Part 1: Hey 2012, You Suck…NOT!

Monday, 31 December 2012  |  Bullish Insights

Top of mind, this is what I wanted to tell the year that passed: Hey 2012, you suck!

Then, I browsed through my iphoto library for over a couple of hours and discovered a treasure trove of fond memories of the past 364 days. Instantly, I recalled what one of my dearest friends repeatedly told me: You’ve been blessed.  He’s right.  I am blessed—despite the hiccups, bumps, and bruises along the way—and I am truly grateful.

And so, dearest 2012, forgive me for being melodramatic.  Allow me to thank you for the wonderful, meaningful, and unforgettable experiences this year. You took me on great adventures from Cebu to Berlin, gave me new running and tri-obsessed friends, and took me from the edge of fear to building my confidence and mental toughness in a way I never thought possible.

Here are the highlights of my running life for 2012. There are so many that this is a two part series! Oh, and if you wanna read more about it, just click on the titles to read the full blogpost…

TBR Dream Marathon 2012: Last March 22, 483 marathoners were born. It was our 3rd TBR Dream Marathon, but it always feels like the first.  TBR Dream Marathon, where everyone who crosses the finish line is a winner. Sweet!

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Tri United 1 & 2: The shorter distance of Tri United 1 and 2 at Laiya, Batangas prepared me for Ironman 70.3, not just physically but mentally. Bonus that these were well-organized and fun!

Click on these links to read more about my Tri United 1 and Tri United 2 experience.

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– Tri United 1 with my teammates from Unilab Active Health –

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– Racing during Tri United 2: swim 2k, bike 60k, and run 15k –

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– with Jun and Coach Norman. Photo: Team Norman –

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– with teammates Bic, Drew, and Augusto Benedicto, who would later on be the 1st Pinoy to finish Ironman 70.3 Cebu –

Ironman 70.3 Cebu: It was this race that I worked oh-so hard for during the first 7 months of 2012.  Training for it was challenging and, as Coach Andy likes to say, character-building. This race made me tougher, stronger, and even more bullheaded. Is that a good thing?

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– The best portion of Ironman 70.3 Cebu. Photo: Lloyd Joseph Lawas –

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– with my Coach, Andy Leuterio, who made me suffer in training so I could perform on race day –

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– with good friend Ton Gatmaitan. We signed up for this race together unsure of what we were getting ourselves into LOL. What a ride! –

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– with training buddy Jun Cruz aka Tatang and our good friend Philip Leroux –

Berlin Marathon: My 8th marathon. After the rigors of triathlon training, I gave myself the chance to enjoy myself with my first love, running.  I had a blast running Berlin with my best running buddies.  Truly one of the most memorable experiences. Thank you to Unilab Active Health for sponsoring my Berlin adventure.

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– Got our race packs at the Berlin Marathon expo! –

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– Our pre-marathon workout: tour of Berlin on segway! Crayzeee, but fun! –

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– Freezing before the race start –

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– Cheers! (That’s non-alcoholic beer by the way) –

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– Showing off our medals with the Brandenburg Gate behind us –

Running in Prague: After Berlin, we spent two days in the beautiful city of Prague. We “ran” a recovery run…to McDonalds.

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– We toured Prague after Berlin –

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– We ran…a bit…there too! –

TBR Dream Team Run: Half the distance but thrice the fun!  This was our first TRBDM alumni run.  It was a team run for 3 runners running 21k together.  One of the most fun 21k races ever!

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– Boys Night Out hosted the event –

Laguna Phuket International Marathon: I was lucky enough to be invited by Laguna Phuket to join their fantastic and scenic event. My hotel, Hotel Angsana, was the best too!

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– The course was so scenic! –

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– Finished the 10k even if I had diarrhea! Waah! –

Angkor Wat Half Marathon: A flat and fast run through the ancient temples of Angkor Wat!  I was speechless as I ran through the sites.  Truly moving and astounding. Thank you to Unilab Active Health for sending me.

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Wait…there’s more…

Next: Part 2: Hey 2012, You Suck…NOT!