Some time ago, I have been asked about what’s inspiring me? I had mentioned only two important books that really influenced me during the last years. One is Murakami’s book about running and the other one is Covey’s 7 Habits. But then I had to think about a few other things that keep on inspiring me, and since I think that it is 1.) important to know about one’s sources of inspiration and 2.) important to get as much inspiration as possible, I decided to write a longer article about it. Maybe not only for me but also to inspire other people.
The Philippines
I know that there are a few people out there who are reading my stuff and who are even enjoying it. I find that amazing, especially when I get (positive) feedback and when people get back to me telling that they got inspired by me. This is particularly true when it comes to my second home, the Philippines. Together with my father and my brother, I have created Philippinen Tours back in 2009, which is now one of the most influential websites in the German speaking internet when it comes to traveling the 7107 Philippine islands. We are currently counting more than 6000 unique visitors monthly, have about 2000 newsletter-subscribers and more than 10000 fans on Facebook.
Traveling the Philippines has inspired me a lot. Since 1984, I have travelled the Philippine islands a dozen times. Here: secret beach near Libjo, Dinagat Islands, Mindanao.
Tags:elephant·goals·good literature·inspiration·Philippinen Tours Scholarship Programme·success·writing
More than half a year after my last post here and my last half marathon in Cebu, I joined Hunat Sugbu 4 yesterday. I had not really planned to join that event – I just found out about it a few days ago and signed up for the 21 km run last Friday. After the Hunat Sugbu triathlon in Oslob last October, that was my second race organized by them and I really enjoyed it.
Screenshot of www.hunatsugbu.com
Tags:half marathon·Hunat Sugbu 4
January 12th, 2014 · marathon
Sometimes you´d better stay in bed and sleep in – especially, if you are planning to wake up at 2:15 AM after a very short night to join a half marathon when it´s pouring with rain. But if you are crazy enough, then this would never be an option…
Logo of Cebu Marathon 2014 (source: www.cebumarathon.com)
So, I woke up around quarter past two to have a short breakfast (1 very delicious Mango) and no coffee, because I had neither milk nor any time left (and I like my coffee with milk and enough time to enjoy it). After I packed some more dry clothes (it has been raining cats and dogs for almost one week now with no break), I left home around 2:35 AM to be at the site about one hour later. [Read more →]
Tags:#fail·Cebu City·Cebu Marathon·race kit
The results of the Hunat Sugbu Triathlon in Oslob, Cebu, which took place last October 6 are finally out now (source: sugbutriathlon.com). As I already wrote about it on my German blog, I was not too happy about my performance that day. I was definitely aiming for a time under 2:30 h to make a Top 3 finish (at least in my age group) again but this time I was only able to come in 5th out of 34 triathletes in my age group.
My first time on a road bike with aero-bars at the triathlon in Oslob
What went wrong?
Well, after analysing the race, there were several points to take into account: [Read more →]
Tags:Cebu·Hunat Sugbu Triathlon·Noy Jopson·Olympic distance·Oslob·triathlon
First I want to say: I am fine! Thanks to all my friends who were worrying about me after they had heard about the earthquake(s) yesterday here in Bohol. The aftershocks are still going on, and while I am writing this article, I feel them every now and then.
The main earthquake was quite strong (7.2) with its epicenter a few kilometers away from my place here near Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol. Some of my friends also felt it in Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu City, of course. Not only here in Bohol many people died and buildings were damaged (some of the oldest churches in the Philippines collapsed), but also in Cebu.
Well, we live on the ring of fire and things like that happen; I am very sorry for all the dead and injured people and all the damages caused by mother earth, but earthquakes are definitely not rare here in the Philippines.
On my cycling tour across Bohol last May, 2013. Chocolate Hills before the earthquake…
Tags:Bohol·Chocolate Hills·destruction·earthquake·media·news·Philippine islands·ring of fire
Yesterday, I turned 30 and one of my friends told me via Facebook that this marks the “Saturn return”, also known as “Sade Sati” in Hindu astrology which is related to a change in life – be it in a good or rather ungood way. Well, I somehow liked that idea but as I am not really believing in too much metaphysical stuff, I also did not give too much meaning to my 30th birthday. [Read more →]
Tags:30th birthday·Cebu City·Cebu City Sports Center·Please help Mossche·Sade Sati·work
July 8th, 2013 · marathon
Yesterday, I was able to make a new personal best time at the “Run with Venus” event in Cebu City; I did not really expect to be able to finish under 1:40 h, but obviously my training during the last weeks was not too bad and I am quite happy with the result:)
The start was around 4:35 AM which means that I had set the alarm for 3:30 AM, but I woke up around 3:00 (!) already because of a too loud aircon in the hotel room. I was fine after about 6 hours sleep, had two bananas for breakfast and went to the Ayala Terraces together with Bea who joined her first running event (6 km run). [Read more →]
Tags:Cebu City·half marathon·Maasin City Triathlon·personal best time·Run with Venus
Today, I woke up around 5:30 AM and prepared myself for a long training run: my first 21 km run in the Philippines as a preparation for next Sunday: on July 7, 2013, I will run my first half marathon in Cebu City. So far, the longest run I made in the land of the 7107 islands was about 17 km – and that was already some weeks ago. [Read more →]
Tags:21 km run·Alona Beach·Bantayan Island·Cebu City·half marathon·Haruki Murakami·Panglao·personal best time·Run with Venus·training run
On June 16, 2013, I joined the third triathlon within 4 weeks after the Dipolog Centennial Triathlon on May 19 and the Triathlon in Jagna (Bohol) on May 25. Some weeks ago, I had decided to join the Tabuelan 111 Triathlon in Cebu together with Jens from Bugoy Bikers – a preparation race for the Ironman 70.3 Cebu on August 4, 2013.
Initially, I really wanted to go over the full distance of 2 km swim, 88 km bike ride and 21 km run in Tabuelan, but after the first couple of events, I realized that I am still far away from seriously competing over the half ironman distance. So I chose to compete in the half distance and unexpectedly finished second and made my first top three finish in a triathlon:D
2nd place, Tabuelan 111 Triathlon Cebu (half distance)
Tags:Tabuelan 111 Triathlon
During the last weeks, my life consisted mainly of travelling and meeting a lot of interesting people on my tours, webworking and doing lots of sports: swimming, biking, snorkelling, diving and running as preparation for several triathlons. Yesterday, I was able to finish the Dipolog Centennial Triathlon in 2:49:09h which marks my new personal best time, and I am quite happy about that and wanted to say “thank you!” to all my sports-partners who trained with me, like Jens from Bugoy Bikers, my private fisherman, Ben (Ironman-finisher) and especially Bea:D
On Saturday, I just left Panglao Island in the morning going to Dumaguete City to meet some friends for lunch, then proceeded to Dapitan. From there, I rode my bike going to Dipolog City, where the fiesta made sure that I wouldn´t get any sleep at all…not exactly the best preparation for a triathlon.
On the way from Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Dumaguete (Negros Oriental)
Probably one of the most beautiful sunsets I experienced on the way to Dapitan
Tags:2nd Jagna Open Triathlon·Arland Macasieb·Bugoy Bikers·Dipolog Centennial Triathlon·Murakami·Noy Jopson·personal best time·triathlon
