My Future Marathons

Listing some of the Marathons I plan to join in the coming years. These are all located in Asia.. for now.

China

• Beijing International Marathon
• Great Wall Marathon
• Shanghai Marathon
• Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon
• Macau Marathon

Japan

• Tokyo Marathon
• Osaka Marathon

Malaysia

• Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon

Philippines

• Camsur Marathon
• Cebu Marathon

Singapore

• Singapore Sundown Marathon
• Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore

Taiwan

• Taipei Marathon

Thailand

• Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon

UAE

• Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

My 2009 Runs

2009 is my year! I have accomplished much this year (blogging is not one of them, hehe..) but most importantly, i have run a lot this year.

I joined a total of 18 runs this year.

8miles:
May 31 - IE8 Run - 1:10:11

5K:
Jan 25 - Happy Run - 26:24

10K:
Jan 18 - PSE Bull run
Mar 15 - Run For Their Lives - 49:58
Mar 29 - Pinay In Action
Jul 5 - Milo Marathon Manila Eliminations - 52:29
Jul 12 - Fit & Fun Run - 1:11:06
Jul 26 - Run with M.E. - 49:25
Dec 20 - Philstar Celebrity Run - 49:21

15K:
Feb 22 - RUNew - 1:23:56
Jun 7 - Mizuno Infinity Run - 1:20:48
Aug 15 - Kenny's Open Urbanite Run - 1:28:37

21K:
Mar 22 - Condura Run - 1:56:45
Jul 19 - Run For Home - 1:51:29
Oct 25 - Adidas KOTR - 2:16:26
Nov 15 - Timex Run - 2:10:19
Nov 29 - New Balance Power Run - 2:07:10

42K:
Singapore Marathon - 4:35:39

It goes without saying that the highlight of my run this year is my first full marathon in Singapore. I've finally done it, finally reached my goal of completing 42.195 kilometers. It was so much fun. An experience I want to do over and over again.

Looking forward to more injury-free runs in 2010..

Run For Home Results

I am Name Unknown!

And I might not be the only one with that name.

Results of last Sunday's "Run for Home" are out. It can be found in this link. You need either your race number or last name in order to check your time. It's not your typical race results as it contains some pretty interesting information about how you did.

What pissed me off was that when I entered my race number, instead of showing my name, it came out as "Name unknown". WTH! You can say that I kinda expected this to happen. Why? Because the day before the run, I received a text message from a guy named Frank from Globe asking for my race number. When I asked him why he needed it, he told me that they forgot to list my name when they gave me my race packet. So I responded and texted him my race number. I guess that didn't help at all because they still failed to identify me.

Anyway, I'm very happy with my run because it's a new PR for me for 21KM. Although I did not meet my goal of 1:45, I'm still happy because I was able to shed off around 5 mins from my last 21KM. And here's proof that I am Name Unknown.

Run Forest Run

This is also an overdue post.
Last September 28, Tiano and I organized our second charity run. This time we opened it not only for our team but to the entire HP ADSI organization. We had a total of 16 runners (I know that's very few compared to the 400+ population of the organization). But I'd say it was still a success! Why? We were able to raise Php50,250 from 184 pledges for the Haribon Foundation. That's equivalent to 670 new trees!!


So this is to thank all the runners, the people who pledged and the volunteers for helping to make this charitable event successful!

Sharing some pictures during the run.

Before the run

After the run

Finisher

Organizers

RFR BannerNext up: HP run!

My 2008 runs

Just wanted to quickly post the runs I participated in last year. Joined a total of 10 races.

January 27 - Bull Run 5K
March 30 - Mizuno Run 10K
April 13 - On Your Mark 10K
May 18 - Run with Pringles 3 miles
June 14 - Finsys Payment Run 8.8K
June 15 - MH All-Terrain Race 12K
June 29 - Rush to Infinity Run 15K
August 17 - MH Miracle Run 10K
September 28 - Run Forest Run 4.4K
October 11 - Adidas KOTR 10K

Looking back at my runs, I was nowhere near my 2008 goal of running my first ever marathon. But instead, this is what I have accomplished.

1. Longest run was 15K.
2. Average run was 10K.
3. Most active month was June (3 runs).

And because I don't run regularly and don't prepare for my runs, I got injured. I have learned my lesson. For 2009, my goal is to put in more miles and to choose my runs wisely. Overall, I'm still targeting to run my first (and hopefully not my last) marathon towards the last quarter of the year. And this time, I hopefully will be able to achieve this because I have prepared.

My Miracle Run

This is my 100th post and I will write about my recent run, the Men's Health Miracle Run. It's a miracle that I was able to finish the 10K run. I normally wouldn't have a problem finishing a 10K run but not this time. It took me over 15 mins more to cross the finish line than my average finish time. Good thing this run was all about just being able to finish in order for MH to donate P200/runner to the GMA foundation.


But the real question here is "Why did it take me that long to finish the 10K run"? There's only one answer. Blame it on my injured knee. Yes, it's the same left knee that I injured during the rush to infinity run last June 29. After getting that injury, I stopped running to let it heal. Problem is I didn't go to the doctor like I said I would to have it checked. I was hoping it would heal itself and that I would be back to normal by the time I run again which is why I skipped running for more than a month. And a day before the run, I even bought a Phiten UPS Titan Tape roll hoping that it would help prevent any pain.

I was psychologically ready for the run. I woke up early and was at the venue an hour before the run would start. I made sure that I did the proper stretching and was able to do a few laps around the parking lot for my warm up. But even during the warm up run, I started to feel a little pain on that stubborn knee. I would later learn that the pain was only the preview of more pain to come.

I was relaxed and was chatting with Wa when the run started. Since we were positioned at the back of the crowd, we had to walk for a while but eventually started to run when the crowd started to disperse and there was more room to run. I thought that if the pain would reoccur then it would probably be around the 5K mark. But no, my knee has its own mind. I started to feel the pain even before I reached 2K. I had to slow down but that would not stop me from running. I almost reached 5K without walking or stopping. I tried as hard as I can to forget about the pain until I could no longer take it which eventually forced me to walk a few hundred meters before reaching 5K. And it was downhill from there. While the others were running, I had to walk and walk I did for more than half of the remaining 5K. It was frustrating! Nevertheless, I am still thankful that I was able to finish.

A big lesson learned here. An injury cannot heal itself. I have to go see a doctor. I have to run regularly. I have to! I have to!

A big thanks to Wa as well for accompanying me during my walks. Hehe..

Pain, pain, go away!

I hurt my left knee from the last Mizuno run and I haven't had the time to go see a doctor yet. My work has been keeping me from going to the doctor but I hope to go to one before I run again. It's been over 3 weeks since the Mizuno run and I sometimes still feel pain on my knee.

I'm disappointed that I'll be passing up the TNF 100 (10K) and Robinson's Supermarket 5K buddy run. I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to participate in the Milo Marathon (10K) on Aug 3 but I'm more likely to sit this one out as well. =( But what I'm really excited about is the MH Miracle run (10K) on Aug 17. That one I will not miss! I'll make sure that I will be ready for that run.

By the way, does anyone know of a good Ortho/Rehab doctor? Please recommend!

Rush to Infinity run - the Aftermath

This is Mizuno run Part 2! Like the first Mizuno run, this was another memorable run. Let me tell you why..

1. This was my first 15K run and the weather that day was perfect for running.
2. I woke up late (because I couldn't sleep the night before) but managed to arrive several minutes before the 15K was to start. Good thing they did not start on time, otherwise I would've been late... again!
3. I was flagged down by the Bonifacio Security for beating the red light. In my defense, I was in a hurry because I thought I was already late for the 15K. I apologized to the Security and told him that I was late for the run. He then asked for my license and gave me a lecture about how dangerous it was to do what I did. I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying because I was busy hoping that the run hasn't started. =) Good for me, He let me go with a warning.
4. Water and Rush Fitness water were overflowing this time. There was no shortage at all! Good job! I heard some say that there were few water stations but I think it was just right.
5. I started with a good pace but upon reaching the first 5KM, I started to feel pain on my left knee and left foot. It was the same pain I felt during the MH ATR. I still tried to run but eventually slowed down to a jog. And when the pain became unbearable, I was forced to walk. But even when walking, each step was still painful. I would psyche myself that it was all in the mind and there was really no pain. I kept repeating "no pain, no pain" in my mind. I tried to run again several times and was able to do so for a few minutes but only to end up walking even more. I was so frustrated! I was not tired and I wanted to run but my feet/legs won't let me. =( Add to that the frustration of seeing other runners running passed me.
6. When I crossed the finish line, I tried to look for my finish time and from what I can remember, it was around 1:42:36. But when the official results came out, my time was 2:11:08. Quite a number of runners had that same official time which was odd. If you haven't heard, there's this "technical error" encountered by the race organizers so the finish times were not accurate. Anyway, I'm just happy and thankful that I was able to finish.

Overall, I would say that it was a good run. There are lots of things that could still be improved by the organizers but they still did a good job. It could only get better. The next Mizuno run will be better. =)

I'm still disappointed with myself for taking more walks than running. My feet/legs still hurt but I hope it's nothing serious. A colleague who also ran had a bad knee injury. If I'm not mistaken, I think the doctor told him that he tore his ligament and that he could no longer run until he has surgery. Ouch! I will have my knee checked as well before I participate in another race. I really really hope it's nothing serious. I do not want to give up running.

Men's Health ATR Results are out!

The 2008 Men's Health ATR results are out!

My official time is 1:20:15 for the approximately 12K trail run. I placed 38 in my age group (31-40) and 94 in the Men's ranking. I was the 108th to finish in the overall rankings. Not bad at all considering that I was in pain more than half of the race! Haha..

I am happy with my time. It can only get better next time.. hehe.. Looking forward to the next Men's Health event.. Urbanathlon!!

Rush to Infinity - My 1st 15K Run

I am ready for my first 15-kilometer run. No, I did not prepare for it (typical of me). I'm not being arrogant. I know I need to prepare but I have no excuse. So I hope I can finish the run tomorrow on my target of less than 90 minutes and will not have any injuries or aching muscles afterwards (unlike the back to back runs I had just a few weeks ago wherein my whole body ached and I had to go on a 2-day SL). Bad.. bad..

I just saw the 15K race route and it's the same route as the last Mizuno run. I was hoping it would be a different route since Bayani road is a mess. There are piles of sand & gravel and since it rained today, I'm pretty sure there'll be mud tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm still excited for the run tomorrow. Good news, there's no threat of rain tomorrow even if it rained today according to the GMA flash report. The report said that the rain was caused by the hot weather.

I'm all good.. I have all my stuff ready for tomorrow; singlet, shorts, socks, shoes, ipod, race number. I'm ready to rush to Mizuno infinity run!

Back to Back Runs this Weekend

I have not posted anything for weeks now. Been really really busy with work lately. =( I'm going to blog about my back to back runs this weekend.

We're organizing our 1st ever (hopefully the start of many more to come) team fun run. It's called the Finsys Payment Run. Finsys is our team in HP and Payment Run is something the Treasury folks do in SAP. Haha..

Anyway, it's a pledged run and all proceeds will be going to kythe. The run will be tomorrow (June 14). The runner turnout is not that many but I hope we would be able to generate a good amount of money to give to kythe.

I'm really happy about this run because it is for a good cause. Thanks to Tiano for coming up with this idea.

Then there's the Men's Health All-terrain race on Sunday. This is one of the runs I really look forward to every year because it is a different challenge on the usual road races. It's still going to be held at Timberland Heights and in time for Father's day.

I already have my race kit and I hope I won't be too tired to run.

Pringles Run Results

When I participate in road races, I usually don't know my finish time since I don't have a gadget like Garmin (hint: tet) to track it . So I really depend on the results published by the race organizer which I find on the net.

I have so far participated in four races this year and I only know my finish time for the PSE Bull run and Mizuno Run. So far, no results yet for the On your Mark run. Good thing, the Pringles run already have their unofficial results published.

My time for the Pringles run was 26:38 for 4.83K. Not bad at all. I'm hoping my time improves on the next races I join.

I'm really looking forward to the 3 runs I am participating in June. Our very own Finsys Payment Run (a fun run we're trying to organize within our team), the Men's Health All-terrain race and the Mizuno Infinity run part 2. Happy running and see you all on the road.

April 13: On Your Mark

Tet woke me up at 5AM and I immediately got up. I didn't want to be late again like what happened during the Mizuno run. I took a quick shower, changed and left by 5:35AM. I called Wa and Alvin to inform them that I was on my way to the Fort. I was at the venue by 5:40AM. I went to the registration booth to have our race numbers modified to reflect that we were running the 10K (we initially registered for 5K since the race organizers informed us that the 10K registration was already closed).

The race started on time and we were off by 6AM. I started slow and picked up speed only after the 3K mark. This is probably the first time that I jog/ran the entire 10K, not even stopping or slowing down at the water stations. I brought my own water. After the Mizuno run thing, I wanted to make sure I have my own water. I probably need to buy a hydration belt next time instead of carrying a bottle.

The race course was also different from the normal fort route but it's almost similar to the course during the MH Urbanathlon last year. Anyway, running towards the 4K mark, I saw the baldrunner who was already on his way back. Shortly after, I saw the bullrunner but without her race bib.

When I crossed the finish line, the race clock time was 32:36. It was definitely a wrong time. I couldn't have ran that fast. I'm waiting for the results to come out so that I could check if I improved from my last run. But I am still happy that I didn't need to walk at any point during the run. That's already an improvement for me.

Here are my running buddies Alvin and Wa. This is our second consecutive run. They are participating in the Global run next week but I'll be in Baguio during that time. Too bad! Have a fun run guys!

MH All-Terrain Race 2008

I just got my April copy of Men's Health Philippines and they already have an ad for the 3rd MH All-Terrain Race. It will be on June 15, same venue as last year at Timberland Heights, San Mateo Rizal.

This is one of the races I look forward to every year simply because it's different from other runs which is normally done on road pavements. This one is more challenging because it's on different terrains.

I hope this year men's health gives out singlets instead of T-shirts. Or if they decide to give T-shirts, I hope it's dri-fit type of material similar to the ones given by Mizuno during the Mizuno Run.

Men's Health folks.. I hope you get to read this. hehe..

Meanwhile, there are runs to look forward to in April and May.

Mizuno Run - Most Memorable Run!

This was one of the races I was looking forward to this year and I'm glad that I could say that "I survived the Mizuno Run!". This was not my first 10K run but this was definitely the most memorable. And for a number of reasons:

1. I almost didn't make it to the race. I was down with cough and colds days before the race and was not really feeling well. Worse was, a day before race day, LBM struck! But God was on my side, my tummy was better by nightfall.


2. We were late for the 10K run. Everyone was already gone by the time we arrived. When we left the starting line, it was already being announced that some of the 10K runners were on their way back. According to Alvin and Wa, we left the starting line 32 minutes after.


3. My ipod shuffle died on me. I had just passed the 3K mark when my ipod lost its power. Drained! I panicked for awhile because I use the ipod to keep my mind from counting how many kilometers more I have left before reaching the finish line. So I had to improvise, instead of listening to music, I just had to admire the view and focus on my running.


4. No water in the water stations! I've read alot of complaints about this in other blogs and I would have to agree with them. Running without water is really difficult especially with the summer heat. Good thing, I decided to bring a bottle of Gatorade with me. I don't normally bring any liquids but this time I had to because I knew I was still kinda sick. I don't think I'd finished the race without my Gatorade.


5. The unusual number of cars on the road. I don't mind having cars on the road as long as they (organizers) ensure that the runners are still safe.


6. Saw some famous runners namely the BullRunner, BaldRunner and Sen. Pia Cayetano. Wa and I was able to have our pictures taken with Sen. Pia Cayetano. Thanks Senator Pia!

7. Cheating! I personally witnessed this. I saw one of the guys handing out ropes give a guy and a girl their ropes even before they reach the 10K turnaround point. Honesty please.


8. When I crossed the finish line, I made sure to check my time. My unofficial time was 1:40:25. This is not my normal time. Please see #2.


9. The BullRunner had a link of the results in her blog. My official time was 1:28:57. I have no idea how they came up with this time. But.. good for me. hehe..

10. The Mizuno shirt was really good but it was a little big for me. They only had one size and it was large.


11. Got even more sick after the run and had to take a 2-day sick leave from work. Bad.. bad.. bad..

I'm still happy that I was able to participate in the first Mizuno run. I hope they do better next time. Run 100%

Let's Run!

Running is my new hobby or sport. I try to join as many races as I can these days. I usually get info about races from RACE (race organizers) or from searching the internet (but it's difficult to find a comprehensive list of available races for the entire year). Anyway, this love for running started two years ago (2005) when I joined my first run, the new balance power race. And then I was hooked, although I stopped for a few months when I went on a study trip to China last year. When I got back, that was when I started joining again, mostly 10K runs. I couldn't handle half or full marathons yet because I am not in shape and I still need to train for it.

To date, I have joined five races, namely:
1. New Balance Powerrace (The Fort, May 29, 2005)
2. Runnex (UP, can't remember the date on this one)
3. Men's Health All-terrain Race (Timberland Heights, May 6, 2007)
4. Adidas King of the Road (Quirino Grandstand, July 1, 2007)
5. Milo Marathon - Manila leg (Quirino Grandstand, July 22, 2007)

And I'm looking forward to two upcoming runs this November; New Balance Powerrace in Clark, Pampanga on November 11 and Men's Health Urbanathlon on November 18. Visit these sites for more info on these 2 races (http://www.newbalance.com.ph/nbinaction.html and http://www.menshealth.com.ph/urbanathlon/). I also initially planned to join the Milo Marathon - Baguio leg on November 4 but there were changes in plans and I couldn't go to baguio on that day.

My goal is to be able to run a full marathon, all 42K by next year. My motivation is that I will be running for a cause so that should be enough reason because I know that I will be able to help others while doing the thing that I love.

See you on the road!