Sunday, October 26, 2008

OctobeRun and some tough lovin!

Better late and dead than never!

So got tied-up at work and didn't have time to post an article about the last OctobeRun a few weeks ago at the Fort. Almost two week late so this post is getting a bit dated but will try to make it up.

OctobeRun was organized by Fort Striders (one of the local elite - really serious about their running group, hope to join you guys after my first ultramarathon :-)). It was a good race, well organized and well provision. The route was the usual Lawton/Heritage route that seems to be favored by race organizers. Considering that it was not hosted by corporate big names, it was well attended. Big kudos to race organizers!

Prior to the race, I was in downtime and wasn't really in racing form. It looks like the sneezing 'cold' season is in full swing, everybody seems to have it, at work people take turn in spreading some 'cold' loving and I've been dodging bullets and laway sprays. Wasn't really in shape for race, but this one is bit special (and I don't mean just the race), no way am I gonna miss it!

So woke up early and head to the Fort to meet the gorgeous girls of T2 (Mesh, Vicky, Bards), Dingdong, Jay. A quarter before the race, we head out for warm-up jog (precursor of things to come). Then head back to the starting line for the race. Hey gentle boys and girls, here's something interesting, it did happen and I kid you not. Saw a couple of high society icons there. I saw Fernando Zobel and other society-page folks. I've seen the man couple of times but normally from a distance, the guy is already running close to elite level so out of my league. So pray what's different or interesting about this one? Well stranger things have happen but because of our shared passion in running, would you believe na naging mag-close kami ni Fernando Zobel? That's right mga kapatid, I was standing just a few feet away from the man :-) Good, no?

Anyways, no time to rub elbows with famous people, at the pop of the gun, runners were off. For the first 5km, it was steady as she goes, since my legs were pretty fresh, the ascent at the Heritage wasn't really a big deal. It was the ascent going back that was pure purgatory. I've been meaning to train in rolling hills to build better endurance, but never got around to it, so come race day I always ended up ruing it :-( There is no lamer sight than a guy walking at the race while some chicks run by. But as always I console myself with a resolute "next time".

50 meters from the finish line some dude tried to race me, was already wasted from those ascent but real men don't use skin whitener and they don't take kindly to manhood challenges, so I gave it my best run and resoundingly and unequivocally beat the guy to the finish line. I turn around and was about tell the guy "who's your Daddee?" but turns out the guy's bigger and wider, so I told him "Man! that was good run" and shook his hand for good measure.

By my watch, I clocked 0:55:02 for the 10Km race.

After the race, met up with guys. Every one had their post-race-run plan out, I didn't have one so I thought tagged along with Mesh and Dingdong. Hindsight being 20/20, I now realize why discretion is the better part of valor (Mesh is on full-on marathon training and Dingdong is a sub-50 10K guy - but had to fade because of cramps). Up until this time, I've gotten by on my sunny disposition and "can do" spirit but once we turn at McKinley hills, the route where few runners few runner have gone before, all bets were off. I know Mesh the running machine is not trying to run me to death, but by Jove! almost died there and become an angel scaling those darn hills! All I kept repeating to myself was "Lord, wag mo muna akong kunin". But I'm game, bring it on and I'll chugged along!

And so it came to pass that yours truly, the intrepid runner from the block, have scaled the hills of McKinley... whew! Then it's a run to well-deserve breakfast buffet at Paul Calvin's.

Here are the pics!

Dingdong and the T2 girls!


Didn't realized at the time, but this is the only pic I'm in of the OctobeRUN.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

the best yung buffet :P

Gene Ordanza said...

Haha, naka-tatlong balik ata ako duon!

Anonymous said...

not yet gene, still trying to work on my sub 50. sub 51 pa lang ako.

Anonymous said...

not yet gene, sub 51 pa lang ako. still trying to work on my sub 50. maybe after the singapore marathon.

Gene Ordanza said...

Di bale, you're doing the full 42k marathon, good luck on SG man! kaka-ingit naman :-)