ADIDAS KOTR 2011 - SouthEast Asian Championship

One of the longest and prestigeous running event in the most recent resurging era of running during the late 2000 has been the ADIDAS KING OF THE ROAD (KOTR) which started on 2008 as a modest running event. This year 2011 the KOTR is cumminating in the Philippinea where the finals for the regional champions of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia will fight it out with the Philippines and elite runners of Kenya stationed in the Philippines for the KING OF THE ROAD title.

With the ADIDAS KOTR scheduled on 23Oct11, I was able to avail of the promotional free registration for the 21k category sometime in August. However as the event came closer I was in doubt if I was physically fit to run the 21k so I have to select to the remaining category which is either the 16k or the 5k. Not wanting to exert much effort I had no alternative but select the 5k category. I then gave my 21k kit to my wife who gave the same to her friend CARLO BELTRAN.

Prior to the gun start for the 21km category, the UAAP Champion for the Cheering Squad competion, the University of The Philippines Pep Squad gave a trilling performance on the starting line. Video of the performance can be seen below;

At 5:00am the 21km runners numbering over 4000 participants was started. To attest to the great number of participants for the 21km the video below took more than 3 minutes for those in the back to cross the starting line.

The 16km event is the category for the KING OF THE ROAD for SOUTHEAST ASIA. This is the distance event to determine the title of KOTR. Champions from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia with the elite runners from the Philippines and those from Kenya are entered in this even. Again for these category the MC mentioned that there are over 4000 runners. The video below will show you the different champions from the region.

Last but not the least it was our event the 5km. In view of the great number of participants the start for 5km was divided into two waves to avoid congestion. I stationed myself on the first wave and at 5:50am I was off and running. The following pictiures I have taken duting the run.

I compeleted the 5km in 33m03sec (unofficial) the distance was short and wanting but was a great event and race.

It event being held in Manila was but a affirmation from ADIDAS to hold the championship event for the KOTR in the Philippines as the country has never experienced the boom and popularity of running as what it is now today.

As of this writing I do not know yet the result of the KOTR but will update this blog when I do have the details.

 

Official Race Result

Congratulations to ADIDAS and to all those who participated.

MassKara Festival 2011 - My Touring Run

I was registered to run during the Nike Manila Run 2011 last 15Oct11, however, I had a late invitation for an all expense paid vacation to attend the Masskara Festival in Bacolod from 15-17^tth October 2011. Without second thoughts, me and my wife were on our way to Bacolod on the morning of 15Oct11.

Feeling guilty to have missed my scheduled run, I made sure that on the early morning of Sunday 16Oct11 despite of staying late the night before after attending the Masskara Festival Arena Competition at the town plaza, I made sure to squeeze in my usual touring run of the places that I visit.

We were billeted at the Grand Regal Hotel located at Araneta Avenue just in front of the Gaisano Mall. I have in the past only taken the route going northwards, however, this time I decided to be a bit adventurous and head southwards of Araneta Avenue. As I have decided only to take around 10k workout, it was safe to go out 5km and back track to complete the 10k workout.

At around 5:00am with daylight setting in I left the Grand Regal Hotel as planned. Just about 1.5km after I found myself at the old airport terminal of Bacolod which has been decommissioned since the Silay Airport has been in operation for the last 3 years. I do not know who owns this place but it was left idle and wasted. It is a pity being on a prime location for mall or a business center.

At 3km I saw a catholic church in sight which solves my intention on where to hear mass during the morning the day being a Sunday. I stopped for a while and asked the name of the church and it was San Jose Labrador at Tangub and the last mass for the morning was 8:30am. Good there was more than enough time to catch the said mass.

Just before hitting the 5km mark I arrived at Manville Royale Subdivision which to my great surprise is being used by a lot of residents in the area as a running/jogging/walking place with wide arterial roads and plenty of fresh air. I was tempted to join the other on their route but dismissed the same as I need to be back in the hotel to catch the 8:30am mass.

When I hit the 5.1km I backed tracked heading to the hotel. The view is already known to me and the only difference is that the temperature has now risen to about 27C and rising as the sun was clearly up on a clear sky.

At 6:18am or about 1h18m00s after I started my workout I was back at the Grand Regal Hotel having logged 10.13km . It was another great touring run that conditioned my body for another hectic day this time to  visit the Mambukal Resort at the foot of Mount Kanlaon. I am looking forward to dip on a hot sulphuric spring a relaxing massage after.

ADIDAS KOTR & NIKE WE RUN MANILA - RACE KIT DISTRIBUTION

For the month of October there will be two popular races sponsored by two equally popuilar running shoes NIKE and ADIDAS.

On October 16^th will be the NIKE WE RUN MANILA and a week after that on October 23rd will be the ADIDAS KING OF THE ROAD (KOTR) 2011 which will also serve as the finals for the South East Asia KOTR a major event in the local calendar. The running community are but trilled and excited with most local running enthusiast registered on both races. 

Either by change or for whatever reason, collection of race kit for ADIDAS is at the NBC Tent at Bonifacio Global City from October 10-12^th and NIKE is at Bonifacio High Street at Bonifacio Global City from October 11-13^th. Both are just walking distance from one another. Is this only a coincidence and not a commercial strategy?

In this blog I would like to share my personal experience in collecting my race kit for both which I hope is an isolated case and not a general situation.

ADIDAS KOTR – NBC TENT BGC

• -       Collected my race kit on 10Oct11 between 3-4pm.
• -       Presented my claim stub and presented my ID and attendant provided singlet and giveaways in a bag and advised me that my race bib will be delivered to my house as the same is not ready.
• -       Argued with attendant that I received more than 3 email that collection of race kit will be complete. Requested to talk to supervisor to whom I explained incovenience of the matter.
• -       Supervisor asked me if I will accept any race bib number instead of the one that was supposed to be issued to me.
• -       To avoid inconvenience I agreed and the supersor provided me with a race bib 07949 and a timing chip 79649. Only when I went home I noticed the resemblance and difference of both numbers which I hope does not have consequential effect on my actual race data.
• -       Also only after arriving home, I noticed that I was supplied by a size 2XL singlet instead of a size L as is apparent to my confirmation order (refer to copy of registration on the picture above).
• -       The venue and the layout of NBC tent for the distribution as you could see in the pictures are VERY IMPRESSIVE. I hope that my experience is an isolated matter.
• 
  

NIKE WE RUN MANILA – BONIFACIO HIGH STREET

• -       Collected my race kit on 11Oct11 between 4:00-4:30pm.
• -       Presented my claim stub and presented my ID to the attendant.
• -       Attendant advised me that my birthday on my ID is different from their computer which shows January 1, 0000. I told the attendant that obviously that the error is in their computer as there is no January 1, 0000. The same accepted my explanation and revised my birthdate in their computer to my real birthdate.
• -       Learning from my not so nice experience with the Adidas singlet I demanded to see the shirt size in the bag which was a size MEDIUM. I complained and explained that my registration size was LARGE. Attendant could not decide and called the supersivor.
• -       Superviros advised me that he can not do anything but comply to what was indicated on their computer which was a size M. I explained to the supervisor regarding the error on my birthday on their computer which if it was in error then most possibly the shirt size was also in error. Understanding the logic of my explanation, the supervisor agreed to provide me with a size LARGE shirt.
• -       The venue although modest in size and open on the sides was acceptable and well manned and properly laidout. Major complaint I noticed for participants was no issuance of kit to those who who do not have ID to support their claim slips. In fairness to the organizers notice on the ID was well disseminated. 
• -       Again, I hope that my personal experience is an isolated matter. I still am open minded and look forward to a successful race event for  NIKE and ADIDAS. 

       See you all on the races.

My Sentosa Island Run

This week I had to attend a business meeting in Singapore from 29Sep-02Oct. As in my previous trips abroad, I have made it a point that I try as much as possible to sneak in my daily run as possible.

I was booked at the Hard Rock Hotel in Sentosa Island so I was delighted that given the time I shall be a able to do a run around Sentosa Island which is far away from the traffic congeste streets of Singapore and has ben lately developed as a resort island where Universal Studio and so many attraction parks are located.

On Saturday 01Oct11 true enough even with a full daytime schedule I made sure to wakeup earlier to make my run. With my hydration belt and camera on I have decide to make a 10k workout. I started from the hotel lobby at 5:58 am which was still dark as daylight only came at 6:45am. With no particular route in mind, I just took off leading my way to Seloso Point on the the beach fronts of Palawan and Tanjong beaches then to Sentosa Golf Club and backtracking until I found myself back at the Hard Rock Hotel lobby.

The workout was more of a touring run on a relaxed pace giving myself opportunity to take photos along the route. The site and route is really superb and attractive with clean air. I logged 10.60km in 01h43m51s.

An early morning run Sentosa Island in Singapore is a great place to get yourself ready for a day of work ahead.