Monday, October 20, 2008

Botak Paabilisan Good Race Day




Its been a long time since my last 5K run at JAL run and I'm about to race again. I could still remember my last JAL run and I'm sure many would agree that a 5K run is equally difficult, or even scarier than racing a 10K if your planning to race it really well. What scares me about 5K races is that the one training ingredient necessary to race this distance well, is the one I always keep on missing. Yes, I've been missing a lot of speedwork sessions.

But I missed this distance so much that I wanted to give it another shot. I've registered at BOTAK Paa-bilisan. As I arrived at the race venue there where like 1000 plus runners in the area. I saw Joms who would be running the 10K distance after claiming my race kit from BOTAK staff.

I was again gonna pace with my friend Regie (supposedly) througout the race. When the gun sounded I tried to get away from the traffic of the crowed and started running as fast as I can. I couldn't find Regie because of the many runners running, but I know somewhere he'll find me and with be running together soon. True to what I thought just after 500 meters Regie appeared out of no where and we were running together. While nearing Lawton avenue I saw Joms. Joms is the ultimate Happy Feet target and if he was running 10K, he's sure is fast. I could see my heart rate quickly shoot to 170 after the first 1K. At 2K it was already reaching 180. On the 3rd kilometer it was reaching 186. Nearing the fourth kilometer my feet began to burn! It haven't felt such sensation before but it felt like overheating. I also felt gasping for air. I knew I need to slow down. I tried, but it seems my heart rate is stuck to 180 plus. So I did the worst or maybe wisest decision to stop and walk as I tried to have my heart rate fall. By this time Regie vanished within my site. Many other runners had passed by including Joms. My spirits were down at that point, but I wanted to race and finish the 5K race running than walking. So I started running again. I kept up my pace until I reached Joms again. I decided to pace with him until finish (Note that he's running 10K). The last 500 meters, Joms motivated me to try and add speed to my pace until the finish. So I tried doing what he said until I reached the finish line (Thanks Joms!). I clocked 21 minutes and 50 seconds (I think). But I need to get the official time from Botak to be sure. I may have called this race a bad race day. But I'm taking this one as a good lesson learned. I've learned to still continue to pace evenly even in short races as 5K. Amidst not being able to get a PR, I was still able to enjoy the race. In fact after the race I got to meet blogger friends Run Unltd, Bro J and Running Fatboy (Thanks Bro J for the wonderful pics). I also got a picture with Ms Elma Muros. To Oknoy and the Botak peeps, congratulations for a great race. Now the only bad race day is if you aren't able to race. But everytime ill finish a race may it be a PR or not, it should either be a good race or a great race.

See you guys on the next races. Keep on running and racing!

11 comments:

Bro J said...

Hi Taki, nice meeting you last Sunday at the Paa-Bilisan Race. You can grab our photos at my blog http://brojrunning.blogspot.com or at http://overdrivingiceone.blogspot.com
Hope we can have a longer chat next time. See you next race!

Unknown said...

Taki, even though no pr, it is stil an extremely good time. Others would love to run that time on a 5k. Will I see you on sunday at the Fort for the race?

Tech Spec said...

Philip - thanks for the compliment. We actually have the same race pace. Although we won't be able to race together this sunday since I'll be assigned as a marshall there.

Bro J - Hey thanks for the pics. I've added them in this post. :) It was really nice meeting you. I hope to see you this sunday at the OctobeRun Festival.

run unlimited said...

Hey Taki, its nice meeting you. See you again at the races. Run well.

Johnny Sy said...

Hi Taki,

I think you still ran a good race. Too bad we didn't have a chance to meet up. Maybe next Sunday. Catch you soon.

Anonymous said...

hi taki. i was browsing your site and i saw naldy on your list. dati kong officemate si naldy.

anyway, 21 minutes is still a good time.

Anonymous said...

Hi Taki. Good time. I hope to have that time this coming Sunday.

Thanks for inviting me to runner+. I'm enjoying it as are several other notables (Wilbert and Patrick among them).

Tech Spec said...

run unltd - yeah hope to see you again.

Johny sy - as of today I know ill be assisting at the 10K turn around in the upcoming OctobeRun. I'll see you there. :)

vballrunner - I happened to talk to naldy just this morning. We are actually officemates at Oracle. He's in the US right now and I'm having a garmin 305 shipped to him from Amazon.

Wayne - I don't have any doubt that you will get a PR on your next run this Sunday. You've been getting PRs on practice races already. :)

Nora, the golden girl said...

Taki, 21 minutes is not good . . . it is great!!! Well, for me at least coz I finished at 31:45 (but official time = 31:57 at the KOTR)

Congratulations for an amazing race. See you at the OctobeRUN.

Tech Spec said...

Hi Nora, yeah we will see each other this sunday. If your running the 10K ill be at the 10K turn around. :)

Anonymous said...

Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!