Of Trail Runs and Hypertension

Trail runs and hypertension? One is simply not compatible with the other right? This folks is the very same reason why I sadly missed the TNF 100 event last Sunday. Yep, I was off running for the longest time (2 months!) but I still willed myself to participate in the 10k trail run. But then my body got the better of me by giving me a record high blood pressure in the morning of Saturday which is to last until the afternoon making it impossible for me to travel all the way to Pampanga alone and by bus (which is an exciting first for me sana rin!). The greatest lesson I learned out of this is that it is not because I am running, biking or having regular exercises, I am already invincible. I still am prone to having bouts with hypertension because it is already a kink in my armor which I cannot fully eliminate.

Oh well, reading through the blogs/race accounts of my runner friends makes me cringe with envy but not without the happy feeling that comes to knowing that they had a grand time completing the race. I missed them but I sure enjoyed reading their stories and looking at their pictures. Congratulations are in order to TNF, Finish Line and to all those who participated in the 100km, 20k and 10k races. Kudos and hugs guys! I hope that by next year’s TNF, I will be there running (and posing for photo-ops!) with you all.

*Sigh*… But wait! I was really so glad to see this particular ad while reading my favorite Summit Media published magazine —

now on its fourth year!

I remember that my first trail run experience was last year’s Men’s Health All Terrain race which was held at Timberland Heights. I joined coming from several months of hiatus from everything outdoors (haven’t run or biked for a long time) and around 15lbs overweight. I finished the 10k trail after 2 hours and 2 minutes (kahiya-hiya!), a dead toenail and two weeks-worth of sore muscles. The trail mind you is not as exciting and challenging as that of the TNF race - naturally there were no lahars nor river crossings. But it was still challenging enough with lots of uphill and downhill routes. I enjoyed it but was really walking most of the time.  After that experience,  I promised myself not to try trail running again without enough preparation and that I will not miss the following year’s race which will serve as my second shot at trail running. Hmm, will i be better this time? No more dead toenails? I certainly hope so! 

If you are to check the Men’s Health website, sadly there is still no update with regards to this race. But checking on the Summit Media site, this event is already calendared to happen this June. Guess we’ll just have to wait for official announcement with regards to the race details.

For now, it’s back to the track and road for me as I try to regain my lost endurance and lose the excess weight I gained in my two months of inactivity.

See you guys at the outdoors!

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