This is the video of the frontrunners during the 2011 Miwok 100 Trail Run.
This video was copied from “you tube” which was posted by the Endurables.
Looking at the video, the recording or filming of this event was done by one of the runner-participants who leapfrogs from one section of the course to another by taking the adjacent paved road that is parallel to the direction of the trail. He could be using a car from one entry-access to the trail to another. It is just my suspicion but I might be wrong since I did not see any cyclist mounted on a mountain bike trying to film the event.
The first few seconds of the video shows the top 3 finishers who were sitting and conversing with one another. Hal Koerner in blue upper shirt, black compression shorts, and blue calf sleeves; Dave Mackey wearing a sun visor; and Mike Wolfe.
I am familiar with the 1st 7 miles of the course as some of it are on the paved roads of the Marin Headlands. After their early start at the Rodeo Lagoon Beach, all the runners go to the Rodeo Trail until they reach the paved Conzelman Road which is located south of the Rodeo Lagoon until they reach the Coastal Trail that leads the runners back to where they started. After the runners cross the small bridge at the Rodeo Lagoon, it is now the start of their climb towards the Townsley Battery and northward direction to Mt Tamalpais Park.
It was my first time to enter the Pantoll Station which is 13 miles away from the Rodeo Lagoon. I’ve seen and ran on the trails all the way up to Muir Beach after passing the Wolfe Ridge Trail, Miwok Trail, Old Springs Trail, and towards the Tennessee Valley. But from Muir Beach, I could say that it is a continuous uphill towards the Pantoll Station by looking at the overall contour of the area.
The next portion of the video where there is a muddy area along the curve portion of the trail is that part which is approaching the Tennessee Valley Aid Station. At this point, the runners had covered 11 miles and on their way back, this will be the last Aid Station before they reach the Finish Line.
The portion where you see the runners in single file is the trail on the ridge of the mountain facing the Pacific Ocean. By looking at the movement of the grasses surrounding the runners, you could conclude how strong was the wind coming from the ocean.
Looking at the video, the race was contested between the top 4 runners—Dave Mackey, Mike Wolfe, Hal Koerner, and Dakota Jones as the “real” race started after the turn-around. The first 3 runners are veterans of ultra trail running competitions and they had been running this route and part of the Miwok 100 past editions. Dave Mackey is the holder of the course record in 7:53+ hours. It was Dakota Jones first race at the Miwok 100. After the turn-around and on their way back to Pantoll Station, Dakota Jones took the lead with Dave Mackey behind him. But, before reaching the Pantoll Station, it was a competition between Mike Wolfe and Dave Mackey. Dakota explained in his blog what happened to him during the race.
I had finished with my job as a volunteer when Dave Mackey was approaching the Point Bonita YMCA as the first runner of the race. He finished in 8:03:22 hours, followed by Mike Wolfe in 8:06:00 hours and then Hal Koerner in 8:06:55 hours. Dakota Jones arrived almost 11 minutes behind Hal Koerner.
My next post on this race will deal on my personal observations on the race and its runners.
DNS…In Running Protocol, it means “Did Not Start”! My running injury from my latest Adventure Run on my lower left quads which turned out later to be an injury on my left knee did not heal even if I rested for so many weeks. After my LSD trail run for more than 6 hours at the Wunderlich State Park in Redwood City, California 4 weeks before Race Day, it gave me an assessment that finishing a 100K ultra trail run with a total ascent of more than 10,000 feet will be an impossible feat to accomplish.
Despite such assessment on my part, I tried my best to remedy the situation by taking all the necessary treatment I could gather from the different running resources in the Internet, running books, magazines and personal journals of famous trail/marathon runners. I even went to the extent of soaking my legs regularly on warm water mixed with Epsom Salt; regular massages; and even taking Alaxan FR capsules. I am glad that my cross-training in the gym kept me busy from the lack of more prolonged time of running on the road. One week before Race Day, I made my decision to DNS the race.
Instead of joining the race, I thought of offering my presence on Race Day as one of the Volunteers of the Race to the Race Director, Tia Bodington. After a brief exchange of e-mails with the RD, I was accepted as a Volunteer at the Starting/Assembly Area and at the Aid Station #1 which happen to be at the same location.
The motivation to do a volunteer work for Miwok 100 was due to the following as stated at the event’s Website—Eight hours of volunteer work at Miwok fulfills the Western States 100 service requirement. Eight hours of volunteer work at the Miwok 100K also gets you an extra ticket in the following year’s entry lottery. Hopefully, my injury will heal soon so that I will prepare specifically for the next year’s edition of this race.
DNS…Did (A) Nice Spectating…by Volunteering!
As a Volunteer at the Starting Area/Aid Station #1 @ 7.1 Mile, I was able to witness every minute how the Race was managed by the Race Director.
I arrived at the Assembly Area at the same time with the arrival of the RD who was driving a U-Haul Truck at 3:45 AM last Saturday. Tia Bodington was alone. The beach of Marin Headlands was dark, cold and windy on the early morning and I was prepared for the weather. I immediately approached the RD and introduced myself. The two of us started to bring out the necessary things needed for the processing of the runners from the truck and I even shared my flashlight to her as she was trying to locate some traffic/reflectorized vests and other flashlights needed for the volunteers.
The U-Haul Truck was filled with containers filled with water, timing device, foods, and other stuffs needed for the race to include the “loot” for every finisher of the race which trail runners call “schwag”. I was smiling as I recall myself on the shoes of the RD whenever I start the races for the BDM and PAU Races.
After a few minutes, another runner/volunteer arrived with a casted/bandaged right wrist & hand. The guy, Charlie, was supposed to run the race also but he met an accident (slipped while running along rocky trail) on training and opted also as a volunteer for the race. The guy was given a reflectorized vest and a flashlight and he was asked by the RD to act as the Parking Attendant at the Authorized Parking Area for the Runners. In a few minutes, I was asked also by the RD to act as the Checkpoint at a point that is 200 yards from the Parking Area for the Runners. My job was to ask the drivers/passengers of each vehicle approaching the Assembly Area if they are runners or volunteers. If they are runners, I simply advised them to proceed to the “dirt” Parking Area. If they are volunteers or dropping their passengers for the race, I simply advised them to proceed to the paved Parking Area. Just imagine a Police/Military Personnel/Traffic Enforcer stopping your car/vehicle with a flashlight and the other hand signalling you to stop. Yes, that was my job as a volunteer for almost 2 hours!
As the lone personnel at the Checkpoint, I was able to see the faces of the runners! It is unfortunate that I was not able to glimpse on the faces of Anton Krupicka, Scott Jurek, and Geoff Roes! They opted to DNS, too!
At 5:30 AM, I was approached by Tia telling me that I was doing my job well and she informed me that my volunteer job was done. However, I asked her that I could still be of help in any of the Aid Stations or at the Finish Line as I wanted to see the Front Runners cross the Finish Line. She accepted my offer and I started to observe how the race would start.
Runners Crossing The Bridge To Rodeo Beach LagoonTia Bodington, RD, Announcing To The Runners On Her Final InstructionsNo Arch, No Lights, No Starting Line...Just Runners Who Want To Have Fun & Enjoy The Trails
The processing of runners was very simple. Each runner simply got his/her race bib from one of the volunteers and that’s it! Ten minutes before the scheduled start time at 5:40 AM, all the runners were led to the beach near the Rodeo Lagoon which is about 300 meters from the Assembly Area. There were no intricate START Arch/Tarpaulins; no sound system; no music; no lights; no invocation/prayer; and no singing of the National Anthem. The RD positioned herself on top of a little mound on the beach while the runners lined up before an invisible starting line listening to the final instructions from her. Tia’s final instructions were about RESPECT. If I can recall them right, she said something like—“Respect the trails”; “Respect the Volunteers & Marshals”; “Respect the other Runners”; “Respect the Race & the Distance”; “Respect your Goal”; and “Respect Yourself”. After a few seconds, the RD simply shouted “GO” and the runners started the race along the sands of Rodeo Lagoon.
The Runners Were Off From The Starting Area
After the race had started, Rick Gaston and I were able to talk while the rest of the volunteers and spectators went back to the Assembly Area. This is where all the volunteers (to include myself) helped in loading the “drop bags” of the runners to be transported to the Finish Line which is about 3 kilometers away. After this job, I was able to engage more conversation with Tia and had a chance to give her a copy of the frontRunner Magazine. It was a good chance for me to have a picture with her.
Rick Gaston in Montrail & BR in TNF Skull CapsWith Tia Bodington, RD of Miwok 100 & Editor-In-Chief of Ultrarunning MagazineU-Haul Truck & Drop Bags To Be Loaded
While waiting for the lead runners to pass at the Aid Station #1, I was introduced by Rick to Brett Rivers who is also an elite ultrarunner, got to talk to Mark Gilligan of UltraSignUp, and the rest of his ultrarunning friends whom I could not recall their names. Finally, I was able to back-up my e-mail messages to Matt for the possible inclusion of the BDM Races to UltraSignUp through a longer conversation and personal interaction. We had a longer discussion about the matter/issue when we had a chance to meet again at the Starbucks at Mill Valley.
With Mark Gilligan of Ultra SignUpShouting The Runner's Race Bib Number to Mark Gilligan
At the Aid Station #1, Rick and I became instant volunteers for Mark Gilligan’s Live Update in his Website by posting each runner’s split time. We were requested by Mark to shout to him the Race Bib Number of each of the runner approaching our place. It was a good chance to stretch my vocal chords! After the last runner had passed our station, I found out from Matt that there were 345 starters out of the 416 accepted/registered runners.
At Mile 7.1, Dave Mackey (Right) & Mike Wolfe (Center)Nathan YankoLook At That Stride!!! Leading Runner Meghan ArbogastJean Pommier (Another Ultra Blogger) @ http://www.fartherfaster.blogspot.comKristin Moehl at the MiddlePam Smith (Lady Champion of the Race)Ian Sharman aka ELVIS, The King!
At the Pantoll Aid Station (Mile #20 & 41)
Rick brought me to Pantoll Aid Station to observe and spectate to the runners passing. The top runners just passed the area when we were looking for a parking space. It was nice to observe the other fast runners on how they re-supply themselves with their hydration packs; how and what they eat at the Aid Station; and how lively the cheerers to the incoming runners.
Don't Try To Imitate This Guy!The Legendary Ultrarunner Scott Mills @ 59 Years Old (Ranked #49)Cheering The Runners at The Old Mine Trail
Later, I positioned myself about 30 meters along the trail before runners would reach the Aid Station. The trail is called Old Mine Trail. As the runners would approach my position, I would shout encouraging words while clapping my hands. The words, “Looking Good”; “Good Job”; “You Can Make It” and other positive ones shouted to the approaching runners would boost the runners to jog at a faster pace. As a response, the runners would say, “Thank you for being here” with a smile on their faces!
This is where I was able to meet Geraline Harvey, a Filipina runner from Ontario, Canada who greeted me with the words “Kumusta kayo?” After a few seconds, Carmela Layson and her group approached me as I was cheering them! At last, Carmela and I met in person. Actually, if ever I decided to push through with this race, it was my strategy in this race to stick to her all the way to the finish line. Carmela had been a veteran of Miwok 100! If ever I would have a chance to run in this race in the future, my race strategy would remain the same, I’ll stick on her tail. Carmela had been an active contributor of my Project Donate-A-Shoe! (Congrats, Carmela & Geraline for a successful finish!)
With Carmela and Friends at the Old Mine TrailWith Geraline of Ontario, Canada
Finish Line @ YMCA Point Bonita
From this point, it was time to go to the Finish Area and try to help the other volunteers. I was able to meet Jorge and Rich (with ages in their late 20s) who are also ultra runners planning to earn their entry through the lottery for next year’s edition of the race. There was another lady runner who was supposed to run but due to stress fracture on her legs, she opted also to volunteer. We helped in organizing the different “schwag” for the runners and preparing for the BBQ Party venue after the race for all the finishers. It was worth the fun and time to be working and volunteering with the rest of the other senior and younger ultra runners.
Helping This Lady Runner Who Became One of the Volunteers For The SchwagFinisher's Shirts & Fleece Vests & Beers in White BoxesFinisher's Commemorative Plates
At 1:30 PM when the lead runner was a few miles away from the Finish Area, all the schwag were properly organized and packed. The job was done and the next job for me was to watch each of the lead runners cross the Finish Line. The plan was to wait for the arrival of Ian Sharman who was running the whole race as ELVIS before leaving San Francisco in order to catch up with the Pacquiao-Mosley Boxing Fight in Las Vegas!
Champion Dave Mackey Approaching The Finish LineHal Koerner At The Last Turn Before The Finish LineELVIS Approaching The Finish Line
While waiting for ELVIS to cross the finish line, I was able to talk to the Front Runners/Top Finishers of the Race. It was nice talking to these wonderful guys in ultra trail running which ended with a brief pose with them.
Congratulating & Talking To Dave Mackey & Mike WolfeA Pose With The Champion Dave Mackey & Mike Wolfe, 1st Runner-UpHal Koerner, Champion of 2009 & 2007 Western States 100-Mile Endurance RunTalking To Dakota Jones, 4th Placer in the 2011 Miwok 100A Pose With The KidTalking With The ELVIS in UltrarunningIan Sharman Finished in 10th Place & Bound For Comrades Ultramarathon This Month
After about 10 hours of volunteer work at the 2011 Miwok 100K Ultra Trail Race, I really enjoyed and had fun for being a part of the race as one of the volunteers. As an spectator, I was able to interact with the top runners in ultra trail running in the United States which I could not have a chance to do such if I finished the race in 15-16 hours. For sure, they are already sleeping in their houses as I cross the Finish Line!
Before I left the Finish Line area, I talked and thanked Tia for being a part of the Volunteer Group for the event and told her about my early departure to catch a flight to watch the Pacquiao-Mosley Fight in Las Vegas. In return, she thanked me also for being a part of the Volunteer Group for the event . She assured me also that I will be coming back to run the 2012 Miwok 100!
The results of the 2011 Miwok 100 are published here.
Raul and Perkins of A Runner’s Circle in Manila asked me to watch the movie on DVD entitled “Running America”, when I visited the store before the Mayon 360 50-Mile Run. They lend to me the DVD of the said film and returned it after I saw the entire film. The film “Running America” is about the documentation of the Trans-Continental Run Across the United States of America by two famous ultramarathon runners, Charlie Engle and Marshall Ulrich, which was held sometime before the US Presidential Election in 2008 with Marshall Ulrich finishing the run by himself.
What impressed me about the film is the portion where Marshall Ulrich was gracefully using the use of trekking poles while he was running. Actually, it was my first time to see a runner using the trekking poles while he is in the act of running on a paved road. I usually see the use of such poles when I watch downhill slalom, biathlon and other cross-country ski sports events on the TV. Lately, I saw some runners at the UTMB (Mont Blanc Ultra Marathon) using such trekking poles as part of their equipment to finish the race. Films on UTMB with runners using and carrying trekking poles could be seen at You Tube.
In the Philippines, I saw only two (2) ultra runners who had been using these trekking poles on a trail run. The first one was Doc Punzalan of Pinoy Ultra Runners (PUR) in 2008 when I joined his group for my first trail run to Mount Pinatubo. The second guy whom I observed to be using these poles was Jerome Cartailler during my second run to the same area, Mt Pinatubo in July 2010. I saw these guys how they used such trekking poles while they brisked/power walked along the rocky portions of the trail and when they balanced themselves in crossing the river and other water crossings. I was not surprised that these good ultra runners had the appreciation to use these poles. Doc Punzalan had experienced running the UTMB and Jerome is from France, one the countries where the UTMB course would pass.
Jerome Cartailler Using His Trekking Poles To Mt Pinatubo
After those observations (years ago), I’ve tried to look for those trekking poles in the local market and it was at ROX where I found a pair that costs about P 6,000 (?). I was surprised to see the price and opted just to hold them. And I forgot all those trekking poles!
I know that most of the Pinoy mountain trekkers/hikers know the value of these poles and to some of the TNF 100 trail run participants. However, I have yet to see one of them using these trekking poles in action.
But, running with trekking poles on paved roads? It is something that is unthinkable and out of the norm. But I was intrigued when I saw that part of the film where Marshall Ulrich was using these poles on the paved roads across America. So, I made some research on the Internet.
I was able to find out the following through some research on the Internet:
1. Nordic walking which was known before as “ski walking” using ski poles was a good off-season workout for elite Finland/Scandinavian ski athletes to maintain their consistency in their sports. Ski coaches concluded that the use of trekking/ski poles during summer contributed to the success of world-class ski athletes. Ski athletes would train the whole year round using the trekking poles.
One of the Pictures Taken From The Internet On Nordic Walking
2. The use of trekking poles on power walking or running would lessen the impact of the feet on the ground as the weight of the body would be supported by the trekking poles. This form of running/walking is suggested as cross-training for those athletes who are recovering from knee injury or those who are under leg-injury rehabilitation.
3. There are lots of instructional films on the Internet/You Tube on Nordic Walking/Running. All you have to do is google the word “Nordic Walking”.
4. There are a Sports Federations for Nordic Walking in the United States and other European countries which had been in existence for the past 10-14 years.
5. There is a Marathon (42K) Race on Nordic Walking at the Portland Marathon which is on its 5th edition this year. Rules and Regulations are posted in their website. In Europe, there are already existing Nordic Walking Championship Events.
7. Almost all the ultra trail races in Europe allow the use of trekking poles. In the most prestigious UMTB, most of the runners have in their packs a pair of folded trekking poles.
For the past two weeks, I’ve been using a pair of LEKI Titanium Trekking Poles during my regular power walking and I even went to the extent of running with them for 3 hours along the rocky Calico Hills Trail of the Red Rock Canyon Park in Las Vegas, Nevada.
With My LEKI Titanium Trekking PolesEasy Effort On Nordic Walking
I could say that the use of trekking poles on technical trails would lessen the impact of my feet on the ground, making my knees less sore and painful after my run on the trails. With regards to running on the paved roads with the trekking poles, I am confident that I can already run with the same ease and grace like Marshall Ulrich! (Note: It is purely coincidental that I bought LEKI trekking poles, the same trekking pole brand that Marshall Ulrich used in all his adventure runs to include his feat in “Running America”)
Running and/or walking with trekking poles is a great cross-training activity for me as an old and under rehab average competitive runner.
With my present exposure and training with the trekking poles, I am thinking of allowing their use in the incoming PAU’s Pinatubo 100 to all the participants.
I will be glad to know about your comments on this.
I never learn my past mistakes and heed to the lessons learned I have been repeatedly writing on this blog. I am simply stubborn!
I should have recovered from my latest adventure run for at least 4-6 weeks due to the injury I incurred on my left knee. But I was not able to control my urge to run on this particular place.
Paved Road Covered With Big TreesNot Much Traffic From VehiclesBut I Was Able To See A Lot of CyclistsIn A Place Called "Meadow" After Running 5K Uphill On A TrailTrail Covered With TreesRedwood Trees All Around The PlaceTrail Running Is Fun!!!Highest Peak of the TrailThis is the Place Where "Folger's Coffee" Started Its Production
A distance of 40 kilometers, 20K on paved road and 20K on mountain trail, for six hours made me limped towards the end of the run. Because of this run, my recovery was disrupted and I am back to square one! However, I am back to my rehab activities.
Reasons Why I Don’t Run The North Face (Phil) Races
You can see in my profile that I never participated in any of the local TNF Races and I have personal reasons for it. Although I finished my first taste of an Ultra Trail Run at the Bulldog 50K in 2008 in Malibu, California in 2008, I was happy to know that the Main Sponsor for such race was The North Face. By chance, I finished this first ultra trail run using a TNF Arnuva 50 BOA Trail Shoes! Since then, I’ve been using various TNF Trail Shoes and apparel/equipment for my trail runs here and abroad to include my training runs up to the point that I feature them in this blog!
Let me go directly to the reasons why I don’t run on TNF local races. These are my personal reasons and I don’t want that my readers will be influenced by these reasons.
TNF Philippines did not act on my request for sponsorship for the 1st BDM 102K in 2009 with the reason that it was not an ultra trail run. However, I saw TNF Logos being displayed on the Support Vehicles of Pinoy Ultra Runner (PUR) members who participated in the 1st BDM 102K which simply means that these runners were “sponsored” by TNF. I really did not understand why TNF would sponsor PUR runners/participants in my race when in fact they did not favourably act on my request for sponsorship for the event. (Note: I wonder what happened to the elite ultra runners who called themselves as “Pinoy Ultra Runners”)
TNF Philippines gave a TNF Trail Running Shoes to a runner-blogger who have not yet experienced running on a trail running race event for the simple reason that the runner-blogger was going to participate a TNF 10K Trail Run along the lahar grounds of Clark-Sacobia area. I called the attention of TNF Philippines about this and complained why they are not giving “something” for the Bald Runner as he was fielding a team of runners from the Elite Team Bald Runner for the past two editions and had been a loyal user of TNF apparel and products. Moreso, that I finished already an ultra trail running event. TNF Phil promised to give a new pair of TNF shoes to me as a result of my complaint but up to now I have yet to receive the shoes. It was a simple case of being envious but it was not fair on my part as I’ve endorsed their products way ahead than the other runner-bloggers. Fortunately, it was one of my BDM 102 finishers who gave me a brand new TNF shoes but he is not in any way connected with TNF. Thanks to July Oconer for the “gift” and generosity. July is also a TNF “loyalist” like me.
I complained about the condition of my TNF Rocky Chucky Trail Shoes after a 50K Trail Run at Mt Pinatubo and TNF did not replace it. Instead, TNF Phil repaired the shoes by using glue to the detached parts and I got the repaired shoes after 5 weeks (that’s a long time to repair a pair of shoes!). After using the repaired shoes for one running workout, the glued parts were separated again. For once, I praised the customer service of TNF Phil when they replaced my non-operating BOA lock & wire for my TNF Arnuva 50 BOA shoes with a new pair of TNF trail shoes but in this case, their customer service was simply poor and deplorable.
It came to my attention of a complaint made by a runner who joined the TNF Baguio about his lost drop bags who got an unsatisfactory feedback from the Race Organizers but the bottom line here is that TNF Phil did not give a satisfactory reason why the runner’s drop bags lost during the conduct of the race. BDM 102 “veteran” Eric Socrates would attest to this information.
On technical matters about the local TNF races. In their 100K trail runs, the prescribed cut-off time is 30 hours. I think this is a very easy requirement to finish an ultra trail run with such distance. You can practically walk all the way up to the finish line even if the terrain is very challenging. The thing that I don’t understand is that the TNF Phil races has the same “point equivalent” with that of a ultra trail running event in the USA which is more challenging and longer in distance. Such accumulated points are needed if you want to qualify for the TNF Mont Blanc 100-Mile Endurance Run (UTMB) in Chamonix, France. So, if you have plans of participating in future UTMB Races, then joining the TNF Phil races will give you the “points” needed for you to be qualified for the race.
For this year, TNF Phil has scheduled a Trail Run in Camarines Sur on April 30-May 1 as part of the 2011 TNF Pacific-Asia Ultra Trail Run Series. Up to this time, TNF Phil is silent about the details of the race but there is only one mountain that is prominent in the province and that is the Mt Isarog. While I was in Camarines Sur for the Marathon Race last year, I had the chance to talk to the Philippine Army’s Intelligence Officer based thereat. In our conversation, I asked him about the security condition of Mt Isarog and he told me that it is not yet declared as “cleared” from the NPA/insurgent forces operating in the area. I hope and wish that from the time I had a conversation with the said Intelligence Officer up to this time, the Mount Isarog is already declared as “cleared” from the armed insurgents! (Note: I wrote this post 2 months ago and I hope that by this time the security forces in the area had “cleared” the place and they will be there to provide the necessary security for the said event)
I created a sports federation for ultra running in the country which is the Philippine Association of Ultrarunners (PAU) under the auspices of the PATAFA and the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU). PAU embraces and covers all running events that are considered farther than a Marathon Distance which is 42.195 kilometers, whether they are ultra trail runs, ultra road races, or multi-day/multi-stage runs. What I don’t understand is that the Race Organizers of TNF Phil are not coordinating with me or with PAU with regards to their races. If these people are professionals, they should have, at least, the respect and courtesy to coordinate with the sports federation on ultra running. A simple e-mail or SMS would satisfy me on this matter. (Note: This observation goes also to those Race Organizers/Directors who are coming up with ultra marathon races in the different parts of the country who do not coordinate with me/PAU in coming up with their scheduled events. I don’t want that the sports federation for ultrarunning will become like our cycling, basketball, shooting & other sports who have two or more associations/federations under each sports!)
This could be a petty reason but I would like to repeat it (all over again!) as I stated in my previous posts. When will TNF Phil sponsor the visit of Dean Karnazes to the Philippines? I think you know that DK is one of the most prominent athlete endorsers of TNF, if not, the most prominent in the world. I admit that I was strongly influenced by the first book of this guy to get into ultra trail running and eventually come up with the 1st BDM 102K Ultramarathon Race. To describe how crazy I was to meet this guy, I went to Badwater, California for the start of the Badwater Ultramarathon in 2008 (a trip with my wife for 5 hours from Los Angeles where I drove a car) just to personally meet and have a photo-ops with this guy and it later resulted to meeting and talking to him again in two separate events. I hope TNF Phil will not wait till the time when DK is within the age of Jeff Galloway (age of 66) to visit the country.
Now, if you ask me if I will join in this year’s TNF Phil? No way, Pedro! I’d rather run in the San Francisco’s 50-Mile TNF Endurance Ultra Trail Run this December!
Good luck to all the TNF 100 CamSur trail runners & trekkers! Have fun and stay safe!
By the way, does TNF Phil allow the use of trekking poles? Just asking!
I highly recommend marathon finishers to read the following article from the Running Times Magazine if they are interested to try ultra marathon running in the future.
I seldom endorse a running event other than the BDM and PAU Races. The Taray Pamulinawen is a unique race where you can experience running along the sand dunes on the beaches of South China Sea, the paved roads made to connect the barangays, and the hills and rice field trails of Laoag City. Practically, this is my “playground” whenever I spend my vacation in my hometown which I even extend up to a distance of 20-25 kilometers just to inspect my real property on the hills of Barangay Salet. However, on this particular running event, the race organizers came up with a distance of 16 kilometers or 10 miles to have a glimpse on a particular side of the city.
Due to the 1st BDM 160K Ultra Run on February 26-27, I will be missing this one. But for those who would like to visit Laoag City and the tourist spots of Ilocos Norte, this will be a good reason to have fun and taste the local foods of the province before and after the run!
Those who are interested can register at A Runner’s Circle Specialty Store along Roxas Boulevard (at the Aloha Hotel Building) which opens at 12:00 Noon. Look for Perkins!
The following is the Route Course Description of the race which was sent by Dr Chester Puno, an ultra runner who is one of the organizers of the event:
TARÁY PAMULINAWEN 16K ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The 16km run starts in front of the basketball court of Barangay Talingaan. After about 200mts of concrete, the run turns to Ventura Highway (nothing to do with the song) and dips into the famous sand dunes of Barangay La Paz. This is where the challenge begins. The sand varies in consistency from hard to soft (shoes may get buried). Gaiters are proper if only to minimize sand and pebbles getting inside your trail shoes (But if your feet don’t mind these intrusions, no need to buy/improvise gaiters). Undulations are given. In which case gradients and elevation of the dunes are also inconsistent. Walking poles are allowed. (Although during our test run, nobody brought any, and we still managed to navigate; some of us on all four extremities : ). There are sections where no trail is visible/available and the only guide is a flag. One may take any route towards the flag, if he/she thinks it’s the easiest/fastest way to reach it (the shortest distance between 2 points may not necessarily be the fastest because the terrain is very irregular). On top of the dunes, the scenic view of the sea, sand and the rising sun is best appreciated (for non-competitive runners, it’s the best time to feast your human and mechanical lenses on the beauty of Laoag sand dunes; just be mindful of the 2 ½ hr curfew). There are dried grasses/weeds that dot the dunes in variable heights. Leg abrasions are a possibility; at the least, legs may get itchy from contact. Lower leg protection is suggested (ankle low tights, knee high socks, lower leg sleeves). A water aid station will be available in this stage. The dunes run distance is approximately 3kms, before your feet finally hit concrete in front of the sisters’ convent. (We had to stop at this point, remove our shoes and empty the load of sand within).
The next three kilometers course through the barangay streets of La Paz, Navotas and Dibua. Runners will be greeted by curious barangay folks, a stark contrast from the seemingly empty, unpopulated desert experience. Since these are rural barangays, fields of corn and palay flank the roads. From previous sights of light gray, the eye starts to meet hues of green. At the top of Dibua hill, just before reaching BR’s house, the road turns right into an insconspicuous trailhead. It signals the next stage of the race: 8 kilometers of hills and trails traversing Barangays Dibua, Pila and Vira.
Vegetation gets thicker in this leg of the race. Naturally, the ground becomes uneven and technical at various points. Descents, inclines and gradients are likewise erratic and sporadic. Needless to say, the runner must watch his step. One has to be wary of his/her surroundings as he/she may run smack into low hanging/lying branches and trunks. There are single tracks and double tracks. As these barangays are into farming, an irrigation snakes through the route. A portion of the race requires the runner’s agility as he navigates through wet and muddy fields. (This runner miscalculated and landed straight into mud. Take comfort in the thought that it may at least make you look more hardcore. Think of BR’s picture on the cover of frontRUNNER). Be vigilant as well to cow/carabao dung and horse manure (which I fondly refer to as “teller mines”) that occasionally adorn the paths. The organizers will make arrangements in order to put canine attacks and chases to a minimum. Bovine exposure, however may not be as limited. So far, there has never been any reported snake bites on trailrunners/walkers/bikers in this part of town, although sightings of these crawling creatures (mostly non-crawling since they are often seen dead-flat) are not unheard of. In any case, the runner is advised to take caution, let these wildlife creatures pass in peace and never antagonize them.
As soon as the runner reaches the Marcos Stadium, more popularly called “grounds” by residents, the route is down to its last 2kms of pure concrete, which exposes him to Laoag City proper where cheering city folks will be lining the streets. Now is the time to accelerate and gut it out to make up for time lost enjoying sand and trails. Taráy Pamulinawen will officially finish in front of the festive Laoag City Hall. . . A post-race recovery tour around the city is strongly recommended later in the day.
I completely rested from running after the Fat Ass Run and all the soreness and injury just disappeared after few days. However, after one sleepless night during the 1st BDM 50K “Test Run” last January 15, I was down with sore throat and eventually turned to a flu. The reasons could be the weather; low body resistance; Continue reading “Slowly”→
That is a total of 24 Minutes of Jogging & Walking which I did early this morning!
Exactly a month ago, I had an injury on my left calf muscle that made me completely out from running. It was a “blessing in disguise” to force my body to take a break for a much-needed rest and recovery after 11 months of marathon and ultramarathon races. Continue reading “8+8+8”→
Martin Fryer was the first ultrarunner whom I met at Soochow University and he happens to be from Australia. I started to know him when we had a conversation over lunch with the Race Director of the event, Frank Kou and I spent more time to talk to him later in the afternoon. I did not ask him about his past feats and credentials in ultrarunning as I could easily “Google” his name on the Internet. Continue reading “Martin Fryer: Ultrarunner From Australia”→
Bald Runner 
You must be logged in to post a comment.