running at UP

i was contemplating whether or not i should go. it had been a long and busy day and considering i started my day early (5 freaking AM to be exact), i was having qualms whether or not i was actually pushing my limits... then again, marathons are ALL about pushing one's limits... so i still went, to UP DILIMAN.

it was my first time to run the UP oval. i decided to give it a try since i now work in QC and finish my day late. it's not really a long drive away and i desperately needed to train. though i miss my old route, running by the bay at early morning along roxas blvd., one has to learn to be flexible.

the UP oval was slippery when i ran since it had been raining the entire day. despite this though, there were still a lot of joggers running, proof that dedication superceeds everything! hehehe. dedication however did not prepare me for the unfamiliar terrain i had to contend with. slippery, dark, uneven and hilly, my ankles started complaining earlier than expected. a friend told me that 1 revolution around the oval was about a kilometer, that said, then i barely made 1 kilometer before i had to stop to rest my legs, much to my frustration. i tried running a few rounds more, hoping i could at least make 5K, but even if the spirit was willing, the flesh was, well, the flesh didn't really give a shit anymore! it wanted to stop and pulled the air-brakes on me prematurely. i only did a total of about 3km last night. my cadence was irregular, my foot was slapping rather loudly, which bothers me a lot since midfoot running is supposed to be silent, and i was constantly being nagged by my primadonna of an ankle.

i could have been fatigued already from the long day's work, of just re-adjusting to the new route, either way, i am hoping later would be a better run. i am sure the path will be dryer and that my legs would at least be less prissy now since they already had a foretaste of what is to come. besides... though my legs may be stubborn... my brain is more HARD headed.

wish me luck!