Kilometer 737: Condura 2010: Run for the Dolphins

The Condura 2009 was my first half marathon race ever. I got my first medal there, and it was while training for that event that I got introduced to shinsplints. It was, at that time, also a pretty expensive race, the first one that I had to shell out 500 bucks for. So yeah, it was pretty memorable and historical for me.

There was no doubt in my mind that I’d be running this year’s edition of the Condura Run. Unfortunately though, I had to change my original plan of running the full on the Skyway, at least not if I am to be the responsible runner that I intend to be this year. My younger brother had his mind set on making his full marathon debut at the Condura though, so I was at the venue pretty early - early enough to be able to see most of the “veteran” runners warming up before taking on 26.2 miles. As I saw the fireworks(that was a nice touch) light up and the heard the starting gun fire, I realize just how it feels it be on the “sideline”.

The half marathon route this year was pretty much the same as that of last year, save for some minor modifications in the route inside BGC. This year’s half was monstrous(participation-wise) compared to last year’s though, as evidenced by the fact I experienced crowding in the Kalayaan flyover on the way to Makati. Having done the Condura Run last year, the Skyway was no longer new to me, although I was glad to be back. I was surprised though that for some time large portions of the highway were pitch dark, due to the early gunstart(5 vs the usual 5:30) and the lack of streetlights. It did remind me of the Subic marathon somewhat. There was definitely no shortage of water along the route and the marshals were competent. I didn’t have the 405 for me, but knowing Rudy Biscocho, I’m betting the distance was accurate.

It was, all in all, a very well-organized event. I must admit, I really didn’t care much about the music bands that Sir Biscocho generously scattered along the route. I did appreciate the whole(Dole?) bananas that were given away along Buendia on the way back though. Compare that to the Milo eliminations where all they gave were a few sliced bananas in small ice cream cups. I must say though, not really as a complaint but as an observation, that this year’s freebies pale in comparison to that of last year’s.

Only a few people I know joined the half, with most “veteran” runners having opted to slug it out in the full. I wasn’t completely alone though, as I saw Boss Jinoe manning the volunteer booth in Buendia and Bards doing cheering duty near the finishline.

I was able to eke out a 1:52:48 for this race. It’s definitely not my worst time, and it is better than my Condura half performance last year. I had a pretty long streak of sub 1:50s last year though, so I guess that at least for this distance, I still have some rust leftover from the month long hiatus. It is still a performance level that I could be happy about though - at least, for now.

I really wasn’t able to have much rest after crossing the finish line - after just a few minutes, I was already changing clothes and was on my way(via vehicle) to the foot the the Skyway - pacer duty time.

Race bib

***RACE SUMMARY***
Event: Condura 2010: Run for the Dolphins
Date/Time: February 7, 2010, 5:00am
Venue: The Fort - Makati CBD - Skyway
Length: 21 kilometers(half marathon)
Time: 1:52:42(official)
Racer/Bib Number: 41319

Tags: 21K, Condura 2009: Skyway Run for the Whale Sharks, Condura 2010: Run for the Dolphins, half marathon

“Missing” Condura and BDM

Condura, obviously, is February’s main racing event.

Among the distances in the Condura Race, the full is obviously the flagship distance. What the heck, most of the runner-bloggers in my RSS folder(which just about includes the who’s who of the local running world) would be doing the full this February 7.

For March, the main event is obviously the BDM. At least, it seems to be for everyone who has completed a full marathon already.

I would be missing both.

Okay, I would be in Condura, but I would be running just the half. I won’t be in the BDM.

This is the reason.

What’s this? You’re showing restraint? Didn’t you do all the full marathons during the last quarter of last year?

Yes, I am, and yes, I did. And that didn’t get me anywhere I’d like to go to again.

Before the SCSM, I was even thinking of doing both Condura full and the SCHKM(end yes, even before those two, Cebu). After the SCSM, I realized, that simply won’t do.

If I am to show that I learned anything from the SCSM “fiasco” - the first step would be scrapping, or changing that plan(not that I had any choice with Cebu, I was practically injured).

I did not even deliberate on what should stay and what should go. I was registered for the Hong Kong event months before. Like all Standard Chartered Marathons, slots practically disappear after just a few days. My dream of a full on the Skyway must be put on hold.

I don’t know whether I would make it past Sir Jovie’s “screening” of applicants but I do know that even if I had, there is now way I’d come in prepared for the BDM given that I also have to prepare for SCHKM. The preparation for the two is simply too different. And more importantly, that’d be courting injury - again. Not good, considering there is the TNF100 in May that I have to prepare for. I can’t afford any downtime this summer. I guess all I can do is hope that the BDM be successful so that there would even be more editions in the future to join.

It was by no means, an easy decision to make. Running with people you know does make the experience much more exciting and memorable. And I chose an event that few runners I know would run in, much fewer than in Singapore. But it was definitely the right decision. If I am to get better, this is simply how things must be. I guess you do have to step off the bandwagon sometimes. I used to think about it as a sacrifice, but then I realized, it’s not really one. To paraphrase Deena Kastor - runners don’t make sacrifices, they make choices.

And I already made mine.

Tags: Bataan Death March 2010, Cebu Marathon, Condura 2010: Run for the Dolphins, Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, TNF 100, upcoming races

Boo, Papa Derek, boo!

Model-actor Derek Ramsay to run despite knee injury

Well, well. Looks like Papa Derek won’t be following the steps of Papa Piolo, who astounded just about everyone with an excellent time in his maiden 10K event. I guess Piolo remains the on the top of my personal and highly unofficial showbiz runners power rankings, closely followed by Rovilson Fernandez and Dingdong Dantes(Marc Nelson didn’t run in the Urbanite event!).

It would’ve been better if Derek was uninjured though, so that we’d finally see a showbiz celebrity take on 13 miles. Whatever his time, that would’ve catapulted him to the top of my rankings.

Showbiz is indeed invading the running world, with more and more actors being tapped to endorse races. With Piolo, Marc, Rovilson, Dingdong, and now Derek having their “own” races, I won’t be surprised if Jericho Rosales and John Loyd Cruz soon follow suit. I just hope we’d be able to “strike back” by making a contribution to the showbiz world in return. Coach Rio being “discovered” and getting an acting gig perhaps?

Man, this post already has a showbiz quotient way higher than what should be allowed in a male runner’s blog.

Tags: Century Superbods Run 2010, Derek Ramsey, Kenny’s Open 2009 Urbanite Run, Piolo Pascual, showbiz

TNF100 2010 in Baguio

So it’s confirmed - the TNF 100 this year would be held in Baguio.

Most readers would probably know that the TNF 100 is on the top of my “DO AGAIN” or “TO-AVENGE” list. True I would like to run the SCSM again, as a more competent runner. I would like to have a go at the Botak Paatibayan given the opportunity. But they don’t compare to how much I want the TNF 100.

I had been hearing rumors about the race being planned for Baguio this year, but then I really didn’t believe it before the announcement. I must admit, in my heart of hearts, I was even hoping that it’d be Sacobia again, unlikely as that may be.

So Baguio it is.

It seems that they’re opening a 50K single loop category, for those who would just like to experience running a trail ultra.

Personally(and I can’t stress this enough), I’m having none of that. Isandaan ang inutang, isandaan ang kabayaran.

I’m not after the title “ultramarathoner” - that would be frivolous and shallow, especially when it is brandished about repetitively as an excuse for sucky performances.

I am after the experience, and so why would I go for the partial experience when the whole thing is there?

And besides, the hard part of the TNF 100 is in the second loop, or for most runners, the night leg - when you are already fighting against the cutoff, the fatigue, the sleepiness, the dark. With all the sight-seeing and the high energy, the first loop could be fun(although there is a first round cutoff). The second loop is all about survival.

They say that the real halfway point of the full is not at the 13-miler mark, but at the 20th. I daresay that the one-third mark of the TNF100 is at the boundary of the first and second leg. Why would anyone wanna miss that?

On a lighter, shallower note, doing the full hundred would save you having to do additional explanations whenever you recount your TNF 100 story. Just imagine -

“Man, the TNF 100 was tough”

“Well, I did not exactly do 100 kilometers. It’s more like…”

It would’ve been a way smoother convo if you had just done the hundred, right?

See you in Baguio, everyone.

If this would convince one person originally planning to go for the “TNF 50″ or “TNF 1/3″ to change into the TNF 100 - I’d be really really happy. Even though I’ve a feeling I’d probably be cursed by that person while running at night. Haha

Tags: Baguio, TNF 100, upcoming races

Kilometer 716: 1st Run Green Marathon

Went to Ayala Alabang this morning for the 1st Run Green Marathon.

It was my first race in Alabang ever, and my first race after quite a long hiatus. My last race before that was the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon last December- almost a month and a half ago!

I must admit, I was kind of jittery before this race, as I always am when returning the race course after quite a long time off it. Run all you like and do tempo runs even, but race day is race day - it’s still different.

I think I already mentioned that I chose this as a comeback race primarily because of its cheap registration fee. Well, true, as someone from the Northern part of the metro, there are fuel costs to consider, but at least it was a new place and experience. Even if I really did not end up saving anything at least I finally got to run in Alabang.

I wasn’t expecting much from the race. With 200 bucks registration fee, I already found it generous that they even gave  t-shirts(with sizes to choose from even). The on-site registration process was easy enough, although the race started 30 minutes late.

So how was the Alabang running experience? My very first impression as I was racing was that it really was quite a running friendly place - and a vast one at that too. I mean, wow, residents could literally step out of their doors and run. Long runs aren’t impossible inside the village - the race route alone is a single loop “10K”(more on this in a bit). What the heck, even races in UP could not manage to do that, because of roads with jeepneys(even on Sundays) and residential areas where there is the danger of stray dogs.

(Bit of a trivia: Coach Rio once tried having a single loop 10K within UP, but the route was changed at the last minute)

Nevertheless, I must mention that the organizers are not exactly race organization experts, and it showed. There were enough water stations, located at the proper distances probably, but at the wrong positions. I mean, almost all of them were at the wrong side of the road! To get to them you had to cross the road - and those were very wide roads as well.

It was a tough race for me. I hadn’t raced in a while, and even before the hiatus, my focus had mainly been on the half and the full(I intend to keep that) and it showed. That fact of course wasn’t helped by the errant water stations and the really hilly nature of the course. I would definitely classify this as one of my tougher races at this distance.

When I crossed the finishline, the first thing that I did was ask for my time, hoping to at least make it to my personal 50 minute standard. The marshal chalked it up at 40:00, a fact that was confirmed by an independent timer! Thus exposed the greatest shortcoming of this race - the distance. I didn’t bring the 405, but another runner measured the distance at 8.3 kilometers - 1.7 kilometers short.

Well, 8.3 in 40 translates to a consistent sub-5 mpk. With 10 minutes remaining before 50, and 1.7 to cover, even if my pace had dropped to 5mpk, I would’ve made it still. Not bad.

It’s disappointing that my first race post-injury had a “disqualified” result(a real 40 would’ve been a new personal best), but I guess the happiness of being on the race course once again overshadows that.

Wow, I guess I really am back.

Race bib

***RACE SUMMARY***
Event: 1st Run Green Marathon
Date/Time: January 24, 2010, 6:00am
Venue: Ayala Alabang
Length: 10 kilometers
Time: 40:00(official)
Racer/Bib Number: 551

Tags: 10K, 1st Run Green Marathon

(Almost) a view from the other side

Late last year my organization at the university tapped me for a possible fun run that would have been held in February or March of this year.

I set out to work immediately after getting my assignment, planning on what would be needed and the people that we would have to talk to and do business with. Our original plan was to go at it by ourselves - without getting an race-event organizer.

Some of race “necessities” were easy enough, like water, since Maynilad is just right across the University, where we were planning on holding the run. They have been known to be easy to tap or get as a sponsor when it comes to running events.

Some were trickier, like singlets(where would you get them) and race bibs(who would print them). Or, I don’t know, maybe they were just tricky for us, since we’ve never had the need for their services before.

Particularly difficult was result tabulation, which meant that I had to look for people or groups from whom we could borrow a barcode scanning machine.

Aside from these things there were many others of course. The Administration must be informed and a permit secured. A stage must be setup of course, with sound systems. A start/finish arc, as well as portalets, must be found and rented. All these, and more. In short, it was one big head ache. The only thing or resource that we had at hand to begin with was manpower, which would be provided by organization members and applicants(slave labor!).

With all those businesses that have to be contacted, I realized, it is no wonder that many of those who want to hold races opt to get race-event organizers. It was hard for me, and I know a bit about racing already. What more for those who don’t know anything about racing and just want to hold a fundraiser.

Anyway, by some weird turn of events, we did end up meeting with a professional race-event organizer, and got a quote for the event that we wanted.

The bottomline is, the numbers were staggering(at least for us). I won’t bore the readers with the details which I don’t remember anyway. But the final figure stands at 330,000 for a 5K-10K race with 1,000 slots at UP(where the place usage fee is among the cheapest, if not the cheapest). That is, we’d need to pay the organizer 330K(not necessarily in lump).

The ones who are good in math among you must have already crunched the numbers. To break even, assuming that we will sell all packets, we need to price the registration fee at 330.

If we price the registration fee at just 300 bucks(”standard” registration fee), even if we sold out, we’d end up short by 30K. To make up for the slack, we’d need financial sponsors - companies and corporations that would give us the money in return for advertisement or exposure. No, goods(such as freebies, drinks, etc) wouldn’t do. It has to be cold cash, otherwise it wouldn’t help with our 30K deficit. And remember we’re assuming a sold out event. If we don’t sell everything, the deficit grows. And also, we’re just talking about breaking even! If we sell everything AND just get 30K sponsorship, we earn nothing yet.

So what’s my point? I must admit, I used to think that some charitable institutions(or institutions helping charitable institutions) are being “greedy” when they set the registration fees high. But then with that experience, I realized they really have no choice. We certainly didn’t. If we had gone through with the event(in limbo yet), as much as I would’ve wanted to set it lower at 250(the price I grew up with), it wouldn’t have worked. The deficit that already stood at 30K would just grow even bigger. Even at 300 pesos registration fee, we’d practically have to sell everything and find a way of making more money just to get even. Now, I wonder, who’s responsible for that?

Tags: registration fees

On registration fees

When i started out in racing, the standard registration fee was just 250 pesos. I remember finding the Condura and Greenfield races quite expensive then, but it was okay since I generally considered them as “special” races(Condura had the skyway, Greenfield was in Laguna). The standard registration fee kept on rising all through out 2009 though, and it wasn’t long before 500 bucks was the standard for most half marathons.

Late last year, when they announced the Timex Run with its 750 bucks registration fee, I couldn’t help but think - and wish - that it was just an exceptionally special and expensive race, and not the start of a whole new trend. Alas, that was not meant to be. It’s almost as if the Timex Run was an experiment, a test of just how “high” the runners would go to get that racing high. And being a sold out event, it was by all means, a successful one.

Now, the Condura 2010 edition has a registration fee of 750 bucks for its half marathon, and a record setting 850 pesos for its flagship full marathon event. The Century Tuna Super Bods Run likewise has a 750 pesos registration fee. 500 pesos , an amount previously exclusive to high-end races is now being asked by just about any race spanning 13 miles, no matter how ordinary the route, or undistinguished the organizer.

In the midst of all these, the budget-conscious runner couldn’t help but ask, why?

The price of water hasn’t increased from 2008 to 2009, at least not by an amount that’d justify the 50% increase in registration fees(500 to 750).

I doubt that the marshals and maintenance people involved in races are earning now more than before.

When you think about it, singlets shouldn’t have gone higher in price either. And with most races now having a larger number or participants, unit prices of singlets(and many other things such as bibs, etc)should be have gone down and not up.

That is not to say that we are racing the same way as we did back then. For instance, 2009 saw the advent of disposable timing chips, a move in which some of our races(such as Milo) even preceded that of many marathons abroad.

But that aside, what could there be that justified the current level of registration fees? And besides, didn’t we manage to have chip-timed races without exceeding 500 pesos? And how about those races that don’t have timing chips? In particular, just how better would the Condura half this year be compared to last year(which was already damn good), anyway? I sure hope to see the extra 250 bucks that I shelled out go to work.

I can’t help but think that the simple explanation for all these is that people are making money off these races. Okay, make that people are making even more money out of these races now. I don’t know whether it’s the “owner” of the routes(BGC, I heard, charges a hefty amount) or the race/event organizers themselves(can’t be the “small fries” like singlet makers or marshals now, can they?), but somewhere out there somebody’s saying “What the hell, let’s milk this for all that it’s worth.” Kung may kakagat ba sa ganitong presyo, bakit hindi.

Not that I blame or begrudge them really. It is a free, democratic, and capitalist society that we’re in. Nobody’s being forced to join these races, and they could really price their services any damn way they please.

I can’t help but remember what was often said about the Filipino Chinese, and the secret of their success. They are supposedly willing to make “tubong lugaw”, earning just a bit from a unit but making a killing from the sheer number of units sold. Unlike them, it was said, Filipinos prefer to making a killing just off a few sales and transactions, hoping that people would still buy it at that price.

The sad part in all of these, I believe, is the continuing “elitization” of racing in the running community. It’s almost as if racing would soon be joining the ranks of airsoft guns and kart racing as hobbies and sports exclusive to the affluent. Everybody could still run of course - but not everybody could race. Running is free, racing is not.

Would the day come when only executives and businessmen would be hitting the road on race days? I hope not, but frankly, that could happen. If you could earn the same amount with a couple of hundred participants why would you bother stressing yourself with half a thousand after all? Makes good business sense right?

Tags: Century Superbods Run 2010, Condura 2010: Run for the Dolphins, registration fees, Timex Run

Wake me up when January ends

One of the first things I did when my “sabbatical” ended was to schedule my upcoming races. February is packed with important races, so I really hoped that I would be able to start racing this January, to get back into the racing “groove”.

When I checked the race calendar though, I was very disappointed. Not that there are no races, it’s just that there really isn’t a major event that one couldn’t miss. Okay, there’s the Cebu Marathon, but then it’d be held four days after the end of my “sabbatical”, so it’s not really possible for me. There’s the PSE Bull Run, but then I ran its edition last year, and it hardly lived up to its billing. At least, it’s not something I’m shelling out 300 bucks for. Aside from those two, all others are nowhere near “must-run” or “major” status, something that would bring all runners together through its prestige, reputation, or innovation. Some of them, frankly, are even overpriced, considering that they offer nothing new.

I must admit, I was originally thinking on joining the Takbo Para sa Libreng Kolehiyo(half marathon), and staging my comeback race there. It has the standard 500 pesos registration fee, and it seemed to be for a good cause. When I checked the details though, I found out that they are gonna make the runners run 7 times around a 3 kilometer loop for the half marathon! What’s with that? I ran a 7 loop half marathon before(Volunteerun), but the registration fee was just 100, or 150, I think. I’m not saying that it’s gonna be a crappy race, but on the other hand, 500 bucks for a race course that’s boring and obviously lacks innovation is certainly overkill. And no, being a race for a good cause does not change that fact.

There was the Run Assumption Run(half marathon) originally scheduled for the end of the month, but was eventually canceled.

In the end, I chose the 1st Run Green Marathon as my comeback race. Nothing major, but then it’d be held in Alabang where I’ve never raced before, and it’s registration fee is a very reasonable 200 bucks. It’s just 10K(was hoping for a half marathon)but it should give me a feel for racing before the big ones next month.

Guys, wake me up when January ends.

Tags: 1st Run Green Marathon, Cebu Marathon, PSE Bull Run 2009, Run Assumption Run, Takbo Para sa Libreng Kolehiyo, upcoming races, VolunteeRun

Kuwentong Livestrong

I love my LIVESTRONG band/baller ID. It’s just about the only running accessory that I wear even when I’m not running.

Non-runners would probably think that runners would favor running shoes, but personally, I prefer wearing slippers when just casually going out. I almost never wear running shoes outside training or races because as someone who has gone through a number of pairs already, I know just how important and limited a pair’s mileage-lifespan is.

I first got my LIVESTRONG baller ID as a “freebie” when I ran in the PTAA race last year. I really didn’t give it much attention at first, but then I soon got accustomed to wearing it, and almost never raced without it. Before long, I was always wearing it whenever I’d get out of the house.

Aside from declaring support for a really good cause(and yes, a really cool guy), I discovered that it’s also a great and dicreet way of declaring yourself as an athlete. I mean, it’s certainly more discreet than wearing a shirt with “42.195 FINISHER” or “CAMSUR SURVIVOR” emblazoned on it. In a sense it’s a way of letting yourself be known as an athlete to other fellow athletes. Others might look at it as just another baller-ID, but athletes know better.

Whenever I chance upon another LIVESTRONG band wearer when riding a jeepney, I find myself wondering what “discipline” he or she belongs in. As far as I know, the people who usually wear the band are usually triathletes, runners or bikers(is it much of a hit with swimmers too?). Of course, he or she could also turn out to be a non-athlete, but then given the fact that you don’t exactly find those bands being sold in the streets or even in malls, chances are, he or she has a connection with the mentioned sports.

Anyway, a few days ago, my baller-ID broke. I then found myself looking for places or people where I could buy a new one. I looked for it at malls before, but then I didn’t find any stores selling them, so I resorted to online sources. What I found shocked me. At Ebay Philippines, the band is priced as high as 350 each. To think that that was already the registration fee for the PTAA Race where I got my first band! I then realized just how generous that race was, something that I really didn’t appreciate before.

Fortunately, I found a trader selling it for 250 bucks. Not knowing anywhere else to look, and bothered about not having such an “essential” item, I then bought one. It’s still expensive though considering that the original tag price of the band is just a dollar(1/5 of the price!).

Given how local sellers are making a killing out of the item, I’ve decided to stock up on it should I get the opportunity to get it cheap - when a friend or relative comes home from the States maybe? I’ve been trying international Ebay sellers, and while the band is cheap, the shipping’s a killer(And they usually don’t allow combined shipping). Or is there a cheaper local source that I don’t know of?

Tags: 1st PTAA Charity Run, Livestrong

Back in business

Last Wednesday, January 6, I “celebrated” the first “monthsary” for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, which was held on December 6 last year. It also marked the end of my self-imposed month-long abstinence from running, which I carried out to be able to recover from an injury received from the consecutive marathons that marked the closing weeks of 2008.

The month-long period, I must admit, hadn’t been easy for me. I missed two major races during that four-week period, the Philippine Star Celebrity Run and the Rizal Day Run. Beyond the “racing high” though, I could really say that I missed running itself. I resorted to crosstraining to maintain fitness, and man, it was a chore.

Before getting injured, I never ran for “fitness”, or at least I never thought of it that way. I was always training or preparing for an event. I ran to increase endurance or gain speed, and the calories and fitness just took care of themselves. With running taken away from my routine, maintaining fitness was something that I had to consciously do.

And so how do you celebrate the end of a no-running period? By running of course! I am glad to report that I have been running consistently since the last Wednesday, although I have yet to reach the usual numbers I was logging before the injury. I think that’s okay, since it has only been 5 days. In particular, my speed workouts has yet to exceed 2 kilometers, my tempo runs 7 kilometers, and my long runs 18 kilometers. I am still pretty much taking it easy.

I’m not really sure just how much my skills deteriorated during the past month. Due to a tempo run I am confident I would be able to log my previous usual 10K race numbers, although for races longer than that I really don’t know. Honestly though, I’d already came to accept the fact that there would be some deterioration somewhere, and I would have to work hard to get get back at the where I left off.

As for the injury being gone - I also don’t know. It usually manifested at near 20-miles or so, and I’ve yet to reach that distance. And as I said, I would be taking it easy, so it’d be a couple of week or so, before I reach that. I guess we’d just have to wait and see, as well as hope for the best now, right?

Anyway, it’s great to be back!

Tags: injury, Philippine Star Celebrity Run, Rizal Day 20-miler, Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon