Chill 5K done. First race for my Hoka One One Make.
Pocari Sweat Colors and Bubbles Fun Run brings back the fun in the run with a feel-good route at Alabang Town Center with music, color and bubbles bringing in the smile in your run.
Pocari Sweat Colors and Bubble Fun Run
There was something different with this run. Except for the organizing team, I can count the runners I know and that’s a good sign for me. Pocari Sweat Colors and Bubbles Fun Run was not only able to attract the newbies, it was also able to attract the “No-bies”. No-bies is a term I coined for people who isn’t into running or fitness at all. I’ve been running for 8 years now and I’ve seen people progress into more competitive sports like triathlon, longer endurance sports like ultramarathon or the more scenic trail running. Yet, you can count the new breeds coming in. So I’m happy to see the new faces of running and hope that more events like this happen and just remind runners of the fun of running. Sometimes, we stay so tuned in to chasing PRs, going for longer distances or taking insurmountable altitude that we forget how fun it is too run. Great job on attracting new runners on the fitter side of life Pocari Sweat and Active Pinas.
The Race
Photo from Active Pinas
I was supposed to join the 10K distance, which is a two loop course along the perimeters of Alabang Town Center and the neighboring areas. I actually like loop courses as it divides the race into segments. Since I arrived in the area and the runners have left, I opted to downgrade to the 5K distance. 5K is still better than nothing. We were launched at exactly 5:45 am and away we go.
Photo from Active Pinas
I always love when I’m running on a new route because it’s always refreshing seeing new surroundings. That’s one of the reason I am the trail more often than I’m on the roads because of the repetitive nature of the routes for Manila races. Alabang Town Center is a new route for me and I’m loving the wide roads, the less congested streets of Alabang. The terrain is rolling but remains run-able.
Photo from Active Pinas
We took the left side of Alabang Town Center from Alabang Zapote heading to Commerce Avenue until Madrigal Ave before taking the looping inner roads of the area. I started with a run to start the race before shifting to an easy run-walk set as I’m just enjoying the run and not being time conscious. I’ve barely checked my watched the whole race.
Halfway into the race, I was past the 3K runners and it was nice to see young kids run in the race and being more competitive than their parents or companion. Kids are such a burst of energy. I remember one kid who was carried by her dad when I suddenly passed them. The kid asked not to be carried because she doesn’t want to be overtaken. The last stretch of the race was a haven for photographers as Active Pinas were there to cover the runners moment. There was a color station entering Alabang Town Center and the pool of bubbles at the finish line.
Post Race Group Shot.
That was such a fun run because of the feel-good and happy atmosphere. Thanks Active Pinas for reminding me how fun running is again and also introducing fitness to the next breed of runners. ‘Til the next run.
