The Successful Globe Run4Home 2012 in Cebu Experience

This is the first running event I participated in for charity. Four institutions providing homes to both people and endangered species were the designated beneficiaries and many people responded including families and their children. (The oldest participant was 77 years old and the youngest was 4 years old running in the 3K category.)

A day before the Run4Home, me and my wife attended the Skechers GoRun Running Essentials running clinic in Ayala Center Cebu with Ms. Michelle Estuar along with many other newbie runners.

There, she taught attendees the basics of running including the mid-foot strike, form, warm up exercises, stretching, recovery and many more. Experts were also present to help answer questions by attendees.

The Run4Home day itself, we woke up early at 4 AM. It was still dark when we were on our way to the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), the event venue.

On the road leading to CICC, one could see that the route for running was closed to traffic ensuring a safe run.

In the CICC, more than 5 thousand people converged. The atmosphere was like that of a fiesta. Barkadas, families, office mates, executives, celebrities, soldiers in their sports attires, couples, and even children were present to support their chosen charities through their participation.

It was nice to see our friends from the media and various sponsors including Skechers Philippines.

The start of each race category is signaled by the fireworks that lit the sky. Warm up exercises were performed together at the starting point prior to the race with the aid of a fitness instructor.

Then our turn came. As beginners, we were in the 3K category together with (well....ehem) kids.

As a polycystic kidney disease (PKD) patient myself, I also did not know if I can manage a higher K so we decided to have a feel of the 3K first.
3...2....1....GO!!!!

I had so much fun. I was taking pictures along the route.

Below is my photo in action (running only when the camera is pointed at me. hehe.)

I was making sure not to finish behind this kid below. (Pressure...whew!)

Drinking stations were positioned at approximately 1 to 1.5K intervals. Despite the presence of giant plastic bags for cup disposal, some runners (sad to say) threw their plastic cups on the road.

I finished the race within 30 minutes as my Facebook tracker indicated. Don't ask me the exact time details though. Hehe. See that big smile on my face? I DID IT!!!! (My wife finished ahead of me though....minutes ahead. At least not hours.)

At the finish line, I realized Gatorade and bananas really tasted so good after a race as I huff and puff.

Like the other participants, we proceeded to the Loot Bags section as a reward for finishing. The 21K finishers were beaming with their medals worn on their necks.

In the end, everybody went home winners. It was a victory for health, a victory for the beneficiaries since much needed help will be on the way for the victims of Sendong and the recent earthquake as well as the tarsiers of Bohol and the endangered animal and plant species.

For that I consider the Globe Run4Home a success. More events in Cebu like this please.

The overall results for males are found here. 


Results for females are in this link.