Run Ma

Note: This is my first guest article contributed by Ting Pascual -- our Run Ma. I mentioned that this blog is probably gonna evolved into Mama Ting's Runners' blogsite -- well, here's the first evidence of the shift. Hopefully, the others in the group will start down this path. I'm hoping also for Maan, the lovely better half of Dante Briones, will also contribute something on Yoga -- I know for a fact that at my age, stretching is definitely essential and I'm still working on Maan to actually organize a yoga class in the evening for us. Ting and Maan do it in the mornings and it conflicts with my workout schedules. Anyway, runners' perspectives come in different forms and sizes -- here's one from our Run Ma. -- Johnny


Johnny’s blog made life less miserable for the Run Ma who can’t even run on account of hip injury. Everyone knows/refers to me as the Run Ma though I am the youngest in the group of young (daw) professionals who are sort of newbies in the world of running and joining fun runs. Not actually newbies, Rico is in fact a triathlete for years now and Ed has been running for years now too.

Being the only girl (for now) in the group, I have volunteered to take on the task of getting the run schedules and registering everyone and making sure they know where the start is. I have been the Run Ma to Dante and Ed since January 2008, then the group grew. By May 2008, Johnny, our blogger joined the group, then shortly after Rico joined as well. Something common among these 4 boys – they are either Presidents or Senior Officers of their companies; they really make Run Ma proud, haha!!!

A Run Ma by our definition makes sure that each kid has the following before the race: 1. race pack, 2. map 3. an idea where the race start is. On top of this, the Run Ma also has to identify the venue for the breakfast after the race. Breakfast is always fun. Each boy trying to outbrag another with his new personal record (PR), pretty babe in the race running alongside him, discoveries in running style, what made him go faster/slower for this particular race, etc.

Going back to job description no. 3, Run Ma, made a blunder last Sunday, July 6. For the 1st time since we joined the races in January, I didn’t check the exact location of the race and we ended up at the wrong starting point. The run (Tik takbo) was at UP and being from UP I thought I knew that all fun runs there start in front of the UP Theater. Wrong assumption!!! The start was in front of CS!!! My 4 yo daughter Isabella was with me, since we was doing the 2k run for kids. She was still asleep so I had to carry her to the other side of the oval. That was a good warm up for me who was not even going to run. Lesson learned and tip for Run Mas of other groups, always check the map and don’t just distribute it.

I have been grounded from running by my rehab doctor since after the Dasma run early June so I have a new job on top of being the Run Ma. I have been designated the official photographer of the group too so that we can post photos for Johnny’s blog. That gives me something to do as I make sure that all my kids have photos, all are accounted for each race and that they all end the race in 1 piece. So far so good. All races since Mizuno Run 2 have been documented with articles from Johnny and photos from Run Ma.

Running is fun and knowing that you are extending your life somehow by working out makes it more fun. Being able to do it with a group who encourages you to finish, go faster, move on to the next race level/distance makes it even more rewarding. Til the next run!!