Craving for Motivation

Almost 2 months since my last post, and my CTL has dropped miserably to 35.

My goal was to reach 60 by the end of 2019 so I guess that's already out of the picture no thanks to laziness, lack of motivation, late nights due to work (and recently: xmas parties).

My annual medical blood work came out last week and it has supported the fitness drop as my cholesterol levels are very high.

Not. Good.

I need to stop this endless drop to the abyss of laziness and demotivation, and start working out more regularly again.

Ahhhhhgggggghhhh!!!! Nakakatamaaaad! Ahhhhgggghhh....

46

It's been a long time (yet again) since my last post, but I'm still here running and riding whenever I can.

Work has been stressful lately (late nights coming home from work) such that there's always that time of the week wherein I have to favor sleep/rest over working out in the early mornings. But for the last two weeks I've managed to keep my TSS (run+bike) above 300 for the week which is a big win I might say.

Along with the heavy work in the office, I was saddled by the flu for a couple of weeks, a by-product of Bike2Work which I found physically demanding (as I don't normally workout twice a day). I borrowed my son's 27 MTB which is a lot heavier than my BMC ---compensated by the big cassette at the back. It's more comfortable as I'm sitting more upright vs my roadie which makes it safer for me to ride vs metro traffic. However, the bike is still heavy overall thus pedaling is a task. I still would love to make bike2work more regular but I may have to get used to this "2 a day" workout from time to time.

No races scheduled but I'm eyeing the SunlifePH 40k ride next month. Well, that is if I'm up to the task of waking early on a Saturday morning. :D

As I turn 46 today, my body is not as fast to recover as it was 10 or 15 years ago. I have DEFINITELY slowed down on my runs (is a sub60 10k still possible?) but I think I have yet to reach my full potential on the bike. Probably being more faithful to my scheduled Trainerroad workouts will help ---probably. But training will still continue as much as my body is still able to do so.

All in all, I'm still thankful to God that I'm still able to run and bike whenever I can....at this sweet age of 46. ;-)

Well, that's it for now muna. Gotta get back to work....

...and training, of course.

Alviera Duathlon 2019

Came into this race after a bout with the flu days before (ikr!), possibly due to overtraining when I should've tapered 2 weeks before. It was due to panic of not having enough in the bank that I resorted to a heavy weekend a week before race day and boy, I suffered badly that week with office sick leaves and lack of training.

The Alviera Duathlon 2019 route was a killer course, with Run1 starting IMMEDIATELY with a climb(!) ---which we had to loop twice. Took a gel in the 2nd loop as I was battling the temptation to walk. Finished that in 6.36/km average pace which was great considering the form, or lack of, that I was in.

The bike was the usual 2 loop ride from Porac exit to Floridablanca and back...with the famed 'makunat' 2k climb to Porac exit. This was my first time to race my new BMC TMR02 AND new 55mm wheelset ---with the latter bought and installed just 2 days before the race (yep, a definite NO NO when racing).

The result? The unfamiliar new gear combined with sporadic Trainerroad workouts (ftp crashed from 180 to 140watts whyyyy) resulted in 1 of my most dismal race performances yet: a 24kmh average ride for 60kms. I took 4 gels, one on each end, but that didn't help as I found everything just difficult. Dropped my chain 8k before the bike leg ended which I may have lost 2mins. Will power wasn't lost as I just kept spinning, albeit slow, in the climbs and put my head down in the descents for aero gain.

Alas, Run2 will be a 1 looper of Run1 with the same unforgiving elevation for someone who already ran 6k and rode 60k. It was one of my most difficult Run2s in a while, with my quads threatening to cramp on the downhills. HR was quite elevated (171 max) on the uphills but I kept on trudging ---slowly. Took a gel at km3 to mentally hopefully keep the cramp threat off (worked btw).

A few walk breaks here and there but when the downhills came I took advantage to finish Run2 at 7.20/km average.

Total race time: 3hrs 47mins. A 28min lapse from the 2018 version. A lot of learnings from this one, surely:

1. Seriously do your TR workout plans
2. Taper 2 weeks before
3. Dont overtrain
4. Lose weight
5. Dont use anything new on raceday
6. Lose weight
7. Lose weight

Until my next race....

Milo 21k 2019: Betterer

Run CTL: 23
Weight: 168 lbs


Milo Manila has been one of my panata races for several years now, with keen interest on the 21k distance.

The sub-2:30 cutoff has always been a good challenge yearly to see how my fitness is in meeting this goal.

The 2019 version of this race proved to be successful for this 46 year old wannabe endurance athlete.

The race started at 3.30am on the dot (as punctual as all RunRio races are), with me having some difficulty reaching the start line as there were preliminary checks prior to entering the starting corral (which the organizers eventually let go seeing that there's still a long line and that the race was a few minutes from starting).

To cut it short, I was able to meet my target 7:00/km pace except for two instances:

• One was at the start, when I had to walk 200m to the start line when the gun was fired. Lap 1 clocked 7:30+.
• And the other was when the traffic marshals had to prioritize vehicle traffic over us (paying customers, hehe) for about 30secs. Another 7:30 lap.

Gels taken at the start, km 6, and 12. Half a banana at km18. I think this, along with my training, kept me from bonking (compared to last year's version when I started to feel sluggish as early as km 13).

What kept me motivated were the ballooned pacers, particularly the 2:30 guy who I managed to keep at bay (side note: he may have finished outside 2:30 as he couldn't see coming after I crossed the finish line).

Yes, my very few readers (hehe), I was able to meet the sub-2:30 time limit.

Garmin time: 2:28:42.

Official chip time: 2:26:47.

I managed to beat my 2018 Milo21k by 2 minutes! 😀

Really happy with my outcome for this race as I was able to train (somewhat) well coming into race day. I guess if I keep my focus on meeting my (self-) prescribed workouts, I will be ok when the gun goes off.

That and managing my food intake, hehe.

What's next? Well, it's another panata race: the BikeKing SCTEX duathlon on Sep. 8.

See ya! :)

#RoadToMilo 21k Update

Just dropping by for a quick update on my training for the upcoming July-28 Milo 21k in Manila.

Training has been doing just a little below alright, with key long runs done these past 2 Sundays (a 16k last week and an 18k this morning). Comparing my long runs leading to Milo this year vs 2018, I am better off now as I only managed to do one 16k long run last year as my longest before the race. This should be a big confidence booster coming in 2 weeks before the race.

What bothers me is how I am in terms of meeting my target sub-2:30 pace. I know that I have the endurance, but the pace to go under 2:30? Hmmm, this is a bit of a worry that I need to address on this taper period.

I will have to do more race-pace workouts to get my body familiar with this type of efforts ---on longer periods--- so as not to be shocked come race day.

I'm still biking, mostly indoors, via the Trainerroad Low Volume Sweet Spot program. It's a good complement to my weekly runs to keep my endurance levels high with less impact to my body and at the same time keeps my bike form/fitness in check.

But priority is still with my runs so I am ok to skip the ride for the day if it means more rest for me in time for the next run workout.

After Milo, I'm still dilly-dallying on whether to sign up for another BikeKing Dua (6-60-4) or try my luck on a small scaled tri. The latter could be a challenge as I've NEVER done any workout for the swim....

...ever. 😀

Race Review: Sunriser Run 10k

THE GOOD

1. RunRio organized the race so there was no worry. Aid/hydration stations were aplenty ---even when the max distance was only 10k. Race marshals were all around as well

2. Modest loot bag

3. Challenging route of Bayani Rd AND Mckinley West

FOR IMPROVEMENT

1. Race distance measured 9.7km only

MY RACE

Run CTL - 19
TSB - 4
Weight - 167lbs

Original plan for this was to race at 10k pace but, seeing how my recent training logs went, I had to adjust to half marathon pace. This was good as I will see how much I will fare at this speed if I were to carry it up to my Milo HM in July.

My race went from serious to pleasant as I ran with my officemates. It was chikka pace but we knew it had to be decent (without us saying a word about it). Nobody walked (except for 1 who we had to leave due to injury) which meant nobody taps out unnecessarily.

The route was all too familiar (Bayani Rd to Heritage and back) but added with the start/end inside Mckinley West which had its share of small climbs. Thanks to my regular training I was able to cope well, finishing with my officemates in 1:08. Not fast, but not slow either. Just right for a Sunday run. Note that I didn't take any gels which meant I am getting used to this distance with probably no need for mid race nutrition. This will obviously not be the case for a 21k race where nutrition is (always) critical.

I didn't go all out which turned out ok as this means I didn't force it needlessly (no injury) towards my real goal: Milo HM in July. However, I learned that I have to build some more if I want to finish sub 2.30 in my "panata" race, one of my A-races this year. I will probably need to incorporate more HM pace laps in my long runs to get used to it along with longer long runs (I have yet to run a 16 AND a 18k run, oopsies).

On another note, it feels good to join a running event after a long while. The running community is still alive and well thanks to these races that motivate us for better health.

As always, back to training....

Race Review: PruRide PH 2019 60km

Good:
1. Good race route that is Subic. I heard people were complaining of the hilly route not meant for GFs but I think if you trained well for it, it won"t be that bad.

2. Nice medal

For improvement:
1. Not enough water stations on the return route. No bananas or Gatorade especially for those dying with cramps.

2. Bike jersey of poor quality. I guess that's what u get for 850 bucks. Still wore it though during the race. Hehe.

3. Medals for the finishers still WITHIN cutoff had to claim their medals from the booth. It would've been nice if all that climbing was rewarded with the medal being hung around your neck just after the finish arc.

MY RACE:
Weight: probably 166 lbs
CTL (bike): 23
TSB (bike): 3

I really didn't "race" this one as I had to accompany my high school batchmates throughout the route who were all but 2 of us riding with MTBs. Thus it was more of a fun ride, if you will, for me and my mates as we encouraged each other to finish the 60km leg.

The route was not my usual whenever I stay in Subic with the family (my route is from the Lighthouse to OceanAdventure which is probably about 30k+). The elevation didn't disappoint as there were monstrous climbs (around 3 apart from the usual 1 that I ride) that tested how far I've gone in terms of getting stronger on the bike. Good thing for my Trainerroad sessions, I was able to pass those climbs with flying colors. Note that we had to stop once in a while for our mates lagging behind which made me recover just before heading to the next climb.

Forgive me, but I had to applaud myself from not suffering from cramps, nor walked the hills, nor withered due to lack of nutrition throughout the race. It just shows that if one trains consistently (and correctly!), you will reap the rewards on race day. I had to stay though with my MTB friends since, as a unsworn pact of brotherhood, we mustn't leave a man behind. Again, no biggie as I treated this race as a friendly group ride.

Finished the race around 5.5hrs which was well within the 6hr cutoff. Glad to report as well that all 4 of us batchmates finished.

Maybe, when I get back to Subic for a non race weekend, I *may* try that 60k route again. Hehehe...

Race Review: Clark Dua Classic 2019

PROS:

1. Clark has always been a great venue for racing. So good job on organizing this race here.
2. Good job on the race marshal work. Lots of signs and marshals abound by the race route.
3. Sufficient hydration.
4. Accurate Run1 distance.

CONS:

1. Bike leg was short 2kms. 
2. Run2 leg exceeded by 0.6km
3. My apologies, as I didn't like the post race meal. Ineng's would've been nice.

MY RACE

Racing weight: 167lbs (lost about 5 lbs since early March)

CTL: 49 (after 2 weeks of taper, concentrating on high intensity but shorter workouts)

FTP: 177

Pre-race meal: Mcdo Cheeseburger Meal 😁

Drove from QC to Clark for this one in the early morning, arriving an hour before gun time which was sufficient time to claim my race kit and setup my bike and other gear.

Race strategy was to pace 6.30/km on Run1, then 27-28kmh average on the Bike, then hold on for dear life with an "ideal" (more of "hopeful") pace of 6.30/km as well. This should make me finish just outside the 3hr mark ---near my 3:02 PR.

The number of participants totaled 400+ as per the race emcee, which made for an "intimate" setup compared to other races I've been to. The race venue had a "local, close knit" feel to it which made the whole race very comfortable for me (in terms of non-grandeur). I didn't feel a tinge of race nervousness as I've done this lots of times (although my last Standard Dua was last 2016), and add to the fact that I put my trust on the weeks of training that I did coming into this one.

"You've Got This" was going to be my mantra for this one, I thought.

You've Got This.

Run1 went smoothly as planned, finishing the 10.1km distance in 6:31/km average. Gel at km7.

This was good, I thought, as I went into the transition to get my bike. As mentioned on my last post, I'll be racing with my new BMC TMR02 frame which will have to prove itself on this semi-technical, "wall" laden course.

Left the transition after 2.5min transition and pedaled off to the bike course. The TMR02 made its aero-ness felt on the flats and descents, letting me cruise above 30kmh with little to medium effort. Surprised that I was at this rate up to the U-turn which started the trek up to the dreaded "Wall" which I estimated to be 4-5kms of gradual to semi-steep gradient.

This was where I had to recall all my indoor rides which I suffered. I just buried my head, embraced the suffering, and pedaled sub-FTP effort. It was one of the longest (10-15mins probably?) moments in the race that I wanted to end. The climb subsided to a descent and then flat to complete the loop...

...then we had to it all over again. Hahahaha....

Yup suffered again on that long climb, and just saying my mantra all over in my head:

You've Got This.

You've.

Got. 

This!!!

After 1 hour and 26mins, I was back in the transition area for Run2. Gel taken at 17mins and 1hr 10mins during the ride.

One question did enter my mind as I was changing to my run shoes: "Did I push too hard sa bike? Do I still have enough for Run2?"

I opted not to take a gel prior Run2. A gamble on my part, yes, but I learned that any gel taken at the time, for a 5k run, will not be "cooked" in time for my energy consumption. I will just have to run this with all the fat stores remaining ---which for my overweight self would be aplenty. Hahaha...

Onto Run2, I suffered as expected but not as worse as my previous duas since I was pacing somewhat well at 7:00/km (I usually expected it to drop as low as 7:30 to even 7:40 on previous races). I was able to analyze why this was after I looked into my bike numbers: lower watts, higher cadence but at the same speed as my 2016 races. I was in a better condition coming into Run2 (di kasing pagod as previous). I guess the TMR02 (and my Trainerroad training sessions including bricks) have helped me a lot. Hehe.

I was taking short 5-10 sec walks (especially at the hydration stations) to recover but just willed it to run amidst aching thighs. Looking for other races up front (and those chasing at the back) as targets to keep me motivated to run (which worked, mind you). 

Finished Run2 at 7:08/km which was outside my 6:30/km but still respectable in terms of previous duas (as earlier mentioned).

Total race time was 3:17 and change, which was a far cry from my 3:02 PR. To my defense, that PR was in Subic where the Bike leg was on Raceway which was mostly flat. No climbs such as "The Wall" to defer any PR chances.

Comparing this 2019 time to my 2016 dua on the same venue, however, was a different story as I improved by 11 mins. Yehey!!!

Food for thought though is how I finished within my Age Group (45-49). I finished 19th out of 29 and ranked on the different segments as below:

Run1 - 26th of 29 (opted to start from the back para no pressure or pakikipagunahan)

Bike - 17th of 29 (Aero Frame + aero bars + Trainerroad indoor sessions, baby 😀)

Run2 - 14th of 29 (it was 16th but there were 2 people which did only 1 loop as I analyzed. Yeah, so drop 'em! Hehe)

You just have to admire at how fast these duathletes (at our age ha!) are in spite of all the training I did ---kulang pa pala!

Transition was not on the race results so I probably dropped considerably to 19th due to slow transition time. Need to improve on that one too, I guess.

Well, I will take this week lightly to recover (my Garmin 920XT said I need 4 DAYS to recover, hahaha) so I am DEFINITELY following that. Hehehe...

In closing, this was a great result considering the training I did. I guess the amount of training done is really commensurate to the race result so I will have to put in more (volume) coming into succeeding races, be it duas, bike races, or run races if I want a better result.

The "You've Got This" mantra really worked. Hmmm...maybe I should get a sticker for it to put on my bike's top tube for motivation. Hehehe...

😉

Pre Race Thoughts: Clark Dua Classic

It's Saturday night and I just came back from a wedding of my wife's 2nd cousin. My bike and race equipment are all set to be put in the car for the 1.5hr drive to Clark later early morning.

Race kit needs to be claimed before the 6am gun time so I hope to leave QC around 3am for enough buffer, just in case.

These past 2 weeks of taper have been focused on 30min sessions of either ride or runs at or near race pace which I hope to observe throughout the race tomorrow.

Nutrition will be c/o the usuals: GU and lots of water. GU to be taken at the start, 3/4 of the way of Run1, midway and towards the end of the ride, and maybe 1 in T2 for insurance.

Pace strategy will be to aim for 6.30/km on the runs and hope to be between 27 to 28kph average on the bike leg....which boasts of two loops around the dreaded Wall in Clark. Let's see how the new aerobike frame holds on race conditions which I predict will perform well.

Transition time should be fast so hopefully no problems there.

Race time aim? A sub-3hr finish would be excellent, but I might finish around 3.10 to 3.20 by my estimates which should be mission accomplished based on the way I trained for this.

But we'll see....as usual. 😉

The Road to Clark Dua Classic 2019

Yup, that's the first dua I signed for for this year, 2019. It'll be on April 7 at Clark with me taking on the classic 10k-40k-5k standard distance.

Training has been good since my last post before the Nike shoe review, with my TP CTL reaching exactly 50 yesterday, Sunday. Been training my ass off during the weekdays and hammering it further on the weekends BUT keeping my body status in check (i.e. preventing injury from overtraining/overexerting). Waking up to the workouts, as usual, has been the hardest part but so far I have been shutting the voices in my head to go back to bed and instead pursue the intended workout for the day. REALLY a lost of will power being tested here. Hehe.

I think in terms of race readiness, I am "almost there" for the bike and "somewhat almost there" for the runs. I still have this week to put in big volume, quality workouts so I hope to get more in before the 2 week taper starts next week.

Btw, I am also glad to report that, for 12 days now, I have eliminated eating sugary desserts or drinks as part of my Lenten sacrifice. I have a lost 4lbs since March 6 so this looks very promising. Hopefully, I may be able to reach my long sought after target weight of sub-160lbs. Just sad though that I can only smell Dunkin and oh....no more chocolates! 😢 Sigh...

***

Scored a new frame (which has long been overdue) two weeks ago thanks to roadiemanila's reco: a 2018 BMC TMR02 that he found in one of his bike shop visits. I wanted to have an aeroframe for quite a while now so this was a welcome upgrade to replace my 2014 Argon Gallium Pro that served me really well.

The ride has been great so far, with this aero frame wanting nothing but speeeeed as I tested it out in Nuvali. It's also good on the climbs and overall handling so I can't wait to see how this performs on Apr 7, its maiden race.

I guess that's it for now. I have 3 weeks left before Apr 7 so I hope to do well in that one. A 3:02 2012 PR has been standing for quite a while now. I can't say if I can beat that at this point, but who knows, right? 💪😃

Shoe Review: Nike Epic React

I bought this shoe last December while vacationing in Japan. The Nike Harajuku store had it on sale at about 5,600.00 PhP (or roughly USD 105.00) which was a steal as these were sold at 7,600.00 PhP (or roughly USD 144.00) here in Manila, Philippines. The only color available in my size was the grey one as shown above which looks good for my taste.

Scanned the 'net for reviews and tried it on before my purchase and it felt alright. A Christmas gift for myself, I thought, which hopefully will have me running more miles in 2019.

True enough, I have already logged 60kms with it (alternating with my racing shoe, the Saucony A4) with a 14km long run made yesterday as proof of how much I am liking this shoe (I have only been running 10-12km long runs sparingly for the past few months so yesterday's 14k was a big morale booster).

This shoe is very comfortable with the patented Nike flyknit upper and the soft sole. No hotspots experienced in my first few runs thanks to the flyknit that comfortably "embraces" my foot. Can't trust it fully though to wear sockless, especially for long runs, as I might run into hotspots in the latter kms. One might think at first that the heel cup is not secure, but after several runs I am glad to report that it held up well in securing my heel from any slippage.

The sole has a cloudy/springy feel into it as it helped make those Z2 medium/long runs comfy. The 10mm heel-to-toe drop is slightly above my natural running gait causing me to heel strike (slightly) but I am able to adjust it to make the runs very pleasurable.

This is a (teeny weeny) bit heavier than my Saucony A4 racing flats so I doubt I can achieve a PR on this one nor use it for those fast training days. But still, it's a great shoe that I plan to use extensively for those slow/relaxed medium/long runs.

A great shoe. Thinking about it now, I should've bought 2 pairs. Hehe.

Jan2019 Recap

It's a cold Sunday morning and I have just finished cleaning my bike. Skipped the planned long run as I was too tired from yesterday: coffee ride with friends in the am and then drove the fam to Sta Rosa to meet with old friends in the pm.

Weight is still at 172lbs and I am expecting it to go a notch higher by tomorrow am, no thanks to the weekend binging that I might have on a regular Sunday. Diet meals on weekday lunches help lower it but when the weekend arrives....wala na finish na.

TP CTL improved a bit to 40 but nowhere near my peak fitness....yet. I signed up at the gym near my office to hopefully make up for skipped morning workouts via lunch runs and lunch rides. That'll help me manage the CTL line flat until the weekend workouts kick in although today, on a cold Sunday morning, I chose to just sit out my long run.

I joined the PF Virtual race last month, target of 50k in 2 weeks but I only managed 41k. It didn't cost me anything but it surely made me run....except for the 9k that I successfully debated myself that, "Nah, it's ok. Sleep is better."

Failed.

Tsk tsk.

Really need to get myself motivated this Feb. An increase of 40 to 45 CTL by Feb28 would be great, so let's see how this month goes.

I signed up for two PF Virtual races this month (free reg on their app which is quite cool of PF to do) so that'll keep me running.

And oh btw, I signed up for my first dua this year. I'm not telling you where and when (yet), but I am definitely training my balls out for that. That'll add to my motivation, I hope.

As always, let's see.....

2019 Season Plan

So it's another year and I'm still here training and blogging away. Hehe.

Weight: 172 lbs.

Ugggghhhhh!


All that eating and couch-potato-ing in the off season are to blame. But here I am again, off to set my goals for the year which I hope to grade better than last year.

And so, here we go with my 2019 plan:

A Races:

1. Milo 21k. Still at the top of my MUST list, a yearly "panata" if you will. Hoping to achieve a better time than last year (2:28+).
2. BikeKing Dua. Another "panata" race. This is where I will concentrate on all of my Trainerroad workouts for. 
3. National Dua Championships. I hope they get this to push thru this year (as 2018 got canceled).

B Races:

1. One Pilipinas Duathlon Leg. The organizers have released the 2019 sked and it seems that, all permitting, I will only be able to sign up and race for 1 leg (Leg3). 
2. A 10k race. This is just to set things up for my duas.
3. A 21k race other than Milo. Same objective as 2, but for Milo 21k preparedness.
4. Join a Virtual Race. Probably one or two should be good for the year to keep the mileage up.

Fitness Goals:

1. Lose 15 lbs. Yup, still aiming for that. Hope to eat and train smarter this time for this goal.
2. Bike FTP of 200 watts. 
3. Ride for 100km. Even just one ride with this distance should be good enough for me.

Well, almost all of the goals above are very similar to my 2018 set. Rightly so as I failed in most of them last year. Looking forward for a better review of these goals come Dec 2019.

And so...…..here we go.....yet again.....