Preserved memories: My Kadayawan Phoenix Run 32K (in pictures)

Pushing ageing legs and battling gravity on unforgiving climbs, running through the discomfort of blistered soles, being cheered on by friends, and knowing there's a sub-4 hour marathon in you. These make races memorable.

Talking running with Team Davao Runners mates Dino Macavinta and Jerry Miparanum before lining up for the gun start.

The TDR pre-race group pose has by now become a tradition. I missed this one though.
I loitered, talking with other runner friends who I only get to see during races like this.

"There they go!"
We were flagged off at 4:00 in the morning while the rest of Davao was still sleeping.

Nothing beats the joy of having friends giving support and encouragement on the road.
TDR's fastest guy, Merlin Legaspi, reaches the TDR support group at the Diversion Road first.
No doubt he was happy seeing these wacky guys there.

I reached the support group shortly after Merlin. No water or anything for me as I didn't need it.
Hearing the cheers - and this shot - were more than enough.

How good was this TDR support group?
They had to make the pep signs on the spot to greet the rest of the gang with.  LOL.

The TDR support group was there for every single mate, including barefoot Dino.

The ladies' smiles were enough to melt away the discomfort.  And the guys... well, they were wacky ;)

They were there to keep the memories.

And make you try and look as if you were not suffering at all
 even after having already ran 23 kilometers and still doing 9 more.

My feet were aching with the blisters even hours afters I finished, but what the heck!
It was just a few more meters to the finish and I wanted to make sure TDR mate Doc Cris Lao crossed that line and be the winner that she is by conquering her first 32K run. She did, of course. 

More than this medal, my 2:37:05 finishing time is such a big reward.
It's great to know I'm in line for a sub-4 hour marathon in December. 

"Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too." 

--Richard O'Brien

(My thanks to TDR mates Joanna Lizares-Co, Jay Salvaña and Doc Cris Lao for the pictures.)