Gotta Get, Gotta Run (Gatorade Run 2015)

Gatorade has always been a friendly face in most road races. He's always been a welcome sight at drinking stations and finisher loot bags. ;) haha. But this time, no longer satisfied sitting on the sidelines, Gatorade finally takes center stage and hosts its very own run!

Last Sunday's Gatorade Run 2015 was 8,000 runners strong. Not a bad turn out at all for their first run. The race, organized by Run Rio, was very organized. From the time I got to the venue to collect my race kit, until I crossed the finish line and got my finisher treats, everything went down smoothly.

Oh, and did you notice that something clever went down too? The Gatorade Run was hashtagged #Gatorade1122 because it was held on November 22 and only had (the odd) categories of 11 and 22 kilometers. It's things like that shows how Gatorade/organizers/agency tried to make every little thing special, I think. An Easter egg at the run, if you will. haha.

I did the 11K run which ran past MOA's Sunset Blvd. to Roxas Blvd. and just looped back. Though not a chilly morning for a November, it was cloudy, which was good enough for me. A relaxed, easy run, just the way Sundays should be. :) 

Runners in traffic cone orange singlets. You can't miss 'em.

Unlimited supply of Gatorade at the Drinking Stations.

The arch before the finish line arch was a nice touch for that last push.

Perky cheerleaders were a welcome sight!

The Gatorade Recovery Tent at the end of the race route.

Shoe off.

This cold bath is exclusively for the coconut drinks only.
No runners allowed to jump in. ;)

The hosts: Susie and Jinno (heehee)
(Okay, did I just reveal my era?)

Finisher Loot bag includes:
Gatorade, Tropicana coconut water drinks, Premier water, and an Adidas finisher shirt.
Taho not included.

Congratulations, Gatorade, for a job well done! Thank you for an enjoyable, stress-free race. Looking forward to next year's run!

P.S. Oh, and thank you for the race kit too! :)

Electric Thoughts

I haven't been back in tip top running form for the past few months due to a health scare (I'll talk about that next time), but of course, exercising is, and will always be, a big MUST for me. Recently, a lot of my friends have been convincing me to try out indoor cycling with them. I've tried spinning a couple of years back, and to be honest, it didn't really do anything for me then. My thought bubble read: I'd rather be out running.

Well, since I've had to take things (literally) slower for now, I thought I'd give spinning another try. And there are two things that I discovered: One, that I enjoy this new found form of fitness; and Two, that I'm not as competitive as I was before (see here). haha. Must be the wisdom throughout these years. ;) 

This is my updated thought bubble on Indoor Cycling (or why I do it):

1. I succumb to peer-pressure. I'm a good friend. 
My friend, Leslie, convinced a bunch of us to sign up for indoor cycling so she can get free rides for the referrals. Well played, Leslie. Well played.

2. Cycling is tough, challenging, and fun.
Considering I wrote cycling off already before, I'm glad I gave this another go. Who knows, I might just get on the saddle, and then ride off to do a triathlon next. We shall see...

3. Intense workout in 45 minutes.
I haven't actually completed a whole class without stopping or slowing down, but I'm getting there. And the arm workout... ~Ugh~ Ohh, fiiiine, fine. 

4. Music moves me.
One of the great things about indoor cycling is their party vibe and infectious energy. You can even choose your ride based on the instructor's playlist/personality too! My latest class was Maroon 5 everything. My favorite part was when "Sunday Morning" played. Such a chill ride.  haha. Ang daya. ;)

5. Cycling Circle
Just like in the running community, it's nice to meet new people who share the same excitement over something. Random people fist bump you before the class, and encourage you through it without judgement. Post-ride analysis (especially since I'm a newbie) is also a a nice bonding moment. Asking someone "What's your butt supposed to do in a boomerang?" while wearing spandex sounds really sleazy-weird, but is amusingly quite normal here.

Last night's @teamelectricph themed class sold out faster than you could say "Maroon V in Manila". Thanks for the fun ride, Armand Levine! 🚲⚡#electricstrong

A photo posted by Janine Ngo (@ninjaninengo) on Nov 10, 2015 at 4:14pm PST

Electric Studio, is an indoor cycling boutique, located in Forbestown, Fort BGC. I got their First Timer Package, which is 5 rides for P1500. Pretty good deal! Plus, I got an extra ride from their ongoing referral promo too. ;) 

Save the Date: Gatorade Run 2015

Manila, Philippines – The world’s number one sports drink is finally making its debut in the country’s fast growing running circuit with the launch of the first ever Gatorade Run.

The run will happen on November 22 at the Seaside Boulevard at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. There will be two distances—11 and 22 kilometers gun-starting at 5:00 and 4:00 AM respectively. Race fee is P1,100 for 11K participants and P1,500 for their 22K counterparts. The pre-race kit will include an Adidas race tee, a race bib and a timing chip. Another Adidas shirt, this time a finishers tee, will also await all finishers.

“The Gatorade Run will cap off what has been a historic year for us,” Pepsico Philippines Marketing Manager for Hydration Tony Atayde said. “We just celebrated our 50^th birthday; we recently beefed up our line-up with a new variant called White Lightning and welcomed a powerhouse cast of ambassadors; and now, we’re launching the first ever run powered by Gatorade.”

Atayde added, “As a global leader in sports performance, runners can expect that Gatorade will bring its sports science expertise to the fore. More than just a run, this milestone event is a platform for us to reinforce our message of proper hydration.”

The Gatorade Run will feature a hydration station where participants can get pre-race hydration drinks, a post-run hydration test area where they can instantly learn about their hydration status, and a warm-up area where free sessions will be available for those who want a full-on warm up activity before the run.

Online registration is until November 13. Runners can also troop to Adidas outlets at Trinoma, Bonifacio Global City, Greenbelt 3, SM MOA and SM Megamall to register until November 8. Registered participants can start claiming their kits on November 16 until November 19 from 12:00NN to 8:00 PM at their chosen store and schedule upon registration.

Log on to runrio.com/gatorade-run-1122 for more information or to register.