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I am a London Marathon 2013 Finisher!

My official finish time: 4:24:41.

It’s been two days since the race and I’m still on cloud nine!  As my family and I tour the rest of this beautiful city, please give me several days to write up my race report.  For now, allow me to share with you some photos from before and after one of the best races I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in.  This one was right up there with New York City Marathon!  Simply amazing!

PRE-RACE: 36,000 runners gather together at Greenwich Park to find their own race starts: Red, Blue, or Green. I was Green. Race start time was 10AM. The weather was absolutely perfect at around 9 degrees in the start.

Highlight of the start was when we were all asked to pause to honor the victims of the Boston Marathon. There was complete silence from thousands of runners for a minute or two.

THE RACE: The race took runners through some of the city’s major landmarks. We passed Cutty Sark, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Eye and Big Ben!  Roads were lined with spectators from start to end!

POST-RACE: The race ended at The Mall. Thousands of loved ones waited for their runners at the Meet & Greet area.  I had my Enervon HP and an apple as I waited for family to arrive.

Happy to see the hubby and my kiddos after the race!

Thank you so much to all the people who got me here! Unilab Active Health for sponsoring the trip. Special thanks to my favorites Enervon Activ for keeping me energized during training and race day and Enervon HP for aiding in recovery. Thank you to Timex Philippines and Timex UK who snagged me a race slot. Thank you to my Coach, Andy Leuterio, for killing me during training so that I could perform during the race. Thanks to the following for sponsoring my gear and nutrition: Gatorade (sports drink), Oakley (Radar path shades), CWX (compression tights and recovery socks), Timex (Timex Run Trainer watch), and Kswiss (Kwicky Blade Light shoes).

Check back after a few days for my full race report!

This was the scene at the finish line of Boston Marathon on CNN when one of two bombs exploded and killed two people and injured many.  It’s almost confusing to watch. The portion of the marathon that celebrates the strength of the human spirit suddenly marred by screaming, smoke, and fear.  How does one make sense of this?  Who does this?  Why?

It’s disturbing and saddening.  My heart goes out to all the victims of the horrific attack.

As I leave tonight for London to run the London Marathon on Sunday, I pray that the event be safe and that we can all go out there and, as good friend Drew Arellano tweeted, show these people that they cannot kill the human spirit.

Nike Free recently launched its Nike Free 5.0 in an intimate gathering at Planet Sports.

– with Vimz (Kulitrunner), Bards (Banana Running), Sandra (Runner’s World), and Lara (Women’s Health) –

Nike peeps introduced to us the features of the new Nike Free 5.0 plus their new apparel, Nike Dri-Fit Touch, Nike’s dry fit material in a lighter, more breathable material, which is just perfect for summer!  We were lent a pair of Nike Free 5.0 to road test around Bonifacio High Street.

– The new Nike Free 5.0 for women –

When we returned, we were introduced to this woman: Madelle Enriquez.

Turns out that Madelle was a member of the famous hiphop dance group Philippine All Stars. She was there to teach us a few dance moves and allow us to feel just how flexible the Nike Free 5.0s are.  Wait a minute, how did Nike know that it’s been my secret dream to take hiphop lessons?!

So, this runner with two left feet danced—or at least attempted to—and enjoyed every minute!  The Nike Free 5.0 were flexible all right as it moved and bended along with my feet, but, um, I think my body was quite the opposite!

ABOUT NIKE FREE 5.0

– Nike Free 5.0 for Men –

– Nike Free 5.0 for Women –

And this, my friends, is the Nike Free 5.0 for Women all scrunched up. Just shows you how pliable this shoe is!

The Nike Free 5.0 offers runners increased foot strength and a barefoot-like feel.  Key features of this shoe?

• Nike Flywire technology which delivers a dynamic, glove-like fit, and lightweight mesh providing optimal ventilation
• Articulated flex grooves along the length and width of the midsole to enhance flexibility and help maintain stability.
• 8mm midsole offset, lies in the middle of the Nike Free spectrum between a barefoot-like feel and a traditional athletic shoe

Download the Technical Sheet for:

Nike Free 5.0 Mens Tech Sheet PDF
Nike Free 5.0 Women’s Tech Sheet PDF

MY THOUGHTS ON THE NIKE FREE 5.0

I’m not a big barefoot running fan (It works for some but not for me and my flat feet!), but I’m a believer in using minimalist shoes at least once or twice a week to help strengthen all the tiny muscles in our feet that have been spoiled by overly cushioned shoes.  That’s where the Nike Frees come in for me.

In the Nike Free line, I was a loyal user of the Nike Free 7.0 until my dog Cosmo mistook it for food and chewed it up and I currently use the Nike Free Run 3.0 which I run with twice a week on the treadmill in the gym.  While I could use the Nike Free 7.0 on the road up to 21km (I used it at Tri United 2 last year), I can never use the Nike Free Run 3.0 outdoors because it lacks cushioning for me.

As for the Nike Free 5.0, I can’t give you a detailed shoe review because we only used it during the event.  But, during the brief time I wore it, I was happy to note that it didn’t veer away from the usual feel of a Nike Free.  In fact, since I’ve used the 7.0 and the 3.0, I do think that the 5.0, being midway, will be a great running buddy for me.  I’m guessing it will have minimalist features with enough cushioning to protect my feet.

ABOUT NIKE FREES

Aside from the Nike Free 5.0, Nike Free presents five new styles across running and training – the Nike Free 5.0+ and 4.0 in running; the Nike Free TR Breathe for women’s training; and the Nike Free Trainer 5.0 for men’s training.

The idea for Nike Free emerged in 2001, launching years of study, testing and design to make a shoe that delivered the benefits of natural motion while protecting the foot. More than a decade later, the 2013 running shoes retain the well-known flexibility of Nike Free’s articulated outsole, and introduce three new upper designs for enhanced natural motion:

• Nike Free 5.0+: Dynamic Nike Flywire technology provides secure support without added weight.
• Nike Free 4.0: Utilizes no-sew overlays and a tongue-wrap fit for stitch-free comfort.
• Nike Free 3.0: Nike engineered mesh improves fit and breathability with looser patterns where ventilation and stretch are needed and tighter patterns in areas where support is key.

I used to be confused about the various products within the Nike Free range.  But, Nike released the NIKE FREE A-Z to  take us on the journey of how a coach’s insight about natural motion led to a new performance language with the Nike Free.

• Click on this link to watch the video: Nike Free A-Z Video
• Click on this to download: Nike Free A-Z

Nike Frees are available in Nike stores.  SRP: Php 5,295 (for Free 5.0, 4.0 and 3.0, Men’s and Women’s)

It’s not very often that I get to play cupid. So, when I received an email from runner, Gerry Lita, requesting me to post a surprise greeting for his wife, Rasselle, who he paced during the last TBR Dream Marathon, I gladly obliged.

His note follows below. To Rasselle, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  (And, congratulations for having a hubby who was willing to run 42k for you and tell the world—or at least our running community—how much he loves you!)

Hi Miss Jaymie,

My wife ran in your race (The Bull Run Dream Marathon) and in days she will be celebrating her birthday (April 17).

I plan to give her a surprise greeting if this will be feasible with you. My plan is if its okay if you post the attached teaser in your Blog.

I want to tell her how much I love her and also the kids. Without her care, passion and tender love for us we will be at lost. I want also to tell her even if we seldom go out just the two of us, she is always in my heart… being treasured every day of my life.

thanks again and best regards,

Gerry Lita

RUNNR DONATE-A-SINGLET PROMO is back!  Donate your old running singlets to Runnr for Toby’s Sports Youth Sports Foundation and get P1,000 off your shoes!

DURATION:
April 12 (Fri) to May 12 (Sun), 2013

PARTICIPATING STORES:
RUNNR stores in Bonifacio High Street, Trinoma, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Center Cebu and RUNNR corners in Toby’s Arena stores in Shangri-la Plaza, SM Mall of Asia, Glorietta New Glorietta 2, Limketkai Mall CDO and Abreeza Davao

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

1. Bring in your old running singlet (sleeveless or shirt-type race apparel) to RUNNR stores in Bonifacio High Street, Trinoma, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Center Cebu and RUNNR corners in Toby’s Arena stores in Shangri-la Plaza, SM Mall of Asia, Glorietta New Glorietta 2, Limketkai Mall CDO and Abreeza Davao, and exchange it to get P1,000 OFF your new purchase of regular-priced shoes worth Php 4,495 and up.
2. One (1) old running singlet is equivalent to one (1) discount transaction. Each discount value is applicable for only one item purchased. Bring in as many old running singlets to get discounts on as many new shoes.
3. Only athletic running singlet of any brand, fun run or races, in adult male or female size will be accepted. Kid’s size singlets are not acceptable. Donated old running singlet must be in decent condition and is still wearable.
4. All collected running singlets will be donated to the outreach programs of Toby’s Sports Youth Sports Foundation.
5. This promo is not valid in conjunction with any other promos.
6. Promo runs from April 12 to May 12, 2013.