Archive for February, 2012

Congratulations to the accepted participants to the Gatorade Sweat Test! See you on the testing date. Please note we accepted a total of 50 runners are listed below to include TBR Dream Team and friends:

1 Alfred Roderick A. Estefani
2 Allan Gregor Bulos
3 Ariel Abril
4 Carlo Molod
5 Christian Jay de Castro
6 Craig Logan
7 Daves Espia
8 Edward Kho
9 Enrico Mostoles
10 Eugenio Saluta
11 Irene Zyra A. Diama
12 Jenny Aggangan
13 Jonard Aries Gamboa
14 Jose Ritchel G. Viñas
15 Joseph Yapchulay
16 Joy Bagason
17 Juan Carlo M. Peralta
18 Jun Cruz
19 Katherine Andaya
20 King Nicklaus Quimpo
21 Kristine Joy Cerame
22 Leo Tugade
23 Lester Castillo
24 Lit Onrubia
25 Loy Danila
26 Macel Janeo
27 Mara Guevara
28 Marc Anthony Villanueva
29 marie grace alano
30 Marie Joyce Negapatan
31 Mark Mostoles
32 Marvin Trilles
33 Mary Gold dela Cruz
34 Mary Maureen Albarracin
35 Michael Arcilla
36 Michelle Logan
37 Mike Janeo
38 Miriam Valero
39 Obel Mercado
40 Paul Steven F. Famador
41 Raymond Posadas
42 Reylynne de la Paz
43 Rhodora Celis
44 Ricardo P. So Jr
45 Rikki Suarez
46 Rizzalyn Damaso
47 Rjay Mercado
48 Rod Nepomuceno
49 Rosalia S. Castro
50 Rosemarie Beltran

At TBR Dream, we go the extra mile to make the race extra special for our first- and second-time marathoners. And, we partner with companies and brands that have the same values. Thanks to our generous sponsors and friends as well as selfless volunteers, we get to give the best race we can possibly give to our runners.

One of our major sponsors, Gatorade, has gone out of their way to offer our TBR Dream Marathoners this: an exclusive Gatorade Sweat Test! They usually offer this test only to their high-profile athletes, endorsers, and/or sponsored teams. Experts from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute conduct the tests using strict standards. They provide the Gatorade and water for you to drink.  And, they use materials and other equipment to conduct the tests, so it can be quite costly.  Perhaps they thought little ol’ me needed some wise hydration advice last November so they conducted the test on me too! Read about it HERE.

We’re lucky that Gatorade decided to offer this to 40 of our TBR Dream Marathoners.  Wish we could accommodate all, but I didn’t win the last grand lotto.

If you are a TBR Dream Marathoner and you wish to find out about your own sweat rate and how much fluids you should drink when you run, sign up for this rare opportunity for the Gatorade Sweat Test.

Below are the details:

What: Gatorade Sweat Test exclusively for TBR Dream Marathoners
When: Saturday, 18 February 2012
Assembly time: 5:00 AM
Start time: 5:30 AM
Where: Ultra Track Oval
Fee: The test is free. But please pay for your own entrance to the Ultra Track Oval.

REMINDERS:
– Eat last main meal 2-3 hours before the test time;
– Be in Running attire but be ready to strip down to underwear in the restroom (not in public!) for the weigh-in and also for the weigh-out (bath towels needed to towel down after the test and prior to weigh-out);
– Once you are weighed in, you cannot drink from any other source except the Gatorade and Water that the staff supplies. There will be designated water and Gatorade Bottles with your names at the hydration station.
– You will be briefed on-site prior to the test. Please come on time.

TEST PROCEDURE:
1. Measure Body Weight
2. Urine Test (collection of urine)
3. 1 hour 30 minutes running on track oval
4. Cool Down
5. Towel down and Weigh out.

There are only 40 slots for the Gatorade Sweat Test. Registration on a first-come, first-served basis only. Please sign up only if you are sure that you can make it so as not to waste the slot. Click below to access the sign in sheet. Accepted runners will be posted in this blog.

<<<< CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR GATORADE SWEAT TEST >>>>

In 2010, when we planned for the first TBR Dream Marathon, the essence of the race was built on community, on paying-it-forward, on giving back to running just as much as running had given us. We knew we couldn’t do it alone and we hoped that the entire community of runners—first- and second-time marathoners committing to train for their marathon, experienced runners reaching out and paying-it-forward, cheerers and spectators coming onto the site to boost the runners’ spirits, corporate sponsors and friends generously donating and giving what they can—would come together to make this race truly the most ideal setting for runners to experience their first marathon. It was a lofty dream, but we—together with the entire community of selfless, generous runners—made it a reality.

– 5 Dream Chasers escort TBR Dream Marathoner to the finish last March 2011. Photo courtesy of Vener Roldan –

– Dream Chaser Banggi (who joined TBR DM the following year) helps runner Odie. Photos courtesy of Junrox –

For TBR Dream Marathon 2012, we will once again call on volunteers to help and support our first time marathoners. We will be accepting 60 Dream Chasers and 40 Personal Pacers. There will also be volunteers from Team Secondwind manning the station at the last 5km of the marathon, which we call The Secondwind Zone.

– Team Secondwind supporting Roxy last TBR DM 2010. Photo courtesy of Chin Chua –

– Ruby Gan finishes TBR Dream 2012 with Dream Chasers on both sides –

If you are NOT interested in running your own race on March 18, 2012 and you are willing to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to help others run 42km by providing them support, without receiving anything in return but a smile and a huge Thank You, then this is your chance to “pay it forward.”

Please see below for details on how you can volunteer at TBR Dream Marathon 2012:

[ DREAM CHASERS: 60 SLOTS ONLY ]

Dream Chasers are runners who will be stationed at various points on the course (4 stations with 15 Dream Chasers along the route) to provide support to the runners when they need it most. Dream Chasers will be given official Dream Chaser dri-fit shirts. This will serve as their official uniform. Must be an experienced runner, but not necessarily a marathoner.
* TBR Dream Alumni will be prioritized.
* Dream Chasers are required to attend the pre-race meeting to be announced by Edward Kho.

ROLE OF A DREAM CHASER:
1) Be on standby at the Dream Chaser station along with other Dream Chasers from start to finish of the race
* Each Dream Chaser station will have 15 Dream Chasers with one being the DC Leader
* Dream Chaser stations will be placed along the route much like water stations
* Each station will work as a team and may brainstorm on ways to make the run easier, more entertaining, or more fun for the runners. Ideas may be implemented with approval from TBR Dream Team.

2) Provide the following support to the TBR Dream Marathoners who request for help:
* Run with the runner a few kilometers (never exceeding more than 5km)
* Motivate
* Chat
* Provide food or hydration
* Cheer! Cheer! Cheer!

QUALITIES WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN DREAM CHASERS:
* Serious passion for running
* Positive, pleasant, cheerful attitude
* Willing to provide exceptional moral support throughout the entire race
* Believes in “paying it forward” to first time marathoners who need the same support as he/she received in the past

[ PERSONAL PACERS: 40 SLOTS ONLY ]

Personal pacers must be experienced marathoners chosen by a TBR Dream Marathoner to run with him/ her throughout the entire marathon.
* Personal Pacers must register to be an official TBR DM Personal Pacer.
* Personal pacers will be charged a P500 fee to cover hydration, emergency, and other operational services and will be issued a race bib.  The race bib will be distributed during a Pacer briefing organized by Edward Kho.

ROLE OF PERSONAL PACER:
* Pace one (1) registered participant throughout the entire 42km
* Your name must be “attached” to the name of a registered participant. Participant must accept you as his/her personal pacer
* Bikers not allowed. Pacer must be on foot.

[ Sign in sheet ]
Signing up to be a Dream Chaser or Personal Pacer is on a first come, first served basis, but organizer reserves the right to invite and prioritize runners and likewise reject applications.  We will not accept reservations or special requests.

Please expect the accepted the names of accepted Dream Chasers and Pacers to be announced on both thebullrunner.com and tbrdream2012.com within this week.  We will need ample time to screen and process the requests.  Since these slots are in high demand, we apologize in advance to those who will not be accepted.  While we wish we could accommodate all requests, we prioritize the safety and security of our TBR Dream Marathoners and limit the number of people on the course.

UPDATE: Link has been removed. Thanks to the 260 runners who signed up as volunteers! We’ll announce the accepted volunteers soon.

Lots of TBR happenings at the Condura Skyway Marathon tomorrow…

HALF MARATHON

First, I’ll be running my first 21k for 2012 tomorrow. It’s not going to be a fast nor an easy one since I’ve been off serious training mode. But it’s going to be fun.

There’s nothing much to see on top of the Skyway especially since it starts before sunrise. But, I’m looking forward to seeing thousands of runners fill the road. If there’s one thing I like about Condura Skyway Marathon, it’s feeling like we runners own that strip of road so close to the sky! Don’t forget to wave to other runners on the other lane tomorrow, especially the marathoners.

TBR MAGAZINES

We’ll be giving out free TBR Magazines at the village after the finish. Hope you can get a copy.

We have Clinton Hess, CEO of Unilab and my teammate, on the cover. Not a lot of people know that Clinton is an avid runner and, may I add, one that knows a lot about running shoes having worked for Reebok USA in his younger days. We’re glad to feature a runner who can easily balance the demands of corporate and family life with his passion for running.

– TBR Magazine – Jan/Feb 2012 –

TBR DREAM MARATHONERS UNITE!

Most TBR Dream Marathoners will be running 21k tomorrow as part of their training for March 18. On our Facebook group, TBR DM runners suggested we meet after the race wearing our blue TBR DM official shirt at the Pinoy Fitness booth at the Condura Village. I can only drop by, but hope to see everyone there for a group shot! TBR DM alumni from Batch 2010 and 2011 are welcome to join us!

See you on the Skyway!

Block your scheds for our last Bull Circle before TBR Dream Marathon…

FEB. 8, 2012, WED: BULL CIRCLE 5
Register: 6:30 PM. Start: 7:00 PM
Venue: Across Secondwind Running Store, Ortigas Home Depot, Julia Vargas Ave., Pasig. For a map to venue, please visit Secondwind’s Website by clicking HERE.

This is a must attend talk!

Lit Onrubia and I will give a talk on The Art of Tapering before the big day.

This will be followed by a talk and no holds barred Q&A portion with a panel of experts, TBR Dream Team, and TBR DM alumni to discuss marathon preparations and running the race—specifically TBR Dream Marathon in NUVALI.  We’ll give you the technical and practical tips to running the roads of NUVALI.  Got any questions bugging you?  This is the time to ask them!

See you then!