Paying It Forward

Migz on his way to the Takbo.ph/Reinier Pacific support station
(photo by Marving Opulencia)

Migz started it all. This guy approached friend Rico after the last Running Aid session in R.O.X., gave a disc bearing a requested copy of the movie "The Spirit of the Marathon" and blurted the line, "I read you are doing your first marathon this Milo edition; I can pace you for the second half." Rico's mind was screaming "What? Are you serious?" but he was shocked and silent for a few seconds that seemed like an eternity. Once back into his senses, Rico grabbed the offer lest Migz change his mind.

Rico met Migz and many other newbie runners that fateful day of Mar 8 when a small motley crew of Takbo.ph old timers (Jinoe, Quennie, Lyndon, Natz, Cathy, MJ and Rico) decided to organize an LSD (long, slow distance) run for runners wanting so badly to join the Condura Run, but were afraid of the distance. During the LSD break, Migz mentioned to Rico that he reads the latter's blog. Rico was pleasantly surprised - someone does appreciate his ramblings. Wow. Even more 'wow' was how newbie Migz ran the Condura Half Marathon in 2:22 thereabouts. Migz is known in takbo.ph circles not only as shutter_speed (he is a professional photographer), but also as the 5K newbie turned 21K finisher.

Rico actually had another friend who volunteered to pace him and/or common friend Ziggy in the last 10kms of the marathon. This is BongZ, whom Rico first met also in the March 8 takbo.ph LSD and with whom he would do several aquathlons. BongZ will do the pacing after his running his half-marathon. Timmy will follow BongZ's example if he still can. EO will come out from his tendinitis sabbatical to pace Bong Yu also on the last 10kms of the marathon. Gene and some other runners I heard also volunteered to pace. Unbelievable. Strangers a few months back, now good friends. Running has made them a band of brothers.

-o-

Wanting to run faster so he can meet the Milo marathon cut-off of 5hrs, Rico tried to latch onto the go-go-go spirit of the Gingerbreadman Luis. Rico noticed that this new runner Luis - who is far from the aerodynamic runner - seems to get faster and stronger after each race. The guy is on some form of drugs he calls "breaking stereotypes" and "pushing one's limits". Rico cannot understand his friend at times but Rico knows Luis can help him get the speed he seeks. Along with other friends (e.g. fellow marathon virgin Bong Yu), they came up with 'long tempo runs'. Tempo runs are normally short periods of speed, but for Rico, 20-25kms of race pace running is long tempo run. Maybe for monster Luis it is merely long slow distance.

In one of those long tempo runs, Luis casually mentioned his apprehension about his ultramarathon debut (Botak 50K) and his possible support crew, or lack thereof. It so happened that the Botak Ultra fell on the same day as the Powerade Duathlon 2nd Leg. A duathlon is one of Rico's goals for the year and he already missed the first one. The third and last leg for the year will coincide with the New Balance Power Race, a race he likes for sentimental reasons. Two of Rico's triathlon newbie batchmates will also join the Powerade duathlon for the first time.

Rico was in a quandary: Could he support all friends and do what he wanted at the same time? He even thought of supporting Luis from a vehicle during his pre-dawn ultra in UP and going straight to Mall of Asia to do the duathlon with other friends? A killer actually but it could be done. Or so he thought. Eventually he realized something's got to give. "Practice what you preach", he told himself. He gave up the duathlon and would skip the NB Power Race. He knew his tri-batchmates would still have each other for company and that they would survive the short but tough race. Daredevil Luis who had never run beyond 35 kms and who sometimes veered towards the center of the road needed more help. It was payback time. Time to pay back pacer Luis who ran despite fevers and lack of sleep so he could pace Rico and Bong Yu. Bong Yu himself, Rico would later learn, would pace ultramarathoner Pat for the last kilometers of his 100km. It appears this pay forward phenomenon is really contagious.

Rico found out that paying it forward has a price. When you decide to support someone, you support all the way even if you think you should stop, or you do not feel like doing it anymore. Twenty-four hours before race time, Luis announced in the takbo.ph forum and later in his blog that although he was registered for the 50K, he would try to go for 100K. "What got into you?" was Rico's first reaction to his friend. Rico himself also admires Botak founder Cesar Guarin and firmly believes in the power of the human spirit, but for him, to run beyond what you train for is suicide. But Luis had his reasons, and determined men respect one another. What do you do when you think a friend is contemplating a risky gamble? You stick with him and pray that he passes through that phase unscathed.

So Rico went to the grocery to stock up on food and drinks should Luis decide to push through with what could possibly be an 18-hr ordeal. Yes, paying it forward has a price. Here he was in the grocery temporarily setting aside worries about next week's budget, and doing cost-benefit analysis for every item he decided to put in the cart. His subsconscious was grumbling, "Why go through all the trouble, will you be assured of the same support when your time comes?" To give and not to count the cost. Timmy put if perfectly.

So Rico paid for the stuff, loaded the drinks in the freezer, and set the alarm clock at 3am, hours earlier than he committed. It turned out Rico could not trail behind Luis on the way back from SM Fairview because of the counterflow. He had to wait for Luis at UP and start supporting there. To kill time, he ran along with the G.I.G. runners.

Paying it forward also has its prize. At mid-morning while waiting for Luis in UP so he could finally trail behind the runner, Rico got a message from his kennel hand. A dog he wanted to re-home in line with upgrade of his breeding stock got sold. He now had cash to buy a running vest from Ronald and a second pair of Asics Gel 1130 from Second Wind. From experience Rico would always get blessings when he makes sacrifices. The pattern held true once again. The old shoe model and size he has been seeking for weeks already is now reserved at Second Wind. Hopefully this shoe along with the running vest will power him on his marathon this Sunday.

But the bigger prize really is to be part of someone else's significant life experience. Last five kilometers and a friend joins the brotherhood of ultramarathoners. Rico thought he is good enough with words, but words do not capture the experience of supporting someone on the last few, painful kilometers of a journey pursued with so much passion and longing. One simply has to be there to understand. The beauty and irony of it was: that was all Rico did. To be there.

Last 200 meters and Luis becomes an ultramarathoner
Rico pacing behind
(photo courtesy of Marvin Opulencia)

-o-

Rico was killing time in the hot tent along with other volunteers from the takbo.ph at km80 of the Botak ultramarathon. To pass time some volunteers finally decided to play Cranium. In the middle of the game, someone shouted: there are runners on the other side of the riverbank. From where he sat playing Cranium, Rico spotted a familiar silhouette. Those tights and shorts ought to be Ronald the Original Hoff. Rico and the rest of his takbo.ph friends waved and shouted cheers from the other side of the river. An hour more and Ronald and his companion runner would be passing the takbo.ph/Reinier Pacific aid station. Minutes later the group saw Pat with pacer Dennis. Jinoe, Bongz, Bongyu, Migz, Edu and Doc Eric grabbed bottles of water, food and cold towels and crossed the bridge to deliver aid to the runners. It was not part of any script. The people simply followed their heart and did what they could.

Doc Eric, Migz and Bongz: delivering aid where it was needed
(photo by Marvin Opulencia)

At the station the volunteers would offer towels, bananas, egg, bars, Gatorade and drinks. Runner Isko asked for some liniment and it was promptly handed over. On the verge of cramping, Isko asked if someone could please apply the liniment on his ankles and shins for he could no longer bend. There were seconds of hesitation, until volunteer Marga knelt down and applied Bengay on the aching runner. After the initial discomfort people eventually made fun of the act and hammed away for the cameras. But at some level it was really surreal. Marga would repeat the act for the other runners. She would assist the cramping runners in removing their shoes and socks, and without inhibition, apply liniment on their feet. It was like Mary Magdalene washing the feet and applying oil on the feet of Jesus. Marga just happened to be way more boisterous than Magdalene.

Marga applying liniment on Isko's ankle
(photo by Marvin Opulencia)

What was with these volunteers? Some initially planned to just pass by but ended up hanging on for hours. Yes, there were lots of laughter but there were also hours of passing time. But hang on they did. Something was happening. The volunteers understood it at some primal level although they may not know it consciously. Words do not do justice to the experience of supporting ultramarathoners on the last kilometers of a journey that brings them so much pain and ecstasy. One simply has to be there to understand. To be there - sometimes that is all that matters.

I Have A Dream

In my dream I was running a marathon – all 42.195 meters of it. I was at the 21km turnaround, momentarily pausing for a banana and gulps of sports drink. Minutes later I was running ecstatic and focused. My mind dwells on nothing but the exhilaration of running and keeping within my goal pace. At km 32 where the old notion of The Wall was supposed to be, I stopped again to take another packet of energy gel provided for by the race organizer. I downed the gel with liberal sips of sports drink. I then resumed my run. Ten kilometers more and my dream to be a marathoner will come true.

I woke up 2kms before the dream finish line. In the real world I was just off the phone with the Milo race organizer. About a week ago I was told the community of runners in takbo.ph will be allowed to have a few support vehicles alongside the official water stations. I was happy with the reasonable compromise between a group of ordinary runners wanting to have peace of mind in the form of support vehicles and the race organizer espousing fairness among runners and race orderliness. A few hours ago I was told that the private support vehicles would no longer be allowed. They would no longer be necessary; the race organization would provide for all the runners needs. That was the premise and promise.

The race organizer said the 33rd Milo Marathon is envisioned by the sponsoring company and the race organization to be a model for all marathons in the country. With its long history and tradition, indeed the Milo Marathon is the premiere marathon event in the country. The founder of the Milo marathon will be an observer of how his idea has grown into what it is now. The Milo executives will run the 21K course. Like the Boston Marathon after which it was patterned, the Milo Marathon continues to attract the cream of the country’s runners. Has it also approached the Boston Marathon in terms of runners’ support provision? I can only hope so for I will soon be part of this race too. One welcome development is the planned provision of bananas at mid-point for all 21k and 42K runners.

I do not know what to make of these pieces of information. Fiercely independent, I have usually believed in providing for my own needs in pursuit of my personal dreams. What I cannot provide myself, I am willing to pay for. When I pay a marathon fee, I pay on the assumption that the fee covers not only the race certificate and singlet, but also intangibles like road security and basic needs like water and nutrition for very long distances. When I read accounts of marathon done abroad, I only sigh with longing at the energy gels, drinks and liniments given as part of the marathon package.

I find it ironic - perhaps actually auspicious - that the independent me ends up part of race support groups. First in the Condura Run; now in the Milo Marathon. I realize people do need support. Despite our varying levels of independence, we are social beings thriving on social interaction. Running is both a pursuit of one and a pursuit of all. In Condura I have personally witnessed the power of positive thought and collective support in allowing new runners to achieve what they otherwise thought was impossible. Morale support from family, friends and the crowd continue to permeate even the most historic and hallowed of all marathons.

But is private provision of hydration and nutrition the solution? The takbo.ph experience during the Condura Run has shown that the private provision of public race support can have real challenges. The main challenge is appropriate access. Despite provisioning for all 21k runners, the support vehicles run out of supplies for a few of the slower runners because the general public (i.e. non-runners) could not be effectively and peacefully denied access to private hydration stations. Other small private support groups were able to solve this access and availability problem by knowing personally whom they were supporting and discreetly limiting access to these known members. For a larger group, it can be a logistics nightmare.

In my heart I dream that private race support groups will be a thing of the past. That all that will remain are pockets of cheering families and friends. That in its place will rise a marathon-loving and supportive public crowd. I dream that runners need not fret about adequate hydration and nutrition along the way for these have already been considered by the race organization. In my case, it is tremendous pressure enough to finish my first marathon within 5hrs. I personally hope that I would not have to worry about having water towards the finish line. I am hoping Milo the energy drink will power me all the way to the finish. I have seen how race organization in the Philippines has progressed through the years. For my maiden marathon, I hope we are getting real close to the level of support runners have come to expect. After all the preparation and training, all I can really do is hope and pray. This is what we Filipinos are really good at: preparing for the worst, but always hoping for the best.

I am trusting my childhold drink of choice will not fail me. As the singlet I will be wearing says, “Kaya natin ‘yan”

Only then will the dream become a reality.

The Pursuit of All (Part 2)

The Pursuit of One (Part 1)

To run with the best.

This has been my primary motivation for attempting to run in the Milo Marathon Metro Manila elimination race. The Mizuno race has reminded never to settle – for the happy runner and blogger I have set myself to be. Fear of the deleterious effects of competition has blinded my eye to gifts that true, unadulterated competition brings – the chance to be inspired by and inspire others. When I surveyed all the race accounts I’ve done I realized common threads exist - I run best and fastest when I see the elite runners and the accomplished non-professional runners, or when I run for and think of others. If there is one strong motivation for me to get fast – perhaps the only consistent motivation I have so far - it is to run along with these fast runners.

There is something magical about seeing Eduardo Buenavista run. When I see Ellen Tolentino of Team Baldrunner – I see grace and fluidity of movement. The Baldrunner is a display of discipline and maturity. Vener is a picture of ease and efficiency. Bugo-bugo is power personified. Javy is a testament to hard work and perseverance. Mesh’s face radiates determination while Jaymie’s glows with intensity. I care not too much about the times. I just hope to be like them, to be with them and run with them – in the hope that in doing so I become the best that I can be.

Milo Marathon’s 5hr cut-off time actually scares the wits out of this runner. How can I not be scared when my personal best for a 10K is 1:05 and 2:34 for 21K? My plan was to capitalize on my relatively better physical and mental endurance and work at speed much later – maybe when I have done my first marathon at LSD pace. But life has a way of throwing surprises your way. After missing out on a marathon or two and finally settling for the Milo Marathon Manila eliminations, you get the official notice that you should run 42.195K at pace of 7:10min/km or better to get a finisher’s certificate. What!? I remember hearing a friend said before he ran the Milo marathon for almost 6 hours. But what the heck. I suppose we need to be scared and jolted to get the push that we need.

I remember the very strict (but very fair in the old school way) Rudy Biscocho has always been my unknowing Pusher – he pushed me to do more foot races when he refused to give me a finisher shirt for not following race rule of entering the finish line chute. On a New Balance 25K Powerrace he firmly told me that there was such as thing as race cut-off and that I should train properly if I want to meet the cut-off. Years later in 2008 those words and that race memory would push me to finish the Powerrace within 3:07.

Reticence to push. I have been guilty of it for so long but hope to free myself from this guilt soon. I am joining the marathon with the desire to push myself as my catalyst and the running with the some of the country’s best as motivation. The Milo Marathon Finals is the country’s Boston Marathon. The Manila Milo eliminations is my Boston Marathon. Cliché as it may sound, the miracle will not be the fact that I will finish the marathon. I am not even sure if I will finish, or finish on time. The miracle lies in my summoning the courage to join and start. That I willed myself to push.

To finish the marathon within allotted time is a gift I hope to receive. But if the gift is withheld or postponed I would understand, for there is a time and place for everything. For races are won not by sheer will alone, but also by the grace of God.

In 42.195 kilometers of the race I hope I will meet the beginner, the jogger, the competitor, the athlete and the runner in me. This time I hope to run for the Competitor and Athlete that lies within me, and for the people who believe in me. Galloway says to be a runner is to transcend all stages. I say to be a runner is to know thyself.

To be a runner is to know when to take, when to receive, and when to give. I have taken the Milo marathon as opportunity to push myself and run with the country’s best. They say life is a marathon so I have also taken the liberty of using my first marathon as a race for personal improvement. You see, not only am I innately competitive, I am also fiercely independent. I remember one of those forwarded emails listing down the 3 hardest phrases to say: For others it is “I love you”. For certain individuals it is “I am sorry”. For me, it is “Help me”.

For this maiden marathon of mine I swallowed my pride and asked two of my non-runner good friends to support me. One gladly said yes, the other would have been honored to but would be overseas at that time. But the latter is a friend who would if he could. I guess that’s why they are real friends.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear from a recent friend – someone whom I met through running that historic takbo.ph March 8 LSD prior to the Condura race – that he will volunteer to run with me for the second half of the race. My friend, you humble and honor me with that offer, but it is an offer I graciously accept. I suppose goodwill does come around. I hope to pay it forward.

Paying it forward is also the spirit behind the takbo.ph Milo support group for the 21k and 24k runners. I am awed by the outpouring of support from ordinary runners hoping to give back to the sport that has helped them. I am humbled by the sense of community that takbo.ph has nurtured. The endeavor makes me proud to be a Filipino. In the effort you see the bayanihan spirit – everyone pitching in for the good of all.

I thought running is a solitary sport. In many ways it still is. But in the face of many group runs and support groups I have joined, I have come to realize that the pursuit of one can be the pursuit of all.

(I dedicate this post to runners of the Milo Marathon and the heroes who give these runners the power that fuels those running legs).

The Pursuit of One (Part 1)

Why do I run?

I have been asking myself this from the moment I decided to lace up my shoes and run. I have been a beginner many times over. When people ask me how long I have been running – I say I started 2003 but I am really just a veteran beginner.

Marathoner and author Jeff Galloway has this interesting article on Five Stages of A Runner. I first read about it in a blog entry of Running Diva, and was pleasantly surprised to see the same article in a marathon book recently shared to me by friend Lauren.

According to Galloway, to be a Beginner is to get your feet wet. He adds,

“The seeds of exercise – if you don’t crush it them – will survive periods of moisture and drought….Many beginners stop and start again 10 or 15 times before they get the habit established”

Fortunately for me, in my 4 or 5 times of on-off running (i.e. running to lose weight quickly, stopping when desired loss is reached), I did progress to Jogger status. To be a Jogger is to appreciate the value of fitness.

“Rarely does a jogger have a plan or goal. Most run as a healthy diversion and don’t feel the need to get anything more out of it.”

As a Jogger, I did join my fair share of few 5Ks, several 10Ks, and even 16ks and 25ks. The 10K was my favorite distance, and while my time then was 1:15-1:20, I had a grand time starting slow, running steady and overtaking runners fading towards the end. I was a happy jogger seeing a couple of friends, keeping my own time, and not bothering about official race results.

When I went back to running in August 2008, I was a beginner and jogger once again. Then I stumbled into these running blogs. These bloggers would rave about how they love running. Love? What the hell are they talking about? Running is a chore – sometimes pleasant – something that one does to lose weight or bring down one’s blood pressure.

I would always remember with fondness New Balance for its love/hate campaign. At the height of that campaign, I found love. Six years after being formally introduced, I fell in love with running. Loving her for what she is and what she represents. Suddenly, I was a runner in a deeper sense. Slow runner yes, but burning with passion and seemingly on a different plane.

While runners around me incessantly talk about personal bests and pushing one’s limits, I learned to appreciate the beauty of the solo run and the joy of the group run. I am happy doing my solitary runs and the dream-like, heavenly state I go to every time I run. I enjoy conquering longer distances, rejoice in the tiny increments of my personal times, and smile when I notice the slow transformation of that person I see in the mirror. I often have a blast when I join group runs.

I asked myself where am I in Galloway’s five stages. Have I progressed to Competitor, Athlete or Runner? At this point I can’t make myself to call this slowpoke a Competitor. I shudder with the pretense of calling myself an Athlete. Have I progressed to being a Runner? Galloway dispenses the following nuggets of wisdom:

“Not all joggers enter this (Competitor) stage. Many simply remain joggers, while a very few pass directly to the stage of a “runner”.

“As a runner, you’ll enjoy the companionship of running with others, but most of your running will be alone. You appreciate the peace and inner reflection provided by the solitary run more than you did in the early stages.”

“Great satisfaction comes from being able to mold your body into what it is capable of doing. You enjoy the art of combining just the right amounts of strength, endurance, form, and performance training. A race can be the icing on the cake, the opportunity to pull out deep hidden strengths. Once you’re in this frame of mind, the joy lies not in the race, but in the running.”

“As a runner you experience the enjoyment of each stage and retain the best of each of them. You relieve the beginner’s excitement in discovery, appreciate the jogger’s balance of fitness and enthusiasm, share the competitor’s ambition, and internalize the athlete’s quest.

Am I a Runner? As much as I empathize with many aspects of the Runner, I find myself lacking in several aspects. I feel I deliberately avoided the Competitor stage and have not molded myself enough in the Athlete state.

What does it really take to compete and push one’s limits?

Why the aversion to competition and the reticence to push?

I have been asking these questions as early as November of last year. Back then I have some sense of the answer (e.g. somewhere along the lines of Desiderata’s “if you compare yourself with others, you will become either vain or bitter”). Somehow, the answer does not seem complete. Gingerbreadman touched on a related topic weeks back, but it only served to remind me of a conundrum I have yet to solve. Dean Hebert on the other hand coined the phrase reticence to push and that hit me in the solar plexus.

I have come to realize that my reticence to push comes not out of being non-competitive nor fear of failure, but from personally knowing what competition can do to you. Competition can make or break you. One must know not only what he is competing for but more importantly, why he is competing. One must also know well his hierarchy of values, for the in pursuit of competition, those values will be continually assessed and challenged. Competition has a prize and a price. Sometimes, the winner ends up the loser. One must not only be prepared to pay the price; one must make sure the price paid was worth it. The thrill of competition is a good come-on, but one must guard that the passion does not morph into obsession, or rage so brightly it leads to burn-out. Nothing is so miserable like a burned-out passion – to loathe something that you used to love.

Galloway writes about the art of racing:

“I’ve come to believe that race times and age group awards are great for the ego. But you shouldn’t let your ego determine your ultimate satisfaction from running. I’ve seen too many runners burn out because they start with a few races, then start measuring their progress only by time improvement. Finally they judge the quality of a run, or the status of another runner solely by the minutes and seconds in the race results, or PR (personal record), and quit running.

So why do I want to compete now? Because in the proper context and with God’s grace, competition does bring out the best in us. In Galloway terms, when a Competitor strives to be the best of what he can be, he graduates to becoming an Athlete. To compete does not mean to be always number one. It is not always the pursuit of number one.

To compete is to run with the best so you too can reach your best.


The Pursuit of All (Part 2)

Never Settle

Mizuno Infinity Run
7 June 2009

To be candid, I joined the Mizuno Infinity Run primarily because I expected a very nice finisher shirt. I was not yet actively running when the last Mizuno Race was held so I would squirm in envy every time I see someone wearing the Run 100% finisher shirt. Having done almost a succession of half-marathons (4 so far this year), I was thinking 15K whould be a cinch, so I figured this ought to be a PR race for me. I remembered my first and last relevant 15K was the VSO Bahaginan Race last November 2008 where I clocked at 1:50:39. Surely I could beat that, especially now that my comfortably hard long distance pace averages roughly 7min/km. A time of 1:45 was perfectly reasonable. The race was also a perfect training run for the Milo marathon whose cut-off time of 5hrs still scares the slowpoke me.

The race plan was simple: run below the Milo minimum required pace of 7:10min/km. The plan entailed arriving early for adequate warm-up, a faster start just below the desired race pace, an even pace throughout most of the race, a negative split if weather was conducive, and my classic strong finish.

Well, I arrived about 20 minutes before the race and had a short walk-around, but most of the pre-race time was spent on banter with friends. Hehe. Looking at my Garmin lap data, I actually had a decent start with km lap1 averaging 6:49min/km (I was doing my best not to be carried away by the mob). I stayed well below 7:10min/km for the 7 laps (kms), this despite the initial climb-up the Kalayaan flyover. For some reason I have yet to fathom, I suddenly slowed down after the half turnaround. From lap 7's pace of 6:41min/km, I suddenly slowed to 7:25min/km. My heartrate also suddenly dropped.

My slowdown and HR drop extended till km12 where I hit a slow 7:51. Lap 12 I could explain by the gradient of the climb over the Kalayaan flyover and back to Global City, but for the flat laps 8-11, I could only offer one hypothesis. I probably suffered from sugar rush again from the Hammergel I took at the turnaround. I remember the exact same slowdown I experienced at my NB Powerrace turnaround (the last time I used energy gel). My body does not tolerate well sudden sugar fluctuations and prefers taking sugars from complex carbohydrates like bars, hopia, cookies, etc. Dang, how am I supposed to survive a future half-ironman if I will carry hopia instead of gels!

I suppose eventually I adjusted to the sugar and was able to use it to power me in the last 3kms, but it was harder to sustain the effort. Runners around me were already wilting, grunting and shuffling their way to the finish. The mental effort to sustain race pace amidst these runners was probably equivalent to the mental discipline required to hold your horses at the race start. In the last 3kms I would catch up with a few friends and tried my best to cheer them up by blurting out the remaining distance. Konti na lang!

Two kilometers before the finish I caught up with a friend whose legs were already hurting. The person told me he/she wanted to beat his/her PR and I replied that there was enough time to do it if he/she would just jog along or even brisk walk. I cheered the person along. This friend alternately trailed behind and caught up with me, and every time he/she would be within speaking distance, some form of complain/protest would be muttered. A kilometer into the finish, this friend realized a painful truth and blurted out: "I am such a whiner, no?" I wanted to utter "Yes" but I did not want to dampen his/her spirit further and I have a more important thing to focus on. Like my friend, I wanted a PR, but I preferred to work at it instead of whining. I may prefer negative split, but I am Mr. Positivism. So I sucked in all the goodness remaining in me and left behind the negativism. Finally I was free to work towards a strong finish, and if still possible, beat 1:50:39.

I probably had my best finish ever this morning. My Garmin told me I ran the last 214m at an average pace of 4:54min/km! Without meaning to, I even outran a friend in yellow shorts (a fellow triathlete wannabe whom I normally ran into towards the finish line) and I managed to shout back to a former officemate who called me. I did my strong finish while keeping a maximum heart rate of 176 and without any pain in my legs.

My Garmin told me I ran 15.21km for 1:49:22 at an average pace of 7:11min/km. Well, I did beat my PR (by a whopping minute! hehe) and just came 0.01 shy of the minimum desired pace of 7:10min/km.

After the race I had a splendid time posing for pictures, trading race stories and having breakfast with friends as always. After dropping off some friends in De La Rosa Street, I was alone in my vehicle once again and my mind raced back to the run I had this morning. I achieved some things today but I expected something better. I knew I had more to give.

I was somewhere near South Superhighway when I made a decision to go back to Global City. I went straight to the gym and hit the treadmill. On the treadmill I pushed myself. I did 500m intervals of fast and slow runs. In the end I ran a total of 10K on average pace of 6:30min/km. I pushed myself to run up to 6min/km, even 5min/km on my last half-kilometer. I must get used to speed. I must get used to the pounding. I must finally want to push myself.

Run 100%. Never settle.

Soaking In The Fun

Soakin' Wet but Lovin' the Feelin'

The wet and wild run started small and innocent enough. As Milo would put, "Great things start from small beginnings". Having eyed Milo Marathon Manila eliminations as my maiden full marathon (before it was announced that cut-off finish time is actually 5hrs, not 6hrs as I thought it would be - huhuhu), I was bent on doing two things for my training: run longer distances and learn to love running in the rain. An easy run in the drizzle with a good friend and an invigorating 5K Earth Run in the light rain completely changed my perspective of running in the rain. This time, I need to run under heavy rainshower for Vener wisely told informed me it rained cats and dogs last Milo Manila elims.

I planned to run 30kms nightime of June 4 in the Global City, as comfortably close to the 5hr cut-off time pace equivalent of 7:10min/km as possible. I mentioned the plan to Mar and Bong Yu, fellow crazy Milo marathon aspirants. Mar, LSD organizer that he is, broadcasted the plan in the takbo.ph shoutbox. And so the night LSD idea was born. People were worried about the rainy weather, but deep inside I was actually hoping that for certain parts of the run, it would rain heavily (sorry peeps, haha)!

I guess I was not specific enough in my weather prayer request. While the skies cleared up late afternoon, the rains came back with a vengeance early evening. But rain or shine was the plan. Addicts that we were, we went for it.

Here are some of the early birds still smiling before the legendary rainsoak.
Roselle and Tim joined in for the picture taking before the Mizuno Running Club graduation

After a quick round in BHS loop, we picked up the girls Julie and Rochelle
and Doc Topher (who is rumored to have started the swine flu virus in the country - joke lang Doc)

Wary of the heavy rains and winds, we initially confined our runs around BHS. We were also waiting for Mar. Around the loop we saw Mizuno graduate Chips who ran along with us till Essensa. Mar eventually arrived before we ventured out of BHS when the rain momentairily stopped. Bongyu and I were trying to pace below or close to 7min/km as much as we could. (Speedmaniac Luis, where were you?) Fortunately,TNF and Earth Run medalist Wilnar, and Chips, both strong runners, helped us pick-up our pace a bit. We were running closer to 6min/km than 7min/km as we headed for Essensa and Mckinley.

We proceeded to McKinley to see some of the takbo.ph members doing short hill training there. It was along the stretch of Bayani road towards Mckinely HIills that the rains came down upon us in buckets. In huge buckets. But like the Seven Samurai we soldiered on. We were initially silent and cautious as we ran the busy Bayani Road in a single file under low visibility. When we hit the downhill road going down to McKinley Hills, all hell broke loose - the rains and us runners included. We shouted, we grunted, we cursed and adored the rain. We sped like maniacs on the downhill, arms flinging, hearts rejoicing. Seven adult kids at play in the rain. Soakin' wet but lovin' the feelin' (Just a few kilometers nearby, the other takbo.ph group was doing the same) At those precise moments, the road was ours for the taking, and no storm could take that away.

Posing for posterity at km10 done with average pace of 7.12min/km. Bongyu/Mar, 0.02 na lang pasok na tayo sa minimum required pace (hehe) Partida na yan kasi we attacked the hills. Haha.

Runners unite! The two groups converged at the 7-11 pitstop - for nutrition, hydration and of course, picture taking.

The raingods must be so pissed that the buckets of rain they sent us failed to dampen our spirits. (Nag-picture-picture pa ang mga loko!). It retaliation, they made it rain even harder on our way back. Heavy sheets of rain came tumbling upon us. Visibility was just a few meters, and street puddles were threatening to form miniature floods. I had the privilege and pleasure of running the last few kilometers with takbo.ph's original Hoff (ultramarathoner Ronald).

Around 200m from BHS we paused and grouped again - for picture-taking once more!

Then our combined group of about 20 male and female runners headed for BHS and sprinted like crazy! Shouting and laughing, kids once again. It was a strong happy finish for every single one of us. That was some scene colorfully etched in my memory. It was be quite a scene for takbo member crouchingmonki noticed us from the comfort of the treadmill in Fitness First. Monki, you should have joined us!

More photos at the default start and last pitstop - ROX

Posing with four out of five Hoffs so far: Marvin in green, Ronald in blue, Doc Roy in orange/white and Mar inYellow; Hoff Natz, where were you?

Post wet & wild run dinner at Chowking with the crew in pink clowning around

Image model of Runners Anonymous
(a support group for running addicts)

Thank you guys and gals for a very memorable wet & wild run.
(Thanks to Doc Roy and Bong Z for the photos)

Sana ganitong kasaya rin sa Milo. Haha.

Running in the Rain

I find it ironic that for somebody who is an Aquarian and who loves the water (I drink and swim a lot), I do not like running the in the rain. I have a litany of reasons:

• my shoes will get wet and I will get those pesky blisters,
• my white shoes will get dirty (washing your shoes too often affects its cushioning)
• my Garmin may conk out if it rains hard
• I tolerate hot weather well but I tend to shiver in the cold (excess fat notwithstanding)
  

I suppose these also partly explained why I enrolled in a gym: to run on the treadmill in the controlled comfort of the indoors – rain or shine.

Nike Raining Clinic

Last Friday I was supposed to accompany a newbie runner-friend in the running clinic. It has been drizzling all afternoon till early evening, but I was still hopeful the rains would stop when we begin running. When my friend finally finished work and arrived at our meeting place, not only was the clinic half-way done, the rains also intensified. Although I had already purchased our requisite water bottles for the run, I asked my friend if she was still up to it. I was hoping she would beg out of it. I was hoping she would say, “Let’s just eat and chill”, but NO, she cheerily said Yes! Why, she even seemed thrilled with the prospect of running in the rain. I stupidly offered the option of doing the treadmill in the nearby gym, with me taking her in as a walk-in guest, but she declined it – perhaps wisely. Uh-oh, I said to myself, there was no gentlemanly and chivalrous way out of this. I was supposed to be the more experienced runner guiding a newbie friend; I was supposed to be more enthusiastic than her! And so run we did.

It was not bad as I thought. I had a cold start as expected, but eventually things warmed up as I slowly let go of my stupid adult worries of blisters, dirty shoes and sickness. I took my cue from my friend who treated this practice run the way a child views a romp in the rain – with child-like wonder and abandon. At a certain segment of the BHS loop we would run head-on against the cool night breeze. Shiver we did – not in the dread of cold - but in the thrill of cool raindrops touching our lashes and caressing our faces. We ran, chatted and laughed like kids. Our invigorating run was capped by a hearty meal at the finish.

Rainy Earth Run

It rained even harder the morning of the Earth Run. My warm bed strongly beckoned but memories of Friday’s cool, wet run prevailed. Not only was this my friend’s comeback race after so many months, I was also expecting friends from takbo.ph in this race – many of them gunning for new personal records or longer distances.

The rains heaved and hawed, but did not really abate until 30 minutes into the race. I opted to leave my worldly gadgets (Garmin and phone) inside my vehicle. I was physically and mentally prepared for the rain this time. It was just me summoning the fun-loving, wanderlust kid that I used to be – the kid who takes showers in the rain, ventures out of the house in the calm of the eye of the storm, rides makeshift rafts on flooded streets, builds water dams in drainage or irrigation canals, and catches guppies or goldfish spilling over from the neighbor’s ponds.

I ran the 5K with my friend. The first 500 meters felt like running in the Baguio morn. The rains were that cold. But it was fun and exhilarating. Looking around, I saw hundred of red or blue Earth Run singlets – all members of Runners Anonymous. We were addicts all. Because of the rains the runs started late and there was a mass start for 3, 5 and 16K runners. It was congested at the start, yes, but the spectacle of seeing those reds and blues spill through the streets of McKinley was worth it.

My friend and I enjoyed our 5K run. We paused at water stations and had a few walk breaks. After our last walk break in Lawton Avenue, we had a blast running the last 500m downhill back to McKinley. My friend loved the downhill and it showed. The last 200 meters I egged my friend to sprint further, the way we finished our rainy Friday run. Hearts pounding, lungs about to burst, and a cacophony of pleasant sensations.

With the right company, running in the rain can be fun.

The sun soon shone and the morning ended with rowdy breakfast at McDo with about 40 people of takbo.ph.