Yesterday, February 22,2015 Sunday, was one of
the most-fulfilling days of my life.
Several hundreds of runners ran the TBR-ULAH
Dream Marathon , Batch 6. I was part of last year's batch (Batch 5), and
because of our unforgettable Dream Marathon experience, my husband and I signed
up to become Dream Chasers (support group of the runners who are mainly tasked
to cheer and help the runners as they run their first / second marathon). We
were blessed to be chosen to be part of the Dream Chaser Tent 3. We knew the
responsibilities that come from being dream chasers, so days before the
marathon day, I bought the food we plan to share for the dreamers. Our group
planned a "Superheroes" theme for our tent so I borrowed two capes,
one Superman cape from my godson and one Robin cape from my best friend.
Trying on our Dream Chaser Superhero costume two days before the TBR Dream Marathon 2015 Thanks Martha (my friend and Raphy's mom) and my best friend, Diana for lending us the capes! |
The night before the marathon day, just before 12mn in time for the 2am gunstart, I packed the food that we bought for the runners - packs of gummi bears, chippy, frozen jellyace. We knew it was gonna be a long day because we were to stay at our dream chaser tent from 230am - 10am so we also brought some food and two coolers for us, the chasers.
When we arrived at the Dream Village a little past 1am, it was very festive. The dreamers had smiles on their faces and I saw my friends (fellow TBR alumni and dreamers).
L-R: Paula (Dreamer now Marathoner), Pie (Dreamer now Marathoner), Mike, Chix, Jema (Fellow TBR Batch 5 Alumna), Dane (Future Dreamer), Paolo (Dreamer now Marathoner) Photo courtesy of Jema Ng |
L-R: Paula, Coach Mike (TBR Dream Team), Mike, Pie, Chix, Macel (TBR Dream Team), Jema, Dane, Paolo Photo courtesy of Jema Ng |
Mr. and Mrs. Mike-Macel Janeo and Mr. and Mrs. Mike-Chix Dijamco (near our Dream Chaser Tent 3) Thanks to Coach Lit for taking the photo |
It was an enjoyable experience, from the time we met up with our Tent 3 Dream Chasers. Some members of our group have been dream chasers for several years now, while majority of us were first-timers. The "veteran dream chasers" in our group shared their experiences the previous years and briefly oriented us on what we should do and what to expect.
with our fellow "Superheroes" a.k.a Dream Chasers from Tent 3 Photo courtesy of JN TBR |
Fellow Dream Chasers at Tent 3 Photo Courtesy of Maricar Leyva |
Our tent was beside the live band that played during the first half of the race. When it was still dark in Nuvali, we kept on dancing with the band as we offered food to the runners. Our tent had sooooo much food.
Some of the food in our tent (packed sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, chippy, dingdong, coffee, Bing Bang chocolates |
We had arroz caldo, tasty bread, peanut butter, pandesal, cheese pimiento, hard boiled eggs, pretzels, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, KitKat M&Ms, Kisses, Cream-O sandwich, assorted cookies, flat tops, Big Bang, Cloud 9, Chippy, gummi bears, jellyace, watermelon, apples, bananas, trail mix, Dingdong mixed nuts, mountain dew, coffee and iodized salt, etc.
I felt the whole Tent 3 worked as a team. Each chaser knew his/her primary responsibility - To treat each dreamer as VVIP, and everyone did their part.
While cheering the dreamers and holding our "motivational signs" Photo courtesy of JN TBR |
Our tent served as a "buffet" for the dreamers as some of them made their way to our "buffet of snacks"' and it eventually became a "clinic" where they were free to sit down and have the medic team spray Perskindol on their legs, as needed. We even had a name to our clinic, and referred to it as "Dra. Mers' Clinic" because of the huge sign on top of our tent that said "GO DREAMERS" which eventually became " GO DRA MERS"
"Dra. Mers' Clinic" (a.k.a Dream Chaser Tent 3) |
The hours of stay within and around the tent passed by so fast since we were busy dancing / cheering / pacing / offering snacks and support to the dreamers and chit-chatting with fellow chasers.
with fellow Tent 3 Dream Chasers Photo Courtesy of JN TBR |
I saw my friends who were dreamers from this batch when they passed by our tent, and of course, our niece, Pie Dijamco, who was also one of the dreamers who fulfilled her marathon dream yesterday.
Our niece Pie, beside Tent 3 on her last loop while Mike (my husband) was putting ice on her legs to relieve the pain. |
When the last few runners were near our tent, some of my fellow tent chasers approached one dreamer, as she was by herself walking. They offered her some food and hydration. We gave her watermelon, chocolates, cookies, water and gatorade... When she reached our tent before making her last right turn near the Km34 mark, I asked her if she wanted someone to be with her for a few kilometers since she was by herself. She gladly accepted and we walked together. She asked me, "What's your name again?" I introduced myself and she said her name was, "Angel".
I took a picture of Angel beside the KM34 mark just a few meters away from Dream Chaser Tent 3 |
She apologized to me for being slow. I told her, it was not a problem at all. My husband (Mike) followed us after a hundred meters and joined us as we moved forward. Mike and I planned to just pace her until the next tent (Dream Chaser Tent 2), but even before we reached the next hydration station on the other side of the road, she asked me if I think she could make it, and without any hesitation I said, of course she would. She asked if the organizers of the TBR Dream Marathon were strict or if they were lenient with the cut-off. I told her they follow the cut-off, they would still allow you to cross but you will not be given a medal if you don't make it on time. She seemed worried since she was thinking she might be able to cross but not in time for the cut-off and then she said, "Basta wag niyo lang ako iwan." When my husband and I heard her say that, we knew we had to be with her. Either we finish in time or not, we will finish the marathon with her. As we walked, I was confident we could make it, thinking that at 8kms to the finish, we still have a little less than 2hrs to go. Although admittedly, I was abit unsure since we didn't run-walk fast. She didn't feel any pain, but she was just tired from all the running & walking.
One offered to walk with an umbrella to shade her, and her friend, held her hand. She just wanted to give up. We passed by the last tent, I got her some more hydration and ice. We tried to sustain our pace but we were slowing down. Eventually, the two runners who were behind us went ahead of us. The dream chasers we saw, joined us as we tried to run a little, but Angel had a side stitch so we couldn't move any faster. As the other chasers helped us move at a faster pace, we were still unsure if we could make it, although I can hear my husband telling Angel, "Aabot tayo. Kaya mo yan, diba, malapit na. Ayan na yung finishline." We knew we had a very slim chance of being able to reach the cut off. I asked my fellow chaser from tent 3, Jonathan David, who was also there, if he thinks she could make it. He said, "She could, IF we moved a little faster." He said, we still have a few hundred meters to go and only three minutes remaining. This time, there were several people running with Angel, one had an ice bag at her nape, few chasers spraying her with water, and some giving words of encouragement. That's when I told Angel, "Ang lapit na natin Angel, nung 34th km, ang layo pa, but now we're here. Ang dami na natin ngayon, and they're all here to see you finish." Mike told her, "Angel ayan na, lahat sila inaabangan ka sa finish line."
We did not know what happened, but with God's grace, Angel just swing her arms and ran in the fastest pace I've never seen her do in the last 8kms that we were with her.
Everything happened so fast, and as I saw the time on the finishline it was 8:59:20 just a few seconds before the cut-off 9:00:00.
As Angel crossed her first marathon, I cried! I cried as if it was me who crossed the finishline. I saw my friend Macel Janeo, and hugged her while I was crying, also in a way of thanking her for she was one of the first people who motivated us to run, and now, there we were helping another runner fulfill her dream.
We didn't plan to chase that far that day, but in our own little way, we were able to help Angel as she crossed the finishline of her first marathon. A dream we knew she worked hard for, a dream that she achieved yesterday...
Angel with my husband and I after she crossed the finishline |
That's what I think is the meaning of "Paying it Forward."
I experienced the unwavering support of the Dream Chasers when I ran my first marathon, I knew I had to support future dreamers somehow, as they too, strive to fulfill their marathon dream.
To Angel, again, congratulations on finishing your first marathon.
Catch you later!