Support Hard Core’s ‘TKO’ This Coming Sunday…

Let me post this very important message from a dear friend of mine, my team mate, comrade in pain…Jonel Mendoza aka Bugobugo…

team hardcore in cooperation with runradio (nu107, fridays, 9-10pm)  and the generics pharmacy is making its enduruns 4.5.5 (4 full and 2 half marathons)and laguna lake 200k marathon relay a fund-raising event.the runs will be collectively called TKO 250.

enduruns and the laguna race will total 250 kilometers.in particular, these are the races that the team will run; october 11 milo42, october 18 qcim im42, october 24 sim42, october 25 adidas21, november 8 pim42, november 15 timex21, november 28-29 laguna lake 200 (each runner of the 5-man team will do 40k).

for every kilometer we will do, a  prospective donor will be asked to donate 1 peso thus making it 250 pesos as his donation.it is most welcome if you give more than that amount. all donors/donations will be published later.

i am thinking of marikina at the moment as the main beneficiary given the number of victims in that area.if you have other beneficiaries in mind,let me know.i intend to purchase medicines (at cost from the generics pharmacy plus more extra freebies from the franchise owner, harry ongsun) and/or mineral water and give the same to the beneficiaries as early as  monday,  october 6.

team hc shall put up a collection station at the parking lot behind rox during the octoberun on october 4 at the fort. a team hc tarpaulin will be in place for easy location.

i pray that you my fellow runners will heed this call.if we don’t mind paying for our registration fees and much more for our running stuff, there is no reason that we can’t give a little bit in aid of our fellow filipinos.

this is a non-partisan endeavor so everybody is welcome to pitch in.and if any runner or groups want/s to join us in segments or the whole 250k,you are most welcome as well.you have the run schedules above.

we will give ondoy a good run for our money.

please pass the word. thank you and God bless you.

see you at the starting line.

I’ll definitely be there, at the booth, after finishing my race.

God be Praised!

In The Belly Of The Beast! (Ondoy’s Wrath)

Living things have been doing just that for a long, long time. Through every kind of disaster and setback and catastrophe. We are survivors.” -Robert Fulqhum

Look what this ‘beast’ has done. Behold, the terror of his wrath!

c/0 news.xinhuanet.com

www.static.stuff.co.nz

www.thejakartaglobe.com

www.javno.com

www.sgstb.msn.com

www.en.trend.az

www.yahoo.com/news

www.yahoo.com/news

www.yahoo.com/news

www.yahoo.com/news

www.yahoo.com/news

www.theage.com.au

Antonio Romeros Photos

 

 

 

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful World as it is,
Not as I would have it;
Trusting that You will make all things right
If I surrender to Your will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with You
Forever in the next. Amen.
Author, Reinhold Niebuhr

So remember that Jesus told us; “YOU WILL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS, BUT SEE TO IT THAT YOU ARE NOT ALARMED. SUCH THINGS
MUST HAPPEN, BUT THE END IS STILL TO COME. NATION WILL RISE AGAINST NATION, AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM. THERE WILL BE FAMINES AND EARTHQUAKES IN VARIOUS PLACES. ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS.” (MATTHEW 24:6-8)

“I HAVE TOLD YOU THESE THINGS, SO THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE. BUT TAKE HEART! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”( JOHN 16:33 )

LET’S PRAY FOR ALL THE VICTIMS OF TYPHOON ONDOY AND IF WE HAVE A WAY TO HELP THEM IN CASH OR IN KIND, LET’S DO IT.

God be Praised!

The Most Dangerous Game!

“I just run as hard as I can for 20 miles, and then race.” -Steve Jones,  Ultra-runner

In 1924, the author Richard Connel wrote a short story entitled, “The Most Dangerous Game.” It was about  a big  game hunter named General Zaroff who had tired of pursuing animals and had begun hunting a much more challenging and intelligent prey: human beings.

That tale remained in the realm of fiction until about 1980 but its status changed when a real serial killer, Robert Hansen came up. He was  a hunter, a respectable family man  and pillar of the community. Despite his decent status, no one believed he  was capable of terrible things-killing women mostly prostitutes, hunting them like animals in the forest. He was caught and pled guilty for four counts of murder. He was sentenced to 499 years in prison. (source: MINDHUNTER book, by John Douglas).

Now, let me paraphrase my topic for  today, let me make it,” The 10 Most Dangerous Sports In The World” and let’s see if ‘running’ is included on the list… (source: http://www.sportingo.com)

10. RUGBY: Possibly the most brutal contact sport on the planet. These boys put NFL stars to shame by being just as vicious in their tackling but without any of the protection. Given that fact, it’s hardly surprising that rugby has more injuries per player than any other participation sport. In fact, they’re three times more likely to get injured than someone in martial arts. Torn muscles, concussion, broken bones – these boys don’t stop unless they can’t physically continue.

9. CAVE DIVING: Being a diver is bad enough, what with the risk of decompression, which can cause failure of the spinal cord, brain and lungs. But diving in caves takes things to a whole other level. At depths of 100 feet in a pitch-black cave it’s incredibly easy to lose your bearings, have problems with your air supply – or even be eaten by some big, vicious creature. According to the Texas-based San Marcos Area Recovery Team, more than 500 people have died since 1960 while cave diving in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean alone.

8. CHEERLEADING: In the US alone, there were more than 20,000 reported injuries last year alone, making cheerleading the world’s most injury-prone sport in the world for women. In fact, the girls on the sidelines are more at risk of hurting themselves than the guys on the football field. Broken legs and spinal injuries are not uncommon. Don’t tell these hardcore girls that cheerleading isn’t a sport – they’ll eat you for breakfast.

7. MOTORCYCLING: The most dangerous motor race in the world is, without doubt, the Isle of Man TT event. In its 100-year history, this one race has seen more than 220 deaths. The race mainly involves trying not to die by falling off your bike and ploughing headfirst into a tree at ridiculously high speeds.

6. FISHING: The sedate pastime of angling has one of the highest mortality rates of any sport due to the number of people who drown every year. Rock fishing – which involves casting a line into the ocean from the shoreline – is also notoriously dangerous, with people often losing their lives when they are dragged under by huge unexpected waves. In Australia alone, 15 people died while rock fishing in 2001. Plus, which other sport’s competitors routinely take part in what is, to all intents and purposes, mass murder? Fish have feelings too, you know…

5. ROCK CLIMBING: According to Accidents In North American Mountaineering, the year 2000 saw 24 deaths in the US due to rock climbing mishaps. As well as getting up to wherever it is you want to go, you’ve got to be able to get back down, which is what makes this such a dangerous sport – it’s not too easy to get medical help when you’re 1,000 feet up and there’s nowhere to land a chopper. Bad weather can prove extremely hazardous, quickly causing frostbite or hypothermia. In the insurance world, rock climbing is classed as a Category 5 sport. The only things more dangerous are Category 6 sports, which include naked knife fighting and blind archery.

4. GOLF: It may be just below boxing and ice hockey in the brutality stakes, but golf is right up there in the death stakes. Some figures suggest more than 4,000 of us take our last breath on the fairway every year. It’s also a killing field when it comes to bad weather, with five per cent of all lightning-related deaths taking place on the golf course.

3. HORSE RIDING: A recent survey on the number of fatalities per 100,000 participants in the US put riding a horse – including eventing, racing and show jumping – at the top of the list with a whopping 128. And that’s without taking into account all the horses that perished too. Compare this number to the seemingly much more dangerous sport of boxing – which has just 1.3 deaths per 100,000 – and it puts into perspective quite how dangerous getting your leg over a horse can be.

2. BASE JUMPING: Dangerous for the simple fact that it’s all or nothing – if your parachute opens you’ll be fine, if it doesn’t you’re looking at certain death. A comprehensive study has revealed that since the first BASE jump around 30 years ago, 175 people have been killed. Anyone taking part in this sport is basically betting their life on whether a chute opens properly or not.

1. LAWN BOWLS: Forget those UFC actions, lawn bowls is for REAL men (and women!). Going off the number of deaths per player, it is the world’s most dangerous sport, killing literally thousands worldwide every year. Its hardcore competitors will stop at nothing in pursuit of victory. If you’re one of the lucky ones that escapes death, there are thousands more who end up with dislocated ankles, broken hips, torn knees or who simply keel over with a heart attack or a stroke due to the incredibly stressful nature of the game.

Wow-running not included.

God be Praised!

Day Of Chaos!

“When tempest tossed, embrace chaos” -Dean Koontz

I am  saddened by the news that the NB Power Race will not push through tomorrow as scheduled,  more so, with the effects  of this typhoon that recently hit our country. Like a thief in the night, Ondoy lambasted many provinces and key cities, as areas submerged in water continued to increase. And so, Metro Manila including many of its nearby provinces were now under the state of calamity. Since cable Television was cut-off, the only way to receive information was through radio, Facebook and sms. The whole towns were almost 100% underwater and the rains also caused  water in two dams in Manila to spilling levels.

I heard a radio commentator as he reported many families on their rooftops  begging for assistance.

I called my friend in Cagayan Valley and the situation there was also perilous.

This day, we can’t forget, and so I  call it-day of chaos!

I emphatized with our less fortunate countrymen who were greatly affected. I think there will be so many casualties and galore of properties were damaged.

Let me share with you these  verses from Psalms 91…

¹ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ^[a]

² I will say ^[b] of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

¹⁰ then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

¹³ You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Yes, there will be day of chaos just like today…but always remember: THERE IS NO PROBLEM TOO BIG, GOD CANNOT CARRY!

“Nature’s extremity is God’s opportunity.

God be Praised!

Had Enough Yet?

“I focused on reminding myself I was running my race and not trying to keep pace with somebody. It’s about your journey—not everybody else’s journey.” -Jennifer Beals, actress, on her first road race.

When you asked a runner if it’s safe to run a back to back 42k, he will say it’s not. In fact, many will suggest that a 42k must only be done once, or most, twice a year.

However, most ultra-runners do not follow this rule. That’s why ultra-runners are different. It’s too risky but we love challenges.

To show you a proof, here are the lists of races that I will try to accomplish before the year ends…

10/11/09- Milo Finals 42k (Bandit)

10/18/09-QCIM 42k

10/24/09- SIM 42K

10/25/09-ADIDAS KOTR-21K

11/8/09-PIM-42K

11/15/09-TIMEX-21K

While some will say that, it’s quality over quantity-I will break that rule only for this quarter.  Four Marathons and two halves equal 5.0

I already registered for the QCIM, SIM, ADIDAS and PIM.

Had enough yet?

And a possible LSD from Kennon Road to Baguio City on December 27-28, 2009.

See you at the races. God be Praised!

“THE LITTLE CHOICES WE MUST MAKE

WILL CHART THE COURSE OF LIFE WE TAKE;

WE EITHER CHOOSE THE PATH OF RIGHT

OR WANDER OFF WITHOUT GOD’S LIGHT.” -our daily bread

The Positive/Negative Sides Of Being An Ultra-runner

“Damage assessment at that point was a slightly bleeding groin rash, a chapped butt crack, some type of minor foot sprain, and two blackened big toe nails! Not too bad, I thought.” -Mark Crisman after finishing the 2007 Rocky Raccoon 160k Run

Real runners will always aspire for something bigger and more daring racing events. Let’s say, after finishing a 42k, ultra-running will always be on top of the list.

But why explore this fearsome uncharted territory? Why not just settle in being just a recreational or a seasonal runner?

Here are some reasons why we must try to conquer an ultramarathon (100k and above) at least once in our lifetime…

1. To really test our limit. A 42k is short and lacking and a 100k is just enough to know your capacity.

2. To join the ‘few elites’. Nowadays, it’s but normal and common to finish a 42k, but only few have the privilege to subdue a 100k. Do you want to be one of  them?

3. Gain a respect from yourself and your buddies. It can boost your morale further and you will have more running friends than before.Some will go to you for advice and still others will admire you.

4. You will be called not just a runner or a marathoner but an Ultra-runner. In a secular studies, it’s almost the same as having a Doctoral Degree. Sounds good? Now, if you can finish 50 or more Ultra-marathons, your title name now will be ‘mega ultra-runner.’

5. You will  love running ‘more and deeper’ than ever before.

How about the negative sides?

1. Nothing. Blisters were common as well as those slight injuries. Runner’s blues will not last. it can only make us a little bit slower but ‘not bad’ after all.

Let’s conquer places and run longer.

God be Praised!

 

Tips In Conquering A 100k-102k Ultramarathons!

“Most mistakes in a race are made in the first two minutes, perhaps in the very first minute.” -Jack Daniels

Finishing Ultramarathons will make one proud, but not arrogant.

Here are some useful tips in achieving such feat, based on my experiences as I conquered a 102k and another 100k (BDM102  and BOTAK100 in just two months. Note: I DNFed TNF100, a very tough trailrun)

1. Be fit  and healthy. Before I registered, I sought first for a  ‘go signal’ from  reputable Cardiologists and Orthopedics. Joining an Ultramarathon without it is risky. You’re inviting danger to yourself. You can’t do it if you’re just fit and healthy.

2. RECON the place. Have or develop a mental picture of the entire loop.

3. Be very patient. Run a slow pace and reserve your strength. This  race will start after you’ve ran the first 50k so you must be very, very patient. Avoid rush if you can’t sustain it.

4. Train as much as possible on the same race course.

5. Be mentally prepared to stay out there for 17 to 18 hours. But if you’re an elite runner, you can finish it in just 9 hours.

6. Be prepared. Follow your training program religiously. There must be at least one 25k, 35k, 42k and upto 60k in your schedule. You must run in the evening or in the mid day, rain or shine.

7. Eat, drink, and (try to) be merry. During a race, eat everything that worked for you during your training runs. Drink every liquids available and try to be happy. Remember: it’s a tough race and there’s should be no more room for frowning. Smile a lot, even when it hurts.

8. Take breaks but not too long. A short pause under a shady tree or a quick brunch will make you stronger. A walk can relax those swollen muscles.

9. Don’t be intimidated. There are times that you will be lagging behind but  keep your pace. In the end, you will be able to outrun some.

10. Unless it’s a major injury or a life threatening case, DON’T QUIT!

11. Inspire yourself.  Your mind can always do more than you think you can.

12. Race yourself, not others. Forget the competition for a while because the training and friends you make in ultrarunning are the real payoffs, the race itself can almost be secondary in importance.

I’m encouraging all of you to join the second edition of  Bataan Death March 102k Ultramarathon this coming March 2009 and experience it for yourself.

If you believe ‘running’ is good, why not try the extreme?

God be Praised!

“BE FAITHFUL- AND LEAVE THE RESULTS TO GOD!”

Adjusting The Sails! (Rotarun Recap)

“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”- Dolly Parton (Popular American country Singer and Actress, born 1946)

One of the true marks of being a responsible Organizer is his ability to adjust if there are valid comments or suggestions. And so, I would like to commend the Organizer of the Rotarun race yesterday, my classmate in the Bataan 102 and also the  Organizer of Botak100 (in which I also joined), Ultrarunner Ian Alacar for his quick and prompt action with regards to my four running buddies who have no records for yesterday’s race (Please read my previous post, The 21k Less).

And so, the names of my companions will appear on the list of Official Result just like this:

10k:

4636 Jun Moslares 36.29 (must be included in the top10)

4637 Allan Limpiahoy 49.25

21k:

8411 Henry de Castro 1.22 (qualified for the Milo Finals with 3.43 time)

8410 Elvis Reyes 1.43

Runners do not aspire for something big during a race, just to be given a fair and decent time as the fruit of their hard labor during practice and to be seen on the Official Race result is enough for them to rejoice. And with that, this issue was settled. It’s now water under the bridge!

Again, thank you Ian for a job well done. This act of yours means ‘good news’ to my running buddies.

Henry and Allan.

With Allan

with Allan

With Mark, Baldrunner and Adi delos Reyes of SIM. (I’ve finally met him in person, he’s larger than life.) Photo taken by  Jonel aka Bugobugo.

Also, this race was well organized, with galore of water supply (Vittwater, Pocari Sweat) and lot of freebies. I also enjoyed participating in one game after the race, thus, I’ve won a glass of Gloria Jeans coffee. Some got Timex Ironman watch but the most fortunate guy was Coach Titus Salazar of Team Baldrunner who joined the ‘Battle of the Lungs’ and eventually proclaimed as  the winner. His price? A Polar watch.

I also saw  familiar faces like Rod aka Roadrunner, Vener aka rununlmtd, Sam aka runningninja, Ultrarunner Caloy Nobleza and his wife, Fhar, and the rest of the Team Hardcore and many others.

I also conversed with Rene aka Jazzrunner  and I finally received a vanity race bib for the QC marathon. Thank you Rene.

So, my hands are full of three 42k next month (QCIM, SIM and Pasig) and LSD as dry run for the QCIM, making it four.

Wow! grabe…so many nice races, so little time.

I call it passion rather than addiction.

As Lord Byron says,

“Passion is the element in which we live; without it, we hardly vegetate.”

God be Praised!

 

 

The 21k-Less…

“Tell the truth, and run.” -Yugoslav Proverb

 

I have two major concerns for today’s race, the Rotarun event.

First, the distance for the 21k was not accurate, for it’s only about 17.5 to 18k. Although the announcement was made after the race when maybe, some  runners reported it (including myself), it cannot alter the fact that this race robbed us some 3 kilometers and it cannot therefore be called a 21k race. This was my first time to experience a big discrepancy in terms of distance. My training, preparation and expected result were not met, therefore, a big disappointment for  whomsoever was responsible for the 21k distance. If detected earlier, the missing 3k should be compulsary added on some part of the route. I heard they encountered some problems but I think they too must find a way to prevent such kind of a mishap, but please, don’t give us ‘a longer or a shorter distance’ of upto 3 kms. That was too much or too short and it can defeat the ultimate  purpose of running a 21k. A real runner knows how to respect a distance.

My time was 1.49.58, am satisfied, but not happy for I knew it was not a 21k.

Second, for my group. I’m really concerned for what had happened to them. I have 4 companions for this race..Henry, Allan, Elvis and Jun. I reserved for them and they paid  this morning before the race. However, Jun knew he was included in the top 10 for the 10k category because the runner behind him was at the 9th place in the awarding ceremony, but his name was not called. Reason? When they paid the registration fee of  P200, the staff doesn’t give them registration forms, so they’re not included in the official’s list of runners. Also, it’s expected that none of my friend’s name will appear in the Official result due to  that big error. It was Allan who jokingly said while we were at the bus going home, “We were  all ‘cholorum’ for this race, except Ronnie.”

To my running buddies, I apologized. I was at Mcdo to get my race packet. I thought Allan knew what to do when I introduced him to the Organizer. Do not worry, let’s charge it to experience.

God be Praised!

Can You Be Blind?

“Everyone in life is looking for a certain rush, racing is where I get mine.” -John Trautmann

I was absent from blogging yesterday, reason? I’m hooked in reading, “Quiet Neighbors”-a riveting authoritative true account of Nazi War Criminals who emigrated to America under assumed identities and who were living a quiet and prosperous lives already. The author, Allan Ryan Jr, led the investigations, of how those criminals came in the USA, forty years after their crimes.

In one of the trials, I cannot control my emotion and I cried. It was when the cruel and sadist, John Demjanjuk aka Ivan The Terrible who was responsible for the killings of at least 1,200,000 Jews by means of gas chamber and torture in the worst place on earth at that time, Treblinka, finally was brought for a trial. This animal, who was now living in America by forging his identity   met one survivor, to testify against him. Here in this part, the defense lawyer was trying to destroy the witness’s  credibility, but it boomeranged later.

“When you were transferred to Camp 2 about three days after arriving in Treblinka, did you observed this fellow you call Ivan?”

“No, I was blinded.”

“When you say ‘blinded’, did you have some problems with your eyes?”

“No. Only that they murdered us.”

“When you say you were blinded, would you explain that, please?”

“Yes. No person cannot imagine what Treblinka was. It’s possible that a normal person can see with his eyes. This bandit came over to a mother when she was naked and had her naked child, and he tore the child out by his legs and killed it by smashing in the wall.”

And that survivor looked at the defense Attorney and said, “Can you be blind?”

The defense Attorney changed the subject.

And I went in the bathroom to rinse my face, as it was flooded out by tears. I cannot control it, maybe because there was a child involved and as a father, God forbid it to happen right before my  eyes. But during those times, you have no choice, and we’re so fortunate we’re living in the present times, not in 1940’s, one of the darkest years in history.

What was so remarkable about that witness, was that, in the concentration camp, he was always praying that God could spare his life. And during the trial, he said, “I always begged God that I should have the privilege to tell the world how they annihilated us…”

I highly recommend this book so that we can be thankful that although there are so many problems in our country, economically and financially, it can’t be compared with their hardships back then, only because they were JEWS!

Well, see you tomorrow in the Rotarun 21k race. My small group of 6 will be there. Special thanks to Bugobugo, Jinoe (Takbo.ph) and Ian Alacar for making this race possible.

God be Praised!