Takbo Para Kay Ariel

At the very last minute (Thursday to be exact), I asked my friend Mon to register me for the Takbo Para Kay Ariel, a small race for the benefit of 2nd Lieutenant Ariel Toledo who had been diagnosed with cancer. I felt that I needed a real pick-me-upper to get me out of the minor rut I found myself in last week, so I thought of joining this 10k instead of training all by my lonesome in Alabang.

- This is what was parked in the Assembly Area. Sure way to beat your PR! –

At 6:00 a.m., I arrived at the assembly area in Villamor Airbase with the mindset that I was absolutely NOT going to race; I was going to run at a moderate pace and enjoy watching other runners huff and puff around me. I got the shock of my life when I learned that the 10k was called off. We were all running a 5k! Okay, what could I do then but employ Plan B…which was… uhm… to run as fast as I could.

By 6:15 a.m. I found myself doing—do not laugh—morning exercises alongside Anton and all the other runners at the grandstand. After jumping jacks, stretches, and jumping jacks again, we lined up at the starting line and we were off by 6:30 a.m.

Wow, I got off to a way too quick start. I was panting by 0.3 km… how pathetic! Less than a half kilometer into the run, Lance Armstrong tells me that my pace was 4.37 min/km—a pace that I knew I could not maintain unless I hitched a ride on a tricycle on the way back. I slowed down a wee bit to 4.50 min/km and maintained this pace except for times when I climbed hills (ooh, these were challenging little hills that I will be cursing until I hit the sack tonight!) and when I tried to leave competition behind.

The entire time, I set my eyes on chasing down one woman before me. Let’s call her Dark Horse because she ran with her hair down donning an all black outfit (No no no, she didn’t look like a horse! Such evil minds!) I knew there were just a handful of us women in the front pack but I had no high hopes of making it as first (perhaps only in my dreams) so my sole mission was to have this woman eat my dust. After seemingly endless attempts to catch up with her, I finally succeed and leave her behind. Aah, the sweet taste of victory! Before I can even raise my arms up in triumph, she blows in with a vengeance. Gosh, I must have made her terribly mad. She runs at breakneck speed like a raging bull… er that’s me… so perhaps like a zipping zebra or charging cheetah or… you get the point. I never ever catch up with her again.

I reach the finish line a few steps behind Dark Horse at 32.55 min. A very reliable source tells me (okay, it’s just my Nike+) that the distance was not 5k but around 6.8 km! (I don’t have the exact distance because I forgot to end my workout.) I came in at 5th place in the Women’s Category.

- Top 10 Men and Women. We all look so ecstatic, don’t you think? -

Before the awarding, I congratulate Dark Horse and learn that she has been running for 10 years. She says she’s much better at 42 kms. Oooh god, I won’t even go there. I learn too that she has a more approachable name, Daisy.

I leave the race with more than when I arrived. On one arm, I carry my prizes (a Petron bag and Unilever products) and, on the other, my free food (bread, water, banana, and a hard-boiled egg). I gained a few more running friends (Hi Odie, it was nice to meet you!) And, I carry a renewed sense of peace and calmness. I am not overly excited about my placing 5th nor am I glum about it. I was just happy to be running. Period.

- Happy day for Happy Feet. All women won: Me 5th, Chaia 9th (not in pic), Roselle 17th (2nd from left). From Right: Anton, Ben, and his friend -

– After the race, runners enjoy the free snacks -

Posted on 08.19.07 to 2 Race Reports. Tags: Metro Manila, Races, Run, Running, Takbo Para Kay Ariel, Villamor Air Base. Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 20 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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20 Responses to “Takbo Para Kay Ariel”

I live in Villamor Air Base, but I wasn’t able to run this one because I was so lazy.

Babawi ako sa UP Run.

marga said on Aug 19 07 at 7:11 PM Reply
Hi Jaymie,

Congrats! at first glance I thought you were a teenager from the top ten photos

TRF said on Aug 19 07 at 11:21 PM Reply
She’s always present in almost all the races. And she’s right. I can only get pass her on a 10miler or shorter distance race. Last Milo full and KOTR, i was eating her dust. and it is true also that she is very competitive, specially if you overtake her.

Congrats on another award! Asteeg talga ang mga h@ppyFeet Female runners! kelan kaya kami makakabag ng award.

See you on the Great UP Run.

ben chan said on Aug 20 07 at 12:02 AM Reply
Marga, sayang! I wonder when we’ll ever meet! I’m not joining UP run.

TRF, thanks. You just made my day! Let me go and tell my hubby what you just said..haha

Ben, how was your trail run? Hope you got pics of your muddy feet

bullrunner said on Aug 20 07 at 7:29 AM Reply
Jaymie, sa Mizuno this Thursday!

marga said on Aug 20 07 at 9:54 AM Reply
one thing i like about the pics is the sight of “tedaks” (pma cadets) in their PT uniforms. that must have taken a lot for these kids to be on “authorized leave” from the academy for this run. i should know. is toledo a graduate? it doesn’t matter, that’s running for a worthy cause and you made a difference in this kid’s life. i admire people like that.

nice to see villamor airbase in the background also. reminds me of my mistahs and my friends that live there. it’s been a long while, really, and i miss them.

keep running, br. right on, right on.

jun29 said on Aug 20 07 at 2:26 PM Reply
nice meeting you and the other HAPPY FEET runners! happy running!!!!

odie said on Aug 21 07 at 6:53 AM Reply
well, you just keep getting those podium finishes, don’t you? something i can only dream of.

“just happy to be running…” isn’t that how we all get started anyway? glad to see you’re out of that rut. is coach b coming home soon, or what?

e-rod said on Aug 21 07 at 7:25 AM Reply
hi! am anie, one of the organizers in “takbo para kay ariel” fun run.. i would like to express my deepest thank you to you and your friends from happy feet! ariel was very happy to see his mistahs, underclass in pma, kaydet girls, and other running clubs who ran for him.. he wasn’t there but thanks to technology, we had a 3G conversation with him while doin’ the exercise led by his mistah As-Il.. btw, the run was covered by abs-cbn. i saw it in tv patrol last night while waiting for the bodies of fallen marine comrades in villamor airbase.. again, thank you so much!

anie said on Aug 21 07 at 11:32 AM Reply
Marga, next next thursday pa mizuno. They’re every other thursday only

Jun29, Toledo is from PMA Class of 2006 – MANDALA’s Magna Cum Laude and Valedictorian. I don’t know him but he is obviously well loved and I do hope we’ve helped in our own little way.

Odie, join happy feet so you’ll never be alone at the races!

E-rod, Coach B is arriving today or tomorrow. yes!

Anie, thanks for organizing the run! I think what you’re doing is a noble thing. We hope it helps Ariel and puts a smile on his face. My hubby saw the race on ABS too. Sayang I missed it.

bullrunner said on Aug 21 07 at 3:48 PM Reply
Aw shucks, pero at least magkikita nga tayo next next week! I hope to meet everybody then! Hehe :-p

marga said on Aug 22 07 at 8:46 AM Reply
we have pahabol give aways pa.. we are giving away costumized ID laces, exclusively for those who ran for ariel.. may i ask how many are u from ur running club who ran last sunday? and if u don’t mind, where can we drop those laces so u can have it too?

anie said on Aug 22 07 at 11:34 AM Reply
I would like to know what are other events for the foundation of Lt. Ariel Toledo coz i want to give a small donation?

Thank you.

margarita candare said on Aug 22 07 at 2:30 PM Reply
Sirs, Mesdames, in behalf, TAKBO PARA KAY ARIEL Core Group, Thank you very much for bearing with us and for supporting! Many thanks from Ariel and Gie.. God Bless You all!!

Genna said on Aug 22 07 at 3:48 PM Reply
Margarita, I’ll email Anie and Genna and cc you.

Annie and Genna, thank you for organizing the run. It was a great race…even better than other races I’ve joined actually We hope we were able to help Ariel in our own little way.

bullrunner said on Aug 22 07 at 6:44 PM Reply
I feel bad dahil nagyon ko lang nalaman ang naging kalagayan ni Ariel Toledo. I know him when I was in high school kasi we attended the same school in Ilocos Sur. Mabait si Ariel at humble talaga kaya nalulungkot ako sa naging kalagayan niya. Pero nang malaman ko ito ay huli na dahil patay na pala siya. Sana nakakalap din sana ako kahit konti lang sa pagpapagamot niya. I’m so sorry, Ariel but you may rest in peace.

Rupert said on Sep 07 07 at 12:55 AM Reply
ey! i entered “ariel toledo” on my search engine and this blog showed up as one of the results… i am ariel toledo’s classmate back in pma and i want to thank u for participating in our event weeks ago..

u and ur fellow runners were a great help to our cause to help our mistah..

i just thought u myt want to know, ariel already passed away last nyt sept 5 at about 1830h.. his remains will be at villamor airbase..

nice blog anyway.. good day.. livestrong! Godbless

oskar said on Sep 07 07 at 1:50 AM Reply
http://services.inquirer.net/mobile/07/09/09/html_output/xmlhtml/20070909-87476-xml.html

try reading this site..
ariel is an icon and a hero to many..
…especially to the youth who are aspiring to wear the “uniform”.

ma’am salamat ng marami
at salamat sa lhat ng tumulong kay ariel.

…one brave soul!

anie said on Sep 13 07 at 3:23 PM Reply
ma’am is it ok if i copy some of your pictures?
it’s for our documentation..

anie said on Sep 24 07 at 2:45 PM Reply
hi ma’am niceblog and it was fro a good cause :0) is it ok if i tagg ur blog to my KG Blogring?

huggy99 said on Oct 11 07 at 4:13 AM Reply