Cebu Run Route # 6: “The Warped Tank”

This is LSD # 4, completed just a little over an hour ago. =)

Why the name? Well, if you use your imagination, it REALLY looks like a misshapen, distorted tank. Hahaha.

Here’s a confession: I was supposed to do this run early this morning, around 4AM. But since my cellphone’s alarm clock refused to cooperate with me – yes, I put the blame on the alarm clock and not on me accidentally hitting the stop button instead of the snooze – I decided to do this after work instead. Before I started I prayed that it wouldn’t rain because I don’t want that squeaky feeling in my shoes. Thankfully, the heavens granted my request, and I was able to run well.

This LSD is so special for the following reasons: (1) it’s the first one to reach the farther western part of Cebu City: (2) I had highly minimal breaks while running (I was forced to stop while crossing intersections and streets, I had no choice!); and (3) I didn’t bring a hydration belt, just to test my limits. This is why as of the moment I’m typing this post with 2 Gatorade bottles beside me. Hahaha! The only long break I had during the run was when before I hit KM15 – my body was yelling for fuel. Good thing there was a gas station so I took a stop there and prepared for the final stretch of the run.

And might I say, the view of the Cebu Provincial Capitol and the Crown Regency Towers is impressive at nighttime. Too bad I didn’t bring along my phone for this run, I could have taken a few shots. Since this run was approaching the downtown section of Cebu, I didn’t want to take the risk of having my phone stolen in the middle of the road. Better safe than sorry. But the memory is fresh in my head. =)

From the condominium, get yourself warmed up until you reach F. Cabahug. After you make a left, start running, then go straight until you see Alpa City Suites, at which point you should make a right. Go straight until you see the flyover, but don’t go up it. Instead, turn right upon reaching the intersection underneath it. This brings you directly to Lopez Jaena, one of the many national roads you will be running, so make sure to run against traffic. Go straight then cross the intersection fronting the Mabolo Church. You’re now officially at M.J. Cuenco. Keep on going straight until you see a signage leading to Puente Osmeña. Turn right at the intersection. You’ll know you’re at the right path if you immediately see a cemetery to your side. When you get to a fork at the end, take the left path at this will lead you to Puente Osmeña. When you do pass St. Theresa’s College (and get a grand view of the Crown Regency Towers), that’s the signal you’re near the circle. Battle the semi-uphill path then make a right. Take the street that will lead you directly to the capitol – it’s only a kilometer away. It’ll be flat land on the way to the capitol so run like the wind if you want to. At the intersection fronting the capitol, make another right, then tackle the uphill and downhill paths leading to the University of the Philippines in Cebu. Once you’re past that, you’re halfway done. Just continue running straight and make sure to make a right when you see a signage leading to the port area. You’ll know you’re on the right path if you see JY Square Mall within the vicinity. You’ll have another chance to run like the wind because it’s another downhill ride for you! But when you see the Asiatown I.T. Park, make a left, and do an 8-loop. Once you’re done, exit the park, and head to Gov. Cuenco Avenue. Run straight until you front Gaisano Mall, then make a right at the signage leading to VECO. Now head back to Gov. Cuenco Ave. via J. Panis street, then upon reaching the flyover, make a left at Juan Luna, make another left at a side street leading to F. Cabahug, then speed all the way back to the condominium. That’s 16.9K for you.

When I passed by St. Theresa’s College, I saw that they’re hosting a race on July 19. Categories and the race routes are unknown, so I’ll contact the organizers regarding this one. The run is entitled “Move With Air”. Looks like this will be my second race from the month of July – the other one is the Milo Marathon, simultaneous with Manila.

To zoom in on the map, click here.

Another LSD soon? Why not? But I need to train for the Milo Marathon 21K. I’m looking forward to beat my current time of 2:30. =)

Why I LOVE Running

Before I made my own hate list on running. In pretty much the same manner, I’ll be mentioning why I love to run. Thanks again to the Running Fatboy for the inspiration. =)

10 You get to go over your limits. When I was still a couch potato, I used to think that 5K was very far. But now that I’m highly engaged in running, 5K doesn’t cut the mark at certain points – you get to craving to move more.

09 Finisher’s medals, freebies, and those colorful singlets. Lots of proof that you can pass on to future generations.

08 A much leaner body? Running is the key!

07 It helps reduce carbon emissions at a certain point. Saves you on gas, too. Instead of driving to your destination that’s just 1.5 kilometers away, why not run for it (or walk, as the case may be)?

06 Before, eating used to be called “lamon sessions”. Now, it’s called “carbo-loading”.

05 You get to go to places you never thought you could reach on foot. Case in point – reaching the Mactan airport in Cebu 11 kilometers away from my condominium simply by running. How cool is that? =)

04 This is a sport which doesn’t need lessons (unless you’re aiming for competition-level running). All you need is a pair of legs, some comfortable shoes, and determination. =)

03 Increased aerobic capacity. The more (and the longer you run), the more your respiratory system can tolerate. IMHO, chicks dig men with huge chests. =P

02 It gives you that unexplainable “high” that no other sport can give.

01 Why walk when you can run? =)

Cebu Run Route # 5: “The Airport”

Another LSD completed this morning – to be exact, nearly 4 hours ago. This is by far the longest LSD I’ve ever done. =)

(Markers are shown in kilometers.)

This one is similar to the long run I had last Saturday, only that this time around, I took some time and effort to visit the airport. Hence, the route’s name. =P Again, I had to wake early for this one. I set my alarm to 330AM but I had a hard time getting my touche off the bed since it was cold in my room and I only had around 4 hours of sleep. But what the hell, it’s now or never. This LSD was supposed to be done yesterday but I stayed up late to watch a movie with my colleagues at work. Another reason why I got up early is that the sun rises quite early in Cebu, and I don’t want the heat to disturb my training. So I was out on the roads by 4AM. I thought that I would finish a little before 7AM, but the heat got into me as I passed the 16K mark and beyond. Yep, it was THAT hot already by 7AM and I couldn’t concentrate that much anymore. Admittedly, after KM16 I had to go with my usual run-and-go strategy so that I’ll have enough strength to get back to the condominium. In addition, I had to stop at the gas station to refuel my hydration belt, and drink some Cobra so that I’ll be pumped up somehow. Caffeine, glorious caffeine.

And yeah, I got to go through the twin bridges of Cebu yet again, with the usual crowd of morning joggers conquering the apex and doing their stretching. One thing I found very relaxing during the run was the fact it was breezy on top of the Marcelo Fernan bridge – there is a section approaching KM8 where in you can feel the breeze. I had to stop and feel it since it was really soothing to the body. After a few minutes of rest and appreciation of this wonder, I ran again.

Surprisingly enough, I finished the entire course in 3 hours and 18 minutes. The usual pace I would normally go for an LSD would be a constant 10 min/KM. Yes, my legs do feel tired as of now, but hey, at least I completed it though it was blazing hot in the last few stretches of the run. In the end I was semi-wasted but fulfilled, and eventually I rewarded myself with a sumptuous breakfast c/o Jollibee. =)

Starting from the condominium, work your day down to F. Cabahug, then make a left. Follow the vehicles until you get to Alpa City Suites. Make a right when you see this building. Continue running until you see a mini-flyover. Underneath it is M. Briones, one of the national roads will be traversing for this course of this run. Turn left, and make sure you run against traffic. It would be helpful if you bring along a light source at this section since there are many dark areas and you might trip on something, thereby causing you to lose your momentum. If you do see any flyovers along the way, do not attempt to go up them or you wil be run over. SERIOUSLY. Run until you see a signage showing the way to Mactan Airport. This is the time to go right, and when you do, you have passed KM5. Run along with the other runners that come your way – they will be making their way up to the bridge. When you get there and feel a rush of wind move across your body, stop a while and take time to appreciate it – it won’t be that windy after that. After crossing the bridge, make a left, and you will be heading to the Mactan Export Processing Zone. You will have some landmarks telling you when to make a right to the airport: (1) a welcome sign from the export processing zone itself; (2) a big clock from Timex, which will remind you of Big Ben in London; and (3) another signage. Now battle the gradual uphill path and continue running until you see the airport’s tarmac. Keep running until you see the arrows leading to the departure area. When you get to the actual airport itself, you’re halfway done with the course. Refuel and rest a while, then go back all the way you came from. After you’ve passed the big Timex clock and made a left, run to the second bridge. When you get down from it, you have 6K to tackle, but it will be hard if the sun’s already up, so head home as fast as you can with minimal breaks! When you see a flyover, make a left, then head your way to the second flyover, at which point you should make a right. Run until you see Alpa City suites again – you’ll have only a little over 2K so push yourself. At Sarrosa hotel, make a right, then run all the way back to the condominium.

I got some pictures c/o of my phone’s camera. =)

KM0. Actual time of departure: 407AM.

Just passed the 5K mark.

KM6. A little more before I get to the bridge…

This bridge looks familiar…

…and this one, too.
Heck, they’re both glorious sights with the lights on. =D

Admiring the view with the breeze from the left…

…now from the right.

One of them markers telling you you’re near the airport.

Actual road to the airport.

The tarmac from afar. Can you see the plane?

The hotel LITERALLY beside the airport. Cool, huh.

Wait, I covered the departures and arrivals signage…

Oh, there it is.

Hey, I’m not exactly leaving yet… =P

Welcome to the airport. It’s this busy already at 6AM.

Resting with the trees…

Time to go back.

A semblance of Big Ben, c/o the folks at Timex.

Wow, looks like the Golden Gate bridge from afar. Already passed KM15 at this point.

The Sykes building – the signal that you’re almost done.

To zoom in on the map, click here.

I think this should be enough training for the next race I’m about to join in. Time to taper. But I’ll still be running this week – it’ll be a bunch of easy runs from here on in. =)

Cebu Run Route # 4: “The Ocho-Ocho”

Yet another fabricated running route from me. This time, much of it is at Asiatown I.T. Park, home of a plethora of recreational runners/joggers. The place in itself is very breezy, though we can’t always discount the pollution. On a good note, though, not many vehicles pass through it, like the major roads of Cebu. That’s why the air is more breathable here than in my previous run routes. Along with the tall buildings you’ll find lots of fields where anyone can do practically almost anything – like stare at the stars or discuss in a group or simply talk to your friends.

(Markers are shown in kilometers.)

Why do I name the route as such? Because when you get to the I.T. Park itself, you can run a route having the shape of an “8″, as shown on the map. An “8″ is roughly 1.67K, a little over a mile, so you’ll gain a little over than 8K of mileage if you do five laps. If you deign to do 8 of them, however, you’ll garner 13.36K. So you can take your pick. Either:
- do 8 figure-8s; or
- do just enough figure-8s to run 8K.
No matter what happens, in the end, you would have gotten an “ocho-ocho”. =) I opted for the first choice since it’s really a good running spot and I wanted to maximize my time on it.

From the condominum, make your way down to Sarrosa hotel, then turn right. Battle the traffic until you get to Juan Luna, then make another right. Make sure to stay on the opposite side of the road. Go straight until after you cross the flyover. Once you do, veer to the right a bit, you’re almost about to enter the I.T. Park itself. Go to the farther end of the park as this is the starting point of the figure-8. Do as many as you want to, but make sure to listen to your body when you’re tired. When you’re done, run all the way you came from, making sure to run against traffic.

Going to the I.T. Park and back is 4.18K. Keeping in mind that an “8″ is 1.67K, just multiply this to the number of loops you actually did and you’ll get your total mileage. As for me, since I completed 8 loops, that’s a total of 17.45K, making this my second LSD in Cebu. =)

To zoom in on the map, click here.

Can’t wait for the next LSD… =)

Cebu Run Route # 3: “The Kite”

This is my first LSD in the queen city of the south, accomplished yesterday, May 9, 2009. This one totals a full 21K!

(Markers are shown in miles.)

In order for you to get the best results, you must wake up by 4AM and then get running by 430AM. Given a constant 10 min/km pace, you’ll be able to finish the run by 8AM, or even faster if you’re hungry, just like what happened to me. The reason why you have to wake early is for you to catch the sunrise at one of the sections of the route. Arrive any later than 6AM and you would have missed the good part. Also, starting the run early allows for decreased chances of inhaling carbon dioxide and for running across the national roads itself (i.e., not on the sidewalks), without fear of getting hit by any vehicles.

I finished the LSD 20 minutes ahead of time, when gave me further time to prepare for breakfast and other activities – after the run I moved out of the hotel into my condominium and visited the famed Taoist Temple at Beverly Hills. Seriously, that’s the name of the village where it’s located.

The route itself is shaped like a kite, and it will take you to 3 different cities: Cebu City itself, Mandaue City at the midway, and Lapu-lapu City, home of the Mactan-Cebu international airport. If you do plan on going the distance, you can actually visit the airport. That’s a few additional kilometers to your route but it will all worth the visit. =)

From Castle Peak hotel, walk around for a few minutes until you get to Juan Luna. Once you’re feeling the heat, you can start your run, but make sure to keep a very slow pace so you’ll get to your destination. Once you see SM Sheraton hotel, make a left. You would have done 2K at this point. Now continue onwards until you penetrate Mandaue City. Along the way you’ll be passing several gas stations, some shipping ports, and the Cebu Doctor’s University. To make sure you don’t get lost while you’re running, just follow the path where all the taxis are going because majority of them are bound to go to the airport. Once you get to UN Avenue, turn right. At that point you will be seeing a lot of joggers, and you’ll get all the opportunity to join them go up the bridge. Just go straight along the sidewalks and run onward until you see the bridge. Keep that determination once you get to the ascent, because it’s a long way up the top. You’ll be facing around 650 meters of 40-degree incline. Stop when you get to the apex, catch you breath, and enjoy the view. =) You can get there by 550AM if you’re that excited.

Have a break from around 5-minutes then head downward. Upon reaching the Quezon National Highway, turn right and run all the way to access the other bridge. Somewhere along this highway is the halfway point. Keep your eyes peeled on the right side of the road – upon seeing the bridge, turn right. There’s another ascent, so keep the willpower alive until you reach the apex. Rest a bit and enjoy the sights, because by this time you would have done 12K. There’s only a few more left so you do not want to give up! Again, stay for a few minutes then run down until you see an intersection with a stoplight. This is your cue to turn left. Now traverse the path and run all the way you came from. In case you run out of fuel on your hydration belt, stop by a gas station and drink as much as you want, because by the time you get there the sun would start to fry you. When I got to the Shell gas station along Osmeña avenue, I had less than 3K to deliver. A little patience would help at this point. Continue running until you see Juan Luna. There’s only less than 2K to go! Once you make up your way to F. Cabahug, turn right, then immediately make another right on the first street. Make a left on the first street you see, then do the same thing again. Upon reaching F. Cabahug again, sprint all the way to the hotel, and your run is done. =)

Oh, by the way, I took my camphone and got pictures of the sights.

My gear for the run. Wouldn’t forget that takbo.ph singlet. =)

The streets at 5AM.

Approaching KM9…

Just before turning right to head to the bridge. And no, I didn’t cause that accident. =P

Going up…

The clouds blocked my sunrise, but it’s alright…

Vanity pose # 1

About to enter Lapu-lapu City.

What lies below the bridge.

Cool graffiti.

A major road at 630AM. Still not much vehicles. =)

Ah, that’s better. =) Do you see that other bridge in the distance?

On the way to the second bridge.

Mandaue City/Cebu City. Somewhere over here is my condominium.

Vanity pose # 2

Gee, no wonder there are many Koreans in Cebu…

=D

Indeed. No wonder they have great bands, like that of Urbandub.

The KM2 and KM19 marker.

To zoom in on the map, click here.

Next time around, I’ll make sure to visit the airport. =) Definitely there will be more discovery runs for me after the success of this LSD.

Cebu Run Route # 2: “Hey, J!”

Now THIS was the running route that I was supposed to take yesterday. =)

I call this one “Hey, J!” because of the route’s shape. It also serves as a tribute to the Eraserheads. If you’re a die-hard fan of them like myself, you’ll understand what I mean.

From Castle Peak hotel (again), make your way to Juan Luna, then run at your own pace while not minding the vehicles and the people you pass by. Make sure to keep your eyes on the right – by the time you see the spire of a church, that’s your landmark to turn left. After turning left to M. Briones, just go straight all the way. But be mindful of the path you run as some portions do not have sidewalks. As such, there comes a point when you will have to stop and walk. Continue traversing the path until you see a flyover at some intersection. Once you hit that point, make a u-turn then run all the way back to the hotel. From this point on you will have no choice but to go along with the traffic (i.e. running in the same direction as them) so watch your back – LITERALLY – to avoid being run over by anything with 2, 3, or 4 wheels.

Route length is 5.25K. Do twice of this and you’ll be going a little over 10K. I just did a single “J” after work since I’ll have a long run this Saturday – I need to prepare myself for yet another half-marathon. =) This route’s even more carbon-filled because you’ll be plying a national road, so better get your lungs ready for this.

To zoom in on the map, click here.

The route I’ll take on Saturday will pass through the Asiatown IT Park. When I’ve completed the route, I’ll post about it. Hopefully I’ll have pictures taken by that time.

Cebu Run Route # 1: “The Face”

This is my first running attempt in Cebu (which I completed a few hours ago). Ever since I have arrived here since Monday for work requirements the main question that has been lingering on my mind is where in the world I would run, aside from the Asiatown IT Park, of which I’ve been getting good reviews from fellow runners. Thanks to the makers of Geodistance, I was able to map out some good routes for myself. I’ll be sharing some of them soon, but for now, the route I’m about to post came about as a result of me getting lost due to a missed turn at a landmark. I call this route “The Face”.

The name speaks for itself. Use your imagination and you’ll see what I mean. =)

From Castle Peak hotel, make your way up the vehicle-filled streets of Juan Luna. Once you get there, turn left, then make sure to dodge every single obstacle that gets in your way – including chickens being roasted and barbecues being grilled. Once you see the street fronting SM City Cebu, turn left. Go straight then make a u-turn once you reach a tire shop. Go all the way back to the hotel using the path you went through. Once you get back to the hotel, just continue going straight until you reach the end of F. Cabahug. You’re near when you see Sykes. At the end of the street, turn left to Hernan Cortes. Important thing – WATCH OUT WHERE YOU’RE GOING. The road is small and there isn’t that much space to run on. When you see trucks coming your way, stop for a while until they clear out, then run again. And another thing – ALWAYS FACE INCOMING TRAFFIC. Once you see A.S. Fortuna, make a left. Your landmark is a barbecue restaurant. Now run all the way while battling mini-inclines averaging 10 degrees. On the distance is a flyover. That’s your cue to turn left. You’ll be tackling Archbishop Reyes Avenue at this point. Go straight, but after crossing a bridge, there’s a small street with a “no entry” sign across it. Turn left and you’re at J. Panis street. You can run on the right side of the road since many people are practically blocking the other way, to begin with. Upon completing this section, you’ll be back at Archbishop Reyes again. Go straight until you see another flyover again. Make another left and you’re back at Juan Luna. Keep your eyes peeled at this point because there might be hidden holes on the sidewalk. And again, run against traffic. A traffic light will signal that you’re at F. Cabahug again. You can sprint all the way back to Castle Peak from this point.

Length of the route is 10.65K. Carbon-filled, but it’s fun. In fact, this can be considered as a “discovery/familiarization” run. I passed along my office using this route. Heehee. Now at least I know how to get there when I’m late – I’ll just run for it. =P

To zoom in on the map, click here.

The REAL route I was supposed to take is reserved for tomorrow. It’s a 10K route, and I’ll be blogging about it in the next 24 hours. =)

Race Review: ATC Southern Race, May 3

Race number 9 for the year, and another comeback at the 10K category. =)

This will be (temporarily) my last race with the members of takbo.ph as I’ll be leaving for Cebu tomorrow. And what better way to enter this race but with a relaxed body and an even relaxed mind, because I’m aiming for a new PR at the 10K category. My target? To finish the race in less than 1:02. This is why the night before the race I got myself a good massage. Admittedly, my body felt like I was in heaven – the very reason why I remained half-asleep for most of the session. Also, I had a little outing at Punta Fuego to be one with the elements so I came back to Manila much energized than ever before.

Since I lived near the race site, I had the liberty of waking up at a much later time. When I got to the starting line, I was so pumped up, because today would be the day that I would make things happen. Nothing’s going to stop me, I said to myself. A few days before the race, I ran 5K at our village oval so that my feet wouldn’t be so shocked with the concrete. Thankfully enough, my feet have well adjusted to the surface, and after a number of rounds, I found myself having a new best friend – in terms of running path, that is. Hehehe. I was glad to know that takbo.ph members were about to attack the race, even though most of them came from the direct north.

Just moments before the race, the starting line went down – literally. For some reason it ran out of air. Or something like that. But the race organizers put it up in a jiffy since the race was about to start. But we started 5 minutes beyond the scheduled time since there were many more registrants who wanted to enter in the race. Wow, looks like no one was to go bandit for this one. Hehehe!

The race started with an uphill attack of the ATC parking lot at the north wing. From there it was on to the tree-filled streets of Ayala Alabang. Frankly, that massage did help me a lot, since I was running on concrete pavement much easier than before. Even the long gradual uphills (averaging 10 degrees on the first few kilometers) were somehow relatively meager to the legs, thanks to the benefits of forefoot running and a cool mind. My feet have totally gotten used to running on concrete, so there was a big chance for me to grab that PR. From Acacia all the way down to the Country Club, it was all going well. After the 5K mark – roughly around near the entrance to Taysan street – more uphills were about to come my way, so I had to give my best. Since I couldn’t employ my forefoot running strategy because of the temptation to go on midfoot during the uphill portions (DARN IT!), I had to go slow a bit. But the downhill tread on the way to Madrigal gave me the necessary boost. At Madrigal Avenue, I was already feeling exhaustion, but still I pushed myself. The uphill section near Brother Mike’s residence really got the best of me, so I walked it. =( But after that, it was all systems go. The last water station cased the much needed liquid for me to go on further, but it didn’t have any cups – so I had to drink it with my bare hands. A few sips, and then I’m off!

Upon turning right at the housing area, I noticed that I had only 6 minutes left to accomplish the new PR record. So without a doubt, I gave it all I got. But I didn’t know that there was more than a kilometer to go! Great. There goes the beloved 1:02. However, my PR for the 10K was at 1:05, and there was still time to beat it, so I decided to go under 1:05 instead. Upon reaching Mindanao Avenue, there was no choice for me but to run as fast as I can. Though my legs are nearing saturation point, it was time to push. In the end, I beat my PR by 40 seconds. It’s not much, but at least I beat it. That’s what’s important. =)

All in all, this was a good race. My day was made even brighter because I had beaten my PR. =) With this, I shall set 1:03 as my next target. I know this is achievable with a little practice, and less of the walk breaks. On a good note, though, I didn’t have much walk breaks on this race, and the breaks I incurred for this race only lasted for less than a minute. Perfect. If I keep up with this, I can bring down my 10K time sooner than expected.

So, here’s my review.

D (direction) – start from the ATC New Wing parking lot, then go left to Madrigal. Once you reach San Bernardino, turn right, then make another right to Maria Cristina. Go all the way up then make a left to Acacia Avenue. Just go straight all the way then make a left to the Country Club Drive. Attack the uphill and downhill paths as fast as you can until you reach Madrigal Avenue, at which you should make a right. Again, battle the uphill and downhill paths, then turn right at Luzon. Upon seeing Mindanao, make a left, then run all the way to the finish line while the guards help you cross the street. I’d rate an easy to medium difficulty for this race. The uphills, as always, make it hard for the runner.

R (registration) – since this was near my place, I found the registration easy. I wish they could have placed a satellite office somewhere for the northern racers so that they wouldn’t have to go all the way down south to get themselves registered.

U (uhaw) – for the first 5K, a water station was present every 2.5K. It became more frequent at the latter half. You won’t dry up in this race.

M (money) – though 150 bucks doesn’t get you a singlet, at least you’ll get free Starbucks coffee in the end, plus some other freebies. Not a bad amount, if you ask me.

S (safety) – aside from SOS Philippines volunteers, AAVA security was also there to make sure that the runners are safe from oncoming vehicular traffic. They also rove around the race course, too. Thanks for lending your help!

So what’s next on the line-up? You’ll know soon. For now, it’s time to temporarily settle in Cebu to get things done. =)

Some pictures follow:

A (Temporary) Farewell

In just a few more days, the “event” is bound to arrive. I have happiness and sadness both in my hands. For one, this will be another chance for me to shine in terms of my work. However, I’ll be far away from the team. =( Talk about wrong timing – just about when everything has been established a departure has to take place. Indeed, good things are never really meant to last.

Last Tuesday night, April 28, takbo.ph members were present @ Music 21 Jupiter to hold a farewell party for me. Even though I’ve been granted frequent trips back to Manila, I still decided to hold one, since it will be quite a while before I get to see – as well as run – with them again. It was good to note that many of my friends came along, especially the really close, hyper, and quirky ones. It was a fun experience with them, actually. We don’t just run. We also sing our butts off. Something cool indeed.

Some of the highlights during the videoke session that night…
- pojie (Mar) was note for singing practically in EVERY song on our impromptu playlist.
- kelcy33 and ross (Ellen and Ross, respectively) surprised us with their REALLY impressive voices. If they’re not working in their day jobs right now, singing would be their primary career for sure.
- sheerwill (Rico) took in old, vintage songs which I myself wasn’t aware of.
- theRuntimer and intimmyd8 (Raff and Timmy, respectively) filled the room with love songs. DUET!
- vickyras (Vicky) pitched in songs that would make everyone dance.
- lauren (Lauren) lets her voice loose and dishes out “Bring Me to Life”.
- pepsi (Girley) had her induction at takbo.ph by singing ABBA’s famed “Dancing Queen”, and was linked to bong_z (Bong) that night.
- japorms25 (Mac) selected none other than OPM. It’s that or bust for him.
- argonaut (Rodel) sings with matching movements, especially when did “Livin’ La Vida Loca”. Can you spell PERFORMANCE LEVEL??? =P
- and to my shame, I did “Careless Whisper”. I had no choice; it was a favor for Ellen.

The right amount of food and beer that night made it the perfect carbo-loading session. =)

Some pictures from the event follow, all coming from my camera.

Now that the trip is nearing, it’s time to get packing. Most of my stuff is in here…

Of course, I won’t forget to bring the most important weapon in my arsenal…

I still have one more race to participate in just before I leave – the ATC Southern Race on May 3. I have to give my best on this one. Now I’m really serious about beating my personal record of 1:05. Since the running path is primarily concrete, I’ve done a couple of practice runs of my village oval to make sure that my feet adjust well. Thanks to the benefits of forefoot running (and a little Cobra), I can say I’m now ready to tackle the Ayala Alabang course. All that’s needed is to taper, to rest, and to get a really relaxing massage.

To the team, I’ll see you soon. No goodbyes, please. Do visit me in Cebu; let’s run together. =)

GO TEAM!!! See you when I see you.