PROS:
- Got hooked on registering this one as I'm a die hard CoC player. ;)
- Started on time.
- Start/Finish line was at km0. Getting the best view of that controversial DMCI building that photobombed the Rizal monument. Hehe.
- Released runners in waves to avoid clogging at the start.
- Sufficient number of water stations, ambulances, and race marshals
- With a finisher's shirt and medal (along with the race shirt) at P750.00, this was a good deal!
CONS:
- 16k race route measured only 14.7k as per my Garmin. This was a big failure in my opinion, especially after Berwin Meily announced/stressed at the start that this was a 16k race. I was hoping to do a long run from my usual 12-13k runs so the distance recorded was disappointing.
- No chip time as there was no chip on the racebib. :)
- Saw mayhem going on at the baggage claim area in the end. Probably understaffed there as many runners had to wait for some time to claim their bags.
MY RACE:
My plan was to run this just to finish. As this was my first road race in a long long time, I just joined to get that race feeling back again and hopefully log a long run for the year. The plan was just to relax, run at 140HR and see if I can up to tempo pace by the last 5 or 6k. I had a Clifbar Blocks pack so the 6 blocks (200 kcal) should be able to carry me throughout the race nicely.
It was a true test of self control as I managed to stick to my plan. My pace was between 7:00-7:15/km from the start until km9 (HR at 140). I changed my plan a bit towards the end since, at the halfway mark I saw that my Garmin only read 7.30km. The distance will fall short of 16k, I told myself, so I took the chance of increasing my pace from km10 onwards (6.53, 6.49, 6.35, 6.48, 6.38 per km). I was slightly huffing and puffing with my HR at 150 or so, but didn't have any real difficulty as this was a very flat course (except for the 2 flyovers).
Finished the 14.7km distance at 1:44:27 (Garmin time) with 7:06/km average pace.
The 1.3km shortage on the race course was really a let down (except probably for the numerous walkers in the race that I passed by) so I hope the organizers will take a look into it in future races.
Next race?
Hmmm, a half marathon this year beckons....
