Green

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’ve always associated myself with the color green. Green is “the color of my favorite team in the NBA, the Boston Celtics and my local team, UV Lancers.”

It’s also the color of money (Green Bucks). One of my favorite songs is “Green Grass” by Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Currently playing in movie houses is Green Lantern. 

Hey, why are we suddenly talking about green? Well, it’s because on Sunday (July 10), the Animo La Salle 12K Run fires off at the Cebu International Convention Center.

The run is being held to celebrate La Salle’s 100 years presence in the Philippines. Since we don’t have a La Salle school here in Cebu City, De La Salle (ASMC) Toledo City under its current alumni president Vic Reyes, acted as spark plug to organize the race.

Actually, Vic and I planned this run last year yet and we’re glad we’ve timed it at the right moment when La Salle marks its centennial.

Other officers of La Salle Toledo include Carmen Copper (ATLAS), top honcho Kokoy Cal, Joy Desuyo, Xenia Marti, and Fats Ramas. Among its products are The Freeman’s Nimrod Quiñones and Rico Navarro. 

During our press conference held at Robinsons Place Activity Center (thanks to Momot Irizari, Alnie Estrada and Elaine Lasam), One La Salle Alumni Association represented by Bobby Martinez and Jay Melasa joined us to show their support.

La Sallians Dave Karamihan, Niño Bascon and Gerry Malixi couldn’t make it.

Everybody knows Cebu is Ateneo country, but La Salle is slowly making its presence felt. I come from La Salle Bacolod where my classmates include P.O.C. Chairman Monico Puentevella and PSC Chairman Richie Garcia, Francis Gaston and the two Negros Occidental former governors Lito Coscolluela and Bitay Lacson.

Other notable personalities from La Salle Bacolod are Peque Gallaga, Joel Torre, PJ Abellana and Ronnie Lazaro.

Right here in Cebu, we have Bidoy Aldeguer and John Pages. Now that we have started the ball rolling, we are expecting a bigger race next year and also now that “sanib pwersa na kami”. 

The champions in the 12K category will receive P5,000, the second placers P3,000 and the third placers P2,000. In the 6K category, the first placers take home P3,000, the second placers P2,000 and the third placers P1,000. 

Registration is now in full swing at RUNNR Ayala, Casa Ilongga Robinsons and the Cebu City Sports Center. Distribution of race packets will be on July 7, 2:00 to 7:30 pm at the Activity Center of Robinsons Place Fuente Osmeña. By the way, Manang Krizanta wailed “ Hoy, apil ko ana ha, naa baya ko’y dugong verde.” 

Fit & Fab 15K run

Registration to the Fit & Fab 15K Run which blasts off on July 17 at the Gaisano Country Mall parking lot is starting to pick up. The charming Charmine Suson, store operations manager said the race is indeed a treat for runners, what with the P200 worth of groceries and a singlet costing P150 as give-aways for your P350 entry fee.

Some early birds include four Japanese, two Germans and an American.

Despite 13 races in July, Charmine still believes the run could draw a good number of participants because of the goodies. Registration is now ongoing at RUNNR Ayala, Casa Ilongga Robinsons Place, Gaisano Country Mall and at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Singlets

When running was unheard of in Cebu in the late 80s, (there were only 2 or 3 races a year) singlets, we’ll call it T-shirts then, were only given if you finish the race. We were proud then to walk around with it. Not all also get the singlets, sometimes it was only for the first 200 finishers.

But at present, it’s a sad story. Runners (sometimes they don’t look like one) select the best looking singlet being displayed like fishes in a specialty shoe store. Now, it’s not the race that counts anymore but how the singlets look. One of the questions I always hear is “Nindot ang singlet?” 

I’m planning to put up a shop where runners could just buy the singlet and don’t even have to run. That’s how running values have deteriorated. (FREEMAN)