"on a shoestring"

I was late last Tuesday at the AdiNation Run in Alabang, I made just one loop (800m) and its time for the photo ops. I have no choice but to stop. I said to myself, “warm-up na lang ito for tomorrow.” But where will I run? They say that The Fort is a haven for runners but I think i’m kinda bored already with BHS loop and all of my races was held there. I needed a new route or place to run.
I was reminded of Roxas Boulevard- I read it first from the RunningShield of how scenic this area is and so I said I have to give it a try. You can read Sir Patrick’s blog about Roxas Blvd here.
I was elated to run there, so I prepared that night. Woke up early and go straight to the boulevard. I just had a warm-up walk from the LRT Pedro Gil Station. Time check: 6:00am. Just enough for a recovery run.
This will me the first of a series of runs in the Metro, I will try to run on the 5 best places suggested by the RunningPinoy. You can check out the complete list here.

These are what I observed while I was running:

• Lots of sidewalk vendors which is good and bad. Good because I can easily buy food (taho, buko juice, bread, puto), bad because it’s a mess. Maybe it yould be better if they have designated a place where they can showcase their products.
• A lot of people have made the Boulevard their houses- they sleep on benches and on the sidewalk, eat, take a bath (I even saw one gargling in the sea of trash), pee, poo-poo (yes, I saw three guy do their thing directly to the sea- next time guys respect the environment)
• Few trashbins and comfort room that is why its smelly, a mess.
• A few more meters I saw a group doing aerobics, some dancing, tai-chi.
• Many are fishing- are there fishes in that dirty sea?
• Off the beach are those rowing- hmmm, I want to try that one of these days. I think its cool and another source of adrenaline rush.
• Of course- runners, joggers and walkers- A LOT OF THEM.
• Singlets I saw during the run: Animo Run; Fil-Mus Run for Peace; Century Tuna Superbods; Manila Elite 5000 Run 5k and Del Monte’s Fit n’ Right

It pains me to see fellow Filipinos live like this- no decency, contented of living on the streets. Whose to blame? If you blame the government- you blame the people which actually makes the government. I wish this scene will get better- and it starts with me. I hate to see foreigners take pictures of this important Manila spot and find lots of clutter and disorder. Where’s is the Old Manila, what happened of our old glory?
Bear with me as I will keep on using photos from Flickr.com until I have my own camera.


Monuments that grabbed my attention (I love a little history too):
Ang Pilipinong Mandaragat (The Filipino Seaman)- Maybe this is the inspiration of our seamen.
Maximo Soliven (Prominent Journalist and Newspaper Publisher).
Jose Rizal during his childhood playing with his parents.
Arsenio Lacson (Actor, Politician, Athlete- a boxer and runner maybe?).
Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and Evelio Javier- both opposed the Marcos regime.


Expenses during the run:
Transportation (2 jeepney rides and 2 lrt rides): P44
Post-run food, Taho: P10
Hydration, Gatorade (22oz) from 7/11: P25
Post-run meal, Beef steak with rice from Cueva’s bakery: P45
Total: P124


Stats during the run:
Place: Roxas Boulevard (Start of Baywalk to Manila Yacht club, approx 1.6k)
Distance covered: 5 kilometers
Time: 34:04
Pace: 6:48/kilometer
Running Surface: Concrete and some tiles- flat course all the way
Temperature: 30-31°C
Finishing off: Rounds at the CCP ramp, sprint uphill, recover downhill


Hmmm, help me where to run next? Maybe I will compare University if the Philippines Diliman to UPLB.