More Reason to Run (And Wake Up Early Every Saturday)

Okay, I'm kind of embarassed for this shameless plug, but I'd really like to help promote this new show called dogTV.

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So, dear readers, the cat is out of the bag. This is one of the things that's been keeping me up and NOT running for the past few weeks. Shooting at the wee hours of the night had me hibernating like a fat 'ol grizzly bear instead of the limber gazelle that I'd rather be.

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{It's true. TV adds 10 lbs. Ugh! MUST. RUN. A. LOT.}

{That outfit looks vaguely familiar. Lucky TV shirt, eh?}

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I host the Canine Product Review segment (here I am talking about one of my favorite running accessories), which makes my very supportive sister snicker like crazy. The hearty guffaw was reserved for the TV feature as a Nike+ user during the Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho episode a few years back.
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{Circa 2008- as featured on GMA's Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho}

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2010 TV byline - Janine Ngo: Canine Product Reviewer2008 TV byline - Janine Ngo: Gumagamit ng Microchip sa Sapatos

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...yeah, okay. I gotta admit they are a bit funny. ;)

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dogTV is a brand new 30 minute TV show on SolarTV (Channel RPN 9) that features anything and everything about our beloved canine companions. It's Television for Dog Lovers Everywhere.

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dogTV is a magazine show filled with segments for dog lovers everywhere: learn how to keep your pet healthy and happy on K9 HealthLine; teach your dog new tricks on Follow the Leader; check out cool stuff for your dog on Canine Product Review; learn about the different kinds of canines on Breed 360; update yourself on the latest canine events on dogTV Rover; learn more about celebrities and their pets on Dogstar.

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dogTV airs every Saturday at 10:00 A.M. on GMA News TV (Channel 11 on local TV, Channel 15 on Destiny Cable, Channel 24 on Sky Cable)

A perfect Saturday morning ritual after an early weekend run. Dontchathink? ;)

Baby Steps to Barefoot Running

{Facebook: Barefoot Running Philippines}

So, I'm finally taking the plunge and seeing for myself what barefoot running is all about. Well, not the actual running in bare feet just yet, but I'm slowly considering getting my, erm, feet dirty. Baby steps... ;)

New Part City Run

There's a new part in Metro Manila to race on. And no, the title is no typo error. The new part is Newport! Can you say that tongue twister 3x? ;)

Let’s put the FUN in fun run

So what’s really fun in fun runs?

Aside from running with hundreds of people and being all sweaty and “amoy araw” while doing it, I think we can still be more creative and work on the f-u-n part. As my old friend, Wikipedia says, people usually join fun runs primarily because they want enjoyment more than winning the competition.

Resorts World Manila’s Grand Fiesta Run 2010 promises to put the fun in fun run. One of the highlights of the event is a 1K rat race that encourages runners to come in their office attires, fiesta-inspired outfits, or costumes that represent their industry minus the heels and leather shoes, of course. Runners can wear their most comfortable shoes to make up for the outrageous and wild clothes they’ll be sporting. I suggest you go dress to the nines as this will mean more chances of winning exciting prizes! The race has awards for the Best Dressed, Most Unique, Biggest Group/Company, and Wildest Costume.

And to top it all, rat race participants will also be receiving 1,000 free gaming credits in Resorts World Manila.

For more intense runners, don’t worry as the Grand Fiesta Run also features the 3K, 5K, and 10K challenge in a new route in Newport City. Runners can select their finish chute and win different prizes such as shop, movie, spa, hotel, and cruise gift certificates! Participants can also join the raffle draw and sprint their way to a 3-day/ 2-night trip for four to Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore with free tickets to Universal Studios. The lucky winners will be brought to their destination via Resorts World Manila’s private jet!

The registration already started last October 27 and be sure to catch it before November 22 at the following outlets: Chris Sports in MOA, Glorietta, and SM Mega Mall; R.O.X Bonifacio High Street, and in Resorts World Manila. The registration fee is PhP650 for all race categories. The gun start is at: 6:00am for 10K, 6:05am for 5K, 6:10am for 3K, and 7:15am for 1K. Bring your families and friends on November 28 for one truly unforgettable fun run!

Barefoot Running: Genius or Jurassic?

{Guess which runner/blogger belongs to these feet?}

Growing up, I was always scolded for running around barefoot in the house. "Put on your slippers," my mom would say. And mind you, our slippers should NOT be of the thong kind, lest it would make our tender toes spread apart like ugly webbed feet. So I grew up with close knit toes and an aversion to dust and grime on my soles.

So when this whole craze of running barefoot started sprouting up, I told myself- Um, no thanks. I spend money on shoes precisely for the technology (and eye candy) behind them. Plus, it's good ol' Metro Manila, for God sakes! But I have to admit, there is a certain logic behind it. Nike started the ball rolling with its Nike Free line. I don't own a pair, but people say it's quite comfortable for short distances. Then when a friend introduced me to a pair of Vibram Five Fingers a few years back, I was quite {insert stifled laughter here} impressed. Both at his sheer guts in wearing those yeti shoes out in public and on the science and logic behind it.

Hmm, maybe it's time for a new running experiment experience...

THE BENEFITS OF BEING BAREFOOT

We have all been born barefoot.

A long time ago, people have lived and survived without using protective footwear. But, today, because of technology and the many changes it brought, wearing shoes became an essential part of life. But beyond all the protection and the style shoes provide, we seem to have forgotten the
significant benefits and sense of freedom being barefoot brings.

Shoes were first invented thousands of years ago—way back when people used to live in caves. Back then, they used animal hides and leather laces to protect their feet from the rough terrain. Millennia passed and the concept of shoes evolved in countless ways from its design, material, and even its uses. It became a necessity to shod oneself. However, no matter how things change, most people still prefer to do a lot of things barefoot. It is all because being barefoot is very comfortable. But, aside from the unrivaled relaxation being barefoot brings, it also has a considerable number of benefits, not just to the feet, but the body as a whole.

Doing activities barefoot brings a lot of advantages to the body’s flexibility and mobility. It allows people to exercise, stretch, relax, and strengthen muscles they normally don’t get to use when wearing shoes.

Barefoot running also corrects the way people run—making them land on the balls of their feet—as compared to wearing rubber shoes which gives the tendency to land on the heels first. Landing on the heels of the feet releases more pressure and shock to legs and knees. Doing things barefoot also improves range of motion in ankles, feet, and toes because of movements that are more natural and free.

It also heightens body awareness since the body has the sense of being freer than being shod. Balance and motion agility are also developed because doing things barefoot further stimulates the neurons and nerves that are essential to lower body movement. And because there are no heels to torture the foot heel and the ankle, it enhances natural posture and the alignment of the spine. And, most especially, it is much easier to relax and stretch after a workout if someone is
barefoot.

Countless health benefits have been associated with being barefoot. That is why athletes, to attain better health and movement, prefer to do their sports without any footwear on. It is because when barefoot, movements become the movements of a child—playful and sensitive, yet purposeful and confident. A person experiences the unbound joy of stepping, hopping, and running across any surface on earth, simply to get from here to there. This is the reason why a lot of sports enthusiasts prefer to deal with their activities barefoot.

Numerous runners have been hitting the tracks without any shoes on because the benefits of running barefoot have long been supported by scientific research, coaches, and athletes who’ve offered ample evidence that training without shoes allows you to run faster and further with fewer injuries. Motion studies demonstrate that when running barefoot, one naturally lands on the forefoot, directly below the center of gravity. This results in optimum balance, increased stability, less impact, and greater propulsion.

Indeed, undertaking activities barefoot has a lot of benefits and advantages for the body. However, the feet—most especially those of the more active people—need to be protected from the many possibilities of injury. That is why some footwear are developed to mimic the feel and freedom of being barefoot. A good example would be the Vibram Five Fingers which is a proof that many people prefer to do things barefoot. With a slot for each of the toes, it actually gives all the freedom and feel of wearing no shoes on.

Many other innovations in footwear have been introduced into the market to make our feet as comfortable and relaxed as if barefoot. It is because it takes no genius to agree that—aside from the benefits of going barefoot—the feet has taken the humans a long long way and they deserve a break and the freedom.

The Vibram Five Fingers store is located at Level R1 Bridgeway in PowerPlant Mall, Rockwell. For inquiries, call (02) 513-1449 or e-mail marketing@barefootwearinc.com. You could also visit the official website at www.barefootwearinc.com.

It's an Urban Jungle Out There (Men's Health Urbanathlon 2010)

{Survivor Race Bib}

{Snagged a limited edition tumbler for running fast. Yay!}

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Torn, tangled, trampled on... and that was just my race bib.

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This year's Men's Health Urbanathlon proved to be one tough run. I came home with more aches, scrapes, and bruises than the previous ones. But, hey, a little rough and tumble play is always fun!

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The first obstacle I had to overcome was the hardest- waking up at the crack of dawn! For the past few weeks, work had me spending my nights and weekends attending shoots and events. I'm pretty sure I haven't recovered yet, and frankly, quite surprised that my body hasn't complained yet. Still, I didn't take a chance and foresight had me sign up for just the 5K event.

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My sister and I arrived at The Fort just before the 1st wave of 10K runners started. It was a nice change not being the first category to run as we had a bit of time to go around for some photo ops and to check out the booths at the festival.

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{Wanna be on the cover of a Summit magazine?}

{Gorgeous husky wants to be a cover model too!}

{Mug Shot Pre-Race}

{Cover-worthy Post-Race Battle Wounds}
{Waiting for the 5k runners wave}

{Urban Warriors}
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Aaaaand they're off!

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Just under a minute of running, and the first obstacle, the Tire Dump, was already up ahead. Wading through it was easy enough. Good thing I had enough experience crossing through the campus cobblestones, Manila's cracked sidewalks, some open manholes, and exposed tree roots all throughout college.

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{Tire Dump}

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A few seconds later, the next obstacle, the Balance Beam, was already in sight. It took me a few minutes to wait in line. And for 4 whole minutes, I had to endure the complaints of the participants behind me. Truth be told, the placement of the obstacles could've been more strategically spaced out, but (tsk, tsk) it was too early in the morning to be getting those negative vibes! Aah, welcome to the urban jungle...

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{The Balance Beam}

{Looks easy... until you're actually on top of it.}

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The Balance Beam looks easier than it actually is. Instead of the usual flat surface, it was a long rustic jam of a log. Good thing it was dry since trying to stay on top was already challenging enough. I crossed it sideways instead of the usual catwalk style (see photos above). Nevermind that my arms were flailing and my butt was jutting out, I'm pretty proud of myself for not falling off.

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The next obstacle was the Scaffolding Maze. It was a criss-cross of garters that looked really fun to have experienced. I, however, usually fail the "marshmallow test", and today was not an exception. So, after seeing the long queue, I decided to skip this one and be time penalized instead.

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{The Scaffolding Maze}

{I skipped the line and got a 10-minute penalty.}
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Obstacle number 5 was my waterloo- the Hurdles. Instead of the orange barricades they used last year, it was another row of logs. They were probably 3-4 ft. high. Too high to swing my legs over, so I pretty much scaled it like a crawling lizard. The last hurdle was the toughest because I had to prop myself up before I could swing my legs over. It took me a few tries and the pressure of being the lone female with the male runners impatiently waiting behind me.

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{Hurdles}

{The last one was chest high and really challenged my non-existent upper body strength.}

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There were more running after this obstacle. I really wanted to speed through the run part to make up for the penalized time, but my body wasn't cooperating. You'd think those obstacles would've woken me up, instead my body felt more lethargic. Looks like the work load finally caught up. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the run and was still vying for the Havaianas tumbler that would be given out to the first 450 runners.

The Low Crawl came next (Sorry, no photo. My hands were really dirty.). If I were in a war, my platoon would've laughed at me silly. Instead of crawling on my belly, I did it sideways. I planted myself under the netting in a fetal position and did a dog paddle-like crawl. How very poised! This time though, I was wishing for mud. The dry, course ground felt like you were going through a sanding machine. Both my right arm and leg had cuts and scratches afterwards.

The final obstacle was the Wall. You had to go over an 8 ft. wall with nothing but a rope to assist you. Last year's wall had foot holds, so this was a new experience altogether. Getting up the wall wasn't a problem for me (I held onto the top of the rope and pulled myself up using my legs), it was the getting down that was scary. It took me a while teetering atop the 2-inch wall before I finally decided to just hang down the other side and jump. As I landed on my feet, I heard the crowd cheer. I'm not so sure if it was because I was the lone female racer, because of my superb wall climbing skills, or because of the rated PG, riding-up-of-the-shirt, indecent exposure that ensued.

Seeing the finish line, I sprinted towards the end, happy to have made the freebie tumbler cut (Yes, I'm easy to please like that). I was all set to head for a drink of water when I suddenly realized that my race bib was missing. Whaaaat??!! I rushed back and found my crumpled race bib at the bottom of the wall. Now, not only do I have extra time from the penalty, but I also wasted more time by not crossing the finish line with my bib. Drat. Plus my shirt was all holey. Talk about more indecent exposure from a survivor Urbanathlete. ;)

{The Wall}

{Running Fatboy scaling The Wall}