PRO EARTH RUN 2014: Galloway Took the Day Off

   Rainbow. A good omen

Ever since attending a talk by Jeff Galloway at the Colegio de San Agustin gym a couple years back, I have been a proponent of the Run Walk method. 

Practically all my running from that year on have been a combo of 2 mins run and 1 min walk or the 4:1. Every chance I get among afficianados and newbies, I would extol  its virtues.

Admittedly, at rare times, I would have doubts if I could still run a 5km or a 10 km fun run without walking. A chance to test these doubts came about when I lined myself up in the starting area for the Pro Earth Run last April 12 at the Bonifacio Global City. With me were a motley crew of First Balfour runners  ranging from the expat Joseph Berger of South Africa to the lanky local Migo Flores. Why not finish  this 10km fun run without walk breaks?  Today, we will see if Galloway can take the day off. 

The calm at the start area

That was the challenge and when the gun started off we went. The first couple of kilometres were a breeze as the Afrikaner  set a comfortable  pace and Migo was taking it easy as well as this was his first 10Km run this year. It became more exciting when we saw ahead of us the freshly-minted marathoner  of our company, Iya Pe.  Feeling like a pack of Cape hunting dogs, we tailed our gazelle. That is, only up to the 6th kilometer for as we approached the climb to the Buendia flyover on the way back to BGC, Iya boosted her pace with only triathlete-in-training Eman Balamban able to keep up. With our prey increasingly getting out of sight, the  pack of Lycaon pictus  splintered into Solitarius lupus.

The South African with the Gazelle

The Penguin with the Gazelle

    

But no matter, for I realized that with only 3 kms left, no walk breaks have happened yet for me. Even at the water stations, the Bicolano Penguin was not stopping but tried its best imitation of elite runners going for their water in full stride, albeit in itty bitty penguin steps. Pretty soon I glimpsed the finish line and with one final fartlek push, crossed the finish line. Felt good knowing that Galloway took the day off.  

Hereunder are the finish times of the FB runners in the 10-km category of the Pro Earth Run:

Emman   Balamban            55 mins

Iya   Pe                             1 hr 5 mins

Migo  Flores                      1 hr 6 mins

Macky de Lima                  1 hr 7 mins

James  Tesoro                   1 hr 10 mins

Joseph Berger                   1 hr 11 mins        

Rose Dalawampu               1 hr 18 mins  

Delsie  Giray                     1 hr 18 mins

Romy  Sison                      1 hr 18 mins

Rose Abletes                     1 hr  47 mins

Waiting for us at the finish line were the FB runners who took part in the 5-km category. We had our group picture taking, eagerly  showing our company banner.

With 5km runners

First Balfour runners at the finish line

Thank you very much to the organizers and  sponsors of the Pro Earth Run for a feel good fun of a run. Among the  corporate sponsors, special mention to the good people of First Gen for their  generous assistance.