# 47 kidtexting, part 2

yes, kids and cellphones go together like bacon and eggs or sugar and spice.

one would wonder how we managed to survive in the pre-cellphone-strictly-landline-only era.  life was simple then. life is simple for kids now, too.  they have cellphones without monthly bills to worry about. 

school-age kids who join fun runs  (with their omnipresent cellphones in hand) seem to forget that the race is for the first to reach the finish line. they think it is the first to send the most number of text messages while on the race course.  so they text and text.  there are far more worthy reasons to text during a race, though.

major races cover longer distances than others. forty-two kilometers is the full distance of a marathon. anything over the full distance is an ultramarathon.  due to the magnitude of the endeavor, be it a 42 or a hundred, runners bring on board a personal support crew (when allowed).  these are people who follow runners on support vehicles handing out sports drinks, food, sponges and more importantly, encouragement.  they come complete with banners and chants, more like pep squads. they may be doing their jobs on the side but in truth, they are the steersmen.  without them, runners may ran out of willpower.

on duty as a support crew,  tete does a good act and is quick to text.

'i gave a random person gatorade and she said thanks :) i am so proud!'

on race day, when the road ahead is long and the sun refuses to be their friend, runners appreciate a random act of goodness.  tete knows this quite well.  

a feel-good text.....  isn't that awesome?

# 43 with strings attached !

ashton kutcher preferred no strings attached in the romantic comedy film. this string certainly has attachments.

whether it is the full distance or the half or the 5k, the turnaround point is to a runner as the halftime is to some team sports player.  well, with a number of variances. while the halftime is the break between two halves of a basketball or football game, the turning point may or may not be equidistant to the start and finish lines. there is only one halftime in a game; there may be more than one turnaround point in a race.  the turnaround takes but a quick second or two; the halftime has the luxury of more minutes. the purpose is the same, though - to allow runners or players to take a deep breath, size up the situation, regroup or adjust strategies if needed.  now or never moment. 

marshals man the turnaround point lest runners miss the turn or hot-headed drivers, unmindful of an on-going race, claim ownership of the road.  

the timing chip is yet to be used in regular weekend races.  for now, it is reserved for major races.  in the absence of technology to measure time and distance covered, a string is handed out to a runner who makes it to a turnaround point. 

runners slow down when they make the turn as they wait for the string to be handed out.  this is quite a distraction for serious runners. one has to have quick hands or run the risk of a few seconds delay.

nothing fancy, just a regular string in the eyes of many. the person giving out the string would most likely say 'go for it, you're almost there!'  never mind if 'almost' means six miles or even thirteen miles away.  to a runner,  the string serves a purpose. attached to that string is a sense of fulfillment, a triumph of willpower over body.  at the turnaround point, weary feet forge ahead.  the finish line looms a few miles less away. confidence replaces doubt.  a power kick sparks the wavering spirit.

yes, almost there, indeed!   isn't that awesome?

# 37 across the miles

the drums beat in rapid cadence, a rhythmic pattern that is easy to dance along to. that is the beat of the sinulog, a festival observed in our city every january.   

the week-long celebration has origins religious in nature. it has, however, taken a more festive atmosphere, carnival-like revelry if one may say so. the mardi gras is the festival's crowning point.  it is a visual delight like no other.  perhaps, aural, too. just stand away from those thunderous speakers that make your heart beat like it is going to explode any minute.

the running community looks forward to the sinulog for a different reason. the running craze that has taken off at hypersonic speed in recent years has paved the way for the staging of the cebu marathon at the start of the sinulog week.  on race day, the people take to the streets like it is one big playground. runners and supporters, dancers, drumbeaters and onlookers occupy every inch of space along the length and breadth of the race route.

cebu comes alive in blazing colors at the city's premier road race.  traditionally scheduled on the second sunday of january,  this race is as much a celebration as it is a test of endurance for the participants. 

a race that raises the bar is the best antidote to the running fever. the higher the standards are set, the better it is for the running enthusiasts.  each year, the organizing club, the cebu executive runners club,  pulls out all the stops. theirs is a tough act to follow. as it is with any other race, a shirt comes with the race packet.  a stellar race warrants a top-notch shirt.  with its logo splashed across the front, this year's shirt makes one proud to be part of the city's mother of all races.  a much coveted shirt, it is worthy to be given as a souvenir to special people.

teacher vicki first visited cebu in 2006 on official business.  she has been back three more times.  in 2008, she was thrilled to know that a race was scheduled a few days after her arrival. running was little heard of then and races were few and far between.  her podium finish was one for her memory bank.  unfortunately, there were no races when she came to visit in 2009.  she has heard of the cebu marathon and has been enticed to experience it for herself.   she has yet to.   

across the miles, in far-away kansas city, KS, the highlight of the inaugural cerner15k is a finish inside a newly-built stadium that carries the livestrong vision.

 the race pictures are out. you see teacher vicki wearing a familiar shirt. you get a glimpse but the logo is partly covered by a very mascular arm.

 that is my shirt! that is my city! that is my race! your heart swells with pride.  

 and then you get a clear shot as teacher vicki eyes the finish line.  quite a distance that shirt  has traveled! 

teacher vicki sprints to a top ten finish in her age group.  way to go, t. vicki!!  a few months short of her 50th birthday, she said if she was 50 at the time of the race, she would have topped her age group.  no, thank you, ma'am, i would choose to be top ten in the 45+ anytime than top the 50+ age group.  am in no hurry to get there.

the 2012 edition of the much-anticipated race will be officially launched in a few days.  a different tagline banners the event but the fire is there. 

doubtlessly, the new logo will look good on a shirt as its predecessors have. perhaps the shirt will cross the finish line on foreign shores again. that runner will feel the beat, get on its feet and leap across the miles.  isn't that awesome?

# 29 21 @ 15

distance and age, kilometers and years

twenty-one kilometers at fifteen. tete conquered her first half-marathon yesterday.  it was a baptism of fire in the truest sense, an initiation rite fit only for the determined and the bullheaded.  no other route could jolt a first-time half-marathoner to her senses so intensely as yesterday's run.  it was a race meant for the battle-tested road warrior or a university star athlete, definitely not for a fifteen year old recreational runner.  the first half was all about hills - rugged, steep and unfamiliar. i would think that even the seasoned and weathered half-marathoners in yesterday's run had some difficulty in their ascent to and descent from the hills. there was nothing quaint about yesterday's hills. while the people up there were friendly, the stray dogs were not too happy with the early morning intrusion on their territory.  the second half of the route brought a welcome respite from the hills. there was an endless stretch of asphalt ahead but the sun was angry, beating hot and hard on the runners.  it was ferocious in its rage, to say the least.

tete loves to challenge herself. she thrives on doing things that would seem insurmountable for someone her age.  she explores where others fear to tread.  she was hoping to do her first half-marathon over the summer.  she had enough practice then and was conditioned in mind and body. by some stroke of (bad) luck, there was no schedule for a half-marathon when she was on vacation.  schoolwork prevented her from doing the back to back 21k's before yesterday's run.  she knew the odds were against her going into this run. she had no training and no decent mileage but headstrong, she was.

the run was a crusade for the environment. its goal is lofty but the potential of turning it into reality is all there.  participation in the 21k category was minimal as it came closely on the heels of two other half marathons.  a pity as it had all the elements of a perfect run. it would put other less-organized runs to shame.  the marshals were many and visible. they manned every intersection so efficiently and effectively.  half of the main road was closed to traffic. hot-tempered and hostile drivers and smoke-belching vehicles are every runner's nightmare. the club members made sure their runners did not have to contend with this problem yesterday. aid stations did not only have water to offer but cold sports drink, as well. the people who handed out the drinks were friendly and generous with their words of encouragement. the registration fee was affordable. one would wonder why the organizing club was able to do this while other runs with less to offer charge excessive fees.  the singlet material was of good quality. they had a finisher's medal, too. all the elements of a perfect run, i would say again. what more could runners ask for? 

the sun was unforgiving! following her  pacer-daddy with every ounce of energy left, tete trudges on with iron determination that belied her spent form.  with renewed bursts of energy,  she would  at times outpace her daddy.  quitting was never an option for her.  all she wished for was not to finish last.

the club members and support staff at the finish line were awesome. they cheered for tete as she was turning the corner heading for the finish arch.  they clapped and urged her to take the last remaining strides.  tired and fried by the sun, she was close to tears.  the finish line was conquered three hours and nine minutes after she started the race.  the finisher's medal was a joy to behold ! she didn't finish last.

tete was overwhelmed by the sense of fulfillment.   it was more tears of joy than tears of pain.  she gets a comforting hug from her daddy who paced her all the way.  at one point during the race, her daddy suggested a timed run-walk routine.   fast losing steam in the scorching heat, she said - i will run when i want to run and walk when i want to walk.  way to go, tete !!

thank you, talisay city runners' club (TCRC), for making this half-marathon a meaningful experience for our tete.  she will continue to do other half-marathons in the coming years.  her time will improve many times over and PR's will be set. she will most likely complete the full distance but her first half she will always remember with fondness.

thank you, teacher vicki, for kindling the passion for running in all of us. this is as much your success as ours.

kids dream big. when they do, they stop at nothing. their dreams may just be specks on the horizon now but with youth on their side, it will be within their grasp.  isn't that awesome?

# 27 two words..... i do

shining shimmering splendid on a magic carpet ride !! aladdin's song to jasmin.  that must exactly how one would feel.  on a magic carpet ride - soaring, tumbling, freewheeling !  

in that magical moment, everything around you will be a blur, you are told.  life-changing is what this one defining moment is.  from that day forth, you are a new person, they say.  it is long in coming.  people have been expecting you to do it but you take your time - ever so sweetly.  you are not in a hurry, you tell them. when the time is ripe, you will know it in your heart. you dream of that day with mixed emotions. you long for that day yet there is some gnawing fear. it consumes every bit of you. you prepare for it like you have never prepared for anything else.   every waking moment, you think of it. it is not even simple thinking. you theorize. you speculate. you visualize.  you deliberate.  how much harder can thinking be? when night comes, you lay your head on your pillow with even more thoughts of it.

you have many choices, several of them. you certainly would want to do it on foreign shores. somewhere cold but not quite piercing and shivery cold. you like the cold climate.  you have had enough of the hot and humid weather.  you turn sentimental and have second thoughts.  maybe it should be in your home city with family around.  yes, that would be the right thing to do. you may change your mind again later, who knows?  women do.  change our minds in a wink of an eye, that is. we get away with it, too.

you know the vow -- in sickness and in health, in good times and bad,  in times of failure and times of triumph.   you take the words to heart.  you know there will always be humps and bumps, hiccups and burps along this journey.  

one day you wake up and it hits you. the time has come. you are ready now. you can feel it in your heart and in your body.  they say you can only prepare so much for it. the rest is faith.  the moment arrives!! someone pops the question.

do you see yourself going the full distance of a full marathon?

you know there are but two words........i do.

in that one magical moment, the carpet ride of your life is ready for take-off. somewhere shining shimmering splendid, it shall bring you! soaring tumbling freewheeling, you shall be!  where asphalt is your carpet, you shall fly!  on the wings of love for running, you shall soar.  chasing your marathon dream.  isn't that awesome? 

# 24 twinkle, twinkle little star !!

not up above the world so high but like a diamond on the road, she is.

yesterday was the first of a three-weekend half marathon spree for the local running community. you read that right - three sundays in a row!! it is enough for others to turn green with envy. it is wallet-busting, too - insanely and incredibly so! the full marathon distance top-billed yesterday's race but it is the half that is featured back to back to back. twenty-one kilometers makes a half marathon. twenty-one kilometers pounding on asphalt is no joke, much more the full 42.

most often in cebu's road races, one would see a petite runner garbed in full costume taking flight in the cool morning breeze. mid-flight, the unforgiving sun takes charge.  she is a prominent figure on the road. twinkle is her name.  on my first few races, i would run beside her. i would match her every stride from start to finish. along the route,  many would call out her name. humble in her fame, she would wave back.  many would want a picture taken with her at the finish. she would gamely pose.

last year, at the first staging of yesterday's run, i ran my inaugural half marathon. as the faint rays of the sun started peeping out, i stood with hundreds of other runners, jittery and already sweat-covered even with the starting gun yet to be fired.  in the sea of eager road warriors, i found myself beside twinkle.  she asked if it was my first half.  the nerves must have shown on my face.  she cautioned me to take it easy. just take slow but steady steps and you'll get there, she said.  i did.  i took slow but steady steps. by her side.  i could have taken shade under her tiara of a mango tree heavily laden with fruits.  

following a few strides behind twinkle on the homestretch of my first 21k,  the finish line venue comes into view. the sense of fulfillment is overwhelming.  never have the blue skies been so breathtaking, the gentle waves of the water so comforting.  i bask in the early morning sun.  i am almost there!

twinkle is uncontested in the best costume category. she takes on different characters befitting the concept and purpose of the race, much like an avatar to a screen name.  photo credits go to the owners of these pictures pulled out from race albums posted online.

twinkle adds color and zing to local races. true to her name, she is a jewel of a road warrior who twinkles not up above the world so high but like a diamond on the road, she is.

a severe vertigo attack late last year set me back a couple of months. when i got back on the road, twinkle had conquered greater distances. full and ultramarathons became her turf.  i am stuck with the half.  she is faster now than when i was running alongside her.  i would have my tongue hanging out in no time if i even attempt to be at pace with her. speed remains illusive to me. my time yesterday was slower than my inaugural 21k but it is okay.  i am not complaining. i am thankful i am back eating asphalt when there was but just a glimmer of it a few months back.  i still see twinkle on the road in some of the weekend races. she is on her way back, effortlessly weaving through while i have yet to make the turn-around, relentlessly kicking into higher gears. i wave at her and she waves back.

the full marathon is in my bucket list. when the mind says 'yes, i can do it!', an old pair of legs questions 'can i do it?'  mine is an old pair of legs but my wonderful mentor (thanks, voss!) who got me into running a couple of years back believes mind will prevail over body.  i know the voss is right. i will get there. someday before my legs turn rickety and wobbly on me. perhaps i will run alongside twinkle again - stride for stride - just like i did on my first half.  isn't that awesome?

#19 i am woman, here me raawrrr !!

i see you are singing out the title of this post. you're nodding your head, too and tapping your foot while singing the rest of the song.  let me guess. you must be above thirty years old. more like forty. or fifty. only this age groups would remember the bob-haired helen reddy sing her way to #1 with this song.  many consider this line as their own personal mantra. nowadays, raawrr  is lightheartedly used to emphasize ardor rather than the more meek-sounding roar. how meek can a roar be?

so what defines a woman? they say being a (biological) mother defines a woman. i am not stirring up any argumentative exercise here. i am keeping this blog entry uncomplicated.  the reality remains that many a mother-to-be's life is threatened due to inadequate, if not, unavailable women's health care. for others, there just is not enough money. deprived of such basic support,  the possibility of loss of life is real.  

no one knows women's health better than the men and women of the philippine obstetrical and gynecological society (POGS).  what better way to make their plea to 'save a mother from hemorrhage' be heard than to lure road warriors to the starting line. POGS-cebu chapter has mobilized the running community to spread the word in support of their cause.  tomorrow, july 31, hardcore and recreational runners will heed the call to run for women's health.

there are nice running shirts and there are nicer running shirts. this one, without a doubt, falls under the latter. it is a shirt that one would wear again, unlike other shirts/singlets that are closet-bound, never to be used again. tete is not doing this race but has claimed ownership of my shirt. you're welcome, tete. 

tomorrow, when i cross the finish line, i know i have helped give someone a new lease in life.  i will cross the line several minutes after the others. i may most likely be at the back of the pack but  my  finish will be as momentous as if i did a podium-finish because  i can say i have done something good today.

i run because it makes me feel good.  i run for a good cause because it makes me feel great. raawrr!!! isn't that awesome?

# 7 the color purple

an article by philippine star columnist and talk show host, jessica zafra (jessicarulestheuniverse.com), once made reference to giving names to objects, be it gadgets or toys or even cars, the latter being my add-on.  she had a name for her first Mac and when it died on her, she was quick to name the next one that came into her possession.  the main purpose of this name-giving is to invoke the object's (presumed) sense of loyalty and reliability, measured, hopefully, not only in months but in years.  if one is lucky,  it may even be stretched out beyond the short life of present day's dizzying upgrades and new releases. 

giving names to inanimate objects may be unusual to many but as the voss would say 'whatever floats your boat,' after all, cool and sleek eddie is her prized and pampered four-wheeled baby.  likewise, yangi, dudud and wawa have names for each one of their multiple-piece LPS collections. taking heed of ms. zafra's advice, my running shoes (saucony's all, thanks, voss! ) took on different personae, the better to huff and puff on many a race route. the first pair was nameless, the need to give a name lost in the excitement over the gift of a brand new footwear. iggy was second and after a few training runs, was decidedly the race-day shoes.  cony was designated as the training pair.

this new buddy's name is simply pol, taken from its color, purple. 

more finish lines to cross with pol !! isn't that awesome?

# 4 there's a hero !!!

if you look inside your heart, so says mariah.

it doesn't take much to be a superhero. a chance to be one presents itself in many ways.  one can run for a cause and be a hero.  helping someone with cancer is a good cause. cancer is one enemy no superhero can stop but one can keep it at bay before it so heartlessly ravages the body. to see a loved one slowly fall apart and become a shadow of how she used to be can break one's heart. even more heartbreaking is when kids as young as 3 years old are stricken with cancer. we can only imagine how they face the pain, understanding and accepting it far beyond what their young minds can comprehend and what their young bodies can bear.  the situation takes a turn for the worse when these kids' families don't have the financial resources to provide medication or the numerous lab examinations that are urgently needed.  

the running club of chong hua hospital took it upon themselves to organize a running event to help raise funds for 3 kids suffering from leukemia and 1 kid with lymphoma.  These kids, ranging in age from 3 to 11, were chosen out of 23 applicants. 

may not have been my best 16k finish but a finish for a good cause is as good a record as any PR can be. tete conquered her first 16k and is mighty proud to be called a hero. yangi's 4k finish made her a superhero, too.  

yes, mariah, a hero lies in us.  isn't that awesome?

# 1 back to back !

the running fever is one fever that refuses any meds !! it isn't showing any signs of waning as the month of august will see 2 big events following one after the other. both events are repeats, meaning they have been staged the previous year(s) and are organized by reputable groups so runners are assured of excellent preparation and execution.

first to fire off the starting gun is the aboitiz group with the staging of their 2nd 'race to reduce challenge' on august 14.  in response to the clamor of the city's running community who are fast-becoming hardcore pavement pounders and asphalt eaters, they added the full marathon distance.  isn't that awesome ?

the following week, CDU's 6th university run urges runners to take on the '2-bridge challenge.' this is distinct from previous university runs as this year's event features cebu's 2 major bridges playing hosts to thousands of running shoes, slippers, sandals and definitely, some bare feet, too.  conquering dual bridges with a medal to boot -- isn't that awesome? 

did i tell you that cebu is a running haven?