Good luck to all the 2012 BDM 102 Ultra Marathon Race Participants.

See you at the Final Briefing & CLP/Starting Line!

Final Briefing & CLP for the 2012 BDM 102 will be held at the Officers’ Club (AFPCOC), Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on March 1, 2012, 6:30 PM, Thursday. All registered runners are advised to bring with them their LandBank Deposit Slip and Medical/Doctor’s Certificate for confirmation. My staff will be distributing Race Packet for each runner. For those who could not make it on the Final Briefing, race kit distribution will be done One Hour before Gun Start on Race Day. Gunstart on Race Day is 10:15 PM (evening), March 3, 2012.

Good Luck and See You At The Starting Line!

Running Accident!

Behind the success of the last BDM 160 Ultra Marathon, an incident happened involving the runners and pacers. While two runner-participants were running with their respective pacer along the Mabalacat, Pampanga’s part of the MacArthur Highway at about 1:00 AM of Sunday, January 29, a drunken motorcycle rider was able to “sideswipe” two pacers who were running with their respective runner on the right side shoulder of the highway. As a result, the two designated pacers were brought immediately to the hospital for treatment. One of the pacers was declared out of danger immediately as she sustained minor bruises. However, the other pacer was brought to Manila for further observation due to hip fracture and suspected internal bleeding. With more tests and observation & treatment, the pacer was declared out of danger and she was released from the hospital after one week.

It is for this reason that future BDM runner-participants are advised to be extra careful while running at nighttime during the race.

The following Race Rules will be imperative and strictly implemented during the conduct of future BDM Races:

1. Runners shall ALWAYS stay on the farthest LEFT SIDE of the Road. Runners should be facing the incoming traffic during the run. If a runner has a support vehicle and support crew, the support crew should be the one to approach the runner to the left side of the road. If a runner needs to take a longer “pit stop” with his support vehicle, he/she should immediately return to the left side of the road not more than 10 meters in front of the parked support vehicle.

2. Runners should be ON SINGLE FILE while running on the farthest left side of the road. Runners will not be allowed to run abreast at any time during the run.

3. During night time running, runners should wear “reflectorized” vest or wear “reflectorized” strips on their running apparel. Obviously, runners should also be using headlights and hand-held flashlight. Runners without these item/s will not be allowed to participate in the event.

4. Pacers are NOT allowed in the BDM 102. If two runner-participants would like to pace with each other, they should be ON SINGLE FILE during the run (on the left side of the road).

5. Ipods, MP3s, and headphones ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED in ALL FUTURE BDM RACES.

Violations of these rules will result to disqualification of runners. Marshals shall be advised to be observant to implement these rules. THERE WILL BE NO WARNINGS!!!

If the Race Director says that you are DISQUALIFIED, it will be a FINAL verdict on the runner and he/she is advised to stop the run. If a runner reported to have violated these rules and insisted on finishing the race, he/she will be declared DNFd and will not be included in the Official Result of the Race.

Runner’s Mistake & Omission

While I was trying to inspect and collate the “split times” of all the runners and finishers in every Time Station along the route, I discovered that ONE FINISHER did not pass through the “Km Post #118″ turn-around. He made a wrong turn directly to the Capas National Shrine, instead of running the last 10-kilometer stretch of the route.

I immediately advised the concerned runner that he is officially declared as DNF in the race; his name to be removed from the Official Result; to return all the Finisher’s Swags given to him at the Finish Line; and informed him that it is the runner’s responsibility to know and find out the actual route of the race.

This road race is already on its SECOND EDITION and a proper FINAL BRIEFING was conducted prior to the race, thus, runners are fully aware of the actual route of the event!

In view of this incident, all FINISHERS from 35th Place to the last place are advised to bring their respective Finisher’s Medal at the Awarding Ceremony & Get Together Party so that proper adjustment will be made on the proper rankings of recipients for the 2012 BDM 160 Finisher’s Medal.

The Final Official Result of the Race had been corrected.

See you at the Starting Line!

(Note: Awarding Ceremony & Get Together Party For 2012 BDM 160 & 102 Races will be on March 7, 2012, 7:00 PM, Wednesday @ The Officers’ (AFPCOC) Club, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City)

Hopefully, my observations during my experience as one of the spectators of the most popular and most attended Marathon Race In The World would in any way, help or provide positive ideas for them to experience more FUN in joining this event. Race Organizers have also to take note on the different factors why this marathon race keeps on growing and increasing its participants every year.

In the 2010 edition of the race, my daughter Jovelle was able to finish the New York City Marathon and she gained a lot of experience about the place and the event.

In the last year’s edition, my son John Paul was lucky enough to get a slot through lottery and I promised him that I will join him as one of his “chearers” and supporter for the race. It will be also a chance for me to see New York City for the first time!

So, the promise was fulfilled when I went with him to New York City for the race together with my wife and John’s girlfriend, Sharon. I cheered him along the portions of the route and took some photos of him up to the Finish Line. My tour along the streets and subway of New York City was very efficient because of the help of my niece, Mariegelle, who is presently residing and working in one of the hospitals in the city as Physical Therapist.

John Paul @ Mile 8 in Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn

Now I know why the New York City Marathon is the most attended and popular marathon race in the world. Through my almost 5 days stay in the city, I was able to observe a lot of things about the people, the city, and the marathon race itself.

The following are my personal reasons why New York City Marathon is simply the BEST Marathon Race in the World:

1. The City Government of New York and its instrumentalities are totally in support to the event. All of the city’s services and agencies are totally committed for the success of the event. All the government agencies are considered as MAJOR SPONSORS of the event! There is even a competition between the teams of the New York City Police Department and the New York City Fire Department where the top 5 finishers of each team are counted. This tradition of competition event started after the 9/11 incident and last year’s competition was its 1oth year! (Maybe, I have to create also a competition between the AFP and the PNP in the yearly BDM 102 Ultra Race in the years to come!)

Spectators & Runners @ Mile 8 In Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn

Lots Of Spectators Along The Route @ Mile 16 in Lexington Ave Near The Queensboro Bridge

2. The people of New York City knows that the Marathon Event promotes Sports Tourism. You can just imagine 47,000+ runners plus “cheerers” and family members of runners flock to the city and each of them spend money for food, lodging, transportation, and shopping. I read somewhere that almost 2 Million people were considered as spectators and 315 Million people who watched the TV Live Coverage worldwide. The tremendous amount of income the service establishments would earn out of the visitors of the city because of the marathon race is a big boost to the economy of the place. If a visitor spends at least $500-$1,000 for food, transportation (within the city), amusement and shopping, not including the hotel accommodation, it boils down to million of dollars that is being spent for the duration of the event. (Note: In a report commissioned by the New York City Runners, the 2010 ING New York Marathon generated $ 340 Million for the City of New York in terms of hotel, travel, food, entertaiment, and retail. It also raised $ 30.8 Million for Charities)

Got A Space But Too Far From The Passing Runners (Take Note of those Potalets) @ Mile 16

3. Almost ALL the Nations in the World are represented in the Event. Looking at the result of the finishers by country, I found out that there were 32 Pinoy Runners who finished the marathon race. However, I have yet to find out the list of these runners and their respective finish times. This shows that we, as Pinoy runners in the said marathon, were not coordinated. There was no “point man” or informal “leader” who could be responsible in collating the list of Pinoy Finishers in this event. How I wish our local Running Magazines would be able to post the list of names of runners and their respective finish times in the 2011 New York Cit Marathon. (Note: I hope Jonel aka FrontRunner Magazine will have the initiative to post this list in his Magazine. Thanks!)

On The Last 400 Yards To The Finish Line @ Central Park

More Spectators Lined Up Near The Finish Line @ Central Park

4. The event has the most expensive registration fee among the world’s marathon races but it is worth the experience. You are paying for a “once in a lifetime” experience as a runner and a Finisher must be proud to have joined it. The Race Organizer, together with the City Government of New York, the populace and the private sector, are fully coordinated and well-oiled to provide a “world-class” marathon race experience. I think there is nothing to rant or complain about the needs of the runners in this event. My son and daughter’s feedbacks were all positive and they really enjoyed the experience of finishing the Marathon Race. (Note: I never heard or read any complaints from Pinoy Runners who Finished about the high cost of registration fee in this Marathon Race).

The following were my observations among the runners from other nations: (1) The French runners stayed in ONE Hotel which happened to be the place where my wife and I stayed and I am sure most of the other countries’ runners have stayed in one hotel for easy coordination and maybe, with a discounted hotel charges. (2) Countries like France, Peru, Brazil, South Korea, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Japan and others have a distinct uniform with the name of the country written on their upper garments! Some have their national flag colors as their shirts’ color combination. (3) Most of the team from each country arrived at the Finish Line as a Group. I was impressed to see a group of runners from South Korea arriving at the Finish Line in a line formation with their National Flag infront of them and they had a finish time of 4:20+ hours! I guess, the Pinoy runners failed on these things that I’ve mentioned.

@ Madison Square Garden, New York!

Spectators Are Amazing. You won’t believe me if I say that the whole route of the event was full of spectators from Start to Finish cheering the runners as they pass.The number of spectators was simply amazing and uncomprehensible. I could hardly sneak myself on the inner edge of the road because of the thick line of spectators. Noise of cheers and ringing of cowbells filled the air along the route of the race.

So, what makes the New York City Marathon as the best among the best of the Marathon Races of the World? First, it’s the place. The roads and bridges could be very narrow as compared to the newer cities in California but there is something that makes the city very unique. Second, the organization. The City and its instrumentalities together with the private sector and the New York Road Runners Club are united and fully coordinated, it’s a well-oiled machine that has perfected the conduct of a big-time marathon race! Third, the people of New York City. They know how to treat their visitors as more tourists to their city means more “bucks” for the economy. They knew that tourists will keep on coming back to their city. Fourth, 100% Media exposure. No neeed to explain this. The whole TV network of the city had a live coverage of the event and the written media were alive on the event before and after the event. Fifth, Cash Prize for the Elite Runners. Just “google” the topic on how much the cash prize for the winner is and you will be amazed by the numbers.

And what are now the lessons and suggestions we could get from this post?

1. Pinoy Runners who are qualified to run (through lottery and special arrangements with its sponsors) this race should be well-coordinated. Maybe, somebody should be able to unite and be able control the group so that the country is well represented. I hope the local Heads of the Corporate Sponsors of the event should be the one who would coordinate the trip, accommodation, and the itinerary of the whole Pinoy group of runners. Each runner should spend for their respective travel from Manila to New York and back.

2. Coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs so that our Consulate in New York would be able to assist in finding a cheap & decent place where our Pinoy Runners will be billeted. Maybe, a Pinoy Restaurant in New York City would cater for the food of the group during their stay in the city. The RP Consulate in New York has all these information and it would be of great help to the runners.

3. One of the local Corporate Sponsors should provide, at least, an upper garment which will serve as the group’s attire during the event. A long-sleeved technical shirt & a RP Jacket for each of the runner is not worth a million pesos for the whole group even if the NAME OF THE CORPORATE SPONSOR will occupy one-half portion of the attire! What is important is that the group shall be identifiable as runners from the PHILIPPINES! (Are you listening, TIMEX; GATORADE; SMART; GLOBE; UNILAB; CONDURA; etc?)

4. C’mon guys, it’s about time to send one or two of our local top marathon runners to this event. Let us stop sponsoring runners who could finish their best time in more than 4 hours! We are not showing our Best of Bests to represent our country in this prestigious Marathon Race. Corporate Sponsors should wake up on this. If you think our elites will no longer return to the country after they have tasted what it is like to be in the United States of America, you are dead wrong! Supposing, you will select one of my Elite Runners to participate in this event, I will volunteer to work out for the approval of their papers to travel abroad (if they are from the active military service) and I will be responsible that they will return to the country after the event.

5. If you have plans of joining this Marathon Race and you don’t have a friend or a relative in New York City, you have to save a lot of money. It will cost you a fortune to experience what it is like to visit the city and run the New York City Marathon. And you should know how to read a MAP; use their Subway transport system; and don’t be shy to ask for directions from people on the streets.

6. If there is a Race Organizer of Marathon Races locally who has the vision to transform one or two of the existing Marathon Races in the country to be like the New York City Marathon, it could be done! However, there is a need to involve EVERYBODY!

Now, if you ask me if I will make an attempt to register and run this prestigious marathon? Not a priority issue this time. I would rather register and attempt for my first 100-mile trail run whose registration fee is far cheaper than the NYC Marathon!

See you at the Starting Line!

(Note: Thanks to Angelo’s Photography & Team CB)

Some Finishers of the 1st BDM 160 asked me if they can volunteer as Time Station/Route Marshals for the 2nd edition of the said race. I was happy with the said gesture as finally, finishers in our ultra events are sharing their time as volunteers.

Chito Carreon and Mel Severino, finishers of the 1st BDM 160, “volunteered”  as Time Station/Route Marshals. Rene Villarta aka Jazz Runner, a runner-blogger also “volunteered” for the race in the company of Chito Carreon. George Dolores, another Finisher in the 1st BDM 160 also offered his services and time as a volunteer and he made sure that every runner was informed that they have another 10K to finish as they reach the Gate of the Capas National Shrine. He also assisted me in the Awarding of the Finishers’ Belt Buckle and other Swags at the Finish Line. John “Jepoy” Avellanosa, a BDM 102 Finisher, “volunteered” also as the Official Photographer of the Event. These guys did an excellent job during the race. Thank you very much!

I hope the Finishers of the BDM 160 will share their time as volunteers in the future BDM Races. We need more involvement of the past Finishers as volunteers in future BDM Races as well as in other ultra running events

Days after the conduct of the 2nd BDM 160, I’ve been receiving a lot of feedbacks and suggestions in order to help the participants in their needs during the race. One item that had been brought to my attention was a request for runner-participants to be allowed to run without any support vehicle and support crew. My staff and I tried our best to provide an Aid Station every 20 kilometers during the 1st edition of BDM 102 in 2009 but to our dismay, almost all the runners brought with them their support vehicle and crew with their respective nutritional & hydration needs. Our food and hydration preparations were snubbed and it was a waste as most of the food were not consumed. With this experience, we removed the Aid Stations and we left to the runners to provide their own. However, it is a “must” for them to have a support vehicle and crew if they decide/apply to join the BDM 102 then.

Now, there are some runners who would like to try to run the futre BDM 102 and 160 without support vehicle and support crew. And for the past days, I have been thinking about this proposal and trying to find out the best course of action to answer this concern.

As of present, I can count at least fourteen (14) Running Teams/Groups who are actively fielding or supporting their runner-members to ultrarunning events and to the BDM Races. These are the teams worth mentioning: (1) Team BORING; (2) Team CB; (3) Team UNGAS; (4) Team KAMOTE; (5) Team INTENSITY; (6) Team CLARK; (7) FAIRVIEW Running Club; (8) HINGS; (9) Team Frontrunner Magazine; (10) Team KB; (11) Team USB; (12) Team SMS; (13) HOB; and (14) Team AFP/PNP.

If only each of these running teams would volunteer as Aid Station in the BDM Races where they could serve foods; drinks; water; and others FOR SALE to each of the runner during the race, maybe, I would be convinced to make the BDM Races and the other ultrarunning events without any support vehicle and support crew for the runner-participants. This would be a nice way where the running groups themselves would volunteer not only for their respective team member but also to the whole runner-participants of the BDM Races. It’s up to the decision of the Running Group to serve meals/foods and drinks FOR SALE or FREE for the runners. Their mere presence as Aid Stations is already a big help to those runners who would like to finish the BDM Races without any support vehicle and support crew.

Let me know your thoughts about this proposal. You can also make a comment if you have any suggestions on how we would be able to help runners (without support vehicle) join and finish the BDM Races and other ultrarunning events. Thank you.

See you at the Starting Line!

I have the belief that we could also emulate or learn something from them because we have the same built and the same attitude in life. Although long distance running training and competition had been with them for almost 90 years and took them 30+ years to come up with their first Olympic Gold Medal in the Marathon, I have the positive outlook that we can attain such goal in the coming generation of younger runners.

I have discovered an article that had been published in the Running Times Magazine and written by Brett Larner with the detailed description on the history of running in Japan.

Enjoy your day and be inspired by this article: Handing Off The Tasuki by Brett Larner.

To some (or most?), organizing a running event is a business affair. I will not tell you the indicators if you want to know if a running event is being organized for the purpose of raising some funds for a certain cause or charity but only to realize that it is simply to rake one’s money for profit. If you are a runner who had been in such races for the past years, you probably know or smart enough to find out what I am talking about.

The conduct of the 1st Taklang Damulag 100-Mile Trail Endurance Run last December 2012 brought me some observations and lessons to be learned. It gave me the opinion that our road runners are not yet fully skilled and exposed to trail running. It is for this reason that I came up with the idea of coming up with a “graduated” exposure of trail running of those who are interested to experience the “outdoors”, meaning, the mountains and other areas outside the city and urban environment.

I want my ideas done and implemented immediately as there is no need for a corporate entity to back me up. In the first place, corporate entities take a lot of time to decide, not unless you are talking to the owner of the company! Who needs them anyway? (They will always tell you to wait for the signing of the contract and keep you waiting even if they have given the contract to another event organizer without even giving the information that they “dumped” you!). Basically, the participation and interest of runners would be enough to support the implementation of my idea.

So, yesterday (Saturday), the Trail Running 101 Series was born! There were six (6) runners who registered for the 16K distance while two (2) runners in the 10K category. Out of the eight runners, one is a lady runner. All of them finished the run and I could see on their faces that they were happy to experience trail running along the vicinity of the “Brown Mountain”, my training “playground” in the mountains of Dinalupihan, Bataan. The following were the results:

14K Run

1. Freddie Mercado—1:43:47 Hours

2. Jael Wenceslao—1:53:15

3. Noel Miano—2:05:12

4. Reginald Tan Bueno—2:43:00

5. Maria Stephanie Atutubo Zamora Hefti—3:19:12

6. Benjh German—3:23:54

10K Run

1. Elmer Oropieza—1:14:45 Hours

2. Igne Pablito—1:15:06

3. Jael Wenceslao—1:33:12

*Jael Wenceslao ran the 10K event after he finished the 14K run.

The next event of the Trail Running 101 series will be on February 26, 2012 with two distances: 16K and 21K runs! The venue/location is still the same but will have the start time to be earlier at 5:30 AM. The registration details will be posted soon in this blog with limited slots for both runs.

Trail Running 101 Batch #1

Lead Runner of the 10K Event

#1 Freddie Mercado

#2 Jael Wenceslao

#3 Noel Miano

#1 Sports Drinks For Runners!

Nice Touch! (Km Post Marking)

Going back on the title of this post, we have proven once again that we simply have the passion to share to everybody the ideas we would like to be implemented for the benefit of the running community. We don’t think about the money we gain or lost, we simply want to share what it is like to run on the “outdoors” and enjoy the beauty of the mountains & be able to commune with nature!

Thanks to all the runners; BR’s Staff; Volunteers; and to John “Jepoy” Avellanosa for those nice pictures!

See you on the next edition of the Trail Running 101 Series!

The problem now among us is how to determine if we are already “stuffed” with food after our meals. Sometimes, most of us would loosen our belts and allow our stomach to bulge to the fullest when we say that we are “full” already. Others would simply eat the right amount and have the discipline and consciousness to eat the right amount of food without being “stuffed” or without their stomach “ballooned” to a bigger size.

We always do this whenever we are invited to parties and other events where the host would prepare a lot of mixed selection of foods. This is a chance for us to eat the foods which are not normal or ordinary in our daily meals. This is a chance and opportunity for us to stuff our belly with such served foods. Much more when we are invited when the food being offered are in buffet style!

For a runner like me, I would say that I could easily burn the calories on those foods for 1-2 hours of steady run the following day and I could revert back to my usual foods for the days to come. But for others who are not consistent with their running workout and for those who are not involved in any kind of sports, such foods “stuffed” in their stomach would be converted to fats and I am sure that this will result to some additional pound/s in their body weight. And when they see that their weight had increased, then that the only time that they realize that they have to exercise or go out for a run/bike/swim. It is sad to note that it is faster to add more pounds to your body weight than the time needed to reduce one’s weight!

So, how do we find out if we are already “stuffed” or “full” when we eat? The technique that I would recommend is to make a rating of fullness from 1-to-5 scale. If your rating is 5 on the scale, it means that you are about to loosen your belt and remove the upper button of your pants! If your rating is 1, then you need to eat some more! So to be safe, a rating of 3-4 on the scale would be a good gauge to say that you have stuffed the right amount of food which you could easily burn while you are doing your regular daily activities.

Remember, the rating 3-4 on the scale whenever you eat in parties or in buffet lunch and dinner so that you can still maintain your running performance weight in every running event you would want to join.

Good luck and see you at the Starting Line!

I have come up with short distance runs on where I had been doing my trail runs for the past years and it is about time that you have to try to experience what it feels to run on mountain trails.

These trail runs will be done every month where the distance will be stretched from 10K to a Marathon distance of 42K. So for the month of January, there will be two distances of trail runs to be conducted this coming Saturday. The shorter distance will be a 10K and the longer one is a 16K distance.

All these trail runs will be an “out and back” runs. In the 10K distance, one has to run 5 kilometers up to the mountain and then back to the point where one started. The same goes to the 16K distance, 8 kilometers up to the mountain and then back to the starting line. Very simple!

The two distance runs will start at the same time at 6:00 AM of Saturday, January 21, 2012. It will start at the “Basilica” Church of Barangay Sacrifice Valley in Dinalupihan, Bataan and ends at the same place. There is no cut-off time for the event. This will encourage the “newbies” to enjoy the scenery and to experience the simplicity of trail running. It is simply running with nature without so much “distractions”.

There will be Aid/Hydration Stations every 2.5 Kilometers. Runners are advised to bring their hydration bottles so that we will adhere to lesser use of plastic cups in trail running events. In addition to the aid stations, there is flowing stream/spring along the route where one could drink the fresh cool water of the mountain.

If you are joining the Subic International Marathon on Sunday, you can drop by for a 10K easy trail run on Saturday morning and then proceed to Subic Freeport after the trail run. Barangay Sacrifice Valley is 15 kilometers away from Olongapo City and the Subic Freeport.

Registration fee/s for the 10K event is P 500.00 and the 16K is P 600.00. ARC Store is presently accepting registration for this event. Registered runners will be given Commemorative T-Shirt for the event and a post-race meal at the Finish Line. Whatever proceeds we get from these trail running events will be used for the support of Elite Bald Runner Team in their participation to international running events. Two of my elite athletes will be participating in the Hongkong 100K Trail Endurance Run in the middle of next month with the objective of qualifying for the Western States 100-Mile Endurance in the coming years. It is unfortunate that we have yet to receive favourable approval of support from corporate entities whom we asked for assistance.

There will be registration On Site, provided that runners will arrive earlier than the announced starting time. The run will start promptly at 6:00 AM.

As in my past events, we will start the race even with 2-3 registered runners!

See you at the Starting Line!

(Note: It is advisable for all the participants to read the “rules of the game” (protocols/etiquette/rules and regulations) in trail running which I published in my previous post)