Category Archives: Bullish Insights

Talk about cramming.  It’s 8:50 PM the day before the race and it’s only now that I’m downloading the Condura Skyway Marathon Runner’s E-Handbook for details. (Click HERE to download the comprehensive —and impressive—Condura Runner’s E-Handbook)

Suffice it to say that this week left me with little time to prepare for the race and just enough time to recover from my fever last Monday.  It’s definitely going to be more of a training run for me tomorrow (as it is for a lot of our TBR Dream Marathoners!) rather than a serious race—unless a full week with Jeff Galloway has some magical effect on my speed!

See you on the Skyway!

His book was my training bible when I started running in 2006. This morning, he was right in front of me talking for a full three hours during a running workshop at the Ultra Track Oval. Jeff Galloway in the flesh! Pinch me now.

Jeff talked about his training program which revolves around his run-walk program and how it doesn’t just help you avoid injury and exhaustion, but it actually helps you to reach your target time for a race. While many runners shy away from walking since it may be a sign of weakness, Jeff is quick to point out that his program will actually allow you to run faster. He trained a runner to finish a marathon at 2:38 on the run-walk program. Can you believe that?

– Chris Cone of South Tri, Anton Gonzales of Planet Sports, and Coach Ige Lopez listen intently –

– Belle Grandinetti of South Tri, Aileen, and Gelo Arellano of Fitness First Tri Team –

– Jeff runs around the track with workshop participants, including Sen. Pia Cayetano in front –

Jeff went on to discuss the suggested pace for long runs, his recommended training for us, hydration, marathoning, stretching, strength training, nutrition, compression tights…I could go on and on. He basically talked about all things running and effectively answered the questions we threw at him. It was a chance to get all my running questions answered by no other than the running guru himself!

One question I asked (and I just loved his answer) was: Is it true that we should run only one marathon a year when I’ve heard you and your wife run a marathon every month?  His answer:  It’s alright to run a marathon per month as long as you run this at training pace.  Choose one key marathon where you’ll race your best effort.  Wooohoooo!  Wait here’s a disclaimer >> Do NOT go running 42ks per month especially if you are a beginner.  Please make sure you have a good mileage base and get more advice from a coach if possible.

I’m looking forward to hearing the talk tonight (6pm at Colegio San Agustin, Dasmarinas Village) and learn even more from Jeff. Tomorrow, we shall all fly to Cebu for The Galloway Method talks and workshops there. Then, we’ll have 1 more workshop and 1 more talk here in Manila on Saturday. It’s a full week of learning from the master himself!

For more info on The Galloway Method, click HERE. Tickets for the talk will be available for purchase onsite. To sign up for the workshop, call the contact details provided in the link.

Biking for Dummies. That’s the book I need right now for two obvious reasons:

1) This February, my goal is to learn how to bike with cleats, and
2) I’m the dumbest person I know when it comes to biking.

My brain has the capacity to memorize pace and time for marathons, but it struggles to absorb any word or number associated with bikes, except for “Contessa” and “Shimano”. If it is pressured to recall any more than that, it goes into emergency mode and my brother-the-cyclist’s cellphone number automatically pops out in blinking red lights, much like the fire exit sign in a burning building.

As I’ve said, the magic word for the coming month is: cleats. I never knew that this 6-letter word could cause so much stress in my life. Every single time it’s been mentioned, whether at the community bike shop, over coffee with Jun (The Solemates), or at a dinner party with Team Hammer, my palms get all sweaty and my legs lock up. I am so incredibly afraid of falling off the bike if or when I forget to uncleat. Worse, I am so worried that when I do fall, I will break a bone in my body which will render me unable to run for months. I will die if that happens.

I’m an optimist and I pray it doesn’t happen, but who am I kidding? I don’t know anyone who hasn’t fallen off a bike while learning to ride with cleats. I bet in the mysterious and secret world of biking, one can only enter the 10-foot tall, well-guarded gates by revealing gaping wounds from cleating accidents. It is, as all bikers say, a rite of passage.

I was so fearful of cleats that I tried my best to delay using them for as long as possible. Remember that I got my Contessa in October? I had the convenient excuse of not riding it since I was training for New York Marathon. Then I was lucky enough to use the busy holiday excuse for December. While I was thinking of a new excuse for January, good friends from GranTrail bike shop decided to put an end to the charade. A couple of weeks ago, they surprised me with Shimano bike shoes and cleats! Overhwhelmed with joy (and fear), I texted Hans of GranTrail to thank him profusely for the gift, then I wiped the sweat off my face as I thought: “Crap, now I don’t have a reason NOT to learn how to use cleats anymore.”

– Thanks Hans & Cherie Co of GranTrail Cycles! –

Now, back to how I dumb I am. In excitement, in the car, I opened the Shimano box to fit the shoes. I ripped out the velcro from the first two straps, then I spotted the buckle for the shoe. I pulled it, flipped it around, attempted to yank it off, pressed here, then there and I realized after a few minutes that I didn’t know how to open the shoe. Told you I’m the dumbest person when it comes to bikes.

Who did I call to answer the dumbest question ever? Not Hans, of course, that would be too embarrassing. I called on my dearest Kuya first. He said his shoe was just velcro, so he had no clue. Argh. Next I called on a good friend Jay (Prometheus Cometh) who, much to my bad luck, had simple one-strap velcro tri shoes; he had no clue either. I swallowed my pride and texted Hans. No reply. Gawd, he must’ve showed the text to everyone at the bike shop before answering me. Fortunately, I was fetching my son at his best friend’s house, and BFF’s dad, Jamike, is a triathlete and friend. So, after three pathetic pleas for help from several people, Jamike was successful at solving the world’s dumbest bike issue simply by pressing a button. Voila! The bike shoe unfastened and was ready for my fitting!

So, here I am now with the bike all set up, the bike shoes fitted with its cleats, and my heart palpitating every single time I think of practicing. Thankfully, it’s just January 28; I have four more days before February. Lord, help me.

Runner, triathlete, and FrontRunner Columnist, J. Cu Unjieng, passed away this afternoon.  I didn’t know him personally, but I knew of him. In April 2009, I interviewed him along with other BDM 102 finishers.  I thought it best to repost the link below as he talked about finishing the 1st Bataan Death March:

RUNNERS’ INTERVIEW: BATAAN DEATH MARCH ULTRA RUNNERS (PART 1)

My deepest condolences to J.’s family.  The Philippine running community mourns with you.

So the blogging world is abuzz over the “Big Bad Blogger” that Margaux Salcedo wrote about in Sunday Inquirer Magazine.  She basically exposed the crooked ways of a blogger/ PR agency in pressuring (or shall we call it blackmailing?) restaurants into paying them to get good reviews on a blog. What I like most about this article—aside from the fact that I’m a sucker for chismis—is that someone finally spoke out about nefarious bloggers and how they ruin it all for the rest of the professional, fair, and credible bloggers out there.

In the blogging world, a blogger only has one thing to hold on to: his or her credibility. With that gone, everything else can be thrown into the laundry with his/her soiled and smelly socks (which was used for a 42k).

The same holds true for the teeny weeny running blogging world where word gets around fast and everyone knows each other. If you want readers to believe you, you must be honest and genuine. Cut the crap. No bull, if I may say so.

In the spirit of transparency, allow me to share how I manage this blog and what I do to ensure I remain truthful at all times.

• ON PAID POSTS. I do not accept paid posts. You can’t make me rave about a sucky product or sing praises about a flawed race.  Conversely, I will raise negative points about products or services but with due respect to the parties involved. Usually, out of courtesy, I inform the race organizer or the supplier about the negative review beforehand.  It’s cliche, but it really is for the benefit of the entire community.  I have a high respect for companies that accept critiques without taking it personally; it truly shows professionalism, desire to improve, and humility.
• ON ADVERTISEMENTS. I accept paid box advertisements. This is my way of ensuring that sponsors and advertisers do not make their way into my posts unless I personally choose to write about their products or services. Paid box ads do not in any way affect my opinion on the advertiser’s race, product, or service.
• ON EARNING FROM A BLOG. I am fortunate to earn supplemental income (my bread and butter is graphic design) from something that I just started on a whim and out of my passion for running. I will admit that the extra income helps in one way or another, but it’s not the reason why I blog. I’m not and never will be driven by money. If that happens, I’ll be the first one to shut this down. I think it is completely acceptable for bloggers to earn from ads provided that they do not in any way compromise the quality and credibility of the blog.
• ON PRODUCT REVIEWS. I accept products for review with the condition that the advertiser allows me to provide an honest and unbiased review containing both pros and cons. I never ever ask for a product to review. I do not accept requests from the supplier for positive comments nor omission of negative ones. I also do not promise to write about a particular product; I do so at my discretion only when I feel strongly about the particular product and it is worth sharing with the community. So note that the products I feature on this blog are those that I truly would use myself or recommend to others. There are products in my home that have never made it to these pages.
• ON EVENTS AND PRESS CONFERENCES. I occasionally attend press conferences and events of my choosing to be updated on current events in the community. I accept complimentary race packets and giveaways during events, but again this does not compromise my review of the race.  Never did I request for free race packs or freebies nor attend an event without invitation.
• ON RACE REVIEWS. I review races without favoring a race organizer or sponsor. In the occasion that I must point out negative issues about the race, I inform the parties affected out of respect, but I have never pulled out a post at anyone’s request.
• ON TRANSPARENCY. Beginning last year, I practiced transparency by stating clearly if the product was purchased or given. From now on, I will also inform you if a race pack was complimentary or purchased.
• ON PRODUCT ENDORSEMENTS. I accept product endorsements if and only if I truly believe in and use the product. I have turned down product/event endorsements that I feel would have compromised the credibility of this blog. I endorse Cherifer Premium (and I take it every day too!)  I am a sponsored athlete of Gatorade and Oakley and I’m a member of Team Hammer. I don’t rave about these products because I am contracted by these companies, but it’s the other way around; I accepted these offers because they are sincerely the only products I use for that particular category.
• ON TBR MAGAZINE. The Bull Runner Magazine is NOT me; it is my publication, but it is a separate entity.  Its advertisers do not in any way affect my opinions on the blog.  TBR Magazine has no personal preferences when it comes to apparel, shoes, gear, and the like and it is not affected by my endorsements.  It provides all the information cutting across all brands for the benefit of the running community.

Note: You may notice that some of the points I raise above were not practiced in older posts. Reason being I am not a professional blogger so I’ve learned new things through the years that I started applying much later.  This blog is constantly evolving just like my journey as a runner.