FAM On The RUN - Medical City Department Of Pediatrics

The MEDICAL CITY Department of Pediatrics are the sponsors for the FAM ON THE RUN held at Venice Piazza at Mckinley Hill Taguig with the RUN FOR CHANGE as organizers for the run event covering 10k/5k/3k categories.

When I arrived Venice Piazza at 5:20am today 25Sep11 most of the participants have already arrived although some where still queued on the parking lot. Unlike on other venues that pay parking is the name of the game, in Venice Piazza parking is FREE for participants of the running event. I am not expecting much of this race not being the commercialized running events of the usual but more of a fun run and fund raising event in particular for the Medical City Department of Pediatrics Charity Patients. If I may say this is a very worthy cause by the doctors of Medical City.

At 6:00am the 10k runners were started making use of the usual Mckinley Hills route which is very hilly then to Lawton both ways before proceeding to Bayani road all the way to Heritage Park and back to Mckinley Hill ending at Venice Piazza. There were more than ample supply of hydration fluids and marshals stationed on major intersections to guide runners. The organizers RUN FOR CHANGE did their job well and for a fun run this race was well handled.

I completed the 10k with unofficial time of 01h 15m 31sec. To my surprise after crossing the finish line I was handed a FINISHERS MEDAL which was very generous of the sponsors to make the fun run a memorable one.

To the Doctors of Medical City Pediatrics Department thank you for a great Sunday morning. Take of of those sick little children who have less in life.

AXN Runs Philippines - Great Route/Race, Personal Injury, Expensive Parking Fee

The Race Event Sponsor – AXN

AXN is the leading action and adventure cable channel in Asia. AXN is but only one of the six channel brands in the region that is wholly-owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The others being Animax, ONE, Sony Entertainment Television, AXN Beyond, and PIX.

The Race Event – AXN Runs Philippines

The race event was held today starting at F.Ortigas Jr. Road at the Origas Business Complex covering 21k/10/5k/3k events. This event’s main attraction is veering from the usual road race venues in MOA, BGC, Diliman, Roxas Boulevard instead shifted to Ortigas Center in Pasig using Julia Vargas Street, C5 and Katipunan Road in Quezon City. The 21k event made use of four flyovers namely Rodriiguez, Ortigas, Santolan, and Katipunan with even a tunnel run at the Santolan-Katipunan Tunnel. Both the 10k and 5k were also very scenic making use of the Ortigas Flyover in C5.

My 10k Experience

This being my first experience to join a race event in Ortigas Center I made time allowance to be able to find a suitable parking area near the starting line. It was not difficult as the organizers provided enough info on where to park giving varied options for participants to select their parking areas. At 5:00am I was already at the starting holding area and was very much surprised that the venue was well glittered by various tents for race support, exhibitors booths and race essential requirements and a big stage with massive sound system. There was great excitement in the air. Although I was only expecting a modest number of participants the actual number was beyond what I expected as there were quite a substantial number of particiapnst for the 21k and 10k (I did not see the start of 5k and 3k). The 21k event was gunned off at 5:30am and followed by the 10k at 05:45am.

My Personal Accident

Barely 0.8km from the starting line along Julia Vargas Street I was taking advantage of the down hill run. While on a careless uncontrolled downhill speed, I accidentally stepped on the REFLECTOR STEEL MECHANISM STUD that are rivetted on the road as lane separators causing me to lose footing and fall on my fours injuring both my hands and my right knee. I immediately stood up and was graciously assisted by three runners and feeling more embarrassed rather than the pain at first, I told the runners that helped me that I am ok and proceed back to my run. After just about a minute back on my run I could feel numbness in my right hand but after assessing my overall feeling decided to proceed with the race.

The Race Support

There were more than sufficient race marshals along the route. In particular I am very much impressed that the organizers were able to get the full cooperation of the MMDA and the Pasig traffic group that you could kind in clusters along major intersections to ensure safety of the runners. The distance along the route were well marked for every kilometer marker with complete directional signs. Along the route, there are even portalet facilities for runners who wishes to relieve themselves. The hydration support for water and sports drinks is well provided (there is even a banana station for the 21k). This race event was diligently prepared and executed and I wish to congratulate AXN the sponsor and the rcae organizer Finishline.

Again I would like to mention that the race route is the best for me that could be made available in metro Manila.  I hope other organizers and race events would make use of Ortigas and C5 route as an alternative to the usual.

I completed my 10k event iunofficially at 01h 115min 52sec. Even with my injury sustained I still am thankful that I did this race.

Race Downside

I have only one negative comment for the race event which is not actually race related but that of the PARKING FEE. I was all smiles driving my van to the exit of the parking lot when I submitted my parking ticket I was asked to pay P100.00 for a 2 hour parking. Usual parking fee in BGC or MOA is only P30.00 and at Ortigas Ruby Prestige Parking I was receipted by Secure Citiparking Philippines Corporation OR 130023618 amounting to P60.00 as Flat rate and OR130023619 as VAT and 12% VAT amounting to P40.00 for a total of P100.00 This was something for the books. What a downer!

Fort Striders Run 2011 - Another Race By Runners For Runners

Three weeks has passed since my last road race not that there has not been any road races since then but rather that the past three weeks has been raining and the weather has not been endusive to running.

This Sunday with good weather forecasted I made sure that I had myself registered in the Fort Striders Run 2011 which is a local running club who are based at Fort Bonifacio Global City. You may check their website here  The race event consisted of 16K/10K/5K/3K and was flagged off with the16K runners first at 5:30am followed by the other categories every 5 minutes interval. As what was expected the number of participants were not that spectacular but would be on the modest scale.

I was enetered at the 10K event and at 5:35am we were gunned off with basically the normal route in Bonifacio Global City however extending a third of the Katipunan flyover span as an added attraction. Hydration support are more than enough with well maintained security and marshals on stratigic points. I have all praises for The Fort Striders Running Club in sponsoring a well organized road race. Fort Striders used as their race organizer MIB Road Race Specialist. I have one minor comment which I hiope the sponsor and organizers could improve, the distance for the 10k was short of 0.25km maybe a more diligent distance measurement in the future. However, the distance markers were positioned along the route. The main attraction of this race was that the registrration fee for 10K was only P400.00 somethoing that you find very unusual now a days particularly on commercialized races. FS Run 2011 is another race event by runners for runners.

I completed my 10K in 01h16m38sec (unofficial) nothing spectacular but a well spent morning with fellow runners.

To Fort Striders Club Congratulations for a good race.