Posts Tagged with: "Announcements"

My web admin guy will do all sorts of techy stuff over the weekend to prepare for the TBR Blog revamp (currently fiddling with my fingers with a big grin on my face.)  So, starting 9 PM, please avoid posting comments since this will probably get lost in the world wide web and you’ll end up thinking of me as a snob.  (As if I’ve been able to reply to all your comments anyway with my crazy sched!  I apologize.  Promise I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can.)

SHUTDOWN PERIOD:
Starts tonight, APRIL 3 (FRI) 9:00 PM
Ends on APRIL 5 (SUN) 9:00 PM

Have a great weekend, runners!

I was Ninoy—or as close as I could get to being a hero like him during last Sunday’s Condura Run.  And, many of my running friends (around 50 or so) were like Ninoy too.  Some of us ran slow, while others a bit faster (such as 5k winners Bernadette Magaso, 1st female; Ben Alejandrino and Jonas Bacnagan, 2nd & 3rd male respectively) but we all ran for the same cause: to help build schools.

– My pace buddies during Condura: Jake, myself, JunC, Vince nearing the finish line –

We all wore our brand spankin’ new bright yellow singlets with the words…

BUILD MILEAGE
BUILD ENDURANCE
BUILD SCHOOLS
I AM A RUNNER
I AM A HERO
I AM NINOY

…printed on the back of our shirts to officially launch the I Am Ninoy Runners Group to the Filipino running community.  Many of us were approached by fellow runners asking us about the singlets, what the group is about, or how they could become a member.

WHAT IS I AM NINOY ABOUT?

I Am Ninoy is not a political movement.  It is an endeavor to bring out the hero in the Filipino.  There is so much poverty and one way to eliminate this is providing education to the less privileged. A group called “5775 Reverse the Education Crisis” is helping us facilitate this objective. 

– Jamike and Mayi Lopa, my good friends and the couple behind the I Am Ninoy Runners Group –

WHAT IS 5775?

This group is composed of a number of large corporations that provide funding and technical support. You may be wondering why they call themselves 5775–in a survey done nationwide, it was learned that the average grade of a student is 57% while the passing grade is 75%–thus 5775 to signify the gap that needs to be reveresed in the counry’s educational crisis.  They have developed assistance packages in their program to address what they’ve identified to be the most critical needs.  These include the following:

1. Nutrition through in-school feeding programs (it was found out that the students were performing bad because of lack of nutrition)
2. Materials through providing reading, math and science workbooks 
3. Infrastructure — building classrooms/buildings 

WHAT IS I AM NINOY RUNNERS GROUP?

Last Sunday, March 22, during the Condura run, the I Am Ninoy Runners Group was launched.  By the simple act of wearing the I Am Ninoy Runner shirt during the Condura Run, runners were heroes to the thousands of children who want to learn and have a better life.  

The way it works:  The I Am Ninoy group seeks out institutions and individuals who can sponsor the runners participation in races. These sponsors commit funds, which are in turn donated to pilot projects of the 57-75 Movement. All pledges and donations are posted on the I Am Ninoy website.

ALL donations will go directly to schools.  The Aquino family or its foundation will not receive a single centavo.  

HOW CAN I JOIN THE I AM NINOY RUNNERS GROUP?

Join the I Am Ninoy Runners Group and be a hero in your own little way.  Just visit the website, pay a one-time fee of P500 as your investment in the cause. In exchange, you will receive an exclusive iamninoy Runners shirt, the official uniform/jersey for all running events.  Every time you wear this shirt during a run or other occasion, you are helping make a wish come true.

We do not need to give up our lives like Ninoy did to be a hero–a simple act of kindness is enough.

WEBSITE: iamninoy.com

* Photos (except for the 1st) are courtesy of Rapa Lopa.

No need to go far to register for a race.  No more lengthy registration forms to accomplish.  Finally, we Filipino runners can register for some of our favorite races ONLINE!

How to register for a race:

1. Click on EVENTS.  You’ll see a list of races.
2. Click on the race you would like to join.
3. Accomplish entry form online or download registration form for printing. 
4. If online, you may pay using either your Credit Card, ATM or G-Cash. 
5. Upon registration, you will be asked to:
   1. select the Nike Park branch as your designated pick-up point. Race kits will be available at the pick-up point seven (7) days before the race day, or
   2. have the race kit delivered at your doorstep for an additional fee.

Big thank you to Coach Rio de la Cruz and Vince Mendoza for making it more convenient for us runners!

I thought I would be willing to do anything to win a free trip to the Hong Kong Marathon in February 2009.  But, after reading this Facebook promo, I realized that I’m more chicken than I thought.  Here’s the promo:

Win a trip to the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon!

The second Facebook competition is back, and like the marathon this year, it is bigger and better than ever! 

Stand a chance to win a trip to Hong Kong to take part in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2009, happening on 8 February 2009!

Write a post on the group’s Facebook Discussion Board’s thread, and tell us the craziest thing you would do on 7 December to show the 49,999 other runners what the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon means to you. 

The selected winner will then be informed on 6 December, and he or she will have to carry out the idea during the run in order to claim the prize.

That last sentence just does it for me.  I could go on and on about the crazy, funny things I could possibly do, but if I have to carry them out before I get my hands on those free tickets then—uhm—excuse me but I may come down with a cold on race day.  

Just for fun, let’s answer a similar question:  What would be the craziest, wackiest thing you would do in  a local race of 500 runners to win, let’s say, an all expense paid trip and entrance to the New York City Marathon 2009?

As mentioned, Nike will be giving out free Nike attire and shoes to Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon runners who were able to register with Coach Rio. 

Click here to confirm if you’re on the list.  

According to Coach Rio, you may have registered with him, but due to lack of available sizes for singlets and shoes, your name may not be included in the final list.  Shorts won’t be given out anymore too.

If you’re listed, as I am (woohoo!), you may pick up your items from Coach Rio at Ultra, 6 to 9am and 5 to 9pm, until Thursday.  See you in Singapore!