The (secret) road to Monterrey

May 9, 2011 by rundmd8 10 Comments

the few, the brave and the bored...

Finally, I get to share our (Dave’s and I) secret training ground before the BDM 102km. This route is actually not too covert among the Marikina/Rizal runners and even got a page in Frontrunner magazine as written by Ray Abenojar, another co-Mariqueno and high schoolmate. It’s also the first time that we invited some members of Team Boring on our little route – a short 6 kms up and another 6 kms down.  We assembled by 5:15 am last Saturday as Topher, Bong, McCoy and Ina joined me and Dave on our LSD run. Ronnie & Cindy chose to stay at our house as the challenge and the distance seems too much for them.

the struggle begins....

We began with a short walk about a kilometer going to my high school, Marist (part of our regular path, a good 4.4 kms) and from there when the seminaries start appearing, the road began to steep up going to Meteor Homes, still a part of Marikina. The road with its minimal public vehicles (mostly coming from Sta. Barbara, San Mateo) continue to go up until it reaches a deep valley to give way to a river crossed by a bridge. We had to slow down a bit lest we fumble all the way down, it was that steep. Welcome to San Mateo, Rizal.

marikina - san mateo border...

hills and more hills...

From thereon in, the road begins to rise making a sharp curve to the left and entering Monterrey Village. There would be short spans of flats but the terrain continues to go up, some by up to 60 degrees. We try to keep in mind certain tips on running uphill, slightly tilting the body forward, pacing regularly and swaying the arms more incessantly. After two more ascents, we reach a long plateau where the turn around was supposed to happen, near the entrance of the Sta. Barbara Villas.

Unfortunately, our two gofers McCoy & Bong kept trudging forward and up, up, up. I finally caught up with McCoy who finally found some sense to stop and wait for the group. Bong meanwhile had sped down towards Sta. Barbara town proper before he was finally restrained by McCoy. A few minutes later, we congregated with Topher, Dave and Ina finally reaching a little beyond the turning point.

McCoy, bored of waiting...

with the San Mateo mountains at the back...

McCoy, Bong, Toto, Topher

The view from the top now overlooks the smoggy Ortigas landscape and Quezon City. As we made our descent towards the bridge, the sun began to creep out of the horizon.

And Bong goes down...

The plunge was a lot faster, naturally and less testy. We make an exit through another village (La Milagrosa) into Rancho Estate subdivision and finally heading to SSS Village where my mom had prepared a very sumptuous breakfast of sinangag, eggs and Lukban longganiza. Major, major Tere joined us later as we celebrated her ‘despedida’ for the States. T’was indeed another Borrring morning…

the day's reward...

from the top...