JESSE Bernad ran his first 42K last Jan. 19 at the 2020 Cebu Marathon.
“I finished with a time of 5 hours and 13 mins. (my Garmin read 44K total distance),” said Jesse. “The final push I planned did not materialize as I felt a cramp about to happen. The salt sticks I took, given by ultra racer Julian Summers, helped. Overall, I was happy with my time.
“Finishing the race was an exhilarating experience, something I will never forget. Seeing my teammates, especially my childhood buddy Mark Tolentino, whom I coaxed to join me, crossing the line and celebrating made it rewarding for all of us.
“Most of all, having my wife Emma, who did her first 21K, congratulate me at the finish line was the best feeling. I would love to have another opportunity to run another marathon, this time with Emma at my side.”
Jesse shares his tips for all runners:
1. Find friends who can do it with you. Create a chat room where you can share ideas. Seeing my teammates working hard helped motivate me. Training alone would be a lonely trip.
2. Ask advice from others who’ve done a marathon. My neighbor and running guru Jun Angeles told me his secret of eating camote with its peeling, which I did for three months. It helped me gain more energy. Esteemed triathlete Noy Jopson introduced me to “Double Run”— one in the morning and another at night—two weeks before race day to gain more mileage but less pounding on your legs. I was shocked but understood the concept.
3. Nutrition is key. After watching “Game Changers” in Netflix, Emma and I learned to eat more complex-carb food: lots of fruits, grains, seeds/nuts and veggies. We avoided fatty food and sweets and became plant-based eaters. Drink lots of water.
4. Change your lifestyle. Avoid vices. Sleep and wake up early. Sleep is your best friend.
5. Train hard. 42K is no walk in the park. Include leg and core strengthening. Coach Allan Choachuy introduced me to his superset of 10 reps: jumping jacks, squats, push-ups and lunges, to be repeated as many times in four minutes. This helped me in the latter stage of the race.
6. Being busy is no excuse. I continued training despite supervising the opening of our new restaurant—EatsaHabit in Robinsons Galleria—where construction starts at 10 p.m. and ends at 3 a.m. I ran at dawn, at night and in the middle of the day.
7. Find a running buddy who has the same pace. Veteran runner Roy Trani was my mentor and pacer to the end. I couldn’t have done it without him.
8. It’s a mental game. Train your brain to deflect pain and the urge to stop. Think of happy thoughts. Your mind will bring you to the finish line.
9. Age doesn’t matter! It’s never too late to run a marathon. I did mine at age 50. Neither does gender. I came across women who were faster than me.
10. If you can afford it, invest in a smartwatch.
11. Commit yourself wholeheartedly. What you put in is what you get. There are no shortcuts.
12. Lastly, enjoy the whole experience. It’s once-in-a-lifetime... or so I thought!