Running the Skyway again

Just earlier, the Condura Skyway Marathon event for the year 2013 commenced. I ran the 21k category and this was my first half mary for the year.

Last year, I also participated in the Condura Skyway Marathon, I ran the 10k category. After all that happened, I told myself not to run this race again. Oh well, I was wrong, I ran it again. Why I hated it before? It is because of the race's early gunstart. Up to this race, it's still the thing I hated about it. Good thing about starting early is that you get to finish before the heat from the sun creeps up. You also get to home earlier than expected.

Since I started with what I don't like in this race, may I start it with it. I dislike that it was on Alabang. I know, where else Skyway could start but on Alabang. But, on my side of the city, the venue is verry far. I haven't got any sleep before the event. I slept the whole day though, but I didn't get any night sleep. Me and my friends opted to commute rather than to sleep somewhere near the place. Because of the commute, we were able to arrive to the venue more than an hour before the gun start. We were able to do some minor stretches and used the loo a couple of times.

Of course, I liked that this was Skyway we're running into. You don't get any chance to run this highway but to join this event. Skyway is such a stunner. It has minor uphills and downhills but it's straight, you can make your PR here. It is also the common pick for first time marathoners. I think it is because of the gun start time, and also the route.

One of my motivation was the route, the other was the organizers. Since I already ran the race last year, I knew this was going to be an organized race. And honestly, I love organized races. Organized meaning enough hydration, marshalls, cool finisher's area (with freebies), and most of the racers would not be lost and scramble during and after the race. I love that before our gunstart, there were fireworks and racers were divided into waves, so that we all would not crowd in a certain area (I think weehee).

Fireworks Woohoo!

hello wave G peeps

starting line

In terms of my running experience though, I have learned something knew about myself in this race. On start of the race, I can certainly sprint all the way thru the third km (this is based on my Nike + Running GPS, see below). Then, I can do tempo runs all the way to 15kms. What's weird though is that after the 15th km, I started feeling wobbly. My back hurts (due to a yoga exercise I did the day before) and I think I was going to faint. So, I slowed down, I can beat my PR but I wanted to live so I did it. I was normally doing the 15km long run during the weekend, so I think, this happened because my body is already used to the distance, but after it, I was dead meat. I tried using GU but it felt more funny. I think I was already palpitating, I think this was the effect of taking GU along with 100 plus (which I will never ever do again). I got scared during running, I was already light headed. I was just focusing on finishing the race alive. I thought I really was going to faint. But when I got to the finish line I knew I was safe.

Nike + running view of how I ran (see below) I slowed down towards the end

It was just hard to go home after this because we transferred buses three times and it took us an hour before the bus left the Metropolis station. I slept all the way to make amends with my sleep debt. My friends also slept on the way, we no longer have the energy to talk. I love the tiredness this race gave to me, I knew I could do better. But every race is a chance to improve, so I'll get the PR next time. :)

All-in-all. I loved this race. I may repeat it again, but I will be sleeping more before the event and probably no more yoga the day before. Let me share some pictures of me during the event.

me and my friends before the race

met my officemate and ex officemate, we're on the same wave!

me and my PEx Running Club peeps!