6:00 AM 04 May 2008 at UP Diliman Campus

I arrived at the Parking Area, far away from the Assembly Area, and started to have my stretching and warm-up about 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of 6:00 AM. I put on my GF 305 while standing still doing my body stretch. I tried to put on also my MP3 but later decided not to use it on the last minute before the start. After my stretching, I immediately had a slow-jog of about 100 yards and repeatedly jogged that distance for about 10 minutes just to be able for my body to start sweating.

After my slow jogging, I started to briskly walk to the Assembly area and I was surprised to see a lot of runners who had already checked-in for the 10K, 5K & 3K distance runs. It was already 3 minutes before the start time and I was able to see some of the visitors of this blog raring to go for the race. The 5K race was scheduled to start 2 minutes after the 10K runners had started and another interval of 2 minutes for the 3k runners to start after the 5K runners had left the starting area.

The 10K race started on time with so many runners infront of me as I was positioned at the middle of the pack before the start of the race. I slowly started my run and had to pass through the slower runner for the first 100 meters. At the 400-meter mark, I slowly passed some of the runners and I was able to get my position and my comfortable pace. I was glad I did not had anybody on my sides or immediately on my front and I just maintained my position up to the first ascent portion of the route. The elite 5K runners started to pass by and overtook me at the 600-meter mark and they were really fast! But I just concentrated on my pace and was not affected with their blistering pace. 

I was using a new Nike Zoom racing shoes which I think is the lightest running shoes that I bought lately which is my “gift” to myself for finishing another 100 kilometers in my “1,000 Km Club”. I was concentrating on my new shoes and praising it on my mind for it appears that it is very comfortable to my feet and I am forced to have a “ball-toe” footstrike on the ground. I was happy for having a positive thoughts on my new shoes for the 2-3 kilometers. I was having a good time “shuffling” and sprinting with my new Nike Zoom shoes! I was also happy that the shoes responded well on the curves on the road most especially on the turn-around points. The sole of the shoes really grabbed the ground and made my feet stable.

At the 5-km point, I tried to look at my GF 305 for the first time and I was able to see 25+ minutes and my mind registered to a “panic” mode thinking that I might finish the race in 50 minutes or more. I made a comment to Mark last night that the goal for this race should be sub-50 minutes after informing me that the course is more than 10 K, to be exact, 10.89 K and this was also the observation of “the loony runner”. Mark was 10-15 meters infront of me on the 1st 5K but he started to increase his pace on the last 5K and he is really making a lot of improvements. Hey, Mark, you are really the most improved runner!

At the 7K point, I had the chance to run beside Dr. Tan of the Farview Runners and he is really a strong runner at his age but he slowly reduced his pace later when we were about to go uphill. At the 8k point & turn-around while I was drinking from my bottled water, the loony runner passed by with a consistent fast pace with a water container on his hand and another bottle of water on his “small on the back” tucked in his running shorts. I tried to pick-up my pace for the next 400 meters and made some “speed play” on the last 2 kilometers. After running for almost 800 meters on a “sprint” mode, I started to feel as if I was going to “throw-up”. That was a “warning sign” for my body to slow down and I just relaxed my speed and concentrated on my running form and be able to finish the pace.

At the last turn, I looked again at my GF 305 and I was able to glance that it just registered 46:00 minutes. Looking at a distance with the finish line on sight, I started to pick-up my pace combining my “shuffling” and “high knee” running. I had to count 1 to 10 repeatedly to maintain a fast rythym and concentrate on my running form towards the finish line.

I finished the 10K race in 48:48 minutes as registered in my GF 305. My watch also registered a distance of 9.90 kilometers. I registered a “negative split” on this race, finishing the 1st 5K in 25+ minutes and the last 5K in 23+ minutes.

Well, I did not register a better time from my previous 10K race two weeks ago but I am still happy that I was able to improve my time from my previous RUNNEX race last 02 December 2007 on the roads of UP Campus where I registered a time of 52:07 minutes.

It was a nice run. I am going to add another P 500.00 to my Charity Fund for finishing this road race.

Thanks again to those who donated their used/old running shoes to the Project Donate A Shoe. My special mention goes to Cecil/Miraclecello who removed his running shoes after the race and donated them to our project. Mabuhay ka, Cecil!