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It’s the start of a new year and I’m in need of a change. I’ve been doing strength training exercises at the gym for 4 years now and my muscles (and mind) are aching for a new challenge. So, in the next few weeks, I’ll be searching for a new workout that I can sustain to complement my running.

Last week, I tried Red Cord with Mitch Felipe (I’ll write about it soon).  This coming Friday, I’ve scheduled a trial session with my friend Miggy Dy-Buncio who co-owns CrossFit Manila and is a certified CrossFit trainer himself. Oh, and he runs too!

According to CrossFit Manila’s website, the CrossFit program is “a combination of high intensity and constantly varied exercises, which means you’ll never repeat a workout. Exercises range from gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting, track and field, kettlebell training and other sports. Most workouts resemble circuit training and are finished in less than 30 minutes.”

30 minutes?! How cool is that?

I asked Miggy to accommodate 10 more TBR readers to our CrossFit trial this week. Come and join us! It will be fun!

EVENT: Free CrossFit trial
DATE: Friday, Jan. 13, 2012
TIME: 12:30 to 1:00 PM
PLACE: CrossFit, Army Gymnasium, Bayani Road cor. Lawton Ave.

If you are interested, please comment below with these words: I WANT TO TRY CROSSFIT. First 10 readers will join me and my friends for a free trial session. Let’s do this!

For more info on CrossFit, click HERE to visit their website.

UPDATE: To the first 10 commenters below, see you on Friday!  To those who didn’t make it, so sorry! Hope you can try CrossFit anyway in the future.

1 Sherrie Torres
2 Toel
3 odie
4 Yas
5 Dex
6 Wilbert
7 Joseph
8 Rosalia Castro
9 Jo
10 Nina

TODO RESPONDE RUN is a collaboration of efforts led by Francis Razon of EatPrayRun Sportswear to unite and launch a fund raising run event for the Sendong victims and baby Rafael.  Popular runners and key figures in the running community have pledged their support: Michelle Estuar & Renan Morales, Raffy Santos & Edwin Soriano of runnersrunner.com, Raul Acuna of ARC, Rovic Canono of Greentenial, Jonel Mendoza of Front Runner, Jinoe Gavan of Takbo.ph, Jeff Lo of Pinoy Fitness, Team BGC, running host Boy Ramos, Tia de Guzman of Pep Squad events and Rio Dela Cruz of Runrio.

I’ll definitely be running this one. I do hope to see you there! 100% goes to Sendong victims and baby Rafael.

TODO RESPONDE Run 2012
January 14, 2012 @ 5AM
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
3K/5K/10K

Registration Fees:
3K – P300
5K – P300
10K – P350
Bib numbers will be issued to participants

Gun Start:
3K – 6:00am
5K – 6:15am
10K – 6:25am

Registration Venues:
– ROX at Bonifacio Highstreet, BGC
– ARC (A Running Circle) Unit H, Aloha Hotel, 2150 Roxas Boulevard, Cor. Quirino Ave. Malate, Manila. Contact Numberphone: 567.iRun
– RUNNR – ATC, Alabang

– Image from It’s More Fun in The Philippines Website –

Picking up on the Department of Tourism’s new (and oh-so controversial) slogan for the country: It’s More Fun in the Philippines, which I, by the way, actually like because it’s simple and true (so Pinoy diba?!), I came up with 10 reasons why it truly is more fun to run in our beloved country…

– Yup, it’s more fun to run in the Philippines! –

1 – Pinoy runners talk, jump, tease, sing, dance, skip, hop, and last but not the least, laugh while they’re running.  Heck, we can do that while we’re racing!  Ever run in races abroad where runners barely speak and there’s nothing to hear but feet stomping on the ground?  Nope, not in the Philippines.  We like our runs peppered with lots of chitchat and chismis.

2 – We smile a lot. See us grin from ear to ear before we run in the wee hours of the morning even when our eyes are shut, during a run while we’re being overtaken by a dozen others, and most especially after the run while our photos are being taken.  Oh yes, we Pinoys will always have our cameras on hand for photo ops and immediate uploading to Facebook!

3 – We have huge races almost every weekend.  There’s no dull Sunday morning in Bonifaco Global City alone.  Even other first world countries ain’t got what we got.  Running is alive and kicking here!

4 – Lots of areas to run where we don’t have to worry about traffic, pollution, or security.  Some of us are lucky to run in exclusive villages, while others train in U.P., Bonifacio Global City or down South in NUVALI.  And, let’s not forget our provinces where running is growing as well: Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and more!

5 – If you do find yourself running on congested roads amidst pollution and smog almost getting sideswiped by buses and jeepneys, most of the Pinoy runners, will most likely be unfazed and will tag this as “a great adventure” that must be done again. (Okay, fine, “most” not all.)

6 – Trail running and Ultra Marathoning is growing and getting more exciting.  As a runner, you’ll have more reasons (or excuses to your boss and husband/wife) to travel to the provinces and explore the country literally on foot!

7 – We can run alongside celebs like Coach Rio, Piolo, Iza Calzado, and Karylle and pretend that, uhm, no, no, we’re not starstruck at all. What’s with the stupid grin, sweaty palms, and wobbly knees? Oh, nothing!  Just due to over excitement from the race.

8 – Tessa Prieto-Valdez and her tutus. Pure entertainment during a run.

9 – Polo Tri.  Where else can you spot a dozen or so fit and cute guys in white trisuits?  Too bad they’re fast. You only have a minute or two to ogle.  (Disclaimer:  This note does not represent TBR’s personal opinions and views.  Being a married woman, she only states as fact what she has observed from female runners in the community.  In short, she only has eyes for her husband…even if he refuses to wear a white trisuit.)

10 – Post-run meal of tapsilog.  Need I say more?

I know I missed a lot more reasons. Feel free to add below!

Woohoo. We’ve finally installed these little buttons below each blogpost.  (I feel so techy already!)  Actually, many of you noticed it even before I did! Haha.

Feel free to click on the Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Other Buttons whenever you wish to do any of the following: (except of course the fake buttons above.  That’s just an image, silly!)

1. Share the post with friends who could learn a thing or two from it
2. Share the post with enemies who could learn a thing or two from it
3. Express in a silent way that the article gave you a new insight or touched your heart
4. Tell me that you loved the article and there are absolutely no words to describe how its changed your running and your life
5. Check if your mouse button is working

Thanks to Marc of Sheeromedia for helping me out with this one!

These are the running books by my bedside…

In Macca’s “I’m Here to Win”, he shares how his Mom would put him and his brothers to sleep every night telling them three words: “Dream. Believe. Succeed.”

Last night, I was about to put my own kids to bed too and told them that, from this day forward, I would be telling them those same words. Little Miss Bull Runner asked me to repeat the words and, as I did, she said each one after me.

The seeds have been planted.