Run For Juan 2 - 21k Race (Post -Race)

After backing out from this year’s Milo Elimination Race due to their “strict” cut off time of 2:30 for 21km Runners (not so strict as I found out too late – 40% of runners exceeded said “cut-off” time with time ranging of up to 4 hours), I had no race for the weekend.

But I was able to find one race happening in UP and it has two things there that I liked:

1) A 21km Category, and

2) Finisher Medal for all 21km finishers.

That’s good enough for me!

Not much details on this race other than the poster above but I was able to get in touch with one of the organizers via email to confirm whether race would push through. With his go signal, I got excited at doing this race and running in UP Campus again.

To note, the last time I ran in UP (for an ordinary run or for a race) was way back in 2009 (June 28^th to be exact). Since that time, Fort Bonifacio (and now MOA area) has become the place to be for weekend road races. Back then, I even used UP for my Sunday long runs (races then were held once a month only) and it was also the venue where Per and I ran the day after I proposed to her. But we liked joining road races and as they moved their venues, so did we.

It was a definite walk (or run in this case) on memory lane for this race. I wasn’t even sure whether I would push through for this run as had stomach pains the day before and the rain wouldn’t stop on that Sunday morning. But every time I think of backing out, I think about the Milo Full Marathon and all those people who still got up, got dressed and ran this race. If they can run for 42.2km in pouring rain, what rights do I have in backing out for a race that is just half that distance? None at all!

So I still went there and after wasting 20 minutes finding the right access road inside the campus (the gate I usually go through was still closed), I got to the venue a little before 5am. With the strong rains, the organizers decided to move the start time to 6am. As I registered myself for the 21km race, I saw there were only 5 of us for this event. Yes, 5! I thought twice about doing this distance. The other runners were all slim and looked fast. I didn’t want the marshals to just wait for this one fat dude to finish his race when all the elite runners have finished theirs in 2 hours or less. There were some serious self-doubts on whether I should proceed or not. Plus it was still raining hard.

But what the hell! I already skipped Milo. It would be worse if I skipped this one too (especially after waking up so early and driving far to get here) and besides, the emcee even dictated that they will wait for 4 hours until the last runner had crossed the finish line. As I know my approximate finish time, I’m giving marshals one hour less than what they expected. Haha!

The race consists of 9 loops around the Academic Oval with the final loop making two U turns in order to complete the 21.1km distance. Ordinarily I would get bored with it. But this was a place I used to go to often and I absorbed all the sights here, never mind if it was done for 9 times. Plus, I get to see the fast runners (fastest 21km runner overtook me THREE times), the 5km and10km runners and those casual runners who still went here even though it was raining. I also liked the course as not as rugged as other roads of UP and there’s a lot of downhill here. By running 9 loops of the same course, you tend to strategize your run as well. You won’t get lost either, which could happen if the course was different and no marshals were present to guide you. I also loved crossing the finish line 9 times (to get 8 black ribbons) as there were a lot of people there and they encouraged me to keep on going.

But I knew I was last in this race (blame it on that impromptu toilet break). Most 21km runners (it’s more than 4 now!), were one loop ahead of me. But that’s fine. Good thing here was that I felt strong and survived this race using one GU gel and lots of water (usually it’s two GU, a banana, lots of Gatorade/ Powerade, etc.) so I am getting stronger!

Being in a 21km race here was very exclusive and it even got the attention (and awe) from some students, who can’t imagine running this distance and in this rain. It was a little ego boost knowing I’m able to run this distance. And I kept going and going till I reached the final loop to make a small U turn near the finish line. I got a blue band this time around to signify that I’ve completed the entire distance and ran/ walked to cross the finish line!

Another big surprise was finding out that I got a P500 G.C. for placing 9^th place in this race. The finisher medal became part of my awarding too. Found out that there were a total of 11 runners in the Half Marathon. I still finished last (the other two runners DNF-ed) but became a podium finisher too. What an irony!

To note, I had a great time! It’s nice to run in a different venue so not everything is the same. The last time I had this experience was with the Stallion Run. I also loved running in the rain more so than running in the summer heat!

My first UP run in more than two years and it had to be a Half Marathon (my premier 21km here as well)! Thanks to the organizer for handling a great event and for your quick responses here.

Third Milestone

Whenever there is a milestone in my life, I used a race event to celebrate it. Sure, there have been a couple of birthday runs, PR runs, marathon runs, etc. but for the truly big events, there have just been 3 so far (as far as being connected to running is concerned).

Milestone #1

The first milestone was when I proposed to Per in 2008. It was a Saturday and venue was done in Sonya’s Garden in Tagaytay. Seeing as this was the city where we first met and this was the restaurant where we enjoyed going to and eating a couple of times, using this as a venue seemed appropriate at that time. I was nervous as hell and could only utter a few words but she caught on and gave a YES to my question to her. We decided to extend our celebration together by doing a 10km race the following day. And completing one of our many couple runs!

Link to this event:

In Good Times and In Bad Times

Milestone #2

The second milestone was for our actual wedding day, which fell on a Sunday. No, I wasn’t crazy enough to run on the actual day I will get married but I was crazy enough to join a race for the night before!

It was for Kenny Rogers Night Run and I registered myself and some family members and friends for various race categories for this run. For myself, I did the 15km event and friend Benny opted to run with me. We had a great time (although I was wheezing and panting by the time I finished) and celebrated the soon-to-arrive big day by having a few beers at the parking lot. You can just imagine how crazy that night was when not only did the groom ran a race (that alone was crazy!!!) but also the sisters and brother of the groom, the bride’s maid, and a lot of wedding guests. Yes, we all loved running and attended the wedding almost injury free (said bride’s maid tripped post race and got a nasty cut on her knee)!

Links to this event:

Kenny Run: Post Race

Kenny Run '09

Milestone #3

Then we have last week: my third milestone (notice how milestone races keep increasing in distances as well). It was to celebrate the birth of our first child: Daniella Joy, who came into this world on June 27, 2011. Extreme lack of sleep and no running made me think twice about joining this race. After all, it was a half marathon and joining one (with no training or preparations) had some risks involved. But at the end of the day (and after consulting with the wife), I decided to push through with it. The good thing about me was that I had done a lot of half marathons before so I already know what to expect and how to pace myself. But I was still very cautious and goal was only to finish strong and safe. There were no time pressures for me (I set a very wide range of 3 hours 30 minutes for my finish time) as reason for this run was to celebrate life. I was here to enjoy the race and reflect (and give thanks) on the blessings we received (as a couple) from God Himself.

For each Kilometer Mark I crossed, I whispered a silent prayer thanking God for letting me complete that many kilometers already. I ran slowly and I walked at every 1km/ water station. I didn’t make it to the banana distributions but I had my GU as back up supplies and used it there. I had my I Shuffle with me but didn’t use it as decided instead to enjoy the sounds and sights in this race. There were no vomit feelings (for the first time) and I was able to complete my 21km race. My worst 21km time for the year (in terms of finish time) but that wasn’t important. What’s important was I did it and set my 3^rd milestone.

And now, I have my Yamaha Finisher Medal and very nice Yamaha Finisher Shirt to commemorate this very special week.

Here’s hoping for more good milestones for all of us!

My race results are as follows:

DENNIS QUE PE

BIB NO. 151

Time: 2:55:23
Overall: 1,430th out of 1,773 - 81%
Male: 1,288th out of 1,545 - 83%
M30-39: 477th out of 574 - 83%

Year ender 2009

For 2009, I did 32 road races broken down into the following:

2 Full Marathons, 11 Half Marathons, 8 15k/16k Races, 10 10k races and 1 5k race.

There were 15 races held in Fort Bonifacio, 1 race held on the Rock, 3 International races, 4 races in MOA/ Roxas, 3 held in UP and a few held in different parts of Metro Manila (QC, Greenfield, Timberland Heights, Sta. Elena among other places).

Got individual PR for Half Marathon, Marathon (twice), 10k PR (twice), and 15k PR (twice). Got couple PR for Half Marathon (twice), 16k, 15k and 10k. A good year not just for me but for Per as well.

A total of 1,650 km for 2009. NOT BAD!

And finally, I found use for the finisher medals....






God is indeed Great for blessing us with lungs to survive tempo runs, legs to cross the finish line, hands to grab water and sports drink from marshals, strong hearts and the will to finish a hard race.


See you guys next year! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!

QC Half Marathon (Oct 18, 2009) - post race

Late Again!

And it wasn’t because my alarm didn’t go off or I got lost going to QC Memorial Circle. On the contrary, I was there by 4:30am, 30 minutes ahead of the 21km race. But I had to do a long run for that day. My target distance was at 29km and rather do the remaining 8km after the Half Marathon race when the sun is already out, I decided to do some mileage early in the morning so can finish early too. Unfortunately, I made the wrong guess on the distance and by the time I arrived at the starting line, the 21km race had started some 5 minutes earlier.

Just like last week’s race, I was late again but grateful that similar to last week’s race, this race used a chip timer to show your real time aside from your gun time. I wanted to chase the other runners but decided that that wasn’t a wise thing to do and took this as a blessing in disguise to run at a constant pace. Had I started on time with the other runners, I would most likely have gone a lot faster as will be drawn with the speed of the fast people.

It was scary to be running by myself as I wasn’t familiar in this area and didn’t know the right turns. Good thing, there were adequate marshals to guide me on the course and pretty soon I was able to see a few runners ahead of me. There were also some runners who came in late so it wasn’t that lonely running in this race.

My pace was at a constant 7:20 minutes/km and course took me to the familiar roads of UP (near Sunken Garden) and to the wide roads of Commonwealth Avenue, where the 21km runners were joined by the 10km runners. It was great running on wide streets with no moving vehicles in sight. There were only a handful of Half Marathoners but I didn’t mind. The number of 10km runners more than made up for it. There were ample water stations on the course and the weather was just right. The 10km runners made the U-turn at one point while I had to continue running to Batasan Road for the turning point. At the 11km mark, I heard a patrol car coming by and with his emergency lights blaring. I thought that something went wrong (did a runner collapse mid-way?) only to see that it was the Kenyans coming back already! Wow, that gave me goose bumps to be on the same road as these speedy runners. They went past me (obviously) and I continued my run at a steady pace. I learned later on that they won the marathon at a time of 2:30++. Very impressive!

The route back took a detour through a part of Trinoma Mall and it was here I realized I still have a lot of energy and quickened my pace. My pace went down to 6:35 minutes/km. At the finish line, my average went down to 7:01 minutes/km for a total time of 2:29:21 with a distance of 21.27km. I reached my target of 7 minutes/km and with a negative split at the last 5km. Awesome!

Not much freebies after the race. The Nike shirts that were supposed to be given out did not arrive but I didn’t mind as I got a big finisher medal at the finish line. Per, after finishing her 10km race, got a black Nike Human race bag.

I then went for another 4km to attain my target mileage for the day and we then left early to go to SM Megamall (after showering and a change of clothes of course) to get our Adidas Race kits at the exhibit area. We were there early so no lines yet and got free food here via KFC (perfect as haven’t had breakfast yet).

Some pain on my shoulders (did I run too stiffly?) and heels (do my shoes lack support) but quite happy with my overall performance in today’s run. Ran a total of 29km for a time of 3 hours 28 minutes++. It’s tapering time soon! Can’t wait!

Thanks again to my coach Alvin for teaching me the principle of negative split performance and to Per for patiently waiting for me to finish my long run.

See you in the Adidas race next Sunday!



Half marathon Finisher! Yehey!

10km finisher!

Near the starting area and where we parked our car.

One more finisher medal for my collection! Great!!!

GIG Run 2009 (June 28, 2009) - Post Run

It was back to U.P. again for me for another 10km race and this time, I am accompanied by Per in going here.



Per usually had knee pains whenever she does a 10km U.P. race and swore off running in U.P. again, choosing instead the comfortable even paved roads of Mall of Asia/ Quirino Grandstand area and that of Fort Bonifacio. But since her knee pains come out only in a 10km U.P. race, would it have the same effect as in a 5km U.P. race? We decided to try this experiment and had Janine register Per for the race.

RACE DAY!

I was looking forward to doing a pre-5km warm up jog before the race started so I could log in my long miles but woke up late and was generally lazy to get out of bed. We were able to get here early but my 5km wish was diminished to less than 2km run. :( Can't blame anybody but my lazy @$$ self for this.



We got to the starting line right before the race commenced. No more stretching for me and Per hadn't even pinned her bib yet (luckily it was just the 10km race that started with the 5km race starting few minutes later). I started running, fearful for my breathing and lack of mileage for this week (just did 6km last Tuesday) but I wanted to finish fast and try to get a finish time of sub-60.



This sub-60 goal was something I wasn't able to achieve for some time now. First missing it out on the Auto Review Race in May, then missing it out again on the UP PTAA Charity Run two weeks ago. Both times I was close (in terms of minutes) but in terms of the running world, they were just NOT close enough!



The race course was one of the nicest I've ever tried in UP as almost all the route went through UP's shaded area and had some minor uphill climbs only. There were plenty of water here and a lot of nice directional signs to guide us on. It's a basic 5km loop where 10km runners will do two of these loops. This is good for me in that on my 2nd leg, I would already know what to expect.






Per doing her first U.P. 5km run was the first in our group to cross the finish line. It has been a while since she joined a 5km race (having done a lot of 10km races and one or two 15km races) so this would be an easy fast race for her. And it was! She got a new 5km P.R. and best of all she wasn't even tired yet. Her knees are fine too!!! It was a great day for her and removed her fear of running in U.P. One wonders if the Sundown Adidas singlet she wore gave her hidden strength to finish her race at a good pace?



As Per finished her race, I was still doing it. I was stopping at some water stations but not all of them. I was running hard but was panting too. It was difficult to achieve the pace that I wanted but I kept thinking "just a few kms more". I use the runner in front of me to push myself to run at his/her pace.





And then I was at the last kilometer. Hmmm, maybe the sub-60 is reachable but if ever, it would be very close. At that point, I reverted to my second goal : 1:00 to 1:01 ! I didn't mind going over 1 hour as long as it would be below 1:02 (my Auto Review and PTAA time).





I reached the UP Oval and knew I was near. It's time to go all out and not look at the watch anymore. No more what if's ! Time to surge! And I did. I finally crossed the finish line and stopped my Garmin. The time reflected on the finish time was at 1:01 something but I started a little late. So I checked my Garmin and saw I finished this race at 59 minutes and 53 seconds!!!! Woo hoo! Just 7 Seconds short of 1 hour but still a SUB- 60 run! Whoopee!





Never had I done a race so close to my goal as I did today but I am happy that I was able to attain it! A perfect ending for a perfect beginning.





Both Per and I were happy in that we reached our goal for this race! Looking forward to our next UP run (whenever that may be).



At the finish line, there was a small festival as food and drinks were being given out to all finishers. Per even got a SPEED magazine (appropriately named for what we do, don't you think?)

Running UP Mountaineers

with Neil (wearing the GIG Run Singlet)

Special Number!

For my final road race in June, I registered at Columbia Greenbelt 5 for the UP GIG Run. This will be my 2nd U.P. race for the month of June, 3rd 10km race for month of June and 4th road race for the month of June. But this was the first time ever I got this number. And what makes this number special is that it's my birthday number. How awesome!

I first wanted to order my birthday number for Sundown Marathon race but changed my mind at the last minute because I realized how expensive it was (nearly Php 2,000!). After thinking about it, I realized that that moohlah could buy a lot of things for me so it was just my good luck that I got my bday bib number from this race and in the month of my birth! (And just paying Php 250 for it). What are the odds?

Another good thing about being a runner and having family and friends who are into the same sport you are is that they know what to give to you.

From my sister Nat, I got a SPI BELT:



This is a flexible belt that you clip on your waist and has an expandable pouch in the front. Said pouch is big enough to put in my digital camera or in the case of my Singapore race, 6 GU gels!


I can also use this to attach my bib numbers so no more rusty safety pin stains on my nice dri-fit shirts and no more shirt holes from said safety pins. It was also easier to attach the bibs here (as I usually try more than once in trying to pin the bib number on my shirt just to make sure it is even).


NEW SHOES


One of my problems in doing my marathon was that both my NB shoes were totally worn out. They were not as soft as they were before. The cushioning was weak and the sole were flat already. They were still okay for a 10km run but not for a 42km. It was time for a replacement!


Unfortunately, the shoes I bought weren't good for me. In fact, I had a hard time running in them the following day. They were heavy and it was just bad to run in it. There was just too much cushion in it making it super firm. I didn't enjoy running anymore because of the shoes. It was terrible. And having wasted money on this purchase already, I didn't want to spend again.

I thought about it and decided to use my old shoes again. At least they worked in my half marathons. The new pair of shoes (different brand) gave me a hard time at a 5k to 8k easy run! I doubt it would help in my 6+ hour run! (Too bad refunds don't work here as they do in the USA).

I was worried for the race because the most essential gear for it - my shoes, become questionable in its performance. Per, seeing my plight offered me something great:













NB 1063. This shoe was mentioned in Runnersworld Magazine for Best Update. Wayne of SFRunner blog gave great reviews for this pair as well so figured it should be as good as it seemed. Even the NB Glorietta staffs said this was the best pair for a person of my... ummm. . . size!

I got a size bigger as read somewhere that your feet swell if you have been running long. Not much of a size difference anyway so safer to get larger size. I got these shoes from Per as an advanced bday gift two weeks prior to my Mary and haven't broken them in yet. So I just kept using them. For easy runs (phew, they worked okay) and for walking as well.

Come Marathon day, I ran in them. And it felt great! Now, I am seriously thinking of getting a 2nd pair of these nifty shoes once prices go down further. There is a red color model and a blue one as well. Haven't decided which color to get.

The final running- related gift came from fellow runner and fellow Gemini Janine+ via her blog:

http://pacecreative.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-running-fatboy-action-figure.html

It was a RUNNING FATBOY action figure. With a tickle me Per doll. :)

Thanks everyone for the gifts. And I will see you this Sunday in my birthday suit, ooopss, I mean in my birthday bib!






Keep on Running!

PTAA Charity Run (June 14, 2009) - Post Race

Things you should never do when it comes to running:

1. Do A 10km Road Race two weeks after doing a Full Marathon. Body hasn't fully recovered yet from the impact of running 42.2km. Best way will be to join road race at least 3 weeks after Full Marathon. Second week should be focused on light easy runs instead. This was confirmed by both my sisters and Rununlimited Vener (a four-peat marathon finisher).

2. Do A back to back Road Race. You will most likely suffer on the second race as once again, body hasn't recovered from race the previous day.

3. Do A road race when you are semi-sick. Better to chalk it up as a rest day and get well soon.

As expected, I broke the rules again. Sigh!

Take note, this has happened before:

On the night of my first marathon, I did not get enough rest and even went window shopping. I had been awake for 14 hours when the race started and had semi-tired feet from shopping the entire day. Tsk tsk!

On Per's first 16km (her longest that time), we broke rules too: We did not break in either of our newly purchased NB shoes, not enough rest for either of us due to concert the night before (had 3 hours sleep only) and cramming of easy runs to just 5 days (from 7km total weekly distance to 30km total distance for that week).

So why am I standing once again at U.P. grounds at 5:50AM Sunday (June 14), with tired feet, heavy coughs and coming from a trail race the day before?

For the raffle of course!!!! I hoped to win a prize, any prize as that would more than make up for the entry fee here. They will be giving away plane tickets to USA and Asian destinations, hotel accomodations, hotel buffets, and other prizes. Even if you did not show up on race day, you still have a chance of winning here.

So why did I show up at U.P. ground at 5:50AM Sunday even if I can STILL win had I slept it in? Why? Why? Why? Well, it was a waste of the entry fee if you paid for it, didn't run and didn't win the raffle either! It was a waste of bib number if you didn't use it for the race. That was just ... environmentally wrong!

Truthfully, I was just making excuses. Yes, the raffle was nice. Yes, it would be great to win! But it would be a reward in itself to finish a race again. It would be great to push yourself again and see if you can run well.

And so here I was again, waiting for the countdown. Heavy legs (stretching helped a little bit). Hard to breathe. But I was here and I was determined to finish this 10km race!



I wasn't the only one doing a back to back race. I saw Nino running too. And Neil registered for this race too. What a way for us to spend the long weekend!


The race started on time (at 6:00AM). And we were off! Five minutes later, I heard the start signal for the 5km runners. I was coughing and wheezing and realized how bad this decision was. I couldn't suck in the air. I felt like a smoker who had just started running EXCEPT for the simple fact that I'm not a smoker and I have been running for a while! It's obvious that I'm not well yet. Sometimes the mind and the heart are willing but the body isn't. But it was too late to back out now. I am in this race and I will finish it. Never mind if I walk throughout or have a bad time. No point in complaining now. Just target to finish race!


The course was pretty good. The weather was fantastic. There were a lot of water stations. The event was perfect but unfortunately, I wasn't. I walked at various points (starting from 2km!) and had to stop at each water station to drink water. It was like starting to run all over again. I continued to huff and puff in each kilometer and just want this to end.

One of the many turning points. Photo captured by Vener. Thanks dude!

I kept going and going. One loop became two loops (each with corresponding straws) and finally, it was the last stretch to the finish line. I increased my pace and crossed it.

My time according to Garmin was at 1:02:28 (pace of 6:15 min/km) and distance of 9.97km. Not a great time considering I wanted to finish this race at below 1 hour. But given the circumstance, I was happy with it.

Results are now out and can be found at http://www.run4change.com/. At the open 10km overall results, my time was at 1:02:46 (pace of 6:17 min/km) and I rank 198th out of 391 runners (not including Bandit and PTAA members).

POST RACE

There was a line for energy bar and some nuts.

There was three to four lines for finisher shirt (based on shirt's size). This item I loved the most because it fits just right and I liked the color scheme. It matches the Livestrong band.

10km back to back finishers! We both need to rest after this tiring weekend!

Benny not looking tired yet from his 10km race!

Race finishers showing off their well earned shirts!

Neil with Second Wind owner Hector

Now, it is time for my recovery! More bed rest and less exercise for this Running Fatboy.

Going forward, I will try to NOT break any more running rules as doing so can lead to injury and slower recovery. After all, rules are there for a reason . . .

Men's Health Miracle Run (March 29 2009) -Post race

It has been some time since I ran in UP so I was excited to do my long run here again. I woke up at a very early time of 3:30AM just so I can finish early and avoid the burning sun.

PRE-RACE

I got to UP Theatre at about 4:45AM, did one loop around the Oval and saw the Men's Health Starting point, a good 800 meters from where I parked my car. So I went back to the car and moved it closer to the venue and started running again. Luckily, weather was nice and there was no rain today (prayer answered!).

At about 5:30AM, tired already from doing my runs (total of 8.71 km with pace between 6:26 min to 7:20 min), I went back to my car, changed my shirt to that of Men's Health singlet and took a drink from the water/ Gatorade that I left in my front seat.

I was at the race area by 5:45AM and met some friends there as we await the 6:00AM gun time. 6:00AM came and went and still we were there!!! But I didn't mind as I sat on the stairs and just used that leeway to stretch my legs and rest a little bit for this race. I intend to run fast for this race with a sub-60 target. I don't know if my goal is achievable since energy level depleted from early morning run but I had hopes for it. This will be a good indication for me in terms of my endurance as first time doing a race with a long run prior to it.

RACE

The race started at around 6:30AM. I wasn't sure of exact time as my Garmin was semi-busted and I didn't want to provoke it as feared that it would die on me during this race!

I kept at a steady pace but it was hard keeping it as sun fully up and there were parts in the race where there were no trees and hence no shade as well. I saw the first water station early in the race but for some reason, the cups were empty and the attendant was filling each cup slowly and giving it to the runners one by one. This will take a long time if I will wait for my water and decided to skip it.

Sadly, this happened again in the next few water stations and I just chose those which had the smallest lines in them. This took a turn for the worst when all water stations ran out of plastic cups!!! Runners were stopping to drink from the spouts by having the water poured onto their hands or placing their mouths a few inches away from it! Oh man! This was horribly horribly disappointing and for a hot summer day too!

I ended up having one cup from the water station, two handfuls from two other water stations (which were just a sip or two as could only get so much from cupped hands) and got a cup of water from Runnex water station, which weren't even part of this race! I expected more from Men's Health as previous races even had Gatorade bottles given out to runners!

I was getting dizzy and tired from the heat and dehydration but just pushing myself and saying, that it's just a few kms left to go. I envision a huge cup of water at the finish line and that kept me going.

Finally, I crossed the finish line at a time of 56:16. A new 10km PR! And nearly a minute faster than my previous 10km PR of 57:08 at PSE Bull Run 2009. But at that moment, it didn't sink in yet as I headed immediately to the water station to get my fill of water and proceeded to the staging area to get some other freebies.

I got a Men's Health magazine for answering a race survey. There was a question I left unanswered which was "Promptness of race results" as clearly that hasn't happened yet! I also got a bag of chips, some multi-vitamins, and cardboard fan from various booths here.

I met my friends as each one finished the 10km race. We chatted for a while and took some pictures.

This was a terrible race for me, given the most important thing they lacked, which was ample attendants/ plastic cups for the water stations. Not having the cups filled up before the race started would mean losing seconds waiting for that to be done, effectively giving you a slower finish time. Just a ratio of 1 attendant per water station if memory serves me correctly. There should be enough cups for all racers. On the 2nd leg of race, all cups were gone! Some roads were opened for cars so we had to go around them too.

As for my PR, it is a PR but for a 9.74km distance! So, even the distance was short-sighted by the organizers. My average pace for this race was at 5:46 minutes/ km (one second faster than Bull Run 2009) so I was happy given I started the race a little tired already. And I guess this will still be counted as a 10km RACE PR for me.

On a good side, I liked the freebies and of course, the awesome singlet. There are only a few singlets that I can wear to a race or to gym and I count this as one of them! Very nice material and very much worth keeping for a long time.

I also must remember that this race is for A GREAT CAUSE so I have to look at the bigger picture as to why this run existed in the first place.



Picture with Super fast but still super humble and super friendly Vener. Thanks to RunUnlimited for the photo!


POST-RACE

After the race, I ventured for an additional 8km run (I did only 7.82km) after a quick change of socks and shoes. I did some stretching afterwards and as I headed home, I couldn't resist buying myself a copy of Philippine Star as my Condura Race souvenir.

My Garmin finally conked out 5 minutes after the Miracle Run so I guess it was a miracle that it survived that long to record that race. For the additional miles I had to do, I used Per's Garmin to record it. Up to now, my Garmin is broken and can't be turned on! Luckily, the seller offered to take it back and replace it for me. Phew!

Total KM ran for this day: 26.27 KM

Men's Health Miracle Run 2009 - Year 2

I originally planned to join this event as a race bandit seeing as I need to run long that day. LSD equals a slow finish time for the 10k event in order to conserve energy for the rest of the run. And that just wasn't ideal for me.

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But then I realize that this run is much bigger than my finish time or required distance for the day. This run is for the benefit of "Tahanang Walang Hagdanan". Bandit running for a charity run just doesn't feel right, especially if I am going to stop at the water stations, which I will most certainly do!

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(Come to think of it, any kind of bandit running isn't right at all as it is unfair to the race organizers, but doing it on a charity run just feels DOUBLY WRONG.)

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So I went to R.O.X. store in Serendra last Friday with my Feb issue of Men's Health, climbed up three flight of stairs, filled up the entry form and gave the sales lady my magazine (for a 10% discount) and payment.

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Men's Health, for me is very organized when it comes to managing race events. As a sample, check out my blog last year on Miracle Run 2008.

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For Php 315 (after 10% discount), Php 200 will go to charity (as long as you finish your race distance), with the remaining Php 115 used to pay for the water stations, singlet and other freebies. Not a bad deal !

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Here's more: If all runners finish the race, Men's Health will donate an additional Php 200,000 to the above charity ! Wow!

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Race this year will be at U.P. and will start at 6:30AM. There is a 5km leg (but needs to be done by a team of two) and 10km leg (2 loops of 5km).

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For more info, visit http://www.menshealth.com.ph/miraclerun/

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News Update (3/25/09): I went to Summit office yesterday to claim my race kit. Upon looking for my race kit, the guy asked where I registered, to which I replied "at R.O.X.".

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He left again and came back a few minutes later - - - empty handed!!

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He then asked me a follow up question "What branch of R.O.X. did I register at ?".

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Huh? "R.O.X. in Fort Bonifacio but isn't that the only branch in the Philippines?" I repeated my inquiry/answer again, clearly bewildered by his question. He didn't answer me and left again and came back holding a black Summit plastic bag. Phew! I thought the kit got lost in the 2nd Phantom Zone branch of R.O.X. (unless there really is a 2nd branch that I didn't know about).

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Inside the black plastic bag was a race map (for both 5km and 10km), race instructions, race bib (much nicer than last year's MH Miracle Run, which were on hard material), yellow Frenzy band and Miracle Run Singlet. The singlet was awesome and fits this RUNNING FATBOY body perfectly. I shall wear it proudly this Sunday! It is to promote both this race and for safe sex (due to Frenzy ad at back). ;P

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See you at the starting line!

Delta Run - Feb 08, 2009

The Delta Run is the first run that Per and I will do for the month of February. We will do the 10km race, which I need to meet my quota mileage for the day and which Per needs as practice run for her first 15km race, which will occur two weeks from now.

We got to the venue around 5:45AM and went to the registration booth to make the payments and claim our race bibs. There was a long line of runners by the time we got there but we didn't mind it as we were still quite early for the 6:30AM race. After claiming our bibs, we did a short (0.67 km) jog on the oval as a warm-up for the race. Stretches were done afterwards.

There were only about 200- 300 runners for this race, a welcome change from the very crowded races in Fort Bonifacio. This one feels more intimate and more exclusive (similar to Nike+ Race and Dasma-Forbes Run of 2008).

We started the race past 6:30AM, but that was okay as sun was still not out so it was still chilly. I went off at a pace of 5:10 minutes/ km and tried to see if I can keep this pace. I couldn't! I was tiring and breathing hard by the 2nd kilometer! Not only that but my stomach was giving me troubles. Oh man, I hope this won't be another disappointing race for me! I slowed down my pace and continued running.

I noticed that the race marshals were all students and they were doing a good job in letting the runners know which way to run. They were holding purple signs with the words "this way" written on it and had the signs pointed at the right directions. The 10km route was just two 5km loops and were quite nice to do. These students were also the ones manning the water stations.

On the final 5km, my stomach acted up again and there were times I had to stop and walk for a few seconds. I had a feeling I won't be able to attain my goals due to the walk breaks but I was still hoping that I can do a sub- 60 target and increased my race pace. Then, I saw the finish line up front and did a final sprint to the finish line!

My time was at 57:34 with an average pace of 5:54 minutes/ km. Distance as measured by my Garmin was at 9.76km.

Goals for this race:

1. Out of the 5 UP 10km races I joined last year, I only finished 1 at sub-60 so hoping to do that again for this race. Goal Achieved! Yehey!

2. Beat current UP record of 58:38. Goal Achieved with time of 57:34! Double Yehey!


I ran back to look for Per and once I found her, we ran together for her big finish in this race as well. At the finish line, we each got a bottle of Pocari Sweat and also some free taho! Yummy! For me, this race was quite organized in that it had a lot of water stations and the students were doing a good job in marshalling this race. There were no singlets given out but that was expected since the race fee was quite low.

Next Sunday we will be Mall of Asia grounds for PowerRun Race. See you there!

The easy to reach Starting Line Banner

RFB's Kili kili (armpit) Powers!

Bonus Feb '09 Race - The Delta 10k Run

After deciding last week that I will do two races in February with a distance of 15km each, I have decided to add one more race and that's for this coming Sunday (February 8) at U.P.

My Reasons to join this race:

1. It's only Php 150. Running a race has never been this cheap!!!! And if you are a U.P. Alumni or U.P. Student, entry is just at Php 100 !!

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2. It's for a good cause! This race is for the benefit of the Children of DSWD - Bago Bantay, Quezon City. For me, anything that's for a good cause is worth running for!

3. On a personal note, the 10km distance is perfect too as my program requires me to run 10km that day. Joining a race will be more exciting for me than just running by myself.

4. For Payback! On our last race in UP, which was the UP ICTUS RACE , Per and I both suffered big time in our finish time. We both got injured in that race and had to do a lot of walk breaks! Hopefully, we can redeem ourselves in this race!

Goals:

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1. Out of the 5 UP 10km races I joined last year, I only finished 1 at sub-60 so hoping to do that again for this race.
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2. Beat current UP record of 58:38

Race details:

It will have a 2km, 5km and 10km category. 10km is two 5km loops. Registration starts at 5AM but if you want them to reserve a slot for you (like we did), leave a comment at their multiply website: http://dlsupvstfunrun.multiply.com/. Race will start at 6:30AM (hopefully, it won't be too hot by then), with venue at UP Academic Oval (near College of Music).

UP ICTUS 2008 - Our Year-Ender Run

As our final race for 2008, Per and I have decided to make this blog special by having a HE SAID/ SHE SAID portion. My race experience shall be in BLUE while Per, doing her first Blog entry, will be in RED.

HE SAID:

BAD START, WORST FINISH!

Okay, maybe my ego was getting to me. After getting a very good P.R. in previous week's run at Yakult 10miler, a good back-to-back run and breaking a couple P.R. with Per, I was quite confident that I will breeze easily through this run. Not so!

It may have been the high level of alcohol still in my blood from two consecutive nights of getting drunk (ahem...) on various mixed hard drinks, beer and red & white wine (and not in that order). It may have been the restless sleep I had the night before this race where I finally fell asleep at 2AM, only to be woken up by the alarm two hours later. Or it could have been the very heavy dinner we had at Galleria before watching the movie. Or it's neither of these things at all...

On Sunday morning, we were early for this race, arriving at the venue at 5:40AM. With me is my sister Natalie and my fiancee Per, all going for the 10km race and all having personal goals in this race. Rio was announcing the last few minutes till race start so after I did a two minute warm up run, I went to the starting line to stretch and felt a little pain on my left leg. Race started at 6:00AM with the 5km race starting a few minutes after us.

I sped right off as have target time of 5:30/km to finish at 55 minutes if attainable. Almost immediately, there were some confusion among runners as a few ran straight when in fact we had to turn right for the U-Turn area. Still running according to plan and almost immediately there was already a water station in front of me. Then something happened...

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At 1KM mark, my left ankle was in really bad pain. I cannot believe it! I had to slow down my pace but it was still painful. With no choice, I had to walk slowly. I ran again but pain was still there. Man, this was very disappointing. I had to run- walk this early in the race, which I haven't done for quite some time now. Nothing to do though. I just kept thinking to myself that I do not want to quit! So my goal of getting a new PR went away the more walk breaks I had. Pretty soon, even the 1 hour goal went away too. It really took an effect with me as wasn't really tired but my legs were just in pain (at this point, even my right calf had its own problems). My walks became limp and there was one point I stopped in the middle of the road to stretch my ankle. Looking at my Garmin, I saw that it was just 3.5km. Oh man! Time really moved slow for me but I was determined to finish this race no matter what and so I started jogging again but still stopped at every water station to drink as figured it could be dehydration and might be getting cramps on my legs.

By 5km, the pain subsided so sped a little to catch up the big time I've lost. By this time, it was already 34 minutes in the course, my slowest so far. My goal was reduced to finishing the race and good thing the pain was gone for the next 3km so I was able to run a little bit more. But after 8km, the pain was back and I had to walk again. This was incredibly frustrating! In the end, I saw the final stretch and ran to the finish line to cross it at a time of 1:08:36. At least I beat my easy goal of under 1:12 and more importantly, I was able to finish the race no matter how hard it took me. This was a humbling experience and one that I can learn from: that I have to train smart by eating the right food, getting enough rest and not training too hard. For this week, I will not do a single exercise so will give my body enough recovery time.

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It's kinda ironic that my first run this year in UP (January 2008) got me my worst finish time of 1 hour, 12 minutes. After one year of running, my final race for 2008, also at UP, got me my 2nd worst finish time for a 10km! Oh well, at least the journey was fun!

On the race itself: it was nice that it started on time and there was no sun when race started. Lots and lots of water although no sports drink this time around (which I really needed). The km markers were something new as featured the Krispy Kreme donuts on it and some witty sayings on that product but since we had to do multiple loops, the km markers became confusing with 3km and 7km near each other, a blue sign and green sign which represents 5km and 10km runners. Moreover, near start of course, there were some confusion as to which way to go due to signs pointing to two different directions. Good thing there were some marshals to help us but even they weren't able to stop some runners going straight on the road instead of taking the longer route that we all did. The course was more than 10km, ending at 10.43km. Results came out quickly at www.runrio.com and got a donut at finish line plus Rush Drink as well.

Here's to a great 2008 and here's to a more exciting, more challenging 2009!

SHE SAID:

GOOD TIMES, BAD TIME

It was 4:30 in the morning and my phone was ringing…it’s my wake up call, Dennis, making sure that I am awake, getting ready for my last run of the year! Good thing he called since I was still in R.E.M. :)

Getting to U.P. was quick, so we got there 30 minutes before the race starts. Dennis decided to do a warm up run, I decided to conserve my energy and just stretch while waiting for him.

Three, two, one… bang! The race starts.

Everyone was running their hearts out. I got excited and ran my heart out as well. My goal was to get to 5k at 30 minutes for me to reach a personal best of at least 1:13 on the 10k mark.

First kilometer…. I felt good and motivated. Second kilometer…5k in 30 minutes? NOT impossible. Another kilometer…(this is where the story changes!) 5k in 30 minutes? IMPOSSIBLE! My knee started to hurt like hell. There’s this sharp pain every step I take. I see signs -- arrows-- left for 5k runners, right for 10k runners. Turning left was very tempting. Having to endure the pain in my knee for another 6 kilometers was out of the question. Suddenly, it hit me! Last run for the year and I sure am not going to quit this one. So I walked, I ran, and walked some more. Then I saw THE Krispy Kreme sign… “ 9k …. Can you smell it? ” Yes, I can smell the finish line. I looked at my watched and the time is 1hr 16 minutes. I felt disappointed. 3 minutes over my goal and I still have another kilometer left. But then a familiar face catches my eye… It’s Natalie (Dennis’ Sister) cheering for me…”Go Per! You can finish under 1 hr and 22 minutes!” She decided to run with me for the last 30 seconds until I reached the finish line… and I did it. I finished at 1 hr and 21 minutes.

As I am writing my first ever blog I realize – finishing this run with my bad time of 1 hr and 21 minutes and my bad left knee is a bad ending to my first running year. But then again, looking back at the year that was for me… I never would’ve imagined that me, the Per that I used to be, could even finish a 10 kilometer run.(ask my high school friends :) ) So here’s to another year of having a love/hate relationship with running. (I love the new balance).

Special Note: Photo credits to marathoner Vener, who was there to support his wife Christy for her 10km race. She got a new personal Record! Congrats!

Final Race for 2008! - UP ICTUS Centennial Run

Yesterday at Yakult 10 miler, Per and I saw booth for above race and thought about joining it. Details are as follows:

A 5km and 10km marathon for the benefit of the UP ICTUS scholars and apostolates. A part of the year-ender celebration of the UP Centennial Anniversary

Date: December 14, 2008. Sunday.
Venue: UP Academic Oval
Race Start: 6:00AM
On-site Reg Fee: P500 / P250 (Early Reg Fee)
Registration can be done at the following:UP ICTUS Tambayan in the Parish of the HOly Sacrifice Compoundor at R.O.X. Bonifacio High Street, Taguig
Website: http://www.runrio.com

Hmmm, so tempting!!! With Per's on-off knee injuries and me wanting to wake up on a Sunday at a time that is NOT 4AM, we had to think twice about it but in the end, we decided to do this as a final race for 2008.

Since this race will be done by Coach Rio, there won't be any worries on delay with race results, lack of water, etc. so that's one more reason to join this race.

Upon checking my records, I've noticed that the very first race I did this year which was waaaaayyy back in January 18 was the UP Century Run with a finish time of 1 hour 12 minutes. How cool will it be to start 2008 with UP Century Run and end 2008 with UP Centennial Run???? A full circle in terms of racing venues! Awesome!

My goals for this race is as follows (arranged from easiest to most difficult):

1. Beat my UP Century Run finish time of 1 hour 12 minutes - to see how much I've improved since then
2. Finish Race in less than 1 hour.
3. Beat Personal Best Time by going under 58 minutes.

The 10km course will be just two 5km loops and both of us will be going for the longer race.

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And for those who are also having 2nd thoughts on joining this race, I only have this to say:

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"Don't think, just ______ !" (Answer on picture above)

The Numbers Game

1 year of running and I kept some of my race bibs.

How many of these races have you joined?

I first saw a picture of this at SFRunner's Blog:

http://sfrunner.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/2146-5k-time-trial
Take a look there to see some of the races he joined in the USA.

As for me, this will just be my one year of running and had some personal achievements:



GO FAST!
Fastest time for 3 mile: 26 minutes, 25 seconds at Pringles Run (May)

Fastest time for 10km: 58 minutes, 27 seconds at Dasma-Forbes Annual Run (June)

Fastest and only time for 11KM: 1 hour, 9 minutes, 17 seconds at Champion Marikina Run (May) dddd

Fastest and only time for 12KM (trail run): 1 hour, 23 minutes, 27 seconds at Menshealth All Terrain Race (June)

GO FAR!

Fastest time for 15KM: 1 hour, 36 minutes, 46 seconds at Mizuno Run (Mar)

Fastest and only time for 16KM: 1 hour 38 minutes 10 seconds at La Salle Run (July)

Fastest and only time for 21KM: 2 hours 29 minutes 34 seconds at Borneo Run (October)



GO WILD! - my most unforgettable top 10 races

10. Run Along the River, Marikina: a definite change of scenery but doesn't make it easier as quite hot here when we ran. Still, it was nice to see some animal statues, the giant red shoe on the river, and a statue of Marikina here.

9. Takbo Breast Friend AND Exodus Run: mentioned this as always find ULTRA route the hardest of them all given the steep incline here. On a good side, it is just 10 minute drive from my place and given enough training here, you should be able to get a good finish time in the races at Fort Bonifacio or Luneta...

8. Milo Race: big crowd = bad finish time. Still, it was a fun run and great to be part of something you've always known but never imagined partaking.

7. Men's Health All- Terrain Race: running on rocky paths uphill and slippery grassy plains downhill was difficult but it was still a change of view that I liked. There should be more terrain running for a more outdoor-sy feeling.

6. Condura Race: First race I felt pampered as got a lot of goodies here. Love the freebies and shirt design was awesome! Lots and lots of water and sports drinks as well from what I remember. A very well organized race.

5. La Salle's Animo Run 10k: Animo La Salle! This was done in Mall of Asia grounds on a relatively flat course. I also did the La Salle 16km run in Fort Bonifacio with a good time (rain there helped remove the fatigue) and both races gave out very nice and comfortable singlets..

What set this 10km race apart from the 16km race were the Pep Squad Cheerleaders. The beating of the drums to the familiar tune of La Salle songs made me want to run faster and harder and gave me all the motivation I needed to finish the race. For the first time, they were cheering for us and it felt good to be on the receiving end of the cheer.


4. Men's Health Urbanathon 10k: The race that started the running addiction and pretty challenging too as had to do some obstacles before crossing the finish line. Never trained for anything as hard as I did for this race! I had to do some weight training as dreaded the 8 foot WALL! The souvenir photo c/o Timex was also awesome and to this day, it is put in my car's visor as a reminder of that day's run.


3. Borneo Half Marathon: My first half marathon (and farthest run) and only race outside the Philippines! Unfortunately, it was also the first time I "hit the wall" as suffered from heat in this country. Still, I was able to finish this race and get my first finisher medal. Singlet given out was one of my favorites. Buffet breakfast at hotel, relaxing at the pool and foot massages post-race don't hurt as well.


2. Nike+ Human Race: Fantastic as part of the biggest run in the world and liked it for all the goodies given out by Nike (Finisher Bracelet, magazine, Nike socks just to name a few). Best of all is that registration is free! So hyped up for this race that 4 of us even ordered the Official Race Shirt online!! Too bad, I can't join next year's race as my Nike+ sports band has gone to the graveyard..

1. PMI Proudly 60 Race: A race in U.P. with ample water, and singlet given out at the registration. What makes this run memorable was on a personal level: it was the first 10k race that Per and I finished together by running side by side all throughout the race.

What made it even more special is a change of status quo for both of us just 24 hours prior to said race.

TOTAL DISTANCE: 265 KM is the magic number for all the races I have joined in a span on one year. This does not include the training at the gym or the jogging outdoors. Looking to run faster, further, and wilder as I go on my second year of running...