Halad ni Leon Kilat 42K

I can feel the increasing pressure of TNF100 2014 so I decided to join this year's HLK Marathon. It's just days before that biggest event yet (in my running bucket list). Once again I'm crossing my fingers in the hope of actually finishing it within cut-off time.  My training is never been that good once again.  On and off with no proper training schedule being followed.  So as part of the so-called training I should say, I registered on the last day of the registration period.

As per Meyux, I should at least experience more than 24 hours of being awake and see how my body responds to it.  So there's no better way to do it than join a marathon right after my work shift.

Courtesy of Reynan Opada

I woke up @ 7 AM that day, did not bother waking my wife thinking that additional errands might be asked from me and I could possibly missed the 1st shift at work.  I brought my "running stuff" to work but ended up going back home since I left my headlamp and blinker (silly me).  I felt very sleepy when I arrived home around 7PM and the kids just finished their dinner.  I asked them to take a bath then go up so we could sleep together.

I originally planned to meet up with my brother at the starting line so he could take my motorcycle to their house.  But at the last minute, he advised me to fetch him instead and we would go together to Parian area where the race briefing was held.  There I received my shirt, bandana and was asked to signed the check-in list.  It was just about 15 minutes before gun time.  I can see people strangely looking at me seemingly puzzled about my get-up.  I was wearing our fire brigade pants and was carrying a trekking pole while testing my new Camelbak Ultra LR which coincidently arrived that day from Manila (thanks bro Dondon).  Then goes the gun start.

I was probably the last runner to cross that intersection near Metro Colon (eager to see if John Domingo did capture that on his camera, he's not posting the pictures yet in FB though).  I originally planned to run the whole duration at a slow pace.  I enjoyed every part of the run as if I really did have enough road run practice.  I made a stopover just few meters after Naga City's church to have a bread and Mountain Dew.  I was so hungry during that time.  Then hit back the road as soon as I was done.

Thanks John Dominggo, naa jud.. Karaan lang. :-)

I am very familiar of the route.  I also came from the south of Cebu so for the whole duration of the race the landmarks and locations were playing in my mind.  I never felt sleepy but had to adjust my hydration pack all the time.  The added weight in my hand (pogo stick - per Tony) almost startled a back+shoulder cramps but felt glad that it did not progressed.

All goes well until I felt like my whole body was overheating, more around my back and my thighs.  As soon as I saw the next water station, I asked for a very cold water (fortunately they have it).  This was already near the San Fernando - Carcar boundary.  I am so close to the finish line and it was still early, I thought.  Then the competitive side of me started taking over (not as planned though).  I started counting the number of runners I was able to pass-by.  It climbed up to 12 when another race surprise hit me.  I should have attended the pre-race briefing or read the details in FB (I just knew it though).  We were asked to make a turn away from the highway to make that minimum 42K distance for a marathon.  I lost my momentum at this point and all I was thinking and asking from the barrio folks was if the turning point is near.  Those 12 runners should have increased but instead I was out-ran by 4 of them which I wasn’t able keep up again.

I finished # 68 with a time of 6 hours, 5.17 minutes but not without repositioning my bandana for a possible photo shoot at the finish line.  I was just happy that I never felt pain or being injured and still feeling stronger ever if I've been up for quite some time.

Thank you CUC once again for the very well-organized race.  Tested through time.

Personal lessons-learned:

   - wearing non breathable pants in wrong after all (even at night time).  Need to find a good calf sleeve instead.

   - I might have to erase it from my original plan to use trekking pole.  I'll just find a nice stick that I could threw anytime.

   - Need to do more core exercises.

   - I haven't included in my training the proper time of food and electrolytes intake techniques.

   - Need to familiarize more on using my hydration bag.

Advise to all support vehicles.  Next time do not shadow your runner, leap-frog instead.  (You save gas plus you save your runner's life)