Kikay Runner

Alarm clock. Time to get up. Fuzzy brain but body’s gotta move. Going through the motions until I flick on the light switch. Awake. Drink, eat, shower, dress. (Don’t forget to tweet.)

Drive to venue. Butterflies in my tummy. Every race is special. What’s gonna happen? Who’s gonna be there? If it’s a new distance for me — am I gonna finish?

Say hello. Smile. Happy to be here, feeding off energy of others around. Chit-chat, laughing, talking. Excuse me, bathroom break!

Warming up. This is “me time”. Everything else around me seems muted. Focusing. Calming. Preparing. Waiting for gunstart. Looking around at fellow competitors. Ah, a Kenyan. Ah, an elite runner. Ah, a friend beside me! This will be fun.

Start! Hit watch timer. Pace self, no need to go too fast. Breathe, get warmer first. Bye, rabbits, I’ll see you in a few minutes. Relax, relax, find the rhythm. Sweating. I’m ready to push. Here we go.

Overtake. Overtake. Can I overtake this guy? Steady pace, it will happen. Overtake. Form check — am I overstriding? OK, good. Overtake.

How are you, Noelle? How do you feel? Thirsty? Drink. Hot? Pour water. Muscles are okay; effort is in all the right places. Trust the training.

Stronger runners now. Can I keep up? Fall into their rhythm. Breathing is calm, emotions are calm. Satisfaction. Competition. Can I surge ahead? Yes, I can. I am overtaken. This one looks strong. Stay focused and run my own race. Pick up the pace. I’m flying!

Hello! Hello! Friends in other race distances are on their way back. Every smile, every wave, every call from them lifts my spirits. Refreshed. Ready to finish this.

Sun is up. Finish line in sight. Should I sprint, or should I stay pretty for the cameras? Footsteps behind. Finish fast!

Good race. Every run is a good run. And I can’t wait to do it all over again.

Hi runners! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. I’m so excited to announce that once again, Kikay Runner is a Best Sports Blog finalist at the Tatt Awards!

How to Vote for Kikay Runner for Best Sports Blog at Tatt Awards 2013

Also in the running are last year’s fellow nominee Chappy Callanta, last year’s winner Takbo.ph, Pinoy Fitness, and Fire Quinito.

Here are some photos from last night’s presentation of finalists!

Kikay Runner at the Tatt Awards 2013 photo wall

with fellow nominees Jinoe, Jeff, and Chappy. I’m the only girl!

Also, check out the finalists from the other categories, including my Nuffnang friends The Googly Gooeys for Instagram Phenom of the Year, Camille Co and Laureen Uy for Best Style Blog, and Jenni Epperson for Blogger Phenom of the Year.

You can vote once every hour per category. Public votes comprise 10% of the total score used to determine the winner. If you feel that Kikay Runner has helped you in your active lifestyle, please do take the time to vote for me at the Tatt Awards. Voting is until June 20. VOTE NOW! Thanks!

It’s been a busy few weeks and I have a huge backlog of information I’d love to share with all of you! If you want to get real-time updates about the latest in running and triathlon, follow me @kikayrunner on Twitter and Instagram!

Defy 123 Triathlon

The growth of triathlon in the Philippines in the past few years has been fueled by the boom of running. We now have a whole range of distances for triathlons, from the minisprints and sprints for newbies to standard and long-course events for those looking for more challenge. Of course, just like in the run races, we’re now seeing unique formats and race distances for local triathlons.

Defy 123 Triathlon cocktail launch at Bellevue Alabang

Defy 123 Triathlon sets itself apart from other tris because of its unique distances: 1-kilometer swim, 110-kilometer bike, and 12-kilometer run. It will allow speedsuits on the swim (even those that aren’t of “legal” length — so full body speedsuits are allowed) and drafting on the bike. The only thing disallowed are tri cockpits on bikes, so bikes need to have drop bars and at the very most short ITU-legal aerobars.

Coach Guy Concepcion doing the briefing for Defy 123

I heard from fellow triathletes that it’s a cyclist’s triathlon, given the short swim distance, long bike leg, the help that drafting gives strong cyclists, and the (relatively) short run off the bike.

Slots are limited to 300 participants for Defy 123 because for the first time in the history of tri in the Philippines, the transition area will be indoor and airconditioned. Big deal if you’re coming off a bike ride in the heat!

airconditioned indoor transition area!

Defy 123 takes place on October 13, 2013 starting from Bellevue Resort on Panglao Island, Bohol. Registration is P5,000 for individual entries and P6,000 for relay (two- or three-person teams). For more information, check out Defy 123 Triathlon’s Facebook account.

Runners’ World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training

It bowls me over when new runners ask me, “How do I prepare for a half-marathon? By the way, it’s this weekend already.” That’s not enough time to prepare properly!

Thankfully, Runners’ World has come out with the localized edition of their Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training at the very affordable price of P350. The book cover also features Runners’ World cover guy Arland Macasieb (look at it if you ever need inspiration to run, haha).

Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training

This book is a must-have for every runner’s bookshelf. It’s got training plans and the science behind the training so you actually understand what’s going on in your body when you’re training for the long distances.

RUNNR co-presented the book launch and also took the opportunity to announce the first batch of their store personnel certified as Newton Natural Running coaches. Arland (a Newton Natural Running coach himself) conducted the training and presented the certificates to the coaches, who will be assigned to RUNNR stores.

Arland Macasieb talks about Newton Natural Running

spot these coaches at RUNNR stores soon!

With a good training program and good running technique, anyone can enjoy success at running half-marathons and beyond. Ü

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Just a short note of congratulations to Filipino elite triathletes Noy Jopson and Monica Torres and national triathlete Nikko Huelgas for becoming the ambassadors for the Samsung Smart Camera. Here are some photos from the launch:

Nikko, Noy, and Monica with event host Boom Gonzales

Wilier bikes on display

thanks to Noy Jopson for inviting me to the launch!