Archive for November, 2012

My dearest daddy-o suffered from diabetes until the day he passed away.  This is definitely an event I support.  Drop by if you can to learn a thing or two about preventing and fighting diabetes.

See you at our Bull Circle 3!

TOPIC: A Marathon Ready Body: Strength Conditioning, Balance, and Core
DATE: 21 November 2012, Wednesday
VENUE: Henry Sy Auditorium, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Bonifacio Global City. For map to St. Lukes, click HERE.
TIME: Registration 6:30PM. Talk starts at 7:00PM
SPEAKER: Coach Jim Saret is Phil. Olympic Committee’s Sports Training and Fitness Consultant for all national teams. He is also one of the coaches in the The Biggest Loser Philippines.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

• CLAIMING OF SHIRTS: For TBR Dreamers, you may claim your TBR DM Official Shirts during the event.
• PARKING: Available at Basement 3 and 4 for all visitors of St Lukes.
• SHUTTLE: St Lukes has a free shuttle from market market mall and another shuttle that goes around Makati.

BULL CIRCLES are a series of running talks from October 2012 to February 2013. The talks are free of charge and open to the public. No pre-registration is required.

For any questions, please contact TBR Dream Hotline at 0942.477.6099 or email tbrdream@gmail.com.

Last night, I attended the Condura Skyway Marathon 2013. The Condura Skyway Marathon is months away, February 3, 2013, to be exact, but race organizers, led by running brothers, Ton and Patrick Concepcion, along with Event King and Neville Manaois, and co-presenters and sponsors, Skyway and Asics, look like they’re all set for the race.

– At the press con for Condura Skyway Marathon –

– Condura Skyway Marathon 2013 Website –

I won’t go into all the details because you can find all the info in the Condura Skyway Marathon 2013 Website, but here are  three reasons why I’m looking forward to this race:

1) As always, we can expect race organization to be of international standards. But, more than that, it’s most likely that this race will be even better than the last one. Last year was the first time they staged the event at Filinvest Corporate City.  The wave start system entering the Skyway was experimental (and one that worked with great success!)  Now, we can only expect great improvements from their experience last year.  For instance, this race, organizers decided to have a 3.8k and 6k event, not the usual 3k and 5k events, to reduce congestion observed last year at turnaround points.  My wish for this race is that they provide sports drinks at every station unlike last year.

2) I love the Race Shirt!  It’s dry fit. It has a unique design saying “I Ran for the Mangroves.”  And, it’s by Team Manila!

3) Condura encourages pledges for Hero Foundation, Bikes for the Philippines, Liters of Light, and I Can Serve Foundation.  I’m a big believer in using a run to raise funds for others.  I’ve done it in the past.  It’s done by a lot of athletes all over the world.  More runners in Manila can do it too if race organizers like Condura will make it easier for all of us to donate and do good through running.  Thumbs up, Condura.

4) It’s a PR course.  Well, at least for the 21k.  I’m not too sure about the 42k route because I’ve never run this particular route for the marathon.  I did run the Condura Skyway Marathon 2010 and hit my PR there.  (I haven’t broken it since.)  I think the straight, no traffic, no brainer route of the Skyway just lends itself well to runners who want to zone out and hit the road hard without having to think of twists and turns.  I’m looking forward to running Condura Skyway Marathon 21k!

– with Ton Concepcion and Bernadette of Hero Foundation, a beneficiary of Condura Skyway Marathon 2013 –

– Running bloggers with Condura Skyway Marathon team –

Visit www.conduraskywaymarathon.com/2013 for registration fees, course map, finisher’s shirt design, and other race details.

Registration opens today until December 15 (online) and December 23 (registration center).  I highly suggest you run to the registration center asap because these kits aren’t going to last long.

PRESS RELEASE

CONDURA SKYWAY MARATHON KICKS OFF 2013 WITH MORE REASONS TO RUN

The premier marathon event in the country, the Condura Skyway Marathon, Run for the Mangroves 2013 goes to the starting line on February 3, 2013 in Filinvest City,  Alabang. It will be the curtain-raiser for the new running year of 2013 – perfect timing for those who are serious in getting back to form after the long series of holidays and merry-making and for those who finally would like to get off that couch and find the fun and fulfilment in running.

Organized by Condura Skyway Marathon’s Founder and Chief Organizing Officer, Ton Concepcion and its running ambassador Patrick Concepcion,  the sixth edition of this much-anticipated yearly race event by runners for runners once again is out to prove that it is worthy of its bid to be the premier running event in Asia Pacific.

This year, the race will have the usual 10k, 21k and full 42k marathon categories plus the new 3.8k, 6k which are especially meant for the fun and adventurous runners who are not yet ready to take on the mid to long distance-races.

By the first hour of February 3, 2013, the Condura Skyway Marathon will again make the Skyway as the runners’ playground.  Originating from the Filinvest City in Alabang, runners of all distances will be taken to the Skyway as a major part of their race route – a major attraction that promises runners of an exclusive, traffic-free, clean and well-lit race environment.

Apart from the challenge and fun that this race has in-store for runners, participating in this race will also mean taking part in the Condura Skyway Marathon advocacy of helping with the reforestation of the Mangroves in Zamboanga de Sibugay in partnership with Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation (PTFCF) . Each runner through their registration, will get to donate three mangrove seedlings which will be planted in his/her name. In 2012, the first year that Condura Skyway Marathon adopted the mangroves reforestation project to its cause, a total of 39,000 seedlings have already been planted in Kabasalan Town through runners’ donation.

A very special treat also awaits interested Condura Skyway Marathon 2013 participants!  Get a chance to register for FREE to any race category upon buying a pair of an ASICS running shoes.

Registration to the race is from November 15 to December 23, 2012 at the Asics Registration Center in Greenbelt 3 Ayala Mall in Makati City. Each participant will receive, as part of the registration, an “I RAN FOR THE MANGROVES” quick-dry shirt designed for the event by Team Manila.

Whether a participant is a newbie or a seasoned runner, completing their chosen distance makes them an absolute winner  since each runner will receive a cool Finisher’s Medal whichever distance they have completed! For full marathon finishers, an “I CONQUERED THE SKYWAY” finisher’s shirt exclusively designed by Team Manila will also be given to them.

The Condura Skyway Marathon, Run for the Mangroves 2013 is Co-Title Sponsored by Skyway and presented by sports apparel and shoe sponsor Asics, hydration sponsor 100 Plus and venue sponsor Filinvest City. For more information on the race and its advocacy visit the official website www.conduraskywaymarathon.com or the official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/conduraskywaymarathon

About the Condura Skyway Marathon

The Condura Skyway Marathon is an annual running event open to amateur and professional runners. From its simple beginnings in 2007 as a short-distance Condura Run race event in Metro Manila, the Condura Skyway Marathon has grown to be one of the biggest, premier running event in the country attracting more than ten thousand runners across the country who are interested to have a Skyway running experience.

I attended the Ayala Malls’ Wrapped in Love press conference yesterday as an ambassador of Hero Foundation. In behalf of Hero Foundation, I was asked to share a little bit about Hero Foundation and how we can help orphans of fallen soldiers this Christmas.  It was a pleasure to be with other Hero ambassadors present in the event, namely Piolo Pascual (Papa P.!), Nikki Gil, and 6cyclemind.

– with 6cyclemind, Papa P., and Michelle Chan of Hero –

– with 6cyclemind (Most of them are runners! How cool is that?) –

– Host RJ Ledesma asks the audience to hug Nikki Gil, Piolo, Marc Nelson, or Rovilson Fernandez because, well, ’tis the season! –

– It was such a pleasure to meet Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala, the founder of Hero Foundation. Here he is unveiling his photos for the Ayala Malls campaign: Relate. Create. Serve. –

– The Ayalas and Ayala Malls Management toasts to Christmas at Ayala Malls: Wrapped in Love –

Ayala Malls will be having its Christmas Kindness Sale where some of the Hero ambassadors have donated items that will be sold to the public.  Funds will go to Hero Foundation.  In all Ayala Malls as well, you’ll see donation boxes where you may donate cash to help an orphan.

Now, if you’re a runner, perhaps you would like to pledge a certain amount for every kilometer you run.  We’ve encouraged our TBR Dream Marathon runners to do this on their marathon on February 24, 2013, but you’re more than welcome to help as well!  After all, it’s the season for sharing!  Click HERE to find out how.

I would’ve given anything to run Nike We Run MNL on December 2, 2012, but Unilab Active Health will be flying me to Angkor Wat Half Marathon on the same day.

Here’s the thing: I’ve got a Nike We Run MLA 10k race kit waiting for me AND I wanted to post a little race report, too. So, I came up with the idea to throw a little contest for anyone who would be interested in “running in my shoes” (figuratively speaking so please don’t expect me to hand you some shoes!) and taking my place in the race and reporting about it after here on TBR.  (Hey, if you do a great job at this, I’m thinking you could be my official “Run-porter” for future races.)

If you’re game, here’s how to join my TBR We Run MLA Run in my Shoes contest:

PRIZE

• 1 free race kit for We Run MLA 10k
• Feature on www.thebullrunner.com for We Run Manila 10k Race Report.

MECHANICS

• In 2 to 3 sentences, tell me why I should choose you to “Run in my Shoes” for Nike We Run MLA 10k.
• Post the answer in the comments section below.
• Only 1 entry per person.
• Only applicable to runners within Metro Manila.
• Winning entry will be chosen by TBR. Criteria for winning entry: content, originality, wit, writing style
• Contest ends Thursday, November 15, 2012, 9:00AM
• Winner will be given 1 complimentary race kit to We Run Manila 10k. Winner agrees to personally run the race, take photos, and write a race report for feature on www.thebullrunner.com. Article must be submitted by Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012. Minimum of 300 words.
• Winner will be posted here and will be notified via email.

Good luck and may the best writer/runner win!

AND THE WINNER IS…BARDMAN!  Congrat Bardman for winning 1 Nike We Run MLA kit and the chance to have your race report featured here on TBR!  Looking forward to reading it!  I’ll email you soon.  Thanks to everyone who participated.  I promise to keep you in mind for other “Run-porter” opportunities 🙂