This is the 3rd edition of this trail running race in Hongkong. It started with only 200 runners on its first edition and then followed with 750 runners on its 2nd edition and now, it has 1,213 participants coming from 40 different countries. The registration period lasted for only a few days.
The following is the tally of runners by each country.
21 Runners From The Philippines (Courtesy of Allen Lee of Malaysia)
This is the list of runners who will represent the country in this year’s edition.
NO.
NAME
1
Alen Alban
2
Marcelo Bautista
3
Almelito Casas
4
Fernando Cunanan Jr
5
Rienzirobert Del Rosario
6
Romulo Doctolero
7
Alain Cuchas Llaguno
8
Benson Martinez
9
Jonel Mendoza
10
Jones Mortega
11
Nixon Pasiken
12
Ralph Angelo Real
13
Gerald Sabal
14
Jessie Lou Sulague
15
Oliver Templo
16
Mark Carlo Villafuerte
17
Cheryl Bihag (F)
18
Verlie Bunao (F)
19
Laarni De Guzman (F)
20
Mallette De La Riva (F)
21 Manuel Dela Serna
Good luck to everybody.
To review on the last year’s edition of the race, you can click on the following links:
The following is a repost of Ultrarunner Seow Kong Ng’s Race Report on the 2012 TD 100 Endurance Run which was originally posted on Facebook last December 21, 2012.
Consecutive DNFs in two 100 miles races in Great North Walk 100 miles (Nov 2011) and Taklang Damulag 100 miles (Dec 2011) must have been so devastating. I signed up for 2012 TD100 immediately on 5th Jan 2012, vowing that I SHALL RETURN almost a year later with a vengeance to seek the revenge. It has been a long time coming since, and finally 2012 TD100 was upon us on 15th Dec 2012.
Training for the race has been less than optimal, with the “so cold and so wet” Shanghai Marathon two weeks ago serving as the last long run, but certainly not the kind of “heat training” called for by this TD100 which is known for the ruthless heat on Mt. Taklang Damulag. Although December is normally the wet season, it hasn’t rained for more than two weeks before the race. We were relieved that some river crossings would even be totally dry.
Things like DNF happened for a number of reasons, and I would be foolish not to learn the lessons.
I developed hyponatremia (a complication of other medical illnesses in which excess water accumulates in the body at a higher rate than can be excreted, sometimes a result of over hydration) in 2011 race, and had to stop at Palali (98k point). Why did I drink so much? It was HOT last year, and I stopped regularly at the sari-sari (stores) to buy coke and ice.
And I did not have enough to eat earlier on in the race, and went hungry for most of the race. Worst of all, I did not even have salt to eat, causing me to develop severe cramps even on my first trip ascending and descending Mt. Taklang Damulag.
Back in town again (I mean Fort Magsaysay of course), Allan Lee (my fellow Malaysian participant) and I may have overkilled quite a bit on the nutrition front. Supported by Cally and a vehicle, we had our meals and drinks strategy planned out before the race. Our hired van was well stocked up with watermelons, rock melons, honey dews, apples, pears and etc. If anything, nutrition should be the least of our issue in this race.
2nd TD 100 International Runners. Seow Kong Ng Is 2nd From Right. (From Left, Gilbert Gray of USA, Mark Jolin of USA, Andre Blumberg of HK, Seow Kong Ng, & Allan Lee of Malaysia)
22 100 milers took off from the starting line at 5:00am on 15th Dec 2012. Instead of making myself to the front of the pack like last year, I held back for much of the first 5 km or so. Chatting along the way to Dick Balaba, with whom I got lost together for about 1 hour last year, Allan and I moved in the middle of a pack of runners towards Bacao (5k) and Palali (15.5k) without much incident, covering the undulating trails to Nazareth (27k) with much comfort too in about 3 hours.
It’s another 24k of mainly flat road initially, trails later on to Fernandez Hill. It was during this stretch where we started our spending spree from sari-sari to sari-sari on coke, ice, and ice water. Sometimes it is like striking a lottery to find a store selling ice, so we went around sticking our tongues out to who ever that came in sight, and asked if they know which stores are selling ice. Mind you, we reckoned that Day 1 last year was hotter than this year, and I had a lot more coke taken then. Good for me.
One thing that I did not learn very well obviously is on “not getting lost”. Well, this time we were following a pinoy runner (can’t remember his name now) all the way to Bacao, took a picture with a sergeant and his fellow volunteers there, and ran straight into the trails. Almost like 2km down the trail later, a mountain motorbike came along with this rider who delivered the dreaded message that we’ve got into the “small loops” of the trail instead of the Big loop first. SO, we were not lost, but we got into the wrong trails.
So, instead of reaching Fernandez Hill at 12.00 noon (7 hours from the start), it was almost like 1pm when we could have our proper lunch at the Hill. 25 minutes of lunch break later (and yes, plenty of watermelons later), we headed to the hill to start our first ascent of Mt. Taklang Damulag.
I was intent on avoiding similar cramps at the hill and taking it real easy as I made my way up the hill. Turned out that it was much easier than I imagined. No cramp, and much less sweating than last year. Of course, I have been taking salt tablets every 1-2 hours before. Instead of 3 hours, we completed the first loop and in less than 3 hours, with the second loop slightly faster (cooler) although requiring wearing of headlamp. Returning to Fernandez Hill, there were already some casualties from the heat, and Andre and Dick (last year lone survivor and finisher) have both decided to pull out from the race.
By the time we reached SOCOM (Special Operation Command Centre) at 83km, the end of the 1st loop, it was about 7:50pm. We have completed the first loop in just under 15 hours, and have 17 hours left to cover exactly the same loop. We can’t afford to get lost at all, and will need to push the pace a little just to be on the safe side.
Again, we were well fed before taking on the long night out on the trails. We made sure we have Cally followed us with our support vehicle for as far as possible. Going pass the villages again, the dogs obviously did not believe that they have seen two friendly Malaysian runners passing by earlier on during the day on our first loop. So, went they barked, and barked, but we must be some kind of even more vicious creatures with lights on our heads bouncing along on the trails. No villagers have behaved like that before I’m sure. Especially when we pointed our headlamps towards the dogs, they must have been more frightened than us.
Such was the run through the night and the sunrises, and we were back at Fernandez Hill again at about 6:45am. By then, we have completed 134k in less than 25 hours. We have caught up with most of the remaining survivors of the race, which was 10. 12 runners have DNFed the race at this stage.
Fully energized, and motivated by the remaining distance of 32km, Allan and I shifted our gears right up. Especially Allan, who apparently completed the first loop in only 1.5 hour, whereas I was also faster than before, but a full 1 hour later than Allan. By then, Allan was already on his way passing and catching everyone who has been in front of us since 5am the day before.
The second loop was completed in hot condition between 8:40am to 11:30am, but I still have 1.5 hour to run 6km to the finish line at SOCOM. I was lying in 8th place then, with now 13 runners out of the race already.
Being the midday, the blazing sun was at its full blast on the home stretch of 6km. The water bottle (full of ice) did not last even 2km before it went totally warm in my hand. Passing CJ about 2 k down the road, and narrowing the gap with the 6th runner in front to within 200m, I finally hit the finishing line in 7th place. At 31h21m42s, less than a minute behind the 6th finisher.
Although TD100 is designed to be an easy course, but certainly one with a very tight cutoff, considering the hot weather during the day, which is when most of us will be scaling Mt. Taklang Damulag. Apart from the exceptional Allan and the 1st runner-up, all the remaining 7 finishers finished within 1 hour of each other, at around 31 hours. Not to mention a finishing rate of 40.9%, which is not a high successful rate as well.
In completing the unfinished business that was TD100, I can attribute the success to the following KSFs (key success factors):
1). Food was excellently prepared, catered, served (including the can’t be missed water melons), devoured and digested. In short, no stomach issue, but plenty of energy;
2). No over hydration this time. Drinks, complimented by chia seeds every now and then, were carefully consumed without excesses. Some cokes and ice cream went a long way too. In short, no hyponatremia;
3). No cramp. I sweated profusely last year on climbing the hills, and yet not taking in any salt tablet at all. This year, I have plentiful of them, and popping them at every 1-2 hours intervals. In short, no grimacing on the hills, up and down.
4). Buddying with Allan. Buddying always help in mental games like 100 miles races, especially when you are buddying with a fast guy like Allan. In short, he kept me on my toes, and I better be running;
5). Lastly, I believe I am a slightly different guy this year. In short? Older, but faster!
And wiser as well, even when I got lost again!!
(With this race, the final curtain came down for 2012 with the completion of 9 ultras, 6 full marathons and 1 half marathon. It has been a good year, a no-regret arrival at the door of the End of the World, today).
Seow Kong Ng of Malaysia Receiving His Silver Buckle & Finisher’s Medal
In Special Units in the military, you always hear their mantra as, “Train As You Fight”. Among elite runners, their mantra should be “Train As You Race”.
In order to have a quick look and observation on the training & preparation of Gerald Sabal and Marcelo Bautista for the 2013 Vibram Hongkong 100K Trail Run in Baguio City, I have to personally see for myself how their training was on-going with regards to their acclimatization to cold weather environment, altitude training, and feedback about their training program & workout. I went up to Baguio City and see the progress of their training. I had a chance to join in one of their daily workouts.
On my first day in Baguio City, I treated them to a lunch and it was there that I was able to give my instructions about their schedule of training; suggested running route in the city and its environs; and gave them their running apparel/kits and their nutrition needs, courtesy of Andre Blumberg who brought the items from Hongkong to Manila during his participation in the latest edition of the TD 100 Ultramarathon Race.
Gerald, Girlene (Wife of Gerald) & Marcelo @ Good Taste, Baguio City
Gerald and Marcelo were instructed to use the Hammer Perpetuum as their source of nutritional needs during the race in order to minimize spent time in stopping in every Aid Station for their food intake. And they should be used to be taking such food mixture/supplement every time they have their daily workouts until it becomes natural for them during the actual race. I clearly explained to the two runners on how to mix the Hammer Powder with water in their hydration bottles and how the mixture is being consumed during the run.
I asked them to run with me all the way to the peak of Mount Santo Tomas on the following day and be able to start using the Hammer mixture as their food intake during the run. We started at 4:00 AM when the temperature in Baguio City was at its coldest at the Marcos Highway & entry to the Green Valley Subdivision. It was still dark and we were able to use our headlights and hand-held flashlight. The two runners were using their respective Salomon S-Lab 5-Liter Hydration Pack where one bottle is full of Hammer Mixture and the other bottle was full of water. As for me, I brought a single bottle of Simple Hydration filled with water and no gels or Power Bars.
At sunrise, we were already at the peak of Mt Cabuyao and it was cold and windy. We pushed, jogged and brisk-walked, for another 4 kilometers until we reached the peak of Mount Santo Tomas. Before we reached the peak of Mt Santo Tomas, I felt all my fingers were already numbed and could hardly clench my fist because of the cold temperature. The wind had become stronger, producing a distinct loud sound within the surroundings. Marcelo told me that it is always cold and windy as one approaches the top of Mt Santo Tomas. We end up on the building structures and antennae on the peak of the mountain and we had some picture taking moments.
At The Peak Of Mt Santo Tomas (2,250 MASL)
After a few minutes, we started our descent towards Mt Cabuyao but my fingers were still numbed and hard! It was an easy jog in going back to Mt Cabuyao. From Mt Cabuyao, I took some pictures of the two elite runners going down towards Marcos Highway.
My run to the peak of Mount Cabuyao and Mount Santo Tomas officially started my next season of “peak bagging” feats. It is a “short” but long 24K run but it took me 4 hours & 20 minutes for the said workout.
After the workout, I had another chance to get feedback from my runners. They told me that they like the Hammer Mixture and they did not have any stomach issues. I instructed them to use it every time they have their workout until they taper down before the event.
For one of their long runs before tapering, I told them to run the Baguio City-Ambuklao Dam-Baguio City route and be able to use the Hammer Mix during the duration of their run. They were able to follow my instruction and they were able to finish the course in 7+ hours! The feedback was that they liked the Hammer Mix and they did not have any stomach issues.
A good teamwork developed between the two runners for the three weeks that they have trained together in Baguio City. The two shared their strengths and weaknesses and I could see that both runners respect each other. Practically, both runners lived together in one place during the duration of their training.
I can’t consider myself as their Coach & Manager but I think I am a “facilitator” and a “father-figure” to them with regards to their training and preparation for the “Big Dance” in Hongkong. Sometimes, I would still act as a Military Commander & General to them just to stress and give importance to what I am telling them. However, the bottom line of what I’ve been telling them is all about Discipline& Being Focused to their Goal! And impressed on them the mantra, “Train As You Race”!
As these two runners are tapering for the running event and preparing for their departure to Hongkong in one week’s time, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the runners, local & international, who contributed financial support to these two runners and to Andre Blumberg of Hongkong who is the Principal Sponsor for our Pinoy Elite Runners to the 2013 Vibram Hongkong 100K Trail Run. Thank you very much!
Recce is a British English term while Recon is a North American English/Australian English term of the word Reconnaissance. The word is defined as:
“Reconnaissance is a mission to obtain information by visual observation of other detection methods, about the activities and resources of the enemy or potential enemy, or about the meteorologic, hydrographic, or geographic characteristics of a particular area”. (From Reconnaissance: US Army Field Manual 7-92; Chapter 4)
In ultra trail running, the conduct of reconnaissance on the race course is a “must” if one has to establish full confidence to finish the race or even establish a better performance in the race. For elite and/or top-rated ultra runners, they make it a point to run through the course as part of their recce/recon. The “race course” is the “enemy” for every runner and he/she needs all the data about the enemy and defeats it at all costs. Conducting a recon run is no longer a “secret” among Champions. It is the Way of the Champions!
When brothers Gerald and Cresenciano Sabal won as Team Champion in the Mt Apo Boulder Face International Challenge last March of this year, I personally asked Gerald Sabal to consider competing for the 2013 Vibram Hongkong 100K Trail Run (HK100) and improve the past performance of the Pinoy elite runners in the said race. I got a positive reply from Gerald and the support of Andre Blumberg from Hongkong continues for the exposure of Pinoy runners in international running competitions.
In order to gain confidence and familiarity of the HK100 trail course, I brought Gerald Sabal to Hongkong last July this year with Andre Blumberg as our Host and Guide. We had a night run and a day run in two successive days along the second half and most difficult portions of the course. Our recce/recon was very fruitful as Gerald was able to experience the climate and to see for himself the condition and elevation of the course.
Andre & Gerald @ Needle HillAndre & Bald RunnerTook A Picture Of The Famous Bamboo Snake Along The Course
Marcelo’s continuous winnings in my ultra races in every month and for being the Champion in the 1st PAU National Championship in Guimaras, Andre Blumberg of Hongkong asked me if Marcelo could also join Gerald Sabal for the 2013 HK100 Trail Run. I immediately approved of the proposal. So, for the 2013 HK100 Trail Run, Andre Blumberg of Hongkong had sponsored for the Registration Fees, Round-Trip Tickets and Accommodation for Gerald Sabal and Marcelo Bautista. Andre Blumberg had been consistently the “Good Samaritan” of our elite Ultrarunners.
2nd Day Recce/Recon RunAlways Behind These Two Fast Trail RunnersMcLehose Trail In Hongkong
If you are wondering why an international runner, as an individual, is the one who have been initiating and offering support to our elite ultrarunners to international races, I am also wondering why? Instead of asking him why he is doing this support, we should ask ourselves and our corporate entities in the country why we are not supporting our elite runners to international exposure.
Two weeks ago, Andre Blumberg came to the country to participate in the 2nd edition of the Taklang Damulag 100-Mile Endurance Run and he brought with him running kit/apparel, equipment, and nutrition for Marcelo and Gerald. The two runners had been adapting and “breaking-in” on the nutrition & equipment provided by Andre as they are now training in Baguio City/Benguet Province. Their “new” nutrition is giving them better performance in their training.
The “Good Samaritan”, Marcelo, & BR @ 2nd Taklang Damulag 100-Mile Endurance Run
For the past two weeks, Gerald and Marcelo had been training hard in the mountains in Baguio/Benguet (Mts. Cabuyao & Santo Tomas); stairs running & repeats at the Lourdes Grotto; trail running loops at the Camp John Hay Complex; speed drills & stretching workouts; and LSDs to Ambuklao Dam and back to Baguio City. Such training is geared towards teamwork, nutrition & hydration strategy, pacing, dependability of running equipment, high altitude, strength-endurance, and most of all, running in a cold environment.
Gerald and Marcelo had been consistently running in Baguio City/Benguet when the temperature is at its lowest (starting at 2:00 AM up to 6:00 AM). Going up to the peak of Mount Santo Tomas on the early morning (4 AM) on Christmas Day gave them a cold temperature with gusty winds experience, the same situation they will experience at the peak of Tai Mo San (900+ masl), the highest elevation of the HK100 course! So far, their acclimatization training had been very successful. Their cold environment is geared towards being able to run with light apparel with the 8-10 degrees Celsius temperature on Race Day.
Gerald & Marcelo @ The Peak Of Mt Sto. Tomas (2,260 MASL)Teamwork! Gerald & Marcelo Descending From Mt. Sto. Tomas
The two runners will arrive in Hongkong with at least two days to recon the course and acclimatize to the prevailing climate/weather in the area. There will be NO special foods (5-Star Hotel Buffet) for them before the race and no NEW running kit/equipment to be used for the race. More sleep and rest will be waiting for them in Hongkong prior to the conduct of the race.
Target goal for the two runners? Hoping and praying that they will land on the Top 15 Finishers and with a Finish Time of Sub-11 Hours.
Let us join hands in supporting Gerald and Marcelo in the 2013 Hongkong 100K Trail Run and to their future International Ultrarunning Races!
To Andre, thank you very much for being the “Good Samaritan” to our elite ultrarunners!
Interval workout in an oval track or in a measured-loop course is one of the best ways to improve one’s speed in running. Whether you are training for the usual long distance runs from 3K to Marathon or even Ultra Marathon Races, a runner needs to incorporate speed workouts to his training program.
Having been absent in local races for the past months and weeks, I continued to do my LSDs on the roads, trails and mountains as I slowly recovered from my running-related injury. But my LSDs and peak-bagging feats made me a slower runner on the roads but made me a stronger runner on the trails.
For the past 3 weeks, I’ve started running again on city roads and I monitored my LSD pace for these runs. I’ve observed that I could run an average of 7.5K per hour speed which I think is an appropriate ultra marathon speed to finish an ultra distance within the prescribed cut-off time. But for a marathon pace, such speed is a “death march” pace to the finish!
I wanted to improve my speed to the range of 8-8.5K per hour and for me to get into that range of speed is to do some interval workout. I started doing my interval workout at the Philippine Army Grandstand/Parade Ground Jogging Lane. The course is flat, paved and it is approximately 1-kilometer loop (actually it lacks 3-5 meters which is very negligible). This is where I started doing my weekly 1K interval repeats in five (5) repetitions with 400-500 meters as walking breaks in between.
What is different and unique in my interval workouts is that I do it after one hour of snorkling/swimming at the Philippine Army Swimming Pool and it is usually done from 11:30-12:30 noon time. Yes, that’s how crazy I am in my present training. That is the reason why my skin is becoming darker everyday! (Note: One-half of the loop is partially shaded with trees)
My first week interval workout data gave me an average of 5:30 minutes/km pace and my average LSD speed increased to 8K per hour. My second week interval workout gave me an average of 5:20 minutes/km pace and my average LSD speed increased to 8.5K per hour. Lately, my third week interval workout gave me an average of 5:10 minutes/km pace and my average LSD speed increased to 9.0K per hour. In my rough estimate, it’s within 10:45 minutes/mile range and if I can sustain such pace, I can run a full marathon in 4:42 to 4:45 hours. Not bad for a Senior Citizen!
Even if I immediately wear my running shoes after coming out of the swimming pool and do my jogging to the Parade Ground, I still do my warm-up easy run for 1K; do some basic stretching to my calf muscles, quads, hamstrings, glutes and ITBs; and do some brief speed drills like “knee-high” or “100-ups”, butt kicks, and bouncing lunges! After my interval workout, I have to do also another 1K “cool-down” jog or brisk walk before I end up with my post-stretching exercises, the same ritual before the workout, except for the speed drills.
Since is it very hot at noon time, I see to it that I have to drink water every time I finish one repetition of the workout. It is only after the workout that I ingest food and drink my sports drinks. (Note: There are water fountains along the jogging lane)
If you want to get faster and more consistent in your training and races, don’t forget to include an interval workout in your training program, at least, once a week. There are other ways and means to make you faster but I’ll have to reserve that in my future posts.
Remember, interval workout is the reason why the runner in front of you is faster and stronger! You can do it, too! And ultimately, beat the runner who had been passing you or the guy in front of you!
(Note: Don’t be misled why I’ve been swimming a lot. Swimming is a part of my cure/treatment to my injury and I use it as an “extender”/cross-training workout for my ultra running training)
This is the most popular jazz composition of the late Dave Brubeck, who just died few weeks ago before reaching the age of 92 years old and also the famous jazz pianist who led the Dave Brubeck Jazz Quartet known throughout the world. Listening to the rendition of “Take Five” simply brings back the music of Dave Brubeck in to my mind.
“Take Five” and the Dave Brubeck Jazz Quartet had started the proliferation of contemporary jazz music and inspired others to love such kind of music.
Last October of this year counts as my Fifth Year Anniversary in blogging and thinking of where I am right now blows my mind of reminiscing the past years of trying to share my experiences and adventures in running to my readers. This blog evolved by itself from a daily journal of my runs and training/preparations for my incoming races which turned to narration of detailed Race Reports of each race that I joined. I am sure that these Race Reports were accepted by Race Organizers as feedback to improve on their future races. Ideas brought about as a result of my experiences, observations, and researches made through journals, books and other resources in the Internet gave birth to plans. And these plans were brought to action.
Early next year will be the staging of the 5th Bataan Death March 102K Ultra Marathon Race (BDM 102) and this event is my gauge on how far I’ve been into serious running and blogging. It is also my gauge on how far has the running community in the country had been influenced and inspired to train, prepare, and experience what is like to finish an ultra marathon distance. And it seems that runners see this event as the “Holy Grail” of running experience and accomplishment. This event transformed me into Race Organizer and Director for Ultra Running Events in the country. And I was able to inspire and influence others to do the same and spread the conduct of ultra running events in other parts of the country.
I’ve created an Elite Team of Runners and made them as Champions and Podium Finishers. I’ve created a Sports Federation for Ultrarunning in the country and we are ably represented in Ultra Running Events in other countries sanctioned by the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) by bringing some of our elite runners to these events. Other local ultrarunners are finding their way to join ultra running events in Asia, Europe, and the USA. But what is most important is that we are slowly transforming the country as the center/mecca of ultrarunning events in ASIA and Southeast ASIA through the Bataan Death March 160K & 102K Ultra Marathon Races (BDM 160/BDM 102); the Taklang Damulag 100-Mile Endurance Run (TD 100); West Coast 200K Multi-Day Stage Run (WC 200); and other ultra events that are staged/scheduled almost every month in the country.
Soon, an ultrarunner can have a choice of at least two (2) ultrarunning events in a period of one month! Race Organizers in other parts of the country are sprouting fast for the past years and most of their races have qualifying points for most of the popular ultrarunning events in the world. All of these occurrences in ultra running are unprecedented and more runners are attracted to the challenge and determination to finish such events.
So, where is this blog going for the next FIVE years? It will still be a blog, of course! It will remain as my journal of my running experiences and adventures here and abroad. I will also feature my thoughts, ideas, plans, observations, and things/persons about running and ultra running. It will also continue as the resource of ultrarunning in the country.
Just like the music “Take Five” and the Dave Brubeck Jazz Quartet, this blog will continue as a “pioneer” in running events/adventures and as inspiration for others to explore what they are capable of in terms of endurance and determination.
In simple terms, this blog will always remain about RUNNING.
Marcelo Bautista broke the course record and was awarded as the Champion in the 2nd edition of the Clark-Miyamit 50-Mile Trail Run (CM50) with a time of 11:09:28 hours, breaking the old course record by 2 hours & almost 20 minutes. On the shorter distance event, Danin Arenzana also broke the Men’s Course Record in the Clark-Miyamit 60K Trail Run with a time of 9:15:37 hours, missing at least one minute/few seconds to break the course record of 9:14 hours. Official Results are posted here.
Marcelo On The Left, Danin In Team BR Shirt
Both runners are members of the Team Bald Runner Ultra Racing. This ultrarunning event is the seventh successive win for Marcelo since April of this year. This is also Danin’s first Championship win in an ultra trail event after he won his first podium finish as 1st Runner-Up in the 1st Mt Ugo Trail Marathon (42K) last April of this year.
Marcelo Approaching The Finish LineDanin Approaching The Finish Line
The plan for the race was for the two runners to finish strong and be able to break the existing course record. They delivered and their accomplishments were very commendable.
Marcelo, The Champion is totally different from the rest of the running elite athletes that I’ve known.
I had the chance to be with him for almost 7 days/one week. And for the those days that I’ve with him, I found a lot about the personal life, attitude, behavior, and inner thoughts of this runner.
I went up to Baguio City to personally meet his “handler”, the one who he said to be the person who had helped him in his running career before I discovered him in the 1st Marcos-Kennon 50-Mile Run. “Che” Alberto is Baguio City’s Number #1 Running Event Organizer and Marcelo’s running sponsor in running events where he would join. She is a nice lady and practically knows the life of Marcelo.
But I did not ask her about the details of the life of Marcelo. It was enough for me to know and meet her personally. And with the brief meeting with her, she provided me with copies of the published SUN STAR Baguio Newspaper where Marcelo was featured. I was amazed that the local newspaper featured Marcelo in a story with picture every time he finished as Champion in my Ultra Marathon Races. I was surprised! Marcelo did not even informed me about these publications since I could easily link them through my blog posts.
Talking with “Che” Alberto was very brief and I reserved some time to ask Marcelo about his life. Knowing the details of Marcelo’s life should come from Marcelo himself.
I was introduced also to the writer and sports reporter of Baguio’s Sun Star, Roderick Osis, who have written those sports stories/news every time Marcelo would join PAU’s Races and every time after Marcelo wins an event. Marcelo was so proud to introduce me to these people who are helping him in his passion to run in my events.
Marcelo informed me that he had been interviewed by the local TV network for so many times and thereby, making him as the most popular ultrarunner and a household name in Baguio City! But Marcelo was not affected with such popularity as he remains to be silent, reserved, and humble.
Before leaving Baguio City, he invited me to his house in the Dominican Hill area where he would get his things as he was going with me to Bataan in preparation for his participation in the 1st WC 200 Ultra Race. I was able to meet his wife. The couple do not have any children. They live in a decent house which the couple built in a lot which was part of the inheritance of Marcelo from his Aunt, sister of his mother.
A day after coming from Baguio City, I brought him to Porac, Pampanga to conduct a recon run on the 22-Kilometer mountainous stretch of the Clark-Miyamit 50-Mile Trail Run. He was paced by Danin, one of my runners whom I brought to the place in one of my runs, and I gave them instruction of what to do during the run. I would bring them to where runners would usually start at Barangay Sapang Uwak and for them to run all the way to the Miyamit Falls. I gave instruction for them to take some pictures with the Falls as the background and have their “pit stop” thereat and immediately go back to where they started.
Mars @ Miyamit Falls on “Pit Stop” (yes, he is still using the same shoes he used at the MK50)
Marcelo & Danin started the recon run at 6:00 AM and at 9:10 AM, they were back at the place where I released them. Mission accomplished! A recon run on this route usually takes 5 to 5 1/2 hours and these two runners did it for 3:10 hours! Amazing!
I told Marcelo that he has another 10 Kilometers to run from the Falls all the way to the peak of Mt Miyamit. He was breathing heavily, silent, and very composed. I did not hear any complaints from him about those “killer” ascending parts of the route. Danin and Marcelo were smiling as they changed their running attire to drier clothes! As I reviewed the shots in my camera, they took a lot of time in the falls to eat and in some parts of the route where they posed for their pictures.
I spent another two days living with Marcelo in Bataan before the start of the 1st WEST COAST 200 Ultramarathon Race. The Miyamit Run was his Taper Run for this 3-day multi-stage event. On these days, I got to know more about Marcelo.
Marcelo is the youngest of 3 children (all boys) whose parents are unknown to him. His parents (both from Baguio City) gave their children to their brother/sisters for them to be taken cared of. Marcelo, being the youngest, was given to the parents’ relatives in Caranglaan, Nueva Ecija. Such town is the last town of Nueva Ecija in its northern side/boundary and it is located in a mountainous area. Because of its mountainous & rugged elevation profile, it is still a “hotbed” for the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in the boundaries of Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora and Nueva Ecija. This is where I had a lot of armed encounters with the insurgents when I was the Brigade Commander of the Philippine Army in the said area.
Life in the mountains was very hard for Marcelo but he was raised as a good kid. He finished his Elementary and High School education in the public schools of Caranglaan, Nueva Ecija. But while he was studying, he was helping his foster parents to raise some agricultural crops in the mountains. But he takes pride of cutting those cogon grasses in the mountains as they are sold when dried along the Maharlika Highway as roofing materials. At one time after his graduation from High School, an attempt to recruit him to the folds of the New People’s Army was made. He was asked to join the Armed Movement with all those reasons to fight for the injustices of the government and the society. He was firm in his decision not to join the movement for the simple reason that it would not be good for his future.
He left Caranglaan and asked his foster parents to look for his true parents. Actually, his purpose of leaving the place was to look for a better work, rather than be a farmer and cogon grass cutter in the mountains of Caranglaan or worse, as a NPA fighter!
He tagged along with an older guy and a resident of Caranglaan who worked as one of the employees of Northern Cement Corporation (NCC) based in Sison, Pangasinan. At the NCC, he became a cement loader—he carries bags of cement to be loaded on a truck and off-load such bags of cement upon reaching its delivery point. A truckload of cement can accommodate 1,000 bags of cement and Marcelo shares the loading with two other companions. He is being paid 75 centavos per bag of cement he loads to a truck and another 75 centavos to off-load one bag of cement in its destination.
At the average, he carries 330+ bags of cement per delivery and that is multiplied by two to complete the work. He even boasted to me that he can carry two bags of cement at one time. At the age of 16 and with the height of almost 5 feet, you might wonder where he is getting such strength!
He stayed in Sison, Pangasinan and worked as cement loader for two years! Life is hard for Marcelo during those years but he survived. But he suddenly thought of another way for him to change his life. He thought of looking for his true parents.
Looking at the address of his parents from his Birth Certificate, he was able to trace and locate such address. He was able to re-unite with his brothers but he was sad to know that his parents had died already due to sickness. The sister of his mother was the one who took cared of him and he was back again in Baguio City for good.
Marcelo told me that he tried his luck to become a soldier where he had to spend a lot of money for documentation and travel as he was asked to follow-up his application to the Philippine Army recruitment office somewhere in Pangasinan in the early 2000’s. I was surprised to know his story about his plan of being a soldier. I have a suspicion that he could have failed in one of the screening examinations or he was not qualified because of his height.
His failure to enter the military service did not deter him to pursue a better life. He became a construction worker in some of the buildings and residential houses in Baguio City. And later, he applied as a Janitor in one of the Shopping Malls inside the Baguio City Market. Marcelo did not complain about his life and he lived very simple and decent. And at one time, he attempted to apply as OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) but it did not materialize until his passport expired.
It was not his luck to become a soldier and OFW but being being able to look for his brothers and his aunt in Baguio City gave him a “home” to stay at. His Aunt had a house and lot property in Baguio City and Marcelo became as one of the heirs of the property when her Auntie died due to old age.
As part of his inheritance, he constructed a decent small house in a lot located on the slope of the famous Dominican Hill in Baguio City where he lives with his wife. He was proud to invite me into his house for a cup of hot coffee and I really appreciated his gesture/invitation. I was able to meet his wife who was busy ironing her clothes and uniform. The wife works as a Security Guard at the Baguio City Export Processing Zone.
On the wall where a small old TV is flashed, you could see framed “blow-up” pictures of him being awarded as the Champion of the 1st PAU National Championship in Guimaras. Only medals and trophies where he was the No. 1 and/or Champion were placed on top of the TV and I know that all of these came from my races!
He started to run and join short road races exactly ten (10) years ago and finished his first Marathon race in 2007 with a time of 3:10+ hours. The love of running was planted in the mind of Marcelo when his Uncle who now lives in Canada advised him to start training as a long distance runner. He improved progressively through the years by asking from his Baguio running friends about their training and advise. He takes pride in telling me that he was the FIRST Champion in the 1st Philippine Skyrunning Association’s Race in the country which was held in Benguet/Baguio City. He won his first Champion Award as an Ultrarunner in Bad Circle’s Ilocos Norte’s 50K Race last April this year beating some of the best runners from Baguio City. From this ultra event, it was a non-stop win for Marcelo in every ultra event that he joined. But, after winning the first Marcos-Kennon 50-Mile Ultra Race last June, he became the most popular ultrarunner in the country!
During those 3 days that I’ve observed Marcelo during the 1st WEST COAST 200K Ultramarathon Race, he was very calm, silent, and raring to finish each leg of the event. I told him that the event is not a Race for him because I gave him the information that nobody could equal his speed and endurance. All I need for him to do was to Finish the Race without any injuries and set the FIRST Official Course Record of the Race.
Mars In Action @ WC200
I was thinking that he could finish the race in 21 hours or less and not less than 20 hours but he proved me wrong. Even if I told him that the next runner behind him is 8-9 Kilometers away, he would still steadily increase his pace and shorten his brisk walking breaks. During the evening run (last day), I was able to catch up with him to provide his water needs at Km #28 which was the halfway mark. He asked me if he had ran a distance of 10 Kilometers already. And I thought he was delirious or losing his mind. I said to him that he had ran already a distance of 28 kilometers and he was on the halfway of the course distance. He was shocked and excited. As he resumed his run, he was looking at his back trying to see in the darkness if there is a glimpse or sparkle of light from the runner behind. He could see nothing as the next runner was 8 Kilometers away!
When he reached the finish line in Barangay Lucap, Alaminos, Pangasinan in 5:15+ hours, he told me that he could have delivered a faster time if I did not stop him for a water re-supply 7 kilometers away from the Finish Line! I wonder what a minute of stop could possibly make a difference from his record time of 19:32+ hours! A record time which was too fast from my predicted time for him to finish the race.
But the truth during that night run was the fact that he was delayed by stopping and talking to the owners of those dogs running after him. He would tell them to pay for his purchased plane ticket for his trip to the next year’s Hongkong 100K Ultra Trail Race if ever he is bitten by their dogs!
Through my FB Live Update of the WC200, words spread immediately about Marcelo winning the event and his running friends in Baguio City were surprised about what Marcelo have done for the past 3 days. It was the FIRST in the history of road racing in the country where runners have to run in 3 consecutive days that most of the ultrarunners have feared of what would happen to their body after running 70 kilometers for the first day and for them to start again to run an ultra distance (70K) for the next day and another 60K for the last day.
Marcelo, Champion of the 1st WEST COAST 200K Ultra Run
Many of his friends would think that Marcelo is committing a suicide and that he would be injured as a result of the run. But on the contrary, it was not! He had his recovery run on the following day after he finished the race and he reported to me that he is okey and ready for the scheduled recon run of the Clark-Miyamit 50-Mile Run’s Clark to Sapang Uwak section which covers a distance of 38 kilometers (back & forth). (Note: Marcelo & Danin finished the recon run in 5:20 hours last Sunday!)
During his “low” moments, he would lament to me why he was not included among the five (5) selected Baguio City runners who were supported to join/participate the 2013 Bataan Death March (BDM) 102K Ultramarathon Race. I was surprised to know this information from him. It seems that nobody from Baguio City offered to sponsor for him to join the 2013 BDM 102. Well, I told him that he has a reserved slot for the race because a “Good Samaritan” has already paid for his registration fee and he has to prepare for the race.
How does Marcelo train for an ultrarunning event? Long Runs! As preparation for the 1st Marcos-Kennon 50-Mile Run, he would take a bus at midnight from Baguio City to Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan and from Carmen, he would run all the way back to Baguio City via Kennon Road, a distance of 85 kilometers where the last 35 kilometers is uphill up to an elevation of 5,000 feet above sea level. The shorter version of his long run would be from Urdaneta, Pangasinan to Baguio City, a distance of 70 kilometers. Since he boards the bus in his running attire (shorts & singlet), the conductor would ask Marcelo to sit on the last row of seats in the bus. With small cash in his shorts’ pocket, he would make it back to Baguio City with an impressive time, averaging at 10 kilometers per hour on “self-support” mode!
His nutrition and hydration needs? Definitely, he is not fond of sports gels and sports bars! He eats solid foods like boiled bananas, boiled sweet potatoes & potatoes, boiled eggs, Cloud 9 chocolates, and lots of water to drink. He only take some sips of Sports Drinks like Gatorade and I force him to drink Ice Cold Coke on the last 7-10K of the race on each leg of the WC200. He does not take any “pain-killer” tablets but he is fond of Pharmaton! On average, he takes two (2) Pharmaton capsules every day during the 1st West Coast 200 Ultra Run.
After being featured lately in a local newspaper for winning the 1st WC200, his sixth (6th) consecutive win in Ultra Events, being interviewed by a local TV network, and being presented to the Baguio City Government’s Mayor, City Council & Employees as Baguio City’s Pride in Ultrarunning, Marcelo remains to be humble and silent about his accomplishments.
Marcelo With Baguio City Gov’t Officials (Photo Courtesy of Eugene Valbuena on Facebook)
What impressed me most is that he does not ask for any monetary reward for his winnings. He told me of saving some of his salary for him to buy few bags of cement and make those temporary steps/stairs to his house to be made as concrete and not as bags of soil/earth dumped to form as stairs. Other than that project, he is simply passionate in his love to run and prove to himself that he is still have the speed and strength in order to explore his limits in ultrarunning.
What he thinks of his future? He is excited to travel outside the country to carry the national flag in the Vibram HK 100K Ultra Marathon Race, a chance to fulfill his dream to travel and compete in a running event abroad.
Bald Runner 
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