We already did the NorthFace 100 in 2012 and 2013, which were both trail runs done out in the countryside and we decided that the Columbia Trail Masters Run at Khao Mai Kaew in the province of Chon Buri would be our next challenge. Hotel accommodations were booked 5 months earlier and registration for the run was done as well.
One thing that we discovered was that there was a 3.5K category which was dubbed the "family run" and we decided that this would be a great chance to introduce my 6-year old granddaughter - Kailee, to the sport.
The photos will tell the rest of the story.
Breakfast at the motorway rest area on the way to Kao Mai Kaew
The stage at the race venue
with her running partner. at this point we didnt have
the slightest idea what would transpire in the next few
hours that would totally change our game plan.
Making sure that tito JJ gets the right size
getting registered
in the depths of the sea or on mountain trails
these guys don't leave my side
The Philippine Trail Running team
Yeah, she's registered and eager to run.
just 6 days shy of her 6th birthday, which
falls on June 22.
just 6 days shy of her 6th birthday, which
falls on June 22.
after getting our race kits we check in at the Horseshoe
Point Resort, as they were expecting us...
... and to our delight we discover that it is also
a riding academy for equestrian sports.
that's the north side view
an indoor riding arena for riding events that I knew
were only found in European countries
There was this kid who was practicing in the outdoor track
a few hours after checking in Kailee started coughing
and breathing heavily. she actually was on ventolin
when we left Bangkok, but we noted that it was
getting worse. so we brought her to the Pattaya
Memorial Hospital to be nebulized.
after a quick checkup by a lady doctor she was
nebulized and we were charged 1,530 Baht.
from the hospital we head to the Central Festival mall
for lunch at 3:30 in the afternoon... she's famished.
she feels better and we take a rest while mama
went to get some stuff to take back to the hotel
That night we mount our bibs and check our other
gear for the run. at about 8:00 Kailee get's up
suddenly from bed and runs to the bathroom and vomits
the undigested food that she ate 4- 5 hours earlier.
I knew there and then that our game plan for the race
would take a drastic turn and that she would be unfit
to run. how do you explain that to a very eager and
motivated tyke? it also starts raining so hard for more
than 2 hours and i knew that tomorrow would be a
challenging day for us.
challenging day for us.
i chose not to tell her yet, but i prayed that
God would make things better. the following day dawned
and we head to the starting line to warm up.
baby Gray was there too
this runner gets on with the stretching exercises
without anyone telling her what to do.
that's it babe, you gotta stretch coz you'll be
strapped to lolo's back for the race. at this point
she has no idea what was in my mind about the run.
"hey Kailee, are you ready to run?"
at the starting line
she was the only girl in her age bracket and i bet in
her mind she was saying "i'm gonna beat all of you guys!"
her mind she was saying "i'm gonna beat all of you guys!"
at the blast of the starting horn she's out in
a flash and i had to haul her in little by little
to the point of raising her up on my back. she was
kicking like a spirited pony even while on her perch...
and that's when i find the time to tell her that she
has to do the race on my back because it would be
hard on her lungs.
kicking like a spirited pony even while on her perch...
and that's when i find the time to tell her that she
has to do the race on my back because it would be
hard on her lungs.
with each mile she realizes the truth and accepts
her fate.
at mid-point i let her run uphill for a few meters
and she concludes that she is more comfy on my back.
10 meters to the finish i let her finish on
her own steam and she liked it.
Her mom loved the the 10 kilometer run,
but lost her prized earphones.
tito JJ was his usual self - light and speedy.
Buffet b-fast at the Horseshoe Point was really rewarding
so was the cool pool
we have so much to thank Jesus for. we thank
him for every breath, every stride up the trail
and every blessing.
"She ain't heavy, she's my granddaughter!"
