Nike team reunion

The highly-success-ful Cebu City Marathon brought a lot of experiences and stories. It was also a reunion of sorts for the legendary Nike Running Team, the country’s winningest, with 12 consecutive crowns in the PAL Manila Marathon. Arriving in Cebu for the CCM, were six-time Milo Marathon champion and Atlanta Olympian Roy Vence, two-time PAL Manila Marathon champion Rey Antoque and Sea Games Marathon champion Allan Ballester. Antoque and Ballester assisted technical officials headed by coach Rio Dela Cruz who provided the Championchips. It brought back memories of our team which dominated the running scene in the 90s. In 1988, Nike distributor former Tourism secretary Tony Gonzalez, asked me it I could form a competitive team for the PAL Manila Marathon. I told Tony if we have the support like racing shoes, gears vitamins, food and accommodation, I could whip not only a competitive team but a champion squad. Tony gave the green light so I went back to Iloilo to pick three-time Milo Marathon champion and two-time Boston Marathon veteran Jimmy Dela Torre, Herman Suizo, who would soon become the national marathon record holder and a Barcelona Olympian, 1987 Pilipinas International Marathon Filipino champion Arturo Angel, and Magnolia 20K champion Alvin Miraflores from Manapla, Negros Occidental and with yours truly as running coach and team captain. That year, we won the team championship blasting such teams as Botak Puma and the mighty Navy, bannered by Primo Ramos and Wilfredo Ballester. It was the first of six Running Club championChip. The other members of the Running Club Team are Seoul Olympian Hector Begeo, former 10,000 meters national record holder Mario Castro, another Milo Marathon titlist Dany Daniela and Cristituto Cañete as back-up. The team also captured the women’s title with nine-time Milo Marathon queen Arsenia Sagaray and another champion Jona Gayumba (now Atienza). With this high powered arsenal, how could we lose?.

MASTERS TEAM

The Nike Master Team was equally devastating. While our Running Club Team won six titles, the Masters also annexed six crowns. The team was also an All-Visayan squad composed of Ruth Banzon, Marcos Pelare, Imoy Pelare, Expedito Mahilum of Cadiz City and Carlos Aguila. So powerful were the two Nike Teams that other clubs during interviews would say “We are just playing for second place” well guys it was nice seeing you again.

Marathon Stories

The day after the Cebu City Marathon, I received several text messages from runners thanking us for the tips and inspiration that made them finish the marathon. Of course you already heard the heroic accomplishments of my “tokayo” Raffy Osumo and his three companions who finished last in the race. Before the marathon, I kidded Raffy that the shoes I gave him never failed me, meaning it will carry him to the finish line. I also told him how I finished the Singapore Marathon without long runs at all. My buddy Allan Delantar said he was able to shave two hours from our Singapore Marathon stint. Allan was among the last finishers, clocking 8 hours and 40 minutes after practically crawling most of the way. Allan also did not finish the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon last year arriving at the finish line in an ambulance. Haide Acuña finally listened to my advise of starting slow, chipping 30 minutes off her time in the Quezon City International Marathon. To all of you that we inspired, your victory is ours too.

No, Not Again

Just when I was scheduling my vacation to places where I would just sit, eat and sleep, guess what? I’m booked to direct five races in the first 5 months of the year. As I mentioned earlier the Rotary 15K Run will be on February 21 at the SM City. Then Dr. Mitty Ygaña and June Chiongbian hand-cuffed me to direct the Quota International 12K Run on March 7 at the Terraces. Then Waterfront Hoel GM Hembler Mendoza issued a subpoena for Nonoy Jopson and me to direct the Great Lapu-Lapu Run 2 on April 18 that promises to be bigger. In between Stephen Tankaway of Parklane Hotel and Gatorade’s Chad Oliva also set meetings to discuss their proposed runs. I’m now thinking of seeing cosmetic surgeon Dr. Susan Verallo so she could change my face and give me some rest.