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Upper and Lower Limits for Vitamin D

by: Dr. Gabe Mirkin M.D.

image from blog.scientificamerican
The safe upper limit of vitamin D has been identified for the first time. A study of more than a million people older than 45 shows that having blood levels of calcidiol (hydroxyl vitamin D) below 20ng/mL (50 nmol/L) or above 36 ng/mL (90 nmol/L) increases risk for heart attacks and premature death (J Clin Endocrinol Metab, published online March 26, 2013). An overdose, as well as a deficiency, of vitamin D markedly increases heart attack risk.

A major function of vitamin D is to increase absorption of calcium from the intestines. Some people who take vitamin D supplements raise their blood levels of calcium as well as vitamin D above normal. These people are at increased risk for heart attacks and premature death.

The only dependable blood test for vitamin D deficiency is called calcidiol or hydroxy-vitamin D. If you have a calcidiol level below 20 ng/mL, you can raise it to 32 ng/mL by taking 30 µg (1200 IU) per day. If your blood level of calcidiol is 30 ng/mL, you need to take 5 µg (200 IU) per day, to raise blood levels to 32 ng/mL. If your blood calcidiol level is too high (above 90 nmol/L), check with your doctor about reducing your dose of vitamin D pills.
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Suunto Ambit 2S GPS Multisports Watch

Ambit 2S
Time Depot Philippines just recently launched their new collection of second generation Suunto Ambit GPS watches that is suitable for trainings, indoor sports, outdoor adventure, and even for a Multisport event such as Triathlon.

The product launch held at California Pizza Kitchen in Rockwell, Makati City was attended by some of the Country's top Triathletes such as Coaches Andy Leuterio, Miguel Lopez, Carlos De Guzman (SBR.ph), Keshia Fule; the Philippine Skyrunners Rashel Peña and Carlo Diño; and as well as our well-known Athletes, Runners and bloggers-alike in the field of Multisports, Road, Trail, and Ultrarunning such as the couple Jinoe and Que Gavan (Takbo.ph), Jeff Lo (Pinoy Fitness), Franc Ramon (FrancRamon.com), Rene Villarta (JazzRunner), Vima Mendoza (KulitRunner), Blas (TitaniumRunner), and Boy Ramos (RunningHost).

Coaches Andy Leuterio and Miguel Lopez both shared their insights, experience, and review of the great features of the watch and how it performed during their trainings. What impressed me with their testimony is the battery life which according to them lasts really long (I forgot the actual time that they mentioned, but it's more than 12-hrs as compared to my first GPS sports watch which can only last up to 8-hrs).

Not just about battery, the Ambit 2 and 2S can also be used for Mountaineering, high-altitude running (such as Skyrunning) Swimming (indoor and outdoor), Cycling, as well as other indoor sports if you want to measure your heart-rate or to just time your workouts. The watch even have its own "Triathlon" sports category that you can choose for your training or for an actual race.

The Media Launch attendees

Suunto also have its own online sports community where Ambit users can download or upload their workout data to and from their smartphones, err.. Ambit watch -- the movescount.com. Movescount.com hosts thousands of Suunto's advanced apps where Ambit users can share or load these apps from the App Zone (yeah, like a smartphone). In addition, if you're geek enough to create your own application or tool for the Ambit watch, or if you just want to control the human race through your Ambit watch, you can do so for free via the App Zone (hhmmnn... sounds cool)!

Initial Impressions:

Hearing those features of this GPS sports watch unveiled to us during the media launch, I was impressed at what it can do and what it can offer. "Basically", this is not just a basic GPS watch, it is loaded with features geared not just for the simple runners but most specially to the serious explorers and endurance athletes.

But don't let those features intimidate you as the simplicity of its interface will make the manual unusable for anyone who are not afraid to press the six (6) buttons of the Ambit watch. I was actually able to somehow familiarize the interface in just a few minutes of fiddling through those buttons while in the jeepney from Rockwell halfway going to Guadalupe, EDSA.

(L-R): Coach Andy Leuterio, Mascy Pineda (Time Depot Brand Manager),
Brand Ambassadors Keshia Fule and Ige Lopez

Ambit 2S Functions/Specifications:
  • GPS using the SiRFstarIV technology
  • Altimeter for GPS-based altitude graph
  • 3D Compass with declination adjustment
  • Multisport support for easy swapping of sports on-the-go
  • Swimming logs distance, duration, pace, stroke count, rate, efficiency, and swimming style
  • Biking Power measures efficiency while biking and save energy during long distances
  • Movescount and Suunto Apps
  • Time, date, alarm, dual time, button lock
  • Multilanguage user interface (EN, DE, ES, FI, FR, IT, NL, PT, SV)
  • User adjustable backlight
  • Weight: 72g (silver), 89g (black), 92g (sapphire)
  • Glassfiber materials with reinforced polyamide case, aluminum bezel, elastomer strap
  • 50-m / 164-ft / 5-bar water resistance
  • Rechargeable 240 mAh Li-ion battery (25-hrs with 60-sec GPS interval; 8-hrs for 1-sec GPS interval; 15-days with AC functions)

Keep posted for my actual gear review of the Ambit 2S watch, which was generously provided to me by Ms. Mascy Pineda of Time Depot Philippines. For the product Press Release, please refer to Aktibo Ka Ba.

Ambit 2S collections in Lime, Red, and Graphite bezel colors

Ambit 2 collections in Silver, Sapphire, and Black bezel colors

The unboxed Suunto Ambit 2S includes heart-rate belt, ANT+ heart-rate monitor,
quick guide manuals, GPS watch and USB charger/data cable

Closer look (actual product doesn't have the RunningAtom logo *wink*)

Back plate of the watch

With Suunto, conquer new territory from the highest mountains to the deepest oceans.

Special thanks to Franc Ramon and Ms. Mascy Pineda
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Suunto Launches Two New Generation GPS Watches



Suunto unveils the second generation of Ambit outdoor GPS watches, the new line-up of Ambit2 S and the Ambit2. This creates a collection of Suunto GPS watches for every occassion — whether a multisport training session or a serious adventure.



Comments President of Suunto, Mikko Moilanen: “The Ambit got a tremendously positive response from consumers last year. To meet the needs of perfomance sports oriented users even better we felt that a lighter, slimmer GPS with sports-specific features but less focus on outdoor functionality was needed to complement the Ambit family. In addition, the rapidly advancing technology made it meaningful to update the Ambit family with new members already now.”



Ambit2 S – The GPS watch for athletes

The new Ambit2 S is a light and sleek GPS watch for multisport athletes that packs all the features needed for cycling, running, swimming and multisport training. The GPS provides accurate pace, route navigation and tracking, while the heart rate monitor lets you train within your ideal zone.

  • Cycling: The new Suunto Ambit2 S will support power meters (ANT+) and offers various power measurement values and numerous options for in-depth analysis.

  • Swimming: The Ambit2 S also offers comprehensive swimming functionality, including pace and distance, automatic intervals, stroke rate and swimming time related to different pool lengths. The Ambit2 S will also learn to recognize your swimming style, which makes performance analysis easier.

  • Running: Runners benefit from highly accurate pace and distance thanks to FusedSpeed™, the Ambit's accelerometer integrated GPS, as well as interval timer and autolaps for training.

  • Multisport Training: Users can switch between sports, making the Suunto Ambit2 S ideal for recording your multisport training or race.




Ambit2 S – SRP Php 25,000.00


Ambit2 – The GPS for explorers and athletes



Suunto also launches the Ambit2, which builds on the success of the award-winning Suunto Ambit. It includes Suunto's hallmark outdoor functions such as route navigation, barometric information, altimeter with FusedAltiTM, 3D compass and other outdoor specific features. In addition the Ambit2 has all the training features of the Ambit2 S.



Packed in a glass fiber reinforced casing with a battery life of up to 50 hours in GPS mode, the Ambit2 is the ultimate watch for serious adventurers, explorers and multisport athletes. The Sapphire edition of the Ambit2, (pictured center) features a brushed steel bezel and sapphire crystal glass, adding some serious style to the Ambit2's extreme functionality.



Comments Suunto ambassador and climber Ueli Steck: “In the mountains you need a watch you can rely on. I've been using Suunto products for many years and the Ambit2 is the ideal product out there for anyone serious about their mountain sports.”



App Zone and Movescount.com are also upgraded



Suunto is also upgrading the Suunto App Zone, the community forum where users can find and create free Apps for the Ambit GPS watches. Since it launched in November 2012, the App Zone has proved popular with users, who have created over 5,000 Apps so far. The upgrade gives Ambit owners the chance to create and share more advanced Apps. Suunto’s online sports community Movescount.com which hosts the App Zone, will also be updated to provide new tools for in-depth analysis, enhanced navigation and improved opportunities for sharing.






Ambit2 Silver and Black – SRP Php 35,000

Ambit2 Sapphire – SRP Php 40,000


Available at all TIME DEPOT stores.



For more product details and full specs, visit www.suunto.com. Also visit RunningAtom for product unboxing of the Ambit 2S and product review.



About Suunto

Suunto was founded in 1936 by Tuomas Vohlonen, a Finnish orienteer and inventor of the liquid-filled field compass. Since then Suunto has been at the forefront of design and innovation for sports watches, dive computers and instruments used by adventure seekers all over the globe. From the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, Suunto physically and mentally equips outdoor adventurers to conquer new territory.



Suunto's headquarters and manufacturing plant is in Vantaa, Finland. Employing more than 400 people worldwide, Suunto products are sold in over 100 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation along with its sister brands Salomon, Arc'teryx, Atomic, Wilson, Precor, and Mavic.
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Short, Intense Workouts Improve Fitness and Health

by Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

How intense can you go? (image from: T-nation.com)

Don’t complain that you do not have enough time to gain the health benefits of exercise. A new study shows that forty minutes of intense exercise, three times a week for 10 weeks:
  • increases VO2max,
  • lowers blood pressure,
  • lowers blood sugar levels,
  • reduce body fat, and
  • lowers total cholesterol, the bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and the oxidized LDL cholesterol that forms plaques in arteries. (PLOS One, June 4, 2013).

VO2max measures the maximal ability to take in and use oxygen. It is a measure of fitness level that also predicts how long a person is likely to live (Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999;31: S646–662).

The Study's Training Protocol

In this study, men who had not exercised for at least two years, and did not have heart or lung disease, exercised on an inclined treadmill three times a week. They took:

  1. a 10-minute warm up at 70 percent of their maximum heart rate followed by
  2. four sets of four minutes each, of jogging at 90 percent of maximum heart rate, followed by three minutes of active recovery at 70 percent maximum heart rate followed by
  3. a five-minute cool-down

Total exercise time for each session was 40 minutes. At 90 percent of maximum heart rate, a person gasps for breath and cannot carry on a conversation.

Intense Exercise Provides Increased Health Benefits

Athletes learn that they cannot compete effectively unless they train at a level at or near their maximal intensity. To do this, most athletes use a technique called interval training. They exercise at near their maximum intensity for a short time and become very short of breath. They recover their breath by slowing down for a short period, and then go as hard as they can again. They repeat these intervals until their muscles start to hurt and feel stiff. The next day they are sore and train at a much slower pace.

Many recent research papers show that the interval training technique used by athletes can provide health benefits that would take far longer to achieve with training at a lower intensity. This new study shows that people can use very intense exercise to become fit and improve their health in as little as 40 minutes three times a week. Interval training will strengthen your heart far more than less-intense training. Caution: People who already have blocked arteries leading to their hearts need to be cautious with interval training because their hearts may not be strong enough to tolerate the extra work of intense training. Therefore, you should probably check with your doctor before starting intense interval training.

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Planet Infinity's Planet Games

Last Week (08Jun2013), I was supposed to explore the trails of Porac, Pampanga for the #Explorac invitational trail run together with Primer Group and other runner-bloggers. It was already a mindset more than a week before, but another invitation from our Company's HR for the same date came, of which I cannot decline in any way, whether I like it or not, and for the good sake of my career (lol, just exaggerating)!

The event was a Fitness competition by Planet Infinity gym dubbed as the first Planet Games, and it was also our Company's first participation for a fitness competition that was represented by 6 employees. I wasn't actually supposed to be joining because of the mentioned #Explorac run, but two (2) other officemates who are more qualified than me weren't also available for the said date.

Before the event day came, we were briefed about the routines and about the event at Planet Infinity gym in Mother Ignacia, Quezon City, accompanied by Atty. Liezel Chico -- our ever supportive HR Manager. From there we were carefully chosen and got qualified according to each of our capacity.

The Planet Game was much like the easier version of what we did at the 2nd Leg of Immuvit's Metafit Challenge (click the link to know the story). I only said easier because the exercises were done in relay style for the team division and since this is our first time to join, we signed-up for the Novice/Silver category where we were only required to do lesser repetitions than the Elite/Gold category. There was also a Teens category but we never knew about it until the event day (if I only knew I could've signed-up for this category instead, lol!).

To give you an idea, here's the set of workouts for the Team division that we have to accomplish and finish with our bestest (as required).
  1. 20 Burpees (30 for Elite category)
  2. 60 Squats (100 for Elite category)
  3. 40 Lunges (60 for Elite category)
  4. 50 Push-ups/Modified push-up for Women (100 for Elite category)
  5. 50 Toe touches (100 V-ups for Elite category)
  6. 125 Jumping jacks (250 for Elite category)
Muscles and lean bodies are almost everywhere upon our arrival at the track field of Amoranto Sports Complex in Roces Ave., Quezon City. Everyone was competitive and in high spirit right from the first team up to the last showdown of the Elite teams. Even the teens category were also as competitive as the most bulked-up participants minus the muscle. In contrast of the other teams to our team, only Gino and Chino have the body muscle that can intimidate other participants and make the ladies drool, while the rest of us, we are the intimated ones. But of course, our team is more than competitive than they are (*wink*)!

The team competition started at past 7 AM. Each team were divided into two and positioned in opposite sides of the track field. The relay was done by executing the member's assigned set followed by a 200-m run towards the opposite side of the track. The next team member will start his set once the other member has arrived and has tapped the waiting teammate's hand.

I was the 5th in our team to go and was assigned for the toe-touches. The requirement for all the participants is just to properly execute the routine, else, the count will be invalidated. In my own counting, I did a total of 52 repetitions before I was given signal to run, which means that I have 2 invalid execution of the toe touches.

Here's the video of us during the team competition:


A few minutes before the last few teams finished their turn, the host announced that everyone who listed for the Individual division must re-register as some have already backed-out. I was pumped-up upon hearing it (bitin pa kasi) so I went to the registration area to try if I can still enlist. There were already a few names listed for the Elite category but there was still nobody from the Novice category listed, I was the first. We weren't allowed to switch to Elite because our Team was in the Novice category (oh, that's better actually)! Gino, Chino, and Leo enlisted also after a few minutes of convincing, and that makes only four (4) of us competing for the Individual-Novice category thereby assuring three (3) of us will get the podium places (hehehe, or so I thought)!

The mechanics for the individual is different, as each one will perform 5-exercise routines as fast and as many as they can in 1-minute each with a few seconds of rest in between. Here's the set of workouts:
  1. 1-minute Burpees (30-secs. rest for Novice, 15-secs. rest for Elite)
  2. 1-minute Squats (30-secs. rest for Novice, 15-secs. rest for Elite)
  3. 1-minute Push-ups (30-secs. rest for Novice, 15-secs. rest for Elite)
  4. 1-minute Lunges (30-secs. rest for Novice, 15-secs. rest for Elite)
  5. 1-minute Toe touches (30-secs. rest for Novice, V-ups and 15-secs. rest for Elite)
The competition for the Individual division started after around 30-minutes of announcements, intermission/song number from one of the Gym instructor, and further explanation of the mechanics. When the participants were called-in, we were shocked to see that almost everyone who joined the Team division were also participants for the Individual division. Well, there was no backing-out anymore!

We were called-in for the 2nd batch and we're briefed again about the proper execution of each exercises. My weakness was the burpees but fortunately this time, it was the first exercise (while still strong) and we're not required to jump and push-up. Watching the video, it seems that I haven't properly executed about half of the burpees and toe-touches that I did, wasted effort!

Watch us in the Individual competition from the video below:


Although I wasn't able to tread on the trails of Porac, Pampanga, the turn-out of the day was still fulfilling as our team grabbed three (3) podium awards (that's unexpected, yyebaa). Check out some of the photos taken during the event:

The StradFit team together with our HR Manager, Atty. Liezel Chico (left)

Silver (Team) category contenders (L-R): Knubs, Kenneth, Nihal, Me, Chino and Gino

Silver (Individual) category contenders (L-4): Leo, Me, Gino, and Chino

The participants warming-up

Puffing-out on the individual 1-minute burpees

1-minute squats

1-minute push-up

1-minute alternate leg lunges

Last set: 1-minute toe touches

Silver category (Team) Champion: The StradFit Team

Silver category (Individual) 2nd Place: Gino Gironella

3rd Place: Silver category (Individual)
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Torque Unleashes Powerful, Affordable Android Gadgets

Think you’ve seen the best in Android phones? Wait until you get your hands on Torque’s new DROIDZ series.

Torque, a mobile company that proudly offers Pinoy branded phones, has introduced the New DROIDZ Flex Technology which optimizes the software to maximize the hardware capability of the device. Droidz Flex Technology for Android aims to provide faster, more powerful, yet very affordable Android devices for the demanding Filipino users who want to experience more with their Torque smart phone of choice.

This innovative technology is now found at the heart of Torque’s new Droidz Series, which includes the Droidz Sport and Droidz Force, perfect for budget-conscious dual-SIM lovers.

White Droidz Sport

Affordability meets performance – that’s the DROIDZ Sport, featuring a 3.5” HVGA 320x480 capacitive display at 165ppi. Built with 1GHz Single Core Spreadtrum SC6820 processor, its superior interface uses Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread) OS matched with Mali-400 GPU. Storing music, movies and other files will be a breeze with its 512MB of internal storage, 256MB RAM and micro-SD support that is upgradable up to 32GB. Proving also that you can save on cash but not scrimp on features, it also sports 2-megapizel fixed-focus camera, 3.5mm stereo headset, FM radio and multimedia player, Micro-USB port, motion sensor and Li-Ion 1,500mAh battery. Other features include Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, EDGE/GPRS/SMS/MMS Support. What’s even hotter is that all these come at a very affordable price of P2,599.

Black Droidz Force

If you’re addicted to watching movies, listening to music or playing games with your phone, Droidz Force is the perfect gadget for you as it offers big-screen capability with 4.0” HVGA 800x480 capacitive display at 233ppi. Running at 1GHz Single Core Spreadtrum SC6820 processor with 512 internal storage and 512 MB RAM, Droidz Force lets you enjoy superb functionality and power. It features a Slim form factor at 9.5mm, combined with G-sensor, proximity sensor and light sensor that you can find in other more expensive phones. Watching videos and movies, as well as playing music and games will surely be enjoyable with its Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread) OS and Mali-400 GPU, fitted with FM radio and multimedia player and 3.5mm Stereo Headset. What’s more, it comes with single camera with 2-megapixel fixed-focus camera and VGA front camera plus Micro-SD capability that can support up to 32GB. It supports Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, as well as EDGE/GPRS/SMS/MMS, and comes at Li-Ion 1,500mAh battery. Amazingly, you can have this hot dual-sim phone at an incredibly low price of only P 2,999.

With Torque’s Droidz series, this Pinoy brand proves how it aims to level up the mobile phone landscape for Filipino users. Designed with audio/video enthusiasts in mind, Torque’s offerings are packed with features to make sure every Juan will enjoy “MUSIC-ALL-U-CAN, MOVIES-ALL-U-CAN, APP-ALL-U-CAN!”

“We recognize that in today’s day and age, Filipinos use their gadgets not just for communications but for entertainment,” says Christopher Uyco, president and CEO of Torque Philippines. “We make sure that each Torque phone or tablet goes beyond offering affordable and convenient communication – we want to make movies, music and entertainment more accessible to more Filipinos with budget-friendly prices.”

For the complete price list and information about Torque, visit www.torque.ph.
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If You Wanna See, Watch Juana C (Spoiler Alert)



With the many political scandals that happened in our Country ("ZTE scam", "Fertilizer scam", "Maguindanao Massacre", "Pabaon system", etc.), many of the Citizens with able-mind of this generation realized the real deal about what's happening in our society. We've realized that the crab mentality of which our National heroes hated about the Spaniards, still exists today -- we've inherited it, or in a much better phrase, we chose to inherit.


If you're still innocent of what I'm talking about, and you want to understand more what's really happening around the political veil without having a heart attack and rise in blood pressure, then you should definitely watch Juana C. the Movie. It will open your eyes and still make you laugh your heart out, utter your most creative "OMG" that you can make, and moan on the combination of kinky and comedic portrayal of real events around us. It's not a downplay of the issues surrounding us, but a lighter way of telling the people to once again wake up and get out of the bad norm that we're getting used to. As Jim Paredes puts in his tweet: "#JuanaCtheMovie challenges everything about stardom as only Mae Paner can. Outrageous. KICK ASS movie that spares no villain in PH society."

I did not know what's Juana C and who's Juana Change is until I get to watch the Premier of her movie. It started with 3 short films (which I think were one of those in her youtube channel) that talked about hypocrisy, the unsung Heroes and what those living heroes really needs, the real side of Women about RH bill, and trust-issues in our Armed forces due to their own issues that hounds them, which in contrast, are now having a full transformation through their Army Transformation Roadmap program. I'm just not sure though though if these short videos will also be shown to the Cinemas as commercials before the movie starts.

Juana C talking to her parents who lives on a small village yet fluent in English

The movie initially took place at Brgy. Kaploc (a fictional village near Wawa river, Montalban, Rizal), where Juana and her 2 other Valedictorian and Salutatorian friends were born, raised, and graduated in High School. Their barangay was already facing exploitation of the natural resources coupled with land-grabbing of People in power and money, silencing the villagers through buying them or worst... (you know what's next! or you don't? Then watch the movie now, lol).

Juana C. was the only hope of the village to get them out from this exploitation if she get better education but, the temptations and lure of the socialites and high-metro living took Juana C. to a different path than planned. Where will she end up? Now that's for you to find out at SM Malls, Ayala Malls, and Robinson's Cinema starting today, June 5 until June 11, 2013.

A Run United runner on her left

At the end of the movie, I can't stop wondering about the statement narrated in one of those short films: "Are we already numb from these numerous scandals that it became a normal thing already of our day-to-day lives?" Have we indeed? Is it enough to just cast our vote to say that "we did our part"? Or in case of most people, is it okay to fill-up all the empty slots in our ballot just for the sake of voting? Sometimes, hearing more good news about our Country also blinds us from seemingly less-important details, white lies, lesser evils of those who are in political power and higher stature around us. Things that we ought to know about becomes a distant and unimportant matter to touch, until one day, someday, it corrupts again our entire system.

Juana C., an Indie comedy film and first by Laganap Productions is a comedy film of our time with much more sense (although it's not for Children below 16-years of age). Truly it is a bomb that touches the political and real-life issues on a fearless, comedic, and witty spotlight!

At the premier night were Ms. Risa Hontiveros,
Jasmin Baptista (Masterworks), and iFM DJ Kitchie Daldal

with General Palakpak (Niño Muhlach)

with Eva (Annicka Dolonius), the socialite "Arrenean" student

with Ms. Mae Paner herself as Juana Change

Here's a trailer of the movie: Juana C. The Movie Trailer
you may also get Juana C. Theme song here.

*Special thanks to Ms. Marcie Linao
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The Energen Family Run 2013

After my back-to-back Merrell 4 and NatGeo 21K run almost a month ago, my body succumbed to a few weeks hiatus from running, a break from the physical and mental stress that an activity like running gives for being-race active but training-deprived body. So if you are one who is sometimes like me that just keeps on joining races without proper, or enough training, I beg you to please, stop doing that now, or we'll both reap the "rewards" (injuries and such) much earlier than expected!

Anyway, thanks to Havas Agatep (previously Agatep Associates Inc.) for giving me (and together with Alvin) the chance to loosen my so relaxed muscles and join the first ever Energen Family Fun run (ooppss, ran again without even a quick training)! The event was for the benefit of Bantay Bata 163 simultaneous with the launching of their new Energen Go Fruit flavors, which was proved tasty and likened by my 4-year old son (Aizen, who in a month from now may already be eligible to join 500-m runs).

The fun run which also aimed to promote healthy lifestyle and family bonding through running was well attended with 3,300 runners who participated on different categories from 3K, 5K, 10K, and the 500-m dash for Kids which has become the highlight as it caught the attention of almost everyone who were all cheers to the cute little kids running with their fluffy teddy bears.

The starting line near BGC's Football field

Although the event was held at the ever-famous race venue Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, the 10K has some newer route aside from the usual "around BGC" and nth street route. One that I liked was the flyover from Market Market going to C5 where runners took it slow below the flyover for the 6th kilometer inclined U-turn. It was not as long as the Buendia flyover but it has added a short challenge.

Ample water as hydration were available for all the runners, and even the sponsor booths were abound to give samples and free taste. The event was even more made alive by the wit and humor of celebrity-runner Bearwin Meilly who not only gave motivation to the participants, but as well as some mind-provoking thoughts, ideas, and some sermons to newbie and seasoned runners alike (now you know what's the difference between fun run and Marathon is!).

Check out the following photos taken during the event:

Some of the running friends present at the event (Alvin, Beep-beep, TJ and Friend)

Crowds of Family and Friends gather at the activity area

Papa Racs (Marshall mode) running to his station at the 500-m U-turn

This cute little boy got the biggest cheer from the crowd

Getting a push to the finish line

Doncha Niel Yakebete leading and winning the boys' 500-m dash

Cyrine Mae Bandolis leading and winning the girls' 500-m dash

Together with the new batch of people from Havas Agatep

Read also the Energen Photo and Winners list from Aktibo Ka Ba?

Race Profile:
Distance: 10 km.
Official Time: 00:53:10
Official Ranking: 65th

Race Info:
When: May 26, 2013.
Where: Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Event: Energen Family Fun Run
Read more ...

The First Amazing Pinoy Fun Run

Last May 25, the long-awaited non-officially timed fun run aimed to raise fund for the Clark Foundation and Filipino Needy Children's Fund Inc. was successfully staged and participated by runners ranging from beginners to some elites, who all conquered the different interactive challenge stations along the route.

I chose not join the run but I still went to support the event as a blogger, unofficial photographer, spectator and to accompany three (3) of my friends who became my representatives in each of the category (3K, 5K, and 10K). Not wanting to be left behind around the activity area while they were enjoying the race route, I followed around 90% of the 5K route to snap a few photos at some of their obstacle stations: First at the 34th street was the mini-maze made from steel barricades; balance beam near the Mind Museum at Rizal drive; the 3-levels of super-limbo; and fourth was the two-sets of tinikling at the 26th street just a few meters from the finish line.

What's wonderful about being a spectator sometimes is that you see many faces for many times, smiling, enjoying the run, having a great time on the obstacles, and also some who are always on serious-mode, competitive-mode, and "just plain" running-mode. These things you don't often see at the finish line as most are either already cooling-down, cheering, exchanging stories with friends, taking pictures, or piling up on different sponsor booths.

This brainchild race of Chris Everingham, Andrew Wolff, Jon Avila, and others, together with Coach Edward Kho under EventLogic was successful in bringing the fun to the participants by incorporating Filipino traditional obstacle games. Runners who stayed after the race were also able to witness the friendly-match between the athletes of Philippine Volcanoes and Philippine Azkals.

For those who wasn't able to join, keep posted as I heard there will be another leg of this Filipino-filled obstacle fun run.

Check-out some photos and a few videos from the event below:

Alvin and Carl warming up

Super Mario bro sisters seen at the Starting line

First batch of the runners coming out from the mini-maze

short yet narrow balance-beam

Runners enjoying the last set of the super limbo

Coach Edward and Chris Everingham giving demo of the exhibition match

10K Male and Female Winners

Here's a short video of the 3 final obstacles to the finish line:


The Philippine Volcanoes vs. Philippine Azkals Exhibition Match
Read more ...

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