Anyway, on to the finalists for the Grand Prize.  Below are the 20 entries I picked out from all the submissions.  ALL of them were touching and meaningful, but I really did have to shortlist the entries since I don’t have 186 pairs of shoes to give away.

1 – allyn: I will give it to a running teammate, doc yruma, in his 70s I think, who has done all milo marathons and a total of 80 marathons to date.

2 – Joseph C. De Jesus: I will give the 2nd shoes to my cousin friend who motivated me to run and continues to support me.

3 – Prants: I will give the 2nd shoe to my brother who always look up on me on everything I do. After I got hook up into running, he’ll do drills around our village using only his old rubber shoe since high school just to keep the pace and his condition with me. Since currently unemployed, he can’t buy one on his own.

4 – Jhudann: I would give the second shoe to my grandmother she recently joined hyundai run and she did 5k in 1 hour at the age of 75. We saw a positive result of running to her health that’s why we encourage her to run every morning.

5 – charles: Who would you give the 2nd shoe to and why? I would give it to my 52yrs old running mate who is using a shoes he purchased from an ukay-ukay store. I know this will be a big help to him to reduce all the pain he is experiencing during our run using his old shoes and makes running more fun to him…

6 – Julio Judilla Jr: Who would you give the 2nd shoe to and why? I will igive it to one of my running mate in ANR Moa, to Mr. Pepper Rosales because at first he run bare foot All i know he likes to run without a shoes but the real reason he has no money to buy a running shoes that’s why he run barefoot.

7 – russell: I will give the 2nd shoes to my dad because I love him to see running again. Despite that I didn’t showed much of my concern from his diabetic condition, this shoe (if I win) will be a motivational factor to get him back to shape at least alleviates his worsening condition and hoping for a good and healthy life.

8 – richard loma: I want to give the 2nd shoe to blind runner,not sure his name ,richard seguia because he truly inspires a lot of people. A truly strong inspring guy.

9 – Terrence Joseph G. Dizon: I would like to give the 2nd shoe to John Onofre G. Dizon, who taught me to run and buy me a pair of running shoes. I want to show my appreciation and gratitude to him by sharing the prize if ever i will win this.

10 – heather cerezo: I would give the shoe to Kuya Nestor, a churchmate, who has to earn enough to send his two college kids, a 2nd grader and a preschooler to school, but still manages to run with us on weekends. With his hand-me-down rubber shoes, he never fails to join each Milo Marathon at Batangas and encourages his two kids to join him.

11 – Ed Calinao: My wife’s nephew, John Carlo, is a young runner with great enthusiasm in the sport, but due to financial constraints brought about by recent events and problems faced by his parents, nobody could afford to buy him a pair of running shoes. If I were to win in this contest, I’d like to give him the 2nd pair to help him develop his passion for running.

12 – paul ablaza: I would give the 2nd shoe to my girlfriend because I found the best running partner in her. I’ve seen that she’s been staring at running shoes whenever we go to a store but since she’s been supporting her family financially and helping her brother in his college studies that’s why she opted not to buy a new pair of running shoes and just continue using her old worn out pair.

13 – hadrian gabiola: I gave it to my ex-wife because she is the one who encourage me to run. Now I am a Marathon man!

14 – Noelito Castillo: I tend to share my winnings to my wife Nette for her Birthday this coming June. Because the last shoes I bought her was a second hand 30K used running shoes that is now also worn-out.

15 – Louie Bautista: I would give it to my father because he has just been buying shoes from the ukay-ukay. Maybe those kind of original shoes will earn him higher mileage and healthy lifestylfe to stay longer with us.

16 – Goldy: I would give the 2nd pair of shoes to Omar, a friend, an amateur runner, but rather a coach, not just to me, but to every runner he knew, because he never fail to share different running techniques, encourage everyone to train and run, or even remind us on what to do before and after the race. He’s running for more than 10 years and been winning in different local races (that’s when someone pay for his registration because he can’t afford to).

17 – Arnel Villanueva: I would like to give it to the most important person in my life, my inspiration and the one who wakes me up every time I have a race so I wont be late – my mom who just started to get infected by my passion for running last month.:)

18 – Conrado M. Angala: I will give the 2nd shoe to my brother because he’s running shoes now looks to old and dirty. He do not have enough money to buy new shoes because all of his salary goes to our parents.

19 – berniceruth: I choose to give them my husband Aaron, who always joins me in my morning runs even if he does not like to run and he has to sacrifice precious sleep time. He deserves a pair of shoes because, for months now, he has only been using his old pair of basketball shoes which he fixes and refixes every time they fall apart.

20 – Netzky: If I win, I’ll give the 2nd shoe to Jho Diaz, a 2012 TBRDM batchmate and a really determined, passionate runner. She actually deserves to win this contest (if she joined) because instead of buying a new running shoes, the soles of her shoes are kinda worn off na here & there and was detached during our last long run in Nuvali but she just took it to a Mr. Quickie & still used it last March 18th, she choose to still help her parents financially & sends her siblings to school. (sorry Jho, i really have to share your story.)

Of the top 20, I used random.org to choose the winner.  And the winner is…

CONGRATULATIONS TO NETZKY! (#20 above) I’ll be emailing you on how to claim your prize for yourself and Jho.

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

1 On Running Shoe (actual model may vary from the photo below) and 1 box of Enervon HP 700g

- On Cloudsurfer. I have a pair of these and it makes you feel like you’re running on clouds -

HOW MANY WINNERS? One (1) winner

HOW TO JOIN?

1) Follow The Bull Runner on Twitter
2) Like The Bull Runner Page on Facebook
3) Subscribe to TBR Mailing List (upper right of this blog)
4) Post a comment on this blogpost with the following:

IN ONE (1) PHRASE/SENTENCE ANSWER THIS QUESTION: (using more than one phrase/sentence leads to disqualification)

What about running turns you ON?

Also include:

- your Name
- Name used in Twitter and FB
- Shoe size
- Gender

HOW CAN I WIN?

• Deadline for submission of entries: Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 4:00 p.m.
• All entries submitted within this period complying with directions above will be eligible for a raffle to be conducted by TBR via random.org.
• All entries will be moderated and will be approved upon closing of the contest.
• Only one entry per runner. Submission of more than one entry leads to disqualification.
• Winner will be announced on TBR Pages on Facebook and Twitter ONLY and will be advised via email on how to claim the prize.

May the best runner win!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Tara Tecarro for winning this contest!

As for the Best Shoe of the Year for Secondwind, guess who won…the KSwiss K-Ona.

Best Lightweight/Racing shoe for women was my very own pair: the KSwiss Kwicky Blade Light. This was my shoe for 2011 too.

- the 2012 Kwicky Blade Light for Women that I currently use -

What running shoes will we see next year and what shoe will stand out?  Let’s wait and see.  Just another reason to get excited about 2012!

Click below to download Secondwind’s 2011 Runner’s Choice file in PDF.

<<< Secondwind 2011 Runner’s Choice >>>>

WHAT IS ON RUNNING SHOES?

On Running Shoes builds on the idea that our regular running shoes doesn’t really protect us from injury. They claim that horizontal impact causes injuries and running shoes in the market today only absorbs vertical impact.

Enter On Running shoes. Designed by a Swiss engineer, On has CloudTec, 13 circular rubber elements on the sole of the shoe which absorbs both vertical and horizontal shock which they say allows you to run as if you were on clouds and lets you push off as if you were on concrete. This technology, they say, benefits all runners: top athletes can train longer and more often, because the muscles are less strained, and beginner or recreational runners can run injury- and pain-free. To add, since there’s less fatigue, they even run faster and longer.

- On Running Shoes: Cloud Surfer -

GETTING ON

Last month, Chris Sports gave me a pair of On Cloudsurfer to road test. From its website, here’s how they describe the On Cloudsurfer:

Fast feels good. The Cloudsurfer fires your run. Equipped with On’s patented CloudTec™ 3D cushioning system, the Cloudsurfer remains light, agile and transfers energy into forward momentum. Run light and fast.

The Cloudsurfer is made to perform in training runs as well as in competitions. The CloudTec™ system is engineered to provide the best of both worlds: cushioning on impact and speed on push-off.

I’ve used it for three 10k runs and will post a detailed review when I test it beyond 15km.

OLIVIER BERNHARD: COACH AND TRIATHLETE

One of the most credible endorsers of On is Olivier Bernhard, a professional triathlete from Switzerland, three-time World Champion and six time Ironman winner, who swears by the shoe. Chris Sports will be flying in Olivier early next year for a series of tri camps and running talks and clinics. Visit this blog for exact schedule to be released soon.

View this video to learn more about him. I love how often he tells us how much he loves running.

FOR MORE INFO

Facebook: Chris Sports

Website: On Running Shoes

Nike then “upgraded” my favorite shoe to Nike Lunar Glide+ 2 which, uhm, to put it bluntly sucked big time.

Then, a little birdie told me that the next Lunar Glide would be more like the 1st release.  So, for months, I patiently waited for its arrival.  Who would’ve thought that a text from Nike this morning would signal the end of my long wait?!

Introducing: Nike Lunar Glide+ 3 fresh out of the box!

What a beauty, eh?!  Tomorrow, I am all set to run my first weekday run post-injury.  Isn’t it perfect timing that I get to road test this brand spankin’ new pair of Nike Lunar Glide+ 3 as well?!  As Tony of Nike said: “It’s fate!”

Check this blog for a more complete review after a week.

I loved everything about the trip.  It wasn’t just about realizing my dream of running NYC.  It was the freedom I had from all responsibilities, pressures, and worries.  It was much needed and, must I say, well-deserved after months of 24/7 work.

I’m not ready to go back into the real world just yet.  But, today is the deadline I gave to myself.  By Monday, it’s back to reality for me.  I have to work again, go out for meetings, tear off a new sheet of paper and start a new to do list which will fill quickly.  And, worst of all, I have to stop eating chocolate.  Good bye mint M&Ms!

As a celebration of my month long vacation which I still wish would never end, I’d like to share this little gift with you:  Thanks to The Brick Multi Sport Store , we’re offering 15% discount on Asics, Mizuno, New Balance, and K-Swiss running shoes from today until December 5, 2010.  Just print out the coupon below and present at The Brick.  For inquiries or clarifications, contact Leroy at The Brick 985-4890.

Happy shopping!  I’ve done more than enough while I was away.

The Brick Multi-Sport store
Unit 1, Woodridge Apartments
McKinley Hill, Taguig City
Phone: 985-4890
Open Mon to Sat, 7 am to 9 pm

A total of 438 runners participated in the running shoe survey and might I say that the results made hubby and I scratch our heads at one point or giggle in another.

Allow me to share the portion that intrigued me most:

When asked what brand of shoes you wear, these were the top 3 answers:

• Nike – 49%
• New Balance – 42%
• Adidas – 34%

But, when asked “What in your opinion is the best running shoe brand?” you replied:

• New Balance – 35%
• Asics – 19%
• Nike – 16%

I’m no research analyst, but I’d love to hear what YOU think could be the reason for runners using running shoes that isn’t their top choice.  (A friend said we shouldn’t discount the fact that NB shoes were being given away hence the bias despite my informing you that the survey was not commissioned by any shoe brand.)

Anyway, without further ado, the winners of the running shoe survey who will each get 1 FREE New Balance shoe to wear test (if they agree to write a review about it) are:

1. 11th – brucemartin3
2. 309th – etheljansamson
3. 355th – m_janeo10

Congratulations to the lucky runners!

* I didn’t post the winners’ full email address to protect their privacy.  Winners will be notified via email.
** Winners were chosen through random.org.

Remember I was at Hong Kong, not just for the Hong Kong Marathon, but also for the New Balance Tech Summit? During the talks, I jotted down notes as I learned more about the wonderful world of running shoes. Methinks New Balance unleashed the monster running shoe addict in me!

Here are running shoe tips I picked up from New Balance:

1. Check the INSOLE and look at the imprint to find out if you have the right fit.
2. Don’t just measure the length of your foot.  Measure the width and where the joint bends (ball to heel) too.
3. When checking the shoe fit. Feel the WIDTH. You don’t want too much pressure on the side or too much material.
4. You should be able to play the piano with your toes to ensure the TOE BOX is wide enough. But you don’t want too much excess material in this area either.
5. Get the shoe size for the bigger foot.
6. There should be 1 to 1.5 thumbs width from the tip of the longest toe to the end of the shoe. Why? Your foot expands. Your foot moves such as when you run down the hill.
7. The MIDSOLE is like the engine of the car, materials that hold the shoe together.
8. Check the TONGUE. How much of the tongue is showing?
9. Women have about 4x as many foot problems as men.
10. Women are more difficult to fit.  We often worry that the shoe is too wide when we’re probably just not used to a spacious toe box since we wear narrow shoes (e.g., high heels).
11. Shoes should last 300-600 miles, which is roughly 3 to 6 months.
12. Best way is to rotate between two pairs. Pair A and B. Introduce second pair after roughly 200 miles on the first pair of shoes.
13. Foot size changes as you get older because ligaments stretch. Your feet may not get longer, but they may get WIDER especially for women who have given birth.
14. Never wash your entire shoe. Do not put them in the washing machine. Do not throw them into the dryer.
15. Test a running shoe by flexing the shoe. If it flexes in half that’s not a good shoe.
16. When you run, you run on an S-shaped angle. Land on the lateral side of the heel and exit on the big toe.
17. Running generates 2-3x your body weight.

When: Dec. 4 to 6, 2009

Where: Mizuno, BMG Center Roofdeck, Paseo Commercial Center, Magallanes Makati City

For inquiries, call 757-3160 or visit www.mizuno.ph

Second Wind carries big name brands in running shoes such as Mizuno, Asics, and New Balance (Asics is currently on sale). They also sell apparel, hydration belts, Optic Nerve shades, Sports Beans, Accel gel and more.

The great thing about this store is that it is owned and managed by runners. Hector, who is a self-confessed shoe nerd and ex-Nike employee, and Neville, team principal of Pinoy Ultra Runners, can give you tips on choosing the right shoe for your foot and make wise recommendations on brands and models. Their extensive knowledge with running shoes doesn’t come from a company module, but from hands-on (or more like feet-on) experience during their own ultra runs. No clueless salesmen nor misdiagnosed feet here (both of which I experienced at local big brand stores.)

- Hector talks about his greatest love. No, not her!  I meant, shoes! -

- Neville playing cashier -

Second Wind also has a treadmill in the store to allow customers to test the shoe for a quick run.

- Jun runs with jeans to strengthen his legs.  PR in the next race! -

Pretty soon, they will offer gait analysis using a software imported from the U.S. to guide you when shopping for shoes.

- Can’t wait! -

Before you leave the store, you can even sign up to join the informal running group they’ve created. Meet up at the store and just run together for fun.

Beyond all that, after spending over three hours there yesterday, I would say that what I love most about the store is it’s atmosphere. It is all running in there. One wall was adorned with race bibs and medals from the most memorable races of runners (My Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon bib is there and Hector promised he’d give it back. Right, Hec?) while another wall has photos of Running Aid talks, Pinoy Ultra races, and favorite races. Everyone in the store were runners: a young runner from the U.P. track team zipped in and out of the store in between his road run and other Pinoy Ultra runners, Mikey and Dr. Paolo, dropped by for even more running talk.

- My favorite bib is Jeremy’s muddy TNF100 race bib (011) on the upper right -

Congratulations to The Second Wind Running Store and wishing you more success. I have a feeling that Second Wind will be like a Second Home for a lot of runners.

- See that ugly laugh? Told you we had fun -

- with Neville, Jun, Hec and Doc Pao -

WHERE:
88 Maginhawa St.
Teachers Village, QC
www.secondwindrunningstore.com

thesecondwind.multiply.com