CEBU, Philippines - Students of Sisters of Mary School-Boystown are all set for the JPD Coaching Fun Run early morning today at the Boystown complex in Tungkop, Minglanilla.
The five-kilometer category is for boys and girls 14 years and under, while the 10K is for boys 15-above ony.
Aside from the 1,600 Boystowners, also seeing action are 50 students from the Girlstown and some teachers and nuns running the SMS.
JPD Coaching headed by Cebuana Olympic marathoner Mary Joy Tabal and her coach John Philip Dueñas decided to organize the fun run upon the suggestion of SMS Boystown local superior, Sister Emelan Lee.
Lee wanted to promote long distance running among their students because Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz, the founder of the Congregations of the Sisters of Mary and Brothers of Christ, which runs the Sisters of Mary schools, was a marathon enthusiast.
Lee wants their students, who come from underprivileged families from all over the country, to embrace marathon because they can learn life's lessons through the sport.
“Life is like a marathon, it is a long way. There’s challenges and U turns, detours, uphills and downhills, but you need to finish,” said Sister Lee.
Lee also wanted their students to realize that marathon is indeed a sport and not merely a jogging and a running activity that they are made to do for penance.
JPD Coaching is holding running clinics at the school as part of its sports community outreach initiated by University of the Visayas talent scout Van Halen Parmis.
Trophies will be given to the top three winners and medals for the second up to the 10th finishers. They will also get certificates.
The event is supported by Milo, Motorace-Kawasaki, Flame It and Smart Communications. (FREEMAN)