Conquer Corregidor!

I'm so excited, there are butterflies fluttering about in my stomach!

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE ORGANIZERS OF CONQUER CORREGIDOR (From Jaymie's blog, thebullrunner.com)

The die is cast. While the breeze cools with the passing days, the day of reckoning is approaching when the isle of Corregidor scorches as zealous contenders for Conquer Corregidor lay their claim to racing glory. All 750 race slots have been filled up, with 100-plus guests and supporters all set to rally the contenders for Conquer Corregidor. Now, less than a week to go before the salvo of Corregidor takes place, participants are down the homestretch in their preparation for what could be their last race of the year which may prove to be the hardest. And hard it is, as the race will take place in the hallowed grounds of an island known as the Rock of Gibraltar of the East. Harder, as the race course is comprised of a punishing hybrid of paved and trail routes and all the primeval elements will be in their fullest magnitude. Hardest, as the race takes on the distinction of a memorial run to honor the heroic legacy of our gallant predecessors and all participants take a shot of being distinguished as one of the conquerors of Corregidor.

Presented by Hypehouse Production Company in cooperation with Sun Cruises and in partnership with Activelink, Takbo.ph, thebullrunner.com, RunRadio @ NU107, Second Wind Running Store, and ROX, with the support of Mama Sita’s, Myra E, Pure ‘N Fresh, and pH Care, Conquer Corregidor may prove to be the ultimate touchstone for daring runners to measure their speed, endurance, and grit. Set to fire off on December 6, Conquer Corregidor is expected to thrill, surprise, and challenge, all at the same time the 750-strong contenders, to prove once and for all their mettle in the running arena. While the race contenders, valiant in their own right, attempt to outrun and outlast the daunting 10-mile challenge and set new norm for personal achievement, they all share a common thread. One history. One goal. Conquer Corregidor!

Before and After... the wrong way

** Title acknowledgement goes to Mark E.

I'd like to start off by saying thank you to my best friend in the whole world, Chaw, for enduring probably the most excruciating marathon she will ever "run" for as long as she lives-- that is me whimpering about how displeased I am with my running shoes. I must have told her a million times at least that they are heavy.. no, massive, and how I want to increase mileage post ITBS (an injury of sorts... details would just bore you) but my shoes weigh me down, literally.

Okay, my pair of Adidas Salvation is not all negative. True to its name, it was indeed my salvation during the first couple of weeks since my ITB (that part of the leg that actually suffers from ITBS. Surprise!) threatened to give up on me. And to give it credit that it is due, my pair of motion control shoes is the only thing that allows me to run until now... even after one doctor's advice that I give up running altogether. DUH! That is exactly why I love my second doctor, the one who prescribted the shoes. He's a runner himself and his approach to injuries is aggressive. Not to mention he's the doctor to professional athletes! So yes, I kinda feel big time by association.

But I digress. So this afternoon, I bought and took my sleek and spankin' CW-X compression tights for a spin. God bless Wacoal for not just making hot lingeries but also for diversifying their products and making runners happy and less prone to injury with tights that really work. Of course I should expect Chaw to have turned into a monster since she started running this year. But what I did not expect was for me to eat her dust. In our post-run analysis, there I was again in my usual sorry plight. It's the shoes for crying out loud! I've done everything conceivably possible to improve my game -- do rehab for my ITB, strengthen my quads, keep my lungs healthy, stay away from alcohol, run more, buy fancy running accessories (just in case it should do the trick) and just recently, use compression tights AND YET NOTHING. I have not significantly improved my time in the last 8 months that I have been using my Adidas. So now tell me it's not the shoes.

It's one week to big race day and I of course would be stupid to shift to lighter stability shoes. Besides, I have not consulted my doctor if I may even if the guys from Runnr Hight Street say I can. But then again they're in the business of selling shoes. Right now I'm eyeing on Asics 2140 stability. I hope your ride is the answer to my prayers. I can't wait to be my usual self again because truth be told, I feel like I've already paid my dues. It's been far too much time spent with my Adidas already. Time now to turn the right way and let the "AFTER" take on its more appropriate form.

I used to be schizophrenic. But we're okay now.

Dear Body,

I'm so soo sooo sorry for not having listened to you. No, make that, for having ignored you when you tried to say something.

I know the days leading up to November 8 are now flagged as days you wish would never happen again in your lifetime. I am sorry for subjecting you to stress levels that could actually heat the earth's core and cause polar wandering (oh, you were there when i saw 2012. I thought it sucked big time. How about you?). I am sorry for depriving you of enough rest and zzz's. I am sorry I did not take you out for a run. Not even one time. Sigh. I am sorry I was rather abusive of your services.

But let us not allow my recklessness taint the glory of your efforts to do damage control. You held up so well. You really did great and you should pat yourself on the back for that! I hope the last 2 weekends with absolutely zero work did you good. And look, you're starting to gain all the weight you lost over that damned period in our lives! Oh you'll be needing that for Corregidor! =)

Anyway, I gotta skip now. Running night. I'm so happy to be in touch with you again! And even happier you seem to be your usual self these days! =)

I love you!

Always,
Wins

Champion talaga si Manny in more ways than seven! :)

Talkin' about fine lines...

Never apologize for your success.
That's totally different from letting them get into your head.

***

The reason you don't see the fine line between having a strong opinion and being condescending is that... well, you are probably stepping on it.


***

Just for this one sweet, short moment, lemme pat myself on the back...

God knows how much of yourself-- time, talent, cerebral activity, determination, and every effort not to snap-- you've put on this project that you are working on. Now that the pieces are coming together nicely, forming some semblance of substance, I just wanna say that you, Rowena, are the man!

There's still a long way to go and until you have crossed the final hurdle on Sunday, you can not declare this battle won. But until then, rejoice in the fact that that you have just crossed a fine line... from being a pawn to being something a bit more posh than that. Check you out, you are now a bishop! How's that!

Go go go Wins!!! You can do it, babe! :)


P.S.
I am in awe of your new-found patience. Now get you butt back to work! :)

***

Ad mojorem dei gloriam :)

54 days to go till Christmas!

I felt it last night. That familiar and comforting chilly air of Advent...

I'm really looking forward to Christmas but I just miss Summer too.

Keep your word even if it costs you

I am not genetically designed to be understanding of flakers. Let alone flakers who wait the last minute to ditch you.

I don't get it. We all complain there are too few hours in a day that we end up juggling tasks, wing some and totally put off the others just so our sanity remains intact. And yet, some people are amazingly negligent of how you lovingly set aside a good fraction of your day for them. I don't get it. I don't think I ever will.

This ranting does not even stem from the fact that people give you very little room to turn your schedule around. Much more than that, my issue comes from this thing we call RESPECT. I am busy too. I run too. I feel like doing something else too... Please show a little respect for the trade-offs I have to deal with, too.

Love and Truth

I have recently developed this thing for calling nouns by their ‘proper’ names. That is, using the upper case for the first letter and treating them as if they were alive—that they breathe, move, interact, cause delight and inflict misery towards others just like every human being is capable of.

The ones on my list so far are Love and Truth.

Love, I think, is pretty self-explanatory. Of all human dynamics, the ones driven by Love are the most complex. Genetics has quite accurately determined the DNA sequence but no one has unraveled the mystery that is Love. For centuries it has remained constant that to me it rightfully deserves the capital letter ‘L’. And we are not even talking about romantic love here. I’m referring to the greater one, the more encompassing, powerful, and larger-than-life one. You know, Love.

It could also mean a call to action. I read somewhere this call for all to Be Love. A truncated version of the text goes-

“Be Love” is a bold declaration. It’s about choosing kindness over being right. It’s about cutting out the conditions in which you might think are required for love and going straight to the source, or rather, being the source yourself, that which is Love, unconditional. Source: freshnessfactorfivethousand.blogspot.com

Now wouldn’t it be nice if everyone chose the most Loving way all the time? To, rather than spending their lives fighting or untangling it, be “It” instead? To channel or create ripples of Love? And simply be Love?

***

Are you ready for the next few lines? Because I will be telling the truth…

Ahhhh, Truth. You are in equal parts feared and sought after, dreaded and coveted. While some run from your shadows, others set out in desperate search of you.

But really there is no escaping the truth. We never lie to ourselves; in our heart of hearts, we always know the truth. Our mothers tell the truth. Our best friends tell the truth. Our gut tells the truth. The difference lies now on our acceptance or rejection of it. Some resort to escapism, others embrace it. Funny how our character shows by how we make room for truth in our lives…

Oh yeah, sorry for digressing. If you notice, I haven’t been referring to Truth with a capital ‘T’. The Truth I’m referring to is not the one that can be used interchangeably with reality. It's neither the law nor what Mulder and Scully look for every Wednesday night on prime time TV (or was it Thursday?). Truth for me is more like a moment, a point in time where the course of all succeeding events will be changed. Imagine the scene in Meet Joe Black where Brad Pitt calls Anthony Hopkins to 'take a walk at the edge of the garden'. Now that is Truth.

Truth to me is either the beginning or the beginning of the end. It is that one moment that outshines the rest when the certainty and finality of things hit you. An encounter, if I may say. It is that time when you feel as if you were smacked in the head, slapped in the face or punched in the stomach (you choose the body part!) when, whether you are ready or not, it is made known to you that some things are just the way they are. And that the universe owes you nothing because they did not turn out otherwise.

And so I believe the wise ones when they say the Truth stings. Hell It does. But didn't they also say that It shall set you free?

With all the Love in the world, I hope that Truth always looks kindly upon you,

Wins

Goodbyes and Answers

In a place where happiness rarely came around

And kindred souls were few and far between

You were my quiet place, my refuge

We put the pieces together perfectly

The way only the lucky ones can

You made me see there was heaven above me

As there was the earth below

And you breathed life into everything in between

Sometimes I even wonder

If you knew you had that magic in you

Yet now, your eyes tell the story of deep sorrow

Your smile is the confession of a bitter longing

My mortal hands cannot do anything

Between our goodbye and the road ahead of us

Are answers waiting to be found

Your eyes tell the story of deep sorrow

Your smile is the confession of bitter longing

When did we let go of the grip?

Between our goodbye and the road ahead of us

Are answers we may never find

A (calculated) costly mistake

We will inevitably make that one mistake so we can learn that great lesson for ourselves.

One day we will find ourselves making that wrong turn.
And we will do it against the advise of all who have been there,
in opposition to what our gut tells us,
and in conflict with sound judgment

It will turn things upside down. But it will all be worth it…

***

Now I have 2 gigabytes' worth of raw files that cannot be recovered.

Bangkok Bonanza!

I have always loved Bangkok for its food, intricate temples and the most relaxing massage. Now I have one more reason to make it one of my favorite cities...

Okay, so Rafa wasn't there but my first ATP world tour experience is definitely one for the books :)

Will post more photos (the ones where people are actually looking at the camera) once I escape from the busy workweek ahead. This shall do for now... *blush*

P.S.

I'm on schizo mode again! The tone of this post is such a stark contrast from that of the last one ;-)

But Why?! WHY???!!!

I'm so sorry for me and my sisters you won't be able to come to Bangkok this year :'( And personally, I'd hate to think the weekend in Cebu has been rained on by this sad news [although that's how I'm feeling right now. Daym. ]

I guess it does not necessarily mean that the next turn is mine just because everyone has had their chance...

Fond Childhood Memory #1 - KEEPING THE KIDS GROUNDED

I thought of Papa today.

A friend and I were talking about her dad's betting pattern in cock derbies and then memories came flashing back- Popsy used to play sabong too.

My Lolo owned this beach property in the province where derbies were held. Such circumstance made Popsy an occasional visitor to the place, and even less frequently, a better. I was too young to understand how he'd bet but what I was cognizant about was the loot after a game. We always knew if his rooster (what do you call them anyway? I mean aside from cock *silly grin*) gave his opponent a good beating and biting if Popsy came home with hot off the wok pancit, Maling luncheon meat, soap, toothpaste and a whole lotta stuff from the grocery.

There were no specific sabong days but he would always let us know if he's heading out to see a fight. We would gladly await his return and run outside once we hear his bike. Of course, the first thing the kids would look at is if there are plastic bags hanging from his steering bar. And we'd say in unison "may pasalubong si Papa!" on days he got lucky. And merely seconds after he gets inside the house, we'd be feasting on his small treat already.

Oh boy, I'm smiling right now as I write this ^_^ It's pretty cool thinking about it now, the simple life in the province, that is. It's also one of those moments you stop and think you have enough. And here we are in the big city decades after as orphans. Still, shiny things don't impress us much. :)

LOL. LU. LOL

It was a super relaxing, boffo weekend at the beach. Look, I think it's the general sentiment of the group--



The waves did not join us the 2 days we were in La Union so surfing was not part of the things to rave about. But we sure had a lot of other things to keep LOL in LU!


It was a weekend of playing Taboo sitting down...




standing up...



in the evening...


and practically every opportunity possible!


We enjoyed greeeeeeeat food...





(happy campers oblivious to how hard the rain was falling on Night 1)



... and in the morning, the weather was perfect to play disc,




go drinking ^_^



unwinding and just being...
















Next stop, Bantayan Island, Cebu in 2 weeks! Yahooo!!!!!


P.S.

If you're planning a trip to La Union, you might wanna consider staying at Lola Nanny's. Although a room air conditioner is the only amenity they have (yup, no hot shower. sigh. no cable TV, and no other fancy stuff) but I swear, the warmth of their staff and their great food overcompensate for it. Call them at 0915-4184034. Theirs is officially my favorite accommodations up there!

P.S. 2
Mau, thanks for the photos! Had a hard time rummaging through them looking for a photo with you in it. Hehe. Sowee!

For the love of all things good and holy, please take part in the May 2010 elections!

If you are a first time voter and wondering how to go about the registration process, click here.

Here are the requirements.

For other details and to download the forms you would be needing, click here.

Now here is where you can have yourselves enlisted.

You have until October 31, 2009 for that.

And to those who have already voted in the past but are having the grave misfortune of going through 5ish years of rule that stinks big time, congratulations. Thank you also for your invaluable effort to shape the nation through your votes. Please do not lose hope in our people and in our country. Please, make yourselves heard again come May 2010. We can still do this!

Are there really second chances?

It would have been more painful; or perhaps crippling; fatal, even. But I came out of it whole, with nothing but a bruise and a scratch the size of a one peso coin to remind me I am one lucky girl. It is one of the more freaky coincidences that a friend (who didn't know anything yet) sent me the youtube link of this video -



I suppose it's God's way of telling me yet again that everything can be take from me, my breath including, with just one swift motion.

Precy and I made a pact never to tell anyone about my little accident in Macau. But then I had to tell my sister about it the same night. And here I am, writing about it.

You know how it is in right-hand traffic countries....
I, coming from a lefty country, by muscle recall and thoughtlessness in doing something very routinary of course looked to the left first before crossing the street. KABOOOOOOM!!!

I heard a loud banging sound. My water bottle flew in the air and landed a couple of meters away from me. The lady on the passenger seat looked at me with her jaw dropped, apparently terrified by what just happened. It took a while for me to realize I have been freaking hit by a car. The driver of the car got down (Precy had to help me recall this part of the story as I was majorly disoriented right after the incident) to check on me but what he said, aside from being indecipherable Chinese, simply slurred out of my consciousness. I instinctively just looked at my body, checking for its parts, making sure the limbs were still properly attached to the torso. But because my eyes were strained by the punishing summer heat and because I was still in shock, I did not get to check for bleeding, not that there was any. The last thing I checked before sending the driver away, absolved from his (my) carelessness was my camera. I did not remember a lot of things then but it was clear to me that Diesel (my SLR) got hit. After testing a few photos and seeing the preview function was still working, I immediately dismissed the driver who was obviously in great disbelief as I was. That was it. I did not get his ID, nor took note of his car plate. I just thought I'm lucky to be alive. If there was any reason for me to see a doctor, I figured I can just pay for it. Literally just a small price to pay for having my life spared.

I was still a little agitated during the ferry trip back to Hong Kong later that evening so I messaged my bestfriend, asking her to say a little prayer of gratitude for me. Her reply hit it spot on when she said buti na lang listo ang guardian angel mo. If there were a good way of getting hit as a pedestrian, that was probably it. (Twisted, huh?)

If i were to sensationalize, I would say I am now living on my second life. And you know what they say, those who have seen the light and managed to come back live their lives bolder and wiser the next time around. But I did not see no light. But heck, lemme live bolder and wiser just the same. I will not go on enumerating how I will. But I will.

I would like to end this entry by saying thank you to my dear ones who keep me in their prayers. I do not just cheat death with them but more importantly, I am able to live my everyday through your supplication. And to you, my reader, please count even your tiniest blessings. And no matter how short and simple, say a prayer for each of them :) After all, if your opportunity to do so has come to pass, are there really second chances?

Let's get physical!

I haven't had a good run in eons! My last run was my last race (July19) and I'm racing again this Saturday. Yes, with zero conditioning. What am I thinking? Sigh. I'm dying to have a lung-busting run. Hopefully the weather cooperates tonight.

Still about endorphins... I miss the NBA. And the next ATP Grand Slam.

Life without road running, basketball and tennis is such a bore.

Closing Loops

Today, I say goodbye to two people- one considered a national treasure; the other, equally dear but more on a personal level.

I heard about former President Corazon Aquino’s passing this morning on the radio. The host of the show was on the phone with Brother Eddie Villanueva, asking him to account his most touching memory of Tita Cory. I am from a generation that is too young to remember the events of the People Power Revolution of ’86, and my knowledge of the Aquinos’ mark in history consists mostly of their youngest Kris’s very public mishaps. Yet I felt myself tight on the throat, as if to shed tears any moment during that car ride.

Yes, we studied her and Senator Ninoy in History class but I am a bit skewed towards being apolitical and apathetic (partly because of frustration and exasperation over the vicious cycles we allow to happen) so I only have textbook knowledge of “that” turning point in Philippine history. On paper, I should not be one to quickly sing her ode. But with the very little I know, I thank God for allowing Senator Ninoy and Tita Cory to happen to Philippine democracy. The Edsa Revolution was one of the countries better times. As a believer of the wonders an empowered individual can make, I think Edsa was a pretty awesome display of the greater power of people coming together with one conviction. And moreover, it is a testament that "it can be done". I'd hate to think our country is going to the dogs.

May the Lord bless the soul of Tita Cory and may show her mercy. May He comfort her family at their time of grieving. And may every Filipino honor and uphold what Ninoy and Tita Cory shed their lives for.

***

Now we come to the more bitter goodbye. Thankfully, nobody else I know passed away today. Rather, today I say goodbye to a mentor, running buddy and a dear friend as she leaves for Tokyo to embark on a new adventure with her family.
Unlike my garbled memories of Tita Cory, I remember very well my first encounter with Lisa Marie. She is 1/3 responsible for my stint in NBO as she was one of the 3 people who interviewed me when I was a Marketing consultant wannabe 2 years ago. On my day of the interview I remember finding her pretty and one who asks a lot of difficult questions. It was soon after my hiring that I had the great opportunity to have my life intertwined with that of a beautiful soul. The one year I spent with her as my Project Manager, no doubt, was the most important year of my career. I consider Lisa as my first real mentor. It is with her that I learned a strong sense of work ethics, getting my work done excellently and on time, and forcing the client to agree with our recommendations by being charming. I would forever thank God for the one year she, Caloy and I spent as a team for Homeworks. That was the first time in all my years of working that I knew I was in a good place, under the guidance of the best bosses ever (together with the other people we work with).

There are many other wonderful things I would miss about Lisa: her being a proud mother to Bea and Joaquin and husband to Eric; her being the resident NBO clown; her being my fellow running aficionado- the one person who gets me when I share my highs and lows as a runner; her kind and gentle ways; and how she just literally lights up the room with her wit and pleasant disposition. The enumeration does not end there. I just figured I had to use the word ‘and’ at some point. And did I say she’s really really funny? And did I say she’s brilliant? And did I say everyone who had the great opportunity to meet her will surely agree with everything I’ve said so far (about Lisa, that is; not necessarily about Tita Cory).

Heaven help me I suck at goodbyes. And it does not get any easier if the person you bid farewell to is someone you love and deeply care about…

Haaay Lis, I will always have the fondest memories of you. Thank you for being such a positive force in my life. I have learned so much from you and you continue to be an inspiration not just in my chosen career but in being a woman of character. Thank you for marking my resume with your seal of approval. The 2 years I have spent with NBO, working with you, Alice and Arnie are considered one of my biggest achievements as an adult. Thanks for being the best cubiclemate ever. Our daily exchange about Pinoy showbiz, running and boys and anything and everything under the sun will be missed. You will be missed. Awfully missed.

It is my sincerest prayer that your family prospers in Tokyo. May you touch many lives there as you have here. May God bless you and keep you, Eric Bea and Joaquin always. And don’t worry, I’ll take you up on that offer. This is not it for us. Like I said, give me until next year to visit you in Tokyo :-)

I will hold my breath until the day we hit the road together again. For now, may you run your new race all the way to the finish line.

I was never good in Math

But I sure know how to count my blessings. Ü

Everyday last week, I made sure I share with my friends one thing I was grateful for. I enjoyed doing the exercise as it allowed me to take a closer look at the everyday things I may not necessarily take a second look at. While some things are greater than the others, It's just the practice of reminding myself how blessed I am in small to huge-scale ways that assures me I'm in a good place. :)Here are the things I came up with every weekday of last week:

Monday - Today, I’m thankful for my girlfriends. Thanks for keeping every base covered. Good job girls!

Tuesday - Today I'm thankful for every little thing I have in my capacity to help save the environment.

Wednesday - Today I'm thankful for the wise, wonderful and wacky people I have the honor of working with. :)

Thursday - Today, I’m thankful for my Mom. On July 16, 1990 (exactly 19 years ago) a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Luzon where almost 2.000 people were killed. On that day, Mama was in a Parent-Teacher conference and I was at a nearby playground waiting for her to finish. I distinctly remember how my mom hurried to check up on me right after the shaking subsided. Mama was no athlete but boy, can that woman run! She was the first parent to come for her kid, beating a throng of fathers and other screeching mothers. I was 7 then. I did not know what just happened but from the look on my mom's face (and her "crossing the finish line" first), I knew champion ang nanay ko.

Friday - Today, I am thankful I can still run. Yes. RUN and not RACE. When I have been told to quit it altogether because of a bum knee, I'm just so stoked about being in the path to full recovery. Yeah baby! :)



I first posted these things on my Facebook account hoping it can create ripples of gratitude-attitude. Perhaps my friends have gotten the drift, perhaps not. Perhaps they would do a dipstick check on their own gratefulness gauge, perhaps not. Nevertheless, I ended last week with a renewed sense of happiness and contentment. And my favorite biproduct of it all is knowing I could go on and on with enumerating, without tiring nor repeating an item.Ü


Now, as my favorite blogger would ask, what are you grateful for today?