"on a shoestring"

Sundays are family days! With that, I would like to share with you a nice family bonding:

Race It Up: A Family Day Fun Run for the benefit of Caritas Manila

 

Race Routes (3K Kiddo Run, 5K and 10K)

 

 

 

 

Singlet Design

 

 

Prizes

 

Registration Sites

 

BUT WAIT!! If you want to join this (any race distance), just comment below (be sure to give your email address) and you may win 1 FREE RACE KIT. Just answer the question:

“What’s the best thing that happened in your life when you started running?”

You can place your comment until July 24, I will be announcing the winner on July 25.

During this rainy season, some of us might be tempted to stay inside the house and forget running. Maybe this post can keep you motivated…

Listen to the background of that constant breathing in and out. That, I love!

Here’s the Runner’s Creed:

This is my run, there are many others like it, but this one is mine.  

My run is my haven, it is my life. I must muster it as I must muster my life.

Without me, my run is nothing. Without my run, I am nothing.

I must run its road through. I must run faster than the stress of the world that is working to drag me down.

I must outrun stress before it overruns me. I will.

I swear this creed,

“My run and I are the defenders of my sanity. We are the masters of my body we are the saviors of my life. So be it until victory is mine and nothing remains but peace.”

 

Now, RUN!

Still, can’t muster the strength to go out?

 

A few months back, I was scanning some running books and I found this quote,

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” -John Ruskin

 

Seems like, no matter what the weather is, we still have to run because after all, all weathers are good!

RUN! RUN! RUN!

 

 

I don’t know what get into me but I woke up the other morning with this quote in mind: “You approach love like running a marathon not a sprint.”

 

 

I don’t know what your views about love are, mine is simple: Love is patient. Connecting it to running a marathon (42.195K), a great deal of patience is required. Not only that, do you know that you need at least 3 months of preparation when running a marathon? It takes discipline, sacrificing that Friday and Saturday night parties in order to wake up early for a long run.

 

I guess “taking it slow” is the perfect term for both. In the marathon you don’t run as fast as you can on the first 10Kms unless you want to walk the remaining 32Kms. Same as with dating, you don’t want to do everything on the first date.  A passionate and sexy lovemaking is soooooooo much better than a one-night stand, right?

 

My point? Should you want a real, deep and growing relationship, be patient. Plan and prepare on how you are going to approach the finish line, injured or with hands up high in celebration?

 

Lastly, come to think of this: “Everyone can do a 100-meter dash, only the committed can run a marathon.“

Want to read Part 2? Love, Courtship, Dating, and Marathon Running (Part 2 of 2)

 

Note: This is an experiment post. I like to know if readers will like it, so please read and comment. Thanks!

 

This is a late post thus the title but hey I learned during my elementary years that “better be late than never.”

 

I was also 6 minutes and 32 seconds late for the 5K gun start. Applying what I learned during my grade school years, I ran anyway. I don’t want to miss the opportunity of exploring the trails of Nuvali. Sweat began to flow after a mile, endorphins started working its way into my bloodstream and dirt was all over my shoes and feet. It was an awesome feeling after not running for so long.

 

I met familiar faces on the course but mostly are newbies in trail running. The course was really made for those who want to try the thrill of the trail for the first time and I bet that everyone enjoyed it. Nothing technical and the hardest part was the slight rolling hills on kilometers 2 and 4. On those hills I saw a lot of runners walk or slowdown. The huffing and puffing breath was music to my ears. I was amped!

I finished the race at 29:59 minus 6:32, making my 5K trail run time 23:27. Not bad for someone who hasn’t ran for some time because of the busyness of his travel schedules. And I think this is a PR for me as I don’t have an official 5K time yet.

Saying I enjoyed the race is an understatement. I was glad that I ran even though I was late.

 

Lesson: Run even if you are late (saying ang miles), unless it’s an hour late though.

 

My gratitude for Summit Media and Men’s Health for the invitation to run this race. Congrats to Leadpack for a very organize race.

 

You can download the Official Race Results by clicking this link: Men’s Health All Terrain Race Results c/o Takbo.ph

 

Some photos can also be tagged from Men’s Health Facebook page.

 

 

 

After a month of silence (hiatus), I wanna share with you another interview I had with a Cebuano. I got to meet him at DailyMile and was happy to see that running is also a “boom” in Cebu.

I was surprised when he ran an “unofficial” ultramarathon first before he did his marathon. Crazy cool guy, huh?

Anyway, here’s an addition to my runner’s profile collection

Name: Richie Al B. Villagante aka Katol

Age: 34

Training Ground: KSRP (Kilid sa South Road Properties) for road runs and Cebu City Sports Center for oval hamster mode training

Years into Running: 1 year and 4 months

Favorite Race(s): Cebu City Marathon 2010. That started it all. And of course, the Coast to Coast 65K Ultramarathon.

Half-marathon PR: 2:27 and I was pacing with my running partner. She too got a new PR for her Pikermi.

Marathon PR: Leon Kilat’s Retreat (An Ungo Exclusive Full Marathon): 6:10:45

 

How many marathons have you finished: 2

 

Fave running shoes: My VFFs. loved them both (KSO Trek and Flow). I even named them: Spock for my Trek and Phalangging for my Flow.

(VFF fan here too, Katol, now I think I have to buy a new KSO.)

 

Running gears: NB 749, VFFs (KSO Trek and Flow), 2 compression tights, 2 visors, Nathan 4-bottle hydration belt, Ungo, TTB, TG Official Singlets; Halo headband.

 

Unforgettable Moment(s) in Running: My first full marathon when I paced with Agatha from start to finish (Cebu Marathon 2011) & crossing the finish line during the Labor Day Coast to Coast 65K Ultramarathon!

 

Why do you run? I run for Life. I run for the people who have helped me to become a better person –my family especially my Mom and my PR partner

 

Fave Running Quote: I Eat. I Drink. I Run. Haha!

 

Worst injury: No running injury yet. Thank God!

(Good for you, stay healthy and run safe!)

 

Post-race food: Pungko-pungko food (especially ginabot and utok) and of course RH (red horse beer)

 

Tell me more of Cebu and your thoughts of running there.

Cebu is now the “Capitol Support Crew of the Philippines”; I joined a 10K race at the Bonifacio  Global City last year but nothing compares when you are running in your local ground especially when you finish your first full marathon and ultramarathon in your hometown!

Here are the additional things I learned from Katol…

James: If there is one tip that you want to share to newbie runners what will it be?

Katol: Just be YOURSELF when you run. You don’t need to be fast to get to the finish line. Train hard and train well. Follow the running basics and I’m sure you’ll be injury-free. Make sure to get a life outside running  but  give your 100% when you run!

 

James: What do you do when you are not running?

Katol: I am a couch potato. When I am bored, I just switch the TV on and I can watch movies all day.

 

James: Do you do any crosstraining?

Katol: I joined a mini-triathlon early this year and it made me realize that cross-training helps me strengthen my endurance and performance. I will do swimming and biking… soon!

 

Thanks again Katol for aswering these questions. Hope to see you when I visit the Queen City of the South sometime this year. Let’s run!