Month: June 2011

CURVES BGC Promo: Save MORE, Weigh LESS

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


CURVES BGC's July Promo

Given the modern woman’s propensity to multitask both in her career and personal life, it is important for her to stay physically and mentally fit and strong.  Curves understands this very well, which is why this premiere fitness club for women has designed a special offer that will allow women to strengthen both their budgets and their bodies when they join. Between 1 July 2011 and 31 August 2011, the Bonifacio Global City Curves is cutting 50 percent off the initial service fee and offering the first 30 days freeto help new members save more and weigh less.

“Good health is priceless. We are here to support our neighbours and to help them on their journey to a healthy lifestyle. This promotion will allow women in the area to join Curves at a great price and hopefully motivate them to get in shape and achieve their goals,” said Fe Abrihan, the owner of the BGC club, located at 2F Serendra, McKinley Parkway, BGC, Taguig City.

Curves provides an exercise and weight control program designed specifically for women. Curves can help ladies of all ages and fitness levels establish a regimen to help them meet their goals, whether they are interested in exercise to improve their general health, or want to lose weight and tone their muscles.

“We’ve helped millions of women lose millions of pounds. Now, we’re making it even more affordable for new members to reach their fitness and weight loss goals beyond what they thought possible for themselves. If you want to make a radical change in your health, there’s absolutely no reason not to come in and get started today,” Abrihan said. For more information on Curves of Bonifacio Global City, or the 50 percent and 30 days free promotion, please contact Fe Abrihan at (02) 8280208.

***

So yesterday, I went to Healthy Options for my healthy snacks + power bars and gels supply, when I decided to finally pick up a bottle of GINKGO BILOBA which, as some of you might know, is supposed to improve circulation to the brain, prevent tissues from getting damaged, and support memory function. You see, for years now, I had been complaining of diminished memory. When I was little – at 5’1, I still am ‘little’ – I could memorize a 3-page declamation piece, for example, in one day. At the age of four, I memorized Jose Rizal’s famous ‘Mi Ultimo Adios’ – yes, in Spanish – and would recite it every chance I get to score money from my Mom’s weekend mahjong classmates. In a way, you could say I was a precocious little mutt. Fast forward to today, well, let’s just say things have changed. Drastically. I’m still super smart and all but something really has to be done about my memory. Have I mentioned I’m super smart? Oh, only about a few times ya? LOL.

Hence, GINKGO BILOBA. So finally, at around 7:30 last night, I clocked out of the office to see my Victory Wednesday group at the mall. As is always the case, we had a great night of sharing before Ro closed it with a prayer. I passed by NafNaf just before the shop closed as I needed a cheap swimsuit for my weekend trip. When I got home, there was a sense of foreboding I couldn’t quite shake off. As though I had forgotten something.

My Healthy Options bag with my Ginkgo Biloba and healthy snacks! To top it all off, I couldn’t even remember where I left it! Did I leave it in the atm booth? How about at the coffee shop where I met the girls? NafNaf? Where?!?

After racking my brain for hours, retracing my steps, and trying to figure out where exactly I left the bag, I was already up to my elbows in frustration and I still couldn’t remember anything! I remember everything else that happened that day except that part about my Ginkgo Biloba.

I woke up this morning and one of the first three things that popped into my head was, you guessed it right, Ginkgo Biloba! Me and my Ginkgo obsession! It was so bad that even while doing INSANITY Cardio Recovery, my thoughts would still get interrupted by Ginkgo.

Then I went to work. Guess what was the first thing I noticed sitting prettily on top of my table?

This is how the Tale of the Missing Ginkgo Biloba came to a conclusion: on my tabletop.

To cut the long story short: I bought a bottle of memory enhancers which I had completely forgotten where I left last night.

Moral of the story: Somebody needs to OD on Gingko Biloba and that would be me.

I exaggerate, of course. I did, however, open the bottle immediately and swallowed two capsules. One can’t be too forgetful these days.

Oh it’s a beautiful day, I’m looking for something dumb to do…

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


…and since there’s no one around at 6AM whom I can ask to marry me, I did 15k race pace and capped it with INSANITY Maximum Interval Plyo! Don’t tell anyone but while I was running, I actually toyed with the idea of dissing work and going on a solo full marathon of sorts. Or I don’t know how far my feet will take me but I was feeling so good about nearly everything this morning that I thought I could go on running for five hours.

But of course I did no such thing. I am such a freak that I feel extremely guilty when I would so much as clock in five minutes late for work. Worse, even when I’m sick and practically burning up with fever, I still feel guilty about not being there in my office, working like a maniac behind the desk. No, really.

So 15k race pace done and I still have a universe of energy to spare so I decided to take on Insanity. God knows what Day I am on now because it’s already Round 2 and my body- sucker for physical torture that it is – already feels somewhat desensitized from circuit-workout type of pain. In fact, yesterday, when I shared this with my resurrected friend, he said I need to try something new. I need to shock my body, he added. But what else is out there to shock me? Insanity ASYLUM is one, but I won’t get my hands on the workout dvd until gorgeous Abby burns me a copy – and hopefully soon. But really, what else is there to try? S&M? Absolutely NOT. *ROTFLMNSSAO*

Quite interesting that morning run. Like I said, my body refused to quit. Obviously, I have some serious issues and running has become, for me, the penultimate catharsis. Or escape. I think it goes so much deeper than just running from stuff but then again, what do I know? My college diploma says AB Journalism and not some fancy degree in advanced Psychology or Psychiatry. Now before we go psychoanalyzing  my convoluted mind (it’s a dark and dangerous place, i’m telling you) there’s one other interesting thing that happened during my morning run.  While running along Garnet Road, I saw this old couple suffering from osteoporosis so bad that they’re both bent over from the waist. I took one look at the old man assisting his old wife and trying very hard to put umbrella over both their heads and just like that, I cried. There’s something about old people that turns me into a puddle of tears and this coming from a girl who prides herself to be an emotional eunuch. Most of the time. I don’t do sentimental love. My boyfriend whom I love dearly would attest to my emotional frigidity. Not all the time, no. But I have always been like that. Too pragmatic and too much of a realist. To break me is very difficult. But show me old people and I am stripped away of the glacier covering that organ called the heart. In an instant. I had already passed the couple a few yards when I decided to turn back, still Weepy Weeperson, opened my belt bag and saw my breakfast money and some loose change. It was a choice between my 5-peso coin and my Egg McMuffin+brewed coffee+hashbrown+pancake money (hey, I was very hungry!). It was an easy choice. That was probably the best fully-loaded breakfast money I had ever spent and not for my own gastronomic satisfaction. I know I’ve said this before but I’m going to say it again, one day when I am disgustingly rich, I will blow all my cosmetic surgery money on helping old, poor, and abandoned elderly. Maybe all the attention and discipline I plow into health and fitness will actually allow me to live long and still look youthful and vibrant even when old and wrinkly and I won’t ever feel the need to waxify my gorgeous face with Botox and what-not. Kamusta naman daw at may gorgeous pang nalalaman si bruha. Now how do I translate that into English?

Running back to the house I kept thinking: that right there could be the elusive true love. You should see how the old man looked after his wife, letting her weak frame lean on his body, while clumsily trying to open the tattered umbrella to put over their heads. She was wearing a tattered shirt with ‘Ramones’ printed at the back which made me smile through the tears. But what really pained me was the damage osteoporosis wrought on their wrinkled frame. Every step they make seemed very painful to me. Perhaps if they had access to better nutrition in their youth, things would have been vastly different. But hey, they were holding each other up, taking each step together, no matter the pain. I think next time my boyfriend tells me he adores and loves me, I should ask him if he’d look after me like that when I’m old and traces of my youthful beauty are long gone. Equally, I should want to do the same for him (as well).

Okay, that’s it. Mushfest over. I told you I can’t do sentimental the way it’s supposed to be done. But trust me on this one: I have a good heart.

And a rockin’ body with INSANE abs. You knew that was coming, didn’t you? Oh you know me all too well! Seriously, I do. And the only reason why I’m such a braggadocio when it comes to my finer attributes is because I worked freakin’ hard to get this body. Ask Shaun T. He knows. And now, you would know, too, with these photos.

Let's give that flab the one-two punch.

Side Suicide Drills for that nasty obliques!

Stay strong, keep the abs tight!

Push-up Balance.

Po-po-po-Poker face(d)…I’m not.

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


I am not an exceptionally gifted liar. Not face-to-face, at least. I have never been quite successful in masking a face that is never content unless she presents herself to the world. One only has to look at my face and he will already know what thoughts my mind carry. I might never part my lips, run my tongue over them and then give an utterance, yet, still I communicate volumes. Most days I wish I am able to despise someone without giving myself away. I wish I am able to hanker for a man without him seeing me devour every juicy bits of him from beneath my eyelash extensions. Most days I wish I am…slow witted, one who’s blessed with the blankness of facial expression that comes quite naturally. It would be a cherished gift for someone who is hardly ever able to be quiet and still, where her face is concerned.

As if the uproar of my demeanor and my face’s natural ability to reveal even the most veiled of my mental processes are not telling enough, I can go on and on and on (all day, to anyone I’m interested in) with oral argumentation.

Having a working gag reflex for even the deepest darkest secrets is horrible especially when dealing with people who must never have an iota of idea how much power they have over me. Though in my defence, I constantly say things to thwart what they think they perceive -– which, unfortunately, is often the naked truth. Those times I actually try to be absolutely polarized.

And so it is. I tell all, no matter the consequences. Thrilling though it may be, sometimes, there is still more danger in this curse than amusement. And if I’m wise, I should get it in check before some lesser man takes advantage of the knowledge my patent face provides him. And I have a long history of lesser men flinging themselves into my orbit – also because I allowed them to get within flinging distance.

Sometime back, a certain someone put into words what I suspected all along. I get entangled with lesser men because I subconsciously battle with abandonment and acceptance. Touché.

Race Event: ADIDAS King of the Road

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


Are you the next KING?

When and where will the 2011 adidas King of the Road Philippines be held?
The adidas King of the Road Philippines will be held on 23 October 2011 (Sunday) at the Bonifacio Global City.

How do I register?
Registration can be done online on www.adidaskingoftheroad.com. The registration will close on 31 August 2011 or upon reaching maximum number of slots. Registration is on a first-come first-served basis.

When is the starting and closing date for the regular registration?
Regular registration starts June 21 and will close on August 31, or while race slots last. Registration is on a first-come first-served basis.

What is the age limit for KOTR 2011 participants?
The minimum age to participate in this event will be 12 years old and the maximum age is 65 years old. 12-17 year-old participants need a parent’s or guardian’s consent to participate.

How do I register if I’m under the age of 18?
Participants below the age of 18 are required to seek parental/guardian consent as deemed necessary by the organizer upon online registration. Failing which, the organizer reserves the right to refuse entry to any participant.

Can I register offline / manually and pay cash?
For regular registration, all registrations are made online and payments are charged via credit card at www.adidaskingoftheroad.com. Only payment via Credit Card is accepted. We do not accept Cash, Check, Debit Card, and Online Transfer via Internet Banking.

How much is the Race Entry Fee?
The entry fees are as follows:
5km – 1,050PHP
16.8km– 1,300PHP
21k– 1,050PHP

How will I know if my entry has been accepted?
Registrants will receive a confirmation email upon successful registration. The system will automatically allocate a unique Registration Number as shown in their confirmation email. Please note that Hivelocity Pte Ltd’ will be listed in your credit card bank statement for this transaction. It is necessary to bring a copy of the confirmation e-mail from the organizer and a valid ID upon collecting the Race Kit.

What are the possible reasons I did not receive my Race Confirmation details after registration and Payment?
It could be due to any of the following reasons:
The transaction did not go through.
The e-mail address provided is invalid.
The e-mail server blocked the email.

What should I do if I do not receive my race confirmation slip after registration and 
payment?
Please contact us immediately at info@hivelocity.com.sg.

Do I get a refund if I choose not to participate after registration?
Registration fee is strictly non-refundable.

Can I make changes to my personal particulars after registration?
Yes. Registrants can make changes to their personal particulars by sending an email to service@hivelocity.com.sg. However changes to race category, date of birth, NRIC, gender and event running vest sizes are NOT considered as changes of personal particulars.

Can I change my race category after I have registered?
No. Race categories are non-transferable.

Why am I unable to select a given size of the running singlet?
The size that you have selected is out of stock. Please select your next preferred size.

Can I choose the color of my running singlet? Can I change the color of my running singlet?
No, issuance of running singlet is on a first-come-first-served basis. When a particular color is unavailable the next available color will be issued. No requests for exchange of running vests will be entertained.

When and where can I collect my Race Kit?
Registered participants are invited to gather at the KOTR 2011 Kick-Off Assembly from Oct 10-12 at the NBC Tent, Bonifacio Global City, where race kits containing singlet, timing device, and other race paraphernalia will be distributed and a variety of activities await everyone. Those who have availed of the Free Run Promo get their race kits shipped to their mailing address for free.

Do I get a medal upon finishing the race?
ALL participants who complete the run will be awarded a Finisher Medal at the finishing line. Medals will not be given to non-participants nor non-finishers of the race. A non-participant is a person who did not take part in the race on the date of the event and a non-finisher is a participant who retires from the race before finishing it.

Are rollerbladers and cyclists allowed on the race route? 
No. For the safety of the runners, any person rollerblading or cycling on the race route will be requested to exit the course immediately by the marshals.

Can I bring along my pets?
Pets are strictly not allowed on the race route.

Poetically, the sky weeps.

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


Look outside your window
Is it raining?
Again?
I thought I heard raindrops.
Though it sounded quite differently
last night
when my head made a dent on my pillow
and my body
found solace
and warmth in the thick sheets
still bearing that all-too familar scent.
His.
Please, look outside the window
And whisper to me what you see.
What is it about the color
of gloom
or mud
or fallen leaves
that is sometimes so attractive?

The Valley of (Sudden) Death: A DNFer’s Tale

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


After reading my partner in (ultra) crime Dennis the Runningpinoy’s very graphic account of what transpired last Saturday at the first-ever frontRUNNER Valley Trail Challenge held at Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, I have decided I cannot possibly come up with a better – if not more descriptive – blog post. By the way, have you read it? Get full details here.

The Close-up smile before the copious tears.

So now that you know, I, being the queen of stating the obvious (only sometimes, anyway) and at the risk of sounding more pitiful (uuuyyy, pa-damsel in distress effect pa kunyari!) would like to state for the record that I DNF’d – with only a few kilometers left to cover before the finish line! And even more painful than that, I dragged Dennis down the highway of shame with me. I tried as best as I could to push the pain on both knees away – mentally, at least – but sometimes, you REALLY have to listen to what your body is telling you. In my case, my body wasn’t just ‘telling’ me it was feeling some minor discomfort – it was screaming in pain and begging for respite. As much as I am a proud woman with a relatively high tolerance for physical pain  — Remember, this girl took a major plunge while MTB riding and suffered cuts, bruises, and what-not and had to be CT-scanned and X-rayed but was back on her feet doing hiphop in just three days and competing in a 5k race exactly a week after the accident. Yes, I’m a mutant like that. —  I also know when to throw in the towel and call it an unfinished race. Live and fight another day, right?

With Team UNGAS.

With Reebok Team Captain, Titanium Runner

With Dennis and birthday boy Totoy

With Paul aka Pageman (thank you for the plaster on my left knee!)

Dennis asked me several times, perhaps noticing the drastic drop in my pace and the limping which I could no longer hide, if I’m feeling okay and (still) in shape to see the 58k race to its very end. And I, of course, would only smile and say h*ll yeah.  Unfortunately, I can stretch my tolerance for pain so far. With less than 4kms to go, I found myself slumped on the trail, crying both in agonizing pain and utter frustration over what I consider to be another failure. My failure. Do you ever feel like you’re being too hard on yourself sometimes? I do, except that it’s more frequent with me. Sometimes I cannot even forgive myself for something as simple as spelling error or mismatched socks. It’s horrible, isn’t it?

Before gunstart.

Well, anyway, and this has to be said, Jonel Mendoza and frontRUNNER did a great job of putting this race together and despite DNF-ing, I’m still glad I participated. Overall, the combination of greens, paved road, mini river crossing, hills, and pebbled dirt road made the trail exciting and challenging at the same time. Even today, I ask myself how it came to be that I took on Mt. Pinatubo by the horns (so to speak) and actually finished second in the 50k race and fail in a major way in Nuvali which is not exactly as rugged and raw as the former. Not to say that I did everything perfect. In fact, as I was telling Pageman earlier on Facebook, except for the generous application of petroleum jelly on my feet, I did nearly everything wrong before and during the race itself: (1) zero sleep on Friday night, (2)ate only half a tuna sandwich for lunch and half serving of Pad Thai for dinner, (3) and during the race itself, my body was literally powered only by Pocari sweat, a minimal amount of water, and a bar of Nature Valley. Add all those elements together and voila! You have a dust-and-mud-covered girl, slumped on the dirt road, bawling her eyes out in pain — until finally being carried on a stretcher to the finish line area.

Oh yes, Siree, I took the ambulance ride of shame! *hides face* But I have the ability to bounce back so fast so don’t be surprised to see me pounding the road again soon. *shows face again*

But enough about me. We have 10,000 more blog posts to cover all that, so just sit tight ya? Dennis said some glowing stuff about the trail/route and I am in total agreement. Hard on the knees as some parts of it were (especially on my 32-year-old knees, demmit!), there truly were some exquisite slices of nature to see and experience that you cannot help but feel revitalized no matter the exhaustion. Dennis took some nice shots and I’m sharing it with you.

The hills are alive with the sound of my quiet tears (yes, drama queen!)

And it's still a looong way to go...

Bowed head, shoulders hunched over --- yep, I was already gone at this point.

Dennis the Runningpinoy

Vicky the Runningchimay --- ay hindi pala, mukha lang. hihihi.

And now that we got the pagpa-pa-cute out of the way, let’s talk shoes. Notice that steel grey + neon green beauty in some of my photos? That’s TERRA and she belongs to the Reebok ZigTech family. To those who have yet to get themselves familiarized with Reebok’s latest shoe performance technology, here’s all you need to know: Reebok ZigTech shoes are designed to conserve and return energy to the athlete for a soft and springy ride. And due to the sheer volume of cushioning in the ZigTech sole unit, training or running is much easier on the leg muscles, especially the shins and hamstrings. Now, runners out there, this you would know — shin splints are a common injury, but Reebok ZigTech running shoes give athletes a bounce and energy for longer training sessions with less strain on the muscles. And that’s how you get a pair that allows you to go further and faster with less fatigue, but without reducing the work your muscles are doing for a much more rewarding running sessions. But my Terra is, right now, the only one of its kind here and that’s because this line of offroadies is not due for release until 2012. How lucky am I?!? VERY. And she did perform well at the race, carrying my weight all the way to the 52nd kilometer without giving me a single blister. So yes, I would give her an A+ for cushioning.

Terrific TERRA

So you see, it wasn’t all bad for me last weekend. Looking back, I had more to be grateful for (shoes, friends, nature, running, and very important life lessons I mulled over while running) than to feel bad about at the Valley Trail Challenge.

Thank you God – YOU. ARE. AWESOME. BEYOND.WORDS.

CURVES: Circuit Workout for Women, by Women

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


So finally today, I was able to check out CURVES in Serendra and boy was I pleasantly surprised! When Reebok teammate Kassy Pajarillo first told me about Curves, I thought it was an interesting workout and the timing really could not have been more impeccable because I am already at that stage where the usual workout routine no longer holds any form of appeal to me. Thanks to INSANITY, my body has gotten so used to high-impact, high-intensity circuit training type of workout that pain and maximum heart rate have now become my benchmark for a good workout. No pain, no gain.

And I also happen to have such short attention span (I suppose I need to have myself checked one of these days as I seriously suspect I may have ADHD. No, really.) that I cannot stay committed to just one type of workout. And especially not for long stretches of time. I need intense movements. I need variations. I need constant and fast transitions. And if possible, I want to cry and scream bloody murder at the end of each workout; swear never to do it again, only to do another round of it the day after…and the day after that…and so goes the cycle of pain. And why would I mind the pain, really, when it gave me this as a result?

This kind of 'INSANITY' comes highly recommended. Believe you me.

Now as much as I enjoy annihilating my own body within the four corners of my tiny home doing Insanity, I still am a social creature who sometimes wishes I have workout bodies. But since the usual gym setting no longer appeals to me and I have somehow gotten quite tired of  being scrutinized like a fly under a microscope maybe because my workout outfit tend to look a bit risque on me sometimes, I have decided to look for an alternative. I must because I will die – seriously die – if I don’t get to workout at least five times a week, and that already includes running of course.

Vicky and Kassy lead the pack of fit and active modern-day multitasking women professionals (yes, best in caption award!)

Enter CURVES. The minute I saw the purple logo and the purple and pink-themed interior, I fell in love. The place itself gives you that warm fuzzy feeling but there is nothing in there that will put you to sleep! Curves’ General Manager Ms. Fe Abrihan was there last night and Joi, the amiable marketing assistant, took me around the center for a quick tour and it was all I needed to write my name down as a member. This is exactly what I was looking for – a circuit training fitness program that will look after the unique needs of my body (a woman’s body, generally, is unique and beautiful) and tone it in a way that I will look neither emaciated or too macho for a girl.

Being interviewed by Annie regarding my fitness & medical history

Ann took my fitness and medical history along with my measurements and I found out that ohmydotingdaddy, I still have 5lbs in excess of my target weight! Although she said that my weight may be such (in the neighborhood of 100lbs) because of the muscles that have already been formed due to my intense workout and so we decided to just focus on my ‘problem’ areas – arms and thighs. Although my arms and thighs are so much better now than when I was lugging around more fat, I still see some jiggle when I run, for example. The sagging and jiggle have to go.

Getting my body fat measured.

Now looking at my fitness goals and objectives, Curves is just perfect because it works every major muscle group with a complete 30-minute workout that combines strength training and sustained cardiovascular activity through safe and effective hydraulic resistance. If you ask me, I’m already happy with this but no, Curves also has these benefits to offer women —  weight loss, gain muscle strength and aerobic capacity, and raise metabolism with its groundbreaking, scientifically proven method that ends the need for perpetual dieting.

But don’t just take my word for it. Why don’t you come and drop by one of these days and find out what Curves can do for your body?

Get the curves you want at CURVES!

Oh and by the way, Zumba® Fitness classes have recently been added to Curves® Circuit in Bonifacio Global City – much to the delight of women, young and old alike. During the 30-minute class, participants work out on each Curves strength machine for one minute, alternating upper, lower and core muscles. After one minute, the music cues the participant to change stations on the circuit, and she moves to an area between machines to do Zumba® moves, which tone and sculpt the body while burning fat. Licensed Zumba® instructors from the Zumba® Instructor Network (ZIN), Via Bonoan and Rowena Jose, teach simple, modified Zumba® moves from the center of the circuit.

Kassy tries Zumba with Ms. Via

Wildchild.

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


She abandoned all attempts at propriety. Her long skirt now an ocean of soft velvet fabric at her feet, exposing an expanse of softness that begins from the satin curves of her hips, her supple thighs, down to her ankles and disappears just above the discarded fabric covering the daintiness of her ballerina feet .“Wildchild”, he calls her. And her provocative surrender is rewarded by a strong hand caressing the arch of her back and fingers gently probing the moistness between her thighs that up until about two minutes ago remained pressed together. Oh but how beautifully she opened.

Zambales Fun Run: That Which Became Woeful In The End

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


When you have two stories you can’t wait to share –  one is happy and the other is, well, quite the opposite – which one do you tell first? A bit of a pickle, isn’t it? I guess if the intention is to end the storytelling bit on a high note, you serve up the bad stuff first, hoping the bit of  good news would neutralize the jarring effect of the former.

TEAM REEBOK at the Starting Line

So, on to the unpleasant side of things…

Like I said in my previous blog entry here, our trip to Zambales over the weekend was mainly for the 400th Anniversary Fun Run, of which Reebok – our very generous team owner – was one of the sponsors.  Perhaps the one and only good thing that the race offered was the venue, specifically, the race route. For most of us who have gotten used to running the same old running routes in the Metro, the opportunity to take on a new race destination is incentive enough to go all the way to Zambales. Add ten points if you actually get to run on the beach for a third of a kilometer before you move on to the town proper before heading back down to the beach where the start/finish line is. Yes, that part was good.

These days, any race would not be complete without the gazelle-like Kenyans like Will

We woke up at 3:30am knowing that there are seven of us in one room and we would have to queue to use the bathroom and gear up for the race, if we have to make it to the 5:30 gun start for the 21k. It was still dark when we filed out of the room and made our way to the starting line, where the rest of the runners lay in wait.  But alas, it was already an hour past the gun start and we were still behind the line waiting for the real action to start. The runners were getting antsy and why not? We have participated in a lot of races and not a single one of those have made us wait for more than five to ten minutes past the published gun start.

Good call, Kassy!

Kassy made a brilliant call of going onstage and announcing the start of the race. It should have been the race director’s job to ensure that everything is well-organised even before making that call, but in this case, the race director himself needed some directing. After it was announced about 50 times that ‘the race is about to start’,  we were finally doing what we set out to do in Zamba — running! Ohhh weee.

But, whatever disappointment we may have felt at the beginning was quickly overshadowed by the obvious charm of the place. I loved the beach run, although very short, as it reminded me of those times I would run on the powder-soft sandy shores of Boracay. I did 10k with Kassy, Trick, and RunningAtom, along with several other younglings – most of them half my age. Literally.

50 minutes and 40 seconds later, I crossed the finish line. Arguably, my best time yet. I remember back in the days when I would cover 10k in 1hr 2mins or something like that. But now that I am older, I am evidently faster. How cool is that?!? Very.

Smug Smuggerson after placing 5th in the 10k female division

I placed 5th in the 10k female category and of course I felt exceedingly good about it. You would, too, if you’re running alongside 13 to 15-year olds. In my case, I was struggling to keep up with the young sprinters. The first place winner took only 34 minutes to cover the whole 10km stretch. Beat that, Vicky Ras! Uhrrrm, no, I don’t think so. But thank you for the offer. I will get back to you on that in my next life, ya?

After the last 21k runner has crossed the finish line, the organizers were ready to award the winners. And that’s when the drama ensued. THIS JUST IN: Jordan, one of the race event organizers wrote in response to the succeeding statements in my blog entry: Apparently, the runners-up were NOT supposed to get any cash prizes but they demanded for such claiming they traveled miles and hours to get to the race and therefore, deserving of some form of remuneration. Out of the goodness of the organizers’ hearts, they relented. But according to Jordan, instead of feeling grateful, they got greedy and asked for more.  Some of them even went to the Mayor’s office to ask for more dole-outs. If this indeed were the case, then it certainly puts things in a slightly different perspective. Worse, it reflects very negatively on the state that running as an industry is starting to show signs as becoming. Whatever happened to running for fun and health and social reasons? So yes, money was given – and even more – according to Jordan.  Itago na lang natin ito sa pamagat na ‘Ang Nawawalang Mga Pa-premyo’ or ‘The Tale of the Missing Cash Prizes’. We did not stay long enough to investigate as it was not in our place to do so anyway, but there were runners – young aspiring athletes – who were robbed of their cash prizes. One girl who was supposed to receive P5,000 only got P500. Now I don’t know about you guys but that to me is more heartbreaking than my first breakup. Much worse even if you consider how these kids have commuted from several towns and kilometers away to take a shot at the prize money and actually nailing it on the head…only to find the envelope containing only 10 percent of the published amount. THAT. IS. CRUEL. AND. INHUMANE. How are we supposed to inspire our young and talented but underprivileged athletes when some of us have no compunction – AT ALL – about dousing their fire even before it has had time to burst into flames? What do you say to these kids in their inconsolable state? Pasensiya na iha, ganyan talaga sa totoong buhay. Parati kang maiisahan kaya masanay ka na. Is that our way of telling them to just deal with it?

Me being me (is that even grammatically sound?!?), I am very quick to see the merit in things especially when crucial details are being put forward. Like I told Jordan, a lot of things did not exactly unravel the way they should (have) during that race event such that there were very loose ends at the beginning, during and especially after the race that were not exactly tied to perfection. I, too, come from an events management background which greatly explains why I tend to be very thorough in looking into details. Add to that my propensity to be obsessive-compulsive by nature, then holy moly, you have a weirdo in your midst!

No, but seriously, I’d like to personally thank Jordan for coming forward with his side of the story. As event organizers, I’m sure they have the greatest intentions for the race and the runners and perhaps it was just unfortunate that the outcome was not exactly what they had envisioned.  At the end of the day, I am blogger who calls it as I see it and if my being brutally honest with my thoughts has caused some people some measure of pain and discomfort, then I am sorry.

Now going back to runners who run purely for monetary reasons: can we blame them entirely for being too brutally honest in their intentions for doing what they do? This clearly runs deeper than what can be seen on the surface. A social illness, if you may. People do not have enough resources to tide them over for a day, a week, or maybe for months even that they resort to unconventional means to earn extra – such as emotionally blackmailing race organizers, for example to shell out more. It’s sad isn’t it? One day, when I am rich – and I mean filthy, disgustingly, inappropriately rich – three segments of the society will rank high on my priority list: the abandoned children, the elderly, and the underprivileged athletes.

But as promised, I will try not to leave you in that state of sadness and disbelief at other people’s beastly behavior. Because there, in fact, were one or two more good things that happened that day. Beep Beep, our Reebok teammate, placed 7th overall in the 21k race category. Titanium Runner, Alex, and Kassy all got good time for their respective race categories. Our guests RunningAtom and Trickoy also did very well at the race.

Now the other good, nay, great thing that happened that day was meeting the legendary and controversial Nancy Navalta. People my age and older would remember Nancy as the very promising heir-apparent to Lydia de Vega in the early 1990s. Nancy was fast, very fast, on the track and for a moment there, she seemed almost unstoppable. Until she was forced to undergo gender determination tests, which said that she was “genetically male.”  The Philippine Sports Commission instructed Navalta to compete as a male or to undergo “corrective measures.” The ruling effectively ended Navalta’s competitive career. It was a sad say for the Philippine running community but it must have been a million times heartbreaking for Nancy herself. I was in my teens when Nancy was all the media could talk about and I never thought the day would come when I would actually see her in person. I mean I was awestruck when I saw Lydia de Vega three times at the PhilSports Arena track and I remember she even said ‘ang ganda mo naman’ when I smiled at her one time (Thank you, by the way Idol Lydia! You don’t know me from Eve but I will forever remember that compliment you paid me that forgotten morning at ULTRA) But this, this right here is Nancy Navalta, arguably one of the most controversial Filipino athletes in history and even at present time.

With the sensational Nancy Navalta

Nancy, today, serves as the Athletics Coach of the University of Luzon. Those teenage girls that beat the crap out of me in the 10k division – they were Nancy’s ward. Perhaps if I were coached by Nancy, I would be running waaaaay faster than I do now. Yes, even with my 32-year-old knees. From what I’ve heard, Nancy is actively involved in promoting inter-barangay track competitions where, she says, we can find runners of Olympics caliber – especially those in the out-of -school youth (OSY) segment.

So how about we help Nancy help the struggling young athletes out there? Think about it. And one day, when you have made the decision to help, do it unquestioningly.

Having said that, I still want to end this post in a crescendo of good vibrations so how about I post some more photos of myself (I love to talk about myself so better get used to it!) and Team Reebok as we bring our Zamba trip to a worthy end?

REEBOK is Pro Active Lifestyle

Crash diet and starvation are a No-NO!

From running to beach bumming

To making friends...Hi, Will!

Goofing around with Kassy

Oh look at that, a little bit more of me...

...and me.

OKAY. This unabashed display of over-the-top self-love has got to stop. Vicky, you are out. TEAM REEBOK, paaaaaaasok!

Weeet...weeew!

SURFING: Another Item X-marked On My Bucket List

Posted on by mrsvickyaltaie


‘Whatever’s bound to happen is already happening…’ or something to that effect. Thus says my on-again, off-again friend earlier today, probably in reference to the latest thing I jumped right into over the weekend. SURFING. Yes, the kind that involves a surf board and  real waves, and me, making countless attempts to ride them.

Brown Surfer Girl.

But first, allow me to thank form the bottom of my heart, the group that keeps me motivated in staying true to my commitment of living a healthy, fit, and active lifestyle; the same group whom I have been running road races lately. Individually, we are as diverse as can be – but when it comes to things that matter such as passion, friendship, commitment, and going that extra mile to help others, we are one and the same. TEAM REEBOK, we rock and we know it!

TEAM REEBOK and friends conquered the waves the day before the race

Surfing was not part of the agenda when on Saturday, the 11th of June, our group (along with friends Dietrich and Running Atom) hied-off to Iba, Zambales for the Fun Run organised to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the municipality. Kassy said there was no forecast of waves in the area and so we may have to settle for swimming or sunbathing in my case, being the only non-swimmer in the group. I said, very well, I could live with that. But when we got there, whoa, the sea painted an entirely different picture from the forecast. The waves were surfable! Not one to waste time, Kassy immediately asked the locals where we can rent boards and if there’s someone who can give me crash course on surfing. Within minutes after checking in to our room, Kassy and I changed into our swimsuits, and I was getting very rough tips on how to mount the board and pop. My fear of water has certainly got in the way of my learning how to swim. For some reason, I get all panicky when water has come up to my neck and I would lose grip of my courage. I am one brave little monster but I draw the line when it comes to things that defy defy depths or heights. Oh but having done scuba diving and surfing nearly back-to-back, am I now to expect bungee jumping, paragliding, or cliff jumping in the near offing?!? Holy guacamole, pass me the barf bag, I’m feeling sick!!!

Grabbing life by the leg.

That must have been the reason why I found it rather difficult at first to pop, coming from a horizontal position on the surf board. My minds keeps telling me I would fall within nanoseconds and true enough, I did. Proving once again the extent of our mind’s power: I think, therefore I am. In my case, I thought I would not be able to stand up and float away and I did fail in my first few attempts. But I got tired of landing on the right side of my ass (which at that time was already starting to feel tender and not in a good way!), so I said ‘Eff it, I am gonna do this!’ And next thing I know, I was already doing this:

Oh but she can ride it!

and this…

Vicky and Kassy conquer Zamba waves

It was so much fun that for a second there I did not quite believe Kassy when she said I will feel the burn on my shoulders and thighs the following day. For how can something so good be painful at the same time? Uhrrrm, Vicky darling, there are actually quite a looot of good things that are painful in equal measure and you know that. Uhmm-kaaay, point well taken. I chipped a toe nail, too, and my nail polish got ruined but these things all seem inconsequential (I mean they really are, anyway) when pitted against the mad high I got out of actually being able to stay vertical for a few seconds on top of a moving surf board. Never mind that the waves were not as gloriously high as the 8-foot wall, for example, that experienced surfers prefer. Never mind all that, because on that day in Iba, Zambales, I became little brown surfer girl.

Again, thank you sooo much Kassy!

Partners in Girly Crimes

Tomorrow, I will tell you a little bit about the Fun Run – in which Aunty Vicky attempted to race against girls half her age and ended up feeling vindicated. I may be 32 next month but my speed, agility, and curves say otherwise. Keep tuned-in, loves!