Pinoy runner dedicates UAE leg of global run to Bohol quake, Yolanda victims

Noted Filipino marathoner Cesar Guarin is back in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the latest leg of his 42,000-km global run—and is dedicating this leg to the countless victims of recent calamities in the Philippines.

Guarin, 57, the first Asian to run around the world, is to run across the UAE's seven emirates from Nov. 22 to 29, according to a report on UAE news site Khaleej Times on Thursday.

A separate report on Gulf News said he is dedicating this stage of his run for those who survived the destructive Typhoon Yolanda early this month, and last month's equally infamous magnitude-7.2 earthquake in Bohol.

More than 4,000 died in the wake of Yolanda, which tore through Visayas and Southern Luzon. On the other hand, over 200 died in the Bohol earthquake.

“This time there is extra sentiment. I am dedicating my run to all the victims and survivors of the recent typhoon and earthquake, which has devastated central Philippines. We are not allowed to raise funds but we are doing the run to keep the spirit of helping those affected by the recent calamities alive," Guarin said in the Gulf News report.

In the Khaleej Times report, Guarin said support from many Filipino overseas workers during his last Middle East run in Dubai prompted him to return for the UAE run.

“I did not do this run to set a record in the Guinness Book of World Records, but for the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), whose stories have inspired me to become an ultra-marathoner,” he said.

Last May, Guarin ran 1,265 km in the seventh leg of his global run in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE. A fine arts graduate, he underwent intense training for the Olympics marathon, but suffered a leg injury due to over-training.

Khaleej Times said Guarin is to finish his 48-country global run in 18 stages. So far, he has covered 24 countries.

After his UAE leg, Guarin will run in North America from Alaska to Los Angeles, then to Japan, Korea and China. He will then go to Europe across Austria to Greece. — KBK, GMA News