St Peter Run

I know this is a late update (oxymoron-ing much? hehe), but here you go!

St Peter Life Run
October 24, 2010
Tiendesitas, Pasig City
Present: the Ramoses, the Biens, Jeff, Gerald, Roy and friends and my Mercan family

So far, this is the cheapest run we registered for- 50 pesos - with free singlet, sufficient hydration stations, organized route, enough marshals, not to mention the photo booths and many freebies! This is in celebration of St. Peter's(the company) 40th anniversary. They had no sponsors, which means they shouldered all the expenses, the 50 peso registration fee went to ABS-CBN's Bantay Bata.

Some ran in their halloween costumes which I think was fun but not convenient. As for me and Ryan, we used our UP Activate singlets instead of the Life Run singlets since the fabric was a little rough for the skin (especially on the armpits, sino bang gustong magkahadhad? hehe) This is also the only run where they played and sung the national anthem and made everyone recite the Panatang Makabayan. It. is. changed.... hindi na namin alam ni Kaiz ang words... revamped?

After the run, we went straight to Tagaytay City to bring Bash to Paradizoo. We pigged out and realized we ran in vain. Yun lang!

And since I need to go back to working, ill be just pasting photos below and stop writing. Kthnxbye!

[edit] buti nalang hindi kami nag KOTR, we have read the reviews, they're not amusing. 

Starting Line

Dennis,Raj,Jeboy,Rj,Jeff,Kaiz,Me,Hazel,Ry,Gerald,Paul,Nono

Bff and Mercan friends

Mga babae sa tapat ng urinals.. 

 

Running Festival

October 17, 2010
Fort Global City, Taguig
Present: Me, Ryan, Hazel, Gino, She, Ian, Jeff, Roy

Clocked at 0:49:49
Enough hydration
Ok lootbag
Free ice cream!

Photos, here you go!

 

*Everytime I run.. I think about my father -- who was never able to use his left limb since 9. He suffered from polio which caused permanent paralysis to his left leg. I am sad that a lot of people are able to run but do bad things such as harming others, while people like him with only good intentions are unable to even just walk around whenever he pleases. But of course, I am in no position to question PJ for anything, there's always a reason why things happen.

Just so you know, we grew up not being able to stroll around the mall on weekends with a father, he had never seen our classrooms or met our teachers, he had never watched us dance during a school program, we never went to picnics at the park, he never rode the bike with my brothers, he never opened the door whenever somebody comes home... but he still is the best father because he never made it an excuse for not providing for his family... and he remained faithful to all of us, especially to Mama :)

Now that he has his first grandson Basti, it just breaks my heart that as much as he wants to, he is unable to guide him while he walks..

But still I am grateful.. Thank you Lord that I am able to run. Thank you Lord for my Dad. ###

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the gift of friendship, for the good times and for the people who choose to stay.
Thank you Lord for the rainbow after every rain.
Thank you Lord for my family - my husband, my son, my parents and my brothers.
Thank you Lord for the pain which taught me the importance of trying again.
Thank you Lord for the hurtful words, lies and badmouthing, because of these, I have learned how to be strong.
Thank you Lord for my job, my colleagues.
Thank you Lord for having food to eat at the dinner table.
Thank you Lord for my feet, thank you Lord for being able to run.
Thank you Lord for my hands, thank you Lord for being able to write this.
Thank you Lord for my eyes, thank you Lord for being able to count my blessings.

These are the only ones I can put into words now but of course there's a million left I haven't said thank you for.

Thank you Lord for tomorrow. Thank you Lord for my life. Amen.

*On praying: I have always believed that when one prays, it is much more important to thank the Lord for your blessings than asking for more. He knows, He provides.

ONDOY NO MORE

Sabi ko kay Ryan, isusulat ko ang blogpost na ito sa Tagalog, para maexpress ko nang mabuti ang nararamdaman ko, haha. 

Ondoy No More Fun Run
September 25, 2010
Thunderbird Resorts, Binangonan, Rizal
Present: Me, Ryan, Jeff, Roy, Arjay and friend

Maaga palang, nasa site na kami. Ang dilim at ang lamig, parang Tagaytay. 6:30 am pa ang gunstart.. sabi ni manong countdown nalang daw kasi gun ban. Hmm, applicable pala yun. Teka, gusto ko lang iquote si manong with the megaphone for reminding the runners "Listen to your body, kung may hindi magandang nararamdaman, hindi naman nakakahiyang huminto." Dapat siguro nating tandaan ito parati.:)

Ito na ang review proper: Unang sabak palang uphill na, waaaaah! Unang kilometer palang nananakit na ang mga binti ko, nanunuyo na agad ang lalamunan ko. Parang gusto ko nang bumalik sa starting line, naisip ko hindi naman nakakahiyang ma-DNF kaysa mangisay ako sa gitna ng mga kabundukang ito. Hmm pero ang daming tao at hindi ko alam pabalik kaya pnagpatuloy ko na rin. Sobrang steep ng road, 45 degrees ata yun. Hindi niyo naman sinabi, ang daan palang papuntang hell ay pataas!

5k din ang tinakbo ng Mayor ng Binangonan, in fairness nandaya siya, umikot sa hindi dapat  ikutan. Bitter much? haha. 

500 meters before the finish line, napagtripan pa ako ng mga marshalls, pagandahan nalang daw... It's a euphemism for.. Miss, ambagal mo naman. Hmp! Sa wakas, nakarating din ako sa finish line, ng humihinga. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, hindi na ako uulit sa Binangonan, literal na umiyak ako sa finish line.. sumakit ng sobra ang tahi ko. Para sa mga hindi pa nakaka-alam, isang taon palang kasi akong nakakapanganak via cesarean section.Wala ding lootbag o freebies, parusa lang at magandang view ang napala ko. Ok na rin, I charge it to experience.

As usual, pictures! (makikita niyo sa background ng pics ang itsura ng mga dinaanan namin. bundok, as in)

Smell of Success, hahahha

Me and Rai, pakitingin ang bundok sa background, diyan kami galing :)

Kami lang :)

Bruskong brusko. LOL

Husband's Blog

The husband has a blog! Please click on this LINK.
Tnx!!!

HAPPY THOUGHTS

When you are married and you have a kid to go home to everyday, it always feels very fulfilling to watch over them, take care of them, cook for them and just spend the entire night watching NATGEO shows, playing, eating shoestring potatoes, ice cream, chocolates...singing and dancing before you all get tired and finally doze off.. I could do that for a lifetime :)

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ

Justice for Remus This site is dedicated to bring out the facts and circumstances surrounding the unnecessary death of Remus Fuentes, who died from Heat Stroke in the 34th MILO Marathon held in Luneta on July 4, 2010.

FORT STRIDERS RUN

September 12, 2010
Fort Global City, Taguig
Present: Ryan, Me, Nono, Hazel, Sheryl, Ian and cousins, Chilet, Dhang, Kardo and colleagues

@ 430am we were already in Serendra for the Fort Striders Run. As usual, Hazel and I registered for 5k while Nono and Ryan ran 16k. We also tried 'sport beans' instead of energy gel, liked it better because it is not starchy and messy to eat, parang jelly beans lang talaga. Must have!

The 5k route had a 500m discrepancy which made it a little complicated for me to figure out whether I have redeemed myself from the last 5k or not. It didn't really rain water and pocari sweat but hydration stations were sufficient. Ryan said the 16k appeared to be 17.5 on his sensor. Hmm.

My legs began to hurt already at the first km... but still managed to finish the last :) Maybe I needed a little more practice days at the treadmill.

*Was touched to see a Caucasian couple who ran with their adopted Pinoy child (with down syndrome) on a stroller. There was a tarpaulin hooked on his stroller that read "Team Logan.. Kaya mo yan with Christ!" Ryan said they also run during the 34th MILO. It was hard to believe that such kind of love existed between people who are not even blood related. It made me pray for those kids who have real parents but are not able to feel they are cared for. These are the kind of people we should look up to. Really...

On a lighter note.. Lootbags contained a granola bar, a banana and vitamins! OK compared to a lootbag of flyers, lol. Free taho for everyone, but there was no free massage. Sayang, we were looking forward to it. Results already came out today @ takbo.ph. See pictures below.. til next run!

BASTI WILL RUN

Usually, Ryan and I would come home seeing our one-year old son waiting for us at the door -- smiling, waving his hand and very much excited to get a good morning hug. But a few months from now, I am proud to say that things are going to be a little different.
 
Can't wait to have my baby registered at the Run United in November! Basti will run/walk 500 meters with me and Ryan, while we will also run our chosen distance on a separate day... I have never really stopped being this excited since he learned how to walk on his own!

Can't wait till he gets his own pair of running shoes, singlet and race bib. Love love you Basti, you make mom and dad crazy happy :)

ACTIVATE! RUN AND PUMP IT UP.

Activate Run and Pump it Up by the UP Engineering Radio Guild aims to help striving coffee farmers in Batangas have a solar-powered water pumping system. 

Nothing beats running at the UP Diliman grounds, 6:00 am is never too late for a gunstart. Didnt get a PR.. nontheless I had fun.
Got lost on the way to Palma hall, courtesy of Mr. Driver Ryan Ramos.

Sa mga hindi naka-tanggap ng lootbags, relax, wag sasama ang loob, wala namang laman, isang Enervon lang. hihi.

First ever run without a Kenyan, because, accdg to organizers, the cash prize wasn't attractive enough - you know it, they run for a living.

Had my photo taken with UP's Zorro. I tried extra hard not to get angry after he kissed me on the cheek. Lol.

Pictures? Here you go! :)

MILES FOR SMILES

Aug 22, 2010

Fort Global City, Taguig

Present: Me, Ryan, Richard, Jeff

Official Photographer: Dhang

"What is a child's face without a smile?"
There is nothing more sublime than seeing a child's smile or hearing a child's shrieking laughter.
Unfortunately, one in every 500 Filipino children will have a cleft lip or palate. These children without their smiles will have difficulty feeding, will have respiratory and ear infections. They will have crooked teeth, small or distorted jaws, depressed and deviated noses. They will eventually speak with air escaping through their noses. Later in life, they will be subject to ridicule and may develop social disabilities. The process of change from childhood to adulthood needs to be supported by treatment that will provide the fullest possible function for the child to live, laugh and smile. 


MY 4TH RUN:
We ran for smiles! Proceeds of the run equals 20 surgeries equals 20 smiles. I'm happy I have improved by another 2 minutes. Thank you migraine, you learned how to cooperate. Kulang lang sa water! But I'll have to forego the shortcoming since the cause was very noble. 


[EDIT] Photos uploaded! 

NUTRIBAR RUN: HIP 2 B FIT

July 11, 2010

UP Diliman, Quezon City
Present: Me, Ryan, Jeff, Gerald
Also present: Joanarc (organizer)

Super overdue! I'm just going to share a few shots from my 1st official (naks, umoofficial?) run. And just so you know, I was half-dead after the 5th kilometer, haha. Good thing it was raining granola bars and Pocari sweat. =)



After this run, I had to say goodbye to my Nike cross-trainer and say hello to my new pair of Adidas running shoes! Thanks mahal!

RUN 2 READ

August 15, 2010 Saturday

Fort Bonifacio Global City
Present: Ryan, Me, Gino, Hazel

"Reading is the primary means for learning, yet there are children who have little or no access to books that will feed their mind towards a bright future." 

 

 

When we joined this fun run, more kids may afford the luxury of knowledge and more libraries will be restored. 688 public libraries are not enough - not to mention these are under-funded and in bad physical condition.  


Officially, this is my third run and I improved by a few minutes. Lol.


Oh well, despite my sore arms and legs, it still feels good to be able to say...I ran for a cause! :)

Twenty Nine

Nasa kalendaryo pa, Happy Birthday Mahal! I love you!

WORK ETHICS 101

1. You are respected not only for the things you do, but also for the things that you do not do. 

(So stop being a bitch!)

2. Never let anybody tell you how much you are worth.

3. Be assertive, not aggressive.

4. The most difficult job in the universe? Handling a person on a power trip. 

RUN 4 REM

My husband joined his first run April this year, and since then he had been convincing me to register and get myself a slot in one of those marathons. I have always said no to each and every one of his invitations because I knew that there was never a place for running in my heart. I used to think it was only for the figure conscious and the true enthusiasts of running, because it is the sport of their choice. I used to think that I can never find time for an early Sunday run. 

Then he would woo me asking if I’d want a new pair of rubber shoes, running shorts and those running gadgets that you place on your wrist, on your shoe, around your arm, etc.  I was craaazy against it. I was so not going to run.  Until he was able to change my mind. 

Last Sunday’s Rexona Run was my second… the first one’s Nutribar Hip2bFit at the UP campus. I liked the fact that there are free singlets everytime. Haha. More so, I also learned to enjoy the feeling of being at the finish line, whether I was fast or slow on the track. But on top of all these things that I have gradually learned to instill in myself, I have already decided that I will only run if it were for a good cause. 

Good cause? Yes, there is such thing; like raising funds to restore children’s libraries or helping sick children get proper medication or creating public awareness – like the death of a man who only wanted to run to become able-bodied and live longer for his children. 

Run 4 Rem – as written on the black bands on our heads was our shout during the RexonaRun last August 1, 2010. 

Remus Fuentes collapsed during his 21k run at the 34th Milo Marathon, a kilometer before the finish line. Two days after, he passed away due to multiple organ failure as a result of heatstroke. And Milo never felt responsible-- that a runner died because there was no water left to drink and because there were no paramedics. 

Milo never felt sorry that a father had to grieve over the loss of his son; that two children had to lose a father; and that a woman had to raise her son and daughter on her own. 

Our plead: LET JUSTICE BE SERVED. 

BASTI IS ONE: A PEEK INTO HIS PARTY

To everyone who made it special, thank you very much! :)