TNF100 20K - First Trail Run

Photo: Our Shoes After
This was what are shoes were like after the run.
(Left to Right): RJ, Ed, Shin, Me.

Yesterday, July 27, 2008, I had my first taste of a trail run. The main event was the ultramarathon - 100km organized by The North Face. Thus the name The North Face 100. I, ofcourse, didn't join this 100km race but the 20km I did.

Waking up at around 2 in the morning, by a repeated phone rings from a friend and my alarm, I got up and prepared myself. We got to Evercrest at 4am where the organizers where still setting up the starting line. There where lights and music playing totally waking me from my sleepiness. at around 0430, we lined up to claim our race kits. At 0500, there was no sign of starting. The day was already moving on. Good thing the sky was clouded and since we were in quite an altitude it was quite cool and windy -- a great condition for running.

Photos: Before the race

(Top Left): The starting line.
(Top Right): Shin's shoes and my Arnuva 100 TR GTX before the run
(Bottom): With the Sixth Man, Sir Danny. Finishing the 100km in 16 hours.


At 0630, the 20km runners got ready at the starting line. Sychronizing my time with the organizers, the gun was shot at 0636 after a 100km runner made it to the finish.

The race started on road running for about half a kilometer towards the Mt. Batulao jump off. This road was familiar to me since I've been here a couple of times before. The course then went offroad still pretty wide with pot holes here and there. Still no mud here. The real deal started when we went further into the course (around 1 kilometer from start). At the first loop, the trail was quite manageable and I was choosing my path, weaving my way to more suitable places. The course then cut down towards corn fields, going down quite steeply after down to a river. Luckily there was a bridge for us to cross. Then the trail went up and started heading north with a cliff on the right hand side where the river was. The trail then run quite straight and out, back to the road by the Caleruega Church. The road then goes around 2 km back to the junction of Marshall Station near the starting point which ends the first 10km-loop. The 20km runners have to go at it again for the second time.

The second time around was quite more challenging. The mud was thicker. I didn't care anymore about choosing my path since it was all mud and my shoes where covered in it anyways. So I just tanked my way through the course. That's right. "Tanked." My shoes felt like lead with the caking mud underneath.

Also contributing to the difficulty were the many "10km hikers" who were trekking along, clogging the already narrow trail, making it difficult for runners wanting to pass to pass. It was constant "Excuse me po" for me. There were spots where it couldn't be avoided though. The trail was narrow and there was no where else to go. I had to wait for a wider part in the trail.

I finally made it to the finish line after running for around 2 hours and 4minutes (according to my time). Met some other runners, exchanged stories, training plans, techniques, etc. We waited for the Awarding ceremony -- which happened at around 1100, before heading home.

Without breakfast and lunch, I was really hungry! Getting home to a plate of Spaghetti, I ate all to my hunger's content before taking a bath and went straight to bed 13hours later, since I woke up in the morning. I expected to wake up an hour later but that didn't happen.

Photos: After the race
(Left): Left to Right - RJ Almocera, Edmund Solaiman, Shin Siapco, me
(Right): Photo with the "TNF Runner" Mr. HighAltitude: Jerry

Photo: Photo with Ms. Ivy and "The Super Sherpa" Sir Leo.
My role models. Sir Leo Oracion has inspired me in his many feats in Adventure racing and Ma'am Ivy Macainan as an inspiration for me, as a new runner, with her stories.

Photo: with Sir Leo and Sir Jerry

Photo: Team Baldrunner
Team Baldrunner's Reynaldo De Los Reyes and Cresenciano Sabal won overall 2nd place for the Team Relay 100K. Congratulations!

-= More pictures will follow =-