It's now or never: CDO

CEBU - It’s been some five years since the Nike Pharmaton 10K Circuit (which later became Adidas Pharmaton) was last held in Cagayan de Oro. Since then a lot of changes has occurred in this City of Golden Friendship. For instance, there’s the new 5th Cagayan Bridge spanning 2.5 kilometers over the Cagayan River. So last Saturday I didn’t sleep at all just to catch the 5 a.m. flight to that city so I could run in the Milo Marathon on Sunday. But the weather had another plan. I watched a bulletin on late TV that there was a low pressure brewing in Mindanao. The sky was starting to become dark as we boarded our plane where we waited for over 30 minuets at the runway. The pilot announced that the weather in Cagayan de Oro has deteriorated. We were then instructed to disembark and wait for further instructions whether the flight would be cancelled or not. Then we were told that the flight was on again. Other passengers already opted to rebook in other airlines. Midway during the flight, turbulence started to shake the plane prompting some passengers to shriek and cry. Being a veteran of hundreds of plane rides, I know this was nothing compared to some of my trips I just treated it as riding a horse in a rodeo in Bukidnon. As we approached CDO, the pilot announced that it was visibility zero and that he will make another turn and if the runway cannot still be seen, we will have to go back to Cebu. Finally he saw an opening (murag basketball da!) and landed the plane. The passengers were a bit shaken but they have arrived in one piece. The flight from Manila was cancelled. Another reason why I was in CDO was to meet a prospective franchisee who wants to open a Casa Ilongga outlet.

Milo Marathon

Just before the race, I met old friends in Cagayan, some were my race officials who lamented that since I stopped organizing races there, “wala nay dagan” except Milo. Dodong Rosales of the Oro City Sunday Runners and Philip Parco asked me if we could revive running in CDO saying “murag gi-lukemia na ang dagan dire”. I said I cannot promise but I’ll try to bring the MOVE 5K Circuit there. Having no sleep at all I decided not to join the official race and ran on another route instead. While the Milo runners traversed the heavily traffic Lapasan Highway, I took the uphill tree-lined route to the Lumbia Airport then returned to the Milo Marathon finish line at the provincial capitol. As my former race officials saw me they informed that an accident happened just before the 10K halfway turning point. A 10-wheeler truck bumped the motorcycle escort of female lead runner Mary Grace de los Santos of Zamboanga City, while also hitting the runner herself. I was also informed that the driver was drunk and even attempted to escape but was apprehended some 50 meters away. With blood oozing from a head wound, De los Santos still continued running and even won, hitting the breast tape in 1:30. The unlucky race official is said to be in critical condition while his wife who was back riding also landed in the hospital. But wait a minute, why didn’t race officials stop De los Santos from continuing? “Kaya ko pa” was her reply when asked if she was alright. If I were the race director, I would stop her outright and bring her to the hospital. I was told she had 4 stitches at the back of her head. As I write this column in Cagayan, Delos Santos has checked in the hospital for observation. I just hope she will be fine. Do you remember Delos Santos? Well she’s the surprise female winner of last month’s Holiday Gym and Spa Run to the Max 10 Miler.

Some of the veteran race officials said they wish to thank me for training them to be CDO’s more knowledgeable road race personnel. I just can’t understand why the lead escort was not a police traffic marshal. I saw several traffic motorcycle cops at the finish line where they always converge, waiting for the “biyaya.” They should have escorted the lead runners especially in the highway. But let’s not blame anybody. It was an accident. The race official and the runner was hit from behind and the driver a drunk at that. Blame it on a saint or a horse. Philip said “sino”? Si San Miguel or the Red Horse. Let’s look for the bottle and contact Glenn Soco, I mean… Scene of the Crime Operatives.

Notes:

I would like to greet the staff of Planet Sports Limketkai Mall a pleasant day. These are supervisor Janice Nabasca, Maricel Cagadas, Dandith Yanson and Mark Jun Velayo. And also to Frank Salazar who said it’s scary to cross the streets in CDO especially the way drivers act on the road. (THE FREEMAN)