Afro-Dark at the 2012 Afroman Leg

My Afroman Distance Debut

My last year's feat at the 1st Afroman race (2010 RunRio Trilogy 3 - Run United 2) has left a good mark on my 2010 races. It was my second farthest distance attained in running, with barely a breathe left upon crossing the finish line after 03:11:27 last 21 Nov 2010.

During those times, I am not yet a solid member of the Six:30 running group as I haven't been solidly participating with their training sessions. So there was virtually nobody to cheer and ask for assistance, save for a good friend who ran a shorter distance for the same event. She was there, waiting for me, and all hands with assisting and giving aid to me right after I crossed the finish line. The race was so tiring, the sun's heat burned me, but the experience was so fulfilling!

Afro-distance debut (2010 RunRio Trilogy Leg 3)

Give Back, Come Back

13th of November, the second Afroman signature distance was back, again as the third leg of the RunRio Trilogy for 2011. As this distance is aimed to give the runners, specially those who are aiming to run their first full Marathon, the feel of achieving a finish as they hit their "wall", a lot of upcoming Marathoners for the 3rd TBR Dream Marathon 2012 joined this Afroman Leg. Among them are a number of members from the Six:30 Running Group.

A night before the race, me, Allan, Daisy, and Kyx (two of the new Six:30 members) met at SecondWind to buy some of our essentials for the race, and had our eve of Carbo-loading at Mang Inasal while exchanging stories and funny anecdotes about random stuffs. Kyx is one nervous guy for his upcoming longest distance for the next day (read their race account from RunningFreeManila's post).

The flock of Runners in Blue Run United 3 singlet (photo grabbed from Unilab ActiveHealth's album)

Race day, the four of us met at some street post near the starting line, and soon other Six:30 members came in view including RunnerIshi and Noel. Hendy and John are nowhere in sight but are also running the Afro leg. As Allan assigned himself to pace with Kyx, and Noel is also going to pace a buddy of his, I also thought of pacing RunnerIshi - the least that I could do to give back for the assistance and kindness that she gave during my debut feat with last year's Afro leg. She doesn't want me to pace her but I insisted. After all, like the other first time Afro distance runners, it will also be her first, and longest race distance to conquer.

So I paced her out of her willingness and just planned to stay until some rays of the sun peeks. We started at the middle of the starting line, but got left far behind the pack a few hundred meters after because of her ITBS (or arthritis?) which has acted early. Unlike with the previous race where I did stressed her early, we were doing her own rhythm and chosen pace/technique (she counts mentally before walking and does the same for the running since we both don't have a digital timer/chronograph). At the 5th kilometer, she insisted once again for me to go ahead as the route is already well lit with the early morning sky. But since there were a lot of crossings along Buendia road, with drivers endlessly honking at the race Marshalls, trucks trying hard to cross along the route, a few hundred meters (approx.) of narrow path left for the runners, and her aching ITBS I decided to stay with her up to the 7th kilometer.

After an approximate elapsed time of 1 hour and 6 minutes at the 7th kilometer mark, we were already running on our own. I tried to catch-up with other runners who are already ahead of us and was able to pass-by a number of them including some friends who still looks strong and are running strong. We reached the first U-Turn along Buendia road near Makati Avenue, a very familiar U-turn point from the 1st Afroman Leg. Going towards Roxas Blvd. from Buendia was a breeze, with some wary drivers on the other side of the road, street Children enjoying the closed road from vehicular traffic, and a drunk man in his 20's sleeping at the side of a street post/fence.

Photo thanks to Jpeg Mendoza

At Roxas Blvd., I've crossed many of my friends who are now on their way back, some already doing their speedy negative split who could no longer hear us calling his name (Hendy?). Kyx and Allan are also still doing good and it seems that Kyx already lost his nervousness (but not yet his sanity, I believe).

The route along the stretch of Roxas Blvd. from near NAIA road going to the third U-turn near UN Ave. spanning more than 8 kilometers and from UN Ave. going to Vicente Sotto (the street going to Star City) spanning more than 3 kilometers seems to be the longest of the route. Coupled with the sun's heat that was almost unbearable, and with hydration stations already drying up, the route became longer and longer as my speed and stamina gets lower and lower. I could already see many runners now walking, and most are just taking a stroll while chatting with their friends. It's good though that half of the road on this route was closed to traffic, making it easy for chasing runners to find their way without much criss-crossing efforts.

Allan and Kyx on their way to the Finish line

At Vicente Sotto, a lot of People have flocked, while some are still lined up at the entrance of Aliw Theater for the Pacquiao-Marquez 3 fight. Farther more at Magdalena Jalandoni street are mix of Airsoft players and ROTC Cadets/Cadettes making their own airsoft gun noises and salutations. These somehow made my mind get out from the numbing and floating sensations.

Upon reaching the finish line, I just re-fueled myself with the remaining gatorade on my hydration bottles and went back for RunnerIshi who's already around 23-24km mark. But the cold water which I poured from my head that went down to my back gave my lower back an unusual ache which hindered me from running or even make a light jog. I saw RunnerIshi at Roxas Blvd. near Trader's Hotel and is about to turn right at Vicente Sotto St. She was already crying and I found out that she's been walking and was no longer running since reaching the 22nd kilometer due to the continues aching of her ITBS. From there, I've been pushing her and giving her motivations to finish the remaining distance of 5 more kilometers. She's been begging to just DNF from the race, but since she can still walk (lol), I insisted that she finish her race. The drag was really challenging as both of us can no longer run. My back was still aching, both of our legs are already tired, her spirit is already low and has been continuously losing hope that she'll be able to finish the race.

Six:30 members eagerly waiting near the finish line

At Diosdado Macapagal, we were able to somehow speed up our walk that somehow gave us more distance covered. It took us almost an hour or more before finally reaching the finish line. But then I was glad that after all those tiring walk, the Six:30 members are still there, waiting for our arrival.

Race Profile:
Distance: 32 km.
Official Time: 03:38:32 (chip time)
Official Ranking: 605th out of 2,039 Finishers

Race Info:
When: November 13, 2011.
Where: SM Mall of Asia, Pasay
Event: 2011 RunRio Trilogy 3 - Run United 3

You may view a PDF copy of the Official Race Results from Ms. KulitRunner's blog.