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PMMA Takbo Para sa Marinong Pilipino

Posted by on 18. February 2013

Distance: 5K
Date: February 17, 2013

Read about: Incoming: PMMA Takbo Para sa Marinong Pilipino

“PMMA Takbo para sa Marinong Pilipino was not just a challenging hill run.  It was more of a celebration with PMMA batches reuniting for this run and everybody being treated to a fiesta plate of Red Crab.”

Eat, help and run is a new concept that is fast attracting droves of runners as you really get your money’s worth with meals coming from the reputed Red Crab included in the add-ons.  This one also goes to a good cause which is the Seafarers Welfare Fund of Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) so every stride is meant to help someone.   The 5K race distance would be a good workout due to the hilly inclines in McKinley.  This would be the last part of my build for next week’s half marathon in Hong Kong.   I really wanted to build on my confidence by having a strong finish on this one plus the sooner I finish the sooner I get my breakfast.  I don’t only eat hills for breakfast I’m also having a Red Crab Fiesta Plate.  

Race Course and Elevation

The race route was simple but the elevation was really challenging as the race starts at the side of Piazza Venice and immediately sends the runners to a gradual descent worth 15 meters of elevation over the first 800 meter of the run in Upper McKinley Road.  Everybody then goes on a steep descent to towards C5 and another steep climb after the first u-turn covering 15 meter elevation before hitting the first kilometer of the run.  Runners are then treated to 900 meters of descent worth 15 meters of elevation before starting to take on a very steep incline of 25 meters elevation going to the second kilometer.  The race then moves to Lawton Avenue where runners get a steady incline worth 10 meters over the next two and a half kilometer before taking a 45 meters elevation descent to the finish line in the last 500 kilometers.

 The Race

Intense – Photo by Jojo Pauly

I was at the McKinley early for this one as with several races happening at the same time, I don’t want to deal with road closures.  I was still able to chat and meet friends before the run.  I positioned myself at the mid pack since the front part was really loaded.  At gun start, I started slow as the area was a bit crowded for the first 100 meters running above 7 minutes per kilometer.  After breaking past the crowded area I started picking speed between 6-6:30 minutes per kilometer for the first kilometer including the descent and climb back from C5 area.  At the second kilometer, I took advantage of the downhill part running 5:30-5:45 minutes per kilometer and sustained the effort even in the climb up to Lawton.  I recovered a bit at Lawton and went on with 6:30 minutes per kilometer pace for the Lawton area of the race before going below 5:30 minute per kilometer pace on the final descent for a strong finish of a little over 31 minutes.   That felt really good as I haven’t been running fast as of late and it’s nice to see that I’m starting to regain my speed and consistency.  The good part about this race is that it doesn’t end in the finish line and in just a few steps entering Piazza Venice, the Red Crab Fiesta plate is right there waiting for you.

Red Crab Fiesta Plate after the Run

The winners had Bilao worth of foods and since we were seated just besides the winners we were able to have some of their wide range of Red Crab goodies.  Lucky us, being seated near by as we got to share with some of their food.  Makes me wonder, Would the winners still win after a feast like these assuming there was another round at McKinley after breakfast?  It was really an intimate affair as aside from the run, we got to witness the camaraderie of the PMMA alumnus having fun with the photo opportunities after the run.  On the overall, the run was smooth and everybody went home happy.  Well, a way to a runners heart is through his stomach, I guess.

And it was a feast. – Photo by Elaine Botabara

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