6:02 AM 18 April 2009 @ The Fort, Global City

Almost two weeks after finishing the Bataan 102 Ultramarathon Race, I did not have any plans of running shorter distance (10K to Half-Marathon) races for the next weeks. I had my recovery runs last Sunday at the MOA which lasted for one hour and another one hour run at the ULTRA Oval Track last Wednesday. During these two runs, I felt that my legs had become stronger but my heart monitor had registered a higher beats per minute which is a sign that I have not yet recovered from the heat exhaustion I’ve experienced during the BDM (Bataan Death March) 102K Race. All my runs were within the 85% effort and I have adapted a certain comfort zone running under the heat of the sun.

Knowing that the members of the Elite Team Bald Runner will be running in the Slimmerun, I decided to join them for the registration last Wednesday morning. I opted to run the longer distance which is 16K or 10-Mile Run.

I was already at The Fort at 5:00 AM this morning with enough time to do my warm-up and stretching exercises. Marecil Maquilan of TEam Bald Runner-Elite joined me in a warm-up run jus to be able to perspire and then had my sretching exercises. I walked towards the starting area for the scheduled 5:30 AM start of the race but it was announced that the race start will be delayed and for the other races (6K & 3K) to start at the same time with the 16K race. During this lull time, I was able to meet the usual “faces” of runners, runner-bloggers and some of them are members of the Team Bald Runner-Professional Group. I was in the company of Jan Imperio, one of the Team BR-Professional Group, who had improved with his PR time in the Half-marathon and 10K races with only 2 1/2 months of training with our Coaches at Team BR.

Finally, the race started at 6:02 AM, a delay of 32 minutes, and I expected a hot morning for everybody. The first 2-3 kilometers were within the Global City streets and Jan Imperio told me that he will just tag along with me during the race. I thought I was running conservatively, as what I’ve planned for the whole race, but after I got the data from my GF 305 I was surprised to see that I was running at an average pace of 4:50 minutes per kilometer. Jan Imperio and I just maintained the said pace until we reached the ATU Concessionaire area along Lawton Avenue, after coming from the first turn-around at the vicinity of the Headquarters Philipine Marines, when suddenly Jan told me that he is going to “DNF” the race of blisters bothering his feet. I tried to encourage him to finish the race. However, as we reached Bayani Road, he finally “threw the towel” and opted to go directly to the Finish Line without going to the C-5 turn-around.

As I turned right at Bayani Road from Lawton, I was already running alone and my pace slowed down as I felt the heat of the sun. My pace turned to an average speed of 5:10 minutes per kilometer while running towards the C-5 turn-around. While I was running at the commercial area of Bayani Road, MSgt Illut of the Philippine Army joined me and paced me. I tried to increase my pace but the rolling terrain of the road prevented me from doing so. As I passed the last turn-around near C-5, the hardest part of the route was the last 4 kilometers back to the Finish Line. At this point, the distance in between runners have stretched as far as 80-90 meters and I just maintained my pace and try to save my energy for the next road race tomorrow.

Turning right to Lawton Avenue was already a familiar sight for almost all the runners as it signifies the last 2.5 kilometers of the race. I was smiling when I saw the sun infront of me with its heat being felt by my face and arms. I said to myself, the heat of the sun on the early morning is nothing compared to  the heat on mid day during the Bataan 102 Race. I am beginning to like running with the heat of the sun as long as there are enough water stations along the way. The Race Organizers were perfect on this one as the route was covered with enough water stations. I just hope that the water would be colder next time.

I finished the 16K (10-mile) run in 1:16:30 hours with an average pace of 5:00 minutes per kilometer! My GF 305 registered a distance of 15.10 kms. But, who cares? I enjoyed the race and the company of the other runners. I am not sure if I can consider this as a “recovery run” or a “speed run” after finishing the BDM 102K Ultramarathon Race two weeks ago. Breaking a PR time was not my objective in this race. I knew I could have run faster but I knew also that it takes time for the body to recover before forcing the body for a faster pace. There is always another road race in the coming days.

I had fun in this race  and I was able to meet new friends. I was able to wait until the awards were given to the top runners. I am glad that most of the top awards in the different distances of this 1st Slimmerun were awarded to my Elite Team Bald Runner members.

See you tomorrow at the Greenfield City Half-Marathon Race!