WS100 RACE REPORT

There are events in our lives that blow us away. This is one of them.

Rick Gaston (real name is Enrique Gaston :) did a good job of narrating what actually happened during the race . . . pacer’s point of view at http://365ultra.blogspot.com/2012/06/western-states-100_28.html. So I will not go into details he has eloquently spoken of. It took me this long to finally realize I must write down my experience. The risk however is there is no easy way to do it because it will necessarily entail reliving what actually transpired. Even before beginning this report, I was already uneasy (certainly NOT traumatized!).  For the most part, I will delve into anything and everything at the risk of being incoherent and incongruous. No worries; everything was hazy anyway during the race :)

TNF100 , MT. MATUTUM, PEAKING FOR WS100

Whew, I finally had the time!

TNF100

This was the 5th edition of TNF100 here in the Philippines. The first one was in 2008 in Batangas which was my first 100K. That 2008 race was hard and painful for me but I was hooked since then :) I ran all editions except the CamSur in 2011. The race last April highlighted for me the importance and significance of proper tapering. I did not do that because I considered the 2012 edition as a training run for WS100. Coming into the race, my legs were tired and the strength was not 100%. So my wish to come under 18 hours (established in 2010 also in Baguio but different route) to best my previous time was unwarranted. Ultrarunning is really a learning process notwithstanding you have been at it for years.  

Sagada, Mountain Province

En route to Sagada

THE RUN

After almost 15 years, I finally came back (this is my 4th time to visit it). Last weekend, our office held its annual team building in the faraway highlands of Sagada, Mountain Province around 350kms or 11 hours of driving north from Clark. It was worth the long trip!

MT. UGO King of the Mountain Race Report

PRE-RACE

My last run was Friday after work. A quick hilly run in Donggwang where the rain the night before made the trail/ground slippery. The treacherous condition of the trail was however compensated by the cool breeze of the coming night. There is always a primal sense of communion with Nature when one is all alone trail running with nary a care and virtually detached from civilization. That Friday, I purposely did not bring my Fenix as the run was not long. I miss running all alone at night.

MY FIRST TRAIL 42K :)

http://bugobugo85.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/time-for-cool-change/