Coming Up Short

It is said that good things come to those who wait. If that indeed is the case, then I guess I will have to console myself with the prospect of better days ahead.

In my previous post, I came out with the stated goal of finishing the 2011 Cebu City Marathon in 4:45. It was rather ambitious of me, to tell you frankly, considering that I have gone sub-5 only once before - and it happened only last December. But hey, we all have the right to aim high (or perhaps more appropriately - dream big). If I nail it, good. If I don't, well, redemption could be had on the Skyway next month.

Alright, I'll get straight to the point - last Sunday in Cebu, I came up short.  I finished the Cebu City Marathon in 4:50:04 (Garmin time), a new personal best and an improvement of six minutes over my Singapore time, but way off the mark by a full five minutes. For a while there, I thought I had it in the bag. Up until Km 35, I was shamelessly flirting with a 4:30. A 4:30! And then - shit Mango Avenue happened. Fueled by adrenaline and hubris (and Roctane!) - and in full pursuit of a 4:30 finish - I ran the inclines instead of walking them. And the outcome was... cramps on both my thighs almost every 200 meters for the rest of the way.  To say that Kms 36 to 42 were a struggle would be a huge understatement.  Those last six kilometers were even worse and far more excruciating than the last three kilometers of my maiden marathon.  More than the physical pain though, as I was hobbling my way through Salinas Drive, what tortured me mercilessly was the notion that I had the 4:30 well within reach, and I just let it slip away. At Km 40, I reverted to the original goal: 4:45. The original prize had become but a mere consolation. Still, it was not to be. My quads refused to cooperate, and even the 4:45 vanished. So, with the finish line in sight, I mustered whatever juice I had left and sprinted. I could still salvage a 4:49 and loose change - and that would still look loads better than a 4:50. But, well, you already know the rest of the story - I crossed the line five seconds too late. Voila, a bittersweet personal best - 4:50:04.  Statistics and splits of my run here (the race distance was fairly accurate - the SRP Tunnel just screwed up the readings).

Now that I've gotten all of that off my chest - let's talk about the marathon itself.  Let me say this: The Cebu City Marathon was as good as advertised. Actually, it was waaaay better. Fireworks at the starting line, a very festive atmosphere, aid stations every 1.5 to 2 kms, overflowing water and energy drinks and abundant food items (banana, crackers, chocolates) at the aid stations, bands, performers, loudspeakers, and cheering sections at almost every turn, countless race marshalls that actually knew what they were doing and that were very polite, a scenic yet fairly challenging route, ambulances and first aid stations, full support of the local government, fantastic-looking finisher's medal --- I can go on and on and on. The Cebu City Marathon was THAT GOOD. I have done five marathons thus far, all within the last 10 months - Condura, Milo, Singapore, CamSur, Cebu, and I can say with all objectivity that Cebu was by far the best. Of the five marathons under my belt, if I were to choose just one that I would run again in 2012, it would be Cebu, hands down. Yes boys and girls, Cebu was that good. It really was. You want to run a world-class marathon? We have one right in our own backyard. Just head down south. Thank you, Cebu. I will definitely be back next year.

Pardon the digression --- but I never meant for this to be a feel-good post. I will claim my 4:30 at the Condura Skyway Marathon next month. After what I went through in Cebu last Sunday, I know in my heart that it can be done. A wee bit too cocky? Perhaps. But so what? It's a free country.