I distinctly remember running the first ever edition of this a few years back. I had just finished my very first ultramarathon ( the Botak 50k) and had gotten wind that the first ever disposable timing chip race would be upon us. Not only that, you could also get to run through the previously off-limits Makati CBD district. In spite of the fact that I would only be getting a couple of weeks worth of rest, the foolhardy (and much chunkier) GBM of yesteryear went through with it anyway. I was promptly rewarded with blowing out my knee at about km 12 amidst a lame attempt to do a sub-2 hour 21k ( yes, it was the holy grail back then).I limped home to the line with my tail between my legs but with head unbowed as my Takbo.ph buddies back then (who are now) all either veteran ultramarathoners or pseudo celebrity bloggers) helped me get through the line. For last year's edition me and Ultramarathoner Abby were still dating, funny thing was she asked me to pick her up but she left her phone somewhere, leading to hours of flustered waiting. I eventually found her amidst 8,000 runners lol. Was one heck of a big event though. I remember that the big thing they had was the auto-Facebook update once you cross the line and the singlet made of recycled PET bottles. Thus, the race seems to always strike a chord with me, regardless if I run it or not.
This year's edition promises more of the same innovations, and since I couldn't shamelessly copy paste off the press kit they gave me because nothing was coming out on the file, I'll just wing this.
In a nutshell, the race offers 3k at P650, P750 for 5k, P850 for 10k, P950 for 15k, and P1,050 for 21k. While there was a bit of haranguing at the presser over the costs given it was nearly at the same price scale as a Skyway-infused Condura, my take on it is this -everyone drove up the market with the relative acceptance of thewhole premium-priced paradigm. Runners got more perks, expectations on both the corporate side and consumer side were raised, and this obviously costs money. Conversely, Rio ( now better known as ang lalaking walang pahinga after we were just with him the night before at his awards night) pointed out that he just came from a Running USA clinic and his counterparts were surprised at how technical he could be with his races and yet the prices were still lower than any comparable races in the world. If we wanted a breakdown of sorts , or at least some insight, he was open to a roundtable (let's wait on this for future reference)
Bobblehead Night at the Globe VIP row P50 from the reg fee would go to a charity of the runner's choice - either GK, Haribon Foundation, Virlanie Foundation or Habitat for Humanity. These are all very good causes and we hope the event makes a dent into their coffers. Anyway, runners could even donate more using Globe's G-cash. Please do not let me explain what G-Cash is anymore, last I checked it's 2011 already. In addition the same get 4, 1 free principle that was so popular in years past is still in effect. Of course, what people do is no one really get the free kit, the five people just share in the resulting discount. Funny how we can go to great lengths to save 150 bucks, and yet we can spend the same amount on a latte at Starbucks. Or maybe that's just me.
Rio explains the 21k route in fun detail . Old ladies at the next table gasp "Ang Layo!" :P
How do you register? Go to globe.com.ph/run (official GBM nominee for most creative website link for 2011) and they will tell you everything that you need to do to register. Beats me explaining lol. Also, you can go to their live site at the Greenbelt 3 Cinema Lobby from February 28 to March 20 to register. Obviously, this a big race, so don't go waltzing in there on the 20th and go whining after they tell you the kits have run out. You all know the drill. Get smart and go early, avoid the stress.
By some stroke of luck ladies and gentlemen I have two Globe Run For Home gc's, redeemable to any distance. I know some of you think the race is expensive, so instead of running this myself I am giving away these away to two lucky readers, save the cash.
It's a gift.
How does it go? It's not rocket science really. Just a wee bit of work, but it could be worth it. All you have to do is :
1. Like the Endure Multisport Fan Page
2. Like the Team Powerpuff Boys Fan Page
3. Like the Quest 825 Cycling Fan Page
4. Have five of your friends like the official GBM Report Fan Page
5. Follow me on Twitter. 6. Leave a comment on this post saying that these have been accomplished already.
I will raffle off these two kits using a randomizer program I have. I usually see the same faces join these contests, so I guess your shot is as good as any. Contest starts today and ends March 17 5pm. Deadline for claiming these kits is March 20 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinema Lobby so you have ample time to get it. Good luck!
I just had the busiest week ever with no relief in sight for the next 3 weeks. Sample Gingerbread Day :
6am - 73o - Travel 8am - 10 am - Lecture10 am - 12nn - Meeting12nn - 1230 - Rushed Lunch1230 - 230 - Meeting230 - 400 - Lectures/Consults400 - 900 pm - Training for students900 pm - Gets home and falls asleep while still wearing barong
Of course, not once do you see the words "Running" or "Training" there. With the Globe Run for Home Race holding running denizens captive with the prospect of a chip-timed race, here I am working 13 hour days while the rest of the gang is busy training and strategizing! I was barely able to haul my carcass over to the Runnr launch last night to get my new Takbo.ph singlet and the race kits for myself and Tito Caloy. Couldn't stay long because had to bring Gingerbread Gal to watch Harry Potter (it sucked if you don't read the book BTW)
So in relative comparison :
Usual Gingerbread Mileage - 65 km
This week's Mileage - 0 km
Usual days with Gingerbread Gal - 5 days
This week's mileage with Gingerbread Gal - 2 days
Which brings me to a more serious question - How do you guys and gals actually train and hope to race somewhat competitively when your work is taking over your life? How do you squeeze it in? Reconcile your schedules? And yet hope for a somewhat half-decent time come raceday Sunday? Please do enlighten me. I am so busy that I am only giving myself 30 minutes to complete this entry. Yes, it's that bad. So come give me your inputs, let's discuss this pertinent matter which I think a lot of us could relate to.
0 km. Wow. Surely not the best way to train for a big 21k race.
G ingerbreadman closed his email with a weird feeling in his stomach. No, it wasn't that. It was an invite. To a presser. What an honor. Thus, in spite of his heavy workday which included a marathon 3-hour meeting, being suspected of being a student insurgent at the Malacanang gates and giving a 2 hour speech to 500 people (only one is made up, and it's not what you think), he went on to Megamall to roll the dice, eagerly anticipating the thrill of a fresh experience in his life away from the corporate bustle.
ADB Avenue, 6:10 pm Oh boy. So the secret's out eh. They've been mumbling about this for like a month now. And now it could be said. What the big deal? Here's the big deal, and I've been getting snippets of this here and there. Apparently, it's called the Kenny's Open 2009 Urbanite Run. U rbanite? Urban? Hmmm. Nite? They need a copy-editor. Maybe they could hire me. But then again I hate copy editing. So this is THE event. In partnership with Takbo.ph of course. The one we've been hearing for like... forever. Oh boy Jinoe made me a moderator. What an honor. Ranks up there with the time that I took 3rd place in our quiz bee as a 4th grader. So what if only three showed up! There was a big storm that day and... Oh crap the MMDA dudes are flagging me down for coding. Goodbye 100 bucks.
Cool!
Not Cool!
GBM arrived at the designated venue 5 minutes early, still smarting from being divested ofP100 by the very people who were tasked to make our streets a better place. The anxiety of being alone amidst the more senior members of the runner/ blogger community dissipated as he saw a familiar face in Doc Lyndon aka Malmonmd. He remembered how Doc had warmly welcomed him at the Condura CLP as a newbie, made him feel like he belonged. I'll pay homage to the gesture one day to a nervous newbie when I'm in a position of seniority. But at this particular juncture, at this precise time and place - he was the newbie once more. Doc's amiable demeanor jostled him from his daydreams. Queenie is there. BR was there awhile ago, he just went out. Go inside and make yourself comfy. BR? Bald Runner? THE Bald Runner? If that was a portent of things to come, this was going to be a good night.
Doc Lyndon with his beautiful familyI am with Legends Upon entering, a throng of familiar and not-so-familiar faces greeted his entrance. Looking around, he surveyed the scene in earnest anticipation as his underlying excitement was nearing its zenith. The venue isn't enclosed. I hope we could hear one another amidst this mad, rush hour dinner crowd. Friendly faces abound. Takbo.ph elite idol Vener,also known in blogging parlance as Run Unltd. was there. One day I hope to be as fast as him. Okay maybe not. But still, I appreciate that he was at that finish line when I finished that insane 50k Ultra. ( Editor's Note : Yes, I owe you an entry on that epic life experience and yes I'll get to it once I finish the things that I need to do. Things that, uh, actually pay me money. I need to feed my family, put food on the table. Or maybe I just need the money to buy running thingamajigies) Trail runner extraordinaire/overall nice guy/foodie connoisseur Sir Rene aka The JazzRunner was there, exchanging niceties and running stories as they eventually settled on being "seatmates" for the duration of the presser. A small group was formed at one of the tables., members of the running blogosphere no doubt. A quick glance showedthat one of them was Vimz aka Kulit on the Run . While he was always a fan of her site and layout, as much as he wanted to say "hi" his inherent Gingerbread nature dictated him to lean towards the "shy" end of the spectrum.At least for the first 5 minutes. There were also Roselle The Running Diva and Bards of BananaRunning sightings. From the Takbo.ph ranks, Coach/Mod Pojie was indisposed and couldnt make it. 5k pacer/motivational speaker Rico of Sheer Will fame was running late. Boss Jinoe was apparently stuck in traffic. But the real treat was yet to come. Two running luminaries , veritable legends in the field were in the house. And our protagonist was reduced to a blubbering piece of blubber.
Sir Rene and Vener
Queenie, Roselle, Vener, and Bards Unbelievable. I finally got to talk to the irrepressible Bald Runner . Sir Jovie himself. He's a really nice guy. You'd think he'd have a gruff military guy vibe. But he's really cool. Gave me a ton of tips on how to recover from an ultramarathon, and how to increase my speed. I'm glad he likes my work. That just inspires me to write more and spend less time on my day job! (alt tabs to "Communications Strategy 2009" as boss passes by) Whew. Anyway, another tremendous experience was to meet race walk legend /shipping magnate/big hearted nice guy Sir Amado Castro, who's also known for his popular Reinier6666 blog. Handshakes, warm exchanges ensued. I'm really touched by his kind words for our blog, as well as his unending support in helping our running community , the Takbo.ph Aid Station during the Botak ultra a prime example. Sigh, a good day indeed.
Photo-op to remember The Grub Before the Storm, 7:30 pm Without any trepidation, the Jazzrunner ordered a bountiful feast fit for a, er, hungry blogger. No further elaboration required.
Yum. Nuff Said. Presser Proper, 7:45 The briefing was led by agency rep/ DLSU alum Denise and fun guy/Finish Line head honcho Vince Mendoza. Coach Rio soon followed suit, presumably to help out with the question and answer portion. The concept was novel. The first ever night run with a disposable timing chip system is to be launched. Side events to follow. Coolpix capable. Glow in the dark bracelets. Refletorized bibs. Double the marshals.Free food when you register. Help out a wonderful cause. What more do you need to know?
No mic, no prob for Denise
There it is
Amazing how Vince does that hand gesture
Coach clarifying things during Q&A
This presentation is cool. Even without a mic! Oh there's a mic now! Just in time for the closing remarks! BR is asking about the security issues since it's a night run. It's been prevalent nowadays, you know. Oh god did I just do a Pacquiao. Anyway, it's admirable how Vince and Coach Rio handle his queries, and it's also admirable how Sir Jovie volunteered Team BR to help out with security. That right there is the spirit of volunteerism that we should espouse amongst oursleves, if only to give back to our community. Okay, so everything is working out great except that... oh lord I forgot to take notes! How am I supposed to write about this thing? Guesswork? Can I just make it up? Oh shoot. Hmm.. I know... why not we tap our ET running buddies from The Collective to get me back in time and get me that info. ... ... ... .. Okay that sure was fast. Run Strong and Prosper my preternatural friends. So here's what we got...
Now, Kenny Rogers is taking another leap forward in its dedication to health - one that is bound shake up a storm! It is with great pride that we present: The Kenny’s Open 2009 Urbanite Run ! On August 15 th at 8:00 p.m. , at Bonifacio Global City in the Fort, a truly one-of-a-kind run will take place. And as the name suggests, The Kenny’s Open Urbanite Run will happen at night!
With an advanced timing chip system to record runners’ progress and distances of 5/10/15 kilometers, the Urbanite Run is designed especially for the young and young at heart of the Metro. Participants 18 years old and above are eligible to sign up!
Joining is easy. Simply stop over at any Kenny Rogers Roasters branch or the new Kenny’s Roast and Grill restaurant at the Powerplant and purchase the Urbanite Run Ticket to Eat, Run and Donate your way to fitness! Registration can be done manually or via online & mobile through www.kennys.com.ph.
EVENT DETAILS:
1. The Kenny’s Open 2009 Urbanite Run will be held on August 15, 2009 (Saturday) at The Fort. Official call time will be at 8:00pm .
2. The run will a cco mmodate a total of 3,000 runners, 18 YO and above, with divisions of 5, 10, and 15 kilometer distances.
HOW TO JOIN:
1. Purchase the Urbanite Run Ticket
a. To join the Kenny’s Open 2009 Urbanite Run, interested participants must purchase an Urbanite Run Ticket for P600 at any Kenny Roger’s Roasters branch or the new Kenny’s Roast and Grill restaurant at the Powerplant.
b. Interested participants may also purchase the Urbanite Run ticket through the web or on their mobile phones by visiting www.kennys.com.ph . An electronic claim voucher will be issued to registrants to claim their Urbanite Run Ticket at any Kenny Roger’s Roasters branch or the new Kenny’s Roast and Grill restaurant at the Powerplant.
Urbanite Run Tickets will entitle participants to:
a. Eat: Bearers are entitled to an Urbanite meal from Kenny Rogers. Simply present the Urbanite Run Ticket at any Kenny Rogers branch to claim the Urbanite meal. Redemption period from July 15 to Aug. 15, 2009 .
b. Run: The Urbanite Run Ticket will serve as the runner’s registration voucher, to be attached to their registration form, if they register manually. See below for registration details.
c. Donate: Serve as runner’s donation to Hands On Manila Foundation. On the day of the run, bearers are to drop the “Donate” portion of their Urbanite Run Tickets at the designated box on-site.
2. Register for the Run
Registration will be from July 15 to August 11, 2009 .
Participants may register online or through designated registration sites. For other details, please contact Vince Mendoza at (632) 7031736.
a. Online Registration Process
a. Interested participants are to log on to www.kennys.com.ph , click on the “Events” tab, follow the Urbanite Race link, and register their details online.
b. Once registered, participants must submit their details and settle payment via credit card/ GCash or ATM.
c. An electronic claim voucher will be issued to registrants to claim their Urbanite Run Ticket at any Kenny Roger’s Roasters branch or the new Kenny’s Roast and Grill restaurant at the Powerplant.
d. Participants may also choose to have their race kits delivered at a minimal cost. Delivery address to be indicated in the online registration form.
e. Confirmation email will be sent to the participant’s email within 24 hours upon online payment.
b. Registration thru designated registration sites.
a. Interested participants must go to the available Finishline Registration booths at the four (4) pre-identified marathons:
i. 2 nd GIG Run, UP Diliman
ii. Milo Manila Elimination, Luneta Grandstand
iii. Robinson’s Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Ru, NBC Tent
iv. Globe Run For Home on July 19 at The Global City, Fort Bonifacio , Taguig City
b. Interested participants may also register their details at Nike Park and Runnr and claim race materials on-site.
c. Manual registration will also be available to last-minute participants on the night of the run – within 1hr before call time.
EVENT DAY:
1. Call time
On the night of the run, participants must arrive at 8:00 pm. Assembly and gun start times of each division are as follows:
Distance
Assembly
Gun Start
5K
TBD
8:30PM (TBC)
10k
TBD
8:45PM (TBC)
15k
TBD
9:00PM (TBC)
2. Prizes
a. The following cash prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place finishers of each division, to be awarded after the run finishes.
Distance
5 Kilometers
10 Kilometers
15 Kilometers
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
1 st Place
Php 5,000
Php 5,000
Php 5,000
Php 5,000
Php 5,000
Php 5,000
2 nd Place
Php 3,000
Php 3,000
Php 3,000
Php 3,000
Php 3,000
Php 3,000
3 rd Place
Php 2,000
Php 2,000
Php 2,000
Php 2,000
Php 2,000
Php 2,000
b. Employees of Roasters Group Inc., Bates141 Philippines, Zenith Optimedia including their relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity are disqualified from winning the cash prizes.
3. Event Activities
At the end of the run, participants will be invited to relax to a concert of Tribo Manila and purchase their Urbanite dinners at discount.
4. Security Measures
a. Stationary marshals at different points along the run route, approximately 100-150 meters apart or at strategic areas.
b. Roving marshals in motorcycles to tail and keep runners in line.
c. Police marshals and traffic enforcer group will direct traffic and to ensure runners will not be approached by onlookers.
d. Roving police escorts as added security measure.
e. Perimeter barricading at the start/finish line to keep runners assembled properly.
f. Roving security designated at the parking area.
5. Safety Measures
a. Runners to wear illuminated bib numbers and glow bracelets for easy tracking.
b. The marathon route will also contain “reflectorized” cones and signages to ensure the clarity of the track
c. Perimeter lighting will be placed around the run route every 50 meters or so.
d. In case of emergency, two (2) ambulances will be on standby with a dedicated first aid station at the event grounds.
e. All runners are entitled to insurance coverage worth Php 100,000.00 with Php 10,000.00 medical reimbursement.
Epilogue
The Takbo.ph boys full of ribs and chix So as the presscon drew to a close, new friends were made and old ones were reinforced. Close encounters of the running legend kind never hurt the Gingerbread folk as well. There was an air of great anticipation for this one-of-a-kind event. So as GBM started to head for the exits, he was stopped by a familair foil... .. Rico : Hey Gingerbread creature! GBM : Uh, hi boss. Rico: How are your knees? GBM : I can walk now boss... Rico: Great great. You owe me for that 5k. If not for me you would be frothing in the mouth in that unknown UP place! GBM: Mosr probably boss. No worries, if ever they do a bromance movie on my life, you will be the lead. Rico: How flattering. ANyway, business first. Where's my GC? GBM: What GC? Rico: Duh THE LEVI's GC for your fraudulent "contest" ! GBM: Oh yeah that... . Rico: I should report you to the blogging ADBOARD ! Shameless Blog Promotion! GBM: Uh, boss... Rico: Yes? What? I should... WOAH! YAY! It's True ! It wasn't a sham! My precious GC's! YEBAHHH!
It pays to be a Levi's wenner Wonderful event. Great People. Good food. Come to think of it... It was a good night indeed.
Hi. Kamusta mga repapips? Ako nga pala si Tito Caloy. Sa mga hindi nakakakilala sa akin, ako ang binansagang "internet legend" ng pamangking kong si Mike. Tawag niyo sa kanya Luis, o kaya naman Gingerbread, o kaya GBM. Minsan JBM. Ewan. San ba pinagkukuha yang mga pangalan na yan. Balita ko kung ano ano ang pinagsususulat ng bata na yan tungkol sa akin. Kung may naisulat man ho yan, malamang totoo yun hehe!
Inggit ka parekoy? Ayos!Ako'y nadawit sa pagtakbo nung sinama ako doon sa Botak na pagkainit init. Naalala ko un, hinimatay ung isang tropa dun eh, ung doktor ba un. 5k ang tinakbo ko nun. Aba'y di man lang ako pinagpawisan. No tsallenge men! Kaya noong nagkaroon ang mga tropa ni Mike ng takbuhan sa Tagaytay, tignan mo nga naman naka 27k agad ako! Elibs ka ba? Sumunod na takbo ko sa Globe, ung dumaan ng Ayala at kung san napilay si Mike, banat kasi ng banat tigas ng ulo. 21k nakang naka eh! Ang ganda ng pacing ni Coach, di man lang ako napagod! Parang wala lang!
Di yan pagod, pumosing lang!
Nageenjoy talaga kong kasama etong mga tropang taga Takbo.ph. Kaya nung sinabi saking na pupunta daw ng Subic para tumakbo, aba nilabas ko ung mga panalo ko sa tongits at nagpalista na ako sa 21k. Okey na yan! Baka mabatak kung 42 tayo agad. Kaya eto, kwento ko sa inyo ano nangyari.
Sa Unang Pagkikita
Nagkita kami dun sa Jollibee sa may Shaw mga bandang ala sais. May amats pako, tumira tayo ng pampagana nung kinagabihan. Nauna ako kaya't wala akong nakilala. Aba, ako'y nagulat at kilala pala ako ng mga tropa. Tito Caloy! Okey sa olrayt to ah!
Da Gwapings! Lakad Na! Dun kami sa oto ni Eo. Disenteng disente. Pero may tinatagong kamandag din pala! Pati si pareng Bong andun din, ung instik na gwapings. Ang dami palang babae nun pasimple lang! Alangyang mga kaibigan ni Mike mga loko din! Di tayo makasabay, clean living tayo eh. Pero kung sakaling mapalaban, makakatikim yang mga yan ng taktak maragondon, halukay ube ni Tito Caloy!!!
(Editor's Note : Kindly forgive my uncle, in his inebriated state I guess you will have to make do with this cacophony of unabashed ramblings dashed with a sprinkling of shameless innuendo - GBM)
Kainan Muna Tigil muna kami doon sa may Kenny sa highway. Ayos libre nanaman ako!Hihihi. May mga GC kasi si Mike, may syota ata tong taga Kenny dati kaya meron. May nasagap pa kaming mga chix, sarap talagang tumakbo ganda ng sights.
Ang ganda nila noh? Tambay Taym Ang ganda ng tirahan namin, Forest View ba yun. Siyam na kalalakihan. Sarap ng buhay. May oto, may puesto, mahangin ... .sarap manginom dito. Ay di pala pwede, sasalang na tong mga to! Halos lahat babanat ng 42k. Si Mike iba sasalihan, 10k lang ata. Excited na ko! Excited nako na masolo tong lugar namin wahehehe.
Sarap ng buhay no?
Simula ng Kalbaryo Onting tsibog , onting dasal, at hinatid na namin ang mga tropa kung saan sila susunduin ng bus. Aba ordinary ang bus na susundo sa kanila papuntang Floridablanca! World-class nga! Daming mga mag 42k, ung isang nakita ko parang namumutla, kabado siguro. Kulang sa balut. Nakasakay na ang mga tropa, sana okey kalabasan. Si Mike muntik pang makasama sa bus kodakan blues pa kasi. Natawa tuloy ung isang Egoy. Sana okey naman sila, mukhang malalakas naman ang mga pwersa nila eh.
Mga macho papa, yakang yaka 42k!
Nako si pareng Bong ang daming babae nito...
Naknang isa pa to si Eo, madaming napaiyak nong araw to...
Ang bilis siguro nitong BulaKenyan na to
Nasa Bus na , pahabol pa!
Teka, na nosebleed nako sa pagsulat ko dito, di naman bayad to! Makaisang round muna kami ni pareng Vino Kulafu. Abangan niyo na lang ang susunod na kabanata! Out na muna ako! GTG Pips!
Yes. I did it! I finally did it! Happy, relieved thoughts pervaded my mind as I finally hit the mat with a 1:57:18 performance. My first ever sub-2 hour half marathon. Whew. Would you look at that.
YES!!
But one would fail to grasp the pure significance of the moment if we fail to look back to where it all started... .. If they say success is measured by how many times you bounce back from failure, then my case would be the optimus exempoator of this adage.
Greenfield Run, Kilometer 17
I am dead tired. I want to die. I am never, EVER doing this again . This is SO STUPID. My feet are on fire. I drove here to Laguna at like 3 in the morning. Normal people are still asleep!! Gak .I can barely breathe. This Takbo.ph girl, what's her name, Ellen? Oh lord I just ate her dust. My pathetic pace is too slow for her and I'm left gasping for air. My student Isha is at least ten minutes ahead of me. I am soooo way over my head here. Idon't want to run anymore. FIRST AND LAST. Oh the pain. Finish Time : 2:19
Help my feet are burning Botak Paatibayan, Kilometer 20 I'm going to faint. Here it is. Goodbye Poise. Promise. Just a bit more. Sun... . heat... . need... . water . Seriously, who in the right mind would start a 21k at like 7:00 am??? I'm getting roasted here. Didn't put any sunblock, because it would affect my macho image. I should rename myself Fudgeman instead of Gingerbreadman. Oh the agony... . Kilometer 20, but the finish line seems an eternity away... ... . Finish Time : 2:14
Would you still read The Fudgeman Report?
GBM loses by TKO Globe Run For Home, Kilo meter 19
Oh the horror . I never should have even tried. I should have known that two weeks of no training combined with ultramarathon recovery would equate into the nightmare that is ITBS. Having to suffer the ignominy of walking to the finish line is embarassing to say the least. Hey, I guess this ain't so bad. At least my buddy Bong Yu essentially gave up his race to hang with me. What a class act. Oh, and here's the rest of the Takbo.ph gang! Sigh. Thanks guys you're the best. Ouch. Finish Time : 3: and nevermind.
Rod Runner's header shows that every ounce of support was needed to get across the line
Quezon City International Marathon, 19k
I think I have ran as strategically sound a race as I have ever had . With a target of anything below 2 hours, I believe I have set up the positive split - coast strategy as well as I have ever had. Integrated walk breaks for the first time in my relatively nascent running career, and guess what? They don't suck! They work! Such a festive atmosphere.
The venerable people at Runnex, specially the Jazzrunner Sir Rene Villarta did a yeoman's job on this. Balloon-wielding pacers, majorettes, numerous water stations. Awesome. Now all I have to do is coast and ... OMG im cramping! Nooooooo. Not now! Breathe, breathe. And my tummy hurts! That 100plus screwed me! It's carbonated! Waah. Can i hold on... just a bit more... . I refuse to be denied again. Not today. Finish Time :1:57:18
Pacute before the race
With Takbo.ph bossing/Manokan icon Jinoe
With intense buddy Bong Yu
The pain and the glory
With Ryshel's little sisters
Being interviewed by students from Quirino National High As I look back at the many times I have bombed, sucked, and been humbled at the distance, finally beating one of my major goals is but sweet solace . The personal best is but gravy... . getting through to the line with a smile on my face, with no injuries or otherwise untoward incident, is more than enough.
Oftentimes, getting to the destination is the be-all-end-all of the matter.
But through recounting the travails that got you there... Oftentimes that's what makes it all the more sweeter.
As I was doing a tempo run, my Blackberry was still in my hand, beeping and vibrating incessantly. Then I just realized, gosh I am nailed to this thing practically all day, even while doing a tempo run at 5:00/km. It somehow inspired me to do a complete rundown of allthe wonderful things I do with this fun device within the bounds of my athletic lifestyle.
Bold.
4:30 am : There is nothing remotely fun or enjoyable about waking up at 4:30 am in the morning. The people who hang at Fiamma are still dancing the night, or rather morning, away. But the alarm on my Blackberry Bold 9700 is loud and clear. Its funky media player gets to play my long-standing alarm song, a haunting track entitled "Missing You" by a Korean boy duo called Fly To The Sky. Shame. I am awake now.
For real. 4:45 am: After a quick shower, I send a quick good morning message over Blackberry Messenger or BBM to Ultramarathoner Abby. Since we're both on BBM, we're saving a ton on SMS costs. No need to drop 80 bucks for 5 days of free texting. This is real-time, one-to-sawa chat till you drop mania. 4:50 am : Before I leave for the house, I send out a quick blast with the Twitter app on my BB : "Leaving for a long ride with the team at Bugarin, on the way to Shell Marcos Highway. Sleepy as heck."
5:10 am I arrive early and no one is really there yet. Worried that we may end up starting way late (possibly because everyone was still asleep. Great) I proceed to check on the team via our Blackberry group in BBM. Everyone is wired in, all the time. They can't say " I didn't get your text, sorry". Think Takbo.ph Shoutbox during its 2008-2009 heyday. One blast and everyone gets the message. Curious mystery of the universe - everyone seems to be 5 minutes away. Coincidence?
7:13 am : As we traverse the picturesque route along the provincial capitol of Rizal, I feel like I'm freeze-framed in one of those pricey Paete master paintings. The place is beautiful, reminds me why I even bother waking up at 4:30 am in the first place. Suddenly, my moment of Zen is interrupted when I hear a loud explosion. Thankfully, it's not of the artillery kind. More like the sound of a tire's interior surrendering to the treacherous terrain. Wilnar cops a flat, and we all huddle over. While we're working on it, I decide to encapsulate this curious moment in time by snapping a quick photo, and in one click it's instantly shared to my 2,108 "friends" on Facebook even if we're in the middle of nowhere. Ahhh, the wonders of modern techology.
Fun flat times.
10:30 am : Strong ride so far. We were able to tag along with some manong cyclists, and the ensuing frenetic pace results in an early lunch for us at the famous cyclists' pansitan in Laguna. In the spirit of showcasing the grub our hungry group would be inhaling in a bit, I take more photos and in an instant the rest of our inggit team back home receives it on our BB group. Yum.
12:00 noon : After a lung-busting ride back home (our lomi-loaded tummies didn't exactly help traversing those steep inclines) I remove my BB from it's ziplocked home in my back pocket ( yes, the 9700 is small enough to fit there without being too cumbersome) and my TPB buds tell me on our BBM group that they just arrived in Bataan for the latest BDM test run. They take photos at the "sacred KM 0 monument", instantly invoking all those fun, painful memories from last year. My turn to be inggit.
Inggit in real time. 2:00 pm : I'm off to swim in a bit but decided to drop by the mall to look for goggles. I am not particularly crazy about the Aquasphere XP Seal goggles I'm currently using. They leak a lot, and the only way not to have a leak is to seal it real tight. Only problem with this is that once you take them off, your face looks like you just got into a fight with Pacquiao over some hottie at Republiq. My teammate had reco'd some fancy ones but the name evades me.I recall discussing it over a text discussion but how will I navigate through that muck, sort of in a rush already. Madami daming text yun. Good thing I have Blackberry's latest software, dubbed OS6, installed on my smartphone. It has this really cool yet powerful feature called Universal Search that has a lot of practical benefits. So going back, I had already forgotten the brand but I do remember that we had engaged in a conversation about those goggles. I type "goggles" into the universal search box located on the main screen and voila, every single text, bbm, email, video, music file with something even remotely close to sounding like "goggles" props up. By putting forth very specific search parameters, I was able to find the exact conversation where we had talked about it. The brand turned out to be a Zoggs Flex Predator, and that little tool saved me the hassle of a phone call. Nice.
2:30 pm : I'm at the mall but I have no idea where I'm going to buy a pair. I do know that Chris Sports (yes, the same people behind Epic Relay) had a branch here, but apparently they transferred and even the guards don't know where it is (sheesh). Good thing I'm always connected with my BB, and I was able to successfully google the fact that the branch had transferred to Building B. No wonder the Building A guards had no idea. (x_x) 2:33 pm : In related news, my phone is vibrating every 10 seconds while the Endure Multisport peeps are sharing merienda pics and buzzing about Noelle's latest skirmish with the 6 week marathon man/pro perv dude on her fan page. Juicy.
3:00 pm : At the pool finally. However, my boss texts me to check my email, very urgent. I'm instantly jarred by her terse tone. Hala, what could it be? Am i going to get fired? Roasted? Best part about my Bold 9700 is that it supports push email, which means I get my email in real-time. So instead of having to suffer through the ignominy of a restless swim, I have instant access to that scary, urgent email that says... .. I just got a raise. Yahoooo.
4:00 pm : More or less finished an easy 1k in an hour. Still slow. I'm going to meet a friend in a bit, planning to buy his old wheelset. Burn. Anyway I'm on the way to Makati but I run out of load. Damn Globe. I don't want to go through the hassle of loading, I'm late already. What am I going to do? Thank goodness the guy is on BBM pala I nearly forgot.I don't need no load, what a lucky break.
4:30 pm : I snap the wheels on my bike to try it out, butI don't want to make a rash decision. I snap a photo and send it to my teammates. Good buy? Upgradeitis mania? The chorus from the gallery, predictably, says BUY. Thanks guys. Lol.
It's a go! 5:00 pm : An alarm goes off on my home screen. Good thing Blackberry's OS6 has this thing where it links with your Facebook Calendar app, and I see all the relevant birthdays right on my homescreen, even linking their Facebook pictures to my phone contact list. Awesome, it's Rico V's bday. I wonder where he will feed me. Liempo? Hmmm.
6:00 pm : I'm back at home for a run. And this where the whole epiphany begins. I realize that I'm so hooked on this thing that I'm running while I'm doing my tempo run, I still have my BB in hand. Why? Beats me. Maybe I just couldn't let go of my connectivity to the world. Or my proclivity to constantly share the otherwise mundane details of my life, and have people actually care about it, is too juicy to resist. Think of it as a real-time diary. Maybe one day I can look back and see precisely how my life unraveled one day at a time, all through the eyes of my BB. Having a good wind behind me, I nail my tempo run, perhaps the best I've ran in months. Hmmm. Well, I could tell people about it, but given the form I'm currently at they'd never believe me. Nothing like cold, hard evidence. Splash.
Don't judge me, I trained for 6 weeks to do this.
8:40 pm : Exuberant after a strong workout, I receive a BBM from Ultramarathoner Abby. She wants to catch the LFS at Shang, this Love and other Drugs seems interesting. As we're planning on the fly, I text CTCM for the latest movie sked. Nyak, I have no load. Shoot. I'm already in EDSA. Good thing I downloaded the Flixter app on my phone, I can check for local movie skeds using the Blackberry network. Whew. Where would I be without this thing?
After outlining just how much it helps my life so much easier on a daily basis, hey, you tell me.
As I glanced anxiously at my 305, the grim reality was sinking in. Unless I pull of an Usain Bolt, there was absolutely no way I would be hitting my goal. I need to leave everything out there. Right here. No tomorrows. A final push, one last heave for glory netted a 4:53 final lap... .
And I missed it by 15 seconds. Damn.
Thank God for Google Images
But wait, we're getting ahead of ourselves. It all started on a stormy Saturday night at Glorietta 4 ... .
GBM: Miss, may I register for the 10k? Thank you. ECO-Dash Counter Girl : Eto po. 300 lang. GBM: Hmmm. Where's the singlet? EDCG: Ay, naubos na po, nung Sunday pa. GBM: Aaah, ok.
(walks away, opens race packet, goes back)
GBM: Miss, why do you have two bibs? That is quite... unconventional . EDCG: Ay Sir, ung isa para sa harap, ung isa sa likod. First time niyo ho ba? GBM: Uh... . It's actua.. EDCG: Okay lang ho, kaya ninyo yan, basta hinga malalim lang.Nauso na nga yang ranning na yan eh. Nga pala sir, rain or shine yan tuloy!
So for 300 bucks I ended up with 2 race bibs, a bit of a weird conversation... . and that was pretty much it. Not that it actually matters - I heard a lot of gripes about its "minimalist" design - but I was hoping to get more bang out of my 300 bucks. Internet legend Tito Caloy was supposed to grace us with his presence, but was apparently caught up deep in training for the San Mig National Drinking Finals. So I went out on a dreary Sunday morning, in hopeful anticipation of the great unknown, what with so many intangibles put into play.
"Secret" Training If you have been following this blog from time to time, then you're probably aware of my well-chronicled struggles against the menace that is ITBS.
Gone for good? Forced to drastically cut down mileage , I put in a couple of duds at some of our recent races. I was already thinking, Am i done ? Is that it for me? Visions of a surgically repaired Samboy Lim and Shaun Livingston looking like ghosts of their old selves haunted me. What if I'll never regain my old form? Through the thankful intervention of a higher power, I have been running relatively pain free for the past several weeks. That's when I decided to flat out just go for out it. Serious training for two weeks, harder than I ever trained before. I was going to secretly target a sub-50 time for this race, if I fail I could just say I was "pacing" someone. So what did I do exactly?
If I told you, then it wouldn't be a secret anymore, right? :) :p
The Case of the Missing Ipod
In an extremely weird twist of fate, I lost my beloved iPod the day I learned that my quest for that elusive Master's degree was finally over. Ahh. My life seems to be in bittersweet symphony right now. But what should I do? I find it extremely hard to run without music, I seem to be grossed out by my own snarly breathing.
Will give dog for ipod Thankfully, I found a weird-looking Mp3 player lying around the house, the type you could get for 500 bucks at the mall. 256 mb, no song randomizer, weird shape. Sold! At this point, I would have brought a Walkman to the race if need be.
If you ever ran with one of these, thanks for visiting my blog Master!
The Race Itself
Okay, let's be practical. Due to the nature of this belated post, by now you should have already read a plethora of blog entries outlining how drenched we were, how there was a lack of marshals along Bayani, et.al. Obviously, I won't go there - your time is more precious than mine. Instead, let's go straight to the crux of the matter, punctuated by the precise songs blaring from my cheapo Mp3 player in homage to my newly departed and dearly beloved Ipod.
Kilometer 1 - Dreamgirls Theme (not a word)
Jesus Christ and Mary it sure is cold! I don't think I have ever started a race at this temp, it's even colder than when we did Botak Baguio. Oh shoot , crappy Mp3 player auto adjusts its volume everytime you turn it off. It's .. it's not loud enough! I still hear my own breathing! Crap. Where do they make this thing anyway? Rain is pouring down pretty bad, I don't have time to get it out of my hydrobelt. Yes it's that pathetic I need to squeeze it into my hydrobelt. Opening pace is at 4:29, think I could have gone faster but the rain is slowing me down. Just passed a runner who is complaining about the rain audibly. Hmmm, chess isn't so bad once you get used to it.
All you got to do is dream...
Kilometer 2-3 - Do You Believe In Magic - Loving Spoonful
So I got out of the bane of all runners this side of town in one piece. The Kalayaan Flyover was my first major hurdle, and I did a 4:44/5:03 on it, first time I ever hit a sub-5 split on it. People walking all around me. Yes, it does get the best of you. Given that 82.67% of all Sunday race routes pass through this point, I'm guessing it doesnt have too many fans.Much like an untamed beast in the wilderness, oftentimes you can but just hope and pray you live to tell the tale. Relatively unscathed, I come flying downslope. Current total pace is at 4:45. So far so good.
Yup, never heard of em' either
Kilometer 5 - VST & Co. - Sumayaw Sumunod
Wow, these drivers are crabby! You woulwd think that they'd be more relaxed on a Sunday morning. The honking was reminiscent of Edsa Dos. Unfortunately, seems that we're the subjects of their profanity-laced tirades. They should go to the Kanye West School of Charm.
It's just like rush hour traffic, only on a Sunday. Why so angry?
Completed the halfway point at 23:48, that may just possibly be my best 5k split ever. Route reminds me of my Globe Run for Home debacle. Is this my day of vindication?
Sumabay sa mga bagong tugtugin ngayon... .
Kilometer 7-8 - Eraserheads - Huwag Kang Matakot
As much as I would like to imbibe the E-heads spirit on this, the pressure was so intense it was hard not to be. The homeward bound Kalayaan Flyover won this round, dropping me to a 5:22/5:34 split, breaking both my body and spirit. The pressure was getting to me , and I was starting to panic inside. Total pace had dropped to an even 5:00, which meant that I would be missing my target. More panic. I need to make up time. But I'm zapped out. Must... soldier... on. Just 2k more... ...
One of their last albums before calling it quits
Kilometer 9-10. Amy Winehouse - Rehab. They say that running is just as much mental as physical, sometimes even more. I completely agree, 100%. Here I was , on the cusp of beating one of my biggest running goals, and I was doing a completely chokejob. Mentally, I was messed up. I was freaking out and panicking. Prematurely celebrating, I was even thinking of a title for the blog post already. Physically, I was spent. Blatant lack of training. A quick, anxious glance at the 305 showed 45:00 with a little over a kilometer to go. Running on fumes, a blatant attempt to let it all hang out was hatched.
However, the grim reality was sinking in. Unless I pull of an Usain Bolt, there was absolutely no way I would be hitting my goal. More panic. I need to leave everything out there. Right here. No tomorrows. A final push, one last heave for glory... .
And I missed it by 15 seconds. Damn.
Gut-wrenching. I broke down mentally that last two kilometers. Got caught up in the moment so to speak. Wasn't able to deliver. On the precipice of success, I blinked. And in that nanosecond, I missed the bus. At the highest echelons of all sports, this is what separates the men from the boys. The winners from the pretenders. It's that requisite mental toughness designed to take you to the next level.
I think I need to go to rehab after this
Overall, it was a bittersweet moment. I still set a new 10k PR at 50:14, lopping of a minute and a half from my pre-injury best. Was a tremendous day for Takbo.ph denizens Sam, Vicky, and Argo as they all set new records on their 21k times. Tremendous improvement. Keep up the good work guys!
PR people with podium gal Carins
John Lloyd an d... Luis? In retrospect, this race taught me a lot about myself. Getting so near, only to falter in the end inspires me to do even better next time around. To quote William Ernest Henley, "my head is bl oody, but unb owed". Indeed, we all live to run another day.
And sometimes, in the greater scheme of things
That's all that really matters.
Editor's Note : Results just came in, wanted to add that this performance was good enough for 26th place amongst 532 runners in the category, my best finish ever :P
As my previous post stated, I was harassed to death last week. Zero mileage. Didn't run at all. Still in iffy recovery from Botak Ultra. But me being me, I just had to take a swipe at it. A shot at a 21k PR on a chip-timed raced cutting through Ayala was way too juicy for me to resist. Just had to. Recipe for Disaster? Let's see how this morning's proceedings unfolded.
Not today GBM.
Pre- Race, 4:30 am
GBM : Tito, wake up! Tito Caloy : Gising na ako! GBM: Seriously? Tito Caloy : Eh di pa ako natutulog! GBM: Why would you do that? We have a race! Tito Caloy : Ang ganda nung palabas sa Cinema One alangya yung kay Richard, Eskapo! Di ako natulog eh! GBM:!!! Ugh, see you in ten. Tito Caloy : Ayos cge ipapakita ko sayo ung bagong sapatos ko Adidas running na running ang dating! 6 tawsan bili ko! GBM : !!!
He'd rather sleep in the car
Km 1 - 10 . Great things start from small beginnings?
When we got to the starting line, the race was just minutes away from starting. The rowdy gang helped fuel the electric atmosphere, the looming excitement of an actual chip-timed race bursting through the seams. It was funny really, because you saw people sprinting, then stopping, at the mat.
I though I had the strategy down pat. But I was wrong. Obviously, barely running in the two weeks prior took its toll. Also, something I read in BR's blog was nagging at me as I was racing through the first 10 kilometers. After an ultra, you will definitely lose some speed. You need to get back to tempo training. Well, not only have I NOT done any tempo training. In fact I haven't run at all. So logically, it's going to turn out pretty badly. My wind wasn't there. But it still wasn't half bad though.
At the 5k mark, I registered 25:32. At the 10k mark, slight fade at 55:30 but pace was still in contention for my goals. I'm at least 4 minutes off my usual 10k pace but I was thinking (or at least trying to convince myself) that I was merely "pacing". Since when did a positive splitter "pace" the first half of the race though? Still, I felt I could hang on. Seeing the rest of the team on the initial loop had me thinking I'm doing decently. I thought I was on the way to a good day... .
10k - 14k. Disaster strikes.
At the 10k mark I'm starting to slow down. Oh no. But not a major dropoff. Noticeable. Come Kalayaan flyover , my "vaunted" incline skills had deserted me. Then I realized it has been nearly a month since I have hit the St. Martin slopes. So much for that. Still, I felt I could ride the fade. Second wind would push me through. Just get me past the Kalayaan flyover and I'll take care of it in the flats. Then IT happened. At the 14k mark, I stopped for some 100 Plus on the water station, then sprinted away. The abrupt start/stop brought about a searing pain on the side of my knee that was too great too ignore. I tried to run it off, but I couldn't put any weight on it. I tried walking it off, the pain was just exacerbated. I tried stopping and stretching. It went from bad to worse. My pace had dropped down to 7/km now. Oh no. This ain't happening. We are doing so well. Just 7 k more to a new PR! My pace was down to a 5:45 now. Still salveagable. But the pain. Oh the pain. Add to this the mental strain of people passing you. So many people. I had to stop. Walk. Ouch. More ouch. When Takbo.ph rookie and Jumbo Liempo friend Pio overtook me, I was both happy for him and panicking inside. My hard earned lead was slipping away. Big Time. I saw main man Bong Z, slimmed-down Timmy and monster Ed pass me. When rookie/nice guy James paced with me for a while, and when I couldn't even sustain what felt was an 8/km pace and he had to leave me behind, I knew that was a veritable death knell. As I entered the inclines of Bayani Road, a site of successes past, a former sanctuary turned Death Valley.
I can't run anymore. Dammit. I want to cry. But then that would affect my macho image. Arrgh. I want to run! I can't! Everyone's asking what the crap happened to me. Rod and Carlo just passed me. Ain't it great when you have friends who show genuine concern for you? But argh. I'll try to run again... ARGH ouch ouch. I can't. Sob. This sucks. I want ... to... quit? =,(
The spectre of my first ever DNF was very much real. The pain was pretty significant at this point. Each attempt to try and gut it out ended up bringing more pain. At least the last 5k of Botak ultra I was still able to run. This... . I simply couldn't. Add to this the strain of everyone passing my sorry carcass. Let me let you in on a little secret. I hate being passed. It gets to me. I'm a competitive guy, not just in running. But here, I was crumbling amidst the throes of my own mortality. It's hard to express in words the combined feeling of frustration, disappointment, exhaustion and pain that I was going through. It's barely 14k and change. How the heck can I get to the finish line when I can barely even walk anymore?
14k-21k. A friend in need... . is a friend indeed.
As I was losing hope exponentially by the minute, I was suddenly witness to the fact that life's little blessings come when you least expect it. As I had completely given up hope, along came training/pace buddy/carpool mate Bong Yu. He saw me struggling. Told him I wanted to quit. He could have left me, he has his own race to run. But in the spirit of friendship and supreme sacrifice, he told me he would keep me company! Unthinkable! You would sacrifice your race for me? Yeah why not, I'm still in recovery from Milo 42k anyway. Oh man. I was overwhelmed. Bong encouraged me to just keep my head high. There are other races. Stop trying to run, what will you achieve? It ain't even worth it. You don't have to keep on proving yourself over and over again. You need a break anyway. Stand straight when there are girls passing by so that you keep your poise and still look macho. Maybe they'll think we're 8 minute pacers or something. Ran into a real pacer, Second Wind proprietor/running sage Hector who stopped and gave me some advice on the injury along with some words of encouragement.
The 7k trek to the line was painful. The encouragement and light conversation made me feel so much better. Everyone was passing us at this point. Even Mary Genie passed us. We found it amusing that she was ahead of Tito Caloy, Coach and Neil . Good ol' Tito Caloy was gloating over the first ever time he would get ahead of me in a race. Okay maybe not. But he was genuinely concerned. Didn't matter anymore. I was good. Happy that a friend was actually there for me. As the sun was beating down, a 15/km walk pace told me that we would cover a mere 3k in 45 mins. Eek. As we neared the finish line, the rest of the Takbo.ph boys helped us pace the final km for added support. It looked like a scene from the Beat It video as we were approaching the finish line.
Now that's what you call team support!
Couldn't have done it without this guy.
As racuous cheers from the Takbo.ph gallery met two fallen gladiators, I couldn't help but wonder that in spite of my worst-ever finish, in spite of having to suffer the ignominy of walking the last 7k and limping through the finish line, I was actually happy. Happy that I didn't DNF when it was the easiest choice I could have ever made.Happy to see that in actuality, the spirit of friendship trumps the spirit of competitiveness when circumstances call for it. Lessons will be learnt from this race, and while my injury is showing blatant signs of ITBS I am hopeful for a strong comeback. I am truly thankful for being blessed with good friends who keep on popping up at an opportune time and help me get through. One day I'll make it up to you guys. Some days you just don't have it.
But on some days... .
It doesn't really matter at all.
Tito Caloy Quote of the Day:
"Habang tumatakbo ako meron kaming dalawang chiks na nakasalubong sabay sabi 'Hi Tito Caloy'! Ayos diba? Kahit di ko kakilala nag hi na din ako eh!"- On enjoying the trappings of newfound internet fame Philippine Blog Awards Verification Code : PBA09r4qqo72
"After 42.195 kilometers, everyone turns into furry animals with funny names" - Anonymous
Kilometer 52, somewhere in Bataan. 7 :17 am.
Nearing the halfway mark, one would somehow grasp a palpable sense of accomplishment having completed the ultra distance already. At this point, 99% of the population would have called it a day , limping gingerly to their cars while prepping for breakfast at Mcdo 32nd Street or Paul Calvin's. But alas, this wasn't BHS. We're not pampered pansies anymore. I'm right smack in the middle of nowhere with the heat steadily climbing. At this point, you're doggone tired. And yet, the lurid element about the whole thing is you have nearly have a day to do it all over again.
Still alive and strong at the 52k mark.
Kilometer 56, still somewhere in Bataan, I can't keep track of time anymore.
An essential rule that I apply is that before every race, make sure you have ample restroom time to unload whatever needs to be unloaded. Anxiety and excitement make for a potent tummy-churning mix. Unfortunately, the "posh" accommodations at our "hotel" weren't too inviting. Suffice to say, I ran on a full stomach. Which became even fuller after ingesting practically everything that was on my "buffet on wheels", some which were completely mismatched. Thus, something had to give at one time or another. Great. So after nearly 8 hours of running, I had to go. And that's where the fun started.
I couldn't allow this to happen to meh! Ewww. I knocked on the first house I saw. Here's a faithful transcript of the proceedings that followed :
GBM : Kuya, pwede ho bang makigamit ng CR? Kami ung tumatakbo mula Mariveles hanggang San Fernando.
Manong : Ay pagkalayo ah! O cge dito na lang pasok ka. Pero pagpasensiyahan mo na ang banyo namin.
(Opens door. Point to, er, a hole in the ground. Yeah. A hole in the ground)
GBM: Ah, ummm, ay kuya iihi lang sana ako eh!
Manong : Ah ganoon ba, akala ko dudumi ka?
GBM: Ay hindi ho, naiihi lang talaga!
Manong : Eh para saan yang tisyu?
GBM : Uuh, para sa pawis lang ho!
Manong : Whatever!! (okay maybe not, but something close to it) Well, this wasn't a purely kaartehan decision. Squatting over the Neanderthal-like hole could have run the risk of cramping me up. After all, 56 kilometers is 56 kilometers. So as I made a beeline for the exits, I just realized I had lost 10 seconds of precious pace over that. Ugh.
It's a hole in the ground for crying out loud.
Kilometer 57, still somewhere in Bataan. Time is the last thing on my mind right now.
I had AJ and the gang look for anywhere clean. This was slowly turning into a national catastrophe. Option number one- Funeraria Hidalgo. Pass. Option number two - a clubhouse inside a subdivision. Problem was, the clubhouse was at least 500 meters away from the gate along the highway. Great. I didn't even dare consider riding the car because obviously it isn't allowed. With the temperature steadily rising , the extra 1k did not help any. I was losing hard-fought time and pace with these detours.
To further exacerbate things, the efficascent oil that we had been using for rubdowns apparently did not jive well with my fancy P650 sunblock (ulk) and well, the sun itself. My legs felt like they were literally burning. Like you poured an entire bottle of Omega on it or something.Bad decision! Dang. By the time I had finished going to the restroom and had the efficascent oil washed out, I had lost more than 35 minutes already. Great.
It burns, it burns.Km 65, somewhere hot in Bataan. Around 10 am.
After that fiasco, crew chief AJ told me that Abby had just passed me. I hadn't seen her since the start of the race so I decided to catch up with her and say hi. At least I could somehow make up for some lost time. I tempo ran about 3k at 6:20 pace just to get to her. She was in full focus mode, and even my fun Gingerbread jokes would not work on her. She would later tell me that if she had any energy left, she would have punched me in the face. Smirk.For a certain stretch, we were going back and forth. I would leave her, then she would catch up as Aj and RV would methodically hose me down and drape me in ice-cold towels because the heat was somewhat of a joke already. It was fun though, because it was like we were sharing two support cars. Carina, Joni and Z all helped immensely in hosing me down and giving me foodies.
Shared support rocks!
Good morning towels save the day!Abby had a crazy yet effective strategy that entailed NOT STOPPING at all. She even brushed her teeth while on the go. Amazing.
Amazing!
Eating the dust of intense Abby.
Taking up the cudgels for alpha males everywhere.
Km 70, somewhere very, very hot in Bataan. I could care less what time it is.
It's hot. Really hot. Exag hot. Scrambled eggs on the pavement hot. Somehow, I couldn't quite describe to you how ridiculously hot it was that day. Only later on were we informed that the heat actually hit 41 degrees on the thermostat. If you factor in the heat seeping out from the asphalt, it could have easily been hotter.
HOT. The only way I was able to survive was by being soaked in ice cold towels and being hosed down head to foot every 10 minutes. Everything was starting to look like a mirage. I was starting to be extremely crabby brat to my crew already. I refused to eat anything, even a Jollibee spaghetti that would have been yummy in ordinary conditions. AJ was force feeding me, and I would throw away food when he wasn't looking (heheh).
I hate GBM... .
Need a hosedown...
More hosedowns... .
It came to a point where my words had escaped me already... ..
Km 72, I don't know where the crap I am. It's time... to quit? No. NO. NO!!!! Just as I was settling into some semblance of a comfortable second wind along with a good rhythm with the crew, I felt a familiar pain on the outer edge of my left knee. Visions of walking the last 12k of Globe Run For Home last year came flooding in. No. Not today. Please. As the dreaded pangs of ITBS started to kick in, I was panicking inside. I have 3/4 of a marathon to go, I can't put weight on my knee anymore. A combination of frustration, panic, exhaustion and sleep deprivation suddenly all kicked in, and before I knew it the tears were welling. Good thing RV's shades provided my macho image some decent cover. How the crap was I supposed to finish this thing?? Sob. Sniffle. Mommyy.
End of the road for GBM?I was at an all-time emotional low. Depression. Angst. Abby just ate away at the lead I had built. Now she was gone. Everyone was passing me. Doc Art and Argow were going strong as I struggled mightily to catch up. Alas, my body simply had nothing left to offer. And here I was, legs pretty much a useless pile of rubber. I was already thinking of a lame excuse for not finishing. Sigh.
Thank God for AJ. As my best bud/crew chief, his calm and rational words implored me to solider on when I couldn't get up for the count anymore. Check your competitive streak at the door. Forget your lead. Pace. Time. Whatever. Forget who passed you. That doesn't even matter now. The one thing you should be concentrating on is to finish this race in one piece. We didn't go all this way just to see you quit. Later on he would tell me that he should have watched all the inspirational movies he could, because he was running out of lines. Lol.
Good thing AJ watched a pirated DVD beforehand. Ice. Massage. Tourniquet. Prayers.
And the madness continues.
Bromance of the year?
Kilometer 80. I saw the Lito Lapid Sign So This Must Be Pampanga.
Kilometer 72 to 80 was probably the roughest stretch of the entire race for me. The pain on my knee was immense, and I was continually on the verge of quitting. Everything seemed to grind to a standstill, inch by painstaking inch seemingly rendered in stop-motion animation. What felt like five kilometers was in reality only one. In my deranged, sleep-deprived state I was admonishing the crew for being too far in between stops (to aspiring BDM support crew out there, it's an occupational hazard). I told them, Every 500 meters!!! I would learn later on that they were actually waiting for me at 200 meter intervals. Oops.
Crunch Time in Pampanga.
Kilometer 82. People speaking in tongues. I think I just saw Grimace in front of me. 2pm?
Fading. Fading badly. At this juncture, I feel like there's nothing left in the tank. I must have fallen asleep while running, as i was jarred back to consciousness by the afterburn of a bus that was about 2 feet away from me. I felt like climbing an summit-less Everest. I was all alone, and weird thoughts were starting to get into my head. Like, !@@##$%%!!!! was I doing this to myself???!!!
Enter Mark. A regular pacemate during the road race season, this athletic wunderkind seems to never tire at all. At just the precise moment that I was completely spacing out, his presence helped me greatly. The casual conversation took me out of my zombie-like state, and just having someone around seemed to have a tremendous effect on my sanity. We felt like we were in some bizarre reality show, and we would somehow manage to alternate between incessant laughter and incessant whining. Heading into the homestretch, I was really liking our chances.
Move over Marc and Rovilson?
Cat walking BDM? Kilometer 87. Guagua,Pampanga. Need air. At this point,we were alternating between giving up and giving a motivational speech to one another. The heat wasn't cutting us any slack at all. We were trying to play the numbers game if we would still make cutoff. We sure were a sorry sight, me stopping every 5 minutes due to the ITB, Mark due to severe cramps. Our run-walk ratio was plummeting by the minute, two warriors extended to the very limit. At a certain juncture Mark just sat on the sidewalk and said he was giving up, he didn't care if he would be swept anymore.
Being able to empathize with what he was going through, I gave him my best Braveheart, pain-is-temporary-quitting-is-forever speech. And soon after he was shuffling along behind me again. Pure blood and guts. It was winning time, and suddenly all of the stopovers we were making had made it into a race against time.
William Wallace is da man Kilometer 92. San Fernando, Pampanga. Two and a half hours to finish 10k.
From this point on, everything seems like a blur to me. From what I recall, I lost Mark, there were people fighting in the eskinita ( !@#$^!! wag mong bastusin gerlpren ko pare!!) and the pain in my left knee grew in intensity with each pause. My crew was pulling out all the stops to ensure that I made it. The pain was incredible. But to quit this near, after all that you've been through? No way in hell. If you told me that I had to roll down the road just to fini sh, I would have.
Don't even think about it GBM.
Kilometer 101. City Capitol. 4:50 pm. 36 straight hours of lucidness. Mariveles. San Fernando. Finally, the insanity was coming to an end. At that precise moment in time, nothing seemed to matter anymore. Just sheer unbridled joy at making it through this life-altering journey, along with tremendous gratitude towards those who had made it possible. Words escape me now. I had said too much anyway, and those of you who had made it this far must be deathly bored.
The high is like nothing you could ever experience. Nothing even comes close. BDM is a beast. I must have told myself I'll never ever do this again at least 20 times. It humbles you. It strips you down and swallows you whole. It changes you.
After all that I just went through, only then did I understand the intricacy of it all.Why these warriors go through all that pain. That suffering. Why would they willingly subject themselves to that type of punishment over and over again?
The long journey over... At that precise moment in time, as I was approaching the finish line, as I was hearing all the cheers, it all made perfect sense. It's not something that can be encapsulated by a mere scribe's hyperbolic lamentations. It's something you have to experience yourself. So with that said... .
First off, thanks to all who joined. Your support for our site is much appreciated. To my friends who are expecting a lutong macaw sorta thing, sorry you have to bribe me with more food next time :P
Anyway, the winner was determined by an algorithm courtesy of Random.org, and I merely put in a subset from 1 to 78, which was the total number of comments for this post. If it falls on a post wherein I replied to your comment, that counts as a win as well.
So the first drawing goes to... ...
The 36th comment, which is Clint Benjie. Congratulations!
The 2nd drawing goes to... ..
Congratulations to Chelle, or Chelle Belle on Twitter.
You could all get in touch with me through Facebook or Twitter on how to get your prizes asap. Till next time everyone!
Main Entry: sin·glet Pronunciation: \ˈsiŋ-glət\ Function: noun Date: circa 1746
1 chiefly British : an athletic jersey; also : a collarless men's undergarment for the upper part of the body
Mr. Webster looks good in his old-school singlet
Chiefly British. Hmmm. Why was I not surprised? Only those dudes could take the sando and make it sound so sosy.So you're a singlet Ho. Yeah, admittedly. As I was writing my previous piece on newbie gaffes, I had mentioned there that the Adidas KOTR's singlet had taken my fancy. It's much akin to what you could buy at a store for like 700 or 800 bucks, and under that prevailing logic not only can you get the fancy singlet for a much cheaper price, you get a free fancy race as well.
As far as I know, you can get the singlets at their Running Expo this Saturday and Sunday at Megamall's Megatrade Hall, some ginormous event with fashion shows, running clinics and seminars. Not bad for 500 bucks eh? But dang, I can't wait that long! UGH. Must ... . get... hands... . on ... . KOTR singlet... ..
I still likey. NOW. Anyway, my thought process was jarred from its otherwise halcyon state as the ghosts of singlets past suddenly came back to haunt me. Singlets come in all shapes and sizes. Some are training-run worthy, some go straight to the bottom shelf cabinet for posterity. Others are spectacular, while most just plain suck. I've even come across some that are "large" but couldn't fit my younger sister if I had one.
With that in mind, I'll try to run you through some of the singlets that I have come across in the past, and how they measure up.
Takbo.ph Well, for me its still the coolest singlet ever, and I'm not just saying that because Boss Jinoe will fire me if I dont :P Our unofficial uniform during Sunday races, it's the "legacy" limited edition singlet that was given during the Condura Run Carbo-Loading Party several months back. I bet the singlet would do very well on the black market :P
The Airspeed Run Anyone remember this? This came from the era where Coach Rio was dabbling in the utilitarian, "tipid meals shut up and dont whine you only paid 250 bucks for this" style of singlet. I mean seriously, ask anyone. These were virtually unwearable in real life. Fabric was substandard, and even after losing like 30 pounds I still could not squeeze myself into one. Sigh, the good ol' days.
Men's Health Miracle Run Still remains to be one of my personal favorites. Was well made, had a cool design, and was an upgrade over the shirt that came with the first incarnation. Everyone was raving about it.. until they turned the singlet and saw a big "Frenzy" logo there. So much for wholesome family running fun. Oh, and yeah I'm still waiting for the official results.
Auto Review Run
Did you run this? Thought so too. But this is where my singlet hoeness came to the forefront. Saw the jpegs, thought it was awesome, left the office to register even if I had absolutely no intention of running it. Was somewhat disappointed with its substandard material and weird fit. Tito Caloy had fun running the race though.
Botak Ultramarathon 50k Milestone run for me, and wonderful, personalized singlet that elicited quite a stir at the time. I still sleep with it under my pillow at night.
Globe Run For Home I remember. Everyone was so excited about this race.Including me. First mainstream disposable chip-timed race. I was so excited that I risked running this on no training and still in recovery. Blew out my ITB as a result . Anyway, just as excitement was reaching fever pitch, the Coach Rio version 2.0 singlet was released. And tadah! Amidst tremendously high expectations, collective jaws dropped. Nuff said.
So with all these in mind, this finally brings us to...
Adidas King of the Road Yahoo! Yay! Prayers answered! It's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Fit is wonderful too! It rocks so much that I may very well ghost register someone just to get a spare, in case something happens to it. Haha just kidding of course. Yeah. Haha.
But if you do see me on Saturday or Sunday at Megatrade Hall, let's just make it our dirty little Gingerbread secret okay? :P
If you have any "vintage"singlets you may want to see the light of day, send me images through the Gingerbread Mailbox on the home page and lets do something fun with it :)
Friday, 10:38 pm. Sleep. As I write this, conventional wisdom would bring me an immediate, sharp rebuke. I'm supposed to be in bed already, resting up for what is shaping up to be the biggest race of my life. While most of my friends who will be likewise running are already comfortably holed up in their Bataan hotels, I'll still be in Manila attending to inescapable work commitments through the morning. Awesome.
BDM. Daunting. Last year, just running this prestigious race seemed like a far-fetched delusion at best. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that it would actually be a reality this year. The Bataan Death March 102k Ultramarathon is without a doubt the longest individual road race in the country, and poses a daunting challenge to even the most seasoned runners. Just being in the company of these tremendous endurance athletes is already an honor in itself.
We're running in their honor.
Friday, 10:55 pm. Madness. Ask most people what they are doing this weekend, and you'll get a plethora of answers that range from "Movie lang" to "Kain tulog tambay". I can guarantee that "Running from Mariveles, Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga for 18 hours" is an answer that is highly unlikely to crop up.
Common reactions range from :
"Bro, may problema ka ba? Want to talk about it?"
"Are you seryosss??!!"
"Pwede namang magkotse!"
"Pang baliw na yun ah!"
"Sana manalo ka!"
"Ang aga ng penitensya ah!"
Madness. Madness I say.
Friday, 11:06 pm. Anxiety. 24 hours from now, the biggest street party we'll ever be part of will commence. For the past few weeks, nothing has dominated my daily life more than this life-changing event. The word "BDM" seems to come out of my mouth every 30 seconds. I can barely function in the real world. Even if I tried to, I'm pretty sure it's a pretty bad acting job. Everyone seems to be getting sick from the anxiety, both figuratively and literally. My world is at a standstill, eagerly awaiting my day of reckoning.
I can hardly wait.
Friday, 11:30. Preparation. My thought process is gradually grinding to a standstill. Right now, so many things in my head that I can't think straight anymore. I don't even know if this article will be coherent anymore. But in hindsight, after nearly 14 or 15 hours of continuous running, I don't think anything will be anyway. In those moments of darkness, I know I have two marathons in two weeks to fall back on, an 8 hour long run, and running from 12nn - 3:30 pm in the scorching desolation that was the final 15k of the route. Would that be enough? No idea. But... . it has to be.
Of course, nothing like the real thing. Friday, 11:45. Support. While my team mates have support crews stocked with runners, I have a crew with more experience in competitive drinking than running. It's led by the immortal internet legend Tito Caloy ( to newer followers of my site, check this out for clarity), my best buddy/de facto crew chief AJ (a former UAAP Volleyball MVP whose only running experience was this year's Animo Run 5k), and his friend that I've never even met before. Seriously, I don't even know the guy. I heard he's nice though. I had them agree to crew for me while they were all drunk and Pacquiao was pummeling Cotto like hell. Now that's what I call good strategy.
Dealbreaker question : Pwede namang uminom sa oto ung suporta mo diba? Friday, 11:55. To a higher power. Getting really sleepy. Heck, I'm not even sure if you guys would even actually get to read this. But with just a few hours before the madness begins, I felt I've done as much as I could to prepare for this. I leave it all up to HIM now. For only he could give me the strength I need to overcome the tremendous physical and mental challenges I will be facing. There's simply no other way.
Saturday, 6:25. D-Day . I could barely sleep last night. Even listening to 98 Degrees didn't help. I'm giving a talk in an hour, and I haven't even showered yet. To help exacerbate nerves, for some reason I signed up for Globe's Superduo thing. Now I can call my crew one to sawa while out there without worrying about load. And I get a landline number that directs to my cel too. Cool.
Now I feel just like one of em' Sun people. People often ask me, why do you do this? Why run 102 kilometers for 18 hours? Why subject yourself to this tremendous physical task? Same reason why people are so obsessed with summiting Everest. Because it's there. And as long as it's there, it will always bug me incessantly until I conquer it. Also, I was always curious if everyone really turns into cute, furry animals with funny names Km 70 onwards. Anyway, I'm running late. Enough said. Thank you all for the support, prayers, and kind words, I truly appreciate it. I think I could say I'm at peace already.
The Fit and Fun Wellness Buddy Run was supposed to be an opportunity for friends and family to come together, take a brief respite from the trappings of everyday running and just go out there and have a blast by running as a pair. While this doesn't beat the novelty of having to eat six donuts over the course of a race (yum) it was supposed to give a fresh take on your usual weekend race. I had my sights set on Tito Caloy as my buddy (think of all the fun comedy anecdotes I could have used as material) but alas...
Lady at Robinson's Pioneer Customer Service : Ay Sir wala na pong slot
GBM : Pero... . last day ngayon diba? *sob*
LRPCS : Oo, pero ubos na ang slots eh.
GBM : *sob*
Thus, I had to grimly relay the info to Tito Caloy... . He must be crestfallen.
Tito Caloy : O, naicancel ko na lahat ng gimik ko! Kundisyon na ako! Game !
GBM: Tito, naubusan tayo ng slots . Sigh.
TC : Ay sakto kakatext lang ni pareng Ambo diyan sa may Griarte bertday daw eh! Cge txt2 na lang!
GBM: (well that didn't take long)
So great. I'll be stuck without a race for the weekend. As much as I wanted to pace Tito Caloy, my ulterior motive was to somehow whip myself back to shape coming from the layoff necessitated by the Botak Ultra. So imagine how happy I was when Takbo.ph denizen Lucille/ Ohm Runner had advised me that her hubby's partner had backed out. I felt fortunate that amongst those who had offered their "services" as a late sub she picked me :) We met the day before at Go Nuts Donuts for the bib and singlet , a veritable EB of sorts as I have never met her before.
Lucille : It's up to you to take care of my hubby
GBM : Of course! Any targets?
Lucille : His best time was a 1:10... .
GBM : So it's a sub 70 then! Game !
Lucille : Thank you. Any PR wold be a tremendous bonus.
GBM: I will try my best... ..
To make a long story short, I would be running the buddy run not with a buddy... but with a total stranger...
Pre-Race
I'm running late. I cannot be late for this. I have a buddy. I don't know him. But it should be fun. I just drove from Ortigas to Fort in 5 mins. I could have sworn the cops would have given me a ticket. Whew. Made it. It's starting late apparently. The usual suspects here. And... hey! It's Doc Iris! Finally meet her! She's... tall in person! Someone's calling... wait... . It's Argow...
GBM : Yes Argow?
Argow : Shet man!
GBM : Wha?
Argow: I just woke up!
GBM: Yeah, sad. Why you calling me?
Argow: I hooked up on the board! Last minute sub! And I'm here! He's there! Waaaaah! WWaaaaah! WAAAH! Um, is there anyone who could sub for me? WAAAAH!
GBM: Geez, I don't know man. We're starting in like 5 mins... .
Argow : Waaaah!
I finally met my buddy minutes before we were to start. Until that point he was only known as "Lucille's Husband" . I must have repeated this a gazillion times to the Takbo.ph gang...
Takbo.ph friend : Hey who's your buddy?
GBM: Lucille's Husband! I'm a late sub!
TF : Who's Lucille?
Carlo was his name. Much better than "Lucille's Husband" right? . I asked him his targets, he said he just wanted to treat it as his long run. He didn't want to push because he wanted to run the Globe 21k next week. But Lucille said sub 70... And how can he finish 21k if he doesn't push on a mere 10k? My competitive juices started flowing, a diabolical plan was hatched to tow my new buddy into new running heights.
"Lucille's Husband" now had a face behind the name
We're Going Too Fast! Km 1 - 5
So it's my first time to ever pace someone at an actual race and it's my first time to run at a significantly slower pace. My adrenalin was killing me. As you may or may not know, I'm a notorious positive splitter for short to medium distance races. This rubbed off on our pace, and as much as I was trying to take it slow, it still resulted in a 6:24 pace that was too fast for my new friend. He was doing quite well first 3 - 4k, then was starting to gas already. We had passed Takbo.ph first couple Jinoe and Que, injured diva Vicky and matinee idol Bong Z as well as Timmy and Joyce so I figured heck , we must be going a bit fast.
Bong and Vix on their "leisurely" pace
Wait, did they just stop in the middle of the road for photo-op? Buddy Carlo was starting to grumble already, much to my consternation and embarassment.
"This is hard!"
"This is too fast this ain't my pace!"
"You're a maniac!"
Little did he know, it was all part of the plan... ..
A Final Push. Km 6- 10
In order to diffuse any unneccessary weirdness, I resorted to humoring buddy Carlo with mundane, useless questions to take his mind off the pain and exhaustion. Things like...
What's your wedding date with Lucille?
Where was your first date?
What's the zodiac sign of your kid?
When was your first kiss?
If someone were to play you in a movie, who would it be and why?
Who you like better, Rustom or BB?
Think Doc Hayden would come up with new material soon?
Despite my best efforts, best buddy Carlo said he was gassing. He was not enjoying this at all! He had to take a walk break. Which was great because... . that was part of the plan. Aha! Pacing with positive split people has its advantages... like slacking off during the 2nd half. The walk breaks , the rest pace splits - all were taken into consideration *evil grin*. We actually had a 31 minute 5k. More than enough to time to recover. *moral victory* After a kilometer or so of walking, we were back on track. A run/walk strategy lowered our pace to about 6:47, but were right on track. He was feeling much better, which was a good thing...
I am not liking this Gingerbread charcter ...
Evil Gingerbread pacer dude
With the finish line in sight, buddy Carlo was seriously gassing. He wanted to walk last hundred meters. I told him just 300 meters to go! 200! It's just one more minute of misery in exchange for a week of glory! I shared the mantra that pushes me through the last 500 meter fade. Must have struck a chord, as me and best buddy Carlo finished strong to a 1:08:50 finish on our Garmins, a new PR for him! Mission accomplished! Congratulations to main man Carlo! Wohoo!
I survived the GBM Pace Experience!
Overall, the race was an organized success. Extribe did a wonderful job with it, we should see them more often. Generous goodie bags at the end were pretty impressive as well.
Niceties were given, congratulations exchanged. Old records fell by the wayside. The essence of the Buddy Run is reflected in a synergy of enthusiasm... .
Love... .
Smiles... ..
Fun... ..
and the pursuit of excellence... .
We may have not breached any of those in an hour, but rest assured the fundamental element was built that day... ..
I started the race with a complete stranger. I ended it with a complete stranger. I just so happen to know some weird things about him now. Goodbye Carlo. We ran the good race. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. See you around...
