A Run for the Pasig River

 

 

November 8, 2009.

 

My eyes fluttered open at 430 AM because it was the day of the Pasig Run.  Our company registered for the 42K relay marathon.  “Ms. Susan” volunteered my participation and I couldn’t decline.  Anything extra I can do for the team would be my pleasure –plus it being for a cause to save Pasig River, I can’t find any better reason to join. 

 

 

It was a fund-raising event for the rehabilitation and restoration of Pasig River. 

 

The running group had a preliminary meeting and the runners were free to choose the points they wanted to take.  I volunteered for point 11 to point 12, from Rockwell entrance gate along JP Rizal street to Robinson’s Pioneer.  It was the only point I was really familiar with.  Unbeknownst to me, it had an uphill stretch. 

 

 

There was a point in time where I was a total gym buff.  After work, the ritual is to go to the gym 3-4 times a week.   At times, I’d even go during lunch break just to get a quick workout and get my adrenaline pumping.  Running the treadmill and boxing were my favorite.  I also enjoyed lifting weights as long as my trainer was there to assist.  Interestingly, I haven’t gone to the gym since the start of 2009.  It’s been almost a year since I last did any workout.  I think I can attribute that to burnout and mental/emotional stress at work.  De-stressing at the gym used to work but I feel so drained sometimes that it also manifests physically.  Therefore, I generally do not have energy to burn at the gym.

 

 

I didn’t have any practice run at all.  It was literally my first exercise of the year.  I arrived at Point 11 at 530 AM, 40 minutes earlier than my supposed schedule, so I can run around, warm-up and stretch.  It was tough, like waking up a polar bear during hibernation.  I couldn’t get my vigor going.

 

 

635 AM, 25 minutes later than my expected run, my teammate appears and he accompanied me during my run since 2KM felt so short for him.  I paced myself and didn’t attempt to outrun anybody.  My teammate was 5th to arrive at my station, which means there were more than a dozen of people (at least that’s what it looked like when I left) waiting for their relay tag at the station.  Admittedly, I brisk walked the uphill part of the run.  I know that I’m going to be out of breath if I pushed it.

 

 

I think I finished my run in 11-12 minutes but I can’t be too certain since I didn’t have a watch.  What I was certain was, my heart felt like it was going to burst even though I cooled down.  The chest pain was piercing but it eventually vanished after a few minutes.  Thank goodness that the team left for the next runner and did not see –or that would have been quite embarrassing if I wasn’t able to control the pain and started wincing there.  

 

Despite that, it was such a good workout and a great event to participate in.  The Pasig run marked my very first workout of the year.  It was also awesome to perspire that much again.  Other than cooking, I once again recalled how therapeutic running could be.

 

Our group finished the 42K relay in 4 hours 13 minutes, not bad when the estimate is 5 hours.  Mizuno ruled the 42km relay race with Army second and PNP Special Action Force third.

 

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