I find this a very funny sh!@ internet meme for ultrarunners. There were a couple of familiar situations and my favorite was at 1:35. =D
Feb 7, 2012
Feb 2, 2012
Din: The Road To Becoming an Ultramarathoner
One of the primary reasons why I decided to complete my first marathon was the lure of joining ultramarathons. I am not "driven by speed" thus when I was training for my first marathon, I avoided tempo and interval training runs as much as I can and "cheated" by replacing them with hill repeats and hill training runs instead. Well, as mentioned in RunnersWorld, training on hills is speedwork in disguise. =D
It was actually the easy long runs that I enjoyed during my trainings. I liked the solitude, the zen-like rhythmic sound of my feet on the road and the calming effect this gave me. As a result, after I finished my first marathon, I looked for ultra races instead of improving my 10k, 21k and 42k personal bests.
The potential opportunity came even before I had finished my first marathon. A week before the TBR Dream Marathon. my good friend Julius, invited me to join him in the Mayon 360 50 miler race. It was scheduled two weeks after the TBR Dream Marathon. I was quite tempted in registering already for this race but eventually decided to wait until I had completed my marathon. It was in the end a wise decision since I incurred injuries in my first marathon which required at least one week of rest. As a result, I had to put my plan of running my first ultra race in the back burner and focus first on healing my injuries.
The next opportunity came in frontRUNNER's Valley Trail Challenge at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. This was scheduled on June 18, roughly three months after my first marathon. My initial thought was perfect, I still had time to prepare and train. There were two challenges though that I needed to face. First, it was a trail run (I didn't have any training on trail routes since there were none where I live) and second, instead of being a 50K race, an additional 7 kilometers were added to the race! I thought, wow, this would be a great painfest for my first ultra! =D
Even with these challenges, I was excited (or crazy perhaps) that when the first day of registration came, I immediately signed-up for the race. To my surprise, I was the second registrant and got this for a bib number (the first registrants, a couple, chose the 100 and 101 numbers). I felt like an elite for a second but became scared shit afterwards because of the implications of the number! haha! =D In the end, I didn't have the number changed since I thought this would be a good symbol for my first ultra.
After putting the race registration out of the way, the next challenge was how to train for this race. Back then, actually I didn't know how to approach my training. All I knew, based on my researches, was to do back-to-back long runs. As a result, you could see this from the samples of my weekly training report below.
On the latter part of my training, I also learned about heat training courtesy of Julius. He accompanied me in a long run with heat training included (see training report below). We started around 2pm and just one and a half hour in the run, I was already burnt crisp and panting like a dog from the heat of the sun and the pavement! That was a rude awakening! That was my first taste on how heat could be a game changer and adversely affect one's performance.
With these preparations, I thought I was ready but boy was I mistaken! Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed my first ultra but I had a lot of lessons learned from heat training (I did not have enough), to hydration (the one 20oz handheld bottle I brought was not enough to carry me to the next hydration station), to the right trail running shoe (I used Vibram FiveFingers Treksport which was not suited to the gravel roads of the route).
Just like what I did in my first marathon, I would let the pictures I took speak for all the emotions I felt when I ran my first ultramarathon. Please excuse some of the crappy pictures since I used my "wet-from-sweat" mobile phone.
The beauty of trail running. You don't see this in your regular road races.
For me, this was the most beautiful part of the route. This area was even called "New Zealand."
Running with Mt. Makiling as your backdrop.
My fellow running comrades and for some, this was also their first ultra.
What lies beyond 42K?
For me, this was the true meaning of trail running. Notice the dirty legs and shoes!
1km away from finishing my first ultramarathon. All thumbs up amidst the sore feet and legs.
After 9 hours and 15 minutes of running bliss!
Simple, straightforward, lotsa fun! This was ultrarunning at its finest!
Ranked 63rd out of 112 runners. Not bad for a first timer! =)
Lastly, I would like to share this great race recap from the main man himself, Race Director and frontRUNNER Magazine Editor, Jonel Mendoza.
It was actually the easy long runs that I enjoyed during my trainings. I liked the solitude, the zen-like rhythmic sound of my feet on the road and the calming effect this gave me. As a result, after I finished my first marathon, I looked for ultra races instead of improving my 10k, 21k and 42k personal bests.
The potential opportunity came even before I had finished my first marathon. A week before the TBR Dream Marathon. my good friend Julius, invited me to join him in the Mayon 360 50 miler race. It was scheduled two weeks after the TBR Dream Marathon. I was quite tempted in registering already for this race but eventually decided to wait until I had completed my marathon. It was in the end a wise decision since I incurred injuries in my first marathon which required at least one week of rest. As a result, I had to put my plan of running my first ultra race in the back burner and focus first on healing my injuries.
The next opportunity came in frontRUNNER's Valley Trail Challenge at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. This was scheduled on June 18, roughly three months after my first marathon. My initial thought was perfect, I still had time to prepare and train. There were two challenges though that I needed to face. First, it was a trail run (I didn't have any training on trail routes since there were none where I live) and second, instead of being a 50K race, an additional 7 kilometers were added to the race! I thought, wow, this would be a great painfest for my first ultra! =D
Even with these challenges, I was excited (or crazy perhaps) that when the first day of registration came, I immediately signed-up for the race. To my surprise, I was the second registrant and got this for a bib number (the first registrants, a couple, chose the 100 and 101 numbers). I felt like an elite for a second but became scared shit afterwards because of the implications of the number! haha! =D In the end, I didn't have the number changed since I thought this would be a good symbol for my first ultra.
After putting the race registration out of the way, the next challenge was how to train for this race. Back then, actually I didn't know how to approach my training. All I knew, based on my researches, was to do back-to-back long runs. As a result, you could see this from the samples of my weekly training report below.
On the latter part of my training, I also learned about heat training courtesy of Julius. He accompanied me in a long run with heat training included (see training report below). We started around 2pm and just one and a half hour in the run, I was already burnt crisp and panting like a dog from the heat of the sun and the pavement! That was a rude awakening! That was my first taste on how heat could be a game changer and adversely affect one's performance.
With these preparations, I thought I was ready but boy was I mistaken! Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed my first ultra but I had a lot of lessons learned from heat training (I did not have enough), to hydration (the one 20oz handheld bottle I brought was not enough to carry me to the next hydration station), to the right trail running shoe (I used Vibram FiveFingers Treksport which was not suited to the gravel roads of the route).
Just like what I did in my first marathon, I would let the pictures I took speak for all the emotions I felt when I ran my first ultramarathon. Please excuse some of the crappy pictures since I used my "wet-from-sweat" mobile phone.
The beauty of trail running. You don't see this in your regular road races.
For me, this was the most beautiful part of the route. This area was even called "New Zealand."
Running with Mt. Makiling as your backdrop.
My fellow running comrades and for some, this was also their first ultra.
What lies beyond 42K?
For me, this was the true meaning of trail running. Notice the dirty legs and shoes!
1km away from finishing my first ultramarathon. All thumbs up amidst the sore feet and legs.
After 9 hours and 15 minutes of running bliss!
Simple, straightforward, lotsa fun! This was ultrarunning at its finest!
Ranked 63rd out of 112 runners. Not bad for a first timer! =)
Lastly, I would like to share this great race recap from the main man himself, Race Director and frontRUNNER Magazine Editor, Jonel Mendoza.
Jul 1, 2011
Din: The Road To Becoming a Marathoner
Update:
1/26/2012 - I decided to complete this post rather than have it in 2 parts.
More than three months after running the TBR Dream Marathon 2011 (my first marathon!), when the euphoria has died down and the hustles and bustles of daily routine and work has taken over again, it is now the best time to look back and reflect on what led me to finish this great endeavor. Looking back will give me the insights (hopefully) to look forward and plan the next phase of my running activities.
The Decision
It was September last year that I made the big leap and decided to sign-up for the TBR Dream Marathon 2011. I was able to document what I felt back then here and here in making this decision. It was quite nerve-wracking since I felt I was not yet ready to take the plunge and run a marathon. In fact, my longest race back then was just a 16K!
What drove me though was the rising passion on running and the thought, "It is better to aim at the sun and hit the moon rather than aim at the moon and hit the rocks." Looking back, I thought, sometimes, there was indeed a thin line separating bravery and stupidity! =)
The Preparation
I learned that fear and uncertainty were great motivators. So much so that I took everything to the extremes especially my marathon training. I immediately worked on running half-marathon races. As a result, I ran two half-marathon races in two consecutive Sundays, the October Running Festival followed by the Adidas King of the Road.
You might be wondering, what were I thinking? Yeah, fear and uncertainty really makes you do stupid things. Great thing was I held back in these races meaning I did not race them until I "redline." I just considered them as "training runs." Most probably this was the reason why I did not incur any injuries.
Foolishly boosted by the "successes" in these two half-marathon races, I ran 3 more "challenging" (well from my standards) races in the two months after the Adidas King of the Road Race. These were:
Run United 2 32K
Corregidor Half-Marathon
Rizal Day Run 32K
All the while I thought I was doing something right when I successfully finished these races. I was even proud that I was ending 2010 with lots of confidence that I would be ready for the TBR Dream Marathon or even "I am now ready." Little did I know that I was setting myself up for disaster.
The Setback
I started 2011 with a bang by joining the Cebu half-marathon event. I was feeling great in the race that I decided to forego my run-walk strategy for the first time and ran the whole course non-stop!
Cebu Half-Marathon (I didn't noticed that the runner besides me was cramping. I only saw it after I downloaded the picture.)
I was on cloud nine because I considered this as a big achievement resulting from my training. Here came the start of the setback though. A few days after the race, I felt spent and wasted. I didn't have the energy or even the will to continue with my training. I was clueless on what was the cause of these challenges. As a result, for about a month, I was not able to rake in the necessary mileage indicated in my training program. Sadly though, I still had the bravado of thinking that I would post a much faster time in the Condura half-marathon event which was my next scheduled race after Cebu.
Condura Half-Marathon (This was near the 16km marker where I hit the proverbial "wall" and beca a walking mess afterwards.)
This was when I experienced the rude awakening. I ran Condura non-stop, just like Cebu, but I ran it fast from the start. Since I lacked the necessary training and mileage between Cebu and Condura, the outcome was already obvious. When I reached the 16km marker, I was already running out of steam. By the time I reached the 18km marker, I was running on fumes.
It was my first race that I felt very bad, physically and psychologically; that I just want it to be finished so that I could go home already. I felt really bad not because of the race (it was a great race) but because of my bad decisions.
A day of recovery did wonders to my spirit. I immediately set out to understand what happened to me.
After reading several articles, I thought I found the culprit. I peaked too soon! I was at my peak when I ran the Cebu Half-Marathon which resulted to my excellent performance.
This was potentially the result of running longer distances too early too soon. Looking back, I ran two 32K races one and a half months earlier that what was suggested in my training schedule. A big lessons learned indeed. I took heart though for this was a great lesson. It actually even energized me since I understood the cause of the challenges I encountered. It was a natural part of the cycle of peaking.
The Comeback
With these newly acquired knowledge, I set out to jumpstart my training to make the most out of the remaining 30 days in my training schedule before the big day. I was inspired and this could be seen from the mileage I racked.
The Race
A picture is worth a thousand words. What more if you have several pictures and a video to boot! As a result, I would let the pictures speak for the emotions and eventually the euphoria that I (and my batchmates) experienced before, during, at the finish line and after the race.
My lucky bib number which made me win a New Balance backpack bag in the TBR Dream Marathon send-off party raffle.
We were already at Nuvali around 12:30am. This showed how jittery and excited I was.
Less than 1 kilometer to go before the finish line. If you have noticed I used the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila as my shoes for my first marathon. I was not crazy. =D I will explain why when I review my FiveFingers shoes in a separate post.
Fist pump! All the pain you endured and struggled with especially at the last 10 kilometers of the race would surely disappear once you are 10 meters away from the finish line!
I read somewhere that only an idiot can finish a marathon. I proudly exclaim i am one now!
Another shot of the momentous moment.
With my #1 fan and the best support crew!
This summed it all!
There were plenty of "surprises" along the "killer" route.
This was the message at the back of our finisher's shirt and look at that kick-ass race medal!
This was the TBR Dream Marathon 2011 official video. Please check out the 12:13 section of the video. =) Enjoy!
1/26/2012 - I decided to complete this post rather than have it in 2 parts.
More than three months after running the TBR Dream Marathon 2011 (my first marathon!), when the euphoria has died down and the hustles and bustles of daily routine and work has taken over again, it is now the best time to look back and reflect on what led me to finish this great endeavor. Looking back will give me the insights (hopefully) to look forward and plan the next phase of my running activities.
The Decision
It was September last year that I made the big leap and decided to sign-up for the TBR Dream Marathon 2011. I was able to document what I felt back then here and here in making this decision. It was quite nerve-wracking since I felt I was not yet ready to take the plunge and run a marathon. In fact, my longest race back then was just a 16K!
What drove me though was the rising passion on running and the thought, "It is better to aim at the sun and hit the moon rather than aim at the moon and hit the rocks." Looking back, I thought, sometimes, there was indeed a thin line separating bravery and stupidity! =)
The Preparation
I learned that fear and uncertainty were great motivators. So much so that I took everything to the extremes especially my marathon training. I immediately worked on running half-marathon races. As a result, I ran two half-marathon races in two consecutive Sundays, the October Running Festival followed by the Adidas King of the Road.
You might be wondering, what were I thinking? Yeah, fear and uncertainty really makes you do stupid things. Great thing was I held back in these races meaning I did not race them until I "redline." I just considered them as "training runs." Most probably this was the reason why I did not incur any injuries.
Foolishly boosted by the "successes" in these two half-marathon races, I ran 3 more "challenging" (well from my standards) races in the two months after the Adidas King of the Road Race. These were:
Run United 2 32K
Corregidor Half-Marathon
Rizal Day Run 32K
All the while I thought I was doing something right when I successfully finished these races. I was even proud that I was ending 2010 with lots of confidence that I would be ready for the TBR Dream Marathon or even "I am now ready." Little did I know that I was setting myself up for disaster.
The Setback
I started 2011 with a bang by joining the Cebu half-marathon event. I was feeling great in the race that I decided to forego my run-walk strategy for the first time and ran the whole course non-stop!
Cebu Half-Marathon (I didn't noticed that the runner besides me was cramping. I only saw it after I downloaded the picture.)
I was on cloud nine because I considered this as a big achievement resulting from my training. Here came the start of the setback though. A few days after the race, I felt spent and wasted. I didn't have the energy or even the will to continue with my training. I was clueless on what was the cause of these challenges. As a result, for about a month, I was not able to rake in the necessary mileage indicated in my training program. Sadly though, I still had the bravado of thinking that I would post a much faster time in the Condura half-marathon event which was my next scheduled race after Cebu.
Condura Half-Marathon (This was near the 16km marker where I hit the proverbial "wall" and beca a walking mess afterwards.)
This was when I experienced the rude awakening. I ran Condura non-stop, just like Cebu, but I ran it fast from the start. Since I lacked the necessary training and mileage between Cebu and Condura, the outcome was already obvious. When I reached the 16km marker, I was already running out of steam. By the time I reached the 18km marker, I was running on fumes.
It was my first race that I felt very bad, physically and psychologically; that I just want it to be finished so that I could go home already. I felt really bad not because of the race (it was a great race) but because of my bad decisions.
A day of recovery did wonders to my spirit. I immediately set out to understand what happened to me.
After reading several articles, I thought I found the culprit. I peaked too soon! I was at my peak when I ran the Cebu Half-Marathon which resulted to my excellent performance.
This was potentially the result of running longer distances too early too soon. Looking back, I ran two 32K races one and a half months earlier that what was suggested in my training schedule. A big lessons learned indeed. I took heart though for this was a great lesson. It actually even energized me since I understood the cause of the challenges I encountered. It was a natural part of the cycle of peaking.
The Comeback
With these newly acquired knowledge, I set out to jumpstart my training to make the most out of the remaining 30 days in my training schedule before the big day. I was inspired and this could be seen from the mileage I racked.
The Race
A picture is worth a thousand words. What more if you have several pictures and a video to boot! As a result, I would let the pictures speak for the emotions and eventually the euphoria that I (and my batchmates) experienced before, during, at the finish line and after the race.
My lucky bib number which made me win a New Balance backpack bag in the TBR Dream Marathon send-off party raffle.
We were already at Nuvali around 12:30am. This showed how jittery and excited I was.
Less than 1 kilometer to go before the finish line. If you have noticed I used the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila as my shoes for my first marathon. I was not crazy. =D I will explain why when I review my FiveFingers shoes in a separate post.
Fist pump! All the pain you endured and struggled with especially at the last 10 kilometers of the race would surely disappear once you are 10 meters away from the finish line!
I read somewhere that only an idiot can finish a marathon. I proudly exclaim i am one now!
Another shot of the momentous moment.
With my #1 fan and the best support crew!
This summed it all!
There were plenty of "surprises" along the "killer" route.
This was the message at the back of our finisher's shirt and look at that kick-ass race medal!
This was the TBR Dream Marathon 2011 official video. Please check out the 12:13 section of the video. =) Enjoy!
Mar 22, 2011
Din: I Dreamt Big. I Ran Strong.
I read somewhere that only an idiot can finish a marathon. I proudly exclaim I am one now!
I'll be sharing the details that led me to become a marathoner in the next few days. I'll relish for now the remaining feelings of euphoria and hopefully be able to learn to walk properly again.
Mar 18, 2011
Din: This Is It!
Barely less than 48 hours to go and I will be running my first marathon via the TBR Dream Marathon at Nuvali. After going through more than 16 weeks of training, I am experiencing mixed emotions right now from excitement, to fear, to jitteriness and the intermittent doubts and then back to excitement again. It's an emotional roller coaster to say the least.
I am guessing (correctly I hope) that all marathon first-timers go through this stage. To calm my nerves, I just repeat, silently and sometimes out loud (when I'm alone of course!) that I can do this! I can do this! You already have a plan. Stick to the plan! Finish this and you can now proudly say, "I am now an idiot!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)