Good luck to Atan and other Cebu runners

CEBU - As I write this piece, the Atan Guardo Running Club is preparing to fly to Hong Kong for the annual Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon this Sunday, Feb. 8.

The leader of the group is no other than businessman and sportsman Atan Guardo with his brothers Sambag I Barangay Capt. Jerry and Jeson as his wingmen.

The Freeman’s columnist Raffy Uytiepo will run with the group together with ABS-CBN’s anchor Haydee Acuña. The others are Tinago Barangay Capt. Joel Garganera and Allan Delantar. Uni-Herb vice president Ed Ratilla and Genito Guardo will go with the group but will compete in the 10-K run.

Atan brings with him three of Cebu’s notable runners, the likes of Leizel Gitaruelas, Mendel Lopez and Brandon Pon. The three runners will run in the 21-K half-marathon where they have more than fair chances to win.

Frederick and Millette Chionbian plus Chris Aldeguer and his wife Nia will don the color of the Cebu Executive Runners Club. Frederick, Millette and Chris will run the full marathon while Nia will try her luck in the 10-K race.

According to Joel Garganera, the group’s initial plan was to run in the 21-K. All that changed after Atan called Joel in the middle of night saying they are running the full marathon instead. Joel said he hasn’t slept tight since that call.

During the press conference, I asked if the group if they are prepared to run uphill as the Hong Kong marathon is famous for those overpasses and Joel said they had numerous uphill runs.

I got a little emotional, during the press conference, when Atan said that they are calling the run “Ironman” in memory of Ronnie Orap-Orap and Manuel Laurente who died in a car accident last week.

Reminds me of my former boss, Dr. Amos Koh, who died during a 10-K run in Jeddah in 1999. This good man, who has been running, all his life fell while running. As he would usually do during runs, Dr. Koh stayed behind after answering the starting gun. The rest of the runners went off and those who had ran with him thought he was okay.

He was not.

He had a heart attack. He lay on the road struggling for his breath for minutes. Finally, the first batch of returning runners discovered his lifeless body. They tried to call an ambulance but he has already expired.

Dr. Koh’s body had to pass by our office before it was flown to Singapore. With tears streaming down my cheek, I went to the car and I bid goodbye to a box containing his body! That was all I could do that time…

Now back to the runners.

Joel said that they would finish the race no matter what…even if they have to crawl to the finish. I think the challenge isn’t about finishing the race; it would be the cut-off time of 5:30. Atan, however, is optimistic because he said he and the group have prepared hard for this.

To Atan and the rest of the Cebuano runners, good luck!

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Belated happy b-day to Atty. Jinggo Quijano. When I learned it was his b-day I tried to call but then he texted me back and said he’s attending a mass! May you have many more b-days in the years to come, sir!

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