Pink Power: Pinay in Action

While chatting with some friends last week, marathon running came up the conversation and I mentioned that I'm joining the Pinay In Action. Common reactions were "Ah really? Didn't know you run. How long have you been running?"

"Oh, almost a week already!"

The first experience was of course last week's Condura Run for the Whale Sharks.

For the 2nd time ever, back-2-back Sundays at that, I awoke at 4:30am not for diving nor catching crazy early flight, but for running. Ha ha. Believe me it's kind of funny.

This time Candie joined me (last week, Girlie). Zara, the absent wandersoles last week was the first one to arrive. The event was well organized. Even if MOA is huge, we didn't need to guess where to go. Traffic aids/security guards were at every stops and will lead you to the event venue. The assembly area was festive with booths and happy participants. We arrived early so had ample time to simulate stretching exercises of other runners. It was almost 6am and 3 solemates were still missing, luckily the event wasn't so prompt either. But still we missed the start by almost 1o minutes. But not a problem, we're all for one, and one for all.

Pinay In Action is a unique all women marathon organized by a woman (Sen Pia Cayetano) for the benefit of various women organizations. And it's on its 4th year! There were 3 running categories: 10Km, 5Km, and 1.6Km adult-child tandem run. We were registered for 5K, congratulations, we're so impressive, improving by the week!

The route is to run the perimeter of the gigantic mall. Per round is 2.5km so 5Km runners have to do this twice and 10km runners, 4x. The 1.6km runners will do a simple to and back at road facing the Manila bay.

So when we're finally complete, we set off together, noting that some of the hard-core runners were already on their 2nd loop. Like last week, we fell into the same system of pairing. Again it was Lu-ann and I, then Candie and Zara (they missed each other), then Banggigay and Indayguapa (with her loyal DSLR, of course).

Is it easier this time around? Ha ha ha. Of course not! But Lu-ann thinks it's psychologically easier if the run is one continuous stretch than repeating a loop. And it could be true because after the first loop and getting our blue straw necklace, we contemplated on stopping, since we said the time isn't accurate anymore anyway. Luckily Candie and Zara, a few steps behind, declared with conviction that we should go all the way, and we did, and I'm happy that we did!

On the other hand, doing several loops on a single track gives you the chance to spot celebrity runners, he he.

The Senator in Action

Vangie, Luann, Zara, Candie, Lilliane & Beth with Sen. Pia Cayetano

Wandersoles + Happy Feet, TheBullRunner

Wandersoles + Coach Rio. We hope to join his Nike clinic soon.

All photos (as always) courtesy of solemate www.indayguapa.com