I could have written about a lot of things that happened to me. I did not because I was always procrastinating, too lazy to memorialize the happy, crazy, mundane, frightening, sappy and heartbreaking events that characterized the weeks past.
The event yesterday proved to be too happy to store in my memory bank. I may not know myself very well but I admit to being inveterately forgetful.
So here's one exhilirating news: I ran for 10 miles for two hours. That's all of 16 kilometers, do you hear me, Bloggie?
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could do it.
My body is so sore today but I don't care one bit. The soreness is completely oblitirated by the fact that I feel really, really good.
I was glad Deth never tired of convincing me.
Deth and a couple of other friends have been preparing for the 13-mile 'fun' run on October 8 since two months back. After running out of excuses, I finally gave in to her invitation to practice with them. I warned them - and they knew - that I only did 4 miles max on the treadmill or the elliptical twice or thrice a week if I my schedule allowed it. Roughly, 4 miles on the machines always took me all of 40 minutes to accomplish. I fully understood my physical limitations. Or so I thought.
*****
The trail in Los Gatos was so nice. I was so taken by the peaceful lake lining the whole trail that I never cared if I was always at the tail end of the pack. It also helped that each runner I passed by - and boy, do they have floorboard abs! - never failed to greet you with a smile.
I never knew how I ended up finishing the first 5 miles ahead of everyone else. Deth said I did so well. I downplayed it by saying I was just lucky not having torn a ligament in my body. She thought I was being funny when I said we should have parked our cars near the 5-mile junction so we could go home if we decided we couldn't last another mile, much less go back 5 miles where we came from. I managed a nervous laugh.
So we headed back and proceeded to run at our own pace. After a while, and noticing that not one of my friends was within sight, I thought I was lost. It got me worried, moreso because of the fact that I was getting to be a legend hereabouts for having little or no sense of direction. This incident would surely nail it. But what could I do? There were just these junctions that confused me. I didn't bring my handphone. Worse, the trail would simply not allow any motor vehicle as it was too narrow. As a last resort, I thought of hitching a ride with a biker. Saying I was frightened was an understatement.
But I kept on running. Someone up there must have been leading the way - literally! - because everytime I thought of hounding a hapless biker, I would recognize landmarks that kept me believing I was on the right track.
After what seeemed like an eternity, I recognized the red line on the road, and the playground a few yards ahead. I made it. I was even more relieved to realize that I was not lost after all.
After a few minutes, my friends started arriving. It turned out I was the first one to finish. Deth said I probably clocked in a total of two hours.
They had to say that they were a bit concerned I got lost on my way back. They are really getting to know me very well.
*****
Maybe it's true what some friends say. I tend to underestimate my capabilities.
