Finally it happened .....
In my 35 years of running countless races, I have never had a "DNF" (Did Not Finish) but at the DBB Mountain Rockstar Train Run, that record was broken.
The DBB race was held in Mt. Batousong, Tanay, Rizal. I have raced in Tanay, Rizal earlier this year so I'm pretty much aware of how technically difficult the terrain is. We ran through mud, crossed rivers and maneuvered our way through thick vegetation. At around the 7th km came the difficult part. We had to climb steep mountain slopes trying very hard to get a good shoe grip on the slippery rocks. It was during the waterfall crossing that I lost my footing and slipped causing me to fall backwards, banging my back on the jagged rocks and pulled my left leg hamstring. Though I was not in any excruciating pain, that hard fall shook me up a bit that at the back of my head I already knew finishing the 25km distance would prove to be quite a struggle and may cause further damage to my also bruised body. Eventually, I decided to cut my run short and only ran 17.30 km to reach the finish line.
It was a difficult decision to make which I wrestled with for quite awhile. Perhaps it was also my pride/ego that was badly bruised more than my body but sometimes smart decisions just have to be made in times like these. Truth be told, a DNF status is really not the "end of the world." This experience has taught me that no matter how determined the heart may be, it is equally important to listen to one's body and play it smart especially now at 52, when ones "superman" days are over.
Despite the setback, I am relieved that nothing too serious happened to me and extremely grateful that I still get the chance to run another day, join another race with the same fire in my soul and the love for running.... ready to face whatever challenge awaits. But for today, I rest !
