I’ve been very busy last week I forgot to post some stuff on my blog due to my full-time work at a software company, my online raket that I started just last week and another outsourcing business I’m currently working on. To relieve all the stress, I signed up for this race (21km) as part of my tempo-run but also to double-check the condition of my right-knee on longer distances. Sad to say, but I still encountered a sharp pain on the lateral side of my right knee which forced me to utilize more of my left leg and in doing so, caused cramps on my left calf and slowed me down considerably from km 16 up to the finish line. I finished the race based on my timer at 2h:08min+.
Here’s my review of the race:
Positive:
1. Well marshalled race.One marshall even greeted me good morning which is a rarity in race events here.
2. Enough hydration station (water and electrolyte being served).
3. Race started on time
Negative:
1. Lack of kilometer markers.I do believe this is one of those MUST in road races here in the Philippines. All I saw from the entire 21km route were U-turn markers
2. No ribbon in the first U-turn in Ayala area.I remember I overheard one runner on our way to Ayala asking a friend of his (who was already on his way back to Kalayaan flyover) if there were ribbons being given. His friend replied “No” and as expected, this runner (and another friend of his) did a short-cut by crossing to the other lane going back to Kalayaan flyover. I wish I’d restrained myself that morning but my mouth seems to have a brain on its own that I blurted out “Hoy kapal ng mukha nyo!to these runners.
3. Long line to claim your freebies.Yes, I want to see the value of my registration fee, pinapatulan ko din to minsan! I hope race organizers would be more efficient in giving away freebies/lootbags after runners cross the finish line. I believe the last time I saw this being implemented was last yr when I first joined a road race (5km-Condura) where the lootbag was given right after crossing the line. The line was too long I didn’t bother to claim my freebies. Later it was announced that the next Earth Run will feature a 42km. I don’t expect marathon finishers to fall in line for several minutes to claim their rightful freebies after running for several hours! This system must go.
4. Ok this one is probably just me. But I really don’t like the taste of that bitter-sweet energy drink they gave.
Overall I like the way this race was organized except for those minor issues above. Later after the race, there was an announcement that a 42km distance will be featured next yr. This is something I look forward to in the future.
As of this writing, results according to the race organizer (adevents.com.ph) will be available on Wednesday.
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Hotlegs Runner
on Apr 20th, 2010
@ 6:54 am:
I really wished they had kilometer markers. =( And I didn’t bother to get na my giveaways. =(
RonTab
on Apr 21st, 2010
@ 2:53 am:
1. When it was time to get the singlet, they were handing out the cotton t shirts (free size at that). I so want that singlet. One guy at the gym told us that while he was claiming, an earth run person took all the singlets and informed that he’s moving all the singlets to trinoma. wtf!
2. So it’s not a run rio and you don’t have a chip, that’s ok. the water stations were enough for my 5k run. Now at the finish line, i merged with the 3k runners and we all squeeze trying to get into whatever was being given out under those white tents. Since I was a bit earlier than most, i got what they were giving out but all the rest that poured in particularly those from the 10k and 21k had nothing anymore. Everyone milled around not knowing there’s nothing more for them. And all of us 6000 runners (i guess) had to go through a bottleneck of confusion and go home emptyhanded.
3. The program was uneventful. This is the EarthRun for godsake’s. Maybe the NatGeo fared better, I dunno? But when Paolo asked will you be here next year for another Earth Run, I had to stop myself from snorting.
4. breakfast at our usual place then drove home. We went along the buendia flyover and was surprised soooo many plastic cups just tiptoeing on the wind, strewn everywhere without one cleaner in sight. That was almost 10am.
That’s the Earth Run 2010 for you.
admin
on Apr 21st, 2010
@ 1:34 pm:
hi Ron,
That sounds bad.