Trail Running 101 « Bald Runner

“It’s the passion, not the money, stupid!”

22 01 2012

Race Report: Trail Running 101 10K & 14K @ Dinalupihan, Bataan/January 21, 2012

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!

Trail Running 101: 10K & 16K Runs

19 01 2012

If you have been joining road races for the past months and years and had never tried running on mountain trails, then this is the time to start a new experience.

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)