MY SECOND HALF MARATHON FINISHED WITH SOFITEL MANILA

Where it all started and ended...

First let me start by saying Congratulations all finishers in all categories. And my second half marathon concluded with Sofitel Manila Half Marathon happened on August 17th, 2014.

Read: Sofitel Manila Half Marathon 2014

I have to file leave from work for this event. I slept early on Saturday afternoon after huge carbo loading before the race. We woke up about 2AM Sunday morning as we have to travel all the way to Mall of Asia. Though traffic is not a dilemma yet therefore we left house around 3:00AM. When we arrived near the MOA complex, glad that they opened their open parking spaces for this event so we got no problem looking for one like we usually encountered with the previous events. Sometimes, well most of the time illegal parking.

We prepared ourselves at the parking lot with singlet, pinning the bib number and most especially hooking the D-Tag to get runner’s accurate time result. After a quick warm up and stretching we went straight to starting line where runners assembled. About 15 minutes before the gun time, we still have time taking photos like other runners do. Tradisyon na yan eh.

Photo Op before the Race.

THE GUNSTART

I don’t have much training before this race. Though I ran a couple of times but not really intense to use for this half marathon. I was troubled with my previous and first half marathon and I don’t want to experience again the pain, all the struggles that I can barely walk and the challenges that I was facing. I never thought I can reach the finish line. The time was devastating at 3 hours and 15 minutes.

This time, I have to beat the obnoxious previous record. My office-mates who used to run full marathons, or even 100k challenges advised me that the first 10 kilometers would just be a regular pace, not so fast but not too slow. Don’t care about the others; you have your own record to beat. Never be intimidated with those fast runners.

When the race commenced everyone was screaming, as I was. I have to stick with instructions. The first 3 kilometers from MOA to CCP was like a gentle, I know I got torrents of energy and I can run faster with my current pace. However I have to save it due to the challenge not to stop until I reached 10 kilometer mark.

THE CHALLENGES

I never stop even running on flyovers, though in ascent was a little slower but the descent and flat spaces was back into the regular speed. When I reached 9 kilometer, I can’t do it anymore. I have to stop. I was already distressed; I feel so much pain from nowhere. Starting from my legs, then somewhere inside my stomach, I think it was a gallbladder, and even numbness of my shoulders. I have to stop I really have to stop and walk to regain energy.

I walked for about 2 minutes then slow pacing again. At 10 kilometer, I’m so effing tired. I can walk with a faster pace but couldn’t run in a lower speed. I cannot maintain my run walk interval. The energy released so quickly, I strip-off my energy gel hoping that it’ll help. Marathon is fundamentally a metabolic challenge.

At 12th kilometer, a friend who used to be my running buddy at Ayala Triangle was on the same distance. We decided to just run together to at least help burn the lonesome.

During the race. Thanks to Red Knight.

We are on our way back to Kilometer 0 along Roxas Boulevard stretch from Baclaran with run-walk interval. When we reached the CCP area and Macapagal Boulevard we decided to do a quite faster pace than the usual as we near the finish line. When we saw the FINISH LINE marker the energy was recuperated, adrenaline maybe.

However..

We thought that was the end. I didn’t know that we still need to go round the Mall of Asia Complex going to MOA Arena and then back to the seaside. What the heck. I thought we will finish the whole half marathon in 2 hours and 30 minutes. But then again, the 30 minutes left to reach the target time has been taken off by the last 2 kilometers. So bad! 2 kilometers can be achieved by 10 minutes. Oh well I was really tired that time that I can’t even move my legs. Nevertheless we finished the run injury-free. Thanks God. I dunno how many times I called His name. Keep the faith.

Rihanna's version of Half of Me. Still thanks to Pinoy Fitness

My second half marathon finished in 3 hours and 3 minutes. I'm 12 minutes faster then my previous 21k run. Pede na rin. Great race to Sofitel and Runrio. I love the Finisher Shirt and the Big Medal.

SOFITEL MANILA RUNNING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Thanks also to our friends on the road that gives us a huge smile and unique pose with their lenses. Sa kabila ng hirap sa pagtakbo, nakukuha pa rin nateng ngumiti, pabidang pose, at pagalingan sa pag-akting. Please refer to the sites below that you can visit after the race for your photos.

• EMSoquena ▬ http://on.fb.me/1l12BqW

• Team aRUNkada ▬ http://on.fb.me/1q4Wgda

• Pinoy Fitness ▬ http://bit.ly/1ohVZj9

• Red Knight ▬ http://on.fb.me/VHWigl

• RUN Lipa ▬ http://on.fb.me/1ohWkCt

• FREELANCER ▬ http://on.fb.me/1pmaB6j