Back to back runs

CEBU, Philippines – I promised myself I’ll try to take it easy and train only when there’s a big marathon coming up. But last Saturday, I jogged to the Cebu Provincial Capitol to watch the start of the EARTH RUN 2009 organized by the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. The run was to raise funds for the environmental protection projects of the foundation. But when I arrived at the Capitol, race organizer Maretes Alenton handed me a singlet and asked me to start the run. With my running buddies around, Atan, Jeson and Jerry Guardo, Joel Garganera, Mary Ann delos Santos and members of the Cebu Executive Runners Club, John Pages, Roy Trani, Dodong Sulatre, Ken Casquejo, Dr. Rosan Trani, Edgar Sanchez and Rening Ylaya, I was obliged. We ended up at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City. The next morning, I was at the starting line of the Altitude Run organized by the Sugbu Road Runners Club, participated mostly by the police trainees. I wanted to check the condition of the Kalunasan Hills, the same venue for the Arthro Cebu Mountain Trail Run on May 31. Despite being a bit tired running the day before, I finished the run although it was more of walking for me to avoid an injury, especially running in a trail route.

Takbong Pangarap

Some years back, a skinny girl approached me and asked for some tips on how to finish a 5-kilometer run. After hurdling the 5K, she was soon running in the 10K event. We lost track of each other and only see her once in a blue moon. Recently, she was in the limelight as the first Filipino woman to run a Trans Atlantic 5,000-kilometer Los Angeles to New York. Yes folks, Joy Rojas a former Philippine Inquirer journalist will attempt to finish the run dubbed “TAKBONG PANGARAP”, in 45 days. Oh yes, Joy joined us on one occasion when we ran the Araw ng Kagitingan Death March Ultra-Marathon. Well, Joy, just like when you first approach me for your first 5K, just believe you could fly.

Star Move With Air Run

The run is still on July 19 but the St. Theresa’s College Alumnae Association (STAA) Move with Air Run registration will start next week at the PSC office in the Cebu City Sports Center, STAA office at STC College and at the Athlete’s Foot at the Ayala Center Cebu. I’m amazed at the enthusiasm of the STAA Board in preparing the race early. Registration to the New York City Marathon ends in June, 6 months before the race. That’s the way to organize, take a bow, ladies!

Earth Run II

The PMAP Earth Run 2009 will push through as scheduled on May 10 at the Cebu Provincial Capitol. But it will now be non-competitive. It will also be participated mostly by members of the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) Visayas. President Chona Cejas decided to make it non-competitive so they could raise funds for the association’s projects like mangrove and tree planting. Some 200 runners from Ginebra San Miguel, Convergys, Lexmark, Mitsubishi, Taiyo Yuden and Timex have already registered. Organizer Flor Tangpus said the run is also open for individuals in corporations who want to support the event. For details please call Tel No. 420-3591. Entry fee is P150.00 inclusive of singlet.

Note:

My basketball buddy, hotshot Jing-Jing Rama, told me over breakfast that he admired the attitude of Bureau of Fire Department’s Hamilcar Amaya, a then off-duty fireman based in Balamban who was among the first to response to rescue operations on a Barangay bus that fell off Busay last week. Jing Jing said Amaya was following the bus when it met an accident Mayor Alex Binghay was happy to have people like Amaya in his fire department. – THE FREEMAN