Fair Play: Google says, it's an ill-advised 21K

(This is the draft of my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu, Dec. 17 issue)

EVER since I stupidly wrote that I will join the 21K in the Cebu City Marathon, one question has been bugging me—how the hell would I train for the 21K?

On the one hand, I could ask a few friends for tips and know I’ll get them, but on the other hand, I wanted--and still do-- to do this on my own and see how I would do without following any program.

I also wanted to write, “How not to train for a 21K” or even, “Why you shouldn’t do this.”

Now 21K isn’t much for the regular weekend runners, or even for those who’ve joined a 10K or two, but it may be quite a stretch for a guy whose longest distance he has ran in the past 16 years was a 6K during the University Run last August.

So last Sunday night, I finally did my solo relatively long run (RLR), from Banawa, to Capitol, to Escario, to Cebu Doctors’ University (Jones campus), to B. Rodriguez down to Happy Valley.

I did it in 57 something minutes and I was pretty happy about it to tell you frankly.
After my RLR, I thought, well, a 21K maybe not too farfetched a target for me since I thought my RLR covered at least a 10K, or even a 12K.

“I could do with another 10K more,” I thought.

Big mistake.

Very, very big mistake.

The morning after my RLR, I checked with Google Earth to know how long my RLR was and the damn program reminded me that running the 21K in the CCM is a foolish endeavor.

The total distance of my RLR? Seven point three kilometers! Geez!

While I was clicking the waypoints as I measured the distance in Google Earth, the program was slowly breaking down my confidence. While I thought getting from the Court of Appeals to Capitol in 17 minutes wasn’t a bad time, Google Earth was saying, “My grandma’s aunt can run 2.28 kilometers in 16 minutes.”

Heck, as I was clicking the points and Google Earth was measuring the distance, I sort of even begged, “Please let it be more than a 10K, please.”

But Google Earth said, “7.3 kilometers.” I swear I detected a smug smile.

I wanted to blame it on a bug but, the CCM 21K is going to be thrice the distance of my RLR.

After Sunday’s run, I thought, I could do another round. But two more? What was I thinking signing up for the 21K?

I told Haide Acuña of my route and the ultramarathoner who’s training for the 160K, (102 ra man to last time, to which Jingo Quijano replied, “102 RA Mike ha, RA) suggested a few places I should pass to extend my RLR.

She said instead of going back to Cebu Doc, from Escario I could go through Imus, pass by Sun.Star Cebu and a few other places she mentioned.

I forgot what she mentioned because I tell you, while I was mentally picturing out the route, I think I already passed out twice from exhaustion.

CCM 21K? What the he…I wonder whether the Azkals will have a friendly on Jan. 8, 2012? I know there was team from Spain--CF Madrid--that was planning to visit the Philippines for a friendly in Manila.

I hope the game pushes through.

I think January is the perfect time to visit the Rizal Memorial Stadium, again.

I better give Sir Dan a call.