MANILA, Philippines—The newest fitness trend to hit Manila has ladies no longer ‘doing lunch.’ They are instead doing brunch—that is, after they finish running that 10k morning race.

The races and distances may vary, from the brutal Everest of races—the 42-km marathon—to the relatively shorter but no less challenging 5-km race. Companies—Milo, New Balance, Nike, Adidas and even Condura—have gotten Filipinas running.

Why the popularity? Does it have anything to do with the return of the waistline or the eternally rising hemlines? Diet fatigue, perhaps, or better running shoe technology? Or can we just blame it on those cute little iPod shuffles?

Sen. Pia Cayetano, who started the Pinay in Action marathon race three years ago, is an avid triathlete/runner herself. The race is run on Women’s Day every March.

Her career highlights include the New York marathon in 2006, with a best time of 4:06.
Then the Venice marathon, also in 2006, two weeks before NY Marathon. She also joined Ironman Western Australia in 2007, the San Francisco Marathon in 2002, and the PALl Marathon in 1991. Her best 10k marathon time is 48:40.

Pinay In Action’s main objective, meanwhile, is to uplift the lives of Filipinas by providing venues, tools and information for pursuing healthier lifestyles. Activities include all-women sports events, fitness clinics, inspirational talks and seminars on women’s health, anti-violence against women and breastfeeding.

Raising awareness

Sen. Cayetano on the running phenomenon:

How and when did Pinay In Action start? What specific actions have you lined up for this year? What’s your next activity?

Every March, we celebrate Women’s Month with the Pinay In Action run/walk event. The only all-women’s run/walk event in the country, it aims to raise awareness about the need for women to lead healthy lifestyles. We have been doing running and empowerment clinics for girls throughout the country the whole year round.

For the first time also, we had an expo that featured key categories focused on women only, such as health, wellness, fitness, beauty, fashion and kids. It was all about advocacies on women’s issues, but there were also fun stuff like shopping and just plain having a good time with family and friends.

Another highlight was a photo exhibit on the Magna Carta for women, featuring pictures of women who were either enjoying or being deprived of the rights enumerated in the bill that I filed in the Senate. There were also nutritionists and nurses who provided nutrition counseling.

Is this the first all women’s race in the Philippines? How did the idea for this race come about? How difficult is it to organize it?

I often had these talks with Ani De Leon, a good friend and a National Tri champ and qualifier in the Ironman World Champ, about how to advance our advocacies on women empowerment, health, sports, etc. One day, we said, “Let’s do it! An all-girls run. Let’s not just keep talking about it but let’s provide women with a genuine venue to get fit.”

It takes a lot of planning to stage a race. It being an all-girls run, we needed to convince a lot of women in the beginning to try it.

This year, we had three distances to suit different needs: 10k for the more serious/long distance runners, 5k for beginners and 1.6k for kids and families who are just out to have fun.

You’re an accomplished runner/triathlete. How does this personal hobby affect your career?

My being a serious runner/ triathlete helps me become a better person, both professionally and personally. My job can be stressful, and training gives me an outlet and keeps me healthy. It does take a lot of time and discipline to squeeze in training. When I travel around the country, I must plan my trip to ensure I’d have the time to work out.

How do you feel about the sudden popularity of running? Any tips for runners?

Running is just about the easiest sport to get into, so it’s about time it became popular. All you need is a good pair of running shoes and a place to run.

(The writer has been running for seven months, and has run in two marathons—Honolulu 2007 and Pasig 2008. She ran her first Pinay in Action race clocking 46 minutes in the 10k and placed 2nd in her age group.)