My First Half-Mary

This entry should have been posted months ago, but since I don’t have the will to finish my blog and this article, I was not able to do so.  Forgive me for this is long overdue.  Read on…

“When you crossed the finish line, it will change your life forever.”

Route Map

-  Spirit of the Marathon

Some may say that I am over reacting but this very same line made an impact on me as I crossed the finish line last May 30, 2010 after running my very first half marathon (21K).

I’m not a sporty type of person.  Any sports that makes use of a ball freaks me out.  I’m afraid that it might hit me on the head or something and so I grew up without playing any sports that uses a ball.  Running may be awkward and alien to others. It WAS for me way back my couch potato days until I began my little steps to run last October of 2009 together with my  office-running mates namely, Cherry, Melai (together with her boyfriend, Jessel) and Coach Marlowe (we’re fond of calling him this way because he’s the one who influenced us to run).     After several months, Kim and Enet got hooked as well. It's really amazing how one can get so addicted to running!  In fact, I found my sports in running but it is not just simply a sports to me. Many of my friends keep on bombarding me with a lot of questions, “Why run?", “Until when will you do it?”, “What can you get from that?”  Even my father would occasionally tease me, “Takbo ka ng takbo wala namang humahabol sa’yo.” 

I can give you a lot of answers to these questions but all of it would be none sense without these two words – LOVE and PASSION.  I have always believed that in everything that I do, I must have the combination of these two for without them I would be like a robot – moving but empty.  It is in running that I see life – the uphills and downhills, the twists and turns, the rough and smooth roads, the struggles and the joys.  Running just like life is a journey.

And so, let me take you to one of my journeys – my very first half mary…

..of discipline…

I have one 22K training run a month ago and I have ran a couple of 15K’s and 16K’s, too (even pulled it off to 18K two weeks before the race) but I am still a bit fidgety about this. In fact, I even had an anxiety attack the day before the race.  I thought that I have lost the stamina and my aerobic capacity since I wasn’t able to run for a week and a half prior to this event because I opted to take an out-of-town vacation (basically, swimming and hiking). After I returned home from my out-of-town trip, painful cramps that I’ve never felt before would awaken me in the middle of the night! (Oh! No! It’s just 4 days to go before the BIG day!).  Coach Marlowe even told me that it seems like I’m not running for 21K. He even advised me to run at least 5K or do striders 2 days before the race.  I am all set to do them but the weather didn’t let me! (I’m really getting nervous feeling so under trained.) It’s a good thing that Cherry sponsored our carbo-loading party last Friday. (I ate 2 Hawaiian pizzas, 3 sausages out of the sausage-stuffed pizza, and 3 cinnamon sticks!)

I know that I needed to make use of the remaining time to condition myself physically and so in the morning of Saturday, before I went off to work,  I  took my skipping rope and I made 300 strides hoping that this could make up for my aerobic capacity and endurance.  I also did some stretching each 100 strides interval. I hydrated myself the whole day and took my mom to another pizza store in the afternoon to take another carbo-loading because I felt like I’m still starving.  In other words, I ate and drank a lot!!!

..the battle…

“The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy...It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed.” - Jacqueline Gareau

Running is not just a physical sport but rather a test of both physical and mental strength.

Feeling under trained, I needed to condition myself psychologically that I’ll finish the race no matter what.  My main goal was to finish it the safest way possible even if it meant finishing it last.  (I’m just being dramatic..hehehe…I set my goal to 2:45 or better).     

Since it’s a 21K category, I was at the starting line at 5:00AM together with my 21K running mates, Jessel and Enet (Thank you Sir Enet for 3 hammer gels.  I already ate one sachet at the starting line).  And so, the race began at exactly 5:10 AM.

Buendia Flyover

getting ready for the photographers..hehe

smile..smile..smile..just smile!

My first 5K went off smoothly keeping a pace of 7 and I kept myself hydrated every water station because I’m afraid to suffer from cramps.  Upon reaching the Buendia flyover, side stitch began to attack me.  It’s a good thing that it was minor and went away the moment I slowed down.  Upon reaching the 8-Km mark, my pace started to drop but I told myself  that it would be best that way since I still have 13 Kms to go. I didn’t push myself to run faster because I don’t want to reach the finish line limping! I avoided looking at my watch so I wouldn’t be disappointed if I’ll see that my pace has gone down to 10! (it seems like an exaggeration but that’s really what’s on my mind).  At the 9-Km mark, I ate another hammer gel to boost my energy level.  I kept on running until another side stitch attacked me after the 11-Km mark.  This time, it’s more painful than the first but I refused to walk until I reached another water station.  I had to take several silent deep breaths to ease the pain. (I’m too shy to shout..hehehe).  Down came Km-14 and I’m really getting tired and motivation started to desert me.  I already saw my two other running mates heading back while I’m still struggling to reach the turnaround point down heritage park!  (I was just along Bayani Road!) I kept telling myself to just keep going.   I’m hopeful that I can still motivate myself to run a little faster but the pain of the second side stitch was still there.  I needed to control my pace to a certain point in which pain would still be tolerable.  At last, I reached the turnaround point down Heritage Park! The way down heritage park was relaxing for me but not the way up!!! Feeling unmotivated and tired, I decided to walk from the turnaround point up to the water station along Bayani road.  I’m still not looking at my watch to avoid frustration.  I constantly reminded myself that I’m not competing with anyone so there’s no need to hurry. And so, I just kept on running. Minutes later, I reached the 18^th km. mark.  It was just 3 kms. more to go when I began to question myself: “Why are you doing this to yourself?, Why are you running?, “If I were you, I’ll just walk these 3 remaining kms. after all, you’re not going to attain your desired time goal.”.  Yes, that little demon had infiltrated me.  Except for those side stitch attacks, I know that I still have the power .  My legs were not in pain.  I didn’t even suffer from cramps.  I’m sure I still have the energy because I just munched my 3^rd hammer gel Sir Enet had given me after the 16^th km. mark so why on earth am I thinking of stopping.  Motivation again!  That was it. It was at this moment that I gathered all the remaining positive energies in me so I could continue to move forward.  This was the moment that I came to realize how powerful one’s mind was.  I thought and thought of all the possible things to motivate me as this is my biggest problem ever since.  As my mind was busy motivating myself, the 19^th km mark came into view to my surprise!  Yes!!!Knowing this, motivation zoomed in!  Do you know why?  Well, being a picture addict that I am (as quoted by our considered coach-Marlowe), reaching the 19^th km, mark would mean I should neither stop nor walk since the photographers will already be there taking runners’ pictures (I simply don’t want to be caught walking in the picture in my very first 21K…hahaha)  That did the trick!  I even smiled at them while taking their shots even though I already know that my nose would be comparable to that of a gorilla’s once again.  (Kebs!)  Well, I don’t give a damn on how  I look when I’m running for as long as I can run!!!!

..the END is the BEGINNING…

Sir Enet taking a shot of me as I cross the finish line!

In tears with Cherry, fellow runner, officemate and a very good friend!

..10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5…and at last I’m on my last few steps towards the end!!!  Yessss!  I’m already so delirious to see this F-I-N-I-S-H L-I-N-E!  How much more to see my friends patiently waiting for me there taking a few shots as I pass the mark.  Their presence, Cherry, Ms. Kim and Sir Enet (fellow 21K 1^st timer!), made the tears fall!!!  Tears not from pain but from achieving something I never thought I could.  I uttered assilent prayer to my Creator for everything.  The marshall just handed me my finisher’s medal because I’ve totally forgotten it.  I’m just so happy finishing my 1^st pikermi with a Haag en Daaz ice cream as a bonus!!!  Life, indeed,  has too much to offer!

With Ms. Kim and Sir Enet (fellow 21K debutants!)

Kudos to runrio for a safe and well-organized race.  I couldn’t be as confident as I was to finish my 1^st half-mary if not for the thought that all the runners were in safe hands with Coach Rio’s supervision! 

sweet victory!

Though the race had ended, my run continues and my life goes on and on…