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Minor change to the BULL SESSION 3 this coming Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011. Assembly area is in front of FULLY BOOKED, Bonifacio High Street instead of Krispy Kreme. Everything else remains the same: We assemble at 5:30 a.m. with Lit Onrubia giving us a brief talk before we run for 90 minutes together.

You may also claim your FREE Galloway tickets there and purchase more for friends who are coming along.  Click HERE for more info. See you there!

I also announced a BULL CIRCLE 4 for Jan. 26, 2011.  This has been moved to Wednesday, FEB. 9, 2011 at ROX, Bonifacio High Street.  Our speaker Coach Jim Saret was called to leave the country with RP Smart Gilas Team.

Here’s the summary.  Block your calendars please!

• BULL SESSION 3: Jan 22, Saturday, 5:30 am, BHS, in front of Fully Booked: run clinic – long run 90 mins
• BULL CIRCLE 4: Feb 9, Wednesday, 7PM, ROX: talk – Coach Jim Saret on balance, core, and conditioning for marathoners (don’t miss this!)
• BULL SESSION 4: Feb 26, Saturday, 4:30 am, NUVALI: run clinic – long run 3 hours 30 mins (our longest run before marathon day. Don’t miss this too!)

To all flat footed runners out there, repeat after me:  “I am flat footed and I am proud of it!”

I read an article on New York times today that ends this way:

“Dr. Nigg says he always wondered what was wrong with having flat feet. Arches, he explains, are an evolutionary remnant, needed by primates that gripped trees with their feet.

“Since we don’t do that anymore, we don’t really need an arch,” he wrote in an e-mail. “Why would we? For landing — no need. For the stance phase — no need. For the takeoff phase — no need. Thus a flat foot is not something that is bad per se.”

You said it, Dr. Nigg!

As for the rest of the article, it reveals that scientists know that orthotics work, but they don’t exactly know how. It actually raises more questions than it provides answers.  I’ve been a user of Spenco insoles for years now and I cannot live without it.  No doubt in my mind that it has helped me cope with my runner’s knee and ITBS.  Now, the big question is: Should I start weaning myself away from it?  Hmmm….

Click HERE to read the full article.

When runners wed, they don’t just send out typical formal invitations. They make you feel like you’ve been registered for a special race.

When runners wed, all runner guests scrap their morning training runs for the wedding (or at least they postpone it for later in the day.)

When runners wed, they share their vows for all running friends and guests to hear with even more passion than when they ran their first marathon.

When runners wed, “something new” is a new pair of Asics GT-2160’s for the groom…

…and New Balance 760’s for the new couple at the reception.

When runners wed, guests are advised to toss their formal shoes away and lace up into running shoes for a more comfortable  reception.

When runners wed, they’re in it for the long run.

To my dearest friends Hector and Mayen, I feel blessed and fortunate to have been a witness to your love—from the moment I saw you together at Secondwind, to training for TBR Dream Marathon, until you both walked out of the chapel hand-in-hand last Friday.  May you have many more years of laughter, love, and kilometers to run together.

Hec, I told you you would end up with a runner!

* Some photos courtesy of Migs Castro

Block your running schedules for a meaningful race that’ll make heroes out of each one of us.

More details to follow.

I bought my pair of “fat jeans” in Gap in the U.S. after I realized that wearing my regular jeans from Manila might 1) cut my blood circulation, 2) have my jeans rip apart as I sat on the subway, 3) not allow me to eat any morsel of NYC food, or 4) all of the above.  Ironically, I made the purchase the day after the New York Marathon.  It was evident that the 2,000+ calorie burn from running 42k fell short of all the bagels and pizza I was devouring during the trip.  (Told you runners don’t have the license to eat all we want!)  For what it’s worth, I loved “Fat Jeans” and the freedom it gave me. It allowed me to eat with comfort…and with a little less guilt.

It was back to reality when I arrived in Manila.  I realized that aside from my old pair of jeans, I couldn’t fit into anything in my wardrobe. From running shorts to casual tops, I so badly wanted to believe that everything had shrank!  (We all know the sad truth, don’t we?)  So, Fat Jeans came to my immediate rescue!

I wore my Fat Jeans all through the holidays and as I welcomed the New Year with a plateful of food and a cup of hot chocolate (a better alternative to fire crackers, right?)  My Fat Jeans was my best friend for quite some time until I realized it was time to let it go and get serious.  Since the year started, I have made an extra effort to lose the extra weight from the trip.  I am proud to report that out of the 8 lbs. I gained, I only have a miniscule 2 lbs. to go.  Phew.

This morning, I thought it was time to try fitting my old pair of jeans again. I took a deep breath and nervously yanked one pant leg after another.  It fit!  A little bit too tight on the thighs, but as long as I got in, right?

Beaming with pride, I stepped out of the bathroom with glee and announced to the kids:  “I can fit into my old pair of jeans again!”  Then TBR Jr. replies “It looks like thin jeans!” as Little Miss TBR stared with a wry smile. I asked cheerfully: “Do you mean to say, I look thin in it?”  He answers: “No, I mean it looks too thin for you.  It looks tight…”

Without saying a word, I headed back into the bathroom in search of my old friend to change.  Fat Jeans came to my rescue yet again.

Aaah, 2 more pounds to go to get back to my old weight.  When that happens, I’ll be ready to bid goodbye to Fat Jeans forever.  As the old saying goes: “If you love him, set him free.  If he comes back to you, then you must not be running enough.”