It took 392 days, 2 injuries, 3 full marathons and 2 ultramarathons to hug everything in perspective. I overshot my target, last Dec 2010 at QCIM with my maiden marathon, unconscious of how things went into fast forward mode and checked how this grueling sport offers.
But the dream is not suppose to stop right there. After a year of exposure into this sport, I still thirst for more. Some 20++ years ago, Nestle always try to air this event during the commercial breaks of the popular kids show Batibot which didn’t make any sense to me in the first place and just joking to myself by a long shot that someday ill cross that finishline, sort of a dream. Well those were the days back then not knowing that I’ll eat my own words 23 years later hahaha!
Last year I blogged the 34th edition me doing an epic fail hurting my right shin after my 10K attempt but sadly it happened again during the December Finals joining the 21K category when I stupidly harbored an
injury called ITBS that made me regret things that resulted into a great depression. While carrying a monkey on my back with this freakin injury, I swiftly utter that this is my bad nut or vice versa. Now I’m
writing this in full like the 42.195 KMs that is! Out comes the 35th National Milo Marathon- Manila Eliminations, “sa tigas ng ulo ko” I registered for this event for my dream to be a reality, but this time
I am indeed careful. I didn’t peg any PR but rather just reach the cut off of 6 hours to get the finisher’s medal.
walk break before heading Buendia Ave. with idol Mark Rodica
This event traditionally takes place right at KM 0 in Rizal Park but was moved to SM Mall of Asia this year as organizing this event was handed over Runrio from Rudy Biscocho. First of and foremost, I don’t like the singlet, I mean I like it but the arm holes really sucks.
Breaking-in the Milo singlet is like a chaffing machine, which eventually making it as a pambahay shirt. Runrio or Nestle had this rule to wear the official singlet that led me wearing the 2010 version
and again that rule sucks. When i head home, tried to raise the famous white 42K bib and said to myself (eto nay un Wes!) with Gregorian Chant sound effects! I was like a schizo for a minute there then smirked. Yeah this is like no ordinary marathon, this is THE Milo Marathon! Tanga tanga ko I didn’t notice the B-Tag was attached when I almost ripped the envelope trying to find the D-Tag that was scrapped by Runrio. Bwahahaha!
d2 tayo sa daang matuwid... sa The Fort
On to race day, Wow its downpour, it wasn’t a surprise either because it’s been raining the whole week with typhoon Juaning’s tail picking the right place at the wrong time, 2nd Nike shoes to have a cold bath
I assumed. Rendezvous with Team CB and head over to the starting grid, by this time the rain didn’t matter coz its even giving any signs of slowing down either! Greeted fellow runners/friends from various
groups few minutes before gunstart, this is the usual atmosphere I always love. Wishing everyone for a safe and injury free run.
Gunstart! Kaboom! The usual “asaran” warm up for the first 2 KMs, everybody having a great time enjoying the cold weather, slight rain topped with a military line up of male runners taking a piss on the first hundred meters (di kinaya ang lamig nyahaha!). Runners went into their comfort zones before reaching the end of Macapagal Blvd. This eventually lead to bigger drops of rain until turning to Buendia Ave. for the first half of the race. Heavy puddles on both flyovers of Buendia and Baclaran, it’s just unbelievable and inevitable for an early shoe bath.
Target setting: to at least work from a 6-7min pace barrier, have a couple of walk breaks up until KM 21 and just meet the 6 hour cut off, but the rain served as a sweet coolant and helped me push until KM 25. It feels great when you get to greet friends from side to side and back, doing the low 5’s that serves as motivation. I started to struggle after the Kalayaan flyover, feet starting to hurt after being subdued multiple times on the early part. Runners passed and I tried to stab a KM or two but cramping starts to linger before I could reach the last U-Turn at McKinley Hill, power walk will do. Thanks to Perkins of ARC Manila for lending me an almost empty Bodivance, helps a lot Coach Argo passed by an assessed my situation, but im A OK hehehe.
the part where Gigs took off her singlet and became a moving KM marker =P
I can still manage to run, checked Garmin if I can still make it up to KM32 for the 5 hour cut off, glad that I have an hour and 45 before the threshold. Met and paced with Gigay, she’s also starting to feel the pain on both calves, the “tisay” can still clamp an 8min pace, told her to go ahead but shes trying to battle it out. Its stretching time! Just to loosen up a bit. We reached final checkpoint an hour and 9 mins before the 5th hour. We did it! oh yeah!! Gigay can still do a couple of hundred meters for the whole stretch of Buendia but eventually slows down.
with Gigay... lingering cramps with all smiles
For the last remaining 10KMs it was 90% power walk and 10% walk. Pretty neat that this technique from Doc Art is a deadly weapon, very helpful indeed! I was able to teach her how to effectively nail it reaching a max of 8:30/KM without getting sluggish versus the normal “wasak walk”. The mighty sun did show up on the final 3KMs.. more power walks and short stabs hahaha!
high risk with high reward... were on a high
After reaching the final turn to Seaside Blvd., we started to give it all we’ve got, background music getting louder, yellow finishline arc is visible, people cheering and paced on a 7min margin!
I could still recognize everybody (still in my sanity hahaha), familiar faces, friends, photogs aiming and the runner’s high is back! Clocked at 5hours 41mins! IT FELT SO DAMN GREAT! Finishing the race, the nicely engraved 42.195KM Finisher Medal I longed for 20+ years now hanging around my neck! OH F*CKIN YEAH!!!!
sharing the moment with Cebu TTB Group's Doc Cecillie and Prince
The boyhood dream is mission accomplished! Wohoooo!! Happy as well to be able to help a friend/ fellow runner all the way to the finish and grabbed a new PR! Selflessness still prevails, Congrats GIGS!!
this one surpassed Condura's. engraved & embossed to perfection:)
All my gratitude to the idols KB, Meljohn, David Buban, Doc Toto, Brian Pacia, Mark Rodica, Raymund Canta, Coach Argo, Perkins, Rod Runner, Doc T, Junrox, Beeps, Jixee, Dodayishi and Prince.
with Team CB Family and sister team Team Boring
Runners Link, CRB, Takbo.ph, HOB, Snail Runners, ARC Manila, Heartbreak’ers, Team KTT, Team Boring, aNR- Ortigas Pearl, Team Kamote, NFFs and my Team CB family. Thank You Thank You po. This race means a lot to me
Thank you lord for the good health and an injury free race, the jinx is over.
On a runner’s perspective, redemption always keep us motivated and set our personal goals to the roof. I’ll do my best on the 36th to stamp a better time, race pace that is..
Lesson learned: “Always weather the storm”
