On the run in the beautiful island
Fun runs
Aboitiz Race to Reduce Challenge 2010 times now out
Aug 23rd
The Aboitiz Race to Reduce Challenge finish times have now been released. The event is unique in the Philippines because it is the first time that race organizers printed in a newspaper all the names of runners and their finish times.
The use of timing chips allowed organizers to quickly compile the results of 10K and 21K runners and publish it in Sun.Star Cebu. In the 5K and 3K categories, only the names are published.
What do the different columns mean?
1.) Finish time is the total time it took you to cross the finish line since gunstart. If you are at the back, your finish time will be some seconds longer than your chip time or official time.
2.) Chip time is your official time. It is the time it took you to complete the race from the time you stepped on the mat to the time you crossed the finish line.
3.) 5KM and 10KM columns. These are the times it took you to reach these turning points.
If you have comments or corrections, leave them as comments to this post and we will contact the organizers in your behalf.
Bontol, Igaña top University Run doctors’ category
Aug 18th
Doctors Raymund Reel Bontol and Humility Igaña topped last Sunday’s medical category in the well-attended 5th University Run at the Cebu Doctors’ University at the North Reclamation Area. Bontol, who is part of the Cebu-based Team Reborn competing in Sunday’s CamSur Ironman 70.3, and Igaña are both members of the Ungo Runners, a group of running enthusiasts that run every Friday night.
DOC MITTY. Humility Igaña won last Sunday’s medical women’s category in the 5th University Run. CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE. (PHOTO BY RAMIE IGAÑA)Bontol set a new personal record in topping the 10K Medical Men’s category, finishing the race in 42:38. At 2nd place was Dr. Harem Dieparine with a time of 45:30 while Dr. Mark Anthony Longinas finished 3rd with a time of 49:43. Rounding up the top 10 are: 4th Jo Banjo (50:47); 5th Renald Ramiro (58:24); 6th Ryan Jubal (1:02:33); 7th Andrei Yu (1:02:22); 8th Questor Nodalo (1:05:04); 9th Philip Larrazabal (1:06:21); and 10th Paul Go (1:11:17).
Igaña, meanwhile, topped the field of women doctors by finishing her 10K race in 1:01:31. Roslyn Yu was 2nd with a time of 1:02:23; Loy Tan was 3rd with a time of 1:06:20, Catherine Ti was 4th with a time of 1:07:27, while Ma. Victoria Larrazabal was 5th with a time of 1:13:10.
The Men’s 10K was dominated, as expected, by Kenyan Simon Losiaboi who breezed through the route in 32:16. He was followed by Arnold Unabia at 2nd place who finished in 33:13 and Alvirg Busa at 3rd who finished in 33:56.
In the Women’s 10K, Madelyn Carter topped the race by finishing the distance in 39:45. Jojielyn Pepito was 2nd with a time of 40:33 while Aiza Suaybaguio was 3rd with a time of 42:01. Rounding up the top 10 are 4th Lohriz Echavez (43:01); 5th Rosas Emily (49:39); 6th Melinda Ponce (50:48); 7th Angel Olis (50:56); 8th Donna Cruz (50:07); 9th Jane Ong (51:26) and 10th Florence Mata (51:29).
5th University Run offers personalized race bibs for first 500 registrants
Jul 22nd
The first 500 registrants to the Cebu Doctors’ University’s (CDU) flagship race, the University Run, on August 15 will get personalized race bibs, organizers announced in a press conference Tuesday night.
This is the first time that a race in Cebu, even possibly in the country, will allow registrants to specify what is printed in their race bibs.
PERSONALIZED RACE BIB. Organizer Dr. Potenciano “Yong” Larrazabal III with a sample of the personalized race bib that will be assigned to the first 500 registrants of the 5th University Run on August 15. CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE (PHOTO BY MAX LIMPAG)Dr. Potenciano “Yong” Larrazabal III, a marathoner who has been recognized by the Sportswriters Association of Cebu for his contribution to running, said the first 500 people to register for the run can specify what combination of letters and numerals would be printed in their race bibs. Larrazabal said the bib has room for 6 letters or digits.
He said that in races abroad, personalized race bibs are only reserved for elite runners.
If you still haven’t registered, however, you should do it now because there were already about 100 registrants on Tuesday night. Registration fee is P250 but students need only to pay P200. Registration areas are in Larrazabal’s Center for Sight clinic in Cebu Doctors’ Hospital, Nike Athletic Club in the Banilad Town Center and CDU.
The race distances are 3K, 5K and 10K. There are separate categories for students and CDU alumni.
Semantics
Jul 21st
Organizers of the Pilipinas International Marathon (PIM) are standing their ground. Not only are they not going to reschedule their event, which, admittedly, is understandable, they insist that a 25-kilometer race, by Patafa diktat, is a marathon. Pataka (nonsense).
“It is already accepted worldwide, even by the International Association of Marathons; they also accepted that they can use marathon as their ‘lingo’ if it goes beyond 21K and there is a 25K marathon,” International Pharmaceuticals Inc. advertising manager Tito Dela Merced was quoted as saying in a Sun.Star Cebu report on Saturday.
The debate on the use of the term might be getting tiresome but it is necessary. Standards are important for any sport. They are the foundation for records on which we gauge performances. A key component of any set of standards is the correct usage of technical terms.
University Run or Pilipinas International Marathon?
Jul 17th
(This article was written by Bro. Carlo Bacalla, an ultra-marathoner who placed 17th in this year’s Bataan Death March 102-kilometer ultra-marathon.)
I just recently came back from a meeting in Bangkok and Vientiane (Laos). In Laos I had the chance to see the stadium where the 2009 SEA Games were held. It brought back to mind that bad image of the Philippines sending two separate delegations of athletes from two warring groups named PSC and POC. We know the victims when conflicts exist among our sports officials.
This is my take on the controversy brought about by one sports headline which reads “Two major runs in Cebu in 1 day.” At first I was excited that Pilipinas International Marathon (PIM) is being organized in Cebu. I thought it’s a revival of a famous foot race in Manila in the 80s. I ran 4 times in the Pilipinas Marathon between 1988 to 1992. But it was a standard 42.195 km. I posted my personal best time of 3:45 in one of these races. But my excitement turned sour when I realized it’s a sub-standard 25 km race scheduled on August 15, the same day of the University Run which was announced and posted in the Facebook prior to the PIM.
So where to run when 2 runs happen in 1 day?
Why I’m joining the CDU University Run
Jul 7th
Dr. Yong Larrazabal’s disappointment was palpable during our phone conversation.
The eye surgeon and marathoner had purposely announced in advance in Facebook the date for Cebu Doctors’ University’s flagship running event, the University Run, to inform other race organizers and avoid another conflict in race schedules.
CDU RUN. Dr. Yong Larrazabal helped make running a mainstream sport in Cebu City with his annual University Run and monthly Run for Sight. Click on photo to enlarge image. (FOTO TAKEN FROM RUN FOR SIGHT’S FACEBOOK PAGE)The run, which serves as opening of CDU’s Intramurals, was scheduled way ahead, when activities in the school’s academic calendar were determined.
University Run organizers coordinated schedules with other race directors to make sure that they would not hold their runs on the same day. But late last week, the buzz started spreading among runners in Facebook—another race has been scheduled on Aug. 15, the date of the 5th CDU University Run.
It’s a 25K international “marathon,” an oxymoron that should serve as warning. Runners know that you only use the word marathon to describe a race that is 42.195 kilometers long. There are no shorter “marathons.”
The Pilipinas 25K International Marathon is backed by International Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPI) and organized by Joe Deresas, an affable man who was in charge of two of the most problematic races I’ve joined.
Ungo runners to hold first Sunday long run
Jun 19th
In last night’s weekly Friday Night Run, the ungo runners of CebuRunning decided to hold its first ever long slow distance (LSD) group run tomorrow passing the three bridges of Metro Cebu: the old Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge and the newly-opened Cansaga Bay Bridge.
As with regular ungo runs, there are two distances, to accommodate newbies who are still not able to cover the distance of the main route. These are 30K and 12K (but with option to extend a few more kilometers for the latter). Interactive map available at the end of this article.
MACTAN BRIDGE. Tomorrow, ungo runners will run the 3 bridges in Metro Cebu including the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge (above). (CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE FLICKR PAGE OF STORM CRYPT)The 30K group will be led by Kenneth Casquejo and will start from the Capitol at exactly 4 a.m. They will head to Mandaue City and the 3 bridges through Escario St., Archbishop Reyes Ave. then to A.S. Fortuna St. If you’re late, try catching up with them at those locations.
The 30K group will end its run at the Asiatown IT Park. If you’re driving, it’s best that you park there.
The 12K group will be led by ungo runners and Sun.Star Running Club muse Mitch So, the Sun.Star Cebu executive editor and Sun.Star Superbalita editor in chief, and company. The assembly area is at the Shell gasoline station on A.C. Cortes Ave., near the University of Cebu campus. We will start and end at the Shell station. Assembly time is at 4:30 a.m.
The 30K group will rendezvous with the 12K group at the Shell station.
Close Osmeña Blvd. early morning Sundays
Jun 16th
It was serial marathoner Joel Garganera who first raised the proposal. In the middle of one of the weekly Friday night runs that start from the Sun.Star Cebu office, he talked about the need for Cebu City Hall to make the city’s streets friendlier to runners.
Garganera pointed out that not only are Cebu City streets not friendly to runners, they are also generally not safe for children. Look, we don’t even have sidewalks, he gesticulated while running sideways.
KAPAMILYA RUNNERS ON THE ROAD. Close to 2,000 runners joined last Sunday’s 10th dyAB KApamilya Run. Above, the runners occupy one lane of Gorordo Ave. near the UP Cebu College. (PHOTO BY TEDDY ESPINUEVA)At the end of the run, he proposed a novel idea to get more people off their couches and running on the street: close Osmeña Blvd. for a few hours every Sunday and limit it to walkers, joggers, runners and bikers.
Garganera had wanted to pursue it as part of his political agenda in his failed City Council bid.
During the post-run breakfast in last Sunday’s Kapamilya Run, Garganera raised the idea again and got the support of ultra-runner Bro. Carlo Bacalla. But Garganera was preaching to the converted. What is needed is for the converted to start preaching to those in power.
10TH DYAB Kapamilya Run interactive virtual race route now out; registration still open
Jun 12th
If you still haven’t registered for the 10th DYAB Kapamilya Run, you can still sign up on site even up to early morning of race day. But instead of the regular registration fee of P250, you will now have to pay a late registration fee of P300 and you will get a free-sized singlet.
Radio station DYAB, the local AM station of broadcasting giant ABS-CBN, is celebrating its 15th year by staging various events, including the 10th edition of its Kapamilya Run. The fun run will have a 1.6K walk, and a 7K and 15K run. The longest distance is 15K in reference to DYAB’s 15th year anniversary.
RACE PACK. My race pack for tomorrow’s Kapamilya Run. If you still haven’t registered, you still have time. Organizers are accepting late registrants until the morning of the run. CLICK TO ENLARGE.Race organizer Kenneth Casquejo, of RunCheck, said the actual distance is 15.15K but the .15K falls within the margin of error in GPS reception as well as slight variations in the route so not all will get that actual precise distance.
DYAB’s Leo Lastimosa said in his radio program that proceeds of the fun run will be used to help fix school buildings that are badly in need of repair.
Assembly time of the run is at 4:45 a.m while gun time is at 5:30 a.m.
Atan Guardo now on the run
Jun 5th
TWO days after being arrested by a team of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents for what he denounced as a politically-motivated case, businessman Jonathan “Atan” Guardo is now on the run.
Guardo, who ran against incoming Cebu City south district Rep. Tomas Osmena in the last elections, finished his 10-kilometer race in an hour in yesterday morning’s Looney Tunes Active Fun Run at the Northwing in SM City Cebu.
ON THE RUN. Businessman and sportsman Jonathan “Atan” Guardo (center) sprints the last few meters with Tinago Barangay Councilor Joel Garganera, a close friend, ally and fellow runner. CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE. (PHOTO BY MAX LIMPAG)After the bruising elections with his bitter political rival, Guardo has been doing 15-kilometer to 20-kilometer runs as part of his preparation for two full marathons scheduled just one week apart—the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon on June 27 in Malaysia and the Milo Marathon in Manila on July 4.
Tomorrow, the businessman and sportsman is running to Danao.
Guardo was detained overnight Thursday after being arrested by an NBI 7 team who served an arrest warrant issued against him by a Manila court hearing the malversation of public funds case filed against him by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
