1 Long Weekend = 2 Road Races

Luckily it's a holiday for May 03,2010 (Monday) as have two races for this weekend. I don't know how I would fare as haven't been running lately so will just go for these races for the fun experience involved (if your definition of fun is same as mine - waking up super early ON A WEEKEND, sweating it out on a hot summer day, gasping for air, feeling pain in the knees and heels, getting tired, burning out, craving for water -you're a sadistic son of a %$%^% like I am).

I have only done one back to back race before and it was so long ago that I had to check my records when that was (July 11 - 12, 2009 - the only time it happened..)

This will officially be my first 5km so it's an automatic PR regardless if I finish below 30 minutes, below 35 minutes or even below 60 minutes. Definitely no pressure!








On the Second day, I will wake up early again. This time for my first race in Alabang. Route seems interesting as never ran here before (race or otherwise). And it will be a walk (or run) down memory lane as only a few meters away from the race route will be my Grade and High School Alma Mater.






And on the third day? Most likely a marathon... A DVD Marathon that is! :)

See you soon!

RUNew Race 2010: Year 2

Per and I were lucky enough to be invited to the blogger's event for the RUNEW 2010 race happening in a few weeks' time. This is the second year that this event will be happening in Metro Manila but instead of it being done in Fort Bonifacio like last year, this race will be held in Alabang.

2009's RUNew was Personal for us, with the emphasis on the first syllable of that P word! Corny I know! But it was her first run beyond the 10km mark. It was scary for her and I offered to join her for that race (one of our first couple races). She had a hard time due to lack of training and hot summer heat and vowed never to run more than 10km again. Well, we know how promises come when it comes to running.... and go. After a few weeks, we did the Market Market 16km, then the Globe Run for Home 21km, San Francisco 21km, Century Tuna 21km and Globe Run for Home 2010 21km. But it was a good event that time as we got free Photovendo pictures and route went into Heritage Park (one of first races to do so at that time).


Now, this race will be a series of firsts for us again and that's why we are joining it for Year 2.

- This will be our first Alabang race. And we are treating it as an out-of-town event where we could have breakfast afterwards at Alabang Town Center. FIELD TRIP!

- Whereas the famous Condura race will take you to the SKYWAY entrance and inside it (without paying toll), the RUNEW 16km race will take you inside AYALA ALABANG VILLAGE (without the need for ID or Village Sticker). Sosyal!


Of course there are other good reasons to join this race:

- Even if it is held in Summer, there will be lots of trees and shades along the way so it would offer some protection for the runners.

- Use of Chip timer

- Race organized by Coach Rio and his team so expect lots of water, possible free photos, and lots of marshals guiding your way to the finish line.


- This race is for charity in that it is used to generate money for the following institution:




So you aren't just running for a new PR, a new experience or as part of your fitness lifestyle... you are also running to save lives.

Below are details of the event:

RUNEW 2010
Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
May 2, 2010 (Sunday)
3K / 5K / 10K / 16K

Registration Fees:
16K – Php 650
10K – Php 600
5K – Php 550
3K – Php 400

Race Assembly Time and Gun Start
16K – 4:50am 5:20am
10K – 5:05am 5:35am
5K – 5:20am 5:50am
3K – 5:25am 5:55am

Registration Venues:

Regular In-Store Registration: March 29 to April 18, 2010

* Planet Sports – Trinoma
* New Balance – Glorietta
* Athlete’s Foot – Alabang Town Center
* R.O.X. – Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
* Lifestyle Medicine Center – 4/F Hospital Building, Asian Hospital and Medical Center

Late In-Store Registration: April 19 to April 28, 2010

* R.O.X. – Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
* Lifestyle Medicine Center – 4/F Hospital Building, Asian Hospital and Medical Center







Multi-colored race bibs! What color will you be wearing?




Running bloggers unite for one event!


See you there!

Merrell Adventure Run 15k - Race re-cap

And What An Adventure Race!

I would consider this the hardest of all the trail running events I have joined the previous years (King of the Mountain and Men's Health All Terrain Race).

There were the 3km, 5km and 15km categories with specific cut-offs time for each race to get a finisher medal. My race was the 15km race but with cut-off time of 2:45, I thought it would be a sealed deal and another medal for my Xmas Tree Collection! (It wasn't but more on this later).

Race started with an upward climb to... the top of the mountain! What the hell? I hoped this was the most challenging part of the race. (Again, it wasn't). Going down this mountain may be easier for the lungs and leg muscles but one had to be more careful as one small misstep can lead you tumbling off it. Path was small that only one runner can pass through it. But view (once you've caught your breath) was quite nice.

More trail running. More climbing over boulders. Some running on sand (quite hard too but easiest for me compared to everything else). And some river crossing. I thought it was just one river but ended with about 5 bodies of water (rivers, streams and even a place where the labanderas were). It was a cool feeling for the feet but pebbles would just go into my shoes and socks.

At that point, I knew I couldn't reach the cut-off time and my heel pain was acting up again. I was doing more walking than running (but so were most of the other runners....I'm making up an excuse I know!). The best sight out of all this was the WAWA DAM. By the time I got there, a flock of photographers were taking pictures of this area. We went through a few more tunnels for the last 1-2km. And then, I saw the finish line. Yes, it's almost over! But then the marshals guided me AWAY from the finish line and into an area with huge boulders that we had to climb over! GRRRRR!!!! This was torture. This was hard and tiring. And I still haven't removed the pebbles from my damp (from the river) feet.

I was saying ouch the whole time and I didn't know anymore whether it was from the heel pain or from the pebbles. Finally, after what seemed like forever, I finally got back on the road, crossed the main bridge and finished the race.

A time of 3 hours plus plus for a 15km event!!!! Yikes.

And I didn't meet the cut-off time so no medal!!! Double Yikes.

And dirty socks and shoes for the poor maid to clean!!! Triple Yikes

But it was a great experience and quite worth the Php 450 I paid some weeks ago.

Now, I'm hungry again so will look for some food in the house. Need to replenish the lost energy burned at the race (A typical Fatboy excuse!)

See you soon!

P.S. I am soooo glad to be wearing trail running shoes for this event and suggest anyone thinking of joining any trail runs in the future to invest in a good pair of these kinds of shoes! Normal running shoes should not be used for these races. :)

Boracay 2km Barefoot Running

It was Per and my first trip to Boracay as a married couple and it was fantastic. It was also a lucky coincidence that our arrival here fell on the same weekend as that of "Women's Health Beauty and the Beach" Annual Event.

The official press release from Takbo.ph website was as follows:



Women’s Health returns to Boracay with the 2nd Beauty and the Beach event!

After a highly successful launch in Boracay last year, Women’s Health Philippines brings back its flagship event to one of the best beaches in the world. “Beauty and the Beach” returns to Boracay this April, right in time for Women’s Health’s first anniversary!

“Beauty and the Beach” is a two-day event happening on April 10 and 11, 2010, in Station 2, Boracay, where ladies can enjoy morning yoga sessions, all-new dance workouts, and other fun activities by the beach. There will also be a morning run organized by Takbo.ph, ATV rides around Boracay, and more!

To pre-register, visit us at the All-Flip Flops store in Boracay on April 9, Friday. Limited slots are available and lots of freebies await pre-registered participants, so be sure to register early! You also get FREE admission by bringing your copy of the April issue of Women’s Health, out in newsstands soon!

Women’s Health Beauty and the Beach was brought to you by Havaianas, Schick, Playtex, Banana Boat, Alo Youth, Pond’s, Rexona, Cream Silk, Sunsilk, Vaseline, and The Bar. Special thanks to Nestle and Sangobion, and to the official media partners Magic 89.9 and Jam 88.3.


We missed out on Day 01 due to arriving on the beach on the same day (goodbye free ATV rides) but was able to go there in the afternoon and registered ourselves for the morning run to be held the next day by Queenie and runner/ blogger Kikay Runner. This being a Women's Health event, only women are allowed to join the run but I didn't care as this was one run I didn't mind tagging along (30 hot women + 1 running fatboy = a scornful hot mrs running fatboy!)

Only problem for us was waking up very early but we managed to do so for the experience of barefoot running in Boracay. Run started from Station 2 and most of the way, runners would run in a single file towards Station 1 for the turnaround point (which was Kikay Runner, who had to run very very fast to beat all the other women just so nobody would go beyond the turnaround point!) and back to the starting line.

Once completed, the ladies would get a loot bag filled with .... ahem.... feminine products and a pretty cool bonus of a new pair of Haviannas!

Only catch for joining this event (aside from the fact that you have to be a woman... sour grape I know!) was that you had to shell out Php 150 for payment of latest WH's Magazine to get your entry fee here. But I didn't mind as it featured the sexy Anne Curtis on its cover.

A pretty good deal for the nice loot bag, the pair of Haviannas and to run on the shores of Boracay with no shoes on! Truly a great experience!



Picture by Queenie




The loot bag



Per got herself a new red pair! Woo hoo!



Enjoying the WH's magazine at the beach!

Thanks to takbo.ph and Women's Health for a great fun run at the beach...




Bora 2010 rocks!!!