2013 Running Report

Awesome 2013!

2013 came and went quickly but it was a lot of fun for me.

The best experience for me was the DISNEYWORLD MARATHON WEEKEND at the start of the year.  Per and I flew all the way to Orlando, Florida for her very first Marathon (and of course do some side trips there and in NYC).  Lucky for us, it was also the 20th year of the Disneyworld Marathon so we each received a very nice commemorative finisher medal.

There were also a 21km race event (Donald Duck medal) the day before the full marathon and a 5km Family fun run two days before the full marathon (Mickey Mouse and friends medal).   Of course, I had to do all three races and once I finished them, I received a Goofy medal (for completing a Half and a Full Marathon).

It was a nice and flat course made more exciting by the various Disney characters positioned along the route for which you could take a picture or two with them.  Of course, a lot of runners had the same idea and you may end up lining up for a bit (which in a road race where every second counts, this can be frustrating at times too).  I ended up lining for the shortest lines and skipping the long ones (such as that of Pirate Jack Sparrow, Beauty and the Beast, and super long lines for Mickey and Minnie!)

Chip or Dale? Hmmm

at Epcot Center with Stitch

Donald Duck 21km finisher medal

The first two races were by myself with the most difficult one with my wife, and I had to pace her!

we went through Disney Castle for the 42km race

We did it!

best MEDAL EVER!!!

This was definitely my best race of all time (not fastest but best in terms of experience) and something I hope to re-do again in the future, especially since they just announced that there is an additional 10km race so for people who completed all four events, they will get a special Dopey Medal along with the bonus Goofy Medal!  Disneyland or Disneyworld is really the Happiest Place on Earth!


The most painful race for me happened in 2013 as well!  Right after doing Disney Marathon and Condura Marathon at the start of the year, Alvin and I then attempted to complete the Bataan Death March 102km in March, which had a cut-off time of 18 hours.  I started out strong and even happy when I crossed the 50km mark but by 60km, I was having a very hard time running.  My hands became swollen later on and for some reason, my saliva dried up too so it was difficult for me to chew and swallow solid food.  Drinks weren't enough (and I was worried too that I was drinking too much because of my hands) and this affected my race.  I didn't make it to cut-off time by more than an hour.  But I was too exhausted to care.  I was officially DQ (disqualified) but that was fine.  At least I survived this ordeal and lived to tell about it!

the starting line at KM 00

posing with the local kids of Mariveles, Bataan

reaching KM 102!

BDM 102 was my first official Ultra Marathon, and it was traumatic!  Of course, it made shorter distance more doable for me.  So I signed up for a few more Ultra Marathon races within the year:

1.   T2N (Tagaytay to Nasugbu, Batangas 50km)

Garmin casualty

2.  L2Q (Laguna to Quezon) 50km

My road to Ultra Marathons was supposed to end with one 50km only (as a sort of redemption run to BDM) and also so that I could officially say I am an Ultra Marathoner.  But who could resist an Ultra Marathon falling on your own birthday? 

nice scenic background

finally reaching Lucban, Quezon!

finisher of 50km race with 3 bonus 3km!

my first running trophy!!

3.  T2K (Tagaytay to Kawit) 50km Race

The lure of a 50km is always there.  This time, Alvin and I are joined by Janine (in her first Ultramarathon) and Kervin (as our support crew).  First Ultra Marathon where I would be running solo as Alvin will be running at his own pace and also Janine.

Team Akala Namin 10k lang ito

Kawit, Cavite survivors!

bringing home the loot

4.  Hero to Hero Run 50km - unfortunately, wasn't able to run this as got sick.  So Alvin did it solo with his wife as his support crew.  Sorry!  :(

2013 was definitely me going the distance by exceeding the Marathon distance.  But there was a price for this as well as during this time, I rarely worked on my speed and focused on endurance instead.  This was a price I paid when I joined Milo Marathon and didn't make it to the 6 hour cut-off time.  I also did the RUPM 42km and since its cut-off time was more lenient, I was able to get a finisher medal at the end.

Milo Marathon

Run United Philippine Marathon

 

Condura Marathon

Then there is Condura Marathon, my first rule breaker (of not repeating any Marathons) but also my fastest time for this year.

Aside from these big races, there are also a lot of good races for 2013!

One of my favorite races was Rexona Run 21km as it infused music in the race (via live bands and speakers), making it quite fun to run in.  Having it at 3AM gun start helped us avoid the morning sun which Roxas Blvd races are known for.  This race is also my longest current running streak as started doing it since 2010.

There was also the unique distance of 25km via New Balance Power Run

Another unique distance race was 34km Caliraya 360, which had a very nice view of Caliraya Lake!

The nice singlet offered by Adidas King of the Road 16.8km race!

The unique (and dirty) Mud Run in Filinvest:

This race aside from being intentionally muddy also had a set of obstacles that you had to conquer.

Of course, who could forget the terrifying Outbreak Manila for which I joined two events in 2013:

1.  Outbreak BGC

which of these will be a victim or a survivor?

cool Zombie medal

2.  Outbreak Missions Filinvest City (thanks Jann)

Probably the longest 5km I did in my life!!!  Pretty cool to run inside a shopping mall too at midnight with zombies lurking around.

For the final month of 2013, races were fun too from Greenfield's 21km Christmas Run to Mcdonald's unique 9km run (5km, 3km, 1km).

best loot in a 21km race!!!

A lot of exciting stuffs and races in 2013.


Thank You Lord for everything... for keeping me safe and healthy.  For getting me to the finish line in one piece. 

Thank You Per for your support in my running addictions and for putting up with me!

Thank you Alvin for all the long runs you pushed me to do (via text, being there, and literally pushing me! Haha!). 

Aside from all these events, 2013 will be forever memorable to me and to my family as it was also the year that Per gave birth to our second daughter, Alexandra. 

To God be all the Glory!

I can't wait to see what 2014 will bring!!

News: Merrell Adventure Run 2013

Doing a trail run is always doubly hard to running a road race and finish time is usually double the normal finish time for a road race too.  But the experience is almost always unforgettable due to the wonderful scenic route, running on Mother Nature, the challenges of crossing rivers, climbing mountains and the great achievement one would feel once he crosses the finish line.

I did my first half marathon trail run last year and it was hard!  I was so tired but so proud of myself too for completing that feat!

Now, comes another trail run at San Mateo, Rizal with a 5km, 10km and 21km trail category.   Registration fees are quite affordable at Php 650 for 5km, Php 800 for 10km and Php 950 for 21km categories.

Since there are very limited slots for this, you should hurry to any Merrill Concept stores to register before it ends!

For our conveniences as well, the organizers have provided round trip shuttle services for additional fee of Php 300 at Market Market or at Trinoma!

Some other rules and regulations for this event:

General Rules

1. All participants below 18 years old must have their registration forms signed by either a parent or a guardian.

2. Registration is non-transferable and non-refundable.

3. Multiple category registration for one person is prohibited for safety purposes and as this may affect or disrupt race results.

4. Participants who choose not to take part in the event after having registered can decide to withdraw. However, please note that there will not be any registration fee refund. Race slots are also strictly non-transferable.

5. Race bib numbers and electronic timing chips must be worn at all times during the race. Official time will be based on the disposable timing chip provided in the race kit. No chip, no time. Without the timing chip, participants are not entitled to win any of the top prizes.

6. Organizers maintain the right to remove any participants from the race. Injuries and medical emergencies are the utmost priority.

7. No late runners will be allowed to run 15 minutes after the gun start of their respective races.

8. All runners are required to have the proper loop band when they cross the finish line; no loop band means disqualification from the race.

9. A cut off time of 5 hours for the whole race will be implemented. Runners on the course after the cut off time will be pulled out by the Race Marshalls.

10. Time penalties and disqualification may be imposed by the race organizers on runners who do not follow race rules.

11. All protests related to the results must be made in writing and submitted to the Race Director within 30 minutes after the official announcement of winners.

12. The organizers reserve the right to make changes at its discretion without prior notice. The organizers’ decision is final.

FINISHERS MEDAL All 21km finishers will receive a finisher’s medal. Medals will also be given to the first50 finishers for 5km and 10km categories respectively.

CERTIFICATES will be sent through email within two weeks after the race date to those who finish the course in their specific categories.

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

Trail running shoes, hydration pack/bottle belt, cap, running gaiters and energy bar or gel, head lamp especially for the 21K runners.

WATER AND FIRST AID STATIONS

Hydration stations will be provided at the finish line and along the race route.

This is an eco-friendly event; each participant is required to bring his/her own hydration pack/bottle. Organizers will only provide refilling stations along the race course; there will be no cups to avoid littering.

Medical aid will be available at certain points along the way and at the finish line.

Half Marathon Trail Run Finisher!

The Nature's Trail Discovery 1 was my third attempt to complete a Half Marathon distance for Trail Running for this year. For one reason or another, the other two Trail Runs I registered for did not let me attain my goal of being a Half Marathon Finisher.

I have done a lot of Half Marathon Road Races and a few Full Marathon Road Races in the past but doing a Trail Run poses its own challenges verses a typical road race. You have to watch where you are stepping on, you have to be careful on the road, you may have to crawl on certain parts or hold onto tree trunks or tree branches just to clear the obstacles nature put there. You will always be slower in a trail run as opposed to the smooth concrete roads of a road race. Challenging as it may be, it is also rewarding once you have conquered it. And the view is almost always spectacular as it takes you away from the busy streets and buildings of the metropolis and puts you right in the heart of nature.

The race start for both the 10km and 21km categories was by the Multi-Purpose Gym of Barangay San Andres of Tanay, Rizal but as this was my first time coming to this place, I got a little bit lost driving here, and by the time I arrived at the venue, I was more than 15 minutes late and I even saw the 10km runners take off! Man, I had a lot of catching up to do!! Good thing the race marshals acted quickly and directed me immediately to a vacant lot, where I parked my car and went to the starting line. I didn't do any more stretching or warm up exercises as I didn't want to be left behind in the mountains! I was literally the last runner on the road as there was nobody in front or behind me. In an ordinary city road race that was fine, but this was an unfamiliar trail run in the middle of the Sierra Madre regions that we are talking about! I didn't want to get lost in a place so far away from home!!

That fear lead to an adrenalin rush as I ran to try and catch up with runners and after ten minutes of running by myself, I finally caught up to some 10km runners. I hoped that this was the same route for all runners and that I wasn’t running in the 10km course only.

This, being a mountain 1,960 feet high and requiring us to reach its top by any means possible! Of course, I didn't know this detail at that time I was there (and good thing too or I would have quit this race!) and just kept going. I had stopped running and struggled to reach the peak. My legs were working double time for me and I had to make sure that I was stepping at the right places.

I was glad that I wasn't alone here and I was with a lot of trail runners. There was a natural camaraderie even though I have never seen them before today as we all gave each other positive encouragements, a quick smile or two, and generally shared stories about our experiences here.

Midway up this steep mountain, the view was fantastic! We were above the clouds and can see the wide plains below us. A lot of people stopped to appreciate the views or to take pictures of the scenery. I used that as an excuse to catch my breath as my heart was thumping so fast that I could already feel it!

It was a vicious cycle for me going up here – rest, climb, rest, climb, rest, and climb! It took me a long time but I reached the peak and saw the great view of Rizal below. There was a banana and water station at the top for runners to take a break and to do some stretching.

As soon as I felt that I was okay, I continued in my trail run as I had a long way to go. The difficulty in going up the mountain was similar to going down as well. There were a lot of runners who slipped and fell here (myself included). Shouts, screams and laughter can be heard all the way down from different people and from different locations. It was like we were all inside one big roller coaster as it was getting ready for the big plunge down! It was that steep! I went down the safest way possible: by sliding down the mountain and holding onto the branches and tree stumps to slow down my descent.

Thank God that I got to the ground safe and sound. By that time, I was clearly exhausted and I haven't even covered 1/4^th of my race distance! There was nowhere else to go but to follow the paths so I started to run again. I didn't care anymore about whether I could catch up with the 21km runners. I just wanted to finish this race!

There were ample marshals at critical turns of the race and I crossed a few creeks to head on to... Mountain # 2! This was… INSANE!! But luckily, it wasn't as steep as the first one and I was able to run (more like a jog-walk now) as I headed up again. I was alone again as the 10km runners went off to a different direction. Good thing the organizers did a great job in managing the course by putting various big yellow tape on trails that we weren't supposed to run on. It was also an indication that at least I was on the right path. One of the nice sights that I passed by was this big waterfall! I have never experienced this before in any of my trail runs and glad that I could see this unexpected surprise!

Pretty soon, I reached the second mountain peak and ran down that mountain. It was an exhilarating feeling to have conquered all these things! I also appreciated God's work on Nature. It was a sight to behold.

After what seemed like a long time, I caught up with some 21km runners and that boosted my confidence level somewhat, but I knew that I still had a lot of distance to cover. The trail was flat now and I did a few river crossings. At first I didn't want to get my feet wet but after a while, with the strong heat of the sun above me, I welcomed the cold rivers and streams and took them as opportunities to cool myself by pouring water on my head and arms.

There was also a nice suspension bridge that we had to cross offering more fantastic views of this area. I ran on it with four other runners and we all felt the bridge sway side to side as we moved across it.

There were more river crossings (I lost count after four) and more running on the plains. By this time I saw a lot of 21km runners but they were all heading back! I ran through three “barangays” or districts here before the turn back.

Around here, there was another reward for runners as "buko" or coconut juice was given to runners as refreshments. As the line was long here, I was content with my water and ran again. I had 3 GU gels with me and all were consumed at different parts of this race. I was tired and I couldn't run continuously anymore. I walked on the shaded areas and ran when there was no shade. At this point, it was all just a mental game for me. After what felt forever, I saw the sign that I had waited for a long time. It simply pointed to the right side and read, "To finish line". I can't wait!!

I went up that last hill and saw the white finish line calling out to me silently. As I ran to it, I saw some friends there cheering for me.

As I crossed it with a big smile on my face, I thought to myself, “I did it! I'm a Half Marathon Trail Run Finisher!”

I got my loot bag, my finisher medal and my finisher medal. I can finally relax and sit down!

What a crazy, crazy experience but one I will never forget! I felt truly accomplished that day!

Thanks Pimco Sports Events for this great event!

So glad I finished this race!

The North Face (TNF) Baguio 22km - Worst Race!

All those weeks of training to tackle a hard trail run in Baguio City had gone to waste on that Sunday morning when the 22km race category was just at 13.5km according to my Garmin watch. Post-race I compared with other runners having the same bib category and their watches ranged from 13.5 - 14km for this "half marathon" trail run.

What happened to this?

No idea but there were some hearsay from some runners that a marshal wasn't in his assigned post so instead of us going down further in the trails, we all climbed up instead and headed out towards the finish line.

Another runner said that the organizers shortened the route for safety reasons. Safety reasons? What safety reasons?! There was an ongoing 50 and 100-kilometer race for this event. Why didn't we just follow their race routes as it was already plotted and ongoing?

If "safety" was really the reason behind it, why didn't the organizers inform the runners about this prior to the race? That way, they could refund the registration fees for these runners so these runners won't waste their time and effort to travel to a city 280-kilometers away from where they lived to run a 14-kilometer race.

The race was 40% short its promised distance! This is unheard of!

As of now, there have been no mention of this from the race organizers. Their facebook page account remains silent on this issue.

This was an international race (as part of The North Face Trail Run series that covers China, Australia, and USA among other countries).

To give examples of how I felt when I crossed the finish line, it's like

1) Watching a great movie and not seeing the last third part of the movie just when the action was about to start.

2) Watching a big concert and said band just performed for 15 minutes before leaving the stage

3) Ordering your favorite cake from the bakeshop, opening the box and seeing it had no icing on it or half of said cake was gone!

4) Reading a very nice book and finding out that the last 50 pages were missing!

I could go on and on about this but the best way to describe it for a runner is simply training hard for a marathon, travelling far for the said race and finding out that the distance was just 15 miles (24 kilometers) but just the same, you received a finisher medal at the finish line. Can you still say you were a marathoner after this happened?

So I still can't say I'm a half marathon trail runner given what happened here..

SUCKS right?







Still excited pre-race

the start and finish line

Baguio Bound for TNF 22km!

Baguio is considered as the Summer Capital of the Philippines and for April 21 - 23, 2012, we will be going there with some relatives. The last time Per and I were in Baguio was way back in 2010, when we attended a couple's retreat program. My, how time flies!

Some of the things we did back then were:


1) Took pictures at the famous Lion head (see above) at Kennon Road


2) Boat riding at Burnham Park


3) Ate at the popular Cafe by the Ruins



(NO Runners or Marathoners yet on their menu! - Maybe next time?)

4) Visited the very nice SM Baguio mall and bought a Starbucks Baguio Coffee Mug as souvenir

5) Visited Mines View Park and got some souvenir photos in native clothes..




6) Visited Good Shepherd for their yummy Ube Jam

This time, we will be going to Baguio City with our daughter (her first visit here) to do some of these things again.

But the main reason for our visit here is for me to do (and hopefully complete this):





Yes, I have signed up for the 22km some months back and this will be my very first North Face race and very first run in Baguio City.

My goals for this race are as follows (from best to worst):

1) Finish the race in less than 4 hours, 30 minutes. This is the official cut-off time for the race and should I get to the finish line before this happened, then I will receive a finisher's certificate. (Too bad there aren't any finisher medals here).

This requires an average pace of 12:15 per kilometer, which is very attainable in a normal road race. But that obviously is not the case here!



2) Beat Alvin by finishing in 5:25 or less. Alvin will run the Nat Geo 21km road race the same day I will be running this race. We have an outstanding bet that should I finish my race within 3x his Nat Geo finish time, then he would treat me to dinner. If I exceeded the 3x Nat Geo finish time of Alvin, then I have to treat him.

So if Alvin finishes his Nat Geo 21km in 2 hours, then I have to finish my TNF 22km in under 6 hours to win my bet. Of course, if Alvin runs his race faster, then my time leeway gets shortened too.

The prize: One Guliver's full bone steak in Makati Avenue!



3) If neither number 1 or 2 seem feasible, then the final goal is just to finish this race and get to the finish line in one piece!


Some hindrances to achieving my goals:

1) Right Plantar Fasciitis! It was there when I did the 5km Trail Run last weekend and I'm sure it will be there again this Sunday for the 22km race

2) Thin Air! Baguio is located North of Metro Manila and air is thinner in that area, making it more difficult to breathe and run fast.

3) Mountain Run! Hills are hard enough for me. What more for a mountain run? Yikes!

4) Heavy Trail Shoes! I had a hard time in these shoes in a regular road run so there might be some difficulty in this race too.

5) Bring Your Own Hydration = added weight! Not used to running with a bottle too so there would be some adjustments on my part. Not sure if there are re-filling stations here too!

6) Tired? We would be leaving for Baguio Saturday morning for a 5 hour drive. The race starts on Sunday morning so just wondering if I have enough time to rest and relax before my race starts.


Whatever happens to me on Sunday morning, I am sure this would be a memorable experience for this RUNNING FATBOY!