The 25th Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathon 2011
Oct. 22-23, 2011, Sabah, Malaysia
(PART 1 of 2)
by RASHEL M PEÑA
(ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rashel M. Peña, a native of Baguio City, is a graduate of Saint Louis University and a former radio announcer at GMA Campus Radio. She has been a member of the Philippine Skyrunning Association since 2008, after joining the Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathon Skyrace in that same year, and the first from Baguio-Benguet to join the skyrunning group.
She started serious running since 2005 and has been running marathons and ultra marathons since then. She is currently working as a teacher and a trainor at Sekolah Darma Bangsa in Bandar Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia.
She says running mountains and pounding on the roads just makes her happy. She just runs; no 'what if's'. It is her form of meditation and her way of celebrating God's blessings.)
I BOOKED my ticket to Kota Kinabalu months before the 25th Kinabalu Climbathon. I saved hard for it. Having a meager pay as a teacher and a trainor is difficult. It all started when my friends from the Philippine Skyrunning Association (PSA) sent word about the upcoming skyrace. I didn’t think twice. I knew I’m meant to be there, with my friends, with my team, to run and experience Mt. Kinabalu again.
Days, months passed by swiftly. While my friends went for their practice and altitude runs, I was stuck at work. I was limited to just a few runs and climbs whenever there’s a holiday coming which is very limited from where I am. Another is the expenses I would have to face. Climbing mountains in Indonesia is quite expensive. I didn’t have much choice.
Practice runs for me included five times a week of at least 15km each day. I was able to run and climb four mountains above 2,000 meters above sea level in Indonesia for my altitude runs and culminating it with 17-kilometer footrace in the Adidas King of the road Indonesia. I was careful not to get injured and I ate more than usual and incorporated a lot of rest days. I had to gain more weight for muscle strength, so I had this ratio of 30 percent of carbohydrates and about 15-20 percent of protein. Hydration was vital too and a good amount of sleep.
A week before the race I weighed 51 kilos, good enough from a light 48 kilograms. I tried hard not to think of the race, though deep within it is just at the back of my mind taunting me. Good thing, I could sleep well every night, but the moment my mind starts to remember, I could hear my heart racing fast again. Recalling back what happened in 2008, I just know how it would feel like to be racing, to be crawling, to have my legs screaming for rest, for my heart to beat so fast, have short breaths as the thinning air starts to affect me mentally and physically. I just knew what I’m going to be up to again.
Rushing everything at work, making sure that everything will be ok once I leave for Malaysia. I asked several of my colleagues to hold the fort for me and it was kind and responsible of them to take charge while I am away. I was appreciative of their help. Packing for my stuff was another serious matter for me. I didn’t have much running clothes with me. I tried to go hunting for second-hand shops here in Indonesia to see if there are some stuff suitable for me, something appropriate for the weather in Kinabalu. There are only a few sports shops here in Bandar Lampung, Sumatra Indonesia and are very expensive. I didn’t have a choice but to content myself with running with my old running gears.
I flew to Kota Kinabalu four days before the race day. Months earlier, I was apprehensive since I will be travelling alone and I had no place to stay. I was particularly short of money. Every single cent counts. I’ve already psyched myself that I won’t be buying anything nor indulging in shopping or eating at fine restaurants. I worked on my very limited budget. I was ready to eat just rotti and drink just water. I didn’t mind that at all.
All these I accepted until one day, a message from Facebook got my attention. A Good Samaritan asked me if I’d be racing in 25th Kinabalu Climbathon. I said ‘yes’ and he offered to help. He works with the climbathon’s race director, Sabah Tourism and one of the radio-communications personnel for the race. He arranged to pick me up at the airport and my accommodation for the night, including my taxi to Kundasang, near Kinabalu Park the next morning --- all for free. Getting this generous treatment confirmed how much the event coordinators and race organizers appreciate the Philippine Skyrunning Association’s love for the Kinabalu Climbathon. And I’m very thankful.
The drive to Kundasang took almost two hours. The taxi was fast and my chat with a retired high school principal was a bonus. He shared his wisdom about education and how much of a proud man he is to be the first man in his village to get an education through sheer hard work and go back and teach the youth in his village. He’s admirable and inspiring.
Reaching our lodge (Ceasar’s Place) in Kundasang was breathtaking. Mt. Kinabalu is beautifully wrapped in swirling clouds, seemingly welcoming me back in her arms. Maite Abellanosa and Merlita Arias-Dunkin greeted me when I came. Tita Maite, as she is fondly called was cooking a mouth-watering vegetable dish as Philippine Skyrunning Association-sponsored athlete; Merlita Dunkin helps out. The others were out for their practice run to the summit.
I was later introduced to Romano Cortes Jorge of the PSA. We talked for hours and then decided to go meet the others at a nearby restaurant, just the time when they’re all back from the summit.
First, we met was Jules Picato and Roland Wang, a ‘kababayan’ from the Cordillera and soon I got reunited with the other members of the PSA. We were all happy to see each other.
The next morning was my turn for a practice run with Mia, Charina, Roland, and Luke. The view of the mountain that morning was clear with the sun coming out perfectly, compared to the previous days when it’s cloudy and raining. I felt good to run it.
We set off at 7:30 from Timpohon Gate. I made a promise to my body that I will only go as far as I can. My plan was to acclimatize and let my legs and feet feel the trails and the granite pathways and get reacquainted with the usual stress on my muscles as I go higher. Again I was extra careful not to injure myself.
I stayed in the middle of the pack. Mia was ahead, while I was just a couple of hundred meters behind until Roland caught up with me. Luke joined us later too near Laban Ratta while Charina just took her time and was at the back of the pack, taking her own pace.
Then the site of the ropes signaled that it was time to crawl up and the soft rain came, slowly soaking us. We are now 3,400 meters above sea level and going higher. It is freezing cold!
I was particularly worried about Luke. He was already feeling sick due to lack of sleep the previous nights. He was starting to have altitude sickness --- splitting headache, dizziness and sleepiness. But his determination to push on is admirable. The rain poured stronger as we reached Sayat-sayat at KM. 7.
We pushed even harder. Roland and I were still okay but as soon as I saw the fog zero-in on us from above, covering the mountain, plus the strong rain drenching us. I just knew deep within that it is no longer safe to move forward so I decided to call off the assault to the summit. Roland agreed and I just knew that we had to go back soon, especially for Luke. It was already dark up the summit due to the thick clouds and pouring rain. Safety first.
The trek down wasn’t easy. We all met up at Laban Ratta to eat and warm our stomachs. Instant noodles were just perfect. I welcomed the little sodium into my system and it felt energizing. Luke looked better and felt better too. After fuelling ourselves, we went off in a hurry, lest we get caught in the dark and pouring rain. It was raining all the way to the forest. There were some compression stops and met some interesting runners on our way. We were fascinated by the runners from Nepal. They looked so simple; none of those famous shoe brands, all they had was their friendly smiles, road shoes and sweat pants.
The pouring rain didn’t help us. The trek seemed too long for us. It was already dark when we reached Timpohon Gate and we called for ‘rescue’. We were feeling sick and shivering. There was no more transportation going back to the lodge. Thankfully, Jocelyn Saw was there with a handful of Malaysian rescuers who took us back to our lodge. Getting back was a real relief for everyone. We all ate, and slept soundly that night.
(TO BE CONTINUED…)
BLIND OPTIMISM
The 25th Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathon 2011
Oct. 22-23, 2011, Sabah, Malaysia
(PART 2 of 2)
by RASHEL M PEÑA
(ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rashel M. Peña, a native of Baguio City, is a graduate of Saint Louis University and a former radio announcer at GMA Campus Radio. She has been a member of the Philippine Skyrunning Association since 2008, after joining the Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathon Skyrace in that same year, and the first from Baguio-Benguet to join the skyrunning group. She started serious running since 2005 and has been running marathons and ultra marathons since then. She is currently working as a teacher and a trainor at Sekolah Darma Bangsa in Bandar Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia.
She says running mountains and pounding on the roads just makes her happy. She just runs; no 'what if's'. It is her form of meditation and her way of celebrating God's blessings.)
THE day before the race was about eating and resting. A brief meeting with the representatives from Benguet was part of our itinerary. They looked all fascinated and happy to join us. Upon getting our race kits, we all headed back to the lodge and started getting ready for an early meal, ready our jerseys and get an early sleep. I stayed up a bit late, waiting up for a friend, Alexander Cenzon coming from Baguio, who is racing in the men’s open in day two.
It’s race day and we all got up at 2 am. I did not sleep. I couldn’t sleep. I made my usual strong, black coffee for the kick, took a shower and got ready. The bus pick up is at 4:30am to take us to the starting line. It was cold and windy. The sky was clear and the stars were brightly twinkling. Then the bus came and whisked us off to Kinabalu Park.
We were the first contingent to arrive at the starting line. I was nervous but was not obvious due to the cold weather. Cameras started clicking from everywhere as other participants came and started to warm up. I was awaiting the arrival of the star runners. I was the usual fan once more. Almost all the athletes wore good brands of running shoes and shirts. They all looked colourful. Photos were taken here and there, got some good ones too. We all had fun taking our pictures with the best runners and other runners from other countries. They were all admirable.
Then finally the moment came, bang! and we were all off to the trails of 9 kilometers up and 12 kilometers coming back. I didn’t start well, my hydration belt was going up my chest. I’m not used to using it, so I decided to sling it over my head and shoulders and it felt better. I flet like ‘Rambo’, I could run better. My legs were a bit stiff but were okay. The other runners passed by me and I told myself to let them, as there’s still plenty of time. I relaxed.
Slowly I was passing by runners but didn’t notice who they were. My friends told me later, they saw me pass by them, but my mind was blank. I focused on my body, praying silently that I’d be able to maintain and save my strength as I go higher. It was interesting to see star runners, like Kilian Jornet of Spain in the men’s open cheering us in the woods. My friend Jules, enjoyed that particular part.
The ascent was excruciating. The steps, the boulders were really punishing to the legs. The altitude was setting in. I saw several runners stopping to catch their breaths early on. I walked and ran but mostly speed walked. Upon reaching more of the stairs, that’s when I paused several times, I could already feel the pain in my thighs. I hydrated and pushed on. A Malaysian runner was behind me and he kept saying, ‘we can make it…let’s go go go’. Then I found myself exchanging stories with him and was later on joined by other runners. We were laughing as we climbed.
Taking photos is always a part of any event, whether running or not. It was good I brought mine to get some good shots of the summit and some of the runners too. The weather leading to the summit was great. It was in its azure blue. The clouds were puffy and the temperature was comfortably warm.
Each checkpoint was an achievement in itself. It felt good listening to someone radioing your number to base camp that you’ve arrived. The checkers were very nice and polite and very encouraging. They took pictures of us too, I was thick enough to ask some of their food and water. I was hungry and they were very gracious.
At Km. 8, checkers reminded us of the time left. I was told I still have time to make it to the cut off time, which is 3:30. I asked one medic to spray my legs an anti-pain to fuel my last hurrah to the top. I just had a few minutes left. I run and speed walked and arrived at Km. 8.5 when a checker told me that my time is up. I looked up and there the summit is looking down at me. All I needed was a few more minutes to cross the last 500 meters. I sat, then knelt and kissed the ground. I felt humbled by the mountain, by the experience of it being on top. I walked up to the summit and cried silently. I took photos of the summit, as I was told this would be the last time that the summit will be included in the race. Next year will be a different and a longer route for all the skyrunners.
After a few minutes of rest and taking photos, I started to go down quickly. But I just had to stop by at Laban Ratta, to eat a little. I was lucky enough to see Charina Javier for I didn’t bring money with me. We ate quickly then I ran off ahead of her.
Running down was tough to the knees. I ran and speedwalked. One would feel more of the pain if he or she stops, so I just pushed and pushed. It rained a little in the forest and it wasn’t helpful. The path was mushy and slippery.
Signposts reminded me how many more kilometers I need to cover. When I saw that I only had two kilometers left to the gate , I felt good. Once I’m there, I only need to do 3 kilometers of road run to the finish line and I’m done.
The last 3 Km. of road was a boost. Hearing from a distance the music and the cheers meant I’m almost there. I ran and ran along side an Indonesian runner who paced me. The happiness and excitement was too much, it was just overwhelming. Then I saw my friends cheering a few hundred meters away. I came running into their arms. I cried. It felt good seeing them, waiting for me. On my watch, I ran a total of 6 hours and 50 minutes, traversing the great mountain.
Running Mt. Kinabalu for the second time was a celebration of what I am inside. I never get tired of coming back and running it again. The experience of being with the star athletes and running with them always gave a moment of being equal and the oozing inspiration that they exude is just contagious. This experience drove me to keep running and share the love for the sport. And above all, running with my team and friends who are there to support me and cheer me up is just invaluable.
With my team looking forward to come back next year is exciting enough. With the new and longer route makes everyone wonder and vow for a better result and that was obvious in each other’s eyes.
This is why I keep running, no matter what. The ‘high’ is never enough; it is an addiction. I keep coming back for more. Now Mt. Fuji awaits for the 2012 Skyrace.
(Note: Many thanks to Mr. Sly L. Quintos, Editor-in-chief of the Baguio Chronicle)
