After my wife won 2nd place in the 7K women's category last December, I figured that this race will be my time to at least be in the top 10 where a free overnight stay at the Coal Mountain Resort , plus a 500 pesos registration refund with finisher's and winner's medal awaits.
This by far was the most generous fun run I ever joined. Free eat-all-you-can breakfast... and lunch. You can avail almost all the facilities of the resort for free (except the cable car fee w/c by the way cut into half). From the pools, reconditioned mining paths, hanging bridge, mini zoo, life size animal statues ( I thought the stallion had 5 legs, hahaha), fresh fruits, to the 30ft & 16ft diving spot (both were my first) . What more can you ask? Oh, did I mentioned the free bus ride from Cebu City to Moalboal and back to Cebu City? The "habalhabal" style transpo from the resort to Moalboal proper can’t be overlook either because that was my primary concern. After seeing the rugged terrain that I just tracked, I was already thinking of how would be able to go back. I’m not riding a motorcycle with that slippery road.
I started slow and paced with an officemate (Carl San Ralph) on the 1st kilometers. I already knew that the terrain will be unforgiving for beginners especially those running their first 10K on a continuous uphill climb. A lot of the students did not finished their 10K including another officemate Cecil who was shied being the last runner and behind her was the sweeper van. After picking up my pace, I left Carl with some of the 18K runners.
With Carl partly hidden
Then I met up with my brother on motorcycle whom I already asked to accompany me. I told him to wait for me at the 5KM mark where the asphalted road ends. I changed from my running sandal (KAI) to my New Balance shoe. I thought the 10KM mark will be at Batad-batad (that’s where a lot of my relatives came from). It was still @ 7Km when I reach “Dakong Tubod” where a lot of Tacoloy relatives greeted me. They were surprised that I was joining the race because they always had that perception that I was still that clumsy and fat kid several years ago. After that short “meet and greet”, the race course showed it’s real nature. As much as you wanted to run every step of it, some parts were just too steep. And the women’s champion can confirm to that. I saw Joy Tabal’s comment from a newpaper that her chin and knees almost met. Go figure!!!
A glimpse of the very easy terrain.
I did not know how I fare with the other runners nor knew where I placed. People along the road really stopped to watch us endure their highlands. They were in small bunches. In every aid station (there’s 1 in every kilometer, with bread and sweet potatoes) I always asked the crew if another runner was close by that I could at least try to outrun. Unfortunately this was like a battle for elites (much to do because of the bigger prizes). I know at least 3 came from Dumaguete City (one was 3rd during the Siquijor 75K Ultramarathon), 2 Kenyans and an Afghan, then our own Cebu’s elite runners. I was able to pass by an “Igat Runner” (that’s the actual name of their club). I finished 11th which still haunt me because I promised my wife to get that refund (remember: only 3 paid runs for this year). Huhuhu. Could I have done better, maybe but 20 minutes difference from the 10th runner was a big number. By the way, it was not a 18KM after all… 19.4KM from Joy Tabal’s GPS watch. The last kilometer kind of frustrate me, not that I was tired but because it did not reflect the exact distance. It deviated to almost another kilometer and that is a big no-no for me.
I finished 2:41:47 way ahead of my almost 4hrs projected time. Then took a immediate dive at their heart-shaped pool. What a refreshing way to cool down from a not so typical running experience.
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