Official Result: 6th Antique 100-Mile Endurance Run

On September 24, 2018 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Places to Run, Race Results, Races, Running, Sports Program, Travel, Ultra Marathon, UltramarathonLeave a comment

6th Antique 100-Mile Endurance Run (2018)

Starting Area: Guimbal Municipal Hall, Iloilo

Start Time/Date: 10:00 PM September 14, 2018

Finish Area: Culasi Municipal Hall, Antique

Finish Time: 7:00 AM September 16, 2018

Cut-Off Time: 33 Hours

Number Of Runners: 10 Runners

Number Of Finishers: 9 Runners

Percentage Of Finish: 90%

RANK NAME TIME (Hrs)

Remy Caasi (Overall Champion/Female Champion/Female Course Record)—25:17:58
Edwin Fernandez (Male Champion) —27:19:34
Gibo Malvar (1st Runner-Up, Male) —27:20:20
Dondon Talosig (2nd Runner-Up, Male) —28:20:24
Richard Gano —31:11:31
Rodrigo Losabia —31:20:15
Carl Don Rudas —31:24:36
Reese Rogel (1st Runner-Up, Female) —32:54:30
Tess Leono (2nd Runner-Up, Female) —32:58:20

Congratulations To All The Finishers!

On Having A Professional Coach

On September 22, 2018 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Professional Coaching Services, Running, Sports Program, Trail Running, Travel, Ultra Marathon, Ultra Running, Ultra Trail Running, UltramarathonLeave a comment

On Having A Professional Coach

I started to get the guidance of a Professional Coaching Service in my ultrarunning/running in the middle of June 2017. Actually, it was my second experience to get the assistance of a Coaching Service abroad. The first one was with Karl Meltzer and it lasted for one year although I was the very basis Coaching Program that I have enrolled in. I became a very strong ultra trail runner in a short period of time and his Coaching/Training Schedule made me finished 3 successive finishes in the Clark Miyamit 50-Mile Ultra Trail; 2 Finishes in the Translantau 100K; and Tarawera 100K finish in New Zealand. My two attempts in the San Diego 100-Mile Endurance for two successive years did not go as planned because of GI issues related to excessive Heat Exhaustion in a desert environment and Nutrition problems. On hindsight, it maybe due also to overtraining and lesser appreciation of rest and recovery in between training blocks or in between race events.

When Jason Koop, author of Training Essentials Of Ultrarunning, published his book, we started to become friends on Facebook and that I would be one of the first to purchase it. And even went to the extent of recommending it to my FB friends after getting the full appreciation of his scientific approach to ultrarunning training. It took me sometime to read the book and started to apply its concepts in my daily training. Not until an advertisement popped out on Internet that CTS was offering One Dollar First Month Fee for their Coaching Service. I immediately sent an inquiry to Jason Koop through Direct Message and he replied to me instantly with a positive note. I told him that I am a 65-year old and I need to be a better mountain trail ultrarunner.

After a week of processing, I got a designated Coach and Premium Training Peaks platform where I can upload the data from my GPS Watch and at the same time, where I could see my Training Schedule. John Fitzgerald is my Coach and he would give me feedback almost everyday and I could arrange a scheduled phone call or simply send him a SMS regularly if I need some inquiries or inform him about my feeling/s during and after workout. He would know my races and adjust my training based from the information available from the event.

After one year being an athlete of CTS even if I failed in my scheduled Ultra Races last year and this early part of 2018, I admit that CTS and Coach John Fitzgerald were the primary factors/reasons why I was able to qualify for the 2019 Boston Marathon and most of all, not being “burned out” in every training block and in between my racing events.

On hindsight, I think I have over estimated myself in choosing very hard races in Europe & USA which are part of the Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT) series. I should have chosen those shorter ultra versions of these races which could had served as my initial exposure or recon runs in these very challenging races. However, at this time, I knew that I am ready to go back in these places/races and more confident to finish these races with the support of CTS.

For an old and passionate runner like me, CTS will be my partner and guide to tackle more challenging ultra mountain trail races in the future.

For more particulars about the CTS Professional Coaching Services, you can contact them here at www.trainright.com

Registration & Acceptance To The 2019 Boston Marathon

On September 13, 2018 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Marathon Race, Pictures, Practice Runs, Races, Running, Running Video, Sports Program, Travel1 Comment

Registration & Acceptance To The 2019 Boston Marathon

On the first hour of the scheduled registration day for runners who are faster than 20 minutes or more on their qualifying time for the Boston Marathon, I filled up my Registration Form for the 2019 Boston Marathon on or about 10:00 PM September 10, 2018, Monday (Manila Time) and sent it immediately. I immediately received a reply letter via e-mail that my Registration Form had been accepted and I had to wait for the confirmation or acceptance to the said event. I immediately checked the balance of my Debit Card and I found out that I was deducted the Peso equivalent amount for the $250 US registration fee for International Runners which I positively consider as a good sign that I will be accepted to join this event.

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I was able to qualify to join the 123rd Edition Boston Marathon when I finished the 2017 Revel Canyon City Marathon Race held on November 4, 2017 in Azusa, California. I did not expect to finish the race in sub-4 hours and it was my goal to finish the race within my qualifying time of 4:10 hours. Since the first half of the marathon distance was downhill, I took the risk to let the weight of my body and my leg turn-over to dictate my pace and when I saw an opportunity for me to finish in sub-4 hours, I just maintained my pace and made sure that I would never have any muscle cramps which would slow down my pace. For the record, I was able to cross the finish line in 3:46:06, which is 23:54 minutes faster than my qualifying time of 4:10 hours. And as a bonus, I was the First Place Runner for the Age Category of 65-69 years old.

D1507EE8-8965-45A1-9E88-DA1384BFA82C It took me a lot of years and marathon races to qualify for the Boston Marathon and I finally made it when it was time that I did not expect it. For a passionate runner, being able to qualify and join the Boston Marathon is, I think, the pinnacle of Road Racing. Boston Marathon is the Holy Grail of Road Marathon Racing for being the oldest Marathon Race in the USA and most prestigious Marathon In The World! This makes me a Legitimate Qualifier of the event and not as a Corporate Sponsored or Charity Runner.

After two days since I registered for the race, I finally received a Confirmation Letter that I will be joining the race on April 15, 2019 through e-mail and I was advised to wait for the Formal Letter of Acceptance to join the race through the Post Mail.

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I have already bought my Round Trip Plane Ticket from Los Angeles to Boston and back and had already arranged for my accommodation during my stay in Boston. My Round Trip Plane Ticket from Manila to Los Angeles and back will be purchased before the end of this year.

I have already started my training on the very first day of this month of September. It will be through this blog that I will be posting my thoughts, training and preparation for the 2019 Boston Marathon.

I will keep you posted on my daily training and activities even if I have some local and international road and trail races that will be part of my training prior to the said event. Join me in this journey.