Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween 2010!


Halloween (or Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31, primarily in the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holiday All Saints' Day, but is today largely a secular celebration.

Common Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching horror films

History

Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)". The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced Kálan Gái av).

The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year".


The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces.Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames. Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.

Another common practice was divination, which often involved the use of food and drink.
The name 'Halloween' and many of its present-day traditions derive from the Old English era.

Origin of name

The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even ("evening"), that is, the night before All Hallows Day. Up through the early 20th century, the spelling "Hallowe'en" was frequently used, eliding the "v" and shortening the word. Although the phrase All Hallows is found in Old English (ealra hālgena mæssedæg, mass-day of all saints), All-Hallows-Even is itself not attested until 1556.

~From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Have a happy and scary Halloween 2010 to all!!
Trick or treat?

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Running Safety Tips


Running safety tips are pretty much common sense steps to being safe. However, there are some important considerations to keep in mind.

Identification: Always carry or wear identification in the event of an emergency. Should you be unconscious, you will want your rescuers to know who you are and how to reach your emergency contact(s). Also include your blood type.

Headphones: While you may enjoy listening to music while you run, headphones can be quite dangerous since they limit your ability to hear what is going on in your surroundings. For instance, if you are blaring music into your ears, you might not hear the squealing tires closing in on you or someone coming up behind you. Don’t wear headphones.

Run facing traffic: If running alongside a road, always run facing traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles in the lane closest to you.

Plan your routes: Always know your route and be familiar with the territory. If you are planning to run down a long stretch of road, go for a drive first and make sure there is plenty of room on the shoulder or sidewalk for you to run safely.

Let your friends/spouse know your route: If you are going out for a run, let your spouse, roommate, or friends know where you will be running and roughly what time you expect to be home. That way, should something happen to you, someone will know to look for you if you are late and know where to look.

Be safe at night: Always run in lighted areas when running at night. It is generally safer to run with a partner when running at night. Wear bright, reflective clothing so drivers of vehicles can easily see you.

Stay aware: Always be observant and aware of your surroundings.

Wear sunscreen: Increased exposure to the sun increases the risk of skin cancer. Always wear sunscreen when running in the sun.

~excerpts from www.marathonrookie.com

Friday, October 29, 2010

I need Php 25K for 2nd Semester!



Well, as we say not all roads are plain and easy to traverse.
Most of the time, we encounter obstacles and rocky roads.
But these should not stop us from continuing the journey.
These rocky roads are just there to make us stronger.
To make us strive more and go beyond what are expected of us.

Lacking financial support for my Bachelor of Laws will not make me stop,
I will continue to go on until I can,
Until I have exhausted all the means I can think of,
Until I have used up all my hopes and faith.

But I am positive that along the way,
A miracle will come,
I know that God is there,
Always looking and extending His arms to thy children.



~for comments, please e-mail me at rodpagdilaojr@gmail.com

Thursday, October 28, 2010

7-week Training for 10K


10k training is a fun way to start running, lose weight, and feel great. It is also not as time consuming as marathon or half marathon training.
If you are new to running, then go ahead and get yourself a new pair of running shoes. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a comfortable pair of running shoes during 10k training or training for any running event. They reduce the impact on your legs and joints while helping to avoid, or reduce, back pain. Visit your local running store to get fitted by experts. Having a good pair of running shoes will also make you feel like a runner which will give you added motivation during a 10k training program.
Below are two 10k training schedules. If you have already been running a little, then you can begin the 7-week schedule. If you are new to running, then the 10-week schedule is a safe program to get you started and prepare you for a fun 10k race.


7-Week 10k Training Schedule
Week 1:
Monday - Run 25 minutes, Tuesday - Run 2 miles, Wednesday - Off, Thursday - Run 30 minutes, Friday - Off, Saturday - Run 3 miles, Sunday - Off
Week 2:
Monday - Run 30 minutes, Tuesday - Run 2 miles, Wednesday - Off, Thursday - Run 35 minutes, Friday - Off, Saturday - Run 45 minutes, Sunday - Off
Week 3:
Monday - Run 40 minutes, Tuesday - Run 3 miles, Wednesday - Off, Thursday - Run 40 minutes, Friday - Off, Saturday - Run 4 miles, Sunday - Off
Week 4:
Monday - Run 30 minutes, Tuesday - Run 2 miles, Wednesday - Off, Thursday - Run 35 minutes, Friday - Off, Saturday - Run 60 minutes, Sunday - Off
Week 5:
Monday - Run 3 miles, Tuesday - Run 50 minutes, Wednesday - Off, Thursday - Run 35 minutes, Friday - Off, Saturday - Run 70 minutes, Sunday - Off
Week 6:
Monday - Run 20 minutes, Tuesday - Run 3 miles, Wednesday - Off, Thursday - Run 20 minutes, Friday - Off, Saturday - Run 75 minutes, Sunday - Off
Week 7:
Monday - Run 20 minutes, Tuesday - Run 2 miles, Wednesday - Off, Thursday - Light 20 minute jog, Friday - Off, Saturday - Race Day, Sunday - Off

~excerpts from www.marathonrookie.com

Monday, October 25, 2010

Life's Questions


Are you darkness?
Or the light I have been looking for?

Are you despair?
Or the hope that I have been searching for?
 
Are you hatred?
Or the love that I have been aiming for?

Are you chaos?
Or the peace that I have been wanting for?

I have all these questions in mind,
I have all these endless thoughts,
I have all these uncertainties,
But I am hopeful,
I am full of love,
I am at peace,
That at the end of the darkness,
You are the light!


~witten 25th October 2010
by Rod Pagdilao, Jr.


Wednesday, October 13, 2010

2nd Quezon City International Marathon

Next on the road. Here it is....


Registration for the 2nd Quezon City International Marathon or QCIM starts October 4 until November 7, 2010.

The most anticipated running event is happening in Quezon City on December 5 this year.  Now on its second year, the Quezon City International Marathon  is organized by the Executive Runners Club of the Philippines (RUNNEX) and is supported by the city’s local government headed by Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.

Touted to be the biggest and most exciting international marathon this year, recreational, professional and beginner runners will outrace each other as they pound the road to the 5 km, 10 km, 21 km and 42 km finish line.  As with last year, thousands of runners are expected to register from October 4 to November 7 for the different race categories.

Keso De Gallo

Keso De Gallo

Hey guys and girls! Just want to share this site where my hometown is one of the nominees. Check it out the town nominated delicacy and brief history!



Monday, October 11, 2010

10.10.10 The Big Day

Here we go... my shots during the 10.10.10 Run for Pasig River which we are hopeful that it will not just be a run for guinness record but a start for the revival of the Pasig River.