- Back from Hong Kong Marathon
Good morning! I’m back in Manila and I’m glad to report that I survived Hong Kong: the hills, tunnel, and bridges of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2010, the technical and comprehensive 2-day New Balance Asia Pacific Tech Summit…as well as the amusement park and shopping marathon with the kids. It was a completely exhausting but immensely satisfying and fun-filled experience that I’m excited to post about. Thing is, clients await and I must finish my work to pay for the expenses of the trip!
So, while I find time to write my full race report, I shall leave you with three videos I took during the marathon. Oh yes, I carried my cam with me (told you it wasn’t race mode for me!) and I took more than a handful of videos during the race:
RACE START
The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon started at Nathan Road at 7:15 a.m. I stood at the start with Dra. Lora and her husband and Jinoe.
RUNNING TOWARDS TING KAU BRIDGE
Here’s one good way to injure yourself during a marathon. Get too excited over the bridge up ahead and you don’t watch where you’re going…FINISHED!
I finished my 2nd marathon this February (and the 4th in 5 months) with an unofficial time of 4 hours 54 minutes, a time I was happy with considering how unprepared I was and how awfully difficult the course was; it was the exact time of my first unofficial marathon at QC International Marathon.Here I was all alone after the marathon, resting my dead tired legs before heading over to the New Balance VIP tent…
To follow:
- Full race report on Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon
- New Balance Tech Summit
- Hello From Hong Kong!
I was so busy chasing after work deadlines and packing for the entire family that I failed to bid you goodbye last night. I am now in Hong Kong thanks to the wonderful people of Planet Sports, especially Anton Gonzales and Bing Buenaventura, who sponsored my trip and registration for the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon tomorrow.
I wish I could sit down and chat with you more, but, after a long day at Disneyland with the kids…
– Forget rest for now. Disneyland beckoned. Tomorrow we attack Ocean Park (after the marathon, that is!) -Plus the fun-filled New Balance Regional Running Event held this evening…
– with Team Fatbird of Singapore and Jinoe of takbo.ph -…I am pooped. It’s a terrible way to spend the eve of my marathon, but, at least, I have a good excuse already if I bonk…heehee. Don’t worry, I promise to share all the details after the marathon.
Please say a prayer for me tonight. That I don’t get fished out of the marathon tomorrow with a net and thrown into a bus if I don’t make the cut off at each point. That my ITB doesn’t get cranky the way it did at Km40 in Condura. That I don’t die of thirst as I didn’t bring my hydration belt only to find out that hydration stations are only at every 5km (panic I tell you!) And, last but not the least, that I stop worrying aready, get some sleep despite the anxiety, and enjoy my 4th marathon experience!
Good night, Manila!
– Gear is all set. But is the body ready? -
- One Fateful Night at Runnr
I was at Runnr last night…and so was he. (he…he…he…)
I yearned to meet him, to look into his brown eyes just to say “Hello, would you stop staring at those shoes and give me even a few seconds of your time?” (time…time…time…)
But, shyness overcame me. (me…me…me)
Then Raymund called him. And, we exchanged a few romantic words about compression tights and knee injuries. (ries…ries…ries)
And that was the end of our brief encounter. I know we shall meet again. If not in this running store in this lifetime, then in the next. We shall meet again. (gain…gain…gain)
- TBR with Jericho Rosales hence the echo (cho…cho…cho…) above. Gosh, I look like I’m not breathing. And there’s that awkward distance between us -
- Now that’s much better. Too bad I couldn’t photoshop his arm unto my shoulders too. Hay, so close, yet so far -
- Running is Not my Life
Believe it or not, there was a time in my life when the R word was not mentioned at all at home or with friends. The only time we used it was when mommy would RUN errands, or we RAN out of fresh milk, or I wanted to RUN away from nasty clients.
If you gave me P10 for every time I said the R word last month though, I would probably be able to get myself new running shoes. RUNNING rolls out of my tongue every hour of the day. If I am not thinking about it, then I am doing it. It’s taken over my shoe cabinet, closet, pantry, refrigerator, calendar, inbox, social life, marriage, and family life.
I bumped into an old friend yesterday and, even if I had not seen her in years, the first thing she says is: “Hi Marathon Mom!” Blame that on facebook. Even my co-parents at school just ask me about running all the time: “How do I start?” or “Where are the clinics?” And, pretty soon, I’ll forget what my real name is and use “TBR” instead.
Running is definitely a big part of my life. It keeps me fit and healthy. It gives me a goal to work for. It provides me with my daily dose of sanity and peace amid all the to-do lists, meetings, and errands to run.
But, is it my life? I would be happy to report that it’s NOT. I can skip a run in a heartbeat if the kids had homework. I can miss a race for a family event. I have a happy family, work, other passions, non-running friends, and a life outside of running that make me feel complete.
Perhaps the best gift that running has blessed me with is this: It serves as a constant reminder for me to live up to my fullest potential, to become a better person. That if I just commit to do some good in running—whether it’s to run four times this week, lace up even when I’m tired, or help a newbie runner run her first 5km—then that positive move inevitably and naturally flows into other areas of my life. That if I push myself to run that last kilometer no matter how stiff my legs are, I am actually doing myself some good by overcoming my weaknesses and achieving the impossible.
If it happens that I find myself getting cranky because I missed a new PR or angry because of a flawed race, or I note that I may be getting over competitive, then I take a deep breath, go out for a good slow run, and remind myself about the beauty of running.
I run to live. And it’s never the other way around.
- Century Tuna Superbods Run 2010
TBR RACE REVIEW: Century Tuna Superbods Run 2010
ORGANIZER: Run Rio
RATING:
LEGEND:
5 TBR medals – Excellent | 4 TBR Medals – Very Good | 3 TBR Medals – Average |
2 TBR Medals – Poor| 1 TBR Medal – TerribleTHUMBS UP:
- gigantic event with 11,000 plus runners
- timing chip
- spectacular set-up: wide open spaces for post-race event, supermarket, go-see, freebies, program, etc
- plenty directional signs along the route
- marshals lined the route
- abundant water and Gatorade in long tables (given out by Brazilian models!)
- organized parking and assembly area
- LCD screens for the start/finish
- display of finisher’s name on LCD screen upon finish
- challenging 10k route
- convenient and easy registration and race packet redemption
- immediate release of results (Click HERE for results)
- Run pix and Photovendo
BETTER JOB NEXT TIME:
- early start of 10k
- cars along the route (runners were literally running through traffic)
- dark areas despite floodlights
- many runners lost their way despite marshals directions and directional signs (or some due to wrong directions of marshals)
SPECTACULAR. GRAND. UNBELIEVABLE. All the superlatives were rolling out of my tongue as I viewed the gargantuan stage set-up, LCD screens in the starting line, and all 11,000 plus runners sprawled across the expanse of road across Bonifacio High Street. This was definitely the biggest, most high-tech, and world-class race I had the pleasure of joining.
Early on, due to the magnitude of the event, I quite frankly expected the worst. I expected traffic, chaos, crowds, and a runner’s worst nightmare: a whole lot of pushing and shoving during the race leading to the slowest performance ever. Yes, there were reports of misdirected runners, close-call road accidents, or advanced gun start of the 10k, that some runners complained about. But, fortunately for me, mine was a near-perfect experience.
This was THE race to be in. This was the kind of race that brought surprises, made my heart race with excitement, and gave me a thrill over the entire running experience. As I stood there amid the organized chaos after the race, I thought: How far running has come in the Philippines…and I can’t wait for even more surprises!
Bravo to Century Tuna and Run Rio for staging, for me, was one of the best race events of the year!
– So many runners at the finish line. Amazing! -
– Huge fair after the race. Raymund, Vimz and I were like highschool kids in a school fair -————————————–
LIMBO LAND
What do you do 2 weeks after Condura marathon and one week before HK marathon? Can one race in a training shoe (New Balance 1225) that’s just being broken in? I had no clue. I just knew I registered for 10km for Century Superbods run and I was in the mood to race.
I stood at the assembly area with Atty. Raymund (Everybody Loves Raymund) and his friend, Jolon and waited only a few seconds before the race started. Here’s the funniest short clip about our foolish mistake! You have to see it…Click HERE.
FAST…TOO FAST!
We sped off into the dark along with all the other 10k runners. It’s been so long since I joined a 10k event that I completely forgot about warming up (something I do during 21k runs). We were running at sub-5 min/km pace and my legs felt stiff and heavy. Argh. We were running way too fast.
A couple of kilometers after, I reminded Raymund that we should slow down. We kept a steady pace at 5:30 min/km instead. Still, the pace kept me challenged all throughout the run. I realized how the past week’s workload and late nights had taken a toll on my body.
LONG UPHILL
There it was again. That long uphill near I.S. that tormented me during the last 2kms of Condura Marathon. The same one I’ve run over and over again during training runs. I mustered up my strength and pretended I had fresh legs and went at it. For a while, I zoned out again and kept a strong pace climbing up. Before I knew it, the hill was gone and the roads were flat again.
FUN FINISH
That 10k was fun and fast. It’s been so long since I raced that way; I didn’t know how much I missed it! According to my Garmin, my time was 53:54 for 10.14km. Average pace: 5:18 min/km.
Official time was 54:11. And, for another surprise to end a wonderful run, I placed 12th overall for females out of 628 runners. Woohooo!
Cick HERE for results.
– with pace buddy Atty Raymund (Everybody Loves Raymund) -
– In a sea of 11t runners, we managed to bump into the fastest of ‘em all: Eduardo Buenavista with Raymund, Vimz (The Kulit Runner), and myself -
– Poor hubby didn’t reg for the race thinking he’d be camping out with Lil Bull Runner. Plans changed and the sched freed up but it was too late. Hubby ran around BHS instead during the race -
– with Raymund, Vimz (The Kulit Runner), and Edward -
– with Renze of Newton, his friend, and Raymund -
– The day wouldn’t have been complete without a photo with the giant Century Tuna can! -* Thanks to Vima (Kulit Runner) for some of the photos.
- How To Wear Your Timing Chip
With the advent of more high-tech races, more and more races have the TIMING CHIP to give you accurate results for your performance during the race. The organizers provide you with the timing chip, usually a white, circular chip that you must securely attach to your laces. Most runners still don’t know how to do this properly. Here’s a video I made to show you how to tie your timing chip into your shoe…(next time i”ll learn how to put background music!)
* This is the first of many more videos to come on basic how-to’s or tips on all things running. Any other thing you’d like to learn?
- Bull Circle 1: The Marathon Dream
It was the first Bull Circle session, a series of talks leading up to The Bull Runner Dream Marathon, last Wednesday, Feb. 17 at R.O.X. in Bonifacio High Street. Over 160 runners (wow!) showed up to listen to speakers Neville Manaois, Susan Lafferty, Anton Diaz and myself talk about THE MARATHON DREAM, our own marathon experiences that we hoped would inspire and motivate everyone to go for their own marathon goals.
Click HERE to read Anton’s Marathon Story.
NEXT:
- BULL SESSION (RUN CLINIC): Saturday, 6 March 2010, 6 AM, 80 min. slow and easy run. Guest: Coach Rio de la Cruz to briefly discuss basic running form and technique before we run. Paced by Team Secondwind. Meet at R.O.X., Bonifacio High Street. Open to everyone who wants to run, talk about running, and make new running friends!
- BULL CIRCLE (TALK): Wednesday, 10 March 2010, 7 PM, R.O.X. “Getting the Body Marathon Ready” by Coach Jim Saret, Phil. Olympic Committee’s Sports Training and Fitness Consultant for all national teams. Coverage: injury prevention, neuromuscular stabilization, strength and conditioning for runners.
* Bull Circles (talks) and Bull Sessions (run clinics) are free of charge and open to the public. Full schedule will be posted here next week.
– Susan Lafferty, Kim O’Connell, Neville Manaois, myself, Anton Diaz -
– The real stars of the show: the future marathoners -
– The view from above -
– All lined up -
– Neville talks about the marathon and why runners are so enamored with it -
- Susan once a sedentary housewife has run the grueling Comrades Marathon twice -
– Anton shares his first marathon story followed by Q&A-
– TBR Dream Team, the team behind TBR Dream Marathon: Edward Kho (course director), myself, Atty. Raymund Martelino (legal and special concerns), Neville Manaois (technical consultant). Not in photo: Coach Jim Lafferty (race director and coach) and Creative Juice (logistics and production) -* Photos courtesy of Raymund Martelino (The Rain Man)
- Squeezing in a Run
No time to spare today. I’ve got design projects, a magazine, a marathon, and a talk tonight to work on. I’ve gone on less than 5 hours of sleep for the past week or so. My face has broken out with acne and my kids refuse to kiss me because they think it’s contagious (perhaps this is the worst part of it all!) I feel like a teenager again but with a lot less energy. I’m cranky, tired, and stressed. Aaack!
The solution? a 5-km run this morning.
When do I do it? Drop off the kids at school. Run to the gym from school. Shower at the gym. Head to Starbucks to work.
That should be enough to put a smile on my pimple-infested face for the rest of the day. Don’t you just love how running can easily fit into our busy scheds?
See you tonight for our BULL CIRCLE talk at R.O.X., 7pm. Click HERE for details.
- TBR Dream Marathon: 100 More Slots!
GOOD NEWS! We have reached our quota for 200 FIRST-TIME MARATHONERS participating in TBR Dream Marathon.
BETTER NEWS! Due to high demand and overwhelming interest in TBR Dream Marathon even from non-first timers, we have decided to open up 100 more slots to give more runners a chance to share in the celebration. Who can join?
- First-time marathoners, or…
- Second-time marathoners (Yes, you read it right!)
Registration on-going at Nike Park Bonifacio High Street NOW! No need to reserve via email. Head straight to Nike to register.
RACE FEE: P950
WHERE: Nike Park, Bonifacio High Street
TIME: Mon-Thu 11am to 11pm, Fri-Sun 12nn to 12midnight
LOOK FOR: Raymond or Julius (running specialists)- After payment, you are already a CONFIRMED PARTICIPANT unless you fail to pass the qualifications stated in our rules and regulations anytime prior to race day.
- Please bring a 2×2 Photo for the registration form. You may submit this later on if you wish. (This is for our Souvenir Program/Yearbook after the race!)
- As a CONFIRMED PARTICIPANT, you will receive the following perks:
- 15% discount at Nike Park, Bonifacio High Street from now until May 22, 2010.
- automatic inclusion in our e-group. This will be our primary means of communicating with you, so please check email regularly
- Priority seating for BULL CIRCLE: talks from running experts from now until race day. Our tentative date for our 1st talk will be February 17, 2010, Wednesday at ROX. Topic: The Marathon Dream. This is free and open to the public.
- TNF Thrill of the Trail at Nuvali
Hubby and I spent our Valentine’s Day morning, just like thousands of other runners, at The North Face Thrill of the Trail at Nuvali.
– Start for the couples run -This was an 11k and 22k trail run which I desperately wanted to join, but I didn’t because of three words: No, not “I love you” (you’re so cheesy) but “Hong Kong Marathon!” I thought it was best to avoid any potential strains, sprains, or little accidents on the trail before marathon day on February 28. (Read: praning!)
While hubby ran the 11k race, I went ahead and ran on the road. The air was a bit chilly, perfect for a nice morning run. There were a lot of people strolling by the lake, biking, and even resting inside their tents on the grass. I loved every minute of that 5k run.
– The road I ran on. The same road TBR Dream Marathoners will pass -
– So peaceful here -By the time I got dressed and went back for hubby, he was done. And so were other running friends who showed off all their battle scars. Hubby had a swollen pinky, Aljo a scraped knee, and Marga bruised palms. Mark and Tiffin Parco had no scratches, but they did demonstrate Mark’s show of affection this Valentine’s Day. When they crossed the river, Mark offered to carry Tiffin to the other end exactly like this…
– I heard Aljo asked Mark to carry him too. Unfortunately, he was rejected by Mark -Despite the bumps and bruises, the runners were all smiles and enjoyed the new trail experience.
– with Edward, Raymund, Bards, and Dingdong -
– with Meek Runner and her hubby, Tiffin, and Francis M. -
– with Me-Anne and her husband -
– Mai Mai and Miguel. I predict non-runner Miguel will be lacing up in 3 months -Congratulations to TNF and the entire team, especially my favorite technical consultant Neville Manaois for staging another unique and exciting trail run!
