"Rice is Life"

This is the theme of the Adventure Marathon I am in Dumaguete now for, inspired by a gesture of a key Philippine government official to the Saudi Arabia king--  What will you gift a king who has it all?  "Rice is Life.  King, here's rice so that you may have a long life!" 

Started in November 2006, the "Rice is Life" marathon by the Foundation University is the only race that's giving sacks of rice as prize.  The idea is to bring more people to realize that it's not production (and definitely not importation!) but conservation of rice is the key to sustainability.  Incidentally, it's also the Rice Awareness Month this November!

I have not eaten so much rice in my whole life!  For breakfast of fried rice (organic, straight from the farm and warmly prepared by working students of Foundation University, Dumaguete), to puto (made of glutinuous rice like "suman"; not the puffy bread-like the popular native delicacy in Laguna, Philippines) to more rice at lunch and rice noodles for dinner, ended by "budbod" which is "suman" dipped in chokolate-ah (and sometimes served with ripe mango). 

It's carbo-loading galore!  The people in Dumaguete fed me so much.  I think it's in connivance with the Marathon-founder who was enticing me to do the 28k -- so I can burn all the taken calories!

During one of the race meetings, when i asked the founder-organizer how I can help, he replied with "Do the 28k!"  I was eyeing to do a fun run only, a 10k the most.  The morning of the race day, i found myself at the gunshot for the 28k!

The start line at the Boulevard gave it a romantic shot of the bay, so picturesque that i felt I was chasing for my prince charming (this morning i found a cute little frog by my door). 

And so I run, I run in long slow motion as if Hollywood is capturing this moment.  Then there were butterflies in my stomach, not the ineffable experience related to psychology of true love. It is more related to something i had this morning -- something that my body was not familiar with. 

My stubbornness or was it more of a no-choice because i did not have somebody to prepare my "normal breakfast" of Ampalaya soup and Boiled saba (plantation)?   I was between getting starved or eating unfamiliar food.  You know what i decided on.   Let me give you my version of Do's and Dont's in running a race out-of-town.  This is Running 101 and I am pretty sure that any newbie (moreso, the long-time runners) is familiar with but it helps to be reminded -- probably not for you but for ME!

1]Let's start with food.  For those who are on a restricted diet, make sure you either pack your own food or prepare your own or at the least, have somebody you know who can prepare your meal for you.  When you introduce new food into your body, make sure you do a "test-run" at least a few days before the race to mitigate the food's adverse reaction to your body.  It's ideal to do the normal running regimen with the new food or drink ie sports drink, energy food. 
2]Medicine.  Ensure that you have packed in all your prescribed medicines and emergency drugs such as aspirin, paracetamol, maalox, immodium.  See here RedCross First Aid kit
3]Lodging facilities.  You need to get well rested before the race.  It's crucial to have a complete quality sleep two nights before the race so fly in early enough to have time to adjust to the hotel or the place where you are staying at.  The night immediately before the run, most often, "runner's high" is experienced where runner is anxious, excited, agitated that keep him up all night.
4]Get familiar with the race map.  If you must visit the course then do so so you have the "unknowns" figured out.  Some race organizers (i am not charging the organizer for Dumaguete Marathon as one) fail to orient the runners of the toughness (level of uphills and downhills) of the course.  If you are the adventurous type, then this is not an issue.  Moreso, a plus-factor.  Know the right type of shoe, gear, hydrate stations etc...  Doing a race out of the country spells the difference -- on the weather, temperature, terrain.  Go check forums and query the marathon organizers. 

These are the few things I first-handedly learned from my first out-of-town run.  I may not have a full experience of the course, but i had an unforgettable and irreplaceable experience with the hands of the "Gentle People" (of Dumaguete; as Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero, put it).  I wouldn't dare say, "Noli me tangere... "

MUST SEE/TRY IN DUMAGUETE:

~"Dumaguete express" and grilled fishes at Lab-As restaurant along Baybay (pronounced with short 'a' and not with long a in "bay", the body of water)

~Rice cakes at the market near Quezon Park.  Email activeculture@Ymail.com or activeculture.club@Gmail.com  for directions to the best one that serves them!  Ooooh, mouthwatering...

~"Eveything under the sun" market at Malatapay which opens only on Wednesdays

~Malapatay is the get-off point to Apo island where you can find the prismatic animated marine sanctuary.  It's just a stone-away, about 15 to 30 minutes boat ride.  Prepare to get there in the morning to avoid the rough waves in the afternoon, or have the most enthralling boat ride (I did =)!