I arrived at the Mizuno Infinity Run at the Fort together with Maclan Matthew ‘pak cik’ (my running buddy from Malaysian) at around 5:30am. Ivy Macainan was there already at the starting line. It seems that she was waiting for our arrival. Well, Ivy was alone by this time.  Unfortunately, Leo Oracion couldn’t able to join this race. In fact, he was supposed to join triathlon in Davao but he got knock down by flu. Pare Leo, that’s a signal for you. Get some rest.

Ok, back to Mizuno Infinity Run. Ivy greeted us while we were approaching the starting line area and help me deposited my bag while I immediately proceed to their counter to check in. Shortly after that, i found my self in the midst of the crowds of runners waiting the start gun. I managed my self to be in the front pack and do some (but certainly not enough) warm ups and stretching before the race started.
6.00am… bang!!! In a blink of an eye, we were off. At the first curve, i’m surprise that ivy was in front of me. I know her pace and i know she is running too fast at that time and that’s too early for her to do that since we’re just start running. So i send her a signal to slow down a bit and save energy.

I don’t usually drink after 30minutes runs. But that morning, i feel something different physiologically. My breath was a bit hard and that’s not usual. I realize that it is the cause of my lack of training. To be very honest, i’ve been skipping my training for quite sometimes. And prior to the race, i had only two sessions of 30 and 40 minutes runs. I felt so sorry for that. There was a thought running on my mind whether i could finish the race or not… applying the formula from George Sheehan, "Listen to your Body", I think i’m still ok. Just feel the pain…

and disasters happens…

On that morning, i discover while i’m running, that there are two different races using the same route, Mizuno and from Army (they were wearing black and white with their typical hair cut). There was a route when runners emerged and run together. After 8k, i’m in the front pack already and there were few runners in front of me. There were quite many runners from army run with me and i kinda following their pace. The last thing that i remember, there was a junction where army took right and i’m following them. I can’t remember exactly how many minutes nor km’s i run with them. I come to realize that i’m already lost was when i enter a stadium with the finish line from Pocary Sweat. I notice that that’s not my finish line and somebody shout at me, "hey mizuno, bakid nandidto ka?" Man, I got lost!!!! The good thing was the route of Mizuno is just near their stadium so i immediately run to that street by asking the guard how to get out from this compound.

I was able to took over many runners trying to catch up my missing minutes although i know it will not put me back to my first place before got lost. Yeah, i was grumbling all the way to the finish line.

Again, i come to realize that there is the lack of marshals on the course. In many junctions there was no marshals who directs runner where to go. And i believe i was not alone who got lost.

On the last u-turn at McKinley (9k) route start to go uphills and there is no water available. That was the race where i found many runners walk and walk (this is not usual for 10k, 15k or 21k. 42k is exception). The thing is there was no water from McKinley to the finish line. Not only that, by the time we reach the finish line, there was no literally water available for runners. They have water but we have to but for it. WHAT!???!!!!

I was not the only one who complain about this. If you take a look at thebullrunner.com you will find complains from runners about Mizuno Infinity Run 08.

No Water…
No Pin…
No Age Category…
No Certificate…

After the race, Ivy, Maclan and I went to Mizuno office headquarter in Magalanes and leave our complains there. One lady whom we met there said that they are not aware that the runners will reach 2000 in number. Well, that’s not an excuse, i suppose…

Mizuno is a great brand. However, Mizuno Inifinity Run 08 was not infinity run for me. Tombs down for Mizuno…

Ivy, on the other hand, was successfully applied fartlek technique. According to coolrunning.com fartlek is a form of road running or cross country running in which the
runner, usually solo, varies the pace significantly during the run.  It
is usually regarded as an advanced training technique, for the experienced
runner who has been using interval training to develop speed and to raise
the anaerobic threshold.

In short, fartlek is speed play where runner run fast in a certain minutes and slow run again. I haven’t try this technique personally although i knew that it helps improve speed.


Ivy was told me at the beginning of the race that she was not in good condition. She got a mild flu and i can notice it from her voice
. However, despite of this poor condition, she was able to finish the race comfortably.

Ivy was aware of my mood =) due to the poor race that morning. So (again) she invites us for breakfast at Swiss Inn restaurant. Yeah, we had a great breakfast and conversation there. Good luck for your Mt. Island Peak expedition…

Having said all these, I would say that Mizuno Infinity Run 08, 15k category, was a run to remember. "This was Mizuno’s first race and it can only get better next time.
Hopefully, all race organizers learn from this experience to give us
runners a race that is well-organized—or better yet, one that is at par
with races abroad" as thebullrunner.com says.

My consolation is they have a very nice finisher t-shirt.

Mizuno Infinity Run 08 - Run 100%

yeah… my finish time for 21k is improving. when i joined milo 21k in baguio last year, in which i consider a run to remember in my life because that was my first marathon since i embraced running as my new religion, my finish time was 1′52”.

my stats for 21k in subic international marathon, category of race: 42k on January 20, 2008, was 1′43”.

the 7th Department of National Defence - Air Force of the Philippines (DND-AFP) Gintong Pangarap* Half-Marathon was another milestone in running for me. i broke my personal record in 21k… i was able to reach the finish line comfortably in 1′35”…

yeah, 10k and 21k is more or less about speed. i was a bit nervous as the minutes pass by approaching the start gun. i was hybernated for more than a month due to injury i experienced a day after subic international marathon. i come to realize that my shoes is the cause of this injury. i’m using the north face trail running shoes aruva 50 boa. and it was leo oracion (he finish the race in 1′25”) who examine my injury and give me advice to change my shoes to urban running shoes since i’m not running on trail. thanks to him for this expert advice.

this is the interesting part of the race last sunday. ivy macainan was on the 3rd place of her age category. ang yabang mo… huahaha but to be very honest, it was really nice to see you standing on the podium receiving your medal.

hmm, i’m so sorry to disturb your pace when i joined you runing to the finish line hehehe…

by the way, just for your information, i posted in my blog several months ago [unfortunately, i'd already deleted it] about my running in milo 21k marathon in baguio. that was the time i met leo oracion and ivy macainan, my new running buddies. i was running with leo after the u-turn of 21k and ivy was joined the 5k category. that was the first race she joined but unfortunately, she wasn’t able to finish it. the reason is simply because she was not a runner at that time.

now, ivy has turn into a soon-to-be regular runner. almost in every month she joined a race. and last january, she completed her virgin 42k marathon in clark, the clark freeport international marathon. actually, she is on training because by may 2008 she is going to have an expedition to nepal to climb island peak (20,305 feet / 6,189m) and base camp mt. everest together with leo oracion and some of PALMC** member. last february she reached mt. kinabalu (4.095m / 13.435 feet) in malaysia. the PALMC went to langkawi - malaysia to witness leo oracion join the malaysia triathlon 2008. he finish swimming (4k) in 01:06:39, biking (100k) in 05:43:03 and running (42k-full marathon) in 04:24:52… total time 11:21:02. short after the triathlon the scale mt. kinabalu.

congratulation ate!!!

and the most interesting part that was happened last sunday is… the victory breakfast =) yeah, ivy invite us to have a breakfast as a treat for being able to be in the 3rd place…

______

*Gintong Pangarap is a term in Tagalog which means the golden dream. The race, according to the Air Force of the Philippines as the race organizer, is aiming to look potential athletes who could produce gold medal in world olympic… what a dream!!! KAYA ng PILIPINAS!!! the event will be held quarterly.

** Philippines Airlines Mountaineering Club - PALMC is where three of us are belongs to. Unluckily, we haven’t climb mountain together so far…