A week before I ran my first official marathon, I also ran in Leg 2 of IRUN Bulacan held on August 2, 2026, at the Municipality of San Rafael, Bulacan. Weeks prior, I had second thoughts about whether I should join the event or not since it was only just a week before my marathon, and I was advised that I should avoid long runs to reduce the risk of injury. However, since I already ran its first leg, I would regret not finishing the entire series (there will be a leg 3 in December), so that was why I decided to join the event. And since I ran their highest distance during leg 1, which is 16 km, I also have to run their highest distance for leg 2, which is 21km.
For the 21km run, the start of the race was at 4:00 AM, with a 4-hour cutoff, but to get a proper warm-up, I arrived at the venue just before 3:00 AM. Unlike the marathon, where we ran the entire time while raining, here we got the perfect weather to run. The humidity is nice, and the wind is just enough to help cool our bodies but not to the point that it adds air resistance that will make running difficult.
Overall, there are 705 runners who joined this event from all categories, and for 21km, there are only 119 runners, me included. Quite a few compared to the previous events that I joined, but being too close to the Bulacan Marathon may have affected the number of potential participants. Regardless, the event was run very well and organized.
Before the start of the race, there was a little orientation about the route because, a week before the event, the route was changed from the original, and in this new route, there is what we call as the "Wall" or a very long uphill that is a nightmare for every runner who aims to beat their personal record. Following that was Zumba warm-up to help the runners prepare and condition their bodies before the run. Unfortunately, I had already done my warm-up beforehand, so I did not join them. Not because I have two left feet. As soon as the Zumba ended, we all moved to the starting line. Since we're not that many in the category, I was able to move to the very front. Not that I am trying to place on the podium, but being at the front will allow me to have a good starting pace.
Eventually, the race started. Since the path does not have many obstructions and with the help of adrenaline, I was able to start my run really well. Given that we are in the province, there were a lot of areas along the route that were not well lit, and some uneven parts of the road, but they did not make running difficult or dangerous as long as you keep a decent focus on the road. What proves to be the biggest challenge, though, are the uphills because, aside from the "Wall", many parts of the route have minor uphills. Even if they were shorter and not very high, it eventually takes a toll on my legs and stamina. I reached the U-turn for 21km in less than an hour, but it became difficult for me to maintain the speed in the latter half. Had it been one of my regular runs, it would probably have taken longer, because my adrenaline was not present.
Thankfully, there are some refreshments at the U-turn, so I found an excuse to take a little break, a little food break.
Right after that, I resumed running, but at a much slower pace and even walk at times. And after two hours and 10 minutes, I was finally able to reach the finish line, ranking 27th out of the 119 runners under the 21km category. I bet there were other faster runners than me who joined the event, but they were also got surprised by the uphills and ended up running slower than they used to be.
Overall, I really enjoyed the event despite the unexpected challenge that the route gave us. I forgot to say this, but the security along the route might be the best among the events that I joined, so I gave kudos to the organizers for that. I believe if you read my previous post, then you know the rest of the story. And now that I have completed both leg 1 and leg 2 of the series, I am sure to participate in leg 3 when it is announced.
That was it for this post. Thank you, and see you at the next post.
