Ten Feet Forward

Summit Trail Ultra 60 Challenge

2011-10-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

Ardua Non Timeo, Fear No Hardships. This sums up the challenge that was Summit Ultra Trail 60. It was truly the best that there is since ultra marathons came to Cebu. Honestly, I had my reservations to this event particularly because they had a short notice of about a month, not something pleasing to hear when you hear the other's announced as far as six months beforehand and when you would have wanted to train specific for the event, a trail for that matter and a first for an ultra marathon here in the island.. But a have to give in to the experience knowing that I have trained and have loved trail running for about a year already. This was to be my litmus test.

Friends at the starting line, Art, Jan and Siobe.

The route starts from lowlands of Talisay passing through the chaotic neighborhood of the city before passing through the mountains passes and trails of Campo4-7, then to the Sinsin, Loay, Campinsa before going down. All in all, we ran a total of 60% trails and 40% paved much of which was mostly uphill and downhills. I've never tried running in these places even though I have lived half my life in Talisay City. But that was before the running came to me though. I've trained now on places nearer to my place in Consolacion-Liloan where mountains are not as high as those in the central portions of the island but still offers a unique and great degree of difficulty like a trail should be.

Team effort-Team YYKredit

There were only a handful that joined, 61 individual and 7 relay teams. Its not exactly plenty for an ultra which could reach up to 200 participants for a race yet I could sense these runners were perhaps brave enough to face the challenge of the trail and the mountains or foolish enough to do so. Except for the chaotic Tabunok road, running the flats conservatively on a 7/1 run walk pace for the first 15k was enjoyable with the SRP being half closed and people cheering us up. There was a even a impromptu beer station by the roadside by some bystanders on a drinking session! The Mananga River showed its presence by the unending sound of the crashing water below us, a perfect way to cool our bodies for the road ahead. Here I was just getting the run slowly, not trying to push to hard, to conserve I guess for the mountains beyond and play safe with my knees which has been acting lately on the last marathon and ultra. It was a relief it never showed up the whole race. Maybe the glucosamine dosages works.

Km 16. Campo 4.Mananga River

Km21, after passing the scenic Jaculpan Bridge, it was all uphill for the next 7k, not as terrible as the one in Cansomoroy but a little longer. Except for the not so average runner, most walked this part. There was beauty everywhere with waterfalls, rivers and nice town folks. Its easy to imagine that these roads where dreaded by motorist before for its sheer fall on the other side. I pretty enjoyed the time spent here.

Scenic Jaculpan Bridge with Mananga River-Mountain

Just enjoying the view with Raj

By the time we reach the small mountain town of Campo 7, the sun was high but the heat melted by the cool mountain breeze, we were greeted by the festive mood of the Summit-Ungo support station. This is the first transition phase for the ones running the relay and for us the start of the trails. I have considered the trails as my forte so after a quick respite, off I went on a faster pace leaving my group behind except for some members who went ahead of me. The roads seems to be all mud at first, dreaded by many days before as it rained heavily throughout the week. Fortunately it was not as bad as it was and I don't think anyone had problems with it.

Trail Running at Km 29.Off to Malubog Lake

Through Sinsin we passed through several villages, again punctuated by seesaw elevation until we turned on a fork towards Malubog lake which has all downhills. It was small but pristine and untouched. I would have loved to swim if we had pass by the side which was a bummer.

Malubog Lake. Two Thumbs Up!

After the lake, we turned towards the mines of Atlas Mining Corp. We passed by on the edges of the Biga Pit, one of the largest open pit copper mines in the world! It was 10am and it was hot! With so little vegetation, I started using my cap. Salt caps were taken though since the 1st hour. That was some place really, since there were a few of us, our spacing were longer and looking back while running you could see the road where you came from it seems for miles and miles beyond, you were the only one left. So lonely here except that for me I had Art tagging along who seems to be contended enjoying the scenery after getting lost for about 9k in the first part of the race. He was really game and we enjoyed our time taking photos with my brother on his MTB who also I presume had a great time too having been to the place for the first time despite having these areas as his training grounds for his biking skills.

Lonely walk with Art. Hot!

We were greeted though by a huge man made lake from the entrails of the copper mine. That kept me from keeping my mind of from thinking too much about the race. We took some time taking photos of the scenery.

Man Made Lake from Biga Mine Pit

Most areas here where again uphill, rocky and dry bone, difficult to run and had to contend walking. The support again was evident from the organizers by placing two wheeled vehicles to ferry water and supplies to us. We reached the second summit, the highest of the route at km40.

KM 40. The Summit with Art.

The scenery was to behold so their were more picture taking before resuming our run downhills this time, the steepest in the race. A quick stop over 2 bottles of coke rejuvenated me. It was around +6hours so we were calculating to arrive within 8 1/2 hours at best and 10 hours the max. We reached the foothills of the mountain with the Loay Forest Reserve greeting us. Huge mahogany trees where there totally imposing. It was one of the most rave parts of the route.

Loay Forest Reserve

We reached the second transition point at km45 refueling again our supplies. Most though really that it was all downhills from here as advertised. It was not to be. We were told to follow another trail which by judging from what I saw was another uphill climb to another mountain peak. Whooah! Are you kidding me! But I guess they save the best for last. Here, we passed through forest upon forest, with great fauna and vegetation that it seems you were not in Cebu but somewhere in the Amazons. This was the Campinsa Forest Reserve. This had mostly uphills again but who could complain. I was able to catch up on 2 of my younger and faster staff runners here.

Bamboo Forest-Campinsa Forest Reserve

It was only in km55 that the paved roads of Maghaway beckons and it was all downhill from here to the finish line. Pick up the pace for good measure on the downhills and but ended up walking the last 2kms. to the finish line.

Downhills. Last 6km

Art was able to catch up with us after having problems with cramps in the transition area and we finish together with 2 of my staff. We finish the course at 9 hours and 25 minutes and placed 30th among the finishers. This was a most organized ultra marathon that I've participated so far. A huge success was only possible by the hard working organization headed by Bro. Carlo Bacalla, SDB, the race director, Joel Juarez, the technical director, TCRC, SURE, Ungo and the Government of Talisay City.

Happy Faces at the Finish Line. 9hr25mins. 30th Place with Art, Ellizar and Annirose

This was the toughest ultra marathon race so far that I've joined. Even Rick Gaston, the US based ultra marathoner and a veteran of 100 miles race including the Western States 100 who ran with us last Sunday calls it "hard and impressive route". Kudos to all finishers!

Last Sunday, I truly found my peace in the mountains. As Steve Jobs (who died a few days before the race) puts it, "You've got to find what you love." On that day I found one.

2011-09-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

There you go. A design teaser for the new menu 2011. Watch out for it in October!

My Prince and Princess

2011-09-05T00:37:00.000-07:00

Noah is a year older while Pia is six.

Noah is strong while Pia is compassionate.

The Prince and the Princess. My inspirations.

Cebu Ultrarunner's Club "Not Your Kindergarten' 50K Ultramarathon

2011-09-04T23:34:00.000-07:00

Ngano ni enter! (translated: Why did I join this?) Those are the exact words I told myself and my staff while running the long stretch between the city of Danao to the northern town of Carmen, part of the route of the firs organized run by the new club of ultra runners here in Cebu. Who would have thought the day would be a sizzler when it was raining like hell for weeks already.

Well we got what we deserved, exactly not your kindergarten stuff. As one guy in the street told his companion after being told that we started running in Mandaue City, "Na unsa man na sila, nag lisod lisod ra jud sa kaugalingon! " The good thing about this run was it was free! No hefty registration fees to think about, no water stations, not even a medal. It reminds me of the ultra marathon races abroad when a handful of people would just clap their hands when you reach the finish line. The feeling, the same! The euphoria, the same!

I didn't actually trained hard for this thinking, hey I've ran 65k already so what's 50k? More like being arrogant. I could have sworn that I'll have been pretty screwed up if I took the pace higher. I didn't. I followed my ultra pace, steady and consistent. I ended up running up to the marathon distance before my knees showed signs of hurting again. Must be old age! Haaaay! So I just walked the remaining 7k to the finish and still ended up among the top 20% of the participants. Good thing about this run was there was no soreness the day after! I'm glad I made this run. I was a sort of camaraderie and friendship among fellow ultra marathoners. I hope the club would be ran well and soon would be able to organize on our own. A special thanks to all those benevolent runners who in their own way provided nourishments in their place!

I have high respect for the special idiots who ran that day. They just belong to a different level. Their is that passion burning just to run for the sake of enjoying the run and not competing. Congrats to all!

Food Marathon

2011-08-22T00:57:00.000-07:00

And here's a taste of the good life (lol). Kidding aside, It's been a while since my last blog. Feels a little sluggish lately, my right brain must have suffered a concussion. Oh well, I have been running my butt off ever since I've been hooked. How ironic that life is a race and my runs are to enjoy, living life as it should be, eating notwithstanding! This was a shot when we had the season shoot with the new menu for the restaurant. A marathon of sorts, after three days of shooting it finally ended. The best part though comes after the shoot where the eat-all-you can portion comes. Thankfully, I've got running and the eating binges continues.

Here's some RAW photos I took. It may take two months before the new menu comes out making loyal customers anxious and anticipating.

Ok guys, this is far as it goes before your tummies would be screaming "I just love Spice Fusion!"

For those who doesn't know where the restaurant is, Its locate in SM Cebu Northwing and Banilad Town Center. Check it out!

Kawasan Falls Marathon

2011-07-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

This got to be the most fun I had with a marathon. I didn't mind traveling 130kms southwest of Cebu although I felt it was really far! Not as festive as the international marathons ones but the simplicity and the all out support from the town people of Badian, Alegria and Malabuyoc made up for it. Except for the route which most probably thought it was flat with a "few" rolling hills, everything was heaven sent from the cool weather, 99% cloud cover and little rains here and there, the very scenic route and the hospitality of the people.

This was to be my fourth marathon. Although I did trained for endurance, it was to be ran leisurely with lots of photo taking. I was bringing along my Lumix just like in HK. Here's 42k of running photos:

Arrived at our beach house in Lambo after a 3 hour ride. This was to be our home for the a day and a half. Bare but comfortable, I wouldn't complain especially if the beach was just in front of you.

Oh the beach! I haven't been to this side of Cebu but this one got to be one of the best. The white powdery sand and the crystal blue waters of Tanon Strait makes you wanna swim rather run the next day.

Off we ate an early dinner of Korean noodles, spaghetti and the famous Dumanjug native chicken. Salt caps were ready for distribution with the crew, half of them first time marathoners.

Marathon day and its the usual pre race photo ops! TTB, Team YYKredit, friends like Berput Queen Abby and Noy Adol, Jacob, Edward, Doc Willie and many more too many to mention.

5 minutes before gun time, roads filled up and everyone excited, it was going to be a long road ahead but nevertheless a road that shall end like never before, a waterfall as its background.

The crowd soon disperse, 400 runners taking his own race one step at a time.

It was to be a scenic marathon and it was it many ways. Old provincial bridges, one after another....

Coastal views 80% along the way!

Heritage churches to remind us to thank God that life is good...

and non stop high fives to kids and old alike!

The signs were there to remind us the journey ahead would be long and tiresome...

but also happy moment of bonding and camaraderie with fellow marathoners alike.

As the journey close to an end, we were all greeted with the sound of the river beside us and a trail that invigorated the trail runner in my heart. This is where I ran the fastest.

And so I finish my 4th marathon at 4:47:52, Rank No. 87 and barely 3 minutes slower than my PR, fresher legs and an injury that I didn't expect. Such is the life of the running enthusiast!

Every race never ends without the usual photo taking souvenirs all smiles and all saying that after the pain, life is good after all.

And so the journey ends where it started, the beach. Time to bask in the nature's wonderful creation and enjoy life. After all, Life is a beach!

Next Stop: Warrior 50 Ultramarathon. Crossing my fingers. Wink Wink.

Heaven and Hell: My 1st Ultra Marathon, frontRUNNER's Coast to Coast Labor Day Ultra 65k "Only the Strong"

2011-05-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

I am the Captain of my Ship, the Master of my Soul. I have always been drawn to life's challenges since I was a kid. I don't know if its just me but these challenges, mental for some but mostly physical have come to criss cross my path every now and then. The good thing about it, if it really something you call good is that I've always taken them head on, somewhat that might have cause some worries to those near to me. I apologize for that. So it was not a surprise that I took on the challenge of the marathon and without even blinking, the challenge of the ultra marathon. Perhaps it was something I need to unload in my bucket list. So there I was being the second one to register for the race while everyone else was running the Cebu Marathon. An early birdie, they gave me the free choice to choose my bib number. I chose the number 8. Luck would be on my side, so I wish at that time.

Team YYK Ultra @ Aleus Pension House, Toledo City. 10 hours before race time

The Preparation. I was a man with a mission. Nope there was no gargantuan task to speak of, just to finish the race. To finish the race..many would have called us crazy for running such distance. They even say that its takes a special kind of idiot to do it. That is why for all the thousand of runners out there, only 226 registered and that number is even the biggest number of participant for an event. This ultra marathon has been considered as the toughest route in the country rising to a staggering 3,500 feet above sea level!

The training has always been the harder part for me and I guess for everyone else. It just takes some so much of my time, the time for the family that sometimes I wonder if it is all worth it. This whole craziness, the running passion though a big part of me is not my entirely my life. I owe my wife and my kids big time for this. They have been very supportive but I know they have been quietly complaining already yet they let me be. I am humbled.

I have to admit I have never trained so hard than ever before. The preparation took me to new highs. It took 3 months of training to completely say I was ready and it was absolutely crazy! The preparation included among else runs (four of them) of over the marathon distance including a festive run in Hong Kong, a fat ass style, hamster mode run in cempark and a test run over the actual route in the mountains. My weekly mileage ramp up so high, it took me by surprise how my knees and my body could hold it up with more runs on the hills. I ate the hills week after week. I have become a mixed African overnight. By April and after the last test run, I was completely aware that I was mentally ready, but had lingering doubts with my physical strength.

TTB Glenn, Christian, Me and Boying at the Starting Line. Photo by Pam Apuhin

The Race Strategy. I plan everything. Its my cup of tea and would be again put to test on this race. "This race would be won by conserving your strength and delaying the fatigue on hamstrings and quads" I kept telling my other (crazy) staff running with me while huddled over for lunch in the office. We got 12 hours to run this one. We just did the last test run over the actual route and saw the elevation profile for the first time from my watch. There were two segments of the race. One is a 20k flat route followed by 40 kilometers of climbs and descent. We were already particularly aware that most of these climbs (20K) cannot be ran and if walked would decently put us around 13-14min./km. pace. We were also aware that there were a lot of downhills (20k) and learning to run them with ease and comfort would help. We were particularly aware too that these route would thrash our quads and hamstrings just like when we did the test run. To compound the problem would be the heat of summer which was absolutely a scorcher at noon time. So in the end, I have decided to do the following: 1. Ran the Galloway for the first 21k flat route and to run them at a turtle pace 1kilometer/1min. walk strategy. 2. Walk all inclines no matter how easy they may seem. 3. Learn to be a downhill specialist and run them fast. and lastly 4. Suck on nutrition and hydration every 30 mins. and salt caps every hour.

Elevation Profile

The Race. At exactly 4am on May 1, after some hard prayers and fellow introduction, 214 brave runners were released. The athletes and most readied runners took off smoking us and by the 2nd kilometer we were already almost at the back of the pack. We were not worried. "Stick to the plan, stick to the plan" I kept saying. Runner after runner passed us. We wanted to run with the Masters but they had the same plan as we did and were actually behind us. Doing the Galloway 1kilometer/1minute walk at 7:oo-7:30min. pace seems like too boring for most but it was actually more fun. We enjoyed the walk breaks every time the watch beeps! By the time we reach the foothills before the dreaded Cansomoroy climb, we were as fresh as ever. Here, there were lots of chika running with fellow TTB Ultradaddy Christian and Doc Benj. From there, we started to gain hold with some of the front runners. We allotted 3 hours for the first 21k and actually arrived ahead by 20 minutes.

My TTB Family (Angels in Heaven)@ C-Highway, Cansomoroy, Balamban

Heaven. Oh Cansomoroy, you art thou high. This is were we felt so helpless (lol). The 5 km climb is so steep that looking up you'll get stiff neck! Walking is even hard. This is where I met my wacky running family, the TTB! I was so happy to meet them and they look like angels in heaven. I thought were in heaven with all the mist and the clouds until reality strikes back (lol). I was still following my nutrition every 30 minutes, Nature Valley bars, boiled egg, biscuits and banana. I also didn't forget to hydrate every now and then. Since we knew the route ahead, we just kept on walking despite having intermittent flatter portions to conserved our fatigue levels. I was walking faster than usual and my staff swear they had a hard time catching me on my walks.

Walk the Hills. Sub Hangak!

By the time we reached the top towards the first downhill portions, we shifted to high gear occasionally bumping up our pace to 5:30min/kilometer. Thanks to the downhill lessons we've learned from elite runner and a good friend of mine Joel Cuyos (7th placer) and Master Edward tan Ting, I was actually enjoying the downhill portions. I was constantly checking my not to over stride and kept my feet low without bouncing them. This enabled me to actually "glide" these portions at ease.

Walking ra Ghapon!

Purgatory. KM39. By the time we reached the junction of barangay Cantipla and Sudlon, we were still at it. I allocated 6 1/2 hours to reach this portion and felt happy to have cut if off by an hour. I was already recalculating our finish time to 10 hours. Here I met idol Rodney Cabahug who was suffering ITBS on both knees. The warrior he is he prodded on. There were lots of talk too with fellow runner from TG Ryan Gonzaga. Master Jacob Ong soon caught us up and went ahead. The sun was beginning to be a scorcher at this time. At km45 going down from Leyson Peak and taking advantage of a cloudy portion, I took off and caught up with Jacob and did some pacing until we reached Ayala Heights. Like they all say that when you reach that portion, the race is on the bag. Big smile was on my face. This was the last checkpoint of the race and met race director Jonel Mendoza who gave us the thumbs up.

Rajahni, Me and Rodney at KM 41

Going Down towards Ayala Heights with Master Jacob Ong. Photo by Lorebelle Joy.

Hell. By the time I took off again on downhills, I lost Master Jacob. The heat has become tolerable to unbearable. It was noon time and they must be kidding us, the hottest day of the year so far! So far two of my staff was still with me, the rest fell off behind. Our two support crew vehicle also lost us and if not for the timely Ungo stations, we could have bonked out! This is where angels came to hell to save us. Team Waypaks supported us, as did Ungo. Richard Manila came several times to cool my body. There was unending support for all runners not just us! After finally making the last climb in Buak where I paced fellow TTB Boying Milan, it was all downhills from here. My left ITBS acted up a bit when I started to run again but didn't manifest when I ran faster so this is what I did for the next 8 km, ran the downhills fast!. I again met my fellow TTB but had to begged off to stop because of the injury.

Inita Oy!

The Ninja Turtle and Larry Aying towards JY. Photo by Jun Alicante

Heaven Once Again. When we reached JY, a sigh of relief was all over my face. I was 3km from finishing my first ultramarathon! I caught up with my idol Lolek Montalbo who was braved enough to run the course with an injury and was limping. I ask him if I could pace him and he asked back if its ok with me if we run-walk. I obliged. It was like a mutual respect for two brave, battered but unbroken warriors. We walked the last km to finish line and hugged each other after crossing the line.This day was ours. I was ranked no. 71 out of 191 finishers with an aggregate time of 9:25:22! I was happy with my time and wasn't expecting it. Just like in Hong Kong, this one will go to my books as one of the best run ever!

Walk of Fame. 100m to finish line

Mr mountain and Mr. Sun connived with each other to break our spirits, yet we never wavered till the end. This is a race I would never forget. I just sank me a now writing this that I did conquer the toughest ultra marathon route in the country!. Woot! Woot!

Proud finisher. 71st of 191 finishers. 9:25:22

Thank You. There are so many people to thank for, most of them nameless, strangers that I didn't know personally but like me shared a bond for the passion. I thank them with all my heart. Thank you Harold, my brother and Arnel for being our support crew. I would still loved to eat the lechon you ate while we were struggling at KM51 (lol). Thank you team Waypacks, Team Abbylicious for the unending support you gave us. Thank you Richard Manila who help me cool off and lend his support despite pulling out from the race. The biggest thanks to UNGO! Without you guys, I don't know. I don't want to know. You proved to me ever before that your the best group in town! Cheers! Thank you Mommy, Pia and Noah for bearing again what daddy loves to do. I don't know how to make it up with you guys but I will, I promise.

The Future. Would I ran an ultra again? Your guess is good as mine. Somehow I have been very "laagan" in the last 5 months. 2 international marathons and an ultra marathon, I couldn't ask for more. For now, its time to rest and indulge in everything I miss. I'll see you guys in the next race.

Tiger Look!

Before I go, I want to share something I read from a sign by the Aboitiz Group along the Transcentral Highway at KM37. This one sums it all. It says "Those who succeed are those who think they can."

Fujifilm X100

2011-04-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been thinking of getting a rangefinder camera that's not too heavy to use which can be good for our travels abroad without compromising the quality as well as something that won't burn a hole as big as the camera in your pocket. The Leica did cross my mind but it was damn too expensive! SO there and then I had to cross it out on my list.

There were few other contenders out there. There's the G series from Canon as well as the professional point and shoot Lumix cameras were shoo-ins until this one came along. Just released earlier this year, this one has to be it. It has the results I need while keeping with the classic design. This would be my new toy hopefully, meaning if I could even find it in the shelves!

The Road to May One

2011-03-15T01:09:00.000-07:00

I have been busy lately going to the mountains. Its a thrill, its exciting to be on top. Getting there and coming down just got to be the hardest part of the training runs I have been embracing for a few weeks now. Its about 6 weeks to the ultra marathon race on May 1. I am stoked about it just to think that this would be the farthest I would have ran in terms of distance and time.

The ultra marathon trainings runs seems to make my marathon trainings short and easy. Last Saturday, I've logged 32k of all mountain route. It hurts your quads after but thank God, no injuries so far. This sunday, it would be a 36-40k of hamster mode, the fat ass style of running in circles of 2km loop in Cempark. This would be one for my books too. Thanks to friends like Joel Cuyos and TTB masters Jacob Ong, these runs have been exciting and happier as ever.

I'm pretty certain, I can ran far. 65k is long but its doable. Ultra marathons fits my pace, slow as a turtle but smart as a monkey. Its not always for the fast runner but the smart one. They just made it more difficult by placing the toughest terrain they could find in the island smack in the middle. Come May 1, it would be the longest 10 hours of my life.

I'm a bit crazy taking this one. But I guess it better to be crazy having tried it than ending up wondering how could it have been. To all my friends and ultra marathoners, may the force be with us!

2011-03-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

If there is one documentary movie I would recommend to those running the marathons whether it would be their 1st or Nth time, This is it. The Spirit of the Marathon is one inspiring documentary for the beginners, intermediate and the elites.

Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon: 42K of Photos and Stories

2011-02-22T22:18:00.000-08:00

The road to ultra marathon on May 1 wasn't planned at all. Nevertheless, runner no. 8 was booked and so was this marathon before that. To complicate things, Ninja Turtle as my friend Chill (TTB) would call me got an unexpected injury (adductor muscle strain) from grooving too much to become a rabbit which coincidentally the year it is. So the turtle remained a turtle, no speed training, playing safe but did his part running the mountains.

He eventually thought of doing the Gallowalk termed from the Olympian Jeff Galloway's run-walk-run race strategy. Perfect method to do when you've got a marathon smack in the middle of an ultra marathon training. Sensible as it keeps the muscles from getting too stress out for the run and the days after that. Tried it on one of the long runs and had worked wonders. To run all or to run-walk, that was the question. The turtle had became wiser and opted for the latter.

Arrive at Hong Kong in freezing temperatures (10ºc) which was eventually declared as the coldest months including January since 1977. Whisked away in those monotone taxis past bridges and streets that we were to run in the next two days.

Causeway Bay or East Point is one of Hong Kong's major shopping district and has the most expensive rent in the world. No wonder we were billeted in the most tiniest room I've ever stayed. It was to be our home for the next 4 days.

Nevertheless, it was the perfect place, 300m from the marathon finish line in Victoria Park and 400m from the shopping district.

The race pack collection was the usual efficient and timely but unusually devoid of overseas runners that greeted me in Singapore.

Walked past the marathon finish line arc which was on its finishing touches. The turtle wondered though if he can ever reach this point to basked in the glory of the run.

Victoria Park is Hong Kong's biggest public park. Home to Filipinos and other Asian nationalities on Sundays, it is coincidentally the joyous meeting point of all runners and well wishers in this Sunday's race. Amazingly they have a runner's path that is made of rubber.

Off the turtle went to a quick visit to neighboring Macau for sightseeing and carboloading. With temperature dropping there below the 10's, it was freakin cold!

The trip would have been a bore if my wife would not have come, her first time to cheer me in a race and her first time to have been coaxed to buy a furry black coat as her jacket she's wearing wouldn't have suffice. As for the turtle, it was what everybody calls acclimatizing.

A marathon run would not be complete without asking one's guidance from above for a safe journey. A side trip St. Dominic's Church in Macau provided the opportunity. The 1587 church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and can be located in the famous Senado Square.

Back in Hong Kong, the turtle slept on his shell early even though the his start time was 6:45am, an unusually late start to expect. He slept for a minimum of 6 hours and 10 hours the previous day, the race nerves gone and a first time to have that luxury back when it counts. Donning a yellow LiveStrong tee backed by another shirt beneath, arm warmers, CWX insulator tights and a black cap, I was looking like my friend speedy Rolando Espina and ready to go.

This year 64,253 runners joins the race, 9,711 of them running the full Mary in two waves. The turtle runs the second wave of runners at 6:45am, a late start to mention but still dark, dreary and cold.

The race is not complete without the usual photo ops. There's the takbo.ph runners Raymond San Diego and Rolando Pimentel who had the courtesy to bring our flag. Troy and Dindz completed our signature smile.

A loud horn instead of the gun sounded each wave of runners, everybody still in its jolly mood. The few kilometers of the race brought us up the famous streets of Tsim Sha Tsui before exiting towards the coastal highway passing through 21k challenge runners were on their way back to the finish line.

Water station were stationed at every 5kms another odd one instead of the usual 2.5kms. The turtle didn't mind, the cold weather does not give you the appetite to drink more.

By the 6th kilometer, the stonecutters bridge opened to traffic in December, 2009 at a cost of HK$2.76B and the world's second longest cable stayed span bridge looks imposing, a rather prelude to the tough route that HK marathon is known to be. In all we pass 3 bridges, long by any standards and running them back and forth.

Tough climb but the sights are to behold.And the engineering that was made into it was a marvel having been featured in Discovery's channel Extreme Engineering. By the 10th kilometer, we passed the first tunnel, cool but humid and slightly declined it was a pleasure to ran on them. The turtle started drinking the salt caps and gels as to every 5 kms thereafter.

The Tsing Ma bridge, the seventh longest span suspension bridge (span of 1,377m, height of 206m) in the world and the largest of all carrying rail traffic, the turtle got the coldest head wind ever experienced. The first time cut-off with nets and buses were stationed ready to capture the slowest of us.

Watson's disposable isotonic drinks were a plenty and minty in flavor. Being disposable it was the greenest idea possible as espoused by the city administration.

At halfway, the turtle passed the 3rd bridge, not as long and as difficult, a great relief to the constant increase elevation of the route.

The roads were entirely closed from 12mn to 2pm on race day. There were no marshals manning the intersections, only first aid and support groups. It is a welcome sight were safety comes first and a far sight from the usual local races back in the country.

Safety in Hong Kong streets are of greatest importance. Today its the only exception when we could drink and run, non alcoholic beverage only.

The Liniments stations were a plenty too. A heaven sent for the injured and slightly injured.

At the 25th kilometer, the turtle became a ninja on some sort. Feeling energetic as ever from several walking breaks, the speedometer began to roll high.

Like a roller coaster it was dreaded to be, the never ending up and down route began to take toll on the weary runners.

But the support groups were there, timely for runner's boost of energy.

And the cheerers were never ending!

They even have a runner's relaxation station.

Entering the final tunnel, the Western Harbor Crossing, a dual three lane immersed tube tunnel across Victoria Harbor and at km34 was all speed for the ninja turtle. Feeling strong without any hints of cramps and fatigue,pace increased to 5:30-6:30/km. Galloway must have been a proud man that day.

Even the abrupt spike at the end and such weird cambered roads wouldn't have put off the pedals. On and on the nearer has come and so was the numerous overpasses and underpasses.

But all was not well, the ninja turtle's right ITBS began to flare up like hell. Must have been the numerous downhills, but deter it did not. Walked on downhills, ran like Gump on flats. The cheers have been louder and so was the finish line.

Looking strong as ever, the Garmin was ninja turtle's best friend. Looking at the watch in Wanchai district, a big smile has dawned knowing that whether I walk or run the last few kilometers, I have broken my PR!

And the turtle did it on a tough course using Galloways as it passes the last bridge before main Causeway Bay, a kilometer before the grand entrance to Victoria Park.

The cheers were the loudest in crazy, glitzy Causeway Bay, the excitement building towards the ending which was a happy hippy this time around. I was in a world of my own, raising constantly my fist ang giving high fives to spectators for a run I didn't expect to end on a high note.

And was too amazed to have six sharks get out of from Ocean Park to run the race! photocredit: Kenneth Toledo

And so the Ninja Turtle finish his 3rd marathon exactly two years from his first run in hip hip hooray fashion and surprisingly a personal record on a tough course using Galloway's! Rank 1,509 overall and 1,340 for my wave.

No fatigue, No cramps and happy face to boot. The turtle gives thanks to the One above for the strength and the accomplishment and my family for the encouragements that never faltered.

To cap, you get to receive two solid souvenirs to remind you of the day you conquered one of Asia's toughest marathon routes.

But wait, Hong Kong is not all about the marathon. Its sometimes whimsical to just run and go home. It was time to shop, and shop we did which goes to say to that there goes my recovery walks.

But every happy endings somehow would have to end. It was time for the turtle to go home. Tired, weary but proud of the achievement and 20 more kilos of luggage to carry. It was after all time to...

Hug my other two most important people in my life! Oh I terribly miss them so much and told them the story of the turtle and rabbit with its happy endings.

The Road Ahead

2011-02-16T19:20:00.001-08:00

Its been a while since my last post. In between that and today, I've rode my first road bike, got a surprise adductor muscle strain injury temporarily sidelining me to just take photos in Cebu Marathon last January and got back into shape after that. Although the injury still recurs from time to time, I have been more careful about it and constant rest and massage has improve the conditions quite well.

For the bike, its been awesome and I haven't even tested its full limits yet nor my body against the punishing climbs. It would come. I'm looking forward to riding more with it within the few months.

Its just four days before the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. I would be leaving tonight with my wife in tow for the needed break in Macau as well as a business trip to get new stuffs for her maiden business. For this marathon, I'm doing the Galloway's run-walk-run method. I have been using it for the last two long runs and it had done wonders to keeping the fatigue at bay. Last Sunday's SM2SM run, I used it again and it felt good. That run was one of the few highlights on this year's running. It was well organized with lots of free stuff after but what made it explosive was my running group, TTB (Team TytsBogdo) wearing our new singlets and finishing together with a banner. It totally rocks!

Team TytsBogdo (TTB Cebu) in SM2SM Half Marathon

Everybody knows that this marathon is one of the toughest in Asia. Looking at the elevation, it certainly is with five bridge crossings as twice as long as our bridges in Mactan and two tunnel runs beneath sea level. Further there's the dreaded cut off times where they literally place a net to keep you going. It would also be the first time to run in aircon weather (13-16ºc).

Standard Chartered HK Marathon Course Elevation

Although its really not dreaded as it seems to be, It's something you just cannot underestimate as like running the marathon distance. I really don't feel the demons in my head as much as my previous two marathons. Maybe because I'm just treating it as a training run for the ultra marathon in May.

Yes, I'm running the ultra this May 1 and I am runner no. 8. Its a daunting 64k of solid and punishing uphill and downhill run across Cebu's mountain route they dubbed as "only the strong". I guess I want to experience that. I'm really psyche up for this one and may the good Lord shower me with the strength to finish this one. It would be another few months of intense training for me again. Sometimes I ask myself when I would ever have the time to chill. That may have to wait after May 1.

Now I could Bike!

2010-12-26T16:33:00.000-08:00

I just did breaking in my new bike an hour ago in my house attire! Two days ago, I've got my biggest surprise when my wife in connivance with my brother and Noy Jopson gave me a Scott road bike for Christmas! These are one of the few moments that I've wanted so much a bike and a Scott for that and my Santa wife gave it to me. It must have cause her an arm and a leg!

It is a fitting gift for me, now i could bike! Besides running, I've always wanted to go cycling for fitness, travel and aiming in the future the Cobra Ironman (IM) Philippines 70.3. Its just one reason that I could now pursue that dream.

I'll try giving it a spin in the next two weeks, hopefully. I still has to spend on those cycling accessories needed to make the sport safe and sounds I have t0 cut an arm and leg too!

Singapore Marathon 2010

2010-12-12T22:13:00.000-08:00

There was a sense of relief when rain was pouring cats and dogs the day before race day, non stop. Singapore marathon known for its flat course and an Asian Boston qualifying race, is also more famous for its humid and hot weather, a bum for fast runners who could bonk down the stretch due to the heat. I'm no fast runner but the reported "heat" topics among those who ran it had generated much curiosity and arousal from my part that it did succeed in scaring me off a bit. Guessing from what I felt during the rain drenched trip to get the bib, I guess I was more concerned over my shoulder nerve pain which was little bothersome and painful.

It was supposed to be my 2nd marathon this year and my first run on an international race thanks to a year of happy, hip hip hooray running with runners alike and more thanks to God for ever giving me strong reliable knees, my family for the support in times when they would have needed me more in taking care of my new baby than seeing me running like crazy in the darkest of nights.

We arrived on midnight of December 4, a good full day before race day. Those cheap, no frills airlines has made running in international races more easier for our pockets. We were immediately whisked off on a Mercedez benz cab too tired from complaining but ended up cursing for paying a hefty amount that would have been good for a new Nike shirt. Felt better though when we arrived in Pan Pacific in Marina Bay with the spunky Mandarin and Ritz Carlton for our neighbors, a mere walking distance from the finish line and a door away from the shopping malls except that my wife was not with me (hahaha).

We woke up the next day on a rainy Singapore to pick up our bibs a block away from the hotel, elated to have been given the door to a rousing applause from the volunteers as overseas runners, brought some marathon souvenir shirts and returned back to the hotel drenched! Would this be the weather tomorrow? A Malaysian said it was unlikely that the sun would shine. Sweet!, maybe God has answered all the runner's prayers this time. We made our way to the shopping malls (bad idea) in the afternoon to do some sightseeing which only offered more walking to our already tired legs.

On race day, we woke up early from excitement with over 4 hours of sleep, hailed a cab at 3am for the starting line in Orchard Road which was in full Christmas lights display, just before some group of partying caucasians told us that since were running a marathon would we should be running instead of hiring a cab (hehe). We met some Manila runners during the starting line and had some few talks with them. As efficient as their government, so was the race as we were assigned into specific pens with the elites already flexing their muscles like cheetahs going for a kill and the rest of us mortals into sub 4, 5 to 8 categories. I was with my brother at the sub5 pen fully aware that I have to run a constant pace of 6:30-7 to get it. By 430am, Like the rest of the 20,000 full marathon runners and among the 60,000 running on the race on the 21k and 10k division, I was ready.

With a giant electronic billboard display and from the sound of Joey Tempest's melodic heavy metal song "The final countdown", we were off at 5am. I was actually running the Singapore Marathon, yipee! The adrenalin shot off almost immediately and didn't mind tripping off the timer mat and hurting back my shoulder nerve I have been experiencing lately.

I saw yellow balloons on a 4:45 pace group and decided to follow them. I started out just about my usual pace but felt unusually tired. Must have been the other days sightseeing and the lack of sleep for two straight days, crap! but soon regained form by the fifth kilometer. Drank every water stations as it was beginning to be very humid. Passed several of the tourist attraction of the city in between km0-km9 like the shopping mecca Orchard Road, Istana Park, Fort Canning Park, Chinatown and the Merlion. Here we passed the only tunnel of the race which was like an oven inside and ended up sweating more by the time we were out. The cool breeze of the bay was a relief as we passed by the popular Marina Bay, down to the F1 pitstops, under the Helix bridge, beneath the Singapore Flyer before we entered the East Coast Park. Its was just a few minutes inside the park when we met the elite Kenyans going back already.

Everything was well and under control under km21, a little bit tired than usual and slower. The water station a plenty with 100 plus drinks and the cheers a few and between. My time at cp21k was 2:19:33. The sun was up, not the rained that we all hoped for but certainly something we trained for. Its was just a bit humid than usual, something I didn't foresee.

We passed the only station with GU gels and took a scoop. Started to drink salt caps too at km25 and km30 to avoid the cramps. Both failed miserably. With the hope of making it at 4:30 fading, started to make adjustments but felt too tired to do so. By the time we were out, it was twilight zone already. Ended up at 3ok at 3:23:03. Fighting fatigue, I tried to enjoy the scenery while chatting along the way with a fellow Singaporean.

There were a lot of liniment stations which many find to be a relief. At km32 my paced has dipped at 7:00/km. At km33, I passed fellow Cebuano runners Dindz Bartolabac struggling with cramps with Kenneth Toledo helping him. With little shades, the heat and humidity has become a little bit unbearable. By this time, a cup for the thirst and another cup for the head was the rule. By km35, my body was bonking down too. I drank the last Hammer gel I had with me. I knew at this point that my dream time of 4:40 wasn't to be but still had a good chance to make it under 5 hours.

Then all hell broke loose at km36. The dam broke! We didn't expect that the expected times we had coincided when all the runners in the 42k, 21k and the 10k converging together on one side of the East Coast Freeway all the way to the finish line! Poor full marathoners, we were looking at a sea upon sea of runners cramped on one side on the road like were all going for a U2 concert. Not even the shouts of North Korean leader Kim Jung-il "walkers to the right, runners to the left, DNF's jump of the bridge" would have made them move! So much for the running! Haha

From here to km41 it was mostly walking with brief runs whenever the crowd eases a little bit. By this time the time was ticking. It was only on the last kilometer that I mustered all my strength to run, huffing and puffing and finally saw the Pedang finish line with the timer at 4:55:40 something. I sprinted and raised both my hands with the two sign signifying my second marathon. My chip time was 4:55:53. I made it under 5 hours! Wohooo!

The S$39 photo. The only finish photo I have.

We got our medals and finisher t-shirts, ate some Nature valley bar, rested for a while before heading to the hotel for more hydration, icing and ice bath. A quick nap after, we headed to Jack's steakhouse to celebrate the day and the accomplishments. The next two days, we literally walked our feet off, sort of recovery walk all over Singapore, Night Safari, Orchard Road shopping for pasalubongs, Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and Universal Studios.

Universal Studios!

Amazingly, I ended up as the 35th Filipino to finish, top 15% of the entire field for the full marathon and a 36 minute improvement from my previous marathon time. I couldn't be more prouder.

Photo credits: Flickr oeyvind and Sensibles

1st Cebu Ultramarathon

2010-12-01T23:40:00.000-08:00

This I wouldn't miss for several reasons. I was on taper mode for my Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (A day on zero running doesn't hurt.bad me) and the thought of seeing brave runners and friends taking on a grueling 50k ultramarathon is something I want to know first hand. Second, I haven't touch my camera for a while and I was afraid that whatever skills I've learned for the past years might be unlearned. Third, I wanted the fresh air in the mountain and see if I could train there. Lastly, I want to run an ultramarathon someday and having a first hand experience on the event would be advantageous.

Fisheye view on runners at km16. Ga-as, Balamban

So there like the 180+ hardcore runners and just like another day of training, Me and my brother woke up early, took breakfast along the way and was there at the Ga-as, Balamban some 37 kms. from the city by 630am. We were positioned within the highest elevation of the race, a ridge where the land meets the sky, a runner's heavenly route. The sights so breathtaking you wouldn't expect it would be a false pretense to the race that was on their way. It was km16 for them and it took them a while to get there with the leading runner (Mendel Lopez) passing us two hours into the race. I thought at first they were too slow to realize later on that the route was a difficult one.

Another running in motion. Ga-as, Balamban

One by one, these brave little souls passed by some smiling, other very focus. Saw my friends Boss Joel, Huarache runners Jacob and Edward and TTB Christian and Eric. Saw the famous Jove "Baldrunner" Narcise and ARC runner Michelle Estuar. By the time we left the ridge, I would have made photos of almost two thirds of them. It was already hot! By the time we left at 9:30am, it was beginning to be a scorcher already. Many were left to walking but knowing that the route was a killer was perfectly fine. Besides it was to be a long long day ahead. Thanks to the individual support crews and the Ungo support group, it made their burden a little bit lighter. Around 162 finished the race most arriving over the 8 hour cut-off which was later on revised by an hour.My hats off to all of you! That was a feat that not so many marathoners would dare.

Joven "BaldRunner" Narcise with another runner

On a personal note, while I was traveling back to my place it dawned to me that I can do it. That if Mommy Twinkle can, so can I. So I started to plot my schedule and lo and behold in the following days after, the Labor day coast to coast Cebu ultra was launched. May 1, 2011 is the day, yeah just in the middle of summer! and much longer (60-65k)! Waaah.

One of the early runners passing through the ridge

If all things comes in alignment, I will run this one. For now, there's Singapore Marathon 2 days from now and the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in February 20.

Let the good times run!

Note: For more photos visit my facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=258725&id=619502301

Meeting Wayne

2010-12-01T23:16:00.000-08:00

L-R: TTB Eric, Ken, Jack, Coleen, Katol, Christian, Richard, Wayne, Chill, Tata, Yendy, Boying, ME and Gerry

If there was a guy whose achievements in running is as big as his humility, that would be my Dailymile (DM) friend, Wayne Plymale http://b2bwayne.blogspot.com/. A veteran marathoner and a Boston qualifier, I finally met someone whom you can look up to as an inspiration for all runners. In person! He might not be a Haile Gebrselassie of our time, but for who he is and what he has achieved represents more of the common runners that is us.

Dinner at Spice Fusion with TTB, SM City Northwing

Thanks to my friend Richard Ho for inviting him to come to Cebu for a quick visit. I hope that the Cebuano hospitality had made his trip memorable even how short it was. Well, eating balot and drinking Red Horse would have been one for his books!

Thanks for visiting us Wayne. We hope to see you again in 2012 for the Cebu Marathon!

T -10 Days

2010-11-23T21:48:00.000-08:00

I'm stoked.

Stoked that in the next ten days, I'll be running the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. It would be my 2nd marathon, my 1st international race in a year. It has been a roller coaster run for the last six months. Saddled with an injury and having to cope up with being a father to my 2nd child, it had meant that I have to adjust BIG time. And big time I did from adjusting my sleeping patterns to enrolling in a gym. I gave up running CAMSUR marathon. I gave up watching TV. I gave up eating my favorite ice cream. This meant too that I have to run like a ghost in the night. I wanted this so I must as well suck it up.

The results were startling but would have been pretty obvious for a veteran. I lost weight. For the first time since my college days, I breached psychological 150 lbs. weight. I am running injury free and stronger for months. I can now ran faster than ever before.

Training for a marathon is never an easy stuff. The sacrifices is inevitable, more like part of the deal. In this months I saw myself making friends with a lot of people who like me like to eat asphalt for breakfast. There's the Dailymile (DM) acquaintances of all sorts from beer loving Rolando who runs a quickie 3:30 for a marathon despite getting drunk the previous day to veterans like Wayne Plymale, a Boston marathoner and a great motivator who have run marathons and races where only stuff of dreams are made of.

Then there are my friends in Tytsbogdo also known as TTB, a young group of runners who likes wearing tights during a run. These are one of the wackiest band of friends I've met. These guys take the bore out of the long run literally. And of course their are my staff in YYK which I did some pacer duties. Guys your as ready as ever. The road was tough but they made it all seems like were just having fun. To all, thanks guys!

Less I forget is my family, my inspiration. I know its hard for you all to see daddy going out in the darkest of the night just to run. Its a bit crazy but you have ever been supportive. I know you too had to adjust, that the road was tough too. I am thankful more than words can express.

This marathon would be a special one. God, you've thrown every obstacle you can less the kitchen sink and I'm still here standing. I am ready. I am hoping for a good, fun race. Let it be my success.

To all running the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, Godspeed everyone! Don't forget to enjoy the race!

Spooked, The Citigym Halloween Half Marathon

2010-11-03T00:12:00.000-07:00

Organizers are getting creative these days. The day of the dead is not even spared. Well, you've got a Halloween party all around so why not have a run? That's exactly what Citigym did. Aside from the usual costumes contest that is incorporated on the run, they get us to run around the Cempark. Yes, its the Cebu Memorial Park. Unless your too scared of the thought of the dead waking up and dancing Michael Jackson's thriller version, its a great place to run on daytime you guess. Quiet and flat, you'll can find runners here of all ages. That is you are happy running like a hamster going in circles and you don't mind running on hard cemented surfaces. The race was well organized and the Powerade drinks were a plenty, medals for 21k finishers but lacks the marshals for a safe race. Four stars for me on this race.

This was supposed to be my simulation race for Singapore marathon in December 5, meaning I was supposed to run my marathon pace of 6:30 minutes per kilometer all throughout. That pace plus some allowances for fatigue would give me around a marathon finishing time of 4:40, a decent time for a recreational runner. I was also supposed to test my ability to hold on to a slow pace and hold that pace until the 16k mark and push it a little more using my leg power. I guess I overdid everything. I did hold on to the marathon pace for about 12k but decided to push a little bit more. That little bit more was a fast one. It seems like I was spooked!

With TTB Runner Friends, most with PR times on this race.

I powered the rest of the 9k with a blistering pace of 5:15 and boy it felt good! We passed so many runners who were ahead of us that I was actually looking ahead for the next guy to pass. My staff was also there all the way, running toe to toe with me. They are almost ready for CCM. So fast was my pace for the last 9k that I almost broke my half marathon PR, just a minute more! No injuries, no cramps, no soreness. Not bad. Another hat trick? No I don't think so. Its still the training and its paying well. The next two weeks would be a play safe zone. No more racing, just building stamina and mileage. Oh I wish its taper time already!

Full Marathon Route - Singapore Marathon 2010

2010-10-27T01:12:00.000-07:00

Barely a month remaining before Marathon Day in Singapore. Things so far are looking good. Just ran a 20 miler a couple of weeks ago and another 17 miler last Sunday. Its been a roller coaster six months and I'm beginning to feel the nerves already. A couple more 20 milers and I'm good to go. The video shows how good the organizers are when in comes to organizing international events, even showing in a tourist friendly video where the run will take you and in my case the full marathon, my 2nd full mary, 42.195 kms of running!

What can I say but to shout out loud, BRING IT ON!

Noah Gray at 3 Months

2010-10-07T00:21:00.000-07:00

Times flies so fast. Noah Gray is already 3 months old! Here's the latest photo I took of him. He looks like my father in many ways. They say he looks like me. I beg to disagree except the balding hair! lol.

Ay, Caramba!

2010-10-04T23:56:00.000-07:00

Those were the words expressed by my friend Marc Viacrusis (http://f1runner.blogspot.com/) when I told him that the weather scheduled for our sunday long run was a run weather forecast with 26-27C, 74-93% cloud cover and 0% chance of precipitation. They got it wrong again! The only thing they got right was the 0% chance of precipitation. No rain, no clouds only the merciless sun happily shining on us! True to his words Ay, caramba was it!

I am in deep training for my first marathon outside the Philippines, the Singapore International Marathon on December 5. I would ran with my brother on this one with a modest goal of finishing below 5 hours. For many, it looks like a walk in the park. For me, it looks like a run in the unknown having enjoyed turtle running for some time now. Its tough but I'm getting there bit by bit.

I'm so serious with my training now that my weekly mileage has jump from a so-so 20-30k a week to 50-60k. I've lost weight. I've cross trained. I didn't neglect my core muscles. I now do speed work and hills training. Nothing is left to chance so to speak. I hope the gods will shine upon me now to give me stronger legs free from injuries. The last time I ran the marathon I ran with an ITBS (http://epoycebu.blogspot.com/2009/12/illiotibial-band-syndrome.html) problem reducing my chances of running a little bit faster. I ran past 5 hours but the victory was still sweet.

The baby duties is still there but is not as heavy as before. At the very least it gives a 5-6 hours of sleep each night. Although far from the normal human sleeping pattern, I'll take it. I've come to realize that being a full time Dad and my running may not be easy but it can be done. You'll just have to realize sometimes that some goals are not just possible (running super fast) and its the price to pay for a life that we have. Strategize, adapt and implement. So back to the training..

My staff and Marc was supposed to ran 26k and I was supposed to run 28K so what I did was to run ahead 2 more kilometers ahead of them before they even arrived. It was slow run, slower than my intended pace for my training but I have no complains. These guys somehow got inspired to run from my own runs and it may come a long way for them to give my support. Besides, with 7 more weeks before tapering, I could always squeeze in some faster pace on my medium long term runs.

Catarman Lighthouse (1904), 13km north east of Mandaue City.

We ran to the Catarman lighthouse in Liloan on the edge of the cliff facing the Visayan Sea. The didn't feel good at the start for me. I had little sleep (insomnia attack) and my tummy began to sing in the middle of the run coupled by some little pain on the right knee. Eventually, running back, I did some fartleks and the pain just disappeared as well as the pain from the bum stomach. Thank God or I would have stop somewhere in the bushes to relieve myself!

The sun was hot but not as hot during the Milo half marathon. The boys persevered! Way to go! The road though was mostly cemented which was rather tough on the knees.

Marc Viacrusis saying something or just the heat? @ Total Station 2.5kms from the finish.

What I notice though is that I don't feel any soreness already after my long runs. Its like I didn't run long at all over the weekend. Is the heavier training, running form or something else? It started when I started drinking 2 250ml of Anlene low fat chocolate milk within 15mins after the long runs. I read from Jaymie aka the bullrunner that study shows that a combination of protein and carbo (milk and chocolate) really helps recover the muscles after a strenuous activity and elite runner athletes normally take them.The key here is low fat so that you won't get to grow like a blob!

Anlene Low Fat Choco Milk 250ml @ P30 on retail.

Next long run would be a 30K. Four times in six weeks. So help me God.

Sofia, 5

2010-09-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

Sofia before her dance number in her school.

I have not been editing photos lately. This photo is the first I tried for the longest time where heavy editing is required. It took me around 20 minutes to come up with the final image. Looks good? Thanks to editing tools like adobe photoshop and lightroom, it makes possible to make poster like images. This kind of editing is one of the hallmark of a Librodo.

Yes, I'm talking about Manuel Librodo Jr., one of the icons of philippine photography. And yes, I did attend one of his workshop two years ago. Its been a while and yet his style is still is one of the most sought after today. Its been a while too that I've edited photos like this and I'm seeking to rediscover my passion in photography.

Photoburst.net - Travel Photography Daily Contest

2010-09-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

This is my 4th win for Photoburst, a daily travel contest participated by different travel photographers around the globe. Ahem.

I really don't join this for anything but just having fun, a sort of a litmus test for my photos if it passes some of the better critics out there. I guess it does sometimes.:) Its been a while though that I have the motivation to take new photos and somehow this rekindles my passion to take photographs.

About the photo: This was taken during the Sinulog festivities particularly during the 6AM Mass of the Fiesta day. I woke up early for this one to get the best position possible and used a fisheye for this one to give the subject/event the wide feel of the ritual. The pilgrims are actually doing the ritual "Bato Balani sa Gugma" or Magnet of Love, a moving ceremony that moves most of the devotees into tears.

Specification: Nikon D300s, Nikkor 10.5mm Fisheye

Here's the permalink of the site: Photoburst.net - Travel Photography Daily Contest

34th Milo Marathon

2010-09-06T01:02:00.000-07:00

400 New Shoes for Tejero Elementary Students-Recipient for Cebu Leg

With its good and sensible advocacy of providing new shoes to poor recipients, The Milo Marathon has become one of the most prestigious and the biggest running event in the country with over 210,000 runners taking to the streets this year. Yesterday, it was the Cebu leg and I together with my brother Harold, both avid Milo drinkers while we were still young wouldn't let it pass. We signed up for the 21k distance together with 30 more people from team YYK.

Runner 2330 Ready

I have never been a competitive runner since started to don my running shoes preferring to run recreationally but on rare occasion like Milo, I step up on the gas pedal and tries to test my limits. And so a few weeks before the race, I started spice up my runs with a little bit of tempo and fartlek sessions. I have to admit that lately I don't train as much as I use too due to newborn care, a nagging calf injury and a few new business ventures. My Camsur marathon schedule was first to fall on the side, knowing that although I was physically prepared, I was not mentally. What I do now became an unusual schedule of running on ovals on holidays and weekends, LSD on Sundays and treadmills during lunch although things has been improving lately well enough to keep me on the road as frequent as possible with great recovery. So with little training, I knew going for a sub2 hour target was nearly impossible with a slight chance of achieving it. I gave myself a self imposed target between 2:02-2:06 for this race.

"Kaya Mo Yan!" or "YOU CAN DO IT!" has been Milo's mantra for years for its yearly Milo Marathon. Never has the mantra been more well tested than that of yesterday. It was in one friend's comment the most difficult race he had raced. It was not the route. It was a better route this time, slightly inclined in some parts but mostly flat. Nor was the lack of hydration and marshals for there were a plenty (13,735 liters of water, 1,500 bottles of gatorade, 955 support crew, 18 medical stations). Hurray to Milo organizers!.

The gun started a bit late (5:37AM) but it didn't matter for we were entertained! Looking at the sky, I knew something eminent was about to happen. It has been raining days before but yesterday it was just blue, no clouds just clear blue sky. 555 of us from the 23,008 participants were first to be released for the 21k run. I check my Garmin, it read 5:59 for the 1st kilometer. Fine, fine I said and chat a bit with Jacob Ong who happened to just wear huarache sandals for the run! Off he went by the time we reached Capitol area. I didn't pursue seeing that with his thin physique I bet he's a fast runner. By the time we reached V.Rama area, it started to put on some speed. It was cruised control from kilometer 3-10 with an average pace of 5:30/km. By the time I reached the 10K mark my Garmin read at 57:23. Happy with the outcome, I smiled. That was the last smile of the run for me.

As we reached the coastal bridge approaching SRP, I saw the long stretch of beautifully asphalted road. Beautiful and deceiving, the real drama started here. The sun god Ra might have been cursing us that day that the heat was just excruciating, unforgiving. With no shade, no clouds, not even the slightest breeze, SRP look like a highway cutting across death valley! From a cruise control pace, I knew then and there that my ill fated dreams of achieving a sub2 finish has vanish. Crap, I won't make it I said but found strength to push on. My pace considerably dropped between 6:00-6:30/km. From km 9-17, the SRP was sort of a deathbed for most runners out there. The fast ones became slow runners, the slow ones became walkers. The water stations had become a sort of a bathing stations. Its a good thing that there were a plenty of them (water stations). Hurrah to the Ungo Runners for providing additional stations. You'r really heaven sent! Except for the water breaks, I promised myself at that point to never walk. The mantras in me became a turning point to encourage and push my body to overcome the heat. I trudge on and passed so many runners I lost count.

Finally made it out, body tired but I was not willing to just give up yet. Not when there were only 4 km. left. I saw one runner collapse near the intersection of the Basilica del Sto Nino. Good thing there was an ambulance nearby. Poor guy, must have overheated. There it was back to more speed but not already exactly the way I performed before entering SRP. I looked on my watch and saw I was still dead on in my target for at least a 2:06 finish. I saw my brother at this point on his way back. I cheered him on to push as he can break sub2 with his pace. At last, as I entered the sports complex and saw the Milo timer, it dawned to me that despite the extreme condition that day, I broke my PR by six minutes! The smile came back, raising and clinching both my fist as I reached the finish line. The Milo timer indicated my time at 2:06:18 while my Garmin indicated a 2:06:32 finish. The chip time was way off by two minutes at 2:08:05. This was also noticed by most runners I know. I ranked 144 out of 504 finishers or top 28% of the field. Not bad for a recreational runner, not bad at all.

My brother timed at 1:58, a new PR and sub2 finish. Happy Me with my daughter.

It has been my sixth 21k competitive race of my running life. This one has to be the most memorable, most organized race I've joined. The heat made it more memorable. It was by far the most difficult 21k race I've joined. To be able to push oneself to the limit in extreme conditions just confirmed what most runners believe: That what the mind thinks, the body would just follow. Today I savor the moments of agony, knowing that it would help me a lot to overcome the trials in life. Singapore marathon here I come!

Keep on running!

$200 Photo

2010-09-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

I never thought stock photo can be worth that much. Recently, the art director for Utne Magazine U.S. bought the publication rights for this photo of mine. Its just a snapshot of watermelons for sale I saw beside the road one afternoon on my way home. It can be labeled as a fine art photo.

Simple as they may, somebody was looking for it and saw it probably in my flickr account. Lucky me! So the next time you take photos, published it (low resolution) online on your own website or any free photo publishing site like flickr or multiply. Who knows the next big photo might just be worth more than its perceived value.

Noah Gray Baptism 8.28.10

2010-08-31T18:32:00.001-07:00

Invitation Card

Finally we were able to squeeze out a schedule for Noah's baptism after being caught in the flurry of newborn care duties. It was just a simple occasion among close relatives and friends, nothing really fancy. Indeed, it was a beautiful day to welcome Noah to the Christian world. The sun was bright, the clouds shimmering with its puffiness doting the horizon.

@ Sacred Heart Chapel after the Baptism Ritual

A Thousand Thank you to All who came.

To the Ninongs and Ninangs who came to celebrate the occasion with us bringing them their ever fulfilling duties to guide our child to the Christian values.

To our parents, relatives and friends who came by despite their schedules. Grateful is a understatement that we owe you.

To Father Mariano Cuarto for offering his service and bearing the noisiness of Noah who never stopped crying, we thank you.

Noah a day before baptism. Smile little baby!

To Sacred Heart Parish for giving us a venue to celebrate the happy occasion, may you continue to bring joy to countless baptism to come.

To Presents and Such for the wonderful giveaways, may these be treasured forever, memories of happy occasions.

To LMG Patries for the wonderful cake and cupcakes, beautiful and sweet it was!

LMG Cake

To Grand Majestic for the plentiful good food, it was such a blessing.

And to God Almighty, may you continue to bless and guide Noah to become Good Christians raised to glorify your name!

Dancing Pia @ Linggo ng Wika/MMIS

2010-08-31T18:11:00.001-07:00

Pia dancing her heart out at Linggo ng Wika presentation at her school in Maria Montessori International School.

She loves to dance more than ever today. Do you know whom she adores? Lady Gaga! She follows her steps and moves like a wannabe. Its funny, its shocking at times to see her follow those sexy dance moves. I don't mind. Kids are kids and we just let her be herself. For us, we just sit back and be entertained.

The Aboitiz Half Marathon

2010-08-23T22:47:00.000-07:00

Before the start of the race, I already decided to run this race on a relax pace. The flat route would have tempted me, so was the cool weather due the the rain hours before the race. For many of my fellow runners and friends, this race was a test whether they would meet the Milo half marathon cut-off time of 2:30 two week later to receive their medals, a rare occasion that their giving one for a half marathon. That should be translated to around 7 min/kilometer of running. For me, its not something I should be worried about knowing that I usually run within that pace on my LSD runs without much difficulty. I should have been more worried that my calf injury and left shin splints might flare up again. Thankfully it has not since I've shifted for running in ovals and treadmills for the meantime.

Popoy de la Pena and Me @ 8k mark

Except for a late start, (5:30 instead of 5:15) everything went well with the race. My brother Harold, Gerry and Doc Marc were at the starting line talking to three runners on VFF and commenting how it is to run on them. I saw many familiar faces too. The weather was a runner's delight. No sun; just cold, cloudy weather. And so like hundreds of eager mules packed in a cordoned area, we were released without even hearing the gun pop. At one kilometer, i checked my Garmin, it says a speed around 6:20/kilometer. Without getting winded, I knew it was the relax pace I needed to maintain. By the 3rd kilometer, I bump into Popoy, a fellow daily miler trying his first 21k race. He was also following me and thinking that this was too a nice pace and so we paced each other. By the time we reached SM which was around 8k, we already saw the kenyan runner on his way back!

Richard Ho and Me @ 20.8k mark. Happy Runners!

By the time we reached half way, I saw many of the familiar faces again on the turning point and bid the usual waves and hi. This time, Tytsbogdo runner Richard Ho joined us. We talk and talk and talk while maintaining the relax pace. By the time we had almost finished our conversation, we were back at SRP already. Time flies so fast when your busy talking.hahaha I didn't bring my hydration belt and by the time we hit the 18k mark, I felt so thirsty after we passed a couple of water station than ran out of them. It was at this point that we lost Popoy to cramps. Luckily the last water station had still in them. And so happily both me and Richard ran towards the finish with fellow Tytsbogodo runner Richelieu Ho took the picture you see above. It was a disappointment though that they didn't install a timer at the finish line. My chip time was 2:16:31 good for rank 123 out of 246 runners or top 50% of the field.

Its was a nice race overall. It was the first time to to meet DM's and runners from Tytsbogdo. Congratulation to Popoy for his first 21k and Marc for his 21k under 2:30. The next two weeks I'll take it easy before the Milo half marathon. See you on the roads!

The Meaning of Life

2010-08-21T04:22:00.000-07:00

There are many videos out there that inspires me. This is one of them. Unknowingly while watching it, I realize that I have followed almost all of the things that it espouses. I hope it inspires you too and do the same.

My Birthday Present

2010-08-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

My natal day came like a blur. No fanfare, no celebration. Not even a chance to blow a cake. But don't get the stillness of it as a sign that I have grown old, when we don't fantasize as much as before that our birthdays are times that we hang to have fun. The lack of fun or the presence of it doesn't have any strong influence on me already. Maybe I'm really old already or have matured in some ways. Times have change and I have transcend in to another place. The material gifts have been replaced by the hugs and kisses which doesn't come on my birthday alone but everyday. My daughter presented me her birthday card which I have presumed she made herself with much effort.These are the gifts I prefer, gifts of love.

The thirty six years of living in this world has shown me that the best gifts doesn't come materially nor it is to be asked or received. They are to be given. Last year, I celebrated them with the orphans of Asilo. Today, with the blessing of my wife I have decided to give an education scholarship to a boy in World Vision. Scanning the many prospects, I somehow wish if only I could or someone would have everyone schooled, it would have been a much better world out there. Life might have been unfair for them and not for us but we could changed it. The stroke of luck can be change if we do our share of giving back to humanity what life and God has showered on us.

In the end, I have to choose one and I gave it to a boy named Arneil. It would be my birthday gift for him from another birthday celebrant. I hope and pray he does well in school. I hope and pray that someday when he grows old and become mature, he like many of us would give back the gift of love.

Sleep Deprivation Kills the Run

2010-08-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

For Now, I'm calling off my intention to run the Camsur Marathon on September 25. It would have been my second marathon in 1 1/2 years of running. It was a difficult but a fairly quick decision I have to make. The reason: Sleep deprivation. It has been a struggle lately, my body seems lethargic and I'm totally stressed out from the lack of sleep.

Since Noah, my 2nd child was born a month ago, newborn care has been a priority and comes with it the changing sleeping patterns that I was expecting but didn't expect it could have profound effect on my training. For one, the lack of sleep doesn't allow me to push hard as much as I want to. If you don't have sleep, you can't run. It is as easy as that. Recovery is not 100% and felt I have to drag myself to run. I tried but seems the more I try, the more the joy of running is taken away from the run itself.

I am not the typical conventional runner in the block. I run for recreation, not for competition. My only competitor is myself. I need that excitement, that joy that I usually feel when I run. Without it, any runs for me whether it would be a quick kilometer to the long runs just be short of a blah. I know I could run Camsur. I have had just enough training in me to run it. Looking forward too on two 21k races two weeks apart next week. These should be enough but I know my body is not conditioned anywhere at its peak. Then there's the thought of running Singapore two months after that. I rather be on the safe side rather push my luck and miss my chance in Singapore. I am not a big fan of the "Bahala na si Batman" stance. It just brings you closer to more complication, injuries et al. After Milo Marathon on Sept. 5, I'll assess again my chances.

As my friend runner JO had said: It takes a brave man to run a marathon but a braver man to know when to pull the plug.

I don't compete with others. Marathons and races won't go away. Take care of your body first, be prepared and run them another day.

Keep on Running!

The Not So Boring Treadmill Running

2010-07-27T23:26:00.000-07:00

With my lower legs rested for 10 days, and in between icing and massages, I'm back to running! I'm may not be particularly happy having to rest in the middle of my training for Camsur Marathon but injuries a year ago made me wiser not to be bull headed again when it comes to needed rest. Too much love for trail and hill running had injured my left calf which never healed because I never stop running and compensating for the pain by changing my running stance just led to more problems in the form of shin splints. Today for the 2nd day, I'm running pain free. Not on road, but on a treadmill.

Warning: Don't follow him, its the wrong way to run on the treadmill.

I haven't run in the treadmill for a long time. Its boring even when the TV is on. Its boring even when the girls do the aerobic dance in front of you. Tic tac, tic tac, the time goes and you go ballistic with boredom that you want to stop anytime. The longest I have run so far on a treadmill is 10K. Try beating my PR, its not easy.

But today as like yesterday, I have to embraced it, like it. Two words: NO CHOICE! Its part of my rehabilitation. I'm not taking chances this time in my training. I have to strategized like an engineer that I am. My plan: Run on treadmills on base runs of 5-9 kilometers on weekdays and run on the road for the long runs which is staring at me like an August monster. The long runs how dreadful many would like to think it is is not so. Its enjoyable. Fatigue might set in but its part of the deal.

But the treadmill, Oh this one boring machine test your mental strength which is good because running a marathon is more mental than physical. I have to admire people who run the whole 42k on it. I believe they could run any marathon there is in the list. Then it gets you to run on even pacing which gives me the needed consistency in my run and which you don't get on the road with all the potholes. One of the best things about it is its all weather, which is a heaven when the rains fall too hard or when you are pressed for time to hit the road. Right now it suits me well. I have difficulty running early mornings due to newborn care duties and can't run at night either because of it. Lastly, its forgiving on the knees and goes well with rehab when you want to have an injury in check like me.

There are cons too. You Pay. Either you enroll your way in the gym or for the affluent one, buy one. Either way it hurts your wallet. Another is that you don't get the specificity of the run you want. It doesn't have wind resistance, which you have to adjust on road and lastly its BORING. Nothing still beats running outside. That is why I have to have that long runs on the road.

Tomorrow I'm running again on them and in the next coming month. I hope I can get off that hump and say I love treadmills. It might take a while.

2010-07-27T01:41:00.001-07:00

Here's an interesting story you might want to hear. Can you imagine a series of photo negatives to be worth like a Picasso? Only few photographers would be near that, one of which and is certainly an uncontested right belongs to Ansel Adams, the father of American photography, probably of the globe's pre modern era photography.

Experts: Ansel Adams photos found at garage sale worth $200 million

Here's the full link. www.edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/07/27/ansel.adams.discovery/index

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Rick Norsigian's hobby of picking through piles of unwanted items at garage sales in search of antiques has paid off for the Fresno, California, painter.

Two small boxes he bought 10 years ago for $45 -- negotiated down from $70 -- is now estimated to be worth at least $200 million dollars, according to a Beverly Hills art appraiser.

Those boxes contained 65 glass negatives created by famed nature photographer Ansel Adams in the early period of his career. Experts believed the negatives were destroyed in a 1937 darkroom fire that destroyed 5,000 plates.

"It truly is a missing link of Ansel Adams and history and his career," said David W. Streets, the appraiser and art dealer who is hosting an unveiling of the photographs at his Beverly Hills, California, gallery Tuesday.

The photographs apparently were taken between 1919 and the early 1930s, well before Adams -- who is known as the father of American photography -- became nationally recognized in the 1940s, Streets said.

Now, when will my photographs sell like Ansel's? He must be laughing right now.

2010-07-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

See You!
Camsur Marathon 2010
September 26, 2010
Naga City, Camarines Sur

Three Marathons and a Baby

2010-07-12T23:31:00.001-07:00

I must be crazy for doing this one. I am currently drowning in drowsiness from the lack of sleep, and the need to hit the sack seems to be more and more urgent affair than following my training schedule for a marathon. My second child just got home last week from the hospital, a rather easy birthing than I've previously anticipated. If it was a race, it should have been up there as a PR! Now I'm hitting the wall and it has just started.

Rewind back 6 months ago, I've finish my first marathon in Cebu while my wife was still carrying my 2nd child. It was a tremendous effort for the team to achieve a goal. My adrenalin after the race must have been cranked up and stoked up that despite several injuries, I manage to pull it off that I've decided to embark on a tight rope adventure, that is to run another two marathons before the year end while maintaining my fatherhood duties to little Noah. A few months back, to keep myself from dilly dallying, I've booked myself and my brother in the Camsur Marathon in September and Singapore Marathon in December. From an investment point of view their is no turning back. All the hotel accommodation and air fares have been booked and there's no erasing the words which clearly says "No Refund Policy". It would seem that I'm regretting it. I'm not. It might have made my life more complicated that it usually is but life would not have been more colorful, more interesting and more challenging if it were not.

I'm currently in the middle of the long runs in my schedule, too long sometimes that it keeps you cursing yourself for taking the load nobody forces you. And then there's the sleep deprivation which magnifies the fatigue long enough that it lingers through your body after a day or two. I'm not going to say 'No Mas'. I have never been a quitter, bull strong traits my wife knows too well. I'm not going to quit on the running for diaper either, everyone knows that newborn care is just a phase and I just have to adjust. Besides, running can take a breather here and there, it not going anywhere while fatherhood is a special ritual for me that I truly appreciate.

At the end of the day, I'm not going to be measured on when I have done it, but how I did it. Like running, Its life's real beauty that when at the end of the race, you feel good not only because you have done something your proud of, but because your more prouder when you look back at the road you've run and say that every step was worth making.

Run my friend, as a way of life.

Coming Home

2010-07-09T04:22:00.000-07:00

My body feels tired today. It feels like I have been bump by a moving train. Its has been a few days since we brought Noah home and it has been five years since I felt the need to doing newborn care again. Even how much you prepare yourself for the meaningful event, it still gives you the surprise that you were not expecting or perhaps I was expecting it and just wasn't prepared for it mentally. But unlike the other triumphs that comes with the pain and the physical stress, this one is something special. The life of a child, like any child would always be something special for parents. The stresses of parenting that I have come understand are beautiful reminders how I would have nurtured them to be good citizens someday. They come in numbers and they come hard sometimes, a challenge but nevertheless a challenge that is worth taking for.

Many say that any child is worth dying for, much so for your own. I can truly understand that but I believe in much more; that a child is worth living for, that providing them with unconditional love and guiding them each way to become phenomenal individuals on their own merits is what parent should do. I hope just as I hope before when Sofia came along that I can be a good parent and a father to my kids. To be blessed again with another child, a boy to compliment his sister is a wonderful gift. Whatever the circumstances may lead us as a family, I truly believe the future of my kids is secured comes high waters. As we welcome Noah into our home, may he bring as much joy as the first, inspire me more and bring beautiful chaos to our place. It has just began except its getting better.

Noah, welcome!

Day One,P-Noy: Bright and Sunny

2010-07-01T04:33:00.000-07:00

I woke early today to run on one of the usual routes I usually take. Between screeching of motorcycles, everything was unusually quiet that day. Would have it been because I just ran too early before most people even pop their hated alarm clocks or perhaps because it was a holiday. Your guess is as good as mine. Nevertheless the eerie quietness works well with me, having been used to loving it while huffing and puffing over the next hill to another. As the sun rose up a few minutes after engulfing the nearby mountains with its magnanimosity, green from all the rains that poured the previous last two days, it was the clear blue and the vibrant light that caught my attention. It was going to be a beautiful day I said to myself, bright and sunny.

Where to spend the holiday was farthest from my mind. I was going to stay home for a good reason. My family is here and roasted pig (lechon) is in our lunch menu plus some ice cream on the side. Beside, I want to watch some of the highlights of the inauguration of the our new president, Benigno Aquino III. Yes, the yellow army have won giving him the biggest mandate in the country's political history. Many questions have been left unanswered and will be answered in the next six years. Was I right in voting for him? Did I make a mistake in campaigning for him? You and I is going to find out not sooner than everyone thinks whether the sick man of Asia would be given the miracle pill and easy as you say it, "Your discharged!".

Glued to the tube for an hour, I got bored with all the formalities that I took upon myself and my daughter to buy ourselves our lunch treat for the day in the next town. Needless to say, the roads were deserted, which only happens on good friday or if Manny Paquiao fights. When we got back, I was just in time for inaugural speech. When it was over, thoughts of "wang wang", "Kayo ang Boss ko" kept echoing in my mind. That speech was greatly written, more a rally speech more than anything else but it was perfect. It was simple yet so straightforward it stuns you sometimes.

More than with that speech, I truly hope genuine change have come. I have come to believe in it even before PNoy got elected. That decency that I have longed for years would finally come. Would he be able to solve corruption? He just might. Would he be able to move our country forward through leadership by example? He just might. Like the weather, the future in bright and sunny. Lets celebrate for now, lechon and ice cream on the house, for once we might have chosen well.

Noah Gray

2010-06-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

I am as excited as my wife is (minus the birthing pain!) for our new baby. She's almost about to give birth, the last 2 minutes of a basketball game or the last mile to a marathon so to speak. In a week or two, There would be four of us now in the family and felt truly blessed when the doctor told us that were expecting a boy! Now thats more than enough for me to say that with already a pair, it might just be already it for us. (My wife thinks otherwise!).

The coming months would be a test for me how I could cope up with the schedule of being a new dad to baby Noah (think of all the sleepless nights again) and keeping up with a marathon schedule in another hand. I guess that's were I'm good at..Time Management. I'm sure it doesn't pose any problem for me.

If there was one thing I am truly grateful about, it is my family. They are my source of strength and my No. 1 fans. I just added another one and they, their no. 1 fan too. Looking up today, the sky is gray and its raining, a sign that life's blessing is ahead of us, one way or another.

Happy Father's Day Everyone!

The Milo Marathon Season Begins!

2010-06-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

A great Ad and advocacy through running. The 34th Milo Marathon season begins! The Milo Marathon 42K qualifying on July 4 in Manila. Cebu leg 21k would be on September 5! I always rememeber Milo Marathon for two things. One is I got to run my first 21K on last year's Cebu leg and second, their mantra "Kaya Mo Yan!" has always carried me through when in doubt.

So all the runners out there, prepare and run the Milo Marathon!

Voltaren Gel: A runners best friend.

2010-06-11T23:05:00.000-07:00

Voltaren Gel is a promising rub-on anti-inflammatory medication. Think of Voltaren® Gel as ibuprofen in a gel. I was skeptical at first to use this having been use to drinking anti-inflammatory medicines like Arcoxia for a bum knee or a muscle strain or icing it for days if I get to be stingy. I am not really a big fan of NSAID on tablets as its just like carpet bombing your body. You got to be careful on this and I find it a little bit on the scarier side when overdoing it. Rest for me is still the best, but I guess you've got some other friends to help you speed up recovery which I'm sharing with you.

Lately I saw the gel in a local drugstore and decided to try it on a nagging left calf which probably is a muscle strain I got from too much hill training (I have little choice on this as I live in the hills literally), short warm-ups and a shift to pose method when running on them. Its been a month of icing and resting yet every time I push a little bit harder (frequently) it completely comes back. Its not that I could not run on it (pain goes away the longer the runs are), it just not safe to push forward with an injury how little it may be.

So back with the gel, Its basically a rub on, like an ointment, which you get to put on the area where the strain is. The verdict: IT WORKS! Weeks of icing never really got the pain out but with this gel, it just took a day to put it away! A

To all runners, Try it! Its a much safer and faster way towards running again!

PS.Manufactured by Novartis, I bought mine at Rose Pharmacy.

5!

2010-06-07T23:07:00.000-07:00

Our Sofia just turned five two weeks. She always wanted a party for her special day. The years of simple and quiet celebrations had finally taken toll on our little princess who got use to attending parties of other kids except her own. We gave in this time knowing that next year would be a party for her little brother Noah. After months on searching for a place that fitted our budget, from the expensive hotel ballrooms to a modest house party, we went in between and something which she actually like. Anyway, its her big day so it was better off for her to decide.

The venue was SM Storyland. Its the same place where her summer art camp was held. The good thing about the place is that it has free rides for kids after the party. The party was great, enjoyable as expected and fun overload. The kids were really having fun and no more seen than in the eyes of our daughter. The years have come by quickly as the day ends everyday. Our Pia has grown to be ever been beautiful, and so playful that sometimes we couldn't keep up with the pace. She learns to read simple books on her own already (Thanks to Kumon!) and speaks english with ease. She has also becoming to be a dutiful girl, misbehaving at times but mostly does what we expect her to do. We look forward to the years ahead of us as a family with another brother coming in a month.

Later on at night at our place, we thrashed the gift wrappings and marveled in her new things. Before she slept that night she blurted out "Daddy, this is the best day ever!".

SM Storyland!

With friends Margaret, Hans and Jewel

Balloon twisting! They ended up making balloon swords!

Games! Games! Games!

Puppet Show!

Ronald Mcdoanld Jr!

Pia with Eli the Elephant

Daddy helping Pia blow the candles on her cake!

Old Things, Present Day

2010-06-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

There are the things of the past. Broken, dismantled, unusable, they are now but a fragment of the grandeur that was before. Today they stand as perfect ornaments, revered for what they used to be and the history that comes with them. They are the priceless jewels of the past entombed with emotions and a sense of wonder that minuscule as they are today, they were once man's best friend.

Photo: @ Paolito's Seafood House, Capitol Site, Cebu
May 20, 2010

Pia's Summer Art Experience

2010-06-06T22:47:00.000-07:00

Enrolled my kid with summer art school in SM Storyland hosted by UP art teachers. Pia was actually having fun and was always excited to go the art class twice a week. Briefly as it might have been (5 weeks) it was all worth the time. They graduated with all the flying colors that can be made!

My Pia waiting for her teacher to give her the days art lesson.

Her friend Er-Er waiting for her to finish the two hour session.

All the beautiful mess!

Sofia with her graduation art exhibit @ SM Cebu

Future model with matching glasses and hat!

Mommy and Pia at the exhibit. So proud of her!

Running 101: The 8 Basic Types of Runs

2010-06-05T00:40:00.000-07:00

Copied from Baldrunner's Blog (www.baldrunner.com) which was copied from www.running.competitor.com, these are the type runs that any novice and advance runners can do to improve their performance.

If you want to run your best, you’ve got to do a variety of workouts. Here’s how.

There are eight basic types of runs that are practiced by runners of all levels everywhere. These formats evolved through a global trial-and-error process over many decades. They survived because they work. If you want to get the most out of the time you devote to training, you will need to learn and practice them too. You can add all kinds of wrinkles to these formats (for example by combining two of them within a single session), but even in their most basic form these workouts will take you far.

Recovery Run

A recovery run is a relatively short run performed at a steady, slow pace. Recovery runs serve to add a little mileage to a runner’s training without taking away from performance in the harder, more important workouts that precede and follow them. Recovery runs are best done as the next run after a hard workout such as an interval run. Do your recovery runs as slowly as necessary to feel relatively comfortable despite lingering fatigue from your previous run.

Example: 4 miles easy

Base Run

A base run is a relatively short to moderate-length run undertaken at a runner’s natural pace. While individual base runs are not meant to be challenging, they are meant to be done frequently, and in the aggregate they stimulate big improvements in aerobic capacity, endurance, and running economy.

Example: 6 miles at natural pace

Long Run

Generally, a long run is simply a base run that lasts long enough to leave a runner moderately to severely fatigued. The function of a long run is to increase raw endurance. The distance or duration required to achieve this effect depends, of course, on your current level of endurance. As a general rule, your longest run should be long enough to give you confidence that raw endurance will not limit you in races.

Example: 15 miles at natural pace

Progression Run

A progression run is a run that begins at a runner’s natural pace and ends with a faster segment at anywhere from marathon to 10K pace. These runs are generally intended to be moderately challenging—harder than base runs but easier than most threshold and interval runs.

Example: 5 miles at natural pace + 1 mile at half-marathon pace

Fartlek Run

A fartlek run is a base run sprinkled with short, fast intervals. You can think of a fartlek run as a gentle interval session. It’s a good way to begin the process of developing efficiency and fatigue resistance at faster speeds in the early phases of the training cycle, or to get a moderate dose of fast running later in the training cycle in addition to the larger doses provided by tempo/threshold and interval workouts.

Example: 6 miles at natural pace with 6 x 30 seconds at 5K race pace scattered throughout

Hill Repetitions

Hill repetitions are repeated short segments of hard uphill running. They increase aerobic power, high-intensity fatigue resistance, pain tolerance, and run-specific strength. The ideal hill on which to run hill repetitions features a steady, moderate gradient (4-6 percent). Hill repetitions are typically done at the end of the base-building period as a relatively safe way to introduce harder high-intensity training into the program.

Example: 2 miles of easy jogging (warm-up) + 10 x 1 minute uphill at roughly 1500m race effort with 2.5-minute jogging recoveries + 2 miles easy jogging (cool-down)

Tempo Run

A tempo run is a workout that features one or two sustained efforts somewhere in the range of lactate threshold intensity, which is the fastest pace that can be sustained for one hour in highly fit runners and the fastest pace that can be sustained for 20 minutes in less fit runners. Tempo/threshold runs serve to increase the speed you can sustain for a prolonged period of time and to increase the time you can sustain a relatively fast pace.

Example: 1 mile of easy jogging (warm-up) + 4 miles at lactate threshold pace + 1 mile of easy jogging (cool-down)

There is a special type of tempo run that is known as a marathon-pace run. A prolonged run at marathon pace is a good workout to perform at a very challenging level in the final weeks of preparation for a marathon, after you’ve established adequate raw endurance with long runs and longer progression runs featuring smaller amounts of marathon-pace running.

Example: 2 miles at natural pace + 13.1 miles at marathon pace

Intervals

Interval workouts consist of repeated shorter segments of fast running separated by slow jogging “recoveries”. This format enables a runner to pack more fast running into a single workout than he or she could with a single prolonged fast effort to exhaustion.

Interval workouts are typically subcategorized as short intervals and long intervals. Long intervals are 600-1200m segments run in the range of 5K race pace with easy jogging recoveries between them. They’re an excellent means of progressively developing efficiency and fatigue resistance at fast running speeds.

Example: 1 mile of easy jogging (warm-up) + 5 x 1 km at 5K race pace with 400m jogging recoveries + 1 mile of easy jogging (cool-down)

Short intervals are 100-400m segments run at roughly 1,500m race pace or faster. They boost speed, running economy, fatigue resistance at fast speeds and pain tolerance. Distance runners typically use shorter, faster intervals earlier in the training cycle to increase their pure speed and then move to slightly longer, slower (but still very fast) speed intervals to add fatigue resistance to their speed.

Example: 1 mile of easy jogging (warm-up) + 10 x 300m at 800m race pace with 400m jogging recoveries + 1 mile of easy jogging (cool-down)

Asics Nimbus 11

2010-05-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

I got to try walking and short running on the Asics Nimbus 11 yesterday. I got this last december as a reserve but only got the time to try it lately. Oh my it was good! The toe fit is snuggle up, not too tight nor too wide. Its perfect fit for my feet which gets blisters whenever I run with the New Balance 1063. The cushioning is also very good and actually is a a notch better than the other shoes I have. I haven't tried it running for long distance but I'll keep you updated when I can.

Best of Bohol

2010-05-25T00:22:00.001-07:00

Bohol is one of the best places to visit the country. Gifted with abundance in nature, Its a great place to do just about anything except work. You can tour the many places in the island from the majestic chocolate hills to the culturally inclined tour of old churches. If the the sun and the sand is your thing, the beaches in Panglao island is one of the best there is. You can also do scuba diving and snorkeling for the adventurous or rappel a mountain and do zip lining. Wherever you go, there is a thing for you to do in the island. Here's one of the few of the many travel photos I've taken. Sit back and relax.

A tarsier poses for the camera. The smallest primate in the world can be found primarily in the towns of Corella but can be seen also in the town in Loboc. They feed on insects at night.

A woman passes through one of the small pathways in Balicasag Island. The island is famous for its marine conservation efforts by its locals. It is now promoting these through several snorkeling and diving activities for tourist.

Virgin Island off the coast of Danao, Panglao Island, one the the many uninhabited islands with its distinctive sandbars that draws tourist to its shores.

A fisherman boy looking for other ways to earn money through small boat rides. He gamely poses for me.

Old men play old folk songs in the river bank of Loboc

The famous chocolate hills on a windy rainy day

Early birdies to the day's island hopping tours. One of the main attraction in Panglao island and its neighboring islands.

The approach to Balicasag Island, a 45 minute boat ride west of Danao, Panglao island. It can also be reached through the southern province of Cebu.

To end the day in Bohol with a spectacular sunset.

Bohol Escapade

2010-05-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

We found ourselves in Bohol last month for our summer getaway. Having booked ahead in a nice beach resort called Linaw somewhere in Danao, Panglao Island, it was more than we bargain for I rather call it a boutique resort. More than once googling through the reviews in tripadvisor has rewarded me of better choices. This time was no different. Despite the faux pas that happened, booking us with one room short of our initial booking, they made us comfortable by putting us all in one big room without those expensive add ons you get in some other resorts.

The food was excellent and affordable and setting was quiet. It seems during our entire stay, we have the resort to ourselves despite full occupancy. We toured much of what is to see in Bohol for the stay and did some island hopping too. My new addition to the list was snorkeling in Balicasag Island. The marine life there, thanks to the conservation efforts by the locals, was beautiful.

My daughter Pia was the most enjoyed tourist of us all. Her boundless energy seems to rejuvenate on us, which we couldn't keep up by the early afternoon. By the time we left the island, we were black and bruised, but went home as happy tourists.

Black Hole Sun

2010-05-06T22:54:00.000-07:00

A rare phenomenon known as a sun halo just happened over Cebu. It was a marvel to see such one. Its my first time to witness such rare occurrence. The diameter of the halo was 7kms wide.I used a point and shoot to capture it. The D700 is here but with a 105/micro lens attached! bummer!

May 7, 2010
11:30AM

Why My Vote is Not Green

2010-05-06T04:12:00.000-07:00

This is a guy's response to a blog being circulated in the online community on "Why I choose Gibo". (whyichoosegibo.wordpress.com) Its the very same reasons why I have hesitated and finally decided to go for Aquino. Just sharing it to enlighten the voters. The first part is his blog, the second is the comments made from a certain guy named Van.

Blog

I am a 30-something entrepreneur based in Metro Manila. I have always been aware of/involved in current events — as a child, my parents brought me to EDSA I, in college I marched against the presence of the US Bases in the Philippines, as a young adult I was at EDSA Dos.

This election is really getting to me, and I’m no longer content with talking with my friends saying I hope Gibo wins. It’s not enough to sit there and say ‘sana’. I am writing this to explain my choice and hopefully to help others make theirs.

WHY GIBO?
He is the only one who has had a clear and detailed platform from the start. He does not promise the impossible with grand statements, he is specific and tenacious in getting his message across. He cites specific problems and solutions of the different areas he visits — he has clearly prepared for this.

He has an excellent scholastic and professional track record. He has not disparaged his fellow candidates. The respect he has shown them has made him the favorite of the other candidates, their wives and children.

He will be able to reach out to the other parties when the elections are over — when work needs to get done.

He is intelligent and humble. He has inspired the youth. He is a statesman among politicians.

BUT HE’S IDENTIFIED WITH GMA
Please, almost all of them were identified with GMA at one time or another. Based on the number of defections from the Lakas camp and his current estrangement from his uncle Danding, Gibo is not anyone’s puppet. He is clearly his own man and his resolve to run his campaign in the matter he sees fit has ruffled many trapos feathers.

HE WON’T WIN AGAINST NA OR MV
Despite defections, Lakas is still the dominant party with representatives in the national and local level. No one can match their machinery in campaigning from the grassroots — evidence of this is slowly emerging. Very few, if any, of the other parties fielded full slates in the local level.

He has the most passionate, well spoken, informed and organized volunteers who actively campaign for him everyday. Such enthusiasm is inspiring and contagious — and it might just be enough to win over the undecided votes. The silent majority is tired of the empty promises and mudslinging. They want a president they can be proud of.

MY VOTE WILL BE WASTED — I HAVE TO VOTE FOR MV SO THAT NA WONT WIN (OR VICE VERSA)
This 2-candidate, good vs. evil battle is a media creation. Your vote is only wasted if your choice is based on fear, emotion and/or nostalgia rather than who you really think is qualified and deserving.

“Winnability” is a concept used by traditional politicians to appeal to the Filipinos’ need to always feel like they are part of the winning circle — hence the commissioned and questionable surveys. Many of us enjoy betting on the winner, as if watching a horse race, but really, what is the benefit of being on the winning team if you end up with a loser for a President?

Win or lose, I know that Gibo is the most deserving, prepared and qualified candidate. I am proud to cast my vote for him.

Meanwhile, there were only 3 other candidates worth thinking about:

ERAP – Just kidding.

GORDON – Yes, he has a good track record with Subic and the Red Cross. He is also a relatively successful Senator. However, I’ve had a couple of first hand experiences with him, corroborated by other people’s experiences, that showed me a few unfortunate traits. He loves the sound of his own voice too much, he talks down to people, is abrasive and doesn’t like to listen to others.

Maybe it’s from his Subic experience where everyone was a volunteer and willing to be dictated upon, but a good leader really needs to listen. A good leader should also know how to speak to people of different levels without alienating them. He needs to respect other opinions and accept that he is not an expert on everything all the time. Gordon has a “love him or hate him” personality, humility is not his strong suit and he is prone to outbursts. Basically, I think he’ll just piss a lot of people off. Sorry, but I want to actually like the person I’m voting for.

Oh and he wants to grant amnesty to the Abu Sayyaf. Um, no.

On the practical side, despite questioning the surveys, Gordon will really not win. In a country made up of over 7,000 islands, machinery wins elections — not advertisements, not televised debates. Simply put, Gordon doesn’t have the machinery needed to win the presidency.

VILLAR – I actually admire how from modest beginnings, he was able to build a real estate empire. He took this further by holding local and national elective positions until he made it all the way to Senate President. I don’t take his ambition against him — clearly, this man had a dream and the will to make it a reality — the Presidency is simply the next logical step in his path.

If not for the C5 issue and the super trapo-style campaign he’s running, he would be my second choice. Don’t even get me started on Willie Revillame…

Ok, ok, I have to say something about Willie — to me, he and that TV show he hosts epitomizes a lot of what’s wrong with this country. They prey on the underprivileged members of society, demean them with stupid games knowing that they will do almost anything because they need the money. The show encourages you to, rather than be productive, spend all day in a queue, pray that you get into the studio, pray again you get chosen for a game, get patronized and made fun of by the obnoxious host, and hopefully, ultimately win money — one time big time style. It is the total antithesis of Villar’s “Sipag and Tiyaga” motto — and yet Villar chose to be endorsed by Wille. As long as you are popular, even if your show killed 78 people (Ultra stampede — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u501Emp6aXw) I want you on my team. Yikes.

NOYNOY – What has Noynoy done to deserve the presidency? (cue the sound of crickets)

I have more admiration for someone who has always aspired to be president and is obsessed with it, than for someone who had no plans of running, but because of a sudden surge in popularity, decides to run. Let’s face it, if Noynoy’s parents were not Ninoy and Cory, we wouldn’t even be talking about him.

Some argue that Cory was also inexperienced and had no plans of running for president either. True, but during that time, the people really only had 2 choices. That was then, this is now. Get over it. We have far better options today.

Watching Noynoy, I wondered why he always seemed to have a prepared statement to read. Could he not formulate his own answers? Wasn’t he a quick thinker? Then I saw a few interviews where he spoke off the cuff…here are a couple of gems:

On the surveys showing Villar was leading: “May survey na matino at may survey na nabibili sa Quiapo paminsan-minsan na may kasama pang champoy,”

I bet he thought, oh I’m so witty! But by saying surveys can be bought, he cast doubt on the earlier surveys showing he was leading. So let me get this straight — surveys that show him leading are scientific and accurate, surveys that don’t are paid for and bogus? Ah, ok.

On not being able to pass a single authored bill (am paraphrasing): Marami daw kasing nagfa-file and refile. And if you check daw his performance, he was always present, “nagbabantay” and doing investigations.

A legislator’s main function is to make laws. Law maker po kayo, hindi security guard. Investigations are supposed to be in aid of legislation only. Always being present is not equal to good performance. That’s like saying you are a good student even if you sleep during class, as long as you are physically present. The sheer number of other bills being filed should not be a hindrance to your own bills. If your bills are good and if you have the tenacity, drive and resourcefulness, you should be able get them passed. E si Lito Lapid nga e…

Noynoy likes to talk about human rights and justice. To that I have two words: Hacienda Luisita

Really? Now that you’re running for President, you want to distribute the land? After so many years of sitting by watching them suffer, you suddenly want to give the land to the farmers? Maybe you should have discussed it with your cousin Fernando first because he told the New York Times a different story.

He is not specific enough with his program/platform. It’s just a slew of motherhood statements. Ok, so you hate GMA, and you won’t steal. And then what?

Yet, more and more he speaks like someone who is a sure win, like he is ENTITLED to the presidency. He was even irresponsible enough to say that failure of elections will result in people marching in the streets. If you are really the choice of the majority and have what it takes to become president, why the need to condition the minds of the people? You are supposedly a champion of democracy, so why encourage/threaten unrest? We do not need an administration whose only platform is vengeance.

Also, this good vs. evil thing that his campaign is spewing is really frustrating. Noynoy is good, everyone else is bad. Issues raised against him are black propaganda by paid hacks but issues he raises against others are valid and true. He can bring up his parents anytime, but if a rival mentions them, it’s disrespectful and sacrilegious. Puhleez… a quick check of who are behind his campaign will tell you that the line between good and evil is pretty blurred in that camp.

I actually feel sorry for him. I’m sure he knows he is not fit to be president. They talk about Gibo being a puppet of GMA, but really, it’s Noynoy that is the puppet of the power hungry elements who want to be back in the driver’s seat.

Comment from Van:

My dear fellow Filipinos,

It is obvious I am not alone when I say our country is such a bad shape that so many hopes, dreams, wants and needs are pinned to whoever will take over the presidency come May 2010. Like the starter of this blog, I am an ordinary middle-class entrepreneur from Metro Manila. I am passionate about governance/politics, to the point that it is, unavoidably, a conversation staple for me– an etiquette no-no along with talking about religion and asking someone’s age, but with the degree of mess our government is so overwhelming, its stink forces its way up our noses to our brains, we do what we can to expel or assuage such an unpleasant feeling.

Bottom line for all the candidates, none of them are perfect. None of them will single-handedly solve all the burdens our country has come to bear during their term, however, they can get the ball rolling in the right direction. Out of the eight candidates running, we can narrow it down to three “most considerables”. NA, Gibo, MV. Sayang si Gordon, but his temperament and awful personality is such a liability to his potential.

Manny Villar– Personally, my esteem for this person is so low that he borders on offensive.Yes, good for him to have prospered to where he is now, but his shady business dealings which he refuses to address, his questionable campaign budget, c5 scandal, his trapo machinery… really, Willie Revillame and Dolphy to pander and manipulate the masses, and jeeez, his mother??! This guy is unbelievable.

Equally unbelievable is GMA. So many atrocious human rights violations under her watch, our debt has ballooned to 3.54 TRILLION, our real budget has been shrinking due to dizzying cases of corruption and kickbacks. All under her watch and, let’s not be naive, and with her direct and indirect approval. Did the goddamn ZTE, fertilizer scams or C5 controversy (among many others) meet justice? These are cases that SIPHON billions from our puny budget, so puny it can barely support our public services such as education and health. No. Idly sitting by, twiddling their thumbs and giggling in a huddle are the f*cking sycophants in Congress and Senate with their brown bags, ass-licking Ombudsman who is effectively ineffective as far as GMA is concerned. She lied through her teeth when she said she’s not running for a new term (and what a surprise, she did), when the Garci expose came to light, capped with the “I’m sorry” telecast with the help of an acting coach (how many takes did she need again because she had a hard time conveying remorse?)…and the gall to lie during her SONA…. This Agra debacle that excuses 2 powerful Ampatuans who are rumored to have something on her (elections-related, remmeber the gigantic safe in their Maguindanao home the soldiers were desperately wanted to get into?)…. I could go on and on, but I am sure we all agree how revolting our current state of government/president is as reflected by her negative rating. So negative she’s faring worse than Marcos. We agree she is manipulative by how she has the Senate and Congress by the balls. And now, after the Presidency, GMA decides to run for Congress because, as her son said, service in her DNA.

Please tell me you see through this.

What for? Ask, what for? Ask why Mikey wanted to represent the partylist for security guards? Ask why there are so many dubious partylists, suspected to be fronted by GMA allies. Why is there a need to consolidate such a strong bloc that can rally behind GMA if she wins a congressional seat? Let’s not kid ourselves that post 2010, GMA will be out of our hair. This not paranoia, this is a reality check.

Now, how does all this relate to Gibo?

Gibo runs under the same party as GMA. In noble principle, if that was my party, when one suspected of such grievances as Arroyo, I would certainly re-evaluate how she fits and is aligned with my party and personal principles. But you can say, that is all politics, As if politicians in our country is guided by principles and ethics. They will cling to whatever helps them survive. Yes, I count Gibo as one of those who’d say that to himself, of course not out loud, just softly to himself, in that way, it allows him space to package himself as a promoter of change. Kumbaga, he wants a leash long enough to distance himself from GMA, but leashed nonetheless. In the aspiration to run for the presidency, he is willing to lie beside a disease-festered body (pardon the visuals, but that is quite what it is no?) as long as it can be instrumental to his ambitions.

Yes, I agree he is smart. I’ve watched him in debates and interviews. Yes, he has this cooler vibe around him, fresh even, if I want to be most complimentary. It is not his intellect, his legislative record nor his lineage I am conflicted with, it is his principles. Granted, he may be sincere in wanting change (maybe maybe not, with all politicians, this is what they all say, no? it’s just a matter of who has the best PR machinery to make it the most believable) but from where he coming from, who’s helping him get to where he wants –he is like the pinky finger wanting to change what the thumb and the three other fingers have done, while all the same connected to the same hand. How effective is that? And yes, he is so determined to be pivotal in our country’s rejuvenation he picks…. Edu Manzano… for veep. No offense to the guy personally, but VP is a bit over his qualifications for now.Power tandem, indeed. Sometimes I feel bad for Gibo because I feel he’s being used, but, willingly or unwittingly, that makes a difference.

Estrangement from his uncle? Says who? Have you been invited to one of their family socials to know this for certain, or do you get that info from the same source we all do– controlled press releases. Is it unbelievable that these info are what they want us to know? These are all smoke and mirrors, we’ll never know for sure. You underestimate manipulation. What IS certain, though, is that Gibo is identified with GMA and willingly so. Let us not delude ourselves to separate the two. Just take one step off the boat and you are off the GMA boat. The Hyatt10′s done it. Turncoats have done it, look at Nograles and Salceda, so easy for them to bolt out. It may/may not always be a principled move, but it can be done. In Gibo’s case, he hasn’t .. and he knows he’s identified with GMA and is willing to be so. In fact, he’s acknowledged it so many times that he is grateful to the hand that’s delivered him to where he is now. Then hastily adds his loyalty to his party ends where his duty to country begins…. Sir, it’s begun many years ago, the country has called out several times… and you are still with the party. To fulfill your ambition.
When you want believe being president will be a pivotal time in our history and situation, you must not be hesitant to give justice to the past, fix the present and have vision for the future. For the campaign season, the last two are just words, ornate and seductive, showered upon us by ALL candidates… the true test is his performance after he wins. I don’t appreciate Gibo’s aw-shucks approach to the first and seeing we are presently still suffer this “GMA affliction” it is even offensive.

Pretend you’re walking down a scary neighborhood, lost, you need to ask directions from someone… on one side of the street, there’s a gang of dirty, drug-addicted hoodlums hanging around, eyes leering at you. From that group, someone steps forward– he looks clean, he looks normal, he’s still laughing at something his friend said. After a quick high five , he approaches you with a warm smile. He offers to walk you to the nearest street you know. From the other side of the street, an ordinary looking passerby notices the commotion, sees you, crosses the street and approaches as well. He, too, offers, to walk you to the street you know. Which stranger do you take a chance with?

I am not a connected person to gain anything by endorsing (or not) a specific candidate. I hope I am right to give the starter of this blog the benefit of the doubt that maybe (s)he is a not a PR stunt for Gibo, but a sincere voice looking for hope. I am, too. I think with the shape our country is in, many are awoken to be more interested in passionate about politics. (S)he didn’t really dwell into the flaws of Gibo, because as (s)he says, pro-Gibo nga ang blog. Fair enough. I just hope my reply gets posted, because if, after reading it, one doesn’t falter a bit in his belief in Gibo, then the man deserves that vote.

To be clear, I am not yet even sure I am voting for Noynoy/Roxas (who I find trapoish), but this election’s turning out to be elimination of or sorts. Someone commented that voting for the lesser evil is dumb, I beg to disagree, i don’t see it that way… for now, it is a necessity to choose the one that offers least resistance to change.. and in fact would promote it. And that is what I look for in a candidate. Gibo, from where he currently stands, is not the man our country needs now.

@Why I choose Gibo, please don’t sink to Villaresque level to even bring up the pysch test.

My Vote is Yellow

2010-04-29T01:28:00.000-07:00

Today, a week before the 2010 elections, I have transcend from being undecided to a decided voter. I'm voting for Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. Eight months ago when I heard the fifty year old senator was running for the top post, I almost fell off my chair from laughing. Her mother, the late president Cory Aquino had just died and the emotions were high. It was an irony of sorts having to figure out how I would react, one coming from my admiration for the late president whom I regarded as one of the country's best, an icon for many and the other of course, is the seemingly odd, rather sad feeling of the reluctant Noynoy whom I felt at that time, was just placed into an compromising spotlight towards a road he didn't want.

My preference at that time was Chiz Escudero, the young Bicolano senator who as we all know, has snatch back his hat in the ring as quickly as he threw it and decided to support the candidacy of Noynoy. That left me with choices to go for Gordon, Gibo or Noynoy. For obvious reasons, I didn't include Erap, who in his fairyland dreams wants to be king again. He is a joke and a constant reminder that we all were once a joke for putting him in office, or at least for the majority. I didn't include Villar either, the billionaire politician whose integrity is highly questionable with allegations of corruption right and left, from unexplained wealth to unexplained "poverty". His soaring rise in the surveys buoyed by flooding the airtime with his famous informercials and its eventual slide shows that his house, created by the enormity of false perception and lies can fall quickly like a house made from a deck of cards. Outside looking in, it was a marvel to see, from being a dirt poor to filthy rich. Inside looking out, it was a tragedy of epic proportions.

So there I was, two months ago, left with three choices. Would I go for the blue guy, the feisty senator Dick who by competence alone has shown he can deliver? Would it be the yellow guy whose legislative performance was at most, lackluster but has shown to have the integrity our country needs at this time? Or the green guy, whose message of "talino at galing" I cannot complain, and is by qualifications alone is the most fitting for the highest post in the land but his association with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, many says including me as among the worst performing president due to allegations of corruption and cheating, makes you hesitate?

All my life I have been trained through the years of life's experience to decide objectively. Where it has work for me in many ways, it also failed me once in a while. Whether choosing GMA over FPJ was a mistake, a failure or the other way around, I would like to think of the latter. In ways more than one, it opened my eyes to the realization of the complexity of our politics here, that you just can't take their word as truth, nor their qualification or non qualification as it is. Noynoy may not be the man of integrity that he portrays or Gordon and Gibo may not be the competent guy around the block. That their platform of government they proudly say may just be it, promises. In an institutional system like ours which hasn't matured, we tend to decide based on the character of the person and not the platform of government. That is why trustworthiness is still crucial. This is where the dirty politics become dirtier, when the platform of government becomes a second option in choosing and everything else is a lie unless proven right, mudslinging and character assassination come to the picture and a colorful circus emerges. The best thing about the realization is that even when its there staring at your face, you still have a choice, and with all the intricacy, your choice would always be a risk.

In my life I have learned many fast rules, shortcuts though I never use them, and life values which has served me well. I have always believe and espoused the idea that my success would be my people's success too. I have also come to a conscious understanding that success hinges on one's planning as much as it is on keeping the values that our parents have taught me. These values have gotten me people that shares it with me thereby owing my success to them. It is on the notion of these values that I decided to cast my lot. The values of trust and outright integrity for which I believe any country should be run and which all first world country is ran must be upheld.

First, I wrote off Gordon from the list. I like him. I love the guy but competent that he is, he has some shares of skeletons on his closet while managing Subic. Today it is a progressive place, thanks to Dick but can you say the end justifies the means? Not for me. I'm not voting for the devious kind even how little it is never mind the volatility of his temper which reminds me of someone who wants to be on the limelight all the time. It took me a while to write off Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro. Although I don't hide my great disdain for the Arroyo government, for its shameful abuse of power by pillaging what is left of the pillaged country left by Estrada, it has not always been that case before that. She stood as the principal sponsor for my brother's wedding. She poured projects in Cebu never seen before. I had high hopes that her qualification and competence would finally bring back the glory years of our time, a time we can't even remember much too everyone's chagrin. The corruption scandals which I have lost count is beyond comprehension. She buys her way out by buying just everyone from the armed forces to the congressmen. Then she cheated. Can you fathom your president is a cheat? Not that FPJ was more qualified than her, but maybe he was in so many ways.

I have high respect for Gibo. You cannot simply complain based on his qualification. The Harvard schooled congressman, standing side by side, Erap would look mediocre and the young man would have schooled him a fatherly advice. His running under the administration machinery didn't came as a surprise for me. You can't fault him here either. He needed a machinery for his ambition and there it was in front of him, Gloria's full support which we all know by now that what she meant was actually for Villar. After 12 years of bad governance, three from Estrada and nine years for Arroyo, the society is just fed up. The sick man of Asia just became sicker and here he was at the right time on the wrong company. Such a waste indeed. Here he was campaigning for a message of change just like everyone else, leading a party which we all know by now after nine years that its a composition of the corrupted, dysfunctional, crooked politicians who waits for dole outs once in a while to let Arroyo get off the hook. When their is no party ideologies and principles, it crumbles when the going gets tough. Rats jump to the waters when the ship is sinking. Well, many rats jump the administration ship everyday. He might have good intentions but the party members are looking somewhere else. I heard them call themselves team "Palabra de Honor" failing to recognize that the only word of honor they are expected to do is to their constituents which they have failed again and again.

Its not Gibo, you can't go wrong liking the guy. Its the bad company he's in that makes you hesitate. A good egg on a sea of bad egg or would I say, rotten eggs. Would he be able to unite the nation under his leadership with a high probability that appointees would be recommended by the party? Can he unite the nation for a common good knowing that the majority are fed up with the same old politics of Arroyo's party? Could he stop Ali Baba and her scoundrels to continue to pillage the country? These are the clear and present doubts that I have. This election was never about who's fighting the greatest battIe against corruption, but rather its has always been driving out Ali Baba and her thieves. They would continue to thrive, and their going to thrive more in a Gibo presidency. I think therefore I am not for Gibo. Maybe not this time but I am not worried, he has a bright future ahead of him.

There are many illusions of our time today. From the words of Manuel Quezon III he says "At the heart of the tall tales is the suspicion that no such thing as an honest, principled politician exists; or, put another way, anyone who considers himself a politician running on a platform of honesty, integrity, and good governance (and who personally represents all these things) has to be delusional or an imbecile. After all, a central talking point of the administration has been, “they are all the same, anyway,” so better the devil you know since no angels exist" Maybe the times have jagged our memories. Just maybe Joseph Goebbels' famous phrase that 'If you repeat a lie long enough, it becomes truth' has truly taken its toll on us. Just like as if we have accepted corruption as society's norm.

Just as I've said I'll follow my values of trust and integrity before anything else, my vote is down to one man. My vote is yellow. His party principled. I am still in doubt with his competence but I believe he is honest and trustworthy. Competence for me plays second fiddle for it can be develop, supported upon. In my line of work, I have entrusted some of the most critical areas of the business to ordinary people, average IQs, and they have come out among the best there is. Competence can be augmented by a sense of volunteerism. Look at Tommy Meloto of Gawad Kalinga or Efren Penaflorida, these are not geniuses but they have exact change in more ways than many of our current leaders today. Theirs is not the work of one man but volunteers, thousands upon thousands who look upon the principle that leaders like them bring: Integrity, trustworthy, honest and caring.

We need a brand new politics to bring a new way of accountability. Simply put it, this country suffers not from the lack of talent nor wit but from the scarcity of morally uprighted politicians. We need a government that is decent and trustworthy. We need someone who can unite us all to bring reforms to the grassroots level. The country wants the respect that it lost. As a businessman, we need someone whose government can be viewed by foreign investors as clean, bringing the best chance for greater foreign investments. In the perspective of the many on the concept of a lesser evil issue which I still don't believe, it is clear to me now than ever before that an Aquino government would bring the least damage to the country.

I ask myself whether I am making a mistake again. I would tell you frankly I don't know. It remains to be seen, that time would tell. Sometimes while doing my morning runs I ask myself what I want this country to become and the thought of it brings a sense of peace, the optimism in me tells me my kids going to have a beautiful future here in this country not in any other place. I truly hope that Noynoy can bring the changes he portrays. I truly hope he can unite us all to a common understanding, the belief that a republic stands strong when its people contribute for the good of the nation. He has the best chances to do it. If he truly believes he can exact change, he will. If we truly believe in him, we will. I truly hope that someday we all could say in our own little world, that "What is good for me, is good for everybody" or in the big world sense "What enriches me, enriches my nation". God Bless us all.

Panglao Island Run

2010-04-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

Bohol seems to have it all. Excellent tourist spots, nice beaches and a great place to run too. Most of the roads in the countryside are asphalted with sporadic traffic which makes it really safe for a runner. The best part of course, is the scenic routes. There a plenty. There is a route that can pass beside the scenic Loboc river, a route that traverses the world famous chocolate hills or a route that cross several kilometers of century old forest. I have only one word to describe it, Beautiful!

Today. my brother and I ran in Panglao island, another scenic route to boot. We were thinking to run the entire island but a quick browse on Google earth shows that we've underestimated its size. We realized that attempting to run it would take us about 33kms. Not that we could not run it but its the distance is too far for a recreational run in mind. Beside there is no marathon schedule looming so its was an easy decision for us just to run the road leading to the famous beaches of the island.

In total we ran just about 9km with a stopover at Alona beach. The beach was not exactly the beach in m mind. Too crowded and too dirty already, it seems its on her way to become another tourism disaster. I'm glad we booked ourselves in the more secluded part of the island, free from the crowd and free from the unsightly mess.

The run took us mostly on unfinished roads (limestone) and through the rural coconut plantations which was a different environment to experience. I do wish someday, that the government of Bohol can come up with a marathon. Its truly be one of the most scenic routes there is in the country!

Past Forward

2010-04-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

There are times in our lives when some experiences we cherish most has become but a distant memory. And sometimes out of the blue, once in a while, we remember them as if it was just yesterday.

A few weeks ago, I finally met a close childhood friend Marc after 26 long years of separation. People don't change, only time and the name tags. He's now a doctor and I, a businessman. Like deja vu, when we would enjoy the time playing the streets in Sikatuna, unmindful of the countless scoldings from our parents which probably fell into deaf ears, today, Dads as we have become have realize that kids would always be kids and its better to let them be.

From obscurity, we both now take positions that are critical to serving and shaping society in our own little ways. I am thankful that both of us has been brought up well by our respective parents. Thankful that mischievous as we were, we at one time in our lives made the correct choices in life.

Marc Viacrucis and Me on our elementary days in CIC; Present day during our lunch meet after 26 years.

I still relished the care free days of the old times. I do. Though it was not meant to be, I do wish we could have met earlier. I do wish there was Facebook fifteen years ago! The communication just got broken when they left for another region and the he thought I thought thing prevailed.

We both took the road less traveled and met again at the crossroads. I am happy to see you again my friend. Its been a long time.:)

Sofia @ 5

2010-04-13T01:12:00.000-07:00

Sofia has grown to be a beauty with her slim down looks. Almost celebrating her 5th birthday, she has trimmed down to a nifty 47lbs, 12 lbs off from her chubby looks a year ago. We thought she had something her which gave us a scare but eventually realized that her eventual shift to drinking milk on glasses from bottles may have been the culprit as her drinking was significantly reduced by 80%!

She is still her bubbly silly self, mischievous at times but has remained the kind, compassionate girl we've taught her to be. Super active is an understatement nowadays in summer when she could play all day long, untiring with still so much reserve to last for the wee hours of the night.

Today she can now read books with short letters and phrases on her own, many thanks to Kumon which she enrolled six months ago. She also likes doing artwork which has made our house at times, a one big mess. As parents, we are unmindful of the changes, as if expecting it, preferring these as part of a growing family. She still cries a lot (when hurt) and has a fondness for not losing. We do hope she grows up realizing that losing is part of winning. We would be exposing her to sports someday to develop her character. As if now, we have been pleased of what she is and would always, forever be our princess.

1,000 KMS Milestone

2010-04-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today I hit the 1,000 kms. marker literally hitting the road. The run was postpone a couple of days due the the sudden flu I got. It took me 14 months and one marathon to hit the milestone with 4 months of on and off training due to injuries.

Was it all worth it? A big Yes. Even with injuries which I felt would have eventually catch up on me in the future, running is a blessing that I can always cherish on as long as God gives me two healthy knees.

I hit the milestone at the Medalla Milagrosa Shrine in San Vicente Liloan. Its a nondescript shrine on top of a hill facing the Liloan Bay. Unusually, the Virgin Mary is facing the opposite side into the mountains. Its not maintained well which made me wonder if devotees still go here.

For now, I'll be chasing another goal, my 2nd marathon under 5 hours and within two years, hopefully would be joining the Cobra 70.3 Ironman Philippines. See you on the road, my friends!

The Lighthouse Run

2010-03-28T02:46:00.000-07:00

When most of the runners were running in the Citirun in Lahug, I was running alone towards one of the iconic places in Liloan. Here in Catarman, the lighthouse built in 1904 and named after the place proudly still operates. Since I was not about ready to participate in the "weekly" Cebu City races giving myself a month to rehabilitate my knee injury, I decided it was best to run alone as I've always have and enjoy the scenery.

A run to the famous lighthouse which I have done a couple of times was on the top of the list. I was intending to run it easy, trying to test my knees for longer distance. The route that I plotted a day before was mostly asphalted which was good for the knees but had long stretches of elevation. I started the run earlier at 5am hoping to arrive there as the sun rises in the horizon.

I arrive one hour and ten minutes later with a moderate pace of 7:14 per kilometer and boy, the scenery was more than anything that can satisfy my run! Its amazing! It always has been! After staying for about 20 minutes I rode my back home knowing that running back was too long for my recently recovered knees.

Somehow, in there I realized that like the Catarman lighthouse, I hope that my passion for running would always endure the the test of time and always ready to give light to others the benefits of making it a way of life!

Keep on Running!

Why being a photographer and a businessman has its advantages

2010-03-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

Q: Why is being a photographer and a businessman advantageous for the business?
A: Because you don't have to hire a one to make your ads!

Q: Any proof?
A: See the poster below.

Shoot location: House
Assistant/Food Stylist/Cook: Brother
Tester: My wife and daughter!
Shoot description: D700/Micro 105/2.8/ One SB900 on shoot through umbrella triggered using Nikon CLS/ Reflector

On Shooting Drinks

2010-03-26T19:48:00.001-07:00

The week was abuzz with so many things at hand. Accompanied my wife for her monthly prenatal and my daughter for her first root canal which she passed with flying colors. That's my Girl! Finally, I had to do a quick shoot for new drinks for the restaurant Spice Fusion. With all new purchases which could have made me poorer by a year, it was my first true test for my creativity both as in the actual shoot which includes setting up the lights correctly as well as layout the final output.

Not that I was a bit anxious but giving good results was always and has always been my standard for anything I do. Its not going to be the best compared to the beautiful picture you see in coffee books but its going be be a result where I give my best. I was prepared, I knew that all along. In fact I never really though about the shoot. After setting up the lighting ratios and positioning the studio lights where I felt would give the best results, I was ready to rock and roll.

Just a word of guidance; Shooting drinks is a little different from shooting food. Where in food you can just rely on natural light and perhaps one or two flash light and a couple of reflectors, this is not possible when shooting drinks. Natural light although still the best for almost all food shots would not be enough to light the liquid to reveal the textures and colors. Drinks needs a little more of the hard lights from every angle so you may need 3 or more light source to do this. The result is a spectacular revelations of the colors and texture of the drink from the inside. See unfinished output below:

I'm still stuck with the layout which I find a more difficult task than shooting. Maybe I'll try to learn more about this field from a short term course in the malls. But I'm happy with my first results. Its was not an easy setup but with money not an issue, it made it easier to do with the new purchases.

Cebuano Artists

2010-03-17T21:35:00.001-07:00

When a good friend of mine called me up asking me if I could shoot with him some prominent Cebuano artists as part for a publication of the Arts Council of the Philippines, I gave no hesitation.

For one, I have been missing taking portraits like this. Second, I can learn a lot from a gig like this no matter how little (fee) it is. Lets just say its for free or on an exchange deal. Its really beside the point. Just taking part is already an opportunity to learn more how to address my seemingly shyness to interact and more importantly direct a shoot.

With all the willingness I bought with me, it was a blast and tiresome too. I never thought shoot like these can be energy zapping. I didn't even direct. For all its worth, I made good to know where to find good light and how to position the subjects. With regards to the technical aspect of shooting outside shoots with strobes, I left it with more questions than answers! lol

Well, it gave me a break. I might be featured as well in their magazine who knows? lol. Crossing my fingers on that!

Busay

2010-03-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have been to this place so many times in the past and has always left me with a sense of admiration for God's glorious creation. The fresh, cool air is unmatched anywhere in the city yet it is so near. For a mere 30-45 minute ride with the local ride known as the habal-habal, you can be within the confines among the beautiful mountain scenery.

Along the way you can also get to eat cooked Japanese corn variety which is again delicious and appetizing all the way or buy fruits and veggies at a much lower price.

There are also several parks in the area starting with the well developed, well funded Mountain View Park which gives you a birds eye view of the cities of Cebu and Mandaue as well as the island of Mactan. Then there Kan Irag Nature Park which gives anybody a walk through its natural forest like surroundings complete with a cold spring.

For people who are in for an adrenaline rush, there's the Busay Zipline. Its safe and it gives you a different feel of excitement. Just on the other side is the old Tops which still provides the best elevation to get the view of the entire city.

So if you get tired of the cit life, why don't you head out for the mountains! Its near and its cheap way to spend the weekend!

Framing the House

2010-03-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

What is good on this hobby when you can't flaunt it? Having had enough of my wife's endless tirade of comments that I never have a single work being displayed in the house, I made the decision to make amends with the obvious. Thanks to my wife, truth to say, I consider it one of the better things I have done lately.

Call it a timed event, everything just fell into its place the moment our new teak wood console was delivered in the house. The white space above it seems so empty and a frame would have been a generous offering. From hours of conceptualizing, I ended up deciding that a large format high key B&W photo of my love ones is most befitting. Now comes the more harder part; looking for a good supplier of photo prints.

I was looking for an archival paper which I fell in love with when I saw some event photos printed on them in an event in SM Northwing a year ago. I went to several suppliers but they all seem to fall my passing grade until a friend suggested one. An small printing shop cum coffee cafe named Ultra Digital Imaging finally passed my stringent quality check.

Its not your average typical photo print. In fact its a print that has been emulsified to look like a painting. And its waterproof to last for generations! I would recommend this one, if your willing to pay a premium. Its expensive! They say you get what you pay for and Lo and behold, the final output looks superb.

Finally for one good reason my wife can finally smile. I love them and I was a fool not to make one a long time ago. But again, I can always reason out that this kind of photo print was not yet available then! lol

On Food Photography

2010-03-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

I have never learned how to cook great food, yet over the years of managing our restaurants and tagging along countless times to lunches and dinners, I have learned to appreciate and distinguish what is good and what is not for one's taste.

Now I have been thrust into the new field of food photography, much to my dreaded expectations way way back. Honestly like fashion photography, I'm not really a big fan of it. With the controlled environment it requires, its easy to say I'm not going to appreciate it more than I appreciate the freedom just to shoot just about anything else in the street. Maybe I was just born to eat good food.lol

But here I am, in the limelight with all the light strobes and the complete jargon of technicalities, I'm beginning to think I have not learned a lot on photography after two years. As they say, whenever and wherever you are able to shoot great food that can make anybody want to eat it, then you can shoot just about anything else.

Yes my friend, I am as dumb as Mr. Bean on this one yet I'm learning.Slowly. I might have hated it, which more than on several occasion have left me tired and spent but it money for business and above all I get to get new stuff like a full frame camera I have never dreamed of holding in my hands.Weeeee!

I have much to learn, I know its just the tip of an iceberg but I'm excited that once more I see an endless corridor full of doors waiting to be open.

Keep on Shooting!

Rotary Run

2010-02-25T23:19:00.000-08:00

Team YYKredit after the run.

Sorry if I haven't been blogging for some time. Its really been tough for me to juggle the business with recreation and writing as well. Since I finish my first marathon, my baptism of fire last January, I haven't been running too often. Somewhere along the road to glory, I got my right knee injured. I tried running after three weeks but a measly 2 km was all I got before a numbing generalized pain quickly sets in. Week after week I tried to run again but the injury seems to be come back. My only guess is that I may have suffered a hairline fracture or also known as a stress fracture.

A young runner.

And so I decided to heal it by resting. No running. Zero. That was a month ago. I probably have gained a bit but I'd tried to manage it with a controlled diet. I kept myself busy though with my camera. New camera, new lens, new setups for product shoots almost broke me literally. Just kidding! HAHAHA!

My bro, Harold.

Kenyan Runner Simon Losiaboi

And covering the runs behind the lens was the best part of it all. After all, I am a photographer first, a runner second. I decided to cover the rotary run for the first time. It was fun. Loads of images to make. Its a pity I got to take photos of 500 plus runners out of the 1800 participants. Many of my friends ran, 35 of my team ran. Everybody enjoyed even though there were many glitches on the event.

Eugene aka "Baka" Sanchez

I do hope to cover again future runs like these. That is if I don't get healed quickly.lol.

Keep on Running! Its a way of life!