Our VivoBarefoot Poster

I dream of a Better and Safer Cebu... by Tara Rama

If you ran the 2011 Cebu City Marathon and passed thru the SRP tunnel chances are you were given aid by a tall and pretty lady. She handed out water and food to weary runners while casting a mesmerizing smile to help runners finish the grueling race. She dreams of becoming a marathoner as well. This beauty queen is Tara Rama. She is a laywer and runner blessed with good genes (Ahem… Cousin Tara?). Apart from her personal desires, she also dreams of a better Philippines. She is part of a campaign to make our city streets safe and runner/cyclist friendly. This is her Story:

(Tara and Me at the SRP Tunnel during the 2011 CCM)

        It was the summer vacation of 2007 when I first met Atty. Antonio Oposa, Jr.  He spoke about how rich our Visayan sea is and what the people have done to destroy it. I was one of his many audience. Back then I was carefree, uninformed and unconcerned. 

After Atty. Oposa’s presentation, Atty. Gloria Estenzo–Ramos spoke. “Who should be in the frontline in protecting our environment?” “It should be the youth” she said, “this is their future at stake.”

That statement made me realize that I needed to do something. I may be young, I may be the only one, but at least in this lifetime I did something to make a difference. I don’t want to go on with my life doing nothing for the environment. My desire is that by the time I’ll face my Creator, I can boldly say to Him, “Father, I did my best to be a good steward of your creation.”

How can I help? I asked myself. Then I thought, I’ll volunteer! The rest is history.

I am currently involved with a project called Road Revolution. It is a campaign that urges our government, thru citizens’ effort, to initiate and implement concrete solutions to our current fuel, transportation, traffic, safety and pollution problems.

Now is the time to change our mindset, from our present bias for individualized transportation system to favor more eco-friendly and energy-efficient commuting systems such as bicycling and the use of an indigenous human-powered rail car. Road Revolution envisions wide and improved sidewalks safe for children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with disabilities; dedicated lanes for those who prefer to use bicycles; a rail system in major roads and planters for “umbrella trees” and vegetables.

For Road Revolution to be a reality, we shall make use of local initiative.  This is the legal process provided by the Local Government Code whereby the registered voters of a local government unit may directly propose and enact an ordinance. The support of 1,000 signatures of registered voters of Cebu City is needed to file a petition with the Sanggunian concerned proposing the adoption of the ordinance.

To promote the Road Revolution Campaign, we have organized an awareness run on May 29, 2011 called the Run for Green Life 2011, co-organized by Fair Trade and UC Law Class. We are currently gathering signatures in support of Road Revolution Campaign and a Petition booth shall be set-up at the race venue (University of Cebu-Banilad grounds) where people can sign the Petition before and after the run. Show your support by signing the petition.

I studied Bachelor of Laws in Manila and stayed there for years. While in Manila, I always longed to be in Cebu where the air is cleaner and the skies – clearer; where traveling is more convenient since traffic is not so bad. I am afraid that in years to come we may no longer experience a laid-back Cebu. Travelling from Banilad to Ayala Center Cebu will take almost two hours (Which is actually happening already) and we depend on mini oxygen tanks or Fresh Air canisters, like the ones in the infomercial of Clean Air Network’s campaign, just to breathe fresh air.

We are blessed to be living in the Queen City of the South where you can go to the beach in the morning, mountain climbing in the afternoon and malling or clubbing at night. Cebu City is indeed the perfect place to start a Road Revolution. The time to act is now. Signify your support and be one of the revolutionaries.

That is Tara’s dream. We need to make it our dream as well. If we want to have a better and safer Cebu City please show your support for the Road Revolution. Join and Support the run on May 29, 2011 (Run for Green Life 2011) and sign the Road Revolution Petition. Thanks and see you on Race Day. 

Choosing your road bike handlebars? Carbon or Aluminum?

From Velonews by Lennard Zinn

Points to consider:

1. Cost. Carbon bars are 3x more expensive than aluminum bars.

2. Bar Length. Stiffness of a handlebar depends more on the length of the bar rather than the material used. The longer the more flexible.

3.  Handlebar Vibration. Carbon bars flex and dampen vibration better than aluminum.

4. Rider weight. Heavier riders fair better with stiffer bars. Light riders may benefit from flexible bars.

5. Sprint-friendly. Stiffer bars are better for sprinting. Riders who rarely pull on the bars may want to use lighter bars.

Conclusion: Money, weight, and riding style dictate which handlebars to use. As for me, My wallet says Aluminum.

10 Reasons Why Running is Good for You

By Amy Rushlow of Runner's World

Old news but Good news. Running improves health. It is our fountain of youth. Here are the reasons why:

1. Running more than 35 miles/ week reduces the risk for age-related loss of vision.

2.  Running 10 miles/ week reduces the risk for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia

3. Men who run about 5 hours /week are less likely to have severe erectile dysfunction.

4. Running strengthens our bones more than cycling.

5. People concentrate better and work more efficiently after running.

6. Women who are active as teenagers are less likely to develop demetia.

7. Running can improve our sleeping habits.

8. Runners or active individuals are less likely to develop upper respiratory tract infections.

9. Asthmatics running 2x a week combined with once a week strengthening session developed lesser symptoms.

10. Active people who workout at least 2.5 hours/ week are less likely to die prematurely.

I am Sorry

These past few weeks have been slow. Injured after the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore, I have been laying off my training mileage and giving my body the rest it needs to heal. My knee still hurts when its stiff. I still can’t run pain-free nor can I bike HARD without re-injuring my knee. I need to be distracted.


Swimming is my only escape to laziness. Knowing that I need to swim longer next year for my planned Ironman race, I need to improve my swim form and technique. I am also doing yoga or pilates class to help accentuate healing of my stiff right knee.


What I have been doing more lately is read. Read about medicine, triathlon, news and more triathlon. But despite my free time, I still have not found time to write and update my website. I have learned a lot but have not shared it with my friends.


Because of that, I have decided to make notes or summaries of the things I read for the day and post it on my website. Whether it be about sports, news or more sports, I will share to all my friends my thoughts.


I hope you enjoy reading my notes and learn from them as I have. Take care.

DAY 5 (RECOVERY)

(Recovery starts at Universal Studios Singapore)

(HeatStroke moments)

(All new TEAM REBORN water bottles)

(More aero than profile design models)

(Tenggoy's new Oakley Custom Jawbone)

(Caught in the act)

(Bono and the Edge)

(Met Jessica. Singapore-based Filipino triathlete)

(No idea what came over us)

(HeatStroke moments part 2)

(Lactate removal machine. Instant recovery after 1 minute)

(The Mummy)

(Hiding our anxiety for the ride to come)

(I am the Zebra. Tenggoy the Giraffe. Madel? ahem... hehehehe)

(Give us the scroll !!!)

(Best recovery day)

(HeatStroke moments part 3)

(Dinner with Terra Plana Singapore Team)

(Team Reborn was here)

Common Running Injuries

I am no stranger to injuries. I am currently resting my right knee after having beaten it up during training for the recent Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore. Due to an improper bike setup, my knee twisted inward everytime I pedalled. After correction, it no longer hurt while cycling but affected my runs. This was not the first time I got injured.

Injuries happen when we neglect our body’s call for attention. Pain is our body’s way of saying something is wrong. After careful assessment of the cause, we react. If pain was due to a faulty run position then we correct our form and continue. If pain came from our joints then we stop. We forget that our bodies adapt to running not when we are training but when we are resting. Sleep and active recovery help build muscle and restore nutrients needed for the next run or workout.

Because running is considered a high impact sport (on our joints), it may cause many injuries when done without guidance. Either from veteran runners or from professional running coaches, supervision can reduce the chances of getting injured.

The most common running injury is caused by multiple factors like improper joint position or alignment when running, worn-out knee cartilage and an imbalance between opposing knee muscles. Most often referred to as “Runner’s Knee”, Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) burdens a runner’s training for his first 5K or ultramarathon. Treatment includes strengthening exercises to correct imbalance, correction of running form by a coach and supplements (like Glucosamine) to help restore worn out joint cartilages. After a sudden increase in mileage due to marathon training, runners often face Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome or plantar fasciitis. Pain coming from an inflamed ITB is felt at the outerside of the knee joint while pain due to an inflamed plantar fasciae is felt at the soles of the foot in front of the heel area. Caused by structures not well adapted to the sudden increase in stress to the joints, ITB syndrome and Plantar fascitiis recover with rest and medications. The least reported (but common) injury caused by running is “Runner’s toe” or Dead Toenail syndrome. Caused by trauma to the tip of the toes after running with improper shoes, this syndrome is easily corrected by buying new and properly fitting shoes with a wider toe box.

Follow a training program and allow our bodies to rest in between workouts. This will reduce injuries which might make us miss our target race. 

Published Sunstar Newspaper April 28, 2011