Running with Piolo Pascual

MANILA, Philippines - In his current television series Lovers in Paris, Piolo Pascual plays a business scion who is “Sir Carlo” to Vivian, the object of his affection, and “Coach” to Martin, his nephew, protégé and confidant. The dual nomenclature points to the character’s authoritarian persona, as well as the complexity of his life situation. And if there’s anyone who embraces complexity, it is the man known in showbiz as Papa P. and the Ultimate Heartthrob. 

Piolo’s movie roles have included a lagarista (the messenger who ferries movie reels from theater to theater), a student activist, a bar topnotcher, a folk singer and a security guard. In addition to being both an actor and a movie star, he is now a producer of both indie and mainstream films. As for his music career, he is a chart-topping singer and concert producer. And if this CV is not long enough, he now wants to add another role to this impressive list: runner.

You may have seen the billboard of the Timex Run with Piolo and running coach Rio dela Cruz. The 2009 Timex Run is the first time Piolo will join a race, and if we go by his career track record, he should be running a full marathon very soon.

Here are excerpts from an interview with Piolo Pascual:

When you were first invited to do the 2009 Timex Run, was your first reaction more of panic or excitement?

PIOLO PASCUAL: (laughs) I felt challenged, really challenged. I know that running is trendy now, and I’ve been wanting to get into it. Of course, it took Timex to invite me to get me into it. And I really requested that Timex hook me up with coach Rio. I mean, I do run, but on the treadmill in the gym. I’m already doing badminton, and I swim a lot. I got into fencing because of Lovers in Paris.  I enjoy diving, boxing — gusto ko subukan lahat. In fact, I really, really want to do the 21K but I don’t think there will be a happy ending to that! 

I believe in being athletic, and my plan is that the older I get, the more I will get into sports. It’s not just about extending your youth, but just being able to do more. Ang sarap ng feeling that you can carry yourself lightly, that you push yourself. I really want my first run to be memorable.

Since you already swim, and you have started to train in running, do you think that eventually you will do triathlons?

Oh, yes, I’ve been wanting to do that. It’s just that I have a crazy schedule. Just today, we finished taping at 7 a.m., and then I still had to be here even if I hardly had any sleep. I really do envy people who have time to train.

When Oprah Winfrey was training for her first and last marathon, she wrote that there were times that she just got so tired that she had to yell out Jesus’ name and pray that she would finish. Have you had those moments of extreme exhaustion that you feel you need divine intervention?

I pray when I run. Contemplate. Meditate. I can think more and push myself. Nakaka wala ng stress. Even if I’m running with other people, it’s still my alone time, my me-time.

What’s on your iPod when you run?

It varies, it really depends on my mood. The truth? Christian music, praise and worship songs. Believe it or not, there are some Christian songs that are really fast, with a good, strong beat. Or I also listen to hard rock, but that’s only when I’m running on the treadmill because if you run on the streets or on trails, you shouldn’t have an iPod, it can be dangerous, you have to be aware of what’s around you.

What are the changes that running has brought in you?

It has made me more focused, more disciplined. When you know that you are really maxing out your potential, you are facing your limits, and then you still just finish. That’s what’s important, you have to finish. And then you carry that with you into all the other parts of your life.

What are the frustrations that you’ve felt since you began training for the run?

Well, there are days when, sa sobrang puyat, you can’t keep it up. You push yourself but your body just can’t coordinate, so uwi na lang muna and train another day.

What would you say to people who are considering getting into running?

I would say that if you want to live longer and happier, if you want to attract positive vibes, if you want to improve your body, your mind and your whole system, get into running.

Speaking of good vibes, you yourself mentioned that you’ve had a very productive and longstanding partnership in your endorsement with Timex. What is the key to this synergy? What are the parallels with you as a person and Timex as a brand?

Well, I would say it would be that we are always evolving, constantly growing, not comfortable with just staying the same, and always up for a challenge. That’s the parallel. And it’s the same with coach Rio. He started running as a kid, then made it to the national team. Now he not only coaches, he also organizes running events, and he is the organizer of the Timex run.

One of the beneficiaries of the 2009 Timex Run is the Timex-UNICEF school in Masbate. Do you have a special advocacy for education?

Oh, yes. For the past few years, I have been supporting a total of about 20 scholars. Some are in grade school, others in high school. Some are in college already taking up nursing, architecture and even the priesthood. My friends referred some of them to me. I’ve been doing it quietly, I don’t really like to talk about it, and just recently we formed a foundation. But none of them know that I’m the one sponsoring them.

Since you are called “Coach” in your latest television series, and you now have a new running coach, could you tell us who are the people you consider to be your own coaches or mentors in life?

Well, one of my idols is my manager Mr. M (Johnny Manahan). I wouldn’t be where I’d be now without him. He made me what I am. And, of course, my mom. I’ve always been a mama’s boy. I’m the youngest of six, but I was never spoiled. In fact, I got only hand-me-downs, and all the utos in the house. My mom instilled in me the spirit of service and all the traditional Filipino values, and I’m so grateful to her for that. So when I’m on the set, I’m always aware of all the crew and other people working, too, and I try to make sure that they are OK.

Do you consider yourself a role model?

Not really. It’s just doing the right thing. The burden of being a role model should not be the motivation.

Are you a competitive person?

I compete with myself. You’re bound to fail if you compare yourself to others. Never gauge your success by other people’s achievements. I always compare myself to my last performance.

So, have you set a target time for your run?

Not yet. Coach Rio and I will still meet tonight. At first I thought I would just do a 5K, but I’m now aiming for the 10K. On the treadmill, I can run a 5K in under 20 minutes, which I heard is pretty good na pala. Maybe coach Rio can do that in 10 minutes.

What are your expectations of coach Rio?

Just like in acting where it’s good to have many directors, ang sarap mag-train with different people. And maybe eventually, I can join him when he competes in other countries. He’s going to a race in California on Nov. 8.

And what are your expectations of this run?

I know it will be hard. And however it ends, it will be a surprise. But I know that doing this run will make me feel better.

A few words from coach Rio

Coach Rio is the running mentor of a diverse group of runners: Fernando Zobel, Karen Davila, Karylle, Marsha Gokongwei and Tricia Chiongbian, and, of course, his latest client, Piolo Pascual. 

After running with the national team and then racing on his own, he set up RunRio, a company that organizes running events.

On his visualization technique:

Iba-iba. If you want to get faster, you think na may humahabol sa ‘yo. Pero kung relaxed run, you just think of all the good things in your life.

On the changes running has brought to his life:

I started at around 10 or 11 years old. I had to run barefoot because I had no shoes. But now, Nike sponsors me, and I already have about 100 shoes.

On meeting Piolo:

Sa first meeting namin, parang may chemistry naman. Kahit sikat siya, he doesn’t act it.

On the benefits of running:

It’s a cheap sport. You don’t have to pay any gym fees, you can just run anywhere. You just need shoes, and if you don’t have that, you can still do it. I started running barefoot, which is fun to do.