SAC joins Sinulog half-marathon

CEBU - The organizers of the Mizuno-Asia Miles Sinulog 21K Half-Marathon are extending up to 3 pm today, the registration for the race – due to insistent public demand!

Runners may please proceed to Sug-angan Restaurant along J. Llorente Street (in front of High Precision Diagnostic Center) to register. Look for Jesse Taborada, if he’s not around, just ask assistance from anyone there.

I wouldn’t blame running enthusiasts for insisting to join this race. Aside from being a PATAFA sanctioned event and a Sinulog sideshow, some of the big names will be competing.

As of this writing, Cresencio Sabal, an RP Team member, the runaway winner of the Holiday Spa 10-Miler is coming to challenge defending champion Elmer Bartolo. I also received a text message that Cifranreadel Indapan of Bukidnon will also run. Bad news for local boys but Mendel Lopez, Eugene and Joel Delposo, Rogelio Reli, and the promising John Philip Duenas of SWU are ready to defend the fort.

In the women’s division, Mary Grace Delos Santos from Zamboanga will try to beat Liezel Getaruelas one more time. Liezel, however, is preparing for the HK Marathon so I’d expect that she’ll be looking for a perfect send-off.

Madeline Carter isn’t always mentioned in the same breath with the big guns but she could spring a surprise anytime, thus Delos Santos and Getaruelas better keep an eye on her. Then there’s youngster Mary Jean Beboso, a talented runner, who is just bidding her time to hit the headlines.

The last but not least is Millette Chiongbian. I gathered that she’s in tiptop shape as she too is preparing for the Hong Kong Marathon. If her time in the Singapore is an indication, then she’s the dark horse in the women’s division.

There’s another group of runners to watch. They are the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC) who will be running in the 5K race in their basketball jerseys.

Those who signed up include Rico Navarro and Goldie Lebumfacil of The Freeman; Mike Limpag, Marian Baring and Calvin Cordova of Sun Star; Jun Migallen of Super Balita; Rick Gabuya, Iste Sesante-Leopoldo and Jonas Panerio of Cebu Daily News.

John Pages, our president, Raffy Uytiepo and me would love to run with SAC but we’ll be running in the 21K so we’ll rendezvous with the group after the race.

Among SAC runners, Jonas has a special assignment and that is to escort Vickie Yue of Asia Miles! Goldie is running with an escort too but she’s not disclosing his name. Calvin, if he has his way, would like to run side-by-side with some ERUF nurses. Jun “Junmigs” Migallen will give it a try and I won’t be surprised if he breaks away from the pack, just like what he has done in the hard court.

Rico Navarro, who suggested this activity, said the group’s main goal is finish the race by running, jogging, walking, skipping, jumping, rolling, crawling…in one piece!

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Special thanks to Atan Guardo, SportsAde and SRP Bikers for supporting the Mizuno-Asia Miles 21K Half-Marathon. Guardo donated funds for the race, SportsAde will provide rehydration drinks in the 10K mark and at the finish line, while the SRP Bikers will help with traffic.

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