He finished within the cutoff time and upon reaching Capitol, made a show of being tired. Like he actually ran 50 kilometers.

I first learned of it when I overheard the runner’s teammates talk among themselves about how the person rode a habal-habal.

I have since confirmed it with a source I trust, who also got confirmation from several people. I have also gotten reports from other people who saw a runner ride a vehicle in the route.

FINISH LINE AT THE CAPITOL. Frontrunner staff members prepare the finish line of the 1st Cebu Ultramarathon at the Capitol in Cebu City. (PHOTO BY JAMES GO)

I cannot understand a person who would cheat in a road race, much more an ultra-marathon. It’s not as if we get a prize for finishing it. All we got at the finish line in Capitol was a commemorative plate, T-shirt and a food pack. The run—the entire 50 kilometers—itself was the reward.

Insulting running community

What the cheat did insulted the running community. He actually finished earlier than Brian Padilla, an Ungo Runner who was on the verge of giving up but decided to continue because he left his emergency money with one of the support vehicles.

Padilla ran-walked to the finish line expecting to see it abandoned and planning to just scream in relief and have his photo taken at the 0KM marker. Instead, he found fellow runners waiting for him, runners who pleaded with the organizers to keep the finish line tarpaulin and to give him a finisher’s plate.

What the cheat did insulted Jonel Mendoza, the hardcore runner who publishes Frontrunner magazine and who took the risk of organizing an ultra-marathon in Cebu. What the cheat did insulted marathon man Raffy Uytiepo, who was the race organizer. What the cheat did insulted Joel Juarez, who looked frightfully in pain when he collapsed in a heat stroke but still managed to finish after a short rest.

What the cheat did puts into question all his previous races, including marathons here and abroad. If he could cheat in one, he could cheat in all.

Challenge

I still haven’t given Jonel the cheat’s name, opting to give him a few more days to redeem himself. To the ultra-cheat, please do the right thing:

1. Call up Jonel Mendoza to apologize. He may not understand you and would likely tell you “lugi ka, nagbayad ka ng 50K pero kulang yung tinakbo mo (it’s your loss. You paid for 50K and yet you ran a shorter distance)” but pray he would forgive you.

2. Return your plate and T-shirt. You do not deserve it. Leave it at the backdoor guard of Sun.Star Cebu and I’ll have it sent to Jonel.

3. Do not sign up for future ultra-running events. If you sign up for the May 1 ultramarathon in Cebu, I will propose to Jonel that we increase registration by P20 (we will name the fee after you) to pay for a race marshal to follow you the entire route. I will ask that the race marshal be made to wear a neon orange shirt to make sure he is easily visible.

If you feel smug thinking that you fooled the entire running community, you are only fooling yourself.

What good are speed and endurance if you do not have integrity? What good are your marathon medals? “It is character,” said Stephen Covey, “that communicates more eloquently.”

JERRY ALMOST BEATS ATAN. Among those who ran the Quezon City International Marathon last Sunday were Joel Garganera, Ian Baguio, Allan Delantar and Atan, Jeson and Jerry Guardo. Serial marathoner Garganera completed the 42K as recovery run for the grueling Cebu ultra-marathon. An animated Garganera described how Jerry was on the verge of beating Atan and was already formulating a Facebook status update when a late surge by the former congressional candidate left him eating Atan’s dust.

Alvirg Busa finished the race in a blistering 3:20. Cebu’s running queen, Mary Grace delos Santos, on the other hand, decided to save her strength for this Sunday’s Milo National Finals.

JOY POLLOSO FINISHES FIRST MARATHON. In Singapore, Ayala Center Cebu division head Joy Polloso, a hardcore Ungo Runner, finished her first full marathon “barefoot.” She ran 42 kilometers in Vivo Barefoot, a shoe line that mimics barefoot running. Joy is running yet another full marathon on Jan. 9, the 2011 Cebu City Marathon.

Among those who also finished the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon were Kenneth Toledo and Ungo Runner Jorge “Dindz” Bartolabac, who ran his first full marathon in 4 hours and 57 minutes.

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).

PSC filed the case against Guardo accusing him of failing to liquidate the P10 million given to the Cebu Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Cebusoc) for Cebu’s hosting of some events in the 2005 SEA Games.

Guardo stressed that the money was properly accounted for and liquidated but the Commission on Audit and PSC refused to accept his group’s report because the agencies wanted him to show infrastructure-related expenses.

He said they were told to spend on infrastructure but the money came in September 2005 for the games that were to be held in December. He said there was no way to complete any infrastructure so short a time. And besides, he said, P10 million was too small for an infrastructure project.

Guardo said the money was spent on food, transportation, hotel bills and other expenses of 1,000 athletes from various countries.

Guardo said he is confident he will be cleared of the case.