Running With the Breeze

Seawall run, originally uploaded by lululemon athletica.

Last Sunday, I woke up really early as my running buddies and I agreed to meet at the office's main gate at 5:30 am sharp.  From there we'd go together to either the CCP Complex or Rizal Park for our run.  One of us (not me of course) woke up at 5:20 am hehehe.  The other one who was up and already waiting for us as early as 5 am wanted to go ahead already.  So, I was the middleman negotiating for a "let's meet halfway" truce.  The two of us who were early decided to fetch the other one at home and we'd take a ferry boat which would be faster than the route by land.  Well, all is well and we got to the bay area the soonest possible, that is almost 6:30 am if I'm not mistaken.   

Normally, I would have preferred an earlier time when I could jog before the sun has fully risen.  I used to do that some years ago and I kind of miss that.  There's just something uplifting about running and feeling the sun gradually warming you up during the run. I'd be almost finished running by 7am.  Anyway, it's safer to jog with friends so I had to make that little compromise.

As we were crossing towards the bay area, we were greeted with a blast of strong, cool breeze.  Armed with my mp3 player that holds my running playlist, we started brisk walking towards Rizal Park.  I would have preferred the CCP Complex but I was voted out hehehe.  Maybe next time.  So anyway, the brisk walking soon turned to a slow jog until we got to that part of Rizal Stadium where there were so many runners already.  We continued pounding the pavement with an almost equal pacing.

Later on, one of my companions went to join one of the many aerobics groups shaking it up with the different beats.  While the aerobics groups looked kind of inviting, the remaining two of us continued to run.  My running buddy had more stamina for longer runs so a little later, I was already lagging but I resisted the urge to run faster.  I continued on my own pace and I timed myself with the songs I'm listening to.  Proud to say I can already run non-stop for 6 minutes and I have had shorter intervals of walking.  I followed the advise of one of the runner bloggers to only walk just to regain energy and then run again.  So yup, I was running more than walking this time.  

At some point, I am running against the strong breeze and I would close my eyes for a short while, feeling like Rose on the deck of the Titanic minus the outstretched arms and a Jack hehehe.  The breeze is so invigorating, its cooling effect gave me more mileage in the run.  If it were sweltering hot, I wouldn't last for 10 minutes.  That's is why it is much better to run as early as possible when it is cooler.  

That Sunday, I think we ran and walked for almost 45 minutes.  I felt like I could do that everyday.  And since Monday is a holiday, I thought we could run again.  Of course, I'm living on a fantasy or I was just so caught up in the excitement.  The following day, no running for my body is sore all over.  That's because the day before the run, I also tried some new exercises and the pain kicked in only on the afternoon of Sunday.  But that is the good kind of pain though, not the kind that makes you incapable of walking properly.  It's the pain you feel when you know you did a great exercise. 

At the end of the run, I decided to reward myself with taho.  I passed by the vendor probably thrice already during the run and I said I would stop there.  Some steps ahead, I finally spotted my running buddy who was buying Pocari Sweat drinks for us.  I bought her taho and since they cost the same, we just swapped hehehe. 

So to cool down after the run, we walked towards where we could get a ride, while finishing off the taho and then gulping Pocari to hydrate ourselves.  We promised ourselves to do this energizing activity on a more regular basis.