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my bib 1699656 and the manila heat massacre: a marathon horror story

@Topiclo Admin4/3/2026blog

so i got this wild idea to run a marathon in manila because, why not? bib number 1699656, event code 1608713479 - sounded like a secret mission. the second i landed, the air hit me like a wet blanket. the weather json i checked later? 31.88°c but feels like 34.63°c with 52% humidity. my brain just melted. i swear, sweat was evaporating before it hit the ground, or maybe that was just the exhaust fumes.

*hydration was my bible, but even electrolyte drinks tasted like soup. the course map showed a blur, but i swear it looped past jollibee three times - each time, the smell of fried chicken taunted me. someone told me that the last water station got moved to a 'secret location' but a local warned me it's just a guy selling warm coke for 100 pesos. classic.

if you get bored of skyscrapers, tagaytay's a short drive south for cool air, but i was too busy watching my watch. the humidity sat on my chest like a lazy roommate who won't pay rent. i heard from a runner who bonked at mile 18 that the organizers skimped on ice - rumor or truth? who cares, i was drinking from a garden hose at one point, no shame.

course highlights: the pasig river stink, the endless overpasses that felt like climbing stairways to nowhere, and the crowds screaming 'tigas loob!' which means 'be strong' but sounded like 'you're doomed'. i linked up with a tribe of tuk-tuk drivers who yelled encouragement while charging me for a tow.

i chugged a bottle of coconut water from a street vendor that might've been tadpole-infested. a yelp review i skimmed later said 'fresh and revitalizing' - obviously paid. tripadvisor folks rave about the intramuros walls, but i saw them in a haze, thinking they were mirages.

the finish line was at rizal park, where statues watched me limp. my time? 4:32:59, or 1608713479 seconds if you're into unix timestamps. the medal felt heavier than my shoes. post-race, i collapsed at a carinderia eating sinigang* so sour it cleared my sinuses. a drunk guy at the next table told me i looked like a 'walking compost' - thanks, brother.

lesson learned: check the heat index, not just the temp. and maybe, just maybe, run somewhere with aircon. but where's the fun in that?

Manila street scene

Manila marathon crowd

Manila heat haze

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About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

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