CLP; 2010 BDM 102 Briefing & Others

On February 22, 2010 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Races, Runners' Training, Running, Sports Program, Ultramarathon6 Comments

To All 2010 BDM 102 Participants:

1. There will be Carboloading Party (CLP) and Final Briefing for all the runners & support crew members for the 2010 Bataan Death March 102K Ultramarathon Race (BDM 102) at 6:00 PM on March 4, 2010 at The Patio of the AFP Officer’s Clubhouse in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. The registration fee is One Hundred Fifty Pesos (P 150.00) per person which will cover for the food and drinks. This will be an all-pasta dinner for every paying attendee. Runners are advised to be on the venue before 6:00 PM as the program will start on time.

2. Race Bib and Copy of the Rules & Regulations will be given during the CLP Party. We will try to minimize administrative activities/requirements before the start of the race on D-Day at Km 00. If possible, we will start the race before midnight of Saturday, March 6, 2010. Assembly Time at Km 00 in Mariveles, Bataan will be at 10:00 PM of March 6, 2010.

3. Runners are advised to send e-mail at bald.runner@yahoo.com to signify if they are bringing their own support vehicle or they are part of a group of runners using only one vehicle. We intend to give banner-tarpaulins for the runner’s support vehicle during the CLP Party. Limited number of tarpaulins was ordered and they will be distributed to runners who sent e-mail message about their support vehicle. There will be no banner-tarpaulins which will be distributed on Race Day.

4. Last day of Medical/Doctor’s Certificate submission will be on March 1, 2010. We will not allow runners to join the race without any Medical/Doctor’s Certificate. We will publish the final list of runner-participants on March 2, 2010 in this blog; www.bataan102.com; and www.bataan102.blogspot.com.

5. For those who would like to pursue ultrarunning/ultramarathon as their sports, I am inviting the BDM “veterans” (those who finished the 2009 edition); those who finished the 2nd BDM 50K Test Run; other ultrarunners; and the Finishers of the 2010 BDM 102 to apply as members of the Philippine Association of Ultrarunners (PAU). The annual membership fee is One Thousand Pesos Only (P 1,000.00) per member which will entitle each member an ID Card, Sport Shirt with PAU Logo, 10% discount from registration fees of Races organized by Bald Runner’s Events, and a chance to participate to the following International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU)-sanctioned races for 2010:

IAU 100K Asian Championships in Jeju, Korea in March,

IAU 24H World Championships (including European Championship) in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, in May,

IAU 100K World Championships (including European Championship) in Gibraltar in November,

IAU 50K World Trophy Final in Galway, Ireland in August.

IAU Logo

Final PAU Logo — PAU Logo (By Rick Gaston)

More Pictures; Violations of Rules @ BDM 50K Test Run & Reminders

On January 27, 2010January 27, 2010 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Running, Ultramarathon7 Comments

1. On D-Day, all the Support Vehicles will proceed at vicinity Km Post #7 to wait for their respective runners once they drop off at the Starting Area at Km Post #00.

2. All runners should maintain a single file along the route of the race. This rule was violated on the first 7 kilometers of the route.

3. Runners are not allowed to approach their support vehicle, except when they want to rest. Their support crew should be able to hand in their needs while they are on the left side of the road. Proper coordination between the runner and his/her support crew spells a lot of difference in an ultra race like the BDM.

4. It is no longer allowed to leave the route to eat and buy drinks in convenience stores and fastfood restaurants during the race. Advise your support crew to buy the needed food or items and let him/her give you along the way. Better yet, plan ahead for your hydration and food intake and have these items stocked in your support vehicle. However, in case of emergency, like going to the restroom, this will be an exemption.

5. The race on D-Day will start at exactly 12:00 Midnight of Saturday, March 6, 2010.

6. Each runner shall be responsible to provide its own first aid kit, headlight, flashlight, reflectorized vest, and extra batteries during the race. The use of reflectorized vest and flashlight/headlight is highly recommended on the first 5 hours of the race as it will be dark along the way.

7. Train your bowel movement for the early part of the race as most of the gasoline service stations and restaurants will still be closed. We don’t have the luxury to deploy portalets along the route. Better yet, take some immodium/diatab tablets before the start of the race.

8. We intend to have an Aid Station at Kilometer Post #50 where we will serve hot arroz caldo, hot noodle soup and boiled sweet potato/banana/eggs exclusively for the runners. The halfway mark will serve also as the only “drop bag” area along the route.

9. We don’t intend to impose any proper attire for the race. Runner can use his/her prefered apparel for the race. The Race Organizer will not be giving race shirt or singlet for the event. Make sure that the race bib will be displayed visible on the front of the runner’s shirt or shorts. Runner will not be penalized for running without a shirt, provided that his race bib is pinned on the front part of his shorts.

10. It is suggested that runner can use light-colored or white shirt during the race as these colors don’t absorb so much heat from the sun. Provide yourself also with lots of sponge which can be soaked to cold water and used as sprinkler of cold water to your head and body. Better yet, get a bottle sprayer which you can fill with cold water and have your support crew use it to spray you with water while you are running. This is not a joke, from time to time, spray or pour cold water on your core & groin areas, too!

11. For further advise and tips in order to finish the BDM 102, please refer to my previous posts on my experience about this race. Browse also the blogs of Bugobugo85, run2dmoon, runnerforchrist, and other runner-bloggers.

12. Remember, your main objective in this race is to be able to finish within the 18-hour cut-off time and enjoy the experience.

Good luck and Have Fun!!!

Think INTEGRITY

On January 22, 2010January 22, 2010 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Races, Running, Ultramarathon6 Comments

1. Do not think or plan of cheating in my race because I will expose you and disqualify you in my future races.

2. Ultramarathoners or Ultrarunners are supposed to be veterans of road races and they should set a good example to the younger runners. Ultramarathoners are noble men and women.

3. The new Rules and Regulations of the BDM 102 are supposed to check or prevent runners from getting or thinking the idea to make “shortcuts” of the route or take advantage of riding in their support vehicles during the early part of the race under the cover of darkness. Beware, there will always be somebody who will see you! On D-Day, time stations and checkpoints to distribute “bands” will be deployed along the route.

4. BDM 102 is the only road race in the country that awards “quality-made” medal and individual trophy to every finisher. Be sure that you deserve to receive these awards and prouder to show them to your family, relatives and friends.

5. BDM 102 is the most expensive road race in the country in terms of registration fees and support expenses for each runner. This is the only road race that provides a “Get Together Party” among the participants a few days after the race. Although the party is free, runners are encouraged to bring additional food and drinks to make the party more enjoyable and memorable.

6. My “running-friends” and “friends” from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are the cornestones of support/sponsorship in this ultrarunning event. We no longer beg or ask from our sports leaders, politicians, and corporate brands in order to support this particular road race. We will just wait for their contributions/support. This race will never be used in the name of Politics.

7. The “test run” is set for tomorrow morning. Assembly time is 6:00 AM at the BDM Shrine’s Km Post 00 in Mariveles, Bataan. The run will end at Km Post #50 in Abucay, Bataan. The “test run” starts at 6:30 AM. A simple briefing will be conducted prior to the start of the run.

8. The participants in the “test run” will observe the new rules and regulations for the 2nd BDM 102. I will allow those runners without support vehicle to join the “test run”. However, the use of support vehicle will be strictly implemented on D-Day.

9. Runners will see “red ribbons” tied on BDM Km Post markings where they will lead the runners to turn right on road crossings. Red paint spray will be used also on the asphalt/concrete road to show direction of the route.

10. Ambulance and additional drinking water will be available during the “test run”, courtesy of my brother Samie, to support all the runners.

11. When you think that you can not make it to the finish line, think positive. Always think of the integrity of the race.

Last Day of Registration & Payment For 2010 BDM 102

On January 15, 2010January 16, 2010 By kingofpotsIn Races, Running, Running For Cause, Ultramarathon7 Comments

Last Day of Registration and Payment of Fees will be on 22 January 2010, one week from today.

Runners have the following three (3) options on how to register and pay the registration fee:

1) Fill up the attached Registration Form from the Letter of Invitation sent to each of the qualified runners through e-mail and send the accomplished form back to bald.runner@yahoo.com. Deposit the registration fee of P 2,000 to ALLIED BANK with Account # 0251-07156-8 in the name of BALD RUNNER’S EVENTS and send a scanned copy of the deposit slip to our e-mail address.

2) You can fill-up the registration form and pay your registration fee at the vicinity of the START/FINISH LINE in this Sunday’s (January 17) PSE BULL RUN at The Fort. To be specific, we will be at the booth of the FRONT RUNNER MAGAZINE.

3) Visit our office at 115 2nd Floor, M.H. Del Pilar corner E. Angeles Streets, Barangay Santo Tomas, Pasig City with telephone number—497-6442.

Guidelines: 2nd BDM 50K “Test Run”

On January 13, 2010 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Runners' Training, Running, Ultramarathon38 Comments

Runners who are intending to run and participate in the 2nd BDM 102 on March 6-7 are highly encouraged to join the 2nd BDM 50K “test run”. For those who can not make it in this “test run” on 23 January 2010 (Saturday), it is their personal responsibility to conduct a “walk-through” or “test run” on their own before race day.

One of the glaring lessons learned during the conduct of the 1st BDM 102 was for the runners to know the exact route of the race especially on the first 50 kilometers of the race where everybody was running under darkness. Some of the leading runners were not able to accurately went through some roads that led to the other kilometer post markings of the Bataan Death March’s original route. And some did not mind going inside the towns of Limay and Orion and instead ran along the Roman National Highway, shaving off considerable distance from the race.

In order to be fair to everybody and accurately run through the exact route of the BDM, the “test run” will be conducted from Km #0 in Mariveles, Bataan up to Km #50 in Abucay, Bataan on January 23, 2010. The assembly time will be at 6:00 AM at the Bataan Death March Shrine in Mariveles, Bataan. The test run will immediately start at 6:30 AM.

It is in this “test run” that the new rules and regulations will be tested and applied and it is a must for the participants to bring their respective support vehicle and for them to run on the left side of the road, facing the incoming traffic. There will be no pacers and runners shall run on a single file on the edge of the road. If runners would be able to bring their support crew, it would be better.
Runners in this “test run” are not allowed to display banners and tarpaulins of their respective corporate sponsors. However, I will allow the runners to display the banners or tarpaulins of their respective running clubs or groups. The running groups with names of products are strictly not allowed.

Due to the unavailability of ambulance or medical personnel to assist in this run, the runners are advised to bring appropriate FIRST AID KITS in case of any injuries or emergencies during the run.

After the start of the run, the drivers of support vehicles are advised to immediately proceed to the vicinity of Kilometer Post #7 where there is an ample space where the vehicles would park and wait for their runners. Support vehicles will be advised NOT to “leapfrog” from Kilometer Post #1 to Kilometer Post #7 because of the lack of road shoulders most especially from Km Post #3 to Km Post #7. With this situation, the runners are also advised to bring their hydration belt with them on the first 7 kilometers of the route.

Km Post #14. Turn Right Towards Brgy Mountain View, Cabcaben

The first critical intersection or Y-road is at Kilometer Post #14 that goes inside Barangay Mountain View, Balantasan, Cabcaben, Bataan. All the runners should turn right on this road and be able to reach Km Post #16 as runners would go back to the main highway.

Km Post # 31. Road from Poblacion Limay, Bataan

The second intersection is at Kilometer Post #23 where the runners must turn right towards the Limay’s National Power Corporation and Limay’s Poblacion. Runners must be able to run again along the main highway after reaching Kilometer Post #31.

The third and last critical intersection is at Kilometer Post #32 where all the runners must turn right again towards the Municipality of Pilar. On this road, the runners would be able to reach Balanga and Abucay. The Finish Area is at the vicinity of Kilometer Post #50 near the Abucay Public Market.

All these critical instersections will be properly marked with yellow-colored ribbons.

Runners are also advised to be careful and completely stop and observe the incoming traffic on both sides of the road/highway before crossing the highway and towards these intersections along the route.

After running through this part of the route (Km #0 to Km #50), the runners would be able to memorize and be confident to run through these intersections even during darkness which will be the actual situation during the race.

From Km Post #50, while they are on their way back to Manila, they could travel along the rest of the route up to the Finish Line at Km Post #102 in San Fernando, Pampanga. The route inside the Poblacion of Guagua, Pampanga is recommended to be seen by the runners. ( A Pit Stop to taste Razon’s Halo-Halo in Guagua would be a nice treat to the runners’ tired leg muscles!!!)

The local runners who will join their first BDM 102 race are highly encouraged to join this “test run”, moreso, to those who will be running their first ultra distance.

A Race Bib will be issued to each runner before the start of the “test run” and it should be displayed visibly infront of their shirt or shorts. Although this is not a formal race, every runner will have a registered finish time for the “test run”.

See you at Km Post #0 on the early morning of January 23. Good luck to everybody.

(Note: Please leave a comment if you intend to join the “test run” so that we can prepare the number of Race Bibs)

Running-Related Wishes For 2010 & Beyond

On January 4, 2010 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Marathon Race, Pictures, Running, Sports Program6 Comments

1. Organization of More Running Clubs/Groups—Every runner is encouraged to join a running club or group in order for him to be motivated to train and develop his/her full potentials in running and other related endurance sports.

2. More Corporate Sponsorship in Running Events and Training of Elite Athletes.

3. Declare a Week or Month as “National Sports Week” or “Sports Month”—If there are legislators or government executives who are involved in sports, they should legislate a law declaring a part of year as a period where we can hear or meet the people and institutions involved in sports. I know that most of us do not even know the difference between the PSC, POC, and the different national sports federations. It is in this period in the year when Expositions and other running-related activities are scheduled.

4. Winners in Corporate-Sponsored Marathon Races should be sent to International Marathon Races for “exposure”. It is a proven formula that our athletes are only known by our media and our national sports authorities/national leadership when they win in international competition. As winners in international marathon events, our athletes will inspire more of our populace, down to the “grassroots”, to be involved in running.

5. Develop more “volunteerism” during marathon events among the members of the running community—The volunteerism had been highly displayed by the group of Jinoe’s takbo.ph and Captain Amado’s Reinier Pacific during Marathon Races. Of course, Jonel aka Bugobugo85’s Team Hardcore; HINGS Running Club; Carrey-Isko-Eugene Group; and Tintin aka Timothy’s had been consistently the “volunteers” in my road races. I hope that more running clubs and runners will be involved in such acts of giving back their services & goods to the other runners.

6. Conduct of a Running Lecture/Forum/Symposium—How I wish one of the profitable corporate insitutions of the country sponsor the conduct of a Running Symposium where we could meet and hear the words of international runners like Dean Karnazes, Bart Yasso, Paul Tergat, Alberto Salazar, Grete Waitz, and other running Champions in the past. Or maybe, ask our past Project Gintong Alay athletes to share their stories to us. It would be nice to hear how Lydia De Vega trained for the Gold Medal in the past Asian Games.

7. A Wholesome Local Running Magazine—How I wish a Filipino Running Magazine ala Runners World or Running Times or Trail Runner or Trailrunning Magazine be available to the running community with a cheaper price than those published abroad. These pictures will confirm that this wish will become a reality in a matter of days:

A Wholesome Running Magazine By Hardcores

8. Oval Tracks at Makati University and International School (The Fort) be opened to the public.

9. BDM 102 will find its future Finish Line in 2011. It will be a 24-hour Road Race to this final destination. If you don’t reach this Finish Line in 24 hours, you will be considered as DNF. The following are the pictures of the future Finish Line.

10. Finally, A Runners Library & Museum—A place where runners could share their running “collections” and a place where runners would meet and make their research. A place where we could see the Hall of Fame in Athletics!

100-Mile Trail Run Belt Buckles

On October 4, 2009 By kingofpotsIn Insights, Pictures, Races, Runner's Fashion/Attire, Running, Ultramarathon30 Comments

You might wonder why ultra trail runners would run for one to two days to finish a 100-mile mountain trail run within the prescribed cut-off time and receive a Finisher’s Belt Buckle at the Finish Line and the “bragging rights” to have finished such endurance running event. My ultratrail runner-friends Ben Gaetos, Rick Gaston, Eric Lumba, Carmela Layson and Jose San Gabriel would know the answer!

I am posting the following Finisher’s Belt Buckle as an “inspiration” to finish one of these popular 100-Mile Mountain Trail Runs.

San Diego 100-Mile Run Finisher's Buckle

Javelina Jundred 100-Mile Finisher's Buckle

Western States 100-Mile Run Buckle Award

If there is somebody among my readers who knows a company/business outfit in the country who can make or produce these “big” belt buckles, please leave a comment.

It is my plan and vision to extend the BDM 102 into a 100-Mile run from Mariveles, Bataan (Km 00) up to Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac and a Finisher’s Buckle will be awarded in addition to the Finisher’s Individual Trophy and Medal. Not for the next edition (next year) but it could be in its future editions.

Runners will have the option to finish BDM 102 or go all the way to BDM 160.

Never Stop Testing Your Limits!

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