CEBU - I’m sort of running out of adjectives to describe last Saturday’s Mizuno-Asia Miles Sinulog Half-Marathon. But anyway you call it, the event means just one word “success”. Pressed for time after participating in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon last December, the Cebu Executive Runners Club(CERC), organizers of the run, thought of postponing it for a week. But ASAP’s Meyrick and Perl Jacalan, marketing arm of the event, said we have to stick to tradition. Runners from all over the country look forward to the run during the Sinulog Festival so they could savor the celebration after the race. Also one reason why there were many foreign as well as “balikbayan” runners. Well, the turnout was fantastic. We have to turn down last minute registrants after we hit 1,200. Everything went smoothly, even the weather cooperated. Sto Niño surely loves CERC.
NEW RECORD
Last year the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) sanctioned the race thus the winners Leszl Gitaruelas and Elmer Bartolo were declared record holders for the distance(21K). This year, a gritty lass from Zamboanga City Mary Grace Delos Santos borrowed money for fare expenses to steal Leszl’s crown. Delos Santos clocked 2:27.98 to eclipsed Leszl’s national record of 2:28.05. Last November, I was in Cagayan de Oro City to run in the Milo Marathon leg there. In the half way mark, a wayward 10-wheeler truck hit the motorcycle escort of the leading female runner. The motorcycle that was thrown a few meters away also hit the runner that turned out to be Delos Santos. Delos suffered a cut at the back of her head but still continued running. (If I were the race director I would have not allowed her to continue.) With blood dripping from the wound, she went on to win the race, collapsing at the finish line. She was rushed to the hospital and had a “bonus” of five stitches on top of her P10,000 prize money. The motorcycle escort, a teacher from a CDO College, was not so lucky, he died. Back to Cebu, the male division also had a new champion in another Davao runner Angelito Sibayan who clocked 1:13:01 to relegate last year’s champion Bartolo to third place in 1:14:38. Bacolod City’s Rene Desuyo led from the start and looked a cinch to win the race until Sibayan overtook him in the last 2 kilometers. Cebu’s Rogelio Reli, many-time Milo Marathon Cebu leg champion settled for fourth in 1:14:41 with Southwestern University’s John Philip Dueñas pocketing fifth in 1:16:51. On the other hand, Leszl timed 1:32:29 to place second while Madelyn Carter wound up third in 1:34:43.
Take a bow ladies and gentlemen!
I would like to congratulate my club the CERC for a job well done, especially the water stations which I rated a perfect 10. Of course to the sponsors Mizuno, Asia Miles, Mazda, Waterfresh, Arthro, Sportsade, Holiday Gym & Spa, The Freeman, Y101, Philamlife, AdrenalineX, Seiko Service Center, ERUF, SRP Bikers and the Philippine Sports Commission and to those whose names escaped us for the moment, Daghang Salamat and Pit Senyor! And oh yes, to the CERC headed by Jesse Taborada (who lost his voice, napagaw during the race, more power!
Inner Circle
New York-based Cebuano Joe Custodio blew into town last week to join the Sinulog Festival. The last time Joe was in Cebu, was some 15 years ago. Joe brought me some stuff given by my sister Eloise and husband Alex. Joe has a band in New York called Inner Circle named after the defunct disco club near White Gold. Alex who used to be general manager of Pepsi Davao plays bass guitar with the group Joe has invited me to join the band if ever I decide to go to the Big Apple. Joe’s wife Bing said they have an Elvis impersonator among her Filipino community, but that he wore a mask. So Bing has invited me to sing as Elvis (minus the mask) during their club’s anniversary in September. My brother Dr. Jun Uytiepo who is also based in New York has offered to send me a plane ticket and even volunteered to register me in the New York City Marathon in November. I’ll think whether to sing or run. But on second thought I might sing “New York, New York”. Dr. Jun said “indi na Elvis, that’s Frank Sinatra”. (THE FREEMAN)