Condura Skyway Marathon 2011 - My Finish Time

The unofficial and partial race results of the Condura Skyway Marathon which was held yesterday, February 6, 2011 were already out!

For me, it is already official because the gun time reflected in their result coincide with the time when I crossed the finish line. And also the chip time which is around 3-4 minutes differential is correct because of the wave start the organizers implemented.

So here it is, my gun time finish is 2:22:16 while my chip time finish is 2:18:38. The official basis of time is the Chip time because of the wave start, meaning not all runners started upon gun start but in wave or group start.

For complete race results, visit www.conduraskywaymarathon.com

Rest and recover time now for me. Here comes now the pain after the grueling 21Km run.

God bless us all and see you on the road soon!

Seven Tips on How to Recover after a Marathon

Congratulations! You’ve done a great job in finishing a marathon. Now what? You don’t just halt to a stop when you cross the finish line. The minute you finished a marathon, you slow down to recover from a marathon.

What you do the first few minutes, hours or even days after a marathon is as essential to what you do to prepare for your marathon. This post-race period is critical to your recovery and to the progress of your subsequent running regimen.

photo taken from pictopia.com

Marathon recovery can take several weeks or perhaps several months depending on the intensity of your race and your recovery strategy.

Here are some helpful tips on what to do after the marathon to recover:

1.  Slow down after the finish line.  Once you cross the finish line, slow down to a jog then keep walking for at least 10 minutes. Allow some time for your heart rate and blood flow to return to its normal state.

2.  Eat well throughout the day.  After your marathon, refuel your muscles with a meal that includes carbohydrates, protein and sodium. If you still have a hard time eating after the marathon, recovery drinks work well, too. Continue to hydrate yourself and take small frequent meals.

3.  Have a cool shower.  A few hours after your race, soak in a tub with lukewarm water and ice or a lukewarm shower is good. This will aid in decreasing inflammation. Do not take a hot shower because heat will interfere with your marathon recovery.  Try and ice bath.  [See the video on how to have an ice bath for recovery]

4.  Have a break.  Your top priority after your big race is to relax and sleep for longer hours but it shouldn’t mean a complete bed rest. Schedule a massage or yoga.

5.  Engage in gentle activities.  Your feet will feel sore after your marathon so an easy walking the next day will do. Days after your marathon, engage in light exercises like cycling or swimming. The intensity of cross-training should be low and the duration should be short.

6.  Listen to your body.  Lessen the soreness in your feet by running on grass and trails weeks after your marathon. Don’t force your body to race again if it’s not yet completely recovered. Enjoy running rather than feel obligated to follow your training routine.

7.  Take your time.  Recovery rates vary for each individual. You may gradually increase the intensity of your running a couple of months after your marathon but if your body feels pain, give yourself more time to heal.

Running a marathon can be stressful to your body so it is important to have a post marathon plan. Focus on recovery after your marathon so that you will be eager to keep running and join another marathon.

~source: TAKBO.PH

Condura Skyway Marathon 2011 - Race Day Pics

At the Ayala Avenue Starting Line @ 4:25 AM

With Sam at the starting line

Backward shot while running along Skyway- still dark

Last major uphill part of the race - Buendia Flyover

Last marker for 21K - 20th Km mark

Shot just after crossing the finish line at Fort Bonifacio

My first marathon medal! Shot after claiming the finisher's medal

Proudly wearing my 21km finisher's medal

With Sir Romeo at the Baggage Claim area

Finish line as backdrop

Want some beer?? :-)

With Reman at the Coors Light Booth

The Condura Skyway Marathon 2011 was held this morning, February 6, 2011. This is my first race this year and my first half marathon (21Km).

I registered an unofficial time of 2 hours and 22 minutes, not so bad but my toe nails suffered a lot!
For sure I will have a hard time walking in the next days. But this is part of the sport, no pain no gain as they say.

I am happy with my race time considering of the lack to sufficient training and proper nutrition prior to race day.

I am looking for more races soon!

P.S. My warm thanks to my running mate, Sam and to Sir Romeo and Reman!

Thought for the Day - Race Day!!!

Condura Skyway Marathon 2011 - Race day Tomorrow

It's 9PM, February 5th 2011. I should be off to bed now because tomorrow is the big day for Condura Skyway Marathon 2011 but I just arrived from school about an hour ago, had my dinner and now doing some final preparations for an early wake up call tomorrow, or in a few hours from now.

But I guess as my previous runs, I will not have a good and deep sleep tonight, normally I have butterflies in my stomach if I am into a big event. Especially this time that I will be running my first half marathon or the 21 km event.

As a busy and stressed out life, I am hoping that I will have a good run tomorrow, I am targeting sub 3 hours finish time for my first 21K run. This is a high target considering a low training and the accumulated stress if work, school and personal life.

Let God be our guide in the roads of our lives!

Thought for the Day

Happy Chinese New Year - Year of the Metal Rabbit !!!

Today is February 2nd 2011, in a few hours time the whole world not just the Chinese community will be celebrating the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Metal Rabbit!

And guess what, we have a new pet... a small golden rabbit for wealth and love :-) I have some pictures taken just few moments ago.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!!

Running Motivations

It's February 1st, 2011... several days to go before the Condura Skyway Marathon 2011. It will be my first 21Km run and I am nervous about it.

To make me motivated I look on to one of my favorite running site and I would like to share to you these running motivations.

 

Got enough marathon motivation to push you across the finish line? It’s one thing to be motivated to start training, it’s another to stay motivated every day.

Training the mind should be considered equally important to physical marathon training. Following are a few simple techniques to help build mental toughness and create the proper mindset.


Visualization

Set aside a few minutes each day, or at least a few times each week, to relax and picture in your mind the runner you want to be. Picture yourself making a great training run or running the actual race. As you are creating that image, try to get other senses involved by trying to feel what it will feel like to achieve your goal or push through any obstacles you envision.


Affirmations
Flood your mind with positive thoughts by talking to yourself every day. Tell yourself that you are a marathon runner, a sub-four hour marathoner, or whatever it is your goal might be. Our minds operate in the present so the more we tell ourselves something, even if it is not yet true, the faster our mind believes it and begins working now to make that affirmation a reality. Also, put an affirmation, race brochure, or inspiring quote somewhere you will see it every day like on your desk or bathroom mirror.


Block the Negative
Be aware of negative thoughts creeping into your mind. When you catch them, stop them cold in their tracks by telling yourself the opposite. For instance, if you catch yourself thinking you are tired during a run, tell yourself several times, with emphasis, that you feel great or feel strong. Do the same for any pain during a run. By telling yourself the opposite, you are diverting your focus from the negative to the positive.

Over the course of training, you may find yourself lacking motivation at some point. This is very common. Maybe you get discouraged because unexpected events have caused you to miss a run, a few runs, or even a week or more of runs. Maybe something in your life diverts your focus from training and your goal. Whatever the case, do not let it stop you from achieving your goal!

Think of supporters cheering you on as you run with ease through the marathon or half marathon. Think about how rewarding it will be when you cross the finish line and reflect on what you have just accomplished.

Surround yourself with positive, motivating things. Watching running movies is great for marathon motivation. Find something that connects with you emotionally and you will find that your intensity and desire will grow to where you don’t just want to achieve your goal, you have to achieve your goal.

Take a step back and think about why you have set this monster goal for yourself and see yourself enjoying all the benefits you expect to have once you accomplish your goal.

~shared from Marathon Rookie