The EDSA Run - Something to Remember

There is no denying that one of the most significant part in the history of the Philippines is the PEOPLES POWER which happened 25 years ago on February 25, 1986. It was the first peaceful revolution in the modern day history that toppled a government/dictator with the citizenry being driven by the drive of “enough is enough”. It was like a wave of unexplained power and phenomena that swept to other parts of the world after the Philippines with the fever catching on then in Europe and the Soviet nations and more. Today 25 years after, the PEOPLES POWER spirit is still alive as what we have witnessed in Egypt and what is on-going in Bahrain and Libya. 

To commemorate the 25 years of EDSA People Power, The EDSA RUN – A People powered Run To Build Classrooms” was held today February 27, 2011. There were two category of race the 10k and the 5k events.

EDSA being a main thoroughfare in Metro Manila is by in itself a unique venue to hold a road run. With parking as a problem in the area, two areas were designated by the organizers. One was along the Temple Drive with limited unsecured parking located about 0.7km from the starting line and the more secured parking at Robinsons Galleria which is 1km south of the start/finish line. I opted for the latter in as much it was guarded and secured. To my great surprise upon exiting the parking area there were three electrically driven jeepneys that were being utilized to shuttle participants to the starting line. However, when asked if the said transport will be made available on completion of the race the driver just said you are on your own.

At 4:45am I was already in the venue and notice that a great number of participants are from the military, government offices and non-government offices that have pledged contingents for the event. The usual representation from the running community was there but was not of great number. I took sometime to take pictures of the People Power Monument which was the place where people convergence in 1986.

At 5:30am on time and schedule 10k runners were gunned off from White Plains Avenue going straight to EDSA and turning right southwards to Ortigas Avenue. It was a nice feeling as always to run along EDSA and particularly this cool morning (22deg C). The route was well manned and the organizers have done their assignment on hydration and distance markers. From Ortigas Avenue the route turned left to Green Meadows Avenue all the way to C5 turning right all the way just before the flyover before turning back to Green Meadows Avenue. On reaching the 6.5km marker the route became challenging as it was an all-uphill climb to the 9.3km marker. The Temple Drive sector of the route was indeed a back breaking climb. Upon turning left to White Plains Avenue it was an easy stretch all the way to the finish line.

My unofficial time for the EDSA Run as per my Garmin 310xt was 01h10m15s for 10.11km another good run for my standards. I enjoyed the route and do not regret to have participated, although, I would have wished that the running community would have participated more in numbers as they have missed a good Sunday race.

Race Results can be viewed at  here

Walking back all the way to Robinsons Galleria after the race was a good 1km cool down which was forced on me as there was no transport available. 

Anyways, the EDSA Run was worth my time. Congratulations to the organizers.

Running - Burned Out and Rekindling the Fire

Since 2007 when I took up running I have been so passionate about the sport that I have already logged 10,935 kilometers to date. During the earlier days, I was running and/or doing my workouts almost daily. The worst that I would log then will be a minimum of 50km a week and with that figure I was already feeling guilty for being relaxed. However, of lately I have felt that my weekly mileage has been reducing. Initially I did not bother to think about it and just thought that maybe I am just aging and that I am no longer as strong as I was four years or two years back.


However, I know feel that problem is much deeper than getting of age. As in any endeavor in life our drive to do a task at hand is only equal to the fire within us to accomplish such a task. As time goes by, either due to regularity or due to having taken things for granted, the flame that drives us just die down and with it is the feeling of burned out.

While I would certainly not have any antidote for the aging part of the problem, the solution is a straight forward acceptance of the reality to adjust on the mileage of which my target mileage is now 40-45km a week.

The serious part of the problem is the MOTIVATION and FIRE to continuously do the exercise. They say that even in sex you need to spice up things to ensure the drive will be as fresh as ever. Whilst I mainly do my daily morning run at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC), I think I need to find alternative venue once in a while to avoid falling on the trap of boredom. This will not be easy as in my experience it is only in BGC that I feel the security (safety) in running with well lighted streets and ample security people almost every corner, but, I need to find other venue. (Does anybody have a suggestion here?)

Another solution for MOTIVATION and FIRE is getting oneself a new equipment/gears/clothings which I have found to work on me. My enthusiasm and motivation gets lifted whenever I have a newly purchased running shoes, shorts, shirt etc., but,  these material items can only be as often as the budget permits and cannot be on daily basis.

Last Saturday, I rewarded myself with the following ADIDAS gears hoping to rekindle the fire in me.

Running as in any part of life will always have its UPs and DOWNs but what is important is to ensure that when the flame is starting to die down all available means are used to rekindle the FIRE in running.

If in sex you have a Viagra or Cialis, what do you have for running?

35th MILO Marathon - Schedule of Races

Received the following information from Mr. Andrew Neri of Milo Sports providing the 35th MILO Marathon schedule of elimination races for the different regions and eventually to culminate for the Finals at Manila on Dec. 11, 2011. 

Its time to clear your schedule and decide on which region you want to enter for the elimination. Good luck to all!

Condura Run 2011 - A Dream Run

For the next couple of weeks there will be stories and experiences told of the CONDURA 2011 Run For Dolphins. A great number of them if not all of them will be of how great and wonderful was the event! To the Concepcion brothers Ton and Patrick thank you for your commitment and dedication, we also acknowledge your well and able CONDURA EVENTS TEAM who left no stones unturned to ensure the success of the run.

The Condura Run premiered on 2008 dubbed as “Run for Tubbataha Reef” was attended by 2000 participants. On 2009 dubbed as “Run for the Whale Sharks” it tripled its number to 6279 runners. Last year 2010, dubbed as “Run For The Dolphins” it attracted 8500 runners and this year 2011 also dubbed as “Run For The Dolphins” it has reached 13000+ runners. The main attraction of the Condura Run for the last three years has been their partnership with the SKYWAY. With forthcoming completion of the Skyway all the way to Alabang it would be a runner’s dream to have a point to point running event from Alabang all the way to Global City via skyway with adjusted starting points for 42/21/10k categories and all finishing in one place. Realities were once but only dreams and I hope that this dream of mine will be a reality soon.

As a seasoned participant of running events abroad and locally, I have only but good comments of the Condura 2011. In fact I feel proud that we have now race events (include those of Coach Rio) that are not only comparable to races abroad, but, are even BETTER and well organized than those that are already long running events abroad. And to think of it was only in 2007 that things started on a roll locally on road races.

As there were 13000+ for the Condura 2011, there will be 13000+ different stories and experiences of how they performed and faired during the event. For my personal performance in the 21K it was my worst clocking at 03h00m18s (unofficial my Garmin 310xt). As the race event was perfect, weather condition was great (great weather with cloudy skies) support ample (hydration and banana station with portalets even on the skyway) I need to find a good excuse. On the night before the race I was at the Manila Peninsula Hotel to attend to a family wedding reception in which I was only able to leave at 11pm and be in bed only at 12 midnight only to wake up at 3am or just barely 3 hours of sleep. To add to this as the occasion was a happy one, I do not think it was “carbo loading” but more of “wine loading”. As earlier mentioned this is my excuse, but the reality I think is that AGE is fast creeping in on me. Hopefully I would still have five more years in my running life.

Condura Run 2011 – “Run For The Dolphins” was a great success for runners, family bonding, social life of friends, athletic and sports oriented individuals, even for arts with the 300 foot dolphin mural. I cannot wait for next year! Will my dream be a reality?