Kenny’s Urbanite Run

Kenny’s Urbanite Open Run

Overall Rating (10 highest): 8
Organizer: Finish Line

THUMBS UP:

• Unique night race
• Party atmosphere
• Disposable timing chip
• Well-organized race event
• Adequate drinking stations with ample supply of Powerade and water
• Presence of marshals all throughout the route
• Bag of goodies after the race

BETTER JOB NEXT TIME

• Disorganized race packet redemption

The concept of a major race event held under the night sky with a party atmosphere was a novel idea. With over 3,900 avid runners filling the streets of Bonifacio High Street, it was evident that the event was a success. The race itself was very well-organized with marshals guiding runners through the dark streets, ample water stations, and secure roads for runners to run safely. It was the pre-race events, specifically the redemption period, that needs improvement. Congratulations to Kenny Rogers and Finishline for a race to remember!

————————————————–

KENNY URBAN MORNING

I’m a morning runner. So, when the Kenny’s Urbanite Run was announced, I wasn’t too keen on running 15k starting at 9:00p.m. My training program required 21k that Saturday, so plan was to run 15k Saturday morning, 5k during Kenny’s, plus 1k after the race.

Hubby and I lazily woke up at 5:30 a.m. Saturday forcing ourselves to get dressed for our run. We were to meet JunC in Makati. Shortly after we got up, the rain started to pour. Instantly, we used it as our excuse to creep back into bed again.

By 8 a.m., I started to feel pangs of guilt. How could I give up on a run so easily earlier that morning? Rain is never an excuse! One should fulfill the requirements of a training program to the letter, except for the following reasons: 1) sick children, 2) burning house, or 3) earthquake.

In 30 minutes, I was in my trisuit ready to drive off to the nearest olympic-sized pool. In between bites of his sinangag and crispy pusit, hubby called on me to wait for him as he wanted to swim too.

Driven by pure remorse, I swam the farthest distance ever for me: 1.5k. I felt awesome—and psyched. I told hubby I was going to run before the Kenny race too.

PRE-RACE URBAN RUN

Fast forward to that evening, by 6:30 p.m., we were at Bonifacio High Street ready for our pre-race run. Roads were heavily congested and parking lots filled to the brim as runners and shoppers converged in the area. One could spot runners everywhere—walking about, carbo-loading at restaurants (which was a bad idea before a race), or shopping for last minute race necessities—wearing their Kenny’s Urbanite singlets. I thought to myself: How far running has come! For a race to create this much noise (and traffic!), unlike the smaller races of the past, was an amazing sight. It was surreal!

We met JunC and Mariel at Runnr and proceeded to head out of Bonifacio High Street. We ran at an easy pace in one straight line to avoid any untoward incidents with oncoming cars. We ran towards Forbes Town, around the condominiums, crossed over to Medical City and Lexus showroom, and headed back to BHS. Mariel and hubby stopped earlier, while Jun and I ran two more loops to cover exactly 10k.

The run was truly an urban run as we weaved through the traffic in the night. It was a different experience from my serene and relaxing morning runs through quiet roads, but just as enjoyable.

THE RACE

– Francis, Pia, Jamike, Rapa, Jay, myself, Mariel, Mayi and Didi (photo courtesy of Enrique Quiason) -

30 minutes before race start, after downing a bottle of Gatorade, I met fellow iamNinoy runners near our booth, while the hubby met his colleagues from work. I walked over to the assembly area with the Lopas: Jamike and Mayi, Rapa, Didi and their daughter, Pia, and The Solemates Jun and Mariel. The crowd was enthusiastic, cheery, and loud. For a while there, I wondered if I was at a race or a concert!

The gun started and we were off. We ran at a slow, relaxed pace amidst all the other runners finding their spot on the road. For the first few kilometers, I ran alongside Jamike and Pia at an easy pace. No matter the other runners who were sprinting ahead. I told myself this was an extension of my 10k run.

A few minutes later, as we climbed up towards Lawton, I was getting itchy feet (figuratively speaking!) Jun was running beside me and I told him “How tempting to run faster!” not really as a statement but a subtle invitation for us to speed up. He replied “Easy lang!” Unfortunately, it fell on deaf ears. Upon entering McKinley Hill, I spotted iamNinoy members, Javy and Drew, who sped ahead. To hell with it, I thought. I increased my speed at McKinley Hill and so did JunC (hah!)

I didn’t get to check my pace anymore. I felt like we were running at 5:30 to 5:45 from McKinley until the end. Jun was way ahead of me and I honestly couldn’t keep up. The 10k before the race definitely sucked all my energy. Plus, I left all my Hammer gels in the car.

I finished the race at 31 minutes (unofficial). I didn’t bother to check my race or time as I wasn’t in full race mode. I was surprised to see my brother, Chappy, and his girlfriend, Budiday, (not their real names but my terms of endearment) and daughter, Zoe, near the finish. This was an obvious sign that the two will be jumping into the running bandwagon soon. Yahoo!

After chatting with running friends, hubby and I left race grounds and missed the post-race festivities. We had a late dinner at Friday’s, which ruined our running high with the most terrible service ever. I knew we should’ve just stayed at Kenny’s and enjoyed viewing Marc Nelson from afar. (Pathetic eh?)

I wasn’t able to check on my messenger anymore who distributed hundreds of The Bull Runner Magazines to runners at the Finish Line for free. I hope you were able to get a copy!

– The Bull Runner Magazine Issue 2 -

As for the missing 6k to reach the 21k in my training program, ack, I failed to run that. I’ve been trying to brush away the guilt, but it still gnawing at me. You think confession at Church will do? Or an extra 6k tonight to make up for my sins? Perhaps I’ll try both.

* Sorry for just one photo. Left the camera in the car as I was in long run mode!

Posted on 08.17.09 to 03 Race Announcements. Tags: Kenny, race. Subscribe to follow comments on this post. 17 comments. Add your thoughts or trackback from your own site.

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17 Responses to “Kenny’s Urbanite Run”

I guess I was the first to comment in the troubles with the race kits, negative person that I am.

Let me also be one of the first to congratulate on the race day event.
Despite my frustration with the race kits I (of course) didn’t chicken out as first intended, and glad I didn’t.

The night was well organized, the track was nicely set up, water was available plenty,… I had a great running experience!

However: tough race!
Up-down-up-down, a hot night, no oxygen in Manila, … Sure no records were broken by this runner! Didn’t manage to get in within the hour… this European white boy has more tropics experience to gain.

But we sure cannot blame the organizers, they did a great job, and I am sure they learned from the registration hassles.
More power, and see you next time!

chickenrunner said on Aug 17 09 at 11:45 AM Reply
’twas great to finally meet you miss jamie!

i am a morning runner too, and the 15K route was really difficult. bayani road and heritage park was too dark. the mckinley hills part was really challenging. and the fact that, compared to my usual morning runs, a big chunk of energy gained during sleep was consumed earlier.

lessons learned. more power to TBR and pinoy running community!

iandmac said on Aug 17 09 at 12:12 PM Reply
hi! so true what you said – running has indeed come a long way…the crowd is younger, livelier more competitive and the races itself are organized with more class and sophistication…a long way from the races we used to join back in 07…hey, btw, will go for my second duathlon on Sept.20…i enjoyed it more than my tri experience…buy a bike na!

MARY715 said on Aug 17 09 at 12:13 PM Reply
- duathlon on sept.20?
  does the event have a website? it’s not in takbo.ph.
  
  justin irigo said on Aug 18 09 at 12:19 AM Reply
  - hi, it’s the 3rd leg of the Powerade duathlon series held at Macapagal Ave. Look it up at triathlon.org.
    
    MARY715 said on Aug 19 09 at 4:47 PM
i had a good run too jaymie. hay! it was fun altho i missed having to chika longer with you and totally missed seeing all our other friends who like you decided to run 5k (huhu, 10k ako). tsuk!

vimz said on Aug 17 09 at 2:35 PM Reply
…same here, i’m a morning runner talaga (heck, i;m a morning person! :p

the humidity was stifling! and it was dark pa rin!

(i almost fainted after climbing that steep hill in McKinley!)

add to that *mosquitoes* were a-plenty!

but the party atmosphere was great!!! and the food was good and the freebies were worth it and i like the certificate

next year I will go and take loads of photo’s!

notsquare said on Aug 17 09 at 3:10 PM Reply
The Kenny Urbanite Run kept me going and going and going….(sounds like the energizer ad huh)

The event last saturday was amazing! Like you, i was in awe looking around the crowd, the parking was terrible. we came all the way from the south and leaving around 530 was a huge mistake. we parked and changed in the car – thats what running can do! creative! crazee night! my plan was to have my hubby’s jersey at the Kenny Booth from S to XL size, that’s what got the night we claimed our race packets, i agree to take S coz atleast we have something and have it changed nalang on the race day. fortunately…no more XL. now what.

Good thing I ordered a singlet from Que of Takbo, but still hubby was pissed and wanted to argue to the KENNY staff told him not worth it. not now. maybe later. i smiled to the girl who attended to us and moved on.

in a nutshell, we made it, hubby did his 5k and i was so proud of him coz that was his first time too. those morning runs and latenight runs paid-off. Running keeps us grounded. Saying our personal prayer together before i went to my assembly for the 15k was touching for me.
this part reminded me the SONG OF RUTH. The feeling of uncertainty crept in. i was nervous! will i make it? this is my first time to try a 15k run! I just want to see my endurance level. Two things consoled me. first, i took an energy drink to keep me awake coz was already sleepy around 630pm! second, i biked that morning around the tracks of Filinvest City. Call it my cross-training eh’. and i made it. i dont even want to believe it when someone behind me was saying “we are near the finish line” as he was sprinting all the way, told myself “tell that to the marines” – i gave my all for the last 10 seconds before the line. Thank God. as i kept a small wooden rosary in my pocket and reciting hail maries(in my mind) esp in times of desperation, then here comes Gilbert Remulla – i almost shouted HOLY MARY out loud! few chats n a his perfect smile was like a power gel when im about to bonk. oh Lord thank you.

btw, we love your FREE Running Mag – hubby handed it to me during our latenight dinner at KFC(hahahah! not Kenny) and i was surprised to see you as the EDITOR – i was like no way! I joined TBR and iamninoy run for Tita Cory in AAV that wednesday morning! you looked pretty and accomodating and i never thought that it was you – the bull runner. amazing!!! what a humility.i admire your commitment to this ms jaymie!

will this qualify me for a pair of NIKE Running shoes? or the Nike+ SPORTSBAND 2.0?
hahahahha!

nao said on Aug 17 09 at 3:43 PM Reply
Where is the website for the results?

Angelo Cabrera said on Aug 17 09 at 4:37 PM Reply
- it’s here: http://www.runpix.info/mnb09/ge.php
  
  iandmac said on Aug 18 09 at 2:30 PM Reply
Thank you for being proactive in distributing the magazine! I was happy to receive a copy after the run as I have been searching for a copy since you published its availibility. I find your blog and the magazine very informative, ESP. for a newbie like me. Keep up the good work!

Blog Reader said on Aug 17 09 at 10:26 PM Reply
just wanted to add to the negative feedback regarding my experience with the race kits (finish line people, listen up)

i arrived 730pm friday night to pick up my race kit. i gave my claim stub to one of the guys there and he told me to wait. while waiting, i heard one of the people there complaining that the day before, his race kit didn’t have the timing chip and that day, his kit had the wrong singlet size. he was told to just go back on race day to have the singlet size changed to the correct one. he was assured he’d have his correct singlet then.

while still waiting for my race kit, a new girl arrives, asking if she can have her singlet size M changed to an S because that’s what she put in her registration form. like the previous guy, she was also asked to come back the next day.

while still waiting (8pm-ish already) another girl approaches, asking for a singlet size S because she had a size M in her kit, despite putting size S in her registration form.

around 15 more minutes later, the guy i gave my claim stub to told me they ran out of envelopes and asked if it’s okay if they could just give me the timing chip, singlet, bracelets, and bib number without the envelope. i knew it was pointless to argue with him so i didn’t bother to complain. he was very apologetic anyway, so i thought i’d spare him the additional stress and leave the scolding to the 20 other irate customers there.

5 minutes later, a woman who was 20 feet away from me was having problems like the first guy. unlike the first guy though, she raised her voice loud enough for all of those who were there to hear her complaints. she demanded a full refund.

a few more minutes later, i was given the contents of my race kit; singlet sized XXL (i put L in my registration form). again, i didn’t bother complaining and asked what the earliest time i could go back there the next day to have it replaced. i was told, 10am. i was able to leave around 830.

come race day, i arrived at 9:40am at the race kits claiming area. i asked if i could have my singlet changed to size L. i was told they didn’t have the singlets yet, and that they’ll arrive at 10am. i was almost sure that by 10am no new singlets would arrive so i decided to wait. at 10:05am i returned, asked the same guy for the same singlet size. knowing that he couldn’t use his 10am-line anymore, he started looking for a race kit with a size L singlet in it. when he found one, he took the size L singlet, gave it to me, and put the XXL singlet in the race kit. no wonder.

this turned out to be quite lengthy. sorry about that.

anyway, on a positive note, the water stations were a lot better compared to the globe run for home. and the race itself was pretty much just as organized so kudos to finish line for that.

justin irigo said on Aug 18 09 at 12:06 AM Reply
Thanks for the TBR magazine.

noel said on Aug 18 09 at 1:35 AM Reply
Hi Jaymie, I was wondering if you could have the TBR magazine available on your site to download? I’ve been searching for the latest issue but have yet to find it.

Carlo said on Aug 18 09 at 10:59 AM Reply
jaymie, where can i get a copy of the TBR magazine?

jon said on Aug 18 09 at 1:32 PM Reply
TBR, Don’t be too hard on yourself, you’re doing great. More Power! btw, where can we get a copy of your magazine?

JC said on Aug 18 09 at 2:36 PM Reply
so thats why… i thought i had a good run pacing TBR all the way down McKinley Hill, she had a 10km head start pala. pero she accelerated after McKinley Hill.

Jawee said on Aug 20 09 at 2:08 PM Reply