Botak Paa-Tibayan 42k Race Report

Monday, 11 May 2009  |  Race Reports

TBR RACE REVIEW: BOTAK PAA-TIBAYAN 42K

Overall rating (10 highest): 5

THUMBS UP:

  • Nice 10k course. Slightly different from Adidas KOTR and Condura which passed through the Buendia Flyover as we went straight through S&R instead of making a left back to the finish line.
  • Several choices for the singlet design.  Marathoners could opt to have their names printed on their singlets.
  • Gatorade at water stations.  Nice to see those green cups and Gatorade coolers along with the water.  No sign of baldes anywhere.
  • Water from the fire truck at the bottom of Buendia flyover.
  • Booths at the assembly area.

BETTER JOB NEXT TIME:

  • Lack of marshalls led to a lot of marathoners losing their way on the course.  I have a marathoner friend who finished his “marathon” in a 32k course!  He probably lost his way in Rockwell.
  • 21k/ 10k/ 5k started all at the same time at 6 a.m.  With this heat, race should’ve started earlier at 5:30 a.m. and at different schedules for each distance.
  • Lack of information on race packet.  No course map in the packet, which was intentionally done to prevent cheaters for starting midway through the race.  But, my question is: why should all runners be penalized for this?  Why can’t they have marshalls to protect the course?  And worse, no race start time information for 21k, 10k and 5k on the race pack.
  • Ran out of water at some water stations.  (I personally did not experience this.  It was reported by other runner friends.)
  • No directional signs and kilometer markers for 10k and 5k.  I heard there were a few kilometer markers for the longer distances.

This was the first marathon set up by the race organizers of Botak Paa-tibayan Road Races.  Some experienced runners raised concern—perhaps not publicly but among their inner circles—over the ability of the organizer to put up such a complex race with little experience in other shorter distances.  Was this why there was a small turnout—just a little over a thousand runners in my estimate—that showed up for the race?

For the marathon, the race was definitely not in the league of international races, perhaps not even matching up to recently held local races, such as Condura Race.  The lack of marshalls at the Rockwell portion was a major oversight that led to runners losing their way.  There is room for improvement in other areas as well: more directional signs and kilometer markers, more marshalls, and more water stations.

For shorter distances, the race was satisfactory.  The oversights—such as same race starts for all distances, late start time schedule, and lack of water at stations—did not become major issues due to the small number of runners.  One can only imagine what could’ve happened had there been over 5,000 runners who joined.

Overall, it was an average race with a lot of room for improvement. The race was well-promoted, but the actual event did not live up to the hype.  It was the first time for these race organizers to launch a full-blown marathon, so we hope that they apply their learnings in future races, specifically the upcoming Botak Paa-Tibayan 100k on June 10.

Congratulations is still in order for Botak Paa-bilisan!

——————————————————

To say that I was anxious about this race would be an understatement.  The day before the race, I was still wondering why I registered for 10k despite the pain in my foot and whether I should downgrade to 5k.  That night, I got a massage and when I stood up, all pain was gone.  Okay, 10k it was.  Sheesh, my first 10k in training or in a race in months!  

Hubby and I arrived at the assembly area with enough time for a warm up and double visits to the restroom.  By the time we entered the starting line area, it was only 3 minutes before gun start.  The race started at exactly 6 a.m.

For the first time, hubby and I paced each other throughout the race.  He has significantly improved the past few months, while I have basically transformed into a turtle.  We ran at an easy 6 to 6:30 pace wary of every single tingle in my body, each footstrike I made, and which portion of the cumbered road I was running on.  Yes, I was over analyzing but that’s what injuries can do to you.

IMG_0358
– Hubby and I after the race –

We ran together through Bonifacio Global City, up the Buendia flyover, down towards Kalayaan, through the turnaround, up Buendia facing the scorching sun (where I think I got sunburned despite sunblock on my face), and straight to the finish side by side.  Hubby said I made him dizzy because I would spin around him once in a while in search of the perfect portion of road that was flat so that it wouldn’t hurt the knees.  He, on the other hand, was a great running buddy.  He would update me of the kilometers, remind me of our pace, and even followed my every whim, including the time I asked if we could outpace a woman who had the same outfit as I did;  I just didn’t enjoy running behind someone that reminded me of my lack of uniqueness in the world.

We ended the race holding hands (Kidding!  Got you there, didn’t I?) with an unofficial time of 1 hour, 2 minutes for 10.15km.  Our average pace was 6:11 min/km.

I’ve had better times, but again, this was a momentous occasion for me.  My first 10k since the injury (don’t count the Condura Half Marathon…haha) and with very minimal pain during the race.  

IMG_0357
– Fast runners, Jerry and Mari –

IMG_0360
– Jay (Prometheus Cometh) still running after the race ended –

IMG_0359
– with Allyn and Ever Go and Ever’s sister, Anson. Nice uniforms! Belated happy birthday to another bullheaded runner, Allyn! –

We shared a great breakfast with the Solemates Jun and Mariel at Paul Calvin’s Deli with Jay (Prometheus Cometh) dropping by for a quick chat.  Among the topics, are we well enough to join TNF 100?  Ooooh, give me this week to decide!

IMG_0361
– with Jun and Mariel (SoleMates) and hubby after a filling breakfast –

A Lot of Things I Know About Running I Learned from my Mother

Sunday, 10 May 2009  |  Bullish Insights

She wasn’t a state champ nor an athlete.  The only time she would run was whenever she chased our big brown askal, Booger (my brothers named him), out of the house and into the street fearful of an attack on the neighbors.  Regular exercise for her was hopping onto a blue, circular board that would have her twisting her body from side to side, probably the most fashionable form of waist-trimming in her day.  She did not know a thing about sports (except for some trivia about Alvin Patrimonio perhaps) nor did she actively encourage her seven children, especially her youngest (that’s me), to take up any athletic activity.  

But, as a runner, I’ve realized that, during the most challenging, painful, and arduous runs, the one who has influenced my thoughts and actions the most has been this woman who knew little about the sport I’ve come to love—my mom.

Crisostomo

– Mom with Dad and all seven of us kids. I’m on my mom’s lap thinking of the many races I can run when I grow up –

There are a lot of things I practice in running that I learned from mom—not really through her words (she’s non-confrontational and soft-spoken) but through her actions:

  1. Don’t give up.  Mom had her fair share of tough times, but she faced all her problems head on.  Quitting was not in her vocabulary.  As in any race, I try to not to DNF (Did Not Finish) unless there’s a major injury that needs to be dealt with.
  2. Be independent, but don’t be afraid to seek help.  Mom was very busy with all seven of us, so I learned to care for myself early on.  But, if I had a nightmare, problems at school, or work-related stress, Mom was always there to listen.  In running, I’ve learned that runners will always have little aches and pains here and there.  The key is injury management and learning to listen to your body to avoid aggravating the injury.  But, whenever I feel things are getting out of hand, I don’t hesitate to seek advise from more experienced runners, my therapist, or my doctor.  (Fine, there are times I may go overboard with the medical advice.)
  3. Be humble.  Mom is the most humble person I know.  I feel she should give herself a pat on the back more often for raising all of us kids, but she isn’t the type to call attention to herself or brag.  Well, this blog kinda does the opposite as I’m compelled to talk about myself more often that I usually do in the real world.  But, I try my best to be just like mom in this aspect.
  4. Pray.  Dad and Mom were always in church. If not, they would be praying at their altar in their room.  Every first week of each month, the whole family would do the rounds of churches in metro manila: Antipolo church, Baclaran, St. Jude, Mt. Carmel, and Quiapo on specific days.  As a child, I used to resent this, but now that I’ve grown, I realized that it helped to keep my faith strong.  Nowadays, it’s natural for me to turn to God in good times and in bad (well, more often when I’m injured during a race.)  My favorite prayer:  “Lord, please make the pain go away!”
  5. Believe in yourself.  LIke any great mom, my mom thought that nothing was impossible for her kids.  While she stayed at home to care for us, she gave us wings to fly and dream.  She still can’t believe I run so much, she still worries about my knees, and she always tells me I’m getting too skinny.  But, if I told her that I was running a marathon tomorrow, she would probably smile and tell me to go for it.  Of course, she probably has no idea how long a marathon is!

Happy Mother’s Day to you, Mom!  Love you!

Happy Mother’s Day to all other mommies—especially the running moms—out there!

Giving in to the Gym

Thursday, 7 May 2009  |  Bullish Insights, Running + Triathlon

Still reeling from the five consecutive games I rolled out this week, I managed to find my way to the gym yesterday.  I have said it many a times that I have an aversion for the gym.  There’s just nothing motivating about working out within four walls when you’re used to running freely outdoors; half the time I’m thinking, I wish I was on the road instead.

But, yesterday, I forced myself to take on a new mindset.  I decided to give importance to gym work in order to provide my muscles, especially those in the legs, the much needed strengthening exercises that they’ve been asking for.  I figured that if I don’t do it know then I’m setting myself up for more injuries in the future.  Gotta nip this in the bud before I get any fractures or major problems.

I met with a gym trainer yesterday for an initial assessment before we start on regular one-on-one sessions for the next 1.5 months.  I chose this trainer after a “comprehensive” interview the day before, which he passed with flying colors by the way.  This is how it went:

ME: Can I possibly get one-on-one training with an instructor?

Instructor: Yes, of course.

ME: Okay. I want an instructor who runs since I want a program geared towards improving my performance in running.  Do you run?

Instructor: Yes, I do.  But right now I can’t. I have ITBS…

ME: You do?!  Great!  (Should I have said that?!)  You’re my instructor!  When do we meet?

So, I did get an assessment yesterday, which was partly disturbing and partly encouraging.  Bad news: my perenially injured left leg—the thigh to be exact—is half an inch smaller than the right thigh, I still haven’t lost the excess Christmas weight (as if I didn’t know that hehe), and I looked so much chubbier as I did my step test in front of the mirror (haha!)  Good news: my body fat percentage is ideal for my height (but I still aim for a runner’s lean body…don’t we all?) and my heart rate recovers fast (perhaps a sign that I haven’t completely lost fitness.)

With the results of the initial assessment, the gym instructor will now create a program and present it to me later this afternoon.  I’m pretty confident that the new program will provide good results, but I just have to remind myself to be patient.  I can’t count how many times Annie, my running buddy, told me that results from strength training don’t happen overnight; in fact, it usually takes over two months.  For now, I just hope this new program will motivate me to head for the gym even if my mind is on the road.

5 to 5/5 Winners!

Wednesday, 6 May 2009  |  News + Promos

Congratulations to the 5 to 5/5 Winners!  I know you’ve been waiting for this (I apologize for the delay. I had a big deadline to meet, an assessment with my new gym trainer, plus a deep tissue massage today) so I won’t delay this any further.

Here’s the list of winners:

DAY ONE: 

Each winner gets 1 coupon for one hour of Swedish/Shiatsu massage from Cocoon Spa & Salon…

  1. Jeremy Uy
  2. Jon Ogsimer
  3. Runri
  4. I
  5. Let Guieb
  6. iandmac
  7. marga
  8. Simon Miranda
  9. Cougcat
  10. Sam
  11. Rene
  12. Mikey
  13. Student Athlete
  14. Bobby
  15. Bing
  16. Macky
  17. Jard Gerona
  18. Boggs
  19. CJ Orcine
  20. Malds

DAY TWO:

MALDS gets four (4) free race entries into the next Finishline race of her choice

DAY THREE:

Each winner gets three (3) high-resolution, soft copies of his/her chosen photos from PhotoVendo

  1. Bing
  2. Runri
  3. Student Athlete
  4. Jeremy Uy
  5. Carlo Mostoles

DAY FOUR:

Each winner gets P500 GC from Paul Calvin’s Deli

  1. Sappy
  2. Ross
  3. Archmage
  4. The Running Ninja

DAY FIVE :

The comment that received additional 5 entries to the raffle was from GANN (how long did it take you to write this?  You must’ve brainstormed during a long run)…

Monday is “No Run Day” with my pair of Nike shoes;
Tuesday, I go shopping with a GC I can use;
Wednesday, I won’t run because I squeeze in Levi’s jeans;
Thursday, drink the Gatorade with protein-rich green beans;
Friday, I pig out at Paul Calvin’s great lunch buffet;
Saturday, a massage at Cocoon before Sunday;
Sunday, though they say a Sabbath does your body best;
seven days without a run is quite an awful test;
I’ll go to sleep that night with shoes on and firmly tied laces;
because the next day, Monday, I am sure to join the races!

After listing down the first 20 commenters plus the 5 entries of Gann, Little Miss Bull Runner picked out the winner (see, her eyes are shut tight…well, she can’t read yet anyway):

 IMG_0319

And the grand prize winner, who will take home the following—1 pair of Nike running shoes, 1 Nike gift certificate worth P2,000, 2 pairs of Levi’s jeans – Levi’s 501 jeans for men & Levi’s Red Tab “Patty Anne” jeans for women, 1 case of Gatorade, 1 Paul Calvin’s gift certificate worth P500, 1 coupon for free Shiatsu/Swedish massage at Cocoon Salon and Spa—is…

JA!!!

IMG_0321
– Congratulations Ja! You got the shoes you needed! –

To all winners, I will email you regarding the claiming of your prizes. Please expect the email by this week or the next.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this contest! It was a great way to celebrate my birthday and 2nd blog anniversary. I hope you had as much fun browsing through the comments as I did. Actually, I had a lot of fun making you wait for the last contest to pop up 🙂 Until the next time…

Day 5: 5 to 5/5 – Win the Grand Prize!!!

Tuesday, 5 May 2009  |  News + Promos

Are you ready to win over P10,000 worth of prizes for the 5 to 5/5 Contest?

WHAT CAN I WIN?

  • 1 pair of Nike running shoes
  • 1 Nike gift certificate worth P2,000
  • 2 pairs of Levi’s jeans – Levi’s 501 jeans for men & Levi’s Red Tab “Patty Anne” jeans for women
  • 1 case of Gatorade
  • 1 Paul Calvin’s gift certificate worth P500
  • 1 coupon for free Shiatsu/Swedish massage at Cocoon Salon and Spa
  • HOW MANY WINNERS? Just one lucky winner

    HOW CAN I WIN?

    • Submit a comment answering this sentence: IF YOU WERE ASKED TO STOP RUNNING FOR A WEEK IN EXCHANGE FOR ALL OF THESE PRIZES, WOULD YOU STOP? WHY?
    • Please limit answer to one sentence. Anything more and you’ll be disqualified.
    • The first 20 commenters will be eligible to win the grand prize through a raffle.
    • TBR’s favorite answer (for its humor, creativity, or wit) will receive 5 additional raffle entries regardless of its place in the race. In other words, that commenter, even if he/she didn’t make it to the Top 20, will automatically be included in the raffle and gain 5 additional entries.
    • The raffle among the top 20 (plus 5 from the favorite commenter) will be conducted under the supervision of my Little Bull Runners.
    • Participants may only submit one answer. Runner who submits more than one comment will automatically be disqualified. No cheaters allowed here.
    • Comments will be moderated and NOT be published until May 6, 2009, 12:00 noon.
    • Winners will be published on this blog and will be advised how to claim their prizes.

    Contest starts NOW! May the best runner win!

    Thank you so much to:

  • Tony Atayde of Nike for the shoes
  • Birthday boy Wilbert Lacbay for the Nike GC
  • Ronnie Celestial for Levi’s jeans
  • Tonton Mapa for Gatorade
  • Jay Em for Paul Calvin’s GC
  • Gelo Arellano for Cocoon Spa and Salon coupon