TNF 50K runners heading off the race after the gun start
But someone I know was there not so much for those two common reasons but because she loves her friends. Yes, she likes to run but not much the trail but she ranked 10thamong the female finishers. And yes, her reason wasn’t like the rest because she is really extra ordinary.
Relak. Relak. With her friends during the orientation, day before the race
With one of her best friends, Chinky Tan who finished the 100K run
I had the privilege of running with Ms. Shiela Compendio the entire 50K since we, together with four other friends, decided to go through the entire race together.
We're enjoying the trail. At one point, our friends went ahead of us. We're left together in a trail w/o anyone around us and then it rained. Yaygs! No she's not going to hit me with the stick, she's just showing it ;)
If I were to rank who among us didn’t like the trail most, Shiela would be on top of my list. Maybe all of us had our own reservations about trail runs but since Shiela was the most open and vocal about it, I'd also consider her with the most courage and commitment to finish the race. It was so inspiring, I thought others should also know her story.
Serious look. With her friends who ran with her to the finish line
While I admired everyone who finished the race, I had a different kind of admiration for those who were able to do it even if they could have chosen not to. The race itself offered various challenges to overcome but it must have been more difficult trying to finish with another one within you. But Shiela successfully conquered every difficulty there was.
She not only set her foot on deciding to do it, she also took the discipline to train and worked hard for it.
To those who are having second thoughts about joining trail runs, I hope that this post would encourage you to try it. While road runs give us a certain high, trail runs give another level of satisfaction that’s worth all the courage all fears.
Here is my very inspiring ‘interview’ with a good friend, Shiela.
How long have you been running?
Three years. Not sure though if you can count my very first in July 2007 where my weight management consultant convinced me to try joining Fitness First 7km fun run for health purposes. It was then followed in August 2008 when a friend asked if my husband and I were interested in joining Mens Health 10km relay for a cause. We agreed. From there on we yearned for more, and the rest is, ultra, history.
Longest distance?
Can I just re-phrase the before TNF Camsur question to “how much do I not-so-like trails”, or “why do I not-so-like trails”
I am dainty, clingy, and an ultra worry wrat. If you leave me alone in the middle of a mountain or forest, I will surely die helplessly and pathetically.
What was your first trail run and how did it go?
21km TNF at Sacobia, Clark in 2009.
The dreadful river crossing was the highlight of that trail. My somewhat OC-ness whispered the need to avoid drippin my feet by checking on protuded rocks to step on. I was hopeful that I will finish the race unsoiled, like I always do in all my road races. Expectedly, I was wrong. With my eyes closed, eventually succumed to drenching my shoes and just forced myself to savor this once-in-a-lifetime crossing of the river.
My edginess never stopped in the river crossing as we were surprised by a narrow uphill course with a rope. Still stunned, and ignoring the inflow of runners waiting for me to assault, some of which I allowed to overtake me, told my husband, Jonas, that I’d rather DNF than go up there. Jonas irritatingly insisted otherwise explaining the need to pass through the river should I decide to DNF. Hearing the river thingy, took a deep breath, got my hanky and crawled.
With a muddy shoes, dead toenail, an increased heart rate, and an acceptable finish time, as Jonas forced me to run in the middle of a slightly call-it-a-desert-place, my first trail run went well.
I am an only child so I try to give as much love and care to my friends as possible the way siblings should be with each other. Now I have 2 reasons:
- For the love of supporting my friends, whom I can’t afford to miss the chance of seeing at the finishline.
- For the love of being with my friends wherever they go for as long as I can and as long as I want.
To busy ourselves during the race, the initial plan was for us to run 22km, but when one of our friends said in jest, why not 50km? everyone agreed.
What did you like most in the race?
Three things:
Savoring the magnificence of Gods creation. Amidst of extreme challenges and endless surprises of TNF Camsur, I enjoyed the stillness of the Bamboo farm, the riveting falls and the bewitching part of Mount Isarog. I kept on thanking God for this chance to see his creation.
Safety and security of race participants is first at TNF 100. The visibility of warm and accommodating marshalls and the presence of both the Camsur Police and Military people gave me assurance that no matter what happens I know I will go home safe and sound.
Route markers were visible almost everywhere. If you brought your awareness, not only strenght, with you in TNF Camsur, it is impossible to really get lost.
There she goes! Running strong! Yeba!
What did you hate most?/What was the hardest part?
I cannot say the hatest but the hardest part. Prior to reaching 7km mark while I was still enjoying our warm up, we were already greeted by a pretty muddy downhill trail. Technically, had to traverse sideways forward-facing in an awfully think lane about 10 meters, slowly grasping to any stable rock or stem, to safely go down. It was one of the many grueling fraction in the race that increases my heart rate, that one miscalculation would mean, falling and hitting sharp hardened thingy. Good thing I made it without tumbling and falling.
Having second thoughts about making any step but she did it ;)
How did you train for it?
-We climbed Mt. Maculot/Rockies in Batangas, 2 weeks prior to the event. It was my first real taste of mounting climbing where I literally cried of fear when I first saw a steep row of rocks.
-Outdoor uphill dowhill running at least 2x a week
-Indoor, I did the following: Treadmill with the max gradient of 8 - 2x a week. Yoga - once or 2x a week. Cross training : spinning and lifting weights 2x a week.
She rocks! Overcoming Mt. Maculot.
What would you like to say to other runners who consider joining trail runs? Any tips?
- Get a running buddy, especially if you plan to do ultra trail run. Nothing is more comforting than running long distance with people you like.
- Prepare to get dirty. Sometimes, it’s fun to see mud in your hands or even in your face. That means you are a trail runner, yey!!
- Ready to stumble and fall.
- Take it slow (only for the non-competitive trail runners), as you will surely reach the finish line.
- Strategize, not to fall, even if stumbling and falling is part of the game. Believe me, I didn’t.
- Enjoy and savor every minute of the trail run. Not everyone has the chance to experience connecting with nature.
Priceless! Big smile at the finish line
Describe your experience in one word? Why?
AWESOME
Doing 50km of TNF was awesomely challenging, awesomely worth it: the travel, the race fee, the exhaustion. And awesomely cool.
Now, shall I join future TNF races? YES!!!
That's courage personified!
Looking forward to the next TNF 100 run not only with Shiela but with you, guys as well.
