Organizers are currently holding a press conference on the Cebu edition of Run United by Unilab and RunRio.

* Organizer says Cebu leg is final leg of nationwide Run United series.
* Lester Castillo, Sports Director of Unilab, says their company wants to promote active lifestyle among Filipino families.
* Castillo says they are targetting 5,000 runners for the Cebu leg.
* All 21Kfinishers will get finishers’ shirts and medals.
* RunRio says they are the first to use an iPad automated registration system for race registration.
*Local organizer Kenneth Casquejo of RunCheck says RunRio will not impose a cutoff on 21K runners.

Hours before she was killed in a gruesome massacre, Melinda was where she was almost every Sunday — in a run.

At 5:30 a.m. yesterday, the Banco de Oro (BDO) employee fired the starting gun during the fun run that opened her bank’s sports fest. She was happy and enjoyed being with co-workers during the run, said BDO E-mall branch accountant and fellow ultra-runner Virgilio Remo Jr.

MELINDA PONCE started running only at 48. Five years and one mild stroke later, she would win successive ultra-marathons. (PHOTO BY JAMES GO)

Having been featured in newspapers after winning ultra-marathons, races that are at least 50 kilometers, Ponce, 53, was an office celebrity and many of her co-workers had their pictures taken with her. Ponce instructed those manning the water stations and cheered on the bank employees who joined the 3K and 5K events.

“She was very happy,” Remo said.

Big shock

Hours later, Remo and members of the local running community would learn that Melinda, three of her children and their helper would be shot dead by her husband, who then killed himself. Melinda and three of the children were all shot in the head. Her husband spared one child, the youngest, whom he asked to leave and call the police before he started killing everyone.

“The news of her tragic death was a big shock to me,” said Don Bosco brother and ultra-runner Carlo Bacalla, “She is really an inspiration to so many runners, an example of hard work, dedication and determination. We in the running community will miss her. It’s sad that she has gone so soon.”

Ponce started running only at 48, a year after undergoing total hysterectomy. She suffered a mild stroke in 2009, which she blamed on her failure to look after her health and pushing herself physically despite the lack of rest.

Ponce ran every morning from her house in Bulacao, Talisay City to the IT Park on her way to work. She was still considering joining the 100-kilometer race from Bogo City to Cebu City in November.

“Dili nato ni undangon, makaayo man ni sa atong lawas (Let’s not stop running because this is good for our health),” Ponce told runners gathered in Ayala Center Cebu last Sept. 30.

Ultra-marathon wins

Ponce won the women’s category in the last two ultra-marathons she joined – the Be Resorts Warrior 53K that started and ended in Mactan Island and the Summit 60K in Talisay City last Oct. 9.

Ponce had qualified for this year’s national finals of the Milo Marathon in her age category after running 21K in 1 hour and 52 minutes. She said running in the national finals was her dream. She also qualified last year but chose not to run so that she could join the first ultra-marathon in Cebu – a 50-kilometer run from Mt. Manunggal to the Capitol.

But while she was looked up to as an inspiration in the local running community, she was battered at home, friends and relatives told Sun.Star Cebu.

Emmanuel would repeatedly beat up Melinda and her children, a neighbor who asked not to be named told Sun.Star Cebu. At one time, Emmanuel held a knife at Melinda.

BROD CARLO. The author runs on part of the the route of the Summit 60k Ultra Challenge. CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE.

The adventure you will get from running inside the forested terrain is so enriching. You get to enjoy nature and a lot of beautiful sights that you won’t experience during road runs. While running on the road can be comfortable due to the fact that the route is familiar, trail runs can be exciting since you can’t always guess what’s ahead.

In Nuvali I did it without a prior test run. Not familiar with the route, I had to be extra watchful where to land my shoes. I made sure I had other runners on sight or be extra watchful for signage and landmarks so that I won’t get lost. I did miss the road on the first loop of that trail run. I had to get back with the lead pack on the right trail 800 meters behind us. Despite that, we still managed to laugh at ourselves since that was part of the surprises in trail running. We crossed a river and passed under an empty culvert along the route of that trail run. A herd of cows in a grassy plain watched us pass and mooed at us. It was indeed a great experience that road running won’t offer.

With my running buddy, Steve Ferraren, I have run thru Manipis road to Sitio Campinsa passing inside the forested trail to Barangay Tapul and out to barangay Maghaway. I confess that the first time I did it, it was a “wow” experience. It was meant to be a “secret” training that ought not to be revealed but good things are not meant to be kept hidden. So when the idea of organizing the Summit 60k Ultra surfaced, the first place that came to my mind was exactly that “secret” training route unknown to many Cebu City runners but familiar to most elite runners past and present. It used to be the training ground for many long-distance runners before Busay became a busy training ground to many runners.

When the organizers of the Summit 60k Ultra Challenge took me to recon the route of the run, I was so caught up by the beautiful sceneries and the natural beauty of the place that I said, “let’s take the ultra runners to see this place.” I would not have seen such a beautiful place in Cebu if not for this crazy thing called “Ultra Running.” After posting some of the photos taken during the recon run in the Face book, I received a lot of superlatives for the race route. One said that the place is a hidden paradise. The Bull Runner (Jaymie Pizzaro), the Bald Runner (Gen. Jovie Narcise) and Mr. Front Runner (Jonel Mendoza) had the same chorus: “NICE” and clicked “LIKE” on the Summit 60k Ultra Challenge. Many ultra runners from Manila and Mindanao expressed the desire to run alongside their Cebuano counterparts in this unique run. It’s not purely a trail run since 60 percent of the route will be on paved road. For runners who have not done the Trans-Central runs, running in barangay Manipis is exceptionally challenging but to those who did the Toledo-Capitol run, this is peanuts! The more beautiful portion of the route is better left for the ultra runners to see. I will leave the best for you to discover. It’s indeed a unique ultra challenge. It’s truly a Summit Run. Don’t miss it!

You can visit our event page at Facebook: “Summit 60k Ultra Challenge” to register and for more details.

Runners test part of the route of the Summit 60K Ultra Challenge. CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE.

SUSAN Militante's friends carried this poster to motivate the first-time ultramarathoner to finish last Sunday's 53K run.

“Is he nuts?” Susan Militante said in a Facebook interview. I could almost hear Susan saying “Wa siya mabuang (has he gone mad)?” Susan quickly told Jojo to go ahead and prepare her slippers at the finish line. The 42-year-old mother of two boys was running her first ultramarathon two years after getting hooked on running.

Her close friend Abby Ponce, an ultra-runner, led her support crew, Team Abbylicious, and saw her through to the end. The team was named thus because it was the same group, Susan among them, that supported Abby during her first ultra last May 1. The team carried a poster of Susan running with a statement that’s truly her: “50K? Ayaw ko hadloka!”

“I feel like I achieved a very enormous feat when I stepped on the finish line. I’m an average runner so having done an ultra seems unbelievable,” she said. She finished 76th with a time of 7:15:03.

“My husband told me that would be my last ultra. I answered, ‘yes that will be my last ultra….. in Cebu.’ I really like to go to different places just to run. I haven’t decided yet if I will run the 100K this November. I hope Dr. Stephanie Sy will allow me because I’m hypertensive and I maintain two medicines to control my blood pressure. I know that if it were not for running, I would be dead.”

Something magical

When she completed her first full marathon last January, bank employee Linaflor Chan cried long before she reached the finish line and vowed never to run 42 kilometers again. Last Sunday, she ran 53 kilometers in 8:26:42.

She completed the distance with her husband, ultrarunner Victor Chan, who convinced her to level up.

“Last Sunday’s run was so magical that I too cannot imagine until I crossed the finish line. But one thing is for sure, I couldn’t have done it without my loving and supportive husband who was with me all the way from start to finish. His cheerful disposition, optimistic outlook, encouraging words and our bonding together truly kept me going,” she said.

Linaflor said the intense heat of the sun made her weak and exhausted but she pushed herself to finish. She crossed the finish line with her husband and to the cheers of her friends and fellow Ungo Runners and members of Team Pinay (Jinky Yray, a frequent ultrarunner, and Michelle So, an upcoming ultrarunner).

150 singlets

After eight hours on the road, Lowaii Cebu Marine Beach Resort operations manager Lucrecia “Lulu” Valiente felt dehydrated and bloated. She felt dry and her hands were swollen and she thought she could no longer finish the distance.

But after being attended to by volunteer support crew members, she regained her strength and finished the distance, although beyond the official cutoff time.

Valiente is from Bilar, Bohol but she has been in Cebu for 30 years, actively involved in the tourism industry. She got into running in 2005, joining fun runs every Sunday when registration was only at P150. “In fact, I have a collection of over 150 singlets.”

To train for Sunday’s race, Lulu joined LSD (long, slow distance) runs and cross-trained on a bike. She ran like an ultra hamster at night in Mactan Memorial Garden. She also cut her intake of rice and meat.

When she received her medal, Lulu said she felt like she was in heaven. “It was one great accomplishment for me in my running career. I was so proud of myself that even in my late 40s, I could still compete with the younger ones.”

Virgins no more, and it’s Jonel’s fault

Last Sunday’s race by Jonel Mendoza, who is responsible for the rise of ultrarunning in Cebu, was well-attended by ultranewbies because of its relatively flat route. Other first timers who finished last Sunday are (this list was compiled through the help of FB contacts) Juliet Amazona, Francis Rosos, Martin Daiz Jr. , Mikur Ombos, Francis Cabanban, Gerald Anthony Laput, Lloyd Benjie Lumapat, Neil Nacario, Aquiles Ymbong, Mazil Rubic, Jing Sente, Aeda Mae Siao, Pam Ampuhin, Rowena Duarte, Brandon Bon, Toto Ric Lacro, James Jason Rodriguez, Jofre Nastor, Dindo Santos, Brian Gonzales, Loven Macario, Anastacio Cavan, John Paul Ong Villanueva, Bonnie Pusta, Jr., Edgar Sanchez, Earl Anthony Alas, Randy Laroa, Jojo Santiago, Arnold Lorenzo, and Jigs Bulawan.

“We have decided to forget everything. For those who threatened to boycott (the Aboitiz Run), it is their right to join or not. I am closing the issue already,” Uytiepo told Sun.Star Cebu.

Two organizers also clarified that they are not implementing a ban on runners.

“Raffy is entitled to his own opinion but he can’t threaten to reject any runner to join our event because firstly, he is not part of the organizing team of Milo. Precing (Capampangan) is,” said Milo Marathon local organizer Ricky Ballesteros.

Ballesteros is the organizer of both the Milo Marathon in October and The Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. (DSOS) Run on Sept. 9.

Raffy said in his column in The Freeman last Monday that his team, including technical lead Precing Capampangan, will reject those who threatened to boycott the Aboitiz run next year from all their races.

Capampangan has been handling the technical aspect of the Milo Marathon since 2002.

“I have worked with Capampangan since 2002 and we haven’t encountered any problems with him and his group and they are in the technical aspect, not in accepting the registration,” said Ballesteros.

Warrior 50K organizer Jonel Mendoza also said he will not ban anyone from his races.
Uytiepo is the race director of Mendoza’s ultra-marathon, a post he served in the first two ultramarathons in Cebu.

“I won’t ban runners from my event. I don’t see any reason why I should ban runners who are voicing legitimate views,” Mendoza was quoted as saying by Sun.Star Cebu.

“Although it’s a person’s right to join or not, I really don’t care. In fact we have noted the names and will see to it that we will reject their entry forms next time around,” Uytiepo wrote in his column in The Freeman.

“We will remember the names of these guys who called for boycott. You might not even get to run in the other big races we will officiate.” He then listed the races he is organizing, including upcoming ultra-marathons The Warrior 50K Ultramarathon on Sept. 10 and the first ever 100-kilometer run in Cebu on Nov. 18.

It’s quite a turn of events from last week’s apology and pledge to do better next year by Sebastian Lacson, the chief reputation officer of Aboitiz Equity Ventures.

I disagree with Raffy’s response and hope he changes his mind, for the benefit of the local running community—a community he helped start and where he is one of the pillars.

That there were problems during the race is no longer a question, with organizers already admitting it and pledging to improve next year. What is important is to look into how the local running community can move on from the debacle.

I don’t think banning runners is the best way to move on and deal with the issue. I also don’t think people can blame runners who felt bad after the race and expressed their disappointment in online social networks, among friends and with the media.

Instead of banning them, I think it would be best for organizers to engage with and listen to them. Some of the most vocal critics of races are also among the most passionate advocates of the sport.

It is a fact that a lot of dreaded diseases like cancer, chronic lung disease, asthma, cardiovascular disease are caused by tobacco smoke. It is time for smokers to kick the habit and for non-smokers to help in the campaign against the killer vice.

Tobacco kills more than five million people a year -- more than HIV, TB and malaria combined, and will kill more unless urgent action is taken. (IMAGE*AFTER photo)

The Talisay District Hospital, as one of the primary providers of health services in the community, aims not only to treat but to protect its clientele from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke. The hospital has therefore embarked on the promotion of tobacco cessation in its institution and nearby communities.

To gain a city-wide awareness of this program, the Talisay District Hospital Committee on Tobacco Cessation, in cooperation with the Talisay City Runners Club, will launch on August 28 the “Run for a 100% Smoke-Free Environment.”

The run will be in 3k, 5k, 10k and 21k categories. It will start and end at the Talisay City Hall by way of the SRP. For more information and details about how you can join the run and/or help in the smoke-free campaign, please call 273-3225. (PR)

Lopez will leave for Singapore tomorrow, Thursday. He will compete in the 5K and 10K events in the hopes of qualifying for the Southeast Asian Games or SEA Games. Lopez said his best 5K is 15:15 and to qualify, he will have to run at least a 14:50. He said his best 10K is 33 minutes and to qualify he has to run at least 30:59.

OFF TO SINGAPORE. Mendel Lopez (3rd from right) is competing in Singapore over the weekend with the support of the Cebu Executive Runners Club. With Lopez during the press conference in Mooon Cafe are (from left) Dr. Raymund Bontol, CERC president Roy Trani, Jesse Taborada, Kenneth Casquejo and Michelle So. CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

Lopez said during a press conference in Mooon Cafe in Ayala Center Cebu just this noon that he is confident on qualifying for the 5K but not so much in 10K.

New CERC president Roy Trani said supporting runners is part of his group’s advocacy.

“CERC is a group formed because of running and we want to support Cebu-based runners who deserve the support of the community,” Trani said.

He said the support for Mendel’s plane fare and accommodation came from the personal funds of CERC members. Trani said he hopes to make the support of deserving Cebuano runners part of the CERC mandate next year.

“Not many runners know this but part of our CERC constitution and by-laws calls for the support of running and the support of runners,” Trani said.

Trani said he hopes Lopez will do well over the weekend and inspire other local runners.

He told CebuRunning that he is thinking of holding qualifications for elite Cebu runners so that they can choose whom to support in runs outside Cebu and the country. He said he hopes CERC can support more runners next year.

Lopez said he is very thankful of the support offered by the CERC.

“In light of the feedback we have been getting after last Sunday’s Race to Reduce Challenge, we acknowledge that indeed there were problems during the race and things could have been done better. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience experienced by some of the runners,” Aboitiz Equity Ventures chief reputation officer Sebastian “Basti” Lacson said in an email.

“We assure everyone that we have noted all comments and will use these as bases to improve next year’s event.”

“We would like to thank everyone who joined this year’s race and we look forward to having them join us in the Aboitiz Race to Reduce Challenge in the coming years. Our commitment to protect the environment remains; we will plant a tree on behalf of every runner who registered for the race,” he said.

Mr. Lacson’s humility and taking of responsibility is admirable and speaks well of the company he serves.

Race director Raffy Uytiepo begged off from giving a comment and gave way to Basti. He said they were still having a meeting yesterday to assess what went wrong last Sunday.

The main complaints against Sunday’s race were the lack of water stations, absence of race marshals and a route that was short by more than half a kilometer.

At a time when many runners wear global positioning system (GPS) watches and there are free tools such as Google Maps that allow you to accurately measure distance by tracing a line on a map, it is difficult to fathom mistakes in route distances.

The lack of water stations and race marshals is also puzzling for a race co-organized by a top company like Aboitiz and various local government units. But I’ve had reports that Mr. Lacson and other Aboitiz officials were manning the routes themselves and doing what they could to help runners. The question is—where were the other race personnel?

A colleague said one runner was nearly hit by a speeding bus that went out of its lane. Several runners told me they had to fend for themselves on the road. While we should be thankful that nothing untoward happened to runners last Sunday, local government units should realize that they risked a major disaster by failing to field traffic personnel and talk to drivers of buses and jeepneys to be mindful of runners last Sunday.

A source said teams from local governments were present on the route very early on race day but they disappeared by 8 a.m. The source also said only Compostela had some people staying behind to help runners. Liloan, a town headed by a triathlete and runner, also had a medical team deployed until the last runner passed the town.

While Sunday’s run may have been a setback for Aboitiz, I am confident they will stage an infinitely better event next year. I hope that organizers can reconsider holding the marathon the day after Pasigarbo so that local government officials and workers can focus on specific events. I think the marathon would make a great kickoff event for Capitol’s month-long Charter anniversary.

I hope organizers can also focus more on making the marathon a great experience for regular runners than on the escalating contest of which event can offer the richest bounty for elite runners. Cut the prizes and spend more for regular runners — that’s one formula for race success.

In Cebu’s running community, Joel Garganera and Napoleon de la Torre Jr. are iconic. Joel has completed 14 marathons, and three ultra marathons, which entail distances of at least 50 kilometers; Nap is into trail ultra marathons.

Both finished the 100K Sundown Ultramarathon in Singapore last June 25-26, five hours ahead of the cut-off time of 18 hours.

Nap ran the course with an injured heel in 12:34 hours and ranked 35th among 321 finishers in the Men’s Open category, placing him in the top 11 percent. This was his third 100K ultra marathon and the “easiest.”

Joel completed it in 13:01 hours, ranked 43rd, and belonged to the top 13 percent. This was his first 100K, an ultra marathon that he enjoyed for the splendid reasons of not suffering from cramps and blisters and of feeling “good” all throughout the race.

NAPOLEON DE LA TORRE. Nap ran the Cebu City Marathon 42K category dragging two tires to prepare for his ultra-marathon. He had the wings tattooed on his shoulders and arms in 2009 just before he ran the Great Wall Marathon in China that year. CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE IMAGE. (SUN.STAR FOTO/ALEX BADAYOS)

Nap ran his first 100K last January 15 in Hong Kong, where he found himself defying and conquering steep hills, cold weather and inadequate clothing. He wrapped himself in a disposable thermal blanket that he taped on his body and legs, making him look like a running embotido. After murmuring all sorts of prayers, he finished the course in 22:36 hours.

“Ultimate run”

Three months later, on April 30, he ran his second 100K in The North Face Philippine 100K Ultramarathon in Camarines Sur. The course covered rivers, hills, insects and unlit dirt roads, all of which he overcame in 19:25 hours. He ranked 20th among the 76 finishers.

His first ever ultra marathon, in Singapore last year, covered 84K. To run the 222K La Ultra in the Himalayas or the 192K Polar Arctic Ultramarathon would be the “ultimate run” for Nap.

Nap is an accountant, a real estate broker and a teacher. He runs in tights and often shirtless. He has wings tattoed on his back, and he skydives.

He had the wings tattooed on his shoulders and arms in 2009 just before he ran the Great Wall Marathon in China that year.

“These wings have earned me friends among runners. In international races, the runners remember me because of my wings,” he says over luncheon buffet in a Chinese restaurant. Nap is quite an eater.

Except for the wings and an earring, Nap runs in little else if he’s not running in cold weather. No cap for his shaved head, no shades, no GPS watch, no Phiten bands, no hydration belt or camel bag unless required by the race organizers. He has trained his body to endure the whipping of the elements.

Dragging tires

At the Cebu City Marathon in January this year, he dragged two tires that he lassoed to his bare torso while running 42K. He beheld everyone. He finished in 6:30 hours, a time he did not mind at all. This was his resistance training for the Vibram Hong Kong 100K.

It is the HK 100K that he is egging Joel on to run with him next year. If you’ve finished this killer course, you can throw away all the medals of your marathons because this is the only one that will matter, Nap jokes to Joel.

JOEL GARGANERA. The barangay councilor of Tinago, Cebu City thrives on challenges and always finds a motivation to run. He runs back-to-back marathons, a 42K this weekend abroad then another 42K a weekend or two later in the country. His best time yet was 4:26 at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in February this year. CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE. (SUN.STAR PHOTO/ALEX BADAYOS)

“Ayaw sab (Let’s not),” Joel replies in a voice full of fondness for his 14 marathon medals he had earned in 28 months. He has sworn off running another 100K after the Sundown Ultramarathon and says he will focus on running 42Ks faster. Then Nap tells him about the HK 100K.

As he listens to Nap tell animatedly about the challenges in the HK 100K, Joel feels excitement tingling in his whole being, similar to what he felt when he registered for the Sundown Ultramarathon.

Joel thrives on challenges and always finds a motivation to run. It’s to his benefit that his wife and three children run too. They are his personal compass and he feels lost when he is away from them.

But he knows where he is going upon crossing the starting line of a race route: to the finish line.

The barangay councilor of Tinago, Cebu City runs in cushioned shoes, compression socks, shorts, singlet, visor, shades, a GPS watch and Phiten bands.

Joel’s humor

He has no wings and he doesn’t skydive. What he has is a pocketful of laughs and he stirs people with his humor.

After running around Plaza Independencia during the pictorial, Joel and Nap take off their shirts. The attention is on the winged Nap. Joel airs a grievance: “You should have told me ahead about the pictorial. I would have gotten myself a tattoo on my back this morning. Would a Mickey Mouse sticker do?”

Joel runs back-to-back marathons, a 42K this weekend abroad then another 42K a weekend or two later in the country. His best time yet was 4:26 at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in February this year.

Nap and Joel are a contrast in their training methods. Neither employs a coach. They rely on their previous races to guide them on what to do in their next. Both have been running for three years.

To prepare for a 100K, Nap runs 5K a day in 25 minutes for 12 days. He doesn’t stress his legs. The longest distance he ran for last month’s Sundown Ultramarathon was 16K in the Kapamilya Run.

To prepare for the 100K, Joel ran between 20K and 30K a day at least twice a week for four weeks. He swam, managed his food, and abstained from drinking except after the Phuket marathon held two weeks before the Sundown Ultramarathon. He and his running buddies observe a post-marathon bacchanalian ritual.

Nap is aware of Joel’s running credentials. Seeing Joel at the starting line of the Sundown Ultramarathon shook his equilibrium. Nap didn’t expect to see another Cebuano runner in the race.

What he had planned as “an easy run” of 14 to 15 hours turned into a competitive, painful run of 12:34 hours. He didn’t want Joel to finish ahead of him or overtake him at any point of the course.

Nap admires Joel for what he has accomplished. He says: For a recreational runner and a 100K newbie, Joel’s time was impressive. When he crossed the finish line, he didn’t look at all like he just ran 100K.

The Joel Garganera beams at the compliment.

AT THE PLAZA. Joel and Nap run around Plaza Independencia. Both finished the 100K Sundown Ultramarathon in Singapore last June 25-26, five hours ahead of the cut-off time of 18 hours. CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE. (SUN.STAR FOTO/ALEX BADAYOS)