My (First) Ketchup Run: Planet Sports Run

I was about to answer the call of nature, when the 10K starting gun was fired. What the?! Forget about emptying my bladder, I immediately went down the staircase toward the starting corral, only to find out it was already closed to accommodate the 5K runners. I have no choice but to run and catch up with the last of the 10K runners without stepping on the starting mat (Well, as if we were wearing timing chips!). 

This ladies and gentlemen, this is the story of my catch-up run during the first Planet Sports Run.

If you are a devoted follower of my blog, you know that I am such a negative splitter, but on this occasion, I was a positive splitter for the first few meters or so just to catch up with the tail end of the pack. I caught the back of Sun Star journalist Rene Martel, and targeted him. Yes, during races, I target a certain individual or group of people in order to catch up with them. I do pick them in terms of their speed and endurance level, and sad to say, most of the runners are positive splitters or are rabbits, as they say.(RUNNER'S LINGO: Rabbits/Hares- are runners who usually run fast right from the get-go, but usually slows down in the home stretch. Think Aesop's "The Hare and the Tortoise" fable.) My competitive self is shown in races sometimes, but I know who I am messing with. Hehehehe! I am soo super bad! Anyway, I was literally just behind Mr. Martel, when I saw another runner who was wearing Vibram 5-Fingers! Wow, more and more people are into barefoot running without exposing their soles to the wicked broken glasses, and the blistering heat of asphalt. Oh, which reminds me, I must write a review on Nike Free 5.0 v.4! Anyway, back to the story, so I caught up and eventually overtook Mr. Martel and Vibram 5-Fingers guy in front of the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos. So my next target was Ms. Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM)-Velez Runner. She was running at pace which was good. When we were already in the vicinity of the IT Park, there were no marshalls in the two roads going to that place! A car nearly hit Ms. CIM Runner at the del Mar St. entrance, so I have to man traffic for her. And then, Ms. CIM Runner was about to overtake a maroon SUV that suddenly burst into the scene. Analyzing the situation that the driver will not give in (Ms. CIM Runner is trying to overtake on the right side of the vehicle.), I told Ms. CIM Runner to go to the left side of the car, and she followed what I have said. I finally overtook her near JY Square.

At around UP Cebu College area, some friends of ours from the Mandaue City Runners Club paced with me. Believe me, these guys can run a full marathon in less than 4 hours. My pace is already their LSD pace! I talked to them about the latest innovations of the up coming Milo Marathon, since they have anticipating for it.


I overtook a lot of people along the route. I overtook Maam Twinkle just a few meters from the turning point. I told her that I have to go ahead. Then she nodded. I overtook Mr. Viking guy (whose costume reminded me of Gimli from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy) who was running 5K just 300 meters from the finishline. I was actually planning to overtake my Tita Nene before the finishline, but it was a bit too late. I finished the race in 1 hour 10 minutes and 1 second! Not bad for someone who was playing catch up. But I surely hope this will be my first and last "ketchup" run.


I caught up with fellow blogger, Katol V., I briefly chatted with him. He was in his "lunch break" and photograph the event. I did not see Sir Manny after the race.

Me with my "Wazzup, dude?" look after crossing the finish line.

Photo by Katol V.