With a special opportunity to step up on the grandest marathon stage of the Philippines, I fumbled. This is going to be one moment I would never ever forget as my running career moves on, I was totally humbled. Devastated. Inconsolable. Crashed. My preparation failed me. My legs abandoned my cause. Hereon, I must rebuild, rebound and redeem myself.. Else I sink deeper into oblivion.
From Km.0 Roxas to MetroBank Baclaran
(5km+ in 26 minutes!)
The Milo Marathon Philippine Tour kicked off last Sunday at Km 0, Roxas Boulevard. The Milo Tour begins with the Manila Marathon Elimination Leg.
The Milo Marathon Elimination Leg started a few minutes after 4 am. I together with my caring girlfriend and her two sisters who will have their first fun run at the 3K event, arrived at the starting line about 30 minutes before four o'clock in the morning.
We had enough time to take pictures. I stretched my arms, legs, hips and shoulders and ran for a few minutes to warm myself up. Then twenty minutes before gun start, I kissed Nerissa and went inside the marathon coral.
There I stretched my body more and tried to run a few more minutes. I felt relaxed, happy and excited. Just my second marathon. I was looking to qualify. I know I have the speed to do it. I was praying I have the endurance and the heart to make it.
I met Sir Junrox Roque, a.k.a Tigerboy, while running a few laps at the back of the runners coral area. He gave me a few inspiring words and I wished him good luck.
At about 4:10am, we were sent off.
I started in an easy pace. Just about my relaxed pace of 5:00 min per kilometer. I was not as excited as I was on my first marathon where I registered a 4:15 min per kilometer pace on the first 9 kilometers. As a result, I was less tired and I was more energetic to finish the next three 10.25-kilometer loops around Festival Mall in Baclaran and Star City in Sotto Road at the corner of Roxas Boulevard.
I felt so strong going up Buendia flyover where Sir Junrox greeted me and wished me well. I was taking it comfortably at my planned pace of 5:00 per kilometer.
Good enough, I reached MetroBank Baclaran in 26 minutes. Right on target. And I am still feeling strong. This is going to be a smooth sailing marathon for me. I was easy, happy, relaxed and having no problems with my body.
I did not stop for water or Gatorade on the first 8 kilometers of the marathon. A sign that I had enough rest and enough stored energy on my body. I was praising myself for a good carbo loading week.
I also had more than enough sleep last Friday night. Saturday, I slept two more times during the day, just watched NCAA basketball games and a FIFA world cup match between Spain and Paraguay. I was resting my legs.
Saturday night, the four of us traveled to Makati in preparation for Sunday's marathon.
When I reached the Festival Mall in Baclaran for the first time, I was physically strong, still highly motivated, mentally prepared and inspired to conquer.
First 10.25-Kilometer Loop
(10.25km in 51 minutes)
I was having a well paced start. Right where I wanted my timer readings to be.
| kilometers (approximate) | marathon route segment | planned completion time | actual completion time | actual total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (about 5+ kilometers only) | start to metrobank baclaran | 29:00 | 26:20 | 0:26:20 |
| 10 (10.25 kilometers) | 1st loop from metrobank bacaran to naia to macapagal to sotto | 49:00 | 51:06 | 1:17:26 |
I got my legs and feet going nice and easy. I was even smiling at the bus windows where commuters find us runners a spectacle. I wished they would clap their hands, greet us or simply wish us luck for our marathon journey. I was hoping marathoners will be appreciated more. After all, it is not that easy to wake up 2 o'clock in the morning to prepare ourselves for a 42.195-kilometer run starting on a 4am gun start.
Yeah, dream on. Dream on.
Anyways, I kept to my planned pace and was still cruising on a 5:00 min per kilometer pace.
I reached Festival Mall in NAIA road. Nothing festive about the place. It was still so early in the morning and nothing to be excited about on that part of the route. Turning right to Macapagal Road, about 8 kilometers on my marathon run, I decided to stop for a water break.
That was my very first walk break after a hydration stop and I felt I deserved it. I thought I was still taking it easy and was very much on my strategic pacing.
When I read my timer and saw that my pace slowed down to 6:00 minutes per kilometer on the 7th and 8th kilometers, I speed up.
Macapagal Road was almost flat all through out, probably with the exception of an unnoticeable elevation of a bridge over a nasty dirty river going to the direction of Mall of Asia (MOA).
From MOA, I kept my pace going back to Buendia Avenue where a marching band plays loud music and a group of majorettes dance while twirling their batons. Magically, it pumped my legs to move with faster strides and higher bounce.
Then we turned left to a much more peaceful Atang Dela Rama Road. Not much vehicle traffic. No noisy buses. More trees. I enjoyed this part of the route because of its tranquility. I heard nothing except for the runner's feet and breaths.
The road in front of CCP complex and Star City was also void of vehicle traffic. Only less vegetated but was filled with morning runners not part of the Milo marathon.
I was having a good time running around these places where I have never ran before. Milo organizers and crew did their job pretty well and provided us marathoners with lost of water on long tables, Gatorade sports drinks, bananas, energy gels and water sponges. There were also sufficient and accurate kilometer markers along the marathon route.
The marshals were well aware of the route and it was just difficult to get lost. Great job!
Add to that the numerous support crews that provided cheers of encouragement, water cups, water sprays, claps, whatever they had to help us ease the pain and endure the marathon.
Back to Buendia and EDSA flyovers, I could still tackle the steep climbs easily. (Did anybody else smell the foul odor of seemingly fresh human waste while climbing the Buendia flyover? That was stomach-crunching. Mahirap na nga huminga habang umaakyat, yun pa ang maaamoy mo sa paghinga mo.)
I finished the first of three 10.25-kilometer loops in 51 minutes.
According to the disposable timing chip, I finished my first 15.3 kilometers in 1:17 hours. That's a 5:04 minute per kilometer pace. I started to really believe I would qualify for the Finals. Only an injury can stop me now -- I thought.
Second 10.25-Kilometer Loop
(10.25km in 1:01 hours)
My legs were about to abandon my cause. My second loop was the start of my imminent collapse.
| kilometers (approximate) | marathon route segment | planned completion time | actual completion time | actual total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (about 5+ kilometers only) | start to metrobank baclaran | 29:00 | 26:20 | 0:26:20 |
| 10 (10.25 kilometers) | 1st loop from metrobank baclaran to naia to macapagal to sotto | 49:00 | 51:06 | 1:17:26 |
| 10 (10.25 kilometers) | 2nd loop from metrobank baclaran to naia to macapagal to sotto | 48:00 | 1:00:57 | 2:18:23 |
I was happy and confident going into my second loop.
Perhaps too confident that I failed to counteract my impending collapse. Reading my timer upon seeing the kilometer markers, I knew I as slowing down to 6:00 min per kilometer. I did not speed up. I planned to just take the second loop easy and reserve my energy to run my fastest loop on the third 10.25 kilometers around Baclaran and Roxas Boulevard.
Sir Junrox caught up with me. Again, he greeted me and motivated me to continue fighting.
When several other marathoners caught up with me and overtaking me one-by-one, I did not panic. On my own pace! I murmured to myself. I will just take this loop as a breather as I prepare to conquer the third and last loop.
I was doomed.
The marching band and the dancing majorettes stopped their music right when I reached their station at Buendia Avenue. It was to be a bad omen. I was to stop soon just like their previously loud and lively music.
Going into the peaceful Atang Dela Rama Road, I was less and less energetic.
Perhaps I was feeling the heat and it affected me somehow. Perhaps it was the monotony of going around the same loop over again. Perhaps it was my lack of mileage going into this marathon. Anyways, the second loop is about to be concluded.
I got my second loop cord, hang it around my neck and proceeded to Buendia and EDSA flyovers.
I was a little worried that I took a full hour to cover my second 10.25 kilometer lap.
I am now on the brink of elimination.
Computing in my head, I had to finish the third loop in 52-53 minutes to qualify. I have to speed up now. I must.
Upon landing on the foot of EDSA flyover and going to the direction of Festival Mall, I was determined to give it my all and take a shot at the Milo Finals.
Third 10.25-Kilometer Loop
This is my last loop. I'm giving it everything I got.
Soon enough, I was able to chase a few marathoners in front of me. The energy was coming back. The enthusiasm to finish was again flowing in my blood. This is it. The final loop. The deciding chapter of my Milo marathon.
But how do I speed up? Faster strides, faster arm swings, forefoot landing, look ahead and focus on reaching my goals. They were my tools to increase my running speed. And I felt I was going faster and faster.
Feelings hardly equate to reality. And reality does bite often.
I was only going a little under 7:00 minutes per kilometer. I reached the 28th kilometer marker and at my current physical condition, I know I am in trouble.
But I still can manage to qualify. I just have to keep trying.
After a brief water stop, I continued to try and salvage this marathon run. I will not surrender yet. I will keep my stride going.
Searching for that far far away 30th kilometer marker hammered my fighting spirit down to the ground.
I am no longer capable of running. I felt my calves were no longer listening to my commands. My arms were swinging but my legs doesn't follow.
Oh no. I'm done?
Natz Garcia, a.k.a i2runner, and Alfred Delos Reyes, a.k.a El Kyoshi, appeared from behind and we had a little chat while running together. I felt that if I can just hang on with these fellow marathoners, I might just have a chance to still make it to the Finals. So I tried to jog and run with them as long as I could.
We passed by the energy gel station. Natz got two packs and offered one to me. I did not take it. I am not used to taking energy gels. I have three little chocolates on my pocket. They slowed down while consuming the energy gels making it still possible for me to run with them.
When they started to speed up and go on with the marathon, I still tried to lift my legs and run with them. I couldn't. I simply wasn't ready for a full marathon. I felt my legs were no longer under me. I hit my wall at the 29th kilometer. I stopped on the water station and had no other choice but to watch their backs disappeared from my sight.
When I looked at my timer and saw that almost three full hours have elapsed, I shooked my head in sadness. It was goodbye 3:45 hours of qualifying time for me. Worse, I still have about 13 kilometers to tackle with my stamina almost emptied. I was emotionally and physically drained.
Yet the show must go on.
The good news I had was that the Milo marathon curfew was 6 hours. I have three hours to walk 13 kilometers! I can still do that.
Another good news, I have no injury. My legs were fine, they're just so tired.
Nerissa and her sisters were waiting. My pacers at the last few kilometers of this marathon were also waiting. I can't let them down and worry about my condition for hours. I must go on.
Keep walking.
And walking.
Against the raging heat of the sun at 7 in the morning, keep walking.
Runners kept passing and overtaking me at Macapagal Avenue. I took my salonpas out of my pocket. It was all wet with sweat. It does not stick to my legs and were not able to provide any relief on my tired quadriceps. Keep walking.
My lonesome walk became more bearable when a fellow marathoner, Jojit, stopped and walked with me for a few kilometers. We talked about how our preparations were cut off and how it affected us on this marathon. We both hit the wall and could not do anything about it but walk.
His companionship injected a power boost on my tiring legs. I was able to jog again going into Buendia Avenue from MOA. I hang on with him until I couldn't run anymore upon reaching Atang Dela Rama. I wished him luck and I reached into my pocket to consume the last of my chocolates.
I was so low emotionally. The marathon was not finished yet and I was already assessing what went wrong with me this time.
I have read from Bull Runner's blog that a runner's second marathon usually doesn't go successfully.
I thought I could do better than the first. I was a lot more confident of the marathon distance but I prepared a less. I was more enthusiastic on the first. I was eager to prove myself on the first and I was more determined to destroy and disprove the marathon wall.
The second time, I thought I could get a pass on the marathon wall and that it wouldn't bite me at all. Although I tried to train and be at my best on race day, I was less enthusiastic to train when my body hurt and could not run for weeks. Maybe I did the right thing of resting my calves and not forced myself to train when I'm hurt. Maybe I was too uninspired to train when the training gets tough. Whatever it is, something went wrong on my marathon training and it swallowed my Milo qualifying dreams.
I had so much heart on my first marathon that I finished it under four hours with a bad knee. Now here I am all healthy and well but in four hours, I still have 6 more kilometers to go. I was a faster marathoner with a crippled leg? I just could not comprehend what was going on with me. All there was on the road was my suffering self simply unable to run.
from photovendo.ph
bawi tayo next time!
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