My Way of Living + ultramarathon

(Second of Two Parts) Never, Ever Quit : Confessions of a 50k Ultramarathon Virgin

T he runners were all hyped up and ready to go, the excitement and anticipation of months of training reaching fever pitch. As the organizers counted down the seconds, you could feel the palpable tension amidst the..

81 runners. How many will make it?

Wait.

We're getting ahead of ourselves.

There's always a story behind the story. And isn't that the interesting part?

Prologue

Gingerbreadman with Gingerbread Driver, 4 pm Saturday.

GBM: Let's go to Libis, I need to buy a blinker from a bike shop.GBD: Okie ser! You go biking biking?GBM: Nope not biking, the blinker was just required for my race, it's at 1 am later.GBD: Ah! So you go biking biking at 1am? Dat is so eeshcary!GBM: We're not going biking, it's a run.GBD: Yes ser, biking run!GBM: No, I mean, running, two feet.GBD: Ah! JAGGING! Wow ish so erly por jagging ser!
GBM: Quite a long jog indeed, about 50k .GBD: WAW! R U SERYOS SER??GBM: GBD, Magtagalog na lang tayo... GBD: Hay salamat ser! kamao pala kayo mag Tagalog!GBM: Teka, iba na un ah... .

Sleeplessly Anticipating

"Excitement" would be an understatement as I counted down the seconds, minutes, and hours before the single greatest challenge of my relatively nascent running career. During the time I was supposed to be sleeping, I was frozen in a zombie-like state. Everything seemed to be moving in freeze frame. I was glued to my laptop, the Takbo.ph shoutbox a looming rhapsody in motion, all but frozen in time. I was bored. Antsy. Couldn't sleep. And everytime I did try to sleep, the Gingerbread Dog was all over me. Bad dog. His birthday is coming up by the way, 2 years old this August 21. I'm planning a CLP and all of you are invited. Yeah. As I said, I'm antsy. Next paragraph please. Sorry for the 30 seconds of your life you'll never get back.

I'm just trying to help! HBD to mehhh! You're invited! 8/21!

Of Support Crews and the Ultimate Emperador Sacrifice
On the path to fulfilling my dreams, I ran into a major obstacle - who the heck would support me? No way I could survive the distance without any form of help. My college friends are either getting married ( Note to self : Tick tock... . Tick Tock... ) or being stationed abroad. No way could they support me. I don't wanna hassle Gingerbread Gal, that's too long of a grind. So looks like I need to call on the last people on my list, the ones that I really didn't want to bother - the Gingerbread Dad and no less than internet legend/favorite uncle Tito Caloy. They had given up their commitment to support me on the journey, and Tito Caloy cancelled his Emperador LCLP with the kumpadres. Sob. Imagine, he gave that up for me? Must have been torn. Poignant moment right there.

GBM : Thanks for helping me out Dad.

GD : No problem son. I will just bring you there and meet you in the morning, am no spring chicken anymore . Tito Caloy will take over.

TC : Gigimik lang yan... ...

GBM : !!!!

TC: Gano tayo katagal dun?

GBM: Max of 9 hours?

TC: May chicks ba dun?

GBM: !!!!!

Gingerbread Dad and internet Legend Tito Caloy all set

Official Gingerbread Support Car

Yellow Cab, 11:20 pm Saturday

I am nervous. Really. I mean, I am gunning to run a distance that I have never tackled before, not even close. A lot of people would not subscribe to that. But hey that's just me. It would kill me if I didn't try. Classic Gingerbread hard-headedness there. Meeting place is Yellow Cab Julia Vargas and the two elder Gingerbread folk are early. Early but... . they ordered a Pizza! Whaaa? It's 11:30 already! We might be late! Gingerbread Dad bought like 40 Gatorade bottles along with oreos, chocolates, and ... pizza. You'd think we were going on a children's party or something instead of an ultramarathon. Children.. hmm. Just made me remember a conversation with Gingerbread Mom over the phone while chilling from her lofty perch.

GBM: Yes Mom I'm running a 50k ultramarathon. I may even go for 100 if I'm still alive.

GM: Aww that's so great son!

GBM: Uh, yeah? It's running from UP to Commonwealth then SM Fairview then retrace the whole thing back to UP! It's a big deal you know! I'll be famous!

GM: Awww that's wonderful! How long will you be away?

GBM: I'll be running for 8, 9 hours straight! Very few runners are crazy enough to do it!

GM: Wow, very nice! Very nice! Make sure you won't run come nightfall it's dangerous!

GBM: Ugh, its at 1am Mom.

GM: Well then make sure you're home in time for lunch! It's Sunday and you rarely go here! Take care! Do you have money?

GBM: (The way our conversation is running you would think I'm just going out to the mall to watch a movie or something. Old people. What fun. )

Starting Line , 12:59 am

T he runners were all hyped up and ready to go, the excitement over the culmination of weeks and months of training reaching fever pitch. As the organizers counted down the seconds, you could feel the palpable tension amidst the crowd. There was a definitive buzz. Neville and Ian had given last minute instructions, car stickers and banners already distributed. Class pictures were taken. Niceties were exchanged among the brave souls, a pall of both uncertainty and anticipation slowly falling over the group. 81 have come to defy the odds and enter the hard-knocks, no-frills world of the ultramarathon. As the starting gun went off and the group started going en masse past the utilitarian starting line banner, you get to think... how many of them would be here to cross the finish?

Newbies getting tips from the ultra vets

Sir Ronnie aka Runnerforchrist and Takbo.ph running bud Doc Sherwin pre-race

They will keep us safe

Pat's lucky charm

Race directors par excellance Ian and Neville for last-minute instructions

The starting line beckons... .

Kilometer 10, 2:10 am. What's the Rush?

Amidst the helter skelter start, me and TNF 100 vet/ Takbo.ph buddy Pat were left bundled together for the first 10km of the run. For some insane reason , we thought we were way behind the pack. And for an even more insane reason, we ran the first 10k in 70 mins. Apparently, for runners of our skill level, that is tantamount to a virtual death knell in ultra terms. As you see the story unravel, the implications of such a brazen move would have significant ramifications on the two of us as the race wore on.

I can do this...

The bunny is the key

The 1st and 2nd placers of GIG Run pose for a bit

Km 11 - 20 , 3 am. The Endless Roads of Commonwealth Ave.

The route looped back to base camp at Ylanan before we set out to go to Commonwealth. I was starting to think that this breakneck pace was not prudent at all if I was to go the distance. So I signaled to Pat to leave me behind. As I went out to Commonwealth, I realized that the road to success would be a solitary one.

Mundane sights on a road that doesn't end
The very same route I have traversed endless times in the past by car didn't seem like it would end. An interesting twist was that I had to pass by the Quezon CIty circle as well, going through the overpass twice.

The sight that greets tired wannabe ultramarathoners
I never realized that thing was that long. Once you had completed that part, you would be passing what seemed like a never ending road. Twists along the way - Tito Caloy finally tracked me down, gave much needed support. I was expecting him to look sheepish or bored to death, but he looked genuinely concerned. Naks. Scene after Tito Caloy had given me some much-needed refreshments :

Unknown Oldie Runner : May tubig ka b a diyan?
Tito Caloy : Ah, eh, meron
UOR : Pahingi naman
TC: Ah, eh, cge eto
UOR: Gatorade meron?
TC: Um, oo, pero... ..
UOR: Pahingi na din. Baon. Malayong bakbakan to.
TC: !!!
GBM:!!!

(runner speeds off)

TC: You're welcome!
GBM: What the fudge was that all about?

Sight for sore legs

Generous Guy Tito Caloy having a drink. No not that kind.
Along Commonwealth I also repeatedly ran into veteran ultra dude Kiko (who actually went on to finish the 100k. Kept on offering him an Oreo or Gatorade. Or something. Refused every time. "I'm good, thank you." Classy, nice guy. Ultra Marathon tips on-the-go that I got from him :

1. Walk the inclines. Always. Don't even think about it.
2. You should have no injuries or funky feelings at the 50k mark. If you do, don't even think about it.
3. Eat real, whole meals. Planning on eating Oreos and chocolates the whole time? Don't even think about it.

Sage advice from ultra vet Kiko helped me surviveI took his advice to heart... . thus I ended up not thinking at all :)

Km 22 - 30 , 530 am. The long uphill to SM Fairview.

Upon reaching the very end of Commonwealth and hitting the turn to SM Fairview, evil voices in my head were slowly picking on my psyche in the dark solitude of that fateful Sunday morning.

You gotta be crazy dude. This is a route that BUSES take. You are so far off. You're alone. It's so dark you could get mugged. In your excitement to maintain an "ultra pace" your friends are at least an hour ahead of you. You're slow. Just quit and get back to your pampered , softie lifestyle. Go... go ride your support car and go home to Daddy.

Thankfully, I did my best to tune out these thoughts that would make Norman Vincent Peale turn in his grave. And Tito Caloy was resolute in not letting me rot on the road. He would show up every 10k or so, and just the mere sight of someone to talk to would sustain reanimate me. Thank God, he didn't desert me! Blood is thicker than alcohol! I've been running for nearly 5 hours straight already. Must not quit.
Just as I was completely losing my sanity, I ran into the group of veteran ultraman and Takbo.ph buddy Ronald. Was a big group, and we ended up pacing until the aid station at SM Fairview where cold water and camote nourished us. The last sigh of fresh air before the final push. Its much akin to that slight lull before the Battle of Helm's deep in LOTR.

SM Fairview will never look the same again

Brief respite before the final push
Km 30 onwards. What happened??

The events of what happened from this point on were all a blur to me. It's like a lucid dream. A real, live one (to the younger readers, kindly google "Vanilla Sky"). Essentially, the absurdity of a quick start combined with running for what was to eventually be eight hours began to catch up with me. Laundry list of what happened to me until the finish line :

  1. Cramped up both legs at 35k mark
  2. Knees tightened at 37k mark
  3. Couldn't run well at 37k mark
  4. Lost Tito Caloy until QC Circle Part Deux. He was ensnared in a running conversation with an old lady along Fairview on magnets (huh?) and he couldn't extricate himself. Ugh.
  5. Was escorted by two scooters at 35 k mark. Seriously thought I was the very last runner. For someone who takes solace in the fact that he cracked the top 60 of his last 10k race, this was a terrible blow to the psyche that added exponentially to the mental strain he was already going through
  6. Ipod went dead at 40k
  7. Voices in head became louder at 40k
  8. Saw Mcdonald's icon Grimace running in front of him at 41k mark

9. Openly considered quitting at 41k after seeing Grimace
10.Became fast friends with two gentlemen of an advanced age who were ditching the 100k ultra because they couldn't go on any further . Sakit ng tiyan ko hijo, masakit!
11.Quick fist pump at 42k mark. First full marathon. Wohoo! Oh great 8k more to go
12.Received encouraging phone calls from Takbo.ph pals Rico, Rod and Edu at 42 mark,
reviving me from a semi-comatose state
13.Decided with finality that shooting for a 100k would land me in the hospital. I need the money from my job. Hospital would TAKE money I don't have away from me. Easiest choice I ever made.
14.Tito Caloy gives encouraging advice to call it a day with a smile.
15.Met by the most raucous ovation one could ever ask for at the 45k mark from the Takbo.ph family. I almost cried. Oh wait hold the tears. 5 more kilometers to go.
16.Bromance partner Rico aka Sheer Will paced me for the longest 5k of my life. Would possibly wilted if I was alone.
17.Best finish of my relatively nascent running career - screaming friends, a medal, parent and fun uncle in the crowd. Tons of cameras clicking away. With the racket going on you would think I won the damn thing. Felt like a gazillion bucks.

Eternally grateful for the 5k push

A final, painful run for glory

Happy Gingerbread Dad

Tito Caloy comes through for the Gingerbread Clan

It was all worth it... .

Because of these guys and gals

So there. Whew. That's my story. A dichotomy that unraveled as the layers of my soul were stripped down to its barest, purest form. A guy who yearns to be on top of the list ends up on the bottom. One who yearns to be fast ended up taking it very slow. Who went through the entire journey in independent solitude, only to rely on the kindness and thoughtfulness of others in order to finish.

I came in to test my limits, to prove that the mental faculties of an individual trump the physical every time. I came in with a chip on my shoulder, to show that I have the ability to go over and beyond what people expect of me. I came in... . with lofty expectations.

81 hopefuls. 47 made it.
In the end, when everything was said and done, amidst the warm company of family and friends...

I was just so happy to be there and savor the moment with them.

There's always a story behind a story. Isn't that the interesting part?

botak, confessions, family, HAPPY, HOPE, marathon, race, road, RUN, running, thankful, training, and more:

(Second of Two Parts) Never, Ever Quit : Confessions of a 50k Ultramarathon Virgin + ultramarathon