Are You Game?

You’ll have six unique workouts to participate in: Cardio Mash-Up (hiphop and house fusion dance), TRX Body Blast & Rip Training (suspension training), FTX Urban Rebound (jumping up and down in Kangoo shoes), Techno Rave (dancing to techno music), Partner Yoga, and the Model’s Runway workout. You’ll also be able to experience 360 Fitness signature workouts such as circuit training and kettlebell training to boost your metabolism and strength.

If you don’t feel like working out on a Saturday you’ll still be in for some fun activities and sessions, such as a healthy food preparation demo, a surf machine, a bull ride, and a bungee trampoline. You’ll also have the opportunity to sit down and consult with Women’s Health pros. If you aren’t already living a healthy lifestyle, Are You Game? will make you want to make that change.

To register for the event, just bring the Women’s Health May 2012 issue on Saturday. If you want express registration, or want to bring a friend, you can also pre-register:

1. Email your full name, email address, age, and name of friend to whareyougame2012@gmail.com
2. In the email subject line, indicate where you saw the event announcement. Example: “WH Are You Game? – Kikay Runner”
3. An email reply from Women’s Health will confirm receipt of your details. You will receive the official pre-registration form (an Excel file) that will enable you to get express registration on the day of the event.

I’m already excited to get my groove on. See you on May 19!

getting fitted for a new pair of VFFs

The Summer 2012 collection has updates on classic styles as well as new styles for different needs.

The Fresca updates the Classic model for women with a new colorway and sole. The Bikila has been rebuilt on a new sole that distributes forefoot impact better, and also offers a women-specific model (Bikila LS) that fits women’s feet better. VFF now also has a trail running-specific model, the Spyridon, with a tread design that gives a sure-footed grip no matter where you’re stepping and rugged protection for all the challenges a trail may bring.

Summer 2012 VFF models

We were treated to a capoeira demonstration which showed how mobile and agile you can be wearing VFFs. Then various Filipino celebrities and personalities spoke about how they used VFFs in their chosen sports (triathlon, running, surfing, dragonboat, mountaineering) or in gym fitness, or even as a castaway on a reality show.

Sinha Bahia de Capoeira

They also used the press launch to announce the winner of their “I REELy Love My VFF” video contest. I’m so proud that my friends and Endure teammates Sid Apolinario and Gerard Cinco won third place for their entry.

At the press launch I saw how VFFs have penetrated deep into the Philippine fitness and wellness industry. That’s how versatile VFFs are.

Well, I’m going to fix that. I’m plotting my races for June, and here are some that have caught my attention.

Brooks Run Happy on June 3

The race distances here are 6K, 12K, and 21K. Interesting! If you’re a regular at races but wonder what it feels like to go beyond your usual distance, the 6K and 12K may be appealing. The half-marathon distance is hard to come by these days so kudos to Brooks for including it in their categories.

Pricing for the distances is reasonable at P500 for 6K, P650 for 12K, and P750 for 21K. Proceeds from the Brooks Run Happy will benefit the Foundation for the Philippine Environment for their biodiversity conservation projects in the country.

Race: Brooks Run Happy
Date: June 3, 2012
Race Venue: Bonifacio Global City
Registration Ends: May 27
Reg Fee: P500 (6K), P650 (12K), P750 (21K)
Registration Sites: RUNNR (Bonifacio High Street, Trinoma, Alabang Town Center); Toby’s Sports (Shangri-La Plaza, SM MOA, SM North The Block, Glorietta 4)
For Inquiries: 0927-8756671 (during office hours)

One Run. One Family. One La Salle Run on June 10

La Salle’s alumni love putting on the sports events (I’ll be joining the Animo Triathlon on the same weekend as this race), and the OROFOLS Run will be held for the benefit of the Green For Life: One Million Trees and Beyond project.

Registration fees for the distances are: P400 for 3K, P500 for 5K, P600 for 10K, and P700 for 16K. This race will be a chip-timed one, so this is a pretty good deal! (P100 discount on the reg fee will be given to La Salle alumni, La Salle students, La Salle admins and faculty, and senior citizens.)

Check out the OROFOLS website for more details.

Race: One Run One Family One La Salle Run
Date: June 10, 2012
Race Venue: SM Mall of Asia
Reg Fee: P400 (3K), P500 (5K), P600 (10K), P700 (16K)
Registration Sites: De La Salle University Alumni Association office, Toby’s Sports (SM MOA), RUNNR (Trinoma), ROX (Bonifacio High Street), A Runner’s Circle (Roxas Blvd.), Olympic World (Alabang Town Center), online registration
For Inquiries: OROFOLS website

Isa, Dalawa, TAKBO: Run for Children’s Rights on June 24

As the school year starts again, I am reminded of how many children fail to complete even a basic primary education, don’t get adequate nutrition or shelter, and are basically left to fend for themselves on the streets. The Isa, Dalawa, Takbo: Run for Children’s Rights aims to raise funds for Lingap Pangkabataan‘s programs to organize and empower communities to provide a better social environment for poor and marginalized children to grow up in, where their rights will be respected and protected.

Visit the official Facebook page of Isa, Dalawa, Takbo!, where online registration is ongoing. Registration fees are P300 for 3K, P400 for 5K, and P500 for 10K.

Race: Isa, Dalawa, Takbo: Run for Children’s Rights
Date: June 24, 2012
Race Venue: UP Diliman Academic OVal
Reg Fee: P300 (3K), P400 (5K), P500 (10K)
Registration Sites: online registration
For Inquiries: Ma-Anne (09178130632); Lia (09173473044); Cathy (09273477926)

Runners’ World April-June 2012

Runner’s World editor-in-chief Marie Calica says, “We hope to give you even more training information, nutrition, up-to-the-minute studies, and uplifting stories to keep you running stronger and longer.” I’m glad there’s a resource like Runner’s World to help fellow runners train smarter.

So at the beginning of this year, I made a resolution not to go to Boracay at all…

…And then SkyCable got in touch offering a slot at Skyathon. I’m such a sucker for the beach, and races. Beach AND race? How could I say no? Ü

So after a year’s hiatus, I again found myself standing on the shoreline of the world’s second best beach at daybreak on one April morning (the 21st, to be exact) waiting to run another 5K on no sleep.

with other runners from Manila

This was not the turnout from the 2010 edition. The organizers told me that Skyathon attendance had steadily increased every year. During the inaugural run, I had said I wouldn’t have registered for the race if I hadn’t already planned to be on the island anyway. Last year and this year, people traveled to Boracay specifically for the race. :)

After nearly falling asleep waiting for the gunstart in front of Epic, I was finally off with several hundred runners pounding the sand, and on occasion churning the surf.

barely holding myself together

I didn’t feel as stellar as I had two years ago, and another girl who was better rested and better trained sped her way to first. I managed to hang onto second, then fell asleep in my hotel room while the awarding ceremonies went on without me. It was okay; I had done my run and still had the rest of the day to lay about on the beach and swim in the clear cool water (such a relief not having to worry about jellyfish!). And, of course, I got to watch a beautiful sunset, which is my favorite part of being in Boracay.

the end of the day and beginning of the par-tay

The sunset wasn’t the end of Skyathon activities, though. The victory party at Juice Bar was a way for fellow runners to kick back and let their ponytails down. Early attendees were given golden party favors to wear, and I chose to go totally blonde.

with my roommate Ceres from Takbo.ph

fellow runners and bloggers

Race in Review

• Route: This was a loop course — 5K runners would do one loop, 10K runners two. From Epic, the route took us to a U-turn at Station 1, another U-turn at Station 3, then back to Epic at Station 2. Being a beach and surf run, this meant slipping and sliding on the white powdery sand, sometimes getting our shoes drenched in an incoming wave, and running on a canted surface. After the race, my legs were aching from the extra exertion.
• Traffic Management: The race was directed by Finishline. There were ample marshals, cones and signs to let runners know which way to go. Loop courses can be confusing, but as long as you kept your ears and eyes open you couldn’t get lost. Number of participants was also manageable, so there were no logjams at the u-turns. I’m glad that the profile of running and this event has risen so much that people on the shoreline courteously moved out of the way for oncoming runners.
• Hydration: Maybe I was half-asleep through the whole run but I only noticed one water table. I didn’t need much for my 5K run, though. 100 Plus was served only after the race.
• Package: Obviously, this race at P600 for a 5K cost twice as much as its 2010 edition. Change in logistics provider from TRAP to Finishline, use of a reusable chip for automated timing, guaranteed finisher’s medal, and more marketing fanfare for the race may have contributed to the fee increase. P600 is par for the course for most races these days but I think access to the fun Skyathon parties — the kit claiming party and the victory party — was good value for money if you like partying in Boracay. Onsite registration was at a whopping P1,000, which I think was counterproductive if they really wanted to attract more participants already on the island who wanted to run because some celebrities would be gracing the event.

This was a well-organized destination race and I’m happy to see participation in it growing. Hopefully next year, I’ll have better sleep pre-race and they can work out some of the kit claiming difficulties (chip rental at P250 vs. refundable deposit at P1000). And then we can really set the island on fire. I give this race FOUR KIKAY PINKIE FINGERS out of FIVE.

See you next year!

Mmm, runners burnt to a crisp!

The cop-out is, of course, not to train at all. But I know runners, and we can’t go a few days of no running without going a little bonkers.

So here are a few tips from my personal experience and from browsing other running websites about how to continue running in the summer.

Run early in the morning or at night. Obviously one way to duck the sun’s rays is to do your runs before the sun even rises. Do take note of when the sunrise is, though; during the summer the skies are usually light at 5:30am and the sun starts shining in earnest around 7:30am. Also when doing runs in the very early morning, around 3am, keep your wits about you and wear a reflectorized vest and/or headlamps. It will be dark and there may be some drunken or sleepy motorists on the road. You can also run at night (which is what I usually do). The best time is when the sun has completely set, so the air and ground have somewhat cooled.

Run in the gym. Even though I dislike treadmills, when I can’t find the time to run in the early morning or at night I’m thankful I can run in airconditioned ease at any time of the day at the gym. Remember to keep proper running form even on the treadmill, keeping a high cadence and landing lightly on your feet. (I see plenty of gym bunnies running with bounding, stomping steps. Ouch!)

Carry hydration. You should be drinking plenty of water during this season. Even though you don’t feel beads of sweat, you actually still release moisture through your skin, which evaporates to cool your body off. You’ll need to chug down during your runs as well, and keeping a hydration bottle handy in a belt or in your hand ensures you never go dry.

Wear proper clothing for the heat. Fabrics that are lightweight, allow air to circulate, and help evaporate sweat faster will keep you cool. Dark-colored fabrics absorb sunlight’s heat energy rather than reflecting it, so wear light-colored gear. And if you do want to wear a hat, use a vented one or a visor to allow heat to escape (most body heat is lost through the head).

Use a towel. Because our tropical country is humid as well as hot, the moistre in the air sometimes won’t allow our sweat to evaporate. You can carry around a small towel to wipe down your face and arms periodically, which helps cool your body (notice how much cooler you feel with slightly damp skin versus skin with heavy sweat on it).

Expect to be slower. If you’ve ever felt significantly slower during a race when the sun started to beat down on you, your mind’s not playing tricks: because your body is working hard to cool you off because of the heat, more blood is moving through the capillaries in the skin like water through a car radiator instead of providing oxygen to your running muscles. (Source: Active.com) But training during the summer months does pay off not only when you race in the heat, but also when you race later in the year: according to this Runners’ World article, there can be significant performance gains when racing in cooler weather.

Beware the signs of heat illness. Apart from dehydration, you also want to avoid overheating, which leads to heat illness which is fatal when left untreated. Listen to your body, and stop your workout when you experience any of these conditions:

• intense heat build-up in the head
• general overheating of the body
• significant headache
• significant nausea
• general confusion and loss of concentration
• loss of muscle control
• excessive sweating and then cessation of sweating
• clammy skin
• excessively rapid breathing
• muscle cramps
• feeling faint
• unusual heart beat or rhythm

I hope you have a safe and enjoyable time running even in this summer heat. See you on the road!

But have you heard of the Ridiculously Photogenic Guy? It’s a meme that went viral on the Internet this week.

Ridiculously Photogenic Guy (photo by Will King)

See that adorable guy on the left smiling at the camera and barely breaking a sweat? After the photographer Will King posted race day photos from the Cooper River Bridge Run, his friends dubbed the guy in the photo “Mr. Ridiculously Photogenic Guy”. King then posted the photo on Reddit, which spawned the meme where the photo is given humorous captions. Captions such as:

Goes out for a run. Puts Kodak back in business.

Gets made into a meme. So everyone can keep looking at him.

My personal favorite is this one:

Runs a marathon and wins… my heart.

So let’s talk a little about the subject of the photograph, the actual Ridiculously Photogenic Guy. Thanks to the Charleston City Paper (also reported on by the International Business Times) for doing the stalkery stuff, we now know his name is Zeddie Little. He ran 10K (not a marathon) in 47 minutes and 16 seconds. He’s 25 years old and moved to New York City last year. He works in PR, and he’s the 4th in his family line to carry the name.

I did my own little search on the New York City Marathon website and didn’t find his name in the results, so I’m going to assume he didn’t run it. I wonder if, given his Internet fame, he might be given a slot for this year’s marathon. Or hopefully the luck of the draw will favor him so he can grace the race day photos. Hahaha! (UPDATE: Ridiculously Photogenic Guy confirms he will run NYC Marathon.)

In any case this meme brought a smile to my face and a skip to my step. Just thought I would share it with my fellow runners in the Philippines. Do you have your own ridiculously photogenic running photo?

I was in Baguio last month on a family trip. We had just enough time on our second day there for a morning run at Camp John Hay. I ran with my brother-in-law Michael of The Red Runners and my mom. It was cold (summer hadn’t fully kicked in yet) and the air was thin, so we found ourselves struggling on the rolling terrain. Still, hill training is great for improving speed, and in the end I found myself enjoying the additional challenge.

During my training at Pico de Loro for the Next Step Tri camps, I also found myself attempting to conquer steep hills one after another, some at a 14% gradient. There’s something about facing such intimidating terrain that makes past challenges seem trivial. I used to fear McKinley Hill and the flyovers along Roxas Boulevard. Now, I attack them with glee.

Hill training makes you a stronger, better runner. What hills have you run lately?

I mentioned in my Yurbuds review that I haven’t run with music in two years. Now that I’m about to do that again for specific workouts (track/speed), I realize that my old playlist needs refreshing.

Benedict asks:

I just read your review of yurbuds and you mentioned something about filling an mp3 player with your favorite running songs, so I would just like to ask what songs would you say is a must have in any running playlist? I’m looking to expand my playlist since it’s only good for 10k runs and that’s already with some songs repeated. Thanks!

Music tastes can differ with every runner. If you were able to catch Chris and Chloe’s radio show on Mellow 94.7 last February 3, 2012, they featured the favorite running songs of some runners, including myself. (Listen here for what song I picked.) Some picked pop, some picked rock, some picked techno. Part of choosing a running playlist is finding songs that help you get in your preferred state of mind for running, and songs that keep you motivated.

Part of the training I got from The Next Step Tri Camp I attended was an emphasis on increasing stride turnover rate (the number of steps you take per minute). Ideally people should be able to maintain at least 180 steps per minute to avoid overstriding and ensure good form and less fatigue. Some people actually train and race with metronomes to achieve this, but you can get a similar effect with the beat of the music you pick for your running playlist. Some websites like Running Playlist and Running Music Mix provide lists of songs suited to running.

So there isn’t really one must-have song on any running playlist. It’s really about what kind of soundtrack you’d like to have playing as you run.

My updated playlist for 10K looks like this:

1. Save the World (Zedd Remix) – Swedish House Mafia
2. Ready Steady Go – Paul Oakenfold
3. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (Alive 2007 Mix) – Daft Punk
4. Boom Boom Pow (David Guetta Electro Pop Mix) – Black Eyed Peas
5. Everybody Everybody (Benny Benassi 2007 Remix) – Black Box
6. Let It Rock (ft. Lil Wayne) – Kevin Rudolf
7. One (Congorock Remix) – Swedish House Mafia
8. Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO
9. Rain Down Love (Phunk Mobb Remix ft. Siedah Garrett) – Freemasons
10. Incredible (Denis the Menace & Jerry Roperos Full Vocal Mix) – Shapeshifters
11. Toca’s Miracle (Vandalism Remix) – Fragma
12. Run the World (Kaskade Club Remix) – Beyonce
13. Beautiful People (ft. Benny Benassi) – Chris Brown

This playlist is longer than the amount of time I usually take to run a 10K because I like to have flexibility to skip songs when I don’t feel like listening to them. I don’t like repeating songs unless it’s a power song (the song that always gets you revved up).

You’ll notice a lot of house music on my playlist because that’s the kind of music I listen to, especially for teaching BodyJam. Your playlist might look a little or a lot different. In the end it’s really up to your taste, and seeing how different songs affect your running.

I’m praying that no more service interruptions will occur because I’ve been itching to write! Check back here later this week for a new Ask Kikay Runner and my shoe review for the Mizuno Wave Mercury Aura. Ü