Then all of sudden in November last year Simon Losiaboi from Kenya showed up and shook up the status quo of the local running scene. Since then, Lopez has played second best to Losiaboi who then became an instant hit in the local running circuit.
For a while Cebuanos stood in awe and were thrilled at watching the Kenyan with his sinewy legs and long strides win races week after week after week. Except for the Cebu City Marathon where Losiaboi lost to another Kenyan runner, it seemed as if we running mortals were resigned to seeing Losiaboi win all the races. It was as if there was no contest as to who would get the top prize. Without a real challenger, the Simon show became boring.
(Photo from Pabolfc.blogspot. L-R: Elmer Bartolo, Simon Losiaboi and Mendel Lopez)
This until Lopez changed race strategies and started skipping some of the weekend races to make time for more intense training and more importantly, to give his muscles much needed time for recovery, which is just as crucial as racking up the miles.
The first time Lopez beat Losiaboi was by technicality, after Losiaboi who ran using someone else’s race bib was disqualified at the Rotary Run in February. Lopez went home with the winner’s trophy, but to a truly competitive runner this win doesn’t count. It wasn’t on the merits.
Then on March 20, Lopez beat Losiaboi in a face-off at the Mt. Manungal climbathon – a 17-kilometer trail and road run challenge. Lopez clocked 1:07:25; while Losiaboi was light years away at 1:12:45 “
Then as if to prove that his win at the Manungal climbathon was no fluke, Lopez, in less then 24 hours, again beat Losiaboi at the Run to the Clouds – an 8-kilometer uphill challenge. Lopez was practically unchallenged as he led all the way up the relentless hills of Barangays Busay and Malubog 600 meters above sea level, beating Losiaboi by 2 minutes and 18 seconds – an eternity in competitive road racing standards.
This got local runners buzzing. The local Kenyan running sensation, was not invincible after all!
The real test however, will be when Losiaboi and Lopez face off at the long and flat 21-K course of the Great Lapu-Lapu Run on April 18 and Lopez knows this. “I won’t be racing between now and April 18. Lapu-Lapu will be my next big race. Dili lang ko mag-target ug time. Paningkamutan lang nako nga ako ang mag champion,” Lopez tells the Marathon Foodie.
If we go by personal records, Mendel Lopez’s personal best for 21K is 1:11:11 – a far cry from Simon Losiaboi’s reported personal best of 1:03. But as a proud Cebuano, I’m rooting for our local boy Mendel, statistical and historical data be damned.
Summer Sportscapade
If you’re looking for a race that is more than the usual and an excuse to wear a bikini in Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island on Holy Week and not get sued by Gov. Gwen Garcia, then the Summer Sportscapade is for you.
There will be sprint (750m Swim - 20km Bike - 5km Run) and standard distance (1.5km Swim - 40km Bike - 10km Run) triathlon on March 31; duathlon (2.5km Run - 20km Bike - 2.5km Run) on April 1; and oceanman (200m Run - 200m Swim all x 4 laps) on April 2.
Summer Sportscapade will be held at Mac’s Hideaway Beach Resort on the pristine beaches of Santa Fe . Registration is pegged at P350 for each event but you can opt to join as many as you want by signing up for the race-all-you-can fee at P500 which is payable on or before race day at the race site. Registration deadline is on race day itself.
Citirun
Good luck to all runners joining Citirun at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. Be safe, race well and seize the road!
13 comments:
Nice story. Hurray for our blood brother Lopez!
Interesting race scene there in Cebu. I hope it spreads to nearby provinces and even Mindanao.
Hello Rico!
Yung mga taga Mindanao dumadayo dito sa Cebu to race. Naghahanap ako ng mga blogs by Mindanao runners. BTW, is it true that some races in Manila won't allow Kenyans to race competitively?
what's with the kenyans running in local races? (related question - does winning races earn that much?)
or do they travel from kenya specifically to race or are they located locally because they are students/migrants/working and just happen to race?
Simon came over to the Philippines as part of his Church's mission (he's Baptist. The mission concluded October, then he started joining races since November. He extended his visa just so he could race. I heard that he sends part of his winnings back to Kenya.
The other Kenyans in Manila are in the Philippines to race and win all over Southeast Asia.
Prize money in Manila is much bigger than in Cebu. The usual 1st prize money here is 3K, that's less than a hundred dollars. =)
Simon came over to the Philippines as part of his Church's mission (he's Baptist. The mission concluded October, then he started joining races since November. He extended his visa just so he could race. I heard that he sends part of his winnings back to Kenya.
The other Kenyans in Manila are in the Philippines to race and win all over Southeast Asia.
Prize money in Manila is much bigger than in Cebu. The usual 1st prize money here is 3K, that's less than a hundred dollars. =)
of course, mendel all the way. when mr. losaboi started winning races, i really went up to mr. raffy u. and asked him about having kenyan/s rule our races. of course, i saw his point when he said that this is a free country, and having world class competition will improve our local runners. but still no? p.s. can you believe i ran with him (simon) one time in my running playground in talamban? we made an odd pair, i tell you. even went up to my place for breakfast hahaha. of course, he doesnt recognize me now and i avoid him too. but then thats another chika. har har
Saw you in the boat bound for Hagnaya (from Sta. Fe). I then whispered to family, uy there's Haidee Acuña, the lawyer/newscaster/blogger/ultramarathoner. Hehe.
I thought wa nadayun ang sportscapade because of talks about the province getting strict on any holy-week merriment in the island. Sayang, I missed this. Not that I intended to join, pang spectator ra ko on these type of races. =)
Hey! You should have said hello! Kuyog nako si Eugene we swam all day and ran every morning.
Wa sad ko kaapil sa sportscapade kay bawod man. Mahadlok ko sa dagat.
interesting post ms.haide! i think it is a must to experience running in cebu.
go go go mendel, make us proud on april 18!
Hello James!
Thanks for visiting the blog. You might want to consider running the Cebu City Marathon 2nd Sunday of January 2011. =)
wow! thanks for the invite, i would love to do that... oh before i forget, did mendel beat the kenyan? btw, i will have a quick stop in cebu on may 19-20, of course i want to run there...are there running clubs/groups running during that day? thanks!
Hello James!
CCM is a must you know. They will probably announce the CCM 2011 between June and August so the people can train well and prepare.
There are no races for Ma 19 to 21 kay weekdays man na. =) But you can always run at the IT Park or the Cebu Business Park or the two Mactan bridges. =)
okay thanks! i hope to run on those bridges. thanks for the info, that would be my last run before my 1st marathon. btw, who won simon or mendel?
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