Sulong para kang Leon kilat!
Sulong para sa lechon!
“it’s not about the distance we ran, it’s about the fun we shared”
THE EXHILARATION
As UNGO supremo, Max Limpag, posted the official list of runners who will get the chance to possess the “amulet of Leon Kilat”, excitements began to rose up, UNGO’s facebook page is flooded by cheers and thanks.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_118139968250847&view=doc&id=151094768288700
A week had gone by and April showed up once again in the calendars, 2 days prior to the run, my hands started to sweat as every hour and minutes passes by, bit my lips and saliva is bursting right out of my mouth like a hungry hyena getting ready for a delightful lunch, for short “naghinamhinam ko”.
This would be my first “not so” full mary(marathon),the route is only 39km, short of 3km to be broadly called a full mary, but anyway 3km is just a walk in the park.
http://www.mapmywalk.com/routes/view/30773466#share
Running 39km is not that easy, it’s not yer normal 5k or 10k, it’s almost a marathon for Leon Kilat’s sake!, as my lola says, Capitol to Car-car? “sadangay”!
Days before the race, every runner/jogger/walker (like me), should, hydrate well, eat well, and rest well especially when yer running a full marathon. In my case, I did hydrate well, but eat and rest? I cant let go off of my hyena appetite (I’m built for the kill ya know), but I did a “sopir carbolodeng” ( http://marcelobahaghari-nikko.tumblr.com/post/4278416150/sopir-carbolodeng ), and most of what I ate are aliens, which is bawal! Rest? I did an 8k beerput (barefoot) run on Monday, 5k heat-training walk on Tuesday, 5k tempo run on Wednesday, mall tour on Thursday, UNGO run on Friday, a tempo with Michelle Estuar a.k.a. Nina Ignacio (Congrats!), and sleep late from Monday-Thursday because of majhong, Bunot-Syete Pares-Popeye-Alay!
now that’s a Papa Piolo schedule
Abril Segundo (April 2)
“Tayte’s 75th bday”. We love you. You will be forever in our hearts.
TOMORROW’S THE BIG DAY
(had a daybreak. on vacation)
Race Gears ( check) Beerput Sandals ( check ) Extra Shoes ( check ) in case of beerput failure Alarm Clock ( check ) reminders: never use alien/virgin alarm clocks. Not so Cool Cellphone ( charging ) Breakfast ( cooked ) Facebook ( checked ) in case of some further announcements
I’m all geared up
Went to Beddybyland. zzzZzzz!
3 de Abril THIS IS IT
Shoot, the alarm botched to wake me up again, set it at 2:15 and it is still sleeping soundly until now! (palpak na pud). The Flash mode. ZoooOooom! That went fast.
Get my gears ready, Quaker Chips, egg and a banana for an early breakfast, then called noy Mon2x(Monseur Carreon), and say adieu to my dearest mader.
We had a little warm-up walk from our house to Capitol, peed “twice” along the way; is it a sign that I hydrated well or is it the excitement that goes through my toenail to the spilt ends of my hair?what the?!
Capitol Grounds
We arrive a little late, handed our bags to the dearest and ever supportive support crew, and joined the group for some pictorials.
I was standing at the Capitol grounds, thinking how far Car-car would be.
Still thinking…….thinking…..silent mode……
And there goes my noodle, the only plan is to finish. There is no cut-off time, no one is chasing you, and this is not a race, be smart and alert, don’t race with Doc Willie and his boys, there is no enemy here, and if you don’t want to be injected by a “lethal injection” by supremo Max, don’t wait for yer body to surrender, let yer body be yer coach, stop when you needed to, hydrate well, and please don’t passed out, we don’t want somebody to be injected by LI again.
And as brother Carlo said, “quiting is never(always) in my race plan”.
brother Carlo, BDM 102 & 160 finisher
THE COUNTDOWN
Started out with a prayer of gratitude, strength, valor, and safety led by brother Carlo.
Last group photo-ops at km0, flashes, smiles, cheers and laughter’s huddled the sleeping Capitol, and then the countdown.
5……. 4……. 3……. 2……. 1…….
Bang!
Then it started.
THE LAST KISS AT km0
Everybody is cheering, you can hear “bleep” and “complaints” about their Garmin (wala pa lagi ni sulod akoa)(unsa maning reloha oi)(wa sad ni sud akoa)(haha), blinkers and headlights flashing all over the place, fireworks(I mean the song), and there goes Doc Willie and his Linggam Boys, set myself at the middle of the pack, coach Rio the undiscovered PORNSTAR(Antit) and Derek Tamsey (bradah Karlo) crooked up and sprayed, I did mine with sir Nathz at CNU.
Right down from the start, I paced with noy Mon2x and maam Shiela; we averaged an easy 7:00 min/km pace until the first station near Mcdo Mambaling.
w/ maam Shiela and noy Mon2x
Doc Willie and his boys
THE FIRST PINK BALLOON
Water and some Mushrooms(pan ha!) were served.
The pink balloons are markers in every support vehicle, which means when we see pink round fad in the air, it means food and water is near(haha!).
The UNGO support crew is the best ever, like those support crew at the pit stop of every Formula 1 racer, or NASCAR. They were there to cheer us, feed us, gas us up and push us, and take photos(nyahaha!). They really mean a lot to us.
Once again, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HYPOTHALAMUS!
thank you!
thank you!
thank you!
thank you!
thank you!
thank you!
THE TERROR AT THE STREETS
We started out at 4:00 AM, so it is still dark, less traffic but fast raging vehicles, and it is an early Sunday morning, some people we encounter are church goers, some were employees tired from work, some were party people from a Saturday night funk, drunk, noisy, and red going to violet faces, stray dogs, some were hungry inhabitants scavenging for food and yes! Some of them are children, lactating mothers, seeking future at the crumb trash, what a pity! I saw some “takirubs” around, and some are just weird looking bystanders staring at you from head to toe. You really can’t see some appalling side in every healthy community when you don’t open yer eyes.
SAYANARA CEBU CITY
8kms down, Talisay city at last, 4 towns and 32kms to go, Minglanilla, Naga, San Fernando, and Car-car. The second pink balloon was located somewhere in Bulacao, Team Tyts Bogdo(TTB), headed by RH2 w/ some TTB chikas(Girls), photo ops, gatorade, and sagingdakolami, and off we go, matsalams guys!
SAGINGDAKOLAMI.
Funny moments: Under the overpass at tabunok, where 3 legged motorcycles are plethora, we saw some guys with some headlights on, we thought they were those guys from DPWH setting up some troubles, but no, nag “HANTAK” ang mga karahu! Nag headlights pa, sosyal!
As we reach km10, maam Shiela, the only girl in the pack, a 32km finisher, and a marathoner, as well as noy Mon2x, also a 42k finisher, agreed to do the Galloway 5:1 ratio, or 5 minutes run and a minute of walk, and run fast after every walk break; our plan is to dodge the heat and the traffic at Minglanilla and be at Naga before 7 to avoid those bull raging buses in Highway 69.
GOING HALF-WAY AND GALLOWAY
Another town came, Minglanilla, and its secret uphill and downhill plus the busy traffic, Mr. Sun started to shine but the huge wave of clouds covered its painful rays (thank you), we were still doing Galloway, saw Eric, and I think he is also doing the run/walk strategy or does he have another set of eyes on his back because every time we stop he also stops and at the same time run when we started to, but the secret uphill are still dragging us down every stride, then another pink balloon just on top of the hill, another station, Edgar of 10c and some chikas; gatorade and some chocolates were served and the never ending photo-ops. And off we go Oswego! Abdul wedged us up and decided to join the pack, it is now a five man team, me, noy Mon2, maam Shiela, Mark, and Abdul with a pink balloon.
the JUSTICE LEAGUE
PARTY AT THE PINK BALLOON:
MUSIC, DANCE, FOOD, DRINKS, MASSAGE, SPRAYS, PHOTOS, AND THE BAM-I THIEF
Half-way through the course, a station in Naga that serves eat all you can buffet, from bananas to coffee, to bread, food, chocolates, gatorade, water, sponge, ice packs, and some other stuff you can’t see on a Sunday fun run.
After some rest, and some dancing, eating, and refilling our empty hydration grenades, the TTB caught us up with their very own Chuck Norris a.k.a. Boying Milan(master beerputer), the Cullens, and the Bam-I thief, who saw the mouth-watering bam-I, snatched it, put it in her lap and wrestle it down, and the dancing and eating becomes a partey!
TTB w/ the Bam-i thief
ABDUL! PARTY! PARTY!
ABDUL again.
showing some moves.
and the Bam-I thief! doing her thing.
peace Miss Aeda.
Thank you again for the lovely treats!
RAGING BULL
The fun had ended and back to work to cover some more miles, we were energized by the dancing and started out fast, the Naga stretch where big raging buses dominate the tracks are the flaw of every individual, not that these furious things travel ten times faster than Haile Gebressalaise but the clumsiness of the drivers is what we are concerned about.
But it didn’t bother us, we still maintain a comfy pace and lessening our 5:1 ratio into 3:1 to conserve more oomph for the upcoming terrors, TTB disappeared like a bubble; Ace and miss Arlene are nowhere to be found, only the CebuStriders were there, and James Go taking pictures with his bazookas.
James Go w/ his bazookas
Funny moments: At some point in Highway 69, a man with his lemonhead pit-bull pooped out, those big fangs that lock up, and the dribble pouring out of its wide mouth shit the hell out of us, but it was just an eyepooper, the real thing is yet to come, the five man team turn out to be four, Abdul and maam Shiela in front, me and noy Mon2x trailing them, we really didn’t see what happened until Abdul jump right out because a speeding stray dog with his buddies happened to have a gang war with some other dogs; it shit the hell out of us again! Good thing there where no speedy bulls at that time, we stopped for a while, grabbed some air, laugh, and Abdul sprinted out with shakes on his knee, and we were back to three, goodbye Abdul! what a fastidious run it was.
”naka IHI gud tungod sa ka kulba”
WE’RE ALMOST THERE BUT THE DEVIL IS NEAR
13kms to go, we reached San Fernando, the devils are already bothering us; my legs were already drained, maam Shiela is slowing down same with noy Mon2x, we can’t barely finished 3 minutes of our 3:1 strategy, we can see Abdul(without his balloon) and Benchjz from a far walking, Mr. Sun already beaten the clouds, we were dirty, oily, sweaty, my beerput sandals tear apart, Sydney and the girls caught us up, my grenades are already empty even though we just passed another pink balloon with sir Victor Chan, we were already running for four hours, another pink balloon at the heart of San Fernando headed by sir Jinggoy and maam Joy, Gatorade and chocolates were served with some cold sponges.
My hamstrings are too bushed to move, sore on my grubby foot, I felt like cramps are coming in, but the two 42ker’s seems like heating up, they’re back, the last four hours, it seems like I’m more brawny than them, but the wind changes, now I’m the one being pulled up, maam Shiela is getting faster again and noy Mon2x too. Then I decide to do my own pace, I told them not to wait for me, noy Mon2x always asking in a sign (thumbs up) if I was still ok, I’m okay! I just don’t feel running.
getting some miles.
CAR-CAR’s ARCH, AMPAO, LECHON, CHICHARON
welcome to Car-car!
A few meters before the welcome sign of Car-car, a small hut/store/beerhouse sells the all-time favorite, butong(Kokonat), sir Max and maam Marlene was there, slurping the yummy butong, sir Bennet ordered Mountain Dew, brother Carlo’s BDM 102km and 160km secret recipe/energy drink, a bandit ordered something, and Benjchz sitting at a bench. I decided to go out first because I know later they would catch me up.
The last pink balloon, and 4km to go, I can still run but my legs are drained; after 5 and a half hours of running and 2km left, I’m getting sleepy but hey! I’m not tired; some volunteers from Car-car kept on asking us if we were still good; yeah! We’re still good.
Sir Max and maam Marlene and sir Bennet wedge me up, James Go is still taking photos, Judge Paredes walked out of his pick-up and handed some bananas, thank you Judge! A Car-car native, sitting out of a small nipa hut offered me some water to douse myself (thank you),Coach rio/the undiscovered PORNSTAR(Antit) and Derek Tamsey(bradah Karlo) wedge me up and offered some bananas and omega, I told them I will just march up to the last km, but damn! The last km is just the farthest! Then I found a bench under a tree and decided to sit for awhile and just feel the freshness of the air, sit back and laid my head down; looking far behind, I saw someone with orange jersey(TTB), a balloon, and striped knee socks, it’s Richie Al(kuya Katol), he offered water, and bring some bad news; he told me that sir Joel fell off a canal at San Fernando and got some bruises and mar his nose but he is still running, what a spirit! Kuya katol then jogged his way to the finish and told him I will just walk the last stretch.
AYAYAY! FINISH LINE!
6 hours and fifteen minutes of running/walking, jogged the last few meters and went up to the statue of Leon Kilat, the medal is waiting for me! Fellow finishers were cheering; I did finish my first “not so” full marathon and it was just the best moment i could ever dreamed of.
got it!
take a bow.
heep hiip hoooray!
sweet!
Richie Al.
the Bam-i thief.
coach Rio/ Undiscovered PORNSTAR
bagged it with style.
the First Ungo to bagged the amulet. pahayahay nalang.
chak norres (beerput master)
nice one!
hoooorayyy!
Tarahumara / Arnulfo Quirame Gutierriez
heepp hiiipp hoooraaay!
heeep hiiiip hooooray!
Mark, member of the Justice League
miss Joy, beerputer.
and…
the champion!
sukol pamu aning pamilyaha? huh! tubag?!
a big family. thank you guys!
SULONG PARA SA LECHON! ( HINDI DAPAT PALALAMPASIN )
redi for combat.
another wave.
the attack.
paksit.
lami ang lechon gabs?
they eat, they run, they drink
almost there.
SUGBO mode.
busog.
ice cream for free!
sydney’s turn.
lechon : game over!
paksit ang lechon.
FALLOUT
Route: Cebu Provincial Capitol – Car-car City (South)
Distance: 39.792 km
Weather: Sunny – Cloudy
Official Time: 6:15:54 Hrs.
Pace: 8:30 min/km
Mode: Sight Seeing
Hydration: Very Well
Nutrition: Super “esp. The Lechon”
Terrors: Cramps, Sleepiness Syndrome(haha)
Photos: Never Ending
Support Crew: The best one EVER! 20/10
Organizers: 20 /10
see you next year! For page number 2!
