Kalongkong Hiker Celebrates 4th Year Running Anniversary

Do you still remember the first time you signed up and joined an organized race or any of running event?

Well, I do remember my first time and in fact we always remember those first times, right? And for me, today I celebrate that first time and now on 4th year, yes fourth year anniversary of running or joining organized races/runs. I know that we all run or been into running but this one involves a registration, singlet, race bib, loot bags, medals and the running community.

I’ve been very thankful because in running I got to discipline myself to be patient, push myself to the limit and it means a lot to me because it is not just a hobby now that I love but it became my lifestyle already because before I only regard it as a hobby or a habit that will eventually stopped when I feel like stopping because I am not enjoying anymore but hey, look at me I ain’t going anywhere, I am still here alive and kicking or should I say running. 
My love in running grows from a short distance and I took little steps in conquering longer distances. My first run is a 4 Miles road race category and that’s that was like an approximately of 6 kilometers then increased little by little or by a 10 percent rule. I then tried a 10K category, then accelerated to a 16K run until I challenged myself and did a 21K run. Year 2011 is the year that I completed Run United Trilogy by Run Rio and Unilab I did 10K for RU1, 16K for RU2 then 21K for RU3 and then I thought I will stop from there but no. I started to challenge myself so I signed up for trail run also. I’m a hiker by profession, it’s what I do, I go to places on foot so running on trails would be more fun. I first get a taste of trail running when I joined Merrel Adventure Run held in Timberland, San Mateo, Rizal. It’s worth remembering too and I really enjoyed it and forever will cherish it.
The first ever fun run that I joined and registered to is the “Internet Explorer 8 Run” a run for the benefit of  UNICEF Child Protection Program. It happened 31st of May, 2009 at The Fort, Taguig now called Bonifacio Global City or BGC.
This is the time that I also became a newbie runner and in time became experienced, believe me or not I too got many running injuries, mistakes and failures and I really could say that experience is the best teacher and yes it is, thank you “Experience” you’ve been a great teacher to me. I started to love running that I combined running and mountaineer and liked the idea of trail running. I then found myself loving trail runs than road races. Late last year, I also introduced myself with another sport discipline and this time swimming. I was being coached by a friend and learned the fundamentals and efficient way to do freestyle swim but I didn’t stopped there, I have this goal to be called a triathlete also so I built a bike. 

My first sport though is baseball, I learn baseball because it was part of my P.E. (Physical Exercise) subject in elementary, then during high school I tried volleyball but the sad part is I trained hard, joined drills and practices at that time but I was never drafted and never made the varsity team. To my dismay and frustration, I requested the volleyball coach that I am willing to pay for my volleyball jersey and selected the No. 13 jersey to remind myself of this frustration.

The good news came the next year when I tried out for a left spot in basketball varsity team, where I was drafted 2nd on the basketball roster but I can only enjoyed it for 1 year because I was senior already during that time. Basketball is been always my number sport, I used to create my own hoops at home. I remember my first ever hoop that I created is for a tennis ball inside my room. Then upgraded to a mini ball then eventually street ball.

I play for defense and boards and earned to be called “The Silent Assassin” and then later got the monicker “The Silent Pal”. Well, I called myself that, Eddie Jones is my favorite Lakers player during the 90′s and he is called “The Silent Assassin” but I got the name “The Silent Pal” on our high school year book and oh, I won “The Silent Worker” award during JS Prom (Junior-Senior) which I in turn I used thesilentpal in my social networking accounts.