Run United 2013 leg 1: The First of my three Running Milestones this 2013

Whaaa! For three years I’ve been running at Run United, this was the first time I missed a gun start… by 20 minutes. I guess joining so many races sometimes made one to neglect small details like – assembly time and gun start. I just turned 40 something the other day and maybe such lapses come with age.

Nevertheless, I still did my customary bag deposits at the baggage counter, went to the starting line ran along the course of the 21k route…alone. Yes, I was a sole runner cruising along the Seaside road trying to catch up with the rest of the 21k runners who were kilometers away. But finally, when I reached Taft Avenue, I was able to catch the end tail of the pack. I knew it was the end tail because I immediately saw Elpi Galido the “Slow Runner”, gliding the road at his most comfortable pace. So when I went passed by him I just gave him a tap on the shoulder and throw a few encouraging words to this guy, who have inspired a lot of people (including me) to run under all circumstances.

At the turn-around slot near Edsa, I realized I just passed the 7k mark so I tried to navigate myself along the crowd and tried to at least make up from the 20 minutes I lost. I noticed that even there were cone barriers to keep the vehicles from getting too close to the runners, the volume of cars, jeepneys and busses and the exhaust fumes they produce were just too overwhelming for most of us most especially on the Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue near Taft Avenue area. Soon after I passed by it and crossed Roxas Boulivard, it became loose a bit, but the road texture became rougher compared to the last time I ran there last year at Adobo Run. That’s the thing when you run barefoot, any small changes in the road condition in the usual running rout can be felt easily. Good thing I’ve been doing this kind of running style for quite a while now and slowly I have grown accustomed to run on any type of road surfaces with much less pain now. Truly, the body can adjust overtime.

It was the first time that Run United/Runrio plotted a 21 course solely around the MOA area. It was not the usual one-way course where it normally started in BGC and end up in MOA. Thisa year, the organizers changed the course to cut cost on the logistic expenses of brining the baggage and runners in two locations. But apparently, this new course has resulted to some over-crowding at the end part of the race. As the 21ks started to merged with the 10s and 5s, that was when confusions came in. Nonetheless, some of those glitches were almost un-noticeable considering that everyone had a fantastic time running. 

I crossed the finish line with much longer time as I expected. But it didn't matter to me now, because I’m set not get faster anyway but I'm preparing myself to run longer race distances. The after race-program was great as well, since the weather was perfect and most of the runners stayed longer and tried to participate in most of the booth. Many sponsors gave away products as raffles but unfortunately I didn’t won any, but that is ok with me, because my eyes is focused on another bigger prize which is the Run United 3 Philippine Marathon!

Note: All photos courtesy of Running Photographers. :)

BDO Race for Life 2013

PRESS RELEASE:

BDO Unibank, in coordination with the BDO Foundation, will hold its 5th annual fund raising run dubbed as "BDO Race for Life". It will be held on April 07, 2013 (Sunday), from 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Marathon Route of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. 100% of proceeds will help fund the housing projects of BDO Foundation, Inc. for typhoon victims.

For the past four years, BDO Foundation has funded various housing projects in BDO Foundation-GK Community in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Starville Shelter 3 in Baliwag, Bulacan, Lexber Homes in Calumpit, Bulacan,the BDO Foundation-UN Habitat ANCOP Homes in Camia, Caloocan and the SM-BDO-GK Village with 410 houses for typhoon Sendong victims in Cagayan de Oro. 

Entry fee is Php450.00 for 3K, Php550.00 for 5K category, Php700.00 for 10K and Php900.00 for r21K. Participants shall be issued one (1) Race Kit, composed of singlet, B-tag, race bib, race route and race guidelines. This event is open to all running enthusiasts. Registration starts on February 08, 2013.. Please visit http://172.22.16.89/raceforlife. 

 The 2013 Race for Life Singlet:

BDO Gun-time schedules:

Mister Donut: Unveils the Most Dramatic Change Ever…

In the last decade, donuts stores have been popping out everywhere bringing new innovations, such as best dough, best toppings, etc., that made Filipinos go ga-ga all over. And so the donut-battle continues as they break a niche to everyone’s market. For more than 30 years, a pioneer in the donut industry has made a breakthrough in the donut store concept that will shift everyone’s attention to the original.

Presenting the new look of Mister Donut, the Mister Donut Café. For more than three decades, the Donut leader has been continuously innovating to make the “usual” donut a special one. This year, the company decided to make a major facelift not just in the look but most specially the food and all the contents of the store has to offer. It is making a whole new dining experience.

Alongside with the all-time favorite donuts are menus for all-time breakfast ,pastas, burgers and even milkshakes are now ready to be served fresh and hot daily. Together with its debut look, is the launching of the newest line up in the donut lists, the PON DE RING. The Pon De Ring took Japan by storm several years ago is now making the Filipinos line up to get a taste of this awesome new experience of Pon De Ring, a soft and chewy that has become Asia’s number one Donut.

Last week, some Mister Donuts friends and members of the on-line media witness the unveiling of the newest concept store of Mister Donut Café at the Greenhills Shopping Complex, where we were served the newest set of menus of Mister Donut and of course the Pon De Ring. One food that struck me is the Wagyu bugers. Considerably priced fairly, this burger is a special one. Sandwiched in a sliced donut-bun is a wagyu burger patty with all the special dressing inside. 

The Greenhills Store is the first salvo of a lot of things to come with Mister Donut. Soon, other stores will be transformed to the café look and will bring donut aficionados a whole new donut experience.

Avida: “Easy-to-own” Home Schemes

For those who are dreaming to own home, you might want to focus your attention to Mandaluyong City, a place where all life’s convenience are now within arm’s reach. Located stone-throw-away from popular malls, it also situated on the major road network – EDSA.

Presenting the AVIDA Centera, a high rise residential condominium with four towers is now being built right in the heart of the bustling metropolis of Mandaluyong City. The Ayala Land subsidiary has almost sold the first three towers and is now open for pre-selling the fourth tower. This completes the development that features state of the art amenities not common in other condos.

Last March 9, 2013, the Avida group showcased some its highlights to some prospective buyers and to a group of online media. The event also featured other developments of Avida all across the country. Each project was assisted by highly trained and enthusiastic Avida agents who were very eager to enlighten everyone to own a condo.

As its features, in addition to its fast-selling units like the 1BR, 2BR and Special 2BR, AVida Centera the lifestyle edge of a mixed-use development with two-level retail area at the podium and zoned amenities. Finally, the Tower four will have a unique offering – 3BR units with floor-to-ceiling pop out windows that will allow residents to enjoy a panoramic views of the city.

Avida offers solutions to some prospective owners about their apprehensions to invest with Avida’s “Easy-to-own Schemes”. It will be comforting to know that if a buyer can spend P250 a day, he or she can already own a condo. A potential owner can also avail of BPI’s easy loan system where in a special booth was provided for people wishes to avail its services. For as low as P7,500, one can avail BPI Home Loans with low interest rates. 

For more information on how you can own an Avida Condominium anywhere in the Philippines, please visit: www.avidaland.com or call (+632) 848 5200 (within Metro Manila) and 1-800-10 848 5200 (outside Metro Manila).

Some pictures of Avida Centera inside amenities...

Sample dining/kitchen area at 55sq.m.

Living area...

Kids bedroom...

Shower and toilet area...

Master bedroom...

Laundry area...

Merrell Adventure Run 2013 @ Pintong Bucaue, San Mateo, Rizal

Merrell Adventure Run 2013 will be set in a new playground!

Further away from Timberland Heights where the Merrell Adventure Run was held three years in a row are trails unknown to many. For the weekend mountain bike warriors, this place is a biking haven, a perfect place to exhaust their remaining extra hyper energy from a week-long work in their offices.

Mr. Thumbie Remigio, MAR race director have finally connected several loops of difficulties and distances to cover the 5k, 10, and 21k category for this Year’s MAR. The place is called Pintong Bucaue, Sitio Cabading, San Mateo, Rizal Province.

This year, everyone will have to brace themselves with a breath-taking view, a panoramic picturesque scene of rolling hills and mountain ranges, much of the area where all the trail runners will have to experience. The Area is called Camp Sinai, because it is located at the mountain top where a giant replica of the tablets of the Ten Commandments will welcome everyone.

Last March 8, 2013, I was invited to join the Merrell team along with some runner blogger friends to do a test run of the newest playground of MAR 2013. We arrived at the area 6:30am, this place is still chilling with fog and mists. I joined the group of Thumbie to cruise the 10k route with six other trail runners.

The first few steps are steep downhill descents but the road texture is quite manageable. Much of the areas on the first 5k are wider but very steep. At the early stage of the course, we passed along a community of houses but soon after, the rest are all trails. The course covers several mountain ranges with a series of up and down terrains.

A unique feature of this year’s MAR, is the single loop course of the 21k distance. It will cover mountain ranges, and will traverse two sets of rivers. After that, the rest of the courses are all up hill. So, for those who will run 10k or 21k, should consider adding more quadriceps training like stair climbing or weight training in their running regimen. The difficulty of the route will be twice as challenging compared to Timberland heights but guaranteed ten times the adventure. 

Below are some pictures of the trails we took as we run along the course. See you all at the starting line! 

 ...and oh, by the way, there will be mud surprises in-stored to all distances so just be ready to get dirty! :)

The start/finish line will be on top of Mt. Sinai over-looking these mountain ranges...

Cabins for rent for transient adventurers...

The start will be a wider trails to accommodate all categories...

As you go on further, it becomes narrower...

A quick break after the first 5k...

The trail head of a very steep descent...

The descents are quads killers...

It becomes more difficult even Thumbie find it hard to just run it...

Finally out from the mountains...

One of two river traversing. Rene Villarta at Wawa River...

After immersing from the river, a restful bamboo forest...

Turn right for the 21k runners. Another 7k of narrow trails and river traverse...

Re-grouping after the bamboo forest...

Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove withstanding any trail punishment...

A start of a long climb to the finish line...

It becomes even harder climb...

Distances between runners becomes farther apart...\

I just hope other runners  behind me will notice this...

After this sign, one last push to the finish line... a 45 degrees ascent...

After finishing, one can rest on this giant tablet because you are worthy of the mountain...

The Ultimate Burger Steak: The Ultimate meal from Jollibee

If you are a fan of Jollibee Burger Steak and consider it as your daily staple-food every time you visit Jollibee, then you deserve to have an ultimate meal that will ultimately satisfy your gastronomical eating pleasure.

 Presenting, the Ultimate Burger Steak from Jollibee.

This newest item in Jollibee’s menu is a whopping 1/3 pounder 100% pure beef patty smothered in special gravy sauce with roasted garlic and mushroom. Alongside it are servings of steamed rice with sunny-side up egg toppings, french-fries and regular drink, all for only P119.

Last week, I was invited to join an intimate gathering of members of the on-line media to witness the launch of Jollibee Ultimate Burger Steak. Each one was given a special serving of this ultimate meal and gets the first-hand experience. We were asked to execute real time blogging via twitter, FaceBook and Instagram to drum-up hype one day before the Store-launch and serve it to the public.

Though Jollibee’s best sellers have been always the chicken Joy variants, burger steaks have definitely created a huge fan-base since it was launched in the early 1990’s. Since then, it opened to other rice meal caravans which many Filipinos preferred to eat, such as the Grilled Pork Tenders and the Crispy Bangus meal. These meals covered target segments in the professional sectors; however the burger steak serves the much younger group. That is why Jollibee decided to super-size the burger steak to an ultimate meal to serve customers with bigger appetite.

The Ultimate Burger Steak Meal is already available last March 1 in selected Jollibee stores nation-wide. If you had a long day at work or just simply want to pig-out with your friends, why not reward yourself with the new Ultimate Burger Steak and be filled with Jollibee’s mouth watering 1/3 pounder beef patty. As a runner, I would definitely need to compensate my calorie burning rate with this meal. So, run up to the nearest Jollibee store get one yourself right now! 

New World Makati Hotel Makes Afternoon More Delightful

Make your usual afternoon snack a whole new level afternoon tea experience. The New World Makati Hotel’s The Lounge is making a very simple afternoon into a fine art dining experience. At 2:30 to 5:00 PM daily, dinners will allow to indulge themselves in three special selections of Afternoon Tea sets. 

A new art work at the lobby...

After a few years of transition of management, the New World Makati Hotel is back to its old name which was previously called New World Renaissance Hotel, but recently it was resort back to The New World  Makati Hotel. And as part of its “newness”, it has undergone several refurbishing and re-interior designing of its front lobby. Now, the hotel has re-birth to a new, classy modern type look that invites the working class people in adjacent offices to relax and experience its new ambiance. 

Blogger Ruth Dela Cruz and Ms. Nini Icban, Director of Communications...

As part of its inviting package, the New World Makati Hotel has come up with some innovative promotions to entice young professionals to come and experience the Lounge dinner where they offer an exceptional sets of afternoon tea menu, and last week, together with some friends in the on line media, I was allowed to experience the different sets of this Afternoon Tea packages in a very considerable tag price.

Mr. Paawan Engineer, Director of Food and Beverage

Chocolate Afternoon Tea Set: 

The Chocolate Afternoon Tea Set  is comprises of dark chocolate Cheese Cake, Cocoa Tartlets, White Milk Chocolate cream, Chocolate Trilogy Millefeulle Chocolate éclair. Along side to this is some assorted finger sandwiches. And to wrap up this afternoon tea set are some Chocolate scones with special chocolate empanada.

Upper plate: Dark Chocolate Cheese cake and Cocoa tarlets. 

Lower plate: Assorted finger sandwich with salmon, tuna spread and cheese filling...

Chocolate Scones...

Strawberry Afternoon Tea Set:

For people who love strawberries, the Strawberry Afternoon Tea set will send you to the sky. It includes: Strawberry Cheese cake, strawberry tartlets, strawberry millefeulle, poached strawberry in dark chocolate. It comes also with assorted finger sandwiches, strawberry scones and strawberry empanadas.

Strawberry Cheese cake, strawberry tartlets, strawberry millefeulle

poached strawberry in dark chocolate...

Strawberry impanada...

Coffee Afternoon Tea Set: 

And finally, the third set are for the coffee aficionados. The Coffee Afternoon Tea set is consists of coffee cheese cake, tartlets, white coffee with vanilla cream, coffee millefeulle and coffee éclair. This also comes with assorted finger sandwiches, coffee scones and coffee empanadas. This set has an additional kick by paring the selection with fine coffee vanilla ice cream. 

coffee cheese cake, tartlets, white coffee with vanilla cream...

Coffee Scones...

These fabulous selections are the creative concoction of the New World Makati Hotel’s resident pastry chef, Chef John Magtibay.  

Chef John Magtibay, Resident Pastry chef...

Executive Chef Ivan Gabriele Chieregatti, Mr. Paawan Engineer and Chef John Magtibay...