Posts Tagged with: "Nuvali"

I lived like a TBR Dream Marathoner for a day and I loved it.

I had fever on Monday and Friday (I was well on Wednesday just in time for my birthday) so I had ZERO mileage all week.  When Sunday came and hubby was to run at NUVALI for his training run with his marathon training buddies, Lit and Jun, I made sure I was there to join in on the running fun.  I was so thrilled about this that I went on to invite other runners: the Solemates Jun and Mariel and Secondwind peeps who coincidentally were planning to run there too along with other TBR Dream Marathoners they were guiding.

16 runners showed up for our run, majority of whom were training for TBR Dream Marathon.

The TBR Dream Marathoners were scheduled to run 21km. One batch practiced the 8:1 technique (8 minute run, 1 minute walk) while another batch ran non-stop.  I ran with the 2nd non-stop running, non-stop talking batch and enjoyed every minute, especially Hector and Mai’s exchange of trivia!  Time and distance passed by so quickly that I forgot about my 10km sick limit that day and ran a little over 12km.

Most of the runners continued with their run but I stopped at the first loop to shower and enjoy some alone time with an iced caffe latte on Mother’s Day.  I sat there in Starbucks and pondered on my learnings from that run:

• Lesson 1: Never run when you’re sick. My 10k felt like a 20k.  And, by night time, my itchy throat had worsened to a painful sore throat.  They don’t call me bullheaded for nothing.
• Lesson 2: The run-walk technique works! I noticed that the distance between the two batches, the run-walk and run group, was only a few meters until the end.  If you’re not focused on time for the marathon, then the run-walk technique truly helps to conserve energy without slowing you down too much.
• Lesson 3: Training with friends is a great way to stay motivated. Others don’t need extra motivation. I am actually a loner, solo-flight kind of runner.  But, for other runners who need a reason to lace up and run, then running with friends is the best way to go.
• Lesson 4: Running has made me a better mom. Running puts some sanity into my day.  With all the to-do lists, errands, summer activities, and work to juggle, I often feel like I need 10 more hands and another 10 hours in a day to do accomplish every task.  One hour of running (or more) gives me time to focus on me, to organize my thoughts, to find myself hidden underneath the heaps of work, and to give myself a stronger body and mind to become a better person, a better mom.  That one hour of running that Sunday made such a big difference to my entire week!

– Notice my new running gadget on my waist? That’s called the POKE-WALKER. TBR Jr. asked me to wear it during the run. It earns points for his Pokemon for every tracked step. My run earned him almost 19,000 steps to empower his Pokemon. Wait till Daddy wears it during the marathon! –

So I’ve been to Nuvali a handful of times now as race preparations for TBR DREAM MARATHON in NUVALI goes full blast.  I must say that it really is a wonderful place to visit for a quick getaway with the family or for a long run in a new course.  Here’s what they’ve got in store for May:

TNF is always a race anticipated by runners seeking new adventures in the world of running. It offers a unique experience from the typical road race and away from the concrete jungle of Manila.  Past races were at Clark, Legaspi, Cagayan de Oro, and now it’ll be at  Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. (Click HERE to read my TNF 100 Race Report last May 2009, Clark)

TNF RACE DETAILS

• Date: February 14, 2010, Sunday
• Start: Nuvali, Laguna, 5:00 a.m.
• Distance: 11k | 22k | 11k couples trail run. Partners should arrive at the finish line at the same time.
• Fee: P450 per person
• Register at R.O.X., Second Wind, Res Toe Run, The North Face – Shangrila, Glorietta, SM MOA, SM Cebu, SM Davao
• Contact: 0917.5.ASK.NUV (275.688)
• Website: www.nuvalievoliving.com

NUVALI

TNF at Nuvali makes the race doubly exciting for me.  I was just at Nuvali last month for our TBR Magazine shoot with Ani de Leon. I was delighted to discover this shangrila in the south developed by Ayala Land, which will be home to many families and offices in the future. It was beautiful there; the atmosphere was calm and serene, the air fresh, and the roads beckoned for us to run on them.  They say the grand plan is to provide many outdoor activities in this area, such as trail running, mountain biking, ziplining, and in the future, an area for triathlons to be staged.

– Love this area by the lake –

NUVALI TRAIL RUN COURSE – There’s a flexible trail run course from 11k, 22k, up to 50k. There are natural river trails on 2 areas with 1km section each: one even has a waterfall.

NUVALI MOUNTAIN BIKE COURSE – in case you’re an MTB enthusiast, too

Then, one can take the entire family along since, aside from eating at the many restaurants, the kids can enjoy these at Nuvali:

KOI FISH AT THE LAKE – I highly recommend you let the kids experience koi fish feeding at the 4-ha lake area. They have 8,000 koi fish in there. My friend Marga and I were amazed at all the koi going wild and crazy when we started feeding them (feed available for purchase)

BIRD SANCTUARY – 78 bird species identified in Nuvali

Hope to see you at the race!