The Longest Run of My Life

July 29, 2009 by eiroomd

Today is July 29, 2009, Wednesday. Today I ran the longest run in my entire 34 years. Got to do an entire 3 kilometers running, without any walk-breaks, including uphills. I must say, I never thought I could ever, EVER do anything like this. The longest I could run before May of this year was maybe 1 minute…and that’s with difficulty. Now, I’m running almost 30 minutes straight. When I started this running thing, I was wondering when and how the improvement would come. I was honestly getting all frustrated. I’d reached 100 kilometers, and yet I couldn’t run for more than 5 minutes yet. I was just about to throw in the towel, call it quits and give up, thinking I’m not made for this. But friends kept telling me to hold on for a little while longer, be more patient, place no pressure on myself…and I’m glad I did. The improvement just came so suddenly. From running no more than 5 minutes straight, I could suddenly run a little over 1 kilometer without stopping to walk. That happened at BHS just last week. I was prepared for just an easy walk-run…no pressures…and I just found myself running, slowly, but still running…waiting for the time I’d start to lose my breath…but it didn’t come. Then yesterday, I ran 2.7 kilometers without any walk breaks, too…and like the previous run at BHS, I was anticipating the usual chest tightness and difficulty breathing, but, again, it didn’t come. Add to this was the relative ease with which I ran the uphills. I’m still wary about pushing myself…I don’t want to suddenly get an asthma attack…but I’m sensing I’m really improving now. I had to stop in the middle of running the second round’s uphills, but that’s alright…I knew I had other days to conquer it, so I let it go and walked to the top. Today, I did more than yesterday…conquered two rounds of uphills and ran an additional 600 meters. I noticed I run better and longer when I’m relaxed…when I’ve no expectations from myself or others…when I’m not pushing myself to achieve anything, when I just run for the sake of running. Today I ran the longest run of my life so far. I hope it’s not the last. For some reason, though, I’m quite certain it ain’t…

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Posted in My Walk-Run Today | 19 Comments

19 Responses

on July 30, 2009 at 6:00 pm | Reply Bong Ortiz

Nice posts. Enjoyed reading them. The feeling of joy and accomplishment that you felt after your longest run is one that every runner felt when they were new to the sport. if you set reasonable goals, train properly, listen to your body, learn from the learned, and just enjoy running for the simple reason that it is great exercise and a fun activity, then you’ll be running till you’re 90. Hope you don’t mind adding yours to my favorite blogs.
on July 30, 2009 at 10:54 am | Reply kingofpots

ziggy, i have that poster still hanging in my house!

i suggest you maintain your 30-minute continuous run for awhile without thinking the distance you covered. everybody started this way. good luck and have fun.
- on July 30, 2009 at 1:02 pm | Reply eiroomd
  
  sir jovie, thanks much for visiting thanks for the advice, will definitely try to run for longer periods of time, or at least maintain my 30 minutes continuous tread without much concern (for now) on the distance covered…just try to build up my endurance. it helped that i changed my goals, perspectives and outlook on running. it’s so much easier now to run sans all the pressures i placed on myself the improvement will definitely come…to those who keep on running. thanks again
on July 30, 2009 at 2:33 am | Reply beabear29

YAHOOO!!!
- on July 30, 2009 at 12:35 pm | Reply eiroomd
  
  heheh! hi, bea! yeah, yahoo talaga! thanks!
on July 30, 2009 at 1:20 am | Reply the beginner

good job, Doc! i think your disposition too had a lot to do with it.. hope to see you in up aug 30!
- on July 30, 2009 at 12:35 pm | Reply eiroomd
  
  lorie! thanks for visiting you know, you’re right my disposition had a LOT to do with my running longer now…no pressures, no disappointments, no anxieties and all the sympathetic activities that come with it (higher bp, vasoconstriction, palpitations…come to think of it, i think there’s a physiologic explanation for this…hmmm…) i won’t be in up on aug. 30, unfortunately, i’m joining this orienteering/adventure race in maragundon, cavite good luck with your run, though!
on July 29, 2009 at 10:31 pm | Reply forefoot

Great! am so glad for you! Keep it up! keep it on!
- on July 30, 2009 at 12:31 pm | Reply eiroomd
  
  poj!! thanks for coming yup, i’m keeping it up and i’m staying on you’re one of those people who helped me clear my thoughts on running thanks
on July 29, 2009 at 4:42 pm | Reply bards

congratulations! reading your post reminded me of how it felt the first time i was able to run for 30mins straight. thanks! feeling ko then, ay runner na ako.

keep on running and pushing. you’d be amazed how your body will adapt and how much farther and faster you will get.
- on July 30, 2009 at 12:30 pm | Reply eiroomd
  
  thanks for visiting bards yeah, feeling ko nga talaga ngayon runner na ako it ain’t much, but compared to how i’ve been, this is a lot for me hope to see you in the runs!
on July 29, 2009 at 3:35 pm | Reply Rod

galing naman! improving! congrats!
- on July 30, 2009 at 12:28 pm | Reply eiroomd
  
  rod, thanks i remember lagi kitang kinukulit about my running frustrations over chat and that time you were trying to help me out with my timex so i’d know how to pace myself for my 5k under 40 stint at the buddy run hehehe i’m getting a little better at this na
on July 29, 2009 at 11:42 am | Reply ziggy

Not bad! My dad had a poster of a lone runner on a long winding road and in the poster, there’s this line that said..

“the race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running”

I no longer remember who wrote it but that line still lives in me. Just keep on running and enjoying it. I’m sure in time running will be like a breath of fresh air to you.
- on July 29, 2009 at 11:48 am | Reply eiroomd
  
  wow…thanks for that quote, ziggy…ganda it feels true and apt for me…the phrase “keep on running” holds more meaning to me now, more than ever
on July 29, 2009 at 11:29 am | Reply eiroomd

cindy, rj, carlo…thanks you guys have no idea how much a little pushing, a little cheer from other people can boost me to do so much more than i thought i could though…no pressures…nuninuninuninu… hehehe!
on July 29, 2009 at 10:52 am | Reply cindz

way to go doc i!
on July 29, 2009 at 10:47 am | Reply x59

Congratulations on your longest run… so far
Here’s to much longer runs in the future. Cheers
on July 29, 2009 at 10:47 am | Reply carlo

GOOD, GOOD, GOOD!!!
KEEP IT UP DOC IRIS!!!
DON’T GIVE UP – THIS IS THE BEGINNING!