As I try to sit myself down with the posture of royalty and ease of a chronic drinker, I can honestly look back on the day and say, "Yeah (Yes), I doomed myself."
Let's rewind a bit, go back a few hours (a luxury that I can't live out literally) to a time when I could've made a difference. Let's say, three weeks ago when I first heard about the biathlon (which is the wrong usage of the word, but with the same meaning: "bi" - two;
"athlon" - contest).
Kuya Geoff usually keeps me updated in running events that different universities sponsor (The Animo Run, UP's Fun Run, and Ateneo's Unnamed Running Event). Last November I competed (a very ill-fitting word) in the Animo Run. I ran the 10k, and I only walked for 200 meters of it. Finishing was one of my many small accomplishments as a college student (<--understatement). A 5k run at Ateneo would be a cinch.
My first mistake was obviously underestimating how *bleep*ing long five kilometers is. I should've trained at least once or twice for the event. I could've waken up one Friday or Saturday morning and say to myself, "I think I'll go over to UP and run a few laps around the circle to prepare myself for a really bad experience." Nay, I slept in instead.
My second mistake involved not taking vitamin C. Actually, this mistake is hard to define because how can you prevent getting sick? We learned about "Acts of God" (I do hope that's the right term) in Obligations and Contracts back in my first year of college. These events (typhoons, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc) are unforeseeable and you can pretty much get away with any crime during these events. Anyway, my physical ailment was unforeseeable and there's no way you can possibly stop it from coming. Thus scratch that as my second mistake.
My real second mistake was staying up till 1AM instead of getting rest.
My third mistake was to drink coffee the night before the run. Yesterday evening I got caught up in the whole "food trip" thing that my church mates had going. We first dropped by Grill Tomato (good food) and some keema then walked a block to the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I ordered a Machiatto (cause I have no preference except the fact that the name is totally awesome), but they gave a hard time because it only came in shots -- and I wanted it decaf. So they suggested I get a Caramel Late instead, and I complied. They then took thirty-five pesos more than I wanted to give and told me to wait. And wait I did. I got my drink and it was super-duper sweet. And Milky. What was I thinking? A Late 10PM?
So after a few rounds of Scattergories I trotted off to my house. Got online and played songs on my guitar. Before I knew it, it was 1AM. I crept into my bed (this is Saturday night, by-the-bye) and tried to sleep. I don't know, it must be in the water, but as I lay in bed my hearing abilities were heightened to a whole new level. I could hear things like Daredevil. I could hear... the *bleep*ing squeak of my fan!!! I kid you not, I'd drift off for a bit, then all of a sudden ssqquuUEEAAAKKK!! I'd lie in bed a few minutes and year the repeated ssqquuuUUEAAAKKK a few more times before I couldn't stand it. I tried to fix it by stuffing tissue paper in the places which squeaking was probable. It did not help. It was 1:30 when I actually hit the mattress, but I didn't get the problem solved till 2:40. I went to bed antsy and irritated.
Three hours later, I hear my cellphone vibrate. "Is it a message?" I asked myself, but it kept going. "Is it an alarm?" No, my phone plays music when the alarm goes off. It's a phone call. From Kuya Geoff. Asking whether I was at Jollibee or not. Because I was supposed to be at Jollibee at 5:30 and it was, at the time, 5:45.
I thought the event was in the afternoon -- like, 5:30PM! I was like, shoooot!!! I quickly changed clothes and grabbed my waterbottle, phone, keys, an extra shirt and dashed out the door. Kuya Geoff was waiting.
So there, a series of unfortunate events. I was still sick when I ran the 5k. I was part of the last batch (8AM) so the sun was actually shining brightly and without pity at that time. It beat down on us runners like a slave driver as we scurried our way down the designated paths. I felt dehyrdated, light dizziness, and it was just really hard to breath well. I ended up walking a lot of it.
Fortunately, I made it to the finish line.
And then K. Geoff took me home. And I'm still sick.
I looked up proper breathing techniques online when I got home. I know how to breathe now. And I figured, breathing has a lot to do with posture -- hence my trying to sit with correct posture.
We also received a free magazine for joining the meet: Men's Health (which you can get at Watson's for P125.00 according to the price tag that they left on). I also got a Happee toothbrush and toothpaste, two crackers, facial moisturizer for men, and a jersey. All for P300. Awesome.
[edit] Men's Health Magazine from September 2008.
