Sunday Morning Run

 

Today, I'm moving out of the hotel and into one of the company's staffhouses which are actually condo units. I haven't run again in KLCC since last Monday and the only running I can afford is on the treadmill which I have only done in a few minutes. Talk about having an attention span of a 3-year-old.


I ran in KLCC at night last Monday so I wasn't able to fully appreciate its beauty. But this time, I was able to admire its awesomeness in broad daylight. I like the abundance of trees along the running trail. The fresh air that envelopes the area. And of course, the Petronas towers hovering over us like giant doting gods. 

I finished a 10km run with a time of 1:03. This is the longest run I had since the Rexona Run in Manila. Afterwards, I pigged out on the hotel's buffet breakfast table and tried to do a few laps in the hotel's pool. I could have done more but I stretched my glute and had to just dip in the water.


Till the next run!

Bitoy Running in KL

Petronas towers view from KLLC park (inset: view from my hotel room)

I just arrived in KL yesterday. While I am excited to start a new phase in my ho-hum life, I am sad to leave my family and friends in the Philippines. I think I did not get to spend as much time with them as I wanted to since I was busy preparing. I got my visa and clearance just last week so some 'me' time was close to nil. But at least, I got to see most of my dear ones before I leave.

Anyway, I started work today with a bunch of other crazy pinoys. It was a bit overwhelming to get to understand the new environment I'll be having for the next years or so. So to cope with all the stress and all the other emotions and at least to make a running comeback after being sidelined for two weeks, I decided to do a short run. I have an obstructed view of the Petronas towers from my hotel room so I was wondering how it would look like uhm, unobstructed. So I ran from my hotel--with always the fear of being lost--and found my way in KLCC Park. 

It was in the evening so I really can't see well. But I can see there are lots of trees and there's a man-made lake. But the best come-on of the park is the perfect view of the Petronas. I remember a sappy movie I saw a year ago where one of the character likened the towers to two people holdings hands. I wish I could metaphorize the tower at this moment but I think I would have to save that later.

I enjoyed running for thirty minutes in this park teeming with trees and has a running trail. And with the Petronas towers hovering over me, it couldn't get any better.

Running for Deodorant and a new PR for a pikermi

It's me already!

I think I already mentioned that my first fun run was with Runrio through the Century Tuna Superbods Run in Feb of 2010. This year I didn't have a race through runrio so I saw it fitting that the last fun run I'm going to join is one that is organized by Coach Rio. I was to sign up for Yamaha in early July but I ran out of slots. Aside from the race singlet and race bib, registrants also get the chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the Great Wall of China. How cool is that?


It felt surreal to be back on a really big mainstream race of 10,000 plus registrants. I felt weird while waiting on the start area where I am surrounded with 1,000 other strong 21k runners. I just got used to joining races where I was to run with only a few hundred people. 


Anyway, after the pleasantries, we were off to run around Mall of Asia to somewhere in Manila and back.


I just got back from a 60K ultra road race the week before and my right knee hurt a lot after. After a few days, the pain lessened but I could still feel it whenever I run. So I think one thing I did consciously while running was to pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. I was praying that my knee won't hurt. That I would make it to the finish line uninjured.


I also got to finish the race without music. While it's comforting to listen to my favorite ditties while running, I found it more quintessential to train doing long runs where I could listen well to my body. 


I was gunning for sub-2 finish. With all the fear of being injured, I thought I wouldn't bag it. I was gallowaying for the first 13kms with a ratio of 6:1. Then decided to run straight to the finish line. And the last line just made it sound easy when it's not. I was a buzzer beater with my finish of 1:59:39--mere 21 seconds less than 2 hours. But it's all good. I remember finishing the race all wet as I doused myself in the latter part of the race in almost all aid stations we pass by.


The race was well organized as expected of a Runrio race. My only complaint was the long queues in the activity area. Imagine running kilometers and kilometers of road and then being baked under the sun just to register for their activities like wall climbing, reverse bungee, zipline, etc. Then, queuing again for each activity booth. It was great to have these post-race activities but the sponsors should have took into consideration the number of registrants they were expecting who'll try these activities.


Anyhow, it was a great race for me. So that's all that matters.

PAU Fort Magsaysay 60K Ultra Marathon Challenge: Surviving on 'Ice Water' and Big Charity

Me and Sir Jovie at the Finish Line

I am accused of being wordy. And I am. The original title should have been: PAU Fort Magsaysay 60K Ultra Marathon Challenge: Surviving on 'Ice Water' and Big Charity. And singing some Fleetwood Mac Songs in My Head.

No, Charity is not a person.

I am running out of reasons to say on why I run a race. Words are failing me miserably. I want to channel George Mallory and use the because-it's-there alibi. But I've used that before. So let me chalk it up to experience and camaraderie. Not bad, huh? 


Wait, and then there is my dad who was celebrating his birthday on that day. That explains why I was wearing a Milo singlet for my dad who's a namesake of the famous energy drink.

With some help from the ever generous Team Intensity, getting to Fort Magsaysay was almost hassle-free. The only hassle that presented itself mostly in the race was my lack of sleep. And being undertrained. And I know it's a wrong mentality, but I threw caution to the wind and joined the madness.

As soon as fireworks were set off, off we, a hundred plus runners, scrambled like mice in a maze. Some dashed off while some of us took it slowly conserving lots and lots of energies for the 60 kilometers of pavements to tread. 

The plan was to run/walk with a 6:1 ratio for the first 40 kms. Then, 5:2 on the next 10 and then 4:3 on the last 10 kms. But that didn't happen. 

Blame it on the uphills and the sweltering heat. And the exhaustion. And the hunger. And so on and so forth. Alright, I'll stop the griping.

Route

I started slowly being faithful to the planned walk/ratio up to the 4th kilomer. Then, we faced our first big uphill. Then, there was this downhill so steep that if I lost control I'd probably be rolling like a barrel. The rest of the route is sloping with great views of the lush countryside. From Palayan City in Nueva Ecija to Dingalan, Aurora, our eyes were treated to lots and lots of greens. 

I should also mention that the route is pretty much straight forward with almost an nonexistent room to get lost. But that doesn't apply to me since I have a proclivity for being lost. But luckily, I didn't get lost this time.

Support crew and surviving on ice water and alms

I was adopted by Team Intensity from the onset of the race and was with them til the fourth kilometer. Till I lost them. Or they lost me. Not sure which came first. Then, I got worried from then on. 

Good thing, I was bringing some pesos with me and bought water, softdrinks from numerous sari-sari stores as I see them in the road. 

Ice water. Not sure who thought of calling them ice water or ice tubig. But this is basically water placed in a tube plastic used in making ice, placed in the freezer and are sold before they turn into ice. 

And then there was charity. I was practically begging for water, ice and other provisions. Kindhearted support crew shared with me what should have been for their runners. I remember getting water and Pocari from Jonel Mendoza, Team CB and Team Ungas. A fellow runner named Eric who made me eat his dust shared with me his salt and banana. 


The Walking Rod and I Am Number 26

I was treading on long enough doing a mixture of run and walk but for the most parts, walk until I only had 15kms left. And that's when it happened. My right knee started to hurt that made walking even difficult. I rallied on until I saw a huge stick and picked it up to aid me in my walking. I looked funny but who cares? I threw it away upon seeing the finish line which took forever to appear. Then there was the imprinting on the number 26. When I knew I was finishing 26th, I rallied on so that no one would overtake me. A friend of mine was born on a 26th and got married on the 26th of July. So, thinking about it being a perfect gift for her made me think stronger even when I was on the verge of giving up. And soon enough, crossing the proverbial finish line after being baked under the Nueva Ecija sun for 8 hours and 43 minutes could never be sweeter. I was welcomed by Sir Jovie aka Baldrunner, posed for some pics and rested for a bit.

Soon after, Kharl a member of Team Intensity finished and we had lunch while waiting for the other team members. After a while, Arman and after a longer while, Jeje and Nap arrived. Victory was all around.

Coincidentally, this is my last ultra-race in the Philippines before moving elsewhere. And it could not get any better. 


I did mention about Fleetwood Mac playing in my head. There are two songs. Songbird and Landslide. But between the two, the latter gets me more with the lines 'But time makes me bolder, Children get older. I'm getting older too."


PS. I would have not made it to the finish without the help of the following people:
Arman - for letting me hitch in his auto
Team Intensity (Jeje, Kharl, Nap, Arman and their support crew, Mitch and Malou) for adopting me into their team. Hope to run with them again if I get to visit Manila.
Team Ungas, Team CB (Maridol), Jonel, Eric for generously sharing me their provisions