The hills are alive!

I focused on reminding myself I was running my race and not trying to keep pace with somebody. It's about your journey -- not everybody else's journey. -- Jennifer Beals, actress, on her first road race.


Marathon day started just like all the other long run Sundays. My two alarm clocks went off at exactly 2:30 in the morning and with rote precision I did my routine – wash up, dress-up, tape the feet, put petroleum jelly on the toes and elsewhere where seams touch the skin, wear socks with toes, wear shoes with chip, put on the race number, eat whole wheat pan de sal with peanut butter chased with isotonic water, wear cap after eating.

By 3AM the big bad city was still fast asleep, but the Marathon Foodie was ready to go. I locked Eugene’s house and walked to where the cabbies were waiting. In my best neutral Tagalog, I gave firm directions for the driver to take me to the Quezon City Hall or at least up to where the road blocks were.

When I arrived at the starting area, the other Cebuano runners were already there. We were all in high spirits and took lots of photos. At exactly 4:30 AM the starting gun went off and there was no turning back. This is it. The culmination of three months of hard-work and sacrifice.

By the time we reached KM2 inside UP, I was running 6:30min/km. This was a full minute and a half too fast. I slowed down and enjoyed the route. The academic oval looked surreal in the dark as I ran to "Police On My Back" by The Clash.

As we exited towards Commonwealth Avenue, I was amazed at what I saw. All eight lanes of the north-bound side were closed to vehicular traffic. Commonwealth had turned from the country's most dangerous highway to a runner's playground.

There was plenty of water and 100 Plus on this part of the route, I stopped for a sip or two on each one of them. We made our way to Batasan, which literally smelled of uncollected garbage, but the people on the side of the road were cheerful and encouraging. I joined the 5:15 pacers. Yeah right. I knew I was being over optimistic.

Then the hills began rolling. I said OK ra. I run the hills of Banawa three times a week, this should be no problem. Just as we were entering a quiet village called East Fairview, we saw the lead pack with the Kenyan runners and Cris Sabal making their way back to the QC Memorial Circle.

I soon discovered that East Fairview Village connected to the La Mesa Eco Park, where the hills just kept coming. This was no Banawa. This was like running in Nivel Hills towards Busay, which I've only done once. Then I felt a slight twitch on my right leg. It wasn't painful, but I knew what it was. This was a prelude to a leg cramp.

I took off my earphones and listened to my body. No pain. I leaned and shifted my weight forward to ease the pressure on my legs as I landed. It worked. The legs felt easy, but I was much slower. The soldiers patrolling the park told me -- "Primera lang ma'am paakyat kaya mo yan".

Running 5 kilometers inside the Eco Park and the La Mesa Dam was a truly beautiful experience. But it was also the most difficult. Aside from the hills, there was no water throughout this portion of the route. There was water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. As I negotiated the last kilometer towards the park's exit, I met a bunch of gentlemen in their 50's who asked me if it was my first marathon. I said -- "Opo." Then the one whom everyone addressed as Dr. told me it's all in the mind hija. "I'll see you at the finish line", he said. Then he and his friends sped away.

I was counting on drinking water at the water station just beyond KM 22 as we exited the park, but there was none. I told myself it's all in the mind, water will miraculously appear. But still there was none, not even chunks of ice to suck on and I was really, really thirsty after running more than 5KM sans water. The need to conserve my energy, prevented me from getting mad.

At this point I lost the 5:15 pacers. I decided not to join the 5:30 or the 5:45. I thought it was better to run the race alone. No pressure.

I saw another water station just before SM Fairview, but the runner ahead of me just got the last cup of water. I begged the marshal for water. There was a shed nearby with a gallon of mystery water. It belonged to uniformed MMDA personell I think. I drank a cup and said "Thank you Manong MMDA." Beggars can't be choosy.


After SM Fairview, I really didn't know where I was. I've never been to this place before. I just knew the general area to be Fairview, which on the QC map looked like a really big chunk of land. I was hoping to see a road sign that would say Commonwealth because I knew that meant the road towards the Circle where the finish line was. Frankly, as a promdi in the big city, I was more afraid of getting lost than running out of water. Thankfully, the race marshals with QCIM shirts whether on foot, mounted on bikes and motorcycles were everywhere.

Finally, I reached the start of Commonwealth Avenue and the unforgiving hills coming one after the other began again. I tricked my mind to thinking that I was running in Cebu and not on those unfamiliar hills. I kept thinking, if I were running my LSD from Capitol to Danao Cebu, where would I be at this point? It made all those lonely miles seem easier. When I reached KM 29 to 32, I imagined that I was running in the roads of Danao with the Camotes Sea to my right. I couldn't hear the buses and cars stuck in traffic on the other side of Commonwealth, all I could hear was the sound of the sea in my head.


Now what's the Marathon Foodie to do after crossing 32KM? My mental picture was up to KM 32 in Danao City only. With no more mind tricks and imagery to occupy me I started noticing the pain on my left chest, my thighs and the left side of my back. Coach Precing once told me that from KM 32 to the finish line, I will feel pain everywhere, even the nails and the hair will seem painful. Coach told me "It will be the longest 10K of your life. But no matter what happens, do not stop running bahala na ug hinay, or your legs will lock."

So I turned to power words and phrases. Words like courage, strength, and don't stop believing. I also thought of reserving a little for the final 300 meters. I wanted to sprint and not hobble towards the finish line. So reserve, reserve, reserva troncal! What?!? Anyway, that went on until I reached North Avenue towards Trinoma.

As the time elapsed ticked away from 5:00 to 5:15 to 5:20, I kept thinking there's no way I could run faster than Katie Holmes' 5:30 NY marathon time, but I'll be damned if I finish my first full mary at 6:00. I thought that would be a real letdown.

So power words and the need to finish with pride propelled me towards the home stretch. After exiting North Avenue, I saw that the elliptical road was already opened to vehicles. Oh no! How do I cross this thing? Thankfully there were two other male runners struggling to cross eight lanes of traffic and we made it together. As I saw a crowd 250 meters away, I knew this was it. Irene Kara's "Fame" was playing on my MP3 and with everything I had left, I lifted my legs and sprinted at a 4:15min/km pace and crossed the finish line at 5:47:53 (unofficial Garmin time).

It was proudest I had ever felt in a really long time.

For now, I'm happy with the way I performed. I'm glad I made my own race not about targeting a specific time, but all about endurance, mental toughness and chutzpah. I know now, without any doubt in my mind that as far as mental toughness goes, I have it in me to finish a marathon. Hopefully, I'm able to translate this new-found power to real world situations that I deal with everyday.
I know there's plenty of room for improvement. I know I've to shed 10 pounds and strengthen my core muscles and lower extremeties. My speed needs serious work and my legs have miles and miles to go.

I realize that finishing the QCIM isn't the be all and end all of my running "career". I'm only 32 and I'm just getting started. As the first woman to ever win the gold in the Olymic marathon Joan Benoit Samuelson once said -- "Running is a lifetime pursuit. Your paces may vary at different times, and you might have to walk sometimes. But if you set goals, and have passion, and believe in yourself, anything is possible. You only have to just do it."

P.S. I met Ray Abenojar on KM 39 and did not even know it. Thanks Ray for the ice candied Gatorade! You were an angel. And to all the strangers who were kind enough to pass on a banana from their cars on KM 37, and Kate the volunteer nurse and her Salonpas spray at KM 36, to Jazzrunner Rene Villarta and to the wonderful people of Quezon City who sacrificed a lot just so we could run this marathon-- THANK YOU!

Photo Credit: Lovena Guardo