Zonta says yes

The Zonta  Club of Cebu is saying yes to running but says no to violence against women. Yes folks, it’s all systems go for the Run for the Zonta Says No, a footrace on Sunday at the Terraces in the Ayala Center, an advocacy to raise funds to build a crisis intervention and referral center for abused women and children.  The race features the 3K, 5K and 10K distances.  Senator Pia Cayetano and Mayor Mike Rama already confirmed their participation together with Cebu’s marathon queen Joy Tabal and Cebu’s top runners.  Zonta president Nellie Chiu said the race is  expected to draw 2,000 runners with the bulk  coming from the different schools and universities who promised to support this worthy  cause.  Registration is now on going at Runnr Ayala, Cebu City Sports Center, HP Store SM City, HP Store Ayala and My Pet Station.  Fees are P300 (3K) P400 (5K) and P500 (10 K) inclusive of an orange t-shirt.  As a special treat, Elvisaya, the Elvis of the Visayas will rock the crowd during the awarding ceremonies.  The race is being backed by the province of Cebu, City of  Cebu, Cebu Chamber of Commerce, Benedicto College and the University of  the Visayas.

New York Marathon

I wanted to join the New York Marathon last year but an Achilles tendon injury kept me at home. Then this year, I entertained thoughts again but our grand family reunion in Bacolod City, prevented me anew, I could have joined Dr. Vic Verallo in the Big Apple, who ran this year.  Anyway, here’s some trivia.  The first New York Marathon happened in 1970 where runners ran 4 loops around  Central Park.  There were 55 participants with the first 55 finishers receiving wrist watches. In 1976, the course was changed to tour all five borroughs. This was a result of a misunderstanding between Ted Corbitt, then president of the New York Road Runners Club and a city official named Gerrie Spitz.  Corbitt suggested that competing teams be  formed from each borrough, but Spitz thought that the run will pass the five borroughs. By the time  the misunderstanding had been cleared up, Spitz had convinced a reluctant race director Fred Lebow to change the route to the present one.  Also that year, Lebow did not expect that there will be a surge of participants.   It seems that there were not enough trophies intended for the age group winners.  In order to award the out-of-town top runners, old baseball and bowling trophies were given instead while the local winners received theirs, later.

Did you know?

Former US president George W.  Bush finished the Houston Marathon in 3 hours and 44 minutes. He also finished a 3-mile race in 20:29. Other running  presidents are Jimmy Carter who averaged 6 miles a day and regularly finish his runs in less than 50 minutes.  Bill Clinton was an 8-minute miler who snarled Washington DC traffic  by jogging at the  streets.  A quarter-mile track oval was later built in the White House grounds.  But Clinton sometimes frequent the White House oval with Monica.  I’m sure he was in another physical exercise other than running.