Category Archives: Race Reports

Event: Angkor Wat International Half Marathon
Date: 2 December 2012
Venue: Siem Reap, Cambodia
Distances: 3k, 10k, 21k

“The temples of Angkor, built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD, represent one of humankind’s most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements.” (www.sacredsites.com)

– View of Angkor Wat, our starting line. This photo doesn’t give justice to its beauty –

The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon is a gem of a race. Held in the province of Siem Reap in Cambodia, the kingdom of wonder, the course takes runners through a tour of the majestic temples of Angkor, the biggest temple complex in the world. The sights are spectacular and breath-taking. This alone makes the race—and the entire trip—worth every single cent and raises it a level comparable to the bigger races in the world.

The 17th Angkor Wat International Marathon attracted 6,241 runners this year, 70% of which were foreign runners. The 21k started at 6:30am (quite late for Manila’s standards), but the weather was cool all throughout the run. The fast, mostly flat or gently sloping downhill course was lined with trees which meant runners enjoyed the shade most of the time. Local spectators, mostly adorable smiling children who lined up eager to high-five the runners, came out of their homes on race day.

– Spectacular temples to see beginning Km 11 until the end of the half marathon –

– Runners pass through Victory Gate at Km 15 –

– Tree-lined roads made for a near perfect course –

– Amazing Bayon Temples behind me a little past Km 17 –

– Cambodian kids cheered for the runners –

Despite the huge international interest in the event (its first race in 1996 only had 654 runners), race organization remains simple, almost like a small community event. Water was served every 2.5k in bottles and handed out mostly by local children. No sports drinks nor food were given out. Kilometer signs were folded cardboards and spray paint on the road. Marshals, in the face of Cambodian guards, were few and far between. But, it’s this kind of simplicity that keeps the local culture alive in the race and adds to its uniqueness and beauty.

– Water stations –

– Kilometer markers –

I highly recommend this race. If you love history, culture, and running, this is definitely a must run.

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FAST 10K

The race started at Angkor Wat, considered to be the biggest pyramid in Asia. Unilab Active Health teammate and good friend Bic and I lined up along with the mass of international runners eager to run. We had agreed early on that we would run at “tourist pace” this meant two things: 1) We would run at easy pace and 2) with our cameras in our belts or hands.

– Hanging out with my buddies before the race. I blend just right in, don’t I? –

– Starting line for Angkor Wat International Half Marathon –

The first 10kms of the race took us through the rural roads of Siem Reap. The roads were wide, clean, and, best of all, flat or slightly downhill. The air was fresh and cool. With no temples in sight, we ran at a steady pace of around 5:55 hitting our 10k split at 59 minutes. I felt great at this point.

– Wide, mostly shaded, clean and mostly flat roads –

– Bic and I are obviously having a blast during the first few kilometers of the race. Photo: Lester Castillo –

The only “highlight” of this first half of my race was when I, the Bull Runner, got bullied by a big, bald, foreign runner. As I slowed to a walk (on the side of the road) to take my gel at a water station, Bully Runner who, for some reason, didn’t see me even if he was running from behind, yelled at me: “If you’re going to walk, get off the road!” If I had more time, I would’ve yanked him off the road, sat him in a corner, and pulled out an invisible race bible that states: 1) Runners can walk in any race, especially if they are eating or drinking by a station, and 2) Male runners, or non-runners for that matter, should always treat a woman with respect (Where is your mother?!) Since there was no time for this, I yelled one word back that summarized everything I wanted to say at that point: “As$H@L3!”

TEMPLE RUN

At 11k, the road narrowed and we entered the temple area. As soon as we spotted the first temple, Bic and I slowed and pulled out our cameras shooting and smiling like tourists. We would run together, spot another temple, shoot photos together, then proceed to run once again. It went on like this for the next 7k.

– Bic with the Banteay Kdei behind her –

It was at this time that I almost had to pinch myself to remind myself I wasn’t dreaming. There was something about being surrounded by these spectacular temples, by so much history and culture, by nature, that I suddenly felt immense gratitude for being given the opportunity to participate in this fantastic race, and, even beyond that, for being alive. Sometimes you need a kick in the butt, or, in my case, an awesome race to remind you about the beauty and blessings that exist in your life.

– Runners running past the Ta Keo Temple at around Km 14 –

– Warm and cheerful people of Cambodia –

My favorite portion was the Victory Gate at Km 15. The gate wasn’t a temple but an entry point into Angkor Thom. The path towards the gate, lined with statues of gods and demons that supposedly watch your every move, is called the Victory Way. For me, it was almost like a rite of passage, a journey from the past to a better future.

– Before passing through Victory Gate –

As I took photos, a runner stopped beside me with his camera and proceeded to pull out a sheet of paper from his pocket. As he struggled to gingerly peel off the sheets soaked in sweat, I offered to help by taking his photo. He thanked me and showed me the paper. It said: “Happy Birthday, Mom!” Aaw, how sweet is that? Thank God it wasn’t a proposal for marriage because I may have hugged him and answered “Yes!”

– “Happy Birthday, Mom!” –

Around 17 to 18k, I lost Bic. I waited for her at a temple and, after a few minutes, I wasn’t sure if she had passed me or she was still on her way. So, I decided to move and run the last few kilometers on my own.

– This was probably the only non-shaded area in the course. It looks hot, but it wasn’t –


– Elephant Terrace at Km 17 –

– Aaah, fantastic course. Need I say it again? –

I stopped by temples and exchanged cameras with other runners who couldn’t help but marvel at the sights like me. I ran at a relaxed pace and allowed myself to see and hear everything around me. I allowed myself to enjoy the entire experience without focus on time.

– Bayon Temples behind me –

– Enjoyed running through this portion around Km 19 –

– I don’t think they joined the half marathon –

– South Gate at around Km 19 to 20 –

– Check out that view –

Sadly, the last kilometer of the race was my least favorite portion of the event. As we made our way towards the finish line at Angkor Wat, tourists started trickling in along with vehicles and motorcycles on the race course. Runners were forced to run in a line and weave through cars and try their best to avoid getting dust from the vehicles in their eyes.

– Things got a bit messy here with tourist, vehicles, and lots of dust –

Thankfully, in the last few meters, the road freed up once again and the roads were lined with spectators cheering runners on towards the finish.

I finished at 2:28. I ran the first 10k at almost an hour and the next 11k almost 30 minutes more! No regrets! I’ve got tons of pictures and a fantastic experience that’s worth more than a personal record!

– I’m an Angkor Wat International Half Marathon Finisher! –

Check out who I bumped into at the finish line!

– The Lafferties! –

– Coach Jomac! Monica was at QCIM –

– Joseph, TBR Dream Marathon alum – Batch 3 –

– with Nestor Apuhin, Country Manager of Unilab in Cambodia, Lester of Unilab, Ruben and Sorya from the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia –

FLIGHTS TO CAMBODIA:
Cebu Pacific has direct flights to Siem Reap three times a week

ACCOMMODATIONS:
– Try Le Meridien Angkor or Hotel Sofitel Angkor. We didn’t stay here but we did see them and they looked quite impressive. They’re near the temples and the race course.
– If you’re on a budget, you can stay at Angkor Riviera Hotel where we stayed. It’s not very impressive (reminded me of the hotels in Subic), but it’s a clean room to sleep in and its location is near the Old French Quarters (row of restaurants and pubs) and the Old Market

ANGKOR WAT INTERNATIONAL HALF MARATHON WEBSITE:
http://www.angkormarathon.org/

Thank you to Unilab Active Health for sending me on this great adventure!

Race: Run BGC 2012
Date: 25 November 2012
Venue: Bonifacio Global City
Organizer: Runrio

It was no surprise that Manila’s favorite race venue, Bonifacio Global City, pulled off an awesome race with its event, Run BGC.  Partnered with the best race organizer around, Runrio, the race was another one of my favorite events.  The race was relatively small compared with other larger events with 3,000 runners attending, but this contributed to the relaxed, informal, and intimate affair.  The race start was on the road behind Mercato Centrale, a road infrequently used for race starts which was perfect for the size of the race.  The 15k course took runners through the long climb of University Ave. and Bayani Road and Lawton Ave., again, a race course that isn’t commonly used in road races.  This was a fun and challenging course.  Hydration, road marshals, and kilometer signs were perfect.  The race ended at 7th Avenue between Bonifacio High Street and Bonifacio High Street Centrale.  Runners gathered for the awarding at BHS Centrale, another perfect venue for a fun, intimate post-event celebration.

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To make things a wee bit more colorful, Lit, Ton, and I agreed to run this event fast.  It’s off season for us and we’re all pretty much goal-less, so, to keep boredom at bay, we put our game faces on and agreed to race this one.

We warmed up together and waited for the race to start, but when the gun went off, we sped off on our own.  Lit and I pretty much ran at the same clip throughout the first 8k.  We were going at around 5:25 pace.  Wow, I had so much fun running fast again. I felt great, but, in my head, with the lack of training especially tempo runs, I knew I would die before I hit the finish line.  True enough, by 9k, I found myself waving off Lit, telling him to go ahead and run his own race.  It was around that time that I felt nauseous, too.  I slowed down and managed to finish the race at 1:29 with an average pace of 5:56.

– When things were still good! Photo: Running Photographers –

For such a great course and a wonderful race, I was slightly disappointed with my run. But, over the years, I’ve learned to take it in stride and just commit to train better for the next race. (Well, that was actually great training for my Angkor Wat Half Marathon this coming weekend.)

– After the race at Jamba Juice with friends Ton, Jun, and one of my favorite people, Kim –

WOW. This is so much fun!

That’s what I thought as I watched the runners come in during our first TBR Dream Team Run last Saturday, November 17, 2012 at NUVALI. And, as I welcomed the teams of runners coming in, that’s all I heard too!

“It was the ‘funnest’ run!”

“Ang saya!”

“It was so much fun!”

“There should be more team runs like this!”

– TBR Dream Team Run medal –

We conceptualized this run a year ago with the vision of making it the first reunion run for TBR Dream Marathon alumni and their friends.  TBR Dream Marathon is and always has been a unique run because, even when the marathon is over, you’re almost bonded for life with other TBR Dreamers.  We wanted to provide a venue for all our TBR Dreamers—batches 1, 2, 3, and our current participants (yes, that’s how many we are now!)—to gather together once again.

We had one goal in mind: Let’s make it fun!  We wanted it to be light and happy, a celebration of friends and running hence half the distance of a marathon.  We hoped to encourage bonding and camaraderie among the alumni and their friends who they hoped to “recruit” into the running world so we made it into a team run.  We created the BullStock, a laid-back post race celebration with overflowing milk from Enervon HP and Krispy Kreme donuts with lots of laughter and chit-chat hosted by the Boys Night Out.

When you see the photos below, along with a few Facebok statuses that I “borrowed” from those who run the race, you’ll see that we pretty much achieved our goal!  Perhaps my only regret is that I didn’t run it myself!

To all those who participated in TBR Dream Team Run, thank you for coming!  We had a grand time and I hope you did too.  It was heartwarming to see you all once again!  Keep the dream alive! 🙂

– Powerpuff Boys was well represented. They won 1st and 2nd Place! –

– Team Gangnam?! –

– Spongebob, Patrick, and Bugs Bunny –

– The snail runners! –

“As an age-grouper who has run various races, I rank this as the best fun run of the calendar for several reasons:
1) Revisiting your first mary is an experience in itself;
2) Distance was perfect–it was achievable, reasonably costume-friendly, yet naturally constrains the race to a manageably pleasant size;
3) Though it is not uncommon to see friends during races, seeing them in themed groups and not in their usual anti-social Zone 5 state was sheer fun;
4) Race organization that has been fine-tuned thru the years;
5) Finishing with friends–priceless.

Thanks, Jaymie, sponsors and volunteers!”
– Roland Benzon

– Team in red… –

– …and The Red Runners without shirts nor shoes! –

– We’ve got a blue team too! –

– Team TBR (Truly Bright Runners!) –

“Race was fantastic, post-race was fun, shirt is the bomb… time with friends new and old = unforgettable. Thank you all!”
– Vince Bunuan

– Hey sole sistah! Hey sole sistah! –

“The happiest run ever by The Bullrunner Dream Marathon Team of Jaymie Pizarro and Jun Cruz. You’ve raised the bar guys! Now time to sleep.. I think we all deserve it after that 4:30 gunstart at Nuvali!”
– Tina Zamora

– with running mommies Tina Zamora and Maricel Pangilinan! –

– Three bumblebees won best costume award –

After the race, runners were treated to Enervon HP and donuts from Krispy Kreme. The awarding was hosted by a trio as well: the Boys Night Out! Hilarious!

– Yeah Men! –

– Awarding of Team Powerpuff Boys –

“Congrats Jaymie Pizarro, Jun Cruz, Neville Manaois and the rest of the TBR alumni run team for the best 21km run of the year! Thanks to Team No Judgement: Jamike and Jake for a fun run!!!”
– Ton Gatmaitan

– with Team No Judgement (Jake, Ton, and Jamike) with Lit, Lester of Unilab Active Health, Jun, and Neville –

– Thanks Jun of TBR Dream Team who made this event a huge success. Here he is with just some of his “fans” led by Coach Norman Pascual –

– Justine and Macel, the two girls who made everything behind the scenes run oh-so smoothly! Thank you! –

– with Jun, Neville, and Macel at 2am before the race. Couldn’t be happier to work with a fantastic team –

Thank you to our sponsors who made this all possible!!! Presenter: Unilab Active Health. Co-Presenter: Runrio.  Official Venue Partner: Nuvali.  Major Sponsor: Gatorade.  Minor Sponsor: Enervon HP, Nutribar, Thorlos, Chris Sports, Paramount Insurance, Krispy Kreme, Spibelt, and Timex. Registration Partners: Secondwind, Riovana, and Starting Line. Media Partner: Multisport.  Beneficiary: Hero Foundation.

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.

– 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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

– 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) –

– 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.

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

– Map of the entire race area –

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

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

– From all white throwaways… –

– to transparent rain jackets! –

– 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!

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


– Ton and Mir –


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


– 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.

– 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.

– 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.

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

– Runners of Berlin Marathon 2012 (MValero) –

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

– Cheerers everywhere! (MValero) –

– 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!

– 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.

– 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.

– 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.

– 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!

– 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.

– 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.

– 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.

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

– 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!

– 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!