Greenfield Sunset Run: Forced to Run 21K and Race Result
I AM NOT REGISTERED AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY PLANS OF JOINING THIS RACE (*ehem, ehem* writing it ALL CAPS). Still, for the love of running I came there with the purpose of cheering and taking picture of my new friends from Adination Running Group – Alabang.
Although this is a new experience (late afternoon start, different race venue, out-of-town race, near my place) I choose not to register because I was in “tipid-mode” (choosing wisely what races to join). So, I said to myself that I will join at least 1 race a month because I want to focus on building endurance and some speed training. And I think I am done already with the “basta-maganda-singlet-register” attitude. 
I arrived 4:45pm and I saw them together doing some stretching. I asked for the camera so I can take some pics but Sir Toel gave me a 21K race packet. What? I said NO! I just run 28 kilometers last Wednesday, I don’t want to walk this one, I need to rest. There is no Greenfield City Sunset Walk. But they still forced me. Fine! I’ll run 10K. But after some more negotiations I hesitantly agreed to run 21K. What was I thinking? I am not expecting to finish this with a decent time. Maybe a 2:30-2:45 would do, I just want the medal and that’s it. Next thing I know I was wearing a singlet, a race bib and a timing chip. 10 minutes to go before gun start, stretching, stretching, and more stretching.
I was planning how I will finish the race during the first kilometer. Since I don’t have a garter (Garmin) I looked for a pace group. Luckily, I saw the JazzRunner and Sir Mel so I joined their pacing (6:00/km).
THE RACE PLAN: Super Slow 10K – Slower 5K – Slow 5K – walk 500m – strong finish 500m.
The Route, Water Stations, Runners and Some Review
The Route was flat, making it easier for me to run. As usual when I saw some grass I chose that over the concrete, the first 5K I was running on grass because it is easier and lesser stress on my still-recovering knees. The first 10K was sweet and slow. Vehicular traffic was still under control until half-way when we found ourselves running with cars beeping their horns as if wanting to bump us. I just waved to them smiling. Hahaha!
Good Job:
Nice singlet, New route, Different from the usual Sunday morning races in BHS, Out-of-town experience, On-time gun start, Lots of marshals and a post-race massage.
Nice singlet, New route, Different from the usual Sunday morning races in BHS, Out-of-town experience, On-time gun start, Lots of marshals and a post-race massage.
Another addition to my collection (I now have 5 medals, woohoo!)
Wishlist for a better race next time:
Please, please, please provide enough cups of water and sports drink at least every 3 kilometers, Put up more floodlights on the dark route, Manage properly the vehicular traffic especially at the last 5 kilometers, place a water station as we cross the finish line, please have kilometer route markers (not everyone is wearing a Garmin, me included) please, please do not bombard us with marketing flyers (don’t even try to put those in our loot bags as we will just throw them), a more good-looking finisher’s medal would be better, oh by the way ‘we cannot wear the medal during our training runs, a finisher’s shirt would be better’ as we can wear it everywhere.
Please, please, please provide enough cups of water and sports drink at least every 3 kilometers, Put up more floodlights on the dark route, Manage properly the vehicular traffic especially at the last 5 kilometers, place a water station as we cross the finish line, please have kilometer route markers (not everyone is wearing a Garmin, me included) please, please do not bombard us with marketing flyers (don’t even try to put those in our loot bags as we will just throw them), a more good-looking finisher’s medal would be better, oh by the way ‘we cannot wear the medal during our training runs, a finisher’s shirt would be better’ as we can wear it everywhere.
Loot Bag contains 2 pcs. of feminine wash (*sobbing*), an anti-inflammatory tablet, a sachet of chocolate drink, a bottle of water and 1 bottle of 100 Plus.
Lessons learned:
1. If you do not have plans of joining the race, do not bring your running shoes and running shorts with you.
2. Start slow (the slower the better), be patient so you can go faster and aim for a strong finish.
3. If you are running to beat others, you get to beat others. But if you are running to beat yourself, you get PR (and beat others in the process).
Finish. As planned, I sprinted the last 500 meters and as I saw the clock it registered 2:12:17 (chip time). 116th place out of 435. I thought it was PR turns out that the clock was wrong.
Some pictures after the race:
Happy 21K finishers (except Ambo, the one pointing on the medal, who had cramps saying bye-bye to his sub 1:50 goal)
with the bosing Rene aka JazzRunner
Some Adination Alabang Runners
Official Race Results, Runpix Analysis and Photovendo Pics are now available.
A strong finish! I love this pic as it looks like I’m flying. (My 3rd Half Marathon)
Photo credits: Thanks to Alex E and Greg J (Facebook). I tagged your pics. Sir Rene I used your pic too! Sir Toel, Im waiting for your uploads.
Categories: 21k, Race Review
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James? kaw ba yung james na na-meet ko dun sa race (halfway sa finish line ata yun)? hahaha, i was looking for the online race result and dito ako napadpad. small world. goodluck sa dream marathon!
btw, thanks last saturday!
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Hey donnie! yes, that's me. Im sorry I have to speed up after some kilometers. Hope to me meet you again. Thanks a lot!
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Hey James, hindi tayo nagkita, pero nagkita kami ni Sir Rene.
Hindi ka pa prepared nung lagay na 'yun ha?! Congratulations!
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Congrats on your nice 21k time James
Sooner or later sub-2 ka na niyan. First time to visit your site, I like your layout. Good job, keep it coming. Hope to see you on the road one of these days.
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thanks pare!!! hope to run again all of you guys….. update nyo lng aq sa mga future run nyo ahhh!!! and sana plan na tayo about camsur marathon gusto q na sana mag register ehh hintay q muna kayo para mas marami mas masaya db!!!
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@madz, oo nga i was looking for you guys.pero nakita ko si alfred.
GBM! yes, thats the goal, sub2 this year, hopefully. thanks for visiting my blog.
@leo, camsure sure! masaya ito, im excited na!
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ako nasa "basta-maganda-singlet-register" stage pa. haha! pero masakit na sa bulsa.
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Nice post James…posted something on the run here as well: http://runningscientist.blogspot.com/2010/04/greenfield-sunset-run-before-big-leap.html …good for you to cover races south of Manila
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@ronnie, oo nga masakit yan sa bulsa. pero okay lang investmet naman for our health.
@SR, thanks a lot sir. we didn't meet, i thought your still out of the country. anyway, hope to see in future races. TBR DM?
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congrats pre! ang galing
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congrats!…ingit ako sa finisher's medal..hehehe
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@estan, pre thanks a lot! i hope to run with you sometime…
@juvy, mas maganda parin yung finisher's medal ng century at unilab..
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ganun pala! basta maganda singlet sali lang! hehehe…congrats james!
ayaw mo pa tumakbo niyan ha!
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@dyunmar thanks thanks! oo, sayang din ang singlet. next time ihahanda ko na sarili ko.
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After my next race, can I have you do the recap man? You are awesome with those sort of things, and I always enjoy reading yours. Congrats on the race. And BTW, I have to agree with the picture. You have deserved full boasting rights for at least a year and you do look like you are flying to a different planet. That would make for a great RW front pic. Take care man and again, Congrats, and God Bless.
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A more good looking medal? lol. I would have to say it passes for a Saint Patrick Day Medal. It's def green. Oh, could you imagine being forced into a Marathon like this? lol
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thanks again kenley! i wish it passes to the editors of RW..in my dreams..haha i'll run with you so i can have the race recap. have fun running man
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Congrats!
nabigla din ako dito, nalaman ko lang na tatakbuhin ko 'to the day before. Pero mas malupit ka! Haha! 
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hmm, no photos matched my bib number sabi sa photovendo.
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@maan, haha… malupit ang mga buddies, di ako makatanggi..
@ donie, whats your bib number? meron yan.. anyway, ano next race mo?
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bib number 3, for may eto sched ko ng takbo: chase the sun (10K), SanMig (10K) then runrio2 (21K)
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@donie, you have lots of pics, try doing 0003. hope you have fun on your races! see you in the future runs
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wow! andami nga! i tried using 003 and 3 lang kasi, never tried 0003 before. thanks james!
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