First Race In Asia

Some good runners ready to go for a 15K!

 

Fast forward a few years to the first race in Asia.

 

On Friday, November 7, 2008, this runner-blogger visited the Philippines for only the second time.  The first time was a stopover on a way back from a work visit to Hong Kong.

 

Before leaving the company, AT&T, I worked in an international group where I worked with communications phone companies in parts of Asia.  PLDT was a great company inn Metro Manila with great technicians.  A friend of mine who I still contact, Raul, was fantastic.  He shared the culture of the country and multiple times, he would bug me to come visit.  It finally happened in 2008.

 

By that time, after leaving AT&T, I worked with New Balance shoe company.  It was difficult getting vacation time from them but was able to get about a week and a half of vacation from them.  Also, I got hooked on Facebook with several Filipino running groups.  Things were all set.

 

Less than two days, after landing, I would run my first race, a 15 kilometer.  The name of the race was the VSO Bahiginan 15K.  The area was in Global City, still developing at the time.  It would begin right about sunrise which was close to 6am.

 

The route wasn't difficult.  It was very much an out and back that headed into Fort Bonifacio around a Memorial Park and back.

 

The finish line.  Wasn't exactly smart wearing a black singlet that day! 

 

 

The weather was warm but very humid, something that I wasn't used to living in the Bay Area.  The pace was roughly six to six and a half minutes a kilometer.  Eventually, this runner came home in 1:34:56.  It was about in the middle of the pack.

 

It was nice to meet a lot of runners after the race.  One thing learning about Filipino runners.  They love taking photo-ops and love to eat.

 

There was another moment that had this runner a bit emotional.  Jovie Narcise (aka Bald Runner) was one of the top long distance / ultra runners in the country.  Also, he puts on ultrarunning events in the area.

 

Buying running shoes in the Philippines, or for that matter, any country, is expensive.  Bald Runner, at the time, had a program where people would donate doable shoes so that worthy runners would be able to wear them.  Working at New Balance, I was able to help Sir Jovie on several occasions.  The person who obtained the shoes, I'm told, finished third overall in the 15K.

 

This runner doesn't remember the restaurant we went to after the 15K.  However, the breakfast, coffee, orange juice and more was fantastic.  Also, though it wasn't at the time, a Run Rio event, Rio de la Cruz did an amazing job with the logistics of it all.  I've been fortunate to run several of his events and they are top notch.