Yes, I know. I have been "lazy" for the longest time now and would have been hibernating for eternity if not for the much-needed Divine Intervention sending T. Chinky to drive me out of my newly found comfort zone.
T. Chinky is Eia's lovely new SPED teacher. For those reading this blog for the first time, Eia is my 11-year old daughter with Down Syndrome who is at present studying in IMAI (Integrated Movement Academy Inc.).
In the middle of our Parent-Teacher Conference, they suggested that Eia should be encouraged to engage in sports. I told them (T. Chinky and T. Lily, the Principal) that Eia joins 3K races and plays tennis. That's when T. Chinky expressed her desire to join the Milo 5K Fun Run. I told her she's quite lucky because Runrio opened additional slots for 5K.
And so the following day, Saturday, I dropped by Toby's MOA before proceeding to my appointment in Makati to register T. Chinky, Ate Ella, Gio, Eia and myself. But to my frustration, the lady informed me that the 200 additional slots that came Friday were filled-up in just one hour. In her own words: "Dinumog po kami dito."
Oh well, better luck next time.
Or so I thought.
Thursday, July 21, I went to BGC to pick up my takbo.ph runfest kit. I first went to Runnr to register for Unilab Run. It caught my attention that people were carrying Milo 5K race kits so I inquired if there were still slots and when the ladies said yes, I excitedly asked for 5 registration forms!
It took me one whole year to train for my first 5K race and only 1 week to train T. Chinky! Whew! What a challenge! I had to read and reread my Runnersworld complete book on women's running.
T. Chinky was able to convince T. Ellaine (Eia's former SPED teacher) to train with her and I said to myself: "Good. The more, the merrier."
Monday, July 25: We walked 1 km for 10:26 mins. This eased T. Chinky's apprehension of not finishing within 1 hr. Surely, she would arrive in less than 1 hour even if she'll just walk.
We then followed 1:1 sequence (1 min. run, 1 min. walk) completing 1 km
We then followed 2:1 sequence (2 mins. run, 1 min walk) completing 1 km
We then cooled down by walking 1 km for 14 mins.
Wednesday, July 27: Classes were suspended due to Juaning. We trained for 45 minutes inside the covered court in our village with varying sequence.
Friday, July 29: We skip training due to hectic schedules
Saturday, July 30: We skip training due to emerging cough and cold of T. Chinky
Sunday, July 31: RACE DAY
3:30 AM: I called T. Chinky 'coz I was having second thoughts. The weather wasn't cooperative. And she wasn't feeling well due to lack of sleep and slight cough and cold. But I could sense that she really wanted to go. So I decided to leave my kids with Ate Ella and meet her just outside Philamlife Village. Luck was still with her for her brother Matthew consented to accompany her. It wasn't safe to travel alone early in the morning.
Due to bad weather, T. Chinky and her brother Matthew arrived quite late at our meeting place. But MOA was just near so I had no doubt that we'll arrive before 5:30 AM.
It was the first time that the MILO Marathon was held in MOA. I didn't anticipate that Diosdado Macapagal Ave. would be closed. We had to drive back to MIA Road to make a U-turn to Roxas Blvd. then right turn to Edsa and make another U-turn to go to MOA.
We were still looking for parking space when the first wave of 5K runners went through. We successfully squeezed ourselves to join the 4th wave and we were off.
As expected, we just walked for the first 4 minutes. After that, we executed the 2:1 sequence: 2 mins run, 1 min walk, stopping at every water station. I promised T. Chinky that I would be with her up to the Finish Line. And so her brother.
T. Chinky, very much alive and jubilant (and wet) with her first 5K and her brother Matthew who's wearing Gio's singlet (hussh . . . pls don't tell Coach Rio).
The trainer and the trainee: Congratulations, T. Chinky! Out of the 6,937 5K runners, only 5,332 finished within the 1-hour cut-off time. You ranked 2,375 with an official time of 45:32. Would you believe you're ahead of 4,562 runners? Galing galing! Let's start training for your first 10K heh heh . . .
Eia in her Milo singlet. Next time, I will bring her to run with me -- rain or shine.
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