Run United 2 - Spared by the Rain

For the last two years (now on its third year) Run United sponsored by United Laboratories has built a reputation of its own as one that is well organized and generous in its give-aways to the runners. The event runs trice in a year and has been dubbed as the RunRio Trilogy. Today 17Jun2012 is the 2^nd part of the trilogy for the year 2012. As expected the running community were there to support the event even with the rain threat from the tropical storm "Butchoy".

An hour before midnight I was still at Mall of Asia (MOA) having just attended the formal opening of the MOA Arena with a musical concert of various big named local artists of different ganre called ICONS AT THE ARENA. It was a great musical concert to formally open THE ARENA which also highlighted a tribute to HENRY SY the founder and grandpatriate of SM MALLS and its buiseness empire. Great as it was, but that is another story. Five hours after I was back at MOA this time for the RUN UNITED 2.

Leaving my house it was raining hard and with the lack of sleep, I was not really in great shape for the run. Minutes after my arrival at MOA for whatever reason the rain stopped. Belive you me, the rain never came back allowing the 10k/5/3f/500m events be completed free from rain. The 21k event started at Bonifacio Global City and I just assume that haft the route the runner on this event experienced rainshowers.

Just before the gun start I decided to do the 10k event on RACE WALK to sustain whatever energy I have due to lack of sleep. 01hr 25m 09s after the gunstart I crossed the finish line.

There is no need to critique the race as it has excelled in past and nothing else can be expect from Coach Rio which was the case this time around. While the event ranks as one of those that is highly participated, the threat of the rains could have prevented other runners and be a NO SHOW.

Congratulation to United Laboratories and what can I say prayers were heared in heaven sparing the Run United 2 from being washout by rain of tropical storm "Butchoy".

Run United 2 - 16000 Runners

Today 21Aug11 as early as 3am all roads were leading to Bonifacio Global City (BGC) for the Run United 2 which is the 2^nd Leg of the Runrio Trilogy. The event marks also the 4^th year of RUNRIO in organizing local road races who are primariy one of if not the main driving factor in the popularity of running in the Philippines today which has never had it as big as what it is now.

In 2007 when Runrio did their first race event there were only1888 registered runners which at that time was already considered a big crowd. Today, after 4 years Run United 2 generated 16000 registered runners (21k/3500 10k/5000 5k/3k/500m/balance). For a single day event I think this number is something for the records. In this magnitude of participants a major factor is crowd management which I would like to congratulate RUNRIO to have a done a good job in making sure of safety and orderliness during the event.

Participants that joined the event have their own individual reasons for picking up the sport of running. Whatever they may be, it is still a step forward for the well being of each individual person. What has fascinated me were the smile and glow in the faces of the participants and even the non-participants who came along to see their family and/or friends.

As I was entered in the 10k event I was able to watch the gun start for the 21k which was a sight to behold with all 3500 runners just for the 21k event. The 10k event due to the number has reached 5000 the gun start was in two waves starting from 5:30am and folowed 3 minutes after for safety reasons. This was followed by the 5k/3k/ and the 500m events for kids.

I completed my 10k event in an unofficial time of 01h11m51s and a ton of joy in my heart to share the road with the different runners in all walks of life.

Happy 4^th anniversary to RUNRIO and may you continue to deliver world class road races in the Philippines.