TBRDM 2013: my first full marathon

i dunno what made me do it but without any running activities or any form of exercise for the longest time, i signed up for the 2011 we run manila. it was a 10k run and i am not even sure whether i can cover the distance. i signed up maybe because to force myself to exercise and get back in shape.

wait up. flashback to 2009, we were practicing basketball in colegio san agustin in makati for the office basketball tournament. as i drove strong to the basket, with 2 defenders waiting for me, i had a bad fall. i wasn't able to move well and my knee was swelling bad. i had it checked up and found that i fractured my femural bones and completely tore my ACL. reconstructive surgery was done by doctor gar eufemio.

at the earlier part of the race

ok, back to 2012. i joined ANR-ortigas united after deciding to take running as my sport since i cannot play basketball like before anymore. it was fun and i consistently attended their sessions simply because it is fun.

then there was a session where everyone was talking about the TBRDM. my curiosity got the better of me so i listened intently. they said that joining it is fun and definitely worth the registration fee because of the training given to the participants. to make the long story short, i was persuaded to join despite my lack of mileage and experience.

my balloon of happiness

i offset my jitters by joining the bull circles, bull sessions and races between the registration and race day but i still felt that somehow i didn't train enough. i felt that i could've given more time to running and exercising. training gives me confidence that i can. what coach lit said kept echoing in my head. you cannot do in the race what you didn't do in practice. the longest distance i ran before the race was 25kms and i started to panic as the race day drew close.

race day. my family and girlfriend came with me in nuvali. the support was overwhelming but i am still nervous and jittery. i am trying my very best to calm myself. i saw some friends, some of whom i met through my training for this race. it helped me relax.

gun fired. runners went on their way through the course. the wind was cool. i savored it sweeping through my face and hair. i told myself, this is where i belong and running is what i do. i was able to finally compose and control my nerves before the first hydration station. by this time, i was chatting animatedly with my running buddies billie, doc nini and ferrita.

running alone and the sun is starting to rise

the plan was to pace them through the first 21k of the route. this will be my first 42k so time is of little importance. through the first half, i served as their clown along the race. i kept sharing jokes and tips all along. i even asked a particular guard where is the tricycle terminal and how much is the fare going to finish line. at one hydro station, i asked kuya if i can have cloud 9 and said "pakilista na lang muna sa pangalan ko".

i was having fun until my body reminded me of my lack of training. at 17k mark, my left leg started to hurt. i paced my buddies a little slower this time to take my legs to the finish line. i also talked and joked less until i noticed that my buddies were not with me anymore. before i know it, i ran at my comfortable pace to somehow ease the pain. i felt a pang of guilt about leaving them behind but i know deep inside that they've done their homework and that will be enough for them to finish.

thanks to my fellow runners and chasers, i was able to run through the pain. the nuvali view also helped me forget about the cramps i am suffering especially when a rainbow decided to join the cheering squad. though i never thought of quitting, i literally dragged my left leg which is cramping.

cramps and distance conquered

when i saw the 40th km marker, i told myself, this is it! 2kms should be a piece of cake even to a runner like me. or so i thought. km40 is the most evil among the markers. this is where the devils in my head started mocking me. there goes your confidence, you conceited you! said one of them. another one said "you really thought you could pull this one off without proper training?"

but when i took the last right turn, the strength and energy that long left me found me again. i started running as fast as my hurting leg would take me. along this stretch, people, all of who i don't know, cheered me on like they would their friend. it was overwhelming. i kept my smile and kept saying thank you to everyone for the cheers. then i finished, my medal was handed out and i heard the sweetest music in my entire life. tyo boy ramos' voice boomed behind me and said james timothy havana! that's my teammate! congratulations!

how sweet it is!!!

the 36th milo marathon

so i'm on the week leading to the milo run. for some reason though, i don't feel comfortable because almost all week last week, i wasn't able to do any workout or practice run. practice builds my confidence and workout is my new comfort zone.

when i can't practice on the road, i still do some cardio exercises at the comfort of my home. i think it is safe to say that i have found something i could be passionate about. which is why i do my exercises diligently. it makes me feel better about myself.

but to be honest, i feel that i can outdo myself this time. i will have a time way better than my first 21k which is clocked at 2:37 something. being with positive people does help a lot, i believe.

so, milo marathon runners, whatever distance you're running, whatever your goal is, good luck! let's do this!

the power of vision

i remember the times when i was actively playing basketball. that was before i undergone ACL reconstruction surgery on my right knee. back then i would envision myself doing things on the playing court, both on offense and defense.

well, i don't really envision what time of the game i would do it. i just envision it. the kind of pass i want to make. the kind of defense that would make my opposition bleed for points. the kind of shot i want to make over my defenders.

i would envision every movement i want to make. where would i put my right foot and left foot. which hand would i use to hold the ball. i have screenshots of the movement i want to make in my brain. frame by frame. i can even see which part of my body perspired the most.

the best thing about my vision is: i envision myself doing my moves against the best opposition there is. i envision myself doing a spectacular layup against the opposition's best defender and i envision myself stealing the ball from the opposition's best point guard or blocking the shot opposition's best scorer.

sounds conceited, right? but envisioning yourself doing amazing things builds up your confidence. and when you're confident, you can do a lot of amazing things like blocking the shot of a 6foot2 guy when you're 5foot6.

vision. it gives you confidence. trust me. been there. done that.

i remember the slogan of pharmaton before. what your mind conceive, your body can achieve. you cannot be competitive if you're not confident you can beat your opponent. you cannot win over your rival if you cannot win over yourself. it all starts with confidence. you have to trust your own body and your own training.

don't be unfair to yourself by doing all those trainings and preparations and then tell yourself after that you're not good enough. you're always better than you give yourself credit for. keep in mind, you can be faster, tougher and stronger if you just put your mind to it.

i am not, in any way, saying that you have to be conceited. conceit and confidence are 2 different things and don't confuse yourself to it. you can be confident while being humble. actually, you have to be confident and you have to be humble about yourself. humility is not deflecting praises either but i am not going to delve into that. what i am just trying to say is, give yourself a chance to achieve more and better things by pushing yourself to your limits. if i can have it my way, i would say that you just have to push yourself further because there's no limits to what you can do. really.

so for this coming june 17, i am envisioning myself crossing the finish line of the 21k category of run united 2 2012. on my feet. running and not walking. i envision myself to take advantage of all the effects of the training i am doing today. i envision myself wearing a finisher shirt and the finisher medal in my hands. i envision myself running at better pace than i have all my life. i am going to have the confidence in myself, my body and my training. i am going to give it my all.

by the way, i am able to do a spectacular layup against the opposition's best defender, i was able to steal the ball from the opposition's best point guard and i was able to block the shot of opposition's best scorer. well, back in the day, that is. ^_^