My First Milo Run

The twenty-first Milo marathon was my first participation in Milo, and my second running event participation since I first joined last Aug. 31, 1997 for the Baguio Zigzag run.

Three months after my first fun run, I joined the Milo marathon event since I came to like running already. This is also to test my asthma condition if I had really overcomed it after the zigzag run. And besides, I was thinking that since this is the country's biggest Marathon event, there might be medias around and I might get some exposure on cameras or photos, weeheeee (a child's thought, I know)!

I just joined the 5-kilometer category because I felt that my body was not conditioned (yet) to run again. The difference that I noticed between the 10k and 5k is that there are more kids in the shorter distance category. But I don't mind since I also look like a kid at my age of 16 :)). It also gave me confidence that I could outrun these small kids on the 5k race.

At this time, I already learned something about distance running. To never sprint/run your fastest speed when you are still on the starting line. That's what I did on the zigzag run where the oxygen drained out of me. So, I just maintained the run at my own pace. And in the middle of the race, I noticed that there are already a lot of kids who are ahead of me, I wondered how could have they run that fast and still able to keep their speed when we are already around 2 or 3 km away.

Upon reaching the finish line, I saw my time. I told to myself it was good enough since it's less than half of the time I spent on the 10 kilometer zigzag run. But upon seeing the other finishers, to my dismay, a lot of kids who also ran the 5k was already relaxing at the finish line, while I have just arrived. What? But how? Well, I've just realized that I'm just a slow runner!

Personal Race Info:
Distance: 5 km.
Personal Time: 00:52:21
Rank: 119th

Race Info:
When: Nov. 9, 1997.
Where: Harrison Rd., Baguio City
Event: 21st Milo Marathon