Bangkok Ultra Trail Festival 2014

Non-competitive trail running has been with me since i was a kid in the back hills of Bukidnon (bukid = mountain) - where i grew up. street running took over when i moved to the city and i didnt think about the mountain trails until the recent years when trail running became a sport that my family embraced.

this particular event had Nok - my daughter-in-law, my son JP and his aging dad - me. the photos will tell the rest of the story.

the venue was a korean international school at nong chok by the border of chachongsao province east of bangkok

21K getting ready to go

the weather was perfect and a drone (above jp's head) was on hand to monitor the run

  the view of this beautiful lake made the run easier

 it rained the night before the race so what would you expect?

 one of the uphill segments - that's nok and jp

 downhill

 into the muck

 you can add up to half a pound of mud to your shoes

 at the far end of the lake

 puddle obstacles

 another sticky uphill trudge this time

 the beautiful countryside

 grassland

 through a clump of trees...

 ... with the trail opening into this rice field

 this stretch was really beautiful...

 ...except that it was quite difficult to pass someone because you might fall into the rice field.

 navigating through mud

 finally back to the school grounds and the finish line and Nok is running like the 21 kilometers was just a stroll in the park.

for jp it was a different story. some cramps in his left thigh and an ankle sprained from accidentally hitting a rock. he still makes it in good time.

 finishers medal

  you forget the long and tiring run when you see the medal(?)

 breakfast

 and yeah... beer!

a selfie...

... and one done by the organizers

now it's time to do the laundry.