Warning : You will NOT agree with this entry. 95% probability. Which is good.
I went into the BOTAK Carbo Loading Party at UP's Bahay ng Alumni with no great expectations. I was tired, long day. All I wanted was to get my singlet and race kit. And to get home as soon possible. But little did I know that I would bear witness to something that could possibly impact my life in more ways than I could think of.
Bring it on.......
The Parable of the Hungry Ultraman
Hungry Ultraman : May I have some pesto pasta
Waiter : Ok Sir!
Hungry Ultraman : May I have some of that Bolognese
Waiter: Um, ok Sir!
Hungry Ultraman : May I have some of that Carbonara please
Waiter : Ugh, Ok Sir.
Hungry Ultraman : May I have more of that Carbonara
Waiter : Ugh ok.
Hungry Ultraman : May I have more please, I am quite hungry and I paid a lot for this .
Waiter: .......... Ok.
Hungry Ultraman : Just a bit more....
Waiter : Sir, there are 50 more runners which need to be fed.
Hungry Ultraman : Oh, okay. If you put it that way.
Waiter : ......
Hungry Ultraman : Hey, could I come back for second servings?
Waiter : Why me Lord? Why me?
First, I am not the Hungry Ultraman. Second, you can't make this stuff up. You just can't.
The Dinner Table. GBM
Dang I'm late. Got lost. Thank God Pat's here, we have a table. I'm seated at a table where they seem all seem to know each other. Sharing ultraman stories and anecdotes. It's like an old boys club, and I'm on the outside looking in. The common denominator amongst these guys is that they're nice. Really nice. Like we've known each other for a long time. Familiar faces abound. I see Sir Ronnie aka Runnerforchrist a few feet from me. I finally get to meet him in person. The Team Bald Runner guys are right next to me . They're actually amiable! I always had this impression that they were stern and warrior-like in nature. So what gives? Let's give a quick recap.
Pat, Sir Ronnie and unnamed ultraman enjoying some grub
Chillin' out
The Emcee
Better known as the guy behind the Run For Change site, Eric Passion aka Passion Runner was the capable master of ceremonies. He had the chutzpah to withstand several withering feedback screeches from a whacked out mic, his crisp quips quickly diverting the attention of the 60 or so people at UP's Restaurant of Choice.
That's half of Eric and .... uh, half a head. 
I need to go back here yum
The Race Directors
Ian and Neville were sharp and on point in explaining routes, rules, regulations to the group. After the orientation, you would get the impression that ultra runners have their own brotherhood, their own ubuntu.
Main takeaway - leave ultra runners out there, and they would know what to do.
Ian with screeching mic hard at work 
Neville getting his point across
Marathon Man
So he's the owner of Botak. The I remembered I had seen him before, during the Takbo.ph CLP for Condura. A true running luminary, he has paved the way for ultramarathons in our country, pulling off unfathomable Trans- Europe and Trans-USA runs at a time when I was merely learning how to walk. The audience was enthralled as a slideshow showcased the highlights of his life's magnum opus. This guy could do the impossible... He didn't let anything or anyone stop him from achieving that. Nothing could ......
Man of the Hour
3,000 miles is no laughing matterThis is the part where you cringe
Then it hit me. Back in the day, when he told people that he would run 3,000 miles , 65 km a day, people would have told him he was crazy. That he was risking long term injury. They may have laughed at him. Mocked him even. Said it couldn't be done. Admittedly, he's a man of few words. so he just went out and did it. Just keep running, keep moving forward. No quitting.
I have always believed in the power of the human spirit, that anyone can achieve anything if they put their minds to it. I teach inspirational leadership to college freshmen, and I expound on theories which hover around the lines of something we call " a place with no limits". That if you want to achieve something, it CAN be done if you just... believe.
I am intrigued, and I would want to put my theory to the test against this rare showcase of human endurance. It's a mindset. A mindset that not everyone will agree to, but if wielded properly could produce spectacular results. When push comes to shove, can the mental overcome the physical?
100 grueling kilometers. 2 cities. Once the urge kicks in to throw in the towel....
I'll just keep running, keep moving forward.
No quitting.
Hi Luis. It's good that you went to the carbo loading party. You had a chance to meet some runners, organizers and other which put you a lot more at ease. Last November, I met Team Bald Runner and they're very amiable like you and when you and others get a chance to meet me in January.
My first marathon was after one year of road running and racing. Back in 1972, they didn't have pasta parties so it's much better for the runners now.
BTW, thank you for mentioning me along with Pojie in a recent post. I've always been one to share experiences, especially today. There are more and more people that are taking to our sport and want to see it as successful as possible.
Good luck this weekend!
bro! good luck tomorrow! :) rest assured we'll be there to support you guys :)
goodluck! :)
Thanks Wayne! I wish you could join us :)Yes, everyone was so nice, it's nice to hang out with the runners in a different setup aside from the road or trail :) Hey, glad you liked the last article, I try to keep it light for everyone :) I'm so antsy. I just want the race to start already :)
Hail Gingerbread Runner!
The human mind and body has unimaginable potential. Unlock it. Do not doubt yourself.
Run Strong my friend.
Timmyyyyyyyy :) Thanks man. I'll see you tomorrow! Prayers would be appreciated hehe. Take it easy!
Why hello my favorite alien friends! Yes, I will try to tap and unlock whatever is in there. I will attempt to surround myself with an air of positivism to reach my goal. :) Hey did you read the previous post? After word of your presence has been put out to my terrestrial friends, The Collective is starting to develop quite a following. Your presence is thus requested at the next Takbo.ph run. Simple request from Bong Z - hijack someone hot or cute for eye candy purposes :)
...and Luis is also The Collective
Haha I'm the Collective? Our alien friends may be highly offended and teleport you to their home planet :) Or blot out our sun :)
Seriously though, nah. It drives me crazy just running this blog, work, teaching, actual running et. al. It's a nice blog though, well-written and nicely themed. It deserves our support :) Thanks for dropping by and God Bless!
Just wanted to drop a note of encouragement for you, Luis!! Its great to know people who purely have the passion and the perseverance to make that passion work in a positive manner! We'll be cheering you on every step of the way on Sunday! Never fail!
Thank you very much Mike. Words well appreciated, goes a long way while I'm starting to fade. I hope it works out! With your prayers and words of encouragement, I am hoping we can gut it out :)
cesar guarin was my "pinoy idol" runner then & i really appreciate what he had done in running across the USA and other running adventures in other continents. how i wished he had documented his feats or had written a book to inspire other runners. what he did was not a joke as it entailed a lot of money & preparation. good luck on your run!
Thank you Sir Jovie, the two of you are icons in our sport who serve as inspiration for all of us who wish to move further in the sport. I will be keeping your "Don't Quit" dictum in mind as I attempt to navigate the daunting distance for the very first time. God bless and thank you for dropping by!
hey luis! so you've finally decided to do the full 100! good for you and goodluck! if there was no milo next week, i'd probably do it myself! but i'd be with you half of the way, haha!
mel
Luis-- you will be one of those runners many a newbie will look up to in the future!
Good luck to you!:-)
Thank you Mel! We'll give it our best shot, stretch out our limits. Sayang! Good luck with Milo and keep us posted with how you do :) Take it easy man :)
Thank you very much Sir Rene for those heartwarming words :) I will try my very best to complete the distance so that I may one day live up to it :) God Bless!
hi, luis! quite inspiring! good luck! nothing is impossible!!
Hail Gingerbreadman!
WE are grateful to you and your Terran friends for visiting our site and having an open-mind regarding things that many may deem preternatural.
The Gingerbreadman is not part of The Collective, but we would like his site to be included in our blogroll.Yes?
May you finish your race without any regrets.
Run Strong and Prosper!
Thanks Lorena :) It's a mindset really.... It's either you want it or not :) Right now, my mindset is telling me that my feet and knees are killing me hehe. Thanks for dropping by, glad you liked the read :)
Hello my alien friends :) Yes, we enjoy your site and we are hoping you could hijack unsuspecting terrans to join us for runs one of these days :)
As for the blogroll, hey by all means :) It would be my pleasure.
Any regrets? About my terrestrial form being unable to walk, my knees locked up, the pain and the agony of traversing a 50k route in sweltering heat?
Thanks to the support of my friends and family, it was worth everything :)
How was the run, ultraman?
Hi Jerry! I finished the 50k, was the hardest thing I had ever done in my whole life. I was hoping to give the 100k a shot if I had still something left at the 50k mark, but cramps in both legs, swollen feet, and the excruciating heat prompted me to think twice. Nevertheless, I am happy that I gutted it out, wanted to quit as early as the 39, 40k mark. You were right, it is a mental game at the later stages. Thanks for dropping by Jerry! Hope to run with you again once I'm recovered. :)
Congratulations, Ultraman Luis! You make your takbo family so very proud. We were glad to be there for you at the finish line. Great job!!!! Rest up. 'Till the next run. :) Marga
Thanks so much Marga :) Apparently, you are famous now lol :) Appreciate that you guys stuck around for me, made me feel like a million bucks. Was truly a poignant moment and nawala pagod ko, even for a bit. Made it all worth it :)
Hi Luis, Congratulations Ultra Gingerbreadman! Hope to meet you soon!
A M A Z I N G !
Thank you for the kind words Brother J, I am hopeful to come up with my entry soon, swamped with work. Hope to meet you one of these days and thanks for dropping by! :)
Dear Anonymous - it was PAINFUL and AGONIZING but THANK YOU SO MUCH! :) :)
First off, congratulations on finishing the 50k! You are now part of that breed of crazy, I mean, amazing runners. You are now a bonafide ultrarunner... galing!
Second, nice site. I appreciate the clean and simple layout. I'll probably do that on run4change.com v.4 hehe...
Third, I enjoy your posts. Simple, energetic, funny :)
Looking forward to meeting you in future races!
Hi Eric! Thank you so much, it was the hardest thing ever! I'd do it again though! (yeah, you were right about the crazy part lol). Glad you like our layout and content, I really try to come up with fun material that would make you guys smile a bit after too many hours working spent on meetings, spreadsheets, and reports :) Hope to run into you at one of the future races! Now all I need to do is walk straight again....