Fair Play: Running itself, is the best prize for me

HOURS after the Cebu City Marathon, I couldn�t bend my right knee and dealing with the stairs made me feel like how Graeme Mackinnon must have felt pre-knee surgery.

A day later, I had muscle pains everywhere that even my toes hurt. There were times, too, that my left calf felt like cramping for no reason at all, while my right leg was still feeling the worse of my first dalliance with 21K.

Sitting was no problem but getting up was, but despite that, I only have one thing in mind. When�s the next 21K?
Though I sort of hoped to run my first marathon this year, I will probably have to postpone that to 2013 as I want to deal with a few 21Ks, first, and cut a few odd seconds of my 2:43:17 (Timex time, no Garmin for me) finish in the CCM, which was 2:43:01 chip time.

I also want to try one of Coach Graeme�s training methods to get his Global FC players in shape, one of which basically involves simulating game conditions for 45 minutes.

Graeme said he�d have the players run, walk, jog, sprint for 45 minutes�one half of a football match�with nary a water break and he�ll be screaming at them to push it in the final minutes, just as any coach would in a tight match.
I�ll try that�minus the screaming Graeme, of course�and see how I�d do in my next run.

Of course, I have no illusions of cracking the elite division and demand ingthat organizers offer money to the best-performing feeling-local-elite to compensate for my efforts because that�s not really it.

I just want to know if I can do it.

As for my incentive? I get it every day, when I have problems looking for any pants or shorts that won�t fall off. A year ago, I couldn�t fit into most of my pants and shorts, and our company nurse told me, after the annual physical, that I had to lower my cholesterol level.

And 11 months after running? I feel like a hip-hopper because if I don�t wear a belt, my pants fall to my knees and just last Monday, our nurse told me I have to raise my cholesterol level as it was too low.

So for me, running itself is the prize.

FEEDBACK.  Here�s an e-mail from Bobby (bobbylo_007@yahoo.com)
Wow! 2:43? Congratulations! I too, ran the 21K last Sunday (3:13). And I too, stared at a lot at girls� butts. No crime in that and it takes your mind off the pain. Haha.  Hope to see you in future runs.

Yep, see you in the next 21K!