Author Archives:

Remember we mentioned that The Bull Runner Dream Marathon is not just about letting first-time or second-time marathoners reach their marathon dream?  That it’s also about experienced marathoners being given the opportunity to give back to the running community, to give new runners the same support and motivation they received from others.  To basically pay it forward.

If you are NOT a participant of TBR Dream Marathon, but you want to be a part of it.  This is the way.

If you are NOT interested in running your own race on May 22, 2010, and you are willing to set aside the time and effort 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.

We are now opening slots for TBR Dream Marathon volunteers.  Three ways in which you can volunteer:

1. DREAM CHASER – 30 only
2. PERSONAL PACER – 30 only
3. WATER OR GATORADE MARSHAL VOLUNTEER – 30 only

Dream Chasers (30 only) and Personal Pacers (30 only) will be issued PINK race bibs like this…(Participants will be in BLUE)

Details:

ROLE OF DREAM CHASER:

• Wait in the Dream Chaser station along with other Dream Chasers
  • Each Dream Chaser station will have 7 to 8 Dream Chasers
  • Dream Chaser stations will be placed every 5km of the route much like water stations
• 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!

ROLE OF WATER OR GATORADE MARSHAL:

• Man the water or Gatorade station
• Provide hydration to runners with a smile

QUALITIES WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN VOLUNTEERS:

• For Dream Chasers: experienced runner, but not necessarily a marathoner
• 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
• NOTE: For water/ Gatorade marshals, being a runner is preferred but not required

For any clarifications or inquiries, please email Edward at edwardpkho(at)yahoo.com

UPDATE: REGISTRATION FOR TBR DREAM MARATHON DREAM CHASERS AND PERSONAL PACERS IS CLOSED. If you wish to volunteer as hydration marshal, you may email Edward at edwardpkho(at)yahoo.com

I’ve fallen in love with running again. Not that I ever fell out of it. But, for a while there, I lost the oomph that I always felt in the past.

Truth be told, the past months, running felt more like a force of habit, or worse like work.  It was something I had to do to maintain my fitness, keep the weight down, or reach a particular running goal.  I missed the days when I felt so passionate about running that it came out in the way I wrote about it too, like THIS or THIS or THIS.

From February (after Hong Kong Marathon) to a couple of weeks ago, each of my runs were enjoyable, but they weren’t thrilling. I would run at Bonifacio High Street with the hubby or friends on weekday evenings. I also ran most of the major races.  But, no matter who I ran with, how grandiose the event was, or how many thousands of runners joined a race, I felt ho-hum about each and every run I had.

Until the past couple of runs…

I’ve been waking up each morning excited to lace up.  My mind is racing even before I hit the road.  I am excited over running again.  It has a lot to do with getting into the NYC Marathon lottery since I have a new goal.  But, it has more to do with going back to the place and time when I first fell in love with running: early morning runs on my favorite roads.

I’ve gone back to the same morning runs on my own.  Just me and the road.  No chatter, no crowds, no brain clutter, no mental noise. I don’t expect to see anyone and I don’t want to be seen either.  It’s going back to how I started running in 2007 when running was new to me.  And there was much to discover.

Nowadays, I cover the same route.  Same time as before.  But, I go at a pace that is much faster than I’ve gone the past several months of marathon training; it is invigorating.  In the silence and the vastness of the road, my mind is free to roam, imagine, brainstorm, dream, problem-solve, and relax, something I cannot seem to do during evening runs, when the day has left me with more thoughts than I can handle.  The speed makes me feel like I’m leaving behind a huge chunk of weight, work, and worries. After one hour of running, I feel lighter, happier, and I feel I have more in me to fight the battles of the day.  After my morning run, I feel I can take on the world.

I love the name of this race: CHASE THE SUN: THE NEUTROGENA RUN. It’s all about summer running and not being afraid to enjoy the great outdoors, which is exactly what I’ll do that weekend: saturday at the beach, sunday at the race. Ooh I can’t wait!

Hope to see you at the race!

NOTE: Race day is SUNDAY, MAY 16, not May 15 as previously announced

– Hmmm…runner here looks familiar. She looks exactly like me, but with 10x more make up on –

TBR Race Review: The Greenfield Sunset Run 2010

Rating:

Organizers: Finish Line

THUMBS UP:

• out-of-town sunset run as a unique concept
• majority of the roads (specifically within Greenfield City and Pramana Village) were wonderful to run on
• ample floodlights throughout the dark roads
• mobile system throughout the route blasting music
• use of timing chip
• free transportation to Greenfield City
• festive post-race atmosphere
• bands after the race
• discounts at outlet stores
• kids play area

BETTER JOB NEXT TIME:

• lack of water at one station
• vehicles and motorcycles entered a portion of the course
• some roads were dusty and polluted
• late start
• heavy traffic entering and exiting race

The idea of an out-of-town sunset run conjures images of fresh air, a calm breeze, and wide, open roads for runners to tread on. The Greenfield Sunset Run provided all that for the most part of the 21km race, but gave the runners a tough challenge during the last kilometers with lack of water at stations, dusty and polluted roads, and cars lining the latter part of the course.

Thankfully, the race ended with a fun, festive atmosphere, one that was enough to make this runner forget about the difficulties of the race and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow runners in a much deserved late dinner.

————————————

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Early that day I spoke for three long hours at a workshop, had a tiny bowl of Minestrone for lunch, rushed to dress the kids and leave them at the in-laws forgetting completely about merienda. At 5:30 PM, as hubby and I, along with a wonderfully large group of running friends we happened to bump into at the race, I realized I was in for some big trouble.

– with JunC & Mariel (Solemates), Jay (Prometheus Cometh), Aljo, Raymund (Rain Man), Bobby, Hubby, Art and Little Kulit Runner in front –

I glanced at my watch. Ran the numbers. And told the hubby: “If we do your 9 run: 1 walk intervals, we may finish in 2 hours 30 mins right?” Hubby nodded his head. I shook mine. “Oh no, we’ll finish at 8! I am going to get hungry!”

With that, the race started. And I ran it off with a smile. Bahala na. That’s what I get for not being in full race mode and completely forgetting that a night race was different from the morning races I was so accustomed to.

EASY DOES IT

Hubby and I ran with Bobby and Raymund in the early part of the race. The course was awesome. The roads were wide and traffic-free, the sky was dim and the weather cool, a strong breeze didn’t allow us to break a sweat.

As in the past training runs, every 9 minutes, I would yell “WALK!” and we would all slow to a walk and start yakking away. After a minute, we would proceed to run in silence.

AND THE GROUP GETS BIGGER…

We passed several TBR Dream Marathoners along the way. And, almost like evangelists (or party list representatives if you want to be more relevant), we would encourage them to join us and try the run:walk intervals.

JV, hubby’s officemate, started running with us but decided to go his own pace after a few kilometers. Then, we bumped into Ricky who joined our pace group. Then, for a while, Dra. Lora who is part of the organizing committee of Runew, and Macky ran along with us.

AND THE RUN GETS TOUGHER

It was smooth sailing for us all throughout the first 15km. We actually struggled to keep our pace slow and steady at 6:30 min/km as we often found ourselves running at 6 to 6:15.

As the sky turned to black and the roads became narrower and filled with cars, the run doubled in difficulty.

At around 15km, I stopped at a water station only to discover they had run out of water. Of all times to leave my hydration belt behind! I yelled to hubby “What do I do with no water now?” And, as expected, he held out his water bottle for me to drink.

By the last 3km, cars started to fill both lanes of the road. A motorcyle from behind almost sideswiped me. Strike 2, I thought. Hubby and I managed to find humor in the situation as it was deja vu of The Great Lapu-Lapu Run in Cebu, where the last 3k was troubled by traffic, and a motorcyle had almost hit me as well.

Runners were forced to run on the middle of the road, so our group was in a single-line formation. By the time we stopped at the next water station (which had water already), our group was down to three. Just hubby, Bobby, and myself.

HAPPY FINISH

We crossed the finish at 2:26. It was one of our slowest runs. Once we stopped, my legs turned to lead with the lactic-acid build up. I knew that this was due to the fact that I didn’t run at my natural pace, forcing myself to run along with the group’s pace. This was fine, a happy consequence of running with a fine group of runners.

– with Bobby and Hubby nearing the finish –

– Coach Lit, are we leaning forward enough? –

– Near the end of what might be my last half marathon night race. I think I’ll stick to morning long runs! –

– with hubby –

The other runners from our pace group arrived. First Ricky, then Macky. Macky was on cloud 9 as he beat his PR by a whopping 20 minutes! (Thanks for the email and photo, Macky.  Congrats again!)

– Macky writes: This boosted my confidence that I will be able to finish the full marathon come May 22. I must admit there have been doubts but each small achievement(s) helps me to soldier on. –

Raymund was nowhere in sight. It turned out that he felt lightheaded midway through the run (most probably due to hunger) and was compelled to walk instead.

RUNNERS’ DINNER

With no Sunday morning activities to rush to like the regular morning race, most of us had time for a well-deserved dinner. A large group of us, most of my best running friends, shared an awful Japanese dinner over some fantastic runner’s chatter. A great way to end yet another running adventure.

– awful food over great dinner with friends –

* Thank you to Vima (Kulit Runner) and PhotoVendo Team (especially Ben Chan) for some of the photos.

Is it just me or are there more and more trail runs being held? I think it’s wonderful that runners have more options now when it comes to races. I say: “More races, mas happy!”

Here are details for the ENERVON HAPPY TRAIL RUN: