7. 2009 Runs

It all started when some of my classmates and I decided to jog every Tuesday and Thursday mornings before going to class last semester. That was when we were not yet that busy with classes and Bar Ops stuff, and we almost signed up for Kenny Roger's Urbanite Run. The thought of joining a Fun Run enticed us. You will be running for a cause, running at night (as Fun Runs are usually held in the early morning), glow-in-the-dark singlets, and chance to "rub elbows" with the celebrities. Unfortunately, the school workload became heavier, and preparations for the September Bar forced us to skip jogging sessions and eventually our hopes of joining the Urbanite Run. But I kept telling myself: after law school, I will start running!

Lo and behold, after law school, I gradually worked myself into shape and was able to participate in 4 Fun Runs for 2009. I do hope I get to join more runs and conquer longer distances for 2010.

1. PiNoy Marathon 3K 11/22 SM MOA - Low budget Fun Run organized by the Student Council of Ateneo for Noynoy and Mar. Was fortunate that most of the seasoned vets participated in the 5K. As a result, I was able to get 2nd place at a pretty respectable time for a newbie runner. Problem is, I was 3 minutes behind the leader, and she was female! (Unofficial: 16+ minutes)

2. McHappy Day Fun Run 5K 11/30 McKinley Hill - Felt confident that I can finish a 5K run this time. As a result: NAPASUBO! Well, I was able to finish the run at a so-so time, considering the unfamiliarity with the route and a handful of uphills and downhills. And for a little bit of trivia, I came 1 second behind McDonald's CEO Kenneth Yang (I was sure of getting extra'd at one of his photo shoots ;), giving me a 51st place finish and 26th in my age group. (Official: 31 mins 13 secs)

3. Big Blue 150 Run 5K 12/6 ADMU - Limited edition Von Dutch shirts for the top 150 finishers of every distance category. I was pretty darn excited for this run and sure of getting a hold of that souvenir shirt. Unfortunately, the day before the race was my birthday, and as I celebrated til the wee hours, I decided to cancel this run for safety's sake. At least, I got the singlet as remembrance...

4. Philstar.com Celebrity Run 3K 12/20 Fort - Jenny's first run, and I committed to run along with her and follow her pace. She ran pretty well for a first timer. However, this was also one of this year's crappiest runs! Badly organized, a few celebs showed up, a lot of the 5K and 10K runners got disqualified for lack of proper signs and marshalls, and worst of all, a lot of us were not included in the official results. Because of this, we vowed not to participate in any Fun Run with a certain dude named Ian Alacar as part of the organizing team. (Unofficially official: 21 mins 23 secs)

*LATEST UPDATE: Philstar.com finally released their long-awaited "Official List", and all I have to say is that it was worse than before! Jenny was able to find our bib numbers, but our names have changed to Macky Chamorro and Ronald Perez (what the?!?). Not only that, the list shows that we ran the 21km distance. Imagine, 21km in 21 minutes? What a disappointment.

2. I Am A Runner Because

Just like a lot of people nowadays, I have recently jumped into the Running Bandwagon. I may be too early in saying this, but I do believe that this is not just some fad I am into but I would want to make this a part of my lifestyle. Running provides a lot of benefits - improving one's cardiovascular system and losing those unwanted pounds, a cheaper workout alternative than going to the gym, increased mental focus and energy throughout the day, as an activity where you can "detoxify" from the stress of life, and a great way to meet new people who share the same passion. But this doesn't mean that running is just a "walk in the park" kind of sport. Studies show that running is still among one of the most injury-prone sports activities, and the main culprit - improper running form. How to prevent injuries and continue enjoying running is something I still need to learn.

A lot of people run for different reasons. The most common ones are - weight loss, health improvement, self-esteem and (gulp!) to meet hot guys/chicks. But for me, I am a runner because I treat running as a symbolism of my journey in becoming a lawyer. Successfully running and finishing a certain distance (half marathon of 21km or full 42km) doesn't just happen overnight. It would take a significant amount of time to prepare for it. Building up your stamina...Making sure the running form is correct...Waking up early...Eating the right kinds of food...Cutting down on junk foods and alcohol...Bar Exams? Same thing! One has to endure 4-5 years of mental and emotional torture in law school, take 8 exams (comprising the 8 major Bar subjects) in 4 September Sundays with an average of 15-20 essay questions per subject, agonizingly pray and wait for 5-6 months for the results to come up, and finally (if you are one of the fortunate souls to pass) line up for the oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys in order to formally call yourself a lawyer.

Both running and becoming a lawyer would entail a lot of sacrifice, but the effort in getting to the finish line will definitely be well worth it! The burning question for me now is: What can I achieve first? Finishing a 21km run successfully with no injuries or hurdling the Bar Exams while retaining some ounce of sanity within me? Betting lines are open!