Mission Accomplished!

When I first went to Mindoro early february, I promise myself that I would return again before leaving the Philippines. During my first visit, my friend’s mom told me about a young native Mangyan who ran a half marathon bare footed during the Abra de Ilog town fiesta in October 2008. Inspired by the said story, I decided to come back and donate my New Balance shoe as to encourage him to keep running. Not only I return to donate my shoe, but also with a strong determination to run 30km in preparation for May 10 Paa- TiBayan Takbo 42-k.

My plan to return back to Mindoro came true upon hearing the news that it was free from typhoon.  Early friday, we quickly packed our bags and made our way to the Batangas peir to catch the 3pm Ship bound for Abra de Ilog. As I journeyed to the said island, I already saw myself running. I was praying that the weather would be good on Sunday as I planned to have my long distance run from Barangay Cabacao to Barangay Balansay (24k) and back to Mamburao town (6k).

Sunday came and the weather was perfect for my long distance adventure run. Having my friend escorting me on her dad’s motorbike, we were heading to Mamburao slowly. I need at least 3 hours running which equivalent to 30k if I were to maintain my marathon pace of 6:05mins. I started with an easy slow pace but as I get into my running form, I can’t help myself but to speed up. My goal is to run 3 hours covering 30k. But, it seems that the feeling is good to maintain an average pace between 5:30 – 5:55mins. So, instead of focusing to complete a 3 hour run, my attention then was to complete a 30k.

To make it short, I completed the 30k  but not in 3 hours. Suprisingly, my time was 2 hrs 49mins. By then, both my legs were stiffed. This was not a good sign as it would lead to muslce cramps. I quickly stretch both my legs and walk for few meters to get away from the normal routine. My senses later informed me that I need to get Alaxan. Without wasting time, I went to a nearby drug store to get some of those pain reliever. It helps! Reaching at my friend’s house, I indulge myself with bananas and at the same time continue to keep my body hydrated. This run helps me to better prepare and expect the worst for this coming sunday’s marathon.   

Watching out for dogs! I was making sure that I wasn’t ambush. Sometimes these dogs will come out of no where and gives you a shock!   

Heading towards Mamburao Town. It was a cloudy morning. I passed the Mamburao river.  

I made my U turn at the 400k mark. this was after a 24 k run. 6k more back to Mamburao.

Going back to Mamburao. My legs are stiffed by this time. I was running out of water so I slower my pace. I completed the 30k run unexpected time of 2 hrs 50mins but with stiffed legs. Not a good sign! But glad I experienced it here which helped me to better prepare for this sunday’s marathon.

 This is the highlight of the event. One of main reason to return back to Mindoro is to keep my promise to donate my shoe to Milan- The native Mangyan who won the half marathon during the Abra de Ilog Town fiesta last October. He completed the said race within 1 hr 40mins bare footed. No proper training plus running bare footed is something! I believe if he only had proper training and the right shoes, he can perform better and achieve more. I also donated some of my running clothes to him. Hope that this small donation inspire him to continue to run and win the next fiesta run.  

Maclan’s Mindoro Half Marathon run

When I step my feet on the port of Abra de ilog, for the first time. I predicted that I will have a great time running my long distance in this beautiful natural environment of Mindoro. Far from the busy, noisy concrete jungle of Manila, I can say that many runners would want to experience running on a free-polluted, lonely road, accompanied with a perfect view of the rice fields. The perfect environment leave me to wonder the distance that I would cover on my sunday long distance run. For sure, I do not want to leave Mindoro without having to run less than 15km.

Arriving at Cabacao (one of the barangays) I was welcome with a basket full of Latundan bananas. I made a joke that those bananas need to be hidden otherwise it will all be consume by me. I thought that I could consume all those bananas but  regretfully, I hardly could finished half of the basket. As a result, I end up visiting the Comfort room twice that evening.

Having banana laoding the night before, I start my morning run from Cabacao 424KM mark towards Abra de ilog town (440KM mark). I thought of running a 15k that morning but when I arrived at Abra within 1 hr 16mins (15k), I wasn’t satisfied. So, I continued my run and end up at the Abra de ilog peir (445Km mark). Reaching the peir satistified my day’s run. I have No regret of travelling all the way here to experience nature while enjoying a perfect 21Km run.   

These are the items I needed for the run. No Power Gel and No Gatorade. I just need H2O and Bananas (subtituted for power gel or gatorade).

Passing my first 5km. I just pass the Mangyan’s village (The minority community of Mindoro).  I was told that the Mangyans are fast runners. They finished 1st in the local race early last year with bare-footed.

“Beat the Odds”- All 16 bridges that I pass, have the same statement.

having my first “banana gel/power gel”. Guess I just need bananas for extra boost. 6km more to go.

444KM mark. 1 and half km more to go. At this time, I feel good. Knowing that the finishing line is just around the corner. I wasn’t struggling to survive. But was rushing to complete the half marathon.

Running towards the Ferry… Enough! Enough!… my escott was shouting requesting me to stop running? But I felt that I need to go further and end my day’s run at the ferry.

I end up my half marathon with a bunch of bananas… Total Km 21k… time: 1 hr 49mins. I rather put it 1 hr 53mins as total of hours running. My pace was about 5:40 per-km.

 

Christmas run on the Beach

Christmas Beach Run on Cenang Beach Langkawi.

No matter where you are, wether you are on a business trip, seminar, vacation or on a tour trip, Running is always part of the agenda. I didn’t plan to spend my vacation on Langkawi Island on Christmas day, but since my friends were rejected entering  Thailand,  Langkawi was the next option, we decided to visit Langkawi Island for 2 days and 1 night tour (Dec. 24-25.08).

Langkawi Beaches may not be as beautiful or as white as those beaches in the Philippines but it provided a perfect place for me to fulfill my wish to run on the beach. I didn’t brought my running shoes this time but it didn’t stop me from running. You always can run bare footed on soft sand, and thats what I did.

I was not the only runner on the beach. there were few foreign runners who were doing their warm up ( I supposed) on the beach. Some were really fast (as if  they were on speed training) while others were running moderately enjoying the beauty of the sunrise.

30 minutes of running was good enough. At least I don’t feel guilty of not running. Doesn’t matter where I am, there’s always time to run. It is part of life routine as a runner. It’s like eating rice everyday. Can’t live without having rice in a day!.

Christmas Mood, Running Mood!

Since I did not joined any race lately, I decided to returned back to the soccer field. It was a “welcome return” after 7 conservative months of absentee. Well, running had help me improved in the field. I don’t get tired neither do I sweat alot. To satisfied the soul, I would do a 20mins speed run after the game.

Talking about the coming break – I have few more days left before Flying back to K.Lumpur. I don’t know how will the vacation be this time since I have to tour some friends around the city, Spore and Bangkok. It will be a travelling vacation. But one thing that I will certainly do- RUNNING! Christmas Vacation Run I guess.

The return of the Aiias Midfielder after 7 conservative months of absentee…

Immigration Error!!

Christmas year end break is coming. It is the season of travelling. Airlines are giving promotion and lowering their fare as low as “0” Pesos. If you are travelling international or even domestic, Cebu Pacific is giving “0” Pesos to all passengers untill the 17th of December 2008. What you need to pay is just the airport tax and terminal fees (which I felt is useless). Im not to sure about other airlines, but I assume that most airlines are competing to get passengers as the year end breaks are coming.

Now, there is one thing that you need to remember especially if you are travelling oversea is IMMIGRATION ERROR! Make sure you are travelling with the right visa and other travelling documents. Some of us are using 47a2 visas (like me) which is a special visa granted to only certain International Institution in the Philippines. Make sure your Special Return Certificate (SRC) is valid with an attach travelling document in it. The SRC card must go together with your pasport.

At the Immigration counter, make sure to inform the officer the kind of visa you are travelling with. Often, they think that you are entering the country with a tourist visa. Sometimes they purposely give a wrong stamp on your pasport so that you would have to pay some “unwanted Charges” for the error they made. You can be charge of a fee not less than 900P just for the mistake of the immigration officer. To avoid such charges and other penalties accompany it, check your pasport to be sure that they gave the right indication of visa you are travelling with. HAPPY TRAVELLING!!!

Check if you got the right stamp on your pasport .