Sports 101 - Running

Cebu - True or false? Sportswriters are experts in the sport or events that they write about. I hate to put all of us on the spot, but that’s something we need to ask ourselves. Are we just mere writers of what happens or do we go beyond this and tackle everything that goes with the sport?

All of us sportswriters have our own favorite sport, regardless of whether or not we actually know how to play it. When Bleacher Talk writes about events such as basketball, boxing, badminton, football (soccer) or baseball, we’re pretty confident with what we write since we have first hand knowledge and experience about how the game is played from both a competitive or leisure aspect. But then the world of sports is more than that, isn’t it?

With this, the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC) went back to school. It was time to “sharpen the saw” and know more about the events that we cover, analyze, write about and pass on to our readers. For those who want to become excellent writers, covering sports events doesn’t mean only writing about what happened where and when, but we also have the responsibility of bringing our knowledge of the game to a higher level. We shouldn’t just know the sport per se. We also need to know everything that goes with it. At the end of the day, we’re responsible for passing all of these to our readers in the form of well-written sports stories. So far, the SAC has had hands-on lessons in golf, karting, mixed martial arts, and arnis. Basketball is already a given since we’ve already played in a number of friendly games as a team.

The latest thrust? Running! Well, ok, it was more like jogging and walking. But the sport is still officially called running. And so off we were at the sound of the gun at yesterday’s Mizuno Asia Miles Sinulog Half Marathon. Half marathon? As in 21K? Well yes, and no. The official race was the half marathon, but we didn’t take part in that. We joined the more manageable 5K fun run that went along with the center-piece 21K run. It was immersion, OJT or reality TV all in one, with us sportswriters competing in an event right beside the people who we write about.

For starters, we know that runners are probably the most socially disciplined and “behaved” athletes. After all, with a call time of 5am, one can’t afford to be up all night before a race. Just like other sports, running instils a lot of discipline in one. Going to bed early to wake up early the following day is not the norm for all and so sacrifice is crucial.

Seeing all the different runners with their pre-race rituals is another chapter by itself. While we thought that warming up would be simple and basic, it seemed like everyone had his or her own routine in preparing for the run. Everything from stretching, slow jogs and sprints were being done near the starting line. The others were just barely waking up.

A race is the only other legal place to fire a gun, and so they did. Since the organizing CERC has a running judge who’ll volunteer to take care of the illegal possession case if ever it was filed, they fired the gun twice, once for the 21K and the next for the 5K. A third time would’ve been for someone breaking out of BBRC if it was still there. But don’t worry, the gun was a safe one.

We’ve read about how runners maintain a pace throughout a race with the goal of winning or simply finishing. Easier said than done! The mind sets the pace but the body can’t respond. It is thus crucial to know one’s personal capabilities and limits so that the correct pace is applied. One of the best pacing tactics is to follow a runner who you feel is on the same pace as yours. You can follow him and if you happen to pass him, you look for another runner up ahead to run with.

Studying the race course before the race also helps. Maxi Maximo laid out a picture perfect display of the race course on pabol.com and there we were already imagining how the run would take place as if we were on a simulator. Knowledge of the course aids one (especially the serious runners) in plotting a pace for specific sections of the race. This includes what to do in the downhill or uphill portions of the race and knowing where to shift into high gear when the race gets close.

One of the great things about calling the 5K a fun run is that it’s just that: fun. Participants from all walks of life were there, but they weren’t there to race against the top runners of Cebu . They were out to have fun while finishing the total distance of the race, regardless of how fast or how slow they did it. A plus side was how the organizers turned themselves into the biggest supporters of all these “ordinary” runners (such as the SAC team), cheering them on and encouraging them to keep on going. No foes here now, are there?

So will it now be running for us? One of the biggest advantages of running over any other sport is that it’s the easiest to learn. In fact, we all already know how to run, don’t we? It’s also the most basic form of cardio exercise since it’s aerobic in nature. In other words, it’s the easiest way to get in shape! What are you waiting for? Pick up those old rubber shoes now, (some are more specific: running shoes) and you’re literally off and running.

See you at the next 5K, ok?

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Time-out: Pit Senyor to all! You can reach me at [email protected]. – THE FREEMAN