Author Archives:

Have you registered for QCIM? The good people at Runnex extended registration and scrapped late fees to accomodate those who were affected by Typhoon Ondoy. Here’s their official announcement:

Due to numerous requests from runners residing from the calamity areas of Marikina, Taguig, Pasig, Cainta and Muntinlupa City, the organizers of QCIM have announced that the list up for the 1st QCIM has been extended up to October 13, 2009. As such, there will no longer be any late registration penalty!

“All runners who were victims of the recent typhoon Ondoy should be given consideration for this tragedy” Runnex chair Mr. Art Disini reiterated during an organizational meeting yesterday. So starting today, all runners who will register for each of the race categories (5k, 10k, 21k & 42k) will still pay the regular registration fees as follows:

REGISTRATION FEES: (Local Residents)

5k           P 300.00
10k             300.00 
21k             500.00 
42k             650.00 

Please note that TIMEX stores which were previously part of our registration centers for the race will no longer accept registrations. However, the following registration centers will still be accepting registrants:

NIKE PARK – Bonifacio High Street, Taguig
SECONDWIND Running Store – 88 Maginhawa Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City
QUEZON CITY HALL – Ground Floor, Elliptical Road, Quezon City
NATIONAL ENGINEERING CENTER (Juinio Hall) – Room 403, Agoncillo Street, U.P. Diliman Campus, Quezon City (Tel No. 920-4206)
Also, we are presently arranging additional NIKE STORE Outlets at the SM Mall of Asia, Megamall, Southmall and Glorietta 3 as registration Centers. This outlets will be receiving registrations starting Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

So, I was having a tough time debating where I should do my 20k LSD this coming Sunday: Celebrity Run or Milo. Looks like the decision was made for me…

Philstar.com has announced that its Celebrity Run, set for October 11, will be postponed.  Here’s an excerpt from their official announcement…

Due to the series of typhoons that hit the metro the past two weeks,philstar.com is postponing its Celebrity Run 2009 originally scheduled for Oct. 11, 2009 at the Fort Bonifacio Global City.

The philstar.com Celebrity Run 2009 will be moved to give way to the relief, clean-up and rehabilitation efforts of Taguig City, which was one of the urban areas badly hit by Ondoy last September 26, 2009. The new schedule of the race will be announced later.

Click here to read full article on Philstar.com

Milo…here I come!

For many of us, running is a way of life. It’s as natural as brushing our teeth or praying before we go to sleep. It’s not a chore that we have to grumble our way through accomplishing and happily tick off our to-do list at the end of the day. Not a task we set to do only when we’re in the mood, when there’s free time, or when friends call for an invite. Running is a part of who we are; it lives in our souls and travels through our veins.

Running, for us, never stops. We run when it is sunny or stormy—out on the road, or in our hearts and minds. In good times, we run to celebrate; we fly swiftly on the roads basking under the morning sunshine and reveling in the beauty of life.

In troubled times, we use running as a refuge, an escape from the difficult, tumultuous world. When the Typhoon Ondoys of our life flood our thoughts with obstacles and fears, we run to find solutions to our problems or to release pent up emotions. For most, the run gives us a renewed strength, reminding us that we can wade through problems and survive a storm as long as we try our darndest best to reach our goals.

Typhoon Ondoy has departed, but it’s left us with devastation all around. As runners, we continue to run, but it doesn’t mean we don’t care. We continue to pray for all those affected by Ondoy, especially runner friends who are still slowly picking up the pieces: cleaning up their flooded homes, drying off their Runner’s World magazines, and washing their muddied running shoes.

Life goes on. Rain or shine, running continues…well, it never really stopped.

Here is the updated info regarding THE RESCUE RUN, an organized race for Ondoy victims.  This was the brainchild of a triathlete friend, Raoul Floresca, and only recently, Eric Pasion of Run4Change and myself are helping him organize it.  

We hope that you can join the race without focusing on your time nor winning a prize, but with the sole intention of gathering with others in the community to signify your intention to help. As Raoul so eloquently put it: “I expect a lot of “personal bests” to be established or surpassed in this effort. Those who’ve expressed their intent to join or volunteer are putting their best foot forward and that, for me, is a personal best.”  

– The Rescue Runners Race Bib –

WHAT IS THE RESCUE RUN?
TRR is an organized run where, in lieu of registration fees, donations will be collected for the distance you will run. This is not a race so there will be no souvenir t-shirts, no swag bags, no finishers medals, and no prize money.

There will be no water stations since we believe that water must be given to those who need it most: victims of Ondoy. Needless to say, it will be KKB (kanya kanyang bote or kanya kanyang belt)

A registered participant will receive a RESCUE RUNNERS race bib, which the runner can wear during the race and in sustaining events currently being planned for the entire month of October to raise funds for rehabilitation. (Info will be posted on this blog)

WHEN:
October 10, 2009, Saturday
Assembly: 5:30 a.m.
Race start: 6:30 a.m.

DISTANCES: 3km, 5km, 10k

DONATIONS:
Individual: P200 for any distance
Corporate: P5,000 for 20 runners

VENUE: SM Mall of Asia

WHO CAN JOIN:
– open to all athletes, their families and friends
– anyone who is willing to help while getting a few minutes of exercise
– participants are encouraged to collect pledges from their family or friends who cannot make it to the event

BENEFICIARY:
All proceeds will be donated to the Philippine National Red Cross for the Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) victims. Our goal is to help provide a continuous supply of food and water to the stricken areas.

VOLUNTEERS:
We are in need of volunteers for road marshals and secretariat. If you are interested, pls. contact: RESCUE RUNNERS | 0917 -8374204 | 02-2168521 | rescuerunners@run4change.com

REGISTRATION:
Starts October 5, 2009 at the following venues:
– The SecondWind Running Store (Maginhawa St., UP Village)
– Recreational Outdoor eXchange (ROX, Bonifacio High Street)
– All Terra Bike Shop (Club 650, Libis)
* There will be on site registration starting 5:30 a.m.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? WHY NOT VOLUNTEER AT RELIEF CENTERS OR DONATE MONEY?

Effort comes in many forms. Not everyone has access to go to a relief or evacuation center to help out. While everyone wants to help or pitch in, their jobs, families and other factors make it difficult for them to do so. We are organizing the run as a means to help. It’s purely voluntary.

Meager resources are poured into the effort.  This run is a no-frills run.  The only add-ons such as the tents, p.a. system and race bibs are contributions from volunteers that will help in organizing the run, nothing more.

Help isn’t a one-time, big-time effort.  Undoubtedly, help is needed immediately.  But with the extent of devastation that the floods have caused, the need for aid could be overwhelming.  Instant relief won’t give people their homes back.  The victims still need the means to rehabilitate damaged property and rebuild their homes.  That takes time and a steady stream of resources. The Rescue Run is a means to help in that regard. We hope to be able to provide aid in other ways down the line–be it through food, rehabilitation or construction material.

Click here to visit THE RESCUE RUNNERS website.

Here’s the official announcement of my boss, Marga Deona, regarding Run Radio tonight:

It’s gonna be a big storm, so better be safe than sorry. Run Radio is going off-air. No one goes to the studio as we can’t risk the safety of hosts and the production team. Stay safe at home with your families. Please take care. Hopefully, we’ll be back on air next week. And, let’s hope for better days.

There you have it.  Let’s prepare for the worst and hope for the best tonight as Typhoon Pepeng is expected to hit Manila.  Let’s also pray for those who were affected by Ondoy, that they may be spared from any more losses.  Stay safe tonight, runners.