?

Look at this…
And read its caption..

“Monstrous waves that oftentimes creates a sound akin to thunder and produces a thud similar to gentle earthquake as it hits the breakwaters”

Captions make the picture more illustrative...or even more poetic at that…can even make the picture more inspiring.

But maybe you’ll say, “oh yeah, alright, great shot. Just one of the many pictures I’ve seen over in the internet or in some gift shops in SM Megamall”…and I’d say, “I agree…but this picture (and a lot more of it) means so much to me…You know why?...This was taken by a good friend of mine, Romulus Rueda.. He is pretty close to me since he is my kababayan, and had been my buddy when we were still in high school.”

Understandably, you will be swollen with pride when you know that a masterpiece was made by a person very known to you….But what made me even prouder, and amazed to an unimaginable extent, is the thought that I have never expected it from my friend. I have never thought that he, who apparently had this secret gift, would ever make me inspire by his works.


And here’s another stimulating shot… buzzing like flies
Note : This photo was published in one Inquirer newspaper issue.

Another one…. Night Lights

And another one…
God's Ray

But, you may ask, who is this Romulus anyway…

Well, I’ll just give a backgrounder…I have passed to describe him because I am avoiding a very long entry. I just cannot describe him in a short paragraph. It won’t do justice.

Anyway,

Romulus Rueda is also Raymond, Raymund, Rueda or Mhond to me. He is sometimes Daboy as well. He resembles the late Rudy Fernandez?? NOT!!. Actually, I haven’t figured out why he was called Daboy. I’ll ask him anyway…. We were both schooled at the Ateneo de Naga University in Camarines Sur, Bicol Region.I have known him for some extent since I am frequent visitor of their old house in Isarog St.. Back then, we listen to our “kind of music” all day..Grunge, Metal, Trash, Alternatives, you name it..Some of the popular bands we’ve been listening to were Silverchair, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and list goes on.And take note, we were listening to TAPES. Back then, CDs are still a bit way out of our student budget. Take note guys, they are already available then (we are not that old, huh!), we just can’t afford it…We would seldom exchange TAPES for us to maximize our budgets.

So Mhond, is a “Metal”..Pronounced as Met-tal..He is not a hip-hop.At least back in our high school days......But I am sure we are more diversed now.No longer caught between the Met-tal and Hip-Hop thing.We have moved on.

And moved on indeed for Raymond..He had moved with leaps and bounds. He is now far cry from his high school image. He had definitely had grown, and moved from a lunky kid to a man.....and a thinking man!

Let me share with you how he describes himself now.I took the liberty on”copy pasting” this from his blogsite. I hope he will not mind..

He says…

I would normally say that i am a photographer, writer, painter, traveller, loner, daydreamer, programmer, biker, boxer. Then sometimes depending on my moods i can be all or none of the above. This blog is my stab to the reality of chasing the lights and realizing that sometimes it is worth the chase and sometimes it isn't. But regardless of whatever it is that i may encounter in my journeys, all of which is still an adventure.
Carpe Diem Baby!

And Carpe Diem indeed..Look at his pictures. Taken through his eyes.See and feel how Mhond seizes the moment, seizes the day, seizes the beauty that surrounds him.

Mhond now had become an inspiration to me more than ever. I could see him through his works, his photographs...He has more than meets the eye.

With this entry, I am hoping that I would be able to re-introduce my friend to the world that we both live in. To our friends, to our family, to our officemates, to our schoolmates, to all the people he and I had known. And we will be meeting in the future..

Through this entry as well, may I thank Mhond.I asked him if I could make a blog on him and grab some of his pictures posted on his site.He immediately agreed.No qualms..And of course, no royalty.What good old friends are for anyway.

To end this entry, I will leave you with one final note.

....Mhond, behind his wonderful works, had remained truly down-to-earth.He may or may not see what he has done, but I hope, he will continue doing it. You inspire people........You have inspired me.

Kudos!

As Mhond would say, Carpe Diem Baby!

May you continue Chasing the Lights....

To re-discover Mhond, just click this.

More on Mhond's thru his Multiply Site.

Kodakan..with Celebs...Part 1

Kodakan with celebrities... PART 1

A collection of photos i have taken since y2006 until this August of 2008.


With Cheche Lazaro - CEO of Probe Team
Newscaster / TV Host
Date Taken : October 1, 2006
Event : Takbo para kay Nessa at U.P.Diliman
This is a fun run organized by the Probe Team. Aimed to raise fund for Nessa, a 5-year old girl with a hole in her heart.

More of Takbo para ka Nessa


W/ Paolo Soler - TV Host (Gameplan)
Date Taken : October 22, 2006 during the OctobeRUN Festival at the Fort..The event was sponsored/organized by my club, The Fort Striders.







W/ Allan Caidic and Eric Menk, both of the Ginebra Gin Kings then.
Date Taken : April 3, 2007
Taken during their practice run at the Ultra Oval. I happened to be running also at the track.

Look how tall Eric Menk is!!



Photos taken during the Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival at the Subic Bay last April 5 - 6, 2008. This happens to be my first Sprint Triathlon.Kinda "ispisyal", with all the celebs i'm with during the event.

w/ Marc Nelson - TV host(Sports Unlimited)/Model/Amazing Race Asia Finalist/Athlete..
Taken on the first day the event at the Subic Convention Center.

Around 3pm, kaya ang init!!!




w/ Brian Lopes. Mountain Bike champ from U.S.

Taken during the Race Briefing at around 7PM.

Not a Mountain Biker though, pero ayus na din!






W/ Leo Oracion, 1st Filipino to climb Mt. Everest.

Still during the Race Briefing.




W/ Raymart Santiago - Movie/TV Actor
Together with my fellow triathletes during race briefing.








At the Starting Line....Race Day!!!!..Still, at Terry Larrazabal Bike Fest.


W/ Mathieu O' Halloran - Professional Triathlete (Team TBB)

Eventual Champion of the event.

On the background are Team TBB Athletes.





W/ Paolo Abrera - Triathlete/TV Host

Paolo happens to be one of my favorite celebrity tri-athlete..





W/ Raymart again at the starting line.

W/ my fellow triathletes Rayzon, Reva at Joy.





W/ Sen. Pia Cayetano - Senator/Triathlete

W/ George Vilog - National Triathlete/Team Philippines







W/ Belinda Granger - Ironman Champion (Recent Ironman China)
Most treasured picture of the event..







W/ Drew Arrellano - TV Host / Triathlete

At the finish line!




W/ Claudine Barreto - Movie/TV Actress


my ex-wifey..





to be continued...

Why I Blog.....Reason # 2

i blog....

...because i wanted to share my thoughts to other people.

HS batchmates

Photo grabbed from our E-group..

Na ogma lang akong i-post ta bigla kong na miss ang mga taong iniyo.hayy!!!!

Introduction from left to right:

C louie "rannie raymundo' favenir, garo pig api..kabangga sana ang nakua..hehe..pero dawa kabangga sana, naririsa ko pa ang dikit na kagwapuhan..pira na naman kaya ang babae kainin ngonian?

C chito sex, garo matalion..ano daw kaya ang iniisip ka ini?...or, garo angot?

C jr the truth, manager looking man talaga..kagalang galang (pronounciation: ka-gulang gulang)..harhar.

Dakulaon man talaga si joseph mollskie..pag ulay ko, pag gurang ta, kapantay ta na..dae pa lan...

C glenda garo dae nag gugurang..garo man lang daraga sana..

C pat, ngiririt naman.purungay na pati ang mga mata.ogmahon na maray!!..maorag pa kaya ini mag basketbol??baka ibang basketbol naman..

c pading kirk, garo dae nag bago ang itsura.metal man guiraray..cool!..pero, garo receding na ang hairlines..signs of aging?

c pading dennis, my classmate sa 4E, druglord man guiraray ang dating.hehe..garo man sna pag may naka iwal ako, ini ang iiba ko sa resbak..just like old times...

.....

It's just truly amazing that i still remember their names almost instantenously as i see their faces in the picture..it has been 15 years, since we graduated from high school and yet, pag nailing mo, bistadohon mo pa man guiraray...

someday, i'm gonna meet you again in person!!..(and of course, kaibahan naman ako sa picture)

Why I Blog?....Reason # 1

I blog..

...because i wanted to express myself through writing.

Nike Human Race 2008 - Manila, Philippines

Race Number : 133
Name: Norman E. Pascual, Male, 32.
Event :Nike Human Race Manila.August 31, 2008.




It's been a while since i joined a 10K, or any road race for that matter.I have been training though for my triathlons but had been passing to join any road races lately. My last road race was a 5K last January 2008 at the Bull Run Festival.Tagal na!

So i kinda missed it.

I got to the event venue (Mc Kinley Hill) on my bike at around 5.30am. It was a good 6 to 7km bike ride from my home.Warm up na rin.


Upon my arrival, i immediately saw Kuya Delmo and Tina, my clubmates at The Fort Striders (our running group).They are there to promote our OctobeRUN Festival,the club's annual fun run on October 26, 2008.They will be distributing flyers and registration forms. They also have put up a makeshift booth to accomodate registrants for the event.

Familiar faces were all over. We greeted and exchange high fives/low fives.It was fun seeing all of them. Happy feets Patrick Concepcion, Master Mon, Dok, Ben, Jaymie and among others. Regular celebrities Drew Arellano and Tessa Prieto-Valdez was also there (got my pic with her).Levy Ang, my T.I. classmate and co-triathlete was also there. All in black!..Taki, my running buddy, was also there but won't be able to run.... It was a sizeable crowd.
Actually, i picked this race because mainly i know, that it would not be crowded. and also, i like the race route.


With Tessa Prieto-Valdes..She's Training for the NY Marathon.


The race started at exactly 6am. That's the number on my Garmin.On the dot..The entire race course was, i would say, very organized. From the starting line, to the water stations (i think every 2+ km, may water station), to the race marshalls, and until you go back to the finish line. Congrats to Rio, the race organizer.

Anaway, i had a good run. But i was hoping to get a sub-50 time, pero hindi umabot. My official time was 52.32... 20th place overall.

Freebies were also great..free nike socks, finisher's picture courtesy of Photovendo, Rush, and Nike Finisher's Bracelet.I was hoping to be picked among the lucky winners during the raffle, pero minalas.hehe. Walang nakuha.

ANyway, i really had fun!...i wore my Nike Lunar Trainer..and my new Garmin as well.hehe

My Finisher's Bracelet...