UNILAB: Active Health Media Launch

I’ve been running for almost three years now. Other than my usual three times a week regimen, I am also fond of joining races by which is becoming more popular this days among Filipinos. This phenomenon (because I hope it’s not just a trend) has grown so fast and so big in just a period of ten years or so. For so many years that our country have been in the bottom scale in terms of development, economic progress and political stability, at least there is one thing good that is happening that is continually spreading in the life of many Filipinos today, and that is running.

For the past three years, UNILAB is among the leading proponent of running events that is being organized in the country today. In 2010, it started out as just a three-part running events which attended by less than 5,000 runners. Last year, the participation shoots up to a staggering 16,000 runners in one of the series runs alone. From this, UNILAB along with its long time running partner run organizer, RUN RIO, were prompted to come up with additional avenues in promoting active health.

Starting March 4, 2012, Active Health will kick-off with its Run United series that will commence in SM Mall of Asia for the 3k, 5k and 10k categories. However, for the 21k will be a little different this time. The 21k runners will be shuttle from MOA to BGC as the starting Line and it will finish also in MOA. By far the 21k has the biggest delegation summing up to more than 3,500 runners, so it is only fitting that it should have a separate race route in order not to mix it with other categories.

The Tri-United, a triathlon competition is another first for UNILAB Active Health campaign that will challenge a lot of competitive athletes in a three event-race namely, swimming, road-biking and running. It is a two-day event happening on April 14-15 in Batangas and on June 30 and July 1 in Bataan. This particular event will be organized by a new partner of UNILAB, the husband and wife triathlon coaches and veterans Dan and Ani Brown.

The month of October will also be as exciting because this will be the month of Jaymie Pizaro also known as the Bull Runner as she spear-head the UNILAB’s first ever Run United Philippine Marathon on October 18. But prior to this, coach Jaymie will conduct a series of clinics and runs dubbed as The Bull Runner Dream Marathon. It is a preparation for those serious runners who want to fulfill their dreams running a full marathon. This will be scheduled on March 18, 2012.

And finally, to complete the Active Health series is the Bike United. Though the schedules for this series are yet to be finalized, bike enthusiasts will certainly be excited to participate in this exhilarating event. The guy behind this cycling competition is no other than the “The Master” himself, Mr. Raul Cuevas. An Iron Man finisher himself, he is also the guy behind Bike King, a group of cycling coaches that organize cycling event all over the country. And for the first time, Mr. Cuevas, will partner with UNILAB in the Active Health bike united series.

The collaboration of Rio, Jaymei, Dan, Ani, Raul and of course UNILAB will certainly bring the outdoor sports to a new level that will hope to encourage more Filipinos to enjoy the healthier life style and challenge the competitive ones to push themselves one notch higher, thus improving the Sports capabilities of Filipinos among the ranks of world’s finest athletes.