Lovin' the Lunars

I love my Nike Lunars...I really do.

In my recent trip to U.S., I brought only two pairs of shoes - a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors (my wedding shoes) and my Lunars. I figured, they're all I really need. In fact, I was in my Lunars 90% of the time - partly because 10% of the time I was airing them out :P

Hannah & I, In our Wedding day Converse Chuck Taylors

Call me silly, but I love my Lunars so much, I decided to take a few pictures of them.

After the Men's Health Miracle Run - It's first road race

At the Red Rocks - As close to 'Home' the Lunars can ever get :P

At the Twin Peaks, the highest point in San Francisco - Lovin' the View!

At Golden Gate Park - How I wish I could run here everyday! (Lucky you Wayne!)

I visited the Nike Shop near Union Square and saw the Livestrong Nike Lunars....Gorgeous! AbsoFFFFINlutely gorgeous. I can't wait! Apparently Lance Armstrong wore them when he ran a two sub 3 hour marathons (Boston & NY if I'm not mistaken). Dammit! You were 'retired', came from stage 4 cancer, 7 TDF victories, and you can still run a 2:47 marathon???

Lance, finishing the boston marathon in his Livestrong Lunar Trainers

To date, I have put 178 kilometers on my Lunars (running that is). My nifty online training log www.logyourrun.com not only keeps track of your workouts, but also your shoe and bike mileage. Why is that important...you might ask. Apparently, even though our running shoes seem to be in 'good condition', they should be replaced every 600-900km.

Thank you Nike for giving me my Lunars :)

P.S. - Not many people know it, but Converse is actually owned by Nike. In 2003, Nike bought Converse for $300+ million dollars. Remember that - one day it will be a Jeopardy question. And Oh...Sinatra was not the first artist to record and release the song 'Fly Me to the Moon', contrary to popular belief. He's probably just the most popular one.

Fly me to the moon
Let me sing among those stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars...

Race Report - Philippine International Duathlon Open

I arrived in Clark the day before the race (Saturday) as Hannah and I were lucky enough to crash in one of her friend’s places just outside the base. To kill time (yeah right), we drove the bike route. It was very picturesque, and with rolling hills, trees and lots of greenery. I took time to appreciate its beauty – since, when you’re crawling up a hill at 10kmh on your last gear, panting, legs cramping…its quite hard to appreciate the beauty around you. I was ‘bitin’ with the drive – I wanted to try out the bike route, just to get a feel of it…so off I went.

The bike route for the standard distance consisted of 5 loops of this 8km course. The route starts off with a slight incline and a few twists and turns around the parade ground, until the main road is reached. From there, it’s 2 small hills, then a short downhill – and that’s where all the fun ends. The next 1.5 kilometers is uphill all the way to a place they call the ‘ruins’. How apt! My legs (and ego) were ruined each time I reached its peak. However, just as you are about to curse the course, it quickly becomes your best friend.

Luckily, what goes up, must come down. Its pretty much downhill all the way back from there. Big-ring-small-cog kinda downhill. 60kmh-put-your-head-down-grab-your-drops-tight and pray-you-don’t-hit-a-pothole kinda downhill. After about 1.5km of that, a slight uphill, a few turns and you’re back in the parade grounds.

I didn’t bother running the run course as I was hoping to save all the energy I had left for race day. I had been nursing a cold, and have not been feeling well since the AAV Triathlon last sunday.

My targets for the 10km-40km-5km Run-Bike-Run course, were 55mins for the first 10k, 1:25 for the bike leg (adjusted it after I surveyed it) and 28mins for the last 5k, plus change for transitions. Those targets would have brought the total to about 2:50.

A loooooong day was ahead.

Race Day

I woke up very early, had my usual pre-race meal (peanut butter sandwich) and went off to the parade grounds. As usual, got inked very quickly, got my race number, and fixed my transition area. It felt weird having practically nothing in the transition area – just my bike and my helmet. I kept having that ‘what did I forget’ feeling – perhaps it was just another case of start line stress.
A quick warmup, race briefing and before I knew it, I was at the starting point of my very first Duathlon.

Right before the starting gun shot off – I found Levy. We talked for a bit, and in the process, he told me not to be surprised if the run times were very quick, as the course was uphill one way, but downhill the rest. Thank God he told me this – otherwise I might have paced myself too much!

A around 6:40, the starting gun went off…and so did we. After the crowd thinned, I found Levy and a few other participants. I decided to hang on for the first 10k (or the most I could) . We were going at a pretty good pace, and before I knew it, the first of 4 laps had gone. Lap after lap I hung unto his back (Levy, I hope you did not mind), and fortunately I made it to the end. We ended our first 10k in about 48:45 – which is tremendously fast for someone like me.

Me pacing with Levy aka 'Happy Hour'

A quick bike-to-run transition, and off to the bike leg. What followed were five laps of pure heartache and bliss. Heartache one way, bliss the other. Heaven and hell shared the road in this one. My planned race nutrition consisted of a bottle of water, Gatorade and 2 packs of GU. Tri-berry (w/caffeine) on my 2nd bike lap, and Espresso Love (w/ 2x caffeine) towards the end of my bike lap. By my 4th lap, I had already run out of all fluids. Its either I drank too much, or brought too little – at that point I was hoping it’was the former. My calves were already cramping during the last climb, so before the descent, I did some of my on-bike stretching. I ended my bike leg in about 1:24 – which was decent in my standards.


At this point I realized that my 2:50 target was well within reach. All I needed to do was fight through leg cramps and a sidestich and finish the last 5k. A run-shuffle made up most of the final kilometers. I was running on pure pride – hopefully it was enough. Apparently it was – my last 5k was just under 26 mins.

Bonked with 5km to go!

I crossed the finish line in 2:41:45. I made it…well within my target.



Shortly after, I found out that Philip aka ForeignRunner suffered a puncture during his first bike loop – causing a DNF. Sorry to hear that bro. Next time! You would have schooled us – we know it!

Me,Philip aka 'Foreign Runner' and Levy aka 'Happy Hour'

Thanks to Hannah (for all the support and race coverage) , Vince(for the pictures), and Levy(for all the advice).

Good job to Vince, Paolo, Marga, Harry, Hubert, Annie and all the other first timers ☺ Props to Coach Rick and the rest of TRAP for a very well organized and fun event. We should have more of these ☺

Next stop : New Balance 25k

P.S. – The top 5(consisting of the country’s top Triathletes and Duathletes) all finished under 2:00. Damn! Arland Macasaeb, a two-time Ironman finisher, and one of our premier triathletes, finished in 5th.

Of leotards, unitards, spandex,lycra and other skin-tight garments...

Triathlon Gear Lesson One - Tri Suits

A Triathlon suit usually comes in either of 2 designs - a 1-piece or 2-piece. They are made from very stretchable, but breathable materials - which usually ends up in a merry mix of Lycra, Nylon, and other proprietary 'skins' which have their own claim-to-fames. Tri-suits usually have zippers - some in front, some at the back - which, at the end of the race, are most often zipped down and stuffed with all sorts of sponges to help fight dehydration.

I just recently found out why, in longer distance events (like a Half Ironman or Ironman distance), racers prefer to wear a 2-piece - simply because it is easier to take a leak.

On your right is a sample of a Cervelo 1-piece Tri-suit. Lovely.

A tri-suit IS NOT A LEOTARD. It is ALSO NOT A UNITARD. For those who don't know any better, here's the 411 on UNITARDS and LEOTARDS...

According to Wikipedia a Leotard is a 'skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso and body but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard (1842–1870), about whom the song "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" was written.Leotards are worn by acrobats, gymnasts, dancers, thespians, and circus performers both as practice garments and performance costumes. They are often worn together with tights. There are sleeveless, short-sleeved and long-sleeved leotards. A variation is the unitard, which also covers the legs.'



Although some triathletes have been known to be acrobats in the water, and have been seen dancing whilst crossing the finish line, they DO NOT wear LEOTARDS.

A Unitard, on the other hand, is 'a skin-tight one-piece garment with long legs and sometimes long sleeves. It differs from a leotard in that a leotard does not have long legs. Superheroes are often depicted wearing unitards.






Although some triatheletes may be considered superheroes, they DO NOT wear UNITARDS.



A cycling bib is a 'pair of cycling shorts that are held up by a bib (integral suspenders/braces) instead of an elastic waistband. Pro and serious riders tend to prefer bibbed shorts over non-bibbed shorts, due to the discomfort that often occurs with an elastic waistband, such as tightness (digging into skin) and chafing. The bib part of the short is made of spandex and polyester with large sections of netting to help cool down the rider.'

Although some unitards may look like cycling bibs, cyclists DO NOT wear UNITARDS.

As a side note, Freddie Mercury (the legendary frontman of Queen) was known to wear alot of Unitards during their concerts (or were they really Cycling Bibs? :P).

Was Freddie Mercury an avid cyclist? How can we forget his song 'Bicycle Race' which came out in the album 'Jazz'. In the same album, he tells 'Fat Bottom Girls' to 'Get on your bikes and ride'. Avid Cyclist? Perhaps.

I want to ride my bicycle...I want to ride my bike...

Talk the talk, walk the walk. Next time you talk to, or about a traithlete or cyclist, do us all a favor and DO NOT use the words LEOTARD and UNITARD. Unless, of course, you want us to call you a RETARD.

End of Lesson One ;)

PS: Not all people look horrendous in UNITARDS and LEOTARDS. See below...

AAV Triathlon - October 12 2008

I arrived in AAV early, and had the chance to survey the 'famous' Ocho-Ocho bike route - which caused more than half the participants to be disqualified last Animo Tri. It was quite simple after all, that is, if you could keep track on which part of the bike loop you are on - fatigue does not help matters at all.

Got inked, got my race kit, and all was set. Luckily, I was given a corner spot - this somehow makes the transition area 'roomier' and makes it easier to locate. After preparing my transition area, all I needed to do was to warm-up (which I did not do). 'Start line stress' got the best of me, and the bathroom beckoned.

I started off in front - hoping to break away and miss some of the kicking and shoving which usually comes with a packed start. I got my rhythm after a few laps, and was in the zone (which is rare because I dread the swim). I had a perfect swim, except for the fact that I had to wrestle Alf for over almost 500 meters. I got out of the pool in just under 17:30 - way quicker than my usual swim time. Maybe the wrestling helped.

A quick transition, and off to the bike leg. I was riding my Cervelo Soloist (aka Sandy) for the first time (built the bike day before the race). I had not been training on dropbars for the past 6 months, so the feeling was alien to me. Levy aka 'Happy Hour' passed me during the last lap of the bike leg - I had been waiting for him to pass me all along. Except for the humps and the fact that somebody was drafting off me on the bike (You know who you are - Mahiya ka! Have some pride!), the bike ride was good. No excuses tho, I hit my target, finishing the bike leg in 1:00 flat.

Another perfect transition, and off to the run . I was feeling a bit dehydrated at this point, and I was beginning to fight cramps and a side stich. About a kilometer or two into the run, Phillip 'Foreign Runner' passed me too. I was certainly struggling. It was at this point that I realized my 'dream' of breaking the 2hr mark was not within reach. I dug deep but it was not enough. I bonked...

A run time of 42minutes brought the total to 2:04. I managed to finish 5th in my age bracket, and 23rd overall. What suprised me was that I posted a the 7th fastest swim split. I cannot complain about my time since it was decent, considering the fact that I had spent the past month vacationing.

Thanks to Hannah for full race coverage (despite her aching legs from her previous day's Half Marathon). Thanks to TEAM SUPER for support as well! You guys really ARE SUPER! Thanks to Vince for the parts :D

Congrats to the Winners, Suzi for finishing 1st in her age bracket, Levy for finishing 3rd and Phillip for finishing 4th in their age brackets.

Top 10 Rock Remakes

Here's an article I wrote way back in 2004. It was published on YourInternetLifestyle a subsite of Yehey!. Yes, despite having read less than 3 books in my life, I have work that was actually published. The Music section of the site has been taken down, and so I chose to post this before it gets lost forever.
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A lot of times i find myself chatting with my good buddy Barry Jive about music. Movies and Music. As we have the same musical influences, we get into deep conversations about an endless array of songs and artists. We often think of lists, like that of John Cusack, Jack Black and Todd Luoiso did in the movie High Fidelity. Constantly trying to outdo each other with each contribution, the list gets better and better and oftentimes we find ourselves having to painfully cut it down.

Here's my Top Ten Rock Remakes, and at the bottom, you'll find a list of artists i'd like to personally mutilate for desecrating great songs. Although these are in no particular order, my favorites will tend to be in the upper portion of the list. Enjoy !





1. D'yer Mak'er - Sheryl Crow:

Sheryl Crow's acoustic rendition of Led Zeppelin's reggae-rooted masterpiece was superb. She wasn't quite Jimmy Page or Robert Plant, but she certainly did a great job at keeping the song intact as well as polishing it with her signature style.




2. Dancing in the Moonlight - Toploader:

My #1 get up and go song, both Toploader's remake and King Harvest's original version never fails to put a smile on my face and makes me wanna dance.





3. All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix, U2, Dave Matthews Band:

How can a rock list be complete without a dose of Bob Dylan? Over the years, numerous bands have remade this song, but these three versions stand out. Three distinct styles, three beautiful interpretations. From Hendrix' hard rockin' to U2's wave-rock style to DMB's deliberate, acoustic rock version, its obvious this song is a true classic.




4. Brown Eyed Girl - Everclear:

Everclear's version of this Van Morrison classic is very much like the original... light and trippy, with a little alternative touch from vocalist Art Alexakis. Another perfect get up and go song!





5. Knockin' on Heavens Door - Guns n' Roses:

Gan en ross!!!!!!!!! This hard rockin' rendition of Bob Dylan's slow rock song tipped the charts during the early 90's. Anthem like in stature, i wouldn't be surprised if some people even forgot it was a remake. How about Parokya ni Edgar’s ‘Nakaw ang wallet ko’, which was inspired (maybe perspired) by this rock classic.





6. War Pigs - Faith No More:

Faith No More did justice to this Black Sabbath classic. Drummer Mike Bourdin, vocalist Mike Patton and guitarist Jon Hudson worked in synch to maintain War Pigs’ classy funk rock rhythm.






7. Come Together - Aerosmith:

Finally a Beatles’ song enters the charts ! This rockin’ rendition was great! Tyler did a great job on the vocals, and the rest of the band turned the very beatly rock n’ roll classic into a hard rockin’ song worthy of a headbang.





8. Baby I Love Your Way - UB40, Big Mountain, Mr. Big:

Here are three different versions of a beautiful song originally done by guitar legend Peter Frampton. First released in 1974, its obvious this song is legendary as it has been remade numerous times, these three versions being my favorite. Oooh baby I love your way, everyday!





9. Big Yellow Taxi - Counting Crows feat. Vanessa Carlton:

This Joni Mitchell original was released in 1970. Although some lyrics changed, the rock-duet rendition of Counting Crows and Carlton is a great song.




10. Mrs. Robinson – Lemonheads:

Originally done by Simon and Garfunkel, this song re-entered the Billboard top 20 of 1992 with the help of the Lemonheads. Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson …

Tangkilikin ang sariling atin! Here’s one to add to the list. My favorite rock song remade by a local band. South Border’s version of You Can Call Me Al, a Paul Simon original, is great! It’s a shame Razorback, Wolfgang and the like never released any of their Hendrix, Sabbath, Zeppelin covers.



As a special mention, the I Am Sam OST and Encomium tribute to Led Zep albums contain numerous songs worthy of being on this list, but I’ve decided to mention them as a whole. Otherwise, they would have filled up the list on it’s own.



On a last note, here are some blasphemous renditions of rock classics:
1. The Corrs – Dreams (Fleetwood Mac)
2. N Sync – More than a Feeling (Boston)
3. Britney Spears – I Love Rock n Roll (Joan Jett and the Blackhearts) & Satisfaction (Rolling Stones)