Pages: Cebu Marathon: 3 days to go and counting

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

“THE marathon is a charismatic event. It has everything. It has drama. It has competition. It has camaraderie. It has heroism. Every jogger can’t dream of being an Olympic champion, but he can dream of finishing a marathon”—Fred Lebow, founder of the New York City Marathon.

To the 7,000+ runners joining the year’s first big event—the Cebu City Marathon—good luck! What tip do I offer the runners? Here are excerpts of a column I wrote 12 months ago...

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“Having joined 42K races in Hong Kong, Quezon City and Singapore, the most important suggestion that I can impart is this: RUN YOUR OWN RACE.

“Each of us is different. Some are slim, long-legged, fast—like Mendel Lopez. Most of us are not. This means that only a rare few, for example, can run a 3:43 marathon like Steve Ferraren and Dr. Yong Larrazabal. Most of us can try—but most-likely, we won’t achieve that speedy target in our lifetime. Run Your Own Race.

“Never mind if others are faster. Don’t mind those who, in the first 750 meters, sprint as if a salivating Doberman were chasing them. If you’re running the 42.195 km. distance, the race is long. Don’t rush. Slow down. Walk. Drink in each water stop.

Relax. You’re not Haile Gebrselassie. You’re you. So run your own race.

“You know your body. You know how long you’ve trained. If your training has been less than planned, stop. Trot. Jog. Pace yourself. The slower you are in the first half, the better. The reserved energy you keep will be utilized towards the finish. Our body is like a battery. Deplete it quickly and you’ll lose power toward the end—when you need it most.

“Don’t mind the others. Don’t be envious of those who overtake you. A heavyweight whistling past you? Let him go. Believe me, you’ll breeze past him later.

Because—unless you’re Mary Grace de los Santos—the race is not about speed… it’s about crossing that finish line. RUN YOUR OWN RACE.”

FINAL POINTERS….5K still open. The race expo is now open! You can all claim your race
packs. Plus, only today and tomorrow, those who have yet to register (for the 5K only) can do so at the Active Zone of Ayala Center.

Pasta party. That’s tomorrow, Friday, starting 6 p.m. at The Terraces of Ayala Center. Be there. Listen to inspiring stories. Be updated of the final notices. Mingle with your fellow runners. Pasta meals are available at P180/meal.

Traffic. To the Cebuano public, come Sunday morning, you will feel inconvenienced.

Your movement will slow down. This is understandable because the city government is
closing half of all roads along the route: including Osmeña Blvd., Gen. Maxilom., Gorordo, Salinas…plus the closure of the SRP and the SRP Tunnel from 12 midnight to 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. We ask for your patience.

Go early. The 42K runners start 4 a.m. Be there before 3:30 a.m. You want to be
relaxed—not in a last-minute rush—before the starting gun fires. The 21K participants begin at 5 a.m. Show up at 4:30. For the 5K, it’s 5:30. Arrive before 5 a.m.

Cheaters not welcome. To anyone planning to cheat, please do not. Not only is the entire route littered with marshals, Citom officers, policemen—plus computers to track each runner’s footsteps—what’s worse is if you get caught. How about your name being embarrassed in the newspapers?

Or, being “excommunicated” from the Cebu running community? As our Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) motto reads: BE HONEST.

No race number, no entry. The organizers will be strict. Nobody but registered runners wearing official race bibs will be allowed along the route. Bandits are not welcome.

No wheeled vehicles. Cars, motorcycles, bikes—any type of wheeled vehicles—are absolutely not allowed inside the runners’ area.

Finally…To the runners: I will end in the same way I started: Don’t mind the others.

Many will be faster… let them go. Stay within your practiced speed. Stay calm. Run your own race. And, as our Sinulog-themed slogan says: “Feel The Beat, Get On Your Feet.”

Godspeed.

(www.cebumarathon.com)