ORMOC TO ALBUERA TO ORMOC : 14 KMS

The long slow distance (LSD) run is a weekend staple of runners, no matter what province or island you are. 

Thus, when I was in Ormoc City in the early part of March, there was no question in my mind what I would do in the early Sunday morning hours of March 10.  I ran.

 Reaching the entry into Albuera

And the route I took was going to the neighboring town of Albuera and back. The DPWH kilometer marker near Sabin Hotel showed that the town proper of Albuera was 12 kms away.  This means that it would take me more than  3 hours to finish the run to Albuera and back.  Considering that I had a breakfast meeting two hours away, I had to truncate my long run from 24 kms down to 14 kms.  The exact point I gobble up 1 hour of running, I make a u-turn back to Ormoc.

That was the plan and I followed the plan to the letter. I started out at around 5am. Good thing that after an hour of running, I was entering Benolho, the first barangay of the Municipality of Alguera.  To reach the border of Albuera and Ormoc City, I passed by  6 barrios.  In addition to Benolho, these are Bantigue, Ipil, Danhug, San Antonio and Macabug. On my way back to Ormoc, midway to Ormoc, the rain caught up with me.  I arrived back in Sabin Hotel soaking wet at 7am.  Despite being drenched, the 14-km run was a treat for me.  It allowed me to immerse, albeit briefly, in provincial  life in Leyte.  

Here are several pictures to capture this experience:

Start of my Ormoc-Albuera run

Leyte Golf and Country Club 2.9 kms away or 29 kms away

Chapel in San Antonio, Ormoc

 Batching plant beside Panilahan Bridge, the border of Ormoc and Alguera

 View of the hills from  Panilahan Bridge

 Albuera official seal

Albuera town proper 5 kms away

Trash cans in Albuera. Other barangays  including those in Metro Manila don't have this no more.

Rice field in Benolho

 Benolho meat stall

Showing loyalty to "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Lupang Hinirang"

Washing trucks by the river 2