Training Ground

Just want to share where do I usually train and prepare whenever I have an upcoming run. Like any other sports disciplines, running also requires time and effort with regards to training. But unlike other sports that need a special place, running can be done even outdoor. It's not a demanding sports. As long as there's an open space you can do your usual training. 

Ayala Triangle Garden

During weekdays I usually have my night run at Ayala Triangle Garden. The Ayala Triangle is a sub-district of the Makati Central Business district, comprising of the parcel of land between Ayala Avenue, Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, as well as the buildings on those streets. The lush gardens is now considered as a refuge for the fast-paced Makati life. The wide space of greenery is enjoyable for jogging, brisk walking or people-watching.

After office hours every Monday and Wednesday depends on my availability I headed to this park to do at least one hour run.

Ayala Triangle Map. As you can see, the whole park is indeed has triangular shape. The blue lines is my usual route when running around the park.

Inside of the park

Side walk covering the whole park. This is where I usually run.

Quirino Grandstand

And during weekends whenever I'm available I usually have my early morning run at Quirino Grandstand along Roxas Boulevard. (just across Rizal Park). Most of the time I am running here together with my housemates.

The Quirino Grandstand is basically a part of Rizal Park. The park itself is located in the heart of Manila, specifically the north of Roxas Blvd., and overlooking the beautiful Manila Bay

Facade of Quirino Grandstand

The one highlighted in blue is my usual route when running around the Quirino Grandstand ground

Fun Run 2011: Small Steps to BIG Accomplishment

A lot of good things happened to me this year. One of this is my new found love and passion for running. This is one of the reasons why this year is so special to me. This gives me more motivation to live and promote a healthy and active lifestyle. Sounds like a running advocate huh?. :-).

It's the last quarter of this year when I started joining fun runs which led one race event to another. And before the year ends I want to summarize all the races that I've joined to and my personal experiences for each run.

Here's the list of the fun run events and the corresponding time I took to finish each run.

Unilab Run United Leg 2 - August 20, 2011

This is my debut run. I tried a 5K category for this event. The result I think is not bad for a first timer. To think I don't have any training yet. :-)

My first run result - 00:30:11 for 5K

Having my sprint while approaching the finish line

AXN Run Philippines 2011 - September 19, 2011

After 5K I immediately moved up to 21K category. It;s definitely a big jump! This is my first run for this category. It is also the first time AXN organized this kind of event. The race route is challenging especially for a first timer. We run the whole stretch of C5 road. As a newbie I didn't expect that I will be crossing those flyovers especially the one along Tiendesittas. Thank God I didn't experienced leg cramps. That's the advantage of being able to take some training prior to the actual run. I also maximized the availability of hydration station and the supplies of banana being provided by the organizer along the race. This is such an awesome run for me. And I am very proud to say that "I really took the challenge!"

My Personal Record for my first 21K run - 2:18:34

 I'm on my last 1 km of the race when this shot was taken. 

My first 21K finisher shirt

Very proud for my first medal as 21K finisher

Nike We Run Manila 2011 - October 15, 2011

Even though I already surpassed a 21K run I still keen to try other category. For the first time, Nike organizes an event promoting the passion of running. It only catered a 10K category. This is also my first time to participate a night race. For me the whole run doesn't went well. Due to   a large number of participant (around 8,000) the whole race was very crowded. Aside from that, the weather is too humid during that time and some parts of the route were not well lit. These probably some of the drawbacks of a night race.

It was a big race. The huge turnout of runners filled the street with shades of orange.  What an amazing view!

My first 10K run result

Adidas King of the Road 2011 - October 23, 2011

KOTR is already one of the event each runner is waiting for every year. Though the registration fee for this run is so pricey, I am still very eager to try this race. I prepared so much for this run. I did an intense and regular training. I was very determined to break my previous 21K record in AXN Run. And I'm so glad that I didn't failed! From 2:18:34 I got my new best PR of 2:04:29 for this category.

My Best Personal Record for 21K to date - 2:04:29

Took this photo while I'm on my way near the finish line

Another 21K finisher medal to be added on my collection

Energizer Night Race - November 05, 2011

This is the first Energizer Night Race here in Metro Manila. It's a run for a cause and the proceeds will be used to purchase hearing aids for the beneficiaries of the GMA Kapuso Foundation. 

What makes this run a unique one is the Energizer Headlight included in the race kit that each participant should wear during the entire  race. Thousands of participants joined the night race and the headlights create a dazzling visual spectacle in the streets of BGC. It was  that Energizer headlights (including mine) lasted and stayed on even after the race, in spite of the drizzly atmosphere. This is considered to be the first of its kind to be held in Metro Manila.


This is my second time to participate in a 10K run where I also got my best PR for this category. It is also my first time to ran while the rain is pouring.

Thousands of runner wearing an Energizer Headlight, producing dazzling streaks of light in the streets of Bonifacio Global City.

My best Personal Record for 10K category - 00:55:21

Me while running on the rain

Unilab Run United 3 - November 13, 2011

Running a 32K is actually not yet part of my plan for this year. But when I found out that this category will be included in Unilab Run United Leg 3, I felt this kind of ecstatic reaction and excitement.

Before I came up with my final decision I assessed myself first: Am I ready for this? Having good results with my two previous half mary, I felt that I am ready to move to the next level.

I've checked also if I have enough time to train for this long run. I also considered the number runs that I'll be joining prior to this event which could also help me to condition my body for this very tough run. And with all those factors, without any hesitation I immediately go to Glorietta to register for this category.

The 32K was considered to be my preparation for my first-ever full marathon run hopefully February of next year. It now represented my farthest run. I can't still imagine that I could’ve run for more than 3 hours. 

There's lots of important thing I learned from this experience which I should also apply for my future long runs.

"Run at a pace where I can finish, not a pace where time is important". Never felt intimidated with other runners who were overtaking you. Always focus with your goal - to finish the race without any injury or leg cramps.

Another thing I should consider is on how to overcome the “wall.” As mentioned at the Run United site, the 32-kilometer mark is the point where marathon runners encounter the dreaded “wall.” The wall is a somewhat intimidating term that is commonly used to describe the devastating feelings of fatigue and sometimes confusion that can occur in the final miles of a marathon. Breaking the wall is partly physical and partly mental as well. During my last 5K I already felt so much pain especially on my legs. My legs feel as if they are made of cement. I felt dehydrated and felt like I'm starving. I know now why most of the long distance runners uses this energy gels and other in-race fueling. This should be included in my race kit whenever I;m doing a long distance run.

According to some marathon related sites , with proper training, nutrition/hydration management and proper mental strategies you can avoid the marathon wall or at least minimize its impact on your race. 

For the mental strategies, I think I need to practice some pain disassociation technique. The next time I'll be on that situation, maybe I'll just imagine myself running in a beach or having my full body massage. hahaha!

Shot during the last 1 km of the race

My 32K Personal Record - 3:29:41

The Finisher shirt

The finisher medal 

Run for Pasig River - November 20, 2011


It's an annual advocacy run being organized by ABS-CBN Foundation as part of their project - Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP). This serves as the crux of KBPIP's fundraising and information campaign for the ongoing rehabilitation of the river.

Due to the huge volume of participants for this event we experienced difficulty going to our assigned starting line. For 10K starting line is at Seaside Blvd. at the back of SM Mall of Asia. I was late and arrived almost 10 minutes after the gun start. Luckily, I was able to catch-up and finish the race for only 49 minutes based on my Nike plus run timer application. Thanks to the group of policemen that served as my running pace. 

Corregidor Internationa Half Marathon - December 10, 2011


This is my concluding run for 2011. This was undoubtedly the toughest, the most gruelling, and the most challenging run I had ever experienced so far. This is also the best run I've joined to date.

CIHM has been known to be an extreme marathon since it has an endless amount of killer hills and slippery trails. It is considered to be a combination of a ridge and a trail run. The race would at the same time be a tour around Corregidor wherein you get to see the ruins and structures in Corregidor plus the ocean view on some parts and eerie experience of ghostly sections like the famous Malinta Tunnel. 


What's good about this race is the route that each runner needs to take. Despite of all the difficulties and challenges that I've experienced, with such a beautiful and enchanting views all the hard feelings were faded out. 

My favorite photo on my entire run for 2011. Thanks to KB photography for this awesome shot.

With this kind of race, I already expecting not to beat my PR for 21K. My time is 2:08:48. Just 4 minutes behind my PR - still not bad.

Another great shot c/o KB photography. As you may noticed, I've used this as my header background for this blog. :)

A Life Cycle Video

I absolutely love this video. It's extremely inspiring! It depicts so many things to ponder and gives me more reasons to be grateful and be positive in life. 


This also gives me more encouragements to include biking on my active lifestyle. And I can't wait to buy my own bike. Hopefully by next year! :-)

Passion for Running

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."

- Steve Prefontaine

It is almost 4 months when I first joined a fun run event. It all started with a 5K run category on Unilab Run United Leg 2 last August 20, 2011. Honestly, I'm not really serious about this running thing and I just tried it out of curiosity. But I was surprised as it all turned out into an unexpected passion for me. From 5K I immediately skipped the 10K and moved to 21K category after a month. But I also tried some 10K on the succeeding months.  The farthest run I ever had is 32K. Imagine that, in just 4 months I was able to run that far! That's what you call "Addiction!"

Until now I'm still wondering why I got hooked on this sport. Out of so many reasons, I can say running really brings me a sense of achievement and self-fulfilment. It doesn't matter whether I come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. What's important is I can proudly say "I have finished!" And it gives me a lot of satisfaction.

Here are my Personal Records:

5K   - 00:30:11  - Unilab Run United 2 - August 2011

10K - 00:55:21  -  Energizer Night Race - November 2011

21K - 02:04:29  - Adidas King of the Road - October 2011

32K - 03:29:41  - Unilab Run United 3 - November 2011

42K  ---------------------TBD---------------------------------

When we Rocked ILOCOS!

My fondness to travel, adventure and photography (to some extent) inspired me to come up with this idea of creating my own blog. Although it took me so long before I decided to pursue it :-). 

My first out of town trip with my friend's company happened way back in June 2008 in Ilocos Sur/Norte. And yes, it took more than 3 years before I was able to publish my own blog entry for this very memorable trip. Here are some of the places we visited during our 3 days trip.


Note: I lost the raw copies of all the photos I have for this trip so i just grabbed it from my account on various social networking sites. So please bear with me if you find the images blurred. 

Day 1 

The rest house where we stayed during our Vigan tour. This is where we headed immediately after very long hours of travel from Manila to take our shower and prepare for our whole day Vigan experience. Thanks to our former colleague, Angela for allowing us to stay here.

Early morning in Vigan. These preserved old Spanish-inspired houses were converted into souvenir shops.

Calle Criisologo - name of the street comprising the whole stretch of the heritage village of Vigan.

Rainy night in Vigan plus a perfect lighting brings colors that blended with the rich antiquity of the place. For me this shots gives a very romantic atmosphere :-)

Spending time on a place like this with your friend's company is indeed a very memorable experience. I really missed this! This picture makes me a little bit sad.

Another place that we visited on our Vigan trip is Baluarte. This place is actually owned by Chavit Singson, a well-known politician and the current Governor of Ilocos Sur. The Baluarte is approximately 20 hectares with a mini zoo, shooting range, and a chapel, among others. Access to the mini zoo, where Chavit’s numerous pets can be found is free for everyone. We didn't spend too much time here due to heavy rains that day.

Day 2

On the second day, we dropped by first to Pagburnayan (also in Vigan) before we start our tour to Ilocos Norte. This is one of Vigan's must see attraction. This is where traditional burnay jars of varied shapes, designs and sizes are made. It was also here that we got a chance to meet and talk to Vigan's pride, Philippine's National Folk Artist, Mr. Fidel Antiporda Go.  He's the one who demonstrated the traditional way of making this jar.

Huge Burnay (unglazed earthen jars) - used for fermenting Basi (local wine) or storage of rice, vinegar, water etc.

We started our tour at Ilocos Norte by visiting the famous old church of Paoay. This church is considered as one of UNESCO's World Heritage site.

Another place that we included in our itinerary is the Malacañang of the North or Malacanang ti Amianan in Ilocano also in Paoay. This is one of former president Marcos' rest house in Ilocos Norte. Overlooking from the balcony on the second floor of this mansion is the Paoay Lake.

Our next destination is the Marcos Museum. The Marcos museum that housed all the memories of his reign is the president's former house in Batac, Ilocos Norte. It has been renovated and still preserves its Spanish look. The house contains the huge memorabilia and collections of the late president. Also found here is the mausoleum of the former president. All visitors are not allowed to take a picture inside the mausoleum.

We also dropped by at Fort Ilocandia Hotel and Resort to have our lunch. It is one of the famous place in Laoag City and the only 5 star hotel in Northern Philippines.

Another must see destination in Ilocos is the Bangui Windmills. This is actually one of my favorite destination in Ilocos Norte during our trip. Looking at these windmills at far really amazed me. They are huge, powerful, and modern-looking. These 15 wind turbines (on the time we went there) installed along the shore of Bangui Bay are considered to be the biggest in Southeast Asia.

My humble attempt to capture the beauty of this giant structure - very up close and personal. :-)

And for our  final stop, the very beautiful and famous beach of Pagudpud. We stayed at Polaris Resort. This is actually one of the cheapest in the area.. If you're travelling in Pagudpud with a tight budget, we certainly recommend this resort. It has the same shoreline as the famous Saud Beach.

Day 3

On our last day, we spent our time enjoying the beach. This photo never fails me to laugh. My friend Trish edited this photo just to include Domz (the one in the center) in his infamous cheerleader's jump. He really jumped very high! Isn't it amazing? hahahaha!

Morning at Pagudpud - This uncommercialized place looks so clean and serene. It's very relaxing!

Second to the last pit stop of our Ilocos trip is the winding Patapat Viaduct. This is a snake looking elevated highway located along the tortuous roads of Ilocos Norte leading to the province of Cagayan. The view of the South China Sea from the Patapat viaduct is really breathtaking.

Another cool jump shot with my friends.

Last on our list before we head to the airport for our flight back to Manila is a quick stop at Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos, Ilocos Norte. It is set majestically on a hill called Vigia de Nagparitan overlooking the West Philippine Sea. This is my first time to see a lighthouse! And the view from the top is really awesome! It is definitely one of the most iconic views in Ilocos Norte that everyone should visit while you're in the province.

Looking up, you could see the tower as if it was moving and falling down on you. But in reality, it's the clouds in the background that were moving and gave us that illusion.

The whole trip brought so much fun and excitement to me and to my friends. Though it's a little bit tiring and uncomfortable due to hot weather but with all these refreshing sceneries, everything is worth it!

I can say we really rocked Ilocos and we want to come back!

The Beginning

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” - Lao Tzu

It took me some time thinking on how to start this personal blog of mine. And with how I named it, this quote from a famous Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, popped into my mind. This quote is really appropriate with the sentiment I am having right now as I go along doing this 'blogging' thing. In everything we do in this life, it always begins in a first step. And I must say this will be the first step of this very long journey that I'll be having as I added blogging" to my world.

This blog will serve as my personal journal and an avenue to share everything that caught my interest. And I'm very excited about it! Writing is not really my forte that's why I got this idea of blogging to at least develop my literary skills. As they say, it's never too late.

Please join me as I am taking this first step of this very long journey. Feel free to give your feedbacks and suggestions in every entry that I'll be posting here.