Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
05 April 2012
#WhatMakesMeSmile 1:02 PM
Well, this video, for example.
Who would have thought that, in this day and age, dancing to the tune of "Do Re Mi" from The Sound of Music would be so cool? For a few minutes, this wonderful flashmob made passersby stop and forget about their day's tasks and obligations. People stood and watched, and smiled and even danced on the spot.
Childlike expressions of delight are always a nice sight to behold.
14 July 2009
Billie Jean-ing--er, running, on the streets 12:35 AM
Michael Jackson has been dead for over two weeks now, but the entire world still continues to mourn--and pay tribute--to the King of Pop in whatever way possible.
The whole day of Monday looked pretty dismal in terms of the weather (it was raining the whole time), but because of the upcoming Run For Home race this Sunday, I sternly told myself to stick to tonight's practice run to stay in shape.
Turns out I didn't have to convince myself too much. Loaded Michael Jackson music into my iPod and spent some 30 minutes or so running blissfully in the rain-slicked pavement of Legaspi Park. Because it had just rained, nobody was running in the park except me. One of the happiest runs I've had in a long time!
I realized how perfect Michael Jackson's music is for running. Did a warm-up jog first, singing "The Way You Make Me Feel." Hahaha. It was still easy at this point to sing because I wasn't breathless yet. And then I played "Billie Jean" (my all-time favorite MJ song) on full volume during the run proper and had to resist the temptation to slow down and dance. Although unlike MJ in the music video, I had no pavements lighting up--just a lot of puddles and some mud. As for "Thriller", well, everyone loves that song, so it was fun (and slightly creepy) running to the beat of "Thriller" inside an empty park.
Finished 5km in 33 minutes. The concrete running/jogging path was sort of slippery and there were puddles everywhere, so I had to run carefully. However, I suspect that my relaxed pace had nothing to do with the slippery track--but more with my tendency to slow down, bounce and wiggle, and sing at the top of my lungs: "you wanna be tough, better do what you can, so beat it, but you wanna be bad, just Beat it, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It---!!"
Note to self: Must refrain from singing out loud during race day. Don't wanna freak out the other runners.
The whole day of Monday looked pretty dismal in terms of the weather (it was raining the whole time), but because of the upcoming Run For Home race this Sunday, I sternly told myself to stick to tonight's practice run to stay in shape.
Turns out I didn't have to convince myself too much. Loaded Michael Jackson music into my iPod and spent some 30 minutes or so running blissfully in the rain-slicked pavement of Legaspi Park. Because it had just rained, nobody was running in the park except me. One of the happiest runs I've had in a long time!
I realized how perfect Michael Jackson's music is for running. Did a warm-up jog first, singing "The Way You Make Me Feel." Hahaha. It was still easy at this point to sing because I wasn't breathless yet. And then I played "Billie Jean" (my all-time favorite MJ song) on full volume during the run proper and had to resist the temptation to slow down and dance. Although unlike MJ in the music video, I had no pavements lighting up--just a lot of puddles and some mud. As for "Thriller", well, everyone loves that song, so it was fun (and slightly creepy) running to the beat of "Thriller" inside an empty park.
Finished 5km in 33 minutes. The concrete running/jogging path was sort of slippery and there were puddles everywhere, so I had to run carefully. However, I suspect that my relaxed pace had nothing to do with the slippery track--but more with my tendency to slow down, bounce and wiggle, and sing at the top of my lungs: "you wanna be tough, better do what you can, so beat it, but you wanna be bad, just Beat it, Beat It, Beat It, Beat It---!!"
Note to self: Must refrain from singing out loud during race day. Don't wanna freak out the other runners.
22 March 2009
Condura Run 10K at The Fort / Kalayaan Flyover (Mar 22) 8:19 PM
It was a good day, a halcyon day.
Arrived at the NBC Tent by 5:30 am. By that time, the race venue was jam-packed with runners milling about or standing at the Start area waiting for the run to commence. The 21K runners had already left, and I was excited for them, as this was the first time ever that the Skyway would be a part of a race route.
The sun was already rising as a massive 4,000-strong crowd of 3K, 5K and 10K runners cheered at the sound of the gun start. And I was thinking to myself, oh no, the sun's up, and it's going to be one hot run. Literally.
The first 2 kilometers were relaxing, and since I hadn't run since last Wednesday, my muscles were well-rested. The 10K group first covered the perimeter of the NBC Tent/High Street area before reaching 32nd Street, the street leading to the Kalayaan/Buendia Flyover.
And then I saw it: a throng of 10K runners before me pushing up the dreaded flyover, with some people raising their arms excitedly. My face broke into a huge smile, and all thoughts of getting injured or experiencing exhaustion were momentarily pushed to the back of my mind as I climbed up that long stretch of road, which for at least 2 hours, was completely closed to motorists.
The flyover was solely for us runners at that time, and it was funny to see how vehicles on the other roads would slow down so that the curious people inside the cars could look at us. A few friendly motorists even rolled down their windows to wave. I was smiling like a kid during this first stretch and I think the happy feeling helped a lot in distracting me from the weeks-old soreness in my ankles and right knee/shin area.
By the time I had gone down the flyover and onto Buendia Avenue, I had reached the 4K mark, and amazingly, what came into my mind was "Wow, I'm at 4K already! It went by so fast!" and not "Shit, I'm still at 4K." I had prayed for this feeling--to be able to reach a certain distance and not feel tired and spent but raring to go further.
It was surreal running on Buendia. People stood on the sidewalks, gawking at us, and there were slight traffic build-ups on the Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue intersections because, of course, that part of Buendia was for us runners alone, and cars weren't allowed to cross Buendia at all. A big thumbs up to the Concepcion brothers and the other organizers of this event for ensuring good traffic marshalling and the safety of the runners.
When I reached the U-turn at Reposo (the Mapua Institute of Technology at the corner of Buendia and Nicanor Garcia), I wanted to laugh because I could see my office building from that distance; just a few more minutes, I would have reached RCBC Plaza. I was beginning to realize how far we actually ran--from NBC Tent at the Fort up to Buendia/Reposo. And to think that we were just in the halfway mark. Masochists!!
The toughest stretch was running back up the flyover. There was always that big urge to stop running and just walk, but I couldn't bear the humiliation of walking. Even if I wasn't running fast, I was still running, and that mattered a lot in terms of self-confidence. My right knee and shin were throbbing a little as I went up that cruel flyover incline, but I kept saying to myself, "It's not that hard. It's really not that hard, Gina." That thought kinda cheered me up and kept me moving. The mind is an amazing thing, really.
Some TV crew in their vehicles were allowed to go up and cover us as we ran back on the flyover. I managed to smile and wave a little at the cameras, haha. That's how happy I was. Harsh route, but I was so, so, very thankful that I was running injury-free. In fact, when we were running again on the flyover back to the Fort, I encountered the most peaceful part of my own run: The sun was shining, U2's "Yahweh" was playing on my iPod, and as corny as it may sound, I felt so alive and thankful that God was letting me run without so much pain.
Somewhere on the last 2K stretch at The Fort, I encountered two brass bands playing at different points to entertain and encourage the runners, and again, I had to smile. What a feel-good run! How can one not get drawn into the festive atmosphere of the event when there are brass bands playing?
Of course, the large Finish signage was the most beautiful sight to behold, haha. I mustered a little energy to sprint to the finish line, and glanced at the clock above. I clocked in at 1:11:49. Still not a super fast record, but hopefully I'll be faster in the next months or so. Besides, 1:11:49 is my best 10K record so far, and that means I'm improving slowly but surely. Will work harder to reach a 6 to 6.5 km/min average pace in the coming weeks. Hope it can be done within that period.
The best part after the run, aside from the water stations? A huge Manila Water tank parked at the finish area with a giant hose spraying water on the runners! No second thoughts for me: I went and allowed myself a little bath. It was great! I felt like a kid today, all smiles and happy greetings to friends who were at the race as well.
Overall, the Condura Run is one of the best races I've encountered in my short history of running. Great route, lots of water stations, photo walls, food stalls, freebies like back issues of Men's Health Magazine, and even a Nike booth that was offering up to 70% discount on selected products. Congratulations to the organizers and to everyone who ran--especially the 21K runners! They deserved the medals that were placed around their necks at the finish line. (It got me thinking, gosh, when can I run 21K? Getting a medal must be amazing.)
Now that Condura Run's over, what's the next run for me? =)
P.S. Saw Mr. Fernando Zobel de Ayala, who was also running 10K, somewhere in the Buendia/Makati Avenue part of the route. He looked very fit and barely sweating. When I reach that age, I'd want to be in that great a shape too.
Arrived at the NBC Tent by 5:30 am. By that time, the race venue was jam-packed with runners milling about or standing at the Start area waiting for the run to commence. The 21K runners had already left, and I was excited for them, as this was the first time ever that the Skyway would be a part of a race route.
The sun was already rising as a massive 4,000-strong crowd of 3K, 5K and 10K runners cheered at the sound of the gun start. And I was thinking to myself, oh no, the sun's up, and it's going to be one hot run. Literally.
The first 2 kilometers were relaxing, and since I hadn't run since last Wednesday, my muscles were well-rested. The 10K group first covered the perimeter of the NBC Tent/High Street area before reaching 32nd Street, the street leading to the Kalayaan/Buendia Flyover.
And then I saw it: a throng of 10K runners before me pushing up the dreaded flyover, with some people raising their arms excitedly. My face broke into a huge smile, and all thoughts of getting injured or experiencing exhaustion were momentarily pushed to the back of my mind as I climbed up that long stretch of road, which for at least 2 hours, was completely closed to motorists.
The flyover was solely for us runners at that time, and it was funny to see how vehicles on the other roads would slow down so that the curious people inside the cars could look at us. A few friendly motorists even rolled down their windows to wave. I was smiling like a kid during this first stretch and I think the happy feeling helped a lot in distracting me from the weeks-old soreness in my ankles and right knee/shin area.
By the time I had gone down the flyover and onto Buendia Avenue, I had reached the 4K mark, and amazingly, what came into my mind was "Wow, I'm at 4K already! It went by so fast!" and not "Shit, I'm still at 4K." I had prayed for this feeling--to be able to reach a certain distance and not feel tired and spent but raring to go further.
It was surreal running on Buendia. People stood on the sidewalks, gawking at us, and there were slight traffic build-ups on the Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue intersections because, of course, that part of Buendia was for us runners alone, and cars weren't allowed to cross Buendia at all. A big thumbs up to the Concepcion brothers and the other organizers of this event for ensuring good traffic marshalling and the safety of the runners.
When I reached the U-turn at Reposo (the Mapua Institute of Technology at the corner of Buendia and Nicanor Garcia), I wanted to laugh because I could see my office building from that distance; just a few more minutes, I would have reached RCBC Plaza. I was beginning to realize how far we actually ran--from NBC Tent at the Fort up to Buendia/Reposo. And to think that we were just in the halfway mark. Masochists!!
The toughest stretch was running back up the flyover. There was always that big urge to stop running and just walk, but I couldn't bear the humiliation of walking. Even if I wasn't running fast, I was still running, and that mattered a lot in terms of self-confidence. My right knee and shin were throbbing a little as I went up that cruel flyover incline, but I kept saying to myself, "It's not that hard. It's really not that hard, Gina." That thought kinda cheered me up and kept me moving. The mind is an amazing thing, really.
Some TV crew in their vehicles were allowed to go up and cover us as we ran back on the flyover. I managed to smile and wave a little at the cameras, haha. That's how happy I was. Harsh route, but I was so, so, very thankful that I was running injury-free. In fact, when we were running again on the flyover back to the Fort, I encountered the most peaceful part of my own run: The sun was shining, U2's "Yahweh" was playing on my iPod, and as corny as it may sound, I felt so alive and thankful that God was letting me run without so much pain.
Somewhere on the last 2K stretch at The Fort, I encountered two brass bands playing at different points to entertain and encourage the runners, and again, I had to smile. What a feel-good run! How can one not get drawn into the festive atmosphere of the event when there are brass bands playing?
Of course, the large Finish signage was the most beautiful sight to behold, haha. I mustered a little energy to sprint to the finish line, and glanced at the clock above. I clocked in at 1:11:49. Still not a super fast record, but hopefully I'll be faster in the next months or so. Besides, 1:11:49 is my best 10K record so far, and that means I'm improving slowly but surely. Will work harder to reach a 6 to 6.5 km/min average pace in the coming weeks. Hope it can be done within that period.
The best part after the run, aside from the water stations? A huge Manila Water tank parked at the finish area with a giant hose spraying water on the runners! No second thoughts for me: I went and allowed myself a little bath. It was great! I felt like a kid today, all smiles and happy greetings to friends who were at the race as well.
Overall, the Condura Run is one of the best races I've encountered in my short history of running. Great route, lots of water stations, photo walls, food stalls, freebies like back issues of Men's Health Magazine, and even a Nike booth that was offering up to 70% discount on selected products. Congratulations to the organizers and to everyone who ran--especially the 21K runners! They deserved the medals that were placed around their necks at the finish line. (It got me thinking, gosh, when can I run 21K? Getting a medal must be amazing.)
Now that Condura Run's over, what's the next run for me? =)
P.S. Saw Mr. Fernando Zobel de Ayala, who was also running 10K, somewhere in the Buendia/Makati Avenue part of the route. He looked very fit and barely sweating. When I reach that age, I'd want to be in that great a shape too.
25 February 2009
U2's "No Line on the Horizon" 8:28 PM
Stopped by Music One this evening to pay for my reserved copy of the new U2 album, No Line on the Horizon which MCA Music and Music One are pre-selling before the worldwide release on March 2, 2009.What's nice about this pre-selling promo is that upon purchase of your reserved copy (which you can pick up on March 2), you also get a free U2 shirt. Yay, another U2 collectible. Aside from their albums, I collect original copies of their concert DVDs. The only pirated copy I have is U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, the original of which I've been trying to find everywhere. So if you find one, please let me know ASAP.
And aside from a free shirt, you get a free movie pass to the re-screening of U23D in IMAX, SM Mall of Asia. Coolness! Now I can watch it again (and drool over a 3D Bono to boot).
06 February 2009
Run Gina Run 11:03 PM
For lack of a better, more creative name for my running playlist in iTunes, I simply call it "Run Gina Run." My friend Randy's is so cute--RUNdy. Haha.
I am completely dependent on my iPod touch to keep me entertained during a race or practice run. It's the only thing that can distract me from the upper body ache and the weird scar pain in my pelvic area. And when my legs feel heavy in a race, it's a really upbeat track on my iPod that motivates me to move on.
I love listening to music whenever I'm running or on the go because I don't get to do that at all in boxing. Can't have my music player with me in the ring or on the training floor because I won't be able to hear Kuya Mong's rapid-fire punch combo instructions.
There are elite runners (especially the purists) who probably don't need a running playlist--but as I am no professional runner, I prefer having my iPod with me. Sharing with you now a list of my top favorite running songs. I customize the list depending on the race distance or duration of my practice run. Like other runners with iPods, I divide my playlist into various race "phases":
1) warm-ups songs (while stretching and for setting the mood before gun start)
2) the picking-up-the-pace set (catchy, cheerful songs mixed with rock / electronic music to keep me alert as much as possible for the first 15 minutes)
3) the tough stretch set (the most crucial part of my amateur run; these are the songs that motivate me to continue and NOT walk during this difficult period). In other words, "mental power" music, baby. Haha.
4) wind-down, you're-almost-at-the-finish-line-Gina! set (calming songs that give me that happy feeling of surviving another run)
Songs 1 to 4 are for warming up. Daft Punk's "Da Funk" totally wakes me up before the 6 am gun start. And yes, I like the song "Fame", so shut up.
Songs 5 to 10 comprise the first set of the run proper. There's a great comfort in hearing something so familiar as A-ha's "Take on Me" as I join the throng of runners in the first few minutes of the run . I grew up listening to my elder siblings' collection of New Wave / synth-pop tunes, and it's music like A-ha--cheesy 80s pop music and all--that triggers child-like happy thoughts as I pound the pavement. Weird, but A-ha works.
"All the Small Things" and "Here It Goes Again" are such sell-out tracks, but the beats of these songs keep me alive so I'm not taking them out of my playlist. Rooney's "I'm Shakin'" gets points for being the happy-pappy song that gives me a little bounce while I run. How corny but true.
When I'm starting to feel extra tired already, I immediately switch to the remix version of the (in)famous Rocky theme song "Gonna Fly Now." Go ahead and laugh. It's probably the corniest track on my list, but I swear, it works for me. And because I box, I have a certain affinity with that song. I swear, when I visit Philadelphia one day, I'll run up those museum steps and do a victory pose just to recreate that scene in Rocky. Of course, my younger sisters would die of embarrassment if I did that.
New Order's "Temptation" is a track that I can listen to day in, day out. Beautiful, upbeat tune. I'm totally addicted to it.
Of course, what's a playlist without U2 in it? (Well, at least in my own little world, I can't imagine a U2-less playlist. They have a song for everything.) "Where the Streets Have No Name" is, without question, my favorite running song. If each person had to identify his/her own Nike power song, this would be mine. During my 10K run at the UNICEF Walk on the Child's Side 2008, this song was playing as I underwent the 5K-7K mark in Heritage Park. The place looked so beautiful and serene, and I was smiling stupidly to myself while singing (hopefully without other people noticing).
My other U2 song in the list is "Yahweh." This is such an uplifting song, and incidentally, it's my friend and officemate Cecil's power song. We watched U23D together with Randy in IMAX back in 2008, and "Yahweh" served as a fitting end to the concert. When I run, I sometimes find myself singing "Yahweh" out loud as well, because the lyrics are so nice:
It's usually "Yahweh", "Digital Love", Starlight" and "Under Pressure" that are my wind-down songs. Songs 21-25 are back-up tracks if I need to cover a longer distance.
As you can see, I'm so fussy when it comes to my running playlist. No wonder my pace isn't improving as fast as it should. I'm too busy singing along to the music while I race. Haha. Oh well.
To end this blog entry on a baduy yet euphoric note, here's the training scene in Rocky. (Of course, I can't do push-ups like Stallone, and I don't have the luxury of punching frozen slabs of meat hung from the ceiling.)
Have a nice run, people!
I am completely dependent on my iPod touch to keep me entertained during a race or practice run. It's the only thing that can distract me from the upper body ache and the weird scar pain in my pelvic area. And when my legs feel heavy in a race, it's a really upbeat track on my iPod that motivates me to move on.
I love listening to music whenever I'm running or on the go because I don't get to do that at all in boxing. Can't have my music player with me in the ring or on the training floor because I won't be able to hear Kuya Mong's rapid-fire punch combo instructions.
There are elite runners (especially the purists) who probably don't need a running playlist--but as I am no professional runner, I prefer having my iPod with me. Sharing with you now a list of my top favorite running songs. I customize the list depending on the race distance or duration of my practice run. Like other runners with iPods, I divide my playlist into various race "phases":
1) warm-ups songs (while stretching and for setting the mood before gun start)
2) the picking-up-the-pace set (catchy, cheerful songs mixed with rock / electronic music to keep me alert as much as possible for the first 15 minutes)
3) the tough stretch set (the most crucial part of my amateur run; these are the songs that motivate me to continue and NOT walk during this difficult period). In other words, "mental power" music, baby. Haha.
4) wind-down, you're-almost-at-the-finish-line-Gina! set (calming songs that give me that happy feeling of surviving another run)
Songs 1 to 4 are for warming up. Daft Punk's "Da Funk" totally wakes me up before the 6 am gun start. And yes, I like the song "Fame", so shut up.
Songs 5 to 10 comprise the first set of the run proper. There's a great comfort in hearing something so familiar as A-ha's "Take on Me" as I join the throng of runners in the first few minutes of the run . I grew up listening to my elder siblings' collection of New Wave / synth-pop tunes, and it's music like A-ha--cheesy 80s pop music and all--that triggers child-like happy thoughts as I pound the pavement. Weird, but A-ha works.
"All the Small Things" and "Here It Goes Again" are such sell-out tracks, but the beats of these songs keep me alive so I'm not taking them out of my playlist. Rooney's "I'm Shakin'" gets points for being the happy-pappy song that gives me a little bounce while I run. How corny but true.
When I'm starting to feel extra tired already, I immediately switch to the remix version of the (in)famous Rocky theme song "Gonna Fly Now." Go ahead and laugh. It's probably the corniest track on my list, but I swear, it works for me. And because I box, I have a certain affinity with that song. I swear, when I visit Philadelphia one day, I'll run up those museum steps and do a victory pose just to recreate that scene in Rocky. Of course, my younger sisters would die of embarrassment if I did that.
New Order's "Temptation" is a track that I can listen to day in, day out. Beautiful, upbeat tune. I'm totally addicted to it.
Of course, what's a playlist without U2 in it? (Well, at least in my own little world, I can't imagine a U2-less playlist. They have a song for everything.) "Where the Streets Have No Name" is, without question, my favorite running song. If each person had to identify his/her own Nike power song, this would be mine. During my 10K run at the UNICEF Walk on the Child's Side 2008, this song was playing as I underwent the 5K-7K mark in Heritage Park. The place looked so beautiful and serene, and I was smiling stupidly to myself while singing (hopefully without other people noticing).
My other U2 song in the list is "Yahweh." This is such an uplifting song, and incidentally, it's my friend and officemate Cecil's power song. We watched U23D together with Randy in IMAX back in 2008, and "Yahweh" served as a fitting end to the concert. When I run, I sometimes find myself singing "Yahweh" out loud as well, because the lyrics are so nice:
Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing
It's usually "Yahweh", "Digital Love", Starlight" and "Under Pressure" that are my wind-down songs. Songs 21-25 are back-up tracks if I need to cover a longer distance.
As you can see, I'm so fussy when it comes to my running playlist. No wonder my pace isn't improving as fast as it should. I'm too busy singing along to the music while I race. Haha. Oh well.
To end this blog entry on a baduy yet euphoric note, here's the training scene in Rocky. (Of course, I can't do push-ups like Stallone, and I don't have the luxury of punching frozen slabs of meat hung from the ceiling.)
Have a nice run, people!
