Be Cool Runner

We get about six flights a day with the last flight leaving at about 4:30PM, so from about 5pm onwards the airport is free from traffic, so the parking area about 250meter loop is open to runners and walkers.

I’ve been training here for the past two to three weeks, running from our house to the airport is about 3kms then I’d do some tempo/speed run of 2.5- 3kms in the airport parking before I head back home, running a total of 8-10kms depending on how many loops I ran or which route I took going home.

My Road Review..

Washington Drive – To reach the airport coming from Legazpi you will need to run on this road, Washington drive is now completely asphalted, the thing is with the asphalt overly it’s softer on the knees but the banking on the side of the road also increases, making it less of an ideal road to run on. Although you can always take the concrete drainage top, which is relatively flat and safer from traffic.

Legazpi Airport Parking Lot – This is a very popular walking and exercise area, but after all my tempo and speed runs here, I’m still not fully convince it’s a great place to run, first of all I think the asphalt overly is just too uneven with some pot holes. It might be Ideal for walking, but for training tempo’s and speed i think nothing beats BU Oval.

pro’s -

Less pollution, the only smoke you smell is from the BBQ grills nearby.

If you live in Legazpi, chances are you are about 2-3kms away from it, perfect for that long warm up right before doing tempo runs.

Plenty of restaurants nearby to buy H20 and BBQs  etc.

Safe and Secure while inside

Cons

Very uneven asphalt road, not noticible to a some, but if you speed train on it, you’ll know.

Surface: Dirt Track

Length: 400m inner lane

View: Calm and Serene on Sundays, Very busy on school days

Parking: Very Ample

Entrance: Free

Air Quality: Very Good

Useful Tips:

1.) If security guard stops your vehicle, just tell them you’re going to the oval track to jog.

2.) Parts of the Oval near the grandstand are a bit rocky

3.) Parts of the Inner/Outer lane is soft

4.) Be aware of surroundings on school days because students are accustomed to just walk or cross the track.

5.) Basketball, volleyball, softball and etc.. are all goin on around the track, so be aware of flyaway balls.

6.) Bring you water, i dont see a canteen near the track, though I’m sure there is one inside the university.

7.) If you need to take a leak, go to the poolside.

Magayon – Maganda – Beautiful

I think I’m one of quite a few people who would run through Magayon Drive, it is not exactly a runner’s paradise road, the street is very narrow and made of concrete, I always have to make sure I run facing oncoming vehicles. The beauty of this short one kilometer stretch is actually the view (this is the back/front of the airport runway depending on how you see it), I always find peace in this area. When mountain biking this is the calm before the steep slope of ligñon hill, I would spend Sundays taking sunset pictures here.

This road leads to a number of trails, you can make an exit to Bicol University to run at their Oval track, there’s a side path to Daraga Market that leads you to the famous 17th century Daraga Church, straight through you can go to Ligñon Hill and do Hill repeats, going forward from Ligñon will lead you to Barangay Pawa and Bonga where you can go serious trail running up to the Lava Wall of Mayon Volcano, moving on Bogtong Road will lead you back to Legazpi City across beautiful scenic view of Mayon Volcano and Yawa River. There’s also nothing stopping you from river running at the knee deep waters of Yawa (an endurance river running was held here a few years back), all these places I’ve mentioned are within a distance of 5-15k from the heart of the city. Given time I will do all these trips and post a photo blog.

PS
Photo taken with my crappy cellphone, it didn’t do justice at all to the sunset.

I came across a fellow takbo.ph runner’s blog i2runner.wordpress.com talking about counting mileage not just on a weekly basis but on a seven day history because our body doesn’t just resets itself at the start of the week.

Now I have always thought I’m at the 22-23km a week mileage, but after checking my Polar Protrainer logs, I realized since last Tuesday I’ve log in about 28kms.

Mar 4 – Recovery run 5k
Mar 6 – Mid Aerobic Zone 8k
Mar 8 – LSD 10k
Mar 10 – Speed Train 5k

From this realization, I think I can increase/decrease my newbie mileage at a better injury-free pace now. Thanks to Zixednatz for that blog.

Road Review

Pacific Mall – a 600m loop, of fairly smooth road, good for beginners since there are no surprise potholes to injure you, good energy return, best time to run is early in the morning or at night after the mall closes. I normally do 9 to 10 laps, with the last lap only brisk walking.

Alternate Road – about 2km stretch from the public market to Aquinas Hospital, smooth concrete roads but shoulders are bank, so running on it could stress one leg over the other, when i ran on the shoulders I ran loop on the same side to give the same exercise for both legs, another option is to run on the drainage top, which is flatter and better lit at night, but less energy return since your running on hollow concrete, so a little more effort but softer on knees. It usually takes me 30 mins to run that 4k loop, it’s a good place to do slow recovery runs.

Magayon Drive – from Charvec Carwash to Lignon or to Cheyenne Enterprise is about 2.5-2.6k loop of 5k. I pick this trail since you can have your car wash at Charvec and go running, and by the time your done your car will be clean to, it is one of the best roads to run on concrete with not that much banking, very good energy return, but on certain areas in the magayon drive road gets really tight, you need to be very careful from vehicles, it’s best to slow down and take the sidewalk. Also some stray dogs would show up, better to slow down so you wont catch their attention, or out run them hehe.