3Rs: Regular Run Rituals

Estan of Fit and Run asked a simple question this morning which I thought was brilliant: what are your regular running day preparations?

While pre-race rituals are often what we read about, perhaps the mornings of the months and weeks that lead to a race should also be taken a look at and dissected, especially since this is how the foundations of a runner are built. Here's a step-by-step guide to preparing yourself for a morning run, PWW style. 

Nature Valley Run 2010

Pretty soon, I will be going through an epic, life-changing event. I'm excited about it, but it has been causing a lot of uncertainty about where I can be found for the next month and a half. Fortunately, some of that haze lifted recently and I've managed to pin a date for a race! I'll be running my second 21K at the Nature Valley Run on May 30. Apparently, race kits for the second leg of the RunRio Trilogy has been selling like hot pancakes, so if you plan to join, act now. More information on the race after the jump.

Road Rage and Scandals

A day after the Tour of the Fireflies, a video made its way to YouTube showing an irate female motorist wildly gesticulating and spewing venom at those who were part of the 10,000-strong peloton. Actually, I was there when it happened and I figure very briefly in the video, walking past the woman's vehicle which she deliberately placed in the middle of the road to block the cyclists' path. I almost got hit as she went on reverse, ignorant of the fact that she forced herself into the route of a mass ride.

I'm interested to find out why the road rage switch automatically gets flipped on the moment a person is on the driver's seat. We Filipinos take pride in our hospitality and have been described as tolerant people yet behind a steering wheel we're messengers of death. And one could not be blamed for assuming that the message is aimed directly at cyclists. What gives? Why does it seem that people on bikes are almost always the target of people with road rage? How come other people can wait so patiently in traffic when build-ups are due to other reasons (like a Pacquiao motorcade) but think that mass rides and bikes don't belong on the highway? To a cyclist like me who often rides on Manila's roads, that's unnerving.

The First Annual Labor Day Run

PWW Note: I received this information via email from someone who was asking if I could post their event on this website. That's the first time I've been contacted to promote an event and I think it's pretty rad.

On May 1st, Saturday, go the extra mile and run for a better Philippines as we celebrate the working Filipino at the 1st Annual Labor Day Run.

Take on the distance of 3K and 5K race starting at the Katipunan Circle, Bonifacio Global City.

Registration Fees at Php250 and Php300.

First 1000 registered runners will receive a Labor Day Run souvenir shirt from Roam Philippines.

Race Entry forms are available at R.O.X. Bonifacio High Street and Figaro Coffee at Emerald Building, Pasig City and Tomas Morato, Quezon City from 22-30 April 2010.

Pic of the Day: PWW at ATKOM

I never bring any cameras with me during a race and even if I did, I doubt I'd be able to capture this kind of an image. It's pretty cool having a race photo like this one (on the trails), since I obviously can't see how graceful (as describled by my fiancée) I look when I run. I think some of that is on display here, as well as some evident heel striking.

For participants of the 4th ATKOM who are interested to see your images, email your full name, bib number, and cellphone number to contactfpsphoto@gmail.com.

Pic of the Day: PWW at ToF

PWW at ToF by LJ Pasion

This bad-ass photo was taken by my brother LJ during this year's Tour of the Fireflies. I really like it because deep down inside, we're all narcissists and this makes it look like I'm the lead organizer or celebrity guest cyclist or overall hero of the planet.

Thanks, brah.

12th Tour of the Fireflies: I Vote to Bike

One of the main reasons I picked up a bike last year was because I wanted to join the Tour of the Fireflies (ToF), an annual event organized by the Firefly Brigade which takes riders from all walks of life to form a massive, powerful peloton for one morning to ride through different cities in Metro Manila, advocating first and foremost for clean air. This year, about 10,000 riders took part in the tour dubbed "I Vote to Bike", reminding people of the importance of the vote and how the politicians we place into office help shape the environment we live in.

This Sh*t is Bananas

My curiosity in healthy, simple eating was sparked by my discovery of Scott Jurek's vegan diet. And just when I thought that was the most hardcore anyone can get, some people just keep pushing the envelope. The runner on the photo above is Michael Arnstein, a 2:32 marathoner, ultramarathoner, and fruitarian; meaning he eats "ONLY raw, fruits and vegetables – NOTHING else (no oil, no salt or condiments, no supplements –nothing BUT raw fruits and vegetables)."

No U-Turn

Last night, after a 5K run around the village and logging my mileage on my Excel spreadsheet like the geek that I am, I found out that I'm halfway for a goal I've set for myself a few months back. Since I started logging my runs in late November last year (when I started training in earnest for my first half) I've accumulated just a tad over 500 kilometers from my training runs and races. Five hundred. I felt a sense of vindication seeing that number last night especially since, for some reason, my runs of late have been a struggle. From getting up to keeping pace, it all seemed more difficult than usual. But I knew there was a reward there somewhere.

While I'm on the second half to a "membership", I don't see this as a U-turn. Actually, I don't think I'd ever want to see a U-turn. Running has become a big part of my life, and I am nowhere near the halfway point. The end is so far away I don't even know where it is.

And I like it that way.




Image via source

The Camper Bike

I'm guessing this product was designed for:

• A hesitant, domesticated outdoorsman who is tethered to home but yearns for escape
• A person who can not travel simply nor lightly yet wants to reduce his ecological footprint
• Or for someone who lives a life on opposite sides of the spectrum, simultaneously

Actually, take out the photo of Chairman Mao and replace the map of China with a map of the Philippines and I'd boldly declare this was designed for me.

For more cool paintings--and photos (it's for real!)--of the Camper Bike, click here. This image is from the website of Kevin Cyr.

Weight Weenies

Carbon fiber? Nope. More like carton fiber. Check out these bikes made out of recycled cardboard.

Image via The Pirata

Santa Cruz Carbon Fiber Nomad-c

Very nice.

Read more about this beauty here.



Image via Pinkbike.com

Tour of the Fireflies 2010: Route Map

Click on the image to view on Google Maps

Here's the route for this year's Tour of the Fireflies. This year, the peloton will pass through the areas of Pasig - Quezon City - Marikina - Cainta - Taguig - Makati - and Mandaluyong.

So what I heard is true: it's going to pass right in front of the gate of our village in Cainta. Interesting.

All the Small Things

Back in high school, our morning assemblies at the gym were capped by a short talk from one of the school administrators, probably to try and motivate us to study, or at the very least deter us from attempting anything which may lead to a visit to the principal's office. Out of the hundreds of talks I listened to, there is one lesson I recall in vivid detail up to this day. It's a metaphor on consistency--a stone with a hole worn through the middle, worn away by a constant drip of water. A drop of water, which in itself is practically weightless, can wear away a rock through small, but constant pressure over a span of years or decades, if not centuries. We may not be sure how long it would take but one thing is certain: it can not be achieved overnight. If the same amount of water from those cumulative drops were placed in a large container and poured over the stone, it won't create a hole. The stone will merely get wet.

That story obviously struck a chord with the procrastinator that I am, and it got me thinking about how the small decisions we make on a daily basis can have a much larger, long-term effect on our lives. As a runner, let's see how that lesson applies to training, or simply becoming a better runner.

Custom Kicks

Tell me it's not just me who wants to have their name on their shoe. I mean, isn't that every athlete's dream? Isn't having a shoe custom made and named after a sportsman one of the most tangible signs that he or she has made it? For mere mortals like me who can't handle a ball like Kobe or ride a bike like Lance, we have two choices: use a marker (like Cherie suggested), or use NIKEiD, a site that allows you to customize shoes according to color, size, cushioning, material, and even lets you put your name there somewhere.

Downside? For someone like me who needs to needs to physically see and fit and try a shoe before buying, the whole online ordering is a process I'm not too crazy about. And, they're pricey. The shoes I customized, a pair of Nike Lunar Elites, would cost about Php 7,218 (US $161) not including shipping and handling.

Isn't it ironic how the athletes with the multi-million dollar paychecks who can afford to get these things are the ones who get them for free?

More photos of the custom Pinoy Weekend Warrior Lunar Elites and Pegasus Trail Runners after the jump.

The Need for Speed

Track Runners © James Rodberg

Tonight, I finally did some speed training on the track. After weeks of thinking and reading about track workouts, I stumbled upon this simple yet very informative post by Matt of No Meat Athlete, entitled 3 Track Workouts Guaranteed to Kick Your Ass. It did. I ran for a mere 38 minutes and yet I feel properly spent. Despite feeling wretched while doing the workout, I have a feeling I'll be calling the track up for another date soon.

Warrior Wisdom: William James

- William James

Newton Running

If you're anything like the inquisitive person that I am, you would've already wondered aloud and asked what the deal is with these expensive, seemingly fluorescent, apparently stride-changing shoes called Newtons. As much as I'd like to try them out and decide for myself whether it's worth all the cash or just a hype, I don't really have the luxury of dropping close to $200 on a pair of runners. I can, however, read about it. There are countless blog entries and forum threads about the shoes, but I recently found an article from Inc. (2008) which talks in-depth about how Newtons came to be. Originally wanting only to make a quick profit from their discovery, the people behind Newton talk about how being rejected by larger shoe companies, the advent of the world-wide-web, and their adamant belief in their invention all fueled their desire to share this piece of technology to runners all over the world.

Click on the image to read the full article from Inc.com

Pic of the Day: LightRider

LightRider by blackpuddinonabike

Brilliant light painting!

The King of Pain

Since I've read that the April Issue of Runner's World features a piece on Scott Jurek, I've been trying to find a way to get myself a copy of it for that article alone. Today, I found it online, and it's one of the most honest, insightful articles I've ever read about a runner I really look up to.

Click on the image to read the full article on Runner's World

Alay-Takbo

Holy Week in the Philippines is one of the biggest "events" in our very religious country. Growing up, I used to dread it because we usually spent time in the province and were not allowed to run and play or have fun. Instead, as a child of seven, I was supposed to reflect and repent in silence for three days. But everyone has their own way of observing Holy Week: there are those who carry heavy crosses (not the proverbial kind) or self-flagellate. Then there are penitents who take it to a whole other level by having themselves crucified on the cross, drawing attention from people all over the country and the globe. On the other hand you can also sunbathe on a beach somewhere, get drunk, paint eggs, then bury them in the sand. I mean, nothing else says "resurrection" better than chocolate bunnies, right?

In the metro, hundreds of thousands of people show their sacrifice in the form of the Alay-Lakad. Literally translated, "alay" means "offering" and "lakad" means "to walk", so one's offering is to walk from wherever you want to start (usually from where you live) to one of a few chosen churches. My cousin Alvin has always walked from his home in Cainta to Antipolo Church in Rizal, every year since he first started in the early '90s. However, this year was slightly different.

Runner's World, Welcome to the Philippine Islands

The first Philippine issue of Runner's World hit the shelves recently and I'm certain a lot of Pinoy runners dashed to their local bookstores to grab a copy of the maiden issue, which is currently bundled with Men's Health Magazine. So much for my personal resolve to buy only back issues of magazines--I did not want to wait to get this one. And at two magazines for P165, it's not bad at all. So, how was it?

Runner's World Philippines First Issue Cover