FRONTRUNNER MAGAZINE Vol 3 Issue 4 2012

Today, I got a copy of the latest issue of the Frontrunner magazine.  Good timing for me as I was not planning on running in the next few days given my cough and cold.  Having a colorful and insightful magazine about my favorite passion would be a plus for my recovery from sick bay.

 

The cover of the Frontrunner Issue 4 of 2012 is that of a father and son team of martial arts practitioners who are into running. To be honest about it, I did not pay particular close attention to it.  Any kind of martial arts is not my cup of tea.  Maybe,  marital arts. 

Nonetheless,  there are articles of interest in this latest issue of the Frontrunner magazine. At pages 42-43, there is an interesting and inspiring account by a Pinoy runner (Paolo Osmena) of the Comrades Marathon. It explores the many charms of this greatest and oldest of ultra marathons in the world. It also shows a picture of the author among the participants of the 2012 edition of the Comrades. He has shown it can be done by a Pinoy and this will the more inspire us 83neans to gun for this historic event.

At pages 48-54 are spreads of pictures and an article about the “I Shall Return 50K Ultramarathon” held last August 18, 2012 in the province of Leyte. Looking at the pictures of the finishers receiving their medals from the beautiful Cristina Gonzalez-Romualdez made me realize that I should be taking seriously the challenge of joining a handful of ultra events in the Visayas area.  It is truly a great way to get to tour our native land.

But the most interesting is at page 4, where Jonel Mendoza, the editor in chief,  gets to talk about some of his treasures – his collection of running books.  His list includes the following:

1.“What I Talk About When I Talk about Running”  by Haruki Murakami

2.“Ultramarathon Man” by Dean Karnazes

3.“50 50” by Dean Karnazes

4.“My Life on the Run” by Bart Yasso

5.“Bowerman and the Men of Oregon” by Kenny Moore

6.“Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall

7.“Eat & Run” by Scott Jurek

8.“Meditations from the Breakdown Lane” by James Shapiro

9.“Ultramarathon” by James Shapiro

10.“Running on Empty” by Marshall Ulrich

Of these 10 books, I have had the pleasure of owning and reading two of them already: “Ultramarathon Man” and “Born to Run.” I have many more to read and I think I will start with item no. 1, the Murakami masterpiece.This will be on my Christmas wish list.

Before I forget, another page  of personal interest to me in this magazine is page 9.  It has a small picture of me wearing the frontRUNNER shirt, together with my Batch 83 classmates.

Maraming maraming salamat, Jonel and  Con Mendoza.