a Year's anniversary of Running: Bull Run 2012

A year ago, I started in competitive running with my first ever fun run, the Bull run 2011. I placed 55th out of 570 participants in the 3k division. A year had passed. I have participated in dozens of races, evolving to 5k,10k,15k,16k and 21k respectively.

Planning to join half marathons later in the year, I opted to join the 16k instead.

Prior to the race, I have trained continuously for this race, making sure I had least a Physical activity per day and placing more vegetables on my diet.

I luckilly arrived with time to spare on the race, good thing that it was still dark when they started the run since this meant less time to be exposed in the heat of the sunlight and more efficient running due to the lower temperature.

As expected, I started slow but finished strong, I was even surprised that I didn't have long walking breaks at the flyover en route back to bgc.

Race support was great, unlike last year. There was overflowing Pocari seat and water as bananas to boot.

In the end, the result: A new 16k PR! 2:05:35 That's about a six minute improvement over my last PR which was held at moa/roxas blvd area which had no hills, this one even had 2 flyovers to boot.

The funny thing is that my loot bag contained a 21k finisher's medal instead of a 16k. They must've ran out of 16k medals, Too late when I realized it as I was already on my way home (Medal was boxed).Anyway, it's framed now so no return, no exchange.

My First Run : Bull Run

2 months after training started, it had gone well. I lost 7 lbs and had my stamina improved.On my first few weeks I can barely run 1k but in the end I was able to run 3k straight.

So there it is, the date is Jan 9, 2011, My first run. Since BHS was very far from my place, I came in a bit late. Actually I saw the 16 k group already running into the streets as I am still in the vehicle (only to found out in forums that the race started way earlier than the written starting time). So there I was Running in the opposite side of the 16k runners towards the starting point. Luckily I made it, so I stretched and placed my dtag and number on the way of the starting point. At the starting area, the emcee announced that 5k runners are to start and the 3k runners should stand by. However, seconds upon the announcing of the 5k start, the 3k runners were also advised to start. Not even a countdown. Me, on my first ever race was surprised of this because I was still meters away from the starting area. This prompted me to run and hurry. Through the race I was just hoping to survive and finish my time record of 21 minutes and 35 seconds. Come the finish line, I was surprised to be 19 minutes and 37 seconds, and upon strider tag analysis the chip time was 18:34. My running friends told me to always stand by at the starting point. Lesson learned. Days later the results were announced. I was surprised to be at 55th place out of 675 runners in my category. For my first ever run, I thought I was even lucky to be at the 200th place. But 55th and besting 650 people? I was really proud of myself.