I AM NOT REGISTERED AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY PLANS OF JOINING THIS RACE (*ehem, ehem* writing it ALL CAPS). Still, for the love of running I came there with the purpose of cheering and taking picture of my new friends from Adination Running Group - Alabang.
Although this is a new experience (late afternoon start, different race venue, out-of-town race, near my place) I choose not to register because I was in "tipid-mode" (choosing wisely what races to join). So, I said to myself that I will join at least 1 race a month because I want to focus on building endurance and some speed training. And I think I am done already with the "basta-maganda-singlet-register" attitude. :)
I arrived 4:45pm and I saw them together doing some stretching. I asked for the camera so I can take some pics but Sir Toel gave me a 21K race packet. What? I said NO! I just run 28 kilometers last Wednesday, I don't want to walk this one, I need to rest. There is no Greenfield City Sunset Walk. But they still forced me. Fine! I'll run 10K. But after some more negotiations I hesitantly agreed to run 21K. What was I thinking? I am not expecting to finish this with a decent time. Maybe a 2:30-2:45 would do, I just want the medal and that's it. Next thing I know I was wearing a singlet, a race bib and a timing chip. 10 minutes to go before gun start, stretching, stretching, and more stretching.
I was planning how I will finish the race during the first kilometer. Since I don't have a garter (Garmin) I looked for a pace group. Luckily, I saw the JazzRunner and Sir Mel so I joined their pacing (6:00/km).
THE RACE PLAN: Super Slow 10K - Slower 5K - Slow 5K - walk 500m - strong finish 500m.
The Route, Water Stations, Runners and Some Review
The Route was flat, making it easier for me to run. As usual when I saw some grass I chose that over the concrete, the first 5K I was running on grass because it is easier and lesser stress on my still-recovering knees. The first 10K was sweet and slow. Vehicular traffic was still under control until half-way when we found ourselves running with cars beeping their horns as if wanting to bump us. I just waved to them smiling. Hahaha!
Good Job:
Nice singlet, New route, Different from the usual Sunday morning races in BHS, Out-of-town experience, On-time gun start, Lots of marshals and a post-race massage.
Another addition to my collection (I now have 5 medals, woohoo!)
Wishlist for a better race next time:
Please, please, please provide enough cups of water and sports drink at least every 3 kilometers, Put up more floodlights on the dark route, Manage properly the vehicular traffic especially at the last 5 kilometers, place a water station as we cross the finish line, please have kilometer route markers (not everyone is wearing a Garmin, me included) please, please do not bombard us with marketing flyers (don't even try to put those in our loot bags as we will just throw them), a more good-looking finisher's medal would be better, oh by the way 'we cannot wear the medal during our training runs, a finisher's shirt would be better' as we can wear it everywhere.
Loot Bag contains 2 pcs. of feminine wash (*sobbing*), an anti-inflammatory tablet, a sachet of chocolate drink, a bottle of water and 1 bottle of 100 Plus.
Lessons learned:
1. If you do not have plans of joining the race, do not bring your running shoes and running shorts with you.
2. Start slow (the slower the better), be patient so you can go faster and aim for a strong finish.
3. If you are running to beat others, you get to beat others. But if you are running to beat yourself, you get PR (and beat others in the process).
Finish. As planned, I sprinted the last 500 meters and as I saw the clock it registered 2:12:17 (chip time). 116th place out of 435. I thought it was PR turns out that the clock was wrong.
Some pictures after the race:
Happy 21K finishers (except Ambo, the one pointing on the medal, who had cramps saying bye-bye to his sub 1:50 goal)
Some Adination Alabang Runners
A strong finish! I love this pic as it looks like I'm flying. (My 3rd Half Marathon)
Photo credits: Thanks to Alex E and Greg J (Facebook). I tagged your pics. Sir Rene I used your pic too! Sir Toel, Im waiting for your uploads.
