Yurbuds: Your Buddy for Your Ears
When was the last time I ran with music in my ears?
Kikay Runner’s 2010 Look
It’s been a really long time — in fact, that photo must have been the last time I ran with earphones because the week after that, I started training for my first marathon and wanted to accustom myself to having no mp3 player.
Another reason I haven’t run with music: most earphones just don’t stay in! The earphones I’m wearing in the photo above kept falling out despite their over-ear hook. So when Gianina Dayrit from Cascos Inc. offered to send me an earphone product guaranteed not to fall out, I was immediately intrigued.
photo by Gianina Dayrit
RUNNR in Alabang Town Center + Donate-a-Singlet Promo
Two Saturdays ago I found myself down south in the Republic of Alabang attending the grand opening of the RUNNR store in Alabang Town Center. I remember when the first RUNNR store opened in Bonifacio High Street right on the cusp of the Philippines’ current running boom. Toby Claudio, its founder and president, was visionary back then in his approach, and now RUNNR has branches in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao!
The highlight of the ATC store launch was the running clinic by Jinoe Gavan of TAKBO.ph (“Getting Started Into Running”) followed by U.S.-certified coach Jay Valencia of Newton Running (“Natural Running Technique”). For a Saturday usually meant for family outings, the clinic attracted a lot of runners based down south — nice to meet some of my readers there! Continue reading »
Summer Fun with Thermos Contest
Recently, the people from Thermos gave me a cool new Thermos tumbler to keep my drinks in. As an athlete and overall very active person, I need to keep well-hydrated throughout the day. Thermos has patented insulation technology called Thermax that keeps drinks at their temperature, which means hot drinks remain hot, and cold drinks remain cold. This means that the ice-cold water I put in my Thermos in the morning is still cold when I chug it down three hours later after a long workout. Ü
Anyway, the Thermos folks want to let you know that this summer, you have a chance to win an iPad 2 by joining their Summer Fun with Thermos Photo Caption Contest! Here are the mechanics: Continue reading »
My Filipina Sports Heroines
(It’s International Women’s Month! So I’d like to take this opportunity to focus on an issue women share. Last year, it was about menstrual woes.)
OK, quick quiz: Who are the male superheroes in the Justice League? Now, who are the female superheroes? Why are there more men than women in the Justice League?
Girls like comics, too. So how come only 2 out of 7 characters are women?
There are some things in this world that have more men than women participating. I was reading Senator Pia Cayetano’s book My Daily Race last week, and in one of her essays in it she notes that in running (as well as in politics), men dominate.
Consult any Philippine race’s official results and you’ll find more men than women joined, unless you look at women-centered races like Sen. Pia’s Pinay In Action Run or last year’s Women’s Health Athena All-Women’s Run. In fact, a women’s marathon event was included in the Olympics beginning only in 1984, and in the Philippines there still exists some resistance toward women running due to old wives’ tales about it affecting fertility (check out Purito Rosero’s article debunking these myths in the January-March 2012 issue of Runner’s World).
Whenever I step out on the road I want to show that women can get fit and have fun when they run, and that there’s no reason we can’t excel at it if we only try our best. That’s why I get annoyed whenever I get catcalls from bystanders, or especially from fellow runners. I’m huffing and puffing and hard at work here! Way to degrade a woman, boys.
Maybe that’s one deterrent to women running: they don’t get support from people around them and may even be ridiculed for attempting such a thing. There’s a sad reality that sometimes in this society we just don’t think women can be capable.
But would you hoot and holler at the following women if you saw them out on the road? They are my personal trailblazers: these are the women whose example inspires me to lace up my shoes. Respect!
Lydia de Vega and Elma Muros
If you’re an 80′s kid like me whose uncles were sports buffs you’d have heard these women’s names uttered with a reverential awe. Lydia de Vega was Asia’s fastest woman, and Elma Muros was the long jump queen. Those were the glory days of Philippine athletics (and oh how I wish we could excel like that again!). Though specialists in short distances and hurdles, the two of them were an example to me that women could be fierce competitors on an international level.
Senator Pia Cayetano
I voted for her when she was up for reelection based on her previous track record in the Senate as an advocate of women’s interests. Another reason I voted for her was her discipline and dedication to running and triathlon. As a runner (and now triathlete) myself, I know a person who takes the time to be fit and to challenge herself physically in this way is a hard worker and has the strength of character I look for in a leader. And because of Sen. Pia I know even if you take up a sport relatively late in life you still have a chance of being good at it — she is a frequent podium finisher in her age group.
Check out Sen. Pia’s international women’s day post.
Ani de Leon-Brown
Coach Ani’s sports achievements are quite numerous and “big-time”, given that she’s the first Filipina to qualify for the Ironman World Championships, but what left an impression on me was her performance at the Men’s Health All-Terrain Race 2010. She had gotten lost during the 16-kilometer trail run. She was also registered separately for the mountain bike race. With minutes to spare, she emerged from the trail run, did the 20-kilometer technical mountain bike trail — and won 2nd place overall female at the bike race! Last year she got married, got pregnant, and had a baby. This year, she’s back in the saddle and on track, running a 10-kilometer race only a month after giving birth. She’s a great example that being athletic and competitive doesn’t end when you tie the knot and have a child.
I don’t think these women are the exception; in fact, if more Filipinas got out there and got active, we’d see more like them, representing on the road. And those Filipinas can be heroines to the next generation, and the next, and the next…
A girl can dream, right?
Speedo Spring/Summer Collection 2012
Posted in Blog, FYI, Multisport
When I say Speedo, what comes to mind? Is it an image of a man in skimpy trunks a la LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It”? (Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle yeah!) Okay, sorry to induce that mental image. :D The name “Speedo” is globally synonymous with swimwear and water sports. As a triathlete, I can’t miss Speedo’s involvement in the first leg of my sport when every National Age Group Triathlon in the country gives Speedo swimcaps to its participants. (Speedo even introduced its TriathElite trisuit line in the Philippines last year.)
So when OneSport Magazine invited me to attend the Speedo Spring/Summer Collection show two weeks ago at Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater, I jumped at the chance to see what new swimwear and innovations they would introduce.
with national triathlete Nikko Huelgas and my teammate Z Villarin
It was a humid night due to the heavy rains earlier in the day, but plenty of people stayed to watch a never-ending stream of models walk the ramp clad in the season’s upcoming swim fashions. Continue reading »
Final Thoughts On Rising Registration Fees
It’s taken me a while to decide on what to say about this matter. As with anything concerning matters of passion and pocket, it’s difficult to separate emotion from fact.
Let me be clear on one thing, though. This is not a matter of warring PERSONALITIES (Kikay Runner vs. Coach Rio), as some may have painted it to be. I consider Rio a friend and I respect his accomplishments and what he has done for the running scene. Rather, this is a matter of clashing PRINCIPLES which needed to be addressed (keeping cost of entry into running low vs. offering bigger, better innovations).
I’m very thankful that Rio used the Run United blog conference to hold a dialogue with interested parties and address questions about how RunRio operates. He didn’t have to pay attention to me or what I say on this blog, but he analyzes all blog entries about his races, sees people’s comments on Facebook, and reads every private message to him even if he can’t reply to each one.
Races aren’t basic commodities and race organizers don’t have to show us their budgets and costing, but Rio offered to show it if I signed a nondisclosure agreement and agreed to organize a race on the same magnitude. However, that was not my intent. I have no desire to be a race organizer. I’m simply a runner, who has a blog, who is asking a question: “Why?”
I asked because I believe that running should be for everyone. When I heard of people stopping running and racing because the cost was getting to be prohibitively high for them, I sympathized with them. When I talked about races, people asked me why reg fees have become so high, and I didn’t have a definite answer to the question.
Rio said that last year’s registration prices had not been enough to cover his costs per runner. RunRio’s logistical expenses are: hydration, manpower, security, safety, venue and route, marketing and promotions, to name a few. I had no reason to doubt what he said, and thus no reason to probe the company’s expenses.
When Rio explained that he wanted to make races that would be excellent and internationally reknowned and competitive, I realized that the main target market of RunRio races are those people who can afford to go overseas and attend races there. They are those people who expect a certain quality at the races and can pay for it.
At the end of the day, RunRio is a business which has overhead costs and employees, and I respect that.
I think other race organizers have their own reasons behind why they organize races, and it reflects in how they price the cost of entry. It’s up to runners to decide what they are running for, and what they are willing to pay for.
I just spoke up because I thought it was the right thing to do. Not every Juan dela Cruz has a blog, right?
Kikay Runner with Coach Rio in 2009
For context:
- February 2011: On Rising Registration Fees
- January 2012: On Rising Registration Fees, Again
On Rising Registration Fees, Again
It’s been almost a year since I wrote my blog post On Rising Registration Fees. I wrote that post trying to explain the possible reasons why races had raised their prices, and some steps on the runners’ part to minimize the impact of those costs.
Here we are again, facing another fee increase for a certain set of races by one organizer, which may spur another round of fee increases from other organizers. I’m not writing this post to criticize, but to explain why I, as a blogger, a runner, and a citizen of the Philippines, feel the need to address the issue of rising registration fees. And yes, it certainly is an issue if all I hear from runners I encounter on the road is, “Hindi na ako sumasali ng races kasi ang mahal!”
You may say that there’s no need to complain, and all you have to do is simply not register for the expensive races. I have to say right now, I do not agree with this “put up or shut up” mentality. This is hard-earned money we’re talking about spending here, and I think that in a free society there is room for serious yet civil discussion about the cost and quality of goods and services we pay for.
In case you aren’t aware, we do have consumer rights and responsibilities in the Philippines. We have a Bureau of Trade Regulations and Consumer Protection under the Department of Trade and Industry, which operates to protect consumer rights and promote awareness of consumer responsibilities. Check out this PDF pamphlet of your Consumer Rights and Responsibilities published by the DTI.
The pertinent responsibilities of a consumer on which I base my stand are (paraphrasing from the abovementioned pamphlet):
- Critical Awareness: to be more alert and questioning about the use of, and the price and quality of goods and services we use.
- Action: to assert ourselves and act to ensure we get a fair deal. The pamphlet goes on to say in much stronger words, “Remember that as long as we remain passive consumers, we will continue to be exploited.”
- Social Concern: to be aware of the impact of our consumption on other citizens, especially the poor, exploited, disadvantaged, or powerless groups.
As you can see from these responsibilities, I cannot simply sit back and accept the price increase in registration fees; I must ask for the reason behind this. I believe I should speak up, as one of the courses of action to ensure we’re getting a fair deal. I do this because continuing to tolerate rising prices without justification means that the poor or disadvantaged people who want to join a race may eventually (it is happening even now) be priced out of doing so.
I am looking forward to Coach Rio’s promised discussion of the registration fees at the upcoming Run United press conference. (He promised that last year, too, but it didn’t materialize.) I have him on record inviting interested runners and bloggers including myself to send him a personal message for inclusion on the press conference’s guest list.
Meanwhile, I encourage you, dear reader, to continue seeking the best value for your money in the races that you train for and join. There are a number of conscientious race organizers who offer races at affordable prices with part of the registration fee going to charitable causes. Seek them out and give them a chance; they may pleasantly surprise you.
Powerade ION4 Finally Comes to the Philippines
I use most sports drinks interchangeably since I think they’re the same under all the advertising hype and flavoring. Whatever brand you are, if you replenish my electrolytes and don’t give me a tummy ache, I’m good to go.
Of course that doesn’t mean sports drinks really are just the same regardless of brand, and each brand tries to improve their taste, sugar content (for those conscious about their liquid calories), and electrolyte delivery systems.
Powerade ION4 was first introduced in 2009 in the U.S. market as a reformulation of the old Powerade formula. It boasts four electrolytes instead of the usual two kinds of electrolyte found in sports drinks. Aside from sodium and potassium, ION4 has calcium and magnesium in the same ratio as that lost from sweating.
Powerade ION4
Now, this more complete formulation has finally come to the Philippines and is endorsed by the likes of fitness coach Chinggay Andrada (lately of Biggest Loser fame), international footballer Neil Etheridge (also of the Philippine Azkals), basketball player David Semerad, and running’s own Rio de la Cruz.
I missed the grand press launch today due to work commitments, but after reading the PR material sent to me I’m intrigued about this new formula. When it gets rolled out to stores, you can bet I’ll try it out during a long training run or ride — and I’ll let you know how it compares to the others I usually gulp down.
“I Run Like a Girl” Shirts Now Available
In popular culture we’ve probably run across this phrase more than once: “YOU RUN LIKE A GIRL.” It’s a negative use of the word “girl” that connotes slowness, daintiness, and a funny gait. But we know better; we know that girls and women can be great runners. Regardless of speed and distance, every girl who runs is a strong, powerful individual who can make things happen.
Just like the Spice Girls who inspired a whole generation with “Girl Power”, it’s time to reclaim running like a girl and make it ours!
Be proud to run like a girl and wear it on your sleeve — or in this case, on your shirt. Introducing “I RUN LIKE A GIRL” shirts from the Kikay Runner shop on Multiply:
I RUN LIKE A GIRL shirt
Made of 100% cotton, this shirt is perfect for wearing after a race or a workout. Available in sizes SMALL, MEDIUM, or LARGE at P250 in limited quantities. Multiply also has a free shipping promo until January 31, 2012 (for a P400 shopping cart total), so order now. :D
It’s a Runner’s World Out There
Today exactly two years ago, KikayRunner.com was born. (How cool is it that my blog’s anniversary is 01/21/2012?) In the same year, Runner’s World Philippines started out as a quarterly supplement to Men’s Health and Women’s Health. Look where we are now: RW is now a stand-alone quarterly magazine, and KikayRunner.com is featured in its January-March 2012 issue!
What an honor to be on the inside pages of the issue featuring my tri-idol, Noy Jopson!
I met RW’s editor-in-chief Marie Calica at a Godiva pictorial in 2010. She was my makeup artist! The multitalented Marie is also beauty editor for Women’s Health and an instructor at Barre3 (a ballet, yoga, and Pilates fusion workout at The Spa). She’s a woman I look up to, so I think it’s very fitting she’s our featured anniversary interview.
I stole this photo off her Facebook wall.
