Starting Line
At the starting line,the place was teeming with exhiliration as you can see it in faces of serious runners gearing up for glory. I noticed more and more people were wearing running tights. It was the order of the day among takbo.ph people. Wearing my trusty New balance shoes and the new version of takbo.ph singlet I was really in the mood of breaking new PR. My last 21kM race was the Greenfield Run and I had a PR of 2:33.With the solid confidence I gained after finishing 33rd Milo Full Marathon, I have a strong feeling of bagging new PR. A 2:20 goal kept lingering in my mind for a week and I could almost taste it . I recovered so quickly from the previous marathon that I even ran 15km four days after. No more pain in my butt, calf muscles and spine. However, I've read one of running bloggers that never take long distance running or no running at all after a full marathon in two weeks because the body is still in recovery mode. But it's just me, I feel like running.
takbo.ph addicts
The starter gun fired at exactly 5:00AM. I started so fast and pulled away from Patrick,my weekend running buddy, and tried to overtake as many runners as I can. Having paced with Migz and Bongz for a while, Migz told me to relax and take my time but I didn't budge. I even set a 60-minute foray when a stepped on 10km marker. I had a positive split!
But the 10km mark along Ayala Ave spells discomfort. Just right after the Ayala U-turn, I tried to push harder but to no avail. I felt as if my legs were a pair of logs. My mind kept telling me not to overdo it or else I'm not going to make it. This time, I have lost my focus, the mind and the body no longer in sync. That was the beginning of my downfall. I got more worried when I saw Doc Topher running so fast, whom I outran along Kalayaan flyover just thirty minutes ago, was now catching up with me. I tried to pace with him but again the logs are pulling me to slow down. He pressed on and took my lead away away after a quick high five. I was out of my breath when he left.
The only way I could do was to maintain a comfortable pace and taking short walks on water stations. This helped me conserved my energy for more distance to cover. Upon returning to Kalayaan Flyover,I had a quick chat with Bryan,a newbie takbo.ph guy who was running 10k.
I resorted to walk on my way to the top and then run again on my descent. I glanced at my watch at 16km marker and found out I have already covered 1 hour and 55 minutes of the time. I just shooked my head in disbelief.The conservative 2:20 goal I kept on dreaming a week before has just vanished and now impossible to achieve.
I saw a lot of takbo.ph guys in the area who have already passed the Bayani U-turn greeting them running in opposite direction heading to the finish line. Sam, Carlo, Rodel, Bongz, Migz, Rico etc where already way way ahead of me. Sniff, sniff, these guys could do it in 2:20 or even less while me, assessing myself in this situation, will surely land in "kangkungan". He he.
And yes, I finally I saw the finish line on the horizon. As I ran toward, I still carry that wretched pace. I never had the thrill and the Banzai-charging look I possesed last Milo Marathon. It was a surge of defeat and surrender.
It's a bird ,it's a plane, no it's 2:38..
Surrender? No. I will do it again. The feeling of disappointment lasted only for a few minutes after I crossed the finish line. I've learned my lessons. I told my running buddy Patrick that it is time for more weekly LSD for more glories and victories are yet to come. I'm looking forward for the next two major races. Actually I am torn between two Marys,the provocative QCIM and the sexy SMARTSIM. I haven't decided yet but the mind thinks of marrying both of them on October. Half and Full respectively!.
Thanks argo,pepsi and carlo for the pix.
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