Slowly getting my blog backlogs done.
I had the opportunity again to run in the second leg of the
Safeguard-2XU Sole Racing series, this time moving to a new race location - SM Mall of Asia, last 18th of August. It had the same setup as the
first leg - a race kit claiming expo which doubles as the race village come race day.
August 16-17: Race Kit Claiming
I was one of the first (excited) people who came to SM Mall of Asia's Music Hall to claim my kit and my fellow blogger friends'. I was so early, some of the booths were still being prepared the time I arrived. As usual, claiming was hassle-free, the staff were very friendly and approachable, and they even took time to counter-check each of the contents of the race kits in front of whoever's claiming them. I had the chance to have a quick chat with
Runrio's Ally Lim before heading out, carrying 4 heavy race kit bags back to my car - mine,
CJ's,
Thirdy's and
Rolly's.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15jASUwD_tExN3BEXUkW3vBOkFAsEAxSae3b0Ok9q68SXl49tW8gQbhyaVLwF-dw8wtLo3KaVtZocbgD_fWGe_QYLYY5TKKQ2ZsLSbF6TTbYssrDXrUWSU5-G0a8vMSjjQn8S2j9Wrhk/s400/00+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+race+kit+claiming.jpg) |
Race Kit Claiming at SM Mall of Asia's Music Hall |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKdka-LS7oY5DFgh-EI_AsKLMv7z_aKWGNSmu3kl6nPyWfmix44_Ew0_ZDcFYFZpFXaDPXUHdgV372O4ljQqOmKIjjUV9lTOolGptaEwCoMXnFVqDRodL4l-8q1B2CXEgZWlJ4YITBtU/s400/01+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+race+kit+contents.PNG) |
Race Kit Contents |
August 18: Race Day
Race day is red and black day! Having joined Leg 1, I had the 2XU calf compressions. This leg, they gave away the 2XU sunvisor. I also purchased my third pair of Thorlos running socks (Thorlos 84N), the model which guarantees maximum cushioning, and I'm so excited to test run it on this event.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJ8XgDgBhpaNysQE79LPvUOC7dHQOCiGYunz_sSVHLy2LQXx0Yy0V93jw80__bB-2rd_oeqcdaSBBMvtjHhi_G9R9QZJXycyuk4W4SHAU8nrtEY9Qahx8uXgJT-Ep56wVCyMMZMEHTQM/s400/02+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+race+preps.JPG) |
Red and Black! Alpha-mode ON! |
Assembly time was 3am, with gun start slated at 4am. It was drizzling that early Sunday morning but nothing could stop runners from enjoying a good 21km race.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8OfajwDL1qa5U-DeR0pwnsS3RcN0X9gQGE0mEyXx_6_gbvyU2x0Vt2L6pH3my8Q5AanKGCNKOS5KE9dxhs4HrlDl6_BTSouCD73spGOeFQYmWKSL0ja_osVxK80Op5bs635Yu-3_bucg/s400/04+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+with+wes+and+mish.JPG) |
Met my favorite running couple Wes and Mish - they're part of the Six:30 Loveliest Team, competing in the Fastest Team Challenge |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8vZsAwzoDN3RxSlMfSnLZUEJFuPyOQ2d230jiPtAR6oUL0dRstFoLnvaIzF_6o1BNFNRXhx8p35d8GjCfrH0VhdZY62Mgs7U7IheE0MufoBoPJi7JJtdLoOEjiOIp3Wr4FvAhTX2GHUs/s400/05+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+race+route.jpg) |
The 21km race route was mostly flat - a perfect PR course! |
I had my usual target of a sub-2 half marathon, but with the flat course, I was hoping a sub-1:55. But alas, by the time runners reached the 6 to 7KM mark at Roxas Boulevard, it rained! Not just your ordinary rain, but a rain so hard visibility was low. I had races before where it rained but not like this. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it. It was a perfect reason to skip hydration stations and keep on running. I was a bit concerned though that with wet shoes and wet socks, the dreaded blisters would come next. Fortunately, I was wearing Thorlos, and it delivered as expected - no blisters whatsoever!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrqyvqPzx7MifmfeHrEdg7zBMh0XR4FlfDkqQEhhR054N-HLz1Vue5ZiD8OioEv8AC6GCuF4WkER-G3h0NRTHh1WiP-ChY9nHdEiGdlBb-9Yvi-9a25N0BTobDBNcsGsbIOblZb5wxA0/s400/06+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+night+mode.jpg) |
Half-way point. Wet as hell! |
The race, with its limited participants (a thousand runners), is as intimate as it could get. That for me is the best feature of Sole Racing. It's also a venue wherein you could see mostly seasoned runners participating, so you'll get the adrenaline rush to go faster.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MfQj5_l-aQKcbwQHw4CA06FUjDTsmTWTxBI1wtAoDn5K0WYJWBfuckbXkhvSqopt6gBMX1Kdxu4JLfMuH4dB4VU8gLAstN3Cu-Xq74iZLG6wWkBoF6I_2nK6Q9fr6XLo_1KfTdIMyuA/s400/07+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+day+mode1.jpg) |
Before the final right turn at Seaside Drive |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB-wapg8GmUqoRjZBSQcEb2FW8Jj_aycTm1RKbH_vx0LgdkEusjw04kE6RF4GjkImzKRKsC31If6lXR56bdge6l4kxFm8QiRZZlutQsZ6vKXupBWuA_qvv94Gbu-kliuSyG6WweKwCAs/s400/07+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+day+mode2.jpg) |
Almost at the finish! Tired. Wrong running form. Haha! |
Yay, I managed to still do a sub-2!
1:59:48 to be exact, haha! Amid the heavy and wet shoes, I'm contented with my results and still consider it an achievement. Of course, post-race is the time to meet runner friends and take snaps.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9-KDfwQRWTF_UuZLmyoDTL2vdq7DMVu1Fv8zJE_uzD2nOs6bWuicmDo55JAIaau_nJZsmIkGdH4DiEXyTi8N_cdkdVDEEozg-mvdNp2KceWeJmnY6pPRPFk2CsyZbQBH6LGktzAn-Cc/s400/08+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+finishers2.jpg) |
With Thirdy, Rolly and Coach Mherlz |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUYT4YsUT9aAcVDMEhDHq6mJygM_W6-U0kIJHk2RW1mGhKCsy8umWAPCdnG9oBQgoNrAtzaREgI4deOrlu2WwqKHQPD2lzpvSJZdygfdaC88lpnJPhgxKzT5KmodyCz488QYP1g1a3BQ/s400/08+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+finishers.jpg) |
With Wesley, JP, Rolly and Gilbert - the fast bunch |
We stayed for the awarding ceremonies and the raffle. Thirdy was one lucky guy, winning a Timex watch in the raffle. I had no doubt Six:30 Loveliest Team would bag the Fastest Team Challenge award. When they went on stage to receive their trophy, I was a bit envious. I wish my running team's still active. But everyone has their valid reasons to be on a hiatus so it's no big deal. I'm just emo. Hehe!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWbHjqYqJGk6KxsvT0pLCG8Rmb_Jdm2IXYL89bpDDFcAFPJS5N_TCLW2kvFCohKw58d52RquJjeVMwMbBSlheNPG_opbFN5NohKmoh6pK8V3V28HnHSj-mfKVuzgwwQAFebL85ys38Rc/s400/10+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+six-30+loveliest.JPG) |
Six:30 Loveliest - Fastest Team Challenge Winners! Congratulations! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazjOMNgMUkguK7c0NW-o-JaxQx_UCSV43GJ8spZGJhk6EpvccS1uVDNqfEV1Ba-S_YByv6Z5nTmX3YfxqrhyphenhyphencYY32_8xF9QTR7dm-1Ui9W9I3Ak7dCCCl1YdQXJ5sk4ocmGt-cdDKXQ0/s400/11+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+post-race+breakfast.JPG) |
Post-race breakfast at Chowking with the usual suspects |
I placed 128th out of 825 21km finishers. Since the results released were based on gun time, I plugged in the data at MS Excel and created my version based on chip time. Haha, excel geek. I then posted below image on FB, including results from celebrities and runner friends.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCTztBtHSfZAlWvDbBwZfBrhO0qn6ngmRlA2FWQZJbJUTVOjLgT3MeMZpWWTAA67KRHtDoK4NxN85pmY039aViYZy-pTKteNn-8TubHtT9DklMK11AeoEHuRtMvAR0Yp75kKKXyxv240/s400/12+-+safeguard-2xu+sole+racing+leg+2+-+results.PNG) |
Consistently doing a sub-2 weee! |
Leg 3 is on October 27 at Nuvali! Surprise, surprise!
congrats Deemen!
ReplyDeletethanks Junjun! blog ka na rin bilis!
DeleteGood job Deemen! Keep running!
ReplyDeletethanks reydan! :)
DeleteGrabe nga yung ulan nung race!
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
Useful yung prize ko dito... Pampalit ng nasira kong timex... :D
sana ako rin manalo sa raffle... ng garmin! hahaha!
Delete