Besides, it’s perfect — The King as a Ginebra Gin King.

If you chanced upon this page and don’t know what the PBA is, it’s a professional basketball league in the Philippines.

Visit Hoopswallpapers.com for more.

Not in running, buddy.

In my recent attempts to understand this sport more clearly, I’ve encountered guys who look like fat bastard. I’ve run into douchebag types on the track oval near my workplace as well. I’ve met guys who don’t look the least bit like they’re fit. But the moment they lace on those running shoes… Oh man, it’s on.

Sunday’s Adidas King of the Road marathon was no different. Though my gameplan was to just keep my eyes on the ground in front of me and let my music set the pace, I just couldn’t.

It mattered more that someone I knew who frequented Aysee’s sisig had joined the 21k marathon. My confidence also took a hit whenever throngs of women who looked nothing like runners were passing me left and right. Kulang nalang talaga eh yayain ko sila lahat sa nagbabasketball, badminton, or any other sport I knew I could beat them in (just to make myself feel better). Lol. I guess this is what Adidas meant when they said that every runner is different.

The thing about the sport, is that it can strip you of all preconceived expectations regarding a person’s performance. As I continue to discover how fast and how long I can go with this training routine I’ve started, I have to keep in mind is that though I’m running with (not against) thousands, the most important thing is everyone finishes.

See everyone at the Men’s Health Urbanathlon on November 22nd, and New Balance Power Race on November 29th!

]]> http://justanothergame.com/2009/10/26/image-is-nothing-pacing-is-everything/feed/ 1 http://justanothergame.com/2009/10/22/not-yet-ready-to-run/ http://justanothergame.com/2009/10/22/not-yet-ready-to-run/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:52:57 +0000 Alvin Jimenez http://justanothergame.com/?p=1173 So today is Thursday, and the Adidas King of the Road 2009 race is two days away. Any runner out there will tell you — there’s just no friggin’ way anyone can cram their training for any marathon. Well, here’s what I managed to squeeze into my schedule over the past month or so since I acquired my Nike+ sensor.

In case you’re curious, the graph above represents the distances I’ve done, segregated by km per day. And what category did I join for Sunday’s marathon? I joined the 10k. So yes, based on estimates alone, I’ll probably cross the finish line in at least an hour and thirty. In runners’ terms, that’d hella slow.

Oh well, I do know that the P500 I paid to register netted me a cool Adidas singlet which was such a pain to claim (see previous post). In any case, goodluck to everyone joining the Adidas King of the Road 2009. See everyone at The Fort!

No, this isn’t mine, but I wish it was.

I was supposed to pick my race kit for the Adidas King of the Road marathon on October 25. It just so happens that today is also the 2nd day of their usual 3-day sales. I was informed that Adidas had alloted specific times for race kit pick ups, and having joined the 10k, I ended up going to the mall shortly before 1230. I had a quick meal at Sbarros, and was on my way to Megatrade Hall 2 when I saw a small crowd forming outside. So I said to myself, they’re probably just taking long because of the stubs that have to be submitted.

Well, I was wrong.

Apparently, they were regulating the number of people that went into the place. Fine, there were lines inside, and it depended on what distance category you joined as to where you should lineup. What I don’t understand is why they had to regulate the number of people going in when the place wasn’t even packed. The lines were long yeah, but the place was empty. It didn’t even help that those who weren’t even there to claim their race kits could freely walk in and out of the place. Booboo number one.

Booboo number two is worse. Earlier in the day, a friend of mine registered for the 5k, so I asked him to find out if I could come in early to get my race kit. The organizers said no, and that I had to follow the time that was designated on my registration form. While waiting in line for the 10k race kits, there was a group of people on the side, opening some boxes on the floor. Guess what, they had just started putting the singlets in the race envelopes. How could they have started just then when people were already claiming their race kits?

This brings me to booboo number three. I had already been standing in line for around 30 minutes (by then, I think I had only managed to move a few feet forward, with around 150 more people in front of me) when I heard one of the announcers say that those whose race kits are missing need not worry, and that Adidas will be delivering them within the week. So in other words, if I had gone ahead and waited for my turn, and they didn’t have my race kit there, they were going to deliver it. What if I had stood in line for 2 hours, or even more? Needless to say, I gave up my position in the line because I had to go back to the office.

Booboo number four. I asked some of the organizers what would happen if I decided to come in early the next day to pick up my race kit. The obviously unsure fellow informed me that a lot of 10k racers actually came in as soon as they opened to claim their race kits. What kind of a circus were they running there? Multiple people were saying different things.

I’m at the office right now, still contemplating if I should go back to Megamall and try to claim my race kit. I am after all in Shaw boulevard already. It may be better so I won’t have to return tomorrow. Who knows what mess I’ll find if I go there tomorrow.

I just had to post this because I think this is one of the most poorly organized pre-race functions I have ever seen here in the Philippines. Anytime you try and expect thousands to join your race, and try cramming them into a few hours, that’s a obviously a lapse in expectations right there. I won’t remember the race for what it was. Instead, I’ll remember the race for how difficult it was to secure the damn race kit.

Calling Adidas Philippines? You should have just made your more accessible stores the race kit redemption centers.

I know what you’re going to say — that I probably look like a douche when I bring, wear, or use the thing during my runs.

My answer to that, is that I really don’t care.

• My Ipod Touch helps me fend off boredom when I run. I am incapable of running long distances at a uniform pace. This is Mr. Short Attention Span you’re talking to here.
• Believe it or not, those Nike + sensor thingies actually work. I know a heart rate monitor is more useful, but I can’t afford the thing (besides I’m not a hardcore runner). Though far from being 100% accurate, hearing the automated voice say “Workout complete” is actually rewarding.

The moral of this story? There’s no need to worry about perceptions when it comes to your health. If you need that Ipod, dri-fit shirt,  or new pair of running shoes (No, I’m not trying to justify a potential purchase) to keep you motivated, then go for it as long as you can afford it. A few years down the line, you’ll realize that you’d rather be a fit douchebag than an overweight, unfit, tub of lard.

And oh, Mariel, thank you again for my Ipod Touch and kickass earphones.

More than a year has passed since I jumped out of bed to rush to Fort Bonifacio to catch a glimpse of Kobe Bryant. I said I wouldn’t, but on the eve of his 2nd visit to Manila, I found myself scrambling for passes to any of his planned appearances. Fanboy-ism makes you do things you didn’t know you were capable of doing.

Thanks to some of my friends in Summit Media, I was lucky enough to score a few passes to Kobe Bryant’s private workout at the Ultra. I was already on my way to pick up my tickets when another friend asked me if I wanted to go to his 2pm appearance at Nike Park in Bonifacio High Street. I immediately called, and in the next half hour, found myself driving all the way to the Nike office in Rufino Tower in Makati.

Special passes. You don’t call em’ special for nothing.

When I arrived at Nike Park in Bonifacio High Street, people had already enveloped the small setup they had there. The sheer number of Kobe Bryant gear had almost made me feel guilty I was just wearing the shirt off my back. Unfortunately, there was no more time to pick up Kobe Bryant gear anywhere. They had already sealed off the store because as it turned out, he was going to emerge from the main entrance of the store.

After an hour of waiting under the thankfully gloomy sky, what followed was (and I apologize for my own emotional outburst), an uncontrollable roar of appreciation from the Kobe Bryant faithful. Hope you guys appreciate the high-res Kobe Bryant interview.

Kobe Live in Manila Interview at Nike Park Bonifactio High Street from Alvin Jimenez

Picture post upcoming so stay tuned!

*Thanks to Ro Manalo and Liza Lagman for scoring me the tickets and passes!

*Damn the kid and girl who each got a signed shoe from Kobe.

One thing I considered writing about when I started this blog, was to try and and talk about the common dilemmas that Pinoys encounter when trying to get into shape. While purists are quick to say that it’s not about the equipment and all about the performance – I love my sports gadgets is all I have to say about that.

If you’ve tried to keep a regular running schedule going, the following assumptions probably fit your persona.

• You probably own an mp3 player.
• It’s probably an ipod.
• You’re tired of getting derailed from your workout because your ipod earphones keep falling out.

I’m not a hardcore runner, but the Sennheiser PMX 80 Sport II i got as a surprise from my fiance’ just yesterday was clearly made for them. Here’s my stab at coming up with a brief, non-technical review for these beauties.

As with the other items in Sennheiser’s headset and earphone profile, the Sennheiser PMX 80 Sport II packs a very clear and solid punch. You know how audiophiles usually size up their system by playing Clair Marlo’s Till they take my heart away? Well, I was doing the same with El de Barge’s Time Will Reveal just this afternoon and found out right after that I was too loud for my own good. I wasn’t even on full volume. For safety purposes though, just make sure you take advantage of this on a treadmill rather than on a busy street.

In comparison to my previous neckband earphones, the wires on the PMX 80′s won’t easily pop out of the headphone’s more precise grooves. I haven’t tested the headphones while running, but make no mistake about it, these headphones will not fall unless you yank them off.

This convenience however, is also its main disadvantage. Since the headphones were made specifically for runners or any other cardio activity, you’d be hard pressed to find a comfortable position wearing them while leaning on an airplane seat or lying down on your bed. Neckband earphones were built for that sole purpose alone.

If there’s one thing I learned whenever I buy my gadgets, it’s that you will always get more when you pay more. Sure you can save a huge deal when you buy anything from CD-R King, but the payoff doesn’t always apply to every gadget out there. And did I mention they’re sweat proof? If you’re a runner looking for a pair of $60 aural blinders, go ahead and get em’.

Technical specifications can be found The Sennheiser PMX 80 Sport II.

After almost an hour of looking, browsing, and clicking on bogus links, we were able to find one that wasn’t stopped until Pacquiao er, stopped Ricky Hatton.

I was browsing through today’s articles, when I came across this silly piece from the Inquirer.

THEY CAME IN A FURIOUS, mind-numbing barrage.

No, not the punches that Manny Pacquiao threw to floor Ricky Hatton in two rounds—but the load of advertisements that stretched the fight’s free TV broadcast for hours to the exasperation of millions of Filipino viewers yesterday.

Henry, an air-conditioning system technician in Quezon City, said he turned off his set in frustration after waiting more than an hour for the bout’s “‘delayed telecast’” on GMA 7.

“I already heard on radio (at around noon) that Pacquiao won,” Henry said when reached by the Inquirer at around 1:30 p.m.

“I won’t watch it on TV anymore,” he said in Filipino. “The thrill is gone. It’s so annoying.”

It’s articles like this that make me doubt the the things I read in newspapers. I just find them exaggerated to an extent so people will read them. More than the sheer amount of commercials that were shown (I actually thought it wasn’t as worse as Manny’s previous matches), the writer should have pointed out that this is all business. More advertisers mean more profits for the station who bagged the telecast rights. If you think about it, Solar isn’t even obligated to partner with GMA 7. They could have shown the fight exclusively on cable, and with a gazillion commercials if they wanted.

If we wanted commercial free programming, then the government should just take over. But then we’d have more politicians climbing into the ring with Manny. I’d honestly rather stick to the commercials.

As if I didn’t learn my lesson the last time, I bought yet another item online. This pretty little thing is my new sport, hobby, or whatever else you want to call it. All I know is I hope to someday (this year maybe?) be able to jump off a flight of stairs with it.

Finding these Kit Alphas wasn’t easy at all.

I scoured through all the major sports houses in Metro Manila (even at that Persian dude’s sporting goods store in Greenhills), but couldn’t find the brand I was looking for. The high end bikeshops in Cartimar? They didn’t have any. They told me they used to sell it about 5 or 6 years ago. Even R.O.X. didn’t sell any.

I was just fortunate enough to find this sparingly used pair online. The guy who sold it to me bought it in Singapore, and was selling it because his wife coerced him into getting one even though he wasn’t into it at all.

If you see some 6 foot tall dude trying to keep his balance in UP or The Fort, then it’ll probably me. But seriously, where can anyone find a decent pair of Rollerblades in the Philippines?

Now that a worthy TV partner has finally snagged the broadcast rights to the Philippine Basketball Association, I can only hope and pray that the PBA finds the decency to overhaul their pathetic excuse for a website. How bad is it? Anytime you litter the website of Asia’s longest running pay-for-play league with Adsense, you know there is something wrong. More crap here and here. It is that bad.

Give the site to Solar Entertainment? The BTV site also needs a lot of work, but at least it doesn’t look like it was designed on Microsoft Word. In fairness to their capabilities, aside from a few articles by some notable people in Solar Sports, it’s obvious that the site’s main function is to provide programming schedules only.

Judging from their coverage of the PBA draft, I am very optimistic that it’s only a matter of time before they do a People’s elbow on the league’s official website.

The next step I think, would be for Solar Sports to rehash all that content and make a new website out of it. If (and when) someone from Solar and the PBA finally agrees with me, this is what should happen.

• Get rid of solar-entertainment.com and btv.com.ph, and pimp the hell out of solarsports.ph. What did not work for Solar Sports Desk, has a good chance of working for an online portal.
• Fantasy Basketball baby. This right here is a decent effort, but just lacks the engagement I would expect from an online fantasy game. I know there’s a lot of back end work, but PBA Fantasy Basketball can be done. I’m excited to pick Kelly Williams, Arwind Santos, or Gabe Norwood for this already.
• Real-time stats please. If I’m goofing off at work, and want to follow the game online, that would really be great. People will come back and raise your page hits like crazy.

I say all of this because I know that a local basketball show will never ever survive. There’s not much that goes on in the PBA (and Philippine basketball for that matter), to sustain a weekly show.

And as much as I still believe that Studio 23 would have had an easier time bringing back the Philippine Basketball Association to the masses (Caguioa and Helterbrand in Singing Bee would have been great), I do have faith that Solar Sports will do good as well. With PBA and NBA coverage in their back pocket, they have a lot going for them. Take a page out of Gameface.ph’s is this good, you can definitely do a lot better.

What are you waiting for?