BDM 102: Unfinished Business
Prologue
I was hoping this year, I would go full circle : from being a pacer during the 1st Bataan Death March Ultramarthon, support crew driver last year and finally a finisher.
Well, what can I say ? Just like all those who have hoped to finish their first 102km race , I stood at the starting line happy that finally all these months of hardships are coming to an end as the realization of owning my first ever BDM trophy draws near – only to find out later that it wasn’t meant to be.
Preparation
Perhaps anybody who would run their first 102 km race will really seriously train months ahead for it – I followed the schedule , I did my best to gain mileage – no rain nor spells of sleepiness would get in my way to train; I figured that I should also train for sleeplessness since the race would start late in the evening and eventually end late in the afternoon.
I even joined endurance activities like “THE” fat-ass and joined midnight runs of ultra runner friends who were preparing for their 1st BDM 100 miler – not even supernatural manifestations stopped me then.
Every week was ultra distance weekend for me as training required me to run an ultra marathon distance every weekend.
For the mental part, I already had a goal- I was dead set on finishing it the earliest time possible: I have already strategized how to handle the first 7 kilometers as well as the rolling terrain of the first 20+ kilometers.
Everything was planned : from my apparel, my running shoes, my first aid kit , my food and hydration up to how long it should take me to reach Abucay, my pace until I reach KM 80 and how to struggle with the last 22k.
For recovery : I tapered and slept well before the race.
Support Crew
I couldn’t wish for a better support crew, I had two ultra-runners (isko Lapira and Rico Cabusao) who had just finished their 100 miler a week before and of course : “The Manager”.
They were perfect – in spite of all my complaints, they were all there to help with the best of their abilities.
Setbacks
I was a bit feverish before the start of last year’s Rizal Day 32k run, but since I was already in Camp Aguinaldo, I decided to run anyway thinking that it might just be one of those days. When I got home that afternoon, I already had flu – the weird part is that I only feel like this during the afternoon, so on the third day, I had myself checked. Luckily it wasn’t dengue. However, I ended up with pneumonitis and had to rest for about a week – just in time for Fat Ass.
That was what I could consider a minor setback, what followed that was a deal breaker which I didn’t realize until it was too late: 3 weeks before race day, I was supposed to complete a 40km training run, everything was fine for the first 35 km – until I felt a stinging pain in my left ankle up to my shin.
The worst part is instead of calling it a day, I limped all the way until I reached the house. I put ice over it and thought that everything was ok.
Two days after that, we walked around 2 kms near the office during lunch break – it was supposed to be the beginning of heat training as I decided to run during lunch break a few days after that.
Everything was fine until around the time I got back to the office : my shin was painful again.
I had my leg massaged and rested for about a week before running again. This time ,I have drastically cut my mileage and speed – they were just slow jogs.
A week before the race, I was the designated driver of the support vehicle for Isko’s 100 miler. During the course of which, I felt a lingering pain in the same injured area – I bandaged it and everything seemed to be fine.
With that, I rested for the entire week.
Race Day
We arrived at Jollibee Mariveles at 5 pm – we were all relaxed. Dinner was two servings of steamed rice and fried chicken.
I wasn’t as nervous as I expected to be at the starting line, in fact I was enjoying the party atmosphere. I was hoping that the shin support that I am wearing would be able to perform well .
As expected with all of BR’s races, there were no frills – after the simple starting ceremony, everybody was on their way to get their trophy.
Hoping not to aggravate my shin, I walked the steep uphills of the 1st 6 kms and ran the downhill part – I was so relaxed and felt strong during the first 20+ kilometers – I had no complaints, everything was perfect : the support crew , the weather , and best of all – no pain.
Manifestation
At around the 32 km marker, I had slight hints of how things were going to be during the latter part of the race : the pain on my left shin had started to appear again. I would stop from time to time in order to relax my leg and then run again.
I have noticed that while I am running, the pain would disappear – it was during the walk breaks that the pain would hit me worst.
Abucay
I have reached Abucay in a little over 8 hours. I stayed there for around 7 mins : in that short span of time my crew have assisted me in changing my attire as well as my running shoes. By this time I have also removed the shin support on my right leg (but didn’t remove the one on my left due to the pain) as I won’t be needing it anymore since the remaining part of the route is flat. To my surprise, I still feel strong – I don’t know if this was due to tapering, the training or the run walk breaks.
I was so hyped up at this point that I was sure that I could reach the 80 Km mark in 12 hours.
52.
I brisk walked for about 50 meters after leaving the halfway point due to the pain – I was hoping I could use the same strategy I have used for the last 18km – run off the pain.
By the time I reached Km 52 I realized that it won’t work anymore : the pain doesn’t disappear when I run anymore.
This was the time I felt my dream slowly slipping away : so much that at km 55, I was already calling it quits. My crew did everything to keep me going -they rubbed all kinds of pain killers on the injured part – but the pain won’t go away.
The moral support was overwhelming: I can say that they did everything to keep me going. I even received very supportive sms from other ultra runner friends : George, Jonel, Jomar, Arman, Abet, Jeff.
At this point, I had toilet issues as well as overwhelming pain issues : I sat and watched the other runners overtake me until I reached the point when I met Erwin of Team Boring who was also injured – we traversed the fire roads of the route until we reached Km 77.
Reality check
My support crew noticed that it took us one hour to travel from km 76 to km 77. They calculated that at the rate we are going, it would take us around 6 hours to reach KM post 102 - way beyond the cut-off time .
At this point , we all decided to call it quits : my first ever official DNF.
Erwin pushed on and reached the finish line with a time of 22+ hours.
Me and my support crew - Isko and Rico
This is my trophy for finishing 77 KMs. I decided to leave it there because it was too heavy. Hehehe
Moral
Of course I am disappointed – who wouldn’t be?
During the first part of the run I repeated a part of the lyrics of the song Hellrider by Sabaton in my mind over and over again :
“If it is too hard, then you are too weak – you are in our way”
However, I came to realize that I wasn’t that weak. Sure I felt agonizing pain, but that was just that. There were also blisters – but they were minimal compared to the number of blisters which usually punish me.
Although apparently, I am not mentally tough as I thought I am – I ‘ll need to work on this more.
Diagnosis
After almost two weeks of not being able to walk properly without using my shin support ( I wear them to work) I had myself checked at the Philippine Orthopedic Institute – and here is the official word : I have shin splints.
I am scheduled for therapy 3 x a week for four weeks. Now, the problem is this: with my hectic work schedule, will the office allow me to attend all PT sessions ?
Ergo
BDM is a runner’s race. I’ll be back next year to set the record straight. *gulp* 
100 km, Bataan Death March, Philippine Association of Ultra Runners, Ultra Marathon
