Mountain Trail Run

Not even the threat of a typhoon could stop the close to 300 runners that trekked to the hills of Kalunasan when the third edition of the Cebu Mountain 8K Trail Run fired off Sunday.

Rains brought about by the typhoon Domeng had me in a dilemma whether to push through, with the race or postpone it. But deep inside I know the heart of a runner, he likes the rain. So come rain or shine the runners answered the starter's run fired by technical director Precing Capangpangan. Just before the start I told Adonis Singson to go for the grandslam having won the DYAB Circulan 10K and the ACO 10K run the past two Sundays.

However I was also apprehensive that Singson will "burn out". True enough, the tough terrain proved too much as succumbed to another fast-rising young runner Eugene Delposo. Delposo clocked 32:41 to frustrate Singson who settled for second in 33:15. Miljone Luterte pocketed third in 34:00.

Deposed champion Mendel Lopez,another fatigued runner could only manage fourth in 34:46.Ireland's former best mountain runner and a Kota Kinabalu Climbathon veteran Francis Costgrave took sixth place in 34:52.In the distaff side,defending champion Leszl Getaruelas had only Joeyry Lee and Merlita Arias to contend with as Christy Sevilleno was still in Nueva Ejica for the National Open.

Leszl pocketed the title in 39:01 while Lee and Arias occupied second and third places in 40:37 and 42:12 respectively. Pearl Beronia wound up fourth in 46:33 while Jennifer Montero timed 48:17 to settle to fifth.

Timex Running Club headed by It Del Rosario and Alfred Signe fielded the most number of runners as usual although It said they had more participants last year as some members shifted to other sports like badminton. Other clubs represented were Cebu Executive Runners, A2Z, Cebu Road Runners, Danao, Toledo, Lapu-Lapu, Energizer and the Sight First Clinics of Dr. Yong Larrazabal who announced the staging of the Cebu Doctors Anniversary Run in August.

A Million Thanks

It has become a routine but sponsors are the bloodline of any activity and without them, events will have a hard time taking off. We would like to thank the Philippine Sports Commission through chair Butch Ramirez.

Skygo Motorcycles of Mario King who also provided the race officials' uniforms and Lilio Lim who always provide Waterfresh Purified Drinking Water and the addictive Ben Café Brazilian Coffee, Andot Sabal's favorite.

Thanks to Pepsi Cola through Chad Oliva for the Gatorade and Pepsi Max,Tinong's Bakery for the bread,Rocky Mountain Sports of Erwin Choachuy for the canvas shoes,Energizer for the flashlights and The Freeman and Banat dailies under Boy Mendoza.Salamat gid to Mackmayer Printers of Caroline Cagang who recently expanded in Cagayan de Oro, All Season Marketing and Ultimate Solutions under Billy Tan, the most improved CERC runner.

Thank you also to ERUF,Cebu City Sports Center through Ricky Ballesteros, the race officials under Precing, Audie and Lerma of the PSC and Mike Gilligan, American-Filipino (AMFIL) for the trophies and Casa Ilongga for the race numbers.

How could I forget the excellence assistance of the people of Kalunasan especially Ipot and Violy Inocian and the brothers Cano and Jun Abapo and to all whose names escape us for the moment, DAGHANG SALAMAT. By the way I would like to greet pretty Jollibee Robinson's personnel Tintin Sumayang,a Penelope Cruz dead ringer,a very Happy Birthday today. Sayang I can't attend the blowout. Utang ha?