Botak Paabilisan 2010 at Baguio

Botak is a sports shop in Quezon City which makes jersey's, shorts, and other sporting apparel.

Every year they hold an event called the "Botak Paa-bilisan Road Race Series" in Baguio. This year I was one of the lucky ones to be joining the race.

This is a pretty special race because it will be the first race that I will be doing out of town. I always thought my first out of town race would be somewhere in Tagaytay or Batangas. Oh well, this is way out of town and that's whats makes it more special.

We were a whole bunch that day. My cousins came along for the run and I'm very happy that they too have really been getting into running. Ever since I started, it was quite lonely. I did my first race alone, but then as it progressed more and more, people came with me to run. Maybe next time there we will be even more of us!

I was doing the 10k race in this event. Honestly, I was scared. Very scared. One week prior to this, I ran the 15k Globe Run for Home, and in this run I realized that hills are my biggest challenge. I gave out on the hills at Fort and the flyover at Buendia, it was too much for me. Now I am in Baguio, which is obviously notorious for having HILLS HILLS HILLS!!

Race started at 6:30 a.m. and it was freezing!! It took a while to get warmed up, but eventually I was ready to run!

As my brother and I started to line up, we noticed that there actually weren't a lot of runners. I would estimate the participants to be only around 80 maybe. To tell you the truth this actually felt good, for the first time the starting line wasn't all squishy and tight.

As the race started, I quietly paced myself at the back. Most of the runners passed me and I thought nothing of it. The hills were my enemy here and not them.

The race route was about 85% hills. The first few hills were challenging, but as you go on, you actually get used to them. I remember how I would dread the sight of the hills last week, but that day my mind just kept saying "bring it on!".

The view of the race route was majestic. It was trees all around you, the cool air, and the sight of runners making their way through the roads. This race was one for the books.

I finished with a time of

56min 16sec

I was very happy with the result of this race. A sub 60 was my goal here and I did it! I also feel that I have finally conquered the hills. I promise though, when I get back to training I'm going to integrate hill runs into my weekly routine.

After the race we had a few more photo shoots as usual haha

What better way to end a race then to eat back all the calories you just burned!

These steaks were the best 250 pesos ever spent.

Botak Paabilisan Experience: 4/5

Other pictures for the event can be found here:

Life Runner Multiply Account

Globe Run for Home 2010 Pictures

I have a few photos of some runners from the event. Maybe on of them is you! Here is the link:

Globe Run for Home

Globe Run for Home 15km

The Globe Run for Home was my first 15km race. I have been training for it for the last few months since it was a pit stop on my way to the first 21km race which I will be doing on May 30.

We were there early at 4 a.m. since we didn't want parking to be an issue for us. I was running this race with my brother Rex and my sister in law Pam.

My plan for this race was simple. Just RUN IT! I've recently come off an injury and have just been cleared to run. My therapist though told me to take it easy on this one, so I did.

The 15km race started at exactly 5:30 A.M. Honestly I was barely even pumped to do the run. I was still yawning and I didn't feel that fire I usually have, especially on a race. Oh well, here we go!

The run started out quite alright. I started in the middle pack so that I wouldn't be tempted to run fast. The route started at Ayala Ave and made its way towards The Fort. The first 5km went by fine. There wasn't any pain, my pacing was good, and my endurance felt sky high.

Once we reached Fort it became HELL for me. Fort is a very hilly place, especially the route we had onto the cemetery. If I would have one weakness, hills would be it. I barely get to train on them so once I see them on the race it just gives a total shock to my body.

Right up til 10km my body was able to push through. But after that, it went all haywire on me. I felt like a big weight was put on me. My legs were heavy, my shoulders were shrugging, and I couldn't stop looking at my watch to see how much further.

It was as if, my body had given up. It didn't want to run anymore, it was telling me stop but I told him we gotta do this and we gotta do this now. I kept pushing as far as I could, but the finish line doesn't seem to get any closer.

Finally, at 11km I gave out. I had to walk. Arrrr.... Crap I can't believe that happen, but it did.

"Ok, I have this one rule, and its

NEVER WALK IN RACE."

I always had this rule ever since my first race. I just never wanted to. It feels weird and it feels like that just means you shouldn't be running that mileage if you can't handle it. Well that's just me.

Going back, after about 10 seconds I started running again and was able to do another km before I had to stop and walk again for another few seconds. It was really weird, it seemed my body was doing everything to make me stop running. It even gave me cramps on my jaw! I couldn't open my mouth for a while cause when ever I do, it cramps up.

I finished with a time of 1hr 26min 32sec

This actually isn't that bad a time, and well this was my first 15km. I just knew though I could have done better. After pondering for a while, I've actually come up with the conclusion that the reasons why all this happen to me today was because I was very unprepared days before the race.

- I didn't "carbo load" even just a little for the past 3 days. Yesterday I didn't eat for 6 hours straight, there is barely any thing left in me

- No proper mileage run this week due to my injury

- Inadequate sleep

Honestly, at first I actually felt bad cause not walking was something that I felt defined me. That was my "forever goal" in any race, and well now I failed.

Now though I realized this is a learning process, running is a very long journey and I have yet to even chip the tip of iceberg. Both success and failure will come, what defines us is how we respond to these things.

Now I have a new goal! "never walk, AGAIN" =)

Globe Run for Home Experience: 4/5

My Doctor says Hi! I say, Good Bye!

It's always a pleasure and a pain to visit my physical therapist. For one, I love chatting with him for hours about running cause he too is a runner. But each time we see each other, in most instances I'm injured; and this was one of those instances.

I have two injuries, one was that I was feeling pain in my tibialis anterior tendon when ever I was walking

the other was on my soleus when I bended a certain way

It all pretty much started when I tried correcting my form. At first I thought it was just one of those aches when your muscles are trying to adjust to something new. But, it went on for about a week so right after the Unilab Race I told myself this might be something serious.

So once I got it diagnosed my doctor indicated that it was getting overused and I need to dial it down a little. In an instant I asked "So, no Running??" He said "Well kinda of, you can run in the pool if you want to"

Arrr.. No choice I guess. So right after diagnosing, we went down to business.

We started off by heating the injured parts for about 20 minutes

After we went on to do ultra sound which heats up the muscles inside.

























Then lastly we moved on to some exercises which honestly boggled my mind. At first I thought it was a joke, but I think back now and they really work!!

Here is a video of the exercise I had to do for my left foot, I had to draw the ABC with that foot haha

Before the doctor discharged me he mentioned that I first get clearance with him before running my next race which is the 15k for Globe. As of now though, the pain has already subsided or maybe its the pain killers he gave me? haha Well either way I think one more therapy session should do the trick =)

The 5k Unilab "feeling Kenyan" Run

The 5k Unilab Run was a memorable run for me cause it was the first time I ran with friends and other family members. Let's do a roll call!!

1. Elmer Ching 5k                        6. Jeremiah Lee 5k
2. Rexton Ching 21k                    7. Sarah Legazpi 3k
3. Youma Shiozawa 5k                 8. Pamela Ching 3k
4. Alyssa Apostol 5k                    9. Ashley Legazpi 500m
5. Ryan Rotor 5k

Yes there were a lot of us spread through out the run. Initially I joined this race for my cousin so I can accompany her in the 5k run, (which actually had a pretty funny story, more on that later) but as I started telling others it just spread like wild fire and people began signing up.

We arrived at Bonifacio High Street at about 4:30 am. We got there really early to make sure that we got parking -the Superbods experience still haunts me after finding out people didn't get to park which led them to not being able to run- and were able to do our pre-race rituals.

At about 5:30 am we all found each other except for my one cousin. I was getting a little scared that she might not make it on time.

I promised her that I would run with her, but I can't miss gun start. 5:45 came and still she was no where in sight. I then told myself "I guess I'm gonna try for a PR then" hahaha

I instantly rushed to the front of the race line since it was already about to start. Man was it a challenge! Squeezing through all those people was a race in itself.

Once I made it up front and as the countdown started it was go time for me.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.. RUN!!!!

I did not pace myself at all in the start of the race, I did my best to blast away from the pack as much as possible. It was not until 2km into the race that I was finally left with only a few runners, at this point all that was was going through my mind was to pace myself but not so much that people from behind can already begin to catch up.

Honestly the race was fairly short and I was actually shocked when all of a sudden, WHOOP! it was already the turn around. Oh well, good for me I right? At that turn around I then started to pick up the pace.

Once I started to make my way back, the main pack of runners just started to come into the first turn and well at this point I felt like a Kenyan (let me be!!! hahaha). Most people who have been running races know that exact feeling. It's when you see that the Kenyans are actually on their way back already while your still on the way to the turn around. Yes! for once I was one of those few people who were on their way back. hahaha

Over all I finished the race with a time of 22:32 and placed in 9th place overall. Wuhooo!!!

And as I always I feel that I could have never accomplished this without God who has always been blessing me in my runs.

Question: Since the 3rd and 4th were DQ, does that make me 7th? hahaha

As I crossed the finish line I went straight to Honda which was our meeting point. I was there for a few minutes stretching and cooling down when all of a sudden, WUHOW!! My cousin appeared, apparently she overslept and actually just arrived. I then told her, lets go run sayang naman binyad mo eh. And we did, so I actually did a 10k on that day. lol

The second run I did was actually pretty fun. There were no more runners left on the road except for the 21k runners. It was nice and peaceful. This was the run I was looking forward to. Usually I always get to engrossed in the race that I don't have time to breath in the view and enjoy the run I am doing. This felt like the real run for me. 

By the time we got back all our friends and family were there too.

In all I want to congratulate all my friends who finally did their first race and I hope this will be the start of many more races to come, yes? 

My Unilab Experience gets a 4/5 =)