I was all set for the 5th BDM 102, supposedly my fifth straight year of joining. But H1 preparations and operations took so much out of me. So, I took the next best recourse. Not only did I lead the prayers again but I also crewed for the 2 eventual course record holders, Joel Bengtay and Marcelo Bautista. They were the race favorites, hands down.
Right from the gunstart, Joel and Marcelo pushed the pace. Two other hardy souls kept them company, with the first one lasting up to Km 4 and the other at Km 7.
From that point on, the duo were flying and by their lonesome. Joel wore his game face all throughout. Marcelo was battling stomach aches as early as the starting line. In fact, Joel as well as James Tellias and Larry Estoesta both champions in their own right, said hello with the bare ground at some point of the race. The culprit? Boiled corn we all had in Villasis on our way to Mariveles.
Joel, who in my mind is the stronger runner of the two, was relaxed, easy and cocksure of his pace early on while Marcelo kept up with him. As early as Km 20, I noticed Marcelo catching his breath heavily and appeared struggling but was still game. Joel was feeling sleepy at this point. Marcelo did not let Joel far off each time they stopped briefly at each station. Even if Marcelo was not yet done with his drinking and eating, he would go as soon as Joel left.
Big heart is an understatement if I were to describe Marcelo.
I knew both had the chance of a new CR once they hit Kms 42(3h 37m) and 50 (4h 16m). But I did not tell them as I did not want them to be over confident and was weary of BDM’s “Bermuda Triangle”-Km 68 to 82- where most 102 dreams die a slow death. Not only is this where the traffic gets heavy, it’s where the drivers get reckless too, unmindful of pedestrians especially at the wee hours of the morning. Running this segment during the day is another story altogether, it’s a scorcher.
At the vicinity of Km 70 and 80, Joel made his move. He was getting stronger by the minute. Marcelo meanwhile, started to slow down and the gap between them stretched to a kilometer and more.
On two occasions, I had them eat hot “goto”(Balanga) and noodles(Lubao) that I bought along the way. My own experience tells me that it’s good to eat something warm at some point. Otherwise, all they had was Gatorade, Coke and Mountain Dew, boiled eggs with salt, hamburger, long johns, coffee and ice cold water. I am quite sure we had the least of food choices and supplies and for that matter, food spoils at the end of the race. Very spartan but nourishing just as well, no frills food.
As daybreak came and both successfully cleared the Dinalupihan-Lubao stretch, I knew that breaking the existing record was just a matter of time.
Joel was way ahead and kept pushing, just taking fluids the rest of the way. I turned back for Marcelo one more time to add to Elmer Sabal’s supplies and told Marcelo that I would come back for him after Joel’s finish.
After seeing Joel through with his record time(9h 11m 56s), I went back for Marcelo and located him at Km 97. He was looking better this time and went for the record after I assured him that he could still make it below 10 hours. He eventually broke sub-10 with his own 9h 45m 59s performance.
And history was written by both.
Sub-9 hours? Doable by any of the two from what I saw.
Looking back, I learned some new lessons by crewing for two champions. They did not walk at all and made the most brief of breaks at every vehicle stop we made regularly. They shed off their hydration bags when we all agreed that 3 kilometers would be our intervals.
The route which I got so used to seeing in daylight and under the heat of the day in my past five BDM appearances appeared so different during nighttime and under the relative comfort of the prevailing weather.
Frankly, I missed running that night so bad but giving back to BDM by way of supporting these two fine champions more than made up for my absence. It was a most fulfilling experience and gave me a rare opportunity of seeing up close how champions do their thing. I just hope their ways will rub on me. It was not a chore at all, it was fun and exciting to watch the two.
Not once did I hear them complain, they meant business from 0 to 102.
It was a different story though on our way back to Baguio, they were sleeping like babies and Marcelo was the toast of the day, from our lunch in a San Fernando mall up until we had coffee in Baguio.
In another all-nighter a mere week after my week-long sleepless H1, it felt good beyond words to be sleeping in cold Baguio weather again.
Priceless experience, this crew support thing. My first and only so far but definitely not my last.
for photos; http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3839846613157.1073741826.1787791680&type=1
for the complete results; http://baldrunner.com/2013/03/03/official-result-2013-bdm-102-ultra-marathon-race/
P.S. both’s winning ways would not have been possible without the generosity of jingle melanie marquez and the selfless efforts of larry estoesta (2012 old spanish trail 60k champion), james tellias (2013 hardcore hundred miles trail ultramarathon champion) and gay baniwas, herself an accomplished trail runner. cheers, TEAM frontRUNNER!
haven’t blogged for the longest time so this is extra special.
FRONTRUNNER Philippines 
