21K at Bohol International Marathon 2016

I had a wonderful cup of Barako coffee at the Alona beach right after a “gruelling” 21K half-marathon last Sunday’s Bohol International Marathon 2016.

And, that is all there is to my “gruelling” race story.

Kidding!

This was my 2nd time to join the Bohol International Marathon (You can read my previous race story, Bohol Half Marathon: The Race I Raced, here >>.). The first one was in 2013 when Bohol International Marathon had also their first full marathon category. Back in 2013, I aimed to run a sub-3-hour 21K (Yeah, I know, that was a very low aim for almost everyone but to me that was like big deal!). And, I got it. I arrived at the finish line at exactly 2:59 hours.

Fast forward to 2016, I finished my 21K in BIM 2016 for 3:25 hours! It’s kinda disappointing.

I’ve been running for quite a long time, and, in my mind, I always beat myself for not trying hard to better my running time or performance because according to Bruce Lee:

“…you might as well be dead. Seriously, if you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it’ll spread over into the rest of your life. It’ll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level.”

Source: Then Die / Impossible ®

But then I’ve also been into running for a long time to know that is always there for me: fast, slow, high, low points in life. That somehow, I learn that running is like a true friend; it does not care how you perform. It’s there to be enjoyed at whatever way you want to enjoy it. You might leave it, but it’s always there when you come back for it.

So I’m just so happy to come back to my 1st 21K after a longggg time, after all the things that happen to me in between my last 21K and BIM 2016.

Thank you to the BIM organizers, volunteers, and sponsors for being there.

BIM Volunteers

And, I was also happy to see few familiar faces, which has always been what is running to me: people watching. I mean it’s nice to people watch in running when they’re in something they love to do, work hard to do, or simply just because so.

The Paksit Runners: trail runner AJ & coach Paul James Zafico

My used-to-be classmate in the back row, Netz, but is now most improved. I could no longer catch up with her pace.

Excel & Megawear Boys

DC Runner / Megawear Boy, Adrian

Everyone’s most favorite person in any fun run, FotoSmile John Domingo.

Paksit Armie, long story with this woman!

But kidding aside, running is all about the meal (before) after the race. It was fun that we got to share some carbo-loading with the friends, who were also in Bohol for the Geeks on a Beach event (These people do run. Next time, we should!).

For Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) related stories:
[Day 1] Geeks on a Beach (GOAB): TRACTION,
[Day 2] Geeks on a Beach (GOAB): VALUATION.

And, most of all, thank you to St. Augustine who was watching over us throughout the race. It was the feast of St. Augustine also during the BIM.

Congrats to all the winners!

Photo from Bohol International Marathon facebook page.

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Posted by:

Rose Buenconsejo. Fun run, trail, yarn, coffee crawler.