Hardest Back to Back Weekend Run!

I've done a few back to back runs before but this was by far, the most difficult to finish given the distance I had to complete and my lack of mileage (only did one 5km run that week and very little runs the week before due to colds/coughs).

RACE #1 – CAMP RUN 10K

The first run was quite interesting as it was in a new venue: Camp Aguinaldo. I have never stepped inside this camp so to run here would be a wonderful experience. This was the first leg of Extribe’s Camp Run Series for this year with the second leg happening this November.

For Php 600, I got a military dog tag at the finish line, a nice big bag, a small umbrella, a magazine, some vitamins and medicine and an additional tee shirt (although said shirt has “Subic International Marathon” printed on it so I guess it’s a surplus from this year’s event).

The race was quite organized with water stations every 2kms and water bottles handed out to every runner. There were only 45 registered runners for the 10km event (military officials and cadets also ran with us). There was even a small obstacle course placed near the finish line but it’s an optional feature of the race. Being tired already, I chose to skip that out and just ran to the finish line.

I was tired and exhausted (from running the various hills and faster than normal pace) but was happy with this run.

RACE #2 – RUN UNITED 2, 21K

This is one of 2011’s biggest race with 16,000 registered runners (and nearly 15,000 who ran it). This serves at the 2^nd leg of the RunRio Trilogy. Runners who complete the longest distance of each of the three legs will be eligible for a 4^th medal come RunRio Award Night in early 2012.

Aside from the above incentive, there are also loot bags, 21km finisher medals and 21km finisher shirts, which had the Philippine map on it. Cost for this race was at Php 750.

I wasn’t able to register early for the 21km as was still undecided on joining this race or not. Hence the pink bib pictured here (original 21km bibs were colored yellow). Difference of these two bibs was that for the pink bibs, they won’t get their finisher medals or shirts after crossing the finish line but on a future date. The 21km slots closed early and Runrio.Inc decided to open an additional 500 slots due to high demand from people interested to join this race category. I was lucky enough to be part of the 500 but with a 10km run just a few hours ago, I wasn’t sure how I would perform here.

My goal was simply to start slow and try to run the entire 21km course but rather than getting faster, I got slower and slower until I started taking walk breaks at KM 15. Ugh! It was a pathetic run and I was really tired upon reaching BGC (from Buendia). I kept pushing myself to run one step at a time but at various points, I stopped running to walk instead.

I was glad Alvin ran with me or I would have walked the entire 5km! Haha. My legs were wobbly and at the same time heavy. My shoulders were aching and I was breathing hard.

I got a worst finish time of this year at 2:58:01 but was just glad to finish ALIVE! Haha! I guess my body wasn’t fully recovered yet (DUH!) from the previous day’s fast 10km and I paid the price in this race.

POST-RACE

I had a massage right after the run and that helped a lot for my sore legs and shoulders. I will also take 1-2 days off from running and just do a little bit of walking for recovery of my muscles.

Total distance for two days: 31km!

I did not think this was possible!

Praise God for making me finish both races!