PLANNING MY 2013 RACE YEAR

Exit the Dragon.  Enter the Snake.

The year 2012 is over and the Bicolano Penguin (BP) can’t wait to have a bite at the coming year  and its promise of a bounty of races.  Exuberance, rational or otherwise,  is  in the air.  It would not hurt though to follow the guidelines prescribed in the latest issue of the Runner’s World magazine on what races to sign up for  2013.

Enter the Snake (Art Work courtesy of Marcel de Lima)

To be exact, the guidelines at page 56 of the January 2013 issue are as follow:

SET TWO PRIMARY GOALS.  “Having two goals lets you train hard, have a little downtime, then focus again. It’s a nice mental balance,” says Carl Leivers, an Atlanta-based running coach.  Following this advice, BP’s primary goals for 2013 are:

·Primary Goal No. 1 :  Improve in the  Bataan Death March 102 km ultra.

·Primary Goal No. 2: Run more marathons in 2013 than 2012.

PEN IT IN. “Writing down your goals makes you accountable for the entire year,” says Beth Baker, founder and chief running officer of Running Evolution in Seattle.  I am a good boy and I follow the words of a person with the title CRO.  Here is a list of marathons and ultramarathons I will gun for this 2013:

Jan. 19  -   BDM 102 Test Run (50 kms)

Feb. 3    -  Condura Skyway Marathon

Feb. 10  -  BDM 102 Test Run (50 kms)

Mar. 2&3-  BDM 102 Ultra (102 kms)

April 6   -   Mayon 360 Ultra (80 kms)

May 1    -   Tagaytay to Nasugbu Ultra (50 

                 kms)

Aug. 3   -   Burgos to Pagudpud Ultra (50 

                kms)

Aug. 17 -   I Shall Return Ultra (50 kms) - 

                Tacloban

Sept.     -   Penafrancia Marathon

Oct. 6    -  Run United Philippine Marathon

Nov. 17 -   Tagaytay to Nasubu Ultra (50 

                 kms)

Nov.      -   Dumaguete Adventure Marathon

Marathons and Ultras from Aparri to Sulu. Map from  Running Scientist blog

The schedule of the marathons and ultras was partly based on listings made by the Bald Runner, FrontRUNNER and the Running Scientist.  The map in the latter’s blog site showed marathons and ultras scattered all over the Philippine archipelago.  It is just right that the Bicolano Penguin, with the help of   fellow 83neans and First Balfour runners, ventures into regional tourism hot spots like Ilocos Norte, Leyte and Negros for their long distance running. 

RACE REGULARLY.  “Setting two annual goals doesn’t mean you should race only twice a year.  Racing regularly is a valuable tool.  You can gauge where your fitness is, it helps you hone your race-day routine, and it’s a great workout. You always push harder in a race than you would on your own,” says Jason Fitzgerald, a USATF-certified running coach in Maryland. The marathons and ultras are all year round. 9 out of 12 months I have a race to enjoy.  And the key word really is enjoy because if not, a runner would not be able to survive all those kilometres.   Pleasure, not pressure.

RECOVER WELL.  “In order to  make sure you get to the next starting line fresh and healthy give yourself adequate recovery time after any race by planning an easy day for every mile you race (i.e. 13 days for a half marathon). Go for a relaxed run or spent some time in the pool.  There’s one caveat:  The day after a marathon, get in about 20 minutes of easy exercise, then feel free to take the rest of the week off,” says Fitzgerald. Spacing is important and having those recovery periods is a must. The welcome blessing a runner can have is to have an injury-free year.  

The year 2013 is the year of the Snake.  Smart creatures that they are, snakes hibernate when it is cold and shed their skins when they are no longer required. They adapt  to their environment and are quite flexible. Snakes get their prey in a cold calculating manner.

Therefore, for the year of the Snake, we will be smart in our running goals.  We will shed excess pounds. We will even shed nasty habits. We will do these in the pursuit of running bliss.

Isang Mapagtakbong at Mapagbigay na  Bagong Taon.