Friday, March 9

Here I Go Again - Another Ultra on the Making

When I saw a post on this race, my feet is itching again, I really love to do it for so many reasons despite the fact that this will be a longer distance, on a road, on a day time and will end on an uphill elevation. It will be another 'goodluck to me event' but  despite all that I thought it would be nice if I will be able to run in Bohol. For one, I love Bohol, the island is just facing my home province.  I've been to the place on my elementary days several times many decades ago and I haven't been back to go around lately. And I guess this will be my tour of ultramarathon on my home region, Region 7, the second province that I will run  an ultra after running the All Women's Ultra in Cebu. Isn't that a nice one?

Elevation Chart from Panglao to Carmen Bohol
I let go of the thought of joining when we really cannot find a cheaper plane fare. I myself thought it will be cheaper to just join the 100K Benguet run a week after this schedule. This could be an option for me to have a training run for the month of May. 
At KM0, the start of Bohol 50-Mile Run
 But who can resist the beauty of this place, as the post of pictures  are just like taken straight out of a postcard on the FB page of this event comes every now and then, it dawned on my mind again, I guess I can stretch a little and be part of the event.
 

At around km 20 - by the bay
 The pictures are just really very appealing that we thought of making a way how we can save, how we can cut expenses just to be in this event. One afternoon I had a lunch with my climbing buddy and as we update each other, it turn out she's from Bohol though they don't have the ancestral house anymore, she still has an Aunt who is used to just a phone call from her that a friend is staying for a night or two.
At kilometers 26 to 30
 It seems like the universe conspire, could this be a sign. But ofcourse the plane fare did not go down, all the more the cost goes higher. We have to give it sometime again, discuss, do research on the net again to find a cheaper ticket.

View at Sandugo Monument - part of the Bohol 50 Mile Run
Trying to justify what could be the best option if not joining this race, where else do we run. We thought we can always let go of the idea of doing it this year and hoping to do it next year when such event will be organized.

Man made forest at kilometer 60
 Until after so many discussions we give it a go by purchasing first our ticket. This is just very hard to decided but we want to do it. We think if ticket will be purchased then we will be obliged to register.

an old church
Having purchased our plane ticket, we now have to register for the race. But that did not happen soon. It also take us sometime to finally decided that we will really join this race. An 80 kilometer run with an uphill route around one third of the route could be very challenging.
chocolate hills, few meters to the finish line
Can we really make it to the cut off time of 15 hours given the fact that this will cover the day time until 3:00 in the afternoon on a road. That could be very hot. Having that in mind we just hope for the best on this race.  
probably few more steps to the finish line
We think, could this really be a training to a race more hotter that what we will experience here. A Sahara Desert Run or Atacama Desert Run probably, we are not even sure of that. All we wanted now is just to experience this race.
I wonder upon reaching the finish line at 3pm, how hot will it be the
And hope that we will reach this marker on time and still on our best shape. I know this will not be easy but we will hope for the best and prepare for the worst. We have more than a month to train for it anyway. So, Bohol here I come, I guess.

Note: All pictures are from the Wall Photos of Bohol Ultramarathon 2012 at fb.

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