PATTAYA, THAILAND — They went all in at Pattaya and went home more alive!

Across the sea, west of our homeland, many athletes from our Vitalified Spartans team went all out against all odds, and bagged a multitude of medals from the Spartan Trail and Trifecta weekend in Thailand last August 5 and 6.

Our racers didn't just run under our team’s banner; they also carried the Philippine flag in the Land of Smiles! And oh, did they have smiles on their faces!

On Day 1, four Vitalified Spartan racers made it into the Top 10 of their respective categories in the Beast 21K race. Leading the pack was National Athlete, Mel Campos, who placed 3rd out of 5 in the Elite Women category with a time of 2:54:50.

Kerwin Refe finished in 4th place and Fred Mercado in 9th place in the Male 40-44 Age Group. Coach Rex Abian landed in 6th in the Male 30-34 AG.

In the Sprint 5K race, Ren Vibal ranked 5th in the Female 25-29 AG.

The team's medal haul got bigger on Day 2, as more racers bagged tremendous achievements in the Spartan Trail, Super, and Sprint races.

Almost all placed in the Top 10 of the various distances they raced in. Mel continued her winning ways, topping the Elite Women 10K Trail.

AIA Vitality Coach Michael Masirag and Roxy Ruedas finished in 10th place in the 50K Trail in the Male 30-39 and Female 30-39 categories, respectively.

By finishing this grueling distance, Coach Michael believes he has become one of the earliest racers in the Asia Pacific, if not already the first one, to complete the Spartan Trailfecta this year. He already conquered the 21K Trail in Cebu in March and the 10K Trail in Alviera in July.

However, he felt he missed a lot of training hours, and that had a big effect in Thailand. “The [challenging] part is the lack of training a month prior to the event since it had been raining in the Philippines and I couldn’t really train outdoors. Unfortunately, I can’t last long running on the treadmill. I paid for that lack of training with right knee pain in the last 10 km which slowed me down. It took me 3 hours to run that last 10 km stretch which could have been an easy 1.5 hours based on my first loop.”

For her part, Michael’s dear friend Roxy told The Pacer she was overcome by emotions when she crossed the finish line. “I had a game plan. Did well for 2 cut-offs (10 km and 32 km) and took the easy way towards 50 km and did as planned. No cramps and no injuries. Finished on time.” She added that she saved energy and avoided injuries because she will be in another marathon in a few weeks. “So full of joy after I made it to the finish line. It is actually a personal goal.”

Adong Deo also completed the 10K Trail.

In the 10K Super race, National Athlete, Seannah Swift knew the course all too well: She placed 3rd in the Elite Women Category, clocking in at 1:22:13.

Kerwin finished in 2nd place with a time of 1:18:34 in the Male 40-44 AG. Ren also ranked 2nd in the Female 25-29 AG, finishing the race at 1:53:34.

Kerwin made the most out of his Super run. “After crossing the finish line, I was hoping to get a spot on the podium, but I felt short for the Beast with [a] 4th place [finish]. I said to myself that there is another chance tomorrow for Super. I am glad that I was able to maintain my performance during the second day and landed 2nd place for my Age Group,” he said.

Ren also savored her superb performance. “It's all about celebrating my mental and physical strength. I'm beyond proud of myself for maintaining consistency and executing my race plan effectively. This race holds even more significance as it's my first competitive event this year in a new Age Group (25-29), and the emotions are overwhelming knowing that it resulted in a podium finish performance.”

Coach Rex placed 3rd in the Male 30-34 AG, ending his race at 1:20:50. Ann YL finished in 6th place in Female 35-39 AG, while Fred crossed the finish line in 8th place in the Male 40-44 AG.

Ann’s top finish came as a surprise, even to her. “I haven’t really thought of placing… or winning. I just wanted to race and play. I was surprised I placed 6th in my age group!”

While she felt she undertrained with only two months to prepare, Ann was determined to log a faster time. “Back in Vermosa last year, my very first Super, I finished in almost 5 hours. I told myself that I need to beat my PR and I’m already ok with it! But this time, I finished at 2.28 hours, cutting [my previous time] in half! Such a relief and my training really paid off!”

The 5K Sprint rounded up the Spartan Trifecta weekend for Kerwin who placed 10th in his AG, and Rex who placed 9th.

Fred, while not in the Top 10 in his AG, also rightfully earned his Thailand triple medals. “I am humbled and proud that I am able to represent the country in this event,” Fred said in a quick chat. “[I was] specifically aiming to finish strong because we are with the national athletes.”

For some of them, Pattaya was their first overseas Spartan race. “Plus I love Thailand. So it’s really a win win!” Ann said. Fred wanted “a change in scenery, because all of our local races have the same venue year after year.” Kerwin and Fred also aimed to add another Trifecta feather in their proverbial caps.

But, just like in any Spartan race, some obstacles remained a challenge to our top racers. The usual suspect: the Spear Throw! Fred even called it the “burpee-nator” of all obstacles. Ren added, “It caught me off guard how far the spear needed to be thrown.”

Ren also listed the Monkey Bars as one obstacle that got her tangled up. “While the first bar was low, the rest of them were evenly spaced, with the final bar quite distant from the bell. This setup actually caused some Age Group racers to opt for the penalty loop.”

Other obstacles also caused speed bumps: Fred wasn’t able to cross the Tyrolean Traverse, Ann passed on the Olympus Wall and did the burpees penalty instead to conserve her energy, and Kerwin likewise hit pause on the Hercules Hoist. “I know I can do it, but I would rather conserve my energy until the end of the race,” he said.

These top racers emphasized the importance of training for Spartan races.

Trail racers, said Roxy, need training for long-distance running. “Don’t put yourself into something you are not prepared for. Most of all, expect the pain. You didn’t join to experience easy things. Always believe you can, that is the first step!” Coach Michael put it quite simply, “Go big and train for it.”

Others said, just keep on running! “Although this may not be the toughest, but all in all, you may never be at ease in every race because you may never know what will surprise you in the actual venue. Take your nutrition, follow your training, improve your endurance and have a complete rest on and before the race. Most of all, enjoy and have fun with what you do!” said Fred.

Ann seconded this. “Just keep moving even when you are exhausted. Walk if you can’t run anymore. Then back to running once you get that energy again. You can make your dreams come true if you act on them. See, I just made mine come true! Also, prep well, train well so you’ll get the result you want. Of course, always improve and keep on training.”

Kerwin reminded to come mentally prepared, too. “Race smart. Get familiar with the race map and obstacles placement. Be sure to conserve your energy, especially when it’s a longer race.”

Finally, Ren said, with high-quality race photos available after the race, “Remember to wear your best smile and your fiercest game face!” She added, “Take the opportunity to make new friends! Thailand boasts a sizable population of both local and international racers, making it an ideal place to connect with fellow enthusiasts and expand your racing community.”

Overall, Ren summed it up best when she realized the Spartan Race in Pattaya was more than just another race under her belt. “At first, I considered it to be just another one of [the] regular international races that I was looking forward to this year. However, beyond being the first 2023 Trifecta and Trailfecta Weekend in Southeast Asia, Spartan Race Thailand has truly set the bar high for quality race experiences. They selected an excellent venue and designed an incredible course.” — Michael “Buezzy” Bueza, The Pacer