Daily thoughts - If its free it must be GOOD.. nope, this one was GREAT! - The Hyundai Fun Run experience

To date, I have joined only 5 races from November 2010. I only started running consistently as of November 11 last year and I have even decided to run a marathon by June of this year. I love running and joining races but before I register, I have some factors to consider. I have some budget constraint. I live way out from the city and I have to stay over at my friend's house prior to the race. Even if the prospect of running every other weekend sounds enticing, I cannot afford it so I have to plan it ahead of time before I sign up.

When I won my first free race, I was beyond excited. Unfortunately, I failed to show up on race day due to a busted ankle. As for all the other races, I had to pay a fee but I chose those with acceptable rates. I  have a ceiling or limit on my budget. Anything above 500PHP I consider highway robbery. I made this pact with my wallet that if a run is not for a good cause and it exceeds my limit, Id rather not join. My priority is to ensure that I have enough funds to live off and that my pets needs arent compromised.

I think my friends are aware of my sentiment because I was told by at least 5 people about an upcoming race that is FREE! When I heard about it, I immediately checked the websiteand registered. I also sent an sms to my other friends to let them know about this event. I can tell that there are indeed a lot of running afficionados in this country because a few days after I registered, the website of Hyundai said it has reached its limit. Not just that, later on when they did reopen their registration, they  moved the venue to Quirino Grandstand (originally it was Global City) because of a whooping rumored 30k participants!

Since the event was free, I had minimum expectations with regards to the quality of the singlet, if there will be any rfid race tags provided and if the actual race will even have marshalls or water stations. I was just happy that it was free and Im going to officially be part of it because I have received the email confirmation of my registration.


Sample of the registration form:

the distribution site is indicated at the bottom of the form

The Hyundai Website was updated daily with regards to any announcement on collection of race kits including the operating hours of the distribution site. They also emphasized the important documents to bring when collecting the race packs. Ive read several complaints from some runners and vented my own but realized later I had to retract what Ive said and also defend the organizers because they have actually indicated the requirements on their announcement.

very clear instructions

The collection of the race kits was scheduled on March 29 -31. They implemented a strict collect-only-at- the venue-you-have indicated- on-your-registration- form policy. It did make sense because when I did show up at the race kit booth they had a list of those who have registered for the event with matching registration numbers. The collection process was fast and efficient.

I collected my kit at around 12pm at Second wind Home Depot at Ortigas last March 30th. I was able to get my kit without any hassle and in just a few minutes. There were a few hiccups though like confusion on printing the old registration form and attaching it to the new waiver form, but it was a good thing that there was an internet cafe nearby. I gave my feedback and the staff were very pleasant and apologetic about it. Other than that, everything else went smoothly.
 
It was a very hot afternoon but the staff manning the booth were exceptionally cheerful and courteous. Take note that their booth was set up in front of Second wind Runers store and they had no AC. They only had a tent to protect themselves from the scorching heat of the sun. Hats off to these guys for keeping their cool!Too bad I had no camera with me that day.

As another bonus to runners, Hyundai even extended their claim periods and made sure to let us know via their website and also personally through email!

singlet and bib (sorry i wasnt able to take a photo of my own singlet)

email reminder

I was really very excited upon getting my race pack. It had a singlet, bib number and an RFID tag! Unexpected but truly impressive that the organizers gave the basic yet essential items needed for this race. I happily went to have lunch at Megamall and also finally bought myself a pair of running shoes. This is already way long overdue and its about time for my 2 year old Asics to  retire. Ill be writing a separate post on my review about my Mizuno Wave Precision 11. All I can say right now about it is that its awesome=)

my new running buddy

As mentioned , the original venue of the race was at Global City. All my previous runs (except Animo run which was held in Mall of Asia) were at BGC. I honestly have no qualms about it. The place is really nice and Ive gotten quite accustomed to the path. Although I hate running the flyover, the familiarity of the place is what makes it appealing to me. Plus, my friends house is like 15 minutes away only. We usually get up less than an hour before the assembly time for the previous races we have joined and we even have time to wolf down a light breakfast.


I was a little upset to find out that they have changed the race venue to Quirino Grandstand. I havent been there for ages. Its near the Luneta Park where me and my family used to go when I was a kid.

me and my family @ Luneta Park circa 1980s,.nostalgia mode

But since the race was free, we didnt have the right to complain. Although a lot of runners showed their disappointment on Hyundai's facebook wall, we just had to accept the decision by the organizers.

The change of race venue was a good idea I realized after the race.

race map

There was an overwhelming number of people who registered for the run hence the need for "waves" or batches on gunstart.

I stayed over at my friend's house the night before the race. Before going to my friend's place I had dinner at my favorite restaurant Sushiya.

My friend and her family (husband and 2 kids) were supposed to run with me. In fact she was the one who told me about this event. I ran 2 races with her and her husband, namely the Bull Run last January 9 and the Greentennial Run last January 23. This time around however, her kids and husband slept late the night before and decided not to run the next day. My friend was kind enough however to drop me off at the Quirino Grandstand. I had only 3 hours of sleep but this is a minor improvement. On my other races I slept for 1-2 hours only. I dont know if the pet snake in the house is the reason why I was unable to sleep hehehe.

 its actually an eel not a snake i was later told

My friends are great and very accommodating. I was a little sad they werent able to join me on this historic run. Just the same Im grateful for their hospitality.My friend even dropped me off at the race venue. 

I arrived at the Quirino Grandstand around 445 AM. I had enough time to warm up and also even use the portalet (portable toilet). I met up with my college friend Pam and we got ready to join the rest of the mob around 520am. The race started a little late and I understand that this maybe due to the very huge number of runners who turned up. Gun went off around 536AM on my watch. 


If the distance covered is accurately logged as 10km then Im happy to say that this is my first sub 60minute run for a 10km.

Of all the races Ive joined, this stands out as the one which had the most number of people. It was fascinating and great to see so many filipinos get up butt early in the morning to take part on this historical event. Its not just the idea that it is free but seeing a bunch of families, friends, lovers, officemates running and having fun is what makes this event lively and worth going to. 

However, I cannot avoid the fact in every race, i see some flaw/s. In this case it was not how the race was organized but rather the behavior of some people that I find unsettling. I wish to also emphasize that the the following observations are not only on this particular race. Ive witnessed these also in the other races Ive joined.

1) this is a run not a walk event. I have nothing against walking because sometimes its a way to recover before running again and eventually finishing the race. But walking as a group and making sure that all 6 or 7 of you are lined up side by side to the point of even walking arm hooked to another arm is just downright stupid and inconsiderate. This is a fun run not a fun walk. And there is nothing fun when other people cannot even run past through the crowd because of people who do this.

2) People who drink and just chuck their bottles/cups without bothering to check if there is another runner behind him. In a previous run, one guy splashed power drink on my shirt and shoes because he decided to discard his cup in the middle of the road and not on the side. On this run, I noticed caps from the bottled water strewn everywhere. I just hope noone accidentally stepped and slipped on those caps.

3) People who try to take over and abruptly stops in front of you. I mean WTF?

4) People pushing on the start line. If you want to get ahead, then do it during the run itself. If you come late to the run event then dont act brusquely like its everyone's fault you didnt get up on time. Politely say excuse me.

Well thats just about it. Other than that id also like to say that some runners should have the courtesy to say excuse me also and not just push people who happen to be running/walking ahead of them. 





There was also funny thing that I heard while I was at that part of Roxas boulevard where the stench of the Manila Bay was seriously offensive that I thought I would vomit. One guy shouted WOW ANG SARAP and one said PANSIT! and everyone was chuckling. I thought it was funny too.
 
I finished this 10k run almost out of breath but very relieved and happy.

From the registration to the completion of the event, Hyundai has done a marvelous job. I found a comment on the Pinoy fitness website that echoes everything I wanted to touch on.

My own feedback :


1) Baggage area was organized and madami. Also there was plenty of staff to assist everyone who had to leave their things. bib number was jotted down, bags securely put away

2) numerous portalets. it was clean, fragrant and had tissue paper pa! winner! nakasegregate din ang portalets for men and women

3) celebrity emcees and dj. Regine Tolentino, Richard Gomez and Lucy Torres were there to wish everyone a good run. Meron pang warm up session before the race.

4) Ambulance, Firetruck and Police were strategically assigned to their posts in case of emergency

5) Marshalls everwhere. Some of them were even cheering us on while we ran.

6) Overflowing water (bottled mineral water pa!)

7) Assigned people on the side of the road to collect used mineral water bottles. They had huge black trashbags to ensure that the clean up was quick and tidy

8) Lots of photographers. The cameraman near the stage also made sure everyone had fun while he was turning the camera crane around. it was so much fun to see ourselves on the wide screen by the stage.

9)  Fun photo booths.

10) The turning point for 5k and 10k were very prominent. 




My only negative feedback was the congestion of the number of people on the 5k turning point. 5k and 10k runners on this part converged and created a bottleneck for majority of the runners.

I hope I didnt miss anything in the list above. In conclusion I want to say that this is probably one of the best runs Ive ever joined. Not that I have joined a lot but I would say the generosity shown by Hyundai is what makes it remarkable. What they did should be emulated by other organizers. The mere fact that it was free would put other run events to shame. Especially those demanding a 4 figure fee because they claim that their race is prestigious or world class. It is understandable that there are overhead costs to organize race but sometimes some people take advantage of the current running boom and enthusiasm of the people. What Hyundai has done is considered a milestone. Not that I expect more free races but hopefully affordable ones.

Charging exorbitant fees does NOT automatically make a race classy or prestigious. Its the positive rave and feedback that the participants give that do. And with that I say NO TO HIGH REGISTRATION FEES.

After this experience I wont be surprised if people keep clamoring for another race handled by Hyundai organizers. Free or not. This event had quality despite being free and i wonder if anyone can surpass that. Honestly, I would have gladly paid since it was really worth it. But the fact that Hyundai did not charge anything is what made the event from good to great.


Cheers Hyundai you really did a superb job! Bravo!

PICTURE PICTURE !!


Photos during the event :(grainy shots using my jurassic phone)

Other shots by fellow runners : (kindly check the Hyundai Facebook Album for more photos and credits)

Daily thoughts - The Greentennial Run WOW Experience

As of 2010, I havent seen my College track and field teammates for over a decade. I posted some old photos on facebook around November and started tagging them away. It got my old friends excited and it eventually led to a reunion last December 18 2010. We all had a great time that day sharing stories at our coach's house. Some of my teammates gained a lot of weight whereas some look just the way they did 12 years ago. It was really amusing. We couldnt help but also laugh at the prospect of running from my coach's house all the way to the cycling station in Antipolo. We couldnt believe we used to do it every Sunday when we were younger. Now, just from her house to the main road is unthinkable. We all agreed we are no longer spring chickens! Then all of a sudden we started talking about having another reunion the following year 2011.

One of my friends asked us if we will be running in the upcoming Greentennial Run. La Salle will be turning 100 years old in the Philippines and alumni from La Salle Greenhills have organized a run scheduled on January 23 2011. As noted on their website:

"De La Salle Philippines and its network of Lasallian schools nationwide aims to raise one billion pesos for the One La Salle Scholarship Fund by our Hundredth anniversary in 2011.
The fund will be used to allow full scholarship equivalents (FSEs) to 20% of the student population in each of the 18 schools in the Philippines, including La Salle Green Hills, by the centennial in 2011. This will make it possible to share Lasallian education to deserving students, giving them a voice in our academic community and allowing for a richer dialogue that is reflective of what is true in our country."

I suggested it would be a good idea to have the run and a reunion at the same day.Some of my friends let out a frown. They said they havent ran for a very long time.I told them I have been jogging the past few years but I never seriously engaged in any races that were really competitive. I have just recently started to really run again. I told them about a recent run I had on December 11 and it was really fun! Joining the Greentennial run would be a great opportunity to have our "run reunion" at the same time donate to a worthy cause. My teammates said they would think about it.

As the day came nearer, I would post the countdown on our facebook group.

It was funny because originally we all agreed on running the 10km then my friends were asking if they could just run the 5k or the 3k. I told them the kids will be running those events. I told them how shameful it would be if a 9 year old kid ran faster than they did. Of course I was just teasing. But my friends said they didnt care. Running the 10km was too difficult according to them.

I waited for everyone to make their final decision on whether they wanted me to register for them or not. It took a week before I heard from my friends. I couldnt wait on everyone anymore because the 16th of January was the deadline. I went to R.O.X (Recreational Outdoor Exchange) at the Fort on the supposed last day of registration. I signed up for the 10k because the 5k and 15k were both closed. Not that I was planning to run the 15km but one of my friend was. The two other people I was about to register wanted to run the 5k but the slots were also closed. I asked them via sms whether they are okay with 10km instead. They said its fine but they said they will just walk. I got my stubs and I was told by the lady that I can pick up the race kits by January 19-22 at the same place. This is the first time Greentennial have organized a run so I kinda understood why they couldnt arrange the pick up and registration all on the same day. I figured it wouldnt be so much of a hassle for me to get the kits within the week.

But I got sick and I was able to get the kits only on the day before the race. I was upset also to find out that the sizes I ordered for the two guys werent available. I had received an earlier confirmation via email that as much as possible, they would give us the single sizes we have ordered. It was useless to argue at that point. I took whatever they offered and checked the envelopes to make sure that the race bib, time chip and safety pins were all in there. One of my friends who got her kit earlier said her envelope had no safety pins. Another annoying discovery was there was no race map inside the kit. All the previous runs I joined (Animo, ING and the PSE Bull Run) had everything. The right singlet size, the time chip, bib, info sheet and of course the map. But like I said, I gave the organizers leeway because its their first time to have this kind of event.

It was only my second time at R.O.X. I am not familiar with the Fort area and although I do know how to go there, I really dont know how to get back to the MRT station. The last time I was there to pick up the race kit for the PSE Bull Run, I paid a hefty 53PHP for a 7 minute cab ride from the Fort to the Ayala MRT station. I had no choice because I did not know where to find a jeepney or a bus from the R.O.X area. Going there was easy but leaving was tricky if you are commuting. This time I was not willing to part with my 50PHP so I took whatever jeepney I saw. It was a disaster. I travelled all the way to Taguig and paid 10PHP. I have never been to that area before and honestly I was a little scared. I found a jeepney that read MRT so I got on and paid 7PHP. I made it to the Magallanes MRT. From there I paid 11PHP to get to Guadalupe. The area below the Magallanes MRT was already very dark at 8PM. In hindsight, I regret not taking the cab ride because by the time I got to my friend's house in Guadalupe, I was soaked in sweat and I was exhausted from all the walking. Just an idea of the disaster trip I had:

I stayed over at my friend's house for the night. We ran 2 weeks previously at the PSE Bull Run  and they have told me beforehand Im welcome to stay again. As usual, me and my friends werent able to sleep well. I dont know if it is the excitment but I slept for 2 hours and my friends slept for probably 3 hours only.

I got up at 4am and my friends woke up a few minutes after that. We hurried to the venue at 28th street at the Fort because the assembly time was 5:00 AM. Gun start for the 15km (which my friend was running) was at 530AM. We were still in the car at 510AM. We finally found a place to park near the NBC Tent at around 525AM. My friend had to ask his wife to park the car because he had to be at the cordoned area already. His wife and I were running the 10km, we still had ample time to warm up. The problem was I still had the 3kits for the 3 other people I registered. Fortunately, they got their kits just in time before the run started for the 10km. There was a huge turn out of participants. The run was really a big event! There were photographers everywhere, even the pep squad with their drummers were there. I didnt bring my camera along so I borrowed these photos from the Greentennial Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/greentennialrun). The credits are in the caption.

photographers at the start line (Aileen Roque Photography)

Volunteers in charge of the Finishers' Medals (Dan Soriano Photography)

Photographers and Volunteers Booth (Nitz Tubis Photography)

screen for gun start? (Dan Soriano Photography)

Start Line (Dan Soriano Photography)

10km assembly (Jay R Brun Photography)

The route for the 10km was  like the one in the PSE Bull run. Unfortunately the map isnt too clear when you check it on the Greentennial website.

10km (Jay R Brun Photography)

There were 4 categories. 3km, 5km, 10km and 15km. The gun start were as follows :

5:30 - 15k
5:40 - 10k
5:50 - 5k
6:00 - 3k

There are probably thousands of photos on the Greentennial fan page so I just borrowed a few since it would be better to just go through the photos on facebook. The shots are amazing and I havent even seen all of it. There were a lot of photographers present and I am yet to check out all the albums being uploaded daily.

I ran the 10km again for this event. I personally think I did better than the last time I ran two weeks ago. My pace seemed  to be the same as that during the PSE Bull run although I felt more confident going the flyover as compared last time. Also I noticed that the flyover seem well lit on this run.

Other things worth noting were the ample water stations and markers. They had powerade and water and enough cups! I cant help but remember that on the PSE Bull Run some people had to scoop water using their hands or worse a used plastic cup! On this race also, there were Marshalls everywhere and some of them were even cheering us on. There was a part on the loop though that I thought I got lost and have joined the 15km runners. I tried to check the guy running ahead of me if he also had the pink and orange yarn. I saw he did so I reassured myself I was on the right path.

The most fascinating part of this run was when photographers asked us to "jump". I was not able to jump because it was already on the last stretch of the run and my legs were really tired. I did see a couple of runners happily "jumping" for these photographers though.

 "high" Jumper (Ralph Carmen Photography)

Wow! (Ralph Carmen Photography)

Hahaha (Ralph Carmen Photography)

Wow thats high! (Ralph Carmen Photography)

Jolly Green Jumper (Ralph Carmen Photography)

Neat! (Darren Kaye Photography)

Hahaha the guy almost landed on the photographer(Darren Kaye Photography)

Funny! (Darren Kaye Photography)

Cute girls jumping (Darren Kaye Photography)

Jumping Jack Jumper (Darren Kaye Photography)

Jumping Super Lolo (Darren Kaye Photography)

Smell my armpit Jumper (Darren Kaye Photography)

Kwela Jumper (Rommel Espinoza Photography)

Lovebirds? Jumpers (Rommel Espinoza Photography)

Lovebirds? Jumpers (Rommel Espinoza Photography)

Jumping trio(Ralph Carmen Photography)

 
Visit the Greentennial Facebook Fan page to see all these great photos. I was laughing my ass off at some of the shots and I salute the photographers for coming up with these wonderful photos. You can see that everyone was indeed having a good time.

There was also a part on the run where the Manila Water has installed a "shower" for runners.

Shower  (Aileen Roque Photography)

(Aileen Roque Photography)

Power Puff Boys. I saw these guys at the PSE Bull run too. (Aileen Roque Photography)

There was an array of interesting runners that joined the Greentennial Run.

Cute little girl (Abi Escano Photography)

(Abi Escano Photography)

She is adorable! (Abi Escano Photography)

(Abi Escano Photography)

I think this guy bagged the Greenest Runner contest (. (Abi Escano Photography)

(Enzo Jauregui Photography)

(Kb Runner Photography)

(Darren Kaye Photography)

 (great angle shot  KB runner photography)

 (great angle shot  KB runner photography)

When I got to the finish line, I was surprised when one of the ladies ran after me to give me a medal. For the 10km, 5km and 3km, only the first 100 finishers will get a medal. I wasnt expecting one so I was really thrilled!

Me and my friend Dr. Pam.

I also bumped into a good friend of mine who is now a Doctor specializing in Pediatrics. She has joined several half marathons but opted to run the 10km in this event . After we finished stretching, we looked around to find a booth for the drinks and the loot bags.

Mascot (Dan Soriano Photography)

Baggage area (Dan Soriano Photography)

Pretty lady handing out the medals (Dan Soriano Photography)

cute dog donned in a greentennial singlet (Dan Soriano Photography)

runners in line for the loot bag (Dan Soriano Photography)

loot bag line (Dan Soriano Photography)

i like this kid in the photo  (Dan Soriano Photograpy)

that kid on the photo above gave me 5 bottles of mouthwash, 11 toothpaste and 12 capsules of vitamins in my loot bag

Maynilad Water shower (Dan Soriano Photography)

(Dan Soriano Photography)

Route maps photo booth (Dan Soriano Photography)

Route maps photo booth (Dan Soriano Photography)

Route maps photo booth (Dan Soriano Photography)

Route maps photo booth (Dan Soriano Photography)

Powerade and Wilkins water booth (Dan Soriano Photography)

Ambulance (Dan Soriano Photography)

(Dan Soriano Photography)

Stage (Dan Soriano Photography)

(Dan Soriano Photography)

The line to the giveaway took forever. I think we were in line for 30 minutes. Although it wasnt really an issue since I was with my friends and we had a good time catching up while drenched in sweat. I sent my feedback to the organizers and they were very pleasant and accomodating about it. . They had areas to improve on but overall, this event was a success. I havent been to a lot of races here but this definitely was a very good one. I was really impressed.

Another good news for me was that I improved my time by 2 minutes. Not a lot but for me that is already a feat. I hope to improve more in the coming weeks before I run my first 10miles and eventually a half marathon.

After the event we went over to my friend's place to have breakfast.

Post Run Breakfast

I was really exhausted but I had a grand time seeing my old friends and also being part of a historical event.


Good Job Greentennial Run organizers!!  I hope this is just the start of a series of other races!

Weeee! Animo La Salle! =)