It was the middle of 2012, my life was deeply eaten by my then work and I was just 22 but I already felt the quarter-life crisis. I was not happy with everything that was happening. After passing our board exam, I thought that working would make me be interested in life again but it failed me. Every passing day became monotonous, I had no work-life balance, my bad habits had started to fill my free time again and I was lost. I wanted to do something that not everybody could do, something that I could be proud of. Then one day, my brother Edison (TBR DM 2011 alumnus) went home from abroad who reminded me of the days when he would wake up every morning to run God knows how far and how long and those weekends when I would support him during his races. So I thought of doing the same thing he does for years now. Run, just run.
WHEN
August - I scolded myself one morning during breakfast because even though I have promised to run, my bed always wins against my alarm clock and my shifting schedule at work was a headache. The thought of joining a race have played in my mind over and over again and what made me laugh by myself is the thought of me joining a full marathon, just to challenge myself. Me, without any running experience, without any training plan and at that time, without even a running shoe! And then one day, while scanning my Facebook's news feed, I saw this TBR Dream Marathon advertisement that the online registration was to begin in two days. I registered. I didnt know what I was getting into. I just prayed and told myself that a successful registration would be a sign that I can and will finish the 42.195km.
Scanning the list of the people who got in felt exactly like the moment when I scanned the list of our board exam's passers.
HOW
"You conquer the marathon not during the race, but each and every time you lace up, run the last few kilometers or win over the temptation to stay home in bed" - Jaymie Pizzaro
Being a newbie without any experience at all, that very statement in our welcome kit made me courageous and faithful about what lay ahead of me. After reading the kit, finishing a full marathon, which was up until then had been only a thought playing in my mind, became a DREAM. I had been challenged, and fear nor doubt did not surface within me, but excitement and fortitude. At that moment, I was positive I could do it.
After attending the first Bull Circle and listening to Coach Jim Lafferty, I began to religiously follow his training program. I had a really hard time since I have a shifting schedule at work which changes day after day. Some days I had to run as early as 3am, some nights I had to run as late at 11pm and there were about two weekends when I wasnt able to do LSD because I had to work during the graveyard shift.
And then the first Bull Clinic came. I joined the 2:1 group after hearing what Coach Lit Onrubia had to say which made me scared of joining the other pace groups. I knew that morning that I was weaker than everybody else since I have just started running few weeks back while others have been running for months or years already. But it surprised me when I was able to run with the pack joyfully and easily. Happiness and fulfillment was my reward that morning.
As weekday maintenance runs and weekend LSD schedules passed, I didnt know if I was on the right track. There was no body whom I could ask about how they were doing because I know no one from my TBR DM batch, so I just continued running and training.
During the third Bull Clinic, because I was feeling really good that morning, I thought of joining the 3:1 group headed by Coach Lit. At first it was fun but as we go on running, I felt the speed and how strong the pack was. After the run, exhaustion and frustration ate me. I have been following the training plan but I had been left by the pack that morning and I got mad at myself because of the days when I would be so lazy during a run. That morning made realize that I should train harder and run more.
My first official race was Condura Skyway Marathon when we ran 21km and where I made all of my PRs. After the race, since we needed to total 32km as our long run that weekend, I with my new TBR Dream marathon batchmates got together and ran another 11km along Daang Hari. It was my longest and most painful run.
My first official race was Condura Skyway Marathon when we ran 21km and where I made all of my PRs. After the race, since we needed to total 32km as our long run that weekend, I with my new TBR Dream marathon batchmates got together and ran another 11km along Daang Hari. It was my longest and most painful run.
WHERE
Nuvali - is very special to my heart. It is not only the place where I ran my first full marathon but it is also the place where I met new and up until now and I guess my lifetime running buddies. It was a freezing January Saturday early morning organized by Belle and Japo when I met and became friends with some of my TBR Dream Marathon Batchmates: Polen, Yani, Cathy, Jobert, Vincent, Japo, Belle, GMae and Raffy. At 2am that morning, together we began running and after couple of hours, together we finished 30 kilometers. It was painful but with the muscle ache comes the indescribable euphoria. I have no words for what it felt. It was our longest run and we just broke the 25km barrier.
After that Saturday morning in Nuvali, weekend LSDs have become more exciting because few more people from TBR DM 2013 came to run with us; Beng, Dunhill, Adel, Jarold, Jovie, Mark, Andrew, Bevs, Josh and Abby. Most of us joined the group to do LSDs together in our (now "usual") MOA-CCP-Roxas Blvd route every weekend until the last Sunday before the marathon day.
WHAT
The Bull Runner Dream Marathon changed my life forever and February 24, 2013 was the highlight of the journey.
Before the gunstart, our new running circle met for good luck bids, couple of photo ops and a little stretching excises.
The first half of the marathon was so great that we could still sing together, joke around and pose for the cameras clicking.
I got to run with Polen and Abby until the 30th kilometer after which I decided to increase my pace for a better finish time.
But at the 35th kilometer, my legs felt so heavy, my lungs started to shout for more air and my body was almost breaking down. Pain was all I felt but it seemed to soothe me, like it was what I wanted. I guess at that moment, I wasnt myself anymore. I just run as far as I could, and then walk as little as I would like to, I wasnt following my interval anymore. At that moment I just wanted to finish the whole thing up and I didnt care about anything and anybody anymore.
I got to run with Polen and Abby until the 30th kilometer after which I decided to increase my pace for a better finish time.
But at the 35th kilometer, my legs felt so heavy, my lungs started to shout for more air and my body was almost breaking down. Pain was all I felt but it seemed to soothe me, like it was what I wanted. I guess at that moment, I wasnt myself anymore. I just run as far as I could, and then walk as little as I would like to, I wasnt following my interval anymore. At that moment I just wanted to finish the whole thing up and I didnt care about anything and anybody anymore.
And then viola, my dad came our of nowhere with his banner raised! I passed by him with a big smile on my face, pain somehow eased a little and I got recharged for the last loop of the route before the finish line.
5hrs and 33mins after, I was in tears, I did cross the finish line! At 7:30am, while other people are still in their bed sleeping or fussing around, I became a marathoner! And at that moment, I swear that I felt INFINITE!
A playful challenging thought from a monotonous life of a 22 year old you-p which flourished to become a dream was the reason for all of this! Everybody has their freewill to dream. Old people used to tell me "Mangangarap ka na rin lang, lakihan mo na." So one day the I had this dream, something that I never thought I could do, something that I have never even thought of doing, something that I thought was a total waste of time and something that I thought only crazy people do, something for me which spelled m-a-r-a-t-h-o-n. When I registered for The Bull Runner Dream Marathon, I didnt even know the exact distance of a full marathon, I didnt have a running shoe, I didnt have a legit running clothe and I didnt have any experience at all. All I had was a courageous and faithful heart and a firm determination towards a very specific goal: finish The Bull Runner Dream Marathon. I started like a pea in a vast farm, helpless and alone but as days passed on, the little pea grew into a plant ready to face anything. The training plan and all the information have helped me get ready for the big day. I have learned everything that I know about running from The Bull Circles and Bull Clinics.
Finishing a marathon is not just about crossing the finish line, it is mostly the journey towards it. Training for TheBullRunner Dream Marathon has changed my life forever and I like to tell that to people who asks about my marathon experience over and over again because it really did!
I struggled at the beginning and didnt know anybody at all. I used to be so jealous of the group of people who would come together and run together during the circles and clinics. I vividly remember this lady who laughed at me during one of the Bull Circles because I was alone and I could not do the exercise asked by Coach Jim Saret, and she told me "First time mo noh?" and I just smiled. She challenged me even more. I could not remember her face any more but to who ever you are, I'd like to tell that I am now a marathoner!
One of the best decision I've made through out the training period was to come and join a weekend LSD invitation over our TBR DM Facebook group by this lady I did not know who is now a friend, Belle. I skipped her first weekend LSD invite because I was so shy and I thought that I was so weak compared to them, that they would just leave me behind but I was wrong. They never leave anybody behind, somebody would always accompany a person ahead or behind. We became friends that up until now, we would do LSD together in our "usual" MOA-CCP-Roxas Blvd route. It was also their fault that I ran my second full marathon during Milo Marathon last July. It is also within my new running group from TBR DM where I met my current boyfriend.
I would like to thank Jaymie Pizzaro and Jim Lafferty for creating the best event in this country, Coach Lit Onrbia for teaching us all he knows about running and to all the people who made The Bull Runner Dream Marathon possible. You transform people's lives for the better!
From boring to exciting, that is what my life had gotten. Crossing the finish line felt as sweet as my most painful long run! From 0 km to 42.195km! Who would've thought someone like me could do it? But I did! And to whoever is reading this, if you think you couldnt do it too, I guess you're probably right but to you who think that you could run a marathon, I assure you that you can cross that finish line with a big smile! ;)
Finishing a marathon is not just about crossing the finish line, it is mostly the journey towards it. Training for TheBullRunner Dream Marathon has changed my life forever and I like to tell that to people who asks about my marathon experience over and over again because it really did!
I struggled at the beginning and didnt know anybody at all. I used to be so jealous of the group of people who would come together and run together during the circles and clinics. I vividly remember this lady who laughed at me during one of the Bull Circles because I was alone and I could not do the exercise asked by Coach Jim Saret, and she told me "First time mo noh?" and I just smiled. She challenged me even more. I could not remember her face any more but to who ever you are, I'd like to tell that I am now a marathoner!
I would like to thank Jaymie Pizzaro and Jim Lafferty for creating the best event in this country, Coach Lit Onrbia for teaching us all he knows about running and to all the people who made The Bull Runner Dream Marathon possible. You transform people's lives for the better!
From boring to exciting, that is what my life had gotten. Crossing the finish line felt as sweet as my most painful long run! From 0 km to 42.195km! Who would've thought someone like me could do it? But I did! And to whoever is reading this, if you think you couldnt do it too, I guess you're probably right but to you who think that you could run a marathon, I assure you that you can cross that finish line with a big smile! ;)
