Kampai!

"Everybody is a star
It don't matter who you are, no
Keep on reachin' for your dreams
'Cuz it ain't as crazy as it seems" 

[Black Eyed Peas single Own It]

IT was my plan to end this year with a bang, joining the 2nd Quezon City International Marathon, my retaliation  from the 34th Milo Marathon elims last July, my worst race todate. But what will  be the assurance that I could break my record?, that I can do better than my last 3 FMs? NO, its not the right time. I can do a back-to-back race but I will be disappointed if I won't hit my target time. Sa akin lang "ang big event, pinaghahandaan, hindi lang sabak ng sabak". I don't want to abuse myself running an ultramarathon, a week before a full marathon. I hate injuries. It is a race, I respect the distance and time, I value my body and soul, nevertheless not in my training program.

"mag-support ka na lang, wag ka ng tumakbo", doday. There I decided not to register for QCIM and instead support and cheer my friends running their pikermi : fm, where some are virgins. One of my goals as a runner is to support my kapwa runner. I want to put smile on them while agonizing to reach the finish line. A call of duty, not only as a runner, a friend but as a human being. Also, it is my way of paying it forward on the supports I received in my entire running career, from my team mates - Team CB, takbo.ph, marga (who did her 1st marathon - way to go margalicious) and those strangers who didn't bothered to take a stand in order to offer support.

It was last year when I joined takbo.ph support team in the Philippine International Marathon. "masarap magsupport, rewarding! parang naka-tapos ka rin ng marathon", I was neophyte then.

PIM 2009 - Buendia Aid Station

at ngayon, naulit muli, now lolo, a veteran.

QCIM 2010 - Team CB in Philcoa

TBR Dream Marathon, Unfolding One's Dream...

TBR Dream Marathon
May 22, 2010 – Nuvali, Sta Rosa Laguna
Distance: 42K
Time: 6Hrs 3Min

"Let our DREAMS go high, Like the birds in the sky, Spread our wings, So we can reach the stars!"

Running my first full marathon will always be my most memmorable one but running another can be as memmorable as the first one. It's a test of faith and courage, different stories unfold, different emotions drawn, crossing the finish line is always a seventh heaven. This is how Condura: Run for the Dolphins, my first full marathon marked me as a true runner. They say, first marathon is unforgetable, yes! this is absolutely true.

I don't have any idea about this race until julie told me that she will join a marathon. Upon learning that this is only exclusive for first timers, I did not attempt to ask anything about the race. I felt envious on how the runners will be pampered by the bullrunner herself towards their first marathon. 200 wanna be marathoners were given a chance to be the 1st TBR Dream Marathoners.

February 15 - afternoon, julie told me that the bullrunner had opened additional 100 slots for the 2nd  time marathoners...this is it! I enjoyed Condura run, now another marathon after 3 months... hmmm, anyway enough time to prepare and train. Without any hesitation, I registered and volunteered myself to pace julie.

February 22 - 02:00h. looking at my friends in the startline, especially the first time marathoners was a mirror on how I look when I took my first marathon. Mixed emotions, happy, excited and tense...but I am more worried with myself on what may happen during the race. My shint and legs are still unrecoved from recent PAU. I didn't showed up any pain to my friends, pretending that I am strong, looking strong. I just asked our Father to give me strength 'til the end of the race, I was heard. The race started at exactly 2 o'clock in the morning in a humid weather. As promised, I paced julie in achieving her first marathon. Our pace was consistent reaching km21 in 6.46mn/km pace, good enough for sub 6 however due to unexpected circumstances, we slow down and walk often thus I still tried to push her without any pressure. Before we reach the finish line, I asked julie to go ahead of me for a great finisher's shot where Argo, our coach is waiting for us. 

- To TBR organizers especially to Jaymie, Team Second Wind and all the peeps behind the success of TBR Dream Marathon, thanks for everything...for your generosity from the talks, the sessions, the freebies to lootbags...kudos!

- To my Takbo.ph family, my dearest marga, pio, el cap, nao, carly, timmy...salamat sa walang kasawa-sawang suporta...

- To the dreamcatchers, maridon and the rest...the dreamchaser, tracy, raymund and dream pacers, rona, jet, doc art...salamat

- To my TEAM CB family...wow ang suporta! Cherry, Argo, Allan, Cess...di mabilis pero cute...

- To the new marathoners, Julie, Yan, Lorie, Marvs, Tin, Gail, Ley, James, Maan, Tayette... congrats and welcome to the world of marathon...

The 42K Journey of the Hermit

Condura Run 2010 – Run for the Dolphins
Ika-7 ng Pebrero, 2010 – Fort Bonifacio, Taguig – Skyway
Distansya: 42.195K
Oras: 5hr22mn43sc

the newborn marathoner

“Ready na ba ako? Nasa kondisyon na ba ang katawan ko? Panahon na ba?” Ito ang mga katanungang naglalaro sa aking isipan bago ako mag-desisyong subukin ang aking kakayahan sa isang full marathon. Na-inspire ako sa mga kwento ng kapwa ko mananakbo, challenging sabi nila…yun nga lang, dapat isa-alang-alang ang perfect timing at sapat na training. Parte na ng buhay ko ang pag-takbo, ang pagle-level up ay bahagi na nito. May goal ako, may gusto akong patunayan sa sarili ko…alam ko ang kakayahan ko, alam ko kung hanggang saan ang limitasyon ko, kung kailan ako bibitaw, kung kailan ako susuko..

Ang Condura Run Skyway Marathon ang nagbigay-daan sa akin upang tuparin ang isang hangarin, hangarin na makapag-full marathon ngayong 2010. Alam ko, hindi pa ako hinog, kulang pa sa karanasan, newbie, pero gusto kong mapatunayan na ang determinasyon at disiplina ay maaaring maging paraan upang maabot ang aking minimithi.

TENSYONADO! ganyan ko maide-describe ang aking damdamin ilang oras bago mag-simula ang hudyat ng 42K gun start. Kasama ang Team Galloway (tracy, carina, timmy, doc marvin, carlo, raff at doc art), umikot kami sa palibot ng BHS upang ikondisyion ang aming katawan..walang akong kibo, walang imik, takbo lang sa gitna ng dilim, sa malamig na ihip ng hangin. Napawi ang aking kaba kahit paano, sa mga sambit buhat sa kapwa ko mananakbo, goodluck, ingat, enjoy the race, kita-kits sa skyway…sinabayan pa ng fireworks na nagpa-gising sa lahat…

Maganda ang aming simula, sa Galloway training plan na 5:1..Bayani rd, Kalayaan flyover, Buendia ave, takbo.ph aid station hanggang sa marating namin ang Skyway, naging consistent ang aming takbo. Target ko ang 5:30 finishing time, mabilis sa isang virgin marathoner kung tutuusin…ngunit ito ang naging motivation ko upang matapos ko ang aking unang marathon sa loob ng 6hr cut-off time…Split time ng grupo ay 2:25hr, maganda at maayos… ngunit bahagyang napawi ang lakas ng bawat isa matapos ang skyway turn-around, may naiwan, may nauna…
Kasama si Tracy at Carina, binaybay namin muli ang kahabaan ng skyway, bumagal man, ngunit ang lakas at tatag ng loob ay nanatli, hanggang sa umabot sa skyway hill, ang pinakahihintay ko…

Sa pagbaba ng skyway, doon ko naranasan na unti-unti ng nilalamon ng hapo ang buo kong katawan hanggang sa marating ang aid station ng takbo.ph…kakaibang suporta ang naramdaman ng bawat isa sa amin…sa tugtog ng musika, sa hiyaw ng mga kasama, sa saging na ipinamamahagi…Pinagpatuloy ko ang aking pagtakbo at madalas na paglakad…here we go again, kalayaan flyover, isang nag-uumapaw ng takbo ang aking ginawa hanggang sa marating ang tuktok ng tulay…

Ang nalalabing 5 kilometro ng ruta ang tuluyang nagpabagsak sa aking katawan…ang araw ay tuluyan ng naghari..manhid na ang katawan ko, paralyze na ang paa ko…ngunit nagpatuloy pa rin ako hanggang sa huling 2 kilometro, wari ba’y sinukluban ako ng langit at lupa, trinaydor ng aking kakayahan…bahagyan napaiyak ako…hinahanap ang aking pamilya, ang aking mga kaibigan…san sila? bakit ako nagiisa?..saglit akong huminto at muling humugot ng lakas ng loob at isipan sa Maykapal, hanggang sa naka-tanggap ako ng isang text message mula sa isang kaibigan, na nagbigay sa akin ng encouragement na tapusin ko ang sinimulan ko…

cess the bunso...my pacer for my last 100m sprint

Muling nag-balik ang aking lakas matapos kong makita ang isang kaibigan na naghihintay sa akin, kaibigang di alintana ang init na dulot ng araw…kaibigang sinamahan ako hanggang sa marating ko ang finish line…

my finishing moment

Nag-uumapaw ang puso ko sa kagalakan at kaligayahan matapos kong makita ang aking ina at kapatid sa sa finish line, ang pagsalubong at pagyakap ng mga kaibigan sa takbo.ph at ang pagdiriwang sa tagumpay ng bawat mananakbo…SALAMAT!

we conquered the skyway

my takbo.ph family...the masters

dahil sa karanasang ito, mas lalong tumaas ang pagtingin ko sa mga mananakbo ng full marathon. Saludo ako sa inyo…Salamat team CB, team Galloway, cess, jhun c., mccoy, pepsi, zi, and margalicious..kudos to condura organizers.…hanggang sa muli!
p.s. salamat cap tere sa pagsalubong ng isang masigabong yakap matapos akong mag-cross sa finish line ;) woot woot

the banner by margalicious

photogs - carmen, brando, que/jinoe, mccoy