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Titanium Runner to Me:  Sam see you on Sunday ah!
Me: hhmmm…ano meron sa Sunday?
Titanium Runner: 500 Smile Run!
Me: aahhhhh 

If it was not for Blas reminding me of this race, I would have slept over it. I was originally given a 10km race kit for this one but later on shifted to 16km, with the aim of  nailing a PR on this category as its been a while I ran a 16km race, heck I can’t even remember what was the last 16km race I joined. I’m not really a PR conscious guy, I just want to check if I’m improving or my running is starting to suck. With a relatively flat route and rainy morning that day, a sub 1h:30m finish should be achievable. So I met Beep Beep of Team Reebok to get my 16km and off we started the race around 5:45am. It was a late start,  the race should have started around 5am but due to a vehicular accident in Buendia flyover, we were told it need to start later to clear the area.

We heard the announcer doing the usual count-down, and as the race finally started I ran slowly to make sure my form/stride is ok. I saw Beep Beep blazing off in the earlier part of the race and my plan was to catch up with him. Slowly I warmed up after 2 kilometers and with the 5:30ish pace, I started  to overtake a couple of runners. Noelle who ran 10km would catch up with me near the 2nd flyover and I used that as a cue to increase my pace. As the route was simply a loop around Roxas bldv, I was always on the look up for 16km runners on their way to the Start area just to check my possible placement at the end of the race. I saw Beep Beep on 3rd place near the  Coastal Mall U-turn, just 1km away from me and didn’t notice anyone. I knew I was on the fourth place then and it dawned upon me that for the first time, I might end up in top 10 for this race, the idea of announcer calling my name on the stage was very exciting. My mind was seducing me to run faster, and run all out on the last 3km.

On my way back to the starting line, however I was surprised a couple of runners whom I’ve overtake was all ahead of me! I knew they wouldn’t cheat for this race and I was already under the impression that the marshal made them do a quick U-turn instead. As my dream of achieving top 10 for that race crumbled, I still maintained my pace and later saw Doc Maya and Ultramarathoner Mar together, just almost 300 meters from me. They unknowingly made the first U-turn because the marshall told them so, while some of us ran all the way near the Costal Mall U-turn.  Mar was especially running a very strong and consistent pace, and I made him my target*laughs*.  I was finally able to overtake him I believe on the last 3 km on the race, but I knew he was just behind me as I could hear his feet’s slapping sounds against the pavement. The last km saw me running faster and I reached the Finish area with a time of 1h:31m.

I heard somebody that those who ran all the way to the last U-turn actually ran more than 18km+.  And those who did the 1st U-turn were right after all. Whatever the distance was, I believe its better than kulang. With the free race kit I got, I was not really in a position to cry out loud hahahaha. I’m thankful I was able to finish the race, minus electrolyte capsules which I always carry and minus the Spenco middle sole. I like to believe that somehow, I did improve and it was enough for me. I want to congratulate Ian Alacar/Jay Em of Without Limits, it was a successful, worthy race and we made a couple of kids smile that day. I hope there would be more ‘run for a cause’ races in the future.

As I waited for a couple of minutes more to hear the awarding of top 10 finishers for 16km, I heard something that went like this:

Announcer: and the 9th place goes to Sammy Delena..of Team Diadora.

 Ayos ba?

Related posts:

1. Some Improvements….my ass
2. How to Score Free Race Kits

Tags: 500 Smiles Run