I’m alive! I did it! Am soo happy you can’t imagine how happy!!! Wheeeee!
42kms is no joke… you really have to respect the distance.
Things I learned:
1. Mileage buildup is very very important if you want to last the 42 kilometers.
Call me a slacker but I only really started training for the Milo Marathon when I got back for my much needed vacation from work. A little over a month and a half of training. I only really committed come middle of June when MyIronShoes asked me the all important question…”so what distance are you running in Milo? 42?” to which I replied “Yes” then proceeded to panic. Good thing BananaRunning came to the rescue and gave me the direction I sorely needed. Sure I was doing 10ks when I was down South, but I had to get used to 15k easy runs around 2-3x a week come crunch time. I had to build up my LSD to at least 35kms or 4 hours or more…whichever came first. Can you believe that prior to Milo, my longest LSD run was at 35km? Crazy, yes. Determined? Definitely. Apparently, BananaRunning and My IronShoes both did give me very useful words of advice…training for 42km requires time on your feet and getting used to it. That’s why most training programs require a mileage buildup only till 35km or 4 hours or more of continuous running,not even a full 42km. The reason they said, is that anything beyond 4 hours is all in the mind, and in your determination…so I guess that worked. =)
2. Know the race route… it will help with your mental game.
I studied that race route every night, starting the day I got it from our support team meeting last June 1. I visualized it in my head countless times till I was dreaming about it in my sleep. Believe me, it helped that the race route included places that I’ve been running in during my training period. The weekly playground was BHS-Heritage… so when we came to that area… I knew exactly where to push and where to relax. The week prior to race day, we tried the Roxas route so I really knew if we were near the finish area already… a lot of strangers would actually say “konti na lang nasa finish ka na!” and it boosted my confidence knowing that I knew I really was near the end.
3. Hydrate and practice using your powergels.
I’m not really a fan of taking powergels but this time around, I bit the bullet and decided it was something I really needed. I’m so glad I did. During my last LSD, I practiced using Hammergel and it got me through it. My tummy got used to it and I practiced by simply ignoring the sweet gooey gel and simply shoving it in my mouth. But, as an afterthought, last July 4, I decided to compare Hammergel with Gu (which I’ve taken before but didn’t practice with in my LSD) and found out it had no potassium. Que horror! Potassium aids in preventing cramps so it really is needed especially for long distances. I know, silly me, not reading the labels, but at least my panic did me good and ended up getting GU which has potassium in it. I ended up taking 3 gels for the duration of the race. 1 GU orange burst at the 10k mark, 1 Hammergel espresso flavor at the 20k mark, then 1 GU vanilla bean at the 30k mark. I didn’t take any more after that because I was feeling full and was worried I might get cramps or the runs if I ate more gel. Gatorade kept me going as I had 1 bottle full of it which I’d refill at the stops. Also, taking in a squirt of water took away the monotony of the sweetness as my sugar high started to plateau. Thank God for water.
4. Heat training works.
Nobody had any idea what weather race day would have. Accuweather predicted rain and showers and partly cloudy pockets of time. And it was all that. But being the speedy bagal that I am, there was a time, especially when I was on Buendia that the sun decided to say hello. I was so glad that we had a “heat training” session a week before, just to specifically get used to Mr. Sun on those long stretches of road with no shade. I was ready for it, I didn’t faint or see stars or anything as being under the heat so to speak is something I don’t particularly enjoy (unless maybe I’m at the beach). So heat training helped me keep my cool heehee. Oh, another thing, good running shades are a big help. Believe me, I’ve tried so many running shades just to get that perfect one, from Oakleys to Optic Nerve to Spyder and whatever brand is out there. Personally, Rudy Project has the best fit and frame for me. With the adjustable nose piece and your choice of lens (if you want Photomatic, or the regular kind, or maybe mirrory-like or orange or blue), the guys in Rudy Project Boni High Street put up with my kakulitan and were ever so patient when I was in the process of choosing what to buy.
5. Be thankful to the manong runners out there.
Manong runners have mastered the art of internal pacing to the T, and was very thankful Kuya Eduardo stuck by me from Kilometer 8 to 15. He was very down-to-earth and nice, telling me about his life and his running experiences that it kept my mind off the fact that we were getting into the grind of things. He is absolutely right when he said “pag may ka-kwentuhan ka, nakakalimutan mo na pagod ka na.” So very true. The kilometers didn’t feel that long. When he got to the Buendia flyover, he said goodbye as he had a friend he had to pace, and we parted ways. I’d see him on the route, of course, kilometers away from me but his friendly demeanor and words of encouragement helped me get a move on things. Kuya Eduardo!! You are a lifesaver!
6. Having your own support team is not required, but, knowing they are there kept me going.
I had a lot of conversations with myself during this race, with the multitude of personas in my brain, from the whiner that would say “it’s so hot can we just stop?” to the go-getter that would reply “Anu ba! sayang if you do! Just run and dont think of anything else!”. I also encountered the cynic who said “Why!?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!?” and of course the optimist that said “Kaya mo yan kid! Don’t give up” haha. NO THESE WERE ALL IN MY HEAD NOT MY SUPPORT TEAM. We had a real support team, headed by MukhangGuilty, and aided by the drivers Lito, Torio and Robert together with Yaya Angel and sorry-another helpful cheerful girl I just forgot her name – wait I know na! Sorry Ging!!! During the support team meeting, we plotted out where they were going to be, with the first support van at the 10 k mark, followed by the 20 k mark, then at 25, 30, 33, 36, and at 38k. They became my benchmarks. In my mind, I had these stops to look forward to where I can unload things (left my cellphone at KM33), get that needed ice cold water and Gatorade at every stop, and stretch and tell myself if I drop dead in the middle of the road, these guys would look for me. The most priceless were the words of encouragement like “Ma’am, ang galing niyo di kayo mukhang pagod!” or even at around 10 meters away, they were already preparing the water, Gatorade or banana hahaha. Iluvit! To the support team and masterplanner MukhangGuilty, you were crucial to my success. D and V, a big heartfelt THANK YOU for your generosity. Hands down to all of you.
THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN?
All in all, the Milo Marathon will forever be memorable for me, being my first full marathon completed! Bow!
THUMBS UP DEFINITELY!
Minus Points:
- Most intersections were manned by police or crew athough not all were on the dot in trafficking cars and runners…yes I know we were at the tail end of the group but some intersections were tricky as the policemen were not doing their job! I had to use my feminine charms and say “Manong! Tatawid po! Ayoko mamatay!” hahaha =)
- Some water stations started running out of water or ran out of cups. Call me spoiled since we had our own support crew but still, the least they could do is have an ample supply of the basics which are especially crucial for the last few kilometers.
- No tissue in the ambulances! B had a runny nose and hasn’t mastered (more like would not even want to master) the art of spewing snot at the sidewalk. Yuck. So knowing ambulances should be well stocked, they did not even have any tissue paper!! The Milo vans were the ones that saved the day, having tissue for B.
Plus points:
- true to Biscocho style, it started 2 minutes ahead of time, at 4:28 am in my watch.
- ample water and Gatorade stops (with a minor complaint stated above)
- policemen at all intersections (again, with exceptions to some who did not help)
- bollards on major roads that made lanes exclusive for runners
Was happy with the race, again, expertly organized by Mr. Rudy Biscocho, who I think is the best race organizer around. Congratulations on a successful Milo Marathon everybody! Give yourselves a pat on the back and say “good job!”
Signing off!
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