An Adventure of a Marathon in Dumaguete

The 42K finisher's medal was the simplest of the 23 full marathon medals I have earned in the last 18 months- the only one molded out of fiberglass. But this stark simplicity belied the thrill and adventure experienced in the marathon journey. Indeed, very typical of Dumaguete- laid back yet enchanting, serene yet sophisticated, gentle yet wise. My kind of city!

I arrived in this capital of Negros Oriental a day before the 3rd Dumaguete Adventure Marathon (DAM). The city was celebrating the Sandurot Festival, recalling its colorful history all the way back to the pre-Hispanic era, when peoples of varied cultures came to its shores and be so captivated that they would never again leave.

To this day, students, artists, the cognoscenti, and the literati from all over continue to come to this 'university town'- the 'center of learning in the south', and home to seven universities and colleges, led by the first American private university to be founded in Asia- Silliman University- with its sprawling and picturesque campus beside the sea.

So after running the world o'er near and far, it was nice to revisit a campus where palm trees stand tall and stately, waving their branches by the breeze. Guided by the motto Via, Veritas, Vita, this top-5 Philippine university nurtured top-notch students, some becoming distinguished Sillimanians who made their marks locally and internationally, including, yes, scientists like me :)

Respects and courtesies offered, it was then time to sample once more the delicacies and specialties of this 'City of Gentle People' at the seaside Hayahay Treehouse. Among them was the 'Dumaguete Express'- a dish eaten with rice that is made of meat and assorted veggies, cooked in coconut milk and cream, then laced generously with spices.

Then it was back to the Bethel Guest House, a very affordable, clean, and comfortable hotel along Rizal Boulevard, some two blocks from the downtown area. The seaside Boulevard is a tourist destination in itself- with benches for the stressed, a promenade for the active, restaurants for the hungry, and bars for thirsty.

But with 42 kilometers to run the next day, some 16K of these on rough roads and trails yet unbeknownst to me, sleep had to come early and more tourism had to wait till late Sunday. The 42K event was going to be the first and longest-ever foot race to be held, not just in the city, but in the entire province. I was going to be a part of history!

The weather forecasters had predicted a somewhat rainy day. But when I arrived at the start area, inside the compound of the superstore chain Robinson's, a rather new commercial establishment in the outskirts of the city, it was the usual heat and humidity that greeted me. The start time was now going to be 0500, instead of the published 0430.

This was going to be a small full marathon, with runners numbering a little over 60. But there were some, like me, who came all the way from Manila and beyond just to join the event that day. There were runners from Japan and Singapore, and expats from France, Kenya, and the USA. The promise of a running adventure had lured them all to Dumaguete.

So accommodating are the Dumagueteños that walk-in registration was okay, if for the higher fee. But online registrants like me experienced kinks along the way. The process can be improved by (1) assigning a person to answer queries emailed or posted on Facebook immediately, and (2) posting a guide or signs at the race packet claim area- the IYSP.

More than 3,500 runners raced in 5 events that morning- 3K, 5K, 10.5K, 21K, and 42K. Close to 3,000 ran the 10.5K- mostly students of the event's primary organizer, Foundation University (FU), probably in fulfillment of physical education class requirements. The DAM was FU's gift offering to the gentle people of Negros Oriental.

The 42K runners sped off before the break of dawn, with each one no doubt inspired by a fireworks display of the kind reserved for New Year's revelry. The first few kilometers of the marathon were ran on asphalted/cemented roads. As the slope became increasingly uphill, my cup of running tea, I enjoyed this portion of the race tremendously.

Then before even reaching the 10K mark, we hit it rough big time. At first rough roads would be paved; then later on, they became increasingly rugged. There would again be paved stretches here and there but whenever the going got tough, only the carabaos and the cows were present to hear you rant or rave about them trails.

And what trails or non-existent trails they were! There would be creek crossings, rock-laden and steep uphill climbs, and even a narrow bamboo gate cum hurdle adorned my small and colorful banners that each and every runner had to pass, if only to guide and/or remind him or her that, yes, he or she was still treading the right path!

Not that we were really lacking in race marshals. Lacking in audience perhaps, but not in guides. There would be markers at each and every K for the entire 42 K. Runners' security and safety were also paramount in this top-10 most peaceful city in the country. Every critical junction was manned by friendly police officers ready to point you the right way.

Also, at each and every kilometer, there would be a hydration station, staffed mostly by FU student volunteers. For drinks, it was a choice between Gatorade and water; for food, there were sweet potatoes and lots of native sweet bananas- the tundan, which I simply couldn't resist. First aid stations were also aplenty along the way.
  

And what a way the DAM 42K route turned out to be- a very tough, challenging, and energy-draining mixed road/trail marathon that entailed 877 meters of total ascent and 873 meters of total descent. For this effort, I burned 2746 calories! There were four major climbs to heights of more than 200 meters, with the highest point at 340 m above the sea.

And the searing heat of a tropical sun later that morning made things not a shade any easy! So, tired but not beaten, and with a head sun burnt but unbowed, I finished this thrilling adventure of a marathon with a time of 6:23:31, at an average pace of 9:14 per K, my slowest pace for a marathon thus far. Not that it mattered the most.

This race also answered a higher calling. November being Rice Awareness month, the event was also dubbed as the ‘Rice is Life Marathon'- the only one to be so named after an agricultural crop that feeds half of the world's citizenry. The prizes awarded were therefore not in cash, but in kilos or sacks of rice! Winners surely couldn't complain of prizes not being heavy!

DAM 42K route mapped on Google Earth using a Garmin FR 310XT

There were to be other rice-related activities at the finish area that morning- a rice exhibit, a cookfest, a children's art contest, even a book launching! But it was the killer but scenic route that would stick the most in my memory- it made me doubt whether I was Comrades Marathon-ready! But, at the same time, it also affirmed a previous self discovery- trails are made for me! Or perhaps, it is the other way :)


Daghang kaayong salamat usab, Dumaguete!