Month: August 2009
Roger’s twins and a young Rafa
If you’re a Roger Federer fan, you’ve got to read this excellent piece by the New York Times’ Christopher Clarey.
And here’s a familiar 12-year-old tennis youngster…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP5hzYkbU0s&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
The Ironman 70.3 in CamSur
QCIM and the Subic Marathon
Two major marathons are happening seven days apart from each other: the Quezon City International Marathon and the Subic International Marathon. The QCIM is on October 18 while Subic is on Oct. 25.
Haide Acuña
One of my favorite new blogs is Marathon Foodie. If you’re into running, this site is a must. Says the author in her “About Me” section: “I am Haide P. Acuna, a lawyer and broadcaster based in Cebu City, Philippines. I’ve been running on and off since 1996, but got seriously into running only in January 2009. The creation of this blog was inspired by The Bull Runner, Jaymie Pizzaro’s wildly popular and award-winning blog, which has become an authority on anything running. My vision is for this blog to become a place where newbie runners in Cebu can converge for helpful information about training, race schedules, race reviews, products, and practically all things relevant to running. This blog will also feature stories about runners, both veterans and novices, that will hopefully inspire runners become better at the sport.”
(Photo: Vic Kintanar)
Haide posted her first blog entry last June 28 with “Paghimugso,” and has, since then, written about every race that she’s joined (plenty). In her commentary, Haide is candid (calling the other weekend’s run, “The Great Lapu-Lapu Run Race Review Part 2: Great Expectations, Great Disappointment”). She is comprehensive and thorough. She writes on a personal, first-person level—what she sees, likes, suggests, criticizes—she pours out. I like it.
But why, you ask, the name? “I chose Marathon Foodie for a blog name because it encompasses two of the things I am truly passionate about – good food and running a marathon,” writes Haide. “I would have wanted to name this blog ‘Foodie on the Run,’ but I’ve been beaten to the punch by an American blogger based in Reading, Pennsylvania – a triathlete who loves to cook, loves to eat and competes in races in order to give her a guilt-free indulgence in all these loves. Just like Foodie on the Run, the Marathon Foodie runs because she won’t give up her ‘humba’ (Cebuano term for pork stew).”
Click on Marathon Foodie here.
TW1
Late yesterday, I ran with Frederic Chiongbian, one of my best friends in marathon-running. As we spiraled around the Cebu Country Club golf course for 10.5 kms., our talk, naturally, centered on golf and a certain Mr. Woods.
I knew Tiger won the Buick Open but did not know an astounding fact until Frederic mentioned it: On Day One, Tiger scored 71 and placed 75th. With a poor Day Two showing, he’d be booted out of the tournament—just like the British Open. But, no, Tiger shot a 9-under 63 and, by day’s end, ranked fifth—a whopping jump of 70 places. Astonishing.
“Have other players missed a cut only to win in their next appearance? Absolutely,” wrote ESPN’s Jason Sobel in “Tiger’s good is better than anyone else’s” two days ago. “It never works in the way it did for Woods, though. His worst golf—during the second round at Turnberry, Tiger played a six-hole stretch in 7-over-par for the first time in his career—left him a single shot shy of making the cut. His best golf—Woods was 7-under-par through seven holes in that opening stretch during Round 2 of the Buick—is purely mercurial. And his average golf—he made 15 pars in the final round and birdied only one non-par-5—is enough to ensure a Sunday coronation.”
He’s back on track!
Can you believe Schumi is back? Retired since 2006, later this month he’ll be in Valencia, Spain to drive a familiar color: Red. The winner of seven F1 titles, Michael Shumacher, replaces the recuperating Felipe Massa.
”Though it is true that the Formula One chapter has long been closed for me, it is also true that for team loyalty reasons I cannot ignore that unfortunate situation,” said Schumacher. ”But as the competitor I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge.”
I’ll make a testimonial: While I followed F1 when the German drove for Ferrari, after he retired, I braked. And stopped. Same scenario for me with Michael Jordan. Same when Lance Armstrong left.
Now, I’m back. The same, I bet, is true for millions on non-fanatics worldwide: Schumi’s return will reenergize the controversy-laden F1.
Hong Kong is a metropolis with a kick
HONG KONG—Scanning the sports sections of the two leading English newspapers here, South China Morning Post and China Daily, as I did the past week, one will find that Hong Kong’s five most popular sports are: Number one, soccer. No. 2: the sport with 11 players per team on-field. Three, the game whose favorite Sun.Star columnists are Mike Limpag and Noel Villaflor. Four: it’s an activity played on a rectangular-shaped grass field with goalies on each wing. Fifth, it’s also called… surprise… football!
Yes. In this Chinese self-governing territory that is one of the richest locations on earth (HK’s GDP- per capita of $43,800 is the world’s 14th highest while our beloved country, at $3,300, languishes at No. 162), I ask: what is the one game that is followed the most—well, excluding the “gambling sport” of horse-racing? Kicking. Yup, the sport of the feet.