SHE JUMPED OFF BOAT AND CRASHED

Traveling by Ro-Ro going to Maniwaya Island, Marinduque

15 Days of No Social Media

I've finished my 1^st Personal Challenge in my life to start 2016 and that was forcing myself to take a much-needed break from social media for 10 days but I was extended it to 15. And not posting any updates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

I really love social media like FB, Insta, Twitter, Snapchat etc… There’s never a dull moment in it, it’s something like revolutionary. I love the connection that brings me closer to my family, friends and colleagues I would seldom personally interact with, also with businesses will need to respond. It’s fun and very useful tool for educational knowledge purposes too.

But there is more to life than those things, more than FB status and Instagram updates. There are moments and good foods and laughter around breakfast tables. There are runs through the brisk morning air and many others. There is love and life abundant.

And many of us need to remember those things.

It took me 15 days to finally learn the truth of this quote:

We think that life exists supporting our obsessions more often. But for me it’s not important that much. Those are all means to an end. Treat our work as life not a way to live. Sometimes we need to stop in what we are actually doing in a daily basis. I just step away for 15 days and found more perspective in life and learning that this world is so beautiful.

I realized other perspective in life in my short time away from the social media, laptop, and technology. I had a lot of time to think, pray, and reflect what’s in my inner self. I realized that a little break forced me ponder and dream. It’s allowed me to be creative again, no longer controlled by the urgency of the moment. I learned how to turn reactive to proactive again in different situations.

Just like running, rest is necessary to be a powerful runner, as in our work rest is necessary to be more creative and efficient worker. Rest takes care of our soul and make sure all is good with my inner life. So, if you struggle on something, you need a break.

My social media blackout wasn’t my intentional choice, it is given what I learned and I am determine to make breaks like this more of a regular discipline.

And if you will ask me where I had been on the last 15 days, I would not tell you. haha!

Here are my other personal challenges for 2016.

1.     10k running 3x a week. Run 1-2 full marathons for 2016.

2.     Everyday - 10 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups.

3.     Photograph and film short video clips of the best things I’ve seen and done.

4.     Avoid words with contractions for 29 days (February).

5.     No expectations rule for 30 days (March).

6.     1 hour white space daily in my calendar for 30 days (April).

7.     Less Sugar, Less Junk Foods.

8.     Read more books.

9.     Create Coffee Table Photo Book.

10.  Be a ninja. (Self-explanatory)

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Why Do You Celebrate Christmas?

I’ve asked 20 people “Why do you celebrate Christmas?”.  

13 out of 20 people didn’t know why. It’s true, few of us are aware why we celebrate Christmas and what’s the true meaning in it. It is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ who died on the cross to deliver us from our sins which is supposed to be why we celebrate Christmas. Jesus is God in a flesh (John 1:1, 14, Colossians 2:9) and He is the next person of the Trinity, born by the Virgin Mary.

Some positive responses.

In other words, it is a celebration where we celebrate the birth of Christ but SADLY, the true spirit of Christmas becomes more for-profit holiday than being a sacred and religious one. Unfortunately many people celebrate Christmas NOT for the holiness of Jesus Christ who entered in our life and gave His life. Most of them it is a time to give and receive gifts in form of materials things such as money, going to the parties, drink, eat foods. I’m not against the way we celebrate Christmas like attending parties, time for businesses making money, for people to give gifts, for people to be excited, for parties, etc etc. Of course it’s not wrong.

It just that the true reason about celebrating Christmas is supposed to be Jesus Christ for us to recognize and appreciate His birth being holy and died on the cross for our sins and be saved from the righteous judgment of our Lord. Now, if you celebrate Christmas without Jesus Christ, then you’re doing it wrong.

                         MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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This thoughts.... Milo Marathon

We understand cut-off’s of 2:30 requirements to be a proud Finisher for Milo Half-Marathon. We get it of course and it sends message to us to train and push harder for our goals. But if you finish the distance then you completed the distance. I would and will never take away from someone’s accomplishments due to how long it took them to finish. Different things happen along the way. If you go out and run 21k in a race last Sunday but miss the cut off, I do not things that means that you did not just run a half mary. I would consider that you are a Milo Marathon Finisher. You finish 21k and while you do not have an official time for your effort – you are still very much a part of the Milo Marathon history. While other people spend so much time cutting each other down while some runners miss the cut off times, please don't make them down rather motivate them. I just remind you that you did something that very few ever will do. Put your body through 21k and keep on going to beat that damn cut off time, and finish the JOURNEY.

Some Icloud Running Group family celebrating after Milo Marathon.

The reasons we do this sport are as personal as our goals for given races.  A sub 2 hour half marathon or sub 2:30 21k is a huge achievement for some and a -poor-WTF-happened race failure for others. If people are doing this for a title…. a new PR or to be a Qualifier….then they are doing it for a different reason that we are. We can certainly applaud each other's accomplishments in the sport and encourage each other, but let’s "thrive" on setting and achieving our own goals. Just keep running and think about why you started.

Running in the Rain with my Amazing ICloud Running Group Family

Twila, Doc Cindy & Dianne infront of Lucban Municipal Plaza

This morning, we ran 25K what we so called a 2 dozen kilometers under the rain in a bad weather due to typhoon Luis. I just woke up early to run this LSD with my amazing running family Jeric, Boyet, Doc Cindy, Twila, Dianne, Michael, Red, Andrew and Papong. Some of our group family members didn't come for some reasons, hope you guys will join us next time. Anyway, Lucena City to Lucban, Quezon is a pretty hilly route from start to finish particularly Tayabas to Lucban. We ran a little bit slower than usual under the rain and windy morning. It’s so beautiful seeing again the majestic Mt. Banahaw in a foggy morning that it’s hard to complain at all and that was pretty special.

Boys infront of Lucban Municipal Plaza

Ako lang naman :)

Our group didn't usually catch inside in a rain storm in so long. And you know what? It felt so damn good. When we realized we’re about to get absolutely soaked as the rain got harder, we smiled. We enjoyed every single second. We ran slower than normal. We could feel our shoes and socks squishing around but we didn’t care jumping some wet patch, ponds then play and just laugh and keep running. Every now and then you have to go out into the rain to run, even when it’s cold and the road is wet. Running in the rain sometimes will make your skin chafes and blisters and it’s so awkward to other people see you running while raining. But it still gives you more something to learn. It retells us the happiness of the best moments in running, like when we were a child, we keep running in spite of the bad weather, and mostly the weather makes it better. That's how we felt.. 

 

Group photo @ 7-11 Tayabas City

What we wanted to express is the happiness that running brings us. And we hope by sharing this we can inspire other people to run, feel the happiness, show gratefulness, live a happier, healthier and have a better life. 

photo credit: Twila Starr + Red

Pagsanjan Falls Getaway...

I with my running friends Alain, Jeric and Doc Cindy decided to take a weekend break to wash away our stress in our daily work – and that is going to Pagsanjan Falls.

Diego (me), Jeric, Doc Cindy and Alain taking a souvenir shot

Though the waterfalls is named as “Pagsanjan”, the falls is actually not located in the town of Pagsanjan but in Cavinti. The locals called it as Cavinti Falls. However, it is more popularly known as Pagsanjan Falls. But for us, it doesn't matter whether the waterfalls is in Cavinti or Pagsanjan. There are 2 routes available for tourists to reach this beautiful work of nature.

Pagsanjan Route- The most popular option for travelers to reach the falls, that starts from any of the resorts along Balanac and Bumbungan rivers through riding a wooden boat known as “Shooting the Rapids” paddled by 2 skilled and licensed boatmen (bangkeros).

Arriving tourists riding a shooting rapid (boat) via Pagsanjan Route

Cavinti Route - For those who loves adventure (just like us), the Cavinti route offers a chance to hike/trek and rappel to reach the location of the falls. The vertical trek includes a downward climb on a steep steel ladder for the tourist to reach the falls. A floating bamboo raft at the bottom will take the tourists to the “devil’s cave” located behind the cascading curtains of the main falls.

Relaxing near the registration center at Pueblo El Salvador before trekking to the falls.

We decided to take the Cavinti route. As part of our journey, here is our actual itinerary:

PAGSANJAN FALLS (MAGDAPIO FALLS)

Itinerary via Cavinti, Laguna Route
May 4, 2014

05:30 AM      Meet-up at 7-11 Lucena Bayan

05:54 AM      ETD Lucena to Lucban, Quezon

06:41 AM      ETA Lucban, Quezon stop over ate some pancit habhab

07:00 AM      ETD Lucban, Quezon to Cavinti

07:20 AM      ETA Luisiana, Laguna

07:49 AM      ETA Pueblo EL Salvador Cavinti Nature's Park & Picnic Grove, Rest, Take Brunch.

08:00 AM      Start Trek, Rappel.

08:30 AM      ETA Magdapio Falls (a.k.a. Pagsanjan Falls), Photo-ops.

11:30 AM      ETD Magdapio Falls, Start Back Track.

12:01 PM      ETA Pueblo EL Salvador Cavinti Nature's Park & Picnic Grove, Rest, Snacks, Tidy up.

12:30 PM      ETD Pueblo EL Salvador Cavinti Nature's Park & Picnic Grove, Take a side trip to Lake Caliraya, Cavinti

12:40 PM      ETA Lake Caliraya

01:00 PM      ETD Lake Caliraya to Kamayan sa Palaisdaan, Tayabas Quezon

02:00 PM      ETA Kamayan sa Palaisdaan, Tayabas, Quezon (Food Trip)

03:00 PM      ETD Kamayan sa Palaisdaan to Lucena

03:30 PM      ETA Lucena board Manila bound Bus (w/ Alain).

Eating Lucban Pancit Habhab before going to Cavinti

Excited @ the registration center

We started our trek to the falls with the tour guide named Dennis, after paying a Php 270.00 each for Pueblo El Salvador Entrance, Environmental and Guide ship Fee. Approximately, after a 15 minute concrete-paved trek, not all are well-paved some are trails, we entered the forest. We started to hear the splashing sound of the water from the water falls. After a couple of minutes of trekking, the steel ladder trek started at the Statue of El Pueblo and we have to wear a safety harness going down the cylindrical tube with steps.

Doc Cindy rappelling down through the cylindrical tube

Jeric poses after rappelling

The route is very challenging and full of adventure. And this is not for fainthearted person because you will pass 2 stations where you need to rappel in 90 degrees point  (twice) to get down. During that time, it was very difficult because the trail was so slippery because of the rainfalls.  The stairs are getting sharp and steeper until we finally reached the stunning beauty of Pagsanjan Falls. And take note that the most challenging episode of this journey is when going back.

Walking down with the metal ladder

Alain rappelling in 90degrees point

All of us got so excited when we were approaching the falls, Jeric was already shouting out of excitement like WHOA!!!! YAHOO!!! Then after the last scary stairs we walk down with almost 60%-70% inclined ---- We finally see what we’re looking for after our challenging experience. The stunning Pagsanjan Falls!!! And of course our visit is not complete without the raft ride experience going to the waterfalls curtain to the devils cave beneath the falls. It was like a natural massage with a bit of pressure because water falls down on our heads.

Bankeros (botmen) seen in the upper view before going down near the falls

Post arrival pose :)

Ready to climb the cylindrical tube

Riding at the Bamboo Raft

Swimming @ the falls

Thank you Alain for this photo

Souvenir shot before going to the Devil's cave beneath the falls

Trekking back

Side trip: Caliraya Lake

Our reward: Dining at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan, Tayabas, Quezon

Over all, it was really fun!!! We really enjoyed and our hard work paid off because of the gratifying chance to see the beauty of Pagsanjan Falls plus the trekking, climbing, rappelling, rafting, passing through the falls to devil’s cave and swimming; it was one heck of a memorable experience. It’s worth the sweat!