The New Beginnings Community and mommy blog Glam-o-Mamas recently teamed up for an event at The Podium Mall that paid tribute to fathers. The gathering was entitled Glam-o-Mamas love the Poppas.
Highlighting the event was a photo exhibit that featured dads sharing tender moments with their kids. Among the fathers in the photo exhibit were Miguel Zubiri, Quezon Gov. Jayjay Suarez, Rafa Alunan, Leo Po and Star’s RJ Ledesma.
Jiggs Baarde, FrieslandCampina’s commercial director, says, “This event is our way of paying tribute to all hardworking dads. It is the first undertaking of its kind under the New Beginnings Community banner since the group has always been focused on expecting moms.”
The group espouses the promotion of a comfortable and healthy pregnancy. It also gives importance to the valuable presence and participation of dads as pillars of strength and cornerstone of a family.
Conquering the outdoors
Not even the rains could dampen their spirit to run.
The inclement weather was no match to the desire of the 2,000 runners to participate in the third Merrell Adventure Run. The participants were welcomed by cold and steady rain showers hours before the start of the run. The adventure took place at the breathtaking and steep mountainside of Timberland Heights in San Mateo, Rizal. The toughest off-road run in the country became even more challenging because of the bad weather.
This year’s Merrell course, designed by extreme adventure athlete Thumbie Remigio, was more physically and emotionally demanding than last year’s. The race started with a dunk in a mud pit, a few kilometers of slick, uneven rocky pathways, and was punctuated with an endless string of uphill climbs.
The downpour had turned the already rigorous uphill off-road course into a slippery path. The 5K, 10K and 21K runners found themselves sliding down muddy inclines, groping for handholds at slippery slopes, and splashing across natural streams. Some runners literally barrelled down the hills to get a good spot at the finish line.
“This year’s run was more challenging. The trail was better and more fulfilling than road runs,” said Alfredo Vedarozaga also known as the running enthusiast “Running Atom,” who completed the 21K Merrell Run.
Runners who had a harder time navigating the course also received assistance and encouragement from other participants and race marshals.
Participants also tried out Merrell’s newest barefoot line at the Merrell Barefoot Running Collection station. This barefoot line gave the runners a “shoe-less” natural feel that allowed them to feel and grip surfaces better. They also found out that the pair promotes balance, agility and posture as well as heightens the senses and strengthens limbs.
The collection is available at Merrell stores in TriNoma, Market! Market!, Festival Mall, Ayala Center Cebu and in select department stores and sports specialty stores.
(For its latest updates on products and events, check out www.facebook.com/MerrellPhilippines.)