'Let us finish the race': Atan Guardo Running Team bares battlecry for Hong kong marathon

CEBU - They did not promise anything but showing a certain measure of confidence, the members of the Atan Guardo Running Team assured they will maximize their physical limits and endure the rigors of completing a full marathon race as they take part in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2009 this Sunday.

“I’ve been into several sports and every sport presents a different challenge. I think marathon is one of the most challenging sports,” said revered sports patron Jonathan “Atan” L. Guardo. “I’ve been running for 10 years now, but never in my wildest dream that I’m going to run in a full-marathon.

Though they’re just first timers in a marathon event, Guardo said they will try their best to finish the race whatever it takes.

“I cannot guarantee that we can finish the race but in every endeavor, I never surrender,” said Guardo. “We’re going for it even if we have to crawl into the finish line,” added the two-time Sportsman of the Year awardee in jest.

Aside from personal fulfillment, Guardo said their other driving force to finish the race is to bring pride to the country in the sense that inspite of the global economic slowdown, there’s a Philippine contingent in one of the most prestigious running events in the world.

“We should finish the race. We will wave the Philippine flag especially for the OFWs in Hong Kong. We will show to them that despite the global economic crisis, there’s an RP Team to cheer for them,” Guardo said.

Aside from Atan Guardo, the other members of Cebu’s newest running club who will participate in the grueling 42-kilometer footrace are his brothers Jeson and Jerry, The Freeman sports columnist Raffy Uytiepo,Tinago barangay councilor Joel Garganera, ABS-CBN newscaster Haydee Acuña, and Allan Delantar.

“I represent the ordinary runner. By joining international marathon, it’s one way of encouraging more sponsors to organize an event of such magnitude here in Cebu. I want to see running to blossom in Cebu because it’s a sports for everyone, whether you are rich or poor,” said Acuña, who runs daily from Banawa to Carmen as part of his rigorous training regimen.

They will be joined by two of Cebu’s top runners Leszl Lumindas-Gitaruelas and Mendell Lopez as well as Edwin Ratilla and Genito Guardo, who will both see action in the 10K category.

“I hope I would be able to improve my placing last year,” said Lumindas, who finished fifth overall in the women’s 21K division last year.

Lopez, who landed fourth in the 10K class, targets to break into the top three as he competes in the men’s 21K this time. “My aim is to place at the top three in the 21K,” the decorated footracer said.

Aside from the Atan Guardo squad, the Cebu Executive Running Club (CERC) will also be fielding in a lean delegation to the annual tilt. They are Brandon Bryan Pon, Chris Aldeguer and wife Nia, Millette Chiongbian, and Frederic Chiongbian.

Billed as the largest participatory sporting event in the former British colony, over 50,000 runners from both hemispheres of the globe will join the race that offers a total of US$100,000 in cash prizes to all the top winners.

The race will be held along the popular routes used last year, but new features have been added to bring further excitement to the sporting event which attracts athletes at all skill levels.

Both the Full Marathon and Half-Marathon will start at Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and finish at Victoria Park. The 10km Race will once again utilize the Island Eastern Corridor. Entrants will start and run along North Point, Quarry Bay, Taikoo Shing and Sai Wan Ho before turning at Shau Kei Wan to return to the full field finish at Victoria Park.—EBV with Marigold P. Lebumfacil   (THE FREEMAN)