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Do you still remember my 5 to 5/5 contest?  The 5 to 5/5 grand prize winner—Ja—finally got to claim all her prizes! (I’m to blame for the delay…plus all the work that left me with little time to gather them all!)  We met at the parking lot yesterday to officially turnover her loot—and I’m telling you, even I wish I had won my own contest.  Ja got the following:

1 pair of Nike Lunar Trainers (purple)

1 Nike gift certificate worth P2,000 (which I ended up giving in cash)

1 pair Levi’s 501 jeans for men

1 Levi’s Red Tab “Patty Anne” jeans for women

1 case of Lemon Lime Gatorade

1 Paul Calvin’s gift certificate worth P500

1 coupon for free Shiatsu/Swedish massage at Cocoon Salon and Spa

Congratulations again, Ja!

While most runners ran in green at Milo Marathon yesterday morning, I ran a blissful 14km in shaded, asphalted roads in Makati with the hubby and friends Harvie and Mike. Oh, to commemorate one of the biggest race days in the country, I wore green too.

Our pace ranged from 6:15 to 6:45 most of the time. Heart rate stayed happily at zone 3. Conversation revolved around marathons, Camsur, supplements, business, family, and everything else under the sun for the entire hour and a half. Time flew with non-stop conversation. Aaah, I’m telling you, I’m falling more and more in love with my long, slow runs.

Aside from the talk, what made the run most enjoyable was the absence of niggles in the knee or tightness in the ITB at all. Running at my usual concrete training grounds, I’ve gotten used to feeling minor, innocuous pains in the knee or ITB during each run. I’ve always known about the importance of choosing asphalt over concrete, grass or the track over asphalt, but I always prioritized convenience over the ground I ran on.

However, as I spent the past two weekends running long on asphalt, I’ve noticed the significant difference in my legs. I end each asphalt road run feeling like I could run another 10km. But, my usual training runs on concrete—whether a fast 5k or a slow 15k—leaves me feeling like Pinocchio on stilts. It doesn’t take a genius runner to decide which types of roads I should be running on next time.

We ended the run at around 8:30am just when the sun started beating down on us. While the hubby and I did our post-run stretches and as I sipped my iced chocolate with mint from Starbucks (heaven!), a foreign runner approached us with this as his intro line: “This is too hot for those Milo runners.” That initiated a long conversation about Milo, marathons, Rudy Biscocho, ultramarathons, PSC, and more (we runners can just go on and on about our beloved sport, can’t we?) Turns out, this runner is Peter Parcell, an Australian who was based here in the 80’s and 90’s and was very much involved in the local running scene.

– with Peter –

Peter had such great stories to tell: the time he ran 80+ km a day across Japan and when the press greeted him at the end of the journey to ask what he would do next, he announced “I’m running to Seoul!” or the time he and other Filipino runners stood their ground against a controversial issue, or how his grandfather and father were all top runners in Australia, and how his all three daughters now are all runners like him. Funny how you learn a lot from one man you meet by accident.

It was a wonderful morning for us. Not as great as those who finished the full marathon at Milo—especially Jay (Prometheus Cometh) who PR’d at 3: 38 or Dindo (runningdat.com) who conquered his first full, but definitely a good one.

Last June 7, 2009, halfway across the world, Rick Gaston, a Pinoy ultra trail runner, clinched 6th place at the San Diego 100-mile Endurance Run.  I have always been a fan of his blog— an adventurous and daring athlete (with great photos to boot), a prolific and entertaining writer, and a creative designer (what more can one ask for in a running blog?)—so I grabbed the chance to interview him soon after his amazing feat:  (Read on…Rick’s got a lot to share, plus he’s hilarious too!)

Name: Enrique (Rick) Gaston
Age: 37
Location: San Francisco, California
Blog: 365me
 

Congratulations on grabbing 6th place at the San Diego 100-mile Endurance Run with a time of 20:00:25, a new PR for you. You make us Pinoys proud!  Did you expect such a great performance?

– Rick at the Starting Line of San Diego 100mile Endurance Run –

You know I did. My training was good and the times I ran in the Spring races all pointed to a potentially good race at San Diego. I expected 21 hours but the cooler than normal temperatures allowed for 20. Based on the finishing times in the previous two years, I knew that if I could hit 21 or under I had a chance of cracking the top 10.

How did you train for this race?
This years training is different from the last 5 years in that I decided to take a hiatus from triathlon. I decided to focus all my energy into trail running. I’m a really slow swimmer anyway. Heading into this race I was running 80 miles per week. Not a lot considering I was training for a 100-mile race but it was enough. I run 6 days a week with one day off. I participate in our triathlon club’s track workouts and on the weekends I will do a hilly 6 hour trail run on Saturday and a 3-4 hour not quite so hilly road or trail run on Sunday. I build for 3 weeks and I back off on the fourth week. I ran three races prior to San Diego; a 50k, 50-Mile (80k) and a 100k. I ran them all hard, not at training pace, and that was a personal decision. My training would have probably been better for San Diego had I ran them at a moderate pace. I’m never one to be solely fixed on one event however. What I do miss this year is the time on the bike and the spin classes. I have to figure out a way to make time for those two activities. The bike is a really great way to work the legs without all the pounding and the spin classes were great interval workouts that again were gentler on the body than running.

What was the highlight of the race for you?
At about 9PM in the evening, approximately 122k into the race, a runner and her pacer had caught up to me. I had just survived a brief bonk (miscalculated my calories) and was running in 7th place. Bonking (such a funny word) had left me hungry, cold and sluggish and I was still shaking off it’s effects when these two runners came upon me. They got close, I could hear them talking through my music. I could see the lights from their headlamps and flashlights. My initial reaction was to let them pass. I didn’t want to be hounded and chased. I didn’t want to be pushed into running their pace. A bigger part of me wanted to fight however and so I started haulin like a thief with nowhere to hide. I was going to make them work for the pass and if they didn’t, well even better. At first I wasn’t able to shake them but as my body continued to revive with the influx of new calories, fluids with the addition of caffeine, I slowly and surely pulled away. I love those moments when I’m able to do more than I thought I was capable of doing.

 
– Mile 50 –

– Rick with Race Director Scott Mills at the Finish –

How long have you been running?
10 years. 2 years training for and participating in marathons and the last 8 in ultras and triathlons.

How many ultras have you joined?
I’ve participated in 82 races, 43 in ultras. San Diego was my 8th finish at the 100-Mile distance.

You’re more of a trail runner than a road runner. What is it about running trails that you enjoy?
I like the absence of cars, the softness of the trails, the difficulty of long climbs, the joy of a fast downhill, picking and thinking my way through a technical trail filled with rocks, roots, mud, etc., and the amazing views. Most of all trail running always reminds me of the presence and majesty of God; in his creation before me, from the flower to the mountain, from the valley to the sea and in the Holy Spirit driving forward within me.

What is your most memorable race ever? Why?
Tough one. I would have to say that the Kettle Moraine 100-Mile last June in Wisconsin was the most memorable. The event is run the same weekend as San Diego. It was hot, humid and buggy. Flies, mosquitoes and deer flies that could sting through a running shirt. The start reeked of insect repellent. The temperature caused several runners to drop out early, at the 50k mark. At 4PM a thunderstorm rolled through. It cooled us off but turned the trails into a muddy mess. Lightning lit up the sky and scared some of runners running in the exposed fields. Fortunately I was back in the shelter of the trees by then. Tornado sirens were blazing in the background which I was oblivious to at the time because I had never heard one in my life. No tornados in Hawaii or California. It was a good thing I didn’t know! It would have freaked me out. I’ve seen the movie Twister. Many more runners dropped at the 100k mark, including one of the front runners. Only 37 of the 69 100-mile runners finished. At 11PM another thunderstorm hit. More insult to injury or more bang for your money, you decide. All day I battled one internal problem after another and had my last issue at mile 95 when a muscle above my left knee gave out. Running, bending the knee became quite painful especially on the hills but I managed to limp in at a 14 minute mile pace, scared that I was going to get caught by the next runner. Fear is such a great motivator. When I finished one of the co-race directors, Jason, told me I was third, a pleasant surprise. I had mistaken some of the relay runners in front of me as 100-mile participants. I was a mess afterwards; barely walking, stank of sweat and mud and I had started shivering uncontrollably. The other race director, Timo, took great care of me. He walked me out, made sure I was ok to drive, got the car for me which was parked a long way away and made sure the heater was cranked up to high. I got a warm welcome back in the hotel room I shared with three other runners. Meghan finished her 100k event and placed third female while Bob and Tom were 100-mile runners who dropped at the 100k mark. We spent Sunday eating, drinking and exchanging stories about our run. Days later the whole race site was inaccessible due to flooding from more thunderstorms. We just made it that year. Good times. A June to remember.

– Surviving Kettle Moraine 100mile –

What are the top 3 tips you could give to beginner trail runners?
Read. Learn about the sport. Learn the how to’s and why. A little homework goes a long way. If you have the benefit of an experienced coach / coaches, listen and ask questions on top of the reading. If you are getting your information off the internet consider the source. Not everyone is an authority. I certainly am not. I’m doing the exact same thing; reading, learning and asking questions.

Remember that it takes much longer to cover distances on trails especially if the terrain is hilly. Prepare accordingly. Stay on top of your hydration, nutrition and electrolyte replacement and bring more than you think is enough.

Don’t get lost. Trails are not like streets. It’s harder to find your way and easy to get lost. If you think you are going the wrong way, backtrack to where you think you made the wrong turn. Continuing to go forward in the hope that the path you are currently on will eventually take you to where you need to go doesn’t always work. If you are in a race, back track to the last marker that you saw.

One more, tell your road running friends what a bunch of sissies they are and how unnaturally white their road shoes look. Okay I’m kidding about the fourth one.

What are the top 3 trail runs that you would recommend for runners to join in the U.S.? Why?
Well I can only speak to the ones which I have done, most of which are in Northern California.

• Western States, late June. It’s the oldest, the grand daddy of 100-milers in the US. It is not the toughest or the most beautiful but it has a lot of history and well supported. They say it is the Boston Marathon of 100-milers, I think it’s that for all the ultra’s in the US. This years field is one of the most competitive. I just spent three days there last weekend, supporting a friend who was running her first 100-miler. What an experience that was, a full on emotional roller coaster. My friend Carrie finished and I’m still high on the whole experience like I was the one who ran. Working on my post for that one.

– with friend Carrie at Western States 100miler –

• The Miwok 100k, first week in May. Tough hilly course with beautiful views of the San Francisco Bay Area. Also features a good competitive field, a favorite with the crowd preparing for Western States. Long enough to be a nice epic run without having to run through the night like the 100-milers.

• The Quad Dipsea, end of November. My all time favorite race. It is only 28.4 miles but it is very hilly and quite technical in some parts. The single Dipsea is the oldest trail race and the second oldest foot race of any kind in the country. The trail connects the sea side town of Stinson Beach to the valley town of Mill Valley. The quad race is four trips across this trail. Amazing views, heartbreaking climbs and quad pounding downhills. Enough roots, rocks and stairs to make a trail runner cry with joy or pain. Seeing your fellow runners four times on the course makes for some good camaraderie afterwards. Lots of food and drink provided post race. It is like a holiday party for trail runners.

What are the top 3 trail running gear you recommend for runners?
• Great trail shoes, not necessary for flat trails but a lot of fun on hilly, technical trails.
• A hydration waist or back pack
• Socks that help prevent blisters

What’s your next goal?
I am planning on taking part in the Headlands Hundred, a small local 100-miler here in the San Francisco Bay Area in the second weekend of August. I train regularly on the course so I know the area well and several of the trail runners I know are taking part in the event.

Any plans of running trails here in the Philippines?
I would love to race an endurance event in the Philippines but the problem is time. I’m only there for three weeks at a time and I’m expected to spend most of that in Bacolod with my Lola who raised me till I was 12. Too bad because I have family and friends in Manila who would make excellent crew! Don’t count me out yet though. I could fly in, do a race and be home in Bacolod before they can yell at me on the phone to come home already – rickkeeeboyy puli na! Could happen right? I’m a trail runner so the Northface event appeals to me; lahar, river crossings, storms, mud, that’s more my style. However I am also quite interested in Sir Jovie’s Bataan Deathmarch 102k even though it’s on road. There is so much history tied to the event. I also have faith in Sir Jovie as a race director. Since the first Bataan Death March he has continued to compile his notes on the organization of other races and I have no doubt he will apply all that knowledge to further improve his event. I was also inspired by the stories that came out of the Bataan 102k this year. Prior to the event I had started communicating with one of the runners, Jonnifer Lacanlale, and in the process of following the event and his success at the run I ended up reading a whole bunch of race reports. My television has seen very little use this year 🙂

Click here to visit Rick’s blog
Click here to read his post about the San Diego 100mile Endurance Run
Click here to read more TBR RUNNERS’ INTERVIEWS

Last Sunday, June 28, two races were held at U.P. Diliman Campus: the GIG Run and the Botak Paa-Tibayan Takbo 100k.  I chose to participate in the GIG Run’s 10k event and delayed plans for signing up for Botak’s 100k until—uhm—maybe when my kids are already in college.

I’ve been neck deep in work (worked on TBR Magazine Issue 2 which will be released next week—woohoo!) so I failed to write my race report for GIG.  (So sorry to the organizers!)  But, it was a well-organized fun run which I thoroughly enjoyed despite how exhausted I felt at a mere 5k.  (Lesson: never watch a long movie such as Transformers 2 the night prior to a race.)

As for Botak, I have heard nothing but good reviews about the race.  Big congratulations to Botak and good friend, Neville Manaois, who organized the ultramarathon.  What you guys did was no mean feat!

Below is the race report as shared by Botak.  Congratulations to Coach Roel’s little bro Jesse Ano who broke the record for the 100km!…

It all started at 1am on the crisp morning of June 28, 2009 when 81 brave souls assembled to the starting line at Yllanan road in UP Diliman for the first 100 kilometer race in Metro Manila.

Everybody was so eager especially the support officials coming from the City Governments of Quezon City and Marikina. There was a ratio of three marshals to every participant. One motorbike, one scooter marshal and one ground marshal. There were also seventeen mobile patrol cars with blinkers-on, that safe guarded all the participants. As I quote one participant “It was iron clad from start to finish”.

The race had turned out as a day for Jessie Ano whose performance was worthy of breaking the 26 year old national record of Mr. Felix Baredo the time of 8:27.10. Jessie Ano clocked in at an amazing 8:06.56 to win by 59 mins ahead of 2008 Koko Marathon Champion Pepito Deapera clocking in at 9:01:04

Official results of Botak Paa-Tibayan 100km:

A good number of my running friends are in a daze this week.  They can’t focus on anything else but this Sunday’s big event.  After months of logging in the miles, training is over and it is nearly time for the final performance on July 5: The Milo Marathon.  

One friend, a soon-to-be first time marathoner said that “he will never feel completely ready for the marathon.”  Another running friend who has 2 or 3 marathons under his belt, ran 16k last Sunday morning and spent the afternoon touring his support crew (just one driver) around the full 42km course.  A third friend is carefully planning his nutrition and hydration plan, computing how often he’ll hydrate and take his Hammer gels.

I didn’t register for Milo as I’m hopelessly and inextricably in love with my long, slow training runs lately.  I’m enjoying the quiet time, away from the nervous breaths and sweaty palms of the sometimes maddening racing crowd. The relaxed pace gives me time to enjoy the run in its purest form without focusing on pace or distance, but just going by the sound of my feet landing on the ground. Aaah, while I run easy on Sunday, I shall be with my Milo Marathon friends in spirit.

To everyone running Milo, especially those anonymously mentioned above (haha), I wish for strong legs, boundless energy, and cool and cloudy skies. Break a leg…just not your knees!

Click here to visit the Milo Marathon website.

* Photo used was taken from Milo site.