I am a Marathoner! I live to tell about it...

Jim, my boss, was right that I will be a totally different person after finishing my first 42km marathon. Now, I know why only a few people, 1/10th of 1% of the world's population, even attempt to run a 42km.  It was incredibly tough but at the same time, fulfilling for me.  We finished last, together with Momer and Jane, at 7 hours and 43 minutes.  I never doubted for a moment that I will finish the Marathon and I was determined to raise enough donations for Kythe (almost >P500 for every kilometer covered). 

The race started at 4.30am and we arrived at the finish line closed to noon time at 34 degrees centrigrade!  It was so hot that during the last 2 kilometers along Roxas Blvd, I was not sweating anymore. Also, we started to walk at the 31km point, so just imagine walking from Kalayaan Flyover --> Buendia --> Roxas Blvd and until the finish line at the Quirino Grandstand. Surprisingly, I did not feel any cramps on race day and the following day, my entire legs didn't really hurt that much.  We had the privilege of running side by side with some of the Ultra-Marathoners who were already on their  >70km mark. They really are super individuals and I admire their courage.  Congratulations Olive for finishing 100km!

Related Posts:
Ultra Marathon Part 1 by Run For Your Life Official Blog Site
Ultra Marathon part 2 by Run For Your Life Official Blog Site
How to do a 100KM Run by UP Mountaineers

After the marathon, I was over dehydrated that I was in a state of electrolyte imbalance and potassium levels were abnormally low. The medical term for this condition is HypoKalemia.  We knew that marathoners die from either HypoNatremia (low sodium levels) or HypoKalemia (low potassium levels) and we were advised to drink a combination of water and gatorade throughout the entire run to avoid this. Unfortunately, due to my lbm sickness several days before the marathon and the scorching heat that morning, I suffered from HypoKalemia.  I was still able to eat lunch but when I went home, slept a bit,  that's when my condition got worse.  Some of the symptoms I experienced was headache, nausea, vomiting, and numbness of the hands (which felt like a stroke).  To stabilize my condition, I ate banana, drank gatorade and an extremely salty campbell mushroom soup but all I did was threw it all up.  That's when I decided to go to ER for precautionary measure. I decided to l et myself be admitted and was at the hospital for two days after the marathon.

Thanks for all the support and pledges for the Blogger's Marathon-For-A-Cause!  My entire family was also there to support me and I felt really special that I don't know how to react to the overwhelming emotions.  I cried as I approach the finish line and boy, I finished my first 42 km Marathon!  Thanks to the P&G Marathon team for waiting for us and for ensuring that the clock and finish sign is up until we crossed it.

For your pledges, I will give you a receipt from Kythe once I turn it over to them.  You can give me your pledges via the following options:

1. Personal EB. We can meet up in Starbucks 6750, Makati any time during next week. You can text me at 0928-558 8500 to coordinate the schedule.

2. Paypal. You can also send the donation via paypal. 

3. BPI. You can deposit your donations via my BPI account. Let me know so that I can email you my account details.

4. For the other bloggers, who joined the Blogger's Marathon-For-A-Cause, let's meet up with Kythe next week and turn over the donations. Thanks so much for all your support!!

Related Posts:
fUll MaRathOn exPeriEnce by Ben M. Chan
The Milo Manila Marathon by the Bull Runner
Pia Cayetano's Blog ( we saw her run past the marines)

Thanks again and I aim to finish my next marathon below 6 hours (at least) !

Sincerely,

My Nike Plus was off calibrated by 2km based on the official Milo Marathon markers.  All the weeks of training paid off, and I conquered my first 42km Milo Marathon!

The last runners at the 25k mark in the Heritage Park. I was pacing with Jane so all of us will be able to finish the marathon. All the P&G runners (more than 30 runners) finished the marathon successfully!

At the 31k point, we decided to walk briskly the entire stretch until the finish line. At this point, the Milo officials decided to open the road for cars and we were on our own.

Our boss, Jim Lafferty, proudly waited for us at the finish line. Momer, Jane and I were sharing an emotional moment because we knew that we will finally cross the 42km finish line.

I was experiencing Joy and Pain at the same time. It was super hot! Thanks to Aidan for supporting me throughout the race! When Aidan saw me, he wanted to join me but since it was hot, they just had to follow us by car. One day we will run a marathon side-by-side.

Anton, beside Nikki (the fastest P&G female runner), Jes Teo (our CFO) and Jim Lafferty (our GM). Thank you Jim for training all of us to finish our first 42km Marathon!! 

Comments

[Yvette]

Go Anton!!! Congratulations! It looks like a really long run... :D

[Katrina]

Congratulations, Anton!!! I'm so proud of you and very impressed! You've done something I could not imagine even attempting. Ang galing mo!!! :-D

[ren]

congrats, anton! your determination is admirable.

[nina]

Congratulations Anton! you really are an inspiration :)

[socky]

Wow, Anton! What a feat! What an inspiration to Aidan: to dream, to do, to achieve.

[Jaymie]

Way to go Anton! Congratulations! Loved the black and white photos :)

[noemi]

Anton! I haven't seen you since May. And my ! you look toned now. Congrats. I hope to do that one day . I just need to be a bit more fit.

[enzo]

how many pounds did you lose?

[Cookie]

High fives to you Anton!! Galing!! Nice pic of you and your boy.

[Em Dy]

Hi Anton. Ang galing!!! Congrats. I've been monitoring your blog since Sunday for an update re the marathon. I presumed you were too tired to post after that marathon. I haven't forgotten my pledge. Email me re the details. Congrats ulit.

[MizZy]

Congrats Anton!

[macpower]

Congrats, Anton! It's time to hit the restaurants for that well-deserved pig-out!!!!

[rhoda]

Wow Anton you've made it congratulations! fan mo na talaga ako..... Hope to see you, Aidan and Rache someday.

[Ben]

Hey Anton! Galeng!!!!! Congrats on your first full! On to the next one! :)

[Kathlyn]

CONGRATULATIONS KUYA!!! YOU MADE IT!

[e-rod]

well, i think everyone's already said it, but i'll say it again... CONGRATULATIONS, ANTON. completing a full marathon is no easy feat. way to go!

[Mila]

Congratulations! Great thing to achieve and I hope it inspires you to keep running. Hope you feel better after the 2 days recuperation.

[joey]

Congratulations Anton! I have great admiration for what you did...no easy feat! Galing mo! :)

[Ninoy]

Congratulations, I'm sure madami kang naisip while running hehe, when you're old already you can look back and you know where you're 7 hours, 43 mins and 31 seconds went. Next stop, sali kang UP Mountaineers! mas masarap tumakbo sa gubat :)

[AnitoKid]

You are a true inspiration to all our kababayans! And bloggers too! How I wish I can participate in such events - alas! I cannot. But joy it brings to my heart this post that you kindly shared with the whole world. Mabuhay kabayan!

AnitoKid at www.anitokid.blogspot.com

[Christine]

I always knew you could do it. Congratulations!! :) And don't scare me like that again! (your text about the hospital)

[Phil]

Nice job, Anton. Hope you are feeling better.

[Sidney]

He,he... you made it ! Congratulations!!!

So I owe you some money. I will be back in the Philippines around August 8. I will email you when I am back and see if we can meet in a Starbucks so that I can give you the money and pay you a coffee for the trouble.

All the best.
Sidney

[sherwin]

Congratulations Anton for finishing the 42K. I can either deposit the money to your BPI account or we could meet at Starbucks 6750. Let me know. Btw, My wife also wants to pledge.

[Isa]

Congrats Anton!!! Sama ako when you guys go to Kythe. :-)

[HighAltitude]

Truly inspiring marathoner!
I had the same experience with you when I run the Bataan Death March Ultramarathon test run 52k in Pampanga. On the way to Manila, my friends rushed me to the ER of Makati Medical Center due to Heat Stroke. I had the same symptoms with you. Severely vomiting, cramps all over my hands and face. Fortunately, the cramps was not able to invade my abdoment, because if it happen, I would the the first casualty of Bataan Death March Ultramarathon, added to the history of Bataan Death Run.

Keep on running, I hope to meet you someday at the road.