Posts Tagged with: "Champion Run"

I should check my spam box more often. This is what I found there!

Below is an open letter from SportsConnection, the company behind Champion brand, apologizing for the lack of organization during the Champion Run. I don’t know about you, but running brings so much positive energy into my life that I refuse to taint it with any unpleasant thoughts or harbour ill feelings towards anyone.

All I can say to the management of SportsConnections is this: please learn from your mistakes and make sure that in next year’s run (if there is any) you will: 1) have more water, 2) more marshalls, 3) start on time, 4) provide water at the end of the finish line, and 5) coordinate closely with your race organizer (When you put your name on it, it is your race. Its success or failure becomes yours too.) Peace—I have forgiven and forgotten! I don’t know about the rest.

To other runners of the Champion Race, feel free to post tactful comments and suggestions for SportsConnection to realize areas of improvement.

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Warm Greetings!

On behalf of SportsConnection, we would like to thank everybody who joined the Champion Run. We appreciate your participation in our first run event.

We would like to take this opportunity to apologize to those who have been inconvenienced by lack of water in the hydration stations set up by Fort Striders, the group we commissioned to be our race organizer.

We have distributed (personally handed) to the runners more than 2,800 bottles of mineral water and soft drinks together with some snacks and the certificates.

Please note that as soon as our president, Adi delos Reyes, found out that the stations have run out of water, he immediately instructed our staff to go get more water for the runners.

The problems you mentioned (water and not enough marshals) were supposed to be taken cared of by the race organizer. It clearly states in the contract we signed with them that they will provide water in the hydration stations, take care of the race technical aspects as well as the sound system to which we have also heard several complaints. Their shortcomings had boomerang on SportsConnection especially our brand, Champion.

We do not mean to point fingers at anybody. We take responsibility for the problems in our event but have trusted that our race organizer would take care of these aspects.

Please be assured that we only want the best for the runners as well as the sport. It is our vision to help and support PSC athletes and Gawad Kalinga.

We hope that you understand SportsConnections’ side because we too have been a victim here. All these we have taken note of and we assure you that this will definitely not happen again.

Boycotting our future events and our products is most unfair. We appeal for your kind understanding.

Thank you.

Did you know that you can significantly improve your runs while lying down? Yes, experts say that you can run better, faster, and longer if you lie down and…get a massage, that is. The benefits of a massage for runners are numerous:

1. increases blood flow to your muscles (in simple language, it “heats” the blood just like a warm-up would do)
2. soothes and relaxes your muscles
3. relieves cramps and muscle tension
4. improves flexibility which will result in more power and better performance
5. prevents injury
6. reduces tension (if you’re stressed about an upcoming race)
7. lessens soreness (especially after a heavy training day or a race)
8. aids in eliminating lactic acid build up
9. makes you feel better (not as good as a tough run though!)

It comes as no surprise then that some experts recommend massage to be a regular part of a runner’s training schedule. At the NYC Marathon, they deploy 100 massage therapists to serve the 34,000 runners before and after the race. Wow. Here in the Philippines, we don’t even get water in our water stations (tsk tsk).

I have a love-hate-love relationship with massages. I used to love them, then after a nightmarish experience with a masseuse I boycotted them for three years, and now that I’m into running I am completely utterly dependent on them. After a super heavy run, it’s a must for me to get a massage if I want to walk properly (and not look like I have a stick up my butt) the following morning. If I feel sluggish during the day, my masseuse will definitely be called upon that evening.

Last Friday, two nights before the Champion Race, I thought of treating my body to a massage (perhaps the best way to prepare it for the torture it was about to endure…some sort of yin & yang in the bullrunner’s world.) With my favorite masseuse unavailable, I bravely asked them to send me the strongest woman in the house. This was no time for a namby-pamby body rub; I wanted fierce and fiesty karate-chop-type of physical therapy.

Boy did I make a big mistake. When the masseuse (let’s call her Masseuse X to protect her identity) started massaging my legs, I felt pain, not relief! Masseuse X had power alright, but her strokes were quick, rough, and amateurish. Her fingers were pushing into my skin. She even pulled on my blister and my dead toenail—such monstrosity! Not once, not twice, but thrice I asked her to decrease the pressure, but she didn’t heed my request. Ack, I gritted my teeth thinking of the hundreds of seconds I had to endure under that pain.

Since I am writing now, you know that I did survive that horrifying experience. I went to the Champion Run with a rejuvenated body, but with bruises on my shins and arms because of the pounding. Lesson learned: Thou shalt not experiment with a new masseuse before a race. If possible, have husband serve as guinea pig first.

References:

Gloria Averbuch, New York Road Runners Complete Book of Running and Fitness, 4th Edition, New York, Random House, 2004

Claudia Piepenberg, Massage For Runners, How To Be Fit.com

Yesterday was a big day for me. “Big” because it was my first 10k ever…hmmm perhaps I should’ve used the word “long”?

I arrived at the scene of the Champion Run at 5:30 a.m. giving me just enough time to do my warm-ups—some dynamic stretching techniques taught by Coach B followed by a quick run to the little girls’ room. That counts as a warm up, right? I bade my hubby and son goodbye (both came for moral support…ack, who am I kidding? I begged my hubby to come as my official photographer) then I slipped into the sea of runners impatiently waiting at the starting line right across Jollibee at The Fort.

– Runners stretch before the race –

The crowd that showed up on this sunny Sunday morning was an enthusiastic and happy lot—aren’t runners that way all the time? Most were men (well, a whole lot of them were PNP cadets) and I would say that majority of the registrants were serious runners who knew their stuff. Soon after the National Anthem, at around 6:10 a.m., we were off.

It was literally a mad rush to get out of the pack. Runners were scrambling to secure their own space, overtake the slower ones, or find and sustain a steady pace. I knew it was wrong for me to run like a bull at this point, so I kept my pace at around 65-70% effort with some bouts of power followed by short recovery periods every now and then. The first 5k of the course from the starting line till the end of Manila American Cemetery at the end of C5 road was relatively easy for me. I savoured the downhill runs and immensely enjoyed the idea of gravity doing all the work for me at that point. Passing by the water stations, I made a mental note to stop at one on the way back since it was located at the bottom of an uphill climb. At around 4.5k, I saw a couple of friends heading back already: Sen. Pia Cayetano, an accomplished triathlete who probably eats 10ks for breakfast, and Annie, my running group buddy who never seems to run out of energy (she can teach a spin class right after our 10k training runs!) Physically, I was still alright, but mentally I was getting a bit nervous about the thought of climbing up all the hills I had previously rolled down from.

Upon reaching the 10k turnaround, I felt like I still had a lot of energy left, but I needed water badly. I knew where the water stations were located so these became my goals—much like a dehydrated madman searching for water in a desert. I pushed myself hard and thought positive. When I saw hills, I reminded myself of our training runs in Cuenca Street in Ayala Alabang when I initially thought I couldn’t climb such a steep hill but surprised myself when I did so with ease. When I was tempted to walk, I reprimanded myself and said “No way you’re walking. Just run slowly until you recover.” With some patience and persistence, there it was…the next water station. Aaaah, at last! As I was about to line up for a glass, I was completely shocked to see (almost in slow motion, I tell you) one man pouring what was left of the water over his head. Just like a mirage, all the water was gone! Thirsty, tired runners were screaming “Tubig!” (“Water!”) repeatedly but no water came. OMG! When I reached the next water station, why was I not surprised that there was no water either? I was too thirsty to complain. Needless to say, I, and hundreds of other runners, ran the last 5k with nothing but willpower.

When I saw the finish line ahead of me, I was ecstatic. I gave it my all and ran as fast as I could. Boy, did I miscalculate the length of that road because I certainly did not have the energy reserves (nor enough training) to run a sprint that long. With a dry throat and tired legs, I forgot about everything and just went for it. Before I knew it, I crossed the finish line.

– That’s me a few steps away from the finish line –

My goal: 1 hour. My time: 1:00:53. I was seconds shy of not reaching my time. But, sigh…I did it! Now, when’s the next 10k again?

– My hubby (taking the pic) and son meet me at the finish line –

– with Annie, my super strong running mate –

– with Sen. Pia Cayetano, my boss/friend/running idol –

– PNP cadets celebrating post-race camraderie –

– Three runners relaxing after the race –

– with the H@ppy Feet Runners (It was great to finally meet you guys! See you at the next run!) –