NB Power Run 09 - A Great Sunday Morning

After a long wait today is the day for my family run, New Balance Power Run 2009.

Waking up in the morning has never been a problem for me. But, with the family, I knew before hand that this shall be an issue so I told all that I shall wake them up at 4:15am for us to leave the house at 5:00am. True enough, it was an great effort to keep everyone on schedule but we did manage as planned.




Arriving at the Fort at 5:15am a big crowd was already gathered. It was just about the same time that the gym instructor from Slimmer’s World was conducting a warm up session in front of the activity stage. I could already smell something good about this event. Great layout for the stage, a good number of courtesy booths, great sound system, there were different finishing arc for 21k and 10k/5k events, starting line for all categories is on the same place. The fantastic thing of this event was the “crowd control”. You have marshals with sign boards indicating the category and guiding them to the starting chute by batches. Given the number of participants, numbering around 7000 (as per the MC) the organizer had full control of the crowd. There were a good number of portalets available at the ground area. The race started at 5:30 for the 21k, 5:45 for the 10k and 6:00 for the 5k events. Good time management.

Distance markers and directional signs were very prominent along the route. Water and hydration stations were more than sufficient and well positioned. The marshals were manning the intersections. I would like however to describe a scene at the junction of Lawton and the small road leading to American Cemetery wherein a woman riding a taxi made a scene by going down her taxi leaving its doors opened and walked a few steps in the direction of the marshals and shouted “hoy kami naman malalate na ako sa trabaho ko” there were other inaudible things I could not make out but I assume it was no good words. I actually did not know how to react or how to interpret what I just witnessed. I just smiled with lots of things in my mind and proceeded my way to McKinley area. I pity the woman for losing her temper.





Coming back from McKinley and to the 10k finish line was still smooth and orderly. Crossing the finish line was great, orderly, cordoned and well manned. The unexpected finisher’s medal was awaiting all finishers. There was hydration available at the finish line with banana as well. What could you say of this race event? Thanks you New Balance for the sponsorship, Extribe you did a wonderful organization of the race and to all the runners, we all had a great Sunday morning!

It is a great feeling that we now have race events that we could be proud of. There was the Timex and now the NB Power Run.




Now I have to report on my family run. I was feeling great that after a very long time my wife was joining me on a race. I had her awaken early, race number attached to her shirt, reached the Fort, did the warm-up with the Slimmer’s World instructor, introduced her to friend runners that we came across, and finally showed her the mustering area for the 5k run. I then proceeded my way to start ahead with the 10k run. At the 9km marker my daughter-in-law Pamela over took me. I crossed 10k finish line at 01h04m02s to my great surprise my wife, Hermie and son Dax were already awaiting me. Although I knew both were only to run 5km, I just could not believe that they were already there ahead of me. I later found out both “chicken-out” “showed-up but did not start” it was another “act of God” both have the same excuse that my granddaughter was crying before the start of the 5km run and they did not want to leave her with the yaya. It was a very lame excuse, but, what to do except accept it. The good thing is that Pamela finished the 10k in 01h03m00s and Dennis my 11year old finished the 5km in the region of 45 minutes, both of whom did great and I am proud.

Even if I had two family members that did not start and finish, it was still a great Sunday morning for the family.

God is good! ALL THE TIME.