I took a picture of the medals I have accumulated since I started training again here in Sydney. It’s not a lot but it inspired me nonetheless as I am reminded of the hard work I’ve put in and my accomplishments in running in the form of these medals. I hope that this will inspire runners out there to keep on hitting the tarmac despite the difficulties of moving out of your comfort zones and traveling to new lands to brave a greener pasture.  ...

  I have not posted anything on this blog in a long time BUT I will try to update you with my latest run, The Blackmores Sydney Running Festival last Sunday.     This is the first time for me to run without proper training, not to mention getting a bit tipsy a couple of nights before this event from a dinner-party I attended. I followed the 4:45 pacer for awhile but finished at 5:19:18 instead.       I personally think that I could have done better had there been less elevation during the race. Just when you think you were done with running up and down the several bridges you passed, there’s still this one LAST bridge you have to traverse before arriving at the finish line.   The 37km mark screenshot from Blackmores Sydney Running Festival App by ASICS for iPhone. Click here to download from iTunes.   Well, I am not sure if I would attempt this again [without proper training] but I definitely loved the challenge of a good run on an early Sunday morning.     There never seems to be enough time for anything, but there will always be that perfect day of the year to run a marathon at The Blackmores Sydney Running Festival...

I remembered my first Condura experience when I ran my first half-Mary in the Skyway last year – it was awesome! So, when this year’s edition of the said race was announced, I definitely had to register. You see, the half-mary last year was just that : half of the skyway, so I thought that it was a good idea that the Concepcion brothers included the full marathon event. It has been a well documented observation in the  running community that organizing races has turned into a profitable business with some organizers more interested in making a quick buck rather than satisfying their participants. That is the reason why starting this year, I am choosing the races that I join (and being a bandit with the rest, hehehe). I know that quality has an expensive price tag that goes with it ; so even if I had hesitations in joining this race due to the expensive registration fee , I still joined the 42K event and I’m glad that I did. Fireworks lit up a seemingly cold and tense morning where the 42K runners were preparing for the end of the countdown that would start the event. This is a refreshing scene compared to the usual Sunday morning race start.  Everybody was happy and excited to run! The challenging but enjoyable part of the race started early on as we ran around the Fort area , claiming one ascent after another before we scaled the Kalayaan flyover towards Buendia – this part of the route was dark since the streets we traversed had no lamp posts on it. The vertical path which was the Kalayaan flyover as well as the rest of the Makati area was well lit and lively with the presence of...

I didn’t think that I would be able to complete my 2nd attempt at a full marathon. The night before the run, I wasn’t feeling well – I had to take paracetamol before I slept. I also took another dose when I woke up at 2 am on the race day itself. In fact, I still was a bit hesitant to join the race when we reached the starting area at the KM 0 mark at the Quirino Grandstand. The event, having one of the network giants as a major sponsor, started with a lot of fanfare (or should I say spot lights and cameras plus a noisy emcee). The mood in the starting line was fun, I especially enjoyed watching the performance of the Philippine Marines band. True to the Biscocho tradition, the race started at 4:28 am ( 2 minutes before the scheduled gun-off). The three of us started a bit slow with Isko slowly picking up the pace to which Ian and I followed. We were going so fast that at around 5kms, I slowed my pace down to around 6 mpk. There was after all still 37 kms left to run. The water stations didn’t run out of water – thank God I didn’t get dehydrated at my first attempt to run 42kms during the daytime. As for the route, I doubt that anyone would get lost this year as there were directional signs and marshals along the entire route. Besides, If I get lost, all I had to do was to follow the scent of the river – after all, this race has Pasig written all over it. I started walking around the Guadalupe area, I think my legs aren’t as strong as the other runners; it has been only...

Marathoners Before a Run 😀 2009-11-06 Subic International Marathon! 2009-11-06 Subic International Marathon! 2009-11-06 Subic International Marathon! 2009-11-06 Subic International Marathon!    Pictures in the van going to Subic before dropping by Nike Factory Outlet. Adobo for Lunch The new pairs from Nike! Woohooooo! I’m getting ready getting ready .. oh boy what a day … GU .. Check! Shoe Laces .. Check On The Road to Floridablanca – Starting Line for the Subic Marathon! Vehicles Keep Left, Runners Keep Right Getting Shutter Happy during the Subic...

Subic International Marathon October 24, 2009 Here I thought, being a part of the support van was as easy as … handing out the bottles in succession, or whenever they need it. Giving them GU when they need it already, and taking videos and pictures of them while listening to feel-good music and resting my back on the rows of seats in the support van (haven’t had enough decent sleep rushing projects just to be able to come through for my brother). Yeah, THAT part was easy. Stopping every how-many-minutes was very tiring! Waiting for them if they needed anything more was stressful! I’m just glad Kuya Eugene and Kuya Ian aka Seabiskwit were able to finish their first marathon together! Woohoo! During the early part of the race: The three guys, whom I will label as the “Tres Hermanos”, Kuya Isko aka Super Pinoy, Kuya Ian aka Seabiskwit, and Kuya Eugene Kuya Jeff Abenina on the lead, president of Camanava Runners. Woohoo! Go Kuya Jeff!! Tried to get a shot of runners halfway through the race, even if water in almost four aid stations have run out! Was trying to get a shot of the Tres Hermanos under this supposed good lighting spot we found along the road where we parked and saw the Running Ninja instead. Go Sam! With the van support backing them up, I sorta checked up on how they were doing on the road while asking if they needed anything. This part of the highway was too dark so Kuya Isko had to use a headlamp to help them be...