Pinoy Fitness 21k Challenge 2018

I am a Half Marathon finisher!!! 😁😳💪

Not something I thought I'd be able to say or write. In fact, I thought those running the Half Marathon and Full Marathon are crazy! 😂😂😂 I thought 10k was long enough for an average joe and anything longer is torture. I jumped on the crazy bandwagon because I just signed up for the IM Davao 70.3 this March 2019 and the last leg is a 21k run. I have got to run a 21k to experience and understand what to expect.

THE RACE COURSE

📸 c/o Pinoy Fitness

If you've been joining run events in Manila the race course should be very familiar. The race was at the Mall of Asia compound. The course starts in the Seaside Blvd parking area near Vikings. It goes through Seaside Blvd and making the first of many U-turns at Marina Way. You head back to Seaside taking a right turn to Diokno for another U-turn before you head out to Macapagal Blvd. You'll take another U-turn at Buendia Ave and take the same path back on Macapagal and Seaside before you make the turn to Diokno. You'll take 2 more U-turns on Diokno as you tackle both sides of the street. The final right hand turn at Tryp Hotel takes you to the Start/Finish line area. Now you'll have to do it all over again to complete the 21k.

The course was pretty much flat with only a handful of very light inclines along Macapagal and Diokno. With a 3am gun start, the real challenge was those dark stretches along Macapagal and Diokno where the floor was almost pitch black, no light posts and the road wasn't exactly smooth with really deep potholes here and there. It can be an accident waiting to happen if one is not careful.

MY RACE

I signed up for the Pocari sponsored Sub-3 hour 21k challenge. Since this is my first 21k run I didn't want to set any lofty expectations with my time. I just want to complete the race and enjoy the run. It will be a bonus if I finish under the required time and get a medal (you don't get a medal if you finish outside of the target time).  My game plan was simple. Start slow, find the pace in the early part of the race that I can carry throughout (that'll be somewhere around 6:20 to 6:40 per km) and most important part of all DON'T WALK! Simple right. 

The race was earlier than usual with the first wave starting at 3am. Our wave's guns start was scheduled at 3:15am. I was at the starting area 30 mins before gun start to go through my pre-race routine (dynamic stretches...don't leave home without it... and short light sprints). I lined up 2-3 rows from the front of our wave. This is a good spot since the faster runners will be darting once the horn blows. This gives me some space in front to find that good pace without having to weave through the slower runners. The faster ones behind me can definitely manage the weaving around me. 

As the race started it reminded me of those morning run sessions around the UP Acad oval. I was hitting a 6:10/km pace after a couple of minutes from the start and everything felt really good. the only hiccup was after the first U-turn along Diokno Blvd, nature was calling and I had to step in to one of those portable toilets (better do it now than the late part of the race). At the 5km mark I stopped for my first hydration station break (skipped two water stations before this). I wanted to make sure that I hydrate, keep my core temperature down and take my energy gels. I would stop at every hydration station after this to be able to stick to my game plan. By the way, the hydration stops aren't included in my game plan "Don't Walk!". 

I lost some time in some stretches along Macapagal and Diokno due to the road conditions and lack of road lighting. Keeping my pace wasn't worth getting injured and not finishing the race. Instead, what I did was to milk the parts of the course where there were slight downhills. I'd let gravity take a bit of control and also consciously push my pace. This should make up for some of the time I lose and stops at the hydration stations. 

After two more u-turns and another right hand turn I was back to familiar ground and was approaching the start/finish line and was almost done with the first loop. 1 hour and 7 minutes have passed as I go through the half way point of the race. I remember evaluating my self at this point and the likelihood of maintaining the same pace for another loop. I wasn't feeling fatigued, my legs felt fine and my running form was still good. I was averaging around 6:30/km which was just where I wanted to be. 

Another set of u-turns and I've just completed a little over 13kms. An hour and 30 minutes in and this is when it hit me...the proverbial "wall"! For some unexplained reason I started feeling my legs under me and they were becoming heavy. I can feel a very slight pinch in my lower back and right hip flexor. My left ankle was ever so slightly tightening up. My pace dropped to 7:02/km and the urge to walk was becoming ever so strong.

📷 c/o Pinoy Fitness

I pushed and went back to what I learned in my training, one foot in front of another and keep it going. I was also looking for anyone that I can run with to find that comfortable pace again. 2 hours in and I've completed 17.5kms of the race. At this point I knew that I can finish this race under 2 and a half hours if I can just keep my pace under 7 mins. The 2:30 pacers were bellowing behind me "konti na lang, 3kms left!". At the same time they were reminding those who signed up for the Sub-2:30 to push even harder as they were just behind them "Sub-2:30 runners nandito na sweepers sa likod nyo. Let's go! Push!" (apparently they were also the sweepers). With one more u-turn ahead and just under 3kms to go I was able to run beside a female runner who had an excellent pace. Her strides were just where I needed my strides to be. Her pace was perfect, I was back to running a 6:30/km pace. And just when I was beginning to feel that second wind kicking in (or maybe it was already the third or even the fourth wind) she slowed down, stopped and walked 😖

I wasn't going to let it get to me. I am not walking especially when there is just a little over a kilometer left in the race. My pace dropped again this time it was at 7:20/km. But I was confident that even with a much slower pace I will finish the race under 2:30. I passed the "last 1km" marker and some of the pain in my legs, back and ankle started to go away. There was a sense of relief from the thought that I will be completing this race soon. As I made that familiar right hand turn to Seaside Blvd for the last time I started picking up the pace, 6:57, 6:37, 6:28, 5:55 and finally 5:12 as I cross the finish line! Tired, aching but fulfilled!

Unofficial time 2:21:41!  My next goal. "I am a Half Ironman finisher!"

TIPS FROM A MOTP (middle-of-the-pack) AGE GROUPER (and a first time half marathon finisher)

Let me share some of the things I learned from running my first 21km race

• You have to have a Game Plan! This applies not only for running races but any other sporting (or life) event. It gives you a blueprint of what you need to do taking into consideration all factors known to you. Having a good game plan and executing it will almost ensure you hit your goal.
• Competing in an endurance race is half physical preparedness and the other half Mental Grit or Intestinal Fortitude ("tibay ng sikmura"). Being able to keep your eye on the goal and not let the uncontrollable factors impact your focus.
• Hydrate! Either you bring your own drink or maximize the hydration stations. You've got to replenish the water to you lose throughout the race. 
• Cool Down - To avoid cramping or fatigue you've got to keep your core temperature down. Aside from hydrating, utilize those hydration station stops by pouring water over your head, on you nape and body. Just be prepared to race soaking wet the rest of the race. 
• Always Have Fun! It can easily turns in to work or become a chore if you don't have even just a little bit of fun. This is why I go by these rules: RACE HARD. FINISH STRONG. HAVE FUN.