Marathon #1: The Bull Runner Dream Marathon - 18 March 2012

If you're a runner in the Philippines, you would have heard about a lady named Jaymie Pizarro, also known as The Bull Runner.

Jaymie and Jim Lafferty thought up the TBR Dream Marathon and brought it to life in 2009. It's a marathon designed for first- and second-time marathon runners. They've developed a 5-month long training programme to prepare aspirants for their first full marathon. Getting a slot in the race nowadays is a test of patience and very fast fingers because they run out in a matter of minutes! The number of participants are limited to the several hundreds so that the training team can make sure that everyone get the most out of the preparation and the experience of their first ever (or second) full marathon.

The Dream Marathon has only one event: the full marathon. And it's the only race in the world where everyone who crosses the finish line is a winner. You are very well taken care of from the moment you receive your training kit until race day - and when I say, well taken care of, I mean very well taken care of. 

Having heard about this running event within the running circles I belong to, and having convinced myself that I should try marathon running, I couldn't think of a better venue than TBRDM. The race also has a leisurely cut-off time of 8 hours, so there's not a lot of pressure, considering that I was able to manage to finish all of the half marathons I ran in under 3 hours. 

So on one fine day in September, I was glued to my computer, waiting for the exact time that reservation opened and signed up for the race without blinking. Several days afterward, I got
confirmation via SMS that I got a slot and provided instructions on what I need to do next in order to complete my registration. Then that was it! I was in this for better or worse. 

On top of the customized training program Jaymie and Jim designed for TBRDM, I was also attending, at the time, Season 3 of the Milo APEX Running School, so I thought, I'll get the best of both worlds and shouldn't worry about how I'd fare on 18 March when I run the race. 

Boy, did I eat my own words. 

Life Happens

Call it anything you want, but I'll call it bad timing. In January 2012, I got assigned to a project with mid-shift work hours (2pm to 12mn). Worse, the project was located in Eastwood QC, which wasn't ideal because it means I need to travel through heavy traffic to get to BGC for my training. Initially, I thought I would be able to rearrange my work hours for January and February to be able to get away for a couple of hours to train, and then come back to the office to finish work. 

Well, that didn't work out. 

So what I missed out on training during the weekdays, I tried to make up for during the weekends. I also always brought a change of clothes in my car and my running shoes, so that whenever I get the chance, I can pass by BGC, even if it's past midnight, and run for an hour or so.

Well, that didn't happen either. 

Training in the mornings is a challenge too because it would mean losing precious sleep that I need to survive the rest of the day. For those who've worked on a mid shift know that it's not the best shift at all. When you wake up, there's not a lot of time to prepare. Everything feels rushed because you have heavy traffic to worry about. Your shift ends at a very inconvenient hour too, so you need to worry about safety this time. Besides, by the time you get out of the office, work has drained out all the energy I've got and I only have enough left to drag my feet to bed. (I know! Excuses, excuses...)

So I kept to my weekend long runs. I joined whatever Bull Circle (running talks hosted once a month and I was able to join 1 out of 5)  I could, and also made it to the Bull Sessions (long run sessions, also happening once a month. I was also able to join 1 out of 5) that I can. Otherwise, another friend, who also signed for the race, and I would try to find time in our schedule to run together and prepare for the race. 

Keeping the Dream Alive

About a week before race day, Jaymie hosted a send-off party. It doubled as a sort of expo because this was the best time to claim the race kits. Sponsors come to show off their goods, and participants get together for a last hurrah before the big day with free drinks and chow (we, Pinoys, do love anything labeled "free").

We had all sorts of good fun with raffle prizes being given away (from water bottles to Garmin watches), a showing of a video send off to keep the runners inspired, and then getting last-minute advise and cheers from the coaches and Jaymie herself.

A screen-grab of the challenging group photo taken at the send-off party from Jaymie's flickr account. That's my hand raised at the back (2nd raised hand from left)

By the time this party happened, I was already off from that project that kept me from my training program and was able to manage my time better to include more running in my daily itinerary. Hooray!

The Big Day

I think I forgot to mention that the race venue was outside Manila and we needed to drive between 30 minutes to an hour to get there. The race started at 2am too, so that we can avoid running under the heat in the middle of the day. 

Anxiety set in again, and I couldn't get myself to sleep a few hours during the day before the race. I think I was able to manage a fitful hour of sleep and that was that. Before 12mn, I picked up my friend, and then we headed to Nuvali, Sta. Rosa Laguna, where we'll soon find out what the universe has arranged for us that day. 

At the start line, the air was heavy with anticipation. Everybody was doing last minute touch ups of their race day outfit (there were some crazy, fun ones), or trying to get in a few stretches and warm-up exercises to drive the jitters away. Celebrities are abound, either to spare us a few wise words or to get ready to welcome finishers to cross the finish line. 

Dream Chasers (an apt name for volunteers who help runners who are stuck on the course to get past the dreaded Wall so that they can continue chasing their dream of finishing the marathon) were also getting ready and heading out to their designated stations on the race course. The Dream Chaser stations were filled with everything you can imagine that a runner would need, from linaments to tiger tails and even hair brushes, mirrors and face powder!

Each drink station has also been setup to contain water, energy drink and other goodies like bananas or knick knacks that are filled with sugar or salt. I mean it when I say that the TBR Dream Marathon is like running the whole 42KM on a red carpet. All you need to do is be there and run the course. If you need help or need a push, it will come to you. There's even a stage setup in the middle of the course where bands will be playing songs to pump the runners up! 

TBR DM 2012 Course Map

Close up of Abrio-Solenad area

We need to make 2 loops around the course to complete 42km. My friend and I agreed that we'll try to run together throughout the course. We were able to mange that without incident during the first half of the race. I noticed that there were even small billboards scattered along the way with inspirational quotes written on them to help keep you going. Quotes like:

"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it"

So after 21km, we took a 10-minute break to hydrate and stretch and catch our breaths. One loop down, one more to go. We were halfway through but what happened next was something that I wasn't prepared to deal with.

Kilometer 30

My friend and I have known each other for almost 5 years at this time but spending more than 3 straight hours together eventually got to our nerves. Our tempers were not getting any better, and the nearest person we can throw it out at was each other. It wasn't good. We were still trying to help each other to get through the pains we were starting to feel while keeping both of us moving on our feet, but we were both just getting very tired and very cranky. It just seemed so convenient to lash out at each other even if it wasn't going to help us feel better. He was also gradually slowing down and cramping up, it was getting difficult for me to go on with his pace. I knew that if I started walking more than running, I will cramp up myself and then we'd both be helpless. 

So after going past the 30KM marker, we both decided to run our race at our own pace. I ran with him a little bit more until the next drink and aid station so that somebody can help him relieve the cramps, and then I was on my own for the last 12 KM. 

Smiling at this point is a little bit challenging

Kilometer 38

I was able to run for most of the rest of the course on my own. I was able to keep a pace I can manage without much difficulty, then the crankiness eventually subsided. 

When I saw the 38-kilometer marker, I started getting emotional. I thought to myself, while preventing the tears to fall - Gosh! There're only 4 kilometers left to run! Finishing a marathon suddenly became more real for me. 

I left a change of clothes at one of the Dream Chaser stations about 3 kilometers from the finish line. I dropped by to get them, and then stopped at the next toilet to change. I was so vain that it mattered more that I look fresh when I cross the finish line, than saving the couple of minutes to be able to finish earlier. But no, I needed to look fresh and fabulous in the photos so change I did. I'm so vain, I know!

I dropped off my (dirty) clothes at the same station when I went past again, and started the final push. After making the last turn before the last 200m to the finish, I started getting emotional again and I couldn't fight back the tears this time. My first thoughts were - Oh no! I'll look like Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer when I cross the finish line! - but alas, that didn't help stop the crying anyway. 

As I approached the finish line, I was crying, full on. One of my running buddies who was serving as a Dream Chaser that day was running towards me and I tried to shoo him away because I know I'll just cry some more if he tries to get me talking. He ran with me anyway to the finish line. Even the emcees who were leading the cheering suddenly made a remark about my crying. Jeez! Talk about a grand entrance!

And so, this photo:

Crossing the finish line while crying - quite a feat!

After all the prettying up I did, I looked bad in the photo anyway with my head bent down like that because I didn't want my tears to get captured in a photograph. That happened anyway. Oh well.

So I finished my first marathon ever in 6 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds. I thought I would finish earlier, but heck, I finished my first marathon! Well within the cutoff time and without any life-shattering injury or incident. I received my medal, and Jaymie was even there to welcome the finishers and gave out hugs and said her congratulations. 

After getting my photo taken, I went to pick up the camera at the car, and went back to the finish line to wait for my friend to cross it. 

Without the tears. I'm a marathoner!

After an hour, he finally reappeared and I was there to greet him and take photos with his camera. (Not the one below). He told me later on that both his legs cramped up by the time he reached the next Dream Chaser station. Folks manning the station took really good care of him, getting him rehydrated and helping him get back up on his feet. One Dream Chaser even ran with him for the rest of the race course to help him manage the cramps and help set a more realistic pace for him. 

It's not fair that he gets a better finish line photo than I do. Hmp!

Did I mention there was a free meal prepared for the runners after the race? Yes there was! What a race, isn't it?!

So there you go - my first marathon. I learned a lot about myself that day especially about my limits. I also confirmed that I'm better running my own pace than running with someone else. I'm just really competitive by nature so it would be best for me and the rest of the world if I run alone, or at least run with people who keeps the same pace as I do - people who I barely know so that I can just easily walk away when I'm not feeling chummy anymore and save everyone any kind of grief. 

Before I end this, I'd like for you to watch this summary of the 4th TBR Dream Marathon. It captures all of the participants' aspirations, including our reservations. There's also a 10-sec clip (from 7min25sec) where you can catch me talking about what I wish to attain on race day. The whole video is very touching and inspiring. 

If you're from the Philippines, and you've been considering running your first marathon but isn't sure which one to sign up for, then the TBR Dream Marathon might be just what you've been looking for. Take it into consideration, but know that it comes highly recommended, not just by me, but by everybody who's been lucky enough to go through this whole experience of discovery and achievement! I'm telling you - it's going to be all worth it!