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!
It was on April 1, 1970, April Fool’s Day, when my life completely changed and I was then about to turn to the age of 18 years old. I entered the Philippine Military Academy, leaving my ambition to become a doctor from the University of the Philippines, to become a future officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
During the first two months of “Beast Barracks” (soldier’s training from civilian life), all of us would wake up every morning to run in formation for 5 kilometers or 30+ minutes after we have done repetitions of the “Army Dozen” Exercises. (Note: You can google “Army Dozen” Exercises to find out how the workout is done). I did not have any problems with those early morning exercise routines during the early months of my cadet hood.
However, there is a very famous running loop inside Fort Gregorio del Pilar/Philippine Military Academy Compound in Loakan, Baguio City which starts at the Sun Dial/Fountain that goes south to the Jurado Hall or swimming pool area and goes north passing through the left side of the Borromeo Field/Grandstand passing by the Kitchen of the Cadet’s Mess Hall and following the road that goes to the Gate of the Camp and then going back to Melchor Hall by passing the Nakar Hall, Chapel, PMA Hospital and then back to the Sun Dial/Fountain. We were told when we were cadets that the loop has a distance of 5 Kilometers.
When I was a “plebe” (first year cadet/fourth classman), I was a member of our Company’s Cross Country Running Team and we would run that loop every other day and that would serve as our training for the incoming Cross Country Event in our Cadet’s Intramurals. I did not have any records on how fast I could complete the loop during my cadet days. For three years as an upperclass cadet, I’ve been running on the said loop on a regular basis, at least, three times a week.
I would run through the loop almost everyday when I was already a Major when I was assigned as a Tactical Officer and a member of the Academy Staff in the mid-80s but I would not recall how fast I could run the said loop. I would neither dare to run the same loop for the second time in a single workout. I would rather choose to run longer by going out of the Gate of the Camp towards the direction going to City Proper and then back to the Camp or simply run and go back to my quarters at the Navy Base in Baguio City after office hours!
Last month, I was able to go to Baguio City to monitor the progress of the training/preparation of Marcelo & Gerald with regards to their participation in the incoming 2013 Vibram Hongkong 100K Trail Run. I stayed at Nakar Hall, inside PMA Compound, during the duration of my stay in Baguio City. On my first day in the camp, I tried to reminisce those days when I was a cadet and an officer assigned at the PMA by running along the 5-Kilometer Loop.
I started my run in front of the Nakar Hall and went to the direction going to the Chapel and descended towards the Officers Quarters Lane and turned right towards the road that leads to the back of the new Academy Administration Building. I went to the “Slope” and had my picture taken with Mt Santo Tomas-Mt Cabuyao Range as my background by one of the cadets who took his time and attempts to guess what PMA Class I belong. From Jurado Hall, it was an easy run to the Gate of the Camp and I did not have any walking breaks as I “attacked” the once dreaded “Cardiac Hill” where the monument of General Del Pilar is located. As I finished in front of the Nakar Hall, my Garmin Watch would register a distance of 4.88 Kilometers! I was surprised! The loop lacks some meters to make it a 5K distance even if I took an extra distance by taking the road that goes to the back of the new Administration Building.
At “The Slope” With Mts. Santo Tomas & Cabuyao As Background
I was not happy with the result of my run. I need to find an extra distance to make the loop as 5K distance. So, I started to run again by taking the same direction with my first loop. Before I reached Jurado Hall, I decided to go down to the PMA Shooting/Firing Range which is located behind Jurado Hall. It is a descending road all the way to the shooting range and I knew I would be forced to have my walking breaks as I go back to Jurado Hall. But on the contrary, I managed to continuously jog all the way back in front of Jurado Hall. I was breathing heavily and I was surprised of what I’ve done!
I continued my run to the Gate of the Camp and then completing my second loop in front of the Nakar Hall. I got what I wanted as I registered a 5K distance for my 2nd loop plus some hundreds of meters as bonus. I ran an extra one kilometer plus some extra meters for my cool-down run to complete a distance of 12 kilometers as my total mileage for the day.
I have proven three (3) important things in this run. First, the PMA 5K Loop is not accurate as I found later that it was measured on those days by the kilometer reading/odometer of one of the vehicles of the Command. Second, it was my first time to experience running two loops inside PMA in a relax mode where I registered a time of 1:20+ hours for the 12K workout. Third, I may not be as fast as I was a cadet or a Major on this loop but I could be as strong and even a smarter runner at the age of 60 years old!
Hopefully, I would be back again to the hallowed grounds of my Alma Mater every year to run more 5K loops and be able to reminisce those days of cadethood and service to the country.
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.
Bald Runner 
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