Natural Run Top 20

Drew Arellano, the actor, finished at 20th place out of 850+ half marathon finishers.

Coach Rio, the runner and race director, paced with Drew and finished slightly ahead at 19th place.

Yours truly, the unknown, finished just 4 seconds ahead of Coach Rio to bag the 17th position.

I started trapped in about the 6th row from the starting line and had to maneuver my way slowly just to have a running space. It transformed into a chasing game for me from there. But I was very heavy so I failed to really chase as fast as I wanted to. Hehehe. See below picture (Bib #0284).

My lower back cried pain all throughout the race. Sensing the possibility of a DNF, I forced myself not to stop and even limited my hydration stops to only 2. One after the 7Km banner and the next one after the 14Km marker (after the second, I was very eager to finish the race and drink all I want!). The strategy worked as I never drifted from a manageable 5:00 pace. I counted 23 runners ahead of me before the PNR Makati U-turn point. I aimed to overtake 3 runners to finish at the Top 20. By the Buendia Kalayaan flyover, I managed to overtake 6. Then I went pass 2 more half marathoners after a few hundred meters back in BGC. I was then at 16th place but the 15th finisher was nowhere near my sight so I just took it easy from there. A lean runner overtook me and I never fought back. The only time I really stepped on the gas was when Coach Rio started to closed in on me on the final hundred meters of the race. I took 17th place after finishing in 1:45 hours!

Next race would be 10K sometime in late February or early March. I better lose some pounds and start getting right back to fit form.

Meanwhile, training resumes this Thursday. I do hope I start to get lighter as the training progresses.

Team Alpha1 after the Race

Natural Run Extended Registration and Exciting Raffle Prizes

Extended Registration

If you have not registered yet for Runrio's Natural Run 2012, it is not yet too late as the race registration has just been extended!

Registration for Go Natural Run 2012 is extended until Jan 11 at all in-store registration sites except for RIOVANA wherein registration will be until Friday, Jan. 13

Raffle Prizes

Raffle prizes from Resorts World Manila, Air Philippines, Timex and others are in store for lucky runners participating in the race.

See you all on Sunday, Jan 15 at the Go Natural Run 2012 at the BGC!!!

Almost Tempo

Last Tuesday night, 12 Kilometers were the daily mileage schedule (should there be kilomeage as the metric equivalent of mileage?). Two kilometers to warm up, 3 kilometers in top speed preferably 3:59 pace or better, 2Km recovery jog, another 3 kilometers in top speed followed by a 2-kilometer cool down. The training goal is to carry my 1Km speed up to 3Km. To develop the stamina and endurance at top speed.

Great idea. Poor execution.

I ran 2 kilometers slightly slower than 6:00 pace. Strictly following the prescribed training run.

Hit 4:20 on the 3rd kilometer.

Recovered for a kilometer. Ooops! This is not planned, is it?

Hit 4:17 on the 5th kilometer.

Recovered for a kilometer. You are not following the plan, are you?

Hit 4:23 and 4:36 on the 7th and 8th kilometer.

Recovered for a kilometer.

Hit 4:33 on the 10th kilometer.

Cooled down with a 2-kilometer jog.

I don't know what to expect this coming January 15th on RunRio's Natural Run. I will be running 21Km and was hoping I could run at an even pace of 4:20 and submit a 1:31-hour finish. But as of last Tuesday, I can only run 4:20 for ONE kilometer, not the entire 21KM.

As poor as my last few training runs had been, there is still a ray of hope. Tonight, I will be running again. Who knows, I might just be able to sustain the 4:20 pace for 8 straight kilometers.. and then do much better during the actual race. Nothing's too hard if I just keep my focus and keep on trying..Right?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Anyhow, I will be wearing my running outfit tonight and see. It's a Tempo training run.. Like the previous training run, I might be tempted again to insert recovery laps in between the scheduled Tempo distance.. Or I might finally get the discipline and determination I am so lacking to finish the run according to schedule.

Let's hit the road, shall we?