Here we go!

This is my first post for 2010, and it coincides with the first race I’m running for the year — The Condura Run 2010 – Run for the Dolphins!

The race is tomorrow, and I just wanted to state here that the running community is all abuzz about “the Condura” especially since it’ll have a full-marathon category that will let runners run the length of the Skyway, and back again.

I’ve decided to enter the 10k, because that’s what I did at last year’s Condura. I’ve also got a lot of other “more important” stuff happening on race weekend, like my high school homecoming in which my batch will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee. So I expect to be up late on Saturday night with the boys.

Add to that, I just came back from three days in sunny Mactan Island, Cebu, for business. The 3 days at a posh leisure resort hotel can spoil the body, despite the well-equipped fitness amenities and the numerous outdoor activites one can do. Truthfully, I barely had enough time to take a brief swim on the beach after our work sessions were done! I also decided to grab a few more Z’s each morning instead of dragging my body to the gym.

On Sunday, after the Condura, I have to be at my eldest daughter’s school play, so that all the more convinced me to take it easy on race day, otherwise I’d be caught dozing off in the theater, a big no-no!

And so I’m just going to take it easy this Sunday, and try to finish my 10k in good form, with no illusions of running with the fast ones. I just need to make sure I’ll still be in good shape to help out at the Takbo.ph Aid station near the Skyway for the 21- and 42-k runners!

Lots of people prepared intently for the Condura, and let’s hope they finish well and satisfied about their race. In the end, its a personal thing, this running addiction.

If you can’t satisfy yourself, your need to be free, your desire to propel yourself to run far and fast, then you’ve just wasted a golden opportunity to learn a little more about yourself and about how your mind and body work.

Do it for you yourself just as much as you’d do it for the dolphins!

Enjoy!

Fantastic 2009!

Here’s a summary of how my running efforts panned out in 2009!

*These are data culled from my Nike+ iPod SportsKit, so there may be some inaccuracies with regards to official distances, etc.

In any case, here’s a summary of all my race results f0r 2009, based on the official race results from race organizers. Keep moving forward in 2010!

Happiness is…

…a decent pair of shoes that’ll take you places you’ve never been to, with no pain and much gain…

…running a marathon relay for Justin and Team Logan!

…driving to Baguio for the weekend and making sure there’s a race event on the same weekend…

Takbo.ph in Baguio last May!

…manning the Takbo.ph aid station during marathons…

…running, and enjoying, my first-ever half-marathon with friends…

… a pair of pink and yellow customized miAdidas Adizero Ace shoes!

… waking up early to drive to the other side of town just to join a 10k race…

Pumped up for the BF Pasko Run in Parañaque!

… is having friends who are crazy enough to do a long run on the morning of Christmas Eve, just to make sure we won’t feel guilty when we stuff ourselves on Noche Buena….

Early morning runners!

Running in UP on Christmas Eve morning...

Takbo.ph Noche Buena Run!

…is knowing you did your best and that there’ll be other races where you can do better!!!

[Thanks to Doc Marvin, Carina, Brando, Carlo and others for the photos!]

Winning A Losing Battle

Just a quick, brief note about the just-concluded “Biggest Loser Challenge” of Takbo.ph, of which I joined the fray in hopes of being the person who will lose the most poundage over a span of 0ne month.

That's me being presented the consolation "bun" by Rico!

For the record, I am considered obese. But I do not look it. Okay, okay, I may have a big tummy, and its something I’ve been trying to get rid of for the longest time. But I am not really “fat-looking,” if you know what I mean…

The main reason I joined this event was due to health reasons (lagi na lang ba ito ang reason ko?), and precisely because my latest APE (annual physical exam) said I have elevated cholesterol and uric acid levels. Besides that, I am considered obese: my ideal body weight should be between 50 and 61kg, but during my APE last July, I weighed 71kg!

So it was good timing that Sheerwill Rico (he’s getting mentioned here in almost all my posts…who is this guy?) came up with this BLC thing just to see who can lose the most. Patterned after the long-running reality TV show, this version of the BLC is simply to count the biggest percentage of weight loss over  one month, and right before Christmas at that! Here’s what Sheerwill blogged mid-way through the challenge.

Up to 22 people joined this contest, coming from different weight classes, shapes and sizes! We gamely paid the entry fee of P1,000, despite knowing that that would be the last time we’d see our cash.

BLC participants! Losing never looked this good!

I had planned just to lose 10kilos for me to hit my ideal weight, and shock my doctor at my next APE. It wasn’t an easy thing to do. Good thing I had a list of food that I’m not allowed to eat anymore. That somehow made it easier. My wife also gave a lot of support by watching what I eat, and preparing the dishes that were right for me.

This contest is tailor-fitted to those who had the most weight to lose. Since I’m not the heaviest contestant, I didn’t lose a lot. And usually, the last 10lbs is the hardest part to lose, especially if you just diet and do the occasional runs. If you wanna lose more, you gotta sweat it out, squeeze all the fat away, and try not to convert fat into muscle coz that’ll make you heavier.

The contest winner was unveiled during the Takbo.ph Christmas Party, with about 75 people in attendance! In the end, Bryan, the top winner lost, 34lbs!!Read all about how he did this in his blog Planet_Trumania! Big congrats to the guy! He deserved the win and the big prizes that came with it! Woot!

As for me, I lost about 12.6-lbs for a 7.9% weight loss, good enough for overall 8th place! It was a great contest coz it proved that with enough willpower, perseverance, focus and support, you can control your urges and eat just what you need to survive each day.

I’ve resolved to continue this, and also changing our eating habits and overall lifestyle. Some would say I turned practically vegetarian, but I must confess, I crave veggies more now. I hate to be labelled as vegetarian because I am not. I just decided to minimize, if not eliminate, pork and beef from my diet whenever I can. I still eat fish and to some extent, chicken, but I make sure they are not deep-fried, breaded or swimming in oil!

Here’s to more “losing” battles ahead! Cheers!

***Thanks to Pio Sugay and Carlo Serrano for the photos!

Me and miAdidas

One of the perks of joining road races are the various freebies and discount coupons offered when you register early. The best deal I’ve gotten so far is the 50% discount for a miAdidas shoe, given to the first 100 registrants for the Adidas King of the Road race held last October. I have to thank Rico (Sheerwill) for registering for me on the very first day of registration.

The miAdidas product lets you customize and design your own Adidas shoe to your preference. You can also add your name or any text to personalize it!

So, a few weeks after the Adidas King of the Road race, Rico and I visited the Adidas store in Greenbelt 3. We chose the Adizero Ace as the base model for our shoe. The other option would have been the heavier Supernova Sequence. I like the Adizero coz its lightweight and funkier to customize.

Top frontal view of my miAdidas. Check out the RP flag on the tongues!

You can also choose the thickness of the sole, whether for training or performance. Then you can even select the color of the laces, the insoles and lining. Plus you can add a flag of whatever country you want on the tongue. Obviously, I chose the Philippine flag!

After choosing the colors, I added my name to be stitched on the side, a truly personalized touch!

Anyway, here are photos of how my miAdidas shoe turned out. It looks pink but its not exactly pink. The guy who assisted me in customized this on the computer said its called Neon Red, and it did look more red than pink on the monitor screen. I was aiming for a bright red and yellow combo ala Iron Man. I only saw how pinkish it was on the day that I picked it up from the store about 15 days after we submitted the customized design.

It was actually not that difficult to customize the shoe. The hardest part was choosing the colors form a limited palette. Checking the website now, there seems to be new colors already added. Oh, well, chalk it up to being first in line!

Nevertheless, I think the shoe turned out fine overall. I liked that weird pink color and it does raise a few eyebrows. But some of the people who’ve seen me wearing it said that it looks just great….

I don’t care. I still love my miAdidas!

P.S. Unfortunately, Rico didn’t like how his shoe turned out. It was more pinkish than mine. So he didn’t claim it and just traded it in for another item in Adidas…after giving the staff a piece of his mind.

P.P.S. I don’t have plans of running with my miAdidas. Its too precious for that. Well, maybe after the honeymoon period is over, I’d have the gana to wear it at a race. That’d be great!  For now, its for malling and walking around and parties and such…

A New Balance

After all the latest races I’ve run in the second half of the year, I felt it was time to rest some more, probably try to lose some more weight, before deciding to tackle more fast times and PRs. I needed to find my balance first, in speed, distance, my weight and everything else that I’m doing.

NB Power Run medal, racebib and my RoadID

Which was a good thing for me, because the New Balance Power Run offered an opportunity for me to do just that. The NB Power Run was supposed to be held in late September, but due to Typhoon Ondoy, it was postponed and moved back to November 29.

This was supposed to be my comeback race after a two-month hiatus (naks!), so back in August when I signed up for this, I registered for the 5km.

Well, between then and now, I already did two 10ks (QCIM & KOTR) and a 21k (Timex)! And I also started to seriously lose weight due to the fact that I joined the Takbo.ph Biggest Loser Challenge organized by Sheerwill Rico Villanueva.

And that turned into a positive thing! I usually run a 5km around the village, with an average time of between 33-37minutes, easy pace, with some walk-breaks.

For the New Balance Power Run, I was able to improve my time by a couple of minutes. I guess electing to start with the front of the pack has its advantages. As soon as the gun went off, I was swept by the quick take-off of those around me. I can’t believe this was just a 5k, but then shorter distances are normally faster-paced than longer distance races.

I tried to keep up as best I could, and managed to maintain a steady pace even at the half-way point. The race route was well-decided, and it was pretty much a challenge in itself.

I finished the race with a renewed fastest time (32.04min unofficial), and a greater appreciation for the 5k! I felt good towards the finish, and it was a good last kick for me, too! The official time that NB published a few days later turned out faster, at 31.53 minutes! Cool!

my official time!

The New Balance Power Run was a well-executed event. Great new route, atmosphere and overall organization! The cute girls checking the racebibs and handing out watercups at the water stations helped a lot, too! To top it all off, all finishers received a medal!

I’m so happy for my effort! I really needed to finish fast coz I had a lot of errands lined up for Sunday, haha! Kaya di na ako nakasali sa mga class pics na yan! I made it back home by 7:30am!

This race presented another opportunity to check my balance of running and everything else in my life.

I found that I need to be more patient, not only in improving my runs, but also in other things. I needed to be more focused, and not do things just for the sake of doing it. In running, that helps a lot. I also decided to choose my races, and not jump at any event that’s on the calendar. I needed to constantly find my balance, and make sure I don’t teeter more on one side nor the other. This balance thing isn’t exactly new. Its been there all the while. I just needed to grasp it again and make sure I handle it well.

Nice to see everyone satisfied with this race! The 5k route was on the spot; it registered 5.01km on my GF305!!

Till next race, keep moving forward, and don’t forget to find your balance!

******

Dream Relay Team

November has been a busy month for running events. Although the race sked wasn’t as busy as October’s, this past month still presented a pretty full schedule for runners. Other than that, I’ve been busy with a lot of other things, which is why I’ve had some backlogs of stories and updates lately.

 

Pushing Justin along Buendia. (Photo by Doc Marvin)

What I shouldn’t miss writing about here was the Philippine International Marathon, also called the Run for Pasig River, held November 8, 2009. No, I didn’t run any of the events, but I did volunteer to run as part of the team relay for Team Logan.

 

Forty runners from Takbo.ph and friends volunteered to run a distance of 2km in pairs while pushing Justin Logan in his stroller. The 42km route was split into 2km stints made up of two runners each, 20 teams in all.

My stint was in Leg 17, which was at the 34km point, located at the Petron station along Buendia and Makati Avenue. The first relay team would start the 42km distance from Kilometer 0 in Luneta, and run along a challenging route that would traverse most of the bridges that crossed the Pasig River.

I arrived at my starting point a little after 6:30am, which was early, considering that the relay began at 4:30 am, and would still take a couple of hours until they got to our part of Makati. Fortunately, our location would also be the spot where Marga volunteered to set up an aid station for the other members of Takbo.ph who would be running the full marathon.

This was the first time for me to join a relay race. Ironically, my first ever competitive race event was also the PIM back in 2008, where I did my first 3k with a finish time that I deliberately erased from memory. It wasn’t something to talk about.

Anyway, at a little past 8am, we saw Justin and his mom Michelle surrounded by a big group of runners coming down Buendia Ave. My partner, Carina, and I got ready for our turn to push Justin. It was exciting to see the gleeful smile that Justin beamed when he saw all the runners around him. It was exciting for us as well, to do our bit in supporting this relay team, and symbolically providing support also for Team Logan and what they stood for and believed in.

Edu takes his turn pushing Justin. (Photo by Doc Marvin)

Our two-kilometer run to the next relay point felt kind of short, so as soon as we handed Justin to the next pair of runners, we kept on going with the group, providing additional support and traffic control because at this time, most of the streets on the race route had been opened to traffic. It was less than 10km to the Finish line at Quirino Grandstand so might as well run the rest of the way.

The group steadily made its way across SLEX and on to Taft Avenue. A few traffic policemen provided vehicular control at the crossings so we didn’t need to stop unnecessarily.

I was able to keep up until the last relay point on Roxas Blvd., where Justin was handed to the last team made up of Jinoe and Que. But the heat got to me so I had to slow down and let the rest of the group continue ahead. I guess having a fresh pair of legs pushing Justin made sure that he “ran” the 42km course at an eager pace that wouldn’t let up!

In the end, it was a good feeling to be part of something as meaningful as this. The Logan family has always provided the inspiration, indomitable spirit and undying passion that has pervaded among the Takbo.ph community this past year! It really is contagious!

A few days after the race, I got an SMS from an unknown sender, probably from one of the Logans. It simply said,”a belated personal thank you from Team Logan. We are most grateful 4 your special part in our race last Sunday. Thanks so much.”

Thank you, too, Team Logan, for allowing us to be part of this Dream Relay Team!

 

Members of Team Logan relay at Quirino Grandstand. That's the Running Diva (orange top, race#1071) who finished her first-ever full marathon!

 

Group shot at the Finish!

**Thanks to the photos by: Doc Marvin, EduFabian, and Gerard Cinco!

It’s My Run

 

Showing off my 21k medal! (Photo by Doc Marvin)

I ran 21k. My first 21k. No big parades. No fanfare.

This should have happened last July during the Globe Run For Home. But due to something urgent, I wasn’t able to join my “batch” of first-timers for that race. Ironically, I had prepared intently for that big event. I diligently tried to stick to a race schedule prescribed by the half-marathon program I designed through Runner’s World Online. My weekly mileage was going up steadily, punctuated by that one great LSD with Takbo.ph runners, led by Mar, the “Forefoot Runnner,” whom we in the group fondly call “coach” due to his sensible tips and advice on running (and then some). I logged almost 20k on that LSD, held a week before the Globe race,  not knowing it would be my last run for a long time yet.

Fast forward to Sunday, November 15, 2009.

At a little past 8am, I found myself crossing the Finish Line at the Timex Run. This after traversing 21-kilometers that began at 5:15 in the morning. My three “pacers,” who had accompanied me throughout my maiden 21-k run, made it a point to slow down a bit as we approached the last 50-meters, allowing me to cross it solo, ensuring that I get to relish the moment as I stepped on the mat alone, to hear that “beep” emitted by the device used to detect the ChampionChip laced around my right shoe.

NOT EMO

Its not easy to put into words how I felt at that moment. I had expected something more emotional, something more gripping, and even something imminently awesome-esque. But I honestly didn’t feel any of those emotions as I crossed the line and willingly let someone hang a medal around my neck. All I felt was happiness, pure joy. Nothing more.

the Fantastic Four along Bayani Road. (Photo by Carina)

I don’t mean to make light of all this. Far from it. I merely, honestly, want to say that when it comes down to simply putting into words how I felt after my first 21-k, all I can say is that I simply was happy.

Happy at being able to get up each race morning, get in gear, and stand at the Starting Line.

Happy at being able to see my feet treading on even, and sometimes uneven, ground.

Happy to run among friends who’s only desire is to see me accomplish a significant feat.

Happy to know that I’ve got a few other “new” friends who are passionate about one and the same thing, in every raceday that we get together.

Happy at having a family that understands why I need to run, and are supportive of it, even it means not being around to prepare breakfast on Sunday mornings.

Happy for the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, learning about others while learning more about myself, my body and my limitations.

Happy to know that given the opportunity, I can and will pay forward what I have learned from others who have ran, and finished, before me.

I don’t need to talk about how challenging the route was, nor how long the distance was for me. I need not even mention just how organized and efficient the event was, with long tables at the water station, visible marshalls and route markers.

with MarkyMark and part of Marga, along Buendia. (Photo by Carina)

It was hard, definitely. And it’s not an easy feat to do. But I knew that sometimes, it has to feel bad first before it starts feeling good. All I can say is, it was my run, and I’m glad that that’s over and done with.

In the end, all we want is to be happy. That, to me, is running’s greatest gift. Simple joys. No preservatives nor additives.

********

The Timex Run coincided with my Mother-in-Law’s 70th birthday, and I offered my first 21k to her in thanksgiving and celebration. She had been in the hospital for the past four months. She had suffered respiratory failure, then cardiac arrest, and 3 1/2 months in the ICU, stuck on a respirator. We transferred her to MMC, where her doctor aggressively weaned her from the respirator. She was discharged within a week! God truly works wonders that noone can explain.

********

I’d like to thank my pacers — three of the most indefatigable people I have known — who made sure I was in-step with them, and our strategy, for the whole journey. To my original “pakner” Neil, with whom I had planned my first 21k with back in July, who demonstrated that hard-work truly pays off. To RJ, running in his second 21k, who showed that a relaxed attitude, and lots of walk breaks, is really the way to go. And to the Running Diva Roselle, who kept giving encouraging words throughout the run, never faltering at providing positive energy for the group, and giving proof that the only way to attack an uphill stretch is to run it quickly. The four of us were really fantastic that day!

********

Here’s the result of my first 21k at the Timex Run (Who cares?). For those who know me, I don’t really give much importance about my finish time. But I guess I need to put it here as a record of this significant event. Not that I plan to surpass it anytime soon. I’m not even thinking of running another 21k ever again. But like in most things, one has to learn to never say never.

 

Run Data via RunPix and RunRio

 

 

 

Run Data via Nike+iPod Sports Kit

********

Here are some more pictures from my Timex Run!

I'm right behind my pacers (from second on the left: RJ, Roselle, Neil). That's Anton of Awesome Planet on the leftmost... (Photo by Photovendo)

Crossing the finish. (Photo by Carina)

Finish! (Photo by Photovendo)

Receiving our medals. (Photo by Carina)

After the race with the Takbo.ph friends! (Photo by Brando)

Takbol.ph class pic at the Finish Line! (Photo by Doc Marvin)

end.

The Swoosh and the 3 Stripes

The Adidas KOTR singlet side by side the Human Race 10k shirt!

The running trend wouldn’t be where it is today without the aggressive push being made by name brands that market the athletic lifestyle and churn out products that contribute to a healthier well-being.

On top of that, one can argue that these brands have one thing in mind: to earn big bucks from unsuspecting consumers, through lavishly designed and “technically researched” products.

While there may be some debate related to this, all I can say is “THANK YOU” to these brands who make it easier for consumers to part with their hard-earned cash, for a more comfortable run, safer play, and overall good looks. You can’t blame them for that. The choice to buy, of course, is still up to you.

I had my first Adidas back in grade school, with the Hurricane as my model of choice. Numerous other shoes came and went in my closet during my high school years, some Adidas, others not. I don’t remember wearing running shoes in college so I don’t think I had any back then. I spent most of my college life in Topsiders and canvas sneakers. It was only when I started working part-time in the latter stages of college that I was able to afford a respectable cross-training shoe, a Nike Air that I purchased in the shoe and PX haven called Cartimar! Later on, as the years rolled by, I was able to get other Nike Air products. Then later on, I also got a classic Adidas Samba as my everyday shoe. This was all before I started getting Puma, which was also related to Adidas, but I digress. When I started running, I had used a hand-me-down Nike Shox, which wasn’t really ideal due to insufficient lateral support. So I got my first decent running shoes in the form of the Adidas Gazelle Climacool early this year.

With this brief and maybe unrelated link to my shoe history, it was a significant event for me when the weekend of Oct. 24-25 rolled around, when my “relationship” with two of the foremost athletic brands in the world would figure prominently in my running schedule. It’s not about the marathons, it’s about the gear!

I’m sure everyone knows that the “Swoosh” is Nike, and that the “3 Stripes” is Adidas.

Running 10k in the 'hood!

On Saturday the 24th, Nike staged the Human Race 10K, a global event encouraging runners to don their Nike gear and hit the road at more or less the exact same time. All runs recorded on each runner’s Nike+ iPod Kit (or Sportband) will then be uploaded on the Nike Running website for all to see, and compare stats with. On Sunday, Adidas held its annual King Of The Road (KOTR) event, a race many runners looked forward to. The conflict here would be the other major race event being held on the same weekend: The Smart Subic International Marathon.

The downside to the Nike Human Race 10K is that Manila wasn’t orginally in the official list of cities. Until much later, Nike Phils. announced they would be doing the Human Race alongside the Subic International Marathon, with official Human Race dry-fit shirts for all registered participants. So we grabbed at this opportunity, signing up for the 10k at Subic, then exchanging the racekit for the Human Race. A somewhat complicated maneuever, in hindsight, but a necessary one for running addicts far and wide.

Early on, I had planned to run in Subic, maybe a 10k on the Sunday. Later on, with the Human Race figuring in the equation, I thought of running the Human Race 10k on the Saturday afternoon. But family plans and other matters made me decide to skip the long road travel and additional expense. Plus I had also signed up for the 10k at the Adidas King of the Road on Sunday, so I didn’t want to stress myself with rushing from one race to the other.

The good thing about the Nike Human Race is that you can run your own 10k, upload it to your Nike Running account, then see your stats listed up along with the rest of the world. No need for an actual race event. So that’s what I did on Saturday morning. I donned the Human Race 10k jersey, set up my Nike+ iPod kit, turned up my iPod Nano and ran a leisurely 10k around my neighborhood.

On Sunday, I donned my new Adidas yellow singlet, laced up my Adidas Gazelle Climacool running shoes, then went to The Fort for the Adidas King of the Road. Despite the big marathon event in Subic, still a lot of runners showed up for Adidas KOTR. The Fort was filled with runners in yellow singlets!

Minutes before the start of my 10k, I was already deeply embedded in the starting line with fellow 10k runners when I noticed the sun slowly peaking out of the clouds. I remembered I left my running shades in the car coz I thought the sun wouldn’t shine too harshly during the race. But I decided to go back and get it. I took me about 4 minutes to run back to the parking lot at the other side of Bonifacio High Street and rush back to make it in time for the starting gun. I managed to cross the start line a few seconds after everyone had already left, but I didn’t mind coz I got what I needed to sheild my eyes from the sunlight.

It was a funny race for me, as most of my recent races have started shaping up to be. I realized before the start that I had left my HRM at home, so I wouldn’t have the aid of monitoring my heart rate during the race. I didn’t worry about it too much, and decided to let go and just enjoy the race.

at the Adidas KOTR 10k wall.

Within a kilometer or two from the start, I felt I needed to pee. I felt I had to pee. Good thing the raceroute would pass by a Jollibee store at the corner before the Kalayaan Flyover. So, I made a beeline for that, not minding the fact that I’d be using up 3 to 5 minutes of my time in the process.

With a fresh, empty bladder, I managed to run a respectable race up the flyover and through the usual 5k turnaround in Buendia corner N. Reyes. The way back was just as challenging, but I resolved not to spend too much time walking. I didn’t even stop at the water stations so I could make up for lost time.

The last 1km is usually the climactic part, and I planned to not falter at this point. Rounding the last corner, I could see the Finish line, and the usual renewed energy returned to my legs. I was running a bit faster going into the final 200 meters. But I was dumbfounded when I saw a line forming right at the Finish! WTF?!

Turns out that runners had to stop and take their turns handing the bar code to the race marshall! I couldn’t believe it! I had to stop my run and, on wobbly knees, stand in line just to give my bar code! The lining up didn’t end there, though. We still had to line up for drinks, and line up once again for our race certificates.

It was a disappointing end to an otherwise enjoyable 10k! Its like setting aside the crispy skin in a lechon feast and finding a fly enmeshed on your plateful of “balat”!

Oh well, another race, another run. I don’t want to dwell on the negative aspects since all races have them in one form or another. I’m happy with my time (1:17:23). It was also the final race of my Adidas Gazelle Climacool, a shoe that saw me move up from being a newbie runner to a hardcore newbie (hehe!). The Adiprene sole has seen better days so its time to retire those shoes before I injure myself. I’ll just wait for my personallly designed Adizero Ace via miAdidas due in 3 weeks!

Takbo.ph members at KOTR!

My Second “first 10k”

THE 1ST QC INTERNATIONAL MARATHON

Takbo.ph in front of the QC Memorial

Last week’s 1st Quezon City International Marathon turned out to be a whole lot of fun for me, and for most people too, on several levels.

Firstly, it was the first time Quezon City hosted such an event of its size. And for the past year, many elite runners and sponsors have waited in bated breath for the final date for the staging of this race. I think the original date was February 2009, then it was moved later, until the final date of October 18 was confirmed. Since July or as soon as the final date was set, many runners have looked forward to the QCIM, me included. Its a historic event, staged in a historic location – the Quezon City Memorial Circle. International marathoners would be gracing the 42k main event. And thousands of runners would be donning their running shoes and hitting the asphalt and concrete to accomplish rare feats and personal records.

For me, it was a chance to level up to a longer distance, in this case the 10-kilometer event! I’m talking about my newbie-again status, because in my first life as a runner, I had already competed in a couple of 10k events before I decided to reboot and start again. So the QCIM would be my second “first time” 10k. And I was as mentally prepared as I ever was for a race.

It was still dark as I entered the parking area of QC City Hall complex. The whole elliptical road was closed to traffic, and at 4am, there was already some vehicle build-up along the roads that led to the circle. Good thing traffic aides and race marshalls allowed runners to bring their cars through the cordoned off area and towards the designated parking spaces. After parking and getting my gear ready, I headed to the men’s room inside City Hall to let go of some fluids before race start.

I got to the Start Line and met up with the Takbo.ph people, some of whom were there as early as 3am with the group running the 42k and the 21k. Our 10k race started at 5:30am, and the weather was just about right. The race route turned out different from the map that was supplied in the race kit. Instead of going inside UP, the route just went straight down Commonwealth Ave., and then a u-turn at the 5km mark. I felt good throughout my run.

I kept at a slow pace in the first 5k, and made sure I had a running buddy nearby in the shape of fellow Takbo.ph member Margalicious! It was an easy pace that first 15-minutes, and we let everybody else run past us. I resolved to just enjoy the moment, not wearing my earphones so I can hear and sense everything that was going on around me.

Running without music was still a great new experience for me. The previous Sunday, I ran around UP without my music, since I forgot to bring my earphones with the iPod Nano. Which wasn’t a big deal coz the bigger reason I take my iPod when I run is to log the mileage onto my Nike+Running account. No need really to listen to the music.

I ran about 8km that Sunday, capped with a pleasant picnic behind the Admin Bldg. with my family and friends.

Back to the race, I had to leave Marga behind after the 4km mark, and I didn’t want to distract her focus as I could see she was keen on following her own steady pace.The way I see it, running is a solitary, if not selfish, sport. You run at your own speed, and nobody can say if you’re too slow or not. Each one runs on his/her own beat.

The run back to the Finish was kind of hurly-burly since by that time, the 5k participants were already hogging the road. It took some maneuvering for the 10k runners to navigate our way around this slow crowd. Eventually, I could see the tall Quezon Monument on the horizon.

I crossed the Finish line in pretty good shape. I looked up at the timer and saw the counter at 1:14:44, or something like that. Turns out that that was my chip time, and my finish time was 1:15:14.

What really made me smile was the fact that I didn’t stop and walk throughout the 10k run! That’s my big achievement for this race.

I joined some of the early finishers among the Takbo.ph group, then the picture-taking started! It felt good to be among the good guys and gals of the running community!

It was a good QCIM, and I look forward to next year!!!

Takbo.ph with the Kenyan elite runners!

with the Globe girls after the festivities.

Some quick facts about the Quezon Memorial:

- it was designed by Filipino architect Federico Ilustre, in a design contest sponsored by the city.

- the three vertical pylons represent Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, surmounted by three mourning angels holding sampaguita wreaths. These were created by Italian sculptor Monti.

- the monument measures 66 meters, President Manuel Quezon’s age at the time of his death.

- the base is shaped in an equilateral triangular structure that reflect eternal symbols, the cycle of birth, life and death.

- construction began in the late ’50s and was completed in 1978, centennial of Quezon’s birth.

*my race bib number was 6641. My finish rank was 420, out of 500 runners in my rank; no. 96 among those in my category (age). Here’s a link to the complete results.

**Big thanks to Doc Marvin and Edu for the event pics!