Nike's 5km Run Manila

"Don't you think it's fun to do a 5km race once in a while? " - The Bullrunner (after seeing her and her husband at Fort Bonifacio's weekend market after doing the Nike Run).

I couldn't agree more!

With only one race category in this year's Nike Run, runners can do one of three things:

1) still join the race and just enjoy it

2) join the QCIM, which had 10km, 21km and 42km race categories

3) sleep it off or just run on your own.

Having done the QC Half Marathon last year, I decided to skip it this year and just do a race closer to home. Enter: Nike's 5km race.

For a fee of Php 300, there were no singlets, no finisher shirts (although what the marshals were wearing were really nice! I hope they at least sell those shirts. Pretty pretty Please!) and of course, no finisher medals!

But there were ample drinks in the route, lots of food and drinks at the finish line (got two bananas, tuna pandesal, water bottle and a sports drink) and the Nike + toy (which comes in three versions).

Perfect run also to try my new shoes from the suggestion of Benny (thanks buddy!). It was really a fun run as there were a lot of students, a lot of people walking, talking and even taking pictures along the race route. But I didn't care. I still had fun.

Race started late (at 7:00am) but good thing weather cooperated nicely as no sign of the blazing sun during the run. Plus the chance of waking up quite late for a road race (especially since we came home late the previous night.... mmmmmmmm.... Pen Pals...... mmmmmmmm.... Ice cream.... Drool!)

I followed this group of runners for the first 3km (doing a lot of weaving among the crowd of runners) but got winded out from their fast pace and had to stop at one of the water stations, and see them slowly disappear from my sight.

But they still took me more than halfway in the race and I just had 2km to go. My goal was sub-30minutes but doubtful I could do it as haven't really been running fast for the past few months! But by following them, I was able to accomplish my goal with 7 seconds to spare! Haha!

I am still slow compared to my pace a year ago, but at least I knew what it felt like again to have my lungs trying to bust out of my chest, to breathe deeply, to wheeze, to pant, to sprint the last 150 meters, all the while looking at my watch and wishing for the seconds to slow down. Definitely not as fit as I was before!

But it was still a good fun run and I enjoyed every minute of it.


The Nike toy stands proudly in our room.