Tag: 2008 Pasig River Heritage Marathon

D-3 Day: 2008 Pasig River Marathon

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Marathon Race, RunningLeave a comment

21 February 2008

My short running along the Iloilo City Sports Complex Oval Track where I was exposed to rains made my body weak. On this day, I arrived in Jamindan early in the morning and I started to experience coughing. I did not mind it and I joined my officers, men and civilian employees for our regular taebo and 2-mile run physical conditioning activity which is usually done on Tuesday & Thursday afternons.

The taebo exercises lasted for 35 minutes and I had a 4-mile slow run as my last physical activity before the marathon race. However, my coughing started to be intermittent on the evening. I slept at 10:00 PM hoping that my body needed more rest and let my coughing pass away.

It was a big mistake on my part to have exposed myself to the rains during my oval track run last Wednesday evening. But my coughing will not prevent me from joining and finishing the 2008 Pasig River Heritage Marathon this Sunday morning.

I am wishing myself…Good Luck!

Route: 2008 Pasig River Marathon

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Marathon Race, Pictures, Races, Running3 Comments

Finally, I got hold of my race packet for the Pasig River Heritage Marathon. But the organizers changed the name of the race into “International Philippine Marathon”. I guess, this is the fourth time that they changed the name of the race and the first time that they changed the route of the race. I hope the picture below will be clear for my co-runners and readers to see.

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I haven’t seen the actual route but I will try to visualize the route as I recall passing through these roads in the past. The race starts at Riverbank Marikina and runners go south along E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue–right at Ortigas Avenue (uphill)–left at Meralco Avenue–left at Julia Varga (downhill)–right at C-5 (uphill at the Bridge before Kalayaan & at Market!Market! & McKinley Hill)–right at Bayani Road (my “Heritage Mile” & uphill to Gate 3 Ft Bonifacio)–pass by along Phil Army Golf Course–right at Lawton Avenue–passing through The Fort and exit at the old Gate 1 of Fort Bonifacio all the way to JP Rizal Avenue Makati–runners cross the Pasig River along a bridge towards Coronado (I am not sure if this is the bridge that connects Makati Avenue) & JP Rizal Mandaluyong–turn left at New Panadero–right at Pedro Gil–right at Carreon–left towards Plaza Dilao–turn-around & go towards Valenzuela and back along Pandacan, Sta Mesa–right at Laura–right to Nagtahan Bridge (uphill)–left to Legarda–pass along Ayala Avenue–and Finish infront of the Quirino Grandstand.

Approximate Locations of the following Kilometer Markings: 

5K—along Ortigas Avenue

10K—along C-5 (near Toyota)

15K–along C-5 (squatters area)

20K—back of HPA Grandstand along Lawton Avenue

25K—crossing with the street leading to the old Gate 1 of Fort Bonifacio & JP Rizal Makati

30K—New Panadero

35K—Pandacan, Sta Mesa

40K—Legarda

42K—Quirino Grandstand

D-4 Day: 2008 Pasig River Heritage Marathon

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, RunningLeave a comment

20 February 2008

At 5:30 AM, I was already on my way to Dauin, Zamboanguita and Siaton, Negros Oriental after staying overnight in Dumaguete City. After one hour, I was able to reach Siaton where one of my Battalions had deployed three days ago after coming from Bohol. I was able to talk to the men of this Battalion and informed them of the prevailing situation in the area and their specific mission in their new place of assignment.

I was informed by my Battalion Commander that the Municipal Mayor of Siaton does not like the Philippine Army to be deployed in his town/municipality. This is an indication that the “insurgents” are in the area and the Mayor is afraid of them. I gave specific instructions to my Battalion Commander on how to deal with the uncooperative Municipal Mayor and maintain his position to stay in the said town.

From Siaton, we have to go back to Dumaguete City and proceeded to Bacolod City, passing through Mabinay, Negros Occidental. We had our lunch in Kabankalan City with their famous Mang Inasal Chicken & Pork Sisig and lots of free rice! Our trip was a slow one and we were able to reach Bacolod City at 2:30 PM and had more time to buy the Negros famous Piaya and Dried Mangoes.

I took the 3:30 PM trip back to Iloilo aboard a fastcraft. At 5:30 PM, I was already at the Iloilo City Sports Complex Oval Track for a short run. I was surprised to see a lot of people playing basketball, volleyball, soccer/football, and runners/joggers on the oval track. Almost all the lanes at the oval track were occupied with people of various ages and sizes (man & women).

The following were the data taken from my GF 305 on every lap it registered:

Lap # 1

Distance—1,750 meters                 Time—9:52 minutes

Average Pace—5:30 mins/km      Calories—127

Average Speed—10.6 kms/hr       Maximum Speed—12.1 kms/hr

Average HR—139 bpm                   Maximum HR—150 bpm

Lap # 2

Distance—448.61 meters              Time—1:47 minutes

Average Pace—3:59 mins/km     Calories—28

Average Speed—15.0 kms/hr      Maximum Speed—16.3 kms/hr

Average HR—156 bpm                  Maximum HR—167 bpm

Lap # 3

Distance—891.03 meters             Time—4:04 minutes

Average Pace—4:34 mins/km     Calories—63

Average Speed—13.1 kms/hr      Maximum Speed—15.2 kms/hr

Average HR—162 bpm                 Maximum HR—167 bpm

Lap # 4

Distance—874.55 meters             Time—3:37 minutes

Average Pace—4:08 mins/km    Calories—60

Average Speed—14.5 kms/hr     Maximum Speed—16.9 kms/hr

Average HR—163 bpm                 Maximum HR—173

Lap # 5

Distance—886.63 meters             Time—4:32 minutes

Average Pace—5:07 mins/km     Calories—64

Average Speed—11.7 km/hr        Maximum Speed—15.2 km/hr

Average HR—160 bpm                 Maximum HR—167 bpm

Aside from the registered laps, I was able to run the following:

2 X 400 meters—Cool-Down Run

4 X 400 meters—Rest/Recovery Run in between laps

Total Distance Covered—7.5 kilometers or 4.68 miles

After dinner, I had my Sauna, Bath & Body Massage (one and a half hours) at Riviera Spa of Iloilo City at a promotional price of Two Hundred Pesos Only (P 200.00)! This is the cheapest Spa service I’ve experienced so far!

I slept at 10:30 PM.

D-5 Day: 2008 Pasig River Heritage Marathon

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Runners' Training, Running1 Comment

19 February 2008

For the past two days, I did not have any runs and took my time to rest, relax, and recover from the last long slow distance run I had last Saturday. I stayed two days in Jamindan with no chance of going out of my quarters and office for a brief walking and jogging because of the strong rains for the past days. I contented myself by doing stretching exercises and watching DVD movies of Rambo, First Blood Parts 1 & 2.

At this time, I am in Bacolod City with the Bishop of the Catholic Church, local government officials, members of the Philippine National Police, our soldiers, and the members of the media witnessing the demilitarization/destruction of confiscated, recovered, captured and surrendered firearms which is one of my advocacies in my Command. Hundreds of unregistered/loose firearms will be cut into pieces and burned this morning for the public to see.

From Bacolod City, I’ll be going around the Negros Island to visit my troops under my Command and assess the condition of our troops and their accomplishments. This is to ensure that our operations, programs and activities are being carried out as based from our unit’s mission in the island of Negros. Three hours after I’ve talked to our troops in Canlaon City, an armed encounter ensued in the mountains of Calatrava, Negros Occidental where a number of the insurgents were declared casualties. The location of the encounter was barely 5-6 kilometers away from the place where I visited our troops. As of this time, we got intelligence information that a lot of them were seriously wounded and they need immediate medical attention and supply of blood of different types. There are reports also that this insurgent group has at least five female members. Some of their backpacks and personal belongings were recovered by our troops as they were left behind by their fallen/wounded comrades when they fled to different directions from the encounter site.

I guess, I will not have much time to jog and walk around for the next two days. I will spend more time visiting and talking to my troops in Negros Island. Additionally, this will be the time to reflect on myself and the training preparations I’ve made for the past four months for the Pasig River Heritage Marathon. This is also the time to plan my “strategy” for the race.

I just got an information that my race packet and details of the route has arrived in my quarters. I was informed also that the organizers had changed the route of the marathon. This is what I hate with marathon organizers and executives who are supporting the race (who, most of them are not even runners/marathoners) and who change routes without any explanation at all! The Marathon Race will start in Marikina and ends up at Quirino Grandstand. As compared to the original route of starting from Intramuros area and finishing at The Fort, passing to all the bridges that cross the Pasig River and running along the roads beside the Pasig River. I have yet to see the route map and the actual route before I will make comment on this. I just hope that this race will be a better one than the race I joined in 2006. 

My plan for the Marathon Race? Be conservative with the pacing and make sure that I’ll have an average pacing of 6:00 minutes per kilometer, finishing the first 20 kilometers in 2 hours, 30 kilometers in 3 hours & 5 minutes, 40 kilometers in 4 hours & 10 minutes, and 42.165 kilometers in 4 hours & 30 minutes. Make sure that my “support team” will be giving regular water & energy drink supply & sports gel from Km. 25 up to the finish line.