J Running

Our Post-Christmas Long Run

2009-12-27T16:26:00.003+08:00

Since we started running last year, going home to the province has becoming more exciting. It was because aside from visiting our families and relatives there, we can always do a long run. Last December 26 when most people are still asleep after the merry makings on Christmas day, Swthrt and I woke up at around 5am and prepared for the longest run we ever did. Our goal was to run from Baranggay Tulo, Batangas City to Eternal Garden in Alangilan, Batangas. We will be visiting Itay (Swthrt’s father)’s grave since it was our first Christmas without him. We have no idea of the distance we will be running but we are quite sure that it will be longer than our usual route we run every time we visit Batangas. To at least approximate the distance we will be running, I decided to use my nike+ ipod.

At 5:30 am we were ready to run. We started at a slow pace for our warm up. It was very cold. We increased pace to 7min/km as we go along. It was a good run all the way to Stonyhurst School in Baraggay Pallocan where we met Ed (Swthrt’s brother) on his bike. He will be guiding us on our way to Eternal Garden. We will be taking a detour since the Bridge of Promise in Baranggay Gulod is still not passable. It was damaged by typhoon Pepeng. We took the road going to SM City then turned right on the road leading to the town proper. We took a right turn at Prieto St. after crossing a bridge (forgot the name) and turned right again at Rizal Drive. At this point we ran more than 10K. It was here at Rizal Drive where we faced a great challenge of running uphill all the way to the Provincial Capitol. And so before doing it we had our first Kitkat break and conquered the hill. We then proceeded to the main highway going to Eternal Garden. It will be at least 3K more to our destination according to Ed. With 1 kilometer to go, Swthrt felt pain on her chest. We took a walk break and assessed if she can continue to run. She told me she was not feeling dizzy nor she was feeling weak. It was the pricking pain on her chest every time she spoke that bothered her. Our guess was it was an acid reflux attack that she has been experiencing for the fast few days. After a while Swthrt had a burp. She felt better and proceeded with our run. We arrived at Itay’s graveyard after 1hour and 41 minutes of running covering 14.5Kms. We stayed there for at least 8 min and had our second Kitkat break before heading our way back home.

This time, it was a question of can we still do it? And without hesitation, or should I say without any choice, we made our way back home. It was harder this time. The sun was up which made it hotter at this time. There were also more motorists on the road where most of them had no regard to runners and drove faster than they should. And the fumes coming out from the jeeps and tricycles in the city area really made it harder to run. The route going to Baranggay Gulod was no problem. We had short stop and bought a bottle of water to replenish Swthrt’s hydration bottles. Upon reaching Baranggay Pallocan, we begun to have walks break especially after taking on the series of uphill going back to Baranggay Sampaga. With more than 21K ran, we felt the soreness on our legs and the heat of the sun that drained all our energy. It was our longest run ever. We took our last Kitkat bar and finished the whole course running and walking for almost 4 hours covered a total distance of 29Kms. It was a tiring but fulfilling run that we had.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

See you at the starting line on Rizal Day Run!

Hearts Revealed

2009-12-22T10:07:00.002+08:00

The baby Jesus was only 40 days old when Simeon saw the blessed Infant. Old Simeon held the Child and prophesied that with the life of Jesus, “the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35). Thoughts are the inner feelings which we can hide from other people. Our hearts the most secret hiding places. But there is nothing we can hide from God; and with the birth of Jesus, even the secrets of men’s hearts will be exposed.

Let us read Luke 1:26-29. In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel,”since I am a virgin?” (NIV)

Even before Jesus was conceived, the thoughts of people’s hearts started to be revealed. These verses reveal the thoughts of Mary as the angel Gabriel appeared to her. Mary was troubled as the angel greeted her with a very unique compliment. She was not at ease with such a compliment as being highly favored by the Lord. We can easily sense that she was truly a very humble and unassuming person.

Upon hearing that she would bear a son, she dared to ask, “How can this be since I am a virgin?” She was engaged to be married to Joseph, but as yet, she never had any sexual relations with any man. She posed her puzzled question to Gabriel, the mighty messenger of God. To question the powerful angel Gabriel is dangerous. Another person named Zechariah suffered for doing so. Zechariah was already very old when Gabriel revealed to him that he would have a son. He questioned Gabriel how he could possibly have a son in his old age. The angel Gabriel rebuked him by saying, “Because you do not believe one who stands in the presence of God, you will be dumb until all these things have happened” (Luke 1:8-20) Thus Zechariah could not speak until his son, John the Baptist, was born.

Mary asked Gabriel a similar question, “ How can I have a son when I have no relations with a man?” But Mary was not rebuked. Why? It is not wrong to question God when the inquirer is intent on finding out the truth for the purpose of obeying that truth. Mary asked with that kind of sincerity: when the truth is verified to be coming from God, she would surely obey. Gabriel would not rebuke her because of that. This shows us that Mary had a right relationship with God. A right relationship with God is brought about by habitually listening to what God says and obeying readily. Gabriel had described Mary as having “found favor with God”. Therefore, instead of rebuking Mary, Gabriel explained everything to her. She, in turn, submitted to God’s will (Luke 1:35-38). The news about Jesus’ conception revealed the thoughts in Mary’s faithful heart.

Let us read our next verses Matthew 1:18-25. This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to pubic disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which neans, “God with us.” When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (NIV)

Joseph was a just and righteous man. For him, what was right was right; what was wrong was wrong. But he was also extraordinarily considerate and kind as proven when he discovered that Mary, his fiance, was pregnant. The child was not his. The shocking discovery must have hurt Joseph. He could easily have retaliated by exposing Mary to charges of adultery. She would surely be found guilty and thus be stoned to death. But Joseph chose not to hurt Mary and ruin her reputation. We can see that Joseph’s thoughts were very merciful and kind because he did not want Mary to be made a public spectacle. He decided to quietly cancel their marriage plans by telling her privately. This revealed Joseph’s heart as very merciful even when in pain. God was likewise kind and considerate to Joseph. He sent the angel Gabriel to speak to Joseph in a dream to help him understand that all of this was the will of God.

Now we will see God’s heart being revealed. Joseph and Mary travelled to Galilee to register because of a Roman decree. Mary was already in her advanced stage of pregnancy and about to give birth. And they arrived in Bethlehem.....

Let us read our next verses Luke 2:6-7.While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Joseph and Mary were not prepared for what they encountered in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was jampacked with people who had come to register. The couple could find no place to stay in nor any place where Mary could give birth to her child. They only found a stable where the animals were kept. Jesus was born in that stable. And Mary tenderly and lovingly wrapped the Baby in swaddling clothes. Swaddling clothes were strips of cloth wrapped on babies in order to protect the fragile newborn infants. Here, God’s heart was revealed further. God came down in the form of the baby, in a humble and delicate condition, being wrapped in those swaddling clothes. He was placing Himself in human hands, as represented by the swaddling clothes. God’s faithful like Mary and Joseph will respond with love. They will render their total devotion to God with all their hearts, however difficult their lives might be.

When Jesus touches the life of anyone, that person’s life will never be the same again. The lives of Mary and Joseph were forever changed. Their hearts were indelibly marked by the arrival of the Baby described as “God with Us”. And their hearts’ love for God was revealed for all of heaven and earth to see. God had come down to be with us forever. He will expose all our hearts by His presence. That is a blessing, isn’t it?

Delivered during one of the Sunday Services of Hosanna !, PCED Hostel, UP Diliman. Quezon City.

DO YOU MIND?

2009-12-14T16:43:00.003+08:00

“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8 (King James Version)

Have you ever tried to put up a tent in the middle of a storm? How about inhaling while under water, or in a smoky room? Well, there is nothing wrong with putting up a tent or inhaling, but the right thing at the wrong time can be just as devastating as the wrong thing at the same time.
The same principle applies to life and our minds. Try making a decision in the heat of the moment, or try calmingyour own mind to understand one person in a room full of shouting babies.

The Bible says that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Therefore, it is imperative that we set our minds on this: God is God, He is in control, and no one or thing is greater than He that dwells within us. So, set your mind, and do it before anything happens and before the heat of the battle or before you hear thousands of other voices. Set your mind on Him, and the truth that He says about you. Then and only then can you truly walk in the midst of any situation and be confident with the right mindset. - Eric Harris

Long Run @ UP

2009-12-14T15:05:00.005+08:00

This is just to log another long run that I completed last Sunday at UP Diliman with Swthrt. This time, i used my Nike+ ipod to track the distance we covered for the day. This will also allow us to deviate from the usual route (known distance route) and still be able to get the distance we ran. Our target was to have at least 15k easy pace run. As we ran, we saw Jonel, who joined us for a while. We also saw Vener and Xty, getting ready for the race, Mighty Run, scheduled on that morning. We finished our run after 2 hours covering 16.56K. It was another fullfilling workout as i prepare for the 32K challenge, The Rizal Day Run, organized by Baldrunner on December 30 at Camp Aguinaldo. See you at the starting line!

ACCOUNTABILITY

2009-12-11T18:05:00.002+08:00

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24

A friend and I go to the YMCA every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We lift weights, run on the treadmill . . . and we run our mouths. Sometimes the mouth gets the better workout! We also spend time encouraging each other and lifting each other up in prayer. When you say, “Let’s work out at 5:00 am,” most people would say, “No way!” And believe me, many days I travel or stay up late on the phone with clients, so 5:00 am comes too quickly. Then why do I go? Accountability! I know my friend will be there, and if I don’t go, the phone will ring, asking me where I am and giving me a hard time. I go because of the accountability.

Do you have anyone who holds you accountable for your spiritual walk? The Lord commands us to encourage each other and pray for and with each other. So find a friend, and whether it is at the YMCA working out or in a small group, hold each other up.
—Robert Walker

Weekend long run at UP

2009-12-09T12:37:00.005+08:00

It's been a long time since we last ran inside UP Diliman. Last Sunday was a welcome treat for us to run on roads covered with trees. We have prepared for this run and so we woke up early and we're at UP campus as early as 5:00 am. We even caught the organizers of the race (YesRun) scheduled for the day setting up the starting area. Our target was to have a long run at a comfortable pace. We started it with a warm-up run around the academic oval and did some stretching before proceeding with our goal workout. We ran on routes we have never run before. Below is the route where we did 3 rounds completing an aproximately 15K distance.

Photo Talks - New balance Power Run 09

2009-12-09T12:31:00.002+08:00

Official travel and running

2009-12-07T10:31:00.003+08:00

One thing about my work is that I get to travel to places to video/photo document our office’s projects and events. Last Dec.2-3, I was in Zambales to document the on-going seminar- workshop on the country’s disaster preparedness. It was a multi-agency collaborative project called “READY Project” wherein maps on different hazards such as landslide, storm surge, earthquake-induced hazards (e.g. gound rupture, liquefaction, tsunami) were plotted and disseminated to different baranggay officials nationwide for them to be aware of the different hazard-prone areas and make appropriate contingency plans. The event was held in a resort in Iba, Zambales.

Having foreseen an opportunity to run, I brought running shorts and singlets with me. The first day was all work. The following morning, I woke up at around 5am and at 5:30am I was out to run. I ran a few rounds around the lighted basketball court of the resort and along the pathway as it was still dark. Just before the sun was out, I went to the beach shore to continue my run.

I ran for an hour, good enough to give me a good sweat before taking a bath and get ready for another day’s work. We returned to Manila after lunch.

New Balance 09 race recap

2009-12-07T10:26:00.000+08:00

I know this posting was very much delayed but for the purpose of having our races chronicled please bear with me. This race was sort of a birthday run for Swthrt, having celebrated her natal day the day before the race. Her siblings with their families visited us at our new home.

On race day
We woke up early for the race. Ed, Swhrt’s brother who usually join us in our run in Batangas came along with us to watch the race. We arrived at the assembly area a few minutes before 5:00am. We saw Vener and Xty who generously gave me some safety pins for my race bib. Swthrt and I had a couple of rounds at BHS for our warm up before stretching. Though it was necessary, we seldom do it in a race because of lack of time. But for this race, we really have to warm up since it will be a 21k run. After a very short opening remarks from the organizer we heard the horn that marks the start of the 21k race. Swthrt and I had a very good start. Though the place was quite familiar to us, it was a new race route for us. Swthrt was running consistently covering the part of the route from the starting line all the way to SPD station wherein we took the GU espresso flavour that I bought the day before the race. It was our first time to try and I’m hoping to get a positive effect. But honestly, I don’t feel any significant change on my energy level. I was actually experimenting on it in preparation for a greater challenge in the future. Swthrt continued to run consistently at a comfortably hard pace for her going to Bayani Road. When we reached halfway of Bayani Road near the “Libingan ng mga Bayani” our pace slowed down a bit. The heat of the sun was draining us and was sort of taking our energy. It was a good thing that there was a sufficient supply of water and sports drink along the way. We actually did not consume all the vit-water we have on our hydration belt. After taking the turn at the Bayani-C5 U-turn point we started to have walk breaks along the way especially at areas having steep slopes. As we turned right to McKinley Hills, we prepared for the worst. True enough this part of the course was the toughest, the latter part of the course. It was really the determination to finish that kept us running. After conquering the hills and returned to Lawton Ave, the worst is over. We crossed the finish line happy and contented with our run. It may not be a PR for Swthrt but it was her first time to receive a finisher medal for a half marathon race. In her first two half marathon races, the Globe Run and Adidas KOTR, only certificates were given to the finishers. We let go of going around the different booths set-up near the stage and left early since we have guests at home. It was a great birthday run for Swthrt!

Some thoughts
It was a well-organized race. Sufficient supplies of water and sports drink, medal and freebies were given right after crossing the finish line. Swthrt even got a free NB socks since she was wearing an NB shoes. Enough marshals especially on the early part of the race. One thing though, vehicles were allowed inside the cone marker along Lawton Avenue at the latter part of the race posting danger to slower runners still traversing this road. To make things worse, runners were running with the traffic flow. I have to run behind Swthrt and kept on reminding her to stay near the sidewalk to avoid being hit by cars. Other than this, it was a good race.

Congratulations to the New Balance race organizer!

Run for Clean Air

2009-11-27T12:25:00.005+08:00

The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) joins the country in celebration of the National Clean Air Month this November. One of the highlight activities is the staging of fun run/walk dubbed as “Run for Clean Air” yesterday, November 26, 2009. Our office, the Media Production Division whom many employees are runners, organized the said event. A good number of participants gathered in front of the main building at around 6:30 am for stretching/warm-up before the start of the run. George, a marathoner in our division, acts as the race director while I led the pre-race stretching and served as the head race marshal. It was our little way of promoting running in our agency.

The participants were composed of members of the NAMRIA Running Club and other employees who regularly walk or run around our compound. It was really a blessing that we have a big compound (about 500 meters loop driveway) wherein we can run. The agency also support and promote the advocacy of having a healthy living by exercising regularly. We have Tuesdays and Thursdays as our athletic days wherein employees are allowed to joins in various physical activities such as basketball, volleyball, tae-bo, table tennis, running, etc. This is of course with the condition that an employee should have no pending works before joining any of these activities.

After the run, runners were treated with breakfast of pandesal, hard-boiled eggs, bananas, ponkan and juices in tetra packs donated by some of our officials.

There was also a public clamor that we conduct races in the office regularly for at least once or twice a month. It is an indication that people are now starting to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

The joy of running

2009-11-16T19:50:00.009+08:00

Many have been written about the "boom" of running as a sport in the country. More and more people are considering the sport as a better alternative. New runners are having the courage to try and conquer thier "initiation" road race whether it is 3K, 5K or 10K. With more than of running experience, I have been encouraged to continue and finish a race by the other runners and marshals during races. Last Sunday, was our turn of giving encouragement to a friend who wanted to experience joining a road race.

Swthrt's workplace has been a place of budding runners wanting to try the sport. Almost every month a warm body is added to their group. They can even start a running club with a good number of founding members. The Timex Run was another race wherein, one of her officemates, Jane wanted to run her first 5K. Swthrt and I decided to give support and even pace Jane to make sure that she will finish her first race strong.

Swthrt with Officemate, Jane

We wanted to make sure she can do it and experience the joy of running. We don’t want her to be discouraged and not to join any races again. We are glad we have given the support she needed. Jane finished her first 5K race and hopefully will join more races soon. After finishing 5K, Swthrt and I then ran towards Bayani Road to pace again her another officemate, this time doing his first 21K race. Along the way, another officemate, Ritchie, suffered from a knee injury but was determined to finish the 21K race.

With another officemate, Ritchie

We ran with him along Lawton Avenue and told him not to run anymore because it might aggravate his injury but he wanted to continue and finish the race. I was really amazed by his determination and he did it.

We were able to catch up with Ronnie at the Heritage Park and ran with him back at the finish line.

and another officemate, Ronnie

During the race, we have seen groups running together. We even saw couples running side by side. It only showed that the joy of running comes not only in breaking personal records or conquering longer distances but also in giving support to a friend or a loved one.

Randy and his wife

group run

brother-in-law tandem - Alwyn and Hector

This will encourage more people to run! Happy running and see you at the next starting line.

All Saints Day Long Run

2009-11-01T09:59:00.004+08:00

Swthrt and I just finished a 21K long run at Batangas City. We started at Avida Residences San Isidro at around 5:30am. Our destination was at Swthrt's home at Barangay Tulo and back. We were joined by Swthrt's brother Ed who was road testing his new mountain bike. This was the usual course we take every time we visit our relatives in Batangas. It was challenging course with lots of uphills. The run could have been a new PR if it was a race. Actually, Swthrt could have made it to cut-off time of Milo marathons of 2:30 for the half marathon. Our Time was 2:24:50 with an average pace of 6:53min/K. Swthrt expereienced pain on her left knee on our way back but managed to finish the run. We also need some suggestions on how to minimize chafing on her chest due to singlet rubbing.

Nike hanged at Adidas

2009-10-29T10:37:00.003+08:00

Since I was not able to run at the Subic International Marathon to join the Nike Human Race I opted to do the second option of running elsewhere and just upload the recorded run in my Nike+ ipod. I was suppose to run on Saturday but our hectic family schedule did not permit me. I decided to log the 21K run at the Adidas KOTR to contribute even a few kilometers at the Nike Ambassador Challenge which I joined with Team Banana Running. This will be the longest run to be recorded in my Nike+ kit. The longest so far was 15.1K. I even made a power song playlist just for this run. At the start of the race I set the kit in the half marathon workout setting only and found out that it was set on the English system of miles. This gave me some difficulty of knowing my pace in minutes per kilometer. I would have wanted to know our pace during our run. Because of this, I just let it pass and just wanted to record my run. It was recording perfectly until we reached the intersection of McKinley Avenue going to Lawton Ave. The ipod just suddenly hanged up. I cannot use any function. I could not even reset it. I guess Nike and Adidas can’t be together. This morning, I checked on it hoping to salvage the recorded distance of 8 miles before it hanged up but to no avail. It did not save any data on my last run. O well, you just cannot rely on high technology. It is still best to depend on the good old but reliable Timex Ironman watch. See you at the starting line!

Swthrt sets new PR @ KOTR ’09

2009-10-29T09:45:00.003+08:00

This year’s edition of the Adidas King of the Road (KOTR) gave runners another venue to prove themselves and set new personal best. This time Swthrt and I registered for the half marathon which was the main event for this race. This was highly anticipated since the New Balance race which was scheduled earlier than this race was postponed to a later date. It was a family affair for this race. Our eldest son, JM ran the 5K, while the youngest, Josh served as the official photographer. My parents also joined us to look after Josh.

We arrived at BHS before 5am, with enough time to do some warm-up run. We met with Vener and Xty and the runners from Honda Cars Makati.

with Xty and Vener and our son JM

Swthrt who had a limited practice run before the race was quite nervous at the start. The 21K runners were released on time and we were off for a good start. Our target pace was 6:30 – 7:00 min/K. Swthrt was doing great and we even had a chat with Jinoe going all the way to Kalayaan flyover before he pulled away. Swthrt was having a steady pace along Buendia Avenue. It was always at this area where she experienced some sort of a runner’s high as she would just run and that everything else was amazing. We reached the turn-around point along Buendia with no problem at all. As we made our way back, Swthrt would experience side stitches occasionally but she would continue on. We have our first break of Kitkat at the junction of Ayala-Buendia. We are experimenting on this energy supplement, hehehe (cheaper di ba?). Upon reaching the area covered by the 10K runners, the road was crowded with runners and was quite difficult to run. Swthrt had a first walk break going up the flyover. Tiredness begun to set in and so I told her to have another break, let’s have a kitkat! What was amazing with Swthrt was her desire to continue on. At this point, the cheers, high five signs and encouragements from other runners surely kept us going. Our run continued with walk breaks and slow jog to recover. Side stitches also attacked once in a while but Swthrt was able to bounce back and ran patiently until we cross the finish line after 2:40:+. It was a new personal best for Swthrt beating the 2:45:+ record at the Run for Home. It was a wonderful experience for both of us.

with Mae (in my own views) andn Manny (IceOne)

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

2009-10-21T21:23:00.003+08:00

“We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.” II Corinthians 5:20

When I hear the word “ambassador,” I think of someone who represents a place or someone else. In II Corinthians 5:20, we all called “Christ’s ambassadors.” This means that we are representatives of Christ and we thus have the responsibility of sharing and imitating Christ here on earth. Athletics offer a great tool for us to reach others and impact their lives for Christ, especially for those in leadership positions.

Sometimes people view athletics as a separate entity of their lives, but we should also let our light shine through what we do in sports. Are you representing Christ in how you perform in athletics? It is so easy to get caught up in the pressures of sports. We start to focus on our name or reputation as a player and increasing our stats that we lose sight of our true focus of representing Christ’s name; so let’s keep that first priority. - Leah Metcalf

Training and race

2009-10-20T10:22:00.001+08:00

For two weeks now I was able to run at least thrice a week. I run easy (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and long runs (weekends) at Fort Bonifacio during the Milo finals and at UP Diliman during the QCIM. I was with Swthrt during the two weekend long runs. Hopefully, our work schedules permit us to do our trainings regularly for us to be able to aim something big next year.

The 1st Quezon City International Marathon was a big success and many records have been broken and many firsts have been written. We should have not miss this, but we did for some unavoidable reasons. This was my first aimed full marathon but unluckily was not able to join it, and yes I was not also much prepared. Likewise, the series of events about the typhoons that hit the metro must have douse of our interest to register. For whatever reason it may be, this race was not really meant for us. Anyway, Swthrt and I did a 15K run within UPD campus on that day. It was a fulfilling run completing out target distance. . Hopefully this would set a pace for Swthrt setting a new PR for the 21K this coming Adidas KOTR. This will be her second half-marathon after the Run for Home.

An unforgettable experience happened before our run. I locked the car leaving the key inside after getting my hydration belt from the trunk. I was a victim of this thing, that I always remind Swthrt not to leave the car key inside the trunk every time I lend it. I guess I need to add Memo Plus to my health supplements, he he he. So as not to ruin our day, we still continued our run and went home with a cab to get the spare car key. Good thing I knew an alternate route going back to UP as most of the road are closed to traffic because of the QCIM being held.

Congratulations to our friends who run and finished the recently concluded QCIM.

See you at the starting line of Adidas King of the Road!

Running with the marathoners

2009-10-12T12:25:00.003+08:00

The 33rd National Milo Marathon finals was held last Sunday, 11 October. Since we were not able to register for its side events much less qualified for the 42k finals, Swthrt and I decided to do our long run in Fort Bonifacio. It was not our intention to gate crash and be bandits but we wanted to catch a glimpse of the Milo marathoners in this part of the course. We are also hoping to see friends running in the said event. I even brought a camera to take a shot on some of them. It’s either they were too fast that we missed them before we get in the vicinity of Bayani Road or my poor eyesight caused me not to recognize them sooner for me to take shots. Anyway, our congratulations to the friends who joined and finish the marathon.

Our long run started at MckKinley Hills. We parked our car near the 7-11 Store and started our run going to the British Embassy where we took our turn going back to Lawton Ave and proceeded to Bayani Road. This is where we met runners of the 42K event of the Milo Marathon. I could feel the spirit of determination and perseverance of these runners as they continued on the race. You could see in the faces of these runners the passion in running. This is of course excluding those who have evil plans of cheating on the race. We took our turn at the Bayani Road- C5 junction and we headed for Bonifacio High Street. We then saw the support group of Mesh near Essensa composed of Bards, Cathy and Vicky.

We then took a brief pit-stop at the Honda Global City to replenish our empty hydration bottles with water. We usually bring Vitwater blue for hydration, you know? After the short stop we returned back to MKH to end our fulfilling long run for the week.

Running rain or shine

2009-10-09T13:22:00.000+08:00

After having some good practice runs for several days, the urge to run continues. Since I have to wait until 7pm to be out on the streets because of color-coding, I did an out and back run from our office (NAMRIA) to BHS. I added one loop of the BHS before going back. I ran at a comfortably hard (tempo) pace covering approximately 6KM under a drizzle. The comment from Bald Runner in my last post to run rain or shine really pushed me to do it. It was a good thing it did not rain hard during my run. I just hope that our schedule will permit us to run regularly especially on weekdays. Swthrt and I knew that consistency in training is the key to a better performance.

To our friends who will be running the Milo finals on Sunday, We wish you the best!

Have a safe and enjoyable run this weekend to everyone!

Running continues

2009-10-06T23:02:00.007+08:00

What is good about Filipinos is their ability to bounce back after a massive disaster or calamity. Ondoy’s devastation in Metro Manila and nearby provinces brought out the good deeds of every Filipino. Volunteers and donations in cash and in kind started to pour in from different rescue centers of the government and other private institutions. Even in the school of our son, JM had set-up donations and relief operations wherein students that were not affected by the typhoon had a chance to help those calamity-stricken families. Our office and our employees’ organization had their share too of helping the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. The running community through the different clubs and groups have set up fund raising drive (e.g. TKO250 of the Hardcore Runners) or organized races (e.g. Rescue Run, Juan Run) for the benefit of the typhoon victims. This is the true spirit of bayanihan in the Filipino culture. With all these fateful tragedies, life has to continue and so is running.

Last Sunday, the OctobeRun 09 pushed through. I’m sure that there were already posting on the race recap for the said event. Swthrt and I were not able to register for the race and because we don’t want to be bandits, we instead ran inside UP Diliman campus. There were still a lot of runners when we arrived at UPD despite a scheduled race. We started a round of warm-up at the academic oval before stretching. We then proceeded to run the outer and bigger loops inside the campus to finish a 9.65K (6 miles) run.

It was quite hard to run after a long break. Swthrt struggled at the early part of our run but was later able to manage the whole course. It was a good run for both of us. We hope to have more practice runs to prepare us for longer distance races such as the Adidas King of the Road and the postponed New Balance Power Run. We were registered for the half marathon for both races.

Our prayers for the families of the victims of the typhoons continue. May the Lord grant us the wisdom to understand His message for each one of us in all this tragedy. God bless us all!

Tonight, Swthrt and I did a 5k easy run at BHS.

NEW EVERY MOURNING

2009-10-03T18:10:00.005+08:00

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.” Lamentations 3:22

The University of Evansville basketball team was excited about its first season competing in Division I. The Purple Aces were packed and ready for a road trip to Nashville for a game against Middle Tennessee State. Twenty-nine people boarded the charter plane on December 13, 1977, but because of rain and fog, the plane crashed two minutes into the flight. No one survived. When a tragedy like this occurs, our human nature seems to react by asking one of two questions: 1. Where was God? 2. How could God allow this to happen? We doubt either His omnipresence or His omnipotence.

The author of Lamentations witnesses God’s judgment in the form of death and destruction among His chosen people, yet he fully comprehends that God’s mercy can extend beyond His wrath. Though we aren’t capable of praising God with our own strength in the worst of times, the ability to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thes.5:18) is definitely a gift from the Holy Spirit. Picture your worst-case scenario. Maybe it has already happened. Do you believe that God is there in the midst of agony and chaos? Ask Him for clarity so you might see through the sadness to witness the ever-present manifestations of His love, and revel in the newness of the morning.

—Alex Warner

Expo Kid

2009-09-25T17:11:00.004+08:00

THANK YOU FOR THE UPS AND DOWNS

2009-09-23T07:39:00.004+08:00

“Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” 1 Chronicles 16:8

Thanksgiving may be a month ahead and months behind, but there’s no reason to stop thanking the Lord. You hear all the athletes on television say how they thank the Lord when they win. Why not thank him when you lose? Sure, winning’s great—the adrenaline, the excitement—but it takes a real winner to thank Him when you lose. In fact, don’t even look at it as “losing.” Look at it as transforming a seemingly negative situation into a positive one. Thank the Lord that you had the opportunity to compete in something you enjoy. Thank Him for having the passion for a
team—maybe you play for them or maybe you’re just the number one fan. Either way, you have a passion that you can be thankful for. Be thankful for the humbling experience that comes with losing. Soak up all that you can learn from the loss. That’s not to say that winning is bad—winning is fantastic! Just keep in mind which team you’re playing for, through the ups and downs.

—Natalie Creech

15K@ ROTA

2009-09-22T16:14:00.003+08:00

It was a fair weather for the runners at last Sunday’s ROTA Run. It was our second tune up race for the 21K run at the New Balance Power Run this coming Sunday, September 25, 2009. Being held in the dreaded McKinley Hills, it certainly gave runners a great challenge. Swthrt and I arrived at the venue at around 5 am and noticed the volume of vehicles trying to get in the parking building. I finally decided to park at our office compound in NAMRIA (Lawton Ave. cor Bayani Rd.). It was about a kilometer away from the venue. We then run towards MKH which served as our warm-up run. We were then joined by Swthrt’s officemate, Leng who will be running her first 15K. After the short opening ceremony and briefing of the runners on the race route, the 21K runners were released at gun start. We then patiently waited for our turn. The 10K and 15K runners were released simultaneously.

The race
At the gun start Swthrt and I started at our regular slow pace but for whatever reason I started to feel a sudden increased heart rate. It was only the start of the race and we were just heading to the British Embassy. I suddenly remembered the lesson of “learning to listen to your body.” I slowed down a bit and just kept a 50 to 100 meter distance from Swthrt. I just wanted to thank God that after the turning point at the British Embassy my heart beat became normal and I slowly neared Swthrt and Leng. From then on, I was able to run well and Swthrt and I were able to finish the 15K distance at 1:45:+. Leng was also able to finish her race, too.

Race organization
It was a good race except for the 21K runners who were complaining it was short of 3K. There was also again the issue of water shortage and short hydration table along the route. The marshals were great especially in securing the left lane of the Bayani Road. These make the road safe for runners running this part of the course. I know the Takbo.ph people have tried their very best to give the runners a well organized race given the short time they assume responsibilities for it. I hope lessons were learned and better races will be organized by them in the future. Congratulations to the Takbo.ph!

See you at the New Balance Power Run this Sunday!

CHRIST IS #1

2009-09-16T23:16:00.010+08:00

“In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33

Training for track is often physically and mentally grueling. I won’t lie to you, I don’t like pain, and many times I wouldrun slower in practice just to make the pain bearable. Of course, not giving my all in practice was completelydetrimental to my success as an athlete. But if success meant pain, I didn’t want it.

It can be easy for us, as Christians to “run slow” in our race for Christ. Often we get attached to earthly possessions and have trouble letting go of the hindrances in our lives. Work, family and even entertainment become so important that our relationship with Christ is no longer a priority. When Christ is not a priority our growth as Christians is stunted. I couldn’t improve on the track unless I was consistently giving my all. In the same way, we can’t improve as Christians if we don’t seek Jesus with all our hearts. In order to do this we have to let go of those earthly desires andpriorities, however hard that may be.

Being a Christian is not always easy, but the success of meeting Jesus Christ face-to-face is worth any earthly pain you will have to endure!

-Brooke Thompson

Running the Hana Relay

2009-09-16T08:20:00.008+08:00

The famous Hana Relay was a 52 mile run traversing 617 curves and crossing 56 bridges through breathtaking sceneries of Maui, Hawaii. The course begins in Kahului airport and ends in Hana Ball Park in Maui. There were 6 persons per team with each team member running 3 legs (approximately 2-3 miles per leg). Liza, my sister joined this event and has successfully accomplished the race. All members of the team were able to finish the entire race.

Liza with her teammates

My sister Liza settled in Maui after her marriage with Brad. One of the best tourist destinations in the world, it would really be enticing to run and experience the excitement of joining this kind of race. Liza was the first one who got into running. She inspired me after I have read in her blog, liza’s eyeview, her several postings regarding charity fun runs which she joined.

Liza in previous races she joined

The Hana Relay was again another accomplishment she had in running (more photos from her other blog (a maui’s blog).

Liza running on Maliko Gulch during the Hana Relay

race participants and supporters along the course

running Hawaiian style

Swthrt and I hope to run along the roads of Maui someday together with Liza and her family. Congratulations to Liza. We are proud of you!