Runner Interview: Blas Tiangco, Part 2 of 2

Under the heat of the sun during a run in Bataan

During the Cebu City Marathon 2010 and Condura Run, I coincidentally photographed Blas Tiangco and it was in this circumstance that he invited me to photograph also the runners of the then upcoming Bataan Death March Ultramarathon (BDM102) by being part of his support crew. I readily accepted.

Check this two part interview I did with the 31 year old Blas. To date, he has finished five marathons, finished 81st in the BDM102 and blogs on life, work and running at Midnight Pencil.

Part 1

FaR: How was your BDM102 run? What were the difficult moments? Were there instances that might have led you to give up?

BT: I enjoyed my entire BDM102 run! The only thing that I hated about it is the heat of the sun in this El Niño weather phenomenon. It really felt like I was being baked along the road and it really weakened me especially during the 60k up to the 90k distance. Did the thought of giving up cross my mind? NO. Never. I did mention something to the support team when I was taking a break, but it was only meant as a joke. Deep inside, I knew that I was determined to see this through.

I kept reminding myself that I was running for the memory of our fallen heroes in WWII. I was running in memory of the men who have influenced my life the most and have passed away. I was running because the road gives me a sense of serenity in spite of the heat, pollution or the fast vehicles that were passing by. And yes… I was motivated to finish the race because a day before the run a good friend baked no fudge brownies for me that I left in my refrigerator back in Manila! I am determined to taste them and eat them when I get back home from the ultramarathon!!!!

FaR: Unforgettable moments?

BT: One, singing the Philippine national anthem before the start of the race. I felt a tear roll down my eye as I sang the lines …

Duyan ka ng magiting. Sa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil.

It’s translated that my country is a place of the valiant, and though conquerors come and go it will not be overcome. I have never cried singing our national anthem before. I guess reading the history of the Death March at KM 0 and envisioning what it was like for the soldiers to walk 159 kilometers just made me appreciate more the sacrifices that they made for our freedom.

Two, running through the hilly parts of the route in the dark. It was my first time to run in the dark using a flashlight. It felt great to hear the sounds of nature such as the crickets, to see the stars shine brightly above and to feel the rush of blood flowing in my veins.

Three, to have my picture taken at the finish line with my mother. I felt like I just graduated from school and that my parents were there to cheer for me!

On the lighter side…

I was really looking for a place to crap and at around 7am, I asked one of the women in one of the houses at KM 55 and then they allowed me to use their bathroom. I was carrying this load with me for more than an hour and just kept looking and looking since I needed the clean water to clean my stuff and all that, and I also didn’t want to just do it in a corner of a tree. At that time, it was already daylight.

Blas making it to the BDM102 flanked by his mom and the Bald Runner

FaR: Insights on the whole BDM102 event?

BT: About a month ago, I realized that the cliche that life is a race and a marathon is true. Having finished my first ultramarathon, I now see that even though each person has a different race and calling in life; we still have to face death at the end of it all. Death can either be final for most of us, or death can leave a memory that reminds other people around us and even a nation that there is something worth dying for. The difference is in the choices we make now towards ensuring that what we are doing makes a difference in the eternal memory of our loved ones left behind.

Another is that though runners run alone or with fellow runners, they cannot do it alone. Without the ample support team of people handing out water, without the encouragement from friends coming through mobile phones or even listening through music via MP3 players — these things make or even break a runner.

That said, we all have a role to play in this race called life. Like you, you have chosen to take the role of a photographer documenting events as you see it unfolding and trying to freeze time in the pixels of your camera. For me, my role is to keep showing others that if I can do it, so can they. If I can change something in my life, so can they. If I can rise above my own problems and challenges, so can others. I hope that somehow I am able to do this as this relates to the final insight I want to share related to a song.

On the 60th kilometer, I listened to music to help encourage me to run further and faster. The song The Shadow Proves the Sunshine of Switchfoot was playing and the heat was already getting to me. In my personal blog, I have been very vocal about my faith in God. It is what sustains me. It is what helps me run further. But I admit that I am not perfect either and I feel that I am not the best representative of the faith that I profess in. I am easily angered. I am easily led astray and betrayed by my own thoughts. So while I was running listening to this song, the sunlight that was shining down made me see my own shadow that seemed to be outrunning me. Thus, like the shadow of my runs I can never outrun my past but need to face it head on to be in the present. The sunshine proves and brings light to everything that I am and not. Yet at the same time, these things are what makes me better at moving forward in life as I know that even with the greatest of limitations can come forth the greatest of victories.

FaR: What are your future plans? Will you run in future ultramarathons?

BT: I am gearing up for one marathon each month starting July till December, in preparation for the next BDM which I heard will have a BDM150 and only 50 will be selected for it. I hope to be one of the 50 contenders. I would like to finish that one first before joining other ultramarathons outside the country. In fact, I would like to do one road ultramarathon and one trail ultramarathon each year starting 2011 aside from doing at least seven marathons a year. Seriously though, I would really want to make our country proud and win one ultramarathon event abroad!

FaR: If you can add others that might be interesting for readers related to the ultramarathon, so much the better.

BT: 70,000 soldiers mainly Filipinos walked the stretch of 159 kilometers from Mariveles, Bataan to Capas, Tarlac during WWII that became known as the Death March. Only 40,000 of them made it alive and bore children and raised families who have third generation children some of whom are now runners here and abroad. Of the runners that did the BDM102, there were a few who were direct descendants of those who toiled the heat of the sun and the battering of the Japanese. And of those remaining alive, most of the Filipino war veterans living in the Philippines barely have access to the basic necessities of life such as ample medical coverage.

I hope and pray that this ultramarathon will not become “just another ultramarathon”. I hope that we will keep remembering the sacrifices that our brethren did in the name of freedom. I am also hoping that somehow in the years ahead, this ultramarathon would come to benefit these war veterans or even other families or disenfranchised groups in Filipino society.

FaR: What advice can you give to aspiring ultramarathoners and other runners especially those who are just starting?

BT: One, have a goal. Any goal is better than having no goal. In any aspect in life, one needs to have one. For example, when I started joining formal road races, I only wanted to be healthier and feel better about myself. That all changed and became better at it. So this leads to my next point.

Two, make your goals specific and optimistic. Mine were not specific at all before. I just wanted to be healthier. But one can be healthy even with minimal exercise! Thus, I went back to my childhood memories. I suddenly recalled that I wanted to join a marathon. It took another good friend, Moses Mendoza, who kept sharing his passion for running that re-ignited the spark of doing a marathon for me. Having specific goals helps one create a training program to follow. Furthermore, having a goal helps one ensure that we keep to the program on most days of the month.

I added that one has to be optimistic because along the way, there will come opposition. It comes in strange forms. It can come from your family. It can come from your closest friends. It can come from your colleagues. Before running became an in thing, most people think runners as crazy individuals who have nothing more to do with their time. And until now, majority of people still think that way. Don’t ever let that get to you! Just keep running and keep at it!

There’s Takbo.ph, an online Filipino community of runners out to support runners and newbies! Join the group! Join the weekly runs! Do whatever it takes to just make it out on the road! So you only managed to do ten minutes of running this week? That’s great news! So up the ante to 15 minutes next week until you reach 30 minutes in about a month or so. Just don’t ever let other people bring you down no matter what because most of these people will never understand what it feels like to run. And most of them are just envious of people who finally manage to live healthier.

My third and final advice is this …. make running an avenue to clear your thoughts and feelings. Whenever I feel bad and down, I have a tendency to eat more and just sulk or stay in bed or even just go around walking around the mall. But I’ve discovered that I feel much better after doing a 30 minute run than going around the mall. So when one is angry, put on those running shoes and run as fast as you can!!! And when you’re happy, put it on and share your joy with your friend who could run along with you. When you feel depressed and the rain is literally and figuratively around you, lace up and feel the rain drench you as your soul feels the soothing balm of water on your skin and the cool breeze nurturing your spirit and run slowly. Do whatever it takes to run, to walk or even crawl. So when you reach a crossroad in your life that you need to think through, think it through while running on the road. Some of the best ideas I have at work are born out of my runs. At the end of the day, it’s a great thing to be able to manage one’s emotions and also live a healthy lifestyle.

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