Q. What's Better Than Running?

A. Running for charity, of course!

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I'm sure most of us have had the chance to volunteer for a worthy movement in one point of our lives. It feels quite good, doesn't it? And for those who can't, it's nice that there's always that option to run for a cause. ;)

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The upcoming Globe Run for Home 2010's beneficiary is extra significant for me. I've had the opportunity to help out in Habitat for Humanity a number of times, so I know where the money raised is going to. (We) traded running shoes for mud-wading rubber boots and set out to work alongside the would-be homeowners. The experience is a lot of hard work, and will leave your body stiff and your muscles aching after those grueling hours under the sweltering heat. Very much like running a marathon, don't you think? And like running, the rewards you reap after is just as sweet. Oh, and don't forget that natural high!

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{Represent!}

{Spongebob is ready to run at Globe Run for Home 2010.}

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{The birthday girl on her Birthday Build.}
{This run's for you, mate!}
{And since you're now a continent away...
Thank God for LIVE FACEBOOK UPDATES! How cool! hehe}.

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{My k2 gang will be sitting this run out...
because they ran out of race kits!}

{Wow, I guess this is another jam-packed run for the books.}

(I'll be running the half marathon. See you all on Sunday!)

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Five reasons why you don’t want to miss out on the running event of the year:

1. RUN AROUND MAKATI CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Be one of the first ever to run around the Makati Central Business District. Run For Home 2010 will be the first run to use this route. It will start and end at the Ayala Triangle Garden. Imagine running through the beautiful Makati cityscape on a Sunday morning!

2. LIVE FACEBOOK ALERTS You know what else is awesome? If last year’s RUN FOR HOME was the first to use the ChampionChip, automatically and accurately tracking every runner's race time, this year promises to be better as this chip can also post Facebook updates automatically. Another first!

3. 15 KM CATEGORY If 10KM is too easy for you but 21K too challenging, then the 15K route is perfect for you.

4. FLIPPISH.COM LIVESTREAM The event will be broadcast live on the Run for Home website!

5. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY And of course, the best thing about Run for Home is that it’s not just a run. Every step you take is a step to a better world as RUN FOR HOME 2010 is for the benefit of Habitat for Humanity Philippines, a nonprofit housing ministry that works to eliminate poverty housing.

3G Run: The One That's Not Packed Like a Tuna

Last Sunday, while practically all the runners were packed like, erm, sardines at The Fort during the Century Tuna Superbods Run (this runner included), a bunch of renegade runners were in Ayala Ave. enjoying the calm of a Sunday CBD run.

The 3G Run
We were all supposed to run in the Superbods Run, but since my friends weren't able to get 10K race kits, they decided to just make their own run. And since our dear friend Gabby (my running inaanak) will be leaving us and moving continents the very next day, they decided to do one last run (I already had my 21K race kit, so I just joined them for the most important part- Breakfast!).

The 3G (Good luck, Gabby Gregory) Run took them to the newly opened Ayala Triangle Park, Ayala Avenue, Salcedo, Legaspi, and going through the underpasses (ala Urbanathlon) to name a few. I've always enjoyed the Makati CBD on a deserted weekend, so this seemed like an interesting route. Too bad I missed running with them, this would have been a good preview run for the upcoming Globe Run for Home 2010.

After the run, breakfast at the Sunday Market was, of course, in order. =)

{Hungry Runners @ Sunday Market}

{Clockwise: Gabby, Lenard, Allen, Dave, Cargo and Bernz}

{Habol runner in red. Double-booked with the Century Tuna Run.}

{Breakfast! Taho and Fresh Chinese Lumpia}

{Baklava and Chicken Satay (which I skipped)}

{Yummy, yummy Tong Coffee}

{How cool is this? They even got sponsors for their 3G Run!}

{Guest of Honor: Gabby Gregory}
{Watch out for this one, world!}

Famous Last Words
I used to be on the constant vigil to get my friends to take up running. For 2 whole years, I'd incessantly chat on about my weekend races. For 2 whole years, they'd dutifully listen and nod and ignore my emails on upcoming runs. This was a scene from last year...

Gabby on running: This girl (points to me) is crazy. She runs marathons for fun!!! For fun!!??Who runs for fun???

After a taste of their first race, guess who became the resident addict and "next run" forwarder? ;) Someone ate her words... I love it!!!

We'll miss you a lot, Gabs! Keep on running for your marathon dream (and more). You will surely get there faster than you think. And hopefully, we'll get to visit and cheer on you as you cross that finish line! ;)

(sniff.)

Bandit? Who Me?! (PSE Bull Run 2010)

Bandit

A runner who participates in a race without registering or paying the entry fee (See runner glossary here)

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I ran my first race as a "bandit" (AIR QUOTATIONS in ALL CAPS!). And I was wrongfully ashamed...

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A week after completing my first full mary, I relaced my running shoes for a reunion run with my K2 buddies. One nice thing about finishing a marathon is that I get to go full circle, and go back to 5K races sans the guilt to invest mileage for a 42. Most of my friends were doing the 5K, so I thought it would be a great way to catch up with them.

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The race kits would only be distributed on the day itself. To make a long story short, I wasn't able to get my PAID kit when the 5K race started. So, the competitive runner in me decided to just get in front of the racers and scour the crowd by the sidelines.

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Tail end of the 5K runners, and still no friends and race kit in sight. I sprinted, weaving in and out, looking for a familiar face. Talk about multi-tasking! I was running, searching, covering my bib-less shirt, avoiding paparazzi (showing me bib-less), and hiding from the race marshalls. Not to mention the emotional stress and guilt of feeling like a running miscreant, when in fact, I was an official registrant.

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At one point, I finally see a familiar blue shirt. Also running bib-less. So, now there were two running bandits. haha. We eventually saw the rest of the group along the route. Apparently, they held on to our race kits 'til the last minute and even started their own runs late (Sorry guys, we didn't think you'd wait). It was a case of technological glitches and last minute searching. But still not the root of all evil.

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For the record, I didn't drink a drop of water, ran all the way to the outer lane to make the U-turn, and basically didn't make a hassle of myself in any portion of the course. I didn't want to be yanked out of the route (like Blue Shirted Bandit was), that would be embarassing. I only wanted to have a nice, easy LEGAL run with my friends, hopefully break my PR, and celebrate with a hearty breakfast afterwards.

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So, to the race organizers, thank you for the late race kits. Thank you for the P250 fee on "The Wedding Crashers" marathon experience. Thank you for robbing me and my friends of a new 5K record. Thank you for making me sprint AFTER the starting line, pull a muscle, and NOT even cross the finish line with pride.

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And now that I've finished, um, ranting,

Thank God for pancakes!

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On a lighter note, a run is still a run. And at the end of the day, I still had a good time (but emotional stress is no fun. Ayayay!).

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{From the camera of an Urbanathlon medalist. Thanks, Ui!}

{Run + Food + K2 = Good Times}

{Pancakes make the world a happier place!}

Snippets (Urbanathlon + New Balance Run 2009)

I may not have been the most consistent blogger lately (PLDT DSL, boo.), but I'm happy to say that I've been running races back to back to back. And I have pictures to prove it! =)

Men's Health Urbanathlon 2009

{With Rovilson of Game Plan/Amazing Race Asia.}

{Jay Em flanked by knights on the morning shift.}

{The gang with rockstar Rio!}

Since the 10K run was interspersed with various obstacles, it felt like starting a new run after every challenge zone. I barely felt the distance (Yay!). I DID feel the burn by the 5th floor on the vertical run. Challenging and fun!

To sum it up:

New Balance Power Run 2009: Raising Hope

McKinley Hills is nothing compared to McKinley Desert.

Was it just me, or did the route -with its white reflective surface- seem like one endless sandbox? Still, it was great running off those stubborn calories!

{Reminiscing K2}

{ww.k2ia.com}

{With Hector. Visit Second Wind Running Store's 2nd branch at Ortigas Home Depot.}

P.S. Corregidor, I'll be conquering YOU tomorrow!

Martinis & Aprons

{Martinis & Aprons: A Lifestyle Cookbook for Those Who Like to Entertain}
{Available in Fully Booked}

I may not have achieved my full marathon dreams for this year (Subic and Singapore was a bust). Call me a drama queen, but I think it's suffice to say that I have gone through the same rigorous work and training that goes with it. Lo and behold, after almost 2 years in the making, the 487-page lifestyle cookbook is finally out!

Working with the rest of the team (I miss all the characters already) was an exhilirating experience. It was fun (with admittedly a dash of frustration at times), educational (I can "finger test" a steak in my sleep), and a real test of patience and compromise. Pacing was on a whole different level here- I have so much to learn. But despite all the drama and delays, crossing the finish line will always be worth all that hard work.

So please, pardon the shameless plugging, but I do hope this labor of love (blood, sweat, and tears included) and a semblance of a marathon finds its way into your Christmas lists.

Oh, and did I mention that the proceeds will go to charity too? ;)

{Both hardbound and softbound versions include handy pull-outs.}

{This was the cover that didn't make it. What do you think? Can you spot the difference?}

Check out a sample recipe here.

A Roasting Run (Kenny's Urbanite Run 2009)

Sure, the night was a hot one. You can barely feel the breeze. But despite the heat or the crowd, the Kenny Urbanite Run was a roasting success!

I did the 10K race, and after feeling a stitch on my side at the 2.5K mark, I was mighty glad I didn't do the 15K route. Funny thing though, after the race, most of the people I asked said they felt a side stitch at around that time as well. Was it the heat? The after dinner race time? Or the Pan Chicken dinner from Pancake House?

I gave myself a few minutes of walk time to recover, then promised to quicken my pace all throughout the rest of the run. We passed Lawton, made the U-turn, and headed to hilly McKinley. The heat, coupled with a pitch black road only intensified what felt like the longest McKinley Hill route ever. Too bad the glo-sticks we had were wearing off. It would've been nice to see glow-in-the-dark shapes dancing in the dark streets. And since my sister borrowed my trusty iPod, I just had to amuse myself with my mantra for the night: Do not trip. Do not trip. Do not trip.

After an hour of running, the grounds of Bonifacio Global City was finally within reach. And in true sneaky runner fashion, I speeded up at the sight of the finish line (and sound of cheers from the k2 posse) to salvage those precious seconds on those ubiquitous giant timers.

{Thanks for the pics, Chach.}

{Blame the endorphins.}

{Like a gazelle...}

{Leo doin' the running cha-cha.}

{Gabby's going too fast, she's all a blur.}

{BFF Chachi is a cheerleading pro!}

{Chachi, with my crazy marathon idols, Macky and Iah.}

{K2 Represent.}

Related Posts:
Ooh, It Glows!
Bachelor Run (The Night Before He Said "I Do")

GIG: A Bite (GIG Run 2009)

{k2 GIG Run Gang's all here!}

{A Bunch of Posers}

Excitement was in the air from the bunch of people hailing from Ortigas. Mostly newcomers in running, our group was scattered in all three categories (2.2K, 5K, 10K) . Curiosity, peer pressure, a love for nature, and sheer addiction to competition fueled us for this UP, Diliman run. The weather was good, the atmosphere fun (costume!), the route challenging- all the elements needed to make this race, a first for some, extra memorable.

Excerpts from the run:
Runner # 2200 (2.2K): Next time, 5K na ako.
Runner # 1596 (5K): Sarap! When's the next run?
Runner # 1597 (5K): Promise, tumakbo ako. It's dri-fit!
Runner # 1595 (5K): Hehehe, I'm eating my words... I like this running running...
Runner # 1591 (5K): Let's check out that Nike Clinic in Ultra.
Runner # 504 (10K): Globe Run 21K!

Bitten

After almost two years of lone running in the office, my Monday to Friday crew can finally speak RUN! (cue: Hallelujah SFX)

It still gives me goosebumps whenever I hear them talk about PRs, Tuesdays at Ultra (Nike Running Clinic), shin splints, and patella bands. And really, I still get a kick out of how obsessed and addicted they are. Long-term running plans are in the works, just as they are eating their words (Running... uhm, maybe not... Hah!). Guys, you make me so damn proud!

P.S. Much Kudos! to BFF, Chachi, for sitting through a whole year of listening to me talk about my running skeds, Sunday runs, lined up races, broken PRs, broken spirit (thanks for the pep talks!), and anything and everything running. Also, for FAKE Uh-huh-ing, Aah-ing, Ooh-ing, and nodding on cue- surely by default, due to proximity and title, but very much appreciated. Hoy, ikaw nalang. I'm holding you to your promise of joining the upcoming night runs ha!

Opening a Can of Silkworms

My 2009 challenge (well, aside from resolving to be a more diligent blogger... oops.) is to LITERALLY open a can of worms. Make that a can of silkworm pupa, to be exact.

As a New Year's dare, we (me + a bunch of brave/bored souls in the office) took it upon ourselves to step out of our comfort zone (in our case, it's the 7-11 downstairs) and try something new and crazy to greet the year ahead of us. That can of silkworm pupa (c/o Lenard, the frequent flyer) which was purchased on the lines of "bring me back something exotic..." was finally ready to be opened.

Nestled in red, blue, and yellow packaging, it was an innocent looking de-lata. Upon closer scrutiny though, you'd find that instead of the usual luncheon meat or corned beef, is a bunch of stinky, brown, roach-like objects. Gross.

As the ring leader (or #1 trash talker?), I couldn't really back-out from this eating challenge, now could I? After a nanosecond of deliberating, I simply popped it in my mouth. Mmm. No false advertising here- it tasted as good/bad as it looked. Like a stale (giant) garbanzo bean marinated in ten year old rust. It wasn't that bad, although one was enough. The aftertaste was just too weird, even for a self-proclaimed adventurous eater like me.

So, here's to 2009- to conquering the unknown, facing our fears, and opening more cans of worms. Figuratively. =)

{ This tiny thing is deceiving.}

{A bowl to conquer.}

{Dave, the undefeated bug eater.}

{For the record, three.}

{What's bugging you, Cargo?}

Vacation in A Cup

What's the day going to be like when you...

• wake up via the sound of howling winds and the promise of yet another wet, wet, wet day
• are caught in the crossfire between a Golden Retriever, a Mini Dachschund and an Aspin (the politically correct Asong Pinoy formerly known as Askal/Crossbreed/Mutt)
• drop, break a plate and splatter Bistek Tagalog all over yourself

If you, like me, have pretty much enough leaves to spare, you make a quick decision to forego a potentially disastrous day and take an impromptu vacation leave (assuming you don't have deadlines to meet. Thank God, I finished mine yesterday).

To those who can't, take the next best thing- A vacation in a cup!

Short of sounding like a Lipton walking advert, the milk + tea combination really does relax you. I should know, I just had one yesterday. I'm having another one today, thanks to this: http://promos.k2ia.com/lipton.php

Check it out. Print it out. Step out (it's practically in every corner of the metro). And just simply zone out.

Have a blissful day, people!