Monday, August 8, 2011

Company Sportsfest 2011 10k: Sub-60 3-Peat?

PRESSURE COOKER

I was somehow pressured going into this 10k race for three things. First, no thanks to the constant rains I wasn’t able to run much for the past weeks (the only run I had last week was an 8km tempo including warmup and cooldown wherein I paced 6:10-6:40/km). Logging below average weekly mileage for the past 2 weeks got me worried.

The second reason was that this would be my 3rd 10k race since IRFI and Mizuno wherein I finished sub-60. Yup, there is that pressure for me to three-peat. I guess this was how Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls team mates felt back in the 90s? Nah, maybe not.



The last reason for me to feel pressured to perform is that this race was organized by the company where I work in. There are a lot of recreational but competitive runners here so one’s finish time would be a good lunch break or water cooler topic among peers. If you had been following this blog for some time, I made a similar race report last year in our company run (15km) where I barely survived the charge of a fast runner (because he started 10 minutes late). To be honest, there was more of a desire for me to compete rather than pressure since I WANTED to run my best in this race. In a company where mostly everyone knows everybody, it would be great to finish somewhere on the upper half of the finishers’ list.


HALA SPRINT, SIGE!

As the 10-to-1 countdown sent the 10k runners off at BGC, I remembered my learnings from previous races, specifically: don’t rush at the start. Unfortunately for most of the 10k runners, they must’ve felt like Usain Bolt. “Remember that this is a 10km race, not a 1km sprint,” I told myself as I refrained from going all-out. I was just below 6 minutes by the 1st kilometre and I intended to keep it that way throughout the race. Going near 5:30/km or below would be suicide for me unless it’s the last kilometre.

As expected, as I reached the 32nd street uphill from 5th avenue going towards Market-Market, the runners who sprinted from the starting line were dropping their pace. Some would walk, some would be breathing heavily as they tried to hang on to their earlier km pace, to no avail. My patience was paying off as I started overtaking.

By the British School path I had overtaken most of the runners, except of course, for those aiming for sub-55/50 times. A sub-55 or sub-50 finish may come for me but not on this race. Probably in two or three years perhaps?


HALFWAY PACE, CHECK!

I reached the 5km mark in 29:04. I was doing well compared to IRFI (28:14) and Mizuno (28:44) since I was able to strategize my pace as even as possible per km. Bottomline, I didn’t over-exert myself at the first half of the race.

The rain started to pour when I reached 8th(?) street, a 400-500m downhill, turnaround, and uphill at the same distance. I had to keep myself conscious of my form and pace, glancing at my Garmin from time to time and feeling my footstrike. Fatigue would cause me to heel strike so I had to constantly check that I strike midfoot/forefoot all the time.


SPRINT TAYO BATA?

By the last 2 kilometers I was still feeling good, overtaking a few more running officemates along the way. At the last turn to the finish (passing the Nike store), I glanced at the timer above the finish arc: it read 57 minutes and counting. My 10k PR was 59minutes+ so I knew a new PR was in the bag. Nice!

At the last 100 meters, the last guy I overtook from 32nd street had probably managed to sprint from the last turn since I heard his footsteps approaching me rapidly from behind. I wasn’t going to give up my place in the finisher’s list that easily so I went to sprint myself. I was pleasantly surprised that I still managed to out-kick him as I crossed the line about 2-3 seconds ahead of him.

57:57 (Garmin, unofficial).

Another 10k PR! Woohoo! Thank you Looord!!!

Yup, I think it’s time to run another half-marathon soon.

Run United 2 anyone?


SIDENOTE: BUKAS-KOTSE GANG

As our company sportsfest was ongoing, news spread of the unfortunate incident of 2 (or more) vehicles by our officemates being robbed of cash and valuables. They parked on that makeshift parking lot along the street near NBC Tent (parking teller is situated just next to the said tent, across The Fort Strip). Some of the owners were understandably furious at the security guards since they were supposed to man the area from would-be looters. I hope this sad incident serves as a warning to all runners (not only in BGC but in other race venues as well) to securely lock their vehicles as they race. Don’t leave valuables in the car as well.

Take care and happy running!

5 comments:

  1. Congrats Pare! Doing it three times in a row! Galing. Nakabuti pa yung pahinga mo dahil sa maulang panahon. :)

    Congratulations and keep up the great work and competitive attitude.

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  2. thanks Jayson! Congrats as well on Milo. Read your 2-part report, never give up talga ano?

    Kitakits!

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  3. yun oh! 57:57, congrats sa new PR sir!

    apir dahil madami na tayong naka-brooks.
    i like the GS too, kaya lang mas mahal sya sa t7.

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  4. Pards, para ka palang diesel. It took a while, but after the first sub-10, tuloy-tuloy na! Congrats, bro!

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  5. Thanks Julius! Actually napressure din ako sa comment mo last time na dapat maka-3PEAT. Hehe.

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