Mt. Gulugod Baboy: My First Official Hike

June 29, 2013 --me, my team mates and other FitFil-ers, together with our coaches conquered Mt. Gulugod Baboy at Anilao, Batangas, Philippines.

It's a chance-like-no-other for me. I even had to argue with my parents and justify why I should go to a friend's place just to sleep over for this event. It was tough and I know I have to decide and do things that I know I am capable of, and that will not "get me off the track" in life.

Pre-trekking

June 28 in the evening, went to my friend's unit in Taguig (where our meeting place is). Slept at around 11 in the evening and woke up at around 3:30 in the morning the next day, left her house at 4:00 (though they said the meet-up time is at 4am). I walked and jogged from Bellagio up to ROX Bonifacio High Street. Most of the gimikeros and gimikeras looked at me like it was their first time to see someone with a huge bag, jogging that early. When I arrived at ROX, I was just right on time, saw few of my team mates, and all the coaches.

While in the bus, I got my things prepared because I heard the coaches talking earlier that we have to leave our clean clothes behind (for changing, after the hike). Took my clean clothes out of my back pack, in exchange of the paper plates, cups and utensils, and of course, water...3 liters of water (and that's not enough for me). 

We arrived at the foot of the mountain (in the resort area --yes, there are some resorts 'round) at around 8:30 in the morning, had a short team meeting and prayer. Then we're all packed and ready to go up. 

Are we there yet?
I think it was already 9 AM when we started to walk. Mind you, we all thought it was part of the mountain already, but we're wrong...so wrong.

The picture below, is what we thought "going half way" up there, because of the clay-based road. After a few walks, there's a cemented road again. 

Some of us were like "geez, good thing the road is not that muddy" (below). The other side of my brain says "it's kinda weird to go up to a mountain in cemented road." 

My brain was right, it's weird to trek in a cemented road; and what's more surprising was when we saw this sign: 

For us, first timers said "What's that long uphill walk that we did?!" we then realized that we're not done yet! and that the real hike is just about to start. 

This was taken after the hike, with Coaches/Biggest Loser Philippines contestants, Hazel Chua and Raffy Tan

The Challenge

Going up there is not an easy task. The road is narrow, there are some cliff-looking edges; and just by looking at it, you know that if you slip, and if safety measures are not considered and taken care of, especially when rain pours, you'll slide down to where that "This Way To Gulogod Baboy" sign is.' I made sure that I'm climbing up according to my pace, for safety reasons. 

Some of my team mates have already jested if their insurance is already paid and that he's sorry if he slides down, it's going to be like a domino effect down to the last person in the trail (just think that not all of us are lean and light to go up there easily and most of us are first time hikers). 

My 3 liters of water is not enough for our trip to the top. Luckily, there are some residents who live up there who sells Ice Candies and Ice Water (the water is not literally iced, but really cold). The ice candy costs 5 bucks and 3 bucks for the water. Honestly, I was scared to drink their water. Scared that I might get diarrhea. So I made the water solely for washing purposes only. Whenever I feel exhausted, I pour the water on my head, and/or wash my face and neck. That way, I felt refreshed, and kinda gave me more energy to go forward.

Here's a pic from one of our pit stops, (L -> R) Ate Bam and my team mate Bethany

Help! I'm injured!

The first "fall" I had was when I knew that my heart rate was really high. I literally heard my heart beating from the outside, my eyes are like popping out of my face, and my vision pattern was: blurry -> ok -> blurry -> ok. So I decided to take a sit and breathe. I let all the tensions subside, and when I felt okay, I started climbing up again. 

There were moments that cramps have started to show up. I rest for a bit, then move forward again. When I reached the 1st peak ('coz there are 3), I really gave myself a moment to rest. There I felt my feet aching, and guess what? cramps just started to show up again! Ate Bam, whose hobby (I guess) is to hike/trek taught me something in hiking (she already conquered 13 mountains + Mt. Gulogod B., that's 14 in total, well, if my memory serves right): 

1. It's better to wear "trekking sandals" (brands like Tribu, Sandugo, etc.) when the sun is up, it helps your feet to breathe from the tensions and rubber shoes are better when its rainy.
2. Use the ankle when climbing up, not the "ball" part of the foot.
3. A staff is very much helpful with the pressure/weight you lift when going up (or climbing --a mountain, not a tree :P)

When I told her that I have a pair of sandals in my bag, she told me to change and I felt an immediate relief and release. I gave myself few more minutes because the pain showed up again, especially on my right tendon. 

When I felt better, I stood up again and moved to the 2nd peak. Here, my left tendon felt pain. I could barely stand up and walk, was thankful that one of my team's coaches, Sani, and another coach, Irene, assisted me to ease the pain. They advised me to hydrate immediately, and since I didn't bring any mentholated oil with me, we used the mentholated stick that I always carry in my stuff. It took me 15-30 minutes before I felt fine. 

I can do this! I know I can!

I saw my team mates from a distance. From that moment until I reached the 3rd peak, I kept telling myself these words: "One more step and I'm getting closer up there"; "Each step leads me there (looking at the 3rd peak)"; "I'll get there and enjoy the view just like what they are enjoying."

The Sound of Music

The funniest idea (I guess) that played in my mind that time was the song from "The Sound Of Music" that has the line "...Climb every mountain...Ford every stream, Follow every rainbow,'Till you find your dream." 

I was very very convinced that the said movie, starred by Julie Andrews, was taped in Mt. Gulogod Baboy and not in Austria! hahaha! plus the Carabaos that were in the scenery, it all becomes a reality in my head! hahaha!

Scenery Pics

Below are the other pictures that I took from the summit of the mountain, enjoy the view, enjoy Philippines! :)

As a proof that I conquered Mt. Gulogod Baboy, I took a picture of my feet. Unfortunately, during that very hour, it never crossed my mind to take off my socks :P 

Thank you! :-)

I'd like to thank the Lord for giving me the strength and energy to walk, climb, jog that day. To my team mates, Hello fellow Champions! we had a good, one time-big time bonding, one of the things that I will dearly miss :-D To our coaches, especially Coach Sani and Coach Chloe, we're very much blessed to be our coaches. Even when she says "my pace! my pace!" it's okay, because that's the reason why we always win :-) Thanks to FitFil for the wonderful journey and experiences we have this season :-)

The Lean Start Up

I was online when I talked to a friend from Hawaii. He's an IT person too, and more technical than me..hehehe! We did not have a conversation for a long time, so when I greeted him "Happy 4th of July" he replied and here's just a part of our conversation:

me u familiar with lean start up?

Jordan where only skinny people work?

Jordan lol

Jordan what's the diff between lean and a regular start-up?

me hahahaha! lol

This funny conversation just made my morning, I told my team mates about this conversation, they laughed and said that it was very logical. One of them said "He has a point." I was like 'I know right' while laughing endlessly. I just hope it made my team mates' morning too. 

But seriously, Lean Start Up is a theoretical methodology for start up businesses and products, started by Eric Ries in 2011. Check its wiki page for further details, as it will take me to write like a novel if I try to discuss it here, and you'll get bored for sure :P http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_Startup

Walang Maisulat Na Matino

It's that feeling when brain is fat enough to write something but at the time that I have my account opened, and ready to write, all of the ideas I have in my mind suddenly disappears. T_T

Wala talaga akong maisulat, maliban sa frustrations kong may maisulat ng matino. LOL.

Collected Advices, Realizations and Lessons Learned for Running

I am neither a professional nor an elite runner, I just enjoy joining fun runs. What I'm writing today is just my realizations after my 3 runs. I just had a longer time to think about this because I ran twice the distance that I used to run (so I have twice the time to think). These things are the stuff that all came to my mind while I was running this morning :-P

I tried to keep my ideas short and bulleted, so it won't look too boring to read...And also straight to the point  but I guess, it's still long :-) 

1. Run at your own pace.When I became part of Coach Jim Saret's FitFil, our team coach and other coaches who trained and made us run, even on rainy evenings,  always remind us to run at our own pace. If we try to push ourselves beyond our limits, we might end up injured. "Safety first" is what I normally hear from them. I also saw this line this morning for the NatGeo EDR 2013, just a reminder for all of us :o)

2. Better to run in small strides or conversational pace. One Saturday morning, I joined a dear friend in her training for Milo Apex Running School. She's under the 10k group and I'm just tagged along with her, so I felt obliged to run the same distance as well :-P When we started running, I was introduced to one of their coaches and she said that it's better to run in small strides; 'coz if you try to run in big steps, you'll get tired easily. Especially if you're not used to it, or you might trip along the way and get injured. Just like in the first item, safety first. Let's prevent injuries.

3. Keep hydrated. Keep a bottle of water with you when running. You won't really know when you'll gonna need it. During my run for Immuvit Trail Run Challenge, someone told me to drink less water. I did what that person said (like taking only half of the paper cup, twice in different hydrating stations --1 for each station, which was also the smallest consumption of water I had when running). I ended up having muscle strains and got stuck for an hour (or an hour and a half) in a corner with some of the medic reps. I spent not less than two hours in the run. I told the medic that I had a good breakfast, so I wasn't sure what happened to have that, then he said, "lack of water can be a reason." As a result, I ended up 3rd or 5th to the last runner who finished the race.

4. Wear your most comfortable garment. 

• Shorts or Leggings or Jogging pants? I used to wear shorts during run practices and workouts, only to realize that I've been pulling down the middle part of my shorts every time (you know when you have lots of body movements, the clothing gets stuck in between your legs and kind of "goes up"). It's a big turn off and it's embarrassing when a guy sees you like that (pulling shorts from the mid, between legs x_x). Even if in front of another girl, it just looks...not right at all. When I switched to leggings and tokong jogging pants (my 3-inch below the knee jogging pants, I'm just not sure if there are other terms that can be used here :-\). I realized that I was able to run/move comfortably compared to my shorts. 
• What about your socks? Another garment that you should check are your socks. Yeah, that clothing between your feet and your shoes. You must check what material was used for your socks, it's better to have a bit thick, cotton-made socks (which personally works for me and my friend), rather than those thin-polyester-made materials. On my story in item 2, I was wearing a thin polyester socks and I felt the blisters "evolving" during my run (from a smooth feet to an "ouchy-wounded" feeling).
• Shoes? Of course, the shoes. It is important that you are comfortable with the pair of shoes that you are wearing, or else, you might feel irritated, or heavy, or simply not completely comfortable at all. 

5. Relax and enjoy. Don't get tensed or bothered on what the person next to you is doing, or if the others run faster than you (overtaking you and leaving you behind). Just run at your own pace and enjoy. Like this morning, I reminded myself to enjoy while trying to set my first 10k record, I enjoyed the downhill run in the Kalayaan Flyover, and seeing the sunrise in the city from there. It brought a big smile on my face and made me feel kind of refreshed :o)

Again, I am just an amateur runner who simply enjoys fun run activities. These things are just collected ideas that I had for my past 3 runs. I just want to make it clear that on the 4th item, I am not saying to use jogging pants or cotton-made socks, what I want to say is wear what makes you comfortable the most; if you're not experiencing what I have experienced with wearing shorts, then go for shorts, besides, it's much 'cooler' to wear that. Hehe. 

Ciao. 'Til my next post :D