I like this photo, since it’s one of those i don’t look like a dork. Like i’m Killian or Mike Wolfe, bwahaha! (I bet my wife likes to print this one and place it in her wallet, so she can look at it every time she needs to get money, and remind herself how hard working her hubby is.) San Roque, Liloan

Finishing my first marathon run, was the milestone i was aiming for before i commit myself to more running. Now that it was done, i can’t fully say i am ready for more serious challenges, since there were still some unfinished business to do. One is the sub-6 marathon, and then i have a feeling if i ever get that, i will then push myself for a sub-5 marathon, sub-4, sub-3? Well, there will always be a reason to run another marathon.

Anyway, i’m not going to hold myself up for the next marathon, since there’s always a marathon race at least every 6 months. For this year, in the spirit of telling the world how crazy i am, and how i’m going to punish myself for being fat for so long, here are the races i am planning to join.

First, let’s start with the most significant to me.

2nd Kitanglad International Rugged Mountain Race

Feb 26, 2012. (website) This will be our (me and wifey, @owrange) first mountain running experience. We will not have any serious goal, apart from finishing alive and standing in our own. For the not familiar, Kitanglad is the 4th highest mountain in the country, and for someone like me who have not climbed any mountain at all (at least any beyond 800MASL), it’s a serious endeavor, to climb it at 2899MASL. So, good luck to our sorry asses.

I know i will push myself to new limits if i can climb it, but there’s no point pushing more what my wife can also push, since my goal on this run is to finish this race together; not for corny reasons, sorry, but since there will be more races i plan to do with her, that it makes sense that we have more or less the same level of fitness and strength (Not that i’m saying i’m strong and she’s weak, but the difference in strength level at this point, is still significant).

This is also a race in Bukidnon, so at least i’m excited to travel through CDO and in Bukidnon, since i’ve never been there. So if we have a disappointing run, then we can revert to being tourists.

In one of the river crossings we did in our trail runs. San Roque, Liloan

2nd Pugalo Trail run

Mar 18, 2012. (website) This is a locally organized trail run down south, at Alcoy, Cebu. I like this type of locally organized races. Plus, it’s on trail, or at least majority of it, and it will be in the country side, away from all the urban annoyances. We are also supporting this race, by helping them with their website. If there will be more races like this, i’ll be very happy to assist any way i can, since i see it as a very nice way to explore the “un-touristic” country side.

2nd Coast-to-Coast

Apr 29, 2012. In terms of moving up to the next level of what’s the farthest i have run, this is the one. It’s 65km, about 23km more than a marathon. I know, it’s like running a half-marathon, right after running a marathon — but what’s the point if it were easier; there be nothing to talk about. The route for this race is also a good training ground for running on hills, with about 5 to 6 significant climbs going through the Cebu Transcentral Highway; so it’s a nice staging event for future races. My goal for this race is to pace with my wife and finish together. This is also probably a race i will do only once, that is if i’m satisfied with my performance. You know, get it over with attitude.

We went for a shortcut up a hill pass, and ended up in the middle of a quarry. The place looks surreal, with high cliffs and mountain high land slides, from all the excavation. Garing, Consolacion

What’s up with all the 2nd races? Well, they just happen to be in their 2nd year now, and i’m a bit late to the party, but that’s me, always wanting to be “apil-apil”, even if late.

1st Bohol Ultramarathon

May 20, 2012. If a 1.5x marathon is not enough, how about a 2x marathon in a single run. This will be the first Ultra run in Bohol. Last time i was in Bohol, was riding through the roads (half-circumnavigate the main island) and trails on my bike — and it was a super nice experience. The trails are less travelled, the roads has a much less traffic compared to Cebu, and most of their roads has a wide shoulder, which makes running on dirt beside the road super possible. So being 2x marathon, this will be running 80km from Panglao Island all the way to Chocolate Hills (Carmen, Bohol). Though not very tough with climbs compared to the Coast-to-Coast, but still tough enough to make you wonder, what’s up with 80km of running. A lot of people are perfectly happy with 42km. WTF?! Ok, my initial purpose of doing these distances, is just to level up, graduate, so i can run the 100 km and 100 miler races, that are very popular out there. Yes, outside the country, you know, where we ride an airplane — yes that aluminum thing that flies. And it’s probably the only reason for me to be excited to travel outside the country. If 80km is WTF!?, how about 100km, and 160km! Some dudes got serious issues from childhood (probably wasn’t breastfeed enough)!

2nd Kawasan Marathon

Jun 10, 2012. Yet another run in the country-side; but this time entirely on road. And my wife is from there, so this is something we want to run together, though probably not pacing each other. This is another marathon, where i will try to break into the sub-6.

2nd Dahilayan Trail run

July 14, 2012. This is a trail/country-side running in the great province of CDO and Bukidnon. I don’t have a lot of idea yet what to expect from this run, apart from just being on the ground and exploring the country side of northern Mindanao.

A view of the sweet singletrack we’re on, supposedly shortcut to home. Garing, Consolacion

2nd Dumaguete Adventure Marathon

Nov 18, 2012. My wife hasn’t been to Dumaguete yet, so this race is particularly exciting for her. So why not join a marathon race on the side, while touring; where i heard the route in some parts goes through dirt roads. And Dumaguete is a nice, little city (like Cebu, bazillion of years ago), that’s still not uber-urbanized.

Clark-Miyamit 50 miles

Dec 1, 2012. And this will be the last significant race for the year. It’s similar to Kitanglad race, but farther, at 80km. This race is also expected to have a lot of elevation gain, and run mostly on dirt roads and single track. Last year’s participant were not disappointed, though there were only a few who joined. So for this year, it’s one race i will not miss. This is also a staging race for the “ultimate” race i’m planning to join, and that’s the TNF100.

The North Face 100

2013. Yes, i don’t know yet when it will happen in 2013, but i am determined to join it. 1-0-0 kilometers. 1-oh-oh. Yep, crazy! If the distance is crazy, let’s add that this is run on trails, dirt road, double track, single track, river, hills, mountains, yes REAL MOUNTAINS. I know, there are more tougher races out there, like that Pinatubo trail run or Mayon trail run, but this is one race i like to join, since it’s internationally recognized; at least when i join other races abroad, i have a resume that they can recognize and relate to. Of course, not as a bragging right, but more of blending in with the crowd.

After the TNF, there are a bazillion other trail runs to do, like the Kinabalu Climbathon, Hong Kong Vibram 100, Australia also has a lot of ultra trail runs, New Zealand maybe? How about China? I know Japan has the TNF Mt Fuji, who are doing their first this coming May, so that might also be something to look forward to.

One of the crazy things we do on trail runs. Garing, Consolacion

Ok ok, let’s not think about the cost of doing this yet. Since doing races abroad can cost at least 200k pesos each (good for 2), but doing the South-East asia events might be a lot cheaper.

If you notice, there’s a common theme. I like the trails, be it running, biking, hiking, crawling, tumbling, crapping (not that i have done it yet); i like it, i loooooove it (with googley ooooo’s). I like the simple life of being there. Living the life of a programmer is always under stress, under pressure, since programming is one of the means of solving the world’s problems. But when i’m out there, the only problem i need to solve are mine and my companions in the trip.

There are still other races i will join that are nearby, mostly for socializing reasons; such as:

• Columbia Eco Trail series
• Unilab marathon series
• Milo marathon series
• Habagat trail runs (if they organize one again)
• And other local events that’s within driving distance, and when friends join in.

Looks like it’s going to be a busy endurance year. I will probably include cycling events, if there’s one i’m interested, but so far, most of the bike racing events are for speed, not endurance races. If there will be endurance races nearby, i might consider.

How about Triathlon, you say?

Maybe 2013, i’ll go look into it then, since one life goal i just set myself, is to be an Ironman. Whenever i watch the NBC coverage, it always left me with something to prove. Prove to myself that i can do it. Of course, there’s both a selfish and vain-istic reason to it, but who gives a shit, it feels good to do something hard and come out alive. That’s the whole shit-dang about it; and that’s the beauty, since the goal is so simple, survive and finish in good time — that it’s hard to pass up.

Alrighty, so let’s start the pain machine!

P.S. Ahh wait, did someone ask if i will give up programming? Of course not; nope, not in this lifetime. I’ve probably reached a point in life that no matter what i do in my programming career, it will not result into a significant shift in where i am, compared to when i was just starting. It is still a very fulfilling work for me, but one that i think can go on auto-pilot for now. Besides, i’m not doing a lot of programming lately anyway, but mostly (more like 90%) managing. All kinds of managing. Yes, a manager. You know, pointy-haired boss, with wide grin and fat belly. But i’m also thinking, it’s also in the stage of where the company i’m working with is now — where it’s best i’m managing more, rather than coding. Ok, this i think is for another post.