Epic Relay 250, a runner’s account

AN EPIC EXPERIENCE

Last June 12 and 13, SMART sent a delegation of runners to the Epic Relay. Two teams competed: 1) Team Smart (for the Corporate Category) was composed of ten employees from different departments, and 2) Team SMS Transition One (for the All Men Category) which was composed of eight employees and representatives from Dimension and Men In Blue agencies. A third team was also supported by Smart and Wolfpac. Smart Sports Marketing settled the team’s registration fees, uniform and provided the operational budget. AMMD provided four vans and four exceptionally supportive team drivers for the teams to utilize. PLDT Medical Services extended assistance by providing First Aid kits. Various managers also provided support leading up to race day. The team just could not get any bigger than this…

Kim Zamora, Epic Relay 250 runner and author of this article

After 28 hours of running in scorching heat, in the dark, and generally being too tired to neither eat nor sleep, Team Smart bested seven other teams in the Corporate Category in a strong 27 hours and 41 minutes (9^th overall). But the achievement didn’t stop there! Team SMS Transition One grabbed the Overall 7^th place out of 24 teams by finishing at a strong 25 hours and 40 minutes. A special Most Fit All-Male Team award was also given to Team SMS Transition One. In the official summary of finishers, three of the Top Ten teams were supported by Smart Communications.

Each runner arrived and left the venue with stories on training, on the experience of the race proper, and on the lessons learned afterwards.

This is the SMS story as recounted by Kim Zamora.

Epic Relay 250Km
June 12 – 13, 2010
Subic – Bataan – Subic – Zambales – Subic
P H I L I P P I N E S

It was a long weekend for the country in celebration of Independence Day. While many were planning out of town trips, Smart Communications, through Smart Sports Marketing in coordination with Chris Sports, was preparing for the Epic Relay that would span Subic, Bataan, and Zambales… 250 Kilometers by foot.

For the past two or three years, many races have brought out the “runner” in Filipinos. The twist with the Epic Relay 250 is that, this time, one does not run by and for himself. One would run with and for a team. Running could technically be branded as an individual sport, something that Filipinos could very well be good at or even excel in. “Magaling ang Pinoy ‘pag solo. Kapag ‘Team’, talo na.”. The “Epic Experience” however challenges this notion that Filipinos are not team players by combining Running (an individual activity) with a Relay (which involves coordination between so many individuals).

To add more “teamwork” into the picture, this was not just about runners helping runners. It was about colleagues helping colleagues, friends helping friends. SMART fielded two official teams with one team each under the Corporate Category (Team Smart, composed of runners from different departments) and under the All-Men Category (Team SMS Transition One, composed of runners from different departments AND from Dimensional and Men In Blue agencies). SMART and Wolfpac supported Team TriBe also under the All-Men Category.

But the team composition did not end there on the Runners’ list! For Logistics, AMMD provided four personnel and four brand new vans to contain hydration drinks (water, energy drinks), food, shelter, and most of all, security for the night runs. PLDT Medical Team provided First Aid kits per van. Individual SMARTees also gave their support to the team. For an experience of this magnitude, all the help was greatly appreciated.

Legs 1-5: Burning Asphalt

On race day number one, the team took off from the Subic Start line at 0700H. It started off as a “typical” run, passing through the roads of Subic and the roads of Olongapo City. The heat started to kick in as early as 0800H, with the possibility of “running in the rain” evaporating with each bead of perspiration from the runners. The first five runners of every team did a relay in hilly terrain, passing by the beautiful coastline and soothing tree shades. Albeit some were barked upon by dogs, the local residents were encouraging with short “passing-by” conversations. The monkeys were also cute, as they gazed at runners curiously while enjoying their fruits along the road. The heat also cooperated in pushing runners harder in open spaces by heating the asphalt and affecting the glare from the sea…

Legs 6-10: Conquer Mount Samat

The Vehicle Exchange Points (VEP) were the areas where the fifth runner of the first van would hand over the relay baton to the team’s sixth runner, who happens to be the first runner of the second van. The first VEP was located at the Pawikan Conservation Center which provided runners with refreshing access to the beach and an open area to practice “heat runs”.

This phase started the steep uphill climbs as runners had to run from midday to early afternoon, underneath the scorching sun, from the Pawikan Center going up to the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, and then going up further to the top of Mount Samat. Between the famous landmarks, runners also had to pass through winding rolling roads which were kept open to traffic. The summit of Mount Samat was a second VEP from runner number ten and back to runner number one.

After the first set of Legs 1 to 10 through heat, burning asphalt, and uphill climbs, every runner from each team knew one fact: This is just the beginning. Night is coming…

Legs 11-15: Downhill all the Way

The second set started off with the downward run from Mount Samat back to the Pawikan Center. Although “downhill” may be a blessing in a typical city run, running downhill at 30˚-45˚angles would be very dangerous to one’s knees since the feet and the knees serve as “brakes” whenever the runner has to slow down upon reaching a curve. The uphill climbs truly challenged the hamstrings and quads. While the downhill run not only challenged the runner’s knees, it also challenged the runner’s discipline not to run too fast.

The sun was also setting by this time. Runners had to run and arrive back safely at the Pawikan Center before dark. Not only was it “safe” at the Pawikan Center, it was also the venue for “late lunch” or “dinner” (“Never run with on a full stomach” was still a hard rule in the Epic Run). This is the only meal break runners would get after breakfast. By the fourth leg, runners would be required to wear reflective vests, headlamps, and rear blinkers as additional road safety.

Legs 16-20: Running in the Dark

The Pawikan Center was the drop of point and third VEP of the course. Runner number six would take off on an easy stretch going to Anvaya Cove. Though this appeared easy, this would be a 40 Kilometer flat-to-hilly course in the dark. The moon was shy to come out thus vans were allowed to pace their runners at a safe distance as not to impede traffic.

Cemeteries, stray animals, and what else comes to mind are some things a runner should prepare for. The running part is easy, the Staying-Alert part was the challenge each runner had to consider.

Subic-to-Bataan, check. Mount Samat, check.

Zambales was waiting…

Legs 21-25: Hello, Heat. We meet again.

Taking runners’ safety into consideration, Leg 21 started at 0300H, giving runners and drivers ample time to rest and grab a quick nap (from 0100H to 0300H). Runners had to run from dawn to sunrise to mid-morning from Subic to Zambales. It was a welcome morning, with the heat shining hotter than the day before, with traffic somehow becoming busier.

It was a 45 Kilometer run on hilly asphalt roads with dry heat coming in. Some runners did not even feel their perspiration as the heat dried up their clothes quickly. Sponges had to be used to moisten the skin since commercial “sunblock” was not enough. Though sunblock provided UV protection, ice cold water was used to keep the body cool in the heat.

With no fixed time to eat, too tired to eat, too excited for the next day, and many other reasons that challenged runners mentally and psychologically from midnight onwards, the physical challenges done on the body by the runners and by nature just made this 45 Kilometer leg be just as tough as going up hills and mountains.

Legs 26-30: Sweet Success

The turnaround point. This was it. Runners had to make a “loop back” from Zambales to Subic. Similar to what they did in Bataan. The clincher though was that this would not occur at sunset, this would happen mid morning. Sun, dust, traffic, and dry air were all around and runners had to get ready for just one steep climb back to Subic.

With stocks of replenishments on a budget, the “we still have enough but we might need it later” reasons came up here. Drinks, although abundant, had to be managed because of the heat and distance that lay ahead. This was also the part of the race where some runners from other teams gave in, requiring medical assistance from the organizers.

But this was also the point where each team knew that the Finish Line was up ahead. Running 45 Kilometers in the heat and on an uphill slope somehow gave everyone momentum. The mindset of the race was not that bad. Runners also knew that their teammates were waiting for them at the end, expecting a strong finish.

And before they realized it, runners crossed the Finish Line, had their photos taken, and looked at their teammates and supporters face to face:

“We did it.”

Team Smart's win. 'We did it'

Lessons Learned

The Epic Run 250 experience taught us that running could also be a team sport and that some lessons could be learned. A New Balance advertisement somehow went like this: This is where a draw the line between those who can run and those who are runners (this is not a quote, but the ad appeared that way).

Running is actually easy. Anyone could do it. But running as a team meant more than physical strength and speed. Although improved speed and endurance could be tangible results brought about by sports, the mentality of the runners to know that they had teammates waiting for them at Runner Exchange Points was an inspiration for them to push themselves harder.

In the corporate world, running could be described as each employee having his own special skill. Sure, each department has its own expertise just like how each runner could have his own personal record (PR). But all these talents and skills would be useless if teamwork is not involved. Running solo is good exercise as it makes us grow and enhance our skills. However, working as a team and reaching goals together gives us the “runners’ high” that one could only achieve if everyone does his part in the race, in the office, and in the community.

The Epic Experience just made a strong statement that exceeds athletic and intellectual skills: It is only when we work as a team that greater goals could be achieved. We must continue to enhance our personal skills with the proper training. Moving up from 3Km to 5Km to 10Km to a Half-Marathon to a Marathon, and probably, to an UltraMarathon would help us attain our personal goals of achievement. We must never give up on ourselves and hinder ourselves from growing. It is through our personal growth that we could significantly contribute to a team.

After growing internally and enhancing our skills, the time and opportunity to work as a team would come. The teams in the Epic Run were not composed of pure super runners, mind you. The teams were composed of officemates, colleagues and friends that could contribute their best to reach a big goal. Beginners and experienced runners could only do so much individually. It is only through teamwork that the impossible could be made possible.

Comfort zones may have to be erased.
Coordination will have to be increased.
Processes will have to be revisited and discussed proactively.
Targets need to be met.
Customers have to be satisfied.
250 Kilometers. By foot.

All these may sound impossible when put together. Each one of us could only do so much, but together, we could achieve what our minds see as the impossible. It’s all in the mind.

From our (healthy) hearts (and painful legs)…

SMS would like to thank all those who supported the team before, during, and after the race. As how teamwork is, the runners could only do so much and did not accomplish these feats by themselves. It was through the help of Sports Marketing, AMMD, PLDT Medical Services, and Public Affairs that runners joined this race –and finished it- safely, successfully, and victoriously. All the heads and colleagues who gave us the moral support as runners prepared for this. There was not a single word of discouragement that landed on any runner’s ear. The Dimensional and Men in Blue agencies for their participation. They contributed to our strong finish and special award.

SMS also congratulates all the participants and organizers of The Epic Relay for a job well done. Every challenge we faced was all part of the race and we look forward to running with you and the Running Community in races ahead as we promote sports as an avenue for personal growth and nation-building.

The Epic Relay 2010:

250 Kilometers. Running up a mountain. Super hot. Running in the dark. Chased by animals. Almost hit by a bus. Too tired to eat…

…and SMS Runners ask: “Why not???”

Notes:

1. Team Smart bagged the Top Spot (out of seven teams) in the Corporate Category at a time of 27 hours, 41 minutes (9^th overall, out of 24 teams).
2. Team Smart Transition One All-Men team took part of the Top 10 at 25 hours, 40 minutes (7^th Overall, out of 24 teams). There were 15 teams in the All-Men Category.
3. The All-Men third team supported by Smart and Wolfpac was also part of the Top 10 at 27 hours, 16 minutes (8^th Overall, out of 24 teams).

Fit and Run.Info