Stop smoking, join 'Kick the Habit' run

MANILA, Philippines - Aimed at encouraging chronic smokers to stop smoking through running, the first Kick the Habit Fun Run unfolds on Nov. 14 around the Newport City commercial and residential complex inside the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

“With 17 million smokers in the country, we hope that our event will raise public awareness of this pressing health issue and encourage them to quit by running,” said RunnerSpeak host and race organizer Ronald delos Reyes in yesterday’s PSA forum at the Shakey’s UN Avenue branch in Manila.

Joining him in the session sponsored by Shakey’s, Pagcor and Outlast battery was co-promoter and Blue Magnet Marketing Solutions marketing director Rommel Bobiles, himself a smoker who used to consume at least six packs of cigarettes a day.

“Thanks to running, we’re now down to much less than that daily,” said Bobiles, “and eventually we want to ultimately quit and kick the habit.”

Bobiles said that he teamed up with the host of the popular running and lifestyle television show “because we believe that running is an ideal vehicle for our advocacy in urging many Filipinos to give up their nicotine fix.”

So unlike other road races, both said that the participants in the men’s and women’s 3K and 5K races will not be going for winning times.

Instead, runners will be paired off with smokers, who will be coaxed to end their respective races since their arms are tied to each other.

“”Every smoker who wants to quit needs the support of friends and family for him to be able to reach the goal towards a smoke-free life,” both Delos Reyes and Bobiles said. “This is something we want to promote with the 1st Kick the Habit Run.”

There will also be a be a group category for runners who can form a team of four members each, they added.

Among the celebrities who credit running for kicking the cigarette habit is actor-magician Bearwin Meily, who will also be vying in the event, Delos Reyes said.

He said that those interested can still register at the North Face store at the SM North Annex, R.O.X at Bonifacio High Street inside the Fort in Taguig City, all Fitness First branches and Time Depot at the SM Mall of Asia.