Fat Flush Water

I recently came upon this facebook group called "Get The Weight Down". A friend of mine shared a link about Fat Flush Water to avoid industrial beverages which is really nice because I'm so used to drinking diet sodas. Since I don't like plain water that much, this serves as an alternative for me. Some members of the FB group use the supplement "Skinny Fiber" but I'm more interested in the natural alternatives.

My own version of Vitamin Water is combination of grapefruit, orange and cucumber in 1 liter of water.  I tried looking for mint leaves in the groceries but they're really hard to find. It is better if you drink it as it is. But if you're like me who misses the sweet taste of soda, you can add a little bit of honey.

I wish I can stick to this one because this is definitely a healthier option. Wish me luck! :)

Rexona Run 2011 Race Analysis Result

If you want to see your Rexona Run 2011 Race Analysis Result visit runpix.com . All you have to do is type in your bib number or last name in the box and click your category (3k, 5k, 10k, 21k). You'll then be able to see your overall performance - result in the entire field, result in gender and result in division. The next page will tell your split times and speed. A bird's eye view of your finish is also illustrated. The last page will show your location on course - location when overall winner and division winner finished the race. I actually want to see the official photos too but they haven't posted them yet.

Jose Rizal @ 150 Fun Run

I just found out today that my sister signed me up for the RIZAL @ 150 Fun Run which will be held on September 18 at Luneta. I told her it's nice to be part of such historical event and she said that the singlet design was super cool too. And she was right!!!

The event is organized by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to celebrate Rizal's birth anniversary.Runners can participate in the 3K, 5K, 10K, and 16K categories. Registration fee is P600 for 16K and P500 for 3K, 5K, and 10K (inclusive of singlet, timing chip and bib). There will be a promo for students and government employees for the 3K category at P150 joining fee inclusive of timing chip and bib only.Only the first 7000 early registrants will get the commemorative Rizal singlet. The 16 K finishers and the top 100 finishers for male and top 100 for female in the 3K, 5K and 10K categories will get Rizal medals too.

For more details, please visit pinoyfitness.com .

Runrio Trilogy 2011 Leg2: Run United 2

I'm contemplating on joining the Runrio Trilogy 2011 Leg 2. Run United 2 will be held on August 21 at the Bonifacio Global City. Unilab has sponsored my run so I'm just waiting for my friends if they're planning to join this one also.

Rexona Run 2011 Race Results

I finally saw my race results today for the Rexona Run last July 24. I thought that my tag didn't work because initially I couldn't see my stats. I'm actually surprised that I did well because I didn't prepare at all for this race since I got sick the week prior to the event. Actually I'm more inspired now because I realized that I can run 3k in less than 30 minutes! ha!ha! I can't believe that the fastest runner in the 3k category just took 6 mins and 40 seconds to finish the race. Grabe! That was super uber fast!

My thoughts about the race:
1. It seems that there were lesser people who joined the run compared to last year.
2. How come there weren't any energy drinks in the hydration stations? Now they only gave out water...
3. There were only few items in the loot bag.
4. People still need to endure long lines just to get freebies.
5. The only thing I enjoyed was the free twin popsicles for runners! ha!ha!

If you want to find out your stats, visit this site.

Rexona Run 2011

After 7 months of hiatus, I finally found myself in the running circle again. My sister and I wanted my "balikbayan"Aunt to experience joining a race in the Philippines so we decided to join the Rexona Run 2011. It's a good thing that registration was still open since we wanted a race organized by Runrio.

Weekend at CamSur

A trip to Bicol meant visiting relatives for me for the past few years. But two weeks ago, it was different. I had another agenda in mind. I told myself that no matter what, I would make sure to pass by the famous Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) before I return to Manila. And that was what my family and I did.

The moment we entered CWC I had a huge smile plastered on my face. Like a 5-year-old kid on her first trip to Disneyland, I was pretty excited to finally visit the land of Ironman 70.3 and Camsur Marathon.

Welcome to CAMSUR! It was so surreal.
I wasn't interested in my family's CAMSUR trip at first
but the night before they left,
I decided to give myself a break and joined them.

If only I had all the time in the world,
I would have registered for the 1st CAMSUR Marathon.

I've seen this a couple of times in the internet minus the triathletes.
This is where the action begins --- the 1.2 mile swim.

CSW's cable park.

There wasn't any big event during our visit so the atmosphere was relaxing.
You can just sit back and watch athletes/newbies wakeboarding,
eat (try the bicolana pizza!)
get a massage and swim without the usual crowd.

Bye CamSur!

I hope I can join the marathon on my next visit! :)

Nice Surprise

I got a nice surprise a few days ago. I received 2 free copies of a new magazine, Multisport. I never thought I'd appreciate running or triathlon...but now here I am, reading these kinds of magazines! :)

NBA Fit Fun Run

My sister is a fan of NBA so when I told her about the NBA Fit Fun Run, she wanted to join instantly. I told her that it seems that the decision to organize a fun run was a last minute thing because the announcement was only done this week. It's not even in the list of races in takbo.ph. The event will not have any timing chip and photovendo. The organizer will just give out the runner's number and singlet. The singlet will be available on the day of the race. It will be held on a Saturday so hopefully I'll be able to adjust my schedule to be able to participate in the event.

According to nba.com, as part of the NBA Fit Week, the NBA FIT Fun Run will be held on August 14 with 3K, 5K and 10K distances. It is co-organized by RunRio. It is open to participants of all ages and a total of 2,000 slots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Here are other details of the race:

Race Venue: Mall of Asia
Registration Period: Aug 5-12
Registration Venues:
Fitness First, Mall of Asia
RUNNR, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Registration Fee: P300 for 3K/5K/10K
Assembly Time: 5 am
Gun Start: 3K-6am, 5K-5:50am, 10K- 5:40am

Running Around Campus

I run in Ateneo every time I prepare for an upcoming race. My route is usually around the high school parking lot or around the Bellarmine field if I wake up early. On the other hand, if I wake up late, I run at the oval track in the Moro Lorenzo gym.

I was happy when my friend informed me that there are actually 3k and 5k route maps available online. I never got the chance to search for them until now.

Here's one version taken from the RUN with M.E. event last July 2009.
Click here to check another version of the 5K Ateneo route from MapMyRun.

Rexona Run 2010 Race Results

Race results are out!
I felt good yesterday so I was kinda expecting that my running time will improve too. I was just waiting for the official results to come out. The race used the D-Tag of ChronoTrack System so it's really accurate.

Check out your race results too! :)

3K

5K

10K

21K

Rexona Run 2010

I woke up at 3:30 am today for the Rexona Run 2010. I only had 5 1/2 hours of sleep but I was instantly out of my bed when my sister woke me up! Unlike my previous races, I wasn't nervous at all for this particular run. I lacked preparation actually since I didn't have any time for serious running this week and I just spent yesterday morning brisk walking and chatting with my friend around the campus parking lot for 30 minutes. :) Probably it was the thought that I was only running 3k which made me more confident this time (since I already did 5K in Milo).

My sister, friends and I arrived at Mall of Asia one hour early from the 3K and 5K runners' assembly time. It was great because we were able to stop by a convenience store to eat a bit (ube cupcake and KitKat for me!!! ) and we were able to park easily. I even saw Bull Runner with her hubby (i think!)... wala lang!!! ( I just read her blog that's why I know her. I can't believe she's super sexy despite the fact that she has 2 kids already!)

I thought it was gonna be a rainy Rexona Run but it wasn't. The air was a bit cooler this morning and it was a bit cloudy too so I didn't have to worry about not putting on sunblock. Wouldn't it be nice if the weather will always be like this in the other races?

So what are my thoughts about the Rexona Run? As expected, it was great since it was organized by Runrio. I felt that the organizers were much careful now. Was is because of the Milo incident???

Here's what I liked about this race:
1. The race started on time. ( I actually pity those who were late... How can anyone be late for a race??? It's like you prepared days and weeks for the race and then you end up being late! That would be a total nightmare for me!)
2. There were a lot of marshals. They were practically everywhere to guide the runners- from the assembly line to various points along the race route.
3. There was ample supply of sports drink and water.
4. There were huge markers. ( What's nice about the Runrio races is that even if you don't read the map before the race, you still won't get lost.)
5. There was a group warm-up before the race.
6. There were last minute reminders for runners to stop running if they experience particular body signals like dizziness, difficulty of breathing etc .
7. There were already prepared loot bags for the runners. ( No more long lines to get freebies!).
8. There was a loud countdown. ( I prefer this one rather than a single gunshot like in the Milo Run)
9. The ChronoTrack System (D-Tag) was used to have accurate race results.
10. And lastly, the Photovendo. I'm hoping for better pictures this time. :)

So what's the down side for this race? For me it was Coach Rio himself!!! I actually saw him and asked him if I could take a picture with him but he turned me down! :( He said that if he would agree, everyone will follow raw! Hmmm....So that was a major disappointment for me! ha!ha! Just imagine going to Disneyland and you see Mickey Mouse...of course you would want to have a picture taken with him right??? ha!ha! Same goes with iconic Coach Rio... He just said " mamaya na lang..." ( As if I'd go and look for him right?)

Assembly Area

Waiting for the countdown....

I think this was the most relaxing run I've ever had.
It was probably the weather which was conducive to running.
I even didn't feel that tired or out of breath compared to my other races.
I think I'll have to do 5K races from now on....

Watching other runners cross the finish line.

The Shirt

The Meeting Place after the race.

The D-TAG

34th Milo Marathon Race Results

The MILO race results are finally out!
It took me about 30 minutes before I was able to finally see my name in the list! Nakakaduling! :)
I teased my sister because I finished a few minutes earlier than her! Her usual time for a 5k run is about 30 minutes but because she decided to run with me, it took her about an hour to cross the finish line. It's nice to have a sister like her! :)

MILO photos are out also.

MILO Runpix analysis are available for 10k, 21k and marathon runners.

My First 5K Run

The 34th Milo Marathon was truly an unforgettable running event for me. I woke up early at 3am and had light breakfast at Mc Donald's. I wasn't hungry but I just forced myself to eat. I was thinking that if I was going to faint during the race, I wouldn't want the reason to be just simple hypoglycemia! :) By 4:30 am, my friends and I were off to the venue.

My friend parked her car near one of the hotels along Roxas Boulevard because we were worried that we wouldn't be able to get a parking space near the venue. ( It was only after the race that we realized that the car was parked 2km from the starting line...ha!ha!)

While my friends and I were walking along Roxas Boulevard, a sea of "real runners" passed by. The 21k and 42 K marathon started already. I easily spotted Coach Rio with his Afro hair and neon yellow shirt among a pack of "green" runners. Too bad I wasn't able to get a picture!

We arrived at the check-in area a few minutes after and there were a lot of people already. And I mean A LOT! :) According to the organizers, there were 27,000 participants and 20,000 of them registered for the 5k run!!! It was like attending the World Youth Day all over again!!!

There wasn't a big high-tech countdown. The runners were asked to have 2 minutes of silence (which was futile because the teeners were chatting away and not paying attention! ha!ha!) and then there was a single gunshot which marked the start of the race.

Over-all, my first 5K run was fun! I didn't feel the pressure since my sister accompanied me the whole time. ( She would have finished the race in 30 minutes but she stayed with me .) I lacked training for this event actually so I knew that I would be definitely slower than my previous races. It was 70% walking and 30% running for me. The road was also too crowded so even if I decided to speed up, it was useless since it's impossible to run without bumping into someone. As I've said, there were a lot of teeners in the race. Some of them carried MILO banners. Some even took a short cut, climbing the street barrier so that they can be with their classmates who were already on their way back to the finish line. I thought that they were just required by their school to join the event and were not really into running. (And I was right! My sister found out later that day that there were schools who required their students to attend the MILO run!).

The funny part about the whole race were the drinking stations. I had to experience pouring Gatorade in my cup from a huge container. If it wasn't for my fear of collapsing due to dehydration, I would have passed all the stations without drinking! :) But still, I'm not complaining. I just paid P100 for this event so I totally understand if the event lacked manpower.

Lastly, I thought the starting line was the finish line too. My sister and I slowed down when we passed the sign and followed the others by walking. We then realized afterwards that the finish line was still about half kilometer away! But I was still grateful that my sister and I finished the race within the one-hour curfew! :)

After the race, we didn't get our free MILO drink. We didn't fall in line to get other free stuff. We also didn't get to have our after-the-race picture taking. It was too hot. It was too crowded. And we were too tired! :) We walked back to where my friend parked her car...that was another 2 km of cool-down! ha!ha! When you think about it, we were able to walk-run a distance of 9k! That only meant one thing....we could do 10K someday! :)

Walking towards the starting area...

Race Map

Sunrise in Luneta

MILO's Zorro

5K Check-in Area

Trying to get close to the starting line....
pero malayo pa rin :(

MILO Walkathon :)

The turn near Manila Yacht Club -
How can you run in this crowd?

I really thought we were already near the finish line...

At last... I made it! :)

Falling in line just to hand-in the runner's bar code
and get the MILO certificate.

MILO stage

Note Worthy

If Bridget Jones has a diary...then I'm going to have one also!!! :) I started contemplating on having one after I read an issue of Runner's World magazine a few days ago. The magazine got me motivated again. I love all the inspirational stories of ordinary people who excel in running , diet tips, running tips and product recommendations. It's so overwhelming actually but I'm learning a lot. One article discussed about having a training journal to keep runners motivated and focused. I think this is what I really need now. I've read about keeping a journal when dieting but I haven't tried it yet. So this time, I'm determined to have one so that I can achieve my ultimate goal in life (for now!) --- losing weight!

The journal can just be a wall calendar or an online diary.(I decided to just log mine in a planner.)
As suggested by Runner's World, these are the things that should be written down in a runner's training journal:

THE RUN
Mileage ( or time)
Routes and Terrain
Interval or Race Times
Temperature and Time

ABOUT YOU
Morning weight
Mood
Aches or Pains

OTHER INFO
Food (before and after the run)
Partners
Goals (set targets daily, weekly and monthly)
Ideas

For more tips, check out their cool website: Runner's World

34th Milo Marathon

I just saw the commercial for the 34th Milo Marathon awhile ago. I googled for more information about the race and I realized that new runners like me can also join!!!! I really thought that this race was for serious marathon runners only!

For Metro Manila (July4):

- 42.195K Elimination Race – P 500.00
- 21K Run – P 500.00
- 10k Run – P 500.00
- 5k Fun Run – P 100.00

- Student Runners (5K and 10K) – P 50.00

* P 5.00 from the registration feel will be donated to the Run-For-A-Cause

* Runners must submit a 300 g MILO pack upon registration.
* Registration started last June 14.
* For more race details, check out the official site.

Check out the MILO commercial! I bet you'll also want to join after you see this! :)

Jennifer Hudson: Weight Loss Tips

I saw chubby Jennifer Hudson when she was still a contestant in American Idol. That's why I'm so envious now that she has lost a lot of weight already....60 lbs! grabe!!! From size 22 to size 10!!!! omg! omg!omg!

Here are the weight loss tips I got:

Diet:
1. cut out fried food
2. eat low fat, low calorie meals
3. meal: consists of palm size serving of protein, fiber and carbohydrate
4. staple food: green salad, grilled chicken, fish, cranberry juice
5. snacks: cashew, almonds, raisins

* Just like Jessica Simpson, she also hired Harley Pasternak, author of 5-Factor World Diet to help her lose weight.

Exercise:
1. workout: 4 am run followed by 4 sets (25 reps) of squats, push-ups and sit-ups.
2. walking for 45 minutes to an hour every night

My fave quote from Jenny:

“You can do it!” “I drink plenty of water, which I hate, but you gotta do it,” says Hudson. “As long as I can get in those cute little dresses, I’m happy.” [source: Us Weekly]

credit: howcelebritiesloseweight.com,
ifitandhealthy.com

My Running Buddy

My sister woke me up super early today so that we could run together. Here's our conversation this morning:

Sis: Ate wake up! Let's run!
Me: Ayoko! Mukhang uulan!
Sis: Hindi Ate!!! Cloudy lang!
Me: No! It's gonna rainnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And after awhile...
Me: O sige...sama na ko!!! :)

So what's the point of this convo? People like me really need someone to force me to exercise. I could come up with a zillion of reasons why I should stay in bed...i'm still sleepy....it's gonna rain...my running shoes will get wet..it's sooo hot....it's school time and there are students in the campus already....etc etc.... But I guess the thought of seeing my sister arriving home after an hour of morning run was enough to push me out of bed.

Do you have a running buddy too?

Traffic! Traffic! Traffic!
It's ORSEM time again in campus! :)

Nature Valley Run Pics @ PhotoVendo

I saw my running pictures from the Nature Valley Run @ PhotoVendo (via kulitrunner again!). And all I can say is that...NAKAKAHIYA!!!! NAKAKAHIYA AKO!!!! ha!ha! It's so embarrasing really! If someone's gonna blackmail me, all he has to do is just tell me that he'll post my Nature Valley Run (NVR) photos in facebook for all my friends to see! ha!ha!

How come others get to have great photovendo pics?????

Anyway, I will have to charge it to experience. :) And for the next race ( in case there' s photovendo again!), I will have to remind myself to....
1. always smile especially near the finish line because all the photographers are there...
2. always look at the camera when I see a photographer .....
3. not avoid the photographers because, whether I like it or not, they'll still click those cameras....
4. minimize blinking or else I'll get those "sleeping" pics again! ha!ha!
5. train more so that I won't have the "i'm-running-but-i'm-about-to-collapse look"!!!!!!!!!

By the way, despite the humiliation I felt, I still saved all my NVR photos for sentimental reasons! ha!ha! I think it would be nice to look back at them after I've joined several races....

Nature Valley Run RUNPIX result

I never thought running can be this cool! :)
I just visited runpix.info (via kulitrunner) to see my race result analysis. I must say I'm pretty proud of myself! ha!ha! I actually had a laughing fit when I saw my location when the overall winner, female winner and my division winner finished the race. Yes, I'm one of the Pong Pagong in the 3K run!
Nevertheless, I'm still contented with my stats. I wasn't the fastest 3K runner last Sunday but at least I was somewhere in the middle.
I actually couldn't believe that the 1st placer in the 3K run had a finish time of 9 minutes and 45 seconds. Is he human??????? I was still somewhere near the NBC Tent when he finished the race! ha!ha!