Have To Be Kind With My Legs

God, my stubborn self. Up until now, a day before the supposedly race briefing for an ultra race that I decided to give up two days ago, still a thought of joining the race  keep on coming to my mind. With the condition of my legs now, I think I will be fine to do a long distance race soon, I thought. But the other side of me said, just let it go.

 
I am suppose to be running another ultra this weekend, a 50-miler trail run, my third ultra in a row with one week interval. This has been set a month ago.

One of my ultra runner friend from Cebu already told me to be kind to my legs. Not to run too many ultra but rather choose among the many that is available every month and have some time to rest. That way I will be able to recover and have a decent finish time. Of course I value so much her sisterly advise but that did not stop me from continuously running an ultra race that soon after the other. 

As I exchange conversation with my ultra runner friend from Malaysia two days ago updating things to each other, I mentioned about what I have been doing and  what I intend to do in the next few weeks. He again mentioned to me, if the race this weekend is not that iconic, let it go. Run shorter distance now and work on your speed. 

"Cheryl, I'll suggest that you give this 50 miler a miss, unless this is such an iconic race that you don't want to miss. Rest your legs a while, and work on the speed. May be you should run shorter races instead for the next 2 months before the marathon in The High."

That's it. With that being said, right there and then I decided to let go of TD race. And work on looking for an available race bib for a 21K trail run this weekend. Focus on shorter distance on the next two months and work on the speed. I really hope I can hang on few more months on doing ultra run and focus on my speed. 

KOTM Trail Run: 4 Lakes 100K Ultramarathon 2012

"What motivated me to do and finish that run?" A question lingers on my mind a day after I did the KOTM 100 kilometer race.

Having done an 80 kilometer road run a week before that,  I have been thinking if I will really push for the race. I know it is not healthy jumping from one ultra race to the other with such  short time interval, but the picture of the mountain trail keeps on popping  my mind and the faces of my friends whom I know are joining the race too. More than my sore legs, I am more worried of my wounds that is about to heal  from the chafe, rashes and blisters from the previous run. But I decided to give it a go anyway.

Upon arrival at the relax, quite and peaceful town of Kayapa, we are greeted by a warm welcome of the race organizer, few local officials and fellow runners. We settled on our hostel and proceed back to the municipal hall for the race briefing. It is an intimate one, attended by the runners of the 100 and 60 kilometer distance, by some local officials, the lead marshals and some support crew of the different stations. Upon seeing the list of runners, this is going to be  a long run of just few  attendees,  26 doing the 100k and 26 for the 60 kilometer distance. Detailed instructions, important reminders has been discussed  during the race briefing for everybody's safety on the duration of the race.

Given the number of participants, I know very well this is going to be a run with a very big possibility of being alone on the trail most of the time. But of course I am hopeful to find a partner especially on the evening part.

As soon as we are released for the start of the race just few hours before the day breaks, I just take my time adjusting to the thinning air as I  deal the  first 5 kilometer uphill road that leads to the  trail head. Most of my friends are already ahead of  me. As I  continue on, it has become a run on my own, sometimes passing by other runners and sometimes other runners pass by me. Even  on  the early part of the race,  that has already been the pattern during the day time as I pass by one aid station to the next.  The weather is great, the trail is perfect,  the view is magnificent, the beautiful mountain range with the sea of clouds is visible. It is a perfect day for a race. Early part of the race, since I am running alone most of the time, I have to be very careful not to get lost, always mindful about trail signs and being on the right trail. But there are instances that a trail on the right, left  and middle do not have any trail sign at all, probably the locals just find it too attractive that they get it. It's where intuition comes in, I have to take the chances and keep moving, and thank goodness on the four times that I encounter such situation, I am always led to the right trail.

I keep track of my pace and my time by consciously checking the distance versus the time based on my personal notes. Most often than not I arrive most of the time  ahead by around 30 minutes  or less on each aid station which is a good sign. Upon arrival at the 3rd station, at Kapaya Proper, most of my friends and roommates are there, resting and eating. I am glad I finally catch up with them. But they are ready to leave just  before I even sit down and rest my legs and just after I ordered one glass of halo halo, a perfect refreshment after that long exposed trail. I decided to have it transferred to a disposable cup, I want to bring it with me while walking. My friends are fast and nowhere to be seen few  minutes after they leave.  As the race course changed from a paved road to a trail, I decided to leave my unfinished halo halo and concentrate on my business. Just before crossing the bridge I can now see some of them, unto the uphill portion, I continue on my uphill trek until I  catch up with them. I just want to continue on until I reach the next station, the 56th kilometer mark of the course,  with a cut off of 16 hours, I arrive few minutes beyond my target time but still happy I made it. I forced myself eat something, thanks to the variety of food available at the aid stations, I tried a little of everything even the hot noodles, for I can now feel I do not have that much appetite to eat anything. Before I leave to continue on the next station, I replenish supply, make sure I have with me some cold gear incase it gets cold in the night, bring out my  headlamp, bring extra chocolates and change socks. Two of my friends arrive and I ask permission to go ahead, on my own.

It's getting late and I want to maximize what ever day light is left but when the dark of the evening strikes, I already instill to myself  that  there is a big possibility that I will be trudging this trail all by myself. The  fast eight runners are already way ahead of me, and I am not too sure how long my friends whom I left at AS4 be able to catch up with me.  I just have to do this by myself rather than wait for the next runner to arrive.

I reach the station of Dayap Elementary School alone and already dark but I am still within my target time. At this point, I know I am not taking enough food to replenish  what is burned on my body, I forced myself to eat something and hope that I will have enough energy to sustain me. Then I left  for the next station, the  Ambasa/Banao Station. The community that I pass by always has one  parting statement to me, that it is very far and it's going to be a long  run/walk for me. True enough  I spend most of my night at AS6 to AS7  the most awaited Ambasa/Banao turn around point and back to AS6. My projection of doing this part in just two hours takes me almost 3. I decided to proceed despite my being alone, you read it right,  I have to be brave and deal with the present situation,  to be mentally tough and physically alert with what possible condition I might encounter on  the  unfamiliar terrain alone in the dark. Early evening,  the second runner of this race from Baguio is already on his way back, and he advised me to just be determined and persistent, sooner or later I will reach the most awaited next station. Later on I realized he was right, this part of the course is just really very very very long. What exactly was in my mind at that very moment? I was hoping not to be lost, so my mind is occupied of making sure that  I am on the right trail, trail signs at some point has  far intervals which I just have to rely on my intuition if I have to move forward hoping for a trail sign to be visible.

I am also concern my safety. I know in my more than 12 years in mountaineering/ mountain trekking, having to be alone on the wilderness is a  very big no no.  The very least that I can do here is to be really very extra super careful. If in the event that I will fall on the cliff, no one will really ever know where I am or what happened to me. Making the situation worst, there isn't any mobile signal on this part. I have to be extra careful and attentive on ravines that is obviously a deep drop despite the darkness of the evening and do the same on  those  parts  that  has rocks that is slippery due to the running water or on those two hanging old dilapidated bridges or on those landslides on the mountain slopes. Inside the pine trees and thick forest, I can hear the sound of the insects, the running water and the chirping of the birds or some kind of animals. Thank goodness we do not have big cats on this country, I thought what if a  tiger or lion or jaguar  will just appear but I know that is not possible on this  wilderness. All I am praying and hoping for while I was just alone is for me not to encounter any kind of snake be it crawling or resting on the bushes or at the ground along the trail or one coming from  above on the branches and the trees. Whahhhh....on such situation, I really do not know what to do. That is the most possible scary creature that I will possibly encounter on this wilderness.

On my being alone in the dark, I come to realize I can overcome  my fear of being attack by  herd of cows with calves, and group of buffalos too. I saw one wild boar and  some hugs. And most especially the dogs. I have no other way but to find ways how to overcome the several numbers of barking dogs when I pass by houses. The eyes of the cows are obviously bright when in the total darkness of the night. On those open areas, I just appreciate the beauty of the bright stars, the galaxy is so beautiful and it simply reminds me that I am just a minute part of this vast universe. The light of the quarter moon has become my companion all through out the evening. There are fireflies too and  some bushes that glow every time the light of my headlamp hits the leaves and branches. It's beautiful to look at.  But as I go further, I've been longing to reach the aid station of Isko, it seems like this place is just really taking forever. At some point I thought, "Oh Isko, where are you? How far will this be to where you are?" Oh well, I just have to be persistent, making sure that I am on the right trail, keeping myself busy looking for the next trail sign. When  alone and dark, the trail sign is my only companion and assurance that  I am  on the right track. 

After an hour, I already meet runners coming back from the station of Isko. It was the pair of BoyP and X first, which they said it took them 45 minutes walking pace to reach the station from where we are, then two remaining pairs of male runners followed with almost an hour interval. I wish the same too, having a partner especially on this part of the trail but that is something that I really cannot have. I just walk further and further until finally I can hear the barking of the dogs, I know now that I am on a community again, some steady light makes it a sign that probably somewhere on that dark place will be the next aid station that I have long been hoping to reach. True enough few more meters, I finally arrive where Isko is stationed. Being a first female, tackling this part of the trail alone is a surprise to them, but I might as well deal with it than wait for the next runner.  I am almost an hour late from my target time. Isko is kind enough to offer whatever food is available at his station:  hot soup, hot chocolate drink, oatmeal, rice, canned tuna. In as much as want to take everything, my body can just take so much. I settle on drinking the soup while he gave me rice with tuna. He is kind enough to offer me a seat and a chair where I can bring up  and relax my legs, he even offer to take off my shoes which I did not do anymore. Hiya naman ako. The  fleece blanket  that he give me keeps me warm while I am replenishing my food intake. I stayed longer hoping that some  runner behind me will be able to catch up, at this point I already prefer to be trudging that trail back with someone else. I am already 20 minutes on the station but still no one arrived. I decided to leave on my own.

Knowing the trail ahead of me as this is just  tracing back the trail I go through for almost 3 hours earlier up to the last aid station before this, I am a bit confident I can do it on my own. But still the same, I just have to be very extra careful  on the treacherous part of the trail and be alert on the trail signs. Even if it's just reversing the process I did earlier, still I need to be alert so as not to get lost. As I move on, I still did not notice light of a headlamp coming, no sign yet of any  runners coming.

As I continue on, one major challenge pop up, I started to get sleepy as I deal  the darkness of the night as it gets deeper. Oh my, this isn't good at all. Taking a nap at any part of the trail is not an option at all. I have to fight for it. First strategy is washing my face with cold water. It works but only for a very short time. I bring out my roasted spicy peanut. It works well, I become alert again but because I really do not have that much appetite I also cannot take that much. I decided to bring out my chewing gum, my very last option of fighting this challenge. And it gives the energy boost that I needed and keep me awake and alert again.  At some point I met my friends still going to the last station that I've been to. It's getting late and I am running late on my guide target time. Upon reaching the road, I just enjoy my time being alone until I am back at the station. I haven't been eating almost anything, even energy gels. I despise whatever I put to my mouth even water. I tried but my stomach just cannot take it. I forced myself to slowly have something for I know I needed it to finish the race.

And I continue on, as I come back to the last station, I use the rest room, replenish food, bring some sandwiches with me then leave. It will be another 3 kilometers  road run before reaching the next station. My light is now blur, I do not have with me any spare battery.  I pass by two more 100K male runners, they are taking their time as well, so I go ahead of them. What is also difficult being alone is no one can encourage me to move faster. I just take my own sweet time, it take me sometime before I reach the last station. Finally the very last one before the finish line. My 3rd drop bag is here, the marshals offered me some food but because my throat cannot swallow anything anymore, I am confused what to eat. I still have one piece of pear on my drop bag, I eat it, surprisingly my stomach is ok, my throat accepts the food, I can swallow it. But this does not have much sugar nor carbo so I know sooner or later I will feel hungry again. I bring with me  sandwiches as reserve.

Before I leave for the final 14 kilometer of the race, the two runners arrived, I asked them if I can join them at this time, but they said they will not proceed anymore but rather ask for a vehicle that they can ride back to the finish line. That made me sad but I do not want any negative thoughts at this time. Quitting at this time is not an option for me at all. This means I will have to tackle the last 14 kilometer of this race alone. It's still dark. I asked one marshal to lead me to the trail head to make sure I will not be lost. This is the first part of the trail where we run early morning yesterday. With my legs now sore, body tired and not eating so much food nor drinking enough water to sustain me, the last part is just really difficult. At some point I have to call the organizer to make sure if I am on the right trail for I am not seeing any trail sign anymore. The surrounding is full of fog and it's cold. I continue on until the day breaks. I am now on the trail for more than 26 hours. Upon reaching the rough road, trail sign becomes less that at some point I did a wrong turn, so ironic I get lost on the day time. I just continue a super slow run on the long and winding rough road. Despite my slow pace I know I have enough time to finish the race within cut off time. I did not mind anymore on what possible overall position I will be on this race. At some point I get scared I might collapse due to dehydration. All I am hoping is being able to cross the finish line and be able to represent a female finisher on this race.

Upon reaching the paved road I now know I am almost there, when I can vividly hear the sound of the running  vehicles, the sound of the gong, I know I will make it on the finish line with both feet still on the ground. The 11th finisher, the only female to finish this race in 27 hours and 58 minutes. I am happy to see the smiling faces of the people at the finish line, that of the organizers', my fellow runners and that of the supporters. That has been a long run alone, but despite that I am grateful I finish it. It was tough, at some point a question of what am I doing to myself cross my mind but it is funny how the mind can easily forget all of it when able to conquer all the difficulties and gloriously cross the finish line with a smile.

I am grateful I did it despite the challenge,  there's always this free feeling  in my heart every time I  interact with the world at it's purest away from the busy  polluted streets of the city. I am just thankful that I got to  go out and do the thing that I so much love to do and having the chance to do it with the people whom I share the same passion with is such a great reward.

This is one great race, the course is brutal yet the aid stations are strategic enough that one can recover after a difficult course. There are lots of variety of food to choose from, flowing supply of water and energy drinks, support crew are attentive to our needs. I salute all the winners for a strong finish, I congratulate all the runners who brave themselves to even be at the starting line and  join this race. I thank the marshals and the organizer for all their help and encouragements. It is a successful event, a well organized one.

Another ultra race conquered.

 Official KOTM Race Result 2012

Five Most Common Running Injuries

A good read about running injuries written by Mario Fraoli, published seven days ago.  I just want to have a personal copy of it. 

As mindful runners, we can take all the proper precautions to make sure that we’ll never have to worry about hurting ourselves, but the reality is that no one is immune to injury.

Let’s take a quick look at the five most common running injuries, how they manifest themselves and the best ways to treat them. 

1. Plantar Fasciitis
In my experience, plantar fasciitis is the peskiest problem that plagues the running wounded. During my almost four-year stint working as the manager of a specialty running store, complaints of persistent heel pain were heard more often than any other injury or ailment. Most times, the culprit could be pegged as plantar fasciitis – a sharp, tight and painful sensation at the base of the heel
that was annoying to some and excruciating for others.

 

 

Many a customer would describe the first steps out of bed in the morning, or first few strides of a run, as comparable to stepping heel first onto a nail. Eventually, the pain might go away as the day or run carried out, only to return afterward or again the next day. It’s a vicious cycle for sure.  

What causes plantar fasciitis? Overtraining, overuse and improper or worn-out footwear, yes, but the real root of the problem lies in tight and weakened muscles that aren’t able to handle the training you are trying to do.  

The fix: Orthotics and high stability shoes oftentimes serve as effective bandaids and can help eliminate a lot of people’s symptoms in a short period of time. And while I’m not absolutely against these quick fixes, by no means are they the only – or the best – way to make the pain in your heel go away. In the short term, avoiding bare feet, stretching the calves, rolling your feet around on a golf ball and icing the affected area will provide some much-need relief relatively quickly. Long term, however, diligent stretching, combined with strengthening the muscles in and around the feet will address the root of the problem and help offset a reoccurrence of this awful injury.  

2. Achilles Tendiniti

A closely related cousin to plantar fasciitis, pain that manifests itself at the back of lower leg just the above the heel is often an issue with the Achilles tendon – the thick band of tissue that attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone. Runners who suffer from Achilles tendinitis will often complain of pain and swelling close to the heel, which is oftentimes sharp and can be incapacitating. In my own experience suffering from this injury, I could pinpoint the pain, had significant swelling and recall hearing a “crunchy” sound when I would move my ankle. 

What causes Achilles tendinitis? In my case, the injury could be traced to tight calves. Because my lower legs were so tight, a lot of strain was put on my Achilles tendon, and over the course of many months of hard training, this awful overuse injury developed. How awful? It took me nearly nine months to fully recover! With so little blood flow to this area of the body, the healing process is often slow. Aside from tight calves, unsupportive footwear (Note: the definition of “supportive” depends on the individual) can overburden the Achilles tendon over time, or a quick increase in volume and/or intensity can have the same effect much more quickly, so it’s important to pay attention to both your feet and your training – especially when you’re training hard! 

The fix: Resting, icing and stretching will all help to relieve symptoms, and things such as orthotics, heel lifts and highly structured shoes are short-term solutions. Long term, however, it’s worth your while to pay close attention to stretching and strengthening the lower legs, as well as what’s on your feet. And of course, keep an eye on your training. Don’t do too much, or go too hard, too quickly. 

3. IT Band Syndrome
Ever feel like somebody is stabbing you in the side of the knee when you run, especially when going downhill? This is one of the classic symptoms of IT Band Syndrome, an annoying injury that can often become crippling if not
 addressed and corrected.

 

What causes IT Band Syndrome? The short answer is: lots of things. In talking to other runners about their experiences with this injury, the most common correlations I’ve noticed involve downhill running or always running on the same side of the road. Both put a lot of stress on the side of the knee and cause friction between the IT band and the femur. Over time, the IT band tightens and may swell, pain emerges and eventually intensifies to the point where it keeps runners from running. 

The fix: Stretching the IT Band, massaging the muscles around the area and foam rolling will help loosen things up, while a regimen of icing and taking ibuprofen will assist in reducing inflammation. Avoid downhill running, and if you always run on the same side of the road, switch directions evry so often. According to Ross Tucker and Jonathan Dugas’ book, The Runner’s Body, “overcoming this issue is simply a matter of providing variety, which balances out the impact stresses and minimizes injury risk.” 

4. Runner’s Knee
 Feel a constant ache underneath your kneecap when you run? You likely are experiencing runner’s knee, or patellofemoral knee syndrome. The main symptom is pain just below the kneecap that usually gets worse as the intensity of exercise increases, says Tucker and Dugas.

 

What causes runner’s knee? As with the other common running injuries listed here, the answer varies depending on the runner. Everything from uneven running surfaces and poor shoe selection to weak quads and hips, as well as unaddressed biomechanical flaws can contribute to this common injury. In most cases, runner’s knee can be traced to the inability of the tissues surrounding the knee to recover in between runs. 

The fix: If your knee continues to hurt, don’t run. If there’s inflammation, work on reducing it with the aforementioned ibuprofen/icing regimen. Long term, switching up the surfaces you run on, making sure you’re running in the proper footwear along with employing some simple form fixes will help keep your cranky knee from getting angry with you. 

5. Shin Splints
 Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the running injuries, the term “shin splints” can refer to any number of ailments that involves pain in the shin area. At their worst, shin splints can turn into a stress fracture along the tibia, and pain will be felt with every stride; in less severe cases, the shin area may be tender and inflamed, and pain lessens a few miles into the run. Either way, shin pain is a surefire way to make your running experience rather unenjoyable.

When I was working at the running store, the most common complaints of shin splints came at me from two different directions: during the first few weeks of a beginning runner’s training program, or at the start of high school track season. Why? In both cases, the shin pain could almost be certainly traced back to the sudden spike in volume and intensity during the first week or two of running workouts. 

What causes shin splints? As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, quick increases in volume and intensity can usually receive the biggest blame. Think about it. When you start running, especially if you haven’t been doing much of – or any – of it, what takes almost all of the initial impact forces that run through your body? The lower legs. Combine that with regular running on hard surfaces and worn out or improper footwear and you have a recipe for imminent disaster. And as with many of the aforementioned injuries, tight muscles don’t help matters much, either. The less mobile the muscles surrounding your shin are, the more stress there is on the entire area. 

The fix: Rest, ice and ibuprofen will do wonders right off the bat and will help reduce the tenderness and inflammation. As you ease back into running, pay attention to your training, as well as your equipment and environment. Increasing volume and intensity too quickly will almost always lead to trouble. Running on soft surfaces such as trails or grass will help reduce the impact on your lower legs, and paying close attention to the mileage on your running shoes will ensure that you’re not trotting on tired treads.

Other links of a good read: 
What To Do After an Ultra Race
How Much Rest Is Too Much 

First Bohol 50-Miler Ultramarathon 2012

After I join an ultra run in Cebu early this year,  I thought it would be nice to run on each province that belongs to my home region, Region 7. There are only 4 provinces anyway which will not be too difficult to complete, though I know having such race in my own home province is something that I do not see  will happen in the next few years. So when I see a post about Bohol Ultra run, I really want to  be part of the race. But that did not come easy though, I have to consider few things: the expenses, the time that I will be away, and the distance, it's going to be an 80 kilometer road run with 15 kilometer uphill on the last 30 kilometer part of the  course. With so much deliberation, me and my friends decided to join. 

I come to the starting line really excited. But  behind my excited face with endless smiles, honestly I am scared. This will be my first time to run this long on a  road, and I feel I am not on my best running shape at this time. Again and again, just when I am going to run an ultra for the nth  time I have  again my monthly period, and on it's heaviest day. I know most of you heard about  my story  about this  before and yes it happened again. I followed my usual routine, prepare the usual stuffs  that I should carry with me while running but just few minutes before the gun start, I can literally feel the heavy flow. I know on a normal situation I need to change right away otherwise I'll have stain but at this time with few seconds  left before the gun start, I just cannot. I just hope I can hang on til the next stop. This will be another modess moment race for me but despite that I still instill in my mind that my motto at this time will be 'no matter what the situation is, just enjoy the run and go with the flow.'

Go with flow here we come. After the gun start, as all the runners pass the starting line, I just take my own pace, until we reached the intersection just few meters from  the start, most of the people in front of me turn right, which I also did, until somebody from the crowd behind us shouted it should be the main road on the left, ooopps...it's a wrong turn, now goes our go with the flow motto, make your own flow when one cannot see the flow anymore. From then on, I become conscious of what direction the runner in front of me will go,   to make sure that I will not make a wrong turn again. 

It was a great evening, the sky is clear and the stars are out but there is no moon. Thanks to the street lights and the lights of the support vehicles  to most of the runners plus my headlamp, it all help illuminates the road that give us enough light to see the road ahead of us. The first two hours, I was pacing with a runner that is running barefoot, literally he has no shoes. I like his pace and I just enjoy every minute of it. Many support vehicle knows him and every after few kilometers one vehicle is waiting for him as his supporters will hand him bottle of water. I keep with his pace, I feel safe running with someone on those dark parts of the street and especially on those houses with dogs that keeps on barking. But despite having no sun, it's just too humid, I am drenched on my own sweat, after more than 2 hours of running, I can now feel I really need to look for a toilet. Though it's still dark and I still cannot see the paint of red on my legs, I can feel it's really time for me to change. In a town like Panglao, there are  just  very few gasoline stations that I can use the toilet, houses are closed, it's the ungodly hour of the morning. When I saw one bakeshop open I asked, but they do not have rest room. Few steps after I saw a man sitting on the bench, with out hesitation, I asked. Thank goodness he is kind enough to offer his place. I finally changed the resume my running. I know I am now behind.

I continue running now most of the part alone. I can feel my legs now start aching, even if I already changed napkin, I can still feel the discomfort, but those are nothing compare to my fear every time I pass a house that has a barking dog at the side of the road. OMG, I can find ways to surpass all the challenges on this run but not the dogs. Several times, I have to wait for a runner coming just to have somebody with me while crossing a house with a barking dog. I know I wasted so much time on that but really, I thought I'd rather sacrifice my time than bitten by a dog. 

I was glad to I finally get out of Panglao area and soon about to cross the bridge towards the mainland of Bohol. It is still dark but the street lights of the city are close enough to each other that I can run even with my headlamp off. And I encounter the first aid station as well. There were just few  aid stations though, good thing I brought with me a much bigger hydration fuel with my food,  I had enough  to sustain my hydration and nutrition  before reaching the next aid station. As the day light breaks, I move further away from the city going to the several municipalities of the province. We are greeted by the beautiful scenery of the place, green trees, wild plants and flowers, old wooden and modern concrete houses, the coast line, the islets and  the mangroves, the hills and mountain tops. We share the road with cars and other vehicles but not as crowded as that of a city road race.

There is one thing I realized doing  this long distance road run though,  despite the beautiful scenery I find it challenging to entertain myself  running on a long  never ending flat road ahead,  flat as far as my eyes can see.  At some point I wish it will change to an uphill or downhill road,  or a curve to the left or to the right.  I always prefer variety of terrain. In moments like this it's where I bring out some of my food, when I started to get bored I bring out my spicy roasted peanut and boy bawang to keep myself busy.

Reaching the several aid stations is a big relief, I can replenish a cold water, have some solid food and go to the rest room and change sanitary napkin. Though towards the last part of the race, there were just few aid stations on a long distance apart. It's on that part that  I wish we have a support vehicle that will make sure we have enough supply of liquid and solid food too. When it rained, runners with support vehicle changed shoes to slippers, when it got so hot a support vehicle with buko readily opened for their runners really made things different. But at some point when I run out of supply of water, I have to ask water from a support vehicle parked waiting for their runners to arrive. On areas that has community and has stores, I drop by to buy cold water and other drinks, buy medicine and rice as my breakfast. It matters a lot to have solid food while running. I thank those support vehicles who are kind enough to offer their supply to runners like us who are self contained and rely the remaining supply on the aid stations and the sari-sari stores.

The last 30 kilometers is a combination of uphill  minor downhill and flat road. I welcome the uphill with excitement,  the road  covered with man-made forest  is really beautiful. I thank for the down pour of the rain, it cools me after several hours under the heat of the sun and I did not mind the heat of the sun  up to the finish line.  Towards the end I got blisters on my feet, my right ankle hurts, the chafe on my legs, on the garter of my tank top really hurt like hell. But this does not stop me from moving. I did not expect such difficulties to pop up but it happened and I am just grateful I am able to deal this difficulties and manage to finish cross the finish line with a smile. Seeing the magnificent view of the amazing chocolate hills is just a great feeling crossing the finish line with a time of 13:27:28:95 with a bonus of placing 8th on the Women's Category.  Touring the scenic streets of Bohol by foot is a great way to spend my weekend.

Hats off to all the runners, running long distance on a road is a challenge, I believe every participant who make it to the starting line is already a winner. Congratulations to the organizer for a successful event. Thank you so much to the volunteers and support crew on the aid stations, you have been a great help to each and every runner especially like us that do not have a support vehicle.  Thank you to Dr. Bon,  to his Mom  and the medical staffs for making sure our dear friend will be able to recover and be home in Panglao safe.

Next  race King of the Mountain 4 Lakes/Mt. Ugu 100.

Pictures: Bohol 50 Miler Ultra Marathon

 

Sharing an Interview of UTMF 2012 Finisher

Name: Nora Senn
Event: UTMF 156km Trail Run

1) How did you prepare for the race?

"I intensified my core and strength training. I went on a few longer runs but in general I tried not to train more than usual as I was concerned about getting injured before the race. I made sure I had suitable gear: good headlamps, comfortable warm running clothes, enough fuel (my favorite is Sustained Energy from Hammer Nutrition), etc"

2) How many Ultras have you done now? Are they just becoming all the same?

"I had done three 100km races and a few 50km ones but never more than 100km. To be honest, I was scared of this race. I don’t think any of these races will ever be the same. They are not just races, they are experiences that I will never forget. This one was very special for me. Loving the hills, it was so special to run around a volcano like Mt. Fuji with his snow cap.

I met so many amazing people, our amazing hosts the Adventure Diva Team, all the other athletes, famous ones and first-timers, the race directors of both UTMF and UTMB etc. Seeing all the enthusiasm and the passion for trail running in everybody’s eyes, still moves me days after the race. The friends that I made during these days will always pop up in my mind when I run the trails and I will hopefully see many of them again in other races"

3) How does your body deal with running over 100km?
"Of course I got tired and the coffee in the morning after a night of running was delicious as never before, but it is amazing how much a human body can endure.

Yes, I had blisters and my ankle hurt like hell, my shoulders were tight from carrying the backpack, my chest hurt from the chest strap of the backpack and I had bruises from a small fall on my arm which hurt every time when my Road ID band touched it.

After kilometer 100 I had to slow down to walking because of my ankle and I was considering giving up. I ran out of water for about 4 hours during the long difficult section and I knew it was critical when I started seeing cows in the woods where there were absolutely none. But hey, I was still moving, doing a good time and was third female so far. What right did I have to give up, while so many runners were still behind me and fighting??? So I kept going"

4) Did everything go as planned for the race?

"I didn’t really know what to expect and what would happen after 100km. I guess most of it worked out well. I had the right gear for the cold night, my decisions on what to put in which drop bag worked well, I had my poles, spare headlamps, garmin etc. at the right checkpoints, my stomach was fine…

Twice I ran out of water for about 10km, which was not supposed to happen and needs to be avoided by all means for future races. 

Having said that, walking from kilometer 100 to the end (which took me 13 hours) because of my ankle certainly was the most painful experience ever and was not in my plan"

5) What do you think about when you’re out there?

"I thought a lot about my friends. I decided that I dedicate one kilometer to each of my friends who have shared my life with me. So for the time of a kilometer I thought about a specific friend, what we experienced together, what makes this friend so special for me, what I would want to tell him/her next time I see him/her etc"

6) Any tips for someone wanting to do a race over 50km

"Be prepared to be flexible, adapt to different circumstances. Many difficulties will pop up and the ones who can deal with these difficulties will manage to continue.

Your tested nutrition might not work, your shoes might give you blisters where you never had them before, etc. 

Anything can happen but it doesn’t have to stop you. It’s up to you to deal with it.

Another important point is pacing. It doesn’t matter if everybody runs up a hill and passes you. It is your race and you need energy for the whole distance. Run your own race and don’t let others influence your pace"

7) What races are you planning for the rest of the year?

"In the last part of UTMF while I was shuffling at snail pace, cursing every additional uphill or downhill, I was promising myself that I will never ever do this again.

But the human brain is amazing in forgetting pain and less than 24 hours later on the stage during the award ceremony I promised the race director of UTMB that I will be in Chamonix in August.

This year, I will focus on a few but special races. I will do UTMB and then maybe Challenge Wilson Raleigh and Trailwalker. In between I will just go out on some long runs in my favorite hills of Hong Kong with some good friend"

Crewing La Ultra-The High 2012 (Doing My Homework)

 La Ultra - The High, world's highest altitude ultra marathon, held in Leh - Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, India, August 2-4, 2012

Since I got invited last January to be part of a three man team to crew for my friend who is doing a 222 kilometer high altitude ultra race for 60 hours, yes it's 222 kilometers, this coming August, I get my butt crazy preparing for this event. Literally, I join what ever races there is in order to prepare for me physically, most of it are ultra races. Others don't understand my drive to join from one ultra to the other, why do such, others call it crazy cool, but really it is for this event that I want myself to be prepared. I am not the one who will be racing but I feel I need to be prepared for it, to be worthy of the invitation being offered to me and worthy of being part of the tough big race as a crew. This is one aspect of the race that  is within my control, my being physically fit come the race proper. 

The altitude of the place and how my body will react to it is something I cannot control , something I cannot prepare early on, I do not know how my body will react by then, I just hope my few high altitude climbs has prepared my body to be familiar to the thin air. And how things will progress on the race proper, how our runner will be and how we will be performing as a crew to be of best service to our dear runner, given the condition, the weather, this I really cannot figure out and cannot get a clear picture how it will go. I want to be of best service to my friend on this event, so aside from my physical preparation, I did several research of past races hoping that I will be able to get a clearer picture how it will go. This will be my very first time to crew an ultra event. 

Few days ago, I come across this great article about being  a crew, not on the same event though, but more or less it gives me an idea how to do it. Keeping a copy as my reference.

Crewing a Western States Runner

Posted by LT on 10 June 2009, 4:59 am

Guest Post By Laurie Thornley

 

So, you’ve volunteered to crew for Western States. Now what? Don’t panic. It’s actually a relatively simple process. If your runner has done his job, he will have provided you with adequate instructions for what he expects. All you need to do is follow his instructions, show up when and where he expects you to be, with what he expects you to have, and be present and attentive. Sounds easy enough, right? It can be, if you take some time to prepare.

Read the Guide

First and foremost, be sure to read the Western States Participant’s Guide. It contains lots of useful information, including important rules for crew so you don’t get your runner disqualified, detailed maps and directions so you don’t get lost, and excellent descriptions and troubleshooting recommendations for some of the more common ailments your runner may face. And, make sure either you or your runner brings it to the race.

Have a Plan

The Splits

Know your runner’s plan. If he has target splits, make sure you know what they are so you can be ready and waiting for him at each aid station. Also, be prepared to adjust if your runner gets off his plan. For example, keep track of the time of day so you can anticipate if he may need additional clothing or lights sooner than he originally planned. Craig gives me his estimated splits in time of day, not elapsed time.  For instance, he expects to arrive in Foresthill at 4 pm (not 11 hours).  This makes it much simpler late in the race when the brain starts getting soft.

Have your own plan too. My plan is based on crewing for a fairly fast runner (sub 20-hour). Your experience may differ, but you may still find some of this information helpful regardless of how fast your runner may be.

Tricks of the Trade

If you won’t be returning to Squaw Valley after the race, check out of your hotel/condo before heading to the start so you can head down the mountain as soon as the runners have started. While there is plenty of time to get to Robinson Flat before the runners start coming in, I like to get there early enough to park at the top and avoid the shuttle.

Do all your shopping for both the runner and the crew the day before, so you don’t have to stop in Auburn for anything except gas and ice. For Craig and crew, our shopping list usually includes Pepsi, Mountain Dew, V8 juice, bread-turkey-cheese-avocado for sandwiches, bananas, grapes, melon, Pringles, pretzels, nuts, M&Ms, and of course Craig’s secret fuel: pork & beans. I like to bring Tupperware containers so I can prepare the sandwiches and melon ahead of time and keep them fresh.  And, don’t forget lots of water for drinking AND DOWSING both runner and crew. It’s a long, grueling day, so it’s important to take care of yourselves as well as your runner. Toddlers and dogs are particularly susceptible to the heat, and should be monitored for signs of dehydration and overheating. Pacers especially need to eat and stay hydrated during the day so they’re not depleted when it comes time for them to run.

Be sure you have a full tank of gas before heading up the Foresthill divide. While Foresthill does have gas stations, I find it much easier not having to worry about gas for the rest of the day.

Have both a large cooler and dry aid box that you leave in the car and a smaller cooler and aid bag that you carry to the aid stations. You can restock the smaller containers from the larger ones before heading to each aid station. Backpacks make good aid bags. We also have a soft-sided cooler bag with a shoulder strap. Both are easy to manage, especially on the 3 miles down to the river (hint: wear comfortable hiking shoes).

 Crew At Work

Bring a lightweight folding chair and ground cloth so you can set up your aid spot and have everything out, visible, and in reach every time. Besides food and electrolyte drink, you never know when your runner is going to need gels, S-caps, ibuprofen, sunscreen, Tums, Vaseline, Band Aids, baby wipes, flashlight, batteries, etc. or a fresh bandana, shirt, shorts, sunglasses, socks, hat, shoes, etc. Often just seeing an item out will prompt a runner to use it. If saving time is important to your runner, having two sets of bottles may help. That way you can swap them out instead of having to refill a single set each time. Also, if you have the luxury of multiple crew, it usually works best if you assign each crew member to a different set of related tasks (e.g., one person to manage bottles and fluid intake, another person to track food and pharmaceutical intake and go through the check list of possible fanny pack replacement needs, and a third person to deal with physical needs like massage, ice rub downs, blisters, chaffing, sunburn).

Always restock your smaller aid station cooler with fresh ice each time so you have ample ice to put in water bottles, rub on your runners legs, or put in his hat. Separate zip lock bags keep ice designated specifically for water bottles from getting grimy. I also keep a small hand towel soaking in another zip lock bag in the cooler so we always have a VERY cold towel to drape over Craig’s head and shoulders.

Bring lots of different clothing options. Robinson Flat, Dusty Corners, and Michigan Bluff can be blisteringly hot while the river and Hwy 49 crossing aid stations are always damp and cold once nightfall sets in. Bring extra lights and batteries for yourself as well as your runner. And bring the necessary comforts to the finish line for both runner and crew (e.g., a warm change of clothes and loose fitting shoes or sandals for your runner and sleeping bags and pads for everyone). You might even consider bringing a tent.

Have a pad of paper and pencil so you can keep track of the competition and report out to your runner how close he is to the next few runners in front of him. This becomes especially important toward the end of the run when the racing really begins as it helps to gauge if your runner is gaining or losing time to other runners. If he is close to someone at Hwy 49, you may also want to go to No Hands and Robie Point to give him additional updates.  If you have failed to get times for previous runners, DON’T GUESS at the number of minutes ahead they are. Just get accurate numbers at the next aid station.

Understand the Psychology

Be prepared for a myriad of runner emotions throughout the course of the day, and don’t take any of them personally. Your runner will be alternately hot, tired, elated, dejected, sick to his stomach, catching a second wind, hungry, thirsty, and generally in pain somewhere. Do your best to address his needs, troubleshoot issues, and remain realistically positive. Unless your runner is physically injured, don’t allow him to contemplate quitting. Nausea, blisters, heat, and sleep deprivation will all conspire to challenge his resolve, and your permission may be all the excuse he needs to quit.  Don’t offer this as a solution to those problems.  If you are the type who doesn’t like to see others suffer, you might have to work hard at this.

Also be sure to take care of your own physical and emotional needs. It’s going to be a long day and night with hours spent in the car followed by more hours sitting at aid stations punctuated by mere moments with your runner. Try not to let it show when you get hot, tired, or stressed. He has worked very hard and invested a lot of time preparing for the race, and he is counting on you to be focused on him. Don’t burden him with your problems. He’s got enough on his mind.

Enjoy the Day

Finishing WS is a big accomplishment for both runner and crew. Take the time to enjoy it. Definitely take pictures. Hang out at the finish line. Attend the awards ceremony if you can. Talk to other runners and crews. Learn their stories. Share yours.

The full copy of the article: Crewing a Western States Runner

Petzl RocTrip China 2011 [EN] The Official Movie

Wicked!!!!!! That's all I can think of while watching this video and can't help but have a personal copy of it. 

I haven't been back to the wall for more than six months now and almost a year on the outdoor. I hope to be back soon, after my three consecutive weekends of ultra runs. The crag always gives me a high feeling. Seeing this video of a great rock trip in China inspire me again to go back to climbing and hone the skills that I haven't been practicing for several months now. My rock climbing shoes is now calling me.

aNR Session 8 - Endurance Run

"Speed training for tonight", that's what I hear from our team leader Zaldy.  

But much as I wanted to take the speed training on today's session, I have an ultra run this Saturday, I do not want to exert so much effort on my speed at this close to the race,  as I am now on my tapering. So I beg off doing the speed training and proceed to endurance run instead. But alas, it's 10 rounds of the 1.2kilometer  outer part of the triangle. A distance of 12 kilometers of the 10 lapses on the park, how is that, I need my patience to be around. I haven't done this before, I'd rather do a long distance run on a long stretch of distance than doing it several lapses on one place. Only one of my running friend is around, all my kikay friends did not show up tonight.  I miss them on this session.

 Of course, I did it, and I did it seriously. Maintaining my pace, not a fast one though but faster than my normal one. I noticed few male runners ahead of me doing the same ten rounds but after my 5th round, they are out of my sight already. I know there are several runners behind me doing the same route too, but I did not notice them even up to my last round. Probably they run ahead of me on the few rounds without me noticing it. And I wonder what could be those runners of the speed training doing. I love to do that as well, it's one of my goal joining this clinique, but I do not see myself doing it on the next three weeks due to my three ultra runs coming.

 I was running pretty ok. I just have to be extra careful on the uneven parts of the paved sidewalk that served as our running route, running on the grass on the side when having the chance. Ayala Triangle is pretty crowded even after office hours. Commuters and runners alike share the same walk way, and even on the inner lane of the park. I just have to look ahead in order not to bump people approaching or other runners may bump me. 

With my desire to finish earlier, I did not stop to hydrate. I just continue with my run, good thing it was not that hot, I was not sweating so much. Though towards the last few rounds it was very tempting to go get my hydration bottle. I was among the last few runners who finish last on this session. But I am happy I did it at a longer distance at the  middle of the central business district. I haven't done such distance for a long time now. Good work out after all. And there was bread offered to me at the end, having a bread at one hand while doing my cool down exercise. Nice. Thank you Ayala Triads.

Nice read about the basics of running: Running 101: How Often Do You Run?

All pictures courtesy of Ayala Triads 

2012 King of the Mountain Trail Run - Registered

Another ultra trail run in a making, it's 100 kilometer race again. Just one month apart from my last ultra trail run and here I am again. This is going to be a back to back ultra, a Bohol Benguet ultra run, from the road to a trail. What have I put myself into again. 

I have been climbing Mt. Ugu several times and been to the mountain slopes below it, I just hope that what I know about the mountain and the neighboring communities of it will be an advantage on this race. 

Others call me crazy, for I did not even give myself a chance to recover and regain the lost energy and strength, but I think this will be my practice to my upcoming big event this August. Testing my endurance to the highest level. I hope and pray for my safe race and be able to do it on time. 

Wishing all the runners of this race a safe and injured free run. All the best. 

Here's the link of the race details: King of the Mountain Trail Run 2012

Another Trail Run on a Weekend

Sunday, May 13. After my run at Shotgun-Timberland-Maarat the day before, I promised BoyP to join him this time. My legs are still fine from the run yesterday,  so I decided to give it a go. Though waking up again on an ungodly hour of the morning for two consecutive days now is just really a big challenge. Leaving home and riding a public bus that early most of the time gives me apprehension, I always pray that I will not encounter any bad people along the way. I arrived Cubao safe and sound. 

We travel to Mcdo Masinag, the group's final meeting place. I will be with a group of runners whom I will be running for the first time except for two persons. The usual motto, just enjoy the trail and enjoy each others company. Bringing one car,  the group travel to Tanay through Cogeo. As the day breaks and the side of the road  now visible, the place looks familiar, I have run this route before. We  go further until we reach Sierra Madre Resort, where we park the car and started our run.

A little less than 100 meters of  paved road from the resort where we started we turn left to a rough road surrounded with community, we just continue running until we are greeted by vast horizon of mountain ranges perching above the clouds. What a beautiful site. As we go further down on the never ending downhill compact rough road, we are followed by the beautiful scenery until we reach a point where each of us is like being swallowed by the mist and the fog. The visibility is just few meters. We continue running down hill, literally it  is all a down hill road, mostly compact rough road. There are short parts that is paved but very minimal. Which means if all of this part is now a downhill slope on our exit for sure this is going to be all an uphill trail on a midday probably. All the more that makes this escapade exciting.

As we come to the valley of this place,  we are surrounded by mountain slopes above us, we also start to cross  parts of the river. This is the big Daraitan River that passes through the several communities  we pass by. We find joy crossing the river through the filed boulders that served as a bridge with extra care just to make sure we will not fall into the water and get wet.  At some point we even  look for an easier passage beside the river bank. Such strategy continue up to the 9th crossing until there is just no way for us to pass but through the knee deep river. There are 13 river crossing all in all. We register at Barangay Laiban to make sure of our safety,  continue on to Barangay Manggahan where we cross the very last river and replenish our food supply and hydrate at the community. I think this is lowest part and community of this valley. 

The night before, I totally forgot to ask what kind of trail we will be running. I never thought we will cross a river so many times. One more time I thought of using my over used more than 4 year old TNF Rucky Chucky shoes. The moment I find out that there will be river crossing, I just prayed that the traction of my shoes will hold on up to the last river crossing and up to the end of our run. The reason the moment we enter the very first river crossing, I am one of those who really take an effort to carefully cross the boulders filed as bridge. I can see some parts of  the traction now slowly tearing apart, thank goodness my shoes survived up the end of trail and up until I reach back home. I did not bring any slippers with me. Now I can say, it's really about time for me to retire my very first and favorite trail running shoes.

Just before we will face the grueling uphill part of the rough road, the group decided to take a dip on the deeper part of the river. We enjoy the coolness of the water. And off we continue on. It's now almost noon time, almost all the locals that we will inform where we are heading tells us that it is still a long way to go for us. An uphill slopes are balanced by a minor descends making my legs rest for a while. What we expected to be sunny on this part, it rained. Wet from bathing in the river, all the more we are wet by the rain and by our sweat. As the rain stop, the sun come out, it's sunny but not so hot. We make 1 pit stop at a house that sells fruits, vegetables and bread. I replenish my food again, I can now feel I need to eat, ask for drinking water as well. As we continue on the uphill slope, I cannot cope with the pace of my running mate anymore, I am already few meters behind him. In as much as I want to move faster, I just cannot anymore. Until we reach the junction that leads to the highway. With both of us a newbie to this route, we decide to just stay and wait for the remaining members of the team.

While waiting, we order freshly picked buko for just P8.00 per piece. This costs P25.00 in the city. We indulge on the coolness of it's juice and freshness of its meat. I consumed 2 while waiting for the rest of the team.

Twenty four kilometers, 5 hours, 13 river crossings, passing by four communities. The stunning mountain landscapes, the beautiful downhill uphill trail, the magnificent river crossing with the company of new found running mates makes this a perfect weekend getaway. I get what I wanted, a quality run and it's on trail. Amazing.Thank you so much to my five teammates on this run, I had so much fun. Til next time.
Pictures: Sierra Madre Trail Run