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December 13, 2015

BALIK ALINDOG PROGRAM: Spreading the "Gospel" of Running

I read somewhere that "Evangelization is simply sharing something good and helpful to other people." Sharing something good. To my mind, this is essentially what we are doing in the newly-launched Balik Alindog Program (BAP) of our Ateneo de Naga High School Class of 1983.  That is why we are seeing enthusiasm on the part of our fellow 83neans as they respond positively to an Open Letter posted a couple of weeks ago in this blog.  

November 25, 2015

PHILIPPINE MARINE CORPS MARATHON: The World is Flat - To Them!


Blogger's Note:  To my mind, any self-respecting Pinoy marathoner should run in the Philippine Marine Corps Marathon.

November 19, 2015

TMEK 2015 21KM CHALLENGE: Another Fun Run for a Cause from Team Sinarapan


Running with a running club  is a great way to develop a sense of community - the joy of having accomplished something together, the spirit to want to give back to the community.  This aphorism  is accepted by  the 48-strong members of Team Sinarapan as they set  out to organize their  5th fun run for a cause in 5 years since their establishment - Takbo Mo, Edukasyon Ko 2015 - 21km Challenge.

November 6, 2015

Bicolano Penguin Blog On Its 4th Year : I Run to Write. I Write to Run



"It's your Bicolano Penguin's fourth anniversary.  It has taken a roller coaster journey, but I know your blog will always be something to cherish.  Keep writing, BP."

October 31, 2015

FEAR OF HILLS: A Mental Obstacle for Some At the Philippine Marine Corps Marathon

Looking at the elevation profile of its 42-km route leaves no doubt that participants of the Philippine Marine Corps Marathon PMCM will have hills for breakfast galore come the early morning hours of Nov 15, 2015.

October 19, 2015

L2M 50KM ULTRA: Intrepidity on a Stormy Day


A description of an ultra runner goes like this -  one of those intrepid souls who positively savour the thought of running beyond and farther than  the marathon distance.  

October 8, 2015

2015 RUPM: Knockdown Twice But It Never Gets Old For Me


The 2015 Run United Philippine Marathon is my second RUPM.  It is my 11th full mary since I started running in 2010. But it never gets old for me - the feeling of giddy excitement at the starting line and the endorphin-induced euphoria at the finish line.  And in between the two lines stretched for 42 kilometers and then some , there is always a motivating factor to keep my crampy and wobbly feet going.

September 12, 2015

BOMBON MARATHON: A Rare Treat come Oct 4, 2015


Rare is the  42-km  marathon in  Camarines Sur. For the past 6 years, as of my count, there have only been 3  full marathons in our province:  the 2 editions (2010 & 2011) of the Camsur International Marathon and the 2012 Penafrancia Marathon.  Contrast this  with running crazy provinces like Batangas, Laguna, Cebu, Negros Oriental  and Davao where marathons and ultras are almost a monthly event.  While these provinces experience La Nina , Cam Sur has the El Nino in marathons.

June 14, 2015

TAKBO ALAY KAY SAN ANTONIO: A Community Coming Together


A fun run organized by a parish church  has always occupied a special place in our heart. It is indeed a very inspiring notion to see a community coming together for the singular purpose of hosting a fun run, which mind you, is no easy matter.  There are so many variables and logistical issues to deliberately consider and painstakingly manage.  Even highly-paid professional  race organizers would attest to such difficulties and the organizers of parish fun run are doing this for free.

April 29, 2015

2015 PRO EARTH RUN: Gina's 1st Medal


"Turn right, not left."  I shouted out at my grade school classmate Gina  as  I tried to catch up with her in the Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City. She was trotting fast along  Diokno Boulevard  and about to turn left Seaside Boulevard. Going left would have her joining the 5-km run  instead of the 3-km run which the two of us registered for. 

April 28, 2015

MEMORIAL RUN FOR COACH TOEL: Running for a Man of Empathy


"We run for many reasons.  We run for our health.  We run to win a finisher medal and a finisher shirt. We run to be happy.  We run to prove others wrong.  Rare is the time that we get to run to express our sympathy.  The memorial run this April 19 in MOA is one such occasion."

April 19, 2015

2015 MAYON 160 ULTRA MARATHON: An Interview With 2 Pioneers

Blogger's Note:   46 started and 37 finished within the cut off time of 32 hours.  This is the statistical story of the very first edition of the Mayon 160-km Ultra Marathon held last April 10-11, 2015.  Numbers don't lie. True but most times, cold numbers maybe not enough to paint a picture of the human struggles and triumphs  needed for the ordinary mortals to accomplish such an extraordinary feat. We are in luck this time for two of the finishers  have agreed to answer questions about their pioneering adventure.  Bob Castilla (Bib No. 1 ) and Ernie Badong (Bib No. 20) finished 6th and 20th place, respectively.  They are batchmates of the Bicolano Penguin (BP)  in the Ateneo de Naga High School Batch 1983 ("83neans"). Both were supported in the 160-km ultra by another batchmate Allen "Por Da Lab" Tolledo.  Both are veterans of more than two dozen ultra marathons in Luzon and Mindanao.  The longest that Bob has conquered is the 2013 West Coast 200-km Single Stage Ultra   while Ernie's longest is the 2013 Bataan Death March 160-km Ultra.   Both proudly donned the row5runnin shirt.  In this interview, they gamely and separately answered the questions about the 2015 Mayon 160 from the BP as well as from fellow row5runner Kevin Moral and fellow 83nean Bitoy Lorico.

April 3, 2015

GOOD FRIDAY: Regaining My "Faith"


With my hospital confinement for almost 2 weeks in March, the Bicolano Penguin has been quite reluctant to resume running.  It was discombobulating for me to have a healthy blood pressure (100/70) prior to my hospitalization and have elevated levels (160/100) upon my hospital discharge. Caution was what my Commander in Chief (CIC) was telling me. 

April 2, 2015

PRO EARTH RUN 2015: Media Briefing


You know that climate change is a veritable reality when even on a Holy Week this year, a super typhoon (Code name "Maysak") is threatening to hit the island of Luzon. It is supposed to be the height of summer time and yet there is a gloomy consciousness about this new normal. Our Planet Earth is indeed fucked up. Pardon my french. 

March 15, 2015

7 ELEVEN RUN 1500 MARATHON: Sub-Sex Finish


5 hrs & 36 mins; 6 hrs & 35 mins; and 7 hrs & 40 mins. These are my finish times in previous running(s) of a marathon on the Skyway. It has been getting slower every time. That is why I could be forgiven for mixing up the "i" with the "e" when excitedly describing my latest finish time.  In today's 7 Eleven Run 1500 Marathon, the Bicolano Penguin crossed the finish line with a time of 5 hours and 50 minutes.   Sub-six, baby. 

March 13, 2015

ALTRA PROVISION 2.0: Synergy of Form and Substance


Man, by nature,  is  visual. We easily and eagerly get attracted to bright colors and  shapely form. Thus, I can be forgiven for succumbing easily to the allure of the Altra Provision 2.0. What with colorways that are beautiful to our eyes : Gray-Blue; Black-Red: and Green-Blue. All 3 colors are cool and the supplier (Singphil)   shipped me the Green-Blue pair.

March 10, 2015

TAKBO PARA KAY JUANA: Masaya Sa Sariaya.


In the early dawn  on the courtyard of a church , a priest was blessing with holy water the assembled group of more than a hundred runners, mostly women,  as they await the start of an all important advocacy run in their community. Such was the sight that greeted the Bicolano Penguin and his fellow Row5Runners as we arrived in the Barrio of Castanas in the Municipality of Sariaya of the Province of Quezon as twilight started on that  morning hour of March 7. 

March 3, 2015

PARANAQUE RUNNING CIRCLE: Another Milestone in the Journey


With the oath-taking of its duly-elected officers this Tuesday (Mar 2) inside the Mayor's office of the Paranaque City Hall , the Paranaque Running Circle (PRC) achieved another milestone in its journey for legitimacy and relevance. To recap the past 12 months, we have seen the following major steps made by the PRC:

March 2, 2015

TAKBO PARA KAY JUANA: March 7, 2015


Come this Saturday (Mar 7), there is a worthwhile fun run in a provincial town that is very much worth visiting.  Such a fun run is the "Takbo Para Kay Juana" and such a town is Sariaya in the province of Quezon. I was informed of this race by my row5runnin friend Gudelia Marcelo who is a proud Sariayahin.  

February 28, 2015

THE BULL RUNNER DREAM MARATHON 2015: The Tale of Alice


Blogger's Note:

This is the third in a series of stories of the Bull Runner Dream Marathon 2015 experience.  Of the 6 First Balfour runners entered in the TBRDM this year, Alice Monfero is the one I have known for the longest time.  She was a co-worker when I headed the Treasury team in FB more than a decade ago. She is pretty athletic and has excellent  physical flexibility.  When I first recruited officemates to join

THE BULL RUNNER DREAM MARATHON 2015: RJ's Story



Blogger's Note:

This is the second in a series which features the stories of 6 First Balfour runners who conquered their first marathons at the Bull Runner Dream Marathon this 2015. This is the story of RJ Santos, young at 30 years old but alredy the head of the  geodetic enegineering team in FB.  From the province of Bulacan and educated in UP Diliman, RJ brought with him  hard-working and smart-