Tapots on the Run: cebu race

Showing posts with label cebu race. Show all posts

Thursday, January 20, 2011

My CCM 2011 Story

I am jubilant, no—ecstatic! I finished my first 21k! I remember I felt the urge to dance as I approached the finish line but a marathoner beat me to it with a rain dance.

Ahh, it was that savory feeling of facing your fears and overcoming it.

I had been afraid. The panicking started two weeks before the race. To say that I was not prepared for the Cebu City Marathon 2011 is an understatement. And to think I had so much time to train.

At CCM 2010, I was supposed to run my first 21k but had to settle for 5k because of an injury. Back then, I thought that meant more training time for 2011. I aimed not just to finish but for a strong finish, a goal that became too ambitious for someone who has started to make procrastination a habit. Before I knew it, 2010 was almost over. And at a time of Christmas parties, get-togethers, buffets, it was easy to ignore your running shoes.

The last time I laced up and run was early November, a 12k where I got dizzy and took lengthy walk breaks. By late December, the 21k felt so daunting that I thought of quitting. I even had a good excuse like going to the dentist for that long-overdue tooth extraction.

But the running community has its way of letting out the crazy in me. People I run with at work didn't think twice about proceeding with the race, sans preparation. I didn't want to be left behind so I tagged along at race kit-distribution. As I lined up for my kit, I sensed the excitement from race participants--faces beaming, talking incessantly about running. The level of energy made me want to show off my green race bib to quietly broadcast that I'm part of this amazing, happy community. And just like that, I was far from the scaredy-cat I was.

On race day, I didn't mind the little droplets of rain. I was excited; and as I can observe when the race began, the spectators, street dancers, and fellow runners were, too. It was a huge party and I was having a ball.

There were moments when my legs got too heavy but the festive Sinulog beat pumped me back the energy to plod, jog, and run again. At the last 3km, it felt like each foot was chained to a medieval metal ball. But motivational quotes along the way and a cousin, who suddenly showed up in a motorcycle to encourage me, brought back a spring on my step. Before I knew it, I was propelling towards the finish line! It was exhilarating. Anyone would want to dance for joy at the moment.

I shouldn’t be too happy with an almost 3-hour finish but I am so thrilled for not allowing my fear to overwhelm me. But I know better now. Next time, I will be prepared and continue the goal of a strong finish.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Kasadya Race

I signed up for the Kasadya Fun Run because almost everyone at the office (well, at least in that little circle of Teradyne runners) said they will register. And also, I’ve been feeling sluggish after the Cebu City marathon; I needed another reason to sweat it out.

Tera tira?

The week before the race, I was only able to do one MEPZ2 afternoon run, which upped my worry that I’ll be racing on Sunday with walk breaks. I was already sauntering after the third kilometer! A man in a bicycle even greeted me with, “Ug nganong galakaw naman ka?”

Oh well, good luck to me at the Kasadya Race! Jun, Lex and Pol signed up for the 10k while I joined the rest of the Teradyne guys in the 5k, which category was exclusive for MEPZ employees.

At race day, our group was closely huddled near the front of the pack while waiting for the starting gun. So first 100 meters, we still caught sight of each other--except for Pol who zoomed away, and Vin and Kyaw who seemed to fly over the 5k route.

After the 1st km, I noticed Lex was not in his best shape (read: I have to slow down so he could keep up). When I noticed him reducing speed for the first water station, I sped up. But you know how guys are, they don’t want to be outrun by a girl. So he hurried up and later kept my pace. We parted at corner Banawa and V. Rama roads where the 5k and 10k routes separated.

It was at that corner (2.5k) that I grabbed a plastic cup from the water station. I gulped half of the water and poured the remaining half on my head, while I slowed down to a walk. I noticed the road getting lonelier, with the long gap between me and the runners before me. Still, I continued to take walk breaks, albeit brief, when I felt too breathless to enjoy the run. In the 3rd km, I managed to overtake a couple of guys but surrendered on trying to lessen the gap between me and the last female participant ahead of me. Upon approaching the 4th km, a familiar face (I later remembered her as one of those older women who always placed in races when the younger ones aren’t in town) shouted to me a jumble of words, with “third” as the only word I could make out. I’d like to think what she said was, “Third ka kung apsan to nimong baye sa unahan!”

I told my out-of-breath self I’ll be fine with fourth and just continue with my pace. After overtaking a male runner or two, I noticed that I’m approaching yellow flags signaling the turn before the finish line. And I thought I have to run at least 300 meters more! I decided to step up my pace until I noticed a girl ahead of me, walking as she made her turn. Whooaaa, it couldn’t be! Very much energized (and excited), Tapots whooshed to the finish line, smiling, big teeth and all.

It still remains a mystery to me why the girl continued with her stroll, not seeming to care that I am overtaking her. She gave me the podium finish that I never expected. Gee, thanks!

kadako'g ngisi sa uban... =D