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.
It’s unlikely to happen, what with the implications on traffic and commerce in an area with two malls, three hospitals and at least two churches.
But City Hall would do well to try it. What’s a few hours of inconvenience on a slow Sunday morning to the potential health benefits you can give your constituents? The more people you get walking, jogging, running and biking, the more of your constituents start adopting a healthy lifestyle.
KAPAMILYA RUN
I took a shower on V. Rama Ave. in last Sunday’s 10th dyAB Kapamilya Run. The race, which was organized by the RunCheck team of Kenneth Casquejo and Annie Neric, paid car wash boys on V. Rama Ave. to train their water sprayers on runners.
It was a novel touch and a very welcome respite from the early morning heat.
Most runners I talked to loved that part of the race. The 10th Kapamilya Run was, by all accounts, a well-organized and successful run. It got the basics right: ample water supply and exact race distance. It scored points with runners on the V. Rama water spray. If there was anything that could be improved, it would be the segregation of runners at the starting line.
ACTIVEPHOTOS.PH. A new group of mainly Cebu-based photographers now takes photographs of runners for a fee during fun runs. To be photographed by members of Activephotos.ph, you need to register with the group and wear a special ribbon that will alert its photographers that you have commissioned their service. Above, Activephotos.ph lensman Teddy Espinueva takes a photo of me near UP Cebu College. (PHOTO BY TEDDY ESPINUEVA)Last Sunday was also the first outing of Activephotos.ph, a group of photographers who take photos of athletic events like running and sell these to the participants.
Among the key members of the group are Casquejo, award-winning blogger and photographer Estan Cabigas, and running and photography love team Teddy and Belle Espinueva. I’ve seen several of their shots and they look great.
To get photographed by the Activephotos.ph team, you just need to sign up in races that they have been commissioned. You will then get a ribbon to wear, which alerts members of the team to take photos of you.
But it’s a double-edged sword, this idea of commissioning someone to take photos of you while on the run. Chances are you’d look ugly running—out of breath and grimacing.
Only Donna Cruz-Larrazabal looks pretty crossing the finish line.