Bada rules ultra

GONE are the days when he was chasing runners. Jieter Bada, 25, is now the one being chased.

The self-trained runner has earned this respect after he ruled the first leg of the Cebu Ultra Runners Club 100K Run at the Yapha Resort in Pinamungajan, Cebu yesterday.

It was his first 100K but his second ultra run following the 2nd Coast to Coast 65K in Toledo where he landed in third place.

Bada clocked 10 hours and 38 minutes, besting other runners and even beating the sunrise when he arrived at the finish area around 4 a.m., exceeding his target by almost 30 minutes.

“Ganahan kaayo ko basta challenge. Anad pud ko ana tungod sa hago sa trabaho,” said Bada.

He owes part of his victory to his training partner Robert Daang, an elite runner who shares some tips with him. Unlike Daang, Bada was introduced to running only a year ago.

Despite that, it only took one month for him to train. In the last week, he did a 40-kilometer run thrice from Lapu-Lapu to Busay as part of his last-minute preparation.

Even on race day, he showed up deprived of sleep, coming off from his duty as a Quality Assurance employee in a company based in Lapu-Lapu but that did not stop him from putting on a good show and a victory in the end.

He became a running convert after his experience in the Amazing Race in Medellin last year.

“Even katong sa una, sige naman ko ug tan-aw sa mga dagan but dili pwede madala sige ra ka ug tan-aw kay dapat naa jud kay practice,” he said.

He had a DNF in his first race after he ran out of power trying to catch up with the elite runners. But barely a few months later, he redeemed himself in the Aboitiz Marathon where he placed 10th in the 21K and just this year in his first 42K in the Cebu City Marathon, he made it to 11th place despite the presence of Kenyan runners.

Bada received a trophy, gift check, a pair of running shoes from Pinamungajan Mayor Geraldine Yapha and a free registration to the second leg of the ultra run.

Meanwhile, Welmar Saavedra got second place in 11 hours and 17 minutes followed by Rodulfo Mediquillo in third with 12:08.

The rest of the top 10 finishers are Sergio Escasiñas III in fourth, Ronan Gonzales in fifth, Vincent Hermosilla in sixth, Andy Toniacao in seventh, Carmelo Ouano in eighth, Armando Limoran in ninth and Joseph John Dejoras in tenth place.

Virgie Parajenog and Analisa Dacayana of the Toledo Adik sa Dagan dominated the women’s class. Both of them also landed in the first and second spot of the second 65K Coast to Coast Run.

This is Parajenog’s second ultra title, finishing in 13 hours and 43 minutes while Dacayana got second in 14 hours and 13 minutes.

Parajenog relied on her long run in the Kawasan Marathon and did 12K every other day.

She did not have a target for this race but only followed her own pace.

“Wa man ko nag apas sa oras. Basta dagan ra gyud ug dagan,” said Parajenog.

Dacayana, on the other hand, said that they might waive their free registration in the next leg and give chance to other runners in their club.

But with their team mates who always forced them to run and carry the name of the club, it may not push through.

Aloguinsan’s Rhodora Oporto finished in third place in 17:28.

“It was a big success. Food and hydration every 2.5K to 5K were provided by LGUs,” said Dr. Humility Igana of the CURC.

The ultra run was supported by local government units of Pinamungajan, Toledo, Naga, San Fernando, Carcar, Barili and Aloguinsan.

“It was a fun sporting event organized by CURC. I like the enthusiasm they displayed in showing people it can’t be hard to have a healthy lifestyle but rather fun,” said Mayor Yapha who provided food and accommodations for runners and deployed police officers for the event.

The run had a total of 120 registrants but only 110 checked-in. There were 94 runners who made it within the 20-hour cutoff but 109 finished the race.