Reminiscing My First Full Mary - The Bull Runner Dream Marathon (Part 2 of 2)

I'm Polen and I'm a Marathoner! Wooohooo...

Whoa, I never meant to brag! But I got it where I want it now!
Whoa, it was never my intention brag to say it all away to you now!

But God, does it feels so good ‘cause I got it where I want it now!

And if you could then you know you would ‘cause God, it just feels soIt just feels so good!!!

(edited lyrics taken from misery business by paramore)

The Marathoner
photo credits: Abby

Itinerary

-8:00      (‘till gun start) Pasta loading, Snow White and the Huntsman

-6:00      pack-up for the race, unwanted hair wipe off, bath time, poop time, The Walking Dead, pasta loading again (half serving)

-4:00      departure

-3:30      arrival at R.O.X BGC, bus pick up here and waited another 1 hour to depart, bread loading

-1:30      arrival at Nuvali, change costume, check in baggage, meet barangay TBR, picture picture

  0:00      Gun start, this is it!

My First Full Mary in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

Someone asked me, “how do you plan to run your first marathon?” I just answered, “I’ll stop in every water station”. But the truth is, I don’t have a plan. What else to do but join my TBR batch mates-friends and let them lead me through it.

The first half I would say is the best. We do our 3:1 run/walk as we usually practice at a moderate pace (I think it’s 7-7:30), except for up hills where we shift to 1:1, and then attack the down hills. Moreover, we enjoy the flashing lights of the cameras, capturing photos of the happiest marathoners in the world.

Happiest marathoners in the world!
credits: Photovendo

The second half become tough, although it has the same route, we are somewhat tired here. At almost half of Nuvali Blvd, coach Raffy, began to suffer from his ITBS injury and opted to run on his own. More kilometers passed before we reached the right turn to Merriam College, Dok Japo also slowed down and run on his own as he could not catch up with our pace anymore.

The three of us continued (Me, Eda and Abby). I have a lot more to give. I am also surprised how strong I become this day. I am usually burned out at 26th kilometer. But at this point, I felt that my bladder is full, so I cheered and aimed to see a portalet ahead. But my dream to pee happened only before running towards Avida Village.

Then after this U-turn to Republic Wake Park, I began to slow down. I could see Eda running farther until I could not see her anymore. I also felt hungry and craving for a solid food. So me and Abby take a quick break at the pumped up station and continued to Nuvali Boulevard.

At this point, I began to appreciate the cheers of the Dream Chasers. Their cheers truly bring back your spirit! And since it’s just me and Abby who’s running together now, we have to cheer each other (para lang kaming tanga, go Abby, go Polen!).

Now it’s last 10km, and it becomes harder. I am not usually a talker, but at this point I felt I needed to chit chat, to keep up with the race. So I tried to start a topic and chat with Abby in my best ability. Until we reached the right turn to Abrio (last 3km), but Abby slowed down, she need to walk.

This is it, I am all alone. And before I enter this loop I catched a smile from coach Lit and I waved to him. This could mean I’m still doing well.  I continued to do 3:1, but at slower pace (8:30-9 maybe). At the start of this last 3km, I still feel great, thinking it would all end in a few minutes. The skies even showered us with few raindrops to ease our tired spirits. I see my friends now coming back – Vincent, Josh, Ynny, Cathy, and Eda. I tried to cheer them, also to distract myself from pain and hunger.

And this loop seems to be crazy longer than the first time we passed it. I ran slower and slower as I approach the U-turn in Solenad. My stomach is growling, I have few Gu Chomps left. Good thing, Team Boring was at the end of the tunnel (I felt I’ve come from total darkness). They offer happy foods (choki choki and jelly ace). I choose jelly ace, this is a mountaineer’s food and I get an “A” in tearing the packaging (ang galing ko daw kasi magbukas, kaso yun 2nd time napahiya na’ko). And then there was soda in the next tent. Oh I love pepsi!

A few more meters of very slow running and walking, then I see the final right turn back to Nuvali Boulevard. The cheerers are there (I don’t know who are they) saying, “last 100 meters”. My mind was contemplating, should I run this fast-paced or just finish it relaxed? A few more steps as I entered the last 100m zone, my legs on its own (it could be real) run off as fast as it could. And as I reach closer to the finish line I saw Craig Logan cheering for me as I finish strong. . Then I heard Ate Lot and Doc’s voices. I felt so happy to see them.

And the finish line looks blurred. My mind was like, “this is it! What to do, what to do?”, “hold that ribbon thing!” “oh yes, the sash!”, “smile on the camera!”, “get the medal from the matador!” (nataranta na’ko). I do not even noticed that the TBR dream team was there. I was so on a high, it’s funny I don’t know what to do next. Then a girl handover me a wet towel (oh so great, this one’s the best – wala nito sa ibang races). And then another gave me a dry bath towel with 1L blue bolt Gatorade (another best, and my favorite Gatorade flavor!). And finally (maybe) the girl (or the camera approached me) asked me to say my name, and then I’m a marathoner (I’m glad I get it right, despite me like being stoned). And then the rest is all happiness! :)

The finish line, yehey!

Official Chip Time: 05:42:08 unbelievable! :)

Reminiscing My First Full Mary - The Bull Runner Dream Marathon (Part 1 of 2)

All I have is Will Power

I have never imagined myself running. In fact, I am so lousy at it. As a child, I often get my knees wounded as I fall badly from games that involves running. So why run?

When I begin joining races, it's more of a rebel act on my part. I wanted to do something else than working and climbing a mountain. It's more of "just to say I have a hobby" thinking.

But as I run and exposed myself to the running community, my vision about it is continuously changing. Although, I do not have a specific reason for doing it (not even for health), running gives me a sense of freedom. When I run, my mind is clear and empty. I would only think about the present and how I would survive each race. And yes it hurts most of the time, a sweet pain! :)

The Shift

They say, when you finished a marathon, it will change your life. I hope it will really do.

I was still addicted to mountain climbing back then, when I started to run my first 5km at the NatGeo Earth Day Run 2011. It was just a support to my friend who wanted the souvenir shirt badly. After that, a sudden shift came after climbing Mount Apo. At that time, climbing mountains does not give me much pleasure anymore. So I tried running and registered for a 10km, after I got inspired by my friend G, who is often the weakest in hiking. I thought if she could do a 10km run, I could do the same and even faster (thanks G for inspiring me). This is followed doing 16km, 21km, 32km and even trail of 10km running. After a year, I now feel brave enough to be facing my farthest test and hopefully not the last - a full marathon!

My marathon journey

1st Half Mary w/NBS TakBolts

The Bull Runner Dream Marathon

Ms. Jaymie Pizarro is the Bull Runner. Oh yes, she's a (gorgeous) lady! My FB friend - M, has been following her, so I get to know about her and this event - The Bull Runner Dream Marathon. This race is created especially for the first and second time marathon dreamer. I heard positive feedbacks and I thought that it would be nice to experience my first full marathon here.

So I waited for the very early pre-registration which is 6 months prior the event. I wake up at 5AM as announced and checked online to find out that the site crashed! It was re-scheduled and signing up closed in as fast as 30 minutes after registration was opened.

The registration fee of 3,000Php this year, I think is worth. They provide lectures, training guide, and discounts with selected brands of sports gear (Sadly, I was not able to fully utilize these privileges). Plus, I am looking forward for the overwhelming hydration and foodies on the race day. And of course the support of TBR Alumni and friends. This could be the best 1st 42km race one would experience.

Consistent Training is the Key

The gym has been opened since I started working here (NBS), but I have enrolled only 2 years later. I really don't exercise even when I started mountain climbing. Sir Orly even asked me, "san mo kinukuha ang lakas mo?", I really don't know, all I have is will power!

When I joined my first 10km race was the time I enrolled to the gym. This has become my basic training for at least 2x a week - 30 minutes treadmill, mini weight lifting, and core workout. Lucky that I am skinny, I don't need much sweat just a bit of pain and I'm good. But even these simple things I skipped at times during peak days at work and when I have a period.

I become very excited when I received my marathon kit which includes a training program. But I did not follow it! I am a procrastinator queen, which is a deadly sin for a marathon wannabe.

In the first 3 months of the training, I did my usual gym training and have joined some races. I do very short (5-10km) and seldom runs on weekends. I have not attended the Bull Sessions either due to conflict of schedule and most of the time I get lazy because I do not have a company that will train with me. I asked some friends but they could not just commit their time. I get frustrated and thought of quitting.

All or Nothing - Barely 7 Weeks to Go!

But before my total surrender, I gave myself one last chance.

After all the Christmas preparations and celebrations, I visited the TBRDM group page and read the posts to see what others have been doing with their training. Then I saw a post of Belle Lim calling out to the dreamers who want to do LSD at CCP. At first I was hesitant to join. Although I did not quit my gym exercise and short runs totally (I supposed to have a little confidence left), I thought of things like - what if I could not catch up with them? is it too late for me to train?

I erased all my hesitations and typed in the comment box "can I join?" and press enter, while I shut my eyes as if sending my comment with prayers. My rusty social skills should better work this time! I need this!

And then that week, my training began while everybody else is already halfway of it. I should be terribly nervous by then, but as I said, "all I have is will power!"

After LSD training at Nuvali w/TBR batchmates

Last 3 Days

I am not the most prepared participant (I am actually under-trained), but I am pretty much confident that I will still be alive at the finish line. I am really excited, since three weeks ago! But there is a question hanging in my head in this last week before the race, "what will it be after 42.195km?"

Running at Cebu Marathon 2015

Cebu City, Philippines - 21km category is actually what I came for in here.

A usual road race, yet a different experience. The route started with downhills and ended with killer uphills, since we have to go back from where we started. There were music and dancing at various route points as Sinulog festive is coming. But my favorite part was when we ran under the tunnel. It was hot running with bright yellow lights on. It was dramatic as I recalled a scene from the movie "The Perks of Being a Wallflower", I felt infinite!

I didn't break my personal record, but I'm happy. Running and travel are perfect combination of a weekend getaway! :)

Going Further: The 6th Tagaytay to Nasugbu 50km Ultra Run

After finishing a full marathon, running 50km is tempting. But joining the 6thTagaytay to Nasugbu 50km Ultra run has been the most uncertain race I’ve ever joined. There had been lot of road blocks in training and health issues. But I think in anything that we do in life, mostly our drive to push through is the key to finish it.

This race is organized by Jovie Narcise (aka Bald Runner), a retired General Major of the AFP and an ultra-marathon enthusiast. It is said that this race has the easiest route among his organized races, starting from Tagaytay Park and finishes at Nasugbu, Batangas. The road is a combination of mostly up-hills in the first half and mostly down-hills towards the second half.

The race started at 4am with 70 runners and a short orientation and picture taking happened before the gun start. All runners were advised to run in one line only and on the left side facing the approaching vehicles for safety purpose. It is also mandatory to carry a head lamp and/or wear a reflectorized vest, since it is too dark at this time of the day. I have not anticipated that it is scary to run on a hi-way at this time. Not only because of the vehicles passing but paranoia tells me that at any moment, someone could just grab and do me harm. So in the best of my ability, I tried to pace with my co-runners in my fear to be left behind in the dark.

After 2 hours the sun is coming up and I feel more confident in the light. The view is becoming more pleasing. I see the beautiful Taal Lake. The wind is still cold, just right to ease the pain of running. Few more minutes later I reached the Tagaytay-Nasugbu boundary with an arc saying “welcome to Nasugbu”. Here marked the 20th km, according to one of participants with a gps watch.

I feel more confident to run, since the sun is already up, though my calves started to hurt at half-way of the race. It’s too early to be injured, yet the pain is still manageable. I just look forward to seeing Emi’s car on the other side, for it means I have few minutes of rest.

The sun heat is also beginning to be felt on my skin, but luckily the clouds cover it from time to time. I see other runners going further away from me until I don’t see them anymore. They are all gone but these 3 guys, one with his colorful shirt printed with “team dimples” with his buddy wearing a “candy rush” shirt, and the fat guy (according to Orlan), he’s the one with the gps watch and a backpack, solo runner (no back-up), I kept on passing on them and they pass on me at times. We greeted each other sometimes. I tried to be nice, but I’m not in the mood to make friends with them. I usually don’t talk especially during a race.

After 20 more km, my left foot and calf is badly hurting. The sun heat becomes terrible. I plan to slowly jog throughout few meters until I see Emi’s car again. But the pain is unbearable that I walked more and more, slowing me down. Sir Orlan massages my legs and foot, that I’m forever thankful to him, while Emi is spraying me cold water all over my face and body.

I survived another 5km, and the last 5 my left leg is already crying, maybe swimming in tears. I am decided to walk these last 5km. I did not stop at the car anymore, because I cannot think of anything else to eat or to ask for any remedy for my leg. Though Sir Orlan massages it and put ice on, the pain keeps coming back. I wanted to jog, but the road becomes busy and narrow for both runners and vehicles. I could not use the sidewalk either; it has lots of pebbles hurting my feet and legs more. I really feel demotivated at this time. It’s already the 7th hour and my personal target is 7.5 hrs. I could not possibly reach the finish line with this leg with 5km to go.

So I walk straight 2km, until I reached the loop at the Shell gas station which I thought was the last km. So I run here, I used the sidewalk with grass on it,a perfect surface to run on for hurting legs. Then I my spirit died again to know that I am still 2km away. I walked again, though the locals I passed on told me to run as the finish line is near. I stopped thinking about the time and how far I am from the finish line. Until I see the sign board saying “Petron 500m”. I continue to walk and plan to finish walking.

But when I see sir Jovie at the finish line, he was calling me to come near. My legs though hurting, automatically jog towards him. I heard the cow’s bell, signaling that a runner is coming and has completed the race.

At some point of the race, I become very emotionally discouraged and think back when I choose other things to do than train. I feel regretful that I did not give much in training so I deserve this pain. But at the finish line, everything vanishes and thought that I am still blessed. I felt so much happiness. I forget all the physical and mental pain. I am thankful for all – my family and friends who supported me from training to the actual race. I could not have done it without them.

I must say, an ultramarathon is another discipline and a very different one. It requires more training physically and mentally, as well as support from people who should understand very well what this is about. If I would be asked, will I run again this far or even go further? I could not really tell. I cannot say no, because I could not hate running. But saying yes has a lot of things to consider. So for this time, I have to park this question. One thing for sure is that I will run as long as I can.

Eat, Run, and Get Lost in Lipa City

Feeling Good at Getting Lost

Usually, I am not the itinerary maker of any trip I’d been with friends. “Taga-sama, lang ako at kaladkarin.” But for this, I tried to consult Google and top search results are food, ancestral houses, museum, and churches.  Reading blogs get me the impression that the places can be easily found by asking the locals. So we just agreed and come up with a list of places we wanted to see. But it turned-out into an annoying and funny trike ride.

Trike will be the most convenient way to transport around the city. It’s like a taxi, not just in being convenient but also in the minimum flag down rate in Manila. So if you are not very familiar with commuting and knowing where the common places are, prepare some bills. Traveling around may be expensive.

Looking for popular spots come easy. But sometimes, blogs can be confusing. I read about some places which did not exist anymore. So make sure that what you are referring to is something updated.

Food!!!

In general, what to do in Lipa is mostly food tripping. We tried Lipa Grill, located across Mt Carmel Church, which offers a variety of Filipino food.  The taste of Liempo and Pancit that we ordered is not much of a surprise and did not leave me with an impression that I would like to taste it again or want to try another dish. But one good thing is that they serve bigger than usual. So it still good for someone with a big appetite.

What else to expect from a town famous of its Kapeng Barako? Of course we hunt for a coffee shop. We landed at Candlelight Café, located at KM 77 JP Laurel Hi-way, Barangay Maraouy, Lipa City.  What’s obvious about this coffee shop is its different art displays, which are mostly paintings. On one couch there were teenagers drawing patterns of something. On the other table there was a woman teaching her student how to draw the orange, considering its dimensions.

When we enter the shop, it’s so quiet that we tend to talk in a whispering voice. This is something that I often prefer in a dining place. Which probably make the brewed coffee that I ordered tastes good, though the cookie is ordinary.

Lastly we tried the famous Batangas Lomi at a local Lomi house (which name did not register in my brain) suggested by kuyang trike driver as the nearest from SM Lipa. It was past 7pm already and Lomi King may be too far. I was not very satisfied with it, but again the serving is big. It made me so full, which is good for carbo-loading for next day’s race.

The 38th Milo Lipa Leg

People who know about my running may be wondering what's with joining another race of the same event and race category. Well, at the least it's a different place. It's actually my first thought as well. But I guess every race is different from one another.

Milo races are known for its strict cut-off times. For 21km category, it's 2 hours and 30 mins. I don't usually aim for this, but somehow I am challenged. I get scared thinking about it. I have not achieved this time ever. And for some reason, I do not know why I choose the category when I have not trained very well for speed. I just trusted my guts - "malay mo", "kaya yan".

As I said, every race different. Today the challenge is not just running fast but also keeping up with the weather, it was raining all throughout the race. It can either be good or bad for my run. There's threat of heavier shoes and clothes, cold temperature and blisters.

One more challenge is the route. It's close to zero visibility. It was too dark at around 5AM, "walang pa-ilaw si Rio". I just rely on the runners ahead of me few meters away. Just seeing the small reflectorizers from the Milo singlet, hearing some of them talking, their footsteps on the wet ground, guided me of the route. Some had head lamps, but most of them also run in the dark. 

And of course the route difficulty - when it's uphill, it's a very long uphill.

While running this, I had mixed feelings of confidence and doubt in achieving the target time. In the first 5km I experimented shifting to 2/30 at faster pace than the traditional 3/1. But I feel exhausted, because I am not used to this pace. So I changed again and forget about monitoring the time. I run and walk whenever I can and want to.

I get fast times at 4km (25mins), 8km (52mins), and 10km (1:05). I know then that I can achieve the goal, but I also know that I could get slower on the second half because I will get tired and going back means the route will be uphill. I lost focus, but when I saw the 14km tarp at around1:28, I got hopes until I reach 16km, then 18km (2:09).

I thought I can achieve this! When I run in a treadmill, I can do 3km in 20 mins. But this is real road and I doubt I can run that fast. So I just keep running as I could and stopped looking at my watch. I still stop at some points catching my breath. At the last km, I surrendered and not hoping to get a medal. Though I keep on running at slower pace.

Until I arrived probably last 100 strides. Someone from the crowd give me signs to hustle, then I saw the clock at 2:30:++. The seconds are running and a tarp is being put on the finish line, like a gate closing. So I hurried. It's like a miracle, my legs become strong again for that few seconds. It ran faster, it almost got cramps. And Andrew Neri (I think it's him), allowed me to cross the finish line, and be the last one to get the precious medal. I finished with my new PR at 2:31.

The feeling was overwhelming, getting something that you least expect. The pictures of the future flashed in my mind fast. I think about training, joining races, setting faster goals. This happening get me the idea that I can still get better as a runner. I get into a conclusion that my running career is far from over.

My 5 Marathon Training Checklist

When someone gets to know that I am a full marathoner, they automatically give an impression of amazement. I hear comments like “Wow, ang galing mo naman!”, “Di nga ako makatakbo ng isang kilometro, eh.”, “Puro takbo yan, pwede bang maglakad?”,”Hindi ko yan kaya.”,  and so on.

These comments make me ask myself “Paano ko nga ba yun nagagawa?”. It also amazes and surprises me that I am actually great. Well, I do not really know how. Maybe it is my gift.

So here I list down the things that I do to prepare for a marathon. Maybe this will  help you as well in your marathon training. Just be reminded that I am no professional coach and these are based on my experiences and my body type and ability.

(1)  Eye for a Race. Anticipate race schedules in the country like Milo Marathon Manila Eliminations which is usually during the last weekend of July. This gives me time to prepare for it and ensure that I will successfully register.

(2) Plot a Training Plan in Your Calendar. Like any planning of your schedules, this will give you time to arrange and prioritize things. Training period will take months and it is unavoidable that you need to engage your time for your school, work, friends and family. Planning your training will ensure that you meet your mileage requirements for the week without sacrificing your social life.

(3) The Physical Training Itself. There is that ideal training for marathoners. But this may be altered depending on your level as a runner (beginner or experienced) and the time you can commit to training. As for me, I have very limited time for training so I only stick with these basics – run scheduling and progressive mileage.

(a)  Stick with the Schedule. Basic schedules are weekday maintenance run and weekend long run. Weekday Maintenance Run is running in shorter distance and time. This should ideally be done 2-3 times alternate days in a week. This enables the body to remember about the physical potential effects of running. While Weekend Long Run is running longer in distance and time. These depend on how far you are from the race day (if it is months or just weeks). This is the core of the training that is for endurance, so this one should not be missed. In summary, it is important to have regular runs weekly than no training at all. Also remember that a run is a run. I believe that it cannot be compensated with other exercises, when it comes to preparation for a marathon.

(b)  Progressive Mileage. This describes more of the weekend long runs. Months away from the race I start with shorter distance and time, usually 8-10km. And then gradually increase by 2-3km every week until it reached 32-34km, three weeks before the race. After which is the tapering period, where I run shorter distance in reverse progressive until the race day.

(4)  Meal Plan. I do not have a very strict diet per se, and also not slimming down. What I eat up are those necessary for my workout. Again basics!

(a)  I eat at least 2 hours before a workout. Give your body something to burn or you’ll burnout and faint.

(b) For main meal, I focus more on eating protein like soya, eggs, fish chicken and beef, because I need more muscles. I eat less of rice, pork, oily, too sweet and salty foods. For snacks are camote, banana, fruits, veggies, and fiber-rich foods like oatmeal and whole wheat bread. And of course, pasta my favorite during carbo-loading days. I believe these foods enhanced my nutrition level. But like any human, I also have my cheat days.

(c)   At least, a day before the race it is a must to carbo-load to have sufficient energy. You will be losing at least 3,000 calories in a full marathon. I eat as much of complex carbohydrates 10-12 hours before the race and light meals every 3 hours thereafter. The same goes with hydration. I drink as much water with electrolyte. But do not over-hydrate. Everything that is in excess is bad.

(d)  Lastly, take care of your immune system. I take food supplements to boost my immune system. You will not like sickness to ruin everything. It is always better to take precautions.

(5) Look for Running Buddies. A full marathon is no joke. Running buddies will make your race more successful as you have a company during training and actual race. These people will be your support group as you share the same goal in running. So every time you think about quitting, you may feel ashamed of yourself when your friends are waiting for you at 3 AM on a Sunday LSD morning, and re-assess your life choices.

With all these things in mind, there is one thing that should be not be absent – always love and enjoy running unconditionally. Without it, there is no chance you will get up in an unholy hour to practice. This is what makes the discipline special. Running is more of a mental game. If you think you cannot do it, then most likely you can never really do it.

The NatGeo Earth Day Run 2014 (27.Apr.2014)

It's been long since I do 21km distance even during training and my legs quite forgotten how it is like to run this long.

The event is created mainly for Earth Day celebration. Though I am not sure if the proceeds were donated to some activities or organizations that focuses on preserving the Mother Earth's resources (I hope it did). It is organized by Event King. I say, I am quite impressed.

And this year they offer the full marathon distance! Which I regret, I am under-trained to join.

PLUS

The experience is awesome. I enjoyed it. The route is reasonably challenging; a combination of slight up-hells and down-hells through McKinley road inside Bonifacio Global City. This is also the first time for me to reach and run side-by-side the American Cemetery.

This race is well hydrated and is sponsored by Maynilad (also provided shower at the finish line) and Pocari Sweat. Though, at some hydration tents Pocari runs dry. It is expected given the numerous runners who joined this event (as in, masikip in the first 5km).

I salute the runners for they more disciplined in throwing their cups after use. And I admire more the volunteers or event people for keeping the road clean. Though lapses still happens, but this is a somersault improvement since the first time I ever join fun run.

Freebies are one of the things a runner is looking for in a fun run (to somehow get even with the very pricey registration fee) and this event has sponsors. Aside from the loot bags for the finishers (all categories), there are shampoos, detergents, toothpaste, face cleanser, foot powder and calcium milk are some of the tents giving away product samples to runners.

And this created a very long line inside the runners' camp/village. But the big macho men scattered in the finisher's loot bags and kit claim, organized the seemingly endless line of runners who claim their rewards.

Lastly for the gentlemen, seeing the Miss Earth Philippines candidates run their way in the 3km category is definitely a plus. They may want to run again though it's already 7am and the sun is shining bright to see these beautiful ladies.

MINUS

Of course, there's no such thing as perfect. There are minor lapses like lack of bananas, no sponge and ice bath, congestion at the finish line, dehydration at some tents along the route, and I did not see any portalet along the route (sorry ladies).

And the greatest of all, is the hassle of registration and distribution of race kits. Good thing they were able to impress runners during the event.