Trail run training from Brgy. Wawa to Sitio Casili

One day, I was feeling a bit rebellious, I decided to train on a weekend because I had a trail run the following week. It was raining heavily. There was an LPA (low pressure area) in the central part of Luzon. No one would go with me and I don't normally do things (specially new ones) on my own before. But then again, I was feeling a bit rebellious. For a 30-year old woman I know I wasn't thinking straight. So I headed there anyway. I went to this popular eatery in the jump off because people (hikers and runners) can leave their stuff there. I ordered lugaw and tokwa't baboy (porridge and tofu with pork) to fill me up through my rebellious act on a stormy morning. It wasn't really rebelling when you know what I originally planned to do. I was only to run 5K to Mt. Parawagan and back. Just 5Km was what I told myself.

As I was eating, a group of people asked me what I was to do that day. And so I told them I was just gonna run. They invited me to join them hiking. There were four of them hikers, and they were also invited by a runner. Of course, as I was feeling defiant, I said yes without really knowing who they were.

Jeff, the trail runner, lead the pack. We hiked our way to Parawagan then started running through Lagyo to Casili. It was my very first time trail run and surprisingly, I had fun. It wasn't a surprise really as I've always loved nature. And running under the trees and with the smell of fresh air made me exhilarating cheerful. I, for a moment, forgot my troubles. That's one of the reasons why I love the mountains, it makes me forget. It gives you the feeling of just enjoying life humbly. You get to accept the dirt, the mud, the earth. It becomes a part of you. You become a part of the earth.

I told them I was going to run but they outran me. They were hella fast! And they only stopped when there was a part of the trail that we, the last ones to run, would get lost without a guide. And then I realized that they're not just hikers but they have climbed mountains with a 9/9 difficulty level like Mt. Halcon, Mt. Sicapoo and my dream mountain, Mt. Guiting-Guiting. My respect to them sky rocketed because here are the people who have hiked the mountains that I can't even imagine hiking. They even did an undecalogy in Montalban! 11 mountains in one day! I felt awed and at the same time challenged. If I can run the trails with these people, then maybe, just maybe, I can climb those mountains too. So I've decided to train and I'm targeting to do an Undecaology as my 4th birthday hike on December. I don't know what kind of preparation I need to do but I will prepare.

We took a photo I guess for a proof that we reached Brgy. Casili? But I honestly don't know why. So here they are, mga lodi (the idols) )of the trails!

Sitio Casili, San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal

We crossed a bridge and continued running by the river. As it was raining real hard, the water arose that we needed to re-route a few times for the trail was already engulfed in water. We passed by a grass land that has a Batanes feels with the cows resting amid the green field. We also passed by a farm of eggplants. It was so tempting to pluck some but of course I didn't. When we needed to get back to Brgy. Wawa, we rode a boat made of fiber glass. It was a local's way of transportation and we were told that the locals made those kinds of boats. It was scary since it was raining cats and dogs and the river flows quite rapidly. I caught my breath while praying to cross the river safe and while anxiously thinking of ways how to survive in case the boat flips. I was only able to really breathe when we carefully landed across the river.

We continued to run but this time, on a slower pace as we know that we are near our destination. When I saw the dam, I ran quite fast to see how the dam looks with the heavy rain. When I got there, i got goosebumps, it was frightening. Imagine falling off a boat and we would hit the boulders of rocks, it would be an imminent death. Luckily, we were safe. We ended the run at The 4 Brother's eatery and ate 2 cups of rice because I earned it! I'm looking forward to more trail runs!

Now, remember that I only planned to run 5Km? Here was what we actually did:

This app is very useful specially when you go to areas that doesn't have a good reception. You can check it at www.strava.com

#trailrun #mountain #wawa #casili #wawadam #brgywawa