At  the Mandaue Run for Life, reality was catching up as I catch for breath. Definitely, it is highschool stroll no more. The 5-kilometer route seems like eternity as I peeked the finish line after a few minutes from the gun start. The cheerily  launched dash turned into a run of make believe to convince myself that I still can do it.  Pride and survival  were running on my head attempting to  propel every beat of my heart. It was a challenge to the finish with the  price becoming irrelevant. The fight for gold, has become a run for the yellow  choker and the competition instantly cools down as just for fun.

Success has never been this compromising. Success can be as trivial as a yellow yarn at the turning point to the finish line.  The yellow choker reminded me that I am almost there and I should not quit. What I lacked in  speed I compensate it with persistence.  The race is not always for the swift but also to those who keep on running. I must finish the run. I can do it and I will do it.

Finally, I reached the finish line after 30ish minutes. Victory was real. It surged in me along with sweat. The race was an achievement  not only because of the finish line but of the altruistic feeling that by registering for this fun run I did not only show care for my body I also helped a child on my city. Indeed success is sweeter when shared. My success to the finish line was a large step to sprint the kids to the brighter future.

Me with the rest of the famous Cebu Bloggers Society

]]> http://laagcebu.com/2010/08/running-revisited/feed/ 2 http://laagcebu.com/2010/07/cebu-joggers-scene/ http://laagcebu.com/2010/07/cebu-joggers-scene/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:07:16 +0000 Ethelbert http://laagcebu.com/?p=265 A few years ago when I was reviewing for the bar I read an article that oxydating the body tremendously improves memory. A well-oxygenated cells (brain cells) are not likely to get sick. It allows your mind to function and hold those precious information you want to retrieve at least during the exam. Out of desperation I obliged.

Engaging to a regular exercise and eating the right food are among the highly recommended activities to avoid oxygen depletion in the body. During that time, I resolved that I will do my daily morning 1-hour jogging before hitting the books for at least 8 hours everyday.

Photo by TEDDY ESPINUEVA http://www.ceburunning.com

Wanting to keep my early morning jogging exciting I tried several spots.

Abellana / Cebu City Sports Complex
Entrance fee is P15 for regular joggers and P10 for students. Jogging here is less strenuous to the feet because of the rubberized track. This venue is usually packed with more than a hundred joggers.  5 PM after work to 8 PM is its peak hours. For variations, there are also tae-bo, swimming, ball room dancing and belly dancing sessions. Everyone is welcome to join for a very affordable fee ranging from P10 to P50 per session. No changing room but the comfort rooms are clean so you can change there. You may leave your things at one of the secured rooms. An attendant is on duty to look after your things. A major drawback of this place is the fact that the air you breath there may not be that fresh since this area is very close to the major thoroughfares of the City. You don’t want to suffocate your lungs with polluted air while jogging. However, it may not be that polluted as well. So far, I am yet to see a study on how polluted is the air here in Cebu.

The Family Park at Talamban
Entrance fee is P10 to P15. Every first Saturday and Sunday of the month, entrance fee is waived. The trees are tall. The birds are singing in chorus and the grass are green. The jogging path is a bit challenging because of its ascending pitch and trails that are not yet cemented. It is rocky and narrow. Fresh air is everywhere but not people. Only a few joggers come here. Most of the time, families come here for picnic, animal watching or maybe swimming.

Asiatown IT Park
There was a time when jogging here is prohibited. Today however, IT park is one of the favorite jogging site especially for the mid twenties to early 40’s crowd. It is clean and hip. Very close to everything. There are free parking on the western side of the area. A cemented pedestrian road can be utilized as your jogging route. No changing room but the rest rooms at The Walk is  a good makeshift.

Cebu Business Park
Less and less people jogs here. It’s a very big area but most of the time one can only cover a portion of it. For me, that area beside Union Bank is best place to jog. The place is secured. There are security guards on duty.  But a heavier volume of vehicles passing the road makes this place less appealing to joggers .

A. S. Fortuna
Although I haven’t tried it here, I observed that there had been several joggers who passed by this stretch from Manduae Highway to Foodland – Talamban. There are a number of vehicles passing on this street, safety is a concern. There are dogs on the road from residents beside the street so this may not be a good idea for those who fear dogs. If you will run going to Mandaue Highway Seno from Foodland, you will face the sunrise on your way.

Plan and enjoy. Happy Jogging!

TIP: To look for more places safe for running/jogging you may want to visit http://www.ceburunning.com/runsafe/ Aside from a very informative cebu running map, the site also contains such data as areas where runners are robbed or attacked. It also indicates which parts of Cebu runners should avoid for being unsafe, especially at night.

For the meantime, I am happy to announce that CBS partnered with Mandaue Chamber of Commerce for this year’s Mandaue Business Month. The activity will kick off with a fun run on August 1, 2010 at 4:00 o’clock in the morning at the West Parking Area of the Park Mall.

Please check poster below for registrations and more info. Lets run and help!

Here are some points on why LaagCebu.com supports the BRT plan.

Accoding to Wikipedia Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems that use buses to provide a service that is of a higher speed than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling. It is a transport system with its onw right of way. The goal of this system is to approach the service quality of rail transit while still enjoying the cost savings of bus transit.

BRT System

Why BRT?

1. When operating in exclusive running ways or dedicated lanes, BRT systems can run at faster speeds than conventional buses in regular traffic and even as fast as light rail. By offering frequent service and avoiding traffic-related delays, BRT systems can provide riders with a more reliable travel time.
2. Minimum transfers from one mode of transportation to another. BRT is highly accessasble since it will follow same route with the typical jeepneys in the city right now.
3. Lesser amount of investment is required. This means that the BRT is more feasible and practical.
4. Faster implementation since no major road construction required instead roads will just be widened and rails be set up.
5. Through the use of clean and alternative fuel vehicles and the reduction in automobile traffic and congestion, BRT systems can help achieve air quality and other environmental goals.
6. BRT is more flexible compared to LRT, routes maybe change anytime to cater large volumes of demands on certain places depending on the occasion and other contingencies.
7. RT affords a great opportunity for tourist to view the city as if riding a bus. This is a more tourist friendly mode of transportation. BRT systems generally use rubber-tired, low-floor vehicles with wide doorways and aisles that are easy to board and comfortable to ride, most BRT vehicles are designed to provide premium seating and amenities while enjoying the view a city could offer.
8. Cleaner roads. Road maintenance is not duplicated.
9. Provides opportunities to build better sidewalks and pedestrian areas that will improve the life of the commuting public. A good city is not malls but public space and parks not parking lots. Parking is not a constitutional right. A good city should have places for people to walk and to be with other people. It should give people the needed spaces to play and should not make some people feel inferior.

LRT System

Why not LRT?

1. My experience in Manila is that boarding an LRT is tedious and inconvenient especially to the PWD and the advanced in age. LRT Stations are usually 50 to 100 steps above the road with no elevators. Passengers will have to climb stairs and hurdle a steep walk to reach to the ticket booth and ride the train. For PWD’s and grannys to ride the train is almost impossible.
2. After an LRT ride one will have to take another mode of transportation like a taxi or a jeepney in order to reach to his specific destination.
3. Currently, study shows that passenger volume in metro Cebu cities could not sustain maintenance of the LRT. Local government may have to allocate budget for its maintenance.
4. Talisay City to Mandaue City is so short a route for an LRT. This mode of transportation is designed for distant destinations and long trips. LRT speed and convenience is more appreciable on those kinds of trips.
5. LRT does not solve traffic jam problems. In Metro Manila alone, LRT, MRTI and MRTII proved to be inutile in solving traffic problem.