My Adidas King of the Road 2009 Experience
Last Sunday, together with some friends, my boyfriend and I ran at the Adidas King of the Road 2009. I thought we would be getting some royal treatment for Php500 (our most expensive run to date), and the reputation of the organizer (hello, Adidas), but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I have been to only three runs (one as an audience), but of all the three, the Adidas King of the Road was the worst. The Condura Run for Home was ok—the spirit was light and lively, the cause was made pretty obvious, and the run was a bit more organized. Globe’s Run for Home, so far, is the best run I’ve attended. I’m not saying this because I was connected with them back when I ran, but because I was not hassled in anyway. The race packet distribution was quick, the registration was hassle-free, and the race itself was awesome—Champion Chips were distributed (for a mere Php300 race fee), there were drink stations every kilometer or so (approximately), and the race results were highly detailed.
With Adidas King of the Road, I expected (maybe this is where I was wrong), to at least drink water without having to worry whether or not it is clean and potable, and I expected to be able to run without hassle, knowing what kilometer we were onto. Don’t get me started on the pre-race, too. Claiming the race kits was a total hassle (read a fellow Blogger’s take on the claiming day mess here).
Maybe I really just set my expectations too high, or maybe I didn’t do my homework—-while running, my friend told me that every year, it’s the same situation. She’s been to five Adidas KOTR runs, so I asked her, as I was rather baffled, why she keeps on attending every year. Her answer was simple: she likes the colorful singlets. Singlets or no singlets, Adidas and the organizers could have improved on the race’s bad aspects, considering that Adidas KOTR has been in Manila for a long time now. Oh well, it was still a nice enough experience, but I guess I would just have to wait til next year to see if they would improve.
Anyway, below are some photos from the event. I hope you enjoyed KOTR. 
Best Night Ever: Paul van Dyk in Manila 2009
Paul van Dyk’s 2009 Asian tour, promoting his new single Home, is one awesomely memorable night. We had to stand, walk, and dance for six freaking hours (I was in high heels!), but we don’t care.
Seeing Paul van Dyk, hearing his entrancing music, and best of all getting to touch his hands and face, make it all worth the ankle, leg, and knee pain.
I am still at a loss for words, so I’d let the photos do the talking. Have fun!
Chiquito Turns One: Happy Birthday to the Best Dog in the World
The best dog in the world, our adorable Chiquito, turns one today, October 12.
He sleeps upside-down, sometimes with his head on a pillow; stretches out his arms and legs like he owns the bed; sometimes snores like a man and often sighs like a baby. He wants to eat what we eat and drink what we drink, but of course he can’t have his way all the time. He barks and chases at cats and birds, runs after strangers who ‘smell’, and patiently waits for his mommy and daddy to come home with ‘pasalubong‘ for him.
He loves sticking his head out of the car’s open window, obsessively thrusts his pink nose into anything that catches his attention, and playfully digs his teeth and cute little paws into sand, soil, blankets, toilet paper, and anything with a texture he couldn’t resist.
He despises the smell of cigarettes and refuses to kiss anyone who smells of it. He hates it when fire is lit in front of him, especially if from a cigarette lighter—actually, he’s just scared. He abhors any form of violence (e.g. fighting, shouting, and pushing), and tries his best to stop it by jumping on the people (pretend) fighting.
He likes being in the limelight and tries to be as cute as can be when surrounded by people he know and like. He snuggles when he feels cold, or when he senses that you are not feeling well. He licks people’s faces when he likes them, when he wants them to wake up, when he’s hungry and want them to feed him, when he’s happy and thankful for them doing him a favor (really), or when asking for their permission so he can go out and play.
He’s lovable even without him trying to be, and he’s adorable even when in his worst mood.
I know there will be more birthdays to come for our little Chiquito, and we’re sure that each year will be just as exciting as the next. I can’t wait. <3
Untitled, For Now
I’ve been thinking and feeling a lot lately. I want to write down everything in my mind, but my thoughts run continuously around my head the same way I seem to aimlessly go through my current career path. I want to articulate every single emotion I feel, but they are as complicated as my beloved country’s (and also, the world’s) current weather conditions.
Right now, my fingers type what my conscious tells it to. I hear a neighbor shout something unintelligible then his dog bark, and it irks me a bit. I feel my boyfriend shift in bed then hear his heavy breathing, and I smile contentedly to myself. I listen to the soft patter of rain outside then thought of the super typhoon and my family in another city. I remember an upcoming event I am so looking forward to attending, and I get excited. I briefly consider the prospect of traveling (in the distant future) to a lovely destination and I feel happier. All these in the forefront, but at the back of my mind, it is an entirely different situation.
It’s an hour and a half past one, but I still can’t seem to force my eyes to close. Yesterday night, I was feeling anxious for reasons that I can’t discern. It could be from lack of sleep, from emotional stress due to the typhoon, from the pressure of societal duties and responsibilities, or from unbelievably petty matters that have gotten into my nerves. Tonight, I am no better, albeit I am more calm.
I am not bothered, however, by my sense of aimlessness right now—in fact, I savor every moment of it. I have questioned my goals, purpose, and existence for so long, it’s time I give it a temporary rest. Why shouldn’t I smile without having to feel a bit guilty (because I know, somehow, I made someone unhappy)? Why shouldn’t I take on daily setbacks and failures with my bravest face and without the slightest feeling of shame? Why shouldn’t I say out loud that I don’t care because I really am uninterested, without the fear of being shunned?
Lately, I’ve been living each day with no other purpose but to be alive and thankful. I go to bed the latest I can and wake up early to get ready for work. I eat my breakfast for lunch or my lunch for breakfast (and sometimes I eat none). I put on my favorite pair of shoes, smile, feel confident, and walk tall. I put more creamer than coffee in all my cups and never fail to appreciate its creamy goodness (never mind the extra fat). Doing all these feels liberating.
I know it’s my conscious telling me to live with, think, and feel all these. In the back of my mind, there will be that tiny guilt, that slight shame, and that lingering fear—but I don’t care. Yes, it’s confusing, so I’ll leave it untitled, for now.
The Typhoon Ondoy Shock
Little did I know that we were all in for an shock of a lifetime. At around 3 AM of Saturday, September 26, my boyfriend and I had food delivered. We decided not to go out that night and instead stay home for a movie marathon. At 6 AM, we finished watching movies and went to bed. At 1 PM, we awoke to the sound of rain and people outside. Apparently, Manila is already knee deep in water. News reports say that one month of rain fell in a matter of 6 hours.
I have never experienced flood similar to what Typhoon Ondoy has brought to Metro Manila and Luzon. Sure, Filipinos are no stranger to floods (many thanks to clogged sewerage systems and ineffective garbage disposal methods), but because of Typhoon Ondoy, Metro Manila has experienced the worst flood in 40 years.
My heart goes out to all those affected and devastated by Typhoon Ondoy, especially to the families who lost their loved ones. I may not be able to volunteer in relief operations, but my prayers go with all. After the darkness, may we all see hope. Thank you for all those who go out of their way to help others in this calamity. Bayanihan may not be novel anymore, but it will remain noble. God bless us all.
