THE Court of Appeals Visayas Station Executive Justice Gabriel T. Ingles, former president of IBP Cebu City Chapter, took time out from his busy schedule to share how he got into running, the Cebu Executive Runners Club and his memorable running events.
“I have always loved and been involved in sports. Since my elementary days I played softball in school, backyard basketball, loved watching boxing with my father, but enjoyed more track and field. During my high school and college days at Christ the King Mission Seminary, I played basketball and was chosen a varsity member,” Justice Gabby said.
“While studying law, I shifted to playing lawn tennis. After more than 10 years of it, I decided to shift to long-distance running. It was during that time that I was able to join the Cebu Executive Runners Club. Memorable were the times that I joined races outside of Cebu City, even going home to Bohol to run, but most memorable were the times that I finished a number of 21-kilometer races. Unfortunately, I was not able to join a full marathon and ended my running when I suffered a torn achilles tendon forcing me to shift to brisk walking after more than ten years of active distance running.”
For Justice Gabby, self-discipline was key in balancing his time in running while working as a lawyer, law professor, and judge.
“What motivated me to discipline myself was what I learned from my seminary days. ‘Mens sana in corpore sano,’ which means, ‘a healthy mind in a healthy body.’ Discipline means waking up early or finding time to do practice runs and taking rests when necessary; knowing your pace and mastering, if possible, the necessary arts of nutrition and fluid replacement.”
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter launched the first-ever Law and Justice Run 2021: IBP Cebu City Virtual Run. With the event being done virtually, participants will get to run at their own pace on their own time, wherever they may be, provided that they run between the dates of July 15 to 21.
Justice Gabby has some advice for those who will be joining the virtual run.
“Shepherd your energy and run at your own pace. At water stations, walk while you drink to make sure you get enough fluid. As your run progresses, keep aware of how you feel. Listen to your body and yourself. Be patient and do not be carried away by others because sometime along your run you will realize you have passed other runners not so much because you increase your speed, but because they slowed down. According to a Zen proverb: ‘Just move and the way will open.’” (PR)