Recorder of man’s triumph

It was American jurist, politician and 14th Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren who said – “I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people’s accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man’s failures.”

This is true not just for Warren, but for many of us. But if you’ve been reading the sports pages of your local community newspapers in the past five years, you will find stories about accomplishments not just of hardcore athletes and sportsmen, but also the exploits and accomplishments of weekend warriors and virtual unknowns, who, despite their limitations, train hard at their chosen sport and do just as well.

This more inclusive coverage of man’s accomplishments in the sports pages is most evident in the sport of running. Ever since the second wave of the running boom hit Cebu three years ago, stories from average runners doing well in the great sport of running have found its way into the local sports coverage, encouraging more and more to lace up and run.

More than a recorder of man’s accomplishment, the sports pages have now become a source of inspiration for more and more people to adopt a more active and healthy lifestyle.

In the recent SMB-SAC Awards, two non-elite runners were feted alongside perennial awardees – Mary Joy Tabal, Mary Grace Delos Santos, Mendel Lopez and Merlita Arias-Dunkin for their exemplary achievement in running – Emily Millette Chiongbian and the late Melinda Ponce.

Emily Chiongbian achieved what all serious runners train and hope but only very few manage to achieve — a BQ or the ticket to run the Boston Marathon — the oldest, most revered marathon in the planet next only to the Olympics. Millette qualified by clocking 3:43:06 earlier in March 2010 at the LA Marathon. The 115th Boston Marathon last April was Millette’s victory lap, not just for herself, but for all of us who continue our quest for the holy grail of marathon running.

Melinda Ponce was honored posthumously for her stellar achievements in ultramarathon running. Even way past the age of 50, Melinda outran men and women half her age after emerging as female champion in the Warrior 50K in Mactan Cebu and the Summit 60K Challenge in Talisay City.

Cebuanos in the 2012 BDM 102

Congratulations to the Cebuano finishers of the 2012 Bataan Death March 102K Ultra Marathon held last March 3-4, 2012, tracing the original route of the infamous Death March which claimed the lives of thousands of Filipino and American prisoners of war in 1942.

In this year’s edition of the BDM 102, 160 runners out of 186 starters finished the grueling road ultramarathon which started in Mariveles, Bataan and ended at the old train station in San Fernando Pampanga where the death marchers of 1942 were loaded into box cars en route to concentration camps in Capas, Tarlac.

Lawyer Jonnifer Lacanlale broke the course record by 11 seconds after crossing the finish line in 10:00:54, followed by 60-year old Peter Kennedy of Great Britain in 10:44:56 and Eugene Yasay in 10:50:09. The podium finishers in the distaff side include Lieza Valerio (14:02:12), Ma. Aleth Reblora (14:15:40) and Candy Balaba (15:14:02).

Toledo City’s Municipal Veterinarian Wilfredo Estepa was the fastest among the Cebuano contingent clocking 13:22:52 and ranked 15th over-all, followed by Sugbutriathlon’s Meljohn Tezon in 14:55:02, Reno Enopia in 15:20:56, Alberto Castro in 15:42:59, Dr. Kathrina Perez in 17:16:44, Dr. Theodore Zamora in 17:46:17 and Jinky Yray in 17:46:39. The cut-off time is 18 hours.

The BDM is organized by retired AFP Major General Jovenal Narcise. The BDM 102 ultramarathon started in 2009 and in 2011, Narcise added a 160-KM categrory taking runners through three provinces (Bataan, Pampanga and Tarlac). It is both a tribute to the courage of the men and women of Bataan and a celebration of the human spirit. In a survey by Runnersworld Philippines, the the BDM is among top three dream races among Pinoy runners next only to the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon.