Globe Run For Home 2010: Push!!!

Running a 21K once again was indeed sweeter for me the second time around. The new start line and finish line was definitely a plus! I actually anticipated for a couple of things to go wrong (just so I wouldn't feel so bad if it did), but fortunately, it didn't! I thought The Globe Run for Home 2010 was very well-organized. Kudos to Globe, Ayala Land, Finshline and most especially to Coach Rio for organizing a better event following the Century Superbods Run. I knew he'd do better next time... *high five Coach!*

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PARKING

A number of people complained about the parking. I really just wanted to know where I could park without getting lost (Yes, in case you don't know yet, I am geographically challenged, haha!)! So I referred to the race map countless times and asked my fiance to explain it to me and suggest better options. So I decided to park in Greenbelt 1 (near McDonald's) so I could do a slow jog to the Stock Exchange Building. It would be the perfect warm-up. Enough to wake up my muscles and get my adrenaline flowing. And I believe it worked!

PACE
I was happy to see the almost all the takbo.ph peeps were also doing the half marathon. And was equally surprised to see Carina! At the Century Superbods Run she was the one who paced me so I could meet my target time. I thought I was gonna die keeping up with her, Haha! So seeing her here made me scream, "Aaaahhh! You're here!!!" No, that was more than a scared scream than an excited one, hehe! We both laughed and she asked me my target time and I replied, "2:30-ish only." And she said that they were doing Galloway 5-1. Hmmm..."Ok, I'll join you guys, but if I can't keep up, just go, ok?" , I warned.

And so we were off! Team Galloway: Carina, Pepsi, DocMarv and myself.

with the takbo.ph peeps

Team Hotlegs! Just coz we registered together, hehe! Who has the hottest legs? Brando and Noy! =)

PR MODE
I welcomed the challenge of keeping up with these experienced runners. But at the same time, there were moments when I said to myself, "What the hell am I doing running with these guys?!" In order not to feel pressured, I stayed right behind them. I think that's so much better than running along side of them. Less pressure and kept me motivated. I wasn't more than two arms length anyway. =)

PUSH
Many times when we would pass other runner friends, I would hear Carina say to them, "Push!" And I must say I did apply that to myself as well. There were times I felt like slowing down and just stop pacing them already but I kept telling myself to push some more. Most especially when we reached Heritage Park. It was my first time there, so I was new to it's numerous hills. But by this time, I eagerly waited for Carina's 2 claps

which signaled us to stop running and just walk for a minute. Ahhh the much awaited clap. But when she would clap again to signal us to run for 5 minutes, I was like, "What? that was one minute already?!" Haha!

ON MY OWN
I gave myself until 10K to pace with my friends until I would slow down and fall back. Surprisingly, I lasted until 13K. Just past the 13K, I felt I couldn't keep up with them anymore. What I did was brisk walk the uphills and whatever time it took me to walk it, I would compensate running. So if my run was just 5 minutes, but it took me a minute to walk the uphill, I would run 6 minutes after. And it worked for me. I was on my own now but I didn't give up. I was gonna make that 2:30-ish goal I set for myself!

HYDRATE
With the numerous hydration stations (a plus factor indeed!), I must've just missed 3. I remember grabbing a cup of water and Powerade at almost all the stations. I just felt incredibly thirsty the whole time. Maybe it was the summer sun which greeted us when we entered Lawton Ave., again. Wow! Indescribable! That's the one thing I cannot stand...HEAT.

SPONGE
Even if my friends were already way ahead of me, I found a new best-friend. And it's called, "the sponge!" =) The best heat-buster, I tell you! Those thick sponges dipped in cold ice water was the best thing in the race for me. I carried one from the 13K mark all the way to 21K. I squeezed the sponge slowly on top of my head, letting the cold water drip slowly.

Aaaahhh...wow, saraaap! I did the same at the nape area, chest area, and legs. Rubbed the

sponge on my arms and forehead, and all over my face. If I had soap, it would look like I was taking a bath! Hahaha! I would stop at every hydration station from then on to get a fresh cold sponge. And mind you. It had to be the pink one. Hahaha!

With best-friend, sponge. The first sponge that was handed to me. Not pink yet.

LAST KILOMETER
When I saw the last kilometer marker, I was thrilled. I still continued the 5-1 Galloway. But I stopped to walk for 30 seconds before turning right on Paseo to ready myself. When I turned right, I sprinted all the way to the finish line. Finish strong, Hotlegs!

Crossing the finish line

On March 21, at the Globe Run for Home, I finished at 2:36:35 on my second half marathon. New PR for me. 6 minutes faster than my first. *Bow* Even if the route was overshot by a kilometer (Garmin users said it was a total of 22K and not 21K), I was happy. It may have been a 2:30 if it was eaxactly 21K. hehe =) Still a LOT of room for improvement, yes. Just happy I leveled up. =)

My runpix

Thank you, Globe for a successful event and for giving us this opportunity to help build homes for others.

jumping for joy!

Thank you Carina, Pepsi and DocMarv for the company and helping me stay motivated! Carina said to me after the race, "Next time, keep up ok? Bawal mag paiwan!". Yes, hopefully next time. *gulp* =)

Pacers (Left to right): DocMarv, me, Pepsi, and Carina

Thank you God for helping me finish and reach my goal time sans injury. God, you rock!

takbo.ph class pic

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