Runners set goals, chase dreams, find love and keep on running

'Tis the season to burn all the fat and excess weight gained during the December holidays. The method of choice for several thousands of Metro Manila's urbanites is running.

 

Some hit the road early on January 7 at three separate running events in Pasay, Quezon City and Taguig.

 

Just under 4,000 runners chose to start getting back into shape and woke up early on January 8 when―for the eighth time―the Philippine Stock Exchange staged its Bull Run. Exactly 3,882 made it across the finish line at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig based on all the results released.

 

Others chose to let the first two full workweeks of 2012 pass before joining the Go Natural Run on January 15.

 

Olympic dream

 

At the Summit Run for Pinoy Glory, which was a fund raiser for Filipinos competing in the London 2012 Olympics, there was Michelle de Vera, who, the next day, reigned over the PSE Bull Run's 5K women's division with a time of 20:57.

 

Sporting a slim figure, Michelle, a second year high school student in Pasay City North High School, does not need to lose weight actually. She runs because she is chasing a dream. Michelle wants to someday compete in the Olympics.

 

“Meron po akong gustong marating sa buhay...makasali sa Olympics at ipagmalaki po ang bansa natin,” Michelle said.

 

She is the youngest among three siblings. The eldest, her brother, is her trainer/coach. The second, her sister, joins her often in runs with the goal of managing her weight.

 

“Sprinter po 'yung kuya ko habang kami ng ate ko ay sa middle distance. Pati po 'yung mga kamag-anak namin, pinapatakbo na rin namin,” Michelle shared.

 

At her school, Michelle's peers are in the running squad and are all into sprint races in ovals while she chose to specialize in middle distance running under road conditions.

 

Among those who run fairly often in the weekend races, Michelle is a familiar face in the local running scene. She has been running races for seven years now and has lost count of the number of races she has won for fun and conditioning. She wins about four to six times a month.

 

Every time she goes up the stage at the end of the runs she joins, she never fails to receive appreciative applause and queries from the adult runners about how young she is.

 

Curious, PSE president Hans B. Sicat asked her how young she was after he handed to her the prize for the 5K run. He responded with appreciative nod upon learning she is just 14.

 

Run for love

 

Someone else got more than just appreciation at the 8th PSE Bull Run. Adoring fans gathered around marathoner and famed running coach Rio dela Cruz.

 

Rio ran in the 3K with his fiancee, who ran her first race. That is, at the very least, sweet. The video of his proposal and their love story has become viral on YouTube and Facebook. 

 

Coach Rio credits part of the running boom to Facebook and other Internet-based social media. He notes that aside from shoes, running apparel and watches, digital cameras are sort of standard equipment for runners because after every race, the runners relive on Facebook the fun of crossing the finish line as they upload photos and tag them to their hearts' content.

 

“Malaking bagay 'yung online eh. Kasi, kita mo sila ang daming nilang camera habang tumatakbo. I-post nila 'yung pictures sa Facebook. Tapos invite nila friends and officemates nila. Hanggang dumami sila nang dumami. Ngayon dito sa Metro Manila, up to five races na at the same time,” coach Rio noted.

 

Getting more out of life

One family among many that run together is that of Pepe and Arlyn Tan, who ran with their two kids in the PSE Bull Run and also got to take a couple of souvenir pictures with coach Rio. The Tans have been running for about four years while the kids, Bea and Ivan, joined them some months ago.

 

Arlyn, who works at Sunlife, said coach Rio will be one of the resource speakers at a life insurance convention in March she is helping organize.

 

Shared goals of living longer and healthy lives, according to coach Rio, was the crucial factor that made running the weekly habit that it is now―and becoming more so―for thousands of Filipinos.

 

“Before puyat sila, iinom, magpa-party, mag-club. Ngayon ang aga nila matulog, ang aga nila gumising. Before 'yung shopping nila more on pang-fashion. Ngayon ang shopping pang-running shoes, apparel, gear, at belt,” he explained.

 

"Running is getting popular which is good kasi nagiging healthy 'yung lifestyle nila...It's very easy to do. 'Yung trend kasi ngayon ay maging healthy. Ito 'yung pinakamadaling gawin. You need just shoes and a road to run on. To get started, skills are not required unlike basketball, football or volleyball. You just have to run.”

 

In the exclusive interview he gave to GMA News Online after the crowds of camera-ready fans thinned out, coach Rio credits the Milo Marathons, the PSE Bull Run and sponsors of the various running events for helping sustain running as a lifestyle choice in Manila and in major provincial cities like Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Bacolod.

 

“We did the Milo Marathon last year. We had 18 races. Two in Manila and 16 outside Metro Manila. The Run United series drew 10,000 to 16,000,” coach Rio said. http://www.runrio.com

 

Ahead in 2012, he sees more quality races because regular runners have become discriminating while newbies are looking for that first well-organized race that will make them want to run again and again.

 

“Runners ngayon mas smart sila eh. Pumipili sila ng races na quality. Kasi nagbabayad sila ng pera, naghahanap sila ng results,” the running guru said.

 

“Ang advocacy namin is to help race organizers, especially outside Metro Manila, na mabigay ang basic needs to the runners like first aid, water stations, and marshals para at least kapag sumali 'yung beginner runners hindi sila madadala,” coach Rio added.

 

The bigger races draw more than 10,000 while already considered big races are those that draw 3,000 to 5,000. The PSE Bull Run, for example, started off with a few hundred runners until it reached several thousands.

 

“'Nung 2007 I started my company. I started with my first ever race in UP Diliman. My goal there was just to share my experience as a runner. Luckily, nakakuha ako ng sponsor. Sta. Lucia Realty sponsored the event,” coach Rio recalled.

 

“Naging 1,888 'yung nag-participate sa first race. Ang sarap nung feeling. Iba 'yung fulfillment eh. Wow! Ganito pala. Kasi napapasaya mo 'yung tao. Napapahaba mo 'yung buhay nila kasi nagkakaroon sila ng healthy lifestyle. Naiiba mo 'yung life nila.”

 

Economic dimension

 

Running has also had wider, economic impact. It is a growing industry sector. Event organizers mobilize the marshals, water station volunteers, first aid responders, security and traffic enforcers. Contractors provide the running singlets, bibs, gears, timing chips, equipment and supplies.

 

Amateur and professional photographers shoot and upload those souvenir pictures taken along race routes. Computer personnel operate the race timing systems and maintain the many websites dedicated to running and related sports.

 

“Mas maraming nagkakaroon ng work. Lahat ng races ko, nariyan 'yung mga taga Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) as marshals at recognized ng PATAFA 'yung runs. At mas maraming doctors and health professionals ngayon na into sports medicine while 'yung mga coaches naman ay nag-aaral about conditioning and injury prevention,” he added. 

 

For the long term, coach Rio seeks to build upon the solid foundation the established races built in years past.

 

He said he is crafting a concept and program that will mobilize local government and communities so that running and good health becomes an effective way to ease poverty.

 

“Target natin mga students at streetchildren. Gusto natin is to educate them para matulungan natin 'yung bansa natin. Gusto ko rin na ma-develop ang track and field. I hope within one year ma-conceptualize. Mabawasan man lang natin 'yung kahirapan,” coach Rio said.

 

Variety of choices

 

This weekend, the major running event is the two-day Subic International Marathon, which has categories ranging from 3K to the full 42K. Elite runners are expected to dominate the longer Subic runs, but expect also some families and runners for fun to hit the road in the 3K and 5K categories.

 

Wait. There's more. For those who want to be closer to nature, there are three separate environment-themed runs in La Union, Bataan, and Baguio. For the cause-oriented, there's one in the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines and another in Laguna―about blood donations and the Red Cross.  

 

But for runners specializing in middle distances, the 5K, 10K and 16K races of the Timex Run 2012 would fit. --KG, GMA News