My Running Team's Anniversary Run at RUNew 2012

FLASHBACK FEBRUARY 27, 2011
PDI 5-man 25k relay event at BGC - a new running team emerged; Team Alpha1 donning their red tops made their first road appearance. (I'm not yet an active member this time as I was on business trip and just joined the team on running events beginning July 2011.)

PDI 5-man relay TA1 team (from L-R): Rocknrolly, Sprintingswine, FFS, Eugenator, Bandit

FEBRUARY 26, 2012
A year later, the team has grown to 17 members. What I like most about being part of TA1 is the "barkada" feel of the group. We just don't see each other on races. We normally hang-out - dinner-outs, coffee treats, movie-watching and our favorite, partying! We've even leveled-up with a couple of out-of-town trips and an out-of-the-country trip.

Team Alpha1: Achilles, Rocknrolly, Pandesal Runner, FFS, Rocky, Coyote, Martian, Barefootdaves, Armbanded, Eugenator, Deemen, Speedygiant, Sprintingswine, Belgian Banana, Bandit, Chad, Wallen

As a celebration of our first year, we joined RUNew - A Runrio event held at Alabang. Too bad only a few members joined this time (most probably the race is down south), but it was a great get-together nonetheless. It's just a funny coincidence that there are also 5 team members racing on our anniversary run - Me, Bry, Jesy, Martin and Marvin. Bit disappointed that Bry and Jesy were not wearing their TA1 tops. Hehe!

We joined different categories - Jesy, Martin and I were doing 21k, Bry is doing 10k and Marvin doing a 5k. I chose 21k since it's a new race route for me, having to run inside Ayala Alabang Village. This is a rare opportunity.

My thoughts on the race:

• The route was so challenging with the rolling hills. I never knew running in AAV will be this hard, but with zero mileage for 2 weeks, I got surprised I didn't walk the entire race. The scenery inside AAV probably helped a lot here - I enjoyed appreciating the architecture of those BIG houses. Lots of trees inside the village also helped protect us runners from the early heat of the sun.
  
• There were parts of the route during the start of the race that we're so dark. There were generator-powered lighting but they were placed in such a way that it blinded the runners instead of helping them see the path.
• More than ample hydration (water and Powerade) was provided as expected from a Runrio-organized race.
• Kilometer markers are placed accurately on designated points - every kilometer I check on my GPS watch matched well with the markers.
• I didn't like the finisher medal design, which could probably be an improvement area on the next RUNew.
  
• Parking is free on the race venue! Yay!
• Overall, it was an intimate, high-quality running event. I'll definitely join RUNew 2013!
  

Now on to the pictures:

New PR for Bry (10k at 46 minutes using VFF!) and Marvin (5k at 19 minutes). Idols!

Marvin eying Martin's chips LOL!

Group Shot. Weird shadows from the trees. Hehe!

Post-race meal at the original Conti's at BF Paranaque. Spot Edward Cullen.

The race results were posted 2 days later. I clocked in at 2:03:26. I was aiming for sub-2 but what the heck, I deserve this for the 2-week zero mileage. Placing 73 out of 443 21k finishers ain't bad. And as Bry FFS put it, I did not do a pussy pace. Haha!

Long downhill at KM12. Go figure.

Happy Anniversary Team Alpha1! More years of running!