Weekend 5K Race Part 2 (Animo Run)

This was the event I was really anticipating for since I've joined the Alumni category, and just maybe I can get the chance to get the alumni category at this one. As I arrived at the venue with my wife, we visited the rest rooms and I lined up in front of the starting. I told my wife I'd try to race this one. I'm not sure what pace I'd try to maintain, but I told myself I'd give my all for this one. When the gun sounded I tried to run and maintain a 4 to 4:15 min/km pace. I tried to overtake as many as I can until I got to the point of overtaking the 10K runners who ran 5minutes earlier. I was consistent in pacing this runner with a grey sando and boy he's really fast. I told myself I'll keep up pacing with him until the end of the 5K whatever it takes. All along the course I felt great following this runner with the grey sando. Then I reached the finish line. But here is the bad part, at the shoot, the guy getting the tags asked me where my barcode was. I looked at my race bib and the barcode was gone! I was told the guy that it might have fell somewhere in the middle of the race. I also told him that I was at the alumni division. The guy then told me, "Sir doon kayo sa kabilang lane". I was like "what?". So I crossed and went at the DLSU lane. I told the girl who was suppose to take the barcode at that lane that I was an alumni. She was holding a piece of paper at that time and she wrote my number in that piece of paper and I can see clearly that in the DLSU lane I was the 3rd finisher. But, there she wrote that I had no barcode. I asked her if there could be a problem with the results if I didn't have a barcode and she said that they already wrote my number. As I left the shoot I knew I'd have a good chance of getting the alumni category. Besides, the first two might probably be a DLSU student or an athlete. My time in my watch was 21:07. Again, not a PR, but at least is the fastest 5K I've run for the past 3 months.

After the race, the best part was when I got to talk with other runner bloggers such as Nora, Vener, Jerry, Dennis, and Jinoe. We had some photo sessions and then when the winners were being announced I told them I'd check the results. My wife was there to accompany me during the announcement.

While the winners were being announced, a lot of runners were complaining. It seems like the real winners in the top 10 male and female were mixed up. This is also true with the age category. In fact Nora my friend who is already 50 years old (oks lang ah sabihin ko age mo?) did not get any prize. The announcer said there was no women 50years in above who ran the event. But it wasn't true. Nora finished the 5K and she deserved to get the prize. Anyway, this part of the event was disastrous. Poor announcers, some runners are blaming and shouting at them. They weren't the organizers, so its but right that all complaints aren't addressed to them. I saw the girl announcer walking out of frustration. My wife and I stayed for 30 more minutes waiting for the DLSU category to be announced, but because of the problems with the 5K and 10K open categories, a girl announced that for the DLSU category, the winners will instead be texted. Of course for me this was dissapointing. I'm no longer expecting a text or call from them. I have a feeling that since I didn't have any barcode, I'd forfeit the chance of getting a prize. I'm not really after the gift pack anyway. I'd just be happy getting the medal if I really deserved it.

Oh well, at least I had a great run. I just wonder how the others did at the UNICEF run.