In my early years of joining running events, which is about 40 years ago, runners then were not particular with their pictures before, during, and after finishing a race. What was important to them was to finish the race, get their Certificate of Finish and hoping that the race result will be published in the daily newspapers. It was only the Top Male & Female picture that would be featured in the next day’s newspapers, if the race is a Marathon distance. It was only the Marathon Races that award Finisher’s Medal to the runners!
Now that we are in the Age of the Internet and Social Media, the tendency is that you need an evidence that you are participating in a running event by posting a picture of yourself in the Internet/Social Media showing that you are really in the said event. Added to this is a “bragging right” to your friends that you are really a legitimate endurance athlete. No evidence, no “bragging rights”! And the more your pictures is being SHARED and have LIKES, the better for you that your feat is being recognized.
Let me define what I mean by “selfies” or a “selfie” picture. “Selfies” are those pictures taken by ones digital camera or cellphone’s camera where you click the shutter button by yourself with your face or body and the surroundings as a product/result in the said picture. Sometimes, I can consider “selfie” pictures when I see runners stopping by the trail or road to take a picture of the scenery or the surroundings. I don’t consider “selfie” pictures taken by official photographers as well as pictures taken by the support crew or pacer of a runner.
Let me then tell you the reasons why I hate “selfies” in running events and they are the following:
Runners taking “selfies” with another runner on the background or taking a “selfie” behind another runner don’t ask permission to take a picture of you as the background. Most of the time on these “selfies”, they would show that I was walking or having some “low/down moments” when these pictures are taken while the one taking the “selfie” is smiling or laughing happily behind my back or in front of me. Just imagine what the picture would depict if it is posted in the social media.
It slows me and breaks my racing momentum in races. Ok, I admit that I am a very positive person and I don’t say “No” to the requests of other runners to have a “selfie” during a race. But for God’s sake, please don’t ask for a “selfie” with me at the peak of a mountain in a trail race if I am about to continue my run to proceed on the descending/downhill part of the course. As a rule, never ask another runner for a “selfie” during the race. Every runner has their goal to finish the race as fast as they can and that is the simple essence of race!
“Selfies” or pictures taken at the Turn-Around Points in trail runs are also annoying as it delays the momentum of a runner. Simply have the Race Marshal on these points/locations to take note or write the Bib Number and time of arrival of the runner and don’t delay the runner from finishing the race. Just imagine if you are in a group of 4-6 runners in that turn-around point and each runner would wait for his/her turn for him to pose a picture showing that he/she actually reached or passed the said place!
In the Aid Stations, Race Marshals and Volunteers should not take “selfies” with the runners while they are being helped with their food and while refilling their hydration bottles or packs. These requests for “selfies” would alter or disturb the runner’s focus on what he decides to do in the Aid Station at the fastest time possible. Once a runner’s focus is unnecessarily disturbed, his or her temper would spike most specially if his target time to reach that Aid Station/Checkpoint is not met. To be safe, never ask a “selfie” to those who are fast and runners who are focused to improve their finish time/s in a race. Moreso, if they are elite international runners or “good-looking” lady international runners.
Let it be known that even if I am already 64 years old, I am still a competitive runner. Having said this, I have target pace, speed, and finish time in all the races that I join. I would be happy and contented to race with the younger runners in road and in trail races, whether they are non-ultra or ultra distance events. So, a simple delay for a “selfie” would be a reason for my targets to be altered, resulting to slow performance or sometimes, bad temper!
I am already tired!
So, what is my advise on “selfies” or taking of pictures during the race?
If you want to improve your PR in a certain race, leave your cellphone/camera behind. Aside from being a distraction (of taking selfies/pictures), carrying a cellphone or camera adds weight to your body.
If you have a blog or planning to document your races and need to have some pictures of scenery or places along the race route, do a recon run along the route and you can have all the time to take pictures along the route. On race day, your only goal is to focus to finish the race without any distractions.
If you are a fast runner, you have all the time to take your pictures but do not distract or interrupt other runners and request them to take your picture or ask them to have “selfies” with you. In one of my trail races, a runner in front of me suddenly stopped along a single-track descending part of the route and requested me to take a picture of him that I wanted to deny his request. But I just smiled and did the favour to take a picture of him…not once but three times!
In international races, don’t be stoked to world-class/elite runners by asking them to have “selfies” with them during the race. You can have “selfies” with them during the Race Briefing (a day before the race) or after the Race. These international elite ultra runners are kind and easy to talk with as they would accommodate a “photo-ops” with them once you request them to have one. I never had any problem talking to these people before and after the race.
In races where one of the mandatory gears is a cellphone, the cellphone is a gear that is very vital for your survival just in case of any emergency/accident or serious injury that will happen to you. Bringing out ones cellphone to take pictures of the scenery and “selfies” adds up to the extra time spent in the course, most specially if you are “cut-off time beater” like me. If you successfully finished the race within the prescribed cut-off time, you can register again for the next year’s edition if you intend to run it faster and have a chance to take selfies during the race.
You must be warned also with runners who intentionally request you to have “selfie” with them must specially if you running ahead of them. This kind of runner will destroy or impede your momentum in the race and after taking a “selfie” and making some time to pack or stow your cellphone or camera in your pocket, the one who requested you to have a “selfie” with your will just leave you without even saying “thank you”. Just when you realised that you have been tricked by this runner for stopping, you would see him almost one hundred yards ahead of you with a blistering pace.
“Selfies” are already a “norm” in most of the Social Media outlets and platforms and they are already part of being a runner and as an avid outdoor adventurer. But if you don’t have any time to beat, it is fun and self-satisfying because it creates memories to your activities or events.
With or without “selfies” running is still fun but don’t do it to me when I am racing.
I have a lot of DNFs in my previous attempts to finish a 100-mile mountain trail run here and abroad and many are wondering why I would just simply finish one of my ROAD 100-mile ultras in my races and earn those buckles that I have designed. One of the important reasons why I insist on finishing a 100-mile trail run is because I have already transformed myself as a mountain trail runner after the conduct of the 1st Taklang Damulag 100-Mile Endurance Run. Since then, I limited my exposure to road racing as well as training on paved roads.
Maybe, my old age is fast catching up on my body that I need to spend more time in the mountains. However, more effort is exerted on my muscular and respiratory systems while I am in the mountains but after every run or hike I feel energized and more relaxed. It could be due to the following: the nice sights & scenery of the place where I came from, the clean and unpolluted air that I inhaled, or the variety of the ground where my feet would land that makes me more agile and fast in thinking. And the list gets longer with so many more reasons…
Fast Forward…The Hardcore 100-Mile Mountain Trail Run is very close to my heart as I was a part of the RD’s team to recon and measure the route for the first time within the duration of three consecutive days. We started in Kayapa, reached the peak of Mt Pulag, spent two nights in Balite, and then exited on the trailhead in Ambaguio, Nueva Viscaya and later linked up with our Support Team along the Maharlika Highway in Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya. We braved to fight the rains, the heat of the sun and the challenges of the mountainous terrain in Benguet and Nueva Viscaya. And the rest is history.
I made my first attempt to join the race in 2014 and I got lost on the first 14 kilometres due to error in judgment and arrived in Babadak Aid Station (Km #62) beyond the cut-off time of 16 hours. I was totally exhausted upon arrival at Babadak Aid Station even though I was well-prepared for the said event as I tried to catch-up from the loss of time I made from the Start to Pangawan. As compared this year, my preparation in terms of mileage and vertical distance is not even one-half of the mileage in put into the race in 2014.
I did not have any intention of joining this year’s Hardcore 100 but after my TransLantau 100 “abbreviated” finish last March where I was awarded only 2 UTMB points instead of 3 points, I decided to join the Four Lakes 100 where I could earn 3 UTMB points. I finished the Four Lakes 100K with a time of 26:45+ hours and it gave me the boost to try my luck again for the Hardcore 100 after asking the RD if I can still join the race. Instead of joining the TNF 100, I opted to join this year’s H1 Recon Run/Hike for me to familiarise again the first half of the route. Practically, my training for the event started immediately after I finished the Four Lakes 100 and I knew that the allotted time between FL 100 and H1 was not enough to gain more vertical distance and mileages appropriate for the event. But the hard-headed attitude in me prevailed and I know that any runner would not need “luck” to finish this race.
You may think that I was too ambitious to join this event and brave enough to toe the line with the rest of the Starters at the Starting Line but there is no shame in me because I am already 64 years (with nothing to prove anymore) and I would be happy to count the number of younger runners whom I could pass along the way which is, one or the other, would boost my morale to continue the race. So, my objective in this race was to catch up any runner whom I would see in front of me even if they are mountains ahead of me as long as I can see them and at the same time be able to build-up some buffer time before those designated cut-off times in the different checkpoints along the route.
Hardcore 100 Route Map & Elevation Profile
The Journey To DNF
The race started at exactly 12:01 AM Friday, May 20, 2016 at the Kayapa Elementary School’s Multi-Purpose Covered Court with 134 starters for the Hardcore 100. Having considered myself as the Oldest Runner among the participants, I positioned myself at the back of the pack and started walking. I think I walked on the first 200 meters because it was an uphill along the Highway until we entered the trailhead which was a short downhill where I started to run and jog. I practically jogged the flatter part of the course and brisk-walked on those uphill climbs. I knew that it was an 8-kilometer distance of uphill before we reached the short climb to the trail of the “Mossy Forest”. However, upon reaching Km 7, it started to rain and I had to bring out my Patagonia Water-Proof Jacket to prevent my body from getting cold and wet. I was happy to see that there is a Marshal manning the short climb up to the Mossy Forest as this was where I got lost in 2014. I tried to run inside the Mossy Forest and I was comfortable with my pace until I was knocked down with a branch of tree that fell down years ago across the trail. I resumed with my run until I reached Pangawan and I refilled my bottle with water. The RD and the rest of the volunteers were there cheering us and telling us our split time as we arrived at the Aid Station. My time was 3:02 hours for 14 kilometres and I was 32 minutes late/slower from the “time plan chart” that I prepared and carried with me. Instead of losing hope, I have to think positively and made my brisk walking faster on the next 3 kilometers of uphill climb to Dayap.
I think I was able to shave off some minutes of my delay from Pangawan to Dayap because of better footing on the ground even if it was raining. The road has a concrete tire track and the exposed ground is too hard to become a muddy one as it was not saturated with the rain. I took advantage to improve my pace after leaving Dayap. However, the road to Banao (newly-graded for widening and improvement) became very muddy as more parts of the trail became ankle-deep mud with water. There are even landslides, too where barely one-foot of track could be passable on the edge of the mountain cliff. This made my pace slower even if I had the aid of my trekking poles to prevent me from sliding and landing on my butt on the ground.
Cheat Sheet: Time Plan Reference For A 39-Hour Finish
Before reaching Banao, I was able to pass 8 runners and most of them did not have any trekking poles as they deliberately and slowly selected/chose the drier parts of the trail where they would avoid sliding on the muddy road. Even if the course profile on this part of the route is steeply going down, a runner would not dare to run a faster pace with the mud and slippery nature of the trail. So, instead of getting faster and improving one’s pace in this portion, I had to move slowly and deliberately instead of falling down and getting injured in the process. One false or mistake move on my part would mean a fracture or two on my ribs or bones. Better to be safe than landing in a hospital and giving a problem to the RD. One of the runners whom I passed just simply sat beside the trail wearing his raincoat and declared himself as DNF for having blurred vision! Before reaching Banao, the sun was already on the horizon, the rain had stopped and I could see signs from the cloud formation that the day will be a hot one!
As I looked at my watch, I was already delayed for almost one hour due to the muddy road (and slow start up to Pangawan) and decided to continue without dropping by at the Banao Aid Station. Knowing the different natural and free-flowing water sources along the trail, I was confident that I could easily refill my hydration bottles and bladder with water. It is a steep downhill run from the Banao Aid Station until you reach the bottom where one has to cross the 2nd Cable Hanging Bridge along the course. From the bottom, one has to go uphill again until one will be running along the edge of a mountain where on your left is a big & wide raging river. This is where you will pass the famous Sitio Happy, Kabayo where one will be running on the middle of a mini-rice terraces. Just be careful on your footing that you might land or fall down on the lower level rice terrace which has a height of at least 10-12 feet. There are more Cable Hanging Bridges to cross along this part of the course and be careful not to slip on those wooden planks. The course seem to be flat as the trail becomes flat as one has to run beside the raging river. Sometimes, you will run a flat trail with a narrow irrigation canal on your left side after passing the ABAT Elementary School until you reach a “meadow” where some houses are located. From the houses, it will be a deep descending part of small rocks on the trail where is a wooden fence on your right and a big trunk of fallen tree on the middle/left side of the trail. Take advantage of picking up your pace on these flat and descending parts of the course. After crossing the longest Cable Hanging Bridge in Kabayo, be ready for the next 7 kilometres of relentless climb up to the trail intersection/crossing of Napo-Tuyak which is still one kilometre away from the Aid Station/Checkpoint.
The Longest Hanging Bridge Towards Napo-Tuyak
I started to slow down on the last 5 Kilometers to Napo-Tuyak because of the heat of the sun and the steep climb to the crossing/intersection before the Aid Station. It was only on the last 2 kilometres that I thought of ingesting some solid food and taking in my first Salt Tablets that I was able to recover some strength to beat the cut-off time in Napo-Tuyak by 2 minutes. The “pit stop” to eat and rest on the last 2 kilometres was costly that I squandered 20-25 minutes of my “buffer” time.
I was the #124th and last runner to arrive within the cut-off time of 11 hours at Napo-Tuyak (Km 45). How I wished there was an Ice Cold Coca-Cola drinks to greet me at the Aid Station but there was none. The newly-cooked Camote just arrived and I picked-up one or two pieces which were still hot to eat. I put them in my pocket and proceeded to the store where I could buy some Coke. After eating some solid foods and the newly-cooked camote with the Coke, I started my climb as the last runner to Grassland without any hope of arriving at the next Aid Station/Checkpoint within the cut-off time of 16 hours!
It is a consolation that it was my 4th time to trek on this very steep climb from Napo-Tuyak to Babadak no matter what time will I arrive at the next Checkpoint. There was still light as it was before sundown when I finally reached the Grassland. There is no need to bring out my Cellphone as I was here for so many times since started in trail running. From the Grassland, I was on a Hiking Mode to Babadak and hoping that I would be transported back immediately to Kayapa for my shower, tooth-brush, hot food and warm bed.
I missed the cut-off time of 16 hours in Babadak Aid Station/Checkpoint and I was declared “DNF” (Did Not Finish).
Things To Be Improved To Myself:
Fighting With Age & Body Deterioration——I am so lucky and blessed that I’ve reached this age without any major illness or living a life while taking in some “preventive maintenance” drugs/medicines to buy more time in existence in this world. All I could do is to maintain my health/physique and continue what I love doing which is trail running and hiking up and down the mountains. I will be going back to Kayapa next year and finish this course and be declared as the “Oldest Finisher in this Event”.
More Mileage, More Vertical Distance But More Rest——For one to successfully finish this race within the cut-off time of 40 hours, one needs the whole year to train and prepare for it. An average runner knows what is meant by periodization and one must follow this principle of training. For my age, I would strictly follow this principle and make the H1 as my A-1 Priority Race and consider the rest of the races of the year as part of my training and evaluation leading to this Main Event. The training cycle of 3-4 weeks will be observed as to give time for my body to rest and recover for the workouts I’ve put in to my body. Hopefully, I will be devoting more sleeping hours during the days and nights during my training period.
Strengthening Exercises——My strengthening exercises and drills at the Gym for 4 weeks leading to the race complemented or substituted in some of my absences and missed trail running days in my weekly schedules. I did not feel any attacks of cramps or tightening of my muscles on my legs and arms except for some pain on my lower back which needs more “core exercises” during my climb from Napo-Tuyak to Grassland. I think those gym workouts which were concentrated on my leg muscles to include my butt muscles had greatly helped in my run and hike without any signs of any pain or developing any injury to my legs.
Tool or Devise To Remind Me To Eat——I usually use the “beep” sound of my watch every time I complete one mile as a reminder for me to take in my liquid and food but most of the time, I would not hear the sound while on the run. There are times also that I become hard-headed not to drink or eat even if I hear the sound and focus more on what I see in front of me while running. I think I have to practice or train on this using my iPhone as a reminder device or use my iPod music, too! My faster pace between Banao to Kabayo and then to Napo-Tuyak contributed on my lack of concern on my nutrition to the point that I forgot that I had with me in my Hydration Pack lots of Clif Chews which could be eaten easily and gave me the needed energy just like when I ran the TransLantau 100. Age is catching so fast on my memory that I forgot also to take my Salt Sticks/Tablets on the early part of the race when the sun was out and I was sweating profusely and only to remember to take in some when I was about to be totally drained from my energy on the last 2 kilometers to Napo-Tuyak! Next year, this thing will never happen again! Can anybody suggest those “talking” Applications to be downloaded for my iPhone?
Weather, Expect For The Worst——I’ve used my ALTRA Superior 2.0 in my successful runs for the Translantau 100 and Four Lakes 100 but it did not perform well on muddy and slippery trails of H1. Aside from not being aggressive on holding my feet from sliding on muddy trails, the insole kept on folding-up front inside my shoes! I thought that a lump of mud had accumulated inside my shoes that I had to dip my feet/shoes on every running water I could pass along the route just to remove the mud inside. I had some slips but I was glad I had trekking poles to balance myself. I think I have to go back to my Inov-8 Mudclaw or New Balance Trail Shoes with Vibram Soles if this event will be scheduled on this part of the year where I would anticipate some rains during the event. As with my Patagonia Jacket, it passed flying colours on what it is used for as a raincoat and warmer outfit to prevent me from the cold winds in the Grassland. I have used a The North Face Waterproof Jacket during my Recon Hike two weeks before the race as it rained from Napo-Tuyak to Grassland and it passed with flying colours, too!
Trekking Poles——I used my almost 4-year old Black Diamond Trekking Poles which is 120 cm in length. I used them in my past TNF Races, Mt Ugo Marathon, Translantau 100s, Four Lakes 100, and CM50 editions and they are very useful. Now that I am becoming an expert on the use of trekking poles, I feel that I need a longer one in size for more stability. I will buy the same brand of trekking poles with 130 cm in length.
Need For More Speed On The Trail——Hardcore 100 is a very unique mountain trail running event. One has to need some Speed or Faster Pace on the first half of the race and then maintain a comfortable jog-walk pace on the second half of the race. If you don’t have a “buffer time” of 3 hours upon reaching the Napo-Tuyak Aid Station/Checkpoint (Km 45), be ready to DNF at the Babadak Aid Station/Checkpoint (Km 62). If you are arrive at the Babadak Aid Station within the cut-off time of 16 hours in good condition, you have a 50-50 chance of finishing the race within the 40 hours cut-off time. In order to have a “buffer time” of 3 hours at Napo-Tuyak, I have to run an average pace of 5.6 kilometres per hour from the Starting Line up to Napo-Tuyak! Considering the total gain in elevation of about 13,000+ feet within the distance of 45 kilometres, the said pace is a very fast one for me. In my training, I could only manage to have my fastest average pace up to 4.9 kilometers per hour with a lower total gain in elevation by almost 3,000 feet. I have one year to improve my average pace appropriate for the first 45K of the course, hopefully! This will be the first thing that I will improve on in order to have a greater chance of finishing the race.
More Recon & Visits To The Route—-Aside from doing more practice runs on the first 62 kilometres of the route (Start to Babadak), it is also a “must” to know and feel how it is like to run and hike from Napo-Tuyak back to Dayap (Km 102) during nighttime. From Dayap to the Finish Line is the “reverse” version of the Four Lakes 100 route but there is still challenge to it as one has to reach the peak of Mt Ugo before going to the Finish Line. Hopefully, I will be able to do my practice runs and hikes by segment or section on this part of the route when the body is already weak and exhausted. We will see!
As a closing note in this post, I know that there are so many younger, stronger, and more experienced trail runners who have declared themselves as DNF in this race, to include our foreign friends/neigboring countries’ mountain trail runners who have finished other challenging races in other parts of the world and this Hardcore 100 event is something that we could be proud of. This international event could not be possible without the vision and advocacy of Jonel Mendoza and his Team to bring Sports Tourism in this part of the country and establish an added economy for the people of Kayapa and its environs. Let us support this event whether you are a trail runner or a volunteer and hopefully, the government and/or private entities will come into play and be aware of this event and come up with “projects” or establishments for better living conditions and accommodations for the people joining this event.
And for those local Pinoy Runners, Men & Women, who took the Podium Finish Positions and up to the Top Ten Overall Ranking, they have proven that they could Break The Course Record in the previous year/s and even performed well within the standards of the world’s elite international trail runners. This outstanding performance of our Local Trail Runners shows and proves that we can compete among the top international elite trail runners in the world. I just hope that our local as well as our multi-national Outdoor Corporate Brands and Private Business Establishments, and of course, our Government will have the INITIATIVE and CONCERN to bring these outstanding trail runners to international competitions and exposure.
To those who experienced running in this event and about to join this most challenging trail running event in the country, always remember, you came to join this event not to brag to have tried or finished it but you came here to prove that you can endure the most painful experience you can inflict on to yourself because of mountain trail running…thus, you will know more about yourself and what you are capable of from the strength of your mind and body.
Congratulations to those who endured the pain and victorious to have defeated the mountains and had successfully finished the race. To those who failed, we have one year to prepare, train, and save some money.
In about one month, I will turn to a 64-year old mountain trail runner and I have accepted the reality that I am getting old and about to retire from ultra mountain trail running with the hope to leave some legacy to the next generation of runners, most especially to the local ultra runners. I also accepted the fact that I am becoming the “cut-off time chaser” in all my past international ultra races. But for the past months, I improved on my nutrition strategy; more rest and recovery in my training; and getting smarter during races. And because of these reasons, I became more confident to finish the ultra races that I intended or scheduled to join this year. I guess, I might not retire in the near future after all.
I was surprised with my performance in last month’s Translantau 100K in Hongkong even if I was stopped at Km 90 due to severe weather conditions in the mountains. If only the race was not stopped by the Race Organizer, I would have improved my previous finish time last year by one hour or more. Instead of earning 3 UTMB Points, all of us who were stopped along the course were considered as Official Finishers and were given 2 UTMB Points. Due to this setback to earn 9 UTMB Points in 3 Ultra Races, I decided to join the 2016 KOTM’s Four Lakes 100K (FL 100) Trail Run and earn 3 UTMB Points from it.
Here are the reasons why I did good in this race:
More Time To Recover & Rest—-The Translantau 90K that I’ve finished 2 weeks before the FL 100, became my “peak LSD” in preparation for the said race. And the last 50K LSD “heat training” that I did one week before the race was my taper run. Within those two weeks, I did two sessions of leg workouts and the rest were devoted to rest and more sleep. However, before the Translantau 100, I finished the Condura Skyway Marathon (42K) and my Fort Magsaysay To Dingalan 65K Ultra Marathon Race.
Total Elevation Gain——As a mountain trail runner, this is the most important factor to consider in one’s training and looking at the data gathered and recorded by my Suunto Ambit 3 Peak GPS Watch, I was able to satisfy the suggested Total Elevation Gain that I have to attain within a certain distance. For example, if the 100K trail course has a total elevation gain of 15,000 feet, one must be able to train in a course that has at least, a total elevation gain of 1.500 feet within a distance of 10 Kilometers, 3,000 feet in 20 Kilometers, and so on. My playground offers a Total Elevation Gain of 2,100 feet within a distance of 8 kilometers and if I extend it to 22 kilometers, I would attain a total elevation gain of 4,250 feet! This explains why I have the endurance to go up to the peak of any mountain during races.
Four Lakes 100 Elevation Profile From SUUNTO Ambit 3 Peak GPS Watch
Nutrition & Hydration Strategy——Don’t wait till you feel you are hungry or thirsty that you start ingesting your food or drink your water/hydration mix. To be safe, once my GPS Watch beeps to register that I have completed ONE MILE (1.6 Kilometers), it usually reminds that I have to eat a bite food or drink my hydration mix. If I have an average speed of 3 miles per hour, then I would hear 3 beeps within the hour which means that I ingest any solid food and drink my water 3 times within the hour. Drinking and Eating are done while on the move which I usually do during my training runs.
Train Heavy, Race Light——I usually bring a lot of water during my training runs but in my races, I only carry enough water to sustain me in between the Aid Stations. But I carry my CarboPro mix packs which I programmed to sustain me for the whole course in my pack. For this race, I carried 12 packs (1 pack/serving in every two hours of running/hiking) but in the end, I only used 7 packs for the whole course. The pack that I carried during the which consisted of the mandatory kits and extra solid foods which was lighter in weight than the pack that I carry in my training runs.
Running Kit——The ASICS Running Shorts that I’ve been using in my ultra trail races since last year’s CM50 is becoming my favourite and my best running shorts so far. The ALTRA Superior 2.0 which I used in Translantau 100 is becoming my favourite choice for my 100K trail races, too! My Salomon 5-liter Advance Skin 3 Pack with its accessible pockets had been also helpful that I could easily reach for my bite foods and candies while on the move. My reliable PETZL Tikka XP which is very light gave me more confidence to run during nighttime.
Reduction of Stop Time in the Aid Stations——It would have been smarter not to stay long in the Aid Stations but I committed some mistakes in having unnecessary “long breaks” in between Aid Stations to sit and eat my food. My experience in the FL 100 taught me some lessons and with the hope to improve on them in my next races.
SUUNTO Ambit 3 Peak Data
Looking at the data that had been recorded by my SUUNTO Ambit 3 Peak GPS Watch, I will have to improve on my average pace by eliminating some of the mistakes that I’ve committed in this race. I think I brought so many CarboPro Packs and bite foods in my pack. My lack of knowledge on the route from East Market Proper to Dayap made me slower during the race. I think I was also overdressed when the heat of the sun was at its strongest along this part of the route. Hopefully, I will be able to correct all these mistakes on my next race!
I really did not have any plans of joining the Four Lakes 100K (FL 100) or the Old Spanish Trail 50K (OST 50) this year but with what happened at the Translantau 100K Trail Run in Hongkong two weeks ago where the race was stopped when almost all the runners were at the last one-fourth of the race due to strong winds in the mountains, I finally sent a personal message to my good friend and Race Director of the KOTM Races, Jonel Mendoza, that I would be glad if he will accept my late registration for the Four Lakes 100 Mountain Trail Run. When both Race Directors of Ultra Events in the country talk to one another, the results are always positive.
Within the two weeks in between the Translantau 100 and the Four Lakes 100, I did two sessions of workouts for my leg muscles concentrating on my adductors, the muscle that stretches from the groin to the knee on the inside portion of the leg. I had some experiences of cramping on this muscle during last year’s CM50 and at the Translantau 100 and I need to strengthen and stretched them. I also did one LSD run covering a distance of 50K in a mixed paved and trail surfaces under the heat of the sun one week before the race.
Four Lakes 100K Mountain Trail Run Course Map
There was no pressure or stress on my part what to really expect with this mountain trail race. It will be enough that I would see Jonel and Connie again after years (I think, two years!) of not seeing each other; visit Kayapa and its mountains; mingle with old and new friends who have passion in trail running (most especially in ultra trail running); finally meet my Facebook Friends in person; and be able to earn 3 UTMB points for finishing this race within the cut-off time of 28 hours.
Having finished the first edition of the Mt Ugo Trail Marathon and been a part of the laying out of the Hardcore 100-Mile Mountain Trail Run’s Route Course and a former participant of this race, the Old Spanish Trail (OST) Course is new to me! I have been hearing stories about the place called “Amelong Labeng” from other runners who finished the OST and Four Lakes 100 (FL100) for the past editions but I’ve never asked the details about this place. Since I could not find a detailed description or Race Report of the OST and FL 100 on the Internet, maybe, I will be the one who will try to come up with a good description about the said place through a Race Report on the FL 100.
Race Briefing
Due to a big gathering or event among the locals of Kayapa and neighbouring towns/barangays in the area, the Covered Court of the Kayapa Elementary School was not available and the Race Briefing was moved to the Kayapa Parish Hall which is one of the concrete structures inside the Kayapa Catholic Church Compound. The Hall was filled with lots of trail runners and the rest of the runners who could not squeeze inside the hall were seen standing outside. This was an indication that more runners are interested to join the KOTM series and to think that some of the runners were still on their way to Kayapa, coming from Metro Manila and other provinces.
There are detailed things which are very important that you can not see or read in the event’s website like the description/color of the trail markings or emergency contact number of the RD or being able to see in person and be able to talk with the with the Race Director. Except for the Ultra Events that I’ve joined in Hongkong, the Race Directors in all the other Ultra Events here in the country and in the US are there in person to brief the participants on the “nitty-gritty” of the race event.
Four Lakes 100 Elevation Profile
Since I have made my homework on the details of the event (except for the specific drinks and food to expect in the different Aid Stations) what caught my attention is the steady increase in the number of trail runners in the country based from the “new” faces that I’ve seen during the briefing. I felt like I was the “stranger” among the flock of trail runners and mountaineers present in the hall. There were also foreigners present in the briefing which is an indication that our trail running in the country has attracted them to visit the country.
What I like about the KOTM series is that there is NO fun fare and does not carry any CORPORATE Brand and every runner gets what is worth for what he/she pays for the registration fee. On the other hand, I can see some economic changes as shown from new building constructions at the Town Proper area. This proves that Sports Tourism through the KOTM series is bringing some good economic opportunities for the community.
Location of Aid Stations/Checkpoints & Cut-Off Times
Race Proper
Start (Kayapa Parish Hall) To Mt Ugo Peak (Km 0 to Km 22)
In all the KOTM series of race that I have joined, the area in front of the Kayapa Municipal Hall was always the Starting/Assembly Area. And for the Finish at the Covered Court of the Kayapa Elementary School. For this year, the Start/Finish Area was changed to the Kayapa Parish Church Area.
I was already in the Starting Area one hour before the start of the race (2:00 AM of Saturday, April 2) and was trying to see the faces of the runners. Hot coffee, local foods, and water were available in the area. I had myself checked-in with the Race Staff and the RD himself and I was confident that I will finish the race. Some runners would approach me and greet me and it made me more relaxed. I would also greet the other runners as the start will be simultaneous with both of the races, Old Spanish Trail 50K Run and the Four Lakes 100K Trail Run. It was still dark to be able to clearly distinguish which one was running what race as seen from the runner’s race bib. I estimated that we were about 300 runners assembled at the Starting Area and for me, it was already a huge crowd.
Before the customary final briefing of the RD, I mentally reviewed the “plan” that I have formulated to be able to finish the race and forced my mind to strictly follow it. Some of the details of my “plan” were the following: (1) Arrive at the Checkpoints, at least, 2 hours before the cut-off time; (2) Refill my hydration bottles in every Aid Station to mix my CarboPro; (3) Eat my solid food stashed in my pack every hour while moving; (4) Don’t stay more than 2 minutes in the Aid Stations; (5) Hike the Uphills and Force myself to run on the flats and downhills; (6) No picture-taking/“selfies” using my iPhone; and (7) Never miss to place a “Coffee Candy” inside my mouth!
Invocation/Prayer Before The Start Of The Race
At exactly 3:00 AM, the race started after a countdown from 20 to GO! I started with an easy jog as the first 100 meters was downhill and I could feel that the first 1 kilometre of the course was runnable until the road started to ascend. The first 3 kilometres are already paved as compared few years back that it was only a paved tire track then with patches of dirt road. At the start of the 4K mark, I started to feel that I was already perspiring and it was time for me to unleash the trekking poles tied on my hydration pack. Since the first 10K of the course is uphill, I maintained my hiking using my trekking poles as a support for my old knees and legs! It was still too dark and I was not keen of knowing where and what are the things that I could see around me. I just concentrated on seeing on what my headlight would illuminate…and that is—one meter ahead of me! There are times also that I would bring up my head and see what is happening above me as we snaked towards the higher grounds of the mountain. It was nice to see the headlights of the different runners going to the peak of the mountain.
Approaching AS2 In Domolpos
After two hours of continuous hiking, I reached Barangay Indupit and the surroundings was starting to get brighter as the sun was about to rise on the eastern horizon and at this point I was about to cover a distance of 10 kilometres. Ahead of me was the towering sight of Mt Ugo and the tiny dots of different colours of the runners’ shirts ahead of me as they approached higher elevation. It was a sight that motivated me hike or jog faster along the course.
I started to run when I would see that the trail is descending and without much effort I would be able to increase my pace. From Indupit to Domolpos was an easy run and I reached the Aid Station after 3 hours from the start. I immediately refilled my hydration bottles and prepared my next mix of CarboPro. In a short time, I was ready to “assault” the peak of Mt Ugo. At this point, I started to see the faster runner coming from the peak of the mountain. I would give way and stepped aside from the trail for the runners coming from the peak. This is where I was able to find out that there are so many trail runners whom I don’t know their names! Slowly but surely, I would be able to reach the peak of Mt Ugo in almost 5 hours but I was still comfortable to make up for my slow ascent to the peak after leaving the mountain.
Running With The Ladies Along The Course (@Assault To Mt Ugo)
I ate my breakfast at the peak of Mt Ugo and had some picture-taking with a group of friends which slightly delayed my stay at the said Checkpoint. It was nice to finally see the faces of the runners as the day was becoming brighter. Looking at my watch, I was able to register and cover a distance of 14 miles or 22 kilometres!
Mt Ugo Peak To Kayapa East Market (Km 22 to 35)
It was a breeze to go down from the peak of Mt Ugo but with those small rocks along the trail and slow lady runners ahead of me, I was very careful and deliberate in every step of the way. In about 30 minutes, I was able to reach the Aid Station in Domolpos. I immediately filled up my two Simple Hydration Bottles with water and CarboPro mix and be ready for the long descent to the Kayapa East Proper Market.
@ Mt Ugo Peak With Team Tarayem
Since the trail is descending as seen from the course elevation profile, it seems to be easy but with the nature of the trail as being rocky and single track, there is some difficulty in passing the slower runners ahead of me. The trail on this part of the course could be described as very dangerous for very fast runners that a single misstep will lead them to fall on the ravine on his right or hit the rocks on the side of the mountain on his left side.
In my estimate, I was able to reach the AS4 at the Kayapa East Market in 7 hours with one hour as buffer time before the cut-off time of 8 hours in this place. I stopped to refill my bottles and eat some solid foods. I was craving for an Ice Cold Coke but the AS did not have any and one of my good friends assisting in the said AS readily produced a 1.5-liter of Coke. He even gave me a bagful of assorted fresh fruit bites with ice inside the bag and and a bowl of rice porridge with two hard boiled eggs. It took me about 10-12 minutes to sit, rest and eat the foods served to me.
Tiny Dot Along The Old Spanish Trail
Kayapa East Market To Amelong Labeng (Km 35 to 40)
As I left the Aid Station/Checkpoint, I knew already what to expect for the next miles—I have to reach the peak of the next mountain with those Telecommunication Antenna! As I was crossing the hanging bridge to the foot of the mountain for the start to my trek to Amelong Labeng, I was reminded on those other hanging bridges along the Hardcore 100-Mile course that one has to cross. Slowly, I was going up to the mountain with the aid of my trekking poles but the heat of the day was making it more difficult for me to have a faster pace. I would take a number of short rests for about 5 seconds each pause before going up again to the said mountain. On hindsight, I committed a mistake in resting in a waiting shed with the rest of the runners where the conversation among us ate most of our time not knowing that most of the runners in the waiting shed were with the shorter OST 50K Race. But the said rest gave me time to eat and hydrate and was able to meet some friends on Facebook whom I met personally for the first time. When my friend Bong Bernadez came up to rest in the Waiting Shed, he gave us the news about the new cut-off time at AS6 in Dayap. I thought it was 14 hours but it was changed to 16 hours! But there is no need to relax as I was focused to finish the race and earn more buffer time in each AS or Checkpoint!
@AS4 East Kayapa Market (With Bong Bernadez in Red Shirt)
Amelong Labeng To Castillo Village (Km 40 to 52)
The steep ascent to Amelong Labeng stopped when we reached a school where I managed to refill my bottles in a Comfort Room. I took some time to douse the cold water coming from the faucet to my head and neck. I was comforted with the cold water and I was ready again to reach the next peak where the Transmission Antenna are located. I did not have any problems with my stomach or my leg muscles at this point but the heat of the sun was my main enemy at this point. It was good that I had my last LSD “heat training” a week before the race that I braved to jog and run to the peak. Moreso, when I reached the peak, I continuously jogged and hiked from the peak of the mountain up to the time that I reached the Aritao-Kayapa Highway. Along this part of the course, I monitored my nutrition intake and closely observed the colour of my urine. I was satisfied that I did not feel or see some signs or symptoms of dehydration. I knew that I was perspiring heavily but with my constant drinking of water and CarboPro…and never-ending supply of Coffee Candy in my mouth, I was confident that I would not be dehydrated because I carried with me an extra Salomon collapsible soft plastic bottle full of CarboPro mix . From Amelong Labeng to the peak of the mountain is runnable as the trail is a wide dirt road and it is the same with that in going down from the peak of the mountain to the Aritao-Kayapa Highway. I was able to regain more of my buffer time within this part of the course.
Castillo Vilage To Barangay Dayap (Km 52 to 56)
I was craving again with a sweet Ice Cold Coke once I reached AS5 in Castillo Village. The Pepsi-Cola Max drinks available in the AS didn’t have any sugar in it but just the same I drank some of it. I did not stay long as soon as I refilled my bottles. It was another long climb again coming from the AS5 and the heat of the sun was at its strongest! It never affected me as I steadily used my trekking poles to reach the higher elevation of the next mountain. Before reaching the “Green Lake”, I stopped to eat “suman”/rice cake wrapped in banana leaves and Pork Chicharon! It was a nice feeling to see the “meadow” at the peak of the mountain after passing the Lake! But it was short-lived when I started to go down from the mountain as the trail was slippery and narrow and the descending nature of the trail gave some pain on my knees! My running friend would jokingly said that down the mountain is the next “Lake” and I was laughing when I saw what he was referring to…it’s a Lake full of carabaos! At least, it was a good diversion and joke to forget my aching knees as went down to the foot of the mountain.
After another ascending road, we finally reached AS6 in Dayap and I reached it in 14:10 hours! After eating a bowl of hot Macaroni Soup, changing my shirt, and refilling my bottles, I was out of the AS6 towards Banao at 14:20 hours or 5:20 PM of Saturday!
Dayap To Banao (Km 56 to 69)
As I left AS6 Dayap, I started to meet those faster runners as they were coming from Banao, the turn-around point at Km 70. It was nice to meet and greet them as it was still clear to see their faces (it was about sunset already after leaving Dayap). I mentally calculated that I have to reach Banao in 3 to 4 hours and be back again to Dayap with the same elapsed time so that I will be able to make it before the cut-off time of 24 hours. With a distance of 13 kilometres for one-way (Dayap to Banao), I was confident that I would make it, not unless I got injured or have some muscle cramping along the way that would slow me down!
Later in the early evening, I would see approaching lights coming from the runners as far down and up in the mountains and it gave me some impression if the trail ahead of me was ascending or descending. If I see lights lower than where I am, I would increase my pace as the trail is descending. If the lights are above me, I would power-hike with the aid of my trekking poles and try keep up with my prevailing pace as shown in my watch. This was repeated as well as greeting the runners that I have to meet along the dark trail.
After 3 hours, I was able to reach AS7 Banao and I was happy to reach the turn-around point with added buffer time. After a taste of the delicious hot misua with pork, I was out of the Aid Station and determined to reach back to Dayap. I gave a brief message of thanks and gratitude to all the people at the AS7 before I left by telling them that they are “the angels who came from heaven who saved me after a lot of fights with the demons along the dark and lonely road from Dayap to Banao”.
Banao To Dayap (Km 69 to 82)
I consider this part of the course as my most challenging segment of the course! I started to feel my lowest level of power and strength after covering 4 kilometres from the Aid Station as the trail was relentlessly and never-ending uphill. This is where I felt hungry, cold, sleepy, and weak! There is only one solution——find a place to have a short rest and eat some solid foods! That was what I did! I even shared some of my food to a runner who stopped in my place just to change the batteries of his headlamp! More coffee candies had to be placed in my mouth and keep on drinking my CarboPro mix! After that brief rest, I was energized and continued my trek/hike towards Dayap. I made it in 3.5 hours! I reached AS8 Dayap in 21:28 hours and then left the place after refilling my bottles after 1-2 minutes. The volunteers were offering some hot macaroni soup but I declined the offer and left the place immediately. At this point, I was able to accumulate 2.5 hours as buffer time fort he whole course’ cut-off time of 28 hours.
Dayap To Indupit (Km 82 to 92)
I am already in a more familiar ground as I was descending from Dayap to Pangawan. Though my old knees were hurting as I ran down on those steep and paved road towards the Kayapa-Ambuklao Highway, I tried to keep up with a faster pace but I conservatively prevented from exerting much effort as I knew I have another last steep uphill to encounter before reaching Indupit. As I reached the Highway, I knew I was already in Pangawan. Slowly, I would power hike on those ascending paved road towards Indupit with lots of “false” peaks along the way. When the paved road ended in one of the peaks, it was time to turn right on a single track grass-covered trail and I was on my way to the “mossy forest”.
I will never forget this “mossy forest” as it was the “culprit” why I was DNFd in my attempt to finish the Hardcore 100-Mile Trail Run two years ago! For this year, it will be remembered at the place where I was hit for three times, yes, three times, on my head from the branches overhead as well as from those fallen trees across the path/trail. This is where one would crawl under fallen trees and be patient on the never-ending single-track trail circling the side of the mountain as if you are not leaving the forest! Runner, once again, should be very careful on this trail because the left side of the trail is a cliff/deep ravine and running along this trail needs a lot of focus and attention! Finally, I heard the voices of the runners who were 30-minutes to one hour ahead of me before reaching the Banao turn-around point and they are starting their their descent to the Finish Line.
Indupit To Finish (Kayapa Parish Hall)
It was 24:55 hours when I started my descent from Indupit to the Finish Line. I had almost 3 hours to cover the distance of 8 kilometres before the cut-off time of 28 hours. I tried to reach the last person among the group of runners ahead of me and passed some of them. But later along the way, I decided to slow down and hiked most of the descending parts of the route. There was no need to race with the rest of the runners ahead of me. I gave them the courtesy to finish the race ahead of me even if I still have the speed and strength to reach and cross the Finish Line with a faster pace. It was time to relax, cool-down, remove and stash my jacket inside my pack, tie my trekking poles to my backpack, turn-off and remove my headlight, and fix my running cap. While hiking down to the Finish Line, I tried to review the things that I went through and already came up with a story for my blog.
I finally crossed the Finish Line at the Kayapa Parish Ground with an unofficial time of 26:45++hours!
I started my serious training on this event in the month of December of last year (2015). Monday in every week was my Rest Day and almost everyday was devoted to running on flat and hilly terrains. My average mileage for my easy runs and tempo runs was 7-8 miles. My longest run in the mountains would be 7-8 miles during the months of December and January and followed by hikes with the same route the following day. However, in my weekends or Saturdays, I would run a distance of 50-60 kilometres on flat & paved roads for my endurance runs. And on the following day, Sunday, I would go out for a hike in the mountains for a distance of 7 miles. I did this LSDs for 4 consecutive weeks. My tempo runs would be included in my flat long runs on Saturdays and lots of faster downhill running from the peak of the mountain where I usually do my recovery or daily runs. I never visited any oval tracks and do some speed intervals during the period of my training but I did a lot of hill repeats of 1 kilometer distance (run in going up and then easily jog or hike in gong down) with repetitions ranging from 10-15 repetitions, at least once a week!
My participation in last month’s Condura Skyway Marathon was also a part of my training as my gauge if my previous ultra distance LSDs were making me a stronger runner but not necessarily a faster one. I was happy that I did not encounter any “cramping/bonking” issues during the said race.
On the last 4 weeks before the event, I did at least 3 sessions of double-traverse in the mountain that I used as my training ground/playground and in every session, I would register a total of elevation gain of 4,250+ feet within a distance of 14 miles (22.4 kilometres) which I usually finish in 5:45-6:00 hours. In these 4 weeks, I was already using my trekking poles during the runs as well as practiced on how to tie or untie them from my hydration pack while on the move. I would also practice on how to hold them with my hand while on the run. I discovered that I was more comfortable in holding both the trekking poles with my left hand rather than holding the each pole on each hand while on the run on flats and downhills. In this way, my right hand is free to grab my food or hydration bottle from the pockets of my pack.
Using My Trekking Poles In My Playground
Two weeks before the race, I had my last double-traverse in my mountain with my best effort; without any “pit stops” and eating/drinking on the move, using my trekking poles, and with a faster pace. This workout registered my fastest time of 4:58+ hours for the course! One week before the race, I joined my race, 5th edition of the Fort Magsaysay To Dingalan 65K Ultra Marathon Race, and finished it in 9:19+ hours. Since the elevation profile of the course is hilly, I knew I would get a lot of leg speed and strength on the ascents and descents and be able to fine tune my nutrition/hydration strategy. On the rest of the days before the event, I just did easy 8K and 5K on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. However, I got so much time to sleep and recover before my flight to Hongkong.
Comparing my training this year’s event and that with last year’s, my training in the 2015 edition was more in volume and intensity. But in this year’s edition, I had more rest and recovery days and the use of trekking poles were contributory to my faster splits in the different Checkpoints. Additionally, I improved on my nutrition with the use of CarboPro, instead of using GU/Energy Gels every hour during the run. Being smart of not staying long in Aid Stations and by-passing the earlier ones had also contributed to my faster splits in the different Checkpoints.
Nutrition & Hydration
During my training and preparation, I’ve never used my stash of CarboPro since I only use them in my races. Instead, I used only water; Succeed Salt Tablets; SkyFlakes Crackers; and Coke which I buy at the turnaround of my double-traverse located in a populated area.
During the race, I brought and stashed 14 servings of CarboPro in my Salomon Hydration Pack which I intend to use one serving in one Simple Hydration Bottle filled with water within two hours of running/hiking. I would drink it with my Clif Blok Chews or Clif Meal Bar or with the foods available in the Aid Stations.
At Km 22 Along Sham Wat Road In Ngong Ping (5:00-6:00 AM Saturday (Photo By Ying Chai)
I was consistent during the race of consuming one serving of CarPro in between Checkpoints. I would leave the Checkpoint with one bottle mixed with water while the other bottle is filled with the CarboPro Powder without water. As I reached the next Aid Station, I would bring out the bottle with CarboPro powder and ask the volunteers to fill it with water. Once it is done, I would leave the Aid Station immediately and walk while getting one serving of CarboPro from my pack and have the powder fill in the other empty bottle. This drill was done regularly in every Checkpoint in the course.
I brought also Jack N Jill X.O. White Coffee Candies stashed in my Ultimate Direction Race Belt that has two zippered pockets. I would place two candies in my mouth and play them with my tongue while on the run. This would provide me with continuous supply of sugar to my nutritional needs aside from my CarboPro and Chews. One of the pockets of my ASICS shorts was designated as my trash pocket for the wrappers of these candies and the ziploc plastic bags for my CarboPro Mix.
I forgot to bring SkyFlakes from the Philippines but I was lucky to find out that there were crackers being served in the Aid Stations. So, every time I would reach the Aid Station, I would get two packs of crackers and put them in my shorts’ pockets and I would eat them during my run. But I advise you to be careful when you eat their crackers because it made me choked during the run. I stopped choking and coughing when I drank most of my CarboPro Mix!
When there is a chance to eat their Hot Noodles in the Aid Stations, I would mix them with Salami slices and they gave me the much needed fats and salt to my diet. I would also pick-up their Nutella Sandwiches, Raisins, and Chocolate bites as I leave the Checkpoints. I started drinking Coke at Km #44 and every Aid Station thereafter.
Bottomline, I did not have any nutrition or stomach issues during the race. It could be the prevailing cold temperature or cold weather of the day that contributed from having no problems with my digestive system. However, there was only ONE Problem that I’ve encountered during the race…
Peeing During The Race
After leaving the Starting Line and about to enter to the trailhead, a distance of about 1 kilometre, I was already irritated that I need to pee immediately! There was no amount of controlling it that I had to urinate on the side of the street near a fence while the rest of the runners were waiting for their turn to enter the narrow trail. For the rest of the course, I would pee in every 3-4 kilometres!
There are times that I would enter their Public Toilets situated along the popular and visited trails but most of the time, I would just pee beside the trail most specially in the mountains. There was a time that I did not know that a lady runner was running behind me when I just decided to side-step and just pee beside the trail without any cover.
Surprisingly, I did not have the urge to pee when I was battling with the strong winds and fog as I was ascending to the Sunset Peak as well as when I was going down to the Checkpoint in Pak Mong (Km 85).
On hindsight, my regular peeing was a sign that I was regularly hydrated and did not have a feeling that I was “bonking”. Actually, I only ingested two Succeed Salt Tablets during the run.
I could have peed for almost 20-25 times during the race and if it took me 30 seconds to pee, then I would have spent a total stop time of 10-12 minutes and if I would enter a Public Toilet, each pee time would be longer than 30 seconds! I am not sure how I will solve the problem of not peeing so many times in a cold weather environment during a race. I am an expert already in peeing while on the run or on the move but I only do such thing during night running. I did this thing in last year’s participation in this race though where I would here laughter from the runners behind me upon seeing the traces of moisture drops on the dry trail ground as their lights would see them.
On Apparel and Running Kit
During my training in the mountains, I was using alternately, the ALTRA Superior 2.0 and INOV-8 Race Ultra 270 trail shoes. I have observed that the ALTRA shoes was giving me more comfort and cushioning but less in sole traction with the muddy trail/ground/slippery rocks. On the other hand, the INOV-8 Race Ultra’s soles are very aggressive to muddy trails and slippery rocks and there is comfort on my feet in the toe box section but lacking in cushioning. With the help of a weighing scale, I finally decided to use the ALTRA Superior 2.0 because it was lighter than the INOV-8 Race Ultra by 53 grams!
My gray-colored ASICS running shorts had been my favorite shorts since I bought it before the 2015 CM50. It has a side pocket on the left side that fits with my IPhone; a big zippered back pocket; and big slanting pockets on both leg portions of the shorts. I usually use it with my Under Armour Compression Shorts as my underwear/brief and it never gave me any rashes on my groin and butt.
The same as last year, I was using a compression shirt/muscle shirt without arm sleeves (by Adidas) and a white PAU long-sleeved shirt as my Uppers. I brought two Jackets (Uniqlo Water Repellant Down Jacket & Columbia Water Repellant Windbreaker with Hood). I used the Uniqlo Jacket on the 1st half of the course and the Columbia Jacket on the 2nd half which was proven to be very effective against the strong winds in the mountains and maintained my body heat temperature despite of the cold condition of the night. I was using my old Shenza Compression Calf Sleeves; Drymax Trail Socks; and Dirty Girl Gaiters. To protect my ears from getting cold, I used the Mission Buff (Blue-colored) which is thicker and longer in size than the other buffs in the market. For my cap, I used my old white Under Armour Runner’s Cap.
Along The Cable Car Trail In Ngong Ping @ Km 62 (Photo By Freebird)
My trekking pole is made by Black Diamond which is the old version of the Ultra Distance Z-poles which is 120 cm. long. It is always partnered with my old and trusted Specialized Cycling Gloves!
I bought the new version of the Salomon S-LAB 5-Liter Hydration Pack on the mid-part of last year and it was my 2nd time to use it in a race. Instead of using the Salomon plastic bottles that go with it, I replaced them with Simple Hydration Bottles with the reason that they have bigger openings where I could easily pour my Powder Mix from the Ziplocs containers that I use. What I like in this hydration pack is that it has a lot of expanding zippered pockets as well as back main compartments which can accommodate my jacket and my nutrition needs. I could easily tie and untie my trekking poles while on the run or on the move without removing my pack from my body. The same is true when trying to reach for my nutritional needs.
I’ve been using a Mission Buff for the past two years and I’ve selected it for the Hongkong event because it is thicker and longer and it is advertised to maintain coolness to the body but for the prevailing situation during the race I’ve used it as a cover to my ears from the cold temperature and at the same time absorb the sweat coming from my head. The buff did its work and it was very useful for me during the race.
Medication & Drugs
Once I ingested the Hopias (Chinese Bread), which I brought from Manila, few minutes before the start of the race, I took 2 pieces of Aleve tablets and one capsule of Immodium. After eating my egg sandwich (Km 55) before trekking the Ngong Ping 360 Emergency Rescue Trail, I took another 2 pieces of Aleve Tablets.
Last year, I joined this race for the reason to visit Hongkong and at the same time, find out if my training on trail running was making some progress and improvement on my capability to run in ultra mountain trail races. For this year, I joined this race for the purpose of earning “points” for the UTMB with the hope of joining this race in 2017 or year after (if my knees are still intact and strong!). This is my Race Report last year.
I was satisfied with the result of my last year’s finish with a time of 28:50+ hours and I’ve earned 3 points for the UTMB registration. I’ve earned another 2 UTMB points in last year’s Clark-Miyamit 50-Mile Trail Run. So, I still need 4 points to complete 9 points within this year for me to be qualified to join the 2017 UTMB. On second thought, I am now qualified for the UTMF in Japan this year with the 3 points for UTMB I’ve earned in last year’s TransLantau 100 or maybe, join in next year’s CCC 100K which needs only 3 points to register.
The main goal for me in this year’s TransLantau 100 was to finish the race within the cut-off time of 32 hours, without any injury, and be able to earn another 3 UTMB points. Improving my finish time was considered as a “bonus”, knowing what to expect on the terrain, the stairs, location of Checkpoints/Aid Stations, and the weather (where I assumed that the weather last year was the same for this year’s edition). I did not have any jitters or nervousness on the last few days and hours before the event. I was totally relaxed and ready for the challenge.
But along the course before I finished the race, the prevailing weather for the day turned to be very dangerous to the runners (as per the Race Organizer’s view) and the following is my story about it.
Map of Lantau & Race Route Of TransLantau 100
Pre-Ritual Activities
The usual ritual that I’ve done last year before the race was done again for this year—the trip from Tsim Shai Tsui to Central’s Pier 6 to Mui Wo via the Boat/Ferry (faster one this time); eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounder Hamburger at the Mui Wo Ferry Port; meeting with other SouthEast Asian runners (from Malaysia); and finally waiting for the race to start with my Pinoy Ultrarunner-Friends—Tess Leono, Myk Dauz, and Mic-mic Flores.
We had more than two hours to spare waiting for the Race to start at the Public Park (with Comfort/Bath Rooms and Concrete Benches with Barbecue Grill Areas) and we just sat in one of the benches covered with a roof. All our bottles and hydration packs were ready and we adhered to the instructions that we had to bring the race’s mandatory gears.
The Four Brave Local Pinoys Of 2016 TransLantau 100 Edition (L-R, Myk, BR, Tess, Mic-Mic)
On Mandatory Gears & Nutrition
I brought two jackets with me, a Water Repellant Down Jacket by Uniqlo and Water Repellant Columbia Jacket with a thin Heat Blanket on the inside portion. I was thinking of what to wear for the race as I’ve observed that the prevailing temperature for the race was colder than last year’s. Finally, I decided to wear the Down Jacket by Uniqlo which is very light and easy to stow in my hydration pack. But I decided to bring the Columbia Jacket with me just in case I need to change my jacket. Just in case of extreme weather condition, I still have my Salomon’s Heat Blanket stowed in one of the pockets of my Salomon Hydration Pack.
I brought also an extra handheld flashlight aside from the Petzl (Tikka XP) Headlight that I was already wearing before the start of the race. I have also extra batteries in my pack just in case my new batteries will be drained during the two nights thatI will be on the course. Last year, my headlight became very weak on my last 10K and I’ve learned a lesson from that experience.
One glaring and significant change in my running gear as compared to my last year’s participation is the use of trekking poles. I have trained for almost 3 weeks using the trekking poles and I was glad I made the right decision as I will explain later in my story.
On my nutrition, this is the first time that I have not used a single GU Energy Gel but just the same , I brought 4 pieces just in case of emergency or “bonking” as compared to last year’s 24 pieces of GU stashed in my shorts’ pockets and hydration pack. However, I brought, at least, 12 servings of CarboPro with me which kept me moving forward without a feeling of being hungry and weak.
Elevation Profile Of TransLantau 100
Race Proper
There is NO Public Address System, an Emcee or the RD talking to the runners and giving last instructions prior to the start of the race and it had been like that last year. Once the Lion Dance and Beating of Drums are seen and heard, it is a signal that the Race is about to start. At this point, the four of us Pinoys entered the chute and comfortably waited at the back portion for the race to start. There were NO Gun Start and Cowbells and we just followed the runners in front of us to clear the Start/Finish Arc. The first 100 meters was running on the sand and finally went up from the beach to the paved area of the park until we reached the streets of Mui Wo.
Start Of The Race @ Silvermine Beach Park, Mui Wo, Lantau Island, Hongkong (Photo From Translantau FB Page)
Except for the brief stop due to traffic of runners entering the trailhead, running was done on a paved trail and almost in a flat terrain. I was at the back of my Pinoy friends (Myk, Tess, and Mic-Mic) at this point and I was running on a steady pace trying to observe when my body would start perspiring. I was thinking of removing my Down Jacket once I started to perspire but I was hard-headed not to stop and remove it. I decided not to remove it until I reached the halfway part of the course (Km 44).
I reached the 1st Checkpoint at Chi Ma Wan (Km 7) in 1:09:21 hours with a ranking of #608 out of about 1,000+ starters. I stopped to refill my Simple Hydration Bottle with a CarboPro in it and I was on the go again. Knowing that it was the start of the ascending portions of the route, I immediately removed the trekking poles that were tied on the back of my Salomon Hydration Park and it was time to apply what I’ve trained for using these trekking poles.
After 10 kilometers of relentless and non-stop ascents on rock-stairs using my trekking poles, I reached the 2nd Checkpoint at Pak Hung Au (Km 17) in 3:21:57 hours with an overall ranking of #577. The Aid Station is located beside a Highway and the building structure is a big circular shade/hut with all the foods and drinks in front of it. I refilled my Simple Hydration Bottle and grabbed some bite foods and I was eating and drinking while leaving the Aid Station. I took the opportunity to pass most of the runners who were still eating in the Aid Stations and it was the start to tackle the highest elevation of the course, the Mt Lantau Peak.
The Lantau Peak is the highest elevation in the island and the second highest peak in Hongkong with an elevation of 934 meters above sea level (masl) or (3,083+ feet). In last year’s race, Lantau Peak was Km #70 and this year was made as Km #20. The Race Organizer placed the hardest part of the course in last year’s event on the first half of the race and I felt good with it because my legs and knees were not yet spent and exhausted after reaching the Lantau Peak. The approach to the peak on this side of the route was more forgiving as there are less steeper stairs to step on.
I reached the Lantau Peak in 4:32+ hours and it was starting to be foggy and windy. I was not tempted to take a picture using my iPhone at the peak because I’ve promised myself to refrain from taking any “selfies” along the course and be able to improve my finish time. It was time to go down from the peak but if you think it was an easy one, you are wrong! This is where you can see the steepest rock stairs made in the whole of Hongkong that you have to be slow and deliberate in taking the next lower step. For the 2 kilometers of descending stairs, it took me 35 minutes! Finally, I reached the 3rd Checkpoint at Ngong Ping (Km 22) in 5:08:47 hours with an overall ranking of #522. As a result, I was able to gain a buffer time of 1 hour & 52 minutes (almost 2 hours) and I’ve passed 55 runners within the said section of the course! From Checkpoint #1 up to Checkpoint #3, I gained and improved in 86 positions/rankings! Not bad!!!
I did not stay long in Ngong Ping #1 Aid Station after I refilled my Simple Hydration Bottle and grabbed some bite foods and walked away while eating and drinking. From the Aid Station, it was a Road Running event for about 2 kilometres as we went down along the Highway before going back to the trails. This is where I passed the younger runners and somebody challenged me to a faster pace but I left him behind me as he stopped to walk.
At the Checkpoint #4 in Kau Ling Chung which is located along the Drainage Facility/Canal (a big one!), I did not notice the Marshal to have taken my time as I joined a group of runners reaching the said Aid Station. Anyway, I remember this place where I stayed longer in last year’s event as I was already exhausted and tired that I had to eat a lot here with the help of Filipina volunteers manning the Aid Station. As compared this year, I was still strong and fresh! I just grabbed some Nutella Sandwich and a fistful of raisins and walked away from the Aid Station eating my foods!
Trail To Keung Shan (549 MASL)
After one kilometre away from the Aid Station, it was time to go back to the trails and this part made some runners to pass and miss the said entry. The entry to trail from the Canal/Drainage Facility is a quick and sharp left turn where the ribbons on each side of the trail are tied and located. It was time again to go to the ascending trails towards the next peak which was the Keung Shan that has an elevation of 459 meters (1,515+ feet). This time there are less stairs to tackle before reaching the peak. However, from the peak, it was a mix of trail and rock stairs. At a vantage point, one can see the beautiful mountains and town of Tai O. I knew that I will be running along a pedestrian bridge (where a photographer was located last year) before reaching the town and the next Aid Station.
I reached the 5th Checkpoint at the Tai O School in 10:53:55 hours gaining 3 hours as buffer from the cut-off time of 14 hours at this point. I improved my ranking with only one spot (#521). At this Aid Station, I ate Hot Noodles mixed with Salami slices; drank Coke; refilled my bottles with Water and CarboPro; and then changed my wet Down Jacket with the Columbia Jacket with Heat Shield on the inside portion. I think I spent at least 15 minutes in this station. I knew I was faster in my “pit stop” than last year’s time because I left the place leaving those runners who was ahead of me in reaching this place.
As I left the School/Aid Station, I saw Myk, Mic-Mic and Tess approaching the Checkpoint and I assumed that I was 20-25 minutes ahead of them. I was eating some Crackers and Cliff Bloks when I entered the fishing community in Tai O. It was starting to drizzle and I immediately put on the hood of the Columbia Jacket on my head. In anticipation of the draining of my Suunto Watch battery/power, I asked one of the Chinese runners behind me to please get the black wire on the back pocket of my Salomon Hydration Pack and he gladly did it. After “kicking their asses” on the first 50K, I finally asked them to help me. And they did! From here, it was an alternate of jogging and hiking while watching the bridge construction in the middle of the sea which was going on since last year on the left side of the route.
I was surprised that there was the 6th Checkpoint/Aid Station (with water only!) along this part of the course which is a favorite Hiking Area for the locals at Sham Watt (Km 50) where I was timed at 12:13:11 hours and improved my standing to #502. I was thinking that in a short distance from here, it will be the entry to the single-track trail towards Ngong Ping where all the runners “bushwacked” towards the peak and Cable Car Station in last year’s edition. I was wrong as we were made to continue following the paved path all the way to the direction of Tun Chung!!!
After jogging and hiking for about 5 kilometres from the Sham Watt Checkpoint (6th Checkpoint), I noticed that the entry to the Ngo Ping Trail is still far basing it from the Elevation Profile Copy which I brought with me. At this point, I was feeling weak and need to ingest some solid foods before going up to Ngong Ping! I finally decided to drop in one of the stores and asked to buy a can of Coke and later found out that the store serves some sandwiches and hot noodles. The owner and at the same time cook promised me that he can prepare an Egg Sandwich in ONE Minute! And he did! I paid HK$ 14 for the sandwich and HK$ 8 for the Coke In Can. While eating, I noticed lots of taller and younger Chinese runners and European runners would pass in front of the store while I was eating. I was laughing inside my mind how in the hell I was able to run faster than these guys! By the way, I had some HK$ with me because it is part of the event’s mandatory “gear”.
Ngong Ping Stairs & Wooden Planks
Feeling stronger this time, I continued my run until I reached the intersection of the new race route towards Ngong Ping! Later, I found out that the trail going to the top of Ngong Ping is called “Ngong Ping 360 Emergency Rescue Trail” which is 5.6 kilometres long consisting of footpath, cemented stairs, and wooden stairs and boardwalks! It was not so hard in the beginning as I progressed my way along the stairs as the elevation was going higher and higher. And then I reached the “wooden stairs” going down to a flat portion until it ended quickly! The rock stairs had started again thinking that the wooden stairs/trail that I’ve passed was the only one along the route! I was wrong! There will be more wooden stairs and flat wooden planks along the way, piece by piece, segment by segment, to the point that I was already cursing since the wooden planks were wet due to the drizzle as you go up to the mountain. Aside from the fact that most of these wooden planks do not have hand rails on both sides where one could hold on, the planks are slippery!
One by one, even if it was very foggy, I could see that every peak that I reached was the location of each steel post/Tower of the Cable Car that crosses the island of Lantau. I think I slowed my pace in this section for the fear of sliding on the wooden planks plus the steepness of the route! Finally, I reached the 7th Checkpoint/Ngong Ping #2 with a time of 16:17:36 hours with a ranking of #521. I was passed by 19 runners along this segment of the course, 4 runners at the “wooden stairs/planks” and 15 runners while I was eating my Egg Sandwich! I knew it was a temporary set back on my ranking but I knew very well that I really needed solid foods to arrest my body from “bonking” and I could bounce back in the next segment of the course.
I did not stay long in Ngong Ping after quick hot noodle soup & Ice Cold Coke (I really needed more hot & solid foods & sugar rush after my silent curses before reaching this Aid Station). I knew that it was all downhill up to the Canal/Drainage Facility before going back again to Pak Hung Au and jogged most of the way. I followed a very fast runner and hiker and tried to keep in step with him until we reached the flat Canal Area Road. At the flat Canal/Drainage Road, I simply “power hiked” with a tall European runner in front of me using the grasses and unpaved area beside the road to step on in order to relax the feet from the pounding of the hard paved road. At the entry to Pak Hung Au from the Canal/Drainage Road (small paved bridge across the Canal/Drainage Facility), most of the runners in front and behind me took some rest by sitting on cemented barriers along the road. I went alone on the ascending stairs and on midway, I was already being trailed by the runners I left behind by a few steps.
It was already very dark when I reached the 8th Checkpoint Pak Hung Au with most of the runners behind me with a time of 20:02:54 with a ranking of #482, improving my standing by 39 slots! I did not stay long as I only refilled my Simple Hydration Bottle with my CarboPro mix. I left the rest of the runners and I was alone on my way to the Sunset Peak with an elevation of 854 meters (2,820+ feet). It was a very slow and steady climb as I knew this will be the last most challenging part of the before the Finish Line. At the midway of the climb, I became uneasy as I saw nobody coming behind me as I tried to look for light flashes from a distance coming from their headlights! As I got worried that I was the only one going to the peak, the gusty winds started to be stronger as I stepped from one rock stair to a higher one! Just to break my loneliness in the dark, foggy surroundings, and strong gusty winds, I would shout loudly by challenging from the One Above to make the winds stronger!!! And I think He heard my wishes, the winds became stronger! In a short time, I was passed by a couple (lady and a guy, I think they are Locals). I made them as my guide/target for my pace but I ceased from shouting anymore!
I observed that the couple would also be slowed by the strong winds that both of them would sit down in every turn of the rocky stairs and sometime crawl from one rock step stairs to another higher one. For me, instead of my trekking poles landing directly in front of me, both my arms and poles would be landing on the left side of the trail and it was a big effort on my part to maintain my line in front of me instead of going sideways from the trail due to the gusty winds. The trekking poles gave me a BIG help in preventing me from falling down and being swept away by the strong winds! To distract myself from this situation, I would glimpse at my Suunto Watch from time to time and monitor the progress of the elevation data reading on it. I started at 1,500 feet elevation and from there I would know how I progress in my climb as the number of feet gets higher and higher. When I was doing this drill, I could no longer see the couple and their lights even if they are just above me due to the thick fogs as we got higher in the mountain.
I was thinking that my Columbia Jacket’s Hood had been ripped and torn out from my head due to the gusty winds (which has the same intensity with that of Typhoon Lando which I’ve observed in Fort Magsaysay before I cancelled the 5th Fort Magsaysay To Dingalan 65K Run last October of last year). But I was wrong, the Jacket gave me protection from the winds, drizzle, and cold temperature as I trekked towards the peak of the mountain. As I glanced the 2,800 feet reading on my watch, I felt relieved that I would be on the other side of the mountain and being able to escape successfully from the gusty winds. But the winds were relentless even if I was going down the mountain coupled by the zero visibility due to fogs and intermittent drizzle.
On my way down to the 9th and last Checkpoint before the Finish Line at Pak Mong, I peed almost 3 times that some runners would overtake me but in the end I would pass them later because of the slippery trail due to muddy condition and slippery rocks. I was in the company of two other fast downhill runners (one Local and one European) on the last 3 kilometres before the Checkpoint that they finally vanished along the trail after keeping up with them for the 1st kilometer.
Live Tracking Update Where I Was Stopped
Finally, I reached the last Checkpoint in Pak Mong in 23:37:57 hours and I was ranked #482 and I still have 11.5 Kilometers to the Finish Line which I would confidently finish in 3.5 to 4 hours. However, Richard, Marshal of the Event (which I learned the following day that he is the Manager of the Event) was there to inform me that the Race had been stopped two hours earlier because of the prevailing weather conditions in the mountains. He said that all the remaining runners that had been stopped will be declared “Finishers” and we have to get our Finisher’s Medal at the Finish Area in Mui Wo the following day. I found out that I was one of the 35 runners who had passed the last Checkpoint at Pak Hung Au on the time that the Race was declared to be stopped. I can just imagine how many more runners had to be stopped upon their arrival at Pak Hung Au Checkpoint (Km 75). No amount of appealing and arguing to him that I have to reach the Finish Line on foot with my personal knowledge of the route could allow me to continue the race. So, I asked him for directions for the Bus Terminal in Tun Chung and he gave a detailed instruction which I followed. Once I left the Checkpoint, I came into a parked Van that was instructed to bring me to the Bus Terminal.
More runners would join me in the Van to be transported to the MTR & Bus Terminals in Tun Chung. While we were in the Van en route to our destination, a 50-ish age British guy sitting beside me asked if the windy and foggy situations in the mountains scared the hell out of me and I said, “How I wished the winds were stronger and the drizzle turned into rains like in my country’s typhoons. Actually, I was praying hard to make the winds and rains stronger while I was in the mountain!!!” And he said, “You are Hardcore, Man!” and we both laughed! The guy did not know whom he was talking to. But before we parted ways, we called each other, “Buddy”!
Going back to Lantau Island the following day to get our Finisher’s Medal which became a Day Tour, Eating & Shopping Events was another story.
There are three (3) important things or information that I would like to report on this challenging ultra trail run here in the Philippines: First, I finished this race with a faster time as compared to my last year’s performance; Second, This is my third consecutive finish and I am on my way of getting the most coveted Baddest Ass Award for this event with two more editions to finish; and Third, I am still the Defending Oldest Finisher for three consecutive years for this Event.
Even if there is no specific award for the Oldest Finisher for this race, I am sure that I will be the First Senior Citizen to have coveted the Baddest Badass Award before the end of 2017. And maybe, it will mark my “retirement” from ultra trail running. Just maybe!
As compared to my last year’s five-month training preparation, I have a shorter training period for this year which are mostly done on the road, oval track, and hiking in the mountains on the first month of my 4-month training period. However, on the last six weeks/peak period, almost all my training long runs were done on the road, specifically on the road races that I have Race Directed since the middle of September. My Mt Batolusong 25K Trail Run participation was a test to validate my new nutrition strategy and narrow down the things that I need in a hot environment. However, I had more time to work on on my core and to rest/sleep as recovery for my running on the pavement.
Last year’s Race Report on my second time finish on this event was very detailed and it was divided into four (4) parts and I believe that this is now considered as the number one resource or reference material for those “newbies”/”first-timers” for the CM50-Mile Event. I will not go through to the detailed description of the course and the usual “section-by-section” narrative of my experience on this Race Report but rather state or tell those significant things that made me faster and more efficient in my finish this time. The following are the things that I’ve considered and applied during the race:
Simplicity and Being Light—One week before the race, I’ve decided to use my two-year old New Balance MT Minimus 1010v2 Trail Shoes which is very light (240 grams per shoe) and it proved to be the best shoes for this kind of trail running. Believe me, there was no grain of lahar that penetrated its upper mesh and therefore, its lightness did not change throughout the race. I did not use any Hydration Vest but I’ve used three (3) Simple Hydration Bottles with only one bottle filled with my nutrient mix (Carbo Pro) diluted with water; one bottle of Carbo Pro Powder only; and one empty bottle as my previsionary “Water Cup”. It was only from the AS4 to the Peak that the three (3) Simple Hydration Bottles were filled with Carbo Pro Mix and Water. On my way back to the Finish Line from AS3, I have one bottle filled with Carbo Pro mixed with water and one bottle filled with Water Only. Stashed in my UD Waist Belt Pockets are two (2) Clif Meal Bars & Whistle. I was not wearing a pair of Calf Sleeves.
Familiarity of the Route—One month before Race Day, I went up to the “peak” and Miyamit Falls for a training run. It was on this run that I was able to “program” and plan for my hydration and nutrition requirements. I was able to register also my Average Pace on this part of the course in order for me to determine the “timeline” on each part of the course (from Km #24 to Km #56). I found out that I must be able to leave AS3 on my way to the Finish Line not later than 2:00 PM (13 hours elapsed time) so that I have enough “buffer time” before the cut-off time of 18 hours.
Simple/Light Nutrition—-Eating a Full Meal (Rice & Meat “Adobo”/Beef Steak) before the Start of the Race (30 minutes before) with hydration (water + Carbo Pro), proved that I could last for the first 3 hours without any hydration or food intake. I took two (2) packs of Clif Bloks and One Meal Bar for the whole duration of the race. I would place a Coffee Candy in my mouth regularly in order to maintain a little sugar to my saliva. In every Aid Station, I would drink a lot of water and Coke/Sprite and ingest a number of watermelon bites. I never used the two (2) Sports Gels stashed in my gloves during the race. I did not have any Drop Bags, instead, I used a “FlipBelt” where I stashed my CarboPro Powder Mix and Clif Bloks.
Heat Training & Hydration Strategy Training—One month before the Race Day, I’ve conditioned myself to start drinking my water after running 10 miles (16 kilometres) under the heat of the sun. Yes, I would carry a lot of water on my vest and waist during my training runs but I would finish my workout with only one-third being consumed. I suspect that my practice of ingesting Succeed Salt Capsules (it started last August this year) during my training runs had helped conditioned my body to take in a limited amount of water even if I was sweating profusely without having a “bonking” feeling/situation.
Focused On Moving Forward—I did not spend a lot of time staying on the Checkpoints and Aid Stations. I guess, two minutes of stay was my longest and it could be when I asked one of my running friends to take a picture of me at the “Turn-around” Point at Km #40 and another picture taking at the Miyamit Falls’ Checkpoint. The rest of my brief stops in the Aid Stations were purely on refilling my hydration bottles and mixing my nutrition powder. Instead of stopping in sari-sari stores for ice cold sodas along the populated areas, I opted to take a “quick shower” in a place where the locals were washing their clothes and it made my core and body to be more relaxed.
There are also things that made me slow down during the run. First, I’ve experienced “muscle cramps” on the groin area of my legs along the section AS4 to the Peak that I needed to slow down and hiked on this section. I expected this to happen as I knew I lacked the necessary total elevation gain in my training. This experience never happened in my previous two editions. Second, The heat of the sun slowed me down on the section from the Miyamit Falls to AS4 that I spent almost one hour for a section that is ONE MILE long, instead of power hiking it for about 25 minutes during my recon run. And of course, I carried all my gear down to the Falls from AS4 and back. From AS4 to AS3, I “power hiked” alone on the trail and started running downhill when another runner from behind was trying to pass me.
Looking at my Suunto GPS Watch once I arrived at AS3, I began to be in a “panic” mode knowing that I was registering an Average Pace of 3.0 miles per hour. I knew that it will take me five (5) hours to reach the Finish Line from this point. So, I started to run, jog and power hike until I was able to pass runners who were either lost, simply walking, resting on the side of the trail, or those who would stop in each of the Aid Stations or Convenience Stores along the way.
Finally, I finished the race with a time of 16:43:58 hours, faster than the time I had last year (17:50+), with a ranking of #87 among the 132 finishers within the cut-off time of 18 hours. I am still the Oldest Finisher of this race and I have the intention of defending this title for the next two years. Hopefully, I will get the most coveted Baddest Ass Award of this Event.
Crossing The Finish Line With RD Jonnifer Lacanlale
Congratulations To All The Finishers and Thanks to RD Jonnifer Lacanlale and his staff/marshals/volunteers for a successful event.
The training for the next year’s edition will start next week. Keep on running!
First thing that a person should learn and keep in mind if he/she plans to engage in any activity or sports is to know the rules, regulations and the etiquette that go with it. Rules and Regulations are there to ensure orderliness and safety for everyone. Etiquette, whether they are written or not, are accepted norms which translate to good manners and courtesy among a group of individuals which encourages discipline and respect to one another.
In trail running or hiking the trail, a person’s etiquette gives some impact to himself, to others who are using the trail, and in general, to the preservation of the beauty of nature, the outdoors and our surroundings. If you know and apply etiquette on the trails, it is a reflection of who you are and the attitude you show to other persons and to the nature around you. In a broader aspect, you also try to maintain or preserve the nature around you.
For the past days, I’ve been reviewing my blog posts and trying to see if I was able to post a list of etiquette for persons using the trails. I found out that I simply made a link to a website where a Trail Etiquette was listed but that link is no longer available nowadays. So, it gave me the idea to come up with a list of Good Manners to observe while enjoying the trails so that anybody would have a reference or as a reminder. Most of the list of etiquette I will be posting are generally accepted practices but there will be some which are also emphasized for the local (Pinoy trail runners/hikers) to ponder and apply due to our culture and traditions in the locality/area.
Strictly adhere to “Leave No Trace” Principle——This is the “umbrella” practice that should be strictly observed which covers almost all the detailed etiquette in the outdoors. It does not simply mean that you should dispose your waste properly but it should also mean that one should plan ahead and prepare properly before hitting the trails; do your running/hiking on established and durable surfaces; leave whatever thing/s you see or find along the route; respect the wildlife, whether they are plants or animals; and always be considerate and courteous of other visitors or co-users of the trail. In essence, do not alter or disturb the “cycle of nature” in the mountains, forests, and outdoors. Always consider yourself as a “guest or visitor” of the outdoors and you should stop the practice of getting “pasalubong” or gift for your friends or souvenirs for your collection or getting a physical evidence to brag about. A “selfie” picture with nature speaks a thousand words of appreciation or envy from your friends!
2. Stay On Marked And Established Trails——In the Philippines, most of the established trails were made by our tribal ancestors which they repeatedly used in “foraging” or hunting for food. Later, these trails were extended when they explore and expand their reach to other territories and lands or when they transfer from one place to another due to survival from the elements, wildlife, or from other tribes or factions. Except for the established communities and villages of our Mountain People/Tribes, most of these trails are single-track that became deeper and wider due to “flash floods” or raging waters coming from the peak of the mountains during the rainy season. These trails were used during those times when our forefathers were fighting against our foreign invaders during the Spanish, American and Japanese occupation periods. Now, insurgents, bandits, and illegal settlers/loggers/miners are the ones using these trails in the unexplored mountains, deep forests, and some of the known trails in the country. It is sad to observe that most of the trails do not have any names or any markings. There is no initiative from the central government as well as from the local government to establish these trail markings. Maybe, it will take another one or two generations for these trails to be properly marked. In short, in the Philippines, it is safer to run or hike on trails which are often and usually used by the locals and tourists. If one has to make some exploration, a runner/hiker must have an appropriate land navigation/map reading skills.
Pacific Crest Trail Marking (Cycling NOT Allowed)
3. Leave Your Itinerary To Your Parents, Relatives Or Friends——Whether you are going to the trails alone or with a friend or group of group of friends, make sure that somebody who is left behind in your home/house knows your itinerary. Let him/her know how many hours or days you will be in the outdoors and if possible, provide an information on the expected time of the day that you will be arriving back in your house. In this age of Internet and fast communication or GPS technology, it would be easy to communicate to your loved ones through mobile cellphone connections or through the Social Media. In a group of hikers/runners, it is mandatory that at least one among the group is very familiar on the trail systems in the area who will be automatically designated as the official guide of the group. If not, get a local guide at the nearest barangay where the trailhead is located. In the Philippines, it is mandatory to inform the Barangay Captain or village chief or his/her designated representative of your presence in the area. Most of the barangays have a registry or logbook/journal where each of the visitors are required to sign in upon their entry to any of the trail system in the area. It is also a part of the protocol to inform the Barangay upon your exit from the area.
4. Weather Forecast Means Everything——Whether it is sunny or with a chance of rain or thunderstorms, one must be able to prepare for any eventuality or contingency that may arise as a result of the situation. When it is sunny or dry, one has to prepare for hydration and appropriate nutrition. Depending on your rate of sweating (as per experience) you can determine the volume of water that you will be bringing with you. If you have planned for your route and know of sources of potable along the way, you can at least arrange for the proper re-supply of your hydration needs. In case of chance of thunderstorm, decide properly if you intend to push through or not with your outdoor activity, most specially if the place where you are heading is under the Area of Influence of the rain or thunderstorm. In crossing rivers and streams during thunderstorm, it is better not to cross the river and decide to look for a higher ground and establish your camp or look for a nearby village where you can rest and wait for a better weather condition. If you are with a group of trekkers/backpackers, make sure to always bring a considerable length of rope which could be used in crossing rivers. If you plan to be in a place where there is an occurrence of daily rain or thunderstorm, a water-proof jacket is a must in ones pack. Bottomline, do not fight with nature, it always win in the end!
5. Stay On Switchbacks——This is related to #2. It is with ease, comfort and feeling of being relaxed to be running and hiking a switchback towards the top/peak of a mountain. It is more energy-sapping and mind-breaking to be slogging it out on a direct, assault and steep trail towards the peak as compared to going along a switchback. However, on the way back from the peak to the foot of the mountain, it is very tempting to cut the switchbacks and take the direct route down the mountain taking advantage of one’s gravity/weight and this is where most of the violations occur. Aside from altering the landscape of the mountain and creating a footpath for others to follow, it will also have a great impact on one’s knees and quads to be overworked and stressed due to heavier load on the downward motion of the body. These additional paths due to making shortcuts on switchbacks will ultimately become another trail in due time and ultimately, the starting point of erosions during flash floods or heavy rains.
6. Warn & Say Something Before Passing A Runner/Hiker——If you intend to pass a slower runner or hiker on the trail, make a distinct sound to warn that you are behind the person. The sound could be a “fake cough”, a “tweet” sound from your lips, or a sound from the pounding of your feet on the ground. or a simple clapping of your hands. Once you are few feet or “hearing distance” from the back of the person, you can say that you are passing him/her on the left or right. Simply say, “On Your Left” if you are passing him/her on the left or “On Your Right” if you are passing on the right. If the person would stand aside or give way for you to pass, don’t forget to say “Thank You” or “See You Later On The Trail” just to be polite and very encouraging to the runner that somewhere along the trail, the person whom you passed will be able to catch you. If you are meeting somebody head on along the trail, the slower one should step aside from the trail and give way to the faster runner. This is best exemplified if the faster runner is going downhill on a single-track trail while the slower person is going uphill. Don’t try to impede or distract the speed and momentum of a faster runner you meet on a trail. Also, It is customary to greet anybody whom you meet along the trail with simple greetings of “Good Morning”, “Good Afternoon”, “You’re looking great”, or simply say, “Good Job”. It is best if you say such greetings with a smile! If you can’t speak, just simply nod or wave your hand with a smile to the other runner/hiker.
7. Know The Capacity Of The Trail——If you are a Race Organizer, you should know the Capacity of the Trail or the number of persons that could pass or use the trail without causing any damage, erosion, or that will cause the widening of the trail or establishing another new parallel trail from the old one. If the trail is single-track, make sure that the runners are spaced on a single file in running/hiking through it. Have a good judgement in conducting a trail running event if the trail can accommodate more than 100-300 runners without endangering the original condition of the trail. In my observation in the Philippines, trail running events shorter than a marathon distance with hundreds of participants is not “healthy” to the preservation of our trails, most specially of the event is held during the rainy season/months.
8. Expect To Be A Dirty Trail Runner——Expect a lot of dirt, dust, mud, debris, and skin scratches in a trail running event. It is a given fact that a clean runner at the start will become the dirtiest and most obnoxious runner at the finish line. This is true in the country due to our extended rainy season/monsoon rains and the presence of stream and river crossings. To add to the dirt & mud, we have a lot of leeches, snakes, mosquitoes, ants, ticks/biting insects and sharp grasses & thorny bushes in our mountains and forests. If you are a victim of leech-attacks, expect to have your blood to be flowing on your body. If you fall on slippery and muddy trails, expect your shorts and shirts to be dirty and your butt to be full of bruises. However, there is always a chance to come out clean if the trail passes through a flowing stream or river where one would have a dip and a chance to wash the dirt and mud from ones apparel or body.
10. Unload Your Body Wastes Properly——I am already an expert in urinating while I am trotting or jogging on the trail provided nobody is around to see me doing it. As for the ladies, it takes a lot of guts for them to pee on their tights while running. As practiced by many, a person would look for a place where he/she could hide while urinating in about some distance from the trail and this is a good practice for everybody. However, if the time on how fast one can do it will be considered, there are a lot of techniques that one could follow to pee efficiently. These techniques are efficiently done if one is using the traditional running shorts. For men, one way to do it is to pull down the front waistband of the shorts and bring out ones “thing” and let the urine flow. The other way is to pull the inseams of the shorts (bottom of the shorts) inward and let ones “thing” out of the panty-liner of the shorts and allow the urine to flow. If you want to be nearer to the ground, you can take a “lunge” position or kneel to the ground while peeing. For the ladies, it is fast for them to bring down their shorts as they squat nearer to the ground and once the shorts is clear from the flow of urine, their problem is solved. The other way is for them is to grab and stretch the inseam of their shorts while they squat nearer to the ground until there is no impediment as to the flow of their urine. If these techniques are put into practice during training, there will be lesser time to be wasted during the race. For the more difficult task of taking a crap on the trail, it is either you do it in the Aid Station (if there is a facility) or do it along the route but it should be far enough that the smell of your crap & fart would not affect the breathing of the other runners passing the place where you take your crap. You can prepare a shallow hole or depression on the ground where you can “shoot” your crap and then cover it with soil, debris, dry leaves, or anything that you could see on the ground. Make sure to bring your toilet paper or used “wet wipes” with you for disposal at the next Aid Station. If there is a stream or river along the trail or near the trail, it is the best option to relieve yourself on the water and let the flowing water clean your butt!
11. Of Burps, Farts, and Vomits——Whether you are a casual or serious trail runner, hiker or outdoors lover, you will not miss having some GI (gastro-intestinal issues) due to what we are eating or drinking during our activity. Drinking carbonated liquid or sodas results in burping, as always. Last year after one of the many treks to the peak of Mt Baden-Powell in Wrightwood, California, I immediately drank one can of ice cold Coca-Cola from my Ice Chest at the back of my car parked at Vincent Gap and took a sit at the baggage compartment. In a few seconds, I had the loudest burp in my life that it created an echo within the parking area. A lady who was fixing her things in her car after coming from the mountain had an immediate reply to the sound by saying, “I heard that!” I immediately replied, “I am sorry!”. She was laughing and brought out her arm with a thumb’s-up sign! If you are in a company of other runner or hikers, you can burp while covering your mouth with your buff or hands and if you can not control the sound, just release the sound and then say that you are sorry. Farts or farting on the other hand are totally different matter or situation that could be dealt with properly with “class” or proper demeanor. Whether your fart has sound or not, you must step aside from the group or go behind the group but make sure that nobody is behind you when you release the air! If you can not control the release of the air, you can alert the group that a “good fart” is coming! It is best to accept that you are the source of the “bad air” if you are the “silent-type” of hiker/trail runner. You can also jokingly say that you stepped on a frog or you can create a loud sound while doing your fart. As for vomits, simply step aside from the group and the trail and let your “food burst” come out of your stomach and mouth. There is no harm with nature if you just leave what you vomit on the trail, the liquid form will be absorbed by the ground while your digested food will be devoured by the insects and/or animals around the forest/mountain.
12. Be Courteous To Others——In the country, while in the mountains, you will encounter locals in the area who are involved in farming/“kaingin”; illegal loggers; charcoal makers; hunters; other hikers/backpackers; firewood gatherers; armed security guards in private areas; patrolling soldiers or policemen; or if you are lucky, you can meet also armed insurgents or bandits. It is for this reason why one has to register at the nearest barangay hall (local government unit in the area) where the trailhead is located upon arrival and then upon departure from the area. The best way to deal with these people is to greet them and communicate with them briefly by telling them that you are a visitor in the area and that you want to share the use of the said trail. Talk to them nicely with respect and good intention. In other countries, you could meet bird watchers; painters; photographers; equestrians; shepherds; mountain bikers/cyclists; hikers/backpackers/campers; rock climbers; and other outdoorsmen. Simply greet them if they are on your way or pass them with “Good Morning”, “Good Afternoon”, “Have a good day”, or “Good Job”.
13. Right Of Way——In other countries, there are trail markings that states who has the right of way. These trail markings could be seen in most of the Parks in the United States and in other countries which is depicted in a triangle which says that a Hiker gives way to an Equestrian; a Cyclist gives way to a Hiker and an Equestrian. However, there are also trails that are exclusively for Hikers Only.
Trail Markings (USA)
14. Follow The Rules——In countries where I have visited, like Hongkong, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United States, the use of the trails is FREE but each user is responsible to strictly follow the rules stated in the trailheads. If there are no rules/regulations posted in the trailheads or in the Park Stations, “common sense” and good manners is the way to go for you to enjoy the outdoors. In the United States, there are Parks within the City and populated areas which are FREE but one should be able to park his/her car on designated parking areas or street curbs without red or yellow paint (No Parking areas). In Mountain Parks, there is a need for a Permit or Pass which is displayed on the Dashboard if one needs to park his/her car/vehicle in the trailhead/Park Station. Such permit/pass is called “Adventure Pass” (California) which is worth $5.00 for a single day-use or $35.00 for One Year to any of these Mountain Parks. In higher elevation mountain parks, one has to make a request for a schedule of visit in the park through On Line or e-mail on the Park’s Website. Such request is efficiently answered if your request is approved or denied. Just the same, always bring with you your Adventure Pass.
15. Help & Give Back Something To Others-—In my exposure to trail races abroad and in the company of trail runners, I have observed that they stop and ask the condition of a runner who is on the side of the trail resting or simply sitting. In one of my races abroad, I have experienced tripping with my knees and arms landing on the ground. The runner behind me immediately stopped behind me and asked if I am okey and if I am hurt. I immediately forced myself to stand with his help and answered him that I was alright. Whenever I stop at the Aid Stations, I would be greeted by my FB/Ultra running friends and ask what I need to eat or ask if I need a refill to my hydration bottles. If I am being passed along the route, they would leave me with encouraging words like, “You got this!”, “See you at the next Aid Station”, “You are looking good and still strong”, or “See you at the Finish Line”. One time in a mountain race, I saw a pack of unused Amino Acid Liquid Mix and a Power Bar on the ground which I think was dropped from the pack of a runner ahead of me. Since there was no runner within my sight, I picked it up with the intention of leaving it in the next Aid Station. However, after trotting for about 15 minutes, I saw a runner ahead of me and asked him if he dropped the said liquid mix and he said “No”. So, I offered him to have the liquid pack and the energy bar since I observed that he was walking along the trail. He accepted the offer and thanked me. He said, “This is why I love this sports, runners take care with each other!” And I replied, “You are right, my friend!” There are so many ways for these ultra runners to give back something to the community. They volunteer as support crew and/or pacer to other runners new to the sports; they serve as marshals or personnel in the Aid Stations in Races; they help in the marking of the trail as well as in collecting these trail markings after the race; they also act “sweepers” for the last runner and race; they also provide HAM Radio Communication for the event; and volunteer as “cooks” for the food served at the Finish Line. What is good about these ultra runners is that they BLOG about their detailed experiences whenever they finish or do not finish their race. I think this is the only sports where the elite, average, and “back of the pack” runners SHARE their experiences through a blog on their training, nutrition, racing strategy & techniques, and racing experiences.
Always remember, be good to nature and nature, in return, will be good to you! Everything about etiquette is COURTESY & COMMON SENSE.
I did not realize that I’ve been through with four weeks of my training since I’ve started for the 2015-16 Ultra Trail Running Season. I started my training on August 3, 2015 and the first day was a Rest Day with some stretching exercises.
I am still following a training schedule program which I’ve been using for the past two years with a little adjustment on my weekly training volume which I’ve increased within the range of 5-10 miles per week which are mostly done in my weekend LSDs. Before, I was doing an average of 50-55 miles per week but for the past weeks, I’ve have reached a peak of 66-67 miles per week. I feel okey, healthy, and pain-free from my knees and legs and had no bouts of leg cramps or “bonking”. I guess, there must a lot of good reasons why at my age of 63, my knees are still holding up and I could still hike some steep mountains.
Surprisingly, the bottle of Aleve that I bought lately have not been opened yet and for the past four months, I’ve never taken any pain-killer tablet in my races and trail running workouts.
My past failures to finish a 100-mile mountain trail run were caused by nutritional and hydration problems on my part. It took me two or more years to experiment what is good for my body. I really don’t have any problems with 50Ks, 50-milers, and 100K trail races with regards to nutrition but when I join 100-milers in higher elevations, my nutrition just put me down on the last 30 miles of the race. Following my experiences in the 100Ks that I’ve finished, I would only take in Energy Gels and Water and some solid foods offered at the Aid Stations and I would finish the course without any problem. I bought some nutrition books for endurance athletes and made some researches on the Internet. In addition, I was able to get some suggestions and advise from the Filipino veteran ultra runners residing in the United States. These suggestions from them confirms the studies and researches that I’ve read on books and on the Internet.
On this new training season, I’ve concentrated on my nutrition, not only before during, after my workout, but completely observed my daily nutritional intake to my body. I don’t count the calories of the food that I ingest but I make sure that I have Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, and Vegetables/Fruits in my 3 meals a day. Snacks in between meals would be anything, whether it is a fruit juice, milk, fruits, yogurt, or snack bars. I’ve never drink milk when I was in the military up to 2 months ago. Lately, by accident, I found out that Organic Fresh Milk does not give me stomach trouble caused by lactose intolerance. I’ve indulged myself in eating avocado as part of my meal or snacks and ate more foods rich in fats.
On my nutrition before my runs, I would have a breakfast of coffee, oatmeal or cereal with milk, avocado with milk & sugar, yogurt or fruit juice.
During my runs, I would hydrate every time my GPS watch would beep to indicate that I’ve covered a mile and have to strictly do the said “drill” every time I hear a beep. For my runs less than 8-9 miles, I would just drink water and ingest one 1 capsule of S’Cap every hour and after the workout. But for my LSDs on weekends which are more than 9 miles, I would carry with me a Tailwind Mixed with water in two bottles and purely Water in my 1.5-liter hydrapak on my backpack. I would alternately, drink Tailwind and water every other mile. I would also ingest 1 capsule of S’Caps every hour. At the turn-around or after finishing the first half of my run, I would eat any solid food I brought with me like, boiled potatoes, power bars, dried fruits, and some baby foods (fruit/vegetable).
I’ve stopped using Energy Gels in my runs since the start of this training but I still carry at least two packs just in case of emergency. I’ve have observed in my past races that Gels, after ingesting about 10 pieces, I would end up throwing up even if I use different flavors and flavors that I liked that didn’t give nauseated feeling in my past ultra runs.
My post-nutrition intake would be immediately after the workout——lots of water, one can of coke or one bottle of Ensure and a Power Bar. Once I arrive home, I would eat a complete meal. For the rest of the day, I would continuously hydrate myself with water, sometime consuming 1.5 gallons of water, and strictly adhering to my complete meals—carbohydrates, fats, protein, vegetable and fruits.
I have also incorporated “speed” workouts in my weekly program. Wednesday is usually my “speed” day where I do it on a flatter ground and paved road. This is the only time that I don’t go to the trails and mountains. Since there is no oval track near my place, I would go to a Public Park (Echo Lake Park) where the streets that surround it has a total loop distance of exactly one mile. I would do 1 mile X 5-6 repetitions or 2 miles X 3 repetitions with at least 5-6 minutes rest/jog intervals in between repetitions. In the mountains/trails, I usually do some “strides” or fast & quick leg-turn-overs on flatter portions within a distance of 50-100 meters just to give some “wake-up” drill to my tired leg muscles.
Once or twice a week, I would go to a mountain which has an “up and down” route where I have measured on each way (2.5 miles up & 2.5 miles down). I would wear my hydration vest full of 2 water bottles and 1.5-liter of hydra pack on my back with solid foods. I would practice “power-hiking” on the UP portion of the course and never attempt to do any run or jog. I would register the time from the start up to the time I reach the peak of the mountain. I have observed that I had been improving my time to reach the peak every week. The 2.5-mile distance has a vertical distance of 1,280 feet and my best time so far is 43 minutes for the power hiking in the UP direction.
On the ridge of the mountain, I would continue jogging and hiking for about 2 to 3 miles. On my way back, I would start my fast “downhill run” on the measured portion where I had my “power-hiking” workout. My attitude here in the fast downhill run is a “go for broke” one! A fast and continuous downhill hill run for 2.5 miles would “thrash” my legs! I am surprised that my old knees can still withstand the hard pounding of my feet on the ground. Every week, I would improve on my time on this downhill run! My fastest time for the downhill run is 20 minutes!
Power Hiking and Fast Downhill Running made me register a faster pace and speed for my daily runs!
Two years ago when I shifted to trail running, I did not give any attention to the vertical distance (total ascent/descent) in my workouts but it was later last year that I have concentrated more on the vertical distance of the trails I’ve been into. However, since I’ve started this new training season, I made sure that my weekly totals on the vertical distance will not be lower than 6,000 feet.
On Mondays and Fridays, I would do some stretching and calisthenics/core strengthening exercises. I would also do “foam rolling” to my legs for about an hour with more concentration to my calves, hamstrings, quads, and butt muscles. I stopped my lap swimming for the past weeks and by the end of the 7th or 8th week, I would incorporate (stationary) cycling in my weekly workouts.
On my weekend LSDs, I don’t eat a heavy breakfast (ingesting only coffee) as I want to simulate how I would apply my nutrition and hydration strategy when I am about to reach my “bonking” period which is about 1-2 hours after the start of my run. This is where I would observe how my body would react to any food or fluids that I take in, whether it is water, Tailwind, S’Caps, solid foods (power bars/baby foods/power bars/dried fruits), electrolyte mix, or Clif Bloks. So far, my maximum LSD distance was 20 miles in 6 hours, carrying a heavy load of water in my hydration vest (2-20 oz of water bottle & 1.5-liter hydrapak on my backpack + solid foods). However, if I use my 2-16 oz Simple Hydration bottles (tucked in my race belt with power bars) and one hand-held 12 oz handheld water, that same distance of 20 miles is usually done in 5 hours or less!
On the technical aspect and the monitoring of my body’s feedback on my performance every workout, my Suunto Ambit 3 Peak GPS Watch, had been very useful in monitoring my Heart Rate, VO2, Cadence, Calories Consumed/Burned, and Recovery Period. From these data, I would be able to know on what to do for my rest and recovery for the next workout. My daily workouts are properly recorded in a notebook/journal that I would religiously write every time I finish a workout, to include, what I feel before, during , and after the workout.
In summary, I attribute my faster and better performance in my 4 weeks of trail running due to the following: (1) Better nutrition before, during , and after every workout; (2) Constant hydration with water every mile with Tailwind every other mile; (3) Speed workouts on Wednesdays and incorporation of “strides” in my daily runs; (4) Adapting my body to ingest S’Caps/Salt Sticks during the run on hotter days without any negative reaction to my body; (5) More vertical distance and higher altitude hiking/downhill running would acclimatize my respiratory system; and (6) “Foam Rolling” & Stretching with Core Exercises twice a week.
I’ve been using my Hoka One One “Speedgoat” Trail Shoes for my LSDs and most of my daily runs while my Inov-8 Race Ultra 270 Trail Shoes and Hoka One One Challenger ATR would be used in my recovery and tempo runs.
Monthly Mileage (August 2015): 238.65 Miles or 381.84 Kilometers
Bald Runner 
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