Part 2: Hey 2012, You Suck…Not!

Monday, 31 December 2012  |  Bullish Insights

Continuing from Part 1: Here’s even more highlights of 2012…

Runner’s World Features:  I and TBR Dream were fortunate enough to be featured on my favorite running magazine, Runner’s World Philippines, twice this year.

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– One of the running bloggers featured on Runner’s World Phils Jan-March 2012 issue –

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– TBR Dream Marathon makes it to Top Local Marathon list on RW Jan-March 2012 issue –

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– On the cover of Runner’s World Philippines Oct-Dec 2012-

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– with ex Editor in Chief and good friend Marie Calica during the shoot –

Falling in Love with Biking…and my Shiv: I fell in love with biking this year. It all started when I got my Specialized Shiv from Joey Ramirez of Dan’s Bike Shop. Running is still my first love, but man oh man, I can’t tell you how much I look forward to speeding down the hills of Nuvali.

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– Fondo Manila ride out with Patrick Joson. Yes, that’s Richard Gutierrez smirking at the newbie! –

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– Meeting my Shiv for the first time! That’s me with Joey. Aaah, what an unforgettable day –

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– Power Meter test with Coach Andy at Alterra –

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– Learned everything from changing a flat to drinking while riding. Thanks Coach Norman! –

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– Bike skill training with Team Norman at MOA-

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– 100k ride with Jun at NUVALI! Who would’ve thought I could ever do this?! –

Trail Runs: I love trail running but never have enough time to do it.  Thankfully, I ran trail twice this year.  First in Salomon Trail Run in Tagaytay Highlands then La Mesa Ecopark with friends.  Both were fun! Note to self: must do more trail runs for 2013.

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– La Mesa Ecopark run with friends –

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– Salomon Trail Run was exhilarating –

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– Last few kilometers of the Salomon Trail Run. Crazy fun! –

Nike+ Innovation Space in Singapore:  Nike sent me to Singapore, along with friends Coach Rio dela Cruz, Drew Arellano, and LA Tenorio to learn about the new apparel and gear of Nike.

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– with Nike ambassadors Rio and Drew –

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– with friend Andrea Goh of Nike Singapore and the Nike Fly Knit –

Running and Biking with the Kiddos: We got more active with the kiddos this year!  Running and biking with the two people I love the most in the world. The best!

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– Southridge Run with kids and Cosmo –

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– Our new favorite past time –

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Unilab Active Health as Partner and Team: I’m thankful and proud to have partnered with ULAH for 2012 to further promote running and living an active lifestyle.  I also joined Unilab Active Health triathlon team.

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– with other partners of ULAH during our launch: Coach Rio de la Cruz, Dan and Ani Brown, and Raul Cuevas of Bike King –

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– Team Unilab Active Health dinner –

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– Team pic after Ironman 70.3 Cebu. Missing from pic: Me! I must’ve been catching my breathe on a picnic mat by the finish line –

YOU. Yes, you, my dear reader. Thank you for dropping by this little blog of mine every so often.  Some of you have become great friends, some familiar faces in the running scene.  Even if I don’t get to see you most of you in person, know that I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of your life somehow.

It truly has been a fantastic year.  2012, you don’t suck at all!

Thank you to Unilab Active Health, Sun Broadband, Otterbox, Enervon HP, Enervon Activ, Gatorade, Oakley, Specialized and Dan’s Bike Shop, and Kitchen’s Best for all the loving! Thanks you also to Hero Foundation for allowing me to be involved in the great work that you do!

Previous post: Part 1: Hey 2012, You Suck…NOT!

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!

On the Cancelled New York City Marathon 2012: We Ran It Anyway

Tuesday, 6 November 2012  |  Race Reports

The world’s biggest marathon, New York City Marathon 2012, was cancelled last weekend due to the devastation brought about by Superstorm Sandy on the city. Here’s an article written by TBR Dream Marathon alumni and friend, Vic Icasas, on his experience running his own New York City Marathon:

WE RAN IT ANYWAY
Words by Vic Icasas. Photos by Cyn Icasas.

Me and a couple thousand of my new best friends descended on Central Park today, Sunday, November the 4th 2012. This particular date was tattooed on my brain for the past six months because today was supposed to be the day all of us would be running the ING New York Marathon, the world’s largest and most famous road race.

Unfortunately, due to a combination of a brutal Hurricane Sandy and some amazingly indecisive flip flopping on the part of Mayor Bloomberg and the New York Road Runners, the marathon was eventually called off at the worst possible hour – barely a day and a half before the gun start.

Now to be clear, I had and still have absolutely no problem with them calling off the race. Large parts of NY are still without power, water, or heat (including the houses of my cousins and sister-in-law) and there’s an apocalyptic gas shortage that has armed law enforcement officers standing watch over grumpy, seething lines of cars that stretch for miles and miles. It’s just the wrong time. The public outcry and backlash against the inappropriate diversion of city resources (police, generators, volunteers, water) proved too much for the mayor to bear, and after days of protest, he eventually and belatedly conceded that running the race was indeed a bad idea and thus cancelled it.

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– Statue of NYCM founder Fred Lebow in Central Park –

But by the time he realized the obvious and called it off, thousands of runners had flown to New York from all over the world. Thousands of dollars had been spent on planes and hotels. Countless miles of hard training had been logged – all for a race that was not going to push through.

So we ran it anyway.

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Thanks to Facebook, Twitter,and good ol’ word of mouth, runners started assembling at the barricaded but still intact marathon finish line in Central Park at dawn. Off to the sides in the grandstands, volunteers started to collect donations, old clothes, and pledges for storm victims. A few marathoners even complained good naturedly that there was no bag check station. But heck, there were a lot of things missing. No organized schedule – no organizers, for that matter. No goody bags. No medical teams. No marshals or law enforcement. No water or food stations – this would come back to haunt me later. Nope, just a bunch of dedicated runners with a rough route (4 laps of Central Park plus a teeny bit more) and a race that needed running, with or without official support.

So we ran it anyway.

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I had my own personal support group in the grandstands – my wife Cyn, her sister Cris, and Cris’ husband Ed, himself an alumnus of the 2011 marathon. I left a stash of water bottles with them with the understanding that I would refill my solitary, tiny little drink flask every time I looped around. The crowd spontaneously chanted down from ten to one, and with a couple of war whoops and good spirited heckling, we were off.

I sailed easily through the first two loops, powered by pent up energy and an abundance of good cheer and bonhomie. My spirit was soaring seeing so many runners doing what they came to do.

I saw teams sporting flags from France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Costa Rica and Australia. A runner wearing an Indonesia shirt passed me and after seeing my shirt, hollered “Go Philippines” in a heavy accent. I replied in kind. A gigantic runner from the Netherlands lumbered past me, slowed down and looked my way and said “Oh, Philippines! Makati! I have kids in Makati!” Then he sped off.

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By the third loop, I realized that I might be in a spot of trouble. The northern part of Central Park plays host to a quarter mile incline with about a 4.4% grade called Harlem Hill, and each time around Harlem Hill was definitely kicking my ass and wearing me down. At the 32K mark I reached for my water bottle to pop an energy gel and slake my parched throat – and gasped to realize that it was empty. And I was at least 5 kilometers away from my support group.

The 32K mark is legendary among marathoners for being the point in the race where “the marathon truly begins”. It’s hard enough to do that final 10K with a full complement of water and aid stations and cheering fans lining the streets. And here I was with a bone dry water bottle and nothing with which to wash down my much needed gel. I started slowing. Then I tried to speed up. Then I started slowing even more to barely a shuffle. Finally at the 35K mark, I started to walk and couldn’t start up again.

This is where my support group sprang into action. Hearing my panicked phone call, Cyn and Ed grabbed water bottles, ventured out onto the course and started making their way towards me as I was limping back towards them. They accompanied me all for every step of that last painful 7K as I staggered towards the finish, and their company and much needed encouragement even got me to manage a respectable if somewhat awkward run over the last kilometer until my Garmin’s screen finally showed the magic number: 42.2 kilometers. And right there in the middle of nowhere, at an anonymous spot in the park surrounded by trees and bikers and curious onlookers, with no real finish line other than the numbers on my watch, I fell gratefully into Cyn’s arms and I was done.

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– Cris David, Cyn Icasas, the author Vic Icasas, and Edward Carrasco –

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There are still people without power, food or supplies in New York, and it will take some time for the city to get back to anything resembling normal. I’m pretty certain that New Yorkers will overcome their problems and prevail. They’re strong, resilient, tough minded and have a lot of heart, which not coincidentally are the same attributes one needs to cultivate in order to run a marathon.

Yes, even if that marathon was cancelled – we ran it anyway!

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Part 4: Berlin Marathon – Race Day

Wednesday, 10 October 2012  |  Race Reports

The Berlin Marathon, one of five marathon majors alongside New York, London, Chicago, and Boston Marathon, prides itself in being the flattest and fastest course in the world. It’s where world records are made (seven world records were set here in the past 15 years)…and broken.

The race accepts 40,000 registrants from all over the world. Majority are signed up for the 42k and only a few for inline skating, wheelchair, or power walking. The race starts and ends at one of Berlin’s most majestic landmarks, the Brandenburg Gate.

For its 39th year, 34,900 runners from over 165 countries showed up on September 30, 2012 to run 42km. I was among them. It was my first time in Europe. My second marathon major next to New York City Marathon. And, my 8th marathon.

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RACE MORNING

One great thing about running marathons abroad is the later call time for cold cities. For Berlin Marathon, our race start was 9 am. I woke up at 6 am with enough time to prepare my stuff and eat a hearty breakfast with Ton, Angel, Lit, and Miriam.

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– My marathon must haves: KSwiss Kwicky Blade Light and Nike dri-fit socks, Garmin Forerunner 910XT, Spibelt arm sleeve (for chapsticks and tissue), Spibelt pouch (for gels) –

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– Can’t leave home without Enervon HP! Packed this in my check in bag for my post-race recovery drink –

We arrived at the race start at around 7:00 am excited about our marathon and thrilled about the near perfect weather. Temperature was about 11 degrees. We wore trash bags and plastic bags provided by adidas for the next couple of hours to keep ourselves warm.

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– Quick trip via the subway and we make it to Brandenburg Gate, the race start –

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– Map of the entire race area –

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– Runners from all over the world gather for Berlin Marathon 2012 –

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– And they’re dressed in anything and everything to keep warm –

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– From all white throwaways… –

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– to transparent rain jackets! –

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– These Pinoys are in their NB Pilipinas shirts! Go Pinas! –

We checked in our baggage before the 8:30 closing of the baggage check in then we enjoyed a mini pre-race picnic by an open field (I had Gatorade chews and a granola bar) where, due to the unbelievably long lines at the portalets, all of us—yes, even the girls—were forced to do our “little business” behind the bushes!

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– Angel and I sorting our stuff before baggage check in –

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– Ton and Mir –

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– Angel and I (accompanied by my three layers of trash bags) –

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– The best running buddies!  We couldn’t believe we actually made it to Berlin after months of planning and training! –

After a relaxing picnic in the chilly air, we made our way to the race start. In Berlin Marathon, runners are grouped into waves, just like in New York, but there are only Waves A to H. Majority of the runners are in Wave H, those with expected finish times beyond 4:15, and this is where my friends and I were in.

RACE START

The first wave was set to start at 9:00 am. We were in Wave H, the last wave, and we waited at the assembly area among a sea of trash-bag clad runners from over 165 countries with the Brandenburg Gate before our very eyes.

The host, first in English then German, introduced the elite runners participating in the race. Music was blaring. The runners roared and cheered. Hundreds of blue balloons were released into the air and we watched them drift away against the backdrop of the pristine blue Berlin sky. (Who would’ve thought that only a few days ago forecast was 75% chance of rain?) In the cold, the 20 minutes it took for us to start the race was quite long, but with such intense energy and to be among great friends, I couldn’t complain.

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– Just a few minutes before race start! Woot woot! –

GAME PLAN

I came to run Berlin Marathon for fun. Finishing Ironman 70.3 Cebu didn’t allow me to enough time to train seriously for a marathon PR. And, after experiencing a couple of injuries in my left foot, I didn’t want to risk pushing too hard either.

We all join marathons for our own reasons. And, even for each runner, we have various goals for each of the marathons we run. It used to be that I was obsessed with my time. I always had to be faster and stronger. But, I’ve reached a point when I’m more focused on how much fun I have training for and running marathons. In the future, sure, I’d love to beat my 4:26 PR, but I just felt that this was not the right time in my life to attempt it.

Having said that, I won’t lie to you. I still hoped to finish as strong and as fast as I could given the preparations I made. I expected a sub-5 finish, but, hey, if I could hit 4:30 then all the better!

Game plan? What game plan? I didn’t have one until the last few minutes before the race started. I told Lit, who was pacing Ton for a 4min run-1 min walk interval that I would join them for the first 15km to ensure I take a conservative pace and then see from there.

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– Off we go! That’s me and my trash bags! I refused to let go of it until a few meters after we ran (Photo: Miriam Valero) –

THE FIRST 25K

The first 25k came and went by fast. To my mind, these were the reasons:

1) It was a flat and fast course with lots of sights and entertainment and spectators cheering for us along the way. There were bands every 50 meters—in total 80 bands for the entire race—each one with a different personality. My personal favorite were drummers who, in sync with the beat of their drums, chanted “You can do it!” It was a pleasant surprise to have so many Germans, who I initially had the impression were fairly conservative and reserved, yelling their lungs out to cheer for us. We also passed some of Berlin’s landmarks such as the Reichstag, Fernsehturm, and Sudstern to name a few. There were minor hiccups along the way—specifically high-traffic areas along some narrow roads—but, all in all, it was a course that was flat and fun.

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– Lit, Ton, and I in the first few kilometers of the race (MValero) –

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– Runners of Berlin Marathon 2012 (MValero) –

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– Just one among the 80 bands to entertain us (MValero)-

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– Cheerers everywhere! (MValero) –

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– I agree! (MValero) –

2) The race was well-organized. Hydration was enough with water every 2.5k after every 21k and every 1.5k after 35k. The sports drink was Powerbar at every other station so I carried a sachet of Gatorade endurance formula and mixed my own drink every other station. Fruit and tea (I didn’t want to risk trying this for the first time) were provided too. Lots of marshals and medical service were present. From 36km and up, there were actually “accident assistant stations” every kilometer. At one station, I got some help from a friendly medic to tape up a blister on my pinky toe. Roads were clean, safe, and traffic-free (as it is anywhere else in Berlin!) Basically, one didn’t have to worry much about anything except running their best.

3) The weather was perfect. For us Pinoys who are used to training under intense heat, running in cool weather seems almost effortless. At 10k I remember Ton and I agreeing that our legs felt so fresh!

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– Awesome run! –

4) I ran with friends, Ton and Lit. We peed by the bushes at 2k (hey everyone was doing it!), laughed about the many aromas in the race, gave high-fives to spectators who cheered for us (Ton even stopped to dance with a capoeira group), and before we knew it, we hit the 15k mark.

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– This was our 2k pee break! See me rushing off into the bushes in disbelief over what I had to do! –

At 15k, Lit asked me if I wanted to go ahead. I replied: No. From the start of the race, my legs had actually felt slightly heavy because of the cold. Only at the 15k mark did I feel like I finally warmed up!

We ran steady with Lit leading the consistent 4:1 run-walk intervals. This took me through another 10k with ease.

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– Let’s go Ton! –

GOING SOLO

At 25k, Lit suggested I go ahead as they were going to modify their run-walk intervals to 3:1. I agreed, wished them luck, and took off on my own.

It was at this point that I felt like a runner with a mission. I thought: What if I attempt a 4:30? I didn’t train for a 4:30, but what if? And, with that thought, I pushed a wee bit harder.

I only stopped to walk at hydration stations. I focused on my form and maintaining a consistent pace. I allowed myself to enjoy the sights and scenes of the marathon, but didn’t allow it to distract me from the goal.

Minor discomfort was setting in, but, as I learned in Ironman 70.3, the pain can be controlled by the mind. It was nothing. I pushed it back to the corner of my mind.

I covered another 10k to hit 35k feeling strong. Then, boom…

THE BIG FALL

As I slowed to stop at a water station, I glanced at my Garmin to check my time. Suddenly, my foot slipped off the road and, in a matter of seconds, I found myself falling forward. If your entire life flashes before your eyes before you die, in my case, the entire marathon did. I flew into the air and skidded on the road on all fours. First thought: F#@%! Then, a male European runner appeared out of nowhere and stretched out his hand toward me asking: “Are you okay? Are you okay?” I got up in a daze, barely even looked at him (what a waste, I know!), and repeated the only words in my mind over and over: “F#@%! F#@%! F#@%!” followed by a polite, Maria Clara-like “Thank you.”

I gave myself a minute or two to check the damage. Nothing major. And sped away.

As I ran, all I could feel were the burning in my hands. I recalled that the night before, a friend had read champion triathlete Noy Jopson’s Facebook status aloud which said: “Pain only hurts.” My friend laughed heartily saying: “What the hell does that mean?” I didn’t think anything of it at that time, but, as I ran in pain, it became my mantra: “Pain only hurts.” I repeated this over and over and over again and it kept me focused on the end goal.

My knees were badly bruised (as was my ego), but I could run and that was more than enough.

THE FINISH

I was so focused that I barely even had time to think about slowing down. It was almost mechanical for me to place one foot in front of the other, drink at a station, then run off again towards the finish line.

The last few kilometers were familiar roads. I was happy to see the Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt again, where we ran a few days ago, but, at the same time, it also told me that I was still a bit far from the finish.

Surprisingly, I managed to run at a strong steady pace until the end, stronger than I ever have in the past. I didn’t break my PR nor did I finish at 4:30, but, man, did I feel great.

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– Few meters from the finish line –

I finished at 4:44 for a distance of 43.14km on my Garmin. With an adjustment for 42.195k, I would’ve finished at 4:38, beating my last marathon time at California International Marathon in Sacramento last December. But, hey, I wasn’t complaining. Each marathon finish is something to be proud of. Big surprise bonus was that, for the first time, I ran an exact even split. For this positive split runner, that’s a feat!

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– Crossing the finish line of my 8th marathon –

Geoffrey Mutai from Kenya won the Men’s Marathon with a time of 2:04:16. (World record was set in Berlin Marathon last year by Patrick Makau who ran 2:03:38) For the Women’s Marathon, Aberu Kebede from Ethiopia won at 2:20:30. Of course, it makes all of us feel better to know that these elites crossed the finish line while we we were only making our way through half of the marathon. tsk tsk.

From the Philippines, there were 32 finishers, 15 women and 17 men.

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– Done! Now where’s that non-alcoholic beer? –

GOOD TIME!

We all had a great time running Berlin Marathon! Yes, it was a flat course, but it didn’t feel like the fastest course to me. Honestly, the California International Marathon felt faster for me probably because there were a quarter of the participants and more descents. Still, it was fun. (Is there any marathon that isn’t?!)

As soon as I crossed the finish, I collected my bag at the baggage claim. No lines and all my things were intact (unlike Lit whose jacket was stolen!) I quickly changed my clothes while other women completely undressed around me without any hint of shyness. (Welcome to Europe!) The free non-alcoholic beer was a welcome delight for this non-drinker runner while I rested my weary legs.

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– with Janejane, Nica, and Drew –

I met the rest of my friends for another mini picnic at the crowded Family Reunion area. After downing my beer, I took out my little “baon”, a serving of Enervon HP for my recovery to prevent soreness the next day, and happily munched on an apple while chatting away with friends about our marathon experiences.

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– Cheers! A medal and beer. What more can a marathon finisher ask for? –

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– We did it guys! Hugs! Hugs! –

That evening, Ton, Angel, Lit, Miriam, and I walked towards our favorite restaurant area near our hotel, around Km 40-41 of the race route, not to run but to celebrate our marathon finish. We feasted on Thai food at a restaurant fittingly called “Good Time.” Good times, indeed!

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– Good times at Good Time –

Previous: Part 3: Berlin Marathon – Team Pilipinas!
Next: Part 5: Berlin Marathon – Prague and Our Recovery Run…to McDo

Thank you to Unilab Active Health for my Berlin Marathon adventure!

TBR Dream Marathon 2012 Race Items in Photos

Saturday, 3 March 2012  |  Race Announcements

Just a few words to describe most of the items our TBR Dream Marathoners will be receiving, using, or seeing during the race on March 18, 2012…

IPICO TIMING TAG to be wrapped around the ankle and returned after use. Same as what triathlons abroad use. Runners receive this upon check in on race day.

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TBR REFLECTORIZED ARMBAND for you to use during the race (and yours to keep after!). Runners receive this upon check in on race day.

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The official uniform of our 60 DREAM CHASER volunteers that you’ll spot along the course…

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The TBR DM 2012 FINISHERS’ SHIRT you will receive after crossing the finish line…

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This is what TBR DREAM TEAM and TBR DM Organizers will wear during the race. Say “Hi!” or “Thanks!” or smile if you see someone in it. Most likely, on race day, none of those in red would’ve slept a wink to make sure the race goes smoothly for all of you. (If it’s me that you spot, just say: “Hoy, ganda ng shirt mo!” Kidding! But, seriously, I love how this shirt came out. My favorite so far, next to the blue cotton official TBR DM shirt you all received upon registration.)

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The FINISHERS’ LOOT BAG. Yes, it’s a real bag!  Brand name: Longchamp-ion.  Man, I’m too corny.

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Last but not the least, the FINISHERS’ MEDAL that will forever remind you of the first (or second) time in your life when you accomplished your marathon dream…

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– Front –

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– Back says: Where everyone who crosses the finish line is a winner. Yes, that’s TBR Dream for you! –