When I retired from my job in New York, and moved here in 2019 in Dumaguete, I told myself that finally, I would be able to cross out running the Cebu City Marathon (CCM) from my bucket list.
I didn’t get a chance to do it last year because I didn’t make it to the registration deadline. Anyway, there is another one next year, so I thought.
Due to the pandemic, this year’s race still pushed through, but in virtual form, complete with registration fees, race shirts, and medals for the finishers.
The only difference was that the race was not officially held in the main streets of Cebu City, unless I live there and could retrace the actual marathon course.
The CCM online registration was open to all running enthusiasts, and provided a choice of different distances of 15K, 21K or 42K — which can be completed within a specified number of hours between Jan. 8 to Jan. 25, anywhere in the world.
This whole concept of virtual races never really attracted me. I never relished the thought of running 42 kilometers under the banner name of CCM. I was thinking, if it’s not done in the streets of Cebu City, with thousands of runners and spectators lining up and cheering, it’s not legit enough for me, and I would not even consider ticking it off my bucket list.
Here in Dumaguete, the CCM has been an annual pilgrimage for the local runners, and is always very well-represented. This year, some runners didn’t want to break tradition so they registered even while it’s a virtual race. For me, like other runners, I chose to run the full marathon unregistered.
Since the race must be done on a single day, most runners ran with a partner or with a group, to make it more enjoyable. For those who registered, the result must be submitted once the distance was completed, and validated, for them to receive a certificate, commemorative t-shirt, and medal.
Our group, Larga Biya, picked Jan. 24 to run the virtual CCM. We chose a flat well-lighted route, starting from barangay Bantayan in Dumaguete, all the way to Dauin (mostly along the National Highway) up to the point we reach 21 kilometers, then turn around, finishing at the starting point to complete 42 kilometers.
Our journey began at 2 in the morning, before the cocks crowed. We did not all start at the same time since there was no official time clock, and we only relied on our own watches to keep track of time and distance. To keep social distancing while on the road, many of us ran in pairs, or in small groups but sparsely separated.
We had some great support from family members and other runners who had completed the virtual race on other days. They drove their cars and trucks to different locations along the run route to provide us with hydration, nutrition, and cheers — just like in a real race.
With the route being out- back, we were able to exchange cheers and encouragements with runners going the opposite direction. Timmy Besario, an accomplished runner, ran unchallenged after the halfway point. He eventually finished all 42 kilometers in three hours and 30 minutes, ahead by 15 minutes from the fast chase group consisting of Adam Uypitching, Anthony Pailuga, Arvy Bargamento, Edmar Balandaca, and Jar Dani Nato, who all finished under four hours.
Another notable runner who ran under four hours was Kim Estanil, who ran a personal best after his first marathon one week prior, with other CCM 42K runners.
The legendary coach Nino Pinero also did two 42K runs in two consecutive Sundays.
If you think doing back to back marathons is out-of-this-world, Michael Chua didn’t just ran 42K CCM a week before, he ran another 50 kilometers to celebrate his 50th birthday.
First-timers Keenan Pinero, Arbin Bulaybulay, Kieth Geconcillo, Joshua Ababa, Edward Pialago and Andrew Aguilar happily completed the 42K marathon, finally under their belt.
As for the others, to name a few, like the husband and wife team Albert and Maripol Tecson, Joeffrey Belen, Irwin Uypitching, Homer Pamorca, Jojo Gahinhin, Recardo Cordova, Arnel Sugano, Don Teves and Harold Pinero joined the rest of the marathon finishers.
I hope that by January 2022, I would be able to finally cross out the Cebu City Marathon form my bucket list, and genuinely experience the much-coveted race.
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Author’s email: Ironmandario@gmail.com
