5th T2N 50km Race Experience (Part 3)

Casualty of T2N

RACE DAY!

A very good help for me in this race was Alvin saying to me just a few days prior to it that he would run with me during the entirety of its 50-km distance.  It is always fun to run with a good friend especially with a distance this far.  It’s also added protection and security to both of us in case anything would go wrong here.

At 3:30AM, May 1^st (Labor Day), we met up at the corridor of Hotel Kimberly Tagaytay and proceeded to the Lobby area with our race gear, box of Yellow Cab pizza and 5 gallons of water in tow.  Soda and Gatorade bottles were packed in the ice cooler the night before.

The driver was awake too when we got down and eager to be involved in this race.

One of my fears in this race was that the driver would get lost in the route or won’t be able to follow our directions correctly and that would be a big deal.  So I put in a little cash and two pieces of GU in my SpiBelt as emergency items.

The race venue of T2N 50km was at Tagaytay’s Picnic Grove and by the time we got there, it was packed with parked cars and runners doing warm ups and stretching.  Alvin and I were still talking when we heard the countdown to zero and saw fast runners headed to our direction!  It was a stampede of runners and we caught in the middle of it!  I even bumped into a fast girl runner and heard her Garmin fly off and hit the ground.  Thank God the watch wasn’t broken. 

When everyone had left the area, we then started our walk to the “starting line”.  Well, there wasn’t really any starting line but there were some marshals seated there and they told us that we can start our run. 

At this point, we were the only runners on the road as almost everyone had a few minutes lead from us.  There was another late runner who overtook us.  Race Director Jovie Narcise, AKA Baldrunner, participated too as he came quickly from behind and overtook us.

The route was quite easy to analyze as it was just straight to Batangas and I appreciated the views and sights on the road as we moved toward the support car at the 5km mark (our standing instructions were for support vehicle to stop every 5km).  It was dark when we started the race (with a gun time of 4:00AM) but the Tagaytay main road was well-lit and Alvin even wore a headlamp to add light to our paths.  The weather was good too as it was cold and windy - just the way I like it!

We ran on the road descents and walked on the road ascents.  We passed by Starbucks Tagaytay, Tagaytay fruit and vegetables market, various hotels, restaurants and other establishments.  We went by the new property development of Century Properties Inc. and in my boredom I counted the number of floors they had and repeated the same thing as we passed by SM Residences.  Then, there’s Robinson’s Supermarket and Condominium.  Soon, we saw the large Ferris Wheel, the horseback riding/ zip line area, and a few more fast food joints (McDonalds and Mushroom Burger).  We saw the area that had the largest puzzle collection in the world (and certified by Guinness Book of World Records), fancy schmancy Antonio’s Restaurant and entrance to Sonya’s Garden. 

We were slowly getting close to some runners and overtook them quietly and made water/ Gatorade breaks every 5km.  Thank goodness the driver knew how to follow our directions correctly.   I would also get a slice of pizza every 10km. 

We got to the 21km mark at around 3 hours and it was around this point that the sun was rising and it was getting hotter on the road.  I changed my Adidas KOTR singlet to my Nike running shirt and ate/ drank again.

There were more runners now but the bulk was still way ahead of us and couldn’t be seen yet.  But I was happy as this was the farthest I’ve ran since BDM.  We slowly reached 25km marker at 3 hours 36 minutes and I felt good but a little exhausted too from the heat.

Every time we got our support car, the driver would say that we overtook more runners.  He was excited by the experience as we always spot him outside the vehicle (instead of sleeping inside the car which we allowed him to do).  At this point, I grabbed the ice cubes in the cooler and put some in my mouth, under my cap or rubbed on my face, arms and neck.  The heat was getting to me and there weren’t a lot of shaded areas to run to.

It was also around 25km when the roads started to go down and I had some of my fastest running pace (between 7:30 to 8:00 minutes per kilometer).  We reached the 32km mark at 4 hours and 39 minutes and I knew that we would finish this race. 

The road climbed again and I used the time here to take walking breaks.  At around 41km mark, where our support vehicle was parked, my Garmin’s strap broke and the Garmin fell to the ground.  Luckily it was working when I picked it up and I ran to the car to get my second Garmin.  While waiting for the second Garmin to load its satellite location, I used the time to change my clothes one final time and I switched my shoes to a lighter pair.

The first Garmin “retired” from this race at 41.06km with a time of 6 hours and 5 minutes.  It was up to the second Garmin to record my time and take me to the finish line.  There was a 3-4 minute lag time in between switching Garmin watches, but I didn’t mind anymore as I was confident that we would be able to make the cut-off time of 9 hours (Philippine Time of 1:00pm).

My new goal at that time was to try and finish under 8 hours but I was exhausted and every time I would start running, I would vomit on the road.  Clearly, something didn’t go well with me.  So we walked more and when I tried to run again, I would vomit again!  What’s wrong with me?

I must have vomited 6-7 times in this final 9 kilometers and I walked every time I felt queasy. 

At this point all the runners we were with walked too.  Everyone was tired (with the exception of Alvin probably! Haha!)

The last long road felt forever but when we saw some runners heading back to our direction, we knew that the U Turn area was near.  So I would run again, then walk, then back to running.  This was probably done every 50 meters or so.

Fatigue was getting to me but no way was I going to give up now!  We made it to the U Turn where there was a marshal seated in a shaded area and who wrote down our race numbers. 

As I ran back out, I thought, “This is it! The final stretch!  The last part before I become an (official) Ultra Runner!”

We kept on going, me (super) slow and steady, while Alvin sprinted ahead to look for the finish line.  I didn’t see it on the road but there were a lot of parked cars on the side and I knew that I was close. 

Petron Gas Station loomed in the distance but still no finish line on the road. Then I was directed into Petron and I saw the timing clock on the side.  Yes, this was it!  Alvin waited for me near the finish line and we both ran to cross it!

I am an Ultra Runner!  BDM Redemption achieved!

I got the finisher medal and shirt… well, Alvin got those things for me as I was too tired and dizzy from the heat that I had to sit down somewhere and take a breather. After resting for a few minutes, we were ready to go back to Tagaytay and to our families.

This was an awesome experience and truly memorable.  In all my past visits to Tagaytay , I never would have imagined running a race here and an ultra marathon at that!  I will never look at Tagaytay the same way again!

This wouldn’t have been possible without Alvin training me and running with me all this time.  As I told him multiple times, “BDM changed me.  It opened my outlook to a world of possibilities, running-wise.  I wouldn’t even fathom of doing this had I not joined BDM.”

Better news yet, I did achieve my target of going under 8 hours and finished at a time of

7:49:40 (official time) and 167^th out 210 runners!

 

TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!   AMEN!

too tired to move!  First 50km medal!

Desert outfit!

Here are links to the first two parts of the story:

T2N 50km Part 1

T2N 50km Part 2

5th T2N 50km Race Experience (Part 2)

5th T2N Course Map and Elevation Profile

Carbo Loading Party

At the time that I was sick from my back to back to back LSDs in preparation for T2N race, I wasn't sure whether I would be able to finish the race within the cut-off time, finish the race, or even start the race!  There were too many possibilities for that day, and most of it weren't good for me.

But... I wasn't going to miss the Carbo Loading Party for it.  Worst case, I won't be able to run the 50km but at least I got a shirt and dinner out of it (and out of the Php 1,500 I paid for the race registration).  Haha!

So Alvin and I met at Bonifacio Global City on April 29th (Monday night) and walked to 100 Miles Cafe, which was the venue for the Final Briefing and Carbo Loading Party, with our deposit slips with us as proof of registrations. These were given to the organizers in exchange for our race bibs.

We were late when we got there past 7:00pm as event started at 6:00PM, but we still listened and gained a few pointers from Race Director Jovie Narcise aka Baldrunner.  I took a picture of the course map and elevation (see above) to get more details on the race. 

This was a pretty straightforward run except for the final 2km, wherein we had to make a U Turn at a certain point to be able to complete the 50km run.  The good thing in this course was that it was downhill most of the way from 20km to 40km mark.

The disadvantage of this long race was the Hot Summer Heat that will always be my Kryptonite in running!

But I was feeling stronger from what happened a few days ago (Thank God!) and was getting excited for this race too.  After the talk, we approached BR and told him that T2N was our redemption run.  He supported us in our mission and said that it should be doable for us.

We got our 100 Miles Shirt and ate the food that was distributed near the Exit area.


 Packing

T2N, much like BDM, requires runners to be self-sufficient, that is to say, they should provide their own drinks, food, etc.

Having come off BDM a few months back, I know what I wanted for this race and bought a few items at the supermarket, which included potato chips, soft drinks, iced coffee drinks, and 5 gallons of water.  Alvin had a few 1.5 Gatorade bottles with him and we put everything at the back of our support car.

I also bought compression pants that I would use in this race, four shirts so that I could change every time I needed to, an extra pair of socks, an extra pair of shoes, my race belt, extra towels, petroleum Jelly and some GU too.

And of course, the most important thing to bring with me:  MY RACE BIB.

Leaving Manila

When Alvin and I were discussing our plans for Tagaytay, we didn’t have any support crew yet.  Alvin was thinking of being my support crew and we would make the long drive to Tagaytay on race day using my car.

Luckily I was able to borrow my mom’s driver and car so that Alvin could run the race too. Our plan then changed to staying for one night in Tagaytay and I booked one room for us at Hotel Kimberly Tagaytay. This would make it easier for us as it would be closer to the race venue and we could get ample rest too.

Then Per wanted to come to Tagaytay too with our daughter and so did Alvin’s family!  So a second room was booked for the two families.  Then Alvin wanted to extend our stay in Tagaytay for two nights!  So we booked a second night for the two rooms!  This was turning into a family trip!

On April 30^th, we met up at my house and drove to Tagaytay to check in at the hotel.  Lots of eating done during that day and at night, we bought a few ice packs for our cooler at a local 7-11 store in Tagaytay.

Then, it was time for us to rest and hopefully sleep a bit before the race would commence.

Per asked me a simple question during that time, "You think you are ready?"  

To which, I replied, "I am honestly not sure."

"Why not?", Per inquired.

"My longest run was just 25km.", I answered, going back to my original issue.

"Alvin!  Dennis' longest run was just 25km!", Per, in a state of panic, directed her statement to Alvin.

Alvin kinda looked shocked, then composed himself and calmly replied, "That's okay, he did three 20km runs for three days.  He should be okay."

To which I retorted back, "Yes, and to which I got sick too!"  

Haha! Never complacent, always having doubts but for me, that is a lot better than being Too Overconfident and burning out in the end!!

At least one self-doubt question has been answered during this time and that is, "I will be at the starting line on May 01."  Two more self-doubt questions remain.  Let's see how I fare off....

Link to Part 1:  5th T2N 50km Race Experience (Part 1)
Link to Part 3:  5th T2N 50km Race Experience (Part 3)

News: Adidas KOTR Updates

adidas King Of The Road 2013: all in for your alma mater

 

2013 is the year of running for adidas.

Last February, adidas launched Energy Boost, a groundbreaking innovation in running footwear technology featuring superior cushioning that allows runners to store and unleash energy more efficiently with every stride. 

To continue their efforts for all things running, adidas is back with its annual King of The Road (KOTR), one of the most anticipated races across Southeast Asia. This year, adidas is pushing the limits for KOTR to be even bigger than before as it opens a new category exclusively for students 25 years old and under.

The 10K Relay for Students is set specifically to encourage the youth to get into a healthy, active lifestyle and to give them a chance to represent their alma mater. Students need to team up in pairs – one male and one female – with each running 5K to complete the total 10K distance. Winners don’t just get individual cash prizes; they will also win prizes for their schools.

“Adidas has always been an advocate of health and wellness through sports. The King of the Road is a testament to that fact,” said Jason Gervasio, Brand Communications and Sports Marketing Manager of adidas Philippines.

 “The new School Championship category aims not only to promote fitness, but also to inspire teamwork and pride as students are given the chance to be ambassadors of their respective campuses.”

The adidas KOTR 2013 will be held on July 7, 2013 at Bonifacio Global City. Apart from the School Championship category, the race will include distances of 10K for the general public and 16.8K with Open and Closed categories. The Closed category is strictly for Filipinos while the Open category is for all nationalities.

The top male and female winners from the 16.8K Closed category will be hailed as the Philippines’ King and Queen of the Road and will represent the Philippines in the KOTR Southeast Asia Championship in Malaysia.

 

How to Join KOTR 2013

 There are two ways to sign up for this year’s adidas King of the Road Philippines:

1.     Visit http://adidaskingoftheroad.com/ph and register online by filling up all the required fields (not available for 10KM Relay for Students). Online registration is open from May 2 to June 23, 2013.

2.     Visit any of the seven (7) adidas KOTR 2013 registration sites in the following stores —adidas Greenbelt 3, adidas SM Mall of Asia, adidas SM Megamall, adidas Powerplant, adidas Trinoma, adidas Two Parkade (Bonifacio Global City), or Runnr at Bonifacio High Street. Onsite registration is open from May 2 to June 30, 2013.

Race fees are as follows: P1,300 for the 16.8K race; P1,100 for for the 10K regular race; and P800 for for the 10K students’ race. Runners signing up for the 10K students’ race will have to present vaild student IDs (must be valid until July 7, 2013) at the registration sites. 

There is also a discount for runners that sign up in large groups. Participants who register with their friends and family at the same time at the registration site get the following discounts:

• Group of 10 runners = Php100 off each
• Group of 15 runners = Php150 off each
• Group of 20 runners = Php200 off each

Supporting this year’s race are the sponsors Summit Water, 100 Plus, Sennheiser, EO Optical, adidas Bodycare, L Timestudio, and Century Tuna.

For more news, updates, and promos on adidas KOTR 2013, visit www.facebook.com/adidas or follow the conversation with #kotrph2013.

News: Adidas Football shoes

ADIDAS RELEASE NEW BOOT SILO DESIGNED

TO NITROCHARGE YOUR GAME  

Nitrocharge boot created especially for ‘The Engine’ Player

Herzogenaurach, Thursday 16^th May 2013 – adidas today unveiled Nitrocharge, a brand new energy-retaining football boot designed for the next generation of footballer that follows the legacy and successes of the existing iconic predator, adipure & f50 ranges.

 

Nitrocharge is the first new adidas boot silo since the release of the hugely successful f50 range in 2004.  Stars such as Messi, Villa and Benzema have made their names in the f50 and adidas now looks to a new set of world class footballers to rise to the top in the revolutionary Nitrocharge boot.

The visually striking Nitrocharge is an evolution of adidas’ heritage in creating footwear to fit certain player types. The unique positioning of Nitrocharge has energy retention at its heart and has been designed specifically for ‘The Engine’ player, the archetypical footballer who is always first on the team sheet; the player who powers a team, running and tackling more, relentlessly and ferociously seeking chances from box-to-box over 90 minutes.

 

'The Engine’ is a player adidas has recognised and actively sought to engage with over the last two years. Now, following a partnership with football statisticians Opta, an algorithm has been developed from which player performances can be analysed to determine how well they suit ‘The Engine’ role.

 

The Nitrocharge boot realises a range of new technologies that when combined will innovate the way ‘Engines’ play the beautiful game:  

 

·       The eye catching ENERGYSLING arches over the boot and supports sidecut and turn movements to sharpen reactions on the pitch

·       The sole plate of the boot contains a zig-zagging ENERGYPULSE, inspired by spring technology,  with high-elastic material at its heart, providing premium energy during the off toe phase of sprinting

·       A Protection mesh layer around the foot and Protection pads around the most sensitive tackle zones such as the Achilles tendon also feature in the boot

·       Compatible with the adidas miCoach SPEED_CELL, players can measure on-pitch performance and focus on improvement over time

  

The boots will be released in a dramatic blue and yellow colour way. The new Nitrocharge boot will retail for Php 9995 and is available for purchase from May 20, 2013 in blue beauty f10/ running white/ electricity and will be worn on-pitch by ‘Engine’ players Daniele De Rossi (A.S. Roma), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint Germain) and Javi Martinez (FC Bayern Munich).

 

For further information please visit www.facebook.com/adidas.

Worst Race for 2013!

This seems a bit early especially since we are just 5 months into 2013 so there's a lot of months to go but I was really disappointed by this race that I needed to write about it.  Yes, we are just 5 months into 2013 and there is a HIGH Chance that this won't retain its title for worst race for 2013, but for now, out of the (lucky number) 13 races I joined so far, this gets the title. 

I have written some bad races I joined too in previous years such as:

The North Face (TNF) Baguio 22km

Springboard 16km - Epic Fail!

RotaRUN (Sept 20, 2009)

And all of them have one common denominator as to why I was let down by them.  That denominator that is applied in this race as well!

You would think that with all the road races our country has been having, the organizers already know the proper things to do that would keep each runner safe and make him/her happy for joining these races.  Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here.

This race was interesting enough and it was the first time I joined it although I have heard about it before.  It was one of the rare night runs in the country and that was always something nice to do as you don't have to wake up early in the morning to race and the experience is different too when the city is awake and noisy!  Sure, expect more cars and more angry motorists but that comes with the territory.

It was also a reasonable race as it comes with a night lamp amounting to Php 500 (according to the race posters) and allowed for some creativity as runners can design their own singlets with the Marker that was included in the race kit.  The singlet wasn't a good fit for me though as it caused some serious chaffing in my armpits at 2km and all the way to the finish line!  But that wasn't the reason I considered this race to be bad, as this was the one of the rare times that I wore the official race singlet so part of it was my fault too.  I usually have my own singlet or shirt for the race, which have been tested and proven to work for me best.

Alvin and I joined the 10km category for this event.  There was also a 5km category. 

By now, you would know that this was ENERGIZER NIGHT RACE 2013 so it was a big event from a large corporation and even had GMA 7 as its major sponsor!  What could go wrong here?

For one thing, the water stations weren't that ample for the runners as it involved only one to two water containers per station and cups were being filled up as we lined up to get them.  Not very efficient on their part.  I decided to skip a lot of water stations as they were just too congested with runners so time would be wasted waiting for your turn at the water.  People manning water stations could have at least filled the cups with water PRIOR  to the race! 

Then, there was some confusion on the actual route.  As we ran in the dark with our headlamps on (which was an awesome sight), I saw some kilometer signs that read 6km and 7km but my Garmin was just 4km.  Then I remembered looking at the race map a few days ago and realized that we need to do two loops in this area so said signs should be for the runners on their second loop.  Marshals were directing us to run on sidewalks (which was okay) and on concrete "island" in the middle of the road (Huh? Was that safe?).

The chaffing was hurting me so I wanted to finish this race as quickly as possible.  Wish granted! 

But not in the way I or any of the 10km runners wanted as we made a turn somewhere in BGC and next thing we know it was already the finish line!  Was this right?  Maybe we should cross it and keep on running?  But there was no other place to go to. 

I stopped running at the finish line, paused my Garmin and was in a state of confusion.  Runners were talking to themselves and having the same bewildered look as I did.  Did I miss a turn somewhere that would take me to the second loop?  But as I looked at the runners heading to the finish line, I realize I wasn't the only one to "miss" this.  At that time, it was just 45 minutes into the race, and there was no chance I could run that fast for that distance.  And neither were the people crossing the line.

I looked at my Garmin to see the distance reflected there - 6.65km!  That was insane!  Runners were talking among themselves complaining about this race.  Why were we here?  Why were we not directed properly in the race!  That was a 30% shortage from the race distance.  If we had known about this, we would have just joined the 5km category and paid for the lower registration fees. 

I waited for Alvin at the finish line, thinking that maybe he was directed properly and he did the second loop.  There was no way I would finish ahead of him so that was the only logical solution. 

He came a few minutes later but with an angry look on his face too.  He finished the "10km" race at 35 minutes or so, and ran the 3.35km on his own to get the total distance of 10km.  Boo!



I still don't know who the organizers for this race are but I sincerely hope they learn from this mistake!  It was embarrassing especially since it was backed by major sponsors.

At the finish line, there were no loot bags given out but we did receive a finisher certificate, which I just threw away as found it to be useless for this "shortened" race.

Oh well, at least I can use the head lamp! 

Energizer Battery is only one happy about this race! Haha!

It's going to take some seriously bad races to get the title from ENERGIZER NIGHT RUN 2013, but anything can happen! For now, it holds the title for Worst Race for 2013, and joins the three races mentioned above! 

Congratulations!  Please give yourselves a slap in the face.

Why Run? Reason # 10

REASON NO. 10 - TO REMOVE EXCESS WATER/ OIL FROM FOOD - DETOX!


I know this is kind of a strange reason but this was exactly what happened to me two days ago when I ran solo for 10km.  It was a hard, depressing run and I had to integrate walking at the second part of the run as I just felt tired, sore, exhausted and generally down.

But I also felt that I was sweating profusely and felt sticky too.  This was done at 5:00pm mind you so there was no sun out and it was a little windy.  I blame all the food that I have been eating the past few days and doing no exercise.  Hence, having difficulty in the run but as much as I hated said run and felt bad about it, I was glad that I took out the excess water/ oil from my body too and did a little bit of cleansing too!

Good enough to eat a lot again!  Haha!  Just kidding :)

5th T2N 50km Race Experience (Part 1)

One of my goals for 2013 under the Health Area is:

1. Do a 50 km Ultra Marathon

So I had to figure out which of the few Ultra Marathons in the Philippines would be most ideal for me in terms of logistics, cut-off time and preparations needed.

The one that stood out from the others was the T2N series, so-called as it was a Point to Point 50km Ultra Marathon Race that would start from Tagaytay and end in Nasugbu, Batangas.  This was an Ultra Marathon that was nearest to go to and can be reached in just two hours from where I lived.

The cut-off time was very lenient too at 9 hours, requiring runners to run at an average pace of 10:30 per kilometer to be able to be part of the official finishers list for this race.  With the event held on Philippine’s Labor Day (May 1, 2013), it was also a good time to run it given it’s a holiday here!

Part of the reason I wanted to do a second Ultra Marathon was to redeem myself somewhat from the 102k Bataan Death March race that I did with Alvin some months back.  Although we finished the race and went through the entire course, we did not make it for the cut-off time and that was a downer for the two of us.  I felt bad about it but afterwards, amazed as well at what I was able to accomplish.  I realized that my prayer back then to God was to finish the course safe and sound and He was able to grant my prayer.  Now, I know better and I was more specific in my prayers by adding that I finish this race safe and sound and within the cut-off time!  Hehe.

I was confident when I registered for this race a few months ago.  After all, it was half the distance of BDM and offered the same pace requirement to finish it.  Of course, it was doable!  It was like asking a Marathoner to complete a Half Marathon distance!  But as the days and weeks progressed, my confidence started to waver and I was getting a little bit worried whether I could do it or not. 

For one thing, I haven’t done any long runs worthy of this race!  For a Marathon, there is a requirement to do at least one 32km before venturing into that race.  That way, your legs would be used to running that long and it would also build your self-confidence in completing the Marathon as at the back of your mind you would think, “it’s just 10km more!”.  Some people would run farther in their Marathon training, going as far as 37km so that when Marathon Day would come, they would think that it was just 5km more to get to the finish line.

For this 50km race, my farthest LSD (long, slow distance) was at 25km!  And I was burned-out at the end, too exhausted from the run, from the Summer heat, and just moody after.  Talk about confidence level dropping in a flash!  If I had a hard time completing a 25km slow run, how am I going to go and do 25km more on the same day?

Whatever happened to my fitness level from the BDM Training and from the BDM race?  Did it all just disappear overnight?  Sadly, I had gotten lazy and ate a lot too.  I was eating the same amount of food as when I was training hard so I was gaining weight!

With only two weeks to go, I had to think to myself, “Will I reach the finish line in time?”  More important was the question, “Will I reach the finish line at all?” 

I told Alvin one day that if I didn’t reach the finish line within the cut-off time, I definitely do not deserve to run anymore.  Yes, confidence was at an all-time low.  I felt weak and strained from running.  The extra pounds did not boost my low confidence level.

There was one thing going for me at that time though and that was my determination.  I got to admit that my determination during BDM training wasn’t the cut-off time but to complete the very long distance so that I could appreciate the history behind the course.  This time, should everything fail me on the race (I hope nothing would though), I would will myself to reach the finish time within the cut-off time.    It was all or nothing for me: gain personal glory as a runner and call myself an Ultra Marathoner or fail and realize that running may not be for me. 

And then it was just one week to go before the big race!  As a final help to my poor endurance level, Alvin instructed me to do three 20km runs for three consecutive days.  There was no way out of this as this was the final straw to help me in the race and so I did it:

 On April 23^rd (Tuesday), I ran solo 20km and burned out at the last part! 

On April 24^th (Wednesday), I ran 20km with Alvin but we both had a hard time running it and were quite slow at the beginning.  Good thing Alvin suggested we stop at McDonalds for some Iced Coffee to give energy to ourselves.  That helped and we completed the 20km distance.

On April 25^th (Thursday), I ran solo for first part before Alvin joined me mid-way and we completed the 20km distance (although we walked 2.5km at the last part).

After completing the three 20km runs, I felt so weak and tired that my immune system went down and I got some coughs and colds after.  Instead of doing any additional running (I was supposed to do an easy 5km a few days after to loosen leg muscles), I opted to rest the entire time.  I took lots of vitamin Cs, drank a lot of water and slept more.

With weakness in my body, a new question sprouted in my mind, “Will I be able to go to the Starting Line in a few days’ time?”

To Be Continued….

Links to:
5th T2N 50km Race Experience (Part 2)
5th T2N 50km Race Experience (Part 3)

News: Adidas King of the Road 2013

Official Press Release:

 

All In for the Biggest Race Across Southeast Asia

adidas Philippines Opens Registration for the Annual adidas King of the Road 2013

Runners, it’s time for you to gear up because adidas is now opening the registration for this year’s adidas King of the Road (KOTR), happening this July 7 at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The 2013 edition of the adidas KOTR will allow runners to choose between the 16.8K and 10k race categories. The 16.8K-distance will have two sub-categories—Closed, which will be exclusive for Filipinos, and Open category for all nationalities. Male and female runners who will top the race from the Closed category will be crowned as the Philippines’ King and Queen of the Road and will represent the country in the adidas KOTR Southeast Asia Championship in Malaysia later this year.

On the other hand, the 10K-distance will have an added feature this year, the Student’s Relay category. The Students’ Relay category, created to encourage the youth to lead a healthy lifestyle, will be open exclusively to college and university students 25 years old and below. One male and one female student need to partner up and form a relay team, with each running a 5km leg. The winning pair will win cash prizes individually as well as for their respective schools.

The regular 10K race will still be held, which is open to all runners interested to join this distance. Prizes also await runners who will top the said categories.

“The brand’s battle cry is All In, as adidas continues to support and encourage people to be the best they can be in whatever interests they have —be it sports, fashion, or music ” says Jason Gervasio, adidas Brand Communications and Sports Marketing Manager. “In the case of KOTR, adidas is showcasing its commitment to sports by bringing together and empowering runners from all over the Philippines and Southeast Asia, giving them a chance to engage in their passion for running.”

Southeast Asia Roads Lead to Malaysia

adidas is not only encouraging runners to compete within their countries. As part of its drive to provide the best experiences for its consumers, KOTR will once again be held in different legs across the SEA countries.

To date, the first adidas KOTR SEA Regional Championship held in October 2011 culminated in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, involving participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The success of this multi-country race inspired the brand to make the event a regional annual tradition. Hence, the KOTR SEA Championship Year 2 was organized and held at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore in 2012.

This year, participants of the KOTR SEA Championship will get a chance to run through the streets of Malaysia. The final race will be held in October, where winners from Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand will be joined by the KOTR SEA Championship Closed Category participants from the host country itself. Only one winner each from the Male and Female divisions will be crowned as the adidas Southeast Asia King and Queen of the Road.

How to Join KOTR 2013

There are two ways to sign up for this year’s adidas King of the Road Philippines:

1.      Visit http://adidaskingoftheroad.com/ph and register online by filling up all the required fields (not available for 10KM Relay for Students). Online registration is open from May 2 to June 23, 2013.

2.      Visit any of the seven (7) adidas KOTR 2013 registration sites in the following stores —adidas Greenbelt 3, adidas SM Mall of Asia, adidas SM Megamall, adidas Powerplant, adidas Trinoma, adidas Two Parkade (Bonifacio Global City), or Runnr at Bonifacio High Street. Onsite registration is open from May 2 to June 30, 2013.

Race fees are as follows: P1,300 for the 16.8K race; P1,100 for for the 10K regular race; and P800 for for the 10K students’ race. Runners signing up for the 10K students’ race will have to present vaild student IDs (must be valid until July 7, 2013) at the registration sites.

There is also a discount for runners that sign up in large groups. Participants who register with their friends and family at the same time at the registration site get the following discounts:

·         Group of 10-14 = Php100 off each

·         Group of 15-19 = Php150 off each

·         Group of 20+ = Php200 off each

Supporting this year’s race are the sponsors Summit Water and 100 Plus.

For more news, updates, and promos on adidas KOTR 2013, visit www.facebook.com/adidas or follow the conversation with #kotrph2013.