bib no. 21 for a 21km race!I thought this would be a relatively easy run for me. After all, I am more prepared in the sense that I have done two other half marathons for 2011. I also have my trusty IPod to give me the push and motivation that I needed to finish this race.
One thing I didn't do more this week was run as I ended up just doing one 5.6km run last Monday and that was about it. I figured that being well rested would give me the strength to push to the finish line with the simple self-created formula of "fresh legs = fast time".
At the start of the race, I felt good and was running at a good pace. I didn't feel any of the pains associated with plantar fasciitis nor the knee pain that I had before. This might work out well for me!
One thing I liked about running this race was the nice route as it took us to the wide streets of Ayala Avenue via Paseo de Roxas. Runners then exited at Buendia Avenue for the turn around point near South Super Hi-way to head back towards BGC. Similar to Condura Race, where we runners owned the Skyway, Globe: Run For Home Race made us runners owned Ayala Avenue!
But I had the same problems with Condura on a personal level. My left foot was acting up again, my shoulders felt stiff and worst of all, I felt my chest tightening! Man, I didn't want to go down in this race! So I stopped to walk a bit, ran a little, walked again, ran some more,.... repeat as needed.
My average pace went down from 7:08 to 7:30++ as I finished 1 km at an average of 8 - 9:30 pace at the latter part of the race. Argh! What could have been definitely didn't happen. Goodbye 2011 PR!
I felt vomiting too and had to push that back in. I saw the ambulance but did not want to quit. There was no cut-off time so I can just walk the entire thing if I wanted to. Health is more important. Survival was the name of the game.
Thoughts came into my head... did I run too fast and burned quickly? (I don't think so.) Did I run too little before this race? (Definitely!!!!!) Was I drinking too much water and overhydrating? (Possibly.)
Whatever the reason, it hit me... hard.
But I pushed myself to finish this race safely. And I did.
Thank God!
My final time was at 2:42:01, slower than Animo Run (2:39+) but faster than Condura Run (2:43+). Given the situation, I didn't care anymore. I was just glad to finish the race, get the loot bag, get the big @$$ Finisher Medal (a first for Globe) and go home to wake my wife up and have breakfast with her.
God is Good!
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