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RUNNR presents “RUNNR LAB”, a FREE developmental running clinic in UP Diliman.

Learn about proper running techniques and more from U.S. Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist Coach Edsel Vengco.

Clinic consists of LECTURES & GROUP RUNS.

No need for registration! To join just head on over to the U.P. Diliman grounds (A.S. Parking lot, Palma Hall) on the following dates:
May 20, 7:00 am
June 10, 7:00 am

Freebies and raffle prizes await runners!

Event is powered by Newton, Smith Optics, CW-X, Polar Heart Rate Monitor, Moving Comfort Sports Bras, Fuelbelt & Gu.

For the latest on RUNNR clinics, visit www.runnr.com.ph, facebook.com/RUNNRPhils or follow RUNNR on twitter.com/RUNNRStore

The hubby, kids, and I are in Singapore right now for a much needed, and may I say, well-deserved vacation. I’m looking forward to 4 full days of rest, relaxation, and shopping. (Honestly, the only item on my list are bike jerseys!) We arrived this morning and headed straight for Universal Studios.

– Soaked after Jurassic Park ride. Will this count for my swim today? –

– We’re having a great time. First time of the kids here. Last time the hubby and I were here was when we ran Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in 2009. I had not so fond memories of the marathon passing by East Coast Park earlier this morning! –

There’s a place for me here in Sentosa…

We’re having a great time, but training doesn’t stop while I’m here. I plan to run and swim tomorrow.

Coach Andy had me do extra workouts before leaving Manila. For example, he had me bike for three consecutive days: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Oooh, wait, gotta tell you about Thursday. Coach Andy called it the “CBW”. I innocently asked what the three initials meant thinking it was some technical term in biking. Ya know, like Yasso 800 or Tempo run. My knees buckled when I later learned that CBW stands for: “Character Building Workout.” YIKES.  After two hours on the bike trainer grunting and groveling staring down at a pool of sweat by my feet as if I had dunked myself with a bucket of water, I sure felt like, um, a woman of character.

Andy also had me swim twice and, not surprisingly, I ended both sessions feeling like I had walked a marathon using my arms and hands!  I only ran once the past week and that was after a bike ride. Andy must know me well because he saved the best (and my favorite workout) for last…and for this trip!

Like I always say, I love traveling. And, I love running even more. To combine both of my passions always makes me insanely happy. So, for tomorrow, my program requires me to run 15k around Sentosa. The pace? As commanded by the Coach, he says: “Run like you stole something.” He’s hilarious isn’t he?  He makes me want to laugh and cry every time he sends me his program for the week!

Anyway, robber pace or not, humid or cool, tired or well-rested, I’m looking forward to running around Sentosa tomorrow, then jumping into the pool for a swim.  Hey, a vacation just isn’t complete with some sort of training, right?

Enjoy the weekend guys. I surely will!

To runners who bike, this May 20, Circulo Verde in cooperation with Livestrong would be holding a cycling event, the Livestrong Twilight Challenge Ride, that will gather at least 1,000 bikers for a good cause: helping empower people affected by cancer and encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle.

The route would cover a 25 kilometer distance, passing by least three cities: Pasig, Quezon City, and San Juan.  Take off at 4pm from Circulo Verde along Calle Industria in QC, towards Tiendesitas, around Ortigas Center to Greenhills, then back to Circulo Verde, ending in a barbecue party.  This is a reunion bike ride for all Philippine Livestrong Supporters of the 2010 & 2011 Livestrong Day events.

– Jerseys and race kits will be distributed on site. The jersey is NOT included in the race kit, but it would be available at the event for P500 at a first come, first served basis. –

WIN LIVESTRONG TWILIGHT CHALLENGE RIDE KITS

I’m giving away 5 (five) kits to the Livestrong Twilight Challenge Ride to 5 (five) lucky winners. Here’s how to win:

1) Post a comment below telling me how you “Livestrong” each day
2) First 5 people who comment will win 1 race kit each
3) Winners will be notified via email on how to claim race kits
4) Only 1 submission will be accepted. Sending more than one entry will lead to disqualification

Read the press release below…

LIVESTRONG TWILIGHT CHALLENGE RIDE SLATED FOR MAY 20

Livestrong Philippines in cooperation with Ortigas & Co. premiere development, Circulo Verde, has slated this year’s Twilight Challenge Bike Ride on May 20, which is expected to gather at least 1,000 cyclists from Metro Manila and nearby cities.

The Livestrong – Circulo Verde Twilight Challenge Bike Ride will cover over twenty-one kilometers starting from Circulo Verde, Bagumbayan, Quezon City, passing by other key Metro Manila landmarks including the Ortigas Business District, Tiendesitas at Frontera Verde, and Greenhills Shopping Center.

“Our thrust is to convince people that living a healthier and more active lifestyle is essential in preventing cancer; that the road to good health starts by making small commitments like eating the right food, exercising, and quitting bad habits like smoking,” says Eric Bergara, Community Representative for Team Philippines Benefitting Livestrong.

Livestrong is an affiliate of the Lance Armstrong Foundation that aims to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. This year’s ride attempts to reunite 2010 and 2011 Livestrong Day Philippines supporters and hopefully enjoin more people for the cause.

Event co-sponsor Ortigas & Co. is a known developer of green communities like Circulo Verde, Tiendesitas, and Greenhills Shopping Center.

“In Ortigas, we believe that it is the developer’s job to create the ideal conditions for leisure and living. Our communities are all designed to have ample space for play, exercise, picnics, and barbecue parties. Circulo Verde, for example, which spans 12-hectares, has allotted 70% open space to make room for parks, biking, jogging, and walking lanes. Hopefully, people can get a preview of a healthy and active lifestyle in Circulo Verde, true to the vision of Livestrong, ” says Joey Santos, General Manager of the Real Estate Division for Ortigas & Co.

Twilight Ride participants are requested to wear yellow and gather at Circulo Verde as early as 3:00 PM in time for the 3:30 PM gun start. The event would be capped off with a band performance, an outdoor barbecue, and a Zumba Dance Party facilitated by Gold’s Gym.

Registration is done online at a fee of P300.00 inclusive of snacks, while jerseys will be sold on site for P500.00 at a first come first served basis. Proceeds of the event will go the beneficiaries of Livestrong Foundation in the Philippines.

The event is co-sponsored by Dunkin Donuts, Manila Water, and San Miguel Beer. For more information and updates please visit www.livestrongdayph.com or follow @livestrongdayph on Twitter.

UPDATE: Congrats to pjong, Mark Terrado, RM Ornedo, Ronaldo Robles and Kamote 22 for winning 1 race kit each! Please expect an email from me regarding claiming of your race kits. Thank you to everyone who joined.

Last night, I joined the Newton & Runner Duathlon Clinic at Bonifacio High Street.  The event encouraged runners to start biking as a cross training option and to subsequently start joining duathlons as a new challenge.

The clinic started with a talk on duathlons by my triathlon coach, Andy Leuterio, a brief talk on bikes by owner of Dan’s Bike Shop and Specialized distributor, Joey Ramirez, and, lastly, an introduction to bike fitting by Edmund Mangaser of All Terra.

– Coach Andy Leuterio –

– with Joey Ramirez of Dan’s Bike Shop –

– with Edmund Mangaser, Coach Andy, and my bf, the Shiv, during the talk on bike fit. Photo courtesy of Total Fitness –

After the informative talks, the workout began. It was a—get this—bike-run-bike-run-bike session. Phew!  It was tough. (Big mistake for running an 8k tempo that morning.)

There was a lot of grunting and groaning from all 30 participants, including myself. A wonderfully intense workout that left me soaked in sweat yet happy.

– Fitness First Team –

– with other participants of the Duathlon Clinic –

– Claiming my raffle prize with Zinnia, Tin of Runnr, and Coach Andy. Thanks Runnr! –

They say you grow wiser with age. I turned 36 over the weekend and, even with the addition of another year under my belt, we sure had one of the worst workout ideas ever.

On Saturday, my birthday, I biked 48km and swam 1km.

The following day, my plan was to run for 2 hours or around 20km.

My friends and I (we now call ourselves Team Berlin because we’re all signed up for Berlin Marathon on Sept. 30) decided to skip our regular morning long run and switch this into a “Night Run.” A friend-who-shall-not-be-named conceptualized this idea after suffering the intense heat during a 24km run the previous week and then enjoying the cool evening air on weekday run a couple of days after. So, he thought: Why not run on a Sunday evening instead?! We all thought it was a great idea.

So, I met them at 6 PM. We bumped into Tessa Prieto-Valdes who found out it was my birthday weekend and ran into her house and came out again wearing a birthday cake headband atop her head just for me. (That is probably one of the sweetest and silliest things anyone has ever done for me on my birthday.)

Who said it would be cooler on a Sunday evening again? Even with the sun gone, it was as hot and humid as hell. There was no wind, not even a slight breeze. For all of 5 minutes, it drizzled and there was hope of rain pouring on us, then it quickly disappeared.

The last 5km was slow and painful. We all had run longer distances than this in the past, but why was it so difficult this evening?!  Oh, maybe because it was hotter than usual.  Maybe because our bodies were not as fresh as they are during a morning run.  Or, maybe because some of us had lunch as our last meal.  For whatever reasons, the fact was we were all craaawling.  When we ended the run, we were hoping that the restaurant where we were to dine for my birthday treat could simply deliver their pizza to us.

Anyway, we did make it to the pizza place. We had panizzas and pasta over talk on running, LMFAO, Subit, and, of course, the bad evening idea that we will probably never repeat again. We ended the night with the best way one does after running in intense heat. We treated ourselves to a scoop of gelato each. I would’ve wanted 5 more scoops of the peanut butter ice cream I devoured, but maybe I’ll reserve that for 37 years old or 50km, whatever comes first.

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Thanks to everyone who made the birthday weekend extra special. Received some awesome gifts from loved ones.  One of my favorites was from TBR Jr.  He kept on bugging me the entire week to buy him a box of silver paper clips.  Turns out, it was for my own birthday surprise: a bull made of paper clips!