Daralaganan sa Bombon (10.2.10)

We learned about this race a couple of days before the event. It was scheduled a day before the Milo Marathon Naga Elimination! Nonetheless, we registered. Daralaganan sa Bombon was sponsored by the local government. We had no option to choose a category since non-Bombon residents could only join the 10km run. The two other shorter categories were exclusive to its residents.

We knew we must not exert too much energy in this race and still prioritize the run in Naga the next day. We just wanted to have a "dry run" but what we did not know is that the route was over 10km and it was partly trail!



I had joined two different runs, but this one was completely different from the previous ones. As far as the number of participants is concerned, Daralaganan sa Bombon was a small race. Most of its participants in the two categories exclusively for residents were kids. They did not have running shoes. They were barefoot! Runners in the category we were in were mixed. Some were "professional runners" while others were of other professions. There was one group from Taguig. They came to Bombon for the town fiesta.

The organizer of this race is generous, I realized, comparing this to the succeeding races I have joined. Aside from the top winners, they had consolation prizes for the top 30 runners. Unfortunately, the event was scheduled a day before the Milo Marathon. As a consequence, some seasoned runners missed this. There were only 20 registrants in our category, meaning we were all guaranteed to get a prize! We only paid P150 for this race with a free 'free size' jersey.

The first kilometers of the route covered the poblacion. With only twenty runners, it was clear at the early part of the race who the faster runners were. I was trailing. The locals were outside their houses watching and it was a mental challenge, at least to me, to ignore their comments. I just greeted and smiled at them. One marshal even joked, "you have a long route to cover!"

We got to see the other parts of the town during the race. After some few kilometers, the route went uphill. I knew I did not have more energy to run more kilometers. My buddy also thought so. When we saw each other at the turn around, we decided to just walk and finish it. The following kilometers was a long muddy road. Bombon is situated at the foot of Mount Isarog.

We arrived at the finish line after 1 hour and 45 minutes just in time for the awarding ceremony. We were officially 19th (me) and 20th place. We both got a crispy P100 bill as a consolation prize, aside from the cold bottle of mineral water and snacks!

Kagawad Eddie Alteza was the race director. We did not know each other then. We got acquainted along with other enthusiasts in Basilica. Earlier this year, he was elected President of the newly founded Caceres Runners Club.





Taken on 5th of March 2011, after CSPC's Takbo para sa Sentenaryo which I missed.

Summit CamSur Marathon (9.26.10)

Certainly, I liked the Fun Run for Ina experience. It unleashed the athlete in me. Since then, I have become a "serious" runner. I even have influenced my office buddy Simon and other friends who have seen my running photos in my Facebook account. Weeks after my first run, I learned about the Summit CamSur Marathon and other upcoming local runs such as Daralaganan sa Bombon and the Milo Marathon Naga Elimination. At Basilica compound, my mate and I started training. Actually, we were really preparing for the Milo Marathon and planned to run 10km.

On the last day of online registration, I registered still thinking twice if I was going to join. I texted my buddy to website, just in case he wanted to run. But, we finally decided to claim our race packs when I learned that my siblings, who had never joined a fun run, were joining! It meant that my first "serious" run and my mate and siblings' baptismal run was in an international event! How cool is that? Probably, it was the first time for most of the participants specially the hundreds of public school teachers and government employees in the province sponsored by the governor. At CamSur Watersports Center, we paid and claimed our singlets which I think is one of the best that I have. Supposedly, we were late registrants but the staff was so kind that she did not charge us.That afternoon before the race, I cooked half kilo of spaghetti and consumed about half of it. I also bought bananas for the next day's activity. Race day, as early as 3:30 in the morning we were off to Pili Capitol. Going to the venue, I knew there would be lots of participants based from the number of cars and jeepneys full of runners en route to CWC or Freedom Stadium. Though the organizers expected 20,000 participants and the official count was 3,000 runners short, it is still the biggest in the country as far as I know.

At Freedom Stadium oval, the starting point of 10, 5 and 3km categories, the number of runners began to swell. There were group of friends, workmates, students and public school teachers. I recognized some celebrities like Izza Calzado, Aga Muhlach and other celebrities. There were also Kenyans and other nationals. We were just behind them at the starting line as if we were elite runners!

My target time for this run was 1 hour and 30 minutes. The cut-off time in 10km in Milo Marathon which we were actually preparing for. When the gun was fired by L-Ray, I ran aiming for my target time. The first kilometer was tough! In fact, I thought of walking already before the KM1 marker but I had not seen anyone walking so I continued. I could only run one kilometer straight without walking. I did run-walk-run strategy. Good thing, water and energy drinks were sufficient. I drank in every station eventhough I brought a bottle of Gatorade.

I wore my brother's shoes, the one used in biking/trekking, without socks! In my first run, I wore walking shoes. I didn't have running shoes until Unilab Run United 2. At Km5, I had blisters. 1 hour and 17 minutes was my time.

Fun Bike/Run/Walk for INA (9.4.10)

September 4, 2010 was my baptismal run. I was not into sports, in fact I was a couch potato then. Until I got "obliged" to join in this fun run by a batchmate-slash-drinking buddy who happens to be a devotee of "Ina" /inâ/ or the Lady of Peñafrancia.

The night before the run, I got my very first running jersey that would become part of my singlet collection. Early in the morning, I took a heavy breakfast. We arrived at Peñafrancia Shrine about half an hour before the gun start. It was still dark. I called up another batchmate to join us while waiting for the race to start.

ADNU Athletics Office was among the sponsors of the run. One of the early birds was Fr. Tabora. I saw familiar faces: batchmates and former teachers in Ateneo. Two celebrities got invited to run, Antonio Aquintana and AJ Dee, a college batchmate.

Minutes before the scheduled gun start, participants which included elite and recreational runners and bikers, were asked to gather in Plaza de Covarrubias. The patio was filled with hundreds of people in green running outfit. The archbishop delivered a message. ADNU Basketball varsity led the warm up.

Three of us, together with Badat and Jing, were running while Jake was biking with his mates. We tried to go near the starting line but there were a lot of people. As soon as I heard the gun fired, everyone went running. I lost sight of my buddies as the race started. I ran as fast as I could for about a hundred meters. Suddenly, I felt I was going to faint! So I just walked and pretended I was fine. It felt like I had an empty stomach.

I walked on from Camarines Sur Polytechnic College until Naga City Hospital. Approaching the right turn I saw a camera aiming at us so I went running again until I saw Marlon, a highschool batchmate. We chat for a while and talked about encouraging our batchmates to organize a running event someday. At Metropolitan Cathedral there was a waterstation. I took and gulped one glass while jogging. I almost got drowned.

The route was no shorter than 5km. It covered Peñafrancia Avenue straight ahead to Universidad de Sta. Isabel then turn right to Metropolitan Cathedral, turn left until Plaza Rizal, turn left to Panganiban Avenue and then left to Magsaysay Avenue. The finish line was at the Basilica compound.

Around Delfin Rosales Bridge, I caught up with a buddy. Along Panganiban Avenue, I saw some fans of AJ paced with him. Some were taking photos with him. I passed them and ran faster. At Magsaysay Avenue, I passed Antonio who were catching his breath as with most of the participants.

I had no idea how long it took me to finish the race. Maybe it was an hour, more or less. Yes, it was fun! There were free coffee and pandesal.

Post Race. My legs and feet were so painful. I didn't have an idea how long until I could fully recover. The following day, I decided to jog from home to Basilica which is longer than the route we ran the other day! Realizing that I didn't have a single peso, I had to phone a friend to fetch me home!