Oh yes, you will never really forget your first. Now that I'm done with my first marathon, I think it's about time to go back in blogging. Well, running was not the reason why I stopped blogging for a while, work is. But then again if writing is your passion there's really a call that needed to attend. Hindi ko alam kung passion ko ba talaga ang pagsusulat dahil grammar pa lang bagsak na ako. O baka naman sadyang madaldal lang ako.
Anyway, I have a lot of things to talk to while I'm gone but lemme focus first what happened on my first marathon. Honestly, I looked myself running in the marathon one day, I've been running for quite a while and this won't stop in the half-marathon. Thanks to my boss who invited me joining The Bull Run Dream Marathon. Sa takot na din siguro sa "boss" kaya pumayag na ako. Nevertheless, I think this is the right time to experience the full mary.
TBR Dream Marathon happened last Sunday, February 21, 2016 in Nuvali. Medyo kulang sa tulog dahil galing pa sa night shift, from Friday night to Saturday morning. Maling-mali na hindi nakapag leave ng Friday. Kaya next time, especially sa mga graveyard people, if you have a marathon the following weekend make sure to vacant your Friday.
THE RACE DAY
We arrived at Microtel Nuvali around 5PM and hurried to check-in so I can get sleep even for a couple of hours. At dahil kabado ka na excited, hindi talaga ako nakakuha ng magandang tulog. I think I slept for only 3 or 4 hours. Tapos andiyan pa yong pakiramdam na najejebs ka na hindi naman talaga na naiihi ka na wala naman talaga. Ah ewan!
Around 11PM when the phone alarms, sign that we have to prepare as we need to be at the race village by 12:30AM. I can sense the excitement of each and every participant, and like me, they looked so stress as well. Kakaba-kaba.
And the run commenced at exactly 2AM with a gunstart, everyone was cheering and shouting, things I remembered. I was with Faye and Jerikko and we stick to a slow pace. Our target time to finish the first half (21k) is three (3) hours. I guess this is better for first-time marathoners because the goal is to sustain the energy til the end. Dinadaan ko sa patawa ang lahat para kahit papano mawawala ang kaba dahil kaming tatlo eh first time marathoners lang din. By the way TBR is for the first and second-time marathoners. I thought we finished the first half at 2 hours and 49 minutes but I found out we actually completed the 21k at 2 hours and 28 minutes. Medyo malakas pa ako that time, kayang kaya pa ang second loop. Although at the second loop, hindi na kame nagsabay-sabay. So I was running alone without Faye and Jerikko but I know they're just on my back. Faye is a strong woman. I don't know what was I thinking when I'm alone, I didn't use a run-walk pace, it was all the way run and stop whenever I need to but stick to my slow pace.
Come KM34 sobrang pagod na ako but I never stopped running. I was at the very slow pace. My target finish time is 6 hours and I thought I still have plenty of time. When hydration station arrived at KM36 I checked the time and I was on 4 hours and 50 minutes of running. So meron pa akong isang oras para mabuo ang natitirang 6.195KM. That time medyo nahatak ako ng pressure sa oras. But my body can hardly run faster. Tapos sasabihin ko na din na utot ako ng utot, stomach cramps?! I dunno but I feel sorry ung nasa likod ko.
Haha, kadiri mang pakinggan but couldn't help but to release the fresh air (urggh!). Otherwise, I will be late on my target time. Thank goodness to my lower body, kayang-kaya pang dalhin ung katawan ko but I learned that the upper body must be in good shape as well. Sa pagkakataon yon, hindi na nagkakasundo ang katawan ko, andami kong hangin sa loob ng katawan. Imbes na utot, dighay ang kinalabasan. Ewww! But still I didn't stop running, call me crazy but on the last kilometers, I ran all the way from T-Loop to H-Loop. Little by little I will be able to finish the marathon. At KM38 I started praying the rosary, I keep on telling myself that I dedicate this to my parents, my mind was stupid of making any story. Kadiri pero nakakabaliw na mag-iisip. I know I can feel the difficulty of other runners, so do I. May nakita pa akong umiiyak na.
Until I reached the E. Nature Avenue na abot-tanaw mo na ang finish line. Pero hindi pa pala. You still have to turn around the H-Loop. Thanks to Dream Chasers, or else I won't be able to finish the race in 6 hours. I know I can finish it by walking because I got loads of time, however, when you set a finish time you'll have to achieve that goal which is really important. When H Loop came, I gave up, that was the looongest 2KM of my life. Akala ko tuloy tuloy lang ang takbo pero napatigil din ako, at *napamura.
And here comes the KM42 mark. You are not done yet, you still need additional .195KM to finish the race. Oh boy! Parang di na kayang humakbang ng paa ko, nanginginig na pati tuhod ko, nagmumura muli ang mga dila ko. Naknangteteng. And then I heard someone calling every finisher's name on microphone and the people around cheering for their loved ones. That time I don't know kung sino sasalubong saken, meron ba o wala.
And here comes the energy again, totoo pa lang talaga ang final push. Napatakbo ule ako hanggang sa finish line. Nilabas ko ung scapular ko at nag sign of the cross. Thanking the Lord for running me through the finish line. And that was the best moment of my life. You will never really forget your first forty freaking two.
Finish time at 5 hours 41 minutes and 50 seconds. Rank 114 of 618 runners.
Congratulations to all the finishers or should I say MARATHONERS, the organizer and the TBR Team led by the Bull Runner herself Jaymie Pizzaro. That was a successful event, I haven't had regret taking my first marathon with TBR. Feels like I have fire and gold and ready for anything. Thank you to my #teamGUTTOM for the support and the push. And huge thanks to #AyalaTriads for providing us the regular training. Thanks to everyone who helped me conquer this big milestone race. This is not the end, this is just the first and the beginning to something new.
Proud TBR alumnus here!
