The Scientist Runner

A Nature Marathon in Subic Bay

2012-02-01T07:30:00.000+08:00

The date was 1.22.12. To some, this 1-2 permutation probably had some hidden meaning in numerology. To Chinese Zodiac or Shēngxiào (生肖) believers, it marked the last day of the Year of the Rabbit. To me, it was the day I would run my second marathon for 2012 already- the Subic International Marathon in Subic Bay.

I had registered for this event the very first day registration opened in Metro Manila. While I had been to Subic a few times before, I had gone there only to either attend meetings or commune with nature in this tourist-friendly city. I wanted to add another reason for coming- to run a marathon as close to nature as can be.

With the opening of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) four years ago, travelling to Subic by car from Manila, a 110-km distance, is as short as two hours away. But for a first-time visitor, a leisurely drive on the rolling and winding highway is suggested so as to enjoy the sights especially as one approaches the bay.

When I arrived in Subic the evening before the race, it was dark already. After a quick check in at a hotel situated right at the waterfront boulevard, I immediately went to Remy Field, the race starting point, to familiarize myself with how to get there the next day. I found the stage set but organizers had called it a day.

Scouting for a place to have a pre-race dinner was not that easy. Being a tourist destination and an export processing zone with a large expat presence, Subic has lots of restaurants and cuisine there is a wide variety. Many food joints also have live performers belting out music for the young ones and once young already.

I settled for a Pinoy-style restaurant facing the waterfront, with an impressive female trio performing. The joint was noted for its specialty- carbo rich pancit bihon with matching inihaw na liempo. I reasoned that while the food was not that healthy, I will be burning the calories gained the next day anyway.

Race time for the full marathon was 0430 on a Sunday. There were 10K, 21K, and 42K events. Some 300 runners lined up at the starting line for the 42K. Many came from Metro Manila and surrounding provinces of host Zambales province and Olongapo City. A platoon or two of military cadets even joined, no doubt battle-ready.

There would also be runners from overseas- Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, USA, among other countries. I caught up with Aileen from Singapore, a fellow 5-star ranked Marathon Maniac who I've ran with in the Singapore, Hong Kong, Chiangmai, and Milo marathons. She was on to her 50-something 42K/ultra already.

And when the gun was finally fired after a short course briefing and opening ceremony, just a few minutes after half past four, runners began to run the first few kilometers on a flat, sea-level course- beginning with the rubberized track oval of Remy Field to the Central Business District and to the Subic Freeport Zone.

Then the hill climbs began. Gently at first and then angled more steeply. There would be five major peaks of up to about 140 to 150+ meters to hurdle- at 15K, 17K, 24K, 25K, and 27K. Running mostly in the dark initially, from time to time, a race-provided, generator-powered mobile street lamp would illuminate the way.

As dawn broke, runners witnessed the natural beauty of the Forest Reserve of Subic Bay- a virgin lowland dipterocarp forest covering almost 10,000 hectares of which 3,000 are closed canopy. There, wild animals roam free, including cuddly monkeys. At the Zoobic Safari resort, one can explore the forest via a "Safari Jeepney".

I was happy to have my iPod at this point run out of battery. The chirping of an assortment of birds loudly announcing the conquest of the most tender of preys and the discordant sounds of unknown insects and animals welcoming yet another new day were to me a much more grand and profound musical symphony.

It was downhill to the 21K point near another popular beachfront resort with whale and sea lion shows everyday- the Ocean Adventure, the first water marine theme park in Southeast Asia. With the bay in the background, here I would pose playfully, not knowing that the next 21K would all be uphill for me, figuratively.

For aside from the initially uphill climb on the return back to Remy, my left ankle and calf would bother me the rest of the way. It would have been nicer at this point to have just turned left to Adventure Beach as directed or head on to the Subic Treetop Adventure resort for some trekking and tree walking activities.

But the race I had to finish for I do not give up that easily. It was at this point that I switched from an all-run strategy that allowed me to cover the first 21K in 2 hours and 15 minutes, despite the photo-taking stops and the course being hilly, to a mostly-walk-and-sometimes-run strategy to lessen the shin pain felt already.

The regularly spaced hydration stations that served both water and Pocari Sweat electrolyte drink, with some stands even offering bananas and saltine crackers, were always a welcome sight on the way. I stopped at almost all of them and, thanks to the race personnel, avoided overheating on a very hot and humid day.

And at the second U-turn slot for the 42K, a few runners told me how pleased they were to have the only photographer of the race at this point in me. I obliged and took a few of their photos. Little did they know though that I had a brand new camera with me that I still did not know how to use correctly.

As the course was a loop, the next few kilometers would be downhill as it was uphill the other way. We would again pass by the forest that is home to 745 plant species. From the signs one surmised that animals also held sway. In fact, hiking the mountains of Zambales is a good way to explore nature's biological diversity.

One popular Subic activity is the Jungle Environment Survival Training (JEST) camp. Indigenous peoples called Aetas demonstrate techniques on building a fire, cooking rice and viands using twigs and bamboo, and making soap from gugu vines- 'simple living' rules passed on to American soldiers to survive Vietnam's jungles during the 1960s.

A few more kilometers of running and walking and I was back to the sea level altitude of Subic Bay. Near the Subic International Airport, that operates direct flights to Macau and Seoul and a few other local tourist-favorite cities, a fire truck sprayed cold water to runners wanting to cool off their very hot bodies.

The remaining run would be uneventful and would simply take us back to where we started earlier that day. Runners were well dispersed by this point, some hobbling with injuries. Thankfully, policemen assigned to keep the race course orderly continued to hold their ground even if the sun was becoming unbearably unfriendly.

The sight of blue waters with anchored yachts near the Subic harbor meant that I was down to my last few Ks. The deep and natural harbor that opens up to the South China Sea and the surrounding mountain ranges provide excellent shelter to ships moored in the bay. Thus, for 50 years, Subic was a port of call for the US Navy.

The last 100 meters of the marathon involved running half a lap on the rubberized track of Remy field. At this point, no other runners could be seen ahead or behind me. I felt quite pleased just to have survived this year's second marathon, just five weeks after getting the ankle injury at the Fubon Marathon in Taipei.

The reward, waiting at the finish arc, was more than enough to compensate for the hassles experienced that day- a 27th medal for running different marathons in different cities and countries. And as if this was not enough already, thanks to the race organizers eXtribe, I also got my first-ever dog tag emblazoned with a '42K'!

After having experienced Subic in a vastly different way- close to nature on foot for most of 42K- I drove back to Manila the afternoon of the very same day. A heavy workload was waiting to be finished by Chinese New Year the very next day. No worries. Natural and a thing of beauty, the Subic marathon experience refreshed me immensely and would be remembered truly.

Never mind that it was a whirlwind affair with nature only!

Running Tasmania: The Cadbury Hobart Marathon

2012-01-23T23:00:00.000+08:00

It was dubbed as the only marathon in the world that starts and finishes in a chocolate factory. Yes, the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Claremont, Tasmania, some 16 kilometers north of the capital city of Hobart for this southernmost state of Australia. Testimony indeed that marathon running can be sweet, way Down Under! The event was the Cadbury Hobart Marathon.

The road to Hobart started in Melbourne where I was vacationing with family (and resting my sore ankle) since before Christmas. The run itself was going to be my second southernmost below the equator, surpassed only by a leisurely run around the Christchurch Botanic Gardens in New Zealand in 2006, a few years before the marathon mania bug bit me.

Arriving in Hobart and in Tasmania only for the first time, I was immediately struck by how different life seemed to be in the peninsula as compared to that in mainland Australia- it was relaxed, slow and easy! The streets were still almost deserted at 9 AM even as the sun was way up high. Vehicle and human traffic this late in the downtown area was very light!

As it was a bit too early for hotel check-in, claiming the race packet became the first task for the day. This was to be at the Running Edge on Murray House, just a few blocks from the hotel. A specialist running and walking store, the Running Edge mission is to provide superior products and expert advice to the serious athlete, recreational runner, and social walker.

In line with its motto of Feet First Run Walk or Play, aside from selling products and offering advice, the store also regularly hosts or promotes running events in Tasmania. For January 2012, these were to be the Tassie Trail Run: Tasman Peninsula, Australia's fastest trail 10K, and the marathon year opener for all of Australia- the Cadbury Hobart Marathon.

Race packet claimed and still two days before the marathon, it was time to see some of Hobart's attractions. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony, Hobart is the home port for Australia's operations in Antartica. With only a little over 200,000 residents and a lush environment, the city is rated the 6th most sustainable in Australia. Mt. Wellington dominates Hobart's skyline.

One of the city's chief attractions is the Salamanca Market held at Salamanca Place every Saturday. There one can find anything and everything Tasmanian- from arts and crafts to fresh produce to wine and food, among other native products. They even had varied organic wood-fired pizza recipes to choose from. How about that for carbo-loading of the Tasman kind?

Marathon morning was a bit cold- about 12 degrees Celsius and even lower with the intermittent wind gusts that made me decide to wear a jacket. Runners assembled at 0430 in the Mercure Hobart Hotel where the night before, a race dinner was hosted. For $22, one carbo-loaded on pasta and fresh fruit while bantering with fellow runners.

From the Mercure Hotel, for a $5 fee, a race bus took the marathon runners to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Claremont, a 20-minute or so drive away. Like me, most of those who rode the bus came all the way from mainland Australia just to be able to experience marathon running in good, old Tasmania. The chocolate thing promised to make the experience sweeter.

Arriving at the Cadbury Chocolate Factory as dawn was breaking, Freddo the Frog and Caramello Bear, among others, were already waiting. Thus some marathon runners couldn't help posing! This Cadbury facility in Claremont is the largest chocolate factory in Australia and in the entire Southern Hemisphere. Chocolate lovers felt right at home!

For runners who could not collect their race packets earlier, on-site pick up as well as a bag drop were provided by the organizers. The race packet included a GU gel, the race number, pins, a race t-shirt, and an Ipico timing chip along with instructions. The chip itself had to be returned after the race lest one incurred a $20 fine.

Some 1622 runners were set to join the four events of this year- a full marathon (42K), a half marathon (21K), a Running Edge 5K, and a Caramello Junior 1.25K. It promised to be a sweet affair for the entire family with the money raised from the Caramello 1K to be used for bringing out laughter in children via Clown
Doctors, the official charity!

The 42K route started with two loops around the Cadbury estate then heading off to the Main Road, Brooker Highway, Derwent Entertainment Center and turning at Dowsing Point. Then it was back to Brooker Highway, Main Road, and to the top of Ten Mile Hill. The circuit had to be repeated before going back to the factory.

The full marathon runners numbered a little over 220. From the looks of it, most were veterans and battle tested, some even athletes, with very few in the 'recreational runner' category, or so I guessed. As I lined up with them for the 0600 gun start, I knew most would be home and resting before I would arrive at the finish line.

But no worries. I reminded myself that I wasn't here to compete for the cash prizes offered: $1000 (first), $500 (second), $250 (third), $150 (fourth) and $100 (fifth) plus a $1000 time bonus for breaking the course record of 2:23:39 for men and 2:46:272 for women. I was here to have fun!

And what fun it turned out to be! My left ankle that I thought had healed already began to bother me even as I had yet to log the first 3K. The low running mileage I logged the previous two weeks began to haunt me. Even at that early stage of the race, I knew it was going to be a long, long day.

As I reached Brooker Highway, the lead runners, no doubt pros with a few even coming from other countries, were dashing downhill the other way, on the way back already. The next turnaround point would be on top of Ten Mile Hill, less than 10K away.

As in the Hobart city center, traffic was light at this time of day but policemen were present nonetheless to keep one lane of the Brooker Highway for use by runners only. At the intersections, car drivers yielded to the runners politely.

With the sun already beginning to heat up, drink stations became all the more necessary. And there were three set up on the course, with all being accessible from both directions. They were at Berriedale Park, Derwent Entertainment Centre, and St Virgils College. Each station offered both water and GU Brew electrolytes.

As in some other marathons participated in by pros, a special table was set up to accommodate the even more special and multicolored brews. These drinks were to be handed in on race morning only at the race operations center in Cadbury.

While most full marathon participants were men, more than 70 (or 30%) were women. I of them spoke to me while we were running and told me that she too was a 5-star Marathon Maniac, already on to her 92nd 42K. Bothered by pain in the left ankle and then calves most of the way, most of the women marathoners sped past me.

At the marathon turn around on Dowsing Point, two cheerful and elderly race volunteers in their yellow uniform shirts were waiting. They congratulated me and wished me well and godspeed. I was to see them in that exact same spot again a few hours later that day.

And on the way back to Brooker Highway, I was to encounter the pros in the lead pack already on to their second circuit with the finish line just a little over 10K away. Alex Matthews would emerge the winner with a time of 2:28:07, Scott McTaggart with 2:32:08 would be second and Asheber Germa with 2:34:09 third.

Then the much larger group of 566 half marathon runners, almost with as many women as there were men, I would meet in several packs racing downhill while going for their first 11K. They were to head to the Derwent Entertainment Center and then to Ten Mile Hill before going straight back to the factory.

And there would be interesting folks I would encounter on the course, one of them wearing a Superman-like cape, the Marathon Man. Turns out he would be one of two other Marathon Maniacs who raced that day- Trent M or MM# 3720 from Sydney who already was on to his 54th marathon that day.

Reaching the U-turn slot on the top of Ten Mile Hill was not that easy as it was uphill all the way. This was probably the highest elevation for the entire course. Two race marshals were waiting and I had no idea it would be my last time to see them that day. I felt happy having reached this point though as it meant I was halfway done already.

On the way downhill to begin my second circuit, I encountered the pros leading the half marathon runners racing neck to neck at breakneck pace for their last 5K. Dave Thomas would capture first place with of time of 1:07:30 while Wondwosen Geleta would come in second at 1:07:59.

There would be spectators along the route that offered cheers to the runners. But there were very few and in only a few places- at the starting point and the Main Road. After all, this was Hobart where life as mentioned was supposed to be relaxed and easy. Moreover, it was still early morning on a Sunday.

From time to time, serious and recreational bikers would share the route with the runners that, halfway on to my second circuit, were already few and far in between. The shade provided by the trees along the highway made running under the southern sun and unforgiving UV rays a bit easy.

For the temperature level had risen already and it was going to be a hot day! Thus, I would hydrate at every water station on both ways. And at the drink station on Berriedale Park I would pleasantly find something to boost my dwindling energies- a box of assorted milk chocolates from Cadbury!

I was forced to run a slow pace with my left leg bothering me. It was slow enough that, in my last 3K, police had already opened the roads and asked those remaining to run on the sidewalks. By the time I reached the U turn slot on the top of Ten Mile Hill for the second time, the race marshals had packed up and gone already.

Racing back to the factory after completing my second loop, it was a most pleasing sight to see these two signs, one pointing me to the Cadbury facility and the other telling me it was just only one more K. It was an uphill and winding climb, the few hundred meters to the factory.

And as I approached the finish arc, the barbecue party, the running gear specials, and most of the runners were nowhere to be found already. But not this amazing 3-year old kid named Enzo who earlier that day finished the Caramello Junior 1.25K. He was patiently waiting and immediately dashed to meet me. With the crowd cheering, together to the finish we ran happy!

Like the race t-shirt given to the marathon and half marathon runners said, 'I started 2012 by running the Cadbury Marathon'. I would just add 'slowly but happily'. Just as expected, running the Hobart Marathon way down under would be as sweet as candy and give the best value for the money.

This 26th marathon finish, the first for 2012, while being the slowest and most pain-ridden for a 42K, was one I enjoyed tremendously. Not because of Cadbury, but because I would finish the race with family! May the rest of running year 2012 be not as slow but just as or even more happy!

Interested to run next year's race already? The 30th Cadbury Marathon will still be held on a Sunday, on the 13th of January.

Way to go indeed Tasmania and Cadbury!

Discovering Victoria's Trail Running Secrets

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000+08:00

It was truly a sight to behold- 10 tons of fireworks detonated from 17 Melbourne, Australia locations to herald the arrival of 2012. And at Federation Square where I was, the skies lit up not just in one location, but in a 360-degree fashion! The 600,000 Melbournites and tourists who were there with me to watch the first-ever golden fireworks and entertainment extravaganza celebrating Melbourne's links to the gold rush era could only utter a single word- awesome! For as seen from the amateurish video that I took of the event, the celebration was, literally and figuratively, truly a blast!

It would be my second time in five months to be in Melbourne and the first time after a very long time to welcome a new year on foreign shores. I arrived to vacation in the city just four days after finishing my 18th and final marathon for 2011- the Fubon Taipei Marathon. My right ankle that was injured in Taipei was still swollen and I had to spend a good two weeks resting and icing it at home. When I finally was able to put back on my running shoes, I reckoned that I just had to try something different, and perhaps even special. I ended up finding one of the state Victoria's secrets or so it seemed to me- its foreshore or coastal running trail. But on to this later.

In Victoria, as in the other Australian provinces, one can run endlessly. After all, there are only 3 persons occupying every square kilometer, on average. From streets, to wide-open parts and reserves, running can be on concrete and paved roads or narrow and rugged trails. In Melbourne, the Royal Botanic Gardens is a natural magnet for runners looking for scenic routes and lush greenery. In most suburbs, there are bike or walking/pedestrian lanes alongside city streets and avenues to run on with gusto. You just have to be careful in navigating those ever-present round-abouts, keeping in mind that Down Under, one drives left.

Source: http://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/

Butwith majority of Australia's population living close to the sea, running-,walking- and cycling-friendly trails abound. Some follow the natural coastlineand are ages-old while others are more recent and man-made. These recreational trails offer citydwellers a welcome respite from hectic urban lifestyles. The case is nodifferent in Victoria- the mother state of Melbourne, as I was to find out. OneJanuary 2012 late morning, close to the end of a running route that I decidedto use in order to test-walk/run my injured ankle, I chanced upon a fork of atrail that I had missed while running the same route five months before.How pleased I was with this New Year's discovery! It was the starting point ofthe Hobson's Bay Foreshore Trail at Skeleton Creek in Altona Meadows- which, tome at least, had remained one of secrets of Victoria, running-wise.

Also known as the People, Piers and Pelicans Coastal Trail, theHobson's Bay Foreshore Trail is a 23-kilometer coast-hugging trail that starts fromthe Westgate Bridge in Spotswood to the Skeleton Creek in Altona Meadows southwest of the center of Melbourne. Thetrail traverses or coasts along botanic gardens, sandy beaches, ecologicallyimportant reserves and habitats for both plants and bird species, museums, historicbuildings, piers and important landmarks.

The coastal trail is easily accessible from Melbourne by water using the ferry service from Southgate or St. Kilda, or by land- using a bicycle, car, or train. The key Metro station if you take a train is Spotswood where one has then to walk a few hundred meters to reach the start of the trail close to the foot of the Westgate Bridge. The starting point is right in front of, perhaps appropriately for this blog- the planetarium and Scienceworks- Melbourne’s center for curious minds and active bodies that is always awash with science-related activities.

At the start of the trail one will find the first of a regular feature of the route for the next 23 kilometers- attention-grabbing map panels, marker tops, and directional panels made from recycled timber. The large map provides an overview of the trail. The colored dots on the map are of the same color as the marker tops, making it easy to find specific sites of interest along the way. The marker tops also identifies the location as part of the trail making it convenient for first-timers not to get lost or, if they do get lost, to find their way back.

Having located the starting point, it was then on to the business of running, only my second run for 2012, and to save my ankle for upcoming marathons I had already registered in before the injury occurred, walking. Less than 5K into the trail, I hit a familiar landmark and running terrain- the smokestack of the Newport Power Station that at 183 meters is one of the tallest structures in the area and in the city of Melbourne. Just the previous July, I was able to run this same route during the Sri Chinmoy Williamstown Marathon. I felt right at home.

The next interesting trail stop was Williamstown- one of the oldest settlements in Port Phillip Bay famous for its village atmosphere as it is for its rich maritime history. Aside from being home to centuries-old buildings and museums, the suburb is home to sporting clubs, playgrounds, a beach, a botanic garden, and even a protected habitat. The suburb's foreshore area offers breathtaking views of Greenwich Bay and the city of Melbourne. During the New Year’s Eve fireworks extravaganza, it was a place to be in order to get an overview of Melbourne's fireworks display.

After Williamstown, it was on to various types of running,walking, and bike trails- from the rough, rugged and winding, to the paved,cemented or asphalted and straight. Portions of the trailran along Esplanade Avenue, choice address of multi-million dollar properties for the rich and famous all withone thing in common- magnificent views of Port Phillip Bay. If only I had thatkind of money…

Along the way I ran into other runners, joggers, and walkers- some were running solo while others exercised with friends, dogs, or families, all enjoying the scenery. There are certain things to remember though when running Down Under. Lest like me you learn the hard, painful, and ugly way, to avoid getting burned by the invisible yet ever-present UV rays, even on seemingly cloudy days and all year round, wear a sunscreen. Also, to avoid dehydration, take a water bottle and drink even before becoming thirsty.

Running and walking alternately, I would also meet bikers along the trail- small girls and boys with their moms and dads, couples both young and elderly, serious bikers and athletes on training runs, and ordinary folks who prefer to travel the bike way. While using the trail at night was not allowed, I noted that some portions of the route were illuminated by solar-powered street lights, no doubt in line with Victoria’s drive to be environment-friendly.

For indeed the foreshore trail was an environment worth conserving- full of natural wonders of the animal kind- from pelicans, ducks, geese, and swans on land to those needed to be left or still caught at sea. The Jawbone Reserve along the way, for example, is one of the few remaining salt marsh mangrove habitats remaining in Melbourne. It hosts pelicans and migratory birds in abundance, giving rise to alternate name of this trail- People, Piers and Pelicans.

Various plants and trees were also aplenty along the trail- from interesting and colorful flowers to trees along the coastline that were bent inland, no doubt the decades-long effect of the wind blowing daily from the bay. Endangered native grass species such as the kangaroo, wallaby, and spear grasses could be found in the protected areas. Signs were posted encouraging local residents to resurrect the grasslands, and through this, the biodiversity.

Information about the various reserves and parks along the way was available at the City of Hobson’s Bay Information Center in Williamstown. Signboards with site descriptions and highlights were also set up at the reserves and parks themselves. To promote trail safety, pedestrians were advised to keep to pathways, for wheels to give way to pedestrians, and for approaching cyclists to ring a warning bell or yell before passing.

And along the entire trail were markers indicating the distance of the next major site in both directions. The colored directional panels could also be used to way-find from any point of entry to the trail. A few signs announced the locations and distances of the nearest comfort and eating zones. What not to do were also indicated. To avoid stiff penalties, trail users must not walk dogs without a leash, not litter, and not take anything from the protected areas.

And what picturesque landmarks and monuments were present along the way! Many celebrated Victoria’s link to its maritime past- from the Timeball Tower in Point Gellibrand to the Time Beacon at Truganina Park. The Timeball Tower was originally a lighthouse built by convicted prisoners in the 1840s. It was then used until 1926 to aid passing ships set up their chronometers thus improving sea navigation's accuracy.

And those who just wanted to sun bathe in the beach and relax had two points to choose from on the trail- the Williamstown Beach and Altona Beach. On windy days, windsurfing on Altona Beach is an extremely popular activity. And as the trail is also about piers, the Gem Pier in Williamstown and the Altona Pier are great places to walk or run on or simply to met and while away time with friends and family.

And close to the end of the trail are two beautiful landmarks- the Laverton Foot Bridge and 100 Steps to Federation. The latter is located on the highest point in the area equipped, with picnic facilities allows one to take in a panoramic view of Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay, the Cheetham Wetlands- a rich and ecologically diverse habitat. It was a terrific place from which to view the entire city.

Finally, at the end of the trail was Skeleton Creek in the Cheetham Wetlands- a key sanctuary for a great number of birds, reptiles, frogs and insects. Among them is the red-necked Sting- a sparrow-sized bird- that goes through a feeding frenzy in this wetland before flying 26,000 kilometers across Australia, Japan, China, Mongolia, and finally Siberia to breed each year! Life, as I rediscovered running this trail is truly amazing!

And as if discovering this Victoria’s secret was not enough, I made another discovery- the 24-km inland Federation Trail that ends in Werribee River from Brooklyn and that will link up with this coastal trail. That will be 47 km of educational, scenic, and unadulterated trail running! Reason enough to visit Melbourne, yet again, soon!

Welcome running year 2012!

Running Taiwan: The Fubon Taipei International Marathon (2011 富邦臺北馬拉松)

2011-12-31T22:30:00.000+08:00

The Medal
It was the 18th 42K medal for 2011- the 25th in an ever-increasing medal tally derived from running different marathons in differentcountries. But getting this last one for the year- from the Fubon Taipei Marathon- didnot come easy. I had to overcome chills and flu symptoms and anapparent ankle injury. On then to my story.

The City
I arrived in Taipei three days before perhaps the biggest running event in Taiwan that is held every third Sunday of December. It was my third visit to the country and my second trip organized for the sole purpose of running a marathon. Some 11 months earlier, I ran the Ancient Capital Marathon in Tainan.

The Main Sponsor
Since 2009, the event has been sponsored by the giant financial conglomerate Fubon after the outfit acquired ING's Taiwan Division, the erstwhile sponsor of the marathon since 2004. Appropriately, the race packet claim site was the Fubon Cafe on Keelung Street, District 1- just a few blocks from my hotel.

The CTRRA
Aside from having the full backing of the Taipei government and Fubon, the marathon drew strong support from various sectors of Taiwan society, particularly from the Chinese Taipei Road Running Association or CTRRA. Youthful volunteers from local organizations were visible before and during the event.

The Race Packet

The race packet itself was pretty bare bones- just the race number, a race bulletin or booklet, a huge course map for the different events, and a few goodies- a mentholated skin patch, a post-it pad, and sampling of homegrown almonds. The race vest was of very good quality as was the ChampionChip race timing device.

The City Exploration
With two full days from arrival to race day, the city was practically mine to explore if I had wanted to. The city's mass rapid transit (MRT) system was conveniently accessible, and the shopping centers and night markets were Christmas sale- and bargain basement sale-ready. But exploring the city, it was not meant to be.

The Flu Antidote
On the Friday night, after claiming the race packet early that morning, I began to experience something I hadn't felt in years literally- chilling all over my body. Fearful of being unable to run early Sunday, I began taking double doses of flu and antibiotic medication and dug in, leaving only to carbo-load and hydrate in a food court nearby.

The Race Conditions
Race morning Sunday came finally. It was predicted to be cold, with an 18 kph wind pushing the temperature to 12 deg C. Elderly but health-conscious folks exercising outside the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial noticeably wore jackets while several runners wore parkas. Would I be able to finish what I had come to Taipei for, I wondered.

The Venue
All events were to start and finish at the Civic Plaza in front of the Taipei City Hall. There was no way the plaza could be missed, even by a city first-timer. The world's second-tallest building, the 509.2 m Taipei 101 (台北101 / 臺北101) was a beacon visible from several kilometers away. The plaza was in front of this mega-structure.

The Race Categories
The 2011 event included a full marathon (42.2 km), a half marathon (21.1 km), a 9 km run, and a 2 km run for children in the 5th and 6th grades. Moreover, a non-competitive 3 km fun run with a 30-minute cut-off time was also offered by the organizers for free to the general public! It was thus standing room only!

The Participants
In all, a record 120,000 people participated in the event, including 43,000 athletes in the various race categories. While the 42K event attracted elites from various countries, regular as well as uniquely-dressed recreational runners also were aplenty- a group of running Santa Clauses even raced down from the North Pole to Taipei!

The Coverage
Touted as one of the three biggest running events in Asia, the marathon was covered live on Taiwan TV, live-streamed online, and shown on TV screens in Taipei's MRT system aside from also being broadcast in other Asian countries. Real-time results of runner checkpoint crossings were SMS-sent on race day.

The Marathon Start
The 42K, 21K, and 9K runners were to assemble at the Civic Plaza at 0640 for a 0700 mass start. In no time, the plaza became jam-packed that it took me four minutes to reach the starting arch. The thermometer in a nearby building read 15 deg C and made me wish I left my running jacket behind. It was, after all, going to be a hot day!

The Send-Off
Just after passing the starting arch, top city, CTRRA, and Fubon officials on a makeshift stage wished the runners godspeed and enjoyment. They had reason to. Ran on 28 km of bare expressway concrete in previous years, this year's marathon would instead use a route involving scenic parks along the river Tamsui.

The Marathon Route
The actual, redesigned, and relatively flat route for the 42K event took runners to the boulevards of Jen-1 Road and Chungshan North Road, and to the Fine Art Museum, Story House, YuanShan, Dajia Riverside Park, and Blue Highway, offering them a different perspective of Taipei.

The Entertainers
And along the way were set up more than a hundred cheering stations- manned by Taiwan's volunteer citizenry, all garbed differently, from the traditional,

to the futuristic and celebratory.

From varied places in Taiwan they seemed to originate- there were those dressed up as rural lasses of the Hoklo, Hakka, Mainlander, and Taiwanese aborigine kind,

to those attired as city skyscraper dwellers and sophisticates.

And age-wise they ranged from the vibrant and young,

to the still vibrant but once young!

And cheering runners all the way they dotted and adorned the race route of Taipei that day!

The Pose
So enjoyable was the run and buoyed up was I at this juncture that I cast all PR aspirations to the wind, struck a rare on-the-run pose, and soaked in all of the scenery! There was another reason. Jogging on the way to the race that morning, I twisted my left ankle on an uneven embankment and pain was now starting to bother me!

The Hydration Stops
Race support systems-wise, the basics were provided. And while there were no water stations for the first 8 or 9 kilometers, an area which the event can certain improve upon next year if you ask me, they were available 5 km or so the rest of the way- offering runners water and an isotonic drink.

The First Aid Stops
For the injured and weary, first-aid stations were also set up at critical junctures along the race course. On some of them, I could see runners deadening the pain on their legs with pain killer sprays. Marshals on motorcycles also patrolled the course to pick up the injured. No untoward incident was reported that day.

The Food Stops Etc.
And for the hungry, there were stations along the course that were stocked with bananas and saltine crackers. I gladly obliged in a few of them as energy gels were not made available that day. Sponge stations were also set up to cool down the hot and toilets were provided to lighten the heavy.

The Runners
And 42K participants had a heyday running the new course of Taipei, right from the very start when 42K, 21K, and 9K were all bunched up, running, and even walking together for the first 5K,

to when the 9K runners were separated from the rest of the lot on Ren Ai Road, perhaps distracted for a bit by the awesome scenery,

and to the point when the 21K runners, of which there were so many, ascended the ramp on Zhongshan North Road to finally split up from those running the 42K.

The Full Marathoners
And those of us left running the 42K event came in varied forms, shapes, sizes, and, yes, costumes!. From the one who literally wore plastic bottles of Taiwan Beer- no doubt already dreaming of the 12-pack(s) waiting for him at home ice-cold and gulp-ready as he celebrated later that day,

to those who dressed up the runner-prim-and-proper way- compression tights, glasses, visors and all- and thus much more conservatively.

There were those running in groups, visibly led by flag-bearing and uniformed sentinels of various teams, banners proclaiming their allegiance to the club, to running itself, and to motherland Taiwan,

to those running solo and much too deep in the zone, no doubt primed, fueled, nudged, and then pushed some more, by play lists upon play lists of running music, each egging them to run strong, to never to give up, and to rock Taipei even for only a single day.

And while the vast majority of the runners were noticeably men of all shapes, sizes, ages, and nationalities, probably more than 80% I would hazard to guess,

every once in a little while, like an oasis in a desert, a welcome drop of rain in a parched and scorched land, there would be a woman- some of them, of the beautifully strong and thus rare kind, if you ask me.

And true enough, as advertised, the route was flat mostly, paved well, and record-breaking friendly. At some portions of the race route, the Taipei 101 would appear in the distant horizon and, as the cliche goes, would seem very near, yet so very far.

As I discovered during the year that I actually have a liking for uphill climbs and trails, it was a downer to note that there were only a few ascents- mostly on bridges and highway embankments.

And there were equally few descents, with the notable ones experienced while traversing road tunnels near the city center, reminiscent of the GPS watch-blanking tunnel runs I had during the marathon in Hong Kong earlier in the year.

And surely the aim of the organizers- to promote the natural beauty of Taipei- was met with 42K runners given the opportunity to run on both sides of the now-being-restored river Tamsui.

The senior runner on the right could in fact not afford to miss out on any or all of the unfolding scenery. I was in the same running wave with him and witnessed his feat admiringly. I bet he broke the course record for running the marathon event- the entire 42 km- facing backwards all the way!

The Winners
The flat and paved course allowed the elite runners to break event records. Yemane Adhane of Ethiopia clocked 2:10:24 to win the men's 42K while Helena Kirop of Kenya won the women's side with a time of 2:27:36. Each pocketed a cool NT$2 million (US$66,124) or US$448 to US$506 per running minute that day!

The Finish
As for me, crossing the finish line at 5:23:58 was already satisfactory. While this would be my slowest for a purely road marathon till that day, I was glad to overcome the hobbling pain on my left ankle without experiencing the chills I was having just the previous day. Somehow, I had also set a new personal record, albeit in a totally unexpected way.

The Year 2011
The Fubon Taipei Marathon would be my final race for 2011- a year that saw me do 18 different 42K or 50K events in 10 different countries or US states, giving me a more respectable Ruthenium 5-star status in the Insane Asylum of the Marathon Maniacs. My running year would start and end in Taiwan- with a January marathon in Tainan and this December run in Taipei. Truly a most eventful 1,762-kilometer running year, if you ask me.

To 2011 marathon year-opener and year-ender host Taiwan and the CTRRA then, a solid 谢谢 (Xièxiè)!

Running Macau: The Macau Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon (澳門銀河娛樂國際馬拉松)

2011-12-14T17:00:00.000+08:00

The Medal
It would literally be the biggest of my marathon medals- all 24 of them thus far. Indeed, a sizable memento from a city that likes to host grand sporting events at land and at sea- from F3 open-wheel formula racing to dragon boat racing. The bling would come from my having done the 30th edition of the Maratona Internacional de Macau.

The Territory
Lyingwest of the Pearl River delta, south of Guandong, and bounded by theSouth China Sea on both its eastern and southern fronts, Macau (澳門) was settled by the Portuguese in 1535 and returned to China only in 1999. A special administrative region of China, it is 145 km from Guangzhou and only 60 km from Hong Kong.

The Sponsor
Macau’s economy is heavilydependent on gambling and tourism. Even the marathon event was sponsored by GalaxyEntertainment, undoubtedly one of the biggest and newest hotel casino resort outfitsin Macau. From my hotel window just across the street,the grandeur of this leisure resort was simply hard to miss.

The Marathon
Organized by Macau's Sport Development Board and Athletic Association,the marathon aimed to promote running, foster global friendships, and develop regional sports tourism. Elite athletes and runners from various countries added luster to Macau’s growing reputation as a new melting pot for leisure and sports.

The Race Categories
Despite living in the most densely populated region of the world, the Macanese have the second highest life expectancy at 84.4 years old. Holding three events- a full marathon, half marathon, and mini marathon (6.5 km) to maximize local participation no doubt added a day or two to this impressive statistic.

The Race Kit
I arrived two days before the race and claimed the race kit at the Olympic Sport Centre Stadium in Taipa island. Included in the kit were the race bib, a timing chip, and an information booklet. The singlet plus towel would have to wait until after crossing the finish line. There was a small booth for souvenirs but no exposition.

Tourist Attractions
Running business dispensed with, Macau's top attractions were waiting. The new theme park Fisherman's Wharf that replicates port towns around the world allows one to visit the Italian Riviera, Cape Town, and Amsterdam all in one day. Shoppers can explore Senado Square while the adventurous can bungee jump from the 338-m Macau Tower.

Race Conditions
The race day temperature waspredicted to be 15 degrees Celsius. But with a 15 kph wind gust, it certainly felt muchcolder. Many of the runners opted to wear and run in layered attire. I chose to wear a Skins compression shorts and a short-sleeved shirt under a singlet and running shorts.

The Participants
The 1,000 full and 2,000 half marathon runners had a mass start at 0600, followed by the 3,000 mini marathoners at 0615. When I arrived at the start/finish area, the Olympic Stadium, elite runners were already warming up on the synthetic track oval, perhaps dreaming of the US20,000 top prize for the women's and men's 42K events.

The Start
And when the starting gun was finally fired after a brief ceremony, all 3,000 half and full marathon runners sped into the night, soon finding themselves passing through the grounds of Galaxy Macau, with its uniquely-themed design fit for its billing as Macau's first 'World Class, Asian Heart' integrated resort.

The 42K Course
The full marathon course, certified by AIMS, was basically a 21K loop repeated once. It took runners from the Olympic Stadium to Cotai, to Taipa, to Macau proper via a bridge crossing, then back to Taipa, to Coloane, and finally back to the Olympic Stadium. Required finish time was 5 hours.

The Bridge Crossings
Macau city proper is connected to Taipa via three bridges- the Bridge of Friendship, the Macau-Taipa Bridge, and the new and cable-stayed Sai Van Bridge. Only the Sai Van Bridge remains open during typhoons. Runners crossed this 2.2 km bridge 4 times. I particularly enjoyed the 2 uphill climbs with the Macau Tower in the distance.

The Entertainers
Though few and far in between, there were some very interesting entertainment along the race course that forced some runners to slow down or even stop, thereby losing valuable time. I don't think they minded this at all in retrospect- one simply had to experience what this entertainment thing was all about.

Race Support Systems
All the required race support essentials were provided- from hydration stations that served both water and isotonic drinks, to medical and first aid stations, to port-a-lets, to sponge tables and even two showers for cooling down. Only the frequency of these stations- roughly every 4 to 5 km- could still be improved.

The Full Marathoners
Of the 740 full marathon runners who finished the race within the 5-hour time limit, only 98 or 13% were women- a rather low level compared to most other races I have done thus far.

The majority were local and Hong Kong runners who as the race prospered had the roads and the Sai Van bridge pretty much to themselves.

But the full marathoners also hailed from 30 faraway countries...

as distant or exotic as South Africa, Canada, Switzerland, Belarus, and New Zealand... no doubt either awed or threatened by the ascents or descents on the bridge.

As the morning continued to heat up, the free cold water shower station along the route they could not afford to pass up.

The Volunteers
Yellow jacket-clad volunteers were visible throughout the race. They efficiently manned the race claim area, critically sorted out runners in Olympic Stadium, patiently staffed the water and first aid stations, effectively directed traffic and runners in critical intersections, and even happily awarded medals at the finish.

Finish Line
And what finish it turned to be for me. Running on cruise control most of the time, happily soaking in the sites of Macau and taking photos here and there for good measure, I checked backed in at Olympic Stadium more than a quarter of an hour before the mandatory 5-hour limit- the biggest of 2 dozen 42K medals in 19 months in 13 different countries in the bag.

Race Results and Maniacs
Truly reflective of the efficiency of Macau, and something that all marathons using timing chips can emulate, results were already tabulated as one entered the finisher's holding area near the finish line. Not too many members of my club, the Marathon Maniacs, ran this race- one of them being Hong Kong based MM#3337.

Chilling Out
When it was all over, the pleasures of Macau were there for the taking- from the soothing gondola ride at The Venetian,

to the fortune diamond and wishing crystals of Galaxy Macau.

Not to forget that this was, after all, first and foremost, an entertainment city- the Las Vegas of the Far East! And boy wasn't most everything I saw, even the pataca-guzzling slot machines, cool!

Obrigado, Macau! 谢谢 (Xièxiè)!

An Adventure of a Marathon in Dumaguete

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000+08:00

The 42K finisher's medal was the simplest of the 23 full marathon medals I have earned in the last 18 months- the only one molded out of fiberglass. But this stark simplicity belied the thrill and adventure experienced in the marathon journey. Indeed, very typical of Dumaguete- laid back yet enchanting, serene yet sophisticated, gentle yet wise. My kind of city!

I arrived in this capital of Negros Oriental a day before the 3rd Dumaguete Adventure Marathon (DAM). The city was celebrating the Sandurot Festival, recalling its colorful history all the way back to the pre-Hispanic era, when peoples of varied cultures came to its shores and be so captivated that they would never again leave.

To this day, students, artists, the cognoscenti, and the literati from all over continue to come to this 'university town'- the 'center of learning in the south', and home to seven universities and colleges, led by the first American private university to be founded in Asia- Silliman University- with its sprawling and picturesque campus beside the sea.

So after running the world o'er near and far, it was nice to revisit a campus where palm trees stand tall and stately, waving their branches by the breeze. Guided by the motto Via, Veritas, Vita, this top-5 Philippine university nurtured top-notch students, some becoming distinguished Sillimanians who made their marks locally and internationally, including, yes, scientists like me :)

Respects and courtesies offered, it was then time to sample once more the delicacies and specialties of this 'City of Gentle People' at the seaside Hayahay Treehouse. Among them was the 'Dumaguete Express'- a dish eaten with rice that is made of meat and assorted veggies, cooked in coconut milk and cream, then laced generously with spices.

Then it was back to the Bethel Guest House, a very affordable, clean, and comfortable hotel along Rizal Boulevard, some two blocks from the downtown area. The seaside Boulevard is a tourist destination in itself- with benches for the stressed, a promenade for the active, restaurants for the hungry, and bars for thirsty.

But with 42 kilometers to run the next day, some 16K of these on rough roads and trails yet unbeknownst to me, sleep had to come early and more tourism had to wait till late Sunday. The 42K event was going to be the first and longest-ever foot race to be held, not just in the city, but in the entire province. I was going to be a part of history!

The weather forecasters had predicted a somewhat rainy day. But when I arrived at the start area, inside the compound of the superstore chain Robinson's, a rather new commercial establishment in the outskirts of the city, it was the usual heat and humidity that greeted me. The start time was now going to be 0500, instead of the published 0430.

This was going to be a small full marathon, with runners numbering a little over 60. But there were some, like me, who came all the way from Manila and beyond just to join the event that day. There were runners from Japan and Singapore, and expats from France, Kenya, and the USA. The promise of a running adventure had lured them all to Dumaguete.

So accommodating are the Dumagueteños that walk-in registration was okay, if for the higher fee. But online registrants like me experienced kinks along the way. The process can be improved by (1) assigning a person to answer queries emailed or posted on Facebook immediately, and (2) posting a guide or signs at the race packet claim area- the IYSP.

More than 3,500 runners raced in 5 events that morning- 3K, 5K, 10.5K, 21K, and 42K. Close to 3,000 ran the 10.5K- mostly students of the event's primary organizer, Foundation University (FU), probably in fulfillment of physical education class requirements. The DAM was FU's gift offering to the gentle people of Negros Oriental.

The 42K runners sped off before the break of dawn, with each one no doubt inspired by a fireworks display of the kind reserved for New Year's revelry. The first few kilometers of the marathon were ran on asphalted/cemented roads. As the slope became increasingly uphill, my cup of running tea, I enjoyed this portion of the race tremendously.

Then before even reaching the 10K mark, we hit it rough big time. At first rough roads would be paved; then later on, they became increasingly rugged. There would again be paved stretches here and there but whenever the going got tough, only the carabaos and the cows were present to hear you rant or rave about them trails.

And what trails or non-existent trails they were! There would be creek crossings, rock-laden and steep uphill climbs, and even a narrow bamboo gate cum hurdle adorned my small and colorful banners that each and every runner had to pass, if only to guide and/or remind him or her that, yes, he or she was still treading the right path!

Not that we were really lacking in race marshals. Lacking in audience perhaps, but not in guides. There would be markers at each and every K for the entire 42 K. Runners' security and safety were also paramount in this top-10 most peaceful city in the country. Every critical junction was manned by friendly police officers ready to point you the right way.

Also, at each and every kilometer, there would be a hydration station, staffed mostly by FU student volunteers. For drinks, it was a choice between Gatorade and water; for food, there were sweet potatoes and lots of native sweet bananas- the tundan, which I simply couldn't resist. First aid stations were also aplenty along the way.

And what a way the DAM 42K route turned out to be- a very tough, challenging, and energy-draining mixed road/trail marathon that entailed 877 meters of total ascent and 873 meters of total descent. For this effort, I burned 2746 calories! There were four major climbs to heights of more than 200 meters, with the highest point at 340 m above the sea.

And the searing heat of a tropical sun later that morning made things not a shade any easy! So, tired but not beaten, and with a head sun burnt but unbowed, I finished this thrilling adventure of a marathon with a time of 6:23:31, at an average pace of 9:14 per K, my slowest pace for a marathon thus far. Not that it mattered the most.

This race also answered a higher calling. Novemberbeing Rice Awareness month, the event was also dubbed as the ‘Rice is Life Marathon'- the only one to be so named after an agricultural crop that feeds half of the world's citizenry. The prizes awarded were therefore not in cash, but in kilos or sacks of rice! Winners surely couldn't complain of prizes not being heavy!

DAM 42K route mapped on Google Earth using a Garmin FR 310XT

There were to be other rice-related activities at the finish area that morning- a rice exhibit, a cookfest, a children's art contest, even a book launching! But it was the killer but scenic route that would stick the most in my memory- it made me doubt whether I was Comrades Marathon-ready! But, at the same time, it also affirmed a previous self discovery- trails are made for me! Or perhaps, it is the other way :)

Daghang kaayong salamat usab, Dumaguete!

Running Missouri: The St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll Marathon

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000+08:00

The Atmosphere
I arrived in St. Louis, Missouri with the entire Gateway City in a celebratory mood. The Cardinals had just been crowned baseball's National League Champions and were leading the Texas Rangers 1-0 in the World Series. The city was hosting, for the first time, a Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. Everybody was upbeat!

The City
In the heart of Midwestern America, along the western banks of the river Mississippi, one third of all Americans live within 500 miles of St. Louis and 90% of the North American population are within 1,500 miles. The city has a reputation of being sports-crazy, with 3 professional sports teams.

The Arch
But the most famous of all symbols and structures in St. Louis remains to be the Gateway Arch, inaugurated in 1965 as a monument to the westward expansion of America. At 630 feet or 192 meters, The Arch is the tallest man-made monument in the US and the tallest stainless steel monument in the world.

The Expo
I arrived at the expo site- the America Center- right before the opening of the Solutia Rock 'n' Roll St. Louis Marathon & 1/2 Health and Fitness Expo. Runners were just lining up to claim their registration packet, timing tag, swag bag with race booklet, and a Brooks technical race shirt.

Photo Ops
Being a Rock 'n' Roll marathon, everyone wanted to feel like a rock star. The free photo booths made sure of that and it was difficult not to oblige. A souvenir store sold official race merchandise while exhibitors displayed various goods- from running apparel, footwear, and health and fitness products.

Race Gear
I indulge myself in some official Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series all-Brooks paraphernalia- a Cardinal red running jacket, a long-sleeve technical shirt, and a pair of Sherpa running shorts. It was to be the virgin marathon for a new pair of red Glycerin 9s. The rest of the gear were battle tested.

Pasta Party
The pasta party at the Lombardo's Trattoria was organized by Seattle-based Marathon Maniac Michel Hsu. The over-sized meat-filled toasted ravioli served with marinara sauce and Romano cheese together with the mushroom-layered lasagna in marinara sauce with Provolone and Ricotta cheeses were irresistible.

Marathon Maniacs
More than four dozen Marathon Maniacs club members from Missouri and faraway states rocked St. Louis that weekend. A 6:20 AM photo op warsarranged at the steps of the Soldiers' Memorial building, very close to the marathon starting area. Half Fanatics posed with the Maniacs for posterity.

Start Line Village
Runners congregated at the start line village on Market Street in downtown St. Louis. Start village booths were serving light refreshments so runners could fuel up. As a loyal Brooks customer, I gained exclusive access to the Brooks air conditioned toilet where I peed and prepped like a rock star!

Gun Start
Runners started in waves beginning at 7:30 AM. Start corrals grouped the runners according to their expected finish times. The elite runners went first. I was assigned to corral 9. With 21,250 full and half marathon runners starting at the same time, corrals were jam-packed. Still, I just couldn't resist posing by The Arch.

Race Conditions
The race morning weather was untypically warm for October but otherwise just about perfect for running. With temperatures in the mid 50s to low 60s and partly cloudy skies for most of a windless morning, runners from all 50 states and 25 countries rocked the scenic race course of St. Louis.

Race Route
The looping race course took the runners to many of the Gateway City's neighborhoods, historic areas, famous landmarks, and scenic parks, the latter made even more beautiful by the vibrant colors of late autumn. There were lots of rolling hills that challenged runners right up to the very last turn.

Hydration Stations
More than a dozen water stations were located along the course offering water and Cytomax electrolyte drinks. A Gu gel station near mile 20 handed out energy gels while medical stations were located every few miles and at the start and finish area. All were staffed by kind and cheerful volunteers.

Crowd Support
Being an inaugural Rock 'n' Roll event, city residents came to rock as well. Cheer teams, spirit squads, and ordinary folks lined the course, enlivening and pushing all participants to the finish. Family members waited patiently for relatives with signs encouraging them to dig deep to find the proverbial second wind.

Bands
Hometown to rock legends Chuck Berry, Michael McDonald, and Nelly, St. Louis is a city steeped in Rock 'n' Roll history. More than 40 bands in makeshift stages played along the course, keeping runners' spirits ever-high and tired legs ever-moving. With music blaring at most turns, I saw very little need to use my Ipod.

Finish Village
The celebration continued even after I crossed the finish line- there was more than enough food, drinks, and ice for recovery. A beer garden even served Miller draft for free. And extraordinary achievements were celebrated with friends and family at the post race concert featuring Sugar Ray.

Finish Time
My 4:24:27 marathon finish time was the second fastest ever, placing me in the top 46% of all 3356 finishers that morning. Moreover, I would complete a '3 marathons in 3 different US states in 15 days' journey putting my totals to '18 marathons in 12 months in 13 different US states or countries'.

Medal/New Rank
The above statistic qualified me for a five-star or Ruthenium rank in the Marathon Maniacs, a goal that I had been targeting for some time but somehow just couldn't be reached. The medal would be my 22nd for marathons and ultras ran in 16 different US states or countries. Mission accomplished, it was time for some rock 'n' roll in STL!

P.S. Five days after I left the city, the Cardinals, one day after a one-for-the-books Game 6, won the seventh game of the World Series.

Rock N River 50: My First Trail Marathon

2011-10-31T20:00:00.000+08:00

Marathon

This second edition of the Rock N River 50 Mile and Trail Marathon is the 12th race in the Ultrarunner.net Race Series of Northern California. It serves as a qualifier for the Western States 100 Endurance Run, one of the oldest and most challenging ultra trail events in the world.

Course

TheRock N River 50 Mile course starts from Auburn and finishes in Sacramento, following the American River. The Marathon version, which is 27.7 mileslong, on the other hand, ends at the Negro Bar State Park in Folsom. The courseis considered to be fast and downhill, with a race cutoff time of 12 hours.

Race Packet Pickup

I registered for the race online two months earlier. I was to be in Davis, California and since Auburn was just over 50 miles away, I reckoned why not join the race? Race packet pickup was at the Hampton Inn in Folsom, less than an hour's drive from my base at Davis. Race day was Saturday.

Pasta Party

At the Hampton Inn on Friday was also held from 3 PM to 7 PM the race pasta/macaroni dinner. This was free for the runners but guests had to pay and RSVP. There I found runners and their families socializing and relaxing. Might as well- the morrow was going to be tough and long.

Race Packet/Extras

The race packet for the marathon provided just the bare essentials- a bib, a brochure, a few freebies, and a performance Dri-Release T-shirt. Runners for the 50-mile race received other extras including a Finisher's Fleece Jacket. I couldn't wait to be using a just-broken-in green Cascadia 6.

Weather

The early morning was supposed to be just fine for running with temperatures in the low 50's. I thus did not layer up and put on just a technical shirt. With the wind blowing though in high-elevation Auburn, temperatures must have dropped to the mid 40's. Cold for someone from the tropics.

Start

A bus took me and other marathon runners from our finish area near the Negro State Bar to the starting area at the Overlook Park in Auburn. Race Directors Robert and Linda Mathis welcomed the close to 200 50-mile and marathon runners, easing them smoothly into the 6:30 pre-dawn gun time.

False Start

Driving to Folsom and Auburn from Davis and back via I-50 and I-80 was no problem for the GPS-aided me. Running on trails was tougher- with only pink ribbons guiding our way. All runners made the wrong turn and ran the wrong way for at least a mile at race start. At mid race, I went the wrong way for half a mile!

Roads

The first few miles were ran in the dark from Overlook Park to China Bar and to the Rattlesnake Bar. Most of the running was done on paved gravel-surfaced or asphalted roads. It was mostly downhill at first and I thought this was not much different from the 21 other marathons I had done before.

Rocks

Then the climbs began. Not on roads but on rocks and trail- the 80-mile Pioneer Express Trail for hikers and horseback riders that goes between Sacramento to Carson City in Nevada. As if to underscore who really ruled this trail, one needed to be careful not to step on many a horse's poops!

River

For most of the marathon, we ran along the American River. Flowing from the Sierra Nevada, through Sacramento, all the way to the San Francisco Bay, this river system is famous for being the site of Sutter's Mill where gold was discovered in 1848 leading to the California Gold Rush.

Trails

This being my first trail marathon, and in another country at that, I did not really know what to expect. The run on paved trails were fine, as were the ones on soft soil. But not the killer ascents and descents on narrow and rocky trails. So much so that I looked forward to seeing a level terrain every time I made a turn.

Hydration/Aid Stations
Unlike in most of my other marathons, due to the terrain, hydration stations simply couldn't be set up at regular intervals. There were, however, 5 such stations at miles 2.5, 9.1, 11.9, 18.4, and 23.2, each stocked with Heed, Hammer gels, water, and food for the hungry and first aid for the injured.

Support Crew
For local runners, support crews could be seen at the aid stations and critical junctions of the race. This was a luxury the out-of-towners couldn't afford. Those running the 50-mile event had to use the 3 drop bag stations while marathon runners had to carry hydration/running supplies in backpacks or belts.

Maniacs
There were at least 4 Marathon Maniacs who ran the Rock N River 50. But despite the few runners, I missed all except one who overtook me at mid race. There also was no photo-op at the finish line. I had to rush to the parking lot and then to Davis soon after finishing to take care of another urgent business.

Medal
This was to be the toughest-to-get medal among the 21 marathons/ultras I have done so far. I finished at exactly 7 hours, my slowest finish for a marathon, although my Garmin 310XT recorded 46.39 km, way over the official marathon distance. It took 5 days for my legs to recover instead of the usual 3- testament to the toughness of the Rock N River 50.

So having been initiated to the world of trail running, would I run another trail marathon again?

Gladly!

Running Oregon: The 40th Portland Marathon

2011-10-19T11:34:00.000+08:00

The Marathon

First held in 1972 with only 173 participants,the Portland Marathon has come a long way into being rated as one of the 10best in North America today. Also known as the ‘People’s Marathon’ because ofits longstanding policy of rewarding all runners equally, Portland Marathonorganizers led by Les Smith left no stone unturned as the marathon celebratedits 40^th anniversary this year with more than 21,000 runners in fivedifferent events.

The City

Portland is the biggest city in Oregon and the 3^rdlargest in the Pacific Northwest, after Seattle, Washington and Vancouver,Canada. Home to 2.3 million people, thecity is considered to be one of the greenest and most environment-friendly inthe world, with scenic surroundings, lively music, and numerous microbreweries.With a climate that is perfect for growing flowers, Portland is officiallyknown as ‘The City of Roses’.

Race Expo/Talks

For two days prior to the race, marathon runnerswere treated to a variety of merchandise- from running gear tosupplies to books at the expo and race packet pickup area- the Portland Hilton. Onthe eve of the marathon itself, three American long distance running legends-Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, and Jeff Galloway shared marathon training techniquesand insights that could only come from years of racing experience.

Pasta Party

With 12,000 runners in the 42K main event, pasta places werefully booked the night before the race. The official race pasta partywas sold out but MM Newsletter editor Steve Walters hosted for one forthe Maniacs at Romano’s Macaroni Grill. Among those on my table were Donald Ying of New York whom I've run with in other cities andcountries previously and Seattle Quadzilla (4 marathons in 4 days) champion Rebecca Yi of San Francisco.

Race Packet/Extras

With only a shirt, a booklet, a D-tag and thebib inside the race packet, at first I thought this marathon would be just likeany other. I would be proven wrong afterI crossed the finish line. For waitingfor all participants were many more extras– a medal, a rose, a pine treeseedling, a commemorative coin, a race pendant, in addition to a smorgasbord oftake away food! And, yes, a (second) finisher shirt!

Weather

Arriving in Portland less than 24 hours beforerace gun start, my body had to quickly adapt to a 16-hour time difference, notto mention the more than 10 degrees Celsius drop in average temperature. Theweather forecast predicted a high of 63 and a low of 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Theforecast held, with only an actually-most-welcome light shower or two at midrace trying in vain to dampen the spirits of the runners.

Start
The race started at 7 AM- late compared to those of othermarathons I have attended, but early enough to be still pre-dawn and dark inthe Pacific Northwest. There were 6 color/letter-coded start waves based onexpected finish times. Mine wasRed/letter E. What a coincidence if youknow my real name!Pacers within each wave held green-colored gecko placards with the expected finishtime indicated. I planned to run freelance and did not line-up behindone.

Course

A Boston Qualifier and AIMS- as well as USTAF-certified, themarathon started and finished in the Chapman/ Lownsdale/Schrunk Parks in downtownPortland with a cut-off time of 8 hours. The course treated runners to scenicviews of the riverfront, the historic Old Town, and various residentialneighborhoods, including a run on the St. Johns Bridge, one of the world’s mostbeautiful suspension bridges.

Hydration/Aid Stations

There were about 19 hydration stations along the racecourse, less than 2 miles apart. Mannedby old and young volunteers, runners could choose between water or theorange-flavored Ultima Replenisher, the latter supposed to supply vitalminerals and electrolytes lost while running and perspiring. There were also atleast five gummy bar stations to restock carbohydrates reserves and a number of aid stations just in case.

Entertainment

Living up to its reputation as a music-loving city, at least82 musical groups and entertainers set up temporary posts and performedfor hours at 53 locations along the course. They had a varied repertoire- fromrock, to emo, to rap, to Andean pipe music, to gospel, to soul. One alternativerock band even called itself Shin Splints, reminding the amused runners that thename would be good only for that day!

People
Oregon is a bastion of running in the US, producinglegends such as the University of Oregon’s Steve Roland ‘Pre’ Prefontaine andgiving birth to Nike(yes, that giant of a company started by University of Oregon coach BillBowerman and track athlete Phil Knight) that has its global headquarters in the Beaverton suburb of Portland. It came aslittle surprise, therefore, for the city residents to line up the streets and cheeron the runners from dawn till noon.

Maniacs

There were 60 Marathon Maniacs who ran Portlandthis year, the second highest Maniac participation in races held across the USon that same day, after Chicago (132) and followed by Long Beach (54). Oregonranks 6^th in the US in terms of MM membership, after Washington,California, Texas, Illinois and Florida. A photo-op for the MM Newsletter was therefore held at the Hilton. ‘Go Maniac’ I would hear Maniacs greeteach other while the from the crowd would be heard ‘there goes another Maniac’...

Medal + +

To celebrate the 40^th anniversary of themarathon, Portlandia, the mythical lady in the official seal of Portland, wasused with some redesign for the solid brass and heavy medal minted to lasttwo centuries. With the equally impressive commemorative coin and pendant, themedal was a fitting memento to my participation in this my 21st marathon overall, and the 16^st unique marathon/ultra finish in thelast 12 months in 11 different countries.

Two thumbs up to the ‘best organized marathon in North America’!

Running Russia

2011-09-28T19:00:00.000+08:00

Russia is the biggest country in the world, sharing land borders with 14 other nations and encompassing nine time zones. It is so huge a country that as the sun is just beginning to rise on its western border with Europe, the eastern territory already is preparing for the sun to set on the horizon. Rich in scientific, cultural, and political history, Russia is the center of Orthodox Christianity. Unmistakable domes of Orthodox churches adorn the skylines of major Russian cities.

Though I had read countless books and spy novels about Russia, I had never before set foot on its soil. This was to change recently, when I visited Moscow and Krasnodar, the latter being the 18th largest Russian city along the River Kuban, about 1000 kilometers south of Moscow and just 80 kilometers north of the Black Sea. The Krasnodar Krai region was the traditional breadbasket of the Soviet empire and continues to play this key lifeline role for the Russia Federation today- a major reason for my presence.

Of Russia's 160 or so ethnic groups, 140 nationalities live harmoniously in Krasnodar city. While the large majority of the population is Russian, one can also find peoples from former Soviet states, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. Nowhere was this ethnic diversity more readily evident than in the tree-lined main walking street of the city, the Krasnaya or 'Red Beautiful Street', a popular haunt for both the young and the elderly, that I had the pleasure of running during my visit.

At one end of this 6-km or so main thoroughfare stands the 'Triumphal Arc', adorned by a fountain and flower beds, that attract city residents and local tourists to the area for rest and relaxation especially during early evenings. In fact, the warm, almost tropical climate of the city during summer and its mild winters, together with its proximity to numerous beach resorts along the Black Sea make Krasnodar perhaps one of the most attractive residential and retirement cities in the entire country.

Further along the other end of Krasnaya Street stands the imposing monument of Catherine the Great, after whom the city, formerly known as Yekaterinodar or 'Catherine's Gift', was originally named. In between these two landmarks are other attractions including the Krasnodar Central Concert Hall with its famed 'can-hear-a-needle-drop' acoustics, the Avrora Cinema, and yes believe-it-or-not, the omnipresent symbol of western capitalism, the 'M' of MacDonald's, right at dead center!

Not about to pass up on a chance to accumulate mileage in yet another foreign land, I donned my running shoes and drew an 11.5K to and fro route along Kranaya Street after endless meetings over two days. If not for a last-minute change by local organizers, I would also have ran a Russian marathon- the Moscow International Peace Marathon or Московский международный марафон Мира - one of Russia's very few 42K races, the other one being the marahon in St. Petersburg.

Toughluck, the 7-day Moscow Marathon postponement. I had to console myself with theother wonderful things Russia had to offer- mesmerizing folk music, WWIIvintage weapons, red caviar, sausages, and pink salmon, downed with Cossackwine or vodka, and then some. Running may not be a popular sport in Russia asit is in Europe- in fact, I saw very few runners during my week-long visit. Butif only to experience again these other Russian delights, I will gladly runRussia again, if I can get past the tough labyrinth of formalities required tohave my passport stamped with that rather expensive Russian visa.

Poka (досвиданья, пока) and Spasiba(Спасибо)!

3 42Ks in 3 Weeks: The Kawasan Falls-Milo-Aboitiz Marathon Triple

2011-08-31T22:29:00.000+08:00

'3 marathons in 3 weeks' safely and happily accomplished!

The Philippine 42K running calendar this year affords two chances to run back to back to back marathons in a span of 21 days. The first such opportunity occurred with the holding of the Kawasan Falls (July 24)-Milo Manila Eliminations (July 31)-Aboitiz Race to Reduce Challenge (August 14) 42K trio. The second chance will open up if the Run for Pasig (November 20), Quezon City Marathon (December 4), and Milo National Finals (December 11) take place as scheduled later on this year.

My DailyMile weekly training log: 3 42Ks occurred on weeks 30, 31, 33

At the outset it behooves to mention that running multiple marathons over a short span of time is not for everyone. In fact, it can even be outright dangerous for those not properly trained and, therefore, ready! Most running coaches recommend a marathon dosage of only two 42Ks-a-year. This is perfectly understandable since many marathon training programs last 24 weeks or 6 months. A more important reason, however, is the paramount need to condition the body and mind, not to mention the spirit, to the harsh rigors of running 42.195 kilometers- in the process relentlessly pounding the pavement or bare ground 60,000 times and draining the body almost out of energy! For my very first marathon, for example, I had to log 766 kilometers during a 16-week training period to be in tip-top condition. In the last 6 months, on the other hand, I accumulated 800 kilometers of mileage to keep myself multiple 42K-ready. One simply has to first pay the dues and respect the distance. No ifs, no buts, no excuses.

Holder and Macon (106 marathons each/year; MM Newsletter, 7/11)

Running coaches' recommendations, notwithstanding, there are people who can run 106 marathons a year- yes, not twice a year but twice a week- such as Marathon Maniacs Yolanda Holder and Larry Macon! And recently, the world record for most marathons in a year was set by a 49-year old Belgian, Stefan Engels at, hold your breath, 365 or one marathon a day! The hallways of the Insane Asylum of the Marathon Maniacs are littered with living specimens of this 'just-can't-get-enough' breed- runners who are hopelessly addicted to doing marathons or ultramarathons back to back to back. Not to set records, but because, to them, it's one of the greatest things in this world to do! One of them is MM#2800- me. Check here if you are now or will be.

It, therefore, comes as no surprise that I am familiar with the 42K running calendars of Asia and home. Triple 42K opportunities to me are to be seized, not avoided. So when I became aware of the Kawasan-Milo-Aboitiz triple marathon opportunity, I searched for discounted airline tickets and hotel rooms immediately. After all, this gig was going to cost- it was a Cebu-Manila-Cebu inter-island odyssey. Cebu Pacific Air and Agoda.com, once again, to the rescue!

KFM: A scenic and coastline-hugging route in Cebu province.

The Kawasan Falls Marathon (KFM), sponsored by the Three Sixty Pharmacy, involved a scenic and coastline-hugging run along three southwestern towns of Cebu province- Badian, Alegria, and Malabuyoc, finishing near the Kawasan Falls, a major local tourist attraction. The race itself was very well organized, with plenty of hydration and roads lined-up by local residents cheering us runners on even at early dawn. The laid-back and rustic surroundings, not to mention the countryside clean and fresh air, enhanced the run's quality even more.

Tough guys of Cebu's Team Tytsbogdo or TTB @KFM :=)

Organized by Cebu's famous marathoner-eye doctor Potenciano 'Yong' Larrazabal and his Run for Sight Foundation, this year's KFM was well-attended by Cebu's running community. Indeed, running in the province has come a long way, with races being held almost weekly. Many running groups now been formed, and one of the early ones- Team Tytsbogdo or TTB, that has in its roster the tough guys behind the running blogs Ten Feet Forward and Chasing Pavement, even celebrated its first anniversary recently. If interested to run this event next year, book your accommodation early as there are only very few hotels near the marathon venue. Plan a post-marathon dip in the cold waters of the Kawasan Falls for it is perfect for race recovery.

Milo 42K-Manila route mapped on Google Earth using a Garmin FR310XT.

The second 42K was the Milo Marathon. It was the Manila leg of this 12-leg elimination series that goes around the country. Runners who are able to meet the cut-off finish times for different age brackets qualify for the finals that this year will be held on December 11. Finals qualifiers get to run the December 42K for free. This Milo elimination run will be etched for a while in my memory because we ran under a heavy rain three-fourths of the way- a first soaking-wet local marathon for me. It was also my first time to run the entire route used in a single event- I had ran portions of it in separate events previously.

Milo 42K: Pre-run photo with fellow Marathon Maniacs from Singapore.

This Milo Marathon-Manila leg was very well-managed this year by the country's premier race organizer Rio de la Cruz through his Runrio.com outfit. It was well attended, with some runners even planing-in from other cities, both local and of other countries. The latter included a delegation of fellow Marathon Maniacs from Singapore who thoroughly enjoyed the wet running experience (photo above). Already on its 35th staging, the Milo Marathon is the oldest but still a must-run marathon in the Philippines. I am tempted to run this race again, dry this time, in December.

Aboitiz Race to Reduce Challenge route in Cebu.

The third and final 42K was the Race to Reduce Challenge by Aboitiz Ventures in metropolitan Cebu. The route took the 200 plus runners from Mandaue City to the nearby towns of Consolacion and Liloan for a quick glimpse of the local communities. While the first half of the race seemed okay to me, many runner complaints were heard over the lack of or inadequate race necessities such as hydration stations, distance markers, and race marshals during the second half of the 42K. But the race winners were truly happy- the event had the richest prize pot ever for a marathon in Cebu City. However, for the recreational 42K runners who comprised the majority, one could only hope that Aboitiz' promise to correct the mistakes made this year would be realized come next race day and those concerned try to settle amicably the post-race controversy, not with bluster, but with humility. Holding the event before, rather than after, the manpower- and energy-draining festival Pasigarbo sa Sugbu, might help in some way.

Kawasan-Milo-Aboitiz Marathons Average Finish Time: 4:50:36.

Three marathons in 21 days, all held locally, with no need to ever leave the country! With proceeds of the three marathons being used to help improve/restore the eyesight of the underprivileged (Kawasan), provide shoes for poor school-age children (Milo), and reduce our collective carbon footprint (Aboitiz), this triple was also all about charity. But as for the 'me', the finish times logged were 4:57:22, 4:40:31, and 4:53:55, respectively, or an average of 4:50:36 for the three full marys. Not particularly fast but, just the same, a sub-5 Triple, if you may. Looking back at the 17 full marathons done thus far till today, sub-5's have become rather the norm for me. I have thus begun to wonder whether the time has come to level up and test the waters at 50K.

Missed the above running opportunity? No worries. Another '3 42Ks in 3 weeks' chance is coming up less than 3 months from today. Just be sure to run prepared, safe, and, most of all, happy!

Running Boom and Marathons in the Philippines: Revisited

2011-08-21T07:30:00.000+08:00

Philippine running events in the next 4 weeks: 53 in 28 cities

Running has never been more alive that it is today in the Philippines. When I started this purely-hobby blog in early 2010, one of my first posts was about the running boom that was then taking place in the country. At that time, however, I wondered whether the phenomenon would last. Today, a cursory look at the race calendar of the Philippine running community's premier blog takbo.ph would reveal that the boom has held, with a bust still nowhere in sight. In fact, there will be 52 running events in the next four weeks (August 20 to September 19) alone, as opposed to the then-already-impressive 35 events over a 4-month period in early 2010! The present-day average of 13 events per week compared to 2.13 events per week in 2010 represents an astounding six-fold (6X) increase!

Running hotspots in Metro Manila

Where are all these running events being held, you might ask. In early 2010, 6 of every 10 events took place in Metro Manila. Today, the metro's love affair with running continues, with 5 of every 10 events hosted by a city in the national capital, and with the cities of Taguig, Quezon, Manila, and Pasay leading the way. But the number of cities hosting at least one running event has increased to 28 nationwide! And of these, only 9 or 32% are in Metro Manila. The other 68% are in other major population centers in Luzon (40%), particularly Baguio and Naga cities, with the remaining 28% divided equally between Visayas (particularly Cebu), and Mindanao. Bottom line- the running boom has spread like wildfire across the archipelago.

Favorite Race Distances

What is the most popular race distance today, might be the next question to ask. Of the 143 total race distance-running event combinations to choose from in 53 separate events during the next four weeks, the 5K, 3K, and 10K race categories altogether account for 75%. The most popular by far is the 5K race distance, accounting for 31% of all race distance-running event combinations. Beyond 10K, the 21K distance ranks next, with 9 out of the 15 events scheduled to be held outside of Metro Manila. Only 4 ultras and not a single marathon are scheduled over the next 4 weeks. So where does this leave marathon maniacs like me?

Not to worry. The above is but a slice of the entire Philippine running calendar. The entire pie would reveal that this year, the Philippines hosted/will host the largest number of marathons ever- at 13, for an average of one 42K a month plus change, all year round. The marathon season opened up with the Cebu and Subic International Marathons in early January and will end with the Milo Marathon Finals in December. The complete 42K list is as follows:

Date	Marathon Event	Location
01.09.2011	Cebu City Marathon	Cebu City
01.09.2011	Subic International Marathon	Subic, Zambales
02.06.2011	Condura Skyway Marathon	Taguig, Metro Manila
03.20.2011	The Bull Runner Dream Marathon	Santa Rosa, Laguna
04.01.2012	frontRUNNER's April Full Day Marathon	Baguio City
07.24.2011	360 Pharmacy Kawasan Falls Marathon	Bandian, Cebu
07.31.2011	Milo Marathon (Manila Leg)	City of Manila
08.14.2011	Aboitiz Race to Reduce Marathon	Cebu City
09.25.2011	Summit Water CamSur Marathon	CWC, Camarines Sur
09.25.2011	Manila International Marathon	City of Manila
11.20.2011	Run for the Pasig River	Pasig, Metro Manila
12.04.2011	Quezon City International Marathon	Quezon City, M. Manila
12.11.2011	Milo Marathon – National Finals	City of Manila

Looking at the above race schedule, it is clear that organizers have yet to talk to each other, in order to better distribute 42K races on a year-round basis across the country. The Cebu and Subic marathons as well as the Camsur and Manila 42Ks, for example, are scheduled on the very same dates but, at the same time, there are large gaps in the running calendar where nary a marathon is held- such as in the next 4 weeks. Even if this may be good so that ultramarathons can be held during these gaps, it still makes no sense to compete for the relatively fewer local long-distance runners by holding marathons simultaneously or on the same weekend.

First of two '3 Marathons in 3 Weeks' running opportunity for 2011.

One positive result of this seeming disarray, at least to marathon enthusiasts like me, is the fact that the 2011 42K calendar has allowed the running of back to back marathons, or even of 3 marathons in 3 weeks, not just once, but twice. Seizing this opportunity, a number of marathon runners like me have thus ran the first 'three marathons in 3 weeks' chance- the Kawasan-Milo-Aboitiz triple 42K trio- already! But this would be getting ahead of my next story.

In the meantime, a pat or two on the back is very well-deserved for all players in the Philippine running community. Remain responsible so we can all keep the Philippine running boom alive for more runners to enjoy! Let not a running bubble form only to burst!

Running Melbourne

2011-08-08T08:08:00.001+08:00

Melbourne, Australia is the second most livable city in the world following Vancouver, Canada according a 2011 survey of The Economist. Lucky for family members who now live or will live in this second biggest city Down Under. Hoping to be a city regular henceforth, I tried exploring some of its running places during a recent visit. My starting point was the iconic Flinders Station, at one time the busiest railway station in the world.

During my first visit to Melbourne in 2002, I rode the City Circle train to be familiar with the landmarks of the city center or Central Business District. I reckoned, why not run the same route this time around? Of course I could have chosen to run in Melbourne's beaches and hills, of which there are aplenty. But why not try something different? And so I did and found the complete City Circle route to be a little over 6K.

Along the way, there were at least three parks where one could do some decent running, using trails within and along the parks' perimeter. But serious park runners should consider running the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne or RBG Melbourne, one of the best in the world. Providing a backdrop to the 36-hectare run setting will be physical specimens of over 50,000 plants and 10,000 species from around the globe. That's almost unbeatable!

And a Melbourne Run wouldn't be complete without running along the banks of the Yarra River. The river itself has been a favorite destination or meeting point of travelers both in olden times as today. Riverboat tours operate several times daily. A riverbank run will afford majestic views of Melbourne's skyline and a glimpse into the lives of the city's rich and famous as they wine and dine in high-end riverfront cafes and restaurants.

After your run, a good place to rest and relax is Federation Square. Also known as Fed Square, this modern day plaza boasts of world-class cultural events and year-round tourist attractions aside from hosting a diverse array of restos, bars, and specialty shops. The clown performing when I arrived even spotted me and invited me to come and join him play. Of course, I ran away!

This City Circle/Yarra Riverbank running route that I took spanned around 15K. It will be interrupted by numerous street crossings and stops to get a closer view of the city's landmarks. The running distance is adjustable and can be tailored accordingly. Just run longer and farther along on one or both sides or ends of the Yarra and/or mix this run with one done inside the RBG Melbourne. But picturesque RBG Melbourne deserves to be run separately.

But if one is keen in participating in formal races, the city has lots to offer year-round. Just a few weeks ago, for example, a half-marathon and a 10K event was held in the city- Run Melbourne, sponsored by The Age, one of the city's main dailies. On October 9, the Bank of Melbourne will host the Melbourne Marathon Festival, with distances of 42K, 21K, 10K, 5K, and 3K. Along with the Great Ocean Road Marathon, the Melbourne 42K is on my list of marathons must-run in Victoria, Australia someday.

8th Early Morning Riverside Marathon 제8회 새벽강변마라톤대회

2011-07-28T22:47:00.000+08:00

South Korea is a very runner-friendly destination. It hosts major international marathons, two in Seoul, on top of an almost-weekly assortment of minor 42K races held around the country. This medal was for one in the latter category- the 8th Early Morning Riverside Marathon.

The full marathon course was to run along the famed Hangang River that cuts across the capital city of Seoul. It was a to- and fro- race route, described to be flat, fast, and simple. After running it, I couldn’t agree more.

I had registered for the race through friends living in Seoul. Truth to tell, it can be tough registering for a local race if you don’t know the language. Even online payments have to be done only via credit cards issued by a Korean bank. And I didn't have one!

I arrived in Seoul the afternoon before the race- my 5^th trip to the country but only the first time to run a race in any Korean city. The sky was cloudy and I was informed there was a 60% chance of heavy rains occurring on race day. Indeed on D-day, it rained like crazy!

As runners trickled in, they immediately sought refuge under the tents of their respective running clubs, of which there were many. I sought cover in the Seoulflyers tent whose welcoming members mostly were English-speaking expats.

The opening ceremonies started promptly at 6:30 AM, rainy conditions notwithstanding. The officers of the race organizer- The Korea Marathon Association- led the opening program that was highlighted by a colourful fireworks display.

Formalities having been dispensed with, runners began to stretch and warm-up their cold bodies. There were four race categories- a 42K, 21K, 10K, and 5K. Over 4000 runners had registered to race that day, more than 600 in the 42K category.

A group of fitness instructors on stage led the runners, mostly males, through routine dance exercises. The backdrop was the 66,806-seat Seoul World Cup Stadium, site of key soccer matches played during the city’s hosting of this global FIFA event in 2002.

Then it was time to assemble at the nearby starting area in a plaza a few hundred meters away. The 42K runners were to dash-off at 7 AM, some 15 minutes ahead of the 21K runners. Most looked like seasoned marathoners, but there were only very few foreigners.

But before the gun was fired, there was another round of colourful fireworks extravaganza. The rain had subsided at this point but many runners wore raincoats over their running singlets just the same, obviously anticipating a long rainy morning.

I was one of the last ones to dash off after the starting gun was fired. We ran mostly on paved trails in the first few Ks. I paced initially with a senior runner who I had met earlier during the warm-up exercises. He looked 70 years young and stronger than me!

Then we hit the Hangang River and ran along its banks. As we ran on trails, there was no vehicle traffic to worry about. Being a rainy early Sunday morning, bikers and walkers were also nowhere to be found. The trails were all ours for the running.

I immediately noticed the bridges that crisscrossed the river, each one constructed and painted differently from the other. This one looks similar to the one engraved in the race medal. There must have been seven or so bridges that we ran underneath in, totally..

Because it had rained heavily in Seoul just after midnight, puddles of water had formed on some portions of the route. In fact, after just a few Ks, my shoes were all wet and soggy already. I decided to throw caution to the wind and ran on water.

I don’t recall any cheering groups along the way. Maybe because it was rainy, or a Sunday, or just the way it was meant to be. So the presence of this solitary man banging a small gong endlessly was a memory-grabbing sight for me.

Unlike most races I have attended thus far, the number of runner perks was a bit limited for this 42K. But just the same, all the essentials were there, including an ambulance crew in case of unwanted emergencies.

Hydration stops with water and isotonic drinks dotted the race route. Aside from energy gels, there was no need to carry one's own running supplies. One stop offered cut and ready-to-eat bananas, served cheerfully by race volunteers.

These race matters well taken care of, runners were kept busy running an assortment of wet surfaces- from asphalted trails to rubberized green-colored tracks- and sometimes into very foggy and misty portions with 50% or so visibility.

There was also a prolonged run underneath the city’s freeway- a welcome respite from the rains that poured on and off that morning so much so that all runners were wet all over. That it was summer and not cold was a blessing.

I was to notice that these freeway underbellies were frequented by exercise-hungry locals. I passed by at least two portions that could very well have been fitness gyms- with elderly folk deep into their work out routines using the different equipment.

Then after running for about 21K, we finally hit the U-turn point where a race timing machine was set up. We then began to head back to the starting area using exactly the same riverbank route for most of the way.

But Mother Nature had other ideas. By this time, approximately around 10AM, the same route was much more flooded because of relentless rains and water flowing into the river. One simply had to walk some flooded portions.

Glancing at the river itself, one could feel that flooding was imminent. I was to learn later that the 21K runners had to waddle in knee-deep water to reach the finish line. A riverbank run indeed!

At the 36K mark, race officials were waiting to divert us runners from the original route- they told us the river had overflowed at certain points beyond making portions of the original route impassable already.

Runners were then requested to assemble on an embankment in the freeway up above where police escorts were waiting. But not before climbing the steep staircase, a challenge in itself after just having breached the marathon wall!

There I met another Marathon Maniac based in Korea (MM#2103) who also hails from the same province and speaks the same dialect as yours truly (small running world if you ask me!). The rest was history!

I reached the finish line with an official time of 4:37:51. There I got mock-interviewed in Korean by the race emcee. I told him I was already looking forward to changing into dry clothes after my first all-wet marathon experience that soggy Sunday.

My 14^th marathon in 14 months in a dozen countries suddenly over, it was time to chill out with local recovery food and drinks and once more partake of my favorite side dish- the kimchi 김치.

Kamsahamnida 감사합니다.!

Sri Chinmoy Williamstown Marathon: My 13th 42K

2011-07-10T13:30:00.006+08:00

Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Australia located about eight kilometers from the city center. Originally the first sea port of the state of Victoria, Williamstown is now a popular and upscale seaside village that affords scenic views of Melbourne's skyline. This was my sixth trip to Australia and the third to Melbourne.

The marathon was the highlight of the Sri Chinmoy Running and Fitness Festival, a premier event on the Melbourne Running Calendar. Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007) was a legendary Indian spiritual teacher, poet, artist, and athlete. At age 76, he set personal records in weightlifting, defying notions of age being a barrier to physical development. What better way was there, therefore, to start a 4-week vacation than to run his marathon?

But with late May to August being winter Down Under, the transition from the hot tropics to cold weather was quite drastic. I thus had to use two layers of clothing- an Under Armour compression gear beneath first time-to-be-worn Brooks long sleeves and running shorts. The rest of the gear had seen some action, some many times, before.

The night before, organizers had scheduled a free screening of two inspirational films including Challenging Impossibility that chronicled the rapid progress of Sri Chinmoy's weightlifting career. Having just arrived that day, I had to skip this event and the scouting of Williamstown. Thanks to family, it was straight off to the the Newport Athletics Track- the starting point- for me.

Marathon start-time was 7:15 AM, a bit late by most standards but just as well. With the temperature at 6 degrees Celsius that morning, everybody else wore jackets and layers of clothing to keep warm and comfortable. But the site of this man just in a thin singlet and running shorts was enough for me to brave the cold.

Full marathon runners numbered about 200. Three other race distances were to be ran later that day- a 4K, a 10K, and a half-marathon or 21K. Over 2000 runners had registered to run these distances making this festival the largest running event staged by Sri Chinmoy Races internationally.

Dawn was breaking as we lined up at the starting area. Most of the participants were men, and, of course, Aussies. A full course briefing was conducted five minutes before the start of the race. The full marathon cut-off time was to be six hours- everyone had to finish by 1:15PM. Looking at the runners, I could sense that by that time anyway, most would be relaxing and home-free.

Off sped us runners as the starting gun was sounded. Unlike other marathons I had attended thus far, the start was markedly austere and pomp-free- no loud music, no fireworks, no egging by a wired-up emcee. It was bare-bones running pure and simple, then and for the rest of the way.

The first few Ks took us to the main commercial center of Williamstown. One could easily feel a sense of history just by looking at the surroundings. The original town center was lined by historic buildings that now hosted restaurants, hotels, and art galleries. As dawn became full morning, I felt like I was running through a time tunnel, but in the reverse direction.

Then it was off to the suburb's scenic waterfront. Williamstown is bordered by water on three sides. We first ran the eastern front mostly consisting of seashore reserves with a number of piers, gardens, and landmarks. The buildings and monuments reminded us all of the suburb's maritime-based history.

Large and spacious parks and well-manicured greenery were to be found near the high-end residential areas we passed by on the beachfront. The quietness of the surroundings that morning was soothing. We ran for several Ks on winding bike and walking paths. From the looks of it, these exercise paths were not only human- but also pet-friendly.

There were not too many runners and soon at the 10K and beyond mark, most were very well dispersed and quite far in between. I tried to enjoy running at this point and soaked in the sights along this pier facing the expanse of Port Philip Bay or simply just 'The Bay'. Here, in 1802, entered the first Europeans whose descendants decades later were to be Aussies.

We also ran the southwestern coastline of Williamstown. During summer, the Williamstown Beach consisting of a wide expanse of sand fronting shallow and sheltered waters is a popular picnic and swimming destination. It is just one short train ride away from the city center of Melbourne.

In the past I've heard of Melbourne being described as the Windy City down under, often experiencing gutsy winds of over 100 kilometers per hour- already a tropical storm or typhoon where I come from. This is probably why the trees along the shoreline were all growing, not straight, but slanted- away from the shore and bent in the direction the wind was always blowing.

On the way back to the starting area, after running the walking and bike paths along picturesque Esplanade Boulevard, we chanced upon the half marathon runners numbering close to a thousand at the 15K hydration station- one of seven such water stations along the course. Race marshals in yellow guided us through.

For majority of the race, I was running close to a group that included this jolly chap named Nick who cheerfully kidded me to keep running and to go slow on the picture taking! With perfect running conditions by this time, he indeed had a very valid point and to some degree I relented!

After about 18K or so of running, it was back to adjacent suburb Newport, the race's starting point. This was a place that was hard to miss, what with the towering landmark that is the smokestack of the Newport Power Station- that at 183 meters is one of the tallest structures in the area and in the city of Melbourne.

Then we were running on protected reserves along the mouth of the Yarra River, at the point where the river enters Hobsons Bay and Port Phillip Bay. We were to make three laps of about 8K or so each around the area. We ran on trails and away from roads mostly so safety was assured as it was car traffic-free.

A U-turn then had to be made underneath the West Gate Bridge, another unmistakable landmark of the race route. This bridge, spanning over 2500 meters across the Yarra River is the third-longest in Australia and connects the western suburbs and the industrial city of Geelong to the city of Melbourne.

Then it was back to the Newport Athletics Track oval where for the first time in broad daylight I had a glimpse of the finish arc.By this time, runners of the shorter races and early marathon finishers were already heading home to enjoy the rest of the day. If only I could last two more laps of 8Ks..No worries, a voice deep inside told me.

So ran on I did for another two laps. At the 38K mark, I glanced at my Garmin FR310XT and realized that I had already ran for 4 hours and 8 minutes. I was secretly hoping for a 4:30 finish but, at this point, I realized that this would have to come another day. Hey, wasn't I just starting a vacation? So what was the point of risking injury this early?

I took it easy, therefore, during the last four Ks and just enjoyed the rest of the run and the waterfront scenery. This was billed as a public event in Williamstown, for safety purposes no doubt, but there were very few who ventured out to greet and support the runners that cold and sleep-friendly Sunday.

No matter...Still feeling strong and injury free, this was no doubt an auspicious start of a rare, once-in-a-blue-moon vacation for me. After running 42K, the red oval of the Newport Athletics Track facility thus became a very welcome sight as I ran the last few hundred meters of the race that day.

I finally crossed the finish line after 4 hours and 45 minutes of running and posed for a photo opportunity with the race medal as was and will be customary. There was another reason or two for me to smile and be happy- I had just finished my third marathon for that same month of May, and the second full marathon in the last 8 days!

Waiting at the finish area and served cheerfully by red-shirted race volunteers was a complimentary post race breakfast that featured yummy pancakes, a hearty pumpkin soup, the race's famous freshly-baked apple crumble, with baskets of assorted fruits- apples, pears, and oranges to boot! I indulged quite a bit to hasten body recovery.

The Sri Chinmoy Williamstown Marathon, with its flat, fast and PR-friendly course, thus became the 13th full marathon for me, all ran in the last 13 months in 11 different countries. Williamstown, however, was only my second 42K to be ran in the Southern Hemisphere. It was the first, but certainly not the last, to be run Down Under.

Maratona Internacional de Porto Alegre: My 12th 42K

2011-06-05T15:00:00.223+08:00

The path to Porto Alegre, capital city Rio Grande du Sul, was certainly long and travel wasn’t easy. For one thing, to reach this southernmost state of Brazil, bordering Uruguay, I had to cross the Middle East, and then Africa for a 30+ hour journey. In Brazil, the road went via Säo Paulo and then Brasilia.

Arriving finally at the Salgado Filho International Airport, along with other runner-visitors from other Brazilian cities and South American countries, we were fetched from the airport by race organizers and brought directly to the WIN Sports Store, the focal area for pre-marathon arrangements.

There, I met my friend, Paulinho Stone, who just two weeks earlier had agreed to my late, pay-later marathon registration. There were exceptions, he said, without explanations. After exchanging pleasantries, he took care of the registration formalities and gave me my race packet.

Though this was already my second trip to Brazil, it was my first visit to Porto Alegre. Thus, after a quick hotel check-in, I spent some time exploring the city. To record this virgin visit, I did a rare pose- a Marathon Maniac in jeans and sandals, with truly Brazilian company!

Back to the hotel, it was time for the usual race gear assembly. Every item had been worn before, save for the race-issued shirt that was going to be worn beneath the MM vest, a pair of identical bibs to be worn uniquely in the front and back, and a wrist-mounted timing chip.

Having stayed in Brasilia the week before, I had indulged in Brazilian food- from fire-cooked native dishes to an eat-all-you-can, never-ending parade of juicy prime beef, pork and lamb barbecues at Porcão Brasilia. Thus, there was no need to further carbo-load.

At 5:30 AM of Sunday, marathon runners were picked up by race-rented vans from designated hotels. The transport was necessary. The marathon start point at the grounds of the upscale Barra Shopping Sul mall was some seven kilometers away from the city.

There, many runners had arrived early. There was ample time for warm-ups, pleasantries, and/or photo opportunities. But at the numerous booths of running clubs and race sponsors huddled many runners. After all, the temperature was 16 degrees Celsius and it was a bit chilly.

As dawn broke and the starting time drew closer, marathon emcees began hyping-up the crowd. This marathon we were told was one of the oldest and best-organized in Brazil- hosted by CORPA or Clube dos Corredores de Porto Alegre- the Running Club of Porto Alegre.

First to take off at exactly 7:00 AM were some 200 female 42K runners, starting 15 minutes earlier than the males. In a city famous for having the most beautiful women in Brazil, such sex segregation was justified, if only to keep the males focused on running and not on anything else.

Then came the turn of the disabled athletes, five of them, with their custom-designed, well-oiled, and modern race equipment. This was to be the first and last time that I would see them that day. I am sure they finished way ahead of everybody!

At 7:15AM came the turn of the 1000+ male 42K runners- mostly seasoned marathoners and members of various running clubs in Brazil and South America. The race cut-off time was 6 hours. But with a plane to catch at 2 PM that same afternoon, a sub-5 finish time was my goal.

The first 10 kilometers of the race looped around the neighborhood of Cristal- the area where the Barra Shopping Sul mall was located. But in the distance, across the great river, we could see the skyline of the city that we headed for later that day.

There were hydration stations along the way- about one every 3K. In at least 3 points were served isotonic drinks and, in one, bananas. As the temperature began to rise from 16 to 29 deg C that morning, I stopped to drink at most stations to avoid cramps and dehydration.

At one point I overtook ‘special marathon’ racers, dressed-up according to the message they wanted to convey- this one about the perils of junk food. I even saw one runner pushing an office chair and acting as if his back was aching- the need for ergonomic office equipment!

The route would take us to tree-lined and gated communities which the rich and famous of Porto Alegre called home. Founded by immigrants from Portugal in the early 1700s, majority of the city’s 4 million population have bloodlines tracing back to Europe.

But the race route also took us to the poorer city neighborhoods where houses were gated for protection in a manner not so much different from home. At one point we passed a sign pointing to a place I knew- a city that Antonio Carlos Jobim’s girl fondly calls home.

Except for a few mildly rolling hills, most of the route was flat and PB- or PR-friendly. On the way I would overtake some of the women runners. But with an earlier head start and with many being true athletes, 156 of the 206 42K women runners would finish ahead of me!

Support from the city’s police force was excellent. Running on two to three lanes of the city’s main highways for most of the way, every intersection was manned by either policemen or race marshals who directed traffic and gave the runners first priority.

Crowd support at the starting and finish areas were likewise fantastic. While there would be sporadic crowds cheering runners along the route, gauchos shouting greetings and encouragement from city apartments' balconies were truly and uniquely friendly.

Along way we would pass by city landmarks including the Mercato Central that I had visited the previous day. Basic knowledge of Portuguese, the foremost language in the Southern Hemisphere, comes handy in this country. My knowledge of Spanish made things a bit easy.

We ran a major loop around key areas of Porto Alegre and as we rounded the second to the last corner to Cristal that day, the sun was becoming unbearably hot and so was the scenery. With leg cramps threatening to spoil the day, I drew inspiration from the beauty and run/walked the rest of the way.

And as I approached the finish arc at around noon that day, nameless but joyful faces in the crowd clapped, cheered, and congratulated me. Bem feito, bem feito, they said. Well done, indeed, as I heard my name mentioned by the race announcers on stage while I dashed to the finish line, finally.

I checked back in at 4:43:44, at just one and a quarter minutes before noon and within my sub-5 time goal. There would be very little time for photo-ops after finishing that day. I had to go back to my hotel in the city hurriedly, wash-up and then proceed to the airport very, very quickly.

Six other members of my running club the Marathon Maniacs raced Porto Alegre that day. One of them, MM#1024 and Palladium (7-star) Maniac Carlos Hideaki Fujinaga, had just logged marathon number 60. Many thanks to Carlos' hospitality, the taxi ride back to the hotel was made swift and easy.

The 28^th edition of the Maratona Internacional de Porto Alegre, subtitled Maratona Revezamento Rustica de Porto Alegre, would be my 12th 42-kilometer race in 12 months in 10 different countries. While this Marathon Maniac Iridium (4-star) Level statistic may seem awesome and even classy, many others in the Insane Asylum are way more crazy and thus far more worthy :-) !

Obrigado CORPA for making my first marathon in South America truly memorable and, yes, Alegre.

Runniing Brasilia, Brazil

2011-05-22T15:00:00.204+08:00

Full photo: http:\\cio.gsfc.nasa.govimagescontent513634main_iss026e016368_full.jpg

Brasilia is many things to different people. To Brazilians, it is the nation's capital of 3.5 million, situated on a plateau in the central-western part of the country. To aliens, it is a city on earth shaped like a bird or an airplane as can be seen in this NASA photograph taken from space.

The city is the seat of Brazil's government, with all the three branches - legislative, judicial, and executive- holding offices in buildings at the Praca dos Tres Poderes (the National Congress in this photo, Federal Supreme Court, and Planalto Palace) that could only be considered as icons of modern architecture.

Inaugurated only in 1960, it is perhaps the youngest if not the most modern capital city in the world. The city's master plan was drafted by the renowned urban planner Lucio Costa and the city's major buildings were conceived by the legendary architect Oscar Niemeyer, designer of the UN Headquarters building in New York.

Around the city's landscape that was laid out by Burle Marx, one would notice unique buildings, such as this circular Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida, a hyperboloid structure made up of 16 concrete columns representing two hands reaching up to the heavens.

The city's monuments such as this JK Memorial dedicated to former Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek who founded the city truly are works of art exhibited in open air, celebrating Brasilia as a landmark modernist project of the 20th century.

Even the Brasilia Shopping mall right in front of my hotel and close to another city attraction- the TV tower- was artistically shaped and very modern, with fine restaurants, upscale stores, and various offices indoors!

With such beautiful surroundings, a high elevation of 1172 meters above sea level that presented panoramic views of the valley, and lots of open spaces including having the biggest urban park in South America- the 42-hectare Parque da Cidade- running Brasilia simply I could not resist.

So for three consecutive days, during late afternoons and early evenings after meetings, I ran the streets of Brasilia, from the flat streets to undulating slopes near the city's hotel sector and the Ulysses Guimaraes-designed convention center,

To the pedestrian lanes of the expressways lining the Monumental Axis of this first city to be recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Site and dubbed as American Capital of Culture in 2008,

To the endless sidewalks dotted by waiting shed where the worn and weary workers of this city with the highest per capital income and standard of living in Brazil waited for the buses to bring tired but well-paid bodies home.

Each day I ran a little bit over 10K, and for the three days I logged 31K. The routes I took were chosen on purpose. I wanted whoever was watching Brasilia from space to notice the shape of my Brasilia 31K (red line on photo drawn on Google Earth by my Garmin GPS watch; also see NASA photo above).

Obrigado!

Photos of a 42K Run in Kota Kinabalu: The Borneo Marathon

2011-05-08T18:00:00.002+08:00

The medal looked plain and simple but unique- a bekantan on the run. But getting this one after a two-month 42K medal drought by way of three missed marathons was reassuring- like the bekantan, I too can still run!

I would get the medal in Kota Kinabalu or KK, capital city of Sabah state in Borneo Island, East Malaysia. The event was the 3rd staging of the Borneo International Marathon (BIM).

This being my first visit to KK, exploring the city on foot was high on the list of priorities. Saturday, I would roam the streets of KK before bumping into other runners claiming the race packs at the community center of the city.

On Saturday night was held a pasta party. A generous assortment of Western pizza and pasta competed with Asian noodles and rice. The runners downed them gladly- all were for free.

Back at my hotel was done the last minute race gear assembly. Save for a new SLS3 race sleeves and a pair of marathon-virgin Brooks Glycerin 8s, all items were battle-tested in earlier 42Ks.

Early morning Sunday, non-local runners were bused to the start and finish area- the Likas Sports Stadium, a good 6 or 7 kilometers away from the center of the city.

As the the bus runs began a bit early- starting from my hotel at exactly 0240- those of us including several Marathon Maniacs who arrived early had ample time to pose for posterity.

Some 3000+ runners registered for four race categories that first day of May- a 42K, a 21K, a 10K, and a charity run 2K. But less than 500 ran the full mary.

At exactly 400AM, the full marathon runners began to speed away. Save for the rubberized track oval of Likas Stadium, it was concrete and asphalt running all the way.

That early in KK, the roads were yet dark and very lonely. But a more than sufficient number of marshals, some on foot and others on bikes, kept the runners company.

Even a complete power blackout that occurred during the first 10K did not dampen the spirits of the runners that day- most remained happy and very camera-friendly.

I saw very few cheering squads the rest of the way. But the few who were there gave their all- from early morning till mid-day.

At about the 15K, I met the lead runners, all Kenyans, already on their way back to the city. Turns out the eventual second placer, Daniel Koringo, sat next to me, even borrowing my Runners' Chicken Soup book, on the flight to KK.

Dawn broke as we were about to enter the hear of the city. Couldn't help but admire the smog-free skyline of KK. Everything was still and quite and the roads were human and car traffic-free.

There were enough hydration stops along the way- almost at every 2.5K. Yellow t-shirt clad race marshals and volunteers handed out water and isotonic drinks to make sure nobody became thirsty.

In darkness, I did not bother to glance at my Garmin 310XT until after I reached 20K. And when I did, I realized I was running just about OK for a projected finish of 4:30.

As we passed the halfway point, it was difficult to ignore the tireless shouts of a Caucasian lady- encouraging the now mostly solo runners to go, go, go all the way. She even high-5'd me!

But it really would have been difficult to stop and surrender at that point, what with the scenic sights of Likas Bay and refreshing views of the south China Sea.

And so refreshed we entered the center of KK, somewhat jealous to encounter the last wave of 21K and 10K runners already returning to Likas Stadium and on their last 5K.

There were at least two first aid stations with ambulances posted along the way; I stopped at one, had my legs sprayed with liniment, to deaden the pain should it ever come to my knees- it stayed away.

The temperature plus humidity levels that day made everybody feel like it was 99 deg F or 39 deg C. By the last 5K, the now-dispersed runners were just happy to run along the shadows of KK's lush greenery.

Happier they became to see this congratulatory banner greeting them as they turned a corner towards Likas. Under the scorching heat, well done indeed it was to have reached the last 1K.

It took me 4 hours, 59 minutes, and 24 seconds to run this out-and-back route of the Borneo 42K. This was my 11th full marathon in the last 12 months (the second in Malaysia) in 9 different countries.

The plain but unique medal was awarded right where we started that day. At the finish area, I again had the chance to pose with other Insane Asylum regulars whom I've previously met running 42Ks in other Asian cities.

Borneo mission accomplished, the afternoon was spent chilling out in this city famous not just for Mt. Kinabalu but also for its rich marine and land biodiversity. Relaxed as I watched the sun set on the South China Sea, it finally hit me- I had just ran a hard 42K on Labor Day!

Selamat Datang KK!

Running New Delhi, India

2011-04-25T13:00:00.000+08:00

One of the challenges faced when visiting a densely populated area such as Delhi is finding a good road to run. While this was already my 6th visit to this megalopolis of 14 million, the second most populous city in India after Mumbai, I had confined my running during previous visits to hotel gyms and small neighborhood parks.

With a couple of 42Ks coming up in May, running an LSD on the road was simply necessary. Doing this along major thoroughfares like Patel Road appeared unsafe due to the heavy traffic that builds up faster than one can count from one to three before eight o'clock every morning of a work day.

Not daring to venture too far from my hotel, I did my initial running around the neighborhood. But stray dogs lurking in corners or that appeared out of nowhere were effective pace breakers, forcing me to stop every now and then, lest they be attracted too much to the naked flesh just below my running shorts.

I was therefore pleased to find and initially use a small neighborhood park nearby where walkers and joggers congregated for their early morning/evening exercise. Along the way, I also noticed numerous fitness gyms that appeared to cater to Delhi's yuppies, with some being exclusive to the fairer sex only.

Very close to my hotel was a science complex that also served as running haven for academics, students, and fitness buffs in the area. With tree-lined avenues and pedestrian paths, this complex seemed suited for running even during summertime when temperatures in the city soar beyond the 40s.

But it was at the Dev Prakash Shastri Avenue in Pusa, New Delhi that I would eventually find what I was looking for- a nice long stretch of road that was traffic-free before six o'clock in the morning Monday to Friday. Save for a bicyclist or a cow crossing the avenue in a leisurely way, this road was truly runner-friendly.

My 15K running route in New Delhi.

Of course there are other more spectacular places to run in Delhi- such as around the Parliament House and its imposing 144 columns or near the majestic India Gate and its surrounding greenery. But running these places and the oft-cancelled Delhi International Marathon and the more regular Delhi Half Marathon will have to wait another day. Meanwhile, namaste (नमस्ते).

Missing Three Marathons in a Row

2011-04-15T17:00:00.000+08:00

10 Marathons in 10 Months, then Nil

If you have been following this blog, you would have noticed that, in the year past, I had been on a roll, marathon running-wise. From May 22, 2010 to February 20, 2011, I completed 10 marathons for an average of one marathon a month. That I had ran 9 of these marathons in 9 different countries/US states earned me 4 stars and a select spot in the Insane Asylum of the world's largest endurance running club, The Marathon Maniacs. Then came dead silence.

Kilometers Ran in 2011 by Week

Not that I had gotten injured or decided to retire early from running and, as a consequence, run-blogging. Neither had the incessant running of marathon after marathon sapped my energies or burned me out, as hopefully it never will. In fact, I have logged 486K for 2011 on DailyMile already and, just yesterday, subbed-1 another 10K. More so, from March 20 to April 17, I was registered to run three marathons in a row! But for three different reasons, I missed/am about to miss them all- the Seoul International Marathon in Korea last March 20, the Marathon de Paris in France last April 10, and the Kasumigaura Marathon in Japan on April 17.

Seoul Interantional Marathon Registration

I missed the Seoul International Marathon due to the travel-related issues. I usually use either discounted or award air tickets when joining races, the latter resulting from accumulating mileage as a result of work-related travels. For this marathon, I was to travel using an award ticket but could not get a confirmed seat for the return flight from Seoul. I thus opted out. Luckily, with the help of a friend living in Korea, the organizers gave me the yellow finisher shirt- indeed a nice memento of what could have been marathon number 11.

Marathon de Paris Registration Confirmation

And then marathon number 12 could have been the Marathon de Paris. It would have been only my second time to visit La Ville Lumiere or the City of Light. And only the first time to run a marathon in Europe. So expectant was I in fact to run this event that I was among the first to sign-up online when registration opened in September last year. But work related issues- schedule conflicts with important must-attend meetings- prevented me from running Paris. For now.

Kasumigaura Marathon Cancellation Email

Finally, there was prospective marathon number 13- the Kasumigaura Marathon. Considered as one of the most popular and famous marathons in Japan, the route affords runners scenic views of the country's second largest lake- Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki prefecture. But nature intervened with the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear radiation disaster in the adjacent prefecture Fukushima. Last March 30, I was informed that the marathon was cancelled with the registration fees to be donated to the victims of the triple tragedies.

So there, three missed marathons for three different and compelling reasons. I am hopeful that this undesired three-peat would stop at three. No issues thus far in the next two marathons I have already registered for already- in Kota Kinabalu and Melbourne. Hopefully, I'll run into a kinder and gentler May.

Running in Indonesia

2011-03-22T11:58:00.015+08:00

Indonesia is one of the biggest and most populous countries in the world, with close to a quarter of a billion people inhabiting over 17,000 islands. I have visited the country almost a dozen times, traveled to many of its provinces, but except once in the beaches of Bali, have not really logged serious running mileage.

During a trip to West Java recently, I was determined to alter the 'couldn't run' course. The beautiful surroundings of the the hotel we checked into, near the subdistrict of Cikampek in Karawang Regency, provided the incentive and motivation to run in an otherwise 'difficult-for-running' surroundings.

So very early one morning, I donned my running shoes and explored the new-found environment- man-made forest, lagoons, riverbanks and all. The place was like an oasis on a desert, with lush greenery and traffic-free, four-lane paved streets in the middle of nowhere- a runner's haven.

Having a GPS watch that allows one to track the time spent running, measure the distance covered, and calculate or preset a desired pace comes in very handy during these impromptu runs. I am lucky to be able to alternate between a revived Garmin FR405 and a newer Garmin FR310XT for these purposes.

Mapping a run on Google Earth using Garmin Training Center allows one to analyze the run after the fact. It is quite common when running in the dark and in unfamiliar surroundings to turn a corner and/or make a U-turn a bit too early, only to regret these later after viewing the mapped route.

But it can truly be difficult to find running-friendly places in Indonesia. Running alongside the major highways, for example, such as on this one connecting the West, Central, and East Java provinces, is simply not an option- what with the endless line of trucks and vehicles straddling narrow road shoulders.

In more urban locales such as Bogor, the rain city or Kota Hujan of Indonesia due to its perennial rain showers, one has to compete for limited road space with assorted vehicles such as the ubiquitous Angkot- the most popular local public transport akin to the jeepney of Manila and the tuktuk of Bangkok.

It is therefore advisable to do some research on places to run a priori. As running has not taken off in Indonesia- with no full marathons held last year or scheduled for this year and very few shorter races advertised- looking for running places can be challenging. Government compounds and school campuses are the safe bets.

Or nature parks such as the Bogor Botanical Gardens or Kebun Raya Bogor- an 80-hectare urban refuge that is crisscrossed by streams and dotted by lotus and lily ponds that also is home to over 15000 species of trees, 400 types of palms, and 3000 varieties of orchids- a tough-to-equal mix and richness in biodiversity.

One can also simply head to the nearby mountains for some trail running. Near Bogor, for example, are two volcanoes, Salak to the south and Gunung Gede to the southeast. From a distance, both look very runner-friendly and inviting. Recent volcanic upheavals, earthquakes, and tsunamis should not stand in the way of enjoying a run or two in this diverse country whose national motto is 'unity in diversity'.

The Long Beach California 5K Turned Rave Run

2011-03-06T23:00:00.002+08:00

Three of my five blog posts so far this year have all been about joining marathons that, for the still uninitiated, involves running 42.195 kilometers, usually finishing within a maximum time of 5-6 hours. I ran my first 3 marathons this year in a span of six weeks or one 42K every two weeks.

To put these numbers in perspective, running gurus usually recommend only 2-3 marathons a year, with training sessions lasting 4-6 months in between. Shorter races are usually used for training- 10Ks and 21Ks as 1- and 2-hour long runs, respectively, and a 32K event for an LSD (long, slow, distance) run.

I was lucky enough to be able to join a 5K fun run recently and then carve out what could qualify as a rave run- a run in a beautiful locale, often defined by a majestic or stunning scenery. This run, that ended up to be 16K was done along the famous beach front of Long Beach, California.

Long Beach is 30K south of downtown Los Angeles. Among the city's attractions is the HMS Queen Mary, the world's fastest ship from 1936-1952, that is now permanently moored at port, serving as a hotel and maritime museum. Another is the Aquarium of the Pacific with over 12,000 animals of over 500 species.

The city hosts the Long Beach Marathon that is held every October- this year's edition being on October 9. This Boston Qualifier is described as one of the most scenic and flat courses in California, with stunning oceanfront scenery while traversing seaside communities but starting and finishing the run in the center of the city.

My 5K-turned-rave run started and ended no differently- near Shoreline Village. I also ran the famed Beach Path soaking in the early morning sights of the Pacific and stopping at Veteran's Pier to catch fisher folks testing the waters. The experience of witnessing the break of dawn on the other side of the Pacific Ocean was simply stunning. I simply had to leave and take pictures of my footprints in the sand, if only to record forever the moment!