Running in Lapulapu City

Running races have become the fad in the Philippines in the last couple of years. Anyone who owns a pair of shoes, any kind of shoes, in fact I've seen a runner in a pair of Vans, and one in a pair of Converse, will sign up for a race. "The t-shirt," says Cousin Obet. "I just want the t-shirt. Oh, and for the recognition of having run a marathon!"

If you've forgotten or haven't read about the last race we did, you can read about it here.

Last weekend Cousin Obet read about the Lapulapu City Health Run hosted by the city's Sports & Tourism chairman Harry Radaza. The race is actually a series of nine races graduating from a maximum of a 5k run to a 10k run. Being of abled bodies and sound minds - well, maybe not sound of mind, for who in their right mind is willing to get up long before the crack of dawn to mill around a crowd of three thousand strong just to run five kilometers in the insufferable humidity? - Cousin Obet, Marlon, and Cousin T and I signed up.

So on the morning of the first race, even before the cock's crow, the four of us gathered for pre-race hoorah and then marched out to the highway to catch a multi-cab to the Mactan Shrine. If it weren't for the fireworks (instead of a gun) that signaled the start of the race, we probably would not have shook the sleep from our eyes.

Without further ado, here's what four ambitious, hungry, and eager "athletes" look like on race day.

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