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If you’re confused with the changes in full marathon schedules, you are not alone.  Here is the updated marathon schedules for 2009:

• Philippine Marathon: moved from Feb 22 to March 8
• Quezon City Marathon: moved from Feb to October 18
• Clark Marathon: initially planned for Feb, but now set for December 5 (tentative)

Will Milo Marathon be in August?  Will there still be a Subic Marathon?  Is there any other marathon that you know of that’s not listed above?

For now, that’s the list of marathons for next year.  Take your pick and start training…uhm, maybe after Noche Buena.

I do!  

Running on the Skyway—it’s wide, paved, elevated roads overlooking the metro and just a touch away from the clouds—has been my dream for the longest time.  No one is ever allowed to walk on this road, much less run on it.  But, thanks to Condura, we’ll all have the chance to do so!

Get ready for CONDURA RACE on March 22, 2009, where the Half Marathon route will partially pass the South Luzon Skyway coming from Bonifacio Global City.  Woohoo!  There will also be a 3k/ 5k/ 10k race.

– Patrick Concepcion, Ton Concepcion, Mr. Borromeo (President – Skyway), Mr. Nepomuceno (Skyway – VP for Operations) at the MOA signing for Condura Skyway Run last night –

Thank you in advance to Condura Durables, Inc. headed by running brothers, Patrick and Ton Concepcion, for raising the bar when it comes to local races!

Further details on early registration for Condura Skyway Run will be available soon.  I’ll keep you posted.

Visit Patrick’s blog here.

Where is it: My Christmas Wish List?  I’ve been so busy with work, the kids, dinners, workouts and shopping that I’ve realized just now that I haven’t sat down to think about what I want for Christmas, which is only a week away! (Gasp!)  So, here I go, typing as I think about everything I wish to receive:  (Listen up, hubby!)

1. A bike:  It seems that my months of hinting have fallen on deaf ears as I still don’t see a bike in the garage, so here I am spelling it out for the dearest hubby to read.  I want a B-I-K-E.  If it doesn’t fit into the budget this December, then I will patiently wait.  Do not get me jewelry, clothes, shoes, or a bag because I will wrap them up and give them to relatives next year.  This bull will only accept a bike for Christmas.
2. An injury-free holiday.  Christmas break—just like sem break and summer—is a mommy-driver’s time off!  It’s the season for full-blast, no holds barred, elite-level, wow-look-at-my-toned-legs type of training.  I’m hoping that when school ends for my kids this Friday, my knees are ready for the long runs I’ve been dreaming of.
3. Lots of massage.  Isn’t this long holiday break heaven?  I plan to spend every waking minute of this break at home getting a full body massage with extra loving care on my tight ITBs. Massage from my acupuncturist would be great too.
4. Secret project success.  So, I’ve been head-over-heels busy because I’ve been cooking up a project that has everything to do with running.  My wish is that when I launch in January 2009, it comes out as I had envisioned it—or better.  (Sorry, I can’t divulge any details as of the moment.  If I do, I would have to burn your running shoes and kill you.)  

Such a short list!  I thought it would be so much longer.  Well, it doesn’t take too much to make this bull happy.

When there are no more races to attend for the rest of the year and Christmas is just a blink away, what do runners do so they don’t miss each other too much?  They plan for a Runner’s Christmas Get Together so that they have a reason to meet again and chat about…what else?…running and races.

Last night, a big bunch of us left our running gear at home and dressed up for dinner at Italiannis, Bonifacio High Street.  It was an evening of non-stop eating, talking, laughing, and posing for photos.  Yes, runners do know how to have fun beyond the road, too!

– Class Picture –

– Bards (Banana Running), Coach Rio, Dingdong (RunMD), Dindo (RunningDATcom), and Mesh (MyIronShoes) –

– Vince, Vimz, Ben, BroJ (JRunning), Coach Rio, and Vener (Run Unltd.) –

– Vina, Doray (Doralicious), Mark, Mikey, Tiffin, Vimz (KulitRunner), Aljo, Philip (Foreign Runner) –

I’m so relieved the weekend is over.  

To make a long, dreary, dreadful weekend story short, I learned—during what should have been an easy 5k run at Nike Run Clinic last Friday—that my knee still needs more time to recover.  (Note that I do not use the word “injury” as I’m fairly optimistic that I’ll be out and running again after a few days.  Crossing my fingers!  Cross yours for me too.  And, I hope my acupuncturist is doing the same.)

So, I had to pass on the Mizuno-Fuego Sunset race last Saturday.  Boo hoo.  And, the entire family took a trip to the mall instead where my little girl kept saying “I thought we were going to play in the sand today.” while the other one complained “So, I bought a whole can of Pringles last week for nothing?!”

As if I didn’t have enough reason to feel depressed, nature plays a cruel joke on me.  What’s the worst thing you can do to a woman when she’s down?  You make her feel fat and ugly.  I got my monthly period accompanied by stomach pains that Saturday.  So, as much as I tried to find comfort in Christmas shopping, I felt weak and tired all throughout the weekend.

Aaah, I’m glad it’s Monday already; it’s a fresh start.  I looked in the mirror this morning and I’d like to believe I don’t look like the evil witch that I was last Saturday.  As of this morning, I’m not brooding over the injury nor the missed runs anymore; at least, I’m trying my best not to do so.  I’m fairly optimistic that I’ll recover from this brief setback in no time as I’m a veteran when it comes to my runner’s knee; I pretty much know what my body needs to get back on track asap.  

Hope you have a great week.  Mine will definitely be better than the weekend.