IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM ATENEO TASK FORCE ONDOY

The following e-mail was forwarded to me earlier today. The e-mail's subject very clearly says it all: Ateneo Task Force Ondoy needs our help.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Office of University Development and Alumni Relations
Date: Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Subject: Please pass: ATENEO TASK FORCE ONDOY NEEDS YOUR HELP
To: juanchobhernandez@ gmail.com

Monday, September 28, 10:15AM Update

Relief operations personnel report that the following items are currently the most urgently needed:

slippers
alcohol and other antiseptics, also wound dressing
canned goods

Updates are available via Facebook (www.facebook.com/ateneodemanila) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ateneodemanilau), among other sources.

Official Statement from Sanggunian, COA, and OSA:

As of 12:30AM, September 28, 2009, Monday

To all: The Ateneo de Manila University would like to inform its students that classes are suspended on September 28-29 (Monday-Tuesday) due to Typhoon Ondoy. Relief Operations are ongoing and will continue for the following days.

The Ateneo is accepting donations, both in kind or in cash/check. The center of relief operations is the Ateneo College Covered Courts. Most needed are ready-to-eat food, canned goods, drinking water, clothes, mats, and blankets. Those who wish to donate or volunteer for Ateneo Task Force Ondoy are welcome to go to the College Covered Courts, where they will be directed, assisted, and briefed.

For cash donations, direct deposits can be made to:

SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN (Account Name/Payee)
Bank of the Philippine Islands (Loyola-Katipunan Branch)
BPI Peso Checking Account Number: 3081-111-61
BPI Dollar Savings Account Number: 3084-0420-12

Checks may be addressed to Simbahang Lingkod Bayan as well. For GCASH users, you may send your donations by typing: DONATE__<4-digit>_SLB and send to 2992.

Operations start at 6AM daily, and deployment to the areas start at 1PM. Volunteers are welcome to help by signing up for three-hour shifts each, starting at 6AM ending at 12AM. For easier monitoring, people are highly encouraged to come at the start of the three-hour intervals. For volunteers, please wear comfortable working clothes. Bring umbrellas, jackets, extra shirts, and water. Please wear blue.

We are also consolidating a list of missing people and evacuation centers around Metro Manila. Please visit and update http://ateneotaskfo rceondoy.misa.org.ph. If you know people who are missing or who are at evacuation centers, please add their names and contact information at the website. The site is currently still down, but please check back in an hour or so. We are still finishing uploading files into the site.

Just today, September 27, we were able to raise Php 83,000 in monetary donations to aid the relief victims. 3,000 packs of relief goods have also been sent to Upper Barangka Bliss.

For inquiries, please contact Gio Tingson at 0917/880-7427 or Kacci Morales at 0927/981-8811.

HELP URGENTLY NEEDED FOR ONDOY'S VICTIMS

A line from the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid goes like this: "Well, tonight thank God it's them instead of you." Keep this in mind as you glance at these grim pictures:

To those of us who have very fortunately survived the weekend unscathed and in the warmth and safety of home, let’s do our part and help in any way we can. Let’s all come together and help our less fortunate brothers and sisters who have been affected by the worst flooding that Metro Manila has seen in decades. A number of relief centers have been set up around Metro Manila and are accepting donations. Some of these relief centers, such as the one in the Ateneo campus, accept volunteers to help repack relief goods and administer basic first aid.

For a list of the verified relief centers (with complete contact details), click here.

From the Shoulder: What is it with this government!? The whole of Metro Manila has been placed under a state of calamity, but work has not been called off. Another stroke of genius.

Let It Rain

Boys and girls, it looks like we're in for a rainy (actually, stormy!) New Balance Power Run on Sunday. Check out this news clip from today's edition of the Philippine Star (with a free plug for Celebrity Run):

Here's hoping that the organizers are ready, willing, and able to push through with the race rain or shine, come hell or high water!

Register Now for Adidas KOTR 2009

Registration for Adidas King of the Road 2009 opened yesterday. I registered for my first-ever half-marathon. The 21k route starts at BHS and will proceed to Buendia via the Kalayaan Flyover. Runners will head down Buendia all the way to Cash & Carry Mall. Turn-around point will be at the PNR Buendia Station. Runners will then head back to the Fort (again via Buendia and Kalayaan Flyover), go straight down Lawton Ave., and run all the way to Bayani Road. The second turn-around point will be located somewhere in Bayani, and runners will then return to BHS.

Here's a photo of the 21k route. I spent almost an hour looking for a PDF version on-line, but I was not able to find any. The route is highlighted in green:

I also saw and tried on the official singlet (for sizing), and I must say that it is as good as advertised. Race packets (bib, singlet, route map, meal stubs, and reminders list) will be released during the Adidas KOTR Running Expo to be held at the Megamall Megatrade Hall on October 17 and 18 (ingenious way to get runners to actually attend the Expo!). 21k runners can claim their packets from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m on these dates. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. are for 10k runners while 5k runners are slotted for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Call time on race day is at 4 a.m. Gun start is at 5:30 a.m. for 21k, 6 a.m. for 10k, and 6:10 a.m. for 5k.

I'm getting all excited for KOTR. I had the countdown going for a couple of weeks already. This is going to be a great event. Lord, PLEASE make it rain on race day!!!

From the Shoulder: I wonder how SIM, which is scheduled for the same weekend, will affect the turnout for KOTR... I'll be running an Adidas event in full Nike gear (except for the singlet) - compression top, shoes, shorts, socks, hydration belt, cap, earphones... I was hoping for a 5 a.m. gun start to avoid the sun and pollution from traffic... I celebrated my KOTR registration by doing an easy-paced 10k training run (BHS - McKinley Hill), which I finished in 1:06.

RotaRun 09: Slaying the Ghosts of Races Past

What I've come to love about the sport of running is that, each time I hit the road, I am given an opportunity to vindicate past failures, avenge regrettable setbacks, and overcome my weaknesses. Every run, every race provides me a clean slate, a fresh chance. RotaRun 09 was one such race.

I entered the world of road racing via Kenny's Urbanite Run, where I crawled my way to the 15k finish line in 1:53. Although Urbanite gave me the satisfaction of finishing my first ever road race, it also instilled in me a fear of uphill runs. The effort that I had to exert just to make it through Upper McKinley was enough to make me not want to have anything to do with McKinley Hill again. Ever. It is this very same trauma that almost kept me from signing up for RotaRun. Almost.

I signed up for RotaRun because, during this weekend, my only other alternatives were two "very fun" runs - a 4.4k in UP and a 5k at BHS. However, even after I had registered, my attitude towards RotaRun was unlike that which I had towards previous races. During the weeks leading up to this particular race, I had consciously and deliberately conditioned myself that I was going to do RotaRun for the simple reason that it's there, and without any sense of purpose whatsoever. I have even taken to calling it a "tapon" race - a race where I won't even dare entertaining the faintest notion of probably chasing, let alone setting, a PR. I'll shell out 200 bucks, get the neat singlet, run, and that would be it. Papawis lang.

My carefree attitude towards RotaRun was in full display yesterday. Before I developed my "Sunday habit," I spent all of my Saturday afternoons playing basketball in Ateneo with close friends. You see, for my friends and I, basketball is not a mere brotherhood (apologies to Adidas). It is a fellowship, a religion, a way of life. Saturday afternoon basketball was sacred, and it has been so since '97, the year following my graduation from college. That's 12 long years right there. However, since I started joining races, I willingly gave up Saturday basketball in order to conserve my legs for the Sunday runs. Yesterday, however, I decided to live a little and played ball. I played hard, with great intensity, and without regard for the next day's run. I followed this up with a late night-out, which, during the Saturdays of the last two months, I had successfully avoided. I went to bed at 2 a.m. and launched a futile attempt to get even just two hours of sleep. That one didn't work, and by 3:30 a.m., I was already wolfing down a triple-decker peanut butter sandwich and three Cavendish bananas (my usual pre-race meal). All in all, I probably logged a whopping 30 minutes of sleep. This, my friends, is a textbook example of how not to prepare for an early morning road race.

4:55 a.m., and I was cruising down Lawton Ave. By 5:20 a.m., I had already parked my car and pinned my bib. Since the 10k race was scheduled to start in 25minutes, I did a shortened version of my stretching and warm-up routine. Hmmm... not a very good good sign. After completing a pathetic attempt at getting my muscles warmed up, I finally inched my way into the middle of the 10k pack. At exactly 5:45 a.m., the gun went off. Ohhhhh, boy. Here goes nothing...

For the first couple of kilometers, I paced CJ, my new buddy who was doing his first-ever road race. He had told me the night before that he planned to do RotaRun at training pace. That was perfectly fine by me, as I came into the race with every intention of running at his pace for the full 10k. Besides, I was thinking that, even if I do try to pick up my pace, the inclines of Upper McKinley would stop me dead in my tracks anyway. Strangely though, about two kilometers into the run, I felt that insatiable need for speed. It was as if a switch was flicked inside of me, stoking a nasty edge I never thought I'd find while traversing the confines of McKinley Hill. And boy oh boy, it couldn't have come at a better time. The sudden relentless - and totally unexpected - burst of adrenaline, energy, competitive fire, and pride carried me through the dreaded uphill stretch at a pace that, by my very modest recreational standards, is one to be proud of. I would later on find out that, during this critical and decisive stretch, I somehow willed myself to a 5:03 split. Finally, I have conquered the very same inclines that thoroughly routed me at Urbanite just a mere five weeks ago. Payback time, son!

With Lawton Ave. being relatively flat, I was able to maintain a decent pace (i.e., 6:00-6:20) the rest of the way. With only 400 meters to go, I decided go for a full sprint. Man, did that feel awesome! As I crossed the finish line and looked up at the 10k clock to check my finish time, I had the shock of my fledgling running life when I saw that I had just completed RotaRun in 0:54:03! Could it really be that I've just bettered my current 10k PR by almost three minutes?

Dream on. My iPod (with Nike+) showed that I had only covered 9.67k. Gingerbreadman Luis later on confirmed that the 10k route did fall short by around 400 meters. Based on my computations, had the route gone the full 10k distance, approximately 2.56 minutes would have to be added to my time. This would give me a 0:56:59 10k finish. This adjusted time still trumps the PR I set last Sunday at Eco Dash (i.e., adjusted - 0:57:42), and gives me a new 10k PR. Wow. Does this mean I should just run my next races with alcohol and zero sleep!?

And so, this is how RotaRun has come to pass for me. For the second straight week, I am thankful that I ultimately decided to complete a race that I came oh-so-close to giving up on. Last Sunday, Eco Dash and the rain-drenched Kalayaan Flyover reminded me of the simple joys of running. This time around, RotaRun and the hills of McKinley gave me a reason why I should keep on running.

If you've been following my entries, you will note that I've been on a fortunate winning streak of late. At the rate things are going, I can't wait to find out what lessons I'll learn from the New Balance Power Race next Sunday.

From the Shoulder: It's got to be the shoes... GU Chomps with caffeine is the way... CJ, 'til the next run, bro!... GBM Luis, hope to see you back on the road real soon, buddy... basketball on Saturdays and races on Sundays... 21k, here I come!

I can run in these!

Finally, I've purchased my second pair of running shoes. Yesterday, I excitedly left my office in Ortigas Center to head for the Adidas store over at Powerplant. The plan was to get either the Adizero Aegis, Adizero Tempo, or Adizero Boston. Unfortunately (or fortunately, as it later turned out), the gridlock along EDSA turned me off and I ended up heading for Runnr at BHS instead. The plan, however, remained the same - Aegis, Tempo, or Boston.

At Runnr, I was assisted by Toots, one of the running specialty store's staff. Toots was very patient, attentive, and fairly knowledgeable about running shoes. Runnr had the Aegis and the Tempo in my size (US 11). Toots brought them out for me and I tried both shoes on. While I was trying out the Tempos on the treadmill, Toots asked me whether I had already had my gait analyzed. I replied that, no, I have not, but that I thought my gait is neutral judging from the way the soles of my previous running shoes wore out. He then suggested that, since I was already on the treadmill, I might as well undergo a gait analysis. Since the service is free, I willingly agreed.

Toots asked me to roll my pants up to my knees and to take off my shoes and socks. This was the first step in the gait analysis - to run barefoot. Man, it felt strange running on a treadmill in a barong and dress pants, and without any shoes on! Based on the video clip of my barefoot run, it appears that I am actually a mild overpronator. So much for my supposedly neutral gait...

Now that we were certain that I am not a neutral runner, we were ready to embark on a search for the ideal pair of running shoes. Being a mild overpronator, I would be best served wearing stability running shoes. I slipped into the Adizero Aegis and took it for a test drive on the treadmill. The video of my run showed that the Aegis hardly corrected my pronation. I then tried on the Tempos. I've read very good reviews about the Tempos and heard glowing testimonials (thanks, Gingerbreadman!), and I was hoping that the gait analysis would show that these are the right shoes for me. Well, it was not meant to be. The video clip of my run in the Tempos showed that these provided even less support than the Aegis. What's more, they were too narrow and felt a bit cramped although they were the same size as the Aegis. Oh well. Sorry, Adidas. I tried, really.

Toots then asked me to try on the Asics Gel Phoenix. These shoes, although very chunky and sturdy-looking, are actually lightweight (but definitely not as light as those from the Adizero line). I tried them on and got back on the treadmill. The Asics Gel Phoenix felt great and completely wiped out my pronation. The video showed that, in these, my feet no longer rolled inward after they hit the ground. I took the shoes off and examined these very intently. As I stared at the Asics Gel Phoenix, I thought to myself: These don't look very nice! Hey, for recreational runners like me, it's not only the orthotics that matter. I'm also after aesthetics!

And so, I asked Toots (who had been very patient with me throughout this entire ordeal, er, process) whether he could recommend other shoes. He handed me a New Balance and another Adidas (I could no longer recall the models), but I didn't even bother trying them on. I was about to give up when Toots handed me yet another pair. This one came in white, black, and metallic grey with yellow piping. The shoes looked sturdy but not chunky, and not too "hardcore." I immediately tried them on and Toots recorded my run. The video did not lie - this pair worked as perfectly for me as the Asics Gel Phoenix. What's more, it's an absolute eye candy (at least as far as I'm concerned). I took off the shoes and finally told Toots that I would get them.

Here, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, are my new stability running shoes - the Nike Zoom Structure Triax 12:

Many thanks to Toots, who remained very patient and attentive throughout the entire hour that I spent looking for the right pair of running shoes. To the management of Runnr, give the guy a promotion!

And finally, to my trusty and ever-reliable Nike Lunarglides, don't you worry - there's more than enough miles for you and your cousins to conquer!

Now, it's time to take these babies out for a spin...

Roll out the victory, we ask for nothing more!

Time for a short break from running.

In my life, there are only a few things that I consider "pure" - untainted, uncorrupted, and borne solely out of unbridled passion. First on the list is family. This, I believe, requires no further explanation.

Then, there's running. This, too, is an obvious passion.

Another one is the law. I love the law. It's my profession, my vocation, my calling. One of my favorite movie scenes of all time was one of the courtroom scenes in "Philadelphia" starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. Washington, during his re-direct examination of his AIDS-stricken client Hanks (who was also a lawyer), asked the latter this question: "What do you love about the law?" Hanks' answer was immortal: "What I love about the law is that, once in a while - not very often, but once in a while - you get to become a part of justice being done." I am not a litigation lawyer, but that line right there, I believe, captures the very essence that fuels the fire of every dedicated practitioner of the law.

The fourth? My undying passion for my alma mater and for Ateneo basketball. In a few days, my Blue Eagles will be playing the last remaining games of what has been a glorious season. As they prepare to put what hopefully would be the finishing touches on this season of grace, I give them this message:

Go Ateneo! One Big Fight!

Photos from www.fabilioh.com

Welcome to the Highway!

A big Highway welcome to Rico Villanueva of By Sheer Will fame and Rodel the Argonaut! Thanks for dropping by and for including the Highway in your respective blogrolls. I look forward to meeting you both in the coming races. Take it easy, bros!

Guess Who Just Cruised the Highway...

Thanks to Gingerbreadman Luis Arcangel, Sam The Running Ninja, and the legendary Bald Runner himself, Sir Jovie Narcise, for dropping by. Your totally unexpected trips to the Highway, as well as your very kind and encouraging words, definitely made my day yesterday (as if Eco Dash wasn't enough!).

Hope to meet all of you at RotaRun next weekend!

THE ECO DASH EXPERIENCE (or, My First Sub-60 10k Up a Flyover and Under the Pouring Rain)

Just got home from Ayala Malls Eco Dash 10k. I only have one word to describe the experience: Awesome. I've already taken a shower and am typing away in bed, but I'm still stoked. I'm still amped. The adrenaline is still pumping (must be the strawberry GU Chomps, which is loaded with caffeine). I can go on all day and I'll never run out of words to describe how I'm feeling right now. I'll try my best to bottle it up in a few paragraphs. Here it goes:

Eco Dash is one race I'll never forget because it allowed me to register a couple of firsts. For one, it gave me the opportunity to run on a flyover and straight into the heart of the Makati CBD. One of the main reasons I signed up for this race is the route. For 10k, the race started in BHS (no surprise there). From there, we went all the way to 32nd Street, up the Kalayaan Flyover, and down to Sen. Gil Puyat (Buendia). We then turned left at Paseo de Roxas and went into the Ayala Center, the turnaround point. From the Ayala Center, we headed to Makati Avenue and went back to Buendia. We then ran up the Kalayaan Flyover before heading back to good old BHS. Since I was doing Makati CBD for the first time, I felt so invigorated. My unfamiliarity with the route kept me strong. I positioned myself at the tail-end of the pack at the starting line (I arrived late), but I somehow managed to pass more than half of the runners by the 3k point. I was running at a steady and sustained pace that I never knew I was capable of running. Heck, I even overtook a few Army boys along the way hahaha! By the time I made it through Ayala Center and headed for Makati Ave., I was still unscathed and I very well knew that a sub-60 finish was well within reach. When I finally made it to Makati Ave. and saw a multitude of 10k runners (our bibs had red numbers) just on their way to Ayala Center, you could not imagine the boost it gave to my morale (and to my ego hahaha!). By this time, I was absolutely convinced that I was headed for a PR.

Running in the pouring rain - that was another first for me. The night before the race, I was apprehensive about pushing through with the race because of the inclement weather. I have never done any run, much less a race, under the rain. I have too many lame reasons why I abandon the roads and head for the gym each time the weather is screwed - I don't want to get my shoes wet, I can't get my iPod wet, I might catch a cold - that sort of petty stuff.

I was desperate for some inspiration to soldier on despite the weather, and I found it in the Eco Dash thread at Takbo.ph. I went on-line to find out whether the race would be postponed or cancelled because of the rain, but what I came across were numerous posts from excited runners, all saying that Eco Dash will be a go, rain or shine. That did the trick. I turned off my laptop and went to bed, determined to wake up less than four hours later and do the race.

When I got to BHS, the place was already crawling with runners of all ages - all stretching and warming up under the light drizzle. I pinned on my bib, got out of the car, and went into my own warm-up routine. A few minutes later, the gun went off for the 21k runners. After downing a packet of GU Chomps, I made my way to the starting line and joined the throng of 10k runners. After a few minutes, we were off.

Fifteen minutes into the run, I felt the wonders of running under the rain. By this time, the drizzle had turned into a heavier downpour. I had already crossed the turnaround point but I still felt strong and fresh - like I had just left the starting line. As I got out of Makati Ave. and set foot on Paseo de Roxas, I noticed that I had been isolated from the pack of 10k runners. The runners ahead of me were at least a hundred meters away, and the runners behind me were also trailing me by a good distance. The rain was pouring and the wind was in my face, and it felt like I owned the road. "Skyway Avenue" by We The Kings was blasting in my earphones. This, I thought, is I why I enjoy heading to a race at dawn on a Sunday while the city is still fast asleep. This is why I run.

I picked up my pace and, about fifteen minutes later, I crossed the finish line. According to my iPod (with a Nike+ sports kit), I (unofficially) completed the race in 0:57:42. Coming into the race, I was hoping to go sub-60. Mission accomplished! This is the second straight 10k race where I've gone sub-60. I couldn't be prouder and happier. Thank God I decided get out of bed, brave the rain, and finish the race.

Next up is RotaRun 10k on 20 September. I'd like to be back on the road for a recovery run tomorrow. Hopefully, my Lunarglides would already be dry and ready to go by then.

09.09.09

Yesterday was a very busy day for me, running-wise. I signed up for two races, both for 10k. The first is RotaRun '09, to be held on 20 September at the McKinley Hill area. It looks like RotaRun will be very challenging. The McKinley Hill terrain is notoriously, well, "hilly." The only other time that I've given McKinley Hill a go was during Urbanite 15k. RotaRun will give me another opportunity to test McKinley's inclines. Hopefully, I'd fare better this time around. I'd like to think I'm coming back as a stronger and more experienced runner. I probably won't go sub-60 in this one, but who knows?

And by the way, the singlet is really neat.

The second race that I signed up for is Race For Life '09, which is scheduled for 10 October. What makes this race appealing to me is the fact that it will be held on a Saturday, and not on a Sunday. This means that I'd get to keep my Saturday night and would not have to go to bed early. I have yet to see the route map, but I'm hoping it would be flat so I'd have a decent chance of setting a PR for 10k. Right now, my PR for 10k is 0:59, set during the recent GMA Tatakbo Ka Ba? Run.

After a long day at the office, I capped off 09/09/09 by doing a 10k run in 1:07. As I had written in my previous post, I had been "runless" for the past three days, and my body was just begging for a run. A 10k around the Fort area did the trick. Somewhere during the halfway point of my run, I felt a sharp pain at the right portion of my groin area. I stopped running and walked it off for a few minutes. It worked, but the deceleration spoiled what would have been a very good over-all pace for me. During the last three kilometers of my run, I was doing an average of about 5:35 to 5:40/k. Unfortunately, my strong finish was not enough to compensate for the 7:30/k stretch in the middle of my run. I ended up with an average pace of about 6:42. Still, this run proved to be a good warm-up for Eco Dash on the 13th.

My September is peppered with 10k races - Eco Dash on the 13th, RotaRun on the 20th, and NB Power Race on the 27th. This will be followed by the Octoberun 16k on 4 October, and another 10k at the Race for Life on 10 October. In between these runs, I'll be throwing in my own 5 and 10k weekday runs. This stretch will serve as my build-up for the Adidas KOTR 21k on 25 October.

With Firm Resolve

I've been "runless" for the last three days now. My last run was a very short 5k in Ateneo last Staurday. The inclement weather, errands, family gatherings, and my workload have all conspired to keep me from sneaking in even just a few strides on the treadmill. It has been a while since I've gone this long without running. I feel so sluggish, and my muscles and joints feel tight. It doesn't feel right at all. This sucks.

By hook or by crook, I will run today and do at least 10k. NO. MATTER. WHAT.

The Adidas Adizero Aegis

Check out the new Adidas Adizero Aegis. I plan to get a second pair of running shoes soon, and I'll most likely get these. I've read several reviews and most of these have been favorable. The Adizero Aegis is classified as a lightweight stability shoe, and is recommended for runners who have a neutral gait and for slight overpronators. I also found out from Takbo.ph that Haile Gebrselassie broke the world record for 42k in these shoes. If these shoes are good enough for setting world records, I'm sure they'll be good enough for an average recreational runner like me. Hopefully, I can get my pair soon and write my own review of these neat-looking kicks. For now, I'll just keep on pounding the roads in my excellent Nike Lunarglides...

UNICEF Charity Run 2009 (Hong Kong)

Like most runners, I too would like to experience running a race abroad. This looks like the perfect opportunity. I came across this one in one of the threads in Takbo.ph. The UNICEF Charity Run 2009 will be held in Hong Kong on 29 November 2009. It so happens that I will be in HK from 24 to 29 November. Is this a sign or what?!

The UNICEF Charity Run will feature a half-marathon and a 10k run. The registration fee is a bit steep (HK$380) compared to the fees for local races, but I'm sure the experience (and the singlet!) will be worth every single HKD. I'm thinking this one over, but I already have the wifey's blessings. If logistics permit, I might give it a go.

For more info on the UNICEF Charity Run 2009, click here.

Hunger Strike

I've just set a PR for a 5k run - 0:32. The plan was to do a 10k, but for some reason, I felt so hungry in the middle of my run. I had to cut my run short because my knees felt like jello. To salvage the afternoon, I decided to instead go for a 5k PR. I easily accomplished that, eclipsing my previous PR by two minutes. Had I not been starving, I think I could have gone sub-30. Oh well. That's what tomorrow is for.

As usual, the Ateneo landscape was awesome!

Three-Day Forecast

Another long weekend! A chance for me to get two runs and maybe a couple of basketball games in. I am a bit under the weather thanks to Thursday night's 10k under some light rain, but there's just no way I'm sitting this weekend out. It's been a while since I last ran in the Ateneo campus. Looks like it's time to get reacquainted with the hills where Loyola's colors fly...

The Botak Paa-Tibayan 10-Miler Results

At long last, the results of the Botak Paa-Tibayan 10-Miler held on 23 August 2009 at the UP Diliman campus are finally out. I did 10 miles (16k) in 1:44:36 - good for 129th place among a total of 174 identified male runners. Not bad for me, considering that, just the week before, I needed 1:53 to run 15k at the Urbanite Run. According to the results, my average pace per mile was 10:28, and I was 50:02 behind the top finisher (who did it in 54:34).

I ran the 10-miler with a friend, Mic Manalo. If I'm not mistaken, Mic clocked in at around 1:37. Unfortunately, his name does not appear in the list of finishers. He's probably one of the finishers in the "Unknown Runners" list. Too bad, Mic.

This race is my longest to date. The result, coupled with how I felt during and after the race, makes me confident that I can do a half-marathon in my target time of 2:30 or less. I'm definitely looking forward to setting a PR for 16k at the Octoberun Festival. After that, I'd have to taper my mileage in preparation for a bigger challenge - my first ever half-marathon at the Adidas KOTR!

Third World Country Blues...

So Manila won't be a Nike Human Race city AGAIN. Why am I not surprised? Just one glance at the list of race cities would give you an idea why Manila does not qualify:

NYC, USA

Chicago, USA

Los Angeles, USA

Vancouver, Canada

Guangzhou, China

Mt. Fuji, Japan

Berlin, Germany

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Paris, France

Rome, Italy

Padova, Italy

Milan, Italy

Mexico City

Monterrey, Mexico

Guadalajara, Mexico

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tel Aviv, Israel

Seoul, Korea

Bogotá, Colombia

Lima, Peru

Singapore

Melbourne, Australia

Sydney, Australia

Brisbane, Australia

Auckland, New Zealand

The tag-line should say "The Day the First World Runs." Mexico has three race sites, and Nike could not squeeze a city like Manila in? If it's any consolation, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and even good old HK didn't make it either. A friend who works for Nike Phils hinted that there won't be a local run because Nike is cutting costs. Adi is holding KOTR, so why can't Nike host a local run? Oh well. It seems none of us can do anything about it, other than sign up for KOTR hahaha!

Adidas King Of The Road 2009

Adidas King of the Road 2009 will push through on October 25. Initially, there had been some uncertainty as to whether KOTR will be moved to another date, as the Subic International Marathon will also be held on the same weekend as KOTR. From what I've read in other sites, it looks like KOTR will meet SIM head on. Good luck to runners deciding which race to run!

I am excited about KOTR for a number of reasons. For one, KOTR is one of the biggest annual running events in the country. KOTR 2009 will be the first of what I hope would be many more Adi runs for me. Another reason I'm excited is because I've decided to run my very first half-marathon - 21k - at KOTR. My goal would be simple: Just finish the race hopefully in 2:30 or better. That should be a reasonable goal for me.

I'm also excited about the KOTR singlet. I've read that runners look forward to KOTR every year because of the excellent design of the race singlets. Here's the men's singlet for the 2009 edition of KOTR. Can't wait to get my hands on one of these and run my very first half-marathon!

I have almost seven weeks to prepare for the KOTR half-marathon. That should be enough time for me to get ready for the big day.

This is it?

Dropped by Nike in BHS a while ago before my Tuesday night run and picked up the singlet for the Ayala Malls Eco Dash. The Eco Dash being an Ayala event, I expected to receive a neat-looking top. Look at what I got. No way am I going to wear this. What's worse, the size only goes up to large - no XL. Good thing I'm not in it for the singlet. Back to my trusty iamninoy Runners running shirt.

Next Up: Ayala Malls Eco-Dash 10k

My next road race will be the Ayala Malls Eco Dash 10k on September 13. I'm still waiting for my race kit and the singlet, but I've already seen the 10k route map. The goal is to clock in at 0:55. Time to conquer the Kalayaan Flyover!