If you would ask me, the 9 hour trip was worth it : everything is clean- the trails especially.  It’s as if the farther you are from the Metro, the nearer you are to paradise.

Course Map

This is the first time I have seen a tree like this in Luzon

This is the view from the starting line. Can you imagine how cold it is in the summit ?

Let's get ready to rumble

View from the trail at sunrise

What else can I say ?

Henry having a hard time accepting we have to pass this route twice. This is where we got lost earlier

The summit, finally! For a brief moment, the sun decided to show itself.

Finished! ... Excited for my next trail

This one is perfect. The route wasn’t so difficult, the trails are 90% runnable even when wet. For the aid stations, they contain exactly what a trail runner needs : softdrinks, natural spring water from the mountain itself, bread, chocolate, biscuits and electrolyte drinks.

Well, too bad .. bandits aren't allowed in this race. Maybe next time, they should register early

As with any adrenaline related activity, equipment and apparel are important. I don’t think I would have enjoyed the run as much if i had used any other shoe. This is my first time to use lightweight shoes in an actual race – and the thing is ,  I haven’t actually ran in this pair before.  So imagine how happy I am when instead of giving me problems , it actually gave me my best trail run experience yet. The traction on this shoe is superb, even in wet trails! New Balance 101 is  simply the best!

Trail shoes come and go. This one left a lasting impression on me - lightweight and sturdy.

Training

About  a month ago, the Company I work for decided to join Corporate Games Manila 2012 and I was part of the running team.  So the interval training we did also helped in my performance for this race. I think running also on hilly roads while I was in Sydney (thanks cuz for letting me stay in your house) also helped strengthen my legs a bit for the 1KM assualt to the summit.

The 20k route

Kudos to Frontrunner Magazine for this event!

For my 30k run this morning, I spent 20 bucks for a 300 ML bottle of Pocari Sweat  and 15 bucks for a 500 ML bottle of water.

Hmmm …

Running in the rain can be an enjoyable experience – it is way better than running under a humid environment.

A lot of things have been said on the dos and don’ts  when running in the rain, so please humor me and allow me to add my 2 cents :

• Just because you are running in the rain doesn’t mean that your body temperature won’t rise – so it is very important to keep yourself hydrated. I won’t get in to the details as to how much fluids you need to ingest : when you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
• Sometimes a drizzle can add to the humidity, making your body temperature rise faster.
• I wouldn’t recommend using a rain coat when running in the rain; hell, I wouldn’t even recommend wearing a raincoat when running under the heat of the sun. Wait, wouldn’t that make it a “sun” coat ?  – I have seen a lot of runners doing this lately: I don’t know if there is a scientific reason for this but I’m sure that people who do this are at a higher risk of suffering from heat stroke.
• Wear technical clothes – need I explain ?  Imagine running under the rain wearing a cotton shirt : I’m sure it will weigh twice as heavy.
• This is the most important tip : If you have more than a pair of running shoes,  use the pair which is due for cleaning 

This is the coverage of today’s run :

This morning, I was able to do a 5k walk and a 6k run.  Instead of running in the MOA complex due to the volume of the participants in today’s GMA Kapuso Fun Run, I ran towards the PICC area and then went home.

Runners (or walkers ?) on their way to the Mall of Asia Compound

More participants along Macapagal Avenue

When I reached home, I felt really good – I haven’t felt like this in weeks

Oh by the way, the lock laces are really good – you can wear and remove your shoes quickly.

It’s also my first time to run that distance alone ; you see running  that long by yourself is very difficult. It’s a good thing that I brought my iPod with me to keep me entertained.

I  had to take a different route for this run since MOA was filled by the participants of the Rexona Run.

Cones lined along Macapagal Avenue ...

This is the first time I ran this route alone ...

When I reached the Quirino Grandstand, I was looking for the mosaic containing President Cory's pictures but didn't find any ...

This is the distance I have covered upon reaching the Quirino Grandstand according to my GPS watch

It seems that I wasn’t the only one doing a long run this morning – I met Pat of Takbo.ph twice.

Upon reaching the 28th KM I suddenly felt weak,l then I remembered :  I didn’t eat breakfast!

Almost 30 KM - I had to stop due to the heat; next week I'll try to start earlier

Left the house at almost 5am and hailed a cab that only brought us to 2KM from the starting line (Roxas Boulevard had already been closed) and my brother’s 21KM race starts at 0530H. I was able to record a video of him, the last of the runners, trying to put his knee support (if I’m not mistaken) in place because he’s forgotten to fix it while in the cab. He shows up at 00:43 below

Also recorded the live band playing an upbeat tune for the remaining runners:

It felt like I was in the MRT while trying to get into the starting line for the 5KM run. Not only was it too crowded, but people actually had to stop and wait (yes, that included me!). Monster Magnet’s song was just perfect for my ears at this time so I tried singing to it a bit just to keep myself calm. When I got to the starting line…oh, what fun. Haha saw Mr. Zorro The Runner greeting everyone with a red flag (ser…ano bang nakalagay sa bandila mong hawak? sorry hindi ko makita hehehe).

Even shot a video of him waving the flag haha…fangirl? Nah, just channeling my energy into something good instead of getting pissed at the starting line at so early in the morning

During the race, I attempted to run a little, but could not get past groups of teenagers who crowded the side of the boulevard where we were at. I could see others walking along the service road already. Before the turnaround, saw the guy below. Astig ka, ser!

Near the finish line…

Took about 5 minutes to get through, had to wait until the tags from our bibs have been given to the one in-charge. Someone even announced that the cut-off for the 5KM run is finished and no one is allowed to enter anymore. Haha, imagine that. I actually made it there by walking 80% of the time.

At the finish line, I checked out the area and got my cup of Milo.

Kids were practicing for the cheerleading competition.

Went home ahead and got some shuteye, then kuya and I had Chowking’s Halo-Halo after lunch.

Thinking back to the past couple of years I’ve joined Milo runs, I realized that the best part in running 10KM races is when I get past 2.5KM (where “walkers” head back because we’d have more space where running was actually possible hehe). This time, I think the best part was I finished a 5KM “walk” before the cut-off after not having any kind of exercise for more than 6 months. That’s a luxury not often fulfilled by people of my lifestyle. Next best thing was singing and listening to the most perfect song by Monster Magnet, on loop in my player that time: SPACE! LORD! MOTHER…!

Thanks to Jeff for the photo

I took a 2 week break afterwards before running again due to an ankle injury.  You see,  I wasn’t supposed to run yet but I was able to acquire a GPS watch …..

Timex Speed + Distance

A bit cumbersome, don't you think ?

I think I have aggravated the injury, oh well 

Well,  it almost was your typical 21Km run along the Makati – Global City area, except that this race started in Makati and ended in a different street in Makati.

It was fun being able to run under the greenbelt tunnel for the first time – a nice new route which you can’t run on a regular day.

No PR for this 21km run (some say it was 22+km, who cares ? as long as the distance is not less than what we paid for) . I finished it in 2:30 – I am still under the weather but I thought that since I paid for it, I might as well run it, hehehe.

It was after that when I realized that my Nike Triax would need replacement soon. After all, it is the only pair I have and after around 600 KM ….

So now, let me introduce you to my little friend (drumroll please) … The Asics Gel-Nimbus 10

I really like Asics GEL Technology

I hope that I can break it in before this Sunday’s Globe run for home

It has been a well documented observation in the  running community that organizing races has turned into a profitable business with some organizers more interested in making a quick buck rather than satisfying their participants. That is the reason why starting this year, I am choosing the races that I join (and being a bandit with the rest, hehehe). I know that quality has an expensive price tag that goes with it ; so even if I had hesitations in joining this race due to the expensive registration fee , I still joined the 42K event and I’m glad that I did.

Fireworks lit up a seemingly cold and tense morning where the 42K runners were preparing for the end of the countdown that would start the event. This is a refreshing scene compared to the usual Sunday morning race start.  Everybody was happy and excited to run!

The challenging but enjoyable part of the race started early on as we ran around the Fort area , claiming one ascent after another before we scaled the Kalayaan flyover towards Buendia – this part of the route was dark since the streets we traversed had no lamp posts on it.

The vertical path which was the Kalayaan flyover as well as the rest of the Makati area was well lit and lively with the presence of various bands along the route – I was particularly energized upon reaching the corner of Buendia and Pasong Tamo when the Philippine Army band played the theme song of the movie The Magnificent Seven –  I felt like Yul Brynner  riding his horse, hehehe!

Upon entering the skyway, I said to myself – “Finally!” and took the most challenging path of my asphalt loving career. The ambience on the skyway was cool, exciting and bright …. Did I say bright? I thought it was, but somebody turned off the lights! Running the skyway was reminiscent of running Lawton Avenue about an hour ago – dark!

When the sun  finally rose,  the view from up there was spectacular, it’s different when you’re running it compared to just driving through it.

When we reached the turn around point near the Bicutan exit, I felt a bit sad because this feeling of enlightenment is half-over. It  didn’t also help that there were  small specks of matter floating in the atmosphere which some runners have inhaled and worse – ingested.

Just as I thought that the challenging part was over comes the most difficult ascent of this race – Condura hill. Well, like what most runners did , I just simply walked this part and enjoyed the view, I even took some pictures while I was at it. The sun was already up at this time as I saw it took its toll on the band that was supposed to perform the lively music for us runners.

Then came the sign at the bottom of the skyway which read “Congratulations, you have conquered the skyway!”. At  least now, I can say that I have completely conquered it  compared to just half of it last year.

… and there it was , on my return trip I met the generous souls  of Takbo.PH and Reinier Pacific. The banana I got from them gave me a boost that I was able to run up to Makati  Avenue.

After the short lived energy burst,  I jogged /walked until the finish line. I finished the race in 5:46. 12 minutes slower compared to my first marathon.

All in all, this was a fun race : very unique and challenging route , water trucks, long water/hydration tables, sponges , fire works  and bands. Did I say it was a race? Oh, I thought it was a party .

Condura Village the day before the race

Along the Magallanes area

Blue skies ...

Condura Hill

Another view of Condura Hill

Near the Bicutan Exit

I don’t usually bring an mp3 player, but it sure would’ve been nice to listen to this while running :