JourneyingJames Wins the Juice Pick Award

Juice.Ph will 'Pimp My Trip'

Just a quick note of thanks to those who voted for me, to those who clicked more than 1,000 times just for me to land on the top 10, A HEARTFELT THANKS! 

To fans and millions of readers (naks, parang meron? hahaha). 

To all the judges, thank you so much! Galing ng taste n'yo, di kayo ngkamali!

JourneyingJames receiving the award coupon, Thanks Juice.Ph

I just won a PhP10,000 worth of vacation package for my entry "Good-Bye Passport, Farewell Bangkok" to Pimp My Trip Worst Vacation Experience.

 The story was about me being help up at Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Stolen Passport, travel money and borrowed  digital camera. To those who haven't read the story, you can check it out here or here.

Now, as promised, I have to tell the rest of the story... Hmmmm, I wish there's another blog contest on your best vacation ever to motivate me as I'm a slacker on writing stories.

Congratulations too to the Grand Prize Winner, 

Maria Christina Schoolcraft for her "Amazing Race" entry. She won PhP20,000 travel package.

Thanks again Juice! Juice squeezes all the best out of all these resources to give you what is absolutely the most effective, intelligent, comprehensive—and fun!—Philippine lifestyle guide. (And we do mean ‘absolutely’—we didn’t win the 11^th Philippine Webby awards in our category for nothing!) We’ve got fresh, candid user reviews, ratings, and in-depth articles on the many amazing things you can do, see, and enjoy across the archipelago. 

What’s more, since Juice is powered by eyp.ph—the Philippines’ premiere directory listings expert—we provide not just event schedules and movie screening times, but complete contact information, locator maps, hours of operation, and many more details on over 200,000 lifestyle options, venues, and establishments across the country. 

Simply put, if you want fun, you want Juice—and Juice wants you! You can make our community even better by rating movies, events, and establishments; commenting on establishments, articles, and reviews; and even uploading photos or videos of yourself visiting one of our featured venues.

 So what are you waiting for? Drink in all the goodness we’ve got to offer—and make Juice your main squeeze!

Now, where will I go with that vacation package? Sinong gusto sumama?

Thanks to Nature Valley

I just want to make a short note of gratitude to the complimentary Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars. I received 2 boxes of their new product 2 weeks ago. I love their new flavors: Peanut Butter and Apple Crisp. Very helpful post-run snack. You just have to drink water after it because its really "crunchy."

Nature Valley sent me this email after I joined their online guessing game of who will be Coach Rio's running partner for the Nature Valley Run 2010 Leg 2 of RUNRIO Trilogy.

Dear James,

Thank you for sending us your entry for the Guess Who Will Be Rio’s Partner in the coming Nature Valley Run 2010. Sorry you did not guess it right.  Donna Cruz- Larrazabal is the right answer.  She is a certified marathoner. Nature Valley stands for what is wholesome, ideal and 100% natural.

 We would like to send you our token of appreciation. We will send you a Nature Valley gift pack composed of our new variants: Nature Valley Apple Crisp and Nature Valley Peanut butter. We hope you will love our new Nature Valley flavors. Please e-mail us back your office or home address and contact number so we can deliver the products to your doorstep together with Nature Valley Run 2010 Registration form.

Again, thank you so much Nature Valley. Btw, I am not yet registered for these race Nature Valley (NV) but I would love to do the 21K after coming from TBR marathon a week before that. Coach Rio, if you were able to read this blog I would appreciate a free race packet (I know kapal ko, pero malay mo mag-bigay, hahaha) so I can complete the 3 legs. Thanks in advance!

Thanks to Daily Mile, Takbo.ph, The Bull Runner and Runrio

They say that running is a lonely sport. A book and film was even titled "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner." I don't know but since I started "running" and joining races I find it not a "lonely" sport. How about you? Okay... maybe there are times that you really need to run alone as part of my training but most of the times you run with your friends. I for one run alone especially when training for races. But running is a friendly and communal sports. I have met new friends here in Laguna, in Manila and on the other side of the world through this new passioin. 

So this new post is meant to thank the following websites that has been of great help inspiration and encouragement to my new sports. 

*Emote* "Running has been easier with you guys!"

DAILY MILE (DM). Before I was not logging my runs and then I started logging it on Excel spreadsheet. I first heard of this website from Bald Runner while reading one of his blog posts. So I search for it. I signed up and I got hooked. It's like Facebook and is very manageable. Having friends is easy and the give-and-take of motivations are cool. To my 34 DM friends as of today, my sincerest thanks! It excites me to log another run because I know it will somehow motivate others to run too. Keep logging your miles, everyone of you is an inspiration.

TAKBO.PH. I first heard of this site through Gideon, a running buddy who also introduced me to Chi Running. At first I was checking the site for schedule of races and then i found myself signing up- became a member and then join the forums, then join the shout box and of course join group runs. I learned a lot from this site- not only schedule of races, injury prevention, diet and nutrition, and everything about running. Kudos Sir Jinoe and the rest of the takbo people. I hope to join the Adination run on Alabang next week and meet new friends. ("takbo" is a Filipino word for run)

THE BULL RUNNER (TBR). I learned that you have to have a goal in your runs. One fateful day I was browsing on running blogs and stumbled upon TBR- I learned that TBR is organizing a marathon for beginners scheduled May 22. I read the entry and sent a letter to Ms. Jaymie informing her that I want to join. Thank God I am part of the brave 300 (first and second timers) to run the TBR Dream Marathon. This is the reason I am logging 30-40 kilometers a week. A nice way to prevent me from making excuses on running. A nice way to live healthy as I discipline myself to sleep early and eat a healthy, balanced diet every single day. Maraming-maraming salamat (Many thanks) Ms. Jaymie, you are a gift to the Filipino (and abroad) running community!

RUNRIO.COM. This is Coach Rio dela Cruz's website which hopes to inspire people from all walks of life to live a healthier life through running. This site is helpful for me because I was inspired by Coach Rio's story- from humble beginnings to a most sought-after running coach and race organizer. I believe he is preparing for his Boston Marathon this April. A terrific and down-to-earth guy. Coach Rio, make the Filipinos proud in Boston! Wishing you a PR.

CLOSING REMARKS
Lastly and more importantly, I want to thank my readers here in the blog- you are an encouragement. Your comments are much appreciated, its gives me more reason to continue blogging.

To those who added me in their blogroll, thanks! Should I haven't added you on mine, let me know. To those who wants to be added on my roll, please don't hesitate to make a shout out. I want to add you too!

To my followers (only 2), thanks a lot! More to come!haha *wink* *big grin*

To runners/bloggers out there, continue to inspire others to write their running stories. Our stories would "run" a long way. Keep those stories coming! Keep running!

To you, thanks for dropping by. Be sure to visit other posts and give me a shout out! 

>>I should be posting a travel blog next time... I got addicted to running already. Till the next post.

a runner's thanksgiving prayer

Dear God,

First of all i just want to say thank you for giving me healthy (and nice) body, legs and feet- with this I can enjoy running.

Thank you for placing our family at Los Banos- I can easily run at UPLB- a very nice place for training, lots of green, cheap food, a healthy yogurt or chocolate milk after every Saturday long run makes my day.

Thank you for providing me work with a regular time (7:30am-5:30pm) meaning I can run early or during the night easily. I thank you because I can run from home to work. Very nice warm up before teaching Physical education. Thank you also for providing me work at Paranaque on weekends, therefore I can join races in The Fort before going to work.

Thank you for the my uncle who owns a condo unit inside Villamor Airbase- I stay there and I am very near The Fort and McKinley Hills where races are done regularly. I can easily join group runs too!

Thank God because since I started joining race I haven't experience any injury. I've run 5 races and I had great experiences. As of today, I'm registered to 3 more races still hoping for an injury-free running.

Thank you for AR, Gideon, Omar, Dan and Deneb- my running buddies. they make the long runs and lack of hydration manageable.

I know that I'm not an elite runner but I thank you because I can finish the race. I know I'm not that fast, but I know I'm strong. I know I have much to learn in running, let me be teachable. I know I cannot buy the latest running shoe or the latest running gear, just help me to be content with what I have. I know there are many more races to come, give me the wisdom to choose what's is good and what is not. Lastly, grant me the will, strength and discipline to achieve better goals.

You know very much that I dedicate my every run for You! Thank you.

Your Running Son,

James

 

PS. Lord, I pray that there will come a time that I can join Boston Marathon someday but even if not I still thank you.