Masters of the track

They maybe past their primes but just like wine they become better with age.  Yes, I'm talking about the oldies but "goldies" who will take center stage when the 1st Masters Athletics Invitational Championship fires off on Aug 10-11 at the Cebu City Sports Center.  Eighty-year old Raul Cepeda who only ran his first marathon two years ago said "We are joining the event because we want to show that it's never too late  to get into sports".  Also out to give younger competitors a run for their money is 77-year-old Rening Ylaya who is also a late bloomer, joining his first 10 kilometer run at age 60.  Other former athletes to watch are Hungarian discus thrower Lehel Racz now 74 years old and was Hungary's discus champion in 1957, 1996 Atlanta Olympian and 6-time Milo Marathon champion Roy Vence and the multi-titled Elma Muros Posadas.  Also joining are Sea Games gold medalists  John Lozada,Emerson Obiena, Ernie Candelario, Erlinda Lavandia, Renato Unso and former national team members, Manuel Oyao, Lerma Balauitan, Edgardo Pedregoza, Julio Bayaban, Edward Obviena and Elenita Punelas.  We invited Asia's former fastest woman Lydia De Vega  Mercado who is based in Singapore, but she said she has not run in ages and is overweight.  Host Cebu however, posed a stumbling block to the visitors bid, enjoying home count advantage.  Meaning, we could field participants in all 9 age groups. Rising to the challenge are former national junior 400m record holder , Al Solomon, Dr. Abe Manlawe, Raffy Osumo, Nemie and Tess Escacinas, Ireneo Illut, Honor Corpin, Edward Beronia, Relly Mercado, Ronilda Rodriguez, Tyrone Tan, Merlita Arias, Cynthia Arnaiz, Ruth Banzon, Al Geyrozaga, Jun Alfaro and Manila-based  Fredo Villarta and Zandro Juaneza.  Also suiting up for Cebu are American Dennis Scott and former IBP president, Atty. Mike Tan. Ireland's Francis Costgrave and Italian Gianluca Guidicelli are likewise seeing action.

 Schedule

Here's the schedule of the Games. Opening ceremonies will be on August 10 (Saturday) at 2pm but hostilities will start at 6:00am with the 5,000m run followed by 5,000m walk. Also on tap at 8:00am  are the 400m run, javelin and high jump.  After the opening, the 200m will start at 3pm.  Then the 1500m, shot put and long jump.  On Sunday, the 10,000m starts at 6:00 am followed by discus throw, triple jump, 800m, 100m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay and pole vault.  Registration is still ongoing at the PSC  office at the Cebu City Sports Center and at Runnr Ayala c/o Raffy Osumo.

Kim chiu, my therapist

If you recall I mentioned in my last column that I sprained my ankle while  jumping on the other side of the road to avoid flood water.  I landed on an uneven surface. So whom are you going to call? Sprainbusters of course.  Ever since I organized a run for the Philippine Association of Rehab Medicine (PARM), I have become close friends with all the best physiologists in Cebu especially Dr. Renaldo Ramiro, a runner himself and dean of Rehab Medicine at Cebu Doctors Hospital. Doc Renald has been treating me everytime I get injured.  Doc Ren sent me to VCMC rehab so I could also see their new building. The other day, I started my therapy which included ultrasound and to my surprise, I was assigned to Kim Chiu.  I didn't know Kim  was a physical therapist but anyway the pain  subsided when she started working on my ankle. However when she took my blood pressure it shot up.  I told her this is always the case when  I see pretty women.  Just in case you believe what I said, I lied Kim is a PT from Velez College and hails from Ormoc City.  Kimberly Chiu is the actress from Cebu who won the Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition  years back. 

Spirit of Wipro run

If you noticed I have not been visible in running events lately.  As I said I'm semi-retired and doing more Elvis gigs.  However, sometimes you can't  say no to friends. So when my technical director Precing Capangpangan asked me to assist him in managing a race, I said yes. WIPRO Philippines will hold its annual race on Sept. 29 at the Cebu Business  Park.  I will not be  around when the race happens as I will be leaving for the U.S.A soon  but I'm helping Precing this early for the preparation.  The other day, we met with Rex Bispo, senior Manager-Facilities Management  Group, Erica Roque HR  deputy manager and Jeffery Orbita and said the race will be exclusively for   their employees  and their families the run will have a 5km distance and a 3k loop around CBP  for kiddies 12 years under.  WIPRO is an outsourcing firm with these goals, Intensity to win:  A. make customers successful, team, innovate, excel. B. Act with sensitivity: respect  the Individual.

C. Thoughtful and responsible. Unyielding Integrity, delivering on commitments, honesty and fairness in action.