…and not for basketball! I have to learn it the hard way.

My officemates planned to have a friendly basketball game a few weeks ago. Everyone was excited since many of us haven’t been able to play for years. While the others practiced in their subdivisions for the game, I just kept on running to keep my endurance.

However, I don’t have any basketball shoes to wear. All I have are two running shoes. So I decided to use it for the game. I learned that it shouldn’t have been used for basketball. And it wasn’t designed for that game.

We played last Monday.  After two hours of playing, trying hard to do some crossovers, and running full court, I finished with a few points and several air balls and blocked shots. Then I felt that the soles of my feet hurt. While my officemates were complaining of pains on the thighs and back, it’s only my feet that hurt. It’s a bad sign that I should have used a different shoe that can provide more support for this kind of game.

After two days I still can’t run well. I missed my morning run today. I could probably run a few kilometers but I decided to have more time to recover. Good thing my shoe did not show any damage. Yet.

By the way, here’s a trivia.

In Bacolod, or at least from where I grew up, any sports shoes is called tennis shoes or simply tennis. I wonder why but that’s how we call all rubber shoes.

“Bakal ko tennis a.” could mean “I’ll buy rubber shoes.”

“Bag-o tennis niya ba.” could mean “You got a new pair of rubber shoes.”

“Ma-tennis ko guro subong ay.” could mean “I’ll wear rubber shoes.”

I still use that term, unconsciously. So my NB running shoes is a tennis shoes. Weird.

“Ei !!!! I like it! Sooo girla-lu nga!” Karen on Karen Ambigram

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I won’t be joining any road races until the end of the month and concentrate on the long run practices to prepare myself for a possible 42K before the year ends. So, I’ll be missing some good runs like the the TNF North Face 100K Ultra Marathon in Tagaytay and the Robinson Supermarket 5k Wellness Buddy Run at the Fort. Goodluck to all the runners who will be joining.

Despite that, I’m looking forward in joining the road races this coming August. I am interested in three of the races next month. So it might be another busy Sunday for me, unless I just join one to keep up with the long running practices.

August 3 will be the 32nd Milo Marathon - Manila Leg. This is the longest running organized running event in the Philippines (tama ba yung english ko?). I think its one of the most prestigious as well since it gathers all the best runners in the country. I haven’t joined any Milo marathon in the past and I hope to join this one. My only drawback is that I don’t know where to register. I know there’s one in Annapolis, QC but I find it far from where I am. Is there a registration on the race day itself? More info here.

Updated: FitMommy was able to register at Annapolis, QC. Read it here.

August 17 is the Men’s Health Miracle Run. I already registered yesterday at Powerbooks. The lady at the counter didn’t have any idea what it was. I was as surprise as she was. I thought that since registration is at all Powerbooks outlets, I assumed that I just go there and pay the fee. I showed her the registration form that I printed out form the website and assured me that she can help me with it. I got the impression that it was the same process with the Men’s Health All Terrain Race thus she knows what to do now. Anyway, I just kept the receipt and will get the race packet on the race day itself. More info here.

August 31 will the the Nike+ Human Race. Labeled as the biggest running event ever wherein 25 cities around the world will be participating in the event. Unfortunately, not one Philippine city is listed but there are talks of getting it organized here as well. Originally, if you can’t run in the cities identified, you can still join virtually if you have Nike+ shoes and the Ipod attached. It’s a big event with live bands and performers and even Nike athletes participating. I hope that it will also happen here and details will be out. Here’s a good and very informative article about the event. I’m setting some high expectations on this one.

Updated:  Runrio is having a survey for the Nike+ Human Race.  To join or not to join.  Click here.

Weddings have become too commercialized these days. There’s a lot of add-ons to what has been a simple gathering of witnesses to a holy vow between a man and a woman. Quennie and I had been very practical since we started working while supporting our family. When it comes to money, we tend to very careful where it goes since we know how hard it is to earn them.

Thus when we started planning for our wedding, we started on a budget and started looking what needs to be in the wedding and what will not be necessary. Our list may be quite odd since some seems to be necessary these days. If you insist that they are essential to a wedding, we don’t mind accepting donations in cash or in kind. Hehehe.

1. Wedding Video - How much does a wedding photo and video package cost? We were surprised how expensive it can be. Some would charge a minimum of 10,000 just to have a video coverage for the wedding. We decided not to have a video coverage. Why? We don’t think its worth it. My cousins had videos during their weddings. It was during the era of VHS tapes. Now, nobody cares to watch them again. And how many weddings have you attended and got to see the video of the wedding again? I haven’t seen any lately. Unless my wedding will be telecast live on air, I don’t think its worth having a video coverage. Actually, my father used to work as an engineer at an AM radio station. Why not have a live coverage over an AM radio. That might be the first ever! I wonder how that will actually sound like?

2. Fancy Wedding Albums - They used to be simple enlarged pictures during the wedding placed on a special album. Now, it looks like a magazine with different binding options. We were even offered a 15,000 wedding album with fiberglass cover to make the memories really last. Sounds nice but no thanks. For one, those fancy albums have a drawback. They are heavy. Very heavy. You take pictures so that you can let your friends and family see them and to capture those once in a lifetime memories. But these albums make them hard for you to carry. You wont go too far with them. Also, we have seen some layouts from photographers in Bacolod and they don’t look like its worth 15,000. So, no thanks, again. If we want to share the pictures and to keep those memories for a long time, here’s our solution: Post them on the web. It reaches a wide audience. The webpage will last longer than printed pictures. Comments are logged. Best of all, it’s free.

3. Bridal Car - This is still being discussed. We might get one if we find a nice white VW Bettle in Bacolod. But we wonder if we need one since the wedding venue and reception is just on the same place. The only time we need the bridal car is to move Quennie from the hotel to the venue. If the distance from the hotel to the venue is about 10kms, I could even ask her to do a Bridal Fun Run instead. And you pay around a thousand for something you use in less than 20 minutes since driving in Bacolod is a breeze. We think it’s just there for the pictures and the tradition. And why can’t I have a Groom’s Car? A sports car perhaps. I’d gladly pay for that.

4. Live Orchestra or Band - I agree that these really add a lot to the ambiance. But since we are planning to have garden wedding and it is near the sea, we don’t think that we can get the ambiance and effect we wanted with a orchestra or a band. The noise of the wind and the roaring sea would compete with the music. And maybe the noise wont be a noise after all. Wind. Sea. We might just have the ambiance we wanted. Just pray it wont rain.

5. Fancy pen, knife, fork, plate, toast glasses, unity candle, etc - Customized wedding accessories are now common. We saw them on bridal fairs but never bothered to ask. They are nice but they don’t really mean that much on a wedding. It something the wedding can go on without.

Call us kuripot, especially me. But I would rather concentrate on how to make the marriage the biggest event of my life than just making the wedding a big event.

And of course my list of wedding essentials…

1. The groom - He might be late. So make sure he arrives on time. Hahaha…

2. Ninongs and Ninangs - Thanks in advance.

3. Friends and Family - more than 200 of them on our list. Please bring your own food, drinks and utensils. Just kidding…

Anyway, for more updates on our wedding preparations, you can visit our weddingannouncer.com website here. Take the quiz if you like or just browse through our pictures. Check back once in a while to get updates as we get closer to our big day.

“First off, good job! Grabe, ang tyaga mo gumawa ha… Naaliw lahat ng taong pinakitaan ko nito” - Ria on Ian/Ria Ambigram

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Yesterday’s run was a wet and wild event. Surely, those who joined the One Run, One Family, One La Salle Fun Run (OROFOLS) at the Fort had their shoes and socks soaked by the rain. But before you wash those shoes and drying them at the back of the refrigirator, here are some tips on how to clean them and keep those well-loved shoes in good form.

Washing
1. Do not machine wash or dry your running shoes. Hand wash them with commercial shoe care products or a common household detergent. You can use a soft brush to take off those stubborn mud and dirt. An old toothbrush should be soft enough for the scrubbing. Make sure to keep the old toothbrush away from the new ones and inform the owner that you used it somewhere else to avoid impending conflict.
2. Take out the lace and the insole when washing. Scrub on the lace. Some don’t recommend scrubbing the insoles in order prolong its life and avoid damaging the shoes. But if it is necessary, use a soft brush and scrub gently.
3. Rinse the shoes well before drying them up.

Drying
1. Do not dry shoes in a clothes dryer. This protects both the shoes and the dryer.
2. Never dry the shoes too close to a heat source to accelerate the drying time. Try to place them at a distance instead.
3. Drying the shoes under the sun is best way to dry them and to remove the smell. But don’t expose it too long or too direct so that you wont be left with dried and crispy shoes afterwards.
4. One tip for a fast dry time is to stick bundled up old newspapers inside the shoes. Take the insoles out first, and stick the newspaper in. Try changing it after a few hours to further speed up the process.

Taking care of the smell
1. Rinse the shoes with a disinfectant like Lysol to kill those odour-causing bacteria.
2. Spinkle some baking soda or a foot powder when its almost dried up or before using them again.
3. The faster it dries up, the better. Try using the newpaper trick in drying them up.
4. Try carefully peeping inside of the shoes. Maybe some household pests have made it their sanctuary after leaving your shoes to dry for a long time.

It is a common practice for runners to keep more than one pair of running shoes. The other pair will be handy to keep you on the road while the other one is still drying up. You don’t want to let a wet shoe stop you from running.

This will be my last run for the month. Usually, I only join fun runs once a month. But the long runs attracted me lately. There was the 15KMizuno Infinity run and the 21K Manila Half Marathon Challenge. This time it’s a 10 miler (16kms) at my favorite running destination, The Fort.

One Run, One Family, One La Salle (OROFOLS) is organized by the De La Salle Alumni Association for its scholarship projects and other charitable projects. They had a great website to provide the information needed for the event. They even had a preview of the singlet on the website and locations of the different registrations centers. Since this was mainly a La Sallian family event, I expected the venue to be dominated by green and white.

Where’s the Animo?
I am a full green-blooded La Sallian. I had my education from elementary (Gr 1-7), High School (Gr. 8-11) and 5 years of Engineering at La Salle Bacolod. That’s 16 years of La Sallian education but I am not sure what Animo really means. But for me, Animo stands for that La Sallian stardard of excellence, and its quest for that excellence. However, the running event fall short of my expectation on excellence. It was a disaster for several reasons.

For starters, there was poor crowd control. When we arrived, there a long line of people at the baggage area. It was only manned by two people. One writing the numbers on the tape. And another receiving the bags and taping them. After the race, Quennie saw that there was no one assisting in the baggage area and she had to page for someone to take care of the baggage.

When the 3K and 5K runners (and a lot of walkers…) converged, the road got really crowded. It started to look like a lovapalooza event with the lovers walking hand in hand. Some of the 16K runners were already shouting at those who are walking to give way since the walkers are slowing them down. This is one of the disadvantage of having similar routes for all race events.

The worst part is the lack of marshals at the corners and intersections. The organizers expects us to watch for the markers or to have memorized the map posted in the website. But the markers were not there all the time. We even got confused at the very first turn for the 16K. The lead pack took a right turn while the others took the left turn. Thus, from the very start, some runners were running on a different course. There were even 3K runners following the 5K route. And 5K runners, following the 3K route.

They should learn that runners are spoiled superior life forms. We want to be pampered with our needs for water, security, and direction. It’s not easy running these distances and these basic things should be the least of our problem. Besides, it’s not the Amazing Race where we should ask people for directions on which way to go to in order to arrive first at the pit stop.

Water and Freebies Galore
If it’s any consolation, the event was overflowing with water and freebies. There was plenty of water stations at the route serving ice cold bottled water. I wasn’t even starting to sweat yet when a water station was already in sight.

At the finish line, a lot of freebies were given away. There were loot bags for the runners. Quennie and I got a Men’s Health and T3 magazine. I thought they were giving away FHM too. There was a booth giving away free Milo, Krispy Kreme and Gatorade.

Did I mention that there were a lot of pretty girls too? No, they are not freebies. But imagine: girls, white shirt, rain. Hmmm…

Another good finish


It started to rain a few minutes before the race started. And then, a longer downpour after 30 minutes. This caused my shoes and feet to be soaked. I should have used the other shoe that I reserved for this kind of weather.

I started slow this time so that I don’t get easily tired. The route was mostly flat so I thought I should make it at around 1hr and 30 mins. After an hour of running, I started to compute my possible finish time. That’s when I realized I was running slow to meet my target time and had to catch up. I run faster at the last 5 kms. I reached the finish line at 1hr and 37 minutes. Quennie finished her 5K at 30mins.

One Family

It was really a La Sallian event since we got to sing the Alma Mater song. Hey, it has been a long time since I last sung that song. And when the last Hail, Hail, Hail was sung, the La Salle brothers who were in stage started to leave. I got the chance to have some pictures with them.

I got to see one of my teachers in high school, Bro. Dennis Magbanua. He was my religious studies teacher during 3rd Year. He joined the 16K run also. I was glad he still remembers me.

A big photo ops was with Bro. Roly Dizon. He was our University President then. I got the chance to take my picture with him. After all this time, this was the closest I can get.

I never got the chance to get a picture with Bro Felipe Belleza. He was my class adviser during 2nd year high school. He just got lost in the crowd. Too bad… Bro. Dennis said he was trying to hide since he never joined any of the event. And to think he was the athletic one.

By the way, I realized that when the brothers are not wearing their white uniforms, they bring a white towel instead.

The Aftermath
Since, my shoe got wet, I cleaned it up upon arriving home. Then, I had the usual long sleep after the long run. And since I reached my 200km mileage last week, I rewarded myself with a pizza at Yellow Cab. No strained muscle. No injuries.

If your shoes got wet yesterday, you might want to read my other blog entry on cleaning and taking care of those shoes. You wouldn’t want them to smell afterwards, would you?
Read it here: Taking Care of Wet Running Shoes

Next race
Because of this picture, I am convinced that I should join the Men’s Health Miracle Run on August 17. Next week, I will take a rest from my long runs while maintaining my 5K or 10K run during weekdays. I’ll spend sometime for myself other than run and sleep next Sunday. Then, Id be back for my marathon practices. I might join the 10K event during the Milo Marathon - Manila on August 3.

I wasn’t able to have a closer pose because (1) I was still wet from the sweat and rain, and (2) Quennie was the one taking the shot.

I won’t be joining the TNF North Face Ultra Marathon. The venue is a bit far for me. I’ll stick on the runs in the city for a while. I hope I can get a carpool though. To those who are joining this event next week, good luck and enjoy.

It was a moral dilemma.

Last night I left the office a bit late to finish some tasks. I rushed to the bus station to make sure I still have a seat. I found an aisle seat near the door which is my favorite spot. Upon seating, I took my cellphone out of my pocket to play a game. This is a rally race game and I have been stuck at a certain track. I wanted to finish 2nd in the track to unlock a new car that will be much faster. I have been playing this track for several months already but I always end up third. Desperate to finish it, I play it while on the bus going to and from work and even before I sleep at night.

The bus was about to leave when a lady’s arm suddenly flashed in front of me. It was a long slender arm with well-manicured nails. She had a nice Filipina tan and sexy hairs on those arms that were neatly arranged as if they were combed. The bangles she was wearing was simple but elegant. She was reaching out to the seat’s headrest in front of me in order to lean on and gain balance while the bus was moving.

I took a quick look at her while maneuvering a sharp turn in the game I was playing. She was wearing those tight skinny jeans and a sleeveless top. Her dark long hair was covering her face but the way she carries herself, I can say she was a fine woman. I was definitely distracted by her since I finished third again.

I must have been so occupied with playing that I didn’t even notice the bus was already moving and some people were already standing. And here right beside me is a fair young lady, probably in her early 20s, just standing inside the bus. I wonder why no one offered a seat. I took a glance in front and noticed that the aisle seat was either taken by a woman or a guy with a partner. Obviously, they can’t give up their seats for her.

I used to stand in a bus. Back in Bacolod, I would often give up my seat when travelling from Bacolod to Hinigaran. That’s about 50 kilometers and an hour ride. So I would stand for one hour. I offer my seat most often to the elderly, pregnant women, or those with kids. The traffic isn’t that bad, so tonight will be about a 20-30 minute ride. Though this lady doesn’t meet my primary criteria, a man’s gotta do, what a man’s gotta do.

I stopped playing and placed the cellphone on my pocket. I was about to stand up when I turned my back and saw another woman standing about two seats behind. This time she was a bit older. Maybe in her late 40s. I paused and thought.

Who deserves the seat?

The older woman deserves it by default. But she is a bit far from where I am seating. The younger lady is just right beside me. If I stand up and offer the seat, the lady will definitely think its for her and will take the seat. And once I tell her, it’s not for her, she’d be embarrased.

Therefore, by the rule of close proximity, the lady deserves the seat. She is closer to me and is at the right place at the right time. But if I give it to her, I would look like a opportunistic pig flirting with a girl when there’s an older lady behind. And to think I’m engaged.

So who deserves the seat?

A text message I received a few months ago was the answer.

Boy1: Pre, hindi ko talaga kaya tingnan ang mga babae na nakatayo lang sa bus habang ako ay nakaupo?
Boy2: So, ano ginawa mo?
Boy1: Syempre, pinikit ko na lang ang mga mata ko!

And I did something similar. I placed my hand back in my pocket to get some bills for the bus fare. Just to make it less obvious. Then I took my cellphone again and started playing. It must have been the right choice since after a few tries, I finally was able to place second and got the new car unlocked. Yes!

Life really gives us a lot of choices. But the best choice, like in this case, is always the simplest one. Who deserves the seat? I do. Mahal na pamasahe ngayon e.

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Finally, here is what I have been practicing for - The Manila Half Marathon Challenge. After being postponed due to typhoon Frank, it’s finally going to happen. It’s my first time to run a 21km run. Although I was able to run 22km during one practice, running with other racers is still a different experience.

The starting Line
Quennie and I arrived at around 4:45 at Kilometer 0. It’s the marker in between the Quirino Grandstand and the Rizal Monument in Luneta Park. This is where all distance measurement starts in Manila. This will also be the starting point for the half marathon. When I arrived, I was instantly intimidated. Other runners were there already and they are not just ordinary runners. Many have the Philippine flag in their shirts or shorts. It could only mean on thing. These guys and gals can rally run. I already have a feeling I would be terribly left behind.

A new name?
The gun fired to start the race by 5:15. I joined a group of runners and followed their pace. As I was running, I saw PatCon of Running Shield just a few feet beside me. He looked at me and asked,” You’re Manok right? Manok Runner?” I smiled and said yes. I was glad he recognized me from my blog and I was able to recognize him also. I also read his blogs on running. He has been running for more than 10 years already and had a total of more than 70,000km based on his logs. Wow. Then he said “See ya.” and run past that I could not catch up. Hah! Show off. Hehehe. Joke lg pre.

A Manila Experience
For this run I decided not to bring my music player. I wanted to experience Manila. The route will be covering the perimeter of the Manila District. Based on the map, half of these places are still unknown to me. So it will be nice to discover these places while running. I want to see it and feel it. I should be careful for what I am asking for.

So what have I experienced? Two things. Number one is pollution. I was exposed to a lot of smoking cars and dusty roads which were under construction. And number two is smell. There was a bridge that was littered with… well, shit. I thought they were dog’s manure. But they were forming a line at the side of the bridge showing that the creatures responsible for it have bigger brains than dogs.

Left Behind
I was running quite well in the first 10 kilometers. I must have mastered this distance already. But what happens next got me very tired. I started walking at 13kms and walked half of the time until the finish line. But of course I run to the finish line. I dont want people to see me walking on my way there.

I must have been the uphill bridges that got me exhausted. Or the hot sun at 7:00 in the morning. Or a fast pace at the early part of the race. I was getting worried since I could see a few runners left behind me. I dont want to be left behind in an unfamiliar place. I could esily get lost.

I was left behind already at the 15km mark. The pack I have been following is far ahead. I even saw Bald Runner run past me at Nagatahan Bridge. I wanted to call him to say hi. Or maybe just to slow him down. Hehehe. I wonder why I can’t post a comment on his blog. It always says I need to log in.

Seeing Manila in 21kms
Nonetheless, it was a good run. I was amazed at where my foot took me. I run from Luneta to Quirino Ave, to Nagtahan, to Tayuman, to Binondo and back to Quirino Grandstand. I run past those places where I used to take a ride. Made me thought, Manila is such a small place after all. I finished the race at 2hours and 24mins which was below my target of 2hours and 30minutes. Still a good time for my first time.

Well Organized
All in all, I thought it was a well organized race. I like the presence of the Binondo Riders Club. They made sure the runners were safe. They are at every busy intersection, stopping the cars to give way for the runners. They provided directions to the runners. Thanks a lot guys. There were also markers for every kilometers in the 21K route. Several water stations were available. We never run out of water. I just wish the water was cold. I had to stop over at MiniStop to buy a cold Gatorade. It made a difference.

Quennie’s Story

Quennie joined the 10km run also. Before the race started, she saw a kid who was preparing for the race. The told the boy that she’ll run against him. Show must have thought the boy was an easy target. Lo and behold, the boy out did her. The boy was actually running in preparation for a bigger race with Milo next month. Quennie should learn whom to pick for a challenge. As a result, she pushed herself a bit harder and is now complaining with her leg.

The Aftermath
I was kind to my body for this run. This time I didnt feel pain in my legs after the race. But we went home and slept from 10am to 3pm. If I never felt hungry at that time, I could have slept more. I rewarded myself after the race. I bought a new running jersey for my practices at 40% off from a factory outlet and I ate a half chicken. I wanted to finish the whole chicken but I failed. Maybe next time if I made a full marathon, I get to eat a full chicken.

Next race
I’m planning to join the One Run, One Family, One La Salle Run this Sunday. They say that “artistas” can register for free for the race. Hmmm… I could take my chance on that.

An early announcement
I have noticed several runners who are blogging and exchanging comments in their blogs. I visit their blogs and leave some comments as well. I decided to come up with a new website where all the runners will have more exchanges of ideas. It will be an online running forum for Filipino runners where we can discuss about our passion, encourage one another, and keep each other up to date. The website will be www.takbo.ph or takbo.ph. My friend and I are still setting it up. I hope it will be ready by next month. I’ll keep you guys updated with this site.

If you have suggestions on what to put in the forum, just place them in the comments below. The domain is already registered and should be online within 24 hours but there will be no content yet. The logo is just a draft but I like it already.