Posts Tagged with: "Condura Marathon"

Have you registered for Condura Skyway Marathon Run for a Hero? Online registration is now open until October 15, 2014. Race Categories include 42km, 21km, 10km, 6km. (more…)

Congratulations to the 10 winners of the Condura Skyway Marathon 2012 Race Kits!  Thank you to everyone who joined and I’m so sorry for disqualifying some of you who failed to follow the rules.

Winners of 10k Race Kits
Michelle Nibalvos
Rosemarie C. Beltran (Scout)
Louie Lopez (Louie)
Mark Lactaoen
Kay Parra

Winners of 16k Race Kits
Paul ablaza (CM Pol)
Orland Salomon
Jennybave dela Cruz
Cris dela Cruz
Alfred Roderick A. Estefani (basuraboy)

All winners will be emailed tonight.  Please claim your race kits at RIOVANA, BONIFACIO HIGH STREET.  Print the email I’ll be sending you and bring a valid ID.  See you on the Skyway on Sunday!

With all systems go for the 5th Condura Skyway Marathon this coming Sunday, I thought it would be fun to reminisce about the Condura Marathon as seen through my Bull’s eye going all the way back to 2008 before they had 42k or set foot on the Skyway. (Man, I feel so ancient!)

By the way, if you manage to read until the bottom, you’ll find out how to win one of 10 free Condura Skyway Marathon race kits!  Good luck!

2008: CONDURA RUN FOR TUBATAHA REEF

Race start at BGC was small and intimate. First time we had seen floodlights light up a race start that way and oooh it seemed so high tech!

Click HERE and HERE to read my race report.

Nanette Medved was still preggy. So unlike the fit and slender mommy she is now that makes us all wail in jealousy.

That’s me in my usual just-got-out-of-bed look with Mon of Happy Feet (Happy Feet! The coolest running group back then!) and Pat Concepcion (Yup, he was wearing all black already way back then and until now!)

Coach Rio’s hair was still in its infancy stage. (Mon, Pat, Coach Rio, and Aljo)

2009: Condura Skyway Run for the Whale Shark

Condura was the first race to ever have people running on the Skyway.  It was surreal for most of us runners to finally do this!

Click HERE and HERE for my race report.

Concepcion brothers, Ton and Patrick, up on stage for the awarding.

I launched TBR Magazine at Condura Marathon. (Thanks again Ton and Pat!)

We also launched the iamNinoy Running Group! Shucks, I miss seeing these yellow shirts in races.

After the race with my favorite (and probably one of the smartest) TBR readers, Cougcat. Miss you, Anton!

2010: Condura Run for Dolphins

Condura finally went into the marathon! Plus, it was on the Skyway again! How could I resist Ton Concepcion’s personal invite to run the 42k even if I had run 42k in QCIM in October and Singapore Marathon in December 2011. Three weeks after Condura, I ran Hong Kong 42k too. It was an awesome five months of marathoning, but I wouldn’t recommend it and I don’t think I would do it again!

8,500 runners participated in this event. Click HERE and HERE for my race report.

With Team Secondwind at the race start.

Ran the Skyway with my bestest running buddy Annie who had come home for a brief trip from Singapore where she was based. She had left for Singapore the year before and when she did I was crying buckets worried that running would never be as fun (or fast) without her.

Ran my 3rd marathon here at 4:24 (PR) paced by my good friend Alvin.

Mark Parco and his now famous Dolphin cap. Missing in pic is his wife Tiffin with her cap. (We sorely miss this fun and wacky couple! Come back to Manila soon!)

2011: Condura Skyway Marathon – Run for the Dolphins

Condura had raised the bar for races giving local runners a world-class race that was at par with other international races.

13,000 runners participated in the event. Click HERE to read my race report.

That’s me running 21k without training.  Whoa boy, I think history will repeat itself in this Sunday’s race.  Gulp.

Congratulations for reading through this 4-year historical blogpost. Hey, it was fun, wasn’t it? As thanks, here’s a chance to win one of 10 free race kits to the Condura Skyway Marathon this coming Feb. 5, 2012.

Prizes: 5 race kits to 10k, 5 race kits to 16k
Winners: 10 winners will win 1 race kit each to the distance of his/her choice

How to join:
1) Post a comment below telling me what your favorite Condura race was and why? (1-2 sentences only please.) If this Sunday’s race will be your first (assuming you win the race kit), tell me why you’re looking forward to running it and why (1-2 sentences only)
2) Please indicate your complete name and what distance you prefer

How to win:
– First 5 commenters who indicate 10k race kit as their preferred prize will win one 10k race kit each.
– First 5 commenters who indicate 16k race kit as their preferred prize will win one 16k race kit each.
– Missing info in the entry will lead to automatic disqualification.
– Double submissions will lead to automatic disqualification.

How to claim:
Winners will be announced on this blog by tonight, Jan. 30, 2011, 6 pm. You may go directly to Riovana at Bonifacio High Street to claim your prize. Please present a valid ID.

By the way, if you don’t want to join the contest, and you just want to comment, feel free to do so!

Condura Skyway Marathon

Details: 6 February 2011, BGC and Ayala
Organizer: Condura, RunRio, Event King

Rating:

Good job:
– online registration and kiosk
– clean and comprehensive website
– race kit included safety tips and chocolates
– Runners’ E-Handbook
– attractive and high-quality shirts
– coral system, efficient race start
– ample hydration
– sponges and food
– Skyway route (of course!)
– high quality medal
– photos from marathonphotos.com (although I prefer Photovendo)
– medical aid throughout the route
– cheerers at the finish line
– giveaways and booths at the finish
– changing areas
– personalized finisher’s certificates

Needs improvement:
– more portalets along the route please! This runner needed it badly

Condura has definitely outdone itself with its spectacular staging of Condura Skyway Marathon. 13,000 runners participated in the event which offered local runners a taste of a well-managed event that is definitely at par with international races. By 2012, we hope that foreign runners can fly in to experience this awesome race.

Noticeably different this year was the back-to-basics approach of the organizers. I was told they focused more on providing runners with the essentials of the race (e.g., water, marshals, etc.) and delivered on these over and beyond expectations rather than spending precious time and money on frills and festivities—which I think is a good thing! The highlight of the race was the actual run on the Skyway; seeing the runners on both sides of the road was already a sight to behold.  If you were looking for all the unnecessary race embellishments that I personally think we can do without, such as LCD screens or entertainment, you wouldn’t have gotten it in this race. This Condura Skyway Marathon was a runner’s run and truly one of the best races organized as of late.

To the Condura Team, RunRio, Event King, and all those who worked long and hard for this race, huge congratulations!

———————————-

OFF TO A BAD START

It had all the signs of being an awful race. Fever on Monday. Tons of work for the entire week with Galloway, plus a side trip to Cebu on Thursday.  To top it all off, I had a whopping 5k for total weekly mileage and skipped both strength training days…Yikes. I pretty much knew that I shouldn’t even hope for a sub-2 half marathon, much less a PR. I was so out of race mode that I had to rush back home for my D-Tag shortly after I realized I left it. I only had one thing to be thankful for: I didn’t sign up for 42k!

I arrived at the assembly area alone since Hubby wasn’t feeling well. It seemed like everyone signed up for this race; there were familiar faces everywhere from the portalets to baggage counters. I even spotted Ton Concepcion being the ever so hands-on race organizer attending to the queues at the baggage check in. I entered the assembly area and waited for my 21k race to start along with friends in front, to the left, and behind me. When the race started, I barely had time to wish them luck. I clicked on my Garmin, put my earphones on, and ran ahead.

ZONED OUT

As I type this, I can’t even remember clearly the roads that we took leading up to the Skyway. The hubby, who was eager to hear stories about the race that he missed, received nothing but a blank stare from me when he asked: How did you enter the skyway? Where was the turnaround? Duh. I couldn’t remember a single thing!

What I do remember was how great I felt running through the Skyway. Running on the paved, slightly undulating and seemingly endless road was almost tranquilizing just before dawn. There were no sharp turns nor potholes to ruin my stride; I set my sights straight ahead and settled into a hard but comfortable pace finding my rhythm. I wasn’t aiming to break my PR nor reach a specific time; I just wanted to run and revel in the experience. I felt like I could go on forever.

REALITY STRIKES

The problem with being ill-prepared for a race is that you feel strong, but at the back of your mind, you know you can bonk anytime if you put too much strain on your untrained body.  So, I made sure not to push too hard knowing that, with the lack of training, I could find myself slowing down by 10km. I rarely checked my pace on the Garmin and listened to my body instead. No signs of weariness in the legs. Don’t go out too fast. Relax. Enjoy. Don’t try to outrun this stupid guy who thinks you’re racing with him.

I was fine for the first 19k. By the last 2k, I was exhausted. And, I knew this was coming. This is how I always feel if my last long runs don’t go past 21k. Had I run much longer a few weeks earlier, I’m sure I would’ve been strong until the finish. Oh well. I ordered my legs to work harder shutting out the weariness from my head. I climbed up Buendia flyover with smaller steps and tried to catch my breath as I rolled down the hill.

– Thanks to Vener Roldan for the image –

ACCOUNTING TIME

As I breathed deeply to recover while trying my best to just get to the finish, I heard my name: Jaymie!

Coming from behind was, of all people, my accountant who picked up running last year. We used to talk about numbers a lot. Taxes. Income statements. Mayor’s Permits. But, ever since he started running—and discovered that I had this blog—questions from him have shifted from income to races.

He chats me up. Asks my distance (he could converse because he ran 10k!) How I’m doing. And, I can barely talk. And, my eyebrows have transformed into a unibrow to demonstrate that I was in absolutely no mood for chatting. I just nod, wave my hand up to say goodbye, and increase the pace. Sorry dear accountant, wrong timing.

IDEAL FINISH

I head towards the finish—yes, this part I vividly remember—and was invigorated by the enthusiastic cheerers and spectators holding their balloons lining the road. What a fantastic way to end a tiring but completely exhilarating run. According to my Garmin, I clocked in at 2:05 for a 21.45km run with a pace of 5:50/km.

I chatted with a few friends in the post race area (which was huge and festive) and made my way out towards the parking lot. No photos taken, no breakfast with friends. Deep inside, the anti-social, solo runner that I am wouldn’t have had it any other way. A race is always about you and the road and—after conquering the Skyway despite the many challenges—I was on top of the world.

Two weeks ago, Alvin and I were running around Bonifacio Global City when I tripped and surged forward almost falling flat on my face.  In those 3 seconds, it wasn’t my life that flashed before my eyes, it was Condura Marathon.

Last week, again with Alvin, we were warming up for our tempo run when a car popped out of the Serendra gate and almost crashed into me. Again, the first thoughts were: Condura!

And, just this morning, during my last long run, a 21k around Bonifacio Global City, my foot slid off of the gravel along Burgos Circle and I exclaimed: “Nooooo, nothing can happen before Condura!”

As with many of you who are gunning for your respective goals for Condura, I am hoping that all things go smoothly in the next few days leading up to the race. Eat well. Sleep well. And, please watch where you’re going if you still have easy runs in your plans!  (I should listen to my own advice!)

See you all at Condura on Feb. 7, 2010! It’s going to be a good one!