7th World Heart Day Run: Playing Catch-up Yet Again

RACE: 7th World Heart Day Run

LOCATION: The Terraces-Ayala Center Cebu

DATE: 26 September 2010 5:00-8:00 AM

RACE CATEGORY: 5K

BIB NUMBER:0338

TIME: 33:39:56 (My Time)

To be honest, I am having my blogger's block right now. I am out of words, so I better go straight to my point.

I have sworn myself to never, ever have to play catch-up on a race. But guess, what, I have to play catch up on yesterday's race since of the unforeseen (Well, obviously I did not anticipate or totally forgot about the "Alay-Lakad" that morning.) situation I had been through. 

When I was just a block away from the starting corral, I heard the starting gun was already fired, and the elites were already running in blistering speed. I asked my cab driver that I'll just walk my way to the starting corral, then paid my cab. While walking I was thinking of not joining the race, but then again, I told myself, since I am already here, why not join it! Better late than never!

Good thing my grade school batch mate, Claudeline, who was manning the computers for the race, so I asked her to I just leave my bags with her. And I just jog my way to the starting corral, which was absolutely empty already, then started my timer.

I was running using positive splits. It's a good thing that the tail end of the pack was still about to make a left turn to Juana Osmena St. Great, I can still catch up those slowpokes (Read: I was in a meanie mode.)! The terrain is generally a gradual uphill, and mind you I haven't expose myself to hills training since coming back. This could be a bit of a challenge for me and my precious knees. I decided to skip water stations, since I have my reliable little bottle of Pocari Sweat at hand. 

This is quite interesting, the marshals halted a coaster full of professional basketball players from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), as I made my turn at the turning point. Oh my gawsh! My crush was there (Clue: He is a southpaw point guard from the San Miguel Beermen and he wears jersey number 5.)! I can't let him see me all sweaty and grimy! Major, major "eww" moment for me!

Anyway, once I got to the turning point, I was already pushing myself! Now, that the gravity was now on my side. And the best part, my right knee did not hurt or had that hinging sensation. I have passed and overtook some enumerable number of people including my high school classmate, JM, who earlier greeted me as he passed by me at the race start.

I sped up at the last turning point on to the finish line (If my memory served me right, I overtook 2-3 people along the way.). The clock at the finish line was already at the 44th minute. But when I checked my watch my time was at 33 minutes, 39 seconds and 56 milliseconds. Woah! That was better than my last race! I was so happy!

I just hope that on my next race, I hope I will not play catch up, and hopefully (cross my fingers), I'll have a better time! :)