Category: Runners’ Training

Birth Of Another Ultra Route

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Places to Run, Practice Runs, Races, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program, Travel, Ultramarathon3 Comments

March 9-10, 2012

After the Awarding Ceremony & Get Together Party for the 2012 BDM and PAU Races, I had already a plan in my mind to try the initial King of the Mountain Road Race envisioned by Jonel two years ago. This is the Road Race which he dubbed as the Baguio To Baguio Route which is popular among professional cyclists and the popular cycling lap that determines who would eventually  win in the yearly Professional Cycling Event in the Country.

However, the main reason and goal of this running trip/adventure run was to be able to recon the King of the Mountain Mt Ugo Trail Marathon route which I was planning to join. Running along the Marcos Highway, Kennon Road, and Naguilian Road would serve as my easy long runs as part of the training before going to Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya.

Coming from Manila after breakfast of Friday, March 9, I drove my car without any target time for me to start my run as I planned to start at the Saitan Junction in Rosario, La Union once I reach the place and after wearing my running shoes. At exactly 3:00 PM, I arrived at the planned starting area and I was surprised to see that the structure on the said place is already abandoned and left to rot and decay. I wonder who is supposed to be responsible for its upkeep and cleanliness. Anyway, I parked the car and started to eat some cooked foods which we brought for my adventure run. We had cooked rice, pork and chicken adobo and fried fish. After my full meal, I changed to my running attire and I was ready to start my run.

My route has to take the Maharlika Highway going to the town/poblacion of Rosario, La Union and then turn right at the Junction which is the start of the Marcos Highway which is now called, “Ben Palispis Highway”. I wonder who is this guy who replaced the name of the former President of the country! From the Junction, the Marcos Highway would lead me to Baguio City. I finally started my run at 3:30 PM.

Strictly following my run-walk method of 3 minutes of run & 45 seconds brisk walk, I was able to progress my ascent to the summer capital of the country. My support vehicle would be able to “leap-frog” every 3 kilometers which is the estimated time that I would consume the water or Gatorade mix on my “Sprint” Nathan hand-held bottle. The last 5 kilometers climb to Baguio City would be the most challenging part of the route as I had to brisk walk most of the distance. I was able to run and walk the Marcos Highway going to Baguio City, a distance of 47 kilometers with a total gain of more than 6,000+ feet from the place where I started, at Barangay Saitan, Rosario, La Union. I did it in 8:20+ hours. I stopped my run infront of the Baguio General Hospital.

After an overnight rest in one of the decent hotels in Baguio City, I continued my run the following day from where I stopped and run through the famous Kennon Road going back to where I started. It was all downhill but I had to be cautious because I don’t want my quads and knees to suffer for the pounding with the distance of 33 kilometers. My trekking poles provided me with much comfort on those steep downhill portions of the route. With longer “pit stops”, I was able to reach my destination in 6:00+ hours.

After completing the 2-day running feat, I would discover that the total distance would result to 80 kilometers which is a good 50-miler route for an ultrarunning event. Thus, I decided to dubbed the event on this route as the “Marcos-Kennon 50-Mile Ultra Road Classic”. A status posted at FB gave some commitments from running-friends to help and support in the conduct of this event. Thanks to my ultra running friends!

I’ve decided not to run the Saitan, Rosario to Bauang, La Union route along the Maharlika Highway and instead, measured the distance aboard my car using my GF 305 watch. The distance registered at 53 Kilometers. Stayed overnight in Bauang, La Union. Enjoyed the food, beach and sea breeze of the place and I enjoyed my much-needed rest. From the Bauang, La Union Junction to Baguio City, the distance is 44 Kilometers up to Burnham Park. I did not run through the route but I simply observed the terrain closely as I drove towards Baguio City.

In summary, adding up all the routes of the Baguio-Baguio, the Original King of the Mountain Road Ultra of Jonel, it has a total distance of 224 Kilometers and it can be depicted on the following measured legs:

Baguio City To Saitan, Rosario via Kennon Road—33 Kilometers

Saitan, Rosario To Baguio City via Marcos Highway—47 Kilometers

Baguio City To Bauang, La Union via Nagulian Rd—44 Kilometers

Bauang, La Union To Saitan, Rosario via Maharlika—53 Kilometers

Saitan, Rosario To Baguio City via Marcos Highway—47 Kilometers

I will let Jonel push through with his plan Baguio-Baguio Route to be implimented. However, I will just take a portion of the said route as another challenging race route for interested ultrarunners to experience. Thus, the “Marcos-Kennon 50-Mile Ultra Road Classic” is born. Planning for this race route is not complete if I don’t share to you what are the detailed expenses incurred in order to discover and plan a certain ultrarunning route.

The following were my expenses incurred in the said trip:

Gasoline Expenses (Round Trip From Manila-Baguio & Back)—P 5,000

Food Expenses For 3 Days (For 2 Persons)—P 4,000

Hotel Accommodations—P 4,500

Miscellaneous Expenses—P 1,000

Hydration & Nutrition Needs For My Recon Runs—P 3,000

T   o   t   a    l ————-P 17,500

This is excluding for the Payment for the Wear & Tear/Service for the Car that I am using in my Recon Runs. And since this is my passion, I don’t give a price or costing on the time and effort/services I have to provide in order to create a safe road race for everybody. In addition, the daily salaries of my driver and assistant/support crew are not yet included in the above costs!

I hope in the future, Jonel would be able to stage a multi-day running event on his original Baguio-Baguio Route.

The Ultra Race along this route will come sooner than you think! Keep on running!

Guimaras 110K Run

On By kingofpotsIn Food & Dishes, Insights, Jogging, Places to Run, Races, Runner's Fashion/Attire, Runners Accessories, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program, Travel, Ultramarathon108 Comments

1:00 AM To 8:20 PM, March 20, 2012/Start & Finish @ The Provincial Capitol

On the last week of February, I made a trip to Guimaras Island purposely to visit the place, talk to the Provincial Governor, and recon the circumferential road with a plan to have it as a venue for the incoming PAU National Championships which I scheduled for September 15, 2012.

Despite my initial coordination with the Office of the Governor of Guimaras, my contact person informed me that Gov. Felipe Nava and his wife left for Manila for an important meeting the day before I arrived in the island. So, we had to make some adjustments for the initial coordination.

Provincial Board Member Roy Habana was our savior for the trip. He happens to be a former police officer and personally knows my Uncle-General of the former Philippine Constabulary who was also assigned in the Visayas Area. I explained the purpose of my visit in the island-province to Board Member Habana and he positively endorsed my plan to the Provincial Tourism Officer. After almost one hour of meeting with the Capitol’s Staff concerned on the preparation of my event, the good and very accommodating Board Member Roy invited us for a trip around the island with him as our driver!

For almost 3-4 hours trip on the road around the island, Board Member Roy was our “tourist guide” and host for our “impromtu” lunch prepared and coordinated by her wife in Buenavista, Guimaras (the busiest town of the island). It is in this recon trip that I started to appreciate and love the beauty of the different scenery around the island. Each town has a distinct characteristic of its own which I wanted to feel and see while I am actually running on the ground.

My initial impression of the place is that, this is a “paradise” for ultrarunners! No frills, no vehicular traffic, very nice scenery, challenging terrain of the route, nice people, air quality is very good and above all, a very peaceful environment. No restrictions on what side of the road you would like to run and I intend to allow the use of earphones for the race!

The purpose of my day trip to the island had been attained. Before I left the island, I promised to Board Member Roy that I’ll be back soon for me to actually run around the island. He was amazed! He told me that I will set the record and history for the island for the first runner to run around the island-province! I smiled at him and expressed my heartfelt thanks for the hospitality given during my stay.

Fast Forward. Almost after three weeks, I landed in the Iloilo Airport (again, for the 2nd time this year) with my support crew/security waiting for me. Visiting Iloilo City is not complete if I don’t have my lunch at the Mang Inasal Resto inside the SM Mall in the city, a practice or habit I developed when I was a Division Commander of the Philippine Army in this area. After lunch, I bought my nutritional and hydration needs at the SM Grocery. Top on the list are “Biscocho” & “Butterscotch” from Biscocho Haus; lots of Gardenia Loaf Bread & a bottle of Lily’s Peanut Butter; SMB Pale Pilsen in Cans; Mountain Dew; Nescafe Latte in Cans; Gatorade Powder Mix (I brought it with me); and Absolut Bottled Water. (Yes, I drink beer during my adventure runs!)

A boat ride (each boat is good for 50 passengers) from the city to the island of Guimaras followed after leaving the SM Mall. The fare is only Fifteen Pesos (P 15.00) per person and in 20-25 minutes, we were at the Jordan’s Port in the island. The boat ride was slower this time as compared on my first visit because of the rains, strong winds, and cloudy skies but the sea water is always calm in between Iloilo and Guimaras.

The generosity and hospitality of the Province is superb! Governor Nava prepared for my team’s free hotel accommodation and 50% discount on food for two days at the Raymen Beach Resort in Barangay Alubihod, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras plus the dedicated support vehicle, an Escapade Nissan Van (but I had to buy for the diesel/gas during the whole trip) ! The place, beach, water and amenities are great. Although it is far from the Provincial Capitol, my stay in this place was very relaxing!

As soon as the team was settled in the resort, I met my support crew/security and briefed them about the details of my adventure run. My run would start infront of the Provincial Capitol in Barangay San Miguel, Jordan at 1:00 AM the following day and the run will go on a counter-clockwise direction around the island. My team was advised to sleep immediately after the briefing with a dinner call at 7:30 PM and then sleep again; and then with a “wake-up” call at 12:00 Midnight before going to the Starting Line. My support vehicle would “leap-frog” every 2 kilometers with a motorbike-riding-in-tandem would be on my tail. This adventure run would follow an ala-military operations style of implementation so that it will come out with a successful result! There should be no point where mistakes/errors should be committed.

At 00:45 AM, I was met by Board Member Roy Habana infront of the Provincial Capitol. Wow! I really admire this guy! I am not surprised why the people of Guimaras would elect him to his elective post every election year! My salute to this fine gentleman who is known from his unblemished and outstanding service in the Philippine National Police! We had a brief talk and he wished me good luck before I started my run. After offering a personal prayer for this run, I left the Starting Area at exactly 1:00 AM of March 20, 2012.

My run from the Provincial Capitol was generally downhill but there are also places where there are uphill climbs for the rest of the town of Jordan until I reached the boundary of Nueva Valencia, which is the next town. Nueva Valencia offers a mix of rolling hills just like Jordan but the southernmost part area in this town has a lot of places where it seems there is only the town of Nueva Valencia that covers the whole province! After covering a distance of 42K, I was still in the said town!

It was about sunrise when I saw a lone runner sprinting uphill doing his morning run in one of the last barangays of Nueva Valencia. He was the only runner whom I saw during my run. Nueva Valencia-Sibunag area has a lot fishponds and the scenery was simply refreshing to the eyes! Most of the Sibunag roads are under construction and there are sparse places where runners would encounter uphill climbs!

I would religiously follow my Gymboss setting of 3-minute run & 45-second brisk walk for the first 50 kilometers of my run and I did not feel any pain or imminent attack of cramps on my calves. I was fresh and still strong! Every 2 kilometers, I would eat 2 pieces of “biscocho” and 2 pieces of “butterscotch” with water or gatorade mix and the drill was repeated throughout my run. This is not an advertisement for Biscocho Haus of Iloilo City but that was my nutritional intake for the whole run. If you have tasted these two delicacies already, then you know already why it powers me up during this run!

Board Member Roy Habana linked up with me in the boundary of Sibunag & San Lorenzo for my breakfast/lunch in a roadside eatery/resto where I ate the best “native chicken” tinola in the region with lots of broth! I was simply feeling cold because of my damp running apparel brought about by the rain during the run but the hot broth/soup of the dish kept me warm and my leg muscles’ fresh! I think we stopped for 40 minutes for lunch as more interesting conversation cropped up with the good host-Board Member Roy. Well, he paid for our lunch, to include the police escorts’ meal! Being the Chairman of the Peace & Order of the Provincial Council, he made sure that I was properly escorted by the PNP in every municipality of the Province! Amazing! I did not get this kind of treatment & attention when I was still in the active military service!

As I resumed my run, Board Member Roy passed by on a muddy part of a road under construction and said that he will be going ahead and hope to see me finish at the Provincial Capitol.

I made a discovery that I could run stronger and my endurance last longer if I drink 2-3 cans of beer during my adventure runs. Drinking one can at a time should be spaced properly during such runs. One should not drink more than one can every pit stop! I usually start to drink beer after finishing the marathon distance of 42K (at least, one can to reward myself for finishing the marathon distance) and from there every 10K, I take a sip and once I finished my 2nd marathon distance (84-85K), I should have finished my 2nd can of beer. However, every 2-Kilometer “pit-stop”, I have to drink water or Gatorade and ingest “biscocho & butterscotch”! The 3rd can of beer is taken after finishing my run! It worked well with me.

However, there are times when I fell sleepy while taking my time to finish my 2nd can of beer. The solution is to bring out my Nescafe Latte or Espresso Blend in Cans to perk me up. Espresso Blend is better though because of its strong bitter taste!

As I approached the 90-Kilometer mark all the way to the Finish Line, it’s time to bring out the most powerful source of sugar/glucose—Mountain Dew!

The strong headwinds and crosswinds of San Lorenzo almost zapped my strength on this run. The road is so flat that I was bent on increasing my pace but the wind was so strong that I spent so much force to maintain my short but quick strides. As usual, I was maintaining my Heart Rate of not going beyond 150 beats per minute for the whole duration of this run. There is no use to battle it out with the wind and I concentrated on following my Gymboss setting.

After the strong winds in San Lorenzo, here comes now the start of never-ending uphill climbs once I approached the town of Buenavista. Board Member Roy told me beforehand that there is only one uphill climb from San Lorenzo going to Buenavista, but he was wrong. I think I counted four (4) major uphill climbs before I reached the town!

Passing along the Poblacion of Buenavista was a blast! Board Member Roy, his wife and friends were on the roadside cheering and clapping their hands as I passed by! This town could be the busiest town in the island with lots of people/students leaving their schools; lots of people going and coming out of the public market; and vehicles/tricycles plying along the road.

I was scheduled to reach the finish line between 6:00 and 7:00 PM but the hills in Buenavista and Jordan prevented me from attaining it. It was getting darker already when I slowly ascended each of these hills that I had to brisk walk and took my time to breath the fresh air around. At this point, I was starting to feel the most awaited thing in endurance sports—pain, agony and suffering for an ultrarunner. I was already on my last 10 kilometer before the finish line and all the pains coming from all parts of my body were starting to appear. It is a warning that I need to take something solid in my stomach. I am lucky that we bought a lot of “biscocho & butterscotch”! Biscocho Haus’ products & Mountain Dew are the best food & hydration on this part of my run!

The last 10-kilometer distance in all my adventure runs is simply the hardest but the sweetest of them all. You can easily forget your first 10 kilometers in every ultrarunning race but the last 10 kilometers will always remain in your thoughts that gives a special signature or significance of the race/run that you have successfully finished! This is where you remember to recite and shout your favorite running mantra; this where the “demons and angels” of running will argue with each other; this is where “mind over body” would work; this is where you determine what you are made of; this where you remember your loved ones who are rooting for you to finish this race; this is where you think of your inspiration; this is where you curse yourself why you are doing this run/race; and lastly, this is where you separate yourself from being an ordinary “running boy or girl”! This is where you think that you are a brave “warrior” and nobody would defeat you in order to win your battle!

The last 10 kilometers were challenging part of the route indeed! My Garmin Forerunner 305 would prove that the Provincial Capitol sits on the peak of the highest hill in Jordan, Guimaras!  I finally reached the exact place where I started my run infront of the Provincial Capitol with a clock time of 8:20 PM of the same day which means that I finished my run in 19:20+ hours for a distance of 110 Kilometers.

Hereunder are the summary of data taken from my two (2) GF 305:

Distance: 110 Kilometers

Time: 19:20:04 hours

Average HR: 135 beats per minute (bpm)

Maximum HR: 149 beats per minute (bpm)

Total Calories Spent: 5,066 cal

Total Ascent: 3,663 meters (12, 088 ft)

Total Descent: 3,653 meters (12,055 ft)

Running Kit:

Under Armour Compression Shirt

CW-X Compression Shorts

Drymax Socks

ASICS Gel-Tarther

Under Armour Runner’s Cap

Nathan “Sprint” Watter Bottle

Peltz Headlight

2 GF 305 Watches with Heart Monitor

Ice Bandana

Oakley Sunglasses

Gymboss

After a dinner of Fresh Fish Sinigang, Native Chicken Adobo, Pancit Canton and lots Guimaras Mangoes, I was already on my bed snoring loudly. After almost 9 hours of sleep, I was already on the salty waters of the beach soaking my tired legs for almost 30 minutes.

Before my team left the island, I had the chance to personally talk to Governor Nava about my run and my plan to hold the PAU National Championships in his province in the later part of the year. He appreciated my feat in running the whole island and he told me that I made a history in the island as the first and only person (and the only retired Major General of the AFP) to have run around the island in a single stage. He also appreciates my purpose of bringing “Sports Tourism” in the province.

A visit to Guimaras is not complete if you have not tasted and brought back home the sweetest mango in the world—Guimaras Mangoes! “Nothing Beats The Guimaras Mango”!!!

See you in Guimaras in September 2012!

2012 BDM 102: Race Report By Peter Kennedy

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Places to Run, Race Results, Races, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program, Travel, Ultramarathon5 Comments

Decision to Run

Back in September I wasn’t seeing any improvements in my 5 km/10 km times even though after three years in the Philippines I was fully acclimatised and my mileage was up at the 70 km level per week.  I knew I was leaving the Philippines in March and when I heard about the BDM 102 I thought that it would make a suitable climax to my running in the Philippines.

Race Preparation – Endurance and Speed

I wanted to do my best I could in the race, even though it was my first ever and possibly only ultra-marathon.  So I looked round for both a running coach and a nutrition coach.  I needed coaches who knew how to train someone for top-class ultra-marathon running and in Ige Lopez I found someone who is both an experienced ultra-marathon runner and coach.  He put me on a training schedule in three parts – 7 week build-up towards 100 km/week, 10 weeks of endurance/speed training which peaked at 160 km/week (including warm-up runs), and then one month tapering before the race.  The training was very varied – long slow runs at weekends reaching back-to-back 75/25 km runs, moderate-paced runs up to 21 km, sometimes with hill sessions or fast intervals, aerobic-paced runs on alternate weekdays and one rest day a week.  I was fortunate to avoid any injuries in training.  However if I had experienced the BDM course before the race, I would have realised that I needed to do a lot more hill work (Ige did hint this to me), but work and family commitments would have got in the way.  The highlight of this training was a 3 hours 20 minutes marathon in December.  The lowlight of the training were forgetting to take my hydration pack on one of my trips abroad, which disrupted the nutrition plan for my 60 km training run.

Nutrition

My nutrition coach Harvie de Baron was excited to take on the challenge of helping me with the BDM 102.  He has advised good athletes and those trying to lose weight before, but not someone doing an ultra-marathon who can’t gain weight.  In fact after a few weeks of additional healthy snacks (fruit, sports bars and milk) I gained 2 kilos which converted to additional muscle whilst my fat content remained very low at 5%.  This can be explained by my high metabolic rate, equivalent to that of a 12 year old!  The plan for the race was to get all my calories through liquid rather than food.  I opted for wearing a hydration backpack and taking frequent sips of isotonic drink, with short stops every ten km for an energy gel and extra water.  We slightly increased the concentration of isotonic drink to enable me to get 260 calories/hour.  I could also carry a phone, torch and spare headlamp in the hydration pack and I got used to carrying all this weight on my training runs.  Other key ingredients of the training were a protein recovery drink after all long runs and a weekly massage.

Gear

I decided to race in compression shorts and vest, much as the triathletes do, which avoided any chafing problems.  My GPS watch was essential to my training and the race itself, but I wore a second basic running watch as a backup just in case it failed me.

Life outside running

During the five and half months of ultra marathon training there wasn’t much of a life other than running and sleeping.  Moreover the demands of work as well as the training meant I often didn’t get enough sleep – but not starting work until the afternoon most days allowed me to catch up with sleep after the early morning runs.

The Race itself

The gun went off promptly at 10:15 pm.  I immediately joined the leading group and was running comfortably at 4:30 mins/km pace!  I knew I had to slow down but somehow I kept up my pace on the long hill and even went into the lead for a few kilometres.  I arrived at my first drink refill stop after 12 km, five minutes ahead of schedule.  I knew then I blown the negative split strategy and it could lead to serious problems before the end of the race.   So after continuing quite fast downhill for the next ten kilometres, I eased back the pace considerably.  I got a bad shock when the 22 km marker for my next drink stop wasn’t in sight after 25 km and I lost five minutes making a phone call to the support team.  Jonnifer Lacanlale, the eventual winner, passed me at this point but I didn’t try to catch him.

All my drink stops every ten kilometres were under three minutes – the time it took me to swap drink packs on my back, and take an energy gel plus water, giving a total of 25 minutes of stops, which is probably less than most runners, even the other fast ones.  At the 42 km drink stop, I vomited due to the volume of liquid I was drinking but I was prepared for this – I just took another drink of water and set off without any delay.

Running in the dark went well – it was not too hot; there was a full moon and there was a wide edge to the road so that I could easily dodge any oncoming trucks/buses that didn’t move out when approaching me.  The only near-miss occurred when a bus coming fast from behind on the wrong side of the road passed within two feet of me but most likely the driver had seen me because of my reflective strips.  This year there were no accidents in the race.

After 52 km I slowed down to below 6 mins/km and thereafter the pace was closer to 6:30 mins/km.  Each ten kilometres seemed never-ending because I could see from my watch how slowly I was running, but I kept focussed.  I had been due to change shoes and socks after 52 or 62 km, but I abandoned this idea since I didn’t feel any problems with my feet, which turned out well since the third place runner was only five minutes behind me at the finish.

After the half-way point, I was followed closely by another runner.  However at 82 kilometres he only walked on whilst I changed drink packs and then when I passed him again he dropped out of sight.  I heard afterwards that he finished in 15 hours which meant that he spent more than 6 hours on those last 15 kilometres which is a horrendous consequence of his going too fast at the beginning.

When dawn came I had reached 75 km, but I didn’t notice the heat until the last 10 km when I was running the very long straight road from Guagua to the finish.  At this point I couldn’t see anyone behind me and my final 10 km was done comfortably at 7:06 mins/km pace.  I crossed the finish line at precisely 9 am in a time of 10:44:56, which is an average running pace of 6:02 mins/km, and second place!

So the endurance training was a success but my pacing was a failure.  It was clear from my times in training that I could hope to run at 5:30 mins/km pace for the BDM, which when stops are added, would be a net 5:50 mins/km pace – within the course record.  I was well prepared for this, including many moderate pace runs at 4:30-5:00 mins/km and good practice at running negative splits.  Such times on largely flat roads probably gave me false hopes and the over-confidence in my speed that tapering brings plus the effect of running steeply uphill until 10 km was too much and I failed to follow my own race plan.

My overall liquid consumption was 150 ml/hour less than planned which is understandable in a night-time run.  This meant I only took in 220 calories/hour on average, which probably contributed to my slowing down in the second half of the race.  I didn’t make this risk clear to my support crew and so I never used the contingency plan of taking an energy gel every five kilometres instead of every ten to compensate.

Even if I hadn’t run too quickly at the beginning and everything else had gone according to plan, I am not sure I could have matched Jonnifer’s time without doing as much hill training as he did.

I very much appreciated the efforts of my support crew: my wife, our driver and one extra driver.  They ensured that I never missed them at a stop, checked I was crossing the road safely every time, re-filled my hydration packs in between stops, kept the stops to a minimum time and all this meant that they didn’t get any sleep either.

Reflections afterwards

Why did I do it? Were the long hours of training worthwhile? What’s next?

I run because it is easy to do and I am built for it, even though having the right running gear makes it an expensive sport.  I like the competitive nature of races and the thought of winning is a great spur for me to action.  I like the health benefits it brings – very high fitness level even at the age of 60, with not a day off work through illness in the last 10 years.  With no weight problems I can eat and drink what I like within reason.  Running also gives me extra energy for work which brings its own rewards as well.  So I see myself continuing to run for many years yet, competing against the world’s best runners in my age group.  The change from middle-distance running on the track in England to an ultra-marathon in the Philippines has been very enjoyable and I intend to vary my competitive programme going forward with a different focus some years to others.

I hope this account inspires more people of any age to change their lifestyle to include exercise and good diet and others to extend their running beyond the fun-run level right up to the challenge of doing a fast ultra-marathon.

 (Note: Peter Kennedy of Great Britain finished as the 1st Runner-Up with a time of 10:44:56 hours in the 2012 BDM 102)

Look & Compare…The Cheapest Ultra Race!

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Places to Run, Race Results, Races, Runners' Training, Running, Travel, Ultramarathon9 Comments

This could be the road race that you had been waiting and looking for. If you are fond of looking for cheap registration fees and want to get back what you have paid for, then this the running event that is worth every centavo of your money!

2011 Champion DOT Award For Sports Tourism

If you want to have a review about what had happened in last year’s 1st edition of the event, you can click on the following links.

https://baldrunner.com/2011/04/08/race-directors-report-1st-mayon-360-50-mile-run/

https://baldrunner.com/2011/04/03/result-1st-mt-mayon-360%c2%b0-50-mile-ultra-marathon-race/

https://baldrunner.com/2011/10/13/award-winning-ultra-run/

Nothing Beats MAYON 360 50-Mile Endurance Run that promotes Sports Tourism in the Regional as well as in the Provincial Level.

See you at the 2012 Magayon Festival!

Result: 2012 BDM 52K “Test Run”

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Places to Run, Race Results, Races, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program, Travel, Ultramarathon1 Comment

2012 BDM 52K “Test Run”/6:57 AM February 11, 2012/BDM Km Post #50, Abucay, Bataan To BDM Km Post #102, San Fernando, Pampanga

RANK NAME TIME
1 Henry Laron 5:29:05
2 Jerome Bautista 5:55:37
3 Nolan Llanora 6:15:22
4 Fernando Dellomos, Jr 6:25:25
5 Jerry Guiao 6:28:42
6 Roberto Abad 6:33:02
7 Jesus Llarena 6:34:18
8 Mark Repala 6:45:15
9 Frederick Quitiquit 6:56:27
10 Teodulo Alferez, Jr 6:57:13
11 Carl Balagot 6:58:25
12 Paul Vargas 7:00:34
13 Miguel De Alba 7:01:08
14 Adrian Salay 7:01:09
15 Joseph Pineda 7:03:29
16 Jon Las Bruce 7:03:30
17 Jorell Paringit 7:04:25
18 Benjamin Termulo 7:15:25
19 Benedict Muriel 7:15:25
20 Marlo Guloy 7:26:46
21 Ruben Fajardo, Jr 7:26:47
22 Rolly Nirona 7:26:48
23 Jason Sison 7:32:42
24 Jojo Paguia 7:37:37
25 Aristotle Carrino 7:37:40
26 Candy Balaba (F) 7:41:18
27 Mark Delumen 7:47:11
28 Calvin John Escandor 7:51:12
29 Raymond Bodino 8:01:19
30 Val Caro 8:02:02
31 Ernesto Badong 8:09:24
32 Jinky Yray (F) 8:14:40
33 Harold Ramirez 8:17:14
34 Choy Zaguirre 8:30:52
35 Emmanuel Chavez 8:32:21
36 Jigs De Jesus 8:32:37
37 Kharl Ocampo 8:35:59
38 Elmar Tolete 8:37:53
39 Jonah Rivera 8:37:54
40 Addison Sayoc 8:45:40
41 Joseph Ligot 8:46:49
42 Carmeli Ortega (F) 8:56:58
43 Rico Cabusao 8:57:27
44 George Dolores 8:57:38
45 Russel Sanchez 8:58:22
46 Mike Galas 9:10:47

Good luck to all the 2012 BDM 102 Ultra Marathon Race Participants.

See you at the Final Briefing & CLP/Starting Line!

History Of Running In Japan

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Races, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program, TravelLeave a comment

I’ve witnessed how the Japanese run in the Jeju International 100K Ultra Marathon Race (South Korea) and in the Soochow University 24-Hour Endurance Run (Taiwan) in 2010. In the late 70s and whole of 80s, I’ve seen on TV and documentary films how the Japanese long distance/marathon runners dominated the world’s best and popular road races including the Olympic Games. Now, there are also emerging as one of the best in ultrarunning events in the world.

I have the belief that we could also emulate or learn something from them because we have the same built and the same attitude in life. Although long distance running training and competition had been with them for almost 90 years and took them 30+ years to come up with their first Olympic Gold Medal in the Marathon, I have the positive outlook that we can attain such goal in the coming generation of younger runners.

I have discovered an article that had been published in the Running Times Magazine and written by Brett Larner with the detailed description on the history of running in Japan.

Enjoy your day and be inspired by this article: Handing Off The Tasuki by Brett Larner.

“Full”

On By kingofpotsIn Food & Dishes, Insights, Jogging, Nutrition, Runners' Training, RunningLeave a comment

Whenever you are asked to eat some more in parties or in family lunch or dinner, your probable answer would be, “Thank you, I am full”. It means that you don’t have enough space in your stomach for the additional food being offered to you. Your stomach is already “stuffed” with the mixture of solid foods and drinks that you have ingested.

The problem now among us is how to determine if we are already “stuffed” with food after our meals. Sometimes, most of us would loosen our belts and allow our stomach to bulge to the fullest when we say that we are “full” already. Others would simply eat the right amount and have the discipline and consciousness to eat the right amount of food without being “stuffed” or without their stomach “ballooned” to a bigger size.

We always do this whenever we are invited to parties and other events where the host would prepare a lot of mixed selection of foods. This is a chance for us to eat the foods which are not normal or ordinary in our daily meals. This is a chance and opportunity for us to stuff our belly with such served foods. Much more when we are invited when the food being offered are in buffet style!

For a runner like me, I would say that I could easily burn the calories on those foods for 1-2 hours of steady run the following day and I could revert back to my usual foods for the days to come. But for others who are not consistent with their running workout and for those who are not involved in any kind of sports, such foods “stuffed” in their stomach would be converted to fats and I am sure that this will result to some additional pound/s in their body weight. And when they see that their weight had increased, then that the only time that they realize that they have to exercise or go out for a run/bike/swim. It is sad to note that it is faster to add more pounds to your body weight than the time needed to reduce one’s weight!

So, how do we find out if we are already “stuffed” or “full” when we eat? The technique that I would recommend is to make a rating of fullness from 1-to-5 scale. If your rating is 5 on the scale, it means that you are about to loosen your belt and remove the upper button of your pants! If your rating is 1, then you need to eat some more! So to be safe, a rating of 3-4 on the scale would be a good gauge to say that you have stuffed the right amount of food which you could easily burn while you are doing your regular daily activities.

Remember, the rating 3-4 on the scale whenever you eat in parties or in buffet lunch and dinner so that you can still maintain your running performance weight in every running event you would want to join.

Good luck and see you at the Starting Line!

Trail Running 101: Part #2: “Rules On The Run”

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Runners' Training, Running, Trail Running, Travel10 Comments

Now that you are ready to embrace trail running, there are some rules and regulations; protocols; etiquette; or “GMRC” (Good Manners & Right Conduct) things/actions that every runner should know and follow. These rules boil down to the preservation of the environment and “common sense” in treating our co-runners.

The American Trail Running Association (ATRA) offers a list of “must” to be followed in trail running activities and events. For the benefit of everybody, our trail runners and “would be” ones are encouraged to read this list on the “Rules On The Run”. Please read the link below:

http://www.trailrunner.com/news/trail_etiquette.htm

It is imperative that every trail runner should follow these rules and regulations.

Good luck and see you at the Starting Line!

Result: 2012 BDM 50K “Test Run”

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Race Results, Races, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program, Travel, UltramarathonLeave a comment

2012 Bataan Death March 50K “Test Run”/Mariveles To Abucay, Bataan/10:15 PM January 14, 2012 To 7:15 AM January 15, 2012.

PLACE BIB # NAME TIME
1 652 Henry Laron 5:27:19
2 777 Simon Pavel Miranda 5:33:05
3 878 Jerome Bautista 5:53:45
4 693 Almar Danguilan 6:00:29
5 881 Carlito Buenaventura 6:04:54
6 747 Fernando Dellomos, Jr 6:11:14
7 663 Alvin Adriano 6:14:06
8 874 Bob Castilla 6:24:07
9 877 Ernesto Badong 6:28:46
10 696 Ric Adrian Salay 6:36:32
11 695 Miguel De Alba 6:36:33
12 896 Jessie Llarena 6:38:14
13 591 Teodulo Alferez, Jr 6:44:20
14 745 Allan Palomares 6:44:21
15 889 Allan Martos 6:51:04
16 882 Kharl Ocampo 6:59:36
17 686 Alain Cuchas Ilaguno 6:59:37
18 879 Jason Sison 7:05:48
19 698 Frederick Quitiquit 7:08:17
20 887 Wesley Orana 7:09:14
21 890 Carl Balagot 7:09:15
22 654 Chips Dayrit 7:10:58
23 653 Darryl Panado 7:11:01
24 778 Angelo Anillo 7:11:02
25 661 Jorell Paringit 7:13:19
26 694 Dennis Carcamo 7:13:20
27 657 Emmanuel Chavez 7:18:41
28 692 Candy Balaba (Female) 7:19:40
29 894 Mark Anthony Delumen 7:25:41
30 872 Benedict Muriel 7:25:45
31 873 Harold Ramirez 7:25:46
32 892 Ofelia Lorete (Female) 7:27:53
33 665 Mary Jane Villamor (Female) 7:32:08
34 664 Jerome Aragones 7:32:09
35 883 Nap Ocampo 7:36:52
36 669 Don Armand Gutierrez 7:43:16
37 885 Choy Zaguirre 7:43:35
38 689 Jojo Paguia 7:44:11
39 880 Carmeli Ortega (Female) 7:45:11
40 884 Alex Jones 7:45:30
41 697 Maria Stephanie Hefti (Female) 7:55:33
42 875 Vic Delima II 7:56:02
43 876 Ruben Fajardo, Jr 7:56:03
44 662 Jonah Rivera 7:59:59
45 886 Jericho De Jesus 8:06:44
46 667 Jinky Yray 8:07:37
47 748 Perkins Briones 8:09:17
48 871 Russell Sanchez  8:12:06
49 893 Harold Lorete 8:42:59
50 891 Jinkee Guerrero 8:43:27
51 895 Joseph Ligot 8:43:29

See you on the next BDM 52K “Test Run” on February 11, 2012. Assembly Time is 6:00 AM @ BDM Kilometer Post #50 in Abucay, Bataan.

Keep on training!

In Memory Of Our Fallen Heroes In The Name Of Peace & Freedom
2012 BDM 102/160 "Brave Warriors" (Photo Courtesy Of Simon Pavel Miranda)

Reminders: 2012 BDM 102 “50K Test Run”

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Places to Run, Practice Runs, Runners' Training, Running, Travel, UltramarathonLeave a comment

To All BDM 102 Runners:

This “test run” will simulate your run on Race Day, on March 3-4, 2012. This test run will be held tomorrow, January 14, 2012, which will start at the Bataan Death March (BDM) Shrine in Mariveles, Bataan where the BDM Kilometer Post/Obelisk #00 is located. The Assembly Time is 9:00 PM as most of the participants had signified their intention to register On Site. The Registration Fee is P 500.00 as this event will be properly timed and recorded.

BDM Shrine Kilometer Post #00 In Mariveles, Bataan

The Gun Start is at 10:00 PM (the same time for the Race Day). The “test run” has a cut-off time of nine (9) hours for the runners to reach/cross the Finish Line at the BDM Kilometer Post #50 which is located within the vicinity of the Abucay Public Market in Abucay, Bataan.

Participants have to take note of the following BDM Kilometer Posts where critical intersections are located: Kilometer Posts #14; #23; and #32. Once the runners see these posts, they have to TURN RIGHT on the road intersection in order for them to be on the actual route of the Bataan Death March.

As the runners would be staying on the left side of the road, facing the incoming traffic, the BDM Kilometer Posts are located on the right side of the road throughout the route of the event.

Runners are reminded to test the following during the run: wearing of reflectorized vest; race strategy; hydration & nutrition strategy; the positioning of one’s support vehicle & crew; running shoes & kit; use of first aid kit for blisters & other running-related injuries; and the use of one’s choice of lighting system.

Runners should be aware that the road will be dark during the run and there is a possiblity of rain showers and windy environment on the first 20 kilometers of the run. Practically, you will be running on top of a mountain with the wind coming from the sea/coast.

There is a lot of stray dogs on populated areas along the road. Make sure that your Ipod/MP3s volume are not too loud for you to determine the distance of the barking dogs from you. Take necessary precautions for these barking dogs.

There is a lot night spots/karaoke bars along the route and some of the customers could be drunk or surprised to see runners on nighttime. Find time to greet, wave or smile at them before they could say anything. Be friendly and smart.

For safety purposes, try to find somebody who has the same pace with you and at least, you have a companion during the run. Better if you can run with a group. However, remember to run on single file on the left side of the road. If the shoulder of the road is wide enough for two runners abreast, then it is allowed with care and vigilance.

When crossing the road to the other side to approach your respective support vehicle, be sure to stop, listen, and look around for any incoming vehicle before crossing. Support vehicles are also advised to stay on the right side shoulder of the road when on stop.

Remember, the starting area is in MARIVELES (not in Bagac, Bataan where another BDM Km Post #00 is located). The BDM Shrine in Mariveles, Bataan is located beside the JOLLIBEE. You will never get lost once you see the sign of the fastfood establishment.

(Note: For those who are joining this test run without support vehicle, you can take the Genesis Bus or Bataan Transit from their Cubao Terminal. Allocate at least 5 Hours as Travel Time)

Good luck! See you at the Starting Line!