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Run To Bring Hope

Having run the farthest and fastest in two separate training runs this week, I felt confident about Run To Bring Hope. I was pretty sure I could break my PR, but I didn’t want to be presumptious about it. Who knew what could traspire during a race: I could faint, stumble on a rock, or worse, faint and hit my head on a rock! (Mind you, after what I’ve been through this is a highly plausible scenario.) So, I stayed hopeful (I guess all runners should’ve been due to the run’s title) but my feet were firmly on the ground (Guys, that’s a metaphor. I do lift my feet when I run.)

I arrived at the assembly area in Rajah Sulayman Park to see runners warming up for the race. This was relatively a small race so the mood was pretty relaxed and calm. As always, most participants were men, but surprisingly there were a large number of women too. I saw groups of girls with lean and thin physiques who, I was guessing, could probably outrun the men due to their sheer weightlessness!

Since I arrived way too early again, I had enough time to warm up, run to the restroom, tie my shoelace, run to the restroom again, retie my shoelace in the restroom, and chat with fellow Happy Feet Runners. Phew, next time I promise to get their right before the race starts so you won’t have to read through that irksome list again!

Run To Bring Hope - Happy Feet

– Happy Feet! The more, the merrier –

Run To Bring Hope - Happy Feet2

- Mabuhay ang Pilipinas—at ang Happy Feet! –

“Five minutes to the start of the race.” I was chatting away with Happy Feet when I heard that. “2 minutes”…We were still chatting. “1 minute.” I squeezed my way into the first few rows behind the starting line. “10 seconds.” I set up my Nike+. “Go!” I clicked on my ipod and off I went.

The course was plain and simple. We ran through the flat, paved roads of Roxas Boulevard. No hills nor flyovers this time. I ran the first half at a pace a bit faster than my usual race pace. I couldn’t confirm this because I refused to glance at my ipod. Those few seconds count you know?!

By the second half, I felt like I drank a stale bottle of beer. It tasted like slight exhaustion mixed in with drops of boredom. Truly the result of one main ingredient: flat, unchallenging, bland roads. To add some spice to the recipe, I decided to apply the strategies Coach B taught me. I practiced longer strides with recovery periods in between. Oooh, I was flying! Together with Dave Matthews’ “Ants Marching” on my ipod, I was cruising at warp speed! Well, maybe not that fast but that’s how I felt.

Run To Bring Hope - Finish

- Runners crossing the finish line –

I ended the run with the biggest surprise ever. My time: 46.57 minutes! A whopping 10 minutes less than my PR! (Note: My Nike+ counted total distance at only 9.57 km)

Yahooo!

Yipeee!

Wooh…huh?!

What?! My Nike+ refuses to end the session. I press all the buttons, tap it, turn it upside down, and curse it to the high heavens, but it pretends not to hear me. The traitor! I thought he had been my best running buddy and, at my best run ever, he decides to abandon me?! Who does he think he is?!

After a few photos and more chatting with Happy Feet, I drive home proud of what I’ve accomplished but supremely pissed at the ipod for hanging on me. It didn’t record the entire run. Grrrr…I don’t have proof of my own personal victory. Oh well, I’m looking at the bright side, at least I didn’t faint.

With Maryanne and Jenny

– with Mary Anne and Jenny. So glad to meet you both! Looking forward to running together! -

Batman

- Batman/Spidey could’ve done 50k more -

Run To Bring Hope - Awarding

- Run To Bring Hope awarding and raffle –

Posted on 08.05.07 to 02 Race Reports. Tags: , , , , . Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 16 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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16 Responses to “Run To Bring Hope”

  1. Hi Jamie,

    Wow you’re so fast. bilib tlga ako sa coach mo galing :) , about your Ipod maybe it’s not yet calibrated or configured yet have you tried it running in an official 400m oval course just to see? or does it have settings like that? ;)

    TRF said on Aug 05 07 at 4:18 PM Reply

  2. wow! 46:57! thats pretty impressive jaymie! wondering if batman/spidey uses a more high-tech gadget than nike+ ;P hehe congratz again!

    Drew said on Aug 05 07 at 6:09 PM Reply

  3. Hi there! You actually posted our pics! :-) Congratulations on your new PR – galing! Quite surprised but happy with my own race results as well..30.37 for 5k! Hope to run with you soon. See ya!

    Mary 715 said on Aug 05 07 at 9:10 PM Reply

  4. Oh my it’s that masked dude again! I first encountered him at last year’s Elvis party (UP Mountaineers) and he sure did creep the hell out of me. Although my UPM friends say he’s harmless that still got me a bit weirded out.

    46:57?! Geez Jaymie, you’ll be running 42-Ks in no time!

    marga said on Aug 05 07 at 10:23 PM Reply

  5. congrats jaymie! di na kita mahabol grabe bilis! :)
    si mon pala, FIL-MUS run ang tinakbo?! hehe.

    Renz said on Aug 06 07 at 9:10 AM Reply

  6. di ba your ipod is just new? bat meron agad glitch? anovah?! on your record, dont worry, we’re all witness of how bullrunner you really are! ang lupit! :) congrats!

    banggigay said on Aug 06 07 at 1:06 PM Reply

  7. daaaang! you are effing fast!!! congratulations! awesome!!

    e-rod said on Aug 06 07 at 1:42 PM Reply

  8. TRF, well yeah i’m too lazy to calibrate it, but it still shouldn’t have acted that way. They say those glitches happen occasionally. I just hate it that it happened during a race and not in a training run.

    Drew, hahaha! I’m sure he does! Maybe he even has wheels with booster power under his rubber shoes :)

    Mary, congrats to you too! Yeah, that’s a good time :)

    Marga, I don’t know yet about marathons. Half muna. :)

    Renz, you’re way faster than me! If it weren’t for your injury, you would’ve surely beat me. How are you na? Hope you’re feeling better.

    Banggi, the ipods brand new and it’s giving up on me already. Maybe it’s overused? haha. Hey congrats to you too!

    bullrunner said on Aug 06 07 at 1:44 PM Reply

  9. hey there! nice to have met you last sunday. My marathon buddy (mary) and myself were hoping to see you and surprise … not only did we see you but we talked to you and with matching pictures pa hehe. Anyway congrats on your new PR.

    jen said on Aug 06 07 at 2:01 PM Reply

  10. I was witness to TBR’s Record breaking run yesterday! Asteeg ka TBR!!!!!! :)

    Ben said on Aug 06 07 at 5:26 PM Reply

  11. congratulations on that new PR. how i wish i could be as consistent as you are in setting PRs. i guess having a coach really helps. running “flat, unchallenging, bland roads” can be really boring but they do help a lot too in setting PRs. keep on running!

    caloyb said on Aug 06 07 at 9:33 PM Reply

  12. great run jaymie…we were all immensely overjoyed you broke your PR, and registered a sub-50 minute 10-k for that matter…gadzooks, you’re primed to break 45 minutes next…

    so ready for our next VR? :D

    hitme64 said on Aug 07 07 at 4:24 AM Reply

  13. What can I say? You deserve it with all the training that you do. I on the other hand am happy to just cross the finish line. I am still trying to figure out what I really want to do, haha. Don’t forget to eat and eat well.

    Mayi said on Aug 07 07 at 11:53 AM Reply

  14. Jen, it was nice meeting you too! Hope to run with you and Mary in the future :)

    Ben, you were the first one who yelled the good news to me! How could I forget you screaming “46 minutes!!!” as i neared the finish line. It was so dramatic eh? Kulang nalang slow motion :)

    Caloyb, thanks! Honestly, I dunno how I’m gonna break this PR. hahaha

    Hitme, you think the storm will be gone by thusday? I hope so!

    Mayi, thanks! When are you going to run again with us? :)

    bullrunner said on Aug 07 07 at 1:15 PM Reply

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