Of the 3,000 expected participants in today’s Cebu City Marathon, there will be 72 who will be showing how resilient Filipino runners are.
These 72 are runners coming from different parts of the Visayas that were badly hit by supertyphoon Yolanda last November.
Among them is Taclobanon Luis de Asis of the Tenderfoot Organization of Enthusiastic Striders (TOES). He was a source of inspiration for other runners in last Friday’s carbo-loading activity at the Ayala Center Cebu’s The Terraces as he shared his painful experience in Tacloban City.
“When we arrived in Cebu City, we were surprised how normal people live their lives. It was unlike in Tacloban, where everyone struggled for food, water and shelter,” De Asis shared.
He said Cebuanos welcomed them during that difficult time and it was this warmth that inspired them to run.
“Nindot kaayo ang feeling kay warm kaayo ang pag welcome namo. Para nako, na inspire mi ug samot modagan.”
De Asis also said they want to be an inspiration to others and prove that Filipinos’ determination is one of a kind.
“We run because we want to show everyone that despite the calamities we’ve been through, we can get back on our feet,” said De Asis, who lost almost everything in Tacloban including his running gear. He will be running on a borrowed pair of running shoes today.
Aside from De Asis, there are also runners from Palo, Leyte and Southern Leyte who will be joining the 42-kilometer and 21k races.
RAIN OR SHINE
Meanwhile, Cebu Executive Runners Club’s John Pages said it’s all systems go for the prestigious annual international race held in line with the celebration of the Sinulog Festival.
The race will feature runners from 23 different countries. It starts at the Cebu IT Park at 4 a.m. Pages said they were able to gather a lot of foreign runners because the Condura race in Manila was cancelled.
According to Pages, the weather today is expected to be cool with rainfall expected to continue. Organizers said the race will push through even if it rains.