I CAN never forget the moment I decided to run the 21K division of the Cebu Marathon. It was the Monday after Manny Pacquiao’s loss to Juan Manuel Marquez, which came after an Azkals loss. So my friends and I honored San Miguel liberally to overcome our sorrows.
Perfect time to sweat it out, I thought. There’s a couple of steep uphills in Banawa, going to Capitol, and I thought smugly, hey I can do this, perhaps I can do the 21K? I didn’t follow a training regimen, I just ran, sometimes five nights a week in that six weeks before the Cebu Marathon 2012.
I had no fixed rout. Sometimes, I’d go all the way to the Capitol, down to Fuente or go to Mango, or go to the office on P. del Rosario — and catch a few couples making out behind CNU. My resolve was further boosted when in the final night of my pseudo training, I ran from Banawa all the way to Sto. Niño, to attend the Doce Pares anniversary. The Cebu Marathon was a week away and though I didn’t follow any training regimen, I read somewhere that you don’t overburden yourself in the days before the big event.
As expected, the colleagues were impressed when I showed up at the Doce Pares party in a running attire — of course I didn’t run the way back -- and joined the party.
I began to have doubts, when a few nights after the party, I measured that distance in google maps and realized it was nowhere near a 21K.
Holy crap, I may be in over my head. I realized I was way over my head during the run when, near the PLDT area, hunger pangs hit me. I was never hungry in all my training runs but on the run itself, I got so hungry I had to stop and buy a couple of crackers from a street vendor. I tucked a few P20 and P50 bills so I can get a taxi home if I quit but at that time I use it to buy food and I thought, while jogging and eating in place, I’m not even at the SRP the halfway place.
I don’t know how I got to the SRP. I don’t know how I even forgot that I gave myself the means to go home should I quit but I can’t forget that final stretch. There I was, struggling to put a step after a step. I’d just walk my way to the finish line I thought then suddenly, there was this young man, jogging beside me.
“Finish strong,” young Frederico Garganera said. All I could do was look at him. Saying anything was too much of a strain. I kept thinking of something to say but before I knew it, I jogged at his pace, which was my pace, all the way to the finish line.
2:35. I checked and looked back at Frederico and saw him going back, looking for another runner to guide to the finish.
I never ran after that, despite John Pages’ numerous invitations. I never was tempted. I won’t be in over my head. Though these days, I do jog for a minute or two, while catching up with a daughter on a scooter, never did I entertain running again.
Until I saw the Cebu Marathon’s post for next year. 21K in five hours? I’m pretty sure I can’t run for 21 kilometers and I’m doubly sure I can’t run for five hours but hey, walking for five hours, hmmm, that’s doable, right?
Won’t be in over my head, I think.