4th INTRAMUROS RUN BY THE MAPUANS: 9 + 6

Running up the Wall of Intramuros (Photo courtesy of WJ and her Galaxy)

Last Sunday morning, I had the pleasure of running 15 kms in Old Manila. 9 + 6.

The first 9 kms was an easy training run after  4 in the morning from McDo beside the  Bayleaf Hotel inside Intramuros to the Rizal Monument in Luneta, then to the Cultural Center of the Philippines and then back. Accompanying me was fellow blogger Wandering Jouster (WJ).  Both of us continue to prepare  for the T2K.

The next 6 kms came at close to 6 in the morning with the 4th Intramuros Run by the Mapuans which I participated in together with several of my First Balfour running buddies:  Rose Abletes, Delsie Giray, Cycle Hisona, Russell Javier, James Tesoro, Romy Sison & daughter, Jane Orbase & hubby, and Lily & hubby. 

FB runners Russell, Delsie, James, Rose and Cycle

Romy with daughter and her fiancé

 

Jane with hubby

The route of the Intramuros Run allowed us to tour  historic streets of the Walled City.  Start at Muralla (in front of the Mapua campus), left at Anda, right at Legaspi, right at Beaterio, back to Muralla, loop around Magallanes Drive, right at Cabildo, left at Sta. Clara towards the front of Fort Santiago, then left at Arzobispo,  right at Sta. Lucia where you pass Baluartillo de San Eugenio to your right  and Fr. Blanco’s Garden to your left, straight to Baluarte de San Diego  where you turn left at Muralla and straight back to the starting area where you pass to your left another bastion, Baluarte de San Andres. The total distance for the first pass of this route is 3 kms, so the 6-km runners had to do 2 loops.

Warm up exercise before start

At the start line along Muralla, in front of the Mapua campus

My finish time for the 6-km Intramuros Run is 50 minutes. This is reflective of the fact that I took lots of pictures of my running buddies. For me, next to the enjoyment of running is the satisfaction of taking pictures of fellow runners enjoying the experience.

WJ leading the pack along Magallanes Drive

BP stretching in front of Fort Santiago

Delsie by the wall along Sta. Lucia

Jane and hubby bonding thru running

Zipping past other runners

With modern day Guardia Civil at the Baluartillo de San Eugenio

Delsie with an 8-year old participant

Along Muralla, nearing the Mapua campus

James and Cycle on their second loop

Lily and hubby

A rare photo:the Bicolano Penguin overtaking athletes in the form of Mapua college varsity players

BP with the pride of Lubao

Romy and James aglow with endorphins

    

Overall, the 4th Intramuros Run by the Mapuans remained true to being a fun run.  Not much pomp  or freebies as what you would see and get at expensively-priced runs organized by Runrio and sponsored by corporate brands but people who joined this run realized that this is a fund-raising activity for a school organization. Whatever fun to be had come from the realization that one’s running helped. The fact that the running happened in the heart of Intramuros is a bonus.

Congratulations to Mapua Institute of Technology -  Chemical Engineering and Chemistry  Alumni Association. We will be back next year for a taste of the 5th brew of your Intramuros Run.    

Running down the wall