Inner Glow & Reflected Glory

The past two weekends I had the worst half-marathon times under happy circumstances.

I finished my Milo 21K with a chip time of 2:56, a career-low, even lower than my first half at Condura where I ran coming from a two-week lay-off due to bullheadedness and resultant inability to run. Milo was not in my personal race calendar, especially since I had a tough aquathlon the day before it, but I enlisted nonetheless. I simply wanted to relive my Milo experience, to run again with friends I trained with for our first marathon. So I boldly told training buddies friends BongY and EO, and new friends Mark and Jix I would see them at start line for 21K. I came in at least 10 minutes late, tired but in high spirits.

Bong, EO, Mark and Jix had spectacular PRs. I had my worst PR. But I enjoyed the Milo Race. I had a great time chatting on the road with RunningFatBoy Dennis; cheering Bong, EO, Mark on their way to their PRs; horsing around with the takbo.ph at the aid station; watching marathoners on their way back, and coming home finally to the grandstand. Ah, the grandstand, it would always evoke pleasant memories of strong, celebratory sprint ending my first marathon. Along the way I tried to redo my Milo run. For a few moments I would go there, rejoice in the moment, only to be reigned back by fatigue. It was a day for my friends, not mine. I had my Milo 'glory' so to speak. To expect and demand more is to be selfish.

The QCIM last Sunday was supposed to be my shot at glory - that race when I finally break my personal 2:30 time barrier for the half. I actually broke that barrier running the first half of my first marathon, but I wanted to make it official and documented via a timing chip. Once again I told Bong and EO I hope to run with them again, just like the old days. Alas it was not meant to be. I lacked sleep, my body was tired, and my right foot was still trying to correct itself and get rid of the pesky plantar fasciitis bothering it. I let Bong and EO surge ahead, managed to pace with Gerard for a while, but early on I told him to go ahead as well. The three all had good, relaxed runs. I had a slow, enjoyable one spent with rower-friend Edward whom I saw along the way. We finished in 2:45. It was a very slow one for sub-2hr, monster Edward, but both of us dutifully practiced our planned walk-breaks for our second marathon at Subic. I spent the rest of the morning waiting for friends who did their first marathon. Waited till the last one came home. To witness and partake of the indescribable joy of finishing one's first. It was a morning well-spent.

Eleven minutes. In two weeks I managed to improve my half-marathon time by 11 minutes. On an ordinary week I would have been happy with an improvement of 11 minutes. But at a time when I am supposed to be picking up tempo, the improvement was not enough. I wanted to peak at a tempo pace of 7min/km for my marathon, but storms and injury precaution prevented me from doing so. I suppose I simply have to run my next marathon with the best of what I've got.

I come into my second marathon with a thought that every runner has his moment. The past few races had not been my moments, and my other races were not exactly glowing ones, but at one point - at that point when I decided to push myself, that point where it really personally mattered - I had my 15 minutes in the spotlight. For all runners doing their first marathon, their first half, or even their first 10, I sincerely wish they will have their moment. We runners live and train for those moments. In the meantime, I am happy to glow inside and bask in the light of others. Godspeed!