I was suppose to blog the upcoming Run BGC 2011 for November 27 but thought about writing something on Coach Rio’s newest venture first, his new running store cum cafe cum shower room, cum everything else, the RIOVANA. There will be a soft opening this afternoon, the affair will be low-key and will showcase many running products not readily available at other running stores.
The first of many shops Coach Rio plans to open is located along 28th Street, corner 9th (near Honda) at BGC, site where many races start their runs and based on the interiors which was being hastily spruced up last night, it looks spacious and swanky that will surely attract runners when it comes to life.
Riovana will surely be the next gathering of runners. Consider that every Thursday evening at 6:00pm anywhere from 50 to 60 runners gather at A Running Circle (ARC) along Roxas Blvd. and not just to buy shoes and gear. ARC is the starting point for a weekly 5 to 15k runs so think about the BHS running crowd with the hundreds of runners training around the BGC at any given day (or night). It will be the ideal meet-up of running groups, an information or registration center for races and when buying your shoes, you get the knowledge of experts who’ll give advice to your every need as a runner.
I heard that they’ll provide locker rooms and shower facilities for runners who want to freshen-up after a run, for a fee, of course. It will also be a venue for running clinics and race launches and those who want to take a quick bite, they’ll serve some coffee, drinks and other delectable snacks.
With Jaimie Liu and Cooach Rio
The store’s tagline reads, “The Sole of Running”. But there’s more than putting pun out of a tagline. Coach Rio has been serving the needs of runners through the mostly excellent races he organizes, to running clinics that he conducts and to the products that he endorses which says a lot about his credibility and the trust people put into him. A top flight runner himself, he’s always in the offensive line of running success and serves in just about any imaginable capacity to keep the local running community going strong.
The guy with the afro hair is the core of the present running community. He is the SOUL of running. Peace, brother!
It's raining at Riovana!
JAZZRUNNER 