Be Cool Runner

It was a really lonely race for my first 21k, first of all I went there with no running buddy my lone running buddy is in camsur ironman, I met a few people I know but I dare not pace them, their freaking fast, ben chan and some MTR participants last year.

I had the goal of just finishing, despite the fact I felt like i’m really slowing myself for the first 10k, thinking I will do a negative split, somehow I did pretty bad on the second half, for one I was exactly the lone runner between  all the fast ones and the really slow ones. the first half was a little fun coz I can still see runners ahead of me, and some runners at my back, I finished it 1hr 11mins, just about my regular 10k run. But the second half all those runners must have run pretty darn fast I totally lost sight of them, and the runners at my back must have run pretty darn slow that it was just me and my waterboy in a motorcycle, I just felt really lonely starting 14k, people in the sidewalks started yelling “Last ka na?” I just lost my adrenalin during this time, I kept looking at my garmin and it was like a really long process of getting from 14k-15k…each 100meters felt like a mental torture, physically I’m fine, my legs a bit heavy but mentally I felt like a loser, constantly doing math on whether or not I can make cut off. my pace from 6:30min/k at start of turn around turned to 8:30-to as low as 9 mins, and this is where I lost a lot of time. So I did a 1hr 11mins first and 1hr 28 second pretty bad, to think that the second part was downhill.

Seeing that I have 30 mins to run a 5k to make cut off I tried picking up the pace, but that was it, not much juice left felt like I was alone doing long runs. I finished the race 2hr 39 mins, not making Milo cut off, and felt really bad knowing I can do a 1hr 10k in my trainings, but then again I didnt work on my long runs maybe that’s why. But at the brighter side of things I finish my first 21k, and they were nice enough to give me certificate and giftpack..YES!!!

And I fullfilled a personal goal to run the Milo 21k this year.

Pro’s on Milo

Lots of participants on the 10k, 5k and 3k, cheap registration

Cons

Less than 100 runners in 21k I think, and not much recreational runners, mostly qualifiers.

Maybe three water stations that are really far apart.

98 percent concrete roads.

Finally reach half of my total mileage for 2009 goal, also was finally able to do an LSD of 17kms, just 4 kms shy of my Milo goal, to put things in perspective I am now sure I can finish a 21k, but I doubt I can do it within the 2 and a half hour cut off time. Hope I can still get a gift pack and certificate, even if I finish last.

The Milo route towards the 10.5km turnaround is a slow long inclined, so it seems like I will be doing a negative split run after all, try to run faster on the downhills going back.

It’s here and it’s final..October 18, 2009

website and sponsorship is still being finalize..