The Mother of all Marathons in Cebu City

The most awaited Running Event in Cebu City is just around the corner, As of today according to the Cebu City Marathon website (www.cebumarathon.com) it’s only 1 month, 4 days to countdown. You can feel the euphoria in the streets. Around 3,000 runners hit the road last week in two simultaneous short distance road races.  I’m sure everyone of them is gearing for the only race scheduled in January  2010- the Sinulog Festival month ( which is at the same the The Mother of All Festivals in the Philippines).  The Cebu Executive Runners Club and the Cebu City Government had long been planning this marathon six months ago.  Since the success of the Mizuno Sinulog Half Marathon 2009, the CERC  has its eyes fixed on organizing another Full Marathon.  The previous year’s 42k Event was not that well attended ( close to 200 runners) and yet  Cebu’s longest running club’s resiliency really paid off, thus the  birth of the Cebu City Marathon aka 01-10-10 ( looks like a binary numerical combination).  We started doing press conferences, with a little help from our Media partners who are likewise into running.

Cebu Marathon Presscon September 2009 with Coun. Jack Jakosalem ( 5th from Left)

Our usual Sunday long runs (min 21k) will always end up in our HQ (Sugangan Restaurant) for a meeting paving the way for the preparations  for the much awaited running event in Cebu.

John Pages briefs CERC members about the race course

Organizing Running Clinics are always a satisfaction, just like eating a 1/2 inch medium rare steak as your post race 42k meal.  Knowing that you had helped a fellow runner achieve his/her personal goal is a highest high for me, sort of  a steroid induced kicker for a race. Especially if that runner is a personal friend, one that can talk and have a modest conversation while pacing at 6.75 minute per kilometer.  Honestly, i made a lot of friends in running compared to when i was in Sales ( my previous job as a Med Rep).

Raffy Uytiepo speaks at the Cebu Marathon Running Clinic 2

The inclusion of the Championchip  or RFID  has raised the bar for running the marathon in Cebu.  Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the use of an object (typically referred to as an RFID tag) applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.

Most RFID tags contain at least two parts. One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio-frequency(RF) signal, and other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal.  There are generally three types of RFID tags: active RFID tags, which contain a battery and can transmit signals autonomously, passive RFID tags, which have no battery and require an external source to provoke signal transmission, and battery assisted passive (BAP) which require an external source to wake up but have significant higher forward link capability providing great read range.   It’s a actually the same concept used in Product Inventories be it food or dry goods passing by a cash register. Accuracy and efficiency is what the Championchip can offer in the point of view of the Organizers and participants as well .  It’s a nice souvenir too!   Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification

Championchip RFID - Photo by Max Limpag

You just have to join this race come January 10, 2010.   Registration is on going at the Active Zone Ayala Center Cebu, RUNNR Shop lower level Ayala Center Cebu,  PSC Office Cebu City Sports Center-Abellana.  Be the King of the Road for one day as the race course will be traffic free and that will be the day where the 42k will humble you.   SO RESPECT IT!

a 42K Participant signs up at the Active Zone Ayala Center Cebu

See you all on the Road!

The Fiasco that was Subic!

This will be my 3rd Full Marathon within a year’s time. Dubbed as the most prestigious International Marathon in the country attended by runners from all walks of life both local and international. It will be first time to run a Full Marathon at sundown. I was expecting my Personal Record to be improved from the last Marathon i ran last July 2009 at the Milo Marathon National Elimination in Manila. We flew in a day before the race and billeted at the Venezia Hotel inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.The race course started in Floridablanca Toll Plaza in Pampanga. The starting gun fired off at exactly 4:30PM with an estimated 1000 runners hitting the pavement of the SCTEX ( Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway). The euphoria was very high at the start while runners saw the sunset in the horizon on the right side of the highway. The organizers made sure that the northbound lane of the expressway is closed exclusively for the runners. Other Cebuano runners that joined me in the race are my fellow team members from the CERC (Cebu Executive Runners Club) whom i can say are my fellow Asphalt Eaters! There were a lot of challenges during the race like running alone in the dark, some water stations have less supply of water, there were no kilometer markings and most of all no Aid Stations. Nevertheless i finished very strong at 4:55, me Personal Best (PR) so far. My average speed according to my GARMIN GPS watch was 6.75 minutes per kilometer. I remembered my speed on the last 5 kilometers was at 5.85 minutes per kilometer, i felt my heart was a bout to explode while every stride i made has a corresponding deep breathing, i sort of sounded like DARTH VADER breathing. While legs are hurting i can somewhat control pain mentally more satisfying is when you can hear the loud screams of cheer upon entering the Remy Field Oval Track where the Finish Line is located. 200 meters to the finish line on the rubber track, i gave all my best sprinted to my heart’s content knowing that the AGONY OF THE FEET is about to end. It’s true when they say, ” PAIN IS INEVITABLE, SUFFERING IS OPTIONAL!”. Crossing the Finish line is a relief when greeted by your loved ones and friends, holding their medals and certificates of finish. We always look forward for an after race meal of Steak and Rootbeer Float! Another page in running has past as we leave for Manila and off for a flight in Cebu the next day. Recovery Phase is always good but i consider running and fitness as a way of life, so i went back running after a week. Getting ready for the next Full Marathon in 4 months time….the CONDURA 42k MARATHON on February 2010 in Manila.

Floridablanca Toll Plaza SCTEX Pampanga

CERC Runners showing their Finishers Medal

Promoting the Cebu Marathon 01-10-10

My running gear

Hello to the World of Running-The ASPHALT EATER!

AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! My first Official Running blog!  I was just stretching my calves if you know what i mean!