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...

As usual, work has been more hectic : an audit here, a deadline there , another deadline over there …. ok, I know you get the picture It really is difficult squeezing in runs at 4 in the morning on a weekday, considering that you have slept at 11:30 pm the day before. So this is the best schedule that I came up with last week : Monday – Rest Tuesday – 21 KM Wednesday – 8 KM Thursday – 20 KM Friday – Rest Saturday – 21 KM Sunday – 23 KM I was able to do only 93 KMs for last week and my knees are sore – my weekend runs couldn’t even be considered “long” runs. I hope I could sustain this mileage for this week before increasing it next week. Wish me...

“takami no kenbutsu” The first time I heard that phrase was when I watched the movie “L change the world” – loosely translated, it means “observe from a vantage point”. This would be my second time to be a part of  ultrarunner Isko Lapira’s  (aka   David Goggins of the Philippines) support crew. The only difference is that I am the only driver for the entire duration since Ian can’t make it due to an office activity. This year’s chores weren’t as hard as last year’s, since pacers are no longer allowed- giving me enough time to catch some zs in between check points. But that was just that, for the second year I am still watching things from a distance. I figured that since I was able to survive this January’s 50k test run plus last year’s BDM pacing experience , I might as well join the same 102km event next year (gulp!) – knowing  Isko, he will probably move up to the 145Km category … ang tibay talaga!   Breakfast at KM 50 The Sands of Pampanga See you in next year’s Bataan Death March 145 KM   Albert, BR, Isko and...

A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. Hmmm … “rotating column of air” -> that would best describe the DJs  on the radio show that I am forced to listen to when I commute to work. I think those DJs are very popular with our jeepney/FX drivers so no matter which form of public transport you choose, you’ll end up listening to them everyday. It’s a good thing though that all I will ever experience is the figurative definition of what a twister is. (or so I thought) We left for Clark last Saturday so that we can meet my friend, Isko at the jump-off area of The North Face 100 to give him some of the supplies he needs for the 2nd 50k loop. The weather was very warm and humid that day that everybody was wearing summer clothes; I didn’t even entertain the thought that I might need to bring my North Face Gore-Tex jacket for the next day’s 20k trail run. And so it happened: it started with a drizzle and then when it got stronger we decided to take shelter in one of the tents adjacent to the starting line. We were all surprised to see that the starting line fell on the technical committee’s command center, ruining it and almost hitting the people underneath. It was like the entire structure was trampled by an invisible raging Mammoth! I think I see …mammoth tracks…!!!!   The next few minutes happened so fast, I remembered that the entire place suddenly turned dark and I had to run away from the tent I was in...

May 23, 2009 Sacobia, Pampanga Clearwater Resort in Sacobia, Pampanga     We arrived in Sacobia, Pampanga on Saturday, May 23, 2009, a little after lunch and went straight to Clearwater Resort where we reserved for a tent good for four people.   Clearwater Resort in Sacobia, Pampanga | Tent T-104   After unpacking, we walked about 500 meters to the jump-off area in Expo Filipino Parking Lot and checked out the place, as well as waited for Kuya Isko Lapira and his friends to arrive at the base camp from their first 50k.   North Face Sacobia, Pampanga | Start / Finish Line The clouds seemed perfectly placed high up in the clear blue sky, just before it hit. My brother, Bolt: North Face Sacobia, Pampanga | The Calm Before The Storm Unfortunately, we didn’t bring a waterproof camera or else we would have been able to take a footage of it. Just took pictures and a video of how it looked after the storm!   North Face Sacobia After The Storm in Expo Filipino Parking Lot 2 | May 23, 2009 We moved away from the tents to try and look for Kuya Isko, a short distance from the wrecked Start/Finish Line, as he had texted earlier that they were already near. Picture of him holding the Gardenia and Adobo we brought him. Haha! Kuya Isko’s return to base camp in The North Face Sacobia, Pampanga after the 50K distance covered. The rain has just subsided, and this is me wondering if the 10k trail is gonna be as muddy as the North Face Trail Running Event I participated in Talamitam, Batangas last year… “How’s It Gonna Be?” looping around in my head 😀 Some pictures of how the jump off area...