(Note: Mt Balagbag is located in Rodriguez, Rizal and can be accessed through Quezon City)
A day after the conduct of the Rizal Day Run 50K & 32K at Camp Aguinaldo last December 29, 2013, I was invited by Ultra Runner Ronnel Go aka Kampuger for a trail run on his running group’s “playground” which is very near Quezon City/Metro Manila. This was my first time to visit the mountains near Metro Manila but I had a chance to join a half-marathon road race in one of the towns in Rizal four or five years ago which is located within this area.
Ronnel Go became my tourist guide while we were joined by Ariel Tuto Aquino and Dr Marc Conrad Molina. We parked our cars at the Barangay Hall of San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal and from there we started our hike. Knowing that Ronnel Go had just finished the Rizal Day Run 50K Ultra Race where he placed as the 2nd Runner-Up and Dr Marc Molina finishing the race, I advised the group that we will power hike the whole route even if it will take us to finish it the whole daytime. The trail tour was some sort of a recovery hike for the two runners while Ariel made some running on the flat and descending portion of the trails to have some easy long run workout for the day. I was there as a hiker trying to orient myself in the place.
First 5K of the TrailResting Is Picture Taking
I was informed that we were taking the reverse route where most of the hikers would avoid because the approach to higher peaks are steeper. So, we power hiked and enjoyed every scenery we could see around us as we go higher to some of the hills and later to the mountains. We have to stop and take some pictures of the places where one could see up to the vastness of Metro Manila, Laguna De Bay, and the mountains of Rizal and Bulacan.
Billiard Table In A Store
We stopped in a store where there is a billiard table and we took our first snacks and rest. We made a re-supply of our water bottles and continued our hike. As we moved higher to more peaks, we felt cold winds all around us and the sky was overcast. It was a perfect weather for a hiking in the mountains and my companions would make some remarks that it was their first time to experience such cold, windy and overcast sky in the area.
Single File!
I could hardly feel any tiredness and exhaustion as we moved to a higher elevation. The stories, jokes and laughter with the group make our hike enjoyable plus the nice scenery all around us. The group brought me to their “signature” locations where one would take ones picture. They have this favorite “rock” and ascending trail until one would reach the peak of Mt Balagbag.
Group “Selfie” At The Peak Of Mt Balagbag
The peak of Mt Balagbag has a flat portion for campers where they could “fix” their tents. We stayed for a longer time in the place to see the places around us and take some group pictures. From the peak, everything were all descending until we reach Barangay Licau-licau but before we reached this place for our lunch, we dropped by a store where we had our second snacks for the day.
Barangay Licau-licau is a crossroad to a descending road that goes back to a barangay with garbage and to San Isidro; the ascending road that goes to Mt Balagbag; and a flat road that goes to the populated area within the barangay. There is a store with “turo-turo” (ready cooked) food and this where we had our lunch. This is the place also where we met another ultra runner, Lao Ogerio, who placed 1st Runner-Up in the Rizal Day 50K Run. He was there also for his recovery run a day after the race.
2014 BDM 160 Ultra’s 1st Runner-Up Lao Ogerio As Ice Cream VendorGroup Picture With The Ice Candy Vendor
From Barangay Licau-licua, we became five in the group. Lao Ogerio became our lead hiker until we met a local who was selling ice candy/popsicle. He carried the ice box of the local guy to shaded portion of the trail and we had a rest while enjoying the sweet and cold taste of the popsicle. After paying the local guy for the popsicle we ate, we continued our hike until we reached the highway that led us to the Barangay Hall of San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal.
It was Ronnel who was wearing a GPS watch and it registered a distance of 34 kilometers with 9 hours of elapsed time since we started our hike. I did not ask for the total ascent & descent of the place but I know this is a place where one would make himself or herself a strong runner.
Now I know why the group of Ronnel and the other runners who make this place as their “playground” are very strong in ultra running and trail running. I happened to know also that some of the top contenders of my PAU Races come here in this place for their weekend long runs. No wonder they are strong and fast in my ultra races.
If you ask me why I call the trail as “Charcoal Men’s” Trail, it is because the local people whom you meet in the area are carrying with them 3-4 sacks of charcoal in going up and down the mountain trails.
January 14, Tuesday: @ Pastolan Trail (Start: 5:25 PM)
Distance—9.8 Kilometers/6.15 Miles
Time—1:42:24 Hours
Average Pace—10:27 minutes/kilometer
Average Speed—5.7 kilometers/hour
Total Calories—491 cal
Total Ascent—507 meters
Total Descent—592 meters
Weather—Cool & Windy
Shoes—ADIDAS Vigor Trail Shoes
Note/Comment: Early Evening Easy Run. Slowed down on the 2nd half due to poor illumination using a handheld flashlight.
January 15, Wednesday: @ Remy Field Oval Track, Subic Freeport (Start: 3:10 PM)
Distance—13.10 Kilometers/8.18 Miles
Time—1:13:11 Hours
Average Pace—5:35 minutes/kilometer
Average Speed—10.7 Kilometers/Hour
Total Calories—886 cal
Workout—4 Kilometers as Easy Run; 5 X 800 meters with 800-meter recovery jog; and then 1 Kilometer as Cool Down. (800-meter time in 4:00 to 4:10 minutes per repetition)
Weather: Sunny & Windy
Shoes: Helios by La Sportiva
January 16, Thursday: Rest Day
30-Minute Stationary Cycling
January 17, Friday: @ Pastolan Trails (Start: 9:44 AM)
Distance—20 Kilometers/12.4 Miles (Easy Run)
Time—3:16:37 Hours
Average Pace—9:49 minutes/kilometer
Average Speed—6.1 kilometers/hour
Total Calories—1,075 cal
Total Ascent—1,257 meters
Total Descent—1,287 meters
Shoes—HOKA One One Bondi Speed
Weather—Sunny, Hot & Windy
January 18, Saturday: @ Pastolan Trails (Start: 9:13 AM)/Easy Run
Distance—26.2 Kilometers/16 Miles
Time—4:48:30 Hours
Average Pace—11:00 minutes/kilometer
Average Speed—5.4 kilometers/hour
Total Calories—1,306 cal
Total Ascent—1,517 meters
Total Descent—1,479 meters
Weather—Cloudy & Windy
Shoes—Helios By La Sportiva
Comment—Slower by 3 minutes from my previous easy run on the same course. Nutrition was perfect and practiced more time to eat while power hiking.
January 19, Sunday: @ BDM Ultra Route From Km #32 to Km #50 (Start: 2:40 AM)
Distance—16.2 Kilometers/10 Miles
Time—2:08:19 Hours
Average Pace—7:55 minutes/kilometer
Average Speed—7.6 kilometers/hour
Total Calories—1,024 cal
Total Ascent—445 meters
Total Descent—463 meters
Shoes—HOKA One One Bondi Speed
Weather—Cold/Night Run
Total Mileage For The Week: 85.3 Kilometers/53.3 Miles
This is the details of my 1st week of training for the year 2014. It officially started with my “Evaluation Run” on an Oval Track. Mondays are supposed to be my rest/recovery days but I’ve decided to have such “evaluation run” which is the popularly known as Balke Test.
Monday: “Evaluation Run” (Oval Track)
Distance: 5.5 Kilometers or 3.44 Miles Time: 30 Mins. Average Pace: 5:27 mins/K
Tuesday: Road Run With Dirt Road
Distance: 10 Kilometers or 6.2 Miles Time: 57:37 Mins. Average Pace: 5:45 mins/K
Wednesday: Road Run With Dirt Road
Distance: 11.21 Kilometers or 7 Miles Time: 1:07:18 Hrs Average Pace: 6:00 mins/K
Thursday: Pastolan Trails
Distance: 11.9 Kilometers or 7 Miles Time: 1:41:27 Hrs Average Pace: 8:35 mins/K
Friday: Oval Track/Tempo Run
Distance: 10 Kilometers or 6.2 Miles Time: 57:14 Mins Average Pace: 5:43 mins/K
Saturday: Easy Long Run (Road Run With Dirt Road)
Distance: 16.13 Kilometers or 10 Miles Time: 1:41:34 Hrs Average Pace: 6:17 mins/K
Sunday: Easy Long Run (Road Run With Dirt Road)
Distance: 20.1 Kilometers or 12 Miles Time: 2:17:06 Hrs Average Pace: 6:39 mins/K
Total Distance: 84.84 Kilometers or 53 Miles
Total Time: 9:12 Hours (approximate)
In my browsing on the Internet, I was able to visit the blog of Sage Canaday, a former elite runner of the Brooks Hansons Distance Project. Sage Canaday was the youngest athlete at the 2008 US Olympic Marathon Trials. He has the fastest American time at the Mt. Washington Road Race and has a course record at the White River 50. In one year and half as an ultra runner, he won 50K, 50-Mile, and 100K ultra trail races.
The following video was taken from his blog and he is here to discuss the importance of marathon speed training in ultra trail races. Enjoy the video.
In our trail runs in my “playground” with my training partner, Dannin, we always have something to do for the trail aside from running. It is either we pick-up plastic wrappers of candies or biscuits or cigarettes or any kind of trash; remove dried twigs or branches on the trail; cut grasses and branches that block one’s view of the trail; or clean the waterways in streams and rivers along the way.
Dannin Removing Dried Twigs & Leaves On Waterways
In our latest run, Dannin and I cleaned and removed the debris/dried leaves that were accumulated on the waterways of the rivers and streams where we usually cross or pass. There were two rivers which we cleaned and it improved the continuous flow of water from the higher ground to a bigger pool where anybody would take a dip or swim.
With the better and continuous flow of water of the river, we are preventing the presence of insects and mosquitoes where they could breed and multiply. It would also prevent the river from overflowing to its banks which would result to flooding in populated areas or for the river to create another waterway which would lead to more erosion of earth and movements of rocks.
Another Stream To Clean From Debris
It did not take us for ten minutes to clean each river but such simple and little act to nature would give more protection to the population in terms of preventing diseases (due to the presence of mosquitoes) and maintaining the natural flow of water to the lower grounds, thereby, preventing flooding and erosion.
Deeper, Cleaner Water Pool Where Everybody Would Swim Or Dip
If you happen to hike or run along the hills and mountain trails, find time to exert a little time and effort to help and conserve nature.
I remember those days when I was doing my speed training in preparation for my half-marathon & marathon races in 2009. I had a structured training program which was supervised by two running coaches of the Elite Team Bald Runner. Before I was given a speed training program, I was asked by my running coaches to have an evaluation run first. The evaluation run was done on an oval track.
I was made to run on the oval track for thirty (30) minutes with my best effort and from the result of the distance I could cover, my coach would be able to determine my target pace for an intense interval training, threshold/tempo run, and easy run in order to make me run faster in a marathon race.
@ The Remy Field Oval Track, Subic Freeport
Last Monday, January 6, I did exactly what I did 4 years ago with the purpose of developing more lifts and number of cadence to my knees and feet. I started my run at 8:00 AM when the sun was already high above the horizon. The weather was cool with a moderate strong cold breeze coming from the west which is the location of the sea.
I used the lightest shoe from my arsenal of trail shoes, the Helios of La Sportiva. And running outfit were my regular running shirt and Adidas Running Shorts.
Without much fast runners on the oval track, I positioned myself on the most inner lane of the oval track. I finished my first lap in 2:10 minutes; second lap in 4:11 minutes; and after 4 laps (one mile/1,600 meters), I clocked a time of 8:43 minutes! Not bad!
I started to slow down after I finished 10 laps and fought the need to hydrate myself. At exactly 30 minutes of running, I was able to run 13 laps and 300 meters. I had to walk for another lap for my rest and recovery. The total distance that I was able to cover within 30 minutes was 5,500 meters or 5.5 kilometers. My Average Pace was 5:27 minutes per kilometer.
Still In Good Running Form
Four years ago, I could run 15 laps plus some change/extra meters. My older age (plus 4 years) had greatly diminished my speed/average pace plus the fact that I’ve concentrated so much in my ultra distance runs and trail running. It is my plan now to make myself to run faster this time by using the result of my evaluation run.
There is a need to incorporate more interval speed training and tempo runs in my ultra trail running. In the meantime, I will have to visit the oval track once a week and do my tempo runs on the trails of my playground. I hope I would be able to lower down my average pace to 5:10 minutes per kilometer in 4 weeks! Of course, I would also tell you what speed training I will do in order to improve my average pace in this blog.
My evaluation run last Monday officially started my training program for my 2014 Ultra Racing Season.
I suggest you can do this evaluation run if you want to know where you want to start to make yourself run faster, whether in trails or in road.
Bald Runner 
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