09 March 2008 (6:00-8:00 AM)
The following were the other pictures taken during the conduct of the 7th DND-AFP Gintong Pangarap Half-Marathon:
Running along the road in between Market! Market! Shopping Mall and Serendra Condominiums at The Fort at vicinity Km # 8 Continue reading “More Pictures @ 7th DND-AFP Gintong Pangarap Half-Marathon”
These are the following reasons why I improved my PR best time for the Half-Marathon in this road race:
1) More rest/no run days—After the Pasig River Marathon last 24 February, I barely had a running workout and rested the whole week. After the Condura 10K run on 02 March, I only ran for a short distance once during the week and had more time to rest, sleep for 7-8 hours every night before the DND-AFP Gintong Pangarap Half-Marathon on 09 March. After logging so many miles/kilometers during my endurance & strengthening phase, I think I could easily increase my pace in road races. My body feels stronger and more relaxed when I have more rest days before the race day.
2) Body Massage—Two days before the Condura 10K run, I had my body massage and I ran faster during the race. After the Condura run or the week before the Half-Marathon, I had my body massage for two times, Monday and Thursday. These two sessions of body massage made my muscles more relaxed and free from tightness and “lactic acid”. Continue reading “Lessons Learned: 7th DND-AFP Gintong Pangarap Half-Marathon”
09 March 2008
That is my unofficial time of finish in this morning’s 7th DND-AFP Gintong Pangarap Half-Marathon which started at 6:00AM at the Grandstand of Villamor Air Base, the Headquarters of the Philippine Air Force. It was supposed to start at 5:30 AM but due to the presence of late registrants, we gave at least 30 minutes delay to accommodate more of the runners for the Half-Marathon Race. After the Opening Prayers and Warm-Up exercises, the Half-Marathon started at eactly 6:00 AM with almost 600 hundred runners. The 5K race started thirty minutes after the 21K race had left the starting area.
I was able to talk to “Totoy” Santos, MiracleCello, and other runners/bloggers at the starting area. I was surprised to see an unprecedented number of runners from the civilian sector to include some foreigners (no Kenyans this time). I’ve seen a lot of runners who ran the 2008 Pasig River Marathon two weeks ago and the Condura 10K Run last week. I consider them as the real weekend “warriors” on road racing/running.
Runners would run along the streets inside Villamor Air Base for the first 1.5 kilometers before going out of the camp along Villamor Road leading the runners towards Fort Bonifacio area. I maintained an average pace of 5:15 minutes per kilometer for the first half of the race, drinking much water along the way in every two kilometers. I had to make my “pit (pee) stop” at Lawton Avenue before reaching Essensa in one of the big electric posts at Kilometer # 6. I was glad there were lots of bougainvilla plants to cover me..ha!ha!ha! I have to catch up with the other runners who left me with a good 50-meter distance, finally overtaking them at the uphill portion on the road beside Essensa.
Running alone at the vicinity Essensa, which was Kilometer # 6 with a pace of 5:13 minutes per kilometer.
Running with some of the participants at vicinity Market! Market on our way to the 10.5K turning-point and the sun was about to shine on us.
I just maintained my pace all the way to the turning-point at the back of the S & R Store at the The Fort. I was really bit worried about the rising sun that runners could see once we are going back to the Market! Market! area. I thought it would bring more heat and discomfort to the runners but when we reached Lawton Avenue, the sunlight was already on our backs.
I had the chance to pick-up some runners along the way and join them to maintain and later increase my pace. These guys are really good and consistent with their pacing.
On my way back to the finish line at the vicinity Serendra.
Upon reaching the last 4-Km marker, I knew I could break two hours barrier to finish the race. I was accompanied from Essensa by MSgt Illut, a legend of the early marathon races in the ’70s, and Capt Ferdie Espejo, my “lead man” in making sure that the race is well-planned and well-organized, up to the finish line. Thank you, guys! You have done a wonderful job!
Finishing the Half-Marathon in 1:47:16 is my best PR time so far.
Congratulations to all the participants and finishers of the Half-Marathon & 5K Race! See you in the next road races.
The following were the data taken from my GF 305:
Total Distance—20.98 kms Time—1:47:16 Hrs
Average Pace—5:15 mins/km Average Speed—11.4 kms/hr
Maximum Speed—14.4 kms/hr Total Calories—1,507 calories
Average HR—167 bpm Maximum HR—174 bpm
Total Ascent—592 meters Total Descent—595 meters
08 March 2008
I arrived in Manila this morning confident that my officers, staff, and the different Special Service Unit representatives of the Major Services of the Armed Forces of the Phuilippnes have prepared the things that are needed in the conduct of the event. In my personal conversations with them, they assured me that there will be enough water stations along the way and water cups & water supply in every station.
As of this writing, we expect a total of 1,200 runners for the half-marathon and 5K run. Out of this, at least 500 runners will be running the half-marathon distance while an estimated of 700 runners will be running the 5K race. The Half-Marathon will start at 5:30 AM while the 5K race will start at 6:00 AM.
Water stations will be positioned at the start/finish line; at the turn-around point for the 5K run (near Bonifacio Naval Station, along Lawton Avenue); at vicinity Essensa, The Fort ; and at vicinity International School (near the 21K turn-around point). The Major Service Bands will be prepositioned at the vicinity of these water stations to provide music to the participants. The famous Philippine Marines Drum and Bugle Corps will display their marching drills while playing their musical instruments before the awarding ceremony.
In the Half-Marathon race, there will be medals awarded to the top five in each age category for the men and ladies and cash awards will be given to the top three overall of the men and ladies. In the 5K race, top three in the men & ladies overall will be awarded with cash prizes.
At the finish line, each finisher will receive their “Certificate of Achievement” and the packed breakfast food (boiled banana, hard-boiled egg, bottled water & pandesal).
I just finished signing 1,200 pieces of “Certificate of Achievement” for the finishers in tomorrow’s race.
My strategy? Stay relaxed and maintain a good running form and be able to finish the race in two hours and ten minutes (2:10:00).
Good luck and see you at the Starting Line.
05 March 2008
As of this date, there are already 700 registered runners from the AFP’s Major Services who will participate in the Half-Marathon and 5K run. On the civilian side, there are already 351 registered runners, of which 180 of them will be running the half-marathon and the rest will be running the 5K race. My staff & organizers expect to have at least a total of 1,200 runners with almost 300-400 runners participating the Half-Marathon distance.
It is unfortunate that this Sunday’s Half-Marathon race will be held on the same day with Senator Pia Cayetano’s “Pinay In Action Race” at The Fort and we expect that most of the civilian women runners will be absent in our Half-Marathon & 5K race.
The DND-AFP Gintong Pangarap Half-Marathon race will start at exactly 5:30 AM on Sunday at the Grandstand of the Villamor Air Base and the route goes all the way to the Philipine Public Safety College (near the International School), passing along Lawton Avenue in Fort Bonifacio towards The Fort Complex and back to Villamor Air Base.
I will be joining the runners in the Half-Marathon race. Hope to see you there!
24 February 2008 (4:00 AM-8:49 AM)
Yes, I finished the 2008 Pasig River Marathon in 4:49:48 hours (unofficial time) without any injury or any problems. Surprisingly, I did not have any coughing along the way, from start to finish!
The following data were taken from my GF 305:
Distance—42.6 kilometers Average Pace—6:48 minutes/kilometer
Average Speed—8.8 km/hr Maximum Speed—13.6 km/hr
Average HR—155 bpm Maximum HR—165 bpm
Calories—3,016 Total Ascent—1,265 meters
More stories and pictures on my next posts. Guys, I need some rest!
Congratulations to all the 42K runners and finishers!!!
Finally, I got hold of my race packet for the Pasig River Heritage Marathon. But the organizers changed the name of the race into “International Philippine Marathon”. I guess, this is the fourth time that they changed the name of the race and the first time that they changed the route of the race. I hope the picture below will be clear for my co-runners and readers to see.
I haven’t seen the actual route but I will try to visualize the route as I recall passing through these roads in the past. The race starts at Riverbank Marikina and runners go south along E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue–right at Ortigas Avenue (uphill)–left at Meralco Avenue–left at Julia Varga (downhill)–right at C-5 (uphill at the Bridge before Kalayaan & at Market!Market! & McKinley Hill)–right at Bayani Road (my “Heritage Mile” & uphill to Gate 3 Ft Bonifacio)–pass by along Phil Army Golf Course–right at Lawton Avenue–passing through The Fort and exit at the old Gate 1 of Fort Bonifacio all the way to JP Rizal Avenue Makati–runners cross the Pasig River along a bridge towards Coronado (I am not sure if this is the bridge that connects Makati Avenue) & JP Rizal Mandaluyong–turn left at New Panadero–right at Pedro Gil–right at Carreon–left towards Plaza Dilao–turn-around & go towards Valenzuela and back along Pandacan, Sta Mesa–right at Laura–right to Nagtahan Bridge (uphill)–left to Legarda–pass along Ayala Avenue–and Finish infront of the Quirino Grandstand.
Approximate Locations of the following Kilometer Markings:
5K—along Ortigas Avenue
10K—along C-5 (near Toyota)
15K–along C-5 (squatters area)
20K—back of HPA Grandstand along Lawton Avenue
25K—crossing with the street leading to the old Gate 1 of Fort Bonifacio & JP Rizal Makati
30K—New Panadero
35K—Pandacan, Sta Mesa
40K—Legarda
42K—Quirino Grandstand
As I predicted, I won in the Gidaya Trail Run for the 50+ years old category early this morning.
This is the 4th rendition of the said run which started last February 2005 and this is my first time to participate in this event. For the past years, I’ve been “left behind” in Metro Manila during PMA Alumni Homecoming due to my positions then as Camp Commander of Fort Bonifacio (2005); Camp Commander of Camp Aguinaldo (2006); and the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army (2007).
The race for my age was a short one, which according to my GF 305, the distance was only 2.15 kilometers. One kilometer was going up to the mountain/hill which we fondly called “Cavalry Hill” and has a gradient/inclination of about 60-75%. The road was steep and straight to the top of the hill which forced me, in some portions of steep road, to take short but fast walk. I thought my lungs were about to burst with my deep and successive deep breaths. This was my first experience to feel strong heart beats and breath heavily since I started to run again.
Nobody challenged me on those steep roads and I was alone on the downhill portion of the course up to the last one kilometer of relatively flat terrain.
I finished the race in 14:47 minutes which I think I was able to set a record time for the said distance. I had a comfortable one kilometer distance from the second runner. I won the First Place Trophy and I hope to defend my title in the next year’s Gidaya Trail Run!
I will post my pictures and data from my GF 305 in my next posts.
Talking and Pictures with Kenyan Runners, “Tom & Sam”
Last “kick” before the finish line & “smiling face” after posting a PR best!
Another “Certificate” & Timex Watch display of my finish time.
I failed to break sub-2 hours in the Subic International Half-Marathon but I am still strong and injury-free. I am ready for the Pasig River Heritage Marathon for next month.
I finished the Half-Marathon race in 2:12:56 hours (unofficial time) taken from my Timex watch.
More stories and pictures to be posted later today.
Bald Runner 
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