Feeling the Thrill of the Trail at TNF 100 Baguio

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It was a last minute decision, with minimal trail experience and run mileage me and a couple of friends (Mike and Chiqui) decided to jump in and race the TNF 100 Baguio 22KM Category with good friends Risha and Marky.

Though I have some trail experience, Mike and Chiqui are trail virgins, they are marathoners, but still are both scared and a bit excited about this new experience, with no trail experience, their trusty running shoes, and my old hydration backpacks we decided to brave the trails of Baguio together.

The first few kilometers was a struggle, the uneven terrain and thin high altitude air made the course a lot tougher, Chiqui jokingly mentioned she almost wants to give up on the first 2KM!

After a good warm-up though, everything becomes a bit easier and we notice we’re going a bit faster. The cut-off was 5 hours for the TNF100 22KM Course. Since it’s our first time to run this race, we decided to take it easy and really just enjoy the outdoor experience.

I totally enjoyed the trails of Baguio, most or the race course was covered with Pine Trees sheltering you from the sun, the cool weather and the course was challenging, not much vertical climbs but lots of long rolling dirt roads, plus great smiles and positive aura from fellow trail runners. I could say that the 22KM course is actually beginner friendly.

We crossed the finish line in a little bit over 4 hours and totally thrilled with the new experience. A race we’ll never forget!

If you’re planning to run your first trail race, here are some things to remember:

1. Invest on Trail Shoes – Depending on the course, you can normally run with your existing running shoes, but it’s best to invest on trail shoes.

2. Bring your own Hydration – Trail Races are mostly environmental friendly, bring your own hydration. Invest on a handy water bottle or hydration backpack

3. Train your Core – A 21KM road runner does not always mean you can race a 21KM Trail, the experience and effort is different, trail running recruits a lot of core and leg muscles, without proper core training you might find yourself easily cramping on steep climbs.

4. Leave no Trash – Unlike in road races, where organizers can easily sweep away trash, in the trail it’s a different story. So make sure to take your trash back with you to base camp.

5. Enjoy the Outdoors